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Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift: Newtownanner Stud

The TDN's popular annual series 'Mating Plans, presented by Spendthrift,' continues today in a conversation with Hanzly Albina of Newtownanner Stud.

“I don't take this lightly at all,” said Albina, who is both general manager of Newtownanner's Kentucky farm and North American bloodstock manager of the operation. “It's a ton of fun when it works out. For me, the physical is what I'm shooting for as I can't predict performance. We want to produce what we would buy in a sales ring, want to produce as nice a horse as we can, whether it's to sell or to race. We raise them all as if we were going to race them all, then if we sell, we're confident we're selling the best product we can.

“Some people are traditionalists and breed to race or breed to sell, but there's not really a difference anymore. At the end of the day, everyone is technically a seller–unless you keep every single foal, you're going to see the marketplace, and that goes for either a filly or a colt. You'll eventually either breed your mare or market your stallion, so you must consider these things. I find there's a lot of commonality among the guys who do the best with this.”

Wamathaat (8, Speightstown–Special Me, by Unbridled's Song), to be bred to Into Mischief

We bought her from Tattersalls (220,000gns) in 2019 and brought her over here. At the time we bought her, I thought it was a family that was on the uptake and it has rewarded us. She's a half to Gina Romantica, Gift Box, Stonetastic, Special Forces. It looked like a family that was exploding. She's a very good-looking mare. She has a 2-year-old Twirling Candy filly we sold to Mike Akers last year (FTSAUG, $385,000) and a Candy Ride (Arg) colt that is very nice.

She went to Into Mischief last year and this year is going to go back to him. It's hard to go wrong with Into Mischief. (MGISW) Gina Romantica obviously has continued to run very well and so we kind of wanted to bring that out of her. We tried the Candy Ride with her and there will probably be more of him in her future, maybe some Gun Runner in there, but for right now we went to Into Mischief and we'll see what happens.

Toni Tools (10, Roaring Fever–Patine, by Smart Strike), to be bred to Gun Runner

We bought her for $330,000 at the (2023) Fasig-Tipton Mixed Sale. She is the dam of Candied, a Grade I winner of the Alcibiades. She's going to Gun Runner. It's a natural inclination from a body perspective, plus we get a little more consistency from Gun Runner than Candy Ride (sire of Candied). She's a young mare and deserves to be bred to the best sire out there; she warrants the money. This is her time.

Toni Tools as a 2-year-old on the track | Sarah Andrew

Flourish (17, Distorted Humor–Viviana, by Nureyev), to be bred to Into Mischief

She's the dam of (MGSW & GISP) Fulsome, an Into Mischief millionaire. She's going back to him for obvious reasons. She has an Into Mischief sister to Fulsome on the ground and basically this is the third year in a row we've gone to him with her.

Kosmo's Buddy (19, Outflanker–Vaulted, by Allen's Prospect), to be bred to Gun Runner

She's the dam of (Horse of the Year) Knicks Go. She recently had a Paynter colt and will be going back to Gun Runner. It was more of a physical match for us. She's not the biggest mare in the world, but she transfers a lot of the stallion through. I think if you breed her to a strong stallion, that is pretty bulletproof for her. Gun Runner is the horse for me and is the hot stallion right now. This mating was more of a physical one than from a pedigree perspective. In the past we'd bred her to Justify and Ghostzapper, trying to follow the Awesome Again, but we think Gun Runner makes a lot of sense as she brings out a lot of the stallion. We all try to figure it out; you develop your theories and see what has validity or not.

Kadira (19, Kafwain–Raw Gold, by Rahy), to be bred to Tapit

This is the dam of Paola Queen, winner of the Test. She is going to Tapit. We loved Flatter (sire of Paola Queen) and he was very generous to us, but he's gone. We sold one Flatter filly out of Kadira and retained another. She's in foal to Tapit and going back to him, because of the Pulpit/A.P. Indy factor. She has very beautiful foals and he will be a good match. When the mare has already proven herself, it makes my job easy.

Malibu Pier (17, Malibu Moon–Blue Moon {Fr}, by Lomitas {GB}), to be bred to Forte

She's the dam of Malibu Stacy, who was Grade II placed, and Coasted, who was Grade-I placed in the Breeders' Cup. She's an older mare, but we bred her to Medaglia d'Oro and got a nice filly. She's in foal to Jackie's Warrior now and is going to be bred back to Forte. I thought the body types matched well. We like the Medaglia d'Oro (yearling) filly very much and with Forte a first-year sire we wanted to breed to and it being a very hard season to get a hold of, we wanted to make sure we used it well.

Meg Fitz (9, Tapit–Meguial {Arg}, by Roy), to be bred to Justify

This is a Tapit mare we bred. She's in foal to Olympiad right now; we'll go back to Justify because she's a half-sister to (GISW) I Want Revenge, more than a half-sister. Her first foal is a Mendelssohn, who was second in the Kentucky Jockey Club (Real Men Violen). We're excited about the Olympiad. She had a Speightstown sell for $600,000 at Saratoga last year and has been very generous to us so far, so we're going to Justify since that's a Scat Daddy line. She brings the best out of every stallion we've bred her to and has beautiful foals.

Kateri (12, Indian Charlie–Sue's Good News, by Woodman), to be bred to Cody's Wish

She's a mare we've had her entire career; again, very generous to us. She's a stunning mare, an Indian Charlie mare. We sold a Tiznow out of her for $420,000 as a 2-year-old, a Curlin for $725,000. Obviously, her best racehorse to date is (GSW & GISP) Souper Sensational (by Curlin). We bred her to Curlin again and are retaining that 2022 colt to race. He's in training with Robbie Medina. She has a yearling filly by Curlin and went back to him again. That would have been four years in a row to Curlin if we went this year, so we're going to Cody's Wish. She puts a great body on a horse and we thought he was a standout physically. If you went to see that horse, you bred to him.

Shopit's 2021 colt in the sales ring | Fasig-Tipton

Shopit (9, Yes It's True–Shop Here, by Dehere), to be bred to Into Mischief

Dam of (SW & MGISP) Shoplifted. It's probably not that interesting, but we just breed her to Into Mischief every year since it already worked. She has amazing foals.

Afleet Maggi (17, Afleet Alex–Mindset, by Coronado's Quest), to be bred to Nyquist

Dam of Grade I winner Dream Tree. We bought her, have an Uncle Mo filly out of her that I was pretty happy with. She went back to Uncle Mo, but aborted. This year, we went to Nyquist. With him taking off last year, we think he's now done enough to warrant being bred to her.

Fancier (13, Bernstein–Princess Pegasus, by Fusaichi Pegasus), to be bred to Flightline

She is the dam of (GISW) Get Her Number by Dialed In, which is the Mineshaft/A.P. Indy line. She has a Tapit colt and is back in foal to Tapit, but this year we'll be breeding her to Flightline. We typically wouldn't breed a mare of this caliber to a second-year sire; we'd go to a proven or a first -year sire, but he's going to defy the odds. He has a lot of buzz, a lot of industry support, and looks exactly what you think a horse of his race record is going to look like. I think he'll defy the trend; I don't think he'll have the usual slump of a second and third year. We're seeing if we can improve the Tapit we have with him. We think he's a good fit for this mare.

Go Go Princess (4, Justify–Kosmo's Buddy, by Outflanker), to be bred to Mage

She's more than a half to Knicks Go and we're going to breed her to Mage. The reasoning is she's a very typical Justify, she's an even leggier version of him. I think from a body perspective, she is a beautiful mare and we had a little flexibility on who to breed to. We're very excited about Mage at Airdrie. A first-year Derby winner is one of the soundest bets in our sport. We're actually sending two to Mage.

The post Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift: Newtownanner Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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TDN Sophomore Top 12: Getting Ready To March Into Nine-Furlong Proving Grounds

We're at the two-month mark for the GI Kentucky Derby, and we're on the cusp of the major prep races getting extended to nine furlongs and beyond. Not all of the Triple Crown-caliber horses on this list, however, are pointing for the first Saturday in May.

1) NYSOS (c, Nyquist–Zetta Z, by Bernardini) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Baoma Corp; B-Susie Atkins (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $130,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $150,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $550,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 3-3-0-0, $216,600. Last start: WON Feb. 3 GIII Robert F. Lewis S.

On Saturday, trainer Bob Baffert scratched 1-5 morning-line favorite Nysos from Sunday's GII San Felipe S. He told Daily Racing Form's Brad Free that a “gut feeling” was prodding him to give the undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' more time off between races.

“My original plan to was to just wait,” Baffert told DRF, referencing the time since Nysos's 7 1/2-length win in the Feb. 3 GIII Lewis S.

“I don't need to run him [Sunday]. I just might wait for the [Apr. 6 GI] Santa Anita Derby,” Baffert told DRF, adding the colt was physically fine.

This powerful, dynamic son of Nyquist ($130,000 KEENOV, $150,000 FTKOCT, $550,000 OBSAPR) has now won at six, seven and eight furlongs by a combined 26 3/4 lengths while earning Beyer Speed Figures of 96, 97 and 105.

Despite the San Felipe scratch, bettors zealously backed this colt to heavy 5-2 favoritism in the first round of the GI Preakness S. futures pool that closed Saturday.

Churchill Downs has barred Baffert's trainees from participating in the Derby, and the purported wisdom of crowds is banking that his top Derby-skipping sophomore will not only show up in the Preakness, but dominate it.

But Baffert has yet to publicly declare which, if any, of his trainees might be Baltimore-bound 2 1/2 months from now, which makes Nysos's Preakness futures price look like a huge underlay.

2) MUTH (c, Good Magic–Hoppa, by Uncle Mo) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $2,000,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-3-2-0, $716,600. Last start: WON Jan. 6 GII San Vicente S.

With Nysos likely slotted for the Santa Anita Derby, that leaves stablemate and fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Muth as the most likely candidate to lead Bob Baffert's traveling team to Oaklawn for the GI Arkansas Derby Mar. 30.

Muth ($190,000 KEESEP, $2 million OBSMAR) had already been pegged to hit the road to Hot Springs this season, for the Feb. 24 GII Rebel S. This son of Good Magic would have been heavily favored in that spot, but after Baffert wasn't satisfied with the way Muth's final workout for the race went, he declined to enter.

Muth has alternated wins and seconds in five lifetime races since breaking his maiden back on June 18. He was second in the GIII Best Pal S., first in the GI American Pharoah S., second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, then a winner in the GII San Vicente S.

Muth would be facing a nearly three-month layoff in the Arkansas Derby, a stakes that Baffert has won four times.

Favorites crossed the finish wire first in the Arkansas Derby for five straight runnings, from 2017 through split divisions in 2020. But the chalk has lost in each of the last three years.

3) SIERRA LEONE (c, Gun Runner–Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Mrs John Magnier, Michael B Tabor, Derrick Smith Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing LLC & Peter M Brant; B-Debby M Oxley (KY); T-Chad Brown. Sales history: $2,300,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-1-0, $336,750. Last start: WON Feb. 17 GII Risen Star S.

If he goes next in the GI Blue Grass S. at Keeneland as expected, Sierra Leone will have three straight races at nine furlongs spanning from December to April prior to attempting 10 furlongs in the Kentucky Derby.

That experience over a distance of ground will help, especially considering this $2.3 million FTSAUG sale-topper by Gun Runner is projected to have just four lifetime races prior to heading to Louisville.

Since 1937, only four horses have won the Derby going into the race with four or fewer lifetime starts: Animal Kingdom (four) plus Justify, Big Brown and Mage (three each).

Sierra Leone will also be going up against the grain of another recent hurdle–winning the Derby off of just two starts at age three. That angle produced eight Derby winners between 2007 and 2016. But since then, horses with only two sophomore starts have been a collective 0-for-39 in the Derby.

Still, beyond those historical trends, it's tough to knock this 'TDN Rising Star' on the basis of his on-track performance.

He won his one-turn-mile debut Nov. 4 at Aqueduct despite repeated trip trouble, and that race produced two next-out winners, one a fellow 'Rising Star'.

Sierra Leone then rallied seven wide from last in the mud against a stern speed bias in the GII Remsen S., but had to settle for second after losing the lead late.

His 3-year-old debut featured another resolute rally over a wet track when he shot home from the back of the pack over the long Fair Grounds stretch in the Feb. 17 GII Risen Star S.

Sierra Leone's Beyer arc now stands at 71-91-90.

4) TRACK PHANTOM (c, Quality Road–Miss Sunset, by Into Mischief) O-L & N Racing LLC, Clark O Brewster, Jerry Caroom & Breeze Easy LLC; B-Breeze Easy LLC (KY); T-Steve Asmussen. Sales history: $500,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 6-3-2-1, $365,000. Last start: 2nd in Feb. 17 GII Risen Star S.

Track Phantom isn't a shock-and-awe type of colt, but he rates near the top of the crop in terms of steadiness and reliability over six races.

Since trainer Steve Asmussen stretched out this $500,000 KEESEP son of Quality Road in lifetime start number three, Track Phantom has responded with three speed-centric wins and one half-length loss that was a decent try, with Beyers trending 88-89-90-89 in two-turn races.

He's handled different types of pace pressure despite being drawn in or near the outside stall in his last three races, has routinely had to engage in stretch battles, and has capably handled two different types of wet tracks at Fair Grounds and Churchill.

After getting outrun in the deep stages of the Risen Star S. by No. 3-ranked Sierra Leone, Track Phantom remains on target for the GII Louisiana Derby at 1 3/16 miles.

5) FIERCENESS (c, City of Light–Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty) 'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Repole Stable (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo, GISW, 4-2-0-1, $1,127,250. Last start: 3rd Feb. 3 GIII Holy Bull S.

With a bullet half-mile breeze Feb. 23 and a third-best, in-company morning move over the same distance Mar. 1 that featured a strong gallop-out, trainer Todd Pletcher expressed confidence from Palm Beach Downs that 2-year-old champ Fierceness is making progress for the GI Florida Derby.

Back on Feb. 3, the Repole Stable homebred and Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner ran a punchless third at 1-5 odds when making his 3-year-old debut.

Pletcher explained that this 'TDN Rising Star' by City of Light had been training well leading up to that subpar performance in the GIII Holy Bull S., and he's still a little perplexed as to why Fierceness didn't truly fire.

“I don't think he needed a race. I think our expectations were so high for him that maybe we're not looking at it realistically. If you watch the start of the race, he got slammed pretty hard from both sides. Johnny [Velazquez], in order to execute the game plan, had to use him pretty hard to get to the first turn in the position we wanted to,” Pletcher said.

“He could have been a little rusty off the layoff, even though he was training great. He was top weight. [There are] a lot of subtle excuses that, for an ordinary horse, you would try to justify it. In his case, he trained so well and we expected so much of him, sometimes you think he can overcome everything.”

6) DORNOCH (c, Good Magic–Puca, by Big Brown) O-West Paces Racing LLC, R A Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding LLC, Two Eight Racing LLC & Pine Racing Stables; B-Grandview Equine (KY); T-Danny Gargan. Sales history: $325,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 5-3-2-0, $505,400. Last start: WON Mar. 2 GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S.

There's a lot to be said for simply showing up, and that adage was especially true for this $325,000 KEESEP son of Good Magic in Saturday's GII Fountain of Youth S. That race was decimated by four scratches, and Dornoch ended up towering over four rivals at 1-5 in the betting while administering a straightforward wiring that earned him an 88 Beyer, a three-point dip off his most recent victory in the GII Remsen S. back on Dec. 2.

Trainer Danny Gargan had outlined prior to the Fountain of Youth S. that he wanted Dornoch to get some schooling by rating slightly behind the pace. But the scratches changed the way the race shaped up on paper, and Gargan called a last-minute audible, telling jockey Luis Saez to instead head straight to the front.

“We didn't want to be on the lead [because] he gets out there and he kind of plays around,” Gargan said. “You can see him with his ears kind of goofing off. I told Luis, 'Just go ahead and go.' We had no choice. We really wanted to stalk, it just didn't work out that way. He won fine enough. Surely it won't be his fastest race. We didn't expect to win. It just kind of played out that way. I don't think he ran very hard.”

As for Dornoch's next start, Gargan said “we could run in the Florida Derby or the Blue Grass. We're lucky enough now where we can pick our spot. Sixty [Kentucky Derby qualifying] points usually gets you in, so now we're on cruise control. We'll figure out where we want to go next and try to enjoy this for a minute.”

Dornoch | Ryan Thompson

7) DETERMINISTIC (c, Liam's Map–Giulio's Jewel, by Speightstown) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-St. Elias Stable, Langone, Ken, Duncker, C. Steven and Vicarage Stable; B-Hinkle Farms (KY); T-Christophe Clement. Sales history: $625,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 2-2-0-0, $222,750. Last start: WON Mar. 2 GIII Gotham S.

Deterministic (Liam's Map) is an intriguing new shooter within the Top 12, anchoring his status with a hard-charging, 93-Beyer win off a seven-month layoff in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. over a sealed and sloppy one-turn mile at Aqueduct for trainer Christophe Clement.

Clement himself is part of the appeal, because if he does end up sending this $625,000 KEESEP colt on a prep path that leads to Louisville, you can have confidence knowing that the well-respected veteran conditioner believes the colt truly belongs. Clement has never saddled a horse in the Kentucky Derby, although he did win the GI Belmont S. with Tonalist in 2014.

“To [just] run [in the Derby], no,” Clement told the Aqueduct notes team, underscoring that he's not interested in entering Triple Crown races just to take a shot. “To win, yes,” he added with a laugh.

But if Deterministic ends up running big in a race like the Florida Derby or GII Wood Memorial, where he'd be sure to get wiseguy betting attention based on Clement's impeccable reputation for proper placement of his horses, the Kentucky Derby could be a “go.”

Clement said Deterministic would be nominated to a number of Derby points-awarding preps.

“No decision whatsoever made for the next start,” Clement said. “At the moment, the only worry is the well-being of the horse and we'll go from there. We'll get him to a work and the work will tell us what to do with him.

“I had a long talk with Joel [Rosario] and he was delighted with the horse,” Clement said, alluding to that jockey also being aboard for Deterministic's maiden debut win at Saratoga last August. “He thought that he was a lot more mature yesterday than what he was in his first race.”

8) CONQUEST WARRIOR (c, City of Light–Tea Time, by Pulpit) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald Adam); B-Betz/B&K Canetti/J.Betz/CoCo Equine/D.J. Stables (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III. Sales history: $1,000,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $96,000. Last start: WON Mar. 1 Gulfstream AOC.

You got the feeling trainer Shug McGuaghey wanted not just a win, but a good learning experience for 'TDN Rising Star' Conquest Warrior (City of Light) out of last Friday's nine-furlong allowance try at Gulfstream. The Hall-of-Fame trainer ended up getting both, and now has the luxury of choosing among several different prep stakes for this long-striding $1 million KEESEP colt.

Exiting an adversity-overcoming maiden win going a mile, Conquest Warrior got bet down to 3-5 favoritism against five rivals Mar. 1. He initially tried to resist Jose Ortiz's rating hold through the first turn, but Ortiz chose not to fight him, and Conquest Warrior adeptly settled into a more rhythmic cadence once Ortiz guided him off heels and away from outer cover seven-eighths out.

But by the six-furlong pole, Ortiz was already on the prowl to re-engage, and he chose an inside passage for Conquest Warrior, who ate some kickback but methodically picked off two backstretch targets before slicing outside of the tiring leader on the far turn.

By upper stretch this son of City of Light had attained the lead without coming anywhere close to being fully unleashed, and with no new threats emerging from behind, Ortiz put Conquest Warrior under cruise control for the final sixteenth. The 1:50.52 clocking translated to an 84 Beyer, the same figure the colt earned when breaking his maiden.

The Florida Derby, Blue Grass S., and GII Wood Memorial are all options.

9) MAYMUN (c, Frosted–Handwoven, by Indian Charlie) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Vision Racing & Sales LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $50,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $900,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $79,200. Last start: WON Feb. 11 Santa Anita AOC.

Maymun ($50,000 KEESEP, $900,000 OBSAPR) owns a 2-for-2 record for trainer Bob Baffert, but next-race plans for this 'TDN Rising Star' have yet to be publicly disclosed.

This son of Frosted romped by 7 1/2 lengths in his Jan. 20 unveiling over 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita (93 Beyer), then registered a one-mile allowance victory Feb. 11 despite racing rambunctiously on the first turn (89 Beyer).

Maymun's stablemate, Imagination (Into Mischief), was the second-place finisher in that allowance race. That colt returned Mar. 3 to win the San Felipe S. by a head with a 96 Beyer.

10) TIMBERLAKE (c, Into Mischief–Pin Up (Ire), by Lookin At Lucky) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC; B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. Sales history: $350,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GISW, 6-3-1-0, $1,094,350. Last start: WON Feb. 24 GII Rebel S.

'TDN Rising Star' Timberlake was a 93-Beyer winner in his sophomore debut, and while the speed figure he earned in that Rebel S. was only good enough to match the last two numbers he posted at age two when capturing the GI Champagne S. and running fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, there was improvement in the “how he did it” category.

That's because in the Juvenile, this $350,000 KEESEP son of Into Mischief resisted efforts to settle among horses on the clubhouse turn, and it cost him the race.

Nearly four months later at Oaklawn, Timberlake was tasked with essentially the same assignment, and this time he handled it capably, rating between horses before advancing into contention on the far turn.

Roused for run three-eighths out, Timberlake loomed five wide into the lane. Charging hard while widest and always under a drive, he put away three wilting pacemakers but had a touch more difficulty dispatching a 28-1 shot who had slipped through at the rail.

Timberlake momentarily stalled and shifted outward at the eighth pole, narrowly losing the lead for several strides. But after jockey Christian Torres re-engaged his interest, Timberlake drew off under encouragement to win by two lengths with no serious closers firing from the back of the pack.

A final prep race prior to the Kentucky Derby is in the cards, with trainer Brad Cox indicating that the preference will be a Grade I race, with the Arkansas Derby or Blue Grass S. the likeliest landing spots.

11) MYSTIK DAN (c, Goldencents–Ma'am, by Colonel John) O/B-Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby & 4G Racing, LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. Lifetime Record: SW, 5-2-1-0, $510,110. Last start: WON Feb. 3 GIII Southwest S.

Mystik Dan, who celebrated a birthday Mar. 4, is training at Fair Grounds for a repeat trip to Oaklawn for the Arkansas Derby.

Last time out at Oaklawn, this son of Goldencents unleashed an eight-length, 101-Beyer romp in the GIII Southwest S.

Considering Mystik Dan was let go at 11-1 in the betting, and taking into account that he might have relished a muddy, sealed surface that other horses didn't handle, it remains an open question as to whether this homebred for Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby, and 4G Racing can conjure up a similar effort against tougher competition going a longer distance over a dry surface.

The Southwest hasn't shaken out to be a productive stakes. The horses who ran second, fifth, seventh and tenth behind Mystik Dan in the Southwest came back to run seventh, second, sixth and tenth, respectively, in the Rebel S. The fourth-place Southwest horse dropped into an allowance race and again ran fourth. A ninth-place maiden out of the Southwest ran a next-out third in a MSW route.

Still, McPeek has pointed to intangibles when sizing up Mystik Dan's potential, explaining that he believes the colt has a good mind and an easygoing attitude, both of which are helping to adapt this his ample natural speed to two-turn pacing.

Encino | Coady

12) ENCINO (c, Nyquist–Glittering Jewel, by Bernardini) O/B-Godolphin, LLC (KY); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-1-0, $141,971. Last start: WON Mar. 2 John Battaglia Memorial S.

Encino (Nyquist) is an under-the-radar but quietly improving colt from trainer Brad Cox's barn. Over the weekend he upped his record to 2-for-3 in Tapeta routes at Turfway by winning the John Battaglia Memorial S. over 1 1/16 miles by one length with an 89 Beyer.

This Godolphin homebred's only loss was by a neck when second in his mile debut. He then wired the field at odds-on in start number two, and overcame post 11 in the Battaglia S. despite giving up four paths of real estate on both turns and running up on the heels of the favorite at the three-sixteenths pole. After regaining his momentum, Encino refocused to reel in that more experienced, stakes-winning foe.

Encino's connections now must decide whether to keep him on a Tapeta surface they know he can handle by targeting the Mar. 23 GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks S. at Turfway, or if he's ready for a transition to a dirt surface against what would likely be more difficult competition.

The post TDN Sophomore Top 12: Getting Ready To March Into Nine-Furlong Proving Grounds appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Jayson Werth Hits It Out of the Park with Dornoch

Plagued by injuries and getting up there in age, Jayson Werth announced his retirement from baseball on June 28, 2018. He finished with 229 career home runs, was an All-Star in 2009 and won a World Series in 2008 with the Philadelphia Phillies. It had been a great run, but when it was over Werth wasn't exactly ready to move on. He never lost the feelings that baseball gave him, the excitement, the ups and downs, the camaraderie with his teammates and the pride that comes with knowing that you have succeeded at the highest level.

There was golf but he needed something else. And in horse racing Jayson Werth has found exactly what he was looking for. Running under the name of Two Eight Racing (Werth wore number 28 during his playing days), the 44-year-old native of Springfield, Illinois has enjoyed remarkable early success. Involved in the sport only since 2021, Werth could be on his way to the GI Kentucky Derby. He is the co-owner of Dornoch (Good Magic), the winner of the GII Fountain of Youth S., as well as recent maiden winner Drip (Good Magic), who will be out to pick up Derby points in this Saturday's GII Tampa Bay Derby. Then there's R Calli Kim (Revolutionary), who won the GIII Very One S., which was part of the Fountain of Youth card.

“On some level, horse racing has filled a really large void in my life that has been created by my retiring from baseball,” he said. “Horse racing picked up where baseball left off. Its's a great industry for me to be in. Professional baseball, when you do it for 22 years, it takes over your whole life. My wife has a sign in the kitchen that says 'We interrupt this family for baseball season.' Then it's over and you think 'what do I do now?'

Werth lived near a Standardbred farm when he was growing up and befriended the owner and helped out with the horses, something that he enjoyed. But his family moved when he was 13 and Werth would soon be immersed in baseball. He didn't have time for anything else.

He soon found out that the passion he had for horses when he was young had never disappeared. Werth began playing golf with Richard Averill, who runs under the name of Averill Racing, and the owner introduced him to Thoroughbred racing.

Dornoch after winning the Fountain of Youth | Ryan Thompson

“I started picking Richard's brain and then partnered with him on some horses,” Werth said. “Racing became a passion and a love really fast for me. It started out with me thinking this is fun, let's claim this horse for $8,000. But I found out that's like playing in the minor leagues. It's not where you want to be.”

When asked to compare the feeling of winning a big race like the Fountain of Youth with his accomplishments in baseball, Werth said the biggest difference is that when it comes to racing he is a nervous wreck.

“I never got nervous playing sports,” he said. “Even before big games, the morning of, the day of, I never felt pressure or nervous. I was very comfortable, very calm. Horse racing has been the exact opposite. I get sick to my stomach before a race. I'm experiencing emotions I never knew existed. The winning and losing when it comes to racing is very comparable to winning in the divisional series, winning in the World Series. Having success or failure in racing, that feels very familiar to me. It's the lead-up into the race that gives me panic attacks.”

Dornoch may be his best horse, but he is most passionate about R Calli Kim. After a 55-week layoff, she came back in July and won a $35,000 claimer at Saratoga. That began a four-race win streak that included a victory in the GIII Long Island S. After finishing second in the GIII La Prevoyante S. she returned to the winner's circle in the The Very One.

“She got hurt and then didn't run for a whole year,” he said. “We thought she was done racing and then all of a sudden, she was doing really well and we sent her back to (trainer) Brendan (Walsh) and she has won six of seven. She's such a great horse, so sweet and nice. After my wife, she's my favorite girl in the whole world.”

Werth has been in the sport for just a little over three years and already has a GII Remsen S. winner, a Fountain of Youth winner and could have two horses in this year's Kentucky Derby. The game is supposed to be a lot tougher than that. Werth gets that.

“I've been in the right place at the right time,” he said. “Here we are, just a couple of years into it, and we are having unbelievable luck and success. I'm torn. Yes, I love horse racing but if we tried to do this again I don't know if we'd be this lucky or have a chance of doing some of the stuff we are doing. We're enjoying the fruits of our success. It's been such a great run and we're having a lot of fun with it. It's hard to believe and I tell people that. I could do this for the rest of my life and invest $10 million a year and not be in this position. It's storybook stuff and I am cherishing every second of this. I can guarantee you that isn't lost on me.”

Dornoch, the full brother to 2023 Derby winner Mage (Good Magic), did his job in the Fountain of Youth, but the race became a lot easier Speak Easy (Constitution), Victory Avenue (Arrogate), Merit (Mastery) and Locked (Gun Runner) were all scratched.

“I would not discount Dornoch on any level just because those horses weren't in there,” Werth said. “If they were, I think we would have seen the same result.”

Dornoch will go next in either the GI Florida Derby or the GI Blue Grass S. Trainer Danny Gargan has yet to decide. The Derby, of course, is the main goal. It's the toughest race in the world to win, but one of his owners has one of the hottest hands in the sport. He has that going for him.

“I understand why people spend millions of dollars on chasing this dream,” Werth said. “That's exactly what it is, a dream. What's happening, I think it is incredible.”

The post Jayson Werth Hits It Out of the Park with Dornoch appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Partnerships, Presented by Taylor Made Partnerships: Rocket Wrench Racing

From bustling cities to quiet rural towns, the potential for achievement and success knows no geographical boundaries. The same goes for Thoroughbred racing partnerships. Successful partnerships are not always born on major circuits like Kentucky, New York, or California. Sometimes they are born in a barn just south of a rural town in Minnesota called Elko New Market.

For Rocket Wrench Racing's managing partner Justin Revak, what started out as a dream one summer while stomping divots on Canterbury Park's turf course has developed into a partnership group on a meteoric rise. From a daydreaming teenager to top-10 owner at his home track, this story proves all you need is for the planets to align and a rocket to get you there.

“It really has been an extraordinary adventure that began over a decade ago when I came across a Craigslist ad offering one percent of a Minnesota-bred 2-year-old colt for $300,” Revak began. “Loving horse racing since I was a kid, I decided to pick up the phone and call the number on the ad. Hell, it was only $300.” The horse's name was Rocket Wrench, an unimpressive dark bay with donkey-like ears and a blaze on his face resembling an open-faced wrench.

The trajectory of the new venture started out with a series of not-so-impressive races, thus the general partner was ready to give up on the horse after the second year. “I still had faith in Rocket, as we called him around the barn, so I agreed to buy him. The next day I brought him to my farm for the winter,” recalled Revak. At the start of Rocket's third season, Justin took to Craigslist himself and looked for nine partners asking $1,000 each. The ad, to his surprise, took. Revak was now the general partner of Rocket Wrench Racing.

Rocket Wrench partner Shawn Valek recalls the day the stars aligned for him. “I was looking for a lawn mower about 12 years ago on Craigslist. I clearly got sidetracked and found an ad for a partnership in a racehorse. The price was $1,000 for a 10% share. I quickly called my friend Joe McBroom and said I had two questions for him. First, I asked him if he would like to go in on this horse. He said, “Yes but what is your other question?” The second question was, “Can you tell my wife you found the ad on Craigslist?” McBroom granted the request, and the first group of partners were on their way.

Justin Revak and Rocket Wrench | Courtesy Justin Revak

McBroom has never regretted that day either. “When your horse is at the top of the stretch, it's absolutely thrilling to me and, the fact that we have a group of friends involved makes it a decidedly social endeavor.”

Revak sent Rocket to Canterbury Hall of Fame trainer Bernell Rhone to see if he could work his magic. On June 30th, 2012, Rocket Wrench Racing officially became a winning partnership as Rocket Wrench pulled away from the field by four lengths and crossed the finish line first.

Since that first win in 2012, Rocket Wrench Racing has amassed over $1,000,000 in earnings, boasts a 28% win percentage, and an in-the-money rate of 64%. “We have always been an aggressive claiming partnership. If a horse we have in the barn can't win or at least hit the board, we will drop him to where they belong,” explains Revak.

The team of trainers still includes Rhone but is now led by Karl Broberg and Tony Rengstorf. “We currently race in multiple states and all our trainers have impressive teams that do the day-in and day-out work that is ultimately responsible for our success,” said Revak. “Karl has taught me so much about finding good claims and we've become a really strong team. If both of us like the same horse, there's a pretty good chance it is going to do well for us.”

Partner Bret Woodson recalls, “I was in a previous partnership with some friends when I lived in Kansas City. It was a decent-sized group that claimed horses mostly in Louisiana. At the time, we were always going up against, and usually getting beat by, trainer Karl Broberg. Now I am a partner in Rocket Wrench Racing with Karl as our trainer. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?”

Plenty of other racing enthusiasts have joined Rocket Wrench Racing in recent years including Lisa Migletz. “After my parents passed away, I wanted to honor them and our tradition of going to races by doing something special,” she said. “After doing some research, I was eventually led to Justin Revak and Rocket Wrench, and I became a partner. It was one of the greatest and most exciting things to ever happen to me.”

Rocket Wrench Racing has zero markups on any of their claiming partnerships and has gone from one group to seven in the last decade and now have 37 different owners. “We have had Canterbury-only groups, groups with higher investment levels, and groups with specific circuits in mind,” said Revak.

“We are currently offering our first Hoosier group to race at Horseshoe Indianapolis in 2024, which is exciting.” Each partnership group has $300 per month set aside to pay for all necessary legal and accounting services. The minimum investment level for a group starts at $2,500 and partners can own anywhere from five percent to 25 percent.

“I work to retain enough capital for each group so that we have few, if any, cash calls while the group is still active,” remarked Revak. “I am proud to say that we haven't had a single cash call since the first group was formed. That is not to say we haven't had swings in the total value from year to year, but overall, I work hard to manage our cash and horses, so I don't have to send out invoices.”

Partner Ida Schneck was drawn to the business model. “What I liked about Rocket Wrench Racing was that it was affordable and had a solid business plan so the risk of having to pay additional fees beyond my initial investment was minimal. Plus, I could own 5% and get an owner's license.”

Rocket Wrench Racing will be moving into the yearling market with Marcus and Crystal Ryan from Mason Springs Farm this year, due to a number of current partners looking for something new to experience.

“I am fortunate to be able to be a part of the main group of owners who have a piece of all the diverse groups within Rocket Wrench,” said partner Woodson. “My wife and I have three adult kids and they are all interested in and supportive of the Rocket Wrench partnership. Our four-year-old grandson has already been in the paddock and the winner's circle on numerous occasions, and we are hoping for many more as the years progress.”

Chris McCarron, Angel Cordero, and Justin Revak | Courtesy Justin Revak

Revak not only has learned that partnerships are the best vehicle to introducing new owners to the industry, but also that new owners expect more from the industry as it relates to racehorse aftercare and supporting the people who live and work in the stable areas.

Nebraska native 29-year-old Derek Drews is one of those partners. “I love being able to take family and friends to the barns to feed the horses,” he said. “Watching horses train in the morning is something special to see. Justin has always been great about getting myself and my family involved with the entire experience of ownership. Rocket Wrench participates and supports many of the charitable organizations, such as the Leg Up Fund down at the track. Yes, our ownership group is managed as a business, but we believe in much more than just winning races.”

Revak and several Rocket Wrench Racing partners unintentionally started a campaign in 2021 to buy air conditioner units for the dorms at Canterbury Park. “It was a sweltering summer, especially for Minnesota, and I went out and bought a couple of air conditioners at Home Depot for our groom's dorm rooms. Before I knew it, the HBPA, and the Minnesota Thoroughbred Association (Minnesota's breeding organization) and our partners chipped in even more money. Home Depot gave me a discount to help and away we went,” recalled Revak.

The giving did not stop there. Rocket Wrench Racing is a generous supporter of Jockeys and Jeans, the Leg Up Fund, and an exciting new organization that operates at Canterbury Park called Abijah's on the Backside. Sally Mixon, the founder of Abijah's, summarized the program. “Abijah's is the bridge between the racing industry and community wellness, pairing off-track Thoroughbreds with counselling professionals who are trained in a mental health experiential framework called ARCH. Justin and Rocket Wrench Racing have been big supporters of the work we do not only with horses and horse people, but also local first responders who participate in the program.”

The Rocket Wrench Racing story has now come full circle as the very first horse to launch this partnership, Rocket himself, is now one of the horses providing care for the clients of Abijah's. “It's cool being able to see Rocket work with people who need help, plus I get to see him most of the summer,” said Revak. “It is fun to look back at winner's circle photos on my wall from 2012 when my kids were eight and six and Rocket won his first race for us, until now when they are all grown up. My family and these horses are so important to me. The whole thing is wild. This horse, and this partnership has brought so much to so many.”

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