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Rockefeller Rockets To Graded Stakes Victory In Nashua

In his third career start, Rockefeller improved on his last-out fourth-place finish behind Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Corniche in the American Pharoah Stakes and won the G3 Nashua Stakes on the closing day card at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The son of Medaglia d'Oro withstood early pressure from Speaking and pulled away in the stretch to win by 2 3/4 lengths.

Breaking from post one, Rockefeller and Luis Saez went straight to the lead, with Speaking pressing to his outside, a half-length off the lead. Around the far turn, Rockefeller extended his lead to a length, as Speaking began to tire and the field attempted to catch up with the leader.

In the stretch, Cooke Creek and Judge Davis put in their closing bids, but the Baffert-trained Rockefeller easily pulled away from the field, stretching his lead out in the race's final furlong. The final time for the one-mile G3 Nashua Stakes was 1:36.66. Cooke Creek and Judge Davis were second and third. Midnight Worker, Cairama, and Speaking rounded out the field.

Find this race's chart here.

Rockefeller paid $3.60, $3.30, and $2.40. Cooke Creek paid $5.50 and $3.60. Judge Davis paid $2.70.

Bred in Kentucky by Colts Neck Stables, Rockefeller is out of the Speightstown mare Dance to Bristol, a multiple graded stakes winner. He is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, and Robert E. Masterson. The 2-year-old colt was consigned by Mill Ridge Sales and sold to SF/Starlight/Madaket for $750,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With his win in the Nashua, Rockefeller has two wins in three starts for career earnings of $142,500.

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Rockefeller Wires the Nashua

Rockefeller went wire-to-wire to win the GIII Nashua S. at Belmont Park Sunday. The bay colt, sent off at 4-5, sprinted out to the early lead and was pressed by Speaking (Mr Speaker) through a quarter in :23.02 and a half in :46.75. Cooke Creek rolled up four wide to challenge entering the lane, but the favorite shrugged off that foe in upper stretch and scampered clear to an authoritative victory.

“I knew the other horses would break from there running, but we have a lot of speed, so Bob [Baffert] told me to break from there and send him and see if they can keep with us,” said winning jockey Luis Saez, who was riding Rockefeller for the first time. “That was the plan, to break from there running. He kept at it. He's a very talented horse. He's still learning but he has a lot of talent. I think he's going to be a nice horse. It was great to get the mount.”

A front-running debut winner sprinting six furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 28, Rockefeller was coming off a fourth-place effort behind Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Corniche (Quality Road) in the Oct. 1 GI American Pharoah S.

Pedigree Notes:

Rockefeller is a son of 2013 GI Ballerina S. winner Dance to Bristol. The mare has a yearling colt by Candy Ride (Arg)–who sold for $400,000 to Mike Ryan at this year's Keeneland September sale–and a weanling filly by Into Mischief.

The juvenile is the 84th graded winner for Medaglia d'Oro and the 39th graded winner out of a Speightstown mare.

Sunday, Belmont Park
NASHUA S.-GIII, $150,000, Belmont, 11-7, 2yo, 1m, 1:36.66, ft.
1–ROCKEFELLER, 118, c, 2, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Dance to Bristol (GISW, $980,880),
                                by Speightstown
                2nd Dam: Dance to Dawn, by Louis Quatorze
                3rd Dam: Expressive Dance, by Riva Ridge
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($750,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket
Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC and Robert E. Masterson;
B-Colts Neck Stables LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Luis Saez.
$82,500. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $142,500. Werk Nick
   Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Cooke Creek, 120, c, 2, Uncle Mo–Genre, by Bernardini.
O-Cheyenne Stable LLC; B-Candy Meadows LLC (KY);
T-Jeremiah O'Dwyer. $30,000.
3–Judge Davis, 118, c, 2, Distorted Humor–Mylitta, by Sky
Mesa. ($280,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald
& Donna Adam); B-Edward A. Seltzer (KY); T-Claude R.
McGaughey III. $18,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 2 3/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.80, 9.20, 3.80.
Also Ran: Midnight Worker, Cairama, Speaking.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Tapit Colt Headlines Opening Session Of Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Sale

Strong trade marked the opening session of the 2021 Kentucky October Yearlings sale Monday at Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Ky.

A colt by three-time leading sire Tapit topped the session when sold for $700,000 to Donato Lanni, agent for SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables (video).

Bedouin Bloodstock, agent, consigned the colt as Hip 22. The bay colt is the first foal out of the stakes winning Shanghai Bobby mare March X Press, a half-sister to stakes winner and stakes producer Harlan's Honor. Bred in Kentucky, Hip 22's price tag matched the second-highest paid for a colt in the history of the Kentucky October Yearlings sale.

“I'm very pleased with the opening session of the October sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “(There was) spirited bidding at all levels, lots of competition, and a very diverse crowd that was here to buy horses… It's very encouraging.”

Rounding out the sessions top five prices were:

Hip 21, a Justify colt out of multiple stakes winner Maple Forest (Forestry), purchased for $350,000 by John P. Fort from the consignment of Blue Heaven Farm (video). The chestnut colt is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes-placed multiple stakes winner Heartwood. Hip 21 was bred in Kentucky by Blue Heaven Farm.
Hip 266, a Union Rags colt out of graded stakes winner Purely Hot (Pure Prize), purchased for $235,000 by Redwings from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. The bay colt is a half-brother to two winners, including 2019 Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes winner Eight Rings (Empire Maker). Hip 266 was bred in Kentucky by Orpendale, Cheslton, & Wynatt.
Hip 273, a colt by the late Malibu Moon out the stakes-placed Unbridled's Song mare Queenie's Song, purchased for $200,000 by Cypress Creek LLC from the consignment of Timber Town, agent. The dark bay or brown colt is a half-brother to two winners, including multiple stakes winner Oliviaofthedesert (Bernardini). Hip 273 was bred in Kentucky by Timber Town Stable LLC and Jane Winegardner.
Hip 302, a filly by successful young sire Liam's Map out of the winning Indian Charlie mare Recoupe, purchased for $190,000 by West Bloodstock from the consignment of St George Sales, agent. The gray or roan filly stakes-placed winner Compensate. Hip 302 was bred in Kentucky by Westpoint Stables.

“I don't think it was any surprise that there was a lot of demand,” added Browning. “We've seen strength in the yearling sales (this year)… We've got a lot of real quality horses still to sell in the next three days, and we're looking forward (to it).”

Overall, 341 yearlings sold for $11,016,900 with 32 yearlings sold for $100,000 or more. Compared to last year's opening session, the gross rose 31.3 percent from $8,393,800. The average rose 18.8 percent to $40,208 from $33,846, while the median increased 13.3% to $17,000 from $15,000. The session RNA rate was 19.6 percent.

The Kentucky October Yearlings sale resumes Tuesday at 10 AM. Results are available online.

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Baffert Nominates Four For Capote Stakes, Two For Los Alamitos Special

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert nominated four 2-year-olds to the $75,000-guaranteed Capote Stakes.

Named in honor of the champion 2-year-old of 1986, the Capote is scheduled to be run at 6 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 18.

Baffert also nominated a pair to the $100,000 Los Alamitos Special, a race at 1 1/16 miles set for Sunday, Sept. 19.

Topping the list of nominees for Baffert to the Capote is Murray, an impressive first-out winner before disappointing as the favorite in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., Sept. 6.

A $300,000 purchase at the Keeneland September sale last year and owned by a partnership that includes SF Racing LLC and Starlight Racing, Murray broke his maiden by 10 ¾ lengths July 25 before finishing fifth of six in the Futurity. The son of Street Sense and the Tiznow mare Now Now has banked $48,000.

Baffert also nominated Montebello, a New York-bred son of Curlin who won narrowly in his debut Aug. 7 at Del Mar before finishing second in the Funny Cide at Saratoga 20 days later, and the maidens Rhetoric and Enbarr.

The other nominees include Los Alamitos graduates Olympic Legend and Richards the Dream and Fascinated, who won at first asking – via disqualification – on the Golden Gate Fields turf Sept. 4.

Baffert, who won the inaugural Los Alamitos Special – when it was contested at 1 ¼ miles – with Dabster in 2018, nominated Leading Score and Magic On Tap this year.

A lightly-raced 7-year-old, Leading Score owns a victory at Los Alamitos, capturing an optional claimer at one mile during the 2017 Los Angeles County Fair meet.

Owned by breeders Patti and Hal Earnhardt III, the son of Midnight Lute has won three of 10 and earned $141,810.

Magic On Tap will be shortening up for breeder Summer Wind Equine LLC after trailing in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 10 furlongs last month. The 5-year-old Tapit horse has won three of eight and banked $234,300.

The other nominations to the Los Alamitos Special are Bold Endeavor, Border Town, Luvluv, Manhattan Up, Margot's Boy, Red Storm Risen, and Sash.

Entries for the Capote will be taken Wednesday, Sept. 18 and for the Los Alamitos Special the following day.

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