runhappy | Horse Racing Free Tips

War Front Tops Claiborne Farm’s 2022 Stallion Roster At $100,000

The Hancock family's Claiborne Farm announced 2022 stud fees today for their stallion roster at the Paris, Ky.-based farm.

Internationally acclaimed sire War Front again heads all Claiborne stallions with a stud fee of $100,000.

The son of Danzig has had another strong year around the world with his 10 stakes winners led by Group 1 winner Homesman and four other Grade 1 performers worldwide. A stallion who has had stakes performers in six major countries this year, he again sees his 2-year-olds performing at a high standard, with the group including Grade 2 Pilgrim Stakes winner Annapolis, G1 Summer Stakes runner-up Grafton Street, and Ancient Rome who placed in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

An emerging sire of sires, War Front is North America's number one sire by percentage of lifetime stakes winners, graded stakes winners, and Grade 1 winners. War Front also continues to be a hit in the sales ring with multiple million-dollar yearlings this year taking him to 29 seven-figure yearlings with his 2021 group led by a $1.2 million filly.

Standing alongside his famous sire is dual-surface star War of Will. This classic-winning son of War Front captured four graded stakes victories during his career, including the G1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland on turf and the Preakness Stakes on dirt. 2022 will be his second year at stud for $25,000.

Already the sire of multiple champions, Flatter has had one of his best years in 2021 and will command a fee of $35,000 next season. Flatter is the sire of 120 stakes performers and nearly 60 stakes winners with over $80 million in progeny earnings to date. This year alone, the prolific A.P. Indy son has sired six stakes winners and 11 stakes horses led by the Grade 1 winner Search Results.

Champion racehorse Blame continues to prove year after year that he's one of the best of his generation with 70 stakes performers and 37 stakes winners – led by five Grade 1 winners. A proven sire in both North America and Europe, his runners this year include French Group 3 winner and €575,000 Arqana Arc Sale purchase Saiydabad with his eleven 2021 stakes performers coming in three different countries. Blame has also been in demand in the sales ring with his yearlings bringing up to $525,000. He will stand for $20,000 in 2022.

Catholic Boy will stand for $20,000 and Demarchelier will stand for $5,000 on the eve of their highly anticipated first weanlings going through the ring this fall.

Catholic Boy is one of only three North American 3-year-old colts in history to win Grade 1 events on both dirt and turf. Supported by top breeders around the world, the regally-bred graded stakes winner Demarchelier is the only son of the great Dubawi standing in Kentucky.

Champion sprinter Runhappy has been a leading second crop sire this year and will stand in 2022 for $12,500. The sire of nine stakes performers and five stakes winners, his runners are led by G2 Vosburgh Stakes winner Following Sea. Runhappy has also proven to be a top sire of juveniles this year with his 37.5 percent 2-year-old winners to runners. Included in his group of juveniles are stakes winners Runup, Happy Soul, and Run To Daylight.

Two exciting new stallions join Claiborne's roster this year in Performer and Silver State.

Undefeated as a 3-year-old, Phipps homebred Performer is by emerging sire-of-sires Speightstown and from the family of champion Storm Flag Flying and Hall of Fame mare Personal Ensign. A multiple graded stakes winner, Performer proved to be a talented racehorse who finished in the money 100 percent of the time. Among his wins were the G3 Discovery Stakes and the G3 Fred Hooper with Performer also placing in the G1 Cigar Mile Handicap. Performer will stand for $12,500.

A grandson of the great Claiborne stallion Danzig, G1 Metropolitan Handicap winner Silver State will enter stud at Claiborne in 2022. His stud fee will be announced at a later date. The winner of six consecutive races spanning 2020 and 2021, he has won or placed in eight stakes races in his career for over $1.9 million in earnings. Silver State is now aiming for this year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

See Claiborne's full stallion roster and 2022 stud fees below:

Blame
Arch—Liable, by Seeking the Gold
Fee: $20,000

Catholic Boy
More Than Ready – Song of Bernadette, by Bernardini
Fee: $20,000

Demarchelier (GB)
Dubawi (GB) – Loveisallyouneed, by Sadler's Wells
Fee: $5,000

First Samurai
Giant's Causeway—Freddie Frisson, by Dixieland Band
Fee: $10,000

Flatter
A.P. Indy—Praise, by Mr. Prospector
Fee: $35,000

Lea
First Samurai—Greenery, by Galileo (IRE)
Fee: $5,000

Mastery
Candy Ride (ARG)—Steady Course, by Old Trieste
Fee: $10,000

Performer
Speightstown – Protesting, by A.P. Indy
Fee: $12,500

Runhappy
Super Saver—Bella Jolie, by Broken Vow
Fee: $12,500

Silver State
Hard Spun – Supreme, by Empire Maker
Fee: TBA

War Front
Danzig—Starry Dreamer, by Rubiano
Fee: $100,000

War of Will
War Front – Visions of Clarity (IRE), by Sadler's Wells
Fee: $25,000

(All stud fee payable Live Foal Stands & Nurses)

The post War Front Tops Claiborne Farm’s 2022 Stallion Roster At $100,000 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Following Sea Earns 100 Beyer Speed Figure For Vosburgh, Mind Control To Start In BC Dirt Mile

Spendthrift Farm's homebred Following Sea matched a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure for his impressive gate-to-wire score in Saturday's $250,000 Grade 2 Vosburgh at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Piloted by Joel Rosario from the outermost post 4 in the six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, Following Sea broke alertly and established command through splits of :22.59 and a half-mile in :45.24 on the fast main track.

Confidently handled throughout, Following Sea drew off to a 4 3/4-length score over multiple graded stakes winning millionaire Firenze Fire in a final time of 1:09.20.

The victory provided a “Win and You're In” berth to the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., and also secured Following Sea's sire Runhappy his first graded stakes winner.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said he was pleased with the confident score by the lightly-raced sophomore.

“I wasn't 100 percent sure how the pace scenario was going to unfold,” Pletcher said. “We had the benefit of drawing an outside post, so we didn't have to make any strong commitment one way or the other. When he broke as well as he did, Joel asked him to go and he made the lead pretty effortlessly. I felt pretty confident at that point that he'd run well. He's come out of the race really well.”

Following Sea garnered a 100 Beyer in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance sprint against older company on June 3 in his first start for Pletcher. The talented bay was elevated to second in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Haskell in July at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., before turning back to seven furlongs and finishing third in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Pletcher said Following Sea could stretch out again in future engagements.

“He's a very talented horse and trains very impressively. He's also galloped out in a fashion that would indicate he might want to run longer at some point,” Pletcher said. “He's very fast and his two wins for us at Belmont were pretty impressive. It seemed like he had a lot left in the tank yesterday. He's a leggy colt, so I think he could continue to improve.”

Pletcher said no decision has been made as of yet regarding a start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

“We had a brief exchange [with the connections] after the race and haven't committed to anything,” Pletcher said. “Obviously, being a 'Win and You're In' for the Sprint is attractive, but we'll see how the horse bounces back and talk to all the connections and come up with a game plan.”

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Mind Control breezed a half-mile in :50.17 Friday over the Belmont dirt training track in his first work back following a game head score over Silver State in the Parx Dirt Mile on September 25.

“He looked like he was beaten and fought back gamely. It was impressive,” Pletcher said. “He's come back and trained with good energy and enthusiasm like he normally does.”

Mind Control earned a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Sprint for his Grade 2 John A. Nerud score here in July but Pletcher said following discussions with Red Oak Stable racing manager Rick Sacco that they have decided to enter the 5-year-old Stay Thirsty horse in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on November 6 at Del Mar.

“I spoke with Rick Sacco after his breeze here the other day and we're going to give the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile a try,” Pletcher said. “I think as he's gotten older he's indicated that he wants to stretch out a little bit.”

Mind Control, who sports a ledger of 23-9-3-4 with purse earnings in excess of $1.4 million, captured the 2018 Grade 1 Hopeful and 2019 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga. Since being transferred to Pletcher this summer, Mind Control has won 2-of-3 starts, including a head score over Firenze Fire in the seven-furlong Nerud.

[Story Continues Below]

Pletcher will also be represented in the Dirt Mile by CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good. The sophomore son of Into Mischief worked a half-mile Friday in :48.84 over the Belmont dirt training track in his first work back following a decisive 5 1/2-length score in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap on September 25 at Belmont.

“He's doing exceptionally well. He's a very impressive horse to watch train and his breeze was effortless,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said the running style of Life Is Good, who captured the Grade 3 Sham and Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita this winter for his former conditioner Bob Baffert, should complement that of his stablemate in the Dirt Mile.

“Life is Good is a very fast horse and I'd imagine he would be a significant pace factor and Mind Control would settle off the pace a little bit,” Pletcher said.

Shadwell Stable's multiple Grade 1-winner Malathaat breezed five-eighths in 1:01.42 Friday over the Belmont dirt training track. Pletcher said the regally-bred Curlin filly, out of the Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Dreaming of Julia, is on target for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff on November 6.

“Just like always, she's a star. She trained well and galloped out strongly,” Pletcher said. “We have a couple more breezes to go, but we're very happy with where she is.”

Malathaat has won 6 of 7 starts, including Grade 1 scores this year in the Ashland at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.; the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.; and the Alabama at Saratoga.

StarLadies Racing's Jordan's Leo breezed a half-mile in :48.55 Saturday on the Belmont inner turf in preparation for the $200,000 Grade 2 Sands Point, a nine-furlong turf test for sophomore fillies on October 16.

By Malibu Moon, the $150,000 Fasig-Tipton July Kentucky Yearling Sale purchase posted a smart nine-furlong turf allowance win in August at the Spa ahead of a prominent second last out in the one-mile Pebbles October 9 on the Belmont lawn.

“She worked well yesterday,” Pletcher said. “I thought her effort in the Pebbles was a good performance, so we'll give her a chance to try again.”

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg's Sweet as Pie, a 2-year-old Tapit grey, garnered a 77 Beyer for a rallying 1 1/4-length score sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs in her debut Friday over Big Sandy.

“We were optimistic going in that she would have a good debut,” Pletcher said. “She drew the rail – which is always a concern going 6 1/2-furlongs – but I thought she handled it very professionally and finished up well.”

Out of the stakes-winning Smart Strike mare Treasuring, Sweet as Pie was purchased for $490,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase.

Sweet as Pie will now target the $150,000 Tempted, a one-turn mile that will be contested on November 5 over Big Sandy following Saturday's announcement regarding the three-day extension of the Belmont fall meet.

Pletcher said if all goes well, Sweet as Pie will continue to the nine-furlong $250,000 Grade 2 Demoiselle on December 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., which offers 10-4-2-1 qualifying points for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.

“She has a pedigree that suggests she'd want to run further,” Pletcher said. “It's a good progression for her and the Tempted and Demoiselle could be a nice path for her.”

The post Following Sea Earns 100 Beyer Speed Figure For Vosburgh, Mind Control To Start In BC Dirt Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Following Sea Dominant In Vosburgh, Earns Spot In BC Sprint

Following Sea gave sire Runhappy his first graded stakes winner with his multi-length score in the Grade 2 Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. With this victory, the 3-year-old colt earns a fees-paid, guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Though the field numbered only four, the Vosburgh featured Firenze Fire, last-out second in the Grade 1 Forego, where he attempted to bite eventual winner Yaupon multiple times down the stretch at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and Baby Yoda, who earned a 114 Beyer Speed Figure in his last start, also at Saratoga. The six-furlong G2 was all Following Sea, though, improving off of his third-place finish in the G1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga and a second via disqualification in the G1 Haskell at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. After Firenze Fire broke through the gate and was reloaded, the short field broke cleanly, with Firenze Fire grabbing a short lead in the race's opening strides. Jockey Joel Rosario sent Following Sea to the lead within the first furlong and, from there, had no trouble holding off the multiple graded stakes winner.

Maintaining a one-length lead throughout, Following Sea kicked away as the field hit the stretch, stretching his lead out to three lengths before Rosario powered him down. At the wire, the son of Runhappy was 4 3/4 lengths to the good, with Firenze Fire second and Baby Yoda third. Good Effort (IRE) was fourth in his American debut. The final time for the six furlongs was 1:09.20.

Following Sea paid $7.00 and $3.10. Firenze Fire paid $2.50. With only four horses in the field, no show betting was offered. Find this race's chart here.

The G2 Vosburgh is a Win and You're In event for the Breeders' Cup Sprint, to be contested Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. Winners of Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races earn a free guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the corresponding Breeders' Cup event.

“I thought he ran great. We just wanted to take advantage of the outside post and see how everything unfolded. He really took all the strategy out of play in the first 50 yards. He broke great, put himself right on the front and it seemed like he was in hand throughout,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the race. “We left the paddock with the idea that we won't take anything away that comes easily. If he breaks well, that's great. If he gets in a speed duel, that's okay, too. So, I said to use judgment and it looked like he made a decision pretty easily. When he made the lead that easily, I was pretty confident. He looked like he kicked on pretty well and Joel [Rosario] wrapped up on him pretty late.”

“I just helped him out of there. It looked like he broke really well and he put himself on the lead. I thought he liked that and he ran a big race,” jockey Joel Rosario told the NYRA Press Office after the Vosburgh. “Todd just told me to ride him the way it came up. He broke sharp and I asked him a little bit to get a position. If somebody else goes, I could sit second but I decided to go to the lead because I was there. He ran really well.”

Bred by owner Spendthrift Farm, Following Sea is out of the Speightstown mare Quick Flip, a black-type stakes winner. The 3-year-old colt has three wins in six lifetime starts, for career earnings of $513,020.

The post Following Sea Dominant In Vosburgh, Earns Spot In BC Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Runhappy Gets First Graded Win from ‘Rising Star’ Following Sea

'TDN Rising Star' Following Sea (Runhappy) made the grade with a dominating win in Saturday's GII Vosburgh S., a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar.

Following Sea cleared the field of four from his outside draw and it was smooth sailing from there. The Spendthrift Farm homebred, off at odds of 5-2, cut out fractions of :22.59 and :45.24, and, after leaving the rail open as he cornered for home, hit the gas in the stretch to win for fun by 4 3/4 lengths.

Vosburgh defending champion and fan favorite Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) was second after breaking through the gate prior to the start as the favorite. Big figure earner Baby Yoda (Prospective) was a disappointing third in his stakes debut.

Following Sea, a blowout maiden winner and 'Rising Star' for Bob Baffert on the GI Arkansas Derby undercard, made three prior starts for Todd Pletcher. An eye-catching allowance winner at Belmont June 3, he stretched to two turns for the first time with a well-beaten third–elevated to second via disqualification–in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. July 17. Following Sea was a well-beaten third behind heavyweights Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) and Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in a very live renewal of the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. last time Aug. 28, which has produced five next-out winners.

“I thought he ran great,” Pletcher said. “We just wanted to take advantage of the outside post and see how everything unfolded. He really took all the strategy out of play in the first 50 yards. He broke great, put himself right on the front and it seemed like he was in hand throughout.

Pletcher continued, “We left the paddock with the idea that we won't take anything away that comes easily. If he breaks well, that's great. If he gets in a speed duel, that's okay, too. So, I said to use judgement and it looked like he made a decision pretty easily. When he made the lead that easily I was pretty confident. He looked like he kicked on pretty well and Joel [Rosario] wrapped up on him pretty late.”

As far as the Breeders' Cup Sprint goes, Pletcher said, “We'll play it by ear and see. I'll talk to the guys at Spendthrift and we'll come up with a plan. It's got to be in play.”

Pedigree Notes:

Following Sea is the fifth stakes winner and first graded winner for young sire Runhappy. This is the 35th stakes/13th graded winner for broodmare sire Speightstown.

Quick Flip–a winner of her first three starts at two, including Tampa's Sandpiper S.–was purchased by Spendthrift Farm carrying Following Sea in utero for $230,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale. She is a half-sister to SW & MGSP Qahira (Cairo Prince) and SW Stormin' Lyon (Storm Boot), and hails from the family of GISW Mitterand (Hold Your Peace).

In addition to the stakes-placed Inspeightof (Orb), Quick Flip's most recent produce includes the 2-year-old, stakes-placed Into Mischief filly Gimmick, purchased by bloodstock agent Mike Ryan for $450,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase, and a 2021 Hard Spun colt. Quick Flip was bred to Authentic for 2022.

Saturday, Belmont Park
VOSBURGH S.-GII, $232,500, Belmont, 10-9, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.20, ft.
1–FOLLOWING SEA, 118, c, 3, by Runhappy
                1st Dam: Quick Flip (SW), by Speightstown
                2nd Dam: Motel Lass, by Bates Motel
                3rd Dam: Devil's Lass, by Devil's Bag
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. O/B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Joel
Rosario. $137,500. Lifetime Record: MGISP, 6-3-1-2, $513,020. Werk
Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Firenze Fire, 124, h, 6, Poseidon's Warrior–My Every Wish, by
Langfuhr. O/B-Mr Amore Stables (FL); T-Kelly Breen. $50,000.
3–Baby Yoda, 118, g, 3, Prospective–More Than Speed, by
More Than Ready. O-Wachtel Stable, Barber, Gary, Pantofel
Stable, LLC and Zaro, Jerold L.; B-Kathleen Amaya, Alexandro
Centofanti & Raffaele Centofanti (FL); T-William Mott. $30,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 2HF, 4 3/4. Odds: 2.50, 1.15, 1.50.
Also Ran: Good Effort (Ire). Scratched: Jalen Journey.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Runhappy Gets First Graded Win from ‘Rising Star’ Following Sea appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post