Godolphin

ELMONT, NY - After suffering his first career defeat as the 5-2 favorite in the GI Kentucky Derby, 'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit) ran to his championship form at two and wore down a super game Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) by 1 1/4 lengths to capture Saturday's GI Belmont S. It was a long way back to GI Preakness S. winner Rombauer (Twirling Candy) in third. The Godolphin homebred becomes a record fourth Belmont winner for his all-conquering sire Tapit. With the late money pouring in on a steamy...

A grey pair of Godolphin-owned, Charlie Appleby-trained fillies off at 7-1 and last seen competing in Meydan's G2 Balanchine S. in February dominated Saturday's GI Longines Just a Game S., with Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) running down fleet-footed stablemate and 'TDN Rising Star' Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) late. Longshot and fellow 'Rising Star' Daddy is a Legend (Scat Daddy) rounded out the trifecta. Trainer Chad Brown, who had three chances for his fifth-straight Just a Game title, could do no better than fourth with Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom)....

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a sale-topping son of Kingman. 1.30 Chantilly, Debutantes, €27,000, 2yo, c/g, 5 1/2fT MONARCHIC (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) is an early 2-year-old starter for Godolphin's French operation and a significant one, having been the joint-second highest-priced lot at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2 at 400,000gns....

He was the third-string of Godolphin, the outsider of all the colts by Frankel (GB), was drawn in the hoodoo one stall and ridden by the jockey who was banished from one of the more-fancied horses, but in the final reckoning on Saturday Godolphin's Adayar (Ire) was utterly dominant in Epsom's G1 Cazoo Derby. Highly encouraging when runner-up in the Apr. 23 G3 Sandown Classic Trial, the powerful bay was less so when in the same spot in the May 8 Lingfield Derby Trial and had subsequently gone into the...

Chad Brown has won the last four renewals of Belmont's GI Longines Just a Game S. and has four chances to take him home his fifth Saturday. Leading the quartet is last out GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile heroine Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Prior to that victory, the bay missed by a neck in to Sweet Bye and Bye (Sky Mesa) in a Saratoga optional claimer last August and came up a neck short again in Belmont's GIII Noble Damsel S. in Septemer. She was defeated by a nose in...

Godolphin's Essential Quality (Tapit) will break from post two and was installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite when post positions were drawn Tuesday morning for Saturday's GI Belmont S. The Brad Cox trainee suffered the first loss of his career when fourth in the GI Kentucky Derby, but had previously been undefeated in five starts and was named last year's champion 2-year-old male. "He ran what I thought was a winning race in the Derby; he didn't have the trip, but he showed up and he's been improving in every...

Godolphin's Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the G2 UAE Derby in March, will be forced to miss Saturday's GI Belmont S. due to an infection in a hind leg, according to a tweet from Godolphin Tuesday morning. "We hope this is only a minor setback and we look forward to seeing him back on the racecourse in the near future," the tweet read. With his UAE Derby victory, Rebel's Romance had qualified into the field for the May 1 GI Kentucky Derby, but connections decided to bypass that...

There are 19 colts remaining in the 1 1/2-mile G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 5. Leading the way is current favourite and G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial S. hero Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of six for Aidan O'Brien and the various Coolmore partners. Joining the G3 Ballysax S. victor from Ballydoyle are: former race favourite High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the G2 Beresford S. at two and was third in the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. to Godolphin's Hurricane Lane...

3rd-CD, $100K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:43p.m. Godolphin's CASUAL AFFAIR (Into Mischief) returns to action following a close-up second in his unveiling at Keeneland Apr. 23. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the homebred is out of Ashado (Saint Ballado), Champion 3-year-old Filly and Older Female in 2004 and 2005, and subsequently inducted in racing's Hall of Fame in 2014. Stonestreet's BEAU LIAM (Liam's Map) kicks off for trainer Steve Asmussen off a steady string of works, including a bullet four-furlong move (:47, 1/57) two back May 16. Out of graded winner Belle...

The 2020-2022 Godolphin Flying Start trainees were tasked to use their knowledge and creativity to come up with proposals for a new look U.S. Graded Stakes Program for 3-year-olds. These four round table discussions were published in TDN on May 15, 17, 19, and 21. The trainees were given the opportunity to respond to the feedback/questions they received from TDN readers. 3-Year-Old Turf Races - Angus Robertson, Brigitte Murphy, Tom Murphy (Click here) Feedback: As you talked about maiden races running on the turf at Belmont for $90,000, I wonder...

Godolphin's Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) breezed six furlongs over Belmont's main track Wednesday in advance of next weekend's GI Belmont S. Prior to the move, Rebel's Romance, accompanied by Desert Peace (Curlin), briefly schooled in the paddock before heading to the track and jogging clockwise in front of the grandstand and around the far turn. The G2 UAE Derby winner tracked Desert Peace along the outside as NYRA clockers caught the duo through initial splits of :25.00, :36.80 and 1:00.58. Just past the quarter-pole, Rebel's Romance took a slight...

Godolphin's Essential Quality (Tapit) breezed a sharp five furlongs in :59.80 at Churchill Downs Saturday morning. The move was the fifth fastest of 40 horses at the distance. The grey worked in company with 5-year-old graded stakes winner Night Ops (Warrior's Reward) through early fractions of :24.20 and :47.60, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. Named the juvenile champion colt following a victory in last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland, trained by Brad Cox-trained colt won the GIII Southwest S. and GII Toyota Blue Grass S. before...