Shared Content Archive

by Michele MacDonald Perhaps the most intriguing story in international racing now is beginning to unfold in the Middle East with shades of one of the sport's all-time great fictional tales, Walter Farley's The Black Stallion, transformed by a real-life script involving modern Arabian royalty and high stakes.  The big, blackish and undefeated South American wonder horse Sir Fever (Uru) (Texas Fever) has begun training at the secluded Godolphin Marmoom Stables in the Dubai desert following a journey across the Atlantic Ocean to seek greater glory.  The destiny of the colt with...

by Brian DiDonato  While powerhouse owner Dr. Mark Dedomenico is certainly not getting out of the Thoroughbred business, his operation will sell about a half dozen mares at the Keeneland January Sale in an effort to maintain a focus on racing rather than breeding. Among the Dedomenico consignment, which is being handled by John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, is 2010 champion 3-year-old filly Blind Luck (Pollard's Vision), who sells Monday as hip 207.  "It's not a complete dispersal or anything, but we want to be on the racing end of it...

For the next eight Thursdays and a couple of Saturdays, the sprawling Meydan Racecourse plays host to the Dubai International Racing Carnival, which kicks off this evening with the running of Round 1 of the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge going the modified one-turn mile.  Despite a return to a conventional dirt surface for the first time since Well Armed (Tiznow) won the 2009 G1 Dubai World Cup, a smattering of internationally and turf-flavored pedigrees line up for the quarter-million dollar event, including Godolphin's Outstrip (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}). Best known to...

By Kelsey Riley  The opening session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale was highlighted by a strong top end of the market and growth across most key indicators at the Bundall complex in Queensland yesterday. A total of 140 horses (77.3%, down from 79.7% last year) changed hands for A$23,335,000, a figure that was up 20.3% from last year's gross of A$19,400,000 from the same session. The average was up 17.7% to A$166,679, while the median remained steady at A$130,000. An A$850,000 filly from the first crop of...

Jeffry Morris: So the Hall of Fame executive committee continues their negligence, along with every other board room in the Thoroughbred industry, with their passive persecution of Steve Asmussen. Instead of assuming a proactive, pro-industry stance their spinelessness perpetuates groundless accusations which impugn us all. For 10 months, "alleged", ethical abuses have been, "under investigation", by various, "commissions". Possibly the mythical, "investigations" are at a loss to define "ethical abuse".  Always reactive, never proactive this admittedly ugly episode should have been pressed to resolution via punishment or absolution long ago....

by T.D. Thornton The cover of Sports Illustrated that commemorated American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile)'s Triple Crown victory captured not only the historical significance of the feat, but the uniquely 21st Century way the achievement was perceived by the public: The colt soaring toward the Belmont Park finish line occupied only a small section of the cover. The foreground was dominated by a legion of jubilant fans, smart phones straining aloft in a collective attempt to etch the experience in personal video and digital images. Welcome to 2015, where simply...

By Emma Berry There are plenty of certainties on Derby day. The walk from car park to racecourse will involve being accosted by gypsies brandishing lucky heather with intent bordering on the intimidating. Open-top double-decker buses will be parked along the inside of the final few furlongs of the track, their passengers scattered about the grass in varying states of inebriation and undress. The Queen will arrive, heralded by trumpeters, just as she has every year since 1953 when, four days after her coronation, Aureole finished second to Pinza to...

Pam and Martin Wygod's last out GI Santa Anita Derby fourth Prospect Park (Tapit) looks to get back on track in this return to the races as the 6-5 morning line favorite Sunday. The homebred yet again receives the services of pilot Kent Desormeaux and graduated over track and trip Dec. 27 before making it back-to-back wins landing an optional claimer in stalking fashion cut back to a mile Jan. 30. Only 1 1/4 lengths behind 'TDN Rising Star' and MGISW Dortmund (Big Brown) after a troubled trip in the GII San Felipe S....

Moroccan Champion Billabong (Mor) (Gentlewave {Ire}), who won nine times in 11 starts in his native country--including the Grand Prix De Sa Majeste Le Roi Mohammed VI, the most important race in Northern Africa--will feel at home in Italy tomorrow, with temperatures in the mid 90's expected Sunday for the G1 Gran Premio Di Milano.  Billabong could rewrite history, becoming the first Moroccan-bred to win a Group 1. He joined the yard of Pascal Bary at Chantilly last season. "His owner, Mr. El Alami, sends to me each season one of his...

Trainer Todd Pletcher revealed Tuesday that 'TDN Rising Stars' Materiality (Afleet Alex), Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway) and Competitive Edge (Super Saver) were all under consideration for the May 16 GI Preakness S. Alto Racing's Materiality and WinStar and Stonestreet's Carpe Diem were sixth and 10th, respectively, in the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby; while Nancy Favreau, Kathy Psionos and Michael Tabor's Competitive Edge upped his unbeaten record to four with an easy victory in the GIII Pat Day Mile on the Derby undercard. All three are currently stabled at Pletcher's Belmont base.  "They went back to...

Attendance at this year's GI Belmont S. will be capped at 90,000, the New York Racing Association announced on Wednesday.  The cap was revealed by NYRA chief executive officer and president Chris Kay at the tail end of a superlative-laden media teleconference to outline the details of the inaugural Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which is being billed as a three-day "mega event" at Belmont Park June 4-6.  Kay did not revisit specifics about the logistical difficulties that have plagued Belmont Park in recent years when a Triple Crown has been...

Just listed winner Irish Rookie (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and Royal Rizalma (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) remain as British-trained possible runners in Sunday's G1 French 1000 Guineas. Seven fillies were taken out at the latest forfeit stage, including Hugo Palmer's New Providence (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}), leaving 14 left in.  Martyn Meade, Irish Rookie's trainer, said, "We've left her in and the thinking at this stage is that we'll go. A few came out today and let's hope a few more do, too! Obviously the draw will have a big say, so the less runners there...