Month: April 2023

Ganay Exam For Vadeni

Six months on from his near-miss in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, The Aga Khan's Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) returns to ParisLongchamp on Sunday for what amounts to a stern test in the G1 Prix Ganay. Last year's G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Eclipse hero has a surprise awaiting him in James Wigan and Ballylinch Stud's G1 Champion S. winner Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}), who was impressive on his seasonal debut in 2022 when taking the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. Ballylinch Stud also have a significant involvement in Al Shaqab Racing's high-class G1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Place Du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), while Haras de la Perelle and Stephane Wattel's Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) and even Bertrand Milliere's Iresine (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) are hard to leave out of the picture with a run under their belts when first and second in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt here Apr. 9. That could be the way of things in 2023, with so many talented older horses remaining in training to provide reliable markers in these important contests.

Christophe Soumillon is well aware of the level of opposition to Vadeni. “He worked quite well on Tuesday, we all know the horse isn't 100% fit and it is the first run of the season,” he said. “He's going to have a tough season, for sure, we couldn't believe the Ganay would be that strong. I have been doing this job for 25 years now and I haven't seen a Ganay with so many group one horses. It's like a strong Champion S. race. We're not going to give him a hard race, as his targets are at Ascot and the Irish Champion and the Arc. We know he likes soft ground and even heavy and is very versatile.”

James Wigan said of Bay Bridge, who had been entered in the eventually-abandoned G3 Gordon Richards S. this week, “Sandown was our original thought, but then he would have carried a penalty for being a Group 1 winner after August, so being seven pounds worse off with Adayar (Ire) would have meant he would have a hard race at any rate, so we felt he might as well have a hard race in a group one as in a Group 3. There will be the usual pattern of races for him. I'm sure Sir Michael knows where he'll want to go, but this is a good spot to begin.”

La Parisienne Returns

On a day of welcoming back, Peter Bradley's G1 Prix de Diane runner-up La Parisienne (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) who was also third in the G1 Prix Vermeille and disappointing in the Opera makes her seasonal bow in the card's G3 Prix Allez France Longines. This is a chance to start anew for the talented 4-year-old, who is another prize ride for Soumillon who has taken France by storm so far this year.

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Balpool Lands Off-The-Turf Memories Of Silver In Stakes Debut

Madaket Stables' Balpool made her stakes debut a winning effort, overtaking pacesetter Unified Alliance out of the turn and cruising for a 3 3/4-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 Memories of Silver for 3-year-old fillies in a one-mile race moved off the inner turf at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Heavy rain forced the ninth running of the Memories of Silver to be moved onto a sloppy and sealed main track. With six horses scratched and three main-track only entrants joining Unified Alliance to comprise the four-horse field, the Rob Atras-trained Balpool notched her second straight victory, building on a win against allowance optional claimers earlier this month at the Big A.

Unified Alliance led the quartet through an opening quarter-mile in :23.12 and the half in :46.22 with 4-5 favorite Downtown Mischief in close pursuit, followed by Balpool and Crypto Mama. Jockey Manny Franco urged Balpool up from the outside in the turn, gaining ground into the stretch. When straightened for home, Balpool, off at 9-5, overtook Downtown Mischief and kicked on to the wire, completing the distance in 1:36.76.

“She has been improving a lot since her last race and today I got a great draw,” said Franco, the current leading rider at the Big A spring meet. “I just wanted to make sure she broke good and wasn't too far off the speed. I knew today horses weren't going to close so much. It was a good pace in front and I was right there behind them. My filly responded well.”

Lady Sheila Stable's New York homebred Downtown Mischief bested Crypto Mama for second by one length, with Unified Alliance completing the order of finish. Lady Beth, Hang the Moon, Bulsara, Queen Picasso, Juniper's Moon and Royalty Interest were scratched.

Balpool, bred in Florida by A. Francis Vanlangendonck and Barbara Vanlangendonck, returned $5.80 on a $2 win wager. The dark bay daughter of Uncaptured out of the Take Charge Indy mare Remington Rose improved her career earnings to $151,900 and won for the third time in four starts this year.

“At the top of the stretch, I thought we had a pretty good shot,” Atras said. “It looked like we had a lot of steam and momentum. On the backstretch, it looked like they were moving pretty good, but Manny stayed after them [Unified Alliance and Downtown Mischief]. We were confident going in and Manny rode her that way, so that was good.”

Downtown Mischief, trained by Linda Rice and ridden by Jose Ortiz, was coming off a win in the six-furlong Cicada on March 18 at Aqueduct before drawing in following the steady downpour that put the race on the dirt.

“She proved she can run the distance and she was tracking the pace nicely. My filly ran a great race,” Ortiz said. “I was just second-best.”

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Dozen Kentucky Derby Hopefuls Breeze at Churchill Downs

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's likely GI Kentucky Derby favorite and last out GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Forte (Violence) headlined a busy morning beneath the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs as 12 candidates for this year's Run for the Roses turned in their final works for the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Last year's champion 2-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte, who worked a half-mile in company in :49.80 over a fast track, was one of four breezers for trainer Todd Pletcher. Other Pletcher half-mile workers were GI Blue Grass S. winner and 'Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit) (:48.20) and unbeaten GII Louisiana Derby winner Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) and GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks runner-up Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro), who worked together in :48.40.

“I'm very pleased,” Pletcher said. “They all did what they were supposed to do.”

Trainer Brad Cox also had four workers: GI Arkansas Derby winner Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) (five furlongs 1:01.40) and Louisiana Derby third and 'Rising Star' Jace's Road (Quality Road) (1:01.20) in company together and GII Wood Memorial S. second-place finisher Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) (:59.60) and Blue Grass runner-up Verifying (Justify) (:59.40) in separate company.

“We're one week out from the race and they are important works, but we didn't want to ask them to do too much,” Cox said. “They did it on their own and did what we needed to see going into the Derby.”

Last out GII Rebel S. winner Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}) worked five furlongs in :59 for trainer Keith Desormeaux, a move that was the fastest of 54 at the distance.

Florida Derby runner-up Mage (Good Magic) turned in a six-furlong work in 1:16.80 for trainer Gustavo Delgado.

Florida Derby third Cyclone Mischief (Into Mischief), currently on the outside looking in as the first also-eligible, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80 for trainer Dale Romans.

Working before the first morning harrow break, fellow also-eligible and Arkansas Derby runner-up King Russell (Creative Cause) worked a half-mile in :47.80 for trainer Ron Moquett.

Working at Santa Anita was GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby third-place finisher Skinner (Curlin), who breezed six furlongs in 1:14 for trainer John Shirreffs. Skinner is scheduled to ship to Louisville on Sunday.

Two fillies put in their final works for the 149th running of the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks: GI Central Bank Ashland S. upsetter Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) (a half-mile in :47, the fastest of 149 at the distance) for trainer Kenny McPeek and G3 UAE Oaks heroine Mimi Kakushi (City of Light) (a half-mile in 50.40) for trainer Salem bin Ghadayer.

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Current Form on Offer at Keeneland April Sale Sunday

Keeneland will host its April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale Sunday, with the first of 121 catalogued lots scheduled to go through the ring at 4 p.m. The auction, which features several offerings who were winners at the track's recently concluded meet, was originally scheduled to be held after the races on the track's final card Friday, but was moved to Sunday to avoid conflict with the final day of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

“This year, we have it on Sunday afternoon because of the OBS sale and, even though it was an inconvenience, it has allowed us to position ourselves in a good spot leading into Derby week and just coming off a pretty productive race meet here,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy.

Looking to recreate the buzz achieved a year ago when the sale was held after the races, Keeneland will offer curated Bloody Marys, pub grub and snacks, in the pavilsion starting at 2 p.m.

“It was terrific having the sale after racing last year,” admitted Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “Part of the draw of that for us was to get people from the races into the sales pavilion to see the industry full circle, giving people who don't necessarily have any experience with Keeneland sales to have a chance to come down and sample the atmosphere. It was a great evening of sales and we hope we can return to that.”

But both Lacy and Breathnach think the Sunday spot on the calendar will work for buyers.

“There is Saturday night racing at Churchill,” Breathnach said. “Nothing is happening Sunday, so we have a late afternoon start so trainers have a chance to get their training done Sunday morning and get back down here Sunday afternoon to see those horses and do their due diligence ahead of the sale. And then it's straight into Derby week, with the draw and racing from Tuesday on. So we found a spot that certainly works this year and we are excited. We are getting the right feedback. I think we will have a big crowd here regardless of not having it after the race day.”

The April sale is an attractive spot on the calendar for both buyers and sellers, according to Lacy.

“I think it's a very dynamic sale that has evolved nicely over the years,” Lacy said. “It's a sector of the market that we wanted to lean into because it's got a lot of growth and a lot of potential.”

For sellers, he said, “The sale's timing allows people coming up from Florida or wherever to sell something that might not have worked in their program or might have shown the potential that they were hoping for and they will be able to capitalize on their potential value. People have to pay the bills and this is a good way for them to do that.”

As for buyers, he said, “This is way to have an instant racehorse. It allows for instant action and I think a lot of people are intrigued by the option that it brings to the table, especially at this time of the year when the purses are so strong in Kentucky and other parts of the country. It positions itself very nicely to restock for the summer.”

Buyers from the West Coast have the added benefit of purchasing horses eligible for the 'Ship and Win' bonuses at the Southern California tracks.

“We've got a lot of people on the West Coast who are trying to take advantage of the Ship and Win program,” Breathnach said. “There are something like 70-75 horses in the catalogue or supplements who are eligible for those ship and win bonuses.”

Keeneland continued to accept supplemental entries to the sale right into the weekend.

“We are trying to have a broad reach with a fairly trim catalogue,” Breathnach explained. “We wanted to keep the quality high, but at the same time have a variety of fillies with pedigrees and colts and geldings with a racing future.”

Among the offerings coming off wins at the Keeneland meet are 2-year-olds Hibernacle (Hootenanny), who won on debut for owner/breeder/trainer Wesley Ward Apr. 12; and Commissioner Dan (Commissioner), a late entrant after debuting with a win Apr. 26 for trainer Pavel Matejka. Ocean City (American Pharoah), a 3-year-old half-brother to champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music), broke his maiden at Keeneland Apr. 20; while 3-year-old Class Actor (Ghostzapper) was a debut winner at the oval Apr. 22.

“One thing people like about this catalogue and want from this sale is that it has some variety and it has something for everybody,” Breathnach said. “We have horses at various levels of the market in terms of valuations; horses with conditions, unraced horses that have good breeze patterns coming in and you've got some older class horses, like King Fury (Curlin) or Messier (Empire Maker), who is only four. So there is a little something for everyone.”

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