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Goal Oriented (Not This Time), carrying powerhouse connections and a speedy work tab into his debut, made even-money look like a gift when he glided home a 3 1/4-length debut winner for trainer Bob Baffert and the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan Sunday evening at Santa Anita. The dark bay colt, a $425,000 Keeneland September yearling acquisition, trailed the field and was climbing up the backstretch, but once he got his mind...

Twelve months on from Kempton playing host to Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Saturday's card produced another new TDN Rising Star in Peter Winkworth's deeply promising homebred filly Glittering Surf (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Off the mark in style over the same mile trip and track in December, the Owen Burrows-trained relative of the G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Kitesurf (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) had to pass most rivals en route to a smooth length success from the strongly-fancied 6-5 favourite Bermuda Longtail (Fr) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}). Burrows has a plan for...

Sottsass (Fr) had two deeply promising fillies in Saint-Cloud's Prix Kizil Kourgan on Tuesday and despite his Ultrafragola (Ire) starting favourite it was the other daughter Safia (Fr) who emerged best to earn TDN Rising Star status. Carrying the colours of racing and breeding's rising force David Layani, the Fabrice Chappet-trained descendant of Sophisticat (Storm Cat) and Serena's Song (Rahy) travelled easily throughout the mile Classic pointer under Cristian Demuro and readily held White Birch Farm's TDN Rising Star Ultrafragola by two lengths. Chappet was pointing to the May 11...

A filly who failed to find a bidder as a yearling and landed a Gowran Park maiden on 3-year-old debut at 40-1 became a new 'TDN Rising Star' at Santa Anita on St. Patrick's Day, fittingly enough, as Raw Ability (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) ran her stateside record to two wins from as many starts and won for the third time in three career appearances. Friendless in the markets when unveiled by Limerick trainer Eric McNamara over a mile at the Irish venue last June 3, the bay-who was bought back for the upset price...

Flying Dutchmen's Shred the Gnar (Into Mischief), making her second career start after finishing a close-up second going six panels in her career bow in Hallandale Feb. 9., appreciated the added yardage as the 2-5 choice scampered off to TDN Rising Star-earning 6 1/2-length victory at Gulfstream Park Sunday afternoon. Sent to the front early by Luis Saez, the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate was comfortably ahead of 3-1 second choice Donor Advised (Gun Runner) through an opening quarter in :23.98. Still moving fluidly through a slightly faster half in :47.01, the bay was asked for more...

Making the journey from his Payson base in South Florida, Lion of Justice (Into Mischief-Ever So Clever, by Medaglia d'Oro) did not mind the new digs one iota as he graduated on debut over the blazing main strip at Colonial Downs on Saturday. Owned by St. Elias Stable, Talla Racing, West Point and C J Stable, the colt represented the pride well and took home a 'TDN Rising Star' for his effort. Bred by Clearsky Farms, the $1.1 million Keeneland September purchase was slammed at the windows to the tune...

Sporting an afterburner that would make any jet jock high-five over the need for speed, Verifire (Authentic-Ruby Trust, by Smart Strike) went Mach 1 with his hair on fire en route to a successful unveiling at Colonial Downs. The score gave trainer Brad Cox his second 'TDN Rising Star' on Saturday afternoon. Initially sold for $260,000 during Keeneland September, Verifire was taken home by John Stewart of Resolute Racing for a cool $1 million at last year's OBS March Sale. Sent to Cox, the chestnut drilled at Payson Park in preparation for his first...

Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable's Accelerize (c, 3, Omaha Beach-Motion Emotion, by Take Charge Indy) romped by daylight at first asking for 'TDN Rising Star' honors on Saturday's Tampa Bay Derby undercard. Off at odds of 7-2, the $400,000 KEESEP yearling hit the ground running beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. and cleared the field from his wide draw in post 12. He showed the way through fractions of :21.87 and :45.03 and blasted off at the top of the stretch to win going away by 7 3/4 lengths over favored Moment's Notice (More Than Ready). The final time...

There were fireworks on Chantilly's Tuesday afternoon card as Carlos and Yann Lerner trainee We'll Defend (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}-Skysweeper {Fr}, by Hurricane Run {Ire}) illuminated proceedings with a taking four-length 'TDN Rising Star' performance in the Prix de la Serpentine, a 9 1/2-furlong contest for unraced fillies. The G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Prix de Diane entry was under heavy restraint through the early stages and raced in a handy fourth, behind a sedate pace, for the most part. Cruising forward on the bridle in the home straight,...

Bet down like a sure thing when debuted on Pegasus World Cup day, Disruptor (Gun Runner) was caught on the lead late and forced to settle for third that afternoon. Employing a different tactic Saturday but still heavily wagered upon at 3-5, the Triple Crown-nominated colt came home by nearly double digits in his second start to be named a new 'TDN Rising Star'. Breaking from the far outside for the familiar combination of Todd Pletcher and Irad Ortiz, Jr in the Repole Stable blue and orange silks, Disruptor was...

Cornucopian (c, 3, Into Mischief-Magical World, by Distorted Humor) left his backers in little doubt on this unveiling, running his competition off their feet and on to 'TDN Rising Stardom'. Away quickly from the gates, the son of the venerable Into Mischief flashed good early foot as the 3-5 favorite and sailed along through :21.86 and :45.50 splits while 34-1 longshot Oil Capital (Maclean's Music) tried to make a race of it. Hounded relentlessly by that one going into the bend, he was well in control coming into the home straight and the...

Tiz Secure (c, 3, Maximum Security-Tough Tiz's Sis, by Tiznow) became the first 'TDN Rising Star' for his sophomore sire with an ultra-impressive debut victory at Santa Anita Saturday evening. Off as the 7-2 second-choice with his Bob Baffert-trained stablemate Voldemort (Good Magic) taking the bulk of the action at 8-5, Tiz Secure broke like a shot from his outside draw, but was content to drop back to fourth as they sped through an opening quarter in :22.34. The Karl Watson and Paul Weitman homebred began to roll while three wide on the far turn, stuck...