HEADLINE THREE CHIMNEYS NEWS The Idea is Excellence. For information about TDN, Point Given’s FAREENA Wins $75,000 call 732-747-8060. Denise Rhudy Memorial (see ATW p.2) www.thoroughbreddailynews.com SUNDAY, JULY 27, 2008 FOREVER TOGETHER TAKES DIANA THE YEAR OF THE DUKE Three starts after being switched to the turf, Forever Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor=s Duke of Marma- Together (Belong to Me) took lade (Ire) (Danehill) made it four Group 1s in a row down a top-class field to land yesterday when getting the better of Papal Bull (GB) the GI Diana S. at Saratoga (Montjeu {Ire}) after a thrilling tussle in Ascot=s G1 King yesterday afternoon. AAs far as George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. depth goes, this race was Attempting the mile and a half solid,@ said winning trainer Jon- for the first time, the 4-6 favorite athan Sheppard. AI picked up looked set to surrender his win- the paper, and she had beaten ning sequence as Olivier Peslier four of the horses picked over swooped on the 14-1 shot inside Adam Coglianese her in her last start.@ Champion the final furlong, but Duke of Wait a While (Maria=s Mon), Marmalade rallied under Johnny Horsephotos sent off as the 3-1 favorite in her first start since Janu- Murtagh to prove his stamina and provide Ballydoyle ary, loomed in the stretch, but flattened out to finish with a 14th success at this level in 2008. Passing the seventh. AShe didn't run like we thought she was going ,1-million mark in the process, he dragged the runner- to,@ said trainer Todd Pletcher. AWe're going to take her up a huge nine lengths clear of the next best Youmzain back to the barn and make sure everything is okay.@ (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}). AIt=s another huge win for me and a Cont. p2 huge win for the team,@ Murtagh said. AI would rate this horse as good as Dylan Thomas (Ire), if not better, and Saturday, Saratoga Race Course he doesn=t lack for anything. He probably won=t get the DIANA S.-GI, $500,000, SAR, 7-26, 3yo/up, f/m, plaudits, as he doesn=t look spectacular, but he=s al- 1 1/8mT, 1:46 2/5, gd. ways got loads in hand. He=s a true champion and one 1--sFOREVER TOGETHER, 118, f, 4, by Belong to Me of the best I=ve ridden.@ Cont. p3 1st Dam: Constant Companion, by Relaunch 2nd Dam: Wedding Picture, by Blushing Groom (Fr) COMMENTATOR wires another Whitney..................p4 3rd Dam: Strike a Pose, by Iron Ruler GINGER PUNCH defends her Go for Wand title.........p5 ($30,000 wlng '04 KEENOV; $27,000 yrl '05 ABRAAJ arrives in the A.G. Vanderbilt.....................p6 KEESEP; $240,000 2yo >06 OBSMAR). O-Augustin Stable; B-White Fox Farm (KY); T-Jonathan E Sheppard; J-Julien R Leparoux; $300,000. Lifetime Record: 11-5-1-2, $575,300. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2--Dynaforce, 118, m, 5, Dynaformer--Aletta Maria, by Diesis (GB). O/B-Dr John A Chandler (KY); T-William I Mott; $100,000. 3--Rutherienne, 120, f, 4, Pulpit--Ruthian, by Rahy. O-Virginia Kraft Payson LLC; B-Payson Stud Inc (KY); T-Christophe Clement; $50,000. Margins: 3/4, 3HF, NO. Odds: 9.00, 3.40, 6.10. Also Ran: Vacare, Lady Digby, Bayou's Lassie, Wait a While, Criminologist, Bit of Whimsy, Chestoria. DANDY IS RIGHT The GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga is a traditional jumping-off point for sophomores embarking on the second half of their season, but today=s renewal is deeper than most. Among those looking to put the luster back on their spring reputations are Pyro (Pulpit) and Tale of Ekati (Tale of the Cat), while Da= Tara (Tiznow) will attempt to show his wire job in the GI Belmont S. was no fluke. Cont. p10 TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 7/27/08 • PAGE 2 of 14 Diana S. cont. A $27,000 KEESEP yearling who matured into a $240,000 OBSMAR juvenile, Forever Together kicked off her career with three straight victories, including the GII Forward Gal S. at Gulfstream. Her perfect record came to an end when she missed by a neck in the GII Stonerside Beaumont S. at Keeneland. The grey hit the board just once in her next four outings, all on the main track, and trainer Jonathan Sheppard opted to freshen her up following a fourth in a seven-furlong optional claimer at Gulfstream Feb. 15. Forever To- gether resurfaced on the lawn at Arlington to annex the one-mile Reluctant Guest S. May 17, and gave a very good account of herself when third at 44-1 in the GI Just a Game S. on the Belmont undercard June 7. She arrived in Saratoga earlier this month and signaled her readiness for this contest with a bullet five-furlong breeze in 1:01 2/5 over the Oklahoma track July 23. Longshot Bayou=s Lassie (Outflanker) opened a lonely lead as 9-1 Forever Together caboosed the field along with Rutherienne. The field began to gather on the far turn, with Dynaforce getting first run on the tiring pace- setter. Forever Together moved to the center of the course in the lane, set her sights on second-choice Dynaforce and forged past her in the final strides. "I was last [early], but it was nothing spectacular,@ said winning rider Julien Leparoux. AI mean, she was last, relaxed, and around the stretch I thought to make a move and come inside. When I got her out, she just took off. So, that was very good.@ The Diana winner earns an automatic berth in the GI Breeders= Cup F/M Turf Oct. 24 at Santa Anita, and that looks to be the path for Forever Together. AGoing from a mile and an eighth to 11 furlongs, you would like a mile and a quar- ter race somewhere in between,@ Sheppard added. AThe [GI] Flower Bowl [at Belmont Sept. 27] might be such a race.@ As for his charge=s newfound stardom on grass, Sheppard offered, AWe seemed to have a preponder- ance of turf horses in the barn, and if we find one that Sire of $1.7 Million 2YO and seems to be doing okay on the dirt, it gives us some J NEW “TDN Rising Star” J diversity. Mr. [George] Strawbridge jokes, >Why do we MUNNINGS have nothing but turf horses?= and now we have an- 2YO debut winner at Saratoga other one. Whatever we do, we seem to wind up in the for owners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and same spot.@ It was the second Diana trophy for Derrick Smith and for trainer Todd Pletcher Strawbridge and Sheppard, who teamed up with Rat- ings to take the 1993 renewal as part of jockey Julie Krone=s historic five-win day. Dr. John Chandler=s GI Whitney H. Commentator (Distorted Humor) wins homebred Dynaforce stayed on for second following a his second Whitney at age seven. similar effort in her U.S. bow in the GII New York H. GI Go for Wand H. Ginger Punch (Awesome Again) She was bidding to give trainer Bill Mott his fourth socks it to >em for the second straight year. consecutive Diana, following My Typhoon (Ire), Angara GI Diana S. Forever Together (Belong to Me) shows a (GB) and Sand Springs. AShe ran her heart out,@ said nifty turn of foot. Mott. AShe was in great position. She was where we wanted her, right behind the pace. She just got caught GII Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. Abraaj (Carson City) makes in the end.@ it a popular score. Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs o r GII San Clemente H. Storm Mesa (Sky Mesa) wins her the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, fifth straight while trying turf for the first time. sponsored by Taylor Made. P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 7/27/08 • PAGE 3 of 14 Saturday, Ascot, Britain AWe knew we had the best horse, so we wanted no KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH S.-G1, hard-luck stories,@ winning jockey Johnny Murtagh said. ,850,000, Ascot, 7-26, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:27.91, gd/fm. AHe settled well and that gave him every chance of 1--DUKE OF MARMALADE (IRE), 133, c, 4, by Danehill staying. When I went to the front very easily and quick- 1st Dam: Love Me True (GSP-Ire), by Kingmambo ened up very well, I was surprised to see a horse come 2nd Dam: Lassie=s Lady, by Alydar with me. He got a neck up on me, but my horse has all 3rd Dam: Lassie Dear, by Buckpasser the qualities of a great horse and soon had the measure O-Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Southern of him. He=s a great battler with a will to win, and I love Bloodstock; T-Aidan O=Brien; J-Johnny Murtagh; the way he gets his head down and eats the ground. ,482,545. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ire & Fr, 13-5-4-1, The race worked out very well for me, and to go nine ,1,246,528. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the lengths clear of the third tells you what the first two eNicks report and 5-cross pedigree. are capable of.@ Aidan O=Brien, now looking to return 2--Papal Bull (GB), 133, h, 5, Montjeu (Ire)--Mialuna the winner to a mile and a quarter, added, AWe weren=t (GB), by Zafonic.