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Pricey Astern Filly Wins First Out at Del Mar

4th-Del Mar, $71,500, Msw, 9-2, 2yo, f, 5fT, :57.42, fm, 1/2 length.
BRANDON'SMYLAWYER (f, 2, Astern {Aus}–Ivory Pearl, by Pulpit), looking to become the fourth U.S. winner for freshman Astern, was sent off the 8-5 choice following a bullet four-furlong move in :47.40 at San Luis Rey Aug. 28. Rushing into contention but a hair behind the pacesetters, the dark bay was forced back slightly but recovered well to sit in a rail-hugging third through a :22.22 quarter. Moved to the outside turning for home, the Richard Baltas trainee caught Sugar Sugar (Twirling Candy) midstretch, pulled away from that rival and maintained a 1/2-length advantage over her oncoming stablemate Sterling Crest (Ire) (No Nay Never) at the wire. Brandon'smylawyer, the second highest priced juvenile this season by Astern, sold for $340,000 at the OBS Spring sale this past April after breezing an eighth in :10. The sire was also responsible for the third-place finisher, Tom's Beauty. The winner's dam, Ivory Pearl, is a daughter of Grade I winner Mea Domina. GSW and GISP third dam Madame Pandit (Wild Again) was responsible for GSP Ivory Empress (Seeking the Gold), the dam of GSW and 'TDN Rising Star' McCraken (Ghostzapper), MGSW Four Graces (Majesticperfection), GSP and fellow 'Rising Star' With Dignity (Declaration of War), MGSP Bondurant (War Front) and Millikin (Into Mischief), who graduated by eight lengths at first asking at Ellis Park Aug. 29. Ivory Pearl produced her latest foal last term, a colt by Oscar Performance and was bred back to Astern this spring. Sales history: $15,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT; $340,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,000.
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O-Bran Jam Stable & Ciaglia Racing LLC; B-Whitham Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Richard Baltas.

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With Five Days Left In Meet, Saratoga Sets New Handle Record

At the completion of Wednesday's card, all-sources handle for the Saratoga meet stood at $709,437,410, which was enough to set an all-time handle mark for the historic race meet. After Wednesday, there were still five days left to the meet, which means the final handle number will shatter all records.

The previous handle record was set in 2019, when $705,343,949 was wagered. With fans not allowed on-track last year due to COVID-19 concerns, the 2020 handle came in at $702.5 million.

“The record-breaking handle numbers reflect the quality of racing here at Saratoga Race Course and the excellence of the summer meet, where all-sources handle has surpassed $700 million for three consecutive years,” said NYRA CEO and President David O'Rourke. “The business of Saratoga is stronger than at any point in its history, and that would simply not be possible without the support of the horseplayers and the hard work and dedication of the horsemen here in New York.

“Ultimately, these wagering dollars are critically important to sustain a robust purse account that supports hundreds of small businesses and the 19,000 good paying jobs that are directly tied to Thoroughbred racing. Beyond that, the enthusiasm that bettors have for Saratoga allows NYRA to invest in the kind of capital-improvement projects that are so important to the future of the sport. Whether it's a project like the renovation of the Oklahoma Training Track this year, or a frontside improvement like the construction of the 1863 Club, NYRA is committed to investing in our facilities for the betterment of the sport in New York and the industry as a whole. What's also clear is that Saratoga Live and our partnership with FOX Sports has been incredibly effective in reaching existing fans and developing new interest in the sport.”

O'Rourke noted that the return of the fans for this year's meet undoubtedly played a role in not just the robust handle figures, but the economic well being of the Saratoga community.

“Beyond the gates of Saratoga Race Course, the return of fans this summer has been critically important for downtown Saratoga Springs and the entire Capital Region business,” he said. “For the sixth consecutive year, we will eclipse one million in paid attendance, and this summer will long be remembered for the return of the best fans in racing to the rightful place at Saratoga.”

The record handle was accomplished despite a number of races coming off the turf. Through the 35th day of the meet, 76 races had come off the turf. In 2020, the number was just 31.

Once again, from a handle perspective, the highlight of the meet was the GI Runhappy Travers. S. card, which accounted for $51,381,515 in handle, down just slightly from the record set in 2019 when $52,129,344 was bet. The card for the GI Whitney S. generated an all-sources record handle of $36,802,234, bettering the previous mark of $35,796,434 set in 2020.

Should business remain robust through the end of the meet, NYRA has a chance to eclipse the $800 million mark for total handle. If so, that would mean an increase of about 13% over the 2019 figures.

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Yaupon To Stand At Spendthrift

Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Yaupon (Uncle Mo–Modification, by Vindication), who became his sire's ninth Grade I winner with a tenacious victory in the Forego S. at Saratoga Aug. 28, will enter stud at Spendthrift Farm for the 2022 breeding season. The 4-year-old has the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar as his long-term objective before retiring to the stallion barn.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Yaupon was victorious in his first four career trips to the post, including Saratoga's GII Amsterdam S., clocking 1:08.50 for the six furlongs, and the GIII Chick Lang S. on the Preakness undercard in 2020 which established him as the favorite for last year's Sprint at Keeneland. The athletic dark bay bounced back from a trip to Dubai for the G1 Golden Shaheen in March with a 1 3/4-length success in Pimlico's Lite the Fuse S. July 4 prior to the Forego, his first try over seven furlongs.

At Spendthrift, Yaupon is slated to stand alongside the Heiligbrodts' champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya).

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Bill and Corinne [Heiligbrodt] on their newest Grade I winner, Yaupon,” said Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey. “Obviously, the last time they won the Forego at Saratoga it was with Mitole, so we are hopeful Yaupon can close out his racing career in similar fashion. Aside from being extremely fast, Yaupon is one of the best-looking sons of Uncle Mo you will find anywhere. When breeders come out to the farm and see a fast Saratoga Grade I winner by Uncle Mo that is as beautiful as he is on the end of a lead shank, we believe we will get a lot of 'yeses'.”

Added Heiligbrodt: “Yaupon is an absolutely stunning physical with an unbelievable pedigree, and he might have been one of the fastest horses we have ever seen at a 2-year-old-in-training sales,” said Bill Heiligbrodt. “Last year, after four straight wins and two graded stakes, we thought he had a very good chance to win the Breeders' Cup, and he ended up being the favorite in the race. But a very rough trip nullified any chance. After his most recent victory in the Forego, we look forward to returning to the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar. Corinne and I have been racing horses since the 1980s and have been lucky to be represented by a lot of nice horses. Yaupon is our best ever when you combine speed, pedigree and conformation.”

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Practical Joke Filly Tops CTHS Sale

A filly by Practical Joke (hip 75) brought the top price of C$180,000 and was one of five yearlings to sell for six figures during the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's Premier Yearling Sale Wednesday at Woodbine. Consigned by Shannondoe Farm, the bay filly is out of multiple stakes winner Silent Treat (Silent Name {Jpn}) and was bred in Ontario by Stablemates. She was purchased by J. Nelson.

The top-priced colt at the sale was a son of Silent Name (Jpn) out of stakes-placed Sweet Bama Breeze (City Zip) (hip 94). The bay is a half-brother to stakes winner Will She (Wando). He was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency and was purchased for $160,000 by Stuart Simon, as agent for William and Anne Scott.

A total of 158 yearlings sold Wednesday for a gross of $3,144,400. The average was $19,901 and the median was $10,000. At last year's auction, 142 horses sold for $2,795,300 for an average of $19,685 and a median of $14,500.

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