The first black-type stakes winner for Gainesway’s freshman sire To Honor and Serve was served up with a Latin flavor when his juvenile son Steps to Heaven won the Oct. 2 Clásico Fernández at Hipódromo Presidente Remón in Panama.
Vai, a 2-year-old filly by first-crop sire Tapizar, found the winner’s circle for the second time in as many starts Oct. 6 when taking a six-furlong allowance race at Santa Anita. Vai’s win gives Tapizar his third repeat winner; no freshman sire has more.
A pair of Gainesway-sired colts were among the top offerings Oct. 4 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale in Timonium, Md.
Birdstone’s 5-year-old son Noble Bird has already taken owner John Oxley and trainer Mark Casse to a Grade 1 win at Churchill Downs, and if the handsome chestnut’s performance in the Oct. 1 Lukas Classic is any indication, another victory at the highest level just might be in their future. He took Churchill’s Stephen Foster Handicap last year.
Gekirin, a 2-year-old colt from the first crop of Tapizar, became the ninth winner for his sire Sept. 17 in an 1800m maiden race at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan. Making his career debut under jockey Christophe Lemaire, Gekirin led from gate to wire to win by an authoritative six lengths.
Leading freshman sire Tapizar tallied his first stakes winner Sept. 4 when Tip Tap Tapizar came from off the pace to score a neck victory in the $100,000 Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park.
First-crop sire To Honor and Serve, who already has a pair of stakes horses to his name, earned his fourth winner Sept. 4 when first-time starter For Honor dominated a field of 2-year-old fillies in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race at Saratoga.
To Honor and Serve, who already has a pair of stakes horses in his first crop, got his third winner on Aug. 14 when Honor River rallied for a 1½-length maiden special weight victory at Woodbine.
Monster Bea turned in the best performance of his career July 15 at Del Mar with a powerful two-length victory in the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes on opening day of the summer meet.
Zartera strolled to a two-length win in his debut June 16 at Churchill Downs as the 2-year-old Tapizar colt became the fourth winner for his sire, tying him for the most by any freshman sire in North America.