Keeneland September

The defection of big-figure maiden winner Speak Easy (Constitution) to Saturday's GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. made the task at hand for 'TDN Rising Star' Conquest Warrior (c, 3, City of Light--Tea Time, by Pulpit) that much easier on paper, and the Courtlandt Farms colorbearer made light work of the six rivals that stuck around to likely punch his ticket to the GI Curlin Florida Derby in four weeks' time. Away only fairly, the 3-5 chalk was handy enough to the early pace of 5-2 second pick Merit (Mastery)--rerouted...

4th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 2-24, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:51.08, ft, neck. CORPORATE POWER (c, 3, Curlin--Road to Victory {GSW-USA, SW-Can, $248,336}, by Quality Road), featured in Steve Sherack's 'Second Chances' series following a useful debut fourth-place finish behind the promising duo of Speak Easy (Constitution) and Victory Avenue (Arrogate) after getting bumped at the break going seven furlongs in a very live maiden special weight going seven furlongs on the Pegasus World Cup undercard Jan. 27, delivered as the 6-5 favorite in thrilling fashion here. Stretching out to 1 1/8 miles,...

3rd-Meydan, AED175,000, Nov., 2-9, NH & SH 3yo, 1400m, 1:23.77, ft. FALCON OF ARABIA (c, 3, Speightstown--Lawn Party {SP-US}, by Medaglia d'Oro) made a winning debut over the main track on Friday. The colt led pillar-to-post and coasted home to win by 1 1/4 lengths. He was pressed by Auto Bahn (Arg) (Asiatic Boy {Arg}) the entire way around. It was 10 1/4 lengths back to the third-place horse, King Of Luck (GB) (New Bay {GB}). "He has to be nice to do that first time," said O'Shea of the...

4th-Tampa Bay Downs, $32,000, Msw, 2-3, 3yo, 1 1/8mT, 1:48.37, fm, neck. WAITLIST (c, 3, Not This Time--Grandezza, by Scat Daddy) opened his account in highly impressive fashion at first asking going nine furlongs over the Tampa turf course Saturday afternoon. By the sire of recently crowned champion Up to the Mark and sent out by that one's trainer Todd Pletcher, the $240,000 Keeneland September acquisition was void of early speed and settled one from the tail. Asked to improve his position leaving the five-furlong pole by Emisael Jaramillo, the...

Tuscan Gold (Medaglia d'Oro) debuted with an educational--if a bit troubled--fourth-place effort behind sales-topping stablemate and 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) and fellow seven-figure seller Change In Command (Into Mischief) going a mile at Aqueduct Nov. 4. Sierre Leone did his part to validate the effort with a near-miss second in the GII Remsen S., while Change of Command has since won twice, including a Jan. 5 allowance at this track, and Tuscan Gold will presumably get his chance to further frank the form after being named a...

Kabirkhan (California Chrome) continued a most improbable fairy-tale run at the Dubai Racing Carnival, as he raced prominently following a bit of a sluggish dispatch and powered home late to easily take out Friday's US$1-million G1 Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan. The chestnut with a big white blaze--eerily reminiscent of his G1 Dubai World Cup-winning sire--was returning just a fortnight after annexing a 2000-metre handicap, and for all intents and purposes forced the hand of trainer Doug Watson. After racing for next to no prize-money while winning eight of nine...

8th-TAM, $53K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 4:03 p.m. ET. Bred by Clearsky Farms, ACCLAIMED VICTOR (Omaha Beach) makes his first start for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The $725,000 Keeneland September grad, who was purchased by St. Elias, was the third highest selling yearling in 2022 by his top five first-crop sire. Out of Color Me Flying (Distorted Humor), the 3-year-old is a half-brother to MGSP Colorful Mischief (Into Mischief), who St. Elias acquired at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Sale for $300,000. Acclaimed Victor's extended female family includes his...

These are busy times for Alan Foreman, who is the general counsel to the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, a member of Maryland's Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA) and serves as an ombudsman for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU). He took time out of his schedule to join the TDN Writers' Room Podcast, sponsored by The Green Group. It is his work with the MTROA that has received the most attention of late as the Authority recently issued a plan that...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Kokura, Kyoto and Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, January 13, 2024 4th-KYO, ¥11,850,000 ($82k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m DANON K TWO (JPN) (c, 3, Justify--Enticed {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) is the first foal from a mare that cost 800,000gns ($1.1 million) at the...

6th-GP, $91k, AOC, 3yo, f, 7f, post time 2:39 p.m. ET LESLIE'S ROSE (Into Mischief) cost Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm $1.15 million at the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale, and despite going off at a somewhat lukewarm 9-2 facing five others at Aqueduct Nov. 19, graduated by better than nine lengths over 6 1/2 furlongs en route to 'TDN Rising Star' honors. The St. Patrick's Day foal is out of a daughter of SW & MGSP Wildwood Flower (Langfuhr), the dam of GI Florida Derby-winning 'Rising Star' Materiality (Afleet...

7th-Gulfstream, $72,000, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 1-5, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.55, ft, neck. CHANGE OF COMMAND (c, 3, Into Mischief--Moi, by Medaglia d'Oro) made steady improvement over a trio of maiden attempts during the NYRA meets starting in late August--the last coming with a runner-up result at Aqueduct Nov. 4. Heading to Gulfstream, the bay found his stride to graduate by 6 1/2 lengths Dec. 17. Trying two turns for the first time, the 11-10 choice paced himself into the first turn just off of Cardinale (Speightstown). Shadowing the leader,...

5th-OP, $115K, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 3:22 p.m. ET. A $700,000 Keeneland September purchase by Willis Horton Racing and trained by Eddie Milligan Jr., WILL TAKE IT (Tapit) is the first to the post out of unraced Lady Take Charge (War Front). The latter was the top-priced foal at the 2015 Keeneland November Sale when she was hammered down to Whisper Hill Farm for $3.2 million. Eclipse Award winner Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway), a daughter of Lady Take Charge's half-sister Charming (Seeking the Gold), was the overall topper when...