Not This Time

Nothing ages us like old silk--certainly, at any rate, those of us who began on the Turf long before there was an internet. Finding footage today of the races that got us hooked will invariably restore from oblivion the colors of tycoons and aristocrats, once part of our daily lives, that have largely or even totally vanished since. Sic transit gloria mundi. (So passes the glory of the world...) Our memories, moreover, position us in place as well as time. In my own youth, for instance, black jacket and scarlet...

"Come on now, attention at the back!" But let's make a plea for indulgence, should any of the law lecturers at University College, Dublin, happen to find one student uncharacteristically distracted on resuming his course in September. Because whatever broad principles of contract may yet require elucidation, there are extremely good reasons why Freddie Duignan could find his thoughts straying to the value of a signature even then being scrawled on a document, 4,000 miles away in Kentucky. "My first day back in class is the first day of the...

Graded winner Magnitude (Not This Time) prepped for Saturday's GI Travers Stakes with a half-mile breeze over the Oklahoma dirt training track Sunday morning. Clocked in :50.22 (31/49) while working through a blanket of fog, the Steve Asmussen charge has been training up to the feature race this weekend after producing a 9 1/4-length masterclass last out July 5 in the Listed Iowa Derby. The son of Not This Time missed the Triple Crown series with an ankle chip, but has been moving forwardly since his return to the races...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In the category of "Can You Top This Story?" Elza Mitchum and his son, Alex, have a solid contender for the prize. Their aptly named colt 'TDN Rising Star' It's Our Time (Not This Time) produced the Mitchums' tale Saturday with a 17 3/4-length victory in the seventh race at Saratoga Race Course. Under Luis Saez, the Virginia-bred colt was the Mitchums' first career winner in their, yes, second start as owners. It's Our Time and Saez turned in their smoking performance in the $100,000 maiden...

Just like pulling a picture card with an '11' showing in blackjack, Double Down Horse Racing's It's Our Time (c, 2, Not This Time--Shea D Summer, by Summer Front) made the perfect start to his career in the seventh race from Saratoga on Saturday, taking over from the hot 3-4 favorite Hero Declared (Maclean's Music) at the head of the lane before rocketing home to graduate by an eye-watering 17 3/4 lengths as a 5-1 chance. For his efforts, he becomes a no-brainer 'TDN Rising Star', the sixth for his...

6th-SAR, 100K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 4:02 p.m. Bloodstock agent Kerri Radcliffe signed the ticket on SCHWARZENEGGER (Not This Time), a $950,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale grad one year ago who now races for a partnership which includes David Fennelly, Brook Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Resolution Road Stables. It was the colt's second time at auction having first sold for $410,000 as a weanling at KEENOV in 2023 to Violet Stables. His winning Lemon Drop Kid first dam just passed through the ring herself, realizing $350,000 from Gainesway at KEENOV...

5th-Ellis, $99,763, Msw, 8-11, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:01.04, fm, 7 3/4 lengths. HOT MASH (f, 2, Not This Time--More Oats Please, by Smart Strike), sent off the 3-2 choice for this unveiling, settled just off the outside hip of 7-2 chance Daphne Blue (Munnings), who cut out a fast :20.27 initial quarter. Overtaking that rival turning for home, the bay strode clear to score by an impressive margin over Windy Houston (Munnings). The winner, a half to GISW Peace and War (War Front), $439,667, also has foal brother by...

After running headlong into 'TDN Rising Star' Brant (Gun Runner) in their mutual unveiling July 26, Balboa (Not This Time--Tap of War, by War Front) had his time in the California rays in Sunday's opener at Del Mar and earned his own 'Rising Star' honors while he was at it. A distant third in the aforementioned debut as the $3-million OBSMAR grad rolled away from that field, his stablemate earned a gaudy 101 Beyer for that victory while Balboa was still given an 80 despite being almost 10 lengths behind....

SARATOGA SPRINGS - About 15 minutes after Final Score (Not This Time) won Saratoga's fourth race--a $100,000 maiden special weight--Avery Johnson, who made his bones in another sport, cackled up in the clubhouse. He had just been part of the entourage of owner Mike Repole, who owns Final Score, a 1 3/4-length winner in the 1 1/16-mile test on the Inner Turf course. Repole is famous for massive winner's circle pictures, but the big dog wasn't in town Sunday, so the group was much more manageable. Johnson, 60, who spent...

4th-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-10, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.48, fm, 1 3/4 lengths. FINAL SCORE (c, 2, Not This Time--Precious Dixie, by Bernardini) came on from the back on debut and ran second July 13 at this venue in a baby dash that was ultimately taken off the turf. Back on the grass and stretched out here, the 9-5 favorite was quick to the front and controlled the tempo through :24.61, :50.88, and 1:16.61 splits. Under pressure as the field closed ranks for the homeward drive, Final Score was called on...

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 a seven-figure auction darling. 6.35 Kempton, Novice, 2yo, 7f (AWT) NATIONAL HISTORY (Maxfield) debuts for Godolphin in the race which played host to Silver Knott in 2022 and is the subject of much intrigue having fetched €1 million at the Arqana May Breeze Up. Charlie Appleby...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale had its first million-dollar yearling when the two-day auction was just 13 hips old Monday evening and bidding stayed strong throughout the session, with the very last horse through the ring bringing $1 million. In all, nine yearlings reached seven figures Monday, led by a colt by Gun Runner, bred by Bobby Flay and consigned by Stone Farm, who sold for $2.7 million to Winchell Thoroughbreds. Twelve hit the million-dollar mark during the entire 2024 auction....