LEXINGTON, KY – Three Witches (Into Mischief) provided the highlight of a workaday Book 2 section of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale when selling for $1.7 million Friday in Lexington. Book 2 opened with a uneven session Thursday at Keeneland, but activity was more consistent throughout Friday's Book 2 finale.

“It was a solid day of trade,” said Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “From start to finish, it felt a little more consistent and healthy today. Yesterday was a little bumpy, the clearance rate was a little higher than we probably would have liked, but today was a lot more consistent.”

Through the two Book 2 sessions, 444 horses sold through the ring for a total of $69,520,000. The section's average of $153,599 was down 15.1% from the 2022 Book 2 figure, while the median fell 20%.

“There is certainly a little bit of an adjustment through the marketplace, but I think everyone felt pragmatic about it,” Lacy said. “I think it was an encouraging day. The money is still here for the right horses.”

Consigned by Indian Creek on behalf of Bob Edwards's e Five Racing, Three Witches brought the section's top price when selling for $1.7 million in the name of Rifa Mustang Europe, Ltd.

“Quality mares, young mares, well bred with the right breeding and not overly exposed, were highly desirable,” said Lacy. “I think that's been the consistent theme that we've seen so far. When we saw Three Witches go through for $1.7 million going to a client that is pretty established internationally, that's really encouraging. We are seeing that international investment still here.”

Justify, who had a pair of winners on Breeders' Cup weekend, was represented by the top two weanlings during Friday's session. Paul Sharp went to $525,000 for a daughter of the Triple Crown winner and AAA Thoroughbreds acquired a colt for $425,000.

The Keeneland November sale continues through Nov. 16 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

Three Witches Stars at Keeneland Friday

Three Witches (Into Mischief) (hip 936), just a week removed from a third-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint, became the 12th seven-figure filly of the Keeneland November sale when selling for $1.7 million to the internet bid of Rifa Mustang Europe, Ltd. The 4-year-old is expected to stay in training in the U.S. next year.

“She'll stay here in America and we'll try again on the racetrack,” said Keeneland Australian representative Barry Bowditch. “For a mare that raced five days ago, in one of the strongest Breeders' Cup races of the week, she looked so well and handled the trip back so well. You just feel that the best of her racing is yet to come. It will be great to have a new investor racing horses here in America.”

The spell is cast at $1.7 million for Three Witches.#KeeNov @IndianCreekKy @e5Racing pic.twitter.com/634fpWBgEB

— Keeneland Sales (@keenelandsales) November 10, 2023

Bowditch said a trainer is still being discussed for the filly's 2024 campaign.

Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan purchased Three Witches on behalf of Bob Edwards's e Five Racing for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September sale. Trained by Saffie Joseph, the dark bay earned a trip to the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita with a win in the GIII Princess Rooney S. in October.

“It's always a hard decision [to sell] when you have something special that's won a Grade III and you drop her in the Breeders' Cup and, at 30-1, she hits the board,” Edwards said. “We believed in her and Saffie did a phenomenal job suiting her up and getting that Princess Rooney win for us and getting to the Breeders' Cup. That was all Saffie.”

Of the decision to send the graded-stakes winner through the ring at Keeneland, Edwards said, “I have a fair number of mares now. I have graded-stakes-winning mares on the roster and I figured I would move some inventory and see what happens next. We need to make room for up-and-coming stars.”

Edwards admitted Three Witches' $1.7-million price tag was above expectations.

“I was super excited with that result,” he said. “We knew there would be interest, we knew she would be the big horse for today. Keeneland did a phenomenal job. Chip McGaughey and his crew did a great job recruiting her and obviously bringing in the buyers. We were super happy with the job they did and the outcome was phenomenal. I wasn't expecting $1.7 million, but I was very happy to get it.” @JessMartiniTDN

Sharp Splurges for Justify Filly

Paul and Sarah Sharp, sitting in a back row of the sales pavilion, went to $525,000 to acquire a weanling filly by Justify (hip 975) from the Elite consignment Friday at Keeneland. The filly was the day's highest-priced weanling.

“We have been trying to buy really nice horses like that from the beginning of the sale and across town [at Fasig-Tipton] as well,” Paul Sharp said. “It's been really hard.”

Paul Sharp | Keeneland

The bay filly is out of Ada Lovelace (Algorithms), a half-sister to sprint champion Mitole (Eskendereya) and to Grade I winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow).

“That was a legit family and a very athletic, really nice filly by one of the best sires in the world at this time,” Sharp said. “I feel like that justified the price and we are very happy to have her. It was a little higher than we wanted to go, honestly, but we are running out of bullets.”

The weanling was bred by Villa Rosa Stables, which purchased Ada Lovelace for $110,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

“Right now, the plan is to sell her back next summer,” Sharp, who signed for the filly as CSWV, said. “We're not sure where, but that's the plan.”

CSWV purchased another daughter of Justify Friday at Keeneland, going to $290,000 to acquire hip 793 from the Paramount Sales consignment. Through three sessions, the partnership has purchased five weanlings for $1,295,000. @JessMartiniTDN

Justify Colt to AAA Thoroughbreds

Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo's AAA Thoroughbreds, which has been busy buying weanlings from the Fasig-Tipton November sale Tuesday and into the first week of the Keeneland November sale, purchased a colt by Justify (hip 855) for $425,000 Friday in Lexington.

Hip 855 | Keeneland

“He's just a beautiful horse,” said Hartley. “We are big fans of Justify. When Scat Daddy passed away, we never dreamed that we would have another stallion that could replace him, let alone a Triple Crown-winning son of his. We came here in September and tried to buy every one that we could get our hands on. We bought, I think, six of them in September. We came here with the same goal in mind and the [Justify's two winners at the] Breeders' Cup just did it for us. He's the kind of stallion we haven't seen in a long time. I know Gun Runner got off to a really good start, but it looks like Justify is going to follow in the same suit.”

The chestnut colt, consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, is out of Saralin (Curlin), a half-sister to graded winners Salutos Amigos (Salute the Sarge) and Sarah's Secret (Leroidesanimuax {Brz}). He was bred by Orpendale, Chelston, Wynatt, and Kaleem Shah.

Shah and M.V. Magnier purchased Saralin for $1.3 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale. She made just one racetrack appearance and her first foal, another colt by Justify, sold for $300,000 at this year's Keeneland September sale. The mare proceeded her weanling into the ring, selling not mated to Shah for $285,000.

Through three sessions, AAA Thoroughbreds has purchased 14 weanlings for $4,370,000. A filly by Curlin (hip 151) leads the operation's acquistions with a price tag of $550,000. Earlier in Friday's session, it acquired another colt by Justify (hip 812) for $250,000.

“I just had a big order for babies–I needed about 20,” Hartley said. “I buy some for Tom Durant in Texas. He likes buying babies because he feels like he gets a little bit of a discount. This colt might have made $600,000 or $700,000 as a yearling. He feels he can save a little if he can get some nice babies. Some [that we are buying here] will be for pinhooking and some will go to him in Texas.”

Also Friday, AAA Thoroughbreds added to its collection of weanlings by first-crop sire Yaupon. With the addition of a filly (hip 733) for $300,000, the operation has now purchased three weanlings by the Spendthrift stallion for $1.15 million. @JessMartiniTDN

Colt By Nyquist Goes For $385K at KEENOV

With the market continuing to remain competitive for weanlings, a colt by Nyquist (Hip 893) reached $385,000 at Keeneland Friday. Baroda Stud's David Cox signed the ticket on behalf of Goodwill Bloodstock. Hunter Valley Farm consigned the bay colt.

The Feb. 10 foal is out of the Bernardini mare Spa Treatment, a daughter of SW and GISP Silver Knockers (Silver Deputy) and a half-sister to SW Manipulated (Malibu Moon). This is the extended family of Grade I winner Joe's Tammie (Zoning).

“He's a real athlete, a great cross,” said Cox. “Hopefully, he'll be resold [pinhooked] next year. [Nyquist] is proven, and has good runners. We tried to buy a few more, but we got beat plenty, so we're delighted to get him.”–@CbossTDN

Charlatan Colt Brings $370K Early on Day 3

A colt by Charlatan brought $370,000 from Stonestreet Stables during Friday's Book 2 finale at Keeneland. He was consigned as Hip 695 by John Stuart's Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, acting as agent for Merribelle Stable.

Charlatan | Coady

Out of Hillhouse High (Exchange Rate), the Jan. 23 foal hails from the notable Sam-Son Farm family, including Canadian champions Regal Classic, Sky Classic, Classy 'N Smart and Always a Classic.

Headed by this colt, 14 weanlings sold by the sire–with four surpassing the $200,000 mark–through three days of selling at Keeneland. The weanlings grossed $2,810,000, averaging $200,714. Charlatan stands for $50,000 LFSN at Hill 'n' Dale Farms in 2024.

Campaigned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Fred Hertrich, III, John Fielding,

and Golconda Stables, the son of Speightstown was trained by Bob Baffert. The 'TDN Rising Star' won his first four career starts, including the GI Arkansas Derby and GI Runhappy Malibu S. before finishing second in what would be his career finale in the 2021 G1 Saudi Cup.

“Barbara [Banke] owns Charlatan and we still own a good piece of him as a stallion,” said Stonestreet advisor John Moynihan. “She really wanted a nice one, so he was one of the better ones we saw. [Charlatan's] weanlings have been really well received and we're really excited. We bought him to run. Barbara saw him [Thursday] and really liked him. Hopefully, we'll get Charlatan off to a good start.”

Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services has already enjoyed a profitable run in the sales ring this week. Kicking things off with a bang, the operation sold Queen Caroline (Blame) (Hip 171), in foal to Flightline, for $3 million to John Stewart at Fasig-Tipton November Tuesday. And thus far at Keeneland, the consignment also hit a home run, selling Skims (Frankel {GB}) (Hip 125) for $1.8 million to Summer Wind Farm in Book 1. At Keeneland this week, the operation sold five head, grossing $2,437,000 with an average price of $487,400.–@CbossTDN

The post $1.7m Three Witches Highlights Book 2 Finale at Keeneland November appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

“She'll stay here in America and we'll try again on the racetrack,” said Keeneland Australian representative Barry Bowditch. “For a mare that raced five days ago, in one of the strongest Breeders' Cup races of the week, she looked so well and handled the trip back so well. You just feel that the best of her racing is yet to come. It will be great to have a new investor racing horses here in America.”

Bowditch said a trainer is still being discussed for the filly's 2024 campaign.

Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan purchased Three Witches on behalf of Bob Edwards's e Five Racing for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September sale. Trained by Saffie Joseph, the dark bay earned a trip to the Breeders' Cup in Santa Anita with a win in the GIII Princess Rooney S. in October.

“It's always a hard decision [to sell] when you have something special that's won a Grade III and you drop her in the Breeders' Cup and at 30-1 she hits the board,” Edwards said. “We believed in her and Saffie did a phenomenal job suiting her up and getting that Princess Rooney win for us and going to the Breeders' Cup. That was all Saffie.”

Of the decision to send the graded stakes winner through the ring at Keeneland, Edwards said, “I have a fair number of mares now. I have graded-stakes winning mares on the roster and I figured I would move some inventory and see what happens next. We need to make room for up-and-coming stars.”

Of Three Witches' $1.7-million price tag Friday, Edwards said, “I was super excited with that result. We knew there would be interest, we knew she would be the big horse for today. Keeneland did a phenomenal job. Chip McGaughey and his crew did a great job recruiting her and obviously bringing in the buyers. We were super happy with the job they did and the outcome was phenomenal. I wasn't expecting $1.7 million, but I was very happy to get it.”

The post $1.7-Million Three Witches Tops Keeneland Friday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

At the racetrack Friday, three graduates of Edwards's Fifth Avenue Bloodstock breeding operation will be go postward in the GII National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame S. Across the street five days later, he will send three yearlings through the ring at the Saratoga sale.

In the Hall of Fame, Bat Flip, a son of Edwards's champion Good Magic, looks for his third straight win in his first start since last November. The colt was sold for $350,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale.

General Jim (Into Mischief), an $850,000 Keeneland September yearling and already winner of the GII Pat Day Mile, returns to the turf following a well-beaten effort in the GI Woody Stephens S.

Of the trio, homebred Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is the only one of the group who will be carrying the colors of Edwards's e Five Racing Thoroughbreds.

“It's pretty impressive, isn't it,” Edwards said of the trio. “It's one thing when you are first starting out and people want to know why somebody who races is selling horses. Obviously, we are selling good horses because we have three in a stakes race. But the breeding pays bills.”

The three graded starters reflect the solid foundation Edwards created along with bloodstock advisor Mike Ryan when he first started buying horses in 2015.

“Mike Ryan picked me out really nice pedigrees,” Edwards said. “So if they didn't run, the idea was always to breed them. That was always Plan B. If they weren't fast horses, they would be great moms. As I had fillies come off the track and turn into mares and then broodmares, we want to keep those bloodlines.”

Edwards points to Krazy Kathy (Harlan's Holiday), the dam of Bat Flip, as a perfect example. The mare, who RNA'd for $345,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September sale, raced 10 times in the e Five colors and earned just over $40,000.

“Krazy Kathy is a horse that I ran up here in Saratoga,” Edwards said. “She didn't do well. She was a serviceable horse, but she's turned out to be a great mare. She has unbelievable babies on the ground. I think I am going to keep one this year out of her and then the one we just had, we will figure out what we will do with that one when it comes around the corner.”

Carl Spackler, a dominant maiden winner at Gulfstream in February, will be looking to rebound from a tough-luck trip as the favorite in the May 6 GII American Turf S. last time out. The chestnut is out of Zindaya (More Than Ready), a mare who holds a special spot in Edwards's heart.

“Zindaya was my first winner, my first win was the Intercontinental at Belmont,” Edwards said. “I sold the first two babies out of her and Sheikh Mohammed bought them both. I switched back between Frankel (GB) and Lopa de Vega. I brought her home this year and sent her to Uncle Mo to change things up.”

Asked how he would like to see the one-mile race develop, Edwards said, “I hope it stays dry. And I hope Tyler Gaffalione comes out of the gate and controls the pace and gets us home with a win with Bat Flip and General Jim right behind him.”

Win, lose or draw, Edwards will move on to the sales arena next week when he offers three horses through the Indian Creek consignment at the Saratoga sale.

“I went at looked at them yesterday and I think these are the three nicest horses I've ever bred,” Edwards said.

Leading off the trio is hip 128, a filly by Good Magic out of Pinch of Grace (GB) (Pivotal).

“She is by Good Magic out of a Pivotal mare, which is kind of an odd cross,” Edwards said of the yearling. “But the Pivotal mare had a lot of leg and it added a lot of leg to this Good Magic and it's one of the nicest Good Magics I've bred.”

Hip 154 is a colt by Into Mischief out of graded stakes winner Seek and Destroy (Verrazano), a half-sister to multiple graded winner Tammy the Torpedo (More Than Ready).

“Seek and Destroy was probably the best Verrazano and she's out of that same family of Search and Seizure (War Chant), which was Tammy Torpedo,” Edwards said. “It's a really strong family. I had a War Front out of her [at the Saratoga sale] last year. I own half of him with Sheikh Fahad with Joseph O'Brien. He's another gorgeous horse.”

Rounding out the group is hip 230, a daughter of Speightstown out of the unraced Antilla (Bernardini). The yearling is from the family of Grade I winner Wickedly Perfect.

“Hip 230 may be my favorite,” Edwards admitted. “I know the Good Magic is everybody's favorite so far, but she's a Speightstown filly out of a Bernardini mare and she's an absolutely stunning horse. She checks all of the boxes for me as a buyer. She wasn't a great race mare, but with the Bernardini bloodlines–they make good moms that was part of the whole package.”

The decision on what to potentially keep and what to sell starts early on with mating discussions, according to Edwards.

“We sit down around the table and talk and figure out how we want to breed the horse,” Edwards said. “What's sexy for us. What is commercial. And we kind of go from there. I will breed to race, knowing I am going to keep the horse. And then I will breed commercial, hoping I sell the horses. Sometimes, it doesn't work out either way. The commercial horse is too nice to sell or something is up on the radiograph and I keep it. Sometimes the breed-to-race is the same way. It's really nice, it's a perfect horse, it might be an opportunity to take some money off the table.”

The Fifth Avenue Bloodstock broodmare band currently has about 25 members, including multiple Grade I winner New Money Honey (Medaglia d'Oro), who has an Into Mischief yearling colt and a weanling colt by War Front.

“I have kept five yearlings that I bred for myself, one of them is an Into Mischief out of New Money Honey,” Edwards said. “It's a really nice horse, a really nice cross and that horse checks all of the boxes, with an A+ airway, super correct body, really nice-looking conformation. He could have brought a lot of money here, but that's what I am keeping. You kind of pick and choose. I am not a big colt purchaser. We buy a lot more fillies than we do colts. We partner up on colts, so to have a homebred colt is something special for us.”

Fifth Avenue Bloodstock had its first seven-figure sale when a daughter of Veracity sold for $1 million at the 2018 Saratoga sale. The operation sold another daughter out of the mare for $900,000 at Saratoga the following year.

Despite the sales success, it's obvious that Edwards's true passion is in racing.

“The money is awesome and it's a lot of fun to sell a horse like that,” he said. “But then I've got to wait a year or a year and a half win for somebody else to win with him–which is equally exciting. But this weekend, my wife's family is all in town. We have two runners this weekend. We are doing a memorial race for my wife's aunt on Saturday, which is really special for us as a family. So, it's a big weekend for us. I would love to see Carl Spackler take it home.”

The post Hall of Fame Stakes Part of Big Weekend at the Spa for Bob Edwards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The 5-year-old mare will be consigned by Indian Creek, agent, on behalf of the Edwards family's e Five Racing Thoroughbreds.

Trained throughout her career by four-time Eclipse champion trainer Chad Brown, Rushing Fall is a six-time Grade 1 winner of $2,553,000. She is one of just three females in the modern era to win Grade 1 races at two, three, four, and five, alongside Beholder and Lady Eli.

Since winning her career debut at Belmont in September of her 2-year-old year, Rushing Fall has competed exclusively in graded stakes company, amassing 10 career graded stakes wins at five different tracks from coast-to-coast. Her impeccable record counts 11 wins and two seconds from 14 career starts.

At two, Rushing Fall won the Grade 3 Jessamine Stakes by more than three lengths in her second career start. In her next start, she captured the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on her way to being named a finalist for Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly.

At three, she notched wins in the G2 Appalachian Stakes and G2 Lake Placid Stakes, followed by a gate-to-wire win in the prestigious G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

She began her 4-year-old campaign with another scintillating front-running win in the G1 Jenny Wiley Stakes. She followed that win up with a victory in the prestigious G1 Just a Game Stakes in near-course record time.

This year, at five, Rushing Fall is in arguably the best form of her career. She began her 2020 campaign with another brilliant wire-to-wire victory in the G3 Beaugay Stakes, and then successfully defended her title in the G1 Jenny Wiley Stakes, setting a new course record for 1 1/16 miles in 1:39.02. Most recently, she captured Saratoga's prestigious G1 Diana Stakes in near-course record time on Aug. 23.

Rushing Fall is now pointing toward a return to the Breeders' Cup, prior to the Fasig-Tipton November Sale on Sunday, Nov. 8 in Lexington, Ky.

Purchased as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale by agent Mike Ryan on behalf of the Edwards family, Rushing Fall is by leading international sire More Than Ready. He is the sire of the dams of more than 90 black-type winners worldwide.

Rushing Fall is out of the Forestry mare Autumnal, a 100-percent winner-producer.  She is a half-sister to stakes winner and multiple graded stakes placed Milam, as well as stakes placed Autumn Song. Rushing Fall is also a half-sister to Homecoming Dance, the dam of stakes winner Empire Line, as well as Hang a Star, a graded stakes placed performer this year. Her immediate family includes G1 winners Albert the Great and Trumpet's Blare.

“Rushing Fall is one of the more brilliant turf females we have seen in some time, compiling a near perfect record in capturing her division's most prestigious and competitive races,” said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning.  “She is a true collector's item, and we are honored that the Edwards Family has entrusted her sale to Fasig-Tipton.”

The post Multiple Grade 1 Winner Rushing Fall To Be Offered At Fasig-Tipton November Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Last Sunday, the talented 5-year-old daughter of More Than Ready gave trainer Chad Brown a fifth straight victory in the 1 1/8-mile Diana for fillies and mares over the inner turf at Saratoga.

Rushing Fall has displayed versatility, winning all three of her starts this year over different turf courses, having captured the Grade 3 Beaugay on June 3 at Belmont Park and the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley on July 11 at Keeneland in a record time of 1:39.02. She added a hard-fought Diana score, out-dueling a stubborn Mean Mary down the Saratoga stretch.

Rushing Fall joined Lady Eli and Beholder as North American-based females to score Grade 1 triumphs at ages 2, 3, 4 and 5 having won at Keeneland during each of those campaigns.

“She's gotten a lot stronger,” Edwards said. “You can see she's a different horse this year than last year. She put on some weight during the offseason at Stonestreet in Ocala, and she came back more mature and more robust of a mare. Javier said she's a lot calmer now and knows her job better.”

Both the Breeders' Cup Mile against colts and Filly and Mare Turf could be in play for Rushing Fall, but the decision of which race she goes in will ultimately be left up to Brown. This year the Filly and Mare Turf will be contested at 1 3/16 miles and has been won by Brown four times.

“She's in that big shed row of Grade 1 winners at Chad's barn and we're looking forward to regrouping and getting her to Keeneland,” Edwards said.

Bred in Kentucky by Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding, Rushing Fall is out of the Forestry broodmare Autumnal and was bought for $320,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

The post ‘She Owes Us Nothing’: Rushing Fall Likely To Train Up To Breeders’ Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Brown won the 1 1/8-mile turf contest for older fillies and mares for the fifth consecutive year and record sixth overall as e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Rushing Fall was forwardly placed by Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, who kept her just off Mean Mary in second position through the opening quarter-mile in 23.60 seconds, the half in 48.38 and three-quarters in 1:11.90 on the firm inner turf course.

Out of the final turn, Rushing Fall made a strong move to challenge Mean Mary from the outside, with the rivals dueling in the straightaway before Rushing Fall gained the slight edge and hit the wire in 1:45.88, capturing her third consecutive graded stakes victory.

“The plan was to go to the lead. I broke out of the gate and tried to send to dictate the pace, but Mean Mary never took up and tried to take the lead,” Castellano said. “I tried to ride smart, it's a mile and an eighth and I thought it was smarter to save something for the end. Today, we were very fortunate.

“I rode her like she was the best filly in the race,” he added. “She's very tactical. She doesn't have to be on the lead, she can come from behind also, but I didn't see much other speed in the race, so we tracked the other filly every single step of the way and when I asked her, she responded. She knows how to win. I'm so lucky to ride her because she's one of the best fillies I've rode in my life.”

Rushing Fall notched her sixth career Grade 1 victory and won for the 11th time in 14 career starts overall and has been a Grade 1-winner at ages 2, 3, 4 and 5.

The 5-year-old More Than Ready mare, who won the 2017 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, improved to 3-for-3 in 2020, adding to her scores in the Grade 3 Beaugay in June at Belmont Park and the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley last month at Keeneland.

Brown won the Diana's previous two editions with Sistercharlie, who defeated Rushing Fall by 1 3/4 lengths last year to give their trainer the exacta. On Sunday, Rushing Fall won for the second time in three career starts at the Spa, returning $4.80 on a $2 win wager and improving her career earnings to $2.55 million.

“It means a lot. This is a very important race that we point for every year and we've been fortunate through the years to have horses that really fit,” said Brown, who also won the Diana with Lady Eli [2017], Dacita [2016] and Zagora [2011]. “She's a great horse and she ran a super race today.”

Brown praised Rushing Fall's superlative 2020 campaign after finishing fourth in the Grade 1 First Lady in October at Keeneland.

“She knows how to win. She's a remarkable horse,” Brown said. “This is a horse that has won Grade 1s in four straight years. This is very rare company to do this. She's a horse of a lifetime for anybody – for an owner, for a trainer, for racing. We're very fortunate that [owner] Bob Edwards put her back in training. Her last race of the year last year was not good, she's worth a lot of money and they could easily have sold her and bred her. They gave her the time off and we sent her down to Stonestreet in Ocala like we do every winter where they do a fantastic job and then my team got a hold of her and took it from there. They executed like they always have, and the filly really came through. She's special.”

Alex G. Campbell, Jr.'s Mean Mary, the 2-1 second choice, finished 2 ½ lengths ahead of Sistercharlie for second. That marked the sixth time trainer Graham Motion has saddled the Diana runner-up, adding to a string of near-misses that includes Ultra Brat losing by a nose to Sistercharlie in 2018 and Quidura [2017], Shared Account [2010], and Sweet Talker [2006] all losing by a head. Aruna was beaten 1 ½ lengths for second in 2011.

“I got nice fractions early and then at the half-mile we started to get going,” said Mean Mary jockey Luis Saez. “Everyone came to me and she fought them. She got beat running.”

Sistercharlie, the 2018 Eclipse Award winner as Champion Turf Female, saw her bid to become the first three-peat winner of the Diana thwarted but still finished in third to earn blacktype for the 15th consecutive start. Brown said he's hopeful the effort prepares her for a return engagement in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf on November 7 at Keeneland.

“I thought she took a nice step forward towards the Breeders' Cup today,” Brown said. “This course is very speed-favoring. It's hard to imagine a scenario, no matter what the pace is, where she is going to be able to make up that much ground. It's just the way it's played all meet.

“I can see her rounding into form right at the right time,” he added. “I was disappointed that she wasn't right there at the wire but not discouraged that can't get on track for the Breeders' Cup. It's a good step forward.”

Starship Jubilee and Call Me Love completed the order of finish. Secret Message, also conditioned by Motion, was scratched at the gate.

Live racing resumes Wednesday at Saratoga with a nine-race card that features the $85,000 Mahony for sophomores going 5 ½ furlongs on turf in Race 7 at 4:12 p.m. First post is 12:50 p.m with an allowance steeplechase race.

The post ‘She Knows How To Win’: Rushing Fall Gives Brown Fifth Consecutive Diana Triumph appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Named a ‘TDN Rising Star’ for her impressive debut victory at Belmont three seasons ago, the e Five Racing Thoroughbreds colorbearer backed that up with a victory in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Reeling off a trio of Grade I triumphs in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S., Longines Just A Game S. and Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. from fall of 2018 to last spring, she couldn’t quite go with champion stablemate Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) when runner-up in last year’s Diana. Producing her only dud thus far with a fourth in the GI First Lady S. to close out her 4-year-old campaign, the bay bounced back with a conquest of the GIII Beaugay S. in her seasonal bow before a successful, course-record-setting title defense in the Jenny Wiley last out.

Favored per usual, though not by a large margin as Mean Mary attracted robust interest as the close second choice, Rushing Fall broke sharply following a gate delay that resulted in the late scratch of longshot Secret Message (Hat Trick {Jpn}). Allowing her main rival to go on with it heading into the clubhouse turn under Javier Castellano, the multimillionaire traveled in a clear second up the backstretch behind modest fractions of :23.60 and :48.38. Moving up to the leader’s flank as the quintet bunched up through three-quarters in 1:11.90, she drew on even terms nearing the lane and the top pair sped away from the other three soon after straightening for home. Sticking her nose in front for the first time at the sixteenth pole, Rushing Fall narrowly did the better work from there and struck the wire a head to the good, securing her 11th success in 14 career trips to the post. It was 2 1/2 lenghts back to Sistercharlie in third.

“She knows how to win. She’s a remarkable horse,” Brown said. “This is a horse that has won Grade Is in four straight years. This is very rare company to do this. She’s a horse of a lifetime for anybody–for an owner, for a trainer, for racing. We’re very fortunate that [e Five’s] Bob Edwards put her back in training. Her last race of the year last year was not good, she’s worth a lot of money and they could easily have sold her and bred her. They gave her the time off and we sent her down to Stonestreet in Ocala like we do every winter where they do a fantastic job and then my team got a hold of her and took it from there. They executed like they always have, and the filly really came through. She’s special.”

The final running time of 1:45.88 represented the third-fastest clocking in the 82-year history of the Diana, behind Hard Not to Like (Hard Spun)’s 1:45.22 in 2015 and Hall of Famer Waya (Fr) (Faraway Son)’s 1:45.40 in 1978.

“The plan was to go to the lead,” Castellano said. “I broke out of the gate and tried to send to dictate the pace, but Mean Mary never took up and tried to take the lead. I tried to ride smart, it’s a mile and an eighth and I thought it was smarter to save something for the end. Today, we were very fortunate. I rode her like she was the best filly in the race. She’s very tactical. She doesn’t have to be on the lead, she can come from behind also, but I didn’t see much other speed in the race, so we tracked the other filly every single step of the way and when I asked her, she responded. She knows how to win. I’m so lucky to ride her because she’s one of the best fillies I’ve rode in my life.”

“It means a lot,” Brown added of his fifth straight Diana win. “This is a very important race that we point for every year and we’ve been fortunate through the years to have horses that really fit. She’s a great horse and she ran a super race today.”

Pedigree Notes:

One of 203 stakes winners, 91 graded stakes winners and 24 Grade I winners for More Than Ready, Rushing Fall is the third black-type performer out of Autumnal, a $260,000 purchase at Keeneland November in 2007. The 18-year-old mare, a full-sister to GSP Sisti’s Pride out of GSP Marie J, produced a full-brother to Rushing Fall Mar. 24. Third dam In My cap was a five-time stakes winner in Canada and is responsible for the dam of GISW Albert the Great (Go for Gin). This is also the female family of recent GIII Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H. winner Night Ops (Warrior’s Reward).

Sunday, Saratoga
DIANA S.-GI, $485,000, Saratoga, 8-23, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8mT, 1:45.88, fm.
1–RUSHING FALL, 124, m, 5, by More Than Ready
                1st Dam: Autumnal, by Forestry
                2nd Dam: Marie J, by Mr. Prospector
                3rd Dam: In My Cap, by Vice Regent
‘TDN Rising Star’ ($320,000 Ylg ’16 FTSAUG). O-e Five Racing
   Thoroughbreds; B-Fred W. Hertrich III & John D. Fielding (KY);
   T-Chad C. Brown; J-Javier Castellano. $275,000. Lifetime
   Record: 14-11-2-0, $2,553,000. *1/2 to Milam (Street Sense),
   SW & MGSP, $239,651. Werk Nick Rating: B.
   Click for eNicks report  & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mean Mary, 120, f, 4, by Scat Daddy
                1st Dam: Karlovy Vary, by Dynaformer
                2nd Dam: The Right Pew, by Pulpit
                3rd Dam: Packet, by Polish Navy
O-Alex G. Campbell, Jr.; B-Alex G. Campbell, Jr. Thoroughbreds,
LLC (KY); T-H. Graham Motion. $100,000.
3–Sistercharlie (Ire), 124, m, 6, by Myboycharlie (Ire)
                1st Dam: Starlet’s Sister (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Premiere Creation (Fr), by Green Tune
                3rd Dam: Allwaki, by Miswaki
(€12,000 Ylg ’15 AR15). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Ecurie Des
Monceaux (IRE); T-Chad C. Brown. $60,000.
Margins: NK, 2HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.40, 2.10, 3.25.
Also Ran: Starship Jubilee, Call Me Love (GB). Scratched: Secret Message. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

The post Rushing Fall All Heart As Brown Wins Fifth Straight Diana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post