Distorted Humor

Since 2004, we've shined the spotlight on over 1,500 'TDN Rising Stars' worldwide, recognition given to a horse early on its career who has done something so impressive on the racetrack that our team believes they will go on to become graded stakes winners.  A horse is designated as a 'Rising Star' by the TDN staff after a careful and comprehensive review of many factors--including the quality of the field, margin and time of victory, pedigree, sales price and more. Over the years, it has become a badge of honor...

MGSW & GISP Independence Hall (Constitution) sired his first reported foal when a colt out of the winning Distorted Humor mare Seascape was born Monday, Jan. 16 at Mahoney Eden Manor Farm in New York. The colt was bred by Mahoney Eden Manor, Dark Horse Racing Stable and Cutair Racing. "He's a very leggy, racy-looking colt, just what you imagine when you look at Independence Hall," said Britt Wadsworth. "If they come out looking as such, we're all in good shape." From the first crop of leading sire Constitution, Independence...

Richard Mandella's Ice Dancing (Frosted), the only filly in a scratched-down field of five with a graded-stakes placing already to her name, will seek her first win since breaking her maiden in Sunday's rescheduled Santa Ynez S. at 'The Great Race Place.' The Grade III event, which was originally scheduled for last Sunday's New Year's Eve program, carries Kentucky Oaks points to the tune of 20-8-6-4-2, which will go to the top five finishers that are not associated with Bob Baffert. A homebred for Bass Stables LLC, the newly minted...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-AQU, $85k, Msw, 2yo, f, 1m, 2:14p.m. ET Manzanita Stables LLC went to $300,000 at KEESEP in 2021 to acquire LUCKY COMBINATION (Ghostzapper), a price tag likely aided by her dam being out of a half-sister to GISW & MGISP Girolamo (A.P. Indy) and his full-siblings MGISP & MGSW Daydreaming and GISP Accelerator. Dam Lucky Number herself claims GISW Got Lucky (A.P. Indy)--responsible for MGSP Overtook (Curlin)--as a half-relation and has produced two other winning fillies. This is the female family of GISW Chocolate Gelato...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. The weekend's racing is highlighted by a high-class renewal of the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Toyko, and with plenty of U.S.-bred activity, here are the horses of interest for Saturday running at Tokyo and Hanshin Racecourses. Sunday's runners of note will appear in Saturday's TDN: Saturday, October 29, 2022 1st-TOK,...

Three horses, including a Grade III-winning juvenile filly, have been supplemented to Book 1 of the Keeneland November Sale. American Apple (American Pharoah), a 2-year-old filly who won the Oct. 8 GIII Matron S. at Belmont at the Big A and is a contender for the Nov. 4 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland. KatieRich Farms consigns American Apple, who is cataloged as a racing or broodmare prospect. Princess Julia (Distorted Humor), a daughter of champion Folklore, who is in foal to Medaglia d'Oro. She is consigned by...

6th-Del Mar, $82,500, Msw, 9-10, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:01.86, ft, 1 1/4 lengths. SPEED BOAT BEACH (c, 2, Bayern--Sophia Mia, by Pioneerof the Nile) stepped out in sharp fashion on unveiling here, taking a field of 10 gate to wire and establishing a new track record of 1:01.86 in the process as the 2-1 second choice behind even-money Hejazi (Bernardini). The latter was the $3.55 million EASMAY topper this season, purchased by Zedan Racing. The $700,000 FTKOCT firster Fort Bragg (Tapit) picked up the final place spot, and completed Bob...

There was no Million Lane 5, no foreign contingent--Aidan O'Brien accounted for the only two overseas nominations--and only a fraction of the fans that would have passed through the turnstiles at the now-shuttered Arlington Park a handful of hours to the north. That Saturday's GI Arlington Million took place at all is something of a 'miracle', as Churchill Downs had not hosted a race on the turf since early June. The GII Secretariat S. and GIII Pucker Up S. for 3-year-old males and females, respectively, were canceled so as not...

In The Aga Khan's centenary year, Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) looks to provide another highlight in Sunday's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis - Bayerisches Zuchtrennen. Having enjoyed a confidence-boosting win in the Listed Prix de la Pepiniere at Chantilly July 12, last year's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud runner-up is looking for a first success at the highest level at which she has been placed on three occasions. Intriguingly, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained 5-year-old meets Gestut Park Wiedingen's July 3 G1 Deutsches Derby and June 6 G2 Union-Rennen hero Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and...

Adding blinkers proved quite fruitful two days in a row for Brendan Walsh. 'TDN Rising Star' New Year's Eve (Kitten's Joy) donned blinkers for the first time Friday when registering an upset score in the GII Edgewood S. The additional equipment was even more lucrative for Walsh Saturday when Santin became the latest Grade I winner for his timeless sire Distorted Humor with a gutsy victory in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S. at Churchill Downs. Away alertly from the outside post in this 10-horse affair, the 7-1...

8th-Santa Anita, $73,140, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($50,000), 1-23, 4yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:39.09, ft, 6 1/2 lengths. DISTRACTEDPRINCESS (f, 4, Distorted Humor--Celtic Princess {Brz} {Ch. 2-year-old Filly-Brz, Horse Of The Year-Brz, Ch. 3-year-old Filly-Brz, MG1SW-Brz, GSW & GISP-USA, $330,624}, by Public Purse) parlayed an uber-impressive 13-length debut seven-furlong romp Dec. 31 into a second career win on the slight stretch out to a mile Sunday at Santa Anita. She broke on top, dueled briefly with Eyes Open (Street Sense), but had a half-length advantage and was moving easily with her ears...

4th-Gulfstream, $53,000, Msw, 1-8, 3yo, 6f, 1:09.76, ft, 4 lengths. IRON WORKS (c, 3, Distorted Humor--Silverpocketsfull {GISP, $137,671}, by Indian Charlie) was well-supported at 6-5 on debut here and chased Particular (Classic Empire) from second through a quick :45.13 half mile. Making an eye-catching move midway on the final turn, the $550,000 OBS April graduate (:10 1/5) was even with the pacesetter after swinging wide into the lane and pulled clear in the final yards to win by a comfortable four lengths. Particular had to settle for second after making...