Root Cause (f, 3, Into Mischief–Vertical Vision {MSW, $202,979), by Pollard's Vision), second at Saratoga Aug. 14 last season in a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden which yielded SP Towhead (Malibu Moon), SP Beauitfulnavigator (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}), and SP Forever Dixie (Quality Road), made it look effortless here en route to 'TDN Rising Star'-dom at 1-5 favoritism in her 2023 bow over Gulfstream Park grass.
Breaking well but in no hurry to challenge the eager early speed, Root Cause stalked from the two path in third through the first bend. Midway up the backstretch, the eye-catching bay found herself locked in traffic as Tawaret (Pioneerof the Nile) rushed up the rail to claim an opening and the field was closing ranks around her for the run through the far turn. Shuffled back to fifth as 1:13.80 flashed across the board, Irad Ortiz opted for the overland route, and was full of horse when they arrived at the head of the stretch. Unleashing a wicked turn of foot, Root Cause put 2 1/2 lengths on her rivals with a motionless rider in the irons and won as easily as she pleased to claim her diploma over Settling Storm (Tonalist).
A half to Vertical Oak (Giant Oak), MGSW, $773,095–herself dam of 'TDN Rising Star' SP Giant Mischief (Into Mischief)–the victress is her sire's 37th runner to get the TDN stamp of approval. Half-brother Payne (Paynter), SP, $437,870 was a six-time winner in his own right. Thus far the most recent to the races, Root Cause has a 2-year-old half-sister Mitole Vision (Mitole) as well as a yearling half-sister by Authentic. Vertical Vision visited Caravaggio for 2023.
The 2023 OBS March Sale of 2-year-olds in training begins Monday and continues through Wednesday, with all sessions starting at 11:00 a.m. (ET).
There are 833 juveniles cataloged for the three-day sale.
Hips 1 – 278 will be offered Monday; Hips 279 – 556 on Tuesday, and Hips 557 – 833 on Wednesday
There are 164 stallions with offspring in the sale, headed by OBS March graduate and leading sire Into Mischief, represented by 12 youngsters, The roster also includes the rest of North America's 2022 Top Ten leaders: Curlin, Gun Runner, Uncle Mo, Tapit, Munnings, Not This Time, Speightstown, Quality Road, and Constitution.
The stallion roster also includes the top ten Freshman Sires of 2022: Bolt d'Oro, Good Magic, Army Mule, Justify, Girvin, OBS April and August grad Sharp Azteca, Mendelssohn, Mo Town, Oscar Performance, and City of Light.
At the Under Tack Show, two horses shared honors for the fastest eighth, clocked in :09 3/5:
Hip No. 546, is a son of Good Magic consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent. The bay colt is out of Hoppa, by Uncle Mo, from the family of graded stakes winner Wandering Star.
Hip No. 654, is a son of Not This Time consigned by GOP Racing Stable Corp., Agent. The chestnut colt is a half brother to stakes placed Bridgette Bordeaux, out of stakes winner Meadow Bride, by Runaway Groom.
There were two quarters in :20 3/5:
Hip No. 406, a son of Bucchero consigned by Tom McCrocklin, Agent, The chestnut colt is a half brother to stakes winning OBS graduate My Sassenach out of Cynthia's Fury, by Utopia (JPN).
Hip No. 631, a daughter by Enticed, consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock, Agent, the gray or roan filly is a half sister to stakes placed J C's a Legend out of Love's Illusion, by Tapit, a daughter of graded stakes winner Love Match.
The following are significant March Sale catalog updates:
Hip 38, by Bee Jersey, is half sister to newly graded stakes placed Shirl's Bee, second in the recent Nakheel U.A.E. Two Thousand Guineas (G3).
Hip 76 by Union Rags, is from the family of Karakatsie, second in the recent Honey Ryder (G3) at Gulfstream.
Hip 200, a filly by Union Rags, is a half sister to OBS graduate Skinner, third in Santa Anita's San Felipe S. (G2).
Hip 232 a colt by Goldencents is a half brother to Reincarnate, winner of Santa Anita's Sham Stakes (G3) and third in the Rebel S. (G2).
Hip 351 a filly by Enticed, is a half sister to recently stakes placed Itzel.
Hip 523, a filly by Air Force Blue, is a half sister to Dorth Vader, winner of Gulfstream's Davona Dale S. (G2).
Hip 649, a filly by The Big Beast, is a half sister to OBS graduate R Adios Jersey, third in Gulfstream's recent Hurricane Bertie S. (G3).
Hip 706 a filly by Classic Empire, is from the family of Palos Verdes S. (G3) winner
Hip 753, a filly by Mitole is from the family OBS graduate Freedom Flyer, winner of the recent Wishing Well Stakes at Santa Anita.
Hip 786 a filly by Girvin, is a half sister to graded stakes placed Giroovin, second in the Mine That Bird Derby.
Hip 806 a colt by Justify, is a half brother to OBS graduate Freedom Flyer, winner of the recent Wishing Well Stakes at Santa Anita.
Sales results will be posted on the OBS website at obssales.com
The website's searchable and sortable master index provides links to under tack videos, pedigree and consignor information and pedigree updates occurring since the catalog was printed. It has also been updated to allow shortlist creation.
Tampa Bay Downs trainer Craig Smith drove about 3,100 miles from his farm near Calgary, Alberta in November to compete at the Oldsmar, Florida track for the first time since 2012.
“Hauling horses, you don't always take the fastest route,” Smith said. “We usually ship to Kentucky and stay a few days to give them a chance to recover, so it took about four days to get to Tampa.”
That was OK with his 4-year-old colt Smart as Me, who is used to playing the waiting game.
Smith, who competes at Century Mile Racetrack in Edmonton throughout the spring, summer, and early fall, purchased the Kentucky-bred son of Malibu Moon out of Siren Serenade, by Unbridled's Song, for $6,000 from consignor James Keogh at the 2021 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Siren Serenade is a half sister to 2012 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winner George Vancouver and 2001 Remsen (G2) winner Saarland. Smart as Me was bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corp., which bought Siren Serenade, a daughter of Danzig's multiple Grade 1-winning daughter Versailles Treaty, for $1,025,000 at the 2017 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Siren Serenade also is the dam of 2015 Santa Anita Oaks (G1) runner-up Luminance, by Tale of the Cat, and multiple Grade 3-placed Stellar Sound, by Tapit.
Smart as Me's sale price is not a misprint, although one might think so given the pedigree.
“He had some issues, so we decided to give him last summer off and bring him here. We've been high on him the whole time we've had him and he's gotten better and better,” Smith said.
And, in the process, Smart as Me has turned into one of the “feel-good” stories of the 2022-2023 meet.
After finishing fourth in his career debut on Nov. 4 at Century Mile, Smart as Me has turned the Tampa Bay Downs into his own personal playground. He has been first across the wire in four of his six local starts (he was disqualified and placed third on Jan. 20), breaking his maiden on Dec. 16 in a one-mile and 40-yard race taken off the turf and winning his last two on the lawn. He was eligible to be claimed for $25,000 from his Feb. 26 victory, but probably won't be again anytime soon as Smith looks for a suitable race to continue his ascent.
Owned by Smith's Dialed In Racing Stable in partnership with Calgary resident Adrian Munro's Highfield Investment Group, Smart as Me turned on the jets in the stretch in Saturday's fifth race, the Lambholm South Race of the Week, powering over the turf course under jockey Pablo Morales to a 2¾-length victory from Dark and Fitzy in the excellent time of 1:34.97 for the mile. He returned $5.40 for the win.
The allowance victory was achieved in Smart as Me's customary style of coming from far behind. In each of his victories, he has been last or second-to-last in the early going.
Returning to Tampa Bay Downs has been a rewarding experience for the 39-year-old Smith, who has made enough claims to increase his stable size to 13.
“This is a great place to develop horses,” Smith said. “I've always wanted to come back. It's a good place to claim horses and the turf course is arguably the best in North America.”
And, every so often, it's a place to dream big and realize those gasoline prices aren't always as high as they look. Not with a horse such as Smart as Me.
An all-the-way winner of January's Hong Kong Classic Mile under a perfectly rationed ride from the visiting Jamie Kah, Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) capitulated without much of a fight after leading through the opening mile of the Hong Kong Classic Cup, fading into sixth behind Super Sunny Sing (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}).
When connections landed gate 14 at Thursday's barrier draw, the already difficult task at hand seemed that much more daunting, as valuable energy would need to be burned to get across to lead, assuming–of course–that was the plan. But trainer Ricky Yiu and jockey Alexis Badel tore the script for Sunday's HK$24-million BMW Hong Kong Derby into bits, settling the gelding last and sustaining a long and wide ride to cause a 45-1 boilover. Classic Mile runner-up Tuchel (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), the mount of Ryan Moore, was outfinished at the fence, while favoured stablemate Beauty Eternal (Aus) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) was third.
“Of course, this is the most prestigious race in Hong Kong racing and I'm very, very happy and grateful to win this Derby race,” said trainer Ricky Yiu, best known for training the top sprinters Sacred Kingdom (Aus) and Fairy King Prawn (Aus). “Over the trip, 2000 metres, I was a little bit doubtful, and then again with the wide draw. We needed to try something different. We even looked at the previous Derby races, horses drawn from the outside and where they finished and where they made a move,” he explained.
Keefy (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) was kicked into the early lead from his low gate by Derek Leung and set a dawdling tempo from Encountered (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}). Tuchel landed in the box seat with Beauty Eternal and Zac Purton following his every move, while Voyage Bubble caboosed them into the first bend. Sensing the lack of speed and knowing the Derby was bound to turn into a sit-sprint, Badel slipped Voyage Bubble some rein with better than six furlongs to go and by the time the field had reached the second turn and with a half-mile to race, he was three wide and only about five lengths off the leader.
Continuing to improve, but having not yet been asked for his best, Voyage Bubble was poised to pounce outside of Beauty Eternal as Keefy turned them in. The favourite was given a dig by Purton a furlong and a half from home, but he wasn't able to put any sort of a gap on the stubborn Voyage Bubble to his outside or the rail-skimming Tuchel. Four across the course at the 150m, Voyage Bubble managed to conjure up one final surge and was home narrowly over Tuchel.
It made for a fairy-tale ending to a tumultuous week for Badel, who was unceremoniously booted from defending champion Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) in the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (see below).
“Being a jockey, you go through ups and downs and this season has been very difficult for me,” said Badel, who became the first Frenchman to win the Derby since Maxime Guyon on Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) in 2011. “I came back from injury and suspensions and it means everything to win such a big race in Hong Kong as a jockey. [Voyage Bubble] was brilliant and I'm very happy for the connections, the owners and myself. I still can't believe it, actually. It's like the race isn't finished yet. It's very special.”
Pedigree Notes:
While officially recognised as a listed restricted stakes, Voyage Bubble is one of two-big race winners in Hong Kong for the increasingly popular Deep Field, whose son Sky Field (Aus) took out the 2021 G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. Winning breeder Torryburn Stud is also responsible for the popular Hong Kong Group 1-winning sprinter Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}).
Voyage Bubble is one of six winners from seven to race from his dam, whose other produce include Group 3 P J Bell S. winner Diddums and the listed-placed Brettan. Raheights is a half-sister to Bannock (Ire) (Bertolini), winner of the Listed Rockingham S. and placed in the G2 Richmond S. and G2 July S. for Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed al Maktoum and Mark Johnston as well as Australian listed winner Moulin Lady (Aus) (Reset {Aus}). The stakes-placed third dam counts Canadian Horse of the Year Never Retreat (Smart Strike) as one of her 10 winners from 14 to the races. The last-listed produce out of Raheights is the 3-year-old gelding Seventies Hit (Aus), second in a Wagga Wagga maiden in two starts.
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong BMW HONG KONG DERBY 2023-LR, HK$24,000,000, Sha Tin, 3-19, NH/SH4yo, 2000mT, 2:02.78, gd.
1–VOYAGE BUBBLE (AUS), 126, g, 4, by Deep Field (Aus) 1st Dam: Raheights (Aus), by Rahy 2nd Dam: Laoub, by Red Ransom 3rd Dam: Lisieux, by Steady Growth
(A$380,000 Ylg '20 INGFEB). O-Sunshine and Moonlight Syndicate; B-Torryburn Stud (NSW); T-Ricky Yiu; J-Alexis Badel; HK$13,680,000. Lifetime Record: 11-5-3-1, HK$25,597,725. *1/2 to Diddums (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), GSW-Aus, $164,688.
2–Tuchel (NZ), 126, g, 4, Redwood (GB)–Trista Rossa (Aus), by Testa Rossa (Aus). (NZ$130,000 Ylg '20 NZBJAN). O-Philip Chan Kwok Chung; B-G Harvey; T-John Size; J-Ryan Moore; HK$5,280,000.
3–Beauty Eternal (Aus), 126, g, 4, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Ithacan Queen (NZ), by Savabeel (Aus). (A$90,000 Ylg '20 INGFEB). O-Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen; B-P Raftopolous (Vic); T-John Size; J-Zac Purton; HK$2,400,000.
Margins: SHD, NO, HD. Odds: 45-1, 10-1, 13-10.
Also Ran: Keefy (Aus), Straight Arron (Aus), Sword Point (Aus), Sweet Encounter (NZ), Super Sunny Sing (Aus), Encountered (Ire), Galaxy Witness (Aus), Bon's A Pearla (Aus), Beautyverse (NZ), Atullibigeal (Aus), Flagship Warrior (Aus). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.
Lucky Sweynesse Too Strong in QSJC
Desperately unlucky when sixth as the odds-on favourite behind Wellington in December's Hong Kong Sprint, Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) won his third straight since Sunday, posting a relatively comfortable 1 1/4-length victory over G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile hero California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup.
California Spangle, off at 3-5 and cutting back in trip after finishing third to Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) in the G1 Stewards' Cup over a mile Jan. 29, jumped alertly from the rail and looked to hold all the aces, as he galloped them along at nothing more than a hack canter in sectional times well outside standard. But James McDonald, fresh off his victory about the outstanding Anamoe (Aus) (Street Boss) in Saturday's G1 George Ryder S. at Rosehill, kept Lucky Sweynesse within striking distance at all times, and even though California Spangle sprinted home in :21.99, the 4-year-old quickened even more impressively in :21.74 en route to the victory. Defending champion Wellington was well-beaten in third.
“What makes him so talented is that he's not only a very fast horse, but he can sustain the speed over seven furlongs, which not many sprinters can do,” said McDonald, who aslsso teamed with Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) to win the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup in December. “So he's got a great attribute of conserving energy and building into a race like a pretty good horse.”
Winning trainer Manfred Man said Lucky Sweynesse will go for a sweep of the Hong Kong Speed Series in the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize back over 1200 metres Apr. 30, with a trip overseas for the G1 Yasuda Kinen not out of the question.
Pedigree Notes:
The lone Group 1 scorer for his sire (by Lonhro {Aus}), Lucky Sweynesse is a full-brother to G1 Queensland Oaks placegetter Signora Nera (NZ). From the extended family of champion Rose of Danehill (Aus) (Danehill) and Group 1 winner Wrap Around (Aus) (Bletchingly {Aus}), Lucky Sweynesse has a 3-year-old half-brother by Per Incanto and a yearling half-brother by Contributer (Ire). Madonna Mia was most recently served by Sweynesse.
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong QUEEN'S SILVER JUBILEE CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000, Sha Tin, 3-19, 3yo/up, 1400mT, 1:21.12, gd.
1–LUCKY SWEYNESSE (NZ), 126, g, 4, by Sweynesse (Aus) 1st Dam: Madonna Mia (NZ) (SW-NZ, $134,764), by Red Clubs (Ire) 2nd Dam: Hill of Hope (Aus), by Danehill 3rd Dam: Macozie (Aus), by Marscay (Aus)
(NZ$90,000 2yo '20 NZBRTR). O-Cheng Ming Leung, Cheng Yu Tung, Cheng Mei Mei & Cheng Yu Wai; B-P L Dombrowski, Explosive Breeding Ltd & S A Sharrock; T-Manfred Man; J-James McDonald; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: 14-10-2-1, HK$29,475,200. *Full to Signora Nera (NZ), G1SP-Aus, GSP-NZ, $145,027. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
2–California Spangle (Ire), 126, g, 5, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Pearlitas Passion (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire). (€150,000 Ylg '19 GOFORB). O-Howard Liang Yum Shing; B-M Enright; T-Tony Cruz; J-Zac Purton; HK$2,640,000.
3–Wellington (Aus), 126, g, 6, All Too Hard (Aus)–Mihiri (Aus), by More Than Ready. (A$70,000 Ylg '18 MMGCYS). O-Mr & Mrs Michael Cheng Wing On & Jeffrey Cheng Man Cheong; B-Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd, David Paradise, Steve McCann; T-Richard Gibson; J-Ryan Moore; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3, NK. Odds: 8-5, 3-5, 31-5.
Also Ran: Courier Wonder (NZ), Waikuku (Ire). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.
1st Dam: Vertical Vision {MSW, $202,979} by Pollard's Vision) 