TDN Rising Stars

Anyone privy to the sensational closing sectionals of Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Derby will be approaching Sunday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh with great anticipation of what he can do next. While Epsom's final three furlongs lend themselves to electric fractions, the 33.01 that Ballydoyle's latest celebrity covered them in is nothing short of remarkable and already places him in exalted territory among the very elite to have conquered the demands of the Blue Riband. Now that the only marginally less brilliant...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Insights features a pair of TDN Rising Stars in Ancient Wisdom and Imperial Emperor (Ire) in a couple of different Novice races at Newmarket. 13.32 Newmarket, Nov, £8,000, 2yo, 7fT Godolphin's €2-million Arqana August acquisition ANCIENT WISDOM (FR) (Dubawi {Ire}), a son of G3 Prix Minerve victrix Golden...

This week's Triple Crown feature examines the trips of GI Kentucky Derby runners in detail from first to last: 1) Mage (No. 12 in TDN pre-race rankings) Mage, the little horse who could, was a characteristic beat slow out of the starting gate. Javier Castellano let him roll with the flow as the field sorted itself out through the first furlong, then darted to secure the rail while fourth-last the first time under the wire. Unhurried through the turn, this son of Good Magic ($235,000 KEESEP; $290,000 EASMAY) raced several...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features a pair of TDN Rising Stars.  14.25 Parislongchamp, Cond, €28,000, 3yo, 2150mT SILVER CRACK (FR) (Cracksman {GB}) is one of two TDN Rising Stars along with Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}) to line up in this Prix de Ferrieres which could serve as a G1...

Since 2004, we've shined the spotlight on over 1,500 'TDN Rising Stars' worldwide, recognition given to a horse early on its career who has done something so impressive on the racetrack that our team believes they will go on to become graded stakes winners.  A horse is designated as a 'Rising Star' by the TDN staff after a careful and comprehensive review of many factors--including the quality of the field, margin and time of victory, pedigree, sales price and more. Over the years, it has become a badge of honor...

While no singular superstar emerged from this class numbering just 60, the top-to-bottom quality separates this class from its counterparts. MGISW Guarana (Ghostzapper) was the only 'TDN Rising Star' to win multiple Grade I events in 2019. She posted three consecutive victories that year, going straight from her maiden-breaking score at Keeneland to the GI Acorn S., where she defeated GI Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress (Alternation) and future Eclipse champion Ce Ce (Elusive Quality), and then to Saratoga's GI Coaching Club American Oaks. Second only to GISW Street Band...

The smallest group profiled to date, numbering only 65, is led by its undisputed leader, undefeated Triple Crown champion and Horse of the Year Justify (Scat Daddy). Justify debuted early in his 3-year-old season with a gate-to-wire 9 1/2-length romp at Santa Anita. Two starts later, in an effort to earn qualifying points towards the GI Kentucky Derby, the chestnut defeated MGISW Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) by three lengths to take the GI Santa Anita Derby and a spot in the Derby starting gate. With the 'Curse of Apollo' fresh...

By what standard is the success of this publication's signature TDN Rising Stars measured; is there an answer? Achieving black-type, at the very least, is a given in any consideration, but tweaks are necessary, as our recent "The Ones That Got Away" article demonstrates. As it happens, last season's vintage managed a sizeable haul of elite-level contests to make 2022 a relative success. Four European Classic triumphs--courtesy of Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}), Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire})--were the obvious highlights....

For all that the annual parade of TDN Rising Stars is generally a formidable one, there are always those that just miss the cut and who forge on to bring that familiar sense of regret and longing from our team here. Of the Europeans who were closely considered but ultimately left out of the picture, none stings more than Ballydoyle's rugged Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never), who first appeared in the five-furlong Dundalk maiden in early April won in the past by Scat Daddy's high-achieving Caravaggio and Skitter Scatter. Mostly...

Each year, the team at the TDN designates horses early in their career who display enough promise to become an eventual graded-stakes winner. In 2017, a total of 80 horses racing on North American soil received the honor, but how many actually went on to achieve success? The class is led by the achievements of its lone Eclipse Award winner, 2020 champion turf female Rushing Fall (More Than Ready). A 2-year-old in 2017, the half-sister to SW & MGSP Milam (Street Sense) earned her tag with a half-length defeat of...

Nominations for next season's G1 154th IDEE Deutsches Derby and G1 Henkel-Preis der Diana (German Oaks) close Wednesday. The former contest, scheduled for July 2 at Hamburg, has already attracted a swathe of notable entries including Paul Vandeberg's hitherto unraced filly Tiara Hilleshage (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), who is a homebred full-sister to last term's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Torquator Tasso (Ger). "She is an elegant filly who, like her brother, needs time and the focus is on her 3-year-old season," said trainer Marcel Weiss earlier this year....

Aidan O'Brien has trimmed his overnight entry of eight down to two for Saturday's £200,000 G1 Vertem Futurity at Doncaster, Europe's final juvenile Group 1 contest of the season. TDN Rising Star and G2 Golden Fleece S. victor Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is the mount of Ryan Moore and has been allocated stall six for the one-mile test. He is set to be joined by Navan maiden winner Salt Lake City (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who will depart from the eight box. The home defence is spearheaded by John...