In ‘Closing’, Cal-Bred Mare Can Climb Grade I Hill in Matriarch

Stop us if you've heard this a time or a thousand. Horses trained by Chad Brown figure tough in the GI Matriarch S. on closing day of the Bing Crosby Meet at Del Mar. Undisputable though that is–he has, after all, sent out the winner all but once since 2017–Harris Farms homebred Closing Remarks (Vronsky) will look to have the final say Sunday afternoon.

The chestnut has yet to strike in three tries at the top level, though she was runner-up in the 2021 Del Mar Oaks while finishing just ahead of one of the Brown representatives she'll be facing here. Closing Remarks is, however, a three-time graded winner over the one-mile distance of the Matriarch and has recorded two of her four victories at the graded level over the Jimmy Durante turf course, including this year's GII Yellow Ribbon S. and GII John C. Mabee S. going slightly farther. Fourth in the GII Rodeo Drive S. over a 10-furlong journey that likely finds her out, she bounced back to defeat Queen Goddess (Empire Maker) and Hamwood Flier (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in Santa Anita's one-mile GII Goldikiova S. Nov. 5. Juan Hernandez will need to work out a trip from the widest gate, but there is plenty of speed on paper and she should be coming at them late.

The Brown-trained Fluffy Socks (Slumber {GB}) was third in that aforementioned Del Mar Oaks, having won the local GIII Jimmy Durante S. at two. The Head of Plains homebred won the GII Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill on seasonal debut May 6, but has since dropped three straight, including a third in the Listed Athenia S. at Aqueduct Oct. 27.

Whitebeam (GB) (Caravaggio) is the likely Matriarch favorite after downing stablemate In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Diana S. going nine furlongs July 15. The Juddmonte homebred has revenge on her mind, having finished an alibi-free fourth to stable companion Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) in the GI First Lady S. at Keeneland Oct. 7.

Sunday's co-featured GIII Cecil B. DeMille S. lacks a marquee horse, and its winner could also come from a high draw. Unplaced behind Mission Beach (Curlin) and Wine Me Up (Vino Rosso) in a pair of main-track sprints, Stay Hot (Summer Front) looked like a new horse when graduating first time turf and first time long at Santa Anita Oct. 7 and exits a 10th in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Lord Bullingdon (Lord Nelson) maps to have a sweet run behind what should be a generous tempo as he looks to add to his victory in the Qatar Gold Mile Nov. 4, while D J Stable's Deadpan (Distorted Humor) looks to build on a neck maiden victory over the Keeneland turf course Oct. 28.

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‘Rising Star’ My Prankster To Stand At West Virginia’s O’Sullivan Farms For 2024

'TDN Rising Star' My Prankster (Into Mischief) has been sold and will stand the 2024 breeding season at O'Sullivan Farms, located in Charles Town, WV.

A $600,000 purchase for Robert & Lawana Low at the Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Showcase in 2020, My Prankster was trained by Todd Pletcher and broke his maiden by ten lengths in 'Rising Star' style at Saratoga. He retires with three wins in 10 career starts including the GIII Swale S. and with $314,840 in earnings.

My Prankster will join Limehouse, Aldrin, Capo Bastone and Golden Years for the 2024 season.

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Almost 30 Million Guineas Spent On Foals At Tatts But Figures Take A Dip 

Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony acknowledged the weakness of the lower end of the market as the Tattersalls December Foal Sale concluded on Saturday with a 125,000gns Showcasing (GB) filly leading the way. 

Almost 30 million gns was spent on foals this week at Tattersalls while Friday saw the most expensive foal sold so far this year–a St Mark's Basilica (Fr) filly–in Europe and North America at 575,000gns.

However, the aggregate of 29,842,902gns was down 15% on last year while the average dropped 6% to 44,608gns. The clearance rate was more or less the same, dropping 1% to 75%, while the median dropped 19% to 21,000gns.

Mahony commented, “Sustained demand for quality foals has been the feature of the four days of selling at Europe's premier foal sale. In addition to the highest price for a foal in Europe and North America this year there have been a record 29 foals sold for 200,000 guineas or more and a healthy diversity of buyers in all sectors of the market.

“The cream of the British and Irish foal crop has attracted buyers in abundance not only from Britain and Ireland but also from throughout Europe and the Gulf region as well as China, Japan and America. The overseas demand has had a significant impact on trade which, although not matching last year's record levels, has remained robust with the exception of the lower end of the market which we must all recognise has been challenging.”

He added, “The pinhookers will always be the backbone of any Tattersalls December Foal Sale and as ever they have worked tirelessly, but the contribution from so many significant owners is becoming an increasingly important and regular feature of the sale. When a sale consistently produces racehorses the calibre of 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean (GB) and the unbeaten Group 1- and 2-winning two-year-olds Vandeek (GB) and Ghostwriter (Ire), it reflects the quality of the stock presented by the consignors and it is clear that their confidence in the sale has been reciprocated by many of the world's most successful racehorse owners.

“Another positive to come out of this year's December Foal Sale has been the overwhelmingly favourable response to the break in selling on the Thursday of the sale which allowed buyers valuable extra time to view the Friday and Saturday foals. The change was introduced in response to feedback from vendors and purchasers alike and as well as being well received it is notable that the clearance rates for both Friday and Saturday have improved significantly on last year's record-breaking sale.

“With a solid Tattersalls December Foal Sale behind us we now look forward to welcoming buyers from every continent in the world to Park Paddocks for another quality renewal of the Tattersalls December Sale which features some spectacular fillies and broodmares, many of them showcased in the elite Sceptre Sessions which take place on Monday and Tuesday.”

The Saturday topper (lot 1203) was consigned by Daymark Stud and went the way of Ciaran 'Flash' Conroy. The Showcasing filly is a sister to the stakes-placed Fourth Way (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) and will be offered for resale next year. 

Conroy commented, “Let's hope she is a top lot next year! She is a lovely physical, I like the stallion – he is a very good sire of fillies. She is a really good individual, very balanced, a very good walker. She is a Book 1 individual, and from a young operation so good to see young breeders having a good result.”

The sale capped off a solid day's trade for Daymark Stud with four foals selling for 263,000gns. 

“It is a sigh of relief! It has been incredible, we are very lucky, we are a very small operation,” the stud's Josh Cameron said. “I have done every hand walk with every single foal and some days I think 'Oh maybe I should get someone to help', but I do think it helps the foals in the end. I am not sure my girlfriend has loved living with me over the last eight weeks!

“But we got there in the end and thanks to the little syndicate who own the mare Messalina for their support. Two mates bought her out of Archie Watson's yard and sent her to me, and just said, 'See how you get on!' Her first foal by Havana Grey (GB), who we sold here last year for 46,000 guineas, is going to Kevin Philippart De Foy and this year she has produced this amazing Showcasing filly, who has not missed a beat all week. She is a real athlete and for someone like Flash to buy her is unreal.”

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Maclean’s Music Firster Frolics In the Mud at Aqueduct

2nd-Aqueduct, $85,000, Msw, 12-2, 2yo, 7f, 1:21.99, my, 9 1/2 lengths.
EL CAPI (c, 2, Maclean's Music–Nightlife Baby, by Flatter) was chilly on the board at 13-1 from a morning line of 6-1, but ran them off their feet in Saturday's second race at Aqueduct to open his account in impressive fashion. Hustled away from the inside gate by Jose Gomez, the bay was in front after 100 yards and had already opened an imposing advantage through a quarter in :22.03. Still going great guns after a half-mile in a slick :44.73, El Capi was under a vigorous hand ride through the final furlong and was well clear under the line. Hop Sing (Curlin), the well-backed 8-5 favorite, was off slowly, was deftly angled to the inside by Luis Saez on the turn and just managed to outfinish $1-million KEESEP graduate Conquest Warrior (City of Light), who was last into stride, took an overland route on the turn and stayed on gamely to be third at a lightly regarded 10-1. Having most recently sold for $220,000 at the OBS March Sale, El Capi had made three previous trips through a sales ring. A $35,000 Keeneland November weanling, he fetched the identical amount at last year's Fasig-Tipton February sale and made $75,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale last October. When mated with A.P. Indy-line dams, Maclean's Music has sired two of his four Grade I winners–Jackie's Warrior and Cloud Computing–while GSW & GISP Dance to the Music holds the same distinction. Fellow Grade III winner Classic Rock has a second dam by A.P. Indy. Nightlife Baby's foal of 2022, a colt by Good Magic, was a $60,000 KEENOV weanling purchase by Machmer Hall that was knocked down to Oracle Bloodstock for $230,000 at KEESEP this year. The weanling relation is another colt by Good Magic and Nightlife Baby was most recently bred back to Maclean's Music. Sales history: $35,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $35,000 Ylg '22 FTKFEB; $75,000 Ylg '22 EASOCT; $220,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $46,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-P and G Stable; B-Robert Losey & Maclean's Music Syndicate (KY); T-Richard E Dutrow Jr.

 

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