El Deal

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX--With a winning bid of $150,000 an El Deal colt, who is a full-brother to 2022 Louisiana Horse of the Year Free Like a Girl, topped the Texas Thoroughbred Association's (TTA) single-session Summer Yearling Sale at the Lone Star Park Pavilion on Monday, Aug. 26. During the sale, which included Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana-bred yearlings, 142 grossed $2,685,200 for an average of $18,910, a median of $13,000 and 45 were listed as not sold. With a smaller catalogue this year, the gross decreased from a year ago...

by Bill Finley & Patrycja Szpyra As he often does with his 2-year-olds, trainer Wesley Ward started Sam's Treasure (Munnings) off in a grass race, in this case a five-furlong maiden on May 11 at Belmont. She finished second, 2 3/4 lengths behind the winner--Cynane (Omaha Beach) had the distinction of being her sire's first winner and made an unfruitful trip to Royal Ascot--but there was nothing about the performance to suggest that she could develop into a top horse. Maybe Ward should have been thinking dirt all along. In...

2nd-Santa Anita, $64,562, Msw, 5-21, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, :53.12, ft, 5 1/2 lengths. ROYAL O'HAIGAIN (f, 2, El Deal--Dreaming of Susie {GSP}, by Cowtown Cat) posted a blazing :34 flat bullet (1/33) at Santa Anita May 17, prompting her to be backed down to 4-5 favoritism for this unveiling. Quickly to the front, the Louisiana-bred was given the go-ahead after Alexis Centeno took a quick peek under his right arm nearing the quarter pole and spurted clear turning for home. Moving with purpose from there, the bay crossed the...