insights

6th-GP, $84K, Msw, 4yo/up, f&m, 1m, 2:49 p.m. ET. In early June last summer, SPIRIT OF HOPE (Street Sense) worked toward her first start for trainer Bill Mott at Saratoga. The filly was tabbed as a 'main track only' entrant for a maiden special weight, but was unable to draw into the race. Given some more time through the fall, the Godolphin homebred is ready for her unveiling here. Out of highly productive mare Dance Card (Tapit), the first-time starter's half-siblings include Horse of the Year & current sire Cody's...

7th-TAM, $55k, Msw, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 3:33 p.m. ET Peter Brant's ARIZONA TERRITORY (Tapit) is a homebred son of Cafe Americano (Medaglia d'Oro), a $625,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase whose victory in the 2019 GIII Pucker Up Stakes completed a Chad Brown sweep of the four graded events on Arlington Million Day (Sistercharlie {Ire}, Beverly D. S.; Valid Point, Secretariat S.; Bricks and Mortar, Arlington Million). Already the dam of the stakes-placed Lavender Disaster (Into Mischief), Cafe Americano is a daughter of two-time Sovereign Award and three-time graded winner Roxy...

6th-FG, $60k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 3:30 p.m. ET A pair of Keeneland September acquisitions by Belladonna Racing and C R K Stable, each sold for better than a half-million dollars, debut for the in-form Cherie DeVaux barn in what appears to be a hot maiden on the Lecomte Stakes undercard. MOJACAR (Essential Quality) looks to become the fifth winner from as many to the races for dam Spanish Star (Blame), who is responsible for 2025 GI Test Stakes victress Kilwin (Twirling Candy); the crack Grade II-winning turf sprinter One Timer...

5th-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, f, 5fT, 2:20 p.m. ET A $325,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale, ALQAB (Charlatan) gets her career under way for Shadwell Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher. A Jan. 24 foal, the chestnut is a half-sister to Turnerloose (Nyquist), a stakes winner and Grade II-placed on the grass at two who made a successful transition to the main track when taking out the GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes the following winter. Alqab is also kin to Fend (Street Sense), whose son Kentucky Outlaw (Outwork) was victorious...

10th-SA, $70k, Msw, 3yo, f, 6fT, 7:30 p.m. ET BAILARINA (Uncle Mo) is a full-sister to SW and GIII Delaware Oaks third Mo Shopping and a half to the versatile Always Shopping (Awesome Again), winner of the GII Gazelle Stakes on the main track and the GIII La Prevoyante Stakes on the grass. The filly's dam Stopshoppingmaria (More Than Ready) also handled a variety of surfaces, with runner-up efforts in the GI Frizette Stakes and GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and a victory in the Ladies' Turf Sprint Stakes....

4th-FG, $54k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, 3:15 p.m. ET Spendthrift Farm's ABILENE (Gun Runner) is one of three entered for main track only and may well gain a run is forecast rains pay a visit. A maternal granddaughter of champion and GI Kentucky Derby victress Winning Colors (Caro {Ire}), the gray filly is a half-sister to 2018 GI Alabama Stakes upsetter Eskimo Kisses (To Honor and Serve); SW Princess Aliyah (Into Mischief); and GISP Silver Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) and was purchased for $900,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Sale....

4th-SA, $70k, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 4:37 p.m. ET A Keeneland September buyback, FEISTY RED HEAD (Curlin) changed hands for $110,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton October Sale and turned in a racy gallop ahead of last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale, ultimately hammering for $650,000. The filly's dam, two-time graded-stakes winner Tin Type Gal (Tapit), is one of four winners produced by GISW Miss Shop (Deputy Minister), and the female family also includes GSW & MGISP Trappe Shot (Tapit) and GISW Power Broker (Pulpit). Three Chimneys homebred French Blue (Gun Runner)...

8th-FG, $54k, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, post time: 5:15 p.m. ET AL LATAFAH (Essential Quality) makes her first trip to the races for owner and breeder Shadwell Farm and trainer Brendan Walsh. The Feb. 5 foal is the first produce from her dam Altaf (Medaglia d'Oro), who was only seventh when making her first career appearance on the turf, but she went on to add three wins from as many starts on the main track, including the 2021 Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park in what would become her final...

2nd-AQU, $85k, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 11:48 a.m. ET MR. MIRACLE (Curlin) gets his career started for a high-powered partnership that includes Jeff Drown, Gary Broad's Walmac Farm and Gainesway Farm. A son of one-time 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Cherry Lodge (Bernardini), a listed winner and Grade I-placed at the races, the Mar. 28 foal fetched $700,000 at Keeneland September last fall from bloodstock agent Mike Ryan, who bought the colt's yearling full-brother for $1.4 million this past September. Cherry Lodge is a full-sister to GSW Gala Award and...

7th-FG, $55k, Alw (N2L)/OC ($125k), 2yo, f, 6f, 4:45 p.m. ET PAVING (Gun Runner) was no better than an 8-1 chance when unveiled over this distance at Ellis Park Aug. 23, but she belied her inexperience with a very professional effort, coming away to score by 2 1/2 lengths. Among the vanquished that day was Sister Troienne (Munnings), who has since rattled off three straight, including the Nov. 27 Wait a While Stakes as the odds-on favorite. The filly's stakes-winning dam Point System (Broken Vow) is a daughter of GSW...

6th-FG, $54K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 4:15 p.m. ET. Brittlyn Stable homebred CHARGING OVATIME (Not This Time) goes out for trainer Shane Wilson in New Orelans on Friday. Out of SW Charged Cotton (Dehere), the dark bay counts as half-sisters the late 15-time winner Ova Charged (Star Guitar) and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', & UAE group stakes winner Manama Gold (Star Guitar). The first-time starter hails from an extended female family which includes MSW Walkwithapurpose (Candy Ride {Arg}) and MGISW Schossberg (Broad Brush). Another homebred heads to...

8th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, post time: 4:25 p.m. ET Juddmonte's MARJORAM (Quality Road) is the second foal to race from Cardamon (Pioneerof the Nile), a debut winner over this surface back in 2019 and already responsible for this year's GIII Mahony Stakes hero and similarly cleverly named Spiced Up, also a son of this Lane's End stallion. Cardamon is one of six winners out of Soothing Touch (Touch Gold), also the dam of MGISW Emollient (Empire Maker); SW & GISP Hofburg (Tapit); and SW & GSP Courtier...