Michael Tabor | Horse Racing Free Tips

Thoughts of June A World Record 348th Stakes Winner For Galileo

Aptly-named Aidan O'Brien trainee Thoughts of June (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) finished behind Above The Curve (American Pharoah) tackling one mile at Leopardstown in her juvenile season closer last October and again when that reopposing rival attained TDN Rising Star status over the same course and distance last month. Sent postward at odds of 7-1 for Wednesday's Listed Weatherbys Bloodstock Pro Cheshire Oaks at Chester, she gained some measure of revenge to shed maiden status in game fashion. Thoughts of June was quickly into stride and led passing the judge first time, but required encouragement to remain in control with a half mile remaining. Under increased pressure thereafter, she dipped into plentiful reserves in the home straight and was driven out inside the final furlong to withstand the late threat of 5-4 favourite Above The Curve by a neck for a career high in this G1 Epsom Oaks trial. Thoughts of June's win thrust Galileo beyond Danehill, becoming a world-record 348th stakes winner for her sire.

Indeed, thoughts are of June, specifically Epsom's June 3 G1 Cazoo Oaks, and she now rates as a general 14-1 ante-post chance for that Classic. “I think we have to be thinking of Epsom,” Coolmore's Kevin Buckley confirmed. “Aidan [O'Brien] will have a chat with the owners, which include our partners Moyglare Stud, but I think on that performance we'd have to head to Epsom. Aidan always felt that stepping her up in trip would be to her liking, he thought she'd handle it round the bends here and Ryan [Moore] was very happy. We made plenty of use of her at Leopardstown last time and it was always the plan to do that today, but she's fairly versatile I would imagine. We'll have to see what else happens in the trials. We were very happy with Tuesday in the Guineas and she seems to have come out of it well. We're looking forward to June.”

The trainer concurred. “We've always liked her a lot and I loved her run the first day back at Leopardstown behind Joseph's filly [Above The Curve],” he added. “I thought she'd come forward from that and she clearly did. She got a great ride from Ryan and they are obviously two very good fillies as Joseph's ran a great race too. We'd been thinking of the Oaks for her and that was the reason for sending her to Chester, to see if she'd handle it and it was going to teach her plenty. I haven't had chance to speak to Ryan, but she seemed to handle the [soft] ground fine and seems versatile.”

Thoughts of June is the latest of three foals, all by Galileo (Ire), and second winner produced by GI Del Mar Oaks heroine and six-time elite-level placegetter Discreet Marq (Marquetry), herself kin to three black-type performers headed by dual stakes-winning full-brother Too Discreet, and who was acquired by the Moyglare operation for a whopping $2.4-million at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's 2014 November fixture. The April-foaled grey's stakes-winning second dam To Marquet (Marquetry), who also ran second in the GIII Tempted S., is a daughter of three-time stakes victrix Pretty Momma (Concorde Bound). Pretty Momma, in turn, is a half-sister to MGSW sire Unreal Turn (Unreal Zeal) and Shananie's Boss (Shananie), who saluted four times at black-type level, and hails from the family of GI Oaklawn H. and GI Arlington Classic-winning sire Lost Code (Codex).

Wednesday, Chester, Britain
WEATHERBYS BLOODSTOCK PRO CHESHIRE OAKS (FOR THE ROBERT SANGSTER MEMORIAL CUP)-Listed, £87,500, Chester, 5-4, 3yo, f, 11f 75yT, 2:31.64, sf.
1–THOUGHTS OF JUNE (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Discreet Marq (GISW-US, $1,268,972), by Discreet Cat
2nd Dam: To Marquet, by Marquetry
3rd Dam: Pretty Momma, by Concorde Bound
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Moyglare Stud Farm, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Moyglare Stud Farm (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £49,621. Lifetime Record: 4-1-2-0, $68,983 *348th stakes winner for sire.
2–Above The Curve, 128, f, 3, American Pharoah–Fabulous (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (KY); T-Joseph O'Brien. £18,813.
3–Typewriter (Ire), 128, f, 3, Gleneagles (Ire)–On Location, by Street Cry (Ire). (19,000gns Wlg '19 TATFOA; 26,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Mrs Fitri Hay; B-Castle Farm Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £9,415.
Margins: NK, 3 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 7.00, 1.25, 9.00.
Also Ran: Moon de Vega (GB), Hello Jumeirah (GB), Wynter Wildes (GB), Night Battle (Ire), Improvise (Fr), Morning Poem (GB). Scratched: Makinmedoit (Ire).

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Rougir Now in U.S. and Brant Confident Purchase Will Work Out

Just three days after he and partner Michael Tabor spent €3 million on Group I winning filly Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) at the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale, owner Peter Brant got a most unwelcome surprise. Rougir's trainer, Cedric Rossi, was arrested Dec. 7 as part of a probe into equine doping that also involved two other members of the Rossi family, Frederic and Charley.

That brought into question whether or not he and his partners had purchased a horse whose successes on the racetrack were, at least in part, the result of the use of performance-enhancing drugs. But Brant said Monday that he is confident that Rougir and another Rossi horse he purchased at Arqana, Speak of the Devil (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), were not involved in the doping campaign the Rossi family is alleged to have been part of.

“We were assured these horses were not involved in this thing,” Brant said. “We had all sorts of tests taken on these horses. Samples were sent to Germany. They checked out very well. We were led to believe that these horses were not part of the investigation, that they checked out very well.”

Rougir won the G3 Prix des Reservoirs in 2020 before launching a 2021 campaign that included a win in the Oct. 3 G1 Prix de l'Opera Longines. She was most recently seventh in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The €3-million price tag was the most paid for any horse at any of the European breeding stock sales in 2021.

Speak of the Devil, who was trained by Frederic Rossi, is the winner of four listed stakes, including the final two starts of her career. Purchased solely by Brant, she went for €1,950,000.

American owners Lael Stable also bought a pricey Rossi horse at Arqana, purchasing the 2-year-old Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), who was also trained by Cedric Rossi and who sold for €2 million.

Despite his belief that his purchases raced drug-free, Brant admitted that he was concerned after learning of the arrest of the Rossis.

“I obviously don't like the situation,” Brant said. “You don't want to buy a horse and then find out a few days later that there was a sting. That's not exactly what we were expecting.”

Brant said that he and the Coolmore team went back to Arqana officials after the news of the arrests broke to explore their options. He said a confidential agreement was reached in which Arqana made certain concessions to protect their investment.

“[Arqana] made certain guarantees to us so far as whatever credentials these horses had would remain and that if anybody took them away then that would change things,” he said. “Arqana was very responsible. They dealt with the sellers and they bridged us together and we made an agreement we all felt safe with. We were given assurances that our investment was safe.

“Did we ever say we wanted our money back? We said we wanted certain guarantees or else we would like the sales canceled. We also evaluated what our legal position was and we just decided that this was best way to go about it.”

The two Brant purchases have arrived in Florida and are stabled with Chad Brown. Brant said Rougir will likely go next in either the GIII Beaugay S. or the GII New York S. The GI Just a Game S. is a possible goal for Speak of the Devil, he said.

Charley Rossi's wife, the jockey Jessica Marcialis, was also arrested.

Cedric Rossi was also the trainer of GI QIPCO Champion S. winner Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}).

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As Time Goes By Much Best In Santa Anita’s La Canada

With a well-meant Park Avenue providing a target from the opening bell in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., heavily favored As Time Goes By stalked her to the far turn, took command a quarter mile from the money and prevailed in a thoroughly dominant New Year's Day performance, winning by 13 ½ lengths as Flavien Prat notched his second consecutive stake win and his fifth overall on the day. Prat added a sixth win the day's finale.

Conditioned by Bob Baffert, who got his second stakes win of the day and who was available via telephone from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, As Time Goes By got 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.31.

A winner of a pair of G2 stakes at Santa Anita early last year, As Time Goes By, a 5-year-old mare by American Pharoah, came off a facile 1 ¼-length win in the G3 Bayakoa Stakes at Los Alamitos Dec. 5 and was off as the 3-5 favorite in a field of five older fillies and mares and paid $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10.

“This filly keeps getting better and better with age,” said Baffert. “I'm really excited. She has always been a barn favorite of mine. She's got that American Pharoah temperament. They seem to be late bloomers and she is getting better all the time. I am expecting big things from her from here. She will stay here, and I think the Grade 1 Beholder would be next for her.”

On the strength of two recent wins, Park Avenue, trained by John Sadler, was off as the second choice at 7-2 with Juan Hernandez and paid $3.20 and $2.20 while finishing 4 ¼ lengths in front of Moonlight d'Oro.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Richard Mandella's Moonlight d'Oro was the third choice at 7-2 and paid $2.10 to show while finishing 2 ¾ lengths clear of longshot Fi Fi Pharoah.

Fractions on the race were 23.46, 47.00, 1:11.46 and 1:37.27.

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Consignor, Pinhooker Jerry Bailey Passes Away at 78

Jerry Bailey, whose varied career in the sport included stints as a veterinarian, breeder, owner, pinhooker and consignor, passed away Dec. 17 due to complications from pneumonia after a bout with COVID-19. He was 78.

Bailey started out on the racetrack as a veterinarian and took a position as the resident veterinarian for E.K. Gaylord's Lazy E Ranch in Oklahoma, later adding the role of general manager to his duties.

He moved to Florida in the late eighties and partnered with Ken Ellenberg to start Bailey Ellenberg Select, a partnership that focused on pinhooking. Ellenberg and Bailey bought eventual 1995 Grade I Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch (Gulch) for $40,000 at the Keeneland July yearling sale with the intent to sell him a year later. They had a $125,000 reserve on him at the Keeneland April sale as a 2-year-old, but the bidding stopped at $120,000. After selling a 50% interest in him to Howard Rozin, they campaigned Thunder Gulch through his first three career starts before selling him privately to Michael Tabor.

Bailey would later partner with Lance Robinson, and the two started Gulf Coast Farms. It was another pinhooking operation, but they also got involved in breeding. Their biggest success story as a breeder was Lookin at Lucky (Smart Strike). Consigned by Bailey, he was sold for $475,000 as a 2-year-old at the Keeneland April sale. The winner of the 2010 GI Preakness S., he was named champion 2-year-old in 2009 and champion 3-year-old in 2010.

Bailey was involved with many top horses over the years. He consigned Grade I winners Honour and Glory (Relaunch), Deputy Commander (Deputy Minister), Henny Hughes (Hennessy) and Dubai Escapade (Awesome Again). Dubai Escapade sold for $2 million at the 2004 Barretts 2-year-old sale.

About 10 years ago, Bailey retired from the Thoroughbred game and moved back to his native Oklahoma. While there, he focused on roping competitions.

“Roping to him was what golf is to others,” said his widow, Leslie. “He roped every day there was. He just won a roping competition about five days before he came up sick.

“He was most proud of our success in the Thoroughbred business, his ability to pick out an individual, an athlete, and all his achievements in roping.”

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