Tag: Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone, Brown May Have Best Chance Yet to Win a Derby

Chad Brown's barn includes a lot of fillies and is dominated by turf horses, which makes winning the GI Kentucky Derby more challenging than it is for trainers like Todd Pletcher, Brad Cox and Bob Baffert, who seem to have an almost endless supply of ammunition. The future Hall of Famer has started just seven horses in the Derby and the best he has to show for it is a second-place finish in 2018 with Good Magic (Curlin). But that doesn't mean the right horse won't come his way, and this year may be the year.

Brown may have the favorite in Saturday's GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds in 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), who checks a lot of boxes. Sold for $2.3 million, he was the sales topper at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and has since given every indication that he can compete at the highest level of the sport. He broke his maiden in November at Aqueduct and then ran second in the GII Remsen S., losing by just a nose. The Risen Star will mark his 3-year-old debut.

“The Derby, it's one of the few races we haven't won and it's definitely right there at the top of the list,” Brown said. “We have a very diverse group of horses to work with. There's a big split between fillies and colts and within those groups are the turf horses. What it boils down to is we don't have many horses in that division. I have plenty of nice horses to work with. I'm not complaining by any means. Any one would love to have the horses I get sent. Once you start paring them down, to see what dirt colts you have that can run two turns and have ability, well, for us, the group isn't huge. If we end up with two or three horses that are on the trail by the first of the year, we are lucky.”

Brown will probably always focus primarily on turf horses, but that obviously didn't bother the Coolmore team. They arrived at the 2022 Saratoga sale eager to spend money. Not only did they buy Sierra Leone, they also paid $1.4 million for Hall of Fame (Gun Runner), who will also start in the Risen Star for trainer Steve Asmussen. If Coolmore continues to support Brown with expensive yearling purchases that will make his chances of winning a Derby all that much easier.

“Will Coolmore keep supporting me, I think that has to be determined,” Brown said. “A lot depends on how these relationships unfold and how successful we are or aren't with this particular horse. I've had horses from them in the past. Not many, but nice horses. Minorette (Smart Strike) was one of the first horses they sent me and we won the Belmont Oaks on the turf with her. I've done a lot of business with Coolmore. I have several stallions standing there: Jack Christopher, Practical Joke, Early Voting. I've always had a great business relationship with them and, occasionally, they have sent a horse or two my way. They like to spread things out and use top trainers all over the country. I'm just happy I'm in that group of trainers.”

After the maiden win, Brown thought Sierra Leone was ready for a challenge. He entered him in the Remsen, knowing the competition would include Dornoch (Good Magic), the full-brother to 2023 Derby winner Mage. For Sierra Leone, it was on oddly run race. On what was a speed-favoring track, he dropped far back early, trailing the field for most of the way before he started to roll on the far turn and set his sights on Dornoch. Inside the sixteenth pole, he put his head in front of Dornoch and it looked like race was over. But Dornoch came again and came back for the win.

“I was a little disappointed,” Brown said. “I thought the second time out he'd show a little more speed. You also have to factor in that sloppy track. He had never been on a track like that and maybe he was caught off guard by that. He was the only horse that day that made up any ground and that's an important thing to note. He really wasn't unlucky. He had every chance to win. He just lost some focus and allowed that other horse, who is a nice horse in his own right, to re-rally on him. I was pleased with the effort though disappointed by the outcome.”

Because Sierra Leone appeared to lose his focus in the Remsen in deep stretch, Brown will equip him with blinkers on Saturday.

With Brown based in Florida over the winter, the most logical spots for Sierra Leone's return may have been the GIII Holy Bull S. or the GII Fountain of Youth S. But Brown feels that the Gulfstream racing surface is a bad fit for Sierra Leone and that's why he has shipped him to Fair Grounds.

“I didn't like the short distance and short stretch of those two races at Gulfstream,” he said. “I had Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) for example. He was a nice horse and nearly won the Preakness, but he ran terrible at Gulfstream. He didn't like the kickback. The kickback at Gulfstream, according to a couple of jockeys I really trust, is that it is a very challenging kickback for a horse to run through. That probably contributes to the appearance that it is a speed-favoring track. Even if they slow the track down, so to speak, it still seems like it's dominated more by front-running horses. I think the kickback has something to do with that. It's just not anything I'm interested in putting this horse through.”

The Risen Star will be the first step in what Brown hopes is a progression that will have his horse at his very best come Derby Day.

“We decided to use just two preps, which is always risky,” Brown said. “I thought, all things considered, like his running style, I feel like his third race of the year will be his best race. And that is a big if because there is a lot of training and racing to still overcome.”

Brown's best two Derby horses have been Good Magic and Zandon (Upstart), who was third in the 2022 Derby. Does Sierra Leone represent his best chance yet?

“I won't say that he's my best threat yet,” Brown said. “Those two horses were really good horses to take into the race. I'd say he belongs in their group, but he's got a ways to go to get to the point where we know he's going to be one of the first two choices in the Derby. I think he can get there. He has the potential to do it. He's training great and he's the right kind of horse. We are really excited about him.”

Brown has a few other horses that could get him to the Derby. Domestic Product (Practical Joke) was second in the Holy Bull. Good Money (Good Magic) broke his maiden at Tampa Bay Downs in his lone start. Tuscan Gold (Medaglia d'Oro) is coming off a maiden win at Gulfstream. But none, at least at this point, compare to Sierra Leone.

“When they give you a horse that cost $2.3 million at the sales, yes, there's a little bit more pressure,” Brown said. “The expectations are certainly high, being that he was a sale-topping yearling at the prestigious Saratoga sale, and rightfully so. The expectations should be high.”

The post In Sierra Leone, Brown May Have Best Chance Yet to Win a Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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TDN Derby Top 12: Ace On Top, Rest of Deck Gets a Good Reshuffling

As if ranking the contenders for the GI Kentucky Derby isn't enough of a challenge in and of itself, the crystal ball-gazing becomes even more hazy when you factor in the ban imposed by Churchill Downs, Inc., on trainees from Bob Baffert's stable (click here for a more detailed writeup on this subject).

Even though the official Derby qualifying points leaderboard omits those horses, TDN's Top 12 will continue to include them for the time being on the basis that 1) the situation could change; 2) the performances of those horses represent significant benchmarks in establishing the pecking order for everyone else, and 3) there is no point at this still-early stage of the Triple Crown campaign to dismiss the accomplishments of the nation's top colts, regardless of whether they end up in the Derby or not.

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: GSW, 3-3-0-0, $216,600. Last start: WON Feb. 3 GIII Robert F. Lewis S.

Undefeated kingpin Nysos (Nyquist) extended the already sizable gap back to his next closest competitors with a thorough and professional clock-cleaning of six overmatched rivals in Saturday's GIII Robert Lewis S. at Santa Anita. The effort stood out because it was delivered in a scintillating style that underscored both the colt's level of self-assurance and his athletic prowess.

This 3-for-3 'TDN Rising Star' from trainer Bob Baffert's barn has now scored at six, seven and eight furlongs, winning by a combined 26 3/4 lengths while earning Beyer Speed Figures of 96 and 97 at age two prior to uncorking a wowza 105 for his sophomore debut.

The light-on-his-feet Nysos ($130,000 KEENOV, $150,000 FTKOCT, $550,000 OBSAPR) glided under the wire by 7 ½ lengths. Flavien Prat could have nudged that margin into double digits had he not begun the gearing-down process more than a sixteenth of a mile before the finish.

After breaking a beat slowly then opting not to go into chase mode to reel in a breakaway pacemaker, Prat's only taxing tactical decision came on the far turn when he opted to slice Nysos to the inside of one rival then come around the other tiring two. A hustling hand ride between the five-sixteenths and eighth poles was all it took to elicit the desired gear without Nysos needing to demonstrate how much torque might remain in reserve.

“He stumbled a bit leaving there, but he was in a good spot,” Baffert said. “Prat rode him with a lot of confidence, he knows the horse well. I love the fact that he has speed and he proved he can do two turns. He has a great mind. He is a really good colt. You can just sit there and push the button at any time. It makes it so much easier for the riders, but I still get a little nervous.”

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: 5-3-2-0, $716,600. Last start: WON Jan. 6 GII San Vicente S.

With three wins and two seconds from five lifetime races and a classy, all-business style, Muth ($190,000 KEESEP and $2 million OBSMAR) is in the top tier among the Bob Baffert's per-usual loaded stable of sophomores.

Oddly enough, this son of Good Magic's best race Beyer-wise (a 95 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile) was his least visually impressive performance. Even with a Santa Anita home-track advantage and a no-excuse stalking trip, this 'TDN Rising Star' had to be driven hard in an unsuccessful attempt to match strides in upper stretch with eventual divisional champ Fierceness.

But Muth's co-lowest career Beyer of 90 in the Jan. 6 GIII San Vicente S. is the opposite, with the effort seeming better to the eye than the speed figure it earned.

The San Vicente could turn out to be an extremely useful seven-furlong speed sharpener for Muth, who shadowed two early leaders before running up the score at will while ridden out under the wire.

That effort whets the appetite for another two-turn engagement. But since Baffert's style is generally not to disclose stakes engagements until at or just before entry time, we're left to guess-although we do know that preps at Santa Anita and Oaklawn have historically been his most-preferred options.

Prior to running second in the Breeders' Cup, Muth was already a winner over 1 1/16 miles against Grade I company. He scored in the Oct. 7 American Pharoah S. by forcing the issue from fourth, then tipping out to accost the leaders off the turn without needing much encouragement to wrest control of the race.

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: 2-1-1-0, $96,750. Last start: 2nd Dec. 2 GII Remsen S.

'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) is targeting the GII Risen Star S. for his 2023 debut. That nine-furlong New Orleans race will be the first of two projected Derby preps at age three for trainer Chad Brown, which would give this colt three straight 1 1/8 mile races prior to attempting 10 furlongs in Louisville

This FTSAUG $2.3 million sales topper looked like the winner in the closing stages of the Dec. 2 GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct when he rallied seven wide against the teeth of a sealed-track speed bias. But Sierra Leone lugged in late and lost the lead to Dornoch (Good Magic), who prevailed by a nose.

That two-turn try was Sierra Leone's only other race after winning his one-turn-mile debut Nov. 4 at Aqueduct. After a slight bobble at the break, this colt settled next to last, overcame several minor momentum stalls on the backstretch and turn, swung five wide off the bend, then started to rally with authority. Despite twice shifting off the heels of rival runners, Sierra Leone was motoring late once he got straightened out.

The on-paper strength of that maiden win has been validated by short-priced, next-out wins by the second- and fourth-place finishers: Runner-up Change of Command is currently parked at No. 9 on the TDN Top 12 list after winning two subsequent starts at Gulfstream, while Tuscan Gold (Medaglia d'Oro) was named a fellow 'Rising Star' after a 6 1/4-length maiden romp at Gulfstream Jan. 31.

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: 5-3-1-1, $285,000. Last start: WON Jan. 20 GIII Lecomte S.

Track Phantom will celebrate his Feb. 17 birthday by riding a three-race win streak into the Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds for trainer Steve Asmussen.

This $500,000 KEESEP colt by Quality Road is on a path that could end up shadowing the career arc of another Asmussen trainee, Epicenter, who displayed a similar speed-centric style in 2021-22 while winning three of four stakes (barely losing the fourth by a head) on the New Orleans prep path.

On the strength of his GII Louisiana Derby victory, Epicenter ended up starting favored in the Kentucky Derby, where he had the race won in the shadow of the wire before 80-1 shocker Rich Strike blew by from out of nowhere in the final few jumps. Epicenter later won the 10-furlong GI Travers S. and was crowned champion 3-year-old colt.

Like Track Phantom seems to be doing now, Epicenter didn't wow anyone early on with flash and panache. But by the first Saturday in May, Epicenter had earned respect for his steady, reliable way of always showing up.

Track Phantom owns a Beyer progression 74, 81, 88, 89 and 90 in five starts, all at a mile or longer, and in his trio of two-turn scores he's showed a knack for deploying gate speed without being fazed by rail-running rivals trying to disrupt his rhythm with keyed-up tactics.

This colt's 2 3/4-length wiring in the GIII Lecomte S. might seem like an artifact of a tepid tempo. But the visual at the quarter pole of Track Phantom easily opening up while an all-out favorite was under futile urging and not making up ground behind him speaks strongly in support of Track Phantom's ability to settle into a comfortable cadence, then fend off anyone who makes a serious run at him.

Fierceness | Benoit

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

You can pick among a variety of excuses for Fierceness's failed-to-fire third in the GIII Holy Bull S., and some of them might even be valid: His break from the gate wasn't ideal. He had to be used harder than expected while losing ground on the first turn just to stay in touch with a very slow pace. He wasn't fully cranked for the effort off a three-month layoff.

The bottom line, though, is that this 'TDN Rising Star' by City of Light is the 2-year-old champ, and based on the way the Holy Bull came up on paper, the betting public had hammered him to 1-5 odds because he was supposed to throttle competition of this caliber, even if he was having an “off” day.

(As a public-service announcement for horseplayers who might want to save money next year–or next month, the two 1 1/16-miles graded stakes at Gulfstream are among the biggest money-burning races for favorites on the entire Derby prep calendar. Holy Bull faves have now gone down in flames in seven of the last eight runnings, and the fave in the GII Fountain of Youth S. has lost 12 of the last 17 editions.)

But back to Fierceness: This is not a “toss the baby out with the bathwater” type of disappointment that gets this colt voted off the Top 12 island. The Repole Stable homebred reportedly exited Saturday's race none the worse for wear, according to trainer Todd Pletcher. Based on the rip-roaring display of power Fierceness unleashed in the Breeders' Cup last November, it's conceivable that he rebounds in his one remaining prep (yet to be determined) and coasts into Louisville as a formidable force.

It's still early enough in the Derby season to be forgiving. But that will get more difficult as the prep-race cadence quickens and the plot thickens.

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: 4-2-2-0, $257,400. Last start: WON Dec. 2 GII Remsen S.

Because Dornoch is the full brother to last year's Derby winner, Mage, this son of Good Magic is destined to be saddled with outsized, and perhaps unfair, expectations.

But if Dornoch's focus ever manages to catch up with his large, brawny frame, this colt is going to be a legitimate Triple Crown threat.

This $325,000 KEESEP trainee for Danny Gargan kicked off his career with a pair of runner-up efforts before wiring a 1 1/16-mile maiden field Oct. 14 at Keeneland by 6 1/2 lengths.

Tasked with nine-furlongs and a sealed, muddy surface at Aqueduct in the Remsen S., Dornoch outgunned five rivals for the lead, took pressure from a 27-1 shot, swatted back bids from fresh challengers on the far bend, then brushed the rail and re-surged to steal the lead late from No. 3-ranked Sierra Leone.

The Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream will be next, and Dornoch is two breezes back into his training routine at Palm Meadows for that Mar. 2 stakes.

7) 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: 1-1-0-0, $39,000. Last start: WON Jan. 20 Santa Anita MSW.

Maymun ($50,000 KEESEP, $900,000 OBSAPR) split horses early, shot straight to the lead, and set a spirited pace under pressure before shrugging off three wilting rivals at the quarter pole and cantering home by 7 1/2 easy lengths in his Jan. 20 unveiling over 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita (93 Beyer).

This son of Frosted out of an Indian Charlie mare earned 'TDN Rising Star' status for the effort.

He was no secret to the betting public, as evidenced by 9-10 favoritism. Maymun had been on the radar of many who had pegged him as a horse of interest after seeing him breeze a furlong in :9 3/5 prior to the Ocala auction.

“He was ridiculously fast,” trainer Bob Baffert had said of the colt shortly after the sale.

“This was one of the best horses in the sale, I thought,” bloodstock agent Donato Lanni said last spring. “He deserved to bring that kind of money.”

8) CATCHING FREEDOM (c, Constitution—Catch My Drift, by Pioneerof the Nile) O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC; B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY); T-Brad Cox. Sales history: $575,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $237,350. Last start: WON Jan. 1 Smarty Jones S.

Add Catching Freedom to the list of Top 12 colts aiming for the Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds. Trainer Brad Cox envisions that Feb. 17 start as a springboard to the Mar. 30 GI Arkansas Derby as the final Kentucky Derby prep for this son of Constitution.

Cox has won the Arkansas Derby in each of the last two seasons, with Cyberknife and Angel of Empire.

After breaking his maiden in a one-turn mile and running a decent fourth in a 1 1/16-mile allowance (both at Churchill), this $575,000 KEESEP colt rode the rail near the back in the Jan. 1 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn before unwinding with a long, grind-down rally. Catching Freedom finished up with head cocked out to the grandstand, and it took him a while to swap leads in the lane, but those aren't major concerns at this still-early point in his development.

Catching Freedom's form got a boost over the weekend when the fifth- and second-place finishers out of the Smarty Jones came back to run one-two in the GIII Southwest S.

9) CHANGE OF COMMAND (c, Into Mischief–Moi, by Medaglia d'Oro) O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald Adam); B-OXO Equine LLC (KY); T-Shug McGaughey. Sales history: $570,000 Wlg '21 FTKNOV; $1,050,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-1, $113,300. Last start: WON Jan. 5 Gulfstream AOC.

Change of Command is expected to be entered Wednesday in the GIII Sam Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs. He'll be well regarded in the betting, but be aware that the Davis is another Florida winter prep stakes with a reputation for being a black hole for favorites. They've lost five of the last six runnings.

This Shug McGuaghey-trained son of Into Mischief ($570,000 FTKNOV, $1.05 million KEESEP) debuted in the slop at Saratoga when fourth over six furlongs behind eventual 2-year-old champ Fierceness (a race that produced three next-out winners).

Then he led to mid-stretch, got passed by a flying 4-to-5 fave, and was necked for the place spot over the same distance Oct. 1 at Aqueduct.

In start number three at the Big A Nov. 4, this colt shot straight to the lead over a one-turn mile only to be reeled in by the No. 3-ranked Sierra Leone.

Coming off that second-place try, he tried seven furlongs at Gulfstream Dec. 17. Change of Command broke alertly, conceded the lead while stalking inside, edged up from third to second a half-mile out, then cut to the two path to go after the leader. Clearly in front by the five-sixteenths pole, Change of Command opened up under light encouragement to win by 6 1/2 lengths (77 Beyer).

Change of Command followed that up with an 83-Beyer allowance score Jan. 5 over 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream, capitalizing on a trouble-free stalking trip to wear down a pesky pacesetter.

Conquest Warrior | Lauren King

10) 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: 2-1-0-1, $52,200. Last start: WON Jan. 13 Gulfstream MSW.

The massive-framed Conquest Warrior (City of Light) got sandwiched at the break, shuffled to last, then repeatedly ran into traffic while trying to uncoil in his maiden win in a Gulfstream one-turn mile Jan. 13.

Although his 84 Beyer for the first-time-Lasix effort didn't exactly leap off the charts, the victory was notable more for the “how he did it” factor rather than “how fast.” Its visual impression alone was worthy of 'TDN Rising Star' honors.

“I was surprised he broke the way he did,” McGuaghey said of the $1 million KEESEP colt. “I knew he'd be back and then finish. I was surprised by the effort he put in today with the trip he had for a young horse.”

McGuaghey's next-race preference for maiden-breaking 3-year-olds at this stage of the season is generally an allowance race at either Gulfstream or Tampa rather than a stakes.

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: 5-2-1-0, $510,110. Last start: WON Feb. 3 GIII Southwest S.

Mystik Dan's 11-1 splashdown win by eight lengths in the Southwest S. represented a tactical turnaround that trainer Kenny McPeek had been trying to bring about via morning training after four previous starts in which this Goldencents colt had raced on or near the lead.

“He needed to learn how to rate,” McPeek said. “He needed to learn how to settle off horses and maintain that late punch, and we've been doing that in the morning every day.”

But considering the muddy, sealed track conditions at Oaklawn, it was a dicey gamble for jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. to intentionally take back and tuck in after Mystik Dan had broken alertly and attained good early position into the first turn.

“I was fortunate enough, my horse left there quick enough, but not overly quick, to where I was able to get behind the leaders and make my way over to the fence,” Hernandez said. “We were able to save ground on both turns. When we got to the second turn, I called on him and he picked it up. I was able to kind of just wait for a spot. When a seam opened up barely on the inside, he shot through there and did the rest for us.”

It helped that the two pacemaking favorites had already capitulated and that Mystik Dan only had to reel in the stretch leader with no other foes firing from the back of the pack.

But even though the pace setup was ideal, this homebred for Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby, and 4G Racing finished up under his own power with a final sixteenth timed in 5.93 seconds, an eye-catching fractional clocking considering Hernandez had dialed him down late.

The Beyer came back as 101, which is 19 points higher than Mystik Dan's last effort, but within range of the 96 this colt earned when sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs Nov. 12 at Churchill.

12) 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: 5-2-1-0, $475,600. Last start: 4th Nov. 3 GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile S.

Timberlake (Into Mischief) got crowned a 'TDN Rising Star' in start number two on July 21, a nine-length blowout over seven furlongs at Ellis Park that yielded three next-out winners.

His beaten-favorite try in the GI Hopeful S. at Saratoga was hallmarked by a horror trip in which this Brad Cox trainee broke to the back, rushed up, then was continually boxed and blocked before bulling through to seize the lead at the eighth pole, only to get collared by a 54-1 shot in the final stages.

Bettors let him drift up to 4.9-1 odds in the GI Champagne S., and although the narrative of that race has unfairly evolved as Timberlake winning because odds-on Fierceness threw in a clunker, Timberlake was no slouch on his own merits. He edged up into a fast pace, swung eight wide for the drive, then put away a pesky foe at the eighth pole over a sloppy, sealed track.

Timberlake's trip to California for the Breeders' Cup was not a memorable one. He resisted efforts to settle on the first turn, then had no true response when urged for run on the second bend. He managed a no-factor fourth and has been freshened since.

Cox said last week the Feb. 24 GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn is a possible target for the Fair Grounds-based Timberlake.

“He's pointing for it,” Cox said. “We've got to see how our works go over the next several weeks, but he's doing well. The other race in play for him would probably be the [one-mile Mar. 2 GIII] Gotham [S.] at Aqueduct,” Cox said. “He did win up in New York.”

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TDN Derby Top 12: Dreams of Roses Take the Chill out of January

We're inside the 120-day mark for the 150th GI Kentucky Derby, and the pecking order is hazily taking shape. There's a speculative, forward-thinking element (read: lots of guesswork) built into the equation, with the goal of projecting how these still-developing horses will blossom over the next four months. Get tied on and enjoy the ride.

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: GSW, 2-2-0-0, $96,600. Last start: WON Nov. 19 GIII Bob Hope S.

Nysos has won two West Coast sprints with devastating ease by a combined 19 1/4 lengths while pairing Beyer Speed Figures of 96 and 97, earning 'TDN Rising Star' accolades, and giving off the impression he has the mental makeup and physical prowess to handle tougher competition at longer distances.

This Nyquist colt out of a Bernardini mare went through the auction ring three times ($130,000 KEENOV, $150,000 FTKOCT, $550,000 OBSAPR) before debuting over six furlongs Oct. 21 at Santa Anita. Seeing a Bob Baffert trainee win at first asking by 10 1/2 lengths isn't exactly a shocker, but not too many colts from that barn run up the score by such a gaudy margin while going off at 6-1 in the betting.

Start number two was the seven-eighths GIII Bob Hope S. at Del Mar Nov. 19, and that four-horse race ended up being more or less a schooling session for 2-5 fave Nysos, who, racing with blinkers off, broke alertly and settled in last while always in touch with the leaders behind brisk splits. His sustained move enabled him to power past overmatched rivals while well in hand and never being asked for maximum effort, scoring by 8 3/4 lengths.

Nysos has since recorded four regularly spaced workouts at Santa Anita and seems certain to next surface in a two-turn stakes, perhaps the Jan. 27 GIII Southwest S. over 1 1/16 miles or the Feb. 3 GIII Lewis S. at a mile.

For the third straight year, Churchill Downs has banished Baffert related to Medina Spirit's drug DQ from the 2021 Derby, and his trainees are prohibited from earning qualifying points. However, the focus for TDN's Top 12 writeups will be on where Baffert's horses fit in the overall Derby picture and not the trainer's eligibility status.

2) FIERCENESS (c, City of Light–Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty) 'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Repole Stable (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $1,102,750. Last start: WON Nov. 4 GI FanDuel Breeders Cup Juvenile.

A two-prep path to Louisville–the Feb. 3 GIII Holy Bull S. and Mar. 30 GI Florida Derby–is trainer Todd Pletcher's plan for GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile victor and likely 2-year-old champ Fierceness.

This 'TDN Rising Star' and Repole Stable homebred by City of Light powered home by 11 1/4 lengths (95 Beyer) as the 11-10 winner of his debut sprint at Saratoga over a sealed, muddy track. That wet-track fondness didn't carry over to the sloppy

GI Champagne S. at Aqueduct, when the odds-on Fierceness lunged and got bumped at the break, loomed boldly with a four-wide move, then splashed home punchless in the stretch.

Off that seventh-place drubbing, the betting public abandoned Fierceness at 16-1 in the Breeders' Cup. He responded by trouncing the Juvenile field by 6 1/4 lengths en route to a 105 Beyer victory.

This colt checked a lot of boxes that day by showing speed in hand from the gate, a willingness to latch onto a pacemaker, good responsiveness to cues to quicken, and an ability to ratchet into a higher gear without appearing fully torqued before galloping out well ahead of everyone else.

Fierceness only had to repel one single bid in upper stretch before cruising home in the Juvenile, a race in which the top three betting choices all failed to fire without obvious excuse. The fizzling of the faves might have indicated that the race wasn't that deep. But now, two months in the rear-view mirror, the Juvenile looks like it could be shaping into a key race, with its strength on paper solidifying after two of the four horses to run back won stakes in their next-out starts.

Fierceness | Benoit

The biggest hurdle for Fierceness might end up being historical: Since the advent of the Breeders' Cup in 1984, Juvenile winners have accounted for only two Kentucky Derby wins from 39 runnings (Street Sense in 2007 and Nyquist in 2016). Even some of the most electrifying 2-year-olds who excelled over 1 1/16 miles on the first Saturday of November have had trouble outrunning that daunting metric going 10 furlongs on the first Saturday in May.

3) 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: 5-3-2-0, $716,600. Last start: WON Jan. 6 GII San Vicente S.

Muth (Good Magic) was named a 'TDN Rising Star' June 18 when he uncorked an 8 3/4-length debut win. With four total races at age two that included two routes and a Grade I win in the American Pharoah S., trainer Bob Baffert opted to sharpen this colt's speed by picking the Jan. 6 GIII San Vicente S. at seven furlongs for Muth's first start at three.

This $190,000 KEESEP and $2 million OBSMAR colt earned a no-nonsense win by assertively stalking two pacemakers and breaking away at will to earn a 91 Beyer in the San Vicente, meaning Muth has now run at least a 90 Beyer in all five lifetime races.

“This horse has a lot of class. He's learning a lot,” said jockey Juan Hernandez, who has been aboard Muth for all three wins and two seconds. “I think he finally learned to run by himself because he broke really quick, and he saw the other two horses in front of me and he just relaxed really well behind them.”

Muth ran second behind Fierceness in the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita. He enjoyed a primo stalking trip over his home track, and seemed poised to take off in tandem with that rival on the far turn. But by the quarter pole Muth was already being driven hard, and he had no response to match Fierceness's full-flight winning move.

Fierceness holds the head-to-head edge. But Muth owns the broader body of work, and I wouldn't bet against him the next time he hooks up with Fierceness.

Given that these two colts are based on opposite coasts, that rematch is unlikely to happen until the Kentucky Derby itself.

4) BORN NOBLE (c, Constitution–Zapperkat, by Ghostzapper) 'TDN Rising Star' O-St Elias Stable & West Point Thoroughbreds; B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $725,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,000. Last start: WON Dec. 30 Gulfstream MdSpWt.

Bet to 13-10 favoritism first time out going seven furlongs at Gulfstream, Born Noble (Constitution) immediately put himself into the race, pressing the pacemaking second-fave from the outside.

Irad Ortiz Jr. nudged this $725,000 KEESEP colt forward, got on even terms with the leader through the turn, and by the quarter pole forced his foe into submission while still being hand-ridden.

But once alone on the lead and set down for the drive, Born Noble came unglued, veering sharply inward despite left-handed stick work and a right-handed yank of the reins. He remained on his left lead until just prior to the sixteenth pole, but Ortiz's rousing did spark a noticeable uptick in acceleration through mid-stretch before Born Noble got geared down while 5 1/2 lengths clear under the wire.

The post-race focus might be on this firster's obvious greenness. But a glimmer of gravitas also shone through, and in the long view, Born Noble's zig-zagging antics didn't resonate as anything that can't be smoothed out with experience.

He earned 'TDN Rising Star' status and a 93 Beyer–although precise figure-making can get tricky on a day like Dec. 30, when a “good” Gulfstream surface was drying out to “fast” and there were only three total dirt races (all at different distances) for comparison on the card.

5) 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: 2-1-1-0, $96,750. Last start: 2nd Dec. 2 GII Remsen S.

Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), the FTSAUG $2.3 million sales topper, in some ways ran a better race than winner Dornoch (Good Magic) when on the losing end of a nose photo in the nine-furlong GII Remsen S. Dec. 2.

That's because this Chad Brown trainee built up serious back-of-the-pack momentum when rallying from last over a sealed, muddy track. His big, sweeping, seven-wide move was notable on a day when speed was so dominant in 10 races at Aqueduct that five winners wired their fields and the remaining five were either right up on the pace or re-rallied after losing their leads.

Sierra Leone sling-shotted to the lead but lugged in once it looked like he'd blow past Dornoch, who resiliently clawed back command while pinned near the inside rail. The two co-earned 91 Beyers.

Sierra Leone | Coglianese

It was a costly lack of late-race focus in terms of the race outcome, but still, it's the type of lapse you'd rather see in December than in the spring. It was only Sierra Leone's second lifetime start, and two turns against stakes company is never a slam-dunk for a first try off a debut maiden win, even one that stamped him as a 'TDN Rising Star'.

Brown told DRF.com post-win that Sierra Leone reminds him a bit of Early Voting, another Gun Runner colt he trained to a win in the 2022 GI Preakness S.

“Now that he's lugged in [twice], I'll fool around with a little equipment to straighten him out,” Brown told DRF. “He's got a world of ability so we'll take him down [to Florida], regroup a little bit, and map out a campaign that hopefully gets him to the first Saturday in May.”

6) PARCHMENT PARTY (c, Constitution–Life Well Lived, by Tiznow) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Pin Oak Stud LLC; B-B Flay Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Bill Mott. Sales history: $450,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $141,960. Last start: WON Nov. 9 Churchill AOC.

'TDN Rising Star' Parchment Party, a large-framed June 5 foal, rallied stoutly up the rail from last and determinedly churned his way through traffic when winning a two-turn Churchill allowance Nov. 9 with a four-wide sweep. This son of Constitution wasn't fully dialed in and a looked touch unfocused through the final furlong, but he also wasn't even close to scraping bottom effort-wise, either.

The third- and fourth-place horses in that race won allowance and stakes engagements in their next-out starts.

Parchment Party is bred on the same cross that produced Tiz the Law, who won multiple Grade I stakes in 2020 (Travers, Florida Derby, the nine-furlong Belmont S.), plus fellow 'Rising Star' and 2022 GIII Peter Pan S. victor We the People.

A $450,000 KEESEP colt out of trainer Bill Mott's barn, Parchment Party got sent to Payson Park following his 2-for-2 start, but he hasn't had a published workout since Dec. 16.

7) 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: 4-2-1-1, $165,000. Last start: WON Dec. 23 Gun Runner S.

Track Phantom, a $500,000 KEESEP colt by Quality Road, doesn't leap out as a no-brainer Derby prospect. But the speed-centric winner of the Gun Runner S. does have upside appeal when you read between the lines of his past performances.

Trainer Steve Asmussen has started him four times, twice in one-turn miles and twice at 1 1/16 miles, with a Beyer progression of 74, 81, 88 and 89. Yet one intangible that doesn't come across on paper is how level-headedly Track Phantom has dealt with keyed-up rivals to his inside in both of his two-turn races.

In his Nov. 25 maiden-breaker, he forced the fractions with a rank runner pinned down at the fence from the entrance of the first turn to the start of the second, then repulsed a challenge from the only other horse to draw within a half-length on the turn. Roused for run three-sixteenths out, this colt showed a hint of another gear a furlong from the wire before being wrapped up late.

Facing winners for the first time against stakes company at Fair Grounds, Track Phantom was keen to make the lead from his outside post in the Gun Runner S., but a 36-1 speedster slipped up the open rail. The duo sparred down the backstretch before Track Phantom seized the lead three-eighths out and held off bids from two fresh challengers, including the 1-2 favorite.

“It's impressive that both of his two turn races have been victories,” Asmussen said post-win. “I actually thought they went too fast in the middle [of the Gun Runner]. You know, [a :46.93 half] here in a two-turn race, you don't see horses see it out very often.”

The Jan. 20 GII Lecomte S. is next.

8) 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: 4-2-2-0, $257,400. Last start: WON Dec. 2 GII Remsen S.

Dornoch (Good Magic) figures to be one of the more intriguing story lines as Derby 150 approaches because he's a full brother to last year's Derby winner, Mage.

This $325,000 KEESEP colt started off his career for trainer Danny Gargan with a pair of seconds, one in a Saratoga maiden sprint and another in the Sapling S. going a mile at Monmouth. He then wired a 1 1/16-mile maiden field at Keeneland Oct. 14, running up the score by 6 1/2 lengths.

Dornoch (inside) | Sarah Andrew

Dornoch won the Remsen S. at Aqueduct by outsprinting five other rivals for the lead into the first turn over a speed-favoring track. Settling at the fence while pressured by a 27-1 shot, he knocked back bids from a couple of new challengers on the far turn, then fought gamely to surge back in front after seemingly being passed for good by Sierra Leone.

He also brushed the rail in upper stretch, yet somehow overcame that too.

“It's crazy. Usually when a horse hits the rail at the eighth pole like he did, they just stop running altogether,” Gargan said post-win. “I can't believe he re-rallied after that. He did see the other horse and get running back at him, but hitting the rail knocked him off stride and then it took him a few jumps to get back going.”

Gargan mentioned the Mar. 2 GII Fountain of Youth S. over 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream as a possible next start, with the Feb. 3 GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct in the mix (which would be a second straight nine-furlong race for Dornoch).

9) CATCHING FREEDOM (c, Constitution–Catch My Drift, by Pioneerof the Nile) O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC; B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY); T-Brad Cox. Sales history: $575,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $237,350. Last start: WON Jan. 1 Smarty Jones S.

Catching Freedom (Constitution) broke his maiden in a one-turn mile at Churchill, ran a credible fourth behind Parchment Party in a 1 1/16-mile allowance, then annexed the Jan. 1 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn with a long, grind-'em-down rally (87 Beyer).

This $575,000 KEESEP colt rode the rail near the back in his stakes debut, sliced between rivals entering the far turn, got second run at a dueling duo, spun widest in the five path, then finished in workmanlike fashion with his head cocked to the grandstand before widening the winning margin to 2 1/2 lengths.

“Very proud of the horse,” trainer Brad Cox said post-win. “I think he's still learning. I think he was a little green there down the lane, but overall showed that he does have a lot of stamina and talent.”

Catching Freedom is a half-brother to Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo), a stakes-placed sophomore who raced four times for Cox (different owners) in 2023. That colt had the distinction of posting Beyers of 97, 88, 97 and 96, and in one of those races Bishops Bay was beaten only a head by subsequent Belmont S. and Travers S. winner Arcangelo (Arrogate).

10) CHANGE OF COMMAND (c, Into Mischief–Moi, by Medaglia d'Oro) O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald Adam); B-OXO Equine LLC (KY); T-Shug McGaughey. Sales history: $570,000 Wlg '21 FTKNOV; $1,050,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-1, $113,300. Last start: WON Jan. 5 Gulfstream AOC.

It took four well-spaced starts for this son of Into Mischief ($570,000 FTKNOV, $1.05 million KEESEP) to bust out of the maiden ranks at 2-5 odds at Gulfstream. But he's now won two in a row in Florida after an 83-Beyer allowance score Jan. 5 over 1 1/16 miles, capitalizing on a trouble-free stalking trip to wear down a pesky pacesetter.

Despite winning by a neck, trainer Shug McGuaghey said Change of Command “didn't want to finish as well as I'd like. I've got to do some work to figure things out. I hope this moves him forward. He had to kind of belly down and run, so that should help him. We'll take him back to Payson and find out.”

Change of Command had previously compiled a robust set of company lines while finishing respectably behind well-regarded juveniles in New York.

11) ETHAN ENERGY (c, Uncle Mo–Sass and Class, by Harlan's Holiday) O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $34,250. Last start: Won Dec. 23 FG MdSpWt.

This Fair Grounds maiden-breaker for trainer Brad Cox hit the winner's circle in start number two Dec. 23, adding Lasix. removing blinkers, and stretching to 1 1/16 miles for a 5 1/4-length tally (83 Beyer).

Under a light hold on the outside while midpack behind a tepid tempo, Ethan Energy was encouraged to loop the group on the far turn. This Stonestreet homebred son of Uncle Mo stayed on and opened up under mild rousing through the lane, then got pushed out late under a steady hand ride before being geared down for the final stages.

His debut at Keeneland, in which Ethan Energy was off last and allowed to lag with only mild progress inside, has thus far yielded three next-out maiden winners. One of them, Legalize (Constitution), also won the Sugar Bowl S., which was two races later on the same card as Ethan Energy's maiden score.

12) CARBONE (c, Mitole–Treasure in Heaven, by Street Sense) 'TDN Rising Star' O/B-L William & Corinne Heiligbrodt (KY); T-Steve Asmussen. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $153,000. Last start: WON Dec. 31 OP AOC.

This 'TDN Rising Star's sire, Mitole, was the blitzingly fast 2019 champion male sprinter. But there are enough longer-distance influences in Carbone's pedigree (Giant's Causeway and Seattle Slew up top, Street Sense for a damsire) to think he might stay on as a horse of interest as the prep season progresses.

Carbone has been in front at every call in his 2-for-2 career for trainer Steve Asmussen, and this homebred for William and Corinne Heiligbrodt has paired 85 and 86 Beyers while stretching out from six furlongs to a mile.

In his Oaklawn allowance win, Carbone effortlessly controlled the tempo and really only faced one serious challenge on the far turn, opening up under his own power and toying with that rival whenever he edged closer.

His run into the stretch provided a nice visual, with jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. sitting chilly atop this colt while every other horse in his wake was being driven. Carbone won by four, but it could have been more had the race not finished at the sixteenth pole under Oaklawn's short-stretch configuration for the mile distance.

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Good Magic’s Dornoch Proves Gamest In Remsen Thriller

While he still has a long ways to go to follow in his older brother's footsteps, Dornoch (Good Magic) proved he might just be up to the task with a game win in the GII Remsen S. to pick up 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

The younger full-brother of this year's GI Kentucky Derby winner and recently-retired stallion Mage, Dornoch took three tries to break his maiden but did so impressively at Keeneland in a gate-to-wire 6 1/2-length romp Oct. 14. Already stakes placed before even breaking his maiden, the Danny Gargan trainee went off favored for his third-straight race at 8-5 for an ownership group that includes West Paces Racing LLC, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, LLC, Two Eight Racing, LLC and Pine Racing Stables.

Hustled from the gate, the bay secured a leading position into the first turn amidst a wall of challengers on both sides. Longshot Private Desire (Constitution), who was last from the gate, sped up alongside Dornach to issue an early challenge as the colts hit a quarter in :23.09. The duo was joined by another longshot as Billal (Street Sense) moved between runners to make it three across the track up front past the half in :46.97. Relaxed under a loose rein from Luis Saez, Dornach spun for home seemingly ready to run away with it until 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) came charging from the back of the pack in an attempt to make it a graded double for his sire. The pair hit the furlong pole together and Sierra Leone had all the momentum, putting the favorite back to second against the fence. But Dornach was tenacious to the inside and re-rallied from what appeared to be a sure-beat to get up in the final strides past his rival.

“Kendrick [Carmouche] told me, when he rode him at Monmouth, he said 'Danny, if I had more time.'”, said Gargan. “When he saw the horse go by him, he said he gets to playing around, which he bounced off the rail today and when he gets out there by himself he loses focus. He said if he sees another horse, he's going to run back to him and today he proved it. It was something that was always said but never proven until today, but that was pretty impressive because I thought the other horse went way past him. For him to dig in and fight back like that, especially after the half mile in 46 [seconds], three quarters in 1:11, he ran the whole race.”

“He's a pretty nice horse, but I feel like he's still learning,” added Saez. “When he kind of feels a little alone, he was a little lost. As soon as the other one [No. 7, Sierra Leone] came to him, he saw him and he want to beat him. I can't describe this. He wants to win the race.”

Pedigree Note:
From the second crop of Good Magic, sire of now 16 stakes winners, Dornoch continued the good fortunes for dam Puca. In addition to seeing Mage wear the roses in May, the graded-stakes placed daughter of Big Brown brought $2.9m post-sale from John Stewart last month at Keeneland November carrying a full-sibling to both Mage and Dornoch. Her first foal, Gunning (Gun Runner), placed in a pair of stakes herself. Puca is a half-sister to GISW Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt {GB}). Her yearling, a colt by McKinzie, sold for $1.2m in September at Keeneland to Mayberry Farm.

 

Saturday, Aqueduct
REMSEN S.-GII, $250,000, Aqueduct, 12-2, 2yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50.30, my.
1–DORNOCH, 118, c, 2, by Good Magic
          1st Dam: Puca (SW & GSP, $299,406), by Big Brown
          2nd Dam: Boat's Ghost, by Silver Ghost
          3rd Dam: Rocktheboat, by Summer Squall
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($325,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-West Paces Racing LLC, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, LLC, Two Eight Racing, LLC and Pine Racing Stables; B-Grandview Equine (KY); T-Danny Gargan; J-Luis Saez. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0, $257,400. *Full to Mage, GISW, $2,507,450; 1/2 to Gunning (Gun Runner), MSP, $278,835. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Sierra Leone, 118, c, 2, Gun Runner–Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon. 'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($2,300,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG). O-Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing, LLC and Peter M. Brant; B-Debby M. Oxley (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $50,000.
3–Drum Roll Please, 118, c, 2, Hard Spun–Imply, by E Dubai. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($295,000 RNA Ylg '22 FTKJUL; $250,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT). O-Gold Square LLC; B-Barlar, LLC (PA); T-Brad H. Cox. $30,000.
Margins: NO, 4 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 1.70, 4.00, 8.20.
Also Ran: Moonlight, Where's Chris, Copper Tax, Domestic Product, Billal, Le Dom Bro, Private Desire.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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