TDN Snippets: Week of Feb. 28-Mar. 6

It was a jam packed weekend of action from coast to coast. Here's a small, bite-sized sample of its impact on the bloodstock world.

All The Time…

Few sires are hotter right now than Taylor Made's Not This Time, who has the fewest crops of any of the top 10 sires on the 2022 general sire list. In addition to his one-two finish by Simplification and In Due Time in the Fountain of Youth, his Epicenter is also on the GI Kentucky Derby trail.

McGrath's Seal Of Approval…

Not This Time's 17 black-type winners include six graded winners and his sustained success recently prompted Chris McGrath to name Not This Time possibly Giant's Causeway's “principal American successor.”

No One Said It Was Easy…

Morello, who won the GIII Gotham S. Saturday, was the third-priciest Classic Empire 2-year-old sold at last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale when he brought $250,000, but is out of a mare who once RNA'd for $1,500. Stop the Wedding eventually sold in 2020 at Keeneland January for $11,000 to Robert Tillyer–co-breeder of Morello–while in foal to Cairo Prince. Her offspring at the sales have been all over the place, with some RNA'ing for the low four figures, and another bringing $525,000 as a juvenile.

Not Just California Dreamin'

Although the top three money earners for Union Rags, standing for $30,000 this year, have all excelled in California–Saturday's GI Santa Anita H. victor Express Train, Paradise Woods, and Catalina Cruiser–the Lane's End sire is by no means a one-trick pony. He's had a Grade I-winning 2-year-old colt, as well as two Grade I-winning 2-year-old fillies, a Grade I-winning 3-year-old filly, and now a Grade I-winning older horse. He's had graded winners on dirt and turf, short and long. Along the way, he's accumulated 13 graded winners among his 23 black-type winners.

Brilliant Racehorse, Brilliant Sire…

“It's a great day for Pharoah horses. American Pharoah has meant so much to racing.” — Bob Baffert

American Pharoah has four graded stakes winners on dirt in North America this year, topping TDN's General Sire List by that metric. He's more than the real deal.

Lev Miller Picks Up A Gem…

GII Davona Dale S. heroine Kathleen O. (Upstart) is the first foal out of Quaver, who has been a frequent visitor to Tapwrit in recent years, resulting in a 2-year-old colt named Tap Collector (a $65,000 OBS yearling purchased by PJ Campanella) and a yearling filly. Gainesway, Bridlewood, and the Tapwrit syndicate had bought Quaver with Kathleen O. in utero for $90,000 at the 2019 Keeneland January sale, then resold her at last year's Keeneland November sale in foal to Tapwrit for $140,000 to Lev Miller.

Rising Star Update For Yeguada Centurion…

Taiba, a $140,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling turned last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream second topper at $1.7 million, became the fourth 'TDN Rising Star' for Gun Runner. Interestingly, his dam, Needmore Flattery (Flatter), racked up more than $730,000 having never earned better than a 75 Beyer Speed Figure while competing mostly in Ohio-bred company. Needmore sold to Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals's Yeguada Centurion for $195,000 at Keeneland November in 2019 before being exported to France and foaling a filly by Uncle Mo.

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Express Train On Top After Big ‘Cap Battle

EXPRESS TRAIN (h, 5, Union Rags–I'm a Flake, by Mineshaft) came out on top of a stretch-long duel after a wide journey in Saturday's GI Santa Anita H. to justify even-money favoritism and complete a clean sweep of the GII San Antonio S., GII San Pasqual S. and Big 'Cap. Lightly raced Warrant (Constitution) fought on gamely but came up a neck short. Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) picked up yet another Grade I placing. The final time was 2:03.22 for 10 panels. Sales History: $500,000 ylg '18 KEESEP. O-C R K Stable LLC. B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY). T-John A. Shirreffs.

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This Side Up: An Oath to Share the Secret of Eternal Youth

It stands to reason, I guess, that the fountain of youth–the quest for which supposedly brought the first conquistadores to the shores of Florida–should instead turn out to be in Hot Springs. Certainly it seems as though there must indeed be something in those celebrated Arkansas waters, judging from the eternal vigor of an 86-year-old trainer based at Oaklawn this winter.

For a moment last Saturday, D. Wayne Lukas was going to sweep both Classic trials, Ethereal Road (Quality Road) just losing focus in the final strides of the GII Rebel S. after barnmate Secret Oath (Arrogate) had settled the GIII Honeybee S. with that exhilarating dart round the final corner. And if those of us marvelling from afar wished that we, too, might sample the rejuvenating properties of the thermal springs, then the good news is that we don't have to fly all the way there and book into Bathhouse Row.

Because it now falls within the compass of a single, extraordinary man to share among his whole community the dynamism he already appears to have imparted to Secret Oath. And he won't need a bottling plant. In the spine-tingling moment when his filly broke free of her inferiors last weekend, announcing herself at this point the most flamboyant talent of the crop, a sudden sunbeam broke across our benighted industry. Have we, in our hour of need, out of nowhere found a path to redemption?

Obviously, Lukas is too seasoned to be committing prematurely to the Derby. But don't tell me that one of the towering figures of the American Turf, seeing this filly maintain her current giddy trajectory, will turn his back on a challenge that so neatly dovetails the gilding of his own legacy with the overall interests of the sport.

It was a filly, of course, who in 1988 gave Lukas his first Derby. His three subsequent winners were all clustered in a five-year streak from 1995, interrupted only by the first pair saddled by another colorful arrival from the Quarter Horse world. That gentleman has long supplanted Lukas as the go-to trainer for the superpower investors, the transfer of the baton being aptly condensed (not least in their names) by two horses owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis: Silver Charm (Silver Buck), the first Derby winner saddled by Bob Baffert; and Charismatic (Summer Squall), the last saddled by Lukas.

Secret Oath's Honeybee romp | Coady

Or maybe not the last. But you know what, it scarcely matters whether or not Secret Oath can actually beat the boys in the Derby. Even to try would itself represent a huge win for a sport otherwise staring down the barrel of yet another public relations calamity, thanks to the very man whose silver charms have so faded over the past year.

We're not going to reprise the stagnant topic of whether Baffert's sense of personal injustice–whatever its merits–warrants the asphyxiation of his sport at the one time it receives the oxygen of publicity, in the first days of May. Because all of a sudden, over the horizon here comes a venerable knight riding to the rescue on his gray charger. All of sudden, All of sudden, the casting of Baffert as the specter at the Derby feast could become a relative sideshow.

As an outstanding visionary among modern American horsemen, with a born educator's sensitivity to the broader human fulfilments available in our trivial obsession, Lukas will surely be governed by the bigger picture in what may well prove the final benediction of a game-changing career.

At this stage of his life, would the old teacher and coach decline this priceless, paternal service to a beleaguered industry simply because Secret Oath would start at shorter odds in the GI Kentucky Oaks? At the very least, he can leave both options open by giving her a chance to earn the requisite gate points in the GI Arkansas Derby. And if she were to tackle that assignment in a fashion that extends the current dilemma, then it won't be a dilemma at all.

I mean, this is the man who even since last weekend has made us all feel humbled–if not downright ashamed, in some cases–by our failure to keep up with the indefatigable standards he still maintains in terms of evangelizing our way of life. Hardly anyone who heard or read his words (editor's note: Lukas Challenges Everyone “To Make a Difference” Every Day is located at the bottom of the story) to a Hot Springs conference can have remotely approached his eligibility to put his feet up, after so many decades of endeavor and achievement, and leave the future viability of the game in younger hands. Well, we may have younger hands. But we have none more vital and inspiring.

Just imagine having this guy front and center in Derby week! Not just intriguing, and winning over, the world outside; but energizing our base, challenging us all to be more deserving of the noble animal that ostensibly unites us all.

True, before coming up with the third filly to win the Derby, Lukas had also ended the fairytale of the second, Genuine Risk (Exclusive Native), with Codex (Arts and Letters) making a highly masculine swing to the fences on the final turn in the Preakness. Overall, however, the evidence suggests that Lukas trusts a filly to look after herself. Think Serena's Song (Rahy) in the GI Haskell; think Lady's Secret (Secretariat) in the GI Whitney; above all think Althea (Alydar) setting a track record that not even Secret Oath could hope to get near in the Arkansas Derby.

Okay, so Althea's performance at Churchill reminds us not to get too far ahead of ourselves. But in these dark days, when our parochial problems so plainly don't amount to the proverbial “hill of beans”, we must cling with all possible faith to such hope as we can find.

John Shirreffs | Horsephotos

Because every now then, we are blessed by the confluence of a great man and a great opportunity. Cometh the hour, and all that. It happened before, when Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) won us so many new friends largely because she happened to find her way into the care of a man not only touched by the genius necessary for her fulfilment, but every bit as uncommon in the more fundamental human register of integrity and intelligence.

That's why this feels like a week of rare promise for our embattled sport: because it has also been the week in which John Shirreffs finally secured an overdue nomination to the Hall of Fame. If it could end with the redress of another unconscionably prolonged anomaly, and a first success for Shirreffs in the GI Santa Anita H., then I really will begin to think that somebody up there might be looking out for our sport, after all.

We all know that this is no longer the race it was, thanks to the booty nowadays seducing horses to faraway deserts. But we also know we can rely on the trainer of Express Train (Union Rags) to cherish the undiminished luster of its heritage. For here is a man who truly understands and respects that everything we are privileged to do with horses, today, is built on foundations laid by so many generations who preceded us.

And who knows? So long as we have exemplars like Shirreffs and Lukas to illuminate the way–men burning with a passionate, perennial sense of our responsibilities to the Thoroughbred–perhaps we might yet find the magic springs to renew and revive our weary, limping old sport.

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Express Train Seeks Elusive Grade I in Big ‘Cap

Placed no fewer than four times at the top level, C R K Stable LLC's Express Train (Union Rags) looks to get over the hump in Saturday's GI Santa Anita H., the last of six graded events on a blockbuster program at the Great Race Place.

Runner-up to Charlatan (Speightstown) in the 2020 GI Malibu S., the $500,000 Keeneland September acquisition filled the same spot behind Idol (Curlin) in this event 12 months ago. Third to recent G1 Saudi Cup second Country Grammer (Tonalist) in the GI Hollywood Gold Cup a couple starts later, the bay was third to the late Medina Spirit (Protonico) in the GI Awesome Again S. and exits victories in the GII San Antonio S. Dec. 26 and a successful defense of his title in the GII San Pasqual S. Feb. 5.

“I hope there's a little speed in the race and we can sit a bit off it if all goes well,” said trainer John Shirreffs. “We're really happy with Express Train, how he's doing now and what he's accomplished.”

Though he has yet to get his picture taken in six outings since bringing $420,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton July HORA Sale, Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) has earned back better than $483,000 with some high-profile performances. After completing the exacta at nearly 55-1 in the Awesome Again, the chestnut was a respectable fifth behind Horse of the Year Knicks Go (Paynter) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in November before cutting back to seven furlongs to finish third to 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. He punched above his weight yet again when a longshot third to 'Rising Star' and G1 Dubai World Cup-bound Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 29 and is in line for another handsome payday here.

Warrant (Constitution) hasn't missed the top three in his eight trips to the post to date, finishing runner-up in the GIII West Virginia Derby last August ahead of a convincing 1 3/4-length success in the GIII Oklahoma Derby Sept. 26. Given a bit of a breather, the Twin Creeks homebred stands to come on greatly for his third-place effort to 'Rising Star' Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Saudi Cup third Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) in the GIII Louisiana S. at the Fair Grounds Jan. 22.

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