Curlin

MGISW Journalism (Curlin) put in his first work since arriving back from the Jersey Shore following his victory in the G1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park last month. The GI Preakness Stakes winner, who was the runner-up in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes, returned to trainer Michael McCarthy's barn on the Del Mar backside a few days after the Haskell. On Saturday, it was back to work for Journalism who went four furlongs in :48.40 with rider Tony Gutierrez in the saddle. McCarthy clocked his colt with...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The record-smashing Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale steam rolled to its conclusion Tuesday night, setting highwater marks for every metric and culminating with a head-turning gross of $100,715,000. At the close of business, 160 yearlings had sold for an average of $629,469 and median of $450,000--numbers which dwarfed records set just last year when 154 yearlings grossed $82,160,000 for an average of $533,506 and a median of $425,000. It was the third straight year of across-the-board statistical records at the Saratoga sale....

It took only a few minutes into Monday's opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale for hip 13, a chestnut daughter of Curlin, to break the seven-figure barrier when selling for $1,300,000 to Windaneer Farm who was the successful bidder over the phone. Out of MSW/GSP Two Sixty, the filly was consigned by Warrendale Sales, Agent for Stonestreet Bred for Brilliance. This is the family of MGSW/GISP Havnameltdown (Upcaptured).

Reigning champion 3-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), second last out in the GI Stephen Foster on June 28 at Churchill Downs, worked a half-mile in :48.80 (52/167) Saturday to the inside of Secured Lender over the Spa main track. The Chad Brown runner is expected to start in next Saturday's GI Whitney Stakes, a 'Win and You're In' race for the GI Breeders' Classic in November at Del Mar. "He worked super. It was just maintenance," Brown said. "He's bounced out of the Stephen Foster...

The horse giveth, the horse taketh away. How typical that Mopotism (Uncle Mo), one of those rare commercial diamonds that oblige with a champion at the first attempt, succumbed to her animal frailty in the very week that Journalism (Curlin) excavated new depths of the toughness she had given him. At least the cruelty of her premature loss has been matched by a proportionately outsized legacy. For while we can't yet be certain that even a prowess measured as persuasively as that of Journalism will be competently replicated, surely his...

After being a frequent face in the graded ranks since last April, class relief in the Listed Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar provided Medoro (Honor Code) with her moment in the sun as she rolled by runners late to score. Twice placed at the elite level, the Honor Code filly was last seen Dec. 25 in the GI American Oaks where she ran third behind MGISW She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}) and GISP Kathrynmarissa (American Pharoah). Before that she'd missed winning Santa Anita's GIII Autumn Miss Stakes by a nose...

Long live the classy mares. A fan favorite and honest as the day is long, Future Is Now (Great Notion) was ultra game in the lane to take home the GIII Caress Stakes at Saratoga. Off the board just once in her last 10 starts, the Michael Trombetta-trained star has won six of them including the GII Intercontinental Stakes and GII Franklin Stakes last year, and she kicked off her 2025 season Apr. 13 at Keeneland with a nose victory in the GIII Giant's Causeway Stakes over multiple Group/Graded stakes-placed...

And thus the queen of flowers blooms again. 'TDN Rising Star' Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief) has rediscovered her best stride and gamely took home the GII Shuvee Stakes at Saratoga Friday afternoon. Eased up in the stretch last out June 6 in the GI Ogden Phipps Stakes when the track turned into slop she hated, it had been the most recent in a series of tough-luck jumps for the daughter of Into Mischief. Her prior three starts before then were the GI Acorn Stakes and GI CCA Oaks last year--where...

She was the seventh highest-priced Gun Runner at Keeneland September last year, and Glory Me more than justified that price tag here as she effortlessly cruised home to 'TDN Rising Star' honors on unveiling at Ellis Park. Giving the crew trouble before the race but eventually convinced to load, she hit the gate coming out and was content to watch the pace unfold from the back of a tightly bunched group as they went up the backstretch behind an opening quarter in :22.08. Pinched back as quarters got tight entering...

8th-Monmouth, $51,275, Msw, 7-11, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:38.40, ft, 1 length. NEW MAGIC (c, 3, Curlin--Magic Dance {SW & GSP, $191,083}, by More Than Ready), sluggish from the gate as the 5-2 second choice, quickly found himself far out of it into the first turn as the far more experienced race favorite Bridoza (Khozan) dueled on the front with Atrocious (Ghostzapper) through the quarter in :23.63. Making an early move to catch up with the field through a slowed-down half, the Three Chimneys homebred then had to shift out wide to...

2nd-ELP, 100K, Msw, 3yo/up, f, 6 1/2f, 1:19 p.m. BELLS OF MARANELLO (Nyquist), a daughter of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Believe You Can (Proud Citizen), was a $750,000 KEESEP grad back in 2023 for Cindy Heider. The mare, who RNA'd for $4.9m at FTKNOV in 2014 following her racing career, produced SW/GSP Believe In Royalty (Tapit) for her first foal and, more recently, MGSW Conclude (Collected). Steve Asmussen trains for Heider Family Stables with son Keith Asmussen aboard for the debut. Breaking mid-gate, Angelic Sense (Street Sense) is the full-sister...

OCALA, FL - With a flurry of late big-ticket items, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale concluded its two-day run with a new record price, as well as highwater marks for both average and median. "You always hope," OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said when asked if he expected the splash of records. "We saw the same pattern that we saw in the 2-year-old market all year and I am glad that it held all the way to June. Sometimes you worry about the last...