Pia Brandt

Second-crop sire Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) was without a 'TDN Rising Star' representative prior to Saturday, but James Fanshawe trainee Kind Of Blue (GB) rectified matters for the Kildangan Stud resident at Doncaster and €170,000 Arqana October graduate Tiego The First (Fr) doubled the tally with a sparkling last-to-first triumph in Monday's Prix Hunyade at Saint-Cloud. Tiego The First dwelt badly at the break and forfeited several lengths to his rivals, but recovered to latch on to the tail of the field and raced with just one behind passing through...

The Caesars Turf Triple, the New York Racing Association (NYRA)'s series for 3-year-olds on the grass, will kick off July 9 at Belmont Park and may include a major European contingent. NYRA released the invitees Saturday for both the GI Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational, worth $1 million, and the $700,000 GI Belmont Oaks Invitational. Both the male and female divisions begin at the distance of 1 1/4 miles. Of the six races in the series--three each for colts and fillies--four were won last year by European-based trainers. Aidan O'Brien, who...

Ecurie des Charmes and Ballylinch Stud's hitherto unraced Gran Sabana (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) went largely unconsidered as a 20-1 chance for Friday's Prix de Toutevoie, a one-mile newcomers' test for juvenile fillies, at Chantilly and made a mockery of her long odds with a devastating burst to attain 'TDN Rising Stardom' on debut. The eventual winner was patiently ridden through halfway and raced off the tempo in rear until turning for home. Rowed along to close approaching the quarter-mile marker, she displayed an impressive turn of foot to move into...

Montfort et Preaux sire Recorder (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) became the latest European freshman off the mark when Finn Blichfeldt's 21-10 favourite Hot Queen (Fr) shed maiden status with an all-the-way win in Monday's Prix des Iris over 1350 metres at Lyon-Parilly. 1st-Lyon-Parilly, €18,000, Cond, 6-28, 2yo, 6 3/4fT, 1:26.21, sf. HOT QUEEN (FR) (f, 2, Recorder {GB}--Hot Fudge {Swe} {Ch. Grass Mare-Sca, Ch. Older Mare-Sca & SP-Nor}, by Lomitas {GB}) hit the board in her two latest starts, including a June 8 last-out second over six furlongs at Saint-Cloud, and...

Last year's G3 Prix des Chenes winner Policy of Truth (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) was giving another nod to Van Gogh (American Pharoah) on Sunday as he captured ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix de Fontainebleau. Last seen trailing that Ballydoyle blueblood when fourth in Saint-Cloud's G1 Criterium International in October which has also been boosted by La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), the imposing bay who races for Haras du Logis Saint Germain and trainer Pia Brandt was on the rail with two behind early. Angled out for his run by the...

Meydan's G2 Cape Verdi is the highlight on the Dubai Wold Cup Carnival card on Jan. 28. Of the eight fillies and mares signed on to the one-mile feature, a quintet carry the Godolphin blue and the highest rated at 108 is the Group 3 winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). A listed winner at Newmarket as a juvenile, the Charlie Appleby charge won the G3 Princess Elizabeth S. at Epsom on July 4 and was last of six in the G1 Prix Rothschild after making...

Godolphin's Cross Counter (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) will break from the rail in his attempt to add yet another rich international prize to his roll of honor in Saturday's $2.5-million Longines Turf H. at Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh. The 3000 metre event is the richest of the three turf contests on the Saudi Cup card. Cross Counter has over £3.5-million in the bank and looks to build on his victories in the 2018 G1 Melbourne Cup and 2019 G2 Dubai Gold Cup while making his first start since...

Following last year's dispersal of the stock of the Marquesa de Moratalla, which brought record trade for this time of the year in Deauville, Arqana's February Sale returned to steadier levels on Tuesday. At €1,380,700, the aggregate was back around the 2018 mark, the 64% decline on last year's turnover showing just how big a difference a dispersal can make to a minor sale and how year-on-year comparisons can prove futile. The average of €11,568 and median €5,000 were both ahead of the corresponding figures from two years ago, but...