Saturday’s Racing Insights: $1.8-Million Curlin Colt Debuts at Belmont

[Wandering Eyes]

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

1st-KEE, $71K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:05 p.m. ET

John Oxley’s Specially (Tapiture), just a $40,000 yearling, blossomed into a $4750,000 OBS March juvenile off a powerful :9 4/5breeze. The most expensive 2-year-old in training by her first-crop sire, she has been further flattered since selling as year-older half-brother Joevia (Shanghai Bobby) annexed Monmouth’s Long Branch S. in May and finished third in the GI Belmont S. in June. Michael and Reiko Baum homebred Ivyetsu (Tapit) prepped for this with a :46 flat bullet from the gate here Sept. 28 for conditioner Rusty Arnold. The $300,000 KEESEP buyback is a half to French Group 3 winner Last Kingdom (Frankel {GB}) and a granddaughter of Damson (Ire) (Entrepreneur {GB}), a Group 1 winner in Ireland and Group 2 winner at Royal Ascot as a juvenile. Lucrezia (Into Mischief) is out of Grade III-winning 2-year-old Verdana Bold (Rahy); Letter Storm (Candy Ride {Arg}>) is a half to GI Del Mar Futurity third Blameitonthelaw (Blame) and bred like so many of her sire’s best runners being out of granddaughter of Storm Cat; Crafty Lady (Carpe Diem) is half to MGISW Giant Oak (Giant’s Causeway), et al. TJCIS PPs

7th-BEL, $75K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 3:40 p.m. ET
OXO Equine and Chad Brown newcomer Vintage Print (Curlin) was the fourth topper at last year’s Keeneland September sale at $1.8 million. He is the first foal out of GI La Troienne S. heroine Molly Morgan (Ghostzapper), who was purchased for $1.35 million by Stonestreet at hte 2015 Fasig-Tipton November sale. He prepped for this with a 1:01.21 spin in company with $750,000 buy Turnagain Tide (Into Mischief) Sept. 28 (Click for XBTV Video). Thor-Bred Stable homebred Jedi Master (Empire Maker) is out of Grade I-winning 2-year-old Rigoletta (Concerto), making him a half to late ‘TDN Rising Star’ and GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile hero Battle of Midway (Smart Strike). Rigoletta is a half to the dam of last year’s GI Cigar Mile H. hero Patternrecognition (Adios Charlie). There are a number of runners signed on here with solid established form, including $375,000 KEESEP grad Sonneman (Curlin), who improved dramatically last time in his second try to be second at 25-1 going seven panels at Saratoga Aug. 31. He is out of Grade II-winning dirt router Zardana (Brz) (Crimson Tide {Ire}) and a half to stakes winner Smart Transition (Smart Strike). Goodolphin homebred Tapage (Tapit) is out of GISW Hystericalady (Distorted Humor), making him a half to two-for-two ‘Rising Star’ Comical Ghost (Ghostzapper). He checked in eighth in his Spa unveiling Aug. 31 behind ‘Rising Star’ Three Technique (Mr Speaker) and last week’s good-looking Churchill graduate Necker Island (Hard Spun), but has fired two bullets in preparation for this second try. TJCIS PPs

11th-BEL, $75K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 5:54 p.m. ET
Belmont’s strong Saturday card concludes with a salty-looking event for juveniles on the grass. Among the first timers signed on are Paul Pompa Jr.’s Country Grammer (Tonalist), the co-priciest 2-year-old to sell earlier this season by his MGISW freshman sire. A $60,000 yearling, he brought $450,000 at OBS April after a :21 flat move. He hails from the extended female family of G1SW Etoile Montante. Tapaloof (Tapit)‘s Irish MGSW dam Aloof (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) topped the 2014 Keeneland November sale when selling for $3.9 million to Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm while in foal to War Front. That resulting first foal is now named Balon Rose (War Front)–she sold to OXO Equine for $1.6 million at KEESEP ’17 and was most recently second in a Belmont maiden special weight Sept. 21. Tapaloof’s second dam is Group 1-winning sprinter Airwave (GB) (Air Express {Ire}), whose other foals include Irish SW/English GSP Meow (Ire) (Storm Cat), the dam of dual Guineas winner Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Group 1 winner Clemmie (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Group 3 winner Blenheim Palace (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Lord of the Nile (Pioneerof the Nile) is the first foal out ofa winning Tapit daughter of MGISW turfer Dynaforce (Dynaformer). He was a $420,000 in utero purchase at Keeneland November. Uncle Ned (Uncle Mo) is out of a half to the aforementioned Tonalist. The $150,000 KEESEP yearling was a $375,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream graduate after breezing in :10 3/5. TJCIS PPs

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