Justify

A new kingpin graces the No. 1 slot after a wild, final weekend of 100-point preps. The rankings below are independent from the "Road to the Derby" leaderboard Churchill Downs uses to determine starting berths, with several horses included here who are currently below the cut.   1) PRACTICAL MOVE (c, Practical Joke--Ack Naughty, by Afleet Alex) O-Leslie & Pierre Jean Amestoy & Roger Beasley; B-Chad Brown & Head of Plains Partners (KY); T-Tim Yakteen. Sales history: $90,000 RNA yrl '21 KEESEP; $230,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GISW, 7-4-1-2,...

2nd-KEE, $100K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 1:05 p.m. At the end of last year, it was Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) that reigned supreme over Good Magic (Curlin) and Justify (Scat Daddy) in the first-crop sire race when Spendthrift's own sewed up the title by more than $275,000 in world-wide earnings. Now second-croppers, they come together in Race 2 at Keeneland for another battle on Saturday. Bred by WinStar Farm and trained by Todd Pletcher, LE BAR (Bolt d'Oro) carries the flag for the 2022 first-crop leader and is part of a...

Observations web blurb: 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.Wednesday's Observations features a pair of Justify colts debuting for Ballydole at Leopardstown. 1.55 Leopardstown, Mdn, €15,000, 3yo, f, 10fT ALL TIME GREAT (Justify) is the third foal out of the GI E. P. Taylor S. and G2 Ribblesdale S. heroine Curvy (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who has...

Providing it survives a morning inspection, with the ground currently heavy and more rain forecast, Leopardstown's intriguing Sunday fixture will see a trio of Classic trials flooded with a big Ballydoyle presence including the exciting 'TDN Rising Star' Alexandroupolis (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Due to make his eagerly-awaited second career start in the G3 P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax S., the centre of much attention at Rosegreen oozed class when beating his talented stablemate and eventual G1 Criterium International runner-up Espionage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the extended mile maiden at Galway...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, April 1, 2023 1st-HSN, ¥10,480,000 ($79k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m TAKE A STAB (JPN) (f, 3, Justify--It Was Magic, by War Front) is the first foal out of a daughter of 2011 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas...

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 not returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features the return of 'TDN Rising Star' Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) as well as the daughter of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 3.45 Naas, Hcp, €45,000, 3yo, 7fT PADDINGTON (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) will be one of the key attractions if Naas's card evades...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-FG, $75K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 1:30 p.m. Closing weekend at the Fair Grounds includes a pair of important maiden races on Saturday, as Juddmonte homebred CASTLEWARDEN (Into Mischief) heads to post four under Lasix as the morning line 5-2 favorite. Trained by Brad Cox and with the services of Florent Geroux, he is a full-brother to GII Pat O'Brien S. victor Laurel River. Castlewarden's dam Calm Water (Empire Maker) is a full-sister to MGISW Emollient, who herself has produced French GSW Raclette (GB) (Frankel {GB})...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - With plenty of activity at the top of the market, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training concluded its three-day run with increases in average and median over last year's two-session renewal and five juveniles selling for seven figures, led by a co-record $2-million son of Good Magic. "I thought it was a really good sale and it held strong all the way through," said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. "There were quality horses on each...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- A colt from the third crop of boom American stallion Gun Runner (lot 18) was hammered down to Stephen Hillen, agent for prominent owner Dr Jim Hay, for €543,210 to top Tuesday's second renewal of the Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up Sale, held in the parade ring at Meydan Racecourse. On behalf of the Scotsman, Hillen also acquired the second-dearest offering of the evening, a Justify half-brother to GISW Fog of War (War Front) (lot 2), for the equivalent of €518,519. Following the withdrawal of 10 horses,...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale opened its three-day run Monday with a session which gained strength throughout the day, ultimately ending with increases in both average and median over the first session of last year's two-day auction. During Monday's session, 131 horses sold for $20,192,500 for an average of $154,141--up 10.1% from a year ago--and a median of $90,000--up 16.1% from 2022. Without the inclusion of post-sales transactions, the buy-back rate was 32.1%, up from 18.6%...

A colt by Triple Crown winner Justify (hip 215) brought a final bid of $1.2 million from WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden to jump to the head of the class during Monday's first session of the OBS March sale. The dark bay colt is out of graded-placed Zinzay (Smart Strike) and is a half-brother to Grade I-placed Moon Over Miami (Malibu Moon). He was consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds. Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo purchased the colt for $250,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. The consignment was also responsible for a...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-FG, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 5:15 p.m. The latest foal out of Drumette, TAPTHEDRUM (Tapit) is a Bridlewood Farm homebred racing out of the Brad Cox barn. Bridlewood paid $1.85m for Drumette, the half-sister to GSW Drum Major and dam of dual champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) and GSW Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice) out of the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale. The grey colt has put in consistent works over the Fair Grounds surface and picks up Florent Geroux for his career debut. One gate...