Making Waves: Preliminary On The Rise

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column covering Mar. 15-21, is highlighted by the victory of new 'TDN Rising Star' Preliminary (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in a maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park.

Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables already celebrated the victory of Equitize this past week, and the white-and-red-striped colours were back in the limelight with the 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy performance of Preliminary in the ninth race in Hallandale Beach on Thursday for trainer Chad Brown. The 11th 'Rising Star' for her Ballylinch Stud-based sire, the filly shares the same connections and sire as fellow 'Rising Star' and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Newspaperofrecord (Ire).

A 1 1/2-length scorer, the 250,000 gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling displayed a scintillating turn of foot and is the third winner from three foals out of the Dream Ahead mare Lipstick Rose (Ire). Her juvenile half-sister Pink Fizz (GB) (Masar {Ire}) hailed from the Hillwood Stud consignment during last year's October Sale, and was bought for 32,000gns, while her yearling half-brother is by fellow Ballylinch resident New Bay (GB). Preliminary, bred by Stone Roses Bloodstock, is kin to GI Hollywood Gold Cup S. hero and sire Mast Track (Mizzen Mast), as well as G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Jemayel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), and the group winners Ready To Act (More Than Ready) and Sound Money (Flatter).

Already a Making Waves series regular, Lope De Vega is enjoying a purple patch during the current winter racing season. Of his 17 American runners since Jan. 1, four (23%) have won. Two of their number are 'TDN Rising Stars', with Preliminary joining eFive Racing's Carl Spackler (Ire), and the GIII Honey Fox S. going to fellow Klaravich runner Faith In Humanity (Fr). A third 'Rising Star', Wertheimer et Frere's Algolia (Fr), earned her badge at Chantilly on Mar. 7.

All Else Being Equal

Few horses are as well-bred as Equitize (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who is out of a New Approach (Ire) half-sister to 2019 Arc hero and Ballylinch Stud stallion Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), and the Klaravich Stables colt stormed home to win a 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay grass affair as the even-money favourite by 2 1/4 lengths at first asking for Chad Brown last Wednesday (video).

The first foal out of G2 Prix de Malleret heroine Waldlied (GB), Equitize was bred by Newsells Park and Gestut Ammerland. Part of the Newsells Park draft at the 2021 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, the Book 1 alum brought 425,000 gns. His 2-year-old half-sister is by Siyouni (Fr) and hammered for 600,000gns to David Redvers as a Tattersalls October yearling, while Waldlied's latest is a full-sister to the winner.

After her racing career, Waldlied was a 2.2 million gns purchase by Jill Lamb on behalf of new Newsells Park Stud principal Graham Smith-Bernal to dissolve a partnership. Second dam Waldlerche (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) claimed the G3 Prix Penelope, and she, in turn, is a half-sister to G1 St Leger hero and sire Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}).

Just since the start of the year through Tuesday, Juddmonte's Kingman has had 13 runners and five winners (38%) Stateside. Four of the five have joined the winners' ranks with victories at either Gulfstream Park or Tampa Bay Downs.

Top O' The Heath

Heathguard (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), third in his Tampa debut in February, found state-bred competition more to his liking and ran out a one-length winner going a mile on the grass in a Gulfstream Park maiden special weight on Thursday (video).

A homebred under trainer Roy Lerman's Lambholm Stable name, the Apr. 4-born colt was a $75,000 buyback out of the OBS March Sale. From the first crop of Coolmore Stud resident Saxon Warrior, Heathguard is the second foal and first winner out of his dam, GIII Long Island H. victress Evidently (Smart Strike). The 12-year-old mare has a 2-year-old filly by City Of Light, a yearling filly by Omaha Beach, and she visited Hard Spun last spring. The extended family features GI Philip H. Iselin H. victor Taking Risks (Two Punch).

Coolmore Stud's Saxon Warrior sired his second U.S. winner with Heathguard on Thursday. His first, the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf star Victoria Road (Ire), is one of three group winners worldwide, and his three other stakes horses are all placed at group level. Looking strictly at his progeny's American performances, he now has two winners from three runners (67%), with Freydis The Red (Fr) placing at both Saratoga and last autumn's Belmont at the Big A meeting at Aqueduct.

Red Is The Colour For Showcasing Filly

Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stables silks were carried to victory by Panama Red (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) in a 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay allowance optional claimer on Friday (video). Already a listed winner in Ireland, it was the Arnaud Delacour trainee's second start in America, after running fourth in the GIII Endeavour S. in early February. The Jacksons bred and raced 2007 GI Kentucky Derby hero Barbaro (Dynaformer), and bred George Washington (Ire) (Danehill), who won the G1 2000 Guineas on the same day for the Coolmore partners.

David and Henrietta Egan of Corduff Stud and Farmleigh Bloodstock, Ltd. are listed as breeders of the Mar. 21 foal, who brought 70,000gns at Tattersalls as a yearling. Put into training with Ger Lyons for the Against All Odds Partnership, the chestnut broke her maiden at the third attempt in the August of her juvenile season. A stakes winner next out in the Listed Ingabelle S. at Leopardstown over seven furlongs, Panama Red was given a lengthy break, and, although highly regarded by her connections, finished midfield in a trio of group races in the spring of 2022, among them the Irish 1000 Guineas. Given some class relief, Panama Red was runner-up in a pair of Killarney listed stakes in July and August, respectively, before being acquired privately.

The winner is one of three from four to race for her placed dam, who has a Profitable (Ire) juvenile filly and an Acclamation (GB) yearling colt still to come. Although the family has celebrated group success in Australia and France, its biggest claim to fame is that G3 Prix de Flore heroine Allez Les Trois (Riverman), the third dam of Panama Red, is a half-sister to none other than breed-shaper Urban Sea (Miswaki), winner of the Arc and dam of stallion greats Galileo (Ire) and Sea The Stars (Ire).

The Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion Showcasing has accumulated a respectable record, and the sire of 63 stakes winners internationally is responsible for 10 winners from 20 runners Stateside (50%). Four of those 20 (20%) are black-type winners led by Grade II winners Prize Exhibit (GB), Projected (GB) and Bodhicitta (GB). Both Prize Exhibit and Bodhicitta also have Grade I placings to their names, and another filly, current 3-year-old and 'TDN Rising Star' Dramatised (Ire) who won Royal Ascot's G2 Queen Mary S., was second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland last fall.