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The Fastest Maidens of the Week – Sept. 28 – Oct. 4

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A fascinating list of fast maidens this week is headed by a Godolphin/Mike Stidham exacta.

5 – MYSTIK BAYOU, BEL, 10/3-1st, 1 1/16 miles (video)
Beyer Speed Figure – 88
(c, 2, by Wells Bayou–Ma’am, by Colonel John)
O/B-4G Racing, Lance Gasaway and Daniel Hamby III. T-Ken McPeek. J-Ricardo Santana Jr.
2020 GII Louisiana Derby winner Wells Bayou (Lookin At Lucky) was injured by the time the COVID Kentucky Derby rolled around then never regained his best form at 4. Bred to 39 mares in 2022 while standing in Oklahoma, he got three in foal and was declared infertile: one pregnancy slipped, one foal was born prematurely and died, and one survived. Wells Bayou’s sole surviving offspring? Mystik Bayou, a half-brother to 2023 Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents), who was caught in the wake of U.S.S. Valor last month but looked good winning at Belmont by 4 ¼ with a stalking style. The owners (Gasaway was also part owner of Wells Bayou) bred and raced Mystik Dan and still own 13-year-old Ma’am, who RNAed for $2.9 million in fall 2024 and has been entered in Keeneland November.

4 – DOMAIN EXPANSION, SA, 10/3-3rd, Oak Leaf Stakes, 1 1/16 miles (video)
Beyer Speed Figure – 88
(f, 2, by Speaker’s Corner–Special You, by Medaglia d’Oro)
O-California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing, Allen Keith and Kevin O’Donnell. B-Machmer Hall. T-Leonard Powell. J-Adrian Escobedo.
As a one-start maiden from the first crop of talented Speaker’s Corner, Domain Expansion blew away three Bob Baffert-trained favorites in a 7-length Oak Leaf victory as the 14-1 second-longest shot in a five-horse field. “For a smaller outfit like me, it’s hard to go against (Baffert), but she came out on top,” Powell said. “She is a big filly and she’s going to develop into a really nice horse. I think there is still upside to her. As soon as we started breezing her at Del Mar, she showed things that your usual 2-year-old doesn’t show.” There was nothing fluky about the win in 100-degree heat, and while she won’t be the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies she probably won’t be 14/1 again, either.

2 – (tie) COGNITION, KEE, 10/2-4th, about 7 furlongs (video)
Beyer Speed Figure – 89
(f, 3, by Practical Joke–Syllable, by Super Saver)
O-Klaravich Stables. B-Machmer Hall. T-Chad Brown. J-Flavien Prat.
The modest (by 2026 standards) $170,000 yearling buy was compromised by a slow start in her 2-year-old debut at Saratoga then suffered an unspecified setback last September that kept her out of serious training for nine months. But she came back running last week, capitalizing on a soft spot for a 4-length front-running score.

Cognition scores at Keeneland | Coady Media

2 – (tie) CORNWALL BOSS, DEL, 10/2-8th, 6 furlongs (video)
Beyer Speed Figure – 89
(c, 3, by Street Boss–Carbis Bay, by Curlin)
O/B-Godolphin. T-Mike Stidham. J-Jose Batista.
Cornwall Boss showed promise in two starts as a juvenile and returned with a 8 3/4-length runaway as a 1/5 favorite at Delaware Park, Stidham’s summer base. No Godolphin pedigrees are weak, but his looks better if you begin with third dam Composure, a two-time Grade I-winning filly the stable bought for $3.6 million after her career in 2003.Unfortunately, her 11 foals to race produced one Grade II winner, Penwith, who produced one Grade III winner, Cornishman. Godolphin kept Cornishman’s full-sister Carbis Bay even after her 0-for-5 racing career, but she was on a short leash and ultimately was packed off to the Philippines in 2025 after her first three foals had produced no winners at the time. Now that pedigree page looks a bit stronger after Cornwall Boss scored big Friday.

1 – ZIMMER, BEL, 10/2-7th, 6 furlongs (video)
Beyer Speed Figure – 90
(c, 3, by Maclean’s Music–Carnival Court, by Street Sense)
O/B-Godolphin. T-Mike Stidham. J-Paco Lopez.
Zimmer was almost ready to run last August before being sidelined by injury and had been training well at Delaware. “He outworked Cornwall Boss (above) a couple of times,” Stidham explained. “They had about the same fitness level but he actually outworked him easily.” Thus Zimmer was sent to Belmont and his Friday career debut went off only six minutes after Cornwall Boss’s race at Delaware. “When Cornwall Boss won by 8 3/4, we felt pretty good about Zimmer,” Stidham said. Zimmer dutifully ran off to a 4-length victory at a generous $9.96 mutuel that no doubt made the barn very happy.  Out of a half-sister to three-time Eclipse Award champion Royal Delta who was third for Darley in the 2013 GI Alabama Stakes, Zimmer was named for legendary Academy Award-winning film composer Hans Zimmer.

The post The Fastest Maidens of the Week – Sept. 28 – Oct. 4 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

OBS October Yearling Sale Kicks Off Tuesday

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The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2026 October Yearling Sale begins its two-day run on Tuesday and this year’s catalogue features a total of 464 yearlings, including supplements. Both sessions begin at noon ET.

Tuesday’s session will offer hips one through 189, plus supplemental hips 190 through 224, while Wednesday’s session will offer hips 251 through 439, along with supplemental hips 440 through 464.

Kaizen Sales’ Richard Kent believes that momentum from a series of strong yearling sales this summer will continue in Florida this week.

“Normally we have a little more time in between [Keeneland September and OBS October], but I think [the timing] for OBS is better in October.”

He continued, “I think people will shop this sale pretty strongly. The economy’s great, and I think it’s the best place for the OBS sale to be in terms of its position in the yearling calendar [of sales]. I think OBS has got its supporters and I think in the last little bit, you’re finding a few more of the Florida breeders are supporting the local sale as opposed to shipping their horse up to Kentucky to sell.”

In the 2025 renewal of the sale, a filly by Into Mischief out of Compelled (War Front) brought top price of $275,000 (post sale) from Tami Bobo. The filly was consigned by her breeder, Glen Hill Farm.

Named Medinah, the filly won her career debut at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 9.

“The expectations for this sale I think are going to be strong,” said consignor Beth Bayer. “We’ve seen the strength of the other sales, and I think it’s definitely going to carry through to this sale. This morning, the traffic has been great. We’ve been super busy already; we’ve already had 30 shows this morning. So, I’m excited about that.”

Kaizen Hoping for More of the Same in 2026

In last year’s sale, a filly by Mo Donegal realized top price (through the ring) of $240,000 from Dream With Me Florida LLC. The filly, who was purchased in utero by Peter Blum for $95,000, was consigned by Kaizen Sales on behalf of Luis Gavignano’s Lugamo Racing.

“The people who sold the sale topper last year, Lugamo Racing Stable, resisted the temptation from consignors that were after them to send a couple of their horses up to Keeneland [September] since they did so well here last year. We also sold an Early Voting for them [in 2025].”

Kent is also covered with a strong collection of ladies in 2026.

On Day 1, the operation offers Hip 10, a New York-bred daughter of Vekoma out of Jaccaci (Gormley). On the second day of selling, Kaizen presents Hip 414, a Florida-bred daughter of first-season sire Doppelganger; and Hip 415, a New York-bred filly by Yaupon out of Gavinera (Into Mischief).

The Vekoma and Yaupon fillies are offered on behalf of their breeder, Lugamo Racing Stables.

“They are extremely good fillies,” said Kent who has high hopes for Lugamo’s offerings this season. “They have come back with extremely strong physicals and I am quite excited about these two horses as well.”

Kaizen is also represented by Hip 215, a colt by Uncle Mo out of Quality Control (Quality Road). The Florida-bred is offered on behalf of breeder Live Oak Stud.

Asked what are some of the young guns to look out for in this year’s consignment, Kent said, “I have a Roadster who has done extremely well here in Ocala,” said Kent of Hip 322, a Florida-bred colt out of Birdtastic (Birdstone). “Hopefully, we can keep Roadtser in Ocala and he doesn’t get on a van and head up towards 859 area code.”

On Day 2, Kaizen offers a pair of colts by first-season sire Simplification. Hip 278 is a Florida-bred colt out of Valiant Miss (Valiant Minister), while Hip 285 is a Florida-bred colt out of Violent Zap (Violence).

“I have a couple of Florida-breds by Simplification, who was a very good horse and as a son of Not This Time, that’s going to carry a lot of weight. I’ve also got an extremely nice Doppelganger [Hip 414] who is a young horse down [at Ocala Stud] by Into Mischief who will attract some attention too.”

Other sires represented by their first yearlings in the October catalogue include Americanrevolution, Arabian Lion, Arcangelo, Dr. Schivel, Elite Power, Gunite, Mage, Mullion, Pappacap, Taiba, Up to the Mark, Verifying and Zandon.

“I have a really nice Verifying, who is a really good young son of Justify,” Kent said of the Pleasant Acres Stallions resident.

Winner of the GIII Indiana Derby, Verifying also placed in three races at the Grade I level.

Representing the 12-year-old sire, Hip 316 is a colt out of Ballyhoo Moon (Malibu Moon). The Florida-bred was bred by Rivermont Farm. Hip 455, another Florida-bred by the stallion, is out of Danzon Again (Curlin). The latter colt was bred in Florida by Ruben Valdes.

With much of the yearling sales season in the rear-view mirror, what can be expected in the final yearling auctions of the season?

“Well, anybody that isn’t overly optimistic with the market that they’ve seen in 2026, it hasn’t been to the last three sales, Fasig-Tipton July and Saratoga or Keeneland [September],” Kent said. “I think it’s a very strong market. If you tick all the boxes and you’ve got a very athletic looking horse, I think you’ll find the market very satisfying.”

The post OBS October Yearling Sale Kicks Off Tuesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The Fastest Maidens of the Week – Sept. 28 – Oct. 4

---

A fascinating list of fast maidens this week is headed by a Godolphin/Mike Stidham exacta.

5 – MYSTIK BAYOU, BEL, 10/3-1st, 1 1/16 miles (video)
Beyer Speed Figure – 88
(c, 2, by Wells Bayou–Ma’am, by Colonel John)
O/B-4G Racing, Lance Gasaway and Daniel Hamby III. T-Ken McPeek. J-Ricardo Santana Jr.
2020 GII Louisiana Derby winner Wells Bayou (Lookin At Lucky) was injured by the time the COVID Kentucky Derby rolled around then never regained his best form at 4. Bred to 39 mares in 2022 while standing in Oklahoma, he got three in foal and was declared infertile: one pregnancy slipped, one foal was born prematurely and died, and one survived. Wells Bayou’s sole surviving offspring? Mystik Bayou, a half-brother to 2023 Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents), who was caught in the wake of U.S.S. Valor last month but looked good winning at Belmont by 4 ¼ with a stalking style. The owners (Gasaway was also part owner of Wells Bayou) bred and raced Mystik Dan and still own 13-year-old Ma’am, who RNAed for $2.9 million in fall 2024 and has been entered in Keeneland November.

4 – DOMAIN EXPANSION, SA, 10/3-3rd, Oak Leaf Stakes, 1 1/16 miles (video)
Beyer Speed Figure – 88
(f, 2, by Speaker’s Corner–Special You, by Medaglia d’Oro)
O-California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing, Allen Keith and Kevin O’Donnell. B-Machmer Hall. T-Leonard Powell. J-Adrian Escobedo.
As a one-start maiden from the first crop of talented Speaker’s Corner, Domain Expansion blew away three Bob Baffert-trained favorites in a 7-length Oak Leaf victory as the 14-1 second-longest shot in a five-horse field. “For a smaller outfit like me, it’s hard to go against (Baffert), but she came out on top,” Powell said. “She is a big filly and she’s going to develop into a really nice horse. I think there is still upside to her. As soon as we started breezing her at Del Mar, she showed things that your usual 2-year-old doesn’t show.” There was nothing fluky about the win in 100-degree heat, and while she won’t be the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies she probably won’t be 14/1 again, either.

2 – (tie) COGNITION, KEE, 10/2-4th, about 7 furlongs (video)
Beyer Speed Figure – 89
(f, 3, by Practical Joke–Syllable, by Super Saver)
O-Klaravich Stables. B-Machmer Hall. T-Chad Brown. J-Flavien Prat.
The modest (by 2026 standards) $170,000 yearling buy was compromised by a slow start in her 2-year-old debut at Saratoga then suffered an unspecified setback last September that kept her out of serious training for nine months. But she came back running last week, capitalizing on a soft spot for a 4-length front-running score.

Cognition scores at Keeneland | Coady Media

2 – (tie) CORNWALL BOSS, DEL, 10/2-8th, 6 furlongs (video)
Beyer Speed Figure – 89
(c, 3, by Street Boss–Carbis Bay, by Curlin)
O/B-Godolphin. T-Mike Stidham. J-Jose Batista.
Cornwall Boss showed promise in two starts as a juvenile and returned with a 8 3/4-length runaway as a 1/5 favorite at Delaware Park, Stidham’s summer base. No Godolphin pedigrees are weak, but his looks better if you begin with third dam Composure, a two-time Grade I-winning filly the stable bought for $3.6 million after her career in 2003.Unfortunately, her 11 foals to race produced one Grade II winner, Penwith, who produced one Grade III winner, Cornishman. Godolphin kept Cornishman’s full-sister Carbis Bay even after her 0-for-5 racing career, but she was on a short leash and ultimately was packed off to the Philippines in 2025 after her first three foals had produced no winners at the time. Now that pedigree page looks a bit stronger after Cornwall Boss scored big Friday.

1 – ZIMMER, BEL, 10/2-7th, 6 furlongs (video)
Beyer Speed Figure – 90
(c, 3, by Maclean’s Music–Carnival Court, by Street Sense)
O/B-Godolphin. T-Mike Stidham. J-Paco Lopez.
Zimmer was almost ready to run last August before being sidelined by injury and had been training well at Delaware. “He outworked Cornwall Boss (above) a couple of times,” Stidham explained. “They had about the same fitness level but he actually outworked him easily.” Thus Zimmer was sent to Belmont and his Friday career debut went off only six minutes after Cornwall Boss’s race at Delaware. “When Cornwall Boss won by 8 3/4, we felt pretty good about Zimmer,” Stidham said. Zimmer dutifully ran off to a 4-length victory at a generous $9.96 mutuel that no doubt made the barn very happy.  Out of a half-sister to three-time Eclipse Award champion Royal Delta who was third for Darley in the 2013 GI Alabama Stakes, Zimmer was named for legendary Academy Award-winning film composer Hans Zimmer.

The post The Fastest Maidens of the Week – Sept. 28 – Oct. 4 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

OBS October Yearling Sale Kicks Off Tuesday

---

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2026 October Yearling Sale begins its two-day run on Tuesday and this year’s catalogue features a total of 464 yearlings, including supplements. Both sessions begin at noon ET.

Tuesday’s session will offer hips one through 189, plus supplemental hips 190 through 224, while Wednesday’s session will offer hips 251 through 439, along with supplemental hips 440 through 464.

Kaizen Sales’ Richard Kent believes that momentum from a series of strong yearling sales this summer will continue in Florida this week.

“Normally we have a little more time in between [Keeneland September and OBS October], but I think [the timing] for OBS is better in October.”

He continued, “I think people will shop this sale pretty strongly. The economy’s great, and I think it’s the best place for the OBS sale to be in terms of its position in the yearling calendar [of sales]. I think OBS has got its supporters and I think in the last little bit, you’re finding a few more of the Florida breeders are supporting the local sale as opposed to shipping their horse up to Kentucky to sell.”

In the 2025 renewal of the sale, a filly by Into Mischief out of Compelled (War Front) brought top price of $275,000 (post sale) from Tami Bobo. The filly was consigned by her breeder, Glen Hill Farm.

Named Medinah, the filly won her career debut at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 9.

“The expectations for this sale I think are going to be strong,” said consignor Beth Bayer. “We’ve seen the strength of the other sales, and I think it’s definitely going to carry through to this sale. This morning, the traffic has been great. We’ve been super busy already; we’ve already had 30 shows this morning. So, I’m excited about that.”

Kaizen Hoping for More of the Same in 2026

In last year’s sale, a filly by Mo Donegal realized top price (through the ring) of $240,000 from Dream With Me Florida LLC. The filly, who was purchased in utero by Peter Blum for $95,000, was consigned by Kaizen Sales on behalf of Luis Gavignano’s Lugamo Racing.

“The people who sold the sale topper last year, Lugamo Racing Stable, resisted the temptation from consignors that were after them to send a couple of their horses up to Keeneland [September] since they did so well here last year. We also sold an Early Voting for them [in 2025].”

Kent is also covered with a strong collection of ladies in 2026.

On Day 1, the operation offers Hip 10, a New York-bred daughter of Vekoma out of Jaccaci (Gormley). On the second day of selling, Kaizen presents Hip 414, a Florida-bred daughter of first-season sire Doppelganger; and Hip 415, a New York-bred filly by Yaupon out of Gavinera (Into Mischief).

The Vekoma and Yaupon fillies are offered on behalf of their breeder, Lugamo Racing Stables.

“They are extremely good fillies,” said Kent who has high hopes for Lugamo’s offerings this season. “They have come back with extremely strong physicals and I am quite excited about these two horses as well.”

Kaizen is also represented by Hip 215, a colt by Uncle Mo out of Quality Control (Quality Road). The Florida-bred is offered on behalf of breeder Live Oak Stud.

Asked what are some of the young guns to look out for in this year’s consignment, Kent said, “I have a Roadster who has done extremely well here in Ocala,” said Kent of Hip 322, a Florida-bred colt out of Birdtastic (Birdstone). “Hopefully, we can keep Roadtser in Ocala and he doesn’t get on a van and head up towards 859 area code.”

On Day 2, Kaizen offers a pair of colts by first-season sire Simplification. Hip 278 is a Florida-bred colt out of Valiant Miss (Valiant Minister), while Hip 285 is a Florida-bred colt out of Violent Zap (Violence).

“I have a couple of Florida-breds by Simplification, who was a very good horse and as a son of Not This Time, that’s going to carry a lot of weight. I’ve also got an extremely nice Doppelganger [Hip 414] who is a young horse down [at Ocala Stud] by Into Mischief who will attract some attention too.”

Other sires represented by their first yearlings in the October catalogue include Americanrevolution, Arabian Lion, Arcangelo, Dr. Schivel, Elite Power, Gunite, Mage, Mullion, Pappacap, Taiba, Up to the Mark, Verifying and Zandon.

“I have a really nice Verifying, who is a really good young son of Justify,” Kent said of the Pleasant Acres Stallions resident.

Winner of the GIII Indiana Derby, Verifying also placed in three races at the Grade I level.

Representing the 12-year-old sire, Hip 316 is a colt out of Ballyhoo Moon (Malibu Moon). The Florida-bred was bred by Rivermont Farm. Hip 455, another Florida-bred by the stallion, is out of Danzon Again (Curlin). The latter colt was bred in Florida by Ruben Valdes.

With much of the yearling sales season in the rear-view mirror, what can be expected in the final yearling auctions of the season?

“Well, anybody that isn’t overly optimistic with the market that they’ve seen in 2026, it hasn’t been to the last three sales, Fasig-Tipton July and Saratoga or Keeneland [September],” Kent said. “I think it’s a very strong market. If you tick all the boxes and you’ve got a very athletic looking horse, I think you’ll find the market very satisfying.”

The post OBS October Yearling Sale Kicks Off Tuesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.