Godolphin

LEXINGTON, KY--Godolphin's Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) started off the Breeders' Cup action on an unseasonably warm and picture perfect day at Keeneland Friday in style with a late-rallying victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Dispatched at 6-1 in this 5 1/2-furlong event, the homebred was off slowest of all, leaving him trailing the field early. Meanwhile Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) and previously unbeaten Tyler's Tribe (Sharp Azteca) sped out to the early lead, dueling through a :21.65 opening quarter. American Apple (American Pharoah), a 51-1...

LEXINGTON, KY - Led by unbeaten sensation Flightline (Tapit), the 39th Breeders' Cup World Championships--consisting of 14 races with purses and awards totaling more than $31 million-- return to Keeneland for a third time with a two-day run beginning Friday. Sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70s--does it get any better than that?--are expected for the 'Future Stars Friday' program. Cave Rock (Arrogate) will put his unbeaten mark on the line for Bob Baffert in the Juvenile while Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke) headlines a wide-open renewal of the Juvenile Fillies....

LEXINGTON, KY - With Keeneland's illuminated grandstand apron already beginning to fill up, Breeders' Cup weekend's main attraction Flightline (Tapit) once again kickstarted training hours with another spirited 1 1/4-mile gallop just after 6 a.m. After having a quarter crack patched on Wednesday, fellow Classic runner and future Airdie stallion Happy Saver (Super Saver) returned to the track for light training shortly thereafter. The Steve Asmussen-trained duo of Gunite (Gun Runner) (Dirt Mile) and champion sprinter Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) made a big impression beneath the lights as temperatures hovered...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-KEE, $150k, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, 12:30p.m. ET Conditioner Brad Cox will have the honor of being the first to send out the offspring of Songbird to post as MAGICAL SONG (Tapit) is slated to debut here on the Breeders' Cup 'Stars of Tomorrow' undercard. Out of the aforementioned Champion 2 & 3-year-old filly, she will be the first to the races for the half-sister to the dam of GSW Mico Margarita (Run Away and Hide), beating out 3-year-old half-sister Song Gate (Arrogate) to the...

9th-Churchill Downs, $114,155, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 10-30, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:26.84, sy, 1 3/4 lengths. PRETTY MISCHIEVOUS (f, 2, Into Mischief--Pretty City Dancer {GISW, $286,344}, by Tapit) was named a 'TDN Rising Star' off a 2 1/4-length winning performance on debut when sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs over this same track Sept. 18. Hammered into 1-5 favoritism for her first try against winners, Pretty Mischievous settled into a stalking position from fourth behind pacesetter Bluelightspecial (Super Saver). Given her head with three furlongs to run, she struck the front at...

   Few people left an imprint at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale quite like Olly Tait. Under the banner of the newly-formed and Qatari-backed Wathnan Racing, Tait signed for nine horses to the tune of 1.75 million gns, headed by 450,000gns purchase Persian Royal (GB) (Al Kazeem {GB}).    Fitting that Tait has been tasked with growing Wathnan Racing into a formidable ownership vehicle in Qatar as it was the Australian native who was entrusted by Godolphin to get their Darley operation off the ground down under back...

NEWMARKET, UK--Dawn hasn't even broken on Thursday morning at Godolphin's Moulton Paddocks and trainer Charlie Appleby is discussing with his lieutenants Marie Murphy and Chris Connett which rugs to pack for his team of seven horses travelling to the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland. "That's 14 crates we're up to now," he says, rolling his eyes and smiling. "Wasn't like that back in the day." Appleby is a lifer when it comes to racing, from his days as a youngster working for Jackie Retter and Susan Piggott, to his role as...

Brian Delahunt, Stud Groom at Baroda Stud in County Kildare, was announced as the Irish Racing Excellence Award winner at the 2022 Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards in the Keadeen Hotel on Tuesday evening. Supported by Godolphin, the awards are formerly known as the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards. Delahunt has been working in the racing and breeding industry since he was 20, working in Ardoon Stud and Tipper House Stud before moving to Baroda Stud in Newbridge 10 years ago and was among eight recipients of an Irish...

NEWMARKET, UK--The Breeders' Cup has special resonance for Charlie Appleby, who trained his first Grade I winner at the championships not four months into his tenure as trainer for Godolphin back in 2013. That important first milestone was provided by Darley homebred Outstrip (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) in the Juvenile Turf, and if the American race fans didn't pay much attention to Appleby that day, they do now, for it was a win which set the tone for the years to follow, not just at the Breeders' Cup, but...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, post time: 3:08 p.m. Hill 'n' Dale's Curlin has been good to Godolphin this season, having accounted for GI Forego S. upsetter Cody's Wish, and the 'Boys in Blue' take the wraps off the stallion's daughter POBLANO Saturday afternoon. Drawn the rail and pegged at morning-line odds of 12-1 that seem overlaid, the Apr. 16 foal is out of Kinda Spicy (A.P. Indy), perfect in two starts in an abbreviated racing career who has since gone on to...

A total of 11 wildcards, among them four from Coolmore, are late additions to the Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale on Oct. 24-27. Coolmore will offer G2 Beresford S. winner High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 754A), who was also placed twice at Group 1 level; multiple Group 1-placed Wordsworth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 754C); lot 754B, G3 International S. winner Aikhal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); and Invincible Spirit (Ire)'s son New York City (Ire) (lot 754D), a winner of the Listed Committed S. and second in the G3 Lacken S. Other...

Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who won the 2021 G1 Derby and G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S., is unlikely for the Breeders' Cup, but will remain in training in 2023 and target 10-furlong Group 1s, according to trainer Charlie Appleby. He made his season bow a victorious one in a Doncaster conditions race in September, and then finished second to Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) in the G1 Champion S. on Oct. 15. "He's in good order and has come out of Ascot with no problems at...