#3 Tricky Temper makes her debut a winning one in R3 at Saratoga under @ljlmvel for trainer Jeremiah Englehart!

#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/ERo3m8AIyX

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) August 9, 2023

The post Into Mischief Filly Rolls Down Lane A Spa Maiden Winner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

“I had said, 'Why don't we just go up to Saratoga and enjoy ourselves?'” Giddings recalled with her signature easy smile. “No pressure, no nothing. Just take the horses there and see what we can do.”

Those expectations went out the window pretty quickly when a filly named Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) landed in her barn. The undefeated sophomore won her first race with Giddings listed as trainer when she put in a dominant gate-to-wire performance in the GIII Victory Ride S. on July 8 and now, Giddings and her stable star are preparing for what will be the biggest race of both their careers in the Aug. 5 GI Test S.

Last spring, former Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Parcells purchased Maple Leaf Mel for his August Dawn Farm at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale. He decided to name the daughter of Cross Traffic after Canadian-born Giddings, who was then the assistant to his regular trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

Giddings has been with Maple Leaf Mel since the grey filly first came to the racetrack, so when Giddings went out on her own at the beginning of this year, her namesake soon followed. It was a decision by Parcells and Englehart that Giddings does not take lightly.

“It would have been weird for me to not have her in my barn, but to have her in my name is pretty incredible,” she explained. “It's  a big responsibility to try to live up to a filly who is undefeated and keep it that way. I'm so grateful for Coach to give me the chance and for Jeremiah to be so supportive of my training career and let me have this filly in my name.”

Mel Giddings and Jeremiah Englehart celebrate Maple Leaf Mel's first graded stakes win in the GIII Miss Preakness S. | Horsephotos

The pressure was on in the Victory Ride when Giddings was first listed as Maple Leaf Mel's trainer, especially when the entries included the likes of MGSW Red Carpet Ready (Oscar Performance) and Grade II-placed Interpolate (Into Mischief). Giddings called an old friend and mentor for a confidence boost before the race.

“I spoke with Jeremiah when the past performances came out and I said, 'Well I drew the toughest field to have her in my name for the first time.' He told me not to worry and he was right. She doesn't care who it is and horses don't read the form. She went out there like every other time and put on a show.”

Now five-for-five with four stakes wins to her credit, Maple Leaf Mel is emerging as one of the top fillies of her division, but her trainer said that the speedy grey is like a kid on the playground when she steps into the starting gate.

“I think for her, being a good racehorse is just the fact that she loves her job,” said Giddings. “She knows what day it is when it's time to run and she's a different horse. She can't wait to run. I don't even know if she really knows what she's doing. She just goes out there and she thinks it's a good time.”

Maple Leaf Mel put in her most recent work in preparation for the Test on July 21, going four furlongs in :49.22.

“She's feeling frisky,” reported Giddings. “I'll try to keep her that way and keep her as fresh as I can going in. This will obviously be the biggest race of her life.”

Giddings has been around her fair share of talented racehorses in her 26 years in the industry. Over the years she has worked for the likes of Al Stall Jr., Mark Casse, Kevin Attard, Steve Asmussen and Roger Attfield. The thought of hanging out her own shingle never really crossed her mind until a life-threatening illness put things in a new perspective.

In 2020, Giddings was diagnosed with Stage 4B endocervical and ovarian cancer. After surgery to remove two grapefruit-sized tumors, several rounds of chemotherapy, and a long recovery, Giddings returned to the racetrack.

Maple Leaf Mel goes five-for-five in the GIII Victory Ride S. | Sarah Andrew

“I thought I would see how I could make it through the first year, whether I could even make it still doing what I love doing,” recalled Giddings. “The first year was really tough. I mean, that first year if you had said that I was going to train, I'd have told you that you're nuts because I was struggling a lot.”

But by last year, Giddings was back to overseeing around 40 horses in the Englehart barn and soon after, she discovered the dream she never really knew she had.

“I had never thought of training,” said Giddings. “I just always loved the racetrack. I've been here for 26 years and I just love getting horses ready and I take pride in them doing well and succeeding. When I got sick, I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to have another job in my life, let alone make it. So when I did I thought, 'Why not do it for myself?' No stress, no goals. Just do it and see what happens.”

Giddings said she sometimes can't believe how much time has passed since those long, excruciating months when she was so far removed from life on her beloved racetrack.

“Sometimes I look at my hair and I go, 'Oh, it's been that long,'” she said, grabbing her ponytail of now shoulder-length hair.

So just over three years after she first received the cancer diagnosis, Giddings is soaking in every moment with a filly named in her honor and a stable of promising 2-year-olds that she hopes will further her stable's early success.

Giddings has eight horses in her barn on the Oklahoma this summer, which she runs with the help of her 15-year-old pup Reese. Maple Leaf Mel is her only older horse, but Giddings has always enjoyed working with the babies and she is excited about the progress of each of her pupils.

On Wednesday, another auspicious grey namesake called Mel's Angel (Leofric) will make her debut at Saratoga. Picked out by Giddings for $32,000 at the OBS March Sale for owner James Kelly, the filly will face fellow New York-breds sprinting on the turf.

“Mel's Angel is really straightforward,” said Giddings. “She's a total sweetheart in the barn, but she's got a lot of feistiness on the track.”

With several new clients, Giddings hopes to be busy claiming and taking on the sales in the coming months. She understands the struggles that come with starting out on your own and she is grateful to the owners who have shown their support from the start.

“It's tough to break out on your own if you don't have people to back you,” she said. “If you're not winning, you're not making money so [support] is huge. We're super grateful to owners like Bill Parcells, who gave Maple Leaf Mel some time off when we asked him to and now she's rewarding him. I'm just glad it worked out because we all told him that it would and now here she is. I hope she can have a big year for him.”

Of course, not every horse in her stable will be another Maple Leaf Mel, but Giddings loves all her horses just the same.

“You get attached to the horses,” she said. “They all have their own personality. I mean, even if they're a five claimer of if they're a stakes winner, I love them all.”

The post Mel Giddings Enjoys First Saratoga Summer With Her Own Stable appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Interpolate (Into Mischief) bobbled out of the gate, but Maple Leaf Mel broke straight and true. The gray found her customary spot on the lead with ease, setting :22.54 and :45.52 fractions as Red Carpet Ready pursued her from second and Dazzling Blue followed closely in third. The trio stayed one-two-three until exiting the turn, when Red Carpet Ready dropped off and Dazzling Blue looked poised to strike. The latter tried to run down the easy-moving Maple Leaf Mel, but couldn't catch her and swapped to her wrong lead late as she tired.

“It definitely gives me a big relief,” said Melanie Giddings, a former assistant to the winner's previous trainer, Jeremiah Englehart, but now herself the trainer of record. “She's amazing. She's won at Aqueduct, Belmont, twice at Saratoga, and Pimlico. She's pretty incredible.”

The undefeated Victory Ride winner debuted last summer at Saratoga, took the state-bred Seeking the Ante S. and the state-bred East View S. with a seven-month hiatus in between, and made both her open company and graded company debut May 19 with a gate-to-wire, geared-down joyride in the GIII Miss Preakness S. at Pimlico. Never headed, Maple Leaf Mel has led at every call in all five starts. Giddings indicated the gray will target the GI Test S. Aug. 5 at Saratoga.

August Dawn Farm bought Maple Leaf Mel as a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Spring 2-year-old last year for $150,000 after she worked in :10.2. The operation named her for Englehart's then-assistant Giddings, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2020. Englehart trained the filly for her first four starts, but Giddings took over as trainer of record after the Miss Preakness win.

“I've been texting Jeremiah all day about the filly and he wished me the best of luck,” said Giddings. “I wish he could have been here with me.”

Pedigree Notes:

Maple Leaf Mel is one of four graded winners and 15 black-type winners for Spendthrift's Cross Traffic, an Unbridled's Song son who was also represented by GI Cental Bank Ashland S. winner Defining Purpose's win in the GIII Indiana Oaks about 30 minutes prior to the Victory Ride.

A New York-bred, Maple Leaf Mel has one younger half-sibling, a 2-year-old colt by Brody's Cause. Cole Bennett had bought the mare carrying that now-2-year-old for $4,000 at the 2021 Keeneland January sale. Florida-bred City Gift is by the unraced City Place, whose four stakes winners out of his daughters include 2020 Canadian Horse of the Year Mighty Heart (Dramedy).

Saturday, Belmont
VICTORY RIDE S.-GIII, $175,000, Belmont, 7-8, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:15.74, ft.
1–MAPLE LEAF MEL, 124, f, 3, by Cross Traffic
               1st Dam: City Gift, by City Place
               2nd Dam: For My Wife, by Not For Love
               3rd Dam: Heavens to Betsy, by Miswaki
($18,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $150,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-August
Dawn Farm; B-Joe Fafone (NY); T-Melanie Giddings; J-Joel
Rosario. $96,250. Lifetime Record: 5-5-0-0, $399,650. *1/2 to
Eddie's Gift (El Corredor), SP, $167,950. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dazzling Blue, 120, f, 3, Into Mischief–Blue Violet, by Curlin.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($500,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP).
O-Juddmonte; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
$35,000.
3–Vahva, 120, f, 3, Gun Runner–Holiday Soiree, by Harlan's
Holiday. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($280,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP).
O-Belladonna Racing, LLC, Edward J. Hudson, Jr., West Point
Thoroughbreds, LBD Stable LLC, Nice Guys Stables, Manganaro
Bloodstock, Runnels Racing, Steve Hornstock and Twin Brook
Stables; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Cherie
DeVaux. $21,000.
Margins: 2HF, 1HF, 7. Odds: 2.75, 5.60, 8.00.
Also Ran: Interpolate, Downtown Mischief, Topsy, Red Carpet Ready, Adeliese's Smile.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Cross Traffic’s Maple Leaf Mel Wins Battle of the Undefeateds in Victory Ride appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

A five-length winner at first-asking Aug. 10 at Saratoga in a six panel, state-bred maiden dash over the fast main track, she returned 16 days later in the slop to duel her way to an open length victory in the state-bred restricted Seeking the Ante S. over familiar face Lady Mine (First Samurai), GSP Miracle (Mendelssohn), and another returning challenger in MSW Les Bon Temps.

Jumping well here as the heavy 1-5 favorite, Maple Leaf Mel showed the way down the backstretch, dictating all her own terms. In the two path around the bend and putting distance on the field without being asked, Maple Leaf Mel changed leads inside the three-sixteenths before drawing off by 7 3/4 lengths in the stretch to stylish return to winning ways.

“Joel [Rosario] has worked her the last couple of times down in Florida and I was happy that he wanted to come up and ride her–that gave me a lot of confidence. […] I left it [tactics] up to Joel. I don't think it matters with her,” said conditioner Jeremiah Engleheart. “I've worked her plenty of times as a 2-year-old behind horses and let her tip out and make a run. She's just a racehorse. If you put her there, she's going to try and repel everyone that comes to her. She likes to run. It's as simple as that. She likes to do what she's doing.”

As for trying open company down the road, Engleheart was hopeful the chance would arise. “Coach [Bill Parcells, owner of August Dawn Farm] wants to win a Grade I and my goal is to win a Grade I with her for him. We've talked about a couple different spots. The [state-bred] Bouwerie is an option, but it's a little further away than we wanted coming off this race.”

Out of a winning racemare, Maple Leaf Mel is a half to another multiple winner in Dr. Lloyd (The Lumber Guy), in addition to her stakes placed half'brother Eddie's Gift. They have a 2-year-old half-brother by Brody's Cause as the last registered foal under the dam thus far. This is the female line of GSP Heaven's Nook (Great Above), herself dam of GSW Frisco View (Mt. Livermore); SW Cherokee Heaven (Cherokee Run); and the dam of Venezuelan champion 2-year-old colt Rio Matiyure (Ven) (Chayim). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

https://twitter.com/TVG/status/1639366768669114374

EAST VIEW S., $100,000, Aqueduct, 3-24, (S), 3yo, f, 6f, 1:12.75, ft.
1–MAPLE LEAF MEL, 122, f, 3, by Cross Traffic
                1st Dam: City Gift, by City Place
                2nd Dam: For My Wife, by Not For Love
                3rd Dam: Heavens to Betsy, by Miswaki
($18,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $150,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-August Dawn Farm; B-Joe Fafone (NY); T-Jeremiah C. Englehart; J-Joel Rosario. $55,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $213,400. *1/2 to Eddie's Gift (El Corredor), SP, $167,950.
2–Security Code, 118, f, 3, Frosted–Stopspendingmaria, by Montbrook. O-WellSpring Stables; B-Rockridge Stud, LLC, Ascendant Farms, LLC & Godolphin (NY); T-Philip M. Serpe. $20,000.
3–Les Bon Temps, 122, f, 3, Laoban–Winsanity, by Tapizar. ($65,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT). O-Lady Sheila Stable, Deuce Greathouse, Cindy M. Hutson and Brett Setzer; B-Southern Equine Stables, LLC (NY); T-Linda Rice. $12,000.
Margins: 7 3/4, 2, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.30, 26.50, 3.10.
Also Ran: Little Linzee, Banterra, Queens Masterpiece, Lady Mine.

The post Racing Return in East View Easy Breezy for Maple Leaf Mel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The post Cross Traffic Filly Runs to the Buzz At Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

California
Track: Santa Anita
Date: 02/11/2022
Licensee: Aaron Eric Kroul, owner
Penalty: Suspension
Violation: Failure to appear before stewards on financial responsibility charges

Explainer: Owner Aaron Eric Kroul, having failed to respond to written notice to appear before the Board of Stewards at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 10, 2022, is suspended for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1547 (Failure to Appear) pending an appearance at a hearing before the Board of Stewards to answer to charges alleging violation of CHRB rule #1876 (Financial Responsibility–DVM John Araujo, $829.50). Suspension to commence on Feb. 18, 2022. During the term of this suspension, all licenses and license privileges of Aaron Eric Kroul are suspended and pursuant to California Horse Racing Board rule #1528 (Jurisdiction of Stewards), subject is denied access to all premises in this jurisdiction.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 02/11/2022
Licensee: Ruben Valdes, owner
Penalty: License restoration
Violation: N/A
Explainer: Owner Ruben Valdes, having complied with the provisions of California Horse Racing Board rule #1876 (Financial Responsibility–$4,240.00 to K C Horse Transport, Inc.) is restored to good standing. LATS #31 ruling issued at Santa Anita Park on Jan. 28, 2022, is set aside.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 02/12/2022
Licensee: Ruben Gomez, trainer
Penalty: $500 fine
Violation: Late declaration
Explainer: Trainer Ruben Gomez, who was scheduled to start LADY MO in the fourth race at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 11, 2022, is fined $500.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1629 (Penalty for Late Declaration–didn't want to run). *Rule #1532. Fine shall be paid to the Paymaster within calendar days from the date of this ruling, or the license of the person upon whom the fine has been imposed shall be suspended.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 02/13/2022
Licensee: Jonathan Wong, trainer
Penalty: $500 fine
Violation: Late declaration

Explainer: Trainer Jonathan Wong, who was scheduled to start ATLANTIC STRIKE in the third race at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 12, 2022, is fined $500.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1629 (Penalty for Late Declaration–didn't want to run).

New York
Track: Aqueduct
Date: 02/11/2022
Licensee: Michael Simmonds, trainer
Penalty: $500
Violation: Late scratch
Explainer: Trainer Mr. Michael Simmonds is hereby fined the sum of $500.00 dollars for failing to tend to business in a proper manner necessitating a late scratch in the sixth race on Jan. 23, 2022 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Track: Aqueduct
Date: 02/11/2022
Licensee: Michael Simmonds, trainer
Penalty: $300
Violation: Late scratch
Explainer: Mr. Michael Simmonds is hereby fined the sum of $500.00 dollars for failing to tend to business in a proper manner necessitating a late scratch in the ninth race on Jan. 23, 2022 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Track: Aqueduct
Date: 02/14/2022
Licensee: Jeremiah C Englehart, owner/trainer
Penalty: $500 fine and 7-day suspension
Violation: Medication violation

Explainer: Having received a report from the NYS Gaming Commission Equine Drug Testing Laboratory of the finding of Prednisolone in the body fluid sample taken from Horse “Catch That Party” (#5) which finished 2nd in the 6th race on Oct. 17, 2021, and having waived his right to appeal, Owner/Trainer Mr. Jeremiah C Englehart is suspended for 7 Calendar days effective Feb. 14-Feb. 20, 2022 inclusive and fined $500.00 dollars. Furthermore, the Stewards order horse “Catch That Party” disqualified from any part of the purse and the purse redistributed as follows:

1. (#1) Chulainn
2. (#9) Grape Nuts Warrior
3. (#10) Cotton
4. (#7) Agent Creed
5. (#8) Fatima's Blessing
6. (#4) Mr. Kringle
7. (#2) Missionatthespa
8. (#6) Regality
9. (#3) Work Out

Ordered that during your period of suspension, you shall not directly or indirectly participate in New York State pari-mutuel horse racing. You are denied the privileges and use of the grounds of all racetracks, you are forbidden to participate in any share of purses or other payment. Every horse is denied the privileges of the grounds and shall not participate in pari-mutuel racing in New York State , that (a) is owned or trained by you, or by any individuals who serves as your agent or employee during your suspension; or (b) for which you during your suspension are directly or indirectly with training, including any arrangements to care for, train , enter, race, invoice, collect fees or other payments, manage funds, employ or insure workers, provide advise or other information or otherwise assist with any aspect of the training of such horses.

The post Weekly Rulings: Feb. 8-14, 2022 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Split divisions of juvenile filly sprinters get the Saratoga baby race season underway on opening day Thursday, with this latter half appearing to be clearly the saltier spot on paper. Heads turned when a filly by thus-far unheralded freshman sire Valiant Minister hammered for $360,000–120 times the Bridlewood Farm resident's stud fee–at OBS April, but one viewing of OUTFOXED's breeze-show effort quickly explains why. The dark bay barreled through a powerful :20 4/5 quarter-mile work, sparking a bidding war that ended with Solis/Litt as the last entity standing on behalf of LNJ Foxwoods. The Bill Mott trainee shows a modest local worktab, but did work a half-mile in :49 flat (3/12) from the gate on the Oklahoma training track June 25. Two other debutantes have live looks in Solasta (Goldencents) and Echo Zulu (Gun Runner). The former, owned by Jeff Drown and Don Rachel, is a half-sister to GISW Mia Mischief who cost $300,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling buy. The bay has breezed sharply for Jeremiah Englehart, including a best-of-31 bullet half-mile from the gate over this strip in :47 3/5 July 1. The latter, who goes out for L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds, is a half to last summer's GI H. Allen Jerkens S. hero Echo Town (Speightstown) and GSW J Boys Echo (Mineshaft). She sports a four-furlong gate bullet of her own, going the distance in :47 2/5 (1/44) June 15 at Keeneland. One of only two horses in the 10-horse group with racing experience, Pop-A-Top's Lady Scarlet (Union Rags) gets the slight nod on the morning line at 5-2 after showing good speed and finishing a clear second for Brad Cox in the opener June 4 at Churchill. TJCIS PPs

—@JBiancaTDN

The post Competitive Filly Sprinters Kick Off Spa Juvenile Action appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Lynch, 26, has a long association with Wendell Fong going back to when she was working as an assistant to trainer Jeremiah Englehart, overseeing his Laurel string. Lynch helped prepare the now 5-year-old son of Flat Out for his debut, which he won in the final month of 2018, as well as his lone stakes victory in the 2019 Gold Fever at Belmont Park.

After getting a class break in his last two starts, Wendell Fong returns to stakes company looking to reward Lynch's devotion and dedication. Lynch is winless with four seconds from 16 starters since going out on her own last summer; Wendell Fong will be No. 17.

“He got sent to me before his first start and he just kind of became the barn favorite real quick. He's got a real cool personality. He's just one of those special horses,” Lynch said. “I don't think there could be a more fitting horse for me to get my first win.”

Lynch began galloping horses while at Walter Johnson High School in Montgomery County and continued while pursuing a nursing degree, first at Towson University and then at Shepherd University in West Virginia.

She worked for trainers Graham Motion at Fair Hill and Brendan Walsh in Florida, eventually hooking on as the top exercise rider and assistant for Englehart's Laurel string, overseeing 29 horses during the winter. The daughter of a horse dentist, she also worked for trainers Brittany Russell and Phil Schoenthal in Maryland and Jim Bond in New York.

“Just to see the horse win would be more amazing to me than anything else,” Lynch said. “For me it's cool because I came from Laurel and it's kind of like full circle to see my name back there as a trainer. It means a lot.

“I love it. I feel like it's always kind of what I've worked for,” she added. “I always put a lot of pressure on myself but when you see your name in the program it's about 10,000 times more pressure than before. But it's been really good and my support system has been awesome. There have been days where if I don't believe in myself, they believe in me. So it's helped.”

Wendell Fong ran in the Woody Stephens (G1), Amsterdam (G2) and Count Fleet (G3) while still with Englehart, finishing behind the likes of Hog Creek Hustle, Shancelot and Whitmore. He made one start for Robertino Diodoro before landing back with Lynch when she went out on her own.

After two off-the-board finishes, Wendell Fong rediscovered his form running second by 1 ½ lengths behind fellow stakes winner Taco Supream in a six-furlong optional claiming allowance Dec. 3 at Laurel, where he has a 2-1-0 record in four tries.

“We were all very, very happy with that. It was really good to see him come and get his confidence back and he came out of that race very well. He seems a little bit more like the old horse he used to be,” Lynch said.

“I think that's kind of what makes him special. I think he went under the radar for a little bit,” she added. “You look at the company he was running against. He was running against Mind Control and Whitmore and definitely never really hit an easy field. Even though he didn't win, he was still running great races.”

Sheldon Russell will ride Wendell Fong from Post 1 in a field of seven.

To achieve Lynch's breakthrough win, Wendell Fong will have to beat a solid collection of sprinters led by Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, nose winner of the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course, his sixth career stakes win. Three of his others have come at Laurel, where he was second in the Frank Y. Whiteley and fourth in the Dave's Friend to cap 2020.

Silvino Ramirez's Share the Ride, last out winner of the six-furlong Fall Highweight (G3) Nov. 29 at Aqueduct. The 6-year-old gelding won the Mr. Prospector last summer at Monmouth Park, a race where Wendell Fong ran fourth, and was beaten a head when second to Majestic Dunhill in the Bold Ruler (G3) in October.

Penguin Power, a multiple stakes winner at Charles Town with 13 career victories who ran third by two lengths in the Dave's Friend; upset Maryland Million Sprint winner Karan's Notion; Lebda, winner of Laurel's Miracle Wood and Private Terms last winter; and New York-bred stakes winner Arthur's Hope complete the field.

The post Lynch Hoping There Is A Wendell Fong Laurel Park Stakes Win In Her Future appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Attorney Andrew Turro, who represents Rice, reiterated his view that Rice did not violate a specific rule on the books at the time either with the New York Racing Association (NYRA) or the commission by taking the information, but also said Wednesday that Rice's payments to racing office staff weren't bribes.

Rice began her testimony Wednesday by going over her financial records from the time in question, showing a series of checks made out to individuals in the racing office, the starting gate crew, jockeys' valets, and chief examining veterinarian Dr. Anthony Verderosa which she wrote after winning the Saratoga meet title in 2009. Later, Rice said she gave checks and later cash to the entire racing office staff and starting gate crew via entry clerk Jose Morales. Morales has admitted to providing Rice with the information in question. Those payments were intended to be Christmas gifts, Rice said, and were typically $200 or a bit more, depending upon the number of people employed in each department at the time. Rice said she later learned there was a cap of $75 allowed as gratuity for NYRA employees after the gate crew were called before the stewards for taking larger tips from jockeys.

Also on Wednesday, Turro called trainers Jeremiah Englehart and James Ferraro to learn more about their experiences with the racing office, particularly during times when there was a shortage of horses available to fill races in New York. Previous testimony from senior racing office officials stated that entry clerks are not permitted to give out the name of a horse or name of a trainer when “hustling” entries for a race with a small field. They are permitted to divulge information about the expected pace or comparative talent of horses entered in a race pre-draw, even giving out specifics such as a rival's recent finish positions.

But Ferraro and Englehart say they have been given the names of trainers and horses pre-draw if a clerk is pushing to get a race filled. Englehart also said he uses a software program which helps him keep track of what conditions his horses are eligible for; the program also lets him review previous races with similar conditions, giving him a good idea which horses could be entered in a given allowance or claiming race. Englehart estimated that when entries are released for a race with eight horses, he will have correctly guessed the identities of five of them, on average.

Ferraro and Englehart also said they learn about the entries in an upcoming race from jockeys' agents, who may be aware of horses their clients are riding.

When questioned by counsel for Rice and the commission, Englehart seemed to have complex feelings about what Rice had done.

“I've competed against Linda for a long time and I have a lot of respect for how hard she works, how hard it is or might have been for her to rise to the place she's at right now,” he told Turro. “I think it's just not fair to think we're going to throw a career away because of a misjudgment. There's a lot of people out there that might not be good in the game and we need to focus on that.”

Under asked by commission attorney Rick Goodell whether Rice received an unfair advantage, Englehart also said this–

“If Linda was receiving emails when no one else was, and I'm not 100 percent sure no one else was, maybe it isn't a one-time happening … knowing it's frowned upon now I would say no it's not fair, but at the time I stand by what I said before and I don't know if I wouldn't have done the same thing.”

While Morales, a longtime acquaintance of Rice, characterized the gratuities and a couple of loans from Rice as consideration for the information he provided her, Turro depicted the relationship differently. Rice knew the Morales family many years and was close to them at a time several years ago when a car accident killed one of Jose's teenaged siblings.

“I knew his lifestyle was — he was having a lot of problems as far as drinking, driving, domestic issues with his wife and whatnot,” Rice said. “I felt sorry for him because his life was somewhat of a mess. I always thought I knew, possibly, why.”

Turro also laid the groundwork for his closing argument, which will be that the commission should not suspend or revoke Rice's license — both options on the table for the hearing officer according to the commission.

“I'll urge that justice be done and the nightmare my client has been living through can end,” he said. “I will urge the hearing officer to allow her to continue training without further interruption.”

The hearing will continue Thursday.

See previous coverage of the hearing here, here, and here.

The post Rice Begins Testimony On Hearing’s Fifth Day, Characterizes Payments To Racing Office As Gifts appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

LEXINGTON, KY–Fasig-Tipton’s two-day Selected Yearlings Showcase concluded Thursday with solid enough trade–especially on flashier offerings–given the global uncertainty leading up to the first major yearling sale in the year of COVID-19.

The auction, necessitated by the cancellation of the July, Saratoga and New York-bred sales, featured 348 transactions for gross receipts of $61,765,000 at an average of $177,486 and median of $120,000. The buy-back rate was 33.7%.

The sale topper came on Wednesday when Robbie Medina, bidding on behalf of Joe Allen, went to $1.5 million to acquire a regally bred Quality Road filly (hip 232) from the Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency consignment.

“I would like to thank the 662 people who own horses and entrusted them with us in a sale that had never been done before. That is one of the greatest compliments you could ever expect, when they entrust something of value to you,” said Fasig-Tipton president and CEO Boyd Browning, Jr. “We demonstrated viability in the marketplace. It is not easy. We all know nothing is easy right now. It’s selective. You’ve heard me say a thousand times over the last 30 years it is selective. But, there is viability and there is hope. I have to take my hat off to my team. If anyone could have imagined six months ago, no Gulfstream Sale, no July Yearling Sale, no Saratoga Sale, no New York-bred Sale and we would be sitting here tonight having sold $60 million worth of horses over the last two days, I would have called BS on it. There were a lot of days people would say, ‘What are we going to do?’ I’d say, ‘Hell, I don’t know.’ We tried to do the right thing every day and we make a decision, we put our heart and soul into it and try to do the best we can.”

Browning, never one to hide his emotions, continued, “This spring, we lost a valuable member of our team, Dennis Lynch. Take COVID, sales cancellations and losing one of your key people, key friends in one year. I am pretty confident Dennis is up there right now mixing a couple of stiff drinks, one for him and one for Billy [Graves]. Dennis said, ‘Hey Billy, our people did a pretty good job.’ And Billy looked at him and said, ‘Yeah, but we taught them everything we knew. They had to do a pretty good job.’ And that is the truth. It is a cumulative effect of people that are here today and people that are no longer with us. We have a great team and their commitment to this industry is remarkable. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the buyers. No one knows what is going to happen tomorrow or a month from now or next year, but people came and supported the industry and bid enthusiastically. They participated in an uncertain time and helped move everybody forward. The resiliency in our industry has been on display again in the past few days. It says something about how special our game is. It has been a very gratifying experience. It’s been a challenge. You think of all the obstacles everybody has had to overcome.”

Wednesday’s session kicked off with a section of New York-breds, but Thursday’s session was all open horses, yielding somewhat higher numbers. The session two average was $196,585 and median was $150,000 on $34,599,000 in gross receipts from 176 sold. The RNA rate was 33.1%.

Thursday’s topper was a $1.25-million American Pharoah colt (hip 400) consigned by Denali Stud on behalf of Bayne and Christina Welker and purchased by Speedway Stables.

A Curlin half-sister to GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner and GI Kentucky Derby fourth Honor A. P. (Honor Code) RNA’d for $1.4 million.

With travel restrictions in place, foreign buyers were notably absent from the results sheets on both days.

“There was an overwhelming amount of horses bought by domestic buyers,” Browning said. “There was an effort made by Fasig, Keeneland, the Breeders’ Cup and the NTRA and Senator McConnell’s office to grant some waivers and we were able to do that. Once we got those waivers in place, there was a quarantine requirement in virtually all of Europe and Japan. It is unrealistic to expect broad participation internationally this year.”

Yearling sales season continues with the two-week Keeneland September sale starting Sunday. Fasig-Tipton will hold the Midlantic Fall Yearlings sale in Maryland Oct. 5 and 6, and action will return to its Newtown Paddocks in Lexington Oct. 26 and 29.

Watch our video with Browning below.

Speedway Stable Fends Off Coolmore for ‘Pharoah’ Colt

A son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah was the first to set off fireworks at Fasig-Tipton Thursday, igniting a spirited round of bidding between a trio of powerhouse connections in Donato Lanni, Coolmore and Marette Farrell, acting on behalf of Speedway Stables. Lanni was the first to throw in the towel, leaving Coolmore and Farrell to duke it out and it was Farrell left to sign the winning $1.25-million ticket on behalf of Speedway’s K.C. Weiner and Peter Fluor.

“K.C. Weiner and Peter Fluor are two of the best owners a person could possibly have,” said Farrell, who was shocked to find out she had outbid the Coolmore team. “They are game. They are very successful in their own business world and they apply all of those principles to our little horse world. They have done very well so far. They love being part of the game. They love working with Bob Baffert.”

Consigned by Denali Stud, Hip 400 was bred by Fasig’s Bayne and Christina Welker, who purchased the MSW mare Swingit (Victory Gallop) for $50,000 in foal to Bodemeister at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale. Already the dam of MGISP millionaire Neolithic (Harlan’s Holiday) at that time, her second foal for the Welkers was new ‘TDN Rising Star’ Travel Column (Frosted), who was purchased by Larry Best for $850,000 at last term’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.

“We just thought he was an absolutely stunning horse,” Farrell said. “We were the underbidder on his half-sister last year, who was the ‘TDN Rising Star.’ We had seen this horse on the farm and knew how much his connections thought of him and Bob Baffert, who is going to train him, loved him. I was on the phone with K.C. Weiner, who coached me through this. We are thrilled to get him. We think he is a really special horse and it looks like the mare has already produced a couple of very good horses. He fits what Speedway wants and what Bob Baffert is looking for.”

Baffert and Speedway have enjoyed a successful partnership over the years, campaigning the likes of Grade I winners Collected (City Zip), Roadster (Quality Road) and Noted and Quoted (The Factor). —@CDeBernardisTDN

Watch our interview with Marette Farrell below.

Welkers Strike Again

When Bayne and Chris Welker sold a filly by Frosted for a personal high at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, Chris admitted she had one thought in mind.

“When the filly sold for $850,000 last year, all I thought to myself was, ‘What is the colt going to be worth?’ I tried to keep it in check for a year plus a month because that always creeps into your head.”

By American Pharoah, the colt proved worth the wait when selling for $1.25 million to bloodstock agent Marette Farrell bidding on behalf of Speedway Stables Thursday at Fasig-Tipton.

The yearling is out of Swingit (Victory Gallop), a 16-year-old mare Welker purchased for $50,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale. It was just months later that the mare’s son Neolithic finished third in both the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational and G1 Dubai World Cup. He ended that season with another third-place effort in the GI Woodward S.

“I just wanted something that I could sell out of and then Neolithic came along almost immediately,” Welker said of her purchase in 2016. “So that was just a lot of luck with the mare. She had kind of a spotty produce record, so that kept her in my price range.”

Swingit was in foal to Bodemeister when Welker purchased her. That colt sold for $310,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. But it was the following year at Saratoga that Welker had her best sales result–until Thursday–when Larry Best purchased the daughter of Frosted. Now named Travel Column, the filly timed her racetrack debut perfectly ahead of the Fasig Showcase, coasting to a ‘TDN Rising Star’-earning performance at Churchill Downs on Oaks day last week.

“She was awesome,” Welker said of the filly. “But completely different from him. She was very tough, like you want a filly, and this colt was easy from day one. Easy and classy from day one. She was classy, she was just tough. The difference in a good colt and a good filly, exactly what you want to see.”

The American Pharoah colt had originally been targeted to sell at the canceled Saratoga sale, but the extra time may have helped the yearling.

“It was pretty stressful,” Welker admitted. “He was originally going to go to Saratoga, but the extra time was actually good for him. He is a May foal and he was really immature for a long time. We had to let him mature himself. There is nothing you can do to make him look good against January foals except time. So really the COVID [pandemic] might have been a help to give him that extra month.”

Swingit produced a colt by City of Light this year, but is not in foal this year.

“She is barren this year,” Welker said. “She had a mid-May City of Light who is unbelievable, like she always does. She was barren to Audible. But that’s ok, because we had one shot and we had to short cycle her. It wasn’t the best. It’s all fine though, we’ll just regroup a little and get her in foal early. But she is some mare.”

Asked who the mare might be bred to next year, Welker said, “Don’t know. It doesn’t matter who you breed her to. She is going to have a good foal.” @JessMartiniTDN

SF, Starlight & Madaket Get Into More Mischief

Into Mischief has been very good to SF, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables, providing them with last weekend’s GI Kentucky Derby hero Authentic. The team’s bloodstock agent, Donato Lanni, was back in action for another son of that red hot Spendthrift stallion Thursday, going to $800,000 for Hip 501.

“There are some new partners in this deal this year,” said Lanni. “SF, Sol Kumin and Starlight are all great guys. This year we spent a month looking at horses at the farms, myself, Tom Ryan and Caroline [Walsh]. He was a horse we saw at Indian Creek and we quite liked him. He is a very athletic horse. He looked like Practical Joke (Into Mischief), an early, fast horse. Those are the kinds of horses we try to buy.”

As for his thoughts on Into Mischief, Lanni said, “I am happy he got a Classic winner this year and I am happy for B. Wayne Hughes and his team. He is finally a Classic producer and B. Wayne deserved that. He has done so much for the business.”

Mike Ryan purchased Hip 501’s dam Blind Copy (Distorted Humor) for Bob Edwards of e Five Racing and Fifth Avenue Bloodstock for $180,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale. This colt was her first foal and she was subsequently sold to Fred Hertrich for $105,000 in foal to More Than Ready at last term’s Keeneland November Sale. A daughter of SW & GSP Lucky Copy (Unbridled’s Song), Blind Copy is a full-sister to SW Lucky Folie.

“He is a horse that we have always been really, really high on,” said consignor Indian Creek’s Sarah Sutherland. “We had hoped to go to Saratoga with him, but obviously that didn’t pan out. So, Mr. Edwards said to bring him to this sale and give it a shot, try to support Fasig. It worked out beautifully. He is going to a great home.”

The horsewoman continued, “He has a great mind. He showed himself the same every single time someone came to look at him. I think that is one of his biggest assets. For a big horse, he is very light on his feet and covers a huge amount of ground. He is bred on the same cross as Practical Joke, so we hope he can run like him.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Watch our video with Sarah Sutherland below.

‘Avengers’ Strike For More Into Mischiefs

On Wednesday it was Spendthrift Farm and MyRacehorse–later additions to the ownership group of Saturday’s GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (Into Mischief)–who took home a pricey Into Mischief colt, and on Thursday it was Authentic’s original owners’ turn to grab two sons of the Spendthrift Farm stalwart. Acting on behalf of the powerful partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, et al–nicknamed “The Avengers” by their trainer Bob Baffert–agent Donato Lanni went to $560,000 to secure hip 433. The son of SW/MGSP Twice the Lady (Quiet American) and half to August maiden special weight-winning 2-year-old Run Casper Run (Ghostzapper) was consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Agent XIII on behalf of WinStar Farm.

“He’s an Into Mischief–we got lucky with him last weekend,” Lanni stated plainly. “He’s got everything we’re looking for. We’re happy with the price and happy that we’re here shopping.”

Lanni later landed another son of Into Mischief, hip 501, for $800,000.

When asked to describe him physically, Baffert’s go-to agent said, “This horse is going to change so much from now to next year when we go to the races with him. Hopefully, he stays the way we want him to stay… He’s just got to put the tack on now.”

WinStar general manager David Hanley offered: “He’s a really nice horse, bred to go two turns. He’s got plenty size, and plenty of Into Mischief kind of muscle tone–strength. He’s a very nice horse. We’re happy with the price.”

WinStar paid $350,000 for Twice the Lady at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

While the Avengers were quiet during the first session, they sprung into action on Thursday, acquiring seven colts for a combined $2,820,000, including five youngsters in the span of some 20 hips.

In addition to hips 433 and 501, the stallion-making group also bought:

• Hip 342, a $180,000 son of Union Rags out of a half-sister to MGISW Paradise Woods (Union Rags) from Vinery Sales, agent for Spendthrift Farm

• Hip 439, by Twirling Candy and bred and consigned by KatieRich Farms. The May 19 foal cost $150,000 and is a grandson of GSP Daisyago (Affirmed), who produced GSP Victory Nor Defeat (Unbridled’s Song)

• Hip 445, a $420,000 Uncle Mo out of GSW Walk Close (Tapit), making him a half to last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Anneau d’Or (Medaglia d’Oro). He was consigned by James M. Herbener, Agent II.

• Hip 447, a Maclean’s Music from the family of Starlight’s GII Fountain of Youth S. hero Itsaknockout (Lemon Drop Kid). The Denali Stud consignee cost $400,000.

• Hip 450, a $300,000 New York-bred son of More Than Ready sold by Indian Creek.

• Hip 531, a $470,000 Sam-Son Farm-bred and consigned son of Empire Maker out of MSW Checkered Past (Smart Strike) from a potent family. —@BDiDonatoTDN

Violence Colt to Allen

Robbie Medina continued adding yearlings to Joe Allen’s racing stable when he signed the ticket at $550,000 to acquire a colt by Violence (hip 480) from the Gainesway consignment Thursday at Fasig-Tipton. The chestnut colt is out of Antics (Unbridled) and is a half-brother to sprint champion Covfefe (Into Mischief).

“He’s a beautiful colt and half-brother to a champion,” Medina said of the yearling’s appeal. “Helen Alexander bred him and she breeds a great horse. He’s everything you would want in a new horse.”

Medina, longtime assistant to trainer Shug McGaughey and now general manager at Guinness McFadden’s Blackwood Stables, made the Showcase’s highest bid when going to $1.5 million to acquire a colt by Quality Road for Allen during Wednesday’s first session of the two-day auction.

“Reeve McGaughey and I are helping look for Joe here,” Medina said. “Reeve is Shug’s daughter and I worked for Shug for 25 years, so it’s pretty easy to deal with. I love looking at horses and bidding on them. The colt will go to Blackwood until the first of December and then to Florida.”

Also Thursday, Medina signed for a filly by Speightstown (hip 448) for $450,000.

In addition to Allen, Medina has also been buying for Bill Parcells’ August Dawn Farm.

“I have bought a couple for Coach Parcells,” he said. “I’ve bought horses for Coach the last couple of years.”

Alexander said she was happy with Thursday’s sale, especially in light of the uncertain market conditions.

“It’s hard to have outsized expectations right now in this kind of marketplace,” Alexander said. “Without having a lot of the principals here who can sometimes egg on their agents, there is less momentum. The nice horses are selling well, though. That’s always the case.”

Covfefe was purchased by LNJ Foxwoods for $250,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September sale. The filly won last year’s GI Test S. and GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Sprint and was named Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly and female sprinter.

The 22-year-old Antics has a 2-year-old filly named Caper (Nyquist) which has been retained by Alexander and has been working at Saratoga. The Violence yearling may be the mare’s final foal.

“Of course there is sentiment involved in selling,” Alexander said. “Right now, he is her last foal. She has missed the last couple of years and she is kind of at an age that I am considering retiring her. But I have a really nice 2-year-old filly out of her by Nyquist that is in training and getting close to running. I am excited about her. If this [yearling] was a filly, she would not have been here. I can guarantee you that.” @JessMartiniTDN

Partners Regroup with Gun Runner Filly

Trainer Jeremiah Englehart, bidding on behalf of a partnership headed by Richard Nicolai’s Fortune Farm and It’s All About the Girls Stable, went to $500,000 to acquire a filly from the first crop of champion Gun Runner (hip 570) Thursday in Lexington. Consigned by Gainesway, the filly is out of graded placed Divine Dawn (Divine Park), a full-sister to graded winner Divine Miss Grey. The yearling was bred by Oussama Aboughazale’s International Equities Holdings, which purchased the mare in foal to Nyquist for $285,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale.

“The first time that Travis [Durr] and I saw her, she just gave us the impression that she was a nice filly,” Englehart said. “She was later in the sale, so we had some other horses that we were looking at. But it worked out that we were able to buy her. I was a little nervous that she might go a little higher. We’re really excited to get a group of people together, Fortune Farm, It’s all About the Girls, Bob Hahn and Eric Johnson and other partners that were involved in a real special filly before and it’s kind of cool to be able to keep them together and have something to look forward to next year.”

In addition to hip 570, Gun Runner was also represented by a colt (hip 430) who sold for $420,000 to Centennial Farms, as well as a $400,000 colt (hip 486) sold to Joe Hardoon, agent, and a $400,000 colt (hip 366) purchased by Maverick Racing. During the two-day showcase, seven yearlings by Gun Runners sold for an average of $331,429.

“I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far from Gun Runner,” Englehart said. “He was one of my favorite racehorses, just watching him. I liked how he developed from early on his career to later on, he ended up being much better as a 4 and 5-year-old then he was as a 3-year-old. I’d like to see my horses develop like that, too. They don’t have to all be first-time out winners. It’s nice to see them develop over a whole career.”

Several of the partners on the Gun Runner filly were also owners in the filly Samborella (Outwork), who looked to be sailing to an easy victory in the Seeking the Ante S. at Saratoga last week only to take some bad steps as she crossed the wire. The filly had to be euthanized later that afternoon.

“It’s pretty much the same group,” Englehart said of the partnership group. “It’s the ultimate highs and lows in the game in a minute and 15 seconds. You go from thinking you have a really nice filly to having her take a bad step. But there are other horses in the barn that are counting on us every day. So we just have to get up the next day and get back at it.” @JessMartiniTDN

Ruis Buys Out Black on Kingman Filly

Mick Ruis partnered up with Christian Black on a mare named Amber Romance (Ire) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}), who Black picked out at Tattersalls March for 200,000 guineas with a Kingman (GB) filly in utero. Ruis liked the resulting filly so much, he decided he had to have her and bought out his partner for $500,000 Thursday.

“I was in partnership with Christian Black,” Ruis explained, adding that the filly would likely be sent to his daughter Shelbe Ruis in California. “He bought the mare when he went to Europe. I just bought out the partnership and will race her. She is beautiful. We have a Hard Spun weanling also. It is pretty rare that we are able to get this family in the first place.”

Amber Romance is a half-sister to Group 1 winners Free Eagle (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Search for a Song (Galileo {Ire}); and MGSWs Custom Cut (Notnowcato) and Sapphire (Medicean).

Hip 473, who is a Pennsylvania-bred, was consigned by Mike Recio’s South Point Sales Agency. Recio and Black teamed up Wednesday to sell a $510,000 son of Nyquist (Hip 297) bred by Black’s Blackstone Farm.

“We went to Tatts in December,” Recio said. “It was our first venture over there and it was more of a fact-finding mission. But, Christian found two very nice mares and I ended up buying a race filly who has done okay for Richard Baltas.”

He continued, “We hadn’t had a great day of finding things, but then we turned the corner and saw this mare with a great pedigree and so much class. Her feet weren’t great, but we figured we could take care of them and manage her. She came over here and had a fantastic filly. Mick supported her with Bolt d’Oro. It is a fantastic family and is getting better and better. It was a really good opportunity all the way around.”

—@CDeBernardisTDN

Albaughs, West Point Team Up to Take Home ‘Giant’ Colt

Albaugh Family Stables and West Point Thoroughbreds joined forces Thursday to land a Giant’s Causeway colt to be trained by Dale Romans. The $500,000 purchase was consigned by Wynnstay Sales, Agent I as hip 618. He is a half to hard-knocking MGSW and GISP Isotherm (Lonhro {Aus}) and GISP Gio Game (Gio Ponti).

“We partnered with them for the first time two years ago–they’re great partners, and they’re really a pleasure to work with. And they’re lucky!” said West Point’s Terry Finley, who stood along Albaugh bloodstock advisor Barry Berkelhammer during the bidding process.

Finley noted Dennis Albaugh and Jason Loutsch’s past success with sons of Giant’s Causeway, including GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up and freshman sire sensation Not This Time and MGISW Brody’s Cause, who sired Saturday’s GIII Iroquois S. winner Sittin on Go. Sittin on Go is campaigned by the Albaughs and Romans and was bred by Wynnstay.

“Interestingly, when I first started out, I remember Mariah’s Storm as she walked up to the ring to be sold [for $2.6 million at the 1996 Keeneland November sale] and Giant’s Causeway was in her belly,” Finley recalled. “That’s a lot of years between those two.”

As for hip 618’s appeal, Finley said, “He’s just the kind of horse that Dale has done well with. The Albaughs are obviously trying to get to the Derby. They had some tough luck this year, but I love to be around guys and partners who can put a bad situation in the past and can look forward. They’ve got some great young horses–they won the two [graded juvenile] stakes on Derby week… This is exactly the kind of horse that we try not to buy ourselves and instead try to partner up with people. We’re just glad they gave us a shot to participate.”

Team Albaugh also annexed the GIII Pocahontas S. last Thursday with ‘TDN Rising Star’ Girl Daddy (Uncle Mo). West Point made six additional purchases by itself for $647,000 total.

“I thought the New York-breds were solid–obviously, I don’t think the sellers were that happy, but overall I thought people got square deals,” Finley said of trade overall. “There’s still plenty of money–the world’s not in a depression. The equity markets are still very strong. So, I would surmise that Keeneland’s going to be tough to buy. You just have to be disciplined and do your homework just like everybody, and try to pick the best spots possible.”

Hip 618 was bred by Allen Poindexter, who paid just $8,000 for MSP dam Game for More (More Than Ready) in foal to Bwana Charlie at the Fasig-Tipton Heiligbrodt Dispersal back in 2011.

“This was [Wynnstay’s] Tim Hamlin’s cross–he had thought that this mare and Giant’s Causeway would get the kind of baby who we got,” Poindexter said. “So, I give all the credit to him for doing the mating. We got the physical we wanted.”

As a seller, Poindexter was slightly less bullish on the market: “I think you have to have good horses–it’s still a tough market. Hopefully it’ll improve as we get through with COVID. I think these horses are still bringing 25%-35% less than what they would’ve gotten [normally], but we’re still grateful for what we got given what the country’s going through right now.”

—@BDiDonatoTDN

Courtlandt Back in Action

Don Adam’s Courtlandt Farm is perennially active at the top end of the yearling market, and it took home four head this week at Fasig, including a $500,000 Nyquist filly (hip 487) from the Warrendale Sales consignment; and a Medaglia d’Oro filly (hip 560) for the same price out of the Gainesway draft.

“We were thankful to have Mike Cline and David Ingordo do some looking before we arrived, so it kind of made my job a little easier,” said Courtlandt farm manager Ernie Retamoza after bidding alongside retiring Lane’s End manager Cline on hip 487. “We just had to go through some of the better ones and decide the value. I think these are all horses that Mr. Adam is going to love to put in his race program and hopefully be successful with.”

Hip 487 is a half to this year’s GIII Iowa Oaks runner-up Aurelia Garland (Constitution) as well as talented 2015 OBS March topper Diamondsandpearls (Constitution). Her second dam is

GII Alcibiades S. winner Westerly Breeze (Gone West).

Darley resident Nyquist led all first-crop sires last year with a yearling average of $236,318, and those who bought in early have been rewarded–his runners ran one-three in Sunday’s

GI Spinaway S. at Saratoga, one day before a son of his won well in a Spa maiden special weight. Another son of Nyquist annexed Woodbine’s Soaring Free S. a few weeks ago.

“For a first-year sire like that who has done what he’s done over the summer, it sure makes you pay attention to a filly like this,” Retamoza said. “We just loved her–she was a great physical; met all the criteria, so we were happy to have her.”

The Medaglia d’Oro filly is out of a Bernardini half-sister to GISW Heavenly Love (Malibu Moon) and GSW Forever Darling (Congrats).

Courtlandt also bought a $280,000 Distorted Humor colt (hip 264) on Wednesday and a $190,000 Twirling Candy filly (hip 348) early in the day Thursday.

“I think it’s solid,” Retamoza said of the market. “Average horses are not doing well here, but the right horses are selling the way they should. We’ve had to stretch a couple of times for horses we’ve bought. It’s not unexpected, and I think it’s good for everyone.” —@BDiDonatoTDN

McCormack Gets His ‘Share’ Early Thursday

Agent John McCormack appeared equal parts elated and surprised after landing the well-related hip 350 early Thursday for $400,000. From the first crop of brilliant and undefeated Mastery (Candy Ride {Arg}), the Sam-Son Farm-bred and consigned filly is out of 2010 GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Turf upsetter Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect), making her a half to last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner and ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Sharing (Speightstown), whose exploits this term include a second-place finish in Royal Ascot’s G1 Coronation S. and a clear-cut success in last week’s GII Edgewood S. at Churchill Downs.

“I loved her and I’m very surprised I bought her,” said McCormack, noting that the purchase was made on behalf of an existing client and that she would remain Stateside, at least for the moment. “I thought she was an absolute standout here. I loved the class of her; I loved the shape of her; I loved the big ears on her. She was just so elegant. We don’t know what Mastery can do–that’s the unknown–but the mare has done it, [given that hip 350] is out of a Breeders’ Cup winner and a half to a Breeders’ Cup winner. But, she has the physical. For me, I loved everything about her.”

Hip 350 is also a half to stakes winner Riley’s Choice (Distorted Humor). Her dam is a half to GSW Colonial Flag (Pleasant Tap) and hails from a deep family jam-packed with graded performers. The Samuel family’s legendary Sam-Son Farm purchased Shared Account for $550,000 while she was carrying hip 350 at the 2018 Keeneland November sale.

“I just loved her class, and Sam-Son Farm–there’s nothing they don’t know about the horse business,” McCormack said. “They’re great breeders up in Canada, and everywhere. It’s lovely to buy from Sam-Son.”

While Wednesday’s first yearling session of the season started off a bit slowly, it picked up steam as the higher-dollar horses began to sell and McCormack said he expected that momentum to continue into Keeneland September.

“It started off a bit slow with the New York-breds and people were sort of on their back haunches a little bit,” he said of Wednesday’s trade. “But it picked up as the day went on, and I think nice horses are starting to show themselves and with better pedigrees. The money’s coming for them. Put it this way, I’m glad I bought her today, rather than waiting for Keeneland, because I think that momentum is going to continue as we move forward. But she was a filly who fit everywhere. I can’t believe I bought her, because I just loved her.” —@BDiDonatoTDN

Lord Nelson Proves Worth the Wait

Three-time Grade I winner Lord Nelson (Pulpit) has been a bit of a passion project for the team at Spendthrift. He developed laminitis shortly after retiring to B. Wayne Hughes’ stallion barn, forcing him to miss his first breeding season. The chestnut fought his way back and was represented by his first yearlings at Fasig Thursday, topped by a $325,000 colt.

“Lord Nelson has been a special project from day one having developed laminitis right after his racing career,” Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey said. “At one point, it was touch and go on whether or not he was going to make it. We had to skip his first breeding season all together. The horse is so tough, so smart and such a kind horse. He is a big part of why he was able to even make it. He is such a good-looking horse and so talented.”

Consigned by Four Star Sales on behalf of Spendthrift Farm, Hip 624 was purchased by John Fort, who also bought Lord Nelson as a yearling at the 2013 Keeneland September Sale. Spendthrift privately purchased Lord Nelson at the conclusion of his sophomore season and he won all four of his starts carrying the operations purple-and-orange silks, including his trio of Grade I sprint victories.

Spendthrift purchased Hip 624’s GSP dam Goldrush Girl (Political Force) for $210,000 in foal to More Than Ready at the 2015 Keeneland November Sale. She hails from the family of Grade I winners Daredevil and Albertus Maximus.

“What we are seeing at this sale is what we thought we had all along, so it is nice to see him getting to this point,” said Toffey. “We bred some very nice mares of our own to him and have been very happy with how they have been received, how they sold and who bought them. They are getting into the right hands and we are really happy about it.”

A total of 11 yearlings by Lord Nelson changed hands during the two-day Fasig-Tipton sale for a total of $1.475 million and an average of $134,091.

Spendthrift’s flagship stallion Into Mischief has been having a sensational sale, fresh off his first Classic victory with Authentic in last weekend’s GI Kentucky Derby. Seventeen of his offspring sold for $6.745 million throughout the two sessions, averaging $396,765.

“Into Mischief is just such an amazing horse,” said Toffey. “He is so consistent. He just does everything right. He gets really commercial, good-looking horses. He gets really talented horses and now he has shown that he can get a sprinter as well as a stayer. That was sort of the last box he had to tick off. Goldencents has done so well. He has demonstrated that he can be a sire of sires as well as a Classic sire. I don’t think there is anything else you can ask a stallion to do.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Krikorian Takes Curlin Filly Home

Late in Thursday’s second session of the Fasig-Tipton Showcase, it looked like the auction might have its third seven-figure yearling, but hip 648, a Curlin half-sister to GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (Honor Code), was led out unsold at $1.4 million. Breeder George Krikorian watched the bidding from inside a nearly empty pavilion, even taking a video of the yearling in the sales ring.

“She was close to selling, but we were hoping to get a little bit more for her,” Krikorian said. “She is such a special horse and she’s so well-bred. With a racing career and a few foals, she will easily exceed what we were willing to sell her for here today.”

Krikorian purchased Hollywood Story (Wild Rush) for $130,000 as a yearling at the 2002 Fasig-Tipton July sale and she went on to win the 2003 GI Hollywood Starlet and 2006 GI Vanity International S. in his colors.

As a broodmare, Hollywood Story has produced a $1.35-million Keeneland September yearling, as well as foals who sold as yearlings for $650,000, $550,000, and $875,000.

CRK Stable purchased Honor A.P. for $850,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. In addition to the Santa Anita Derby, the sophomore was second in the GII San Felipe S. and Shared Belief S. and was fourth in last week’s GI Kentucky Derby.

Hollywood Story was also represented on the racetrack by multiple graded stakes placed Hollywood Star (Malibu Moon).

The 19-year-old mare produced a filly by Tapit this year and was bred back to Triple Crown winner Justify.

“I’m very happy to take her home,” Krikorian said of the yearling. “We haven’t thought about a plan for her yet, but we’ll just move forward with her career. And we’ll look forward to racing her. We hope she stays healthy.” @JessMartiniTDN

Lanni Eyes Classic Double in Queen’s Plate

Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, part of the team which picked Authentic (Into Mischief) out at the 2018 Keeneland September sale, stood in the winner’s circle when that colt won the GI Kentucky Derby last week. But the Montreal native could win a more personally meaningful Classic when Clayton (Bodemeister) lines up for the Queen’s Plate at Woodbine Saturday. While he helped purchase Authentic for the partnership of SF Bloodstock and Starlight West, Clayton was a horse the agent purchased in his own name for $50,000 at the same sale.

“He looked like a cool horse,” Lanni said of Clayton while taking a quick break from another buying spree for SF, Starlight and Madaket Racing, at the Fasig Showcase Thursday. “I was looking for a Canadian-bred to take up there and have some fun with my friends and family. I have a lot of family and friends up there and it was something I’ve always wanted to do.”

Clayton started showing promise early in his training with Barry Eisaman in Ocala and opened his career with a 7 1/2-length debut win at Woodbine last November. He earned a spot in the Queen’s Plate with a half-length tally in the Aug. 15 Plate Trial S.

“We took our time with him and then when he won first time out back in October, we knew he was a runner,” Lanni said. “I ended up turning some money down for the horse because he’s a horse I share with my family and friends. [Trainer] Kevin Attard has done a great job with him-he’s one of the most underrated trainers in North America.”

Among the partners on Clayton are eight friends from Lanni’s school days in Montreal, all first-time owners, and his father Giuseppe, who owned harness horses when Lanni was growing up and helped nurture his son’s love of the sport.

Lanni purchased Clayton with the hope of spending days at the races with friends and family, but those plans have been squashed by the pandemic. While Lanni will be home in Kentucky for the Queen’s Plate, his colt’s co-owners will be at the track for what will be an emotional day as the elder Lanni battles health issues.

“I’m so happy I get to share this with him and it’s nice that he gets to go,” Lanni said of his father. “He got me involved in racing. I gave him a piece of the horse, so he gets to feel like it’s his horse, too. It is helping him keep going. Horses do that for people.”

Lanni continued, “Being Canadian, the Queen’s Plate is so special. It’s such an historic race. I never thought I’d be in a position to have a horse like this.”

Lanni worked at John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms for over two decades and one of the horses Clayton will face in the Queen’s Plate is Curlin’s Voyage (Curlin), a filly co-owned by Hill ‘n’ Dale.

“He is going to run against one of my good friends, John Sikura, who I worked for for 20 some years and it’s ironic we both have horses running in the Queen’s Plate,” Lanni said. “I will be the first guy to congratulate him if he wins and I’m sure he’ll be the first guy to congratulate me. We both wish each other the best of luck.”

Of a possible Classic double, Lanni said, “I don’t think about it. It’s just part of the job. We try to find them and then the chips fall where they fall. You’ve got to get lucky. If you look what happened in the Derby, how many scratched, you just don’t know what’s going to happen until they put them in the gate. You just have to consider yourself very lucky, very fortunate and very blessed to be there.” @JessMartiniTDN

What They’re Saying

“It is hit or miss. I think Fasig did a great job with the catalogue and picking out physicals. They always do. The New York-breds were tough. There is nothing like Saratoga. That was a little rough. I did get all three [New York-breds sold], but I think I would have gotten two to three times more up there under the lights. It is kind of hard to compare a Freud with a Kingman in the same shedrow or the [$510,000] Nyquist colt with a very good Mucho Macho Man New York-bred. I don’t know what the right venue would have been or if maybe they should have mixed them in the catalogue or put them at the back to let the sale get some momentum. The sale got strong yesterday and was pretty good today for the right ones. It is a mix of July, Saratoga and New York-breds, so it is pretty hard to gauge. The top end is going to be electric and I think as you get later in the sale, you have to have a good physical and vet or you are going to struggle a little bit.” –Mike Recio, South Point Sales

“I think the perceived good horses are making a ton of money, the same as normal. But, I think, as time goes on, there is going to be a point where it falls off the cliff, sadly. The good ones each day will sell well, but the under-the-radar horses may not have the people they hope for, so that is where I’m going to be.”

—Agent Marette Farrell

“The horses that we like have sold well. It seems like the higher-end market is still there, but you can definitely tell people are being a little cautious because 2020 has just been a very strange year. There is a lot of uncertainty still and we don’t know how it will be next year. But it gives you a little hope that the sales are still looking pretty strong.” –Trainer Jeremiah Englehart

The post Market Momentum Builds with First Ky Yearling Sale in the Books appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post