maiden

Just a day after Win Win Win earned the first 'TDN Rising Star' of the freshman class with Nooni, he was joined by Complexity (by Maclean's Music) who picked up his fourth overall winner Friday and first 'Rising Star' when Complexion (Complexity--Rushin No Blushin, by Half Ours) dominated her debut at Aqueduct. The half-sister to MGISW and sire Jack Christopher (Munnings), Complexion was a $400,000 Keeneland September Yearling buy for Arnmore Thoroughbreds last year. Gunned from her outside draw under John Velazquez, she was a length clear within the opening...

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. Friday's Observations features the first foal out of a dual Classic winner. 18.45 Dundalk, €13,000, Mdn, 3yo, 8f (AWT) IGOR STRAVINSKY (IRE) (No Nay Never) is the pick of Ryan Moore of two intriguing Ballydoyle newcomers and is the day's most exciting prospect as the first foal out of...

2nd-Meydan, AED165,000, 11-24, Mdn., 1200m, 1:12.98, ft. LAHFATY (f, 2, Mitole--Magic Belle, by Gold Case), who was profiled in the latest edition of Desert Debuters, continued the strong autumn run for her sire to win by a geared down three lengths on debut at Meydan on Friday. The Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum-owned chestnut hopped slightly at the break, but was always contending for the lead down the back straight. She was poised to take over in earnest leaving the bend, and scampered away from her rivals in a...

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. Saturday's Insights features a relative to a multiple Grade I winner. 16.05 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, c/g, 8fT ORTELIUS (Justify), a $1.1-million Keeneland September purchase by M V Magnier, is out of a half to the five-times Grade I-winning Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) and therefore a big deal...

1st-Monmouth, $55,250, Msw, 8-6, 2yo, 1mT, 1:39.91, fm, 4 lengths. NOMOS (c, 2, Uncle Mo--Westit {GB} {SP-Fr, SP-USA}, by Tapit) went off favored at 9-5 in this grass debut and got a clean start against the fence from the two slot after the rail horse steadied and was pulled up early in the race. Racing in the middle of a tightly-bunched group into the backstretch through an easy opening quarter in :24.15, he stayed glued to the inside and began to pick up momentum and position as the field swung...

8th-Del Mar, $84,000, Msw, 7-23, 2yo, 5f, :57.71, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. RAGING TORRENT (c, 2, Maximus Mischief--Violent Wave, by Violence) received an unconvincing 9-1 chance in this maiden spot after bringing $75,000 at the OBS April Sale and was a step slow behind the field to start. In chase mode from the bell, he saved ground into the turn and fanned out wide to bid with a quarter to run. Despite Antonio Fresu losing his crop at the head of the lane, Raging Torrent needed no extra encouragement, drawing...

Few Todd Pletcher first-time starters fail to live up to their billing if they break as 1-5 favorites and Pirate (Omaha Beach) kept that trend rolling with a three-length win to graduate at Saratoga and become the Spa's first 2023 'TDN Rising Star' and the first for his freshman sire (by War Front). Never under the radar, the 2-year-old half-brother to GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Road) took all the money and quickly silenced any doubt about his inside draw with a quick beginning under jockey Irad Ortiz,...

Much of the pre-race speculation about Saratoga's GIII Schuylerville S. for 2-year-old fillies going six furlongs on the dirt seemed to focus on which Hall of Famer--D. Wayne Lukas or Todd Pletcher--would be the first to win the traditional opening-day feature for the record seventh time, unless another Hall of Famer--Steve Asmussen--got in the way. Instead, that trio had to settle for filling out the superfecta as it was another veteran conditioner, Gary Contessa, who notched his first Schuylerville win with Becky's Joker (Practical Joke--Becky's Best, by Elusive Quality), the...

3rd-Aqueduct, $70,000, (S), Msw, 2-17, 4yo/up, 1m, 1:39.47, sy, 8 1/2 lengths. SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS (g, 4, Medaglia d'Oro--Khancord Kid {GSW, $167,343}, by Lemon Drop Kid), picked up for $300,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September in 2020, took his time making the races but made his belated debut at 2-1 over a sloppy New York track Friday. Poised just off the lead after enduring contact at the break, the well-related gelding sat a wide trip, chasing three wide up the backstretch as Central Pride (Lord Nelson) paced the...

4th-Deauville, €27,000, Mdn, 12-16, unraced 2yo, f, 7 1/2f (AWT), 1:31.73, st. QUICKSTEP (FR) (f, 2, Wootton Bassett {GB}--Dance Toupie {Fr}, by Dansili {GB}) was well away from the inside stall to race in a handy third after the opening quarter of this debutantes' heat. Making smooth headway on the bridle in the straight and sent with 300 metres remaining, the even-money pick took a slender advantage into the final furlong and kept on powerfully under whipless coaxing in the closing stages to defeat Sunlike (Fr) (De Treville {GB}) by...

After recording the highest Beyer Speed Figure in the field (85) when runner-up by just a nose last out over this course in a six-furlong maiden special weight Nov. 4, Sweetlou'sgotaces (Constitution--Kayce Lu, by Lonhro {Aus}) broke her maiden in Aqueduct's Tepin S. when stretched to a mile for the first time. She was also a narrow second on debut Sept. 1 at the Spa and off the board Oct. 8 in the GIII Matron S. at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. In the Tepin, Sweetlou'sgotaces broke from the rail...

In this series, we will have a look at first-time starters entered for age-restricted maiden races on the week's main live program at Meydan Racecourse, focusing specifically on pedigree and/or performance in sales ring, both domestic and abroad. With the exception of Thursday, Dec. 1, Super Saturday, Mar. 4, and Dubai World Cup night Mar. 25, the main meeting at Meydan takes place on Fridays. Six meetings are to be staged at the UAE's flagship racecourse prior to the start of the Dubai World Cup Carnival Friday, Jan. 6, 2023....