Munnings

A $700,000 daughter of Munnings, Muhimma ran to the billing Friday, streaking home the easiest of winners at Churchill Downs as the 4-5 favorite for Shadwell Stables and trainer Brad Cox. Outrun only by one of the only runners in the field with prior experience in My Lil Punky (Outwork), Muhimma was content to let that rival handle the tempo up the backstretch, sitting second through fractions of :22.36 and :45.11. Moving under her own devices under a motionless Florent Geroux, the favorite cruised up along the outside of the...

In a deal that came about unexpectedly for Rodney Eckenrode's Equistar--the training and breeding operation east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that stands Smarty Jones and Brody's Cause--GSW Zozos (by Munnings) will join the farm's stallion roster for 2025 with a stud fee of $2,500 in the offing. The dark bay who was bred and campaigned by Minnesotans Barry and Joni Butzow recently retired from trainer Brad Cox's shedrow after a career which began at three. Zozos's career highlights include a runner-up finish in the GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds...

2nd-Belmont The Big A, $75,000, (S), Msw, 9-13, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.72, fm, 1 1/2 lengths. GRACE AND GRIT (f, 2, Munnings--Sheriffa {MSW, $469,984}, by Posse) made $160,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-Bred Sale and breezed a furlong in :10 flat before hammering for $350,000 at the OBS April Sale. An easy-in-the-market 49-10 from a 5-2 morning line, the chestnut was ridden forward by Kendrick Carmouche and settled just off the speed before striding into the lead with about five-eighths of a mile to travel. Going along...

A multiple Grade 1 winner in his native South Africa, and the 2023 champion sprinter, Isivunguvungu (SAf) (What a Winter {SAf}) made his North American debut a winning one with a gutsy effort in the Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial Downs. Victorious in the G1 Mercury Sprint last July in Greyville, and also able to claim the G1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Stakes earlier that year in April at Turffontein, he also picked up a placing at the highest level via a blanket finish to run third in the G1 Pongracz...

Off as the 3-1 favorite in the first-ever Grade I event to be contested at Kentucky Downs, Gold Square LLC's Howard Wolowitz (Munnings) came with an irresistible run three or four off the inside at the eighth pole and turned back a late challenge from the well-backed Yellow Card (Lost Treasure {Ire}) to take out the $2-million Aristocrat Franklin-Simpson Stakes Saturday afternoon. Away alertly from his high draw, Howard Wolowitz was ridden positively by Irad Ortiz, Jr. and raced wide, but not far from Joe Shiesty (Air Force Blue), who...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It was quite easy for Donegal Racing to come up with a name for Gate to Wire (Munnings), who turned in an eye-catching debut performance Friday. "He looked fast," said Donegal CEO Jerry Crawford. Gate to Wire has lived up to his appearance in training and showed his speed in the opener at Saratoga Race Course, while posting a 1 3/4 -length victory in the $100,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds. Though he did not lead every step of the way, Gate to Wire, with leading...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for the final program of the season Wednesday at Saratoga: Wednesday, August 28,...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.  - A little bit of seasoning came in handy for Rare Art (Munnings) in her maiden special weight victory Friday at Saratoga Race Course. A one-length losing third in her debut on July 21, Rare Art prevailed by three-quarters of a length over Good Conduct (Without Parole) at the conclusion of their spirited duel through the stretch in the seventh race. Rare Art and Luis Saez reached the wire in the 1 1/16th miles $100,000 turf event for 2-year-old fillies in 1:46.36 and paid $6.60 as the...

7th-SAR, $100k, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, post time: 3:54 p.m. ET Chad Brown saddles a pair of debutantes in this spot, led by Klaravich Stables' $310,000 Keeneland September purchase LEANER AND MEANER (Munnings). The Jan. 28 foal's dam Revitalized (Uncle Mo) was acquired for $360,000 with this filly in utero at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale and is a daughter of 2011 GIII Virginia Oaks heroine Excited (Giant's Causeway), the dam of SW & MGSP Thrilled (Uncle Mo) and GSP Beside Herself (Uncle Mo). The stakes-winning third dam Path...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Wednesday at Saratoga: Wednesday, August 21, 2024 Saratoga 2, $90k, 2yo, (S),...

5th-Ellis, $70,880, Msw, 8-19, 2yo, 1mT, 1:35.17, fm, 1 3/4 lengths. POSTER (c, 2, Munnings--Pin Up, by Tapit), a 5-1 first-time starter for Godolphin, broke with speed from the rail but had company right away from Xavi (Great Notion) to his outside. Pressed through fractions of :22.81 and :47.12, he put that rival away off the turn and stayed away from a closing Turnbuckle (Global Campaign) despite ducking out a bit close to home to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Pin Up, who sold for $130,000 at KEEJAN this year,...

8th-Los Alamitos, $43,000, Msw, 6-30, 2yo, f, 5f, :57.48, ft, 1 3/4 lengths A. Z. WILDCAT (f, 2, Munnings--Lucky Long, by Lookin At Lucky) prevailed in a good pari-mutuel battle and then backed it up on the track in professional style to open her account as the narrow 2-1 favorite. The $200,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase brike a bit inward, but was up to press the early issue before sitting the pocket trip from third around the hairpin turn. Produced three wide into the stretch, the filly went to the...