TDN RISING STARS

October 30, 2016 - Churchill Downs, Race 8, Stk, USD $80,000, 1M

McCraken, c, 2, 2014 by Ghostzapper

1st Dam: Ivory Empress (GSP, $189,402), by Seeking the Gold
2nd Dam: Madame Pandit, by Wild Again
3rd Dam: Tuesday Evening, by Nodouble

Owner: Whitham Thoroughbreds LLC
Breeder: Whitham Thoroughbreds LLC (KY)
Trainer: Ian R. Wilkes

McCraken, a solid 2 1/2-length winner going 6 1/2 panels at this venue when unveiled Oct. 2, was third choice on the board in his first try in black-type company. Sidling over to the rail second last, as heavily favored Speedmeister set a taxing pace, covering the first half-mile in :45.98. Angled off the pine to the attack, McCraken cruised past rivals on the extreme outside turning for home. Able to maintain his momentum as he cornered seven wide into the straight, Whitham Thoroughbreds homebred leveled off nicely and spurted away to become the newest ‘TDN Rising Star’. Balandeen (Bernardini) was up for second, with Speedmeister settling for fifth. Runner-up in the GIII Endine S. during her racing days, Ivory Empress, who is a half-sister to GI Gamely Breeders’ Cup H. heroine Mea Domina (Dance Brightly), has a yearling colt named Kearny County (Stroll) and a filly of this year named With Dignity (Declaration of War). She was covered by Majesticperfection later this year. McCraken’s second dam is GSW Madame Pandit (Wild Again), who was runner-up in the GI Santa Monica H., and is a half-sister to SW Sunlit Silence (Trempolino). The latter is responsible for MGSW & GISP Greek Sun (Danzig) and this is also the family of GSW Fiscally Speaking (Belong to Me).