Month: April 2023

Ward Pencils In Royal Ascot As Next For Stonestreet’s Regally Bred Debut Winner American Rascal

The expectations for Stonestreet Stables' American Rascal were sky high before his debut his Thursday at Keeneland.

Expectations met and exceeded.

The first foal from the brilliant Lady Aurelia romped by 10¼ lengths in :51.21 for the maiden special weight race going 4½ furlongs on the dirt under Joel Rosario. The time is the fastest of the meet for the distance.

“I think he can be better next time,” trainer Wesley Ward said Saturday morning of the son of Curlin.

The next time figures to be the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot in England going five furlongs on June 22. Ward has won the Norfolk twice with No Nay Never in 2013 and Shang Shang Shang in 2018.

“He came to us highly recommended,” Ward said about American Rascal. “Joel (Rosario) drove up to Payson Park (from Gulfstream) to work him, and not many jockeys make that (90-minute) drive.

“We came up here, and he worked at Turfway and then here. His last work here (five days before his debut), the light bulb went on. Lady Aurelia was the same way. She got outworked in the mornings.”

In Lady Aurelia's debut in April 2016 – also at Keeneland for Stonestreet, George Bolton, and Peter Leidel,– she won by 7½ lengths and in a then track record time of :50.85 for 4½ furlongs. Lady Aurelia went on to win the Queen Mary (G2) at Royal Ascot and the Darley Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville in France that season. The daughter of Scat Daddy received the Cartier Award as Europe's champion 2-year-old filly.

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Shaping Up: Horses Qualified For Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, And Also-Eligibles

Following are the horses (with jockeys and trainers) that are qualified for the Kentucky Derby (G1) and those on the also-eligible list (in alphabetical order with AEs listed last in preference order):

Angel of Empire (jockey Flavien Prat, trainer Brad Cox); Blazing Sevens (TBA, Chad Brown); Confidence Game (James Graham, Keith Desormeaux); Continuar (JPN) (Ryusel Sakai, Yoshito Yahagi); Derma Sotogake (JPN) (Christophe Lemaire, Hidetaka Otonashi); Disarm (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen); Forte (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher); Hit Show (Manny Franco, Brad Cox); Kingsbarns (TBA, Todd Pletcher); Lord Miles (Paco Lopez, Saffie Joseph Jr.); Mage (TBA, Gustavo Delgado); Practical Move (Ramon Vazquez, Tim Yakteen); Raise Cain (Javier Castellano, Ben Colebrook); Reincarnate (John Velazquez, Tim Yakteen); Rocket Can (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott); Sun Thunder (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek); Tapit Trice (Luis Saez, Todd Pletcher); Two Phil's (Jareth Loveberry, Larry Rivelli); Verifying (Tyler Gaffalione, Brad Cox); and Wild On Ice (Ken Tohill, Joel Marr).

Also-Eligible: Jace's Road (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox); Skinner (Victor Espinioza, John Shirreffs); Cyclone Mischief (TBA, Dale Romans); Major Dude (TBA, Todd Pletcher); and Mandarin Hero (JPN) (TBA, Terunobu Fujita).

For a detailed look at the horses that could fill the Kentucky Derby starting gate on May 6, check out Paulick Report's The Derby Bubble Presented by Kentucky-Breds: The Waiting Game Begins.

Following are the fillies (with trainers) that are qualified for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) and those on the also-eligible list (in alphabetical order with AEs listed last in preference order):

Affirmative Lady (John Velazquez, Graham Motion); And Tell Me Nolies (Ramon Vazquez, Peter Miller); Botanical (Chris Landeros, Brad Cox); Defining Purpose (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek); Dorth Vader (TBA, Mike Yates); Flying Connection (TBA, Todd Fincher); Gambling Girl (TBA, Todd Pletcher); Mimi Kakushi (TBA, Salem bin Ghadayer); Pretty Mischievous (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh); Promisher America (TBA, Ray Handal); Shidabhuti (TBA, Chad Brown); Southlawn (Rey Gutierrez, Norm Casse); The Alys Look (Luis Saez, Brad Cox); and Wet Paint (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox).

Also-Eligible: Wonder Wheel (Mark Casse); Taxed (Randy Morse); Julia Shining (Todd Pletcher); Hoosier Philly (Tom Amoss); and Punchbowl (Brad Cox).

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Sunday Insights: Beautifully Bred Curlin Colt Unveiled At Gulfstream

1st-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 5fT, 12:40 p.m.

A Triple Crown-nominated colt for the connections of Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Jonathon Poulin and St. Elias Stable, SOUTH SIDE (Curlin) was a $500,000 yearling purchase out of the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Sale. His dam, while unplaced herself, is out of the graded stakes winning mare Mariah's Storm (Rahy), who readers will recognize as the dam of none other than the full-brothers by Storm Cat, Giant's Causeway and Freud. In addition, this is the family of several Galileo full-siblings including: MG1SW and sire Gleneagles (Ire), MG1SW Happily (Ire), G1SW Joan of Arc (Ire), MGSW & GISP Taj Mahal (Ire), G1SW Marvellous (Ire), GSW Coolmore (Ire), G1SP Toy (Ire), and G1SP Vatican City (Ire). And while the prolific family goes on and on, South Side will seek to write his own chapter under the tutelage of Todd Pletcher with jockey Emisael Jaramillo aboard. TJCIS PPS

The post Sunday Insights: Beautifully Bred Curlin Colt Unveiled At Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Former U.S.-Based Princess Grace Takes Aussie Group 3

Princess Grace (Karakontie {Jpn}), a five-time graded winner and placed three times in Grade I company for John and Susan Moore and trainer Michael Stidham in this country, overcame some traffic at a critical stage and quickened home impressively to win Saturday's G3 Hawkesbury Crown S. (1300m) by about 1 3/4 lengths.

Drawn the fence and sent off the lukewarm $4.40 (17-5) favorite on the back of an outstanding third in the G2 Sapphire S. on her Australian debut at The Championships at Randwick two weeks back, the dark bay raced inside throughout beneath Nash Rawiller and traveled strongly from a joint fifth into the final quarter-mile. Opting to go for a run a few paths off the rail in the straight, Rawiller was forced to grab hold of Princess Grace for a stride or two when tight for running room, but she shouldered her way through and shot clear to win comfortably in the end.

“We were 50/50 whether we gave her a second run or waited for the Spring Carnival,” Charlie Duckworth, assistant to and racing manager for trainer Chris Waller, told SKY Racing. “When she drew well, we said, 'let's take our chances', especially when the track came up a 5 [soft side of good] rather than the heavy track. Nash gave her a beautiful ride, obviously it looked a bit dicey, but no better man to have than Nash on when you're stuck in a bit of a tight spot. Exciting horse.”

Racing as a homebred for the Moores, Princess Grace closed her 3-year-old season with a victory in the off-turf GIII Mrs. Revere S. and registered three wins at the graded level on the grass in succession in 2021–the GIII Dr. Penny Memorial S., the GII Yellow Ribbon H. and the GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf–before closing the campaign with a sound third to Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) in the GI Matriarch S.

After successfully defending her title in the Penny, Princess Grace was second to Dalika (Ger) (Pastorius {Ger}) in the GI Beverly D. S. and again in the Ladies' Turf ahead of a third to In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Regal Glory in the GI First Lady S. China Horse Club acquired the mare for $1.7 million at last year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale and turned her over to Waller, most notably the trainer of the legendary Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}).

The Moores also race Princess Grace's 4-year-old gelded half-brother Catnip (Kitten's Joy), who broke his maiden at Colonial Downs like his half-sister, and who is entered for a first-level allowance on the turf at Keeneland Apr. 26. Masquerade is also the dam of the 2-year-old filly Mixologist (Frosted), a $175,000 Keeneland September purchase by Solis/Litt and, according to Cobra Farm manager Mike Owens, the Moores intend to race the mare's yearling filly by American Pharoah named Miss U. S. A. Owens said that Masquerade delivered a Gun Runner filly at Cobra Farm Mar. 20. Masquerade will be bred back to the China Horse Club part-owned Life Is Good.

Duckworth indicated that sex-restricted tests in Group 1 company loom as targets come the Australian springtime.

 

 

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