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Leave the Light On Targeting Fountain of Youth

Klaravich Stable and William H. Lawrence's Leave the Light On (Horse Greeley), last year's GII Remsen S. winner, is nearing a return to the worktab and is being pointed for the Feb. 21 GII Fountain of Youth S. for his seasonal debut, trainer Chad Brown reported Thursday.  "We gave him a little breather after the Remsen, and now he's been galloping steady for about the last three weeks here at Palm Meadows," Brown said. "He's probably ready to do some breezing, probably at the end of [the] week. He looks good. He's galloping...

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A 'Hero's' Welcome at the Gold Coast

This week's sales action on the Gold Coast has certainly reinforced the fact that owners are willing to dig deep into their pockets for a chance at big pots on the racetrack; However, Kennewell Racing, which campaigns yesterday's Magic Millions 3YO Guineas winner Deiheros (Aus) (Bon Hoffa {Aus}), had to part with just A$6,500 at the 2013 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale for their 'Millions' winner. The winner of his first two starts at Morphettville in South Australia in a little over a year ago, including the A$100,000 Magic Millions Adelaide Classic,...

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No 'Luck'

Blind Luck (Pollard's Vision) (hip 207), 2010's champion 3-year-old filly and the highest-profile entrant in the Keeneland January Sale, failed to meet her reserve Monday when bidding stalled at $1.4 million. The six-time Grade I winner, who earned nearly $3.28 million on the track, brought $2.5 million at the 2011 Keeneland November sale when majority owner Mark Dedomenico bought out his partners. She was entered in the 2014 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, but was withdrawn after aborting her Midnight Lute foal.  "Mares of her quality come around seldomly," said John Sikura, whose...

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Pletcher Victors Exits Races in Fine Form

The Todd Pletcher stable had a successful weekend in both Florida and New York, with Constitution (Tapit) capturing the GI Donn H., Mshawish (Medaglia d'Oro) taking the GI Gulfstream Park Turf H., Sandiva (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) annexing the GIII Suwannee River S., and Far From Over (Blame) pulling a minor upset in Aqueduct's GIII Withers S.  "We were hopeful that we could have a big day," Pletcher said. "We felt like we had some horses that were training very well. In Mshawish and Sandiva's case, they were both coming off stakes wins at the meet, and Constitution, we knew...

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Steady Start To Arqana February Sale

By Alix Choppin  Trade was steady on day one of Arqana's February Mixed Sale yesterday, which was inaugurating a new two-day format on the back of last year's outstanding results. Of the 176 horses through the ring, 127 found new homes at a clearance rate of 72.16%, grossing €895,500. The average price was €7,051, down 30.4%, and the median was €4,000, down 33.3%. Comparisons are difficult to draw with last year's renewal, where 100 more horses were offered over a single session.  The highest-priced lot of the day was Vangaug (Fr) (Gentlewave...

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Fourth Trainer Suspended In Maryland

By Mike Kane  A fourth Maryland trainer, Jerry Thurston, has been suspended for a post-race positive for anabolic steroids.  Thurston received a 30-day suspension and was fined $1,000 for a positive for stanozolol in the horse Home of America on Dec. 12, 2014 at Laurel Park. The suspension is scheduled to run from Feb. 7 through Mar. 8. Maryland Racing Commission Executive Director Mike Hopkins said Tuesday that Thurston has not appealed the ruling.  Home of America is the seventh horse to test positive for stanozolol, now only available through...

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Swift Warrior Retires

Swift Warrior (First Samurai--Afleet Summer, by Afleet), a multiple graded stakes winner, has been retired to David Spears Racing in Hartshorne, Oklahoma. The 7-year-old retires with a lifetime record of 29-7-3-9 with $651,953 in earnings. The deal to send Swift Warrior to Oklahoma was brokered by New Jersey-based bloodstock agent Michael Slezak.  "I would argue Swift Warrior has the most impressive race record of any stallion ever to stand at stud in Oklahoma directly upon his retirement," said Spears. "He was fast, sound, and incredibly consistent, finishing in the top...

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Vercingetorix injured, retired

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum's Vercingetorix (SAf) (Silvano {Ger}), who disappointed in the G1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan Saturday when checking home sixth, has emerged from the race with a pulled sesamoidal ligament and will not race again. Trainer Mike de Kock reported on his website that Christophe Soumillon felt something was amiss with the 5-year-old entering the straight. “Christophe couldn't persevere with Vercingetorix but he said the horse wanted to carry on, he was trying to run to the end which shows just how courageous he is, he had more...

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Mullins An Unstoppable Festival Force

By Emma Berry  Cheltenham's gladiatorial bowl of a racecourse may give England the right to call itself the spiritual home of jump racing, but the opening bout of the sport's four-day spectacular proved to be an Irish benefit. Trainer Willie Mullins has brought a raiding party of some 50 horses to the Cotswolds from his Co. Carlow base, and duly claimed the first four Grade 1 contests of the meeting, including saddling the trifecta in the feature of the day, the Champion Hurdle.  The Festival is famous for the roar...

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Golden Oldie

At 37, Prospect Point may be oldest living thoroughbred  By Bill Finley, special to ESPN  Editor's note: March 4, we had a call from Gail Earle in South Carolina who told us that her ex-racehorse, Prospect Point, had celebrated his 37th birthday. We ran his photos and a brief story in the TDN and on social media asking readers to let us know if they had an older Thoroughbred, and nobody could top him. Today, Bill Finley follows up for espn.com on the horse who may well be the oldest...

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Pharoah' to Face Seven in Ark Derby

Zayat Stables's champion juvenile American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) drew post six of eight yesterday for Saturday's GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn. The bay was installed a prohibitive 1-2 favorite on the morning line. "We didn't want to be the one-hole so I was happy with the draw," said Bob Baffert, who sent out fellow Zayat representative Bodemeister (Empire Maker) to a win in here in 2012. "We should be fine. He just needs some racing luck." A clear winner of the GI Del Mar Futurity and GI FrontRunner S. last season,...

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Tamarkuz to U.S., Pointed for Met Mile

Sheikh Hamdan's Tamarkuz (Speightstown), whose four-race winning streak at the recently concluded Dubai International Racing Carnival was capped by a trouble-filled victory in the G2 Godolphin Mile Mar. 28, has been repatriated and will be pointed by trainer Kiaran McLaughlin for a start in the GI Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park June 6, according to published reports.  Bred in Kentucky by John D. Gunther and consigned by his Glennwood Farm, the chestnut colt fetched $325,000 from Shadwell Estate Co. as a Keeneland September yearling in 2011 and was a revelation at Meydan...

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