insights

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-SAR, $88k, Msw, (S), 2yo, 7f, 2:47 p.m. ET The New York-bred program will be celebrated Friday at Saratoga with an all state-bred card featuring six stakes, and a live-looking maiden race in the fourth headlined by Hoolie Racing Stable's firster CHULLIGAN (Justify) should not be overlooked. The chestnut, who sold for $825,000 last summer at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, is the second foal to race out of three-time New York-bred stakes winner and 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint upsetter Bar of Gold (Medaglia...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-DMR, $80K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, post time: 8:04 p.m ET ULTIMATE GAMBLE (Medaglia d'Oro) cost reseller Nick de Meric $325K at last year's KEESEP sale and the colt hit it out of the park for the consignor at this year's OBS April Sale, hammering for $1.75 million after breezing an eighth of a mile in a very smooth :10 1/5. The March foal is the latest produce to the races from his dam Eltimaas (Ghostzapper), whose son Drefong (Gio Ponti) was this country's Eclipse...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 3:51 p.m. ET A full field of 10 is signed on for this typically loaded Saturday maiden at the Spa. PHELPSY (Into Mischief) goes out for the partnership of William Lawrence, Jeff Drown and Three Chimneys Farm LLC, who gave an even $1 million for the colt through agent Mike Ryan  at last year's Keeneland September Sale. The bay is the second produce from the turf SW & GSP Secret Someone (A.P. Indy), whose SW dam Private Gift...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 5f, post time: 6:56 p.m. ET ARMAN (Bolt d'Oro) has drawn widest in what appears a very salty field of 12 as he looks to become a seventh first-crop winner for his Spendthrift-based stallion. Bought back on a bid of $52K at the 2021 OBS October sale, the Jan. 25 foal one of just four horses to breeze a furlong in :9 4/5 at this year's OBS March sale and was hammered down to Kaleem Shah for $600K, one of seven...

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. Tuesday's Insights features the full-sister to Intelligence Cross. 4.10 Saint-Cloud, Cond, €27,000, 2yo, f, 7fT BURMESE RUBY (War Front) is a full-sister to the G1 QEII Cup third Sweet Orange and the G3 Round Tower S. winner Intelligence Cross who debuts in the Westerberg silks for the Andre Fabre...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 5fT, post time: 5:13 p.m. ET Ranlo Investments' TALKIN PHAROAH (American Pharoah) acquitted himself well enough in his 4 1/2-furlong bow over the Keeneland main track, finishing a well-backed runner-up Apr. 20, but a surface switch is in the offing, and with good reason. The bay colt is the first foal to the races from the Randall Lowe-bred Just Talkin (Midshipman), five times placed in sprint stakes company--four of those on the grass--and a full-sister to the outstanding GSW and GI...

With runners this week from New York to Kentucky and in between hailing from exceptional families, Insights was treated to a 'Rising Star' performance and other top-notch victories ready to fire the imagination. It's a good bet a number of these winners--and even those whose debuts weren't quite as fruitful on first attempt--will be heard from again. THURSDAY'S INSIGHTS: Full to Good Magic Debuts at Belmont 4th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 6-2, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:10.98, my, 2 1/4 lengths. Third time was a charm for the gelded CAPONE (g, 3, Classic Empire--Hit...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-GP, $50,000, Msw, 3yo/up, 1mT, post time: 3:13 p.m. ET A day after her half-brothers Galileo (Ire) and Sea The Stars (Ire) accounted for the two Group 1 winners on Cazoo Oaks day at Epsom, Live Oak's Grade I winner My Typhoon (Ire) (Giant's Causeway) is represented by the debuting TYPHOON'S LEGACY (Kitten's Joy). Charlotte Weber's operation paid a sales-topping (more than three times the price of the next most expensive offering) 1.8 million gns ($2,942,730) for My Typhoon when offered by the Irish National...

Juveniles kicked off Friday's card at Churchill and put on a display for their young sires, while turf fillies did the same for established sires at Delaware the day prior. Despite our featured horses not winning, each gave hints of bigger things down the road and the actual winners weren't too shabby either. THURSDAY'S INSIGHTS: Kitten's Joy Homebred Debuts at Delaware 3rd-Delaware, $40,750, Msw, 5-26, 3yo/up, 1m 70ydsT, 1:41.58, fm, 1 3/4 lengths. Alex Campbell, Jr. homebred Come On Kitty Cat (Kitten's Joy) was featured, but it was favored second-timer...

It was all Woodbine this past weekend for Insights, with one filly winning impressively first out and another finishing a bang-up third. Each hails from a storied breeding program and will likely improve with some added distance off their sprint debuts. SATURDAY'S INSIGHTS: $450k Into Mischief Firster Debuts At Woodbine 2nd-Woodbine, C$92,730, Msw, 5-14, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f (AWT), :52.41, ft, 4 3/4 lengths. The Sam-Son legacy continues to deliver as ADORA (f, 2, Into Mischief-Southern Ring {MGSW-Can, SP-USA, $343,998}, by Speightstown) burst onto the racing scene at Woodbine. Bred...

Those who tried to beat traffic by leaving Churchill Downs after the Derby but before the last race Saturday missed a 'TDN Rising Star', while Belmont had an 11-length victor in the slop a few hours prior. Each may have debuted late, but could make some noise while the season progresses as additional members of this year's outstanding 3-year-old crop. THURSDAY'S INSIGHTS: Godolphin Debuts Well-Bred Tapit Colt at Belmont 6th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 5-5, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:23.38, fast, 1 1/2 lengths. A former claimer beat a slew of well-regarded prospects...no, not...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 12th-CD, $127K, Alw/OC, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 6:25 p.m. ET Just a mid-May foal, WISH YOU WELL (American Freedom) was purchased by Redwings for $160K at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase and improved into a $550K Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream juvenile after working a furlong in :10 flat (see below). The most expensive of her sire's 39 first-crop 2-year-olds reported as sold last year, Wish You Well made a giant impression in her career debut at Gulfstream Apr. 2, defeating the well-meant Inventing (Union Rags) by...