Midshipman

The 2-year-olds are just getting started, but this week's highlight is the fastest juvenile we've seen so far this year.   5) LEGAL HEIR, SA, 6/14-7th, 6 furlongs (turf) (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 83 (c, 3, by Nyquist-How My Heart Works, by Not For Love) O-Charles Henderson. B-Bowman & Higgins Stable (Md). T-Vann Belvoir. J-Kazushi Kimura. Henderson bought Legal Heir in December for $120,000 in a digital sale after the $550,000 2-year-old purchase had missed his entire juvenile campaign then failed to win in four starts at 3. But he...

Godolphin homebred Snappy Dresser (Union Rags) remained unbeaten in three starts going 1400 meters at Tokyo Racecourse on Apr. 26, outslugging North Hill Farm's fellow U.S.-bred Rhatische (American Pharoah) by a decisive 1 1/2 lengths. A May 19 foal, Snappy Dresser graduated by 11 lengths at first asking over this course and distance back in October 2024 and most recently returned from a 13-month absence to wallop first-level allowance company by seven lengths at this venue and same trip on Feb. 21, with the Australian-based Rachel King at the controls....

1st-AQU, $80k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 1:10p.m. ET Hailing from a branch of the female line which yielded 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' MGISW Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), Okefenokee (Maxfield) will be unveiled in the Aqueduct opener for trainer Tom Morley. Sharing a name with an ecologically rich swampland that spans Georgia and Florida, as well as being a beloved stomping ground for a certain Adams family, the $375,000 Keeneland September purchase enters this debut with a healthy worktab over the training track at Belmont Park. In...

Multiple Grade I winner Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) has had his first mare confirmed in foal, Lane's End announced Monday afternoon. Said mare is Cahira's Song (Midshipman), a half-sister to seven other winning siblings, and who hails from the female line of GISP Lucky Lavender Gal (Carson City). The third dam is herself a full-sister to MGSP La Ville Rouge, most famous for her son--GI Kentucky Derby hero Barbaro (Dynaformer). The mare also produced his full-brothers MSW & GSP Margano and SW Lentenor. Made a 'TDN Rising...

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,...

Having dealt with the rookies as a case apart, and then sought a couple of bargains at the base of the pyramid, today we move into a category that remains within the reach of many hands-on breeders--from $10,000 to $19,999--while also containing sires that can raise the bar a good deal higher. On the one hand, it includes a number of young horses still to be given adequate (if any) opportunity to show what they can do, yet already finding their books and fees eroded by still newer names. But...

GISW Highland Falls (Curlin--Round Pond, by Awesome Again) and MGSW & 'TDN Rising Star', presented by Hagyard First Mission (Street Sense--Elude, by Medaglia d'Oro) will join the Darley America stallion roster with stud fees set at $10,000 each for 2026, according to a press release from Jonabell Farm on Thursday. Darley said that topping the list will be GI Kentucky Derby victor Nyquist (by Uncle Mo)--the sire of ten career GI winners--but his fee will be announced after the Breeders' Cup. Highland Falls, the 2024 GI Jockey Club Gold Cup...

3rd-SA, 60k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6fT, 5:01 p.m. ET Randall Lowe homebred Essential Lady (Essential Quality), a half-sister to two-time Breeders' Cup winner and young Coolmore stallion Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), debuts for Tim Yakteen sprinting over the Santa Anita lawn. Her talented dam Lady Shipman (Midshipman) was a GSW and narrow runner-up in the 2015 GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland. Lady Shipman's yearling colt by Flightline brought $1.5 million from Resolute Bloodstock at the recently concluded Keeneland September sale. The field of eight also includes Ramayana (Uncle...

Keeneland September Book 5 opened Wednesday with continued strong trade across the board led by a Midshipman colt (hip 3056) who topped the session at $270,000 to trainer Wesley Ward. Increases were seen on all fronts as 303 yearlings sold through the ring for $15,405,500, up 12.09% from last year's Session 9 gross of $13,744,000 for 308 horses. Average price of $50,843 was 13.94% above $44,623 last year and the median increased 14.29% from $35,000 to $40,000. Cumulatively, Keeneland has sold 2,074 yearlings through the ring for $487,629,500 for an...

Royal Testament (Midshipman) was a debut sixth to next-out G2 Queen Mary Stakes third Lennilu (Leinster) in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream May 10 before treating a field of Monnmouth maidens to a 3 3/4-length beating back on July 27. Taking on her male counterparts in this return to stakes competition, Royal Testament bounced well from gate five and cut out the running from Red Lad (American Pharoah) through an opening quarter in :22.05. Holding that one at bay turning for home, Royal Testament opened up on her...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--As Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher suspected, grass was the proper surface for Snow Face Princess (Midshipman). Two months after making her career debut on the dirt at Aqueduct, she secured a victory Wednesday in the sixth race at Saratoga, a $100,000 maiden special weight contest for 2-year-old fillies. Snow Face Princess and leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr. completed the 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon Turf Course in 1:02.27. Sent off as the 5-2 favorite in the field of nine, the dark bay or brown filly...

Gerrards Cross (Midshipman) made it back to back victories in the Colleen Stakes Sunday at Monmouth Park. The filly was victorious at first asking going five furlongs against state-bred maiden company over the main track at Gulfstream Park. While being the beneficiary of slow beginnings from other rivals here, the 14-1 shot found herself on the lead once again, leading the field through opening splits of :21.29 and :44.71. At the top of the stretch, Gerrards Cross continued to find more on the front end, keeping her rivals at bay and...