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Arqana August Topper Debuts at ParisLongchamp

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday’s Insights features the 2019 Arqana August Yearling Sale topper.

1.20 Punchestown, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, 7fT
MONDAY (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) is the first foal out of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner and G1 1000 Guineas runner-up Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is in turn a full-sister to another Aidan O’Brien-trained luminary in Misty For Me (Ire). The February-foaled bay is up against 10 in the race that relaunches flat racing at this track for the first time in nearly 18 years.

1.55 Punchestown, Cond, €13,500, 3yo/up, 7fT
ELDAMA (IRE) (Siyouni {Fr}) earned ‘TDN Rising Star’ status on her winning debut at Leopardstown in June and reappears in this seven-runner conditions event. The Aga Khan’s relative of the G1 Ascot Gold Cup winners Enzeli (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) and Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) and the G1 Irish Oaks heroine Ebadiyla (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) drops in trip, having won over a mile that day with Dermot Weld looking to restart her campaign.

2.25 Punchestown, Mdn, €11,000, 2yo, 8fT
LIFFEY RIVER (FR) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) was a short-head second to TDN Rising Star Wuqood (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) over this trip on debut at Gowran Park last month and looks to get off the mark for owner Sun Bloodstock and trainer Joseph O’Brien. A full-brother to the group winners Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) and a half to Dark Vision (Ire) (Dream Ahead), the €380,000 Arqana Deauville August purchase encounters nine rivals on an informative card.

2.10 Salisbury, Novice, £6,900, 2yo, 8fT
MAHOMES (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was one of 11 seven-figure lots to sell at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, with David Redvers securing the son of The Fugue (GB) (Dansili {GB}) for Qatar Racing for 1million gns. Like the high-class dam, who was successful four times at the highest level including in the G1 Irish Champion S. and G1 Prince of Wales’s S., the January-foaled bay is in the hands of John Gosden as he faces nine here.

2.40 Salisbury, Mdn, £24,000, 2yo f, 6f 213yT
NOON STAR (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) is the sixth foal out of the prolific Group 1 winner Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and a full-sister to the dual Group 3 scorer Midterm (GB) and a half to the G2 Ribblesdale S. runner-up Mori (GB) by Galileo’s Frankel (GB). Both were trained by Sir Michael Stoute and the master of Freemason Lodge again has charge of this April-foaled bay as she debuts in this valuable “Quidhampton” Maiden Fillies’ S.

4.45 ParisLongchamp, Debutantes, €22,000, 2yo, f, 8fT
PHILOMENE (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) at €1.625 million was the 2019 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale topper, which was no surprise given that her dam Prudenzia (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) had produced the star distaffers Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). Andre Fabre introduces the May-foaled bay, who races for a partnership between her purchasers Godolphin and her breeders Ecurie des Monceaux and Ecurie Skymarc Farm. She faces eight rivals.

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‘Here’s To Longshots!’ Mott-Trained Derby Entrant South Bend ‘Tries Hard Every Time’

With his Kentucky Derby gear still being constructed, South Bend took to the track with his usual Bill Mott saddle towel as he galloped during the special 7:30 a.m. training session for Oaks and Derby horses at Churchill Downs.

A late entrant to the Derby fray, South Bend heads into Saturday's test off a fourth-place finish in the Travers Stakes (GI) at Saratoga on Aug. 8. Though he is winless in eight starts this year, the bay colt has flashed potential, most notably running second in the Ohio Derby (GIII) June 27 while still in the barn of his prior trainer Stanley Hough.

“He's a very consistent horse, if you look at all his races and he tries hard every time,” said Kenny McCarthy, Mott's assistant. “His Travers race was certainly not a bad race. He obviously needs to move forward off of that race but he seems to like this track here. We've seen over the years that some horses look like a cinch coming in but they couldn't get it done.”

Campaigned by Sagamore Farm through his first 11 starts, including a victory in the Street Sense last fall at Churchill Downs, South Bend was acquired prior to the Travers by a partnership group that includes Gary Barber, Adam Wachtel, Peter Deutsch and Leonard Schleifer of Pantofel Stable.

“He was previously with Stanley so he's trained over this track (Churchill Downs) many times,” McCarthy added. “This horse, it was a bit of a last-minute decision to go into the race but having said that, I think initially when the horse was purchased, that might have been in the back of their minds to try and get themselves a Derby horse. Obviously with the defection of Art Collector, they figured let's take a shot. Here's to longshots!”

South Bend is listed at 50-1 on the Kentucky Derby morning line, and will break from post position eight.

Thanks to the National Turfwriters and Broadcasters Association (NTWAB), which has assembled a group of pool reporters providing independent reporting to members unable to be on the Churchill Downs grounds this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

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Speightstown Colt Romps in the Saratoga Slop to Earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ Badge

Nashville (c, 3, Speightstown–Veronique, by Mizzen Mast) set sharp early fractions in the Saratoga slop on debut Wednesday afternoon and ran away and hid from his three overmatched rivals in the stretch en route to a ‘TDN Rising Star’ performance.

The $460,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate, campaigned in partnership by CHC INC. and WinStar Farm LLC, sported a pair of flashy bullets on his worktab for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, including a five-furlong spin in :58 4/5 (1/20) from the gate at the Spa Aug. 9.

The 1-5 favorite broke sharply, and sped through sparkling opening splits of :21.50 and :43.87. He hit the quarter pole in complete command beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. and splashed his way home to an eye-catching and geared-down 11 1/2-length daylight victory. Democratic Values (Honor Code) was second.

Nashville becomes the fifth ‘Rising Star’ in 2020 for leading sire Speightstown. Asmussen also campaigns fellow ‘Rising Star’ Echo Town (Speightstown), winner of this summer’s GI H. Allen Jerkens S. presented by Runhappy.

Nashville’s unraced dam Veronique was purchased privately by Tony Holmes in foal to Mastery after the 2019 KEENOV Sale. She is also represented by the unraced 2-year-old colt Market Cap (Candy Ride {Arg}) and a Mastery colt of 2019 and filly of 2020. The 9-year-old was bred to Collected for 2021.

Nashville’s third dam Set Them Free (Stop the Music) produced 2005 GI Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo (Holy Bull) and MGISW Tiago (Pleasant Tap).

3rd-Saratoga, $66,960, Msw, 9-2, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:14.48, sy.
NASHVILLE, c, 3, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Veronique, by Mizzen Mast
2nd Dam: Styler, by Holy Bull
3rd Dam: Set Them Free, Stop the Music
Sales history: $460,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $39,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart, free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-CHC INC. & WinStar Farm LLC; B-Breffni Farm (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.

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‘We Just Have To Be The Best On One Day’: Ny Traffic Should Improve Off Haskell Performance

Haskell Invitational (GI) runner-up Ny Traffic had his first gallop over a wet Churchill Downs track at 7:30 a.m. and then visited the starting gate with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and co-owner John Fanelli looking on. The gray Cross Traffic colt, who also is owned by Cash is King and Paul Braverman, arrived on a flight from New York Tuesday shortly before he drew post 15 of 18.

“I thought he went well,” Joseph said. “The track was a little sloppy, so I was undecided if we were going to gallop or jog today, but looking at the weather, there's more rain on the way, so we may jog tomorrow and I decided to go on and gallop. He went well. He was nice and relaxed. He showed good energy. He stood in the gate. So far, all is well.”

Ny Traffic, who has not been worse than third in five starts in 2020, has shown improvement in each of his races and his connections are hopeful he can perform well in the Kentucky Derby and are pleased with how he has trained since the Haskell July 18.

“He's done well. He's trained forwardly. He has a good series of breezes in,” Joseph said. “Our preparation as far as a race horse coming into a race has gone as well as we could have asked. The Haskell was his best race as far as handicapping figures. He's going to need to improve to compete with horses like Tiz the Law and Honor A. P., but we feel with the spacing of his races he should have improvement again. You never know for sure. Each race he's made a little jump and if he makes another little jump again, he's right there among the leaders.

“All we need is one more improvement in him. If he can make that improvement, he's a horse who is going to make his name on Saturday.”

Co-owner John Fanelli agreed, saying Ny Traffic looked like a horse who could step up on the big day.

“I've always looked for a horse who would progress and progress and progress when I would be betting the Derby,” Fanelli said. “That's what his line looks like. It's just constantly a little better each race. Hopefully we can get better one more time and make history.”

Ny Traffic's morning line odds were set at 20-1 by Mike Battaglia, but Joseph isn't afraid to take on the top contenders this Saturday.

“There are three or four horses that are better than us on paper,” Joseph said. “But we just have to be the best on one day.”

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