Godolphin

The Godolphin/Charlie Appleby axis has dominated recent renewals of Kempton's Unibet Supports Safer Gambling Maiden Stakes, winning last year's edition with subsequent G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Sussex Stakes hero Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The operation struck gold once again as Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}--Dubai Opera {GB}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) emulated that stablemate in division one of Wednesday's one-mile contest and collected a 'TDN Rising Star' of his own with an impressive wide-margin success. He joins Chantilly maiden scorer Mandanaba (Fr) on Ghaiyyath's list of Rising Stars....

This could only happen to Brad Cox. He trained the best 2-year-old filly in the country last year as Eclipse Award winner Immersive (Nyquist) whipped everything she faced, including eight challengers in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Earlier this year, she looked like the runaway leader among the fillies eyeing the GI Kentucky Oaks, but came down with a minor injury and will not be ready in time for the Oaks. For most other trainers that would have been a severe setback, losing out on a chance they may...

If we can have December in November, why not have February in January? That is the case for the two-day Tattersalls February Sale which takes place over this Thursday and Friday, January 30 and 31, and offers a mixture of broodmares, short yearlings and horses in training. This is always a good way to kick off the sales year, as much for the social occasion as for the trade itself. For a start, dry January is almost over, and it's a great chance to get back out on the circuit...

Godolphin has been announced as the winner of the Queen's Silver Cup for leading British-based Flat breeder for the 11th time in the TBA's statistical awards for 2024. Starting the season well with 2,000 Guineas winner Notable Speech (GB), Godolphin was also represented by the dual Group 1-winning juvenile Shadow Of Light (GB), who landed the Middle Park Stakes, followed by the Dewhurst Stakes a fortnight later. The operation's flagship sire Dubawi (Ire) was crowned the leading British-based stallion for the tenth time in 11 years with total progeny earnings of £4,425,502....

The English polymath John Ruskin, who was always hard at work scribbling a well-timed observation for some future generation to co-opt, said when it came to the weather, "Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather." Well, bully for you Mr. Ruskin! Send him a going stick and put him to work on the nearest turf course. Some might care to offer quite a different observation after recent events. What...

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's Godolphin was honored with the Eclipse Award as the outstanding owner in North America for the fifth consecutive year and seventh overall, and for the fourth time in a row was also crowned North America's outstanding breeder during Thursday's ceremonies.  Godolphin-owned runners posted 104 victories from 460 starts (22.6%) during the year and their runners finished in the top three in 52% of their appearances while earning better than $20 million. Horses bred by Godolphin bankrolled $23.2 million and no fewer than 10 Grade...

Godolphin's Ruling Court (Justify), third in the G3 Acomb Stakes to The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), will point to the Jumeirah 2000 Guineas on Super Saturday in March, according to trainer Charlie Appleby. A five-length maiden winner at first asking at Sandown in July, the bay colt was a €2.3-million Arqana May Breeze-Up graduate. Ruling Court has been training toward his 3-year-old bow in Dubai. "He's done very well," said Appleby of his high-profile charge. "He was a breeze-up horse so we gave him a bit...

Hardly a secret to the betting public at the Fair Grounds Sunday, Pretty Sassy (Medaglia d'Oro--Pretty City Dancer, by Tapit) blasted back from a last-out fifth sprinting at Churchill Downs in November to score like a good thing, stamping herself a 'TDN Rising Star' in the process. Settled in a stalking third as Queen Jubilee (Authentic) and Ruby's Ghost (Ghostzapper) led them through opening splits of :23.91 and :48.22, the grey sister to 3-year-old champion filly Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) looked like she was itching to go on the far...

6th-FG, $58K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 4:15 p.m. ET. Taking on two turns for her debut is Godolphin homebred LOVE SONG (Ghostzapper). The filly is trained Mike Stidham who also conditioned her older full-brother Mystic Guide and watched as the current sire took the 2021 G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan. Their dam Music Note (A.P. Indy) was an accomplished race filly in her own right as she won five out of nine top level chances during her career for Godolphin. In the breeding shed, Music Note also produced...

11th-GP, $94k, Msw, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 5:18p.m. ET Unveiled to the far outside is $350,000 OBSAPR pick up NUK SOO KOW (McKinzie) for Hit The Bid Stable and trainer John Terranova. Out of a placed half-sister to GI Champagne Stakes runner-up Commandperformance (Union Rags), the colt hails from the female family of GSW Blind Date (Not for Love), dam of MSW Paulita (Scat Daddy). To the far outside and making a second jump for trainer Chad Brown is Constitution Road (Constitution). He overcame a rough trip on debut as a...

5th-Fair Grounds, $59,170, Alw (NW3$X)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 1-16, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:45.59, gd, 1 length. ENCINO (c, 4, Nyquist--Glittering Jewel, by Bernardini), a late scratch from last year's GI Kentucky Derby, was sidelined since capturing the GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland Apr. 13. He was backed as the 1-9 favorite in this return while facing just three rivals. He was sent to the front by Florent Geroux, led through fractions of :23.71 and :47.21, and, after some anxious moments in the stretch, dug down gamely to hold Accretive (Practical...

Leading all trainers in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Steve Asmussen and Brad Cox-who finished 2024 with 96 victories apiece--sent out a combined 1,038 starters throughout the nine meets at Kentucky's five thoroughbred racetracks. Approximately 24% of Asmussen's North America-leading 407 overall victories came in Kentucky, while about 41% of Cox's 243 seasonal wins came in his home state. Asmussen, who started 670 horses in the state last year, won meet titles at Churchill (spring and fall), Ellis Park (tied with Brendan Walsh) and Kentucky Downs (tied with Walsh and Joe...