Englishman

Baeza (McKinzie), winner of last term's GI Pennsylvania Derby and an unlucky third after completely missing the break in his 2026 return in the GII Alysheba S. May 1, is aiming to make his next start in a star-studded renewal of the $2-million GI Stephen Foster S. at Churchill Downs June 27. The 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland is also expected to showcase a highly anticipated rematch between 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day) and 2025 Horse of the Year...

With Hong Kong sensation Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) continuing his dominance of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, American Grade I winner Nysos (Nyquist) jumped to a co-rated fifth at 125 pounds following his win in the June 6 GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap. The 5-year-old, campaigned by Baoma Corp. and Coolmore partners and trained by Bob Baffert, also finished second behind Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) (ranked at 123 pounds) in the G1 Saudi Cup in February. Nysos had previously been rated at 121 pounds....

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...

After a weekend that flashed one talent after another, like a many-sided jewel rotating in the sun, it's hard to single out a dominant facet. But having previously explored the backgrounds of Golden Tempo (Curlin) and Nysos (Nyquist), let's start with the breakout performance of Englishman (Maxfield), author of a 115 Beyer in the GI Woody Stephens Stakes. And actually this horse shares an important glint of brilliance with the other pair. Because Golden Tempo, the second consecutive Derby/Belmont winner out of a daughter of Bernardini, shares his damsire not...

CSLR Racing Partners' Crude Velocity (Beau Liam) will look to stretch out for his next start in the 1 1/8-mile GI Haskell Stakes July 18 at Monmouth Park following his runner-up effort behind the impressive Englishman (Maxfield) in the seven-furlong GI Woody Stephens Stakes Saturday at Saratoga. "I'm going to run him in the Haskell," trainer Bob Baffert confirmed. "We're going to stretch. I was going to run him in the Matt Winn today [Sunday at Churchill Downs], but I thought maybe, I was hoping that Englishman wouldn't show up...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - At 7:30 Sunday morning, Cherie DeVaux stood in front of a couple dozen media types and talked all things Golden Tempo (Curlin). There was plenty to say. Moments before, she had brought the big horse out of his stall and Golden Tempo stood in the shedrow, gawked at the horse racing paparazzi and hammed it up. While DeVaux held him with a shank, Golden Tempo stuck his long neck past his trainer and took a bite out of the blanket of white carnations that was draped...

Saturday's Belmont Stakes is the last of nine top-level events on the weekend and the final of the six highly anticipated Grade I contests scheduled for a bumper card at Saratoga, short, medium and long on both the turf and the main track. A top-quality field of seven is set to face the starter in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap, for which 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Nysos (Nyquist) is the 9-5 morning-line favorite and 126-pound topweight in the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders'...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - By the time 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Chief Wallabee (Constitution) got to the races, Renegade (Into Mischief), the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes, already had three starts on his resume. When the Chief won that first career start back on Jan. 10, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott thought he had a nice little horse he could have some fun with. Mott was thinking he had a horse that could do some good at a mile, maybe win the GI Woody...

'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Golden Tempo (Curlin) was not the only marquee name on the worktab over the last 48 hours, as horses prepping for next week's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival--as well as some household names not heading to upstate New York--turned in breezes at racetracks from coast-to-coast, from Saratoga, Laurel and Fair Hill to Santa Anita. To follow are works in alphabetical order at the various venues with parenthetical mention of intended targets or races to which the horses have been nominated. Saratoga (Oklahoma unless othewise indicated)...

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert will not point GII Pat Day Mile victor Crude Velocity (Beau Liam) to the GI Preakness Stakes next Saturday, and will instead target the GI Woody Stephens Stakes with an eye on the GI Haskell Stakes later in the summer, the trainer confirmed to Agentes 305. According to a post on X from the aforementioned page, Baffert was 'very tempted' but ultimately decided against the entry as it was coming up too quickly for the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. The Stephens runs at...

Billed as a showdown between a pair of unbeaten 'TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard' in these pages back in early April, Crude Velocity (Beau Liam) outslugged Englishman (Maxfield) in a dynamite renewal of the GII Pat Day Mile S. Just like he did in his first two starts, 3-2 favorite Crude Velocity did not exit the stalls well, but recovered impressively to thread his way through traffic to press the rail-drawn, 8-5 second-choice Englishman from second through sharp fractions of :22.06 and :44.20. Crude Velocity drew up alongside at...

An additional quartet of Grade I contests and a Grade I-quality renewal of the GII Pat Day Mile highlight Saturday's Kentucky Derby undercard races at Churchill Downs. Knightsbridge Rates Top Billing In Churchill Downs S. A field of 11 comes together for yet another compelling renewal of the $1-million GI Churchill Downs Stakes, a seven-furlong contest in which Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Knightsbridge (Nyquist) goes in search of a maiden top-level success while looking to extend his current winning streak to five. A half-brother to Grade I-winning...