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Talk about a quick dividend. In his first race since being purchased privately, not only did Flood Zone land in the winner's circle at 17-1 odds, he earned a spot in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

In his first start since last summer, classic-placed Mindframe took care of some business March 1 by posting a clear victory in the $202,100 Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2) to secure the first graded stakes win of his career.

In her second start off of an extended layoff and now trained by Michael McCarthy, Liguria emerged victorious in the one-mile Buena Vista Stakes on the Santa Anita Park turf.

South African grade 1 winner Beach Bomb broke through with her first United States win with a gate-to-wire score in the $150,000 The Very One Stakes (G3T) March 1 Gulfstream Park.

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. ignored a lesson learned from C2 Racing Stable and Mathis Stable's The Queens M G's previous start and rode the filly to victory in the $200,000 Davona Dale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park March 1.

Cutting back in distance proved no problem for Magic Cap Stables' Fort Washington as the 6-year-old's customary late run arrived just in time to win a thrilling four-horse photo in the $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park March 1.

St. Patrick's Day, March 17, has been added to the Santa Anita Park racing calendar, creating a four-day week of live racing action.

Stakes-winning 3-year-olds have excelled this year for Spendthrift Farm's Into Mischief, but as Full Moon Madness showed March 1 in the $175,000 Tom Fool Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct, the stallion's progeny are also highly effective as older horses.

Imperial Emperor, Tuz, and Godolphin turf runners star on Super Saturday in Dubai with trainers Charlie Appleby and Bhupat Seemar dominating the card.

Vixen may have made it close, but got the job done nonetheless for D. J. Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, prevailing by a head in a four-way blanket finish in the $205,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T) March 1 at Gulfstream Park.

Bank Frenzy scores second straight stakes win in Saturday’s Stymie at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo/Susie Raisher.

Bank Frenzy returned from a short freshening and overcame a troubled start to win Saturday’s $150,000 Stymie Stakes against open company at Aqueduct.

The 5-year-old Central Banker gelding added the 1-mile Stymie to his victory in the December 28 Alex M. Robb for owners LSU Stables and trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Manny Franco rode Bank Frenzy to a 3 1/2-length victory over Worchester in 1:40.29 over the fast track.

“He’s a very good horse,” LSU Stables’ Larry Sarf said. “He’s won two in a row and he’s won a stakes in open company now. Rudy trains this horse great. From 7 furlongs to mile, he’s effective.”

Bank Frenzy, who was bred by Chester and Mary Broman, improved to 7-for-15 and boosted his earnings to $506,670. He won four of seven starts in 2024, including the Evan Shipman at Saratoga Race Course, to earn one of the five nominations for champion New York-bred older dirt male.

“He had two state-bred stakes wins coming in and he has a chance to win the state-bred older horse of the year,” Sarf said. “Hopefully he’ll get it.”

Rodriguez didn’t race Bank Frenzy between the Alex M. Robb and Stymie, but kept the gelding in training with his string at Belmont Park. He breezed six times during that stretch, impressing his conditioner and jockey.

“He was training very good,” Rodriguez said. “Manny worked him a couple times and he was training good. To see the track fast is always a plus because when it’s sloppy there’s a lot of kickback and makes it more difficult for them to progress. I saw Manny by the five-eighths pole and the horse was already very keen – when they went to the outside, I said, ‘wow, he has a lot of horse.’ ”

Bank Frenzy raced in sixth after his tardy start while Winnin’onweekends and Concealed Carry battled through opening splits of :23.43 and :47.20.

Franco made his run toward the leaders while wide on the far turn. Bank Frenzy took command just inside the five-sixteenths, passed the 6-furlong split a length in front in 1:13.34 and increased his margin from there. Worchester finished 3 1/2 lengths clear of 2-1 favorite Coastal Mission for the place spot, with Curbstone fourth in the field of eight.

“He was impressive,” Franco said. “The horse did everything. I just sat behind the fast pace in front of me. I was happy with the way my horse was traveling. By the three-eighths pole, my horse jumped on the bridle without me asking to do that. I didn’t want to get into his way because I know he has a big stride, he is a big horse. I let him do it and he took me to the wire.”

Foaled at the Broman’s Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, Bank Frenzy is out of the Tiznow mare Storm Now. The Bromans purchased Storm Now for $110,000 at the 2015 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Storm Now is the dam of two other winners – the Into Mischief gelding City Mischief ($131,830) and the Awesome Again gelding Broadway Joe ($15,228). She’s also the dam of the 4-year-old Practical Joke filly Funny Forecast and 3-year-old Instagrand filly Farm House, a $100,000 purchase by Final Furlong Racing Stable at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale. Farm House finished second in her January 30 debut going 1 mile and third in another New York-bred maiden at a mile Friday, both at Aqueduct.

The Bromans bred all of those runners in New York, along with Storm Now’s 2-year-old Instagrand filly named In Snows Way. Storm Now was bred to Jackie’s Warrior in 2024.

The post Bank Frenzy earns back-to-back stakes wins in Stymie appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Mi Bago (Vekoma) completed a turf stakes double for his 2024 leading freshman sire with a powerful, all-the-way success in Saturday's Colonel Liam Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Earlier in the program, Vixen validated odds-on favoritism with a narrow victory in the GIII Herecomesthebride Stakes.

The public's pick off a front-running success in a rained-off renewal of the Dania Beach Stakes, the two-time Fasig-Tipton graduate was kicked straight into the lead from an outside barrier and had his mind on running from the bell, tugging pretty hard at Irad Ortiz, Jr. through fractions of :22.55 and :45.53. He kept up the gallop, passing the quarter pole after six panels in a slick 1:08.84 and stayed on strongly in the final furlong to win with something in the locker. Enterdadragon (Outwork) was second ahead of George Briggs (Fog of War), who was badly chopped out in upper stretch and charged home with good energy for third.

Mi Bago was already recording the fourth stakes victory of his career, having taken out the five-furlong Algonquin Stakes at Woodbine last October and the local Pulpit Stakes Nov. 29.

The May foal is out of an unraced half-sister to NY-bred stakes winner Held Accountable (Exchange Rate) and his dam was purchased by Sean Perl Bloodstock for $45,000 in foal to Highly Motivated at last year's Fasig-Tipton Digital December Sale.The colt's third dam is replete with black-type, as Battle Creek Girl accounted for Canadian champion Wavering Girl (Wavering Monarch)–the dam of GISW Military (Danzig)–as well as the versatile Parade Leader (Kingmambo) and the Grade II-winning juvenile filly Speed Dialer (Phone Trick). Battle Creek Girl also produced MGSW Tricky Creek (Clever Trick), perhaps best known as the broodmare sire of Into Mischief.   Click for the Equibase.com chart and VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

COLONEL LIAM S., $200,000, Gulfstream, 3-1, 3yo, 1mT, 1:32.51, fm.
1–MI BAGO, 120, c, 3, by Vekoma
1st Dam: Wabanaki, by Indian Charlie
2nd Dam: New Harmony, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Battle Creek Girl, by His Majesty
($62,000 Ylg '23 FTKFEB; $90,000 RNA Ylg '23 SARAUG). O-Gary Barber; B-Highclere Inc (NY); T-Mark E Casse; J-Irad Ortiz Jr. $117,800. Lifetime Record: 7-5-0-0, $387,850.
2–Enterdadragon, 118, g, 3, Outwork–Raising Aida, by Speightstown. ($17,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. O-Chester A Bishop, Anthony Hinkson, Alvin Rampaul, PK Ventures & Grand Cay Breeders and Racing Company; B-Charles Fipke (KY); T-Jose Francisco D'Angelo. $38,000.
3–George Briggs, 118, c, 3, Fog of War–Bamboiselle (Ire), by Muhtathir (GB). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. O-Peter M Brant; B-White Birch Farm Inc (NY); T-Chad C Brown. $19,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, NO, NK. Odds: 2.10, 8.20, 4.20.
Also Ran: Forged Steel, Wakan, Bakers Street, Win With Faith, Emergence, Smooth Breeze, Fire Pit.

 

MI BAGO ($6.20) blitzed the field in the $215,000 Colonel Liam Stakes at @GulfstreamPark. The son of Vekoma (@spendthriftfarm) took them wire-to-wire for trainer @markecasse. @iradortiz gets a double on the day.

Oaks points on the line next: https://t.co/zleTqs7rGG pic.twitter.com/3nGfnVvIIZ

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) March 1, 2025

The post Vekoma’s Mi Bago Takes Them Coast To Coast in Colonel Liam appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

6th-Tampa Bay Downs, $32,000, Msw, 3-1, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.16, ft, 3 1/4 lengths.
VALENTINIAN (c, 3, Into Mischief–Rachel's Valentina {GISW, $738,800}, by Bernardini) came into this race as not only the most expensive, but arguably one of the best bred, and he ran to the billing as he broke his maiden at first-asking.

Rating comfortably from off the pace, he stepped up to push the issue passing the five-sixteenths marker and was in control by the quarter pole. Kicking away when asked for more in the lane, he sailed in 3 1/4 lengths best over fellow firster Last Man Standing (McKinzie) at 2-1 favoritism.

A $1-5.million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale graduate, Valentinian is the son of GI Spinaway Stakes victress Rachel's Valentina, making him the grandson of Hall of Famer and Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro). The second winner for that dam, he has a juvenile sister in Japan initially named Colorer (Quality Road), who changed hands for $1.05-million in last year's Keeneland September sale, and is now registered under Rachel's Road.

The aforementioned second dam needs no introduction as one of the greatest racemares of all time. She produced just two offspring, one being Rachel Valentina and the other being the late Florida sire Jess's Dream (Curlin), before being pensioned from broodmare duties. Rachel's Valentina has now 2024 offspring and is due to the late Uncle Mo for 2025. Sales history: $1,500,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $19,200. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

 

#5 VALENTINIAN ($6.00), a colt out of RACHEL'S VALENTINA sired by @SpendthriftFarm's Into Mischief, broke his maiden in the 6th race at @TampaBayDownsFL. @JOCKEYSMARIN was aboard this RACHEL ALEXANDRA grandson for trainer @PletcherRacing. @EclipseTBP and @StonestreetFarm own. pic.twitter.com/hOaP143znG

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) March 1, 2025

The post Valentinian, Grandson Of Rachel Alexandra, Scores On Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The Queens M G (Thousand Words), winner of last summer's GIII Adirondack S. and Schuylerville S. at Saratoga, rode the rail to a decisive victory in Saturday's GII Fasig-Tipton Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream Park, good for 37.5 points on the road to the GI Kentucky Oaks.

Drawn on the fence and off as the 9-5 second-choice, she traveled nicely on the inside through an opening quarter in :24.24, slipped through along the inside beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. at the top of the stretch and took off nicely from there to win by 2 3/4 lengths over favored La Cara (Street Sense).

Third in the Tempted S. going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Nov. 2, The Queens M G finished in that same position in her 3-year-old debut in the GIII Fasig-Tipton Forward Gal S. at Gulfstream Feb. 1.

“I didn't want [her] to take dirt, but Irad is a master at securing a spot,” winning trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said. “That was a top-class ride. Not many riders could produce that kind of ride. Tactically, at every spot he made every right decision.”

Joseph added, “Her last race was very, very good. I thought she would move forward huge. I didn't know she'd move forward enough to win it, but I thought how she ran last time gave me confidence she'd moved forward from two to three. She's not a big filly. The obvious question is: was she early and precocious? But after the last race, I was very happy with her run.”

The Queens M G is likely to return in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Mar. 29 on the GI Curlin Florida Derby undercard.

Pedigree Notes:

Just a $3,500 Fasig-Tipton October yearling buy and a private purchase after her debut win at Keeneland last April, The Queens M G is the lone graded winner for second-crop sire Thousand Words. The unplaced Grindstone mare Show Queen had a filly by Independence Hall in 2024 and was bred back to Highly Motivated. This is the extended female family of GSW & GISP and $5-million FTKNOV Coolmore purchase Untouched Talent (Storm Cat), the dam of GISW Bodemeister (Empire Maker).

 

The Queens M G scores in the @FasigTiptonCo Davona Dale S. G2, third victory in a row for @iradortiz! #GulfstreamPark #ChampionshipMeet pic.twitter.com/LyoYnaC5pn

— Gulfstream Park (@GulfstreamPark) March 1, 2025

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
FASIG-TIPTON DAVONA DALE S.-GII, $200,000, Gulfstream, 3-1, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:37.85, ft.
1–THE QUEENS M G, 120, f, 3, by Thousand Words
   1st Dam: Show Queen, by Grindstone
   2nd Dam: Talent Queen, by Elusive Quality
   3rd Dam: Parade Queen, by A.P. Indy
($3,500 Ylg '23 FTKOCT). O-C2 Racing Stable LLC and Mathis Stable LLC; B-T.F. VanMeter, Samuel Hernandez, Jesus Torres, Justin Vinalay (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $124,000. Lifetime Record: 8-4-0-2, $422,480. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–La Cara, 123, f, 3, Street Sense–Cara Caterina, by Bernardini. O/B-Tracy Farmer (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $40,000.
3–Ballerina d'Oro, 118, f, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–In the Moonlight, by Tapit. ($320,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG). O-Rodeo Creek Racing, LLC; B-Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $20,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, NO, 5HF. Odds: 1.90, 1.10, 2.00.
Also Ran: Madeline's Promise, Frida. Scratched: My Denysse, Quinn's Promise.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post The Queens M G is Davona Dale Royalty appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Bet down like a sure thing when debuted on Pegasus World Cup day, Disruptor (Gun Runner) was caught on the lead late and forced to settle for third that afternoon. Employing a different tactic Saturday but still heavily wagered upon at 3-5, the Triple Crown-nominated colt came home by nearly double digits in his second start to be named a new 'TDN Rising Star'.

Breaking from the far outside for the familiar combination of Todd Pletcher and Irad Ortiz, Jr in the Repole Stable blue and orange silks, Disruptor was still forwardly placed but outrun up the backstretch by fellow second-time starters Harbe (Maclean's Music) and Bourbon Flight (McKinzie). Comfortable to sit a wide third outside of that pair, the favorite responded well when shaken up to get closer as Harbe began to get away now on a solo lead into the far turn as the half went in :44.58. The top pair, now clearly separated back to the rest of the field, swung off the turn together but Disruptor was still well within himself and kicked on inside the sixteenth pole to come home impressively 9 1/4 lengths ahead of first-timer Shangrala Road (City of Light).

Disruptor is the 17th 'Rising Star' for Three Chimneys super-stallion Gun Runner. First dam Margate Gardens, placed in her own racing career and a full-sister to MGSW Bridgetown, has produced four winners from six foals to race including Bashford Manor Stakes runner up Wilson Q (Constitution). Second dam Ellesmere is also responsible for SW/GSP Notary (Street Sense), MSW Clement Rock (Strong Hope) and MSW/GSP Carnacks Chocie (Carson City). Disruptor, by far the priciest purchase of his siblings, has a 2-year-old half-sister by Yaupon who brought $190,000 at KEESEP last year and a yearling half-sister by Audible. Margate Gardens, who last sold herself for $240,000 in foal to American Pharoah at KEENOV in 2016, is due to Taiba, another 'Rising Star' son of Gun Runner, this year.

6th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 3-1, 3yo, 7f, 1:22.94, ft, 9 1/4 lengths.
DISRUPTOR, c, 3, Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Margate Gardens, by Speightstown
                2nd Dam: Ellesmere, by Tabasco Cat
                3rd Dam: Empress Aly, by Alydar
Sales History: $1,150,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $49,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart and VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
O-Repole Stable, Spendthrift Farm LLC, Big Easy Racing LLC, Titletown Racing LLC, Winners Win, Golconda Stable, Ali Goodrich and Mark Parkinson; B-Runnymede Farm LLC & Peter J Callahan (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

 

Disruptor and @iradortiz winning by a daylight in race 6 for @PletcherRacing. #GulfstreamPark #ChampionshipMeet pic.twitter.com/uxMpVUDkjl

— Gulfstream Park (@GulfstreamPark) March 1, 2025

The post Disruptor Delivers Second-Time Out To Become New ‘TDN Rising Star’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Trainer Mark Glatt, breeders Ron and Nina Hagen, owner Paskey Dedomenico, and 2008 Longacres Mile Handicap (G3) winner Wasserman compose a stellar field of 2025 Washington Racing Hall of Fame inductees Emerald Downs announced Feb. 28.

Multiple grade-1 placed Ferocious is off the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail with a muscle tear injury possibly sustained during the Feb. 1 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Mark Casse said an extra sixteenth of a mile should help the grade 2-placed son of Tapit.

Smarty Jones, the Pennsylvania-bred horse that captured the hearts of sports and horse fans across the world during his historic race for the Triple Crown in 2004, is the subject of a new documentary, "Ride of a Lifetime: The Smarty Jones Story."

Book'em Danno has been named the New Jersey-bred Horse of the Year for the second consecutive year.