Aqueduct

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-KEE, $150k, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, 12:30p.m. ET Conditioner Brad Cox will have the honor of being the first to send out the offspring of Songbird to post as MAGICAL SONG (Tapit) is slated to debut here on the Breeders' Cup 'Stars of Tomorrow' undercard. Out of the aforementioned Champion 2 & 3-year-old filly, she will be the first to the races for the half-sister to the dam of GSW Mico Margarita (Run Away and Hide), beating out 3-year-old half-sister Song Gate (Arrogate) to the...

Irad Ortiz, Jr. paced all other riders at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet to secure the leading rider title with 35 wins. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano came in second [27 wins] with Manny Franco and Jose Lezcano tied for third [23 wins]. Ortiz, Jr. earned his 21st NYRA meet title on the heels of a strong summer meet at Saratoga Race Course where he posted 55 wins. Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown earned his fourth NYRA meet title of the year with 24 winners, finishing...

Freedom Trail (c, 2, Collected--Freedom, by War Front) became the first stakes winner for his freshman sire (by City Zip) in Saturday's grassy Awad S. at Aqueduct. The 9-5 favorite, a come-from-behind debut winner over the Big A lawn Sept. 25, raced toward the rear through fractions of :23.23 and :48.54. He began to wind up from the back with a four-wide move at the top of the stretch and came rolling over the top to defeat Dandy Handyman (Outwork) by a length. Let's Go Big Blue (Cairo Prince) was...

The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) took a unanimous voice vote on Thursday to request an exemption from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act Authority (HISA) that will allow the continued use of Lasix in races other than those for 2-year-olds and in stakes. Asking for the exemption also opts states into a three-year study that will be conducted by HISA that is designed to shape future federal Lasix policies, possibly as early as 2026. The vote itself was hardly a surprise. Not applying for the exemption would have...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week. California Track: Santa Anita Date: 10/22/2022 Licensee: Diego Herrera, jockey Penalty:...

Made the lukewarm 38-10 favorite for Saturday's GII Hill Prince S. at Aqueduct, Stuart Janney III's Celestial City (Uncle Mo) found his best stride entering the final eighth of a mile and outfinished Mackinnon (American Pharoah) for a maiden success at the stakes level. Exiting a local allowance victory Sept. 24, having previously dead-heated for the place spot behind the GI Breeders' Cup Mile-bound 'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis (War Front) in a paceless renewal of Saratoga's GIII Saranac S. three weeks prior, Celestial City bobbled slightly at the start and...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, post time: 3:08 p.m. Hill 'n' Dale's Curlin has been good to Godolphin this season, having accounted for GI Forego S. upsetter Cody's Wish, and the 'Boys in Blue' take the wraps off the stallion's daughter POBLANO Saturday afternoon. Drawn the rail and pegged at morning-line odds of 12-1 that seem overlaid, the Apr. 16 foal is out of Kinda Spicy (A.P. Indy), perfect in two starts in an abbreviated racing career who has since gone on to...

Skims (GB) (Frankel {GB}) took over on the GII Sands Point S. turn under Hall of Famer John Velazquez and kept finding from there to turn the tables on Vergara (Noble Mission {GB})--who beat her by a head last time in the Dueling Grounds Oaks--while giving her superstar sire yet another graded winner. Victorious in her first two turf routes, the Andrew Rosen homebred was subsequently third in the GII Appalachian S. at Keeneland in April and again in Belmont's GII Wonder Again S. over yielding sod June 9. Fifth...

Signator (Tapit) earned the 'TDN Rising Star' tag with a good-looking score at second asking at Belmont at the Big A. A $1.7-million OBSAPR acquisition after breezing in :20 4/5 for Eddie Woods, he finished up well to be second on debut going six panels at this oval Sept. 16 and was hammered down to 3-5 favoritism to go one better here. Away a beat slow from his inside stall, the gray tugged his way up the fence, sitting near the back of the tightly bunched group. Saving ground off...

Nagirroc got up late to win the GIII Futurity S. at Aqueduct Sunday and earn an automatic berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. The 7-2 shot sat just in behind the battling Gaslight Dancer and Vacation Dance who contested the pace through fractions of :22.09 and :44.78. Tipped out four wide into the lane, he reeled in the pacesetters in the dying strides to just get the best of a blanket finish. "The main thing was trying to break clean," said winning rider Manny Franco. "That was...

Nest tuned up for her engagement in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland next month with an effortless victory in the GII Beldame S. at Aqueduct Sunday. Making her first start against her elders, the 1-9 favorite broke well from her inside post and was on the lead in the early strides before allowing Travel Column (Frosted) to take over heading into the first turn. Nest settled into third as Travel Column set the tempo with First to Act tracking in second as the quarter went up in :24.52...

If Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott had any qualms whether his star turf distaffer could hold her own against the boys, George Krikorian's War Like Goddess (English Channel) dispelled all doubts with an emphatic 2 3/4-length score over males in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, run this year at Belmont at the Big A. Pacesetter Bye Bye Melvin (Uncle Mo) was second with Astronaut (Quality Road) checking in third, and second choice Gufo (Declaration of War), third as the favorite in last year's renewal, a dull last of...