OBS April

by Alan Carasso Shahama (Munnings), who bolted up by nine lengths on her 1400-metre debut at Meydan Dec. 9, endured a much more troubled passage in Saturday's UAE 1000 Guineas Trial, a conditions event over the same course and distance, but exhibited her considerable class in the final stages to score by 2 1/2 lengths en route to 'TDN Rising Star'-dom. She is the eighth 'Rising Star' for her sire. Off slowly and ridden along from gate five racing over a rare sloppy main track in this jurisdiction, the $425,000...

1ST-Meydan, AED82,500, Mdn., 12-9, 2yo & SH 3yo, f, 1400m, 1:25.70. SHAHAMA (f, 2, Munnings--Private Feeling, by Belong to Me), a half-sister to two-time Eclipse Award winner and five-time Grade I-winning Coolmore stallion Lookin At Lucky (Ch. 2yo/3yo Colt-US, $3,307,278), ran them off their feet to break her maiden in exceptionally impressive fashion Thursday at Meydan. Drawn out in gate nine, Shahama was away fairly beneath Adrie de Vries, but slowly made her way forward and raced right on the pace while four wide in the breeze down the backstretch....

1st-Parx Racing, $42,500, Msw, 11-22, 2yo, 1m 70y, 1:43.73, ft, 9 lengths. SMARTEN UP (c, 2, American Freedom--Sarah Cataldo, by Smarty Jones) finished with interest to be runner-up on seven-furlong debut at this track Sept. 25 and was exiting a pace-pressing third in a one-mile test Oct. 20, good for a strong 71 Beyer Speed Figure. Four wide around the first time and right on top of a strong early pace, the even-money chalk punched the breeze down the backstretch. Allowed to poke his head in front at the three-eighths...

1st-Aqueduct, $80,000, Msw, 11-12, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:26.45, my, head. KATHLEEN O. (f, 2, Upstart--Quaver {SP}, by Blame) was the buzz horse in the Friday opener from Aqueduct, as she was bet down all the way into 13-4 from a morning line of 8-1, but jumped only fairly from the widest stall in a field of seven. Racing in a detached last while trying to find her footing in the off going, the dark bay was ridden patiently by Javier Castellano while still clearly last into the turn, but began...

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2022 sales schedule will be as follows: Winter Mixed Sale (Including Horses of Racing Age) Jan. 25-26; Closing Nov. 17, deadline extended for HRAs); Under Tack Jan. 24 at 9:00 a.m. March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Mar. 15-16; Closing Dec. 3; Under Tack Mar. 10-12 at 8:00 a.m.         Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Apr. 19-22; Closing Feb. 3; Under Tack Apr. 10-16 at 8:00 a.m. June 2-Year-olds & Horses of Racing Age June 7-9; Closing Apr. 1; Under Tack May 31-June 4...

'TDN Rising Star' Corniche (c, 2, Quality Road--Wasted Tears, by Najran), the $1.5-million OBS April topper earlier this spring and a jaw-dropping debut winner going 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar Sept. 4, led them every step of the way to run to the money as the 2-5 favorite in Friday's 'Win and You're In' GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita. Pappacap (Gun Runner), winner of the GII Best Pal S., was second; third out maiden winner Oviatt Class (Bernardini) was third. Corniche is the 10th winner of the...

Hot on the heels of Gran Sabana (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) earning a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette in Friday's opening contest at Chantilly, the Fabrice Chappet-trained $535,000 Ocala April breeze-up graduate Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) earned one of his own with a dominant performance in the one-mile Prix de Villebon for unraced 2-year-old colts and geldings. The 15-2 chance was keen under attempted restraint during the opening exchanges and raced in rear for the most part. Making smooth headway once angled to the outside in the straight, he quickened in impressive...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-BEL, $90k, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 3:38 p.m. ET Seven horses make their career debut in this potential-laden nine-horse field, headed by PROTONIC POWER (Protonico), part of an uncoupled entry for the Todd Pletcher barn. Owned by Sumaya US Stable, who campaigned his sire, the colt is out of Grade III winner Sheza Smoke Show (Wilko), making him a half to 2020 OBS April topper and subsequent Grade I winner Princess Noor (Not This Time). The bay stayed home at Belmont for the summer and...

Corniche (c, 2, Quality Road--Wasted Tears, by Najran), the $1.5-million OBS April topper earlier this spring, lived up to his lofty reputation with a 'TDN Rising Star' debut performance for Bob Baffert at Del Mar Saturday evening. The 1-2 favorite caught a flyer beneath Hall of Famer Mike Smith and cleared the field from his wide draw in post 10. He led them comfortably through early fractions of :21.72 and :45.13, kicked for home in complete control and cruised under the wire after a shake of the reins to a...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Nominated to Monday's GI Hopeful S. after a too-good-to-lose second on debut at Saratoga Aug. 14, Don't Wait Up (c, 2, Upstart--Lovely Marissa, by Proud Citizen) will instead return in a maiden special weight on the closing day card. Given a 7-1 chance to win at first asking going six furlongs, he was away last of 10 from post nine after veering in and bumping with a rival...

Electric Ride (f, 2, Daredevil--Why Oh You, by Yes It's True) stormed home through the final furlong to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors on her Del Mar unveiling Saturday afternoon. Sent off at odds of 23-5 beneath an in-form Joe Bravo, the Indiana-bred bay broke alertly and took up a pace-pressing position from second through an opening quarter-mile that was timed in :22.19. Appearing to have front-running Gritty Girl (Street Boss) when she wanted, Electric Ride poked her head in front at the five-sixteenths pole, was shoved on entering the...

2nd-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-1, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.77, fm, head. BLISSFUL (f, 2, Empire Maker--Belleski {MGSW, $374,586}, by Polish Numbers)    flashed some ability in her morning trials over the Keeneland main track last month, including a sharp half-mile gate move in :47 4/5 (3/62) in her penultimate move July 14. Off at an overlaid 32-5 off a 7-2 morning line, the attractive bay filly hopped slightly at the break and was clearly last to make the first turn before setting into a good rhythm at the tail for the...