Derby Winner North Light Dies At 23

Derby winner North Light (Ire) (Danehill) was euthanized on Mar. 20 due to complications from laminitis, The Stronach Group announced on Thursday. The 23-year-old stallion had been pensioned since 2020 and will be laid to rest at Adena South in Ocala Florida.

Bred and raced by Ballymacoll Stud and trained by Sir Michael Stoute, the son of G1 Prix du Cadran heroine Sought Out (Ire) (Rainbow Quest) won one of two starts at two, and added the G2 Dante S. and G1 Derby in succession during the spring of 2004. A half-brother to multiple group winner Cover Up (Ire) (Machiavellian), he then found only Grey Swallow (Ire) (Daylami {Ire}) too good in the G1 Irish Derby and ended his season with a fifth in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. At four, he was second in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S., and ended his career with a mark of 7-3-3-0 and $1,989,577 in earnings.

Upon retirement, a majority interest in North Light was purchased by Frank Stronach, who stood the bay at his Adena Springs in Kentucky beginning in 2006. Moved to Adena North in Canada for his fifth season in 2010, he was leased to Kirsten Rausing's Lanwades Stud in England for one season in 2014. Repatriated to Canada beginning in 2015, he was pensioned in October of 2019 and lived out the rest of his days at Adena South.

 

Among his nine worldwide stakes winners were G1 St Leger hero Arctic Cosmos, who also was placed in three other group races, GII Del Mar H. hero Celtic New Year, Grade III winners Chips All In and Go Forth North, and Brazilian Group 2 winner Gol Tricolor (Brz). His daughters have produced five stakes winners, three of them Grade/Group 1 scorers–triple top-level winner War Like Goddess (English Channel), G1 Coolmore Classic heroine Lighthouse (Mizzen Mast), and Olympic Jolteon (Brz) (Elmustanser {GB}).

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Derby Winner Desert Crown On Course For Juddmonte International

Dual Group 1 winner Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who won the Derby and King George in 2022, emerged from his Wednesday gallop in good order and is on target for the G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 2.

“Desert Crown worked this morning, he worked nicely and everybody was happy with him,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail. “He's not a great worker, as has been stated before, but everyone was very happy with him this morning and everything went as well as expected.”

The Sir Michael Stoute trainee was due to run in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot, but was forced to miss the race due to a leg infection. Missing since last year's King George with an ankle injury, the 4-year-old finished second to subsequent King George hero Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. on May 25.

Added Raymond of the work, “William [Buick] didn't ride him. Ryan Moore rode him this morning. He's ridden him a lot of times at home and Sir Michael just sometimes likes a different opinion.

“One thing I can definitely tell you is this horse needed it badly at Sandown, it wasn't said at the time but Michael was quite surprised how much he was blowing afterwards. He had worked on the grass but nowhere near as much as we would have liked as it kept on pouring down.

“We're looking forward to next week. He's got to go somewhere and when you are in his class, there are only certain races you can run in.”

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Derby Protestor Spared Jail Time After 18-Week Sentence Suspended

Ben Newman, who was filmed running onto the Epsom Downs course after the Derby had started and was subsequently apprehended by security in June, was spared jail time after his 18 weeks of imprisonment was suspended for two years, Sky Sports reported on Thursday. The defendant, 32 and part of  protest group Animal Rising, was also fined a total of £1,356.

The defendant entered a guilty plea at Guildford Crown Court for causing a public nuisance. The judge criticised Newman for “endangering” the lives of police and security stationed around the course. Epsom Downs obtained an injunction banning Animal Rising prior to the Derby Festival. Newman was one of 31 people arrested on the day of the race.

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Derby Attracts 20 Second Entries Led By White Birch

Fresh off of his victory in the G3 Ballysax S. on Sunday, White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) leads 19 other colts as second entries for the G1 Derby at Epsom on Saturday, June 3. Owned by Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez and trained by John Murphy, the colt scored a half-length upset in the Ballysax at 22-1.

Several Derby second entries were also made by Charlie Appleby on behalf of Godolphin. Leading the sextet is GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf second Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), while listed winner Naval Power (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), and Ancient Rules (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) are also nominated.

There is also an American-trained entrant to the Blue Riband, whose connections also paid the £9,000 second entry fee–Ken McPeek entered two-for-two Mendelssohn's March (Mendelssohn). Already a winner on turf and dirt after victories at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn Park, he will race in the colours of Harold Lerner, LLC, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables, and Team Stallion Racing Stable.

Ahmad Al Shaikh's Group 1-winning Dubai Mile (Ire), by 2018 Derby third Roaring Lion, has been entered by Charlie Johnston, who also declared Group 3-placed Dear My Friend (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) for Middleham Park Racing and Michael Lai.

Dubai Mile, who prevailed in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs in heavy going in October, will contest either the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 6 or the G2 Dante S. at York later in the month.

“Any 2-year-old that can win at Group 1 level leaves you dreaming over the winter about what they could achieve during their 3-year-old campaign,” said Johnston. “He's obviously going to be a flagship horse for us this year and one we're going to have realistic Classic ambitions with, so we're very much looking forward to him.

“You need these horses to compete at the highest level to put you in people's eyes and minds going forward and he's a big flagship horse that we need and want a big year from–hopefully he can deliver.”

“The Guineas is still on the table and Ahmad is quite keen for him to go there,” continued Johnston.

“For all the Dante is a significant race and the preeminent Derby trial, this horse has already won a Group 1 so his CV would be enhanced more by a placed effort in the Guineas than winning the Dante.

“He was only just touched off in the Royal Lodge over the Guineas course and distance and although I'm pretty certain he's going to come into his own over middle-distances this year, I wouldn't rule out his prep race being in the Guineas.

“They are the best two Derby trials and it will be one of the two races for him. Being a vanquished horse in the Guineas can often be the best Derby trial you can run.”

With these late additions, the total number of nominated horses for the Epsom showpiece has grown to 103. Entries were also released for the G1 Oaks (65 entries) and G1 Coronation Cup (19 entries), both held the day prior to the Derby, on June 2.

Of the latter entries, at least three are Classic winners in the form of Godolphin's Frankel (GB) pair of Adayar (Ire) and Hurricane Lane (Ire), and Juddmonte's Westover (GB).

Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' and G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. winner Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), and G2 May Hill S. victress Polly Pott (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) are some of the notable entries for the Oaks.

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