Rise and Shine

“…TDN Rising Stars allow readers to identify a race winner in the first few starts of his or her career who will, in our estimation, go on to be a Graded Stakes winner…”  - tdn.com The implication of that statement over the last 30 days would mean that we have seen seven eventual Graded winners by Darley sires both here and abroad as illustrated by the list below. Moreover, all four TDN Rising Stars at the current Saratoga meet are by Darley stallions:

Most recently, Hard Spun’s two-year-old colt Young Brian, a homebred for John Liviakis, overcame a bobbled start to eventually run away from six others at Del Mar to win on debut by a widening ten and one-quarter lengths to attain his Rising Star promotion. Hard Spun is the sire of three G1 winners in 2015 and is represented by two yearlings at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga’s Select Sale.

Bernardini, with four horses cataloged, saw two of his two-year-olds become Rising Stars already this month. First up Rachel’s Valentina, the second foal out of Medaglia d’Oro’s Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, who cruised to a very nice win in her first career start at Saratoga. She came from off the pace to win going away by two lengths for owner/breeder Stonestreet Stable. On August 7th it was more of the same at Saratoga as Bernardini’s three-year-old colt Watershed carried the Godolphin blue silks to a four-length victory in his initial start. He also posted an impressive Beyer Speed Figure of 95 while covering six furlongs in a flashy 1:09 2/5.

Girolamo was awarded his first Rising Star performer when two-year-old daughter She’s All Ready, bred by Kings and Queens Farm in New York, lead home a 1-2-4 finish by progeny of her first-year sire. It was also She’s All Ready’s career debut and she drew off to win by eight and one-quarter lengths for the five and one-half furlongs.

Three-year-old Gangster, a son of G1 winner Street Boss, relished the one and one-eight mile distance of his second career start and travelled gate-to-wire on the lead for a five-length victory. Bred by Adena Springs Farm in Kentucky, Gangster was the first of the four Saratoga Darley-sired Rising Stars and registered a Beyer Speed Figure of 94.

Not to be outdone by any stretch, Medaglia d'Oro’s much-thought-of two-year-old daughter Songbird didn’t disappoint in her first career start, making every post a winning one, while drawing off in maiden special company at Del Mar. Bred by John Antonelli in Kentucky, not only did she win by six and one-half lengths, she put up a very strong 84 Beyer which is extremely high for a debuting juvenile. Songbird was a $400,000 yearling at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga in 2014 for Medaglia d’Oro who’s represented by four additional yearlings at this year’s sale.

Lastly, we have to travel to Leopardstown Racecourse in Ireland to find the Darley-sired runner who started off this sparkling string of Darley-sired winners. Teofilo’s Sanus Per Aquam. Bred, owned and trained by Jim Bolger, this two-year-old colt got his Rising Star badge in his second career start 11 days after breaking his maiden on debut. He almost quickly validated his Rising Star status when running a strong second in a G3 event at Leopardstown two weeks later.