Month: May 2023

Caravaggio’s Porta Fortuna On Top At Naas

Donnacha O'Brien trainee Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio–Too Precious {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) posted a debut win over five furlongs at the Curragh last month and punched a ticket to Royal Ascot with a determined success in Sunday's G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. Naas.

She was positioned within range of the leaders in a close eighth through the early stages and tanked forward once past halfway. Shaken up at the quarter-mile marker, the 8-1 chance quickened smartly to seize control approaching the final furlong and was driven out in the latter stages to hold the late charge of Navassa Island (Ire) (Territories {Ire}) by a neck. The duo finished 4 1/2 lengths clear of the pack, headed by Launch (Omaha Beach) in third.

“We thought she was a nice filly, but obviously you never expect to win a Group race with a filly that's had just one run,” O'Brien said. “It's nice to see her handle the step up in class well. She has a really good pedigree, back along there are a lot of good horses in it. She was bought by some American partners, it's great for them and exciting. We'll speak to them now, but there is probably a good chance she'll go to [Royal] Ascot now. If she goes it will probably be for the [G3] Albany as she looked to get a stiff six furlongs here well. She handles all kinds of ground, so I wouldn't be worried either way.”

Pedigree Notes

Porta Fortuna is the first of three reported foals produced by multiple winner Too Precious (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), herself a full-sister to GSW G1 Australian Cup second Numerian (Ire) and G3 Prix Francois Boutin third Montesilvano (Ire). The January-foaled bay, who hails from the family of G1 St Leger-winning sire Milan (GB) (Sadler's Wells), is half to a yearling filly by Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and a weanling filly by Sottsass (Fr).

Sunday, Naas, Ireland
COOLMORE STUD IRISH EBF FILLIES SPRINT S.-G3, €70,000, Naas, 5-21, 2yo, f, 5f 205yT, 1:09.99, gd.
1–PORTA FORTUNA (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Caravaggio
1st Dam: Too Precious (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
2nd Dam: Delicate Charm (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
3rd Dam: Kantikoy (GB), by Alzao
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Barry Fowler, Medallion Racing 2020 LLC, Steven I Weston & Reeves Thoroughbred; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien; J-Gavin Ryan. €42,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $56,474. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Navassa Island (Ire), 128, f, 2, Territories (Ire)–Roger Sez (Ire), by Red Clubs (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (92,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT; 240,000gns 2yo '23 TATBRE). O/T-Michael O'Callaghan; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE). €14,000.
3–Launch, 128, f, 2, Omaha Beach–Spark, by Speightstown. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Giselle De Aguiar; B-Peter E Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Adrian Murray. €7,000.
Margins: NK, 4HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 8.00, 14.00, 16.00.
Also Ran: Ribchestina (Ire), Blame Thechampagne (Ire), Ziggy's Dream (Ire), Smart Impression (Ire), What A Squeeze (Ire), Bated Moon (Ire), Making Time (Ire), Jakku (Ire), West Of Wichita (Ire), Neo Smart (Ire).

 

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First-Crop Sire Watch Presented By Kirkwood Equine Advisory: 2023 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Sale

Following is a list of stallions whose first crops of 2-year-olds are represented in the upcoming Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, including the number of horses cataloged and the farm where the stallion is currently advertised.

Offerings from the debut crop of a stallion are often met with a commercial premium from buyers at auction. A stallion's stud fee is often at its highest during their first season, increasing the initial investment, and the natural intrigue of a blue-sky prospect often put a unique spotlight on the rookie sires at any given sale.

Here are the opportunities to get in on the ground floor with a first-year stallion at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale, along with analysis on a pair of standout sires by Kip Elser of Kirkwood Equine Advisory.

—List Continues After Analysis—

Analysis of WinStar Farm's Audible and Spendthrift Farm's Maximus Mischief from Kip Elser of Kirkwood Equine Advisory:

As we get later into the juvenile sales season, you really start to get a feel for how some of the more well represented sires' progeny are developing as they mature. Two that I have been watching the past few sales and wanted to save until later in the year to discuss are Maximus Mischief and Audible, both sons of Into Mischief.

The fastest 2-year-old of his crop, Maximus Mischief was known on the track for his speed, launching his career with an 8 3/4- length victory before dominating in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes. As a group, his first crop is what you'd want to see. They're good-looking horses with a nice leg to them and they're great breezers, with two stopping the clock at :9.4 this past March. It's no surprise they're catching the attention of all the right buyers. With a $63,613 average on a $7,500 stud fee, I'd say those who got in on him early are looking smart now.

Cary Frommer, who sold him as a 2-year-old at this very sale, has been paying particularly close attention to his offspring and told me the other day how impressed she is by them. He seems to have stamped them well – they're big, fast and precocious, just like he was.

Audible is an exceptionally good-looking son of Into Mischief that showed both speed and stamina. I remember seeing him as a racehorse, he had such scope, balance and class about him, and his Florida Derby win against the best of his crop was truly impressive. His offspring have been well received by buyers this season and you can see why as you watch their breezes. They have an efficiency and smoothness to their stride, not only during their breezes, but as they go into it and as they gallop out around the turn. I think there will be some nice runners in his first crop.

The post First-Crop Sire Watch Presented By Kirkwood Equine Advisory: 2023 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Elm Drive Passes First Turf Test In Santa Anita’s Mizdirection

In her first-ever try on turf, Little Red Feather Racing's Elm Drive handled the assignment with aplomb as she sat close to the early pace and went on to a decisive 1¼-length score in Saturday's $100,000 Mizdirection Stakes at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Ramon Vazquez, who bagged his third winner on the card, Elm Drive covered about 6½ furlongs down the hillside course in 1:13.23.

Fresh off a similar score in the Monrovia Stakes (G3) that was transferred from the hill to the main track at 6½ furlongs April 8 at the Arcadia, Calif. track, Elm Drive broke like a shot from her number five post position, but allowed Freedom Flyer to come up on her inside and take a narrow lead as they headed to the half-mile pole.

Second, a half length off the lead at the quarter pole, Elm Drive took charge three-sixteenths of a mile from home and was never threatened thereafter.

“She's trained well on the training track here since I brought her over from Los Alamitos,” said trainer Phil D'Amato. “Usually, that (method of operation) translates to running well on the grass and we got our opportunity to try it today and it worked out.

“Going those slow fractions (:22.88, :45.37, and 1:07.39), it looked like we had a lot of horse. When Ramon asked her, she exploded.”

Off at 5-1 in a field of seven older fillies and mares, Elm Drive paid $13.40 for the win.

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Mohaymen out of the Indian Charlie mare Lets Dance Charlie, Elm Drive, who was a Grade 2 winner in her second start at age two, now has three stakes victories and is 5-0-1 overall from 10 starts. With Saturday's winner's share of $60,000, she increased her lifetime earnings to $408,140.

“I knew she had been working very nice and today, she broke sharp and then we were able to sit very comfortable,” said Vazquez, who was aboard for her win in the Monrovia as well. “She showed up, she's a nice filly.”

Bred in Kentucky by Kenneth D'Oyen, Elm Drive was a $165,000 purchase from consignor Paul Sharp at the 2021 OBS March 2-year-olds in training sale.

Well off the early pace, Honey Pants, under Umberto Rispoli, made a nice late run and finished second, 1¼ lengths in front of favored Big Summer.

Ridden by Joe Bravo and the lone California-bred in the field, Big Summer was never a factor at even money.

One Silk Stocking was a late scratch at the gate.

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