A $2.3 million buy at The Saratoga Sale at Fasig-Tipton in 2022, Sierra Leone is the most expensive horse sold at public auction of 346 early nominees to the Triple Crown. More importantly, he is also one of the fastest — a fact that was on display Feb.
Author: News
Godolphin Homebred Looks To Keep Hyacinth S. All In the Family
A field of 11–ten males and a single American-bred filly–head to the post for Sunday's $243,343 Listed Hyacinth S. going a one-turn 1600 meters at Tokyo Racecourse. The race serves as the third of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and will award the winner 30 points towards a berth in the field at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.
Sheikh Mohammed's worldwide Godolphin operation won the 2022 Hyacinth with their homebred Combustion (Jpn) (Discreet Cat) and is represented Sunday afternoon by that colt's full-brother Unquenchable (Jpn). The chestnut defeated Logi Adelaide (Jpn) (Drefong) to win his maiden at second asking over this course and distance Oct. 27 and checked in a good third behind Amante Bianco (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) in the first leg of the local series, the Cattleya Sho (allowance) last November, picking up three Derby points. Unquenchable, a latest second to the talented American-bred Sonic Star (Into Mischief) over track and trip Jan. 27, is favored at just north of 2-1 and has the services of Christophe Lemaire from gate 11.
Logi Adelaide proceeded to run second in his next start Nov. 4, but put it all together when romping home by seven lengths as the 2-5 chalk Nov. 26.
Ballon d'Or (Jpn) (New Year's Day) is the only member of Sunday's field to already have earned black-type via his close third-place finish behind Ammothyella (Jpn) (Bricks and Mortar) and Ecoro Gaia (Speightstown) in the Listed Bluebird Cup at Funabashi Racecourse Jan. 17. The bay was purchased for over $650,000 as a foal at the 2021 JRHA Select Sale.
Sunday's winner will leap-frog to the top of the standings on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, with just the Mar. 23 Fukuryu S. (allowance) at Nakayama remaining. The current leader, Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), runs in next Saturday's G3 Saudi Derby, while second-placed Amante Bianco was second in the Feb. 14 Kumotori Sho, an allowance race at Ohi Racecourse that was outside the Derby series.
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Harry Cobden has the backing of trainer Paul Nicholls in champion jockey race, as wins on Pic D’Orhy and Threeunderthrufive moved him three wins clear of Sean Bowen
Paul Nicholls says his aim is to make Harry Cobden champion jockey for the first time, as he lavished praise on his stable jockey's winning ride on Pic D'Orhy in the Grade One Betfair Ascot Chase.
Twirling Candy’s Top Conor, Million-Dollar OBSMAR Grad, Debuts Nicely At Gulfstream
8th-Gulfstream, $70,840, Msw, 2-17, 3yo, 1m, 1:38.22, ft, 2 lengths.
TOP CONOR (c, 3, Twirling Candy–Divine Dawn {GSP, $187,875}, by Divine Park), the second choice on the board at 5-2, sat narrowly off fifth-time starter Wistucky (Nyquist) through a half in :45.61. Tipped out past the quarter pole by Jose Ortiz, he closed stoutly and got up with plenty left despite drifting close to home to pick up the two-length win on debut over Military Road (Quality Road). Pinhooked as a $200,000 KEESEP yearling and secured by Flanagan Racing for a top-four price of $1,000,000 as a 2-year-old at OBS March last year after breezing in :9.4, Top Conor is the second winner out of a graded-stakes placed full-sister to GSW/GISP Divine Miss Grey. Divine Dawn saw her 2-year-old Gun Runner colt bring $850,000 as a yearling at FTSAUG last summer and produced a full-sister to Top Conor last year before visiting Epicenter for 2024. Sales History: $200,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $1,000,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Flanagan Racing; B-International Equities Holding, Inc. (KY); T-Chad C. Brown.
“Top Conor is the top one indeed!”
#1 TOP CONOR ($7.60) breaks his maiden in R8 at @GulfstreamPark. The three-year-old Twirling Candy (@LanesEndFarms) colt wins for trainer Chad Brown with @jose93_ortiz in the irons. pic.twitter.com/pf8oc2pWJg
— TVG (@TVG) February 17, 2024
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