Shared Content Archive

Stonestreet Stables and WinStar Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway) kicks off his Triple Crown season in a solid renewal of the GII Tampa Bay Derby. The $1.6-million OBS March '14 co-topper went two-for-two with a clear-cut 6 1/4-length score in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity Oct. 4, and rallied from far out of it to nip Upstart (Flatter) for a distant second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 1. He appears to be working well at trainer Todd Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base. "His works have been very impressive,"...

Having already come out on top of two hard-fought face-offs with Firing Line (Line of David), Kaleem Shah's leading GI Kentucky Derby hopeful Dortmund (Big Brown) faces a fresh set of foes in today's GII San Felipe S. The undefeated'TDN Rising Star' was a debut winner over 6 1/2 panels here Nov. 2, and aired by 7 3/4 lengths in a head-turning performance in a Churchill optional claimer 27 days later. He overcame a no-cover journey to justify 3-5 favoritism in the GI Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 20, and snatched back the lead...

Champion American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile), last seen annexing the GI FrontRunner S. at Santa Anita Sept. 27, breezed a bullet six furlongs in 1:10 2/5 (1/36) at Santa Anita Friday. With regular rider Martin Garcia aboard, the bay galloped out seven furlongs in 1:22.80. The Zayat Stables homebred is set to return in the GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn Mar. 14.  "He is ready," owner Ahmed Zayat commented. "We know he is fast, but the way he did it today was so impressive. Very happy horse."  Hall of Fame trainer Bob...

A group of 12 are set to line up in a wide-open renewal of the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. Saturday at Santa Anita. Heerensperger and Nelson's Winning Prize (Arg) (Pure Prize) won this race a year ago after annexing the GII Arcadia S., but enters this running with significantly less momentum. Sixth in June's GI Shoemaker Mile S., he filled the same slot in Woodbine's Aug. 10 GII Play the King S. after being steadied as the favorite. The Neil Drysdale-trained Argentinian MG1SW has been off ever since, but has...

Trainer Chad Brown is in the process of readying Lady Eli (Divine Park), undefeated winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, for a return to the races this spring.  "She's breezing terrific," Brown said. "Right now, the plan is to run her in the [GIII] Appalachian at Keeneland Apr. 12." The Sheep Pond Partners colorbearer worked a bullet four furlongs in :48 3/5 at Palm Meadows Feb. 24 and followed with a similar move Mar. 3. "Mechanically, she's moving beautifully," Brown said. "I'm just hoping to see more of the...

Leading older horse Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) will face as many as 12 rivals in today's $1-million GI Santa Anita H. as he bids for a third-straight victory. The 2013 champion juvenile was en emphatic winner of the GII Los Alamitos Derby last July, and added the GI Pacific Classic S. over this distance of Polytrack at Del Mar in August. He overcame some race riding to nab the local GI Awesome Again S. Sept. 27, but settled for a controversial fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic S. after being...

Steve Sherack & Brian DiDonato will make $100 win/place bets on 20 Kentucky Derby preps. The handicapper with the highest total at the end wins. (To sign up for the BetAmerica sign-up bonus, click here). SS: GIII Gotham S. - There is every chance that Classy Class may just have some distance limitations, but I need to give him one more shot with possibly a slightly different trip here. With a ton of speed entered, he may finally get the placement he wants--sit within striking distance early and pounce when ready. An impressive debut winner going 6...

Trainer Jamie Osborne has reported that his charge Toast Of New York (Thewayyouare) has suffered a soft tissue injury and is ruled out of the G1 Dubai World Cup. The colt was among the market favorites for the world's richest race on the back of his nose second to Bayern (Offlee Wild) in the 2014 GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Toast Of New York burst onto the international scene as a 3-year-old when landing the G2 UAE Derby by 2 1/2 lengths. He was subsequently campaigned exclusively in America, running sixth in the...

Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's Tamarkuz (Speightstwon) is likely to be sent out a hot favorite in the international pools, having won his last two outings by a combined 8 1/2 lengths. The 5-year-old never lacked ability--he has now been victorious in five of his only 11 starts--yet a dislike of starting stalls long proved a hindrance, which reached its peak when the entire unseated his rider in the first strides last March. This phobia showed again on his seasonal bow, when Tamarkuz lost several lengths jumping out before picking up to secure...

The G2 Dubai City Of Gold S. is tagged as a warm-up for the G1 Sheema Classic run over the same course and distance, yet this year's renewal features none of the most eagerly expected contenders for the big race--the impressive list of which includes America's Main Sequence (Aldebaran), France's Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}), Hong Kong's Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Japan's One And Only (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and Harp Star (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), etc. Godolphin has two runners in...

Churchill Downs will honor Hall of Fame rider Pat Day with a race named in his honor during its 2015 Spring Meet, which spans 38 days from Saturday, Apr. 25 through Saturday, June 27.  A sextet of Grade I races highlights the nine-week stand, including the 141st runnings of the Kentucky Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks. The two stalwarts anchor a 25-race stakes lineup that emphasizes big-event days cumulatively worth $8.05 million, a $375,000 increase or 5% jump from 2014.  The most significant change to the stakes menu involves the...

By Mike Kane  Trainers Scott Lake and Hector Garcia unwittingly became part of racing regulatory history in late January when they were the first horsemen to receive additional suspensions from the Maryland Racing Commission, which was using the guidelines of the Multiple Medication Violation Penalty System that is part of the National Uniform Medication Program (NUMP).  Maryland became fully compliant with all four sections of NUMP Jan. 1.  Ed Martin, president of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI), which developed the model rules in the NUMP, confirmed that Lake...