Munnings

'TDN Rising Star' Munnys Gold turned her stakes debut into a laugher while stamping herself as a potential major force among sophomore fillies this season. A jaw-dropping 14 1/2-length debut winner at Monmouth last June, good for a gaudy 101 Beyer Speed Figure, the dark bay was subsequently sidelined with a foot bruise, but eventually resurfaced to make short work of first-level Florida-bred allowance foes at Gulfstream Jan. 25. She was facing her sternest test to date with the likes of Dreaming of Snow, upsetter of champion Wonder Wheel (Into...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - With plenty of activity at the top of the market, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training concluded its three-day run with increases in average and median over last year's two-session renewal and five juveniles selling for seven figures, led by a co-record $2-million son of Good Magic. "I thought it was a really good sale and it held strong all the way through," said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. "There were quality horses on each...

A filly by Munnings (hip 558) got the final session of the OBS March sale off to a quick start when selling for $1 million Wednesday in Ocala. Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket on the filly on behalf of Frank Fletcher. She will be trained by Bill Mott. The bay filly was consigned by Tom McCrocklin, who purchased her for $450,000 on behalf of Michael Sucher's Champion Equine at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. She is out of In Full Compliance (Smart Strike) and worked a quarter-mile last...

10th-Santa Anita, $68,000, Msw, 3-18, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:15.86, ft, 1 1/2 lengths. PLEASANT (f, 3, Munnings--Fair Lady, by Medaglia d'Oro) jumped well at odds of 9-2 despite getting bumped leaving the gate in her debut run and forced the issue from an outside second. Traveling kindly while racing in hand, she turned up the heat on the far turn and braced for the challenge of heavily favored $1.2-million FTFMAR graduate and second-time starter Ruby Nell (Bolt d'Oro) leaving the quarter pole. Pleasant still had plenty left in the...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 10th-SA, $67K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 8:01 p.m. The first of a pair of Juddmonte fillies racing for Bob Baffert, PLEASANT (Munnings) is the latest filly to make the races out of Fair Lady (Medaglia d'Oro), herself a daughter of GISW Honest Lady (Seattle Slew) making her a half to GISW First Defense (Unbridled's Song), SW & GSP Honest Mischief (Into Mischief), SW Phantom Rose (Danzig), and SW Honest Quality (Elusive Quality). Pleasant's third dam is none other than Toussaud (El Gran Senor), the...

With the 2023 season upon us, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. Dana and Jim Bernhard purchased Pin Oak Stud just outside of Versailles, Kentucky late last year, inaugurating a new chapter in its storied history. Here is what Farm Manager Jeff Danford had to say about their broodmare band for 2023. BROADWAY LADY (m, 6, Constitution--Livi Makenzie) booked to Munnings This mare, purchased late last year, is a very attractive daughter...

Riding high off an exceptional year in 2022, where she was the leading trainer at Laurel Park's fall and spring meet and tied for the lead at the Preakness Meet at Pimlico, Brittany Russell is poised for another strong showing this year. The Laurel-based conditioner got the season off to a good start two weeks ago when Prince of Jericho and L Street Lady, both by Munnings, swept the two $100,000 stakes races for 3-year-olds on Jan. 21 at Laurel. "It was really exciting to have two stakes winners in...

8th-GP, $54k, Alw, (S) 3yo, f, 6f, 3:37 p.m. ET Robert and Lawana Low's MUNNYS GOLD (Munnings) returns to action following an eye-catching 14 1/2-length victory in her career unveiling at Monmouth Park last June. Earning a 101 speed Beyer for the TDN Rising Star-earning performance that day, the Florida-bred counted among her vanquished rivals runner-up Alma Rose (Sharp Azteca), who went on to air next time out at Colonial and subsequently took a stakes race at Delaware. A $300,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale, well above her sire's 2021...

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding sheds, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. The China Horse Club's Christie DeBernardis, Matt Houldsworth and Michael Smith clued us in on which sires they have chosen for some of their top American and European mares. ALBEROBELLO (m, 8, Bernardini—Carson Jen, by Carson City), booked to Justify Alberobello hails from a very deep family that is constantly improving. Her full-sister's daughter Key to...

8th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-14, 3yo, 1m, 1:39.18, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. KINGSBARNS (c, 3, Uncle Mo--Lady Tapit {GSP}, by Tapit), an $800,000 2-year-old purchase by Spendthrift Farm out of the Gulfstream Sale last year, rewarded his backers as the 3-1 favorite in his debut start. Fourth in the early going while racing a path off the rail, Kingsbarns began to inch up into the far turn and found racing room between rivals as the top trio straightened into the lane. Game Warden (Tapit) closed with a run to be second...

Among Ashford Stud's new stallions for 2023, two members of the Coolmore quintet boast standout sire-making families. GI Preakness S. hero Early Voting (Gun Runner - Amour d'Ete, by Tiznow) is out of a half-sister to perennial top sire Speightstown while Jack Christopher (Munnings - Rushin No Blushin, by Half Ours), a 'TDN Rising Star' who raced to three Grade I victories, is out of a half-sister to Darley's Street Boss. Jack Christopher is also the first son of Munnings to join his sire at Ashford Stud. After carrying the...

There are better, faster horses in the sport, but there's not another one like Beverly Park (Munnings). In an era where five or six starts a year is considered a normal campaign for a horse and many trainers look for seven or eight weeks between starts, the 5-year-old made of blood, flesh and iron continued to laugh at conventional wisdom. In his 30th start of the year, he won Saturday's third race at the Fair Grounds by 3 3/4 lengths, paying $3.80. The race was a starter optional claimer and...