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Tapit’s Sandman Rebel Bound

Thoroughbred Daily News - Sun, 2025-02-02 15:59

J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables' Sandman (Tapit), who overcame a tangled start in the Jan. 25 GIII Southwest Stakes before closing from the back to finish second under Cristian Torres, will make his next start in the Feb. 22 GII Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn, confirmed Mark Casse Sunday.

Casse also said Sandman will remain at Oaklawn, where the trainer has a string in Hot Springs for the first time since 2019. The Rebel is Oaklawn's final major prep for the $1.5-million GI Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles Mar. 29.

“He's one of the reasons I came there,” Casse said. “This is the first time in some time. That was a real interrupted schedule, as well, training. So many things the way he ran were good. We're staying there. That is our path to the [Kentucky] Derby. It will be the Rebel next.”

Of his Southwest effort, the Hall of Famer added, “I was just happy that he was fine,” Casse said of the one-length defeat. “I've been doing this for a long time and watched a lot of horses run, good horses that could never overcome the break that he had to even hit the board. So, I think: 1) hats off to Cristian. Not really sure how he stayed on and 2) he didn't panic. He let the horse get himself together and the rest goes to Sandman. I said going in we're going to find out whether he's a man or a boy and I think he's a man.”

The 1 1/16-mile Southwest was Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races. The Southwest allotted 42 total points (20-10-6-4-2, respectively) to the top five finishers toward Kentucky Derby starting eligibility.

Sandman, a $1.2 million at the OBS March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in training purchase, ran fifth in the GIII Iroquois at one mile Sept. 14 and third in the GIII Street Sense at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 27. Both races were at Churchill Downs.

“He did [everything but win] and probably more,” Casse said of the Southwest. “Obviously, you're disappointed when you miss the opportunity to win a big race, a million-dollar race, but we came away with so many positives that it's hard to be very disappointed.”

Sandman was assigned a career-high 92 Beyer Speed Figure for the Southwest, a three-point improvement over his previous best, which came in a 1 ¾-length allowance victory at 1 mile Dec. 13 at Oaklawn to close his five-race 2-year-old campaign.

Sandman only had two half-mile workouts in advance of the Southwest after Oaklawn lost more than 10 days of training earlier in January to winter weather.

Sandman galloped 1 ½ miles Sunday morning and will probably work next weekend, said Caden Arthur, who oversees Casse's Oaklawn division.

The Rebel will offer 105 total points (50-25-15-10-5, respectively) to the top five finishes toward the Kentucky Derby, which is limited to 20 starters.

The post Tapit’s Sandman Rebel Bound appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Citizen Bull Doing Well After Lewis, San Felipe or Rebel for Barnes

Thoroughbred Daily News - Sun, 2025-02-02 15:34

Trainer Bob Baffert confirmed all was well with Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) the morning after his 3 3/4-length win in Saturday's GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes. Baffert indicated a decision has not been made whether last year's 2-year-old champion will make one or two more starts before this year's GI Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs.

Citizen Bull, who earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for his front-running win in the one-mile Lewis under Martin Garcia, which was his first start since winning the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 1. With the win, Citizen Bull earned 20 additional qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby to give him 60 in all.

On Sunday, he said “we'll just wait and see” whether Citizen Bull makes another start, potentially the GII San Felipe at Santa Anita on Mar. 1, prior to the final round of Kentucky Derby preps in early April, which includes the GI Santa Anita Derby on Apr. 5.

“I need to talk it over with his racing manager [SF Racing's Tom Ryan] and we'll make a plan,” Baffert said.

Citizen Bull is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables and partners.

In addition to Citizen Bull, Baffert has another Kentucky Derby prospect in Into Michief's Barnes, who won the GII San Vicente going seven furlongs Jan. 4 at Santa Anita. Barnes will make his next start in either the GII Rebel Stakes Feb. 22 at Oaklawn Park or the San Felipe a week later, Baffert said. Both races are contested at 1 1/16 miles. It would be the first time going two turns for Barnes, owned by Zedan Racing.

The post Citizen Bull Doing Well After Lewis, San Felipe or Rebel for Barnes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Fair Grounds Track Photographer Lou Hodges Retires

Blood-Horse - Sat, 2025-02-01 20:57
Since 1976, second-generation track photographer Lou Hodges Jr. has captured horse racing at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, and at age 76, he has decided to retire. 

El Potente, Rashmi Notch First Stakes Victories

Blood-Horse - Sat, 2025-02-01 20:57
A month into 2025, trainer Dan Blacker is back winning graded stakes in California, this time with My Way Racing's El Potente, who blitzed a mile on firm turf in 1:32.39 in taking the $102,000 Thunder Road Stakes (G3T) Feb. 1 at Santa Anita Park.

Eclatant Leads Cox Exacta in Forward Gal Stakes

Blood-Horse - Sat, 2025-02-01 20:57
A classic pace meltdown in the Feb. 1 $155,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) played right into the hands of a waiting Eclatant, who exerted her superiority late with a 1 1/4-length score.

Burnham Square Rallies to Victory in Holy Bull Stakes

Blood-Horse - Sat, 2025-02-01 20:57
A less-than-ideal break from the gate forced jockey Edgard Zayas to change his plan of attack with Whitham Thoroughbreds' homebred Burnham Square, who nevertheless persevered to capture the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park.

Citizen Bull Delivers in 2025 Return in Robert B. Lewis

Blood-Horse - Sat, 2025-02-01 20:57
In winning his 13th Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) and seventh straight, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert best summed up the performance from Citizen Bull during a postrace television interview, saying, "The champ is back."

Captain Cook Takes Withers in Stakes Debut

Blood-Horse - Sat, 2025-02-01 20:57
Perhaps in two months trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. will start focusing on the Kentucky Derby (G1). For now anyway, he's quite content to know he has an exciting 3-year-old in Captain Cook who can be pointed to another lucrative stakes.

Kopion Emulates Sire Omaha Beach in Santa Monica Win

Blood-Horse - Sat, 2025-02-01 20:57
In defeating three tough runners from the Bob Baffert barn in the Santa Monica Stakes (G2), Kopion reminded her trainer, Richard Mandella, of her sire, Omaha Beach, also a Mandella trainee.

Brown, Prat Score Graded Stakes Double at Tampa Bay

Blood-Horse - Sat, 2025-02-01 20:57
Chad Brown and Flavien Prat showed the Tampa Bay Downs crowd exactly why they were voted winners in their respective 2024 Eclipse Award categories, sweeping both graded stakes races on the Feb. 1 card with Running Bee and Saffron Moon.

Lukas Outlines Plans for His Leading 3-Year-Olds

Blood-Horse - Sat, 2025-02-01 20:57
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is finalizing February plans for his Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls and those include a geographical swap for two candidates and the stakes debut for a popular third. 

Gate to Wire Rallies to Take Swale in First Dirt Start

Blood-Horse - Sat, 2025-02-01 20:57
Rallying from fourth in a field of six 3-year-olds, Gate to Wire did not exactly live up to his name in the $155,000 Swale Stakes Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park, but he was in front when it mattered most in the seven-furlong race: the finish.

Gigante Brings $610K in Fasig-Tipton Digital Flash Sale

Blood-Horse - Sat, 2025-02-01 20:57
Grade 2 stakes winner Gigante sold to Clark Brewster and L and N Racing for $610,000 in a one-horse flash sale on Fasig-Tipton Digital.

‘Rising Star’ River Thames Stays Perfect at Gulfstream

Thoroughbred Daily News - Sat, 2025-02-01 15:32

7th-Gulfstream, $73,260, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 2-1, 3yo, 1m, 1:36.34, ft, 6 1/2 lengths.
RIVER THAMES (c, 3, Maclean's Music–Proportionality, by Discreet Cat), tabbed as a 'TDN Rising Star' with a 94 Beyer Speed Figure on debut going six furlongs at Gulfstream Jan. 11, stayed perfect in style, stretching to a mile here. The rail-drawn, 3-5 favorite forced the issue from an inside second through an opening quarter in :23.89. He appeared to bobble slightly, but recovered quickly to challenge for command entering the far turn. The New York-bred enjoyed a narrow advantage at the top of the stretch and leveled off beautifully from there to score impressively by 6 1/2 lengths. Souper Times (Not This Time) was second. River Thames's dam is a half-sister to four winners, including Miss Interpret (Street Sense), who won a rained-off renewal of the P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga in 2021. Third dam Seeking the Silver produced MGISW Paulassilverlining (Ghostzapper), dam of SW and recent UAE GSP 'TDN Rising Star' Artorius (Arrogate); GISW sire Dads Caps (Discreet Cat); and SP Liza Too (Olmodavor), the dam of the stakes-winning Long Weekend (Majesticperfection). Proportionality was bred to both Liam's Map and WinStar's Nashville for her 2025 foal. Sales history: $200,000 Ylg '23 SARAUG. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $85,200. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-CHC, Inc. & WinStar Farm LLC; B-CTR Stables, LLC (NY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

 

“RIVER THAMES ($3.40) has a gear the others don't have” – @AnnouncerPete@PletcherRacing trains the Maclean's Music colt for owners @WinStarFarm. @ljlmvel was in the saddle of the undefeated three-year-old.

Late Pick 5 starts now: https://t.co/zleTqs7rGG pic.twitter.com/4qTL8xZx2w

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 1, 2025

The post ‘Rising Star’ River Thames Stays Perfect at Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Straight No Chaser Works Towards Saudi, Prominent 3YOs Also on Santa Anita Tab

Thoroughbred Daily News - Sat, 2025-02-01 15:27

Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Straight No Chaser (Speightster) and a pair of important 3-year-old colts were the star turns on the Santa Anita worktab Saturday morning.

Last seen sewing up championship honors when taking out the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint over Bentornato (Valiant Minister) at Del Mar Nov. 2, Straight No Chaser turned in his second consecutive bullet work, going five furlongs in :59.20 (1/72) in advance of his expected appearance in the G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint on the Saudi Cup undercard Feb. 22. There the 6-year-old is expected to face a rematch with the Jose D'Angelo-trained Bentornato, a respectable third behind Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) and Book'em Danno (Bucchero) in last year's G3 Saudi Derby.

Getaway Car (Curlin), winner of last year's GIII Best Pal Stakes, continued to train along towards his sophomore debut when clocking 1:00.40 for his five-furlong move Saturday morning. The $300,000 Keeneland November weanling turned $700,000 Keeneland September yearling was last seen completing the exacta for his sire behind Journalism in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 14.

'TDN Rising Star' Bullard (Gun Runner) also breezed five-eighths of a mile Saturday morning, covering the distance in 1:00.20 (14/72) for trainer Michael McCarthy. The dark bay won the first two starts of his career, including Del Mar's GIII Bob Hope Stakes Nov. 17, but was soundly defeated into third by Barnes (Into Mischief) in the GII San Vicente Stakes Jan. 4.

The post Straight No Chaser Works Towards Saudi, Prominent 3YOs Also on Santa Anita Tab appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Uncle Mo’s Emergence Dominates in Gulfstream Debut

Thoroughbred Daily News - Sat, 2025-02-01 15:10

5th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 2-1, 3yo, 1 1/16m (AWT), 1:42.82, ft, 3 1/4 lengths.
EMERGENCE (c, 3, Uncle Mo–Belle Watling, by Pulpit), let go at 7-1, was shuffled back in traffic into the first turn and settled near the back of the pack down the backstretch. The dark bay colt began inching closer nearing the far turn, rolled up three wide into the stretch and bound to the lead before drawing clear to graduate by 3 1/4 lengths. Daham (American Pharoah) was second. Emergence, a $475,000 KEESEP yearling, is a half-brother to Land Over Sea (Bellamy Road), GSW & MGISP, $746,500; and to War Story (Northern Afleet), MGSW & GISP, $3,271,996. The winner is the last foal out of Belle Watling, who died in 2023. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,000.
O-Qatar Racing, CHC, Inc. and Trilogy USA; B-Summer Wind Equine LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.

The large Uncle Mo (@CoolmoreAmerica) colt EMERGENCE ($17.60) got stronger as they went longer in @GulfstreamPark race 5. The @bradcoxracing trained three-year-old won on debut under @luissaezpty.

Get in on the next: https://t.co/RNKSWDl51a pic.twitter.com/CB1kPwMhXa

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 1, 2025

The post Uncle Mo’s Emergence Dominates in Gulfstream Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Patti Cooksey Appears on Boundless Podcast

Thoroughbred Daily News - Sat, 2025-02-01 14:01

Patricia Cooskey began her riding career in 1979, at a time when female jockeys were not only rare, but were often discriminated against. She was the second woman in history to ride in the Kentucky Derby, the first to ride in the Preakness, and was at one time the all-time leading female jockey by victories. “I think the biggest challenge back then was being a woman in a male-dominated sport,” she said. “There were a few women who came before me, who I really consider the pioneers, tough women who broke down the barriers. I like to say that I paved the roads and made them a lot smoother for the women behind me, but still, it wasn't easy.”

She was the leading rider at Waterford Park in West Virginia in her first two seasons, and decided if she was going to be a jockey, she should ride in Kentucky, she tells Peterson on the podcast. She was met with resistance from trainers, she said, and went from riding every race back home to mounts that were few and far between.

She told the clerk of scales she was considering going back home, and he said he had a better idea. “`I've watched you ride,' he said, `and you've got the talent,'” Cooskey recalls him telling her.

“`What's your middle name?'” he asked her. “Joanne,” she said. They agreed to change her name to P.J. Cooksey.

“The next proram came out, and now I'm P.J. Cooksey,” she said. “Now, when trainers would call in and need a rider on their horse, he would say, `well, there's this new rider in town, P.J. Cooksey.' And they'd say fine, put him on.”

The interview is the second in a series Peterson-a jockey and veterinarian based in Lexington, Kentucky-is producing in the Boundless podcast series, designed to showcase stories of determination and overcoming adversity.

The podcast is available on YouTube here, or here on Spotify.

The post Patti Cooksey Appears on Boundless Podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Didia Officially Retired, to be Bred to Nyquist

Blood-Horse - Fri, 2025-01-31 20:57
Grade 1 winner Didia, who missed a start and the chance to become a repeat winner in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park, has been officially retired and will be bred to Nyquist.

All Figures Increase at Tattersalls February Sale

Blood-Horse - Fri, 2025-01-31 20:57
The two-day Tattersalls February Sale wrapped up Jan. 31, producing healthy increases in total sales, average, median, and clearance rate.

Kopion Tackles Salty Baffert Trio in Santa Monica

Blood-Horse - Fri, 2025-01-31 20:57
As impressive as Kopion was in her La Brea Stakes (G1) score a month ago, it'll be no walk in the park for the Omaha Beach filly in her 4-year-old debut in the Feb. 1 $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

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