Upstart | Horse Racing Free Tips

Nest Favored at 5-2 in Kentucky Oaks for the Ages

LOUISVILLE, KY – Just how deep is the 14-horse field assembled for Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks?

Unbeaten champion 2-year-old filly and 'TDN Rising Star' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), a game front-running winner by a nose while making her sophomore debut in the GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks, was installed as the third choice on Mike Battaglia's Kentucky Oaks morning-line at 4-1. Last term's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine, a $300,000 Keeneland September Yearling graduate, was assigned post seven at Monday afternoon's draw held at Churchill Downs.

“She trains like a horse that expects to win and that's a wonderful thing,” Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said of the L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds colorbearer. “She got tired in her first race off the bench, but the fast fillies are inside of her and we are pleased to draw on the outside of them.”

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest (Curlin), a head-turning heroine of the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland, was given the nod as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Oaks. The $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase will break from post four. Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, also represented by longshots Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft) (post five) and Shahama (Munnings) (post 13), looks to capture his second straight Oaks after saddling Malathaat (Curlin) to a popular score last year.

“I'm happy with the draws for Nest and Goddess of Fire,” four-time Oaks winner Pletcher said. “We were hoping to be somewhere in the middle. With Shahama, it's OK. She isn't real sharp away from the gate, so she may have a better chance out there than if she was stuck down inside.”

The ultra-impressive unbeaten GII Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Kathleen O. (Upstart), assigned post 10, is the second choice at 7-2. Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey won the Oaks in 1993 with Dispute.

Secret Oath (Arrogate), a runaway winner of the GIII Honeybee S. and third as the favorite while facing males in the GI Arkansas Derby, drew the rail for the legendary D. Wayne Lukas, who is seeking his fifth Oaks victory. She is 6-1 on the morning-line.

From the rail out, the complete Kentucky Oaks field with morning-line odds:

1-Secret Oath (Arrogate) (6-1)

2-Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro) (15-1)

3-Hidden Connection (Connect) (20-1)

4-Nest (Curlin) (*5-2)

5-Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft) (15-1)

6-Yuugiri (Shackleford) (30-1)

7-Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) (4-1)

8-Venti Valentine (Firing Line) (20-1)

9-Desert Dawn (Cupid) (20-1)

10-Kathleen O. (Upstart) (7-2)

11-Cocktail Moments (Uncle Mo) (30-1)

12-Candy Raid (Candy Ride {Arg}) (30-1)

13-Shahama (Munnings) (15-1)

14-Turnerloose (Nyquist) (20-1)

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TDN Snippets: Week of Apr. 25 – May 1

This week shed tears of sadness as we bid farewell to a fan favorite, and enjoyed a tonic of elation as we regaled a historic riding double and the newest 'Star' on the horizon. Break out the tissues for the sensitive souls, and join us as we reminisce careers, and revere achievements.

Botta Bing, Botta Swing–to Rising Stardom…
If there was a louder and prouder way to declare one's talent to the world, 'TDN Rising Star' Botta Swing (Not This Time) came close to topping it. Continuing her sire's hot streak, the filly was in such a hurry on debut that she not only spanked the boys in the field but lowered the track record in the process. That's some razzle dazzle for a $160,000 KEESEP dream.

The Doyler…
Jockey James Doyle enjoyed a memorable weekend winning the 2000 Guineas (Godolphin's Coroebus) and 1000 Guineas (Highclere's Cachet) at Newmarket. It was the fifth time that a jockey had completed the double in the same year since 1967: Ryan Moore (2015), Kieren Fallon (2005), Lester Piggott (1970) and George Moore (1967).

If it isn't baroque, don't fix it…
Spectacle and movement are but two aspects of a painting style heavily influenced by the great artist Caravaggio and now the namesake stallion has offered interpretations of his own. With three 'Rising Stars' —one of whom named after the artist's favorite technique— and winners in Europe, America, Japan, and now Hong Kong, the sire's influence is similarly spreading.

RIP Dortmund…
We were sad to learn recently that Dortmund (Big Brown) passed away at Korea's Great Hill Farm. Dortmund was a brilliant and imposing racehorse, who won his first six starts for Kaleem Shah and trainer Bob Baffert, including the 2015 GI Santa Anita Derby and 2014 GI Los Alamitos Futurity. He retired with a record of 16-8-2-2 and earnings of $1,987,505.

The $18-Million Stallion?…
Offered as the final hip at Friday's Keeneland April Horses of Racing Age Sale, a share (2.5% fractional interest) in Airdrie Stud's Upstart was hammered down for $450,000 to Mike Freeny, who operates Dunquin Farm in Paris, Kentucky, with his wife Pat. By those figures, it values the young stallion at a cool 18 mill. Get out the bubble wrap, Bret, Ben and team!

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Upstart Share Sells for $450K at Keeneland April

Offered as the final hip at Friday's Keeneland April Horses of Racing Age Sale in Lexington, a share (2.5% fractional interest) in Airdrie Stud's Upstart (Flatter–Party Silks, by Touch Gold) was hammered down for $450,000 to Mike Freeny, who operates Dunquin Farm in nearby Paris, Kentucky, with his wife Pat.

A Grade II winner and placed no fewer than six times in Grade I company at distances between eight and nine furlongs, Upstart has been represented by three winners at the graded level, with two representatives from his second crop set to feature prominently at Churchill Downs next weekend. Jeff Drown's Zandon presented the stallion with his first Grade I winner when running out an extremely impressive winner of the Toyota Blue Grass S. Apr. 9 and continues to train forwardly towards next Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby. The sire's 3-year-old daughter Kathleen O. is undefeated from four starts to date, including a latest success in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Apr. 2, and is expected to vie for favoritism in the May 6 GI Longines Kentucky Oaks.

“I did expect to pay that for it, but that was my limit,” Freeny said. “He's got some good horses on the Derby trail and on the Oaks trail. He's a good producer and his horses are running and we're sure pleased to have a share.”

Airdrie's Bret Jones said the decision was made to offer the share in an effort to strike while the iron's hot.

“We thought the share had a chance to sell very, very well,” he said. “The timing is right. The stallion sure seems right. When you have a public auction, people get competitive and I've just met our partner, Mr. Freeny, for the first time and I couldn't be happier about it. We're very happy to have him come on board. We've got a lot to root for this coming weekend and I like our chances with Upstart having another big weekend a week from now.”

The Upstart share was the second-priciest offering at the sale. The Taylor Made-sales consigned hip 23, recent Carousel S. winner Acting Out (Blame), fetched $600,000 from Will and Sarah Farish. A full report will appear in Sunday's TDN.

—Additional reporting by Sue Finley

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TDN Snippets: Week of Apr. 18 – Apr. 24

There was history being made this past week and there is history yet to be made. Break out your encyclopedias, your preferred tomes of ancient references, any long-dusty papers from years past, and enjoy the show.

Who run the world? Girls.
Letruska joined elite, and truly rarified air with her successful defense of her GI Apple Blossom title over another Apple Blossom winner in Ce Ce. Only three other mares have accomplished the feat of multiple wins in Oaklawn's signature event for dirt distaffers dating back to 1973, and their names grace the walls in the Hall of Fame: Paseana (Arg), Azeri, and Zenyatta.

Royal Ascot bound?
The former Wesley Ward-trained No Nay Never had two TDN Rising Stars, Ballydoyle's Deneuve (filly) and Aesop's Fables (colt), over the span of three days in Ireland. That also makes it five winners from seven juvenile runners for Mr. O'Brien this season. Roll on Ascot…

History in the making?
This year we have not one, not two, but seven stallions with the potential to pull off a Derby-Oaks sire double, something that hasn't been done since Native Dancer sired the winners of both races 56 years ago. In the 147 years of Derby-Oaks history, the feat has been accomplished exactly four times.

Busy, busy…
Chad Schumer was the sale's top buyer at OBS last week, taking home 15 horses for $3.03-million. They ranged from a $30,000 Kantharos colt (Hip 1192) to a $800,000 Justify filly (Hip 1139).

McCraken throws a firecracker…
Airdrie Stud stallions just keep rolling out the winners as this freshman sire claimed his first starter and winner at the ever-competitive Keeneland Spring meet. Crackalacking was a modestly sold runner -$15,000 at KEEJAN and $20,000 KEESEP last year- who blitzed the field by five lengths.

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