Charlatan

A season by last year's leading second crop sire Not This Time (Giant's Causeway) has been added to the select session of the Thoroughbred Charities of America Annual Stallion Season Auction. The Taylor Made Farm stallion will be among 10 select seasons--including Bolt d'Oro, Charlatan, City of Light, Constitution, Liam's Map, Maxfield (with 2023 breed back), Nyquist (with 2023 breed back), Quality Road, and Yaupon (with 2023 breed back)--that will be sold at the 'Tis the Seasons Celebration Sunday, Jan. 9 at 5:30 p.m. at Grand Reserve in Lexington, Kentucky....

Hill 'n' Dale President John Sikura couldn't be happier with the book of mares that multiple Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Charlatan (Speightstown-Authenticity, by Quiet American) has amassed for his first season at stud in 2022. Sikura said the quality embodied in this initial book is unlike many he's seen for a first-year sire. "The compliments we've received from people who have come out to see him have been remarkable," he said. "Eclipse Award-winning breeders are sending Grade I-winning and Grade I-producing mares to him, which is something that is...

Guarana (Ghostzapper--Magical World, by Distorted Humor), purchased from Fasig-Tipton's November sale for $4.4 million (TDN Nov. 10 edition), will visit MGISW Charlatan (Speightstown), the farm's most recent addition to Hill n' Dale's roster at Xalapa. Awarded TDN Rising Star status after breaking her maiden by 14 3/4 lengths, she followed up that victory in her next start with a stakes record performance in the GI Acorn S., winning by six lengths before adding a score in the GI Coaching Club American Oaks. She subsequently added a victory in the GI...

The roster and fees for Hill 'n' Dale Farm's 2022 season is led by the nation's leading sire in number of Grade I winners, dual Horse of the Year Curlin (Smart Strike--Sheriff's Deputy, by Deputy Minister). He will return in 2022 for a fee of $175,000 LFSN. Also remaining unchanged is fellow Horse of the Year Ghostzapper (Awesome Again--Baby Zip, by Relaunch). The Hall of Famer will stand for $75,000 LFSN in 2022. Included among the operation's up-and-coming sires, Good Magic (Curlin--Glinda the Good, by Hard Spun), whose fee also...

Multiple Grade I winner Charlatan (Speightstown--Authenticity, by Quiet American) will stand the 2022 breeding season for a fee of $50,000 live foal stands and nurses, Hill 'n' Dale Farm announced Wednesday. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' after a tour-de-force debut victory, Charlatan went on to capture the GI Arkansas Derby and GI Runhappy Malibu S. before finishing second in the $20-million Saudi Cup in his career finale. "I have been looking forward to having this horse," said John Sikura, owner of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. "He is a brilliant...

Multiple Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Charlatan (Speightstown) has been retired from racing and will take up stud duty at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, Hill 'n' Dale announced Thursday. Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, the imposing chestnut, out of GI Breeders' Cup Distaff-placed Authenticity (Quiet American), sold as the second-highest priced colt for his sire at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale at $700,000. Purchased by SF Bloodstock/Starlight West, the colt raced for owners SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Frederick Hertrich, III,...

The week between the GI Kentucky Derby and the GI Preakness S. is typically a quiet one, and this year the racing industry was basking in the glow of an exciting and safe Derby headlined by a feel-good story: Medina Spirit (Protonico), a hard-battling underdog any average joe could have purchased at public auction as a $1,000 yearling, had unexpectedly won the Run for the Roses under the care of seven-time Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert, and was heading to Baltimore as a likeable overachiever trying to win the second jewel...

Bob Baffert told the media Sunday morning at Churchill Downs that his stable has been informed by the Kentucky Racing Commission that GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protonico) tested positive for the medication betamethasone in post-race tests conducted after the Derby. In a 13-minute press conference (video) at his barn on the Churchill Downs backstretch Baffert, denied any wrongdoing. "All I can tell you is that betamethasone is an allowed therapeutic medication, but we did not give it to this horse," Baffert said. "In fact, Medina Spirit has never...

The disqualifications of Charlatan (Speightstown) and Gamine (Into Mischief) from May 2, 2020 wins at Oaklawn Park have been overturned, and Bob Baffert's 15-day suspension has been waived after a two-day hearing in front of the Arkansas Racing Commission. Charlatan was the winner of the GI Arkansas Derby, while Gamine won an allowance race the same day. Oaklawn announced lidocaine positives for the pair, disqualified them from the victories, and redistributed purse money last year. Tuesday, at the conclusion of the hearing, Baffert's attorney, W. Craig Robertson, said, "The ruling...

After impressive displays during the Dubai World Cup card, Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and TDN Rising Star Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) share the top spot with a 122 ranking in the second edition of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for 2021. The rankings are compiled by the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings Committee and published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). Mishriff, who led the rankings following his victory in the Saudi Cup, switched back to turf and won the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic next time out....

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-Gulfstream, $55K, Msw, 3yo, 1m, post time: 1:24 p.m. ET Given his name, it might be more fitting if Peter Brant's BENNYFROMTHEBRONX (Tapit) were making his first trip to the races at the Jersey Shore, but instead, the half-brother to GISW 'TDN Rising Star' and recent Saudi Cup runner-up Charlatan (Speightstown) gets his career started at Gulfstream Park Saturday afternoon. The bay, a $300,000 Keeneland September acquisition, is the latest to the races from his dam, two-time graded winner and three-time Grade I-placed Authenticity (Quiet...

Three days after racking up yet another monumental win in a career chock full of them, legendary trainer John Gosden joined the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland Tuesday morning. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Gosden explained how he got Saudi Cup hero Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) to be as brilliant on dirt as he is on turf, what made his five-time champion Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) such a phenomenon, how his roots of training in California in the 1980s informed...