Monday Insights: New 3-Year-Olds Look To Graduate On New Year’s Day

6th-FG, $52K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 4:15 p.m.

Starting the New Year off in Louisiana, WHO'S TICKET (Quality Road) is a daughter of champion 2-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi, a mare who has changed hands for sums of $6m, $3.2m and most recently in 2021 when Three Chimneys Farm went to $1.15m for her. Who's Ticket, herself a $450,000 weanling, is a half to SW Courvoisier (Tapit). Take Charge Brandi has seen her branch of the family tree grow more fruitful recently with the success of her half-brother, freshman sire Omaha Beach (War Front), at stud. And of course, third dam Take Charge Lady needs no introduction as the dam of champion 3-year-old colt Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), GISW and sire Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) and GISW As Time Goes By (American Pharoah). Her daughter also produced MGSW/GISP Charge It (Tapit)

Juddmonte homebred Impel (Quality Road) debuts for trainer Brad Cox. The filly is the first foal out of stakes-winning Your Love (Flatter) who was purchased by Juddmonte for $480,000 out of the 2019 KEENOV sale. Your Love is a full-sister to GSW/GISP Economic Model and a half to MSW Jimmy Simms (Lost Soldier), GSW/GISP Happy American (Runhappy) and GSW/GISP Well Monied (Maria's Mon).

Tipsy Tammy (Arrogate), a $600,000 KEESEP yearling for Rigney Racing, is a half to MSW Doc Boy (Into Mischief) along with three other winners from as many to race. Second dam Perfect Sting, 2000's champion grass mare, also produced GSW Smart Sting (Smart Strike). TJCIS PPS

4th-SA, $65K, Msw, 3yo, 1m, 4:32 p.m.

Out west, a pair of Baffert colts look to improve on their 2023 starts led by Imagination (Into Mischief). The $1.05m yearling has raced twice at Del Mar through the fall, just missing by a neck most recently over the same distance Dec. 2. The colt is a half to MSW Exulting (Tapit) and a full-brother to GSW/GISP Occult.

Also looking to improve for Baffert is Cornell (Into Mischief), a $675,000 yearling who stretches out to the mile off a non-factoring ninth on debut at Del Mar Nov. 25.

John Sadler brings back Indispensable (Constitution) who ran second to 'TDN Rising Star' Coach Prime (Quality Road) last out at Del Mar Nov. 10 in his third start since bringing $825,000 at KEESEP last year.

The only debut runner in the field, Leading (Uncle Mo) is a Repole Stable homebred out of SW/GISP Savings Account. The dam, purchased by Repole for $800,000 in 2018 from FTKNOV, has already produced a winner from her first foal. TJCIS PPS

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Who Will Be the Leading First-Crop Sire?

In Thursday's TDN, we talked to four top judges of equine talent who had a divergence of opinion on who this year's leading first-crop sire would be. Who comes out on top in this edition?

EDDIE ROSEN

Top Pick: Vino Rosso (Curlin–Mythical Bride, by Street Cry {Ire}). Spendthrift Farm, 2023 fee: $15,000.

Full disclosure, as a member of Team Repole that selected and raced Vino Rosso, I am obviously biased. However, I sincerely believe he will be the leading freshman sire. While he, as a Curlin, was slow-maturing and peaked as a 4-year-old, the 2-year-olds we saw this spring appear to be surprisingly precocious. If forced to recuse myself, my second choice would be Mitole. He was exceptionally fast and he should pass that speed on to his offspring.

Under-the-radar pick: Maximus Mischief (Into Mischief–Reina Maria, by Songandaprayer). Spendthrift Farm: 2023 fee: $7,500.

My slightly under-the-radar pick would be Maximus Mischief, a son of Into Mischief out of a Songandaprayer mare whose yearlings were well received.

DAVID INGORDO

Top pick: Vino Rosso

I'll go with Vino Rosso. We broke a bunch of them at Mayberry's. They were really smart, good-moving horses. They were kind of plainish, which you'd expect from the pedigree. But once you got them under tack and got them moving they were pretty impressive. I don't expect them to win 4 1/2-furlong races at Keeneland or early in the Churchill meet, but by the time we get to Del Mar and Saratoga when the really heavy 2-year-old races start, he should get some winners. I can see him having a Breeders' Cup winner. I know he developed a little slower, but they don't look like horses that are going to take forever to mature.

Under-the-radar pick: Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags–Sea Gull, by Mineshaft). Lane's End, 2023 fee: $15,000.

I really like Catalina Cruiser. He had brilliant speed and is a physically imposing horse who comes from a good family. We raised the horse at Lane's End and we broke him at the Mayberry's. We bought him for Mr. Hronis and John Sadler trained him. He was kind of an unlucky horse to not win a Grade I. He set a stakes record in the True North on Belmont weekend. That's a race that has been around a long time. His offspring look the part; they look like their sire. We bought two at the 2-year-old sale and we bought a yearling by him, so we are supporting him. I could see him becoming a War Front or Distorted Humor-type stallion, a sprinter who had a lot of speed, maybe didn't win at the top level but imparted their speed to their offspring. I can see him really, really making it in that mold.

ZOE CADMAN

Top pick: Mitole (Eskendereya–Indian Miss, by Indian Charlie). Spendthrift Farm, 2023 fee: $15,000.

My top pick is Mitole. I loved his babies at the recent OBS March sale. They look to be quick and early, but with quality and scope  enough to go on around two turns.

Under-the-radar pick: Vino Rosso

Vino Rosso will be my sleeper. By Curlin, you would think these need all the time in the world. However, it was really surprising to see several come out flying at the OBS March sale. Obviously, they will come alive the latter part of the year.  But don't be shocked to see some early ones, too.

TERRY FINLEY

Top pick: Catalina Cruiser

We purchased a really sharp colt of his in March who is going to Cherie DeVaux shortly. We liked them as yearlings. They stand up in front of you with class and poise and are good-boned and athletic. Catalina Cruiser was also a similar racehorse to freshman sire favorite Omaha Beach in that he was effective both sprinting and routing. Those types tend to make the best stallions. I think he has a chance to make a good bit of noise this year.

Under-the-radar pick: Maximus Mischief

My under-the-radar pick is Maximus Mischief, who has the number power that Catalina Cruiser lacks. He bred 196 mares in his first year at stud, so he's already emulating his high-volume sire and he has a close physical resemblance to Into Mischief as well. Several of his 2-year-olds sold well at March OBS. They are good movers and seem very sensible. Maximus Mischief was a very nice 2-year-old himself; some people forget he was one of the Kentucky Derby favorites before he got injured. Big upside.

SEAN PERL

Top pick: Mitole

My top pick for this year's first crop sire is Mitole. His offspring were supported greatly at the yearling sales and he stamped them really well, showcasing them in all shapes and sizes. I personally purchased some for my clients to both race and pinhook. For a bubble-year horse whose book is full, that says a lot in itself. Trained by Steve Asmussen, for whom I have the utmost respect as a horseman and a person who needs no introduction, and being supported by Mr. and Mrs. Heiligbrodt in the breeding shed and at sales, connections who know how to win in all facets of life, I would have to imagine they'll come out running this spring on the ultra competitive Kentucky circuit straight into the Saratoga summertime maiden races.

Under-the-radar pick: Flameaway (Scat Daddy–Vulcan Rose, by Fusaichi Pegasus), Darby Dan, 2023 fee: $7,500.

My under-the-radar sire is Flameaway, a son of Scat Daddy who is an absolutely stunning physical himself. He won races from distances of 4.5f to 1 1/16 miles and stakes on both turf and dirt. I feel as the year goes on, we will hear from Flameaway's offspring more and more.

In tomorrow's TDN: more first-crop sire picks. Want to send in your selections? Email suefinley@thetdn.com.

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‘High’ Hopes in Hopeful Showdown

No less than five undefeated 2-year-olds–including two graded winners–line up for Saratoga's Labor Day finale in the GI Hopeful S. Hard to separate, at least on paper, are Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Gainesway's Wit (Practical Joke) and LRE Racing and JEH Racing's High Oak (Gormley). The former earned TDN Rising Star billing when kicking off his career with a six-length score at Belmont June 5. Equally impressive in his return in the July 17 GIII Sanford S., the Todd Pletcher trainee cruised home an easy eight-length winner in the six-furlong test and gets to show if he can handle the extra yardage this time. Pletcher is also represented by Repole and St. Elias Stable's Power Agenda (Nyquist), who enters her off a nose victory in his unveiling Aug. 14. Irad Ortiz Jr. returns to partner Wit, while Manny Franco gets the call on the latter.

“Wit has the advantage of having a couple of starts,” said Pletcher of the $575,000 KEESEP purchase. “He deserves the chance to step up. I think the way Wit finished up going six furlongs you would think seven would be no problem,” Pletcher said. “Power Agenda was game in his only start and he should be able to handle the distance.”

Pletcher won the Hopeful on three prior occasions with Circular Quay [2006], Shanghai Bobby [2012] and Competitive Edge [2014].

While less flashy in his debut, High Oak did just what he had to do to triumph by a neck in the 5 1/2-furlong test at Belmont June 26. Showing a little more flare for his latest, he came from off the pace to win by a widening 4 1/2-length margin in the GII Saratoga Special Aug. 14. Since that effort, the colt has been showing some lick in the mornings over the Oklahoma track, including the latest a bullet three furlongs in :35.44 Sept. 3. Junior Alvarado, who was aboard for the colts first two starts, returns for this Grade I debut.

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Overtook Targets Peter Pan

Trainer Todd Pletcher indicated Overtook (Curlin) will make his next start in the May 8 GIII Peter Pan S. at Belmont Park. Since finishing second behind Risk Taking in the GIII Withers S. Feb. 6 at Aqueduct, the son of Grade I winner Got Lucky (A.P. Indy) has registered two easy half-mile works at Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base, including the latest a a four-furlong move in :50.75 Mar. 6. The Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith runner is expected to return the work tab this weekend.

“We just got a little off schedule with him,” Pletcher said. “He's training every day at Palm Beach and he'll breeze this weekend. We'd like to get him ready for the Peter Pan.”

Pletcher indicated a strong effort in the Peter Pan, a nine-furlong test for sophomores, would likely make the June 5 GI Belmont S. the next goal.

“That's what we're hoping,” Pletcher said. “If we have a good performance in the Peter Pan it could propel him into the Belmont.”

A $1 million purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Overtook was a third out maiden winner Dec. 20 at Aqueduct before finishing a late-closing second in the Withers.

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