Curlin

Baoma Corp.'s Himika (f, 2, Curlin--Motivated Seller, by Into Mischief), a $900,000 purchase out of this year's OBS April Sale, looked in a bit of trouble through the opening three panels of a five-furlong maiden at Santa Anita Thursday. But when Juan Hernandez was able to push away from the inside and with dead aim on pacesetting Stuffy Mist (Maximus Mischief), the athletic bay gathered that one up with ease a few strides later and whistled home to score by a half-dozen eased-down lengths to become a no-brainer 'TDN Rising...

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...

First and foremost, let's salute Journalism (Curlin) and his connections for confirming that only feebleness in horsemen, not horses, menaces the Triple Crown schedule. In last weekend replicating his Churchill challenge to crop leader Sovereignty (Into Mischief), moreover actually moving up his numbers, the only horse to contest all three legs demonstrated precisely the prowess that breeders have long sought from this series. That deserves to be remembered once Journalism goes to stud. Obviously, the GI Belmont Stakes is not asking quite so exacting a question just now. By the...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - There may not be a better person to talk to about the highly anticipated rematch between GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) and GI Preakness Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin) in Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes than longtime Bridlewood Farm General Manager George Isaacs. Founded in 1976 by Arthur and Martha Appleton and currently owned by John and Leslie Malone, Bridlewood Farm (their legendary red-and-white silks were worn by Umberto Rispoli for that heart-stopping second leg of Triple Crown) campaigns Journalism in partnership with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners,...

2nd-SAR, $100k, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 11:20a.m. ET Coming into this maiden with a number of bullet works to his credit, COPIOUS (Curlin) will debut in the colors of Tranquility Lake Farms for trainer Bill Mott. With four bullets at Payson and two over the Oklahoma training track, the chestnut is the son of MGISW Paradise Woods (Union Rags) and hails from the immediate female family of MGSW & GISP Mr. Greeley (Gone West). His dam's half-sister Paradise Bay (Blame) has produced SW Reef Runner (This Big Beast) and his...

2nd-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 6-5, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:42.25, fm, 4 lengths. CURLIN'S ANGEL (f, 4, Curlin--Sabrina's Angel, by Scat Daddy), dismissed at 15-1 in this belated debut, was away slowly from her outside post, but recovered quickly and rushed up to midpack before being taken in hand to settle near the back of the field through pedestrian splits. Tipped out three wide approaching the stretch, she exploded down the lane and soared home four lengths in front. Favored Time Stone (American Pharoah) got a head in front of Key...

Champion MGISW Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) and SW & MGISP Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) were on the work list Saturday at Santa Anita Park with a six-furlong move from each as other notable names made an appearance in the morning hours. The Bob Baffert-trained Citizen Bull posted the co-bullet move of three, clocking the six panels in 1:12.20 in his second work since finishing in the back half of the GI Kentucky Derby field. The filly, trained by Philip D'Amato, went from the blocks for her move, and...

It is a prerogative of journalism--on the basis that most people won't read what you write, and that those that do will remember only what you get wrong--that you're allowed to repeat yourself. But fear not, I won't be returning to last week's soapbox other than to offer a vote of thanks to Mike McCarthy and his patrons for their willingness to explore whether a modern Thoroughbred is actually more resilient than the timid horsemen of our time generally allow us to see. It would be nice if they could...

Five of Chad Brown's Grade I-winning brigade hit the work tab at Saratoga over the weekend, led by MGISW Raging Sea (Curlin) and MGISW Spirit of St Louis (Medaglia d'Oro). Heading out Friday in her first work since pulling the upset in the GI La Troienne on Kentucky Derby weekend, Raging Sea was clocked doing four furlongs over the Oklahoma training track in :49.25 (8/32) while in company with GSW & MGISP Occult (Into Mischief). She is being pointed to the GI Ogden Phipps June 6 during the Belmont Stakes...

While no immediate plans for the GI Belmont Stakes have been made for Saturday's sensational Preakness 150 hero Journalism (Curlin), connections report that when their colt leaves the Pimlico grounds in a couple days, he will either go directly to Saratoga or to Michael McCarthy's Kentucky base at Churchill Downs. With the son of Curlin under consideration for the GI Belmont Stakes June 7 at Saratoga, McCarthy and Eclipse Thoroughbreds' Aron Wellman spoke to the press Sunday morning and said the decision will be made in the next day or...

10th-SA, $61k, Msw, 3-5yo, 6 1/2fT, 8:38p.m. ET Side by side in the gate for their debut, HARMONIQUE (Nyquist) and Neema (Curlin) will be unveiled for their respective connections in this night cap at Santa Anita Park. The former is a homebred for Thor-Bred Stables, and is a daughter of GI Oak Leaf Stakes victress Rigoletta (Concerto)--thus a half-sister to the late GI Breeder's Cup Dirt Mile winner Battle of Midway (Smart Strike). She also claims MSW & MGSP Moretti (Medaglia d'Oro) as a half-sibling as well as the dam...

6th-CD, $127k, Aoc, 3yo/up, f, 1 1/8mT, 8:30p.m. ET Sold for a price befitting royalty on the back of a 3-year-old season where she was Group 1-placed in Germany, SPANISH EYES (GER) (Zarak {Fr}) will debut here under the lights at Churchill Downs for her new connections. Purchased at ARQDEC last year for €1.3-million by David Redvers Bloodstock for the partnership of Qatar Racing and Michaela Faust, the filly is out of Sortilege (Ire) (Tiger Hill {Ire}), herself a multiple highweight mare in Germany and Italy as well as being...