Joseph O'Brien

Some enterprises of great pitch and moment take years to come to fruition. Some take just a few weeks. The latter scenario is true of the new partnership between bloodstock agent Justin Casse and trainer Joseph O'Brien. When Magnolia Racing Syndicate spent €562,000 at the recent Goffs Orby Sale, the group was built on relationships years in the making, but sprouted quickly from an idea into action. "I started kicking the idea of a transatlantic syndicate around three or four months ago," said Casse. "The fine-tuning part of who would...

Defending G1 Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB})'s full-brother Sir Lucan (Ire) and G1 Goodwood Cup runner-up Away He Goes (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) have entered quarantine for trips to the Melbourne Spring Carnival. The Joseph-O'Brien-trained Twilight Payment won the G3 Irish St Leger Trial on Aug. 13 and finished second in the G1 Irish St Leger two weeks ago, and he will pre-quarantine in Ireland for two weeks before shipping Down Under. Sir Lucan, who will remain in Australia and join Gai Waterhouse...

The Week In Review, by Bill Finley The Breeders' Cup announced Saturday that it had begun a review process to determine whether or not trainer Bob Baffert will be allowed to compete in this year's championship event. The outcome of that review is pending. "The Breeders' Cup Board has commenced a review process as to whether Bob Baffert will be permitted to participate in this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships," read a statement from the Breeders' Cup. "The process will include an opportunity for Mr. Baffert to present his case...

Acquired by Scott Heider after her success in Leopardstown's G3 Silver Flash S. July 22, Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) led her rivals a merry dance in the next seven-furlong stepping stone for the leading juvenile fillies in Saturday's G2 Alpha Centauri Debutante S. at The Curragh. Sent off the 4-1 co-favourite, the bay who was belatedly breaking her maiden last time was sent straight to the front by Declan McDonogh and never looked like being pegged back en route to a two-length defeat of the outsider Sunset Shiraz (Ire) (Time Test...

Scott Heider has purchased the July 22 G3 Silver Flash S. winner Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) from breeder Annemarie O'Brien, with the 2-year-old filly set to stay in training with Joseph O'Brien. One of three first-crop stakes winners thus far for Caravaggio, Agartha was placed on four occasions-including second-place finishes to 'TDN Rising Stars' Sacred Bridge (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) and Homeless Songs (Ire) Frankel {GB})--before breaking her maiden by 2 3/4 lengths in the Silver Flash. She is the first foal out of Arya Tara (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), with...

Sent off the fourth-longest shot on the board for Saturday's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S., State of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) took over a furlong from home and sped clear to cause a boilover in the $1-million second leg of the New York Turf Triple. Drawn nine in a field of 11, the Joseph O'Brien trainee jumped fairly and was able to get over and save some ground beneath John Velazquez, setting in about sixth position and racing in free air as Cellist (Big Blue Kitten) led them along at...

Joseph O'Brien trainee Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) was winless in four prior outings and went postward for Thursday evening's G3 Frank Conroy Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown as an almost unconsidered 16-1 outsider coming back off a two-length second to the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) tackling this seven-furlong strip at the Foxrock venue earlier in the month. The February-foaled bay had placed behind decent sorts in all races contested to date, including a third to the reopposing G3 Albany S. fourth Prettiest (Dubawi {Ire}) in...

Three-time group winner Baron Samedi (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire})'s long-term goal is the G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger, trainer Joseph O'Brien has revealed. A winner of the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris last fall, the 4-year-old gelding returned this spring with a smart win in the G3 Vintage Crop S. at Navan on Apr. 25 and added the GII Belmont Gold Cup S. Stateside on June 4. In his latest run, he was fifth in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 4. "Baron Samedi has...

Narrowly denied in the GII New York S. earlier this month, Shapoor Mistry's Thundering Nights (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) was able to come out on top of another tight finish on Sunday when garnering The Curragh's G1 Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly S. Settled behind the leading trio early by Shane Crosse, the 16-5 shot seized the advantage approaching the final furlong and held off the strong challenge of TDN Rising Star Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) to score by a neck, with 2 1/2 lengths back to the 11-4 favourite...

Joseph O'Brien trainee Velocidad (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) took the eye when making an impressive winning debut tackling six furlongs at Fairyhouse last month and doubled up in style to claim a first black-type score over the same trip in Sunday's G2 Airlie Stud S. at The Curragh. Racing a shade keenly in second after breaking third of the four runners, the 85-40 second choice loomed large on the bridle at the quarter-mile marker and kept on strongly once seizing control soon after to comfortably account for Coolmore and Westerberg's Yet...

Debut winner Belmont Avenue (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) is a new addition to the virtual Goffs London Sale as lot 13 from Joseph O'Brien's Carriganog Racing, the sales company announced on Sunday. Trained by O'Brien and raced by the Lloyd J. Williams Syndicate, the 120,000gns Tattersalls October yearling captured his only start at Dundalk in April and is a leading contender for the Listed Britannia S. at Royal Ascot on June 17. The third foal of the group-placed Singspiel (Ire) mare Single (Fr) was bred by Lynch Bages and Camas Park...

Joseph O'Brien's Group 1-winning juveniles Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Pretty Gorgeous (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) will attempt to get back in the winner's enclosure at Royal Ascot next week. Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's Thunder Moon stamped himself as a leader of his generation in the autumn with a victory in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. and a third in the G1 Dewhurst S., but disappointed when last of 14 in the May 1 G1 2000 Guineas. "Thunder Moon obviously disappointed at Newmarket, so we've put a line through that...