POINT OF ENTRY First Yearling sells for $ DAILY 135,000 AAAAA SSSSASS MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2016 WWW.BLOODHORSE.COM K A A K K K KK IN TODAY’S EDITION SADLER RELISHES 'STELLAR' WIN 3 LORD NELSON SPEEDS TO BING CROSBY WIN 4 CURLIN'S RED LETTER WEEKEND 5 LAOBAN TO TRAVERS, MOHAYMEN POSSIBLE 6 CURALINA ROMPS IN SLOPPY SHUVEE 6 AMERICAN CLEOPATRA ROLLS ON DEBUT 7 GENRE'S MOLLY PITCHER MILESTONE FOR SIRE 8 AUBREY THERKLSEN/EQUI-PHOTO TROJAN NATION IMPRESSES IN TURF DEBUT 9 Jockey Kent Desormeaux claps after winning the $1 million Betfair.com Haskell Invitational aboard Exaggerator FRENCH-BRED BLACKTYPE EARNS GRADED WIN 10 TENCENDUR SET TO MAKE COMEBACK 10 EXAGGERATOR SPLASHES HOME IN HASKELL QEMAH WINS FRENCH GROUP I WITH EASE 11 By Tom LaMarra BEST SIRES FOR DAUGHTERS OF SEEKING THE GOLD 12 ig Chief Racing, Head of Plains Partners, and RESULTS 13 BRocker O Ranch's Exaggerator showed his affinity for off tracks with a sweeping, off-the-pace victory in ENTRIES 20 the $1 million Betfair.com Haskell Invitational (gr. I) LEADING LISTS 25 July 31 at Monmouth Park. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux for his brother, trainer Keith Desormeaux, Exaggerator got away last in the six-horse field but gained on the backstretch through fast fractions on a main track rated sloppy. An early pace battle between favored Nyquist and American Freedom laid the groundwork for the Cur- lin colt to reel in the leaders and pull away to win his third grade I stakes. Exaggerator survived a claim of foul from jockey Rafael Bejarano aboard American Freedom. The Bob Baffert trainee put away Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Nyquist in the lane and appeared to check briefly when Exaggerator blew by on the outside. American Freedom ran on for second, 1 1/2 lengths behind Exaggerator, with New Jersey-bred Sunny Ridge another two lengths back in third and Nyquist fourth. Exaggerator, who won the Preakness (continued on page 2) BLOOD-HORSE DAILY Download the FREE smartphone app PAGE 1 OF 25 EXAGGERATOR SPLASHES HOME IN HASKELL (continued from page 1) Stakes (gr. I) on a sloppy surface but finished 11th as definitely crossed my lane and I had to change my the favorite in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA course." Bets (gr. I), covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.70. Despite the incident, Baffert indicated he's Nyquist, who broke from the rail, was sent early pleased with the Pulpit colt's effort. as was Awesome Slew, American Freedom, and Gun "He was stuck outside (in post 5) and I told (Bejar- Runner. The leaders bunched together through an ano) to ride his race," Baffert told TVG from Del Mar. opening quarter-mile in :22.78, and by the time they "I'm proud of the fact American Freedom can run clocked a half-mile in :46.62, the battle was left to with those big horses. He's doing well and moving Nyquist and American Freedom. forward. Gary and Mary West's American Freedom edged "I think I'm leaning toward the Travers with him past Nyquist on the backstretch and had the lead right now. I like that race, but I'll feel more comfort- after six furlongs in 1:11, but Nyquist, who hadn't able bringing him home first. I really like what I saw raced since his gritty third-place finish in the Preak- today." ness, fought back along the inside. American Free- Jockey Florent Geroux suggested Gun Runner, dom finally got past Nyquist soon after the field winner of the Lousiana Derby (gr. II), may not care turned for home, but Exaggerator ran past both for an off track. before one mile was covered in 1:35.96. Exaggerator, who now has six wins, three sec- "When he came around me, he crossed me a onds, and one third in 13 starts, finished behind couple times," Bejarano said. "I had to change my Nyquist three times before his victory in the Preak- course in the stretch and then let him run again. I'm ness. Nyquist skipped the Belmont, and Kent completely disappointed. We are hoping everyone Desormeaux blamed himself for the colt's off-the- had a clean race, in such a prestigious race, and he board finish at Belmont Park. BH BLOOD-HORSE DAILY Download the FREE MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2016 PAGE 2 OF 25 smartphone app SADLER RELISHES 'STELLAR' WIN Wind drew the less-than-ideal inside post with Be- By Jeremy Balan holder to her outside, but the roles were reversed Saturday. f there was ever a time to celebrate, July 30 was "Last time, we had the one (post) and we got stuck Ithe day for trainer John Sadler, who saddled Stellar inside with a slow pace and still ran a good race," Wind to an upset victory over Beholder in the Clem- Sadler said. "For something like that, the little things ent L. Hirsch Stakes (gr. I) on his 60th birthday. have to go right, and yesterday we were outside. That doesn't mean he didn't feel it the day after. "This race might really help Beholder, too," Sadler Some good food and drink post-race with owner Ko- said. "Don't count her out. Certain people think she's sta Hronis and only a couple hours of sleep for a full done. I'd expect her to battle back. The overreaction slate of workers can do that. to one run is too much." "I was so geared up last night, it was a little hard to As for Beholder's immediate future, her Hall of sleep," the trainer said with a smile July 31 in the Del Fame trainer Richard Mandella firmly had a wait-and- Mar barn area. "I'm feeling 60-years-old today." see attitude regarding an attempt to defend her title Sadler hesitated to report on the condition of the in the Pacific Classic. 4-year-old daughter of Curlin the morning after argu- "She's a little tired this morning. She always is ably the best effort of her career, but did say she ate the morning after a race and that lasts about a day," up well after the race. Mandella said. "She ran her heart out. I didn't train her "It's still early, so you can't tell really yet, but she for her life for this race, but I didn't think she'd have to ate up real well last night," Sadler said. "A day after, a run for it, and (Stellar Wind) made her run for it. lot of times they still have some adrenaline going." "She came up a little short. It was probably more As for Stellar Wind's plans for the future, Sadler is my fault than anything." BH sticking to the program he laid out for the 2015 champion 3-year-old filly and is not tempted by the Pacific Classic (gr. I). Up next will likely be the Zenyatta Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park in late September, with another run the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) to follow. "I like the spacing. Sixty days and then 30 days, that's fine with me," he said. "Last year, when I gave her that good spac- ing, with the Torrey Pines (gr. III), I think she ran her best race in the Breeders' Cup. The spacing is good for us. I love it even more after a hard race, to give her extra time." The Hirsch had signif- icant context, according to Sadler. In their previ- ous meeting, the June 4 BENOIT PHOTO Vanity Mile (gr. I), Stellar Stellar Wind (green cap) and Beholder ran side-by-side but Stellar Wind turned the tables in the Clement Hirsch BLOOD-HORSE DAILY Download the FREE MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2016 PAGE 3 OF 25 smartphone app LORD NELSON SPEEDS TO BING CROSBY WIN stood at Del Mar since 1962. He was also 0.05 sec- By Jeremy Balan onds off the track record of 1:07.60 set by King of Cricket in 1973, but that was timed in fifths. pendthrift Farm's Lord Nelson got a perfect "He's become a serious sprinter," Bafert said. "I S trip and made the best of it July 31 to collect was worried about the cutback to six furlongs, but his second straight grade I score in the $300,000 he has been training so well. He's getting better Bing Crosby (gr. I) at Del Mar. and better. He was pretty close to the fast splits The 4-year-old Pulpit colt trained by Bob and he still had kick left." Baffert broke best, but settled off the speediest of Indexical, the second longest shot on the board fractions under jockey Flavien Prat, moved by the at 42-1, had a similar stalking trip but was never front-runners three wide in the turn, and pulled a threat to the winner. He finished 3 1/4 lengths away to win by four lengths. ahead of Alsvid, who was followed by Kaabraaj, "(Baffert) just told me to get him a good break, Home Run Kitten, Justin Squared, Dream Saturday, then sit up close to the speed," Prat said. "It and Subtle Indian to complete the order of finish. worked out well. This horse was special today. He Off as the even-money favorite, Lord Nelson ran huge. He might be as fast a horse as I've ever paid $4, $3.20, and $2.20 across the board.