Always Dreaming

8th-Churchill Downs, $125,785, Alw, 5-21, (NW1X), 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:15.88, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. SAUDI CROWN (c, 3, Always Dreaming--New Narration, by Tapit) was sparkling in his debut Apr. 16 at Keeneland last month when he kicked away by 4 3/4 lengths. That contest included the winner of race seven Sunday afternoon, Briterdayzahead (Girvin), who was third. Looking to clear the next condition here, the 1-2 heavy favorite showed speed early and despite receiving pressure from Sweet Cherry Pie (Twirling Candy) into the far turn--the half was a brisk :45.01--the...

6th-Keeneland, $96,906, Msw, 4-16, 3yo, 6f, 1:10.01, ft, 4 3/4 lengths. SAUDI CROWN (c, 3, Always Dreaming--New Narration, by Tapit), let go at 5-1, chased pacesetting favorite Briterdayzahead (Girvin) while four wide through an opening quarter in :22.29. Some two lengths back following a half in :45.25, the gray colt reeled in the pacesetter with a furlong to run and strode clear with authority to win by 4 3/4 lengths. Wild Thinker (Lord Nelson) chased him home in second, while Briterdayzahead was third. Salde Callaghan purchased Saudi Crown for $45,000...

 Since breaking his maiden at second asking in a 9 3/4 length gate-to-wire romp at Thistledown July 12, Grand Isle stayed in state-bred company and jumped up to the stakes ranks with a pair of back-to-back second-place efforts in the Hoover S. and the Best of Ohio Cleveland Kindergarten S. Aug. 13. Making his first start since then, and his first start at Mahoning Valley, Saturday's 6-1 shot rated kindly off the early pace from fifth before gradually making up ground up the backstretch run. As room opened along the...

2nd-KEE, $100k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:31p.m. ET Conditioner Brendan Walsh sends out a blue-blooded filly here in HUMBLING (Quality Road), who lays claim to a stellar female family which includes 'TDN Rising Star', GISW (and eventual producer of 'Rising Stars') Hot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union) and GI Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (Bodemeister). The former has a pair of talented offspring to her credit when counting GISW Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) and GSP Union Jackson (Curlin). Humbling, a $1 million FTSAUG purchase by Jeff Drown and Michael Ryan in 2021,...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 2:51 p.m. EDT Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's $725,000 KEESEP acquisition MINDTAP (Tapit) makes his career bow in this spot for trainer Todd Pletcher. Hailing from the same breeding program that produced unbeaten sensation Flightline (Tapit), the gray is a half to MGISW Curalina (Curlin), who summoned $3 million from Shadai Farm at the 2016 FTKNOV Sale. Summer Wind Farm's Jane Lyon purchased their Grade II-winning dam Whatdreamsrmadeof for $1.65 million at that same auction carrying a full-sibling to...

7th-Churchill Downs, $92,690, Msw, 6-26, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:05.44, ft, neck. MARDUKAS (c, 2, Always Dreaming--Blue Kisses, by Pulpit) pulled off a 44-1 shocker to become his freshman sire (by Bodemeister)'s first winner in his second career start, a notable improvement from his prior effort at track and trip when he finished seventh June 8. Tracking from third on the fence early, he rode the saved ground into the lane after a :46.24 half, and prevailed late by a neck in a long drive for home. Cortese (Speightster) followed him...

Speightstown will head the roster at WinStar Farm in 2022 with a fee of $90,000, stands and nurses, the same fee for which he stood in 2021. Right behind the chestnut is Constitution, North America's second-leading third-crop sire, who will stand for $85,000 S&N, also the same as 2021. Among notable changes on the 18-horse roster, More Than Ready gets a trim from $65,000 to $50,000. "Our 2022 roster is suited for breeders at every level," said Elliott Walden, WinStar's president, CEO, and racing manager. "Speightstown, Constitution, and More Than...

A total of 308 horses have been cataloged for the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale, to be held Sunday and Monday, Aug. 15 and 16 in the Humphrey S. Finney Sales Pavilion on the sales grounds in Saratoga Springs, New York. The New York-bred sale returns to its normal spot on the sales calendar after COVID-19 caused the New York-bred yearlings to be sold at the Selected Yearling Showcase in Lexington last September. "We are thrilled to be conducting this sale back in Saratoga Springs--where it belongs--following last year's cancellation...

As we all know, the more a stallion has to prove, the more the market indulges him. As each intake shows more of its hand, however, breeders become progressively more nervous of young sires disproving judgements that are themselves typically more concerned with the anticipation of demand at the sales, than of any potency they may (or may not) be able to recycle on the track. In this third instalment of our survey, then, we begin our descent of the slippery slope with the first group to offer a hint...

He's out there right now, hiding in plain sight. Very possibly running today; otherwise, last weekend or the next one. Yet even from the few animals retaining real credibility--by now perhaps no more than three or four dozen--not many of us would feel terribly confident about naming the 146th winner of the Kentucky Derby. So let's just take a moment to reflect again how extraordinary was the man who was able to sieve the 142nd and 143rd winners from crops of 11,000-12,000 (and that's just colts) foaled in North America...

Breeder, consignor and Dromoland Farm owner Gerry Dilger passed away very early Wednesday morning. The 61-year-old had been hospitalized in the ICU since suffering from cardiac arrest Feb. 24, confirmed Dilger's longtime friend and business partner Mike Ryan. "We were best friends for over 40 years," Ryan said. "It is quite sudden and a big shock to us all. He was a very, very kind man and did so much for so many people. He would give you the shirt off his back. Gerry took tremendous personal pride in bringing...

Always Dreaming (Bodemeister-Above Perfection, by In Excess {Ire}), the 2017 GI Kentucky Derby winner, was represented by his first foal Monday, Jan. 6, when Lemon Liqueur (Exchange Rate) delivered a filly at Delia Nash's Dromingrove Farm. Bred by Nash, the filly is the third produce from Lemon Liqueur, a multiple stakes-placed half-sister to GISP Nan (High Yield), dam of Grade III winner Power Gal (Jpn) (Empire Maker). "She is very attractive just like her daddy," Nash said. "We are very pleased with her. She has all the attributes you hope...