Arctic Arrogance

Al Pike is set to retire from his position as director of sales and the conditioner for 2-year-olds in-training at Highland Training Center, and will be replaced by Colin Brennan after the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale in May ends, the center announced via press release. While Pike will be retiring to Lexington, Kentucky with Brennan making the move to Texas, Pike will continue to work with Highlander in a consulting and advisory role. The retiring director and training began his career with horses in 1978 but eventually transitioned to a fruitful...

Conditioner Linda Rice reports that Garland of Roses victress Hot Fudge (Liam's Map) has come out of her first stakes victory 'feeling great' after taking the listed eight days removed from visiting the winner's circle in an optional claimer. She is unbeaten since her return from a near six-month layoff, and her 2023 campaign has seen the filly take home five wins in seven starts. "That filly, we've had a few strange things happen with her when she was young, and then she had such a nice winter. We elected...

The betting public got it right in Saturday's GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct, rescheduled from Feb. 4 due to extreme cold, as Gary and Mary West's Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) sat a golden trip beneath Manny Franco and shot clear from 8-5 second-elect Arctic Arrogance (Frosted) to take the Triple Crown prep by about four lengths. Looking to build on a strong 3 1/2-length allowance victory going Oaklawn's short-stretch mile Dec. 17, the homebred gray was quietly ridden and was content to save ground after a clean break, as...