Churchill Downs

'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Golden Tempo (Curlin) was not the only marquee name on the worktab over the last 48 hours, as horses prepping for next week's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival--as well as some household names not heading to upstate New York--turned in breezes at racetracks from coast-to-coast, from Saratoga, Laurel and Fair Hill to Santa Anita. To follow are works in alphabetical order at the various venues with parenthetical mention of intended targets or races to which the horses have been nominated. Saratoga (Oklahoma unless othewise indicated)...

Pin Up Betty (Constitution) may have been looking for a repeat in the GIII Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes, but it was Full of Run Racing II LLC and Frank Silva's Sweet Treasure (f, 4, Twirling Candy--Stellium, by Empire Maker) who led every step of the way to capture the 1 1/16-mile turf contest on Stephen Foster Preview Day at Churchill Downs Saturday. It marked the dark bay's first stakes score. Despite Pin Up Betty--with her distinctive blinkers--breaking sharpest of all, it was Sweet Treasure from the farthest outside post...

Juddmonte homebred and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Touch of Fire (Constitution) made it three wins from four career starts with a powerful victory in Saturday's Audubon S. at Churchill Downs. The 4-5 favorite tugged his way into second passing the Twin Spires for the first time. Just waiting for his cue through a half mile in :47.38, Touch of Fire cruised up alongside on the far turn and took over with authority in the stretch to win by three lengths. Tiernanogue (Quality Road) was second. Touch of Fire,...

With June around the corner, the graded stakes calendar heats back up as Churchill Downs hosts its Stephen Foster Preview on Saturday. The local prep for the June 28 running of the GI Stephen Foster Stakes, the GIII Blame Stakes is one of six higher-level races on the card and could be deemed as wide-open. Wathnan Racing's Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) has the class edge though. The 2025 winner of the G1 Dubai World Cup returned to Meydan back in late March, but was unable to duplicate the feat....

4th-CD, 125K, O/c, 3yo, f, 1m, 2:15 p.m. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' MASHALLAH (Maxfield) earned an eye-popping 106 Beyer Speed Figure in her Keeneland debut going six furlongs for Brendan Walsh Apr. 23. That form was flattered when the third-place runner from that field, In Scope (Gun Runner), went on to earn the 'Rising Star' moniker herself in her next start May 22. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione takes over the ride from Joel Rosario Saturday from the far outside gate as the $1.25-million OBS March grad stretches out against...

For 60 days straight over the winter at Will Walden's Palm Meadows base in Florida, MGISW Rhetorical (Not This Time) underwent a different kind of training. Instead of being turned out for the off-season like so many horses, his trainer decided that it was time to unveil a new project where skills like dressage would be emphasized. The work that the gelding put in over those months has paid off and now the New York-bred Horse of the Year owned by Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable and Wachtel Stable will point...

Seven 3-year-old males have assembled to contest the annual renewal of the GIII Penn Mile Stakes over the turf on Friday evening. Look for D J Stable's MSW Alpyland (Vekoma) to garner quite a bit of interest by the betting public. Starting back in January, the gelding captured a pair of black-type wins when he took home the hardware in the Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park and in the Columbia Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. The Mark Casse trainee finished fourth in the GI American Turf Stakes on the...

8th-CD, $127k, AOC ($125k), 3yo, 6f, 4:22 p.m. A pair of big-figure 'TDN Rising Stars' presented by Hagyard from the back end of the meet at Oaklawn Park square off here with an eye on bigger and better down the road. Novogratz Racing Stables' MUNNINGS CHALLENGE (Munnings) showed sharp early speed on Mar. 1 debut before settling for second, but took them all the way last time Apr. 11, defeating Doublecents (Goldencents) by five resounding lengths, good for a 94 Beyer Speed Figure. He is a son of Novogratz's outstanding...

   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 Siyouincanada at Churchill Downs. Oh, Canada! Making his first start in the colours of breeder LNJ Foxwoods, Siyouincanada took charge from the bell and stormed home to win by 2 1/2 lengths at Churchill Downs (video). Trained by Joe Sharp, the son of Siyouni is out of the winner Polished (Kitten's Joy). Siyouincanada is the second runner and first winner for his dam,...

This week's rankings are topped by another filly coming out of 'TDN Rising Star' Mashallah's (Maxfield) scintillating debut victory at Keeneland. 5. NATIONAL CHARTER, CD, 5/23-6th, 1 mile (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-86 (c, 3, by Constitution--Totally Tucker, by Elusive Quality) O-BBN Racing. B-Woodford Thoroughbreds (Ky). T-Rusty Arnold. J-Luis Saez. Especially in hindsight, it was a positive that National Charter was a 5/2 favorite at Keeneland in his debut. The $200,000 yearling was only so-so in defeat that day, but apparently needed a race to get his bearings--he ran 10 lengths...

Despite being the sole Grade I winner in the field, Usha (Tiz the Law) entered Monday's GIII Winning Colors Stakes as the 2-1 second choice behind 8-5 choice Kapoor (Uncle Mo), victorious in her four most recent starts. While the latter was significantly compromised at the start and failed to show her best in her stakes debut, Usha muscled her way to the front in the early going of the six-furlong test and remained tough to the very end, hanging on to a narrow victory over the oncoming Zeitlos (Curlin)....

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Dubai World Cup Magnitude (Not This Time) continued his preparation toward the GI Stephen Foster on June 27 with a five-furlong breeze in 1:02.60 Sunday morning at Churchill Downs. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Magnitude worked just after 6 a.m. ET on a fast track. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. "He worked great this morning," the Hall of Famer said. "I'm very happy with how he's doing and really looking forward to the matchup in the Stephen Foster." Magnitude began...