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Quality Road’s First Defender Earns ‘Rising Star’ Nod On Debut

Gunned to the front from a middle gate by jockey Tyler Gaffalione, First Defender (3, c, Quality Road–Love And Pride, by A.P. Indy) withstood pressure on all sides and a contested early pace at the Fair Grounds to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star'.

Off sharply, the colt found himself sandwiched between horses from the opening strides with Pinfire (Bolt d'Oro) to his inside and Golden Nugget (Mendelssohn) off his outer flank. The trio quickly separated themselves from the rest of the field as they sped through an opening quarter in :21.48. Still bunched together as they rounded the far turn, the race became a question of who could withstand the pressure. First Defender answered to the affirmative, striding away past the furlong marker and opening up close to home for the 5 1/4-length win as the 4-5 favorite. 21-1 shot Quaternion closed to be a clear second.

Out of a dual Grade I-winning dam in Love and Pride, herself a $4.9 million purchase by Three Chimneys out of the 2013 FTKNOV sale, First Defender is already a half-brother to a pair of stakes winners in Bella Runner (Gun Runner) and Princesinha Julia (Pioneerof the Nile). Third dam Cara Rafaela (Quiet American) is responsible for the late MGISW and leading sire Bernardini (A.P. Indy). First Defender is the 14th 'TDN Rising Star' for Quality Road. Love and Pride produced a filly by Volatile last year and was not bred for 2023.

7th-Fair Grounds, $65,000, Msw, 1-21, 3yo, 6f, 1:10.88, ft, 5 1/4 lengths.
FIRST DEFENDER, c, 3, by Quality Road
1st Dam: Love and Pride {MGISW, $985,760}, by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Ile de France, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Cara Rafaela, by Quiet American
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $39,000. O-Three Chimneys Farm; B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. *1/2 to Princesinha Julia (Pioneerof the Nile), SW, $111,053; and Bella Runner (Gun Runner), SW, $238,125.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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McIngvale To Help Defray Costs of StrideSAFE Technology at Rillito

'StrideSAFE' Horse Safety will be instituted as part of the track's Equine Wellness Program during the 2023 racing season, and prominent Thoroughbred owner James McIngvale has pledged to cover two-thirds of the costs for the testing of Thoroughbreds.

StrideSAFE is 'a biometric sensor mechanism that slips into the saddle cloth to detect minute changes in a horses's gait at high speed.' The changes are said to be undetectable to the naked eye and are recorded in a stoplight fashion–green for all clear, varying shades of amber as warnings for possible lameness issues and red for the most potentially serious injuries.

In a study conducted by the New York Racing Association of 6,600 starters in 2022, it was reported that the StrideSAFE technology accurately detected 90% of all the catastrophic injuries. The Rillito study aims to identify horses the Track Regulatory Veterinarians should examine before they run.

The testing of 1,000 Thoroughbreds and American Quarter Horses during the meet is estimated to cost $45,000. Though the technology has only been applies to Thoroughbreds thus far, Quarter Horses will be included at Rillito. Following the research, American Quarter Horse tracks could employ the StrideSAFE sensors across the country.

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Practical Move Back To Work

Practical Move (Practical Joke), upset winner of the GII Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 17, returned to the worktab for the first time since at Santa Anita Saturday morning, drilling a half-mile in a strong :47.80 (7/60). Trainer Tim Yakteen told the Santa Anita press office that the bay colt–bred by Chad Brown and Head of Plains Partners–'moved well' in the work.

“Well give him a few more works and see where we're at, but we're looking at sometime in late February or early March,” said Yakteen. “We have a few options.” The conditioner indicated that there is a possibility Practical Move could ship out of town for his sophomore debut.

Should he remain local, the $90,000 Keeneland September buyback turned $230,000 OBS April breezer could take in the traditional GI Kentucky Derby preps in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 4 en route to the GI Santa Anita Derby a month farther down the road.

Yakteen, who was the trainer of record for 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) and Messier (Empire Maker) in last year's Run for the Roses, is looking forward to potential return trip to Louisville.

“Anytime you have a nice 3-year-old in the barn it's always exciting,” he said.

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OBS Winter Mixed Sale Starts Monday

The Under Tack Show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's (OBS) Winter Mixed Sale's Horses of Racing Age Section is set for Monday, Jan. 23 at 9:00 a.m. E.T. with 148 horses cataloged.

The event will be streamed live via the OBS website, with the Winter Mixed Sale searchable catalog available there as well. Thoroughbred Daily News will also be streaming the event on our website.

OBS offers online bidding during the Winter Mixed Sale. Buyers may register to gain approval, then with their credentials they may access the OBS Bidding Screen. Click here, for complete information on this process.

For more information regarding the Winter Mixed Sale or OBS website, please call (352) 237-2154.

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