The Godolphin homebred posted her second work since her Oaks victory, covering five furlongs in 1:02.24 over the Oklahoma dirt training track in company with recent allowance winner and GSP Slip Mahoney.

“1:02 and a super good work,” said Cox. “She's been very steady and very good up here in the mornings. I like the way she came out of it and she's set up to go the mile and a quarter.”

Cox also sent out Godolphin's Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) for a sharp five-furlong move in :59.22 over the Oklahoma track Saturday, her penultimate work before the GI Ballerina H. Aug. 26.

“Awesome work. It was very quick and good, not just quick,” said Cox. “A good gallop out as well, so she's set up for the Ballerina.”

Matareya was last seen finishing third in the June 24

GIII Chicago S. at Ellis behind Steve Asmussen trainee Society (Gun Runner), who also worked five-eighths in 1:00 flat Sunday over the Oklahoma main track.

Victorious in last season's GI Acorn S., Matareya took the GI Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs two starts back.

On Sunday, Miacomet Farm's Heavenly Sunday (Candy Ride) breezed over the Oklahoma training turf in preparation for Saturday's GII Lake Placid S. She was last see finishing second in the July 1 Tepin S. at Ellis.

“She's doing great. It was an awesome breeze, and all of her works here over the turf have been great,” said Cox. “I love her gallop outs and the way she's acting. I'm super pleased with her and hopefully, we get a good setup.”

Cox indicated a decision has not been made as to where Juddmonte's Set Piece would return following a win in Saturday's GI Arlington Million at Colonial Downs.

“I'll talk it over with Prince Khalid and his family and make a decision,” said Cox.

The post Cox Team Readies for Next Test at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Drawn one from the outside, the 2-1 second favorite hit the ground running and led narrowly through the opening stages from Drifaros (Kantharos) as odds-on Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) was content enough to sit third behind the speed. The homebred began to get away on the turn, kicked farther clear into the stretch and ran out the easiest kind of winner for Tyler Gaffalione. Drifaros boxed on gamely inside to complete the exacta ahead of Matareya.

“She was super impressive today,” said Gaffalione. “It's a credit to Steve [Asmussen] and his team for having her ready to run a huge race. It was pretty cool setting the track record with her today.”

Winner of the Monomoy Girl S. last June to run her unbeaten streak to three, Society faded to be a distant fourth to Nest (Curlin) in the GI CCA Oaks before romping in the seven-furlong GIII Charles Town Oaks while earning a career-best 101 Beyer. Capitalizing on a speed-favoring strip at Parx next time out, she led throughout in the GI Cotillion S. back at a route of ground, but beat just one home in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff and called it a season. The chestnut resumed with a third to champion Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) in the GI Madison S. going seven panels at Keeneland Apr. 8, but instead of facing Matareya and Goodnight Olive in the GI Derby City Distaff at that seemingly optimal distance, opted for the May 5 GI La Troienne S. going long and weakened to finish a well-beaten ninth.

Pedigree Notes:

Society continues what has been a magical run for Blum over the last few seasons, as his operation has accounted for 2020 GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic hero and Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief) as well as this year's GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Room), to name a few.

Blum acquired second dam Archduchess–a half-sister to MGSW Mark One (Alphabet Soup) and GSW Rookie Sensation (Unbridled's Song) and whose son Pleasant Prince (Indy King) won the 2010 GIII Ohio Derby–in 2010, and Etiquette was the second foal bred by Blum out of the mare. Society is one of two winners from three to the races for her dam, who is also responsible for the 2-year-old filly Finesse (Street Sense), a $725,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Windancer Farm, and a yearling colt by Omaha Beach. She was most recently covered by Gun Runner.

#5 SOCIETY ($6.38) set the pace, shook clear of all foes and drew away from the field turning for home in the Grade 3 Chicago Stakes at #EllisPark.

7 furlongs in 1:20.54

Jockey @Tyler_Gaff got the win for HOF trainer Steve Asmussen.#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/pEeL43rp0d

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) June 24, 2023

Saturday, Ellis Park
CHICAGO S.-GIII, $225,000, Ellis, 6-24, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:20.54 (NTR), ft.
1–SOCIETY, 118, f, 4, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Etiquette, by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Archduchess, by Pleasant Tap
                3rd Dam: My Marchesa, by Stately Don
O/B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $137,260. Lifetime Record: GISW, 10-6-0-1, $1,334,535. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Drifaros, 118, f, 4, Kantharos–Style Drift, by English Channel. ($70,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $20,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $25,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-My Purple Haze Stables; B-Hidden Springs Farm (KY); T-Teresa M. Pompay. $45,100.
3–Matareya, 123, f, 4, Pioneerof the Nile–Innovative Idea, by Bernardini. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $22,300.
Margins: 10 3/4, 1 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 2.19, 16.05, 0.59.
Also Ran: Be Like Water, Hidden Connection, Stella Noir.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.

The post Society Runs Them Off Their Feet In the Chicago appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks winner has been firing bullets for trainer Larry Rivelli at Hawthorne since, including a five-furlong move in :59 (1/14) June 8.

Jockey Gerardo Corrales will replace the injured Jareth Loveberry in the irons.

'TDN Rising Star' Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo), drawn one to the inside of the 8-5 morning-line favorite in post three, came within a head of defeating subsequent GI Belmont S. winner Arcangelo (Arrogate) in a thrilling renewal of the GIII Peter Pan S. at Belmont May 13. The bay has been favored in all three of his previous career starts for trainer Brad Cox.

The field of eight also includes 59-1 GII Wood Memorial S. upsetter Lord Miles (Curlin). He was a late scratch from the Kentucky Derby and his trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. was suspended indefinitely by Churchill Downs when two of his horses died from unexplained causes leading up to the first Saturday in May.

Grade I Winners Meet in Chicago…

Grade I winners Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) and Society (Gun Runner) will throw down in Saturday's GIII Chicago S. going seven furlongs at Ellis Park.

Godolphin homebred Matareya, a debut winner over this track during her 2-year-old season, has a pair of top-level wins on her resume–the 2022 GI Acorn S. at Belmont Park and the GI Derby City Distaff S. most recently on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

Society, a front-running heroine of last term's GI Cotillion S. at Parx, cuts back to one turn following a well-beaten ninth in the GI La Troienne S. May 5.

The post Two Phil’s Headlines Ohio Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Cody's Wish (Curlin) added another chapter to racing's feel-good story with a powerful, come-from-behind victory in the stallion-making GI Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan H.

The GI Kentucky Oaks winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) validated her upset neck victory on the first Friday in May with a heart-stopping victory in the GI Acorn S.

The up-and-coming Loved (Medaglia d'Oro)–a 4-year-old half-sister to MGISW and young Darley stallion Maxfield (Street Sense)–made it three straight runaway wins with a 12-length victory in an optional claimer in the Ellis slop on Sunday.

The 'Boys in Blue' also won last Friday's GII Belmont Gold Cup with Siskany (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and finished third with both 425,000gns TATOCT buy Ottoman Fleet (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (the lone auction purchase of the group) in Saturday's GI Manhattan S. and 'TDN Rising Star' Strobe (Into Mischief) in the GII True North S., respectively.

TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack caught up with Godolphin USA Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan earlier this week to discuss some of the highlights from last weekend as well as domestic summer plans for Sheikh Mohammed's high-powered global operation. Banahan also provided an update on 'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense), who was a late scratch from last month's GI Preakness S.

Q: Cody's Wish seems like a good place to start. He made it six straight wins while matching his previous career high Beyer Speed Figure of 112 in the Met Mile. Bill Mott said a title defense in the seven-furlong GI Forego S. (at Saratoga Aug. 26) could be in the cards for Cody's Wish later this summer, but also left the door open for potentially stretching him out to 1 1/8 miles for the GI Whitney S. (at Saratoga Aug. 5). Has there been much dialogue yet regarding his summer campaign?

MB: It's certainly a good discussion point. It's just unfortunate that there's not really any race at his distance that suits at the moment. And it's a long time from the first week in June until the last weekend in August. So, we'll have to decide what's the best route for him. He's gone over a mile a couple of times unsuccessfully (finished third going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga second out in 2021 and finished a close second in the GIII Challenger S. at Tampa last March), but there's probably reasons for that. We feel like he's a better racehorse now than he was 12 months ago. He's more professional and Junior Alvarado has gotten to know him and rides him very well.

We also have (2022 GI Clark S. winner and this year's GI Santa Anita H. runner-up and GII Oaklawn H. winner) Proxy (Tapit) that's gonna run in the (GI) Stephen Foster (S. at Ellis Park July 1), hopefully. Those races that are 1 1/8-miles plus suit him very well. We'll probably wait until after he runs in the Stephen Foster, then see where the cards lay.

But the Whitney or the Forego are the two obvious races for Cody's Wish. We'll just wait and see. It's a wonderful position to be in.

We saw what he did last weekend in the Met Mile and it was another step up for him. He just seems to be getting to a different level. It's hard to tell if they want to stay any further until you actually try them. They can gallop out well, but in all honestly, when you get to the winner line, that's the end of the race. It doesn't really count what you do afterwards.

Q: It's always great to see the Kentucky Oaks winner back up their form in the Acorn on Belmont Stakes weekend. Will Pretty Mischievous follow up in the GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga on July 22?

MB: We might go in a little bit of a different direction with her. She has a lot of pace as we've seen in the Oaks and in the Acorn. She travels extremely well. We are very tempted to back her up a little bit and go in the (GI) Test (S. going seven furlongs at Saratoga Aug. 5) instead. We think that's a race that she has enough pace for and it might suit her even better. We'll have a good strong look at that. Nothing written in stone. We also have the Oaks favorite Wet Paint (Blame) drawn in this weekend in the Monomoy Girl S. at Ellis Park. We feel that the Coaching Club Oaks–depending how she gets on this weekend–might come into play for her.

Q: What's the excitement level like having a Kentucky Oaks winner and another sophomore filly of such a high caliber–and both homebreds–carry the Godolphin blue?

MB: We've always liked Pretty Mischievous. We never felt that she ever let us down, but she probably is only getting the respect that she deserves now. And maybe that's a little bit to do with her racing style where she sort of waits on horses a little bit and ends up being in tight finishes. We've always been very high on her and going into the Kentucky Oaks–I said it at the time–that I couldn't really separate the two fillies. And I still think that they're very equal talent wise.

I don't think we saw the best of Wet Paint that day (in the Oaks). Flavien Prat came back and said that she didn't really take to the Churchill surface as well as she did to Oaklawn. I might be a little bit biased, but the record is out there for everyone else to see that we maybe have the two best 3-year-old fillies in the country. We're very excited to see what the balance of the year will hold for them. We'll try to keep them separated from each other for the near future.

Q: She's missed a lot of time, but Maxfield's half-sister Loved continues to make up for it. She was super impressive once again winning over the weekend at Ellis Park, her third straight victory since sitting on the shelf for more than a year. The patient approach by Brendan Walsh certainly looks like it's all paying off now. Is there a stakes race with her name on it next out?

MB: We've been waiting on her a long time. Brendan had to be very patient with her. We were hoping to get her running down in Florida in the winter time and different things conspired where we didn't get a start in her. She's developed mentally and physically since. She was one filly that we were very much looking forward to getting back to the racetrack and seeing what she could do and she hasn't let us down. She's taking those nice building-block races and getting a little bit more experience every time. She looks like she's very talented. We'll take it slowly, but we're probably looking at the GIII Molly Pitcher on Haskell day (July 22) at Monmouth for her. She deserves to get into a graded race now and see where we are. If she stays healthy and well, we'll have some nice days down the road with her.

Q: First Mission's GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. form was further flattered over the weekend when both Arabian Lion (Justify) (GI Woody Stephens S.) and Disarm (Gun Runner) (GIII Matt Winn S.) won impressively. Obviously a crushing blow to have to scratch him out of the Preakness last month. What's the latest on him?

MB: We're just giving him a little bit of time off. We'll regroup next month and see where we stand. Get him reevaluated and try and get him back on track again. No need to rehash our Preakness disappointment. But it was a pretty crushing one. We thought we had maybe the best horse in the race. But, anyway, we saw what Arabian Lion did in the Woody Stephens and we felt like we beat him pretty readily in the Lexington.

Look, First Mission is a very talented horse. We just look forward now rather than backwards and hopefully in the fall and next year we're gonna have an exceptionally nice horse for some big days down the road.

Q: What was the diagnosis? Was it an issue with his left hind leg that led to the time off?

MB: Not really, it was a little bit of bone bruising. Nothing major, relatively insignificant. We'll just give him that little bit of time (60 days off). He seems like he's doing OK and enjoying his time off. We're looking forward to getting him back going again.

Q: Glancing over her worktab, it looks like Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) has bounced out of her win in the GI Derby City Distaff S. on Kentucky Derby day in good form. What kind of targets does she have lined up for the summer and fall?

MB: It's a funny program. We had the Distaff set up nicely in the spring and then there's not any races at the Grade I level–the Breeders' Cup champion (Goodnight Olive) is having a run this weekend in a Grade II in New York (in the GII Bed O' Roses S.).

Matareya, we wanted to keep her at home. We're gonna run her in the (GIII) Chicago (S. at Ellis Park June 24). She obviously likes Churchill Downs and we were expecting to be running at Churchill Downs. But she'll take a day trip down to Ellis and hopefully lead us to the (GI) Ballerina (H. at Saratoga Aug. 26). She's doing well. We're very happy with her. She improved from her first race of the year at Oaklawn (second in Matron S.), which we were hoping would happen. There's some really nice sprinting fillies out there and she's at the top end of the table with them. We were delighted with her win at Churchill. She's tactically very astute and has that speed to put herself in a good position to win those type of races. Looking forward to a big second half of the year with her.

Q: Final question. Three Grade I victories over Kentucky Derby weekend, led by a win in the Kentucky Oaks, and another two during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, including the prestigious Met Mile. What does this level of success on racing's biggest stages–all with homebreds–mean for the operation?

MB: It's what we get out of bed every morning for. It's all the hard work over the previous years that lead up to that to try and develop these horses and get a broodmare band established that we feel like we have an opportunity to do so. It takes plenty of luck to get there as well. We had a massive Derby weekend and to back it up with Pretty Mischievous winning the Acorn and Cody's Wish winning the Met Mile–we were especially delighted to be able to provide the assist for Bill Mott to get his first Met Mile win.

They're the weekends you look forward to all year long and want to be winning on. We realize that we've been fortunate and on a great run here lately. It means everything to all of our people that work on the farms in Kentucky and also to Godolphin globally as well. We had people over from Europe and for them to see what we're achieving over here in America first hand was great. And back in Dubai for Godolphin's founder Sheikh Mohammed, who takes a great interest in how we're doing in America as well. I think he got a big kick out of seeing those horses perform at that level. We all have a great pep in our step on Monday morning after those big weekends.

The post Godolphin Looking Ahead to Summer Following Another ‘Pretty’ Big Weekend appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

2nd-MTH, $57.5k, Msw, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, post time: 1:07 p.m. ET
OMAHA GIRL (Omaha Beach), a daughter of MSP Anchorage (Tapit), is a half-sister to a pair of 2-year-old debut winners, including the SP Chip Leader (Giant's Causeway), as well as the Grade III winning turf marathoner Abaan (Will Take Charge). A $400,000 KEESEP purchase by Kerri Radcliffe on behalf of Amo Racing/Omni Horse, the Mar. 20 foal hails from the extended female of Broken Vow. TJCIS PPs

The post Saturday Insights: Matareya Half-Sister Favored on Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The global racing powerhouse is coming off back-to-back Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Owner and Breeder, but Godolphin USA's Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said that this year's Derby weekend ranks near the top of the list of great weekends for the American branch of Sheikh Mohammed's international operation.

“We've been lucky enough to hit some highlights, for example when Bernardini won the Preakness, or the Travers with Essential Quality or Cody's Wish last year at the GI Breeders' Cup, but to have a domestic triple Grade I weekend, I don't think we've done that before,” he said. “Obviously we've had a couple of great Breeders' Cups, but that was on the coattails of our English colleagues who helped us out big time. For us to do it here domestically, it was an amazing weekend and it meant so much to the team all across the board. Our expectations were pretty high, but we know the way the game goes. It couldn't have gone any more perfect.”

Each of the three Godolphin homebreds made a Grade I statement on Derby weekend, with Pretty Mischievous getting her first Grade I score in the Oaks, Matareya earning her second at the top level in the Derby City Distaff S., and Cody's Wish with his third in the Churchill Downs S.

Just as each member of the talented trio forged their own path to the winner's circle, the dams of each of the top-level performers had very different journeys into the Godolphin broodmare band. Each mare's story reflects Godolphin USA's evolution as a leading buyer in the sales pavilion to now a leading breeder with an inimitable broodmare band and a star-studded group of homebred performers.

Pretty City Dancer at Stonerside Farm | Sara Gordon

PRETTY CITY DANCER (Tapit – Pretty City, by Carson City). Dam of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief)

While Godolphin has been markedly less active at the fall breeding stock sales in recent years, they came home with two purchases at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale with GSW Champagne Problems (Ghostzapper) and Pretty City Dancer (Tapit).

“We're very fortunate in that we haven't had to dip into the pool very often over the last seven or eight years and so Pretty City Dancer is one of the few mares we've bought over the last half a dozen years or so,” Banahan explained. “We're conscious of wanting to try to get in there and maybe get some mares that complement the broodmare band that we have at the moment.”

Pretty City Dancer was a standout at the auction as the winner of the 2016 GI Spinaway S. and a half-sister to another Grade I winner in Lear's Princess (Lear Fan). The daughter of Tapit was offered carrying her first foal by Medaglia d'Oro and sold to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock on behalf of Godolphin for $3.5 million.

“She's a beautiful-looking mare, great quality to her and well balanced,” Banahan noted. “She's the type of mare that you can breed to a lot of different stallions from a physical standpoint.”

While that first Medaglia d'Oro filly named Ornamental took six tries to break her maiden, Pretty City Dancer's second foal Pretty Mischievous was a standout from the beginning.  A 'TDN Rising Star' on debut, the bay went on to get a first Oaks score not only for Godolphin, but also for trainer Brendan Walsh and jockey Tyler Gaffalione.

Pretty City Dancer, who resides at Godolphin's Stonerside Farm in Paris, Kentucky, does not have a 2-year-old this year, but she has a Medaglia d'Oro yearling filly and a Street Sense filly foaled Mar. 28 this year. The 9-year-old mare has been bred back to Into Mischief.

Dance Card and her Gun Runner filly | Sara Gordon

DANCE CARD (Tapit -Tempting Note, by Editor's Note). Dam of GI Churchill Downs S. winner Cody's Wish (Curlin)

Dance Card was purchased by John Ferguson for Godolphin in 2011 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-Year-Old in Training Sale as a $67,000 yearling-turned-$750,000 juvenile.

“At that time, we did buy a few 2-year-olds,” Banahan explained. “Not many, but we bought a few and she was part of a pair that we bought that year. We haven't been very active in the sales pavilion for a while and obviously it was a change from a good few years ago where we were the most active buyer at the Saratoga and the Keeneland September sales, but the majority of those horses ended up racing in Europe. Not many of them really stayed here.”

Dance Card was one of those Godolphin purchases that did stay in the U.S. and she proved to be a talent on American soil for Kiaran McLaughlin. The daughter of Tapit did not make her first start until three, but she claimed the Belle Cherie S. and the GI Gazelle S. as a sophomore and came back at four to run third in the 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

The mare's early offspring performed well. Her first foal Bocephus (Medaglia d'Oro) was stakes placed and her second foal Endorsed (Medaglia d'Oro) has been competitive at the graded level for years–having just earned his first two graded stakes wins this year at age seven–but it was Dance Card's fourth foal, by Curlin, that was destined to be a star.

“Cody's Wish was by far her best-looking foal that she produced at that stage,” Banahan recalled. “He was probably ranked in the top five yearlings that we had that year and we had high, high expectations for him.”

Dance Card's yearling filly by Street Sense | Sara Gordon

Unquestionably one of the most inspirational stories in racing this year, Cody's Wish validated Godolphin's decision to bring the champion back as a 5-year-old when he came in off a layoff to extend his winning streak to five straight scores in the GI Churchill Downs S.

“I think that on Saturday, Cody's Wish showed that he's probably even a better horse this year than last year,” Banahan said. “To me, it was his most impressive race yet thus far. We knew there was a great lineup this year for him with the Churchill Downs S., then going for the GI Metropolitan H., back to the GI Forego S. and on to the Breeders' Cup. We're hoping that maybe he can have a special campaign this year and hit some of those great races.”

At the age of 14, Dance Card has a quality lineup of progeny in the pipeline. Her 2-year-old Into Mischief colt named Hunt Ball just arrived at Bill Mott's barn and she also has a Street Sense yearling filly that Banahan said their team is particularly high on. She recently foaled a Gun Runner filly and she has been bred back to Curlin.

INNOVATIVE IDEA (Bernardini – Golden Velvet, by Seeking the Gold). Dam of GI Derby City Distaff winner Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile)

While Pretty City Dancer and Innovative Idea both wound up under the Godolphin banner later in life, Innovative Idea is a second-generation homebred for the organization and she hails from their prolific producer Caress (Storm Cat).

A three-time graded stakes winner, Caress was purchased by John Ferguson Bloodstock for Godolphin for $3.1 million at the 2000 Keeneland November Sale a few months after she produced future Grade I winner Sky Mesa (Puplit). Her daughters include Velvety (Bernardini), the dam of Grade I winner and Darley sire Maxfield (Street Sense), and MGSW Golden Velvet (Seeking the Gold), the dam of Innovative Idea (Bernardini).

Innovative Idea was a productive race filly for Godolphin and Eoin Harty, breaking her maiden on debut at two and later claiming the Iowa Distaff S. and the GIII Groupie Doll S. as a 4-year-old. Her first foal, Business Model (Candy Ride {Arg}), is a winner at three and four and he is in training with Brendan Walsh this season as a 5-year-old for Qatar Racing and Marc Detampel.

Another star in the making This Curlin filly out of Innovative Idea (Bernardini) is the newest half-sister to Grade I winner MATAREYA (Pioneerof the Nile).

TDNtv feature coming soon! pic.twitter.com/B8nSjs2HW4

— TDN (@theTDN) May 12, 2023

Matareya was the mare's second foal and she was one that Banahan said he noticed from the start.

“Matareya was an absolutely beautiful yearling and I think she was my favorite of that year,” he said. “A lot of guys give me a hard time because I'm so hard grading them, but she got one of the highest grades I would give and I was in love with her as a yearling. I was always excited to see what she was going to do on the racetrack.”

To be able to celebrate the achievements of a third-generation homebred like Matareya, Banahan said, is a uniquely rewarding experience.

“It has been a great family for us,” he said. “To get it from a homebred is extra special. We've been very fortunate the last couple of years that all our stakes winners have happened from the broodmare band and that makes it all the more rewarding.”

Innovative Idea, now 11 years old and thriving at Godolphin's Gainsborough Farm in Versailles, has added three foals by Uncle Mo to her produce record. Her 3-year-old filly named Methodology is in training with Brad Cox and preparing for her debut in the next few months. She also has a 2-year-old colt and a yearling colt both by Uncle Mo. This year, she produced a filly by Curlin and is being bred back to the Hill 'n' Dale sire.

Innovative Idea's Curlin filly | Sara Gordon

Examining Success and Looking Ahead

What do the three Grade I producers have in common? Banahan said it starts with noting that each of them were graded stakes-winning racehorses.

“That's a quality that we love to have in any broodmare that we have, that they're successful on the racetrack,” he said. “All three are also nice, medium-sized mares. I struggle with big mares to try and make it work properly and I think it gives you a lot more options to stallions that you can breed to when you have those quality, athletic, medium-sized mares.”

Banahan noted that all three mares also hail from A.P. Indy, with two daughters of Tapit and a daughter of Darley's late sire Bernardini.

There is an immeasurable quality too, Banahan said, that he credits for Godolphin USA's growing list of achievements.

“We've been very fortunate that we have some beautiful land–some of the best land, we feel, in Central Kentucky,” he said. “I also think the personnel that we have are second to none. From Gerry Duffy at Stonerside, Danny Mulvihill at Gainsborough and Rafael Hernandez at Jonabell, they have been involved in all our recent success from the foaling end of it. Paul Seitz and Benji Amezcua are our yearling managers and they do a great job raising those horses. We have a really strong team and they all play a big, big role in getting us to the winner's circle.”

Banahan said that one of the next goals he hopes that their organization can achieve is to come up with a broodmare for the record books.

“We're happy with the way it's going and I think the quality is very good,” he said. “We're fortunate that we have a lot of really young broodmares as well that have hit with some good runners at the moment. We're hopeful that maybe we can turn one of those mares into a blue hen.”

Looking ahead to Preakness weekend, Godolphin has the opportunity to make another run and maybe take one step closer to that latest goal. First Mission (Street Sense) will be a leading contender in the GI Preakness S. for Brad Cox coming off a win in the GIII Lexington S. The operation will also be represented by Comparative (Street Sense) in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. and Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GIII Maryland Sprint S.

The post Three Grade I Winners Reflect Godolphin’s Evolving Program appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Godolphin was victorious with the Brendan Walsh-trained Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) in Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks. Sheikh Mohammed's operation and Matareya's trainer Brad Cox finished fourth with the Oaks beaten favorite Wet Paint (Blame).

“It was a very big effort,” Cox said. “I'm very proud of her. Flavien (Prat) did a really good job of getting her into position. There were some really good fillies in there.”

Matareya, off at odds of 5-1 in the six-horse field, sat a dream trip beneath Flavien Prat stalking from second. She gained command at the top of the lane and took care of business from there to secure her second career Grade I victory. Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Goodnight Olive, meanwhile, found herself completely boxed in behind the winner while racing on the inside of Wicked Halo for the length of the stretch and never got a chance to run beneath jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.

“I was stuck, the entire way,” Ortiz said. “I had no place to go. I couldn't get out of there. I had tons of horse, just no place to go.”

Matareya, winner of the GII Eight Belles S. on the Kentucky Oaks program last year, capped a four-race winning streak with her first win at the top level in the GI Acorn S. on Belmont Stakes day June 11. She concluded her sophomore campaign with a third-place finish as the big favorite over a good going in Saratoga's GI Test S. Aug. 6. She resurfaced to finish second to Wicked Halo after leading in the stretch over a muddy track last time in Oaklawn's Mar. 31 Matron S.

Pedigree Notes:

Matareya is one of four Grade I winners for her late sire Pioneerof the Nile. She is one 15 Grade I winners for broodmare sire Bernardini.

Matareya's Grade III-winning dam is a daughter of Golden Velvet, who was stakes-placed in France before adding a pair of graded victories and a runner-up effort in the 2008 GI Ogden Phipps H. Golden Velvet is a daughter of Harbor View Farm's outstanding turfer Caress, who was purchased by John Ferguson on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed's global operation for $3.1 million at the 2000 Keeneland November sale a handful of months after the mare foaled a Pulpit colt. That offspring, Sky Mesa ($750,000 KEESEP yearling), was raced by John Oxley to a victory in the GI Hopeful S. Caress is also the dam of Velvety (Bernardini), whose son MGISW Maxfield (Street Sense) closed out his career with a win in the GI Clark H. and now stands at Darley at Jonabell.

Innovative Idea is the dam of the unraced 3-year-old filly Methodology (Uncle Mo). She is also responsible for a yearling colt and a 2-year-old colt by the same stallion. She visited Curlin for 2023.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
DERBY CITY DISTAFF S. PRESENTED BY KENDALL-JACKSON WINERY-GI, $750,000, Churchill Downs, 5-6, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:21.87, ft.
1–MATAREYA, 123, f, 4, by Pioneerof the Nile
                1st Dam: Innovative Idea (GSW, $229,343),
                                by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Golden Velvet, by Seeking the Gold
                3rd Dam: Caress, by Storm Cat
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $460,350.
Lifetime Record: 11-6-3-1, $1,517,217. Werk Nick Rating:
A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Wicked Halo, 123, f, 4, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Just Wicked (GSW, $208,460), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Wicked Deed, by Harlan's Holiday
3rd Dam: Marfa's Squall, by Marfa
O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
$148,500.
3–Goodnight Olive, 123, m, 5, by Ghostzapper
1st Dam: Salty Strike (MGSW, $485,266), by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Lake Huron, by Salt Lake
3rd Dam: My Rainbow, by Lyphard
($170,000 Ylg '19 FTKOCT). O-First Row Partners and Team
Hanley; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Chad
Brown. $74,250.
Margins: 1, 1, 3 1/4. Odds: 5.06, 3.74, 0.57.
Also Ran: Hot and Sultry, My Destiny, Travel Column.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Matareya Takes Derby City Distaff; Champ Goodnight Olive Endures Brutal Trip appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Prior to that, the classy sprinter strung together a number of stakes victories starting as a juvenile in the GII Adirondack S. at Saratoga Aug. 8 of that year. As a 3-year-old, Wicked Halo won four in-a-row starting at Churchill Downs June 12 in the Leslie's Lady Overnight S. and then in the Tepin S. July 2. She then stepped up to declare victory in the GII Prioress S. at Saratoga Sept. 2 and in the GII Lexus Raven Run S. Oct. 22.

After a trio of scratches, the even-money favorite in this comeback spot was content to settle in third, as Pretty Birdie (Bird Song) and I'm the Boss of Me (Midshipman) tore through the early fractions at :21.15 for the first quarter mile. Around the far turn as rival on the tote Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) hugged the fence, the gray filly took the overland route and down the lane challenged the 3-2 shot to her outside. With a powerful late kick, she passed the Brad Cox trainee to win by 1 3/4 length.

“Talented group of mares and the exciting part is for her to come back running that fast,” said Steve Asmussen. “She finished off the year in spectacular fashion. I think she had four stakes wins and then was third in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. She got a little break off that. For her to come back and beat a filly the quality of Matayera in such a competitive fashion is very exciting.”

The winner's dam Just Wicked out of Wicked Deed (Harlan's Holiday), also successful in the Adirondack S. in Saratoga Springs, is a full-sister to GSW My Miss Lilly. Wicked Halo is bred on the same Gun Runner and Tapit cross as GISW Society and MGSP Red Route One, who will contest the GI Arkansas Derby on Saturday. Recent siblings include a 3-year-old full-brother named Wicked Again, a yearling full-sister and her dam just foaled another colt by Gun Runner.

MATRON S., $250,000, Oaklawn, 3-31, 4yo/up, f/m, 6f,
1:09.31, my.
1–WICKED HALO, 117, f, 4, Gun Runner–Just Wicked (GSW,
   $208,460), by Tapit. O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY);
T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $162,500. Lifetime
Record: MGSW, 12-7-0-4, $1,032,700.
2–Matareya, 117, f, 4, Pioneerof the Nile–Innovative Idea, by
Bernardini. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $50,000.
3–I'm the Boss of Me, 117, m, 5, Midshipman–Glory Park, by
Deputy Commander. ($47,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Danny
Brown, Charis Brenneman and Greg Compton; B-Edward A.
Seltzer (KY); T-Greg Compton. $25,000.
Margins: 3/4, 6 3/4, 12HF. Odds: 1.00, 1.50, 12.60.
Also Ran: Pretty Birdie. Scratched: Dealing Justice,
Samurai Charm, Teddy's Barino.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Wicked Halo Storms To Matron S. Win At Oaklawn appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

“The October Digital Selected Sale posted a 70% clearance rate with a flurry of bidding across the country,” said Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales Leif Aaron. “It was another successful sale for our clients on our digital platform and we look forward to a strong December sale.”

The October Digital Selected Sale opened for bidding Oct. 6 at noon. Full results are available online.

The post Candy Ride’s Business Model Tops October Digital Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

7th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, 3:50 p.m.

Debuting in the royal blue Friday, METHODOLOGY (Uncle Mo) is the third foal out of GSW Innovative Idea (Bernardini), making her a half-sister to GI Acorn S. winner Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile). Further back in her family is GISW & sire Sky Mesa (Pulpit) and MGISW & Darley stallion Maxfield (Street Sense). In training with Brad Cox, Methodology has made her two most recent works over the Churchill main track and gets Florent Geroux in the irons. TJCIS PPS

6th-BAQ, $77k, Msw, (S), 2yo, 6fT, 4:40 p.m.

Picked up for $650,000 as a yearling by M.V. Magnier out of last year's Keeneland September Sale, WITNESS (City of Light) is already a half-brother to a pair of stakes horses in More Mischief (Into Mischief) and Myawaya (Wicked Strong) while his dam is a half-sister to GSW and GI Florida Derby runner-up Sharp Humor (Distorted Humor). Entered off a quartet of strong works at Keeneland for trainer Wesley Ward, including a bullet five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 (1/8) Sept. 7, Witness picks up jockey Joel Rosario for his debut. TJCIS PPs

The post Friday Insights: Godolphin Unveils Uncle Mo Half To Matareya appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post