Homebred Mystifying Holds On To Graduate At First Asking In Hallandale

6th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-14, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.68, ft, 1/2 length.
MYSTIFYING (f, 3, Curlin–Puzzling {SP, $127,312}, by Ghostzapper) debuted with Lasix and as a 7-1 shot here. The homebred hustled for the lead to the inside of a pair of competitors up the backstretch. Poking her head in front around the far turn, the filly continued to pour on the speed at the top of the lane and she gamely held off the favorite Bedazzle 'Em (American Pharoah) to graduate by half a length. “Jose [Ortiz] worked her out of the gate one day at Payson and she worked really well,” said trainer Shug McGaughey. “I thought she was tactical enough to run three-quarters, but she's going to want to run farther. He told me she just took him there on her own. He was like, 'If you want to go, we'll go.' I think she's got a good future in front of her.” Puzzling is responsible for a newly-turned juvenile colt by Street Sense, who was purchased for $500,000 by Centennial Farms at last year's Keeneland September Sale. The stakes-place mare was covered by Oscar Performance for this year. Mystifying's second dam–GISP Dancinginmydreams (Seeking the Gold)–is a full-sister to champion 3-year-old filly Heavenly Prize, in addition to GI Matron S. heroine Oh What A Windfall. Dancinginmydreams is also responsible for GI Manhattan H. scorer Dancing Forever (Rahy). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O/B-Phipps Stable (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III.

The post Homebred Mystifying Holds On To Graduate At First Asking In Hallandale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Sunday’s Racing Insights: Leslie’s Humor Debuts At Gulfstream Park

4th-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:38 p.m. ET.
Bred by Stonehaven Steadings & Leah O'Meara, LESLIE'S HUMOR (Kantharos) makes the races for LSU Stables. Initially sold for $125,000 at the Keeneland September Sale, the chestnut RNA'd for $110,000 at OBS April before going for $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale in June.

The second to race for La Titina (Distorted Humor), the 3-year-old filly's younger half-brother by Not This Time was purchased for $310,000 last September at Keeneland by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds.

Granddam and MGISW Ask the Moon (Malibu Moon), a $1.8 million acquisition by Stonestreet while carrying MSW Belgrano (War Front), also produced the stakes placed dam of recent Mucho Macho Man S. runner-up First World War (War Front). TJCIS PPS

5th-TAM, $53K, Msw, 3yo, 1m 40yds, 2:34 p.m. ET.
Atrocious (Ghostzapper) makes his first start for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and their partner Stonestreet Stables, who also bred this colt. A $500,000 buy at the Fasig-Tipton Select Saratoga Yearling Sale, the Christophe Clement trainee is out of GII Black-Eyed Susan S. heroine Fiftyshadesofhay (Pulpit). She is also the dam of SW Locally Owned (Distorted Humor). TJCIS PPS 

6th-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 2:38 p.m. ET.
The Phipps Stable sends out for her debut Mystifying (Curlin). The homebred is out of SP Puzzling (Ghostzapper) who is also responsible for a 2-year-old by Street Sense. That colt went to Centennial Farms for $500,000 at Keeneland September.

The Shug McGaughey runner hails from an extended female family which includes GI Manhattan H. hero Dancing Forever (Rahy), SW Miss Yearwood (Will Take Charge), GSW Carrumba (Bernardini), and deeper still under her third dam, the strong line of champion 3-year-old filly Heavenly Prize (Seeking the Gold). TJCIS PPS

The post Sunday’s Racing Insights: Leslie’s Humor Debuts At Gulfstream Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Longtime Horseman Jack Willis Dies

Clarence H. Willis III, better known as Jack, a longtime horseman and assistant in racing on the East Coast, died Monday at the age of 81.

Willis worked for the prominent Bostwick family in Aiken, SC before going on to work for the Phipps family under trainer Angel Penna, Sr. in the 1980s. He oversaw all of the powerhouse stable's yearlings and some layups in Aiken before moving north to help manage the Phippses' racing stable on the New York circuit of Belmont and Saratoga.

Some of the more well-known horses Willis worked with during that period included multiple Grade I-winning millionaire and GI Breeders' Cup Sprint champion Dancing Spree (Nijinsky), Grade I winner Time for a Change (Damascus) and Roselawn Farm/Airdrie Stud stallion Turkey Shoot (Seattle Slew).

In his later years, Willis went on to drive transport vans for Brook Ledge Horse Transportation before retiring to Florida to sell insurance.

“Jack was a good horseman and a friend to all. He was loyal and had a good sense of humor. I owe my entering horse racing to him,” said Jean Bickley, racing manager for Peter Brant.

Willis is survived by his wife of 50 years, Miryam, and their two sons, Steve and Jack.

The post Longtime Horseman Jack Willis Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Maryland-Based Stallion Imagining Dies

Imagining (Giant's Causeway–Daydreaming, by A.P. Indy) was euthanized Aug. 23 due to complications from colic, according to a release from Anchor & Hope Farm. The 14-year-old, who won the GI Man O' War S. in 2014 for Phipps Stable and Shug McGaughey, was under the care of veterinarians at New Bolton Center, where surgery was attempted, but the damage was deemed too severe.

“Imagining has been with us since the start in 2015. We want to thank Shug McGaughey and the Phipps family for trusting us to bring a Grade 1-winning millionaire from a prolific Phipps pedigree to Maryland,” said Grace Merryman of Anchor & Hope Farm. “We were proud to do so and will be grateful to Imagining for what he did for us”

A five-time stakes winner and runner-up in an additional four top-level events on the turf, Imagining–whose female family includes Grade I winners Girolamo (A.P. Indy), Got Lucky (A.P. Indy), Super Saver (Maria's Mon) and Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat)– posted nine victories and seven minor placings from 26 starts for earnings of nearly $1.2 million.

“His kids are routinely on the board around the Mid-Atlantic and they include stakes horses, graded placings, both dirt and turf winners and recently, talented runners over fences,” said Louis Merryman of Anchor & Hope Farm. “With his pedigree, we look forward to seeing the broodmare careers of his daughters.”

The post Maryland-Based Stallion Imagining Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights