JCSA Withholding Saudi Cup Earnings from Maximum Security
Maximum Security | Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia photo
The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) has announced that it will award prize money to the second- through 10th-place finishers in the $20-million Saudi Cup Feb. 29, but that it is withholding payment to the race’s winner, Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) pending further investigation.
Less than two weeks after his victory, trainer Jason Servis was indicted on doping charges, but in a statement, the JCSA acknowledges that the body had received no such allegations prior to the Saudi Cup.
A statement from the JCSA reads: “As a result of the USA indictment, the JCSA received an objection to the participation of MAXIMUM SECURITY in the race. As a result of that objection and the indictment, the JCSA commenced its own investigation into the allegations which was notified to all connections of runners in the race, and to the wider public. That investigation remains ongoing but has been hampered by the Covid-19 crisis and the fact that the JCSA is not a party to the ongoing legal proceedings in the USA. Therefore, unless and until the evidence that supports the sealed indictment in the US Proceedings is placed in the public domain, that evidence is unavailable to the JCSA’s investigation and to any JCSA inquiry. The JCSA will make no further comment until the conclusion of the investigation.”
Lope de Vega’s Lucky Vega Well On Top In the Phoenix
Lucky Vega | Racingfotos.com
Denied in the G2 Railway S. at The Curragh July 18, Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) returned to the same course and six-furlong strip on Sunday to dominate a competitive renewal of the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. Despite the presence of four group-winning colts Steel Bull (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}), Ventura Tormenta (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}), the market spoke mainly for Lucky Vega who was supported into 4-1 second favouritism and also Ballydoyle’s maiden St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) who was the surprising 7-2 favourite. In the race itself, there was never anywhere else to look but the eventual winnner as Zhang Yuesheng’s bay cruised under Shane Foley tracking the leading duo. Unleashed by Shane Foley to swamp Aloha Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) with 200 yards remaining, he was soon clear and had 3 1/2 lengths to spare over that rival at the line, with a short head separating her and The Lir Jet. Those placings were later reversed by the stewards, with Aloha Star having been judged to have intimidated the third. “That’s Mr Zhang’s first group 1 winner worldwide–I’m absolutely delighted for him,” trainer Jessie Harrington said. “”He was much more streetwise and on his work at home he had really started to come to himself.”
Unveiled as soon as the lockdown was eased by Jessie Harrington, Lucky Vega struck at the first time of asking in the six-furlong Naas maiden June 8 in which Battleground (War Front) was fifth. Jumping on Laws of Indices a touch too early in the Railway, he had been outstayed in the final yards and with that in mind Foley was keen to wait and wait this time. As that rival missed the break this time and failed to fire on all cylinders, there was no genuine threat in front and it was only when the G2 Airlie Stud S. winner Aloha Star arrived on the scene that Lucky Vega was let down for his closing effort. The result was emphatic, placing him undoubtedly in the higher category of winners of this race, particularly as this looked one of the most keenly-contested editions of recent times.
“He’s a nice horse going forward and Shane said he’s getting quicker,” Harrington added. “He probably needed it the last day because he had won his maiden without getting into a battle. The last day when he got into a bit of a battle it just hardened him up. We thought he was working well, but you never know until you go racing and everyone said this was a strong renewal. We’ll have to sit down and think now, but Shane said we’d probably be thinking about the [G1] Middle Park. I think he’ll get seven as well. Last year was all about the fillies, so it’s great this year to come up with a good colt.”
Lucky Vega was further demonstrating the widely-recognised potency of his sire, becoming his 11th top-level winner. Out of the unraced Queen of Carthage (Cape Cross {Ire}), he is therefore a grandson of the classy Satwa Queen (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}) who scored five times in group company, most notably in the G1 Prix de l’Opera. Satwa Queen, whose best performer was the German listed scorer Important Time (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), is kin to the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero Spadoun (Fr) (Kaldoun {Fr}) and the Listed Prix Roland de Chambure scorer Anbella (Fr) (Common Grounds {GB}). She is in turn the second dam of this year’s Listed Dragon S. winner Gussy Mac (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Also related to the GI Manhattan H. hero Desert Blanc (GB) (Desert Style {Ire}) and the G3 Somerville S. winner and G1 2000 Guineas runner-up and G1 St James’s Palace S. third Wichita (Ire) (No Nay Never), Queen of Carthage’s yearling filly is by Free Eagle (Ire), while she has a colt foal by Footstepsinthesand (GB).
Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
KEENELAND PHOENIX S.-G1, €200,000, Curragh, 8-9, 2yo, 6fT, 1:13.35, g/y.
1–LUCKY VEGA (IRE), 131, c, 2, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Queen of Carthage, by Cape Cross (Ire)
2nd Dam: Satwa Queen (Fr), by Muhtathir (GB)
3rd Dam: Tolga, by Irish River (Fr)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€110,000 Wlg ’18 GOFNOV; €175,000 Ylg ’19 GOFOR). O-Zhang Yuesheng; B-Kilcarn Stud (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Shane Foley. €120,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $170,033. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–The Lir Jet (Ire), 131, c, 2, Prince of Lir (Ire)–Paper Dreams (Ire), by Green Desert. (€9,500 Wlg ’18 TATFBR; £8,000 Ylg ’19 GOFFPR). O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-Donal Boylan (IRE); T-Michael Bell. €40,000.
*3–Aloha Star (Ire), 128, f, 2, Starspangledbanner (Aus)–Zain Art (Ire), by Excellent Art (GB). (€42,000 Wlg ’18 GOFNOV; €67,000 Ylg ’19 TIRSEP). O-D Keoghan & Partners Partnership; B-Patrick Beirne(Jnr) (IRE); T-Fozzy Stack. €20,000.
Margins: (3HF, NO, HF). Odds: 4.00, 5.00, 14.00.
Also Ran: Laws of Indices (Ire), St Mark’s Basilica (Fr), Bubbles On Ice (Ire), Steel Bull (Ire), Giorgio Vasari (Ire), Admiral Nelson (GB), Ventura Tormenta (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
*Aloha Star was demoted from second.
Maurice de Gheest Glory For Dubawi’s Space Blues
Space Blues | Scoop Dyga
By Tom Frary
Godolphin had two livewires in a renewal of Deauville’s G1 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest that looked well up to standard but also tough to call and it was the white cap of the second-string Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) that emerged on top in a thriller. Third in this 6 1/2-furlong feature 12 months ago, the Charlie Appleby representative had yet to win over this short a trip but gave all the right signals with the way he travelled through the seven-furlong G2 Lennox S. when registering a career-best success at the Qatar Goodwood Festival July 28. Upping his game again here, the TDN Rising Star was ridden with supreme confidence by William Buick and justified that faith with a late surge to overhaul Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}) and Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the final 50 metres. At the line, the 3/4-of-a-length margin to the former probably underestimated the superiority of the 9-2 shot, while the G1 Prix Jean Prat runner-up Lope Y Fernandez was a head away in third and Godolphin’s 11-10 favourite Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal) surrendered his unbeaten record a further short neck behind in fourth. “Space Blues has everything–it’s amazing to see a turn of foot like that in a top sprint race,” Buick said. “Charlie told me that he was a better horse this year, which I felt as well at Goodwood in the Lennox. He is a very, very good horse and it is his first group 1, which he really deserves.”
Labelled a TDN Rising Star when off the mark on his sole juvenile start over an extended mile at Nottingham in November 2018, Space Blues spent the first part of last Spring being trained for middle-distances and when that failed was brought back to this trip to gain a confidence boost in a York handicap in May. Following up in the Listed Surrey S. at Epsom later that month, he was denied a head by Space Traveller (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) when going too soon in Royal Ascot’s G3 Jersey S. in June and stepped up to be three-lengths second to Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Jean Prat over this course and distance in July. Again improving to be a close third in this, the bay was next seen flopping when seventh ridden too forward in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint over six furlongs at Meydan Mar. 7.
Returning to European action to deny the Haydock specialist Safe Voyage (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) in the June 7 Listed Spring Trophy there, he reaffirmed his aptitude for seven furlongs when taking the G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot at ParisLongchamp June 25 before his display of power in the Lennox. Anchored in rear early having broken fast here, he was hard against the stand’s rail with Buick finding an able target-horse in Hello Youmzain as Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) led Earthlight away to his right. Comfortably in touch and notably keen for action, Space Blues was only let go after the two Royal Ascot-winning sprinters had begun their prolonged duel in front and while Lope Y Fernandez and Earthlight stayed on resolutely, the winning of the race was the superior acceleration of the British raider.
On this evidence, he would be more than a match for stablemate Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) and it may be that Appleby will have to keep them apart from here. “We all know what Dubawi’s progeny can do as they get older and that’s true for most sprinters as well,” he commented. “His profile this year has been faultless. Every time he has stepped up in grade, he has been more impressive and a lot of credit goes to the team at home. Paolo [Sirigu], who rides him, does a fantastic job looking after him and he is a Christian of a horse. There isn’t a great amount of opportunities at group 1 level for a horse like Space Blues and I was keen to try and win one with him, because he deserves it. He is a lovely horse to have around and it is fantastic for the team. Most importantly, it is fantastic for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and Godolphin.”
“It is hard to be on the front end at Deauville and the gallop was strong early doors. I felt that the race was always going to develop for a finisher and William’s instructions were to go out there and ride him to come home. He has given the horse a lovely ride. From halfway, William said he only needed for the gaps to appear and, thankfully, they came in time. We will look at bringing him back to France again for the G1 Prix de la Foret on Arc weekend [Oct. 4]. We will give him a well-deserved break first and then head to Longchamp.”
Nicolas de Chambure said of Hello Youmzain, “We’re delighted to see him back to his best. In the July Cup last time, he didn’t appreciate the ‘dip’ and once again he hit a flat spot around halfway and then found more. It’s a good result and we’re proud of him. We’ll follow the same program as last year, go for Haydock [for the G1 Sprint Cup] and then Ascot [for the G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint S.]. Next year, he will stand at Etreham.” Lisa-Jane Graffard said of Earthlight, “Mickael said he was a little bit flat in the last 100 yards, but it’s only his second run and that will help him improve his condition. He still has a very bright future, wherever he goes next, and we will take some time to reflect on everything.”
Space Blues is a half-brother to the four-times group-winning Shuruq (Elusive Quality), who is in turn the dam of the stakes-winning and GI American Oaks and GII Fair Grounds Oaks-placed Antoinette (Hard Spun). The dam is the G2 Challenge S. winner Miss Lucifer (Fr) (Noverre), a granddaughter of High Spirited (Ire) (Shirley Heights {GB}) who is a full-sister to the G1 Premio Roma heroine High Hawk (Ire) who produced the triple group 1 hero and leading sire In the Wings (GB) (Sadler’s Wells). High Spirited’s progeny include the G2 King Edward VII S. scorer Amfortas (Ire) (Caerleon) and the G3 Prix de Royaumont winner Legend Maker (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) who was responsible for the G1 1000 Guineas heroine Virginia Waters (Kingmambo) and the G3 Gallinule S. scorer Alexander of Hales (Danehill). His full-sister Canterbury Lace produced the G1 Matron S. winner Chachamaidee (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), who is in turn the dam of the G3 Pinnacle S. winner Klassique (GB) (Gaileo {Ire}). Miss Lucifer also has an as-yet unraced 3-year-old filly by Exceed and Excel (Aus) named Next Victory (Ire), a 2-year-old filly by Night of Thunder (Ire) named Beautiful Future (Ire) and a filly foal by Dark Angel (Ire).
Sunday, Deauville, France
LARC PRIX MAURICE DE GHEEST-G1, €230,000, Deauville, 8-9, 3yo/up, 6 1/2fT, 1:15.76, gd.
1–SPACE BLUES (IRE), 130, c, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Miss Lucifer (Fr) (GSW-Eng, $193,403), by Noverre
2nd Dam: Devil’s Imp (Ire), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
3rd Dam: High Spirited (Ire), by Shirley Heights (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. €131,422. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 13-7-3-1, €451,723. *1/2 to Shuruq (Elusive Quality), Hwt. Older Mare-UAE at 7-9.5f, MGSW-UAE, GSW-Tur & GSP-Eng, $658,709. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hello Youmzain (Fr), 130, c, 4, Kodiac (GB)–Spasha (GB), by Shamardal. O-Haras d’Etreham & Cambridge Stud; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (FR); T-Kevin Ryan. €52,578.
3–Lope Y Fernandez (Ire), 126, c, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Black Dahlia (GB), by Dansili (GB). (€900,000 Ylg ’18 ARAUG). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €26,289.
Margins: 3/4, HD, SNK. Odds: 4.40, 17.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Earthlight (Ire), Golden Horde (Ire), Wooded (Ire), Reshabar (Fr), Wichita (Ire), Spinning Memories (Ire), Roncey (Fr), Batwan (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Zoffany’s Thunder Moon a New Rising Star At The Curragh
Thunder Moon | Racingfotos.com
By Tom Frary
Sunday’s seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at The Curragh looked as if it could be storing something exciting beforehand and so it proved as Anne Marie O’Brien’s Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) exploded onto the scene to earn TDN Rising Star status. Keen early tracking the leading trio, the 10-1 shot who had won a Dundalk barrier trial July 29 travelled with supreme ease once Declan McDonogh had got a grip on him. Given the command approaching the final furlong, the homebred split rivals and surged to the front soon after and was pushed out to put 3 3/4 lengths between him and the solid yardstick Colour Sergeant (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), with Ballydoyle’s Baton Rouge (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a length away in third.
“I think he’s a smart horse. He went to a barrier trial a couple of weeks ago and did it well,” Joseph O’Brien’s representative Brendan Powell commented. “He’s typical of a Zoffany, very relaxed and a lovely-natured horse. He’s got a lot of filling out to do. Declan said he didn’t even have to hit him. He was just niggling him and as soon as he really grabbed hold of him, gave him a squeeze, he picked up and found that turn of foot. That’s a good asset to have. He’ll make up into a lovely three-year-old. He stays the trip well and he’s got a good future.”
Thunder Moon’s unraced Moyglare Stud-bred dam Small Sacrifice (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) was bought by Anne Marie O’Brien for just €18,000 at the 2007 Goffs November Mares Sale. She has subsequently produced the Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. winner Table Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who was later renamed Anticipation (Ire) in Hong Kong, SW-Eng, SP-HK, $643,136. Small Sacrifice is a half to the G3 Horris Hill S. third Aahaykid (Ire) (Intikhab) and is a full-sister to Out of Thanks (Ire) who produced the G3 Sirenia S. winner Love Lockdown (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}). Another of her half-siblings Tiny Petal (Ire) (Grand Lodge) threw the G1 Criterium International hero Vert de Grece (Ire) also by Verglas. The third dam is the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Trusted Partner (Affirmed), whose leading performer was the high-class GI Matriarch S. heroine Dress To Thrill (Ire) (Danehill) and her full-sister Polished Gem (Ire). She in turn is responsible for six black-type winners, including the G1 Prince of Wales’s S.-winning sire Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), last year’s G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the G2 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. winner Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}). Small Sacrifice also has a yearling colt by Caravaggio.
1st-Curragh, €16,500, Mdn, 8-9, 2yo, 7fT, 1:26.67, gd.
THUNDER MOON (IRE), c, 2, by Zoffany (Ire)
1st Dam: Small Sacrifice (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells
2nd Dam: Trust In Luck (Ire), by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Trusted Partner, by Affirmed
1ST-TIME STARTER. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $11,667. O-Mrs A M O’Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Joseph O’Brien. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
fonte : TDN
