Liam's Map

TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack provides analysis for Saturday's pair of GI Kentucky Derby preps--the GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds and GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park. Results (Weekend of Feb. 28) - Commandment (Into Mischief) ($6.80 winner of GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth) and Class President (Uncle Mo) ($19.00 winner of GII Rebel) made it a profitable weekend at the windows for this column, both delivering wins in dramatic fashion. Hammond (Charlatan), meanwhile, was a disappointing sixth at 8-1 in the GIII Gotham. GII TwinSpires.com...

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 Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, March 7, 2026 5th-HSN, ¥11,280,000 ($72k), Maiden, 3yo, 1600mT AMERICAN SAKURA (c, 3, Liam's Map--Schon, by Harlan's Holiday) was effectively distanced when debuting over 1800 meters on dirt at Nakayma Dec. 7, but switches to...

Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Knightsbridge (h, 5, Nyquist--Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini) made his 1-5 odds look like a bargain versus four overmatched rivals in Saturday's GIII Gulfstream Park Mile S. He chased in second beneath Junior Alvarado, took over with ease on the far turn and opened daylight in the stretch to win in style by 11 1/4 lengths. Steal Sunshine (Constitution) was second. Flying Liam (Liam's Map) was third. "I think he's the best miler in the country right now," Alvarado said. "It was...

2nd-Gulfstream, $68,000, Msw, 2-28, 3yo, 6f, 1:10.44, ft, 2 1/2 lengths. LINCOLN'S LAW (c, 3, Liam's Map--Bernadreamy, by Bernardini), a half-brother to Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie), MGISW, $817,875, was overlooked at 6-1 for this debut run. Not off to the greatest of beginnings, he was ridden from his outside draw to press the early leaders from third through an opening quarter in :22.34. He ranged up three deep at the quarter pole and took over in the stretch to win going away by 2 1/2 lengths over favored Quentin B (Promises...

Grade I winner Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map) continued preparations for his next Kentucky Derby qualifier with a strong work at Palm Meadows last Friday, but the question remains as to which race the grey will be pointed for at the end of the month. Cruising through five panels in 1:01.45, marking it the fastest work of five at the distance, the colt worked in company with Saffie Joseph Jr. trained Ruleroftheuniverse (Sharp Azteca). The latter posted 1:02.15 for the trip. "I couldn't be happier with how he's coming along," trainer...

FIRST CALL BOB (c, 4, Uncle Mo--Walk Close {GSW, $294,458}, by Tapit) was late to the races, but he was first home on this unveiling. Giving the gate crew some trouble before the start, they finally managed to convince him to load and he broke well to push the leading pair until about the half-mile marker. Taking over at the three-eighths as Mainstream (Speightstown) tried to mount a response, the 9-2 shot kicked away from his would-be challengers and won by 3 1/4 lengths over Love'em Or Liam (Liam's Map)...

Unbeaten Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map), unraced since a powerhouse, front-running victory in the GI Champagne S. at the Big A Oct. 4, is gearing up for his sophomore debut. The Gold Square colorbearer has posted four workouts for Chad Summers at Palm Meadows this winter, including a four-furlong bullet in :48 (1/19) Thursday. "He's doing well," owner Al Gold said. "The plan is either the (GII Coolmore) Fountain of Youth (at Gulfstream) or the (GIII) Gotham (at Aqueduct) on Feb. 28 or the (GIII) Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 7." The...

NOBLE AFFAIR (c, 3, Vekoma--Paden Affair, by Rockport Harbor) was unveiled Dec. 27 at this venue but sprinting on the turf, and ran on well to claim third in a blanket finish after trailing early on from eighth. Moved to the dirt for this second jump, he was asked to navigate a sloppy surface as Fair Grounds hustled to beat the weather, and left the gates carrying 3-1 odds on this seasonal debut. Out to set the pace through an opening quarter in :22.38 and after four furlongs in :45.89,...

"Doing matings with my clients is very much a team thing," says Headley Bell, whose Nicoma Bloodstock has been helping clients mate their mares since 1979. "My role is to try to assist in fulfilling dreams." Nicoma got off to a quick start with mating success, and the hits just keep on coming: in late December, George Strawbridge was first and third in the GI American Oaks with Ambaya (Ghostzapper), who was closely followed by Will Then (War Of Will) in third. Previous successes include two Arc de Triomphe winners...

BLACK CHERRY (f, 3, Liam's Map--Summer Raven {GSW, $168,910}, by Summer Squall) entered this contest with a bullet work to her name in preparation for her debut, and the betting public liked her to the tune of 7-2 odds as the race came off the turf in favor of the Tapeta. Breaking on top to show the way through an opening quarter in :21.77, she was still at the head of affairs as the field swung off the bend for the homeward run. Bracing as challenges arrived on both sides,...

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...

Spendthrift Farm's MGISW Dornoch (Good Magic) sired his first reported foal Wednesday when a colt was born at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, KY on Jan. 7. Bred by Albaugh Family Stable, the bay colt is out of the mare Four Grands and hails from the immediate family of top sires Not This Time and Liam's Map. Four Grands, by Honor Code, is out of the stakes-winning mare Taylor S, and her granddam is the late blue hen mare Miss Macy Sue. "We're absolutely thrilled with the colt. He weighs...