Whisper Hill Farm

A new kingpin graces the No. 1 slot after a wild, final weekend of 100-point preps. The rankings below are independent from the "Road to the Derby" leaderboard Churchill Downs uses to determine starting berths, with several horses included here who are currently below the cut.   1) PRACTICAL MOVE (c, Practical Joke--Ack Naughty, by Afleet Alex) O-Leslie & Pierre Jean Amestoy & Roger Beasley; B-Chad Brown & Head of Plains Partners (KY); T-Tim Yakteen. Sales history: $90,000 RNA yrl '21 KEESEP; $230,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GISW, 7-4-1-2,...

We're approaching the edge of the GI Kentucky Derby abyss. Three final 100-points prep races Saturday, followed by four weeks of microscopic analysis and animated speculation. Bring it on! 1) FORTE (c, Violence--Queen Caroline, by Blame) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-South Gate Farm (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt, MGISW, 7-6-0-0, $1,833,230. Last start: 1st GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Apr. 1. Kentucky Derby Points: 190. 'TDN Rising Star' Forte has made...

At almost no point during the opening 6 1/2 furlongs of Saturday's GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby did things look particularly promising for Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable's heavily favored Tapit Trice (Tapit). But in a stretch rally befitting his status as a 'TDN Rising Star', the $1.3-million Keeneland September graduate went through his gears and whistled home to--somewhat unbelievably--post an open-lengths victory over Classic Car Wash (Noble Bird) and Classic Legacy (Into Mischief), the third- and fourth-place finishers, respectively, in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. four...

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,...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-GP, $84K, Msw, 4yo/up, 6f, 1:38 p.m. Though making a belated debut as a 4-year-old, LAKOTA TERRITORY (Quality Road), bred in a partnership by Whisper Hill Farm, Three Chimneys, and JSM Equine, gets his chance to add to his family's legacy Friday out of the Todd Pletcher barn. Out of the Malibu Moon mare Akron Moon, the bay is a full-brother to MGISW Bellafina who brought a final bid of $4,000,000 from Coolmore's M V Magnier in foal to Tiz the Law at last fall's...

The first week of January doesn't have much in common with the first Saturday in May--with the exception that the inaugural TDN Top 12 has arrived to herald the coming of the seemingly far-off GI Kentucky Derby season. Get tied on and enjoy the ride. 1) ARABIAN KNIGHT (c, Uncle Mo--Borealis Night, by Astrology) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Corser Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $2,300,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $86,025. Last start: 1st Keeneland Maiden Special Weight, Nov. 5....

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack tracks down top horses on the sidelines. Whisper Hill Farm homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (c, 3, Tapit--I'll Take Charge, by Indian Charlie), off since posting a jaw-dropping, 23-length victory in the GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont Park July 2, is gearing up for a 4-year-old campaign. Forced to miss intended second-half targets in the GI Runhappy Travers S. and GI Pennsylvania Derby with a foot issue, Charge It has since posted a trio of breezes this winter...

7th-Fair Grounds, $54,000, Msw, 12-3, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:46.90, ft, 7 1/2 lengths. TAPIT SHOES (c, 2, Tapit--Awesome Flower {MSW & MGSP, $556,593}, by Flower Alley) made the most of a troubled trip at first asking, tackling a sloppy track at Churchill Oct. 30 to wind up sixth after trailing most of the race. With the addition of both blinkers and Lasix Saturday, the half-brother to Cyberknife (Gun Runner), MGISW, $2,087,520 had the betting public's favor, going off at 8-5 over the same distance as his debut. Racing again off...

Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm was active, per usual, at the top of the market at Fasig-Tipton November Sunday evening, and Pope picked up right where she left off Monday across town at Keeneland. She went to $2.3 million to pick up 5-year-old racing or broodmare prospect Four Graces (Majesticperfection), a MGSW/GISP half-sister to MGSW young sire McCraken from a deep Whitham family. The near $500,000 earner was consigned by Denali Stud has hip 192.

Whisper Hill Farm's Mandy Pope had already signed the $5-million ticket for GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) during Fasig-Tipton's Night of the Stars, and she made another high-dollar addition to her world-class broodmare band when spending $2.9 million to secure 2019 GI Frizette S. heroine Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map). Barren to Uncle Mo in her first mating, the half-sister to GSW/MGISP Point of Honor (Curlin) was carrying a first foal by that one's top sire. The Steve Asmussen-trained Wicked Whisper was a $500,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Alex and...

2020 GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) brought $5 million at Fasig-Tipton November 12 months ago when Mandy Pope of Whisper Hill Farm partnered with her previous campaigners--Flurry Racing Stables and Qatar Racing. This time around, Pope went to the same price to buy out those partners and take home the $2,777,458 earner. Since last year's transaction, Shedaresthedevil took the GII Fleur de Lis S. amid placings in the GII Azeri S., GI La Troienne S. and GI Clement L. Hirsch S. She was consigned to the sale as a...

By Christie DeBernardis and Jessica Martini A $1.4-million son of super sire Into Mischief (Hip 604) led a sextet of seven-figure sellers during the opening session of Book 2 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Wednesday. Consigned by Summerfield on behalf of Stonestreet Stables, the colt was purchased by Larry Best of OXO Equine. With six horses eclipsing the million-dollar mark Wednesday, the sale total now comes to 28. During the equivalent session last year, just two yearlings brought seven figures, including the $1.7-million sale topper. "It was a great...