Pipsy

Laurel Park staged the Maryland Million program on Saturday, and arguably the best Maryland-bred filly in training, The Estate of the Late R. Larry Johnson's Future Is Now (Great Notion), will have every chance to surpass the $1-million mark in career earnings when she defends her title in Sunday's $400,000 GII Franklin Stakes at Keeneland. Since she is bred outside of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the 5-year-old races for just a $300,000 pot, and she'll jump favored to win for the fourth time in five starts this season. The fresh-up...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victories of Sapphire Beach and Hey Nay Nay. No Nay Never Sires Pair Of Juvenile Debut Winners Sapphire Beach, flying the flag for Three Diamonds Farm, won a five-furlong sprint over a sloppy Churchill main track on May 30 (video). Trained by George "Rusty" Arnold, the Charlie Brooks-bred re-rallied to finish second after being cut off by the winner, and the placings were reversed in...

Just five months after bringing 700,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale, Pipsy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB})  impressed in her North American debut with a last-to-first win in the GIII Soaring Softly S. at Belmont's The Big A meet Sunday. As a juvenile in her native Ireland, she won two of her three races including a listed stake before heading to auction where Woodford Thoroughbreds stuck the winning bid and imported the filly to race out of the William Walden barn. The tepid 3-1 favorite had her backers watching on nervously...

The breeding stock sales are, by definition, where many of the best broodmares and foals are offered under the hammer, but many fine racing prospects have emerged from these sessions in recent years.  Some farm the sales better than others, notably trainers Joseph O'Brien and Paddy Twomey, who have made a habit of replenishing their stables with high-class runners each winter.  So who fared best this winter? O'Brien and Twomey were back again, with the pair signing for some interesting prospects with a view towards next season, while a number...