Month: October 2023

‘Worth The Wait’: Consistent Millie Girl Faces 11 Rivals In Ontario Matron

Millie Girl, who has hit the top three in all her starts, chases her first stakes success in the $150,000 Ontario Matron (G3), Saturday at Woodbine.

The 1 1/16-mile main track feature for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and upward, has drawn 12 starters, including the 5-year-old daughter of Hard Spun-Mendocino Beano, who brings a mark of 3-2-3 from eight races into her latest test.

Trained by Catherine Day Phillips, who co-owns (through her Kingfield Racing Stable, Ltd.) with Braconcrest Inc. and Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds, the dark bay launched her career with two consecutive victories, both at seven panels on the E.P. Taylor turf, including a half-length score in her career bow last July.

“I trained Millie Girl's dam, Mendocino Beano, for the Fitzhenrys (breeders and owners, Sean and Dorothy) and she was very talented,” noted Day Phillips. “I was very excited to have Millie Girl, named after Dorothy's beloved dog, in our barn.”

Since her first two appearances, Millie Girl has raced three times on the Tapeta, twice at seven furlongs, and once at 1 1/6 miles, along with three starts on the E.P. Taylor, over “good” ground at 1 1/16 miles on October 22, over “firm” going at 6 ½ furlongs on June 3 and on “yielding” ground at one mile on July 1.

The Ontario Matron will be her fourth consecutive stakes engagement. She was third in both the Royal North (G2T) and Nassau (G2T), the latter won by multiple Grade 1 winner Fev Rover (IRE), with Canada's 2022 horse of the year, Canadian Stakes (G2T) victress Moira, finishing second.

Millie Girl, a $67,000 (U.S.) Keeneland Association November Breeding Stock Sale purchase in 2021, was a determined second in her most recent outing, the Seaway (G3) on September 17.

“She has shown talent from the start of her training,” said Day Phillips, of the mare bred in Ontario by Sean Fitzhenry. “She has taken time to develop both mentally and physically, but she has been worth the wait.”

Kevin Pena Salgado is the groom.

Other starters include multiple graded stakes winners Il Malocchio and Souper Hoity Toity, stakes winners Mouffy and Strega, and multiple graded stakes-placed Angelou.

First post time is 1:15 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com, bet365, and the Dark Horse Bets app.

Field for the Ontario Matron

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Ephrata (GB) – Eswan Flores – Josie Carroll

2 – Il Malocchio – Sahin Civaci – Martin Drexler

3 – Mouffy – Kazushi Kimura – Jonathan Thomas

4 – Do You Love Me (S) – Gaddiel Martinez – W. John Bourke

5 – Souper Hoity Toity – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

6 – Whimsical Dance – Ryan Munger – Gail Cox

7 – Saratoga Vision – Justin Stein – Alexander Patykewich

8 – Millie Girl – Rafael Hernandez – Catherine Day Phillips

9 – Devil's Bit – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Roger Attfield

10 – Angelou – Luis Contreras – Kevin Attard

11 – Strega – Luis Contreras – Kevin Attard

12 – Tamarama (GB) – Declan Carroll – Jack Sisterson

The post ‘Worth The Wait’: Consistent Millie Girl Faces 11 Rivals In Ontario Matron appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale Supplements Seven Horses

Keeneland has supplemented seven horses, including stakes winner Her World (IRE), carrying her first foal by Uncle Mo, to Book 1 of the 80th November Breeding Stock Sale on Wednesday, Nov. 8.

Consigned by Paramount Sales, agent, Her World (Hip 239) is a 4-year-old daughter of Caravaggio who opened her career with a six-length victory in the 2022 Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park. Third in Keeneland's TVG Limestone (L) in her next start, Her World won consecutive allowance races at Turfway Park and Keeneland earlier this year.

Her World, who is out of the winning Unbridled's Song mare Mundus Novus, is a half-sister to stakes winner Consort and stakes-placed Wico (IRE), who captured a Keeneland allowance on Oct. 8 by 4¾ lengths. The mare's family includes Juddmonte Spinster (G1) winner Aruna and Grade 2 winners Surya and Hoop of Colour.

Additional supplements to the November Sale are:

  • Hip 238 is a weanling colt by Yaupon who is a half-brother to Grade 3 winner V V's Dream, second in Keeneland's Darley Alcibiades (G1) on Oct. 6. Consigned by Gainesway, agent, he is out of Quay, a winning daughter of Tapit.
  • Hip 240 is a weanling filly by Essential Quality consigned by Lane's End, agent. She is the first foal out of Anukis, by Pioneerof the Nile, and from the family of Grade 1 winner Sean Avery and Grade 2 winner Pretty N Cool
  • Hip 241 is the stakes-placed Badge of Silver mare Oaks Lily, who is in foal to Olympiad. Consigned by Vinery Sales, agent, she is the dam of a weanling colt by Justify who is cataloged to Book 1 as Hip 85.
  • Hip 242 is Excused (AUS), a 7-year-old stakes-placed daughter of Medaglia d'Oro in foal to Constitution. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, she is from the family of Grade 1 winners Furlough, Dancing Spree and Fantastic Find.
  • Hip 243 is stakes-placed Fearless Angel, a 3-year-old daughter of More Than Ready. A half-sister to Grade 2 winner Neptune's Storm, she is consigned by Gainesway, agent.
  • Hip 244 is a weanling colt by Into Mischief from the family of champion Storm Song and European superstar Order of St George. Out of the Bernardini mare Sunshiny Day, he is consigned by Paramount Sales, agent.

Keeneland will continue to accept supplements to Book 1 until the November Sale begins.

The November Breeding Stock Sale, which has cataloged 3,576 horses, covers a total of nine sessions through Nov. 16. The Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale will take place the following day.

The post Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale Supplements Seven Horses appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Dettori Calls Off Retirement To Ride Full Time in U.S.

Frankie is coming back to America.

The Italian-born superstar jockey Frankie Dettori, 52, had planned to retire at the end of the year, but pulled a U-turn Wednesday night when he told racing commentator Nick Luck that not only will he ride in 2024 but he plans to ride full-time in the U.S., beginning with the traditional opening day at Santa Anita, Dec. 26.

“I want to carry on a little bit longer in California, where I had such a lovely winter,” Dettori told Luck. “The dynamic of my year has changed so much. If I wasn't riding any winners or not riding in the big races it would have made my decision much easier but at this point I'm still feeling good and I want to get it out of my system.”

At the Santa Anita meet that began on Dec. 26, 2022 and ran through April 9, 2023, Dettori finished third in the rider's standings with 26 wins and won at an 18% rate. He won four stakes races.

“It's terrific news for the sport, the fans, and California racing, in particular,” said trainer Bob Baffert. “I can't wait to see more of his flying dismounts from my horses in the Santa Anita winner's circle.”

Dettori will again represented by agent Ron Anderson.

“Things have been in the works for a while,” Anderson said. “I think he was rejuvenated coming to California last year. He is obviously very well received all over the world but he liked California and wanted to continue on. He'll be there for opening day. I'm not saying this because he's my friend, but he's a breath of fresh air. He is so enthusiastic. That's Frankie. He's a different person altogether. Last year he called me on a Sunday night. He had won three races in California. He was so excited. I had to say to myself, 'Is this the same guy who has won six Arcs or is this a kid who just won his first race?' That's the way he sounded, like a kid who had just won his first race. That's Frankie. He's just different. I'm very excited to have him back. His riding was magical while he was in California. It's all good for everyone.”

Dettori is scheduled to ride in Great Britain for the final time Saturday in the Champions Day at Ascot. Afterward, he could ride in some international races outside of Europe and will be in the U.S. for the Breeders' Cup, which will be run at Santa Anita on Nov. 3 and 4. He will then return to Santa Anita for the Dec. 26 opener.

Dettori told Luck that “the dream is to find a horse for the Kentucky Derby.”

He has ridden in Derby just once, finishing eighth aboard China Visit (Red Ransom) in 2000. Last year, Baffert used him on a handful of 3-year-olds that were prospects for the GI Kentucky Derby, but none made it to the race.

So far as what Dettori does after the Kentucky Derby, he was non-committal.

When asked by the Racing Post if he might return to the U.K. following the Derby, he replied: “I accept that's a question but at the moment I can't see any further than the Kentucky Derby. My goal is to get a decent ride in that. I therefore can't answer the question yet.”

However, in his interview with Luck he made it clear that he was open to riding in the U.S. past the first Saturday in May.

“I want to travel, Kentucky, Florida, Saratoga, Del Mar, that's what I want to do, that's what excites me,” he said. “I'm going into uncharted waters.”

The post Dettori Calls Off Retirement To Ride Full Time in U.S. appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Curlin’s $250,000 Stud Fee At Hill ‘n’ Dale A Match For Into Mischief’s

Hill 'n' Dale Farms multiple leading sire Curlin will have a stud fee equal to Spendthrift Farm's Into Mischief at $250,000 LFSN, as the breeding operation published its roster for the 2024 season in a press release Thursday morning.

Farm stalwart Curlin, who has defined himself as one of the most preeminent sires at stud today, had his fee raised from $225,000. The 19-year-old is the sire of five individual Grade I winners this year, including Idiomatic, Cody's Wish, Clairiere, Elite Power and Bright Future.

Curlin's champion son Good Magic will stand for a 2024 fee of $125,000 LFSN. The leading second crop sire this year, Good Magic is the sire of both Kentucky Derby champ Mage and recent GI American Pharoah S. winner Muth, who sold as a 2-year-old for $2 million to Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.

Army Mule enjoyed a banner year in the sales ring and on the track. In addition to siring One in Vermillion, his first-crop Grade I winner, his yearlings sold for up to $600,000. His fee is set at $25,000 LFSN.

New to the roster this year is Grade I performer Loggins by Ghostzapper who will stand his first season for $7,500 LFSN.

Here is a list of the complete roster with fees:

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