Don Alberto Corporation

Pin Up Betty (Constitution) may have been looking for a repeat in the GIII Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes, but it was Full of Run Racing II LLC and Frank Silva's Sweet Treasure (f, 4, Twirling Candy--Stellium, by Empire Maker) who led every step of the way to capture the 1 1/16-mile turf contest on Stephen Foster Preview Day at Churchill Downs Saturday. It marked the dark bay's first stakes score. Despite Pin Up Betty--with her distinctive blinkers--breaking sharpest of all, it was Sweet Treasure from the farthest outside post...

For the majority of the previous century Aggies tried to gig'em some Horns, Bears attempted to boil the Owls, Red Raiders fired at Horned Frogs, and the Coogs, the Stangs and 'dem Hogs rounded out what were some raucous match-ups in the bygone era of the Southwest Conference. As the saying went for those Texas college sports teams who were joined by the University of Arkansas, "If you're going to compete, you might as well win." Well, the old conference may have broken up back in the 90s, but you...

Heavily favored Scipio sailed home a much-the-best winner of the Baffle Stakes at Santa Anita. The dark bay colt, twice graded-placed while still a maiden, earned his first career victory going one mile over the Santa Anita turf last time out and was the 4-5 favorite to make it two in a row while making his first start down the hill Sunday. He raced near the back of a compact field and was buried behind a wall of horses approaching the stretch. Tipped to the center of course at the...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Appropriately enough, Senza Parole's (Gun Runner) name translates to "at a loss for words," which could describe the reaction to her jaw-dropping victory Friday in the first race at Saratoga Race Course. Not only did she finish 7 3/4 lengths ahead of 4-5 favorite Stunner (Girvin), Senza Parole completed the six furlongs in the $100,000 maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies in a sharp 1:09.84. She paid $9.40 as the 7-2 second choice in the field of seven. With Saratoga's leading rider, Irad Ortiz, Jr., pretty much...

2nd-Ellis, $71,000, Msw, 8-11, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:25.32, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. LIAM IN THE DUST (f, 2, Liam's Map--Whisper Louise, by Bernardini) debuted at even-money here. The favorite clung to a tenuous lead nestled between a pair of rivals, which included to her outside up the backstretch Impulse Buy (Speightstown). The 2-year-old secured the top spot around the far turn and past the three-sixteenths pole her overdrive kicked in. Cruising along, the chestnut won by 2 1/4 lengths over Impulse Buy. The winner has a younger full-sister who is...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, which opened Monday with figures on pace for a third year of records, concluded Tuesday with an electric session which demolished the sale's previous high for gross, average, and median. At the close of business Tuesday, 154 yearlings sold for $82,160,000--highest ever in the auction's 103-year history, surpassing the previous record of $75,055,000 set last year. The average of $533,506 also improved on the 2023 record figure of $487,370, while the median of $425,000 bettered the...

About two-thirds of the way through Monday night's boutique Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, it was Robert and Lawana Low, through West Bloodstock, agent, who successfully bid $1.9 million for a bay Curlin filly from a power-packed family. Don Alberto Corporation bred hip 85 in Kentucky after purchasing her dam, MSW & GSP Matera (Tapit), for $1.4 million as a 2018 Keeneland September yearling. The filly is the first foal out of Matera, whose dam, Taylor Made-based blue hen Miss Macy Sue (Trippi), produced sires Liam's Map and Not This Time. The...

HOT SPRINGS, Arkansas--A pair of 'TDN Rising Stars' in Muth (Good Magic) and Timberlake (Into Mischief) squared off on an overcast but warm Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn Park to contest the 88th running of the GI Arkansas Derby. What the race turned out to be was a strong statement issued by Muth, as Zedan Racing's colt kicked for home, won by two lengths and collected the purse money. Of course--since the 3-year-old is a trainee in Bob Baffert's care--he will not receive his 100 Kentucky Derby points. A record-tying victory,...

5th-OP, $115K, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 3:22 p.m. ET. A $700,000 Keeneland September purchase by Willis Horton Racing and trained by Eddie Milligan Jr., WILL TAKE IT (Tapit) is the first to the post out of unraced Lady Take Charge (War Front). The latter was the top-priced foal at the 2015 Keeneland November Sale when she was hammered down to Whisper Hill Farm for $3.2 million. Eclipse Award winner Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway), a daughter of Lady Take Charge's half-sister Charming (Seeking the Gold), was the overall topper when...

Blue Rose Farm's Arcangelo (Arrogate--Modeling, by Tapit), a likely favorite for the upcoming GI Breeders' Cup Classic, will enter stud at Lane's End Farm at the conclusion of his racing career. The gray went to the head of the sophomore division with victories in the GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. He also captured this year's GIII Peter Pan S. "It has been a surreal experience to own a horse of this magnitude," said owner Jon Ebbert. "The day I laid eyes on him at the yearling sale, I...

1st-SAR, $136K, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:10 p.m. Purchased by St. Elias Stable, Repole Stable and breeder LNJ Foxwoods for $875,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, Tireless (Not This Time) will take on two turns in his first career start over the grass. Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the dark bay colt's dam Kitty Union (Union Rags) was purchased by Rosilyn Polan at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale for $160,000 carrying a colt by Improbable. His third dam Tizso (Cee's Tizzy) produced GI Haskell Invitational...

2nd-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 8-19, 2yo, 1m (off turf), 1:39.24, ft, 5 lengths. DANCING GROOM (c, 2, Vino Rosso--Snow Dancer, by Bernardini) skipped clear down the lane to become the sixth winner for his freshman sire (by Curlin). A 9-2 shot in this off-turf stretch-out to a mile, the chestnut colt was hustled to keep pace with the early leaders, but was shuffled back to midpack down the backstretch. He rolled into contention with a three-wide move on the far turn, took charge at the top of the lane and strolled...