American Anthem gives Bodemeister another score

As his first-crop Kentucky Derby winner, Always Dreaming, prepares for the Preakness Stakes, Bodemeister added another feather to his cap when American Anthem won the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita last Saturday.

The win was the first graded stakes score for the well-regarded colt, who had previously finished second in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes before finishing off the board in two subsequent starts.

Bodemeister is represented by one member of his second crop at this week’s Barretts May sale of 2-year-olds in training, a filly from the extended family of multiple Grade 1 winner Dortmund.

He has 11 juveniles cataloged for next week’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training, where his stock could continue to rise based on Always Dreaming’s performance in the second jewel of the Triple Crown. That group includes a half-sister to Grade 1 winners Spun Sugar and Daaher, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Jessica Is Back, and a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Lilacs and Lace.

Fastnet Rock notches a first

When Zhukova dominated the Man o’ War Stakes last Saturday at Belmont Park, she not only became the first mare to win the race since Waya in 1978, she became the first Grade 1 winner in the U.S. for internationally successful sire Fastnet Rock.

The Australian champion sprinter, a son of the legendary Danehill, stands for Coolmore in his native country – where he is a two-time leading sire – and in Europe.

Zhukova, a Group 3 winner in Ireland, has now won 7 of 10 career starts and is expected to return to the U.S. this fall for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. The mare is out of a daughter of Coolmore’s other international titan, Galileo.

“She’s a homebred. We’ve had her since she was a foal bred by my grandmother,” Mark Weld, son and assistant of trainer Dermot Weld, said. “This is huge for us today. We have a lot to look forward to.”

Hard to Impress delivers

Hard to Impress won his maiden in his eighth career outing Saturday night at Lone Star Park, finally delivering on his regal lineage.

The Hard Spun colt is out of Grade 1 winner Zoftig, making him a full brother to Grade 1 winner Zo Impressive and a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Zaftig.

Hard to Impress was purchased for $60,000 out of the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale by L&N Racing, which also campaigns Kentucky Derby runner-up Lookin At Lee.