Godolphin

Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby Kicks Off With Cattleya Stakes

A field of 16 juveniles--13 colts and a trio of fillies--will head to the Tokyo 1600-meter start for Saturday's $199,488 Cattleya Stakes (allowance), a contest that serves as the first of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and offers points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale. American-breds comprise a quarter of the field and Godolphin homebred Snappy Dresser (Union Rags) is the best-backed of the foursome at just over 5-2 in early wagering. A full-brother to MGSW & GISP Caramel Swirl, the May 19 foal debuted in a...

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Letter To The Editor: Amplify Has Become The National Youth Arm Of The U.S. Industry

When Amplify Horse Racing was founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2020, our goal was to engage youth with the Thoroughbred industry. As 2024 draws to a close, I reflect with immense pride on how Amplify isn't just engaging youth with the Thoroughbred industry-we have become the national youth arm of the U.S. industry. By the end of the year, Amplify will have directly reached over 28,000 individuals through classroom lessons, events, interactive activations, and conference presentations. We recently wrapped up one of our busiest programming weekends of the year,...

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Ballylinch Stud Pays €650,000 For Oaks Heroine Qualify In Foal To Dark Angel At Goffs

Oaks heroine Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was the first mare to breach the €500,000 mark on Friday, when selling for €650,000 to Ballylinch Stud during the first day of the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale. Consigned by Godolphin, lot 1158 is the dam of two winners, including G3 Jebel Ali Mile scorer Swing Vote (GB) (Shamardal). The extended family features G1 St Leger hero and sire Brian Boru (GB). The Whisperview Trading-bred mare is in foal to champion sire elect Dark Angel (Ire).   2015 Oaks winner Qualify is...

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Record-Breaking Day At Goffs Headed By Millionaire Sea The Stars Colt To Godolphin

If there is one criticism about this bloodstock game of ours, it's the fact that we never seem to need a second invitation for a backslap and oftentimes we can portray things as being rosey in the garden when the opposite may well be true. Not at Goffs on Wednesday where the highest-ever turnover, average and median was achieved at the November Foal Sale.  Even the biggest of hitters in this business, like Coolmore's MV Magnier and Baroda Stud boss David Cox, admitted to being genuinely bowled over not only...

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Goffs Off To A Flyer As Godolphin Goes To 1 Million For Sea The Stars Colt

The Wednesday session of the Goffs November Foal Sale is quickly living up to its lofty billing as, just over an hour into the action at Kildare Paddocks, a Sea The Stars (Ire) colt consigned by Baroda Stud was knocked down to Godolphin for €1,000,000.  The colt boasts a glittering pedigree being a full-brother to Teona (Ire). Trained by Roger Varian, Teona won the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille before lighting up the Tattersalls December Mares Sale last year when knocked down to Juddmonte for 4.5 million gns. It was Juddmonte...

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Friday Insights: Tamara Makes Long-Awaited Return

7th-DMR, 61K, O/C, 3yo/up, f, 6f, 6:33 p.m. TAMARA (Bolt d'Oro), the daughter of four-time Eclipse winner Beholder, makes her long-awaited return to the races Friday after a year-long absence following last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' in her summer debut over course and near distance, the Richard Mandella trainee gave visions of her illustrious mother when romping by 6 3/4 lengths in the GI Del Mar Debutante. Heavily favored to complete the hat trick at the Breeders' Cup, Tamara came home eased after...

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Roger Varian Added To Godolphin's Training Roster For 2025

Roger Varian will join British-based trainers Charlie Appleby, Saeed bin Suroor, John and Thady Gosden and Simon and Ed Crisford on the Godolphin roster for 2025.  The news was revealed by the Racing Post on Saturday that Varian would receive four yearlings on behalf of Godolphin ahead of the new season.  The support comes as a timely boost for Varian, who lost high profile owners Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and Amo Racing this year.  Godolphin have previously had horses in training with Varian, highlighted by Group 1 winner Belardo,...

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City Of Troy Bows Out as Triumph and Disaster Converge at Del Mar

DEL MAR, USA -- From the 2,000 Guineas to the Breeders' Cup Classic, he is the horse who has kept us captivated, wondering and engaged, through to season's end. And that, really, is why we are all fans of horse racing. That longing to know what can't be known for sure until those gates spring open, the skirmishes are had, and the winning post looms.  In the end, for City Of Troy (Justify), unbeaten and burgeoning with promise at two, redeemed in the Derby and then some at Sandown and...

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Nyquist's Immersive Far Too Strong, Remains Unbeaten In the Juvenile Fillies

DEL MAR, CA - Immersive (Nyquist) capped a perfect four-for-four championship season with a powerhouse performance in Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar. Off as the 2-1 favorite, the Godolphin homebred was away in good order from post three. The GI Spinaway Stakes and GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes heroine settled in mid-pack beneath Manny Franco, racing inside of impressive GI Frizette Stakes winner and second-choice Scottish Lassie (McKinzie) as $1.8- million OBS March breezer and 'TDN Rising Star' Nooni (Win Win Win) sped off through fractions of...

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City of Troy Leads Ballydoyle Ship-Ins to Del Mar, Domestic Runners Go Through Paces

Multiple Group 1 winner 'TDN Rising Star' City of Troy (Justify) was the first horse into the quarantine barn from the 11-horse Saturday evening ship-in for Ballydoyle at Del Mar, as per a Breeders' Cup release, which references information from the International Racing Bureau. The Aidan O'Brien-trained star is scheduled to make a first appearance on track Tuesday morning. Many of the European horses used the weighing scale in the quarantine barn and connections are reporting positive prognoses for their runners. The arrivals will remain in quarantine until Monday afternoon...

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Top Derby Points Go To Sovereignty In A Street Sense Romp

In a style not for the faint of heart, Sovereignty ( c, 2, Into Mischief--Crowned, by Bernardini) went last to first, and claimed 10 points on the Road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby via the GIII Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs. Debuting Aug. 24 at Saratoga sprinting on the main track, he managed to close from 10th to fourth against a maiden field which yielded 'TDN Rising Star' GISP Tip Top Thomas (Volatile) as well as Rookie Card (Adios Charlie), who broke his maiden Oct. 26 at the Belmont...

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Good Cheer Stays Perfect In Rags To Riches Stakes At Churchill

Hardly a secret while attempting to extend her winning streak to three, Good Cheer produced more of the same Sunday afternoon with yet another sparkling victory in the Rags to Riches Stakes at Churchill Downs. Squeezed back at the break, the Godolphin homebred found herself back in last as 8-5 second choice Claire's Charm took to the lead. With the leading taking the compact field through a :23.88 initial quarter, Good Cheer positioned herself in a ground-saving fourth, only three lengths from the lead. Continuing to bide her time along...

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