Horse Racing

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin and Hakodate Racecourses: Saturday, June 20, 2026 5th-Hanshin, ¥14,880,000 ($92k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT LUZ SOLAR (JPN) (c, 2, Karakontie {Jpn}--Light of My Eyes {Ire}, by Frankel {GB}) is set to become just the second Japanese runner for his Gainesway-based...

Big Frank Stable's Concrete Glory (Bodemeister) has been named Claiming Crown Horse of the Year for 2025 by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), the co-founders of the Claming Crown series. The Pennsylvania-bred was claimed by owner Frank Rupolo out of a winning effort for the bottom-level price of $6,250 out of a daylight victory at Gulfstream Park some 20 races into his career in December 2022. He has since won no fewer than a dozen races under the care...

The aim is to find a buyer who wants it for a racino A lawyer representing Hawthorne Race Course in the track's Chapter 11 bankruptcy attempt to restructure between $100 and $500 million in debt told the Illinois Racing Board (IRB) on Wednesday that the track's ownership has asked a federal judge for a time extension that, if granted, could accommodate a potential auction of the property by early August. Both Tim Carey, the president of the family-owned Hawthorne, and his bankruptcy attorney, Barry Chatz, underscored during their update to...

Antonio Fresu, Phil D'Amato and Reddam Racing were the leading jockey, trainer and owner, respectively, at the just-concluded Santa Anita Hollywood meeting at the Arcadia oval. A native of Sardinia, the 34-year-old Fresu booted home 33 winners from 183 rides (18%), narrowly besting Armando Ayuso on 31 wins. Fresu, who shifted his tack to Santa Anita in December 2023, missed the first five weeks of 2026 with a left foot injury suffered on opening day of the season Dec. 28. "The year didn't start like we wanted to, so this...

Norman Stables and Saints or Sinners' So Happy (Runhappy) was named the top horse during the 2025-2026 winter/spring season at Santa Anita, which concluded Monday, June 15. Conditioned by Mark Glatt, the bay colt followed a debut victory at Del Mar last November with a two-length success in the seven-furlong GII San Vicente Stakes at the Great Race Place in early January. Third in the GII San Felipe Stakes in his first start around two turns, So Happy caused a 7-1 upset in the GI Santa Anita Derby, cementing a...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 06/15/2026 Licensee: Gerald Bennett, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on June 16, 2026; Disqualification of Covered Horses' Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender...

Edited Press Release The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) has named Janelle L. Winston as the successor to general counsel Michelle Pujals who has retired from the post, the organization said via a press release on Wednesday. Pujals worked for HIWU for four years after spending two decades with the NBA's legal department, where she oversaw the development and administration of anti-drug programs for NBA players, coaches, and trainers. She was a member of the NBA/National Basketball Players Association Prohibited Substances Committee and the NBA Crisis Management Team. "Michelle...

Before Keeneland hosts the Breeders' Cup World Championships for the fourth time, the track will celebrate its 90th birthday with a 17-day Fall Meet from Oct. 2-24 featuring 22 stakes worth $10.7 million, the outfit said in a Wednesday press release. Keeneland, which was developed on property owned by John Oliver "Jack" Keene, opened Oct. 15, 1936 for nine days of racing. Over the course of the Fall Meet, 12 stakes will be run on the turf and 10 stakes will be on the dirt. The Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund...

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (NMRHOF) will celebrate its 50th annual Museum Ball on Friday, Aug. 7, according to a press release from the repository on Wednesday. The esteemed black-tie gala has been held continuously since 1977 and remains the Museum's largest fundraising event and one of the most prestigious social affairs of the Saratoga racing season. Click here for ticket information.

Keeneland has signed on as the co-title sponsor of the Horse Racing Women's Association (HRWA), alongside FanDuel TV, for the remainder of 2026, the women's organization said via press release on Wednesday. "Keeneland is honored to partner with the Horse Racing Women's Association as a co-title sponsor this year and support its efforts to foster connection, mentorship and professional growth for women throughout the Thoroughbred industry," Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. "A strong future for horse racing depends on cultivating talent, encouraging collaboration and creating pathways for leadership....

OCALA, FL - With a colt by Early Voting topping the day's results, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale concluded its first of three sessions Tuesday with an average and median ahead of last year's record-setting figures. During Tuesday's session, 163 horses sold through the ring for a gross of $9,066,000. The average was $55,620--up 26.5% from last year's opening session--and the median of $30,000 was up 15.4% from the corresponding 2025 figure. The cumulative average from last year's two-day June sale was $51,107 and the...

A recent article in the TDN, "He Thought His Horse Had Been Retired, So Why Did It Show Up at Chippewa Downs?" has attracted a lot of attention. It should. It's an unfortunate situation: an older Thoroughbred, sold for breeding purposes and believed by its owner to have been retired from racing ultimately returns to racing under new connections, raising understandable concerns about welfare and accountability. Scenarios like this are preventable and can be addressed through an existing protocol. Transferred as Retired from Racing (TRR)--a process available to all owners--should...