first time starter

With a burst of energy that was present from the bell, Will Stroud's Long Neck Paula (f, 2, Uncle Mo--Take Charge Paula, by Take Charge Indy) broke her maiden on debut at Churchill Downs on Thursday and earned herself a 'TDN Rising Star' badge. Drawing into the body of the field off the also-eligible list, the 3-1 chance shot out to the front from post 11 and set the tone up the backstretch. Though she was briefly joined by favored Preciseness (Into Mischief), the $500,000 OBS March graduate shrugged off...

9th-Santa Anita, $57,000, Msw, 4-28, 3, 4,/5yo, f/m, 6fT, 1:09.01, fm, 3/4 length. CHARM YOUR WORLD (f, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}--Charm the Maker {MSW & MGISP, $340,290}, by Empire Maker) debuted with Lasix as a 27-1 longshot here. From the bell, the 3-year-old settled mid-pack as Heart of the Night (City of Light) tried to steal the race up the backstretch. As the pacesetter began to run out of gas around the far turn, it was 3-2 favorite Not A Sinner (GB) (Land Force {Ire}) who took over. Seemingly in...

1st-LRL, $47K, Msw, 3-5yo, 6f, 12:25 p.m. ET. Three-year-old WRIGHTSVILLE (Candy Ride {Arg}) was initially purchased by Brady Bloodstock for $300,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale. Then, the dark bay was taken home by SF, Starlight and Madaket at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $610,000, which was the top price for his sire's offspring that year. Out of an unraced dam, the Brittany Russell trainee counts as a half-brother GSW Durante (Distorted Humor). TJCIS PPS

2nd-Keeneland, $77,839, Msw, 4-25, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.29, fm, neck. INTO DIAMONDS (c, 2, Into Mischief--Diamond Sparkles {GSP}, by War Front) was overlooked by the betting public at odds of 6-1 for his debut here. The bay settled mid-pack up the backstretch as the tone was set by fellow firster Cheval de Guerre (Caravaggio). Trying to get involved around the far turn, the colt fanned four wide at the top of the lane and uncorked a bid to catch the leader. With a final push just the before the wire,...

6th-SA, $54K, Msw, 3-5yo, 5 1/2f, 6:30 p.m. ET. PARENTING (Justify) debuts for Gandharvi LLC., who purchased the colt at last year's OBS April Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale for $750,000. The Bob Baffert trainee's dam is a half-sister to Canadian champion turf male El Tormenta (Stormy Atlantic) and GSW Zero Tolerence (Mizzen Mast). The other half of the Baffert uncoupled entry is first time starter Middleburg (Tapit). A $485,000 buy for SF Bloodstock, Starlight and Madaket at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale, the gray is out of MGSW Selcourt (Tiz...

6th-Santa Anita, $65,500, Msw, 3-23, 3, 4,/5yo, f/m, 6f, 1:11.59, ft, 3 lengths. IN THEORY (f, 3, Mendelssohn--Lady Hansen {SP}, by Hansen) was sent right out for the early lead under Juan Hernandez and took control from She's No Angel (Street Sense) through a :21.89 opening quarter. As that rival faded, the 1-2 favorite pulled away handily and turned for home alone on the lead, cruising under a hand ride to win under wraps by three lengths over Queen of Naples (Hard Spun). An $800,000 2-year-old buy out of the...

3rd-TAM, $53K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 1:18 p.m. ET CARTUCHO (Gun Runner) tied for the ninth highest return during the 2022 Keeneland September Sale when selling to bloodstock agent Mike Ryan for $1.2 million. The debuting bay colt's ownership group includes his breeder Three Chimneys Farm, William H. Lawrence and Walmac Farm. He is trained by Chad Brown. Cartucho is out of GISW Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon). She was a $2 million 2011 Keeneland November purchase for Besilu, who also acquired her dam--SW Grand Prayer (Grand Slam)--at the same sale for...

Sporting the distinctive gold square on the front and back of Luis Saez's silks, it was first time starter Amor Fati (Liam's Map) who loved the lead and never relinquished it en route to becoming a 'TDN Rising Star' at Gulfstream Park on Sunday afternoon. The $375,000 Keeneland September grad posted a number of sharp works for trainer Brittany Russell over the past two months at her Palm Meadows base. Debuting as the 2-1 favorite here, the gray rocketed to the lead up the backstretch. Setting a strong pace up...

1st-Oaklawn, $115,000, Msw, 2-11, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:39.82, sy, 3 lengths. MERASOL SUGAR (f, 3, Constitution--Chanel Number Mine, by Value Plus) put in a solid final work Feb. 3 (:48, 4f, 1/63) in preparation for her debut with Lasix here. As a 6-1 shot, the lone first timer in the field cruised to the lead heading into the first turn, and continued to set all the fractions up the backstretch and around the far turn. The homebred had plenty in reserve down the lane and she splashed home by three...

8th-TAM, $53K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 4:03 p.m. ET. Bred by Clearsky Farms, ACCLAIMED VICTOR (Omaha Beach) makes his first start for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The $725,000 Keeneland September grad, who was purchased by St. Elias, was the third highest selling yearling in 2022 by his top five first-crop sire. Out of Color Me Flying (Distorted Humor), the 3-year-old is a half-brother to MGSP Colorful Mischief (Into Mischief), who St. Elias acquired at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Sale for $300,000. Acclaimed Victor's extended female family includes his...

6th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-14, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.68, ft, 1/2 length. MYSTIFYING (f, 3, Curlin--Puzzling {SP, $127,312}, by Ghostzapper) debuted with Lasix and as a 7-1 shot here. The homebred hustled for the lead to the inside of a pair of competitors up the backstretch. Poking her head in front around the far turn, the filly continued to pour on the speed at the top of the lane and she gamely held off the favorite Bedazzle 'Em (American Pharoah) to graduate by half a length. "Jose [Ortiz] worked her out...

5th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-11, 3yo, f, 5f (AWT) (off turf), :55.37, ft, 3 3/4 lengths. PRETTY LIAM (f, 3, Liam's Map--Sylphide, by Blame) debuted as the 7-2 second choice with first time Lasix here. The homebred tracked just to the inside of favorite Beanpot (Into Mischief) as the leader clocked a quarter in :21.77. Cutting to the outside just before the top of the lane, the 3-year-old unleashed a barrage down the center of the course and won over the pacesetter by 3 3/4 lengths. The winner is a half-sister...