Far Bridge Prevails In Belmont Derby As Visitor Hits NY Traffic

'TDN Rising Star' Far Bridge (c, 3, English Channel–Fitpitcher, by Kitten's Joy) was the beneficiary of a clean trip beneath Jose Ortiz, took command in upper stretch and finished off nicely to take Saturday's GI Belmont Derby on Long Island. Less fortunate was King Power Racing's G2 Dante S. hero The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), whose passage more resembled a rush-hour trip on the adjacent Cross Island Parkway, but he flew home to remarkably grab second on the line from pacesetting longshot Mondego (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).

Supplanted late at the top of the market by the European invader, Far Bridge was off without incident and settled in the latter third of the field as longshot Mondego set the pace in advance of Godolphin's Silver Knott (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), beaten a nose into second in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Worse than midfield at the midway stage and now down inside, Far Bridge was niggled along three furlongs out and pinched ground with no stone in his path at the hedge. Railing through inside of Mendelssohns March (Mendelssohn) into the stretch, Far Bridge was angled out a furlong and a half from home and kicked on gamely for the victory. The Foxes, dispatched as the 2-1 favorite, hesitated at the start and raced with only Webslinger (Constitution) behind through the opening exchanges. He raced more or less in the company of Far Bridge passing the half-mile pole, but found himself in a bit tight inside of GII Pennine Ridge S. hero Kalik (Collected) approaching the lane and was forced to wait a fraction or two longer than Oisin Murphy might have preferred. The Foxes sailed home and skimmed the rail late to finish a highly unlucky runner-up.

“We got a fortunate trip today,” said winning trainer Todd Pletcher. “Everything worked out. We were able to save some ground pretty much around both turns, especially the far turn. We knew he had a good closing kick, we just needed to be in position to deliver it. I really liked the way he was moving around the turn and then when he got clear in the stretch, I knew he'd keep coming. We always felt like the added distance was going to be to his advantage.”

Before hot-footing it to nearby JFK Airport to board a flight bound for France to ride Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in Sunday's G1 Prix Jean Prat, The Foxes's jockey Oisin Murphy lamented: “He stood to jump and was a little slow away. I followed the winner but I wanted to sit closer in the run. The winner got first run on me as we turned into the straight and The Foxes picked up brilliantly, but I'd have loved to have been more forward in the run.”

Far Bridge made the first two starts of his career for his breeder and Christophe Clement, flying home to narrowly defeat Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) before impressively adding a Mar. 11 allowance to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors. Carl Spackler had earned the same designation a few weeks prior. LSU Stables acquired Far Bridge privately following the allowance and the bay rallied up the inside but was outfinished by Webslinger in the GII American Turf May 6. He was exiting fast-finishing second in the Pennine Ridge.

Pedigree Notes:

Far Bridge becomes the 69th worldwide stakes winner, 36th graded winner and 14th Grade I winner for the much-missed English Channel, winner of the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic over this course in 2006 and 2007. He is the 39th SW, 14th GSW and fifth GISW out of a mare by the late Kitten's Joy, a number that includes Channel Cat (English Channel) and dual Chilean G1SW Lukka (Chi), by Smart Strike's champion son Lookin At Lucky. Far Bridge is the last live produce listed for his dam.

Saturday, Belmont Park
BELMONT DERBY INVITATIONAL S.-GI, $750,000, Belmont, 7-8, 3yo, 1 1/4mT, 2:01.75, fm.
1–FAR BRIDGE, 122, c, 3, by English Channel
                1st Dam: Fitpitcher, by Kitten's Joy
                2nd Dam: Teenage Temper, by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Pleasant Temper, by Storm Cat
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. 'TDN Rising Star' O-LSU Stables; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $412,500. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $629,700. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–The Foxes (Ire), 122, c, 3, Churchill (Ire)–Tanaghum (GB), by Darshaan (GB). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (440,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co. Ltd.; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. $150,000.
3–Mondego (GB), 122, c, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Free Rein (GB), by Dansili (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (230,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Cheyenne Stable LLC; B-Car Colston Hall Stud (GB); T-Christophe Clement. $90,000.
Margins: 1, NO, HF. Odds: 3.35, 2.15, 41.50.
Also Ran: Webslinger, Silver Knott (GB), Mendelssohns March, Redistricting (GB), Kalik, Wizard of Westwood, Cyber Ninja, Boppy O.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Fozzy Stack: ‘Aspen Grove Has Nothing To Lose In Belmont Oaks’

Fozzy Stack says that Aspen Grove (Ire) is something of a forgotten horse heading into the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. and revealed that there were genuine excuses for her below-par effort in the Irish 1,000 Guineas when the Justify filly was found to be in season. 

Aspen Grove carried Craig Bernick's distinctive silks to victory in a Group 3 contest at the Curragh last term and, with that valuable black-type success already secured, Stack felt connections could afford to be brave in travelling her over for Saturday's Grade I assignment. 

Stack said of the filly who is co-owned by Mrs. John Magnier, “She was in season when she ran in the Irish 1,000 Guineas so there was very much a plausible excuse for that effort. There's only one Guineas, she couldn't run in it next year, so that's why we took our chance. 

“Listen, she's travelled over well and she seems to have settled in nicely. Mark Enright is over here with her and he is happy with her so we'll see what happens.”

He added, “She has good form. She ran very well on her reappearance at Leopardstown when third in a Group 3 despite being caught wide the whole way round. 

“You could run around in Group 3s at home in Ireland for forty grand or you can come over here for a lot of money. She's already a Group 3 winner so she's nothing to lose and it all to gain.”

Aspen Grove is a general 8-1 chance with most firms for the Belmont Oaks and will have the assistance of Oisin Murphy in the saddle. 

Murphy's primary reason for jetting out Stateside is to ride Andrew Balding's The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the Belmont Derby and Stack said that it would have been “silly” not to snap up a rider of his quality for Aspen Grove. 

He said, “It made a lot of sense to get Oisin to ride the filly. He's coming over to ride The Foxes for Andrew Balding anyway so it would have been silly not to use him while he's here.”

Stack has enjoyed a good start to his domestic campaign in Ireland and is operating at a 17 per cent strike-rate with 11 winners under his belt. 

Indeed, he has already tasted big-race success on American soil when Yesterdayoncemore (Ire) (No Nay Never) won a Grade II at Del Mar in 2019.

Like Yesterdayoncemore, Stack says that Aspen Grove could well continue her career in America for Bernick, who he describes as an important supporter of his famous County Tipperary stable.

Stack said, “We'll get this over with first, but we will probably run her at Saratoga or at Del Mar after this. I'm very lucky to have Craig as an owner. He's a very nice guy and has a great interest in the game. He actually bred Aspen Grove.”

On the race itself, he added, “Graham Motion's filly [Mission Of Joy (Kitten's Joy)] sets a good standard and Chad Brown has a couple of nice fillies [Aspray (Quality Road) and Prerequisite (Upstart)] in there as well. 

“There are no easy Group 1 races wherever you go but they are usually not as difficult to win on the grass in America than they are in Europe so hopefully she can go close.”

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Derby Fifth The Foxes Set For Drop In Trip – Coral-Eclipse Could Be Next

Dante winner and Derby fifth The Foxes (Ire) is set for a drop back in trip for his next outing, with the Coral-Eclipse put forward as a possible target, after connections felt the Churchill (Ire) colt failed to see out the trip at Epsom on Saturday. 

Andrew Balding's charge was a good winner of the Royal Lodge in September and was only touched off by Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the Craven at Newmarket on his first run as a three-year-old.

Owned by King Power Racing, he improved on that display at York, taking the extended 10-furlong Dante in his stride, beating subsequent Derby third White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) by a neck.

However, connections are now looking to drop The Foxes back in trip, after he failed to see out the 1m4f in the Derby.

King Power's racing manager Alastair Donald said, “It was 100 per cent the case that he didn't stay the trip. He got a little further back than ideal, but I don't think it made a massive difference.

“He came with a good run to look like he was going to finish a nice third, and then didn't get home in the last furlong and a half. Looking at the sectionals, it clearly shows that.

“We hoped he might stay a bit further, but he is the same as his half-brother Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB})–it looks like he will end up being very much a 10-furlong horse.”

Connections are now considering options for The Foxes, who was sent off 7-1 in the 14-strong Derby field.

“We are just weighing things up at the moment. The Eclipse is in the thinking for his next race, but we will certainly look at international options as well,” Donald added.

“But I definitely think he will be campaigned at 10 furlongs and we wouldn't be afraid to drop him back to a mile. In the Craven, he travelled the strongest of any horse over a mile, so we wouldn't be afraid to drop him back.

“We think we still have a very good horse and I think it will prove to be a pretty strong Derby. Sometimes you have a good first three and the rest don't tend to do much in future, but I think quite a lot of good horses will come out of that race over various different distances.”

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Seven Days: Churchill’s Brightest Hour

Seven years ago Churchill (Ire) beat Mehmas (Ire) in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S., and they both now feature prominently in their second careers at stud.

For Mehmas, that's nothing new. He was champion first-season sire, then leading second-season sire, and he gave way only to New Bay (GB) last year among his generation. Now with his fourth crop of runners taking to the track, the Tally-Ho Stud resident is back in front among his intake with four group winners to his credit so far this year, including the GI Maker's Mark Mile winner Chez Pierre (Fr). He was also responsible for the latest TDN Rising Star in Europe, Sunday's 12-length debut winner Asadna (Ire).

Churchill retired a year later after winning the 2,000 Guineas in England and Ireland. His rise was a little slower, but not by much. Finishing sixth among the freshmen of his year, he was the leading second-crop sire in Europe last year ahead of Zarak (Fr), and those two currently occupy the same two slots among this season's third-crop sires, with Churchill hovering just outside the top ten on the general sires' list. 

While his first crop was highlighted by the Aga Khan's champion three-year-old colt Vadeni (Fr), winner of the Prix du Jockey Club and Eclipse, as well as finishing runner-up in the Arc, his second has no less a potential star in Blue Rose Cen (Fr). The Yeguada Centurion homebred added the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches to her first Group 1 win in the Prix Marcel Boussac. 

This week, that leading pair has been backed up by the exploits of G2 Dante S. winner The Foxes (Ire), who, like the Jessica Harrington-trained Leopardstown Group 3 winner Sprewell (Ire), is now full steam ahead for Epsom. 

Harrington also took Friday's G3 Saval Beg Levmoss S. with Churchill four-year-old Yashin (Ire), who could be Melbourne Cup-bound come autumn, while the stallion's versatility was on display when Ladies Church (GB) won the Listed Sole Power Sprint S. for Johnny Murtagh. This was added to her victory in last year's G2 Sapphire S. and sets her on course for a Group 1 tilt at Royal Ascot. And let's not forget, for 'tis no disgrace, that he has also sired a couple of Grade 2 winners over hurdles in Comfort Zone (Ire) and Scriptwriter (Ire). 

In short, Churchill is compiling an impressively rounded portfolio of smart performers, and a Derby winner would push him yet another rung higher on the ladder.

Tanaghum Just Too Dam Good

Barronstown Stud's Tanaghum (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) deserves all the plaudits as an increasingly significant broodmare. A €250,000 purchase by David Nagle in 2014 from her breeder Shadwell, the daughter of the 1,000 Guineas winner Mehthaaf was already 14 by then and, though she had five winners to her credit, only two had earned black type, headed by G3 Curragh Cup winner Tactic (GB) (Sadler's Wells).

A snapshot of her page would look rather different now. The Raven's Pass foal she was carrying at Goffs became the nine-time winner Matterhorn (Ire), who claimed the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge in 2020. Then came Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}), whose six victories include the G2 York S., and who is now standing at Chapel Stud. Yaazy (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who was two when her mother was sold, won the following year's Listed Prix Joubert, while current four-year-old Perotan (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) won Her Majesty's Plate, a Listed contest at Down Royal, in 2022. Her full-brother The Foxes, who was sold to King Power Racing for 440,000gns as a yearling, looks even better, and the dual Group 2 winner is now third-favourite for the Derby. 

While Tanaghum may be one who got away, Shadwell will be taking increasing encouragement from the exploits of Listed winner Handassa (GB). The 14-year-old daughter of Dubawi (Ire) is already the dam of dual Group 1 winner Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and four-time Group 3 winner Mostahdaf (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and her three-year-old son Mostabshir (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) was an impressive winner at York last week. He will surely be seen back in stakes company soon after reportedly not enjoying the easier ground he encountered in the G3 Craven S. on just the second run of his life. Like his elder half-brother Mostahdaf, Mostabhir holds a Group 1 entry for Royal Ascot.

We must, too, acknowledge Darley's Modern Ideals (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), for though her son Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was already a multiple Group/Grade 1 winner, his latest success in the Lockinge S. brings his number of top-flight wins to five in four different countries. The mare's three-year-old daughter Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) is now a Classic heroine who has won five of her eight starts, including the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S., and Modern News (GB), who completes the trifecta of Darley stallions by being a son of Shamardal, counts a Listed victory among his six wins.

Azure Blue on Fast Track to the Top

“I found her on a rainy night at Book 3 in Harry Dutfield's.” It may not quite make the grade for an opening line to a Raymond Chandler novel, but it is poetic enough when describing the origin of the current rising star of the sprint ranks.

That memorable line was uttered by David Appleton, who passes the credit to his father Peter, co-owner of the G2 Duke of York Clipper S. winner Azure Blue (Ire) with Anne Elliott, the mother of bloodstock agent Alex Elliott.

Peter Appleton understandably had a spring in his step on the Knavesmire last week when reflecting on the impressive progress of their four-year-old daughter of El Kabeir. Bred by Debbie Kitchen and Mary Davison, Azure Blue was pinhooked as a foal by Harry Dutfield for €19,000 and then bought by her trainer Michael Dods for the partnership at 47,000gns after being spotted by David Appleton, a member of the Darley nominations team. 

“Book 3 has been good to us,” said Peter Appleton, who, with his wife Linda and Anne Elliott, also raced the Listed winner Que Amoro (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}), who was only a length behind Battaash (Ire) when second in the G1 Nunthorpe S. Picked up for 28,000gns as a yearling, the five-time winner subsequently sold for 220,000gns at the December Mares' Sale. Then there was the treble winner Arcavallo (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}).

“And he finished second, beaten a neck in the £150,000 sales race at Newmarket. He was bought for ten grand,” Appleton added. “David helps out, but we do the hard yards, myself and Linda. It's not easy to find one, but I quite like to look at the offspring of first-season stallions and unraced mares, because you can buy them.”

While Appleton has been involved in racing for long enough to admit that there is no specific winning formula, just “lots of luck”, he is quick to attribute must of their success to the patience of Dods.

“Michael is quite reserved, but he likes to see a horse progress. She's always had a lot of potential,” he said of Azure Blue, whose seven wins include back-to-back Listed wins on the Rowley Mile, spaced over last October and this May, followed by her first group-level win at York.

“We were keen to get a win into her as a two-year-old,” he continued. “But she's a big filly, she's over 500 kilograms, and she didn't win until November. Michael is quite keen to look at what might happen if the ground went soft at Ascot, but I'm pretty relaxed about it, because there's plenty of races.”

Based in Durham, not far from their trainer, the Appletons ceased being breeders several years ago and Peter said that he would not be tempted back to the fold, even by a potential broodmare as smart as Azure Blue.

“We'll let somebody else do that,” he said. “I have picked up a few foals to pinhook, to just keep dipping in and doing bits and pieces.”

He is also full of praise for Paul Mulrennan, who has ridden Azure Blue in most of her races.

“He's a proper pilot; proper pilot,” said Appleton. “I mean, he got off her, first race as a three-year-old, when she was beaten here [at York] in the handicap. She was rated 78 or something like that, and he said, 'This is a proper group filly'.”

Mulrennan wasn't wrong, and Azure Blue looks like she has plenty left to give. It will also be worth trawling the results of Tattersalls October Book 3 later this year to discover what budding young talent may be heading to the Dods stable for the Appleton/Elliott partnership. 

Finding his Calling

Ballyhane Stud's Soldier's Call (GB) is the latest of the young stallions to be zipping up the charts. In what seems like no time at all, he's gone straight to the top when it comes to number of winners, with a smart Saturday double bringing that tally to eight. 

He is also the first to have a black-type performer to his name in the Listed Marygate Fillies' S. runner-up Dorothy Lawrence (GB). Homebred by Steve Parkin of Clipper Logistics, the young filly is also well named as the real Dorothy Lawrence was a journalist who, prevented from reporting from the front line because she was a woman, dressed as a male soldier and spent some time serving in the trenches in the Somme. Such bravery is deserving at the very least of a decent namesake.

The aforementioned Book 3 sale was also the source of the first winner for Lanwades Stud's Study Of Man (Ire). The colt in question, Deepone (GB), was bought for 62,000gns by his trainer Paddy Twomey and now races in the colours of Vimal Khosla. He hails from the same family as last year's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. winner Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who had been favourite for Saturday's Irish 2,000 Guineas until being ruled out of the race on Monday by Joseph O'Brien. 

Deepone's second dam is the G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Yorkshire Oaks winner My Emma (GB) (Marju {Ire}), and his unraced dam Avyanna (Ire) is by Galileo (Ire). It was perhaps a surprise to see him ready so early but he relished the 7.5f test, finishing strongly, and is one to follow with interest.

 

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