Katie Petrunyak

“I Found One In My Own Backyard,” Tom Durant Takes On Derby Trail with D'Code

For the better part of five decades, Tom Durant has been searching for the type of horse that could carry him to the top of the game–namely, the Kentucky Derby. With his homebred 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' D'code (Speightstown), who makes his two-turn debut in his second career start in Friday's GIII Southwest [...]

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Shannon Arvin Shares Inside Look at Keeneland's New Paddock Building

As an unrelenting stretch of icy winter cold hangs over the Bluegrass, the thought of a sunny spring day of racing at Keeneland with the dogwood trees in bloom sure feels like a welcome reprieve. At the upcoming Spring Meet, Keeneland will celebrate the grand opening of the interior hospitality spaces in the new three-story [...]

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Incredibolt Takes Aim at Holy Bull to Headline Deep Pin Oak Roster

From his earliest lessons at Pin Oak Stud, Incredibolt (Bolt d'Oro) has handled everything asked of him with ease. Now, his team is hoping that trend continues in the GIII Holy Bull Stakes. Pin Oak's Director of Farm Operations and Property Michael Hardy said that the GIII Street Sense Stakes winner has not missed a [...]

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A Pair of Grade I-Winning Rising Stars New at Spendthrift

While Grade I victories and a 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' nod make for a potent double, Spendthrift Farm's Stallion Sales Manager Mark Toothaker suggests that the defining narrative for Spendthrift's new stallion duo is the surging commercial power of their sires. This year Goal Oriented becomes the fourth son of Not This Time [...]

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Jes Sikura On The Job with New Hill 'n' Dale Sire Barnes

It has been a wild ride for Jes Sikura, son of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa owner and president John Sikura, since the 24-year-old graduated from the University of Kentucky in December. Just a few days after receiving his diploma, he and his father were on a plane to California. What began as a trip [...]

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Darren Fox: New Darley Sires “A No-Brainer for Breeders”

With Horse of the Year candidate Sovereignty (Into Mischief) recently returned to Bill Mott's winter base at Payson Park in preparation for a 4-year-old campaign, breeders eager to support the three-time Grade I winner will have to wait at least another year. In the meantime, the Darley America stallion team is still plenty occupied with [...]

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Fasig-Tipton Preparing for Newly Formatted Midlantic May Sale

When torrential rain and severe weather forced the third and final under-tack session of last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale into a gallop-only, untimed preview, the adjustment was used as an experiment of sorts. How would buyers react to the change and ultimately, how would the horses that galloped at the sale [...]

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Raging Torrent and Carl Spackler “Fit a Good Niche” at Lane's End

Bill Farish recalls how he first met with the Ace Stud team at the 2024 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. More Than Looks, a son of international supersire More Than Ready, had just won the GI Breeders' Cup Mile and was poised to begin his stud career at Lane's End Farm. “They were interested in standing [...]

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WinStar Farm Welcomes Speedy New Trio

Throughout its history, WinStar Farm's stallion program has been anchored by raw speed, with champion Speightstown and fellow sprinting specialist Distorted Humor among some of the first sires to define the farm's identity. As WinStar wraps up its 25th anniversary this year, the blueprint is much the same. Patch Adams, Mullikin and Straight No Chaser [...]

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The Road Back: Taylor Made's Brandon Pennington Learning to Be Relied On

Brandon Pennington learned from an early age that stability was never guaranteed. Moving between the homes of parents and grandparents who were almost all battling addiction, he lived in a world where the adults meant to protect him were often lost to their own struggles. Some of his earliest memories were of staring through the [...]

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Crestwood Taps Into Gun Runner Line with Il Miracolo

For Crestwood Farm, the goal going into 2026 was all about tapping into the Gun Runner phenomenon. With two high-profile sons of the remarkable Three Chimneys sire targeting the upper echelon of the market in champion Sierra Leone ($75,000 at Ashford Stud) and multiple Grade I winner Locked ($35,000 at Gainesway), Crestwood sought to present [...]

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Arthur's Ride: Whitney Winner By Tapit New at Taylor Made

Arthur's Ride was a once-in-a-lifetime horse for Cathi and Karl Glassman. The couple bought their first racehorse in 2015 and nine years later, scored their first Grade I when Arthur's Ride, who was named after Karl's late father, claimed the 2024 Whitney Stakes. The team at Taylor Made farm is now hoping that Arthur's Ride's [...]

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