Churchill Downs

Flying the flag of the Empire State, New York-bred My Mane Squeeze (Audible) ran like a well-backed favorite as she got the money with a statement surge to take home the GIII Dogwood Stakes under the Twin Spires on Saturday. The William Butler homebred returned to the Louisville main track which she mastered back in May when she won the GII Eight Belles Stakes on the Oaks undercard. Though she was well-beaten when fourth at Saratoga June 7 in the GI Acorn Stakes to GI Cotillion Stakes winner Thorpedo Anna...

7th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1m, 3:50 p.m. ET. Exiting the chute on debut is CRIMSON SUN (Curlin) for Green Lantern Stables and trainer Eddie Kenneally. Acquired for $700,000 during Keeneland September, the filly is out of the winning Prospector's Moon (Malibu Moon), who Lauren and Rene Woolcott's Woodslane Farm picked up for $350,000 at the same auction back in 2013. The first-time starter counts as siblings full-sister GSP Malibu Curl and half-brother SW Oscar Eclipse (Oscar Performance). Her second dam produced the dam of MGSW Doctor Mounty (Street Sense)...

A $700,000 daughter of Munnings, Muhimma ran to the billing Friday, streaking home the easiest of winners at Churchill Downs as the 4-5 favorite for Shadwell Stables and trainer Brad Cox. Outrun only by one of the only runners in the field with prior experience in My Lil Punky (Outwork), Muhimma was content to let that rival handle the tempo up the backstretch, sitting second through fractions of :22.36 and :45.11. Moving under her own devices under a motionless Florent Geroux, the favorite cruised up along the outside of the...

Mystik Dan (Goldencents) has resumed under-tack training at Ken McPeek's Magdalena Farm in Lexington as the GI Kentucky Derby winner attempts to get back in form after he was last seen running eighth in the GI Belmont Stakes, according to a press release on Friday from Churchill Downs. Mystik Dan was training over the summer at Saratoga, but his conditioner opted to give the colt time following his Triple Crown campaign. "He looks fantastic. There's a whole lot of hind quarter back on him," McPeek said. "This is going to...

Jockey Keith Asmussen is set for his return to the saddle Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs following more than three months on the sidelines because of a fractured femur and broken ribs, the track said in a press release Thursday. The rider began getting back on horses in early August, and continued to regularly gallop and breeze horses for his father, Steve Asmussen. The native Texan is named aboard Payne (Paynter) in the third race on Saturday and Vittorio (Ghostzapper) in the ninth on Sunday. Asmussen's riding career began in...

8th-Churchill Downs, $134,000, Alw (NW2X), Opt. Clm ($125,000), 9-18, 3yo, 6f, 1:08.98, ft, 3/4 length. BILLAL (c, 3, Street Sense--Bambalina, by Bernardini), third in a June 8 Saratoga allowance that produced three next-out winners, filled the same spot, but was well-beaten behind future GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes hero Domestic Product (Practical Joke) in the July 6 GIII Dwyer Stakes. Most recently runner-up in Spa allowance company Aug. 4, Billal was nominated to this Saturday's GII Gallant Bob Stakes, but connections opted for this softer test and he was sent...

In a deal that came about unexpectedly for Rodney Eckenrode's Equistar--the training and breeding operation east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that stands Smarty Jones and Brody's Cause--GSW Zozos (by Munnings) will join the farm's stallion roster for 2025 with a stud fee of $2,500 in the offing. The dark bay who was bred and campaigned by Minnesotans Barry and Joni Butzow recently retired from trainer Brad Cox's shedrow after a career which began at three. Zozos's career highlights include a runner-up finish in the GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds...

3rd-BAQ, $90k, Msw, 3yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 2:09 p.m. ET GUN BARREL CITY (Frankel {GB}), whose world-class sire needs no introduction, is set to become the latest starter from Mrs McDougal (Medaglia d'Oro), twice a winner at the graded level and third in the GI Just A Game Stakes on the grass when conditioned by Chad Brown for Mr. & Mrs. William Warren. Steve Young went to a sales-topping $1.6 million on behalf of the Basses at the 2018 Keeneland January Sale and the mare has excelled in her second career,...

To many, no doubt, her genetic contribution is by now too attenuated to merit attention. At the very least, however, it must be acknowledged an impressive coincidence that the winners of both the GIII Iroquois Stakes and GIII Pocahontas Stakes--whose shared value, as reconnaissance for the Classics over the same track next May, is recognized by allocation of the first starting points--should share as sixth dam the Darby Dan foundation mare Golden Trail. The Golden Trail dynasty entwines such productive lines as those branded by Memories of Silver, Sunshine Forever...

Rigney Racing's TDN Rising Star Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) went wire-to-wire in the GIII Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, earning the colt 10 qualifying points towards the GI Kentucky Derby. According to trainer Phil Bauer Sunday, the colt will now head to the Nov. 1 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar. "It was an unbelievable day for our barn," Bauer said. "Watching him turn for home in the Iroquois, he looked so comfortable on the front end. His ears told a story--he was just waiting for Joel [Rosario] to ask...

16-1 longshot Musical Mischief (Into Mischief) upset the GII Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove Stakes Saturday to earn her first graded stakes win. The $300,000 yearling had shown a prior affinity for the dirt at Churchill Downs, romping late last year in an off-the-turf allowance race by 11 1/2 lengths and going right into the 1 1/4-mile GI American Oaks at Santa Anita where she managed third behind the talented Anisette (Awtaad {Ire}). Second in the Allaire Dupont Distaff Stakes at Pimlico May 17, Musical Mischief returned to Churchill to win an...

No sooner has the dust settled on the 2023 Triple Crown season that another one begins anew. The first points on the 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby were awarded Saturday with 'TDN Rising Star' Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) getting first dibs at a spot in the gate on the first Saturday in May with his win in the GIII Iroquois Stakes. The Ohio-bred son of popular first-crop sire Vekoma impressed right away for Rigney Racing, earning 'TDN Rising Star' accolades in his Saratoga unveiling when overcoming a bad beginning to...