Charlie Appleby

On the heels of a breakout performance from his juvenile filly Hidden Connection (Connect) in Saturday's GIII Pocahontas S. at Churchill, trainer Bret Calhoun joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Wednesday morning to talk about his new barn star, upcoming career milestones, the closure of his old home track Arlington Park this weekend and more. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Calhoun was asked about how Hidden Connection's 9 1/4-length tour de force beneath the Twin Spires compared to his expectations for...

Stepping off a 3 1/2-length Doncaster nursery handicap victory earlier this month, Godolphin's 2-year-old colt Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was in command throughout Thursday's G3 Tattersalls S. at Newmarket and registered another clear-cut success at the expense of Coolmore and Westerberg's French raider Trident (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in his fifth consecutive start at the seven-furlong distance. He had earlier backed up a July 1 debut fifth at Haydock with a July 24 breakthrough score at Newmarket's Summer course and posted an Aug. 8 conditions second to the reopposing...

Andre Fabre has long considered Newmarket to be a happy hunting ground and it is significant that the master of Chantilly is at the old "Headquarters" on Thursday for the G3 Tattersalls S. Thirty years ago, Tertian (Danzig) came for this specific race and duly landed the odds and this time it is Trident (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) who is lined up for the seven-furlong prize representing Messrs Smith, Magnier, Tabor and Westerberg. Runner-up in the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville Aug. 22, the bay can only improve over this...

Those who work in racing know all too well the endless hours devoted to getting horses ready for the racecourse, and fans of the sport were able to see that for themselves during the first National Racehorse Week in Britain. The brainchild of National Hunt trainer Richard Phillips, the inaugural week-long spotlight on the racing industry included racing stables being open to the public all over the country, starting at Epsom and Malton, and culminating in Newmarket's popular Henry Cecil Open Weekend. It can be deemed a huge success. This...

Off at a skinny 65 cents on the dollar--unsurprising given the incredible success of his stablemates over the weekend--Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) bombed the break in a way similar to the way Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) did in the Natalma S. one race prior, and similar to that one, overcame that trouble to post a cozy victory in the GI Summer S. at Woodbine. The win gives Albahr an all-fees-paid berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar Nov. 5 and provides a potent 1-2 punch...

Godolphin's Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) became the first North American top-level winner for her superstar Banstead Manor-based stallion, overcoming an eventful start before storming home through the final furlong to prove much-the-best in the GI Natalma S. Sunday at Woodbine. With the victory, Wild Beauty earns herself a spot in the field for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar Nov. 5. After sharing favoritism with Saratoga raider and chief market Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) for the bulk of the wagering, Wild Beauty tightened into...

The Week In Review, by Bill Finley The Breeders' Cup announced Saturday that it had begun a review process to determine whether or not trainer Bob Baffert will be allowed to compete in this year's championship event. The outcome of that review is pending. "The Breeders' Cup Board has commenced a review process as to whether Bob Baffert will be permitted to participate in this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships," read a statement from the Breeders' Cup. "The process will include an opportunity for Mr. Baffert to present his case...

Charlie Appleby makes the trip across the pond with a strong chance to earn a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf when he sends out Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in Woodbine's GI Summer S. Sunday. Graduating at second asking at Haydock June 9, the Godolphin homebred followed suit with a decisive score at that oval July 17 and captured the Stonehenge S. at Salisbury Aug. 20. Frankie Dettori also makes the trip to Canada to ride. Mark Casse has won this event four times, including...

Three years ago, the Godolphin-owned and Charlie Appleby-conditioned La Pelosa (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) used placings in the Listed Star S. and in the G3 Sweet Solera S. as a stepping-stones to victory in the GI Natalma S. at Woodbine. Connections will be hoping that lightning strikes twice Sunday with Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who has charted precisely the same course into the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf at Del Mar Nov.5. Whereas La Pelosa finished third in the Star S....

One of three overseas raiders in the field of eight, Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) looks to ring up another big race in the Empire State for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby in Saturday's $1-million Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. at Belmont, which offers the winner an all-expenses paid trip to the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar Nov. 6. It has been something of an up-and-down season for the homebred full-brother to MG1SW Wild Illusion (GB), runner-up to Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) in the 2018 GI Breeders' Cup...

Walton Street (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), still lightly raced as a 7-year-old, is pegged as the 8-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday's GI Pattison Canadian International S. going a full circuit of the E. P. Taylor turf course at Woodbine. And if his current form is anything to go by, they might all be running for second prize money. The bay gelding, Group 3-placed in France in 2019, closed an abbreviated 6-year-old campaign with a victory in the Listed Godolphin S. at Newmarket and resumed witha five-length tally in the Listed...

Godolphin's annus mirabilis shows no sign of halting, with Wednesday's "Breeders' Day" card at Sandown playing host to one of the operation's more promising juveniles seen out so far. Debuting over a mile on soft ground in the Time Test EBF Novice S., the Charlie Appleby-trained colt Goldspur (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) streaked to a 6 1/2-length success to become the 16th TDN Rising Star by his sire sensation. Out of the G2 Lancashire Oaks and G3 Prix Minerve winner Pomology (Arch), the bay raced in second throughout the early stages...