TDN Rising Star

Golden Tornado (c, 2, McKinzie--Ruby Trust, by Smart Strike), a half-brother to three-for-three Maxfield S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Verifire (Authentic), earned a 'Rising Star' badge of his own with a good-looking debut victory for trainer Danny Gargan at the Spa Saturday. The $475,000 KEESEP yearling graduate secured a perfect spot in a tracking second behind favored Oscar's Hope (Twirling Candy) through an opening quarter in :22.76. He turned up the heat approaching the quarter pole and leveled off beautifully in the stretch to win going away with powerful...

Nothing Personal (c, 2, Violence--Will She, by Wando) became the 11th 'TDN Rising Star' for Violence after scorching seven furlongs in 1:19.90--just .04 off the track record--at Colonial Downs Saturday afternoon. Off at odds of 4-1 shipping in from trainer Greg Compton's Delaware base, the $135,000 KEESEP yearling turned $270,000 EASMAY juvenile sat the trip in third behind a pair of dueling leaders through fractions of :22.15 and :44.44. He rolled up three deep at the top of the stretch and put on a show from there, winning with authority...

1st-SAR, 100K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:10 p.m. Pin Oak has been patient with LIMO (Uncle Mo), a colt they went to $1,000,000 to secure as a yearling two years ago at Keeneland September in 2023. First dam Flighty Almighty, a winner in England in her own career, is a daughter of Wall of Sound (GB) who was stakes placed twice on the turf in England and also hit the board in North America on the dirt in the GII Goldikova Stakes. He's drawn just inside of Fun to Tap (Tapit)...

Now that the summer is high, St Mark's Basilica's stud career is readying for take-off and Saturday saw Coolmore's freshman have his first TDN Rising Star in Ballydoyle's exciting Diamond Necklace. Partnered by Wayne Lordan in The Curragh's Grand Hotel Malahide Irish EBF Fillies Juvenile Race, the half-sister to Magic Wand (Galileo) and Chicquita (Montjeu) who was the €1.7million Arqana Deauville August topper swooped on Ryan Moore's pick Minerva (Frankel) inside the final furlong for a smooth 1 1/2-length success. "She'd been working lovely and is very exciting for next...

KHK Racing's Zanthos (Sioux Nation) hit the €1-million mark at May's Arqana Breeze-Up sale and recovered some of that initial outlay with a taking debut success in Saturday's Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Newcomers' Maiden Fillies' Stakes at Newmarket. In command throughout the seven-furlong newcomers' test, the 4-5 favourite was rowed along with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and kept on strongly under mild urging in the closing stages to easily outpoint Classic Cuvee (Siyouni) by an impressive three lengths. "She showed a nice turn of foot and lots of quality," said Simon...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY -- There a was an easy-to-embrace educational angle to Deep Learning (Cairo Prince)'s victory in the third race Friday at Saratoga Race Course. In her career debut Klaravich Stables' 2-year-old filly dealt with some bumping exiting the gate leaving her a bit farther off the early pace than trainer Chad Brown expected. With a patient ride by Flavien Prat and an impressive finish, Deep Learning scored by 3 1/4 lengths over Beach Ballad (Omaha Beach). She completed the 1 1/16 miles $100,000 maiden special weight contest on...

Klaravich Stables' Deep Learning (Cairo Prince) sat a midfield trip while saving all the ground in Friday's third race from Saratoga, hugged the fence into the lane, and when she was popped the question by Flavien Prat with better than a furlong to go, she left her rivals in the dust, careering away to graduate by a good three lengths to achieve 'TDN Rising Star' status. Sent off favored at 2.35-1, the $27,000 Keeneland September buyback who blossomed into a $325,000 OBS April breezer (see below) was content to gain...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the win of Luther (Frankel) in Saratoga's National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes. Frankel Colt Pens His Name Into The Hall Of Fame Paul Hickman and Nicholas Jones's Luther was put up via the disqualification of Zulu Kingdom (Ten Sovereigns) in the GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga on August 1 (video). The Frankel colt is trained by Charlie...

BLACKOUT TIME, ELP, 8/2, 1 mile, 'TDN Rising Star' Beyer Speed Figure- 83 (c, 2, by Not This Time--Beauty Parlor, by Elusive Quality) O-Brookdale Racing and Lance Gasaway. B-Newstead Corp (Ky). T-Kenny McPeek. J-Brian Hernandez Jr. McPeek has another promising juvenile and he's already gone a mile. Blackout Time--out of a Joe Allen owned-and-bred graded turf winner - debuted with a strong 2nd behind Dazzle d'Oro at Churchill and Saturday he sped 9 3/4 lengths ahead of a full field of juveniles that included two Asmussens, two Coxes, two Casses...

Winchell Thoroughbreds had to go to $2,700,000 for a Gun Runner colt (hip 37) out of GSW/MGISP America, also the dam of MGSW/GISP and 'TDN Rising Star' First Captain (Curlin). Consigned by Stone Farm, the colt hails from a deep family which includes GISW Paris Lights (Curlin) who sold herself for $3,100,000 to Spendthrift at KEENOV in 2021.   A quick glimpse of what $2.7 million looks like in horse form 🤩 A colt by Gun Runner takes over the top spot of the @FasigTiptonCo sale. pic.twitter.com/EmXUv5j23P — America'sBestRacing (@ABRLive)...

After respectable showings in the Louisiana, Kentucky, and Ohio Derbys, Chunk of Gold (Preservationist) finally has one to his tally with a sterling effort in the GIII West Virginia Derby. The grey has been eyeballing some of the best of his generation in his last four starts. He shipped to Louisiana in mid-February to contest their Triple Crown preps, and ran second in both the GII Risen Star Stakes and the GII Louisiana Derby, Feb. 15 and Mar. 22, respectively. Having garnered enough points for the big dance, he went...

2nd-Del Mar, $82,200, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($40,000), 8-3, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:09.14, ft, 6 1/2 lengths. FORMULA ROSSA (f, 3, Vekoma--Fay Na Na, by Majestic Warrior), named a 'TDN Rising Star' in a four-length debut Feb. 21 going six furlongs at Santa Anita--which netted a 91 Beyer Speed Figure--hadn't been seen since, even skipping the worktab entirely in April and May. Resuming timed works in June, she reappeared here as the 1-5 choice. Ears pinned after bumped from both sides out of the gate, she emerged from the fray in...