A strapping, nearly-black gelding, Catnip exits a longshot, but close third to Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Jan. 27. Trainer Mike Stidham looked at Catnip's Ragozin sheet and that encouraged him to swing for the fences in a hot renewal of the G1 Dubai Turf, bypassing a considerably easier spot in last weekend's GII Muniz Memorial S. at the Fair Grounds.

“He ran a huge new top in that race,” the freshly arrived Stidham said Wednesday. “We had a choice of running him for $300,000 or $5 million and we decided to take a shot at the $5 million and brought him over. So far, so good.”

Catnip is a half-brother to five-time U.S. graded winner Princess Grace (Karakontie {Jpn}), who was purchased by China Horse Club for $1.7 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2022 and went on to win a Group 3 while posting a pair of narrowly beaten seconds in Group 1 company in Australia for trainer Chris Waller.

.@PegasusWorldCup Turf third Catnip is one handsome looking horse in the Dubai Turf. #DWC24 pic.twitter.com/wvBE6CdUxX

— Dubai Racing Club (@RacingDubai) March 27, 2024

On his last visit to Meydan, Stidham saddled 'TDN Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) to a victory in the 2021 Dubai World Cup.

Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's GI Pegasus World Cup third Crupi (Curlin) was out in the 5-6 a.m. window reserved for the international contingent, his chestnut colt gleaming under the floodlights before and after a couple of spins around the track. Repole will not be in attendance, as he will be on hand at Gulfstream Park to watch 'TDN Rising Star' and champion Fierceness (City of Light) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby, but here to represent the stable are Pat Cummings and a sleep-deprived Alex Solis II. You'll have to contact him for details.

The American-based, but locally owned Clapton (Brethren) is hard to miss when he comes onto the track, his orange tack and matching polos giving him absolutely no cover. After some internal discussion, the Florida-bred was given the green light for a World Cup bid, and connections are quietly confident he will fire his best shot Saturday.

Trainer Todd Fincher and owner Joe Peacock, Jr. made their way across the track to the starting gate where G1 Saudi Cup hero Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) got acquainted with the stalls before showing good energy in his track gallop. He appears a fresh horse despite his recent travels.

So popular was Jun Park and Delia Nash's Sibelius (Not This Time) leading up to last year's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen that a DailySibelius hashtag was created on X. By the looks of it, he's grown his fan club and is always good for hamming it up at the outside fence beneath his adoring work rider Allyson Walker.

SIBELIUS with @AllysonKWalker went for an easy spin around the track in G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen prep @RacingDubai #HorseRacing #DubaiWorldCup #sportsphotography #Nikon pic.twitter.com/MhfArDQKMh

— Martin Dokoupil (@Martins_Images) March 27, 2024

Also making a good impression was fellow Golden Shaheen entrant Nakatomi (Firing Line), a rare Dubai runner for trainer Wesley Ward. Hopkins (Quality Road), beaten just a length into fourth by Sibelius last year, went through his gears down the lane Wednesday.

Gander S. winner Pandagate (Arrogate) was led onto the track by assistant trainer Miguel Clement, with his wife Acacia Clement not far behind. The New York-bred gray–his late sire's literal body double–stood for what felt like an eternity on the outside rail before taking off around Meydan and wrapping things up with a visit to the gate.

Caramel Chip (Midshipman) looks to have it all to do against the likes of Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) and Isolate (Mark Valeski) in Saturday's G2 Godolphin Mile, but win, lose or draw, the Jose D'Angelo trainee looks to be doing as well as he could be ahead of the $1-million contest.

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QUICK BROWN FOX (Justify), the first foal out of MGISW Bast, debuts Saturday for owner/breeder Spendthrift Farm and trainer Richard Mandella. Spendthrift went to $4.2m, a top-four price, at FTKNOV in 2020 for the daughter of Uncle Mo who earned over $850,000 on the track for trainer Bob Baffert. Bast herself is out of $1.5m Eaton Bloodstock broodmare buy Laffina (Arch) and the family has plenty of graded-stakes caliber runners led by GISW and $1.2m FTKNOV broodmare Fault (Blame) and SW/MGSP South Bennd (Algorithms). Quick Brown Fox fired a best-of-five bullet in her most recent work, going six furlongs in 1:13 Feb. 29 for Mandella who puts Joel Rosario aboard on the debut. TJCIS PPS

1st-GP, $89K, MSW, 3yo, 1m, 1:10 p.m.

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable went to $360,000 to secure Whiskey N Soda (Vino Rosso) as a yearling at Keeneland in 2022 and the Triple Crown-nominated colt debuts Saturday with trainer Todd Pletcher. Dam Bible Belt has already produced several stakes horses including MSP Gospel Way (Brody's Cause), SP Happy Boy Rocket (Runhappy) and GSP Hardworkcleanlivin (Colonel John). TJCIS PPS

8th-FG, $57K, MSW, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 5:15 p.m.

Making his second start, Gun Party (Curlin) was a $1.7m yearling at Keeneland in 2022 and ran a good second at 10-1 odds over a sloppy Fair Grounds track behind next-out GIII Gothan S. runner up Just a Touch (Justify). The Steve Asmussen trainee, who posted an 80 Beyer Speed Figure in that loss, lines up on the rail inside another son of Curlin looking for redemption in Cornishman. That Godolphin homebred, starting for the third time Saturday off a pair of seconds, keeps Florent Geroux aboard for Brad Cox and also hopes for a dry track off catching the slop at 1 1/16 miles over the local course Feb .17. TJCIS PPS

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“He won very impressively as a 2-year-old. We put him aside and he's on his way back,” Clement said. “He's a very exciting horse to have, but the question is, where should we bring him back? He might come back in the Gotham. I will make my mind up later this week.”

Purchased for $625,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September sale, Deterministic has worked six times at Payson Park since mid-January. Most recently, he went five furlongs Saturday in 1:01.80 (1/8).

Clement is also considering Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Capital Idea (Classic Empire) for the Gotham. The bay colt romped to an 8 1/4-length maiden score going one mile at Aqueduct Jan. 28. He worked five furlongs in 1:02.90 (6/12) over the Belmont Park dirt training track Friday.

“He's doing well. If he works well next week, we'll go for the Gotham,” Clement said. “He's getting more mature and better. It's the right time of the year. He's learning his job.”

The Gotham offers Kentucky Derby qualifyng points of 50-25-15-10-5.

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Pretty Liam impressively takes race 5 for @PletcherRacing, two wins today for @iradortiz! #GulfstreamPark #ChampionshipMeet pic.twitter.com/nTcHfbvBVR

— Gulfstream Park (@GulfstreamPark) January 11, 2024

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2YO LESLIE'S ROSE, daughter of @spendthriftfarm stallion Into Mischief, breaks her maiden impressively in the opener under @iradortiz for @PletcherRacing! pic.twitter.com/Za48fzph7m

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) November 19, 2023

5th-GP, $89k, Msw, 3yo, f, 5fT, post time: 2:09 p.m. ET
St Elias Stable elected to take home its homebred PRETTY LIAM (Liam's Map) when bidding on her stalled out at $240,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September sal. That looks to have been a shrewd call, as the filly's year-older half-sister Danse Macabre (Army Mule) proved to be arguably the best turf sprinter of her generation in 2023, with victories in the GIII Herecomesthebride S. over this course and the Glen Cove S. in New York. Dam Sylphide (Blame) is a half-sister to MGSW/MGISP Cambodia (War Front) and the third dam includes South African champion Overarching (Arch) and GISW Abscond (Blame). Justified Strategy (Justify) is a daughter of GISW Cry and Catch Me (Street Cry {Ire}), also the dam of Sovereign Award winner Souper Escape (Medaglia d'Oro) and a half-sister to Group 1-winning European champion Certify (Elusive Quality). Dixie Mischief (Into Mischief) is a John Oxley homebred half-sister to last year's Ontario Damsel S. winner Forever Dixie (Quality Road) and her Grade III-winning dam Dixie Strike (Dixie Union) is a half-sister to champion Inglorious (Henny Hughes), who beat the boys in the 2011 Queen's Plate. TJCIS PPs

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“Any time you get a chance to show a champion off to your breeders, it makes the sales team's job pretty easy,” said Spendthrift's Mark Toothaker. “He has been hugely popular and is completely sold out. Most every mare that he got is a blacktype mare, so he's going to get a huge chance.”

With an introductory fee of $50,000, Forte follows in the steps of Spendthrift sires like champion Jackie's Warrior, who stood for the same fee in his debut year last year, and the fast-starting first-crop sire Omaha Beach, who joined the roster in 2020 with a $45,000 fee.

“When Omaha Beach came in, he got the mares and then the next year Authentic got the mares,” explained Toothaker. “Jackie got the mares last year and so Forte will get them this year. He's a beautiful horse and we're so glad to have him here.”

The first champion 2-year-old to join the Spendthrift roster in over 40 years–since the likes of Seattle Slew, Affirmed and Lord Avie– Forte broke his maiden by nearly 8 lengths at Belmont, earning 'Rising Star' honors in that debut in May for Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable. The Todd Pletcher trainee would later score three straight Grade I victories in the Hopeful S., Breeders' Futurity and Breeders' Cup Juvenile, where he bested MGISW Cave Rock (Arrogate) and eventual GI Preakness S. victor National Treasure (Quality Road).

Forte wins the 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland | Horsephotos

It was a roller coaster of a 3-year-old campaign for Forte, as he continued his win streak in the GII Fountain of Youth S. and GI Florida Derby but was forced to scratch from the GI Kentucky Derby as the favorite due to a foot bruise. Off a 10-week layoff, he returned to the starting gate for the GI Belmont S. and was runner-up to Arcangelo (Arrogate). Before his final career start in the GI Travers S., Forte earned a career-high 105 Beyer Speed Figure in a hard-fought victory in the GII Jim Dandy S.

A quarter crack forced him to retire ahead of his bid in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

“He had some hiccups along the way, but still the talent came through,” said Toothaker. “The horse had so much class and he was just so push button. I think he just knew where the wire was. That was our biggest comment about him is that if you ever got in a dogfight with him, he knew how to win.”

Perfect pose, while waiting for his turn to pose in front of the crowd @spendthriftfarm open house. A natural. Forte pic.twitter.com/vrvCds9rdw

— Tanya Gunther (@tanyagun) November 13, 2023

Toothaker said that Forte first came on Spendthrift's potential stallion list after his win in the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, where he defeated fellow 'Rising Star' Loggins (Ghostzapper), a horse co-owned by Spendthrift.

“That race really puts him on our radar to try to get something done and we were able to get a deal done with Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola. We were thrilled we were able to get him secured late in his 2-year-old year. We got to ride the roller coaster this year, but it was all worth it.”

A $110,000 Keeneland September buy, Forte is out of the multiple stakes-winning Blame mare Queen Caroline, who just sold for $3 million to John Stewart at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

Toothaker said that Forte's physical is reminiscent of his sireline and has been another bonus to his credentials as breeders have stopped by the farm since his arrival.

“He's got that Medaglia d'Oro length to him,” he said. “He stands over some ground and he's such a good mover. You see why Jacob West picked him out. He just drops his head and motors when you show him. Breeders have loved that when you bring him out on the end of the shank. He's just got a classy look to him. We're thrilled to have him and so happy we can show him off to all of our breeders.”

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“The first thing I think about Forte is just how much of an honor it is for us to bring a horse like him to Spendthrift. He's the fifth champion we've been fortunate enough to add to our stallion ranks since 2020, and that's a testament to what Mr. Hughes built and the commitment that Eric and Tammy Gustavson are now carrying forward,” said Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey. “While we are disappointed for Mike [Repole] and Vinnie [Viola] that Forte wasn't able to end his great career like a champion deserves to, we are very grateful for our partnership with them. Forte is the first 2-year-old champion to retire to Spendthrift in more than four decades, since the likes of Seattle Slew, Affirmed and Lord Avie. That's some pretty special company, and we couldn't be more excited about his future.”

Racing for Repole Stable and Viola's St. Elias Stable, Forte was named champion 2-year-old colt after a season which saw him break his maiden by 7 3/4 lengths on debut going five furlongs at Belmont and pick up three consecutive Grade I victories in the Hopeful S., the Breeders' Futurity and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. As a 3-year-old, he took the GII Fountain of Youth S. and the GI Curlin Florida Derby.

“Forte has given us the ride of a lifetime on the track and done everything asked of him and more under tremendous training by Todd Pletcher,” said Viola. “We are blessed to have raced such a talented horse in partnership with Mike Repole, and excited about his prospects as a sire at Spendthrift Farm.”

Repole added, “Vinnie and I are so fortunate to be blessed with this ultra-talented colt. Forte's 2-year-old season, from breaking his maiden at five furlongs in May and winning three Grade I's including capping it off with a spectacular effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, left us in awe. To come back at three and win the Fountain of Youth, Florida Derby and Jim Dandy, and run second in the Belmont at 1 1/2 miles, was amazing. Forte is just a special horse.”

Forte retired with career earnings of $3,029,830.

“Forte just exuded class in everything he did, which is something you only see from those few special ones that come through,” Pletcher said. “Some probably won't quite appreciate how special he was because of the bad luck we faced this year. Obviously, the timing could not have been worse to have the foot bruise that kept him out of the Derby, and we have been battling a quarter crack on a different foot that was going to force us to miss the Breeders' Cup and all our goals for the fall and winter. I've been fortunate to train three colts that were champion 2-year-olds but Forte is the first to win three Grade I's at two. Horses like that don't come around often and we'll miss him in the barn.”

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6th-KEE, $120K, OC 80k/N2X, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 3:40 p.m.
Gary and Mary West's homebred PUNCHBOWL (Uncle Mo) opened her career with a pair of wins at Oaklawn Park this winter and put her name in the mix for the GI Kentucky Oaks with a runner-up effort in the GI Ashland S. She has not been seen since that Apr. 7 race over this same track and distance and returns here as the 4-5 morning-line favorite. The Wests will also have fellow Brad Cox trainee Insignia (Curlin) in the race. The 4-year-old filly, a daughter of multiple graded placed Keep the Peace (Touch Gold), has hit the board in all five of her races to date. TJCIS PPS

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A total of 289 yearlings sold Saturday for $46,697,000. The average of $163,849 dipped 7.3% from last year's Book 3 opener and the median fell 7.1% to $130,000. The buy-back rate remained steady at 22%.

During the opening session of last year's Book 3 section, 287 yearlings sold for $50,747,500. The average was $176,821 and the median was $140,000.

“The ones that stand out from the crowd, seems like they have a following here in the back ring, they follow them up and they make the money,” said Hunter Valley Farm's Fergus Galvin. “I think [the market] is very strong and very competitive. Books 1 and 2 were good, not without a few bumpy patches, but that's at every sale now. I think it's very strong, it looks like today, and that probably augurs well even for the later books. It seems like there are fresh faces here today and a lot of people haven't filled their orders yet. They are probably starting to feel a sense of urgency to get the nice horses bought.”

Reiley McDonald's Eaton Sales consigned the session's highest-priced offering when SF Racing/Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables purchased a son of Authentic for $875,000. The session topper was one of eight to sell for $500,000 or over on the day. There were 14 horses who reached that threshold at this session a year ago.

“I feel like the middle market is already starting to tail off,” McDonald said. “I am worried that that is a trend we are going to continue to see just simply because the people at the middle end of the economy in this country are the ones that have been hurt. I think the heavy money is out there and they will spend what it takes to get a horse bought. But once you get into the middle market, the everyday players and lower, I think that's where we are going to see the market slip.”

The Keeneland September sale continues through Saturday with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

Authentic Colt to SF/Starlight/Madaket

The stallion-making partnership of SF Racing/Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables acquired its third son of Authentic of the Keeneland September sale when going to $875,000 for a colt by the GI Kentucky Derby winner (hip 1511) Saturday. The yearling, out of multiple graded placed Sweetgrass (Street Sense), was bred by Seclusive Farm, Brad Stephens and Breeze Easy and was consigned by Eaton Sales.

“He was just one of those beautiful horses that comes along every now and again,” said Eaton's Reiley McDonald. “He was medium-sized, with a beautiful shoulder, great length and great hip. He was very correct with an outstanding, athletic walk. He was a very intelligent horse who handled the pressure great. He showed over 200 times, which is a lot of pressure on any of these young horses, for two days. He took it like pro. They bought themselves one hell of a horse.”

Baccari Bloodstock purchased Sweetgrass for $250,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November sale. The mare sold in foal to City of Light for $135,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale.

Earlier at the Keeneland sale, SF/Starlight/Madaket purchased a colt by Authentic (hip 533) for $700,000 and another (hip 821) for $485,000. The group also purchased a son of Authentic (hip 56) for $875,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale last month.

Through five sessions, SF/Starlight/Madaket has purchased 15 yearlings for $10,070,000. The partners were the second-leading buyers of the 2022 September sale, buying 21 yearlings for $12,825,000.

St. Elias Partners Up on Vekoma, Army Mule Colts

Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stables joined forces with different partners to make a couple of high-price purchases at Keeneland Saturday. The operation teamed with Spendthrift Farm and Mike Talla to acquire a colt from the first crop of Vekoma (hip 1498) for $775,000. That purchase came just a few hips after St. Elias teamed with Starlight Racing and the Harrell family's Harrell Ventures to acquire a colt by Army Mule (hip 1455) for $600,000.

Hip 1498, consigned by Legacy Bloodstock on behalf of his breeder, Spendthrift Farm, is out of Grade I placed Summer of Fun (Include).

“We are really excited to partner up with Spendthrift Farm, which we have done some stuff with in the past, and we are excited to partner with Talla Racing for the first time,” said St. Elias's Monique Delk.

Of the yearling, Delk said, “He's just beautiful–a beautiful physical and walk and he was very correct. He looks special. And we like taking chances on first-year sires. It's a lot of fun to see the new babies coming about.”

St. Elias, in partnership with Repole Stable, was the leading buyer at last year's September sale, with 31 yearlings purchased for $12,840,000. This year, St. Elias in various other partnerships and alone, has purchased 10 yearlings so far for $3.9 million.

Asked why partnerships were important to St. Elias, Delk said, “They love the game and this gives them more access to more horses. St. Elias loves taking on partners and it's exciting to team up with new partners.”

St. Elias compaigned Grade I winner Army Mule and co-bred hip 1455 with Elevage II. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, the yearling is out of She Beast (The Factor), a half-sister to Grade I winner The Big Beast (Yes It's True), who was purchased for $150,000 at the 2020 Keeneland January sale.

“Everyone on our team loved him,” said Starlight Racing manager Corbin Blumberg, who made the winning bid while standing out back alongside Delk. “We showed him to [Starlight's] Jack [Wolf] and Doug Cauthen looked at him for the Harrells.”

Starlight and St. Elias teamed up to purchase a colt by Quality Road (hip 1118) for $300,000 earlier in the sale.

“We bought a horse the other day with St. Elias and they bred this horse and they wanted to keep it, so we just put it together sort of at the last minute,” Blumberg said. “We buy horses with the Harrells a lot and we have bought a few with St. Elias, so this just came together and it turned out.”

Of the colt's final price, Blumberg said, “We had to reach a little bit, but he was nice and it seems like that's how it's been going.”

Starlight and Harrell Ventures teamed up to purchase 'TDN Rising Star' Pirate (Omaha Beach) for $350,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. The juvenile was third in the GI Hopeful S.

CHC, Qatar Racing Get into the Colt Game

Teo Ah Khing of China Horse Club and Sheikh Fahad of Qatar Racing have joined forces for the first time at this year's Keeneland September sale in search of a quality group of colts. The new partners acquired their sixth colt of the auction when purchasing a son of Kitten's Joy (hip 1285) for $585,000 Saturday.

“We all agreed that he might have been the best physical of Kitten's Joy that we've seen in the last two or three years,” said Qatar Racing's American representative Fergus Galvin of Hunter Valley Farm. “He's a beautiful specimen.”

Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa and bred in Ontario by Murray Smith, the yearling is out of Hopping Not Hoping (Silent Name {Jpn}).

The purchase came with an almost instantaneous update when the mare's 2-year-old My Boy Prince (Cairo Prince), who romped to a 14-length victory in the Aug. 27 Simcoe S., finished second in the GI Summer S. just shortly after the yearling went through the ring.

“We might have had to pay more,” Galvin agreed of the timing. “But we are definitely happy with the Grade I pedigree boost.”

CHC and Qatar Racing have now purchased six yearlings at the Keeneland sale this year for $2,960,000. Leading the way was a son of Authentic (hip 1046) purchased for $875,000.

“It's something that Sheikh Fahad and Teo put together before the sale to buy colts,” Galvin said of the partnership. “They are mainly to race in the U.S., but this one [hip 1285] will go to England to race for obvious reasons. Sheikh Fahad has had incredible success with Kitten's Joy.”

Qatar Racing enjoyed top-level success in Europe with another son of Kitten's Joy, multiple Group 1 winner Roaring Lion, who was purchased for $160,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September sale.

A New Kentucky Home for Tommy Town

Tom and Debi Stull announced plans late last year to relocate their Tommy Town Thoroughbreds broodmare band to Kentucky and, after purchasing the former Woodford Farm from Mick Ruis, have been busy buying yearling fillies this week at Keeneland. During the fifth session of the auction, the Stulls purchased a pair of fillies for $400,000 from the Woods Edge Farm consignment; first purchasing a daughter of Vekoma (hip 1189) and returning later to acquire a daughter of Volatile (hip 1224).

“We like to get fillies that have a fairly good walk and definitely a nice hip and pedigree,” Tom Stull said. “It's not so much the sire, but the balance and the conformation.”

Hip 1189, who was purchased by Woods Edge for $75,000 at Keeneland last November, is out of Blue Kisses (Pulpit), a daughter of multiple stakes winner Bluegrass Sara (Tabasco Cat). Hip 1224, a $180,000 weanling purchase, is out of Delightfully So (Indian Charlie), a half-sister to Canadian champion Delightful Mary (Limehouse).

Asked if the fillies were purchased with an eye to eventually joining his broodmare band, Stull said, “Yes, for sure. That's what we are trying to do.”

In addition to the two yearlings purchased Saturday, Tommy Town also acquired a pair of fillies by No Nay Never–hip 211 for $250,000 and hip 256 for $275,000–and a daughter of Le Havre (Ire) (hip 132) for $300,000.

“To be honest with you, the first three or four days were tough,” Stull said. “I felt like we did well with the first three we bought and then we didn't get to buy anything Thursday. I was surprised we found quality today.”

The operation returned later in Saturday's session to acquire a filly by Tom's d'Etat (hip 1446) for $150,000 and a filly by Tiz the Law (hip 1450) for $115,000.

Of the couple's new 300-acre farm, Stull said, “We decided we would rather run in Kentucky. We have close to 30 mares. I want to just upgrade the quality. I think we are going to breed to sell and then continue to buy to race and keep.”

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