Saturday Racing Insights: $550k Uncle Mo Colt Kicks Off at Keeneland

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

2nd-KEE, $100K, MSW, 3yo/up, 5 1/2fT, 1:32 p.m.

Trainer Wesley Ward brings 3-year-old LAWMAKER to Keeneland on Saturday for owners Westerberg Limited and Mrs. John Magnier. The son of Uncle Mo, who sold for $550k at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the stakes-winning Big Brown mare Red Sashay, herself a half-sister to GSW Shamaal Nibras (First Samurai) who earned over $580k and GSP & SW New Edition (Stormy Atlantic). Lawmaker has been in consistent work in preparation for his debut including a five furlong drill on the all-weather track at Turfway Park Apr. 7 in 1:00 2/5 (3/11) and a four furlong bullet from the gate Mar. 21 in :46 1/5 (1/4). Lawmaker gets veteran jockey John Velazquez aboard for his first time out.  TJCIS PPs

The post Saturday Racing Insights: $550k Uncle Mo Colt Kicks Off at Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Plum Ali Scores Gate-To-Wire Win In Winter Memories

After winning the first three starts of her career, Plum Ali had been winless in her last seven starts until Sunday's Winter Memories. The daughter of First Samurai grabbed the lead in the early strides of the 1 1/16-mile stakes and made every pole a winning one at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Jockey Manny Franco sent Plum Ali to the lead out of the gate, a departure from her usual racing position behind horses. The 3-year-old filly set early fractions of :23.77, :49.72, and 1:15.28, a moderate pace that allowed Plum Ali to stay a length ahead of the field of ten others.

Into the stretch, the filly was able to stretch her lead out to three lengths, her moderate early pace ensuring she had plenty left in the tank to hold off the closers. At the wire, she was 3/4 of a length in front of the bunched trio of White Frost, Miss Dracarys, and Gam's Mission. Runaway Rumour, Invincible Gal, Bipartisanship, Flown, Out of Sorts, Quinevere, and Batyah rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles over good turf was 1:45.11. Find this race's chart here. 

Plum Ali paid $11.20, $5.40, and $3.40. White Frost paid $4.40 and $3.60. Miss Dracarys paid $6.20.

The idea was to be forwardly-placed. She ran very well. He [Manny Franco] gave her a great ride. She's been very unlucky and the filly deserved this,” trainer Christophe Clement said after the race. “The idea was to be 1-2-3 and, if possible, on the lead. If anybody took us on, then sit second or third. Nobody took them on and when I saw the 49 and change and 1:15, I knew she was going to be pretty tough. She's a very nice horse.”

“She broke sharp and I let her do her thing. We ended up on the lead and it worked out,” Franco told the NYRA Press Office after the Winter Memories. “After we broke like that, I wasn't thinking to take back. If they wanted to take the lead, they would have to go faster than me. In the second part of the race, they let me slow down the pace and that was it. She handled it really well.

Bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm, Plum Ai is out of the Stroll mare Skipping. She is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Michael J. Caruso. Consigned by Stone Farm, Plum Ali was purchased by Cromwell Bloodstock for $65,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Her win in the Winter Memories is her first in seven starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of four wins in 11 starts.

The post Plum Ali Scores Gate-To-Wire Win In Winter Memories appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

War Front Tops Claiborne Farm’s 2022 Stallion Roster At $100,000

The Hancock family's Claiborne Farm announced 2022 stud fees today for their stallion roster at the Paris, Ky.-based farm.

Internationally acclaimed sire War Front again heads all Claiborne stallions with a stud fee of $100,000.

The son of Danzig has had another strong year around the world with his 10 stakes winners led by Group 1 winner Homesman and four other Grade 1 performers worldwide. A stallion who has had stakes performers in six major countries this year, he again sees his 2-year-olds performing at a high standard, with the group including Grade 2 Pilgrim Stakes winner Annapolis, G1 Summer Stakes runner-up Grafton Street, and Ancient Rome who placed in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

An emerging sire of sires, War Front is North America's number one sire by percentage of lifetime stakes winners, graded stakes winners, and Grade 1 winners. War Front also continues to be a hit in the sales ring with multiple million-dollar yearlings this year taking him to 29 seven-figure yearlings with his 2021 group led by a $1.2 million filly.

Standing alongside his famous sire is dual-surface star War of Will. This classic-winning son of War Front captured four graded stakes victories during his career, including the G1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland on turf and the Preakness Stakes on dirt. 2022 will be his second year at stud for $25,000.

Already the sire of multiple champions, Flatter has had one of his best years in 2021 and will command a fee of $35,000 next season. Flatter is the sire of 120 stakes performers and nearly 60 stakes winners with over $80 million in progeny earnings to date. This year alone, the prolific A.P. Indy son has sired six stakes winners and 11 stakes horses led by the Grade 1 winner Search Results.

Champion racehorse Blame continues to prove year after year that he's one of the best of his generation with 70 stakes performers and 37 stakes winners – led by five Grade 1 winners. A proven sire in both North America and Europe, his runners this year include French Group 3 winner and €575,000 Arqana Arc Sale purchase Saiydabad with his eleven 2021 stakes performers coming in three different countries. Blame has also been in demand in the sales ring with his yearlings bringing up to $525,000. He will stand for $20,000 in 2022.

Catholic Boy will stand for $20,000 and Demarchelier will stand for $5,000 on the eve of their highly anticipated first weanlings going through the ring this fall.

Catholic Boy is one of only three North American 3-year-old colts in history to win Grade 1 events on both dirt and turf. Supported by top breeders around the world, the regally-bred graded stakes winner Demarchelier is the only son of the great Dubawi standing in Kentucky.

Champion sprinter Runhappy has been a leading second crop sire this year and will stand in 2022 for $12,500. The sire of nine stakes performers and five stakes winners, his runners are led by G2 Vosburgh Stakes winner Following Sea. Runhappy has also proven to be a top sire of juveniles this year with his 37.5 percent 2-year-old winners to runners. Included in his group of juveniles are stakes winners Runup, Happy Soul, and Run To Daylight.

Two exciting new stallions join Claiborne's roster this year in Performer and Silver State.

Undefeated as a 3-year-old, Phipps homebred Performer is by emerging sire-of-sires Speightstown and from the family of champion Storm Flag Flying and Hall of Fame mare Personal Ensign. A multiple graded stakes winner, Performer proved to be a talented racehorse who finished in the money 100 percent of the time. Among his wins were the G3 Discovery Stakes and the G3 Fred Hooper with Performer also placing in the G1 Cigar Mile Handicap. Performer will stand for $12,500.

A grandson of the great Claiborne stallion Danzig, G1 Metropolitan Handicap winner Silver State will enter stud at Claiborne in 2022. His stud fee will be announced at a later date. The winner of six consecutive races spanning 2020 and 2021, he has won or placed in eight stakes races in his career for over $1.9 million in earnings. Silver State is now aiming for this year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

See Claiborne's full stallion roster and 2022 stud fees below:

Blame
Arch—Liable, by Seeking the Gold
Fee: $20,000

Catholic Boy
More Than Ready – Song of Bernadette, by Bernardini
Fee: $20,000

Demarchelier (GB)
Dubawi (GB) – Loveisallyouneed, by Sadler's Wells
Fee: $5,000

First Samurai
Giant's Causeway—Freddie Frisson, by Dixieland Band
Fee: $10,000

Flatter
A.P. Indy—Praise, by Mr. Prospector
Fee: $35,000

Lea
First Samurai—Greenery, by Galileo (IRE)
Fee: $5,000

Mastery
Candy Ride (ARG)—Steady Course, by Old Trieste
Fee: $10,000

Performer
Speightstown – Protesting, by A.P. Indy
Fee: $12,500

Runhappy
Super Saver—Bella Jolie, by Broken Vow
Fee: $12,500

Silver State
Hard Spun – Supreme, by Empire Maker
Fee: TBA

War Front
Danzig—Starry Dreamer, by Rubiano
Fee: $100,000

War of Will
War Front – Visions of Clarity (IRE), by Sadler's Wells
Fee: $25,000

(All stud fee payable Live Foal Stands & Nurses)

The post War Front Tops Claiborne Farm’s 2022 Stallion Roster At $100,000 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Plum Ali Has Final Tightener For Saturday’s $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Michael Caruso's Plum Ali worked in company with Al Shira'aa Farms' Mutamakina on the inner turf Monday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“It was a nice maintenance work. They both worked well and finished well,” said Clement. “One will go to the River Memories and the other will go to the Oaks. They were the best workers of my barn this morning.”

Plum Ali (by First Samurai), runner-up last out in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Wonder Again, is pointed to Saturday's $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational, first leg of the Turf Triple series for sophomore fillies.

Mutamakina (Great Britain-bred by Nathaniel) will be part of a strong one-two punch for Clement along with R Unicorn Stable's Call Me Love, who worked a half-mile solo Monday on the inner turf, in preparation for Sunday's 12-furlong $150,000 River Memories on the Widener turf for older fillies and mares.

Call Me Love, a 5-year-old Sea The Stars chestnut, won a 1 1/16-mile optional-claiming event last out on May 23 on firm Belmont turf.

Call Me Love was winless in five starts against graded company last year, completing the exacta in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Beaugay at Belmont and the 1 1/16-mile Ballston Spa at Saratoga.

Clement said he was pleased with the easy half-mile breeze.

“It was easy by design,” said Clement. “She's very fit. We let her stretch her legs a little bit.”

The post Plum Ali Has Final Tightener For Saturday’s $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights