Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia was purchased for $1.2 million
Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
Don't Tell Sophia rallied from last in the field to sail past favorite Wine Princess en route to a 2 π-length victory in the 28th running of the $165,200 Grade II Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
Anne M. Eberhardt
Don't Tell Sophia, last rounding the far turn, roared down the center of the stretch run to register her first grade I victory in the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes on the Keeneland main track as overwhelming favorite Close Hatches fizzled.
Order PhotoAnne M. Eberhardt
Caption: Don't Tell Sophia goes to the track. Scenes at Santa Anita on Oct. 28, 2014, in preparation for Breeders' Cup in California. 1Origs10_28_14 image287 Photo by Anne M. Eberhardt
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Caption: Don't Tell Sophia Scenes at Santa Anita in preparation for Breeders' Cup in California on Oct. 27, 2014. 1Origs10_27_14 image845 Photo by Anne M. Eberhardt
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Don't Tell Sophia Breeders' Cup 2014
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Don't Tell Sophia - Breeders' Cup, October 28, 2014
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Don't Tell Sophia at Keeneland, 10/24/2014
Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia at Keeneland, 10/24/2014
Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia at Keeneland, 10/24/2014
Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia at Keeneland, 10/24/2014
Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia, Keeneland Work, October 18, 2014.
Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia, Keeneland Work, October 18, 2014.
Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia, Keeneland Work, October 18, 2014.
Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Juddmonte Spinster.
Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Juddmonte Spinster.
Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Juddmonte Spinster.
Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Juddmonte Spinster.
Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Juddmonte Spinster.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Bayakoa Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Bayakoa Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Bayakoa Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Bayakoa Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Bayakoa Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Bayakoa Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the 2014 Pippin Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the 2014 Pippin Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the 2014 Pippin Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the 2014 Pippin Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the 2014 Pippin Stakes.
Reed Palmer/Churchill Downs
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Chilukki Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the 2013 Bayakoa Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the 2013 Bayakoa Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the 2013 Pippin Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the 2013 Pippin Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the 2013 Pippin Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia won the 2014 Bayakoa Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Bayakoa Stakes.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia won last year's Bayakoa by 6 1/2 lengths.
Reed Palmer Photography, Churchill Downs
Don't Tell Sophia comes home strong to win the Locust Grove Stakes.
Keeneland Photo
Don't Tell Sophia worked four furlongs in :48 4/5 at Keeneland on October 18.
Coady Photography
Don't Tell Sophia
Anne M. Eberhardt
Don't Tell Sophia wins the Spinster Stakes.
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Grade I winner Don't Tell Sophia, bought by trainer Phil Sims for $1,000 as a yearling, was purchased by Shunsuke Yoshida for $1.2 million during the early portion of the Nov. 2 session of the Keeneland November sale.
Multiple grade I winner Congaree will stand the 2016 breeding season at William S. Farish's Lane's End Texas near Hempstead, according to the Texas Thoroughbred Association.
Grade I winner Don't Tell Sophia, the most accomplished older female runner based at Oaklawn Park the past two years, arrived Dec. 21 and is scheduled to work this weekend in preparation for her 2015 debut.
Charles Cella, president of the Oaklawn Jockey Club, announced Dec. 10 that the Arkansas racetrack will waive its $2 general admission fee for the 2015 season that begins in January.
G. Watts Humphrey Jr.'s homebred Frivolous stalked the early pace before taking over in the stretch and held off 9-10 favorite Don't Tell Sophia to win the $222,600 Falls City Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs Nov. 27.
Phil Sims and Jerry Namy's Don't Tell Sophia heads a field of 10 older fillies and mares for the 99th running of the Falls City Handicap (gr. II) Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, at Churchill Downs.
Oaklawn Park reported Nov. 7 that it has received a record number of stall applications for the 2015 winter/spring race season.
Untapable put the finishing touches on her 3-year-old filly championship campaign when she won the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) in a driving finish Oct. 31 at Santa Anita Park.
TimeformUS Breeders' Cup Preview: Can Close Hatches revert to form in the Distaff? read blog
Joe Rocco Jr. has found that one drawback in being a jockey is that he doesn't spend as much time with the horses as he would like.
Claire Novak and Tom LaMarra handicap several races from the Breeders' Cup Friday card. They look at the Breeders' Cup Distaff, Mile, Juvenile Fillies, and Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Breeders' Cup Classic will post on Saturday as a separate show, so be sure to return then!
Trainer Phil Sims talks about the prospects of his Breeders' Cup Distaff contender Don't Tell Sophia, and also how she got her name. Watch Video
Trainer Phil Sims talks about the prospects of his Breeders' Cup Distaff contender Don't Tell Sophia, and also how she got her name.
Thirty-two horses in the Breeders' Cup cost $50,000 or less as yearlings. read blog
If Close Hatches can return to her top form, the outcome of the race could end with the familiar sight of trainer Bill Mott entering the winner's circle.
Don't Tell Sophia and Ria Antonia, pre-entered for the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) Oct. 31, turned in half-mile breezes Oct. 24 at Keeneland.
Of 201 horses pre-entered to the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park, 38 raced or trained at Keeneland in September or October. read blog
Three horses under consideration for the Breeders' Cup World Championships worked on the fast main track at Keeneland Oct. 18, led by Juddmonte Spinster (gr. I) winner Don't Tell Sophia.
Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (gr. I) winner Don't Tell Sophia will prepare at Keeneland for her planned start in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I).
Don't Tell Sophia, last rounding the far turn, roared down the stretch to register her first grade I victory in the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes Oct. 5 on the Keeneland main track as overwhelming favorite Close Hatches fizzled.
Juddmonte Farms' Close Hatches, undefeated in four races in 2014, headlines a compact field of six fillies and mares entered for the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster (gr. I) Oct. 5 at Keeneland.
Trainer Phil Simms and Jerry Namy's Don't Tell Sophia, who hadn't raced since a third-place finish in the grade II Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park in March, circled the field to win the $108,200 Locust Grove at Churchill.
Favored at odds of 3-5 and making her first start of the season, Juddmonte's 4-year-old First Defence filly galloped wire to wire in the 1 1/16-mile test, taking rider Joel Rosario straight to the winner's circle March 15.
Don't Tell Sophia has sailed through the early part of 2014, but faces a stout test March 15 in the $200,000 Azeri Stakes (gr. II) against multiple grade I winner Close Hatches, On Fire Baby, and Flashy American.
Don't Tell Sophia wasn't in a hurry leaving the gate, but she quickly got herself into gear and easily drew off to win her second straight $100,000 Bayakoa Stakes Feb. 16 at Oaklawn Park.
Don't Tell Sophia has her eye on a repeat victory in Oaklawn Park's Bayakoa Stakes Feb. 16, a month after winning the Pippin Stakes at the Arkansas track in consecutive years.
Becky Winemiller's Wine Princess again proved her affinity for Churchill Downs with a strong victory in the $150,000 Falls City Handicap (gr. II) Nov. 28 at the Kentucky track.
By virtue of her impressive score in the Nov. 2 Chilukki Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs, Don't Tell Sophia will be the 122-pound high weight and likely favorite when she goes postward in the Falls City Handicap (gr. II).
Don't Tell Sophia rallied from last in the field of 10 fillies and mares to sail past 5-2 favorite Wine Princess en route to a 2 1/4-length victory in the 28th running of the $165,200 Chilukki (gr. II) at Churchill Downs.
Anita Cauley's On Fire Baby hadn't raced since May 28 of last year. She came back with a vengeance April 12, holding off Tiz Miz Sue to win the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at Oaklawn by half a length.
Grade I winner Grace Hall, seeking her first win of the 2013 campaign, will face six opponents in the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) April 12 at Oaklawn Park as the 118-pound top weight.
Tiz Miz Sue upset the Azeri Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park last year at odds of 8-1, and this season she did it again. The Cresran homebred ran down top contenders My Miss Aurelia and Don't Tell Sophia to get the job done.
Champion juvenile filly of 2011 My Miss Aurelia is scheduled to begin her 4-year-old season in the $150,000 Azeri Stakes (gr. III) March 16 at Oaklawn Park.
Don't Tell Sophia was a $1,000 yearling purchase in 2009. On Feb. 16 she ran them off their feet at Oaklawn Park, easily putting 6 1/2 lengths over her nearest competitor in the $98,000 Bayakoa Stakes.
One day before champion Royal Delta makes her 2013 debut in the Sabin Stakes (gr. III), a rival who gave her a run for her money returns to the races in the $100,000 Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
Southwest Stakes contenders Texas Bling and Brown Almighty were on the worktab at Oaklawn Park Feb. 9, along with Bayakoa Stakes hopefuls Tiz Miz Sue, Don't Tell Sophia, and She's All In.
| Trainer | Philip A. Sims |
|---|---|
| Jockey | Joseph Rocco, Jr. |
| Owner | Sims, Philip A. and Namy, Jerry |
| Breeder | Stonerside Stable |
| Don't Tell Sophia View Five-Cross Pedigree | Congaree | Arazi |
| Mari's Sheba | ||
| Lost Expectations | Valid Expectations | |
| Lost Leaf |
| Sale / Hip | Type | Buyer | Consignor | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KEESEP2009 Hip 2787 |
Yearling | Philip A. Sims | Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent | $1,000 |
| KEENOV2015 Hip 41 |
Broodmare | Katsumi Yoshida | Spring Trace Farm, agent | $1,200,000 |
| Tapwrit |
| Classic Empire |
| Always Dreaming |
| Arrogate |
| Spooky Woods |
| Songbird |
| Gormley |
| Unspoiled Moments |
| Twisted Tom |
| Lookin At Lee |
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