Dr. Venkman (g, 5, Ghostzapper–Theory of Change, by Archarcharch), winner of the GII San Diego Handicap at Del Mar 13 months ago, returned to the scene of his biggest career triumph to add the GII Pat O'Brien Stakes Saturday. The $250,000 Pat O'Brien, run at seven furlongs, offers a 'Win and You're In' berth to [...]

Make it an even dozen. On Saturday afternoon under the usual beautiful skies of a Southern Californian summer, Desert Gate (c, 2, Omaha Beach–Theogony, by Curlin) gave Hall of Famer Bob Baffert his 12th career win in the GIII Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar, in addition to the fourth consecutive victory in the race [...]

There's a pattern. Four times in her career, My Racehorse and Peter Leidel's Seismic Beauty (f, 4, Uncle Mo–Knarsdale, by Medaglia d'Oro) has gone straight to the lead and each time she's won big, but never bigger than she did Saturday in the $400,000 GI Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar. It was the [...]

Pin Oak Stud's World Beater (c, 3, Oscar Performance–Dabinett, by Blame), second last out behind Test Score (Lookin At Lucky) in the July 4 GI Belmont Derby, turned the tables on that rival to give his young trainer Riley Mott the first graded stakes win of his career in Saratoga's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes [...]

Baoma Corp's 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos (c, 3, Nyquist–Zetta Z, by Bernardini), who is a neck away from being undefeated in six career starts, made just his second trip around two turns Saturday, resulting in a victory in the 1 1/16-mile GII San Diego Handicap at Del Mar. His fellow Bob Baffert-trained stablemate Mirahmadi (Into [...]

Saratoga's GII Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, downgraded for 2025, featured a rematch of the June 7 GIII True North Stakes between Book'em Danno (g, 4, Bucchero–Adorabella, by Ghostzapper) and Mullikin (Violence), who finished one-two last month over this surface, and Nakatomi (Firing Line), who had been fifth. All three showed up in a big way [...]

Last week in this new series, we put the spotlight on some of the trends–or lack thereof–among the mares that make up the Grade I-producing ranks of 2025 and spent time with multiple Grade I winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner)'s dam, Luna Rosa (Malibu Moon). We asked her connections about her story [...]

New Years Eve (Night Conqueror), believed to be the second-oldest American Thoroughbred on record, has passed away in Pennsylvania. He was 39 and reported to be the oldest living Thoroughbred at the time of his death. We shared his story in March, shortly after his official birthday. Called 'Axl' by those closest to him, the [...]

In this new series, we'll spotlight the dams and connections of some of 2025's racetrack superstars. First up, we'll set the scene by explaining our objective and search for trends, then for a curtain raiser we'll kick off the series by checking in with the dam of one of the top older horses of 2025. [...]

In winning the $300,000 GIII Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis Saturday, James Bakke and Gerald Isbister's Tip Top Thomas (c, 3, Volatile–Attempt to Name, by Consolidator) may have gotten a little redemption. Last summer and fall, the sky looked like the limit for Tip Top Thomas, who was named a 'TDN Rising Star' in a [...]

Amerman homebred Test Score (c, 3, Lookin At Lucky–Joy of Learning, by Kitten's Joy), second to Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) in the GI American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs May 3, got his own Grade I day in the sun Friday, winning Saratoga's $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes in convincing style. For his [...]

Two months after he won the newly upgraded GI American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs as the favorite and a week after he was scratched out of the doubly rescheduled, weather-impacted GIII Penn Mile, Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (r, 3, Ten Sovereigns {Ire}–Zindziswa, by Smart Strike) was back in the winner's circle, capturing Saratoga's $200,000 GIII [...]