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Dec. 16: One-Two Finish For Bolt Pads First-Year Stallion Lead

by Margaret Ransom

A one-two finish from Communication Memo and Two Rocket in Friday's 6th race at Oaklawn Park and their combined earnings of $72,000 helped Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) extend his lead over Good Magic (Curlin) and Justify (Scat Daddy) in the first-year stallion earnings race heading into the weekend. Not willing to wave the white flag just yet, Good Magic's Almurtajiz, a $290,635 ARQMAY purchase earlier this year, finished second in the G3 Ministry of National Guard Cup at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia on Friday and picked up a check for $7,898, while his daughter, Miss New York, brought in $6,100 to help keep her sire in close contention.

With just 15 days left in 2022, Bolt d'Oro remains in front with total progeny earnings of $2,647,216, followed by Good Magic (Curlin) at $2,467,615 and Justify (Scat Daddy)–his one runner failing to earn a check on Friday–remained at $2,383,960.

Despite Bolt d'Oro's near $180,000 lead, it's clear his two main rivals don't plan on handing him the victory without a fight.

Good Magic will have the busiest week with at least one runner each day Saturday through Wednesday, including two on Saturday-Protégé in a $104,000 Alw at Oaklawn Park and Good Rapport in a $81,000 Msw at Aqueduct. Also on Saturday Justify's Arabian Lion is the 4-5 favorite in the GII $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity, which would also give Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a record 14th win in the race dating back to when it was held at Hollywood Park.

Bolt d'Oro's Oh Chic is set to contest a $27,000 Msw at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday to complete the stallion's week in North America, and Just Katherine will represent Justify in a $70,000 Msw at Gulfstream on Sunday. Also, Bolt d'Oro will be represented by From Dusk in Sunday's G1 Asahi Hai Futurity at Hanshin. The $900,000 OBSMAR 2-year-old is coming off a second-place finish in the Keio Hai Nisei Stakes six weeks ago.

Note that Japanese earnings are added every Sunday night, and there may be delayed reporting from other countries, which could postpone the final results in a very tight race into early January. We will also be providing a preview of 2-year-olds entered the next day in North America and beyond.

Current Earnings Standings through racing of Dec. 16:
1st—Bolt d'Oro, $2,617,216
2nd—Good Magic, $2,467,615
3rd—Justify, $2,383,960

The TDN sire lists contain full-dollar earnings of Northern Hemisphere foals winning anywhere in the world. To view the current standings updated overnight, click here.

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Dec. 15: Bolt Determinedly Drawing Away

by Margaret Ransom

It's been a quiet week so far for the top stallions brawling it out to claim the title of 2022's leading first-crop sire, but the numbers for all three are likely to move with each having a number of runners over the next few days before the quiet of the Christmas holiday week sets in.

On Thursday, Bolt d'Oro's (Medaglia d'Oro) daughter Bullock captured a $25,000 maiden claiming event at Gulfstream Park by a length and picked up a check for $28,400. In doing so, the filly padded her sire's lead by $121,599 over his rivals with 16 days left on the 2022 calendar. With the win, Bolt d'Oro remains in front with total progeny earnings of $2,575,216, followed by Good Magic (Curlin) at $2,453,617 and Justify (Scat Daddy) with $2,383,960.

All three stallions have at least one entry on Friday, Bolt d'Oro showing the way with three runners. Two–Rocket and Roll and Communication Memo–are set to contest a $90,000 maiden event at Oaklawn Park carded as the afternoon's 6th; and Pinfire will contest a $55,000 maiden event at Fair Grounds, which is also the 6th race. Justify's Pappy Wolfe will tackle Bolt's two in Hot Springs, while Miss New York will represent Good Magic in the 8th at Gulfstream Park, an $80,000 optional claiming event worth $71,000.

Current Earnings Standings through racing of Dec. 7:

1st—Bolt d'Oro, $2,575,216

2nd—Good Magic, $2,453,617

3rd—Justify, $2,383,960

The TDN sire lists contain full-dollar earnings of Northern Hemisphere foals winning anywhere in the world. To view the current standings updated overnight, click here.

The post Dec. 15: Bolt Determinedly Drawing Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Dec. 13: Despite Big Weekend For Justify, Bolt d’Oro Holds Big Lead

by Margaret Ransom

It was a busy weekend for one of the top three stallions battling it out for the crown as the best first-crop sire of 2022 as Justify was represented by a pair of winners and another two to hit the board, leaving Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) and Good Magic (Curlin) winless from just a single runner each.

Justify's two winners on American soil both came on Sunday and started with Don Alberto Stable's homebred Alpha Bella, who graduated with a hard-fought victory by a head at Gulfstream Park, surviving a lengthy steward's inquiry/jockey's objection. She earned $36,000 for the win, which helped her sire close some ground on the top two. Several hundred miles to the north, Prove Right picked up a $32,400 check for his one-length victory in an allowance/optional claiming event at Laurel Park for trainer James Chapman and co-owner Stuart Tsujimoto. And in addition to Lap Star's third at at Nakayama in Japan on Saturday, Justify's daughter, Dona Sweat, also contributed to her sire's totals with her runner-up finish in a maiden event at Hanshin on Sunday.

Good Magic's only runner over the weekend was Delusively, who finished fourth at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday. Chiringo, Bolt d'Oro's runner on Sunday, was fourth behind Prove Right at Laurel.

Despite Justify's big weekend, he still trails Bolt d'Oro in total progeny earnings by $196,361, with Good Magic in second and behind by $92,499 with 20 days left in 2022. All three stallions will be represented by multiple runners this week.

Current Earnings Standings through racing of Dec. 7:

1st—Bolt d'Oro, $2,546,116

2nd—Good Magic, $2,446,087

3rd—Justify, $2,349,755

The TDN sire lists contain full-dollar earnings of Northern Hemisphere foals winning anywhere in the world. To view the current standings updated overnight, click here.

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Breeders’ Cup Champions Draw a Crowd at Ashford Stud

There has been no shortage of traffic flooding through the lofty gates of Ashford Stud as breeders are eager to set their eyes on the stud farm's four newcomers for 2023.

Among the quartet, two of the new additions hold Breeders' Cup titles, and breeders have fervently responded to that prized piece of resume. While turf sprinting superstar Golden Pal (Uncle Mo – Lady Shipman, by Midshipman) boasts the rare distinction of taking home two Breeders' Cup trophies, his new studmate Corniche (Quality Road – Wasted Tears, by Najran) justified his 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy debut last fall when he claimed the 2021 GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

According to Coolmore's Adrian Wallace, Golden Pal in particular has seen demand almost unlike what the Coolmore team has ever seen before as the son of Uncle Mo joins his sire at Ashford.

“Golden Pal is getting inquiries from every type of breeder around,” Wallace said. “He's getting a really good book of mares behind him with graded stakes winners and graded stakes producers. He's going to be one of the most popular horses that we've ever stood. He really is electrifying–both on the racetrack and in breeders' minds.”

Wesley Ward, who trained Golden Pal to graded stakes wins at two through four, has shown no hesitation in describing the champion as “the fastest of the fast.”

“Wesley Ward leaves you under no impression that he was the best horse he's every trained–the fastest horse he's ever trained– and Wesley has trained some pretty good horses,” Wallace said. “I think Golden Pal holds a very special place not only in Wesley Ward's heart, but in his breeder Randy Lowe's heart and in Coolmore's heart.”

After running second in the G2 Norfolk S. at Ascot as a juvenile, Golden Pal broke his maiden in the Skidmore S. at Saratoga and from there, remained nearly undefeated on American soil throughout his three-year career. The 2020 GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, and back-to-back wins in the GII Woodford S. at Keeneland are a few highlights from his list of seven graded stakes victories.

Golden Pal's dam Lady Shipman earned close to $1 million and ran second in the 2015 GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. While her son followed the successful racemare's lead as a turf sprinting specialist, Wallace said he believes Golden Pal will emulate his sire in producing versatile offspring.

“The great thing about Uncle Mo is that you've got the options of dirt and turf,” he explained. “To me, Golden Pal doesn't really look like a sprinter. I think he was fast because he was brilliant. I think the horse could have been very effective over a mile and on both surfaces. That's the great thing about Uncle Mo is that [his progeny] are so versatile. They get going early at two and they get better as they get older, and they also seem to work both here and in Europe.”

Golden Pal and 2022 GI Belmont S. hero Mo Donegal are both sons of Uncle Mo joining the Kentucky stallion ranks next year.

Corniche | Sarah Andrew

Ashford's other Breeders' Cup-winning addition Corniche has been well-received by breeders for many of the same reasons as Golden Pal.

“I think everyone wants speed and horses like Corniche and Golden Pal offer that,” Wallace said. “That's the greatest selling point for any stallion. They're the ones that will get you to the races early and hopefully get you to the racetrack on the big stage.”

Corniche displayed his brilliance well before he made it to the starting gate when he breezed in :10 flat at the 2021 OBS Spring Sale and then sold for $1.5 million to Speedway Stables. He earned 'Rising Star' honors in his debut for Bob Baffert and then remained undefeated in the GI American Pharoah S. and GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

“I don't think we'll ever forget the display that Corniche put on in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile,” Wallace said. “He was favored going into the race, but people were asking if he would be able to overcome the wide draw. He left us under no illusion of who the best horse was that day as he romped to a juvenile championship.”

After sustaining a career-ending injury at three, Corniche retired to Ashford, where his book is now filling quickly as breeders see the talented chestnut up close.

“When you look at Corniche, you think Quality Road and you think speed,” Wallace said. “He's very much like his sire in that he's got the same sort of physique and structure to him. He's a balanced horse with a good hip and shoulder on him. He's a good mover and is very easy to be around.”

Bred by Bart Evans and Stonehaven Steadings, Corniche is out of six-time graded stakes winner Wasted Tears.

Both Corniche and Golden Pal will stand for a fee of $30,000 in their debut seasons at Ashford Stud.

Click here for previous video features on the incoming class of new stallions and watch for future editions from the series in the coming weeks.

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