first time starter

6th-SA, $54K, Msw, 3-5yo, 5 1/2f, 6:30 p.m. ET. PARENTING (Justify) debuts for Gandharvi LLC., who purchased the colt at last year's OBS April Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale for $750,000. The Bob Baffert trainee's dam is a half-sister to Canadian champion turf male El Tormenta (Stormy Atlantic) and GSW Zero Tolerence (Mizzen Mast). The other half of the Baffert uncoupled entry is first time starter Middleburg (Tapit). A $485,000 buy for SF Bloodstock, Starlight and Madaket at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale, the gray is out of MGSW Selcourt (Tiz...

6th-Santa Anita, $65,500, Msw, 3-23, 3, 4,/5yo, f/m, 6f, 1:11.59, ft, 3 lengths. IN THEORY (f, 3, Mendelssohn--Lady Hansen {SP}, by Hansen) was sent right out for the early lead under Juan Hernandez and took control from She's No Angel (Street Sense) through a :21.89 opening quarter. As that rival faded, the 1-2 favorite pulled away handily and turned for home alone on the lead, cruising under a hand ride to win under wraps by three lengths over Queen of Naples (Hard Spun). An $800,000 2-year-old buy out of the...

3rd-TAM, $53K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 1:18 p.m. ET CARTUCHO (Gun Runner) tied for the ninth highest return during the 2022 Keeneland September Sale when selling to bloodstock agent Mike Ryan for $1.2 million. The debuting bay colt's ownership group includes his breeder Three Chimneys Farm, William H. Lawrence and Walmac Farm. He is trained by Chad Brown. Cartucho is out of GISW Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon). She was a $2 million 2011 Keeneland November purchase for Besilu, who also acquired her dam--SW Grand Prayer (Grand Slam)--at the same sale for...

Sporting the distinctive gold square on the front and back of Luis Saez's silks, it was first time starter Amor Fati (Liam's Map) who loved the lead and never relinquished it en route to becoming a 'TDN Rising Star' at Gulfstream Park on Sunday afternoon. The $375,000 Keeneland September grad posted a number of sharp works for trainer Brittany Russell over the past two months at her Palm Meadows base. Debuting as the 2-1 favorite here, the gray rocketed to the lead up the backstretch. Setting a strong pace up...

1st-Oaklawn, $115,000, Msw, 2-11, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:39.82, sy, 3 lengths. MERASOL SUGAR (f, 3, Constitution--Chanel Number Mine, by Value Plus) put in a solid final work Feb. 3 (:48, 4f, 1/63) in preparation for her debut with Lasix here. As a 6-1 shot, the lone first timer in the field cruised to the lead heading into the first turn, and continued to set all the fractions up the backstretch and around the far turn. The homebred had plenty in reserve down the lane and she splashed home by three...

8th-TAM, $53K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 4:03 p.m. ET. Bred by Clearsky Farms, ACCLAIMED VICTOR (Omaha Beach) makes his first start for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The $725,000 Keeneland September grad, who was purchased by St. Elias, was the third highest selling yearling in 2022 by his top five first-crop sire. Out of Color Me Flying (Distorted Humor), the 3-year-old is a half-brother to MGSP Colorful Mischief (Into Mischief), who St. Elias acquired at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Sale for $300,000. Acclaimed Victor's extended female family includes his...

6th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-14, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.68, ft, 1/2 length. MYSTIFYING (f, 3, Curlin--Puzzling {SP, $127,312}, by Ghostzapper) debuted with Lasix and as a 7-1 shot here. The homebred hustled for the lead to the inside of a pair of competitors up the backstretch. Poking her head in front around the far turn, the filly continued to pour on the speed at the top of the lane and she gamely held off the favorite Bedazzle 'Em (American Pharoah) to graduate by half a length. "Jose [Ortiz] worked her out...

5th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-11, 3yo, f, 5f (AWT) (off turf), :55.37, ft, 3 3/4 lengths. PRETTY LIAM (f, 3, Liam's Map--Sylphide, by Blame) debuted as the 7-2 second choice with first time Lasix here. The homebred tracked just to the inside of favorite Beanpot (Into Mischief) as the leader clocked a quarter in :21.77. Cutting to the outside just before the top of the lane, the 3-year-old unleashed a barrage down the center of the course and won over the pacesetter by 3 3/4 lengths. The winner is a half-sister...

Achieving the mark of 'TDN Rising Star' means that you have done something out of the ordinary. Though he may have been green at the start of Aqueduct's fourth race on a slop-filled Sunday afternoon, by the time it was over, Crimson Light (c, 3, City of Light--Crimson Frost, by Stormy Atlantic) proved he earned the title. The colt definitely fit the mold when he came back from a seemingly insurmountable distance to graduate. The Todd Pletcher trainee debuted with Lasix as the even-money choice here, but he hopped so...

6th-TAM, $53K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 3:04 p.m. ET. Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred, ARI'S MAGIC (Good Magic) initially went for $150,000 during Keeneland September. After rolling a :10 flat at last year's under tack breeze show, the juvenile sold for $725,000 at the OBS March Sale. Owned by LSU Stables and trained by Christophe Clement, the newly-minted 3-year-old is out of Ari the Adventurer (Pioneerof the Nile), who Stonestreet bought for $350,000 at the '13 OBS Select 2-Year-Old Sale. TJCIS PPS

5th-Del Mar, $84,500, Msw, 9-10, 2yo, 1mT, 1:36.03, fm, 1/2 length. FORMIDABLE MAN (c, 2, City of Light--Fanticola {GSW & GISP, $561,986}, by Silent Name {Jpn}) was a 9-2 shot here at first asking and the bay colt wrangled the lead past the grandstand, settling on the front end into the first turn. The hooded Mike McCarthy trainee continued to set the fractions and arriving at the top of the lane, he fended off a challenge from fellow firster and favorite Ngannou (Mendelssohn) to win by half a length. The...

9th-Del Mar, $84,000, Msw, 9-3, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.82, ft, 4 3/4 lengths. TAP YOUR DREAM (f, 2, Tapwrit--Peruse, by First Samurai), let go at 10-1 for this unveiling, pressed the early pace and had more than enough late to take her career opener at Del Mar Sunday. Prompting Girl of My Dreams (Kantharos) through a half mile in :45.79, the chestnut filly strode to the front in early stretch and drew away with authority to win by an eye-catching 4 3/4-length margin. Girl of My Dreams was second. The...