maiden

7th-Meydan, AED165,000, Mdn., 11-22, NH 2yo/SH 3yo, f, 1400m, 1:25.27, ft. ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU (f, 2, Honest Mischief--Woodflower, by Woodman) took over leaving the chute in this first start and raced under pressure down the backstretch. Opening up by several lengths on the far bend, the bay poured it on down the lane to win easily by 8 1/2 lengths. Flama Shunshine (Flameaway) unleashed a rally to take second on the bend, but could not catch the winner and was 17 1/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Ruby Hamilton (Audible)....

Guns Loaded (Gun Runner), second behind GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity and GIII Street Sense Stakes fourth Dapper Moon (Malibu Moon) at Saratoga in August, fired back Saturday to become a new 'TDN Rising Star' at Churchill Downs. The 3-1 shot, who shortened from seven furlongs to six here for trainer Jose D'Angelo in his second try since bringing $800,000 as a Keeneland September yearling last year, exploded from an outside gate and shot clear of drama to his inside as first-time starter Shadow Coast (West Coast) clipped heels in the...

7th-Churchill Downs, $115,950, Msw, 11-14, 2yo, 5f, :57.91, sy, 2 1/4 lengths DONUT GOD (c, 2, Into Mischief--Sweet Kisses {SP, $116,127}, by Carpe Diem) took plenty of money, dropping down from his 8-1 morning line to break as the 7-5 favorite facing a largely inexperienced field. Ridden for early speed from the middle of the gate, the $400,000 KEESEP grad quickly cleared the group and opened up a clear advantage through fractions of :22.39 and :45.56 over a sloppy Churchill main track. El Prestigio (Practical Joke) made a quarter-pole run...

5th-Aqueduct, $90,000, Msw, 11-10, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.59, fm, 2 lengths. HIGH BETA (c, 2, Volatile--Tippany, by Tapit) just missed by a head as the heavy favorite at the Meadowlands going one mile Sept. 28. Adding the extra 1/16th Sunday, the even-money chalk raced in the front flight in a ground-saving spot just off pacesetter Reteko (Outwork). Shifted out around the turn past the half in :48.99, High Beta had plenty left when ridden to the front off the far turn and held off a charging group led by Constitution...

1st-Aqueduct, $87,300, Msw, 11-9, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:17.39, ft, 3 1/2 lengths. TUX (c, 2, Tapit--Fancy Dress Party {GSW, $267,405}, by Munnings), a first-time starter in a well-met field of homebred maidens, broke in stride from the outside draw and moved up to stalk the pace of the only experienced runner in the field, Math Tutor (Algorithms). The top four stayed bunched together in pairs of two up the backstretch past the half in :46.89 and for a moment, it looked as though Math Tutor might break loose at the...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Trainer Danny Gargan launched the careers of GI Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch (Good Magic) as well as GIII Matt Winn Stakes winner Society Man (Good Magic) during the 2023 meeting at Saratoga. Both starters in this year's GI Kentucky Derby, neither won on debut. Dornoch finished a strong second behind fellow future Classic winner Seize the Grey (Arrogate) in his unveiling in the Saratoga slop while Society...

1st-Del Mar, $75,500, Msw, 8-31, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.07, ft, 1 1/2 lengths. NON COMPLIANT (f, 2, Tiz the Law--Sensitively {GSP, $190,415}, by Street Sense) took the stage and debuted as the 5-2 second choice here. The filly set up shop behind a wall of horses up the backstretch which included stablemate and favorite Usha (Tiz the Law). Under a hard hold, the 2-year-old began to look for running room entering the far turn and with a three-wide move at the quarter pool she was locked and loaded. As Usha...

1st-Kentucky Downs, $180,800, Msw, 8-31, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.60, fm, 2 1/4 lengths. DESTINO D'ORO (f, 2, Bolt d'Oro--Heart of Destiny {GISP, $242,089}, by Lion Heart), debuting at 8-1 in her first start since bringing $185,000 at OBS April earlier this year, found herself towards the back of the field after a slightly awkward beginning and was kept off the pace on the outside as Wonderland (Medaglia d'Oro) set speedy fractions of :23.06 and :46.01. Out in the center of the track around the far turn, she came roaring up...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Before Sandman (Tapit) had reached the post-race test barn following his victory in the opener at Saratoga Race Course Saturday, trainer Mark Casse was dealing with the "what's next" question. Casse did not have the answer to the happy task presented by Sandman's 1 3/4-length victory over Innovator (Authentic) in the seven-furlong $100,000 maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds. "I've got to figure out the best path to the Breeders' Cup," Casse said. "I think he's that kind of horse." Under jockey Dylan Davis, Sandman stalked...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y.--Ferocious's (Flatter) blowout victory in the sixth race at Saratoga Race Course Saturday produced a series of backward and forward moments in the winner's enclosure. Ramiro Restrepo and Gustavo Delgado, Jr., principals in Mage's (Good Magic) rise to prominence and victory in the 2023 GI Kentucky Derby, held court following the $100,000 2-year-old maiden special weight race that might be the first big step for another standout. Restrepo and Delgado spearheaded the purchase of Ferocious for $1,300,000 at the OBS March sale and they were appropriately excited...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--With his romp through mud in the opener at Saratoga Race Course Saturday, Reach for the Rose (Audible) hit the target that owner-breeder Ken Ramsey and trainer Saffie Joseph were aiming at. The 5 1/2-length victory in a $100,000 maiden special for 2-year-olds that had been taken off the turf gave colt his first career win and earnings of $55,000. Far more important for Ramsey and Joseph, the win in the one-mile race against three foes is a stepping stone to the $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sept....

3rd-Del Mar, $75,500, Msw, 7-28, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:04.02, ft, 3 1/2 lengths. MCKINZIE STREET (c, 2, McKinzie--Karpathos, by Tale of the Cat), the 4-1 second choice in his first start since bringing $290,000 at OBS April, had to deal with pressure from heavy favorite Emerald Bay (Nyquist) for much of the early running as the front pair put up a half in :44.93. But off the turn, it was McKinzie Street who had something left, turning back the favorite at the furlong marker and coming home in good order...