Travers Day at Saratoga on Saturday included five Grade 1 races, while in Ireland, Coolmore's brilliant juveniles Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) kept their unbeaten records.
USA
Fierceness holds off Thorpedo Anna in G1 Travers S.
Saturday's 14-race Travers Day card generated a record-setting all-sources wagering handle of US$63,023,405 (AU$93 million), a 13.4 per cent increase on the 2022 record, according to a press release from NYRA on Saturday.
Repole Stable's 3-year-old colt Fierceness (USA) (City of Light {USA}) opened as a 6-1 chance for Saturday's GI Travers S., the highlight of the summer meeting at Saratoga, and was a dime shy of 4-1 when they threw the latch at the mile-and-a-quarter start. It was a second win for owner Mike Repole, whose Stay Thirsty (USA) – the damsire of Fierceness – won it back in 2011, and the win also gave trainer Todd Pletcher the 200th grade 1 win of his career.
Fierceness settled in midfield, but in the clear passing the six-furlong marker before improving a spot prior to the half-mile pole. They picked up the pace around the turn and John Velazquez had Fierceness poised to strike three wide, as Thorpedo Anna (USA) (Fast Anna {USA}) and Sierra Leone (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}) prepared to deliver their challenges deeper out at the quarter pole. Fierceness claimed the leader Batten Down (USA) (Tapit {USA}) with ease at the three-sixteenths and carried what appeared to be a winning lead into the final furlong. Thorpedo Anna called on all her quality and was gaining on Fierceness as the wire loomed, but the reigning 2-year-old champ was home about a half-head best. Sierra Leone was third as the 8-5 favourite.
“I’m just so happy for the horse. He’s been a little bit unjustly criticized for not winning every time,” Pletcher told apnews.com. “That filly is so good and she just kept closing and closing. I was just glad to see the wire.”
Fierceness is from the second crop of Lane’s End’s four-time Group 1 winner City Of Light, who has sired nine stakes winners to date led by Fierceness, who took his record to five wins from eight starts, and this was his third win at Group 1 level.
“I’m just so happy for the horse. He’s been a little bit unjustly criticized for not winning every time.” - Todd Pletcher
Fierceness is the second live foal for Nonna Bella (USA) (Stay Thirsty {USA}) who won twice and ran fourth in the G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks. She also has 2-year-old colt Mentee (USA) (City Of Light {USA}) who is a winner this year.
Nonna Bella is a half-sister to Group 1 winner and sire Outwork and stakes placed winner Nonna’s Boy (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}). They are out of Group 1 placed winner Nonna Mia (USA) (Empire Maker {USA}) who is a daughter of dual Listed winner Holy Bubbette (USA) (Holy Bull), who is also the dam of group winner Cairo Prince (USA) (Pioneerof the Nile {USA}).
First Grade 1 win for Mullikin in G1 Forego S.
Siena Farm and WinStar Farm’s 4-year-old colt Mullikin (USA) (Violence {USA}) stamped as the horse to beat in Saratoga's GI Forego Stakes, proved that was indeed the case. In winning his fourth straight and capturing the first Grade I of his career, Mullikin cemented his status as the best older sprinter east of the Mississippi with a comprehensive, front-running victory. Two-back GI Churchill Downs Stakes winner Gun Pilot (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}) and Angkor (USA) (Anchor Down {USA}), second last out in the Kelly's Landing Stakes, chased him home in second and third, respectively.
The Forego was the first Grade I win of trainer Rodolphe Brisset's career. A former assistant to Hall of Famer Bill Mott, he went out on his own in 2017. “Obviously, if I let go, I am going to cry,” said Brisset.
A US$500,000 (AU$736,000) purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September sale, Mullikin is unbeaten in 2024 and has now won four in a row and has a career record of five wins from nine starts.
Hill 'n' Dale's Violence, no stranger to the top ranks, got the seventh Grade I/Group 1 winner of his career with Mullikin, who is also one of 30 stakes winners out of a daughter of WinStar's pensioned Congrats. Violence shuttled to Argentina early in his career and has 19 Graded winners from his 51 black-type winners worldwide, including 2022 US champion 2-year-old colt and young stallion Forte.
The fourth foal, and third winner, for his Group 3-placed dam Tulira’s Star (USA) (Congrats {USA}) who won three races, and who is a half-sister to the tough Mountain General (USA) (Mountain Cat {USA}) who won 12 races including five at black type level and Tulira Castle (USA) (War Pass {USA}), a Listed winner of eight races. Tulira’s Star’s dam is a winning daughter of Listed winner Unconscious Doll (USA) (Unconscious {USA}).
Mullikin (USA) with connections | Image courtesy of Hill 'n' Dale Farms
Mullikin is related to 1993 GI Wood Memorial Invitational Stakes winner Storm Tower (USA) (Irish Tower {USA}). The family traces directly back to Lady Minting (GB), imported to the U.S. in 1903 by James R. Keene's Castleton Farm and who has a number of stakes performers among her descendants.
Like father like son in G1 Allen Jerkens Memorial S.
Following in the hoofprints of his Klaravich-owned sire, who won it in 2017, 3-year-old colt Domestic Product (USA) (Practical Joke {USA}) came with a wide rally into the Saratoga stretch and outfinished favoured Prince of Monaco (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) and GI Woody Stephens Stakes hero Book'em Danno (USA) (Bucchero {USA}) to land Saturday's GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes.
Drawn low in gate three, the homebred colt, a last start winner of the one-mile G3 Dwyer Stakes, found himself near the back of the field, Domestic Product gradually worked his way into contention for Flavien Prat and drew on even terms a furlong out.
“The more I saw him exiting (the Derby), I started to change my lens looking more toward the sire and what worked for him,” trainer Chad Brown said. “I try not to complicate things. If it worked there, his color might be different, but he reminds me a lot of Practical Joke. I said I already had the blueprint to do it, I'm just going to work backward and sort of use the Dwyer to do it, and it worked.”
From the fourth USA crop of Coolmore Stud’s Practical Joke, who shuttles to Chile for the Southern Hemisphere seasons, Domestic Product becomes the eleventh Group 1 winner for his successful sire who has 39 stakes winners globally. Domestic Product now has four wins from nine starts.
Domestic Product is the second foal and second winner for unraced mare Goods And Services (USA) (Paynter {USA}). Her first foal is 4-year-old gelding Convertible Freeze (USA) (Connect {USA}) who has won five races and is still in work. Goods And Services is a half-sister to Listed winner Kenda (USA) (Bodemeister {USA}) and is a daughter of Listed winner Indian Legend (USA) (Cherokee Run {USA}), herself a full sister to Group 3 winner Cherokee Queen (USA).
Society earns Breeders’ Cup slot with G1 Ballerina S. win
Society (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}) stalked and pounced her way to a powerful victory in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Ballerina Handicap at the Spa. Off as the 7-2 third choice, the speedy Peter Blum homebred 5-year-old mare motored down the stretch to win by 3.25l while Scylla (USA) (Tapit {USA}), a strong second just three weeks ago in Del Mar's GI Clement L. Hirsch, tried her best on the outside and favoured Vahva (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}), winner of this term's GI Derby City Distaff and GIII Chicago Stakes, both at Churchill Downs, plugged away at the rail.
“The filly, I think that we've relaxed with who she is,” said winning Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen after saddling his third Ballerina winner and second straight in the race (Lady Tak 2004; Echo Zulu 2023).
“Been very direct with what races we are going to run her in, and I think that gives her just a little bit more confidence. I think age and patience and stuff [has improved her], she's just a beautiful filly that we are very fortunate to have to race. It's obvious she is very fast, very generous. Just a little more spacing in her works [has been beneficial]. She came back in training to get to the Breeders' Cup. Ran honourably last year, but we can run better, and that is the plan.
“We wanted the Breeders' Cup to be her third race, with these three races in mind [Chicago, Ballerina, Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint] and felt like that is why she is in training.”
“She's (Society) just a beautiful filly that we are very fortunate to have to race.” - Steve Asmussen
Winner of eight of her thirteen starts, this was her second win at Grade 1 level and is one of 10 Grade I winners for her superstar young sire Gun Runner. Society was produced by Etiquette (USA) (Tapit {USA}) a winning half-sister to graded winner Pleasant Prince (USA) (Indy King {USA}) and hails from the extended female family of Sovereign Award and Queen's Plate winner Holy Helena (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}) and Midlantic-based sire Holy Boss (USA) (Street Boss {USA}).
G1 Sword Dancer S. proves not to be a bridge too far
LSU Stables’ Far Bridge (USA) (English Channel {USA}) bossed the scratched-down field of five in the G1 Sword Dancers S. from the front and outgunned favourite Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for his second victory at the elite level.
It was the third Sword Dancer in four years for trainer Christophe Clement, who saddled Gufo (USA) (Declaration of War {USA}) to win it in 2021 and 2022.
“On paper, we didn't think there was much pace,” said Clement. “The idea was to break in front or right behind Godolphin. He took the lead and nobody bothered him. He [Joel Rosario] rode a great race. I am thrilled and it is a great story. That horse, I trained him early on, he left us and he came back and I am thrilled that he is back in the barn. I love that race. I have been lucky in that race with Gufo. It is great. Let's enjoy it and go from there.”
Far Bridge is one of 14 top-level scorers for English Channel, who called Calumet Farm home from 2014 until his death in late 2021 at the age of 19. English Channel, winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Turf and America's champion turf horse of 2007, made a single appearance in the Sword Dancer, finishing second as the odds-on favorite two starts prior to the boggy Breeders' Cup at Monmouth Park.
Far Bridge took his record to five wins from 12 starts and had previously won at Grade 1 level was the final live produce for his dam, Fitpitcher (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}), who also passed away in 2021. Fitpitcher, a winner as a 2-year-old, had only three live foals for two winners. Her dam is a winning daughter of dual Group 3 winner Pleasant Temper (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}).
Ireland
Undefeated Bedtime Story – the best juvenile this season?
Coolmore's Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) embellished a winning debut performance with wide-margin wins in the Listed Chesham Stakes and G3 Silver Flash and continued her winning streak with a battling display in Saturday's G2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes at the Curragh. Her half-length victory provided trainer Aidan O'Brien with a record-extending 14h triumph in the seven-furlong fillies' test.
“We didn't want to go too fast today as it was a prep for the next day,” explained O'Brien. “She has a lot of speed early and Ryan [Moore] was lovely on her as we didn't want to empty her out today. She needed to get down and race a little bit late, but we couldn't be happier really. She'll go for the [G1] Moyglare now. [Runner-up] Exactly wants a mile, but she is improving.”
Bedtime Story, the fifth of six foals, is one of two pattern-race winners produced by dual G1 Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), herself a full-sister to G3 Chipchase Stakes and G3 Criterion Stakes-winning sire Markaz (Ire). Her second dam Folga (Ire) (Atraaf {Ire}), who ran second in the Listed Lansdown Fillies' Stakes, is a half-sister to Listed Prix de Lieurey victrix Desert Kaya (Fr) (Bikala {Ire}). Both are daughters of G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Desert Dawn (GB) (Belfort {Fr}). Mecca's Angel has a weanling filly by Frankel (GB) to come.
Juvenile Group 2 win for unbeaten Wootton Bassett son
Benefitting from the ideal pace set-up in Saturday's G2 Futurity S. at The Curragh, Ballydoyle's G2 Railway S. winner Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) swooped to defy a penalty and continue his perfect record under Ryan Moore. He is unbeaten in three starts.
“He's lazy and he quickens,” Aidan O'Brien said. “That is what he was doing over six and when he can do it over seven, you would be delighted really. He has that turn of foot. He swerved when he got there. He's green and is still a baby obviously. The plan is to go for the National Stakes.”
Henri Matisse is a son of the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois heroine Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and therefore a half-brother to the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes and G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Tenebrism (USA) (Caravaggio {USA}) and the stable's unbeaten G2 Airlie Stud Stakes winner Statuette (USA) (Justify {USA}). The dam, who is connected to the three-times group 1-winning champion sire Last Tycoon (Ire), the GI Matron Stakes heroine Sense Of Style (Thunder Gulch) and the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Valentine Waltz (Ire) (Be My Guest), also has a 2024 full-brother to Statuette.
England
Drama in G2 City of York S. with Starspangledbanner outsider winning
Saturday's G2 City of York S. was primed for an upset with its dual winner Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) withdrawn and the exciting 3-year-old Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never) also exiting stage left after becoming upset in the stalls and so it proved with 4-year-old mare Breege (GB) (Starspangledbanner) delivering the surprise outcome at 33-1.
The John and Sean Quinn-trained Chasemore Farm homebred benefitted from a suicidal pace up front to come through under Colin Keane a furlong out and score by 1.5l from the 22-1 shot Vafortino (Ire) (New Bay {GB}). She has won three of her 17 starts and was a Group 3 winner five starts ago.
“We worked her on Monday morning and she worked particularly well, John said that was the best he's ever seen her work. This probably wasn't the plan at that stage, but he said we'll take her down the road as there's a heap of money on offer and we're going to try to get as much of it as we can. She was our first group winner since we joined the licence and to do that today is pretty special. She's very important to the yard and it's important to be competitive on the big days. She's not in the Foret, but we might have to speak to her owners about supplementing her for it,” said Sean Quinn.
Breege's dam Wowcha (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) is kin to three group winners headed by the stable's Starspangledbanner-sired G1 Prix Morny and G2 Coventry S. hero The Wow Signal (Ire). The others are last year's G2 Airlie Stud S.-winning Matrika (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) and her G3 Fukushima Kinen-winning and G1 Takarazuka Kinen-placed full-brother Unicorn Lion (Ire), while another half-sibling is the listed scorer and G2 Rockfel S.-placed Miss Infinity (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) who in turn produced the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon runner-up Make Me King (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}).
