Samurai strikes with First winner

Multiple Grade 1 star FIRST SAMURAI (Giant's Causeway) got off the mark as a

freshman sire on Saturday when Hornblower sailed home in the 1ST race at

Hastings Racecourse. Third in his debut over a scant 3 1/2 furlongs, the 2-1

shot profited from the step up to about six furlongs. Hornblower chased the

pace, took charge on the far turn, and pulled away to score by 1 1/4 lengths.

Trained by Dino Condilenios and piloted by Francisco Fuentes, the dark bay colt

completed the event in 1:12 4/5. Hornblower is out of the Alysheba mare Crown of

Sheba, making him a half-brother to Grade 2 queen Spice Island (Tabasco Cat),

the dam of this year's Florida Derby (G1) winner and Kentucky Derby (G1)

runner-up Ice Box (Pulpit).

First Samurai was a top-class juvenile in 2005, winning his first four starts

in emphatic fashion. The Frank Brothers pupil captured a Churchill Downs maiden

by 5 1/2 lengths and a Saratoga allowance by six lengths before taking the

plunge into stakes company. Making his stakes debut in the Hopeful S. (G1), he

swept past Henny Hughes to score by 4 1/4 lengths, and defeated that same rival

by 2 3/4 lengths in the Champagne S. (G1). First Samurai's streak came to an end

in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), where he was a wide-trip third.

After opening his sophomore season with a runner-up effort in the Hutcheson

S. (G2), First Samurai stretched out to two turns for the first time in the

Fountain of Youth S. (G2). He carved out the early pace, but was tightened up by

a rallying Corinthian during the stretch drive and suffered interference on a

couple of occasions. Although he crossed the wire in second, First Samurai was

awarded the victory upon the disqualification of the wayward Corinthian.

First Samurai next appeared in the Blue Grass S. (G1). Unfortunately, he

sustained broken ribs when leaving the starting gate and reported home a remote

fifth. Sidelined by his injury, he was eventually retired once his connections

realized that he would not be able to return in time for a fall campaign. The

chestnut compiled a mark of 8-5-1-1, $915,075.

First Samurai was produced by the multiple stakes winner Freddie Frisson

(Dixieland Band), who is a half-sister to Grade 3 queen Sky Blue Pink

(Strawberry Road [Aus]). This is the family of Grade 1 sprint hero A Huevo (Cool

Joe) as well as this year's Strub S. (G2) victor, Jeranimo (Congaree).

The seven-year-old stallion stands for $30,000, stands and nurses, at

Claiborne Farm near Paris, Kentucky.