8th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 4:44 p.m. ET.
Hammering down for $1.5 million at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, juvenile STOP THE PRESS (Uncle Mo) makes his debut for the ownership group led by West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing. After a sharp work for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey at the Belmont Park training track (Oct. 20, 4f, :48.34, 1/55), the bay colt comes to Keeneland primed for his debut.
Out of Secret Sigh (Tapit), Stop the Press is a half-brother to Summer Wind Equine's horse-in-training Pippi Longstocking (Frankel {GB}), who debuted a well-beaten sixth over the turf Sept. 16 at the Belmont at the Big A meet.
Second dam MGSW India (Hennessy) is also responsible for Japanese G1 Yasuda Kinen S. and G1 February S. superstar Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}). This is an extended female family which includes full-sibs GI Woodward S. hero To Honor and Serve (Bernardini) and GI Chandelier S. heroine Angela Renee, plus their half-brother GISP Elnaawi (Street Sense). TJCIS PPS
1st-Woodbine, C$83,346, Msw, 7-13, 2yo, 5f (AWT), :58.15, ft, 8 3/4 lengths. PARTY ON (f, 2, Twirling Candy–No Curfew, by Curlin) took on the boys in her debut, going off as the 2-1 choice and going right out to the early lead. Set down through fractions of :22.31 and :45.59, she easily dispatched pressure from Valyrian Sky (Sky Mesa) turning for home and easily the class of the field to the line to win by 8 3/4 lengths. The second impressive 2-year-old filly for Twirling Candy on the day, Party On is out of a half-sister to MGSW India (Hennessy) and her foal, MG1SW Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}). This is also the family of MGISW To Honor and Serve (Bernardini), GISW Angela Renee (Bernardini), and GISP Elnaawi (Street Sense). Party On is her dam's last reported offspring afer No Curfew was barren to both Game Winner and Tapit in 2022 and 2023 respectively. Sales History: $50,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $32,759. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-X-Men Racing 3, Madaket Stables LLC and SF Racing LLC; B-Summer Wind Equine LLC (KY); T-Kevin Attard.
5th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 2:45 p.m. An $870,000 purchase out of the OBS April sale (:10 1/5) by CHP Racing, having made $180,000 at Keeneland September last year, Summer Wind Equine-bred CREATE TROUBLE (Into Mischief) debuts Saturday for trainer Brendan Walsh. The bay is out of No Curfew (Curlin), a half-sister to the dams of MG1SW Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}), MGISW To Honor and Serve (Bernardini), GISW Angela Renee (Bernardini), and GISP Elnaawi (Street Sense). Create Trouble gets Tyler Gaffalione for the ride. Loggins (Ghostzapper) cost Spendthrift Farm and Steve Landers $460,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. The March foal is the first to the races for Beyond Blame (Blame), winner of the 2018 GIII Regret S. for Pop-A-Top LLC. TJCIS PPs
2nd-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1m, 1:14 p.m.
Godolphin takes the wraps off homebred COMPARATIVE (Street Sense) Saturday for trainer Brad Cox. A full-sister to MGSW Shared Sense, she is out of a half-sister to GSW Penwith (Bernardini) and MGSP Centring (A.P. Indy). This is also the family of G1SP Party Cited (Alleged), GIII West Virginia Derby winner Ready Set (Touch Gold), and GIII Southwest S. victor and GI Arkansas Derby runner-up Suddenbreakingnews (Mineshaft). The bay's been working consistently at Churchill Downs in preparation for her debut and gets Florent Geroux in the irons. TJCIS PPs
3rd-BAQ, $95K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1mT, 2:02 p.m.
Peter Brant homebred BOBBIE D (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}) brings plenty of pedigree appeal into this belated career debut. A homebred son of French stakes-placed Rosa Bonheur (Mr. Greeley), the gray colt is a full-brother to Brant's Raging Bull (Fr), winner of the 2018 GI Hollywood Derby and subsequently victorious in the GI Maker's Mark Mile and GI Shoemaker Mile. Bobbie D is also a half-brother to White Birch's Kubrick (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a two-time winner from three starts this year as a juvenile, including a narrow victory in the G3 Prix des Chenes at ParisLongchamp Sept. 8. The competition could come from Logan's Runner (Pioneerof the Nile), a $230,000 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling whose GIII Monmouth Oaks-winning dam Savvy Supreme (Distorted Humor) is a full-sister to MGISW Commentator. TJCIS PPs
6th-BAQ, $90k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 3:35 p.m.
Picked up for $625,000 as a yearling out of last year's Keeneland September Sale, OCCULT (Into Mischief) races for Alpha Delta Stables out of the Chad Brown barn. Out of the GISP Empire Maker mare Magical Feeling, Occult is a half-sister to MSP Exulting (Tapit) and from the family of GI Travers S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile runner-up Golden Ticket (Speightstown). Her yearling full-sister, Imagination, recently brought $1.05 million from SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing, and Madaket out of the 2022 Keeneland September Sale. Flavien Prat picks up the mount. TJCIS PPs
9th-BAQ, $105K, Alw, 3yo/up, 7f, 5:13 p.m.
While 'TDN Rising Star' Damon's Mound (Girvin) and Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) were starring in the day's graded stakes at Saratoga Aug. 13, EXPRESSMAN (Liam's Map) was actually making the afternoon's biggest splash with a monstrous debut. Sent off as part of the favored Todd Pletcher entry at 1.95-1, the St. Elias-colorbearer made the running in the seven-furlong test, opened up on the lead approaching the final furlong and kicked on to graduate by some 7 1/4 lengths. The $145,000 Keeneland November weanling and $325,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic breezer (:10 2/5) earned a towering 107 Beyer for the effort. TJCIS PPs
9th-LRC, $50K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 7:35 p.m. Bought as a yearling for $850,000 by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables, NIELSON (Curlin) is out of GSW & GISP My Wandy's Girl (Flower Alley), making him a half-brother to GSW My Prankster (Into Mischief). Having recently worked five furlongs from the gate in :59 4/5 (4/37), Nielson gets Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith aboard for trainer Bob Baffert. TJCIS PPs
There will be an infusion of new American blood into the Japanese stallion ranks in 2021 with retirements to stud of Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) and Mr Melody (Scat Daddy). Each is the first of their respective sires’ progeny to take up stud duty in the island nation.
Bred in Kentucky by Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Farm, Mozu Ascot was led out unsold on a bid of $275,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September sale before being acquired privately by Capital System Co. Ltd. A maiden winner at third asking under the care of the colorful Yoshito Yahagi, the chestnut found his niche at distances between 1400 and 1600 meters, winning the one-mile G1 Yasuda Kinen on turf in 2018 in a time of 1:31.30. Having made his first 19 career starts on the grass, Mozu Ascot won the G3 Negishi S. (1400m) when trying the dirt for the first time last Feb. 2, then validated 9-5 favoritism in the G1 February S. (1600m) at Tokyo three weeks later (see below). He ran on strongly to be fifth in the G1 Champions Cup (1800m) in his final career appearance Dec. 6.
WATCH: Mozu Ascot becomes a dual-surface G1SW in the February S.
Mozu Ascot is a son of India (Hennessy), raced by Summer Wind to a pair of graded victories and earnings of over $630,000. Also the dam of SW & ‘TDN Rising Star’ Kareena (Medaglia d’Oro), India is a half-sister to SW Pilfer (Deputy Minister), the dam of MGISW To Honor and Serve (Bernardini), GISW Angela Renee (Bernardini) and SW & GISP Elnaawi (Street Sense). He joins the likes of California Chrome and Lani at Arrow Stud on the island of Hokkaido.
Mr Melody, by contrast, began his career on dirt, setting a Tokyo track record in graduating over 1300 meters on debut, then won the G3 Falcon S. in his first try on the turf in 2018. A near-miss second in the G2 Hanshin Cup to close his sophomore season, Mr Melody posted the most important of his four career victories in the 2019 G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen, covering the six furlongs in 1:07.30 (see below), and was a close fourth in the G1 Sprinters’ S. He turned in a pair of strong efforts in defeat this term, finishing third to recent G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint winner Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the G2 Centaur S. and a close fourth behind the talented filly Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn} x Tapitsfly) in the Sprinters’ S.
Bred in the Bluegrass by Bell Tower Thoroughbreds, Mr Melody was a $75,000 Keeneland November buyback, a $100,000 Keeneland September acquisition and blossomed into a $400,000 OBS April breezer. A son of Trusty Lady, the half-brother to GSP Trendy Lady (Unbridled’s Song) is a maternal grandson of MGSW & MGISP Klassy Kim (Silent Screen). He enters stud at Yushun Stallion Station on Hokkaido, the home of Henny Hughes, among others.
WATCH: Mr Melody gets his Group 1 in the Takamtsunoimya Kinen
