Medaglia d'Oro

Blu Racing's Louisiana-bred Jovialite (Medaglia D'Oro--Juanita, by Mineshaft), a $225,000 OBS March Breeze-Up graduate, went postward at double-digit odds for Monday's Prix Fast Fox at Saint-Cloud and returned home with a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette after turning the 6 1/2-furlong contest into a procession. The Fabrice Chappet trainee was well away from an outer stall and stalked the pace in second through halfway. Inching ahead soon after turning for home, the 127-10 chance quickened clear in style approaching the final furlong and extended her margin of superiority under minimal urging...

6th-Kentucky Downs, $180,800, Msw, 9-8, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:36.02, fm, neck. BALLERINA D'ORO (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro--In the Moonlight, by Tapit) debuted a well-beaten sixth over the grass at Saratoga Aug. 4. Backed as the 6-5 favorite here, the filly was unhurried after the break as the lead was wrestled away by Big Air (Vekoma). The grey remained patient around the far turn, waited until she was given her cue approaching the eighth pole and went to work slicing through traffic. With a well-timed surge in the final jumps, the...

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...

4th-Presque Isle Downs, $30,450, Msw, 8-27, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f (AWT), 1:05.49, ft, neck. TESSITURA (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro--Octave {MGISW, $1,660,934}, by Unbridled's Song), a bit flat- footed at the start, dropped back to last, and remained there as Courageous Ari (Courageous Cat) took the advantage through an opening quarter in :22.31. Seeming to remain unhurried despite the increasing pressure from her jockey Willie Martinez, the 7-2 chance was given a left-handed reminder turning for home as the 10-1 pacesetter seemed to be heading to victory. With several lengths to...

A royally-bred son of Medaglia d'Oro, East Avenue lived up to the expectations of both his breeding and the wagering public Saturday to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star' to wear the Royal Blue for Godolphin. Backed down to 6-5 at post, East Avenue had things all his own way right from the opening strides and assumed command of the field while clearing down to the rail. The lead only grew as the fractions clicked off in :23.21 and :46.44 and, while Campaign Trail (Global Campaign) and Poppa Echo (Echo...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In about 20 seconds, maybe it was 15, Ryan Kamp traced his journey in racing to the winner's enclosure Saturday after the sixth race at Saratoga Race Course with Papiamento (Medaglia d'Oro). Boiled down to an even more concise version, about 15 years ago, Kamp went to the Kentucky Derby and nailed a $1,000 trifecta with his very first wager. "Right there, it just like latched its hooks in and it had me from that point forward," Kamp said. "I ended up going to the Breeders'...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features the half-sister to an American multiple Grade I winner.  13.57 Naas, Mdn, €18,000, 2yo, f, 5f 205yT DRAMATIC (Medaglia D'Oro) was a $1.5-million purchase by Coolmore at the 2022 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and becomes the latest Aidan O'Brien juvenile to come out to play....

The betting public pounded D J Stable's previously undefeated Bullet (War Front) into 3-5 favoritism for Friday's Catch a Glimpse Stakes at Woodbine, but it was the same outfit's uncoupled SHIFTY (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro--Elusive Luci, by Elusive Quality) who spoiled the party at odds of 11-1. Given her chance in stakes company off a slow-starting fifth in a six-furlong maiden July 4, the $350,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling emerged from a line of about five or six horses to take up the running down the backstretch and led them along...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Thursday at Saratoga: Thursday, August 15, 2024 Saratoga 1, $90k, 2yo, (S),...

Robert Clay signed the winning ticket on hip 201 Tuesday evening at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, going to $1 million for a colt by perennial leading sire Into Mischief. Consigned by Indian Creek, agent, the April-foaled bay colt is out of the unraced Validest (Medaglia d'Oro), a half-sister to the multiple graded-winning Global View (Galileo {Ire}). This is also the family of MGSW A. P. Warrior (A.P. Indy). Breeder Hubert Vester acquired Validest for $350,000 in foal to Authentic at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale.

1st-MTH, $47K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 12:50 p.m. ET. Shadwell Farm went to $700,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale to take home EL ZAIN (Medaglia d'Oro). Sent to Todd Pletcher, the filly is out of GI Jenny Wiley Stakes heroine Centre Court (Smart Strike). This dam produced El Zain's full-sister, GSW Navratilova. Centre Court is also responsible for a yearling colt by Essential Quality and a filly by Flightline who was foaled Feb. 28. TJCIS PPS

Delahaye closed powerfully to earn her first graded victory in the GIII Mint Julep S. Sunday at Churchill Downs. The even-money favorite was jostled between rivals at the break and was taken in hand to settle well off the pace as longshot Safeen went out to the early lead. Safeen was unchallenged through pedestrian splits, while Delahaye raced three wide with two horses beaten down the backstretch. The favorite rushed up into contention with a four-wide move approaching the stretch, inhaled the pacesetter inside the final furlong and strode clear...