TDN Kentucky Oaks Top 10 for Feb. 8

Churchill Downs' ban of Bob Baffert and the decision by his owners to keep their horses with the trainer, even though that means they cannot run at Churchill, will affect not just the Derby. Though Baffert's group of 3-year-old fillies is not as deep or as impressive as his collection of 3-year-old colts, he does have some fillies that, in a normal year, would be Oaks candidates. He has GII Starlet S. winner Nothing Like You (Malibu Moon). But his best filly may be Kinza (Carpe Diem), who rocketed to a 7 1/2-length win in her debut, earning a 96 Beyer figure. Both Baffert fillies were entered in the GIII Las Virgenes S., which has been rescheduled due to the rains in California. It is now set to be run this Saturday.

Here's a look at the second installment of our Kentucky Oaks Top 10:

1) JUST F Y I (f, Justify–Star Act, by Street Cry {Ire}) O/B-George Krikorian (Ky); T-Bill Mott. Lifetime Record: GISW, 3-3-0-0, $1,317,750. Last start: WON Nov. 3 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Kentucky Oaks Points: 40. Next Start: GII Davona Dale S., GP, Mar. 2.

It's well known that winners of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile have had a difficult time winning the Kentucky Derby. It's happened only twice in the 40 years that the Breeders' Cup has been around. The record of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winners in the GI Kentucky Oaks is just as bad. Only two have turned the trick–1999 Oaks winner Silverbulletday and 1989 Oaks winner Open Mind. Can Just F Y I become the third? That remains to be seen, but she still deserves to be No. 1 in this poll or any similar polls. It looks like she will get an early test as trainer Bill Mott reports that she will make her 3-year-old debut in the GII Davona Dale S. Mar. 2 at Gulfstream. She didn't exactly blow away the competition last year, but her win in the Juvenile Fillies showed that she was the best of her division.

2) CANDIED (f, Candy Ride {Arg}–Toni Tools, by Roaring Fever) O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-Buck Pond Farm, Inc. (Ky); T-Todd A Pletcher. Sales history: $165,000 yrl '22 FTJUL. Lifetime Record: GISW, 3-2-0-1, $595,800. Last start: 3rd Nov. 3 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filles. Kentucky Oaks Points: 19. Next Start: TBD.

Sold for the bargain price of $165,000 at Fasig-Tipton July, GI Alcibiades winner Candied just missed in the Juvenile Fillies, finishing third, beaten just three quarters of a length. It looks like trainer Todd Pletcher may have to play a game of catch-up with her as, through Wednesday, her only published workout was a three-furlong breeze on Feb. 2 in which she went in :39.73 at Palm Beach Downs. Owner Aron Wellman explained the strategy, which will likely include just one prep for the Oaks. “We wanted to freshen her up after the Breeders' Cup,” Wellman said. “It was a huge performance and she was unlucky not to win it. In her work, she went an easy three-eighths by herself and that should move her forward. She doesn't necessarily need two preps to get ready. She tends to get herself fit pretty quickly.”

3) JODY'S PRIDE (f, American Pharoah–Jody's Song, by Scat Daddy) O-Parkland Thoroughbreds & Sportsmen Stable; B-Mr. Steve Weston (Ky); T-Jorge R Abreu. Lifetime Record: SW & GISP, 3-2-1-0, $480,250. Last start: 2nd Nov. 3 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Kentucky Oaks Points: 15. Next Start: GII Davona Dale S., GP, Mar. 2.

Trainer Jorge Abreu has confirmed to the Daily Racing Form that his Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up will make her 2024 debut in the Davona Dale, which would produce a rematch of the first two across the wire in the Juvenile Fillies. He told the DRF that one of the reasons he chose the Davona Dale is that he has lined up Irad Ortiz, Jr. for the mount. So far as Jody's Pride's run in the Juvenile Fillies, here is what Abreu had to tell the DRF: “Great effort, especially going from six furlongs to two turns. It didn't faze her at all, needed one more jump.” Interesting that the connections originally wanted to turn her into a turf horse, which makes sense since she is by American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile). Her first two races, a Saratoga maiden and the Matron S., were washed off the turf. She won both before her solid effort in the Breeders' Cup.

4) INTRICATE (f, Gun Runner–Complex Analysis, by Distorted Humor) O-Bradley Thoroughbreds, Laura Leigh Stable, Scot Estes & Cambron Equine, LLC; B-LBD Stable, LLC (Ky); T-Brendan Walsh. Sales history: $200,000 yrl '22 KEESEP; $280,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-0-0, $302,180. Last start: WON Nov. 25 GII Golden Rod S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 10. Next Start: GII Rachel Alexandra S., FG, Feb. 17.

If you believe in the Beyer figures, this may be the horse for you. She earned an 85 when winning the GII Golden Rod S. at Churchill. That's better than Just F Y I, whose career best was the 79 she ran winning the Juvenile Fillies. It looks like trainer Brendan Walsh is starting to turn the screws on her as her Feb. 3 workout, five furlongs in 1:00.20 at the Fair Grounds, was her best so far this year. Walsh has her on the same path that he had 2023 Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) on, the GII Rachel Alexandra S. followed by the GII Fair Grounds Oaks. The last trainer to win back-to-back runnings of the Kentucky Oaks is Wayne Lukas, who won in 1989 with Open Mind and in 1990 with Seaside Attraction.

5) KOPION (f, Omaha Beach—Galloping Ami, by Victory Gallop) O-Spendthrift Farm; B-Tall Oaks Farm (Ky); T-Richard Mandella. Sales history: $270,000 yrl '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 2-2-0-0, $96,600. Last Start: WON Jan. 7 GIII Santa Ynez S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 10. Next Start: GIII Las Virgenes S., SA, Feb. 10.

She has had to wait a week, but Kopion will get the biggest test of her career when she goes in Saturday's rescheduled Las Virgenes S. She's coming off a win in the GIII Santa Ynez S., in which she scored a 5 3/4-length wire-to-wire win. She still has to prove she can win when stretching out and around two turns. But if she can carry speed for nine furlongs she will be very dangerous. She is a half-sister to Ami's Flatter (Flatter), the Canadian champion 3-year-old male in 2016. Has been so highly regarded by the bettors that she went off at 3-10 when winning her debut and at 1-5 in the Santa Ynez.

6) LIFE TALK (f, Gun Runner–Touchy Feely, by Bernardini) O-Repole Stable; B-Gun Runner Syndicate, Mulholland Springs, LLC & Tom Grether Farms, Inc. (Ky); T-Todd A Pletcher. Sales history: $160,000 wnlg '21 KEENOV; $335,000 yrl '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 5-2-1-1, $364,250. Last start: WON Dec. 2 GII Demoiselle S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 19. Next Start: Suncoast S., Tam, Feb. 10.

Will owner Mike Repole win a Kentucky Oaks before he wins a Kentucky Derby? Life Talk could make that possible. We'll know more after this weekend's Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs, a race that Pletcher often points for with 3-year-old fillies making their first start of the year. It doesn't appear that the competition will be that stiff, so expect this filly to kick off her 3-year-old season with a win. She didn't show a lot when third in the Frizette and fourth in the Juvenile Fillies, but a different horse showed up for the GII Demoiselle at Aqueduct. Sent off at even-money, she led every step of the way on her way to a 3 3/4-length win.

7) LESLIE'S ROSE (f, Into Mischief–Wildwood Rose {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Whisper Hill Farm; B-John D. Gunther & Eurowest Bloodstock Services (Ky); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $1,150,000 yrl '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $89,950. Last start: WON Jan. 11 AOC at Gulfstream Park. Kentucky Oaks Points: 0. Next Start: GII Davona Dale S., GP, Mar. 2.

Say this much about Mandy Pope, she's not afraid to spend her money in search of a good horse. Leslie's Rose was a $1,150,000 purchase at Keeneland September. She's earned just $89,950, but there's little doubt that the best has yet to come. She's 2-for-2 with her last win coming in a seven-furlong allowance at Gulfstream. Slated to go next in the Davona Dale, that race will give her the chance to prove that she is an upper echelon filly. She's had five half-mile works since mid-December.

8) ALPINE PRINCESS (f, Classic Empire–Le Moine, by Curlin) O-Full of Run Racing, LLC & Madaket Stable LLC; B-Betz/DJ Stable/Peter Lamantia/Classic Empire Syndicate (Ky); T-Brad Cox. Sales history: $190,000 yrl '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: SW, 5-3-0-1, $210,810. Last Start: WON Dec. 23 Untapable S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 10. Next Start: TBD.

The Brad Cox-trained filly is coming off a win in the Untapable S., which has turned into a key race. Runner-up West Omaha (West Coast) went on to win the Silverbulletday S. and fifth-place finisher Band of Gold (Preservationist) won last Saturday's Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn Park. She was beaten 28 1/4 lengths in the Alcibiades after acting up at the gate. Since then, she's been perfect, winning an allowance and the Untapable. Florent Geroux is the rider. He and Cox have teamed up to win the 2020 Oaks with Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) and the 2018 Oaks with Monomoy Girl (Tapizar).

9) WEST OMAHA (f, West Coast–Birthday Bash, by Medaglia d'Oro) O/B-Gary & Mary West Stables (Ky); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: SW, 4-2-2-0, $203,000. Last start: WON Jan. 20 Sillverbulletday S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 25. Next Start: GII Rachel Alexandra S, FG, Feb. 17 or GIII Honeybee S., OP, Feb. 24.

She won the Silverbulletday, but will still have to answer some questions as the field for that race came up light. She was the 9-10 favorite. Cox will surely try to keep her and Alpine Princess apart, choosing between the Oaklawn and Fair Grounds routes to the Oaks. Cox also has Busanda S, winner Gin Gin (Hightail), who will take the New York-route to the Oaks. West Omaha will try to give owner-breeder Gary and Mary West their first Oaks win.

10) BAND OF GOLD (f, Preservationist–Play for Gold by Cairo Prince) O-Dixiana Farms LLC; B-Brereton C. Jones (Ky); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. Sales history: $70,000 wnlg '21 KEENOV. Lifetime Record: SW, 3-2-2-0, $206,000. Last start: WON Feb. 3 Martha Washington S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 20. Next Start: GIII Honeybee S., OP, Feb. 24.

The only newcomer to the list this week, she scored an upset win in the Martha Washington at odds of 24-1. Just a $70,000 purchase at Keeneland September, she rebounded off a poor effort in the Untapable where she was fifth. “In the Untapable, she never really figured out what she was supposed to do out there,” trainer Ken McPeek said. She got an 86 Beyer in the Martha Washingon. Will need to improve to take the next step, but trainer McPeek is never afraid of a challenge.

The post TDN Kentucky Oaks Top 10 for Feb. 8 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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‘Encouraging Start’ as $500k Home Cooking Tops Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Opener

LEXINGTON, KY – The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale defied what has appeared in recent months to be a weakening sales market with a strong opening session in Lexington Monday.

“It was a very encouraging start,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “There was lots of activity throughout the day, really from start to finish, at all level of horses and at all price ranges and all types of horses. Yearlings sold very well, mares in foal sold very well, broodmare prospects sold very well. The place was crowded very much from start to finish. And there was lots of activity at every level, which was very encouraging. I think we all had a little fear and trepidation about where the middle market is and is there going to be a market for some of the horses that are perceived to be the lesser expensive ones, and I thought the trade was good there today.”

A total of 196 horses sold Monday for a gross of $7,925,500. The average was $40,436 and the median was $16,000. Those figures were significantly up from the auction's 2023 opening session when 182 horses sold for $5,524,300, for an average of $30,353 and a median of $10,500.

With 41 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 17.3%. It was 20.5% a year ago.

Bloodstock agent Steve Young made the highest bid of the day when securing the Grade I-placed broodmare prospect Home Cooking (Honor Code) for $500,000 on behalf of Ramona Bass, who continues to acquire mares to support her recently retired stallion Annapolis.

A colt by Constitution was the day's top-priced yearling when selling for $300,000. The 22-year-old Jes Sikura signed the ticket on behalf of a pinhooking partnership in the name of Discovery Bay.

During Monday's session, 25 horses sold for six figures. Up for 13 to hit that mark a year ago.

The Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale concludes with a session beginning Tuesday at 10 a.m. The session is expected to be dominated by offerings from the dispersal of Lothenbach Stables.

Young Continues Buying for Annapolis

Bloodstock agent Steve Young and breeder Ramona Bass, who were busy buying mares to support Bass's recently retired Grade I-winning stallion Annapolis (War Front) at last month's Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, continued their buying spree at the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale, going to $500,000 to acquire Home Cooking (Honor Code) (hip 68) Monday in Lexington. The Grade I-placed broodmare prospect was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa.

“She is a wonderful mare,” Young said. “She was a very fast horse at OBS. She was unlucky not to win the Grade I as a 2-year-old and, if she had won that, I don't know what she would have cost, but she would have cost more than that. And she still has the same genes, the same balance and the same mechanics. So, I think she was bought at a very good price.”

Home Cooking, a daughter of Olympic Avenue (Hard Spun), is a half-sister to multiple stakes-placed Gold for Kitten (Kitten's Joy) and from the family of Valid Expectations. She sold to Three Amigos for $260,000 after working a furlong in 9 4/5 at the 2022 OBS March sale.

Racing for Mike Pegram, Paul Weitman and Karl Watson and trained by Bob Baffert, the bay graduated by 9 1/4 lengths at Del Mar that August. She stumbled at the break before coming up just a head short when second as the heavy favorite in the GI Del Mar Debutante (video). On the board in four of eight career starts and with two wins, Home Cooking retired with earnings of $176,180.

Of Home Cooking's appearance in the February sale, Young said, “In the last decade, there are a lot of people who would rather be a big fish in a smaller pond. She's got quality to sell in any sale. She's a serious horse.”

Young purchased four mares to support Annapolis at the Keeneland January sale: Bridlewood Cat (Street Sense) (hip 267) for $750,000; Kaling (Practical Joke) (hip 387) for $650,000; Juniper's Moon (Galileo {Ire}) (hip 419) for $625,000; and Pure Pauline (Curlin) (hip 490) for $160,000.

“We don't have a set number, but we are going to support him for real,” Young said. “We don't necessarily have to have a full roster by the start of the breeding season–there are going to be horses who either retire or come up privately on the way. So we are just methodically buying horses that he deserves.”

Annapolis, winner of the 2022 GI Coolmore Turf Mile, will begin his stud career this month at Claiborne at a fee of $12,500.

Constitution Colt Gets Sikura on the Board

Jes Sikura, flanked by Chris Baccari and Randy Hartley in the upstairs balcony of the sales pavilion, signed the ticket at $300,000 to acquire a colt by Constitution (hip 242) in the name of Discovery Bay. Sikura said the colt was purchased for a pinhooking partnership, but the partnership did not include Baccari or Hartley.

“He was a really nice, smooth-moving Constitution,” Sikura said. “I bought him for a partnership. It's a new partnership–a guy from down south. We are going to wheel him back as a yearling. And we are pretty excited to see what happens.”

Consigned by Four Star Sales and bred by Cypress Creek Equine, the chestnut colt is out of Special Thanks (Broken Vow). The mare, in foal to War Front, was purchased by Cypress Creek for $200,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton February sale. Carrying this Constitution colt, she RNA'd for $170,000 at the 2023 Keeneland January sale. Her War Front colt sold for $210,000 at Fasig-Tipton the next month.

“He is probably going to be a late bloomer–he's a late May foal–so I thought he had good angles and proportional,” Sikura said of the yearling's appeal. “I think he can develop into something big, strong and attractive.”

Asked if this was the highest-priced ticket he has signed, the 22-year-old Sikura, son of Hill 'n' Dale's John Sikura, said, “In the U.S., yes.”

Wade Strikes for Justify Filly

David Wade, still in an ebullient mood after adding Endorsed to the roster at Northview Stallion Station, restocked for a return trip to the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale later this year when purchasing a filly by Justify (hip 224) for $290,000 at Newtown Paddocks Monday.

“She will go to the Saratoga sale,” Wade said of the short yearling. “We've been pinhooking some horses there for the last couple of years. She'll be another one that we will take there.”

Consigned by Padraig Campion's Blandford Stud, the bay filly was bred by Paget Bloodstock. She is out of the unraced mare Shannon Faith (Discreet Cat) and her third dam is Felicita (Rubiano), who produced Take Charge Lady. Take Charge Lady is the dam of Will Take Charge, Take Charge Indy and As Time Goes By.

Shannon Faith was purchased by Shannon Bloodstock for $27,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton February sale.

Speaking of fillies by red hot Justify, Wade said, “They are nice, robust horses and most of them are pretty correct. And they've got bone. This one looks like an athlete. She is a nice walker and an attractive type horse that we think is going to develop very well by August.”

At last year's Saratoga sale, Northview Stallion Station sold a colt by Good Magic (hip 150), purchased for $225,000 at Keeneland January, for $350,000, and a colt by Gun Runner (hip 220), purchased for $400,000 at Keeneland January, for $650,000.

Asked for his impression of the foal/short yearling market this year, Wade said, “At that end of the market, it is always competitive. I know people like to make comments about how the market is this year as opposed to last year, but it's always competitive when you are trying to buy a good horse. Everybody is here for the same ones.”

A Date for Mage

Mage (Good Magic) took co-owner and bloodstock agent Ramiro Restrepo on the ride of a lifetime when he won the GI Kentucky Derby last May. Restrepo was in action at Fasig-Tipton Monday purchasing mares for Jose Aguirre's JR Ranch to support the stallion who begins his stud career this month at Airdrie Stud. Restrepo signed the ticket at $290,000 to acquire multiple stakes winner and multiple graded placed R Adios Jersey (Adios Charlie) (hip 191) from the Gainesway consignment.

“We were looking for speed, so we got R Adios Jersey for him,” Restrepo said. “She ran some really impressive figures. She was running at our home track at Gulfstream, so we had an up close and personal look at her. She is a beautiful filly with really nice conformation. So we are over the moon and really happy to get her.”

Bred by Ocala Stud and Michael O'Farrell, Jr., R Adios Jersey is out of Marion Theatre (Montbrook) and sold for $12,000 at the 2020 OBS March sale.

She was a four-time stakes winner against fellow Florida-breds and last year was third in the GIII Hurricane Bertie S. and GIII Princess Rooney S. On the board in 12 of 15 starts, she won seven times and earned $393,245.

Earlier in Monday's session of the winter sale, JR Ranch acquired multiple stakes winner Luna Belle (Great Notion) (hip 119) for $100,000 from Bill Reightler's consignment.

“Size and speed,” Restrepo said of what he looks for in potential dates for Mage. “Fillies that were able to win at a black-type level. I've always thought that, with the mares, you look for speed, and the stallion will give them the class that they need to take them over the top. Mage was a horse that naturally was an exceptional seven furlong to a miler and [trainer] Gustavo [Delgado] got him to go the 1 1/4 miles. But he was a horse with a lot of heart and a lot of fight. These mares show those similar qualities. If those two things can come together, we'll have some nice pieces.”

Of JR Ranch, Restrepo said, “They have bought a couple of properties in Ocala and we've bought horses in Goffs and Arqana this summer with them in partnership. They are new to the game and very, very excited. We have some 2-year-olds running, a 3-year-old we bought at the Royal Ascot sale. So they are game and love the business.”

At last year's Goffs London Sale, JR Ranch purchased Ocean Vision (Ire) (U S Navy Flag) (hip 25) for ₤250,000, while at Arqana last August, Restrepo's Marquee Bloodstock acquired a yearling by Siyouni (hip 279) for €700,000 on behalf of Aguirre.

“They are racing, breeding, a little pinhooking, racing internationally,” Restrepo said of JR Ranch. “A little bit of everything.”

Good Magic Colt Destined for Resale

Marshall Taylor acquired a colt by Good Magic (hip 141) for $270,000 on behalf of his Castleton Way/Hard Five pinhooking partnership Monday at Fasig-Tipton. The Pennsylvania-bred short yearling, consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, was bred by Uptowncharlybrown Stud.

“He is a beautiful colt with a lot of size and stretch to him for his sire,” Taylor said as several would-be buyers peered in to see who had acquired the popular colt. “He has a really nice walk on him. We are excited to have him. We plan on taking him back in a summer sale this year.”

Out of the unraced Moonlight Serenade (Malibu Moon), the colt is a half-brother to Dixie Serenade (Uptowncharlybrown), winner of the 2018 GIII Victory Ride S. The mare's 2-year-old Not the First Time (Not This Time) RNA'd for $90,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“We have a little bit of information on the 2-year-old, the Not This Time filly,” Taylor said. “I know she's training really well. So that gave me a little confidence right there that we might have an update.”

Of the foal market last November and into the short yearling market this year, Taylor said, “I feel like this year, you've had to stretch more than in past years. I feel like it's been tough. November was really hard and it carried right over into January and now into February.”

The post ‘Encouraging Start’ as $500k Home Cooking Tops Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Opener appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift: Mulholland Springs

The TDN's popular annual series 'Mating Plans, presented by Spendthrift,' continues today in a conversation with Mulholland Springs' John Mulholland.

 

MEAL TICKET (10, Malibu Moon–Rainbow's Song by Unbridled's Song) to be bred to Into Mischief
Second in the GII Royal Heroine S. at Santa Anita and the listed Golden Poppy S. at Golden Gate, we purchased this mare privately after her final start of her career. Meal Ticket was bred her first year to Into Mischief and produced an absolutely stunning colt that we sold to BC Stables for $850,000 at the Fasig Tipton Saratoga Sale last August. She produced a filly last year by the same sire and is currently pregnant to Gun Runner for this foaling season. After the success of her first foal and again so pleased with her now yearling filly, we booked Meal Ticket back to Into Mischief for this year. Some additional exciting news for this pedigree is that Meal Ticket's half-brother El Grande O is now a multiple stakes winner in New York and was just recently a strong second in the Jerome S. We will continue to strongly support Meal Ticket in her breedings and we are so excited about all the recent stakes activity in the immediate family. Hopefully, her own foals will run to their exceptional looks!

 

TOUCHY FEELY (12, Bernardini–Touched by Touch Gold) to be bred to Gun Runner
This is a family near and dear to our collective hearts for over 30 years. From the immediate family of Grade II winner Indian Firewater, Touchy Feely herself was debut maiden special weight winner. She had a minor injury and subsequently became a member of the broodmare band. Her first two foals were modest winners but her daughter Life Talk (Gun Runner) has truly resurrected this family with her smashing victory in the GII Demoiselle S. Going back four generations in this pedigree have all called Mulholland Springs home. Touchy Feely has a 2-year- old filly by Maclean's Music that was a $140,000 Keeneland January short yearling purchase and a yearling filly by Bolt D'Oro that just recently sold for $250,000 at the Keeneland November sale. Touchy Feely is carrying a Cyberknife in the belly and is booked back to Gun Runner for this breeding season. With Life Talk clearly cemented on the Kentucky Oaks trail, we are beyond excited to see new life breathed into a pedigree that has so richly rewarded us for over three decades.

 

MIDNIGHT UNION (10, Union Rags–Midnight Visit by Henny Hughes) to be bred to Cody's Wish
A recent $350,000 Fasig Tipton November purchase for the farm, Midnight Union is the dam of Grade I placed and multiple graded-placed Awake At Midnyte, who sold for $825,000 to Japanese interests at the same sale. This is a family that we have a lot of direct experience with in recent years. Awake At Midnyte was sold by Mulholland Springs (on behalf of longtime clients) as a yearling and Midnight Union has resided at Mulholland Springs for several past breeding seasons.

Midnight Union | Sarah Andrew

Midnight Union has a Tapit yearling filly, is pregnant to Jackie's Warrior and will be bred back to Cody's Wish this season. After having foaled and raised several of Midnight Union's foals, we are so excited at the opportunity to have acquired this mare and we will continue to strongly support this pedigree that we believe in so much. We were the direct under-bidders (on behalf of clients) when Awake At Midnyte recently went through the auction ring. She was just absolutely stunning to look so we know very well what this mare can produce both commercially and at the race track.

 

REINA MARIA (15, Songandaprayer–Maria's Pride by Maria's Mon) to be bred to Into Mischief
We acquired this mare privately several years ago and she truly rewarded us to say the least. A half-sister herself to Grade I winner Secret Compass, Reina Maria is the dam of Grade II winner and young leading sire Maximus Mischief. Reina Maria is due to foal an Into Mischief this year and is booked right back to the perennial leading sire again. She has a very precocious 2-year-old colt by Into Mischief that will undoubtedly resurface at one of the spring sales in Ocala. This mare has been so good to us and we firmly believe she has another superstar up her sleeve.

 

BLAME IT ON ALPHIE (10, Blame–Miss Alphie by Candi's Gold) to be bred to Cody's Wish
Purchased for $200,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November sale, this mare was a very high caliber winner and stakes performer on the west coast. We had originally purchased her with the plan to breed to City Of Light his first season at stud but those hopes were dashed late in the summer when she slipped the foal. So, we decided to keep the mare and it has been a great decision overall. Blame It On Alphie's 3-year-old named Nullify (American Pharoah) was a $325,000 Fasig Tipton Saratoga graduate and her 2-year-old filly by Into Mischief was a $350,000 Keeneland September purchase. Her yearling filly, also by Into Mischief, was a recent $600,000 Keeneland November purchase. This foal was absolutely stunning and one of the most balanced and athletic babies that we have ever bred and raised. Blame It On Alphie is currently pregnant to Life Is Good and is booked back to Cody's Wish for this breeding season. Lots to be excited for with this young mare.

 

SISTER (7, Fort Larned–Langara Lass by Langfuhr) to be bred to Elite Power
We purchased this mare a few years ago because she is a half-sister to our Grade I-placed mare Battlefield Angel, the dam of Grade II winner and multiple graded-placed Manny Wah. This has been such a great family to us for over 10 years now. Unfortunately, we lost Battlefield Angel to colic a few years ago so we naturally jumped at the opportunity to get right back into this highly-productive family. When we bought Sister, she was carrying an Arrogate in the belly. That foal went on sell for $200,000 at the Fasig Tipton Saratoga sale and was eventually named Saratoga Secret. The filly would go on to be a smart debut winner and followed up with a second in the GII Schuylerville S. at Saratoga. She is being pointed to the Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn. Sister has a beautiful Maclean's Music yearling filly, pregnant to Jack Christopher at the moment and booked back to Elite Power.

 

BICAMERAL (5, Constitution–Humble Song by Songandaprayer) to be bred to Bolt d'Oro
Bicameral was a $375,000 Keeneland November purchase in 2022. She was second on debut and then subsequently placed third in the Del Mar Debutante.

Bicameral selling at the 2022 Keeneland November Sale | Keeneland

She would go on to break her maiden at Santa Anita and win an allowance at Del Mar. Bicameral is a tall, powerful mare with great balance and loads of class. She is carrying her first foal by Uncle Mo and is booked back to Bolt D'Oro for this season.

 

HEAR MY PRAYER (7, Big Beast and out of Additional Prayer by Songandaprayer) to be bred to Cody's Wish
Purchased privately last spring, Hear My Prayer is a listed stakes winner at Gulfstream and Grade III-placed at Santa Anita. She is an absolutely stunning mare with a powerful shoulder, beautifully balanced top line and a strong hind end. Here My Prayer was bred last year to Gun Runner and is booked back to Cody's Wish for this season. We feel this drop dead mare could make a wonderful addition to our broodmare band long term.

 

ASK BAILEY (7, Run Away and Hide and out of Puype's Dream by Kris S.) to be bred to Taiba
A $255,000 2021 Keeneland November purchase, we tried to send her right back into training but she got sick on us, so we sent her immediately to the farm to join the broodmare band. Ask Bailey was second at Kentucky Downs as a juvenile and then subsequently third in the GII Jessamine S. at Keeneland. Ask Bailey would go on to win a listed stakes at Canterbury Park. We bred Ask Bailey her first year to Medaglia D'Oro and got a rather strong and handsome colt. I'm very pleased with this foal. She is currently pregnant to Life Is Good and is booked back to Taiba for this breeding season. We feel both Life Is Good and Taiba complement Ask Bailey very well physically. This is an exciting mare for us and we will support her strongly to get her breeding career off and running.

 

Interested in sharing your own mating plans? Email garyking@thetdn.com.

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‘TDN Rising Star’ Locked To Miss Saturday’s Sam F. Davis

'TDN Rising Star' and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile third Locked (Gun Runner) will miss an expected start in Saturday's GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs due to a temperature, according to a report from the Daily Racing Form's David Grening.

“We felt like if we breezed him and spiked a more significant temperature that could set us back a couple of weeks or so,” trainer Todd Pletcher told Grening. “One of the good things about being ready for some of the early preps is it gives you a window on the other side to call an audible.”

Last year's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner has yet to make a start as a 3-year-old for Pletcher and owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm.

The post ‘TDN Rising Star’ Locked To Miss Saturday’s Sam F. Davis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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