Mrs. John Magnier

He wasn't the most cooperative at the stalls and he left himself plenty to do over a Keeneland main track that was playing kind to speed over the course of the afternoon, but 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (c, 3, Gun Runner--Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon) saved his best for last and cemented his status as one of the top couple of contenders for the GI Kentucky Derby with a fast-finishing victory in the 100th running of the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. Saturday afternoon. The victory, on the back...

7th-LRC, $45K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 6:28 p.m. ET. MARCH OF TIME (Justify) debuts for the ownership group of Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor. The Bob Baffert trainee is out of GIII Sorrento S. winner Untouched Heart (Storm Cat), who is also responsible for the runner-up in the first two legs of the Triple Crown, Bodemeister (Empire Maker), and GII Summertime Oaks heroine Under the Stars (Pioneerof the Nile). A half-sister to the dam of GI La Troienne S. victress She's a Julie (Elusive Quality), Untouched Heart...

A couple of hours after Aspen Grove (Ire) conjured up a 15-1 surprise in the GI Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks, Verifying (Justify) validated a quote of 3-5 favoritism--if only just--to best Raise Cain (Violence) in the GIII Indiana Derby. Away alertly for Marcelino Pedroza, Jr, the $775,000 Keeneland September yearling--a half-brother to the magnificent Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute)--was content to lie second and allow the rail-drawn Transect (Gun Runner) to carve out the early fractions. Georgie W (Tapiture) tracked three wide from his high draw, while Cagliostro (Upstart) enjoyed the run...

Glen Hill Farm and Mrs. John Magnier's Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) became the second Grade I winner in the space of a month for her Triple Crown-winning stallion, as she slalomed her way through her rivals in the three-sixteenths of a mile to spring a 15-1 upset in Saturday's GI Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational S. Prerequisite (Upstart), all-the-way winner of the GIII Wonder Again S. last time, held for second after once again making the running, while the slow-starting Papilio (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) closed nicely for third. Equipped with a...

Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), front-running winner of the 2020 GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint for his breeder Randall Lowe, has been purchased by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg, a Coolmore official confirmed Wednesday. The first foal out of Lowe's outstanding 11-time stakes winner Lady Shipman (Midshipman), Golden Pal was bought back on a bid of $325,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September sale and was runner-up on debut over the Gulfstream main track last April before missing by a neck to The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince...

1st-Galway, €16,500, Mdn, 9-8, 2yo, 8f 123yT, 1:58.03, hy. KYPRIOS (IRE) (c, 2, Galileo {Ire}--Polished Gem {Ire} {Broodmare of the Year-Ire}, by Danehill) was bustled along in snatches throughout this extended one-mile slog in deep mud. Rousted into third turning for home, the 9-4 second choice kept on resolutely under unrelenting pressure in the straight to nail Lifetime Legend (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) by 3/4-of-a-length in the final strides. "He's not that much of a worker at home and he took a bit of stoking up there," said, understated...