Keen Rides Out The Storm At Del Mar

It was another stakes victory for the Phil D'Amato barn with the former European runner Unconquerable Keen (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) in the Stormy Liberal S. at Del Mar on Saturday (video).

Bred by Nicholas Hartery, the 4-year-old gelding managed a pair of victories in his native land in the colours of his breeder and trainer Michael Halford before changing hands. Now, raced by CYBT, Omar Aldabbagh, and Michael Nentwig, the son of Queenie Keen (Ire) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}), herself out of a half-sister to the stakes winner Duty Paid (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}), is the 26th stakes winner for his sire worldwide.

The son of Danehill has sired seven winners from 13 runners in the U.S. (54%). His other stakes winner in that jurisdiction is GII Santa Ana S. heroine Tuttipaesi (Ire), while both Enchanteresse (Ire) and Laugh Out Loud (GB) have been stakes placed.

Repeat Winners

No Nay Hudson (No Nay Never), a winner of the William Walker S. in May, returned to take a Gulfstream contest for trainer Wesley Ward on Dec. 1 (video). He currently races for Andrew Farm and For the People Racing Stable, LLC.

Featured in the same May edition of Making Waves is current dual Grade I winner Program Trading (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) who races in the Klaravich Stables' colours. He secured a victory in the GI Hollywood Derby for trainer Chad Brown on Dec. 2 (video).

Already the winner of a Del Mar maiden in September, Zona Verde (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) earned her first stakes victory in the GIII Jimmy Durante S. at Del Mar on Saturday (video).

Almendares (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), third in the GII Del Mar Derby in September, won for the fourth time in his career at Del Mar on Sunday (video). Already a Stateside winner in July, the gelding races for trainer Phil D'Amato and an ownership group of CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano.

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Whether you are a dabbling duck or one that takes a deep dive, there is something for everyone as the Downs–Kentucky and Colonial–plus Woodbine Racetrack and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, all feature high-level grass action.

KENTUCKY DOWNS GRADED SIX PACK

The uniquely designed turf course at Kentucky Downs cards the most graded stakes this Saturday, which will lead off with the GIII Ladies Marathon S.

Going 1 5/16ths, look for MGSP Vergara (Noble Mission) to stalk the pace as she returns to the site where she won last year by a head in the Dueling Grounds Oaks. Standing in her way is GSW Personal Best (Tapit) who broke her maiden at last year's meet before going on to face graded company this spring at Gulfstream Park where the homebred won the GIII La Prevoyante S.

With no overwhelming favorite on the morning-line, expect the GII Franklin-Simpson S. to be an all-out war both on the tote and sprinting down the stretch. Playlist (Uncle Mo), making her first stakes start, will look to go on the offensive early versus the boys, but she will have to contend with Sweet Cherry Pie (Twirling Candy), who has never sampled turf, and GSW Mo Stash (Mo Town), who is cutting back for the first time in almost a year.

Playlist | Coady Photography

“I like to run fillies against colts in sprints,” said Playlist's trainer Wesley Ward. “I don't think it makes a big difference. If you look at the times in the 2-year-olds in training sales, the fillies are always faster as a group. I think they can compete against the colts every time.”

Moving right along, the GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf S. pits GISP and MGSP White Frost (Candy Ride {Arg}) against GSW and 'TDN Rising Star' New Year's Eve (Kitten's Joy). After a very solid first half, the former was second in the De La Rose S. Aug. 2 at Saratoga and will face many of those competitors in this spot, while the latter prepped ably by winning this race's preview at Ellis Park Aug. 6.

Back to the speedsters for the GII Turf S. for males, it is going to be a pleasure to see another bout between the top two finishers in Aug. 5 running of the GIII Troy S. at Saratoga. That slugfest upstate saw Cogburn (Not This Time) catch GSW Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) just before the wire. If this race wasn't tough enough, you will also find 'TDN Rising Star' and Woodbine GII Connaught Cup hero Dream Shake (Twirling Candy) looking to make it three wins in a row.

The GII Ladies Turf S. includes favorite MGSP Bay Storm (Kantharos), as she looks to add to her overall earnings after winning the prep for this race Aug. 5 at Ellis Park, and the experienced GSW and GISP Wakanaka (Ire) (Power {GB}).

Bringing up the graded rear going 12 furlongs will be the $1.7-million GII Turf Cup S., which offers a 'Win and You're In' opportunity into the GI Breeders' Cup Longines Turf. A pair of Brendan Walsh trainees in GSW Verstappen (War Front) and MGISW Santin (Distorted Humor) come calling, but they are going to have to be cognizant of GI United Nations S. victor Therapist (Freud) and GIII Dinner Party S. winner Never Explain (Street Sense).

“I wouldn't completely rule out him going back to dirt again at some point,” Walsh said of Santin. “But he's a heck of a turf horse … he ran a very good second in the Arlington Million. It was a fantastic run. He was up on the pace the whole way and was there to be shot at. And he held in there and ran a really, really good second. I feel he's doing really well coming into here. He got a mile and a quarter at Colonial. I don't see why he wouldn't get a mile and a half. He's a very relaxed horse, maybe a little too laid back if anything.”

KLARAVICH STABLEMATES TRADE BLOWS IN VIRGINIA DERBY

Program Trading | Sarah Andrew

On its closing day Saturday, Colonial Downs hosts the nine-furlong GIII Virginia Derby.

Klaravich Stables has a pair of Chad Brown trainees which pose a major threat to the rest of the field. Activist Investing (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was very sharp at this distance when he cleared the optional claiming ranks Aug. 13 at Saratoga in his lone race this year. He will do battle with GI Saratoga Derby star Program Trading (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) by attempting to relieve his speed-oriented stablemate of his perfect record.

Also present is Salute the Stars (Candy Ride {Arg}), winner of the Monmouth Park Pegasus S. June 17 and surprise longshot from the Aug. 12 GII Secretariat S. at Colonial, Gigante (Not This Time), who is trying to become the first Virginia-bred to win this race.

WOODBINE'S TURF ACE RETURNS

Not to be missed in the GII Canadian S. for older females is the return of last year's victoress Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutalfan {Ire}), who wired the field last out in the GI Beverly D Aug. 12 at Colonial. She will square off against the top three finishers from the GII Dance Smartly S. Aug. 20 at Woodbine, which includes Miss Dracarys (Malibu Moon).

“Javier [Castellano] and I were flying to Colonial Downs, and we were talking about the race [Beverly D],” said Fev Rover's trainer Mark Casse. “He said, 'There's no speed in this race.' I agreed and told him that she can go right to the lead. The nice thing about her, and Tepin [champion and dual Hall of Fame mare] was the same way, is that a great horse can bring their A-game no matter the situation. So, we went right to the lead, and it was over when that happened.”

Also on the graded docket is the GIII Singspiel S., which returns to 1 1/4 grass distance from two years ago. GSP Malibu Mambo (Point of Entry) could be the hot commodity after a sharp late surge against optional claimers in Toronto Aug. 12, but don't count out GSP Palazzi (Pioneerof the Nile). 

DEL MAR SPORTS LONE GRADED DIRT RACE

Julias Dream | Benoit

The GI Del Mar Debutante S., the only graded dirt race on Saturday, is sure to bring some attention with a capacity field of 14. First-crop sire Flameaway is well represented with 'TDN Rising Star' Julias Dream, who broke her maiden by 5 1/2 lengths over the turf at Del Mar Aug. 6. She will take on the top two finishers from the GIII Sorrento S. Aug. 12, Dreamfyre (Flameaway) and Benedetta (City of Light). The lineup also includes Chatalas (Gun Runner) and Tamara (Bolt d'Oro), who both broke their maidens at first asking in Solana Beach July 30 and Aug. 19, respectively.

It wouldn't be Del Mar's surf without the turf and this year's GII John Mabee S. might be remembered as a match between GII Yellow Ribbon H. wearer Closing Remarks (Vronsky) and MGSW Neige Blanche (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}). Still, no one should overlook trainer Phil D'Amato's offerings. After all, he is looking to edge out Bob Baffert for the training title, and both Oakhurst (Mr Speaker) and GSW Turnerloose (Nyquist) will try to help the cause as the Del Mar meet concludes Sunday with a pair of graded races, the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity and GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf S.

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Lope De Vega Filly Best At Saratoga

Making her debut, Ozara (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) eked out a win at Saratoga for Cheyenne Stable, LLC and Christophe Clement (video).

Bred by the Fleche D'Or Partnership, the bay was a 350,000gns yearling at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. The second winner for her dam Cercle D'Or (Ire) who also won at two, the filly has a yearling half-sister by Frankel (GB). Dual-purpose sire Golden Horn (GB), who won the G1 Derby and the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and two other top-level races, is a half-brother to Cercle D'Or.

Lope De Vega's progeny have a strong success rate in America, with 37 of his 68 runners (54%) becoming winners. His seven stakes winners (10%) now include six at the graded level, with Program Trading (GB) joining Newspaperofrecord (Ire) and Aunt Pearl (Ire) as a Grade I winner this past weekend and Carl Spackler earning his graded stripes on Friday.

#10 Ozara wins first time out in the opener at Saratoga under @Tyler_Gaff for trainer @clementstable!

#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/bMsn6vzXT2

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) August 6, 2023

Queen For A Day

German group winner Kalifornia Queen (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) won for the first time in over two years with a tally at Saratoga on Friday (video). Owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, LLC, First Row Partners, and Michael Caruso, the 6-year-old has collected a litany of stakes-placings on both sides of the Atlantic, with a third in the 2021 GI E. P. Taylor S. among them.

Bred by Stall Torjager, the chestnut was purchased for €70,000 out of the BBAG October Mixed Sale in 2018. Sent into training with Henk Grewe, she made seven starts in Germany and France for her breeders, with her best effort a victory in the 2020 G2 Diana-Trial. Put through Arqana's sales ring the same day as her European finale, the filly realized €260,000 at the 2020 'The Arc' Sale. Out of G3 German St. Leger heroine Kaldera (Ger) (Sinndar {Ire}), who was third in the G2 Grosser Hansa-Preis at four, Kalifornia Queen is the last known foal out of her dam.

#10 Ozara wins first time out in the opener at Saratoga under @Tyler_Gaff for trainer @clementstable!

#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/bMsn6vzXT2

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) August 6, 2023

Honourable Mentions

Now a Grade I winner with his strike in Saturday's Saratoga Derby Invitational S., Program Trading (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is the third progeny of his sire to feature in Making Waves this week. Already highlighted in a May column, the 19th Grade/Group 1 winner for his sire is a son of Dreamlike (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and secured the victory for Klaravich Stables, Inc. and trainer Chad Brown.

Friday afternoon marked the win of 'TDN Rising Star' and fellow Lope De Vega-sired colt Carl Spackler (Ire) in Saratoga's rescheduled GII Hall of Fame S. (video). The e Five Racing Thoroughbreds-owned Brown trainee was already featured in February, and is his sire's 116th stakes winner and 65th group/graded winner worldwide.

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Gutaifan Mare Takes Second Canadian Grade II

The G1 1000 Guineas-placed Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) added her third group/graded win to her resume with an open-length victory in the Nassau S. for Tracy Farmer and trainer Mark Casse (video).

Bred by Manister House Stud, the 5-year-old was a £20,000 Goffs UK Premier yearling turned 695,000gns Tattersalls December purchase in 2021. Her latest siblings are a juvenile filly christened Leveret (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}) and a yearling full-brother. Group 2 winner Nashmeel (Blushing Groom {Fr}) was placed in a trio of top-level races in the U.S. and France prior to foaling GI Yellow Ribbon S. heroine Light Jig (GB) (Danehill), herself the dam of Grade I winner and sire Seek Again (Speightstown).

Gutaifan, who currently stands in France at Haras des Faunes, has sired a trio of stakes winners worldwide, with Fev Rover his first group winner so far. She is his only starter in Canada.

FEV ROVER (IRE) floors them in G2 Nassau Stakes @WoodbineTB.

Mark Casse trainee bred by @ManisterHouse. pic.twitter.com/B6ssWl0jol

— ITM (@IREthoroughbred) July 2, 2023

Sopran Basilea Game At Delaware Park

Madaket Stables LLC & Bill Strauss's Sopran Basilea (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) won the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial S. at Delaware Park for trainer Graham Motion (video).

A product of Aidan Sexton's breeding programme, the 5-year-old mare sold for €11,000 at the 2018 Goffs November Foal Sale, and won three of Italian stakes races led by the G2 Premio Lydia Tesio for Leonardo Ciampli and trainer Grizzetti Galoppo during her career in Italy. Sent through the Deauville ring during the Arqana December Sale, she was snapped up by her current connections for €300,000 last year, and was runner-up in the GIII Gallorette S. at Pimilco in May. The fifth winner out of Kathy Best (Ire) (King's Best), Sopran Basilea has The Irish Rover (Ire) half-siblings born in 2021 (colt) and 2022 (filly). The extended family has thrived in Italy, which includes recent multiple group winner Plusquemavie (Ire) (Kheleyf).

The winner is Darley stallion Night Of Thunder's second graded scorer in the U.S. after GIII Athenia S. heroine Pocket Square (GB). Overall in that jurisdiction, he has six winners from nine runners (66%) and three stakes winners (33%).

SOPRAN BASILEA (Night of Thunder) picks up her first graded stakes victory stateside in the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial S. at @delawarepark! pic.twitter.com/YVGKtJ379E

— TDN (@theTDN) July 1, 2023

Lope De Vega Filly Graduates At Belmont

Bridlewood Farm and Madaket Stables LLC's No Show Sammy Jo (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) won a Belmont maiden at second asking for Graham Motion (video).

Bred by Fittocks Stud and St Albans Bloodstock, the daughter of Shomaria (Fr) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) was purchased for 150,000gns as a Tattersalls Book 1 yearling in 2021. Tracing to the G1 Prix de Diane heroine Shemaka (Ire) (Nishapour {Fr}), No Show Sammy Jo is the first foal out of her placed dam. Her Dark Angel (Ire) juvenile half-brother sold for 14,000gns to Meadowview Stables as a Book 2 yearling and she is also a half-sister to a weanling filly by Palace Pier (GB).

Lope De Vega has sired 36 winners from 67 runners (54%) in North America, with five of them scoring in stakes (7%) to date. Since the first of the year, the Ballylinch stallion is responsible for 11 stakes winners across seven countries led by G1 Tancred S. winner Arapaho (Fr).

Honourable Mentions:

Wise Racing LLC's Turf King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), who was mentioned in our Feb. 18 column, became the 67th stakes winner and 40th graded/group winner worldwide for his Juddmonte sire in Woodbine's all-weather GIII Marine S. on July 1 for trainer Chad Brown (video).

Brown also trained Klaravich Stables' Program Trading (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) to win a Belmont affair and improve his record to a perfect two-for-two near the end of June (video).

Marine Stakes(G3)
1.700 m – 180.000 CAD – for 3yo
Woodbine

Turf King (IRE)
(3C Kingman- Sweet Acclaim , by Acclamation)
J : Kazushi Kimura @kazushi0096
T : Chad C. Brown
O : Wise Racing LLC
B : Ridgemont Stud pic.twitter.com/4uNPrWg28Z

— (@WorldRacing1) July 1, 2023

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No Nay Never Sires Stakes Double

Coolmore sire No Nay Never sired a stakes double in America on Saturday, to bring his international total to 49 stakes winners.

First it was No Nay Mets (Ire), a colt from his 2021 crop, taking the Royal Palm Juvenile S. at Gulfstream Park (video), a Royal Ascot qualifier. Owned by Bregman Family Racing, LLC, the colt is trained by George Weaver.

Bred by Coolmore, the son of Etoile (War Front) was a €180,000 yearling out of the Arqana August Sale, and was a $335,000 buyback at the OBS Spring Sale in April. The first foal out of his Group 3-winning dam, No Nay Mets was making his racecourse debut. His granddam, Gagnoa (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), has produced group winner and G1 Criterium International second Ancient Rome (War Front), while this is also the family of G1 Derby winner Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf heroine Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).

Later in the afternoon, No Nay Never's No Nay Hudson (Ire) won the William Walker S. at Churchill Downs for trainer Wesley Ward (video). The 3-year-old colt is owned by Andrew Farm and For the People Racing Stable, LLC.

Part of the RJB Bloodstock breeding programme, the half-brother to the stakes-placed Tailor's Row (Street Cry {Ire}) was a $190,000 Keeneland September yearling when selected by Demi O'Byrne and Sean Grassick. His Grade II-winning dam has a juvenile colt named Old Flag (Ire) (U S Navy Flag) and a yearling full-brother to the winner still to come.

No Nay Never has sired 35 winners from 66 runners (53%) in the U.S. and has 17 stakes horses (26%). Of his nine stakes winners (13.6%) in that jurisdiction, GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Meditate (Ire) is his best runner so far.

NO NAY HUDSON takes The $225k William Walker Stakes with @James_D_Graham aboard for Wesley Ward!

5 1/2 Furlongs | 1:02.3 | Turf pic.twitter.com/lhlYZYY5fS

— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 13, 2023

Lope De Vega Winners For Familiar Connections

No Nay Never was not the only stallion to sire a pair of winners in the U.S., as Ballylinch Stud's Lope De Vega (Ire) teamed up with Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables and his go-to trainer Chad Brown with 3-year-old winners Reflexivity (Ire) at Belmont Park (video) and Program Trading (GB) at Monmouth Park (video) this past week.

The Niarchos Family's Flaxman Stables Ireland bred Reflexivity out of their G3 Lacken S. heroine Only Mine (Ire) (Pour Moi {Ire}). Originally a €250,000 Goffs Orby yearling, the chestnut filly was bought back for $240,000 out of the OBS Spring Sale last month. Distant kin to Group 2 winner and multiple Grade I-placed Dream Peace (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) whose Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) won the G3 Musidora S. at York on Wednesday–she is followed by a yearling filly by Wootton Bassett (GB).

Orby graduate REFLEXIFITY impresses at Belmont Park for trainer Chad Brown & owner Klaravich Stables.
Purchased by Goffs US Agent @Westbloodstock from @camaspark for €250,000, this daughter of @BallylinchStud Lope De Vega looks an exciting prospect. #GoffsOrby pic.twitter.com/S1nZxKgnzp

— Goffs (@Goffs1866) May 12, 2023

Fittocks Stud & Arrow Farm & Stud bred Klaravich's first-out Monmouth winner, Program Trading, who was bought by Mike Ryan out of Book 1 at Tattersalls October for 250,000gns. His half-sister Alabama Anna (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) has yet to race. From the family of G2 Park Hill S. winner Silk Sari (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), who also ran second at Group 1 level, he is a half to a Pinatubo (Ire) filly born in 2022. Third dam Gossamer (GB) (Sadler's Wells) won the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas in 2002.

Lope De Vega has also sired 35 winners from 66 U.S. runners (53%). Of that batch, 16 are stakes horses (24%) and five are stakes winners (7.5%). Both Newspaperofrecord (Ire) and Aunt Pearl (Ire) won editions of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, the former for Brown and Klaravich.

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