Woodford Racing

Essential Quality's White Smoke Comes From The Clouds In New Orleans

White Smoke (f, 2, Essential Quality--Mira Alta, by Curlin), whose barn already celebrated when first-time starter Golden Tempo (Curlin) was named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', after winning the third race on the card in New Orleans, was backed by the betting public as the 8-5 choice for her unveiling here. The filly was left at the gate by the field, which put her at a distinct disadvantage up the backstretch. Seemingly out of it around the far turn, the 2-year-old was able to get back into the...

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Into Mischief Keeneland September Topper Vibe Romps at Gulfstream

6th-Gulfstream, $44,770, Msw, 4-19, 3yo, 1m, 1:38.45, ft, 9 3/4 lengths. VIBE (c, 3, Into Mischief--Nonna Mia {GISP, $127,150}, by Empire Maker) ran a disappointing and money-burning fourth on career debut over six furlongs of this main track Mar. 15. With the addition of blinkers here, the colt stretched out to the one-turn mile and put it all together en route to an easy victory at Gulfstream on Saturday afternoon. Away without incident, the 3-2 favorite took up a stalking position behind pacesetting Mahovlich (McKinzie). The leader posted an opening...

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Daughter Of Curlin Chill On Debut At Gulfstream

1st-GP, $94K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 12:50 p.m. ET. FRIO TOWN (Curlin) is set to be unveiled for Mike Rutherford who went to $675,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale to acquire the filly. Sent to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, the chestnut is out of the unraced full-sister of sire Frost Giant (Giant's Causeway). Also set for her first start is Protective Custody (Ghostzapper). The Stuart Janney homebred's dam, Hold Harmless (Blame), is responsible for SW & MGSP Limited Liability (Kitten's Joy), and her full-sister is GSW Onus....

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With Help from Major Industry Players, Whiz Kids to Launch Unique Partnership

Jack Bolton and Nico Bowden, friends since they were teenagers attending the same prep school, are young and they are smart. Bolton is a senior at USC and Bowden just graduated from MIT. For many such college graduates that might mean entering the work world with an eye on becoming a CEO or a lawyer or perhaps starting a hedge fund or doing something else on Wall Street. Not Bolton and Bowden. They have decided to get involved in the horse racing business. The two are partners in Triple Crown...

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In Her Second Try Rare Art Snagged A Victory

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.  - A little bit of seasoning came in handy for Rare Art (Munnings) in her maiden special weight victory Friday at Saratoga Race Course. A one-length losing third in her debut on July 21, Rare Art prevailed by three-quarters of a length over Good Conduct (Without Parole) at the conclusion of their spirited duel through the stretch in the seventh race. Rare Art and Luis Saez reached the wire in the 1 1/16th miles $100,000 turf event for 2-year-old fillies in 1:46.36 and paid $6.60 as the...

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Saturday's Racing Insights: 'Unique' Group Of Firsters Shine At The Seaside Oval

7th-DMR, $75K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 8:02 p.m. ET. Conditioned by John Sadler, Don Alberto homebred UNIQUE POWER (Into Mischief) debuts for his dam--champion older dirt female Unique Bella (Tapit)--who was acquired by the stable for $400,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September Sale. Her own dam is GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song). Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm took this mare home for $3.8 million at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale. Unrivaled Belle's half-sister, Lemon Belle (Lemon Drop Kid), is responsible for GIII Gotham Stakes champ...

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Friday's Racing Insights: Good Magic's Full-Sister Unveiled On Oaks Undercard

1st-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2f, 10:30 a.m. ET. The Kentucky Oaks curtain lifts with a debuting full-sister to champion 2-year-old colt and current sire Good Magic (by Curlin). PENNY ROYAL is a Stonestreet homebred trained by Steve Asmussen. Dam MSW Glinda the Good (Hard Spun), who also carried the Stonestreet banner, is a half-sister to GSW Take the Ribbon (Chester House) and SW Flash Forward (Curlin). TJCIS PPS 2nd-CD, $100K, OCN1X, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 11:00 a.m. ET. Owned by Woodford, West Point and Chris Larsen, the Shug...

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Pricey Curlin Filly Sedona Produces a 'Rising Star' Debut

It wasn't the fanciest of jumps from the gate but it was the kick in the late stages which mattered, carrying Sedona (f, 3, Curlin--America {GSW & MGISP, $580,532}, by A.P. Indy) past her rivals to a first-out victory and on to 'TDN Rising Star' honors. The 8-5 favorite as the betting public set their sights on her royalty-befitting auction price and pedigree, the flashy chestnut took some time to find her feet as the entire field, save for one filly who never was involved, disputed affairs at the front....

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Jan. 21 Insights: From Florida to California, Big Pedigrees Galore

2nd-GP, $89k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 12:39p.m. ET RABDAH (Constitution), a half-sister to GSW-Eng Toro Strike (Toronado {Ire}), debuts here for Todd Pletcher and Al Shaqab Racing. Hailing from the immediate female line of Scarlet Tango (French Deputy), who tallies GISW Tara's Tango (Unbridled's Song), herself dam of GSW Capensis (Tapit); GISW Visionaire (Grand Slam); and the dam of SP Ignitis (Nyquist), among others, Rabdah has been given an 8-1 morning line appraisal with jose Ortiz in the irons. To her outside is Segesta (Ghostzapper), a homebred for Juddmonte,...

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Quality Road's Integration King of the Hill Prince

Heavily favored to run his unbeaten streak to three, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing's Integration (Quality Road) made his off price of 4-5 look like an early Christmas gift, as he parlayed a perfect trip into a dominating victory in Saturday's $250,000 GII Hill Prince S. at Aqueduct. Away without incident from the three hole, the $700,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate fell into the ideal spot from third, racing in clear air, as 65-1 Laurel Valley (Laoban) set a solid pace in advance of a headstrong Equitize (GB) (Kingman {GB}),...

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Integration Taking Larkin Armstrong Back to the Future

It was 12 years ago this week that a young bloodstock agent found a mare for one of his first clients, deep in the November Sale at Keeneland. Mesa Fresca (Sky Mesa) had won a Belmont maiden in a light career, and Larkin Armstrong knew her family inside out. In fact, her own bloodlines ran almost parallel to his own, his father being a cousin of her dam's breeder Emory Hamilton. Raised the way he was, Armstrong could not fail to recognize this mare as King Ranch royalty, and was...

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Thursday's Insights: $1.5m Uncle Mo Colt Makes Keeneland Debut

8th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 4:44 p.m. ET. Hammering down for $1.5 million at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, juvenile STOP THE PRESS (Uncle Mo) makes his debut for the ownership group led by West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing. After a sharp work for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey at the Belmont Park training track (Oct. 20, 4f, :48.34, 1/55), the bay colt comes to Keeneland primed for his debut. Out of Secret Sigh (Tapit), Stop the Press is a half-brother to Summer Wind Equine's horse-in-training Pippi...

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