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The $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 24 at Oaklawn Park is among the races under consideration for Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Timberlake's 3-year-old debut, trainer Brad Cox said Jan. 31.

Things may not have gone strictly according to script for undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist) in Saturday's GIII Robert B. Lewis S., as he was perhaps a half-step slowly away, and with a trio of rivals hellbent on being part of the pace battle, was forced to sit farther off the speed than he'd done in either of his previous towering victories. At the end of the day, it mattered very little, as the Bob Baffert trainee came with a bold run three wide into the lane and went on to treat his six other rivals to a 7 1/2-length beating.

Though Nysos did lay fourth early on before bolting up in the GIII Bob Hope S. at Del Mar Nov. 19–having earned 'Rising Star' accolades when graduating by better than 10 lengths the previous month–those were sprinter-type splits ahead of him at Del Mar and he would need to prove he could switch off behind fractions that were sure to be slower on balance. Indeed, stretching out to a route of ground for the first time Saturday, Nysos settled nicely enough for Flavien Prat, about five lengths away from the hard-sent Scatify (Justify), his stablemate Wine Me Up (Vino Rosso) and Mc Vay (Constitution) down the backstretch and past the half-mile in :46.67.

Still fourth as they raced into the final three-eighths of a mile, Nysos gained inside of Mc Vay with under three furlongs to travel, was switched out wide under a full head of steam at the quarter pole and kicked home in a race of his own. Wine me Up won the battle for second over Scatify.

It was the sixth win in a row and 12th in the race for trainer Bob Baffert, who trained Silver Charm for Bob and Beverly Lewis to win the 1997 GI Kentucky Derby. General Challenge provided him with his first back in 1999, when the race was contested as the Santa Catalina S. It was renamed for Lewis following his passing in 2006. Nysos is ineligible for this year's Derby, having been left with Baffert at the Jan. 29th deadline.

“He stumbled a bit leaving there, but he was in a good spot,” the winning trainer commented. “Prat rode him with a lot of confidence, he knows the horse well. I love the fact that he has speed and he proved he can do two turns. He has a great mind. He is a really good colt. You can just sit there and push the button at any time. It makes it so much easier for the riders, but I still get a little nervous.”

Pedigree Notes:

One of 22 stakes winners and 11 graded winners for his Kentucky Derby-winning sire, Nysos is bred on the same cross that produced GI Summer S. hero Gretzky the Great from Nyquist's first crop to the races in 2020, and the cross over A.P. Indy and his stallions sons has resulted in fellow Grade I winner Vequist and Grade II victress Turnerloose. Bernardini dams have produced Grade I winner Mo Town and other graded scorers Modernist and Mopotism when bred to Nyquist's sire Uncle Mo.

The unraced Zetta Z, a granddaughter of GI Breeders' Cup Distaff upsetter Unbridled Elaine, is the dam of four winners from five to race and she has become increasingly popular from a commercial standpoint. Before Hades blossomed from a $130,000 Keeneland November weanling and $150,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling into a $550,000 OBS April breezer, the mare's now 2-year-old Street Sense filly was a $70,000 KEENOV purchase turned $170,000 FTKOCT acquisition after Zetta Z changed hands for $35,000 at KEENOV in 2021. Zetta Z's colt by Uncle Mo's son Yaupon was knocked down for $450,000 at Keeneland last November, the priciest of 44 of the stallion's foals reported as sold in 2023. Zetta Z was covered by Cyberknife last year.

 

NYSOS ($2.20) PUT ON A SHOW!!!

The $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at @SantaAnitaPark went as expected for the sensational Nysos! Flavien Prat sat chilly in the saddle behind the hot pace. @BobBaffert trained this 3-year-old son of Nyquist (@DarleyAmerica) for @BaomaCorp! pic.twitter.com/ABUp1rcwax

— TVG (@TVG) February 3, 2024

Saturday, Santa Anita
ROBERT B. LEWIS S.-GIII, $201,000, Santa Anita, 2-3, 3yo, 1m, 1:36.65, ft.
1–NYSOS, 120, c, 3, by Nyquist
1st Dam: Zetta Z, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Seresa's Spirit, by Rahy
3rd Dam: Unbridled Elaine, by Unbridled's Song
'TDN Rising Star'. ($130,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $150,000 Ylg '22
FTKOCT; $550,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). O-Baoma Corp; B-Atkins
Susie (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-3-0-0, $216,600. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Wine Me Up, 120, c, 3, Vino Rosso–Deanaallen'skitten, by
Kitten's Joy. ($115,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $300,000 2yo '23
OBSOPN). O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul
Weitman; B-Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
$40,000.
3–Scatify, 120, c, 3, Justify–Broadway Run, by Prospective.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($120,000 2yo '23
EASMAY). O-West Point Thoroughbreds; B-Doug & Felicia
Branham (KY); T-John W. Sadler. $24,000.
Margins: 7HF, 3/4, 4 1/4. Odds: 0.10, 6.50, 13.10.
Also Ran: Mc Vay, Moonlit Sonata, Better Than Gold, Ace of Clubs. Scratched: Coach Prime, Stronghold.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Nysos Proves A Smooth Winner of the Robert B. Lewis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Frankie's Empire (Classic Empire) either missed, or ignored, the memo that the longest shot on the board usually doesn't dominate, and strode home a much the best winner in the Swale S. to earn his career-first black type win.

A frequent face on the mid-atlantic seaboard, he'd broken his maiden and hit the board in the Sapling S. at Monmouth Park before being shipped to Delaware, where he picked up a second career win against optional claimers. Sixth in the Rocky Run S. last October when contesting over a muddy track, Frankie's Empire made his final start for Susan Crowell at Parx, where he scored another optional claiming win.

Moved to Michael Yates in Florida, and with only one work over the track in late January, the betting public left him ice cold on the board at 14-1. Content to watch as Billal (Street Sense) and Risk It (Gun Runner) disputed the pace, he loomed the danger coming around the bend and was rolling under a full head of steam entering the lane. Inhaling 4-5 favorite Legalize (Constitution) and all challengers to his inside, Frankie's Empire drew clear by 3 1/2 lengths as fellow 13-1 longshot Le Dom Bro (Mucho Macho Man) rolled home to further burn tickets from second. Grand Mo the First (Uncle Mo) rallied from way out to take third.

The victor is the newest stakes winner for Classic Empire, who was purchased by the Korea Racing Authority, and imported to South Korea Dec. 18 for his first season in the country this year.

A half-brother to Chaparella, a stakes-placed runner turned winner producer, Frankie's Empire also claims SP Streetlady (Street Boss), a winner producer in England, as a half-sibling. He's the most recent to the races for Donna D, who produced a pair of colts after the winner–a 2-year-old by Midnight Lute and a yearling by Tapiture. She is due to Mystic Guide in 2024. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

It was wide open coming to the stretch until #9 FRANKIE'S EMPIRE ($30) emerged with the lead and pulled away to win the $125K Swale Stakes. The son of Classic Empire was ridden by Miguel Vasquez and is trained by Michael Yates.

The $125,000 Forward Gal Stakes (GIII) is up next! pic.twitter.com/uxgq9CPGFB

— TVG (@TVG) February 3, 2024

SWALE S., $125,000, Gulfstream, 2-3, 3yo, 7f, 1:24.22, ft.
1–FRANKIE'S EMPIRE, 120, c, 3, by Classic Empire
           1st Dam: Donna D (SP, $100,344), by Dixie Union
           2nd Dam: Creativity, by Notebook
           3rd Dam: She's Realistic, by In Reality
($20,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Frank DeLuca; B-Ralph Kinder & Erv Woolsey (KY); T-Michael Yates; J-Miguel Angel Vasquez. $75,950. Lifetime Record: 7-4-0-1, $185,700. *1/2 to Chaparella (Service Stripe), MSP, $163,421.
2–Le Dom Bro, 118, c, 3, Mucho Macho Man–Valiant Emilia (Per), by Pegasus Wind. ($20,000 Ylg '22 OBSWIN). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Vicente Stella Stables LLC; B-Teneri Farms Inc (KY); T-Eniel Cordero. $24,500.
3–Grand Mo the First, 120, c, 3, Uncle Mo–Lilies So Fair, by Giant's Causeway. ($125,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP; $135,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $335,000 RNA 2yo '23 OBSMAR). O-Granpollo Stable; B-John D. Gunther (KY); T-Victor Barboza, Jr.. $12,250.
Margins: 3HF, 3/4, NK. Odds: 14.00, 13.10, 7.80.
Also Ran: Billal, Risk It, Colorado Cruiser, Legalize. Scratched: Bentornato, Squints.

The post Longshot Frankie’s Empire Best Late in Swale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) have placed Barn 15 at Belmont Park under a precautionary quarantine until further notice due to a potential case of Equine Herpesvirus (EHV) in that barn.

Cute Curls (Tapiture), an unraced 3-year-old filly trained by Danny Gargan, exhibited acute neurological symptoms on Saturday and was subsequently euthanized. As of Saturday afternoon, no additional horses in Barn 15 have presented symptoms.

Samples are in-route to Cornell University for analysis with results expected within 48 hours.

Barn 15 was placed under quarantine at 3 p.m. with standard precautions and biosecurity measures now in effect. The quarantine procedures are overseen by Dr. Sarah Hinchliffe, the director of NYRA's veterinary department, in consultation with the NYSGC.

There are 34 horses currently stabled in Barn 15, which is home to stalls for Jim Ryerson, Gustavo Rodriguez and Gargan. All horses in Barn 15 will be closely monitored for fever and other signs of illness.

During the initial quarantine period, horses stabled in Barn 15 will not be permitted to enter races or train among the general horse population. Afebrile/asymptomatic horses stabled in Barn 15 will have isolated training hours at Belmont Park following the closure of training for the general horse population.

Two horses stabled in Barn 15 (Ryan's Cat, Society Man) shipped to Aqueduct for races on Saturday prior to the identification of Cute Curls as a potential EHV case. As such, both horses were permitted to run on Saturday afternoon.

Neither horse has presented symptoms and Society Man will be transported to Belmont Park in isolation. Ryan's Cat was transported to Belmont Park following Race 1 prior to the identification of the potential EHV case.

The post Barn 15 at Belmont Park Placed Under Quarantine Due to Potential EHV Case appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Her Todd Pletcher-trained sire was fond of Gulfstream, getting the two biggest wins of his career in the GI Florida Derby and the GII Holy Bull S. at the Hallandale oval, and now LIFE'S AN AUDIBLE (f, 3, Audible–Catkins, by Data Link) is following suit, also for Pletcher. Showing a flair for drama, Life's an Audible waited until late and made it close in victory over last-out maiden winner Style Points (Oscar Performance) in the GIII Sweetest Chant S. at Gulfstream Park Saturday. Dynamic Pricing (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) was third.

The chestnut Life's an Audible lingered second from last behind :23.59 and :47.06 early fractions while Macanga (American Pharoah) showed the way up front. Macanga didn't run out of steam until the top of the stretch, when a stalking Style Points found room on the rail. At the same time, on the turn from the back, Irad Ortiz, Jr. had woken up Life's an Audible and swung the filly to the far outside for her rally, meeting Style Points for the closing strides. Despite the latter getting the first jump, Life's an Audible at 9-5 and still several paths out wore her down to prevail by about a neck after a brief battle.

“The filly broke a little slow today,” said Ortiz. “After that, we went to Plan B and let her be her and let her relax. She did well. The mile and a sixteenth helped her today because she wasn't that close early. Last time she was finishing. Today, she got time to get there.”

Pletcher added: “I thought it was great… It seems like she's kind of found her groove just wanting to settle and make a late run. She really delivered a good turn of foot.”

With an off-the-board finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf sandwiched between a runner-up placing in the Oct. 4 GII Miss Grillo S. at Belmont at the Big A and a second last out in Gulfstream's Jan. 6 Ginger Brew S., Life's an Audible was winning her first black-type event in the Sweetest Chant. She was a $200,000 OBS March 2-year-old purchase last year by West Bloodstock, agent for Repole Stable, after working in :10 1/5. Ortiz has been up for all six of her lifetime starts.

The same connections–with the addition of Town and Country Racing as part of the ownership team–also took the Sweetest Chant last year with Cairo Consort (Cairo Prince).

Pedigree Notes:

Life's an Audible is the first graded winner for WinStar Farm's Audible, a son of Into Mischief, who also has three black-type winners and five additional stakes performers from his first crop to race. In addition to breaking new ground for her sire, Life's an Audible is also the first stakes winner as a broodmare sire for Data Link, a Grade I-winning son of War Front who was pensioned at Claiborne after siring five crops.

Breeder Susan Moulton bought Catkins, dam of Life's an Audible, for $100,000 at the OBS Spring 2-year-old sale in 2017, campaigned her to one win at Churchill Downs, and bred her to Audible for her first foal. The mare has since produced juvenile colt Catman Tomkins (Tom's d'Etat) and a yearling filly by Liam's Map who brought $130,000 as a Keeneland November weanling to the bid of Solano Bloodstock. She was bred to Nashville for 2024.

 

#1 LIFE'S AN AUDIBLE ($5.80) comes storming down the center of the track to get up and win the Sweetest Chant Stakes (GIII) at Gulfstream Park. @IradOrtiz was in the irons for Todd Pletcher and @RepoleStable.

The $125,000 Swale Stakes is next! Wager here https://t.co/tHc1sm6ZIw pic.twitter.com/2m7Xk3p1UT

— TVG (@TVG) February 3, 2024

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
SWEETEST CHANT S.-GIII, $175,000, Gulfstream, 2-3, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:39.36, fm.
1–LIFE'S AN AUDIBLE, 118, f, 3, by Audible
               1st Dam: Catkins, by Data Link
               2nd Dam: Galileo's Star, by Lil E. Tee
               3rd Dam: June Gale, by Run For Nurse
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($25,000
Wlg '21 KEENOV; $90,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo '23
OBSMAR). O-Repole Stable; B-Susan Moulton (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $105,245. Lifetime Record: 6-2-2-0,
$243,045. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report &
5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style
pedigree.
2–Style Points, 118, f, 3, Oscar Performance–Mystical Star, by
Ghostzapper. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
O-Cheyenne Stable LLC; B-Candy Meadows LLC (KY);
T-Christophe Clement. $33,950.
3–Dynamic Pricing (Ire), 118, f, 3, Night of Thunder (Ire)–
Shemda (Ire), by Dutch Art (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST
GRADED BLACK TYPE. (170,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT).
O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Chad
Brown. $16,975.
Margins: NK, NK, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.90, 12.30, 5.60.
Also Ran: Madame Mischief, Macanga, Pharoah's Wine, Golden Ghost (GB), Milliat (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post First Stakes Win for Life’s an Audible in Sweetest Chant appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

4th-Tampa Bay Downs, $32,000, Msw, 2-3, 3yo, 1 1/8mT, 1:48.37, fm, neck.
WAITLIST (c, 3, Not This Time–Grandezza, by Scat Daddy) opened his account in highly impressive fashion at first asking going nine furlongs over the Tampa turf course Saturday afternoon. By the sire of recently crowned champion Up to the Mark and sent out by that one's trainer Todd Pletcher, the $240,000 Keeneland September acquisition was void of early speed and settled one from the tail. Asked to improve his position leaving the five-furlong pole by Emisael Jaramillo, the dark bay colt had tacked on to the back of the leading group and raced in about seventh position entering the second turn. Consigned to an overland trip around the bend, Waitlist had no choice but to launch his bid five deep off the final corner. He confronted narrow second favorite and perfect-trip Stop the Press (Uncle Mo)–a $1.5-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling trying the grass after three unplaced efforts on the dirt–nearing the midstretch marker, was overtaken for a stride or two with time ticking away and re-rallied to take it by a neck at a starting price of 44-5, double his morning line of 4-1. Breeder David McCarty paid $210,000 for Grandezza at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale and bought her back on a bid of $340,000 at Keeneland September the following year. A maiden winner of better than $134,000 from ages two to four, Grandezza is also represented by a yearling colt by Yoshida (Jpn) and she is due to Audible this season. Waitlist's second dam Tap Mate (Pleasant Tap) is a full-sister to GSW & GISP Tap Day and to Street Mate (Street Cry {Ire}), whose Grade I-winning daughter and $2-million earner Bell's the One (Majesticperfection) sells as part of the Lothenbach Dispersal Tuesday at Fasig-Tipton. Street Mate is also responsible for GSW King Cause (Creative Cause). Sales history: $240,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $18,560. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Centennial Farms; B-David McCarty (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher.

 

WORTH THE WAIT! Huuuuuge debut win from Waitlist under a tremendous ride by @JaramilloJockey! pic.twitter.com/7QCTtBxmoO

— Centennial Farms (@Centennial_Farm) February 3, 2024

The post Not This Time’s Waitlist Proves Toughest On Tampa Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

'TDN Rising Star' Timberlake (Into Mischief), winner of last fall's GI Champagne S., could potentially launch his sophomore season in the GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn Park Feb. 24. The Siena Farm and WinStar Farm colorbearer was last seen finishing a well-beaten fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Nov. 3.

“He's pointing for it,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We've got to see how our works go over the next several weeks, but he's doing well. Hopefully, we can get him there.”

Timberlake worked four furlongs in :48.60 (10/92) at Fair Grounds Saturday.

“The other race in play for him would probably be the (GII) Gotham at Aqueduct (Mar. 2),” Cox said. “He did win up in New York. He won the Champagne there at Aqueduct, so that could be something that is in play as well. We'll see how he performs over the next few weeks breezing.”

The post Timberlake Pointing for Rebel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Papineau, whose 2004 Gold Cup (G1) win was matched by his post-racing accomplishments with Godolphin, has died at the age of 24.

Hampshire-based trainer Simon Hodgson went to 75,000gns for the talented sprinter Clearpoint. 

The Lothenbach Dispersal of Horses of Racing Age, conducted Jan. 29-Feb. 2 on Fasig-Tipton Digital, closed with 66 horses sold for $4,840,000.

In a gutsy statement win, Godolphin homebred Comparative battled on the lead to secure her first graded stakes score in the 1 1/16-mile $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park Feb. 2.

Cancer survivor, ITV Racing broadcaster Ed Chamberlin proud of WellChild work.

Veteran exercise rider and former jockey Arturo Mares died after sustaining severe neck and brain injuries during training hours Jan. 27 at Santa Anita Park.

With more than two inches of rain in the forecast Feb. 4, Santa Anita Park has announced the eight-race Sunday program has been canceled and that a pair of graded stakes will be rescheduled for Feb. 10.

H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) winner One in Vermillion, injured while training in New Mexico in the fall, was euthanized in Arizona Feb. 2 due to laminitis, according to owner Jonathan Kalman.

The 10-year-old son of Scat Daddy is the farm's first Thoroughbred stallion.

The Feb. 4 Hong Kong Classic Mile is the first of three races in the series that culminates with the Hong Kong Derby.

The Washington community continues to mourn the loss of longtime owner and breeder Howard Hammer, who died Nov. 23 at age 103.

Godolphin horses won four of the five turf races on the Feb. 2 program at the Dubai World Cup Carnival, previewing some potential stars for the summer season in Europe and the United States.

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame's second annual "Countdown to the Triple Crown" online auction goes live at noon ET Feb. 3 and continues through noon Feb. 17.