Returning home after finishing runner-up in the GI Secretariat S. at Arlington Aug. 13, Long Island Sound was back to winning ways under Seamie Heffernan despite giving favourite-backers a late scare. Two-for-two over a mile here in April, the bay extended his unbeaten record at that distance on turf at Killarney May 17 before running third in the 10-furlong G3 Tercentenary S. at Royal Ascot June 16. Sixth in the July 9 GI Belmont Derby, he was denied by a head by Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid) in the Secretariat and it was interesting to see that Aidan O'Brien applied a visor for the first time here. In front from the outset and comfortably clear at halfway, he was reeled in and headed inside the last quarter mile by Battalion and looked held for much of the run to the line before staying on to regain the advantage in the final yards. Connections won this in 2012 with Declaration of War and Heffernan told Irish racing.com, “I would have preferred a lead, but Aidan's are tough. I wasn't sure there was going to be enough pace, so I took a gamble. He's a fair horse. I'd only be guessing but he was finishing well, so usually when they are finishing down past the winning post another run is not out of the question. There he just took a blow just at the wrong time and went for his wind. I was lucky enough the winning post was a bit further down and we got there. When he filled himself back up he won well.” The dam is a half-sister to the incomparable Zenyatta, whose remarkable exploits on all surfaces including this Polytrack need no re-telling, and also the GI Santa Anita Oaks, GI Santa Margarita Invitational H. and GI Las Virgenes S. winner Balance (Thunder Gulch). Among her other half-siblings is the Remington Park Oaks winner Where's Bailey (Aljabr), who went on to produce the dual GII Yellow Ribbon H. winner She's Not Here, by Zenyatta's sire Street Cry. She has a 2-year-old filly also by that sire named Naples Parade, a yearling full-brother to Long Island Sound and has been bred back to War Front.
Friday, Dundalk, Ireland
TEXT YOUR BET TO PADDY POWER ON 51465 DIAMOND S.-G3, €60,000, DUN, 9-30, 3yo/up, 10f 150y(AWT), 2:14.50, st.
1–#@LONG ISLAND SOUND, 129, c, 3, by War Front">War Front
1st Dam: Treasure Trail, by Pulpit
2nd Dam: Vertigineux, by Kris S.
3rd Dam: For the Flag, by Forli (Arg)
($800,000 Wlg '13 KEENOV). O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Joseph Allen LLC; B-Edward A Cox Jr (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien; T-Seamie Heffernan. €37,200. Lifetime Record: GISP-US & GSP-Eng, 7-4-1-1, $213,315. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]2–Battalion (Ire), 134, g, 6, Authorized (Ire)–Zigarra (GB), by Halling. (55,000gns Ylg '11 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum; B-Kildaragh Stud (IRE); T-William Haggas. €12,000.
3–Hawke (Ire), 134, g, 4, Oratorio (Ire)–Australie (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. O/B-Ballygallon Stud Limited (IRE); T-Johnny Murtagh. €5,700.
Margins: NK, HF, HD. Odds: 0.80, 6.00, 7.00.
Also Ran: Qatari Hunter (Ire), Poitin (GB), Tennessee Wildcat (Ire), Cruiseliner (Brz), Remarkable Lady (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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