Breeders' Cup

In response to the TDN series 'How I Got Hooked on Horse Racing,' we received the following letter from a former Thoroughbred owner who offers his own anecdotes about Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. I really enjoyed Christina Bossinakis's professional profile in the Thoroughbred Dailey News today. Her history with D. Wayne Lukas hit a cord with me. I am a retired businessman, University of Wisconsin-Madison grad, and long-ago owner of a horse trained by D. Wayne Lukas. In 1986, I had a horse named Hurdy Gurdy Man that...

Without a doubt, I did not have the most conventional entry into horseracing. Growing up in Montreal, Canada, I was much more likely to have ventured into the world of harness racing rather than its Thoroughbred counterpart. Courtesy of Blue Bonnets (later re-named Hippodrome de Montreal), Montreal's racing landscape hadn't seen Thoroughbred racing since 1973, an era in which racetrack attendance in the province was at its zenith. One of three daughters of Greek immigrant parents, I simply did not have the access to horses or racing like many others...

Ten Thoroughbred industry and charitable organizations have pledged funding for the American Association of Equine Practitioners' wearable biometric sensor research project. Six sensor manufacturers have been selected to participate in the year-long study. Wearable biometric sensors, which have shown promise as an early warning system for identifying racehorses at increased risk of musculoskeletal injury, are designed to capture data on a horse's movement patterns during high-speed events. The following organizations have contributed a total of $785,000 to fund the research project, which will run Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025:...

This year's Breeders' Cup had a touch of deja vu all over again thanks to a series of veterinary scratches in the lead up to the event, some of which didn't exactly sit well with connections. The one that perhaps garnered the most attention is Californian flag-bearer The Chosen Vron's (Vronsky) removal from the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint on official veterinary advice. The horse's connections initially disputed the scratch, arguing he was 100% sound. It later transpired The Chosen Vron had a small ankle problem that necessitated a few months...

Australian multiple Group 1-placed Tutta La Vita (Aus) (The Autumn Sun {Aus}), purchased by John Stewart's Resolute Racing for A$3.2 million at the Inglis Chairman's Sale in May, is nearing her U.S. debut after working four furlongs in :49.34 (11/16) over the Tapeta surface at Gulfstream Saturday. Trainer Ignacio 'Nacho' Correas, IV said Sunday that the 4-year-old filly is being pointed to an entry-level optional claiming allowance following the Christmas holiday. "She's doing good. She's eligible for a one-other-than and she's going to run here on the 26th," Correas said....

In a season highlighted by victories in the GI Kentucky Derby, GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, the training job Ken McPeek has done with the overachieving Rattle N Roll (Connect) is equally deserving of plaudits. Making his second start off a 363-day absence and having shipped to the West Coast and back when failing to draw into the GI Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 2, Rattle N Roll returned to something approaching his best under the Friday night lights at Churchill, rallying wide into the stretch before...

Julien Leparoux, a two-time Eclipse Award winning rider, collected his 3,000th career win aboard Pike Place (Street Boss) in the third race at Churchill Downs on Thursday, the track said in a press release that same day. Leparoux, 41, launched his career in 2005. Raised in Chantilly, France, Leparoux's passion for horses led him to Southern California in 2003, where he began as an exercise rider for trainer Patrick Biancone. He transitioned to race riding and earned the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in 2006. Three years later he...

Dear Horse Racing Enthusiasts and Industry Stakeholders, As I reflect on my first year as a newcomer in the horse racing industry, I wish to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have welcomed me into this sport. Stepping into something unfamiliar can be daunting, especially with the significant investment I have made. The accomplishments I have achieved this year are a direct result of the support and encouragement I have received from many individuals who have helped me establish my operations. I believe it...

If only Thomas Crown had been introduced to something like Centennial Farms, he might have spared himself a lot of trouble. As it was, the bored millionaire played by Steve McQueen in the 1968 classic sought his kicks from a bank heist, as an experiment in the perfect crime. And he instead confined his exposure to horses to the polo field. But that was where the fictional adrenaline junkie encountered a father and son who would subsequently provide their clients, in real life, with all the excitement they could need...

Jockey Edwin Gonzalez and trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. have claimed their respective titles for the Gulfstream Park Sunshine Meet, the track announced Sunday evening. Gonzalez won his first riding title at Gulfstream Park in 2024, prevailing by a single victory over defending champion Edgar Zayas--the final tallying being 35 to 34, respectively--despite neither jockey making it into the winner's circle on closing day. "It's a dream coming true," Gonzalez said. "I've been working hard, working hard every morning. I've been getting good business. The trainers keep giving me opportunities and...

After White Abarrio (Race Day) trounced his competition in an allowance race Friday, his connections started plotting his upcoming schedule, with the GI Pegasus World Cup as the main goal. Normally, the Dec. 21 GIII Harlan's Holiday S. is the main prep for the Pegasus, but co-owner Mark Cornett said he is leaning toward running the soon-to-be 6-year-old instead in the Dec. 28 GIII Prospector S. at Gulfstream. The Mr. Prospector is run at seven furlongs while the Harlan's Holiday is a mile-and-a-sixteenth race. "We will look at the two...

You can say this much for John Stewart, he doesn't think small. Looking to build a stable that can compete at the highest level not only in the U.S. but all over the world, the owner will compete in Sunday's G1 Japan Cup with his newest acquisition, the gelding Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {(Ger)}. Stewart purchased a majority interest in Goliath after he won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at odds of 25-1. Since, he has won the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris Stakes at...