GI Shoemaker Mile

A pair of Grade I turf tests in addition to the GII Hollywood Gold Cup highlight Santa Anita's Memorial Day card. Kicking off Monday's graded action, the Gold Cup will feature a quintet of hard-knocking handicappers, including Grade I winners Subsanador (Arg) (Fortify), victorious over ultimate champion National Treasure (Quality Road) in the 2024 renewal of the GI California Crown and last season's GI Big 'Cap winner British Isles (Justify). Now seven, the Argentine multiple Grade I winner returned off a 2 1/2-year hiatus to finish fourth in both starts...

King of Gosford (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) sailed to the lead in the shadow of the wire to win the GI Shoemaker Mile Stakes at Santa Anita Monday. The 4-1 shot settled well off the pace in a strung-out field as longshot Goliad (War Front) opened a clear advantage through fractions of :22.92 and :45.68. King of Gosford began picking off foes on the far turn, but was still some eight lengths back approaching the stretch where Cabo Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile) was first to overtake the tiring pacesetter. King of...

For every Off-the-Track Thoroughbred enthusiast, having a sound and healthy former racehorse to partner with for a second career is all they hope for. And while these same people will tell you their horse's racing history doesn't matter much, many of these same OTTB devotees will also admit their immense pride in explaining their companion's racing career, recreating as much of it as possible to anyone who will listen. Just about everyone in the Thoroughbred industry understands that most OTTBs are runners who served as the backbone of racing, filling...