Keeneland September

Freshly anointed 'TDN Rising Star' Charlatan (Speightstown) appears no worse for wear a day after his impressive 5 3/4-length victory in 1:08.85 at Santa Anita Saturday afternoon. "We knew he was a really fast horse," said Baffert Monday morning. Campaigned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables and Stonestreet Stables, the 3-year-old reeled off three consecutive bullet works at Santa Anita this winter, including an eye-catching five-furlong move in :59.60 Jan. 22. Prior to Saturday's debut score, he breezed five furlongs in :1:00.60 (5/50) at Santa Anita Feb. 11. "His...

C R K Stable's Royal Act (American Pharoah), a gritty second to undefeated Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 1 and fellow Lee Searing colorbearer Honor A. P. (Honor Code), an exceptionally impressive maiden winner when last seen over a mile last October, were each out for Saturday morning breezes over the Santa Anita main track. A $500,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, Royal Act was making his dirt debut in the Lewis and sat a very wide trip, but plugged on gamely to...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. In this edition, the blue-blooded Prairie Wings (Tapit)--from the family of late leading sire Giant's Causeway--is highlighted after a strong debut second at Gulfstream Park Sunday. Previous runners featured in this column include: MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway) and MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Between the $800,000 Keeneland September pricetag and loaded catalog page, sophomore filly...

Desert Party (Street Cry {Ire}--Sage Cat, by Tabasco Cat), who was standing at Irish Hill Century Farm in New York, is moving to Judith Barrett's Godstone Farm in Littletown, Pennsylvania, according to stallion Manager R. A. Brooks, Jr. He will stand for a fee of $2,500, with special consideration to Pennyslvania-foaling mares and multiple mare discounts available. A $425,000 Keeneland September yearling, Desert Party topped the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Calder sale on a bid of $2.1 million and was trained by Eoin Harty to win that year's GII Sanford S. at...

I'd like to respond to Mark Taylor's comments regarding removal of repository X-rays for the later books of the Keeneland sale. First off, I have to give Mark and all of the 'Taylor Boys' credit for always looking forward and trying to innovate in this business, they have been leaders in this business for as long as I can remember. As an agent who manages portfolios for breeders as well as a buyer of racehorses, I understand both sides of the fence. Often times, as a buyer, you feel like...

"Inside the Winner's Circle, Presented by Keeneland" is a series showcasing graduates of the Keeneland September sale who have gone on to achieve success on racing's biggest stages. 'TDN Rising Star' Valid Point (Scat Daddy) isn't exactly following the script his owners envisioned when they bought him as a $140,000 yearling at the 2017 Keeneland September sale. But the improvised rewrite this undefeated colt is orchestrating just might turn out better than the original story line, because the plot thickened considerably last Saturday when Valid Point roared home a length...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The two-day Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale couldn't match up to its record-setting 2018 renewal, but when the dust settled Monday evening at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion, the auction had seen its fourth straight record-priced yearling. The record bid came from Larry Best, who said he had only seen the filly two hours before he spent $775,000 to acquire the daughter of Malibu Moon from the Winter Quarter Farm consignment. In all, 186 yearlings sold during the 2019 New York sale for a total of...

Arlington's GI Secretariat S., contested at a mile and a quarter since 1985, has been turned back in distance to a one-mile event this year, and drew a competitive nine-horse field for Saturday's running at the Chicago area oval. True to form, Chad Brown has a pair of imposing runners in Peter Brant's Fog of War (War Front) and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Mike Ryan's Valid Point (Scat Daddy). Fog of War, who followed up a debut victory with a popular score in the GI Summer S. at Woodbine,...

A Thread of Blue (Hard Spun), who led every step of the way to cause a 13-1 upset in the 9 1/2-furlong Saratoga Derby Aug. 4, will be pointed for a start in the final leg of the Turf Trinity, the inaugural Jockey Club Derby to be contested over a mile and a half at Belmont Park Sept. 7. "He came out of the race really well, we'll look at [the Jockey Club Derby]," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin told the NYRA notes team. "We weren't sure if he'd get a mile-and-three-sixteenths...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-ELP, $50k, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 5:42 p.m. ET Trainer Mark Casse sends out a pair of regally bred fillies in Friday's fifth event at Ellis. CRYSTAL GLACIER (Curlin), a daughter of the same stallion that lit up the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sales ring during Monday's session with three seven-figure colts, was acquired by Live Oak for the sum of $500,000 as a yearling at that sale a year ago. The dark bay hails from the family of Grade I winner and sire Majestic Warrior...

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. Today's Observations features a seven-figure KEESEP yearling graduate. 5.45 Yarmouth, Novice, £14,000, 2yo, 7f 3yT SUN CUISINE (Medaglia d'Oro) was a $1.3-million purchase by Godolphin at the Keeneland September Sale who debuts for the Charlie Appleby stable. The February-foaled bay is the first foal out of the GII John...

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. Today's Observations features a daughter of a French Oaks winner. 2.34 Deauville, Debutantes, €27,000, 2yo, f, 7 1/2f (AWT) SAVARIN (JPN) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is a daughter of the G1 Prix de Diane, G1 Prix Saint-Alary and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud heroine Sarafina (Fr) (Refuse To Bend {Ire})...