Volatile

A field of 16 juveniles--13 colts and a trio of fillies--will head to the Tokyo 1600-meter start for Saturday's $199,488 Cattleya Stakes (allowance), a contest that serves as the first of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and offers points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale. American-breds comprise a quarter of the field and Godolphin homebred Snappy Dresser (Union Rags) is the best-backed of the foursome at just over 5-2 in early wagering. A full-brother to MGSW & GISP Caramel Swirl, the May 19 foal debuted in a...

Rojo Rita (Volatile) gave her connections something to celebrate here as she cruised home the easiest of winners in this unveiling, and secured her nod as the newest 'TDN Rising Star' in the process. An $80,000 Keeneland September purchase in 2023, Rojo Rita has been working steadily at Palm Meadows before this debut, with her Nov. 1 five-furlong work over that main track in :59.35 being rated as the fastest of five on the morning. Her Nov. 8 four-panel breeze went in :48.25, and she was rated fourth fastest of...

5th-Aqueduct, $90,000, Msw, 11-10, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.59, fm, 2 lengths. HIGH BETA (c, 2, Volatile--Tippany, by Tapit) just missed by a head as the heavy favorite at the Meadowlands going one mile Sept. 28. Adding the extra 1/16th Sunday, the even-money chalk raced in the front flight in a ground-saving spot just off pacesetter Reteko (Outwork). Shifted out around the turn past the half in :48.99, High Beta had plenty left when ridden to the front off the far turn and held off a charging group led by Constitution...

5th-Churchill Downs, $123,375, Msw, 11-1, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.25, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. SPEED KING (c, 2, Volatile--Athenian Beauty, by Corinthian) defied the betting public's 22-1 odds here with a frontrunning score in this unveiling beneath the Twin Spires. Bumped leaving the gate, but able to recover quickly enough to step forward to set the pace, the grey put space between himself and the field via :22.25 and :45.78 opening fractions. Entering the lane with a 2 1/2-length margin, he greenly but gamely hung on to win despite lingering on his...

Voila Magic, the 9-2 third choice in this inexperienced group, wanted the front but had to contend with Acknowledge (Authentic) early to his inside. The pair dueled past the half-mile pole in :46.03 and it was Voila Magic who went on with things, putting that rival away off the far turn and opening up on his wrong lead to cruise home ridden out 5 3/4 lengths in front of 2-1 favorite Ennis Town (Echo Town). Voila Magic is Volatile (by Violence)'s second 'TDN Rising Star', joining Saratoga maiden winner and...

Three Chimneys has released its 2025 roster and fees and topping the list is Horse of the Year Gun Runner (by Candy Ride {Arg})--the sire of 13 millionaires and 10 Grade 1 winners--who after being listed privately in 2024 will stand for a fee of $250,000 LFSN, the farm said via a release on Friday. Currently second on the General Sire list in North America with almost $16 million in progeny earnings, Gun Runner is the sire of four Grade I winners this year including Sierra Leone, Vahva, Society and...

However obvious it may now appear that the "real" Fierceness didn't show up for the GIII Holy Bull Stakes back in February, he was keeping tougher company than many assumed at the time. Of the pair, in fact, things went rather more blatantly wrong for Domestic Product, bumped early before wasting energy against a slow pace and coming home wide. Domestic Product still managed to get closer to the winner than did the juvenile champion, and even in scrambling home in the GIII Tampa Bay Derby next time left a...

SARATOGA SPRINGS--Travers Weekend has been good to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. And not just because he has won the GI Travers Stakes twice--with Flower Alley in 2005 and Stay Thirsty in 2011. The annual blockbuster weekend on the Saratoga Race Course schedule is also known for the 2-year-olds. And Pletcher has had some good ones that have debuted at Midsummer Derby time. On Saturday, it was Tip Top Thomas (Volatile) that emerged as a horse to watch in the future when he won the day's seventh race, a...

SARATOGA SPRING, N.Y.--Three Chimneys Farm, LLC has a 'volatile' situation on their hands. And that is a good thing. Volatile, who had a pretty fair career as a racehorse, is continuing to shine in the breeding shed. That showed at Saratoga Race Course on Sunday when Volatile progeny Reliable Source gutted out a stretch drive with first-timer Margot's Angel (Practical Joke) and won a $100,000 maiden special event for 2-year-old fillies, the first race on the card. She is the sixth individual winner for her freshman sire (by Violence). Reliable...

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 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 Sunday at Ellis Park and Del Mar: Sunday, July 28, 2024 Ellis 4, $71k,...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When the seventh race at Saratoga Race Course was finished Saturday, Chad Brown, who deflects credit often, did it once more. The six-time leading trainer at the Spa had just won a $100,000 maiden special weight with the 5-2 favorite, Incentive Pay (Volatile). It was the first juvenile starter of the meet for Brown. Brown didn't want to pat himself on the back after this one. He wanted Pete Bradley, a longtime friend and respected bloodstock agent, to take the bows. At the 2023 Keeneland September...

Showcase (c, 2, Uncle Mo--Buy Sell Hold, by Violence) fired back-to-back bullets at Todd Pletcher's Saratoga base, including a four-furlong move in :48 3/5 (1/64) out of the gate over the Oklahoma training track June 21, and delivered as advertised as the 3-5 favorite to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors on debut at the Big A Saturday. Drawn widest of all in post five, Showcase traveled nicely beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. in an outside second, hit the front while racing in between rivals approaching the quarter pole and took off...