‘Rising Star’ Goal Oriented Holds Off Hypnus To Stay Perfect

[Wandering Eyes]

3rd-Churchill Downs, $127,000, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($125,000), 5-3, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:42.83, sy, 3/4 length.
GOAL ORIENTED (c, 3, Not This Time–Bizzy Caroline {MGSW, $347,935}, by Afleet Alex) topped a 'Rising Star' trifecta in this third contest on Derby Day. Racing three wide along the first bend, and clear of Sorcerer's Silver (Good Magic) as that one was pulled up and vanned off the track, the Baffert-trainee clicked off :23.63, :47.15, and 1:11.36 fractions over the sealed sloppy track. Maintaining his advantage as they swung for home, a pair of fellow 'Rising Stars' behind him were also making their moves with Hypnus (Into Mischief) and Tiz Secure (Maximum Security) working to close the margin. The former was brave, but his rally fell short by three-quarters of a length behind the 6-5 favorite.

Regarding Sorcerer's Silver, West Point Thoroughbreds's racing manager Erin Birkenhauer tweeted that the son of Good Magic has a fractured sesamoid and was going to Rood & Riddle for fusion surgery.

Goal Oriented is out of an accomplished half-sister to champion turf female MGISW Lady Eli (Divine Park). He is his dam's most recent to the races after she came up barren from a visit to Colelcted in 2023. Her 2024 Oscar Performance foal was stillborn and she is due to Up to the Mark for 2025. In addition to that champion turf mare, Bizzy Caroline is also a half-sister to Sacre Caroline (Blame), who is the dam of MGSW & G1SP-Eng Sacred (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}).

This is a female family heavy on elite runners with extended members including the likes of MGISW Spiced Perfection (Smiling Tiger); G1SW-Eng & GSP Palace Episode; GSW & MG1SP-Ire Laughing Lashes (Mr. Greeley); and Canadian champion juvenile filly GISW Spring in the Air (Spring at Last). Sales history: $425,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $111,960. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan; B-Runnymede Farm LLC & CWC Investment 2, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

 

Goal Oriented wins the Pleasant Colony presented by GE Appliances! Flavien Prat was aboard for trainer Bob Baffert. pic.twitter.com/HFr5nSfHST

— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 3, 2025

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