Grand Job

4th-Belmont The Big A, $90,000, Msw, 10-31, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:22.05, ft, 6 lengths. GRAND JOB (f, 3, Justify--Sure Route {GB} {MSP, $201,163}, by Ishiguru) made her first North American start Thursday and certainly seemed to take to the Aqueduct main track after four prior starts in Ireland on both grass and Tapeta as a juvenile. Off the 13-month layoff and racing with Lasix for the first time, the 5-2 second choice got away quickly and led narrowly inside of No Tricks (Into Mischief). Shaking off that pressure into the...

Very few elite contests are won in the style that Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) displayed in last month's G2 Dahlia S., but Becky Hillen's star mare has to do it again at the next level in Saturday's G1 Yulong Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh. Granted more ease in the ground, trainer George Boughey is intent on pitching her against the best of the Irish in the 10-furlong test. "I've never seen her look so well and she's been training super, so it's all systems go as long...

When it comes to the maidens at The Curragh's Irish Guineas weekend, it has become essential to follow Aidan O'Brien's chosen runners with the following year's Classics in mind and Sunday's Tally Ho Stud Irish EBF Fillies Maiden produced a winner in Matrika (Ire) (No Nay Never--Muravka {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}) who very much gave that vibe. Following the TDN Rising Star label handed to the yard's Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) on Saturday, the same honour is bestowed on this debutante who went two places better in the...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Insights features the return of TDN Rising Stars Ramatuelle (Justify) and Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in a Saint-Cloud conditions event. 13.58 Saint-Cloud, Cond, €34,000, 2yo, 6fT Christopher Head trainee RAMATUELLE (Justify) created a deep impression first time out when powering home by 4 1/2 lengths over...