Battle Brook Stable: Y21 Juvenile Spotlight


Ancillary [Fusillade x Artemis’ Glory (Positively Precious)] | This 15.2 hand chestnut filly is a bit of a handful around the shedrow in the morning. Ancillary is the first foal to hit the track for both sire and dam. She feeds on the taut energy around the track in the morning and in the afternoon. Her fiery persona comes to her from her dam and she demonstrated said temper on the morning we followed her to the track. She would have playfully savaged her lead pony’s neck if not for the leather plate dangling over his shoulder. Of course, the big black gelding, Cold Mountain, firmly put the youngster in her place before his rider released her into her workout. Although she comes by her chestnut color from Fusillade, she is as much the whirling dervish as her dam. She broke like a shot beneath her rider and clicked off some seriously fast fractions over the turf with relish. Her rider was very much standing in the stirrups by the time they crossed the line so surprisingly strong is this slight filly. Ripley was firm in her belief that like her dam and sire, Ancillary will be effective on either surface, but initially, like her Breeder’s Cup winning dam, she will go to the turf as a juvenile for some longer sprints and miles.

Arsonist [Firestorm x Vindicated] | If you looked fast, you might not think much of Arsonist as he’s walking down the path to the track. It took the bright blue Battle Brook Stable saddle cloth to catch the attention of this reporter. He’s not a flashy fellow, but upon further inspection, he is nearly perfectly proportioned and boy, does this 16 hand colt love the camera. He’ll stop and pose on his way to the track, ears flickering at the whirr of the camera and instantly, he became one of my favorite juveniles. Take note gentlemen: intelligence, four legs and excellent looks are the way to this woman’s heart. Arsonist is the first foal sired by Prince Of Wales winner, Firestorm, to hit the track and marks the first foal out of Vindicated to also hit the tracks. Arsonist simply lapped up the dirt course. His stride was extraordinarily fluid and long and he made an impressive showing when having to dodge around a pair of workers mid-work. The colt bore down for a brief moment, running those internal fractions faster than the initial four furlongs, and overwhelmed the runners. Albeit, they were completing a workout, but for an unraced two year old to appear so professional in this situation is still amazing.

Double Trouble [Eternally Smoldering x Calamity Queen (Touch Up)] | This 15.2 hand bay colt is arguably the most Battle Brook Stable bred horse of their crop. Ripley Marsh will always take credit for breeding Eternally Smoldering, who ended up becoming a Hall Of Fame runner for Braidwood Creek Manor. While “DT”, as he is affectionately known around the barn, has a bit more white about his face, Ripley sees positive resemblances to both his sire and foals of his grandsire. He’s a spitfire and he knows he’s the sh**. The bay colt gave his exercise rider all she could handle on their way to the gate and, even with the assistance of his pony, Double Trouble bucked and crow hopped like he was trying out for bronc riding. Ripley remarked that they would have considered “brain” surgery for the colt if he had been anyone else. Her comment against gelding was only further embellished when the bay broke from the gate and cruised into a four furlong breeze so quick and effortless that several mouths dropped around me. This horse is nowhere near a sprinter as evidenced by his winning siblings on both sides of his family, but he sure could have fooled this reporter. He galloped out like a nearly unstoppable train, only coming to a halt when his blocky pony, the enigmatic Fire It Up, nearly stuffed him into the rail. Still kicking and squealing as if he could go two more rounds, the aptly named Double Trouble marked himself as one to watch in the coming year.

Faith In War [Casualty Of War x Coveted Faith (GS Ultimate Challenge)] | While most of Battle Brook’s string trains primarily at The Wire when they’re away from home, we found this filly at Green Horse Fields keeping company with Arcane and Bronze Star, two future winners of Sand Challenge races. She’s a long-legged, rangy thing with a broad chest and shoulders and plain to look at until she’s in motion. However, fans of her sire should take note as he sired Love And War, a juvenile who proved himself with wins in 3 HOTY races on sand and turf, even with a more turf-focused dam. Coveted Faith, Faith In War’s dam, won a leg of the Turf Triple Tiara and then went on to win the Old Hat Stakes, a HOTY dirt race, at four. It is completely conceivable that this built filly will handle all three surfaces and likely why Battle Brook has chosen to train her at Green Horse Fields with their dirt, turf and sand tracks. She’s sleek as an otter on the dirt, not climbing as you sometimes see in horses meant solely for the turf, and her workout was a thing of measured beauty, particularly at the end. It did seem like her rider was keeping her under wraps at the end of the work, causing me to wonder what kind of kick this crew might just be concealing before her anticipated debut?

Gridlock [Saintly Touch x Headstrong (War Admiral)] | Gridlock is Battle Brook Stable’s worst kept secret. He was the first of their yearlings to leave the farm for The Wire, where he has taken up a special spot beside Ripley’s makeshift office. Should anyone come to speak with her this tall colt is at his window panhandling for mints like you wouldn’t believe. The nearly black colt bears significant similarities to Mockery, also by Saintly Touch, and a recent winner of the Breeder’s Cup Distaff at only age three. His confidence and borderline arrogance out on the course just bring out the biggest smiles on his connections, and when he was turned loose for his workout, I could see why. He has an attention grabbing stride--big, long, powerful--and he just eases into it like it’s nothing. The fact that he travels smooth as glass over the dirt is only more mesmerizing when you realize he’s doing it in fine time. It’s hard to believe that the only reason the colt was brought to the track so early was to find out if his relaxed, potentially lazy, nature would carry over to the track. For those curious or hopeful that it would, please note: it hasn’t.

Inglorious [Notorious x Miss Josephine (Passionate Class)] | For those who were huge fans of Notorious, the day has finally come for his first colt to hit the track. Inglorious was stamped by his sire with an intelligence and similar coloring, but in body type, he’s the hefty Miss Josephine all over. The 16 hand bay colt is an impressive sight with rippling muscle even for one so young. It is quite likely that he takes after Notorious when it comes to precocity because he just seems very developed at this stage in the game. According to Ripley Marsh, Inglorious has been that way since a young age. He isn’t the most forward mover when it comes to walking on the track or jogging. Without his rider keeping him to task, Inglorious would be content to people-watch for days. Learning from Marsh that he wasn’t the best gate breaker, I was eager to catch him at this workout because he was expected to break from the gate for this workout. As anticipated, Inglorious stutter stepped out of the gate, but it was much better than his usual, according to yearling trainer, Malcolm Floyd. Once he figured out his legs, however, the real show began. Impressively, each furlong was faster than the previous. While it was only a three furlong breeze, when Inglorious soared through the wire, I kept my watch on him and timed him for five furlongs in 1:03, with his rider fighting to pull him up for the unplanned two furlongs. This colt has the pedigree to be any sort of horse from a mile to the more marathon distances, and from all appearances, the talent as well.

Jessie’s Girl [Jessie James x Acantha (Like A Cheetah)] | Named after one of the best known 80s songs, this filly is sure to strike jealousy in the eyes of other stable owners. When I first caught sight of her walking the paddock at The Wire, I could hardly believe my eyes. This well filled out filly is supposed to be a two year old, but she already looks anything but. By my estimation, she is a tall 16.2 and, in my opinion, a little on the heavier side. Malcolm Floyd cast a smirk at me when I said as much and reassured me that the extra would be off by her first race and certainly didn’t impact her workouts. She is first daughter of the sleekly bred and raced Acantha and her class showed every bit when she didn’t turn a hair at the chaos on the track. When Maggiletti turned her to the turf, she galloped strongly over the course, only throwing her head when her jock picked up the reins. Set down for her workout, Jessie’s Girl made an impressive showing, clicking off even fractions. She perked up a bit in the gallop out as she caught up to other runners, but quietly obeyed when her rider took her to hand. My gut tells me this filly is likely to be a handy sort in a race. Competitors beware.

Jet Stream [Take Flight x Glorious Storm (Sandy Freedom)] | For those Notorious fans, you’ll want to take note of this next filly as she’s a half-sibling to the dual-leg winner of the Turf Triple Crown. Compared to the aforementioned Jessie’s Girl, Jet Stream is already a lean, mean racing machine--emphasis on “mean”. Malcolm and Ripley looked proud parents as she was tacked for her workout, standing on the other side of the traffic cones meant to ward off visitors. Rumor has it Jet Stream has attacked her stable workers in the past. There’s grateful for you. Amusingly and mostly seriously, there is a “Beware Of Dog” sign hanging outside of her stall. The dappled gray filly is a tough customer on the way to the track, even for her experienced track pony Jabberwock. She is rocking and rolling by the time she is released for her workout. Jet Stream rocketed away from her pony like he was standing still and whipped through a quick first furlong before her rider controlled her speed. She settled into a beautiful workout, quickening again down the lane with minimal urging. I personally liked everything I saw from her and think the old wives tale about the meanest fillies being among the best racers could hold some weight here.

Jezebel [Proletariat x Shenanigans (Bucephalus)] | The first time I saw Jezebel was a super foggy and damp morning at The Wire. She stood out in all the white, a spot of darkness in contrast to the light, and her eyes glinted brightly like embers not quite extinguished. It’s so easy to romanticize this nearly coal black mare. She looks like something out of a Halloween movie, a real picture just like her superstar dam, blowing and hot like a dragoness. And when she runs, you would think you’d see smoke trailing behind her. Due to the fog, I missed a vast majority of the lead up to her stretch run, but when she bounded down the lane, her jockey’s feet were on the dash and the filly was hauling, tail streaming behind her. A buzz started up behind me when she scorched through the wire, immediately causing me to seek out Malcolm or Ripley. Ripley, ever so coy, nodded at me, but even she couldn’t contain the sparkle. “I may have missed out on the breeding that resulted in Shenanigans, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to let lightning strike twice without me.” When the filly came back, took a giant breath and then pranced right on by as though she’d been out for a light jog, I felt chills run up my spine. It’s been a long time since Battle Brook had a superstar dirt miler mare, since Supernatural to be exact, and even then I don’t know if that’s an apt comparison.

Jolene [Sun King x Swing Dancer (Popcorn Blitz)] | Continuing on with the group of fiery fillies, we next find ourselves discussing Jolene, the very first Battle Brook trained Sun King filly. I’m still shocked that Battle Brook waited so long to breed to the sensational dirt sprinter/miler, considering he was such a once in a lifetime creature, but here we are. Jolene is the spitting image of her sire, ruby red with eyes the bely her calculating intelligence. She’s another I wouldn’t exactly trust to nuzzle me instead of bite. She’s got her sire’s big engine and a swaggering walk, displaying the arrogance that was so often passed down from El Sol del Mar. I have to admit she’s an impressive and eye catching animal at any pace. This day she worked with Never On Time going five furlongs. Jolene gave Never On Time a head start due to characteristic baby antics, but within a matter of strides she was battling head to head with the other filly. Her stride is constant and gives the impression that she could explode if uncorked at the exact moment. While her sire and dam were more front runner oriented, you get the feeling that she might be a bit of a stalker or mid-pack horse given how she runs.

Never On Time [Uno Momento x Fire Goddess (Beyond The Limits)] | Speaking of El Sol del Mar descendants, Ripley Marsh tapped into another son of hers, this one being the classic-distanced runner, Uno Momento. This filly is a flashy thing, taking after her mama, Breeder’s Cup Distaff winner, Fire Goddess. She’s built for classic distances, even though she is smaller compared to someone like Jessie’s Girl. In contrast to her stablemates, she also likes people, and this reporter spent more than enough time petting and stroking, and teaching her to like peppermints after her workout with Jolene. She’s a fun filly to watch on the track as she doesn’t seem to put a hoof out of place or turn a hair. When Jolene failed to match strides with her early in the workout, Never On Time just kept right on trucking along, her ears tracking the filly behind her. Floyd made it clear to me that Never On Time is never allowed to go to the track without someone to keep her company due to potentially excessive laziness. When Jolene abruptly rushed up to her, Never On Time flashed her first sign of irritation, pinning her ears and responding with a swift gear. She’s a small thing, but she is fierce, fiery and full of will to win.

Nyx [Incognito x Nocturnal Runaway (Night Stalker)] | Battle Brook’s Y19 crop is just loaded with star studded fillies and Nyx is no exception. Half-sister to The Impressionist, a three time HOTY race winner as a juvenile, Nyx looks every bit comparable. Solid brown, muscular and clearly of top-notch quality, this filly isn’t your typical plain brown wrapper. She catches the eye the instant she steps from her stall, just like her sire Incognito was known for in his racing days. Nyx possesses a big, bounding stride and appears real easy on her rider when it comes to flipping the on-off switch. One moment, she’ll cruise along like a professional merry-go-round horse and the next, she’s bulleting through serious fractions, still making it look easy with ears pricked. My only thought, and I’m sure it’s Marsh’s as well, is how will Battle Brook Stable keep their fillies apart come race time? Rest assured, they have a plan, but you know what they say about best laid plans...

Shaman [Escape Artist x Taboo (Everyday Hero)] | Finally a colt! And Shaman is a fine colt at that. In the physicality department, this gray boy takes after his dainty dam. He’s got her lovely head, aerodynamic frame and a steel gray coat that will fade out to look just like hers one day. Escape Artist contributed his genetics, of course, but even Marsh says that Shaman is a quirky bird just like Taboo. Apparently, hiding out in your shed when it’s time to come in just because it’s sprinkling is frowned upon by the establishment. Shaman is a cool horse to watch train as he seemingly skips over the ground with a feathery lightness. He’s a fast horse with a brain, which makes him a dangerous one. That brain was fully on display when he encountered traffic on this day. The minute he wanted to take off in pursuit of the sudden competition, his rider reminded him politely to stick to her own. Surprisingly, Shaman kept to his own and completed a marvelous workout without much more than an ear flick.

Skyfall [Indian Night x Feline Frenzy] | When compared to the leggy supermodels of the crop, it would be easy to overlook the mule-eared, oddly built Skyfall. She’s a mere 15.1 and a happy go lucky, spunky sort that looks apologetic the minute she accidentally does something wrong. It is clear that her connections adore her, slipping her pats and treats unabashedly. A most interesting outcross, Skyfall is likely to bring some new blood to the turf sprinting ranks of Battle Brook Stable which is what Ripley Marsh has been gunning for over the last several breeding seasons. Her funky filly isn’t the prettiest picture on the track, but she is a character, bouncing like a two year old in a toy store. When given her que to break off for the work, Skyfall is slower to ease into the run, but with each passing furlong her speed picks up like a slow burn. Small as she is, her most impressive trait is the way she cuts around the corner and swaps leads, making up a ton of time and ground that larger horses might lose. Coming down the lane, Skyfall’s late kick is strong and undeniable. Her final furlong fractions, according to a nearby clocker, were swift enough to raise a few eyebrows. Although Battle Brook Stable has become a mammoth in the racing world, I can’t help but root for their very own underdog filly.