Cavorting

Sunday Insights: Juvenile Half-Brother To Gun Runner Unveiled At The Big A On Sunday

5th-AQU, $85K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 2:10 p.m. ET. OTTINHO (Quality Road) is out of Quiet Giant (Giant's Causeway), who is famously known for producing one of the top sires of this age in Gun Runner (by Candy Ride {Arg}). The first-time starter and Three Chimneys homebred--sent to trainer Chad Brown--counts among his extended female family GISW Funtastic (More Than Ready) and MGSW Lull (War Front). A stablemate of Ottinho, Up Yonder (Curlin) heads to the post for owner Jeff Drown. The $500,000 Keeneland September grad is out of a winning...

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$5-Million Courting Graduates at Aqueduct

2nd-Aqueduct, $79,050, Msw, 11-9, 2yo, 1m, 1:36.03, ft, 2 1/2 lengths. COURTING (c, 2, Curlin--Cavorting {MGISW, $2,063,000}, by Bernardini), who topped the 2024 Keeneland September sale when selling for $5 million, closed to be fourth after a slow start in his debut over this track and trip Sept. 27. The 1-9 favorite in this second outing, he was away alertly and was under a snug hold while setting a moderate early tempo. He shrugged off a challenge from longshot Stream It (Tapit) in upper stretch and sailed down the lane...

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Courting at Saratoga
Saturday's Racing Insights: $5-Million KEESEP Topper Courting Debuts at Belmont at the Big A

1st-BAQ, 85k, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 12:35 p.m. ET Courting (Curlin), the 2024 $5-million Keeneland September topper and full-brother to MGISW Clairiere, debuts for Whisper Hill Farm, breeder Stonestreet Stables and Windancer Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher going a one-turn mile. Produced by MGISW Cavorting (Bernardini), Courting is also a half-brother to SW La Crete (Medaglia d'Oro) and a full-brother to MGSP Judge Miller. Rebel Instinct (Into Mischief), a son of GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song) and a half-brother to two-time champion Unique Bella (Tapit), debuts...

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2025 Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift: Stonestreet Farm

'Born to run, raised to win' is the motto at Stonestreet Farm and as the 13-time leading North American breeder by gross yearlings sales, it's evident that the farm's success in the sales ring translates onto the racetrack. Just last year, Stonestreet was responsible for the $5 million Keeneland September Sale-topping Curlin colt out of Grade I winner and producer Cavorting (Bernardini). Which stallion will that superstar mare be visiting this year? Stonestreet's John Moynihan shares that and more in the latest edition of TDN's 2025 Mating Plans series, presented...

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$5-Million Curlin Colt Brings Curtain Down on 'Electric' Book 1

by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis & Jill Williams LEXINGTON, KY - Following another day of competitive bidding, the two-session Book 1 section of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale concluded Tuesday with double-digit increases over its 2023 counterpart. A colt by Curlin brought the section's top price when selling for $5 million to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. The sale topper was one of four by the Hill 'n' Dale stallion to bring $1 million or more on the day and, with a further 16 yearlings bringing seven figures Tuesday, Book...

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Pair of Stonestreet Yearlings, including $5-Million Curlin Colt, Set Off Fireworks at Keeneland

A Curlin full-brother to MGISW Clairiere and an Into Mischief half-brother to GISW Girvin (Tale of Ekati)--both Stonestreet-breds--sold in a matter of minutes Tuesday afternoon at the Keeneland September sale for the two highest prices of the day thus far. Causing the biggest stir was hip 347, a Mar. 11-foaled chestnut colt by Curlin out of MGISW Cavorting (Bernardini), brought by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm for $5 million after a protracted bidding battle. Cavorting has three foals to race: MGISW Clairiere, SW La Crete (Medaglia d'Oro), and MGSP Judge...

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Stonestreet Poised for a Book One to Remember

Stonestreet Farm has had plenty of stacked rosters going into Book 1 of the Keeneland September Sale, but the farm's longtime bloodstock advisor John Moynihan estimates that this year's class of of yearlings is among the best that the operation has ever presented to the market. "It's rare that you get the physical horse with these amazing pedigrees because so many times you get a physical and you don't have the pedigree or you get the pedigree but you don't have the physical," Moynihan reflected. "We're very fortunate this year...

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'Sky's the Limit' – Clairiere's Full-Brother Judge Miller Nominated to a Pair of Graded Stakes

Trainer Mark Glatt is weighing his options for the promising Judge Miller (Curlin). The lightly raced 4-year-old, a jaw-dropping winner while making his route debut in an optional claimer at Santa Anita Feb. 24, has been nominated to Oaklawn's $600,000 GIII Essex H. and the $500,000 GII New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds. Both races will be contested at 1 1/8 miles and are slated for Saturday, Mar. 23. "He's nominated to a couple of stakes coming up, but I don't know what we're doing with him yet for certain,"...

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$1.15m Daughter Of Into Mischief Makes Juvenile Debut At Big A

1st-AQU, $85K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 12:20 p.m. ET. Whisper Hill Farm purchased LESLIE'S ROSE (Into Mischief) for $1.15 million at last year's Keeneland September Sale. Bred by John D. Gunther & Eurowest Bloodstock Services, the Todd Pletcher trainee's younger half-sister and stablemate Bo Derek (Speightstown) sadly passed away after making her second start back in January for Siena and WinStar Farms at Gulfstream Park. Second dam MGSP Wildwood Flower (Langfuhr) produced GI Florida Derby champ Materiality (Afleet Alex) and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song),...

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Background Check: Personal Ensign

In this continuing series, we examine the past winners of significant filly/mare races by the lasting influence they've had on the breed. Up today is Saratoga's GI Personal Ensign S., renamed in 1998 to honor the undefeated Hall of Fame Phipps mare. Originally known as the Firenze H. and then the John A. Morris H., the Personal Ensign dates to 1948. While members of the Phipps family have won six editions of the race which now holds one of the greatest names associated with the stable, Personal Ensign never actually...

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Background Check: Test

In this continuing series, we examine the past winners of significant filly/mare races by the lasting influence they've had on the breed. Up today is the GI Longines Test S., a prestigious 3-year old filly event on the Saratoga calendar for the past century. Ah, the Test, the glorious Test. Remember the scintillating call--already 20 years ago--by Tom Durkin during the epic stretch battle between You and Carson Hollow? This race has been so good for so long. At seven furlongs since its second edition, it has delivered pulsating stretch...

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Clairiere Going After Saratoga Glory in the Shuvee

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY -- Just a mere mention that Clairiere (Curlin) might be underappreciated, brought a quick, robust reaction from Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. "Not by us," Asmussen said, shaking his head. Asmussen promptly made the case for the 4-year-old filly, a Stonestreet Stables homebred daughter of Cavorting (Bernardini), who will seek her third win in four starts this year in the GII Shuvee S. Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. "She's a multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire by one of the greatest horses of all time out of one...

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