Brendan Walsh

The 'TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard' were neck-and-neck late, but East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro) had just enough to produce a final jump and narrowly catch ultra-game Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) in the final strides to win the GIII Salvator Mile. Winless since June 2025 when he took home the GIII Matt Winn Stakes beneath the Twin Spires, the Godolphin homebred went onto the shelf after his fifth-place finish last August in the GIII West Virginia Derby. He returned Mar. 28 at Oaklawn Park in the GIII Oaklawn Mile, and...

Twirling Aces (Twirling Candy) took plenty of money as the even-money favorite despite being the only first-time starter in this auction price-restricted field. Encountering plenty of early trouble from the gate, she had to settle wide in the middle of the pack as Annie Bee (Collected) showed the way. Coming with plenty of steam down the outside of the track, Twirling Aces kept driving, pushed past late leader By La Rina (Echo Town) and cleared off to graduate on debut by 2 3/4 lengths. A $50,000 Keeneland September pick up,...

Calumet Farm homebred Original Sin (Curlin) was sent into the lead fully three furlongs from home in Saturday's GIII Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs and just managed to fend off Ohio-bred Who Dey (Liam's Map) for his first win at the black-type level. Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) was locked away in traffic for the first half of the stretch run and by the time he was able to shake loose, was only able to fill out the bottom of the triple in a race that had everyone seeing gray....

Mark Dobbin's Imaginationthelady (Not This Time) was pulled out to deliver her challenge entering the final furlong of Friday's $600,000 GII Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs and came with a stinging rally three off the inside to prove best in a four-way photo. Sent off the 12-5 favorite to improve for a narrow defeat at the hooves of the re-opposing Storm's Wake (Oscar Performance) in Keeneland's GII Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland Apr. 4, Imaginationthelady was taken in hand by Tyler Gaffalione and settled three back on the fence as Sanibel...

The early pace may've been modest, but that closing kick commanded the headlines. All eyes were on her French stablemate, but Kathynmarissa (American Pharoah) made it known that the lady of the lawn on Kentucky Oaks day was her as she rolled by them all to win the GIII Modesty Stakes. After a fruitful 3-year-old season in 2024 where she was off the board only once in eight starts, and where she collected elite black-type when second in the GI American Oaks to eventual Eclipse champion She Feel Pretty (Karakontie...

'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Bella Ballerina (Street Sense) will miss Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks because of a minor injury, according to trainer Brendan Walsh Thursday morning. The news was first reported by Horse Racing Nation. The homebred, who was listed as 12-1 on the morning line, was scheduled to be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, who also lost his mount in the Kentucky Derby when Fulleffort (Liam's Map) was confirmed out on Thursday. The winner of her first three starts, including last season's GII Golden Rod Stakes and GII...

It was a week of unlikely maiden performances: a staggering 106 debut Beyer and two fast runners from a rare 1 1/4-mile maiden race.   5) LATE NIGHT TEXT, 4/23-3rd, 7 furlongs (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 83 (f, 3, by Into Mischief-Arrifana, by Curlin) O-Daugherty Racing and 24th Road Racing. B-LNJ Foxwoods & Gainesway Thoroughbreds (Ky). T-Saffie Joseph Jr. J-Micah Husbands. Running for Joseph for the first time, Late Night Text improved his previous top Beyer Speed Figure by 11 points in his sixth career start to defeat a pair...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Sandtrap at Aqueduct. Lope De Vega Fillies Capture Aqueduct Affairs Named a TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard in her Salisbury debut for Ralph Beckett in September of 2024, Sandtrap (Lope De Vega) made her American bow a winning one at Aqueduct on April 18 (video). Trained by Chad Brown, the daughter of Zindaya (More Than Ready) races for Bridlewood Farm. Bred by...

Two days after 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Mashallah provided Maxfield's trainer Brendan Walsh with his first winner by the Darley stallion sprinting on the dirt at Keeneland, INTEGRITY (f, 3, Maxfield--Truthful, by Bodemeister) repeated the dose in a one-mile maiden on the turf to open the Gulfstream program Saturday afternoon. Distanced on dirt debut at Ellis Park last July when she was sent off just shy of 7-2, the $325,000 Keeneland September yearling re-emerged here with Lasix and blinkers for the first time and was kicked straight into...

3rd-GP, $68k, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:54 p.m. ET Godolphin homebred Delightfully (Tapit), a full-sister to two-time champion and promising young sire Essential Quality, kicks off her career for Brad Cox. She is the 8-5 morning-line favorite. Cox will also saddle second-time starter Nahla (Authentic), a half-sister to GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. winner Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator). The Shadwell Stable colorbearer and $550,000 KEESEP yearling finished second on debut going two turns at Tampa Feb. 28. TJCIS PPs 6th-KEE, $110k, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 3:40 p.m. ET The rail-drawn Mashallah...

This is a story about young friends: some who have become a little less young, but who have kept themselves from growing too old, too soon, by supporting and mentoring the next generation. Poignantly, however, it starts with a man who was himself cruelly denied his share in that gratifying, repeating cycle among horses and horsemen. Because it was his lamented friend Alex Scott who, hearing that Luke Lillingston was off to New York, made an introduction that proved critical to his career. "This was, what, 38 years ago now,"...

Spring Classic preparations kicked off bright and early Saturday morning at Keeneland with GI Toyota Blue Grass runner-up Ottinho (Quality Road) working in company for trainer Chad Brown despite being ruled out of the Kentucky Derby. Ottinho had been in consideration for the Derby but DRF's David Grening reported Saturday afternoon on X that Brown believed it was 'unlikely' the colt would go on to the spring marquee. The GI Preakness Stakes at Laurel May 16 or the GIII Peter Pan Stakes remain as targets later on. With his defection,...