Lope de Vega (Ire)

LEXINGTON, KY--The European-trained runners may have been shut out on opening day of the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland, but there would have been plenty of smiling faces in Ireland, France and England on Friday evening as 'TDN Rising Star' Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) kept her perfect record intact with a powerful front-running score in the GI Juvenile Fillies Turf under Frenchman Florent Geroux for trainer Brad Cox. Aidan O'Brien's Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) made up significant ground late to grab second, mowing down the Ringfort Stud-bred...

Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) came into Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf undefeated in two prior starts and made good on 5-2 favoritism to remain undefeated with an authoritative 2 1/2-length victory. Out of the gate like a shot, Aunt Pearl went straight to the front and opened a two-length advantage over undefeated French Group 1-winner Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) through a quarter mile in :22.55. Still moving comfortably through a :47.30 half, the Brad Cox pupil was clear turning for home, turned on all boosters in...

DEAUVILLE, France—The second part of the Arqana October Yearling Sale concluded on Wednesday with consistent results across the two-day section. Again, the clearance rate was encouragingly high at 82%, with 131 horses sold for €3,179,000 at an average of €24,269 and median of €20,000. Lope De Vega (Ire) had been represented by his fifth juvenile stakes winner of the season when Godolphin's unbeaten Parchemin (Ire) landed the listed Prix Isonomy at Deauville and several hours later across the road at Arqana, another of the stallion's young chestnut sons led the...

NEWMARKET, UK—Apparently there's a global pandemic in progress, but that didn't thwart the appetite for bloodstock at Tattersalls on Tuesday as the second session of Book 2 bucked trends in what has been a tricky sales season to date. "Considering what else is going on in the world, we are very lucky this is going ahead," said David Cox of Baroda Stud after selling one of the day's most successful pinhooks. It is a sentiment that has been repeated often in recent weeks as the yearling sales have continued while...

By Emma Berry & Alayna Cullen NEWMARKET, UK—When the G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Intricately (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) appeared in the December Mares' Sale of 2017, she was one of the leading lights at 1.7- million gns, and her first foal went a long way to recouping some of that investment on Wednesday. The colt by Dubawi (Ire) was one of seven yearlings by the sire bought by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation through the first two days and the most expensive yearling of the second session at 1.1- million...

Whether contemplating the travails of society at large, or just the viability of our own walk of sporting life, these are certainly days that demand the long view. And few will be bringing a perspective on the October Sale to match that of Luke Lillingston of Mount Coote Stud. Next week Lillingston will be bringing yearlings to Tattersalls for a 20th consecutive year. And, while there was some overlap, his late father Alan clocked up an unbroken half-century selling there after establishing one of the most fertile Thoroughbred nurseries in...

The subject of a gamble into 4-7 favouritism for Thursday's G3 Tattersalls S. at Newmarket, Godolphin's TDN Rising Star La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) duly delivered with a workmanlike success to back up his debut win over this seven-furlong trip at Ascot Sept. 4. Racing behind the leaders Dark Lion (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Qaader (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) throughout, the bay had to squeeze between them coming out of the "dip" but had the gears to get to the front with half a furlong remaining...

Irish Champions Weekend is as much about the juveniles as the proven older horses and Alpha Racing 2020's Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) presented himself as one of the premier members of the 2-year-old brigade when surging to an impressive success in Saturday's G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S., a Breeders' Cup Challenge Race. Having caused a stir at Leopardstown with a nine-length debut win over seven furlongs July 1, the bay had been second in The Curragh's G2 Futurity S. last time Aug. 22 but showed this step up...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Insights features a son of MG1SW Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). 1.10 Doncaster, Mdn, £30,000, 2yo, 8fT Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's LATEST GENERATION (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a son of G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G1 Coronation S. heroine Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), gets a second chance to shed...

Ascot's seven-furlong Me2 Club EBF Future Stayers' Maiden S. on Friday looked one for future Classic prospects on paper and it was the 2-1 favourite La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) who came out on top to earn TDN Rising Star status. Having cost 750,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, Godolphin's son of the multiple group-placed Bikini Babe (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) carried a sense of expectation despite the presence of Derab (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), the half-brother to Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). Settled in mid-pack...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Insights features a half-brother to champion Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). 3.05 Ascot, Mdn, £18,000, 2yo, 7fT DERAB (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is the ninth foal out of Concentric (GB) (Sadler's Wells) to represent Khalid Abdullah and the March-foaled bay starts out at the track at which his...

Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) went straight to the lead and never looked back, coasting home to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star' on opening day of Churchill Downs' abbreviated GI Kentucky Derby meet. Dispatched as the 9-5 second-choice in this career bow, the 280,000gns TATOCT purchase seized the early advantage, coasting along through opening splits of :24.27 and :48.21. Turning for home in front, the bay sailed clear with ease under a hand ride from Florent Geroux to win by five lengths. Gam's Mission (Noble Mission {GB})...