Pioneerof the Nile | Horse Racing Free Tips

Thousand Words A Veritable Picture at Spendthrift

It took just two words for Mark Toothaker to explain why he believes Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile) will excel in the Spendthrift stud barn: looks and pedigree.

Those same characteristics are what kept the Albaugh-Spendthrift partnership bidding at the Keeneland September Sale until they brought the colt home for $1 million.

It didn't take long to find an appropriate name for the youngster.

“Eric Gustavon, our president, named him,” Toothaker recalled. “He's such a beautiful horse that the name was easy to come by. A picture is worth a thousand words because there's so much that you could say about this horse with his looks and his pedigree. So it's a cool name for what we hope turns out to be a very good stallion.”

The new Spendthrift colorbearer embarks on his career at stud as a three-time stakes winner and will stand his first season for $7,500.

At the 2018 Keeneland September Sale, Spendthrift and the Albaugh Family Stables were on the lookout for a yearling they could partner on and, as Toothaker recalled, Thousand Words fit the bill.

“We had bought Brody's Cause and Free Drop Billy from the Albaughs and had talked about teaming up if we found something we both landed on,” he said. “The first time we saw Thousand Words, he was such a beautiful yearling and one that we were both definitely on. So it made for a great partnership and we were thrilled to get the horse purchased.”

A member of one of the last crops from the late top sire Pioneerof the Nile, the January foal was bred in Florida by Amy Tarrant's Hardacre Farm and produced by the farm's homebred sprinter Pomeroys Pistol (Pomeroy), a multiple graded stakes winner who was runner-up in both the GI Prioress S. and GI Test S. in 2011.

As the youngster began training with Bob Baffert, the team at Spendthrift anxiously awaited a report from the Hall of Fame trainer.

“When the lightbulb finally came on for Thousand Words, Bob called Flavien Prat and told him `this is your Derby horse for next year,'” Toothaker said. “When Bob starts talking Derby, you start listening, so there was a lot of excitement around here leading up to that.”

After a winning debut in October, the speedy bay next took the GII Los Alamitos Futurity for an undefeated juvenile season.

The colt's sire won the same race in 2008, and Toothaker spoke on other current stallions who have thrived in the Los Alamitos Futurity, which was just downgraded to a Grade II in 2019.

“It's the same race Into Mischief won,” Toothaker noted. “Horses like Mor Spirit and Violence had won that race as well. So there are a lot of really nice horses that have won this race and certainly gone on to make a name for themselves.”

The son of Pioneerof the Nile continued his winning streak in his sophomore debut in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S., but then ran unplaced in his next two starts.

After a short layoff, he gave a runner-up effort behind stablemate and 'TDN Rising Star' Uncle Chuck (Uncle Mo) in the GIII Los Alamitos Derby and then took on Del Mar for a gutsy score in the Shared Belief S. over Honor A. P. (Honor Code) in his final prep before the GI Kentucky Derby.

While he claimed the number four spot in the TDN's Derby Rankings leading up to the first Saturday in September, two slots ahead of stablemate and eventual winner Authentic (Into Mischief), the sophomore reared and fell in the paddock minutes before stepping onto the track and was subsequently a late defection.

Toothaker recalled the unfortunate events of the day. “When we left the backside with Authentic and Thousand Words, we really didn't know which one of the two was our best shot. We were just thrilled that we had two chances and both of the horses were coming into the race fantastic, so we thought, who knows what's going to happen here? And then of course, you know the rest of the story. We're devastated, the Albaughs are devastated, we were 20 minutes from post time for the Derby and now here we are scratched. So it was about as low as you can get at that point.”

While the colt returned for two more Grade I starts in 2020, he ran unplaced in both and Toothaker explained that since the horse had not been the same after the paddock incident, the decision was made for him to retire.

When the announcement was made that the new addition would be a part of Spendthrift's Share The Upside program, Toothaker said they sold out of the program's portion of his book in under an hour.

“It was unbelievable,” he said. “Our phones were just blowing up with texts and calls. We've probably got a waiting list of about 40 people for the Share the Upside portion. So his reception has been unbelievable.”

“He is that million-dollar yearling- he's gorgeous,” Toothaker continued. “He's just so correct. A beautiful head on him with a beautiful neck and shoulder. He's going to get a tremendous chance with the looks that he has and then with Pioneerof the Nile as a sire and out of a dam as good as Pomeroys Pistol. You could look up in a few years, and this horse could be right there at the top of the sire list.”

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Holy Bull: Brisset Hoping Tarantino Is The Real Deal, Greatest Honour Will ‘Run All Day’

In just three races, Tarantino has shown the promise of a future turf star, but his connections are hoping that the Triple Crown will be in the future of the son of Pioneerof the Nile following Saturday's $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Tarantino, who is a nose away from being undefeated, is scheduled to make his debut on dirt in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds on the Road to the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n Dale at Xalapa.

“He's been breezing well enough on the dirt. He's not a show-er in the morning, but I'm lucky enough where I can get on him myself. We felt that his works are good enough where we can give him a try,” trainer Rodolphe Brisset said. “Like I say, he's not a show-er but he does enough where we feel comfortable giving him a try and finding out, sooner than later, if he wants the dirt or not.”

Tarantino began his career for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in Southern California, where he captured his career debut Sept. 20 at Del Mar and came back to finish second by a nose in the Oct 4 Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita – both races at a mile on turf – before being transferred to Brisset.

“It took him a couple weeks to get used to our routine. It's a little bit different than what Bob Baffert had,” said Brisset, whose trainee has had a series of four workouts at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, for his dirt debut. “He was breezing pretty well for a while and then in his last work before we ran him at Gulfstream, he went a half on dirt in 48 (seconds) out in 1:12-and-change.”

A decision was made that Tarantino would run in a Dec. 11 optional claiming allowance scheduled for a mile on turf at Gulfstream, rain or shine. The Kentucky-bred colt closely stalked the pace before drawing away to victory.

“We did want to find out if he can run on the dirt, but the rain stopped and the race stayed on the grass,” Brisset said. “He won pretty nicely. He won by two, but I'm pretty sure we didn't go to the bottom of the horse.”

Tarantino's dam, Without Delay, registered her only victory on turf, but the daughter of Seeking the Gold did produce Before You Know It, a daughter of Hard Spun who earned more than $300,000 and was a stakes winner and a graded-stakes runner-up on dirt.

“It's better to find out now if we have a horse for the big one,” Brisset said. “If it doesn't work out, we know we have a horse for the grass. We know he has a lot of talent.”

Tarantino is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Racing LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson.

Edgard Zayas, who was aboard for Tarantino's victory at Gulfstream, has the return mount.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey was dreaming of a bright future for Greatest Honour as he watched the 3-year-old son of Tapit school in the Gulfstream Park paddock and walking ring without turning a hair between races on Wednesday.

“He's developed a lot. I was just sitting there thinking if he goes through the winter and spring and keep going in that direction, he can be good,” McGaughey said.

Saturday's $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park is in Greatest Honour's immediate future.

Greatest Honour finished a late-closing third while sprinting in his first two starts, before stretching out two turns at Aqueduct Nov. 8 to finish second, beaten by just a head by Known Agenda, who went on to finish third in the Remsen (G2). The Courtlandt Farms homebred broke through to graduate, closing from seventh to win going away in a 1 1/16-mile maiden test at Gulfstream Dec. 26.

“The farther, the better for him. I think he can run all day,” McGaughey said. “He's got enough of a kick that if he gets a little pace, he can challenge here.”

McGaughey's also confident that the more experience he gets, the better Greatest Honour will be.

“He's a Tapit, so we had to work around some things, but he's really good now,” said McGaughey, who named Jose Ortiz to ride Greatest Honour.

McGaughey will seek to add the Holy Bull to the extensive list of achievements on his Hall of Fame resume that includes victories in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Florida Derby (G1) with Orb in 2014. Orb went on to give McGaughey his first Kentucky Derby success.

“Their running styles are similar – they both come from behind, but pedigree and looks-wise they're different. This horse is taller, while Orb was more compact,” McGaughey said.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. views Saturday's $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park as the ideal test of Awesome Jerry's qualifications for continuing on the Road to the Florida Derby (G1).

“If he's ever going to get two turns it will be here,” said Joseph of the 1 1/16-mile headliner on Saturday's 12-race program with five graded stakes. “It's kind to horses with speed like himself and there's a short wire. I think it's a good spot to try.”

The Holy Bull will be Awesome Gerry's first try around two turns…on a conventional one-mile track. The son of Liam's Map wrapped up his juvenile campaign with a close second in the seven-furlong Jean Lafitte Stakes around the two turns of the 'bullring' at Delta Downs.

Racing with blinkers for the first time, Awesome Gerry showed the way into the stretch before finishing third, 2 ¾ lengths behind victorious Mutasaabeq and 8 ½ lengths ahead of the fourth-place finisher.

“The last time he ran a mile I thought he handled the distance. He stayed on after he was passed,” Joseph said. “We're going to give him another go at it. He's training very well. I think he's going to run a bang-up race.”

Awesome Gerry won the first two races of his career at Gulfstream and Gulfstream West before hitting the road to finish fourth in the Nyquist at Keeneland and second in the Jean Lafitte.

Awesome Gerry is scheduled to wear blinkers again Saturday.

“I worked him with blinkers again, and he relaxed much better. I think he's going to run a good race,” said Joseph, who named Tyler Gaffalione to ride the colt owned by John Fanelli, Cash is King LLC and LC Racing LLC.

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GSP Aurelius Maximus to Stud in Louisiana

GSP Aurelius Maximus (Pioneerof the Nile–La Reina, by A.P. Indy) has been retired from racing and will enter stud in 2021 at Jay Adcock's Red River Farm in Coushatta, Louisiana. The deal was brokered by Andrew Cary of Cary Bloodstock. The 5-year-old, who will stand in a partnership between Nathan Granger and Stonestreet Stables/George Bolton/Peter Leidel, will stand for $2,000 live foal, with consideration to approved mares.

“Aurelius Maximus is the most exciting horse to retire to Louisiana for many years,” said Cary. “His combination of impeccable pedigree, gorgeous conformation and top-class ability on the racetrack make him a very tantalizing prospect for breeders in the southwest.”

Granger added, “We're very excited to get a horse of such talent and grit–not to mention his great looks. We're just as excited to partner with one of the premier ownership groups in the industry in Stonestreet Stables, Mr. Bolton and Mr. Leidel.”

Aurelius Maximus broke his maiden at Belmont Park by 7 3/4 lengths second time out before finishing fourth in the 2018 GI Champagne S. Sidelined afterwards, he kicked off 2020 with two professional allowance victories at Fair Grounds and Churchill Downs before finishing a neck to Mr Freeze (To Honor and Serve) in the GII Hagyard Fayette S. at Keeneland last October.

Aurelius Maximus was conditioned for his final four races by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

“Aurelius Maximus was an amazing physical,” he said. “He was super athletic and had tremendous heart. If his foals look like him, he'll make an outstanding sire.”

Stonestreet Stables bloodstock advisor John Moynihan, who purchased Aurelius Maximus privately as a 2-year-old, added, “Aurelius Maximus is among the most talented horses we've ever had at Stonestreet. He had legitimate Grade I ability, a ton of natural speed, and has an awesome physical to go with it.”

Aurelius Maximus is one of seven winners produced by the Grade III-winning La Reina, who also produced Grade II winner Chief Havoc (Giant's Causeway) and Grade III-placed Special Event (Arch). La Reina is a half-sister to Grade I winner and sire Brahms (Danzig) and to SW Olympic (Danzig). This represents the female family of Grade I winners Queena, Too Chic, Chic Shirine, Somali Lemonade, Verrazano, etc.

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Half-Brother to Justify Primed for Gulfstream Debut

He has bred a Triple Crown winner, but John Gunther has yet to have his first superstar as an owner. He's hoping that may soon change.

Gunther is the owner and breeder of Stage Raider (Pioneerof the Nile), a half-brother to Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy), who will make his debut in Saturday's sixth race at Gulfstream. And while no one is predicting that Stage Raider will win the Triple Crown, both Gunther and trainer Chad Brown are optimistic that the 3-year-old colt has above average talent.

“He seems to have plenty of ability,” Brown said. “Being a half-brother to a legendary horse, the expectations are lofty. In his works, he seems to have plenty of ability and definitely belongs in the 'A' circuit in a race like this with these kinds of horses.”

Gunther is primarily a breeder, so it was no surprise when he entered Justify in the 2016 Keeneland September sale, where he sold for $500,000. Less than two years later, Justify completed the Triple Crown sweep with a win in the GI Belmont S. and was soon thereafter retired. The dam, Stage Magic, was named the 2018 Broodmare of the Year.

“To me, it's far more exciting to be able to keep them and race them,” Gunther said. “I love racing but having the operation like ours, especially one our size, you need that cash flow. You have to sell them just to keep the operation profitable going forward. You have to take your yearlings to market.”

That doesn't mean he is willing to give them away. Stage Raider was entered in the 2019 Keeneland September sale, but did not meet his reserve price of $950,000.

“I felt the price we had on him at the sale was a reasonable price, seeing that he is a half-brother to Justify,” Gunther said. “He was not small, he was medium-sized. I think when a lot of people looked at him they thought of Justify, who was probably one of the best yearlings we've ever consigned at the sale. Justify was so big and strong when he was at the sale and I think people were expecting there would be a little more size with this horse.

“What we usually do is if they don't sell, we race them,” he said. “We are always excited to race them. That's just the business we are in. I wish I could afford to race them all.”

When Gunther doesn't get his price at the sales, he will normally race the horses himself. He owns another half-brother to Justify, a horse named One More City (Will Take Charge). A 4-year-old who has yet to race, he RNA'd at the 2018 Keeneland September sale for $1.75 million. He has had three published workouts, none since May.

Stage Raider was sent to Brown last summer and had his first workout for him Sept. 29 at Saratoga. While sensing that the colt had promise, Brown wasn't satisfied with how he was developing mentally.

“When he first came into us, he was a bit immature,” Brown said. “It took a while for him to get things together mentally. The owners, the Gunthers, have been very patient and are never in a rush.”

Brown said that Stage Raider started to put it together in recent works, in particular his last two. He worked five furlongs in 1:01 Jan. 16 at Palm Meadows and seven days earlier went a half-mile out of the gate in :48.

“I've been really pleased with his training over the last month,” he said. “He's really come together mentally. He's always been a good mover on the track.”

On paper, it looks like Brown has chosen a particularly tough race for Stage Raider's debut. Todd Pletcher will send out Ghazaaly (Curlin), a $1.05 million purchase at Keeneland September. Godolphin has a well-bred first-time starter in Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro) and Shug McGaughey has the first-timer Marching (Liam's Map). Traveller (Tourist) is another Pletcher-trainee making his debut and has a pair of bullet workouts at Palm Beach Downs. He is a half-brother to Grade I winner Eight Rings (Empire Maker).

“I am nervous, of course,” Gunther said. “He's a half-brother to Justify, so there are a lot of expectations out there. Talking to Chad, he seems very pleased with the way he is coming along. He seems to be improving week to week, so we are keeping our fingers crossed and will see how he handles that first start. I'm just hoping for the best.”

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