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Maker Holds Strong Hand in Sword Dancer

When it comes to Grade Is on the turf in New York, it is typically Chad Brown who has three or four strong entries. However, in Saturday’s GI Sword Dancer S. at Saratoga–a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf–Brown is surprisingly absent and it is Mike Maker saddling a strong trio.

Cross Border (English Channel) appeared to come up up a neck short of likely race favorite Sadler’s Joy (Kitten’s Joy), who won the 2017 renewal of this race, in this venue’s GII Bowling Green S. last time Aug. 1, but was promoted to first after that re-opposing rival was disqualified and placed fourth for interference. Prior to that, he romped by 6 1/4 lengths in the state-bred Lubash S. at the Spa July 22.

“I don’t know what it is about Saratoga, but he seems to flourish up here,” said Maker’s assistant Nolan Ramsey. “Not only does he show it in his past performances, but physically the horse does well up here. His coat looks great and he really enjoys his training. We nicknamed him ‘The Machine’ because he just really gets into his training. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it is about Saratoga, but he likes it up here.”

His stablemate Aquaphobia (Giant’s Causeway) is the latest example of Maker’s success at the claim box. Haltered for $62,500 in January, he won the Old Man Eloquent S. in the claiming crown Feb. 17 and was fourth next out in the GII Mervin Muniz Memorial S. at Fair Grounds Mar. 21. Runner-up in the Sunshine Forever S. back in Hallandale May 9, the bay was fourth in Churchill’s GII Wise Dan S. June 20 and captured the GI United Nations S. at Monmouth last out July 18, good for a 103 Beyer Speed Figure.

Completing the Maker trio is Marzo (Medaglia d’Oro), also claimed for $62,500 back in August of last year. Capturing the GIII Sycamore S. at Keeneland in October, the gelding was third in his seasonal bow in the GIII John B. Connally S. at Sam Houston Jan. 26. Seventh in the Mervin Muniz, he was subsequently shelved and resurfaced in the Bowling Green, where he set the early pace before fading to fifth.

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A Decade Later, Zenyatta Still Racing Royalty

Whether you choose to believe them or not, people always said that she knew where the finish line was. And there was never any denying the intelligence of four-time Eclipse champion and Horse of the Year Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}).

She was quirky and a bit high-strung, and she made a hobby out of throwing exercise riders in the mornings. Her dance when she hit the track during warmup, whether it was to toy with her fans or to release adrenaline, and her ability to switch gears as she weaved between foes and charged down the lane towards the wire were all the elements that made Zenyatta, well, Zenyatta.

Now almost 10 years since that heart-wrenching day at Churchill Downs that kept her just short of a 20-race perfect record, the 16-year-old broodmare still has the same bright eye and the presence of a champion.

“Zenyatta’s probably the most intelligent horse on the farm,” said Jenn Laidlaw, the broodmare manager at Lane’s End Farm. “She knows that she’s important and she knows who she is. She has a real presence about her.”

The Hall of Famer can spot a camera from a mile away and when she spies someone approaching her paddock, she presents her hind end to the fence and awaits expectantly for a good scratching, pawing impatiently if it is not received in a timely manner.

Zenyatta’s exceptional talent on the track has yet to be seen in her offspring, with her first foal Cozmic One (Bernardini) running unplaced in five starts, but now succeeding in the show ring. Her other son Ziconic (Tapit) also never visited the winner’s circle.

But in the next few years, there is new opportunity for Zenyatta’s progeny to succeed.

Her daughter Zellda, a 3-year-old filly by Medaglia d’Oro, is in training under John Shirreffs and recorded her latest breeze on July 13, going four furlongs from the gate at Del Mar.

And this year, a second daughter arrived to carry on the family name.

Zenyatta foaled a filly by Candy Ride (Arg) on May 17.

“She’s been a superstar since day one,” Laidlaw said of the foal. “She popped up and started walking within an hour. She’s been healthy. She’s been happy. She hasn’t put a foot wrong since she’s been here. She’s got a great body and is a fairly correct foal, really typical for a Candy Ride. She’s probably my favorite of Zenyatta’s foals.”

Laidlaw added that this filly has the same gregarious personality as her mother.

“She knows who she is,” she said. “She’ll stand, she’ll pose, she knows when the camera is on her. She enjoys being groomed and she enjoys everybody giving her attention.”

Laidlaw has held various positions at Lane’s End over the last 10 years and has been present for Zenyatta’s entire broodmare career.

“With a foal at foot, she’s a great mom,” Laidlaw said. “She loves other foals. She usually has the other foals around her. She’s just a really smart mare and is great to be around.”

Laidlaw also said she enjoys witnessing the interaction between the champion mare and her adoring fans.

“When the fans get the opportunity to meet her, they’ll just start crying,” she said. “It’s really heartwarming to see how much she affected people’s daily lives and how much they love her. There are stories people tell you about how she’s helped them through situations or how she gave them motivation. We have a girl that works here and [Zenyatta] is what brought her into the industry. She absolutely loves this mare.”

Zenyatta was bred back to Candy Ride this year, and her filly this year will soon be weaned. The Hall of Famer isn’t in the spotlight quite as often nowadays as she was a decade ago, but she will always be racing royalty.

“I think Zenyatta being special is different for different people,” Laidlaw said. “Obviously she was a great race mare, but she just really got you excited every race she was in. She’s an outstanding horse for this industry, to bring people in and get them excited. Everybody loves her.”

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Tattersalls Cancels Ascot November, December Sales Due To COVID-19

Due to the ongoing challenges presented by COVID-19, Tattersalls have made the decision to cancel the 2020 Ascot November and December sales.

Clients looking to offer horses in training for sale have the option of entering the Tattersalls Newmarket Autumn Horses In Training Sale which will be staged from the Oct. 26 – 30 at Park Paddocks. Please note entries can be made online at tattersalls.com and close on Monday, Sept. 7th.

For those looking for a platform to offer breeding stock – entries for the Tattersalls December Mares Sale which takes place from Nov. 30 – Dec. 3 close on Monday, Sept. 14 and can also be made online.

Tattersalls look forward to returning to Ascot Racecourse and holding sales in the new year and aim to publicise the 2021 sales dates within the coming months.

The post Tattersalls Cancels Ascot November, December Sales Due To COVID-19 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Found’s Sister Wins the Flame of Tara

As a daughter of Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab), it was surely only a matter of time before Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) made her presence felt in Irish racing’s theatre royal and the moment came on Friday as she swooped in the G3 Kilcarn Stud Flame of Tara Irish EBF S. at The Curragh. A maiden after three starts entering this test, with her latest effort resulting in a fourth placing when ridden forward in a Cork maiden over this mile trip Aug. 8, Ballydoyle’s full-sister to the Arc and Breeders’ Cup Turf heroine Found (Ire) was anchored in rear this time by Wayne Lordan. Delivered with that familial surging run down the outer to gain the lead with 75 yards remaining, the 5-1 shot asserted for a half-length defeat of Ahandfulofsummers (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with Ubuntu (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) a short head away in third.

Divinely was fifth on debut in the star-studded seven-furlong Leopardstown maiden June 21 which featured the subsequent group scorers Minaun (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), as well as the impressive subsequent winners Meala (Ire) (Epaulette {Aus}) and Angel Palm (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Second next time and no match for No Speak Alexander (Ire) (Shalaa {Ire}) in a Roscommon maiden over an extended seven July 7, the bay was behind two of today’s rivals in Emaniya (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and Ahandfulofsummers at Cork last time so was as unconvincing on the formbook as she was undeniable on pedigree lining up here. If it needed any further proof, this year has shown more than any other that this talismanic stable’s runners always require respect despite what their race records show. Her cause may have been helped by the fact that the aforementioned likely favourite Meala was withdrawn and Emaniya stumbled badly leaving the stalls.

Leading home a one-two-three for Susan Magnier, who was owner or part-owner of all the main protagonists from three different stables, Divinely was steered by Lordan as Seamie Heffernan is on a three-day suspension. He commented, “That’s a nice way for her to break her maiden. She had a good run in very deep ground in Roscommon. I thought making the running in Cork wasn’t the ideal thing, but getting a lead today she travelled well and toughed it out well. You would imagine the way she went to the line that she is a filly that is going to stay really well.”

As already mentioned, Divinely is from a family of high-achieving distaffers, with the dam Red Evie being the G1 Lockinge S. and G1 Matron S. heroine. The second of her nine Galileos and first to race was an instant hit, as Magical Dream (Ire) captured the G3 C. L. Weld Park S. at two but it was the 2012 foal who proved such a landmark performer for this stable as Found, who earned TDN Rising Star status on debut at this track, went on to glory in the French showcase and Breeders’ Cup Turf as well as the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac. Her first foal Battleground (War Front) currently holds the distinction of being the stable’s leading juvenile after his wins in the G2 Vintage S. and Listed Chesham S.

Following Found was the smart Best In the World (Ire), whose big day came when successful in the G3 Give Thanks S., and her first foal is another 2-year-old in this yard in the filly Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) who was fourth in the recent G3 Silver Flash S. Red Evie’s latest Galileo is a yearling filly.

Friday, The Curragh, Ireland
KILCARN STUD FLAME OF TARA IRISH EUROPEAN BREEDERS FUND S.-G3, €65,000, Curragh, 8-28, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:48.77, hy.
1–DIVINELY (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Red Evie (Ire) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Ire at 7-9f, Hwt. Older Mare-Eng at 7-9 1/2f, G1SW-Eng, G1SW-Ire, Broodmare of the Year-Ire, $763,111), by Intikhab
2nd Dam: Malafemmena (Ire), by Nordico
3rd Dam: Martinova, by Martinmas (GB)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Wayne Lordan. €39,000. Lifetime Record: 4-1-1-0, $50,215. *Full to Found (Ire), Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 11-14f., Hwt. 2yo Filly-Ire, Hwt. Older Horse-Fr at 9 1/2-11f, Hwt. Older Mare-Ire at 11-14f, Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 11-14f, Hwt. Older Mare-Fr at 11-14f, Hwt. 2yo Filly-Eur, Hwt. 2yo Filly-Fr, Hwt. Older Mare-Ire at 9 1/2-11f, MG1SW-Fr, GISW-US, MGSW & MG1SP-Ire, MG1SP-Eng, $7,610,405; Full to Magical Dream (Ire), GSW-Ire, $118,485; Full to Best In the World (Ire), GSW-Ire, $141,246. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ahandfulofsummers (Ire), 128, f, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Scream Blue Murder (Ire), by Oratorio (Ire). O-Cayton Park Stud & Susan Magnier; B-Coolmore & Drakenstein Stud Pty Ltd (IRE); T-Fozzy Stack. €13,000.
3–Ubuntu (Ire), 128, f, 2, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–On a Pedestal (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). O-Susan Magnier; B-Ann Marie O’Brien (IRE); T-Joseph O’Brien. €6,500.
Margins: HF, NO, 1 3/4. Odds: 5.00, 7.00, 7.50.
Also Ran: Allagar (Ire), Nicest (Ire), Rosscarbery (Ger), Dolce Notte (Ire), Emaniya (Ire). Scratched: Meala (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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