Pink Sands | Horse Racing Free Tips

Grade 1 Winner Paris Lights Brings $3.1 Million To Lead Book 1 Of Keeneland November Sale

Spendthrift Farm paid $3.1 million for the Grade 1-winning Curlin filly Paris Lights to lead Wednesday's Book 1 opening session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Paris Lights, who was supplemented to Book 1, was the third-to-last horse to appear in the ring during the session, which featured seven horses who sold for more than $1 million each and the highest price paid for a weanling at public auction in North America this year.

“It was a good, steady, strong session,” Keeneland president and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “We felt great about the way today went. It was as we had expected and hoped. We heard a lot of people say it was tough to buy. They didn't get to fill their orders so hopefully they'll be looking to do that in the next nine sessions.”

Keeneland sold 118 horses Wednesday for $50,634,000, for an average of $429,102 and a median of $330,000. Last year, 128 horses sold for $49,775,000, for an average of $388,867 and a median of $280,000.

“Overall it was a very honest, fair, encouraging session,” Keeneland vice president of sales Tony Lacy said. “The popularity and success of American pedigrees across the world is evident. (International buyers) are excited to be back (after the pandemic travel restrictions of the past). As we welcome more visitors from around the world, we see a more diverse group. They are active and they are going to be active into Books 2 and 3. They are not going anywhere anytime soon. That is encouraging as we step forward into the next year or two.”

Paris Lights was consigned by ELiTE, agent, as a racing or broodmare prospect. A 4-year-old filly out of the winning Bernardini mare Paris Bikini, she is from the family of Broodmare of Year Better Than Honour, Grade 2 winner Smolensk and Grade 3 winners America and First Captain.

“Very classic American racehorse – big, scopey filly,” Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey said. “I think she will fit Into Mischief (who stands at Spendthrift) really well. We are happy to have her.”

Toffey said, “The market is very strong. It was pretty good across the board and very competitive. We tried on one earlier and didn't get her. (The price for Paris Lights) was very much what we thought we would have to pay. We were hoping to get her for less. She comes from as good a family as we have in the stud book. We are (always) trying to add select mares to our broodmare band.”

Paris Lights raced for the WinStar Stablemates Racing partnership.

“For her to be our first Grade 1-winning filly in such a short time period is very special in and of itself,” WinStar Stablemates director Mary Cage said. “And for her to then be able to come to Keeneland November and sell for such a high price tag really speaks to the quality of fillies and mares that we're able to offer to these people to be part of the ownership experience.

“Partnerships and syndicates are so important to getting people into the sport for a fraction of the cost, a fraction of the risk,” Cage added. “And to be able to do it at this level, I think is a second-to-none sort of experience that they're gonna remember forever.”

Masahiro Miki of Japan paid $2.3 million for the Grade 3-winning Tapit mare Pink Sands, who is carrying her first foal by Into Mischief. Consigned by Gainesway, agent, the 6-year-old mare is out of Grade 1 winner Her Smile, by Include.

“She exceeded what we thought we'd get for her coming here by a bit,” Gainesway general manager Brian Graves said about Pink Sands. “It wasn't a lot more than we felt we could possibly get for her, but obviously everybody's really happy. She was really quality. We felt we had a chance to be one of the best mares in Book 1 with her, and we're just really thrilled with that.”

Miki was the session's leading buyer, spending $3,675,000 for three horses.

Claiborne Farm, agent, went to $1.4 million to acquire Satin And Silk, a 4-year-old daughter of Galileo carrying her first foal by undefeated Triple Crown winner Justify. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent, the mare is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Materiality and Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed My Miss Sophia and from the family of Grade 1 winners Embellish the Lace and Afleet Express. Her dam is stakes winner Wildwood Flower, by Langfuhr.

“(Satin And Silk was purchased) for a farm client,” said Bernie Sams, Claiborne's Stallion Seasons & Bloodstock Manager. “We liked her, and My Miss Sophia is at the farm and we know the family.”

The family recorded a recent update when Annapolis, a colt by War Front out of My Miss Sophia won the Oct. 3 Grade 2 Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park.

Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings spent $1.15 million for the Scat Daddy mare Downside Scenario, who is carrying a full sibling to Grade 2 winner Mutasaabeq. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the 8-year-old mare is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Cool Cowboy. Her dam is Grand Breeze, by Grand Slam.

“That was a little above expectations,” seller Will Daugherty of BlackRidge Stables said about the price for Downside Scenario. “We bought this mare in 2018 (at Keeneland's January Horses of All Ages Sale) for $250,000 and obviously had a great success right off the bat with Mutasaabeq (sold for $425,000 at the 2018 November Sale). And she just kept delivering for us all the way through the end. We had a great partner in Randy Hill on her from start to finish. We're glad to see her move on.”

Taylor Made Sales Agency was the session's leading consignor, selling 29 horses for $8,615,000.

Three horses sold for $1.2 million apiece.

Dana Bernhard paid the amount for the winning, stakes-placed Tapit filly Mind Out, who was cataloged as a broodmare prospect. Consigned by Gainesway, agent, Mind Out is a 4-year-old half-sister to Canadian champion Miss Mischief whose dam is the stakes-placed Lemon Drop Kid mare Kid Majic. She is from the family of Grade 1 winners J P's Gusto and Letruska.

“She's a beautiful Tapit filly, showed a lot of talent on the track,” said Matt Weinmann, who represented the buyer. “It's a really nice family. We've played with a few horses in that family. We're really excited about her. The Bernhards are just getting their broodmare band going, and she's going to be one of our standout broodmares at the farm.”

Bernhard also spent $700,000 for Glitter and Gold, a half-sister to champion Swiss Skydiver who is in foal to Curlin. Glitter and Gold is a winning daughter of Bodemeister.

“Those are our first two broodmares,” Weinmann said, “and we'll see where it goes from here.”

Grade 1 winner Maxim Rate sold to Ever Union Shokai for $1.2 million. Eaton Sales, agent, consigned the 5-year-old daughter of Exchange Rate, who was cataloged as a racing or broodmare prospect.

Ken Mishima, who signed the ticket, said Maxim Rate would go to Japan to be bred.

“The price was high, but she is a nice mare,” Mishima said.

Mt. Brilliant Farm spent $1.2 million for Book 1 supplement Look Me Over, a half-sister to Saturday's undefeated TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance winner and presumptive champion 2-year-old male Corniche. Consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent, Look Me Over is a 4-year-old mare who is carrying her first foal by Kitten's Joy. Her dam is Grade 2 winner Wasted Tears, by Najran.

“We had three horses all day that we liked and this last one (Paris Lights) we couldn't afford and then the one we bought (Look Me Over),” Mt. Brilliant owner Greg Goodman said. “We loved her, she was our first choice. We're really happy. She's beautiful. We've talked about it (who to breed her to in the future), we just haven't decided yet.”

At $800,000, the session's top-priced weanling was a daughter of Frankel who is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Arizona and Grade 2 winner Nay Lady Nay purchased by Phil Schoenthal, agent for Matt Dorman's D. Hatman Thoroughbreds. Four Star Sales, agent, consigned the filly, whose dam is the English Channel mare Lady Ederle. She is from the family of European champion Dabirsim and Group 1 winner Bright Generation (IRE).

Dorman said having Frankel as her sire made the filly especially attractive.

“It's a great page, great family,” Dorman said, “and she's got great conformation, so she ticked all the boxes. She'll be in the racing program and hopefully improve her page and go from there. She's long term for us.”

Dorman said the market is “pretty strong. There's some really good horses that people have brought out, and there's still a lot of pent-up demand.”

The November Sale continues Thursday with the first session of the two-day Book 2. TVG2 will present live coverage of the session from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET and from 5:30-8 p.m.

The auction continues through Friday, Nov. 19, with all sessions beginning at 10 a.m.

The final session on Nov. 19 will conclude with a single dedicated portion of horses of racing age following the conclusion of breeding stock. A total of 285 horses of racing age have been cataloged to the closing day and will follow the total of 148 head of breeding stock in the catalog.

Keeneland will accept supplements to the horses of racing age section through mid-November.

The post Grade 1 Winner Paris Lights Brings $3.1 Million To Lead Book 1 Of Keeneland November Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Miki Strikes For Pink Sands at Keeneland

Pink Sands (Tapit–Her Smile, by Include), a two-time graded winner for Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen and offered in foal to Into Mischief, took the lead late on the opening day of the Keeneland November Sale, realizing a final bid of $2.3 million from Japan's Masahiro Miki. Consigned by Gainesway as agent, the 6-year-old daughter of GI Prioress S. victress Her Smile (Include) was brought along patiently by Shug McGaughey and registered her first stakes victory in the 2019 Lady's Secret S. at Monmouth Park. Winner of the GIII Rampart S. at Gulfstream in December 2019, Pink Sands added the GII Inside Information S. just after the turn of the calendar. Miki was active at Fasig-Tipton Tuesday night, purchasing both Brave Anna (War Front) and Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) for an even $3 million.

Pink Sands (Tapit), Hip 183, in-foal to Into Mischief and consigned by @Gainesway, sells for $2.3 million. pic.twitter.com/DJYilkvE19

— TDN (@theTDN) November 10, 2021

The post Miki Strikes For Pink Sands at Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Bidding For Ballerina Repeat, Come Dancing To Face Serengeti Empress, Bellafina

Blue Devil Racing Stable's homebred Come Dancing emerged as one of the country's leading older female sprinters last summer at Saratoga Race Course, and trainer Carlos Martin is hopeful the 6-year-old mare will flash that same form when she goes after a second straight victory in Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 Ballerina presented by NYRA Bets at the Saratoga Springs, N.Y., track.

The 42nd running of the seven-furlong Ballerina for older fillies and mares is one of five graded stakes worth $1.95 million on a Runhappy Travers Day program highlighted by the 151st renewal of the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers for 3-year-olds going 1 1/4 miles.

Also on the card are the Grade 1, $300,000 Longines Test for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs; Grade 3, $200,000 Troy for 4-year-olds and up sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass; and Grade 3, $150,000 Waya at 1 1/2 miles on turf for older fillies and mares. The card will be broadcast on Saratoga Live on FOX Sports and MSG Networks.

Named for the inaugural winner of the Maskette, now contested as the Go for Wand, in 1954, the Ballerina also serves as a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on November 7 at Keeneland. Maryfield won the 2007 Ballerina en route to victory in that year's first running of the Filly & Mare Sprint.

Come Dancing is attempting to become only the second horse to win multiple editions of the Ballerina following Shine Again in 2001 and 2002 for late Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens.

“She really seems like she's thriving. She loves Saratoga. She's put on some weight since her last race and everything has gone pretty good,” Martin said. “We haven't had any setbacks, haven't missed any training, so I'm excited about the opportunity for her to do something special and hopefully get back-to-back Ballerinas. That would be like a dream.”

Martin is the grandson of late Hall of Famer Frank “Pancho” Martin, perhaps best known as the trainer of Sham, runner-up to Secretariat in the 1973 Kentucky and Preakness, but also led New York in wins for 10 straight years (1973-82). Martin's late father, Jose, trained three year-end champions and won the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga in 1986 and 1987 with Groovy.

Only Jerkens, fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas (1985-86), and future Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher (2011-12) have won the Ballerina in back-to-back years.

“It's always exciting when you win a big race, especially at Saratoga with so much tradition and so many special times growing up, watching my father with Groovy win back-to-back Foregos and my grandfather and all the success they had here for years,” Martin said. “It helps validate that the Martin name is still around. Unfortunately, they're not around anymore. I'm never going to be the trainer they were; they trained six champions between them. I'm not trying to be them, but I just like the fact that the name is still out there and hopefully they're looking down somewhat proud and we can keep it going.”

A multiple graded-stakes winner of more than $1 million in career purses, Come Dancing has raced just twice this year. She was 12th in her season debut, the Grade 1, 1 1/16-mile Apple Blossom on April 18 at Oaklawn Park when she was saddled by Lukas, and second as the favorite behind fellow Ballerina aspirant Victim of Love in the Grade 3, 6 ½-furlong Vagrancy June 27 at Belmont Park.

Come Dancing won the Grade 3 Distaff and Grade 2 Ruffian and was second in the Grade 1 Odgen Phipps heading into last year's Ballerina, and Martin said he has not seen a drop off in his stable star despite a lighter schedule largely due to the skewed racing schedule amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“She still has the enthusiasm. She was a little laid-back last year as a 5-year-old. She doesn't really get too hot and bothered, but she'll get a little bit excited if somebody goes by her galloping on the track or somebody goes inside of her. She's got those competitive juices,” Martin said. “I would say she's pretty similar to last year. She knows when it's game time.

“She can work in a minute, like she did the other day, or she can go a little too fast. She'll fool you. She went in in 57 and 4 before the Vagrancy. It just depends,” he added. “I just think she's in a good place right now, mentally and physically. I think as they get older the mental aspect is just as important as the conditioning aspect. You have to put a little bit more thought into it, as far as keeping them fresh mentally as well as physically.”

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will ride Come Dancing from outside post 7.

Joel Politi's 2019 Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress will cut back to a sprint for the first time since last summer at Saratoga in an effort to regain her winning form. The 4-year-old Alternation filly captured the Grade 2 Azeri in front-running fashion on March 14 at Oaklawn Park, ran 11th in the Apple Blossom and fourth last out in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis on June 27 at Churchill Downs, contested at 1 1/8 miles.

“It was a strong effort that day in a race where she kind of just got run into the ground. I didn't think we did a very good job of kind of rating her speed,” trainer Tom Amoss said of the Fleur de Lis effort. “Having said that, she's recovered well and she's training well.”

Serengeti Empress set the pace and was game to the wire in a half-length loss to Covfefe in the 2019 Test at Saratoga. Covfefe would go on to win the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and be named both Champion 3-Year-Old Filly and Champion Female Sprinter.

“The move to shorten up to seven-eighths has a lot to do with last summer at Saratoga. That was a really good seven-eighths race for her, so we feel that this might be something that we can use to our advantage,” Amoss said. “That was last year and it's this year now. A lot will be made of what Serengeti is right now compared to what she was last year at this time. That's a fair question. All I can tell you is that she is doing well and we're very comfortable with trying her at seven-eighths.”

Serengeti Empress tuned up for the Ballerina with a half-mile breeze in 46.93 seconds July 26 at Saratoga, the fastest of 74 horses. Luis Saez will ride from post 1.

“She's a really, really good work horse, so anything less than an attractive work pattern would be a cause for concern with her. She likes her job a lot,” Amoss said. “I think her overall weight as well as her brightness of coat are as good as I've seen it this year, so Saratoga definitely agrees with her.”

A Grade 1 winner at 2 and 3, Kaleem Shah Inc., Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Bellafina looks to extend that streak to her 4-year-old season in the Ballerina. Based in California with trainer Simon Callaghan, the Quality Road filly has raced three times in 2020, winning the Grade 3, six-furlong Desert Stormer on May 17 at Santa Anita. Third in last year's Grade 1 Test at Saratoga, Bellafina posted Grade 1 wins in the 2018 Del Mar Debutante and Chandelier and 2019 Santa Anita Oaks.

Jose Ortiz gets the call from post 4.

Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' Victim of Love upset the Vagrancy by 1 ¾ lengths at odds of 27-1 for her first career graded triumph and second in a stakes, following the 6 ½-furlong What a Summer on January 18 at Laurel Park to kick off her 4-year-old campaign. Based at Penn National with trainer Todd Beattie, she ran second in the Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie on February 15, also at Laurel. Jose Lezcano rides from post 3.

Beattie is approaching the Ballerina with a similar mindset as he had prior to the Vagrancy, giving an opportunity to a filly that's doing well.

“That's the way I'm looking at it, I'm taking a shot,” Beattie said. “She's going to obviously have to run her best race to get it done, but think there's a chance that she might be ready to run a good one. I feel pretty comfortable with how she's doing, thought everything was in line and it was perfect timing. We thought we'd take a swing.”

St. George Stable's homebred Letruska will make her New York debut in the Ballerina for trainer Fausto Gutierrez. A two-time Group 1 winner in Mexico, the 4-year-old Letruska beat males in the 1 ¼-mile Copa Invitacional del Caribe last December and last out won the one-mile Added Elegance on June 27, both at Gulfstream Park. In between, she traveled to Oaklawn Park for a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance victory under Ricardo Santana Jr., who returns to ride from post 5.

“She won a tough allowance at Oaklawn Park after the layoff. The last race she had at Gulfstream, in my opinion, was spectacular. She ran very fast. She covered six furlongs in 1:08 and change,” Gutierrez said. “This was the reason I came here. I'm sure she is ready for this level of competition.”

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey has won the Ballerina a record five times, and will send out Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen's Pink Sands. A maiden winner in 2018 at Saratoga, the 5-year-old Tapit mare captured the Grade 3, one-mile Rampart and Grade 2, seven-furlong Inside Information over the winter at Gulfstream Park then went unraced for five months before finishing fifth in the Grade 1, 1 1/16-mile Ogden Phipps on June 13 at Belmont Park.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the mount from post 6.

McGaughey's Ballerina wins came with Lass Trump in 1984, Cadillacing in 1988, Queena in 1991, Roamin Rachel in 1994 and Furlough in 1999.

Arindel homebred Cookie Dough, trained by Juan Alvarado, placed in five graded stakes before her triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Royal Delta on February 15 at Gulfstream Park. She has not started since fading to last after racing on or near the pace in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom April 18 at Oaklawn Park, but has fired three consecutive bullet workouts in preparation for her return, most recently going five furlongs in 57.77 seconds on July 24.

Fourth in an optional claimer last summer at Saratoga, Cookie Dough will be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez from post 2.

The Ballerina is slated as Race 7 on Saturday's 12-race card, which offers a first post of noon Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the 40-day summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 new member bonus in addition to a host of special weekly offers. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post Bidding For Ballerina Repeat, Come Dancing To Face Serengeti Empress, Bellafina appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Ollie’s Candy Has Some Questions to Answer in Phipps

With divisional heavies the likes of Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), Serengeti Empress (Alternation) and the comebacking Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) all eye-balling a potential clash in the GII Fleur de Lis S. at Churchill Downs in two weeks’ time, Saturday’s GI Ogden Phipps S. may lack a ‘marquee’ name, per se, but it remains a competitive affair that offers the winner a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland Nov. 7.

Ollie’s Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}), winner of last year’s GI Clement L. Hirsch S., was fourth in last year’s Distaff, but has not lost a step at five. A distant third to Ce Ce (Elusive Quality) in the Mar. 14 GI Beholder Mile S., the homebred was given an enterprising ride by Joel Rosario in the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 18, leading on a supersonic pace only to be nabbed on the line by Ce Ce. She is a deserving favorite, but must prove she can handle this track’s one-turn route configuration and there figure to be no breathers this time around either.

Somewhat surprisingly, Point of Honor (Curlin) makes her first appearance at Big Sandy, having won the 2019 GII Black-Eyed Susan S. at Pimlico while finishing runner-up in the GI CCA Oaks and GI Alabama S. at Saratoga. A useful second in a seven-furlong handicap at Tampa Mar. 7, the chestnut found herself as many as 23 lengths off the pace in the Apple Blossom after a slow start, was very wide on the turn and ran on gamely to be third, beaten under three lengths.

“We hope for a better trip,” said Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ President Aron Wellman. “She got pinched at the back and lost all position. She was hung wide and had to weave her way through traffic and still ran very, very well in a highly-rated Apple Blossom. I was proud of the effort that day and I’m hoping for a better trip.”

The beautifully bred Pink Sands (Tapit), a daughter of GISW Her Smile (Include), was a listed winner last season, but has discovered her best form this year at five with swooping successes in the one-mile GIII Rampart S. in December and in the GII Inside Information S. the following month. She, too, would benefit from any speed duel up ahead of her and a board finish at this level would enhance her already considerable value going forward.

The post Ollie’s Candy Has Some Questions to Answer in Phipps appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post