Caroline Street

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Special Wan at Kentucky Downs on Saturday.   Team Valor Filly Strikes In Kentucky Team Valor International and Steven Rocco's Special Wan (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) was first past the post in a Kentucky Downs contest in her U.S. debut on Sept. 7 (video) for trainer Patrick Foley. Bred by Kilnamoragh Stud, the G3 Ballycorus Stakes second and G3 Brownstown Stakes third was a...

With the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, a bevy of graded stakes--marked by Saturday's GI Whitney S.--plus, the annual Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale which begins Monday, Upstate New York once again makes its case as the Thoroughbred fulcrum. To get the weekend started early, we have a pair of Friday graded turf stakes scheduled which will crown winners. First, the $400,000 GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. for 3-year-old fillies serves as the middle sparkler in NYRA's Fasig-Tipton Turf Tiara series. Since Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) has elected to take on the...

Entries are now open for the Irish EBF Barrier Trials at Limerick Racecourse on Monday, July 3. Operated by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) and backed by the Irish EBF and the IHRB, Trials are open to unraced 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds. This is the first time Irish EBF Barrier Trials will have been held at Limerick. The Trials will be run over 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 furlongs. Notable Trial graduates include G1 Al Quoz Sprint winner A Case Of You (Ire) and recent G3 Al Shira'aa Racing Irish EBF Blue...

Joseph O'Brien trainee Caroline Street (No Nay Never--Harvestfortheworld {Ire}, by So You Think {NZ}) was highly tried after notching a July 14 debut score at Leopardstown, with the highlight of three subsequent pattern-race starts being a second to Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in September's G2 Golden Fleece S. back at the Foxrock venue. Lining up for Saturday's G3 Al Shira'aa Racing Irish EBF Blue Wind S. coming back off a sixth in the Curragh's Sept. 22 G3 Weld Park S., she found plenty in the straight to lead...

While the world holds it breath for the upcoming Arc weekend, Sunday's action is relatively low-key with Cologne's G1 Preis von Europa the main attraction. Won last year by the rampant Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the 12-furlong test is a competitive affair this time with Godolphin's Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) looking to emulate her by adding this to his success in Hoppegarten's G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin Aug. 14. Last year's third Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}) re-enters the fray and along with Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) boosts the line-up...

The vibes were strong about Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) ahead of Saturday's G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile S. at Leopardstown and they proved correct as the son of Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) got his stable off to a strong start to Irish Champions Weekend. Fine-tuned since breaking his maiden over seven furlongs at Naas July 2, the 11-10 favourite was settled by Ryan Moore behind the leading pair early which included his stablemate and fellow TDN Rising Star Tower Of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Sent...

   It's that time of year where initial promise either fizzles out or becomes the preface to something greater and early on Saturday we get to find out what 'TDN Rising Star' Bright Diamond (Ire) (El Kabeir) is made of in Goodwood's G3 William Hill Prestige Fillies' S. This is not generally one of the big 1000 Guineas pointers, but Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), Nannina (GB) (Medicean {GB}) and Gossamer (GB) (Sadler's Wells) won it this century en route to their respective tilts at the stars and there...