freshman sire

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Colloquial (c, 2, Vekoma--Terminology, by Bernardini), sidelined since finishing a fast-closing and big-figure second behind Mentee (City of Light) on debut at Aqueduct in June, is nearing a return to the races. Off at odds of 4-1 in his unveiling for George Weaver, the chestnut was urged along by Manny Franco and chased from an inside third as the aforementioned full-brother to champion and 'TDN Rising Star'...

If it stays like this, a single maiden winner might settle it. Because all that separates McKinzie ($2,294,679) from current leader Tiz the Law ($2,339,575) in the freshman table is $44,896. But wait, there's more. McKinzie isn't even second. Between the pair lurks Vekoma ($2,306,457), ensuring a desperate three-way contest for the prized laurels of champion first-season sire. It's even closer than this time last year, when four stallions were divided by barely $200,000. In the end, Mitole actually extended his lead down the stretch. But the fact that the...

Power Connection (Authentic) strolled home in the Manzano Stakes at Albuquerque on Saturday evening and in the process hand-delivered the first stakes winner to his freshman sire (by Into Mischief). The dark bay was sent by his New Mexico-based trainer Todd Fincher to Southern California where she was the runner-up in her debut at Los Alamitos June 30. At Del Mar, the filly was a well-beaten third Aug. 10 and finished a distant fourth Aug. 25. Shipping back to the capitol of her home state and off as the 3-2...

7th-Horseshoe Indianapolis, $32,000, Msw, 9-26, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:38.10, gd, 1 1/2 lengths. INDIGO STUNNER (f, 2, Authentic--Blue Gallina, by Street Sense) became the 10th winner for her freshman sire (by Into Mischief) with a good-looking victory trying two turns for the first time. A promising third going a mile at Kentucky Downs Aug. 31, the $310,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga purchase argued the early pace and was eased back into third by Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. as they hit the backstretch. Traveling comfortably on the back of the leaders through the middle...

To many, no doubt, her genetic contribution is by now too attenuated to merit attention. At the very least, however, it must be acknowledged an impressive coincidence that the winners of both the GIII Iroquois Stakes and GIII Pocahontas Stakes--whose shared value, as reconnaissance for the Classics over the same track next May, is recognized by allocation of the first starting points--should share as sixth dam the Darby Dan foundation mare Golden Trail. The Golden Trail dynasty entwines such productive lines as those branded by Memories of Silver, Sunshine Forever...

Out On Bail (c, 2, Tiz the Law--Judge Lee, by Street Cry {Ire}) became the first stakes winner for his freshman sire (by Constitution) by delivering a hard-fought win in Friday's $150,000 Skidmore Stakes sprinting over the turf at Saratoga. Favored at 3-2 while facing only three rivals, the gray was always traveling nicely while racing in an outside second as Jet Sweep Joe (Frosted) showed the way. The two arrived at the quarter pole together and raced shoulder to shoulder down the stretch. After exchanging bumps close to home,...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. --Though he was en route to Toronto Thursday, Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said he had a clear view of She's Got Will's (War of Will) one-length victory in the sixth race at Saratoga Race Course. Casse watched the 1 1/16th miles $100,000 maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies on his iPad on the Queen Elizabeth Way in southern Ontario about 30 miles from Niagara Falls. He was headed from Saratoga to Woodbine Racetrack for Saturday's $1-million King's Plate Stakes, where he will saddle Essex...

Andrew Balding trainee New Century (GB) (Kameko--Potent Embrace, by Street Cry {Ire}), last seen running second in Ascot's July 27 Listed Pat Eddery Stakes, made the step forward to secure a first stakes triumph for his freshman sire (by Kitten's Joy) with a pillar-to-post victory in Wednesday's Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury. Breaking smartly for an immediate lead, the 15-8 second choice held sway throughout and kept on strongly under a late drive to defeat the hitherto undefeated Luther (GB) (Frankel {GB}) by a half-length. Coolmore's...

Ralph Beckett trainee Stanhope Gardens (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}--Pure Art {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) shaped with a great deal of promise when third behind the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Ruling Court (Justify) at Sandown last month and became his freshman sire's first winner by dominating Wednesday's New 911 EBF Maiden Stakes at Beverley. Positioned second for most of this extended seven-furlong test, the 4-7 favourite seized control in the home straight and was beyond recall once hitting the front to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths from High Season (GB)...

Safe to say you won't be seeing long odds on The Queens M G (Thousand Words) any more. Off her shocking win at odds of 44-1 in the Schuylerville Stakes July 11, the Saffie Joseph, Jr. runner took serious money Sunday and rewarded her backers again at 5-2 with an impressive victory in the GIII Adirondack Stakes to become her freshman sire's (by Pioneerof the Nile) first graded winner. An unlikely debut winner at Keeneland Apr. 7, The Queens M G outlasted next out Kentucky Juvenile Fillies Stakes winner West...

Louisiana Jess (Vekoma) ran to the odds and picked up not only his first stakes win but also became Vekoma's first black-type winner Saturday night at Evangeline Downs. One of five runners to come into this state-bred restricted D. S. Shine Young Futurity off a victory--his being June 14 at Churchill Downs in an auction price-restricted maiden special--the Bret Calhoun-trainee was the heavy 1-5 favorite by the time the gates opened and he did not disappoint his backers. Pressing the issue and three wide around the turn as Big Rasee...

Eleanora Kennedy's Black Forza (Complexity--Harlee Honey, by Harlan's Holiday), a £220,000 Goffs UK Breeze-Up graduate, shed maiden status at Fairyhouse last month and stepped forward to notch a landmark win for his Airdrie Stud-based freshman sire (by Maclean's Music) in Thursday's G2 Markel Richmond Stakes at Goodwood. A share in the stallion will be auctioned at Fasig-Tipton's August Sale next week. The Michael O'Callaghan trainee was steadied after the break and settled several lengths off the tempo in seventh through the early fractions of this six-furlong dash. Coming under pressure...