As 2023 draws to a close, the TDN is asking industry members to name their favorite moment of the year. Send yours to suefinley@thetdn.com
The month of October was pretty special. We started out by welcoming our little girl to the world and we closed it out by giving the barn its first graded-stakes victory at Keeneland with Runaway Storm (Midnight Storm) in the Bryan Station.–Ethan West
The post What Was Your Favorite Moment Of 2023: Ethan West appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
Considered a top-tier Kentucky Derby (G1) prospect early last year but winless in his last six starts, Forbidden Kingdom came back running following a seven-month layoff to take Saturday's $200,000 Joe Hernandez (G2) by a half length at Santa Anita.
The Hernandez, originally scheduled at about 6½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course, was moved off the hill due to early morning rain that measured four-tenths of an inch.
Ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat, Forbidden Kingdom, who was trying turf for the second time, showed an abundance of natural speed out of the gate and had a half-length advantage on eventual runner-up Dancing Buck three furlongs out.
Turning for home, Forbidden Kingdom, running at the rail, raced head and head with Dancing Buck to the sixteenths pole, where Forbidden Kingdom was able to establish a half-length edge, which he held to the wire. He covered the 6½ furlongs in 1:14.92 on turf rated as good.
Fractions on the race were :23.99, :48.19, and 1:09.16 for six furlongs.
“He got me into the race right away and used all his speed,” Prat said. “From there we were able to get some fractions and he kicked home well.”
A winner of the prestigious San Felipe (G2) on March 5, 2022 and subsequently a well-beaten sixth as the even-money favorite in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), Forbidden Kingdom had been idle since fourth in the Triple Bend (G2) May 27 at Santa Anita.
Off Saturday at 4-1 in a field of 12 3-year-olds and up, Forbidden Kingdom paid $10.60 for the victory.
Trainer Richard Mandella said he always thought Forbidden Kingdom would like the grass.
“When I ran him as a two year old on it, he didn't do that good,” he said. “He didn't know what he was doing back then. We've also been on kind of a losing streak with him a while, so my confidence level was not great. He's always trained like a really good horse and he is a really good horse. He fought an intestinal problem a year ago and it took I'm a while to get over it. I think now we are back in the game.
“I can't say enough about (owners) Spendthrift Farm and MyRacehorse to tell me to take the time that I wanted and do it right. Get him back slow and here's what you get. That's what racing is all about. It is not, 'What is this month's bottom line?' It is trying to make the best thing out of what you've got.”
A 4-year-old colt by American Pharoah out of the Five Star Day mare Just Louise, Forbidden Kingdom notched his third career Grade 2 victory and improved his overall record to 12-4-3-2. With Saturday's winner's share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $679,500.
Forbidden Kingdom was bred in Kentucky by Springhouse Farm and sold for $300,000 as an offering in the Paramount Sales consignment at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Selected Yearlings Showcase.
Ridden by Edwin Maldonado for Richard Dutrow and sent off at 13-1 odds, Dancing Buck, who broke from post position 12, ran too good to lose as he pressed the winner throughout, never threw in the towel, and was easily second best, finishing 1¾ lengths in front of Turn On The Jets.
The post Forbidden Kingdom Takes Joe Hernandez In Comeback, Switch To Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
When a horse has never been outside of the lead at first call in any of his 11 prior races, chances are good that he'll be a contender right from the jump. In this case, despite not having raced over the turf since contesting a five-furlong sprint as a juvenile in Oct. 2021, Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) continued to put that trademark early speed to use and took the field coast-to-coast in the GII Joe Hernandez S.
It's been a slow 2023 for the Richard Mandella trainee with only a pair of starts to his name and none since a weakening fourth in the GII Triple Bend S. May 27. In fact, the chestnut hasn't graced the winner's circle after a race since his victory on the Triple Crown trail in 2022's rendition of the GII San Felipe S.
The wagering public seemed to have their doubts as well, sending Forbidden Kingdom off at 4-1 facing a full field of 12 though notably only one runner who had contested this race in 2022. Started from the chute in a race that was meant to come down the hill, Forbidden Kingdom showed that early turn of foot from the middle of the gate and set right out to control the tempo with pressure to his outside by longshot Dancing Buck (War Dancer). The chestnut was under a tight hold through moderate fractions of :23.99 and :48.19 and, as the top pair swung off the turn together, it appeared for a moment as though Dancing Buck would outsprint his rival home. But Forbidden Kingdom turned back that challenge with a game run along the fence and refused to be headed again, opening up a minor advantage on the line.
“I always thought that he would like the grass but when I ran him as a two year old on it, he didn't do that good,” admitted Mandella. “He didn't know what he was doing back then. We've also been on kind of a losing streak with him a while, so my confidence level was not great. He's always trained like a really good horse and he is a really good horse. He fought an intestinal problem a year ago and it took I'm a while to get over it. I think now we are back in the game.”
#4 FORBIDDEN KINGDOM ($10.60) is victorious in his return, taking the $200,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2) for trainer Richard Mandella and jockey Flavien Prat. The 4YO son of American Pharoah (@coolmoreamerica) picks up his third graded victory.
pic.twitter.com/l20mXdA0LQ
— TVG (@TVG) December 30, 2023
Pedigree Note:
A $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling, Forbidden Kingdom is one of four winners for his graded-stakes winning dam and one of 41 stakes winners for Triple Crown hero American Pharoah. Just Louise, who last passed through the auction ring in 2013's FTKNOV sale in foal to Malibu Moon for just $150,000, is a half to MGSW and $550,000 2-year-old purchase Sara Louise (Malibu Moon), herself the dam of GSW Sara Street (Street Sense) and recent 'TDN Rising Star' Nash (Medaglia d'Oro). Juse Louise has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Not This Time and reported a full-sister to Forbidden Kingdom before returning to Not This Time for 2024.
Saturday, Santa Anita Park
JOE HERNANDEZ S.-GII, $203,500, Santa Anita, 12-30, 3yo/up, 6 1/2fT, 1:14.92, gd.
1–FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, 121, c, 4, by American Pharoah
1st Dam: Just Louise (GSW), by Five Star Day
2nd Dam: Kings Lynn, by Mt. Livermore
3rd Dam: Til Forbid, by Temperence Hill
($300,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-MyRacehorse and Spendthrift
Farm LLC; B-Springhouse Farm (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella;
J-Flavien Prat. $120,000. Lifetime Record: GISP, 12-4-3-2,
$679,500. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style
pedigree.
2–Dancing Buck, 121, g, 5, War Dancer–Frivolous Buck, by
Catienus. O-J and N Stables and Diamond M Stable; B-J & N
Stables LLC (NY); T-Richard E. Dutrow, Jr.. $40,000.
3–Turn On The Jets (Ire), 121, g, 4, Mehmas (Ire)–Chiclet (Ire),
by Dandy Man (Ire). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Benowitz
Family Trust, CYBT, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano; B-Mr. D.
Byrne (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato. $24,000.
Margins: HF, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 4.30, 13.50, 6.60.
Also Ran: Daniel's Magic, I'm A Gambler (Ire), Balnikhov (Ire), Lucky Score, Tahoe Sunrise, Johnny Podres, Front Run the Fed, Olympic Runner, Peaceful Waters. Scratched: Lovesick Blues.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.
VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
The post Forbidden Kingdom Uncatchable In Joe Hernandez appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
