War Front

Is the grass really greener on the other side of the fence? That's certainly a plausible inference, looking at the latest Grade I event staged on American turf. Of the seven fillies and mares contesting the Just A Game S. at Belmont on Saturday, four were bred in Europe; and three of those also started their track careers there. Moreover the solitary American winner at Royal Ascot was actually bred and raised in Ireland, and exported only last fall from Tattersalls. It stands to reason, of course, if European blood...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a half-brother to Horse of the Year and leading sire Kingman. 1.40 Newmarket, Novice, £6,400, 2yo, f, 7fT WEDDING DANCE (IRE) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) cost 600,000gns at the Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale and starts out for Charlie Appleby taking on four experienced rivals. She is...

Fifth on debut over six furlongs at Naas June 8, Battleground (War Front) took a step forward to win the Listed Chesham S. as the 11-4 favourite for a 73rd Royal winner for Aidan O'Brien. Always travelling strongly tracking the pace under Ryan Moore, the first foal out of the brilliant Arc heroine Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) took over from March Law (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and stayed on strongly to beat that rival by 2 1/2 lengths, with the sole filly Seattle Rock (GB) (Fastnet...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-BEL, $64K, Msw, 2yo, 5fT, 1:15 p.m. ET International star sire power will be on display in Friday's opener at Belmont, as Coolmore unveils RIVER TIBER (War Front) against Gary Barber's Mrs Frankel (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and six other juveniles in this intriguing turf sprint, the first 2-year-old turf race in New York this year. River Tiber, a $500,000 Keeneland September buy, is a full-brother to 2015 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Hit It a Bomb and 2016 G1 Cheveley Park S. victress Brave...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Insights features the first foal out of a full-sister to Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 12:40 Chantilly, Debutantes, €22,000, 2yo, c/g, 7f (AWT) VALDARANN (FR) (Siyouni {Fr}) is an early starter for His Highness Aga Khan and the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained colt is a significant one being out of a...

Irish racing returned with a bang as Susan Magnier's More Beautiful (War Front), a half-sister to MG1SW sire Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact), powered into the ranks of TDN Rising Stars with an impressive 3 1/2-length debut victory in Monday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over five furlongs at Naas. The 11-4 favourite made a fast getaway and was in the vanguard throughout. Cruising into an outright lead passing the quarter-mile marker, she quickened in style approaching the final furlong and lengthened clear under mild coaxing in the closing...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Monday's Insights features the first foal of MG1SW Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 12.15 Haydock, Novice, £6,400, 2yo, 6fT MESHAKEL (IRE) (Shamardal) is another off the Mark Johnston production line which has been working highly efficiently since Monday, with Salem Rashid bin Ghadayer's March-foaled chestnut another Royal Ascot aspirant having...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Monday's Insights features a full-sibling to MG1SW Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 5.40 Newcastle, Mdn, £5,400, 3yo/up, 10f 42y (AWT) DREAM WITH ME (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) represents a new link-up between Saeed Suhail and Mark Johnston and is a significant member of the British racing season's opening cast on...

Dispatched the 13-10 favorite for Saturday's featured Sunshine Forever S. at Gulfstream Park, Halladay (War Front) enjoyed a fairly soft time of things from the front beneath Luis Saez and proved not for catching, reporting home a 1 1/4-length winner from Aquaphobia (Giant's Causeway). Social Paranoia (Street Boss), last-out winner of the GIII Appleton H. Mar. 28, completed a 1-3 finish for the Todd Pletcher barn. Halladay hit the ground running and took some token pressure from a hard-held El Tormenta (Stormy Atlantic) and a three-wide Admission Office (Point of...

Spendthrift Farm's newly retired Omaha Beach, the three-time Grade I-winning 3-year-old by War Front, had his first mare confirmed in foal Tuesday. Theyskens' Theory, a Grade III-winning juvenile and multiple Grade I-placed daughter of Bernardini, checked in foal at Claiborne Farm in Paris, KY. A half-sister to champion 2-year-old Stevie Wonderboy (Stephen Got Even), Theyskens' Theory is owned by Andrew Rosen's AR Enterprises LLC. Omaha Beach retired to Spendthrift last month. An earner of $1,651,800, Omaha Beach is out of the Seeking the Gold mare Charming, making him a half-brother...

It's not just the number of stakes winners; it's also the quality and the rate at which they're sired that determines the best stallions in the land. In the modern world of breeding with larger books, 10% stakes winners from runners has perhaps become the new norm for greatness, rather than the 10% stakes winners to foals of yesterday. It is interesting to note that the great Northern Dancer sired 23% stakes winners from foals and 29% stakes winners from runners in an era when 40 mares in a book...

Trainer Patrick Biancone has been down this road before. That is, the road to the Triple Crown. A Grade I winner at two and three, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Lion Heart finished second, 2 3/4 lengths behind victor Smarty Jones in the 2004 GI Kentucky Derby. Fast forward to 2020, Biancone has not one but two chances to go one better on the first Saturday in May. Few will argue that the current star of the barn is recent GIII Sam F. Davis S. scorer Sole Volante (Karakontie {Jpn}),...