Curlin

Triple Crown season might be heating up but the well-bred handicap divisions are keen on having a say in how the big stage shapes up. Here's who's been shouting the loudest this week. Stonestreet Gold Again a Rising Star... The famous silks have done it once more, this time with Marsalis (Curlin) adding another 'TDN Rising Star' accolade to GISW Hot Dixie Chick's already impressive tally as a broodmare. Full-brother and New York's Leading Second Crop sire Union Jackson also claimed Rising Stardom in his racing days; while half-sister Pauline's...

Well-related Stonestreet Stables product Marsalis (Curlin--Hot Dixie Chick, by Dixie Union) stepped forward off a stellar debut outing to garner the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction Saturday at Fair Grounds. Beaten a head and 5 1/4 lengths clear of third in a salty GII Risen Star S. day heat won by Todd Pletcher-trained invader Momentous (Speightstown) Feb. 19, the Steve Asmussen pupil was off at 3-5 and soon showed why. Off at 3-10 while breaking from the fence, the $340,000 Keeneland September RNA broke well but had to work a bit...

Godolphin's Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) and First Captain (Curlin), owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Woodford Racing and celebrity chef Bobby Flay, appear on course for a tilt at the seven-furlong GI Carter H. Apr. 9 at Aqueduct. This term, the former, trained by Bill Mott, has posted a pair of one-turn victories at Gulfstream Park--the GIII Fred Hooper S. Jan. 29 followed by the Mar. 5 GII Gulfstream Park Mile. Last year, he won three starts in New York, including a 6 3/4-length triumph in a Belmont optional...

DUBAI, UAE--A sale hosted at Meydan just a few days in advance of the Dubai World Cup meeting always promised to have an international feel to it, and though many of the 2-year-olds purchased at the inaugural Goffs Dubai Breeze-up Sale will remain in the Middle East, others will head to Japan and back to Europe as they head into training. "A first for Dubai and a first for Goffs," said Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby, as the initial batch of horses was ushered into the parade ring before...

Only two races were profiled this week and they featured opposite ends of the spectrum: a returning Grade I winner and a colt just kicking off his career. One is slated to face a champion next while the other will meet winners for the first time. However, they have a common thread as both are by Hill 'n' Dale's leading sire Curlin. Wednesday's Insights: GISW Clairiere Returns at Fair Grounds 7th-Fair Grounds, $56,000, Alw (NW3$X)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 3-16, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:43.21, ft, 6 1/2 lengths. After closing out...

With the 2022 breeding season underway, we continue to feature a series of breeders' mating plans. Today we have Leah Alessandroni, Bloodstock and Office Manager of Bonne Chance Farm. GLORY AND POWER (m, 8, Medaglia d'Oro - Dance Quietly, by A. P. Indy) to be bred to Essential Quality    We bought this mare as a weanling and she went on to become a winner for us. Her first foal was Momentous (Speightstown), who was an debut impressive winner at Fair Grounds on Feb. 19. This mare is out of...

9th-Gulfstream, $53,000, Msw, 3-19, 3yo, 1m, 1:35.48, ft, 4 3/4 lengths. BRIGHT FUTURE (c, 3, Curlin--Sophia's Song {SW & GSP, $155,892}, by Bellamy Road) was the less fancied of a pair of Todd Pletcher-trained Curlin newcomers at 4-1, and broke well before eventually backing off and allowing his stablemate Gasoline (Curlin) to establish the early lead. The blaze-faced chestnut bided his time in third off the inside behind soft splits, and ranged up to re-engage Gasoline approaching the straight. He put away that foe pretty easily in upper stretch, and...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 9th-GP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, 1m, post time: 4:38 p.m. GASOLINE (Curlin) debuts Saturday for owners Harrell Ventures LLC and China Horse Club and trainer Todd Pletcher. The homebred son of leading sire Curlin, who gets 13% debut winners, is the first foal out of Yellow Agate (Gemologist), winner of the GI Frizette S. to cap an undefeated juvenile season. The China Horse Club purchased Yellow Agate as a yearling for $210,000 from the 2015 Keeneland September Sale and campaigned her throughout her racing career. She...

Legacy pedigrees made their presence felt last week as debuters and Derby contenders alike took to the stage. Here's how things stand now that the dust has cleared. One last hurrah for Giant's Causeway... Classic Causeway flies his late sire's flag high as part of a very exclusive club. One of three members of Giant's Causeway's final crop--and all colts, the GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby winner is the third son of the 'Iron Horse' to conquer the race behind Carpe Diem and Destin. With two generations of Classic-winning...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. In a race that didn't deserve a loser, Stonestreet homebred Marsalis (c, 3, Curlin--Hot Dixie Chick, by Dixie Union) came up a head short on debut after running hard the entire way on the GII Risen Star S. undercard Feb. 19 (video). The well-bred chestnut's worktab was highlighted by a five-furlong bullet from the gate in :59 4/5 (1/47) at Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen's Fair Grounds base...

Flavien Prat is in the right place at the right time in Southern California. Young and gifted, he dominates the circuit in a way no jockey has in years. He picked up his 60th win of the meet Saturday, 25 more than runner-up Juan Hernandez. He won three stakes on the card, giving him 15 for the meet. And he rides for just about all the top barns on the circuit, most notably Bob Baffert. It's far, far from broke, but Prat is intent on fixing it. On Saturday, he...

2nd-GP, $60k, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 12:40p.m. ET This contest kicks off the first of two maiden special weights on the Hallendale card with smartly regarded firsters. Breaking from the far outside, Blini (Tapit) has graded stakes winning shadows to outrun: full-siblings Iron Fist, MGSW, $1,104,199; Anchor Down, GISP & MGSW, $734,254; and half-sister Sweet Lulu (Mr. Greeley), GISW, $693,600. Her dam Successful Outlook (Orientate) is a third generation graded stakes runner and producer. To her inside, there is a Calumet owned and bred half-sister to SW, $865,921, Pingxiang (Speightstown)...