Graded Stakes Winner On Flat, L’Imperator Now On A Roll Over Hurdles

L'Imperator, a 7-year-old French-bred son of Holy Roman Empire, went from maiden hurdle winner in May to a graduate of a $70,000 non-winners of two allowance in Wednesday's featured Saratoga steeplechase.

Owned by Ed Swyer's Hudson River Farms and trained by Arch Kingsley, whose relationship with Swyer goes back to his NSA riding days, L'Imperator has made the successful transition from flat, where he was a graded stakes winner on the turf of nearly $400,000.

On Wednesday, L'Imperator, with Stephen Mulqueen aboard, was content to sit near the rear of the six-horse field alongside his Hudson River Farms' stablemate Modus Operandi (trained by Keri Brion), as Merriebelle Stable's Beat Le Bon raced loose on the lead, dominating by as much as 15 lengths.

With a little more than a quarter mile to go in the 2 1/16-mile contest, L'Imperator began his advance, moving up to third, and taking aim at Beat Le Bon, who continued to maintain his advantage. Turning into the stretch, L'Imperator quickly closed in on the tiring leader, drawing away by 8 3/4 lengths. Despite setting those quick fractions and running so far ahead for so long, Beat Le Bon, under Graham Watters, remained 13 3/4 lengths ahead of the third-place finisher, Michael Smith's Hoffman.

The win was Mulqueen's fifth, all for Kingsley, and the trainer's sixth this season.

Racing resumes at Saratoga next Wednesday, Aug. 2, with the Jonathan Kiser novice stakes.

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Making Waves: Monmouth Success For Kingman Filly

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by Startup Mentality, who won the Monmouth curtain-raiser on Haskell Day in Oceanport, New Jersey.

Kingman Filly Succeeds On Haskell Undercard

Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown teamed up to take the first race on GI Haskell S. day at Monmouth Park with Startup Mentality (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) (video).

A 300,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling, the daughter of Fine Time (GB) (Dansili {GB}) was bred by Mountarmstrong Stud. The full-sister to fellow winner Night Battle (Ire) was making her first start, while her dam has fillies by Lope De Vega (Ire) and Night Of Thunder (Ire) born in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Fine Time is a full-sister to three stakes winners anchored by Group 1 winner Passage Of Time (GB), herself the dam of burgeoning young sire Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who won four group races and was second in the GI Manhattan S.; and a half-sister to G1 Falmouth S. heroine Timepiece (GB) (Zamindar).

Juddmonte's Kingman is the sire of several celebrated runners in the U.S., with a strike rate of 55% for 30 winners from 54 to race. His stakes winners stand at eight (15%) in that jurisdiction.

 

 

California Flair For Havana Grey Gelding

CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz and Michael Nentwig's Almendares (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) won his first start in the U.S. at Del Mar last weekend (video).

Originally a 16,000gns Tattersalls December foal, the D. R. Tucker-bred was picked up for 14,000gns as a Tattersalls October Book 3 yearling by Meadowview Stables. From five starts over Dundalk's all-weather surface, the relative of G1 July Cup heroine Fleeting Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) eked out two wins for Mrs. S Slattery and trainer Andrew Slattery. The Del Mar race for his new connections was his first in the U.S. Out of the winning Glace (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), Almendares has a juvenile, winning full-sister named Graceful Thunder (GB) and a yearling half-sister by Ardad (Ire).

A Champion First-Crop Sire in Britain and Ireland, Whitsbury Manor Stud's Havana Grey has sired two winners from four runners (50%) in the U.S. His Lady Hollywood (GB) was second in the Listed Limestone S. at Keeneland. Overall, he has 11 stakes winners worldwide, with Jasour (GB) leading his quintet of group winners.

 

 

Siyouni Filly Puts It All Together At The Spa

Qatar Racing and Leora Judah's Mise En Scene (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) won a Saratoga affair by a neck for trainer Brendan Walsh on Thursday afternoon (video).

Part of The Gadfly Partnership breeding programme, the G3 Prestige S. heroine also won the Listed John Musker Fillies S. for trainer James Ferguson when she raced in England. The relation of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac Criterium des Pouliches heroine Zellie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) has a Zoustar (Aus) 2-year-old half-sister.

The Aga Khan stallion Siyouni has sired 13 winners from 36 runners (36%) in the U.S. Four of that number are stakes winners (11%), and a trio have won at Grade III level–Sacred Life (Fr), La Signare (Fr), and Love And Thunder (Ire).

 

 

Eylara Shines At Del Mar

John McCormack's Eylara (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) won her first race in her fifth start in the U.S. at Del Mar for trainer Phil D'Amato on Thursday evening (video).

Bred by His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs, the 5-year-old daughter of the stakes-placed Eytarna (Ire) (Dubai Destination) won one of her six starts in Ireland for Dermot Weld in the green and red silks of her breeder, before being purchased for €350,000 at the Goffs November Sale by McCormack.

A half-sister to three black-type horses including five-time group winner Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who was also placed at the top level in Ireland, Hong Kong and England, Eylara is also a half-sister to a yearling filly by Teofilo (Ire) and a weanling colt by Lucky Vega (Ire). Her second dam is blue-hen Ebaziya (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), who produced a quartet of Group 1 winners.

Coolmore's Gleneagles has 10 winners from 17 runners (59%) in the U.S., including the GI Man o' War S. hero Highland Chief (Ire).

 

 

Honourable Mention

Featured in an earlier column, is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}), who won the GII San Clemente S. on Saturday (video). Now the 10th stakes winner for her sire worldwide, she is his fifth group winner.

 

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Saturday Insights: Prolific Siblings The Name Of The Game In Saturday Action

7th-SAR, $136K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 3:52 p.m.

Leading off a group of well-related maiden colts at the Spa, DORNOCH (Good Magic), the full-brother to this year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage, finally gets to debut after failing to draw in as a main-track only entry last week. A $325,000 Keeneland September yearling, the Danny Gargan trainee recorded a four-furlong work from the gate in :46 2/5 July 22, the best of 119 at the distance. The dam, herself a stakes-winning and graded-stakes placed 'TDN Rising Star', is a half to GISW Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt {GB}). Jockey Luis Saez gets aboard for owners West Paces Racing LLC, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, LLC and Two Eights Racing.

Drawn furthest outside of the bunch, Act of Mutiny (Quality Road), a homebred for W.S. Farish, is a half to MGSW and young sire Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags) along with GSW/GISP Eagle (Candy Ride {Arg}) and MGSW Royal Flag (Candy Ride {Arg}).

One of the few starters with any experience, Lambo (Uncle Mo) finished a distant second as the favorite at Ellis Park June 22–his first start since bringing $950,000 at the OBS March Sale earlier this year. This colt's second dam is champion 2-year-old filly Storm Song (Summer Squall), also the second dam of MG1SW Order of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Tyler Gaffalione retains the mount for trainer Steve Asmussen. TJCIS PPS

1st-DMR, $82K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 5:00 p.m.

A China Horse Club-bred colt, Heartland (Justify) claims MGISW and champion 2-year-old colt Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) as his half-brother. Picked up by his breeder in partnership with Siena Farm and Winstar Farm for $575,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale, the chestnut posted a best-of-74 work from the gate July 14, covering the distance in :46 2/5 for trainer Bob Baffert. TJCIS PPS

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