Classic winner Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will move from Coolmore's Grange Stud to Willow Wood Farm in the UK for next season, the latter confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday. The deal was brokered by Richard Venn. A fee for the grey, whose eldest foals are 2-year-olds of 2023, will be announced later.
The 2017 G1 Irish Derby winner and G1 St Leger hero also took the G2 Beresford S. as a juvenile for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners.
In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victories of Buffoon and Kick A Rhyme for trainer Mike Maker and Pura Vida Investments during the past week.
Lope De Vega Colt Strikes At Keeneland
Buffoon (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) put it all together at second asking at Keeneland for Pura Vida Investments and trainer Mike Maker on Saturday (video).
Bred by Ecurie des Monceaux and Rifa Mustang Europe, Ltd., the €175,000 Arqana August yearling selection of Deuce Greathouse is out of After Dawn (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), herself a half-sister to sires and Group 1 winners Ectot (GB) and Most Improved (Ire). He is followed by a yearling filly by Sottsass (Fr) who brought €130,000 at the Arqana October yearling Sale from Oceanic Bloodstock. Under the stakes-winning Danehill third dam Mahalia (Ire) is GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) among others.
Ballylinch's Lope De Vega has one of the best records of any European sire with his progeny in North America, and Buffoon is his 40th winner from 74 runners there (54%). Besides a pair of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroines in Newspaperofrecord (Ire) and Aunt Pearl (Ire), the stallion has five additional stakes winners in America.
#15 Buffoon draws in off the AE list and breaks his maiden at second asking in R2 at Keeneland for trainer Mike Maker with @jrosariojockey in the saddle!
Kick A Rhyme (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) was the second winner in less than a week for Pura Vida Investments and trainer Mike Maker when taking a Churchill Downs maiden on Nov. 1 (video). The filly was making her third start.
Bred by Irish National Stud Mare Syndicate II, the dark bay was picked up by BBA Ireland for €150,000 as a Goffs Orby yearling on the bid of Deuce Greathouse and Pura Vida. Out of the listed-placed Adhwaa (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), the filly is a half-sister to multiple group winner Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and is her dam's final foal.
The seventh winner from 13 runners (54%) for her Darley sire, Kick A Rhyme has a quartet of paternal half-siblings that have found black-type in the U.S. Night Of Thunder's best get there are Grade III winners Sopran Basilea (Ire) and Pocket Square (GB).
#8 Kick a Rhyme breaks his maiden in R6 at Churchill Downs under @tyler_gaff for trainer Mike Maker!
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Yerwanthere (Ire) (Markaz {Ire}) rallied to win at Santa Anita for trainer Patrick Gallagher on Saturday (video).
Part of the Kilnamoragh Stud breeding programme, the 4-year-old filly won her first start in Ireland for owner/breeder Jim Browne and trainer Pat Foley. Eclipse purchased the filly after that start and moved her to Joseph O'Brien, and she took a Dundalk handicap in December of 2022. Sent to America after three more appearances, she debuted with a fourth at Del Mar in August prior to her win last weekend. A half-sister to the winning Listed Brigids Pastures S. third Special Wan (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), Yerwanthere is also a half-sister to the unraced juvenile filly Over The Blues (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) and a yearling colt by Profitable (Ire). Second dam Slow Jazz (Chief's Crown) won two stakes, and she is also a half-sister to G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Blue Duster (Danzig).
Yerwanthere is one of two winners from three runners (66%) in the U.S. for Dark Angel's Markaz. On an international level, all three of his stakes winners have won at Group 3 level in Ireland (2) and France (1).
Repeat Winners
Klaravich Stables' Redistricting (GB) (Kingman {GB}) improved his record to two wins from three starts with a victory in New York on Saturday (video). The Chad Brown trainee was previously featured in Making Waves in June.
Six months in advance of the 150th GI Kentucky Derby, the pari-mutuel field of “All Other Colts and Geldings” closed as the odds-on 4-5 favorite in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager and GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner Locked (Gun Runner) was the 14-1 second choice, Churchill Downs said in a release late Thursday after betting closed.
Other horses who attracted mild interest included Dornoch (Good Magic) (19-1), a full brother to this year's Kentucky Derby winner Mage, and GI Champagne S. winner Timberlake (Into Mischief) (20-1).
Total handle for the Oct. 31-Nov. 2 KDFW pool–the first of six–was $164,278 ($132,033 in the Win pool and $32,245 in Exactas), a 43% jump from last year's $114,910 ($90,007 in the Win pool and $24,903 in Exactas).
The Joseph O'Brien-trained Valiant King (GB) (Roaring Lion) will not take part in the G1 Melbourne Cup on Nov. 7, and has instead been sent for a spell after suffering a setback, co-owner Ozzie Kheir confirmed on Friday.
The grey was most recently sixth in the G1 Caulfield Cup and was found to be lame in his left front leg earlier this week after a Racing Victoria vet inspection.
”After this morning's RV inspections where Valiant King was found to be mildly lame post his work, we had our own vets this evening come back and inspect him and agree with RV's assessment as he remained slightly lame in the front left fore,” Kheir told Racing.com.
”He was due to be inspected tomorrow morning by RV, but regardless of the outcome, we have decided that we will withdraw him from the Melbourne Cup now to allow other connections on the cusp of getting into the race to make plans.
”Unfortunately for the ownership group, Joseph O'Brien and his travelling team its obviously very disappointing to get so close and stumble at this last hurdle.”
A maiden winner at Navan in May, the 3-year-old was also second in the G3 Ballyroan S. this August.
Kheir added, 'We have always said we believe he will be a talented horse in the future and by looking after him now, we will get the rewards in the autumn and sprint next year.
”We hope to target the [G1] Australian Cup back at Flemington provided he acclimatizes well in the capable hands of Chris Waller.
”RV communication and handling of the matter has been very professional and supportive.”
(@TwinSpires) 
