Charlie Appleby
The parade of graded stakes races this Saturday is like a Christmas tree laden with presents. Towards the end of the celebration, as the wadded paper congregates, there will be a customary wistfulness that slowly sets in. We never want it to end. With 17, yes 17, graded races on the docket--nine of those have Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' status--it is going to be a splendid day to receive as Belmont at the Big A, Keeneland Race Course, Woodbine Racetrack, Gulfstream Park, Hastings Racecourse and Santa Anita Park...
It's a busy time at Keeneland. The September sale has just ended, the fall race meet is upon us and the November sale is right around the corner. With that in mind, the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland called upon Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach to fill us in on the latest from one of America's favorite racetracks. Breathnach was this week's Green Group Guest of the Week. The foal crop keeps dropping every year, but that doesn't seem to affect the September sale. There were...
Just over 100 years ago, the Jockey Club's resident New York handicapper, William Vosburgh, knew the value of history and understood how it could be applied when he penned his magnum opus, Racing In America, 1866-1921. The turf wordsmith revealed his intent in the Preface when he said, "I shall show that, owing to want of popular support, racing had fallen so low, and so infrequent, as to excite little or no interest." What he was talking about was a sport in crisis, as progressive forces in America drove racing...
In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Master Of The Seas in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile at Woodbine on Saturday. Dubawi Gelding Masters Woodbine Mile Foes The Classic-placed Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) won his first race at the Grade I level for breeder Godolphin and Charlie Appleby in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile on Saturday (video). Already a five-time group winner who was second in the 2021...
When Carson's Run (Cupid) won the GI bet365 Summer S. at Woodbine Racetrack this past weekend, earning a trip to the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita, the story was bigger than one horse and one race. The 2-year-old chestnut colt is named for the 31-year-old son of Wade Jost, who bought into the horse from his classmate at the United States Military Academy, Terry Finley, thorough West Point Thoroughbreds. Carson Jost continues to battle Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. The story might sound familiar, as Cody's Wish (Curlin) is named in honor of...
Coming into Wednesday's Listed EBF Stallions John Musker Fillies' S. off a win in Haydock's Reprocolor Premier Fillies' H. 13 days previously, Godolphin's Sapphire Seas (GB) (Frankel {GB}) raised her game again to beat some talented peers for her black-type breakthrough. Tracking the leaders early, the 9-2 shot travelled smoothly to the fore under William Buick approaching two out and had command soon after. Pushed out to assert her superiority, the Charlie Appleby-trained homebred hit the line with 2 1/2 lengths to spare over the smart yardstick Mukaddamah (GB) (New...
Twelve months after Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) made light work of the race, Godolphin's Master of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) proved an equally decisive winner of the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile for trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick. With the victory, the homebred has earned a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita in early November, a race won last year by Modern Games. Drawn the inside gate in a field of just six horses, the 2-5 jolly wasn't the best away and...
Racing roads converge this Saturday. With a little over a month left before horses and their connections officially point to Santa Anita, the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series returns to Woodbine Racetrack. Featured are three 'Win and You're In' chances, including the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile. Meanwhile, at Churchill Downs, the prep seasons officially open for 2-year-old colts and fillies, who are seeking to bank points for next May's 150th editions of the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks. There is much to get to with Belmont at the Big...
Irish 2,000 Guineas winner and unbeaten European Champion Two-Year-Old Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) will stand at Kildangan Stud for 2024. Trained by Charlie Appleby, Native Trail carried the Godolphin blue throughout his career, which featured a stellar unbeaten juvenile campaign in 2021 which culminated with spellbinding performances in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien S at the Curragh followed by the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket. After landing the G3 Craven S. on his seasonal return at three, he found only stablemate Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) too tough in...
Landing a late gamble in Saturday's G3 Solario S., Godolphin's Aablan (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) made it three wins from the last seven renewals of Sandown's staging post for Charlie Appleby. Sent off the 7-4 favourite, the Newmarket maiden scorer was settled in a share of third early by James Doyle with the pace set by Inishfallen (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) far from exacting. Taking until the final yards to work his way past that long-time leader, the son of the multiple group winner Promising Run (Hard Spun) prevailed by...
Godolphin's €600,000 Arqana August purchase Arabian Crown (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}--Dubai Rose {GB}, by Dubai Destination) shaped with promise when third over seven furlongs at Sandown in his July 7 debut and graduated with a two-length tally over that course and distance towards the end of last month. Stalking the tempo in second through halfway in this black-type bow, the 85-40 second choice was pushed to the front soon after passing the quarter-mile marker and driven clear in the latter stages to comfortably outpoint 'TDN Rising Star' Arabic Legend (Ire) (Dubawi...
MGISW Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Modern Ideals {GB}, by New Approach {Ire}), a winner at the Group 1/Grade I level at two, three and four, has been retired from racing. Stud plans for Modern Games will be announced at a later date. A half-brother to 2023 Classic heroine Mawj (Ire), the Godolphin homebred won four of six starts at two, including the G3 Tattersalls S. at Newmarket and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar. At three, he added victories in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at...