Praetor

GRANDE (c, 4, Curlin--Journey Home {GSW, $225,997}, by War Front), unraced since a runner-up finish in last year's GII Wood Memorial in April and since the subject of a controversial day-before scratch in the GI Kentucky Derby, returned to the races Saturday for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole. Tabbed the 7-5 favorite racing with the addition of blinkers, Grande would have to deal with fellow comebacker Praetor (Into Mischief), himself unraced since a third in April's GIII Lexington Stakes for Chad Brown. Both drawn outside, the favorite opted...

2nd-FG, $65k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, post time: 1:30 p.m. ET A $185,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, TROMBONE (Maclean's Music) breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 flat and was knocked down to owner Kaleem Shah for $850,000 at last year's OBS April Sale. The April foal's winning dam Apologize (Lemon Drop Kid) is a half- or full-sister to four others to salute, including MGSW Aurelia's Belle (Lemon Drop Kid) and SW Dripping Gold (Lemon Drop Kid). This is the high-class female family of Althea, Twining, Atelier, Aldiza, et al....

CHP Racing's Rhiannon (Medaglia d'Oro) marked her first race back following a seven-month respite with an emphatic four-length score in a Big A optional claimer Friday. Setting a course record of 1:45.60 for nine panels in the process, the 5-year-old mare may her next start in the GI Dunkin' Diana Stakes at Saratoga July 12, according to owner Phil Hatfield, who operates CHP Racing with his wife Christine. "That's what everybody is talking about, and we hope that happens," Hatfield said. Trainer Chad Brown, who conditions the mare, has won...

Part of a favored Klaravich Stable entry favored at 70 cents on the dollar, Strategic Focus (c, 3, Gun Runner--Curlin's Mistress, by Curlin) turned in a highly polished debut effort, outfinishing a pair of older rivals to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star' for his boom sire. Drawn widest in a field of eight, the $500,000 Keeneland September purchase broke fractionally to his right and was taken in hand by Dylan Davis to race in the second half of the field behind fractions of :23.38 for the opening quarter and...

Gosger (Nyquist) had been matching motors in the morning with 'TDN Rising Star' East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro), and while the latter was a bounce-back runner-up in the GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes this past Tuesday, the gray colt managed to go one better in Saturday's GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes, swinging into action off the final turn before keeping on nicely to score in his black-type and two-turn debuts. The homebred bounced alertly from stall five and was content to take up a rail-skimming position behind the leading trio of the...

The road to the 151st GI Kentucky Derby concludes with Saturday's GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland. Qualifying points are awarded to the first five finishers on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale, but won't be enough to have an impact on the first Saturday in May. With a field of nine entered and at least a pair of scratches anticipated, favoritism should come down to either 'TDN Rising Star' Bullard (Gun Runner) or Praetor (Into Mischief). Scratched out of the GII Rebel S. due to a fever, the impressive last-to-first GIII Bob...

However staunchly I defend American blood to fellow Europeans, I'm always forced to concede that a cramped distance spectrum makes it harder to characterize a page, and therefore the balance sought from a mating. When Epicenter (Not This Time) embarked on the GI Kentucky Derby trail in 2022, he offered an exceptional guarantee of stamina through his third and fourth dams by copper-bottomed European staying brands Ela-Mana-Mou (Ire) and Busted (GB). That's the clarity gained from spreading elite opportunity from five to 20 furlongs. In contrast, American families are so...

9th-Gulfstream, $77,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 3-9, 3yo, 1m, 1:36.59, ft, 7 1/2 lengths. PRAETOR (c, 3, Into Mischief--Curlin's Approval {MGSW, $654,725}, by Curlin) ran a well-beaten third on debut in the mud at the Spa last August, but he was able to graduate by a neck over the highly-regarded GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth hero Sovereignty (Into Mischief) at the Big A Sept. 27. Given time after a minor injury, the bay returned to work at Chad Brown's Payson base in late January. Slammed at the windows for his...

Chad Brown will have a pair of chancers, err, chances, to repeat in Saturday's GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. 'TDN Rising Star' Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie), a sensational, come-from-behind winner of last year's GI Hopeful Stakes and GI Champagne Stakes, will kick off his sophomore campaign in the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Downs centerpiece, good for 105 points (50-25-15-10-5) on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby. The Flanagan Racing colorbearer suffered his first career defeat finishing a disappointing sixth at a well-backed 2-1 while making his two-turn debut in...

1st-Belmont The Big A, $90,000, Msw, 10-26, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.69, ft, 5 lengths. ROOKIE CARD (c, 2, Adios Charlie--Glamalert, by Vindication) atoned for a pair of tough-luck losses in his first two trips to the post to take the Saturday opener at Aqueduct with a fair bit of authority. Drawn the fence as the 1-2 jolly, the $165,000 OBS June breezer was soon in front for Dylan Davis and had company to his outside in the form of the once-raced Atlal (Quality Road) through an opening couple of furlongs in...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.   After losing just about any chance at the break, Praetor (c, 2, Into Mischief--Curlin's Approval, by Curlin) showed plenty of promise in defeat finishing third behind ultra-impressive 'TDN Rising Star Ferocious (Flatter) on debut at Saratoga Aug. 3. Well-backed at 7-2 for trainer Chad Brown over a muddy and sealed surface, Praetor was bumped and pinched back at the start and trailed the field of nine through...