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TDN Snippets: Week of May 1-8

It was a hectic week in the Thoroughbred business with all eyes firmly focussed on Louisville, Kentucky. Here are some facts and figures that you might have missed in the rush.

Record Numbers…

Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby (single race) totaled $179 million, up 15% over 2021 and up 8% from the previous record of $166.5-million set in 2019. This year's wagering record includes $8.3 million of handle put through the window in Japan.

The Smart Strike Factor…

As a broodmare sire, Smart Strike has the distinction of having two of the four biggest longshots in history to win the Derby with Mine That Bird (Birdstone), who paid $103.20 in 2009, and now Rich Strike at $163.60. Rich Strike is actually inbred 3×2 to the former Lane's End stallion.

Five And Counting…

It was a long time between Kentucky Oaks wins, but Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas now has five to his credit. Blush With Pride (1982), Lucky Lucky Lucky (1984), Open Mind (1989), Seaside Attraction (1990). Will Secret Oath (Arrogate) prove to be the best yet?

Galileo's Week in Europe…

This week has taken the form of a prolonged tribute to the late, great Galileo. After clinching the worldwide stakes record from Danehill (347) only last week, the floodgates have well and truly opened since then, and Sadler's Wells's finest son now sits on 353. Not sure all records are made to be broken?

The New Ghostzapper?…

In the post-race interview, Chad Brown compared undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings) to Hall of Famer Ghostzapper (Awesome Again), who Brown worked with while under the tutelage of Bobby Frankel. “This horse reminds me a lot of Ghostzapper, I was fortunate to work with that horse, he moves about the same as him and that one had a few rough patches as well.” Music to the ears of Jim Bakke, Gerry Isbister, Coolmore Stud and White Birch Farm.

A Curlin Graded Double For Mott…

Hall of Famer Bill Mott registered a graded-stakes triple over the weekend, including a pair of Curlin offspring for two of the world's premier breeding operations. At Churchill Saturday afternoon, Juddmonte Farms' Obligatory flashed home for a breakthrough Grade I success in the Derby City Distaff, while in New York a few hours later, Godolphin's Cody's Wish was a towering winner of the GIII Westchester S., a course-and-distance lead-up for the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. on Belmont Day June 11. Mott also won Friday's GII Alysheba S. with the progressive Olympiad (Speightstown).

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Obligatory From Out of the Clouds in Derby City Distaff

In another zip code at the top of the stretch, Juddmonte homebred Obligatory (Curlin) turned in a furious stretch rally to record a career high in Saturday's GI Derby City Distaff S. at Churchill Downs.

Favored Just One Time (Not This Time), a last out winner of Keeneland's GI Madison S., showed the way through fractions of :22.36 and :44.95 and hit the quarter pole as the one to catch. Obligatory, meanwhile, last of seven throughout, tipped out six wide beneath Jose Ortiz for the stretch run. Longshot Four Graces (Majesticperfection) took over from the pacesetter in deep stretch, but couldn't withstand the streaking gray, who came rolling over the top to get up by 3/4 of a length. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to Just One Time in third.

“The only thing I reminded Jose [Ortiz] about beforehand was something he knew: her stretch run is her weapon,” Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “The goal with a filly like this is to get her a Grade I. She loves Churchill; for whatever reason she just really does well at this track. She's won a Grade II and a Grade III here, so we pointed for this race to get her her Grade I. Glad she got it.”

A 16-1 upset winner from out of the clouds in the GII Eight Belles S. on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard last year, Obligatory's sophomore campaign also included second-place finishes in the GI Acorn S. June 5 and GI Cotillion S. Sept. 25. She entered the Derby City Distaff riding a two-race winning streak, capturing the GIII Chilukki S. in her season finale beneath the Twin Spires Nov. 20 and the GIII Hurricane Bertie S. at Gulfstream Mar. 12. She is now three-for-three at Churchill Downs.

“She's a very nice mare,” Ortiz said. “I feel like she's getting better and better. I just waited and let her get into her own rhythm. They were going very fast on the front end. I was sitting at the back of the pack. I didn't want to sweep her off her feet to get a good finish. I was very happy with the trip I had. I swung a little wide because I felt like I had enough [horse].”

Pedigree Notes:

Obligatory becomes the 18th Grade I winner for Hill 'n' Dale's leading sire Curlin. He has sired 47 graded winners. Macho Uno is the broodmare sire of six graded winners, including GI Kentucky Derby starter Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile). This is his first Grade I winner in North America. Obligatory is a third-generation Juddmonte homebred. Juddmonte bought her unraced third dam, Nijinsky Star, for $700,000 at the 1987 Keeneland November sale. Among the three stakes winners Nijinsky Star produced were Juddmonte's Viviana (Nureyev), who produced seven-time GISW Sightseek (Distant View) and dual GISW Tates Creek (Rahy). Another daughter was the conduit for Juddmonte's recent MGSW & MGISP Bonny South (Munnings) and Obligatory's dam is a half sister to French G1SW Etoile Montante (Miswaki). Obligatory's fourth dam is Hall of Famer Chris Evert (Swoon's Son), whose descendants include champion Chief's Crown (Danzig). The extended family is positively bursting with stakes performers, including recent G1 Saudi Cup runner-up Country Grammer (Tonalist). Uno Duo has a 2-year-old colt by Juddmonte's late Arrogate named Treble Clef and a yearling filly by Into Mischief. She was bred to Speightstown for this season.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
DERBY CITY DISTAFF S. PRESENTED BY KENDALL-JACKSON WINERY-GI, $750,000, Churchill Downs, 5-7, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:22.17, ft.
1–OBLIGATORY, 123, f, 4, by Curlin
                1st Dam: Uno Duo (SW, $171,300), by Macho Uno
                2nd Dam: Willstar, by Nureyev
                3rd Dam: Nijinsky Star, by Nijinsky II
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $455,700. Lifetime Record: 11-5-2-0, $1,228,594. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Four Graces, 123, m, 5, by Majesticperfection
               1st Dam: Ivory Empress (GSP, $189,402), by Seeking    the Gold
                2nd Dam: Madame Pandit, by Wild Again
                3rd Dam: Tuesday Evening, by Nodouble
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Whitham Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes. $147,000.
3–Just One Time, 123, f, 4, by Not This Time
                1st Dam: Ida Clark, by Speightstown
                2nd Dam: Eliza Donner, by Oh Say
                3rd Dam: Witch Wabbit, by Salem
O-Warriors Reward, LLC and Commonwealth New Era Racing; B-Warrior's Reward LLC (PA); T-Brad H. Cox. $73,500.
Margins: 3/4, 2HF, NK. Odds: 3.80, 16.20, 1.50.
Also Ran: Bell's the One, Kimari, Edgeway, Center Aisle. Scratched: Lady Rocket.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Four Straight for Speightstown’s Olympiad

And the beat goes on for Olympiad (Speightstown), who looked to be in all sorts of trouble entering the final furlong of Friday's GII Alysheba S., but he called on his class and talent to repel a challenge from 'TDN Rising Star' Happy Saver (Super Saver) to remain perfect from four starts this season.

Away alertly, the odds-on favorite raced prominently under the wire for the first time and had company to his inside in the form of Weyburn (Pioneerof the Nile) and from a three-wide Happy Saver. The Chiefswood homebred Weyburn took the Alysheba along through a steady opening half-mile, but Olympiad was asked to creep closer by Junior Alvarado with three furlongs to race. Happy Saver had that move covered and, indeed, appeared to be going the better of the two as he turned into the stretch with a clear advantage. Olympiad braced for the fight and, once swapping over to his correct lead at about the eighth pole and despite being race-ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard Happy Saver, found his second wind and proved a clear-cut winner in the finish. Title Ready (More Than Ready) rallied for third ahead of the hulking Weyburn, who looked to put a foot under the rail and bounced off the fence at the furlong grounds, albeit once a beaten horse.

A big-figure allowance winner at Keeneland last October, Olympiad was given a serious class test in the GI Cigar Mile H. Dec. 4 and did well to finish fourth. It's been nothing but blue skies since a stretch out to two turns this term, as the $700,000 Keeneland September buy thrashed Gulfstream allowance rivals by better than seven lengths Jan. 15 ahead of victories in the GIII Mineshaft S. Feb. 19 and Mar. 26 GII New Orleans Classic.

“It takes him awhile to get into his nice rhythm but then after that it's over,” Alvarado said. “Happy Saver was trying to do his job, riding tough on me trying not to give me much room for my horse to finish up his run. I knew there was a horse in there, but I tried to help a little bit, to keep my momentum going forward, but I like I said I wasn't doing anything, it was the horse on the outside putting the pressure on me.”

Pedigree Notes:

Hailing from one of the best Emory Hamilton families, Olympiad is out of a Grade III-placed half-sister to GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile heroine Hungry Island (More Than Ready), whose three winners from three to the races includes the stakes-placed Hamilton homebred mare Hungry Kitten (Kitten's Joy). Tokyo Time is also a half-sister to GSW Soaring Empire (Empire Maker) and to Flying Dixie (Dixieland Band), the dam of GISW and current Airdrie Stud sire Preservationist (Arch). Third dam Chic Shirine, winner of the 1987 GI Ashland S. and fifth in that year's GI Kentucky Oaks for Wayne Lukas, was a full-sister to champion older mare Queena and bred the graded-winning full-sibs Waldoboro (Lyphard) and Tara Roma as well as the dam of GISW Somali Lemonade (Lemon Drop Kid) and SW Rasta Farian (Holy Bull). Dual Grade I winner Verrazano (More Than Ready) also appears under the third dam.

Olympiad is bred on the exact same cross as ill-fated Grade I winner Rock Fall and GISW Competitionofideas and additional graded winners Souper Stonehenge and Strike Power.

Tokyo Time is the dam of the maiden 3-year-old colt Friendship Road (Quality Road), a 2-year-old filly by War Front and a yearling colt by American Pharoah. She was most recently served by Quality Road.

Friday, Churchill Downs
ALYSHEBA S. PRESENTED BY SENTIENT JET-GII, $500,000, Churchill Downs, 5-6, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:41.60, ft.
1–OLYMPIAD, 120, c, 4, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Tokyo Time (GSP, $249,177), by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Flying Passage, by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Chic Shirine, by Mr. Prospector
($700,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable, LLC and LNJ Foxwoods; B-Emory A. Hamilton (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $303,800. Lifetime Record: 9-6-1-1, $952,240. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Happy Saver, 118, h, 5, Super Saver–Happy Week, by Distorted Humor. *TDN Rising Star* O/B-Wertheimer Et Frere    (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $98,000.
3–Title Ready, 118, h, 7, More Than Ready–Title Seeker, by Monarchos. O/B-Charles Fipke (KY); T-Dallas Stewart. $49,000.
Margins: 2HF, 1HF, 2HF. Odds: 0.90, 3.70, 25.80.
Also Ran: Weyburn, Soy Tapatio, Fulsome, Max Player. Scratched: Militarist.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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War Like Goddess Goes Back-To-Back in Bewitch

Those who swallowed the 1-5 on the comebacking War Like Goddess (English Channel) in Friday's closing-day GIII Bewtich S. at Keeneland were made to sweat it out, but the gaps finally came with time ticking away and the George Krikorian colorbearer proved best following a trip that can best be described as adventurous.

With Joel Rosario somewhat controversially taking over at the controls from Julien Leparoux aboard the 2021 Eclipse Award finalist, War Like Goddess settled in third position in a scratched-down field of just five turf marathoners, but the pace more resembled that of a Standardbred race, causing War Like Goddess to race extremely keenly, tugging for her head while behind the walking tempo passing the grandstand for the first time.

Continuing inside and still traveling freely past halfway in a near-farcical 1:19.88, War Like Goddess settled slightly better for the run into the final turn, but nevertheless was shuffled back and locked away in desperate need of daylight as they turned for home. It looked for a stride or two like she might not get out in time, but she muscled her way through with about a furlong to race and was home first.

“I was concerned about how much pace there would or would not be in the race, and there wasn't any,” said winning trainer Bill Mott. “Actually, I'm not so sure I've been in a race on firm turf that was any slower than this, so it was quite a challenge for [jockey Joel Rosario] to keep her in behind those horses and wait until they turned for home. I think Joel did well with the way it didn't set up for us, and the filly was good enough to win.”

Winning is something War Like Goddess has become accustomed to, as she was batting .750 entering Friday's title defense. Winner of the GIII Orchid S. prior to annexing this event last season, she added soft wins in the GII Glens Falls S. and GI Flower Bowl Invitational S. at Saratoga last summer and was the 23-10 pick in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Allowed to settle for the opening mile, she went for a wide, if a touch premature run, about three furlongs from home and could not quite hold on late, finishing third to Japan's Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who secured the Eclipse in the process.

Pedigree Notes:

Calumet Farm acquired Misty North for $30,000 in foal to Cape Blanco (Ire) at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale and it took just $1,200 for them to part with War Like Goddess at the 2017 November Sale. Bought back for the upset price of $1,000 at Keeneland September the following fall, she showed enough to fetch $30,000 at OBS June in 2019. Calumet sold Misty North for $1,000 at KEENOV in 2019 and the mare produced a colt from the second crop of Bal a Bali (Brz) in 2020, her last listed produce.

Friday, Keeneland
BEWITCH S.-GIII, $298,500, Keeneland, 4-29, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/2mT, 2:31.26, fm.
1–WAR LIKE GODDESS, 118, m, 5, by English Channel
                1st Dam: Misty North, by North Light (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Misty Gallop, by Victory Gallop
                3rd Dam: Romanette, by Alleged
($1,200 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $1,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP; $30,000
2yo '19 OBSOPN). O-George Krikorian; B-Calumet Farm (KY);
T-William I. Mott; J-Joel Rosario. $186,000. Lifetime Record:
GISW, 9-7-0-1, $1,079,684. Werk Nick Rating: F.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Family Way, 120, m, 5, Uncle Mo–Susie's Baby, by Giant's
Causeway. ($775,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; €150,000 3yo '20
ARQDEC). O-Hunter Valley Farm, Debra L O'Connor, and Marc
Detampel; B-Diamond Creek Farm (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh.
$60,000.
3–Core Values, 118, f, 4, Honor Code–Sweet Awakening, by
Street Cry (Ire). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($230,000 Ylg '19
KEESEP). O-BBN Racing, LLC; B-John Bates, Ron Kirk & Michael
Riordan (KY); T-Victoria H. Oliver. $30,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.20, 3.50, 24.70.
Also Ran: Breeze Rider, La Lune (GB). Scratched: Luck Money, Stand Tall.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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