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Jack Wolf Joins TDN Writers’ Room

Fresh off a dominant Grade I win by his Starlight Racing’s Charlatan (Speightstown) and a newly-minted ‘TDN Rising Star’ for his outfit, Jack Wolf joined the TDN Writers’ Room presented by Keeneland Wednesday morning. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Wolf talked about the highs and lows of 2020 with his barn star, Thoroughbred aftercare and more.

Charlatan’s 3-year-old campaign featured dazzling victories but also a disqualification for a positive drug test in the GI Arkansas Derby and a long layoff that forced him to miss the GI Kentucky Derby. Luckily for Starlight, they also owned a piece of a colt named Authentic (Into Mischief) who carried the flag to a Derby victory and presumptive Horse of the Year trophy.

“It was a roller coaster,” Wolf said. “Initially we had three big horses in there of which Charlatan looked like he was probably going to be the best of the three with Eight Rings and Authentic. Then all this stuff happened. We went to Arkansas and got the disqualification there, then we had to remove a small chip [in his ankle] and that put everything up in the air. In any case, when you’ve got somebody like Bob Baffert adjusting to all these changes, I think we have a little bit of an advantage over everybody else. Then we had Authentic, who [because of the Derby postponement] had seven weeks between the Haskell and the Derby. I don’t think Authentic would have won the Derby if it was run May 2, and it all just worked out. Crazy business.”

Two weeks after Charlatan’s devastating GI Malibu S. win, 3-year-old filly Jouster (Noble Mission {GB}) kept Starlight spirits high with an 8 3/4-length maiden romp Sunday at Gulfstream to earn ‘Rising Star’ honors. The $360,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga buy was a beaten favorite in her first two starts on dirt before relishing the turf in Sunday’s graduation.

“I think we’ve got her on the right surface now,” Wolf said. “The field that she beat the other day, there were some pretty nice horses. I was talking to one of our partners last night and he asked if I thought we’d win the race. I was at the race. So, I’m not going to go down there without thinking we’re going to win the thing. But, in any case, I didn’t think we’d win by 8 3/4 lengths. She’ll probably run in an allowance race next and we’ll point for something like the Belmont Oaks and some of those longer turf races, in the summer.”

Elsewhere on the show, the writers reacted to the passing of Juddmonte Farms’ Khalid Abdullah, discussed the swift industry backlash to Eric Guillot in the West Point Thoroughbreds news segment and looked forward to the beginning of Derby prep season. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version.

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Noble Mission’s Jouster Says Good ‘Knight’ to Gulfstream Rivals in Rising Star Romp

Jouster (Noble Mission {GB}), a beaten favorite twice on dirt to start her career, took to the turf with dazzling aplomb in the Sunday finale at Gulfstream, running away to a devastating maiden romp and ‘TDN Rising Star’ honors. Unveiled over six furlongs in the Saratoga slop Aug. 29, the $360,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga buy showed big speed before fading to finish second, and again retreated after setting the pace stretching out to a mile Sept. 26 at Belmont. Freshened up since then for a barn that has, as per usual, run roughshod over the Gulfstream Championship Meet thus far, she returned with a sharp Palm Beach Downs worktab capped by a bullet half-mile in :48 1/5 (1/25) Jan. 3. Backed as the fractional 5-2 favorite here, the bay quickly established command and led comfortably through splits of :23.36 and :48.01. Well held as her nearest pursuers were driven approaching the lane, Jouster opened up five lengths by the time heads pointed for home and poured it on down the stretch under mild urging, gliding home 8 3/4 lengths to the good in a sizzling final clocking. Champagne Ivy (Shackleford) was second. The winner is the first foal to race out of a daughter of the Phipps family’s 2002’s champion 2-year-old filly Storm Flag Flying, herself a daughter of the Phippses’ My Flag. Also residing under the third dam on Jouster’s pedigree are MGSWs Parading (Pulpit) and Teresa Z (Smart Strike) and GSW Performer (Speightstown), recently third as the favorite for the Phippses and McGaughey in the GI Cigar Mile H. Playtime produced a filly by West Coast last spring and has an unraced 4-year-old Liam’s Map filly named Dressed Up Gypsy.

11th-Gulfstream, $40,000, Msw, 1-10, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:39.92, fm, 8 3/4 lengths.
JOUSTER, f, 3, Noble Mission (GB)
1st Dam: Playtime, by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Storm Flag Flying, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: My Flag, by Easy Goer
Sales History: $360,000 Ylg ’19 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: 3-1-1-0, $40,920. Click for the Equibase.com chart, VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Starlight Racing; B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

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Authentic Owners, Irad Ortiz Jr., Steve Asmussen Top National Earnings Standings

Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing – the ownership group that campaigned Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Gr. 1) and Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (Gr. 1) winner Authentic – finished the year as the leading owner by earnings, according to final statistics released today by Equibase Company LLC, the Thoroughbred industry's official database for racing information. Irad Ortiz Jr. repeated as the top earner for jockeys and Steve Asmussen was the top money-earning trainer after finishing second the two previous years.

The year-end compilations are distributed annually by Equibase and include results from Thoroughbred racing in North America from January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. Expanded North American racing leaders' lists that include all trainers, jockeys, owners, and horses are available within the statistical section at equibase.com. These lists include the ability to look at leaders in a variety of categories, including age, sex, surface, graded races, foaling year for horses, and the inclusion of designated foreign races.

Authentic, who won five of his seven races, led all Thoroughbreds in North American earnings with $7,170,000. In addition to his wins in the Derby and Classic, Authentic won the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (Gr. 1), the San Felipe Stakes (Gr. 2), and Sham Stakes (Gr. 3) and finished second in the Preakness Stakes (Gr. 1) and RUNHAPPY Santa Anita Derby (Gr. 1).

Completing the list of top 10 horses by North American earnings were Tiz the Law with $2,388,300, Tarnawa (IRE) with $2,080,000, Improbable with $1,810,000, Swiss Skydiver with $1,791,820, Mucho Gusto with $1,674,000, Monomoy Girl with $1,472,068, Whitmore with $1,426,500, Essential Quality with $1,335,144, and Vequist with $1,235,500.

Some of the leading horses also were the top earners from their respective foal crops. The leading earners by foaling year from the past five years were Essential Quality (by Tapit, 2018 foal crop), Authentic (by Into Mischief, 2017), Improbable (by City Zip, 2016), Vino Rosso (by Curlin, 2015), and Bricks and Mortar (by Giant's Causeway, 2014).

The partnership of Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing, which campaigned Authentic for the colt's final four races, earned $6,790,000 in North America in 2020 to lead all owners. Completing the list of top 10 owners by North American earnings in 2020 were Godolphin LLC, $5,703,770 (80 wins, 361 starts); Klaravich Stables, Inc., $5,323,398 (70/272); Gary Barber, $4,010,838 (59/377); Three Diamonds Farm, $3,869,111 (51/282); Calumet Farm, $3,657,128 (59/531); Juddmonte Farms, Inc., $3,387,810 (30/122); End Zone Athletics, $2,867,917 (163/801); Sackatoga Stable, $2,510,400 (6/18); and Lothenbach Stables, Inc. (Bob Lothenbach), $2,469,686 (54/388).

Asmussen, who also led all trainers in earnings in 2008 and 2009, sent out the winners of 422 races from 630 starters with 2,278 starts for earnings of $20,204,064 in 2020. Brad H. Cox finished second with his horses having won 216 races from 328 starters with 903 starts for earnings of $18,983,832.

Completing the list of top 10 trainers by North American earnings in 2020 were Bob Baffert, $18,923,887 (94 wins / 323 starts / 118 starters); Chad C. Brown, $16,596,956 (174/746/288); Michael J. Maker, $14,215,671 (270/1,428/431); Mark E. Casse, $11,393,960 (183/1,185/351); Todd Pletcher, $11,200,790 (190/ 870/ 310);William I. Mott, $9,467,346 (92/589/184); Christophe Clement, $6,227,813 (101/499/175); and Peter Miller, $6,134,655 (106/500/148).

Ortiz Jr., who last year set a single season earnings record, reached the winner's circle 300 times from 1,266 mounts in 2020 and earned $21,050,726. Finishing second was Joel Rosario with 194 wins from 1,052 mounts and earnings of $18,235,197.

Rounding out the list of top 10 jockeys by North American earnings in 2020 were Luis Saez, $16,511,372 (268 wins / 1,398 starts); Tyler Gaffalione, $15,612,262 (271/1,408); John R. Velazquez, $15,420,515 (101/662);Florent Geroux, $14,766,563 (160/861); Jose L. Ortiz, $13,811,296 (190/1,027); Ricardo Santana Jr., $12,793,803 (176/1,057); Javier Castellano, $12,461,620 (108/640); and Manuel Franco, $12,278,857 (140/1,011).

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Charlatan Romps in Runhappy Malibu

A pair of Speightstown ‘TDN Rising Stars’–Nashville and Charlatan–looked to have their four rivals over a barrel in Saturday’s GI Runhappy Malibu S., the traditional post-Christmas opening day feature at Santa Anita Park. The former had the benefit of recency, his three wins from as many starts coming by 24 3/4 lengths combined, while the latter was resurfacing for the first time since crossing the line best in the faster of the two divisions of the GI Arkansas Derby May 2. Nashville was sent off the 13-10 favorite to continue his streak, but Charlatan belied his absence with a thoroughly dominating victory, treating those who maintained the faith to a relatively juicy $5.20 as the second betting choice. Express Train (Union Rags) and Collusion Illusion (Twirling Candy) filled out the minors, as Nashville struggled home a well-beaten fourth.

“They were rolling early, there was a really good horse he was chasing,” said Baffert. “I’m just happy for the whole team and everybody involved, to show he is a really special horse. Hopefully, we will have a good year [2021] with him.”

The early part of the Malibu played out as most pace handicappers had mapped it–Nashville was quickest out and made the lead with a minimum of fuss, and Charlatan–perhaps not quite as brilliantly fast–was content to chase from second beneath Hall of Famer Mike Smith. Nashville’s opening couple of furlongs were covered in :21.81 and his half-mile split of :43.95 was in line with the :43.87 he’d clocked in winning his debut at Saratoga Sept. 2 and again in his Perryville S. romp Nov. 7. Comparisons with those two races ended right about the quarter pole. Nashville was confronted by Charlatan, but the colt offered little resistance, and Charlatan was off and gone, geared down by Smith in the final 100 yards to score with something left in the tank.

“To run against these types of horses was a feat itself, but I always thought he was a special horse,” said Smith, who won the Malibu aboard McKinzie (Street Sense) and Omaha Beach (War Front) in 2018 and 2019, respectively. “I’ve had the opportunity to watch him, California is his home base, so I’ve seen a lot of him and always wanted a chance to ride him. When Bob told me I got the call, man I’ve been kind of on cloud nine ever since. He is extremely special.”

Charlatan was deemed a no-brainer ‘Rising Star’ off a 5 3/4-length thrashing of the solid Shooters Shoot (Competitive Edge) on his Feb. 16 debut before treating future GSW Rushie (Liam’s Map) to a 10 1/4-length beating in a one-mile allowance Mar. 14. Forced to ship out of town when coronavirus put a halt to racing locally shortly thereafter, Charlatan was 40 cents on the dollar and reported home six lengths to the good at Oaklawn in early May, only to be disqualified for a drug positive. Charlatan was being pointed for the first leg of the reconstituted Triple Crown–the June 20 GI Belmont S.–but suffered an ankle injury and had not been heard from since.

Pedigree Notes:

Charlatan is the 20th Grade I/Group 1 winner, 59th GSW and 120th black-type winner for Speightstown and the stallion’s fourth top-level winner in 2020, joining Echo Town, Mozu Superflare and Lady Speightspeare. Quiet American is now the broodmare sire of 123 SWs and 43 GSWs and 15 at G1/GI level, including Horse of the Year Saint Liam (Saint Ballado), champion Bernardini (A.P. Indy) and Whywhywhy (Mr. Greeley) from the same Gone West sire line as Charlatan. Authenticity, who was second in the GI Zenyatta S. and third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita, is the dam of the 2-year-old Bennyfromthebronx (Tapit), a $300,000 Keeneland September yearling who breezed five furlongs in 1:03.80 (6/10) at Payson Park Dec. 22, and a yearling Into Mischief filly.

Saturday, Santa Anita
RUNHAPPY MALIBU S.-GI, $300,500, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo, 7f, 1:21.50, ft.
1–CHARLATAN, 120, c, 3, by Speightstown
            1st Dam: Authenticity (MGSW & MGISP, $883,362),
                    by Quiet American
            2nd Dam: Court of Appeal, by Deputy Minister
            3rd Dam: Appealing Missy, by Lypheor (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ‘TDN Rising Star’ ($700,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-SF Racing
LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables
LLC, Frederick Hertrich, III, John D. Fielding, and Golconda
Stables; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Bob
Baffert; J-Mike E. Smith. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0,
$247,200. *1/2 to Hanalei Moon (Malibu Moon), SW-USA,
SP-Can, $296,840. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
   Werk Nick Rating: C+.
2–Express Train, 120, c, 3, Union Rags–I’m a Flake, by
Mineshaft. ($500,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-C R K Stable LLC;
B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-John A. Shirreffs. $60,000.
3–Collusion Illusion, 124, c, 3, Twirling Candy–Natalie Grace, by
First Dude. ($50,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP; $300,000 2yo ’19
OBSAPR). O-Dan J Agnew, Jerry Schneider, Rodney Orr &
MyRacehorse.com; B-Donald R. Dizney, LLC (FL); T-Mark Glatt.
$36,000.
Margins: 4HF, HF, 3 1/4. Odds: 1.60, 16.80, 10.00.
Also Ran: Nashville, Independence Hall, Thousand Words.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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