Express Train

Dr. Venkman (g, 5, Ghostzapper--Theory of Change, by Archarcharch), winner of the GII San Diego Handicap at Del Mar 13 months ago, returned to the scene of his biggest career triumph to add the GII Pat O'Brien Stakes Saturday. The $250,000 Pat O'Brien, run at seven furlongs, offers a 'Win and You're In' berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, to be held over this surface Nov. 1. Despite a field of veterans, the Pat O'Brien was not without incident. Two of the six horses--Stronghold (Ghostzapper) and Spirit of...

'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) has always been highly regarded. By one of the nation's hottest sires and sold for $425,000 as a 2022 Keeneland September yearling, he affirmed that regard with a Grade I win at two. Sent to the sidelines for nearly a year before coming back to win the GII Cigar Mile Handicap in his only stakes start at three, he opened his 4-year-old campaign with a second to White Abarrio (Race Day) in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park before shipping...

Longshot J B Strikes Back (Goldencents) upset the inaugural running of the GII Laffit Pincay, Jr. Stakes (previously run as the San Antonio Stakes) Thursday in his first try facing stakes company for trainer Doug O'Neill. The 3-year-old gelding, understandably one of the least experienced runners in the field and the second longest wagering price, broke his maiden in his third start in a $20,000 claimer at Del Mar and was claimed out of that start from these same connections who promptly bought him right back in a $25,000 conditioned...

Runners gearing up towards the GI FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic worked over the weekend with three weeks to the big race. Last year's winner, 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) may not return to defend his title after finishing fourth in the GII San Diego per trainer Bob Baffert. "He's doing fine," Baffert said. "But I don't know what I'm going to run in the Pacific Classic." Meanwhile Subsanador (Fortify), one of two Argentine-breds thought to be headed to the Pacific Classic, will instead run in the GIII Iselin...

Trainer Chad Brown has long stated that a victory in the GI Travers S., not far from home in Mechanicville, would be one of the crowning moments of what will be a Hall of Fame career. 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) is the barn's main hope for the centerpiece of the Saratoga meeting and he can take one giant step towards fulfilling his trainer's dream as the likely favorite in Saturday's GII Jim Dandy Stakes. The colt, who topped the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale not far from the...

There is no such thing as a sure thing in horse racing, but 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) will be bet as if Saturday's GI TVG Pacific Classic--a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov. 5--is already the proverbial fait accompli. And why not, really? His four towering victories in as many trips to the races have come by an average winning margin of better than 13 lengths. His lowest Beyer Speed Figure is a downright pedestrian 105 earned for his debut just...

It was a jam packed weekend of action from coast to coast. Here's a small, bite-sized sample of its impact on the bloodstock world. All The Time... Few sires are hotter right now than Taylor Made's Not This Time, who has the fewest crops of any of the top 10 sires on the 2022 general sire list. In addition to his one-two finish by Simplification and In Due Time in the Fountain of Youth, his Epicenter is also on the GI Kentucky Derby trail. McGrath's Seal Of Approval... Not This...

After four Grade I placings in addition to four graded wins, C R K Stable's Express Train (Union Rags) finally got a Grade I to call his own when he captured the Santa Anita H. presented by Yaamava' Resort & Casino in dramatic fashion Saturday. He was also rectifying another overdue omission in giving trainer John Shirreffs, who was nominated to the Hall of Fame this week, his first Big 'Cap win. The victory didn't come easily though, as Express Train had to battle the length of the stretch with...

It stands to reason, I guess, that the fountain of youth--the quest for which supposedly brought the first conquistadores to the shores of Florida--should instead turn out to be in Hot Springs. Certainly it seems as though there must indeed be something in those celebrated Arkansas waters, judging from the eternal vigor of an 86-year-old trainer based at Oaklawn this winter. For a moment last Saturday, D. Wayne Lukas was going to sweep both Classic trials, Ethereal Road (Quality Road) just losing focus in the final strides of the GII...

Placed no fewer than four times at the top level, C R K Stable LLC's Express Train (Union Rags) looks to get over the hump in Saturday's GI Santa Anita H., the last of six graded events on a blockbuster program at the Great Race Place. Runner-up to Charlatan (Speightstown) in the 2020 GI Malibu S., the $500,000 Keeneland September acquisition filled the same spot behind Idol (Curlin) in this event 12 months ago. Third to recent G1 Saudi Cup second Country Grammer (Tonalist) in the GI Hollywood Gold Cup...

While his fellow sophomores square off in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. later on Santa Anita's Sunday opening day card, talented and accomplished Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) stays around two turns for the GII San Antonio S. The GII Louisiana Derby winner was third in the GI Kentucky Derby and second in the GI Belmont S. before being DQ'd from first to last for interference in the GI Haskell Invitational S. in July. He got his Grade I in the Sept. 25 Pennsylvania Derby, defeating the likes of subsequent GI...

Express Train (Union Rags), slated to contest Saturday's GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, was scratched the morning of the race because of swelling in his hind right hock. "He was schooling in the paddock three days ago and he got a little playful, jumping around and kicked himself," trainer John Shirreffs said. "He'll be fine with a little more time and we plan on running him next year." Also withdrawn Saturday morning, Lael Stable's Arrest Me Red (Pioneerof the Nile) was forced to miss Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint....