C R K Stable

Baeza (McKinzie), winner of last term's GI Pennsylvania Derby and an unlucky third after completely missing the break in his 2026 return in the GII Alysheba S. May 1, is aiming to make his next start in a star-studded renewal of the $2-million GI Stephen Foster S. at Churchill Downs June 27. The 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland is also expected to showcase a highly anticipated rematch between 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day) and 2025 Horse of the Year...

A pair of very talented, unbeaten 3-year-olds could potentially face off in the GII Pat Day Mile S. on Kentucky Derby day at Churchill Downs. Crude Velocity (Beau Liam) will take his two-for-two record to Louisville for Bob Baffert following a powerful, 6 3/4-length victory over older horses in an optional claimer at Santa Anita Saturday. He earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort. The $250,000 OBS June graduate previously overcame an impossible trip to win at first asking by a neck Mar. 7, good for 'TDN Rising...

The GII Pat Day Mile S. on Kentucky Derby day will be next for unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Englishman (Maxfield), who romped in his highly anticipated return at Fair Grounds Thursday evening. The 1-9 favorite cleared from his outside draw and it was pretty much game over from there. He powered into the turn following a quarter in :21.33 and opened a five-length advantage approaching the quarter pole. With Jose Ortiz completely motionless in the saddle, Englishman was on cruise control down the stretch and reported home...

At Barn 47 on the Santa Anita backstretch Friday morning, stable staff was going about its business a day after the passing of trainer John Shirreffs. Among those at the barn was Shirreffs's top client, owner Lee Searing of C R K Stable. "He was a great man. It was an honor to have him in our lives," Searing said. Shirreffs died in his sleep in the overnight hours of Wednesday into Thursday morning at the age of 80. According to Searing, he was found passed away on the couch...

6th-SA, $70K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 6:12 p.m. ET. While a good portion of the country is tossing another log on the fire in an attempt to stave off the frigid temperatures, out in toasty Arcadia a group of maidens led by some intriguing prospects have assembled for a hot race. Chief among them is POTENTE (Into Mischief) who Speedway Stables made the second topper when they went to $2.4-million to acquire the colt at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Sent to trainer Bob Baffert, the first-time starter is out...

7th-FG, $54K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 4:45 p.m. ET. Bred by Three Chimneys, PURE JOY (Gun Runner) was purchased for $1.5-million by Mandy Pope at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. After the breeder stayed in for a piece, the filly was sent to Steve Asmussen. Pure Joy's dam is MGISW Pure Clan (Pure Prize) who died in 2023. She counts among her offspring SW Princesa Carolina (Tapit), herself the dam of 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Muhimma (Munnings). The first-time starter's extended female family includes MGSW Greater...

The California girl came east and started her 2026 season with a strong effort as Medoro (Honor Code) ran down her rivals late to win the Marie G. Krantz Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds. Twice placed at the Grade I-level as a 3-year-old two seasons back, she spent her entire '25 campaign at Del Mar. The daughter of Honor Code started that year with a win in the Osunitas Stakes in mid-July, and it proved to be her only time in the winner's enclosure in four tries. That being said,...

6th-FG, $60k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 3:30 p.m. ET A pair of Keeneland September acquisitions by Belladonna Racing and C R K Stable, each sold for better than a half-million dollars, debut for the in-form Cherie DeVaux barn in what appears to be a hot maiden on the Lecomte Stakes undercard. MOJACAR (Essential Quality) looks to become the fifth winner from as many to the races for dam Spanish Star (Blame), who is responsible for 2025 GI Test Stakes victress Kilwin (Twirling Candy); the crack Grade II-winning turf sprinter One Timer...

9th-KEE, $110k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 5:16 p.m. ET Lay Down the Law (Tiz the Law), a $775,000 purchase by the Searing family's C R K Stable after breezing in :10 1/5 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sale, debuts for Peter Eurton. The bay, listed at 15-1 on the morning line, previously brought $95,000 as a KEESEP yearling and RNA'd for $60,000 as a FTKNOV weanling. Ilios (Justify), a $350,000 FTKOCT yearling turned $650,000 EASMAY (gallop) 2-year-old, debuts for JR Ranch, KAS Ultimate Racing and G and O Racing and trainer...

Owner Lee Searing, who, along with his wife, Susan, has had a lot of good horses and won a lot of big races, but never has he experienced anything close to the two days he had last week. On Friday at Churchill Downs, C R K unveiled a serious 2-year-old in 'TDN Rising Star' Englishman (Maxfield) and the next day the Searings won the GI Pennsylvania Derby with Baeza (McKinzie), a horse they own in partnership with Robert Clay's Grandview Equine. To talk about both horses, Baeza finally winning a...

Sponsored by Pedigrees360. Candidly, it always feels a little cheap to delve into a pedigree once its functionality is established, scrubbing away any genetic mud before triumphantly producing some hidden nugget to explain how it has all come together. "Post rationalization" of this kind is standard in articles like this, and the absolute opposite of the grueling enterprise that has worn out the soles of so many shoes over the past couple of weeks. As ever, Keeneland presented thousands of perfectly plausible pages to measure against the animals paraded before...

For C R K Stable, owned by Lee and Susan Searing of Claremont, Calif., the celebration actually started the day before the GI Pennsylvania Derby won by Baeza (McKinzie). The Searings own Baeza, who is trained by John Shirreffs, in partnership with Grandview Equine. His victory came just 27 1/2 hours after the stable unveiled a horse who could potentially be better than Baeza. Yes, 'TDN Rising Star' Englishman (Maxfield) was that impressive. The son of a first crop sire, he annihilated a field of maidens at Churchill Downs winning...