Friday’s Racing Insights: Bevy of Pricey, Well-Bred Runners Squeeze in ’21 Starts

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

2nd-TAM, $26.5K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1m40yds, 1:08 p.m. ET
   While their other four competitors are a combined 0-for-37, late-debuting newcomers Aussie Pride (Curlin) and Mint (Bodemeister) sport huge pedigrees and in one case, a massive price tag. The former, who carries the Godolphin blue for trainer Bill Mott, was the second topper at the 2019 Keeneland September sale at a gaudy $4.1 million. He's out of New Zealand champion sprinter Bounding (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}), who is a half to G1 Investec Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Mint's dam Flawless (Mr. Greeley), meanwhile, was a $4.1-million FTKNOV buyback last year one day after her son Authentic (Into Mischief) completed his Horse of the Year campaign with a GI Breeders' Cup Classic score. Arnaud Delacour trains Mint for breeder Peter Blum. TJCIS PPs

7th-GP, $54K, Alw, (S), 2yo, 7f, 3:29 p.m. ET
   Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's So Determined (Into Mischief) takes on a couple of stakes-placed runners in his first try against winners. The $875,000 Keeneland September yearling is out of a full-sister to SW Summer House (Tiznow) from the family of MGSW and successful Louisiana-based sire Custom for Carlos (More Than Ready). Second in his local unveiling Oct. 2, he broke through by 4 1/2 lengths going 5 1/2 panels Nov. 14. TJCIS PPs

4th-SA, $67K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 5:00 p.m. ET
   This first of two divisions of well-bred sprinting maidens features The Avengers' $625,000 Keeneland September buy McLaren Vale (Gun Runner). A $200,000 KEEJAN in utero seller and $325,000 Keeneland November weanling, the Bob Baffert trainee is out of a half-sister to the dam of Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Justify. Richard Baltas pupil Balladeer (Distorted Humor), who cost $355,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Showcase, is out of a Galileo (Ire) half-sister to GI Belmont S. and GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Drosselmeyer (Distorted Humor). Several in here show solid running lines, including Doug O'Neill-trained last-out Del Mar third-place finishers Godsend (Midshipman, $80,000 OBSAPR {:20 4/5}); and B Dawk (Gormley, $425,000 FTMMAY {:10 1/5}). TJCIS PPs

6th-SA, $67K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 6:00 p.m. ET
   West Point Thoroughbreds and Talla Racing LLC's Got Thunder (Arrogate) will look to go one better here after finishing second at 19-10 to Newgrange (Violence), whose high-profile connections, nicknamed The Avengers, will be represented this time around by Wharton (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Armagnac (Quality Road). Got Thunder was a $155,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $750,000 OBSAPR grad off a :10 flat bullet breeze. He's half to MGISW turfer Heart to Heart (English Channel) and MGSP Lady Traveler (Quality Road). Click for Steve Sherack's 'Second Chances' feature on Got Thunder after his Nov. 28 unveiling at Del Mar.

Wharton was a $475,000 September buy and is out of GISW sprinter Her Smile (Include), making him half to MGSW Pink Sands (Tapit). Armagnac, who cost $210,000 at the same auction, is out of turf stakes winner Kitty Wine (Lemon Drop Kid), who also set a track record on the Keeneland Polytrack over the Beard Course. TJCIS PPs

8th-OP, $120K, Alw, 2yo, f, 1m, 6:00 p.m. ET
   Muddy Waters Stables LLC's Hypersport (Blame) stretches out off a super-sharp and head-turning second-out score here Dec. 3 that earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure and surely some phone calls to her connections. The $100,000 September yearling was previously runner-up at Keeneland Oct . 21. Three other fillies already own black-type: Brad Cox-trained Goldolphin homebred Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) was second in Churchill's Fern Creek S. last time Nov. 27; Benedict Canyon (Midnight Lute) was third in Santa Anita's Anoakia S. Oct. 24 and makes the move from Bob Baffert to Steve Asmussen off a fifth-place run in the GI Starlet S.; and value buy Red Hot Mess (Shackleford), upset winner of the White Clay Creek S. at Delaware Oct. 13, comes in off a far-back finish in Belmont's Tempted S. TJCIS PPs

The post Friday’s Racing Insights: Bevy of Pricey, Well-Bred Runners Squeeze in ’21 Starts appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Messier Takes Next Step at Los Al

'TDN Rising Star' Messier (Empire Maker) will look to take his talent around two turns as a prohibitive favorite in Saturday's GII Los Alamitos Futurity. A $470,000 FTKSEL buy by the powerful ownership conglomerate nicknamed The Avengers, the bay settled for second at 1-2 in his local unveiling July 27. He resurfaced at Santa Anita Oct. 22 after a minor foot issue, and blew away his competition by 6 1/2 lengths. The son of MSW router Checkered Past (Smart Strike) made similarly short work of Del Mar's GIII Bob Hope S. over seven panels Nov. 14, and trainer Bob Baffert now puts the blinkers back on that he took off for that start. The Avengers will also be represented by Barossa (Into Mischief), who graduated third out over a mile at Santa Anita Oct. 15 before wheeling back quickly to finish ninth behind stablemate Corniche (Quality Road) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 5. Baffert has won each of the seven runnings of this race since it was moved to Los Al and owns 13 victories in it overall.

Trainer Doug O'Neill has two chances at his first Futurity win. Durante (Distorted Humor) ran Barossa to a half-length two back, before earning his diploma Nov. 14. Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) was a sharp debut winner sprinting against fellow Cal-breds Oct. 9, and was a close second as the chalk in the Golden State Juvenile S. on Breeders' Cup weekend Nov. 5.

Longshot Olympic Legend (Street Boss) rounds out the field of five coming off a distant third in the restricted Capote S. here Sept. 18.

The post Messier Takes Next Step at Los Al appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Street Sense Colt the Latest ‘Rising Star’ for Avengers

Murray (Street Sense), the most fancied of a trio of Bob Baffert-trained juveniles owned by the stallion-making conglomerate most easily referred to as “The Avengers” and seeking their diplomas in Del Mar's second race Sunday, blew past the buzzed-about even-money Peter Miller newcomer Drink the Wind (More Than Ready) en route to 'TDN Rising Star'-dom.

The $300,000 Keeneland September yearling broke on top at 5-2 but Drink the Wind was ridden along to seize a clear lead. Murray was content to sit second under Flavien Prat and began to ratchet up the pressure after a :21.54 opening quarter. Drink the Wind backed out of it abruptly heading for home, and Murray was soon several lengths in front. He poured it on from there under minimal encouragement, dusting his competition by 10 3/4 lengths and stopping the clock in 1:04.37. Second timer Clampett (Flatter) came on for second. Murray's stablemates Carbonite (Union Rags) and Barossa (Into Mischief) rounded out the trifecta and super, respectively, while the favorite crossed the line last.

Murray is out of a half-sister to MGSW juvenile Listen Here (Gulch) and three other stakes performers, including the dam of 2017 GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup winner La Coronel (Colonel John). This is the female family of MGISW Listening, et al. Dam Now Now (Tiznow) produced a Gun Runner filly last year and a Good Magic filly this Valentine's Day.

Murray is the14th 'Rising Star' by Street Sense, who himself garnered that honor. Baffert has trained other members of that esteemed 14 like MGISW McKinzie and this year's GII San Vicente S. and GII Rebel S. winner Concert Tour.

2nd-Del Mar, $70,500, Msw, 7-25, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:04.37, ft, 10 3/4 lengths.
MURRAY, c, 2, Street Sense
                1st Dam: Now Now, by Tiznow
                2nd Dam: Listen Now, by Storm Bird
                3rd Dam: Listen Well, by Secretariat
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,000. Click for the
Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
O-Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Starlight Racing, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan, Robert E. Masterson & Jay A. Schoenfarber; B-Kim & Rodney Nardelli & William Werner (KY); T-Bob Baffert. *$300,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP.

The post Street Sense Colt the Latest ‘Rising Star’ for Avengers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Sunday’s Racing Insights: Avengers Unveil Pricey Pair

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 

6th-LRC, $45K, Msw, 2yo, 5f, post time: 6:28 p.m. ET
The stallion-making syndicate nicknamed “The Avengers” will be represented by a pricey pair of yearling buys here conditioned by Bob Baffert. Favored at 6-5 on the morning line is Messier (Empire Maker), who was the most expensive buy by his late sire last year when he brought $470,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Select Yearlings Showcase. The bay is out of two-turn stakes winner Checkered Past (Smart Strike) from a Sam-Son family that includes Canadian champions Catch the Ring and Catch the Thrill. Carbonite (Union Rags), meanwhile, was the highest-priced yearling by his sire in 2020 when he brought $560,000 at Keeneland September. Previously a $170,000 KEENOV weanling, he is out of a half-sister to GI Preakness S. winner and young sire Cloud Computing (Maclean's Music). The pair have been working in company for this, most recently breezing five furlongs from the gate at Santa Anita in 1:00.20 (3/20) last Thursday. Messier appeared to be going slightly better of the two before galloping out with a bit more energy (click for XBTV video). TJCIS PPs

The post Sunday’s Racing Insights: Avengers Unveil Pricey Pair appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights