Ten Sovereigns (Ire)

In her second start since topping the 2025 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale at a cool $3.7-million, Lush Lips (Ire) brought her winning streak to three in a row Saturday, capturing the GIII Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream Park in her first run against older fillies and mares. Debuted initially in her native Ireland, Saturday's 8-5 favorite really found her footing once shipped to Brendan Walsh's operation in late 2024. She's never been off the board since that maiden-breaking score at Gulfstream, winning five of eight starts and finishing runner...

Lush Lips (GB) (f, 3, Ten Sovereigns {Ire}--Lamyaa {GB}, by Arcano {Ire}), winner of last month's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. at Keeneland, brought a sale-leading $3.7 million from Dixiana Farm at Keeneland November Tuesday. Lush Lips (Hip 129), campaigned in partnership by Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Hoffman Thoroughbreds, LLC, Mrs. Paul Shanahan and Mrs. M. V. Magnier and trained by Brendan Walsh, was consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent CLXXXIX. Lush Lips was an £82,000 yearling purchase by Avenue Bloodstock, Medallion Racing,...

Karl Burke trainee Half Sovereign (Ten Sovereigns) had bagged four of six prior starts and was rewarded for earlier groundwork with a first black-type success in Monday's G3 Prix Miesque at Chantilly. "She was very good as we weren't convinced she wants really soft ground, although she's got a bit of form with give in it," said Burke. "I don't know what the strength of the race was, but she did it nicely. We couldn't believe at the time we got her for that [12,000gns] price, to be honest. We...

Velocity is defined as the speed of an object going in a given direction, and the aptly named Velocity (Nyquist) proved to be moving fastest as she snuck up the fence to post a monster 35-1 upset in the GI Del Mar Oaks. A photo finish specialist with two victories by a combined margin of barely half a head, the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners colorbearer came into the race with a nose victory July 20 over this course against optional claiming company. She'd tried graded company for the first time two...

Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), a perfect three-for-three this term, headed by a win in the GI American Turf S. at Churchill Downs, will be heavily favored in Friday's GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S., a one-mile inner turf test for sophomores at Saratoga. A winner of six-of-seven career starts, the lone blemish on Zulu Kingdom's resume is a seventh-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar. The 6-5 morning-line favorite, campaigned in partnership by Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, William Strauss...

Two months after he won the newly upgraded GI American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs as the favorite and a week after he was scratched out of the doubly rescheduled, weather-impacted GIII Penn Mile, Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (r, 3, Ten Sovereigns {Ire}--Zindziswa, by Smart Strike) was back in the winner's circle, capturing Saratoga's $200,000 GIII Manila Stakes Friday. Owned by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss, and Michael J. Caruso, Zulu Kingdom is now five for six since coming stateside and six for seven overall. The cut back in distance...

It's exceedingly rare to see a Kentucky Derby point race run on a Tuesday, but thanks to a week of catastrophic weather in the Commonwealth, that's what is happening at Keeneland as a field of seven line up to contest the last of the major Derby preps--the GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes. On the rail, and fortuitously drawn to the inside of a closer, is 'TDN Rising Star' River Thames (Maclean's Music). With the small field, the speedster will likely encounter considerably less traffic trouble than that post position would...

   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 the No Nay Never filly Bunratty Manor.   No Nay Never Filly Third Time Lucky It took three tries, but Bunratty Manor (Ire) (No Nay Never) secured her first career victory at Gulfstream Park for Three Diamonds Farm on Mar. 9 (video). Trained by Rusty Arnold, the bay was bred by Yulong Investments (Australia) in Ireland. The first foal out of Sapphire Ring...

The accomplished juvenile Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), unraced since finishing seventh in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last Nov. 1, made a triumphant start to his 3-year-old campaign under Flavien Prat. Victorious in his Jun. 4 Saint-Cloud debut for trainer Andre Fabre, he next resurfaced at Saratoga with a win in the Aug. 29 GIII With Anticipation Stakes before stepping up to prevail in the Sept. 28 GII Pilgrim Stakes during the Belmont At The Big A meet. After a steady string of workouts on both dirt...

   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 Cat Eyes in Florida.   The Florida Place To Be JDT Racing's Cat Eyes (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) put an eighth-place debut run at Tampa firmly in the rear view with a victory for Brendan Walsh at Gulfstream on Jan. 5 (video). Bred by Bill Crager, the dark bay daughter of Bodak (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was a €65,000 purchase by JRSA from the...

Ten Sovereigns (Ire) will stand at Turkey's Celikoglu Stud beginning in 2025. The 8-year-old son of No Nay Never was purchased by bloodstock agent Cem Ozbelge on behalf of Turkish owner/breeder Ali Celikoglu. Ozbelge also purchased Broome (Ire) last year. A winner of the G1 Middle Park Stakes at two and the G1 July Cup at three, Ten Sovereigns has sired 81 winners from 177 runners with six stakes winners. The GII Pilgrim Stakes and GIII With Anticipation Stakes hero Zulu Kingdom (Ire) and G3 Cornwallis Stakes hero Inquisitively (GB)...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This column is highlighted by the victory of Serving Time at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Third Time's The Charm For Serving Time Breeders' Cup-winning trainer Cherie DeVaux saddled Serving Time (GB) (Without Parole {GB}) to win at third asking at the Fair Grounds on Nov. 23 (chart). Owned by John Gunther, Eurowest Bloostock and Borders Racing Stable, the 2-year-old filly became the 12th winner for her first-season sire (by Frankel...