Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa | Horse Racing Free Tips

July 24 Insights: The March of the Pricey 2YOs Continues at Saratoga

1st-SAR, $105k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 1:05p.m. ET
The WinStar and Siena Farm partnership sends out FAITHFUL AND TRUE (Good Magic), a $450,000 OBSMAR grad out of a half to Champion older mare Escena (Strawberry Road {Aus}), for his unveiling from the Rodolphe Brisset barn. Along with Bat Flip (Good Magic), a $350,000 FTSAUG yearling who is out of a half to MGISP Money Multiplier (Lookin at Lucky) and the dam of MGSP Threes Over Deuces (Flat Out), they make up two parts of the triplet debuting in the race for their freshman sire. Bourbon Bash (City of Light) debuts here for D. Wayne Lukas, who sends the colt–out of a half to GISW Volatile (Violence)–to post for BC Stables. Upgrade (Flatter) rounds this field as the most expensive of the bunch, a $550,000 KEESEP purchase by Repole and St Elias Stables last year. His young GSP dam has produced GI Frizette S. placed A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo). TJCIS PPs

6th-SAR, $105k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 3:55 p.m. ET
RARIFY (Justify) is a daughter of Bella Jolie–making her a half to champion sprinter-turned-sire Runhappy (Super Saver)–and a $750,000 KEESEP purchase by the powerhouse connections of Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor, looms a long a shadow over this field. Wesley Ward will send her to post in this juvenile dash. Randomized (Nyquist) looks to validate her $420,000 KEESEP price tag for her Preakness-winning connections of Klaravich and Chad Brown. She's out of a half to MGISP millionaire Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz) and the dam of course record-setting MGISW Got Stormy (Get Stormy). Take Charge Briana (Curlin), hailing from the family of broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady (Dehere) via second dam Charming (Seeking the Gold), goes out from the D. Wayne Lukas barn. TJCIS PP

7th-SAR, $105k, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 4:29p.m. ET
IDEA GENERATION (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) looks set to continue what could be a big day for the Chad Brown barn. Klaravich Stables went to 340,000gns–about US$485,808–at TATOCT last year for her. Out of a half to G1SW Zoffany (Ire) (Dansili {GB}); G1SP Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}); and GSW Wilshire Boulevard (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), the firster picks up the services of Irad Ortiz Jr. Stay Lost (Bernardini) is part of the Joseph O'Brien contingent brought over by the young trainer for the Saratoga meeting. Her dam was runner-up in New Zealand's G1 One Thousand Guineas. TJCIS PPs

4th-DMR, $80k, Msw, 2yo, 5f, 6:33p.m. ET
John Shirreffs sends the Stonestreet-bred, C R K Stable-owned SKINNER (Curlin) to the blocks for his career showing here. The colt is out of a dam who is no stranger to California, former 'TDN Rising Star' and GIII Rancho Bernardo H. heroine Winding Way (Malibu Moon), and has a set of winning half-siblings. They dropped a cool $510,000 at OBSAPR to secure him a few months ago. TJCIS PPs

5th-ELP, $60k, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 1:22p.m. ET
LAVER (Bernardini), a son of GISW Centre Court (Smart Strike) and a half to GSW Navratilova (Medaglia d'Oro), debuts here for owner/breeder G Watts Humphrey Jr. This is also the family of Japanese multi-millionaire Eagle Cafe (Gulch) through his half-sister, the second dam GISP Let (A.P. Indy). TJCIS PPs

1st-MTH, $55k, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 12:15p.m. ET
E Five Racing sends out YARBOROUGH (Medaglia d'Oro), whose two most recent works were a bullet 1:00.80 five furlongs July 6 and a 1:01.60 (2/8) five panel move July 13, both over the Monmouth main track. The $260,000 KEESEP alumnus hails from the family of G1SW Diamondsandrubies (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) via G1SW & MG1SP second dam Quarter Moon (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). TJCIS PPs

6th-MTH, $55k, Msw, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, 2:35p.m. ET
Breaking from the rail, MANASSAS (Frankel {GB}) brings Group and Grade I quality pedigree on both sides. His sire needs little introduction, but his dam Avenge (War Front) was a good racehorse in her own right, twice winning the GI Rodeo Drive S. and finishing third in both the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf and the Gamely S. at Saratoga. His dam's half-sister Lira (Giant's Causeway) was graded stakes-placed, and was herself the dam of a stakes winner. This is the family of GISP Grasshopper (Dixie Union) and of the globetrotting MG1SW Mashaallah (Nijinsky II). TJCIS PPs

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T. D. Thornton’s Belmont Predictions, Sponsored by Fasig-Tipton

This week's TDN Triple Crown feature examines the GI Belmont S. entrants listed in “likeliest winner” order.

1) Mo Donegal (c, Uncle Mo–Callingmissbrown, by Pulpit)
O-Donegal Racing & Repole Stable. B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Sales History: $250,000 yrl '20 KEESEP.
You could argue that Mo Donegal lost the GI Kentucky Derby at the post draw after getting stuck with the dreaded rail gate. But his fifth-place effort, beaten 5 3/4 lengths in a stretch finish that featured the 1-2-3 horses all running full-tilt to the wire, is actually quite a bit better than it appears on paper. This $250,000 KEESEP son of Uncle Mo was too patiently handled by Irad Ortiz, Jr., who didn't ask this athletic colt for his best run until 2 1/2 furlongs out, and Mo then had to float 12 wide off the turn to find clear passage. But he still uncorked with his characteristic acceleration inside the eighth pole, and that type of late-race torque has been evident throughout Mo's career. This colt simply keeps gaining ground in deep stretch, even when the final furlongs are quick, and his company lines are far more robust than any of his Belmont S. foes. Don't be tempted to stamp him as strictly an off-the-tailgate type, because Mo is agile and nimble enough to take up the running from a sweet stalking spot in an eight-horse field where he's not as likely to meet up with the trip trouble that he often encounters.

2) We the People (c, Constitution–Letchworth, by Tiznow)
O-Winstar Farm, LLC, Bobby Flay, CMNWLTH, & Siena Farm, LLC.
B-Henley Farms Inc (KY). T-R Brisset. Sales History: $110k wnlg '19 KEENOV, $220k yrl '20 KEESEP, $230k 2yo FTFMAR.
We the People possesses both a very high cruising gear and a reputation for being difficult to handle. His brief past performance block features a pair of open-length wins at Oaklawn and a blowout, 10 1/4-length, tour-de-force romp in the GII Peter Pan S. four weeks ago (103 Beyer Speed Figure). But sandwiched in between was a hot-and-bothered effort in the weak GI Arkansas Derby in which this Constitution colt couldn't make the lead, then got hooked wide around both turns, beating only two horses. Which We the People will show up as the morning-line fave for the third leg of the Triple Crown? Sure, he's won with authority over Belmont's main track. But that was a sealed, post-rain surface rated “good,” and the field contained only one horse who had ever won a stakes (a minor one at that). Still, the raw power of that victory will be enough to sway pari-mutuel supporters to this colt's side. We the People was always in control in the Peter Pan, and it's hard to shake the visual of him turning for home under a hand ride from Flavien Prat while everyone else in his widening wake was desperately whipping and driving. He also had a nice spurt of extra acceleration in upper stretch-the kind of move where Prat was probably just gauging what was under the hood for future reference.

3) Rich Strike (c, Keen Ice–Gold Strike, by Smart Strike)
O-RED TR-Racing, LLC. B-Calumet Farm (KY). T-Eric Reed.
When a horse wins a race at 80-1 odds, you can usually point to evidence that the favorites didn't fire, the pace blew up, or a number of logical contenders ran into trip trouble. None of those things happened in the Derby. Sonny Leon sliced and diced his way to a clear inside path through the far turn, and Rich Strike did the rest, taking aim with purpose and reeling in two favorites who weren't quitting. Is the effort replicable? This connections of this former $30,000 maiden-claiming son of Keen Ice defied convention and skipped the GI Preakness S. with the aim of having a tighter fighter at 12 furlongs, a distance trainer Eric Reed believes is within this colt's scope. His 101 Beyer in Louisville represents a 17-point jump off his best career effort, and Rich Strike is going to have to come up with a similar or better fig if he is to be draped in a blanket of white carnations.

Rich Strike poses for every photo before Saturday's Belmont Stakes. | Sarah Andrew

But you have to wonder if he's going to be tactically forced out of his sweet spot, because dropping far behind the field against this crew is likely going to leave him too much work to do.

Then again, this is a colt who wasn't too far off the action going a one-turn a mile at Churchill at age two (a 17 1/4-length upset), so maybe he's a touch more versatile than critics give him credit for. A bigger concern might be Leon's inexperience riding over Belmont's vast, sweeping main-track configuration, which has been known to stymie riders unfamiliar with its 1 1/2-miles circumference. Leon is named to ride in only one race (on the grass) at Belmont on Friday, then will have what will seem like an interminably long wait on Saturday (7 1/2 hours) between his only main-track mounts in the opener and in the Belmont S. itself.

4) Barber Road (c, Race Day–Encounter, by Southern Image)
O-WSS Racing, LLC. B-Susan Forrester & Judy Curry (KY).
T-John Ortiz. Sales History: $15,000 wnlg '19 KEENOV.
Despite having to rally from last and getting parked in the 14 path turning for home, this Race Day gray ($15,000 KEENOV) put in a fairly decent sustained run over the final three furlongs of the Derby. Barber Road gets a jockey change to Joel Rosario for the Belmont, and will race without blinkers for the first time since his career debut at Colonial Downs last August. He's winless since Nov. 10, but has amassed a bankroll north of $650,000 by chipping away with minor awards in graded stakes. Longer distances certainly appear within the scope of his pedigree. His paternal grandsire is Tapit, the sire of four Belmont S. winners, and damsire Southern Image won two Grade I routes at Triple Crown distances in 2004 (the Santa Anita H. and the Pimlico Special). But the big question for Barber Road isn't staying power-it's whether he's fast enough. His best Beyer tops out at 94, seven points below the par for this race.

5) Nest (f, Curlin–Marion Ravenwood, by A.P. Indy). O-Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, & Michael House.
B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Sales History: $350,000 yrl '20 KEESEP.
Nest's family tree is replete with distance-centric influences. Her sire, Curlin, lost the 2007 Belmont by a head, barely coming up short behind the gallant filly Rags to Riches (who was trained by Nest's trainer, Todd Pletcher). Nest's damsire, A.P. Indy, won the '92 Belmont. This filly is also a full sister to Idol, last year's winner of the Santa Anita H. She was most recently a grinding second in the GI Kentucky Oaks, incrementally gaining on the winner, and before that, she popped for an 8 1/4-length victory in the GI Ashland S. in April. That score was notable for a prolonged, 4 1/2-furlong bid over Keeneland's short-stretch configuration in which Nest drove past the front four leaders with authority midway on the far turn. Jose Ortiz picks up the mount for the first time, as his brother, Irad, sticks with Nest's uncoupled stablemate, Mo Donegal.

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Gai Waterhouse Relives Visit to the Bluegrass

Legendary Australian trainer Gai Waterhouse recently spent five days touring Kentucky's horse country. Upon returning to her headquarters at Tulloch Lodge in Sydney this week, the Hall of Fame trainer of 149 Group 1 wins, including a record seven G1 Golden Slippers, is looking forward to taking her findings and putting them to use at her own exceedingly-successful stable.

“You know the old expression–you can't see the forest for the trees if you're there all day,” Waterhouse explained. “You have to go away to freshen up. I felt like I had to renew my connections and refresh my mind on everything about American breeding. We loved Kentucky, absolutely loved it.”

Bloodstock agent Marette Farrell, formerly Waterhouse's racing manager, served as the acclaimed trainer's tour guide during her time in the Bluegrass. Waterhouse took advantage of every second of her visit as the travelers maintained a jam-packed itinerary during their brief stay.

“We did not sit down for a second,” the effervescent horsewoman said with a laugh. “We kept dozing off in the car.”

One of the chief objectives of Waterhouse's trip was to have her first in-person meeting with Greg Goodman, owner of Mt. Brilliant Farm. In the past decade, Mt. Brilliant has increased their involvement in the Australian breeding and racing market. They currently have several horses in training with Waterhouse and her co-trainer Adrian Bott, including their juvenile colt Mount Brilliant (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), who broke his maiden just last week at Goulburn.

“Their farm was beautiful and we enjoyed seeing the foals, mares and yearlings,” Waterhouse said of her tour of Mt. Brilliant Farm. “They also have a mare that Adrian and I trained for them, Social Distancing (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}). She came over here from Australia and has let down into a beautiful mare with the lush Kentucky grass.”

The group stopped in at several other Thoroughbred nurseries including the farm of breeder and owner Charles Fipke, who also sends horses to Waterhouse in Australia, and Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Farm, where they met Littleprincessemma (Yankee Gentleman) and the month-old Tapit half-sister to American Pharoah.

Waterhouse admitted that any time she visits breeding farms in Kentucky, she is always amazed by the attention to detail each outfit puts into their facility.

Gai Waterhouse and Wesley Ward visit Uncle Mo at Ashford Stud | Coolmore America

“The farms are all so pristine,” she said. “It's a lot more hands-on. [Husband] Rob asked me as we were driving in, why are all the paddocks mowed? We didn't realize that they have to do that here because the grass is so rich that the horses will get too much and might founder. We don't see that in Australia, so we found it really interesting. The farms are so incredibly manicured. You wouldn't see that in Australia either.”

The caravan also dropped in at several major stud farms. They got a look at WinStar Farm's new stakes-winning sire Nashville (Speightstown), as well as future stallions and MGISWs Life Is Good (Into Mischief) and Country Grammer (Tonalist).

Waterhouse was especially enamored with the picturesque Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa and its cornerstone sire Curlin.

“What a monument John Sikura has there–beautiful barns and an incredible property,” she said. “Not only is the farm impressive, but the stallions are impressive too. He has a beautiful sire roster.”

At Ashford Stud, Waterhouse was pleased to get a look at red hot sire Uncle Mo and first-crop stallion Justify. Waterhouse and her team have already purchased a number of Justify's progeny in Australia, including a filly out of the Waterhouse/Bott-trained dual Group I winner Global Glamour (Aus) {Star Witness {Aus}). The youngster was purchased for $900,000 at this year's Magic Millions Sale.

While Waterhouse was fascinated by her tours of the breeding farms, she couldn't resist dropping by the track for a few training sessions.

“Of course we had a morning with Wesley at Keeneland,” she recounted. “Wesley has become a really good friend. We chew the cud over training, different methods and keeping horses sound.”

At Churchill Downs, she met reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox.

“He is very capable,” she noted. “It was interesting to see how he does his nominations and how he sets up his work sets. He is exceedingly meticulous and it's paying dividends because he's winning plenty of graded races.”

Before heading back home to Sydney, Waterhouse spent a few days in New York City to enjoy Broadway. She pointed out that seeing Hugh Jackman in The Music Man and Daniel Craig in Macbeth were notable highlights.

While it might not have been possible for Waterhouse to spend over a week away from her stable a few years ago, she is enjoying a bit more flexibility these days since she began co-training with Adrian Bott in 2016.

“Adrian and I work very much hand in hand,” Waterhouse said. “We're doing a very good job since we've been in partnership and winning plenty of graded races, but it's nice to have a fresh outlook, especially since everyone has been locked up for over two years. After seeing things overseas, hopefully I can bring back some new ideas with some fresh training methods that we can put in place.”

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Gamine to Visit Quality Road in 2022

Michael Lund Petersen's Gamine (Into Mischief) has been booked to Lane's End stallion Quality Road for 2022, bloodstock agent Donato Lanni confirmed Sunday.

“We had a meeting with Michael to decided what to do and we all agreed that Quality Road was the right horse to start off her broodmare career,” Lanni said. “You really can't go wrong with Quality Road–he's a very good sire.”

Acquired for $1.8 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, Gamine won nine of 11 starts, including the 2020 GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint, GI Acorn S. and GI Test S. and was named the year's Eclipse champion female sprinter.

In 2021, she added wins in the GI Derby City Distaff and GI Ketel One Ballerina S. and she concluded her career with a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint. She is once again an Eclipse award finalist as top female sprinter.

Gamine's retirement was announced in early January and the 5-year-old mare currently resides at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa Farm in Paris, Kentucky.

“She's happy,” Lanni said. “She's turned out with some fillies, she's really happy to have some buddies now at Xalapa. She's enjoying retirement.”

Asked if the champion might be offered at auction next fall, Lanni said, “We just want to get her bred, get her pregnant. We're not even thinking about that right now.”

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