Faiza

4th-Fair Grounds, $55,000, Msw, 2-15, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:09.86, ft, 3/4 length. VELVET VORTEX (f, 3, Complexity--Sweet Pistol, by Smart Strike) was bet down from a morning line of 9-2 to jump as the 13-5 favorite while making her career debut at the Fair Grounds Saturday afternoon and got the better of a final-furlong tussle with second-time starter Velvet Devil (Kantharos) to graduate in strong fashion. Drawn three, the $375,000 Keeneland September purchase bounced beautifully, but was just outfooted to the front by the rail-drawn Velvet Devil, second after leading...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis LEXINGTON, KY - After a vibrant afternoon-into-night of bidding, the Fasig-Tipton November Sale grossed over $100 million for the third straight year with champions Nest (Curlin) and Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) leading the way when bringing matching $6-million final bids Tuesday at Newtown Paddocks. "It was another remarkable horse sale, literally from start to finish," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "It's really humbling to think that we've been able, for three years in a row, do over $100 million in sales in a single night....

'TDN Rising Star' and GI Starlet S. winner Faiza (Girvin--Sweet Pistol, by Smart Strike), five for six lifetime, hammered for $4 million to Godolphin LLC at Tuesday night's Fasig-Tipton November sale. Sold as hip 228, Faiza was bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones and fetched $725,000 as a 2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old. She raced for Michael Lund Petersen and was trained by Bob Baffert. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent as a broodmare prospect, the bay 3-year-old is out of a half-sister to MGSW Thousand Words (Pioneerof...

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 246 main-catalogue entries for The November Sale, the company's selected mixed sale to be held in Lexington, Kentucky on Tuesday, Nov. 7, following the Breeders' Cup. The single-session sale will begin at 2 p.m. "The Fasig-Tipton November Sale annually offers a collection of the world's finest bloodstock," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "This year's catalogue is once again outstanding, offering 55 graded stakes winners or producers, 26 of which are Grade I." Browning continued: "We have Eclipse Champions, international champions, multiple Breeders' Cup winners, and a Kentucky...

Several top horses trained by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert were among 174 workers at Santa Anita Monday morning. Among those working four furlongs for Baffert on the main track were GISWs Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) (:46.40), Arabian Lion (Justify) (:46.80), Faiza (Girvin) (:49.20) and National Treasure (Quality Road) (:48.20). GI Starlet S. winner Faiza's drill was her first since being scratched from the Torrey Pines S. on Sept. 2 at Del Mar. National Treasure, winner of this season's GI Preakness S., had his second work since finishing fifth...

Running for a $50,000 tag as recently as last November, 11-1 chance Taxed (Collected) proved one of the biggest bargains on the afternoon, coming from off the pace to peg Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) while also leaving the previously undefeated and piping-hot 3-5 choice Faiza (Girvin) in her wake in the GII George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan S. at Pimlico Friday. Last season's GII Golden Rod S. winner Hoosier Philly was intent on getting to the front, and she did so dutifully, as Sacred Wish (Not This Time), Merlazza (Medaglia...

BALTIMORE, MD--The past two weeks has seen the kind of drama that one might expect in soap opera, laden with twists and turns that have left even the most seasoned turfwriters scratching their heads in disbelief. However, despite the all head-snapping headlines, the days leading up to this year's Preakness at Pimlico were business as usual. Thursday morning's activity matched the Baltimore weather, brisk and clear, with everything seemingly running without any major glitches. Following a brief hiatus because of the COVID pandemic, the morning tours were back in force...

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 575 entries for its upcoming Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, to be held Monday and Tuesday, May 22-23, at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Maryland. "Buyers will be presented with the strongest Midlantic catalogue in recent memory when they arrive in Timonium this year," said Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett. "We purposefully tightened up our numbers just a bit, while adding increased quality. We have strong sire power, quality individuals, and from what I hear from our consignors, horses that have showed very promising ability in...

Michael Lund Petersen's 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza (Girvin) was never really asked for a full effort by Flavien Prat in extending her unbeaten streak to five with a facile success in Saturday's GII Santa Anita Oaks at the Great Race Place. Beaten for speed and content to sit wide off a longshot front-runner, the $90,000 Fasig-Tipton July yearling turned $725,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic breezer was patiently handled down the backstretch before making a run towards the front on the turn. Dueling briefly with Clearly Unhinged (Into Mischief) into the stretch, Faiza...

A week after champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) solidified his status as the horse to beat on the first Saturday in May, the final round of major GI Kentucky Derby preps offering 100 points to the winner will share the spotlight on an absolutely stacked Saturday afternoon of racing. Forte's Todd Pletcher-trained stablemate and fellow 'Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit), an impossible come-from-behind winner in the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 11, will exit from the rail in a deep renewal of the GI Toyota Blue...

Michael Lund Peterson's Faiza (Girvin) kept her record perfect in tact--and gave her sire his second graded win of the weekend--with a stylish victory in the GIII Santa Ysabel S. at Santa Anita Sunday. Sent off the 4-5 favorite, the bay filly tracked pacesetting longshot Blessed Touch (Girvin) through moderate fractions of :24.00 and :48.32. She stuck a head in front into the far turn, but Blessed Touch, proving surprisingly determined, battled back and those two rivals turned for home together with And Tell Me Nolies (Arrogate) joining the fray...

Doesn't anyone want to be No. 1? At the beginning of the month, the 3-year-old filly picture looked pretty set. There were two big stars in Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) and Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) and then there was everyone else. Surely, one, if not both, would cruise through their preps and enter the GI Kentucky Oaks ready to finish the job. Then Wonder Wheel was defeated in the Suncoast S. as the 1-2 favorite, losing to 38-1 shot Dreaming of Snow (Jess's Dream). And then, a week later, Hoosier...