Americathegreat

5th-Churchill Downs, $120,000, Msw, 9-27, 2yo, f, 1m, 1:37.31, ft, 3/4 length. AMERICATHEGREAT (f, 2, Curlin--America {GSW & MGISP, $580,532}, by A.P. Indy) started her career at this venue May 15 and finished second to 'TDN Rising Star' Color Comin' In (Rock Your World). She would see that familiar face June 29 in the Debuntante Stakes and the fillies would finish third and fourth with the 'Rising Star' getting the better placing. She made a third effort to break her maiden Aug. 29, this time at Saratoga, but would come...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--The beat goes on for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. It only seems like every 2-year-old he enters in $100,000 maiden special weight races at Saratoga Race Course wins. Pletcher was once again front and center in a baby race, this time in Friday's second race, a seven-furlong event for juvenile fillies. And, like he has been so many times before during the Saratoga summer, he found himself in the winner's circle when it was over. On this day, the hero was Steer Clear (Street Sense), who...

2nd-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-29, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:23.93, ft, 1 1/4 lengths. STEER CLEAR (f, 2, Street Sense--Simply Sunny, by Unbridled's Song) ran a game second 2 1/4 lengths behind 'TDN Rising Star' Ornellaia (Girvin) going a furlong shorter on debut Aug. 2. Working with the additional distance Friday, the popular 9-5 favorite was ridden for the lead and opened up a gap on this field from the very first jumps. Immaculate Moon (McKINzie), fourth in that same Aug. 2 race, drew her back in and kept her honest through...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. The beautifully bred maiden of one career start Americathegreat (f, 2, Curlin--America, by A.P. Indy) is being aimed at the Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs June 29, per Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. "She's shown me some things that I haven't seen very many times," Casse said. "Allen Jerkens always told me, 'You don't judge a horse until they run five times.' But I think she's...

2nd-CD, 120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5f, 5:29 p.m. D.J. Stable, now in partnership with Gary Barber, went to $1,200,000 at KEESEP last year to secure AMERICATHEGREAT (Curlin), the full-sister to MGSW/GISP 'TDN Rising Star' First Captain. Both are out of Bobby Flay's GSW/MGISP A.P. Indy mare America who RNA'd first for $3.1m at FTKNOV in 2019 and most recently for $1.2m at the same sale in 2023. The mare, herself a half to the dam of GISW Paris Lights (Curlin), has found continued success for her foals in the sales...