Volatile

IGNITER (c, 3, Volatile--Malibu Prayer {GISW, $618,026}, by Malibu Moon), after being featured in TDN's Second Chances series, broke his maiden by a length during the Belmont At The Big A meet in late September. The homebred was off for two months, then was entered in the GII Remsen Stakes at the Big A Dec. 6 where he posted a sixth-place finish behind GII Risen Star Stakes entrant Paladin (Gun Runner) and recent Sam F. Davis Stake hero Renegade (Into Mischief). Well-backed at a shade over even-money here, the colt...

Having dealt with the rookies as a case apart, and then sought a couple of bargains at the base of the pyramid, today we move into a category that remains within the reach of many hands-on breeders--from $10,000 to $19,999--while also containing sires that can raise the bar a good deal higher. On the one hand, it includes a number of young horses still to be given adequate (if any) opportunity to show what they can do, yet already finding their books and fees eroded by still newer names. But...

A powerful winner of his three most recent appearances against softer competition, Tomoya Ozasa's T O Elvis (Volatile) made the very most of his first crack at stakes level with a visually stunning, five-length victory in Sunday's G3 Capella Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse. Perhaps a half-step slowly to begin, the lanky dark bay took up an inside position behind midfield after departing gate four and traveled hard against the steel, with jockey Katsuma Sameshima doing his level best to harness the colt's energy. Held together for the run into the...

Trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. had the spot picked out immediately following Igniter (Volatile)'s impressive maiden win going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Sept. 27. "Right away I said, 'Man, we got to sit on him and run him in the Remsen,'" Dutrow said. "'If he's looking for two turns, he's gonna be one of the ones.'" Igniter is one of 12 set for a fantastic renewal of the GII Remsen Stakes going 1 1/8 miles at the Big A Saturday. Drawn in post seven with Manny Franco in the irons,...

Hit the Bid Racing Stable's Fast Market (Volatile) came flying late to win the GIII Pebbles Stakes at Aqueduct Sunday. The bay filly took nine tries to break her maiden over the Aqueduct lawn in September, but came right back to just miss in graded company when runner-up in the Oct. 18 GII Sands Points Stakes and was favored at 3-2 to make the grade Sunday. "She's just a very nice filly," said winning trainer John Terranova. "She finally put it all together in her last few starts and it's...

Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}), the sire of 11 graded winners in 2025 (17 black-type winners in total), including three at the elite level, will stand the 2026 breeding season at Goncalo Torrealba's Three Chimneys Farm for a fee of $250,000 LFSN, the nursery announced Friday. During another banner season for his offspring at the races, Gun Runner is the sire of 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Sierra Leone, who made this year's Whitney Stakes the third Grade I success of his career and who remains on track to...

1st-BAQ, 85k, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 12:35 p.m. ET Courting (Curlin), the 2024 $5-million Keeneland September topper and full-brother to MGISW Clairiere, debuts for Whisper Hill Farm, breeder Stonestreet Stables and Windancer Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher going a one-turn mile. Produced by MGISW Cavorting (Bernardini), Courting is also a half-brother to SW La Crete (Medaglia d'Oro) and a full-brother to MGSP Judge Miller. Rebel Instinct (Into Mischief), a son of GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song) and a half-brother to two-time champion Unique Bella (Tapit), debuts...

5. DISCLAIMER, BAQ, 9/20, 1 mile (turf) (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 82 (3rd) (c, 3, by Caracaro--Tara Road, by Quality Road) O-Curragh Stables. B-Joe Jr., John and Karen Mulholland (Ky). T-John Terranova. J-Luis Rivera. As the slight 5/2 favorite after his solid 3rd at Saratoga, he ran his race on numbers but may be better than this. He and runnerup Wicked Improbable (see below) exchanged a bump at the start that appeared minor, yet both wound up farther back than expected. Next-last by 8 lengths down the backstretch, he followed...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Igniter (c, 2, Volatile)'s wide-trip, third-place finish behind 'TDN Rising Star' Golden Tornado (McKinzie) in a live maiden special weight at the Spa Aug. 9 on debut continues to look better every day. The runner-up Oscar's Hope (Twirling Candy) returned with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance on Saratoga's closing day program Sept. 1. Golden Tornado, meanwhile, is being aimed at the GI Champagne S. at Aqueduct Oct....

8th-Chukyo, ¥29,890,000 ($202,594), Allowance, 8-2, 3yo/up, 1200m, 1:11.2, ft. T O ELVIS (c, 3, Volatile--Stopshoppingdebbie {MSW, $294,728}, by Curlin) savaged the line to win for the third time in six starts while stamping himself as one to watch as a potential overseas candidate in 2026. Third to the talented and once-beaten Natural Rise (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the Cattleya Stakes (allowance), a 1600-meter contest that serves as the first leg of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, the dark bay was having his first start since thrashing a one-win...

In winning the $300,000 GIII Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis Saturday, James Bakke and Gerald Isbister's Tip Top Thomas (c, 3, Volatile--Attempt to Name, by Consolidator) may have gotten a little redemption. Last summer and fall, the sky looked like the limit for Tip Top Thomas, who was named a 'TDN Rising Star' in a hard-fought head debut in an August maiden special weight at Saratoga, then came back for a runner-up finish to another 'Rising Star', Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie), in the GI Champagne Stakes. Fourth in his maiden win...

1st-Churchill Downs, $117,975, Msw, 6-29, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:34.03, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. LEMON ZEST (f, 3, Nyquist--Larkin, by Bernardini) came into this second jump out of a live maiden on debut May 17 beneath these Twin Spires. The winner of that contest, Me and Molly McGee (Vekoma), won a first-level allowance at this venue June 22 after a prolonged duel and earned an 85 Beyer for the effort. The runner-up Spun Candy (Hard Spun) broke her maiden June 28--also at Churchill--and earned an 86 for her troubles while High...