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The middle of Rockefeller Center, which six months ago was filled with ice skaters, played host to a much different scene on an unseasonably brisk June morning. The plaza was bustling with many of horse racing's elite, as well as a plethora of media, Wednesday for the GI Belmont S. draw, which was held in Manhattan instead of its traditional home in Belmont's Garden Terrace.  The connections of Triple Crown hopeful American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) were the highlight of the draw with cameras clicking away, capturing their every move. Trainer Bob...

Stonestreet Stables's lightly raced 'TDN Rising Star' Rock Fall (Speightstown) gets tested for class as he makes his stakes debut in Belmont's GII True North S. A second-out romper over track and trip last May, he annexed a first-level allowance in June before hitting the bench for an extended break. Brought back successfully at Gulfstream Mar. 15, the 4-year-old Todd Pletcher pupil crushed Keeneland optional claimers by nine lengths Apr. 18, good for a lofty 109 Beyer Speed Figure. The only runner here to have earned a higher Beyer is the somewhat...

Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Stephanie's Kitten (Kitten's Joy) looms an imposing presence as she makes a belated second start of the year in Belmont's GII New York S. Friday. The 2013 GI Just a Game S. heroine was transferred from Wayne Catalano to Chad Brown at the beginning of last season, finishing off the board in Keeneland's GI Jenny Wiley S. in April and in defense of her Just a Game title some 364 days ago before close seconds in the Spa's GI Diana S. July 19 and Arlington's GI Beverly D....

Anthony Bonomo's reign as chairman of the New York Racing Association Reorganization Board lasted barely two months.  According to multiple news reports, Bonomo took a leave of absence from the NYRA board on Tuesday, just days after his company was revealed to have allegedly provided a "no-show" job to the son of former state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos. "I do not want to have recent events distract from the ongoing work of NYRA," Bonomo wrote in a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo that was reprinted in part by the...

By Steve Sherack Just as he's done all spring in the mornings at Churchill Downs and Pimlico, dual Classic winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) continued to show all the right signs during his first piece of light exercise at Belmont Park Wednesday.  With the sun attempting to peek through the clouds on a cool and overcast morning, the Zayat homebred looked as good as ever while entering the track with his neck slightly arched while under a snug hold by his regular exercise rider Jorge Alvarez. Accompanied by assistant trainer Jimmy...

Day 2 of the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale saw trade step up a gear from the opening day session. 3 yearlings sold for A$200,000 or more with proceedings headed by a son of I Am Invincible (Aus) who was knocked down to John Crowley for Mecca Thoroughbreds for A$260,000. The colt, catalogued as lot 1862 will be trained in Sydney with Crowley commenting, "He's the best colt in the sale. He's a very athletic horse. He moves very well and he's going to make a lovely three-year-old - just a real...

Evergreen sprinter Kingsgate Native (Ire) (Mujadil) is to step back up to pattern level following the 10-year-old gelding's heartwarming win in the Listed Achilles S. at Haydock last Saturday. It is 8 years since Cheveley Park Stud's speedster won the G1 Nunthorpe S. as a 2-year-old and judging on last weekends performance under Graham Lee the old boy has a lot more to offer. His trainer Robert Cowell is eyeing the G3 Coral Charge at Sandown July 4 as the next target and commented, "Kingsgate Native is a superstar and, as Graham...

G1 Epsom Derby second favorite Zawraq (Ire) (Shamardal) is reported to have made "substantial improvement" in his race against time to be fit for Saturday's showcase. Dermot Weld's colt has been in the news regularly this week owing to an injury scare following a satisfactory piece of work on Tuesday morning, after which he was found to have been slightly lame. Initial X-rays and scans suggested the injury was not serious and his leg has been iced during the last 24 hours. Hamdan Al Maktoum's unbeaten 3-year-old engaged in light exercise on...

The Richard Hannon-trained filly Illuminate (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who made such a favorable impression when winning a Salisbury maiden on her debut in May, is on course for the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot. Her clearcut defeat of stablemate Great Page (Ire) (Roderic O'Connor {Ire}) reads all the better now following the subsequent impressive victory of the runner up in a Listed race at Naas on Monday. Speaking on behalf of owners Denford Stud Paul Webber said, "The thinking is she will go for the Albany. The form took a huge boost on Monday and...

A record 170,513 fans packed Churchill Downs to watch American Pharoah win Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby, according to figures released by the track Sunday. The previous record was the 165,307 who witnessed the 2012 Derby win of I'll Have Another. All-sources handle for the day was $194.3 million, an increase of 4% over the 2014 total of $186.6 million. That figure bested the previous record of $187.0 million set in 2012. All-sources wagering on the Derby itself was $137.9 million, up 7% from a year and a 4% increase over...

American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), Firing Line (Line of David) and Dortmund (Big Brown), the top three finishers from Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby, are all now targeting a rematch in the May 16 GI Preakness S. Still savoring a fourth Derby win Sunday morning, trainer Bob Baffert admitted Saturday's win by American Pharoah was different from his previous victories. “It's fun to come here, but I think this win was different than my other ones,” Baffert said. “I needed to get it done. I needed to win it. Something was building that something good was...

Having sidestepped Sunday's G1 1000 Guineas, 'TDN Rising Star' Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) takes a more sedate route to the remaining fillies' Classics as she is unveiled in The Curragh's G3 Canford Cliffs EBF Athasi S. The form of her last-out success in Longchamp's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac has already received a boost as the runner-up, Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), registered an easy win in the G3 Prix Imprudence, and while she is clear-best on ratings here, she is unlikely to be asked a demanding question. “She had a little setback and...