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Godolphin, Cox Post Single-Season Earnings Records

With 84 winners from 479 North American starts, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's Godolphin LLC amassed earnings of $17,403,204, to establish a new single-season record, according to statistics released Monday by Equibase Company LLC. The previous mark of $12.2 million was set in 2012 by Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Additionally, runners sent out by trainer Brad Cox earned a record $31,832,345 in 2021, narrowly surpassing the $31.1 set in 2019 by trainer Chad Brown.

Leading the charge for Godolphin in 2021 was 'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit), a leading contender for Eclipse Award honors with victories in the GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. en route to bankrolling $3,420,000 for the campaign. When factoring in earnings from the Saudi Cup meeting last February and Dubai World Cup night the following month, the stable's North American earnings topped $29.3 million, including 'Rising Star' and G1 World Cup hero Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) and Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the G2 UAE Derby. The Godolphin blue was carried to victory in three races on Breeders' Cup weekend at Del Mar, highlighted by standout successes from Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf and from Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile. Godolphin raced 15 North American graded winners in 2021, a number that also includes GI Clark S. hero Maxfield (Street Sense) and Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), victorious in the GI Just A Game S. at Belmont and the GI Diana S. at Saratoga.

Cox unsaddled the winners of 269 races from 1,025 starters in 2021, led by Knicks Go (Paynter), who capped a likely Horse of the Year campaign with a romping victory in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar to go with the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational and GI Whitney S. Adding in earnings from Saudi Arabia and Dubai, the Cox stable was represented by the winners of $33.3 million. Knicks Go was North America's highest-earning Thoroughbred for the year with seasonal earnings of $5,824,140.

Joel Rosario, the regular rider of Knicks Go, finished the season with 228 victories from 1,083 rides in 2021, good for earnings of $32,944,478, a number that soars to $35.4 million when adding in earnings from the Middle East.

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Owner Hits Jackpot With First Horse

The sport is not supposed to be that easy, even if some people make it look that way sometimes.

Pat Kearney is 83, admits he doesn't know much about racing, has a fairly modest budget and had never owned a horse when he showed up last year at the OBS April 2-year-old sale. Fast forward some eight months later and Kearney is the owner of Kathleen O. (Upstart), one of the more promising 3-year-old fillies in racing right now. Making her second career start Saturday at Gulfstream, Kathleen O. won the Cash Run S. by 8 1/2 lengths in an impressive effort despite hesitating at the start. The victory came after she broke her maiden in her debut in November at Aqueduct.

“It has been an amazing, exciting, energizing experience,” said Kearney, who races under the name of Winngate Stables.

Prior to getting involved in ownership. Kearney was a casual racing fan who started going to the track at Arlington Park with his father as a child.

“I'm not a good handicapper,” he said. “I don't know much about breeding or pedigrees. What I did was take my $50, spend a day at the track and make some bets. It's good entertainment. I always really liked the horses.”

Kearney, who is retired after working in the securities industry in Chicago and as a lawyer, and Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey have known each other for about 20 years and often play golf together. Somewhat out of the blue, Kearney one day asked McGaughey what he thought about his buying some horses.

“I talked to Shug and I asked him if he would work with me and buy some horses,” Kearney said. “I asked him what to do and he said I should buy two horses, a filly and a colt, get them at auction and buy them at a 2-year-old sale. He explained the costs and explained that you don't get into this sport to make money but for the satisfaction and the fun of the game.

“I wanted to find something I was interested in that I could do and didn't have to make a huge commitment. Not so much financially, but more so time and effort. I didn't want to have a lot of obligations.”

Having gotten off to a successful start in the game, Kearney only wishes he started earlier.

“I don't know why I didn't do it earlier,” he said. “About a year ago I just decided I wanted to get involved in something new. Do I wish I did it 10 years earlier? Absolutely. It had just never come up. The one question I had was whether I was too old to get started in the business. Fortunately, I am in good health.”

Kearney bought Kathleen O. for $275,000. He named the filly after his wife, whose maiden name is Kathleen O'Boyle. His other purchase, Cloudy (Noble Mission {GB)}, was bought three days later at the same sale for $130,000. He is winless in two starts.

Buying horses at the sales is somewhat new territory for McGaughey, whose longtime main client, the Phipps family, races primarily homebreds.

“I enjoy going to the sales,” McGaughey said. “I worked the yearling sales pretty good last fall and we bought some nice yearlings. We also looked at some 2-year-olds last winter. It's been fun and interesting.”

It was apparent early on that McGaughey had picked out a filly with talent. Sent off at 3-1 in her first start in her debut, Kathleen O. was next to last and 6 1/2 lengths behind with a furlong remaining, but still found a way to get up in time to win by a head.

“I think we've got a lot to look forward to,” McGaughey said after the Cash Run. “I'm very pleased with the way she's come along and the way she ran today, and her maturity level. I was just saying to [my wife] Alison, think of what she's going to look like in a year from now. She's always been tall and she's still filling out.”

He may still be learning about the sport, but Kearney knows enough to know that the GI Kentucky Oaks could be part of the filly's future.

“I know that she's a very talented horse and I know there is a race called the Kentucky Oaks, but I have no idea if she will qualify for that or not,” Kearney said. “So far, it's been like hitting the lottery. I'm flabbergasted.”

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Dash Attack Stays Undefeated in Smarty Jones

On the day Coolmore America sire Munnings got a new 'TDN Rising Star' in Dubai with Shahama, he also added a new stakes winner on the Derby trail with Dash Attack in Oaklawn's Smarty Jones S. Earning 10 points on the 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' in this one-mile event, Dash Attack broke from the rail, took a little hop out of the gate, and settled midpack behind fractions of :23.03 and :46.38. The chestnut edged closer in earnest on the turn, but was still saving ground in eighth as six panels were clocked in 1:12.34. Tipped out about six wide coming off the turn to find running room, he flew down the lane with his ears pricked to win with authority.

“I'm just really pleased with the job [rider] David [Cohen] and my team did over there,” said winning trainer Kenny McPeek from Florida. “Just an impressive run by that colt. Look, he's still just figuring it out, this horse. I knew he would come from off the pace. I saw that he got off a little awkward. I just didn't want David to rush things and it looked to me like he started to, but then as the race unfolded, he kind of ended up in a pocket for a while. But good horses overcome things and he's done that, for sure.”

Dash Attack had made one previous start, a Dec. 5 victory over track and trip that resulted in a 74 debut Beyer Speed Figure. McPeek's family is part of both the ownership group and the breeding partnership that resulted in the Smarty Jones winner. With his wide blaze, chestnut coat, and consecutive trips to the winner's circle, Dash Attack calls to mind another sophomore colt by Munnings, GI Champagne S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher, who was scratched the day prior to the GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile as the likely favorite due to a stress fracture.

Dam Cerce Cay is a half to MSW & MGSP Song of Navarone (Sultry Song). She has a freshly minted 2-year-old colt by Noble Mission (GB) and a yearling full-sister to the winner.

SMARTY JONES S., $250,000, Oaklawn, 1-1, 3yo, 1m, 1:39.44, sy.
1–DASH ATTACK, 119, c, 3, by Munnings
               1st Dam: Cerce Cay, by Hard Spun
               2nd Dam: Timely Legend, by Navarone
               3rd Dam: Turf Legend, by Woodman
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Catalyst Stable, Magdalena Racing,
Kevin J. Pollard & Patty Slevin; B-Catalyst Stable &
Magdalena Racing (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-David
Cohen. $150,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $205,440.
2–Barber Road, 117, c, 3, Race Day–Encounter, by Southern
Image. ($15,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV). O-WSS Racing, LLC;
B-Susan Forrester & Judy Curry (KY); T-John Alexander Ortiz.
$50,000.
3–Ignitis, 117, c, 3, Nyquist–Zaharias, by Grand Slam.
($190,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Holy
Cow Stable, LLC; B-Nesco II Limited (KY); T-D. Wayne Lukas.
$25,000.
Margins: 2, 1, NO. Odds: 7.70, 8.50, 31.30.
Also Ran: Kavod, Vivar, Cairama, Ben Diesel, Ruggs, All in Sync, Home Brew, Bureau, Don'tcrossthedevil, Cool Papa G. Scratched: Immoral.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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‘New’ Year, Same Story in Sham

Already with a record seven GIII Sham S. trophies, including the two prior runnings and three of the last four, trainer Bob Baffert and the ever-present ownership group nicknamed The Avengers celebrated another big score Saturday at Santa Anita with front-running Newgrange (Violence). The handsome dark bay earned an 80 Beyer Speed Figure for a 1 1/2-length debut tally at Del Mar Nov. 28 over pricey and highly regarded Got Thunder (Arrogate), who was second to newly minted Avengers-owned 'TDN Rising Star' Wharton (Candy Ride {Arg}) Friday afternoon.

Away as the third choice at 5-2 behind GIII Nashua S.-winning stablemate Rockefeller (Medaglia d'Oro) and surprisingly well-backed GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf third Mackinnon (American Pharoah), Newgrange broke in concert with Rockefeller before taking a narrow edge into the first turn under Hall of Famer John Velazquez. He cruised along at a comfortable tempo through splits of :24.46 and :48.94, and was given his cue to quicken near the 3/8 pole. Rockefeller couldn't keep pace, and Mackinnon tried to get going over the unfamiliar surface, but nobody was getting to Newgrange as he floated under the line an 2 3/4-length winner. Rockefeller narrowly held second from late-running GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile fifth Oviatt Class (Bernardini).

“There was one speed, the other Bob Baffert horse (Rockefeller) and I'm pretty sure he didn't want them in a head and head,” Velazquez said. “He told me to put my horse on the lead. Once my horse got to the lead he waited. I took a little hold of him and he kind of started waiting for the horses, so I started waiting for the horses to come to him, by the time we got to the backside I kind of let him do his own thing. I let him get in a comfortable rhythm, after that it was pretty easy though.

“He's so green, he feels like he got on by himself, he was waiting for horses so, I had to give him a little reminder to keep his mind on running and his gallop out was pretty good so it still seems like he's learning.”

A version of this same ownership group spearheaded by SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables took the 2020 running of the Sham with eventual GI Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief).

“He looked good,” Baffert said of Newgrange. “He had been training really well and working together with Rockefeller. The quality is there. I'm happy we have a great team and we are moving forward with him. I thought Rockefeller would be a little closer. We'll have to figure things out on where the two go from here.”

Saturday, Santa Anita
SHAM S.-GIII, $100,000, Santa Anita, 1-1, 3yo, 1m, 1:38.32, ft.
1–NEWGRANGE, 120, c, 3, by Violence
1st Dam: Bella Chianti, by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Bella Chiarra, by Phone Trick
3rd Dam: Bannockburn, by Count Brook
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($125,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). 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-Jack Mandato &
Black Rock Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-John R
Velazquez. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $102,000. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating:
A+.
2–Rockefeller, 124, c, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Dance to Bristol, by
Speightstown. ($750,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). 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-Colts Neck Stables LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $20,000.
3–Oviatt Class, 120, c, 3, Bernardini–Occasionally, by Tiznow.
($37,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $60,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-James E
Downey; B-Godolphin & Morgan's Ford Farm (VA); T-J Keith
Desormeaux. $12,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, NO, 3/4. Odds: 2.70, 1.50, 4.20.
Also Ran: Mackinnon, Degree of Risk. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
The second-least-expensive of 28 colts purchased for a combined $11,250,000 ($401,786 average) by the Avengers at the 2020 Keeneland September sale, Newgrange becomes Violence's 13th graded stakes winner. The Avengers have also shown an affinity for, and had significant success with, sire Empire Maker. The excellent broodmare sire influence is responsible for 30 graded winners, including 2021 GISWs Silver State (Hard Spun), Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}). The winner's unraced dam is a daughter of Grade II winner Bella Chiarra (Phone Trick). She produced another Violence colt last April before being bred to War of Will.

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