TDN Rising Star

Owen Burrows snagged the 2020 edition of Doncaster's Simon Piggott Memorial EBF Novice S. with subsequent G2 Champagne S. runner-up Albasheer (Ire) (Shamardal) and he has another contender for the upper levels after Brook Farm Bloodstock's War Rooms (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Apticanti, by Aptitude) powered to 'TDN Rising Stardom' with an impressive debut display in the seven-furlong test. The 11-2 chance raced in mid division after a stuttering start. Easing closer to the front rank once past halfway, he surged to the front in taking fashion approaching the final furlong and...

While the racing world awaits the confirmed line-up for one of the most exciting runnings of the King George in decades, the aperitif is served by Leopardstown on Thursday with some vital staging posts for the 2024 Classic generation. While the card's feature is the G2 Romanised Minstrel S., in which the 3-year-old fillies Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) and Tarawa (Ire) (Shamardal) look to have an edge on the older brigade, the most intriguing race is the G3 Jockey Club of Turkey Silver Flash S. for the fillies because that's...

The GII Honorable Miss H. at Saratoga is named after the highly-successful multiple stakes-winning mare from the 1970s. Owned by Edith Bancroft's sons who carried on the family tradition established by their grandfather, William Woodward Sr., the pair founded Pen-Y-Bryn Farm after their own mother's passing. With only four entered, this year's edition is highlighted by the Saratoga return of '21 champion 2-year-old filly and MGISW Echo Zulu (Gun Runner). The Steve Asmussen trainee won her juvenile debut at the Spa when she soared to become a 'TDN Rising Star'...

Aidan O'Brien had annexed six of the last 10 renewals of the Curragh's Juddmonte Irish EBF Maiden, among them 2013 winner Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), and he claimed Saturday's latest edition with Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who collected a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette with a taking performance in the seven-furlong test. The eventual winner was steadily away and raced in a close-up third initially and eased into second approaching halfway. Hitting the front soon after passing the quarter-mile marker, the well-backed 5-4 favourite was never seriously threatened thereafter and...

With a spring in his step from the word go, Timberlake (Into Mischief) lived up to his famous name on Friday afternoon at Ellis Park when he broke his maiden impressively and attained 'TDN Rising Star' status. With blinkers on and traversing seven furlongs over the dirt as the 5-4 favorite, Timberlake controlled the pace throughout and, while jockey Florent Geroux served as a passenger, increased his margin around the far turn. Cruising down the lane, the bay colt was geared down with less than a furlong left and won...

Scotland (Good Magic) came into the Curlin S. a head shy of perfection but with less than a neck for his combined win margins, and put on a show to secure his career-first black-type in the race named for his paternal grandsire. A head winner on unveiling Mar. 4 at Hallandale, and a nose second to SP Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance) in a Apr. 23 Keeneland allowance two back, he was a gusty head winner last out June 3 beneath the Twin Spires over Cagliostro (Upstart). Moving to secure his spot...

The Starlight Racing and Harrell Ventures partnership was always excited about their well-bred son of Omaha Beach named Pirate, but their anticipation for the colt's debut reached an all-time high when he was assigned the infamous first stall adjacent to Todd Pletcher's office at his barn on the Oklahoma. "We've been working with Todd for 23 years and it's hard to get him to get really excited about a horse," joked Starlight's founder and managing partner Jack Wolf. "But you could tell that he liked ours from the get-go." Pirate...

Adding more gravitas, if any were needed, to her compatriot Ramatuelle (Justify) who had handed her a comprehensive beating in the G3 Prix du Bois, Haras d'Etreham and Craig Bernick's TDN Rising Star Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never) found her level on Wednesday evening when winning Vichy's Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles. Beaten 6 3/4 lengths by that hugely-talented Christopher Head trainee in the six-furlong test at Chantilly last month, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained half-sister to the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Tancred S. hero Sir Dragonet (Ire)...

Hot on the hooves of 'TDN Rising Star' City Of Troy notching an impressive tally in Newmarket's G2 Superlative S., Christopher Head trainee and 'TDN Rising Star' Ramatuelle embellished her sire Justify's banner weekend with a spectacular performance in Sunday's G2 Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly. The February-foaled €100,000 Arqana August graduate went postward as a heavily favoured 2-5 chance, returning off a wide-margin triumph over the six-furlong course and distance in last month's G3 Prix du Bois, and was swiftly into stride to occupy a prominent role here. Last...

On paper, it looked like Pirate (Omaha Beach) had a lot going for him in Saturday's first race at Saratoga, a $105,000 maiden special weight run at 5 1/2 furlongs. A half-brother to GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Road), he sold for $350,000 at Keeneland September, had a bullet four-furlong work leading up to the race and hailed from the mighty Todd Pletcher barn. So it was hardly a surprise when he cruised to a three-length win, covering the distance in 1:04.89 for the partnership of Harrell Ventures,...

Few Todd Pletcher first-time starters fail to live up to their billing if they break as 1-5 favorites and Pirate (Omaha Beach) kept that trend rolling with a three-length win to graduate at Saratoga and become the Spa's first 2023 'TDN Rising Star' and the first for his freshman sire (by War Front). Never under the radar, the 2-year-old half-brother to GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Road) took all the money and quickly silenced any doubt about his inside draw with a quick beginning under jockey Irad Ortiz,...

They may have missed out on the English Triple Crown this year, but Team Ballydoyle have another contender for that mythical pursuit in 2024 after TDN Rising Star City Of Troy (Justify--Together Forever {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) destroyed the opposition in Newmarket's G2 Superlative S. on Saturday. Allowed to stride to the fore by Ryan Moore with only Spanish Phoenix (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) ahead, the heavily-supported 4-6 favourite took command three out and went through the gears from there to issue a punishing 6 1/2-length defeat to Haatem...