Magnum Moon-- Naturally--In the Arkansas Derby
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SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2018 MAGNUM MOON-- FAMED SPORTSWRITER BILL NACK DEAD AT 77 By Bill Finley NATURALLY--IN THE Bill Nack, widely recognized as one of the most talented racing writers of all time, passed away Friday at his home in ARKANSAS DERBY Washington D.C. Nack died following a bout with cancer. He was 77. Best known for his work with Sports Illustrated, where he was employed from 1978 to 2001, Nack covered many sports, but racing was his primary assignment and his first love. His 1990 story Pure Heart on the passing of Secretariat was chosen as one of SI=s 60 most iconic stories. His 1975 book on Secretariat, ASecretariat : The Making of a Champion@ is considered the definitive book on the 1973 Triple Crown winner. ABill was a great reporter, a great writer a great friend, a great colleague,@ said Steve Crist, the former racing writer for the New York Times who later became the publisher of the Daily Racing Form. AHis work on Secretariat was the best turf writing ever done.@ Cont. p11 IN TDN EUROPE TODAY Magnum Moon | Coady photography WINX TIES BLACK CAVIAR’S WIN RECORD Trainer Todd Pletcher entered Saturday=s GI Arkansas Derby Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) saluted in her 25th consecutive race, having saddled back-to-back winners of the race in the form of tying Black Caviar (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus})’s win record, when Overanalyze (Dixie Union) and Danza (Street Boss) in 2013 and scoring in her second G1 Queen Elizabeth S. at Royal Randwick on 2014, respectively. Super Saver (Maria=s Mon) went down to a Saturday. Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Europe. neck defeat in 2010, but managed to go one better in the GI Kentucky Derby three weeks later to give Pletcher his first victory in the >Run for the Roses= and Always Dreaming, a son of 2012 Arkansas Derby winner and Kentucky Derby runner- up Bodemeister (Empire Maker), became his second last May. Robert and Lawana Low=s >TDN Rising Star= Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) will have his fair share of supporters to add to that total following a front-running defeat of stablemate and fellow >Rising Star= Quip (Distorted Humor) in the Natural State. Somewhat surprisingly sent to the lead by Luis Saez, Magnum Moon slowed the pace down through the middle stages and had plenty left when popped the question, winning with ease, if still a bit green. AA little concerned that he drifted out the last part, but it looked liked he sort of halfway thought about jumping over the tire marks when he went the by the eighth pole where the gate was and sort of skipped over those,@ said trainer Todd Pletcher. AAside from that, I thought he finished with good energy and was pulling away from some nice horses.@ Cont. p3 PUBLISHER & CEO Sue Morris Finley @suefinley [email protected] V.P., INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Gary King @garykingTDN [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor-in-Chief Jessica Martini @JessMartiniTDN Managing Editor Alan Carasso @EquinealTDN Sunday, April 15, 2018 Senior Editor Steve Sherack @SteveSherackTDN Racing Editor Brian DiDonato @BDiDonatoTDN News and Features Editor Ben Massam @BMassamTDN Associate Editors Christie DeBernardis @CDeBernardisTDN Joe Bianca @JBiancaTDN Assistant Editor Bobby Klatt ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising Alycia Borer Advertising Manager Lia Best Advertising Designer Amanda Crelin Advertising Assistants Alexa Reisfield Rachel McCaffrey Photo Editor/Dir. of Distribution Sarah K. Andrew @SarahKAndrew Pascal Bary oversees his string on Chantilly’s Les Aigles gallop Saturday morning [email protected] Emma Berry photo Social Media Strategist Justina Severni SISTERCHARLIE TOPS BROWN TRIFECTA IN WILEY 5 Director of Customer Service Making her first start since finishing second in last summer’s Vicki Forbes GI Belmont Oaks Invitational, Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie [email protected] {Ire}) led home a 1-2-3 finish for trainer Chad Brown in the Marketing Manager GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland Alayna Cullen @AlaynaCullen Director of Information Technology TWO TURNS NO PROBLEM FOR CITY OF LIGHT 7 Ray Villa In his first try beyond seven furlongs, City of Light (Quality [email protected] Road) overcame a wide trip and a tenacious runner-up to Bookkeeper capture the GII Oaklawn H. Terry May [email protected] TODAY’S GRADED STAKES WORLDWIDE INFORMATION EST Race Click for TV International Editor Kelsey Riley @kelseynrileyTDN 2:30a Antares S.-G3, HSN -------------- ----- [email protected] 2:40a Satsuki SHo-G1, NAK -------------- ----- European Editor 8:00a Schwarzgold-Rennen-G3, COL -------------- ----- Emma Berry 8:35a Prix de Fontainebleau-G3, LCH -------------- ----- [email protected] Associate International Editor 9:50a Prix de la Grotte-G3, LCH -------------- ----- Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin & Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.TheTDN.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 12 • THETDN.COM SUNDAY • APRIL 15, 2018 Arkansas Derby cont. Given some rein after a clean dispatch from gate six, Magnum Moon led the Derby field past the post for the first time, with GII Tampa Bay Derby winner Quip to his outside and the ambitiously spotted Machismo (More Than Ready) down to his inner. Tenfold (Curlin) found a good spot just behind that leading trio, while Solomini (Curlin) settled a few places further back before drifting wide on the first turn. Magnum Moon=s opening quarter-mile was :23.34, quick enough on bare analysis, but he managed to accomplish it without overextending himself. In fact, he relaxed further still on the lead, covering an internal half-mile in :50.04, and when Quip tried turning up the pressure on his barnmate at the three- furlong point, Magnum Moon more than had the answers. Saez kicked his mount further in front off the home corner and soon after, Magnum Moon began edging to his right, but the race was in safe keeping. He and fellow >TDN Rising Star= Justify (Scat Daddy) head to Louisville both underfeated and both looking to squelch the so-called Apollo curse dating back to 1882. Owner Robert Low hoists the Arkansas Derby trophy | Coady AI thought there was going to be a little speed,@ Saez commented. AWe were in a good position, he broke really sharp. I=m not going to choke him, I am just going to stay there and he was very comfortable into the turn he was traveling pretty good. When I came to the stretch, I felt like he was looking at the gate marks so when we got there I touched him a little and he went.@ Quip fought on bravely for second, while Solomini endured a brutally wide trip and did exceptionally well to hang on for third. AHe didn=t break as sharply as we would have liked. He was third best today. The winner is a really nice horse. We=ll talk to Bob [Baffert], but I thought it was a good race and now it=s on to Kentucky,@ said Zayat Stables= Racing Manager Justin Zayat. WITH MORE THAN 1,200 STAKES RACES* LEFT TO RUN IN 2018... Speightstown’s NATIONAL FLAG winning the G3 Bay Shore S., earning a $20,000 WIN award for Breeder Siena Farm 2018 WINners include: More than BAN Partnership ** Pope McLean, Courtlandt Farm $2,100,000 Pope McLean Jr. in breeder incentives awarded Darley & Marc McLean Extern Developments Ltd Ramona S. Bass, LLC New York LLC Fred W. Hertrich lll Ramspring Farm SF Bloodstock LLC Hargus Sexton, Sandra Sexton Robert Low & Lawana Low Siena Farms, LLC & Silver Fern Farm, LLC Rosemont Farm LLC Sierra Farm Jerry & Ann Moss Sequel Stallions William D. Graham Peter Redekop BC Ltd. (BC) WILL YOU BE NEXT? For more information visit: Breed to Big. www.WinStarFarm.com/WINnetwork *Scheduled as of 4/13/18 * * Since November 2016, awarded in WinStar dollars applicable for 1 year to any WinStar Stallion TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 12 • THETDN.COM SUNDAY • APRIL 15, 2018 Arkansas Derby cont. Pedigree Notes: Magnum Moon earned a big debut Beyer of 95 when Magnum Moon is one of three winners from as many to race defeating the aforementioned Machismo into third Jan. 13 at for his unraced dam, herself an $825,000 Keeneland September Gulfstream Park, then school was graduate from an outstanding in session when he was accorded female family. Second dam Win >Rising Star= status for an easier- McCool won the GIII Floral Park H. than-it-looked two-length and was a daughter of GSW Win allowance win at Tampa Feb. 15. Crafty Lady, the dam of MGISW and Eschewing that track=s Derby $1.65-million FTFFEB juvenile Mar. 10, he was given an extra Harmony Lodge (Hennessy) and week and took full advantage Graeme Hall (Dehere), the first of when powering home from off- Pletcher=s five Arkansas Derby the-pace to best Solomini by winners in 2000. The latter=s full- 3 1/2 lengths in this track=s sister Win=s Fair Lady sold in excess GII Rebel S. of $2 million at public auction in Magnum Moon is campaigned 2005 and 2006 and bred GSW First by Robert and Lawana Low, Passage (Giant=s Causeway). whose best horse to date was Magnum Moon green, but good, in Hot Springs | Coady Dazzling Song did not produce a the talented distaff sprinter foal in 2016 and delivered an Uncle Capote Belle (Capote), winner of the 1996 GI Test S. The couple Mo filly last year. Her foal by War Front died earlier this year. has been down the Triple Crown trail before, namely with Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Steppenwolfer (Aptitude), who was runner-up in the 2006 Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.