insights

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 3rd-DMR, $70k, Msw, 2yo, 5fT, post tme: 4:30 p.m. ET Spendthrift Farm's Gormley (Malibu Moon) has gotten off to a flyer at stud, with 18 first-crop winners to his credit, and B DAWK will look to add to that total Sunday 'where the turf meeets the surf. A half-brother to SP Nicky Scissors, the May 21 foal was a $77,000 short yearling at Keeneland January last year before improving into a $140,000 KEESEP purchase. Joseph Besecker signed the ticket on the chestnut at $425,000 at...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-KEE, $84K, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, post time: 3:40 p.m. ET MOMS MOON (Kitten's Joy) is a son of Sweet Assay (Consolidator), acquired as a 5-year-old by Nicoma Bloodstock for $14,000 at the 2014 Keeneland January Sale and covered by Point of Entry in her maiden trip to the breeding shed. The resulting foal became 'TDN Rising Star' Analyze It, a 6 1/4-length debut winner who became a three-time winner at the graded level and was placed in the GI Belmont Derby, GI Secretariat S....

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-SA, $61K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 7:03 p.m. ET SIR LONDON (Malibu Moon) was led out unsold on a bid of $135,000 at the 2020 Keeneland January Sale, but improved over the next 17 months and was knocked down to agents Alex Elliott and Ben McElroy for $700,000 after breezing a furlong on his wrong lead in :10 flat (see below) at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale. The priciest of 24 juveniles (32 ring) for his late sire in 2021, Sir London is a...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, post time: 3:50 p.m. ET Joseph Murphy's WOLFE COUNTY (Medaglia d'Oro) is the latest foal to the races for the stakes-placed Dawn Raid (Vindication) making him a half-brother to 2016 GI Preakness S. and GI Haskell Invitational S. hero and WinStar sire Exaggerator  (Curlin). Dawn Raid is herself a half-sister to MGSW and Sovereign Award winner Embur's Song (Unbridled's Song). He squares off with fellow debutant Monologue (Runhappy), a half-brother to SW & GISP Endless Chatter (First Samurai) and to...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-PRX, $42K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7 1/2fT, 3:37 p.m. ET ANGHAAM (Curlin) is the first of just two foals out of Serena's Harmony (Tapit), purchased by Bridlewood Farm as a weanling for $3 million at Keeneland November in 2014, the top price for a weanling at that sale and the second most-expensive of that age group ever sold at Keeneland. Lady Take Charge (War Front--Take Charge Lady) brought a record $3.2 million in 2015. Serena's Harmony is a daughter of SW Serena's Cat (Storm Cat),...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-MTH, $55K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, post time: 1:40 p.m. ET    CUSTOMER LIST (FR) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), purchased by Michel Zerolo's Oceanic Bloodstock for €250,000 at last year's Arqana August Sale (walking video) on behalf of Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stable, is out of a winning daughter of MGSW & GISP Innuendo (Ire) (Caerleon), the dam of MGSW & GISP Criticism (GB) (Machiavellian) and granddam of SW & GSP Magical Touch (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Also responsible for SW Peacoat (GB) (Doyen {Ire}), Innuendo is out...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-KD, $135K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, post time: 1:20 p.m. ET CARIOQUINHA (Gun Runner), listed as a $475,000 Keeneland November weanling, is the latest to make the races for her dam Pure Clan (Pure Prize), a three-time Grade I winner on turf who was purchased by Torrealba Holdings for $4.5 million in foal to Bernardini at KEENOV in 2012. Undefeated at two and also a three-time GSW on the main track, Pure Clan is the dam of two winners from three to start, including Three...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 8th-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 4:29 p.m. ET It's been a successful handful of weeks at Saratoga for celebrity chef Bobby Flay, at the racetrack with the likes of GIII Caress S. winner Caravel (Mizzen Mast) and across the street at Fasig-Tipton, where he sold an Uncle Mo colt from his Grade I winner Dame Dorothy (Bernardini) for $1.6 million. He'll try to end the meet on another high note when he sends out OLD SCHOOL (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Through bloodstock agent James...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 10th-DMR, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, post time: 9:07 p.m. ET CORNICHE (Quality Road) topped this year's OBS April Sale on a bid of $1.5 million from Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's Speedway Stable and has drawn gate 10 as the 9-5 favorite Saturday at Del Mar. The son of six-time GSW and GI Matriarch S. runner-up Wasted Tears (Najran) was led out unsold on a bid of $385,000 at KEESEP last year, but turned in a smooth sales breeze in :10 flat to become...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, post time: 1:05 p.m. ET While the GI Alabama S. takes centerstage later on in the program, the Saturday lid-lifter at Saratoga looks a key race in prospect, with any number of booming pedigrees and lofty pricetags on display. Peter Leidel signed the ticket at an even $1 million for RAYMOND (Into Mischief) at Keeneland September last fall, with the colt's breeder Stonestreet Stables staying in for a share. The Apr. 21 foal is the third foal to the...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-DMR, $70K, Msw, 3yo/up, 5 1/2fT, post time: 7:00 p.m. ET Bred in Australia by the renowned Arrowfield Stud, KAZUHIKO (AUS) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was purchased for a joint third-highest price of A$1.7 million (US$1,211,760) at the 2019 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale by a partnership including Spendthrift Farm, Kennewell Racing and Group 1 Bloodstock. Trained by Lloyd Kennewell, the Sept. 1 foal was the subject of major betting support ahead of his debut in the G3 National S. at Adelaide's Morphettville Racetrack in South Australa...

6th-SAR, $100k, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 3:55 p.m. ET A pair of promising-looking juvenile fillies will make their respective debuts while breaking next door to each other in this Thursday turf dash. EMPRESS TIGRESS (Classic Empire) made a big splash at OBS April when breezing a quarter-mile in an eye-popping :20 2/5, one of only two horses at the entire sale to hit that mark, and landed with Augustin Stable after the hammer dropped for $410,000. Trained by Jonathan Thomas, she's out of a half-sister to GSW/MGISP turfer Stays...