Churchill Downs

2nd-Churchill Downs, $114,375, Msw, 5-25, 2yo, 5f, :59.04, ft, 4 lengths. GO OTTO GO (c, 2, Bolt d'Oro--Court Dancer {SW, $483,751}, by War Chant) was sent away at odds just shy of 2-1 for his debut run and overcame a bit of a sluggish beginning from the inside stall to graduate by four lengths Thursday. Off about a half-step slowly, the $42,000 Keeneland November buyback turned $180,000 Fasig-Tipton July purchase was forced to steady off the heels of pacesetting second-timer Suga Steve (Goldencents), but was athletic enough to re-engage to...

Following a summary judgment issued by a federal judge Wednesday that dismissed Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's lone remaining claim in his lawsuit against Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), Churchill Downs issued a statement on Thursday. The statement appears in its entirety below. "Churchill Downs is pleased that the Court granted our Motion for Summary Judgement in the Civil Action brought against our company, CEO and Board Chairman by Bob Baffert, resolving in our favor the last remaining claim, just as the Court had ruled in our favor on all...

A federal judge on Wednesday issued a summary judgment that dismissed trainer Bob Baffert's lone remaining claim in his 15-month-old lawsuit against Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI). The order was handed down three months after the same judge tossed out five other counts in the case that alleged civil rights violations related to the gaming corporation's two-year banishment of the Hall-of-Fame trainer. "The Court denied Plaintiffs motion for a preliminary injunction and dismissed Plaintiffs' claims for unlawful exclusion, unlawful conspiracy in restraint of trade, unlawful use of monopoly power, tortious interference...

   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 Wide West (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the Roar S. at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.   Golden Number 10 For Frankel The Roar S. went to Frankel's Wide West for Craig Bernick's Glen Hill Farm and trainer Tom Proctor (video). The homebred is the first foal out of her dam, Deer Valley (Speightstown), who won Monmouth's Crank It Up S. Besides Wide West, Deer...

White Abarrio (Race Day) has been taken away from trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. after his suspension by Churchill Downs during a week when two of his horses died from unexplained causes at the Louisville track, according to a Tweet posted by White Abarrio's owners, C2 Racing Stable. He was scheduled to arrive at his new trainer Rick Dutrow's barn at Belmont on Tuesday. Parents Pride (Maclean's Music) and Chasing Artie (We Miss Artie), both owned by Ken Ramsey and trained by Joseph, collapsed and died April 29 and May 2, respectively. Parents...

After a series of false starts, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act's (HISA) signature anti-doping and medication control (ADMC) program is now set to go into effect Monday. On Friday, TDN spoke with HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus on a variety of topics including the launch of HISA's signature drug control program, operational expenses, the Forte situation, Kentucky Derby week and Texas. The following is a very lightly edited version of that interview. TDN: Last week, the TDN published a story on the headwinds facing the Texas racing industry. In it,...

9th-Churchill Downs, $123,240, Msw, 5-21, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.89, fm, 1 3/4 lengths. TAKING CANDY (c, 3, Twirling Candy--Taking Aim, by Trappe Shot), not seen since his debut last August at Saratoga in a route over the turf where he finished a well-beaten sixth, returned here as the 8-1 choice. The bay colt settled mid-pack as the leaders tried to slow the pace down the backstretch. Into the far turn, Taking Candy looked for running room along the rail, cut to the three path at the top of the lane,...

8th-Churchill Downs, $125,785, Alw, 5-21, (NW1X), 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:15.88, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. SAUDI CROWN (c, 3, Always Dreaming--New Narration, by Tapit) was sparkling in his debut Apr. 16 at Keeneland last month when he kicked away by 4 3/4 lengths. That contest included the winner of race seven Sunday afternoon, Briterdayzahead (Girvin), who was third. Looking to clear the next condition here, the 1-2 heavy favorite showed speed early and despite receiving pressure from Sweet Cherry Pie (Twirling Candy) into the far turn--the half was a brisk :45.01--the...

There was an exciting race, a thrilling stretch duel between winner National Treasure (Quality Road) and runner-up Blazing Sevens (Good Magic), and the first-ever win in the GI Preakness S. by classy Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. And think what you want of Bob Baffert, but his winning the first Triple Crown race he entered since the suspensions and bans had ended was a compelling chapter to this story. The man sure can train a race horse. But those stories will start to drift away as we head to...

Sunday morning's work tab at Churchill Downs featured a trio of trainer Brad Cox's GI Kentucky Derby runners who recorded their first breezes since running on the first Saturday in May. At 5:30 a.m., third-place finisher Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) recorded a half-mile move in :49. The colt, owned by Albaugh Family Stables, is possible to run in the GI Belmont S. June 10. Shortly after, Verifying (Justify), who finished 16th in the Derby, worked a half-mile in :49.60. At 7:45 a.m., Gary and Mary West's Hit Show (Candy...

10th-Churchill Downs, $120,000, Msw, 5-20, 3yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2f, 1:04.98, ft, head. LADY IRENE (f, 3, Kantharos--Leslie's Lady {Broodmare Of The Year, SW, $187,014}, by Tricky Creek), racing in her second start but under Lasix for the first time, was a debut third last fall at Churchill Downs before being turned out for the winter. Sent on her way here as the 6-5 heavy favorite, the bay filly dueled early with Little Hot Mess (Army Mule), then backed off before the far turn. Saving her strength, the homebred began to...

She'd been the buzz horse among the Churchill locals all day and V V's Dream (Mitole) took the first baby steps to making quite a few come true while securing 'TDN Rising Star'-dom in this stylish unveiling. Breaking slowly and asked to race in seventh from two off the rail going into the turn, the grey bided her time as the field watched the other Mitole Cheetah Miss put up all the fractions as :21.90 and :45.59 flashed across the board. Rolling under a full head of steam and splitting...