TDN Rising Star
The South Florida worktab was dotted with several horses tuning up Saturday morning for a possible start in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park Mar. 5. WinStar Farm and Siena Farm LLC's 'TDN Rising Star' Emmanuel (More Than Ready) will be in search of a third win in as many starts in the Fountain of Youth and tuned up for the 8 1/2-furlong test with a bullet half-mile in :48.05 (1/32) Saturday morning at trainer Todd Pletcher's base at Palm Beach Downs. He worked great, I...
'TDN Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings), who ran her career record to a perfect four-for-four with an easy two-length victory in the G3 UAE Oaks at Meydan Feb. 18, is reportedly set to give the Mar. 26 G2 UAE Derby a miss and will instead be shipped to trainer Todd Pletcher to prepare for a start in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 6. The news was reported in a tweet from Dubai Racing Channel's Michael Adolphson. A $425,000 purchase out of the 2021 OBS April Sale, the bald-faced chestnut, bred...
The undefeated sensation Flightline (Tapit), last seen thumping his rivals in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. at Santa Anita Dec. 26, may return to the races sooner than later and one possible spot where he could have his next start is the seven-furlong GI Churchill Downs S. May 7, the day of the GI Kentucky Derby. Appearing on this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast, trainer John Sadler said he did not think the injury suffered by the 'TDN Rising Star' would keep him sidelined for long. Sadler announced last week...
Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' and jaw-dropping GI Runhappy Malibu S. winner Flightline (Tapit) has had a setback and will miss an intended start in the GII San Carlos S. at Santa Anita Mar. 5. "He had a little bit of a strain in his hock," trainer John Sadler said on TVG. "The good news is the X-rays are negative. He's not going to work tomorrow. He's not going to run in the San Carlos. But it's not a big thing. He's a little bit off pattern." Sadler added, "There's no...
Whisper Hill Farm homebred Charge It (c, 3, Tapit--I'll Take Charge, by Indian Charlie), a hard-fought, narrow second to subsequent GIII Sam F. Davis S. third-place finisher Volcanic (Violence) after a long duel going a one-turn mile on debut at Gulfstream Jan. 8, romped to a 'TDN Rising Star' graduation at Gulfstream Saturday. He posted a pair of bullets at Todd Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base since, including a four-furlong move in :47 4/5 (1/19) Feb. 5. Drawn widest of all in post 10 going a mile once again here,...
Sent off the 39-10 second choice behind even-money Barossa (Into Mischief), Barry and Joni Butzow's Zozos (Munnings) sat a tracking trip and shot clear from the market leader to become yet another 'TDN Rising Star' Friday at Oaklawn Park. Making his first start for Rodolphe Brisset, having previously been trained by Bob Baffert, Barossa--a latest distant third in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity--showed the most early interest, but Florent Geroux aboard Zozos would not allow that rival to steal away on an easy lead. Held right at Barossa's flank, Zozos...
Here we are, then, in what Oliver Hardy could only call "another nice mess." But let's disentangle this flourishing sapling Messier (Empire Maker) from the tentacles that may restrain him from a timely bloom on the first Saturday in May, and take a moment to celebrate not only the storied nursery that cultivated his family but also the alert grafting that now involves another farm in his future success. For this horticultural analogy permits only one classification of the spectacular GIII Robert S. Lewis S. winner--as a young maple. Messier...
Speightster (Speightstown--Dance Swifty, by Danzig), who arrived late last month at Northern Dawn Farm in Hillsburgh, Ontario, to stand the 2022 breeding season, was euthanized Feb. 6 after suffering a severe injury to a hind leg while in his stall. Canadian Thoroughbred was first to break the news. A 'TDN Rising Star', Speightster won his first three career races, including a defeat of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero Texas Red (Afleet Alex) in the GIII Dwyer S. and entered stud in 2017 at his owner's WinStar Farm. From two crops...
Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Radio Days (Gun Runner) launches her sophomore campaign in Saturday's GIII Forward Gal S. at Gulfstream Park. Owned by Allen Stable Inc. and trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, the $750,000 KEESEP graduate made it two-for-two in a blowout optional claiming victory at this same seven-furlong distance at Aqueduct last time Dec. 2. Her worktab includes a four-furlong bullet in :48 3/5 (1/19) at Payson Jan. 12. "She's a filly we're really excited about. Her first two races have been really good," McGaughey said. "She's...
6th-GP, $60K, Msw, 4yo/up, 7f, 3:05 p.m. Fresh off a big win in last weekend's Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf, Robert and Lawana Lowe are represented here by PIGOTT (Curlin), who makes his belated debut for trainer Todd Pletcher. A $1.2 million KEESEP yearling purchase, the chestnut is a half-brother to GI Hollywood Derby winner Mo Town, who showed versatility winning the GII Remsen S. on the dirt. The trainer-jockey combo of Pletcher and Luis Saez have been deadly at the meet, connecting at...
6th-Tampa Bay Downs, $31,000, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 1-30, 3yo, 1m 40y, 1:40.24, ft, 4 1/2 lengths. EMMANUEL (c, 3, More Than Ready--Hard Cloth, by Hard Spun) backed up the 'TDN Rising Star' moniker and his place at number five on T.D. Thornton's GI Kentucky Derby Top 12 Sunday as he handled a salty Tampa allowance field with aplomb. A 6 3/4-length debut scorer going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Dec. 11, he was forced to scratch from a spot similar to this one Jan. 7 when he spiked a...
Peter Brant's Salimah (Ire) (El Kabeir), the first American starter for her Yeomanstown Stud-based sire and former 'TDN Rising Star', matched that feat with a highly impressive debut success Saturday afternoon at Tampa Bay Downs. As skinny as 4-5 in the latter stages of the wagering, the Peter Brant runner eased out all the way to 7-5 and was 13-10 when the gates flew. Off to a hesitant beginning beneath Samy Camacho, Salimah was allowed to find a rhythm and raced with just two of her rivals behind her as...