This Side Up: Baaeed News is Good News

I guess the whole point is that ours is a world apart, a sanctuary from the cares of the “real” one. But it still feels unnerving, to see a new cycle of the sales calendar open with such blithe indifference to a wider consensus that the global economy is scrabbling along the top of a precipice.

Both Saratoga and Deauville benefit from a heady atmosphere that might easily induce a perilous incaution when a yearling stands there shimmering on a sale rostrum. But it was ever thus, and the market at both Fasig-Tipton and Arqana exhibited remarkable buoyancy when measured against historic standards.

We know that bloodstock tends to lag somewhat behind other indices of recession, and conceivably this will prove to be some final, decadent flourish before the bulls start to draw in their horns. But it may also turn out, as when bloodstock showed such startling resilience during the pandemic, that the outlook simply looks different to the affluent elite on whom our industry so candidly depends. Inflation may be a bolting mustang; there may be wars and rumors of wars; political discourse may be ever more acrimoniously polarized. None of it seems to matter to these guys.

To be fair, in certain states American investors can increasingly entertain the possibility that their racetrack programs can aspire to something vaguely resembling viability–even if some benighted horsemen appear masochistically determined to erode that equation with their stubborn litigations. But the parallel strength of the market over the water suggests that a lot of people must also be animated by less tangible dividends.

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That being so, we must always remember how destructive to our sport is the contamination of bad publicity. No shortage of that, of course, in an average week–and this one has been no different. Equally, however, we must acknowledge our debt to those priceless horses and horsemen that do succeed in capturing the public imagination; to those that intrigue outsiders, and inspire them to enter and contribute to our community, whether as fans and handicappers or as buyers of seven-figure yearlings. And it's also been a week, either side of the ocean, that has magnified those positives.

First and foremost, we have had a fresh reminder of the captivating grandeur within the compass of the Thoroughbred. Raised in distance for the first time, Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) also raised his game anew to reach a pantheon lately shared, on European turf, perhaps only by his sire and Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).

Someone as tediously insistent as me, on the importance of a transatlantic cross-pollination, is hardly going to neglect the opportunity to highlight the way Baaeed's pedigree combines gene pools that have since become disastrously bisected. No fewer than 11 of the 16 contributors to this grass titan's fourth generation were bred in North America. Mr. Prospector is sire not only of Baaeed's fourth dam; but also of his damsire, Kingmambo; and of Miswaki, whose daughter Urban Sea gave us Sea The Stars. And look who's here, as sire of the third dam: the great enigma himself, Arazi!

Galileo, half-brother of Sea the Stars, sire of leading stallion Frankel (GB) | Emma Berry

Sea The Stars, specifically, combines two transatlantic cocktails. Start with his sire Cape Cross (Ire). He's by Green Desert, himself a son of Danzig out of a daughter of Sir Ivor and Courtly Dee; and out of Park Appeal (Ire), whose genes (by Ahonoora (GB) out of a Balidar (GB) mare) are no less evocative of a completely different world. As for Urban Sea, the epoch-making dam of Sea The Stars (and Galileo, of course), she similarly blends a classic American brand (Miswaki was by Mr. Prospector out of a Buckpasser mare) with a mare whose parents both channelled doughty German blood.

Much the same kind of thing happens along Baaeed's bottom line. That Mr. Prospector fourth dam we just mentioned, for instance, is actually out of the British matriarch Height Of Fashion (GB), who was by Bustino (GB) and saturated with other indigenous influences. So, really, can anyone look at Baaeed's pedigree and still understand why most breeders, either side of the Atlantic, no longer want to mix turf and dirt lines?

So much for Baaeed's past. As far as his future is concerned, we must naturally yield to the judgement of those who have brought him this far with such skill. But it must be said that the horse stands in danger of leaving us with the same wistfulness as did Frankel, who similarly spent most of his career beating up proven inferiors at a mile before stepping up in trip only in his penultimate start–and in the same York race that Baaeed won this week. The plan has long been to remain in step with Frankel by also bowing out over 10 furlongs at Ascot, but the door is apparently still ajar to going to the Arc instead.

In declining to run either at Longchamp or at the Breeders' Cup, Frankel was left exposed to the charge that he never went looking for trouble. Suspecting him to be one of the best of all time, everyone was comparing him to specters past–yet he never measured himself against plenty of good ones then alive and well, and available for racetrack competition.

The fact is that Baaeed finished the new trip at York ravenously, and is a full-brother to a Group 1 winner at 12f (and Group winner at 14f). So let's hope that the desire to preserve his immaculate record does not discourage connections of another great horse from exploring the full range of his brilliance.

If a sporting gamble happened to misfire, it wouldn't take a cent off his value. In terms of his legacy, he has nothing to lose and much to gain. And, as we've been saying, there's a wider consideration–one might almost say, a wider obligation–to make this game as engrossing as we can; to showcase charisma, and retrieve the news agenda from the bad guys.

Happily, that is just what is happening at Saratoga this summer, with D. Wayne Lukas back on center stage Saturday with his latest Classic winner squaring up for her decider with Nest (Curlin). Last week we highlighted the way Lukas appears to be reversing the ageing process, as a rejuvenated force in the sales ring as well as on the racetrack. He promptly produced another exciting juvenile in Bourbon Bash (City Of Light), who won his second start by eight lengths and looks eligible to extend his trainer's record of eight wins in the GI Hopeful S.

This is the first foal out of a stakes-winning Violence mare named Buy Sell Hold. Sell or hold is an adequate conundrum for most people right now, trying to read the alarming runes in less singular markets. How long our own marketplace can remain insulated by such unquantifiable factors as horses like Baaeed, and horsemen like Lukas, remains to be seen. But history tells us that we will find out soon enough.

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Century Dream Retired to Norton Grove Stud

Group 2 winner Century Dream (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}–Salacia {Ire}, by Echo of Light {GB}) has been retired and will stand at Norton Grove Stud next year. A stud fee for the G2 Celebration Mile and dual G3 Diomed S. victor will be announced later.

Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock Limited, the A. Belhab-raced 7-year-old's best performance was a third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. in 2018, while throughout his 35-start career, he was also placed another four times at group level. Overall, Century Dream's record stands at 10 winners and another eight top three finishes to go with $723,357 in earnings.

Trainer Simon Crisford said, “Century Dream was an incredibly tough and consistent performer throughout his career winning five stakes races over a mile. He was a stable star for us over the past six seasons and was a pleasure to train. He is an extremely good-looking son of Cape Cross who will be a fabulous addition to Norton Grove's stallion roster.”

Added Bruce Raymond, Racing Manager of Rabbah Bloodstock of the half-brother to Group 1 winner King of Change (GB) (Farhh {GB}), “Century Dream was a wonderful racehorse. He was a Group 2-winning miler and amazingly consistent at the highest level– he never ran a bad race. He is a beautifully bred horse who I am sure will be a great addition to the stallion roster at Norton Grove Stud.”

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Walton Street Airs in Canadian International

Walton Street (GB) (g, 7, Cape Cross {Ire}–Brom Felinity {Aus}, by Encosta de Lago {Aus}) sat in a perfect spot beneath Frankie Dettori chasing well-clear 41-1 longshot leader Primo Touch (Midas Touch {GB}) from second, crept closer on the far turn, gained command as they cornered for home and drew clear in the stretch to win for fun by 5 3/4 lengths in Saturday's GI Pattison Canadian International S. at Woodbine. Desert Encounter (Ire) (Halling) was second; Primo Touch stayed on for third. The 4-5 favorite completed 1 1/2 miles in 2:29.07.

The lightly raced 7-year-old gelding recorded his breakthrough first group success in the G2 Dubai City of Gold S. at Meydan Mar. 6. He was freshened off a fourth-place finish, beaten 3 1/2 lengths, in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic Mar. 27 and entered off a third-place finish in the G1 Longines Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten Aug. 8. His resume also includes a close second, beaten just a neck, in the 2019 G3 Prix Valparaiso Sporting Club at Deauville and a third-place finish in the 2018 G3 Geoffrey Freer S. at Newbury. He was receiving first-time Lasix in the Canadian International.

“I think to be honest it worked out perfectly how we thought it would,” said Alex Merriman, assistant to trainer Charlie Appleby. “I thought he would go forward and slot in. Frankie has his game plan, and turning in he always knew he was gonna kick on and he's gone and seen the race on nicely.”

He added, “He was in great form in Dubai and he ran a great one in Germany last time and he's put in a good performance here today. He's been with us a long time. He's a favourite in the yard and it was nice to see. He's a lovely horse.”

Dettori won his record fourth Canadian International following successes with Mutafaweq (2000), Sulamani (2004), and Joshua Tree (2010).

Pedigree Notes:

Walton Street is 14th Grade/Group 1 winner for the high-class Cape Cross (Ire). He is the top performer out of the Australian G2 Matriarch S. winner Brom Felinity (Aus) (Encosta De Lago {Aus}), a sister to G1 Australian Guineas victor Delago Brom (Aus). The mare has to date produced four winners in Australia, Britain, Dubai and France, including the six-time scorer Macavity (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}). Grandam Brompton Cross (Aus) (El Qahira {NZ}) was, like her daughter, a Group 2 winner at Flemington, her biggest success coming in the Edward Manifold S. Brom Felinity was sold by Godolphin in July 2016 for 15,000gns to Ebor Bloodstock. The mare's current yearling, a colt by Oasis Dream (GB), fetched 34,000gns at last year's Tattersalls December Sale. She had a filly by Oasis Dream this year.

Saturday, Woodbine
PATTISON CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL S.-GI, C$608,400, Woodbine, 9-18, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:29.07, gd.
1–WALTON STREET (GB), 126, g, 7, by Cape Cross (Ire)
1st Dam: Brom Felinity (Aus) (GSW-Aus, $441,177), by Encosta de Lago (Aus)
2nd Dam: Brompton Cross (Aus), by El Qahira
3rd Dam: Reiko (NZ), by Sir Godfrey (Fr)
1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Godolphin Racing LLC; B-Darley (GB); T-Charles Appleby; J-Lanfranco Dettori. C$360,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-UAE, SW & GSP-Eng, G1SP-Ger, GSP-Fr, 19-7-4-4, $962,153. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the  eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Desert Encounter (Ire), 126, g, 9, Halling–La Chicana (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). (32,000gns Ylg '13 TAOCT). O-Abdulla Al Mansoori; B-Tally Ho Stud (IRE); T-David Simcock. C$120,000.
3–Primo Touch, 126, g, 6, Midas Touch (GB)–Mary's Derby Rose, by Sightseeing. ($2,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Kirk Sutherland; B-JEOG Racing LLC (KY); T-Harold Ladouceur. C$60,000.
Margins: 5 3/4, 4 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.85, 7.35, 41.35.
Also Ran: English Conqueror, Belichick, Corelli, Bluegrass Parkway, Fantasioso (Arg). 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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Century Dream On Top In the Celebration Mile

Robbed of Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) due to the testing ground at Goodwood, Saturday’s G2 Ladbrokes Celebration Mile become a duel between another two top-level performers Century Dream (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Regal Reality (GB) (Intello {Ger}) with the former claiming the bragging rights. Returning refreshed from a break having finished fifth in the G1 Prix d’Ispahan at Chantilly July 19, Century Dream who was left as the 11-4 favourite following the withdrawal of Godolphin’s standard-setter tracked Regal Reality in second before swooping two out and drawing clear under coaxing from James Doyle to score by 4 1/2 lengths. Sir Busker (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) denied Regal Reality second by 1 3/4 lengths as the winner proved a class apart. “They went a good pace and he settled really well and travelled really well into it,” Ed Crisford commented. “The ground is the key to him–he gets through it better than most.”

Abdulla Belhabb’s Century Dream came back from a wind operation to successfully mark his seasonal return in the G3 Diomed S. staged over this trip having been switched from Epsom to Newbury. That was his second win in that contest, with his 2018 triumph on the famous Downs his first in pattern company and he rounded off that campaign with a close third in Ascot’s G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. That is where the winner is headed again according to Ed Crisford. “We will go wherever the ground is soft–the [G1 Prix du] Moulin looks very punchy this year with Pinatubo, so whether we go there or swerve that, I don’t know. He has run well at Ascot before and finished fourth in the Queen Anne and third in the QEII a couple of years ago and he likes Ascot. He runs well there and you are pretty much going to get soft ground. Palace Pier, winning the St James’s Palace and in the way he won in France the other day when it was soft, he has shown to be an exceptional three-year-old. We are an older horse and we think we can run well, I think we can serve it up to him, but it would be a tough one.”

William Knight said of the talented but quirky Sir Busker, who was stepping up from handicap company, “We all want to win so it is slightly disappointing coming second, but at the same time Century Dream is a good horse, especially on that sort of ground. Going forwards, it was good to see him perform well in that sort of company though. He is now rated 111 so that makes life tough in any sort of handicap, so we will have to stick to these type of races. I think we would probably drop him back into either a listed or group three race on his next start.”

Century Dream’s dam Salacia (Ire) (Echo of Light {GB}) is also responsible for last year’s QEII hero King of Change (GB) (Farhh {GB}) who was also second in the G1 2000 Guineas. The second dam Neptune’s Bride (Bering {GB}) annexed the G3 Prix Fille de l’Air and is in turn a daughter of the G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis winner Wedding of the Sea (Blushing Groom {Fr}). Also connected to the game and tough, seven-times graded stakes-winning Hail Hilarious (Fast Hilarious) and the California Oaks winner and GI Santa Barbara H. runner-up Countess Fager (Dr. Fager), Salacia’s 3-year-old filly Banna (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) is as-yet unraced, as is her 2-year-old filly Royal Event (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), while her yearling filly is by Sea the Stars (Ire).

Saturday, Goodwood, Britain
LADBROKES CELEBRATION MILE S.-G2, £60,000, Goodwood, 8-29, 3yo/up, 8fT, 1:40.38, sf.
1–CENTURY DREAM (IRE), 130, h, 6, by Cape Cross (Ire)
     1st Dam: Salacia (Ire), by Echo of Light (GB)
     2nd Dam: Neptune’s Bride, by Bering (GB)
     3rd Dam: Wedding of the Sea, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
O-Abdulla Belhabb; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited (IRE); T-Simon & Ed Crisford; J-James Doyle. £34,026. Lifetime Record: 26-9-2-3, $598,935. *1/2 to King of Change (GB) (Farhh {GB}), G1SW-Eng, $995,418. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sir Busker (Ire), 130, g, 4, Sir Prancealot (Ire)–Street Kitty (Ire), by Tiger Hill (Ire). (€25,000 Ylg ’17 TIRSEP). O-Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds XI Racing; B-Ms Ann Foley (IRE); T-William Knight. £12,900.
3–Regal Reality (GB), 130, g, 5, Intello (Ger)–Regal Realm (GB), by Medicean (GB). O/B-Cheveley Park Stud (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £6,456.
Margins: 4HF, 1 3/4, 4 3/4. Odds: 2.75, 4.00, 3.20.
Also Ran: Positive (GB), Duke of Hazzard (Fr), Urban Icon (GB). Scratched: Benbatl (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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