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Insight Outcomes: ‘Rising Star’ Andiamo a Firenze is the Whole Package

With runners this week from New York to Kentucky and in between hailing from exceptional families, Insights was treated to a 'Rising Star' performance and other top-notch victories ready to fire the imagination. It's a good bet a number of these winners–and even those whose debuts weren't quite as fruitful on first attempt–will be heard from again.

THURSDAY'S INSIGHTS: Full to Good Magic Debuts at Belmont

4th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 6-2, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:10.98, my, 2 1/4 lengths.

Third time was a charm for the gelded CAPONE (g, 3, Classic Empire–Hit the Limit, by Uncle Mo), who splashed home on top at the expense of For Good (Curlin), champion Good Magic's full-brother. Favored, green, and fourth in the mud, the Stonestreet-bred For Good went for $800,000 as a Keeneland September yearling and shares a third dam with last year's champion female sprinter Ce Ce (Elusive Quality). Don't count out For Good; Good Magic didn't break his maiden until his third start, which just happened to be the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and sired his first winner as a first-crop stallion on Churchill's Thursday card. For his part, Capone was a $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old purchase by Solis/Litt after working in :10.2. His granddam is a half to 2005 GI Kentucky Oaks winner and $3.3-million Fasig-Tipton November star Summerly (Summer Squall). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

FRIDAY'S INSIGHTS: Firenze Fire Half-Brother Debuts at Belmont Park

1st-Belmont, $75,000, (S), Msw, 6-3, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:04.27, sy, 4 lengths.

Ticking all the boxes is ANDIAMO A FIRENZE (c, 2, Speightstown–My Every Wish, by Langfuhr), who is everything you want in a 2-year-old: out of a Grade I producer, by a consistently brilliant sire, and christened a 'TDN Rising Star' on debut. A homebred for Ron Lombardi's Mr Amore Stables, Andiamo a Firenze led throughout, eased up well before the wire, and was still much the best. The sky's the limit for this Kelly Breen trainee, who is the 23rd runner by Speightstown to be named a 'Rising Star'. His granddam is a full-sister to Broodmare of the Year Oatsee (Unbridled), a mare responsible for Classic winner Shackleford (Forestry), GI Alabama S. winner Lady Joanne (Orientate), and two other graded winners. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

7th-Churchill Downs, $128,300, Alw (NW3L)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 6-3, 3yo, 7f, 1:20.62, ft, 5 1/4 lengths.

There were some returning stars in this optional allowance Friday, but it was CONAGHER (c, 3, Jimmy Creed–You Should Be Here, by Niagara Causeway), a last-out, 6 3/4-length Keeneland winner with a 97 Beyer, who led from the break and stole the show by daylight. A Fasig-Tipton October yearling buy at $9,000, the Michael A. Tomlinson runner is out of a mare who sold three times–as a weanling, a yearling, and a 2-year-old–for an aggregate $25,300. Winchell homebred Gunite (Gun Runner), victor in last year's GI Hopeful S. and making his first start as a sophomore after eight months away, was the runner-up, while January's GIII Lecomte S. winner Call Me Midnight (Midnight Lute) continued to flounder in his third start since and finished fourth of five. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

SATURDAY'S INSIGHTS: The Urban Sea Influence on American Shores

5th-Gulfstream, $50,000, Msw, 6-4, 3yo/up, 1mT

The much-anticipated debut of TYPHOON LAGOON (c, 3, Kitten's Joy–My Typhoon {Ire}, by Giant's Causeway) will have to wait, as Gulfstream was forced to cancel the weekend's racing due to Tropical Storm Alex. A runner on this side of the pond whose GISW dam is a half-sister to Galileo (Ire) and Sea The Stars (Ire)? Yes, please!

3rd-Churchill Downs, $121,854, Msw, 6-4, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:23.32, ft, 1 length.

Debuting Gunning (Gun Runner)–a Grandview Equine homebred out of 2014 'TDN Rising Star' Puca (Big Brown)–was an excellent closing runner-up to COLORFUL MISCHIEF (f, 3, Into Mischief–Color Me Flying, by Distorted Humor). Gunning had sold in utero with her dam for $475,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Colorful Mischief, who debuted on Oaks Day with a bothered third, tracked and rallied here for a brave and hard-fought trip to the winner's circle. Her granddam is an A.P. Indy half-sister to champion Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat), making Colorful Mischief a great-great-granddaughter of the incomparable champion and Broodmare of the Year Personal Ensign (Private Account). St. Elias Stable picked her up as a $300,000 yearling at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

4th-Monmouth, $56,925, Msw, 6-4, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:10.94, ft, 4 1/4 lengths.

Don Alberto homebred PASS AND STOW (c, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Paola Queen {GISW, $431,490}, by Flatter) registered as nice a debut as you'd like to see, setting challenged fractions before pulling clear late for a decisive victory. He didn't sell on a trip through the ring, being bought back for $100,000 at Keeneland September, but his dam has set off sales fireworks more than once. Winner of the 2016 GI Test S., Paola Queen sold at Keeneland November that same year for $1.7 million, then brought the same amount at the same sale a year later, where she was acquired by Don Alberto. Pass and Stow is her first foal; her second is a 2-year-old Into Mischief colt who topped last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale when selling to Coolmore's M.V. Magnier for $2.6 million. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

SUNDAY'S INSIGHTS: Godolphin Unveils Bernardini Filly At Belmont

4th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 6-5, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:12.24, ft, 3/4 length.

Comebacking UNION LAKE (f, 3, Speightster–Donnatale, by Tale of the Cat) weakened late when unveiled last October and has been on the bench ever since, but shook off the rust with a tenacious win after battling with highlighted Amaretti (Bernardini). The Steven Schoenfeld-owned Union Lake was picked up by Tonja Terranova for $55,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling. Amaretti, who briefly had the lead in the lane after showcasing her inexperience early, lost the stretch brawl to finish a good second. A homebred for Godolphin, Amaretti is a half to 2021 GII Lexus Raven Run S. winner Caramel Swirl (Union Rags), while her unraced dam is a half to MGISW Frosted (Tapit). Champion Midshipman (Unbridled's Song) is a half to her GSW granddam. Also debuting in this race was Quotabelle (Distorted Humor), a granddaughter of Hall of Famer Ashado (Saint Ballado), who fetched $325,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky yearling. After hustling early, she tired to be seventh. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

10th-Churchill Downs, $121,905, Msw, 6-5, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:21.06, ft, 9 lengths.

Our last highlighted race of the week was the final at Churchill Sunday, where ELITE POWER (c, 4, Curlin–Broadway's Alibi {MGSW & GISP, $521,500}, by Vindication)–who was third in the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Strobe (Into Mischief) on Derby Day–turned in a tour de force of his own. A subject of Insights on debut last fall, Elite Power may have taken a while to get going, but he'd improved with every start and finally put it all together with a geared-down domination. His MGSW dam was second in the 2012 GI Kentucky Oaks and hails from the same family as 2011 GI Florida Derby winner Dialed In (Mineshaft). Elite Power was a $900,000 Keeneland September purchase who races for Juddmonte. Featured in Insights was Godolphin homebred Concerted (Hard Spun), who broke slowest of all, came on well, looked to brush with a rival in the stretch, and was a fine third for a first start. His unraced dam–a full to GSW & MGISP Penwith (Bernardini)–has already produced MGSW Shared Sense (Street Sense). Her dam was the late MGISW Composure (Touch Gold), a $3.6-million Godolphin purchase at Keeneland November in 2003. Click for the Equibase.com chart lain or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Gunite Looks to Give Asmussen Second Straight Champagne

Last year Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen captured both the GI Hopeful S. at Saratoga and GI Champagne S. at Belmont with the fleet-footed Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) and he looks to repeat that feat Saturday when he saddles Gunite (Gun Runner) in this year's Champagne. The stallion-making race offers a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November.

A third-out graduate going six panels at Churchill Downs June 26, Gunite finished second behind 'TDN Rising Star' High Oak (Gormley) in the GII Saratoga Special S. Aug. 14. Overlooked at 11-1 in the Sept. 6 Hopeful, the dark bay powered clear to a 5 3/4-length victory over previously undefeated favorite Wit (Practical Joke), becoming the second Grade I winner of the weekend for his red-hot freshman sire.

“He'll be the horse in the field with the most experience so hopefully that does him well,” Winchell Thoroughbreds advisor David Fiske told the NYRA notes team. “Typically, horses that come out of Steve's parents training center in Laredo tend to break well from the gate. Facing all that adversity, that's something some of the other ones haven't faced. Hopefully, he's learned something from all of it.”

'TDN Rising Star' Wit is one of three looking to give newly minted Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher his seventh Champagne win. An ultra-impressive debut winner sprinting over Big Sandy June 5, Wit followed suit with an eight-length demolition of the July 17 GIII Sanford S. at Saratoga and was a clear-cut second in the Hopeful last out.

“He's got learning experience in all three of his races,” Pletcher said. “He's gotten well-accustomed to getting some dirt in his face and dealing with some traffic. We're just hoping for a cleaner start. We tried to break well in his last race, he just grabbed himself a little bit and had to play catch up from there. The track wasn't kind to closers as well.”

His stablemate My Prankster (Into Mischief) enters off a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy career bow. The bay made a mockery of the field, blowing them away by 10 lengths in his 6 1/2-furlong unveiling at Saratoga Aug. 21, earning a gaudy 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

Rounding out the Pletcher trio is Commandperformance (Union Rags), owned by the stallion-focused partnership of Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable. The bay is still a maiden after a runner-up effort in his six-panel debut at the Spa Sept. 6.

Chad Brown saddles an exciting prospect in 'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings). The $135,000 FTKOCT buy cruised home to an 8 3/4-length graduation in his career bow going six furlongs at Saratoga Aug. 28. He also notched a 92 Beyer.

“Just off one race, he's going to have to take another step forward, but he was so brilliant with his debut,” trainer Chad Brown said. “We've had horses have success here before doing that–Complexity (Maclean's Music) comes to mind. Off just one race he ran very well in the Champagne and won.”

Completing the field is Kavod (Lea), who will likely be the longest shot on the board off a pair of fifths in the Sanford and grassy GIII With Anticipation S. at Saratoga Sept. 1. He was second in the Tremont S. at this oval June 4.

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Siblings to New Juvenile GI Winners Highlight KEESEP

Three yearlings in the Keeneland September Sale catalogue received big updates over the weekend when their year-older siblings captured Grade Is at two of America's premiere race meets over the holiday weekend. GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity S. winner Pinehurst's (Twirling Candy) yearling half-brother by Cairo Prince sold prior to the juvenile's breakout score, bringing $120,000 from pinhooker Randy Bradshaw at Fasig-Tipton's New York-Bred Yearling Sale in mid-August. However, the winners of the GI TVG Del Mar Debutante S., GI Spinaway S. and GI Hopeful S. will be represented by half or full siblings next week at Keeneland.

Pinehurst's stablemate Grace Adler (Curlin) threw her hat in the ring for top juvenile filly honors with an ultra-impressive score in the GI Del Mar Debutante Sunday (video). Campaigned by Michael Lund Petersen and Willow Grace Farm, the $700,000 FTKSEL buy won her debut for Bob Baffert at the seaside oval July 31. Given a 4-1 chance in the Debutante, the chestnut unleashed a powerful late rally, sling-shotting to the lead and storming clear for an 11 1/4-length score.

“It was amazing,” said Adam Corndorf, President and General Manager of Blue Heaven Farm, breeder of Grace Adler. “When she started breezing several months ago, we started dreaming about what could be. Looking at the schedule for Del Mar, we thought how amazing it would be if she could run in that race and hit the board. You think about how many 2-year-olds there are every year and how many win that race and the odds are astronomical. It was incredible and a dream come true for us.”

Blue Heaven Farm consigns an Into Mischief half-brother to Grace Adler as Hip 99 in Book 1 of KEESEP. He RNA'd for $350,000 as a weanling at last year's Keeneland November Sale. Bonnie Baskin's operation went to $600,000 to acquire their dam, GSW Our Khrysty (Newfoundland), a half-sister too GISW Bullsbay (Tiznow), in foal to Tiznow at the 2011 FTKNOV sale. Her GSP daughter Virginia Key (Distorted Humor) remains in their care.

“He has a different body type [than his sister],” Corndorf said. “He is a little bigger, a little leggier, but similar in terms of his competitive spirit. The thing that is most impressive to us is that you just can't get to the bottom of him. As we have been prepping him for the sale, he has shown limitless energy. He can go all day long and never loses focus. He likes the work and is a pleasure to be around. Even when we walk the yearlings together, he wants to be out in front. Everything is a race to him.”

Meanwhile, across the country, it was the Gun Runner show at Saratoga over Labor Day weekend with members of his first crop taking both of the venue's banner juvenile events. First up was Echo Zulu, who was a decisive winner of the GI Spinaway S. Sunday at the Spa (video). The $300,000 KEESEP buy is trained by her sire's conditioner Steve Asmussen and co-owned by one of his owners Winchell Thoroughbreds in partnership with L and N Racing LLC.

Echo Zulu was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' after graduating by 5 1/2 lengths in her career bow on opening day of the Saratoga meet July 15. Heavily favored to repeat in the Spinaway, the bay was pressed through quick early fractions and drew away in the lane for a good-looking score.

Bill Betz, who was part of the group who bred Echo Zulu, offers her American Pharoah half-sister as Hip 43 in his Betz Thoroughbreds consignment. Their Grade II-winning dam Letgomyecho (Menifee) also produced L and N Racing's Asmussen-trained GI Runhappy Allen Jerkens S. winner Echo Town (Speightstown); GSW J Boys Echo (Mineshaft); GSP Unbridled Outlaw (Unbridled's Song); and MSP Dragic (Broken Vow).

“She is a lovely filly,” Betz said. “She has strength, balance, good movement and temperament. She also has pedigree. Obviously the mother was a graded stakes winner and produced graded stakes horses, including Echo Town, who won the Jerkens last year at Saratoga. So, now with Echo Zulu, it's a pretty nice package.”

The horseman continued, “Anytime you get something current happening in the pedigree it is a pretty big plus. In her case, it is icing on the cake because you already had all that to begin with. To have a half-sister as exciting as Echo Zulu just solidifies her place as an elite filly.”

Betz's KEESEP consignment got another big update at Saratoga the week prior when Yaupon (Uncle Mo) fended off an aggressive attack from Firenze Fire (Friesan Fire) to win the GI Forego S. Aug. 28 (video). Betz–who bred Yaupon in another partnership– offers a Good Magic half-brother to that future Spendthrift stallion as Hip 73. Out of GISP Modification (Vindication), the dark bay colt is also a half-brother to MGSP Sawyer's Hill (Spring At Last).

“Good timing is everything,” Betz said. “In Yaupon's case, it was his first Grade I win. He was an established sprinter in the past, but the fact he has progressed from three to four and beat five Grade I winners in the Forego is a great accomplishment for him. Hopefully it will propel him right into the Breeders' Cup. You can never really plan on something like that happening, but when it does, you just enjoy it.”

As for how the Good Magic colt compares to Yaupon, Betz said, “They are the same color, have the same balance and great movement. He is very correct with an excellent scope and X-rays. He is a May foal, but you'd never know it looking at him. He has grown up well and has good muscle. He is a very nice individual, so we have our fingers crossed there as well.”

The day after Echo Zulu gave her leading freshman sire his first Grade I winner, her barnmate Gunite (Gun Runner) became his second with an 11-1 upset in Saratoga's GI Hopeful S. on closing day of the meet (video). Bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds, the dark bay earned his diploma at third asking at Churchill Downs June 26 and was second to 'TDN Rising Star' High Oak (Gormley) next out in the GII Saratoga Special S. Aug. 14. Battling for the lead early in the Hopeful, Gunite shook free of his foes in the lane and rolled clear for a dominant score over 3-5 favorite Wit (Practical Joke).

“That's just the way we planned it,” David Fiske, longtime Winchell advisor, quipped. “It's just dumb luck, but we will take it! Echo Zulu was a purchase and Gunite was a homebred. It was just a big weekend over all.”

Winchell offers a full-sister to Gunite as Hip 539 in the Gainesway consignment. The dark bay is out of fellow Winchell homebred stakes winner Simple Surprise (Cowboy Cal), who in turn is a daughter of SW & GSP Simplify (Pulpit).

“He was always pretty and she has always been pretty,” Fiske said. “They kind of look like their mother to some extent. She is also a dark bay. That's not a bad thing because she is a pretty attractive mare.”

Fiske added, “I think if anyone has a Gun Runner in the sale they are in pretty good shape.”

The Keeneland September Sale kicks off Monday, Sept. 13.

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Ricardo Santana’s Grade 1 Triple Nets Jockey Of The Week Title

The Labor Day Weekend always signals the end of the prestigious Saratoga meet and the 2021 meet at the Spa is one jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. is likely to remember for a long time. His three Grade 1 wins closing weekend earned Jockey of the Week honors for Aug. 30 through Sept. 6. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 875 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

On Saturday, trainer Steve Asmussen called on Santana, Jr. to pilot Max Player in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. Max Player broke from post position two and settled back and to the outside of Forza Di Oro. Advancing down the backstretch and reaching the top of the stretch, Max Player took command and drew off to win by four lengths in 2:02.49 for the 1 1/4-mile prestigious test for 3-year-olds and up.

“I was happy with him,” said Santana, Jr. “Today, he broke good so I was really happy with it. The trainer is doing all the work.”

In the Grade 1 Spinaway on Sunday, Asmussen again gave a leg up to Santana, Jr. on Echo Zulu. Off a step slow from post position three, race favorite Echo Zulu went straight to the front, leading the nine-horse field gate to wire to power home in a final time of 1:22.51 for the seven furlong test for 2-year-old fillies.

“I had so much confidence that I only wore two goggles for seven furlongs,” Santana, Jr, said. “She was working real nice and today she improved a lot. I had plenty in the tank.”

The Asmussen/Santana, Jr. combination struck again with Gunite in the Grade 1 Hopeful, the traditional Closing Day feature on Monday. Breaking from post position three in the field of 11, Gunite bumped with Kitodan but was rushed into contention. He opened up a ½-length advantage at the stretch and continued to find more, drawing off to win impressively by 5-3/4 lengths in 1:23.08 for seven furlongs. Santana, Jr. rode Gunite for his fifth Grade 1 of the meet – four for Asmussen and the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks earlier in the meet for trainer Rob Atras.

“I love Saratoga, it's one of the best tracks in North America,” said Santana, Jr., who won a personal-best 35 races at Saratoga. “To win five Grade 1s at one meet is unreal.”

Santana, Jr.'s weekly statistics were 49-8-5-8 for an in-the-money percentage of 42.8% and total purse earnings of $1,329,686.

Santana, Jr. out-polled fellow riders Julien Leparoux who won the Grade 1 Flower Bowl, Flavien Prat who won the Grade 1 TVG Del Mar Debutante and his third straight leading jockey title at Del Mar, Joel Rosario who put on a riding clinic at Kentucky Downs with 10 wins over two days and John Velazquez who won the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch.

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