Classic Q

It isn't always easy for a small breeder to mix it with the bigger operations, pinning their hopes on mating more inexpensive mares with less-regarded stallions who might be flying under the radar at four- and lower five-figure service fees. The Lexington-based Winchester Farm, owned and operated by Dr. Naoya and Marie Yoshida, have made their mark applying those principles, and the pair were on hand over the past weekend at Saratoga. No, they didn't necessarily have a stake or other vested interest in the final leg of the Triple...

All six fillies and mares below ran during Saratoga's all-star Belmont Stakes Festival. 6. AG BULLET, SAR, June 6, Jaipur Stakes (Gr. I), 5 1/2 furlongs (turf) (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-99 (2nd) (m, 6, by Twirling Candy--Noble Grey, by Forestry) O-Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran. B-H & E Ranch (Ky). T-Richard Baltas. J-John Velazquez. The defending Jaipur champ became a Gr. I winner in this race last year and again Baltas chose to face males for $500,000 rather than females for $250,000 in Thursday's Intercontinental. That decision looks sound in...

While the spotlight was rightly focused on Cherie DeVaux last week at Saratoga as she wrapped up two-thirds of the Triple Crown with Golden Tempo (Curlin) with the win in the GI Belmont Stakes, the week that Mark Casse had should not be overlooked. Casse won four stakes races, including three Grade I's. The stars were GI Ogden Phipps Stakes winner Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro), GI Just a Game Stakes winner Classic Q (Classic Empire) and GI Acorn winner Counting Stars (Honor A.P.). Casse was the Gainesway Guest of the Week...

Classic Q (f, 4, Classic Empire--Lovely Em, by Scat Daddy) is proving classy "to a T." Last seen securing her first graded win on Kentucky Derby Day in the GII Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes, the Gary Barber, Blue Crevalle Racing, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners colorbearer doubled up on Belmont Stakes Day, capturing the $500,000 GI Just a Game Stakes at Saratoga in front-running fashion. In addition to kicking off the graded action on a stellar day of racing for the much-heralded Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the Just a...

As expected, Gulfstream's loaded Fountain of Youth card provides fast fillies--but topping this week's list is a breakout performance at Turfway Park. 5. WITH THE ANGELS, AQU, 3/1, Correction Stakes, 6 furlongs Beyer Speed Figure- 93, 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. (f, 4, by Omaha Beach--Sister Margaret, by Pulpit) O-Winning Move Stable, John Oxley, Sheila Stable, Silverwood Stables and Sanford Robbins. B-Joseph DeRico (NY). T-Linda Rice. J-Jose Lezcano. Rice says With the Angels "never makes a wrong move," and after demoralizing her New York-bred competition last summer and fall,...

In her second start since topping the 2025 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale at a cool $3.7-million, Lush Lips (Ire) brought her winning streak to three in a row Saturday, capturing the GIII Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream Park in her first run against older fillies and mares. Debuted initially in her native Ireland, Saturday's 8-5 favorite really found her footing once shipped to Brendan Walsh's operation in late 2024. She's never been off the board since that maiden-breaking score at Gulfstream, winning five of eight starts and finishing runner...

A few weeks removed from having topped this year's Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale on a bid of $3.7 million from Bill Shiveley's Dixiana Farms, Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) pounced on long-time leader Classic Q (Classic Empire) with less than a furlong to race in Friday's GII Mrs. Revere Stakes and held off a late surge from East Coast raider Pretty Picture (Munnings) by a long neck as the heavy 1-2 favorite. Exiting a victory in Keeneland's Oct. 11 GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup about 70 miles...

In a wide-open edition of the GII Bank of America Valley View Stakes, it was Claiborne Farm's homebred filly Admit (Blame) who stepped up to the mark Friday, capturing her first graded stakes race under John Velazquez. After breaking her maiden in her third career start on the Tapeta at Turfway last December, the Thomas Drury trainee tried the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, earning placings in both the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes and the Bourbonette Oaks on the synthetic surface before switching to the dirt to contest the GI Central...

It was overcast and foggy, but weather was not going to stop her as Daisy Flyer (Mshawish) flew home in the final yards to take the GIII Lake George Stakes at Saratoga. Sent to George 'Rusty' Arnold as a juvenile, she ran a flat eighth last summer on unveiling July 21 at Ellis Park, but produced her first inkling of the dramatic final kick in her Sept. 5 graduation at Kentucky Downs when she won the photo by a head. When her connections stepped her up into the GII Miss...

Despite the fact that Journalism (Curlin) became the first of his generation to earn as many as three elite-level victories with his thrilling success in the GI NYRABets Haskell Stakes last weekend, Godolphin's Sovereignty (Into Mischief) remains at the head of this year's sophomore class by virtue of convincing head-to-head tallies in the GI Kentucky Derby on May 3 and when last seen in the GI Belmont Stakes right here at Saratoga on June 7. But the argument can be made that Saturday's GII Jim Dandy Stakes at the Spa...

Having beat older horses in an allowance at Churchill downs in course record time Apr. 30, Classic Q stepped up to contest the 1 1/8-mile GIII Regret Stakes but faded from the lead as the favorite when last seen May 31. Dropped back to the flat mile Thursday, the 8-5 favorite put in a stellar effort to earn her first black type win in the Wild Applause on the opening day of the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga. Sent to the lead just as she was in the Regret...

Four weeks removed from the running of the GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs stages its second stacked weekend of the spring/summer meeting, with five Grade IIIs and one listed contest on 'Stephen Foster Preview' Day. The program serves as a steppingstone to Foster Day itself in a month's time. A field of 10 has been entered for the GIII Blame Stakes, the course-and-distance prep for the $1-million GI Stephen Foster Stakes, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Gary and Mary...