Belmont at the Big A

Closing relentlessly after a slow start, Hill Road (Quality Road) ran down the Rick Dutrow Jr. pair on the lead to win the GIII Peter Pan Stakes and stamp his ticket for a date with the final jewel of the Triple Crown in June. First profiled by our colleagues in TDN Europe after a sparkling debut in Ireland for trainer Adrian Murray last year, which snagged him 'TDN Rising Star' honors, the connections stepped him up into elite company in mid-September when his next start came in the G1 Vincent...

Returning to the scene of his victory in last year's GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, LSU Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' Far Bridge (English Channel) stamped his authority on Saturday's GII Man o' War Stakes at Aqueduct, defeating his chief market rival Anglophile (English Channel) by a deceptively easy margin. The prohibitive favorite was given a dig away from the stalls by Joel Rosario to open up his early options, but when longshot Decanter (Kitten's Joy) and Capture the Flag (Quality Road) elected to go on with it, Far Bridge was...

1st-BAQ, $85k, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:10 p.m. ET FULLY BOOKED (Maclean's Music) debuts for Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables, who gave $460,000 for the March foal at the 2023 Keeneland September Sale. Stonestreet acquired dam Si Si Tequila (Yes It's True) for $155,000 at Fasig-Tipton July in 2017 and campaigned her to a runner-up effort in the Glorious Song Stakes during her juvenile season. A half-sister to GII Best Pal Stakes winner and GI Del Mar Futurity third Run Away (Run Away and Hide), Si Si Tequila is also responsible...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Moyglare Stud homebred Bellezza during the Belmont at the Big A meeting on GI Kentucky Derby eve. Siyouni's Bellezza Shines In New York Bellezza, making her American debut, waltzed away with the GIII Sheepshead Bay Stakes during the Belmont at the Big A meet on Friday (video). The daughter of Siyouni, trained by Christophe Clement, already sported a victory at listed level in...

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Scarlet Poppy during the Belmont at the Big A meeting.   Night Of Thunder Filly Wins In New York Wesley Ward trainee Scarlet Poppy (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) raced to a 2 1/4-length victory as the crowd's pick going six furlongs as the Belmont at the Big A meeting continued on Oct. 25 (video). She races for a partnership between Stonestreet Stables, Mrs....

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Aussie Girl in Lexington. Aussie Flair At Keeneland Woodford Thoroughbreds' Aussie Girl (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) triumphed in her second American start for trainer Will Walden at Keeneland on Oct. 17 (video). Bred by Airlie Stud, the chestnut won the Listed Brigids Pastures Stakes and was placed in the G3 Ballyogan Stakes last year. Sold for €35,000 by her breeder at Goffs Orby to...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Zarak's Laurelin during the Belmont at the Big A meeting. Big Apple Flavour For Laurelin Newstead Stables' Laurelin (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}) won her career debut for trainer Graham Motion during the Belmont at the Big A meeting last week (video). Bred by M. H. Dixon and Mount Coote Estates, the chestnut filly cost Form Bloodstock €160,000 as a Goffs Orby yearling. The daughter...

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of La Mehana in the GIII Waya Stakes in New York. Al Wukair Mare Takes Waya LSU Stables' La Mehana (Fr) (Al Wukair {Ire}) broke her American duck in the GIII Waya Stakes during the Belmont at the Big A meeting last week (video). Trained by Christophe Clement, the bay was third in both the GIII Orchid Stakes and GIII Sheepshead Bay Stakes earlier this...

Seemingly hopelessly beaten turning for home in Sunday's GIII Matron Stakes, Abientot turned on all boosters late to collect her first career black-type victory in New York. Breaking well from the 10-hole, the Tracy Farmer runner was eased to the back by Dylan Davis as first Flirting With Time (Yorkton) and then Laurice (Bolt d'Oro) led through opening fractions of :21.58 and :44.48. Finally unfurling her legs turning for home, Abientot was moving twice as fast as everyone else down the lane, caught the front running rank in the final...

'TDN Rising Star' Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) ran by them all to remain unbeaten and provide his freshman sire with a rolling Grade I double in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Champagne Stakes at the Belmont at the Big A meeting. McKinzie's Scottish Lassie, a debut third as the favorite at Saratoga, broke her maiden in style with a runaway success in the GI Frizette Stakes one race earlier on the card. Favored at 1-2, Chancer McPatrick broke like a shot from his outside draw--not the case in either of...

What a way to tally a first career graded stakes. Both trainer Jorge Abreu and his charge, who entered Saturday with only a third-place finish under her girth, broke their graded maiden with a runaway score in the GI Frizette Stakes at Belmont at the Big A. Now Abreu and Scottish Lassie (f, 2, McKinzie--Bodebabe, by Bodemeister) have earned a fees-paid berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in four weeks. Abreu, a former assistant to Chad Brown, brought a longshot filly to the Juvenile Fillies last year and...

Continuing an important weekend as next month's Breeders' Cup World Championships rapidly approach, Keeneland's GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes headlines Sunday's graded stakes action spanning from coast to coast. A 'Win and You're In' for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, the Spinster has six contenders signed on, including last season's champion older mare Idiomatic (Curlin), who draws the rail under regular pilot Florent Geroux. The winner of a trio of Grade I stakes in 2023--capped off by the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita--the Juddmonte homebred has proven consistent at...