Lope de Vega (Ire)

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Nitti in the San Juan Capistrano Stakes.  Make Believe Brings Up A Santa Anita Double Make Believe's Nitti captured the GIII San Juan Capistrano Stakes at Santa Anita for trainer Leonard Powell on June 15 (video). It was a first black-type win for the 4-year-old gelding who races for Innergy Racing Corp, Zephyr Racing and Sonny Pais. Bred by John Walsh, Jerry O'Brien and the...

5. SOUPER WILLIWAW, 6/20, MTH, 1 1/16 miles (turf), VIDEO Beyer Speed Figure- 83 (tie) (f, 3, by Hard Spun-Souper Striking, by Brilliant Speed) O-Live Oak Plantation. B-Live Oak Stud. T-Michael Trombetta. J-Paco Lopez. Charlotte Weber may have another nice filly: Souper Williwaw set the pace with Lopez sitting against her, then sprinted away through Monmouth's stretch. Souper Striking won Pimlico's Hilltop Stakes a decade ago, but in 22 starts her best Beyer was 83, which this filly has matched in outing number four. Special thanks to Weber for expanding...

Simon Sadler's TBT Racing was in the number one spot at Royal Ascot for the first time on Saturday as Noble Champion (Lope De Vega) dominated the G3 Jersey Stakes. Highly-regarded by Ed Walker, the half-brother to seven-furlong specialist Pogo had proved frustrating in three starts this term but not here as he came home alone under Kieran Shoemark. Always travelling easily tracking Godolphin's Spy Chief (Kingman) up the centre, the 25-1 shot swooped approaching the furlong pole and despite veering left from there recorded an emphatic 3 1/4-length success...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features several high-priced auction purchases. 2.52 Nottingham, Mdn, £6,899, 2yo, f, 5f 8yT ZELAINA (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}) debuts for Wathnan Racing and Karl Burke in this maiden the stable has won for the last two years with the subsequent G2 Queen Mary Stakes third Beautiful Diamond and...

Nine years after Almanzor dropped a massive hint that Wootton Bassett might just be a decent sire by winning the Prix du Jockey Club comes the next wave for the stallion whose fee has gone from as low as €4,000 to this year's high of €300,000.  As has been well documented, Wootton Bassett's current crop of three-year-olds are the result of his first season standing at Coolmore in Ireland after one of the biggest transfer deals of recent years saw him leave Haras d'Etreham, where he had made his name...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Lope De Vega's Growth Trajectory at Monmouth Park.   Chad Brown. Check. Klaravich Stables' silks. Check. Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling grad. Also check. That particular combo combined in Lope De Vega's 3-year-old filly Growth Trajectory, who blitzed a field of Monmouth maidens by 3 1/2 lengths on May 25 (video). Bred by The Wekeela Partnership in Britain, she was an 180,000gns purchase...

Lope De Vega's Ezo Fuji (lot 4) was knocked down to Broadhurst Agency for a sale-topping €50,000 during Auctav's May Sale on Tuesday. The Philippe Sogorb trainee has placed this year at three and is out of the multiple stakes-placed mare Malicieuse (Galileo). Her dam is a half-sister to Group 1 winners and sires Bago and Maxios. A juvenile filly by Sea The Moon (lot 9) caught the eye of BLM Bloodstock for €42,000. Consigned by Al Shahania Stud, the daughter of Meseika (Medaglia d'Oro) is a half-sister to G3...

7th-Monmouth, $48,625, Msw, 5-25, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.85, fm, 3 1/2 lengths. GROWTH TRAJECTORY (GB) (f, 3, Lope de Vega {Ire}--Wekeela {Fr} {GSW & G1SP-Fr, GSW & MGISP-USA, $418,587}, by Hurricane Run {Ire}) was one of two runners in this contest to be making their debuts and the first-timers claimed the exacta in this turf maiden on the Jersey Shore. Bumped at the start, but recovering to race from fourth, the 7-2 second choice was rolling from three wide passing the quarter pole as she advanced through the far...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features Godolphin homebred Words Of Truth. 3.00 Newbury, Mdn, £12,000, 2yo, c/g, 6fT WORDS OF TRUTH (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is one of the key members of a fascinating race which hosts several Royal Ascot hopefuls. Representing the Charlie Appleby stable which has started brightly with...

Godolphin's homebred 3-year-old Cualificar (Lope De Vega) made a stakes breakthrough in last month's G3 Prix La Force and doubled his pattern-race tally with a dominant 1 1/4-length success in Tuesday's G3 Prix de Guiche at Chantilly. The even-money favourite broke well and shadowed the pace in second through halfway in this nine-furlong G1 Prix du Jockey Club trial. Cruising to the front approaching the quarter-mile marker, he was stoked up with 350 metres remaining and kept on powerfully in the closing stages to comfortably hold the late threat of...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a bevy of bluebloods at Leicester. 2.35 Leicester, Mdn, £8,000, 3yo/up, 10fT SKIMMER (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is one of a pair of Juddmonte newcomers in this line-up, with Harry Charlton in charge of the half-brother to the G1 St Leger hero Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Joining...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Sugaree at Keeneland over 1 1/2 miles. Camelot Mare Thrives Over Classic Distance At Keeneland Blue Devil Racing Stable (Holliday)'s Sugaree (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) earned her first American win in her third start there, winning by a half-length at Keeneland on April 23 (video). Trained by Arnaud Delacour, the grey won once in six starts in Ireland. Bred by Pier House Stud, Sugaree...