Shared News | Horse Racing Free Tips

Siblings of Successful Saratoga Grads on Offer at Fasig

There have been several horses over the past 100 years of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale to summon big price tags, eclipsing the $500,000 mark, in the Humphrey S. Finney pavilion and then go on to be quite successful on the racetrack. The siblings of four such Thoroughbreds are part of the catalogue for the famed auction's centennial edition to be held at the Spa Aug. 9-10.

The 2017 GI Belmont S. winner Tapwrit (Tapit) summoned $1.2-million at the Saratoga Sale back in 2015 from a partnership comprised of Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbreds and Robert LaPenta. Prior to the Belmont, the gray captured the GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby and retired with a record of 13-4-1-1 and earnings of $1,362,402. He retired to stud at Gainesway and is represented by his first yearlings this season.

Tapwrit's Grade I-winning dam Appealing Zophie (Successful Appeal) is also the dam of MGSW & GISP Ride a Comet (Candy Ride {Arg}) and SW Inject (Frosted). Barronstown Stud purchased the mare for $1.2 million carrying a foal by Tapit at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Appealing Zophie's most recent foal is a colt by Justify, who is offered as Hip 41 with Eaton Sales.

“He is beautiful. What I have found pretty unique about him is he has a great, long, well-angled shoulder and incredible depth up front, much like his brother,” said Eaton's Reiley McDonald. “The mare is by a really underrated broodmare sire in Successful Appeal. She has been outstanding with a very limited pedigree, but she could run herself. She has two graded stakes winners, including a Belmont Classic winner. When I looked at this one on the farm back in April, I wrote down two things: an A and Saratoga.”

MGSW Travel Column (Frosted) sold at the most recent edition of the Saratoga Sale in 2019, bringing $850,000 from OXO Equine's Larry Best. She justified her price tag pretty quickly, earning the 'TDN Rising Star' moniker for her impressive debut win at Churchill in September and was third in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. next out. Closing 2020 with a win in the GII Golden Rod S., the gray was second in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. in February and won the GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks in March. She was fifth in both the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks Apr. 30 and the GI Acorn S. June 5.

Fasig-Tipton's Bayne Welker and his wife Christina purchased Travel Column's MSW dam Swingit (Victory Gallop)–who is also responsible for MGISP Neolithic (Harlan's Holiday)–for $50,000 in foal to Bodemeister at the 2016 KEENOV sale. The resulting colt brought $310,000 from LaPenta's Whitehorse Stables at the Humphrey S. Finney pavilion in 2018.

Travel Column summoned almost three-times that the following year in Saratoga and her year-younger brother would have eclipsed that number if the 2020 renewal of the sale had not been canceled due to COVID-19. The son of American Pharoah, now named Corton Charlemagne, was re-routed to Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase–a combination of the Saratoga, New York-Bred and July Sales held in Lexington in September–where he sold for $1.25 million to Speedway Stables. Swingit's 2020 colt from the first crop of City of Light will be the second-to-last horse through the ring in Saratoga this year as Hip 209.

“This colt is a very typical Swingit in that we think he is a pretty special horse,” said Conrad Bandoroff of Denali Stud, which consigns the colt. “Bayne and Chris Welker, who are two very high-caliber horsemen, think he is the best foal Swingit has given them. That is pretty high praise and I would have a hard time arguing with them. He is just a very forward, very attractive, well-balanced, strong individual. Corton Charlemagne, the horse we sold for $1.25 million at the Fasig-Tipton Yearling Showcase [in September], was a May foal. This colt is a little more progressive and forward-looking than he was.”

He continued, “Obviously, Travel Column was a great success. By a freshman sire in Frosted, she sold for $850,000 at Saratoga two years ago. There is a little bit more to this colt in terms of substance and strength, but he has that fluid walk and athleticism Travel Column had. What was great about her whole story was there were people shopping the sale, who, before the sale, said they were looking for colts by proven stallions, but every time they came by the consignment, they kept seeing this gray filly and fell in love. That is what happened with Larry [Best]. We are thrilled that it worked out and we are hoping this colt is going to come up here and continue Swingit's Saratoga success. We sold Travel Column up here. We sold a Bodemeister very well up here, and, had there been a Saratoga Sale up here last year, the American Pharoah would have come up here and been the sale-topping colt.”

Four Wheel Drive, a colt from the initial crop of Triple Crown hero American Pharoah, proved quite popular at the 2018 edition of the Saratoga Sale, bringing $525,000 from pinhookers Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo, who were acting on behalf of Breeze Easy. He RNA'd for $825,000 the following March at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale, but made up for it on the racetrack. Opening his account with a win in the Rosie's S. at Colonial Downs, the bay followed suit with a victory in Belmont's GIII Futurity S. and won the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint S. to take his juvenile record to three-for-three.

His stakes-winning dam Funfair (More Than Ready), a 'TDN Rising Star', did not produce foals in 2018 or 2019, but her 2020 foal, a full-sister to Four Wheel Drive, is Hip 102. She sells under the same Paramount Sales banner that her brother did.

“We are very pleased to have the full-sibling to BC Juvenile Turf Sprint and Futurity S. winner Four Wheel Drive,” said Paramount's Lesley Campion. “She is from an incredibly fast family with two siblings having set new course records [Four Wheel Drive and Born Great (Scat Daddy)], the family is hugely precocious and this filly looks to have that same physical forwardness to her. Four Wheel Drive got that clever name when Dean DeRenzo commented, here at the Saratoga sale, on his walk being like a four wheel drive, powerful action from each limb, and his sister shows the same. She has quality, strength and balance, coupled with a cool head, a filly anyone would love to add to their stable.”

While 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) has not won a stake yet, most people would agree it's only a matter of time. Purchased by West Point Thoroughbreds for $1 million at the 2019 Saratoga Sale, the bay has made just one start so far, but he made it count, romping by 13 1/4 lengths and stopping the clock for six furlongs in 1:08.75 at Santa Anita in April. Trained by John Sadler, the bay races under a partnership that, in addition to West Point, includes Hronis Racing, Siena Farm and breeder Summer Wind Equine.

Summer Wind owner Jane Lyon purchased Flightline's Grade III-winning and MGISP dam Feathered (Indian Charlie) for $2.35 million in foal to War Front at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale. Flightline is her second foal and second winner from two foals of racing age. Her fourth foal is Flightline's yearling full-brother, who is Hip 92 in the Lane's End consignment.

“This colt is very well put together,” Lyon said. “I think he is stockier and has a little more bone than Flightline had. We are hopeful that the buyers will like him for his own physicality and will appreciate that the mare if capable of producing a runner.”

The 100th edition of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale gets underway Monday at 6:30 p.m.

The post Siblings of Successful Saratoga Grads on Offer at Fasig appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Maker Barn Sprints to Early Spa Lead

Mike Maker, with 42 training titles at Kentucky's five racetracks, is very much a contender this summer for the coveted prize at Saratoga Race Course.

A remarkable stretch of nine wins from 25 starters last week pushed Maker to the top of the table with 14 wins in the first 14 days of the 40-day season. He had at least one winner in each of the five racing days of the week and his stable hit the board at a 72% rate. That run of success enabled Maker to finish the week on Sunday with a six-victory lead over Todd Pletcher and Steve Asmussen and he was seven ahead of Chad Brown and Brad Cox. His win streak ended during Wednesday's program he had a third and a fourth with his starters.

Maker, 52, acknowledged that he was optimistic about how his stable might fare in the opening weeks of the Saratoga season.

“The condition book fit us well,” he said. “We had a lot of horses doing well, a lot of babies getting ready to run. It's hard to predict 14 wins, but we have had a good start.”

Maker's stable is typically strong on the turf–he started Wednesday's card with a meet-leading seven wins on the grass– had to deal with what has been an unusually rainy summer in upstate New York. A total of 21 races–10 last week alone–have been moved from the turf to the main track this season.

“It kind of hurt us the first week, but that's racing,” Maker said. “You keep plugging along.”

Maker earned his 11th Saratoga stakes victory, and seventh in the past two seasons, according to Equibase, on Saturday when Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border (English Channel) picked up a repeat victory in the GII Bowling Green S.

With 44 horses at Saratoga and another 50 at Belmont Park, Maker has a well-stocked stable to compete at Saratoga.

“We've been rotating them in and out and we've got Kentucky to draw from, too,” he said. “We're still going to try to place the horses properly and see what happens.”

Maker had his best showing at Saratoga in 2020, finishing in a tie for third place with Christophe Clement at 20 victories. Todd Pletcher led the way 32 wins, four ahead of Chad Brown.

With a smile and nod, Maker said he thinks about winning the Saratoga title.

“It's a nice thought,” he said. “Chad, Todd, Christophe are tough and we know racing can turn around in a hurry. You've got to have a lot of racing luck.”

Maker said finishing on top at Saratoga is always a goal, but one that has not yet been achieved.

“It'd be great, obviously,” he said. “Very prestigious meet. We're fortunate to be in the position we are.”

The post Maker Barn Sprints to Early Spa Lead appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

For Irish Shipper Cadillac, Saratoga is a Perfect Fit

With their horse coming off a win in a Group 3 stakes race, the connections of Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) could have easily pointed their horse to some of the major stakes remaining on the European calendar. Instead, the 3-year-old colt will be in Saratoga Saturday for the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational. With so many lucrative opportunities available, it is growing increasingly difficult for European stables to ignore a stakes schedule laden with rich, winnable races.

“This is a very valuable race, it's a Grade I and it fit into Cadillac's program,” said Richie Galway, the racing manager for trainer Jessica Harrington. “He was obviously there at the Breeders' Cup in November, so we know that he travels. The American turf program is becoming more popular with European trainers and it is improving all the time. This sport that we are all involved in is really a global sport and is becoming more global every day. You have to look outside of what we race in here in Ireland and in Europe.”

In 2018, Harrington set up a syndicate, Alpha Racing, and set out to build up the stable with yearling purchases. Galway said that Cadillac was one of eight yearlings bought in 2019 by Alpha. Though by the star sire Lope de Vega, Alpha was bought for the equivalent of $43,597 at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale. It didn't take him long to establish himself. He broke his maiden in his first career race by nine lengths and, two starts later, won the G3 KPMG Champions Juvenile S. at Leopardstown. After a defeat at Newmarket, he shipped to Keenleand, where he was fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

“Cadillac is Alpha's flagship horse,” Galway said. “From a €40,000 yearling at Goffs Orby we have a horse to compete in a Grade I, $1-million race in Saratoga. It's dream stuff.”

Before she got into racing, Harrington, 74, was one of Ireland's top three-day event riders and competed in the Olympics. She turned to training in 1989 and enjoyed much success as a steeplechase trainer, winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2017. She still trains jumpers, but has added flat horses to her stable. One of her first top horses on the flat was Pathfork (Distorted Humor), the winner of the 2010 G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. Pathfork shipped to Santa Anita for the 2012 GII Arcadia S., where he was sixth. Harrington is winless in the U.S. from six tries. Harrington also campaigned Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), the winner of four Group 1 races, including the 2018 G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas.

Galway said that Irish racing has been slow to adopt racing partnerships, and Harrington took advantage of what she saw as an opportunity. Alpha Racing was born.

“Partnerships and syndications are becoming the most popular form of horse ownership,” Galway said. “In Ireland, we were slower to catch on to. We developed Alpha from that concept. It allows people the opportunity to get involved in horse ownership at a relatively modest investment level with the potential of landing on a superstar. We spread the risk and give the partners lots of action. It is really about spreading the risk, trying to be commercial about how we run the partnership and having a lot of fun along the way. When you buy a yearling at a modest level like that, it's hard to imagine you could end up running at Saratoga in a $1 million race at an iconic track, going there with a chance. We are hugely excited. Cadillac has proven those horses are out there, if you're willing to spread your risk and buy some horses.”

After the Breeders' Cup, Cadillac was given a break and made his 3-year-old debut in the G3 ARM Holding International S. at The Curragh, which he won by a nose. Galway said that after that win, the option that made the most sense was to come to Saratoga.

“It's not that we are passing any races in Europe,” he said. “It's more that this race is an ideal opportunity for him to run against his own age group. It's a good opportunity to put Cadillac in the shop window in Saratoga.”

Though it sometimes seems that European grass horses are better than American grass runners, Galway understands that the Saratoga Derby will be anything but an easy spot.

“As we saw in his last race, he's a tough and tenacious horse,” Galway said. “This will be his toughest task to date. It looks like a very deep race. No matter where you run when you run for $1 million in a Group 1, whether it's Ireland, the UK or the U.S. or anywhere else, you're going to be taking on some serious opponents. At this level, there's no such thing as a soft spot.”

The post For Irish Shipper Cadillac, Saratoga is a Perfect Fit appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Curlin Looking to Follow Up on Memorable 2019 Saratoga Success

The last time the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale was held, Curlin recorded a memorable trifecta with the auction's top three seven-figure yearlings. Leading the way was the $1.5-million co-topper First Captain, who was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' and captured the GIII Dwyer S. The Hill 'n' Dale stallion will be represented by five yearlings when bidding returns to the Humphrey S. Finney pavilion in upstate New York next week.

“Curlin is truly a Classic sire,” said Mark Taylor of Taylor Made Sales Agency, which will consign two fillies by the stallion during the two-day boutique sale. “He can come up with a good 2-year-old, but when I think Curlin, I am thinking about big-time route races.”

The first of Taylor Made's offerings by Curlin is hip 63, a daughter of Classofsixtythree (Include) and a half-sister to graded stakes winner and Grade I placed Gunmetal Gray (Exchange Rate).

“This filly has grown up on Taylor Made and I have always loved her,” Taylor said. “She is a May foal and is only scratching the surface of what she will be in time. This filly is out of an Include mare and is a half-sister to Gunmetal Gray, who was a Grade I-placed 2-year-old and a top-tier 3-year-old a few years back. This filly looks like she will be a Classic two-turn filly. She's a very nice Curlin.”

Also from the Taylor Made consignment is hip 181, a daughter of Curlin whose dam Rose Garden (Pioneerof the Nile) is a half-sister to GI Preakness S. winner Exaggerator, also by Curlin.

“This filly is a late April foal,” Taylor said. “She has a ton of size and strength. For anyone trying to find an Oaks type 3-year-old, she will hit their radar. Her dam is a half-sister to Exaggerator, so Curlin has already produced a Classic winner from this immediate family. She was born and raised at Twin Creeks Farm. They have produced a bunch of classy horses over the years, including Tiz The Law last year.”

Taylor Made is no stranger to dealing with talented daughters of Curlin.

“We have sold some talented Curlin fillies in the past,” Taylor said. “The one who jumps out at me as the prototype of what I think Curlin produces is Grade II winner Point of Honor. She had strength, scope and balance. She ran to those looks and has just come up short at the Grade I level. Spice Is Nice is another beautiful Curlin filly. We did not sell her, but she was rehabbed with us for a few months. She had the same qualities as Point of Honor–just beautiful fillies.”

Rounding out the three Curlin fillies in the Saratoga catalogue is hip 128, a daughter of Leslie May (Tapit), who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Uncaptured (Lion Heart). The gray filly is consigned by Warrendale Sales as agent for her breeder Stonestreet, which campaigned two-time Horse of the Year Curlin.

A pair of colts by Curlin are catalogued for Tuesday's second session of the Saratoga sale. Lane's End will consign hip 166, a son of Often (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is a half-sister to Giant's Causeway.

Gainesway consigns hip 207, a chestnut colt out of stakes winner Sweet Seventeen (Hard Spun).

Taylor is happy to have the Saratoga sale back in the line-up after a year's hiatus caused by the pandemic.

“It's great to be back at Saratoga this year,” Taylor said. “It's an important sale for buyers, sellers and consignors. Having the racing and selling all in one great town is a unique combination.”

Taylor Made has had many memorable moments at the Saratoga sale, which celebrates its 100th renewal this year.

“We have so many great memories at Saratoga,” Taylor said. “All the sale toppers over the years have been exciting and consigning great racehorses like Rushing Fall, American Pharoah, Vindication and so many others makes the effort not seem like work at all.”

The post Curlin Looking to Follow Up on Memorable 2019 Saratoga Success appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post