“The deal was finalised on Friday, so we own him now. The timing has been perfect for us, and I hope it is a coup for the New Zealand industry,” said Williams.

U S Navy Flag's first Southern Hemisphere crop yielded 98 foals, 21 of which have hit the track resulting in six winners of seven races, four stakes performers and one stakes winner.

From U S Navy Flag's Northern Hemisphere crops, he has produced Ocean Vision (Ire), a four-time winner, including the Listed Prix de la Vallée d'Auge at Deauville and the Listed Prix de Pontarme at Longchamp. Ocean Vision was also placed in the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly, and Love Reigns (Ire) won two Listed races before running fourth in the G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot.

Williams is pleased with the performance and feedback from the first crop of U S Navy Flag.

“Most of my social friends are horse trainers, so I get pretty accurate feedback on what they think of a horse, whether good or bad. “He seems to be throwing horses similar to himself. They cope with racing and keep improving. U S Navy Flag is not a big horse, but he's one of the best-moving horses you'll ever see.”

“We couldn't be happier right now. I'm more excited about the spring because many trainers I've spoken to have had trial winners by the stallion that haven't raced yet, and they've put them away for the spring. He's got plenty of unraced stock with high opinions on them to come through,” Williams told TDN AusNZ.

“Whether he'll be a top-notch stallion, time will tell, but the way he's going, he's not a bad stallion. Let's hope the success continues, and it's a good investment for us and the New Zealand breeding industry.”

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Making his first appearance on the grass was American Rascal (Curlin), the first foal out of multiple Royal Ascot winner and Cartier Award-winning 2-year-old filly of 2016 Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy), who was accorded 'TDN Rising Star' status for his towering 10 1/4-length victory in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden over the Keeneland main track Apr. 20. Ward pronounced himself pleased with the half-mile move from American Rascal (:50 flat), whose workmate Fandom (GB) (Showcasing) went the same distance in :49 3/5. The latter won his maiden on his Apr. 27 bow by 6 3/4 lengths.

“Julio [Garcia] was on him,” Ward said about American Rascal. “I wanted him to work nice and relaxed. Today was an ultra-impressive workout. To look at this horse, he's all speed. He looks like a running back: muscles on muscles, very compact. Just excited to see the next couple of works here. As long as all goes well, we're heading to the [June 22 G2] Norfolk [S.] and we're really excited about it.”

Fandom's Royal Ascot target has yet to be determined.

'TDN Rising Stars' Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) and Love Reigns (Ire) (U S Navy Flag), each exiting Keeneland stakes victories and each set to make a second Royal Ascot appearance, breezed four furlongs in company in :50.40. Twilight Gleaming, second in the 2021 G2 Queen Mary S., won the Giant's Causeway S. in April and runs in the June 20 G1 King's Stand S., while Love Reigns was a solid fourth in last year's Queen Mary. This year's FanDuel Limestone S. winner is possible for the age-restricted G1 Commonwealth Cup June 23.

“Those were two nice works as well,” Ward said. “Julio [on Twilight Gleaming] broke off quite a bit behind Love Reigns and made up the ground down the lane, just comfortably. They finished together at the wire.”

Ward is also likely to be represented by Three Chimneys Farm's Bundchen (Gun Runner), who missed by a nose on Keeneland unveiling Apr. 28 and who worked in the company of the GI Jaipur S.-bound Arrest Me Red (Pioneerof the Nile). Candymaker (Twirling Candy), a debut winner sprinting on turf at Horseshoe Indianapolis May 22, rounds out the Ward team.

Turf works at Keeneland are scheduled for the next two Fridays. Ward said his Royal Ascot squad would depart Indianapolis June 14 on a direct flight to London Stansted Airport. They will spend several days at nearby Chelmsford Racecourse before moving to Ascot.

Ward said Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Joel Rosario will have Royal Ascot mounts on the horses they have been riding.

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Stuck behind rivals after a sharp break Friday, the filly was at least able to save ground as she beat only a handful of horses up the backstretch led by Accomplished Girl (Street Boss). Still boxed in as the field swung past the quarter pole, Love Reigns had to check sharply before tipping inside to regain her momentum. Under an expertly-timed ride by Joel Rosario, she dove through an opening between rivals with a sixteenth to run and charged up the fence to nail stablemate Lady Hollywood just before the wire as the 5-2 favorite.

“She's a special filly,” praised trainer Wesley Ward. “I've kind of been waiting for this to come out since her maiden win here. She likes Keeneland, she loved the course when she broke her maiden here a year ago, and we're just real, real happy it worked out. (Jockey) Joel (Rosario) is kind of my come-from-behind guy that I ride on horses that I like to do that with–which aren't many, but this being one. He's just a phenomenal rider. He gets them back there, gets them to relax. He had us a little worried there at the eighth pole, but thank God the seas parted and he came through and he won.”

Love Reigns has a pair of younger siblings–a 2-year-old half-sister by Kodiac (GB) and a yearling half-brother by Mehmas (Ire). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

FANDUEL LIMESTONE S., $208,188, Keeneland, 4-14, 3yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.45, fm.
1–LOVE REIGNS (IRE), 120, f, 3, by U S Navy Flag
                1st Dam: Humble And Proud (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
                2nd Dam: Delauncy (GB), by Machiavellian
                3rd Dam: Casey (GB), by Caerleon
'TDN Rising Star'. (€160,000 Ylg '21 GOFOR). O-Stonestreet
Stables LLC; B-Patrick Grogan (Ire); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Joel
Rosario. $114,700. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0, $242,065. *1/2 to
Glorious Empire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), GISW,
$977,227.
2–Lady Hollywood (GB), 120, f, 3, Havana Grey (GB)–Dubai
Legend (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB). (11,000gns RNA Wlg
'20 TATFOA; €25,000 Ylg '21 GOFSPT; 58,000gns RNA 2yo '22
TATBRE; $600,000 2yo '22 FTKNOV). O-AMO Racing USA; B-D.
& S. L. Tanker Transport Ltd (GB); T-Wesley A. Ward. $37,000.
3–My Sweet Affair, 118, f, 3, Twirling Candy–Illicit Affair, by
Midnight Lute. ($72,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-R. A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables; B-Highclere Inc., Dr. Amy
Rabanal & Constance Wickes (KY); T-George Weaver. $23,125.
Margins: HF, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.69, 3.23, 9.90.
Also Ran: American Apple, Sassy Nature, Just a Care (Ire), Accomplished Girl, Stone Silent, Camp Akeela, Twirled, Alluring Angel (GB). Scratched: Danse Macabre.

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“Sometimes when you come up to a big event like the Breeders' Cup, you can get a little nervous and try to overdo things,” said trainer Wesley Ward. “But we are just sticking with the plan.”

Also working Friday for Ward was Stonestreet Stables's 'TDN Rising Star' Love Reigns (U S Navy Flag), who breezed five furlongs in 1:08 in anticipation of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Joining that pair on the work tab Friday morning was the D.J. Stable's owned and Marke Casse-trained duo of GI Darley Alcibiades S. winner Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf pre-entrant Webslinger (Constitution). Each worked a half-mile, with Wonder Wheel going in :48.40 on the dirt and Webslinger covering the same distance on the grass in :50.40.

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) and Lost Ark (Violence), both pre-entered in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile S., to work in company–the pair went a half-mile in :48.80. Shortly after, Pletcher's two GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies entries, Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke) and Atomically (Girvin), also went a half together in :49.80.

Manny Wah (Will Take Charge), trainer Wayne Catalano's GI Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint pre-entry, covered the same half-mile distance in :47.40.

Last seen taking down the GIII Iroquois S. at Churchill Downs Sept. 17, Curly Jack (Good Magic) had his first timed workout over the Keeneland track Friday, going a half-mile in :49.80.

“This is his last work going into the race,” said trainer Tom Amoss. “I know the big question on everyone's mind is the time between races and how he will respond to that. I am very comfortable with that. Today's work was designed to be an easy half-mile with a good gallop out. We got just that.”

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The day's main event is the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland, A “Win and You're In” event, where champions Malathaat (Curlin) and Letruska (Super Saver) face off yet again. Malathaat looks to make amends for a solid third in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff and she enters off a win in Saratoga's GI Personal Ensign S. Aug. 27.

Letruska, who won last year's Juddmonte, finished third in that prestigious Saratoga event and was off the board in her prior start in the GI Ogden Phipps S. Tyler Gaffalione takes over the controls for the first time from the Ortiz brothers, who both stayed home to ride in New York.

The other four members of this six-horse field will be likely be running for third and that group is topped by GIII Locust Grove S. winner Played Hard (Into Mischief).

Distaffers take center stage at Belmont as well with 3-year-old filly leader Nest (Curlin) taking on her elders for the first time in the GII Beldame S. at Aqueduct. Heavily favored against four severely overmatched competitors, the bay should be able to secure a very easy victory here ahead of a likely next start in the Breeders' Cup. Runner-up in the GI Belmont S., Nest romped by 12 1/4 lengths in the GI CCA Oaks at Saratoga July 23 and dominated that venue's GI Alabama S. next out Aug. 20.

“She's run well against the boys and all the best fillies of her generation, but first time against elders is always a challenge,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “She showed a lot of talent and class in her races against 3-year-olds and we would expect her to handle the step up.”

MGSW Travel Column (Frosted) stretches back out after a failed effort in the GI Ballerina H. Aug. 28 and First to Act (Curlin) enters off a good second in the Summer Colony S. Aug. 19.

Juveniles Compete for Breeders' Cup Berth

Aqueduct hosts a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Sunday in the GIII Futurity S. Several competitors enter off strong maiden wins, including Nagirroc (Lea), who graduated over this course and distance Sept. 24 in his first start for Graham Motion.

“He's been pretty classy in the morning since I've got him,” said Motion. “I haven't had him for that long and I was impressed with what he had done, but I certainly would not have expected him to run the way he did. I thought it was a very good effort. He won very comfortably.”

Inflation Nation (Ire) (Speightstown) missed by a head on debut at Saratoga, but got it done next out there Sept. 1 for Christophe Clement.

Mike Maker sends out Gaslight Dancer (City of Light), who did no running on dirt in his Churchill unveiling in August, but graduated by five lengths when switched to turf at Kentucky Downs Sept. 3.

Determined Jester (Practical Joke) takes on the boys in this event after breaking her maiden in Colonial's Rosies S. in her third career start Sept. 6.

Meanwhile at Keeneland, 2-year-old turf routers get their chance to earn a spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf starting gate in the GII Castle and Key Bourbon S. GIII With Anticipation S. winner Boppy O (Bolt d'Oro) leads this large and competitive field. He has already proven this distance is right up his alley.

Steve Asmussen has a live on here in Gigante (Not This Time), who ran away to a 6 3/4-length score over Rarified Air (Honor Code) in the Kitten's Joy S. going 1 1/16 miles at that venue Sept. 6.

Kentucky Downs Juvenile S. winner Reckoning Force (Air Force Blue) makes his first start for Brendan Walsh here after a quartet of races for Joseph O'Brien. Third-place Really Good (Hard Spun) adds blinkers this time.

Keeneland also plays host to a qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in the Indian Summer S. Wesley Ward sends out the favorite there in the filly Love Reigns (Ire) (U S Navy Flag). The 'TDN Rising Star' captured Saratoga's Bolton Landing S. last out Aug. 21.

While they may not be “Win and You're Ins,” Santa Anita also hosts a pair of juvenile turf events in the GIII Surfer Girl S. and GIII Zuma Beach S., which will likely contain potential Breeders' Cup competitors.

The fillies are up first in the Surfer Girl, which is being run at graded status for the first time this year. European import Comanche Country (Ire) (Highland Reel {Ire}) is two-for-two since coming to America, most recently taking the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf S. Sept. 10. Sell the Dream (Munnings) and Excelia (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) were second and third in that event.

Packs a Wahlop (Creative Cause) tops the Zuma Beach after a decisive score in the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. and is two-for-two on grass. Dandy Man Shines (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) was fourth in that event and is still a maiden. Also of interest here is undefeated Cal-bred Giver Not a Taker (Danzing Candy), who took the state-bred I'm Smokin S. last out Sept. 9 at Del Mar.

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Figures on the up

The team at Goffs UK could hardly have wished for a better start to the Premier Yearling Sale. The day one figures were off the charts. Of the 218 lots offered on Tuesday, 199 were sold, representing a clearance rate of 91%. 

The aggregate was up 28% to £8,954,500, the average rose 15% to £44,997 and the median climbed 27% to £38,000.

There were noticeably less people around the sales complex at Doncaster on day two. While the figures failed to match what took place on Tuesday, there were some impressive numbers recorded on Wednesday, with an 87% clearance rate on a day where the aggregate climbed 11% to £7,003,000. 

The average on Wednesday went up 0.5% while the median fell by 4% to £32,000. That came despite the fact that there was some late drama in the ring with three of the last seven lots making six figures. 

All told, the sale went well. Of the 406 yearlings catalogued, 363 were sold, translating to a clearance rate of 89%. The aggregate was up 20% to £15,987,500 while the average was up 8% and the median rose by 9%.

Big Results From Small Numbers For Fitzgerald

Alice Fitzgerald knows what she is doing. It was at the Premier Yearling Sale in 2021 when Fitzgerald sold her homebred Basil Martini (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}} out of 10,000gns purchase Under Offer (Bated Breath (GB) to MV Magnier for £160,000.

Fast forward 12 months and Fitzgerald, who never brings more than one or two to the sales, bagged another big pay-day by selling her Kodiac (GB) colt out of Night Queen (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) to Manor House Farm for £160,000. 

What's even more impressive about Fitzgerald? This isn't even her day job. 

John and Jess Dance Stock Up

Given John and Jess Dance bought six-time Group 1 winner Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) at this sale in 2016, it's only natural that the owners would have an affinity towards Doncaster, which was evident in the results. 

Under Manor House Stables, they signed for nine different yearlings at a total of £837,000, which was only bettered by the £1,162,000 that Peter and Ross Doyle spent across the two days on a whopping 17 different horses. 

However, of the top 10 spenders at the Premier Yearling Sale, nobody boasted a better average than John and Jess Dance. 

The couple spent an average of £93,000 on their nine lots, illustrating that they are seeking quality over quantity more so than ever before. 

High Praise From Doyle

Ross Doyle is renowned for being one of the best judges in the game. Along with his father Peter, he has sourced Mehmas, Barney Roy, Limato, Japan, Fairyland, Magna Grecia, Olympic Glory and much more. 

Therefore, when he praised Goffs for attracting the best bunch of yearlings that he has seen for some time, it reflected well on the quality of the sale.

Doyle signed for two of the top lots in the sale, a colt by New Bay (GB) [211] for £200,000 on day one, and a lovely Dark Angel (Ire) colt [251] the following day for the same figure. 

Grangemore signed for the Dark Angel colt at last year's Tattersalls December Foal Sales for 40,000gns and the sale to the Doyles, who didn't reveal where the horse would be trained, secured a tidy pinhooking profit. The New Bay colt will be trained by Richard Hannon. 

Two Top-Notch Pinhooks

There were a number of good pinhooks over the course of the sale but two stood out. The first was that of lot 21, a gorgeous Ten Sovereigns (Ire) filly that Jamie Railton bought for €26,000 off Ballybin Stud at the November Foal Sales at Goffs last year before selling to Richard Hughes for a cool £110,000 on Tuesday.

The second was an even greater piece of inspiration as Violet Hesketh and Mimi Wadham, who run WH Bloodstock, and transformed lot 171 from a €38,000 purchase back in February to a £120,000 yearling just six months later. 

A colt by Kuroshio (Aus), lot 171 was tipped to do well after a number of shrewd judges got him vetted and, in the end, he was knocked down to Mark McStay and it's understood the colt will be sent to Fozzy Stack to be trained. 

Kuroshio Holding His Own

Kuroshio has been around the world and back but this year represented the classy Australian's first crop of runners since he took up residency at Starfield Stud in 2020. After a slow start to the season, Dontspoilasale (Ire) has come along and won for the stallion in Ireland, and looks potentially progressive, while Jessica Harrington's Panic Alarm (Ire) should be winning races for the stallion when he gets softer ground conditions. 

All told, anyone who has backed Kuroshio will be a lot happier now than ever before as last week's figures were respectable. Away from the headline-maker, lot 171, the Baroda Stud-drafted filly [lot 258] also secured a solid sale for the stallion, and changed hands to join John and Jess Dance for £48,000. All four yearlings by the stallion were sold. 

Force Behind Highclere Stallion

Some will argue that Land Force (Ire) is riding the crest of a No Nay Never wave, and that may have been an entirely plausible summation of the situation had his yearlings not been so impressive in the flesh. 

Top judges Clive Cox-who went to £85,000 to secure lot 71-and Oliver St Lawrence bought progeny by the stallion. Some of the best in the breeze-up business, Katie Walsh, Longways Stables and Con Marnane, also rowed in behind Land Force this week. 

Jake Warren even tipped the Highclere-based stallion for first-season sire honours and, while there is a lot of water to pass under that particular bridge, the early signs are promising for anyone with a Land Force in their stable. 

Of the 17 offered this week, 14 were sold at an aggregate of £510,000, which averaged out at £36,429.

Noteworthy Buyers

A number of top agents, trainers and breeze-up buyers relayed how footfall had increased at the sale and, as a result, it was going to be even harder to smoke out a bargain. 

Well, buyers also had to contend with major competition from afar as Wesley Ward also got in on the action, signing for lot 200, a Lynn Lodge-consigned £82,000 daughter of US Navy Flag. 

Ward is clearly a fan of the stallion and why wouldn't he be? The Patrick Grogan-bred Love Reigns (Ire), whose only defeat in three starts for the American-based trainer, came when she finished fourth in the G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot. Time will tell if Ward has bagged himself another Royal Ascot filly. 

It should be said that, for all that Eddie O'Leary has a host of international clients, he still made time for his neighbour at Goffs. At one point in the afternoon on Wednesday, Nick Nugent on the rostrum announced, 'from one corner of Mullingar to the other,' when Roger O'Callaghan of Tall-Ho purchased a Mehmas colt [lot 349] for £45,000 off his fellow Westmeath native. 

O'Leary's Lynn Lodge Stud ended proceedings with 11 yearlings sold for £677,000 at an average of £61,545, making the operation the fifth most successful across the two days. 

Tally-Ho Dominate

It was an excellent sale for Tally-Ho. Not only was the stud responsible for the top lot, the Blandford Bloodstock-bought Night Of Thunder (Ire) filly [lot 278] out of five-time winner and listed-placed Thiswaycadeaux (Thewayyouare), but they also ended proceedings as the leading consignors with 24 yearlings making £1,544,000 in total.

That was needed, according to Roger O'Callaghan, who revealed that there were 60 more yearlings standing in the field at home in Westmeath, with 40 needing to be broken in and prepared for the breeze-ups.

Away from the excellent results posted by their own stock, Tally-Ho will have been delighted by how all the progeny of their resident stallions were received with yearlings by Kodiac, Cotai Glory, Kessaar, Galileo Gold, Mehmas and young sire Inns Of Court doing well. 

Night Of Thunder Stars

But the star of the show, without question, was Darley's Night Of Thunder. Along with Tally-Ho's sales-topping filly, the Mountarmstrong Stud-drafted Night Of Thunder [170] colt out of Pious Alexander, which ended day one on top at £230,000, ensured it was a memorable sale for the sire.

Mark McStay landed the day one leader, after which, the leading agent labelled Night Of Thunder, the sire of last week's spellbinding G1 Nunthorpe S. winner Highfield Princess (Fr), as a solid source of top-class talent. 

Classy Siblings On Show

Some pedigrees leapt off the page. The Galileo Gold half-brother [280] to Nunthorpe runner-up The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) made £170,000 to join Richard Spencer, the Ulysses (Ire)  half-brother [213] to Coventry S. winner Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) was knocked down to Dance Thoroughbreds for £150,000 and Whitsbury Manor's Havana Grey (GB) half-sister to Sandy Lane S. scorer El Caballo (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) was all the rage at £230,000 with Jack Warren of Highclere doing the buying. 

Havana Grey Shines

Of the 22 horses offered by Havana Grey, all bar one were sold for a total of £1,089,000, averaging at £51,857. Whitsbury's Ed Harper revealed that his performance is exceeding the wildest dreams but, with nine individual black-type horses in his first crop, perhaps buyers were cottoning on to the fact that they have been witnessing something special.

Soldier's Answers The Call

This game is all about looking towards the future and the early signs are that Joe Foley has another real one at Ballyhane Stud in Soldier's Call (GB). 

The man knows how to launch a stallion and must have taken great credit about how Soldier's Call cleared £563,000 from 13 yearlings sold at an average of £43,308. 

What's more, Foley was prepared to put his money where his mouth is, and bought the top lot [212] by the sire for £105,000 off Tinnakill House Stud for Steve Parkin. 

The post The Major Talking Points From The Premier Yearling Sale At Doncaster appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Eldar Eldarov Owner is Living the Dream 

HH Shaikh Khalid, owner of Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), told ITV Racing that his dream in racing is to find a horse good enough to stand as a stallion. Eldar Eldarov could well be up to fulfilling that dream one day judging by his hard-fought victory in the G2 Queen's Vase.

What do breeders want in a stallion? A horse who showed class on the track, but also one who had a will to win and was tough. Eldar Eldarov displayed all of those qualities in keeping his unbeaten record intact by snaring Zechariah (Ire) (Nathaniel) in the final strides.

Kew Gardens (Ire), Stradivarius (Ire) and Leading Light (Ire) all feature among the roll of honour for the Queen's Vase throughout the past decade and it's safe to assume that Eldar Eldarov will go down as one of the better winners of the 1 3/4-mile contest given the victory represented just the third start of his career.

Eldar Eldarov looks sure to develop further as a stayer and is likely to take high rank in the G1 St Leger at Doncaster later in the season. 

It should also be noted that this horse had an abundance of options throughout the week but Roger Varian and his team chose correctly as the step up in trip has clearly seen him in an even greater light. 

He looks a smart horse in the making and, if successful in the St Leger, will go some way in delivering his owner's dream.

Time to Give State Of Rest the Respect he Deserves

What on earth does State Of Rest have to do to start getting the respect he deserves? Here is a horse who has won Group/Grade 1 races in America, Australia and France, yet he was allowed to go off at odds just shy of 10-1 on the World Pool and returned 5-1 in a five-runner Prince Of Wales's S.

Of course, this is all being said with a heavy helping of hindsight, because State Of Rest needed to bounce back from a below-par effort in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, when the race didn't go to plan. 

Like State Of Rest, Shane Crosse had a few questions to answer after that third-place effort behind Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), and he did just that with an exhibition in front-running riding. 

Crosse got the fractions right and saved enough to fend off Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {Ire}) who, despite having much more to prove than State Of Rest, was sent to post a 10-11 favourite. 

It's hard to imagine what more State Of Rest needs to do to start getting the credit he deserves. He has been brilliantly handled by Joseph O'Brien to win four races at the highest level–in three different continents–and it's about time he started getting the credit for being the top-notcher that he is. 

From Bad to Worse for Ortiz

Wesley Ward made a big call last week in pledging his Royal Ascot allegiance to Irad Ortiz, in doing so relegating leading European riders like Frankie Dettori to the substitutes bench.

The pair got off to a difficult start on Tuesday when Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) missed the kick completely in the G1 King's Stand S. before trailing home in last position, after which, Ortiz revealed he was looking at the withdrawn Mondammej (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) when the gates opened. 

Things went from bad to worse on Wednesday when Ortiz picked up a five-day ban for careless riding for a dangerous maneuver aboard Love Reigns (Ire) (US Navy Flag) in the G2 Queen Mary S. 

Unlike Golden Pal, Love Reigns broke like a bullet from the stalls in the Queen Mary S., but Ortiz then allowed the filly to drift across to her left, forcing leading fancy Katey Kontent (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) off her running line. 

Love Reigns could only manage fourth behind the hugely impressive Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) and the stewards took a dim view of Ortiz's riding at the start of the race by dishing out that ban. 

Luckily for the top American-based rider, he has a number of chances to redeem himself, including with Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the G1 Commonwealth Cup on Friday. 

Predictably, many people made the argument that a seasoned professional like Dettori, who knows Ascot better than most, would never make the same mistake at the gates as Ortiz did aboard Golden Pal.

Therefore, there was a certain irony that Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire})'s bid for Prince Of Wales's glory was all but over after Dettori failed to move the blindfold in time, costing John and Thady Gosden's charge valuable lengths at the start.

Turns out all of these top jockeys are human, eh?

Big Bear an Important Ballydoyle Winner

Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) ran out an important winner of the Listed Windsor Castle S. for Aidan O'Brien, who had sent out 21 runners since recording his last winner, no less than Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Oaks.

There has been a school of thought that O'Brien has been dealing with an above average bunch of 2-year-olds this season, evidenced by the fact that he has sent out 13 winners from 26 runners domestically, which equates to a whopping 50% strike-rate.

Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) ran a perfectly respectable race when fourth in the G2 Coventry S. on Tuesday but nothing beats a winner and the success of Little Big Bear will provide the Ballydoyle team with confidence heading into the rest of the week. 

O'Brien has The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a brother to Battaash, to look forward to in the G2 Norfolk S. on Thursday while Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) is likely to go off a short-priced favourite for the G3 Albany S.

It may have taken the O'Brien team a little time to click into gear at the royal meeting this year but it will be a surprise if the success of Little Big Bear is not built upon. 

TDN Rising Stars Come Of Age

There is an old saying that self praise is no praise but, in the case of the TDN's 'Rising Stars', the hugely popular designation is showing a 100% strike-rate in the juvenile races at the royal meeting thus far. 

Impressive G2 Coventry S. winner Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}), G2 Queen Mary heroine Dramatised and the Windsor Castle hero Little Big Bear were all flagged as 'TDN Rising Stars'. Don't say you weren't told. 

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There would have been more competition had Real Madrid taken to the field against a bunch of schoolboys such was the authority of the display. Love Reigns burst into the lead from stall one, powered home to win unchallenged, and the clock backed up what filled the eye.

Not even Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), who won the G2 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint over the same course and distance in 2020, could run a quicker time than Love Reigns did in that scintillating debut.

“Any time Ben McElroy vets your horse, you know you have something special, so I was delighted that Ben bought her. When you breed horses, all you can hope for is that they go to the best trainers, and we couldn't have dreamed of better connections buying Love Reigns,” – Eoghan Grogan

Now her breeders, the father and son team of Pat and Eoghan Grogan at Killourney Mor Farm in County Offaly, are rightly dreaming about what the filly might go on to achieve at Royal Ascot.

“It's not often you see 2-year-olds win maidens by about ten lengths, especially over five and a half furlongs, and we were gob-smacked watching it,” said Eoghan, who works full-time on the farm alongside his Dad.

“I watched it with my father and, as soon as she crossed the line, I turned to him and said, 'this is a monster.' She looked incredible at Keeneland and it's the stuff of dreams to have bred one like her.”

He added, “We always loved her and she was the pick of that crop in 2020. She was a tank, a real ball of muscle.

“For her to go on and do that, it was just unreal. There has been a fantastic buzz around town and we're really looking forward to Royal Ascot now.”

Pat Smullen put Offaly on the map. The Faithful County, as it is known, is also famous for being home to Open Championship-winning golfer Shane Lowry as well as the internationally recognisable Irish whiskey Tullamore Dew.

Love Reigns may soon join that list of famous Offaly produce which is all the more remarkable given the Grogans never set out to become breeders.

Pat, a builder by trade, was once owed money by a man who settled the debt with a horse. While that horse was never much use, it sparked a love affair with the sport that burns bright to this day, and the family are keen to capitalise on their recent run of success.

“It's mad really, because if he [Pat] never got that first horse, I don't know if he'd have come down this route at all. I had no interest in horses at the time either,” explains Eoghan.

“That horse he got as part of the deal didn't work out but he was bitten by the bug and then he bought Don't Care (Ire) (Nordico) a year afterwards. She was a very good producer and got things going for us which caught my interest. I saw that you can make a good living out of this game if you have the right stock and that's what it's all about really.”

He added, “We've eight mares of our own and there's six boarders for other clients. Myself and my father are at it full-time and it's starting to take off in the past three or four years but it has been 20 years in the making. Some of the families are starting to develop as we wanted so it's great.”

Love Reigns is out of Humble And Proud (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), whose career at Ballydoyle was cut short through injury, but she has become a proven producer on the farm. Not that things have been all plain sailing with her second career as a broodmare. They haven't.

Before her most prolific son, Glorious Empire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), became a Group 1 winner in America, Humble And Proud didn't go in foal for three years but, after having one of her ovaries removed, has gone in foal in each of the last four seasons and is bidding for a fifth in the coming weeks.

Grogan explained, “She's gone from being written off to one of our best broodmares and it wasn't as if her progeny were a massive success in the sales ring at the start either. They weren't. I think the best price we got for one before Love Reigns was £40,000.”

In Love Reigns, the Grogans certainly brought something special to the Orby Sale last year and were rewarded when Ben McElroy went to €160,000 to secure the filly on behalf of Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables.

Grogan remembers, “There was loads of interest in her. She was vetted five or six different times and all of the good guys were on her. Any time Ben McElroy vets your horse, you know you have something special, so I was delighted that Ben bought her. When you breed horses, all you can hope for is that they go to the best trainers, and we couldn't have dreamed of better connections buying Love Reigns.”

He added, “She was a stunning individual with a temperament to match her looks. She actually had a colic on the Saturday of the Orby Sale and I was wondering if it was going to work out or not with her but she settled down pretty quick. She tightened up a good bit and didn't show herself as well as she can on the Saturday but, she bounced back great on the Sunday, and from then on she was great. She has always had a great temperament and nothing really fazed her.”

It is that bombproof temperament which should stand to Love Reigns when she makes the trip over to Royal Ascot for the Queen Mary.

One of her last pieces of work was reported to have gone well at Keeneland, according to McElroy, who is predicting a big performance from the filly in the Queen Mary, provided she gets her ground.

He said, “She worked on Sunday and it's all systems go for Royal Ascot now. The ground was actually soft at Keeneland and I definitely think she will want it firm at Royal Ascot. Hopefully we get lucky with the weather and, if we do, I'd be very happy about her chances in the Queen Mary.”

McElroy knows a thing or two about what a Royal Ascot winner looks like. Dual Royal Ascot scorer Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who returns in Ward's raiding party for the this year, was also sourced in Ireland by McElroy on behalf of Stonestreet for 190,000gns and the renowned agent recalls how Love Reigns was just what he looks for in sourcing a royal runner.

He explained, “Barbara Banke loves Royal Ascot so, when we go to the sales, we're looking for something that's going to be a precocious 2-year-old that will suit Wesley Ward and be out in April or early May. That sets you up, if you are good enough, to take a tilt at one of the 2-year-old races at Royal Ascot. Obviously in her case, she always showed herself to have a lot of potential and Irad Ortiz rode her in two or three pieces of work before she ever ran and relayed to Wesley that she was his best 2-year-old, never mind Stonestreet's.”

McElroy added, “We were excited for her debut at Keeneland but she was drawn one in a 12-horse field, which is always a worry, but she proved Irad right on that performance. One of the reporters from the DRF told Wesley that it was the fastest 2-year-old performance in Keeneland, which encompasses Breeders' Cup races, meaning she ran faster than Golden Pal did as a 2-year-old. Visually, it looked very impressive, and the clock backed it up.”

Humble And Proud, the rather aptly-named broodmare, gave birth to a Mehmas (Ire) colt last week, and the Grogan family are now contemplating a return to US Navy Flag (War Front) on the strength of what Love Reigns did on debut.

She may only have graced the track once, but it's not often that a filly has left such an impression. Like McElroy, the Grogans will be hoping that Love Reigns can prove their eyes-and the clock-right in the Queen Mary.

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“I thought he had an unbelievable breeze today,” Ward said. “The turf was soggy, and I love to breeze on a deep, soft turf. They come in and out of the works so good. He broke off 10 lengths in front of a 2-year-old filly, ['TDN Rising Star'] Love Reigns (Ire) (U S Navy Flag)–she's no match for a horse like him at this stage of her career–but she had a target. She had a great work (1:03.60) following the fastest horse in the world. He skipped over it–it was unbelievable. That's what you want to see.”

Love Reigns, owned by Stonestreet Stables, scored a 9 3/4-length victory at Keeneland in her Apr. 29 career debut sprinting on turf. She is scheduled to race in the G2 Queen Mary S. June 15.

Stonestreet also owns G1 Platinum Jubilee S.-bound Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (1:04) and Palace of Holyroodhouse S. contender Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}) (1:04.80) (video). Campanelle is bidding for her third win at Royal Ascot, following triumphs in the Queen Mary in 2020 and G1 Commonwealth Cup in 2021.

Ward's other Royal Ascot worker was Andrew Farm and For the People Racing Stable's No Nay Hudson (Ire) (No Nay Never) (1:06.40), who is headed to the Windsor Castle June 15. No Nay Hudson won his career debut at Keeneland Apr. 28 on the dirt.

On June 8, they have a direct flight from Indianapolis to London Stansted Airport, “and they land and have a 10-minute ride to Chelmsford Racecourse, where they'll stay for three days until they go to Ascot,” Ward said.

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TUESDAY'S INSIGHTS: Well-Related Goldencents Firster Right To the Races
3rd-Parx Racing, $47,208, Msw, 4-26, 2yo, 2f, :23.27, ft, 1 length.
FERRARI KID (c, 2, Goldencents–Catch the Flag, by A.P. Indy) won this baby sprint at first asking, but that might not be the biggest update to his pedigree in the next week as his half-sister produced 'TDN Rising Star' Messier (Empire Maker), who is set to break from post six in Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby. Ferrari Kid was a $100,000 buy at OBS March by Richard Malouf after working in :21 1/5. Trained by Scott Lake for this Quarter Horse-like debut, the bay shot to the lead to win by a driving length under a vigorous ride. His unraced dam is out of Canadian champion Catch the Ring (Seeking the Gold). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

FRIDAY'S INSIGHTS: U S Navy Flag Filly Debuts for Ward & Stonestreet Stables
2nd-Keeneland, $51,276, Msw, 4-29, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.33, fm, 9 3/4 lengths.
Debuts don't come much more impressively than the unveiling of LOVE REIGNS (IRE) (f, 2, U S Navy Flag–Humble And Proud {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}), who motored to the front and dared the others to catch her. With an efficient stride that hinted at the ability to do much more if asked, the bay–the third winner for her MG1SW freshman sire (by War Front)–was a no-brainer 'TDN Rising Star' after posting a 9 3/4-length victory. A half to 2018 GI Sword Dancer S. winner Glorious Empire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), the winner was a €160,000 Goffs Orby purchase for Stonestreet. Love Reigns topped an Irish-bred, Wesley Ward-trained exacta, as his Rivka (Ire) (No Nay Never) was the runner-up. In third was Delight (Mendelssohn), who closed from last to overcome a rough and intimidating trip for the show. The Jonathan Thomas pupil was a $400,000 OBS March purchase by Augustin Stable after a :10 1/5 work. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

5th-Keeneland, $100,000, Msw, 4-29, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 1:17.93, ft, 1 1/2 lengths.
DOMINICAN PIONEER (c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Heatherdoesntbluff, by Old Trieste) donned cap and gown to become the third consecutive 'Insighted' horse to win. Always part of the early fray, the dark bay took command at the sixteenth pole and pulled clear late to win with authority. The R T Racing Stable colorbearer helped push trainer Wesley Ward to his sixth Keeneland Spring Meet title. The winner, a $325,000 Keeneland September purchase, is a half to GISW Killer Graces (Congaree) and to MGSW Chocolate Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

SUNDAY'S INSIGHTS: Seven-Figure Shadwell Buy Debuts
4th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 5-1, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:42.51, fm, neck.
Christophe Clement's CANISY (f, 3, Point of Entry–Soother, by Rahy) played spoiler to featured Contemporary Art (Dubawi {Ire}) and Sahlabiya (Medaglia d'Oro). The trio of debuters all raced closely together in midpack, took varying paths to the front, and emerged from the fray with only each other as valid threats. In the end, it was Canisy by a neck over Contemporary Art, who had a neck on Sahlabiya. The winner campaigns for Blue Devil Racing Stable and is a half to MSW, GSP, and Saratoga course record setter Carotari (Artie Schiller). The runner-up is a Bobby Flay homebred and the first foal out of GSW and $1.6-million Fasig-Tipton November purchase Cover Song (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). The mare is out of European champion Misty For Me (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), making her a half to European champion U S Navy Flag (War Front), sire of the above-mentioned 'TDN Rising Star' Love Reigns, and to British MG1SW and 'TDN Rising Star' Roly Poly (War Front). Trifecta bookend Sahlabiya was a $1.6-million purchase at Keeneland September for Shadwell Stable. Half-brother and 'TDN Rising Star' Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy) brought $1.1 million at the same sale three years earlier and is a graded winner in England. The top three all ran extremely well on debut against a more seasoned field, proved they were each up for a fight, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see any or all of them do bigger things down the line. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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