MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016 ‘BRILLIANT’ WORK FOR SONGBIRD FOY CONTENDERS PUT IN Undefeated champion Songbird (Medaglia d’Oro) put in what Hall of Fame pilot Mike Smith called a “brilliant” five-furlong FINAL BREEZES work in 1:00.80 (20/90) in Arcadia Sunday morning. “A minute and four-fifths and just as easy as you please,” commented Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer. As for the Fox Hill Farm colorbearer’s next start, Hollendorfer said he had not made up his mind as to whether she will run in the GIII Santa Ysabel S. Mar. 5 or train up to the GI Santa Anita Oaks Apr. 9. An ultra-impressive winner of the GI Del Mar Debutante S., GI Chandelier S. and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies during a perfect four-for-four championship season last term, Songbird kicked off her sophomore season with a sensational 6 1/2-length success in Arcadia’s GII Las Virgenes S. Feb. 6. Zulu I A. Coglianese Undefeated “TDN Rising Star” Zulu (Bernardini), Mucho LIGHTNING’S IMPRESSIVE ROLL OF HONOUR Macho Man S. winner Awesome Speed (Awesome Again) and John Berry recounts some of the distinguished past winners of fellow “TDN Rising Star” Cherry Wine (Paddy O’Prado) all the G1 Lightning S. and looks ahead to the future after breezed in Florida Sunday morning in preparation for Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta De Lago {Aus})’s Saturday win. Gulfstream’s GII Fountain of Youth S. Feb. 27. Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Europe. Owned by Stonestreet Stables, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, Zulu worked a half-mile in :48.21 (4/19) at trainer Todd Pletcher’s Palm Beach Downs base. “It went very well,” Pletcher remarked. “He went in 48-and-1. He breezed by himself with John Velazquez aboard. He got into a nice comfortable rhythm and clicked off 12s around there all the way around. He looked good and galloped out well. I’m very happy with it. All is on schedule.” A debut winner sprinting at Gulfstream Dec. 5, Zulu romped by 7 1/4 lengths in a seven-furlong optional claimer there Jan. 15. The bay makes his first attempt around two turns in Saturday’s test, where he will face a strong field that includes undefeated GII Holy Bull S. winner Mohaymen (Tapit). “We certainly could have opted for an easier spot and shipped out of town somewhere,” said Pletcher, who won last year’s renewal with Itsaknockout (Lemon Drop Kid) via DQ. “We just felt like he’s two-for-two at Gulfstream. It’s nice to keep him on a consistent path where he’s familiar with where he’s running. We know he likes the surface, but it’s obviously a tall order.” Cont. p3 ENHANCE YOUR EARNING POWER . RACE A NY-BRED 2YO IN THE EMPIRE STATE — $2.1 Million in Restricted Stakes Money for 2yos — * NY-bred restricted races NY-BREDS OFFERED AT FLORIDA SELECT 2-YEAR-OLDS IN TRAINING - MAR. 2 >> nytbreeders.org | 518.587.0777 For more information visit our website or call 518.388.0174 PHOTO BY SERITA HULT © GI King’s Bishop winner The Big PRESIDENT & CO-PUBLISHER Barry Weisbord @barryweisbord Beast looks the picture of health [email protected] in the Florida sun at Ocala Stud, SR. V.P. & CO-PUBLISHER where he stands his first season Sue Finley @suefinley this year. [email protected] Jon Siegel V.P., INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Gary King @garykingTDN [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor-in-Chief: Jessica Martini @JessMartiniTDN Managing Editor: Alan Carasso @EquinealTDN Senior Editor: Steve Sherack @Steve SherackTDN Racing Editor: Brian DiDonato @BDiDonatoTDN Associate Editor: RISEN STAR RUNNERS IN GOOD FORM 3 Christie DeBernardis @CDeBernardisTDN Assistant Editors: Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm’s GII Risen Star S. Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN winner Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}), third-place finisher Mo Tom Ben Massam @BMassamTDN (Uncle Mo) and disappointing favorite Airoforce (Colonel John) all ADVERTISING exited Saturday’s test in fine form. [email protected] Director of Advertising: Alycia Borer Advertising Manager: Lia Kusch Sr. Ad Coordinator/Dir. of Distribution: Sarah K. Andrew @SarahKAndrew ‘CHATTERBOX’ AIMS FOR APPLE BLOSSOM 4 Advertising Designer: Amanda Crelin Advertising Assistant: Amanda Foster Eclipse finalist I’m a Chatterbox (Munnings) is currently being aimed at Social Media Strategist: Nichola Henry Oaklawn’s GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 9 for her 2016 debut. Stablemate and MARKETING STRATEGIST “TDN Rising Star” Cassatt (Tapit) is also possible for that test. Brittlan Wall @BrittlanWall [email protected] CUSTOMER SERVICE [email protected] DIVISIDERO TO RETURN IN CANADIAN TURF 5 Director of Customer Service: Vicki Forbes Gunpowder Farms’ GII American Turf winner Divisidero (Kitten’s Joy), who was last seen finishing a disappointing seventh in the GI Belmont INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Director of IT: Ray Villa Derby July 4, is set to make his return to the races Saturday in Gulfstream’s [email protected] GIII Canadian Turf S. WORLDWIDE INFORMATION International Editor: Kelsey Riley [email protected] European Editor: Emma Berry [email protected] 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.thoroughbreddailynews.com www.thetdn.com HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 5 • THETDN.COM MONDAY • FEB. 22, 2016 FEATURE PRESENTATION • GII FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH S. RISEN STAR RUNNERS IN GOOD FORM Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm’s Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) is in good shape following his victory in Saturday’s GII Risen Star S. at the Fair Grounds, according to trainer Steve Asmussen. G M B Racing’s Mo Tom (Uncle Mo), winner of the GIII LeComte S. in NOLA Jan. 16, suffered a FOY Contenders Put in Final Breezes cont. from p1 Also set to line up for the Fountain of Youth is Colts Neck minor gash to his right Stables’ Awesome Speed, who fired a best-of-45 half-mile bullet front leg after being in :48.30 at Palm Meadows. forced to check badly in “He went great,” said trainer Alan Goldberg, who flew in from the stretch. The bay his New Jersey base to supervise the work. “He got off in :13, rallied impressively to be Gun Runner (rail) | Hodges Photography went :48 and one or two, a close third and is in fine form aside from the cut, according to galloped out in a minute and trainer Tom Amoss, who also saddled Venus Valentine change, and galloped out (Congrats) to a 74-1 upset in the GIII Rachel Alexandra S. three-quarters in 1:14. He came Saturday. back fine and not blowing. “Both horses look good today,” Amoss reported. “[Mo Tom’s Everything is all good. We’re ready.” wound] is a non factor. We are very fortunate.” Failing to fire when seventh in John Oxley’s MGSW Airoforce (Colonel John) has returned to his career bow sprinting at Parx Florida after a disappointing effort as the 8-5 chalk in the Risen Aug. 31, Awesome Speed Awesome Speed | Kenny Martin Star, finishing 10th of 11. earned his diploma next out with a decisive victory at Laurel Oct. “He’s fine and he flew back to Florida this morning,” 10 and followed suit with a win in that venue’s James F. Lewis III conditioner Mark Casse said. “We’re going to bring him home to S. next out Nov. 14. The dark bay was last seen winning the Ocala and go over him some more and make sure we don’t find Mucho Macho Man S. going Gulfstream’s one-turn mile Jan. 2. anything. We will see how that goes and go from there.” Frank Jones, Jr. and William Pacella’s Cherry Wine also breezed Never worse than second prior to the Risen Star, Airoforce Sunday for the Fountain of Youth, covering five furlongs in following a debut win at Kentucky Downs last September with a 1:00.11 (2/21) at Gulfstream Park. victory in the turfy GIII Bourbon S. at Keeneland a month later The Dale Romans trainee took a few starts to figure things out, but put it all together ina big way with a 9 1/4-length romp in a and just missed when second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile sloppy 1 1/16-mile off-the-turfer at Churchill Nov. 28. The gray Turf Oct. 30. The gray was trying dirt for the first time last out earned “TDN Rising Star” status last out when unleashing a when capturing a sloppy renewal of Churchill’s GII Kentucky powerful late rally to score by six lengths in a track-and-trip Jockey Club S. Nov. 28, a race in which Mo Tom finished third optional claimer Jan. 9. and Gun Runner finished fourth. HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 5 • THETDN.COM MONDAY • FEB. 22, 2016 ‘CHATTERBOX’ AIMS FOR APPLE BLOSSOM I’m a Chatterbox boasts a pair of three-panel drills at the Fair Eclipse finalist I’m a Chatterbox (Munnings) will likely make Grounds since her return to action earlier this month, covering her 2016 debut in Oaklawn’s GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 15, the distance in :35.40 Feb. 8 (click here for story) and slowing it according to trainer Larry Jones. Stablemate and “TDN Rising down a bit to :38.20 Feb. 14. Star” Cassatt (Tapit) is also possible for the 1 1/16-mile test. “She’s just now back to breezing, but she runs very well fresh,” “Probably only one would commented Jones, who does not plan on running either filly in come,” Jones said.