Talk of the Nation blew away local optional claiming foes last out Feb. 4, and did the same to stakes company here. Off as the chalk breaking from the far outside, the dark bay hopped a bit at the start but was pushed along by Samy Camacho to track from fourth while hung a bit wide. Scrubbed on to assert three deep entering the lane, he seemed to be stuck in neutral for a few strides while figuring out his leads, but as soon as he found his footing he zoomed home with a powerful burst to win going away. Mo Stash, last seen finishing fourth at almost 52-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Nov. 4, was a clear-cut second.
A $470,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream buyback last term off a :10 1/5 breeze, Talk of the Nation easily handled just two rivals while sprinting on the Big A dirt Nov. 11. Joe Allen was listed as the colt's sole owner at that point, but the China Horse Club apparently bought back in before he finished last of sixth going a mile on the Gulfstream dirt Jan. 8. He earned a strong 85 Beyer for that bounce-back effort last time Feb. 4.
China Horse Club paid $1.3 million for 2016 GII Yellow Ribbon H. winner She's Not Here that Keeneland November. The mare is out of a stakes-winning half-sister to none other than Hall of Famer Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) and MGISW Balance (Thunder Gulch). The family was in the news again recently when another half-sister to the trio produced GII Rebel S. winner Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}). She's Not Here has a 2-year-old filly by Uncle Mo and a yearling colt by Improbable. She aborted to the latter for 2023.
COLUMBIA S., $75,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 3-11, 3yo, 1mT, 1:33.45, fm.
1–TALK OF THE NATION, 120, c, 3, by Quality Road
1st Dam: She's Not Here (MGSW, $450,453),
by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Where's Bailey, by Aljabr
3rd Dam: Vertigineux, by Kris S.
($470,000 RNA 2yo '22 FTFMAR). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN.
O-Joseph Allen LLC & CHC INC.; B-Chc Inc. (KY); T-Claude R.
McGaughey III; J-Samy Camacho. $45,000. Lifetime Record:
4-3-0-0, $107,770.
2–Mo Stash, 118, c, 3, Mo Town–Making Mark Money, by
Smart Strike. ($130,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-BBN Racing, LLC;
B-Rhineshire Farm LLC (KY); T-Victoria H. Oliver. $15,000.
3–A Western Yarn, 118, c, 3, Eastwood–Basket Stitch, by
Tiznow. ($45,000 Ylg '21 EASOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Mark B.
Grier; B-Equivine Farm LLC (PA); T-Arnaud Delacour. $7,500.
Margins: 2HF, 3 1/4, HF. Odds: 1.20, 4.30, 11.20.
Also Ran: Freedom Trail, Summer Bee, Sendero, Smoke Lightening, Lights of Broadway, Naga's Boy. Scratched: Worthington.
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