TDN Rising Star

Introduced in Gowran Park's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over a mile on Wednesday, Shadwell's Wuqood (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) overcame a wide draw and some smart rivals to earn TDN Rising Star status on debut. Sent off at 12-1, the homebred son of the G2 Blandford S. winner and G1 Epsom Oaks runner-up Tarfasha (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was denied cover the whole way but raced like a true professional in fifth under Oisin Orr. Delivered to gain a narrow lead with a furlong remaining, the chestnut toughed it out to...

'TDN Rising Star' Thoughtfully (Tapit) looks to prove her 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy unveiling was no fluke in Wednesday's GII Adirondack S. at Saratoga. The $950,000 FTSAUG purchase romped by 8 3/4 lengths on debut at Churchill Downs June 11 and enters off a best-of-14 five-panel bullet at the Spa in 1:00 4/5 Aug. 3. Make Mischief (Into Mischief)  won on debut against fellow Empire-breds June 18 at Belmont and was second last out in this venue's GIII Schuylerville S. July 16. She is favored on the morning-line to make amends...

Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) worked her way out of a tough spot in the lane to blow away the field in Sunday's Runhappy Debutante S. at Ellis and earn the 'TDN Rising Star' nod. The grey was one of now three good-looking debut winners for Ken McPeek so far this meet when she ran to 19-10 favoritism going long on the lawn July 5, and she was the public's tepid pick in this full field to handle a different surface and sharper trip. Sluggish at the start and ridden along...

You'd be hard-pressed to find a performance by a 3-year-old filly in the past decade as jaw-dropping as what Michael Lund Peterson's Gamine (Into Mischief) produced in the GI Longines Acorn S. June 20 at Belmont. Considered the current top dog of a loaded sophomore filly division in advance of the Sept. 4 GI Kentucky Oaks off that effort, the 'TDN Rising Star'< will turn back to a sprint as a prohibitive favorite in Saturday's GI Longines Test S. at Saratoga. Having lofty expectations attached to her ever since she...

Happier (f, 3, Street Sense--On My Way, by Giant's Causeway), a $800,000 KEESEP yearling graduate, ran to the money in her unveiling for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert at Del Mar Friday evening, earning 'TDN Rising Star' honors. The 6-5 favorite shot out to the front from her inside draw and led through fractions of :22.71 and :45.89. She widened the margin as they turned for home and kept on rolling down the stretch to graduate by 3 1/4 lengths over stablemate Himiko (American Pharoah). Happier was the most expensive...

Retaining all his old pizzazz, 'TDN Rising Star' Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) backed up victories in last month's Listed Spring Trophy and G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot with an impressive win in Tuesday's G2 Qatar Lennox S. over seven furlongs at Goodwood. Adopting his usual patient role off the tempo in ninth through halfway, the 2-1 favourite made eyecatching headway out wide in the straight and was not for catching once quickening smartly for control approaching the final eighth to easily outpoint Duke of Hazzard (Fr) (Lope de...

Avoiding her arch-foe Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) at Ascot, Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is kept to home soil to extend her awe-inspiring record in domestic races in Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh. With the race open to 3-year-olds in this unusual year but drawing only one which is her stable's Armory (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Coolmore's mare supreme looks to have a straightforward task in accomplishing a ninth success from 12 starts in Ireland. Her latest, in the course-and-distance G1 Pretty Polly S. June 28, was arguably her...

Owen Burrows had enjoyed the limelight last Saturday when Tabdeed (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) took the G3 Hackwood S. and he had something else to ponder a week on after Albasheer (Ire) (Shamardal) earned TDN Rising Star status at Doncaster. Starting the seven-furlong British Stallion Studs EBF Novice S. as a 17-2 shot, the chestnut was under restraint from David Probert from the break and suffered some barges as he tracked the group racing towards the rear. Shaken up to chase the fellow Shadwell representative Alablaq (Ire) (Lope de Vega...

Despite facing more seasoned rivals in Saturday's GIII Marine S. at Woodbine, Shirl's Speight (Speightstown) looms large in the traditional primer for the Queen's Plate, scheduled for Sept. 12. Sent off at 3-1 for a trainer not typically known for his first-time starters, the Roger Attfield trainee took control in the early going of the seven-furlong turf test July 4 and rolled home an emphatic eight-length winner under Rafael Hernandez, becoming a TDN Rising Star in the process. The Charles Fipke hombred is out of Perfect Shirl (Perfect Soul {Ire})--a...

In Greek mythology, Momos is "the personification of satire and mockery." In horse racing, Momos is a very talented and very fast son of Distorted Humor and Inspeight of Us (Speightstown) who delivered the first 'wow' performance in the first 2-year-old maiden of the Saratoga meet July 18 (video), earning 'TDN Rising Star' status. "I think everybody that buys a horse that wants to win that first maiden special at Saratoga realizes that you're going to be running against some of the best horses that have been specifically targeted for...

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. Friday's Insights features the return of pricey 'TDN Rising Star' Darain (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). 2.50 Newmarket, Novice, £5,400, 3yo/up, 10fT DARAIN (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) bids to build on an impressive winning debut at Newbury earlier this month, where the 2018 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 Sale topper earned...

Momos (c, 2, Distorted Humor-Inspeight of Us, by Speightstown) kicked off Saturday's card at the Spa with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance. The :21 breezer at OBS March brought $180,000 from Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC and Secure Investments and was off at odds of 6-1 in this unveiling for Christophe Clement. He sped through an opening quarter in :22.20 from his inside draw, was under cruise control as they hit the quarter pole and took off in the stretch to run his five rivals off their feet. It was 6...