Caramel Swirl

There was fast action and drama galore, and like all the best thrillers, it ended with a plot twist. Caramel Swirl (Union Rags) had been keeping good company in her last two starts, but by the end of a wild running of the GII Gallant Bloom S., her losing streak would be over via the double disqualification of Sterling Silver (Cupid) and Headland (Paynter), both of whom would be placed behind her. Company doesn't come tougher than two Champions, and that is exactly who Caramel Swirl had to contend with...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When three veteran turf writers approached him at his Saratoga barn last week, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott impishly decided to reverse roles. Before the journalists were able to offer more than a hello, Mott started asking pretty much the same questions he knew were coming his way. For several seconds, the interviewee was the light-hearted interviewer. Mott knows the drill. He has been training horses since he was a teenager in Mobridge, South Dakota, was inducted into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of...

9th-BEL, $90K, Msw, 3yo/up, f, 7fT, 5:12 p.m. The first foal out of GIII Go for Wand H. heroine Indulgent, MAY FANE (Uncle Mo) dons the royal blue as a Godolphin homebred for trainer Bill Mott. Indulgent is herself a daughter of Fast Cookie, making her a half-sister to MGISW and Darley stallion Frosted (Tapit) and to the dam of GSW/GISP Caramel Swirl (Union Rags). Third dam Fleet Lady, also a graded-stakes winner herself, produced champion 2-year-old colt Midshipman (Unbridled's Song). Further down in the family are MGISP Solomini (Curlin),...

3rd-Keeneland, $100,000, Msw, 4-12, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:10.58, ft, 7 lengths. AMARETTI (f, 4, Bernardini--Caramel Snap, by Smart Strike), last seen a debut second June 5 at Belmont, returned to the races in this spot as the even-money favorite. Tracking just to the inside of pacesetter The Princess Says (Collected), the homebred shot through an opening along the rail into the far turn and never looked back in a seven length romp over the pursuing Kid's Last Laugh (Practical Joke). The filly's GSW second dam Fast Cookie (Deputy Minister) is...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-ELP, $60K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 4:10 p.m.    Godolphin and trainer Brad Cox take the wrapper off homebred LAST COOKIE (Bernardini) Friday at Ellis Park, a son of MGSP Fast Cookie (Deputy Minister) making him a half-brother to MGISW & Darley stallion Frosted (Tapit) and GSW Caramel Swirl (Union Rags). He is also a full-brother to GSW Indulgent. Fast Cookie herself is a half-sister to MGISW & sire Midshipman (Unbridled's Song) and to the dam of MGISP Solomini (Curlin). TJCIS PPs

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-BEL, $90K, MSW, 3yo/up, f, 6f, 2:32 p.m. Godolphin takes the wraps off 3-year-old filly AMARETTI (Bernardini) Sunday. The homebred is out of the Smart Strike mare Caramel Snap, herself a half-sister to MGISW and Darley stallion Frosted (Tapit) and from the family that produced MGISW Midshipman (Unbridled's Song) and MGISP Solomini (Curlin). Amaretti is a half-sister to GII Lexus Raven Run S. winner Caramel Swirl (Union Rags). She's been working over the Belmont training track, going five furlongs from the gate in a bullet...

Caramel Swirl got just the better of an enervating final-furlong tussle in Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland, dropping her nose down on the line just ahead of the over-achieving Joy's Rocket to earn her first stakes and graded stakes victory. The 33-10 second betting choice behind her Bill Mott stablemate Obligatory (Curlin), Caramel Swirl settled just behind midfield and raced three off the inside beneath Junior Alvarado before committing to a wide run around the turn. In hand approaching the quarter pole, she was angled six deep...

A wide-open field of 13 sophomore filly sprinters will line up for Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland. 'TDN Rising Star' Souper Sensational (Curlin) enters in good form in her last three starts since receiving a freshening. A powerful winner of Belmont's GIII Victory Ride S. July 10, the Live Oak colorbearer followed with a second-place finish behind likely GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint second choice Bella Sofia (Awesome Patriot) in the GI Longines Test S. Aug. 7 and repeated that same position behind the streaking...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-BEL, $63K, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, post time: 2:30 p.m. ET The product of two of Stonestreet Farm's best, top and bottom, MALATHAAT (Curlin) gets her career underway for Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher. The Mar. 7 foal, a $1.05 million acquisition at Keeneland September last fall, is the first to race out of Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy), one of two 'TDN Rising Stars' produced by MGISW Dream Rush (Wild Rush), who was acquired by Stonestreet for $3.3 million at the...