More Than Looks

Saturday's Racing Insights: Gate Appointment For Madame Secretary Confirmed At Seaside Oval

7th-DMR, $54K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5fT, 6:30 p.m. ET. MADAME SECRETARY (Constitution) makes her first start for MyRacehorse and Brook Smith after she was purchased at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale for $900,000 by Rocket Ship and Gandharvi. Sent to Richard Mandella, the filly is out of MSP Nina Fever (Borrego), who was taken home by Blandford Bloodstock for $500,000 while Madame Secretary was in-utero. This dam produced GI Frizette Stakes heroine and $3 million Fasig-Tipton Mixed Sale buy Nickname (Scat Daddy), who herself is responsible for Irish group stakes...

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En 'Vaux'-ge: More Than Looks Strikes a Pose In the Breeders' Cup Mile

Victory Racing Partners' More Than Looks (More Than Ready) has spent a fair bit of the last 16 months in the shadow cast by his talented contemporary, 'TDN Rising Star' Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). In three previous head-to-head battles, the $135,000 Keeneland September graduate had finished behind his rival each time, but the quirky dark bay managed to flip the script on one of racing's biggest stages, coming with a barnstorming rally--in particular in the final 100 yards--to win Saturday's GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at Del...

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Busy Morning for Breeders' Cup Contenders at Keeneland and Churchill

Trainer Chad Brown sent out his two Keeneland-based pre-entrants in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile--'TDN Rising Star' Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Chili Flag (Fr) (Cityscape {GB})--together for a half-mile breeze over the grass in :50.40 (1/3) Saturday morning. According to Keeneland clockers, their final quarter mile went in :22.80. "I thought it was a great work, very straightforward," said jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who rode Carl Spackler to a win in Keeneland's GI Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes Oct. 5. "He's really feeling good out there. He's a...

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Breeders' Cup Hopefuls On Track Saturday at Keeneland

Multiple Grade I-placed 'TDN Rising Star' Ferocious (Flatter) was out on track at 7:30 a.m. at Keeneland following the first harrow period and had Javier Castellano in the irons for the morning session as he continued preps for his scheduled start in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Castellano had spent nearly two months on the sidelines with a fractured hand, but made a trip from New York to Lexington specifically for the half-mile work. In the first move since Ferocious finished second in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, the...

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'Rising Star' Carl Spackler Makes All, Gives Brown First Coolmore Turf Mile

Never before in his nine-race career had 'TDN Rising Star' Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) led at the first or second call of any of his races. Never before, even more remarkably, had Chad Brown unsaddled a winner of the GI Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland. But, drawn widest in a field of nine for Saturday's 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile the flashy chestnut was ridden for speed from out there by Tyler Gaffalione and found extra in the final furlong to...

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Carl Spackler Wins Fourstardave in a “Family Affair”

It was worth the wait. After twice being rescheduled and finally run eight days late due to rain, the GI FanDuel Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga stayed on the lawn and featured a breakout performance by 'TDN Rising Star' Carl Spackler (c, 4, Lope de Vega {Ire})--Zindaya, by More Than Ready), who was taking the first Grade I event of his career after winning three other graded races, all at Saratoga. As a 'Win and You're In' race for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile, the Fourstardave gives Carl Spackler a fees-paid...

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Saratoga Notebook, Presented By NYRA Bets: Honor Marie Works, Gaffalione To Ride In Travers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--Honor Marie (Honor Code) has his partner for the $1.25 million GI Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 24. Trainer Whit Beckman said Saturday that Tyler Gaffalione will ride the colt in the marquee race of the summer at the Spa. Beckman made it official after Honor Marie, with Gaffalione on board, worked four furlongs in 48.75 (12/44) on the Oklahoma Training Track Saturday morning. They worked in company with stablemate Anthem King (Bolt d'Oro), who was ridden by T. C. Stevens. "Tyler knows how to...

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Brightwork Heads Breeders' Cup Work Tab

With the 40th Breeders' Cup World Championships less than two weeks away, a number of hopefuls worked Saturday morning at Keeneland as they make their final preparations before shipping to Santa Anita. Trainer John Ortiz took GISW Brightwork (Outwork) out for a spin on Saturday with William Simon, owner of WSS Racing, on hand as the bay filly points towards the GI NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 3. Working with 4 G Racing's GSP Crown Imperial (Classic Empire), a candidate for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf also...

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The Week In Review: Breeders' Cup Berths Not All About Speed Numbers

Going into Saturday's wiring of the GI Awesome Again S., Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) hadn't won a dirt race in 1 1/2 years, and he still has the same habit of swishing his tail in the stretch when lifelong riding partner Mario Gutierrez implores him for run. But this Reddam Racing homebred trained by Doug O'Neill had been finishing respectably behind some A-list names in his company lines, so bettors made him favored for the first time in 15 months, and at 2-1 odds Slow Down Andy rewarded that confidence...

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