Japan
Equinox peerless in Tenno Sho (Autumn)
The outstanding and near untouchable Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) was last seen winning the G1 Takarazuka Kinen in June. Returning to the track in the G1 The Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo and ridden by Christophe Lemaire, the Tetsuyra Kimura-trained 4-year-old was much too good again for his opposition.
Equinox, in an air of arrogance, strolled away from Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Equinox is a son of the G1 Japan Cup hero Kitasan Black (Jpn) and the King Halo (Jpn) mare Chateau Blanche (Jpn).
Chateau Blanche was a four-time winner over 1800 and 2000 metres, with her most significant success coming in the G3 Mermaid S. Alongside Equinox, she is also the dam of Weiss Meteor (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), a winner of the G3 Radio Nikkei Sho.
Equinox hails from the extended family of the G1 Metropolitan H. victor Magic Hurricane (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}).
Europe
Dubawi's Ancient Wisdom wins the Futurity Trophy
After a 15-minute delay caused by Ballydoyle's Battle Cry (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) turning over in the stalls, Godolphin's Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) proved the most effective on Doncaster's deep ground to justify 5-4 favouritism in Saturday's G1 Kameko Futurity Trophy. Back in action a fortnight after winning Newmarket's G3 Autumn S., the Charlie Appleby trainee was left in front initially and looked beaten for a few strides as the pack closed in two out. Regaining momentum to ultimately outstay his rivals, the TDN Rising Star, who was the second-highest-priced lot at the 2022 Arqana Deauville August Sale, had 1.25l to spare over Devil's Point (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) at the line, with God's Window (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) a head away in third.
“It was a proper test, and the ground is such that it's hard to show any brilliance,” William Buick (jockey) said. “He loves a battle and the plan wasn't necessarily to make the running, but it fell right, he pricked his ears and he's just a horse who is very uncomplicated. That goes a long way in this ground. You go through the list of 2-year-olds that have won this race and it bodes well for next year. I'm very much looking forward to him and delighted with what he did there. I don't think it's crazy that he could be a Guineas horse–he put a lot of distance between him and them in the Autumn Stakes.”
Ancient Wisdom is from Dalakhani (Ire) mare Golden Valentine (Fr), a victress of the G3 Prix Minerve at Deauville and the Listed Prix de Thiberville.
Ancient Wisdom is from the family of the Champion Goldikova (Fr) (Anabaa {USA}), crowned Horse of the Year in Europe in 2010. Goldikova won 17 races including an incredible three G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile and the G1 Prix Rothschild four times.
The colt is the 58th individual winner for Darley’s Dubawi (Ire).
United States of America
Everso Mischievous strikes gold in Forty Niner
Formerly known as the Kelso, Saturday's G2 Forty Niner S. at Aqueduct may not have Breeders' Cup implications, but as the first Graded win in New York for Cristian Torres, who piloted Everso Mischievous (USA) (Into Mischief {USA})), it may have felt like the Breeders' Cup. Torres picked up the sixth Graded win of his career after earning his first one earlier this year in the G3 Razorback S. at Oaklawn on Last Samurai (USA) (Malibu Moon {USA}).
“It's unbelievable,” said Torres. “I can't express how I feel. To win a stakes race in any part of the country is awesome, but NYRA? It's great.”
“They always thought this was a nice horse. In the beginning of his career, he was a little green, but it was just a matter of time that he'd mature. They put blinkers on him at Saratoga and he improved a lot.”
Everso Mischievous was a US$600,000 (AU$947,100) Keeneland September yearling purchase for China Horse Club and Gandharvi Racing before selling again just over a year later at the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age sale having not made it to the starting gate. Fergus Galvin picked him up for US$85,000 (AU$134,200). Now a Qatar Racing colour-bearer, the bay is two heads shy of being undefeated.
Spendthrift's Into Mischief (USA), who will stand for US$250,000 (AU$394,600) again in 2024, is the sire of the Forty Niner winner and 138 other black-type winners worldwide. His 68 Graded winners include six Grade I winners this year, tops among North American-based sires.
Active Darley sire Medaglia D'Oro (USA), who stands at Jonabell Farm, has sired the dams of 97 stakes winners. Ever So Clever (USA), dam of Everso Mischievous, is a victress of the G3 Fantasy S. at Oaklawn Park.
Maximus Mischief's Glengarry too strong in Bowman Mill
Iowa-bred Glengarry (USA) (Maximus Mischief {USA}) ran his record to three wins from as many appearances with a good-looking victory in Saturday's Bowman Mill S. at Keeneland.
“It was a pretty quick decision we had to make,” winning jockey Luis Saez said of the choice to drag Glengarry off the pace. “We know this horse has been running on the lead, and he's fast. Today was a tough race. He broke from there sharp, and we had a little pressure, but we had to make a quick decision and take a little hold. I put him right there outside, and he responded perfectly.”
A US$55,000 (AU$86,800) Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling, Glengarry made for a nice profit when hammering for US$150,000 (AU$236,800) at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training sale in May. One of two stakes winners for his leading freshman sire (by Into Mischief), Glengarry is out of a half-sister to a pair of black-type placers and has a yearling half-sister by Good Samaritan (USA) and a weanling full sister. L. A. Way (USA) (Tizway {USA}) was most recently bred to Tonalist (USA).
No Distaff but Xigera still a winner in Mother Goose
In just her second start on the dirt, Rigney Racing's Xigera (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) impressed her connections with a 6.25l victory in Churchill's Seneca Overnight S. The effort was enough to prompt a Breeders' Cup discussion and the daughter of Nyquist was pre-entered in the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff only to be withdrawn from consideration early in the week and rerouted to Saturday's G2 Mother Goose S. The move proved to be a smart one as Xigera rewarded her connections with another open-length win at even money.
“The hindsight is the easiest sight, so now that it's done, it was the right decision to come here rather than the Breeders' Cup,” said winning trainer Phil Bauer. “I'm overwhelmed. It's a pretty cool race historically.”
Xigera’s dam, the Black Tie Affair (Ire) mare Argent Affair (USA), claimed the Listed Charles Town Fancy S. and is also the dam of the G3 Pilgrim S. victor Forty Under (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}).
Xigera is one of 21 stakes winners from four racings crops for Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and the G1 Kentucky Derby hero Nyquist (USA). The filly has a weanling half-sister by Street Boss (USA) and her dam visited Mo Donegal (USA), another son of Uncle Mo (USA) in 2024.
Youalmosthadme dominates Keeneland's Myrtlewood
Cut loose in the lane and rolling home, Youalmosthadme (USA) (Oxbow {USA}) gave them the slip on the cut back from a mile and dominated the Myrtlewood S. to pick up her second career black-type victory.
Conditioner Brad Cox had high praise in the winner's enclosure for his filly's ability to go from routes to sprinting, “Obviously it takes a very sound horse and an intelligent one, and she's both. I'm very proud of her performance today. (Jockey) Tyler Gaffalione did a good job. He put her into position and she fired.”
Youalmosthadme is from the Good And Tough (USA) mare Good Gator (USA), a dual winner who was placed in the Listed Elge Rasberry S. She is a daughter of Green Alligator (USA) mare May Gator (USA), who won 10 races including three Listed races. Good Gator is a half-sister to the G3 Valley View S. victress Miz Ida (USA) (Proud Citizen {USA}), who also finished fourth in the G1 First Lady S.
Technical Analysis takes Athenia in likely career finale
In a race packed with quality fillies and mares, Technical Analysis (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) posted a frontrunning score in the Athenia S. ahead of two of her stablemates.
A known face in the Grade 1 circuit, the 8-5 favourite had last been seen finishing fifth in the G2 Mohegan Sun Ballston Spa S. at Saratoga but beaten barely 2l in a blanket finish. She'd started her 2023 season with a runner-up effort in the Perfect Sting S. at Belmont over the summer and won the De La Rose S. two back.
“It's nice to see her go out a winner. I'm so proud of her career,” said Chad Brown. “She's been such a durable horse since the day we bought her as a yearling until now. She's a very dependable horse, the type that any trainer really wants in the barn. I'll miss her.”
Technical Analysis is the flag-bearer for dam Sealife (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who has yet to produce another runner to make it to the races. She produced a yearling colt by Too Darn Hot (GB) as well as a 2023 filly by Kingman (GB), but has no cover for 2024 on record. Hailing from the family of several Group 1 winners like the Melbourne Cup victor Rekindling (GB), Technical Analysis is catalogued to go through the 2023 Keeneland November Sale in Book 1 as Hip 145.
Klaravich homebred 'Surges' to Valley View victory
Favoured on the morning line at 3-1 for Friday's G3 Bank of America Valley View S. at Keeneland, Klaravich Stable's Surge Capacity (USA) (Flintshire {GB}) launched a furious final-furlong flourish and was along in the dying strides to–somewhat remarkably–give trainer Chad Brown a first victory in the event at an overlaid 5-1.
Surge Capacity’s dam Strong Incentive (USA) (Warrior’s Reward {USA}), a victress of the Listed Jammed Lovely S. was recently supplemented to the Fasig-Tipton November Sale on November 7.
Strong Incentive is also the dam of the G3 Monmouth Cup winner Highly Motivated (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}).
