Trainer Gary Contessa, active during both sessions of the Midlantic sale, made his biggest splash Tuesday when going to $450,000 for a son of Malibu Moon out of Partyship (Premiership). Contessa was bidding on behalf of Chip McEwan's Wounded Warrior Stable. The juvenile is a half-brother to graded stakes placed Barrier Reef (Mizzen Mast).

Monday's F-T Topper

© Lydia Williams

We've got all the coverage you need from Monday's opening session of Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, and with eight of day one's top 10 lots coming from our 'hip happenings' section, you might want to check out today's picks... Plus Andrew Caulfield delves deep into the pedigree of GI Preakness S. winner Oxbow (Awesome Again), bred remarkably similar to last year's GI Belmont S. runner-up Paynter (Awesome Again), and answers the question of whether the D. Wayne Lukas trainee can pass the "Test of the Champion."

The British Horseracing Authority have released the information regarding their investigation into the horses in the care of Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni, with last year's G1 St Leger hero Encke (Kingmambo) among seven further to test positive for anabolic steroids. After the testing that followed the announcement of his eight-year suspension, Al Zarooni was found to have administered the banned substance stanozolol to the Classic winner and also Pattern-race performers Genius Beast (Kingmambo), Steeler (Ire) (Raven's Pass), Energizer (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) and Zip Top (Ire) (Smart Strike), who will all now be barred from racing until Oct. 29. The ruling body also stated that despite the findings, Encke had not tested positive for any prohibited substances in his post-race test after the Doncaster Classic. The BHA also announced that testing at the other Godolphin yard of Saeed bin Suroor returned no positive results for banned substances. Paul Bittar, chief executive of th BHA, said, "These test results endorse the swift action and measures taken by the BHA in this matter. Whatever the outcome of his appeal before the independent Appeal Board, the gravity and scale of the infringements warranted Mahmood Al Zarooni being removed from control of the yard as quickly as possible. We welcome the news that Saeed bin Suroor's horses tested negative and this clears the way for him to now take charge of Moulton Paddocks."

Trainer Nick Zito was busy during Monday’s opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale, buying four juveniles on behalf of Joe Moss. Leading the way was a colt by Unbridled’s Song purchased for a session-topping $330,000 from the De Meric Sales consignment. Moss, a former pilot and financial advisor, is from Austin, Texas. He has been a client of Zito’s for a few years now, but is looking to get more involved in the sport, according to the trainer.

"He’s a great gentleman," Zito said of Moss. "He and his wife Nena are special people and they love horses. He’s been a fan of the game for a long, long time and the last couple of years, he’s gotten involved. He is a historian of pedigrees and he’s looking to get more involved. They are terrific people. Now we’ve got to get some luck. We’ve won some races for them, but now we’re trying to get some horses that will at least run in some decent races. This is the kind you look for."

The juvenile (hip 128) is out of the unraced Winning Bet (Dixie Union), who is a daughter of Grade I winner Fantastic Find (Mr. Prospector) and a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner Finder’s Fee (Storm Cat). The bay colt was purchased by Nick de Meric for $250,000 out of last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. He worked a furlong last week in :10 3/5. As De Meric congratulated Zito on the purchase, he assured him, "You’ll have a lot of fun with him." Zito admitted the Florida horseman was one of the colt’s major selling points.

"He looked like he had some good handlers," Zito said. "Nick de Meric does a good job and I always look at that--who has the horse. Hopefully, he’ll be a 2-year-old." Zito put off signing the ticket on the Unbridled’s Song colt as he bid on the very next lot. He was able to secure hip 129 for $130,000. The colt is by Malibu Moon out of graded stakes placed Wishful Splendor (Smart Strike).

"I trained the mother and that is the family of [Zito’s GI Belmont S. winner] Da’Tara, so we’re trying that again."
The chestnut colt was consigned by Cary Frommer, agent, and was purchased for $180,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale before RNA’ing for $285,000 at Fasig’s Florida sale in March. Also for Moss, Zito purchased hip 45, a colt by Street Boss, for $92,000, and hip 104, a son of Spring at Last, for $30,000.

"I think we’re done for today, but we’ll try again tomorrow," Zito said after signing his fourth ticket of the day. Of Moss, he concluded, "The game is really lucky now to have him."

 

 

Kenny Noe, Jr., former New York Racing Association president, CEO, and chairman, died Sunday night after a long illness. He was 84. A Hamilton, Ohio native, Noe worked as a racing secretary and steward at NYRA in the 1970s before serving as Calder Race Course’s president and general manager from 1979 to 1990. He left another post at Calder to become NYRA’s president and general manager in 1994 at a time in which the association was involved in a struggle with New York Governor Mario Cuomo over the State’s racing structure and revenue distribution. Noe was elevated to chairman of the NYRA board of trustees in 1995 and was named chairman and CEO in 1996. He resigned from his post at NYRA in October of 2000. Noe, who hailed from a racing family, worked in various positions at more than a dozen tracks during his career, including Hialeah, Garden State Park, Arlington Park and Washington Park. He also previously served as a director at the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Thoroughbred Racing Associations, Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau and the Miami Heart Institute. He is survived by son Jeff, Gulfstream Park’s racing secretary, and daughter Holly. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

PRIX DE PONTARME-Listed, €55,000, Saint-Cloud, 5-20, 3yo, c/g, 1mT, 1:47.95, hy.
1--MUTIN (FR), 123, c, 3, by Kentucky Dynamite
1st Dam: Mytographie (Fr) (SW-Fr), by Anabaa
2nd Dam: Mythologie (Fr), by Bering (GB)
3rd Dam: Mondovision (Fr), by Luthier (Fr)
(€15,000 RNA yrl ‘11 ARQAUG; €700,000 HIT ‘12 ARQARC). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Haras du Quesnay; T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Christophe Soumillon; €27,500. Lifetime Record: 4 starts, 4 wins, €71,000.
2--San Marino Grey (Fr), 123, c, 3, Clodovil (Ire)--Montagne Magique (Ire), by King’s Best. (€45,000 yrl ‘11 ARQOCT). O-Baron van Gysel; B-Petra Bloodstock Agency Ltd; T-Andre Fabre; €11,000.
3--Linngaro (Fr), 123, c, 3, Linngari (Ire)--Indochine (Brz), by Special Nash (Ire). (€17,000 RNA yrl ‘11 ARQOCT). O-Plersch Breeding SARL; B-Rupert Plersch; T-Mario Hofer; €8,250.
Margins: HD, SHD, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.50, 4.90, 17.00.
Also Ran: Onedargent (Fr), Kapstadt (Fr), Penglai Pavilion, Nabucco (Ger), Tabaayun (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result. Click for Equidia VIDEO.
   Purchased by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Arqana Arc Sale in October for €700,000, Mutin went a short way towards justifying that tag when continuing his winning sequence in this first try at black-type company in workmanlike fashion. Last seen winning a course-and-distance conditions event at the end of March, the bay was keen early trapped out wide in third as his barn mate Tabaayun (Ire) (Nayef) set the required tempo. Moving smoothly to the lead with 500 meters remaining, an easy success seemed on the cards at first but after he was shaken up a furlong later he had to work hard to hold off Linngaro and the line came in time as San Marino Grey finished strongly to grab second.