In response, the CHRB have denied a stay of the stewards' decision but stated that it will “assign a Hearing Officer in this matter where the issue of timeliness of the appeal and appeal itself will be heard and a proposed decision submitted to the Board for consideration,” according to an order issued by the CHRB Tuesday.

The plaintiffs in the appeal are owners China Horse Club International Limited, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing, WinStar Farm, jockey Mike Smith and trainer Bob Baffert.

After the New York Times first reported that Justify had tested positive post-race for scopolamine, Mick Ruis, owner-trainer of the runner-up that day, Bolt d'Oro, sought to have the result of the race overturned with Bolt d'Oro declared the winner.

Ruis alleged that the CHRB failed to follow its own rules when it decided not to pursue penalties after Justify's positive test. The CHRB argued that Justify should not be disqualified because the positive test was the result of contamination linked to jimson weed.

At the end of last year, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ordered the CHRB to set aside the stewards' 2020 decision and issue a new ruling disqualifying winner Justify from the Santa Anita Derby.

Early in March, the CHRB reached a separate settlement that called for the agency to pay Ruis $300,000, and to order a redistribution of the $1-million purse.

In last week's notice, Amanda Groves, who represents Justify's connections, argued that grounds for an appeal included how the plaintiffs were not a party to the lawsuit between Ruis and the CHRB, leading to “Procedural irregularities and denial of due process and/or a fair and impartial hearing.”

Groves also reiterated the CHRB's original claim, writing that “it is undisputed that the positive scopolamine test was a result of environmental contamination due to inadvertent exposure to jimsonweed in hay/straw.”

BloodHorse reported that Ruis's attorneys had filed a response arguing that none of the grounds raised in the appeal are relevant.

When asked about the contents of the letter, Darrell Vienna, who represents Ruis, told the TDN that the CHRB issued the disqualification order “because they were ordered to do so by the court.”

The court did not demand that the CHRB hold another hearing on the matter, Vienna added. “It just issued an order to disqualify the horse, Justify, and to redistribute the purse,” he said.

“If the Justify parties have issue with that, that issue should be addressed at the Superior Court, in my opinion,” said Vienna. “If the court orders a subordinate agency to do something, they must do it.”

According to last week's notice of appeal, Justify's first-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby accrued the owners a combined $585,000, while Smith and Baffert each received $58,450.

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A $350,000 purchase by Starlight Racing and Harrell Ventures at the Keeneland September Sale, the Todd Pletcher trainee is a half-brother to GI Preakness S. and GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. hero National Treasure (Quality Road) and SW Ultimate (Speightstown). Pirate's dam is a half-sister to MSW Inspired (Unbridled's Song), who produced GSP Carmel Road (Quality Road). TJCIS PPS

3rd-KEE, $100K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 2:04 p.m. ET.
TIMEOUT (Curlin) has posted some sharp recent works for trainer Bill Mott at Payson Park in preparation for this debut. The hombred for Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider, out of MGSW Lull (War Front), has an extended female family which includes Horse of the Year winners Saint Liam (Sant Ballado) and Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}.

Under the colors of Charles Fipke, another homebred set for his first start is D'oro Unbridled (Medaglia d'Oro). The Ignacio Correas trainee's dam GISW Unbridled Forever (Unbridled's Song) counts as a full-sister Forever Unbridled. Both are out of GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Lemons Forever (Lemon Drop Kid).

Finally, Counter Attack (Gun Runner) makes the races for an ownership group which includes his breeder Three Chimneys Farm. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the colt was an $825,000 Keeneland September buy for M.V. Magnier and Breeze Easy. Counter Attack's third dam is responsible for GISW Midnight Storm (Pioneerof the Nile). TJCIS PPS

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Initial reports indicated that the colt walked onto the horse ambulance and was taken to the barn of trainer Tim Yakteen to be evaluated further. Frankie Dettori emerged from the incident with no serious injuries, but took off his mounts for the remainder of the afternoon.

“Matanzas Creek sustained irreparable injuries to his right front fetlock,” read Ryan's tweet. “It's a heartbreaking decision to make, but he was euthanized on site. Our hearts go out to the horse and the people who adored and cared for him. Thankfully, Frankie walked away from this tragedy.”

It was Santa Anita's first racing fatality in 363 days, the prior occuring March 18, 2023.

Bred in Kentucky by Betz, Burns, Kidder, Cole, D J Stables, CoCo and the Empire Maker Syndicate, Matanzas Creek broke his maiden at second asking at Del Mar last November and was second in consecutive first-level allowance races at Santa Anita, going a mile Dec. 29 and 6 1/2 furlongs Feb. 15.

In addition to SF Racing, the other partners on Matanzas Creek include Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan.

Matanzas Creek sustained irreparable injuries to his right front fetlock. It's a heartbreaking decision to make, but he was euthanized onsite. Our hearts go out to the horse and the people who adored and cared for him. Thankfully, Frankie walked away from this tragedy.

— Tom Ryan (@TomRyanKY) March 16, 2024

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“No move,” Zedan said in a text message. “Mr. Baffert (is) our man.”

Tuesday morning, John Cherwa of the Los Angeles Times reported that no 3-year-old Derby prospects had left the barn after the Jan. 29 deadline imposed by Churchill Downs.

“Nobody is going to transfer their horses,” Baffert told the Times. “I just remain focused on training my horses and competing in the big races. It's out of my hands. I just want what's best for the game.”

Zedan has several top 3-year-old colts. The best may be Muth (Good Magic), the winner of the GI American Pharoah S. and the GII San Vicente S. He also has 'TDN Rising Star' Maymun (Frosted), a very impressive winner of his Jan. 20 debut, and Coach Prime (Quality Road), who was third in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity.

On Monday, the TDN reached out to a number of Baffert owners and could not find one who had decided to take their horses away from Baffert in order for them to run in the Derby. Zedan joins a list that includes Mike Pegram, Jack Liebau and Dr. Edward Allred, Baoma Corp and the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables.

Baffert was banned for two years after his 2021 Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protonico) tested positive for betamethasone, an ingredient in a cream prescribed for a skin rash. Baffert served his two-year ban, only to find that Churchill had tacked on an additional year in 2024.

In 2022 and 2023, several owners turned their horses over to former Baffert assistant Tim Yakteen, which made them eligible to contest the Derby.

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The bay colt out of GSW Magical Feeling (Empire Maker) counts Oaklawn Mile S. hero Exulting (Tapit) as a half-brother and GIII Monmouth Oaks heroine Occult as a full-sister. Under the third dam, we find GI Travers S. champ Golden Ticket (Speightstown).

The other Baffert first time starter here is Pilot Commander (Justify), who winged his way during OBS March to a 9 4/5 furlong at the undertack breeze show and then jetted home with CSLR Partners for $700,000. The chestnut colt out of Rebuke (Carson City) is a half-brother to GSP Freedom Flyer (Constitution). TJCIS PPS

The post Saturday Insights: Pricey Sons Of Into Mischief And Justify Debut At Del Mar For Baffert appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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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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During Monday's round of bidding, the auction house reported sales on a total of 306 horses for gross receipts of $24,681,500. The session average of $80,658 dipped by just over 8% versus last year's sale, while the median price of $65,000 represented a decrease of 3.7%. Cumulative turnover through the first seven days stood at $344,546,500, some 3.1% lower than 2022, but the average of $228,935 was effectively on par with last year while the median of $150,000 was down by 6.25%.

The September Sale runs through Saturday, Sept. 23, with daily sessions beginning at 10 a.m. ET. For full results visit www.keeneland.com.

KEESEP Spending Spree Continues For Partnership

“It's hard for a stallion to be trending any better than Good Magic. The secret is out,” said SF Bloodstock's Tom Ryan, expressing little surprise that hip 2009, by the sire of this year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage, became the focal point of Monday's activity.

“At this point, when you have a stallion producing horses at that elite level, the price bracket can get to an elite range as well,” he said. “At the end of the day, you try to buy them as reasonably as possible, but it's our job to buy them.”

And buy them they have. Monday's purchase was the 20th made by the partnership, accounting for nearly $12.6 million in sales. Hip 2009 was the second-priciest of 18 of Good Magic's third-crop yearlings to sell over the course of the last week, second only to the $725,000 paid by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Gary Broad's Walmac Farm and Bridlewood Farm for hip 288.

Foaled three days prior to last year's Derby, hip 2009 is a son of Beauty Buzz (Bernardini), who was acquired by Walmac for $110,000 when carrying to another Smart Strike-line stallion– namely Accelerate–at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale. The colt's second dam, Orchardof the Nile (Empire Maker), is a full-sister to the late Pioneerof the Nile, sire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. The success of Curlin over A.P. Indy-line mares has been well documented and hip 2009 is bred on the cross responsible for MGISW Clairiere, GISW Paris Lights and additional graded winners Point of Honor and 'TDN Rising Star' Spice Is Nice.

So just what is it that Good Magic has passed on to his progeny?

“Look, I think there's a willingness about them, there don't seem to be too many kinks in them,” said Ryan. “They seem to try, they seem to be able to stay. They're really kind of versatile horses from what we've seen so far. The fact that they ran as well as they did as 2-year-olds; Good Magic was obviously a champion 2-year-old, but you relate Good Magic more to Curlin and Smart Strike and you're thinking more of a route horse. But they've shown plenty of precocity and potentially have shown a bit more speed than we've seen from Curlin. There doesn't seem to be a limiting factor to him.”

Ryan is especially taken by Good Magic's output within the context of the formidable group sires that entered stud in 2019.

“It was a tough crop to be getting off the ground in, when you think about Justify and Bolt d'Oro–those horses were really well supported and they're obviously doing very well at the moment,” Ryan said. “This might be one of those golden crops of stallions with multiple standouts. We remember that Medaglia d'Oro, Candy Ride (Arg), Speighstown crop. You might think one would fall by the wayside, but they all continued on. It's kind of like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.”

Ryan wasn't the smallest bit concerned about the colt's late foaling date–and with good reason.

“He was born on the fourth of May and all I can tell you is that [future Horse of the Year] Authentic was born May 5,” he said. “May foals don't trouble us at all, we're not trying to have 2-year-olds. It's all effectively about Del Mar next year and on from there. Sometimes, Del Mar even comes too soon for our horses. They'll stay here for 45-60 days, the weather here is beautiful for that and gives them time to decompress from the sale before they move on to the next stage.”

Good Times Roll On For Gainesway

The sale of hip 2009 was another feather in the cap for the Gainesway draft, which sits atop the consignors' table through Monday's session, with 116 head sold for nearly $42.3 million.

The Gainesway braintrust, in concert with Broad, made a strategic decision to try to be a big fish in the relatively small pond of Book 4 and it paid off handsomely Monday.

“We knew he was a nice physical. We put him in Book 4 just to make him stand out from a pedigree perspective,” Gainesway's Brian Graves explained. “We didn't expect the end result to be as strong as it was, but in fairness, he was a very nice colt by a very up-and-coming young stallion that's had the Derby winner this year. To see a bidding war ensue on a horse like him wasn't out of the question. Some very good judges were on the horse, Mike Ryan underbidding Tom Ryan. It's a dream come true for the breeder and we were happy to be in the middle of it all.

About the colt as an individual, Graves added, “He was a well-balanced nice horse. The experts in these things are guys that send them to the races and they know what a good horse is. He's a potential stallion prospect. I'm just happy that Gary Broad at Walmac Farm is starting to have success like that, it's good for everyone.”

Not only is Gainesway the leading consignor by gross, but also by average ($364,457) (with 20 or more horses sold), and it all has Graves pinching himself a bit.

“We're elated with the sale,” he said. “You never know coming in. We thought we had a great group of horses and we've been steadily trying to increase our quality. We've been fortunate that our clients support us and give us a quality product to sell. It all starts with the clients and the horses they breed and trust us with. It's really rewarding. It's the first September sale that we've been the leading consignor of every session we've sold in and possibly for the entire sale. For me, it's a lifetime achievement and I'm really flattered to be in this position.”

Successful Session For Woods Edge

While not quite achieving the same heights as Gainesway during Monday's session, Peter O'Callaghan's Woods Edge Farm had an outstanding afternoon all the same, consigning three of the top nine sellers, each one a homebred.

Trainer Ken McPeek snapped up the most expensive of the lot, a first-crop colt by Game Winner, for $275,000, while Chris Baccari paid $260,000 for a filly by the in-form Outwork. Later in the session, Deuce Greathouse, acting as agent for Robert Masterson, went to $250,000 for a filly by the reliable Munnings.

“Lovely, strong quality horse with a lovely head and very much in the mold of a nice Candy Ride,” O'Callaghan said of the Game Winner, which was purchased in utero for $100,000 at Keeneland November in 2021. “He sold very well, we were very happy. Four different people bid on that horse over $200,000. Obviously some good judges were on him. Kenny McPeek bought him and Mike Ryan was the immediate underbidder and Saffie Joseph was over there too. Good sale, we were very happy and he'll get a good shot with Kenny.”

Sticking with the Candy Ride line, dam Haynesfest (Haynesfield) delivered a filly by Twirling Candy this season.

Outwork has been on a bit of a roll this year, highlighted by the GI Spinaway S. victory from Brightwork, and O'Callaghan was duly pleased with the action on his filly.

“We had a ton of interest in her. She was an absolute beauty,” he said. “She's a homebred out of a mare of our own and hopefully she'll get a stakes update with F Five. I'm told he's going to run in stakes next.”

A 4-year-old gelded son of Not This Time, F Five is perfect in two starts on the turf, including a victory in Ellis allowance company Aug. 28.

He added: “Outwork is a quite a useful sire and obviously Brightwork is a very promising filly, but it's looking like he gets really nice fillies, more refined and racier at this point. A lot of people were on that filly and she sold accordingly, everything was right about her.”

The post ‘He Was A Real Man Here Today’–SF, Partners Go For More Good Magic at Keeneland September appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Prince of Monaco, a $950,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase, was content to linger near the back early as first Tranche (Collected) and then Muth led through opening fractions of :21.76 and :44.76. Closing strongly on the front rank passing the three-eighths pole, the 9-5 chance caught his stablemate–who had finally dispatched of the pesky Tranche–straightening for home. With Muth making a race out of it briefly, Prince of Monaco drew clear to score by a geared-down 4 1/4-length winner. Raging Torrent crossed the wire a clear third.

Baffert explained, “[Prat] rode [Baffert-trained Elegant, who tired to finish fifth in race 3 after showing speed) really fast and I said, 'That's okay, just don't do that on this one.'

“We knew [Tranche] was really quick and I was hoping Muth would lay off the pace but he just engaged early. [Flavien] Prat saw what was going on and he took back. I like the way the horse responded and [Prince of Monaco] had a good post for it. You put good riders on good horses, but it was really key that [Prat] rode that filly for me in the third race.”

Prat added, “[Bob Baffert] called me and asked me to come out and ride a horse for him and so here I am,” said Prat. “He was very comfortable out there; felt good all the way. I saw the pace was hot and I just waited my turn. He's a nice colt. And yes, I think he can run farther.”

Prince of Monaco, who kicked off his career at Los Alamitos July 9, was a beat slow at the start but that didn't stop him from rolling home a front-running eight-length winner, earning TDN Rising stardom in the process. Since that eye-catching unveiling, the dark bay has been showing plenty of zip in the morning, culminating with a sharp five-furlong work in :59 2/5 (6/74) at Del Mar Aug. 5.

Pedigree Notes:
Prince of Monaco becomes the 138th black-type winner and 65th graded winner for sire Speightstown. Out of unraced Rainier, the Mar. 26 foal is a grandson of MSW Clay's Rocket (American Chance), a half-sister to GI Frizette winner Adieu (El Corredor). His 7-year-old dam is also responsible for a Munnings filly from last year followed by a Constitution filly this term. She was bred back to Speightstown.

Sunday, Del Mar
BEST PAL S.-GIII, $200,000, Del Mar, 8-13, 2yo, 6f, 1:09.19, ft.
1–PRINCE OF MONACO, 118, c, 2, by Speightstown
       1st Dam: Rainier, by Medaglia d'Oro
       2nd Dam: Clay's Rocket, by American Chance
       3rd Dam: Irene's Talkin, by At the Threshold
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. ($950,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight
Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne
Bashor, Robert E. Masterson, Waves Edge Capital LLC,
Catherine Donovan and Tom Ryan; B-Stonestreet
Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat.
$120,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $147,000. Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Muth, 120, c, 2, Good Magic–Hoppa, by Uncle Mo.
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $2,000,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR).
O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY);
T-Bob Baffert. $40,000.
3–Raging Torrent, 120, c, 2, Maximus Mischief–Violent Wave,
by Violence. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($27,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP; $75,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR).
O-Great Friends Stables, LLC and Mark Davis; B-Rodney J.
Winkler & Alfonso Mazzetti (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $24,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, 4HF, 15 1/4. Odds: 1.80, 0.50, 8.20.
Also Ran: Tranche, Who Is Pavel.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

#5 PRINCE OF MONACO ($5.60) runs past favored stablemate #4 Muth en route to a flashy victory in @DelMarRacing's GII Best Pal Stakes! pic.twitter.com/XTsODapOBP

— TVG (@TVG) August 13, 2023

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – With bids ricocheting from all directions both inside and outside the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion, the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale of Selected Yearlings opened with a strong session topped by a pair of million-dollar babies Monday night in upstate New York.

“I thought it was a tremendous start to the 2023 Saratoga Yearling Sale,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. said at the close of business Monday. “The numbers are essentially on par with last year's opening session, which was a remarkable, even historic, evening.”

During Monday's session, 74 yearlings sold for $30,785,000. The average was $416,014 and the median was $350,000.

Those figures were largely equal to the auction's 2022 opening session, which set the table for a record-smashing renewal. During last year's first session, 69 horses grossed $28,930,000 for an average of $419,275 and a median of $350,000.

“We saw a very fair marketplace,” Browning said. “It wasn't insanity, but there was a great diversity of buyers. There was a very, very good mix of buyers tonight and a very good mix of bidders. The love was kind of spread around. We did almost $30 million tonight and that money was spread really across the board amongst a whole lot of horses, which is really good long-term for this marketplace.”

The top 10 lots of Monday's session were purchased by 10 distinct buying entities. Leading the way was a colt by Quality Road who was purchased for $1.1 million by Alex Elliott and Ben McElroy on behalf of Amo Racing. The yearling was consigned by Gainesway on behalf of Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings.

Also bringing seven figures during the session was a filly by Curlin who sold for $1.05 million to David Lanigan as agent for Heider Family Stables. The filly was consigned by Denali Stud.

During last year's first session, four yearlings brought seven figures. The following evening, during a lights-out second session, a further 10 yearlings reached that milestone.

“Any time you start at Saratoga, you always have a little trepidation and a little bit of anxiety,” Browning admitted. “Are we going to be able to sustain the market? Are we going to be able to improve? We came off an unbelievable year in 2022 and had massive increases over 2021. I will sleep better tonight than I did last night knowing there is a viable marketplace. It was a great start, a fantastic start. I'm ecstatic with the first night and I can't wait to start selling tomorrow.”

Amo Aims for Quality

Kia Joorabchian's Amo Racing, which has been expanding its foothold in the U.S. sales ring and on its racetracks, topped Monday's session of the Saratoga sale when purchasing a colt by Quality Road (hip 77) for $1.1 million. The yearling was consigned by Gainesway on behalf of his breeder, Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings.

“I think Kia is looking for Derby horses in the States and he has size and scope and he's by the right sire,” bloodstock agent Alex Elliott, who did his bidding inside the pavilion alongside Ben McElroy, said. “He's got a great pedigree. Obviously, a lot of people wanted him for him to bring what he brought.”

The bay colt is out of graded winner I'm a Looker (Henny Hughes) and from the family of Grade I winner Dortmund (Big Brown). Stonestreet purchased the mare as a 5-year-old for $475,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. Her colt by Curlin sold for $525,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

This year in the U.S., Amo Racing was represented by recent GII Amsterdam S. winner New York Thunder (Nyquist), and the operation went to this year's GI Kentucky Oaks with GII Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Affirmative Lady (Arrogate).

In Europe, Amo Racing's 2-year-old Valiant Force (Malibu Moon) won the G2 Norfolk S. at 150-1 and King of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) was second in the G1 Betfred Derby before winning the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot. He was most recently third in the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond S.

All four were purchased by Amo Racing at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

“Amo Racing has been really lucky buying horses out of America recently,” Elliott said. “I think this horse will go back to Ireland to be broken and then he will come back to America. That's the program for Amo. We have to cross our fingers now.” @JessMartiniTDN

@FasigTiptonCo Saratoga Sale – Monday: Hip 77, a colt by Quality Road (@LanesEndFarms) out of I'm a Looker, sells for $1.1 million to Elliott/McElroy, agent for @amoracingltd from the @Gainesway consignment, agent for @StonestreetFarm!

From the family of DORTMUND. pic.twitter.com/rvjVulj6Fh

— TDN (@theTDN) August 8, 2023

Dilworths Find Homebred Success

Scott and Evan Dilworth have enjoyed plenty of success over the years as pinhookers, but the couple had their first million-dollar sale as breeders Monday in Saratoga when David Lanigan purchased a filly by Curlin (hip 87) for $1.05 million on behalf of Heider Family Stables.

The seven-figure yearling is the first foal out of Lady T N T (Justin Phillip). Purchased for $335,000 at the 2018 OBS March sale, the mare won the 2019 GIII Charles Town Oaks in the Dilworths' colors.

“She's classy, classy,” Scott Dilworth said of the yearling. “Her momma is a beautiful mare and had a super amount of speed. Hopefully this filly will carry that speed on, being by Curlin. When I bred her for the first time, I said, 'Well, we are going to the best.' And there is nothing better than a Curlin filly.”

Among the Dilworths' home runs in the pinhooking arena was subsequent graded winner and recent GI Haskell S. third-place finisher Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo). The couple purchased the colt for $250,000 at the Keeneland September sale before topping the 2022 OBS April sale when selling him for $2.3 million to Amr Zedan.

“Yes, this is definitely my top sale from a breeding standpoint,” Dilworth said. “I've only got about five or six mares. And we primarily sell [the foals].”

The yearling was consigned by the Bandoroff family's Denali Stud and after watching him sell out back, Conrad Bandoroff came over to congratulate Dilworth and to remind the breeder he owed him a dinner.

“We had an over/under bet,” Dilworth said with a big smile. “I lost the bet. But with pleasure.”

Lady T N T was bred to Munnings this year. @JessMartiniTDN

BOOM! Hip 87, a filly by Curlin (@HillnDaleFarm) out of Lady T N T , sold for $1,050,000 to David Lanigan, agent for Heider Family Stables! @FasigTiptonCo pic.twitter.com/gsrRuTMucB

— Denali Stud (@DenaliStud) August 8, 2023

Back to the Well

It's a good bet when an attractive yearling by two-time Horse of the Year Curlin steps into the ring, that fireworks are likely to ensue. And that is just what happened Monday evening in Fasig-Tipton's Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs moments after hip 87 entered the ring. When the dust had finally settled, it was David Lanigan, bidding from the back ring on behalf of Scott and Cindy Heider, that stood atop the chestnut's list of admirers with a $1.05 million final bid.

Consigned by Denali Stud, the Jan. 12 filly is the first foal out of Grade III winner Lady T N T (Justin Phillip), a half-sister to GSW and GISP Sweet Hope (Lemon Drop Kid).

“We had a top with her–It is good to have her,” said Lanigan. “The [Heiders] have some horses [in Ireland] with Joseph O'Brien and they have some other fillies here, too. So we just wanted to have some more horses to race on the dirt.

“Hopefully, this one can do something special. Most of the stable is grass horses, so we're trying to get some more dirt fillies in it.”

According to Lanigan, the filly will be sent to Keith Asmussen's Texas-based training center for pre-training before joining trainer Steve Asmussen.

“Steve and I both really liked this filly,” added Lanigan. “Both of us agreed we should give her a good go. Hopefully, we will buy one or two more in September.”

It would seem that the Heiders have a very good chance to develop a productive team of dirt runners with Asmussen at the fore of their U.S. contingent. Asmussen, who stood nearby during the bidding for the filly, was understandably pleased with the purchase.

“She's an absolutely beautiful daughter of Curlin,” said Asmussen. “You couldn't ask for any more than that. I am extremely fortunate to get the opportunity with her.”

The Hall of Famer had reason to be excited about getting another high-class daughter of Curlin, whom he led to victories in the GI Preakness S. and GI Breeders' Cup Classic en route to Horse of the Year honors. Highlighting his roster of fillies by the standout stallion is Clairiere, a four-time Grade I winner, including wins in this season's Ogden Phipps S. and Apple Blossom H.

“We've had some exceptional fillies by Curlin, and she looks like one of the really good ones.”

The Hill 'n' Dale stallion was also represented by Hip 110, also consigned by Denali Stud, who realized $825,000 from Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners during the initial session.

“Of all of our accomplishments, that is as special as it gets,” explained Asmussen when asked about all the success at stud that former trainees Curlin and fellow Horse of the Year Gun Runner have been enjoying. “Because growing up in it, I realize when we're far gone they are still going to leave their mark in horse racing. Curlin and Gun Runner will be at the top of the breed for generations.”–@CBossTDN

“She got up to the back ring and the lights, camera, action came on and she just was a queen.”

Hear more from Conrad Bandoroff on Hip 87, a Curlin filly, that sold for $1,050,000 at #FasigSaratoga! @DenaliStud @CBandoroff pic.twitter.com/xzhgJ9QzFP

— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 8, 2023

Constitution Filly Proves Worth the Wait

The first session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale was winding down and the rain was picking up outside the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion when bloodstock agent Mick Wallace, bidding through the raindrops out back, acquired a filly by Constitution (hip 118) for $900,000 on behalf of Brook Smith's Rocket Ship Racing and Kuldeep Singh Rajput's Gandharvi Racing.

Smith and Rajput were all smiles after celebrating their first partnership together on the filly, who was consigned by Hunter Valley Farm.

“You have to find the right partners and we are fast partners,” Brook said while nodding at Rajput. “When you see a beautifully bred filly–and granted this is the sale where the prices are going to go up–but if you pay a 10 or 20% premium because it's the first major sale of the season, but you get the right filly or colt, then it's the right thing to do.”

Rajput, who made his first trip to the Saratoga sale just two years ago, added, “Gandharvi is all about bringing partners together and having fun racing. And I think it's a match made in heaven. We agreed on the same filly. It's all about partnerships and we are looking forward to it.”

Hip 118 is out of stakes-placed Nina Fever (Borrego) and is a half-sister to Grade I winner Nickname (Scat Daddy). She was bred by Newstead Corp. The mare was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock, with the filly in utero, for $500,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

Courtlandt Farm purchased the yearling's half-sister by Into Mischief for $1.35 million at last year's Keeneland September sale.

Smith admitted he was already looking ahead to breeding the filly once her days at the track are over.

“If you're going to be in this industry for a long time, you have to decide whether or not you are going to have broodmares,” he said. “It's a tough trigger to pull, but you have to do it. And this is the type of filly that would obviously be an incredible broodmare even if she runs mediocre. But we think she is going to run good. She's beautiful. And we thank all the connections and our partners who helped us make the selection. They know a lot more than we do.”

Asked if the partners expected to make any more purchases at the boutique sale, Smith said, “There is another night, so we will find out.” @JessMartiniTDN

Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale – Monday: The final hip through the ring tonight, Hip 118 – a filly by Constitution (@WinStarFarm) out of Nina Fever, sells for $900,000 to @mickwallace, agent for Rocket Ship Racing/Ghandarvi! Consigned by @HunterValleyKY.

A half-sister to GI… pic.twitter.com/JHeOT1G9uh

— TDN (@theTDN) August 8, 2023

SF/Starlight/Madaket Back in Action

The stallion-making partnership of SF Racing/Starlight Racing and Madaket, which has helped reshape the yearling sales market with major purchases of two-turn colts in recent years, was back in action Monday in Saratoga, purchasing a pair of yearlings.

Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni and SF's Tom Ryan, bidding at the top of the stairs inside the pavilion, went to $875,000 to acquire a colt from the first crop of champion Authentic (hip 56). The yearling was consigned by Four Star Sales, as agent for his breeder, Spendthrift Farm, which stands his Kentucky Derby-winning sire.

“His yearlings are going to be very good to Spendthrift Farm,” Ryan said of Authentic. “He's a horse that is after bringing a lot of joy to a lot of people, considering the MyRacehorse connection, and Into Mischief being such a good-looking sire. I think Authentic has a good chance to step into big shoes. The quality of stock that he is putting on the ground is a good example of what can happen with a horse of his quality.”

Spendthrift had already enjoyed success in the sales ring with Authentic's first crop of yearlings. The farm topped the Fasig-Tipton July sale with a filly by the sire who sold for $475,000 to Alex and Joann Lieblong.

The Saratoga colt is out of graded-placed Golden Domer (Quality Road), a mare Spendthrift purchased for $340,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November sale. Her Bolt d'Oro colt sold for $275,000 at last year's Saratoga sale.

Earlier in Monday's session, the SF/Starlight/Madaket partnership purchased a colt by Quality Road (hip 49) for $650,000 from the Bedouin Bloodstock consignment. Out of Frolic's Dream (Smoke Glacken), the yearling was bred by SF Bloodstock.

Two years ago, SF/Starlight/Madaket purchased another son of Quality Road for $500,000 at the Saratoga sale. Named National Treasure, the bay colt went on to win this year's GI Preakness S. The group purchased a son of Speightstown for $950,000 last year in Saratoga. Prince of Monaco was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his eight-length debut victory at Los Alamitos in July and is expected to make his graded stakes debut in the Aug. 13 GIII Best Pal S. at Del Mar.

“The sale has been very good to us,” Ryan said. “We walked away from here with a Classic winner [in 2021]. We are excited about Prince of Monaco–he was the only horse that we bought here last year. We bought two horses here tonight. So we are very happy. If this is all we can buy, we are happy. If we can get some more, we will be happy. If they can jump through the hoops, we will try our best.”

@FasigTiptonCo Saratoga Sale – Monday: Hip 56, a colt from the first crop of Authentic (@spendthriftfarm) out of Golden Dormer, sells for $875,000 to @DonatoLanni, agent for SF/@StarlightRacing/@MadaketStables. Consigned by @FourStarSales, agent for Spendthrift! pic.twitter.com/R0lZUuvs7G

— TDN (@theTDN) August 8, 2023

Heading into the yearling sales this fall, Ryan said the team's approach would remain the same.

“We are just trying to buy very fast horses for as little as possible,” he said. “We have a great team. I can't thank Donato Lanni and Bob Baffert, all our team, from our veterinarians to the people who break these horses. It's an amazing team. These things don't happen without a great team.”

As for a targeted number of yearlings to buy this year, Ryan said, “Not particularly, the number has fluctuated over the years. We are definitely up into the double digits.” @JessMartiniTDN

Lukas Firing at Fasig-Tipton on Day 1

It just wouldn't feel like Saratoga in the summer without D. Wayne Lukas haltering one of the top-priced yearlings during Fasig-Tipton's Select Yearling sale. Late in the session, the Hall of Fame trainer, sitting beside BC Stables' Brian Coehlo at the back of the pavilion, broke out the big guns to land hip 106, a colt by Into Mischief for $850,000.

“We bought [a horse with] a lot of conformation,” said Lukas. “Not only do we have a hot sire with Into Mischief, but he also has very good balance.”

Consigned by Mulholland Springs, the Apr. 12 foal is out of the Malibu Moon mare Meal Ticket.

When asked if the price was expected, he added, “He is the first foal out of a young mare so we thought he might bring a little less than that, but people find them.”

Team Lukas celebrates the purchase of Hip 106, an Into Mischief colt, for $850,000! #FasigSaratoga pic.twitter.com/K863LwnHfN

— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 8, 2023

Earlier in the session, Lukas extended to $650,000 for hip 47, a colt by City of Light. Also secured for BC Stables, the colt is the first foal out of Fly Time (Mr Speaker), a half-sister to Preakness winner Rombauer (Twirling Candy).

Lukas, who made famous his 10-point rating system when selecting yearlings at the sales, didn't miss a beat when asked what he thought of his pair of day 1 purchases.

“Both were rated 8s,” he affirmed. “They were both right up there.

“The horses that are attractive and have a little bit of pedigree are selling very well. People are getting much more sophisticated on what they buy and reject. The days are gone when you could just bring one, that if it doesn't look good, it would still sell well. Now you have to have both conformation and pedigree. People are definitely getting better at that they're doing.”

BC Stables came into this year's Saratoga sale buoyed by a timely score when Just Steel (Justify) out-dueled favored Be You (Curlin) on the Whitney Day undercard last Saturday. The colt was purchased for $500,000 at Keeneland last September.

“When we bought him, we thought he was just a beautiful colt,” he recalled. “And Justify probably wasn't as hot as he is right now. We got a little ahead of the curve there.”

Never one to shirk away from facing the big kids on the field, he added, “We're looking at the [Sept. 4 GI] Hopeful S. with him.” Lukas would be looking for his ninth win in Saratoga's closing weekend feature for juvenile colts should the horse make it into the starting gate. “I think he fits very well and would have a good shot to win.”–@CBossTDN

Lows Justify the Trip

Robert and Lawana Low, sitting alongside bloodstock advisor Jacob West in the front row of the pavilion, acquired a colt by Justify (hip 103) for $850,000 from the Bluewater Sales consignment Monday night in Saratoga. The colt, out of Marketplace (Stormy Atlantic), is a half-brother to stakes winner Dreamer's Disease (Laoban).

“We looked at 35 on Jacob's short list and he was our pick,” Robert Low said after signing the ticket on the youngster. “So we got the one we wanted. We will send him to J. J. Pletcher in Ocala and find out if he can run. We hope he can.”

The couple has long targeted two-turn colts at the auctions and Robert Low admitted competition was fierce in that part of the market.

“I think there is a lot of competition here,” he said. “I think the sale has been strong. Maybe there have been some disappointments and some RNA's, but overall, I think it's really good.” He added with a smile, “I mean. Good for the sellers.”

The yearling was bred by Cypress Creek Equine. Bluewater Sales purchased the dam for $87,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. @JessMartiniTDN

Thank you to our buyers and consignors for supporting The Saratoga Sale. Session 1 has ended. Session 2 will begin tomorrow at 6:30pm ET.⁣
⁣
Results https://t.co/UhSSHGyS4u #FasigSaratoga pic.twitter.com/ZoSonJiGRI

— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 8, 2023

The post $1.1-Million Quality Road Colt Paces Competitive Fasig Saratoga Opener appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Watch c. AUTHENTIC o/o Golden Domer sell for $875,000 at The Saratoga Sale!#FasigSaratoga @DonatoLanni @TomRyanKY @StarlightRacing @MadaketStables @spendthriftfarm @FourStarSales pic.twitter.com/5qwTNZGrbw

— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 8, 2023

The post An ‘Authentic’ Purchase For SF/Starlight/Madaket appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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