Brendan Walsh

Keeneland Updates: Connections Check In for Saturday's Stars

Good prognoses and day-after thoughts abound Sunday morning as connections reported in on their stars after a Saturday of exciting racing that included a dead-heat victory in the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes as well as a stylish win in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes. Concerning the aforementioned two victresses of the Jenny Wiley, a rare feat at any level, the Brendan Walsh camp reported that Expensive Queen (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) emerged from the effort in good form as did the Chad Brown barn for Segesta (Ghostzapper). "She's good...

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Too Close To Call! Expensive Queen And Segesta Dead Heat In Jenny Wiley

In a photo finish that took the stewards several minutes to decipher, the GI Jenny Wiley at Keeneland Saturday finished in a thrilling dead-heat between Expensive Queen (Ire) (Lope de Vega (Ire) and Segesta (Ghostzapper). The race dynamic changed hours before the race Saturday as a pair of early-morning favorite, Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) and Destino d'Oro (Bolt d'Oro), both scratched. That opened the door for Juddmonte homebred Segesta to inherit the favorite's role in her first start since winning the GI Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar Nov....

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Saturday Derby/Oaks Notes: The Puma, Bella Ballerina Breeze

OGMA Investments LLC, JR Ranch and High Step Racing LLC's The Puma (Essential Quality) tuned up for a scheduled start in the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park during a maintenance-style half-mile breeze. "It was getting him back into his routine two weeks after a race. It was pretty easy. Maybe the exercise rider got a little too comfortable, but next week is when he'll have his important work," trainer Gustavo Delgado's son and assistant Gustavo Delgado Jr. said. "We're planning to do that Friday or...

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Keeneland Case Study: Lush Lips a Full-Circle Success for Dixiana Farms

Bill and Donna Shively's connection with Lush Lips (GB) has come full circle at Keeneland. Six months after falling for the daughter of Ten Sovereigns (Ire) during last year's Fall Meet, the owners of Dixiana Farms are hoping the star filly can help deliver their first Grade I victory as owners in Saturday's GI Jenny Wiley Stakes. Dixiana Farm is a long-time sponsor of Keeneland's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes. In the paddock ahead of last year's race, the Shivelys singled out Lush Lips as the physical standout...

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Friday's Racing Insights: Pricey Filly By Ghostzapper Unveiled On Opening Day At Keeneland

4th-KEE, $110K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 2:36 p.m. ET. PHANTOM BLUE (Ghostzapper), a Resolute Racing purchase for $1.2-million during the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, was sent to trainer Brendan Walsh. Out of the winning Seeking the Blue (Arch), the filly is a half-sister to MGSP Janis Joplin (California Chrome), MSP Vino Rouge (Vino Rosso) and as of Mar. 27 she has a new half-brother by Not This Time. Phantom Blue's third dam is MGSW Atlantic Ocean (Stormy Atlantic). On the same Speightstown-Medaglia d'Oro cross that yielded current sires...

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Yo Ho, Me Hearties! Renegade Digs For Arkansas Derby Treasure

Looking every bit the 3-2 morning-line favorite for the GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, Renegade (Into Mischief) strode out of paddock schooling with top marks shortly before noon on Thursday. The colt had that, 'Take the test, don't let the test take you' sort of look. Renegade's trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Hot Springs track's signature race five times, but it hasn't been since 2018 when Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) took the prize. Of course, that hero was campaigned by Robert and Lawana Low, who happen...

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The Kentucky Oaks TDN Top 10 for March 25: Life of Joy is for Real, and a Big Weekend Ahead

Brad Cox always seems to be loaded when it comes to top 3-year-old fillies, and he's got another good one in Life of Joy (Gun Runner), who pulled off an impressive victory in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks. With the GII Fantasy Stakes and the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks on tap this week, the picture for the GI Kentucky Oaks should become all the more clear. So, here goes, your latest Top 10: 1) ZANY (American Pharoah--Mo' Green, by Uncle Mo) O-Repole Stable; B-D.J. Stable (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history:...

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Handicapping the Kentucky Derby Preps: Louisiana Derby & Jeff Ruby Steaks

TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack provides analysis for Saturday's pair of GI Kentucky Derby preps--the GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds and GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park. Results (Weekend of Feb. 28) - Commandment (Into Mischief) ($6.80 winner of GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth) and Class President (Uncle Mo) ($19.00 winner of GII Rebel) made it a profitable weekend at the windows for this column, both delivering wins in dramatic fashion. Hammond (Charlatan), meanwhile, was a disappointing sixth at 8-1 in the GIII Gotham. GII TwinSpires.com...

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Gosger Set For Seasonal Debut

Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables' Gosger (Nyquist), who won last year's GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes before taking a pair of heartbreaking defeats behind Journalism (Curlin) in Grade I company, makes his 4-year-old debut in a two-turn allowance with an option to enter for a $125,000 claiming tag Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream Park. The homebred son of Gloria S. (Tapit), a half-brother to Grade I winner Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah), won the Lexington in just his third career start for Brendan Walsh and looked every bit a winner of the...

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Indigo Woods
Making Waves: Blue Point Filly Crowned At Fair Grounds

   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 Indigo Woods at Fair Grounds. Blue Is the Colour Larry Rodgers and Coast Racing's Indigo Woods (Blue Point) prevailed by a half-length and maintained her perfect record in the Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds on March 7 (video). A winner of a Churchill maiden in October, the Brendan Walsh trainee was bred by Tinnakill House. The 10th foal out...

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A Game of Inches: Destino d'Oro Denies Whiskey Decision in Hillsborough Thriller

Turf mares sure know how to put on a show. It came down to a blanket finish in the GII Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, but Destino d'Oro (Bolt d'Oro) showed her heart with an ultra-game performance to win the photo. Crowned the 2026 queen of the GII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes in her most recent performance, via an equally exciting finish no less, the Brad Cox filly has now strung together three consecutive wins. The first of the group was a head decision...

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Five Fleet Fillies Of The Week: Feb. 23-Mar. 1

As expected, Gulfstream's loaded Fountain of Youth card provides fast fillies--but topping this week's list is a breakout performance at Turfway Park. 5. WITH THE ANGELS, AQU, 3/1, Correction Stakes, 6 furlongs Beyer Speed Figure- 93, 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. (f, 4, by Omaha Beach--Sister Margaret, by Pulpit) O-Winning Move Stable, John Oxley, Sheila Stable, Silverwood Stables and Sanford Robbins. B-Joseph DeRico (NY). T-Linda Rice. J-Jose Lezcano. Rice says With the Angels "never makes a wrong move," and after demoralizing her New York-bred competition last summer and fall,...

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