Frankel’s Nashwa Too Good In The Nassau

Class has told all week so far at the Qatar Goodwood Festival and on Thursday it was the turn of TDN Rising Star Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to excel in the G1 Qatar Nassau S. Sent off the 6-5 favourite having loped to post like an old hand under Hollie Doyle, Imad Al Sagar's G1 Prix de Diane heroine cruised from rear down the outer to swoop on the front end with a furlong remaining and assert for an ultimately-comfortable 1 3/4-length success from the 40-1 outsider Aristia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), with Lilac Road (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) half a length behind in third. “I am very emotional when it comes to her–she is my first Classic-winning homebred and is a future broodmare for Blue Diamond,” Al Sagar commented. “We noticed from early in her career that she was special, but how special we didn't know. Since April she has developed at a very fast pace physically and mentally.”

 

Labelled a TDN Rising Star following her emphatic 6 1/2-length success on her 3-year-old bow over a mile at Haydock Apr. 23, Nashwa has continued to grow in stature with each passing week and her smooth win in Newbury's Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies' Trial S. over a mile and a quarter May 14 was followed by a game third in the Oaks which stretched her too far. Back in action 16 days later when she provided her jockey and her owner-breeder with personal landmarks in the Diane at an appreciative Chantilly, this was a quick enough turnaround with all that action in the background but the signs cantering down were all positive.

That perfect rhythm she displayed on the way to the start was also there in the race, where she accepted restraint with total compliance as the match made in heaven with her rider deepens further each time they join together. Always well within her comfort zone, she was asked to close as the front-running Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) failed to get away approaching two out and was able to make up the deficit with ease. Picking up the unexposed fellow 3-year-old Fonteyn (GB) (Farhh {GB}) and Aristia soon after, the bay strode to the line typically powerfully to give the impression she was in a class of her own despite the final margins.

Hollie Doyle provided her lowdown after. “She gave me some feel. A change of tactics today from France, but it paid off,” she said. “Nashwa is A1, you can't fault her. I rode her aggressively in France because we had a good draw and I wanted to hold my position. Today, in between her work from her previous run, she now knows what she is doing so I didn't want to light her up and ride her from a pace angle. I came down the hill with a double handful. She travels very well, but she takes a while to hit top gear.”

“This is her perfect trip,” Doyle added. “She has a high cruising speed and sees it out very well. She is push-button and you can ride her anywhere, which is really nice. Nashwa is a horse of a lifetime and if it wasn't for Imad Al Sagar giving me this opportunity, I might not have enjoyed days like this. Every group one means a lot, so you've got to enjoy it while it lasts because you get home tonight and you'll be back into work mode for the next day. You have limited time to enjoy these moments.”

Al Sagar added, “The important part of it is I own the family. She was not disgraced in the Oaks, but ran out of stamina–we didn't know beforehand about the trip and found out. It was a beautiful performance in the French Oaks and to do that with only 16 days between two Classics, she must be very special. Our target will be the Prix de l'Opera on Arc day and then the Breeders' Cup [Filly & Mare Turf]. She has had a very busy season and we definitely would not want to overdo it. She will be kept in training at four and I think she will be better then–the whole family thrive with age.”

John Gosden said, “We have relaxed in last and what they've done is suddenly pull the pace up. If you look at the fractions, they did two 14-second furlongs in the middle, which is as slow as you can go. Coming from last made it tough on her, as they are quickening down the hill but Nashwa has got the class and when the ground levelled off she was happier. She is versatile to do that from off the pace. I think next time we might have to put a pacemaker in.”

Aristia was running the race of her life and trainer Richard Hannon said of the runner-up, “Aristia is always a filly that runs massively above what you were expecting. For some reason she did not come in her coat until well after Ascot. We have got her back right and she looks a million. She ran a super race and we have got the rest of the season to look forward to. Everything is an option now. She is a filly with an awful lot of scope. There are some lovely races coming up and I would love to hope that she will stay in training for next year.”

Maureen Haggas said of Lilac Road, “I thought she ran great. She did not get the smoothest run through, which often happens at Goodwood. In the last 50 yards she flew–I am thrilled with her. Looking at that, I think we could step her up to 12 furlongs happily and she is getting better as she has never been easy. We went down first and she wasn't too bad today. She is settling in her races and has galloped right to the line. I don't know what plans there might be. She is well worth keeping at this standard, and William will find something and talk to Jon and Julia [Aisbitt] and work out a plan.”

Nashwa's dam Princess Loulou (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) took time to fulfil her potential, finishing second in the G1 Prix Jean Romanet as a 4-year-old before closing out her career with success in the Listed Gillies Fillies' S. She is a granddaughter of the Listed Princess Elizabeth S. runner-up Sweeping (GB) (Indian King), who produced the dual listed-winning sprinter Watching (GB) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) who was also runner-up in the G2 Prix du Gros-Chene. Sweeping is also the second dam of the listed scorer Nufoos (GB) (Zafonic), who in turn produced three black-type winners in the G1 Middle Park S. and G2 Mill Reef S. hero Awzaan (GB) (Alhaarth {Ire}), the G3 Sweet Solera S. winner Muraaqaba (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the Listed Sandringham H. winner and dual group 3-placed Muteela (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Also related to the G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. winner Ball Lightning (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) and the GIII Will Rogers S. scorer Media Mogul (GB) (First Trump {GB}), Princess Loulou's filly by Decorated Knight (Ire) is entered in the upcoming Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale (lot 93). She also has a colt foal by Dubawi (Ire) and is carrying a full-sister to Nashwa at present.

Thursday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR NASSAU S.-G1, £600,000, Goodwood, 7-28, 3yo/up, f/m, 9f 197yT, 2:05.77, g/f.
1–NASHWA (GB), 126, f, 3, by Frankel (GB)
     1st Dam: Princess Loulou (Ire) (SW-Eng, G1SP-Fr, GSP-Ire, $175,317), by Pivotal (GB)
     2nd Dam: Aiming (GB), by Highest Honor (Fr)
     3rd Dam: Sweeping (GB), by Indian King
O-Imad Al Sagar; B-Blue Diamond Stud Farm (UK) Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Hollie Doyle. £340,260. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, 6-4-0-2, $1,144,433. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Aristia (Ire), 135, f, 4, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Aloisi (GB), by Kalanisi (Ire).
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (85,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Mrs E Roberts; B-Rathasker Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £129,000.
3–Lilac Road (Ire), 135, f, 4, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Lavender Lane (Ire), by Shamardal.
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Jon and Julia Aisbitt (IRE); T-William Haggas. £64,560.
Margins: 1 3/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.20, 40.00, 7.50.
Also Ran: Fonteyn (GB), Dreamloper (Ire), One For Bobby (Ire), Rogue Millennium (Ire), Concert Hall (Ire). Scratched: Ville De Grace (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Frankel’s Nashwa Too Good In The Nassau appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Blazing Sevens A Mix of Genius and Racing Luck

There are no bigger stages and brighter lights than Saratoga in the summer, and Blazing Sevens (Good Magic–Trophy Girl, by Warrior's Reward) showcased his razzle-dazzle with aplomb, blitzing a field of well-regarded debuters to loudly proclaim himself worthy of 'TDN Rising Star'-dom.

Beating out two others in the race by his freshman sire to become a fifth winner, and the first to get the TDN's stamp of approval, for Good Magic, Blazing Sevens added another layer of sheen to breeder Tracy Farmer's banner last Sunday. In addition to being represented by the talented juvenile, Farmer was also the owner and owner/breeder of the runner-up and third-place finishers in Woodbine's GIII Hendrie S.–Amalfi Coast (Tapizar) and La Libertee (Consitution), respectively–as well as the owner of GII Dance Smartly runner-up Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}).

Farmer purchased Blazing Sevens's dam Trophy Girl for $62,000 as a weanling at Fasig-Tipton November in 2013. The bay took a bit of time to get to the races, not debuting until Sept. 30 of her 3-year-old year, but managing to win twice in the opening months at four over Turfway's old synthetic track. She wouldn't hit the board again, and eventually retired due to injury after her final start in July of that year. Sporting a pedigree he really liked, Farmer retired Trophy Girl to his broodmare band, and she's fit into the operation like a well-tailored glove.

“He breeds, sells, races homebreds and buys yearlings, so when we do matings for him, we ultimately concentrate on planning matings that will work for his racing program if he decides to keep the resulting foals,” said TDN columnist and advisor to Farmer, Sid Fernando. “…In the case of Blazing Sevens, we recommended several proven stallions and only one unproven horse–Good Magic–for his dam. Tracy made the decision to use [the stallion].”

With only four on the ground so far, and two of racing age, the sampling is still small, but Team Farmer is happy with what they're seeing from Trophy Girl. The mare's first, an unnamed 3-year-old colt by Distorted Humor, did not reach his reserve at Keeneland September in 2020, so consigner Denali Stud took a different approach to Blazing Sevens, convincing Farmer to sell him in Keeneland's January sale last year. To their credit, the result was successful this go-around, with the colt bringing $140,000 from Chestnut Valley Farm. He would later sell again for $225,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale to Rodeo Creek Racing.

 

“He was a gorgeous yearling when we saw him at the sale,” said bloodstock agent Pete Bradley, who helped put together the Rodeo Creek Racing partnership on the colt. “We had a set price range and he fortunately fell into it. I wanted to buy him as a weanling but lacked the funds at the time.”

Blazing Sevens's score was well-timed as the focus now shifts to the yearling sales season, and this year's renewal of the Saratoga sale coming up shortly (Good Magic has two in the open sale and four more in the subsequent New York-bred auction). Breeding farms with young stallions will be eager to showcase early success, such as a 2-year-old winning at Saratoga and becoming a 'Rising Star' in the process. Good Magic also already has a stakes winner to his name in Vegas Magic, a filly who beat the boys in Pleasanton's Everett Nevin S. July 9.

As for their colt, Bradley says that if the horse is ready to go, and Chad Brown likes what he sees, the GI Hopeful S. at the end of the Saratoga meeting isn't out of the question, but he hesitates to make plans too far in advance. Whether or not it happens is a decision based on conditioner and charge, alone.

“The original plan was always to have him go longer. He's such a chill horse and he didn't look like he turned a hair after that debut,” he reported. “He's taken everything in stride.”

Tracy Farmer shares in the excitement, and is eager to see his stock continue to rise to the head of their class. He's even willing to put what he called 'a little peer pressure' into the universe.

“I hated to see [Blazing Sevens] go, but everything has worked out for the best,” admits Farmer. “And I would love to see him in the Kentucky Derby starting gate.” And there is perhaps no greater honor, and no more sought-after pressure, than a Derby dream fueled by early promise.

The post Blazing Sevens A Mix of Genius and Racing Luck appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Good Magic Colt Debuts a ‘Rising Star’ for Brown

Rodeo Creek Racing's Blazing Sevens (Good Magic), representing the same red-hot trainer in Chad Brown who conditioned his champion juvenile sire (by Curlin), garnered the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction in Saratoga's Sunday opener as he stalked and pulled away from a salty-looking bunch to become Good Magic's fifth individual winner. Off at odds of 9-2 as the public seemed to struggle to find the standout, Blazing Sevens broke well from the outside, but was out-footed by a couple as Bourbon Bash (City of Light) seized a clear lead. Blazing Sevens made his three-wide move to go and confront the pacesetter into a :46.45 half, and wore down that foe past the eighth pole en route to an easy 6 1/4-length tally in 1:13.20 while galloping out like he was just getting started.

Upgrade (Flatter), a $550,000 KEESEP yearling, was third; while Kentucky invader Faithful and True (Good Magic), a fast-breezing $450,000 OBSMAR grad who ticked down to 2-1 favoritism late, rounded out the super.

Blazing Sevens is the second foal and first to race out of a half-sister to 2012 GI Jamaica H. upsetter King David (Hat Trick {Jpn}). Dam Trophy Girl (Warrior's Reward)'s pair of wins came going long on the Turfway all-weather. Trophy Girl is by the same sire who produced the dam of one of Brown's four straight graded stakes winners at Monmouth Park Saturday in GIII Monmouth Cup S. winner Highly Motivated (Into Mischief). She has a yearling filly by Constitution and a filly foal by Goldencents. The 9-year-old visited another juvenile champ in Essential Quality for 2023.

1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 7-24, 2yo, 6f, 1:13.34, ft, 6 1/4 lengths.
BLAZING SEVENS, c, 2, Good Magic
                1st Dam: Trophy Girl, by Warrior's Reward
                2nd Dam: Storm West, by Gone West
                3rd Dam: Storm Attack, by Storm Bird
Sales history: $140,000 Ylg '21 KEEJAN; $225,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Rodeo Creek Racing, LLC; B-Tracy Farmer (KY); T-Chad C. Brown.

 

The post Good Magic Colt Debuts a ‘Rising Star’ for Brown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Kingman’s Highbank Earns TDN Rising Star Tag At Newmarket

Charlie Appleby sent out Godolphin's subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to garner last term's renewal of Newmarket's Discover Newmarket British EBF Maiden S. and the local operation has another likely sort to go forward after 750,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate Highbank (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) powered to 'TDN Rising Stardom' with a taking display in this year's edition of the seven-furlong heat. Settled off the tempo in seventh through halfway, the 4-1 chance made eyecatching headway inside the final quarter mile to gain control passing the furlong marker and quickened clear in impressive fashion to account for stablemate Bold Act (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) by 3 3/4 lengths.

“He is a horse that we have got a bit of experience with the family with having had Bay Of Poets,” explained trainer Charlie Appleby. “Whatever he did today there was going to be marked improvement. He had done some good work at home and I told [rider] Jack [Mitchell] to teach him to race the right way. Today was a learning day and his class prevailed. He travelled very well and picked up well. I've not had chance to speak to Jack, but visually it was impressive. We liked Bold Act too, so hopefully that is a useful pointer, amd we will keep him at seven [furlongs] for the moment. I think he has got a lot of natural speed and we will probably look at something like the [G3] Solario S. [at Sandown]. I need to have a chat with the lads before making any firm decisions.”

Highbank is the latest of seven foals and fourth scorer out of a winning half-sister to G3 St Leger Italiano victor Burma Gold (Ire) (Java Gold) and Listed Prix Finlande runner-up Burma Sea (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), herself the dam of G3 Prix Eclipse winner Devil (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}). The April-foaled bay is a half-brother to Listed Prix Pelleas victor and G2 Al Rashidiya runner-up Bay Of Poets (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). Bristol Bay's full-sister Burning Heights {Ire}) is the dam of G3 Killavullan S. scorer Blue De Vega (Ger) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and the second dam of G2 Premio Lydia Tesio victrix Angel Power (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Highbank's second dam Bougainvillea (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) is a full-sister to G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Grosser Preis von Baden heroine Borgia (Ger) as well as being a half-sister to  G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Coronation Cup-winning sire Boreal (Ger) (Java Gold).

1st-Newmarket, £8,000, Mdn, 7-23, 2yo, 7fT, 1:27.30, g/f.
HIGHBANK (IRE), c, 2, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Bristol Bay (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Bougainvillea (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger)
3rd Dam: Britannia (Ger), by Tarim (GB)
1ST-TIME STARTER. (750,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Lynch-Bages & Camas Park Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $5,187. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

The post Kingman’s Highbank Earns TDN Rising Star Tag At Newmarket appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights