France
Legionario newest stakes winner for Toronado
Swettenham Stud’s Toronado (Ire) registered his 23rd career stakes winner on Saturday when Legionario (GB) won the Listed Prix Saonois at Cagnes-Sur-Mer in his 28th start.
It was a close finish for the entire, who won by a head over Shafaaf (USA) (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}). Doctor Carl (GB) helped Fastnet Rock come a step closer to a major milestone when that third-place finisher earned his first black type to become his sire’s 329th worldwide stakes performer.
Legionario the second stakes performer for Break Time (GB), who is also the dam of stakes-placed Picota (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}). There are 17 stakes winners named under his Group 2-winning second dam Interval (Ire) (Habitat {USA}) with the group including G2 Rich Hill Mile winner Fears Nothing (NZ) (Faltaat {USA}). That horse is out of Interval’s daughter Magical Moment (GB) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}), who spent her breeding career in New Zealand.
United States
Epicenter wins import Derby prep for Not This Time
On-fire third-crop sire Not This Time (USA) registered a Road to the Kentucky Derby race winner on Saturday when Epicenter (USA) ran away with the G2 Risen Star S. by 2.75l, a 50-point Derby prep that has been one of the most fruitful in recent times.
Going gate-to-wire in the 1800 metre dirt race, Epicenter was geared down at the end to win by 2.75l over Smile Happy (USA) (Runhappy {USA}) with Zandon (USA) (Upstart {USA}) third. The victory saw him join a winner’s list that includes last year’s G1 Kentucky Derby second Mandaloun (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}), 2019 G1 Preakness S. winner War Of Will (USA) (War Front {USA}), and 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner (USA) (Candy Ride {Arg}).
“He did run a really big race today,” jockey Joel Rosario told Thoroughbred Daily News. “That was really nice. He looked like he was enjoying what he was doing and put in a really nice race today. We'll see going forward how far he can go.”
Also second in last month’s G3 Lecomte S., Epicenter now has 64 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, leading all eligible horses. He’s also the fifth Graded stakes winner for his sire, whose 22 stakes performers are led by Grade 1 winner Princess Noor (USA). Epicenter is one of two stakes winners for Not This Time out of Candy Ride (Arg) mares alongside fellow Kentucky Derby hopeful Simplification (USA).
Surface change puts Turnerloose on Oaks trail
Making her first start on dirt, the turf stakes-winning Turnerloose (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) showed her connections made the right move when she earned 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with a 0.5l victory in the G2 Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds.
Never far from the lead, Turnerloose got up just in time to beat Goddess Of Fire (USA) (Mineshaft {USA}) by 0.5l with Nyquist’s (USA) Awake At Midnyte (USA) in third. The race was marred by the breakdown of La Crete (USA) (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), with owner Stonestreet Stables tweeting that she suffered a condylar fracture but is comfortable.
Earning her first Graded stakes victory, Turnerloose is the fourth Graded stakes winner for Nyquist and second for his second crop alongside Slow Down Andy (USA). Turnerloose is a granddaughter of Grade 1-winning Game Face (USA) (Menifee {USA}), who is also the dam of Grade 2-placed Coliseum (USA) (Tapit {USA}).
