Keeneland September

Pricey Malibu Moon Filly a Smart Winner in Big A Debut

2nd-Aqueduct, $80,000, Msw, 12-4, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:10.45, gd,1 length. MISS DRACARYS (f, 2, Malibu Moon--Ask Me When, by Speightstown), the second-priciest offspring by her sire of 47 yearlings sold in 2019 when bringing $525,000 at Keeneland September, lit up the tote board at 23-1 in this debut run. She raced under a snug hold in seventh on the inside and was traveling nicely as the field hit the quarter pole. Kept along the fence by Kendrick Carmouche as they turned for home, the bay threaded the needle in deep...

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American-Bred Lemon Pop Takes Derby Prep at Tokyo

The first of four races on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, the 1600-meter Cattleya S. (allowance), took place Saturday on the eve of the G1 Japan Cup at Toyko Racecourse, with US-bred Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) running his record to two wins from as many starts with a convincing victory. The 7-5 second choice, a debut winner in a 1300-meter newcomers' event at Tokyo Nov. 7, broke without incident and was ridden positively from gate one by Keita Tosaki to sit in the wake of pacesetting Takeru...

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Spielberg Favored to Continue Baffert Streak in Bob Hope
Spielberg Favored to Continue Baffert Streak in Bob Hope

With the ongoing Del Mar meet renamed a few years ago to honor Hollywood icon Bing Crosby, it seems only fitting that a colt named Spielberg (Union Rags) would take his shot in the GIII Bob Hope S., the race formerly known as the Hollywood Prevue S. The $1-millon Keeneland September graduate should jump a warm favorite for the seven-furlong affair, a race won by his trainer Bob Baffert no fewer than six times in its last nine runnings and 10 times dating back to 1996. Runner-up on debut and...

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Notable US-Bred & Sired Runners in Japan: Nov. 14, 2020

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 Saturday running at Tokyo and Hanshin Racecourses. Dual surface Group 1 winner Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) goes around in Saturday's G3 Musashino S. at headquarters, while at Hanshin, debut winner Super Wooper (Overanalyze) tries stakes company off a debut victory last month. Sunday's horses...

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Notable US-Bred & -Sired Runners in Japan: Nov. 7, 2020

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 Saturday, with all the US-bred and -sired activity confined to Tokyo Racecourse: Saturday, November 7, 2020 5th-TOK, ¥13,400,000 ($129k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600m SCATTER SEED (JPN) (f, 2, Uncle Mo--Scatladybdancing, by Scat Daddy) is out of a stakes-placed full-sister to SW Ultima D that...

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Notable US-Bred & -Sired Runners in Japan: Oct. 31, 2020

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 Saturday running at Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses. Former Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) makes her first start since June in defense of her title in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), a race connections will use as a springboard...

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Notable US-Bred & -Sired Runners in Japan: Oct. 24, 2020

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 a busy Saturday running at Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourse, including a pair by American Pharoah and the stakes debut of the exciting Vanishing Point. Sunday's runners will feature in Saturday's TDN: Saturday, October 24, 2020 4th-KYO, ¥13,400,000 ($128k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m RUSSIAN SAMOVAR (f,...

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Notable US-Bred & -Sired Runners in Japan: Oct. 17 & 18, 2020

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 Niigata and Kyoto Racecourses, the latter of which plays host to Sunday's G1 Shuka Sho, the final leg of the Japanese Triple Tiara. Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) will go favored to become the sixth to complete the sweep, joining...

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Thursday Insights: Into Mischief Gelding Makes Belated Debut

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-KEE, $70K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, post time: 3:18 p.m. ET MYSTIC NIGHT (Into Mischief) is the second foal to make the races for his dam, a $1.2m Keeneland September yearling whose GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf-winning half-sister Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect) is the dam of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine and 'TDN Rising Star' Sharing (Speightstown) and SW Riley's Choice (Distorted Humor). Secret Jewel is also kin to GSW Colonial Flag (Pleasant Tap) and GSP Mark of Success (Mt. Livermore)....

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Undefeated Nadal to Stand at Shadai in Japan

'TDN Rising Star' Nadal (Blame--Ascending Angel, by Pulpit), whose four wins from as many trips to the races included the faster of two divisions of the GI Arkansas Derby, will enter stud in 2021 at Shadai Stallion Station in Japan, the organization confirmed in a release Wednesday upon the 3-year-old's arrival in the country. Bred in Kentucky by Sierra Farm, Nadal was purchased by Randy Bradshaw, agent, for $65,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September sale and was successfully resold for $700,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale after breezing an...

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Friday's Insights: Dreaming of Julia Filly Gets Going at Belmont

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-BEL, $63K, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, post time: 2:30 p.m. ET The product of two of Stonestreet Farm's best, top and bottom, MALATHAAT (Curlin) gets her career underway for Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher. The Mar. 7 foal, a $1.05 million acquisition at Keeneland September last fall, is the first to race out of Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy), one of two 'TDN Rising Stars' produced by MGISW Dream Rush (Wild Rush), who was acquired by Stonestreet for $3.3 million at the...

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KEESEP in the Books, but Numbers Slide as Expected

While there were bright spots and plenty of successes, Keeneland's bellweather September Yearling Sale saw significant drop-offs in trade from last year's strong renewal as the Thoroughbred industry and world at large reel from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conducted over 12 days this year compared to 13 last term and with strict safety protocols in place, the 2020 September sale grossed $238,454,300 from 2,346 head sold. The gross 12 months ago was $359,789,700 from 2,850 sellers. This year's average dipped 19.49% from $126,242 to $101,643; the median dropped...

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