Author: News

Seven Days: A St Leger Fit For a King

With a royal audience, Continuous (Jpn) became the seventh winner of the St Leger for Aidan O'Brien, relegating the King and Queen's runner Desert Hero (GB) to third, just as Pour Moi (Ire) had done in the Derby with Carlton House back in 2011 in front of the late Queen.

There were plenty of strands to an enthralling St Leger that would have made for good storylines: two of those, victory for Desert Hero with his owners present on Town Moor, or a final British Classic for Frankie Dettori, may well have propelled the dear old Classic to the front pages on Sunday. As it was, and for less obviously mainstream reasons, the win of Continuous was extremely satisfying. 

His success completed a full set of British Classics for Sunday Silence as paternal grandsire, with three of his sons having provided this quintet. The most significant contributor was of course Deep Impact (Jpn), Sunday Silence's most influential offspring, but Saturday provided the chance for Heart's Cry to have a posthumous moment in the limelight, some six months after his death at the age of 22, which came two years after he was pensioned at Shadai Stallion Station in Japan.

Heart's Cry, out of the dual Grade 3 winner Irish Dance (Jpn), herself a daughter of the Arc winner Tony Bin (Ire), has lived in the shadow of his more famous stud-mate Deep Impact. This is despite Heart's Cry having been the only horse to have beaten him on Japanese soil, in the G1 Arima Kinen in the year of Deep Impact's Triple Crown success. Heart's Cry was a year older, and after winning the G2 Shimbun Hai went on to run second in the Japanese Derby to another legend of the Shadai stallion ranks, King Kamehameha (Jpn). Campaigned at three, four and five, he will doubtless be best remembered as a racehorse for his defeat of Deep Impact, but he was beaten only a nose by the English-trained raider Alkaased in the Japan Cup a month before that, and after his Christmas Day triumph went on to Nad Al Sheba, where he was the easy winner of the Dubai Sheema Classic, with Ouija Board (GB) and Alexander Goldrun (Ire) among those to have finished behind him that day.

In 2007, both he and Deep Impact retired to Shadai's imposing stallion roster, and three years later they were first and second on the first-season sires' table. By 2012, Deep Impact was champion sire, a position he is only likely to relinquish this year, four seasons after his death. Heart's Cry worked his way up the table and has never been out of the top five stallions in Japan in the last decade, with his highest placing coming in 2019 when he was once again runner-up to his old rival.

In the 2,000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior (Jpn), Oaks victrix Snowfall (Jpn) and this season's Derby, Irish Derby and Irish Champion S. winner Auguste Rodin (Jpn), we have seen Deep Impact blend well with mares by Galileo (Ire). It is fair to assume that that is where Fluff (Ire), the full-sister to Saxon Warrior's dam Maybe (Ire), was heading in 2019 in the season in which Deep Impact became incapacitated before his death in the August of that year. Heart's Cry stepped in and on Saturday, as Continuous unleashed a lethal injection of pace to cruise to make the front-running Gregory (GB) look as if he was standing still, it was easy to spot the thick silver lining to what may have once felt like a black cloud. 

Natagora (Fr), the 1,000 Guineas winner of 2008 after her previous season's victory in the G1 Cheveley Park S., is the only outlier to the group. Conceived during the three seasons in which her sire Divine Light (Jpn) stood in France, she is out of the Lagardere-bred Reinamixa (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}).

Deep Impact has also been represented by three French Classic winners in Study Of Man (Ire) and Beauty Parlour (GB), both out of Storm Cat-line mares, and Fancy Blue (Ire), whose dam is a full-sister to High Chaparral (Ire) (Sadler's Wells).

Heart's Cry can't match him in the depth of his haul of Group 1 winners but he has been no slouch himself. In Australia, he has sired the Cox Plate winner Lys Gracieux (Jpn) and the Caulfield Cup winner Admire Rakti (Jpn). The latter was another to have been out of a mare by an Arc winner, this one being Helissio (Fr), who also started his stud career at Shadai.

A nice postscript in the year of Heart's Cry's demise is that his son Suave Richard (Jpn), one of his two winners of the Japan Cup, is currently leading the freshman sires' table in Japan. 

What will arguably be most important to Japan on the reputational front, however, is if Heart's Cry appears as the sire of an Arc winner himself. It's a tall order to turn out a relatively lightly-raced colt again just 15 days after his St Leger triumph but it is hard not to feel that Continuous, who will need to be supplemented, has much in his favour to make an impact at Longchamp on the first Sunday of October. 

The only thing that would make the Japanese fans happier on Arc day than a win for Continuous would be if the spoils went instead to Through Seven Seas (Jpn). The five-year-old mare is by Dream Journey (Jpn), a grandson of Sunday Silence, and she was last seen running the mighty Equinox (Jpn) to a neck in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen in June. Trained by Tomohito Ozeki, Through Seven Seas arrived in Chantilly on Friday and is boarding at Nicolas Clement's stable in the build-up to the Arc.

A Valued Test

While there is plenty of head-shaking at the shuffling off to National Hunt studs of St Leger winners in this part of the world (NB: this doesn't prevent Flat breeders from using their services), the picture is entirely different in Japan.

As Triple Crown winners, Deep Impact and his immensely popular young stallion son Contrail (Jpn) of course both won Japan's St Leger equivalent, the Kikuka Sho. So did Kitasan Black (Jpn), the sire of Equinox and the busiest stallion in Japan this year with 242 mares covered. So too did Orfevre (Jpn), who was beaten a neck into second in the following year's Arc, and also Epipheneaia (Jpn), who went on to win the Japan Cup and sired the Fillies' Triple Crown winner Daring Tact (Jpn) in his first crop. They too remain popular members of the Shadai roster. 

Another For the Late Adlerflug

Doncaster's was not the only St Leger to be run over the weekend, as the German equivalent was also staged at Dortmund on Sunday, though this, like the Irish St Leger, has in recent years been opened up to older horses. 

This year's winner, the Gestut Hof Ittlingen homebred Lordano (Ger), is a four-year-old, and the son of Adlerflug (Ger) went one better than his full-brother Loft (Ger), who was second in the same race two years ago.

The most famous member of this family that has served Ittlingen so well, in international terms at least, is Lando (Ger) (Acetanango {Ger}), a full-brother to their grand-dam, Laurella (GB). At home, Lando took the scalp of Monsun (Ger) in the Deutsches Derby and in the following season's Grosser Preis von Baden. Twice named German Horse of the Year, he spread his wings to win two Group 1 races in Italy and, finally, the Japan Cup of 1995. He makes an appearance in modern-day pedigrees most usually as the damsire of the talented but subfertile Farhh (GB), who already has four young sons at stud: Far Above (Ire), King Of Change (GB), Wells Farhh Go (Ire) and Dee Ex Bee (GB).

Despite twice beating Monsun (Ger), Lando could not be held in the same regard as him as an influence at stud. In reflecting on Monsun's reign it is worth remembering that his sire Konigsstuhl (Ger) won the German Triple Crown, while his damsire, the Deutsches Derby winner Surumu (Ger), also features as the paternal grandsire of Lando.

Class will out, if only we give it a chance.

Hotter Still

As the two-year-old racing steps up a notch in Europe, it is hard not to be impressed with the start Too Darn Hot (GB) has made to his stud career. 

After the previous weekend's victory for his daughter Fallen Angel (GB), whose owner-breeder Steve Parkin outlined plans for his own stallion operation in Monday's TDN, Too Darn Hot was represented by another eye-catching success in the facile winner of the G2 May Hill S., Darnation (Ire), for owner-bredeer Newtown Anner Stud.

Karl Burke is the trainer behind both of these fillies and he's pretty darn hot himself at the moment with a 30% strike-rate. Burke also provided Ballyhane Stud's Soldier's Call (GB) with his first group winner over the weekend in the G3 Prix Eclipse scorer Dawn Charger (Ire), as well as winning the Listed Stand Cup S. at Chester with Al Qareem (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}). At Ireland's Champions Festival, Burke had also saddled G2 Dullingham Park S. winner Flight Plan (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).

Another highly impressive juvenile performance at Doncaster came from Iberian (Ire), winner of the G2 Champagne S. for Charlie Hills. The son of Lope De Vega (Ire) was bred by Ballylinch Stud, who retained a share in him when he was bought by Johnny McKeever on his trainer's behalf, and Ballylinch now races him in partnership with Teme Valley Racing. With luck we will see this progressive colt next in the Dewhurst.

Lope De Vega, whose first-crop son Belardo (Ire) won the Dewhurst in 2014 and was also bred by Ballylinch, has sired more winners (138) in Europe than any other stallion so far this year, and that haul includes 14 black-type winners. 

Iberian's success capped a good 36 hours for bloodstock agent Johnny McKeever, who saw two of his in-training selections for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable land group wins in Australia. Just Fine (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) won Saturday's G3 Kingston Town S. at Randwick after being bought from from last year's Horses-in-Training Sale, while Goffs London Sale purchase Military Mission (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) landed the G3 Newcastle Gold Cup.

 

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Thoroughbred Charities of America Returns As Title Sponsor Of Thoroughbred Makeover, National Symposium

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) and Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) jointly announce today that TCA has returned as the title sponsor of the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, the flagship program of the Retired Racehorse Project. TCA's commitment to improving the lives and welfare of Thoroughbred racehorses both on and off the track has guided its support of the RRP since 2012.

Designed to serve the RRP's charitable mission to increase demand for Thoroughbreds beyond racing, the Thoroughbred Makeover is a retraining competition and showcase, featuring trainers from across North America who have worked throughout the year to prepare recently retired Thoroughbred ex-racehorses to compete for more than $100,000 in ten equestrian sports. This year, competition scope has expanded to include a pilot program for recently-retired broodmares exiting the breeding industry.

“The Thoroughbred Makeover has really moved the needle in aftercare by increasing the demand for and value of Thoroughbreds in their post-racing careers,” said Erin Halliwell, executive director of TCA. “TCA is pleased to once again support this important event that has impacted the lives of thousands of Thoroughbreds.”

TCA's support of the Thoroughbred Makeover is part of its annual grant-making activity. This year, TCA granted over $821,000 to 75 approved organizations. For over three decades, TCA has worked to support not only Thoroughbred aftercare, but also programs that provide health and human services for backstretch and farm workers.

“TCA recognized early on the potential that the RRP had to make a significant change in how we approach aftercare in this country, and we would not be here today, continuing that impact, without the early and continued supported that TCA provided,” said RRP executive director Kirsten Green. “We applaud TCA for recognizing the critical need to fund a variety of aftercare programs that are taking diverse approaches towards our shared goal of ensuring a smooth transition to life beyond racing for Thoroughbreds.”

The Thoroughbred Makeover culminates in a four-day competition as well as a symposium with educational, networking and social opportunities – but the true Makeover process begins in December of the previous year, when the retraining process officially begins on December 1. A total of 551 horses were registered for this year's competition, and 404 made a final entry. This retention rate is the highest to date, indicating that the Retired Racehorse Project's educational and support services are working for participating trainers.

With TCA's support, the Thoroughbred Makeover has impacted over 4,700 horses, representing an estimated $41.1 million in private funds spent to care for the participating horses that are transitioning into riding careers. Since 2015, the RRP has also documented an 94% increase in value of horses upon retirement from racing that participate in the Makeover.

A full schedule of Thoroughbred Makeover events can be found at TheRRP.org.

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Downs After Dark: Slip Mahoney Chases Stakes Win In Bourbon Trail, Taxed Leads Seneca Overnight Stakes

Gold Square's multiple stakes placed 3-year-old Slip Mahoney will try to win his first stakes contest in Saturday's third running of the $300,000 Bourbon Trail at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/16-mile Bourbon Trail was carded as Race 7 at 9:05 p.m. The 11-race “Downs After Dark” program will start at 6 p.m. and feature the $300,000 Dogwood Stakes (G3) along with the $300,000 Harrods Creek and $175,000 Seneca Overnight Stakes.

In the Bourbon Trail, Slip Mahoney began his season on the Road to the Kentucky Derby when he was the runner-up finisher to Raise Cain in the Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct. Slip Mahoney has been primarily based with trainer Brad Cox's New York string where he defeated five rivals, including Harrods Creek Stakes competitor Mount Up, in a July 23 allowance contest at Saratoga. One month ago, Slip Mahoney finished a head behind his stablemate Tabeguache in the St. Louis Derby. Slip Mahoney will be ridden by Gerardo Corrales from post No. 2.

Another intriguing entrant in the Bourbon Trail is Petal Power Racing Stable's Super Derby winner Big Data. Trained by Michael Lerman, Big Data rallied from just off the pace in Louisiana Downs' Super Derby to defeat six rivals by three-quarters of a length. The son of Cloud Computing has only finished off the board once through eight starts. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo will have the call from post 7.

Here is the complete field for the Bourbon Trail from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Manaciata d'Oro (Manny Esquivel, Brad Cox);
  2. Slip Mahoney (Corrales, Cox);
  3. Denington (Corey Lanerie, Kenny McPeek);
  4. Shirl's Bee (Leparoux, Stewart);
  5. Oscar Eclipse (Cristian Torres, Brian Lynch);
  6. Lincoln Highway (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver); and
  7. Big Data (Jaramillo, Lerman).

The Bourbon Trail ® honors the profound history and proud tradition of “America's Official Native Spirit” when the Kentucky Distillers' Association (KDA) established the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® in 1999, a road trip-style experience for bourbon lovers to visit the Bluegrass State's signature distilleries.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail ® and Bourbon Trail ® are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers' Association used by Churchill Downs Inc. pursuant to license. The Kentucky Distillers' Association and its member distilleries ask that you please enjoy Kentucky Bourbon responsibly.

St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and Robert Masiello's ultra-consistent Mount Up, a recent allowance winner at Saratoga, headlines a field of seven 3-year-olds entered in Saturday's third running of the $300,000 Harrods Creek Stakes.

The seven-furlong Harrods Creek will go as Race 8 at 9:39 p.m.

Mount Up, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, has never finished worse than second in four-career starts. The son of Army Mule broke his maiden by a scant nose in late June at Belmont Park. One month later, Mount Up was second best in a first-level allowance event at Saratoga behind Slip Mahoney, a multiple stakes-placed Brad Cox trainee. Mount Up returned to the same allowance condition Aug. 20 and defeated nine rivals by a half-length. Mount Up will be ridden by Emisael Jaramillo from post No. 5.

Another Saratoga allowance winner that entered the Harrods Creek is Qatar Racing's Everso Mischievous. Like Mount Up, Everso Mischievous has yet to finish worse than second in four starts. Trained by Brad Cox, Everso Mischievous broke his maiden on Kentucky Derby Day by 2 ¼ lengths. Following that race, the son of Into Mischief battled Heartbreaker in a first-level allowance contest at Ellis Park but finished second by a head at odds of 2-5. Everso Mischievous shipped north to Cox's Saratoga string where he narrowly defeated Cape Trafalgar and eight other rivals by a neck. Jockey Cristian Torres has the mount from post 6.

Here is the complete field for the Harrods Creek from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Bourbon Bash (Jaime Torres, Wayne Lukas);
  2. Determinedly (Francisco Arrieta, Mark Casse);
  3. Loyal Company (Declan Cannon, Brendan Walsh);
  4. Bouncer (Ricardo Santana Jr., Mark Casse);
  5. Mount Up (Emisael Jaramillo, Todd Pletcher);
  6. Everso Mischievous (Torres, Cox); and
  7. Praetorian Guard (James Graham, Lou Linder).

Richard Bahde's former $50,000 claimer turned Grade II winner Taxed leads a field of seven 3-year-old fillies entered in Saturday's third running of the $175,000 Seneca Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Taxed and her six rivals will go to post at 10:11 p.m. in Race 9.

Trained by veteran Randy Morse, Taxed has greatly rewarded her connections since being claimed on Nov. 20, 2022. On Preakness Day eve, Taxed powered past Hoosier Philly to win the Black Eyed Susan (G2) by 3 ¾ lengths. The daughter of Collected also sports runner-up efforts in the Fantasy (G3), Indiana Oaks (G3) and Martha Washington. Jockey Cristian Torres will have the call for the first time on Taxed in the Seneca from the rail.

Another stakes winner that entered the Seneca is Rigney Racing's Tepin winner Xigera. Trained by Phil Bauer, Xigera will make only her second start on dirt. Her only start on the main track came as a 2-year-old in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland when she had a troubled trip to finish third. Xigera began her 3-year-old season in early June at Churchill Downs with an impressive 3 ½-length victory at one mile on turf. She followed that up with a gritty half-length score in the Tepin at Ellis Park. Xigera enters the Seneca following a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G3). The daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist will be ridden by Julien Leparoux out of post No. 7.

Here is the complete Seneca field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Taxed (Torres, Morse);
  2. Sabra Tuff (Rey Gutierrez, Dallas Stewart);
  3. She's Lookin Lucky (Ricardo Santana Jr., Matt Shirer);
  4. Poblano (Francisco Arrieta, Brendan Walsh);
  5. Champagne Calling (Declan Cannon, Ian Wilkes);
  6. Fun and Feisty (Corey Lanerie, Kenny McPeek);
  7. Xigera (Julien Leparoux, Phil Bauer); and
  8. Nomadic Pride (Edgar Morales, Tom Amoss).

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Traditional ‘70/30’ Pick Six, Turf Pick 3 Head Santa Anita’s Autumn Meet Wagering Menu

With a traditional $1 dollar Pick Six and an all-new wager, the “Santa Anita Turf Pick 3” leading the way, Santa Anita has announced its 2023 Autumn Meet Wagering Menu, which will be in effect on opening day, Friday, Sept. 29.

The traditional Pick Six requires players to pick winners in the final six races on each day's card and will pay out 70 percent of the net pool whenever there are six winning tickets. If no player hits six of six, 70 percent of the net pool is carried over to the next racing day. Thirty percent of the pool is then paid out to consolation tickets with five winners.

Offered for the first time, the Santa Anita Turf Pick 3 is a $3 minimum wager that will be comprised of the final three turf races on each day's program, conditions permitting.

The 19-day Autumn Meet will no doubt be highlighted by the 40th running of the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships on Nov. 3 & 4 and will be hosted by Santa Anita for a record 11th time.

With the Breeders' Cup looming on closing weekend, the Autumn Meet will get off to a fast start with nine stakes scheduled for the first three days of racing—beginning with the Grade 3, $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes, for fillies and mares at 6 ½ furlongs on opening day.

Four stakes, headed by the Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again, for three-year-olds and up at a mile and eighth, will headline a tremendous card on Sept. 30, with all of them serving as potential stepping-stones to Breeders' Cup glory for horses in their respective divisions.

In addition to the Awesome Again, the Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship presented by Estrella Jalisco at six furlongs, a Breeders' Cup “Dirt Dozen” race, the Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D, at about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course and the Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile, will also share center stage.

On Sunday, Oct. 1, another Breeders' Cup “Dirt Dozen” event, the Grade 2, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile and one sixteenth, the Grade II, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship at a mile and one quarter on turf, the Grade 3, $100,000 Tokyo City Cup at a mile and one half and the $100,000 Unzip Me Stakes, for 3-year-old fillies at about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf, will highlight another outstanding opening weekend program.

Santa Anita will continue to offer a low 14 percent takeout 50 cent Early Pick 5, as well as the 50 cent Late Pick 5, $1 exactas, $2 rolling Daily Doubles, 50 cent rolling Pick 3's, an early 50 cent Pick 4, as well as 10 cent Superfectas on all races with a minimum of six runners.

In addition to wagering on-track, fans have a variety of betting options, including 1stbet.com, which can be downloaded free of charge at the App Store. In addition to Santa Anita's simulcast signal, all of the track's races will be shown live on FanDuel TV.

2023 AUTUMN MEET COMPLETE WAGERING MENU

–Traditional $1 Pick Six offered on the final six races each day

–Low 14 percent takeout 50 cent Early Pick 5, as well as the traditional 50 cent Late Pick 5

–$3 Santa Anita Turf Pick 3, to be offered on final 3 turf races each day

–$1 Golden Hour Pick Four, with 15 percent takeout

–$5 Golden Hour Double, with 15 percent takeout

–$2 Win, Place & Show wagering on each race, featuring the lowest takeout (15.43 percent) of any major racetrack in North America

–50 cent Trifectas on each race with a minimum of four scheduled runners

–10 cent Superfectas on all races with a minimum of six scheduled starters

–$1 Exactas on each race

–50 cent Early Pick 4, which will be comprised of races 2 through 5

–50 cent Late Pick 4, comprised of the final four races each day

–50 cent Mid Pick 4, available only when there are 11 or more races carded. In the event of an 11-race program,
wager begins with race 5

–Rolling $2 Daily Doubles

–50 cent Rolling Pick 3's, beginning with the first race each day

–$1 Super Hi 5, available on all races with seven or more declared starters and requires players to pick the first five finishers in exact order. If there are no perfect tickets with five winners, there is no consolation, 100 percent of the net pool is carried over to the next Super Hi 5 race.

For additional information regarding Santa Anita's 2023 Autumn Meet, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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