In an exhibition of pure sprinting prowess, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum's Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) brought all his power to bear on his rivals on Friday to register back-to-back successes in Goodwood's G2 King George Qatar S. Despite the contrasting ground conditions to the easy turf he encountered 12 months ago and the obvious questions posed by defeat in the June 19 G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot, the bay attracted heavy support as the 8-11 favourite and was in front before he had raced two...
The 17th edition of the Claiming Crown, held Saturday at Gulfstream Park, generated total handle of $10,118,000--up 0.57% from 2014 despite rainy conditions which caused four races to be taken off the turf. Gulfstream was hosting the event for the fourth year. "We're extremely pleased with the success of Saturday's Claiming Crown," said P.J. Campo, General Manager of Gulfstream Park and Vice President of Racing for The Stronach Group. "We had big fields and tremendous participation from horsemen throughout North America. We're confident the numbers would have been even more...
Spendthrift's Goodall (f, 3, Yaupon--Moon Over Mag Bay, by Malibu Moon) made it two in a row Saturday, capturing Oaklawn Park's Purple Martin Stakes in authoritative fashion. Shipped in from Fair Grounds for the six-furlong test, Goodall was overshadowed in the wagering by 8 1/4-length track and trip debut winner River Wind (Lexitonian). The latter hopped at the break and settled in third, just to the inside of Goodall, who pressured the :21.53 and :44.70 pace set by You're in Heaven (Global Campaign) from the inside. Taken back off the...
Dahman's Emblaze (Yaupon) did plenty wrong making her belated debut in a five-furlong turf sprint to close out the Saturday program at Tampa, did her best work when it mattered most to don cap and gown at first asking. Drawn widest in a field of 10, the $350,000 OBS April graduate was forced to her outside at the break, but was angled back towards the inside by Samuel Marin and sat more or less a midfield trip, eating a fair bit of kickback. Under the pump, but going well enough...
by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - With one more million-dollar juvenile bringing its three-day total to a record-tying seven, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training concluded Thursday with its highest-ever gross and increases in both average and median from a year ago. "Gratified, pleased and happy for the consignors," OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said of the auction's record-setting results. The consignors bring the horses and the quality of the horses that they bring is what brings the prices. So I...
A colt by last year's leading freshman sire Yaupon (hip 576) was the first to hit seven figures during Thursday's third and final session at the OBS March Sale, bringing an even $1,000,000 from the Three Amigos. "I bought him for the Three Amigos," said bloodstock agent Donato Lanni. "So he's going to go to California. He was beautiful and fast and sound, came out of the work really good. These horses that bring this kind of money, they just have to do everything right. They've got to vet at...
A filly by Nyquist and colt by Yaupon realized the co-fastest eighth in :9 3/5 on Day 2 of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-year-old in Training Sale's under-tack show on Thursday. Offered as Hip 391, the day's fastest-working colt is out of unraced Stand Back (Giant's Causeway), the dam of Grade II winner Step Forward (Speightstown). The Florida-bred hails from the family of Grade I winners Cavorting (Bernardini) and Clairiere (Curlin). He is consigned by Raul and Martha Reyes' Kings Equine. "I expected something good, but we never...