By Brian DiDonato
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency
2nd-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1m, 12:20 p.m. ET
Tap the Faith (Tapit), the fifth-priciest lot at last year's Keeneland September sale when she cost $1.25 million, makes her debut here for Manzanita Stables and trainer Christophe Clement. The rail-drawn bay is the second foal out of 2015 GI Alabama S. winner Embellish the Lace (Super Saver), who China Horse Club purchased for $2.4 million at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Embellish the Lace's first foal, a still-unraced 3-year-old filly by Pioneerof the Nile, was a $700,000 yearling herself. Embellish the Lace is half to GI Travers S. winner Afleet Express (Afleet Alex) from the family of GI Florida Derby winner Materiality (Afleet Alex), et al.
A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo) comes in off a third-place run behind Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) in the GI Frizette S. over track and trip Oct. 3. The $400,000 KEESEP yearling, out of GSP juvenile turfer Margaret Reay (Pioneerof the Nile), flew home from far back to finish third beaten a half-length in a Saratoga sprint maiden special weight Aug. 29. Winner Gerrymander (Into Mischief) finished one spot and three lengths ahead of her in the Frizette, while runner-up Distinctlypossible (Curlin) was second in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. as a maiden. TJCIS PPs
5th-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 1:45 p.m. ET
Peter Brant's Nabokov (Uncle Mo) is one of a number of pricey and/or well-bred colts signed on here. The $775,000 KEESEP pick-up is a full to GSW/MGISP Mopotism out of a half-sister to the good MGSW sprinter Songster (Songandaprayer). He's bred on the same Uncle Mo–Bernardini cross as GISW Mo Town and GSW Modernist.
Beyond Best (Curlin) was one of the many purchases by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable at last year's Keeneland September sale and the $400,000 acquisition shows up here co-owned by Woodford Racing. He is out of MSP Value Stream (A.P. Indy), a $675,000 yearling herself who hailed from the important family of Gold Beauty, Dayjur, Maplejinsky, Sky Beauty. This Curlin–A.P. Indy cross is also a potent one, having produced the likes of highest-level winners Malathaat, Global Campaign and Idol.
The similarly bred Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider homebred Authorize (Curlin) is out of 2012 GII Pocahontas S. winner Sign (Pulpit), whose half-sister Vexed (Arch) took the GII Golden Rod S. the following year. Courtlandt Farm's Citizen Mack (Quality Road) looks to step forward from a fourth-place debut showing for the always patient Shug McGaughey barn. The $950,000 September grad is the first foal out of debut-winning sprinter Rutile (Medaglia d'Oro), a half-sister to GI Kentucky Derby upsetter Giacomo (Holy Bull), MGISW Tiago (Pleasant Tap) and GSW/MGISP Stanwyck (Empire Maker). Gunton Roe (Gun Runner) was a $300,000 KEEJAN short yearling. His stakes-placed dam is a half to MGSW/MGISP mostly European runner Tazeez (Silver Hawk). TJCIS PPs
10th-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 5:36 p.m. ET
Regally bred Tap for Me (Tapit) makes a belated debut for her breeder Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm, which purchased two-time champion female sprinter and dual GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint heroine Groupie Doll (Bowman's Band) for $3.1 million at the 2013 Keeneland November sale. Tap for Me has two full siblings who won maiden special weights but have not show ability close to that of their dam. TJCIS PPs
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