Because of the oddity of this year's Triple Crown series, I will continue to provide an occasional rankings column through the end of July just to keep things interesting and updated.
Author: News
Seven-Figure Speightster Colt Turned Back, Joins Baffert Barn
A colt by Speightster (hip 1312), purchased by Larry Best for $1.1 million at the OBS Spring Sale, has been returned to previous owner Solana Beach Sales and has joined the Southern California barn of trainer Bob Baffert.
“Larry Best purchased the colt and after the sale he sent him to Taylor Made,” explained consignor Tom McCrocklin. “I discussed post-sale management of the colt with Frank Taylor because he was not familiar with the horse and I was. And I think they chose to pull his back shoes and put him in a paddock for a post-sale rest. We sold the colt on a Friday and on day seven, at 2 in the afternoon, I got a call that they had put him in a paddock and he was cribbing on a fence board. We made every attempt with Larry Best to resolve the issue. We offered him a discount and at the end of the day, he chose to pass on the horse.”
McCrocklin continued, “We were devastated and disappointed. But the people who own the horse were happy to keep him and we sent him to Bob Baffert.”
Solana Beach Sales is the pinhooking division of the Little Red Feather racing partnerships. McCrocklin purchased the colt on behalf of the partnership for $110,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred Sale last year.
“There were a lot of moving parts of people wanting to stay in and people wanting to get out,” McCrocklin said. “But at the end of the day, they were really excited to have the horse. We feel like we have never had a horse of that caliber and they were happy to keep him.”
The post Seven-Figure Speightster Colt Turned Back, Joins Baffert Barn appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
What’s in a Name: Tilsit
Not far from the Baltic Sea, Tilsit was a contested town of many names, in different languages: it was Tilsit in German, Tilže in Lithuanian, Tylza in Polish, and now Sovetsk in Russian, since 1945. Napoleon signed two treaties in Tilsit in 1807, at the apex of his power: first with the Russian Czar Alexander I (on a raft in the river Neman) and then with the Prussians two days later. A first foal out of very promising mare Multilingual, 3-year-old colt Tilsit, who won at Newcastle by 19 lengths last Saturday, carries a name that is inspired and inspiring.
1st-Newcastle, £5,400, Novice, 6-27, 3-5yo, 8f 5y (AWT), 1:38.03, st. TILSIT (c, 3, First Defence–Multilingual {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $5,858. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Charlie Hills.
An Italian native, Andrea Branchini now lives in Lexington, Ky. where he works in the equine transport industry.
The post What’s in a Name: Tilsit appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
Fifty Five Will Try For Mount Vernon Repeat Off An Eight-Month Layoff
Peter Brant's Fifty Five will look to repeat as the winner of the $100,000 Mount Vernon as part of a seven-horse field of New York-bred fillies and mares 4-years-old and up on Thursday at Belmont Park.
The millionaire mare won last year's Mount Vernon at one mile on the Widener turf course, building on a second-place effort in the race's 2018 edition for trainer Chad Brown. A 6-year-old daughter of Get Stormy, Fifty Five was slated to make her 2020 debut in the Grade 3 Beaugay on Opening Day, June 3, but will now make her first start off an eight-month layoff looking to pick up where her 5-year-old year ended, with wins in the John Hettinger and Ticonderoga over the Belmont turf.
A graded stakes winner – via a rallying victory the 2017 Grade 3 Florida Oaks – Fifty Five is 11-4-5 in 22 career starts and just as consistent at Belmont, going 7-2-1 in 11 races. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, aboard for her last five starts, including three wins, will have the return call from the inside post.
Her stablemate, Michael Dubb's War Canoe, ran second in the John Hettinger in September and third in the Ticonderoga before capping her 2019 with a win against optional claimers in November at Aqueduct Racetrack. Also off a layoff, War Canoe will have the services of Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 3.
Trainer Christophe Clement will also saddle a pair of contenders, including Munchkin Money, who started her 7-year-old season with back-to-back graded stakes appearances, running second in the 1 1/16-mile Marshua's River in January at Gulfstream Park before running seventh on the same track in the Grade 3 Honey Fox at one mile on February 29.
Munchkin Money, a daughter of Freud, wintered at Payson Park in Florida before resuming training in June at Belmont. She will be making her first start in four months, drawing post 4 with Manny Franco in the irons.
“She seems to be training forwardly,” Clement said. “Do we have her back to her best form? I'm not sure yet. She's training well. We're taking a shot. I'm just hoping she's back to her best. I think she can handle anything [firm or softer turf].”
Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Classic Lady will be making her first start since Clement took over the training duties. The 5-year-old daughter of Jimmy Creed will be making her first stakes appearance in her 16th career start, going 3-4-3, and will now look to shine for her new connections in her first start since November when she bested optional claimers by a nose at 1 1/16 miles at the Big A.
Classic Lady has posted six official workouts at Belmont since May, starting on the main track before switching her training to the inner turf in the mornings.
“Her work on turf has been much better than her work on dirt,” Clement said. “She's sound. She looks well and healthy, so we're ready to go.”
Joel Rosario will ride from post 5.
Rounding out the field is Niko's Dream, looking to capture her first stakes for Belmont Stakes-winning trainer Barclay Tagg, in her first stakes appearance of the year [post 7, Dylan Davis]; Kreesie, a winner of the 2018 New York Stallion Stakes Series Cupecoy's Joy for trainer David Donk [post 6, Eric Cancel]; and Fetching, returning to stakes company for the first time in five starts for trainer Mark Casse [post 2, Junior Alvarado].
The Mount Vernon, slated as Race 8 on the nine-race card at 5:04 p.m. Eastern, will feature on America's Day at the Races, produced by NYRA in partnership with FOX Sports, and airing live on FOX Sports and MSG+. Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the broadcast and can be accessed at www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.
The post Fifty Five Will Try For Mount Vernon Repeat Off An Eight-Month Layoff appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
