TDN Rising Star
9th-KEE, $140K, OC100K/N3X, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 4:38 p.m. ET. UNMATCHED WISDOM (Cairo Prince) posted a 98 Beyer figure after a muddy debut score during the Belmont At The Big meet last summer and was promptly pinned with a 'TDN Rising Star.' The colt's year also included a win in the Curlin Stakes at the Spa in mid-July. Finishing off the board in both the GI DK Travers and in the GI Pennsylvania Derby, now the Klaravich-owned dark bay is set to make his 4-year-old debut. Out of unraced dam Glide...
Facing a couple of starters from barns that typically hold hot hands in Keeneland's baby races at this time of the year, Percy's Bar (Upstart) overcame trouble in the early going of her 4 1/2-furlong career debut before rolling past her competition late to win by an emphatic margin at Keeneland Wednesday afternoon. Pinched back as In the Aggregate (Raging Bull {Fr}) veered over on her at the onset, Percy's Bar found trouble at the hooves of that rival again, forcing to check while passing the gap as the free-flying...
GI Arkansas Derby hero Sandman (Tapit) completed his final work for Kentucky Derby 151 on a clear Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs, while Journalism (Curlin) and 'TDN Rising Star' Rodriguez (Authentic) made their first appearances after shipping in from California on Tuesday afternoon. Sandman, who was a $1.2-million OBS March buy a year ago, worked five furlongs under Froylan Garcia for trainer Mark Casse. The 3-year-old went easy as he produced fractions of :13.60, :26.20, :38, 1:02.40 and out six furlongs in 1:15.60, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols....
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 victory of Choisya in the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland. Queen Of Keeneland Rabbah Bloodstock homebred Choisya (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), a winner of the G2 Cape Verdi and G2 Balanchine at Meydan this winter, took her show on the road and ran out a half-length winner of the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland on April 12 (video). She is trained by Simon...
Under what was described as "perfect conditions" by analyst Kaitlin Free, a busy Saturday morning at Churchill Downs ensued as seven GI Kentucky Derby contenders logged published workouts for the "Run for the Roses" and a pair of GI Kentucky Oaks contenders also drilled for their connections, according to a press release from the track on Saturday morning. The tab included top Derby point getter Burnham Square (Liam's Map), who went a half-mile in :49.40 under pilot Brian Hernandez Jr. Trained by Ian Wilkes, the GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes...
The sun is shining and the birds are singing, which means that spring has sprung and hopefully cold blasts are fixed over yonder. This kind of weather propagates the condition known to many as Derby fever, which technically has no definable cure. So, while you're tinkering with mint julep recipes or heading to the dry cleaners with your seersucker to keep the vapors in check, maybe what you need is to take a look at the weekend's graded stakes slate. The races are chock full of options, so let's not...
As first reported by the Daily Racing Form's David Grening, MGSP Madaket Road (Quality Road) will be pointed to the GII Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard instead of the marquee race that Saturday. After working Friday morning at Santa Anita, where he posted a five furlong move in 1:00.80 (13.32), Madaket Road will now be pointed to the Pat Day and will ship to Churchill Downs with stablemates 'TDN Rising Stars' MGISW Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) and GSW Rodriguez (Authentic). "That's sort of been our goal all...
Shortleaf Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' MGSW & MGISP Quietside (Malibu Moon) breezed five furlongs alone Friday morning at Keeneland as her march toward Louisville continues for the first Friday in May. With jockey Jose Ortiz in the irons, no relation to trainer John Ortiz, the filly rolled through her five panel work in :59 flat and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.20. Her sectionals were :12.20, :36.20, :59 (end of her work), and 1:12.20. "We wanted to give her a good five-eighths to get some air in her," said trainer...
With Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) already back galloping following his upset victory in the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup--more on him shortly--trainer Brad Cox will be well-represented by a pair of older horses on Saturday that could make some noise of their own in the handicap division this year. Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense), a fantastic third while launching his 5-year-old season off the bench in the GIII Razorback H. Feb. 23, is the 2-1 program favorite in the $1.25-million GII Oaklawn H. in...
Friday's GIII Baird Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland has all the trappings of a high-level race as a salty group of seven older fillies and mares have assembled to go a mile and a sixteenth on the main track. Made the 8-5 choice on Nick Tammaro's morning-line, Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) makes her 4-year-old debut for trainer Todd Pletcher. In 2024, the filly finished off the board in only one Grade I race out of the five. She was last seen running third in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff at...
Keeneland has catalogued 80 horses for its April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, which will be held the evening of Friday, Apr. 25 following the races on closing day of the Spring Meet, according to a press release from the sales company on Wednesday. Supplemental entries to the April Sale will be accepted until the sale date. The auction, which will be livestreamed on Keeneland.com, will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET following the 10-race card. With a post of 5:09 p.m. ET, the ninth race is the featured GIII...
Juddmonte's Classic team seemingly grows with each passing day and each trial and Wednesday's G3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket followed the same pattern as a new 2,000 Guineas favourite emerged for then operation in Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). Labelled a work in progress by John Gosden as he captured the G3 Solario Stakes and finished fourth in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere last term, the TDN Rising Star travelled like a dream throughout this established course-and-distance trial with Kieran Shoemark able to pick his path. Unleashed passing the...