Thursday Insights

HIGHGROVE (Frosted--Bell Court, by Street Sense), who as an 'Insight' runner went off as the 2-1 second choice here, fired out of the blocks and proceeded to make every pole a winning one through the top of the lane. The filly clearly had more left in the tank and she went on to graduate by 2 1/2 lengths over fellow first-time starter Long Term Market (McKinzie). The 'Insighted' Run Wild (Gun Runner) finished fourth. The second to the races for her dam, the winner has a yearling half-brother by Loggins...

6th-OP, $110K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 4:25 p.m. ET. FEMINISM (Curlin) makes her first start for trainer Steve Asmussen. Initially a $200,000 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling buy, the filly posted a 10 flat breeze during OBS June, then sailed through the ring to become the sales topper when Gus King took her home for $975,000. The first-time starter is out Mufajaah (Tapit), who had a fair amount of success visiting the Larry Snyder Winner's Circle at Oaklawn where she won, among other races, the GIII Bayakoa Stakes. The dam of eight...

1st-AQU, $85K, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, 12:10 p.m. ET. POMERANCE (Curlin) brought $700,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling sale. Bred & owned by partners Jeff Drown and Don Rachel, the filly is out of MGSW Pomeroys Pistol (Pomeroy), who produced current sire Thousand Words (by Pioneerof the Nile) and Sweet Pistol (Smart Strike)--the dam of 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' & GISW Faiza (Girvin). The first-timer was sent to trainer Chad Brown. TJCIS PPS 10th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 5:24 p.m. ET. An $800,000 buy during the Fasig-Tipton...

1st-CD, $141K, OC100k/C, 3yo/up, 1m, 5:00 p.m. ET. DRAGOON GUARD (Arrogate) turned in a strong 2024 campaign as the gray broke his maiden second out by 3 3/4 lengths at Keeneland in April then cleared an optional claimer at Churchill Downs in early June. The colt captured both the GIII Indiana Derby in July and the GIII West Virginia Derby in August before running third to Seize the Grey (Arrogate) in the GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx to close out his season in September. Back on the work tab at...

6th-Churchill Downs, $123,155, Alw, 5-2, (NW1X), 3yo/up, 7 1/2f, 1:27.44, ft, nose. CASTLEWARDEN (c, 4, Into Mischief--Calm Water, by Empire Maker) hit the board in his first pair of attempts last year, then punched through by 1 1/2 lengths over the Oaklawn slop Mar. 15. The 9-5 second choice tracked a pair of leaders up the backstretch. Castlewarden accelerated around the far turn and took over the lead before the top of the lane. Seemingly in control, favored Classic Legacy (Into Mischief) rallied in the stretch and the pair traded...

2nd-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo/up, f, 1mT, 1:40 p.m. ET. JUSTICE JULIA (Medaglia d'Oro) debuted a well-beaten fifth sprinting six panels at Saratoga last summer behind top two finishers Emery (More Than Ready), also a Stonestreet homebred, and eventual GIII Florida Oaks heroine Waskesiu (American Pharoah). On the work tab since late January at trainer Todd Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base, the 3-year-old is out of broodmare of the year Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy), who also produced champion 3-year-old Malathaat (Curlin) and her full-sister GSW Julia Shining. Also entered, but...

9th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 5:16 p.m. ET Fresh off his inaugural stakes win last weekend, Darby Dan's first-crop sire Copper Bullet will be represented by Winchell homebred COPPERDROP in her grassy Keeneland debut here. Out of a productive Tapit dam who is full-sister to GIII Silverbulletday S. victor War Echo as well as a half to GI Forego S. winner Pyro (Pulpit), the Steve Asmussen trainee counts TVG.com Pegasus S. hero Pneumatic (Uncle Mo) and the stakes-placed duo of Costa Terra (Gun Runner) and Echo Again (Gun...

5th-BAQ, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6fT, 3:11 p.m. Blue Devil Racing Stable purchased DREAMING OF MO (Uncle Mo) at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale for $700,000. Two years prior, the bay filly's dam Dreaming of You (Pioneerof the Nile) was sold to Phoenix Thoroughbreds with the filly in utero at the Keeneland November Sale for $500,000. Second dam General Jeanne (Honour and Glory) also produced MGSW Justwhistledixie (Dixie Union), who foaled GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero New Year's Day (Street Cry {Ire}) and three full-brothers by Tapit--MGSW Mohaymen, GSW Enforceable,...

10th-KD, $150K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 6:28 p.m. The European-style grass course situated on the Kentucky side of the southern border with Tennessee cards a maiden finale which draws $450,000 Keeneland September graduate from last year, PUBLIUS (Constitution). Bred by Twin Creeks Farm, the bay colt debuts out of Sharp Instinct (Awesome Again), who is the dam of seven winners from nine to race. The Brad Cox trainee, ridden by Florent Geroux, is a half-brother to GIII Excelsior S. hero Send It In (Big Brown). Also entered is the well-bred Tapitoro...