Today's Edition:  Record-Setting $1.4M Justify Filly Leads The Way at OBS · Baeza Set for Summer Showdown · Royal Ascot Coverage 2

Brad Cox

Shedaresthedevil Returns to Winning Ways in Fleur de Lis

Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) returned to the scene of her greatest triumph for Saturday's GII Fleur de Lis S. and came home a winner for the first time since taking this venue's GIII Locust Grove S. in September. It was her sixth win from seven starts at Churchill Downs with one second. The slight second choice behind Pauline's Pearl (Tapit), who defeated her in the GI La Troienne S. May 6, Shedaresthedevil glided up to stalk from second as Super Quick (Super Saver) carved out early splits of :24.13 and :47.83. Turning...

[ Read More ]
Life Is Good Headlines Star-Studded Saturday of Racing

Holiday weekends are often synonymous with exciting race cards and this Fourth of July weekend is no exception with a dozen graded events on tap Saturday that include some of racing's best. The highlight of the day's action is the return of 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who is making his first start back since finishing fourth in the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 26 in Belmont's GII John A. Nerud S. A dominant winner of last year's GII Kelso H. and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile...

[ Read More ]
Tawny Port Whistles Home at Thistle

Saturday's GIII Ohio Derby--the lone graded event carded annually in the Buckeye State--attracted three runners who made their last start on the first Saturday in May beneath the Twin Spires in neighboring Kentucky. The trio, sent off the first, second and fourth wagering choices in the $500,000 test, would go on to combine for a trifecta that returned a chalky 14-1, as Peachtree Stable's 13-10 favorite Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile), a respectable seventh in the Derby, gathered up 3-2 second-elect White Abarrio (Race Day)--16th at Churchill--in the waning stages...

[ Read More ]
Grade I Winners Prep For Foster

A week ahead of their expected clash in the $750,000 GII Stephen Foster H. at Churchill Downs, 'TDN Rising Star' Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and fellow Grade I winner Americanrevolution (Constitution) each breezed five furlongs beneath the Twin Spires Saturday morning. The adjudicated winner of the 2021 GI Kentucky Derby, Mandaloun hit the track at 5:30 a.m. and covered the five furlongs while working on his own in 1:00.80 under the watchful eye of trainer Brad Cox. His previous moves had come in the company of his GIII Oaklawn Mile-winning stablemate...

[ Read More ]
Pricey 'Mo' Colt Gets it Done at First Asking

4th-Churchill Downs, $120,955, Msw, 6-19, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:04.77, ft, 3/4 length. MO STRIKE (c, 2, Uncle Mo--Featherbed {SW & GISP, $227,904}, by Smart Strike), a $325,000 OBS April acquisition off a :10 flat breeze, was installed the public's tepid 5-2 pick Sunday among a strong-looking bunch. Off alertly from the far outside, the bay sat perched three deep early and sidled up to the pacesetter after a :22.82 opening quarter. He took a narrow lead into a :46.35 half, and fended off second timer Summonyourcourage (Practical Joke) to prevail...

[ Read More ]
Brad Cox Takes Back-to-Back TVG.com Pegasus S. Wins with Home Brew

One year removed from winning this race with his GISW Mandaloun (Into Mischief) before taking the GI TVG.com Haskell S., Brad Cox returned to the Jersey Shore with Home Brew. Minus one bad run when he caught a sloppy track for Oaklawn's Smarty Jones S. Jan. 1, the son of Street Sense boasted a nearly unblemished record, with his only other loss a second Nov. 14 in his first start for Cox at Churchill Downs. After a three-month absence following the Smarty Jones, Home Brew returned to take the Apr....

[ Read More ]
Cyberknife Just Edges Howling Time in Thrilling Matt Winn

Cyberknife, who earned a spot in the GI Kentucky Derby with his win in the Apr. 2 GI Arkansas Derby, never factored on the First Saturday in May, but got a graded win under the Twin Spires with a dramatic victory in the GIII Matt Winn S. at Churchill Downs Sunday. Sent off the 1-2 favorite, the chestnut colt tucked in behind the early leaders to save ground on the first turn, but rushed up to press pacesetting Howling Time while racing keenly down the backstretch through moderate splits. Cyberknife...

[ Read More ]
The Week in Review: The Day That Jack Christopher and Flightline Stole the Show

After winning the GII Remsen S. and the GII Wood Memorial S. and running a credible fifth in the GI Kentucky Derby, Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) put it all together on Saturday. He was the decisive winner of the GI Belmont S. to give New Yorker Mike Repole a one-two finish in the final leg of the Triple Crown at his home track. It was a good story and a good performance from a very good horse. It was not, however, the highlight of the day. It's hard to overshadow...

[ Read More ]
All Matareya in Four-Horse Acorn After Echo Zulu Scratched at Gate

ELMONT, NY - With the late-arriving crowd still filing in as John Imbriale announced champion Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) as a stunning late scratch at the gate, Godolphin homebred Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) showed no mercy on her three remaining rivals going a one-turn mile in Saturday's GI Acorn S. at Belmont Park. Matareya broke like a shot beneath Flavien Prat and led through an opening quarter in an easy :23.39. In cruise control and increasing her advantage as the quartet hit the quarter pole, Matareya was hand ridden down...

[ Read More ]
Godolphin Unveils Bernardini Filly At Belmont

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-BEL, $90K, MSW, 3yo/up, f, 6f, 2:32 p.m. Godolphin takes the wraps off 3-year-old filly AMARETTI (Bernardini) Sunday. The homebred is out of the Smart Strike mare Caramel Snap, herself a half-sister to MGISW and Darley stallion Frosted (Tapit) and from the family that produced MGISW Midshipman (Unbridled's Song) and MGISP Solomini (Curlin). Amaretti is a half-sister to GII Lexus Raven Run S. winner Caramel Swirl (Union Rags). She's been working over the Belmont training track, going five furlongs from the gate in a bullet...

[ Read More ]
Gai Waterhouse Relives Visit to the Bluegrass

Legendary Australian trainer Gai Waterhouse recently spent five days touring Kentucky's horse country. Upon returning to her headquarters at Tulloch Lodge in Sydney this week, the Hall of Fame trainer of 149 Group 1 wins, including a record seven G1 Golden Slippers, is looking forward to taking her findings and putting them to use at her own exceedingly-successful stable. "You know the old expression--you can't see the forest for the trees if you're there all day," Waterhouse explained. "You have to go away to freshen up. I felt like I...

[ Read More ]
Strong Opener to Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale

TIMONIUM, MD - The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale got off to a strong start Monday in Timonium as it looks to follow up on a record-setting 2021 renewal. "It was a very solid opening session to the sale," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "There was diverse bidding activity literally from buyers all around the world participating today. This has become a really solid marketplace where you can sell a quality horse, you can sell a state-bred horse. There was lots of activity at really all price ranges." A...

[ Read More ]