Twenty-two OBS graduates take their places on racing’s biggest stage at the Breeders’ Cup Championships at Keeneland this Friday and Saturday. They are seeking to join the roster of 18 OBS graduates who have captured 21 Breeders’ Cup events, The list includes Eclipse Award winners Brave Raj, Buck’s Boy, Cherokee Run, Forever Together, Gilded Time, Ginger Punch, Jewel Princess, Musical Romance, She Be Wild, Stardom Bound, Stephanie’s Kitten and Trinniberg. Champions Midnight Lute and Secret Circle took two apiece and Horse of the Year winners Favorite Trick and Skip Away earned their titles with Breeders’ Cup victories. Two time Dirt Mile (G1) winner Goldencents and Hightail also scored Breeders’ Cup victories.
John C. Oxley’s unbeaten Airoforce is one of the favorites in Friday’s $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), coming into the race off a 2-1/2 length victory in the $250,000 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes (G3) on the turf course at Keeneland. The 2-year-old son of Colonel John sped a quarter in :21 flat before he was purchased for $350,000 out of the Richardson Bloodstock consignment at the 2015 OBS April Sale. Trained by Mark Casse, he’s two for two and has earned $222,000 to date. watch his under tack video
He’ll be joined in the gate by Gary Hartunian & Calumet Farm’s Hollywood Don, winner of the Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes in September. After an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5 at the 2015 OBS April Sale, the 2-year-old colt by Tapit was purchased for $245,000 from de Meric Sales, Agent for Golden Legacy Farm. Trained by Peter Miller, he’s now 4-2-0-1 and has earned $138,250. watch his under tack video
Three OBS graduates are set for the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). Allan, Lovat & Pigram’s Nemoralia, second in the recent Frizette (G1) on dirt at Belmont, goes back to the turf where she was a stakes winner at Doncaster in Great Britain. She’s trained by Jeremy Noseda, who purchased the daughter of More Than Ready for $170,000 out of the Wavertree consignment at the 2015 March Sale after she turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. She has earned $128,369 to date. watch her under tack video
N.T.S. Stable and Kathryn Davey’s Andreya’s Reward comes into the race off a two length victory in the Our Dear Peggy Stakes over the Gulfstream Park turf course. The Warrior’s Reward filly, trained by Milt Wolfson, is now 3-2-0-0 with $76,380 in earnings. She was sold by Hoppel’s Horse & Cattle Co. for $15,000 at the 2015 OBS June Sale after working a quarter in :21 3/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch her under tack video
Trainer Chad Brown sends out Klaravich Stables & William Lawrence’s Pricedtoperfection off a sensational maiden score on the Belmont turf course, where the Temple City filly came flying wide off the turn before drawing away in the final furlong to win by three lengths. The two time OBS graduate was first purchased by Halcyon Hammock out of the Select Sales consignment at the 2014 Winter Mixed Sale. Consigned Halcyon Hammock to the 2015 April Sale, she worked an eighth in :10 flat before she was sold for $230,000. watch her under tack video
Two OBS graduates are entered in Friday’s $1-million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Randy Morse sends out David M. Clark’s Street Strategy, who comes into the race off two straight victories, the latest at a mile over the Keeneland strip. The 4-year-old son of Street Sense was purchased by Mr. Clark for $425,000 from RiceHorse Stables, Agent, at the 2013 OBS April Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. Now 9-5-1-1, he has earned $222,920. watch his under tack video
Loooch Racing Stables & Chris Dunn’s War Story has kept good company this year, on the board in the West Virginia Derby (G2), Louisiana Derby (G2), Risen Star Stakes (G2) and LeComte Stakes (G3). The 3-year-old gelding by Northern Afleet, trained by Jeffrey Radosevich, has compiled a 9-2-2-2 record and earned $353,600. A half brother to OBS graduate Land Over Sea, who goes in the Juvenile Fillies (G1), he was consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent , to the 2014 OBS March Sale, where he worked an eighth in :10 4/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch his under tack video
Town & Country Farms’ Stopchargingmaria takes on several familiar foes in Friday’s $2-million Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Two for four in 2015, her pair of graded stakes wins include a victory over champion Untapable in the Shuvee Handicap (G3) at Saratoga in August. The Shuvee was the seventh graded stakes win for the 4-year-old daughter of Tale of the Cat, acquired from Repole Stables, who purchased her for $220,000 out of the Woodford Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2013 OBS March Sale after she breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. Trained by Todd Pletcher, she comes into the Distaff 15-8-3-1 with $1,824,000 in earnings. watch her under tack video
Tucci Stables’ unbeaten Riker goes in Saturday’s $2-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). Four for four after his wire to wire 1-1/2 length victory in the $150,000 Grey Stakes (G3) at Woodbine, the 2-year-old colt by Include, trained by Nicholas Gonzalez has earned $209,049 to date. He was sold for $60,000 by Paul Sharp, Agent, at the 2015 OBS April Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5. watch his under tack video
Reddam Racing’s Land Over Sea comes into the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on Saturday off a second in the Chandelier Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita after running third in the Del Mar Debutante (G1). Trained by Doug O’Neill, the filly by Bellamy Road was purchased for $130,000 by his brother Dennis O’Neill from Victor Davila, Agent, after she breezed an eighth in :10 2/5 at the Under Tack Show prior to the 2015 April Sale. The O’Neill/Davila connection is the same one that gave us classic winner I’ll Have Another at the 2011 April Sale. Now 4-1-2-1, she has earned $148,000. watch her under tack video
Richard Baltas, Hebert Bloodstock and J K Racing LLC’s Forever Darling, convincing winner of a Santa Anita maiden special weight test in last her start on September 26, will also go to the post in the Juvenile Fillies (G1). The 2-year-old filly by Congrats, trained by Richard Baltas, was consigned to the 2015 OBS April Sale by Old South Farm where she worked an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. watch her under tack video
Alto Racing LLC’s Sweet Whiskey carries the OBS banner in Saturday’s $1-million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1). The graded stakes winning 4-year-old daughter of Old Fashioned has earned $535,400 in the care of trainer Todd Pletcher, compiling a 16-3-5-2 lifetime record. She was sold for $300,000 at the 2013 OBS March Sale by Eddie Woods, Agent, after working an eighth in :10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch her under tack video
Ken & Sarah Ramsey’s Stephanie’s Kitten goes after another major prize in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1). She comes into the race after successfully defending her title in the recent Flower Bowl Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, scoring by a length and a half. Trained by Chad Brown, her eight graded stakes wins include four grade ones, and she has compiled a 24-10-4-4 record and earned $3,192,904. She captured the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G2) in 2011 and was second in this spot last year. The 6-year-old daughter of Kitten’s Joy was consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, to the 2011 OBS April Sale where she turned in an eighth in :11 flat at the Under Tack Show. watch her under tack video
Matthew Schera’s Cage Fighter and Michael House’s Big John B will go in the $3-million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). Cage Fighter, a multiple graded stakes placed winner of $388,471, was beaten by a nose in the last jump of Belmont’s Knickerbocker Handicap (G3) in his last start on October 10. The 5-year-old Florida-bred son of Closing Argument sped an Under Tack quarter in :21 3/5 before being sold by Craig Wheeler, Agent for $50,000 at the 2012 OBS June Sale. Trained by James L. Lawrence II, he has a lifetime record of 16-6-5-2. watch his under tack video
Big John B is three for four in 2015, the last two wins at Del Mar in the Cougar II (G3) and Del Mar (G2) Handicaps. The Philip D’Amato-trained 6-year-old Florida-bred gelding by Hard Spun, back for a second try in this event, comes into the race with a lifetime record of 34-14-5-4 and has earned $717,175. After working an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5 he was sold for $30,000 by Flying Fish, Agent, at the 2011 OBS June Sale. watch his under tack video
Four OBS graduates are entered in the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) on Saturday, headed by Ranlo Investments LLC’s Lady Shipman, the 5-2 morning line favorite. The 3-year-old filly by Midshipman, winner of the 2015 OBS Sprint Stakes in track record time last January, has had a sensational year, winning four more stakes and setting a track record on the Saratoga turf course. Trained by Kathleen O’Connell, she has six stakes wins, an 11-8-1-2 record and has earned $358,800. Consigned by Pleasant Acres Farm, Agent, to the 2014 OBS April Sale, she sped an eighth in :9 4/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch her under tack video
It’s the second try in the Turf Sprint for Martin Racing Stable LLC’s Marchman, a two time graded stakes winner of $423,804. The 5-year-old son of Sharp Humor was sold for $90,000 by Seahorse Stables LLC, Agent, at the 2012 OBS April Sale after he breezed a quarter in :21 2/5 at the Under Tack Show. Trained by Bret Calhoun, he comes into the race with a 19-5-4-4 record. watch his under tack video
Abdullah Saeed Almaddah’s Green Mask, back in the care of trainer Wesley Ward, comes into the race off a narrow defeat in a stakes race at Kentucky Downs and was beaten a length in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) last spring at Meydan in Dubai. The stakes winning 4-year-old colt by Mizzen Mast is now 10-3-2-1 and has earned $284,750. He was purchased for $150,000 out of the Casse Sales LLC (Justin Casse) consignment at the 2013 OBS April Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5, watch his under tack video
Robert Falcone and All Heart Racing Stable’s Rumble Doll is on the also-eligible list. The 4-year-old stakes placed filly by Street Boss comes into the race on the heels of a come from behind allowance victory over the Belmont Park turf course. After working a quarter in :21 1/5 at the Under Tack Show prior to the 2013 OBS June Sale, she was sold for $65,000 by Price Thoroughbreds (Andro & Tracey Price), Agent. Trained by Robert Falcone, she’s now 16-5-2-4 and has earned $243,900. watch her under tack video
Saturday’s $1.5-million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) has attracted three OBS graduates.
Black Hawk Stable’s Alsvid’s 2015 campaign was highlighted by his defeat of 2014 sprint champion Work All Week in Churchill’s Aristides Stakes (G3) in May. In addition, he added Oaklawn’s Count Fleet Sprint (G3) to his resume and went over the million dollar mark in earnings. Trained by Chris Hartman, he comes into the race with a 33-13-8-3 record and has earned $1,011,559. The 6-year-old son of Officer was sold for $55,000 by Stephens Thoroughbreds, Agent, at the 2011 OBS April Sale after he sped an eighth in :10 flat at the Under Tack Show. watch his under tack video
Jerry Hollendorfer and Green Smith’s Wild Dude and C R K Stable’s Kobe’s Back will renew their rivalry in the 2015 Sprint.
Wild Dude was just shy of the million dollar mark after beating Kobe’s Back by a neck in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G1) on October 3. The pair were also one-two in Del Mar’s Pat O’Brien Stakes (G1) in July. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Wild Dude, a 5-year-old Florida-bred son of Wildcat Heir is now 18-7-4-4 with $954,887 in earnings. The two-time OBS graduate was sold first by Perrone Sales, Agent, at the 2010 Fall Mixed Sale and then resold for $42,000 by Costanzo Sales at the 2012 April Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. watch his under tack video
Kobe’s Back came from last with a powerful late run and ran past the leaders in the final yards to score by three quarters of a length in the $300,000 Commonwealth Stakes (G3) at Keeneland last April to score his second graded stakes win. The 4-year-old colt by Flatter was sold for $480,000 by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent, at the 2013 OBS March Sale after an eighth in :10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. Trained by Peter Eurton, he’s now 15-3-3-2 and has earned $652,250. watch his under tack video