Italy

Agent Marco Bozzi snapped up a daughter of Sea The Stars (Ire) for €160,000 to top trade during the one-day SGA Yearling Sale in Milan, Italy on Saturday. He was the leading buyer by gross with seven purchased for €316,000. From Razza del Velino, lot 14 is out of the G3 Italian 1000 Guineas runner-up Cronsa (Ger) (Martino Alonso {Ire}). The filly is a half-sister to G3 Premio Dormello victress Sweet Gentle Kiss (Ire) (Henrythenavigator) and the stakes winner Sunset Key (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). Botti France picked up lot 7,...

A total of 117 yearlings will go under the hammer at the SGA Yearling Sale in Milan on Sept. 9. Past graduates of the sale include the undefeated G3 Premio Regina Elena Italian 1000 Guineas and G2 Oaks d'Italia heroine Shavasana (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who currently races in the colours of Katsumi Yoshida. The catalogue includes lot 9, a filly by Almanzor (Fr), who just sired Thursday's G3 Bahrain Trophy S. hero Castle Way (GB); as well as lot 22, a colt by Derby winner Australia (GB). Darley's Blue Point...

Italy's major races will see the most significant downgrades among European countries after the European Pattern Committee announced alterations to the 2023 Flat programme Wednesday, as a host of that country's major races are set to be demoted in status. There will be 827 black-type races run in Europe this year, compared to the 852 in 2022, while group races have been cut by 13 to 412 and listed races drop to 415 from 427. One of the most significant changes to the Irish programme comes in the case of...

G1 Investec Derby hero Ruler of The World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}-Love Me True, by Kingmambo) and Morpheus (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}--Kind {Ire}), by Danehill), a half-brother to champion and leading sire Frankel (GB), will stand the 2023 season at Scuderia Melissa Cipriani - San Piero in Barca, Castelnuovo Berardenga (Siena). Previously, the former stood at Haras de Bouquetot for €5,000 while the latter stood at Haras de Toury at a fee of €2,800. The sire of Group 1 winners Iridessa (Ire) and La Petite Coco (Ire), Ruler of The World--who...

Aloa (GB) (Cracksman {GB}) gave her Darley-based first-season sire his second stakes winner with a 1 3/4-length victory in Milan's Listed Premio Coolmore over 1500 metres on Saturday. A debut winner locally in May, Aloa dropped to second in the Listed Premio Gino E Luciano Mantovani on June 25. Kept at 1400 metres, she won an allowance at Milan when she returned on Sept. 11 and was 9-2 in this step up in class and distance. Glued to the fence while covered up through the early stages, the blaze-faced chestnut...

3rd-San Siro, €7,700, Vdn., 6-28, 2yo, 1400mT, 1:30.20. SOPRAN BLAKEY (IRE) (c, 2, Gustav Klimt {Ire}--Perino {Ire}, by Speightstown), who was making his debut, was sent off at 2-1. Sitting in a stalking third, the bay temporarily lost his position rounding the bend but was skipping along nicely as the field straightened for the drive. He sidled up to favoured longtime leader Foxy Lady (Ity) (Lord Chaparral {Ire}) a furlong from the wire, before cruising past her to win in a canter by 4 1/2 lengths. He is the first...

1st-Napoli, €12,100, Debutantes, 2yo, f, 1000mT, time: n/a, gd. QUEEN SERENITY (IRE) (f, 2, Sioux Nation--Maybe I Will {Ire}, by Hawk Wing) validated a debut quote of 59-100 to provide her sire (by Scat Daddy) with already a sixth individual first-crop winner. Away fairly, the bay filly was pulled to the outside and chased the early exchanges from second. Asked to win her race 200 metres from home, Queen Serenity quickened up nicely and had a margin of 1 1/2 lengths on pacesetting Balayage (Ity) (Pounced) at the line. The...

Twenty-three people remained in custody Tuesday night after searches took place in racing stables throughout France, Italy and Spain, according to a report in Wednesday's Jour de Galop, which reported that those held come from "every racing discipline," who are being investigated for equine doping, organized crime, and association with criminals, the paper reports. While the JDG listed several of those arrested, none came from the Thoroughbred discipline, but were all National Hunt or trotting trainers. They said that the investigation has been ongoing for a year, and was launched...

Dual group winner Markaz (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will relocate to Allevamento Renaccino in Italy for 2022. His fee will be €3,000 (Oct. 1st). From just two crops of racing, the full-brother to champion sprinter and G1 Nunthorpe S. heroine Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) has sired the G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Corazon (Ire), who was also third in the G2 Flying Childers S. He also has the listed-placed Markaz Paname (Ire) to his credit from 27 winners. "He is a fantastic horse to work with," said Derrinstown Stud's...

3rd-Rome, €13,200, Mdn., 6-2, 2yo, 1400m (AWT). IL GRANDE GATSBY (IRE), (c, 2, Churchill {Ire}--Irene Watts {GB} {GSP-Ity, $133,610}, by Miswaki Tern), who ran second when unveiled over 1200 metres on the local synthetic on May 9, was the second choice on the board at 2-1 in this step up in trip. Noticeably warm in the preliminaries, he perched in fourth while glued to the fence through the opening furlongs. Shifted out on the bend, he was asked for his bid 400 metres from home and, began to make inroads...

1ST-CAPANNELLE, €13,200, Mdn., 5-9, 2yo, 1200m (AWT), 1:13.50. DON CHICCO (GB) (128, c, 2, El Kabeir-Otrooha (Ire), by Oasis Dream {GB}), a distant second locally going 1000 metres over soft ground when unveiled on May 1, was tabbed the even-money pick in this quick return. Trying the all-weather surface for the first time, the bay battled with a rival for the advantage from the bell and sat a neck second on the far turn. He re-bid for the lead in upper stretch and forged clear to win by three lengths...

The Italian black-type calendar was released by the Italian MIPAAF on Monday. Rome starts its turf season on Mar. 5. with Milan and San Siro each beginning on Mar. 14. Regarding the Italian Classics, the G3 Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas) and the G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas), will both be held in Rome on Apr. 25 and each carries a purse of €138,600. The €633,600 G2 Derby Italiano, the richest Group 2 race in Europe, is scheduled for Rome on May 23. Milan plays host to the...