Sunday Insights: Expensive Breeze-Up Purchases Square Off

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

7th-SA, $61K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 7:03 p.m. ET
SIR LONDON (Malibu Moon) was led out unsold on a bid of $135,000 at the 2020 Keeneland January Sale, but improved over the next 17 months and was knocked down to agents Alex Elliott and Ben McElroy for $700,000 after breezing a furlong on his wrong lead in :10 flat (see below) at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale. The priciest of 24 juveniles (32 ring) for his late sire in 2021, Sir London is a half-brother to MSP Castellani (Quality Road) and GSP Seeking Her Glory (Giant's Causeway). His multiple Grade III-winning grand-dam is responsible for GSW Converge (Sidney's Candy) and SP Hot Dad (Sidney's Candy). Winning Map (Liam's Map) cost Pick View just $55,000 as a KEESEP yearling but blossomed into a $525,000 OBS March acquisition by Emmanuel de Seroux's Narvick International after a quarter-mile drill in :20 3/5. TJCIS PPs

 

 

'Rising Star' Back In Action at Churchill…
9th-CD, $141K, Alw/Opt. Clm., 3yo/up, 7f, 4:55 p.m. ET
Winchell Thoroughbreds' PNEUMATIC (Uncle Mo) earned 'TDN Rising Star' status for a fast-finishing allowance victory going a mile at Oaklawn last April and went on to complete the trifecta behind Maxfield (Street Sense) in the GIII Matt Winn S. the following month. Fourth to Tiz the Law (Constitution) in the GI Belmont S., the homebred made light work of seven rivals in the Pegasus S. at Monmouth Park in August and was last seen finishing well down the field in the GI Preakness S. exactly 52 weeks ago. TJCIS PPs

2019 OBS April Topper Makes Belated Bow…
4th-WO, C$123k, Msw, 3yo/up, 1mT, post time: 2:48 p.m ET
MILANO (Into Mischief) was purchased by DeMeric Sales for $300,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and was successfully resold at OBS April the following spring, fetching a sales-topping $1.3 million from Team Casse on behalf of owner John Oxley after the colt breezed two furlongs in :21 flat. The bay colt is out of an unraced half-sister to MSW & GISP By the Light (Malibu Moon), the dam of MGISW By the Moon (Indian Charlie) and GSP Wonderful Light (Tiz Wonderful). TJCIS PPs

Freakish First-Out Winner Takes Next Step…
7th-WO, C$101K, Alw, 3yo/up, 6fT, post time: 4:27 p.m. ET
ARTIE (Artie Schiller) had plenty of admirers as a 7-2 chance making his debut in a 6 1/2-furlong turf maiden Sept. 4 and was a clear last early after being steadied right out of the machine. But he traveled sweetly thereafter, pinched ground on the turn and exploded through the lane while switching his leads back and forth to graduate by 9 1/2 lengths in fast time (video), good for an 89 Beyer Speed Figure. The 8-5 morning-line favorite has gate six with Kazushi Kimura back in the irons. TJCIS PPs

The post Sunday Insights: Expensive Breeze-Up Purchases Square Off appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Medina Spirit Takes On Accomplished Elders in Awesome Again

Medina Spirit (Protonico) looks to secure his spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic as he faces his elders Saturday in the GI Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita. Winner of the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. here in January, the Florida-bred was second in both the Mar. 6 GII San Felipe S.–won by his former stablemate and recent GII Kelso H. victor Life is Good (Into Mischief)–and Apr. 3 GI Santa Anita Derby. The dark bay went wire to wire in the May 1 GI Kentucky Derby, a win that is now in question after a minor overage of betamethasone was detected in post-race testing. Third after setting the early pace in the GI Preakness S. May 15, he scored a facile, front-running victory in the Shared Belief S. at Del Mar last time Aug. 29. Medina Spirit was entered to run in last weekend's GI Pennsylvania Derby, but trainer Bob Baffert scratched him in favor of this test after the draw. Stablemate Azul Coast (Super Saver) breaks to Medina Spirit's outside here after taking a Del Mar optional claimer Aug. 22

GI Pacific Classic top two Tripoli (Kitten's Joy) and Tizamagician (Tiznow) both return in this spot. The former has run on the turf for most of his career, but sports a record of 3-2-1-0 since switching dirt, winning a local optional claimer June 19 and finishing second in the GII San Diego H. July 17. Tizamagician entered the Pac Classic off a win in the GIII Cougar II S. at Del Mar July 18.

GI Santa Anita H. victor Idol (Curlin) was sidelined after scoring that career high Mar. 6 and makes his first start off the bench in this Breeders' Cup qualifier. He boasts a strong worktab in preparation, most recently breezing a bullet six furlongs in 1:12 flat here Sept. 26.

John Shireffs sends out two in here in Express Train (Union Rags) and Midcourt (Midnight Lute). Winner of the GII San Diego H. July 17, Express Train was a well-beaten sixth in the Pac Classic, but is typically a consistent money earner and could get a piece here. MGSW Midcourt comes into this off an allowance win at this oval June 18. Shared Belief third Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) rounds out the field.

The post Medina Spirit Takes On Accomplished Elders in Awesome Again appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

LNJ Foxwoods Duo Take on Rodeo Drive

LNJ Foxwoods' sends out a pair of homebreds from two different barns in Luck (Kitten's Joy) and Dogtag (War Front), both of whom have a good chance to secure a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf next month in Saturday's GI Rodeo Drive S. at Santa Anita. Luck kicked off her career in France for trainer Alain De Royer-Dupre, winning two of four starts going long on the synthetic, including an Apr. 1 allowance. Sixth in her final European start on turf May 8, she was moved Stateside to trainer Richard Baltas and impressed in her U.S. debut, going from last to first in a Del Mar optional claimer Aug. 7, good for a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

Dogtag will carry the same navy and gold colors, but hails from the Richard Mandella barn. A three-time listed stakes winner, she has been knocking at the door of a graded victory for some time. The gray has been second in her last four starts, including the Aug. 7 GII Yellow Ribbon H. and Sept. 4 GII John C. Mabee S. at Del Mar.

John Mabee winner Going to Vegas (Goldencents) runs back here as well. Runner-up in the GI American Oaks last term, the bay won the GIII Santa Ana S. Mar. 27 and was fifth in the May 31 GI Gamely S., but rebounded with an optional claimer win at Del Mar July 16.

Also exiting the Mabee is Brazilian import Fast Jet Court (Brz) (Courtier), who was making her American bow when fourth in that event.

The post LNJ Foxwoods Duo Take on Rodeo Drive appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Liam’s Map Pair Set To Duke It Out in Ack Ack

Stonestreet Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' Beau Liam (Liam's Map), unbeaten in three starts in the lower grades, takes a steep rise in class as he squares off with the well-traveled Rushie (Liam's Map) in Saturday's GIII Ack Ack S. at Churchill Downs. Each could book a ticket to this year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, won in spectacular fashion by their sire at Keeneland in 2015.

The homebred turned in a freakish effort on debut, sitting off a quick pace, cruising past the front-runners under a hold and scampering home by 7 1/2 lengths en route to his 'Rising Star'. The bay was never given a breather in a loaded first-level Saratoga allowance July 17, but battled on bravely to best the talented Witsel (Nyquist) by a nose and backed that up with a six-length success in an Aug. 29 allowance at the Spa. He stretches out to Churchill's one-turn mile Saturday, the same course and distance over which his dam Belle of Perintown (Dehere) won the 2002 Pocahontas S.

Rushie ran with credit along the Triple Crown trail in 2020, finishing third in the GI Santa Anita Derby in early June and in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. the following month before striking from just off the pace in the GII Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard Sept. 5. Seventh to Knicks Go (Paynter) in the Dirt Mile, he has yet to get his picture taken in four tries this term, but has run well, including placings in the Apr. 10 Oaklawn Mile and in the GII Charles Town Classic Aug. 27 over a nine-furlong trip that is beyond his best.

South Bend (Algorithms) has taken just one of his last 16 starts, but he is unbeaten in two outings around one turn beneath the Twin Spires, having graduated at first asking over six furlongs before adding the Street Sense S. at the track and distance in 2019. He returns to the dirt off unplaced efforts on the turf at Saratoga in August and last month at Kentucky Downs.

The post Liam’s Map Pair Set To Duke It Out in Ack Ack appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights