T1B

HighPlainsGrifter wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 5:09 pmI am the king of Page 2. Bow before me.

HighPlainsGrifter wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 5:09 pm Bow before me.

Roux wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2024 8:16 pm She is a filly

HighPlainsGrifter wrote: ↑Tue Aug 20, 2024 9:52 pm She is a filly

Manhattan Twist Race Target

Manhattan Twist remains in great order since his debut win and will be targeting the $125,000 Bertram F. Bongard on September 22nd at Belmont at the Big A. This stake is restricted for 2-year-olds foaled in New York State and approved by the New York State-bred registry and will be contested over seven furlongs on the main track. Nominations for this race will close on September 7th.

Roux wrote: ↑Fri Sep 13, 2024 9:37 pm Race day is tomorrow, and per the current odds, Saratoga Warrier is the 2nd favorite in the race at 3-1. With the hurricane this week, this is a welcome distraction.

In the barn waiting for the race.

Saratoga Warrior Scratched

Unfortunately, Saratoga Warrior had to be scratched out of this afternoon’s race at BAQ. Trainer Danny Gargan reported that your son of Volatile banged his right front leg in his stall last night and cut himself. While it is only a superficial injury, Danny didn’t want to take any risk and will give him the time to fully recover. We’ll touch base with Danny in the coming days and come back with news from the barn.

By the same sire as champion Epicenter, Up to the Mark, and Next, this striking son of colt will be heading West to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Not This Time colts were, unsurprisingly, very hard to buy at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. The Taylor Made resident was responsible for the auction’s $3.4-million topper and two other colts who fetched $900,000 or more, but MyRacehorse was able to land one for what felt like relative value at $500,000. Out of a young mare from a very good family, Stylishly ‘23 will be heading West to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

A well-proportioned colt with a deep shoulder and strong hind leg, this handsome chestnut has good bone, a big nostril and a fluid walk. His mental aptitude seems above average, and he stacked up well on the MRH bloodstock team’s depth chart with other Not This Time colts who brought more money.

The precocious and very well-bred Not This Time has had one of the best starts at stud in recent memory, starting at an initial fee of $15,000 and all the way up to $150,000 for the recently concluded 2024 breeding season. He’s already responsible for six Grade 1 winners as well as long-winded millionaire Next, winner of eight of his last nine at the stakes and graded stakes level. One of the most impressive aspects of Not This Time’s impressive run at stud has been the versatility he has shown. He’s had Classic dirt types like 2022’s champion 3-year-old male Epicenter; two-turn turfers like 2023 champion turf male Up to the Mark; speedy dirt sprinters like G1SWs Sibelius and Just One Time; top turf sprinters like Cogburn, who established a North American record time for his smashing win in the G1 Jaipur S. in June; and precocious types like the Baffert-trained Princess Noor, a seven-figure seller on both sides of a win in the 2020 G1 Del Mar Debutante.

Expected on track: 2025

Riddler
Owner Update

Riddler Race Overview
The speedy Riddler makes his first start in a competitive, but lucrative Churchill Downs maiden special weight Thursday, Sept. 26. Post time for the fourth race on a twilight card is 6:27 p.m. ET.

Riddler showed off his speed at the sale in Maryland and has continued to display that zip in the mornings, so this 5 1/2-furlong trip should be right up his alley. His full-sister Kaling was a sharp debut winner at two before a Grade 1 placing and Practical Jokes in general win 14% of their first starts at two (slightly above average).

They’re certainly not giving away this big purse by any means—as is the case with most races under the Twin Spires—but Riddler certainly seems to fit with this group and we’re hopeful for a productive first run.

Good luck, click here for past performances, and see below for a look at the rest of the field:

#1 Pretty Capable - $550K yearling purchase by Tapit. Dam was a Saratoga MSW winner going 7f, but have to think this one wants to go a bit farther and the rail won’t help matters.

#2 Trouble Shooting - Homebred by super sire Not This Time out of a debut winner and stakes winner at two. Dam’s prior foal is a useful turf sprinter. Barn’s just 4% over the past five years with debuters.

#3 Kraken - $325K OBS June purchase off a powerful :10 1/5 breeze. Has been training steadily at Monmouth and attracts Jose Ortiz. Could maybe see him being a little turfy, but wouldn’t be surprised at all if he turned out to be a runner.

#5 Zat’s the One - By hot-starting freshman McKinzie. Not giving a tons of other pedigree clues. This CA-based barn doesn’t debut a ton of horses in Kentucky and generally does better second out.

#6 Saving Heart - :21 flat OBSAPR breeze was probably around average for a quarter at that sale. Dam was a Grade 2-winning juvenile going nine furlongs. She hadn’t passed on her ability to any of her foals until the one before this colt, who just missed on debut for these connections and flashed good speed in subsequent starts. Trainer wins at 14% with 2-year-old newcomers.

#7 Perfect Magic - Fellow Asmussen trainee has shown some speed, but faded in two prior turf attempts. Plenty of dirt in the pedigree, so not sure why he got started on the grass—maybe to chase those big KY Downs purses. Asmussen is 24% going turf to dirt with maidens.

#8 Golden Goal - Stuck on the AEs in an auction price-restricted maiden a day earlier. This is an awful salty spot for a $13K buy, but his dam did win her only start from completely out of the clouds and this barn is known for unearthing overachievers at the sales.

#9 Spiced Up - Juddmonte homebred is the first foal out of a debut-winning 3/4-sister to MG1SW Emollient. Pedigree doesn’t scream 5 1/2 furlongs, but he’s probably got some class.

Meat Head wrote: ↑Thu Sep 26, 2024 10:35 pm Not to take away from the fun and potential of making money, but their sales patter and marketing pitches are top level. They have some excellent writers composing magnificent bullshit for the buyers delight. And they know how to grow sales.

Hope you win big Roux!

Saratoga Warrior Race Overview

Saratoga Warrior looks to rebound in his second try this Saturday at Belmont at the Big A. The New York-bred $40,000 maiden claiming race will be the second race on the day, scheduled for 12:40 p.m. ET. The field will race over the Aqueduct dirt 6 1/2 furlongs.

Since scratching due to a small cut three weeks prior to this race, your son of Volatile has healed up well and turned in an easy half-mile workout in :50.20 this past Saturday in preparation for this start. Trainer Danny Gargan has been happy with the way your colt has trained out of his first start, but is looking for significant improvement in his second attempt. Good luck to all owners!

About the field (click here for past performances):

#1 Danziger: A homebred debuting here for the $40,000 claiming tag and gets a weight allowance thanks to apprentice rider. Trainer is just one for his last 30 with firsters. Progeny of War Dancer typically excel on the turf. In tough.

#2 Stegosaurus: Ships in from Finger Lakes and is changing barns off of what looks like a private sale. Was beaten thirty one lengths on debut. Don’t expect much of an effort here.

#3 Magni: Beaten by more than 21 lengths on debut at long odds. Could improve in this spot second time out as he is dropping from the MSW ranks.

#4 Viking Warrior: Another son of War Dancer, this one might prefer the turf too. Trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. is 11% with first time starters from 35 starts. Any horse Irad Ortiz Jr. gets the call on has to get respect. This jockey/trainer combination wins at 32% when teaming up at Belmont at the Big A since 2023.

#5 Papa Paulie P: A second debut runner for Richard Dutrow, Jr. in this race, this son of World of Trouble will be ridden by Jose Gomez, who when teaming up with the barn has a 20% win rate since 2023.

#6 Saratoga Warrior: After a disappointing debut, your son of Volatile looks to get back on track here with the red-hot Dylan Davis in the irons. In his first start, he hit the gate, was jostled around, and was as wide as the six path on the turn. He is getting some class relief here, which should help. Let’s hope for a clean trip so that he can give it his best shot.

#7 Monte Avi: This horse is another one getting some relief, dropping in from the maiden special weight ranks. Look for some improvement from him on the drop as he makes his third start.

#8 Nyikos: A first time starter for a barn that wins at 3% on debut. This horse lacks pedigree, but has been putting in some solid works in the morning. Not sure sure what to think about this one here.

#9 Rocked Out: Romero Maragh gets the call from De Paz here. This barn wins at a 32% rate when dropping into the maiden claiming ranks.

#10 Bookitwithhaddad: Another De Paz entrant. On this one he tabs Ruben Silvera to ride. After not showing much on debut, this horse was gelded. Took money first time out with Flavien Prat--has to be respected in here.

#11 Gimme Gimme: Was third at the same level first time out behind an open-length winner. This well bred son of Munnings might just move up here second time out.

Saratoga Warrior Post-Race Report

Saratoga Warrior has come out of yesterday's win no worse for wear according to trainer Danny Gargan.

He earned a 39 Beyer Speed Figure--admittedly not the fastest number, but he's got a right to keep improving and should still fit well with the competition at Aqueduct this winter.

The current NYRA condition book only goes to Oct. 20, so we'll have to see what's available for him in the next one.

Improbable Luck Update
Our team had a chance to check in on Improbable Luck this morning at the Lukas barn. He looks good coming out of last week's work. Please enjoy the accompanying video and stay tuned for more later this week.

Improbable's aforementioned Governor Sam got the job done in yesterday's Indian Summer S. and looks like one of the favorites for the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

MyRacehorse purchased this scopey son of proven sire Munnings for $330,000 during the first session of the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and will be sending him to the same Hall of Fame trainer in D. Wayne Lukas as past Saratoga value buy and G1 Preakness S. hero Seize the Grey.

Good-sized and with a bit more leg than is typical for his sire’s progeny, this Mar. 3 foal possesses a strong shoulder and forearm and an efficient walk. He appears physically capable of stretching out past the sprint distances, and has a very classy and mature presence.

Hugely popular veteran stallion Munnings simply gets runners, including at least five who have won at the highest level (I’m a Chatterbox, Jack Christopher, Kimari, Eda and El Deal). Probably best known as a source of speed, his standout progeny are often able to carry that brilliance over longer distances: I’m a Chatterbox won the 10-furlong G1 Delaware H. among her three Grade 1 victories; super talented and precocious Jack Christopher won twice at a mile including the G1 Champagne S. and is now a promising stallion in his own right; while Eda took the G1 Starlet S. going two turns as a juvenile.

Dam Malibu Bonnie (Malibu Moon) was a $575,000 purchase at the Saratoga sale herself by top racing and breeding outfit Stonestreet Stables, and won twice at a mile on the grass before earning a graded placing going seven panels on synthetic. Important runners hailing from this female family include G1 Santa Anita Oaks heroine Crisp; G1 Travers S. hero Stay Thirsty, who is also the broodmare sire of champion Fierceness; and precocious G1SW Whywhywhy.

Malibu Moon is a highly productive broodmare sire whose daughters are responsible for 10 Grade 1 winners and counting, including two Grade 1-winning juveniles of 2023 and 2024 standout sophomore colt Sierra Leone. MG1SW and $1.6-million earner Bellafina was bred on a different version of the same Gone West–Malibu Moon cross as this colt.

Living legend D. Wayne Lukas, who has steered the career of MyRacehorse’s $300,000 FTSAUG ‘22 buy Seize the Grey to victories in the 2024 Preakness and G2 Pat Day Mile, is set to train Malibu Bonnie ‘23. The bay will get his early lessons at Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables–the same place Seize the Grey got his start.

Expected on track: 2025

Riddler Update

Trainer Steve Asmussen had again not been happy with how Riddler was moving since his last work, so he sent him to leading vet Dr. Larry Bramlage for an exam, which took place yesterday.

Riddler has been diagnosed with bone bruising—a common diagnosis with a very good long-term prognosis, but one that does require a bit of patience. Ultimately, Riddler will need 60-90 days off from training to heal up. He will not require any other intervention outside of time. After allowing him to be let down from the track in a stall, the goal is to get him out into a paddock as soon as he is ready. Follow-up radiographs will be taken after 60 days to determine if he is ready to return to training or if he will need additional time.

It’s a frustrating diagnosis to be sure, but all we can do is give Riddler the time he needs. We’re probably looking at a return to the races next spring.

Riddler will ship to Highlander Training Center in Texas for his time off, and they’ll be able to get him started again to save some time and increase fitness when he’s ready to return to training.

Reputation Entered for Debut

Reputation was officially entered for her debut next Friday, November 15th in Gulfstream Park’s sixth race. The maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies attracted a total of nine horses with your daughter of Bolt d’Oro drawing post two. Miguel Vasquez will be in the irons for trainer Gustavo Delgado. Post time is 3:03 p.m. ET.

Click here to enter our paddock lottery. We will be back in the next few days with our race overview.