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Updated: 3 weeks 4 days ago

Lope de Vega’s Growth Trajectory Strong on Debut at Monmouth Park

Sun, 2025-05-25 17:26

7th-Monmouth, $48,625, Msw, 5-25, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.85, fm, 3 1/2 lengths.
GROWTH TRAJECTORY (GB) (f, 3, Lope de Vega {Ire}–Wekeela {Fr} {GSW & G1SP-Fr, GSW & MGISP-USA, $418,587}, by Hurricane Run {Ire}) was one of two runners in this contest to be making their debuts and the first-timers claimed the exacta in this turf maiden on the Jersey Shore. Bumped at the start, but recovering to race from fourth, the 7-2 second choice was rolling from three wide passing the quarter pole as she advanced through the far bend, and had taken command by upper stretch. Kicking away as Tight Line (Constitution) flew from the back, it was 3 1/2 lengths between them on the line.

Out of a mare who was in the trifecta multiple times at the highest level in the States and France, Growth Trajectory is her most recent to the races. Wekeela's last registered offspring is a juvenile colt by Dubawi (Ire). The dam is herself a full-sister to Scandinavian champion Matauri Pearl (Ire), who would garner her highest praise by way of her daughter–GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf victress Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). This is also the immediate female family of G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran heroine Molly Malone (Fr) (Lomitas {GB}) and her half-sister MGSW-Fr Morgan Le Faye (GB) (Shamardal).

The distant family also includes the late great German stallion–a six-time leading sire in two countries and eight-time leading broodmare sire in three–MG1SW-Ger Monsun (Ger) and multiple Group 1 winner Brametot (Ire). Sales history: 180,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $28,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-The Wekeela Partnership (GB); T-Chad C. Brown.

The post Lope de Vega’s Growth Trajectory Strong on Debut at Monmouth Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Week in Review: Don’t Let Friday ‘News Dumps’ Overshadow a Terrific Triple Crown

Sun, 2025-05-25 17:26

We're now two legs deep into a Triple Crown season that has yielded two formful and exciting finishes in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness Stakes, and the stage is being set for one of the more intriguing and evenly matched renewals of the GI Belmont Stakes in quite a few years.

Yet, it's a sign of the times-not only for our sport but as a reflection of society in general-that controversy continues to swirl over the adjudication of both the Derby and Preakness long after each race has gone official.

In last Tuesday's news we learned that jockey Junior Alvarado-to no one's surprise-will be appealing his fine of $62,000 and two-day suspension for allegedly whipping Sovereignty (Into Mischief) two times over the six-strike limit when achieving his narrow, hard-earned victory over Journalism (Curlin) in the May 3 Derby.

Then on Friday, word came down from the Pimlico stewards that no action will be taken against either Umberto Rispoli or Flavien Prat for their rides aboard Journalism and 'TDN Rising Star' Goal Oriented (Not This Time), who finished first and fourth, respectively, in the roughly run stretch fight of the dramatic May 17 Preakness.

Let's put aside for the moment whether or not you agree with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) rule about the six-strike whipping limit, or the separate HISA regulation that mandates a doubling of standard penalties because Alvarado had a previous crop infraction on his record within the previous six months.

Churchill Downs stewards Barbara Borden, Brooks “Butch” Becraft and Tyler Picklesimer were merely doing their jobs by counting whip hits and meting out the fine and suspension that they believe applied to that purported violation. (The terms “allegedly” and “purportedly” are appropriate because Alvarado has maintained that several of his actions with the whip were instances of him fanning the colt without making contact, which, if proven true at his HISA hearing, won't count against him as strikes.)

And while it's certainly the right of racing fans everywhere to engage in spirited debate about whether or not there should have been a disqualification in the Preakness, or if any subsequent sanctions should have been handed down in the aftermath of the bump-and-grind stretch jostling, there's also a refreshing element to the “less is more” style of officiating reflected in the non-calls by Adam Campola, Ross Pearce and Russell Derderian in the Pimlico stewards' stand.

As chronicled in this column two weeks ago, the outsized stature of the Derby has, in recent runnings, been burdened by a series of lawsuits related to the outcomes that are starting to give America's most important and historic horse race the unfortunate reputation of being the most litigated two minutes in sports.

And while this year's slam-bang Preakness certainly did warrant an inquiry into the stretch run, the let-them-play end result of the officiating was (in my opinion), a welcome contrast to the trend of over-adjudication in United States racing that at times feels heavy-handed and too often detracts from the action on the track.

But here's where I will take umbrage with the decision-making process: In both instances this month, the stewards at Churchill and Pimlico took six full days before going public with their final word on the Derby and the Preakness.

And then, when the stewards did come out with Alvarado's whipping penalty and the decision not to take any action against Rispoli or Prat, those news nuggets both took the form of online postings made on the Friday after each race that were more or less buried on the websites of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation and Maryland Racing Commission.

Whether or not escaping broad scrutiny was the specific intent of the stewards or their agencies, both decisions had the look and feel of what we in the reporting biz call “Friday news dumps.”

That term refers to the practice-usually by corporate or government entities-of releasing controversial news very late in the work week with the hope that journalists either won't notice or will have a difficult time contacting off-the-clock officials to ask relevant follow-up questions.

The later on a Friday that this is accomplished seems to be the goal of the news dumpers, and if the offloading of a press release can be accomplished on the Friday of a long holiday weekend (like this one), all the better for those who would rather not have their decisions dissected.

But racing wouldn't have to deal with any form of delayed blowback if the officials making the Triple Crown calls were mandated with issuing rulings and reports in a more timely manner.

Are we to believe that the stewards in Kentucky and Maryland really required the better part of a week to review the race replays and speak to the jockeys involved in each instance?

And during the six days between the horses crossing the finish wire and the issuance of any ruling (or notice of a non-ruling in the case of the Preakness) does it behoove the sport to have its officials be subjected to the inevitable speculation that might sway their judgment one way or the other? It's not exactly like stewards are placed in a vacuum where they are immune from public opinions until they render a decision.

There is traditionally no racing at both Churchill and Pimlico on the Sundays immediately following the Saturdays of the Derby and the Preakness. Isn't the status of those two Triple Crown races important enough for the stewards to be tasked with expediting their decisions so that any sanctions are made public and explained in full within 24 hours of each race going official?

Our sport has evolved in such a way that the Triple Crown races are at the pinnacle of the pyramid. The time frame and level of detail under which they are adjudicated must match that level of prestige.

An “Oh, by the way…” posting to the website of a public agency before the last racing commission staffer calls it quits for the weekend doesn't quite cut it.

In the meantime, we're on the cusp of being treated to a Belmont Stakes that is shaping up as a showdown among the first three finishers in the Derby while additionally serving up a juicy rematch of the winners of both the Derby and the Preakness.

Let's put the perceived news dumps in the rear-view mirror and floor it to Saratoga for the third leg of the Triple Crown.

The post Week in Review: Don’t Let Friday ‘News Dumps’ Overshadow a Terrific Triple Crown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Bob Baffert Exacta in Santa Margarita as Seismic Beauty Runs Rivals Off Their Feet

Sun, 2025-05-25 17:20

With her most likely competition coming from her stablemate Splendora, MyRacehorse and Peter Leidel's Seismic Beauty went to the front and never looked back, rolling home an easy winner in Sunday's GII Santa Margarita Stakes.

Breaking from the high draw, Seismic Beauty wasted no time as she sprinted to the front and was clear of 4-5 favorite Splendora rounding the first turn. Clicking off race horse fractions of :23.05 and :46.25, the 8-5 second choice continued to control the narrative through three quarters in 1:09.84. Still clear of fellow Bob Baffert trainee turning for home, the 4-year-old was not for catching late, rolling home and five-length winner. It was a couple of lengths back to Princess of Time in third.

“That time, whoa,” Baffert said from the winner's circle. “That's serious racehorse time.”

Seismic Beauty recorded the fastest Santa Margarita final time since 2012. That year Include Me Out, ridden by Joe Talamo for trainer Ron Ellis, won by three lengths in a time of 1:47.62.

“When she got to the lead, she was comfortable and was traveling good,” said winning rider Antonio Fresu. “She's a strong type, you can see her physically, she is so big. And so classy. Warming up with the pony it was like she had done it a hundred times. She was professional with everything. She was just a step slow from the gate, she's so big, but once she got into a good rhythm I was always comfortable.”

A close-up second in her career bow at Del Mar last August, the bay rebounded to score by five lengths at that venue barely one month later.

Debuting at four, she finished runner up in a six-furlong optional claimer at Santa Anita in February before coming home third adding a sixteenth of a mile Mar. 14. Stretching to a mile for her latest, the Maryland-bred filly bounced home an easy front-running 10-length winner Apr. 18.

“She ran like she's been training” Baffert added. “She's just a big, beautifully striding filly who is getting better. We gave her plenty of time to mature.”

As for what's next, he said, “It's going to be something big. She's ready for something big.”

 

Pedigree Notes:
Determined Stud, the breeder of this filly, purchased stakes-placed dam Knarsdale for $430,000 with this filly in utero at the Keeneland November Sale in 2020. Since then, the mare has produced a trio of foals–Cincazul, a colt by Bernardini), realized $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale in 2023. Additionally, she has an unraced juvenile filly by Essential Quality (named My Steel Magnolia) and a yearling filly by Uncle Mo. The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro was bred back to Charlatan.

 

“She's a big Uncle Mo filly that covers a lot of ground.”

Kurt Hoover caught up with trainer @BobBaffert after SEISMIC BEAUTY won the $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes (G2) at @SantaAnitaPark. pic.twitter.com/DvJQjgyIbg

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) May 25, 2025

Sunday, Santa Anita Park
SANTA MARGARITA S.-GII, $200,000, Santa Anita, 5-25, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:48.30, ft.
1–SEISMIC BEAUTY, 122, f, 4, by Uncle Mo
   1st Dam: Knarsdale (SP, $103,692), by Medaglia d'Oro
   2nd Dam: Secret File, by Smart Strike
   3rd Dam: Emery Board, by Grindstone
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($400,000 Wlg '21 FTKNOV; $550,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-MyRacehorse and Pater Leidel; B-2500 Determined Stud (MD); T-Bob Baffert; J-Antonio Fresu. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-2-1, $236,840. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Splendora, 122, f, 4, Audible–Miss Freeze, by Frost Giant.
($125,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL). O-By Talla Racing LLC; B-The Elkstone Group LLC (MD); T-Bob Baffert. $40,000.
3–Princess of Time, 122, m, 5, Not This Time–Movie Star Magic, by The Cliff's Edge. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($170,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $200,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Mike G. Rutherford; B-Tim Thornton (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $24,000.
Margins: 5, 2HF, 18HF. Odds: 1.70, 0.80, 8.80.
Also Ran: Alpha Bella, Liberal Lady. Scratched: Where's My Ring.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Bob Baffert Exacta in Santa Margarita as Seismic Beauty Runs Rivals Off Their Feet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

No Action Taken Against Preakness Jockeys Prat, Rispoli

Fri, 2025-05-23 17:29

Neither jockey Flavien Prat or Umberto Rispoli will be sanctioned for their rides in a roughly run renewal of last Saturday's GI Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

Prat was aboard Goal Oriented (Not This Time) while Rispoli guided home the dramatic winner Journalism (Curlin). The two banged into each other in a much-discussed incident in upper stretch and impeded Clever Again (American Pharaoh).

Journalism went on to run down longshot Gosger (Nyquist) in improbable fashion by a half-length. Goal Oriented finished fourth, while the pacesetting Clever Again tired to finish last of nine.

Stewards Adam Campola, Ross R. Pearce and Russel G. Derderian issued the following statement Friday on the Maryland Racing Commission website:

“After reviewing the films and speaking with the riders involved, we, the presiding Stewards of the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes, came to the unanimous decision not to take action against Flavien Prat, rider of 4th-place finished Goal Oriented or Umberto Rispoli, rider of 1st-place finisher Journalism.”

“A REMARKABLE RECOVERY BY JOURNALISM!”

JOURNALISM WINS THE 150TH PREAKNESS STAKES! #Preakness150 pic.twitter.com/f2IOVEyUy9

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 17, 2025

The post No Action Taken Against Preakness Jockeys Prat, Rispoli appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Rodriguez Breezes for Belmont Stakes

Fri, 2025-05-23 15:08

'TDN Rising Star' Rodriguez (Authentic), scratched from the GI Kentucky Derby with a foot bruise, worked seven furlongs in 1:24.80 (1/1) at Santa Anita Friday morning in preparation for the GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga June 7. He previously worked four furlongs in :49 at Churchill Downs May 11.

The front-running winner of the GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct Apr. 5 is trained by Bob Baffert and campaigned in partnership by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan. He brought $485,000 as a KEESEP yearling.

“Lovely work from Rodriguez this morning at Santa Anita in 1:24.4 – Happy horse, extended nicely – he's ready for a trip to Saratoga,” SF Racing's Tom Ryan posted on X.

Kentucky Derby third-place finisher and Belmont Stakes-bound Baeza (McKinzie) was also on the worktab for John Shirreffs at Santa Anita Friday, breezing six furlongs in 1:12.40 (1/2).

Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) and GI Preakness S. winner Journalism (Curlin) are both currently in training at Saratoga.

Sovereignty tuned up for the Belmont Stakes with a four-furlong breeze in :49.76 at the Spa May 17.

Journalism has returned to galloping and is yet to be confirmed for the final leg of the Triple Crown.

Lovely work from Rodriguez this morning at Santa Anita in 1:24.4 – Happy horse, extended nicely – he's ready for a trip to Saratoga.@BobBaffert @BelmontStakes pic.twitter.com/ehJGNup0OP

— Tom Ryan (@TomRyanKY) May 23, 2025

The post Rodriguez Breezes for Belmont Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

NYRA Rolls Out 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Post Times

Fri, 2025-05-23 10:44

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has rolled out post times for the five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which will be held at Saratoga Race Course from Wednesday, June 4 through Sunday, June 8, the track said in a Friday release.

Post time for the 10-race programs on Wednesday, June 4 and Thursday, June 5 as well as Sunday, June 8 is 12:40 p.m. (All times Eastern) with admission gates open to the public at 11 a.m.

The 14-race program on Friday, June 6 will feature a post time of 11:40 a.m. with admission gates open to the public at 10 a.m.

On Saturday, June 7, post time for the 14-race Belmont Stakes Day program is 10:45 a.m. with admission gates open to the public at 9 a.m.

FOX will present live, on-site broadcast coverage of the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 7. America's Day at the Races will provide daily television coverage and analysis across the FOX Sports family of networks throughout the five-day event.

The post NYRA Rolls Out 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Post Times appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

40th TOBA Awards Dinner To Be Held At Fasig-Tipton In Lexington Sept. 6

Fri, 2025-05-23 10:25

The 40th Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) National Awards Dinner will be held on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington, Kentucky, the group said via a press release on Friday.

Hosted by FanDuel's Scott Hazelton, the event will feature a more informal feel in terms of recommended “blue jeans, boots, and bling” attire, open seating dining, signature Bluegrass music, and a Kentucky bourbon experience.

As part of the anniversary, cartoonist and TDN contributor Remi Bellocq created a signature illustration focusing on the theme of “Cheers to 40 Years” and the informality of this year's celebration.

Click here for more information.

The post 40th TOBA Awards Dinner To Be Held At Fasig-Tipton In Lexington Sept. 6 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Fashionable Fillies Luncheon To Honor Czarniak

Fri, 2025-05-23 09:54

The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation will honor media personality Lindsay Czarniak at its annual Fashionable Fillies Luncheon at Saratoga National Golf Club on Monday, Aug. 4, according to a press release from the organization on Friday.

Czarniak, who has served as a host, anchor and sideline reporter for multiple networks, is a Thoroughbred owner through A Stake in Stardom, an initiative of America's Best Racing.

The luncheon has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to assist those in need in the racing industry.

Click here for tickets.

The post Fashionable Fillies Luncheon To Honor Czarniak appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Rispoli Defends His Preakness Ride

Thu, 2025-05-22 18:15

After he crossed the wire first aboard Journalism (Curlin) in the GI Preakness Stakes, jockey Umberto Rispoli planned to take a few days off and bask in what was the biggest win of his career. Instead, he has found himself in the middle of an ugly controversy involving his ride and the bumping incident with Flavien Prat, who was aboard 'TDN Rising Star' Goal Oriented (Not This Time). The two banged into each other in upper stretch and impeded the Steve Asmussen-trained Clever Again (American Pharaoh).

While some people have blamed the incident on Prat, others believe Rispoli was at fault and rode recklessly by trying to come through a hole on the rail rather than going around horses. That group includes Clever Again's trainer Steve Asmussen.

“Quit riding him like a rented mule,” Asmussen said of Rispoli on Steve Byk's At the Races radio show on Thursday.

Reached by the TDN, Rispoli was clearly upset about the criticism, but claimed he did nothing wrong. He explained that he went inside because Journalism was not going anywhere and he thought there was a hole on the rail and saving ground would help. But just as he was trying to make his move on the rail, Goal Oriented and Flavien Prat took what Rispoli thought was his lane. When Goal Oriented slammed into Journalism, Journalism collided with a tiring Clever Again.

“I know this has been controversial,” Rispoli said. “A lot of people are saying it was my fault and a lot of people were saying it was Flavien's fault. A lot of people said I should have gone outside, while others said I made the right move by staying inside. You're on a horse, you're going 45 miles an hour and you have to make a decision when you can. When I ducked out with my horse around the half-mile pole I was going nowhere. Nobody thought I was on the horse to beat at that point. Everybody thought I had no horse at the time. My intention was to take him out to see if he would give me any response like he did in the Kentucky Derby. In a couple of strides he didn't do it and the turn was approaching. At that point I had to make a decision.”

Rispoli said that part of the problem was that he was intent on following Clever Again, who, he said, stopped abruptly near the top of the stretch.

“My target from day one was Clever Again. I think everybody was saying Clever Again was the horse I had to beat to win the Preakness,” he said. ” Before the race, I thought Clever Again would keep going at least to the sixteenth pole. You never would have thought that he would be stopping before the quarter pole.”

Top of the lane in the Preakness | Jeff Snyder/MJC

Rispoli said his critics have failed to realize that before he made the move to the rail, Journalism was going nowhere.

“People say my horse never dropped the bit,” he said. “If you think my horse didn't drop the bit you don't know how to watch a race. Just before the quarter pole I was ready for Flavien to go around Gosger and I would have tried to go around Flavien. My first thought would have been to go around, even if that meant going five or six wide. On the dirt, that's usually the best spot to be in. I just didn't have the horse.”

He said he wished more people would take into account that during his time in the U.S. (Rispoli came here from Hong Kong in 2020) he has been involved in very few controversies and believes he's earned a reputation as a clean rider.

“That's not the type of rider that I am,” he said. “I have been here for five years. Find me another race where people said I was reckless or find me another race where I was in that position. I am not a kamikaze rider. I have a wife and two kids and I didn't want to kill myself or see anyone get killed. It's easy for people to say that he should have gone around the other horses, but if I'm ever in a position like that again and think I can win if I save ground I'm going to do it.

“Flavien and I are friends but on the track we need to respect the colors we are wearing. There is no friendship on the track. Did he put me in tight? Yes. Was I already there? Yes. The gap was there and that's why I took it. I'm not going to drive my horse in a way where I put myself at risk of going down.”

He said he has not spoken with Prat about the incident, but plans to do so Monday when both are riding at Santa Anita. He said he will keep that conversation private.

“We definitely will see each other Monday because we'll both be riding in California,” Rispoli said. “I plan to speak to him, but it's just going to be between him and I. I don't want what we say to each other wind up on social media. There won't be any cameras, anything like that. It's something between two professional riders who are trying to do their best to win races. This is just between him and I. We are good friends. We have known each other for more than 15 years.”

In the end, nobody, horse or rider went down. Rispoli is thankful for that.

“Fortunately nobody went down,” he said. “My trainer is happy. My owners are happy. This happens in horse racing.”

“A REMARKABLE RECOVERY BY JOURNALISM!”

JOURNALISM WINS THE 150TH PREAKNESS STAKES! #Preakness150 pic.twitter.com/f2IOVEyUy9

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 17, 2025

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Immaculately Bred Will Take It Downs Dragoon Guard at Churchill

Thu, 2025-05-22 18:11

1st-Churchill Downs, $131,055, Alw (C), Opt. Clm ($100,000), 5-22, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:34.09, ft, 1/2 length.
WILL TAKE IT (c, 4, Tapit–Lady Take Charge, by War Front) was the third fiddle from a pari-mutuel perspective, but was the recipient of a cerebral ride from Brian Hernandez, Jr. to spoil the return to action of dual Grade III winner and heavily favored Dragoon Guard (Arrogate).

Off at odds just under 7-1, the $700,000 Keeneland September graduate was content to sit fifth down the back in the slipstream of Juddmonte's gray colt as Frosted Departure (Frosted) cut out the running from the very classy Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance). Lying in wait around the turn as Dragoon Guard came under a bit of pressure from Florent Geroux, Will Take It popped out off cover and had aim as Dragoon Guard claimed a narrow advantage inside the eighth pole. The lead was short-lived, however, as Will Take It capitalized on his recency advantage and did slightly the better work through the line.

The immaculately bred colt endured a tough 3-year-old campaign, with just an Oaklawn maiden win to show from 10 starts for trainer Eddie Milligan, Jr. But he won two of three two-turn allowance tries for this barn in New Orleans over the winter and was exiting a runner-up effort to 'TDN Rising Star' Unmatched Wisdom (Cairo Prince) in a sloppy Keeneland allowance Apr. 25.

In the name of her Whisper Hill Farm, Mandy Pope gave a foal sales-topping $3.2 million for Lady Take Charge at Keeneland November in 2015, and with good reason. Her three-times Grade I-winning dam Take Charge Lady (Dehere) bred eight winners from nine to race–Lady Take Charge did not face the starter–including champion MGISW Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), GISW sire Take Charge Indy(A.P. Indy) and GISW As Time Goes By (American Pharoah). Take Charge Lady's daughter Charming (Seeking the Gold), herself a $3.2-million KEESEP yearling, has gained fame as the dam of Willis Horton's champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway) and treble Grade I winner and top sire Omaha Beach (War Front). Take Charge Lady is also the granddam of Pope's GSW & GISP 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit). Lady Take Charge is also responsible for the unraced 3-year-old filly Fife and Drum (Tapit) and colts by Into Mischief foaled in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Sales history: $700,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 16-4-4-1, $362,404. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Willis Horton Racing LLC & Whisper Hill Farm LLC; B-Whisper Hill Farm LLC (KY); T-Dallas Stewart.

 

WILL TAKE IT ($15.96) took the opener at @ChurchillDowns from Dragoon Guard! @b_hernandezjr was aboard the four-year-old Tapit (@Gainesway) colt for trainer @DallasStewart3. Will Take It is a grandson of multiple Grade 1 winner Take Charge Lady. pic.twitter.com/WMsWNr6FwT

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) May 22, 2025

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NYRA Accepts Entry From Marcus Vitali

Thu, 2025-05-22 16:10

Trainer Marcus Vitali, who has not started a horse at a NYRA track since 2021, will make his  return to the Big Apple Friday when he sends out Classy Lass (Classic Empire) in Friday's fifth race at the Belmont At The Big A meet. The race is a $17,500 claimer on the dirt.

The Daily Racing Form's David Grening was first with the story.

Vitali, who has numerous violations on his record, reached an accord with NYRA July 1, 2022 in which he agreed to a suspension. But NYRA was vague about the details and both sides said the terms of the settlement were to be kept confidential. NYRA had attempted to bar him from its three tracks, but could not do so until offering Vitali a hearing. It appears that the “agreement” was a compromise in which Vitali agreed not to run any horses in New York for an unspecified period and NYRA agreed to not go forward in its attempts to ban him permanently.

“Marcus Vitali has satisfied the terms of the NYRA settlement agreement reached in 2022 and is licensed to participate in racing activities by the New York State Gaming Commission,” said NYRA spokesman Pat McKenna. “As such, he is currently permitted to enter races on the NYRA circuit.”

In an official “statement of charges” issued against Vitali in 2022, NYRA pointed to what it alleged was a long and lengthy list of suspensions and medication violations.

“From between in or about 2010 and in or about 2020, Respondent amassed an extensive record of medication violations, lengthy suspensions, improperly using 'program' or 'paper' trainers during suspensions and obstructing an investigation into alleged wrongdoing,” the statement read. “In the past five years, Respondent was denied entry, ejected and/or had license applications denied by regulators of Thoroughbred racing in Florida, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York and Delaware; and was sanctioned by the Jockey Club for violating a racing statute, rule or regulation relating to prohibited or restricted drugs, medications or substances seven times in a single year.”

It was unclear when and why the New York Gaming Commission green-lighted Vitali's latest license application.

“I don't really have a comment. I just entered a horse,” Vitali said. “I renewed my license last year when I was at Presque Isle. I have this horse and I just can't find a spot for her. I thought this race at Aqueduct fit this filly and we're going to run her. I have accepted my responsibility over the years and I'm ready to move forward. We're doing what we have to do. I like racing in New York and I think she fits in that particular spot. There was nowhere else to run her.”

Vitali has run only a few horses at NYRA tracks over the years and has focused his attention more on lower level tracks. All of his starters this year have come at Turf Paradise. He is 4-for-21 on the year.

He says he currently has stalls at Presque Isle Downs and at Hawthorne and does not intend to ask NYRA for any stalls.

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Fierceness And Mindframe Met Mile Match Still On The Table

Thu, 2025-05-22 15:50

With nothing off the table, MGISW Fierceness (City of Light) could face stablemate GISW Mindframe (Constitution) in next month's GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap, according to trainer Todd Pletcher.

Fierceness worked Thursday over Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma dirt training track in preparation for what is shaping up to be a titanic race during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

The champion colt breezed in company with GSP Tuscan Sky (Vino Rosso) through a half-mile in 49.85 seconds, according to NYRA clockers. It marked the pair's second work together in as many weeks after they covered the same distance in 49 flat last week over the Oklahoma.

“He looked great,” Pletcher said of Fierceness. “Another typical breeze from him, doing it very easily and impressively. I'm very pleased with him.”

The winner of last year's GI DraftKings Travers Stakes, Fierceness made a successful seasonal bow in the GII Alysheba Stakes during Derby week and set a new track record.

The Hall of Fame trainer said he is pleased with the way Fierceness emerged from the strong performance.

“He's had a really good energy level, his appetite's been great–he's really matured as a 4-year-old and put on some weight,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher noted Tuscan Sky, also owned by Repole Stable, is likely headed to the GIII Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park June 14.

Mindframe wins the Churchill Downs Stakes | Horsephotos

As for Mindframe, Pletcher is also considering the GI Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill in late June. Owned by Repole Stable with St. Elias Stable, the colt was last seen winning the GI Churchill Downs Stakes May 3 with a deep-closing rally.

“We haven't ruled anything out,” Pletcher said of Mindframe's next start. “We'll give him a breeze tomorrow and see how that goes, assuming the weather cooperates. Obviously, we hate to run him and Fierceness against each other if we can keep from it, but we'll keep our options open for now.”

Pletcher said it was rewarding to see Mindframe notch a Grade I victory.

“That was big,” Pletcher said. “We wanted that Grade I win for him, and for him to do what he's done to win at seven-eighths, a mile, a mile and a sixteenth, be second at a mile and a quarter… he, too, is a very special horse and is very versatile. He's a pleasure to train.”

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Santa Anita’s Handle, Field Size Up at Halfway Point at 2025 Hollywood Meet

Thu, 2025-05-22 09:29

Santa Anita Park's Hollywood Meet reached the halfway point by increasing the substantial gains in handle and field size through comparable dates from last year.

The Hollywood Meet, which began on Apr. 18, saw purses increases of over 10% from last year's season while drawing runners from Northern California and leading to an 11% rise in field size at Santa Anita.

Additionally, Santa Anita Park's handle is up 14% from 2024.  On-track attendance during Santa Anita's 90th year has remained steady with a 5%increase over 2024.

The Santa Anita Hollywood Meet continues through Sunday, June 15.

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Keeneland-Sourced Son of Nyquist Set For Hong Kong Debut

Thu, 2025-05-22 09:22

King Dance (Nyquist–Do the Dance, by Discreet Cat), a 3-year-old half-brother to last week's GIII Pimlico Special Stakes winner Awesome Aaron (Practical Joke) who cost $200,000 at Keeneland September in 2023, makes his career debut in a 1200-meter 'griffin' race at Sha Tin Racecourse Sunday afternoon.

King Dance is owned by Peter Chu and is trained by Francis Lui, best known as the conditioner of three-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), and who has had other success with American-bred gallopers, such as Hong Kong Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Chancheng Glory (Mor Spirit); Chancheng Prince (Carpe Diem), winner of seven races and better than $1.4 million in Hong Kong; and the Group 3-placed Sunny Star (Flatter).

Having arrived in Hong Kong last September, King Dance spent his first few weeks in light work at Sha Tin, but has been stabled at the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Conghua Training Center since late October. He has participated in four barrier trials, the last three of which have taken place over the last two months, including a narrow 'victory' going a straight 1000 meters Apr. 28 where he was slowly into stride before making progress while under urging to prevail (video, barrier 4).

Bred in Kentucky by the Do the Dance Partnership, the chestnut was consigned by Paramount Sales, agent, to the 2023 Keeneland September Sale, the same auction that produced future three-time G1 Hong Kong Mile hero Good Ba Ba ($85,000 in 2003), himself a debut griffin winner.

King Dance's stakes winning dam is out of Loure (A.P. Indy), whose daughter Randonnee (Blame) was a listed winner and placed three times at Group 3 level in Japan. Third dam Loving Pride (Quiet American) won the 2002 G3 Prix d'Aumale in France for Sheikh Mohammed and Criquette Head.

King Dance is drawn four in a field of 12 in the Sunday opener at Sha Tin (12:30 a.m. ET). 'Griffins' are defined as horses aged two or three years old who are unraced upon their import into Hong Kong. South African ex-pat jockey Lyle Hewitson has the riding assignment.

Click here for the HKJC form.

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Report: Gosger To Skip Belmont In Favor Of Future Targets

Wed, 2025-05-21 16:52

Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables' Gosger (Nyquist), who opened a five-length lead in the May 17 GI Preakness Stakes into the final furlong before being run down in the final strides by Journalism (Curlin), will reportedly not contest the final leg of this year's Triple Crown, the GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga June 7 trainer Brendan Walsh told Daily Racing Form Wednesday. The conditioner first mentioned the decision on At the Races With Steve Byk in the immediate aftermath of the Preakness Monday morning.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, the homebred colt earned his way into Preakness consideration off his two-length success in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes Apr. 12 and attended a strong early pace at Pimlico before taking over from Clever Again (American Pharoah) in upper stretch. The traffic issues that befell Journalism approaching the eighth pole dictated that Gosger spurted clear with time ticking away, and only a rally for the ages from the GI Kentucky Derby runner-up denied Gosger a 15-1 upset.

According to DRF, Gosger could instead be headed to the GI Haskell Invitational Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 19 or the GII Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga July 26. Either could be used as a stepping-stone to the GI DraftKings Travers Stakes at the Spa on Aug. 23.

“I don't think we're going to go to the Belmont. I think we'll give him a little more time,” Walsh told the Form. “We'll see how the next few weeks go. I think he'll improve.”

A half-brother to GI QE II Challenge Cup heroine Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah), Gosger is out of the unraced Gloria S (Tapit), a half-sister to the Clarke-bred dual Classic winner I'll Have Another (Flower Alley). This is also the immediate family of recent GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile third Movin' On Up (Accelerate).

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PHBA Names Deanna Manfredi First Woman President

Wed, 2025-05-21 16:30

Longtime owner and breeder Deanna Manfredi has been named the new president of the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, the organization announced Wednesday. Most recently secretary of the association, she succeeds Gregory Newell who has held the role since 2019.

“I haven't been a very political person, which is why this has been a long time coming,” said Manfredi. “I don't have a political bone in my body. Unfortunately, we find ourselves now where our whole future, our whole program, the sport essentially, has become a political issue.

Owner of Ascoli Piceno Farm for the past 20 years, Manfredi has been a member of the PHBA board since 2016.

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Bobby Flay Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast, Presented By Keeneland

Wed, 2025-05-21 16:12

The star attraction last Saturday at Pimlico was no doubt GI Preakness S. winner Journalism (Curlin). It's hard to top the winner of a Triple Crown race. But there was another 3-year-old colt on the card who turned in a huge race and will surely be heard from again.

Owned by Bobby Flay and James Ventura, Crudo was an impressive winner of the Sir Barton S., a restricted race for 3-year-olds. He won by 7 1/2 lengths. A start in the GI Belmont S. is a possibility for this exciting son of Justify, who was purchased for $350,000 as a weanling at the Keeneland November Sale. Crudo is an Italian cooking term that means raw.

So that we could learn more about Crudo, we called upon Flay to join us this week for the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. He was the Gainesway Guest of the Week.

So far as running in the Belmont, Flay said that decision would be made by trainer Todd Pletcher.

“I don't make those choices,” Flay said. “One of the things I learned a long time ago is I let the people who really know what they're doing make those decisions. So, that means in Todd Pletcher we trust. I've heard some rumblings about going to the Belmont. Personally, I think it might be a little early for that horse, but, then again, he showed some talent. That's for sure. So, you have to start thinking about things like that, but it's a long summer and there's so many great races during the summer. When we get excited about something that might be, let's call it 'better than the usual,' you can't wait to see it happen again. I think sometimes you make decisions with horses like that too quickly. But if Todd calls me up and says, 'I want to run in the Belmont Stakes,' that's where the horse is going.”

Crudo is somewhat an oddity, a colt for an owner who has specialized in fillies.

“In this case, I'm not really sure why I bought a colt, but I decided I was going to and that I would pinhook a few horses,” Flay said. “That's what happens when you go to these sales…like all of a sudden you start getting creative. There is a lot of time in between waiting for your horses to come through the ring. So a couple of bourbons later, I thought 'let's pinhook some horses.' Sire power is very important to me. Justify had just started showing that he was going to have talent outside of his racing record as a sire. (Bloodstock advisor) Tom (McGreevy)  said, 'I love this horse's walk.' So I paid the $350,000. He was the most expensive justify weanling that season that went through the ring. And then Justify became even more successful over the next handful of months as a sire. He was winning in Europe. He was winning in the U.S.

 

“I was like, wow, we're going to ring the bell here. We took them to the Saratoga sale, which is one of my favorite sales, to pinhook him. And nobody looked at him. I mean, honestly. Nobody. Everybody said, he's too short-legged.” Crudo was bought back when bidding stalled out at $520,000.

He didn't look like or run like a short-legged horse in the Sir Barton.

“This horse just seems to get better as the furlongs click off,” Flay said. “I think we saw a little bit of that the other day. They were not going slow. It was :23, :46 and they were on his back. And when he turned for home, he just kicked away. And if you watch the gallop out, you'll see that he galloped out 20 lengths ahead of everyone else. It was crazy. He showed that he has some talent. It was really nice to watch.”

Flay also weighed in on the spacing of the Triple Crown races, which became an even hotter issue after it was announced the GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) would not be running in the Preakness. Flay is among those who feels that there's needs to be more time between the races.

“I love the traditions of this sport,” Flay said. “It's one of the things I love about it. And that's why when you see me at a racetrack, I am dressed up because I feel like the sport and the horses and all the people around it deserve that respect. I like the traditions of horse racing and think it goes beyond how fast the horse can run and did you cash a bet. I just love the whole sort of pageantry of it all, but in this case, I would like to defect from tradition and run the races on the first Saturday in May, the first Saturday in June and the first Saturday in July. My feeling is really that nothing else matters as much as the Triple Crown. It's not even close. It's 50 lengths back to the most important race after that. We need to take care of the Triple Crown if we want people to pay attention to the sport beyond the people that actually already pay attention to the sport. That's always been my goal. I want people to get tied onto the Triple Crown for as long as possible. instead of it being a five-week thing, why not make it something that goes on well into the summer. And if they have to push back some races at Saratoga, so be it.”

In our “Fastest Horse of the Week” segment, which is sponsored by WinStar, we went over the many reasons there are breed to WinStar stallion Two Phil's. There were three “fastest horses of the week,” all of them earning a 100 Beyer Speed Figure. They were GIII Pimlico Special winner Awesome Aaron (Practical Joke), Booth (Mitole), the winner of the GIII Maryland Sprint S., and Utah Beach (English Channel), the winner of the GIII Louisville S.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the KTOB, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, 1/ST Racing and 1/ST TV, the team of Randy Moss, Zoe Cadman and Bill Finley talked about who was at fault–Umberto Rispoli or Flavien Prat–when there was so much bumping in the stretch run of the Preakness. Cadman, a former jockey, said she thought Rispoli was to blame. There was also a discussion of Junior Alvarado's appeal for excessive use of the whip in the Kentucky Derby. Moss said that thanks to his connections at NBC, was able to watch a super slow motion replay from a camera that followed Sovereignty all around the track. He said he thought Alvarado actually hit the horse nine times. The team also remembered trainer Larry Demeritte, who passed away earlier this week at age 75.

Click here for the audio-only version.

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Off Triple Crown Trail With Ankle Chip, Magnitude Aiming for Summer Return

Wed, 2025-05-21 15:09

Taken off the Triple Crown trail with an ankle chip, sensational GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star S. upsetter Magnitude (Not This Time) has begun to gear up for a return to action this summer.

The Winchell Thoroughbreds colorbearer was a 9 3/4-length, front-running winner of the Risen Star at odds of 43-1 Feb. 15, good for a co-division leading 108 Beyer Speed Figure. He was credited with a four-furlong workout for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen in :53.40 (54/54) at Churchill Downs May 15, his first breeze since having an ankle chip removed by Dr. Larry Bramlage four days after his Risen Star victory.

“He looks great. He's been coming back great,” the Winchell family's longtime advisor and racing manager David Fiske said. “He's coming right along and pointed for a mid-to-late summer campaign.”

Fiske continued, “So far, everything's gone according to schedule and pretty perfect since the surgery. I think it was a calendar issue, he couldn't get back in time for any of the big 3-year-old races the first part of the year. So, he'll try to get cranked up for the ones the second part of the year.”

“He's coming right along and pointed for a mid-to-late summer campaign.” Off the Triple Crown trail with an ankle chip, sensational GII Risen Star winner Magnitude (Not This Time) has returned to training. (Video courtesy Winchell advisor David Fiske). pic.twitter.com/lnL9erSmRA

— Steve Sherack (@SteveSherackTDN) May 21, 2025

Magnitude got his picture taken twice last year and capped his five-race, 2-year-old campaign with a well-beaten second-place finish behind Built (Hard Spun) in the Gun Runner S. Dec. 21. He finished sixth–beaten 2 3/4 lengths–in the slop in the GIII Lecomte S. Jan. 18 before his breakout performance in the Risen Star.

“He continues to generate excitement,” Fiske said. “I was pretty excited after he won the Risen Star. Not only because he was our horse. Just the way he did it, and the figures that came back on it–he was just exciting at that time of the year. Fingers crossed, he's been doing everything great.”

One of 23 graded winners for leading young sire Not This Time, Magnitude was produced by the Bernardini mare Rockadelic, a daughter of MGISW and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up Octave (Unbridled's Song). The $310,000 KEENOV weanling turned $450,000 KEESEP yearling was bred in Kentucky by Ron Stolich.

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Weekly Rulings: May 15-May 21

Wed, 2025-05-21 11:10

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country.

The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.

Resolved ADMC Violations
Date: 05/20/2025
Licensee: John Servis, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Strong Like Sara, who finished third in the Rainbow Miss Stakes at Oaklawn Park on 4/6/25.

Date: 05/20/2025
Licensee: Aldana Spieth, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on May 21, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine–a controlled substance (Class B)–in a sample taken from Breath Deeply, who won at Tampa Bay on 2/1/25.

Date: 05/19/2025
Licensee: Ryan Kenney, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Spaghetti Tree, who finished second at Turf Paradise on 4/2/25.

Date: 05/15/2025
Licensee: Tonja Wilson, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Witsec, who finished second at Will Rogers on 4/14/25.

Date: 05/14/2025
Licensee: Stacy Campo, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on May 15, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Lidocaine–a controlled substance (Class B)–in a sample taken from Lucky Burglar, who won at Turf Paradise on 1/21/25.

Pending ADMC Violations
05/20/2025, Carl Cunningham, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Prince Pierre on 4/22/25.

05/20/2025, Steve Williams, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Gospel Mark, who finished second at Will Rogers on 4/21/25.

05/20/2025, Glenn Wismer, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine–a controlled substance (Class B)–in a sample taken from Ask Arthur, who finished fifth at Keeneland on 4/19/25.

05/19/2025, Emmanuel Tzortzakis, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Cannabidiol (CBD)–a controlled substance (Class B)–in a sample taken from Whoosh on 3/18/25.

05/16/2025, Gregory Foley, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone and Phenylbutazone–both controlled substances (Class C)–in a sample taken from Hard to Get on 4/15/25.

05/16/2025, Dr. Donald McCrosky, veterinarian: Pending violation of Rule 3216(a), the “tampering or attempted tampering by a covered person with any part of doping control or medication control,” involving the horse Childersattack for an event dated 10/16/24.

Violations of Crop Rule
Belterra Park
Victor Lara – violation date May 15; $250 fine, one-day suspension
Antioco Murgia – violation date May 15; $250 fine, one-day suspension

Gulfstream Park
Edwin Gonzalez – violation date May 16; $1,000 fine, four-day suspension

Parx Racing
Andy Hernandez – violation date May 17; $250 fine, one-day suspension

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‘A Remarkable Horse Sale’: $1.1-Million Girvin Filly Tops Record-Setting Midlantic Sale

Tue, 2025-05-20 23:23

TIMONIUM, MD – “Extraordinary circumstances and at the end of the day, an extraordinary sale,” Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning said at the conclusion of a 12-hour renewal of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale which, seemingly against all odds, set records for gross, average and median.

The 2025 Midlantic May sale was upended by a series of rainy days, which more than once forced the postponement of the under-tack show which ultimately concluded Sunday with a session of untimed gallops. Originally scheduled to be held over two sessions, the auction was condensed into Tuesday's marathon single session.

“Saturday afternoon after we had a meeting with our consignors, no one would have predicted the average would be up over 40%, and we would have grossed over $40 million,” Browning said. “The RNA rate was slightly higher than last year, but the percentage of horses sold out of those catalogued was higher. So basically, from every statistical performance, it was a remarkable horse sale. I think it shows the resilience of the consignors and the buyers.”

In all, 326 horses sold Tuesday for a gross of $44,192,500, eclipsing the previous record of $37,297,500 set in 2022. The average of $135,560 represented a 42.1% increase from the highwater mark of $95,425 set last year, while the median of $60,000 rose 20% from last year's record-tying $50,000.

Four horses sold for $1 million or more during the sale, led by a $1.1-million daughter of Girvin who was purchased by the partnership of AMO Racing and Memo Racing. Just one horse hit the million-dollar mark a year ago and the 21 horses who sold for $500,000 or more Tuesday dwarfed the seven who reached that milestone a year ago.

“This is going to be a sale that you say to yourself, I remember I was there,” bloodstock agent Donato Lanni said after signing for the final million-dollar horse of the sale just after 9 p.m.Tuesday night. “A top 10, I remember, I was there. The Fasig team has done a great job with what was handed to them. And I applaud their perseverance. It's not easy to call the shots with this weather. The sale was really strong. Every time I looked up, there was a horse selling for a lot of money. It's been a great sale.”

AMO, Memo Team for $1.1-Million Girvin

Kia Joorabchian's AMO Racing and the newly-formed partnership Memo Racing teamed up to purchase the $1.1-million sale-topping filly by Girvin (hip 368) Tuesday in Timonium. The filly was the third seven-figure juvenile of the one-session auction and the second from Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables consignment.

Bloodstock agent Kerri Radcliffe, who purchased a pair of million-dollar colts on behalf of Memo at last month's OBS Spring sale, stood alongside Joorabchian's team during bidding on the filly.

“[AMO agent] Alex Elliott and myself bought her for Memo and AMO racing, so get the Memo with AMO,” Radcliffe said with a grin. “She's going to go to Chad Brown.”

It was a first-time partnership for the two owners.

“Hopefully the first of many,” Radcliffe said. “Obviously, I know Kia from home and I've done a bit of work for him and we said this was the best filly in the sale. Memo has only been buying colts, so we needed to get a filly and this was the filly.”

The dark bay filly, who worked a furlong in a co-fastest :10 1/5 during last week's preview, is out of Scarlet Dixie (Broken Vow).

“I don't think Kia was stopping to be honest,” Radcliffe said of the bidding. “And I am delighted to buy off Wavertree. I've bought two Grade I winners off of them. Hopefully this is the third time lucky.”

Bred by Twin Oaks Bloodstock, the filly sold for $180,000 as a weanling at the 2023 Keeneland November sale before being purchased by Dunne on behalf of a pinhooking partnership for $240,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“We loved that filly from the day we saw her,” Dunne said. “She's never done anything but get better and reinforce the opinion we had of her. Thankfully, we weren't the only ones who felt that way. [The result] was beyond our expectations. Hopefully she can reward them.”

The filly was the first seven-figure sales result for Airdrie Stud's Girvin. Asked if he would have expected the same result if, instead of a bullet work, the juvenile had been part of the day of gallops Sunday, Dunne admitted, “I don't know. We probably wouldn't have gotten as much, but I think we would have gotten close. I think we have to give the buyers a little bit of credit. She was stunning physically on the end of the shank. Yes, she put the time up, but she had to back it up when they went to the barn. I don't think we could have hid her under a stone.”

Hip 544 | Fasig-Tipton

Violence Colt Makes Four Million-Dollar Juveniles

“I called Vito's to make sure the kitchen would still be open,” bloodstock agent Donato Lanni quipped shortly after making the fourth seven-figure purchase of the day just as the Midlantic sale hit its 11-hour mark Tuesday in Timonium. Lanni acquired a colt by Violence (hip 544) for $1.05 million on behalf of Amr Zedan. He was consigned by Top Line Sales and was the highest-priced horse from Sunday's gallop-only session of the sale's under-tack preview.

“We loved this horse,” Lanni said. “He sold himself. And he is just a specimen of a horse–an amazing-looking horse.

It's hard to find a horse who looks like that.”

The chestnut colt is out of A Taste of Red (Street Boss) and is a half-brother to stakes-placed Microcap (Wicked Strong).

While several horses who took to the track Sunday did put in un-timed breezes, hip 544 had a pure gallop, according to Top Line's Torie Gladwell.

“He galloped in :14,” Gladwell said, before comparing the colt to the consignment's $2-million graduate Muth (Good Magic) and $2.3-million Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo), both purchased by Zedan.

“I put this horse in the Muth and Arabian Knight category,” Gladwell said. “We only sell a couple of those horses every year. Last year, we didn't have one. This year, we were blessed and we had maybe two of them. This is one of them. And the Uncle Mo that we sold for $975,000 today was the other one. I think if they were both able to breeze at OBS on a good track and really demonstrate how special they are, they would be in that $2-million range. I loved the safety for the horses, but that's why I felt like those top buyers who are looking for those three best horses of the year, like Zedan, need the breeze show. And they are not going to be able to find those top, top colts and spend the $2 million, $3 million, $4 million if we don't have a breeze show.”

The colt was purchased for $280,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“He was in a pinhooking package with a couple of our guys and they are ecstatic,” Gladwell said. “They are ecstatic, but I am disappointed at heart because I know that's the kind of horse that should bring more money.”

'Just a Beautiful Horse': Nyquist Colt Brings $1 Million at Fasig Midlantic

A colt by GI Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist (hip 79) caused early fireworks at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale Tuesday when selling for $1 million to the bid of April Mayberry of Mayberry Farm.

“It's for an undisclosed partnership for right now,” Mayberry said after signing the ticket on the chestnut colt. “He's just a beautiful horse who did everything right. He showed up.”

The juvenile is out of Deja Vu (Giant's Causeway) and is a half-brother to stakes winner Crystal Ball (Malibu Moon), who was second in the 2020 GI Coaching Club American Oaks. His second dam is Sassy Pants, who produced Madcap Escapade and Dubai Escapade.

The colt was consigned by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables and was purchased by Dunne and Paul Reddam's Red Wings pinhooking partnership for $200,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. He worked a furlong during last week's under-tack preview in :10 2/5.

Hip 079 | Fasig-Tipton

Mayberry said she thought the colt would likely have brought a similar price even if he had been part of the group of horses who galloped during Sunday's session of the preview.

“For me, I am Ok [with 2-year-olds galloping instead of breezing] because I also do this on the other end [selling],” Mayberry said. “You see how they move and you get a feel for them. I think that's what is important, not necessarily how fast they go. It's all about how they move.”

She continued, “I think he probably would have [brought the same price if he galloped]. I really believe that.”

Mouni Adds $1-Million Into Mischief Colt to  Shopping Cart

Mahmud Mouni continued his buying spree at the U.S. juvenile sales this spring, going to $1 million to acquire a colt by Into Mischief (hip 334) from the Kings Equine consignment Tuesday in Timonium. Mouni is purchasing on behalf of Tagermeen Racing, a partnership of Libyan buyers who will race in the U.S.

“I wasn't expecting that price, to be honest, but he deserved it,” Mouni said of the seven-figure price tag. “He had a very nice breeze and he is a smart-looking horse. I tried to pay less, but they were on the phone telling me to continue, continue, not stop until we get him.”

The colt, who worked a furlong in a co-fastest :10 1/5 last week, is out of stakes winner Quick Flip (Speightstown) and is a  half-brother to graded winner Following Sea (Runhappy). Raul Reyes's Kings Equine consigned the juvenile on behalf of his breeder, Spendthrift Farm.

Spendthrift's Ned Toffey has been chasing colts with stallion potential all spring at the 2-year-old sales.

Asked how this colt ended up in the sale, Toffey said, “This is a colt who is a May 1 foal and probably last summer I was a little too critical of him for being small. And we didn't run him through a sale as a yearling. We are in a position where we can just give one time. And he's done really well this spring. Really, I would even say the last six or eight weeks, he's just continued to blossom. We kind of felt, at this point, let's just go on and take him through the ring and see what happens.”

Spendthrift teamed up with West Point Thoroughbreds and St. Elias Stable to purchase the $1.5-million sale-topping colt by Tiz the Law at OBS in April and Toffey said there had been a possibility that a partnership would develop for this colt as well.

“We had several people lined up who were interested in partnering and we would stay in for a piece, but that's great money for a horse,” Toffey said. “Sometimes you have to use the ring to value them. We would have been thrilled to stay in and had several parties who talked about doing that, but when somebody comes in and wants to bid $1 million, it's hard to say no.”

Mouni purchased five horses for $2,765,000 during Tuesday's Midlantic sale. In addition to the $1-million colt, he also purchased a colt by Yaupon (hip 136) for $700,000 and a colt by Galilean (hip 187) for that same price.

“The horses will stay here, but the trainers have not been decided yet,” Mouni said. “All the horses we bought here today will stay in the U.S. for racing here and maybe at the end of the year, maybe we will travel to Dubai or Saudi Arabia, depending on the performance on each one.”

Hip 334 was the third million-dollar purchase Mouni has made this year from the Kings Equine consignment. At the OBS Spring sale, he purchased an Into Mischief colt for $1.4 million and a Tiz the Law filly for $1.05 million.

Hip 055 | Fasig-Tipton

Constitution Colt a New High for Grade One

Chetley and Nellie Breeden, who have been consigning under the Grade One Investments banner for two years now, had their biggest result in the sales ring Tuesday when selling a colt by Constitution (hip 55) for $975,000 to Ramiro Restrepo's Marquee Bloodstock Tuesday in Timonium.

“We were super excited about him all year,” Chetley Breeden said. “He came out and did exactly what he was supposed to do during the breeze show. We were just fortunate enough to actually get to breeze here. We knew he was a really good, sound horse and we just wanted the market to take him. So we put a halfway decent reserve on him and let him go from there.”

The dark bay colt is out of Chic (Orb), a half-sister to Corfu (Malibu Moon) and New York Central (Tapit). He worked a furlong during last week's preview in :10 3/5.

Bloodstock agent Seth Morris purchased the colt on behalf of Hal Mintz for $175,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale. He was offered during Fasig-Tipton's initial digital sale of 2-year-olds in training in February where he RNA'd for $290,000.

“Fasig asked us for high-quality horses. They wanted to do a no-time, gallop only 2-year-old in training sale and we thought he had the pedigree and the fluid action to do it,” Nellie Breeden said of the digital sale result. “We told everyone here there was not one negative reason he was in the sale, it was simply to participate.”

Of the different results from the digital sale to the Timonium auction, Chetley said, “I think the difference was the breeze. He galloped out huge here. We knew he had that kind of talent and he was just able to present it during the breeze. That's what separated him from the original sale.”

Asked what it felt like to watch the career-high sale, Nellie said, “Tears immediately.” After a brief pause, she added, “And tears now.”

Restrepo purchased the colt on behalf of a partnership of international buyers.

“It's a bunch of guys,” Restrepo said of the ownership group. “Some of the new group of guys who are in the sport fishing world, and some guys in the Middle East. I spent three months in the Middle East this winter recruiting clients and that's led to an uptick in the quality of my purchases. And Jose Aguirre's JR Ranch, who has been active at the sales in the last couple of years, he is the anchor.”

Of the juvenile, Restrepo added, “This colt handled the off going and handled the turns like a Porsche. At these 2-year-old sales, that's always the bottom line, how do they do it. He was a super professional horse, great bone and very athletic. We just have to hope that he wants to do it in the afternoon.”

'Hoping for the Same Dream': $975,000 Uncle Mo Colt to Gus King

Trainer Steve Asmussen went to $975,000 to acquire a colt by Uncle Mo (hip 137) on behalf of owner Gus King.

“He is just a real athletic horse and we felt he was an exceptional individual,” Asmussen said of the juvenile. “He was one that worked and came out of it well and that gave us the confidence to spend money.”

The colt, who worked a furlong last week in :10 2/5, is out of Gaelic Tales (Giant's Causeway), a half-sister to graded-placed Get on the Bus (Uncle Mo).

He was purchased for $325,000 by Bishop Bloodstock at last year's Keeneland September sale and was consigned by Jimbo and Torie Gladwell's Top Line Sales. The colt's price in Timonium matched the mark set by Jimbo's sister and brother-in-law, Nellie and Chetley Breeden of Grade One Investments, who sold a colt by Constitution for $975,000 earlier in the session.

“Top Line has sold some very good horses,” Asmussen said. “They've had a great sales season and sold some winners from there already this year.”

King made it to this year's GI Kentucky Derby with the Asmussen-trained Publisher (American Pharoah), runner-up in the GI Arkansas Derby in March.

“We are all hoping for the same dream,” Asmussen said.

13-year-old Dalia Crane leads her first horse to the ring | Jessica Martini

Another Crane on the Sales Scene

Clovis Crane is a familiar face at the sales, but it was the next generation of Cranes who got into the action Tuesday in Timonium when 13-year-old Dalia Crane led her first horse up to the sales ring. The young daughter of the veteran consignor was all business as she led hip 292, a son of Mendelssohn, around the back walking ring and up to the sales ring.

“I think it's a really cool experience,” she said after the colt went through ring where he ultimately sold for $18,000 to Hyteck Racing. “I want to work in this business in the future, so I wanted to get the experience now so I know what I am doing later.”

Asked if she was nervous she admitted, “Yes. A little bit. But I think it's so exciting that I get to do this. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity.”

As for what advice her father gave her, Dalia said, “He didn't really give me any advice. He just said do your best.”

The post ‘A Remarkable Horse Sale’: $1.1-Million Girvin Filly Tops Record-Setting Midlantic Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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