Saratan Victorious at Longchamp HEADLINE p.2 NEWS For information about TDN, DELIVERED EACH NIGHT call 732-747-8060. BY FAX AND INTERNET www.thoroughbreddailynews.com FRIDAY, MAY 23, 2003 CHANNON KEEN ON ZAFEEN AZERI READIES FOR MILADY Trainer Mick Channon was in an ebullient mood as he Horse of the Year Azeri (Jade Hunter), who arrived contemplated the chance of Zafeen (Fr) (Zafonic) in at Hollywood Park Tuesday afternoon, cantered and tomorrow’s G1 Entenmann’s Irish 2000 Guineas at The galloped about 10 furlongs Wednesday morning as Curragh. “He has always been our big gun and he’s trainer Laura de Seroux pre- very consistent,” Channon said. “I’m very sweet on him pares the five-year-old mare for and he’s in great form. We’ll see how we get on, but Saturday’s GI Milady H. “I like he’s in good heart and we are going to keep turning up it when you have to ask her to until we get lucky.” Zafeen was denied a clear run until go forward instead of saying the closing stages of the Newmarket version of the ‘whoa’” said de Seroux. “I just May 3 Classic before closing to within 3/4 of a length want to get this race over with. of winner Refuse to Bend (Ire) at the line. “We didn’t She’s been very strong lately.” get any luck in running and it wasn’t our day,” The first reigning Horse of the Channon explained. “This racing game is a marathon, Year to run at Hollywood since not a sprint, and you’ve got to be in there to fire a few Sunday Silence took the GI Cal- times.” As expected, Aidan O’Brien has a numerically ifornian in 1990, the chestnut strong team headed by Tomahawk (Seattle Slew), is undefeated in three starts at eighth behind Zafeen, Tout Seul (Ire) (Ali-Royal {Ire}) Azeri Benoit Photos Hollywood and seeks to record and Saturn (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) at Newmarket. However, her ninth straight career victory the Ballydoyle conditioner yesterday withdrew both with a win in the 1 1/16-mile event. Owned by the Catcher in the Rye (Ire) (Danehill) and Statue of Liberty Allen Paulson Living Trust, the mare has won 11 of (Storm Cat) due to the soft ground; both colts will head 12 starts and earnings of $2,527,740. straight to Royal Ascot. Among O’Brien’s other five runners are the unraced Solskjaer (Ire) (Danehill) and Saturday, Hollywood Park Great Pyramid (Ire) (Danehill), full brother to last year’s MILADY BREEDERS’ CUP H.-GI, $200,000, 3yo/up, winner Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). Bookmakers Paddy Power f/m, 1 1/16m have listed Zafeen the 4-1 favourite, with Tout Seul PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY WT next best at 9-2 and Tomahawk at 5-1. Field, p3 1 Enjoy Roar Espinoza 113 2 Tropical Blossom Thunder Gulch M Garcia 111 P S O P H O M O R E S C E N E P 3 Damaschino (Aus) Last Tycoon (Ire) Valenzuela 114 4 Azeri Jade Hunter Smith 125 Best Minister Joins Belmont Stakes Cast 5 Affluent Affirmed Stevens 117 Best Minister (Deputy Minister), winner of the Sir 6 Keys to the Heart Wild Again Valdivia Jr 115 Barton S. at Pimlico Race Course May 17, has been supplemented to the June 7 GI Belmont S. The colt’s Saturday, Belmont Park owners, Phillips Racing Partnership, put up $100,000 PETER PAN S.-GII, $200,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m to make the earner of $100,050 eligible. “The timing is PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY WT super,” said trainer Ken McPeek. “The horse is doing 1 Nacheezmo Carson City Velazquez 115 good and you only get one chance at the Belmont.” 2 Christine’s Outlaw Wild Again Coa 115 Last year’s Belmont S. hero Sarava, trained by McPeek, 3 Go Rockin’ Robin Distorted Humor Bridgmohan 115 also used a win in the Sir Barton as a stepping stone to 4 Alysweep End Sweep Bailey 123 a Belmont victory. According to McPeek, the bay will 5 Supervisor Skip Trial Santos 115 ship to New York Tuesday. (Soph. scene cont. p2) 6 Spite the Devil Devil His Due Castellano 121 (859) 233-4252 FAX (859) 987-0008 www.claibornefarm.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 5/23/03 • PAGE 2 of 3 P C L A S S I C C O R N E R P P R E S U L T S P Twenty-One Eying Oaks Thursday, Longchamp, France There were no surprises at Thursday’s final forfeit PRIX DU PALAIS-ROYAL-G3, i66,000, Longchamp, stage for the £375,000 G1 Vodafone Oaks at Epsom 5-22, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:21.60, vsf. June 6 as all of the leading contenders are among the 1--@SARATAN (IRE), 130, g, 6, by Tirol (Ire) 21 remaining fillies. Godolphin, successful last year 1st Dam: Sarafia (Ire), by Dalsaan (GB) with Kazzia (Ger), have four fillies entered, including Hi 2nd Dam: Safaya (Fr), by Zeddaan (GB) Dubai (GB) (Rahy) and Mezzo Soprano (Darshaan {GB}). 3rd Dam: Shiraza (GB), by Twilight Alley (GB) Hi Dubai heads the ante-post wagering along with (40,000gns HRA ‘00 TATAUT). O-Marquise de Hanami (GB) (Hernando {Fr}), a troubled fifth in the G1 Moratalla; B-H H The Aga Khan; T-Mikel Delzangles; 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. Trainer Aidan O’Brien has J-Stephane Pasquier; i33,000. Lifetime Record: two fillies still in the race, Yesterday (Ire) (Sadler’s 20 starts, 6 wins, 5 places, 163,302. Wells) and L’Ancresse (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}). Ocean Silk i (Dynaformer) was listed as “unlikely” for the Oaks by 2--Meshaheer, 130, c, 4, Nureyev--Race The Wild owner Robert Sangster following her success in Wind, by Sunny’s Halo. ($425,000 wnl ‘99 KEENOV; Wednesday’s Listed Lupe S. at Goodwood, but remains $525,000 yrl ‘00 KEESEP). O-Godolphin; B-Calogo among the 21. The U.S. Ambassador, William Farish III, Bloodstock & Bob Scarborough; i13,200. has homebred Casual Look (Red Ransom) entered for 3--Mount Abu (Ire), 130, h, 6, Foxhound--Twany Angel the Classic. The five-day stage is set for May 30; there (Ire), by Double Form (Ire). (Ir16,500gns wnl ‘97 will be a £20,000 supplemental stage at which GOFNOV; 60,000gns yrl ‘98 DONSEP). O-Gary Cheshire Oaks heroine Hammiya (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) Seidler & Andy J Smith; B-J Callanan; i9,900. will be added to the field. Margins: 1, HD, HF. Odds: 6.30, 3.20, 20.40. Also ran: Bezrin, Tsigane (Fr), Gaelic Lord (Fr), (Sophomore Spotlight cont.) Frenchmans Bay (Fr), Al Namix (Fr), Charming Groom Domestic Dispute Prepares for Turf Debut (Fr), Spinola (Fr), Sea Star (GB). Scratched: Danseuse Domestic Dispute (Unbridled’s Song), 10th last time D’Etoile (Fr). out in the GI Kentucky Derby May 3, breezed a half- Saratan rattled off three successive scores in compet- mile in an easy :54 over the Matt Winn Turf Course at itive handicaps last year, including the Listed Grand Churchill Downs Thursday morning as trainer Paddy Handicap de Deauville in August. He was reportedly Gallagher fine tunes the chestnut for a possible next past his best when upped in class on his last two out- start in the GIII Jefferson Cup at Churchill June 7. The ings where he finished sixth and 10th, respectively, in move was the slowest of six at the distance. “He was the G3 Prix Quincey at Deauville in August and G2 Prix just looking around out there,” said jockey Joe Deegan, who was in the irons. In reference to the slow time, Daniel Wildenstein at this track in October. He ran Deegan added, “I stayed on the very outside because fourth, beaten less than a length, by Bezrin (Danzig) on there are no divots out there. I just let him scoot down his return in the Listed Prix du Montretout over course the lane and he went ahead and skipped down there. and distance Apr. 24. Settled in a stalking role early, I’m sure the time wasn’t much because I was on the Saratan quickened to cut down Mount Abu with 50 very outside of the course.” The David Bienstock and yards remaining as Meshaheer closed late for third. “It’s Chuck Winner-owned colt has won two of 11 starts, so nice to win my first Group race with the first horse I including the GII Santa Catalina at Santa Anita Jan. 18. received as a trainer,” said trainer Mikel Delzangles. www.coolmore.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 5/23/03 • PAGE 3 of 3 8 3 INDIAN HAVEN (GB) Indian Ridge (Ire) I R I S H 2 0 0 0 G U I N E A S P P (62,000gns yrl ‘01 TATOCT; 95,000gns 2yo ‘02 TATAUT) O-Peter Gleeson, Julian Smith & Loz Conway; Saturday, The Curragh, Ireland, post time: 3:45 p.m. B-Cliveden Stud Ltd; T-Paul d’Arcy; J-John Egan. ENTENMANN’S IRISH 2000 GUINEAS-G1, £400,000, Lifetime Record: 6-2-0-0, i37,588. 3yo, c/f, 1mT 9 6 MAKHLAB Dixieland Band SC PP HORSE SIRE ($700,000 yrl ‘01 KEESEP) 1 8 ABUNAWWAS (IRE) In the Wings (GB) O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; (Ir£320,000 yrl ‘01 GOFORB) B-Mr & Mrs Robert A Witt; T-Barry Hills; J-Willie Supple. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; Lifetime Record: 6-3-0-1, i59,680. B-Airlie Stud; T-Kevin Prendergast; J-Declan McDonogh.