Bob Baffert

It was bomb's away Saturday at Del Mar as Lovesick Blues (Grazen) surged past pacesetter Hejazi (Bernardini) in the final sixteenth to spring the upset in the GI Bing Crosby Stakes and secure himself a spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint in November. The true war horse of the field (his 40 starts are more than several other runners combined), the 7-year-old gelding began his career all the way back in 2020, earning wins at nearly every California track and banking over $500,000. And while his career began at...

Baoma Corp's 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos (c, 3, Nyquist--Zetta Z, by Bernardini), who is a neck away from being undefeated in six career starts, made just his second trip around two turns Saturday, resulting in a victory in the 1 1/16-mile GII San Diego Handicap at Del Mar. His fellow Bob Baffert-trained stablemate Mirahmadi (Into Mischief), a $1.05-million Keeneland buy who finished second in the GI Del Mar Futurity two years ago, set all the pace, holding off all but Nysos to complete the silver-haired trainer's exacta. MGSP Tarantino (Pioneerof...

Brant (c, 2, Gun Runner--Tynan, by Liam's Map), the record-setting $3-million OBS March breezer, lived up to the hype for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert with a spectacular 'TDN Rising Star' performance on debut at Del Mar Saturday. The 4-5 choice sat the trip in third through an opening quarter in :21.56, revved up three deep at the top of the stretch and leveled off with powerful strides to win going away by 5 1/4 lengths. Civil Liberty (Independence Hall) was second. The final time for 5 1/2 furlongs was...

4th-DMR, 100K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 6:33 p.m. Amr Zedan went to an eye-watering OBS record $3,000,000 to acquire BRANT (Gun Runner) from consigner Eddie Woods back in March and the colt makes his debut at Del Mar for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. Working in an impressive time of :9 3/5, he was a huge pinhook for St. Clair Stables who picked him up for just $200,000 as a yearling at Keeneland last September. Brant is out of a winning Liam's Map half-sister to GSW/GISP and young stallion Pappacap...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--One of the most anticipated horses on the grounds at Saratoga comes to the races on Saturday. His name is Sovereignty (Into Mischief) and he is the unquestioned headliner in the GII, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes, the traditional local prep for the GI, $1.5 million Travers Stakes on Aug, 23. Why shouldn't he be? He has already won the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes and is regarded as the best 3-year-old colt in the land. Jockey Junior Alvarado, who has ridden Sovereignty in six of his...

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame continues to mark their 75th anniversary with several special Hall of Fame-themed events coinciding with the annual induction weekend celebration Aug. 1-2. Kicking off the festivities will be the traditional Hall of Fame induction ceremony held Friday, Aug. 1. The inductions will take place at Fasig-Tipton with doors open to the public at 9:30 a.m. and the ceremony starting at 10:30 a.m. The event is free to attend, but seating is limited. The 2025 Hall of Fame class is comprised of...

Trainer Michael McCarthy remained noncommittal Sunday as to the next move with GI NYRA Bets Haskell victor Journalism (Curlin). Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Robert LaPenta, Elayne Stables Five, and the Coolmore connections of Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith,. However, Bob Baffert confirmed that Haskell third-place finisher, TDN Rising Star Goal Oriented (Not This Time), would make his next start in the GI Travers Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 23. "We'll get him home. He's flying home on Tuesday and then back [to the East Coast] for the...

6th-Del Mar, $82,000, Msw, 7-19, 2yo, f, 5f, :58.25, ft, nose. LA WALLY (f, 2, Constitution--Moonstone, by Gemologist), off at odds of 6-1, sat the trip of the race beneath Antonio Fresu to win on debut in dramatic fashion. She chased in an outside third as the debuting, Bob Baffert-trained even-money favorite Cherry Cider (Tiz the Law) was hounded through fractions of :21.97 and :45.61. Cherry Cider began to shake free in the stretch and looked like she was on her way, but La Wally was just getting going and...

Saturday's card at Monmouth Park features a 14-race card which is highlighted by six stakes--five of them graded--including the Oceanport oval's sophomore showpiece, the GI NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes. This year's renewal of the race has drawn this season's GI Preakness winner Journalism (Curlin), who is campaigned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm and Don Alberto Stable. A mighty good horse before he ever embarked on the Triple Crown, the $825,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase won four of five starts heading to the Run for the Roses, including the GI...

The 4-5 favorite on the morning line Journalism (Curlin) was out on the Monmouth Park racing strip first thing Wednesday morning as the colt makes his final preparations for Saturday's 58th running of the GI NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes, the track said via a Wednesday press release. The Michael McCarthy-trainee arrived on Tuesday evening after an uneventful transcontinental flight from his Southern California base, jogged one mile around the oval under regular exercise rider Marc Witkowski. "I've been galloping horses my whole life. I've been on Grade I winners. He...

The only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this season, GI Preakness hero Journalism (Curlin) was tabbed the 4-5 favorite for Saturday's $1-million GI NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes during Monmouth Park's press conference and post-position draw Tuesday. Co-owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert LaPenta, Elayne Stables Five, and the Coolmore partners of Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, & Derrick Smith, Journalism was assigned post 2 in the nine-furlong 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar....

Some of the most influential people in the life of Wayne Lukas-and some of the people for whom he was the most influential--took part in a special TDN Writers' Room podcast in order to pay tribute to `the Coach,' who passed away Saturday night at the age of 89. Lukas worked almost up until his last days in the sport which he revolutionized upon his arrival in the early 1980s. Before it was over, he would win 20 Breeders' Cups, 15 Triple Crown races, five Eclipse Awards as leading trainer,...