OBS April

Baoma Corp.'s Himika (f, 2, Curlin--Motivated Seller, by Into Mischief), a $900,000 purchase out of this year's OBS April Sale, looked in a bit of trouble through the opening three panels of a five-furlong maiden at Santa Anita Thursday. But when Juan Hernandez was able to push away from the inside and with dead aim on pacesetting Stuffy Mist (Maximus Mischief), the athletic bay gathered that one up with ease a few strides later and whistled home to score by a half-dozen eased-down lengths to become a no-brainer 'TDN Rising...

1st-Churchill Downs, $113,925, Msw, 6-6, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, :52.09, ft, head. LILIES N PARADISE (f, 2, Maxfield--Why Oh You, by Yes It's True) was shoved across the line by Edgar Morales to become the second winner from the first crop to the races for her promising young sire (by Street Sense) in the Friday opener at Churchill Downs. Off only fairly from the three hole, the bay filly was hustled along to keep tabs on the leading trio, including Lael Stables' well-backed Pulstar (Kantharos), who made the running three...

Arcadia Michigan Stable's Here Comes Francis, a son of the gone-too-soon Improbable, improved his record to two impressive victories from as many trips to the races, as the chestnut bossed a field of entry-level allowance rivals by 5 1/4 comprehensive lengths Saturday afternoon at Tampa Bay Downs, becoming the newest 'TDN Rising Star' for his efforts. He received an 89 Beyer Speed Figure. Having cost $100,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September sale, the Feb. 23 colt breezed his eighth of a mile in a slick :9 4/5 ahead of last...

1st-SA, 60K, Msw, 3-5yo, 1mT, 4:00 p.m. Zedan Racing Stable went to $550,000 to secure MUTAZ (Nyquist) as a 2-year-old at OBS April last year. Debuting Saturday on the grass for trainer Bob Baffert, the colt is out of GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes winner Acoma (Empire Maker) who has produced four winners from six to race including the dam of GII Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes runner up Golden Afternoon (Goldencents). Acoma herself is a half-sister to GISW and sire Arch (Kris S.) along with UAE Horse of the Year...

8th-Keeneland, $130,000, Alw (NW2$X), Opt. Clm ($80,000), 4-19, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:50.34, ft, 7 lengths. JUST A TOUCH (c, 4, Justify--Touching Beauty {GSW, $183,166}, by Tapit) was runner-up in last year's GIII Gotham Stakes and this track's GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes and was as short as 11-1 for the GI Kentucky Derby. Very little went right on that occasion, but he bounced back to just miss in the July 6 Iowa Derby before going missing. The bay could not have been more impressive in bossing a first-level Fair Grounds...

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm OCALA, FL - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training had one more seven-figure juvenile up its sleeve with a colt by Tiz the Law bringing a sale-topping $1.5 million during the final session of the four-day auction which concluded with it third straight record average Friday. "We are very appreciative and glad and happy--all of the adjectives you can apply to the week," OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said at the close of business Friday. "It was a...

A colt from the second crop of Tiz the Law (hip 1094) set a new high-water mark during Friday's final session of OBS April, selling for $1,500,000 to the partnership of Spendthrift, St. Elias and West Point. Consigned by S G V Thoroughbreds (Steven Venosa), the colt is out of a half-sister to Canadian champion female sprinter River Maid (Where's My Ring) who herself produced GI Central Bank Ashland runner up Cocktail Moments (Uncle Mo). The Louisiana-bred worked an eighth in :10.

A colt by Uncle Mo (hip 833) sold to Ramiro Restrepo for $1,300,000 two-thirds of the way through Thursday's third session at OBS April. Consigned by Eddie Woods, the colt is out of a Venezuelan champion 2-year-old in Cacciatora (Ven) and worked a furlong in :10. He is the eighth seven-figure horse sold thus far this week at OBS.

One of the last hips through the ring, a colt by leading sire Gun Runner (hip 601), consigned by S G V Thoroughbreds (Steven Venosa), went to Kerri Radcliffe as agent for Memo Racing on a final bid of $1,450,000 to top the second session of the OBS Spring Sale. A half-brother to MGSW Takeover Target (Harlan's Holiday) and to the dam of GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner More Than Looks (More Than Ready), the colt worked a furlong in a co-bullet :9 4/5. He RNA'd for $475,000 at Keeneland...

Shortly after buying the $1.4m session topper from the same consignment, Mahmud Mouni went to $1,050,000 to secure a filly by Tiz the Law (hip 578) consigned by Kings Equine. Purchased as a yearling for $70,000 at FTKOCT, the filly worked her furlong in a co-bullet :9 4/5. She is out of GSP Tulsa Queen who has one winner from as many to race. Tiz the Law now has two seven-figure 2-year-olds from the same session Wednesday.

An Into Mischief full-brother (hip 416) to MSW Taraz lit up the bid board at OBS Wednesday, selling for $1,400,000 to Mahmud Mouni from the Kings Equine consignment. Out of the Empire Maker mare Silk Route, the colt breezed his furlong in the sale's co-fastest time of :9 4/5. First dam Silke Route is a daughter of G1SP Jibe who also produced the dam of GSW Call Me Midnight (Midnight Lute) while third dam Slightly Dangerous is responsible for a pair of European champions in Commander in Chief (GB) (Dancing...

Windy conditions, especially during the back half of the morning, kept the bullets to a minimum as the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training under-tack show concluded with the last of seven sessions Saturday. Beating the elements as one of the first set to go shortly after 8 a.m, a filly by Ocala Stud's Win Win Win (hip 1206) consigned by Navas Equine was one of two juveniles to put up the morning's fastest furlong time in :9 4/5. "In order to have a performance like...