East Avenue

The 'TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard' were neck-and-neck late, but East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro) had just enough to produce a final jump and narrowly catch ultra-game Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) in the final strides to win the GIII Salvator Mile. Winless since June 2025 when he took home the GIII Matt Winn Stakes beneath the Twin Spires, the Godolphin homebred went onto the shelf after his fifth-place finish last August in the GIII West Virginia Derby. He returned Mar. 28 at Oaklawn Park in the GIII Oaklawn Mile, and...

Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) will be back to defend his title in Saturday's GIII Salvator Mile S., one of four stakes races on Monmouth Park's 10-race Haskell Preview Day card. After bringing $1.3 million from advisor Pedro Lanz on behalf of the Saudi-based KAS Stables at last year's Keeneland November sale, the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' was a game winner of the GII Cigar Mile H. Dec. 6 in his first start for his new connections. A respectable fourth in the G1 Saudi Cup Feb. 14, the Brad...

Corporate Power (Curlin) out-finished the veteran Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) and a closing Baeza (McKinzie) to earn his first graded stakes win in Friday's GII Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs. The 5-1 shot, making his third start here for trainer Steve Asmussen, was last second by just a half-length to classy Louisiana-bred Touchuponastar (Star Guitar) in the GII New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds March 21. As a 3-year with Shug McGaughey, he tried his hand on the Triple Crown trail with a narrow win in the Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico....

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.--Trainer Jimmy DiVito celebrated with his longtime clients at Doubledown Stables in the special winner's circle reserved for graded heroes at Oaklawn Park after Nu What's New (Munnings--Heavenly Scat, by Scat Daddy) went gate to wire in the GIII Oaklawn Mile Stakes on Saturday. It was the gelding's first higher-level score. The $300,000 OBS April buy who was picked out by DiVito two years ago at the sale took his time to break his maiden, but when it happened it was in-style over the local strip--by 7 1/2...

Looking every bit the 3-2 morning-line favorite for the GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, Renegade (Into Mischief) strode out of paddock schooling with top marks shortly before noon on Thursday. The colt had that, 'Take the test, don't let the test take you' sort of look. Renegade's trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Hot Springs track's signature race five times, but it hasn't been since 2018 when Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) took the prize. Of course, that hero was campaigned by Robert and Lawana Low, who happen...

6th-GP, $84K, Msw, 4yo/up, f&m, 1m, 2:49 p.m. ET. In early June last summer, SPIRIT OF HOPE (Street Sense) worked toward her first start for trainer Bill Mott at Saratoga. The filly was tabbed as a 'main track only' entrant for a maiden special weight, but was unable to draw into the race. Given some more time through the fall, the Godolphin homebred is ready for her unveiling here. Out of highly productive mare Dance Card (Tapit), the first-time starter's half-siblings include Horse of the Year & current sire Cody's...

After respectable showings in the Louisiana, Kentucky, and Ohio Derbys, Chunk of Gold (Preservationist) finally has one to his tally with a sterling effort in the GIII West Virginia Derby. The grey has been eyeballing some of the best of his generation in his last four starts. He shipped to Louisiana in mid-February to contest their Triple Crown preps, and ran second in both the GII Risen Star Stakes and the GII Louisiana Derby, Feb. 15 and Mar. 22, respectively. Having garnered enough points for the big dance, he went...

Godolphin homebred East Avenue got back to winning ways with a gutsy wire-to-wire victory in the GIII Matt Winn Stakes Sunday at Churchill Downs. Facing just three rivals, the 7-5 favorite stepped right out to the early lead and was tracked by Coal Battle and Burnham Square through an opening quarter in :24.41 and a half in :47.66. Burnham Square, Coal Battle and second choice Final Gambit lined up across the track behind him as East Avenue turned for home a length in front. Final Gambit's rally never materialized, leaving...

One of the pieces to the handicapping puzzle that was this year's GI Kentucky Derby was just how Juddmonte Farm's Final Gambit (Not This Time) would handle a conventional dirt surface, having raced only on turf and synthetic tracks in his four starts prior to that. The homebred had punched his ticket to the Run for the Roses when exploding through the lane to dominate the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks Mar. 22, and he answered the surface question when making up a stack of ground--albeit behind a strong tempo--to round...

To adapt Shakespeare on Cleopatra: "age cannot wither him, nor custom stale his infinite variety." To be enjoying an Indian summer like this, however, Medaglia d'Oro has had to stem what often proves an inexorable tide once a stallion enters the evening of his career. For the ageism so common among breeders can be self-fulfilling. Any stallion still operating at 26 must have shown an unequivocal prowess over the years. That being so, however, he will typically have produced fashionable sons to erode his own market share. And once enough...

What a ride. What a feeling. What an unbelievable journey to play a part in Florida's racing legacy. I couldn't be more proud of Bridlewood graduates finishing 1-2 in the 2025 Kentucky Derby--and another in the top 10 with East Avenue. Now that I've had a moment to reflect, I can say with certainty: this finish wasn't luck. It was a testament to Florida's standing as a hub for racing excellence. Florida, and particularly Ocala, has long been a cradle for champions. With abundant sunshine, ideal soil, mineral-rich spring water,...

The field for the GI Kentucky Derby, ranked in "likeliest winner" order. 1) JOURNALISM (c, Curlin--Mopotism, by Uncle Mo). O-Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables 5 LLC, LaPenta, Robert V., Magnier, Mrs. John, Smith, Derrick and Tabor, Michael B.; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. Sales history: $825,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG. Lifetime record: GISW, 5-4-0-1, $638,880. Last start: WON Apr. 5 GI Santa Anita Derby. Journalism is the legitimate and deserving favorite. He checks many of the Derby desirability boxes by being a big, long-striding...