Tag: Top News

Mendelssohn Represented By First Japanese Winner

Coolmore America's Mendelssohn, a son of the much-missed sire of sires Scat Daddy, was represented by his first Japanese winner and 16th overall from his first crop when the 2-year-old filly Celadonite (Jpn) turned in a professional debut effort over 1400 meters on the dirt Saturday at Chukyo Racecourse.

Drawn widest in a field of 10 in a rare sex-restricted event for first-time starters, the early April foal jumped alertly and was part of the early mix, then eased back to sit a midfield trip in the clear while racing several paths away from the inside. Gradually working her way into contention on the turn, Celadonite was poised to strike three deep on the swing for home, accelerated nicely when asked by Christophe Lemaire with a little more than an eighth of a mile to race and stayed on well to record a 1 1/4-length victory as the 19-10 second favorite (see below, SC 10). It was the 1,600th winner on the JRA circuit for the French reinsman.

 

 

Celadonite, who races in the colors of the Silk Racing syndicate, is the third winner from four to race for his dam Celadon (Gold Halo {Jpn}), whose best produce to date is the hard-knocking Copano Kicking (Spring At Last), a three-time Group 3 winner on the dirt in Japan who added a thrilling success in the $1.5-million Riyadh Dirt Sprint in 2021. Fourth in the latter event this term, he was an intended runner in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, but suffered a career-ending injury in the days leading up to the race.

Celadon was acquired by Indian interests in 2015 and was exported to that country in foal to Elusive Quality. She produced two winners from two to race in India, but was returned to the U.S. in 2019, where she was covered by Mendelssohn and subsequently sent to Japan. She was barren to Drefong for 2021 and slipped her foal by champion dirt horse Le Vent Se Leve (Jpn) this season.

Mendelssohn, the half-brother to Into Mischief and Beholder, has 12 winners stateside, including the stakes-placed Miracle. His other winners have come in France, Ireland and Saudi Arabia. He is also the sire of the juvenile colt Tomodachi, a $1.3-million purchase by Japan's joint-second leading trainer Mitsu Nakauchida at this year's OBS April Sale.

 

 

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Lord Nelson Filly Tops Penultimate Session of Keeneland September

A filly by the late Lord Nelson brought $125,000 from agent Michael Wallace, acting on behalf of St. Elias Stables, to top Friday's 11th of 12 sessions of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Vinnie Viola's operation has purchased a total of 48 head throughout the sale, either alone or in partnership, for gross receipts of $18,815,000 and an average of $391,979.

Consigned by Legacy Bloodstock, agent for breeder Spendthrift Farm, as Hip 3709, Friday's topper is a full sister to 2022 GII Saratoga Special S. third-place finisher and recent runaway Pimlico optional claiming winner Super Chow.

Out of the unraced Warrior's Reward mare Bonita Mia, she is from the family of Grade/Group 1 winners Miss Match (Arg) (Indygo Shiner), Carina Mia (Malibu Moon) and Miss Linda (Arg) (Southern Halo).

Canuck Racing Club paid $70,000 for the session's second highest seller, Curlquest, a colt by Exaggerator out of a daughter of champion Blind Luck (Pollard's Vision). Consigned by Castle Park Farm (Noel Murphy), agent, he is out of I'm the Reason (Bernardini). He was bred in Ontario by Langcrest Farm.

With one day remaining in the Keeneland September Sale, a total of 2,663 yearlings have sold through the ring for $402,977,700, for an average of $151,325 and a median of $80,000. The average price is up 14.56% from $132,091 in 2021, while the median is 23.08% above $65,000 last year.

The gross of this year's sale is a record for a Keeneland auction. The mark officially was passed Thursday.

On Friday, Keeneland recorded sales of $3,037,700 for 175 yearlings, for an average of $17,358 and a median of $15,000. The total is below the corresponding session in 2021 when 243 horses sold for $3,930,000. This year's average price increased 7.33% from $16,173 in 2021, while the median was 25% higher than $12,000 last year.

Friday session's leading consignor was Taylor Made Sales Agency, which sold 20 horses for $413,500. Wallace, agent for St. Elias, was the session's leading buyer.

The 12th and final session of the September Sale begins Saturday at 10 a.m. ET. The auction will be streamed live at Keeneland.com.

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Goldstein Honored by HRWS

Jane Goldstein will be recognized with a special award at the inaugural edition of the Horse Racing Women's Summit (HRWS) at its luncheon Thursday, Sept. 29. The presentation will honor Goldstein for her role as a groundbreaking leader and inspirational example to women in racing.

A native of New Orleans, Goldstein had an early introduction to the racetrack through her father, a writer and reporter with the Times-Picayune newspaper. She attended the University of Kentucky and Louisiana State University. Following graduation, she was hired to work in the publicity department at the Fair Grounds. She later worked in the publicity departments at Laurel, Pimlico, Monmouth Park, Hialeah, and Keeneland racetracks, as well as serving on the special Kentucky Derby “notes team” at Churchill Downs from 1970 to 1976. She also wrote freelance articles for various racing publications.

In 1972, Goldstein met Alan Balch, who was then director of public relations at Santa Anita Park. In 1975, Balch hired her as assistant news director at Santa Anita, promoting her to director of publicity in 1976. The first woman in the country to head a track publicity department, she continued to run the publicity and communications arm of Santa Anita until her retirement in 1998.

“Since Jane first joined Santa Anita, what has stood out most to me is her commitment to excellence in all things, both journalistically and in the sport,” said Balch. “Her unceasingly high standards serve as an exemplar for all of us.”

In 1984, Goldstein was named the venue press chief for the equestrian sports of the Olympics Games at Santa Anita and Fairbanks Ranch. She was also the first woman to serve on the selection committee of the Thoroughbred Racing Association's Grantland Rice Memorial Scholarship at Vanderbilt University, granted to a young man or woman interested in sports journalism. In 1985 she was inducted into the Fair Grounds press box hall of fame. Goldstein currently serves as a trustee of the California Thoroughbred Foundation, a non-profit corporation dedicated to the advancement of equine research and education.

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Haskell Rematch Highlights Saturday’s Graded Stakes Slate

After putting on a show on the Jersey Shore earlier this summer, the Gun Runner-sired GI TVG.com Haskell S. exacta of Cyberknife and 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba co-headline a loaded renewal of the GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Saturday.

Was it a tale of two trips or did the best horse just win that day at Monmouth Park? You be the judge.

While subsequent GI Runhappy Travers S. runner-up Cyberknife awaited racing room leaving the quarter pole, the hard-ridden Taiba began to wind up beneath Mike Smith with a four-wide blitz. Florent Geroux, meanwhile, found a seam aboard the GI Arkansas Derby winner along the rail as favored 'Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings) began to back out of it at the furlong marker. Cyberknife ran to daylight from there and outbattled the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner by a game head in a race that didn't deserve a loser.

“He's a Grade I horse and it's a Grade I race,” trainer Brad Cox said of Cyberknife and Saturday's $1-million affair. “And look, I'm excited about matching up with Taiba. He's a very good horse, a Grade I winner in his own right. There are some other very good horses in the race. It looks like a really good group of horses.”

That “really good group of horses” also includes the rail-drawn GISW Zandon (Upstart), who should appreciate the turnback to nine furlongs following a third-place finish in the Travers; the Cox-trained GIII Ohio Derby winner and GII Jim Dandy S. third Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile); the top three finishers of the GIII West Virginia Derby–Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), 'Rising Star' We the People (Constitution) and Simplification (Not This Time); and GI Curlin Florida Derby winner and Ohio Derby runner-up White Abarrio (Race Day), who finished a puzzling seventh last out in the Haskell.

Saturday in the Parx…

The loaded 13-race program at Parx also features four other graded events, led by the GI Cotillion for 3-year-old fillies.

In addition to seeking a record fourth Pennsylvania Derby victory with 5-2 morning-line favorite Taiba, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert will also ship in Cotillion second-choice Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) from his Santa Anita base. The runaway GIII Las Virgenes S. heroine has been training lights out since finishing second as the favorite in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. May 20.

“She is training really well,” Baffert said. “I could have run her in a softer spot. This will be a class check for her.”

After chasing home runaway division leader Nest (Curlin) in Saratoga's GI Coaching Club American Oaks and GI Alabama S., the classy Secret Oath (Arrogate) seeks her first win since capturing the GI Kentucky Oaks. She is the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

“She is only getting stronger,” Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. “She sure is filling out and getting better and holding a lot of weight. She is probably maturing into the filly that we wanted her to be.”

Todd Pletcher will be represented by a formidable trio in Alabama third Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft), streaking local Cathryn Sophia S. winner and 'Rising Star' Green Up (Upstart) and GIII Monmouth Oaks heroine and 'Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings).

The card also features wide-open renewals of the GII Gallant Bob S. and GIII Turf Monster S., while a field of nine marathoners will line up for the GIII Greenwood Cup.

The day's graded stakes action is rounded out by Saturday evening's GIII Dogwood S. at Churchill Downs, featuring the return of champion and 'Rising Star' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), who was a vet scratch at the gate prior to Belmont's GI Acorn S. June 11; and Belmont at the Big A's GIII Athenia S.

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