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TDN Snippets: Week of May 1-8

It was a hectic week in the Thoroughbred business with all eyes firmly focussed on Louisville, Kentucky. Here are some facts and figures that you might have missed in the rush.

Record Numbers…

Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby (single race) totaled $179 million, up 15% over 2021 and up 8% from the previous record of $166.5-million set in 2019. This year's wagering record includes $8.3 million of handle put through the window in Japan.

The Smart Strike Factor…

As a broodmare sire, Smart Strike has the distinction of having two of the four biggest longshots in history to win the Derby with Mine That Bird (Birdstone), who paid $103.20 in 2009, and now Rich Strike at $163.60. Rich Strike is actually inbred 3×2 to the former Lane's End stallion.

Five And Counting…

It was a long time between Kentucky Oaks wins, but Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas now has five to his credit. Blush With Pride (1982), Lucky Lucky Lucky (1984), Open Mind (1989), Seaside Attraction (1990). Will Secret Oath (Arrogate) prove to be the best yet?

Galileo's Week in Europe…

This week has taken the form of a prolonged tribute to the late, great Galileo. After clinching the worldwide stakes record from Danehill (347) only last week, the floodgates have well and truly opened since then, and Sadler's Wells's finest son now sits on 353. Not sure all records are made to be broken?

The New Ghostzapper?…

In the post-race interview, Chad Brown compared undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings) to Hall of Famer Ghostzapper (Awesome Again), who Brown worked with while under the tutelage of Bobby Frankel. “This horse reminds me a lot of Ghostzapper, I was fortunate to work with that horse, he moves about the same as him and that one had a few rough patches as well.” Music to the ears of Jim Bakke, Gerry Isbister, Coolmore Stud and White Birch Farm.

A Curlin Graded Double For Mott…

Hall of Famer Bill Mott registered a graded-stakes triple over the weekend, including a pair of Curlin offspring for two of the world's premier breeding operations. At Churchill Saturday afternoon, Juddmonte Farms' Obligatory flashed home for a breakthrough Grade I success in the Derby City Distaff, while in New York a few hours later, Godolphin's Cody's Wish was a towering winner of the GIII Westchester S., a course-and-distance lead-up for the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. on Belmont Day June 11. Mott also won Friday's GII Alysheba S. with the progressive Olympiad (Speightstown).

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Arrogate’s Linda’s Gift Dons Cap and Gown at Gulfstream Park

5th-Gulfstream, $43,000, Msw, 4-24, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:36.22, fm, 1 length.

LINDA'S GIFT (f, 3, Arrogate–Americana {SP}, by Tapit)'s career debut rally fell 2 1/4 lengths short behind heavy favorite Wonka (Twirling Candy) last out Mar. 27 at this venue, but the kick carried her home here despite slightly less real-estate to do it in. As the only horse in said last-out race to go without Lasix, she went to post with the diuretic today, and broke fairly to set up shop from fifth behind the first flight of runners. The 5-1 shot was roused for a rally going into the far turn, and had made up one spot at the head of the lane while forced to go wide. Chantal Sutherland asked for more, and the filly responded with a furious rally in deep stretch, overtaking the dueling leaders to win by a length on the wire. Therearenorules (Declaration of War) got the best of her shadow for second.

The winner is out of a daughter of MGSW Arena Elvira (Ghostzapper), herself hailing from millionaire, MGISP Two Item Limit (Twining). Linda's Gift is Americana's only registered foal. She is her late sire's 24th winner. Sales history: $105,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL; $50,000 2yo '21 EASMAY. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $36,400. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

O-Lo- Bo Racing, Fred Nicotra, Vincent Varvaro, John Cronin and Anthony Demarco; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-George Weaver.

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Ghostzapper Gelding Shows No Fear in Harlan’s Holiday

Repole Stable's Fearless (Ghostzapper) ran to the money as the 3-5 chalk in Saturday's GIII Harlan's Holiday S., the local prep for the upcoming $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Jan. 29.

Drawn widest of all in post six, he tracked a pair of dueling leaders in a dream spot in third as they made their way up the backstretch. This term's GII WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile S. Feb. 27 winner revved up three wide rounding the far turn, kicked for home as the one to catch and took care of business from there to score by a facile four lengths over South Bend (Algorithms). The pacesetting dual Canadian Classic winner Mighty Heart (Dramedy) was third.

Trained throughout his career by Todd Pletcher, Mike Repole purchased Fearless, previously a $725,000 KEESEP yearling, for $205,000 at this summer's Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale following a second-place finish behind next out GI Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan H. winner Silver State (Hard Spun) in the GII Oaklawn H. Apr. 17 and a third-place finish as the favorite in the GIII Pimlico Special Match Series S. May 14. He resurfaced with a second-place finish as the chalk once again in his first start for Repole in a local $60,000 handicap Nov. 21. Fearless previously carried the colors of CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm.

Will we see Fearless next in the Pegasus?

“That's all up to Todd,” Pletcher's assistant trainer Anthony Sciametta said. “The horse is moving forward. He's run two good races and come back good from his vacation. That's all we can ask for.”

Pletcher was not present at Gulfstream Saturday due to family obligations.

Pedigree Notes:

Fearless is one of 89 stakes/48 graded winners for Hall of Famer Ghostzapper. He is also one of 102 stakes/53 graded winners for the late Street Cry as a broodmare sire.

Fearless's dam And Why Not, who hit the board over seven furlongs as a juvenile in the 2011 GI Spinaway S. and over 10 panels in the 2013 GI Delaware H., hails from one of the deepest families in the stud book.

Second dam is GSP Alchemist, in turn the dam of GSW Far From Over (Blame), and GISW third dam Aldiza produced one graded winner and the dams of two others. Fearless's fifth dam is none other than 1983 Broodmare of the Year Courtly Dee (Never Bend).

And Why Not has an unraced 2-year-old filly named Marzipan (Candy Ride {Arg}) and a yearling filly by Blame ($500,000 KEESEP purchase by Juddmonte). She was bred to Gun Runner for 2022.

Saturday, Gulfstream
HARLAN'S HOLIDAY S.-GIII, $150,000, Gulfstream, 12-18, 3yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:42.19, ft.
1–FEARLESS, 123, g, 5, by Ghostzapper
1st Dam: And Why Not (MGISP, $262,965), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Alchemist, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Aldiza, by Storm Cat
($725,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP; $120,000 RNA 4yo '20 FTKHRA;
$205,000 5yo '21 FTKHRA). O-Repole Stable; B-Helen K.
Groves Revocable Trust (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Luis Saez.
$92,070. Lifetime Record: 11-5-3-1, $576,550. Werk Nick
Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
*1/2 to Just Whistle (Pioneerof the Nile), SW & MGSP,
$260,865.
2–South Bend, 121, c, 4, Algorithms–Sandra's Rose, by Old
Trieste. ($47,000 RNA Ylg '18 FTKJUL; $70,000 2yo '19
OBSMAR). O-Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch,
& Pantofel Stable, LLC; B-Highclere Inc. (KY); T-William I.
Mott. $29,700.
3–Mighty Heart, 126, c, 4, Dramedy–Emma's Bullseye, by
City Place. O/B-Lawrence Cordes (ON); T-Josie Carroll.
$14,850.
Margins: 4, 1 1/4, 7 1/4. Odds: 0.60, 6.20, 2.30.
Also Ran: Blue Steel, Twenty Twice, Eye of a Jedi.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Fearless Makes Bold Move To Take Harlan’s Holiday At Gulfstream Park

Facing a field that included Mighty Heart, the reigning Canadian Horse of the Year, jockey Luis Saez made a bold move for the lead on the backstretch at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., and never relinquished the front, winning the Grade 3 Harlan's Holiday by a length.

Out of the gate, Mighty Heart established a one-length lead early, with Blue Steel and Fearless stalking down the backstretch. With early fractions of :24.38 and :47.76, Saez sent Fearless to the lead as they approached the far turn, putting a head in front of Mighty Heart as they rounded into the far turn.

Into the stretch, Fearless increased his lead to two lengths as South Bend rallied on the outside, passing Mighty Heart inside the last furlong to take second. At the wire, the margin of victory was four lengths. Blue Steel, Twenty Twice, and Eye of the Jedi rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:42.19. Find this race's chart here.

Fearless paid $3.20, $2.40, and $2.10. South Bend paid $4.00 and $2.80. Mighty Heart paid $2.60.

Bred in Kentucky by Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust, Fearless is by Ghostzapper out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare And Why Not. Owned by Repole Stable, the 5-year-old gelding is trained by Todd Pletcher. Consigned by Elite Agent, he was purchased by West Bloodstock, agent for Repole Stables, for $205,000 at the July 2021 Fasig-Tipton Horses of Racing Age Sale. With his win in the G3 Harlan's Holiday, Fearless has two wins in five starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of five wins in 11 starts and career earnings of $576,550.

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