Tag: saratoga

The ‘Other’ Curlin, Idiomatic, Plunders the Personal Ensign

With the 76th renewal of Friday's GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga billed as a clash between division heavyweights Nest (Curlin) and Clairiere (Curlin), it was the other daughter in the field by Hill 'n' Dale's super sire Curlin who would prevail in a pillar-to-post mild upset. IDIOMATIC (f, 4, Curlin–Lockdown, by First Defence), a Juddmonte homebred trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux, threw her name into the figurative hat, winning her third consecutive graded race and first Grade I. Last year's GI Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath (Arrogate) outbattled Nest for second, while Clairiere never got involved over the sloppy track and finished fifth.

Idiomatic broke from the rail and quickly skipped to the lead, ears pricked while under a hold as 45-1 longshot and Midwest shipper Malloy (Outwork) tracked her through a :24.53 first quarter and a :48.84 half. Nest was third early while Secret Oath followed and the pair of Sixtythreecaliber (Gun Runner), a July 19 Spa allowance winner, and Clairiere trailed. The tempo quickened with a half-mile to go; Idiomatic still traveled easily. Approaching the eighth pole, Geroux started riding as Nest attacked from Idiomatic's outside and Secret Oath countered from the inside. Despite drifting late, Idiomatic put both away to win by a healthy four-length margin as runner-up Secret Oath outpunched Nest by just a neck. Final time for the nine furlongs was 1:49.12.

Eclipse champion Nest suffered her first defeat at the Spa, while four-time GISW Clairiere was off the board for the first time since an uncharacteristic poor effort in last year's Personal Ensign.

“Based off the paper, I felt pretty confident [my filly] could establish a pretty solid lead,” said Cox. “I liked her [on a wet track], just the way she's made, she's big but she's not real heavy. I thought she could bounce through it, I really did.”

Cox continued when asked about his thoughts on defeating Nest and Clairiere: “It's huge. They're champions. They've accomplished so much and they're still in good form. I'm very proud of her to win by a few lengths there. Big race and I'm very proud of her.”

Fresh off back-to-back wins in the July 8 GII Delaware H., despite an ugly stumble at the break, and the June 3 GIII Shawnee S. with corresponding dual triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, Idiomatic has done her best running when loose on the lead. She's taken an interesting path to this level, debuting with a win in April of her sophomore year at Turfway Park. Five of her first six starts–sandwiched around a seven-month, mid-year break–were on the all-weather surface at Turfway. After posting three consecutive wins there to kick off her 4-year-old campaign, which included a first stakes try in the Latonia S. Mar. 25, Cox shipped her to Belmont, where she made her graded debut May 6 with a distant second behind Pass the Champagne (Flatter) in the GII Ruffian S. Idiomatic hasn't lost since.

“I want to congratulate Juddmonte, Prince Khalid, and his family for keeping the legacy going,” said Cox. “They have a tremendous operation worldwide and this is a huge update for the farm and their operation. This filly is a homebred, so it means a lot.

“The week before I ran her in the Ruffian, I told [Juddmonte's] Garrett [O'Rourke] this filly will run on the dirt. It was an unbelievable breeze. She was second that day to Pass the Champagne, but her works on the dirt have been great all spring and into the summer. She gave us a lot of confidence this spring and summer. I've been confident in her for a while.”

 

Pedigree Notes:

Not too many significant racing weekends in recent memory don't involve a son or daughter of Curlin as a major player. It's impossible to overstate the chestnut's prowess as a sire of racehorses. The Hill 'n' Dale stallion is indisputably one of the best stallions of this generation and, with the Personal Ensign result, currently ranks second on the leading sire list behind only Into Mischief. Those two, along with Tapit, harken back to the days of Mr. Prospector, Danzig, and Seattle Slew, a trio who also interchangeably dominated just a few decades ago. Idiomatic is one of 54 graded winners and 96 black-type winners for Curlin, and his 21st at the Grade I level.

Idiomatic is a fourth-generation Juddmonte-bred and hails from the direct female line of Broodmare of the Year Best in Show (Traffic Judge), whose daughters have been brilliant producers and are responsible for a plethora of top horses over the last 50 or so years. One of those top horses was Juddmonte homebred, 'TDN Rising Star', and champion Close Hatches (First Defence), a full-sister to Idiomatic's stakes-winning and multiple Grade I-placed dam, Lockdown. Close Hatches is the dam of Tacitus (Tapit), whose big wins included the 2019 GII Wood Memorial S. and whose placings included the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont S.

Broodmare sire First Defence, another Juddmonte homebred descending from the operation's wonderful Broodmare of the Year Toussuad (El Gran Senor), has 14 stakes winners out of his daughters. He now stands in Saudi Arabia.

Lockdown died in 2022 after producing just three foals. She has an unraced 3-year-old filly named Abditory (Medaglia d'Oro) and a yearling filly by Into Mischief.

Friday, Saratoga
PERSONAL ENSIGN S.-GI, $500,000, Saratoga, 8-25, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:49.12, sy.
1–IDIOMATIC, 120, f, 4, by Curlin
          1st Dam: Lockdown (SW & MGISP, $445,900), by First Defence
          2nd Dam: Rising Tornado, by Storm Cat
          3rd Dam: Silver Star (GB), by Zafonic
1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 10-7-1-2, $1,049,490. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Secret Oath, 122, f, 4, by Arrogate
          1st Dam: Absinthe Minded (MSW & MGISP, $607,747), by Quiet American
          2nd Dam: Rockford Peach, by Great Above
          3rd Dam: Strawberry Skyline, by Hatchet Man
O-Briland Farm; B-Briland Farm, Robert & Stacy Mitchell (KY); T-D. Wayne Lukas. $100,000.
3–Nest, 124, f, 4, by Curlin
          1st Dam: Marion Ravenwood (SW, $112,598), by A.P. Indy
          2nd Dam: Andujar, by Quiet American
          3rd Dam: Nureyev's Best, by Nureyev
($350,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House; B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $60,000.
Margins: 4, NK, 12. Odds: 4.00, 7.20, 0.75.
Also Ran: Malloy, Clairiere, Sixtythreecaliber.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post The ‘Other’ Curlin, Idiomatic, Plunders the Personal Ensign appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Repole Homebred Runs Up The Score, Named a ‘Rising Star’

Mike Repole knows a thing or two about impressive Saratoga maiden winners.

On the 28th of August, 2010, Repole and Todd Pletcher unleashed a son of Indian Charlie and Playa Maya (Arch) named Uncle Mo, who made a quote of 9-10 seem like a Travers Day gift when rolling home by better than 14 lengths in 1:09.21 to become a 'TDN Rising Star.' Fast forward some 4,742 days and second-generation Repole homebred Fierceness (c, 2, City of Light) put on a show of his own–one day  the marquee race of the meeting, much to Repole's 'chagrin'–turning Friday's sixth race into a one-horse rodeo in scoring by 11 1/4 dominating lengths to become a no-brainer 'Rising Star', the third for his Lane's End-based stallion.

The third foal, but the first to race out of Nonna Bella (Stay Thirsty), Fierceness traded at 7-5 into the final stages of the wagering, but the tote read even money when the gates flew and from there, it was effectively all over bar the shouting. The bay found the front with relative ease, but had a bit of early company in the form of 24-1 Billal (Street Sense) and went by the half-mile pole having covered the opening quarter in a smart :22.02. Still well within the grasp of Irad Ortiz, Jr., Fierceness got half-mile in :44.65 over the heavily rain-affected strip, and when asked for a bit of a kick three-sixteenths of a mile from home, opened up on his scuffling rivals with each powerful stride. Despite being taken in hand for the final 100 yards, he crossed the wire in a race of his own, as the well-backed Air of Defiance (Quality Road) outfinished Billal for second.

“He was training really, really well, but until you get them behind the gate, get him in the paddock….he was doing everything right,” Repole told Maggie Wolfendale on Saratoga Live. “He's so smart, he moved away quickly, 1:09 2/5. That's a pretty fast time. I feel badly for Nest because she might have the second-best Repole Stable performance today. This was really special.”

Repole paid $200,000 for second dam Nonna Mia–named in honor of his grandmother–at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and she was a gifted 2-year-old in her own right, winning her maiden by 12 lengths at second asking at Belmont Park before finishing third to stablemate Devil May Care (Malibu Moon) in the 2009 GI Frizette S. Nonna Mia, a close relative of MGSW sire Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile), was an immediate hit in the breeding shed, first producing the multiple stakes-placed Nonna's Boy (Distorted Humor) before a mating with Uncle Mo resulted in Outwork, the 2016 GI Wood Memorial S. hero. Nonna Mia's yearling colt by Into Mischief colt sells through Lane's End as hip 261 during Book 1 of the upcoming Keeneland September Sale.

Nonna Bella, the third foal out of Nonna Mia, is a daughter of Repole's 2011 GI Travers S. hero Stay Thirsty (Bernardini). The yearling full-brother to Fierceness also goes under the hammer at Keeneland (hip 1390), and Nonna Bella foaled a filly by Caravaggio before visiting Uncle Mo this term.

6th-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 8-25, 2yo, 6f, 1:09.56, my, 11 1/4 lengths.
FIERCENESS, c, 2, by City of Light
1st Dam: Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty
2nd Dam: Nonna Mia, by Empire Maker
3rd Dam: Holy Bubbette, by Holy Bull
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

O-Repole Stable; B-Repole Stable Inc (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher.

 

The post Repole Homebred Runs Up The Score, Named a ‘Rising Star’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Roses for Debra a Stylish Victress of Smart N Fancy at Saratoga

Neither wind nor water could stop her, and Roses for Debra (Liam's Map) streaked home at a rain-drenched Saratoga to take the Smart N Fancy S., securing her fourth win in a row in the process.

Only once off the board in her career, the grey was last seen putting up a career-high Beyer of 99 en route to winning the GIII Caress S. over this course last month and had two victories over the lawn at Belmont and Pimlico since changing from the barn of Michelle Brafford to Christophe Clement for 2023.

Christened the heavy 1-5 favorite as the field shrank with the scratch of four rivals, she veered to her outside after the jump as her outer rival also went to the right, but was settled to comfortably follow the leading pair. Three wide under an ultra confident Irad Ortiz Jr. through the turn, Roses for Debra was called on for her kick as she shifted further out. In the five path but closing with a full head of steam, she was given a single, minor reminder and powered clear in the final furlong to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

“It was pretty nice. The tote board said it all really, everybody thought she'd run really well,” said winning co-owner John O'Meara. “It was nice having some scratches. You know it's always nicer to have a smaller field, but when they scratched out of there…I don't know whether they scratched because of the weather or because they were afraid of her. Going to have to keep going and see who will be afraid of her in the future. I bought her. A good friend of mine, Gerry Dilger, bought her as a weanling and he passed away. It was a dispersal and I bought her in the dispersal. She's been nothing but fun to have around since. Of course, when she got hurt in the 2-year-old sale that didn't help, but it is all for the better at this point.”

O'Meara added that the current plan is to go to Presque Isle for the $300,000 GII Presque Isle Downs Masters S., and from there either a trip to Keeneland or the Breeders' Cup.

A half-sister to an accomplished elder half-brother in Rose's Vision and to SP Rosie's Alibi (Justify), Roses for Debra also has a 2-year-old half-sister Modarosa (Palace Malice), a yearling American Pharoah half-sister and the 2023 half-sibling by Gun Runner was unfortunately stillborn. Essential Rose, herself out of a graded stakes-winning mare and a half-sister to a graded stakes-placed stakes producer, visited Curlin for 2024. This is the female family of MGSW Flameaway (Scat Daddy) through the European blue hen Flame of Tara (Ire). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

SMART N FANCY S., $139,500, Saratoga, 8-25, 4yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2fT, 1:01.82, gd.
1–ROSES FOR DEBRA, 124, f, 4, Liam's Map–Essential Rose, by Bernardini. ($120,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN; $25,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-John O'Meara and Cheyenne Stable LLC; B-Blackstone Farm LLC (PA); T-Christophe Clement; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $82,500. Lifetime Record: GSW, 9-7-1-0, $406,430. *1/2 to Rose's Vision (Artie Schiller), SW-USA, MSP-Can, $264,358.
2–Bubble Rock, 124, f, 4, More Than Ready–Reef Point, by Giant's Causeway. O/B-Shortleaf Stable (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $30,000.
3–Train to Artemus, 124, m, 5, Tapizar–Pay Day Kitten, by Kitten's Joy. O-M and W Stables; B-Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY); T-Kelly J. Breen. $18,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, 1, 9 1/4. Odds: 0.35, 2.85, 6.60.
Also Ran: Talkin Tipsy. Scratched: Bluefield, Can't Buy Love, Poppy Flower, Self Isolation.

The post Roses for Debra a Stylish Victress of Smart N Fancy at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Classy, Durable Channel Maker Ready For Sixth Sword Dancer

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.–On the subject of the resilience of 9-year-old Channel Maker (English Channel) approaching his sixth-consecutive start in the GI Sword Dancer S. Saturday, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott made his point in a few words.

“I can't say enough,” he said.

Mott was smiling, but he wasn't joking.

“What can you say?” Mott said. “He sort of seems like an oddity in this day and age that he's able to stay around and still be in somewhat close to top form.”

Channel Maker has stood the tests of quality and time. The $1 million GI Sword Dancer will be the 55th start for the Ontario-bred in a career that began on July 24, 2016 with a third-place finish in a turf sprint for maidens at Woodbine. He snagged that first win for trainer Danny Vella the following month in the Vandal S. From there, it was on to a third in the GII Summer Stakes, the first of 45 graded stakes–28 of them G1–in his career. He has a record of 10-6-5 and earnings of $3,890,358.

Equibase stats show that since 1976 Channel Maker is one of 12 horses that has run in the same stake a least five times in a row. The stake had to be a Grade I at some point in its history. Of that dozen, five of them–including Channel Maker–accomplished their five-peat in the Breeders' Cup: Better Talk Now (Talkin Man), Turf; California Flag (Avenue of Flags), Turf Sprint; Channel Maker, Turf; Kona Gold (Java Gold) Sprint; and Perfect Drift (Dynaformer), Classic. Before his run in the Turf, Channel Maker ran in the GI Juvenile Turf and is the Breeders' Cup record holder with six appearances.

Channel Maker, the 2020 Eclipse Award champion turf male, is the only one in that group who has also run at least five times in a stake outside of the Breeders' Cup. He has done it twice, both in GI races–the Sword Dancer and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. He has won the Hirsch twice and the Sword Dancer once.

When he leaves the gate for the 1 1/2 mile Sword Dancer, he will pull into a tie with Desert Waves, who ran six times, winning twice, in the Niagara Handicap in the 1990s at Woodbine. Even with six, Desert Times (Alysheba) and Channel Maker will be one behind the legendary iron horse Fourstardave (Compliance), who started in the Jaipur every year between 1989 and 1995. He had a record of 1-2-2 in the Jaipur. In his five appearances in the Daryl's Joy at Saratoga, Fourstardave had two wins and two seconds. The race is now the GI Fourstardave.

During Fourstardave's remarkable 100-race career with trainer Leo O'Brien, the New York-bred gelding won at least one race at Saratoga Race Course for eight consecutive seasons.

According to Equibase statistics, the five who did their five-peats outside the Breeders' Cup are: Cozzene's Prince (Cozzene), Rothman's International; Grand Couturier {GB} (Grand Lodge), Sword Dancer; Hero's Reward (Partners Hero), Highlander S.; Interpatation (Langfuhr), Joe Hirsch; Stutz Bearcat (First Landing), Nearctic.

Channel Maker was handled by Vella for his first six starts, but was moved to Mott's care prior to an April 8, 2017 start at Keeneland after Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber bought into the ownership of the gelding. He was the Canadian champion 3-year-old male that season. His ownership group is now Wachtel Stable, Barber, R.A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing.

First seen at Saratoga as a 4-year-old in 2018, Channel Maker has made 10 starts at Saratoga and compiled a record of 3-1-1. That first summer, he finished in a dead heat for first with Glorious Empire {IRE} (Holy Roman Emperor {IRE}) in the GII Bowling Green then ended up second by three-quarters of a length to Glorious Empire in the Sword Dancer. In his standard front-running style, he won the Bowling Green again this summer, at 15-1, ending a seven-race losing streak, and is back in the Sword Dancer, his 50th start for Mott.

Since New York does not allow horses 10 and older to compete, this is likely to be Channel Maker's final appearance in Saratoga. Mott said he did not know if Channel Maker might run in 2024. He said the Bowling Green performance, which carried him to the Sword Dancer, might have been his final start.

“There were plans that if he hadn't run well the last time that maybe he'd be retired,” Mott said. “I don't think any of us want to see his form go five races beaten double digits or something like that. That's not going to happen.”

The post Classy, Durable Channel Maker Ready For Sixth Sword Dancer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights