‘A Lot Of Heart’: Argentine Hope Blue Stripe Has A Real Shot In Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Though she hasn't raced since May, the Argentine-bred Blue Stripe will be more than ready for her U.S. debut in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar. Trainer Marcelo Polanco told Thoroughbred Racing Commentary that the 4-year-old half-sister to 2019 Distaff winner Blue Prize has adapted well to her new surroundings.

Fernando Fantini Braun, who manages the racing stable of owner Haras Pozo de Luna, contacted third-generation trainer Polanco in the U.S. after Blue Stripe won the G1 Gran Premio Criadores at Palermo Racecourse on May 1.

“At one point, it didn't look like she was even going to get third,” Polanco told TRC, regarding the filly's run in the “Win and You're In” contest. “But she put her ears down, kept fighting, kept fighting. Jesus, that's a lot of heart.”

A four-time winner from six starts, Blue Stripe has been working steadily in Southern California since late June. Her record includes multiple two seven-furlong moves and a one-mile breeze, so she should be plenty fit for the challenge she'll face at Del Mar.

Polanco has partnered with Blue Stripe's Argentinian trainer Nicolas Martin Ferro to have her in top shape ahead of this year's edition.

“When you get to these kinds of races, you're running against champions,” added Polanco. “But, looking at the ability she showed in her races, and what she shows in the morning, she'll be very competitive.”

Read more at the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.

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St Mark’s Basilica To Stand At €65,000

St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr})-Cabaret {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) arrived at Coolmore Stud on Monday and will stand for a fee of €65,000 in 2022. 

The top-rated horse in the world in 2021, he is a half-brother to his fellow Classic winner and Coolmore sire, Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), the pair having been bred by Bob Scarborough and both trained by Aidan O'Brien for Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier and Michael Tabor.

Winner of the G1 Dewhurst S. at two, St Mark's Basilica was never beaten after his final juvenile start, which saw him crowned champion two-year-old in Europe. This season he took France by storm when winning the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains on his seasonal resumption in May, followed by his second Classic victory three weeks later in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club.

St Mark's Basilica returned to England to beat his elders Addeybb (Ire) and Mishriff (Ire) in the G1 Eclipse S. at Sandown before signing off in a thrilling tussle for the G1 Irish Champion S. with the top-class mare Tarnawa (Ire). 

The first horse since Frankel to be top-rated by Timeform at two and three, St Mark's Basilica joins another son of Siyouni, last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr), on the roster in Fethard. 

The post St Mark’s Basilica To Stand At €65,000 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Breeders’ Cup Presents The News Minute: Ins And Outs Before Post Position Draw

There have been a number of key withdrawals prior to Monday afternoon's post position draw for the 14 Breeders' Cup championship races on Nov. 5-6 at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

The draw will be conducted in the Del Mar paddock beginning at 2:30 p.m. PT/5:30 p.m. ET and is open to the public. It can also be viewed on TVG or at breederscup.com, the Breeders' Cup mobile app or the Breeders' Cup YouTube, Facebook or Twitter pages.

In this edition of the News Minute, Ray Paulick reviews some of the key defections from Breeders' Cup races, including G1 Santa Anita Handicap winner Idol from the Classic, leaving the 1 1/4-mile test with nine expected starters led by trainer Brad Cox's two Horse of the Year candidates, Knicks Go and Essential Quality.

Paulick also has a tip for those out-of-towners coming to San Diego County for the Breeders' Cup and it has to do with what many of our mothers told us is the most important meal of the day.

For those not coming to Breeders' Cup (and limited tickets are still available), NBCSN and TVG will carry all the action on Future Stars Friday from 5-9 p.m. ET. On Saturday, NBCSN and TVG will televise the championships from 2:30-8 p.m. ET. The NBC network takes over from 8-9 p.m. ET for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Watch the Breeders' Cup News Minute below:

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Pennsylvania Leaderboard Presented By Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association: For The Dreamers Paces State’s Juveniles

Pennsylvania's crop of 2-year-olds has begun to stretch its legs on the racetrack, and they've proved that a precocious starter can provide a fast and bountiful return on investment through state incentive programs.

In just two career starts, the juvenile For the Dreamers has earned $41,664 in incentive money based on his status as a Pennsylvania-bred and -sired runner, leading his class through the end of August.

For the Dreamers, a gelding by Talent Search out of the Uptowncharlybrown mare Avery's Smile, emerged as one of Pennsylvania's fastest-starting 2-year-olds, after running second by a neck on debut in a 4 1/2-furlong Parx maiden special weight on June 28. He then graduated in impressive fashion with a drawing-away 4 1/4-length score in a five-furlong July 21 maiden special weight at the same track.

For the Dreamers races as a homebred for Uptowncharlybrown Stud, and he is trained by Edward Coletti Jr.

The majority of For the Dreamers' Pennsylvania incentive earnings have come in the form of breeders' awards, of which he has made $23,520 in just two starts.

In the case of For the Dreamers, being both Pennsylvania-bred and -sired meant breeder Uptowncharlybrown Stud received a 50 percent bonus on the purse earnings for races run in the Keystone State. With a win and a second in maiden special weight company, both with purses of about $55,000, For the Dreamers' breeder stood to benefit nicely, even if the gelding wasn't a first-out winner.

Uptowncharlybrown Stud also picked up $13,440 in owner bonuses through For the Dreamers, in which the owner of a registered Pennsylvania-bred picks up a 40 percent purse bonus through the racetrack for running at Parx.

Rounding out the bonus money generated by For the Dreamers was the $4,704 that went to Glenn Brok of Diamond B Farm in stallion awards as the owner of sire Talent Search. Through the end of July, Talent Search had brought in $44,487 in stallion awards, the fifth most among Pennsylvania stallions up to that point.

Dance Code, the horse that beat For the Dreamers in his debut start, sat in third on the incentive earnings list through Aug. 31, with $18,900 in Pennsylvania-connected earnings for his connections. The Honor Code colt races for owner Richie's World Stables, and he was bred in Pennsylvania by Blackstone Farm.

Dance Code has raced once in Pennsylvania, winning on debut before venturing out to the East Coast, where he finished third in the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes in Saratoga. For his first win at Parx, Dance Code picked up $10,080 in owners bonuses and $8,820 in breeders' awards.

Dr. Steve made just one start before the end of August, but he made it count, finishing second on the list with $21,600 in incentive earnings.

The Jump Start colt won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on debut at Parx as a homebred for Dr. Stephen Morrone, Dan Kimball and John Spendolini.

The partnership that owns and bred Dr. Steve brought in $18,000 in breeders' awards, while Northview Stallion Station, which stood the late Jump Start, earned $3,600 in stallion awards.

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