Nostalgic

Churchill Downs, $80,418, Msw, 5-20, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :52.05, ft, 1/2 length. LATE SEPTEMBER (c, 2, Munnings--Hello Maggie May {MSW, $264,687}, by Lemon Drop Kid) O-Dew Sweepers LLC; B-Coteau Grove Farms, LLC (LA); T-George R. Arnold, II A number one song in America in the long hot summer of 1971 had these very first two lines: Wake up, Maggie, I think I got somethin' to say to you/It's late September and I really should be back at school. The song was called "Maggie May" and made mullet-haired, raspy-voiced co-author Rod...

Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro) added to a banner day for Godolphin with an upset score over even-money favorite and Busher Invitational S. romper Venti Valentine (Firing Line) in Aqueduct's GIII Gazelle S. Saturday. Godolphin and Nostalgic's trainer Bill Mott also teamed up to win the GI Carter H. one race earlier with Speaker's Corner (Street Sense). Additionally, Sheikh Mohammed's operation won Keeneland's GIII Commonwealth S. with homebred 'TDN Rising Star' Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro). Venti Valentine broke alertly and went straight to the front with fellow NY-bred, 9-5 second-choice and 'TDN Rising...

Venti Valentine (Firing Line), a dominating seven-length winner with a flashy 92 Beyer in the Busher Invitational S. Mar. 5, will be favored over seven rivals to punch her ticket to the GI Kentucky Oaks via Saturday's GIII Gazelle S. at Aqueduct. The New York-bred fell just a neck short of Nest (Curlin) two back in last December's GII Demoiselle S. over track and trip, the only blemish in her four career starts. "We knew she had talent early on, and turning from two to three, you could see the...

It was a big weekend for the 3-year-old fillies with prep races for the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks held at Aqueduct, Santa Anita, Gulfstream and Turfway. Secret Oath (Arrogate) remains on top for Wayne Lukas, but it was tempting to move Kathleen O. (Upstart) to the top spot after another impressive win, this time in the GII Davona Dale S. In California, the Bob Baffert-trained Eda (Munnings) won the GIII Santa Ysabel S., but until the Baffert horses are nominated to the Oaks they won't be included in our rankings....

Ginger Brew S. placegetters Ocean Safari (Temple City) and Opalina (Optimizer) face off yet again in the GIII Sweetest Chant S. Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Owned by Soldi Stable and Ohana Racing, Ocean Safari looked home free in the stretch after coming in four wide, but was out-kicked late by Alittleloveandluck (Arrogate) to miss by a half- length in the Ginger Brew Jan. 1. She graduated at second asking in a local turf test in September and was third next out in an optional claimer on the synthetic in October....

Todd Pletcher looks to double up in Saturday's juvenile events, sending out morning-line favorite Nest (Curlin) in Aqueduct's GII Demoiselle S. just 30 minutes after he saddles Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in the GII Remsen S. Romping by five lengths in her two-turn Belmont unveiling Nov. 5, the $350,000 KEESEP purchase checked in third in Belmont's one-mile Tempted S. Nov. 5. Pletcher also saddles Miss Interpret (Street Sense), winner of an off-the-turf renewal of the P.G. Johnson S. "She should love the mile and an eighth. She had a good...

7th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 10-22, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:47.36, ft, 7 3/4 lengths. NOSTALGIC (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro--Been Here Before {SP}, by Tapit), scratched out of an intended unveiling here about a month ago, showed three easy breezes in the interim and was let go at 9-1 as her second-time-starting stablemate Handbelle (Tapit) took the most tote attention. The Godolphin homebred showed little early foot and sat far back in second last down the backside through splits of :24.02 and :48.50. She sliced through a seam and began to inch...