Irish quartet making US memories

Well done to Micheál Conaghan, Jerry Horan, Tarlach Mac Giolla Cheara and Chris Farrell.

The quartet of Irishmen made no money from pinhooking Weston, winner at the weekend of the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar, but they have and will make many memories.

Trained and part-owned by Ryan Hanson, the son of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Hit It A Bomb (War Front), was bought as a short-yearling at Keeneland in January 2019 for $7,000 and resold at the September Sale at the same venue for exactly the same price. While no doubt disappointing at the time, the guys can know that their choice is unbeaten in two starts, has won connections $120,000 and, as a gelding, is hopefully going to be racing and winning for many years to come.

First winner

Weston became the first winner for his sire Hit It A Bomb when he won on his debut at Santa Anita in June, and now he is the stallion’s first stakes winner.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien for Evie Stockwell, Hit It A Bomb stands at Spendthrift Farm and this is a powerful start with his first crop, which only numbers about 33.

Hit It A Bomb is a full-brother to another Ballydoyle star in Brave Anna (War Front), winner of the Group 1 Connolly’s Red Mills Cheveley Park Stakes.

Weston is the sixth winner from the stakes-placed Elke, a daughter of Dixie Union (Dixieland Band). All six are multiple winners and include the stakes-placed Miss Segovia (Paddy O’Prado). Elke’s grandam Trumpet’s Blare (Vice Regent) won the Grade 1 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes and eight other races and is a full-sister to a pair of stakes winners.

Potential plans for the gelded Weston include a tilt at the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on September 7th.