Alex and JoAnn Lieblong

Reef Runner Bests Unlucky Valiant Force at Gulfstream

8th-Gulfstream, $86,940, Alw (NW1X), Opt. Clm ($75,000), 2-7, 3yo, 5fT, :54.64, fm, 3/4 length. REEF RUNNER (c, 3, The Big Beast--Paradise Bay, by Blame) was making his first start on the turf as the 15.90-1 longest shot in a field of seven and outsprinted a luckless 3-5 Valiant Force (Malibu Moon) to upset that one's seasonal debut. Ridden along from fourth by Paco Lopez, with the hot favorite underneath him, the Lieblong homebred was sent along three wide on the turn and had dead aim on pacesetting Esperon (Chitu) as...

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$2-Million Good Magic Colt Paces OBS March Tuesday

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL-The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, which had four million-dollar juveniles a year ago, has matched that mark with another day to go as a colt by Good Magic topped Tuesday's trade with a sale co-record final price of $2 million. Bob Baffert, sitting in the press box alongside Donato Lanni while on the phone with Amr Zedan, made the winning bid, which matched the $2-million price tag of Chestertown (Tapit), who sold at the auction in 2019. "It...

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Pope Strikes Again for Wicked Whisper

Whisper Hill Farm's Mandy Pope had already signed the $5-million ticket for GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) during Fasig-Tipton's Night of the Stars, and she made another high-dollar addition to her world-class broodmare band when spending $2.9 million to secure 2019 GI Frizette S. heroine Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map). Barren to Uncle Mo in her first mating, the half-sister to GSW/MGISP Point of Honor (Curlin) was carrying a first foal by that one's top sire. The Steve Asmussen-trained Wicked Whisper was a $500,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Alex and...

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Spotlight on The Night of the Stars: Wicked Whisper

Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map - Zayanna, by Bernardini) made quite an impression in Saratoga during the summer of 2019 when she cruised to a 6 1/4-length juvenile maiden win and earned 'TDN Rising Star' status. That victory was just the beginning for the striking chestnut, who went on to become a Grade I winner at two and a graded winner at three. Now, she prepares to go through the ring at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale carrying her first foal by Curlin. "Wicked Whisper has every ingredient to be a foundation...

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Outwork Filly Stays Unbeaten at Oaklawn

8th-Oaklawn, $84,000, Alw, 1-24, (NW1X), 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.89, my, 1 1/2 lengths. ABROGATE (f, 3, Outwork--Hot Coffee, by Burning Roma) became the third winner on Oaklawn's Sunday card for her owners, trainer and jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. A six-length debut winner at Churchill Nov. 12, she'd been flattered when the runner-up from that heat returned to take her next two starts and was backed down to 4-5 favoritism facing a promising group. Away well, the dark bay was content to press from second through an opening quarter of :22.78...

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Outwork Filly Runs to the Money in Sharp Debut Score at Churchill

8th-Churchill Downs, $87,037, Msw, 11-12, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.53, ft, 6 lengths. ABROGATE (f, 2, Outwork--Hot Coffee, by Burning Roma) took all the money for her debut Thursday at Churchill, broke on top and never looked back in a sharp victory, becoming the 13th winner for her streaking freshman sire (by Uncle Mo). Showing an upbeat worktab highlighted by a local five-furlong gate breeze in 1:00 2/5 (6/46) Nov. 1, the $270,000 Keeneland September grad was bet hard throughout and kicked smoothly from the stalls as a 3-2 chalk. Quickly...

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Carpe Diem Colt Impressive On the Stretchout in Hot Springs

7th-Oaklawn, $60,000, Msw, 4-11, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.41, ft. EARNER (c, 3, Carpe Diem--Devious d'Oro {SP, $169,047}, by Medaglia d'Oro) was pounded into 4-5 favoritism off a debut second to 'TDN Rising Star' and subsequent Oaklawn allowance scorer Echo Town (Speightstown) in a six-furlong Fair Grounds maiden Jan. 18 and gave trainer Steve Asmussen a rolling personal Pick 3 with a dominating maiden victory Saturday at Oaklawn Park. Drawn outside in gate 11, the chestnut raced three deep around the first turn in the second flight of horses and improved...

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