Thunderous Affair Named Makeover Champion

Thunderous Affair (Liaison), trained by Lindsey Partridge, was selected by the panel of judges of the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, as the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover Champion, sponsored by Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old, who was bred in Kentucky by Jim Williams, never made a start, but did train to race. Thunderous Affair was placed through CANTER Michigan.

Lindsey Partridge, a professional based in Pontypool, Ontario, is no stranger to the Thoroughbred Makeover–she won the overall title back in 2015 with Soar–but she admitted her partnership with Thunderous Affair had its challenges.

“She didn't trust me in the beginning,” said Partridge. “I really had to slow down and just go to events, and just not make it about competing. Just the fact that she was so calm and relaxed here and able to trust me to do everything–gosh, I'm going to start crying!”

Partridge, who has made a name for herself with her unique brand of horsemanship and crowd-pleasing freestyle routines, trained Thunderous Affair to not one but two discipline championships–Freestyle, in which the pair played with Partridge's signature big blue tarp and other props, and Competitive Trail.

“It's all about putting that relationship first,” Partridge described, reflecting on her past Makeover performances and her road to success. “I've done ranch and field hunter and trail and freestyle, but it all comes back to that partnership first.”

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Shantisara, Technical Analysis In Good Shape After Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

It may have been a different week, but the upbeat sounds of success still reverberated at the Chad Brown barn.

Shantisara (IRE) and Technical Analysis (IRE) provided the barn with its second consecutive Grade 1 exacta sweep with their 1-2 finish in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup presented by Dixiana on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

“Those are two nice fillies, and they are in good shape this morning,” said Baldo Hernandez, who is overseeing the Brown string at Keeneland. “They may be going back to New York tomorrow.”

Shantisara, owned by the partnership of Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Robert LaPenta, surged to a record-setting five-length victory over Klaravich Stables' Technical Analysis.

The previous week, the Brown-trained duo of Blowout (GB) and Regal Glory ran 1-2 in the Grade 1 First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare for owner Peter Brant.

Hernandez said Blowout and Regal Glory also would be heading back to New York with the Queen Elizabeth II runners.

Flavien Prat rode both Grade 1 winners with Jose Ortiz finishing second in both races. Prat will attempt to double up for Brown this afternoon at Woodbine when he rides Kalifornia Queen (GER) in the $600,000 Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine Race Track in Toronto, Ontario.

Trainer Brad Cox was pleased with the third-place effort of Michael De Broglio's Burning Ambition in the filly's graded stakes debut.

“I have no idea what I am going to do with her next since there is obviously no turf racing in Kentucky for a while,” Cox said. “Possibly the ($300,000) American Oaks (G1 at 1¼ miles on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita).”

Eclipse Thoroughbreds and TOLO Thoroughbreds' Queen Goddess, who finished fifth in her stakes debut, will train at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., the next couple of weeks and then ship to California, trainer Michael McCarthy said via text.

Harris Farms' Closing Remarks, sixth on Saturday, was scheduled to return to trainer Carla Gaines' base at Santa Anita on Tuesday.

James Wigan's Cloudy Dawn (IRE), seventh in her U.S. debut for trainer William Haggas, was scheduled to ship back to Europe on Monday, according to head lad Suraj Bissessur.

Watts Humphrey Jr.'s Flippant is scheduled for a 2-3 month break following her eighth-place finish, according to Phil Oliver, husband of trainer Vicki Oliver.

Leaving for Europe today was Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith's Empress Josephine (IRE), who finished ninth as the favorite.

“The lack of cover early in the race didn't help her,” said Kieran Murphy, who has overseen the filly's training at Keeneland for Aidan O'Brien. “It was tough to come back that quick from what was a tough race last week for her (in the First Lady in which she was third).”

Murphy also said Katsumi Yoshida's Nicest (IRE), who finished fourth for trainer Donnacha O'Brien, would not be leaving Sunday with plans to be determined.

Charles Fipke's undefeated Lady Speightspeare, who was scratched at the starting gate prior to the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana, is scheduled to return to Woodbine on Monday.

“She's OK this morning. It's just disappointing to come all this way and not run,” said Ally Walker, assistant to trainer Roger Attfield. “She has a bit of a wild side, and yesterday she reared up four times in the gate and then tried to lay down.”

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Mr. D Winner Two Emmys Leads Field For Friday’s Sycamore At Keeneland

Wolfe Racing and Hugh Robertson's Two Emmys, winner of the Grade 1 Mr. D. at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill., in his most recent start, headlines a field of 12 runners entered Sunday for Friday's 27th running of the $150,000 Grade 3 Sycamore for 3-year-olds and up going 1½ miles on the grass at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

The Sycamore will go as the eighth race with a 4:44 p.m. ET post time on the 10-race program that begins at 1 p.m.

Two Emmys has been a model of consistency in his past four starts that began with a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., in March. Following a short layoff, Two Emmys returned at Arlington Park with a runner-up finish in an allowance/optional claiming test and next was second in the Grade 3 Arlington Stakes.

James Graham, who was aboard for the front-running victory in the Mr. D., has the mount Friday and will depart post position 12.

The field for the Sycamore, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Glynn County (Tyler Gaffalione, 121 pounds), Ajourneytofreedom (Corey Lanerie, 121), Hierarchy (Reylu Gutierrez, 121), Ry's the Guy (Chris Landeros, 121), Yamato (Joe Talamo, 121), Spooky Channel (Julien Leparoux, 123), Sole Volante (Florent Geroux, 121), Breakpoint (CHI) (Ricardo Santana Jr., 121), Bama Breeze (Brian Hernandez Jr., 121), Another Mystery (Adam Beschizza, 121), Kentucky Ghost (Rafael Bejarano, 121), Two Emmys (Graham, 123).

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