churchill | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sunday Insights: Juveniles Kick Off Card in Ozone Park

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

1st-BAQ, $95k, Msw, 2yo, 1m, post time: 1:00 p.m. ET
A well-bred bunch of 2-year-old males gets the Sunday program off to a competitive beginning at Aqueduct. BIG WICKS (Medaglia d'Oro), a $575,000 graduate of last year's Keeneland September sale, is part of an entry that is favored at 2-1 on the morning line and is a son of Sovereign Award-winning 3-year-old filly Leigh Court (Grand Slam), a two-time graded winner for the late Eugene Melnyk who was purchased by Speedway Stables for an even $1 million from the Melnyk dispersal at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Kept in training at five and six, Leigh Court–a half to three full stakes winners–would go on to add the GIII Whimsical S. in 2016. The dark bay faces $1-million KEESEP grad Phelpsy (Into Mischief), fifth on Saratoga debut July 23; and Point Proven (Gun Runner), a $675,000 September purchase who was seventh to 'TDN Rising Star' Disarm (Gun Runner) at the Spa Aug. 6. TJCIS PPs

6th-MTH, $57k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 2:35 p.m. ET
THAT SUN OF A GUN (Gun Runner) is the latest produce of 14-time winner Suzee Sunrise (Chester House), whose best foal to date is New Jersey-bred Golden Brown (Offlee Wild), winner of the 2018 GIII Kent S. on the turf at Delaware and a six-time stakes winner in state-bred restricted company for earnings of better than $810,000. The mare's less-heralded Sunny Star (Flatter) has punched well above his weight in Hong Kong, where he has won five races and $802,000 while placing in Group 3 company on the turf. Like Golden Brown, That Sun of a Gun is conditioned by Pat McBurney. TJCIS PPs

5th-BAQ, $95k, Msw, 2yo, 1m, post time: 3:03 p.m. ET
The juvenile filly set gets their chance going the one-turn mile, a group headed–on pedigree, at a minimum–by Spendthrift's ANISTON (Curlin), who isn't here just to make 'friends.' A $550,000 acquisition at KEESEP this time last year, the Apr. 28 foal is chestnut in color the same as her 'TDN Rising Star' full-sister Souper Sensational, winner of the 2011 GIII Victory Ride S. and runner-up in the GI Test S. while also proving her versatility with a near-miss second in this year's GII Royal North S. sprinting on the turf at Woodbine. Dam Kateri (Indian Charlie) is an unraced daughter of Grade III winner Sue's Good News (Woodman), the dam of GI Odgen Phipps H. victress Tiz Miz Sue (Tiznow) and granddam of GSP Serein (Uncle Mo) and MSP Surfer Dude (Curlin). Sue's Good News also dropped Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Bulletin (City Zip). Tangential (Justify), a half-sister to GSP Carried Interest (Henny Hughes), is out of a full-sister to the stakes-producing MGSW/GISP Allamerican Bertie (Quiet American); and a half to MGSW & GISP Hurricane Bertie (Storm Boot). The May 24 foal, an $80,000 KEESEP grad, made $450,000 at OBS April this year after breezing a furlong in :10 1/5. TJCIS PPs

7th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, post time: 3:50 p.m. ET
PRETTY MISCHIEVOUS (Into Mischief) is the second foal to the races out of Pretty City Dancer (Tapit), who shared the spoils with her sire's daughter Sweet Loretta in the 2016 GI Spinaway S. at Saratoga. A half-sister to GISW Lear's Princess (Lear Fan)–who would have been best-backed behind Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) in the 2007 GI Kentucky Oaks before scratching from the race–Pretty City Dancer was acquired by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock on behalf of Godolphin for $3.5 million in foal to Medaglia d'Oro at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. TJCIS PPs

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What’s In a Name: Lady Clementine

Lady Clementine (GB) is a supremely fitting name for the Churchill (Ire) 3-year-old filly who won so well at Del Mar last Saturday.

Clementine Ogilvy Spencer Churchill, nee Hozier (1885-1977), was the wife of the famous British politician and WW2 leader for 56 intense and fateful years. “Fortitude” is an expression that seems to abound in a recent novelized account of the life of Lady Clementine. The union was a loving and successful one by all accounts, even if the husband had quite a reputation for being mercurial and unpredictable, as epitomized in the famous story of the back-and-forth with Lady Nancy Astor, where the statement, “If you were my husband, I'd poison your tea” was followed by the quick-witted repartee “Nancy, if I were your husband, I'd drink it!”

The filly in question “wide again around the far turn, bid three wide at the top of the lane and powered home along the outside”, says the racing report–so she may have some of her namesake's fortitude.

11th-Del Mar, $83,500, Msw, 7-30, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:35.85, fm, 1 1/4 lengths.
LADY CLEMENTINE (GB) (f, 3, Churchill {Ire}–Wind Fire {MSW & MGSP-Eng, $201,294}, by Distorted Humor) Lifetime Record: 5-1-2-2, $55,141. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Marc Detampel & Fergus Galvin; B-The Wind Fire Partnership (GB); T-George Papaprodromou.

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‘It’s Rare That We See Stats Like That’: Rimaud on Zarak

The Aga Khan Studs is celebrating 100 years of success in 2022, making the emergence of Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) as one of the most talented colts in training and Zarak (Fr) being one of the hottest young stallion prospects in Europe all the more fitting.

Georges Rimaud has played an integral role in the success of the organisation. The manager of HH Aga Khan's studs in France, Rimaud reflected on the success of Vadeni in Saturday's

G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and shared his delight at the popularity of Zarak among breeders in this week's Q&A.

For all of the joy the G1 Irish Champion S.-bound Vadeni has generated in strutting his stuff in the top European races, those associated with the iconic Aga Khan studs in France have enjoyed similar levels of excitement with the impressive numbers posted by the up-and-coming sire Zarak.

His blistering start at stud earned a fee rise from €12,000 to €25,000 and Rimaud shared how breeders have been unwavering in their support of the young stallion who, in being out of the champion racemare Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar), carries a tremendous legacy.

Brian Sheerin: You have spent over 20 years managing the breeding interests of HH Aga Khan and have enjoyed huge success. Where does Saturday's Coral-Eclipse S. victory with Vadeni rank?

Georges Rimaud: We have had a lot of success in England before, but Saturday was a great day. The opportunity to be a part of the Coral-Eclipse, which is such a difficult race to win, was one thing but to win it and beat some very solid race horses along the way was something very special.

BS: The decision to send Vaderana (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) [Vadeni's dam] to Churchill is looking like an inspired one now.

GR: Obviously we have consultations over every mating and it's always a joint effort. The dam was at a stage in her life where she could go to an unproven stallion like Churchill and, because she needed a bit of size, he provided that element. The dam is not very big and Churchill is a good model. He was a champion 2-year-old, a very fast son of Galileo (Ire), and that's what we felt we needed for this mare. It has worked out, thank God!

BS: What has Vaderana got coming through?

GR: She is in foal to Sea The Stars (Ire). She has a colt foal by Too Darn Hot (GB) and she was barren the year before that. She also has a 2-year-old Camelot (GB) gelding in training with Jean-Claude Rouget.

BS: And Jean-Claude Rouget is aiming Vadeni to the Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown. He has charted a similar path to victory in that race before with Almanzor (Fr).

GR: That has been the plan for some time with this horse. The Irish Champion S. is known as a very good race in the second half of the season and some very good horses have won it–including Azamour (Ire) in 2004. It's a race we'd like to participate in and Jean-Claude [Rouget] has had some good luck at Leopardstown with Almanzor. We are looking forward to it. Vadeni will probably have a nice break and will go directly to Leopardstown for that race.

BS: Speaking of Ireland, the stud enjoyed big-race success there on Irish Derby weekend when Shartash (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) landed the G2 Railway S. at the Curragh. He looks an unusually quick horse for the Aga Khan.

GR: It's interesting how people perceive that we breed slow racehorses. He is fast. He could be quite talented but it is obviously very early in his career. It is nice to have a young trainer like Johnny Murtagh and to have horses like Shartash coming through, especially in this year, which is the 100-year anniversary of the Aga Khan breeding operation. All of this is happening in good time, which is great, and we can only be honoured to serve in this excellent organisation.

BS: There is obviously an extra significance to these big-race successes.

GR: If it were happening last year we'd be just as thrilled but this is a funny business in that some years are slow. We are very happy that we are having good success this year. But in the case of Shartash, Pat Downes would obviously have more of an association with him and with Johnny, but it is great to have these nice horses who can compete at every level and at different age groups. It makes it very satisfying for the breeding operation with a view towards the future.

BS: Along with Vadeni, one of the main reasons I wanted to speak with you was to discuss the phenomenal start Zarak has had at stud. His numbers are quite impressive.

GR: Zarak has obviously done very well so far. He posted some excellent stats with his first crop. It's very gratifying to have a stallion like him, especially with his pedigree. He is by Dubawi (Ire) and out of Zarkava (Ire), which is very satisfying. When you speak of the centenary in that light, I think it is quite special. When Zarkava won the Arc, His Highness said that it epitomised his breeding operation. Now, with a son of Zarkava emerging to be one of the leading stallions in Europe, it's very promising. It's rare that we see stats like that and hopefully the quality can be maintained in his next crops. He seems to really improve the mares that he has been bred with but he has had a steady flow of good mares. It's been good; he covered 160 mares this year so hopefully there will be some nice stock coming through by him.

BS: Like you said, he has a pedigree to die for and did it on the track. However, you can never be sure that they will make it at stud. The early signs are that Zarak is on the cusp of being a high-class stallion.

GR: There are interesting elements that would make you gain confidence as you go along. The popularity of the horse is quite interesting. He is very popular among breeders and a lot of people have come back to him after the first foal was born. Generally, the numbers drop considerably with stallions in their second and third year at stud. But he has had a steady flow of mares and actually it has even increased. That is a strong indication that the breeders are confident in the horse if they are sending their mares back to him. When you have a good number of breeders supporting him like they are, you can't really go wrong, and they are coming back with good reports. That is very significant.

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Into Mischief’s Naughty Gal On Best Behavior in Churchill Maiden Romp

4th-Churchill Downs, $88,002, Msw, 7-4, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.35, ft, 9 1/4 lengths.

NAUGHTY GAL (f, 2, Into Mischief–Conway Two Step {SW, $102,605}, by Spanish Steps) tracked the pace before flattening out to fourth on debut here June 10 and was made the 14-5 second choice off an 8-1 morning-line quote in this spot. Dueling with favored firster Stunningly (Gun Runner) through a :22.18 quarter, the $350,000 OBS March purchase started to get the better of that rival while in hand past the three-eighths pole, took charge leaving behind a :45.94 half split and poured it on down the stretch for a dominant 9 1/4-length victory. Chiquita Mosca (Commissioner) got up late to complete the exacta. The winner, who shares a second dam with MGISW turfer Miss Temple City (Temple City), has a yearling half-sister by Malibu Moon and a foal Omaha Beach half-sister. Sales History: $200,000 Wlg '20 FTKNOV; $240,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP; $350,000 2yo '22 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $38,735. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

O-Holy Cow Stable, LLC; B-Loren Nichols (FL); T-D. Wayne Lukas.

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