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TDN Rising Stars to Follow: Part I

In Europe, the TDN Rising Stars are awarded by Sean Cronin and Tom Frary, and no amount of begging, bleating or bribery from other members of the editorial team or external forces can persuade this duo to award one if they are not in agreement. Their decisions are based on performance, pedigree and, as the award title suggests, the likelihood of that individual becoming a stakes winner. Today and tomorrow, we bring you 10 TDN Rising Stars of 2023 to follow this year, with the first five having been selected by Sean Cronin.

Rising Stars accounted for a tally of 21 European Group 1 contests, and seven Classics, during the course of a banner season with four-time elite-level winners Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) the obvious highlights among the Class of 2023. TDN's signature tag was attained by 51 individuals in Europe last term, down eight on the previous year's total of 59, with subsequent G3 Prix Penelope victrix Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) setting the ball in motion at Chantilly in February.

Dubawi (Ire) (Dubai Millennium {GB}) is the numerically dominant sire and responsible for five new graduates, headed by Godolphin's G1 Futurity Trophy hero Ancient Wisdom (Fr) and Coolmore's undefeated G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. victor Henry Longfellow (Ire). Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), sire of G1 Fillies' Mile heroine Ylang Ylang (GB), is one behind with a quartet of his own. Joint-third with three on this year's honour roll are Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), down five on last term's eight, Lope De Vega (Ire) (Shamardal), No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) and Siyouni First-crop sires Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Soldier's Call (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) snagged one inductee apiece, while Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}) became the season's lone freshman with more than one in the ranks. The Coolmore resident's brace is supplied by Amo Racing's G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. victrix Persian Dreamer and G1 Dewhurst S. third Eben Shaddad. Justify (Scat Daddy), Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), Starspangledbanner (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) and Wootton Bassett (GB) (Iffraaj {GB} are the only other sires to register more than one new addition. Dubawi, Justify, Kingman, Lope De Vega, Sea The Stars, Siyouni, Calyx and Too Darn Hot were all 'TDN Rising Stars' in their own right.

For the first time in recent memory, Coolmore icon Galileo (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) went through the whole campaign without representation and failed to improve upon his impressive haul of 41. Delving deeper into the numbers by jurisdiction, 21 earned their stripes in Britain, 14 were elevated in both France and Ireland, and Germany was the scene of two new recruits. By trainer, Aidan O'Brien is comfortably clear of his peers with 10 new appointees and Ballydoyle's dominance is evident in this year's compilation of 10 Rising Stars to follow for 2024, with O'Brien accounting for half of those put forward. Dermot Weld is next best on two while Charlie Appleby, Ralph Beckett and Yann Barberot are represented by one each. Dubawi has the highest representation among sires, with three, while Frankel is the only other credited with more than one. The gender bias is six to four in favour of the colts.

ANCIENT WISDOM (FR), c, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Golden Valentine (Fr), by Dalakhani (Ire)
2nd Dam: Gold Round (Ire), by Caerleon
3rd Dam: Born Gold, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Ecurie des Monceaux & LNJ Foxwoods
Trainer Charlie Appleby

Godolphin's Ancient Wisdom had already turned heads when selling for €2-million at Arqana's 2022 August sale and debuted with a highly polished five-length triumph over seven furlongs at Haydock in May. Successful in four of his five juvenile outings, he closed out his freshman season with victories in Newmarket's G3 Autumn S. and Doncaster's G1 Futurity Trophy. His lone defeat came in July, when finishing third behind subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere victor Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in the seven-furlong Listed Pat Eddery S. at Ascot. Ancient Wisdom is a son G3 Prix Minerve winner Golden Valentine (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and hails from the family of storied multiple champion and three-time GI Breeders' Cup Mile heroine Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa), G1 Prix Vermeille victrix Galikova (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) and multiple Group 1-placed sire Anodin (Ire) (Anabaa). He does not possess any Classic entries for now, but is quoted at single-digit odds in ante-post lists for the G1 Derby.

BEAUVATIER (FR), c, 2, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Enchanting Skies (Ire), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
2nd Dam: Estefania (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger)
3rd Dam: Eirehill (Ire), by Danehill
Owner: Philippe Allaire
Breeder: Ecurie des Monceaux, Qatar Bloodstock Ltd & Mme Barbara M Keller
Trainer: Yann Barberot

Beauvatier, a €160,000 Arqana August purchase, displayed an array of gears when posting a 5 1/2-length success in a newcomers' event over five furlongs at Chantilly in May to become the 12th Rising Star for his sire. He followed up with a narrow defeat of fellow Rising Star Ramatuelle (Justify) and added the Listed Prix Roland de Chambure and G3 Prix La Rochette before racing too freely and suffering his first reversal when third behind Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in October's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day. He is the first foal produced by Listed Prix de Thiberville runner-up Enchanting Skies (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), herself a half-sister to G1 Preis von Europa victor Empoli (Ger) (Halling) from the family of G2 Preis der Diana heroine Elle Danzig (Ger) (Roi Danzig). Beauvatier is one of the leading domestic hopes for next term's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains.

ELIZABETH JANE (IRE), f, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Sapphire (Ire), by Medicean (GB)
2nd Dam: Polished Gem (Ire), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Trusted Partner, by Affirmed
Owner: Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd
Breeder: Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd
Trainer: Dermot Weld

G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Irish Oaks entry Elizabeth Jane was let go at 16-1 and sported her owner's second silks in her debut over a mile at Leopardstown in October. She made a mockery of those odds when coming from off the pace to trounce her 11 rivals by 4 1/4 lengths and more in a contest annexed the year before by subsequent G1 Coronation S. third Sounds Of Heaven (GB) (Kingman {GB}).

“She cut through them like a knife through butter and will be a lovely filly next year when she fills out into her frame,” reflected winning rider Donagh O'Connor at the time. The homebred chestnut is a daughter of G2 British Champions Fillies & Mares victrix and G1 Pretty Polly S. runner-up Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}), herself a half-sister to four-time Group 1 winner Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). She is a descendant of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas victrix Trusted Partner (Affirmed) and the family also features G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For A Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1 Prince of Wales's S.-winning sire Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). She will be in her element if there is juice in the ground come Irish Oaks day in July.

UNQUESTIONABLE (FR), c, 2, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Strawberry Lace (GB), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
2nd Dam: Crying Lightening (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
3rd Dam: Auction Room, by Chester House
Owner: Al Shaqab Racing, Coolmore & Westerberg
Breeder: Mme Camille Vitse, Mme Axelle Vitse, Mme Valentine Vitse & Guillaume Vitse
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Unquestionable was highly tried on debut, running third in May's Listed First Flier S., and became his sire's fifth Rising Star when making all to shed maiden status on the Irish 2,000 Guineas undercard, in a six-furlong contest won by the stable's Arizona (Ire) (No Nay Never) in 2019. He subsequently ran fourth in the G1 Phoenix S. and second in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere before setting the seal on his six-race juvenile campaign with victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. The €340,000 Arqana August yearling, who hails from the family of sires Cityscape (GB) (Selkirk) and Bated Breath (GB) (Dansili {GB}), retains entries in May's G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas and June's G1 Irish Derby.

YLANG YLANG (GB), f, 2, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Shambolic (Ire), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Comic (Ire), by Be My Chief
3rd Dam: Circus Act (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
Owner: Magnier, Tabor, Smith, Brant & Westerberg
Breeder: Newsells Park Stud & Merry Fox Stud
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Ylang Ylang had already made her mark in the auction ring, selling for a cool 1.5-million gns at Tattersalls' October Book 1, and justified odds-on favouritism in a seven-furlong Curragh maiden won previously by subsequent Group 1 performers Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). Doubling up in the G3 Silver Flash S. next time, she bounced back off a blip in the G1 Moyglare S. to run third in Newmarket's G2 Rockfel S. and closed out 2023 with a game victory in the G1 Fillies' Mile back at Headquarters.

Ylang Ylang is out of a half-sister to dual G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup-winning multiple Hong Kong champion Comic Strip (GB) (Marju {Ire}) and GI Flower Bowl Invitational and GI Diana S. heroine Laughing (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). Frankel's 34th Rising Star remains engaged in both G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Irish Oaks, and the Classic route awaits.

The post TDN Rising Stars to Follow: Part I appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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VA-Breds Gigante, Tufani Score Respective Stakes Wins In Woodchopper, Pago Hop At Fair Grounds

Saturday's $100,000 Woodchopper at Fair Grounds came down to a stretch duel as Gigante got the better of Northern Invader for the third time during the burgeoning turf stars' sophomore campaigns.

Winning by a neck, Iapetus Racing and Diamond T Racing's Gigante made the Woodchopper the fifth stakes victory of his career.

Beating out eight other 3-year-olds, Gigante clocked in at 1:36.70 going about one mile on the firm Stall-Wilson turf course with the portable rail set at nine feet. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the Virginia-bred son of Not This Time received the fine handling of Edgar Morales.

“This horse has really improved this year,” said Asmussen's assistant trainer on the grounds, Scott Blasi. “He won the Secretariat (G2) at Colonial. We were off the grass at Churchill last time and saw another big effort out of him. I really liked the trip he got today. Saved ground, got tipped out where he needed to be, and ran hard to the wire.”

Deccan Prince led the pack through the first two points of call of :23.75 and :47.99 with Northern Invader engaging him into the first turn but then settling into a comfortable stalking trip just to his outside. After getting pinched by two foes out of the gates, Gigante traveled along the rail before being positioned in the far turn to tip out and kick home. As Northern Invader went to the front in the stretch, Gigante engaged that familiar foe and the two dueled to the wire. After checking in the far turn, Point Proven rallied for third.

“We got a little bump out of the gate, but after that we got a great trip,” Morales said. “I followed the favorite all around there, and when I tipped him out, he did his job and battled to the wire.”

Gigante ($8.20) was bred by Ann Mudge Backer and Smitten Farm. He is out of the Empire Maker mare Summertime Green and sold to Andrew Dean for $120,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned him.

Boasting a lifetime record of 13-6-0-1, Gigante is poised to surpass the million-dollar career earnings mark with $975,475.

Tufani Dazzles Wins Pago Hop By Open Lengths

Also on Saturday, Susan Moulton's Tufani unleashed a dazzling turn of foot in the final stages to win the $100,000 Pago Hop by two lengths. The 2-1 top preference in the market was followed home by longshot filly Condensation who was a head best in the blanket finish for a piece.

Trained by Mike Stidham, Tufani, a Virginia-bred 3-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor secured not only her first stakes victory with the Pago Hop score, but also her pilot Ben Curtis' first stateside stakes win.

“(Tufani) has always shown us a lot of talent since we first got her,” Stidham said. “She's developed. She's learned to relax. I think the arrow is pointing up for her. Ben (Curtis) has done a great job with getting her to settle and come running like that. I'm very pleased with what he's done for us.”

Given a patient ride, Tufani bested 10 rivals, covering about one mile in 1:37.82 on the firm Stall-Wilson turf course with the portable rail set at nine feet.

“(Tufani) was impressive,” Curtis said. “The key to her is to get her to relax. When you're rounding the final turn she comes alive and you're able to put her where you want. It's easy to take gaps when they're traveling as strong as she does and she has an electric turn of foot. So when I let her down I was confident coming to the last eighth pole.”

Quite accomplished overseas, Curtis entered his first meet at Fair Grounds having tallied over 1,000 winners in England as well as hundreds more in other countries.

“To get a first stakes win over here is fantastic,” Curtis said. “Thanks to Mike (Stidham) and the owners for the honor.”

An investment in Tufani's Pago Hop success paid $6.80, $4.40, $2.80. Condensation rallied the rail to reward backers at $19.00, $11.60. Watch This Birdie was spotted on the tote board at $3.40.

Having not debuted until April of this year, Tufani's wins as 3-year-old outweigh her defeats at 7-4-1-0, and the ledgers read $173,942 for her efforts. The bay filly is out of the Mineshaft mare Windhoek. She was a $140,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was presented by Mill Ridge Sales. She was bred by Chance Farm and Distorted Humor Syndicate.

The post VA-Breds Gigante, Tufani Score Respective Stakes Wins In Woodchopper, Pago Hop At Fair Grounds appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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‘I’m Enjoying Life’: Hall Of Fame Jockey Pincay Celebrates 77th Birthday At Santa Anita

Legendary jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. spent his 77th birthday Friday at Santa Anita, enjoying the day with family and friends.

After the third race, which was named in his honor, Pincay was joined in the winner's circle by the Santa Anita jockey colony and others where he was presented a birthday cake.

“This has been a great day, really enjoying it,” Pincay said. “I also got some nice presents.”

Pincay, who is an avid golfer, said his birthday gifts included a new golf bag and laptop computer from his fiancé, Edith.

“She's going to get me into computers,” Pincay said with a chuckle. “I don't know anything about them.”

Pincay retired from the saddle in April 2003 after amassing 9,530 victories, which at the time was the most-ever by a jockey. That record was later eclipsed by Russell Baze.

Born 1946 in Panama City, Panama, Pincay began his riding career at age 17 in his native country. He moved to the U.S. in 1966 where he initially rode at Arlington Park under contract with prominent horseman Fred W. Hooper.

By the 1970s, Pincay was a player on the national scene. He won the Eclipse Award as outstanding jockey four times that decade (1971, ' 73, '74, and '79). He was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1975.

In 1984, Pincay won the Kentucky Derby (G1) aboard Swale for trainer Woody Stephens. The following year he would add his fifth Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding jockey.

Other notable achievements by Pincay are plentiful. He won seven Breeders' Cup races, three consecutive Belmont Stakes (G1) from 1982-'84 and led the nation in purse earnings seven times. He was also a 14-time leading rider at the Santa Anita Winter Meet.

Pincay continues to reside in nearby San Gabriel, Calif. Among his retirement activities is lending support to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.

“A couple times a year I do something for the disabled jockeys, which I really like to do,” Pincay said. “I play golf, do my things around the house. I also travel a lot and go to my country Panama a few times year. I'm enjoying life.”

The post ‘I’m Enjoying Life’: Hall Of Fame Jockey Pincay Celebrates 77th Birthday At Santa Anita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Main Event Makes All, Prevails In Fort Lauderdale Thriller

Harrell Ventures' Main Event, back in stakes company for the first time since the summer, got out to a comfortable lead under Javier Castellano and had something left to hold off a late run from Kingmax and win Saturday's $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2) by a nose at Gulfstream Park.

The 66th running of 1 1/8-mile Fort Lauderdale for 3-year-olds and up, local prep for the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), anchored an 11-race program featuring five stakes, three of which were graded, worth $725,000 in purses.

It was the first Fort Lauderdale win for trainer George Weaver and fourth for Castellano following Union Place (2005), Silver Medallion (2012), and Mshawish (2015). Main Event ($25) owns three wins and a second from four tries on the Gulfstream turf, including his breakthrough stakes win in the 2022 Cutler Bay, his first of three career stakes triumphs.

“He is very talented. We've always been looking forward to getting back here. He does love this turf course,” Weaver said of Main Event, a 4-year-old Bernardini colt. “He's a graded stakes winner and he's had plenty of experience.

“His last race at Aqueduct was a big move up speed figure-wise. He'd been running good, just not good enough,” he added. “Last race was kind of a breakthrough and then to get back here on this turf course. We're glad to be here and glad he ran as well as he did.”

Breaking from Post 4 in a field reduced to nine with the early scratch of Grade 1 winner Henley's Joy, Main Event was hustled to the front by Castellano past Jerry the Nipper to his inside. The first quarter-mile went in :23.84 as 6-5 favorite Running Bee settled in third in the clear three wide and stablemate Stone Age raced between the two in fourth.

“I told Javier to warm him up and put him on the lead,” Weaver said. “I told him he won't break and put you there, you need to ride him there. He followed instructions and luckily it worked out.”

Main Event went a half-mile in :47.88 as Running Bee took up the chase in second and Stone Age moved up to third as Jerry the Nipper dropped back. He was still in command turning for home when Kingmax began to roll from midpack under British jockey David Egan, who was making his Gulfstream debut.

The two front-runners hooked up in mi-stretch and battled side-by-side to the wire with Main Event winning the head bob after going 1:46.47 over a turf course rated as good. Jerry the Nipper finished third, with stablemate Grand Sonata fourth and Stone Age fifth.

“It was pretty straightforward. [Weaver] told me before the race he wanted the horse to be in a forward position if he can; if not, then be close to the pace,” Castellano said. “He broke a step slow but the horse inside me was backing up so I dictate the pace myself. He has a brilliant stride. I like the way he did it.

“I believed I could win by the half-mile pole because he was so relaxed, so comfortable, and when I asked him he just took off,” he added. “When he took off, he was waiting on horses and when he saw the horse on the outside he broke again and got it done.”

Winner of the 2022 Kent (G3) at Delaware Park, Main Event was off for nearly a year before coming back in July at Saratoga. He ran fifth in three straight optional claiming allowances in New York before a head victory in the same condition going 1 1/16 miles Nov. 3.

Weaver, who captured the Queen Mary (G2) this summer at Royal Ascot with Gulfstream stakes winner Crimson Advocate, said Main Event would be pointed to the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus Turf, part of a blockbuster Jan. 27 program that includes the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) on dirt and $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G2).

“I would try it, why not? He loves this turf course,” Weaver said of Main Event, who has a 5-1-0 record from 13 lifetime starts and $457,783 in purse earnings. “What else are you going to do. He's out of conditions. You have to try stuff, you know?”

Kentucky-bred Main Event was bred by Godolphin, Eric Buckley, and Elizabeth Buckley. His dam is the Unbridled's Song mare Total Knockout. Steve Young, agent, signed the ticket on him for $130,000 at the 2021 OBS Spring Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where he was offered in the Ocala Stud consignment.

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