War Front

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. Friday's Observations features a son of G1 French 1000 Guineas third Heuristique (Ire) (Shamardal). 3.35 Compiegne, Debutantes, €27,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT TOURISTIC (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is a son of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches third Heuristique (Ire) (Shamardal), who was acquired by the Wertheimers for 675,000gns at the...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-SA, $61k, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2fT, 6:14p.m. LNJ Foxwoods' SPEEDCUBER (War Front), a $525,000 KEENOV weanling, makes her debut for trainer Richard Baltas. She is a daughter of Drifting Cube (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), a full-sister to multiple group winner Rubick (Aus). Also debuting is Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' What a Feeling (Medaglia d'Oro). The $700,000 KEESEP yearling is trained by Jonathan Wong, who also saddles fellow Tommy Town firster The Pharoah's Girl (American Pharoah), a $330,000 KEESEP yearling purchase. TJCIS PPs

It is unlikely that Arqana will want to make South Yorkshire the permanent home for its breeze-up sale, but swapping Deauville for Doncaster worked perfectly well last year and, with ongoing tricky travel conditions, the return to the Goffs UK complex in 2021 was perhaps inevitable. Owing to the relative lateness of last year's sale--which was held several weeks  after Royal Ascot on July 1--and the change of location, only 77 juveniles stood their ground, but the returns were good for those vendors who held their nerve. Having been staged...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-SA, $61K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1m, post time: 6:50 p.m. ET Dixiana Farms-bred AMERICAN ADMIRAL (American Pharoah) was purchased by Hunter Valley Farm for $340,000 at Keeneland November in 2018 and fetched $1.3 million from Jamie McCalmont on behalf of M.V. Magnier and Sarah Kelly at KEESEP the following fall. That price was the richest of 70 of his sire's second-crop yearlings to sell in 2019, bar the sales-topping $8.2 million Mandy Pope paid for the half-sister to Beholder (Henny Hughes) and Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday)....

Some TDN Rising Stars get the tag for runaway victories and some for winning performances much slimmer but full of promise of what is to come and Ballydoyle's newcomer Yet (War Front) fit into the latter category on Wednesday. On paper, the sizeable first foal out of a strong-staying half-sister to Giant's Causeway had no right to be contesting a five-furlong carve-up on Dundalk's Polytrack but she was quick out of the gates for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden and up on the lead from the outset to...

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. Wednesday's Insights features a half-brother to G1SW Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}). 4.30 Dundalk, Mdn, €14,000, 2yo, f, 5fT HEART TO HEART (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}), one of two debutantes from Ballydoyle, is a 580,000gns Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 half-sister to the G1 Commonwealth Cup hero Golden...

Group winner and 'TDN Rising Star' High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is likely to step forward in the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial on May 8 trainer Aidan O'Brien has revealed. A winner of a maiden at The Curragh at first asking on Aug. 22, the bay added the G2 Beresford S. to his resume there on Sept. 26 and is currently favoured for the G1 Cazoo Derby on June 5th. "We're thinking of going to Lingfield," said O'Brien. "He needs to start and with all the trials we're just trying...

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. Tuesday's Observations features the first foal of MGSP Butterflies (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 4.40 Tipperary, Mdn, €5,500, 2yo, f, 5fT YET (War Front) is the first foal out of what could prove to be an important broodmare for Coolmore in the dual Group 3-placed Butterflies (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), herself a...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency CASSE UNVEILS WELL-BRED WAR FRONT ON FL DERBY UNDERCARD 1st-GP, $55K, Msw, 3yo, 1mT, 11:30p.m. The blue-blooded WAR BOMBER (IRE) (War Front) makes his career bow in this spot for trainer Mark Casse. The colt is a full-brother to Group 1 winner and Irish highweight Lancaster Bomber, who was twice second at the Breeders' Cup; and a half-brother to French, Irish and German highweight Excelebration (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}); MGSW Mull of Killough (Ire) (Mull of Kintyre); MSW Shivalik Showers (Ind) (Dancing Forever); and...

There is no simple answer to the question of whether or not it is in the interests of breeders in the United States to limit the number of mares any stallion can cover. However, we can be certain that none of the relevant arguments should be concerned with questions of free markets. Not even the most dogmatic of believers in the efficiency of free markets would, after a moment's reflection, consider the market for stallion seasons to have the appropriate characteristics. A free market is one in which no one...

The fireworks at the annual Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton November sales are always a highlight of the year as seven-figure bids abound on some of racing's top broodmares and broodmare prospects. But after the dust settles, it can be years before words get out on the breeding careers of the sales' top offerings. We caught up with the connections of a few of these most recent million-dollar broodmares and learned of their mating plans for 2021 in the first edition of our 'Million-Dollar Matings' series.   LADY AURELIA (Scat Daddy-D'Wildcat Speed,...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-BRED WAR FRONT DEBUTS IN HALLANDALE 1st-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 12:40 p.m. Shug McGaughey saddles a blue-blooded first timer in Joe Allen homebred TRACY FLICK (War Front). Her GSP dam Stay the Night (Arch) is a daughter of MSW & MGSP Louve Royale (Ire) (Peintre Celebre). This is also the family of European Highweight Loup Sauvage (Riverrman); French Highweight Loup Solitaire (Lear Fan); MGSW Loup Breton (Ire) (Anabaa); and GSW Copper Bullet (More Than Ready). The Flying Pharoah (American Pharoah) debuts in...