Brereton C. Jones

Lion Horse Race Co. Ltd.'s Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong) will reportedly be scratched from this year's GI Kentucky Derby, according to trainer Yoshito Yahagi. "After evaluating the colt upon my arrival, I feel that he has not been able to reach the peak fitness required to take on a race as tough as the Kentucky Derby," Yahagi said. "Considering the future of the horse and the fact that we cannot show the horse's true ability in his current state, we have decided to scratch Continuar from the Kentucky Derby. I am...

4th-Santa Anita, $62,500, Msw, 10-8, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.17, ft, 8 3/4 lengths. BLESSED TOUCH (f, 2, Girvin--Blushing Touch, by Street Boss) had to contend with a slow start and a lost path on debut Sept. 11 at Del Mar, ultimately finishing fifth at a similar distance as this baby dash. Breaking outwardly to end up the rail-side part of a sandwiched Carson Jen (Gun Runner) as the fillies left the blocks, Drayden Van Dyke sent his charge to the lead and never looked back, edging away on the turn...

The Brereton C. Jones/Airdrie Stud consignment will be bustling in just a few weeks at the Keeneland September Sale as an assembly of over 60 yearlings bred and raised at the landmark Midway farm prepare to go through the ring. The majority of these youngsters represent the dozen-strong stallion roster at Airdrie, which includes two sires that are represented by their first crop of yearlings this year in Grade I-winning millionaires Preservationist (Arch - Flying Dixie, by Dixieland Band) and Divisidero (Kitten's Joy - Madame du Lac, by Lemon Drop...

Our sport thrives on anticipation; our business, on outcomes. But actually it can take a while to unpick one from the other--especially when even a race as storied as the GI Runhappy Travers S. is not just an end in itself, but also a potential means to viability for the whole program of whoever is lucky enough to own the winner. In principle, the bare couple of minutes dividing anticipation from outcome at Saratoga on Saturday will be history tangibly in the making. From the flux of hopes and interests...

8th-TAM, $31K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 4:22 p.m. WinStar Farm, CHC Inc. and Siena Farm's SHINNECOCK HILLS (Quality Road) debuts for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. Out of Princess Aspen (Birdstone), the colt realized $600,000 at the Keeneland November sale in 2019. Getting first time Lasix while stretching out, Giant's Fire (Gun Runner) finished third in his career debut going six panels here Dec. 23. Trained by John Terranova II, the chestnut was a $510,000 KEEESEP buy for Robert Baker and William Mack. TJCIS PPs 6th-TAM, $31K, Msw, 3yo, 1m...

Ignored at 16-1 debuting around two turns on turf Sunday, Schroeder Farms LLC's Cairo Memories (Cairo Prince) overcame some immaturity to dominate her Del Mar rivals and earn 'TDN Rising Star'-dom. There wasn't much on the grey's worktab to catch the eye, and she was unveiled here by the typically patient Bob Hess, Jr. outfitted with blinkers and a shadow roll. Walking out of the gate, Cairo Memories tugged her way up between horses past the stands for the first time and was in midpack and off the inside by...

Every year, like the fireflies, they emerge with the gathering heat of summer. Even as the more established sophomores hobble out of the Triple Crown series--many requiring rest or recuperation, some even menaced by retirement--a second wave reliably reinvigorates the crop. Sure enough, in recent days a couple of new names have volunteered themselves to test the resilience of those Classic protagonists who do persevere to Saratoga and beyond. But while both share a fresh, progressive profile, in other respects they could scarcely be more different. 'TDN Rising Star' First...

Majesticperfection (Harlan's Holiday--Act So Noble, by Wavering Monarch), a Grade I-winning sprinter and sire of 2015 GI Kentucky Oaks victress Lovely Maria, succumbed to laminitis recently at Haras Rapetti in Uruguay, Turf Diario reports. He was 15 years of age. A $25,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky buyback as a yearling, Majesticperfection was purchased by Satish Sanan's Padua Stables for $370,000 at OBS April in 2008 and was trained by Steve Asmussen to five victories from six starts, including a track record-setting performance in the 2010 Iowa Sprint H. (six furlongs in 1:07.24)...

Three-year-old filly Perfect Happiness (Majesticperfection--Divine Happiness, by Divine Park), a blowout allowance winner with an 86 Beyer Speed Figure at Ellis Aug. 2, brought $200,000 from Flurry Racing Stables as a racing or broodmare Prospect at Keeneland's October Digital Sale Thursday. The Brereton C. Jones homebred, a runaway maiden winner at Oaklawn in January, finished second for trainer Larry Jones in her two most recent trips to the post in optional claimers at Churchill Downs. She previously RNA'd for $22,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling. Consigned by Jones's Airdrie...

Mark Valeski (Proud Citizen--Pocho's Dream Girl, by Fortunate Prospect) will relocate from Central Kentucky's Airdrie Stud to Lake Hamilton Equine in Royal, Arkansas. The deal was brokered by trainer Cody Autrey's Autrey Bloodstock. Mark Valeski retired with earnings of more than $658,000 for trainer Larry Jones and owner/breeder Brereton C. Jones. His signature wins came in Belmont's GII Peter Pan S. and the GIII Mineshaft H. at Fair Grounds. Mark Valeski initially retired to Woodford Thoroughbreds in Reddick, Florida as a partnership between Woodford and Airdrie Stud. Both parties retain...