Wandering Eyes

‘TDN Rising Star‘ Jenda’s Agenda (Proud Citizen) looks to increase her career record to five-for-six while making her first graded stakes start in Friday’s GIII Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland. Bred and owned by trainer Larry Jones and wife Cindy when she romped by 6 1/4 lengths first out at Fair Grounds last January, the daughter of MGSW Just Jenda (Menifee) was bought into by Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farm before adding two more tallies at three, including Laurel’s Caesar’s Wish S. that March. Subsequently sidelined due to bone bruising, the bay was second to a very in-form foe when cut back to a sprint in New Orleans Feb. 1, but she returned to winning ways back at two turns in Hot Springs Mar. 17. “She has done well since her race at Oaklawn and done well here,” Larry Jones said. “Friday will be her first start in a graded stakes, so hopefully we can move onward and upward.” Another ‘Rising Star‘ looking to break through at the graded level is Stonestreet homebred Valadorna (Curlin). A close second in the 2016 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, the Mark Casse pupil hasn’t yet quite reached the heights she seemed like she might at that point. She became a stakes winner in the Tiffany Lass S. at Fair Grounds on Dec. 26, but faded to sixth in the GIII Houston Ladies Classic S. a month or so later. Well Humored (Distorted Humor) is three-for-three on dirt, and stepped up markedly on the Beyer Speed Figure scale when she earned a 93 in defeating Tapa Tapa Tapa (Tapit) in Tampa’s Wayward Lass S. last time out Jan. 20. View the full article

4th-LCP, €25,000, Mdn, 4-19, unraced 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:46.32, vsf. ZARKAMIYA (FR), f, 3, by Frankel (GB) 1st Dam: Zarkava (Ire) (HotY-Eur & MG1SW-Fr, $4,793,989), by Zamindar 2nd Dam: Zarkasha (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire) 3rd Dam: Zarkana (Ire), by Doyoun (Ire) Zarkamiya enjoyed odds-on favouritism in this distaffers’ test and did not disappoint her supporters with a decisive success in this unveiling. She was steadied off the pace in a midfield sixth after breaking on terms with the front rank. Nudged along off the home turn, the 9-10 pick quickened in impressive fashion to challenge entering the final eighth and ran on strongly under mild urging in the closing stages to comfortably best long-time leader Xagere (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) by a length. “She’s a lovely looking filly, but doesn’t show much in her paces at home,” explained trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre. “She’s not very demonstrative, but has a lot of energy and gives a lot. I feel we should take her step by step and space out her races. I think she will stay further and her next race will be over a mile-and-a-quarter.” The Aga Khan’s homebred is the sixth foal and second winner produced by storied MG1SW European Horse of the Year Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) and is a half-sister to G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero and G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}). Like the winner, both Zarkava and Zarak were also conditioned by de Royer-Dupre. The bay, who retains entries in the May 13 G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, May 27 G1 Prix Saint-Alary and June 17 G1 Prix de Diane, is also kin to a 2-year-old colt by Invincible Spirit (Ire) and a yearling filly by Siyouni (Fr). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €12,500. 1ST-TIME STARTER. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan’s Studs SC (FR); T-Alain de Royer-Dupre. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

If their impressive last start performances are any indication, rising stars Harmony Hero and Aerohappiness could be bound to clash in the 2019 four-year-old series, but on Saturday both youngsters should continue their progression with wins at Sha Tin. Other than being three-year-olds with obvious upside, Harmony Hero and Aerohappiness have two very different profiles. Harmony Hero already had a reputation built on exciting performances in Australia when he arrived with Richard Gibson and has... View the full article

This week is a recap of the Belmont Stakes win of Count Fleet that ran in the June 12, 1943 issue. It carried the headline "Worse Than a Walkover." View the full article

The Richard Gibson-trained three-year-old Victory Power caught the eye of the stewards on Wednesday night at Happy Valley and looks a black booker from the meeting after a nice debut. The gelding had shown ability in his trials in New Zealand and again at his second Hong Kong trial appearance, after Gibson fitted him with blinkers and he looked ready to take to the race with a knockout sort of a chance. That chance probably disappeared when Victory Power drew wide at the 1,200m start on... View the full article

The once raced Willie John (GB) (Dansili {GB}) will not be taking up a G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas entry according to his new trainer Roger Varian. The colt was an impressive winner of a Yarmouth maiden last back end for William Haggas but was then sent to Tattersalls February Sale to dissolve his previous ownership group which included Markus Jooste of Mayfair Speculators. It was there that Roger Varian successfully bid 1.9-million guineas for Willie John on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum but the owner will have to wait until mid summer before seeing the colt compete. Giving an update on the son of dual Group 1 winner Izzi Top (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) Varian said; “Willie John has impressed me in his work this spring, galloping in the manner of a high-class colt. While it is unfortunate he has incurred a small setback at this stage of the season, this will not keep him out for too long and we look forward to mapping out a Group-race programme for him from July onwards.” View the full article

Silvestre de Sousa will reunite with Pakistan Star in the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup but only if his former São Paulo apprentice school classmate, Joao Moreira, can coax the troubled galloped through another crucial barrier trial at Sha Tin on Friday. UK-based champion jockey De Sousa rode Pakistan Star throughout the 2017 four-year-old series and was second on the horse in last year’s QE II Cup, but since then the Tony Cruz-trained horse has made global headlines for stopping in... View the full article

Grade 1 winner Diversify looms the favorite in the field of seven April 21 for the $1.2 million Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2), contested around three turns at 1 1/8 miles. View the full article

NFL star Rob Gronkowski partnered with the equine Gronkowski's owner to acquire a minority stake in the 3-year-old colt, who won the March 30 32rRed Burradon Stakes at Newcastle and secured an invitation to the first leg of the Triple Crown. View the full article

Brazil’s Ruan Maia to ride at Chairman’s Trophy meeting View the full article

Khoo only worried about wide gate for Lord O'Reilly View the full article

One step at a time before she Dances, says Takaoka View the full article

NFL star Rob Gronkowski partnered with the equine Gronkowski's owner to acquire a minority stake in the 3-year-old colt, who won the March 30 32red Burradon Stakes at Newcastle and secured an invitation to the first leg of the Triple Crown. View the full article

NFL star Rob Gronkowski partnered with the equine Gronkowski's owner to acquire a minority stake in the 3-year-old colt, who won the March 30 32red Burradon Stakes at Newcastle and secured an invitation to the first leg of the Triple Crown. View the full article

With his comeback underway and just four horses in his stable, Davis knows if he is serious about riding on a regular basis, he will have to find horsemen willing to take a chance on a rider 16 years removed from his last graded stakes win. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK–The sickle moon hanging over the Tattersalls complex last night provided an apt symbol of the market as the Craven Breeze Up Sale drew to a close. For while many consignors found themselves plunged in darkness, the fringe of the market was picked out in a golden glow—much of it reflecting the final rays cast by the late Scat Daddy. After providing the outstanding sale during Tuesday’s opening session, his final crop again bestrode proceedings with the two highest prices on Wednesday. The common link, apart from the dimming light of this genetic ball of fire, was Willie Browne of Mocklershill—albeit he could only claim a peripheral interest in top lot of the sale, a spectacular pinhook supervised by his son-in-law Ronaldo Souza and daughter Tanya at Mayfield Stables. For whereas Lot 163, a colt out of Madera Dancer (Rahy), had been bought for $200,000 by Hunter Valley Farm at the experimental Fasig-Tipton Turf Showcase Sale last September, here Stephen Hillen had to go all the way to 900,000gns—a sum only ever exceeded once at this sale—to see off Godolphin and a host of other international players. “I went over to see the horse twice in Ireland,” Hillen said. “He was a bit small to begin with, but he developed and developed and the second time I loved him. He is still developing all the time and he looks ready to go. This is probably the last sale where you can get them to [Royal] Ascot so I don’t think he’ll be waiting around too long.” Hillen was acting for an existing client, who wished to remain anonymous, but was able to confirm that the colt will be staying in Britain. “Scat Daddy has obviously been a great sire and I think nearly all his that breezed last year have won,” Hillen added. “I bought one for 60 grand tonight and one for 900, so that’s two ends of the spectrum.” Even Scat Daddy, then, is not immune to the feast-or-famine flavour of the sector this spring. “It’s polarised,” confirmed Hillen. “There have been horses going through today I bought on spec, just because they were too cheap. I had a longer list today, I thought they were better horses, but it’s a buyers’ market. It is easier to get 300 grand than it is to get 75—when there’s not the gulf in class. It’s all or nothing.” Nonetheless a strong end to the sale helped some indices recover somewhat. Of the 76 animals offered in last night’s session, up from 58 last year, 56 were sold—a clearance rate of three in four, very similar to that achieved at a lower tier at Doncaster last week, but down from 84% here a year ago. The aggregate was up 13% at 8,091,000gns (from 7,165,000gns) with the average holding steady, strictly down 1% at 144,482gns (from 146,224gns). But the median was sharply down, by 23%, to 77,500gns from 100,000gns. Over the two days, the 94 sold out of 142 lots offered represented%; they raised 13,313,500gns altogether, down 6% on last year, at an average of 141,633gns (down 2%) and a plummeting median of 75,000gns (down 32%). The Tattersalls chairman placed these returns in perspective. “The huge rises across the board at the 2017 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale were always likely to be hard to match,” Edmond Mahony said. “And although falling short of last year’s wide-margin record levels, the turnover is the second highest in the sale’s 30-year history, the average is also second only to last year and the sale finished strongly. The top of the market continues to be robust, with more lots fetching in excess of 400,000gns than ever before and new buyers from America, Hong Kong and the Gulf region all active at the upper level. It would, however, be wrong to pretend that everything has been plain sailing. To date, this year’s breeze-up market has been selective and while we have witnessed a number of spectacular pinhooking successes, this has again been evident over the past two days.” “The consignors have, as ever brought an outstanding collection of 2-year-olds to the sale, and the very best have fetched premium prices, but we would have liked to have seen a better clearance rate.” With that in mind, the wit of auctioneer Alastair Pim proved a little more topical than he would have intended in accepting a revision to a bid he had interpreted as 800,000gns for the other big Scat Daddy of the night. “Times are tough,” he said, accepting Jamie McCalmont’s clarification that he intended to advance bidding from 750,000gns only to 775,000gns. In the event, that proved sufficient to secure Lot 155 from the attentions of Ross Doyle. McCalmont signed jointly on behalf of M.V. Magnier. Browne had brought over this colt—unsold at Keeneland last September for $240,000—with the highest expectations, not least in view of the fact that the dam Lauded (Medaglia d’Oro) is out of an unraced sister to Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr Prospector). If anything, he had been a little underwhelmed by his breeze on Monday—but the conditions were demanding and his record over the years had likewise emboldened Charlie Gordon-Watson to pay 800,000gns for another Scat Daddy from Mocklershill the previous evening. “The two out of Willie’s were standouts,” McCalmont said. “You’re talking about the final crop of a stallion who has just got better and better. He has two of the best 3-year-olds in the world right now, with very live chances in the Kentucky Derby, and seems to be a stallion who can do anything: Ascot winners, UAE Derby winners, you name it.” “It would have been interesting to see what these horses could have done if the going weren’t so dead. You couldn’t read nearly so much into the breeze. That’s not a criticism of anyone, of course, just an observation.” McCalmont said he felt that patchy commitment from some of the main players at the sale last year had diluted the market. “The quality is as good as it’s ever been, in terms of individuals,” he stressed. “The consignors have been putting a lot of money in.” Another top breeze-up sire, Kodiac (GB) (Danehill), was in big demand with Alastair Donald. He acquired Lot 122, a colt, for 420,000gns and Lot 132, a filly, for 360,000gns—both consigned by Church Farm & Horse Park Stud, both on their way to Richard Hannon, and both bought with a dream of Ascot in June. “They’re for a new client who was looking for a couple that we could get on with, so we hope can end up there,” the agent said. “The consignors have been very successful here, with the likes of Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), and they do an excellent job in producing these types.” The filly was a fine pinhook, acquired for €80,000 at Fairyhouse last September. The colt had been listed as sold for £260,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Sale, but there had evidently been an issue. “He was returned as a yearling, he made no noise at the gallop and scoped very acceptably—which is obviously far more relevant, now that he is being trained, than as a yearling,” Donald explained. “He’s lovely, beautifully balanced, exactly what you’d be looking for in an early 2-year-old type. And he has a great temperament.” “The filly just looked very, very fast. Her pedigree is all speed, and she looked to have a great temperament as well. I loved the way she whizzed through that soft ground, you’d have thought she might prefer it a bit better.” John Cullinan of Horse Park Stud, who also serves as spokesman of the Breeze-Up Consignors’ Association, saw the bigger picture despite these successes. “The popular ones have been selling well but below that it’s tough,” he said. “There’s very little depth to the market. I think people are worried about Brexit and then there’s uncertainty in the markets.” Donald, meanwhile, maintained the vogue for American pinhooks—on behalf of a different client this time—when giving $575,000 for Lot 158, a Street Sense (Street Cry) colt out of an unraced Tiznow mare. He was unsold at Keeneland in September at just $70,000. “I thought him the nicest colt in the sale, and he’ll suit Hong Kong well,” he explained. Anthony Stroud bought a couple of contrasting types within a few minutes for Godolphin: Lot 159, a Sea The Stars colt consigned by Powerstown Stud, for 425,00gns; and Lot 156, a Dandy Man filly presented by Tally Ho, for 280,000gns. The latter had impressed the judges this week, despite being bought in at just €40,000 at Goffs Orby. “She looked quick, and ready to go on,” Stroud said. “She’s a really nice filly in the making. And the Sea The Stars I thought breezed very well for a staying horse. Though saying that the mare [MSW Lilys Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) was quick. The time of his breeze was good and obviously he’s a wonderful stallion. I think you can still learn plenty from times even in that ground, you just need to take everything into account.” The power of the stopwatch in this sector certainly appeared to account for a surge in the value of the Swiss Spirit (GB) (Invincible Spirirt {Ire}) colt offered as Lot 128 by Norman Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm. A £72,000 yearling at Goffs UK Premier Sale for Mags O’Toole, he was elevated by a lightning breeze on Monday to 200,000gns from Shadwell—albeit Angus Gold admitted himself a little unnerved by the circumstances. “Yes, he did a very quick time, which is always terrifying to me,” Gold said. “But we’re trying to buy one or two horses that our trainers like, and a couple of them liked this one a lot. He’s a late foal [Apr. 27] and my experience of Swiss Spirit is that he was quite immature himself, and the ones we’ve got haven’t been terribly sharp, so we might end up giving him a bit of time. But Norman knows him, I don’t, and he said he’s ready to go.” The second dam, who has produced a couple of stakes winners, is a half-sister to that fast horse Averti (Ire) (Warning {GB}) who finished runner-up in the 1998 Prix de l’Abbaye—and promptly sired the winner of the 2005 running in Avonbridge (GB). Jake Warren, under-bidder on Donald’s Kodiac filly, was able to hold out a few minutes later for Lot 141, an Exceed And Excel (Aus) (Danehill) filly presented by Houghton Bloodstock. Out of a half-sister by Haafhd (GB) (Alhaarth {Ire}) to German 1,000 Guineas winner Electrelane (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), she dramatically advanced her value to 230,000gns after being listed as sold to Ed Vaughan at 17,000gns in Book 3 here last October. “She’s been bought for Bermuda Thoroughbred Racing,” Warren explained. “Johnny Barnes (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) was retired [to France] earlier in the year, and we’ve bought some really nice foundation mares for him—and we want to find a filly with a view to getting a little bit of racing action with the potential to go to stud down the line. So we focused on proven sires, and the fastest breezes. And she did the most fantastic breeze in an extremely fast time. Luke Morris could hardly pull her up. She’s not a big filly but a really athletic, neat type, just the sort you want to be buying out of a breeze-up sale, that you can crack on with.” Warren added that the filly is likely to join William Haggas—”though he doesn’t know yet!” A colt by Farhh, consigned by Tally-Ho, lit up proceedings as only the second horse through the ring—moving himself up from the 67,000gns he had cost Stroud Coleman here in Book 3 last October to 180,000gns from Mark Richards of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. He had been drawing attention to himself somewhat in the parade ring, before the bell rang to open the session, but Richards cheerfully exonerated Lot 88. “There was only one other horse in there and she was a filly,” he said. “And let’s face it, he won’t be [an entire] for long anyway! He’s just a lovely, well-balanced horse and certainly should be precocious enough. The sire’s obviously doing a very good job, too, running at five% stakes winners at the minute.” His dam is a Bertolini half-sister to two elite scorers in Ancient World (Spinning World) and Jilbab (A P Indy), in turn out of a half-sister to two more—both as juveniles, and both highly evocative names: Dunbeath (Grey Dawn {GB}) and Saratoga Six (Alydar). The latter was a $2.2-million Saratoga yearling who went unbeaten in his sole season on the track for Wayne Lukas, notably in the G1 Del Mar Futurity, but died alongside Horse of the Year Favorite Trick (Phone Trick) in a barn fire in New Mexico in 2006. Matt Coleman, who had signed for the Farrh colt above as a yearling, matched his price on the night in paying 180,000gns for Lot 117, a Dark Angel (Ire) filly out of a half-sister to Entangle (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), winner of no fewer than 20 races in Scandinavia, from a fertile Cheveley Park family. This is another for the Cool Silk Partnership, which has enjoyed such excellent dividends with its breeze-up investments through Prince Of Lir (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Sands Of Mali (Fr) (Panis). “They usually like to go for fast times but while she didn’t do the best, we thought it was worth taking a chance on her,” Coleman said. “Dark Angels don’t always breeze fast, and I just thought this was a lovely filly, physically, and David O’Callaghan was adamant she’s smart. The pedigree is full of fast horses, if not necessarily early ones, and I think she’ll probably be one for the second half of the season.” The filly is set to join James Given. It was poignant to see Lot 94 enter the ring, as a son of the great Giant’s Causeway (Storm Cat)—whose death had been announced only the previous day. But he will, at least, be given every chance to add to his sire’s legacy after being secured by Stephen Hillen and Kevin Ryan for 65,000gns. The same pair came away from this sale four years ago with a future Group 1 winner for 115,000gns in Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who makes his reappearance down the road on Thursday afternoon. This colt’s dam is a sister to G2 Hardwicke S winner Telescope (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), herself out of a half-sister to Dubai World Cup winner Moon Ballad (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}). Hillen and Ryan had already signed a 130,000gns docket for Lot 92, a son of Iffraaj (GB) whose third dam produced three very fast horses in Royal Applause (GB) (Waajib {Ire}), Lyric Fantasy (Ire) (Tate Gallery) and In Command (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells). The colt had been bought here for 60,000gns in Book 2 last October by consignor Brown Island Stables. Hard on the heels of the loss of Giant’s Causeway, another marvellous stallion had earlier in the day disappeared from the ranks—thankfully only pensioned—in Dansili (GB) (Danehill). The Juddmonte sire had received a distinguished visitor in 2015 in G1 Fillies’ Mile winner Crystal Music (Nureyev), and the resulting colt surfaced here as Lot 105 after being scratched from Book 1 by Watership Down Stud last October. Presented by Malcolm Bastard, he will make the short journey across town to Somerville Lodge after William Haggas paid 150,000gns. “He’s a very nice, well-bred horse who breezed well,” the trainer said. “I know Malcolm very well, and he loved him. I don’t know who’ll own him but we’ll find somebody. Though I wouldn’t say he’d be that early.” View the full article

Grade 1 winner Diversify looms the favorite in the field of seven for the April 21, $1.2 million Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2), contested around three turns at 1 1/8 miles. View the full article

Phoenix Thoroughbreds Ltd. has joined with New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski in a partnership arrangement involving the 3-year-old colt Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}), who is set to compete in the GI Kentucky Derby May 5 at Churchill Downs after winning all three of his starts to date in 2018. Gronkowski has acquired a substantial stake in the horse, who secured his spot in the Run for the Roses by capturing the Burradon S. Mar. 30 at Newcastle. The two-time Super Bowl champ and National Football League All-Pro will join the Phoenix team in Louisville for the Derby, where he will meet his namesake colt for the first time. “This horse is a winner and I love a winner,” said Gronkowski. “When I heard about the racehorse being named after me, I started watching and got really stoked when he started winning. I’m all in: Welcome to the Gronk family, Gronkowski the horse!” Once he began following the colt’s career, Gronkowski connected with owner Phoenix Thoroughbreds, the global horse racing investment fund founded by Dubai-based businessman Amer Abdulaziz, to discuss a potential partnership. “We are very excited to have this talented racehorse running in the Derby and to have Rob Gronkowski join our team,” said Tom Ludt, who directs Phoenix’s global racing and bloodstock operations. “His involvement only adds to our growing credentials worldwide and can help us introduce the best of horse racing to a whole new audience.” View the full article

Santa Anita’s “Ship & Stay” program, which was initiated Dec. 26 and has now been in effect through 63 racing days, has attracted 100 “new” horses to the Arcadia oval, who have accounted for 204 starts, generating bonus money of $208,308, the track announced Wednesday. Funded by The Stronach Group, “Ship & Stay” provides ongoing bonuses to individual owners and trainers who bring horses to Santa Anita from out of state. Bonuses are paid to those connections that originally bring these horses to California for their first three starts. These bonuses, which pay 20% of a horse’s first race winnings and 10% (or $1,000, whichever is greater) of second and third race monies, will be paid even if the horse is claimed. “This program is a great motiving factor for trainers to try and entice owners to bring their horses to race here in California,” said trainer Vladimir Cerin, whose Fahan Mura (English Channel), a 4-year-old Pennsylvania-bred filly, has won all three of her Santa Anita starts after shipping in from New York. “To be honest, I haven’t looked in my account yet, but this is a great deal for trainers, because we’re picking up 10% [of the bonus]. So this program makes you want to find horses that are going to be competitive. Even if they get claimed away in their first or second start, you’re still rewarded for running them where they belong.” “We’re very happy with the results Ship and Stay has provided,” added Santa Anita Stakes Coordinator Chris Merz, who devised the program. “This has generated a lot of buzz and proven it can be a mainstay moving forward here at Santa Anita. Owners and trainers are incentivized to bring horses here and we are hopeful we can build upon what we’ve been able to accomplish in a short period of time.” View the full article

Grade 1 winner Diversify looms the heavy favorite in the field of seven for the April 21, $1.2 million Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2), contested around three turns at 1 1/8-miles. View the full article

A colt by Kantharos set the fastest quarter-mile time of the day, while four juveniles equaled the swiftest furlong time as the under-tack show of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s April Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds marched through its third of six sessions Wednesday in Central Florida. Hip 531, a son of Kantharos, earned Wednesday’s quarter-mile bullet when covering the distance in :20 4/5. Consigned by de Meric Sales, the chestnut is out of the unraced Jungle Love (Friendly Lover), a half-sister to Grade I winner Set Play (Van Nistelrooy). De Meric and Machmer Hall signed the ticket at $9,000 to acquire the youngster at the 2017 Keeneland January sale. Kantharos, who began his stud career in Florida before relocating to Hill ‘n’ Dale in Kentucky last year, was also represented by one of the co-fastest furlong workers of Wednesday’s under-tack session. Hip 552, a colt by the graded-stakes winning sire, covered his furlong in :9 4/5. The juvenile is consigned by Off the Hook LLC on behalf of his breeder, Hernando and Nerina Gutierrez’s P&G Stables. “We knew he was fast. He’d been fast on the farm,” Off the Hook’s Joe Appelbaum said Wednesday afternoon. “But you never really know until they lay it down exactly what time they are going to do. We weren’t surprised by the fast work, but we’re always delighted to have a bullet.” The Gutierrezes purchased Pugilistic (Maria’s Mon), with the colt’s dam in utero, for $8,500 at the 2008 Keeneland November sale. The couple named the filly La Catira Jatar (Best of the Bests {Ire}) after Hernando’s grandmother and, while she never made it to the races, the bond was formed. “La Catira Jatar is named after his grandmother and, while the pedigree was originally a little light, they could never give up on it because of that connection,” Appelbaum, who campaigned Grade I winner Turbo Compressor (Halo’s Image) with P&G Stables, said. “Obviously since three years ago when they made the decision to breed to Kantharos, he has really come along as a sire. He was back at Ocala Stud then. And this horse has developed exactly the way you’d want him to. He’s a typical Kantharos. He’s a really nice size, lanky with a languid walk. I was happy, not just with the time of his work, but the visual as well.” Kantharos has been represented this term by graded stakes performers X Y Jet, Bucchero and World of Trouble. Appelbaum said he has been impressed by the stallion’s consistency. “My impression of him is that he’s someone who gets runners,” Appelbaum said of Kantharos. “A lot of them seem to get to the track. A lot of them seem to run and compete, which is all too rare in our game today. It seems a lot of stallions are too boom or bust. But Kantharos seems to get a lot more runners, guys who are out there all the time running for their owners. That is something that is underrated in our modern game.” While Monday’s first session of the under-tack preview was hampered by heavy winds, the last two sessions have been fairly consistent, according to Appelbaum. “For the most part, our fast ones breezed fast and our slow ones breezed slower,” he said. “I have no complaints about the track. Obviously, the first day there was a very significant headwind, but the distribution is pretty similar to normal and that will probably benefit the astute buyers who can figure that sort of thing out. That’s why it’s a horse sale.” Also sharing the furlong bullet time of :9 4/5 Wednesday was hip 478, a filly by Strong Mandate out of stakes winner Holy Reina (Macho Uno). Consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, the chestnut filly is from the family of Flanders, Surfside and Battle Plan. Bred by Three Chimneys Farm, she sold to Cromwell Bloodstock for $100,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale and RNA’d for $135,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale. Paul Sharp sent out hip 606, a filly by Into Mischief, to share the :9 4/5 bullet Wednesday. The bay is out of Loveofalifetime (Medaglia d’Oro), a half to graded stakes winners Savorthetime (Gilded Time) and Rogue Romance (Smarty Jones). The juvenile was bred by Runnymede Farm and Catesby W. Clay Investment 2. Completing the quartet of :9 4/5 workers, and the fifth to hit that mark this week in Ocala, was hip 589, a filly by Sidney’s Candy. Consigned by Hemingway Racing and Training Stables, the bay is out of the unraced Like a River (Danzig), a half to Grade I placed Like a Hero (Pleasant Colony). The youngster was bred by Helen and Joseph Barbazon and he was purchased in utero for $12,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. The under-tack show continues through Saturday with sessions beginning daily at 8 a.m. The OBS April sale will be held next Tuesday through Friday with sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m. View the full article

A quick glance at the race record of the Louisiana-bred mare Queen Satin shows she won three times from 18 starts and earned just over $36,000 during three years competing in low-level claiming races in Louisiana, West Virginia and Michigan. In a sense, the fact the bay mare was able to win a single race was remarkable, considering the fact she suffered from skittish tendencies and ongoing health issues that led to neglect by her handlers and eventually ended her career in 2013. In the ensuing months, Queen Satin was passed off from person to person on a path that culminated with her arrival at the Sugacreek Livestock Auction in Ohio, where horses are frequently sold for slaughter. The mare was abused and beaten on her face while awaiting her fate in the auction pens, according to her current owner Alexa Lee, who arrived on the scene at exactly the right time. Lee came in contact with an intermediary who purchased Queen Satin from the auction with the intention of re-training her and worked closely with the mare when she arrived at the new owner’s farm. What Lee said she found, however, was that Queen Satin had avoided slaughter only to be confronted with a new, but all-too-familiar, set of challenges: her new owner became easily frustrated with the mare’s nervous tendencies and often resorted to abusive tactics. As horrendous as the situation was, Lee stayed on as a helper at the farm with the hope of eventually purchasing the mare, who often would grow so nervous that she broke out in heavy sweats. “I ended up buying her,” Lee said. “I had two rides on her, and I was like, ‘I love this mare.’ I could tell that she was scared, I could tell that she was wanting to trust someone. But she never had time to be a Thoroughbred. She never had time off from the track, and she never had anyone take care of her.” Although the mare was out of harm’s way, Lee said she still faced myriad challenges once she was in her possession. Queen Satin, who would ultimately be renamed Satins Angel, was extremely thin and became anxious whenever humans would approach her. Lee’s task–which she worked at for hours each day–was to teach her horse that she “didn’t have to be scared.” After a period of instructing Satins Angel to re-learn basic elements of training, Lee began to see tangible improvement in her temperament and performance. “Once she started to trust me more, she started to relax more,” Lee said. “She felt safe, and that meant a lot to me.” Satins Angel began to have considerable success at local shows in Ohio and ultimately was entered in the New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park last September. “When we went to New Vocations, I wasn’t expecting much at all,” Lee recalled. “I was always just proud when she completed the course–it didn’t matter to me if she was champion or not. It was her first time off the property. The loud voices and the speakers freaked her out, because I think it reminded her of the Sugarcreek auction. I just wanted her to have a good time.” Lee said a turning point came during the jump-off round of the competition, when she sensed that Satins Angel grew nervous when confronted by the enormity of her surroundings. “I leaned over and I said to her, ‘It’s okay, you’re going to be okay, I promise you. You will be loved no matter what happens,'” Lee recollected. Satins Angel responded by delivering a rousing performance and, when all was said and done, placed first of 30 entrants in the Open Jumper Stake. By year’s end, Satins Angel ranked third out of all jumpers in the Thoroughbred Incentive Program in the U.S. and Canada. As of the date of publication, less than a year had passed since Lee became the official owner of the mare. “She’s a Thoroughbred and she has the right personality and a love of it,” said Lee. “This horse loves to jump.” As for the year ahead, Satins Angel and Lee will compete in meter 10 and meter 20 jumper events at the World Equestrian Center, while planning a return to New Vocations at summer’s end. Satins Angel is also a representative for the OTTB Identity program, which helps raise awareness for the value of off-track Thoroughbreds. View the full article

Shortly after becoming the sire of the top two lots at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale, Scat Daddy made it the top three and a new top price of 900,000gns when Stephen Hillen prevailed for Mayfield Stables’s colt out of Madera Dancer (Rahy) (lot 163). View the full article

12.40, ParisLongchamp, Debutantes, €25,000, 3yo, c/g, 8fT ALMUSHREF (Smart Strike) is Shadwell’s $525,000 KEESEP purchase whose dam is a half to the top-class duo Music Note (A. P. Indy) and Musical Chimes (In Excess I {Ire}). Freddy Head introduces him against seven rivals including Prince Faisal’s Orbaan (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), an Andre Fabre-trained descendant of Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}) who was responsible for the sire himself. 2.20 ParisLongchamp, Debutantes, €25,000, 3yo, f, 8fT ZARKAMIYA (FR) (Frankel {GB}) is the sixth foal out of His Highness The Aga Khan’s epic performer Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) who begins her career with the mastermind Alain de Royer-Dupre. A half-sister to the stable’s G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner and G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), she meets 11 peers including Haras De Saint Pair’s Andre Fabre-trained homebred Glad Eye (Fr) (Dansili {GB}), a daughter of the dual Classic-placed Glorious Sight (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}) who cost €1.7million at the Arqana Arc Sale in 2011. 2.25 Newmarket, Debutantes, £15,000, 3yo, 8fT MILITARY BAND (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) is a significant newcomer in this long-established “Wood Ditton” as a half-brother to last year’s G1 Champion S.-winning sensation Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Saeed bin Suroor has charge of Godolphin’s acquisition, whose 18 rivals include another notably-connected colt in Surya (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Lady Bamford’s homebred son of her G1 English and Irish Oaks heroine Sariska (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). 4.45 Newmarket, Cond, £10,000, 3yo, 10fT ELECTOR (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is a live Derby contender for The Queen until proven otherwise, having won a flag-started Ascot novice contest on his sole start in September. Out of the dual listed winner Enticement (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), the Sir Michael Stoute-trained homebred faces an intriguing cast which features the unraced Loveisili (GB) (Dansili {GB}), a Roger Varian-trained relative of Quarter Moon (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) and Yesterday (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) who cost Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum 650,000gns at Tattersalls October. 5.20 Newmarket, Cond, £10,000, 3yo, 10fT HOWMAN (IRE) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is another Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum-Roger Varian project, this time a 450,000gns TATOCT half-brother to the high-class Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) connected to Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). He faces some winners including Highclere Thoroughbred Racing’s Kempton novice scorer Occupy (Declaration Of War), a relative of Telescope (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) from the Ralph Beckett yard. 8:45 Newcastle, Cond, £5,800, 3yo/up, 7f 14y (AWT) EMARAATY (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is Shadwell’s 2.6million-gns TATOCT graduate and TDN Rising Star who has some recovering to do having done too much when eighth in the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket in October. John Gosden has avoided the Classic trials with the half-brother to the stable’s former leading lights Izzi Top (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Jazzi Top (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and that could pay dividends later. View the full article

A colt from the final crop of Scat Daddy led the way on opening night of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale on Tuesday, and late in the second session another member of that crop achieved the sale’s second-highest price when scooped up by Jamie McCalmont for 775,000gns. Lot 155 from Mocklershill is from the family of GI Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus. View the full article