John D. Gunther

Craig Bernick's $220,000 Keeneland November graduate Nola Soul (Justify) is quite some way from being the finished article, but overcame greenness to secure an ultimately impressive debut success and a TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard, rosette in Friday evening's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Leopardstown. The seven-furlong heat's recent winners include Italy (Wootton Bassett), Scorthy Champ (Mehmas), Deepone (Study Of Man) and Alfred Munnings (Dubawi), and he becomes the 13th Rising Star for his sire. "He was just about ready to start there today, he's a nice horse...

8th-KEE, $110K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 4:44 p.m. ET. PLAY WITH MAGIC is set for her unveiling under the care of trainer Cherie DeVaux. Bred by Glenwood's John D. Gunther and his daughter Tanya on the same Mendelssohn-Ghostzapper cross as GSW Somethinabouther, the late May foal is out 2018 Broodmare of the Year Stage Magic (Ghostzapper). This dam's productivity includes one of the top North American sires in Justify (Scat Daddy), GSW The Lieutenant (Street Sense) and SW Stage Raider (Pioneerof the Nile). Stage Magic is also responsible for a...

6th-BAQ, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 3:16 p.m. ET. DIVINE ROSE (Good Magic) has reached her unveiling under the watchful eye of trainer Cherie DeVaux. The John Gunther and Eurowest homebred is a half-sister to GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes heroine and 'TDN Rising Star' Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief). Both are out of unraced Wildwood Rose (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who herself is a half-sister to GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song)--the dam of 'TDN Rising Star' and current sire Annapolis (War Front). Also set for a...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In The Derby Bar and Grill, nearly 3,000 miles northwest of Saratoga Race Course, breeder-owner John Gunther thoroughly enjoyed Without Caution's (Without Parole {GB}) solid victory Saturday in the first race on the program. It was still morning, 9:38 a.m. in Surrey, British Columbia, where Gunther watched the $100,000 2-year-old maiden special weight race, when the colt left the gate under Jose Lezcano. Exactly 1:43.88 later, Without Caution reached the wire first to win his debut by 1 3/4 lengths and become his freshman sire's (by...