Month: July 2022

With “No Real Soft Spots to Land,” Corniche Returns

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Nearly nine months after his last race, champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Corniche (Quality Road) will return to competition Sunday, starting the late-developing next chapter in his thus-far unbeaten career with a big test in the GII Amsterdam S.

Corniche will again be carrying the white and red colors of his owner, Speedway Stables, the partnership of Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner. Beyond that, pretty much everything else has changed since his 1 3/4-length victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 5 at Del Mar. Following the colt's long lay-up at WinStar Training Center, Fluor and Weiner announced May 2 that Corniche was being transferred from trainer Bob Baffert to Todd Pletcher. The switch was made, the co-owners said, because Baffert was serving a 90-day suspension and would be unable to prepare Corniche for a hoped-for start in June in advance of the big summer races for 3-year-olds, the GI Haskell S. and the GI Runhappy Travers S.

Starting with a three-furlong breeze June 10 at Belmont Park, Corniche has worked seven times for Pletcher. Under Luis Saez, who replaces Mike Smith, Corniche will make his 3-year-old debut in the 6 1/2-furlong Amsterdam. He drew post seven in the nine-horse field.

Pletcher has looked at videos of Corniche's breezes for Baffert and said he appears to be training the same.

“He's had a consistent work program for us,” Pletcher said. “He's not missed a beat since he came in and so, for a horse like that, that's kind of run through his conditions, there's no real soft spots to land coming back. We're starting back in a salty graded stake and hope he can continue to run as well as he has.”

Fluor and Weiner purchased the colt out of the Najran mare Wasted Tears for $1.5 million at the 2021 OBS April 2-year-old sale and turned him over to Baffert. Leading at every point, Corniche reeled off victories in a maiden at Del Mar, the GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita and the Juvenile back at Del Mar. Those three performances earned him the Eclipse Award as the champion 2-year-old male.

Corniche stayed on the farm and never emerged as a Triple Crown prospect. He recorded his first breeze at WinStar Apr. 15.

Corniche (inside) recently worked in company with Nest, winner of the July 23 GI Coaching Club American Oaks | Sarah Andrew

Last year, Pletcher picked up another Baffert trainee, the gifted 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who has won seven of nine starts and is headed to the GI Whitney S. Aug. 6. Life Is Good debuted for Pletcher in the GI H. Allen Jerkens S., where he finished second by a neck to Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music). Pletcher said that Corniche might move on to the seven-furlong Jerkens Aug. 27.

“Could be, based on how this race goes,” he said. “That would be a logical next step should this go well.”

While Pletcher did not compare Corniche to Life is Good, he did note a link to another standout he handled, who began his career with another trainer.

“He reminds me more of his stallion Quality Road. He resembles Quality Road a bit,” Pletcher said. “This was where Quality Road made his first start for us, was in the Amsterdam. He set a track record that still stands.”

Quality Road, bred and owned by Edward P. Evans, had quarter crack issues while in the care of Jimmy Jerkens in 2009 and was subsequently moved to Pletcher.

The Amsterdam often is used as a prep for the Jerkens and Pletcher said the timing and the distance are the right combination for Corniche.

“He's proven versatile enough to win sprinting and going long,” Pletcher said. “We needed a place to come back and obviously the Curlin S. or the GII Jim Dandy S. at a mile and an eighth didn't really make sense. We felt like this race made the most sense.”

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Lillie Langtry To Conclude Glorious Week

The elite-level contests are done, track records have tumbled and Goodwood's five-day bonanza concludes with the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. taking centre stage at the Sussex venue on Saturday.

The £300,000 14-furlong distaffers' test has fallen to favourites in six of the last nine editions and this year's market is headed by Sunderland Holding's G2 Lancashire Oaks runner-up Sea La Rosa (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Coolmore and Westerberg's G1 Irish Oaks fourth Emily Dickinson (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). The former's stamina is not in question, according to William Haggas, with the Somerville Lodge trainer bidding to double his win tally after Baaeed's G1 Sussex S. success earlier in the week. “Sea La Rosa is very well and we have obviously had this race in mind since Haydock,” Haggas said. “She ran a very good race there on ground which we did not think suited her. She won over a mile and five [furlongs] at Lingfield and we think she'd get the trip without any problem, so we think she has got a chance.”

Irish To Buck The Trends?
Aidan O'Brien is in unfamiliar territory and yet to register a win, from seven runners, in the contest and is represented by the progressive Emily Dickinson, who was narrowly denied by Rosscarbery (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in Leopardstown's G3 Stanerra S. earlier in the month before missing out on her Classic placing by a half-length last time. She will attempt to buck a trend which has seen just five sophomore triumphs and one Irish victory in 19 renewals.

Accompanying her on the trip from Ireland is Newtown Anner Stud's Jessica Harrington trainee Forbearance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who has twice chased home Rosscarbery and finished behind Emily Dickinson in the Stanerra when last seen. The 5-year-old, set to be partnered by Hollie Doyle for a second time, accounted for Sea La Rosa when the duo met in last term's G3 Princess Royal S. at Newmarket and the rider will be hoping to outpoint husband Tom Marquand for household bragging rights.

“Forbearance gave me a memorable afternoon at York's Ebor Festival last year when she won the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Galtres S. and I'm hoping she can rediscover her best form and outrun a big price,” said Doyle. “She beat Sea La Rosa by more than four lengths at Newmarket, but William Haggas's filly has improved considerably since then.”

With five millimetres of overnight watering scheduled, Harrington nonetheless expects Forbearance to relish underfoot conditions and added, “She ran a much better race the last time and has come into herself now. She did not come into herself last year until August and she seems to be in good form. She will love the ground and the quicker the better. Hopefully she will put her best foot forward.”

Click here to view the group fields.

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July 30 Insights: Well-Bred Juveniles Debut Coast-to-Coast

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

MCGAUGHEY UNVEILS SON OF STAR PUPIL
1st-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:05 p.m. EDT
Shug McGaughey unveils a colt by one of his top former pupils in CAPTURE THE FLAG (Quality Road). He is the second foal out of American Grade I winner and European Group 3 winner War Flag (War Front), who is a full to G1SW Lines of Battle. She is also a half to GSW Homebound (Dixie Union) and SW & GSP Blue Exit (Pulpit). Ian Wilkes also saddles a well-bred firster in this competitive maiden event in Bourbon Resolve (Hard Spun). He is a half to SW Miss Interpret (Street Sense). Their dam is a half to Grade I winners Paulassilverlining (Ghostzapper) and Dads Cap (Discreet Cat). TJCIS PPs

WELL-BRED CURLIN COLT DEBUTS AT ELLIS
7th-ELP, $60K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 4:40 p.m. EDT
WinStar Farm and Siena Farm's REDEEMER (Curlin) makes his first trip to the post here for Rodolphe Brisset. Out of MSP Pull Dancer, the chestnut is a half to MGSW & MGISP sire Good Samaritan (Harlan's Holiday) and GSW Brave Nation (Pioneerof the Nile). Gary and Mary West homebred Salute the Stars (Candy Ride {Arg}) also debuts in this spot. The bay is out of a half-sister to MGISW Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway), GISW J. B.'s Thunder (Thunder Gulch), MGSW Farrell (Malibu Moon) and MSW & MGSP Doncaster Rover (War Chant). TJCIS PPs

BAFFERT UNVEILS EXPENSIVE INTO MISCHIEF COLT
6th-DMR, $80K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Bob Baffert sends out one of his many high-priced juveniles for his first start in $850,000 KEESEP buy NEWGATE (Into Mischief). The bay is out of GSP Majestic Presence (Majestic Warrior), who is a half to GSW Victress (Include). His stablemate Hard to Figure (Hard Spun) also debuts in this test. A $40,000 KEESEP buy, he brought $200,000 at OBS March after breezing in :10 flat. He is a half to SW & GSP Inconclusive (Include) and SP Fall At Last (Spring At Last). His dam is a half to MGSW Hence (Street Boss). TJCIS PPs

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Time Test’s Rocchigiani Battles To G3 Thoroughbred Triumph

Goodwood may not have attracted as big an international contingent as last month's Royal Ascot festival, but Thursday's G3 Bonhams Thoroughbred S. was very much a continental affair as Germany's G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) second Rocchigiani (GB) (Time Test {GB}–Ronja, by El Corredor) showed his class to garner the 3-year-old one-mile test. Last term's G3 Zukunftsrennen victor, who ran fifth in the Royal meet's June 18 G3 Jersey S. last time, was positioned in second as Norway's Norsk 2000 Guineas hero Hotline Bling (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) established a clear lead through halfway. Cruising closer on the bridle in the straight to challenge hard on the steel passing the quarter-mile marker, the well-backed 11-2 chance quickened smartly to seize control approaching the final furlong and was driven out in the closing stages to bravely hold The Wizard Of Eye (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) and Sonny Liston (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) by 3/4-of-a-length and the same.

“Rocchigiani is a nice horse, he travelled well in the race and the pace was good for him,” said winning trainer Peter Schiergen after the local stewards allowed the finishing order to remain unchanged. “His form in Germany was very good, he's a speed horse and he likes leading horses. The owners [Stall Domstadt] like Goodwood and always come here and this is my first winner here today. We have not had many runners and it is not easy to do. I looked from race to race after [Royal] Ascot and we will chat about what to do now. His last race was seven furlongs, but the mile is a little better for him. Maybe we will come back to England next.”

Winning rider Tom Marquand, who incurred a three-day sting for his alleged transgressions in the closing stages, added, “Rocchigiani ran well when fifth in the Jersey. He looked like he had a good bit of speed, so when Hotline Bling burst clear, I was happy to sit and use that injection of speed to go and win the race. It got a little bit messy at the two-furlong pole when the leader weakened, but this horse has travelled over really well for the Peter Schiergen team and it is a job well done. I was never really worried about the ground with his action. He is probably more used to cut in the ground, but it just shows that what they are used to is not always what they want.”

“The Wizard Of Eye has run a fantastic race,” reflected the second's trainer Stan Moore. “He is still, as you can see, a very big horse and James [Doyle] said that he was still a little bit raw. He is 17 1 1/2hh and there's not many Flat horses that size. We missed the last two-and-a-half months with him because he started early and ran good in the Saudi Derby and he will come on. We will probably do a little bit of a winter campaign again, but I think there's a hell of a lot more to come from the horse and we will probably have to wait until next year to see that.”

Sonny Liston's trainer Charlie Hills said, “He travelled really nicely and I was really pleased. After running in the Derby, we gave him a bit of time off and brought him right back in trip. I am delighted with him.”

Hotline Bling was the main victim of scrimmaging in the latter stages and his owner Hans Christian Valstad commented, “It is just a victory to be here. For this to happen is a bummer, but we're delighted to be here in the UK. Back home in Norway, the winner of the race would have been scratched. He impacted my horse quite heavily and Hotline Bling's jockey had to be pull him up and lost several lengths. For us back home, he would have finished fourth at least, but it is what it is. It's okay and you can't change the rules. We have a dream to go to Royal Ascot at some point and, when we got invited to Goodwood, it only took me two minutes to say 'let's go' as you need to take the opportunity.”

Rocchigiani, one of two pattern-race and an overall five black-type winners for Newmarket's National Stud resident Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), is the sixth foal and scorer from as many runners produced by Listed Dusseldorfer Henkel-Stutenpreis victrix Ronja (El Corredor), herself kin to the dam of GII Knickerbocker S. third En Wye Cee (Declaration Of War). The May-foaled bay is a half-brother to stakes-winning G2 Godolphin Mile runner-up and dual G3 Burj Nahaar placegetter Ross (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and a yearling filly by Iffraaj (GB).

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
BONHAMS THOROUGHBRED S.-G3, £100,000, Goodwood, 7-29, 3yo, 8fT, 1:38.10, g/f.
1–ROCCHIGIANI (GB), 129, c, 3, by Time Test (GB)
1st Dam: Ronja (SW-Ger), by El Corredor
2nd Dam: Royal Sanction, by Royal Academy
3rd Dam: Northern Sanction, by Affirmed
O-Stall Domstadt; B-Dr Till Grewe (GB); T-Peter Schiergen; J-Tom Marquand. £56,710. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ger, 7-3-1-0, $139,737. *1/2 to Ross (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), SW-Fr, MGSP-UAE & SP-Ger, $464,735. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–The Wizard Of Eye (Ire), 129, c, 3, Galileo Gold (GB)–Prom Dress (GB), by Mount Nelson (GB). (€4,000 Wlg '19 GOFNOV; £7,500 RNA Ylg '20 TATIRY; €7,500 RNA 2yo '21 GOFFEB). O-O Humphrey, A Favell, R Humphrey & J S Moore; B-M Phelan (IRE); T-Stan Moore. £21,500.
3–Sonny Liston (Ire), 129, c, 3, Lawman (Fr)–Stars In Your Eyes (GB), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (60,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Chelsea Thoroughbreds (The Big Bear); B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-Charles Hills. £10,760.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 2. Odds: 5.50, 40.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Bayside Boy (Ire), Hotline Bling (Ire), Berkshire Shadow (GB), Checkandchallenge (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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