Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners

No fewer than three fillies (Untapable, 2014; Monomoy Girl, 2018; and Serengeti Empress, 2019) have used a victory in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Presented by Fasig-Tipton as a springboard to success in the GI Kentucky Oaks, won so impressively by Rachel Alexandra in 2009. A field of 11 sophomore females will face the starter in Saturday's renewal looking to continue on the road to Louisville on the first Friday in May. Hidden Connection (Connect) has been made the 3-1 morning-line favorite, a starting price likely inflated by her draw...

With a third place effort in the Tempted S. Nov. 5 at Belmont Park the only blemish to her otherwise perfect four race record, Nest used her neck victory Dec. 4 in the GII Demoiselle S. as a springboard into the winner's circle here. Carrying great expectations as the 1-5 overwhelming favorite, Nest briefly drifted out after the break, but went into the first turn comfortably stalking from third to the outside of the field. Glued to Alittleloveandluck (Arrogate) as the pair tracked a frontrunner through a moderate pace in...

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Erik Nikolaus Del Toro, and Troy Johnson's Con Lima (Commissioner) has been named the 2021 Texas Horse of the Year by the Texas Thoroughbred Association. She was also named Champion Three-Year-Old Texas-Bred Filly for 2021 following a season that included wins in the GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational S., GIII Wonder Again S. and GIII Herecomesthebride S. Bred by Lisa Kuhlmann, the dark bay also added wins in the Ginger Brew S. and Honey Ryder S. and runner-up efforts in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S....

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest (Curlin) completed a juvenile Grade II double for trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. as she out-kicked two-for-two New York-bred Venti Valentine (Firing Line) in Saturday afternoon's GII Demoiselle S. at the Big A. It was a record seventh Demoiselle victory for Pletcher, who one race earlier sent out Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) to a similarly hard-fought score in the GII Remsen S. The Lyster family's Ashview Farm and Richard Santulli's Colts Neck Stables bred both the Remsen and...

God of Love closed stoutly to give freshman sire Cupid (Tapit) his first graded victory in the GIII Grey S. at Woodbine Sunday. The chestnut colt broke from the outside and was caught five wide into the first turn while racing towards the back of the field. He had one horse beaten down the backstretch behind an opening quarter in :24.42 and a half in :49.58, but he began inching closer approaching the far turn. Caught wide once again turning for home, God of Love stormed into contention at the...

Hard to put a price on a stallion like this. Apart from anything else, he is the parting legacy of Danzig--conceived when the great patriarch was 26--and his maternal line brings a daughter of the wartime foal My Babu (Fr) as close up as third dam. True to that venerable seeding, his stock has emulated both the class and constitution that sustained his own speed--carrying commitment on the racetrack. Though his career was compressed into barely a year, he didn't just "dance every dance," but turned the pages for the...

DEL MAR, CA - Aloha West (Hard Spun) rocketed down the Del Mar stretch to just nail Dr. Schivel (Violence) by a painful nose in an absolutely thrilling renewal of Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. Shuffled between runners and outsprinted toward the back of the pack in seventh as heavily favored star sophomore Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) was hounded through fractions of :21.91 and :44.11, Aloha West was ready to pounce in sixth as they approached the top of the stretch. The 1-2 favorite was the first to blink as...

G2 Queen Mary S. winner Quick Suzy (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) has been ruled out of Friday's GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint after spiking a temperature after arriving in California, owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners announced via Twitter on Monday. Previously trained in Ireland by Gavin Cromwell, Quick Suzy will remain in California with trainer Paddy Gallagher. Quick Suzy was purchased privately by Eclipse after breaking her maiden at The Curragh on May 3, and she finished second in their colours in the G3 Fillies Sprint S. before winning the Queen...

Kelsey Marshall Hughes has been elected to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF)'s board of directors. Hughes is vice president of partner relations for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. The New Yorker was honored with the Katherine McKee Administration Award sponsored by Keeneland as part of the 2021 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards. "I have had the pleasure of knowing Kelsey for a number of years and am thrilled that she has agreed to serve on our board," said Patrick Mackay, TRF's president and chairman. "She is totally committed to Thoroughbred aftercare and the...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations features a pair of Godolphin bluebloods at Leicester and Kempton. 1.37 Leicester, Novice, £10,000, 2yo, 8f 53yT PERSEUS WAY (IRE) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is one of two notable Godolphin newcomers on the day, being out of a half-sister to this year's G1 2000 Guineas runner-up Master...

Grade I winner Valiance (Tapit--Last Full Measure, by Empire Maker) has been retired from racing and will be offered at Fasig-Tipton's upcoming November Sale Nov. 9 in Lexington, Kentucky. Bluewater Sales will consign the 5-year-old mare for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Martin S. Schwartz, and CHC Inc. Valiance captured last year's GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland in just her second dirt start and followed up that victory with a game second in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff to multiple champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), finishing ahead of another four...

Group 2 heroine Quick Suzy (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}), who won the G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot, will not start in the Sept. 25 G1 Cheveley Park S. and instead target an Oct. 1 listed event at Dundalk prior to a run in the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar in November. Purchased privately by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners prior to her Royal Ascot heroics, the filly was second in the May 16 G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint S. and, in her only race since...