Emperor Of The Sun leads big day for Zouzou
Sent out over 2800 metres at Leopardstown on Friday, Emperor Of The Sun (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) became the second stakes winner for Zouzou (Redoute’s Choice) with a win in the Listed Saval Beg Levmoss S. for Coolmore.
Ridden prominently behind the leader, Emperor Of The Sun forced that runner’s hand with 800 metres left and took over the lead a few hundred metres later. The 4-year-old colt proved to be the real deal when running away from the accomplished field to finish 3.5l ahead of dual G1 Irish St. Leger winner Search For A Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) with G1 Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) third.
Emperor Of The Sun’s full brother Kondo Isami (Ire) also visited the winner’s enclosure on Friday in the final race of the day at York for his second career victory. Racing over 2400 metres, Kondo Isami had a harder race than his brother when joining in the fray for the victory with 400 metres to go. Showing a bit of greenness, the colt drifted in the final furlong but was determined to stay ahead and secured victory by a nose over Tashkan (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}).
A half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner and successful sire Zoustar, Emperor Of The Sun is the second foal for Zouzou after she was exported from Australia in 2015 with Kondo Isami her third. The mare also has a yearling colt by No Nay Never (USA).
Army Wife takes out Black-Eyed Susan
Declaration Of War (USA) secured his newest stakes winner in fine style on Friday when Army Wife (USA) put in a big performance in the G2 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan S. at Pimlico.
Racing over 1800 metres on the turf, the 3-year-old filly was more than 5l behind the leader for much of the running. Starting to make her move in the turn, she was forced to steady but quickly got back into stride to take command with 200 metres left to run. Joel Rosario kept her busy in the closing stages to secure a 2.75l win over Willful Woman (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) with pacesetter Lady Traveler (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) finishing third and the rest of the field 10l behind that one.
“This was a break-out race, third start off the layoff,” said trainer Mike Maker. “I thought her last race was huge, too. She did so well on the dirt (after three turf defeats) that we just kept her there.”
By the successful sire Declaration Of War, Army Wife is out of two-time winner Tread (USA) (Arch {USA}), who finished fourth in the Miss Preakness S. on this card in 2013. Army Wife’s second dam is also the grandam of Grade 2 winners and Grade 1 placers Scherzinger (USA) (Tiz Wonderful {USA}) and Kitten’s Roar (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}).
Army Wife’s third dam is also the grandam of Australian Group 1-placed Spirit Of Valor (USA) (War Front {USA}).
Last Judgment goes wire-to-wire in Pimlico Special
Five-year-old Last Judgment (USA) (Congrats {USA}) put in a gutsy performance in the 1900 metre G3 Pimlico Special Match Series S. to score his second Graded stakes victory in his last three starts.
Taking the lead almost instantly, Last Judgment looked like he may be chased down with 400 metres to go but the gelding kept on running to the line. Finishing 1.75l the best, the real race was behind him when Modernist (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}) finished 0.25l ahead of Fearless (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}) after the pair duelled down the lane.
“I was a little concerned about the outside post, but he doesn’t care for the dirt in his face, so he was going to be in the clear anyway,” said trainer Mike Maker. “If someone was hell-bent on the lead, so be it. To be honest, I’ve never really thought about anything further than today. But with a nice horse, you always have a lot of options.”
By former shuttle stallion Congrats (USA), Last Judgment is one of three stakes horses for three-time winner Fantasy Forest (USA) (Forestry {USA}). That mare is a half-sister to another stakes performer and the dam of a Grade 3 performer with her dam the multiple stakes winner Travelator (USA) (A.P. Jet {USA}).
Frosted daughter nosed out in Miss Preakness
Europhic (USA) looked like she would be Frosted’s (USA) newest stakes winner coming down to the line in the G3 Miss Preakness S. on Friday but in the end it was only a nose that cost her the victory at Pimlico.
The race was almost always a contest between the winning Red Ghost (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}) and Europhic throughout the 1200 metres on the dirt with not much separating the pair. In the stretch, Red Ghost looked like she was fading and dropped back to third 1.5l behind Europhic but found another burst of energy to come back at Frosted’s daughter and get her nose in front right at the line with third placed Joyful Cadence (USA) (Runhappy {USA}) just a head back in third.
“She got passed, almost a length,” said jockey John Velazquez. “She was looking to the inside and the other horses passed her. She didn’t even care. She kept looking to the inside and leaning out and I got after her. I got after her at the three-sixteenths pole and she came back.”
Red Ghost is one of three stakes winners and four stakes performers for her dam Better Than Most (USA) (Elusive Quality {USA}). Better Than Most is one of four stakes performers for her Grade 2-winning dam Alysbelle (USA) (Alydar {USA}) with 20 stakes performers under Red Ghost’s first two dams.
Caravel makes late charge for The Very One win
Racing on the Pimlico turf in The Very One S., it was anyone’s race with less than 100 metres left to run but in the end Caravel (USA) (Mizzen Mast {USA}) was able to get to the line first.
The 1000 metre dash around the Pimlico turf course saw Caravel having to steady multiple times throughout and looking for a hole with 400 metres to the line. It looked like the win was between Gotta Go Mo (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}) and Victory Kingdom (Animal Kingdom {USA}) but the hole opened just in time for Caravel to join the fight. The filly closed with every stride and in the end put her nose down on the line to beat Gotta Go Mo with the Australian-bred Victory Kingdom just a nose behind that foe.
“In my head all day, I could just see her winning the race,” said trainer Elizabeth Merryman. “And yet, in the stretch, I thought, ‘Well, it's not going to happen. Not today.’ And it did. I thought all the way to the wire that she wasn't getting there because there was just no room for her to run. I don't know how she got through. It was a miraculous run."
By Juddmonte stallion Mizzen Mast (USA), Caravel is only the second stakes winner in her first four generations. Her grandam Zee Zee (USA) (Exchange Rate {USA}) was a multiple stakes winner and Grade 2-placed mare. Zee Zee produced two winners from four foals with Caravel’s dam one of the two.
Alda takes home Hilltop victory
Out of a great-granddaughter of the great Fanfreluche (Can) (Northern Dancer {Can}), Alda (USA) (Munnings {USA}) adder to the mare’s legacy in the Hilltop S. over 1600 metres at Pimlico.
Making her second start of the year, Alda was the leader of the second pack after four runners broke off from the rest of the group in front of them. Under John Velazquez, Alda went wide in the turn to give herself a clear run down the stretch where she showed a big turn of foot to confront then pass the leaders.
It got desperate in the final 50 metres when Alda had the luckless Seasons (USA) (Tapit {USA}) and Arm Candy (USA) (Twirling Candy {USA}) barrelling down on her but she was able to win by 0.25l over Seasons. It was the second stakes victory for the Wertheimer and Frere homebred, who was also Grade 1-placed last year.
“He (Jockey John Velazquez) had plenty of horse,” said trainer Graham Motion. “We liked her last year. She came really close in the Grade 1 in Canada (last year). I probably misjudged her a little bit by sprinting her the last time. I thought we could get away with it. It obviously set her up well for today. I think this is what she wants to do. How hot is Johnny today? He's on fire.”
One of two stakes winners for her dam Soldata (USA) (Maria’s Mon {USA}), Alda has stakes winners under each of her first three dams. Her fourth dam is Fanfreluche, who in addition to being a Champion racemare, founded the family that includes multiple Group 1 winners Russian Revolution and Flying Spur and Group 1 winners Encosta De Lago, Pear Tart (Dehere {USA}) and I Am A Star (I Am Invincible).
Gisburn romps for Ribchester
Eye-catching when fourth in his debut, Gisburn (Ire) stepped up impressively to become Ribchester’s (Ire) third winner on Friday at Newbury and earn TDN Rising Star status.
Gisburn didn’t give the others a chance in the 1200 metre race, leading barrier to wire and looking to have plenty more left in the tank. He hit the line 6.5l ahead of Kingmax (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) with Codify (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) another 1.25l back.
“Gisburn hasn't done much since his first run, but he's a horse (trainer Richard Hannon) has loved from the day he saw him,” winning rider Pat Dobbs told Thoroughbred Daily News. “His debut here was good, but he ran green. He was professional today, although I'd rather he didn't hang right. He's still a baby though, but very exciting, and he put a lot of daylight between them.”
The colt’s next target now looks like it’ll be during Royal Ascot with Dobbs naming the G2 Coventry as an option.
A half-brother to Showcasing’s (GB) stakes winner Encrypted (GB), Gisburn is out of the stakes-placed Disclose (GB) (Dansili {GB}). That mare is one of three stakes horses for her own dam with the extended family including Foxwedge’s Group 1 winner Urban Fox (GB).
Derab a Rising Star at Newmarket
In a busy day of English racing, Juddmonte’s Derab (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) became a second Rising Star on the day with a convincing victory at Newmarket.
Making his third career start when racing over 1600 metres, Enable’s (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) half-brother quickly outclassed his opponents. He spared no feelings when taking the lead with more than 400 metres to go and romping home by 6.5l over Fireworks (Fr) (Kingman {GB}).
“We will either keep him at a mile or go a mile and a-quarter and look at options over those trips,” John Gosden told Thoroughbred Daily News. “He has made big bounds, as he has always wanted to be in a hurry about life but he is doing things in the correct rhythm now.”
Also a half-brother to Group 2-placed Contribution (GB) (Champs Elysses {GB}) and Group 3-placed Entitle (GB) (Dansili {GB}), Derab is the seventh winner from seven to race out of stakes winning Concentric (GB) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}). Concentric is just one of multiple producers for her dam with the mare’s full sister Dance Routine (GB) producing champion Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}) among four other stakes producing siblings for Concentric. Concentric returned to Nathaniel (Ire) this year.
Justify half-brother wins again
Impressive in his maiden victory last month, Justify’s (USA) half-brother Stage Raider (USA) (Pioneerof The Nile {USA}) impressed again at Belmont Park on Friday.
Racing over 1600 metres on the dirt, Stage Raider dropped back to run nearly last in the small field. The colt gave up multiple lengths to the leader and jockey Eric Cancel asked him to pick up the pace with about 500 metres to go. Riding the rail, Stage Raider had to show his determination when Cancel asked him to go through a tight hole as they entered into the final 200 metres. Once he was through the hole, he raced off to a 3l victory for his owner-breeder John Gunther.
Stage Raider is one of four winners from five to race out of the Grade 3-placed Stage Magic (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}) and is also a half-brother to Grade 3 winner The Lieutenant (USA) (Street Sense {USA}). His grandam is the Grade 1-placed Magical Illusion (USA) (Pulpit {USA}), who is one of five stakes horses for Grade 3 winner Voodoo Lily (USA) (Baldski {USA}). Justify returns to Coolmore Australia in 2021.
