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Ashcroft Lane a Stylish First Winner for Freshman Sire Keepmeinmind

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Wind and sideways rain were not going to slow Ashcroft Lane on his debut, and the son of freshman sire Keepmeinmind rolled home to become the first winner for the stallion in the Belmont Big A opener.

Entered here as a ‘main track only’ runner, his connections got their wish when Mother Nature unleashed her fury on the Big Apple and soaked the track, taking racing off the turf. Drawing in as two to his inside scratched, Ashcroft Lane carried 6-1 odds when he entered the gate to the outside of 2-5 favorite Timbertop (Jackie’s Warrior).

Breaking well and rocketing right to the front, the Robert Falcone trainee had the tempo well in hand through an opening quarter in :22.73 and came off the bend with a widening advantage after four furlongs in :46.31. Under a hand ride in the lane, fellow MTO entry Tyson’s Gamble (Warrior’s Charge) tried to reel him in, but could do no better than 9 3/4 lengths second best. The betting choice, the lone filly in the field, ran a distant third.

Greek Knight (Galilean) broke outwardly after the bell and was knocked around. According to the chart, he sustained an injury leaving the backstretch and was pulled up before walked into the equine ambulance.

Ashcroft Lane is the first to the races for Dame Time, a winning daughter of perennial top sire Into Mischief. She has a yearling filly in the wings already named Somebody’s Baby (Fire at Will) and was bred to Annapolis for 2026.

1st-Belmont The Big A, $82,450, Msw, 5-24, 2yo, 5 1/2f (off turf), 1:04.28, sy, 9 3/4 lengths.
ASHCROFT LANE (c, 2, Keepmeinmind–Dame Time, by Into Mischief) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $46,750. O-James Politano and Northeast Racing, LLC; B-Sequel Stallions New York LLC & James Politano (NY); T-Robert N. Falcone, Jr..
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Ashcroft Lane a Stylish First Winner for Freshman Sire Keepmeinmind appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Magnitude Breezes in Preparation for Stephen Foster

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Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Dubai World Cup Magnitude (Not This Time) continued his preparation toward the GI Stephen Foster on June 27 with a five-furlong breeze in 1:02.60 Sunday morning at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Magnitude worked just after 6 a.m. ET on a fast track. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

“He worked great this morning,” the Hall of Famer said. “I’m very happy with how he’s doing and really looking forward to the matchup in the Stephen Foster.”

Magnitude began his career at Churchill Downs in June 2024 and has since recorded victories in the GII Clark Stakes, GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes, GIII Razorback Handicap and Iowa Derby. The 4-year-old recorded his biggest victory in the Mar. 28 G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan.

Asmussen won the Stephen Foster with Curlin in 2008 and again with Gun Runner in 2017. Both horses went on to earn Horse of the Year honors and became two of the sport’s most influential stallions.

Two other horses have used victories in the Stephen Foster as part of Horse of the Year campaigns–Black Tie Affair (1991) and Saint Liam (2005). In addition, two Stephen Foster runners-up were later crowned Horse of the Year: Mineshaft (2003) and Wise Dan (2012).

The Stephen Foster is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In Classic Division, where the winner will earn an automatic berth into the GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

The post Magnitude Breezes in Preparation for Stephen Foster appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Ashcroft Lane a Stylish First Winner for Freshman Sire Keepmeinmind

---

Wind and sideways rain were not going to slow Ashcroft Lane on his debut, and the son of freshman sire Keepmeinmind rolled home to become the first winner for the stallion in the Belmont Big A opener.

Entered here as a ‘main track only’ runner, his connections got their wish when Mother Nature unleashed her fury on the Big Apple and soaked the track, taking racing off the turf. Drawing in as two to his inside scratched, Ashcroft Lane carried 6-1 odds when he entered the gate to the outside of 2-5 favorite Timbertop (Jackie’s Warrior).

Breaking well and rocketing right to the front, the Robert Falcone trainee had the tempo well in hand through an opening quarter in :22.73 and came off the bend with a widening advantage after four furlongs in :46.31. Under a hand ride in the lane, fellow MTO entry Tyson’s Gamble (Warrior’s Charge) tried to reel him in, but could do no better than 9 3/4 lengths second best. The betting choice, the lone filly in the field, ran a distant third.

Greek Knight (Galilean) broke outwardly after the bell and was knocked around. According to the chart, he sustained an injury leaving the backstretch and was pulled up before walked into the equine ambulance.

Ashcroft Lane is the first to the races for Dame Time, a winning daughter of perennial top sire Into Mischief. She has a yearling filly in the wings already named Somebody’s Baby (Fire at Will) and was bred to Annapolis for 2026.

1st-Belmont The Big A, $82,450, Msw, 5-24, 2yo, 5 1/2f (off turf), 1:04.28, sy, 9 3/4 lengths.
ASHCROFT LANE (c, 2, Keepmeinmind–Dame Time, by Into Mischief) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $46,750. O-James Politano and Northeast Racing, LLC; B-Sequel Stallions New York LLC & James Politano (NY); T-Robert N. Falcone, Jr..
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Ashcroft Lane a Stylish First Winner for Freshman Sire Keepmeinmind appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Magnitude Breezes in Preparation for Stephen Foster

---

Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Dubai World Cup Magnitude (Not This Time) continued his preparation toward the GI Stephen Foster on June 27 with a five-furlong breeze in 1:02.60 Sunday morning at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Magnitude worked just after 6 a.m. ET on a fast track. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

“He worked great this morning,” the Hall of Famer said. “I’m very happy with how he’s doing and really looking forward to the matchup in the Stephen Foster.”

Magnitude began his career at Churchill Downs in June 2024 and has since recorded victories in the GII Clark Stakes, GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes, GIII Razorback Handicap and Iowa Derby. The 4-year-old recorded his biggest victory in the Mar. 28 G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan.

Asmussen won the Stephen Foster with Curlin in 2008 and again with Gun Runner in 2017. Both horses went on to earn Horse of the Year honors and became two of the sport’s most influential stallions.

Two other horses have used victories in the Stephen Foster as part of Horse of the Year campaigns–Black Tie Affair (1991) and Saint Liam (2005). In addition, two Stephen Foster runners-up were later crowned Horse of the Year: Mineshaft (2003) and Wise Dan (2012).

The Stephen Foster is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In Classic Division, where the winner will earn an automatic berth into the GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

The post Magnitude Breezes in Preparation for Stephen Foster appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.