May, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hard Spun Filly Rockets Home To Become a New ‘Rising Star’

A touch chilly on the board at 9-2 from 5-2 favoritism, Al and Bill Ulwelling's Pennick (f, 2, Hard Spun–By Golly Mis Molly, by Vindication) was pinched back at the break, but saw off her rivals by the time they'd reached the turn and shot clear through the final eighth of a mile to become a new 'TDN Rising Star' at Woodbine Saturday afternoon.

The May-foaled bay, a $200,000 purchase out of last year's Keeneland September Sale, was bounced around just after the start, but was ridden along thereafter by Ramon Hernandez and, without having to be asked unduly, found herself on the lead as the field entered the bend. Shaken up ever so slightly as they hit the stretch, the Ontario-bred quickly put daylight on her competition with an electric turn of foot and was only shown the whip in the final stages, scoring by a strong-through-the-line 5 1/2 lengths in the slick time of :51.22 before striding out powerfully into the turn.

Anderson Farms acquired Pennick's dam for $60,000 in foal to Curlin at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale, and the filly she was carrying at the time became Katie Baby, who just missed on her career debut for her breeder at this venue before later placing in the GIII Hendrie S., the GIII Ontario Matron S. and the GIII Seaway S. Katie Baby's first foal, a Medaglia d'Oro filly, was purchased by Donato Lanni for $170,000 at Keeneland September last fall.

By Golly Mis Molly is a half-sister to 2012 Bison City S. heroine Blue Heart (Exchange Rate)–another KEENOV in utero purchase by Anderson Farms–who went on to produce Grade III placegetter Joyful Kitten (Kitten's Joy); and SW Financial Recovery (Street Cry {Ire}). The filly's third dam was a half-sister to Big Dreams (Great Above), who was responsible for two-time champion Housebuster (Mt. Livermore) as well as GSW & MGISP Quero Quero (Royal Academy).

By Golly Mis Molly is listed as having aborted her 2023 foal by Maxfield. Pennick is the 12th 'Rising Star' for Hard Spun, a number that also includes Anderson Farm graduate Hard Not to Love, who is also out of a mare by Vindication.

5th-Woodbine, C$87,070, Msw, 5-20, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f (AWT), :51.22, ft, 5 1/2 lengths.
PENNICK, f, 2, by Hard Spun
1st Dam: By Golly Mis Molly, by Vindication
2nd Dam: Flawless Diamond, by Saint Ballado
3rd Dam: Diamonds n Frills, by Runaway Groom
Sales history: $200,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $39,024. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Al & Bill Ulwelling; B-Anderson Farms Ont Inc (ON); T-Kevin Attard.

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Never Explain Clocks New Track Record In Upset Dinner Party Stakes Score

At the end of a grueling stretch duel with several potential victors, Never Explain gained a half-length advantage and set a new Pimlico Race Course track record on Saturday with an upset victory in the Grade 3 Dinner Party Stakes.

The 5-year-old son of Street Sense was placed in the middle of the pack a couple paths off the rail by jockey Flavien Prat, while Atone and Emmanuel battled for the early lead through an opening quarter in :23.85 seconds. Atone, who broke from the rail, held onto that position through the first turn, and emerged from the backstretch with a one-length advantage over Emmanuel.

Those two rivals continued to put distance on third-place Rising Empire through a half-mile in :47.40, and the order did little changing across the backstretch, and after three-quarters in 1:11.23.

Atone continued to benefit from the rail trip, and it appeared as if he was beginning to dispose of Emmanuel as they hit the top of the stretch, but that rival began coming back to the leader in the stretch, and he was joined by Speaking Scout, Never Explain, and post time favorite Hurricane Dream on the far outside.

Prat, who had settled on the rail behind the two leaders through the final turn, had swung three paths wide in the stretch, and under right-handed urging, Never Explain emerged at the front of the five-horse battle at the wire to win by a half-length. Hurricane Dream was second on the outside, while Emmanuel held on for third.

Never Explain stopped the clock in the 1 1/8 race in 1:46.14 over a firm turf course, bettering the previous record of 1:46.34 set by the Irish-born Mr. O'Brien in the 2004 Dixie Stakes, which was later renamed to the Dinner Party.

The colt paid $32.40 to win as the longest shot on the board in his stakes debut for owner Courtlandt Farm and trainer Shug McGaughey. It was his third straight victory after taking a pair of optional claiming races on the turf at Tampa Bay Downs in January and March.

Saturday's victory improved Never Explain's lifetime record to five wins in 15 starts for earnings of $242,062.

Never Explain was bred in Kentucky by Hidden Brook Farm and Godolphin, out of the stakes-placed Forestry mare Black Oak. He sold to Courtlandt Farm for $475,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, consigned by Woods Edge Farm. Before that, he sold as a weanling for $155,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, from the Hidden Brook Farm consignment.

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Street Sense’s Never Explain Proves Hungriest In Dinner Party

Hoping that the GIII Dinner Party S. might be a sampling of things to come later on the Preakness Day card, Never Explain came from off the pace to collect his first black-type victory for trainer Shug McGaughey. Handily away from gate 6, the dark bay settled back off the pace in fourth as GI Pegasus World Cup Turf winner Atone (Into Mischief), sent off at 5-2, strode to the front with MGSW Emmanuael and Rising Empire (Empire Maker) in hot pursuit rounding the first turn. With the top running order relatively unchanged following a half in :47.40, Never Explain continued to bide his time along the inside while working his way up to third as the leading two continued to exchange blows turning for home. Taking the final turn a bit wide, Never Explain nonetheless appeared to have the most momentum late, bearing down on the game but tiring leaders. With a gaggle of horses giving it their all late, including favored Hurricane Dream (Fr) who finally got going after lingering near the back early, it was the Courtlandt Farm runner with Flavien Prat that timed it best, winning by 1/2 length over the French bred. Emmanuel rounded out the trifecta.

“It looked like the pace was honest, and I tucked myself in,” said Prat. “I tipped him out turning for home and he really dug in and was game. On the form, it felt like anybody could win. Turning for home, I thought I had a chance. But I felt I wasn't the only one. It seemed like the horse coming outside of me helped me and pushed my horse. It was great. He was really great.”

The victory represented the fifth win for McGaughey in the Dinner Party. He previously won with Lure (1993), Parading (2009), Ironicus (2015) and Fire Away (2018).

Having recorded his sole 2022 victory at Pimlico exactly one year ago, Never Explain didn't show much when sixth going a mile at Gulfstream Jan. 1 but seemed to enjoy the change of venue when winning next time in a nine-panel Tampa allowance Jan. 18. Despite a tardy start in his latest while cutting back a furlong in Oldsmar Mar. 1, the 5-year-old came back to make it two straight under Sammy Camacho.

The win represented the third straight win for Never Explain after removing the blinkers.

“Even without the blinkers he wants to pull a little bit,” said McGaughey. “That was one of the good things about today. [Flavien] got him to relax really well, where he had horse at the finish.”

Pedigree Notes:
With the victory Never Explain becomes the 40th graded winner for Darley American sire Street Sense. A $87,000 KEENOV purchase by Hidden Brook Farm in 2014, the 13-year-old mare Black Oak produced Never Explain in a foal-sharing arrangement between Hidden Brook Farm and Godolphin. A $155,000 KEENOV weanling in 2018, he flourished into a $475,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Courtlandt Farm.

Black Oak has an unraced juvenile filly by Palace Malice and a yearling colt McKinzie. This is the family Grade I sprinter Richter Scale.

Saturday, Pimlico
DINNER PARTY S. PRESENTED BY BULLEIT BOURBON-GIII,
$200,000, Pimlico, 5-20, 3yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:46.14, fm.
1–NEVER EXPLAIN, 120, h, 5, by Street Sense
                1st Dam: Black Oak (SP), by Forestry
                2nd Dam: More for Me, by More Than Ready
                3rd Dam: Velvet's Pie, by Native Prospector
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($155,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $475,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald Adam); B-Hidden Brook Farm & Godolphin (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III; J-Flavien Prat. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 15-5-1-2, $242,062. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hurricane Dream (Fr), 120, g, 6, Hurricane Cat–Shalimara (Fr), by Siyouni (Fr). O-Team Valor, et al; B-Marie Laurence Oget & Andre Brakha (FR); T-H. Graham Motion. $40,000.
3–Emmanuel, 122, c, 4, More Than Ready–Hard Cloth, by Hard Spun. ($350,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC; B-Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $20,000.
Margins: HF, HD, NK. Odds: 15.20, 1.20, 3.40.
Also Ran: Speaking Scout, Atone, Easter (Fr), Rising Empire.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.
VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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1 ST/Racing Issues Statement On Havnameltdown’s Fatal Breakdown

The following statement was issued by 1/ST Racing, which operates Pimlico Race Course, regarding the fatal breakdown of favorite Havnameltdown in the Chick Lang (G3) on the Preakness (G1) undercard Saturday at the Baltimore track:

During the Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico, the number one horse, Havnameltdown, sustained an injury and immediately received on-track medical attention from an expert team of veterinarians, led by Dr. Dionne Benson. During the subsequent evaluation, she observed a non-operable left fore fetlock injury. Due to the severity and prognosis of the injury, Dr. Benson and her counterparts made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize Havnameltdown.

Havnameltdown's jockey, Luis Saez, is stable and conscious. He was transported to Sinai Hospital in Baltimore for further evaluation.

The loss of Havnameltdown will be felt across the entire horse racing community, and everyone at the Maryland Jockey Club and 1/ST Racing extends our heartfelt condolences to Havnameltdown's connections.

Over the past year, 1/ST Racing has worked tirelessly to implement numerous industry-leading reforms, including additional medication restrictions and new operational requirements, to enhance the existing health and safety measures with the intent of providing the safest racing environment possible. In addition, 1/ST racing and the Maryland Jockey Club observe the most stringent medication practices and restrictions, pre- and post-race testing protocols, equine security and surveillance measures, veterinary exams, injury management protocols and racing surface testing.

These measures are re-evaluated and expanded every year to ensure our athletes are fit to compete safely in any race associated with 1/ST Racing.

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