Tag: Midnight Bourbon

Derby Notes: Midnight Bourbon, Brooklyn Strong Post Monday Workouts

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon worked five furlongs in 1:02.40 over a fast track at Churchill Downs while earlier at Parx, Mark Schwartz's Brooklyn Strong worked five furlongs in 1:00.92 to punch his ticket to Louisville for Kentucky Derby 147 for trainer Danny Velazquez.

BOURBONIC, DYNAMIC ONE, KNOWN AGENDA, SAINTHOOD – Trainer Todd Pletcher's Derby four-bagger was swinging for the fences Monday morning at Churchill Downs as they continued their preparation for this coming Saturday's big game known as Kentucky Derby 147.

Each of the well-bred youngsters galloped approximately a mile and a quarter on a sunny Kentucky morning and they all earned a thumbs up from Pletcher after they reported back to his Barn 42 on the track's backside.

Heading out first at the start of the 7:30 – 7:45 a.m. special training period for Derby and Oaks contenders were Florida Derby (G1) winner Known Agenda (with exercise rider Carlos Perez Quevuedo aboard) and New York's Wood Memorial (G2) runner-up Dynamic One (with Hector Ramos in the tack). They were followed at 7:50 by Wood Memorial winner Bourbonic (Ramos) and Turfway Park's Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) runner-up Sainthood (with Amelia Green up).

The colts were likely to follow a similar pattern for the rest of the week with possible side trips to the starting gate and paddock mixed in, Pletcher said.

“So far, so good,” he said.

BROOKLYN STRONG – Mark Schwartz's Brooklyn Strong passed the last hurdle and is now Kentucky Derby bound after working five furlongs in 1:00.92 at Parx Monday. He will depart his Bensalem, Pennsylvania base at 6 p.m. Monday and is expected at Churchill by 6 a.m. Tuesday.

“It was perfect,” trainer Danny Velazquez said. “I'd like to say it went just as planned, but none of this has been planned. We're excited. He worked great. Cooled out great. He'll have all day to relax before he leaves.”

Brooklyn Strong, who ended 2020 by winning the Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct, will be making only his second start of 2021. He was most recently fifth in the Wood Memorial April 3 in his debut.

ESSENTIAL QUALITY, MANDALOUN – Trainer Brad Cox's Derby-duo of Godolphin's Essential Quality and Juddmonte Farm's Mandaloun had a spirited jog Monday morning at Churchill Downs.

“Both horses came out of their Saturday works great and we're just doing our normal routine leading into race day,” Cox said. “They'll both gallop Tuesday and we'll just make sure they're happy until Derby Day.”

HELIUM, SOUP AND SANDWICH – D J Stable's Helium and Live Oak Plantation's homebred Soup and Sandwich both schooled at the starting gate and galloped 1 ½ miles over the track Monday morning, with the former looking particularly strong for trainer Mark Casse. Assistant trainer David Carroll was happy with how the morning went, even though both colts may go about it in different ways.

“That's who Helium is; he likes to train and he's fresh and on the muscle,” Carroll said. “Soup and Sandwich, you really only see that from him when he breezes. But they are both doing great, they schooled beautifully at the gate, and now we're just hopeful we'll get some luck at the draw (Tuesday).”

HIDDEN STASH – BBN Racing's Hidden Stash galloped a mile and a half with trainer Vicki Oliver aboard early Monday morning at Keeneland.

A similar activity is planned for 5:30 Tuesday morning before Hidden Stash vans to Churchill Downs.

HIGHLY MOTIVATED – Klaravich Stables' Highly Motivated went back to the track for the first time since his final Derby workout Saturday morning for trainer Chad Brown, jogging under exercise rider Peter Roman.

“I gave him a jog all the way around with the pony, just to see how he was moving and stretching himself out,” Brown said. “I'm really happy with how he looked and he's going to go back to galloping tomorrow. I'll do a little paddock schooling one of the days and we'll be in good shape.”

HOT ROD CHARLIE – The TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) winner and racing millionaire Hot Rod Charlie got his first feel for the Churchill Downs racing strip Monday morning by going through a handy one-mile jog with exercise rider Jonny Garcia in the tack during the 7:30 – 7:45 training period for Derby and Oaks runners.

Trainer Doug O'Neill, already a two-time Kentucky Derby winner (I'll Have Another in 2012 and Nyquist in 2016) was a most-interested observer as his charge went through his paces.

“We both shipped well Sunday,” the ebullient O'Neill offered. “I always ship well.”

“Charlie” seemed more than ready to take on his assignment Monday, but he had to go some to outdo his pony, the Hall of Famer Lava Man, who accompanied the sophomore on his journey east and acted like a young boy (despite his 20 years) as he led the way to the racetrack.

Lava Man, the world's greatest claim ($50,000 that parlayed into more than $5.2 million), attempted retirement a bunch of years back, but was so unhappy with pasture life that he was returned to the racetrack. He has flourished in his new role schooling the youngsters and has earned the nickname “Coach” from the folks at the O'Neill barn.

O'Neill indicated that Hot Rod Charlie would jog again Tuesday, then gallop up to Saturday's $3 million Run for the Roses.

KEEPMEINMIND – Keepmeinmind, who broke his maiden last fall at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2), schooled in the gate and then galloped 1 1/2 miles Monday at 7:30 a.m.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro, who arrives in Louisville Monday evening, said Keepmeinmind schooled without blinkers and will be entered Tuesday without blinkers.

KING FURY – Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury was out on the track Monday morning during the period reserved for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses. With exercise rider Lalo Jose Quiroz aboard, King Fury followed up on Saturday's work with a jog and a gallop.

“Uncomplicated,” said trainer Kenny McPeek after King Fury and Oaks contender Crazy Beautiful came off the track. “Coming off the work, I jogged them a mile and galloped them a mile. This is a typical routine, we're not going to change anything from what we would do for any other race.”

LIKE THE KING – M Racing Group's Like the King galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Jose Hernandez Monday morning at Keeneland for trainer Wesley Ward.

A similar activity is scheduled for Tuesday morning at 6 o'clock before Like the King vans to Churchill Downs.

Ward said he probably would be at the post position draw scheduled at 11 a.m. in the Aristides Lounge at Churchill Downs.

MEDINA SPIRIT – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert made his first appearance at Churchill Downs since winning the rescheduled Kentucky Derby last September with Authentic on Monday. He arrived at the barn shortly after watching his 2021 Derby prospect Medina Spirit gallop 1 3/8 miles from the Grandstand.

“I was hoping to enjoy my Derby win a little longer, but it's always great to be back at Churchill Downs,” Baffert said. “I love coming here. It looked like we were coming with something really live a couple of months ago. (Life Is Good) looked really strong, but that's part of the business.

“I think we're here with a horse that's in the top 10. I usually like to come in with a top five type horse. He's top 10. He shows up every time. He's run second to some really nice horses. He's doing well over this track.”

Medina Spirit trained at the 7:30 a.m. time allotted for Kentucky Oaks and Derby horses along with stablemate Concert Tour. Although Concert Tour has the points needed to run on virtue of his win in the Rebel Stakes (G2) and third in the Arkansas Derby (G1), Baffert said he would not be entered Tuesday and is instead being pointed toward the Preakness Stakes.

MIDNIGHT BOURBON, SUPER STOCK – Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon, in what will likely be the last major workout from the 20 prospective Derby starters, went five furlongs in 1:02.40 under exercise rider Wilson Fabian. The son of Tiznow posted splits of 24.40 and 49.60 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:16.20.

“I'm very happy with how he went,” Asmussen said. “We got exactly what we wanted and he continues to do very well.”

Erv Woolsey's and Asmussen's father Keith's Super Stock went back to the track for the first time since his final Derby breeze Saturday morning and jogged one-mile alongside assistant trainer Scott Blasi aboard the pony.

O BESOS – Bernard Racing, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Terry L. Stephens' O Besos galloped about 1 ½ miles under Margarito Fierro for trainer Greg Foley.

“We'll probably school him in the paddock at some point this week and be ready for Saturday,” Foley said.

ROCK YOUR WORLD – Trainer John Sadler and the 3-year-old colt Rock Your World shipped from California to Louisville Sunday and both went trackside Monday morning for the special 7:30 – 7:45 training period for Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks runners.

Rock Your World, an undefeated son of Candy Ride, just stretched his legs for the first time at Churchill Downs in an easy one-mile jog around the big oval with exercise rider Javier Meza in the boot. The tall, dark youngster was a picture as he went through his paces in professional fashion.

“I'll gallop him the rest of the week, then just walk him on race day,” Sadler said.

Rock Your World is owned by Sadler's chief clients, Californian brothers Kosta and Pete Hronis, along with their partner, David Talla. He was a $650,000 Keeneland yearling purchase who clicked in his first race on New Year's Day at Santa Anita on the grass, then followed that up with a further tally on the turf in the listed Pasadena Stakes over the same course on Feb. 27.

The connections were encouraged enough by their colt's abilities to throw him into the deep end of the pool in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 3 and were promptly rewarded with a 4 ¼-length triumph in front-running fashion over nine furlongs on dirt. Shortly thereafter, they went from the deep end of the pool to ocean swimming by putting his name on the list for Kentucky Derby 147.

California-based Umberto Rispoli had been aboard Rock Your World for his two California stakes scores, but when Sadler favorite Joel Rosario came open for the Run for the Roses the switch was made.

Rock Your World will be one of the favorites for the 10-furlong classic this Saturday.

SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY DERBY – Likely starters in the 147th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday, May 1 in order of preference (with possible jockey and trainer): Essential Quality (Luis Saez, Brad Cox); Hot Rod Charlie (Flavien Prat, Doug O'Neill); Super Stock (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen); Like the King (Drayden Van Dyke, Wesley Ward); Known Agenda (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher); Rock Your World (Joel Rosario, John Sadler); Bourbonic (Kendrick Carmouche, Todd Pletcher); Medina Spirit (John Velazquez, Bob Baffert); Midnight Bourbon (Mike Smith, Steve Asmussen); Mandaloun (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox); Highly Motivated (Javier Castellano, Chad Brown); Helium (Julien Leparoux, Mark Casse); Soup and Sandwich (Tyler Gaffalione, Mark Casse); Dynamic One (Jose Ortiz, Todd Pletcher); Sainthood (Corey Lanerie, Todd Pletcher); Hidden Stash (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver); O Besos (Marcelino Pedroza, Greg Foley); King Fury (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek); Keepmeinmind (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro); Brooklyn Strong (Umberto Rispoli, Danny Velazquez).

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Midnight Bourbon Posts Swift Five-Furlong Breeze, Gives Connections A Scare When Briefly Loose In Barn Area

On a brisk Monday morning in Louisville, Winchell Thorougbreds' multiple graded stakes-placed colt Midnight Bourbon continued his serious preparation for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) with a swift five furlong move in :59.80, the fastest of 13 horses at the distance.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Midnight Bourbon worked in company with recent Turfway Park maiden winner Bajan Rum through fractions of :12.40, :24, :35.60. The TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.80 and completed seven furlongs in 1:26, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

Midnight Bourbon then managed to give his connections a bit of a scare when he got away from his hotwalker near the barn area, and enjoyed a brief jaunt around the bathing area between barns. He was quickly apprehended by another hotwalker, and appeared to escape unharmed. The incident was captured on camera by WHAS11's Kent Spencer.


Tuesday will be the first day on the track for Blue Grass (G2) runner-up Highly Motivated, who arrived at trainer Chad Brown's Barn 25 at 8 a.m. (all times Eastern) from Keeneland. Brown is scheduled to be at Churchill Downs Tuesday.

BOURBONIC, DYNAMIC ONE, KNOWN AGENDA, SAINTHOOD – Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher sent his four hopefuls for the Run for the Roses out for 1 3/8-mile gallops Monday morning.

Pletcher utilized the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Kentucky Oaks candidates to send out St. Elias Stable's Known Agenda with Hector Ramos aboard, Repole Stable, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable's Dynamic One with Carlos Perez Quevedo aboard and WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s Sainthood with Amelia Green aboard.

Calumet Farm's Bourbonic galloped after 9 o'clock with Ramos aboard.

Pletcher said Monday morning that no rider has been confirmed for Sainthood, who comes into Derby 147 off a runner-up finish in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park March 27.

CADDO RIVER, ESSENTIAL QUALITY, MANDALOUN – Godolphin's Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality and Juddmonte Farm's Mandaloun jogged at 6:20 a.m. Monday at Churchill Downs for trainer Brad Cox while stablemate Caddo River galloped at 5:15 a.m.

“(Essential Quality and Mandaloun) both came out of their Saturday works in good shape,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We're gearing up. It's getting exciting around the barn and we're ready for the Derby.”

Shortleaf Stable's Arkansas Derby (G1) runner-up Caddo River plans to run in the Kentucky Derby remain tentative.

HELIUM, SOUP AND SANDWICH – D J Stable's Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner Helium along with Live Oak Plantation's Florida Derby (G1) Soup and Sandwich had a scheduled walk day at trainer Mark Casse's Barn 36 at Churchill Downs.

“We had an easy day around the barn today,” Casse's assistant David Carroll said.

Both horses are scheduled to work this weekend.

HIGHLY MOTIVATED – Klaravich Stables' homebred Highly Motivated, runner-up in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) in his most recent start April 3, arrived at Churchill Downs at 8 o'clock Monday morning from Keeneland.

The Chad Brown trainee had worked a half-mile in :47.20 Sunday morning that was the best of 27 at the distance.

KEEPMEINMIND – Spendthrift Farm, Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith's Keepmeinmind jogged two miles early Monday morning under exercise rider Enrique Benitez for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) here last fall, Keepmeinmind had worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 under Benitez at Keeneland on Saturday and arrived at Churchill Downs on Sunday.

He currently sits No. 22 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

KING FURY – Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury galloped 1 ½ miles at 5:30 under exercise rider Danny Ramsey for trainer Kenny McPeek.

He needs one defection to make the field of 20 for the first Saturday in May.

MIDNIGHT BOURBON, SUPER STOCK – Winchell Thoroughbreds' multiple graded stakes placed-colt Midnight Bourbon worked five furlongs in :59.80 in company with stablemate Bajan Rum (five furlongs, 1:00.80).

“We're obviously very excited about who Midnight Bourbon is,” Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said. “Physically, he's an absolutely beautiful horse. Going over the track now, he's as good as he's ever been. He's always had a big frame, now there's just more of him in the right spots.”

Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen's upset Arkansas Derby (G1) hero Super Stock had a scheduled walk day.

O BESOS – Barrett Bernard, Tagg Team Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds' Louisiana Derby (G2) third-place finisher O Besos jogged about one mile under Margarito Fierro at 6:30 a.m. Monday at Churchill Downs.

O Besos is scheduled to work Wednesday.

STARRININMYDREAMS – Stewart Racing and WinStar Farm's third-place Lexington Stakes (G3) finisher Starrininmydreams galloped about 1 ½ miles at 6:30 a.m. under exercise rider Emerson Chavez.

Starrininmydreams sits No. 23 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY DERBY – Likely starters in the 147th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday, May 1 in order of preference (with possible jockey and trainer): Essential Quality (Luis Saez, Brad Cox); Hot Rod Charlie (Flavien Prat, Doug O'Neill); Super Stock (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen); Like the King (Drayden Van Dyke, Wesley Ward); Known Agenda (Irad Ortiz, Todd Pletcher); Rock Your World (Joel Rosario, John Sadler); Bourbonic (Kendrick Carmouche, Todd Pletcher); Medina Spirit (John Velazquez, Bob Baffert); Midnight Bourbon (Mike Smith, Steve Asmussen); Mandaloun (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox); Highly Motivated (Javier Castellano, Chad Brown); Helium (Julien Leparoux, Mark Casse); Soup and Sandwich (Tyler Gaffalione, Mark Casse); Dynamic One (Jose Ortiz, Todd Pletcher); Sainthood (TBA, Todd Pletcher); Hidden Stash (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver); O Besos (Marcelino Pedroza, Greg Foley); Get Her Number (TBA, Peter Miller);

Possible starters within the Top 20 on the preference list: Caddo River (TBA, Brad Cox); Dream Shake (TBA, Peter Eurton)

Next up in order of preference: King Fury (Brian Hernandez Jr.); Keepmeinmind (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro); Starrininmydreams (TBA, Dallas Stewart).

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All in the Family with Stonestreet’s Oaks Fillies

Barbara Banke has a lofty goal heading into this year's GI Kentucky Oaks.

“I would love for there to be a Stonestreet trifecta,” she said. “That would be my dream.”

It sounds like quite the feat, but a trio of sophomore fillies foaled and raised at Stonestreet Farm are shaking out to be some of the strongest contenders expected to be vying for the garland of stargazer lilies on the last Friday of April.

GII Rachel Alexandra S. victress Clairiere (Curlin) and GIII Fantasy S. winner Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) both aim to get Stonestreet Stables its first trip to the Oaks winner's circle, while GI Ashland S. heroine and 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin), a daughter of Stonestreet homebred Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy), will sport the silks of Shadwell Stable.

What's Stonestreet's secret to molding such a potentially-historic state of affairs?

“It's pretty simple,” the farm's owner explained. “We take super speedy mares and we breed them to great stallions, and then we raise them right.”

That formula is fulfilled in all three of the Oaks-bound fillies as each is out of a Grade I winner that was once raced by Stonestreet connections.

“All three of the broodmares were really, really fast,” Banke said. “We raced them and saw what they could do, and then we treated them like horses. They're rough and tough and we raise their babies the same way. They stay outside and they spend their early years running around in paddocks and behaving like normal horses. So we think we have all the ingredients to have really spectacular foals that can eventually bear that out on the track.”

One of the top choices going into the Oaks, Clairiere is the first foal out of Stonestreet's three-time Grade I winner Cavorting (Bernardini).

A daughter of GSW Promenade Girl (Carson City), Cavorting was a $360,000 weanling purchase for Stonestreet in 2012. Banke vividly remembers the future star's early days.

“Cavorting was very rambunctious,” she recalled. “When we bought her, she leaped out of the trailer and we thought she was dead. She was down on the ground, but she got up eventually and went on to the farm where she leaped out of her paddock. Eventually we had to put her in her own paddock earlier than most fillies because she was very bossy. But, she was a great racehorse. She won going short. She won going long. She did everything.”

It wasn't until the summer of Cavorting's 4-year-old season, when she had already racked in five stakes victories including the 2015 GI Test S., when trainer Kiaran McLaughlin decided to stretch her out past a mile in the GI Ogden Phipps S.

“We didn't expect her to win because she had never gone long before,” Banke admitted.

But of course she did win, and she backed that victory with a second over a 1 1/8 miles in the GI Personal Ensign S. in her career finale.

Cavorting was initially bred to a second multi-million-dollar earner for Stonestreet in their flagbearing sire Curlin. When the bay filly arrived, Banke said she knew early on that the youngster would grow to be something special.

“Clairiere was a beautiful foal,” she recalled. “She's of course by Curlin, who is my  favorite sire of all time. She's like many Curlins where she was good, but she gets better and better as she goes forward into her 3-year-old year and hopefully 4-year-old year and beyond.”

A debut winner last October, Clairiere has since gone head-to-head with another top Oaks contender, Travel Column (Frosted), in each of her three graded starts, besting her rival by a neck with a come-from-behind performance in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Banke said it was a full-circle moment for the connections to get the win in a race honoring their Hall of Fame mare.

“It was fabulous when she won the Rachel Alexandra,” Banke said. “She really put it together and managed to make her Curlin-esque move at the end. She's going to be a really good horse in the Oaks and I think she'll just continue to improve as the year goes on.”

Banke said that Cavorting's second daughter, La Crete, is not far from seeing the starting gate. | Stonestreet Farm

Banke reported that Cavorting has checked in foal to Into Mischief this year, but in the meantime, it won't be long to wait before her second daughter, named La Crete, makes it to the starting gate.

“Clairere is named for a spectacular Pinot noir vineyard that I have in Oregon and La Crete is her 2-year-old half-sister by Medaglia d'Oro,” Banke explained. “La Crete is another spectacular Pinot noir vineyard in Oregon, so we're keeping it all in the family, so to speak. She's at our training center and she's doing well. She's strong- I think maybe even a little stronger earlier than Clairiere.”

Stonestreet's second star sophomore filly, Pauline's Pearl, is a daughter of Hot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union).

Purchased as a juvenile for $435,000 in 2009, Hot Dixie Chick was the first colorbearer for Banke's Grace Stable. Fulfilling the ownership's acronym of 'Girls Rule and Competently Endure,' the daughter of GSW Above Perfection (In Excess {Ire}) ran in the money in each of her seven career starts, earning her most notable win in the 2009 GI Spinaway S.

“Hot Dixie Chick was the most mellow racehorse of all time,” Banke recalled. “She would fall asleep in the saddling paddock and then go out and break the track record. She was fun to watch and she has gone on to produce great babies for us.”

Her first foal, Union Jackson (Curlin), was a dual stakes winner for Stonestreet. The same year as Union Jackson's retirement to Sequel New York, Hot Dixie Chick's half-brother Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) won the GI Kentucky Derby.

In the spring of Always Dreaming's sophomore campaign, Hot Dixie Chick was bred to champion sire Tapit, a mating that produced the current Oaks hopeful.

“Pauline's Pearl is a beautiful Tapit filly,” Banke said of the subsequent foal. “When she went to the training center, we thought she was one of our best for the year and she has developed over time.”

It took some patience from trainer Steve Asmussen to get all the pieces to fall into place for Pauline's Pearl, but by her third start she made it to the winner's circle and next gave a runner-up effort in the GIII Honeybee S. before taking the GIII Fantasy S.

“She was a little bit behind in terms of racing experience, but she's making up for it fast,” Banke said. “She's named for my mother and every time we name a horse after my mother, it's a graded stakes winner.”

Banke reported that Hot Dixie Chick produced a full brother to Union Jackson that is now a juvenile in training at Keeneland with Steve Asmussen and this February, she foaled a colt by up-and-coming young sire Constitution.

“He's quite fast and very agile,” Banke said of the youngster. “He's really going to be something special, I think, so he's one to keep an eye open for later in life.”

Banke added that Hot Dixie Chick will visit Tapit again this year.

While Malathaat, the third Stonestreet-bred Oaks hopeful, races under a different ownership banner, she is the only one of the three to come from a Stonestreet homebred.

Dreaming of Julia (A. P. Indy) was the first foal out of dual Grade I winner Dream Rush (Wild Rush) and was named after Banke's daughter. She was undefeated in her first three starts at two, including the GI Frizette S., but Banke said that the race she most frequently looks back on was the Todd Pletcher trainee's 21 3/4-length victory in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks.

“She was just so much better than anything else that day,” Banke said. “She was favored in the Kentucky Oaks but then she got creamed coming out of the gate so she lost all chance of winning, but still managed to get up for fourth.”

Malathaat's full sister will be staying home from the sales this year, Banke reports. | Katie Ritz

When Dreaming of Julia produced her third foal, it was decided that the Curlin filly would go through the auction ring. As a yearling, she sold for $1.05 million to Shadwell Stable at the 2019 Keeneland September Sale.

Later named Malathaat, the 'TDN Rising Star' is now undefeated in four starts, most recently taking the GI Ashland S. by a head for the same trainer who oversaw her dam's career.

So why was this the filly Stonestreet decided to take to market?

“You know, we have to sell some; we cannot race them all,” Banke said with a laugh. “We have about 80 babies each year so there's no way we can keep everything. She was one where we said, she's spectacular but we do need to bring in the revenue this year, so she was on the list to sell. But I'm excited to see what she will do and while I was sad to hear that Sheik Hamdan [owner, Shadwell Farm] had passed away, I hope his family can enjoy watching her.”

Banke said she is fairly confident they won't be selling other daughters of Dreaming of Julia any time soon.

“Dreaming of Julia actually had a few that have died, so I'm glad to see Malathaat doing so well,” she said. “Malathaat may be the last one we ever sell from that mare because she really has nice babies and we're looking forward to great things from her in the future.”

Malathaat's yearling full sister is one that Banke said she will definitely be holding onto.

“She looks like a queen and she moves really well,” Banke said. “She will be staying home from the sale, but I'm glad to show her off because she is really something.”

Another sister, this one by Medaglia d'Oro, was foaled earlier this month.

“She already looks spectacular to me,” Banke said of the new filly. “I've loved that sire ever since Rachel Alexandra and I'm really hoping for great things for her, but I'm going to have to wait a few years to see it come to fruition.”

This year, Dreaming of Julia is expected to go back to Curlin.

This Quality Road half-brother to Midnight Bourbon could one day become the fifth graded stakes winner out of Catch the Moon. | Katie Ritz

The 2008 Horse of the Year has potential for a monumental year at stud if he were to earn his first win as a sire in either the GI Kentucky Derby or the GI Kentucky Oaks. Two of his sons, GI Florida Derby winner Known Agenda and recent GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. victor King Fury both have points on the road to the Kentucky Derby, while Malathaat and Clairiere are among five daughters of Curlin with points on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard.

To top off everything else that the farm has going for itself heading into Derby weekend, Stonestreet will also be represented by a colt in the Kentucky Derby. Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) was bred and raised at Stonestreet before selling to Winchell Thoroughbreds as a yearling for $525,000.

Stonestreet purchased his dam, Catch the Moon (Malibu Moon), at the 2015 Keeneland November Sale for $240,000 in foal to Shanghai Bobby. The resulting foal, named Pirate's Punch, went on to become a Grade III winner.

“This is a mare who has had four graded stakes winners in her first four foals,” Banke said. “So you can't beat her as a broodmare. Midnight Bourbon is a beautiful horse and he's by Tiznow, so that would be exciting if he does well because we need that sire line in Kentucky.”

Catch the Moon had a Curlin colt sell for $500,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale and she also has a yearling Quality Road colt and a Curlin colt, foaled this February, in the pipeline.

“It's been really fun for me to see this homebred success,” Banke said. “We're aiming for the top end of the market, we're aiming for the top races and we're aiming for the stars. We want to see something really spectacular come off of this farm.”

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‘Money Mike’ Smith Picks Up Kentucky Derby Mount On Midnight Bourbon

As reported by the Daily Racing Form's Marty McGee on Twitter Tuesday, two-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Mike Smith has picked up a mount for the race's 2021 edition. He'll partner the Steve Asmussen-trained Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), winner of the G3 Lecomte Stakes in January, and subsequently third and second in the G2 Risen Star and G2 Louisiana Derby, respectively.

Midnight Bourbon races for Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC.

Smith's two Derby wins came in 2005 with longshot Giacomo and in 2018 with the favorite and eventual Triple Crown winner, Justify.

Originally, the Hall of Fame rider was booked on early roses favorite Life is Good for trainer Bob Baffert, but that colt was injured, underwent surgery for an ankle chip, and is expected to miss the 2021 Triple Crown races.

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