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OBS grads heading for opening day at Saratoga

Since the juvenile class of 2018 began racing in April, OBS graduates have made their presence felt from coast to coast, with 50 OBS graduates leaving the maiden ranks in special weight company.

Shang Shang Shang (Mathea Kelley photo)

OBS graduate juveniles have already posted a pair of stakes victories, with Pines Stables, John J. Irwin, Paul Zysset and Sam F. Arci’s Maiden Beauty capturing the recent Lynnbrook Stakes (go to the story) at Belmont and Breeze Easy LLC’s Shang Shang Shang beating the boys in the Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot. (go to the story)

Racing’s spotlight now shifts to Saratoga, where the accent is always on 2-year-old racing, and the most promising newcomers are often unveiled.

A trio of OBS graduates will go in Friday’s six furlong $150,000 Schuylerville Stakes (G3) on opening day at Saratoga. Trainer Mark Casse sends out John C. Oxley’s Catherinethegreat and Gary Barber’s Eyeinthesky, joined by Charles L. Biggs’ Congrats Gal, saddled by Cathal Lynch.    

Lauren King photo

Catherinethegreat comes into the Schuylerville off a 10-1/4 length romp in a five furlong maiden special weight dash at Gulfstream on June 22nd. The daughter of Uncaptured, who also raced in Mr. Oxleys’ colors, topped the 2017 OBS October Open Sale of Yearlings, purchased for $170,000 out of the Turtle Pond Farm consignment.

Eyeinthesky broke her maiden at first asking at Churchill Downs in May and was third, beaten just three quarters of a length in the Astoria Stakes at Belmont in her only other start. The Florida-bred filly by Sky Mesa was sold for $22,000 by New Episode Training Center, Agent, at the 2017 OBS October Selected Sale of Yearlings.  Selected Sale conformation photo

Congrats Gal romped to a 6-1/4 length victory on June 10th at Laurel in her only start to date. The Florida-bred daughter of Congrats is a two-time OBS graduate, sold by Woodford Thoroughbreds at the 2017 OBS October Open Sale of Yearlings and then purchased by Mr. Biggs for $57,000 out of the Grassroots Training & Sales LLC consignment at the 2018 April Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. watch her under tack video

Three graduates of the 2018 OBS March sale debut in a 5-1/2 furlong $85,000 maiden special dash on Saratoga’s opening day card.

Todd Pletcher sends out Repole Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Blahnik, a Bernardini filly purchased for $575,000 out of the Crupi’s New Castle Farm consignment after working an eighth in :10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch her under tack video

Phoenix Thoroughbred III’s Lyrical Lady makes her first start for trainer Steve Asmussen. The daughter of More Than Ready sped an Under Tack quarter in :20 3/5 before she was sold for $625,000 by Ocala Stud, Agent. watch her under tack video

Mark Casse will saddle Live Oak Plantation’s Winandyourin Gin, a filly by Into Mischief purchased out of the de Meric Sales consignment for $290,000 after an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. watch her under tack video

The boys swing into action at Saratoga on Saturday, with a pair of OBS grads in the six furlong $150,000 Sanford Stakes (G3).

Coady photography

Steve Asmussen sends Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC & Willis Horton Racing LLC’s Bano Solo into the Sanford off a frontrunning three length victory in his debut on June 23rd at Churchill Downs. The 2-year-old colt is a son of back to back Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winning OBS graduate Goldencents. He was purchased for $400,000 out of the Hoby & Layna Kight consignment at the 2018 OBS March Sale after turning in an Under Tack quarter in :20 1/5, the sale’s fastest at the distance. watch his under tack video

 

John C. Oxley’s Strike Silver also led all the way in his only start, scoring at Churchill Downs for trainer Mark Casse on June 14th. The colt by Violence was sold by Kaizen Sales (Richard Kent), Agent, for $275,000, topping the 2017 OBS October Selected Sale of Yearlings.  Selected Sale conformation photo

The Saturday card’s 5-1/2 furlong $85,000 maiden special test drew three youngsters from March and three from April.

Ralph M. Evans’ Binary makes his debut in the maiden special for trainer Rick Violette. The 2-year-old Into Mischief colt, consigned to the 2018 OBS April Sale by Thoroughbred Champions Training Center LLC, went to Mr. Evans for $200,000 after breezing an Under Tack quarter in :21 3/5. watch his under tack video

Repole Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Coast, a Malibu Moon colt purchased for $500,000 out of the Kings Equine consignment at the 2018 OBS March Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. He makes his debut for trainer Todd Pletcher. watch his under tack video

John Kimmel will saddle Cromwell Avenue in his debut for Tobey L. Morton. The 2-year-old son of Flashback, consigned by Grassroots Training & Sales LLC, Agent, was sold for $210,000 after breezing an eighth in :10 flat at the Under Tack Show prior to the 2018 April Sale. watch his under tack video

R. A. Hill Stable and John Schutte’s March Sale graduate Fed Fever will make his first start for trainer George Weaver. Consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, he turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. watch his under tack video

Douglas Scharbauer’s Most Mischief was third to Bano Solo in his debut at Churchill on June 23rd.  Bret Calhoun trains the son of Into Mischief, consigned to the April Sale by Benchmark Training Center, Inc., Agent, where he breezed an eighth in :10 2/5. watch his under tack video

Trainer Raymond Handal sends out Madaket Stables LLC, Cutair Racing, Giorgi Stable LLC, Dark Horse Racing Stable and Randy Stasi’s The Big S for his first start. The Jimmy Creed colt was sold for $225,000 by Whitman Sales LLC, Agent, at the March Sale after a :10 flat Under Tack eighth. watch his under tack video

Lauren King photo

Close to home, the local hero so far is Calypso Stable and Rousseau Racing’s Fully Loaded, two for two at Gulfstream after a 7-1/2 length allowance romp on July 6th. Trained by Jose Pinchin, the Florida-bred colt by Two Step Salsa is a two time OBS graduate, going through the ring at the 2017 Winter Mixed Sale before he was purchased by Stephen Rousseau for $25,000 out of the Get Away Farm consignment at the 2017 October Selected Sale of Yearlings. Selected Sale conformation photo

The OBS class of 2018 made a big impact in the early summer racing in the Midwest.

At Thistledown on June 27th, Bruce N. Talisman’s Magic Tale made his debut in a 5-1/2-furlong maiden special weight test, and he took no prisoners, leading from gate to wire and romping home by 13-1/2 lengths. Kelly Breen saddled the colt by Tale of the Cat, purchased by Mr. Talisman for $70,000 out of the de Meric Sales consignment at the March Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5.  watch his under tack video

James McIngvale’s Veritas had his first start on July 3rd in a 5-1/2-furlong maiden special at Indiana Grand, and the colt by back to back Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winning OBS graduate Goldencents led all the way and scored by 4-1/4 lengths for trainer Laura Wohlers. Consigned to the March Sale by Pick View LLC, Agent, he breezed a quarter in :22 flat before going to Mr. McIngvale for $40,000.  watch his under tack video

Mark Norman and Norman Stables LLC’s Taylor’s Spirit ran away and hid in her debut on July 8th at Prairie Meadows, bolting to a 13-3/4 length victory in a five furlong maiden special dash. Trained by Scott Gelner, who purchased the daughter of Algorithms for $80,000 out of the Wavertree Stables consignment at the April Sale after she breezed an eighth in :10 flat at the Under Tack Show. watch her under tack video

 

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