Juddmonte Farm

If this is seeing the future, then maybe it really will work. Among all these tiny, straggling groups negotiating the arid wastes of the dirt stakes program, we finally reach a true oasis in the GI Caesars Belmont Derby Inv. Here is a field that matches quality with quantity: a win for the owners, and a win for the bettors. It is also, lest we forget, staged on a benign surface. As such, it is also a win for a whole community that needs to present its way of life...

Well, if it was hard enough to make sense of his performance, then don't expect things to appear any more conventional when you look at the pedigree of Rich Strike. His grandsire and dam share the same paternity. His mother was discarded a couple of years ago for $1,700; his half-sister was claimed only last month for $5,000; and his sire's only previous stakes winner had emerged in Puerto Rico. But if communal incredulity over the GI Kentucky Derby must have been flavored with extra piquancy for the breeders of...

5th-AQU, $80k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 2:50p.m. ET After hitting an eye-catching $735,000 at Keeneland September two years ago, and still missing his reserve, Mystic Quest (Curlin) will go to post here for his breeders Siena Farm in partnership with Cash Asmussen. At the helm for the full brother to MGISP & GSW Point of Honor and half to GI Frizette S. winner Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map) as well as two other stakes winners, Todd Pletcher sends out a colt carrying big expectations against a field of eight others from the...

There was very little on form between the main protagonists for Saturday's G2 Summer Mile at Ascot, but one who did have some play in his profile was Tilsit (First Defence) and the Juddmonte homebred duly made that class edge tell to prevail for a career-best success. Last seen finishing a head second to Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan over an extra furlong and 55 yards at ParisLongchamp May 30, the 4-1 favourite followed Century Dream (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) wide of the other runners throughout...

Longshot Obligatory cut back and came flying to run down come-backing GISW Dayoutoftheoffice Friday. Fourth on debut after a rough start sprinting at Belmont in October, the Juddmonte homebred donned cap and gown over a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Feb. 7. She was last seen finishing a somewhat one-paced fourth in the Mar. 20 GII Fair Grounds Oaks behind Travel Column (Frosted), Clairiere (Curlin) and Souper Sensational (Curlin). Obligatory dropped straight to the back early as last year's GI Frizette S. heroine and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Dayoutoftheoffice...

Not to be lost off the heels of a very productive weekend of GI Kentucky Derby/Oaks preps for the Chad Brown barn--more on that in a bit--the four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer recently unveiled a pair of ultra-impressive, stakes-quality Euro imports for allowance victories. Juddmonte homebred Pocket Square (GB) (f, 4, Night of Thunder {Ire}), heroine of Deauville's G3 Prix des Reservoirs at two for trainer Roger Charlton, turned in an eye-catching, 2 1/4-length come-from-behind tally in her U.S. bow over the Keeneland lawn Wednesday, rocketing home in :28.21. She was...

Trainer Ken McPeek, who won last year's GII Gulfstream Park Oaks with 3-year-old filly champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), will look to take a second straight renewal of the 1 1/16-mile race when he saddles Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) Saturday in Hallandale. The gray filly, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, was second in both the GIII Pocahontas S. and GI Darley Alcibiades S. last fall before ending her juvenile campaign with a sixth-place effort in the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She rallied from well back to finish...

Mandaloun added yet another feather to his superstar sire Into Mischief's cap with a victory in Saturday's GII Risen Star S. at the Fair Grounds. Adding blinkers after a third-place finish in the GIII Lecomte S. last time, the Juddmonte Farms homebred was away alertly from stall 10 and rushed up to stalk from a two-wide third as Rightandjust (Awesome Again) was pressed along by Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) through early fractions of :23.65 and :48.45. Midnight Bourbon stuck hi head in front entering the bend with Mandaloun roaring up on...

Honest Mischief (Into Mischief-Honest Lady, by Seattle Slew) is the first son of the record-setting leading sire Into Mischief to stand in New York. He also hails from the blue-blooded Juddmonte family that produced Empire Maker, who died at age 20 in January of 2020, leaving a void in the Thoroughbred breeding industry. Raced by Juddmonte and trained by Chad Brown, Honest Mischief now begins his stud career at Becky Thomas's Sequel New York. He will stand for $6,500 LFSN. Honest Mischief broke his maiden his second time out as...

6th-Tampa Bay Downs, $21,500, Msw, 1-31, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:37.04, fm, 5 3/4 lengths. GOLDEN PLUME (f, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}--Nebraska Tornado {MG1SW-Fr, G1SP-Eng, $655,044}, by Storm Cat) sat the trip and kicked away in the stretch for a promising first appearance. Pounded down to 3-5 favoritism, the homebred grabbed a spot in third at the fence as a longshot sped far clear. She advanced willingly and in hand as the frontrunner started to tire heading for home, seized the lead at the top of the lane with no resistance...

A year ago, a brigade of American runners dominated results in the inaugural running of the $20-million Saudi Cup, taking four of the top five placings in the world's richest race. Another top-level group of U.S.-based horses are set to return to Riyadh for the second running of the 1 1/8-miles race Feb. 20. Leading the group is Charlatan (Speightstown), who returned from a layoff to record a scintillating victory in the Dec. 26 GI Malibu S. last month. The newly turned 4-year-old worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 (1/5) at...

Eclipse champion Close Hatches (First Defence), dam of multiple graded stakes winner Tacitus (Tapit), will be visiting WinStar Farm stallion Constitution this year, highlighting a list of high-profile U.S.-based mares whose 2021 mating plans were released Monday by Juddmonte Farm. The 11-year-old mare, who has a yearling filly by Constitution's sire Tapit and was bred to that Gainesway stallion last year, is one of several Juddmonte mares expected to be bred to Constitution this year. The list also includes 2012 Canadian 2-year-old filly champion and GI Darley Alcibiades S. winner...