Rising Star

4th-Oaklawn, $140,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($125,000), 3-3, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:45.10, ft, 8 1/2 lengths. IMPEL (f, 3, Quality Road--Your Love {SW & GSP, $335,000}, by Flatter) earned 'TDN Rising Star' honors with a dazzling debut win over a fast six furlongs at Fair Grounds Jan. 1. Entered as an also-eligible for last Friday's Cincinnati Trophy S. at Turfway, the Juddmonte homebred showed up in this spot as the 6-5 favorite instead and made the most of the swap. Always right off the hip of pacesetter Hayek (Cairo Prince),...

In a field including six first-time starters, Squire Creek (Uncle Mo) proved much the best, scampering home a six-length winner over the well-related 4-5 choice Wicked Again (Gun Runner) in the six-furlong contest at Fair Grounds Thursday. Off the blocks alertly, the 5-2 second choice vied for the early lead with the well-related Wicked Again through opening fractions of :21.65 and :44.92. Head-to-head with that rival turning for home, the $525,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate edged ahead in early stretch and blasted clear late en route to an easy victory. A...

Unveiled at Aqueduct Nov. 6, Tapit Trice (Tapit) endured a wide trip throughout and was coming on late but had to settle for third just 2 1/2 lengths off the winner. It would be the only time so far that the grey son of Tapit did not find the winner's circle as he rebounded with a narrow victory over a muddy but sealed track Dec. 17 before flying south to Gulfstream to earn his 'TDN Rising Star' nod with an eight-length romp Saturday. Racing with Lasix for the first time,...

Bandita (f, 3, Gun Runner--Tricky One, by Unbridled's Song), coming off her first set of works for now-eight-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, cemented her status as a 'TDN Rising Star' at Gulfstream Park on Sunday afternoon. The bay filly, backed down to even-money favoritism, did not disappoint her connections or the bettors in what was a sparkling debut. Breaking alertly, the Bass Stables colorbearer set the tone early by controlling the pace up front. Despite being challenged by Arrow Bolt (Arrogate) just before the far turn, the $350,000 KEESEP...

Top of the Charts (Maclean's Music) proved his impressive debut was no fluke with another good-looking score against winners at Churchill Downs Saturday. He wired a six-panel maiden special weight at this oval in his May 28 career bow, graduating by 2 3/4 lengths and earning an 87 Beyer Speed Figure. Gelded after that debut, the bay was the slight second choice at 9-5 ($1.90) behind another son of Maclean's Music named Favorite Outlaw ($1.80), who earned a whopping 95 Beyer Speed Figure for his second-out graduation at Oaklawn in...

Baoma Corp.'s Ganadora (Quality Road), installed the 6-5 choice in this first go, slugged it out early with So It Would Seem (Honor Code), but was peerless in the stretch, running away to win by an impressive 6 1/2-length margin over 2-1 second choice Lady T (Into Mischief). Mixing it up through a sharp opening pace in :21.58 and :44.74, the $1-million KEESEP buy kicked clear turning for home and proved much the best late to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors. So It Would Seem faded to second last. Ganadora...

Stonestreet Stables' Bombdiggity became the 30th 'TDN Rising Star' for her super sire Into Mischief with an impressive score at Fair Grounds. Bumped at the start of her unveiling at Churchill Downs Nov. 6, the $600,000 KEESEP purchase faded to be sixth after setting the early pace. Receiving Lasix for the first time in this sophomore bow, Bombdiggity broke much better this time around, jumping up to take immediate control. Coasting through a :22.66 first quarter, the bay was well within herself as she turned for home in front after...

Marc Detampel's New Year's Eve (Kitten's Joy) was overlooked at 11-1 in this career bow, but that won't happen in her next start after a good-looking graduation at Fair Grounds Friday. Squeezed out by her neighbors at the start, the chestnut raced near the back of the pack through opening splits of :24.41 and :50.24. Swung out to the center of the course in the stretch, New Year's Eve unleashed a furious late rally, sling-shotting past her competition to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths. Missoni (Flintshire {GB}) filled...

Radio Days (Gun Runner) took her record to two-for-two with 'TDN Rising Star' performance at Aqueduct Thursday. A debut winner in the slop at Belmont Oct. 31, she was heavily favored at 1-5 to repeat here. Settling well back off the pace in fourth, the $750,000 KEESEP buy swept up three wide to take on the top three on the backstretch run. Left with just one foe at the top of the lane, Radio Days quickly shrugged her off and rolled clear with ease to win for fun by 8...

'TDN Rising Star' Carribean Caper (Speightstown) looks to keep her perfect record in tact Saturday and score her first graded victory in Churchill's GIII Dogwood S. Donning cap and gown by eight lengths in her Fair Grounds unveiling Feb. 13, the $250,000 KEESEP acquisition captured a Keeneland optional claimer Apr. 2 and an Ellis Park test July 10. She passed her first black-type test with ease in the Audobon Oaks last out there Aug. 15. Li'l Tootsie (Tapiture) seeks her black-type badge in this event. Capturing a Churchill optional claimer...

Lawana and Robert Low's $550,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic purchase Classy Edition (Classic Empire) proved worth the money Sunday as she overcame a rough start to dominate a group of New York-bred fillies and garner the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction. Purchased by agent Jacob West off a swift :10 1/5 breeze at Timonium in May, the bay was 3-5 while bidding to become newly minted Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher's eighth juvenile debut winner of the Saratoga stand and third 'Rising Star'. Pletcher sent out smashing turf winner Annapolis (War Front) on...

Godolphin has been riding a high since annexing last weekend's GI Dubai World Cup with homebred Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) and the operation looks to assert its dominance in the sophomore division Saturday with a pair of TDN Rising Stars, defending juvenile champion Essential Quality (Tapit), slated to run in Keeneland's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. and Aqueduct's GII Wood Memorial contender Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro). Essential Quality earned his Rising Star status courtesy of a four-length victory sprinting six panels at Churchill Downs last September before handling his step up to...