Tag: mike stidham

DWC Trackside Report: Catnip Me-‘Wow’-ing Them At Meydan

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — With over 100 of the world's most talented gallopers on hand, it isn't easy to stand out, but John and Susan Moore's G1 Dubai Turf hopeful Catnip (Kitten's Joy) has done just that at Meydan this week.

A strapping, nearly-black gelding, Catnip exits a longshot, but close third to Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Jan. 27. Trainer Mike Stidham looked at Catnip's Ragozin sheet and that encouraged him to swing for the fences in a hot renewal of the G1 Dubai Turf, bypassing a considerably easier spot in last weekend's GII Muniz Memorial S. at the Fair Grounds.

“He ran a huge new top in that race,” the freshly arrived Stidham said Wednesday. “We had a choice of running him for $300,000 or $5 million and we decided to take a shot at the $5 million and brought him over. So far, so good.”

Catnip is a half-brother to five-time U.S. graded winner Princess Grace (Karakontie {Jpn}), who was purchased by China Horse Club for $1.7 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2022 and went on to win a Group 3 while posting a pair of narrowly beaten seconds in Group 1 company in Australia for trainer Chris Waller.

 

 

 

On his last visit to Meydan, Stidham saddled 'TDN Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) to a victory in the 2021 Dubai World Cup.

Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's GI Pegasus World Cup third Crupi (Curlin) was out in the 5-6 a.m. window reserved for the international contingent, his chestnut colt gleaming under the floodlights before and after a couple of spins around the track. Repole will not be in attendance, as he will be on hand at Gulfstream Park to watch 'TDN Rising Star' and champion Fierceness (City of Light) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby, but here to represent the stable are Pat Cummings and a sleep-deprived Alex Solis II. You'll have to contact him for details.

The American-based, but locally owned Clapton (Brethren) is hard to miss when he comes onto the track, his orange tack and matching polos giving him absolutely no cover. After some internal discussion, the Florida-bred was given the green light for a World Cup bid, and connections are quietly confident he will fire his best shot Saturday.

Trainer Todd Fincher and owner Joe Peacock, Jr. made their way across the track to the starting gate where G1 Saudi Cup hero Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) got acquainted with the stalls before showing good energy in his track gallop. He appears a fresh horse despite his recent travels.

So popular was Jun Park and Delia Nash's Sibelius (Not This Time) leading up to last year's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen that a DailySibelius hashtag was created on X. By the looks of it, he's grown his fan club and is always good for hamming it up at the outside fence beneath his adoring work rider Allyson Walker.

 

 

 

Also making a good impression was fellow Golden Shaheen entrant Nakatomi (Firing Line), a rare Dubai runner for trainer Wesley Ward. Hopkins (Quality Road), beaten just a length into fourth by Sibelius last year, went through his gears down the lane Wednesday.

Gander S. winner Pandagate (Arrogate) was led onto the track by assistant trainer Miguel Clement, with his wife Acacia Clement not far behind. The New York-bred gray–his late sire's literal body double–stood for what felt like an eternity on the outside rail before taking off around Meydan and wrapping things up with a visit to the gate.

Caramel Chip (Midshipman) looks to have it all to do against the likes of Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) and Isolate (Mark Valeski) in Saturday's G2 Godolphin Mile, but win, lose or draw, the Jose D'Angelo trainee looks to be doing as well as he could be ahead of the $1-million contest.

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Catnip On Course For Dubai Turf Following Fair Grounds Work

John and Susan Moore's Catnip (Kitten's Joy), beaten less than a length into third by Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Jan. 27, breezed six furlongs in 1:13 at the Fair Grounds Thursday morning in advance of his next appearance in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan Mar. 30.

“He broke off behind another horse and went on by, finished well and galloped out nicely. Very pleased with the way he went,” said trainer Mike Stidham.

The 5-year-old is a four-time winner from his 10 trips to the post, including a victory in the GIII Monmouth S. last summer followed by a narrow runner-up effort in the GI United Nations S. at the Jersey Shore oval. The half-brother to five-time graded winner and five-time GI/G1SP Princess Grace (Karakontie {Jpn}) was returning from a 5 1/2-month layoff in the Pegasus, having finished down the field in the GI Arlington Million last August.

Connections could easily have opted for a far easier test in the GII Muniz Memorial S. Mar. 23, but have elected to shoot for the stars in the desert.

“We felt like he stepped up in the Pegasus, only got beat 3/4 of a length behind Warm Heart,” Stidham said. “This is a $5-million race and it's another Grade I and although he's a gelding, the Moores still own the mare. So it was kind of an exciting race to consider. We kind of let him tell us based on how he's been doing since the Pegasus.

“In my opinion, the horse has moved forward off the Pegasus, he ran a 4 1/2 on the Ragozin sheets, a huge lifetime top for him, and we just kind of felt, 'hey, he's earned a shot,' the trainer continued. “Going over there and challenging the top horses in the world from Japan and Britain and Hong Kong, that's asking a lot, but he just got beat to Warm Heart and she would be considered one of the favorites for a race like this.”

The Stidham barn is one-for-one from their trips to Dubai, having been represented by 'TDN Rising Star' and G1 Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) three years ago.

“This will be our second try over there,” Stidham said. “The only difference is this time we won't have to wear a mask. We got to go right in the middle of COVID and it was empty and everyone had masks on.”

Japanese ace Christophe Lemaire has the call in the Dubai Turf.

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Stidham Has High Hopes for Promising Sophomores

Trainer Mike Stidham, who recorded the highest earnings mark of his 34-year career in 2023, got the new year off to a quick start when Godolphin's Heckled (Hard Spun) broke her maiden in the eighth race at Fair Grounds Monday. The  conditioner has a pair of promising newly turned 3-year-olds who could help keep the momentum going in 2024.

Godolphin homebred Central Avenue (Street Sense), a first-out winner at Colonial Downs last August, was second in the Oct. 7 GI Frizette S. and, most recently, third in the Nov. 25 GII Golden Rod S. The dark bay filly worked four furlongs in :47.80 (2/82) at Fair Grounds Sunday.

“She's been working well at Fair Grounds,” Stidham said of the filly. “We're looking at her for the preps that lead to the [GII] Fair Grounds Oaks, so we'll see.”

Stidham also has high hopes for Pin Oak Stud's Phantom Speed (Arrogate), a $700,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase. The gray colt just missed when second in his six-furlong unveiling at Fair Grounds Nov. 24. He was third behind the Brad Cox-trained Ethan Energy (Uncle Mo) when stretched to 1 1/16 miles Dec. 23.

“I expected a little bit better, but the Cox horse looks like something special,” Stidham said of that second effort. “Phantom Speed is a big, heavy colt. Certainly he's going to benefit from the race and improve physically and mentally from that run. That came up a very solid maiden race. Anytime you've got a well-bred $700,000 yearling that comes out and runs a big race like he did the first time out, you begin thinking along the lines [of Derbys], but we're a long way out from thinking that high.”

Stidham's New Orleans-based string also includes last year's GIII Monmouth Cup winner Catnip (Kitten's Joy) and Saturday's Pago Hop S. winner Tufani (Distorted Humor).

“He's really doing well,” Stidham said of Catnip. “Training very well. We're happy with him. We're waiting to see if we get an invitation to the [Jan. 27 GI] Pegasus Turf. If that happens, we'll probably go there. If it doesn't happen then we'll definitely be looking at the [Jan. 20] Colonel Bradley.”

Of the now 4-year-old Tufani, who was winning her first stakes race, Stidham said, “Tufani has always shown us a lot of talent since we first got her. She's developed. She's learned to relax. I think the arrow is pointing up for her.”

The Stidham barn reached $5,098,073 in earnings in 2023, led by GI Breeders' Cup Classic third-place finisher Proxy (Tapit).

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Proxy Gives Godolphin Second Straight Win In Clark

Making his first start since running a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure when third to future GI Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up Olympiad (Speightstown) in the GII Stephen Foster S. at Churchill Downs this past July, Proxy (Tapit–Panty Raid, by Include) got just the better of a final-furlong throwdown with favored West Will Power (Bernardini) to take out Friday's GI Clark S. beneath the Twin Spires. The win was a second straight in the race for Godolphin following Maxfield (Street Sense) last fall.

Given a positive ride from gate one by Joel Rosario in this fresh-up run, the homebred 4-year-old–off as the 5-2 third choice–somewhat surprisingly raced closest in attendance to the last-out GII Fayette S. winner passing under the wire for the first time and remained glued inside into the first turn before popping out into the two path passing the seven-furlong marker. West Will Power was the controlling speed through fractions of :23.94 and :48.51, but Proxy remained his shadow into the second bend and was asked to come after the front-runner in earnest fully three furlongs from home. Proxy drifted wide off the final corner and still had the pacesetter–who was not lying down–to catch entering the final eighth of a mile. But, shoulder to shoulder with the West runner with time ticking away, Proxy knuckled down to hit the front late and edged clear. Fulsome (Into Mischief) came on late to be third.

“This was his first start in a few months, so he was a little sharper leaving the gate,” said Rosario, winning his second Clark in four years (Tom's d'Etat, 2019). “He was a little bit further back in his last start here in the Stephen Foster than I expected him to be. I knew [West Will Power] was really the only horse that had early speed in the race so I didn't want to let him get away easily. He was very professional today throughout. [West Will Power] didn't want to give in. He was very tough on the lead and I had to work pretty hard to get by him.”

GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice) raced inside and at the tail through the opening exchanges and gradually improved his position down the backstretch. But he came under heavy Sonny Leon urging three furlongs out and trailed in sixth.

“He was in a good position at the rail but turning for home he didn't have anything left at all,” said trainer Eric Reed. “We knew it was a big risk running him back in three weeks. Sometimes you're the hero and sometimes you're the goat.”

Proxy made a bit of noise on the 2021 Triple Crown trail, finishing runner-up to the late Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) in the GIII Lecomte S. and to adjudicated GI Kentucky Derby hero Mandaloun (Into Mischief) in the GII Risen Star S., but the bay was only fourth in the GII Louisiana Derby and again in the GIII Lexington S. before connections called time on a Classics program and his season. Proxy ran with credit once returned to action this spring, rounding out the exacta underneath Olympiad in the GII New Orleans Classic S. ahead of a third in Keeneland's GIII Ben Ali S. He closed well to be second in the June 4 Blame S. ahead of his Stephen Foster effort, where he was five lengths adrift at the wire.

Pedigree Notes:

With the victory, Proxy becomes the 30th Grade I winner, 98th graded winner and 157th black-type winner for Tapit and was the second new graded winner on the afternoon out of a daughter of the late Include, joining GIII Comely S. heroine Sixtythreecaliber.

Panty Raid, a $260,000 purchase by Glencrest Farm out of the 2006 Keeneland April Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, was one of the more versatile performers of her generation, winning the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. on conventional dirt in May 2007 and the GI American Oaks on turf two months later before doubling her Grade I tally in that year's Juddmonte Spinster S. over the Keeneland all-weather.

Panty Raid was purchased by John Ferguson on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed's operation for $2.5 million at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, but took some time to make her mark in the breeding shed. Her first foal of note was Proxy's year-older half-sister Micheline, a Grade II winner on turf and second in the GI QE II Challenge Cup at Keeneland. Panty Raid, whose full-sister St. John's River went excruciatingly close in the 2011 GI Kentucky Oaks, foaled a Frosted colt in 2021, a filly by Into Mischief this past May and was among the first book of mares bred to Tapit's two-time Eclipse Award winner Essential Quality.

Friday, Churchill Downs
CLARK S. PRESENTED BY NORTON HEALTHCARE-GI, $750,000, Churchill Downs, 11-25, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:48.89, ft.
1–PROXY, 125, c, 4, by Tapit
                1st Dam: Panty Raid (MGISW, $1,052,380), by Include
                2nd Dam: Adventurous Di, by Private Account
                3rd Dam: Tamaral, by Seattle Slew
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Michael Stidham; J-Joel Rosario. $458,970. Lifetime Record: 13-4-5-2, $971,220. *1/2 to Micheline (Bernardini), GSW & GISP, $695,103. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue- style pedigree.
2–West Will Power, 125, h, 5, Bernardini–Wild Promises, by Wild Event. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $148,700.
3–Fulsome, 125, c, 4, Into Mischief–Flourish, by Distorted Humor. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $74,350.
Margins: 3/4, 2HF, 3 3/4. Odds: 2.54, 1.78, 7.23.
Also Ran: Last Samurai, Injunction, Rich Strike. Scratched: Trademark. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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