April 18, 2008
Keeneland Race 5
Maiden Special Weight
4.5 furlongs
2-Year Olds
Post Time: 3:10 PM; TVG 

Peace Rules' 2nd starter comes Friday, April 18 at Keeneland, as Tiger Rules (Peace Rules - Danzig Tiger by Danzig Connection) takes to the races for the first time. Tiger Rules was a $40,000 yearling whose dam won $42,613, but didn't start as a 2-year old. She has produced 3 winners, including stakes-placed Tyger River who earned $87,363. One of Tiger Rules' half-siblings won as a 2-year old. Danzig Tiger is a half-sister to 8 winners including Chilito who earned $210,030 including a victory in the Flamingo Stakes (gr. III). Chilito also won 2 of 4 starts as a 2-year old. Peace Rules raced 6 times as a 2-year old, breaking his maiden third time out, running a mile on the turf.  He also won the Generous (gr IIIT) and the Hill Rise and finished 2nd in the Pinjara, all on the turf.  His best finish on the dirt, during that season, was 3rd in his debut.

In addition to Peace Rules, other first-year stallions represented in this race include Chapel Royal (Cape Royale), The Cliff's Edge (Mount Hope), Alke (Broadway Al), Lion Heart (Silent Valor), and Friends Lake (Screen Your Friend).

Selling for $320,000 as a yearling was Silent Valor (Lion Heart -  Few Choice Words by Valid Appeal). His dam won $71,408, but did not run as a 2-year old. She has produced 4 winners including the stakes winner Miss Jeanne Cat. Miss Jeanne Cat broke her maiden in her first start as a 2-year old and also won the Time to Leave Stakes that year. Lion Heart was 3 for 3 as a 2-year old, winning the Hollywood Prevue (gr. III) and the Hollywood Futurity (gr. I).

Broadway Al (Alke - West Broadway by West Acre) sold for $120,000 as a 2-year old.  He is the first foal out of an unraced dam. She is a half-sister to 8 winners none of which won as 2-year olds. In three starts as a 2-year old, Alke had 1 win and 2 seconds.  The latter included a runner-up finish in the Iroquois Stakes (gr. III).

The dam of Screen Your Friend (Friends Lake - Screen Prospect by Rare Performer) won or placed in 15 stakes (7 of them graded) and earned $575,747.  As a 2-year old, she started 3 times winning her first two starts and finishing 2nd in the Gold Digger Stakes.  Six of Screen Prospect's offspring have raced and all have won, 2 won during their 2-year old season. Friends Lake won 2 out of 3 as a 2-year old, including the Sleepy Hollow Stakes.

Mount Hope (The Cliff's Edge - Radiant Megan by Sir Jinsky) is out of a mare who earned $252,850 and won the Sabin (gr. III).  However, she did not win as a 2-year old. Mount Hope is a half-sibling to four winners, 2 of which won as 2-year olds. The Cliff's Edge raced 5 times as a 2-year old, winning 3 (including the Kentucky Jockey Club (gr. II) and the Iroquois (gr. III)) and finishing 2nd once (via disqualification in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile).

Among those participants not by first-year stallions, the best sales credentials come from Regal Eagle (Langfuhr - Strikes No Spares by Smart Strike) who sold for $210,000 as a yearling. Strikes No Spares was a stakes winner who earned $121,129.  She also was a debut winner, and finished 2nd in the Angie C. Stakes in her only other 2-year old start. None of her offspring have raced yet.

Bold Vindication (Vindication - Bolsa by Mr. Prospector) sold for $120,000 as a yearling.  He is a half-brother to one winner, Directive, who won as a 2-year old.

2-Year Old Works

Returning to the WorkTab (horses previously mentioned in this blog)

Dr. Smarty Jack (colt; Smarty Jones – Hoh Buzzard (IRE) by Alhaarth (IRE)) worked 4 furlongs in :53.40 at Sunland Park on 4/16. Also on 4/16, C. S. Silk (filly; Medaglia d'Oro - Remember the Day by Settlement Day) worked 4 furlongs in :52.20 at Elloree Training Center.

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A pair of Birdstone fillies worked 3 furlongs at Churchill Downs on 4/17 each recording a time of :37.20 (hmmm... anyone think these worked together?). Cozy Bird is out of the Cozzene mare, Cozy Island. Cozy Island earned $160,444 in a graded stakes-placed career. Cozy Bird is her 2nd foal.  Her first offspring won as a 2-year old and has earned $85,502 through 2008. Stone Legacy (Birdstone - Gulch Legacy by Gulch) is out of a dam who earned $145,501. Both fillies were bred by Marylou Whitney, breeder and owner of Birdstone.

At Santa Anita, Speight the Halo (colt; Speightstown - Ballado's Halo by Saint Ballado) worked 3 furlongs on 4/17 in :35.00. Ballado's Halo was a stakes-placed winner of $80,858 and she is also a full sister to champion Ashado and Sunriver. Speight the Halo sold for $400,000 as a 2-year old in training.

At Winding Oaks Farm, two Eugene Melnyk-bred Speightstown fillies worked 2 furlongs, presumably together as both recorded a times of 26:40. Gemswick Park is out of the stakes winning Relaunch mare, Queen's Park. Queen's Park has produced 2 winners, including Queen's College who was stakes-placed as a 2-year old. Mullins Beach (Speightstown - Treasure Beach by Silver Deputy) is the first foal out of a dam who earned $98,710.  Eugene Melnyk raced Speightstown.

April 16, 2008
Keeneland Race 5
Maiden Special Weight
4.5 furlongs
2 Year Old Fillies
Post Time: 3:10 PM; TVG 

Mostly Peace (filly; Peace Rules - Ms. Mostly by Copelan) becomes our 2nd starter for our 1st-time sires and the first starter for Peace Rules. She sold for $80,000 as a yearling. Mostly Peace's dam earned $276,525 and won or placed in 8 stakes including a victory in the Pucker Up (gr. II). She also ran 9 times as a 2-year old registering two wins and 5 thirds. Ms. Mostly has produced 2 winners, including Fire Wood who earned $210,660.  Although Fire Wood did not win as a 2-year old, he did start twice and recorded two 2nd place finishes.

Three other first-year sires are represented in this race including Chapel Royal who won the Flash (gr. III) and the Sanford (gr. II) as a 2-year old. Chapel Royal is the sire of Iberian Gate (Chapel Royal - White Cliffs by Dover Ridge).  Iberian Gate sold for $340,000 in February at the OBS 2-year olds in training sale. White Cliffs was a stakes winner who earned $245,542 including a victory in the Kattegat's Pride Stakes as a 2-year old. Overall, her 2-year old record was 6 starts, 4 wins, 1 second, and 1 third.  And, she broke her maiden first time out going 4.5 furlongs. 4 out of 5 of her offspring who have made the races have won, 3 of these won in the 2-year old season (2 were victorious in their debuts).

Lookbeforeyouleap (The Cliff's Edge - Be My Lover by Belong to Me) is from the first-crop of Toyota Blue Grass winner (gr. I) The Cliff's Edge. Be My Lover has produced 1 winner from 1 to race. This winner, Run Lover Run, ran 8 times as a 2-year old winning once, finishing 2nd twice, and third once.

From the first-crop of grade III winner Omega Code is Cheyenne Code (Omega Code - Zeebler by Tomorrows Cat). Cheyenne Code is the first foal out of an unraced mare to make it to the races.  Her dam is a half-sister to four winners. However, none won as a 2-year old.

Among the entries not by first-year stallions of interest is Dorothy's Essense (Essence of Dubai - Leedle Dee by Distinctive Pro) who sold for $35,000 as a yearling.  Her dam earned $157,224 including a victory in the East View Stakes as a 2-year old. Dorothy's Essense is her first foal.

Also of note is Terrifany (Fusaichi Pegasus - Pesci by Stormy Atlantic) who is the first foal out of the grade I-placed mare, Pesci who earned $152,001.

2-Year Old Works

Returning to the WorkTab (horses previously mentioned in this blog)

Two Medaglia d'Oro fillies were on track at Goldmark on 4/12 both working 4 furlongs.  Fiesta d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro - Ionian Bride by Icecapade) recorded a time of :50.40 while Double Espresso's (Medaglia d'Oro - Second Strike by Fast Play) time was :50.60.

Also on 4/12 at Silverton Hill Farm, Ambraw (colt; Congaree - Fabulous Flight by Flying Continental) worked 4 furlongs in :51.85.

At Calder on 4/15, Precious Beans (colt; Medaglia d'Oro - Precious Feather by Gone West) went 5 furlongs, recording a time of 1:05.00.

Working 3 furlongs on 4/15 were Gabby's Golden Gal (filly; Medaglia d’Oro – Gabriellina Giof (GB) by Ashkalani (IRE)) who recorded a time of :34.40 at Hollywood Park and Tiger Rules (colt; Peace Rules - Danzig Tiger by Danzig Connection) whose time was :38.00 at Keeneland. Tiger Rules has been entered in a Maiden Special Weight race Friday at Keeneland.

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Two Congaree colts make their workout debut on this blog both working 3 furlongs at El Primero Training Center on 4/15. Conga Rock (Congaree - Spectacular Lisa by Formal Gold) recorded a time of :39.60.  Spectacular Lisa was a stakes winner who earned $209,600.  She did not run as a 2-year old.  Conga Rock is her first foal. Congo Creek (Congaree - Lost Expectations by Valid Expectations) worked in :39.80. Lost Expectations earned $80,294 in a career that included a third place in the Schuylerville Stakes (gr. II) as a 2-year old. She has had one offspring to race, a filly who finished 4th in her only start last year as a 2-year old.