RyZan Sun Racing LLC and Madaket Stables LLC's Mission of Joy (m, 5, Kitten's Joy–Smart Mission, by Smart Strike), whose last graded win was two years ago, moved west this summer to Phil D'Amato's barn and must like the weather and the firm turf that's a hallmark of California grass racing. In her third Golden [...]

Four of the six 2-year-old runners in Saturday's GI American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita had graded stakes experience, but it was one of the two maiden winners making his stakes debut who came home with the victory and secured a 'Win and You're In' spot for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar [...]

She wasn't 100-1 this time and it's doubtful she ever will be again. NBS Stable's Ground Support (f, 2, Army Mule–Arch Support, by Arch), fresh off a 100-1 debut win going a mile at Kentucky Downs Aug. 30, secured her berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with a 'Win and You're In' [...]

Winner of the GIII Vagrancy Stakes at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet in May, Haulin Ice (f, 4, Coal Front–She's Smoke, by Half Ours) secured her trip to the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint with victory in Saturday's GIII Princess Rooney Stakes at Gulfstream Park, a 'Win and You're In' race for the [...]

Gun Runner, the Three Chimneys sensation whose yearlings topped the first four days of the ongoing Keeneland September sale, showed once again why he's in such demand as Spice Runner (c, 2, Gun Runner–Simple Surprise, by Cowboy Cal) captured the GIII Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs Saturday. The one-turn, one-mile Iroquois awards the first points [...]

Coffee, pens, chapstick, maybe an occasional hat. Consignors often hand out little tokens to give the memories of potential buyers a nudge into recalling their barn and their horses. But chances are you've seen someone emerging from Barn 9 on the Keeneland sales grounds in the last day or two with ice cream, which likely [...]

When Practical Joke and Life Is Good–both by Into Mischief and out of Distorted Humor mares–each racked up multiple Grade I victories and retired to major stallion farms in Central Kentucky, the cross they share surely earned a second look. After three 3-year-olds of 2025–Eclipse champion Citizen Bull, Patch Adams, and Tappan Street–added another five [...]

During July and August–the height of the summer racing season–graded races happen at a fast and furious rate. With 44 graded events at Saratoga alone added to another 13 tracks conducting at least one graded race during the two-month span, it's a dizzying time to follow top racing on the continent. We break down the [...]

The effort that goes into winning one race–at any level–is tremendous. Winning the same graded race four years in a row? That's the stuff of Hollywood. And yet veteran Gold Phoenix (Ire) (g, 8, Belardo {Ire}–Magnifica, by Mizzen Mast) showed once again why he is the GII Del Mar Handicap's leading man Saturday, winning for [...]

A Baffert pair looked to have the GIII Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar sewn up Saturday, but that's why a race needs to be run. She wasn't exactly a longshot at 4-1, but Om N Joy (f, 3, Om–Margie's Minute, by Hard Spun)–trained by Aggie Ordonez, not by Bob Baffert–proved best on the day [...]

If you don't recognize the name of Gregg Day, it's because he's never before had a winner. Never before Saturday, that is, when both he and his debuting colt Universe (Global Campaign) had an out-of-this-world experience. They each broke their maidens, getting their first wins at Saratoga on the sport's most exciting maiden stage. “This [...]

Moyglare Stud Farm's homebred Bellezza (Ire) (f, 4, Siyouni {Fr}–Terrific {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) wore down a loose-on-the lead 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Gamely Stakes winner Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) late in Saturday's GII Flower Bowl Stakes at Saratoga, a 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and [...]