Godolphin

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. Wednesday's Observations features Kalidasa, a 2.8 million gns Tattersalls October purchase.   18.00 Kempton, £6,800, Nov, 2yo, 8f (AWT) Charlie Appleby representative KALIDASA (GB) (Frankel {GB}) hit the heights at last year's Tattersalls October Book 1 fixture when knocked down to Godolphin for 2.8-million guineas. The March-foaled bay is...

In the G1 Champions Cup, one of two elite-level races on dirt on the JRA circuit, wide barriers are almost always the kiss of death. Drawn 15 of 15 for Sunday's 1800-metre event, Godolphin's Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) not only had that to overcome, but also lingering questions as to his ability to stay a trip this far. After all, his trainer Hiroyasu Tanaka needed some convincing by the Godolphin braintrust to try him in the G1 February S., a 1600-metre affair, which he duly won with something in...

Kildangan Stud's first-season sire sensation Blue Point (Ire) hit a remarkable new high on Tuesday when his daughter Word's Out (Ire) became his 50th individual winner at Deauville. Sixth on debut at Chantilly last month, the Andre Fabre-trained Godolphin homebred raced towards the rear early. Delivered with perfect timing by Mickael Barzalona to overhaul Tazara (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in the final strides, the 7-1 shot had a neck to spare at the line for the landmark win. The dam Voice Of Truth (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was sold by Godolphin...

The shortlisted nominees for the various 2024 UK Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards were announced on Tuesday. Organised by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and sponsored by Godolphin, the awards, worth £128,500, will be hosted by ITV Racing's Ed Chamberlin at Ascot Racecourse on Feb. 26, 2024. All shortlisted nominees will receive a £250 prize to recognise the significant achievement of having reached this stage of the judging process. The shortlisted nominees for each category are:   David Nicholson Newcomer Chloe Blaikie (Katie Scott) Daria Bogash (Charlie Longsdon) Tyler Bowden-Falvey (James...

8th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 4:18 p.m. Expectations are understandably high for HALL OF FAME (Gun Runner) who brought a top-six price as a yearling at last year's Saratoga Sale with a final bid of $1.4m from Coolmore's M.V. Magnier. Unraced dam Flag Day, from the family of GSW Lady Diby (Grand Slam) and MGISW Diversify (Bellamy Road), also dropped Hall of Fame's yearling full-brother who RNA'd for $725,000 as a yearling at the same Saratoga Sale earlier this year. Racing for Steve Asmussen, Hall of Fame put up a...

Having come out on the losing side of a couple of tight photos in graded-stakes company earlier this season, BBN Racing's Trademark (Upstart) was finally on the winning end of things Friday after dropping his nose down on the line just ahead of 'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) in the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs. The consistent Il Miracolo (Gun Runner) was a distant third. The 13-1 chance, drawn five in a field reduced to nine by the scratching of Happy American (Runhappy), Trademark broke cleanly and...

For those eschewing shopping in favor of racing on Black Friday, Churchill Downs obliges with a pair of graded events, while Aqueduct and Del Mar offer graded stakes of their own on either coast.    'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) looked poised to join the upper echelon of the sophomore class with his win in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. in April, but the Godolphin homebred was knocked out of the GI Preakness S. and was sidelined until returning with a gritty allowance tally at Keeneland Oct. 14....

Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) are among 16 elite-level winners and 25 overseas-based horses that have been extended invitations to the Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting at Sha Tin Racecourse Sunday, Dec. 9. Winner of this year's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and a narrowly beaten second to his GI Breeders' Cup Turf-winning stable companion Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in defence of his crown in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown Sept. 9, the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup-bound Luxembourg...

While there may have been a few unanswered questions heading into Sunday's seventh race at Churchill Downs, there seemed to be none afterward. Installed the second betting choice behind the 7-5 choice, GISP Be You (Curlin), Nash (Medaglia d'Oro) completely dismantled his competition with seemingly little effort, cruising home an eye-catching 10 1/4-length winner while stamping himself a TDN Rising Star in the process. Sent screaming to the front in the blink of an eye, the 9-5 chance cut out an opening quarter in :23.83 and a half in :47.93....

It's been a roller coaster year for White Abarrio (Race Day), but it ended on the highest of possible notes, with a victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. To talk about the Breeders' Cup, future plans for the horse, the decision to hire Rick Dutrow as the trainer and more, co-owner Mark Cornett was the Green Group Guest of the Week on this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast, which is presented by Keeneland. With the status of Saffie Joseph, Jr. in limbo after he was temporarily banned by Churchill...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis LEXINGTON, KY - After a vibrant afternoon-into-night of bidding, the Fasig-Tipton November Sale grossed over $100 million for the third straight year with champions Nest (Curlin) and Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) leading the way when bringing matching $6-million final bids Tuesday at Newtown Paddocks. "It was another remarkable horse sale, literally from start to finish," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "It's really humbling to think that we've been able, for three years in a row, do over $100 million in sales in a single night....

'TDN Rising Star' and GI Starlet S. winner Faiza (Girvin--Sweet Pistol, by Smart Strike), five for six lifetime, hammered for $4 million to Godolphin LLC at Tuesday night's Fasig-Tipton November sale. Sold as hip 228, Faiza was bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones and fetched $725,000 as a 2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old. She raced for Michael Lund Petersen and was trained by Bob Baffert. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent as a broodmare prospect, the bay 3-year-old is out of a half-sister to MGSW Thousand Words (Pioneerof...