Today's Edition:  Record-Setting $1.4M Justify Filly Leads The Way at OBS · Baeza Set for Summer Showdown · Royal Ascot Coverage 2

TDN Rising Star

White Abarrio Put In Final Pegasus Drill; 'TDN Rising Star' Ferocious Preps For Sophomore Debut

White Abarrio (Race Day), a three-time Grade I winner for C2 Racing Stable, Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Antonio Pagnano, put in his final breeze Thursday morning for the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park. In company with regular workmate Silver Moonlight (Liam's Map), White Abarrio went four furlongs in :48.34 seconds over Gulfstream's main track, ranking eighth of 27 horses (video). It was his second work of 2025 following a bullet half-mile move in :47.81 Jan. 9. "He worked well," said trainer...

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Mullion's First Foal is a Filly

'TDN Rising Star' Mullion (Into Mischief) sired his first foal when Maggiore (Speightstown) gave birth to a filly, announced Sequel New York in a release Saturday evening. The first foal for her dam, a half-sister to MGSW & MGISP Bonny South (Munnings), the filly was bred by Albaugh Family Stables. The mare is also a half to GSP Sun Path (Munnings), SP Capella (Quality Road), and to the dam of MSW Mister Omaha (Omaha Beach). The female family includes the likes of multiple Group/Grade I runner Etoile Montante (Miswaki), herself...

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GISW Arabian Lion Sires First Foal

Spendthrift Farm's Arabian Lion (Justify) sired his first reported foal Jan. 9. The chestnut filly, bred by and born at Jim & Pam Robinson's Brandywine Farm, is out of the Street Boss mare Champagne Sparkle, a full sister to GSW Danza and half to Grade I-winning millionaire Majestic Harbor (Rockport Harbor). "We are thrilled. This is a strong foal with great bone, leg and substance," said Pam Robinson. "A deep chestnut with a beautiful blaze. Correct and solid as a rock. We had to double check to be sure it...

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Jan. 11 Insights: Big Name Connections Unveil Big Name Pedigrees with Tags to Match

4th-GP, $94k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 1:49p.m. ET Florida will play host to two noteworthy maidens on the Gulfstream Park card Saturday, the first being this six panel maiden sprint, that drew the noteworthy connections with well-bred horses. Lining up against this field of 11 is $1.1-million KEESEP purchase VANDERBILT (Into Mischief). Out of GI Longines Test and Humana Distaff Stakes victress American Gal (Concord Point), the colt was purchased by Grandview Equine to race in partnership with LNJ Foxwoods, Whisper Hill Farm, and Gainesway Stable. The second dam was herself...

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Jose D'Angelo Joins TDN Writers' Room Podcast

In racing circles, trainer Jose D'Angelo might not yet be a "household name," but that's not going to last much longer. In this country for about five years, the native of Venezuela is coming off a stellar 2024 in which he won 140 races, including his first Grade I with Howard Wolowitz (Munnings) in the Aristocrat Franklin-Simpson Stakes. And it looks like 2025 might be even better. He has a stable full of potential stars that includes 'TDN Rising Star' Guns Loaded (Gun Runner), the winner of last Saturday's Mucho...

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Sikura Says Arabian Knight the Most Popular New Sire in Hill 'n' Dale History

Three years ago, John Sikura was blown away by how breeders responded to Hill 'n' Dale's new sire Charlatan, a multiple Grade I-winning son of Speightstown who bred 222 mares in his debut season. Sikura didn't expected to see demand quite like that again anytime soon, but he admits that he has been proven wrong since another Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' recently arrived at Hill 'n' Dale. Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo-Borealis Night, by Astrology), winner of the 2023 GI Pacific Classic Stakes, will stand for $30,000 in his debut...

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Week in Review: Barnes Bandwagon Approaching Capacity – Care to Hop Aboard 'Rising Star' Rodriguez Instead?

The bandwagon for Barnes was already pretty crowded heading into Saturday's GII San Vicente S. at Santa Anita. It now may be next to impossible to find a standing-room-only spot after the Bob Baffert-trained son of Into Mischief uncorked a crusher of a performance that left four rivals reeling in his 5 ½-length wake. I have no idea if the two sprint victories at the root of this $3.2 million FTSAUG colt's foundation will blossom into a blanket of roses on the first Saturday in May. I am pretty certain,...

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Coal Battle Makes Case For Derby Cinderella Story; Maragh Enjoying Gulfstream Return

Prep season for the GI Kentucky Derby is still in its earliest stages, but a couple of races over the weekend gave us some things to get excited about. It appears, in GII San Vicente Stakes winner Barnes (Into Mischief), we have an early Derby favorite that could give Bob Baffert his first official Derby win since Authentic (Into Mischief) in 2020 in what would be his return to America's most famous race after the Churchill ban. Sold for $3.2 million at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, this could be a special horse....

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Nitrogen Roars Home Late to Claim Ginger Brew at Gulfstream

Coming into this contest already dually placed at the highest level, Nitrogen (Medagalia d'Oro) turned on the nitrous in the stretch to run down her rivals and claim her first stakes victory. Last seen running third Nov. 1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf behind European powerhouse, 'TDN Rising Star', and multiple Group/Grade I winner Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), and GSW May Day Ready (Tapit), Nitrogen had earlier tried Canadian Grade I company at Woodbine. Third in the GI Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes Sept. 14 behind GISW...

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'Rising Star' Guns Loaded Hangs On To Win Mucho Macho Man

The formal kick to the Florida series saw Guns Loaded (Gun Runner) hit his mark in the nick of time to take home the 14th rendition of the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. As a juvenile, the colt debuted as the runner-up last August at Saratoga, but he donned cap and gown 2 1/2 months later with an eye-catching performance under the Twin Spires. For his efforts, he was administered the oath as the latest 'TDN Rising Star' in town. Sent to trainer Jose D'Angelo's southern...

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Rodriguez A First 'TDN Rising Star' For Authentic

Newly-turned second season sire Authentic was represented by his first 'TDN Rising Star' Saturday when Rodriguez (c, 3, Authentic--Cayala, by Cherokee Run) opened up on a maiden special weight field at Santa Anita to graduate at second asking. While only second best behind stablemate and Saturday's GII San Vicente Stakes runner up Romanesque (Practical Joke) in his debut debut going 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar Nov. 23, the 1-5 favorite clearly relished the stretch out to the mile Saturday. Drawn against the rail, he was ridden for the lead...

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'Let Them Eat Stake' As New Sophomore Colts Tuck In Saturday

With plenty of tasty birthday cake in the offing, a cadre of newly-minted 3-year-old colts have blown out their candles and are ready for stakes action across four tracks on Saturday. Leading the charge at Santa Anita is the GII San Vicente Stakes, which is the annual renewal of the seven furlong dirt race. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won 13 prior editions, including last year with Muth (Good Magic). In customary fashion, the Hall of Famer enters a pair of runners in Barnes (Into Mischief) and Romanesque...

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