Gary and Mary West

Well, I guess in the week we lost Mrs. Chandler--that elegant bridge at the center of five generations (and counting) of Kentucky horse lore--nobody will need reminding to take the long view. Certainly not Shug McGaughey, who will perhaps be reminding the disappointed connections of Greatest Honour (Tapit) how things didn't turn out too badly for Coronado's Quest (Forty Niner) after he was likewise derailed from the Classic trail. Maybe Greatest Honour can now become Shug's fifth winner of the GI Travers S., a race with an even longer history...

Gary and Mary West bred last weekend's hugely impressive Gll San Felipe S. winner Life Is Good (Into Mischief) and Saturday's leading Gll Rebel S. contender Concert Tour (Street Sense), both 'TDN Rising Stars', both trained by Bob Baffert and probably the two leading Classics aspirants in his barn, with five wins, three graded triumphs and no losses between them. That's quite a feat for the Wests and their racing manager Ben Glass--clients of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants--because the Baffert barn is loaded with expensive and well-bred auction purchases for a...

Representing part of the group that campaigned 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy), and sharing a sire and some quirks with last year's Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief), Life Is Good further asserted his position as the best of Bob Baffert's current crop of 3-year-olds Saturday, demolishing his competition in the GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita. WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s 'TDN Rising Star' was a 9 1/2-length sprint winner on debut at Del Mar Nov. 22, and had been off since defeating stablemate Medina...

Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}), the champion 2-year-old male of 2018, has had his first mare confirmed in foal, officials at Lane's End announced Thursday. The Machmer Hall-owned Desire Street (Congrats) was the first mare reported in foal to the son of Indyan Giving (A.P. Indy). The 9-year-old is a half-sister to SW & GSP Abraham (Distorted Humor); GISP Beat the Benchmark (Speightstown); and to Groton Circle, who produced SW Supreme Aura to the cover of Candy Ride in 2015. Desire Street's second dam includes MGSW & GISP Miss Isella...

In the month since we last served up a TDN Kentucky Oaks Top 10, there have been a number of stakes for 3-year-old fillies, but not a lot of movement on our list. Sun Path (Munnings) drops off the list after a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Silverbulletday and we'll wait to include Girl Daddy (Uncle Mo) until she has her first official workout in 2021. Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) came out of last weekend looking like the top threat from the West after her win in the GIII Las...

'TDN Rising Star' Concert Tour (Street Sense) had to work a bit harder Saturday than his 2-5 odds for Santa Anita's GII San Vicente S. might have predicted, but it's never easy to hook a Bob Baffert runner--even when you're one yourself. A 3 1/2-length debut winner while earning a solid 88 Beyer Speed Figure going a furlong shorter Jan. 15, the Gary and Mary West homebred broke on top from the outside six hole, but was soon outsprinted by stablemate Freedom Fighter (Violence). The bay sat perched in third...

Gary and Mary West's homebred Concert Tour (Street Sense), tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following an effortless debut victory, steps right up to graded stakes company in the seven-furlong GII San Vicente S. at Santa Anita Saturday. The Bob Baffert trainee wired the field by 3 1/2 lengths while going six furlongs at Santa Anita Jan. 15 and looks like he'll relish added distance. Baffert, who has won the San Vicente a record 10 times, also sends out Freedom Fighter (Violence). The dark bay colt just held on after setting...

Lane's End Farm brought their stallion roster up to 21 members this year as they welcomed several new additions for the 2021 season in Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}), Gift Box (Twirling Candy), Honor A. P. (Honor Code) and Daredevil (More Than Ready). We sat down with Bill Farish and spoke with him on Game Winner and Gift Box, both Grade I-winning millionaires who will join Twirling Candy and Unified in carrying on the Candy Ride (Arg) legacy at Lane's End. Now a perennial leading general sire, Candy Ride began...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency The most expensive yearling and second-priciest progeny overall of superstar sire Quality Road to sell in 2019, FIND NEW ROADS, will open his account in this New Orleans dirt sprint Thursday afternoon. Hammering to Tom Durant for $950,000 at Keeneland September, the bay is out of a daughter of GSW Welcome Surprise (Seeking the Gold), herself a half-sister to dual champion and legendary super-sire A.P. Indy (Seattle Slew) as well as Classic winner Summer Squall (Storm Bird). Trained by Bret Calhoun, Find New Roads shows...

Gary and Mary West homebred Slumber Party (Malibu Moon) showed off a high cruising speed Sunday to easily best a well-bred group of fillies at Gulfstream and earn the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction. With an upbeat worktab at Palm Meadows on display, the 5-1 shot broke on top and quickly opened up on her competition down the backside. She posted splits of :22.50 and :45.33, and rounded the bend five or six lengths clear. Showing no signs of stopping from there, the chestnut cantered home a geared-down 7 1/2-length winner,...

Concert Tour (c, 3, Street Sense--Purse Strings, by Tapit) rolled home to an ultra-impressive debut score for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for 'TDN Rising Star' honors at Santa Anita Friday. The Gary and Mary West homebred's worktab included a six-furlong bullet in 1:13 (1/11) in Arcadia Jan. 1 and was backed accordingly as the the even-money favorite while debuting with blinkers and Lasix. He sat a looming presence in second in the early stages and tugged his way to the front under an absolute hammer lock three furlongs from...

7th-Aqueduct, $79,540, Alw, 11-13, (NW1$X), 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:17.20, sy, 4 1/2 lengths. FULL IMPACT (c, 3, Street Sense--Four Gifts {MGSW, $640,068}, by Even the Score) was a front-running winner going six panels at Monmouth Oct. 14 and was installed the 3-2 choice to remain undefeated. Up to prompt 9-2 chance War Tocsin (Violence) through a :22.59 opening quarter, the grey was at the pacesetter's throat latch following a :46.47 half. Moving into a clear advantage leaving the quarter-pole, he left the tiring rival behind and drew off to an...