Keeneland

The juvenile fillies division is crystalizing into one of the most intriguing subplots of the Breeders' Cup as we approach the six-week mark to the championships. The skyrocketing 'TDN Rising Star' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro), unveiled barely a month ago, has emerged from the West Coast as the obvious topper of her division. But the brilliant, 2-for-2  daughter of four-time champion Beholder is likely to have a fight on her hands as the upcoming stakes engagements extend around two turns, thanks to a talented trio of fillies who have ascended in...

As the sport continues in its efforts to drastically reduced the number of fatalities that occur in races and in morning training, there's little doubt that StrideSAFE is going to play an important role in preventing breakdowns. StrideSAFE is a biometric sensor mechanism that slips into the saddle cloth to detect minute changes in a horses's gait at high speed. Those changes can, and often do, signal that a horse is in the early stages of having a problem that could lead to a fatal injury. If the StrideSAFE data...

A half-brother to this year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) by McKinzie brought $1.2 million when selling to CRK Stables at Wednesday's session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. MGISW McKinzie, a Gainesway sire, is represented by his first crop of yearlings this year. The $1.2-million colt is out of former 'TDN Rising Star' Puca (Big Brown), a SW & GSP runner whose three foals to race, including current juvenile Dornoch (Good Magic), are all stakes performers. Grandview Farm bred both the Derby winner and Hip 669, who...

Three Chimneys Farm's Gun Runner threw down the gauntlet at Wednesday's session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale with a $1.15-million colt to lead the day's top-priced receipts about two-thirds of the way through Wednesday's selling. Hip 614, bred in Kentucky by Runnymede Farm, LLC and Peter J. Callahan, is out of Margate Gardens (Speightstown), a full-sister to GSW Bridgetown. Runneymede consigned the Apr. 28-foaled chestnut, who was purchased by Mike Repole's Repole Stables and Spendthrift Farm. The mare's current 2-year-old, Wilson Q (Constitution), was second in the Bashford Manor...

Gainesway stalwart Tapit joined the million-dollar party at Wednesday's session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale when a filly out of GSW Lady's Island (Greatness) was hammered to the Green family's DJ Stable for $1.1 million. Sold as Hip 589, the Feb. 19 lass was consigned by Gainesway, who also bred her. Gainesway picked up GIII Sugar Swirl S. winner Lady's Island at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February sale for $310,000. This is the mare's first foal; they are represented in the extended family by multiple Irish champion Law Society...

In a reprise of Monday's session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where Uncle Mo and Into Mischief had traded blows at the very top of the market and were together accountable for 10 of the top 11-priced yearlings, they served up an encore Wedesnday. Just minutes after Spendthrift's Into Mischief got his first seven-figure yearling Wednesday, Coolmore's Uncle Mo followed suit with a $1-million colt of his own. Hip 528, a Jan. 13 son of Flighty Almighty (GB) (Elusive Quality), was purchased by Pin Oak Stud's Jim and Dana...

A June 1-foaled colt by Into Mischief was the first yearling to cross the seven-figure barrier Wednesday at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale when he fetched $1.1 million from West Point. Bred and consigned by Clearsky Farms, the son of GSW Ever So Clever (Medaglia d'Oro) sold as Hip 521. The mare has had two previous sons by Into Mischief go through the September ring, with her 2020 colt bringing $600,000 from China Horse Club/Gandharvi Racing and her 2021 colt a $400,000 RNA last year. The 2020 colt, now a...

Spendthrift super sire Into Mischief had been on fire during the first two days of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and Day 3 proved no exception as the action moved into Book 2. The early leader was Hip 451, a Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa-consigned filly out of Belle of the Hall (Graeme Hall), purchased by Dottie Ingordo on behalf of Lee and Susan Searing's CRK Stables for $875,000. The Jan. 29 bay filly, bred in Kentucky by Seclusive Farm, is a half-sister to MGSW Share the Ride (Candy Ride...

Injured an in Aug. 23 spill at Saratoga in the John's Call S. in which he fractured left wrist and dislocated his right collar bone, jockey Luis Saez has made rapid progress and will be ready to ride on opening day of the Keeneland fall meet on Oct. 6, reports his agent Kiaran McLaughlin. "He's doing real well," McLaughlin said. "There's no pain and he's doing physical therapy. He will be X-rayed in a few days. He'll be back for sure for beginning of Keeneland, if not a week before....

An Uncle Mo half-sister to MGISW Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) crossed the seven-figure threshold Tuesday at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, fetching $2.5 million from Gavin O'Connor on behalf of John Stewart. The bay filly, consigned by Denali Stud, agent for WinStar Farm Bred & Raised, was bred by WinStar in Kentucky. The Apr. 4 filly joined a burgeoning list of top sellers by Coolmore America sire Uncle Mo, who had five of the top 11-priced yearlings Monday. Hip 337 is out of Starship Warpspeed (Congrats), who produced GSP Mojovation (Quality Road)...

Spendthrift super sire Into Mischief continued his dominance Tuesday afternoon with his third seven-figure yearling of the session at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, as a colt out of Princess Haya (Street Cry {Ire}) sold to Coolmore's MV Magnier for $1.8 million. The Mar. 27 foal was bred by Barry and Judith Becker and consigned by St George Sales, agent, after selling to Brookstone Farm at last year's Keeneland November sale as a weanling for $550,000. Sold Tuesday as Hip 283, the dark bay is a half to three graded...

A half-brother to GI Wood Memorial S. winner and young sire Outwork (Uncle Mo) by Into Mischief sold Tuesday at the second session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $3 million. Consigned by Lane's End, agent, the Feb. 11 colt is out of Nonna Mia (Empire Maker), who herself is a half-sister to MGSW and Airdrie sire Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile). Terry Finley signed Hip 261's ticket for West Point Thoroughbreds, Chuck Sonson, and Woodford Racing. The son of Into Mischief is the early leader of both the...