TDN Rising Star
Hall of Famer Bob Baffert will have two shots at adding to his growing record with a potential ninth win in Saturday's GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita. The improving $1-million Keeneland September graduate Spielberg (Union Rags), MGISP as a juvenile, posted a hard-fought, breakthrough nose victory in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity last time Dec. 19. The runner-up that day The Great One (Nyquist), meanwhile, returned with a flashy, 14-length maiden victory for trainer Doug O'Neill last weekend, good for a 92 Beyer Speed Figure. Baffert will...
'TDN Rising Star' Prime Factor (Quality Road), a blowout maiden winner sprinting on debut at Gulfstream Dec. 12, heads straight to the big leagues in Saturday's GIII Holy Bull S. The WinStar Farm and CHC Inc. colorbearer, a $900,000 Keeneland September yearling, worked a bullet five furlongs in :59 4/5 (1/13) at Todd Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base Jan. 23 in preparation of his two-turn debut. Prime Factor is out of a half-sister to fellow 'Rising Stars' Speightster (Speightstown) and West Coast Swing (Gone West) as well as SW Paiota...
Mutasaabeq (Into Mischief), a stakes winner on both dirt and turf, will miss an expected start in Saturday's GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream and is off the GI Kentucky Derby trail, according to a report by Daily Racing Form's Mike Welsch. The Shadwell Stable colorbearer and 'TDN Rising Star' annexed the Mucho Macho Man S. in Hallandale last out and also captured the GIII Bourbon S. on the Keeneland turf in October. "The versatile Mutasaabeq, impressive winner of the Mucho Macho Man, who was pointing for Saturday's Holy Bull...
Named a 'TDN Rising Star' off his 14-length debut win and 104 Beyer at Gulfstream two years ago, Hidden Scroll (Hard Spun) disappointed as the favorite in both the 2019 GI Florida Derby and GII Fountain of Youth and only managed one other win during his nine-race tenure in two seasons for Hall of Famer Bill Mott. The former Juddmonte runner was always highly regarded, but frequently tried his connections with behavioral issues which were never more apparent than when going to the Gulfstream gate last January after an eight-month...
8th-Gulfstream Park, $50K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, post time: 3:42 p.m. ET RICHEBOURG (Curlin), an $800,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Alpha Delta Stable, kicks off her career for Chad Brown. Produced by a half-sister to MGISW Evening Jewel (Northern Afleet), she is a half-sister to GI Triple Bend S. winner Denman's Call (Northern Afleet). Scarlett Lace (Medaglia d'Oro), a half-sister to ill-fated champion sprinter Points Offthebench (Benchmark), debuts for Brian Lynch. She RNA'd for $500,000 at Keeneland September. TJCIS PPs 7th-Oaklawn Park, $85K, Alw, N3L, 4yo/up, 6f, post time:...
Sent off at debut odds of 28-5, LNJ Foxwoods' Annex (Constitution) came with a telling turn of foot inside the final furlong to break his maiden extremely impressively in Saturday's seventh race from Gulfstream, earning the 'TDN Rising Star' tag. Bet down from a morning line of 12-1, the bald-faced chestnut was void of early speed and settled last but two as a good pace developed on the front end. Traveling well within himself entering the final half-mile, Annex was quietly ridden on the turn, but was angled out sharply...
Concert Tour (c, 3, Street Sense--Purse Strings, by Tapit) rolled home to an ultra-impressive debut score for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for 'TDN Rising Star' honors at Santa Anita Friday. The Gary and Mary West homebred's worktab included a six-furlong bullet in 1:13 (1/11) in Arcadia Jan. 1 and was backed accordingly as the the even-money favorite while debuting with blinkers and Lasix. He sat a looming presence in second in the early stages and tugged his way to the front under an absolute hammer lock three furlongs from...
Next-race plans are starting to solidify for some of the contenders among the Top 12, including a possible No. 1 vs. No. 4 matchup at Oaklawn in February. Farther down the list, Nos. 5 and 9 will clash this Saturday in the GIII Lecomte S. at Fair Grounds. 1) ESSENTIAL QUALITY (c, Tapit--Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality) O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: GISW, 3-3-0-0, $1,335,144. Last Start: 1st GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile, KEE, Nov. 6 Accomplishments Include: 1st GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, 'TDN Rising Star' Next Start: Uncommitted Equineline...
'TDN Rising Star' Caddo River (Hard Spun), who broke his maiden by 9 1/2 lengths over Churchill's one-turn mile Nov. 15, is being pointed for a sophomore debut in the $150,000 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn Park Jan. 22. Bred and raced by John Ed Anthony's Shortleaf Stable and trained by Brad Cox, the son of Pangburn (Congrats) made his first two career starts going seven furlongs on the New York circuit, finishing a debut second at Saratoga Sept. 5 before filling the same spot at Belmont Park Nov. 11....
Roman Centurian (Empire Maker), the fourth-priciest yearling by his late sire in 2019, became the first 'TDN Rising Star' of 2021 with a facile victory at Santa Anita. He had debuted Nov. 22 going 6 1/2 panels at Del Mar and just missed third behind 'TDN Rising Star' and Saturday's GIII Sham S. winner Life Is Good (Into Mischief). Second in that same race was Wipe the Slate (Nyquist), who came with a Dec. 26 win at Santa Anita for an 88 Beyer. Regrouping with some added distance here, Roman...
'TDN Rising Star' Mutasaabeq (Into Mischief), already a graded winner on turf of the GII Bourbon S. at Keeneland last season, returned to the main track and asserted his authority late to take Saturday's Mucho Macho Man S. at Gulfstream Park. Away in good order, the $425,000 Keeneland November weanling fell into a good stalking trip as Awesome Gerry took them along at a solid tempo down the backstretch. The 11-10 chalk appeared to be making hard work of it as they hit the three-furlong marker and Luis Saez was...
WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s debuting Prime Factor (Quality Road), a $900,000 purchase out of the 2019 Keeneland September yearling sale--the joint-second priciest of 63 Quality Road yearlings to sell in 2019--was off as the 21-10 second choice and turned his first trip to the post into a one-horse affair en route to 'TDN Rising Star' honors. Smoothy into stride, the bay sidled up alongside pacesetting Dr. Duke (Ghostzapper) as the top two pulled well clear of the peloton rounding the turn. Prime Factor eased to the front while racing...