Giant's Causeway

1st-Churchill Downs, $76,680, Msw, 5-21, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, :51.26, ft. HOPEFUL PRINCESS (f, 2, Not This Time--More Than Magic, by More Than Ready) ran to a worktab littered with bullet breezes and won a dogfight in the stretch to become the first winner for her freshman sire (by Giant's Causeway) in the Thursday opener at Churchill. Tipping her hand in the morning early and often, including a best-of-47 bullet half-mile from the gate in :48 flat Apr. 10 at Keeneland, the dark bay was knocked down to 29-10 from...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Kyoto Racecourse, where Unsaid Vow (Giant's Causeway) steps into group company for Saturday's G2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai: Saturday, May 9, 2020 11th-KYO, Kyoto Shimbun Hai-G2, ¥103,500,000 ($973k), 3yo, 2200mT UNSAID VOW (c, 3, Giant's Causeway--Country Cafe, by Lion Heart) dips...

Dual French Classic winner and leading sire Shamardal (Giant's Causeway--Helsinki {GB}, by Machiavellian) has been euthanised at the age of 18 after dealing with "a range of health issues." Announcing the news on Thursday, Joe Osborne, managing director of Godolphin Ireland, paid tribute to Kildangan Stud's flagship stallion. "Shamardal embodied mental and physical toughness—as a racehorse and as a stallion," he said. "As the racing world has seen over the past 15 years, he passed those qualities on to his progeny. "He contended with a range of health issues over...

Poor old Mr. Big News (Giant's Causeway). He very quickly turned into yesterday's news, didn't he? The dust had barely settled on his breakout success, in the Oaklawn S. Saturday, when his trainer supplanted him with a rather less welcome headline of his own. True, Bret Calhoun's Class B violation--reported in Wednesday's TDN--was a relatively modest affair. Though cannabidiol is the second most active ingredient in marijuana, it is evidently considered fairly innocuous. In view of his overall record, and mitigating circumstances, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission stayed two-thirds of...

Mr. Big News (Giant's Causeway) certainly lived up to his name Saturday, upsetting the Oaklawn S. at a whopping 46-1. The bay raced well back off the pace early with just two rivals behind him as Gold Street (Street Boss) zipped through a :22.07 first quarter and a :45.47 half-mile. Given plenty of encouragement by pilot Gabriel Saez on the backstretch, the $95,000 FTKOCT buy made steady progress down the three-path to be within striking distance approaching the bend. Five wide on the far turn, Mr. Big News took control...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Nakayama and Hanshin Racecourses: Saturday, April 4, 2020 5th-NKY, ¥9,680,000 ($89k), Maiden, 3yo, 2000mT LOUD AND CLEAR (c, 3, Giant's Causeway--Melody Maiden, by Saint Ballado) is the 11th foal to make the races from his dam, who has been responsible...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. In this edition, the blue-blooded Prairie Wings (Tapit)--from the family of late leading sire Giant's Causeway--is highlighted after a strong debut second at Gulfstream Park Sunday. Previous runners featured in this column include: MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway) and MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Between the $800,000 Keeneland September pricetag and loaded catalog page, sophomore filly...

Destin (Giant's Causeway--Dream of Summer, by Siberian Summer), who set a track record in winning the GII Tampa Bay Derby and went on to miss by a nose in the GI Belmont S., was represented by his first foal Jan. 11. A colt by the full-brother to Creative Cause and the first produce of Jurere (Take Charge Indy) was born at Saratoga Glen Farm. He was bred by Amber Cobb. Destin stands at Sequel Stallions New York for Gainesway Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Twin Creeks Farm and Sequel. Destin will...

Race by race, Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway) is building a formidable rampart against any rival that might yet emerge from the flux of summer to batter his (or her) way into Horse of the Year contention. But we all know how those green stains on his shoes will tend to weaken his cause, in that theater no less than when he retires to stud. In fact, with the yearling market still only paying lip service to the "growing importance" of turf racing in the U.S., Bricks and Mortar has...