8th-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 3:58 p.m. EDT
Shug McGaughey unveils an expensive and well bred son of Medaglia d'Oro in JUAN VALDEZ. Picked up by Hoby & Layna Kight for $225,000 at KEESEP, the dark bay brought $900,000 from a partnership led by West Point and Woodford Racing at the FTFMAR sale after breezing in :10 flat. He is a half-brother to MGISW sire Constitution (Tapit), GSW Jacaranda (Congrats) and GSW Boynton (More Than Ready). His GSP dam Baffled (Distorted Humor) brought $3.5 million from Bridlewood Farm and Don Alberto at the 2016 FTKNOV sale carrying a full-sibling to Constitution. Don Alberto bought out that partnership for $1.8 million with Juan Valdez in utero at the 2019 renewal of that auction. Baffled is a half to GISW Emcee (Unbridled's Song) and a full to GSW & G1SP Surfer. Todd Pletcher unveils another expensive juvenile buy in Robert and Lawana Low's $550,000 EASMAY acquisition Fantasist, who is the most expensive offspring thus far for his freshman sire Always Dreaming. The $40,000 KEESEP buy breezed in :21 2/5 in Timonium and enters off a bullet work for Todd Pletcher in 1:00 flat (1/25) at this oval Aug. 28. He is out of SW Saritta (Indygo Shiner). West PacesRacing bought first timer Dubyuhnell (Good Magic) for $400,000 at KEESEP and breeder Stonestreet Stables stayed in as a partner. Barbara Banke's operation went to $1 million to acquire his MGSW & GISP dam Wild Gams (Forest Wildcat) at the 2008 KEENOV sale. She is responsible for GSW Cazadero (Street Sense) and SW Mt. Brave (Malibu Moon). TJCIS PPs

6th-DMR, $80K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2fT, 6:30 p.m. EDT
DON CORLEONE (More Than Ready) topped the OBS March Sale when summoning $1.2 million from Kaleem Shah earlier this year and he debuts in this spot for Simon Callaghan. Picked up by Ciaran Dunne on behalf of his Lehigh Bloodstock pinhooking group for $120,000 at KEESEP, the dark bay topped the year's first juvenile sale after breezing in a sharp :9 4/5. He is a half-brother to MSP Broad Approval (Carpe Diem). His second dam, SW & GISP Featherbed (Smart Strike), produced graded winners Dynamic Impact (Tiznow) and Mo Strike (Uncle Mo). The powerhouse ownership group dubbed “The Avengers” are represented here by first timer National Treasure (Quality Road). The $500,000 FTSAUG acquisition is out of a half-sister to SW & GSP Silver City (Unbridled's Song) and Elope (Gone West). The bay enters off a best-of-97 five furlongs in :59 flat at Del Mar Aug. 28 and gains the services of John Velazquez, who is in town to ride this colt's stablemate Country Grammer (Tonalist) in the GI TVG Pacific Classic. Hawker (Justify), who was recently featured in Steve Sherack's Second Chances column, makes his second start here after missing by a neck in his career bow going five panels at this oval Aug. 6. The $675,000 KEESEP buy is a half to MGSW & GISP Commissioner (A.P. Indy), GSW & GISP Laugh Track (Distorted Humor) and the dam of champion Vino Rosso (Curlin). TJCIS PPs

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Arman (Bolt d'Oro), a $600,000 OBS March graduate and the first of the highly regarded duo to make the races, debuted with a visually impressive 'TDN Rising Star' performance at Churchill Downs June 23. Named after Shah's son, the bay is being aimed at the GIII Best Pal S. Aug. 14.

Shah, ahem, clearly made them an offer they couldn't refuse extending to a sale-topping, $1.2 million for OBS March boss Don Corleone (More Than Ready). He is nearing his debut in a spot still to be determined at the seaside track.

Both purchases were advised by Shah's primary trainer Simon Callaghan and bloodstock agent Ben McElroy.

“One thing that I've known is money does not buy you love, and money doesn't buy you a fast horse,” Shah said with a laugh. “Having said that, it all remains to be seen.”

Drawn widest of all in post 10, Arman had his work cut out for him after breaking toward the rear going five furlongs in his unveiling. Hung out in a four-wide fourth heading into the far turn, the 8-5 favorite began to rev up with a sweeping move approaching the quarter pole. He gained command as they straightened for home and leveled off nicely after a couple of left handers from Martin Garcia to win going away by 2 1/2 lengths. He earned a respectable 74 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

Shah–the founder and president of the Virginia-based CalNet, which handles intelligence analysis and telecommunications for its clients, including the U.S. federal government and military–made a special trip to Louisville to be on hand for Arman's unveiling last month.

“He's named after my son, so I had to be there,” Shah said. “He'll be 24-years-old soon and is doing his masters in cybersecurity at George Washington.”

Shah added of the four-legged Arman, “Most of the pundits thought that coming from the outside post at Churchill was a difficult task, but he got it done that day, so on to the next one. He's pointing to the Best Pal. We shall see what he does.”

Bred in Florida by Loren Nichols, Arman RNA'd for $52,000 as a yearling at OBS October. Offered on behalf of Nichols by Top Line Sales at OBS March, Arman brought $600,000 from Shah after motoring through an eighth in :9 4/5.

Already one of eight winners for promising freshman sire Bolt d'Oro (by Medaglia d'Oro)–currently ranked a narrow second by earnings via TDN Sire Lists–Arman is out of Beautissimo (Uncle Mo), an unraced half-sister to the stakes-winning and multiple graded-placed Two Thirty Five (Stay Thirsty). He hails from the extended female family of champion Halfbridled (Unbridled).

Don Corleone, meanwhile, topped the two-day OBS March Sale following a much-buzzed about :9 4/5 breeze from the Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), agent, consignment. Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, LLC, he was previously a $120,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Lehigh Bloodstock, a pinhooking partnership led by Dunne. The dark bay is out of the unraced Indian Charlie mare Broad Spectrum, a half-sister to recent GIII Sanford S. winner Mo Strike (Uncle Mo). Don Corleone breezed four furlongs in :49 (32/61) at Del Mar July 21, his seventh workout since early June.

“Obviously, you've got to go one race at a time, and you don't want to get ahead of yourself,” Shah concluded. “We'll see how this all pans out. But, certainly, it's promising for now.”

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