Tag: Keeneland September

Ghostzapper Firster Highly Impressive On Del Mar Debut

2nd-Del Mar, $84,500, Msw, 7-21, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:15.18, ft, 5 1/4 lengths.
DR. VENKMAN (g, 3, Ghostzapper–Theory of Change, by Archarcharch), one of two first-starters in the field, took a fair bit of action at 4-1 with apprentice Armando Aguilar claiming a five-pound weight allowance. Off to a bit of a hesitant beginning, the $105,000 KEESEP yearling quickly made up for lost time and was right in behind the leading trio approaching the turn. Traveling strongly on the bend, he was produced four wide into the lane and pulled away smartly to score by open lengths. A half-brother to this year's Fasig-Tipton Juvenile S. hero Tranche (Collected)–whose paternal grandsire City Zip is a half-brother to Ghostzapper–Dr. Venkman is also related to a yearling colt by Street Sense. Theory of Change was barren to Maxfield for this year. Sales history: $105,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,200. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Dan J Agnew, Clint Bunch, James Hailey & Philip J Wood; B-Ghostzapper Syndicate & Hidden Brook Farm (KY); T-Mark Glatt.

 

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Saturday Insights: Mage Full-Brother Entered ‘MTO’ at the Spa

1st-SAR, $136k, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, post time: 1:10 p.m. ET
His full-brother Mage is about three hours south at Monmouth Park to contest Saturday's GI TVG.com Haskell S., but DORNOCH (Good Magic) could still represent the family should the Saratoga opener be transferred to the main track. Whereas Mage cost $235,000 at Keeneland September in 2021 (before fetching $290,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale last year), Dornoch was a $325,000 acquisition in Lexington. The pair's dam SW & GSP Puca (Big Brown), a 'TDN Rising Star' and also responsible for MSP Gunning (Gun Runner), is a half-sister to GISW Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt {GB}). Also entered for the main track only is Deterministic (Liam's Map), a $625,000 KEESEP purchase who hails from the Helen Alexander family of champion Althea. TJCIS PPs

7th-SAR, $136k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 4:26 p.m. ET
BC Stables co-principle John Bellinger's name was on the docket when DAILY GRIND (Medaglia d'Oro) was hammered down for $1.35 million at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, and the dark bay debuts for the operation's Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Lochlow Farm acquired dam Walk Close (Tapit) for $550,000 in foal to Uncle Mo at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and the mare's value appreciated over the course of the next 12 months, as her foal of 2017 Anneau d'Or (Medaglia d'Oro) was runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and GII Los Alamitos Futurity. Daily Grind, whose second dam is SW & GISP Spring Awakening (In Excess {Ire}), is bred on a foal share with Godolphin. Anointed (Justify) is a maternal grandson of Pearling (Storm Cat)–a full-sister to the 'Iron Horse' Giant's Causeway and You'resothrilling, et al–whose son Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) was a two-time Group 1 winner in Ireland and victorious at Group 1 level in Dubai. Also in the mix is Dive Bomber (Omaha Beach), a $400,000 KEESEP grad and half-brother to this year's Bourbonette Oaks heroine Botanical (Medaglia d'Oro). TJCIS PPs

8th-DMR, $82k, Msw, 2yo, f, 5f, post time: 8:35 p.m. ET
HOPE ROAD (Quality Road) is the first produce from Marley's Freedom (Blame), easy winner of the 2018 GI Ballerina S. for Cicero Farms and Bob Baffert. Connections elected to enter the Jan. 15 foal for last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, but they took her home after bidding fizzled out at $575,000. John Sadler conditions the bay, who breezed a smart five furlongs from the gate in 1:00 flat (5/44) at Santa Anita July 16. C R K Stable's Ashley (Into Mischief) draws the fence for this debut run for John Shirreffs. A $385,000 KEESEP buyback turned $400,000 OBSAPR breezer (see Summer Breezes below), the April-foaled bay is out of a full-sister to Japanese Group 1-winning sprinter Mozu Superflare (Speightstown) and a half to GSW Sacristy (Pulpit). Mocha Grande (Uncle Mo), a $475,000 KEESEP purchase by Talla Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds, is out of a daughter of GSP Stage Magic (Ghostzapper), of course the dam of Triple Crown-winning Horse of the Year Justify (Scat Daddy). TJCIS PPs

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Ahoy Matey! Pirate Romps In Debut at Saratoga

On paper, it looked like Pirate (Omaha Beach) had a lot going for him in Saturday's first race at Saratoga, a $105,000 maiden special weight run at 5 1/2 furlongs. A half-brother to GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Road), he sold for $350,000 at Keeneland September, had a bullet four-furlong work leading up to the race and hailed from the mighty Todd Pletcher barn. So it was hardly a surprise when he cruised to a three-length win, covering the distance in 1:04.89 for the partnership of Harrell Ventures, LLC and Starlight Racing en route to being named a 'TDN Rising Star'. Bet off the board, he paid $2.70.

“I thought Pirate ran fantastic,” said Jack Wolf, the managing partner and founder of Starlight.  “You never know, but I think Todd expected him to run well. I don't know what the figure will be, but I know Todd thought going into the race that he was a good horse. And now he's the winner of a maiden special weight race at Saratoga.”

Breaking from post one under Irad Ortiz Jr., Pirate was quick out of the gate and quickly took control of the race. He was pressed early by Arteta (Take Charge Indy), shook that one off entering the top of the stretch and then had plenty left when eventual runner-up Just Steel (Justify) made his run.

“We thought he would win,” Wolf said. “He ran to the way he trained. Irad has been on him in the mornings. I probably won't commit suicide over the next two or three weeks.”

The GI Hopeful S. looks like a logical spot for Pirate to make his next start.

“Todd makes all those decisions, but wouldn't you think the Hopeful would be next, especially with the way he won?” Wolf said. “It certainly looks like a possibility.”

Starlight is among a large ownership group that owns National Treasure.

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Seven-Figure Mendelssohn Colt On Debut at Hanshin

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin and Tokyo Racecourses. The weekend's main event takes place Sunday at Hanshin, where the world's top-rated racehorse Equinox (Jpn) returns in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen:

Saturday, June 24, 2023
4th-HSN, ¥10,480,000 ($73k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
TOMODACHI (c, 3, Mendelssohn–Grace Is Gone, by Malibu Moon), a $100,000 purchase out of the 2020 Keeneland November Sale, matured nicely into a $235,000 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling and was one of five horses to breach the seven-figure threshold when fetching $1.3 million from trainer Mitsu Nakauchida at the 2022 OBS April Sale (breeze video). A late January foal, the chestnut is maternal grandson of Grade I-placed Grace Anatomy (Aldebaran), whose stakes-placed daughter Retro (Giant's Causeway) accounted for recent Churchill maiden winner American Retro (American Pharoah). B-Marcus Stables LLC (KY)

Sunday, June 25, 2023
5th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($95k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800mT
DANON SWITCH (JPN) (c, 2, American Pharoah–Switch In Time {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida in utero for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale, and the February foal repaid that bill and then some when hammering to Danox Co. for the equivalent of $1,359,264 at the JRHA Select Sale in 2021. Switch In Time is out of dual Grade I winner Switch (Quiet American), who is also responsible for the Irish Group 3-placed Kiss You Later (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Christophe Lemaire has the call. B-Shunsuke Yoshida

MAPLE GANG (c, 2, War Front–Crimson Maple, by Rahy) is a half-brother to four winners from five to race and is a half-brother to five-time stakes winner Goldwood (Medaglia d'Oro). A $200,000 KEESEP yearling, the Apr. 17 foal is out of a daughter of GISW Maplejinsky (Nijinsky II), the dam of 1993 Filly Triple Crown heroine Sky Beauty (Blushing Groom {Fr}). Maplejinsky also serves as the granddam of GI Breeders' Cup Distaff upsetter Pleasant Home (Seeking the Gold), MGSW & MGISP Country Hideaway (Seeking the Gold), GISW Tale of Ekati (Tale of the Cat) and GSW Tale of Silence (Tale of the Cat). Crimson Maple passed away this year, but has left behind a filly by Medaglia d'Oro. B-Colts Neck Stables LLC (KY)

6th-TOK, ¥10,480,000 ($73k), Maiden, 3yo, 1600m
BREGAGH ROAD (JPN) (c, 3, Quality Road–Photo Call {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) is the first Japanese-foaled produce for his dam, who first changed hands for $3 million at Keeneland November in 2015 after winning that year's GI Rodeo Drive S. and would pad her resume when taking out the GI First Lady S. the following season. Photo Call was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for $2.7 million with this colt in utero at KEENOV in 2019, and is also responsible for a Maurice (Jpn) colt that sold for nearly $1.2 million as a foal in 2021. Bregagh Road will carry the Carrot Farm colors. B-Northern Racing

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