Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Insights features the half-brother to a Group 1-winning heroine as well as a well-regarded colour bearer for The King and Queen..
16.45 Sandown, Mdn, £15,000, 2yo, 7fT SKELLET (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) debuts for Anthony and Sonia Rogers and the Ralph Beckett stable and is the sixth foal out of Dane Street (Street Cry {Ire}), who has already produced the G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) and the G2 Superlative S. runner-up Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) as well as the graded-stakes-placed dam of the recent GI Belmont Oaks Invitational winner Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify). The March-foaled filly meets The King and Queen's Reaching High (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a Sir Michael Stoute-trained son of the G1 Gold Cup heroine Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) and Ben Wong's Endosser (Street Sense), a Marco Botti-trained €260,000 Arqana May Breeze-Up graduate and half-brother to the GI Prioress S. scorer Lighthouse Bay (Speightstown).
In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Activist Investing in a Saratoga race last weekend.
The Klaravich Stables/Chad Brown axis combined with Saratoga winner Activist Investing (GB) (Kingman {GB}) on Sunday (video). Already a winner during the Belmont at Aqueduct meet third out last October, the son of Astronomy's Choice (GB) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) was bred by Robin Geffen.
Joining the Klaravich fold for 220,000gns out of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, the February foal is the second foal and winner for the stakes-placed granddaughter of Platonic (GB) (Zafonic). Since foaling the winner, the relative of the high class Prudenzia (Ire), Magic Wand (Ire), Chicquita (Ire) et al., has delivered a trio of foals by Darley's Too Darn Hot (GB)–the juvenile filly Wolf Alice (GB), and colts in each of the past two years.
One of 30 winners from 55 to race in the U.S. (55%) for Juddmonte's Kingman, Activist Investing's brethren have chalked up 20 stakes wins in that jurisdiction by eight individual stakes winners (18%).
#1a Activist Investing wins his first race back off a layoff in R5 at Saratoga for trainer Chad Brown with @iradortiz in the irons!
Qatar Racing's Gentle (GB) (No Nay Never), making her U.S. debut, graduated in her third start for trainer George Papaprodromou at Del Mar this past weekend (video).
Bred by Ammerland Verwaltung GmbH & Co., she is a one of two winners for her dam, the G3 Prix de Psyche third Light The Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Sold for €200,000 out of the Arqana August Yearling Sale to her owner, Gentle's first two starts were fourth-place efforts over the British all-weather circuit last December and this May. She is a half-sister to 2-year-old filly Light The Moon (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), a yearling filly by Waldgeist (GB), and a weanling filly by Zarak (Fr). Her second dam is the group winner Lady Vettori (GB) (Vettori {Ire}), best known as the dam of G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner-turned star sire Lope De Vega (Ire) (Shamardal).
Coolmore's No Nay Never has sired 38 winners from 74 runners Stateside (51%). A total of nine of those (12%) are stakes winners, with GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Meditate (Ire) the best of the bunch to date.
Honourable Mentions
Tracy Farmer's Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) earned a new career best with a 3 1/2-length victory in Saturday's GI Beverly D. S. at Colonial Downs (video). The Mark Casse trainee is the first top-level winner for her sire.
Another horse already featured in Making Waves is Juddmonte homebred Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}). One race after Fev Rover starred at Colonial, it was time for the 7-year-old to earn his first Grade I rosette in the Arlington Million for trainer Brad Cox (video).
The 7-year-old #3 Set Piece powers down the stretch to take the G1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs with his regular pilot @flothejock aboard for trainer @bradcoxracing and owner @JuddmonteFarms!
Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features a seven-figure yearling.
14.00 Beverley, Novice, £7,500, 2yo, f, 5fT GO BIG OR GO HOME (IRE) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) was the top-priced filly at a sensational 1.8million gns at the Tatts Book 1 Sale and is now in the hands of Northern trainer Bryan Smart for Bond Thoroughbred Limited. A half-sister to Dark Angel's celebrated sprinter Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and dual group winner and G1 Middle Park S. runner-up The Antarctic (Ire), she faces six rivals and two previous winners on this keenly-anticipated bow.
17.18 Deauville, Debutantes, €200,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT NATIONAL INTEREST (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is an eyecatcher in this valuable Arqana Series Des Poulains for unraced colts and geldings who went through the ring at the Arqana Yearlings Sales in 2022 and the Breeze Up in May. Trained by William Haggas for Victorious Racing, the €800,000 Arqana August sensation is a half-brother to the GIII Franklin-Simpson S. winner and G2 Coventry S.-placed Guildsman (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) from the family of the high-class Darjina (Fr) (Zamindar) and Almanzor (Fr).
Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Insights features TDN Rising StarAlcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) in a Deauville Conditions test.
14.33 Deauville, Cond, €34,000, 2yo, c/g, 7 1/2fT
Baron Edouard de Rothschild's ALCANTOR (FR) (New Bay {GB}), a half-brother to G2 Union-Rennen winner Boscaccio (Ger) (Mount Nelson {GB}), looked a class act when elevated to 'TDN Rising Star' status going seven furlongs at Saint-Cloud in June, but lacked a finishing kick behind subsequent G3 Prix de Cabourg third Havana Cigar (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) over six at Chantilly in early July. The March-foaled bay, who hails from the family of dual G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), was withdrawn from a one-mile contest at Clairefontaine earlier in the month and sidesteps Thursday's Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage at this venue. He faces a stiff task in his quest for redemption and is the only one of six contenders to have not won last time out.
15.00 Nottingham, Mdn, £6,850, 2yo, f, 6f 18yT
Godolphin homebred CRYSTAL OF TIME (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is out of the stakes-winning Important Time (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and thus a half-sister to, and Charlie Appleby stablemate of, last term's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational hero and recent G1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen victor Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Her four rivals include George Boughey trainee Rose Branch (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who is out of a full-sister to G1 Oaks heroine Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).
15.10 Dundalk, Mdn, €15,000, 2yo, 8f (AWT)
Aidan O'Brien trainee CAPULET (Justify) is a son of G2 Kilboy Estate S. victrix and G1 Nassau S. runner-up Wedding Vow (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), herself a full-sister to G1 Derby hero Serpentine (Ire). He opens up in a contest won last year by the stable with subsequent G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud third and G1 Irish Derby and G1 Grand Prix de Paris second Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}). Opposition includes the twice-raced Huxley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a half-brother to G1 Prix Ganay-winning sire Cloth Of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who ran fourth behind the 'TDN Rising Star' display of subsequent G2 Superlative S. winner City Of Troy (Justify) at the Curragh last month.
(@TwinSpires) 
