Claiborne Farm | Horse Racing Free Tips

August 6 Insights: Justify Half-Brother to Commissioner Debuts

5th-DMR, $80k, Msw, 2yo, 5f, 7:04p.m. ET
Hronis Racing LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Woodford Racing LLC have partnered up to unveil the latest blue-blooded colt by Justify, this one named HAWKER. Shelling out a cool $675,000 for him at KEESEP, his pedigree warrants the implied expectations: out of GSP Flaming Heart (Touch Gold), it makes Hawker a half to GISP & MGSW Commissioner (A.P. Indy), GISP & GSW Laugh Track (Distorted Humor), and to the dam of MGISW Vino Rosso (Curlin). All three of the colt's closest female line dams have black-type victories to their name as well as being producers of black-type earners. John Sadler sends him to post here. To Hawker's inside, and only slightly less expensive, is the Bob Baffert-trained Carmel Road (Quality Road). Out of a stakes-winner of over $435,000 in lifetime earnings, the colt is a half to stakes-placed Night Time Lady (Midnight Lute). The second dam, a full-sister to GIII Jaipur H. winner Multiple Choice (Mt. Livermore), produced GSP Silver City (Unbridled's Song) and Elope (Gone West). He brought $650,000 as a KEESEP yearling from 'The Avengers' partnership group. Dr. Soulfire (West Coast) will be the $300,000 EASMAY (:10 flat) flag bearer in this race for his freshman sire. TJCIS PPs

6th-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 3:24 p.m. EDT
Continuing the parade of glamorous juvenile debuts at the Spa, Godolphin will send out homebred WADSWORTH (Quality Road), the first colt to the races for GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. victress Dickinson (Medaglia d'Oro). Second dam Little Belle (A.P. Indy) won the GI Ashland S. before going on to a runner-up performance in the GI Kentucky Oaks and Coaching Club American Oaks. That one is the full-sister to the granddam of Munnyfor Ro (Munnings), Canadian champion 3-year-old filly of 2021. The partnership of Repole Stable and St Elias Stable will send out a one-two punch in coupled entries Crupi (Curlin) and Point Proven (Gun Runner) for Todd Pletcher. The latter was a $675,000 KEESEP buy, and the half-brother to GIII Beaumont S. winner Twenty Carat (Into Mischief) hails from the female family of Breeders' Cup winning mother-daughter duo Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect) and 'TDN Rising Star' Sharing (Speightstown) through the second dam. Crupi ($275,000 KEESEP) claims half-relation Royal Spirit (Into Mischief), recently placed in the GIII Kitten's Joy, and second dam Caroni (Rubiano) produced GSW Mo Tom (Uncle Mo), MGISP Beautician (Dehere), and MGSW Red Ruby (Tiznow). TJCIS PPs

1st-SAR, $105k, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 12:35p.m. ET
Calumet Farm unveils TRACK MATE (Union Rags) over the long grass contest here, the son of MGISP Teammate (A.P. Indy) going to post for D Wayne Lukas. The dam is a half to top sire War Front (Danzig) as well as two-time GIII Jaipur S. winner Ecclesiastic (Pulpit); MGSP Riviera Cocktail (Giant's Causeway); GSW North Dakota (Medaglia d'Oro); and GSP Jay Gatsby (Giant's Causeway). Track Mate has sibling shadows to outrun as the half to SW Team of Teams (Elusive Quality), MGSP Team Colors (Street Cry {Ire}), and SP Seven Away (Oxbow). Another well-pedigreed homebred in Red Route One (Gun Runner) goes to post here as well, this one for Winchell Thoroughbreds. The second to the races behind stakes-winning full-brother Red Run, the colt's second dam is Broodmare of the Year Fun House (Prized), who produced champion 3-year-old filly and GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Untapable (Tapit); millionaire GISW Paddy O'Prado; and the dam of GSW Majestic Eagle (Medaglia d'Oro). Freshman sire City of Light will be represented by $500,000 FTSAUG grad Battle of Normandy for West Point and Woodford Racing. TJCIS PPs

3rd-ELP, $60k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:46p.m. ET
Three well-regarded colts will line up next to each other in the gate here, led by SUNDANCE (Quality Road), an $800,000 KEESEP procurement for WinStar, Siena Farm, and Gainesway Stable. Out of 'TDN Rising Star' Cherry Lodge (Bernardini), half-sister to GISW Stormello (Stormy Atlantic) and his full-brother GSW My Best Brother, the dam's full-sibling Gala Award annexed the GIII Palm Beach S. while half-sister Atlantic Voyage (Stormy Atlantic) produced Canadian champion 2 & 3-year-old filly Curlin's Voyage (Curlin). Sundance will be his dam's first to make it to the races and is in Rodolphe Brisset's tutelage. Quality Road's other pricey juvenile in here is Brad Cox's Jace's Road, a $510,000 KEESEP buy for the West Point and Albaugh Family Stables partnership. Splitting those two is another debuting Godolphin homebred in Face Value (Medaglia d'Oro). He's out of Face It (Tapit), who is a half-sister to MGISW It's Tricky (Mineshaft), herself dam of MGSW Enticed (Medaglia d'Oro). That mare also produced GSP Enliven (Ghostzapper). Face Value goes to post for Brendan Walsh. TJCIS PPs

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July 24 Insights: The March of the Pricey 2YOs Continues at Saratoga

1st-SAR, $105k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 1:05p.m. ET
The WinStar and Siena Farm partnership sends out FAITHFUL AND TRUE (Good Magic), a $450,000 OBSMAR grad out of a half to Champion older mare Escena (Strawberry Road {Aus}), for his unveiling from the Rodolphe Brisset barn. Along with Bat Flip (Good Magic), a $350,000 FTSAUG yearling who is out of a half to MGISP Money Multiplier (Lookin at Lucky) and the dam of MGSP Threes Over Deuces (Flat Out), they make up two parts of the triplet debuting in the race for their freshman sire. Bourbon Bash (City of Light) debuts here for D. Wayne Lukas, who sends the colt–out of a half to GISW Volatile (Violence)–to post for BC Stables. Upgrade (Flatter) rounds this field as the most expensive of the bunch, a $550,000 KEESEP purchase by Repole and St Elias Stables last year. His young GSP dam has produced GI Frizette S. placed A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo). TJCIS PPs

6th-SAR, $105k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 3:55 p.m. ET
RARIFY (Justify) is a daughter of Bella Jolie–making her a half to champion sprinter-turned-sire Runhappy (Super Saver)–and a $750,000 KEESEP purchase by the powerhouse connections of Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor, looms a long a shadow over this field. Wesley Ward will send her to post in this juvenile dash. Randomized (Nyquist) looks to validate her $420,000 KEESEP price tag for her Preakness-winning connections of Klaravich and Chad Brown. She's out of a half to MGISP millionaire Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz) and the dam of course record-setting MGISW Got Stormy (Get Stormy). Take Charge Briana (Curlin), hailing from the family of broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady (Dehere) via second dam Charming (Seeking the Gold), goes out from the D. Wayne Lukas barn. TJCIS PP

7th-SAR, $105k, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 4:29p.m. ET
IDEA GENERATION (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) looks set to continue what could be a big day for the Chad Brown barn. Klaravich Stables went to 340,000gns–about US$485,808–at TATOCT last year for her. Out of a half to G1SW Zoffany (Ire) (Dansili {GB}); G1SP Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}); and GSW Wilshire Boulevard (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), the firster picks up the services of Irad Ortiz Jr. Stay Lost (Bernardini) is part of the Joseph O'Brien contingent brought over by the young trainer for the Saratoga meeting. Her dam was runner-up in New Zealand's G1 One Thousand Guineas. TJCIS PPs

4th-DMR, $80k, Msw, 2yo, 5f, 6:33p.m. ET
John Shirreffs sends the Stonestreet-bred, C R K Stable-owned SKINNER (Curlin) to the blocks for his career showing here. The colt is out of a dam who is no stranger to California, former 'TDN Rising Star' and GIII Rancho Bernardo H. heroine Winding Way (Malibu Moon), and has a set of winning half-siblings. They dropped a cool $510,000 at OBSAPR to secure him a few months ago. TJCIS PPs

5th-ELP, $60k, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 1:22p.m. ET
LAVER (Bernardini), a son of GISW Centre Court (Smart Strike) and a half to GSW Navratilova (Medaglia d'Oro), debuts here for owner/breeder G Watts Humphrey Jr. This is also the family of Japanese multi-millionaire Eagle Cafe (Gulch) through his half-sister, the second dam GISP Let (A.P. Indy). TJCIS PPs

1st-MTH, $55k, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 12:15p.m. ET
E Five Racing sends out YARBOROUGH (Medaglia d'Oro), whose two most recent works were a bullet 1:00.80 five furlongs July 6 and a 1:01.60 (2/8) five panel move July 13, both over the Monmouth main track. The $260,000 KEESEP alumnus hails from the family of G1SW Diamondsandrubies (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) via G1SW & MG1SP second dam Quarter Moon (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). TJCIS PPs

6th-MTH, $55k, Msw, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, 2:35p.m. ET
Breaking from the rail, MANASSAS (Frankel {GB}) brings Group and Grade I quality pedigree on both sides. His sire needs little introduction, but his dam Avenge (War Front) was a good racehorse in her own right, twice winning the GI Rodeo Drive S. and finishing third in both the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf and the Gamely S. at Saratoga. His dam's half-sister Lira (Giant's Causeway) was graded stakes-placed, and was herself the dam of a stakes winner. This is the family of GISP Grasshopper (Dixie Union) and of the globetrotting MG1SW Mashaallah (Nijinsky II). TJCIS PPs

The post July 24 Insights: The March of the Pricey 2YOs Continues at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Runhappy Returns as Title Sponsor of Ellis Park Meet

Runhappy will once again be the title sponsor of Ellis Park's upcoming meet, which runs from July 8 through Aug. 28. The Runhappy Meet at Ellis Park will be highlighted by an Aug. 14 card of five stakes races: the $200,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Derby; $100,000 Runhappy Audubon Oaks; $125,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Juvenile; $125,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Debutante; and the $125,000 Groupie Doll S.

“Runhappy won at Ellis Park during the summer of his Eclipse championship season, so we're happy and excited to support the upcoming race meet again, especially on the 100th anniversary of the track,” said Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, CEO of Gallery Furniture and owner of Runhappy.

Ellis Park will also offer “Runhappy Dollar Days” every Sunday of racing, with $1 hotdogs, $1 popcorn, and $2 beer. The backside is also slated to receive new sports equipment and the track will sell t-shirts throughout the meet with 10% of profits donated to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), courtesy of Runhappy.

The post Runhappy Returns as Title Sponsor of Ellis Park Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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UK Quarterback Will Levis and Walker Hancock Join ‘Catching Up with Katie’

In the first episode of the TDN's new video series 'Catching Up with Katie,' host Katie Petrunyak sat down with the University of Kentucky's starting quarterback Will Levis and Claiborne Farm's Walker Hancock at Wallace Station Deli and Bakery outside of Lexington to discuss the N.I.L. (Name, Image, and Likeness) deal between Levis and Claiborne stallion War of Will (War Front).

The partnership was announced early last month and is the first of its kind for any collegiate student-athlete with a Thoroughbred syndicate.

“The reaction that we have gotten has been incredible,” Hancock shared. “The Tweet that we sent out has over 500,000 impressions, so it literally went viral. It was cool to see other outlets that aren't necessarily in the horse industry pick it up. We are always trying to find new fans and when we can cross sports like this, getting football fans focused on racing and racing fans watching football, it works out really well for both sports. It has been a perfect synergy of our brands with what we are looking to do.”

Set to take the field this fall for his second season as QB for the Wildcats, Levis talked about the opportunities this deal has provided not only for himself and War of Will, but for the Thoroughbred industry at large.

“[Horse racing] is so pertinent to Kentucky's economic success,” he said. “To bring eyes to the industry and to the people that are a part of it has been really cool. You're getting not only the eyes of people in the horse industry and Kentucky football fans, you're expanding the possibilities for fans from brand new demographics because of the uniqueness of the deal and the amount of people that picked up on it. Regardless of if you have interest in horse racing or football, it's still a cool story to read about.”

Levis, who threw for 2,826 passing yards and 24 touchdowns last year to lead UK to one of its most successful seasons on record, has quickly developed an interest in, and perhaps even a bit of a passion for, the sport of horse racing since his move to Lexington. He has already made several visits to Keeneland and this year, attended his first Kentucky Derby.

Asked if he had any desire to someday get further involved in the industry, Will responded enthusiastically. “100%. It's definitely something I want to keep myself involved in one way or another. I still have a lot to learn and I still have just a very surface-level knowledge of the sport, but I'm going to keep dipping my feet in and learning as much about it as I can because it's so interesting. There's a lot of money in it too, and that's not the main reason behind my interest, but while I'm here I have to take advantage of it.”

Later in the conversation, Hancock shared how he envisions the future of other stud farms potentially partnering with athletes in the N.I.L. space, and both Levis and Hancock discussed how each of their family legacies played a roll in building their own success.

Watch this first episode of Catching Up with Katie on YouTube or on TDNTv.

The post UK Quarterback Will Levis and Walker Hancock Join ‘Catching Up with Katie’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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