Wide barriers for Coolmore fancies
Wednesday’s barrier draw for the G1 Coolmore Stud S. put many of the race’s top fancies wide in the field. Race favourite In Secret, the Godolphin filly by I Am Invincible, drew barrier nine, while Jacquinot (Rubick), the shortest-priced colt in betting so far, drew barrier 16.
Boom filly Coolangatta (Written Tycoon), a last-start winner of the G1 Moir S., drew barrier 13, while Buenos Noches (Supido), second to Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) last time out in the G2 Danehill S., drew 15.
Less unlucky was Grand Impact (NZ), an undefeated Satono Aladdin (Jpn) 3-year-old who drew the rails, with his stablemate Bews (I Am Invincible) beside him in barrier two.
Derby favourite draws five
The favourite for the G1 VRC Derby, Berkeley Square (Territories {Ire}), has drawn ideally for his race on Saturday. The Dan O’Sullivan-trained gelding got barrier five in Thursday’s morning draw, only two wide of the in-form Sharp ’N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), who drew barrier three.
The extreme outsider, Mark Newnham’s Snitzel colt Lehndorff, who is as much as 200-1 in betting, drew the rails with barrier one, while the first emergency, Aberfeldie Boy (So You Think {NZ}), drew alongside him in barrier two.
Other favoured horses are Mr Maestro (NZ) (Savabeel), who drew wide in barrier 17, and the Godolphin gelding Pericles (Street Boss {USA}), who drew well in barrier six.
Sharp 'N' Smart set for the Derby
Sharp ’N’ Smart (NZ) lived right up to his name last weekend in the G1 Spring Champion S. at Randwick, and co-trainer Debbie Rogerson isn’t concerned about either the short back-up into this Saturday’s G1 Victoria Derby or the horse’s first attempt at the 2500-metre distance.
“He got off the float like he hadn’t had a trip at all,” Rogerson told NZ Racing Desk. “He was straight into his hay, his breakfast and his water, and he seems pretty perky. He seems to be a horse that can back up, and I don’t think the step up to 2500 metres will worry him.”
Debbie and Graeme Rogerson after Sharp ‘N’ Smart's (NZ) G1 Spring Champion S. win last weekend | Image courtesy of Bradley Photography via NZTM
Graeme Rogerson is looking to embellish his own record in this weekend’s Derby, having already won it with Efficient (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) in 2006. Sharp ’N’ Smart will be ridden by James McDonald, who will partner the horse for the first time on Thursday during flatwork.
She's Extreme for the Oaks
After a strong third in last weekend’s G1 Spring Champion S., 3-year-old filly She’s Extreme (Extreme Choice) has been confirmed by her trainer Anthony Cummings for next week’s G1 VRC Oaks. Speaking to Racenet, Cummings said the filly had recovered well from her good effort last Saturday behind Sharp ’N’ Smart, and that she'd travel to Melbourne on Sunday.
"She pulled up fine,” Cummings said. “She was strong through the line in the Spring Champion and if she was able to sit closer or get clear sooner she probably wins. It was as strong a run as you‘d like to see from her heading towards the Oaks."
She's Extreme | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
She’s Extreme has had four starts this spring, all in Group company and she’s placed in three of those races. The Oaks will be her first attempt at anything over 2000 metres.
Redraw required for Empire Rose Stakes
Racing Victoria (RV) was forced to redraw the barriers for Saturday's G1 Empire Rose S. at Flemington after an embarrassing error on Wednesday morning. The initial draw, which was done manually, took place without the marble for barrier 14 in the barrel. An electronic redraw was conducted at RV's offices later that day.
The stuff-up impacted connections of the Chris Waller-trained Hinged (Worthy Cause), who had scratched their mare from the Golden Eagle in Sydney after drawing barrier 20. With a more favourable draw (barrier three), they had instead opted to run in the Empire Rose. The redraw wasn’t kind, with Hinged drawn in gate 16, and she will remain in Sydney to run in the Golden Eagle as first planned.
She’s Licketysplit (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}), the lone filly in the race, will jump from barrier eight, while favourite and fellow Kiwi raider La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) to break from 10.
Jett rides winner for his dad
Apprentice Jett Stanley punched the air with delight after crossing the line first aboard El Salto (Written Tycoon) in Race 5 at Bendigo on Wednesday. Jett, 18, had good reason to celebrate, given it was his first victory for his trainer father, former jockey Brent Stanley.
“I’m never going to forget that, that was a pretty special win,” Jett told Racing.com post-race.
Jett suffered a fractured clavicle and ribs in a fall at trackwork in Albury in August and only returned to race riding on October 19.
High Emocean prevails in Bendigo Cup
Having won the Listed RM Ansett Classic, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained High Emocean (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) added a first Group race to her record when she took out the G3 Bendigo Cup on Wednesday.
The daughter of Ocean Park (NZ) stayed on strongly to deny Port Philip (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) by 0.2l, while Verimli (Fr) (Born To Sea {Ire}) was another 1.3l away in third.
Cardinal Gem gains Golden Eagle start
The Grahame Begg-trained Cardinal Gem (Choisir) will contest Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle after Godolphin 4-year-old Brigantine (Astern) was scratched on Wednesday.
Begg was left furious on Tuesday after the handicap rating of Welwal (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}) was lifted to 95 last week. It saw the Chris Waller-trained import leap over Cardinal Gem for the final place in the field after the field size was increased from 18 to 20 runners on Monday.
WA Derby hero to return on Saturday
Star Western Australian galloper Alaskan God (Playing God) will begin his campaign in Saturday’s G3 Asian Beau S. at Ascot. The Daniel Morton-trained gelding has won four of his five starts and rounded out his first preparation with a brilliant victory in the G2 WA Derby.
Alaskan God | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Alaskan God won’t have it all his own way, though, with his rivals including Devoted (Xtravagant {NZ}), Searchin’ Roc’s (Awesome Rock), Trix Of The Trade (Trade Fair {GB}) and Kaptain Kaos (Demerit).
Covering statistics revealed for US stallions
The American Jockey Club has released its Report of Mares Bred (RMB) statistics for the 2022 breeding season, revealing a total of 925 stallions covered 27,163 mares in North America this year, a slight decrease from last year’s 27,829 mares.
In Kentucky, 196 stallions covered 16,689 mares, which translates to just over 61 per cent of all breeding activity in North America. That number reflects a decrease of 0.2 per cent from last year when 16,727 mares were reported as bred in Kentucky, while the number of stallions was down 2 per cent from 200 in 2021.
California was the second-busiest state from a statistical standpoint, with 99 stallions covering 1781 mares. Florida is the only other state reporting four-figure matings, with 1495 mares having been bred to 59 sires. Meanwhile, stallions in New York and Indiana covered more mares this year than last.
Gun Runner (USA) was North America's most active stallion in 2022 | Image courtesy of Sarah Andrew
In terms of individual stallions, Gun Runner (USA), standing at Three Chimneys, bred 248 mares in 2022, topping statistics in North America. He was followed by Yaupon (USA) at Spendthrift with 242, Mendelssohn (USA) at Coolmore with 230, Practical Joke (USA), also at Coolmore, with 227, and Not This Time (USA) at Taylor Made with 225.
The top 56 stallions by mares covered were all in Kentucky. Six different farms had a stallion in the top 10, up from four in 2021.
Minzaal to Derrinstown Stud
G1 Haydock Sprint Cup winner Minzaal (Ire) has joined the Shadwell stallion roster at Derrinstown Stud in Ireland. The Shadwell team of stallions for 2023 also includes the world's best turf horse of this year, Baaeed (GB), who will be based in England at Nunnery Stud.
Trained by Owen Burrows, Minzaal, by Mehmas, won the G2 Gimcrack S. at two before going on to win at the highest level this season at Haydock, in what would transpire to be his final racecourse appearance.
Shadwell principal Sheikha Hissa said, "Minzaal has been an outstanding sprinter for our operation for the past three years. I believe Owen, Jim [Crowley] and I agree that we have never met a sprinter with such a remarkable temperament, and I hope his progeny in the future will reflect the qualities we have seen and admired in Minzaal."
Keeneland to auction Flightline interest
A 2.5 per cent fractional interest in the likely G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic favourite Flightline (USA) (Tapit {USA}) will be auctioned at the start of the 2022 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale next month. Flightline will enter stud as the property of a syndicate at Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, upon the conclusion of his racing career.
The auction will be conducted with a first-of-its-kind Metaverse experience, which intends to replicate the excitement of the November Sale. This virtual experience is hosted on Spatial and accessible via Oculus headset, desktop computer or mobile phone. Participants will have a front-row seat in a virtual sale ring modeled on that at Keeneland.
Keeneland's virtual auction ring | Image courtesy of Lane's End
It is expected to be the only opportunity to buy into Flightline before he retires to stud. Should the horse continue to race beyond the Breeders' Cup, the purchaser of the fractional interest will also be a part of his racing ownership.
Interested bidders must register in advance, have established credit with Keeneland Sales and meet such additional requirements as Keeneland or Lane's End may request. Qualified bidders may bid on the fractional interest in-person at Keeneland, via Keeneland's online auction platform, or by phone.
