Richmond Stakes Racing Roundup

The British Isles Summer racing season for two-year-old thoroughbreds seeking to earn Group honors is in full swing and day four of the Glorious Goodwood five-day festival will feature the 6-furlong $93,500 Tanqueray Richmond Stakes (Group 2) at Goodwood Racecourse.

Leading flat turf trainer Richard Hannon has won the last three editions of the Richmond Stakes and Friday he will send Harbour Watch to the post as the Twinspires prohibitive 8-5 morning line favorite.

Undefeated in two starts, Harbour Watch is stepping up in class and making his first bid to win a Group race. But, if Harbour Watch repeats the form of previous races and lives up to his 111 Timeform rating he will be tough to beat.

Currently, Harbour Watch is tied with Maybe and Lilbourne Lad for third-place on the Timeform Top Ten list and it will take a top performance from one of the other nine horses entered in the race to upset the favorite.

Harbour Watch is a descendant of the Northern Dancer sire line and since 1990 that line has produced seven Richmond Stakes winners: Libranno (2010), Dick Turpin (2009), Strike The Deal (2007), Hamoody (2006), Mister Cosmi (2001), Bachir (1999) and Polaris Flight (1995).

Acclamation, the sire of Harbour Watch, is also the sire of Lilbourne Lad, winner of the Dubai Duty Free Railway Stakes (Group 2), and he is ranked first on the Racing Post Top sires of two-year-olds list with 16 winners in 42 runners for a 38% strike rate.

Royal Applause, the grandsire of Harbour Watch, sired the Richmond Stakes winner Mister Cosmi.

Woodman, the damsire of Harbour Watch, was a prolific sire whose most notable offspring included the Classic Champion Thoroughbreds Hansel, Timber Country, Hector Protector and Woodcarver. In addition, Woodman also was the damsire of Canadian Triple Crown winner Wando.

The tail-female line of Harbour Watch traces back to third dam Fall Aspen who was a Matriarch of the turf and the dam of Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Timber Country.

In addition to Timber Country, Fall Aspen was the dam of 13 winners from 13 runners and her most notable offspring include Hamas, Northern Aspen, Fort Wood, Elle Seule, Bianconi, Prince Of Thieves and Colorado Dancer (dam of Dubai Millennium).

Two long shots I like in the Richmond Stakes are Right To Dream (12-1­) and Eureka (10-1).

Right To Dream has never been out of the money in three starts and comes into the race with an impressive 5-length maiden stakes win at Royal Windsor Racecourse on June 25.

In the Oadby Maiden Stakes at Leicester Racecourse on May 31, Right To Dream finished second to Roman Soldier who went on to earn a 107 Timeform rating and finish second in the TNT July Stakes (Group 2) to Frederick Engels – ranked second by Timeform with a 113 rating.

While Right To Dream has never competed at the Group level, he has improved his performance in each race and I believe he has the breeding to be competitive.

Right To Dream is a descendant of the Danzig sire line. Oasis Dream, the sire of Right To Dream, was a top-class sprinter and is known for getting high-class sprinters and middle-distance runners. Oasis Dream has a 32% strike rate with six two-year-old winners in 19 runners.

Green Desert, the grandsire of Right To Dream, also was a champion sprinter in England and the grandsire of 1999 Richmond Stakes winner Bachir.

Irish River, the damsire of Right To Dream, was a Classic Champion miler in France and winner of the 1979 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas).

Born A Lady, the third dam of Right To Dream, was a stakes winner and the fourth dam, Natalma, was a Reine-de-Course and dam of Northern Dancer.

Eureka has been running in good company and he has twice won at 6-furlongs.

In his maiden win, Eureka narrowly defeated Burwaaz who, on the opening day of the Glorious Goodwood meet, finished second in the 5-furlong Bet365 Molecomb Stakes (Group 2). In his only race at 5-furlongs, Eureka finished fifth in the Weatherbys Super Sprint to Charles The Great, who ran to a third-place finish in the Molecomb Stakes.

Kheleyf, the sire of Eureka, is ranked 13^th on the Racing Post Top sires of two-year-olds list with eight winners in 37 runners for a 22% strike rate.

One of the features that I look for in the pedigree is the presence of first-class champions and stallions on the tail-female line and the first three stallions of the tail-female line of Eureka were the Classic Champion Thoroughbreds: Quest For Fame, Affirmed and The Minstrel.

Good luck at Glorious Goodwood!

Vintage Stakes Racing Roundup

The second day of Group races for two-year-old thoroughbreds at the Glorious Goodwood five-day Summer festival will feature Lethal Force at the post Wednesday as the Twinspires 5-2 morning line favorite in the $93,500 Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes (Group 2) at Goodwood Racecourse.

The Vintage Stakes appears to be very contentious with the potential for several of the seven colts running in the race to claim Group honors. Red Duke (4-1), the morning line third-choice, is the only horse in the field with a Group win to his credit.

The favored Lethal Force comes into the race with two second-place finishes and a fourth-place finish in the Coventry Stakes (Group 2) at Royal Ascot where he was beaten 1½-lengths by the Timeform rated Power (108) and Roman Soldier (107).

If Lethal Force improves off of his Ascot form he could win but two horses I like the most in this race are Red Duke and Rockinante (5-1).

Earlier this month at the Piper Heidsieck July Festival, Red Duke earned Group honors and a 110 Timeform rating narrowly defeating Chandlery in 32red.com Superlative Stakes (Group 2) at Newmarket Racecourse.

In three starts, Red Duke has never been out of the money and he should improve off of his win the Superlative Stakes.

Red Duke is a descendant of the Danzig branch of the Northern Dancer sire line and since 1990, that line has produced four Vintage Stakes winners: King Torus (2010), Orizaba (2008), Strategic Prince (2006) and Maroof (1992).

Red Duke is a precocious colt out of the first crop of Hard Spun who never earned classic honors but was a multiple Graded-Stakes winner and tough, gritty competitor in sprint and route races winning the 7-furlong Kings Bishop Stakes (G1) and finishing second in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and third in the Preakness Stakes (G1).

To date, Hard Spun is off to a good start at stud. On the Racing Post Top sires of two-year-olds list Hard Spun has four winners in six runners for a 67% strike rate.

Gone West, the damsire of Red Duke, is also the damsire of Epsom Derby (Group 1) winner Motivator and he is the sire of Zafonic, winner of the British 2,000 Guineas (Group 1), and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Commendable.

Triple Crown winner Affirmed is the sire of the second dam, Bint Pasha – winner of the Yorkshire Oaks (Group 1) and Prix Vermeille (Group 1). In addition, the other three dams on the tail-female line – Saudia, Icely Polite and Royal Kin – were winners on the race track and producers of winners.

Of the four horses entered in the Vintage Stakes by trainer Richard Hannon, Rockinante is stepping up in class and has the least experience. But, Rockinante showed promise of more good things to come when made a nice move in the final yards of the 7-furlong Free Group Pic Maiden Stakes to win his maiden debut last month at Newmarket Racecourse.

His time of 1:26.3 is the third fastest of all the other horses entered in the Vintage Stakes and Rockinante should improve off of his maiden win. Also, Rockinante has a good pedigree and if he lives up to his breeding he should be a factor in the Vintage Stakes.

Rockinante is a descendent of the Danzig sire line. His sire, Rock Of Gibraltar, was the 2002 Cartier Champion Three-Year-Old Colt and Horse of the Year who won numerous Group sprint races and earned classic honors with victories in the England and Ireland 2,000 Guineas.

Night Shift, the damsire of Rockinante, is known for getting good two-year-old thoroughbreds. Some of his most notable progeny include Azamour, In The Grove and Dream Eater.

Acatenango, the sire of the second dam, is the damsire of 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and a legendary Classic Champion Thoroughbred and German Derby winner. In addition, Acatenango was a three-time Horse of The Year in Germany and champion sire in 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001.

Granted, it's a big step up in class for Rockinante but if he repeats the form of his maiden win, he will be competitive.

Chandlery was a close second to Red Duke in the Superlative Stakes and I will probably use him in the bottom of the exotic wagers.

Good luck at Glorious Goodwood!

Molecomb Stakes Racing Roundup

Glorious Goodwood, one of the highlights of the Summer racing season in Great Britain, will begin a five-day festival for horseracing fans Tuesday and racing at the meet is predicted to be on “perfect ground” at the Goodwood Racecourse.

Trainer Richard Hannon, second on the Great Britain Flat Turf leaderboard behind Aidan P. O’Brien, will send the lukewarm Twinspires 7-2 morning line favorite Crown Dependency to the post in the $62,500 Bet365 Molecomb Stakes (Group 3) which is the fourth race on the opening-day card.

The field for the Molecomb Stakes appears to be wide open as Crown Dependency heads a field of 14 colts and fillies competing to earn to Group honors.

Crown Dependency comes into the race with a 2¼-length third-place finish to top-ranked Timeform Two-Year-Old Bapak Chinta in the 5-furlong Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) at the Royal Ascot meet on June 16. The ground that day was yielding and Crown Dependency may not have liked the track.

Prior to that race, Crown Dependency broke his maiden on firm ground by 2¼-lengths in the 6-furlong E.b.f. Goodwood Maiden Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse. If he repeats that Goodwood form, Crown Dependency should be competitive.

Crown Dependency is a descendent of the Northern Dancer sire line and since 1990 that line has produced 10 winners of the Molecomb Stakes: Zebedee (2010), Monsieur Chevalier (2009), Finjaan (2008), Fleeting Spirit (2007), Enticing (2006), Majestic Missile (2003), Lady Alexander (1997), Carmine Lake (1996), Almaty (1995) and Sahara Star (1991).

Acclamation, the sire of Crown Dependency, is ranked first on the Racing Post Top sires of two-year-olds list with 15 winners in 42 runners for a 36% strike rate. Acclamation also is the sire of Harbour Watch and Lilbourne Lad – both with a 111 Timeform rating on the Timeform top Two-Year-Olds list.

Royal Applause, the grandsire of Crown Dependency, also sired Molecomb Stakes winner Finjaan and Majestic Missile.

Three long shots I like in the Molecomb Stakes are Charles The Great (8-1), Stonefield Flyer (10-1) and Miss Work Of Art (15-1).

In his first attempt to earn Group honors, Charles The Great, lost a shoe and finished 10^th – beaten 9-lengths by Bapak Chinta – in the Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) at Royal Ascot.

Charles The Great came back a month later after the Norfolk Stakes to win a 5-furlong sprint, while showing good speed, defeating a field of 25 two-year-olds in the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury Racecourse.

The victory was the second for Charles The Great who, prior to the Norfolk, was an impressive 1½-length maiden winner in the 5-furlong E.b.f. Peter Pegg 80^th Birthday Novice Stakes at Royal Windsor Racecourse on May 23.

Holy Roman Emperor, the sire of Charles The Great, is ranked fifth on the Racing Post sire list with 12 winners in 54 runners for a 22% strike rate. Holy Roman Emperor also is the sire of the promising two-year-old Roman Solder who has a 107 Timeform ranking.

One of the features that I look for in the pedigree is the presence of first-class champions and stallions on the tail-female line.

Barathea, the damsire of Charles The Great, was a champion three-year-old miler in England and France in 1993 and the Cartier Horse of the Year and top older horse in 1994.

Rainbow Quest, the sire of the second dam of Charles The Great, was the 1985 Champion Older Male in England and France and the winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Stonefield Flyer was an impressive 4-length winner in the Laurie Bolger Happy Birthday Memorial Novice Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse on July 14.

Prior to that, Stonefield Flyer was a 2¼-length runner up in the listed Windsor Castle Stakes to Frederick Engels who is ranked second on the Timeform top Two Year Old list with a 113 rating. In May, Stonefield Flyer was an impressive 6-length winner in the E.b.f. Median Auction Maiden Stakes at Newcastle Racecourse.

In five starts, Stonefield Flyer has never finished worse than second and he comes into the race with a 2-3-0 record. If Stonefield Flyer repeats the form of his last three races he will be competitive.

Kheleyf, the sire of Stonefield Flyer, is ranked 12^th on the Racing Post Top sires of two-year-olds list with eight winners in 37 runners for a 22% strike rate.

Green Desert, the grandsire of Stonefield Flyer, is also the grandsire of 2007 Molecomb Stakes winner Fleeting Spirit. Royal Applause, the damsire of Stonefield Flyer, also sired Molecomb Stakes winners Finjaan and Majestic Missile.

With three wins in four starts, Miss Work Of Art is dropping back to 5-furlongs which should be more to her liking and I’m willing to throw out her ninth-place finish in the Cherry Hinton Stakes (Group 2) at the July Festival.

"She was a bit disappointing the other day but seems in good form and can hopefully bounce-back to her best," said trainer Richard Fahey in a Racing Post news article.

Dutch Art, the sire of Miss Work Of Art, is ranked sixth on the Racing Post sire list with 10 winners in 27 runners for a 27% strike rate.

Pivotal, the damsire of Miss Work Of Art, sired the 2006 Molecomb Stakes winner Enticing. Primo Dominie, the sire of the second dam Entwine, also sired the 1992 Molecomb Stakes winner Millyant. Sharpo, the sire of the third dam Splice, was the grandsire of Risky – winner of the 1993 Molecomb Stakes.

Good luck at Glorious Goodwood.

Sanford Stakes Racing Roundup

The team of trainer Todd Pletcher and Mike Repole had considerable success last year with a talented two-year-old colt named Uncle Mo and it looks like they might have another talented young runner in Overdriven who will go to the starting gate Sunday as the 3-5 morning line favorite in the 97^th running of the $150,000 Sanford Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course.

Repole, a multimillionaire from Queens, New York and the creator of the beverage drink VitaminWater, burst onto the racing scene last year with Uncle Mo who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes (G1) and was the early favorite for the 2011 Kentucky Derby.

However, it appears that Overdriven may be farther along at this time of year than Uncle Mo who won his maiden debut last August at Saratoga going gate-to-wire in a 6-furlong sprint - earning a 110 Brisnet Speed Figure.

Overdriven comes into the Sanford with a 111 Brisnet figure he earned in his debut win, defeating a field of five horses by 3½-lengths in a 5-furlong sprint at Belmont Park on July 1.

That impressive maiden win was enough to earn Overdriven a bid in the Sanford.

"He had a good breeze over the track, and we're excited about running in the Sanford," Pletcher said in a Saratoga Race Course news article. "He's a big, strong colt who carries plenty of conditioning, and we justly believe he can move forward off that race."

Overdriven has a nice pedigree and if he lives up to his breeding he should do well on the trail.

Overdriven is a descendant of the Northern Dancer sire line, and since 1990 that line has produced four Sanford winners: Scat Daddy (2006), Polished Brass (1997), Dehere (1993) and Mountain Cat (1992).

Tale Of The Cat, the sire of Overdriven, was a Black-type winner of the King’s Bishop Stakes (G2) but he is mostly known as the sire of Gio Ponti, Lion Heart and Tale Of Ekati – multiple graded stakes winners, each with over $1 million in earnings.

Out of the dam Air France, Overdriven is a half-brother to $1.1 million dollar stakes winner Smooth Air. The tail-female line traces back to the sixth dam Bold Irish, a Matriarch of the turf, who is the fifth dam of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Fusaichi Pegasus and the fourth dam of Preakness (G1) Stakes winner Pine Bluff.

Tale Of The Cat is ranked 13^th in earnings on the Thoroughbred Times 2011 Juvenile Sire List with five winners in 13 starters for a 38% strike rate.

Power World is the 5-1morning line second-choice and I believe he is deserving of that ranking. He comes into the race with a 2¾-length runner up finish in the Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) to Exfactor at Churchill Downs on July 2 and I look for him to be competitive.

Power World is a descendant of the Mr. Prospector sire line, and since 1990 that line has produced the most Sanford winners with six victors: Maybesomaybenot (2010), Backtalk (2009), Desert Party (2008), Afleet Alex (2004), Whywhywhy (2002) and City Zip (2000).

Distorted Humor, the sire of Power World, is well known for getting precocious two-year-old sprinters and middle-distance runners as well as the occasional classic winner. Distorted Humor is the sire of Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide and Belmont Winner Drosselmeyer.

Distorted Humor is ranked 18^th on the juvenile sire list with four winners in 12 starters for 33%.

Storm Cat, the damsire of Power World, is also well known for getting precocious two-year-olds. He is the sire of Sanford winner Mountain Cat and the great grandsire of Sanford winner Scat Daddy.

The tail-female line of Power World traces back to the fourth dam Lady Be Good, a Matriarch of the turf, who also is the fourth dam of Epsom Derby winner Motivator and the second dam of Wavering Monarch, the grandsire of Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos.

Lady Be Good is also the fourth dam of the outstanding filly Goodbye Halo – winner of the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (G1), Demoiselle Stakes (G1), Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), Kentucky Oaks (G1), Mother Goose Stakes (G1) and Las Virgenes Stakes (G1).

In addition, Lady Be Good is ranked 11^th on Roger Lyons of Pedigree Matters Top 40 Dam Lines of SW’s, 1995 to Present.

Two long shots I like are Black Rhino (12-1) and Maan (8-1).

Trained by Wesley Ward, Black Rhino comes in to the race off of an impressive 8-length win, defeating a field of 11 horses, in a 5-furlong sprint on the turf at Churchill Downs on June 25.

Black Rhino earned an 89 speed figure for that effort and if he repeats that turf form in the Sanford, he should be competitive.

El Corredor, the sire of Black Rhino, is also a descendant of Mr. Prospector and some of his more notable progeny include Dominican, Backseat Rhythm, El Gato Malo and Adieu. But to date, with two juvenile winners in 12 starters for a 17% strike rate, El Corredor has not been as productive as Tale of the Cat and Distorted Humor.

Pure Profit, the second dam of Black Rhino, is also the dam of $1 million graded stakes winners Inside Information and Educated Risk.

One of the unique features that I like about the pedigree of Black Rhino is that five of the eight mares in the distaff four-generation pedigree are Reines-de-Course (Queen of the Turf): Pure Profit, Clear Ceiling, Grey Flight, Natalma and Key Bridge.

One doesn’t find that many outstanding mares close up and it is a potent influence.

Grey Flight, the fourth dam of Black Rhino, is a Matriarch of the turf and the dam of stakes winners Full Flight, Misty Morn, Gray Phantom, Misty Flight and What A Pleasure – sire of Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure and Eclipse Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Honest Pleasure.

Maan, trained by Eddie Kenneally, is stepping up in class and comes into the race off of a 1½-length maiden win at Churchill Downs on July 3. Maan earned an 84 speed figure for that effort and covered the 6-furlongs in a time of 1:10.99.

If Maan repeats the form of his maiden win he should be competitive.

Malibu Moon, the sire of Maan, has three juvenile winners in seven starters for a 43% strike rate.