Star Kiwi mare mostly unscathed
Group 1-winning mare Concert Hall (NZ) (Savabeel) escaped serious injury in a freak incident that forced her to be late-scratched from Saturday’s G3 Taranaki Cup.
A last-start winner of the G1 Zabeel Classic, Concert Hall was the hot favourite for the New Plymouth feature but lurched backwards while being loaded into the starting gate. She dislodged jockey Danielle Johnson, sprinted away and crashed over the outside fence.
Concert Hall (NZ) shortly before her starting gate incident | Image courtesy of Race Images
“She just took off at a million miles an hour, hit the fence at full pace and flipped over that,” co-trainer Roger James said. “She got up, went across the road, down a bank into a park. She is battered and bruised, but incredibly lucky.”
The incident has put Concert Hall’s G1 Australian Cup plans on hold.
“We were heading to Australia, but we’re not going to make a decision on that for a week or two,” James said.
Logistical challenge for Lightning bid
Tightened COVID-19 travel restrictions have created a headache for Western Australian trainer Daniel Morton in the lead-up to next weekend’s G1 Black Caviar Lighting S. at Flemington.
Morton is targeting the race with Elite Street (Street Boss {USA}), who has won five of his eight starts including a last-start triumph in the G1 Winterbottom S. in November.
Elite Street
But increased restrictions following a COVID-19 case in Melbourne last week have made the trip much more difficult.
“There is a bit going on and we are not 100 per cent sure if we are able to go yet,” Morton said. “Under RV restrictions I would need a COVID-19 test on the first day, which is fine, but then again later in the week which would rule me out for the whole week.”
Morton said connections could consider placing Elite Street in the care of another trainer.
Boomer Bloodstock purchase Hit The Road wins Grade 3
Purchased by Boomer Bloodstock’s Craig Rounsefell at Keeneland September, Hit The Road (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}) registered his first Graded stakes victory at Santa Anita on Saturday.
Making his first start since last July, the 4-year-old colt raced just behind the leaders from the start in the G3 Thunder Road S. over 1600 metres. Asked to find his best stride around the turn, Hit The Road motored by the leaders in the final 400 metres and easily pulled away to win by 3.75l.
Boomer Bloodstock’s Craig Rounsefell said it personally was an exceptionally rewarding victory, having known Blacker since they were classmates on Darley Flying Start over a decade ago. Rounsefell purchased Blacker his first winner as a trainer, with Hit The Road now becoming his first Graded stakes winner.
“I’m so proud of Dan and even prouder of Hit The Road," said Rounsefell. "He’s a magnificent horse. To resume off a layoff and put in a race like that, easily and in a fast time, it’s hard not to get very excited about what he might be able to do this summer.”
A son of former Vinery shuttle stallion More Than Ready (USA), Hit The Road is out of a half-sister to Group 1 winner War Command (USA) (War Front {USA}) and Group 3 winner Naval Officer (USA) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}). Their dam is Grade 2 winner Wandering Star (USA) (Red Ransom {USA}), who is a half-sister to the dam of New Zealand Group 1 winner Rollout The Carpet (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).
Counterparty Risk wins maiden Graded stakes in Endeavour
Out of a half-sister to G3 Geelong Cup winner Steel Prince (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Counterparty Risk (Ire) (Australia {GB}) added her own Group victory to the family in the G3 Endeavour S. at Tampa Bay Downs.
Never far off the leader in the tightly packed field over 1700 metres on the Florida turf, Counterparty Risk was asked to slide through a hole in upper stretch in what proved to be the race winning move. Taking command from there, the race favourite had plenty left to hold off New York Girl (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) by 1l at the wire.
Counterparty Risk’s dam is also a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Sarah Lynx (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). Their Group 3-winning dam Steel Princess (Ire) (Danehill {USA}) is a half-sister to New Zealand stakes winner Gentil Tonton (Ire) (Yeats {Ire}).
Get Smokin continues family success
Less than a month after his dam’s half-sister saw her first foal sell for $475,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Get Smokin (USA) (Get Stormy {USA}) won the G3 Tampa Bay S. at Tampa Bay Downs.
Earning his second stakes victory, the gelding raced prominently from the start in the 1700 metre race. Taking over in the final 400 metres, Get Smokin was quickly away though his lead and he hit the wire ahead of Eons (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}).
Get Smokin’ is out of a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Spanish Pipedream (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}), who was imported to Australia in 2017 and has a yearling by Capitalist (USA) who was sold to Ciaron Maher Bloodstock last month. The mare also has an Exceed And Excel filly and is in foal to I Am Invincible.
The family also includes US champion Dayatthespa (USA) (City Zip {USA}) and Japanese champion Hat Trick (Jpn) (Sunday Silence {USA}) among others.
Medaglia D’Oro sophomores hit classic trail
In less than an hour on Saturday, Medaglia D’Oro (USA) saw two of his 3-year-olds join the G1 Kentucky Derby and G1 Kentucky Oaks trails respectively in an interstate double.
The stallion’s MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm co-owned Moonlight D’Oro (USA) was first-up in the G3 Las Virgenes S. over 1600 metres at Santa Anita. Making her stakes debut, the filly raced a few lengths off the leading Kalypso (USA) (Brody’s Cause {USA}) until they reached the turn. She moved up from there and took command in the straight to win by 1.5l over the long-time leader.
Only 20 minutes later, Risk Taking (USA) made his stakes debut in the G3 Withers S. over 1800 metres at Aqueduct. Not asked to do much early, Eric Cancel swung his mount wide in the far turn and the battle was on. He took command in the final 100 metres and romped off to a 3.75l win over Overtook (USA) (Curlin {USA}).
A US$620,000 (AU$807,502) yearling purchase, Moonlight D’Oro is out of a full sister to Grade 2 winner Wilburn (USA) (Bernardini {USA}) and hails from the family of US champion Abel Tasman (USA) (Quality Road {USA}).
Sold for US$240,000 (AU$312,581) at the same sale, Risk Taking hails from the family of multiple Grade 1 winner Seeking The Gold (USA) (Mr. Prospector {USA}) with multiple Australian Group winner Gamble Me (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) also making an appearance.
Candy Man Rocket wins Sam F. Davis
In a day that saw multiple new contenders join the Kentucky Derby trail, Candy Man Rocket (USA) (Candy Ride {USA}) hopped on with a victory in the G3 Sam. F. Davis over 1700 metres.
Always in touch with the leader, the colt took command with 400 metres left to run. He had to hold off a charge from Nova Rags (USA) (Union Rags {USA}) but proved to be successful with a 1l victory.
The first stakes winner for Kenny Lane (USA) (Forestry {USA}), the US$250,000 (AU$325,605) 2-year-old purchase sees Group 3 winner Funny Kid (USA) (Lemon Drop Kid {USA}) and stakes winning Danzig (USA) siblings Wasseema (USA) and Pitamakan (USA) under his second dam. His extended family also includes Cable Bay’s (Ire) Group 3 winner and multiple Group 1-placed Liberty Beach (GB).
Prince Of Arran third in return
Making his first start since finishing a close third in last year’s G1 Melbourne Cup, Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) suffered another slim loss on Saturday at Kempton.
Racing over 3200 metres, the 8-year-old gelding walked out of the gates in the Unibet Conditions S. to give the field multiple lengths’ head start. In touch with the leading Rainbow Dreamer (GB) (Aqlaam {GB}) by the time the real running started in the last 800 metres, he wasn’t able to fire in the final 200 metres and finished third by 0.75l to Rainbow Dreamer in the end.
A frequent traveller to Australia with multiple Australian stakes victories to his name in addition to his strong Melbourne Cup record, Prince Of Arran was making his 46th start in Saturday’s race with 24 on-the-board finishes.
The gelding is one of three stakes horses for Storming Sioux (GB) (Storming Home {GB}), who is a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winner Best Of The Bests (Ire) (Machiavellian {USA}). The family also includes multiple Australian stakes winner Raw Impulse (GB) (Makfi {GB}) under Prince Of Arran’s third dam.
