Making Waves: Luther Put Up In Hall Of Fame

[Wandering Eyes]

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the win of Luther (Frankel) in Saratoga's National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes.

Frankel Colt Pens His Name Into The Hall Of Fame

Paul Hickman and Nicholas Jones's Luther was put up via the disqualification of Zulu Kingdom (Ten Sovereigns) in the GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga on August 1 (video). The Frankel colt is trained by Charlie Fellowes.

Bred by Jones at his Coln Valley Stud, the 3-year-old brought 250,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 when picked up by on Hickman's behalf by Will Douglass. His breeder retained a share.

Luther, who won the Listed Ascendant Stakes at Haydock last year, placed third in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes on July 4. He is out of the group winner Give And Take (Cityscape), whose daughter Good Gracious (Kingman) was placed in a pair of listed stakes. Swiped (Too Darn Hot), her juvenile colt who was a 90,000gns Book 2 graduate, is unplaced in one start, and she has a yearling colt and a filly foal of this year both by Baaeed. Under the third dam is the high-class multiple Group 1-winning stayer and sire Fame And Glory (Montjeu).

Juddmonte's Frankel has sired 37 winners from 70 to race in the U.S. (53%). Luther is one of 22 stakes winners for the son of Galileo there.

Ghaiyyath Colt Gets It Done In La Jolla

Phil D'Amato trainee The Padre (Ghaiyyath) broke his U.S. and stakes duck in Sunday's La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar (video). Bearing the silks of Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify, he was bred by John Halley.

Although he did not meet his reserve when passed in for 60,000gns as a Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling, The Padre won his debut at Dundalk in Halley's silks when trained by his son, Josh, in January. The Padre resurfaced with a second at Santa Anita in June, with the La Jolla his third start. Out of G1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Shalanaya (Lomitas) who also was placed in the GI E. P. Taylor Stakes and G1 Prix Ganay, the colt is her 10th foal. A half-brother to Zoffany's G3 Premio Ambrosiano third Shalamaba, The Padre counts a yearling filly by Camelot and a weanling full-brother as his latest siblings. He is kin to the star-crossed dual Derby hero Shergar (Great Nephew).

Darley's Ghaiyyath has had three runners in America, with The Padre his first winner and stakes winner.

 

Close it out Padre! @umbyrispoli pilots The Padre to victory in the La Jolla Handicap. pic.twitter.com/RELYLujwPp

— Del Mar Racetrack (@DelMarRacing) August 4, 2025

'Rising Star' Nod For Capital Partner

Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables teamed up with Kingman's Capital Partner, who claimed an ultra-competitive GI Whitney Stakes Day maiden–and 'TDN Rising Star' rosette–at Saratoga on August 2 (video). Part of the Fittocks Stud and Arrow Farm Stud breeding programme, the son of Blue Waltz (Pivotal) was knocked down for 360,000gns to Mike Ryan out of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

The sixth foal, fifth runner and third winner for his three-time winning dam, the 2-year-old colt is a half-brother to G3 Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial Stakes second Euphoric (Frankel). Granddam Blue Symphony (Darshaan) is the dam of multiple group/graded heroine Fantasia (Sadler's Wells), and Pink Symphony (Montjeu), who won the G3 Give Thanks Stakes and is herself the dam of GI Man o' War Stakes hero Highland Chief (Gleneagles).

Kingman's 48 winners in America from 80 runners arrive at a 60% strike rate. Nine of his American-raced progeny have struck at stakes level, with Domestic Spending, a three-time Grade I winner, leading the charge.

City Light Filly New Saratoga Winner

Prix Herod second Griselda (City Light) won her American debut when running out a half-length winner for Chad Brown at Saratoga on August 6 (video). Bred in France by Thierry de la Heronniere, she is now raced by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and Michael Caruso.

A €22,000 Arqana October yearling buy when the training duo of Carlos and Yann Lerner signed the ticket, the daughter of Narcisca (Maxios) made all five of her French starts in the colours of Serge Assous, winning once. Put back through the Arqana ring, she failed to sell when at €245,000 during the Summer Mixed Sale last July, before earning her stakes-placing that October. She changed hands for €200,000 out of the Arqana Vente d'Elevage when picked up by Mandore International Agency on behalf of Madaket Stables last December. The first foal out of her dam, Griselda has a 2-year-old full-brother, Mon Pote Leo, who is a winner in three starts so far, and a yearling half-sister by Sealiway. Her dam is a half-sister to the group winners Narrativo (Adlerflug) and Nikkei (Pivotal), with the former having been second in the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin.

Haras d'Etreham's City Light has sired 80% winners from his runners in North America. Griselda is his fourth scorer from five to race.

 

GRISELDA impresses on her debut at Saratoga!
From last to first, she stormed home to win under Flavien Prat for trainer Chad Brown.
Purchased by Mandore International Agency on behalf of @MadaketStables & partners at the @InfoArqana Arc Sale.
Congrats to all involved! pic.twitter.com/2yzD8wedxl

— Nicolas de WATRIGANT (@MandoreAgency) August 7, 2025

Biles Shines In The Great White North

The second time was the charm at Woodbine for Biles, as she landed a maiden on July 26 (video). Trained by Josie Carroll for NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods, the chestnut is by Night Of Thunder.

Originally a 150,000gns Tattersalls December foal, the Castlefarm Stud-bred bloomed into a 450,000gns Book 1 yearling when catching the eye of Alex Solis and Jason Litt in that same ring in 2022. A full-sister to G3 Ballysax Stakes third Tiberius Thunder, Biles is out of the G3 Park Stakes heroine Ellthea (Kodiac), who was also placed at stakes level in France. Her latest pair is a 2-year-old named Quality Start (Mehmas) and a yearling filly by Blue Point, who has been entered in Book 1 of the 2025 Sale. Second dam Tropical Lady (Sri Pekan) claimed the G2 Royal Whip Stakes, G3 Brownstown Stakes, and G3 Meld Stakes.

Night Of Thunder has sired 14 winners from 22 runners (64%) in the U.S. Of that number, five are stakes winners with Dynamic Pricing and Choisya his two Grade I winners.

Showcasing Filly Sprints To Colonial Win

So Sophia (Showcasing) did her new connections proud with a neck victory at Colonial Downs for trainer Abraham Gardea on July 25 (video). Bred by Carmel Stud and Whitsbury Manor Stud, the dark bay was knocked down to Ben McElroy for 325,000gns on behalf of Stonestreet Stables out of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. After a sixth-place effort for Barbara Banke's operation and trainer Brad Cox, So Sophia changed hands for $70,000 at the Fasig-Tipton May Digital Sale and now races for Next Level Stables.

The daughter of the dual-winning Kyllachy mare So Brave is the second foal, runner and winner for her dam, who foaled the colt Zain Primus (Pinatubo) in 2023. Her latest is a weanling colt by Havana Grey. Fourth dam Interval (Habitat) captured the Prix Maurice de Gheest when it was a Group 2 and has been a steady fount of stakes winners, just not through So Sophia's branch of the maternal line.

With the victory of So Sophia, Showcasing now has 18 winners from 33 runners (55%) in North America. His sextet of stakes winners are led by a trio of Grade II winners in Prize Exhibit, Projected and Bodhicitta.

Blue Point Filly Strikes In Indiana

Brad Cox saddled Keeley Jones to take the fifth race at Horseshoe Indiana on Thursday (chart). The daughter of Blue Point, bred by Barronstown Stud, was making her first start.

The eighth foal out of the Oasis Dream mare Albaraah and a €300,000 Goffs Orby graduate, the filly is owned by Hoffman Family Racing and RT Stables. The Listed Prix le Fabuleux heroine and G3 Prix de Flore runner-up Albaraah is also the dam of Alrahma (Shamardal), a group winner and second in the G1 Prix Morny, as well as Efaadah (Dansili), who won the G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot. A yearling son of No Nay Never is the mare's last reported foal. Notable relatives included the Group 1-winning sires Hernando (Niniski) and Johann Quatz (Sadler's Wells).

Blue Point, already the sire of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint hero and Tally-Ho Stud sire Big Evs, now has nine winners from 16 to race in the US. His other North American stakes winner is Raqiya, who landed the GIII Goldikova Stakes at Del Mar.

 

Debut success for #GoffsOrby grad KEELEY JONES in the 5f Maiden Fillies Turf Sprint @HSIndyRacing for @bradcoxracing, @GregHoffman13 & RT Stables@cscherer1984 / Stripes bought the 3yo Blue Point filly (@DarleyStallions) from breeders @BarronstownStudpic.twitter.com/UwdE584TgY

— Goffs (@Goffs1866) August 8, 2025

No Nay Never Filly A Star At Hawthorne

After a pair of unplaced efforts elsewhere, Star Blessing (No Nay Never) found the Hawthorne turf to her liking and outran her rivals pillar-to-post in Illinois on August 7 (video). Flying the flag for Tommy Town Thoroughbreds and trainer Wayne Catalano, the filly was bred by Lynch Bages and Lindy Farms.

Sold for $250,000 to her current owners at the 2023 Keeneland September Sale, Star Blessing is the fourth foal, runner and winner for the Galileo mare Like A Star, herself a full-sister to multiple group winner Battle Of Marengo. Her dam foaled full-brothers to the winner in 2023 and 2024. The former sold for 100,000gns to Lynn Lodge Stud as a Tattersalls December Foal.

Of No Nay Never's 111 North American runners, 66 have visited the winner's circle (59%). His 11 stakes winners include three graded winners with the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Meditate the most decorated.

Repeat Winners

LSU Stables' La Mehana added another graded race to her win column in the GII Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga on July 27 (video). Trained by Miguel Clement, the 6-year-old daughter of Al Wukair, third in the G1 Prix de Royallieu, also has the GIII Waya Stakes on her ledger.

The Tyro Stakes went to Hey Nay Nay (No Nay Never) at Monmouth Park on August 2 (video). Raced by Hronis Racing and Iapetus Racing, the 2-year-old colt is trained by John Sadler.

Lope De Vega's Mondego added his third lifetime victory at Del Mar on August 2 (video). Trained by Michael McCarthy, the Grade I-placed gelding is owned by Cheyenne Stable.

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