“He got the job done today,” said winning jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. “Luis [Saez] was riding, and I was riding, and coming to the wire, he got his head in front. In the Breeders' Cup Mile (GI), he stumbled at the break, but I kept asking, and he kept trying. And he was facing some very good horses. It's nice to see him back and in great condition. Hopefully, he'll have another great year.”

Out of GSW/MGISP My Miss Sophia, Annapolis has a 2-year-old full-brother, Eisenhower, and a newborn half-sister by Gun Runner. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

OPENING VERSE S., $297,500, Churchill Downs, 5-4, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:35.73, fm.
1–ANNAPOLIS, 124, c, 4, War Front–My Miss Sophia (GSW &
MGISP, $605,040), by Unbridled's Song. 'TDN Rising Star'.
O/B-Bass Stables, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.
$175,270. Lifetime Record: GISW, 9-6-2-0, $1,341,370. *Full to
Nevisian Sunrise, SP, $196,180.
2–Churchtown, 120, g, 4, Air Force Blue–Complicated, by
Blame. ($65,000 RNA Wlg '19 KEENOV; $40,000 RNA Ylg '20
KEESEP). O/B-William Harrigan & Mike Pietrangelo (KY);
T-Roger L. Attfield. $56,700.
3–Set Piece (GB), 120, g, 7, Dansili (GB)–Portodora, by
Kingmambo. O/B-Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB); T-Brad H.
Cox. $25,850.
Margins: HD, 2, HD. Odds: 0.83, 7.88, 3.70.
Also Ran: English Bee, Stitched, Get Smokin, Kentucky Ghost, Time to Party, Gray's Fable, Camp Hope, Native Thunder. Scratched: Sky and Sand.

The post Annapolis Returns A Winner In Opening Verse appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

AMERICAN HEROINE (f, 3, War Front–Chatham {MSP, $156,431}, by Maria's Mon) debuted on the turf at this venue Jan. 2 without Lasix, producing a closing kick which carried her five wide into the lane but also to third place within a length of winning. With this race coming off the turf, she broke well and secured a forward position as the 8-5 chalk. The $1.05 million KEESEP score glued herself to the early lead from second on the outside until the far turn, where she tugged her way to the front. Leading a cavalry charge home, Tyler Gaffalione kept his filly's mind on running and despite a huge closing move from Mitigation (Into Mischief), American Heroine had just enough left to hold on by a head in a photo finish. The final time of 1:45.10 is a new track record on the all-weather.

One of six full-siblings, including Air Force Blue, Hwt. Colt-Ire, Hwt. Colt-Eur, MG1SW-Ire, G1SW-Eng, $844,919, the victress is her dam's sixth overall winner from nine to start. Chatham's offspring have always brought interest at Keeneland September: Schon Meer (Arch) bringing $475,000 in 2011; Bugle (War Front) for $400,000; Air Force Blue hammering for $490,000 to M V Magnier; Soleil de Paris (Lemon Drop Kid) for $535,000; and the 2-year-old Sir Blue Eyes (War Front) going for a cool $1 million last year to Lynnhaven Racing. The dam was a shrewd $190,000 purchase by Arthur Hancock for Stone Farm in 2009 at Keeneland November and is expecting a foal this year by a perennial top-sire in Curlin. Sales history: $1,050,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $37,100. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

O-Stone Farm and Augustin Stable; B-Stone Farm (KY); T-Christophe Clement.

The post Full to Air Force Blue Breaks Maiden and Track Record appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Trained by Mark Hennig, the daughter of Air Force Blue provided her connections with the second win of her career, defeating winners for the first time after breaking her maiden at second asking going wire-to-wire in an off-the-turf maiden special weight at Saratoga Race Course in 2020.

The 4-year-old Mashnee Girl returned from a year-long layoff this September after fracturing a sesamoid and needing surgery to place a screw. Her win Thursday garnered an 85 Beyer Speed Figure and came in her fourth start since returning to the races. It was the first time Mashnee Girl had raced at one mile since October 2020 and the first time she set the pace since her maiden score.

“We were very excited with the figure because she came back from that long layoff,” said Steve Schuster, owner and operator of Mashnee Stables. “She went back into training in July and her first few races in the fall got her back into shape a little bit. The patience was worth it. Going back to a mile and going to the front definitely helped.”

Mashnee Stables, which boards 4-to-6 mares at a time at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, was founded by Schuster, a lifelong racing fan and longtime owner in the thoroughbred industry. Mashnee Stables has raced three of their homebreds to date, winning their first race as owners and breeders with Cape Cod Girl at Belmont in 2019.

The farm's name stems from Schuster's home of Mashnee Island in Massachusetts, a small peninsula on Buzzards Bay that is home to around 140 houses. New York's proximity to Massachusetts, combined with the incentives the New York-bred program offers, led Schuster to set up his operations in the Empire State seven years ago.

“Mashnee Island is a part of Cape Cod and that's where we live. I was involved in horse racing for a long time,” Schuster said. “I was a partner in some partnerships and wanted to branch off into breeding and be involved in a bigger way. We just love the New York program. It's a great opportunity for breeders and owners.”

Schuster says the biggest accomplishment for his operation so far was visiting the winner's circle at Saratoga with Mashnee Girl.

“It was so exciting to breed a horse that won at Saratoga,” Schuster said. “Unfortunately, it was during the pandemic, but we were all there.”

Schuster said he usually retains one horse to race from his foal crop each year and sends the rest to the sales.

“We've been having success at the auctions and on the racetrack, too,” Schuster said. “We have another horse that we bred named Ruvies in Time that won an allowance last week at Aqueduct and won a starter stakes [Videogenic] last year. We had sold her [for $95,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale in 2018] too.”

Schuster said he is hopeful about the prospects of future siblings of Mashnee Girl.

“We have a horse who just turned three named Cape Cod Causeway. She's a half-sister to Mashnee Girl,” said Schuster. “She's raced a few times and has been showing a lot of promise.”

The post ‘Patience Was Worth It’: Mashnee Girl Provides Thrill To Boutique New York Operation appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

From two crops of racing age, Air Force Blue is responsible for five black-type winners, including Astronomer, who won Del Mar's Qatar Golden Mile S. on the Breeders' Cup Friday undercard; and Canadian Classic winner Haddassah, who captured Fort Erie's Prince of Wales S.

Air Force Blue, bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm, brought $490,000 from Magnier, Tabor and Smith at the 2014 KEESEP yearling sale. The G1 Dubai Dewhurst S., G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. and G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. hero previously stood at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky.

The post Air Force Blue to South Korea appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The 8-year-old son of War Front previously stood at Ashford Stud in Kentucky, where he retired to debut for the 2017 breeding season. His oldest foals are 3-year-olds of 2021.

Leading the way among Air Force Blue's runners is Haddassah, who won this year's Prince of Wales Stakes, a Canadian classic.

Bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm out of the stakes-placed Maria's Mon mare Chatham, Air Force Blue sold to the Coolmore partnership at the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He'd go on to be named Europe's champion 2-year-old male of 2018 after a campaign that featured Group 1 victories in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes and Phoenix Stakes in Ireland and the Dewhurst Stakes in England.

Air Force Blue retired with nine wins in four starts for earnings of $844,919.

Read more at BloodHorse.

The post Air Force Blue Sold To Stand In Korea appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

5th-AQU, $80k, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, post time: 1:45 p.m. ET
WINIT (Tapit), a $410,000 KEEESEP yearling purchase by Whisper Hill Farm, debuts in this two-turn grass affair for trainer John Kimmel. The gray was produced by a winning full-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine New Money Honey (Medaglia d'Oro). Winit tuned up for this with a four-furlong breeze in :48 (2/36) from the gate at Belmont Nov. 11. TJCIS PPs

7th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, post time: 4:06 p.m. ET
Stonestreet homebred LA CRETE (Medaglia d'Oro) gets her career started in this two-turn test beneath the Twin Spires. The bay filly is a half-sister to GISW Clairiere (Curlin), who rallied to finish a close fourth after a wide trip in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar. The 5-2 morning-line favorite is trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen and will be ridden by Joel Rosario. TJCIS PPs

11th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, post time: 6:06 p.m. ET
Trainer Ken McPeek unveils RUN THE TAP (Gun Runner), a half-sister to grassy GI Fourstardave H. winner Halladay (War Front). The gray brought $210,000 from Walking L Thoroughbreds LLC at last year's Keeneland September Yearling sale. Leading freshman sire Gun Runner is already responsible for 21 winners. She is listed at 8-1 on the morning-line in this nine-horse field. TJCIS PPs

6th-DMR, $70k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, post time: 6:00 p.m. ET
MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm LLC's well-named MICRO SHARE (Upstart) takes on nine rivals in this debut run for Hall of Famer Richard Mandella. The dark bay, out of the unraced The Daddy mare Who'sbeeninmybed, was a :20 4/5 breezer and $450,000 purchase at the OBS April Sale. The field also includes fellow firster Empire Gal (Empire Maker), produced by a winning full-sister to the brilliant Untapable (Tapit). TJCIS PPs

The post Saturday Insights: Promising Maidens on Display at Aqueduct, Churchill and Del Mar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Well-placed in the early stages of the one-mile contest over the infield grass event. Astronomer was guided to the inside by Moore for the stretch run and responded to urging to out-finish Optimising and win by a half-length in 1:35.37 for the mile.

Runner-up Optimising, piloted by John Velazquez, nosed out Degree of Risk, with Boise fourth in the field of nine two-year-olds. Ready to Purform, the 6-5 favorite, was seventh.

Astronomer, a son of Air Force Blue owned by Bamford and Tabor and trained by Simon Callaghan, returned $62.60, $23.20 and $10.60 after scoring his second win in four starts. Optimising paid $8.60 and $5.20, while Degree of Risk returned 3.20 to show.

RYAN MOORE (Astronomer, winner) – “We had a good trip; very comfortable all the way. He sat in behind horses and he handled that well. When it came time he was there for me.”

SIMON CALLAGHAN (Astronomer, winner) “Del Mar didn't work out well for him this summer (0-for-2) but he had a breakthrough race winning at Golden Gate Fields and he is improving. He's out of a mare that I trained for owners Michael (Tabor) and Alice (Bamford), which is very nice. And it was an excellent ride from Ryan Moore.”

FRACTIONS: :22.53 :46.89 1:11.32 1:23.48 1:35.37

The victory was rider Moore's third at Del Mar.

Trainer Callaghan was winning his 15 stakes at Del Mar.

The winning owners are Alice Bamford or Michael Tabor of Lexingon, KY.

The post Ryan Moore Pilots Longshot Astronomer To Victory In Qatar Golden Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Uncle Mo, a 13-year-old son of Indian Charlie, has been led this year by the star sprinter Yaupon, who won the Grade 1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga.

Other runners of note by Uncle Mo in 2021 include Grade 2 winners Golden Pal and Mo Forza, Grade 3 winners Mo Mosa and Modernist, and Grade 1-placed Envoutante.

Triple Crown winner Justify will stand for $100,000. The son of Scat Daddy's first foals will be 2-year-olds of 2022.

Fellow Triple Crown winner American Pharoah will stand for $80,000. A son of Pioneerof the Nile, American Pharoah's 2021 runners have included Japanese Group 1 winner Cafe Pharoah, and U.S. Grade 2 winners As Time Goes By and Merneith.

Three stallions on the Ashford roster saw increased fees for 2022, led by the red-hot Munnings, whose rate rose from $40,000 to $85,000.

The son of Speightstown is among North America's leading sires of stakes winners in 2021, including a pair of high-profile Grade 1 winners in leading Breeders' Cup Juvenile contender Jack Christopher and Madison Stakes winner Kimari.

Caravaggio will see his fee increase from $25,000 to $35,000. The Scat Daddy stallion's first crop of Irish-sired runners hit the track in 2021, led by English Group 1 winner Tenebrism, and Irish Group 2 winner Agartha. His first crop of North American-sired foals will arrive in 2022.

Fellow freshman sire Practical Joke also saw his fee rise to $35,000 after previously standing for $22,500. Runners from the son of Into Mischief's first class of juveniles include Grade 3 winner Wit and stakes winner Joker Boy.

Following is a complete list of advertised fees for Ashford Stud's 2022 roster:

Air Force Blue – $7,500
American Pharoah – $80,000
Caravaggio – $35,000
Classic Empire – $17,500
Cupid – $5,000
Echo Town – $7,500
Justify – $100,000
Lookin at Lucky – $15,000
Maximum Security – $15,000
Mendelssohn – $35,000
Mo Town – $7,500
Munnings – $85,000
Practical Joke – $35,000
Tiz the Law – $35,000
Uncle Mo – $160,000

The post Uncle Mo Leads Ashford Stud’s 2022 Roster At $160,000 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

A total of 10 stallions will be on offer for breedings on Southern Hemisphere time, led by champion Uncle Mo, whose advertised fee for the season is $30,000.

The 13-year-old son of Indian Charlie's Southern Hemisphere runners are led by Man From Uncle, who is a multiple group stakes winner in Australia. Other runners of note on that side of the world include Australian group-placed Moqueen, St Covet's Spirit, Miss Moana, and Sister Sledge.

Two young stallions will stand for $10,000: the international runner Caravaggio, whose first foals are 2-year-olds of 2021, and Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law, who recently completed his first Northern Hemisphere season at stud. Tiz the Law was initially scheduled to stand in Chile this summer, but he will remain in the U.S.

Maximum Security and Classic Empire will stand for $7,500, while Air Force Blue, Cupid, Echo Town, and Mo Town will stand for $5,000.

The post Summer Southern Hemisphere Breeding Season Rates Set For Domestic Ashford Stud Residents appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The post Half-Brother to Siyarafina on Deck at Saint-Cloud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post