BILL OPPENHEIM on EARLY RETURNS HEADLINE p. 2 NEWS For information about TDN, DELIVERED EACH NIGHT BY FAX AND FREE BY E-MAIL TO SUBSCRIBERS OF call 732-747-8060. www.thoroughbreddailynews.com WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2006 BIG NAMES NOMINATED TO GUINEAS HURRICANE SCOOPS AWARD A total of 78 three-year-olds have been nominated to Michael Tabor=s Hurricane Run (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) has the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket May 6, while 85 been named France=s Horse of the Year in a special poll fillies are still in the running for the G1 1000 Guineas at organised by the publication Courses et Elevage in Newmarket May 7. Both races are sponsored by Stan partnership with France Galop. James and the list of nominees features many of last Last year=s G1 Irish Derby and year=s top juveniles. The Ballydoyle-based Group 1 G1 Prix de l=Arc de Triomphe winners George Washington (Ire) (Danehill) and Horatio hero edged out the Niarchos Nelson (Ire) (Danehill) head the 17-strong draft for the Family=s multiple Group 1-win- 2000 Guineas trained by Aidan O=Brien, who also has ning filly Divine Proportions Group 1 winner Rumplestiltskin (Ire) (Danehill) among (Kingmambo) to secure the title. nine fillies for the 1000 Guineas. O=Brien saddled win- Sunday=s inaugural award cere- ners of both Classics, Footstepsinthesand (GB) and mony at Auteuil racecourse saw Virginia Waters, in 2005. ATrainer Aidan O'Brien and Hurricane Run, who was also jockey Kieren Fallon came out on top in both Guineas named champion three-year-old last year and they must have a good chance of making colt, outscore last year=s brilliant history by doing so again,@ said Michael Prosser, multiple Classic heroine by a half Newmarket=s clerk of the course. AThe level and quality point in the voting system, deter- of entries for both Classics on the NatWest Rowley Mile Hurricane Run mined by selected racing journal- are excellent and we are looking forward with great Getty Images ists. There was consolation for anticipation to the Stan James Guineas Festival May 6 the Niarchos Family, however, as and 7.@ Other Group 1 winners nominated to the Clas- Divine Proportions was named champion three-year-old sics are Amadeus Wolf (GB) (Mozart {Ire}), Donna Blini filly after capturing the G1 Poule d=Essai des Pouliches, (GB) (Bertolini), Nannina (GB) (Medicean {GB}), Palace G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix d=Astarte. Ecurie Episode (Machiavellian), Silca=s Sister (GB) (Inchinor Wildenstein=s G1 Ascot Gold Cup victor Westerner (GB) {GB}) and Sir Percy (GB) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}). (Danehill) was named older horse of the year, and His Highness the Aga Khan=s G1 Criterium International winner Carlotamix (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) took champion Today’s Graded Stakes juvenile honors. brought to you by P P R E V I E W P Wednesday, Saint-Cloud, France, post time: 3:35 p.m. PRIX EXBURY-G3, i80,000, 4yo/up, 1 1/4mT SC PP HORSE SIRE TRAINER WT 9:35a Prix Exbury-G3, Saint-Cloud 11Special Kaldoun (Ire) Alzao Smaga 128 All Post Times are Eastern Standard Time. 2 2 Geordieland (Fr) Johann Quatz (Fr) Beguigne 128 45th STAKES WINNER FOR 3 7 Kendor Dine (Fr) Kendor (Fr) de Nicolay 126 GILDED TIME! 45Corre Caminos (Fr) Scratched Scratched 5 3 Gold Sound (Fr) Green Tune Laffon-Parias 126 Click here for more... 6 4 Petit Colibri (Fr) Kaldou Star (GB) Baudry 121 7 6 Ianina (Ire) Eagle Eyed Rohne 118 www.taylormadefarm.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 3/8/06 • PAGE 2 of 6 Quite an interesting sidelight is that both Maria's Mon FROM THE DESK OF... and Unbridled's Song are grays, and both out of mares by Caro. He's proving quite influential, is Caro, who Bill Oppenheim was himself the only really important horse sired by Fortino II, a son of Grey Sovereign. From quite a stout EARLY RETURNS bottom line, Caro has been much more an influence for The three top two-year-olds of 1995 were Maria's stamina than was the speedy Grey Sovereign himself, Mon, dual Grade I winner of the Futurity and Cham- and it's increasingly looking like he's a big influence for pagne (and surprise champion two-year-old); and GI class, too. Another gray sire with Caro in his pedigree is Breeders' Cup Juvenile one-two Unbridled's Song and Linamix, whose sire Mendez was by Bellypha out of a Hennessy. They headlined a formidable 'sire crop' Caro mare. It's not just the color that's coming through whose first foals were born in 1998. Hennessy sired here. 2000 world champion two-year-old Johannesburg in his Of course, I can hardly go a week without mentioning first crop and Maria's Mon had 2001 Kentucky Derby the (first foals in) 2000 'sire class,' and this top group is very prominent again. Distorted Humor, the Pivotal of winner Monarchos in his. Unbridled's Song was a rock- America, had another good week, even though his 2-5 ing success right from the start, and Forest Wildcat and shot Da Stoops could only finish third in the off-the-turf Smart Strike completed a powerful sire quintet which Baldwin S. at Santa Anita. The three-year-old New has been prominent on the Leading Sire lists ever since. York-bred Sharp Humor was the upset winner of the GII Maria's Mon, currently selling for $25,000 after stand- Swale, and four-year-old It's No Joke finished third in ing for $35,000 from 2002 (the year after Monarchos the GII Gulfstream Park H. (dual Classic winner Funny won the Derby) through 2004, is the cheapest of the Cide, from his first crop and now six, only seventh). five right now and has to qualify as one of the bargains There may be disappointments, but, like Pivotal, it of the year. Only Lava Man's second win in a million- seems like there is always a new good Distorted Humor dollar race from two starts this year--thus propelling his popping up somewhere. own sire, Slew City Slew, into the top spot--prevented Distorted Humor currently ranks 10th on the General Maria's Mon from claiming the top spot as Leading Sire Sire List, and, remarkably, four other F2000 sires oc- on the North American General Sire List so far this year. cupy four of the next five slots: only Mr. Greeley (12th, As it is, he's a clear second, with four stakes winners first foals 1997) breaks the string. The others are: Tale and the earners of over $1-million already in 2006 (this Of The Cat (11th); Stormy Atlantic (13th); Awesome according to www.bloodhorse.com, on Monday). Again (14th); and Elusive Quality (15th). Grand Slam Though High Limit, who won his second Grade II in and Wild Rush are also among the GSL Top 40. the Strub before running fourth in last Saturday's Big Two other sires who had really big weekends were 'Cap, is Maria's Mon's biggest name horse this year, Pulpit (F1999, 47th GSL) and Holy Bull (F1996, 34th it's maybe more significant that two of his four 2006 GSL). Pulpit would have had an even better weekend stakes winners are from his 2003 crop, three-year-olds had not Corinthian, clearly best, absolutely had to come this year--the first crop sired after Monarchos won the down, from first to third, in the GII Fountain of Youth. Derby, so presumably out of much better mares. As it was, Pulpit had two other stakes winners on Unbridled's Song himself ranks sixth on the General Saturday, both bred and owned by Claiborne: the five- Sire List so far this year, so he's certainly upholding the year-old mare Wend won the GIII Honey Fox at form in no uncertain terms, while the other three, all Gulfstream; and their three-year-old colt Laity won the thoroughly proven sires now, also figure in the rankings. John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway. Cont. p.3 THE FABULOUS FOUR! Each of our new stallions has his first mares in foal: HORSE OF THE YEAR HORSE OF THE YEAR SAINT LIAM WANDO MULTIPLE G1W GROUP WINNER ROCK HARD TEN MINGUN www.glencrestfarm.com Box 626, Versailles, KY 40383 (859) 873-7300 FAX (859) 873-3746 E-MAIL: [email protected] www.lanesend.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 3/8/06 • PAGE 3 of 6 (Bill Oppenheim cont.) The trainers are 'demanding' that those arguing for Holy Bull had last year's GI Kentucky Derby winner 48-hour decs (racecourses, TV, and those involved in Giacomo, but he could only finish fifth in the Big 'Cap. trying to market the product internationally) somehow However, two of this year's three-year-olds each fin- prove what the direct financial benefits will be, saying ished second in Saturday's big two-turn three-year-old the BHB 'promised' not to rule in favor of 48-hour decs races. Flashy Bull, never out of the first four in eight without detailed guarantees. Good try. lifetime starts, finished third (promoted to second) It might all come down to the owners, which is fine-- behind Corinthian and First Samurai in the GII Fountain some (though not all) would say this is how it should of Youth. Perhaps more impressive was Sacred Light, be. But I was alarmed to see Racehorse Owners' Asso- who put in a powerful finish behind Brother Derek in ciation (ROA) chief executive Michael Harris refer, in a the GII Santa Catalina.