TDN Rising Star

With a strong mid-race move, JONATHAN'S WAY (Vekoma) took command at the top of the Saratoga stretch and came home impressively, becoming the second 'TDN Rising Star' and 15th overall winner for freshman sire Vekoma (by Candy Ride {Arg}). Facing a pair of well-backed stablemates in the coupled entry of Moment's Notice (More Than Ready) and $1.35m KEESEP first-timer Sansone (Uncle Mo), Jonathan's Way broke from the outer half of the gate in line with the field but got squeezed back to last in the first few jumps and had...

Cheveley Park Stud's Chancellor (GB) (Kingman {GB}) collected a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette at Doncaster last month, before hitting the board in Ascot's Listed Pat Eddery Stakes, and regained the winning thread with an impressive 3 1/4-length tally in Saturday's British EBF Future Stayers Novice Stakes upon his return to Town Moor. The well-backed 8-13 favourite, who is a homebred son of GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Queen's Trust (GB) (Dansili {GB}), was the slowest of four into stride and recovered to claim an early advantage at...

Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's 'TDN Rising Star' and G1 Prix de Diane fourth Aventure (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Balladeuse {Fr}, by Singspiel {Ire}), who had dazzled with a seven-length triumph in June's G3 Prix de Royaumont, bounce back in style and surged from last to first for a second pattern-race success in Saturday's G2 Prix de Pomone at Deauville. The 3-5 favourite, the lone sophomore in a seven-strong field, was tucked in behind all six rivals upon leaving the stalls and employed patient tactics racing off a sedate tempo for...

The absence of the 'Grizzly Bear' has not put a damper on Saturday's GI Alabama Stakes, neither for the connections in it nor likely for the betting public, but despite Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) being the class of the field, it's not as cut and dry of an affair. Currently sitting cosy at 7-5 on the morning line, Candied is deservedly the one to beat as victory in the GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes, a third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, and a gutsy second to 'TDN Rising Star'...

Making an instant impact in Thursday's Arqana Series Des Poulains at Deauville, Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald and John Baxter's Maranoa Charlie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Koubalibre {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) became his sire's ninth TDN Rising Star. Out of a half-sister to the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the €220,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate soon had control on the front end under Aurelien Lemaitre. Sent into the clear passing the furlong pole, the Christopher Head-trained 23-10 favourite registered an impressive 3 1/2-length success from Mighty Boy...

Three 'TDN Rising Star' debutants last weekend followed up in graded stakes to confirm their place among the leading juveniles of the summer. Two were by established big guns Uncle Mo and Curlin. But GIII Sorrento Stakes winner Nooni is by a $5,000 Florida rookie who had already that day celebrated his first black-type winner, by nearly five lengths, in his backyard at Gulfstream. That's some day at the office for Win Win Win, and confirms the contrasts emerging from the early skirmishes in the freshman table. Obviously the cavalries...

Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) leads the Timeform juveniles as the highest rated this season with a 116p, and the fillies are dominating the pecking order. A 9 1/2-length winner of the Listed Chesham Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting, and producing another dominating display July 25 en route to victory in the G3 Jockey Club of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes, the 'TDN Rising Star' is the highest rated 2-year-old and her stablemate multiple Group-winning Fairy Godmother (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) picks up the joint second spot with a...

He faced just three rivals but, with the way he ran, Getaway Car (Curlin) looked as though a full field wouldn't be a problem in taking the GIII Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar Sunday afternoon. Honored as a 'TDN Rising Star' for his 3 1/4-length debut performance over five furlongs July 20, the 1-5 favorite had an extra furlong to work with in the jump up to graded stakes company for trainer Bob Baffert. Keen from the outside gate, Getaway Car had plenty of speed to clear down to...

Runners gearing up towards the GI FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic worked over the weekend with three weeks to the big race. Last year's winner, 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) may not return to defend his title after finishing fourth in the GII San Diego per trainer Bob Baffert. "He's doing fine," Baffert said. "But I don't know what I'm going to run in the Pacific Classic." Meanwhile Subsanador (Fortify), one of two Argentine-breds thought to be headed to the Pacific Classic, will instead run in the GIII Iselin...

GI Blue Grass Stakes winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) returned to the work tab Sunday morning for trainer Chad Brown ahead of an expected next start in the GI DraftKings Travers Stakes Aug. 24. The $2.3m FTSAUG grad, last seen second to another 'Rising Star' and champion in Fierceness (City of Light) in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes July 27, covered a solo half mile in :49 flat over the Oklahoma training track. "He worked super," said Brown. "He's come out of his last race well...

'TDN Rising Star' Showcase (c, 2, Uncle Mo--Buy Sell Hold, by Violence), a runaway debut winner going 5 1/2 furlongs downstate at the Big A July 6, muscled his way out for racing room in the stretch and stayed perfect in style going an additional furlong in Saturday's GII Saratoga Special Stakes. The 3-1 chance traveled nicely in an inside fifth through an opening quarter in :21.85. All dressed up with nowhere to go at the top of the lane, Irad Ortiz, Jr. finally found a narrow seam and shifted...

As a heralded and unbeaten member of the dominant 2-year-old fillies' division entering Saturday's G1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh, Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}--Pavlosk, by Arch) was always going to be a force to be reckoned with and in the event she was too much for Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) to handle in the first major clash of the sexes in this age group. Surrendering a length and a half from the gates to the Ballydoyle representative, the Ger Lyons-trained G3 Anglesey Stakes winner...