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Chez Pierre Right at Home in Maker’s Mark; Modern Games Second

The public bet reigning Eclipse Award-winning turf male Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) like he couldn't lose Friday's GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland, but Lael Stables Chez Pierre (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}) had other designs, as he kicked hard into the stretch and ran out a very easy winner in stakes-record time.

Alertly into stride from gate three, the 5-year-old dueled inside and heads apart with Peter Brant's Dr Zempf (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) around the first turn and tugged his way to the front beneath Flavien Prat to lead passing the five-furlong peg. The Brown trainee, trying a two-turn mile for the first time, proved a handful for Tyler Gaffalione down the backstretch and was allowed to stride to the front with a half-mile to race, but Prat remained unhurried aboard Chez Pierre, who was never off the bridle and re-engaged Dr Zempf going well at the top of the lane. The two-time Arqana sales grad pinched a break in upper stretch and really poured it on from there to prevail by 3 1/2 lengths. The final time of 1:33.46 lowered the previous mark of 1:33.54 set by Perfect Soul (Ire) back in 2004.

“I talked with [trainer] Arnaud [Delacour] that we could find ourselves on the lead, which happened,” said Prat. “But he wasn't really comfortable. He was looking around, and when [Dr Zempf] down the backside made a move, it actually helped me a lot because then I had a target and he was able to settle down and get in a good rhythm.”

Modern Games looked a bit flat-footed when Dr. Zempf rolled to the front and was hard-ridden the remainder, but could do no better than second, just ahead of second pick Up To the Mark (Not This Time) in third.

“He had a good trip,” William Buick said of the beaten favorite. “The winner went well. I was under pressure a little bit earlier than I thought I would be. The pace was even. I'm sure he will improve from this run. I was closing, but I was under pressure quite soon.”

Trained in France by Francis-Henri Graffard after selling for €100,000 at the 2020 Arqana July Sale, Chez Pierre was perfect in a pair of starts at two at Chantilly and added a conditions event at that venue in May 2021 before shipping stateside. A big-figure allowance winner at Tampa in his U.S. bow last March, he was sidelined off a blowout victory in the Henry Clark S. at Laurel the following month and resumed with a keen sixth behind 'TDN Rising Star' Emmanuel (More Than Ready) in the GIII Tampa Bay S. Feb. 4.

Pedigree Notes:

Chez Pierre is the 13th graded/group winner and fourth top-level scorer for Tally-Ho Stud's Mehmas (by Acclamation {GB}), half of which have come in this country, the other being Del Mar Oaks heroine Going Global (Ire).

Chez Pierre's dam was purchased by Mandore International Agency for €15,000 at the 2015 Arqana February Sale and has since gone on to punch well above her weight in the breeding shed. The half-sister to GIII Buena Vista H. heroine Uraib (Ire) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}) is also the dam of Chez Pierre's year-younger Listed Prix Saraca-winning half-sister Zelda (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}) and produced a full-brother to the latter in 2021.

Friday, Keeneland
MAKER'S MARK MILE S.-GI, $518,575, Keeneland, 4-14, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:33.46, fm.
1–CHEZ PIERRE (FR), 123, g, 5, by Mehmas (Ire)
                1st Dam: Hortensia (Ity), by Orpen
                2nd Dam: Hamsaat (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
                3rd Dam: Steel Habit (Ire), by Habitat
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. (€25,000 Ylg
'19 ARAUG; €100,000 2yo '20 ARQSRM). O-Lael Stables;
B-SCEA des Prairies & Ecurie de Castillon (FR); T-Arnaud
Delacour; J-Flavien Prat. $298,375. Lifetime Record: 7-6-0-0,
$427,791. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Modern Games (Ire), 123, c, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Modern Ideals
(GB), by New Approach (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (Ire); T-Charles
Appleby. $96,250.
3–Up to the Mark, 123, c, 4, Not This Time–Belle's Finale, by
Ghostzapper. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE,
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($450,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole
Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-Ramspring Farm (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher. $57,750.
Margins: 3HF, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 9.42, 0.45, 5.39.
Also Ran: Cabo Spirit, Speaking Scout, Dr Zempf (GB), Emmanuel, In Love (Brz).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Total Handle Increases at Turfway Meet

All-sources handle on the Turfway Park Winter/Spring Meet, which concluded Saturday, increased 62% from a year ago, while purse money awarded jumped 43%, according to a release from the Kentucky track. More than $145 million was wagered at the meeting, nearly $56 million more than 2022. Connections who raced at Turfway Park were rewarded with more than $19 million in prize money, an increase of more than $5.5 million (including funds from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund). Turfway Park ran nine additional days this year and had an increase of more than 900 starters.

“The racing season at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming was a huge success across the board,” Turfway Park President Michael Taylor said. “Our team at Turfway Park delivered a competitive racing product while welcoming back fans to our newly renovated facility.”

Five-pound apprentice jockey Walter Rodriguez led the standings with 48 victories from 250 starts. Rodriguez's outstanding meet was highlighted by stakes wins in the Dust Commander S. and the Wishing Well S.

Wesley Ward topped the trainer's standings with 22 wins and tied for leading owner with six wins. Kirk Wycoff's Three Diamonds Farm also tabbed six victories at the stand. Roy Jackson's Lael Stables broke the tie for the champion owner with the highest earnings of $341,365.

“We're so thankful for all of our owners, trainers, jockeys and horseplayers for their continued support of our racing season,” Turfway Park General Manager Chip Bach said. “Thanks to Churchill Downs Incorporated's continued investments in Turfway Park's facility and racing product, we can confidently look forward to a thriving future of horse racing in Florence.”

Horses will remain stabled at Turfway Park throughout the spring and summer. Racing is set to resume Nov. 29.

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Making Waves: Preliminary On The Rise

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column covering Mar. 15-21, is highlighted by the victory of new 'TDN Rising Star' Preliminary (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in a maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park.

Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables already celebrated the victory of Equitize this past week, and the white-and-red-striped colours were back in the limelight with the 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy performance of Preliminary in the ninth race in Hallandale Beach on Thursday for trainer Chad Brown (video). The 11th 'Rising Star' for her Ballylinch Stud-based sire, the filly shares the same connections and sire as fellow 'Rising Star' and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Newspaperofrecord (Ire).

A 1 1/2-length scorer, the 250,000 gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling displayed a scintillating turn of foot and is the third winner from three foals out of the Dream Ahead mare Lipstick Rose (Ire). Her juvenile half-sister Pink Fizz (GB) (Masar {Ire}) hailed from the Hillwood Stud consignment during last year's October Sale, and was bought for 32,000gns, while her yearling half-brother is by fellow Ballylinch resident New Bay (GB). Preliminary, bred by Stone Roses Bloodstock, is kin to GI Hollywood Gold Cup S. hero and sire Mast Track (Mizzen Mast), as well as G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Jemayel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), and the group winners Ready To Act (More Than Ready) and Sound Money (Flatter).

Already a Making Waves series regular, Lope De Vega is enjoying a purple patch during the current winter racing season. Of his 17 American runners since Jan. 1, four (23%) have won. Two of their number are 'TDN Rising Stars', with Preliminary joining eFive Racing's Carl Spackler (Ire), and the GIII Honey Fox S. going to fellow Klaravich runner Faith In Humanity (Fr). A third 'Rising Star', Wertheimer et Frere's Algolia (Fr), earned her badge at Chantilly on Mar. 7.

All Else Being Equal

Few horses are as well-bred as Equitize (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who is out of a New Approach (Ire) half-sister to 2019 Arc hero and Ballylinch Stud stallion Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), and the Klaravich Stables colt stormed home to win a 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay grass affair as the even-money favourite by 2 1/4 lengths at first asking for Chad Brown last Wednesday (video).

The first foal out of G2 Prix de Malleret heroine Waldlied (GB), Equitize was bred by Newsells Park and Gestut Ammerland. Part of the Newsells Park draft at the 2021 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, the Book 1 alum brought 425,000 gns. His 2-year-old half-sister is by Siyouni (Fr) and hammered for 600,000gns to David Redvers as a Tattersalls October yearling, while Waldlied's latest is a full-sister to the winner.

After her racing career, Waldlied was a 2.2 million gns purchase by Jill Lamb on behalf of new Newsells Park Stud principal Graham Smith-Bernal to dissolve a partnership. Second dam Waldlerche (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) claimed the G3 Prix Penelope, and she, in turn, is a half-sister to G1 St Leger hero and sire Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}).

Just since the start of the year through Tuesday, Juddmonte's Kingman has had 13 runners and five winners (38%) Stateside. Four of the five have joined the winners' ranks with victories at either Gulfstream Park or Tampa Bay Downs.

Top O' The Heath

Heathguard (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), third in his Tampa debut in February, found state-bred competition more to his liking and ran out a one-length winner going a mile on the grass in a Gulfstream Park maiden special weight on Thursday (video).

A homebred under trainer Roy Lerman's Lambholm Stable name, the Apr. 4-born colt was a $75,000 buyback out of the OBS March Sale. From the first crop of Coolmore Stud resident Saxon Warrior, Heathguard is the second foal and first winner out of his dam, GIII Long Island H. victress Evidently (Smart Strike). The 12-year-old mare has a 2-year-old filly by City Of Light, a yearling filly by Omaha Beach, and she visited Hard Spun last spring. The extended family features GI Philip H. Iselin H. victor Taking Risks (Two Punch).

Coolmore Stud's Saxon Warrior sired his second U.S. winner with Heathguard on Thursday. His first, the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf star Victoria Road (Ire), is one of three group winners worldwide, and his three other stakes horses are all placed at group level. Looking strictly at his progeny's American performances, he now has two winners from three runners (67%), with Freydis The Red (Fr) placing at both Saratoga and last autumn's Belmont at the Big A meeting at Aqueduct.

Red Is The Colour For Showcasing Filly

Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stables silks were carried to victory by Panama Red (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) in a 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay allowance optional claimer on Friday (video). Already a listed winner in Ireland, it was the Arnaud Delacour trainee's second start in America, after running fourth in the GIII Endeavour S. in early February. The Jacksons bred and raced 2007 GI Kentucky Derby hero Barbaro (Dynaformer), and bred George Washington (Ire) (Danehill), who won the G1 2000 Guineas on the same day for the Coolmore partners.

David and Henrietta Egan of Corduff Stud and Farmleigh Bloodstock, Ltd. are listed as breeders of the Mar. 21 foal, who brought 70,000gns at Tattersalls as a yearling. Put into training with Ger Lyons for the Against All Odds Partnership, the chestnut broke her maiden at the third attempt in the August of her juvenile season. A stakes winner next out in the Listed Ingabelle S. at Leopardstown over seven furlongs, Panama Red was given a lengthy break, and, although highly regarded by her connections, finished midfield in a trio of group races in the spring of 2022, among them the Irish 1000 Guineas. Given some class relief, Panama Red was runner-up in a pair of Killarney listed stakes in July and August, respectively, before being acquired privately.

The winner is one of three from four to race for her placed dam, who has a Profitable (Ire) juvenile filly and an Acclamation (GB) yearling colt still to come. Although the family has celebrated group success in Australia and France, its biggest claim to fame is that G3 Prix de Flore heroine Allez Les Trois (Riverman), the third dam of Panama Red, is a half-sister to none other than breed-shaper Urban Sea (Miswaki), winner of the Arc and dam of stallion greats Galileo (Ire) and Sea The Stars (Ire).

The Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion Showcasing has accumulated a respectable record, and the sire of 63 stakes winners internationally is responsible for 10 winners from 20 runners Stateside (50%). Four of those 20 (20%) are black-type winners led by Grade II winners Prize Exhibit (GB), Projected (GB) and Bodhicitta (GB). Both Prize Exhibit and Bodhicitta also have Grade I placings to their names, and another filly, current 3-year-old and 'TDN Rising Star' Dramatised (Ire) who won Royal Ascot's G2 Queen Mary S., was second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland last fall.

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Sunday Shoes ‘Kicks Off’ With ‘Rising Star’ Debut

Lael Stables' Sunday Shoes (f, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Silvertoni, by Tapit) was forced to cover stacks of ground when making her career debut in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden under the Wednesday night lights at Turfway and turned in a spectacular effort to earn the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction.

A $500,000 acquisition by Michael Hernon on behalf of Roy and Gretchen Jackson's operation from the Woodford draft at Keeneland September in 2021, Sunday Shoes was sent off as the 9-2 third choice on debut and was one of the first to break the line from her double-digit draw before easing back to sit in about midfield, albeit well out into the track. Waited with into the final three-eighths of a mile, the bay uncorked an eye-catching rally around the turn while still trapped out and was no better than five deep at the entrance to the stretch. Sunday Shoes wanted to have a good look around once she made the lead, but she was kept to her task and pulled nicely clear of what appeared on paper to be a strong group. OXO Equine's second-time starter Upper Case (American Pharoah), well-beaten behind future GISW Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke) at Saratoga last August, was runner-up here as the 9-5 chalk, while firster Chelsea Pier (Arrogate) spiced up the triple at 24-1.

Sunday Shoes is a sixth 'Rising Star' for the much-missed Pioneerof the Nile, who is the sire of Lael's gifted turf sprinter Arrest Me Red, also a Ward trainee. Woodford Thoroughbreds acquired the winner's stakes-winning dam–also second in the 2016 GII Adirondack S.–for $800,000 in foal to Quality Road at the 2018 Keeneland November sale.

Silvertoni, herself a $230,000 KEESEP yearling, is a grand-daughter of Grade I winner Easy Now, a half-sister to the legendary champion and nine-time Grade I winner Easy Goer (Alydar) and GI Ballerina S. heroine Cadillacing (Alydar). Fourth dam Relaxing (Buckpasser) was the champion older mare of 1981 and Broodmare of the Year in 1989.

5th-Turfway, $68,852, Msw, 2-15, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f (AWT), 1:16.66, ft, 3 1/2 lengths.
SUNDAY SHOES, f, 3, by Pioneerof the Nile
1st Dam: Silvertoni (SW & GSP, $141,330), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Somasach, by Johannesburg
3rd Dam: Easy Now, by Danzig
Sales history; $500,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Lael Stables; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Wesley A Ward.

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