TDN Rising Star

The fastest 3-year-old in training will not be found in the field for Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby. In one of the most impressive debuts turned in by a 3-year-old colt in years, 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) not only won Saturday's maiden special weight at Santa Anita by 13 1/4 lengths, he earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure (video). Based on the numbers, that makes him faster than any of the 20 horses lining up for the Derby. His stablemate, Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}), earned a 100 Beyer...

Another Caravaggio, another TDN Rising Star as the highly impressive Contarelli Chapel (Ire) made her mark in a smart-looking field gathered for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over near six furlongs at Naas on Monday. A half-sister to last year's G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Nassau S. heroine Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the January-foaled grey who races for Westerberg, Magnier, Tabor and Smith was marginally in front from the break and completely comfortable setting the pace under a motionless Ryan Moore. It was passing the...

Wetherby is an unlikely place to unearth a TDN Rising Star, but the Yorkshire venue more accustomed to hosting jumps meetings acted as the stage for the re-entry of a potential top-class filly on Sunday as Juddmonte's regally-bred Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}) took the opening 10-furlong Racingtv.com Fillies' Novice S. Last seen winning over an extended mile at Nottingham in October, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained daughter of the celebrated Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and full-sister to the G3 Sandown Classic Trial winner Midterm (GB) was under a seven-pound penalty...

Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing's Flightline (Tapit) turned in one of the more impressive debut performances in recent memory Saturday at Santa Anita to stamp himself as a no brainer 'TDN Rising Star'. Pounded down to 4-5 favoritism into the face of two Bob Baffert firsters, a $650,000 Simon Callaghan trainee and a MyRacehorse runner, the John Sadler pupil and $1-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad broke perhaps a half-step slowly but quickly rushed up through horses to set a pressured pace from the...

Ruthin (GB) (f, 2, Ribchester {Ire}--Selinka {GB}, by Selkirk), a 350,000gns TATOCT yearling purchase, kicked off her career with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance sprinting on the Keeneland lawn for Wesley Ward Thursday. The rail-drawn, 3-5 favorite shot out to the front and sped through an opening quarter in :21.91. She let it out a notch approaching the top of the stretch, and, despite racing greenly on her left lead for most of the stretch, was geared down late en route to a flashy, six-length victory over Artos (Ire) (Kodiac...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features 'TDN Rising Star' Wensleydale (GB) (Frankel {GB}). 4.20 ParisLongchamp, Cond, €35,000, 3yo, f, 8fT WENSLEYDALE (GB) (Frankel {GB}) bids to justify TDN Rising Star status having impressed for Juddmonte and Henri-Francois Devin on debut over this trip at Saint-Cloud 15 days ago. The daughter of the...

Trainer Brad Cox confirmed Tuesday morning that Shortleaf Stable's GI Arkansas Derby runner-up and 'TDN Rising Star' Caddo River (Hard Spun) is being aimed at a start in the GI Kentucky Derby. "If all goes well after his work on Saturday, we'll run in the Derby," Cox said. "He came out of the Arkansas Derby in great shape. He's a sound horse who is training well." The speedy Caddo River, a blowout front-running winner of the Smarty Jones S., was fifth as the favorite after conceding the early lead to...

Newbury's card-opening Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Maiden S. saw a new TDN Rising Star emerge as Rockcliffe Stud's homebred Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}) cut a dash in the country's best-contested race of its type so far this season. Entered in the May 2 G1 1000 Guineas that her illustrious dam Sky Lantern (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}) captured in 2013, the grey was second-best in the betting for the mile contest at 3-1 behind Juddmonte's Derab (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), the John and Thady Gosden-trained half-brother to Enable...

When entries were taken the previous Friday for a six-furlong Aqueduct turf maiden scheduled for Thursday, Apr. 8, you can safely assume that owner Larry Goichman wasn't necessarily brimming with confidence. After all, he was pitching his 200,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase Star Devine (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in against two well-meant runners from the all-conquering Chad Brown barn, a Godolphin homebred trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and a second-timer from the always potent Christophe Clement shedrow. Goichman approached the start with a can-do attitude. "You've got...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-Keeneland, $81K, Alw (N2L), 3yo, 6f, post time: 4:24 p.m. ET THERIDEOFALIFETIME (Candy Ride {Arg}) sandwiched a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy graduation over this strip last July between runner-up efforts to top juvenile Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music), finishing 2 1/2 lengths behind that one on Churchill debut in June and three lengths adrift in the GII Saratoga Special S. in August. Stretched out to the one-turn mile for the GIII Iroquois S. on the Derby undercard Sept. 5, the homebred was sent to the front and...

A pair of Spendthrift Farm homebreds stamped themselves as 3-year-olds to watch for the second half of the season with recent jaw-dropping 'TDN Rising Star' performances. Following Sea (c, 3, Runhappy--Quick Flip, by Speightstown) earned his 'Rising Star' badge with a flashy maiden win at second asking for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert on the GI Arkansas Derby undercard, good for a gaudy 97 Beyer Speed Figure. The bay was hustled to the front by Joel Rosario in the six-furlong affair and was pressed on his inside through an...

Providing Aidan O'Brien with an 11th winner of the G3 P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax S. at Leopardstown, TDN Rising Star Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was comfortably in charge as Ryan Moore kept it simple in Sunday's Derby trial. Bogged down by testing ground when fifth in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in October having beaten this card's maiden winner O'Reilly (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) by four lengths eight days before at this track, the 2-1 favourite was the pick of the Ballydoyle brigade for this often-important early blue riband pointer....