Dubbed a 'TDN Rising Star' for his 4 1/2-length gate-to-wire debut performance on Derby Day at Churchill Downs May 7, STROBE (Into Mischief) returns in the Godolphin royal blue Friday. Given a 99 Beyer Speed Figure for his defeat of Elite Power (Curlin), who has since won four-in-a-row including last weekend's GII Vosburgh S., Strobe enters off a five-furlong work in 1:00 4/5 Oct. 7 (2/19) for trainer Brad Cox. Out of GI Test S. winner Flashing (A.P. Indy), he is a half-brother to SW & MGSP Floodlight (Medaglia d'Oro) and retains Florent Geroux for the ride. TJCIS PPS
Mark Taylor, president and CEO of Taylor Made Farm, has been named to Keeneland's Advisory Board of Directors. Longtime Keeneland directors Louis Lee Haggin III, Charles Nuckols III and Duncan Taylor will move to emeritus roles on the Advisory Board.
“We welcome Mark Taylor to the Keeneland Board, where his lifelong experience in the horse industry and his business acumen will be invaluable as we navigate future opportunities and challenges,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “We also thank Louis Haggin, Charlie Nuckols and Duncan Taylor for their decades-long service and commitment to the Board.”
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 final legs of this year's Triple Crown are slated for the next couple of weekends, with Stars on Earth (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) going for the sweep in Sunday's 2000-meter G1 Shuka Sho at Hanshin:
Saturday, October 15, 2022 5th-HSN, ¥13,400,000 ($91k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT AIM IN LIFE (f, 2, Kitten's Joy–Elisheva, by Smart Strike) is the recipient of a major recent pedigree update, as her dam is a daughter of champion Believe (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), whose son Gendarme (Kitten's Joy)–a debut winner over this course and distance before landing a Group 2 five years ago–caused an upset in the G1 Sprinters' S. at Nakayama less than two weeks ago. Believe is also the dam of MSW & G1SP Faridat (Kingmambo) and SW/GSP Fiducia (Medaglia d'Oro). B-North Hills Co Limited (KY)
9th-TOK, ¥19,530,000 ($133k), Allowance, 2yo, 1600m SATONO MISCHIEF (JPN) (c, 2, Into Mischief–Play Pretty, by Indian Charlie) finished seventh of nine going a mile on turf in his career bow back in June, but unsurprisingly turned it around when tried on the dirt for the first time, graduating by six lengths at Sapporo Aug. 7 (video, SC 11). Play Pretty, a half-sister to GI Preakness S. hero Shackleford (Forestry), GISW Lady Joanne (Orientate) and MGSWs Baghdaria (Royal Academy) and Afleeting Lady (Afleet Alex), was purchased by Shadai Farm with this colt in utero for $750,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. B-Shadai Farm
Sunday, October 16, 2022 4th-TOK, ¥13,400,000 ($91k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600m CITY OF HUNTER (f, 2, City of Light–War Tigress, by War Chant), a $90,000 purchase out of last year's Keeneland September Sale, is out of a stakes-winning dam who is responsible for GIII San Clemente S. victress War Heroine (Lonhro {Aus}) as well as three-time Japanese winner Washington Tesoro (Curlin). Among her freshman sire (by Quality Road)'s eight winners is the Breeders' Cup-bound Chop Chop, recent runner-up in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. B-Waymore LLC (KY)
AFTERNOON DRESS (f, 2, Bernardini–Beautify, by Lemon Drop Kid) is the first foal from her dam, a daughter of two-time Eclipse Award and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff heroine Ashado (Saint Ballado), who famously sold to Godolphin for $9 million to top the 2005 Keeneland November Sale. Ashado is a full-sister to the late GISW Sunriver and GSW Saint Stephen. B-Godolphin (KY)
While life may provide only a handful of certainties, trainer Todd Pletcher showing up with a powerful battalion of runners on Breeders' Cup Day can be counted on to be one of them. The 2022 renewal of the World Championships, slated for Nov. 4-5 at Keeneland, is shaping up to be no different. Since the beginning of the month, the Hall of Famer has annexed seven Grade I or Grade II races, highlighted by Life Is Good (Into Mischief), winner of the Oct. 1 GI Woodward S. Undefeated in four domestic starts this season (he finished fourth in the G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March), the sparkling winner of the 2021 Dirt Mile was confirmed by Pletcher for a likely showdown with Flightline (Tapit) in next month's GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Also trying to give Pletcher his second Classic winner following Vino Rosso in 2019 is Happy Saver (Super Saver), who finished fourth in a competitive renewal of the GII Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs Oct. 1. Last season's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner hit the board in a trio of preceding starts in 2022, including a second to Flightline in the June 11 GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. and runner-up finish behind Life Is Good in the Aug. 6 GI Whitney S.
Also offering an imposing 1-2 punch on the Breeders' Cup Saturday card are Malathaat (Curlin) and Nest (Curlin), both targeting the GI Distaff. Victorious in last season's GI Kentucky Oaks, Central Bank Ashland S. and GI Alabama S., the Shadwell runner took last Sunday's GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland, while her year-younger stablemate–victorious in this summer's Alabama and GI CCA Oaks, and runner-up in the GI Belmont S.–romped in the recent GII Beldame S. in New York.
Pletcher previously won the Distaff with eventual Hall of Famer Ashado (2004) and Stopchargingmaria in 2015.
Always dangerous with his juveniles, Pletcher will be represented by no less than a trio of 2-year-olds, including GI Hopefull S. and GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity victor Forte (Violence), targeting the GI TVG Juvenile, and GI Frizette S. heroine Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke), slated to contest the GI NetJets Juvenile Fillies. Also set to reappear over the championship weekend is Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro), who punched his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf with a victory in the Oct. 2 GII Pilgrim S.
Rounding out Team Pletcher's championship team is Annapolis (War Front). Victorious in the Manila S. at Belmont earlier this summer, the son of My Miss Sophia subsequently added a win in the Saranac S. at Saratoga before earning a Mile berth with a score in the GI Coolmore Turf Mile S. at Keeneland Oct. 8.
Already responsible for a dozen Breeders' Cup victories since earning his first win in 2004, Pletcher has finished third or better with 43 runners–registering a 28% in-the-money strike rate–while amassing $22.5 million in earnings.
Given the caliber of runners already engaged for this year's showcase next month, it appears likely that those figures will continue their upward trajectory.
