Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket on a Mo Town colt (hip 299) for $1.05-million early in Wednesday's second session at OBS March. "Beautiful, beautiful horse," Lanni said after signing on behalf of Baoma Corp. "Breezed exceptional. Beautiful breeze. He came out of it really well. I think that's the toughest thing on these young horses, to come out of those breezes. He's going to go to Bob [Baffert], bought him for Baoma Corp. They've been very lucky here over the years, so glad we got him." The colt,...
A Baffert longshot in a Santa Anita maiden race (that isn't a misprint) tops this week's list. 5). MAYKOMOTION, TAM, 3/7, 7 furlongs (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 84 (c, 3, by Vekoma--Maymont, by Unbridled's Song) O-Bona Venture Stables and Bianco Stable. B-Dominique Damico (Fla). T-George Weaver. J-John Velazquez. He couldn't match strides with the likes of Jackson Hole in his first start in December, but outran these from the start and was drawing away through the final quarter. His five half-siblings to race have been predominantly cheap claimers, but this...
She rolled into the lane with all the momentum and Forced Entry (Charlatan) carried it right to her first black-type win in the GIII Santa Ysabel Stakes. Debuted Jan. 11 at this venue in a six-furlong turf maiden, she faded to last after having to fight every step of the way, but it was a much different result when she resurfaced Feb. 1 on this main track. Out to set the pace again, they were never able to reel her back in, and Forced Entry cantered home to win easily...
Trainer Bob Baffert had a two-strong chance to earn a record-extending 10th win in Saturday's GII San Felipe Stakes. His best shot looked to be with the 4-5 favorite and 'TDN Rising Star' Brant (Gun Runner) who was making his first start back since running third to Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar last November. But it was his other runner, 8-1 shot and $2.4-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale graduate Potente (Into Mischief) who secured the win and 50 Kentucky Derby points for the...
CSLR Racing Partners, LLC's Crude Velocity (c, 3, Beau Liam--Sweetnsour Kitty, by Lemon Drop Kid) overcame a nightmare journey to become the first 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' for his young sire. One of three entered by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert and overlooked at generous debut odds of 10-1, he was off to a slow start from his rail draw and trailed the field of nine shortly after the break. He rushed up beneath Florent Geroux and was under a tight hold racing in traffic just behind the...
Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Splendora (Audible) picked up her second Grade I Saturday, easily taking down the GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile at Santa Anita for Bob Baffert. Saturday's win, the mare's fifth straight in a streak that began back at Del Mar last summer, was her second of her year after she returned victorious in the emotionally-poignant seven-furlong GII D. Wayne Lukas Stakes Feb. 7. Having shown the ability to be versatile in her wins, the 1-9 favorite needed no help in...
Spendthrift Farm's 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' Further Ado (Gun Runner), a smashing 20-length maiden winner at Keeneland last fall and workmanlike winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 29, launches his 3-year-old campaign in Saturday's GIII Esmark Tampa Bay Derby. The $275,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $550,000 OBS April breezer has posted six workouts at trainer Brad Cox's Payson Park base for his return, including a bullet five furlongs in 1:01 (1/28) Feb. 21. Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call from post...
2nd-TAM, $60k, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 12:45 p.m. ET ACE FROM SPACE (Into Mischief) brings both an imposing pedigree and worktab into this career debut. The Stonestreet homebred is the latest runner out of the SW & GSP Glinda the Good (Hard Spun), whose four winners includes dual Grade I-winning champion and leading sire Good Magic (Curlin). Glinda the Good is herself a half-sister to GSW and stakes-producing Take the Ribbon (Chester House) and SW & GSPs Flash Forward (Curlin) and Flash Mash (Smarty Jones). Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call...
Last Sunday's GII Rebel Stakes third-place finisher Litmus Test (Nyquist) will stay in Hot Springs to contest the GI Arkansas Derby March 28 for trainer Bob Baffert. Speaking of his Arkansas runners from last weekend, Baffert said that while his GIII Honeybee Stakes winner Explora (Blame) had shipped back to California, Litmus Test would remain at Oaklawn through the end of the month. "I didn't want to bring him all the way back here and ship him back," Baffert said. "He's there. I want to give him another chance. I...
This week, five 3-year-old colts made the rankings, topped by a new Derby contender that few saw coming. 5-ALBUS, TAM, 2/27, 1 mile 40 yards (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-83 (c, 3, by Yaupon--Adream, by Bernardini) O-Pin Oak Stud. B- Susan Casner (Ky). T-Riley Mott. J-Sammy Camacho. As the debate ensued last week about Solitude Dude's chances around two turns in Saturday's Fountain of Youth (he did fine), another Yaupon colt made his two-turn debut Friday at Tampa--and Albus kicked clear to a decisive 6 3/4 length victory. Based on his...
by Christina Bossinakis & Patrycja Szpyra Cherokee Nation (Not This Time) took six starts to break his maiden, but he'd been facing quality rivals in the lead up to his graduation party last Friday. Now, his connections report that elite contests are in the colt's future with their eyes specifically turned toward the GI Santa Anita Derby. "When the kids go to school, they have fancy Friday and [last] Friday was a fancy Friday for us," said co-owner Tom Ryan. "We're typically looking at Saturday afternoon, but we were very...
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.--A strong tradition for any Kentucky Derby hopeful along the campaign trail to May is passing the two turn test. With distance in mind, owners and trainers are looking for their nominees to stretch their legs, embrace the debate that comes in the form of traffic and find ways to grind out a hard-earned victory. At Oaklawn Park in the GII Rebel Stakes on Sunday, WinStar, First Go Racing and CHC Inc. owned colt Class President (Uncle Mo--Top Quality, by Quality Road) proved best at the wire as...