Choisya (GB)

Those American prospectors sufficiently resourceful--in every sense of that word--to mine some genetic gold at the European breeding stock sales generally fall into two camps. For some, an expanding and ever more lucrative grass (and synthetic) schedule in North America will offset the commercial distrust of turf bloodlines in their homeland. But others may also recognize that Thoroughbreds are more versatile than we typically allow them to be, hoping to emulate the impact on dirt of bloodlines imported from Europe by outstanding breeders of the last century. Both agendas have...

Turf distaffers trained by Chad Brown had taken the seven most recent renewals of the GI First Lady Stakes at Keeneland, and the New York native looked to have a fair chance to extend that streak in the Bluegrass on Saturday afternoon. But it was Colebrook Farm's Simply in Front (Summer Front) split rivals inside the final eighth of a mile and found the line first to cause a 13-1 upset in a bunched finish and snap the Brown domination, however temporarily. The mount of Ben Curtis, the $115,000 Keeneland...

English invader Choisya (GB) ( Night Of Thunder {Ire}) survived an objection to claim her first elite victory in Saturday's GI Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland, and according to her trainers, will now point to the GI Just A Game Stakes June 6 during the Belmont Stakes Festival at Saratoga. The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained mare registered a 100 Beyer in that victory, and with the race offering a fees-waived berth into the Just A Game, Ed Crisford reports that they will be taking advantage of their winnings. Until then,...

The margin was only a head, but a crafty ride from Mickael Barzalona saw the Night Of Thunder (Ire) filly Choisya (GB) (--Fragrancy {Ire}, by Singspiel {Ire}) spring the upset over Godolphin's Grade I winner Cinderella's Dream (GB) (Shamardal) in the G2 Balanchine at Meydan on Friday. Content to rate in a stalking position for much of this just to the outside of her chief rival, the chestnut was sitting on go as Ziggy's Dream (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}) carried the field to the 400-metre mark. Barzalona had Choisya...