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31 for Almanzor
Cambridge Stud shuttler Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) sired his 31st individual stakes winner when Brielle landed the Aphrodite Fillies’ Stakes (Listed, 1m 4f) at Newmarket. Trained by David O’Meara and ridden by Daniel Tudhope, the four-year-old defied odds of 33-1 with a dominant front-running performance, defeating Club Class (Frankel) by a length. The victory improved Brielle’s record to four wins and three placings from 11 starts, having also scored over the same distance at Thirsk earlier this season. A homebred for Elwick Stud, in a race consisting entirely of homebred horses, Brielle is the first stakes winner out of Craic Agus Spraoi (Intense Focus), a half-sister to stakes winner Parish Hall (Teofilo) from the family of Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Mac Swiney (New Approach). Almanzor has sired 18 Stakes winners in the Southern Hemisphere, 5 from his first crop, 11 from his second and 2 from his third thus far. Almanzor will stand for NZ$25,000 (plus GST) this spring.
Baby Vino springs Haskell upset
Baby Vino (Vino Rosso) caused a 28-1 upset in the Haskell Stakes (Gr 1, 9f) at Monmouth Park, defeating Preakness Stakes (Gr 1, 9.5f) winner Napoleon Solo on a sloppy track. The Lindsay Schultz-trained colt pressed the leader turning for home before prevailing under Jorge Vargas Jr, handing both trainer and jockey their first Grade 1 victories. Schultz also became the first woman to train a Haskell winner. Baby Vino entered the US$1.005 million contest following a 10.75-length success in the Pegasus Stakes (L, 1700m) and could now target the Travers Stakes (Gr 1, 10f) at Saratoga. The victory also secured the colt an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr 1, 10f) at Keeneland. Iron Honor (Nyquist) finished third, while favourite Further Ado (Gun Runner) weakened to fifth. Vino Rosso shuttled to Spendthrift Australia from his Kentucky base for two years covering 103 mares in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Kathynmarissa leads Brown clean sweep in Diana
Kathynmarissa (American Pharoah) provided trainer Chad Brown with a record-extending 11th Diana Stakes (Gr 1, 9f) victory at Saratoga on Saturday. Ridden by Jose Ortiz, the five-year-old defeated stablemate Segesta (Ghostzapper) by half a length, with fellow Brown trainee Portfolio Duration (Night of Thunder) another 2.25 lengths away in third. Dynamic Pricing (Night of Thunder), the fourth of Brown’s runners, finished fifth as the trainer completed his fifth consecutive victory in the US$500,000 feature. Kathynmarissa clocked 1:51.42 to claim her sixth win, first at grade one, from 14 starts. Owned by Michael Caruso and Michael Dubb, Kathynmarissa was purchased for US$200,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
War Front pensioned at Claiborne
Claiborne Farm has pensioned influential stallion War Front (Danzig) following the conclusion of the 2026 breeding season. The 24-year-old is in good health, with Claiborne president Walker Hancock saying the decision was made as a precaution due to his age. A homebred for Joseph Allen, War Front won the Alfred G Vanderbilt Handicap (Gr 2, 6f) and was twice placed at Grade 1 level before retiring to stud. He has sired 121 stakes winners worldwide, including 73 Group or Graded winners, 26 at the highest level and four champions. His leading progeny include 2019 Preakness Stakes (Gr 1, 9.5f) winner War Of Will. War Front’s progeny have earned more than US$113.1 million, and his impact was also felt in Australia though Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) winner Homesman, while his sons now stand at stud around the world.