France
Le Havre pensioned
Haras de Montfort et Preaux in Normandy announced on Saturday that successful stallion Le Havre (Ire) has been pensioned.
“Due to health issues which occurred at the end of last year, the decision was made to end his stallion career,” manager Mathieu Alex said. “We owe him so much and our priority is his wellbeing. Le Havre is a true champion. Winner of a magnificent Prix du Jockey Club, he was a leading stallion from his debut at stud.”
Le Havre (Fr)
The sire of 50 stakes winners, 20 Group winners, and 79 stakes performers, Le Havre has had 14 runners in Australasia with the group led by Group 3 winner Auvray (Fr) and stakes winner and Group 2-placed Harbour Views (Fr).
United States
Classic Causeway 195th stakes winner for Giant’s Causeway
One of only four foals from Giant’s Causeway’s (USA) final crop, the Grade 1-placed Classic Causeway (USA) continued his journey down the Kentucky Derby trail on Saturday with a 3.75l win in the G3 Sam F. Davis S. The 10 points earned in the Road to the Kentucky Derby race took his points total to 16 – the best of any horse on the leaderboard.
Swapping the lead with Little Vic (USA) (Practical Joke {USA}) throughout the 1700-metre Tampa Bay Downs dirt race, Classic Causeway started pulling away in the stretch for his eased down victory. He is the 195th stakes winner and 116th Graded stakes winner for Giant’s Causeway, who also sired 344 stakes performers.
Both of Giant’s Causeway’s runners to run from his final crop are stakes performers with son Giant Game (USA) third in last year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as well. Classic Causeway is one of five winners out of the multiple stakes-winning Private World (USA) (Thunder Gulch {USA}) with the colt bred on a 3 x 4 cross to Storm Bird (USA).
Blackadder determined El Camino Real Derby winner
It was just another Saturday in the winner’s circle for Bob Baffert and the 'Avengers' ownership group when Blackadder (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) won the El Camino Real Derby in his stakes debut.
Making his first start since breaking his maiden on Boxing Day, Blackadder made a late run at American Pharoah’s (USA) Mackinnon (USA) to get in front just before the line in the 1800-metre race on the synthetic track with Del Mo (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}) well behind the pair in third. The 106th stakes performer for sire Quality Road (USA), he’s also that stallion’s 56th stakes winner.
Owned by a group that includes SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Stonestreet Stables, the US$620,000 (AU$869,000) yearling purchase is a full brother to stakes winner and Grade 2-placed Gingham (USA), who sold for US$1 million (AU$1.4 million) at the 2020 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Their grandam is the multiple Graded, stakes-winning Owsley (USA) (Harlan {USA}), who is the dam or grandam of six stakes-performers. That group includes War Chant’s (USA) stakes-placed War Hoot (USA).
Nest proves much the best in Suncoast
Already a Grade 2 winner, Nest (USA) (Curlin {USA}) made a big impression in her 3-year-old debut at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday with a 6l romp in the Listed Suncoast S. to earn 10 Road to the Kentucky Oaks points.
The filly took over the lead in the stretch and was never under threat, with Alittleloveandluck (USA) (Arrogate {USA}) the only one within 9.25l of her at the line. Never off the board in four starts, her only loss came when third in the Listed Tempted S. last year.
Nest is a full sister to Grade 1-winning Idol (USA) and a half-sister to stakes-placed Dr. Jack (USA) (Pioneerof the Nile {USA}) with the trio out of stakes-winning Marion Ravenwood (USA) (A.P. Indy {USA}). The filly’s grandam is the Grade 2 winner and multiple Grade 1-placed Andujar (USA) (Quiet American {USA}), who is a three-quarter sister to dual classic winner and Champion Real Quiet (USA) (Quiet American {USA}).
Miss Puzzle daughter wins Bayakoa
Late Australian stakes performer Miss Puzzle (Citidancer {Ire}) registered a second career Graded stakes winner on Saturday when Miss Bigly (USA) (Gemologist {USA}) won the G3 Bayakoa S. at Oaklawn Park.
The winner of US$641,242 (AU$898,500), it was a first Graded stakes victory for the 6-year-old, who has won or placed in seven-straight stakes races dating back to May 29, 2021. The mare took command inside the final 200 metres of the 1700-metre race to beat She’s All Wolfe (USA) (Magna Graduate {USA}) by 1.25l with Jilted Bride (USA) (Wicked Strong {USA}) in third.
Miss Puzzle is also the dam of the two-time Grade 1-winning Fashion Plate (USA) (Old Fashioned {USA}) and stakes-winning Mr. Candy Bar (USA) (Candy Ride {Arg}) among five winners. Miss Puzzle is also a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winner Sierra Sue (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) with New Zealand Horse of the Year Tit For Tatt (NZ) (Faltaat {USA}) also in the family. Miss Puzzle died last March with her last foal being a yearling colt by Flying Artie, who sold at last week’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale to Lady Lunn Racing for $15,000.
Charge It 49th Rising Star for Tapit
Tapit (USA) registered his 49th TDN Rising Star on Saturday when Charge It (USA) bolted home by 8.5l at Gulfstream Park in his second start.
The 1600-metre dirt race saw the colt go gate-to-wire with a wider margin at every call. In the end, only fellow Tapit runner Enough Already (USA) was within 10l of the Whisper Hill Farm homebred at the line.
“Those were all quality fillies we were running against,” said trainer Phil D’Amato. “I think anyone could win on any given day. My filly, I think she had been making that early move in her last couple, just by circumstance, and today she was able to just relax a little more, wait and conserve with her little late burst, and I think that made the difference.”
The first foal out of I’ll Take Charge (USA) (Indian Charlie {USA}), Charge It is a grandson of Broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady (USA) (Dehere {USA}). That mare produced champion Will Take Charge (USA) (Unbridled’s Song {USA}), Grade 1 winner Take Charge Indy (USA) (A.P. Indy {USA}), and American Pharoah’s (USA) multiple Grade 2 winner As Time Goes By (USA). Take Charge Lady is also the grandam of Spendthrift Farm’s shuttler Omaha Beach (USA) (War Front {USA}) and Champion Take Charge Brandi (USA) (Giant's Causeway {USA}).
