Del Mar

   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 victories of Halfway Line and City Exile, both trained by Phil D'Amato, at Del Mar.   Zoffany Gelding Strikes At Del Mar James Downey's stakes-placed Halfway Line (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}) took three tries, but came away with his first American win at Del Mar for trainer Phil D'Amato in late July (video). Bred by Juddmonte Farms, the 4-year-old gelding won thrice and placed in the...

Kentucky Downs will play host to the inaugural FanDuel TV U.S. Open Turf Championships Sept. 7. The event will feature six graded stakes races offering over $2m apiece for Kentucky-breds. In addition to the three Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In Races', Kentucky Downs will pay the pre-entry and entry fees towards the Breeders' Cup for the winners of three additional stakes should they make a Breeders' Cup field at Del Mar Nov. 1-2. FanDuel TV has also been announced as the title sponsor for the GII FanDuel TV Kentucky...

She did it again. Michael Lund Petersen's Adare Manor (m, 5, Uncle Mo--Brooklynsway, by Giant Gizmo), who was coming off wins in the GI Apple Blossom Handicap and GII Santa Margarita Stakes, made it three straight in winning the GI Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar for the second year in a row. She earned a 'Win and You're In' fees-paid berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, which will be contested over this same surface in three months. Adare Manor broke nicely in the Clement Hirsch, content to...

Sent of as the 27-10 second choice in the Saturday opener from Del Mar, Jack's Magic Girl (f, 2, Good Magic--Stargirl, by Medaglia d'Oro) turned in an exceptionally strong and professional debut, kicking on smartly through the final furlong to win by a space and become the afternoon's second 'TDN Rising Star'. Away without incident from gate six, the $100,000 OBS April purchase took up a ground-saving position three back on the fence in midfield and switched off nicely when the pace dropped away through the middle furlongs. Patiently handled...

It's a Grade I bonanza Saturday afternoon at Saratoga Race Course, as the track plays host to a trio of elite-level races--short and long, turf and dirt. The richest of the three events is the $1-million Whitney Stakes, offering the winner a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on the first Saturday of November. National Treasure (Quality Road) is the 9-5 favorite on David Aragona's morning line and can further tighten his grip on the handicap division with a victory. The $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling...

1st-SAR, $100k, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2f, 1:10 p.m. ET LADY PINK (Into Mischief), a $720,000 acquisition by Peter Brant at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, is out of the unplaced Astray (Bernardini), whose SW & MGSP dam Away (Belong to Me) was responsible for MGSW and GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Eight Belles (Unbridled's Song) and an additional pair of stakes horses. The bay is a half-sister to Bob Marco (Arrogate), stakes-placed on the grass as a 3-year-old. Rigney Racing's Two Sharp (Twirling Candy), a $925,000 KEESEP yearling, blew the break...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Friday at Del Mar: Friday, August 2, 2024 Del Mar 3, $75k, 2yo, 5fT,...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Thursday at Saratoga and Del Mar: Thursday, August 1, 2024 Saratoga 6, $90k, 2yo,...

3rd-Del Mar, $75,500, Msw, 7-28, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:04.02, ft, 3 1/2 lengths. MCKINZIE STREET (c, 2, McKinzie--Karpathos, by Tale of the Cat), the 4-1 second choice in his first start since bringing $290,000 at OBS April, had to deal with pressure from heavy favorite Emerald Bay (Nyquist) for much of the early running as the front pair put up a half in :44.93. But off the turn, it was McKinzie Street who had something left, turning back the favorite at the furlong marker and coming home in good order...

The Chosen Vron (Vronsky) exited his win in Saturday's GI Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar in fine shape and trainer Eric Kruljac is already thinking of options to get the classy Cal-bred to the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. "He's doing super," Kruljac said Sunday morning. "He wasn't tired and cleaned up his feed. He looks like a million bucks." The Chosen Vron won his sixth straight race while successfully defending his Bing Crosby title. The race awarded the 6-year-old gelding an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Last...

In defending his title in Del Mar's GI Bing Crosby Stakes, The Chosen Vron (g, 6, Vronsky--Tiz Molly, by Tiz Wonderful) showed why he's the most popular California-bred in years, harkening back to other multiple Grade I winners from the Golden State the likes of California Chrome, Tiznow, and Best Pal. The Bing Crosby is a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint in November, giving the popular chestnut another try and a fees-paid berth into the six-furlong championship race after finishing fifth last year. Closethegame Sugar...

In a race featuring the return of heralded 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo), it was the lightly-raced 4-year-old Dr. Venkman (Ghostzapper) who stole the show en route to a win in the GII San Diego Handicap Saturday at Del Mar. A winner last year of his first two starts at Del Mar by a combined 10 3/4 lengths, the Mark Glatt runner shipped east to just miss by a head in the Perryville Stakes at Keeneland in October. Off a long layoff, he reappeared in California to contest...