Belmont

Saturday Insights: Half-Brother to Classic Winner Gets Started

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, post time: 3:50 p.m. ET Joseph Murphy's WOLFE COUNTY (Medaglia d'Oro) is the latest foal to the races for the stakes-placed Dawn Raid (Vindication) making him a half-brother to 2016 GI Preakness S. and GI Haskell Invitational S. hero and WinStar sire Exaggerator  (Curlin). Dawn Raid is herself a half-sister to MGSW and Sovereign Award winner Embur's Song (Unbridled's Song). He squares off with fellow debutant Monologue (Runhappy), a half-brother to SW & GISP Endless Chatter (First Samurai) and to...

[ Read More ]
Thursday's Insights: Code of Honor Sibling Debuts at Belmont

6th-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 4:43 p.m. ET    SIDEKICK (Honor Code), a 2-year-old half-brother to MGISW and GI Woodward S.-bound Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}), debuts for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey. The Edward J. Hudson, Jr. and W.S. Farish colorbearer worked four furlongs from the gate in :48 (7/50) at Belmont Sept. 25. John Velazquez has the mount. TJCIS PPs

[ Read More ]
NYRA Slams Baffert's 'Premature' Claim for 'Disproportionately High' Legal Fees

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) fired back in court Monday against Bob Baffert's attempt to collect $162,086 in legal fees and expenses from NYRA that have resulted from the Hall of Fame trainer's lawsuit against NYRA. Calling his request "premature" while claiming that the $450 to $975 hourly fees charged by his lawyers are "disproportionately high," NYRA also alleged that Baffert is attempting to twist a legal provision "intended to incentivize attorneys to represent individual civil rights plaintiffs that might otherwise be unrepresented" to his own financial benefit when...

[ Read More ]
Sept. 25 Insights

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency PLETCHER UNVEILS CURLIN FILLY 1st-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:00 p.m. Repole Stable, Eclipse Thorougbreds and Michael House teamed up to acquire NEST (Curlin) for $350,000 at KEESEP and she debuts in this spot for trainer Todd Pletcher. Out of SW Marion Ravenwood (A.P. Indy), the bay is a full-sister to Grade I winner Idol and a half to SP Dr Jack (Pioneerof the Nile). TJCIS PPs   PRICEY CURLIN COLT DEBUTS AT CHURCHILL 3rd-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:43 p.m. Juddmonte's $900,000...

[ Read More ]
Life is Good Faces Elders in Kelso

'TDN Rising Star' Life is Good (Into Mischief) takes on his elders for the first time Saturday and will be heavily favored to defeat them in a four-horse renewal of Belmont's GII Kelso H. Informative (Bodemeister) is scratching in favor of Saturday's Parx Dirt Mile. Devastating the field to graduate by 9 1/2 lengths and earn a 91 Beyer Speed Figure on debut at Del Mar Nov. 22, the $525,000 KEESEP buy captured the one-mile GIII Sham S. next out at Santa Anita Jan. 2. Romping by eight lengths when...

[ Read More ]
Yibir Goes Last to First in the Jockey Club Derby

European shipper Yibir carried the blue Godolphin silks to victory in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational S., securing a spot in the starting gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in the process. Off a step slow, the chestnut caboosed the field early as Tango Tango Tango (Tourist) was pressed by fellow longshot Slicked Back through early splits of :25.37, :49.45 and 1:14.46. Still last on the backstretch run, Yibir swung out five wide turning for home and instantly inhaled his rivals, charging clear for a dominant victory. "We've been...

[ Read More ]
Shantisara Wears Down Higher Truth in the Jockey Club Oaks

Former French runner Shantisara won a gritty battle with stablemate Higher Truth to take the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. at Belmont Saturday. Higher Truth seized the early advantage with Shantisara glued to her outside hip in second through a :25.51 opening quarter and :51.70 half-mile. They continued in this manner with a pair of rivals hot on their heels through five-eighths in 1:18.12. Moving up to look her barnmate in the eye turning for home, Shantisara battled Higher Truth to the wire, forging clear in the final strides to...

[ Read More ]
Sept. 17 Insights: Half to Princess Noor Debuts in Intriguing Belmont Sprint

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-BEL, $90k, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 3:38 p.m. ET Seven horses make their career debut in this potential-laden nine-horse field, headed by PROTONIC POWER (Protonico), part of an uncoupled entry for the Todd Pletcher barn. Owned by Sumaya US Stable, who campaigned his sire, the colt is out of Grade III winner Sheza Smoke Show (Wilko), making him a half to 2020 OBS April topper and subsequent Grade I winner Princess Noor (Not This Time). The bay stayed home at Belmont for the summer and...

[ Read More ]
Japan Possible For Joe Hirsch Classic

Coolmore partners Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith and Masaaki Matsushima's Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) may return for Belmont's Oct. 9 GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, according to T.J. Comerford, traveling assistant for trainer Aidan O'Brien. "He ran well at Saratoga. He was a little unlucky that he didn't get out, but he ran a really good race," Comerford said. "He stays well. He actually seems to be getting better. He seems to be coming back to his old self, which is good. He's a Juddmonte winner at...

[ Read More ]
Jaipur Rematch in Saratoga's Troy

Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) looks for his third straight win since turning back to grass sprints in Friday's loaded GIII Troy S. going 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga. The 2019 GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. winner followed a sixth-place finish in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. Mar. 6 with wins in Belmont's seven-furlong Elusive Quality S. Apr. 24 and the six-furlong GI Jackpocket Jaipur S. last time June 5. The re-opposing Chewing Gum (Candy Ride {Arg}) completed the exacta that day at 28-1 while...

[ Read More ]
Bolshoi Ballet Pays Fitting Tribute to Late Galileo with Belmont Derby Win

'TDN Rising Star' Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the beaten G1 Cazoo Epsom Derby favorite, paid fitting tribute to his late superstar sire with a 1 1/4-length success over Tokyo Gold (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) in Saturday's GI Belmont Derby Invitational. The Coolmore connections and trainer Aidan O'Brien also delivered with Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational on the undercard. The even-money favorite, drawn on the inside in post two, raced in seventh around the clubhouse turn and began to creep closer while racing in between...

[ Read More ]
Curlin's Souper Sensational Rallies to Victory Ride Win

'TDN Rising Star' Souper Sensational (Curlin), a jaw-dropping winner of her first two career starts last fall at Woodbine, got back on track in a big way with a dominating performance in Saturday's GIII Victory Ride S. at Belmont. Outfooted through fractions of :22.81 and :45.68, she was locked and loaded in fifth beneath Flavien Prat approaching the quarter pole, and exploded with a four/five-wide blitz from there to record a career high. The chestnut went winless in four previous starts at three after capping her 2-year-old campaign with a...

[ Read More ]
X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.