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Goffs Orby, Sportsman’s Sales To Be Held In Doncaster

Goffs will stage its Orby and Sportsman’s Sales at its Goffs UK sales complex in Doncaster this year rather than at Kildare Paddocks in Ireland. The dates for the sales have also been slightly adjusted; the Sportsman’s Sale has been moved a week earlier to Sept. 24 and 25, while the Orby Sale will take place slightly later than planned on Oct. 1 and 2 to allow buyers who wish to attend Books 1 and 2 of Keeneland September to self-isolate for two weeks before traveling to Doncaster.

The location change is in light of the Irish government’s 14-day quarantine requirement for visitors to the country.

“In view of the Covid-19 pandemic and the current Irish and localised protocols, and in the best interests of our clients and the Irish breeding industry, the board of Goffs are announcing today that it will, on a purely once off occasion, stage the Orby and Sportsman’s Sales in the Goffs UK sales complex in Doncaster,” said Goffs Chairman Eimear Mulhern. “Goffs shareholders have always sought to provide the Irish industry with an independent sales company with its own ethos, integrity and values and it is in line with this core principle that we have decided to stage the sale at our own premises in the UK.”

Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby added, “Naturally our first preference would have been to hold what is the Irish National Yearling Sale in Kildare Paddocks but, given the current issues caused by Covid-19, we judge that is not in the best interests of our vendors who have supported us with a stellar selection of wonderful yearlings. Our job is to attract the widest and most diverse group of buyers to our sales and we feel that can best be achieved in 2020 by moving our yearling sales to our UK site as a one-off to deal with the uniquely challenging problems caused by Covid-19.”

“The showing areas for the yearlings [at Doncaster] are second to none and we will ensure that the facilities for attendees are enhanced as much as possible once we have taken the UK Government’s directives into account,” Beeby added. “In addition Doncaster is easily accessible from every part of the UK and is just 1 1/2 hours from central London by train whilst our superb network of international agents will continue to promote these world-class Orby yearlings around the globe. Alongside that Goffs Online will allow absent buyers to participate in the sale and we will ensure that clear videos of yearlings are available for inspection as well as accommodating any buyers who want to bid by telephone. In short, Orby and Sportsman’s will provide their usual world-class service and the only difference will be geographical on this occasion”.

The remaining Goffs sales programme for 2020 will stay in Ireland, including the Goffs November Foal and Breeding Stock Sale. Any vendors not wishing to sell in the UK will be accommodated in the Goffs Autumn Sale on Nov. 2 to 4.

“The situation with our market-leading foal sale is entirely different as by far the biggest group of buyers are Irish so, to be clear, the November Sale will be held in Kildare Paddocks on its planned dates,” Beeby added. “Goffs foals are true market leaders with Europe’s top-priced foals being sold at Goffs in five of the last six years headed by the world’s best in 2019 at €1.2 million, and this year of all years it makes most sense to sell Irish foals in Ireland whilst the Breeding Stock section will be enhanced with our online platform, videos and agents on the ground.”

The Orby and Sportsman’s sales will continue to have the full support of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing.

“We would far prefer that the Orby and Sportsman’s Sales be held in Ireland but regrettably, that is not realistic in the current uncertain climate,” said Horse Racing Ireland Chief Executive Brian Kavanagh. “Horse Racing Ireland understands Goffs’s decision to relocate the sales on a once-off basis and will support Goffs and Irish breeders in these unique circumstances through the continued and proactive work of our subsidiary, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing.”

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‘Max’ Back On Big Stage in Pacific Classic

The last time Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) traveled 10 furlongs, he crossed the wire first before the disqualification heard around the world in the GI Kentucky Derby. A ton has happened with the colt in the year-and-change since then: an Eclipse championship, a buy-in from Coolmore, a trip across the world to win the G1 Saudi Cup, doping allegations, a barn switch. Through it all, the horse who controversy seems to follow like a shadow will return to 1 1/4 miles and Grade I company with questions to answer in Saturday’s GI TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

Following his Derby demotion with a runner-up effort at 1-20 in last summer’s TVG.com Pegasus S. at Monmouth, the bay found redemption by annexing the GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. on the Jersey Shore. After being forced to miss several months with a minor injury, he scored victories in the GIII Bold Ruler H. and GI Cigar Mile H. to wrap up his divisional title.

Just nine days after he notched a hard-fought triumph in the inaugural Saudi Cup in his 4-year-old debut, Maximum Security’s trainer Jason Servis was indicted by federal prosecutors for alleged doping of horses including Maximum Security himself, prompting a move to the Bob Baffert barn. Making his much-anticipated return in the July 25 GII San Diego H., he ground out a nose victory at 2-5, the 10th time in 11 career races he crossed the wire first, earning a 101 Beyer, 10 points shy of his top effort.

C R K Stable’s Midcourt (Midnight Lute), who nearly dueled Maximum Security into defeat, returns to take another crack at the champion. Lightly raced at five years old, the gelding reeled off four straight victories last year culminating in a 5 3/4-length conquest of the GIII Native Diver S. at this oval in November and picked up another open-length graded tally in the GII San Pasqual S. two starts later Feb. 1 at Santa Anita. A narrow third in the GI Santa Anita H., his initial 10-furlong try, Mar. 7, he bounced back from a badly-beaten fifth in the GI Gold Cup S. June 6 in Arcadia to stretch Maximum Security all the way to the wire in the San Diego.

Hronis Racing’s Higher Power (Medaglia d’Oro), a surprise runaway winner of last year’s Pacific Classic, tries to recapture that top form. Going turf to dirt for a 5 1/2-length score in the Del Mar meet centerpiece, the bay failed to build on that run when a distant third in both the GI Awesome Again S. and GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic before finishing last as the favorite in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. Bouncing back a bit to be runner-up in the Gold Cup, he proved no match for the top pair in the San Diego, finishing 6 1/4 lengths back in third.

Sharp Samurai (First Samurai), a multiple graded stakes winner on turf, will make his first dirt start since running sixth in a Santa Anita optional claimer in March of 2017. He was last seen finishing a close runner-up in the GII Eddie Read S. on the local lawn July 26.

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Up-And-Comers Look For Breakthrough in Torrey Pines

An unproven but potential-laden field of seven will do battle early on Saturday’s blockbuster card at Del Mar in the GIII Torrey Pines S. going a mile over the main track.

Pam and Martin Wygod’s Secret Keeper (Into Mischief) looks to remain unbeaten in her two-turn bow. Unveiled going 5 1/2 furlongs May 25 at Santa Anita, the homebred reeled in an odds-on Bob Baffert firster to triumph going away before stretching out a furlong and scoring in similar fashion over Baffert’s re-opposing pair of Merneith (American Pharaoh) and Provocation (Into Mischief) here July 25.

Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor’s Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo) will try to make it three in a row for Simon Callaghan. Third when unveiled going a grassy mile June 12 at Santa Anita, the bay moved to the dirt to graduate July 3 at Los Alamitos and repeated sharply by 4 1/4 lengths in a track-and-trip optional claimer July 27.

‘TDN Rising Star’ Aurelia Garland (Constitution) ships in for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. A dominant first-out victress under the tutelage of Wesley Ward last May, the chestnut was off a year and two weeks before returning with a late-running third in a Churchill optional claimer May 16. Filling the same slot at 4-5 in her two-turn debut there June 11, she finished second last out in the GIII Iowa Oaks July 5 at Prairie Meadows.

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San Clemente Top Three Meet Euro Pair in Del Mar Oaks

The first three finishers from the local GII San Clemente S. will reconvene in Saturday’s GI Del Mar Oaks with a pair of Group winners from Europe shipping in to spice things up in the nine-furlong test for 3-year-old turf fillies.

Of the local hopes, San Clemente victress Laura’s Light (Constitution) figures to take the most play as she tries to make it six wins in eight career outings. A debut winner sprinting on the all-weather at Golden Gate last November, the bay was privately purchased by Gary Barber out of that effort and transferred to Peter Miller’s barn. Runner-up at 24-1 in the GIII Jimmy Durante S., she annexed the Blue Norther S. and GIII Sweet Life S. over the winter at Santa Anita before fading to fourth at odds-on in the Bourbonette Oaks Mar. 14 at Turfway. Back on turf in the GIII Honeymoon S. going this distance May 30 in Arcadia, she tracked a runoff leader from second, overtook that one in the stretch and held gamely late to prevail before tracking a fast pace and triumphing by three-quarters of a length last out.

Attempting to reel her in that day were Guitty (Fr) (Dunkerque {Fr}) and Warren’s Showtime (Clubhouse Ride). The former, who won her first two American starts after shipping in from her native lane, was off the board in four straight efforts before completing the exacta at 19-1 in the San Clemente. The latter, victress of the Surfer Girl S. and China Doll S. going a mile on the Santa Anita lawn, added the California-bred Melair S. over dirt before closing from last to finish 1 1/4 lengths behind Laura’s Light.

Miss Extra (Fr) (Masterstroke) took five tries to get off the mark in her home country before doing so at 11-1 against males May 11 at Longchamp. Repeating in the Prix de Lilas at Deauville 20 days later, the bay made it three in a row in the G2 Prix de Sandringham June 19 at Chantilly before finding Group 1 waters a bit too deep when ninth in the Prix de Diane Longines there July 5.

The progressive Neige Blanche (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}) also makes her Stateside bow. Graduating second out over the boys on Marseille’s synthetic surface last November, she repeated in an allowance there Dec. 26 and was third two starts later in her turf debut, the Prix Caravelle May 11 at Toulouse. Stepping into Group company, she captured the G3 Prix Cleopatre at 10-1 going 1 3/8 miles over soft ground last out June 6 at Lyon-Parilly.

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