Horse Racing

3rd-Tampa Bay Downs, $32,000, Msw, 2-14, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:22.97, ft, 4 lengths. FONDLY (f, 3, Upstart--Lifetime Memory, by Istan), who made her debut with Lasix and as a 7-1 shot here, tracked just behind the leaders from the rail up the backstretch. The filly looked like a loaded pistol heading into the far turn, but she nearly clipped the heels of pacesetter Sunset Express (Khozan), which forced her to steady. Unwilling to sign off, Fondly spun to the three path for the drive down the lane, collared the frontrunners...

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 is one horse of interest for this Sunday running at Kyoto Racecourse: Sunday, February 16, 2025 1st-KYO, ¥10,600,000 ($69k), Maiden, 3yo, 1900m CHRONUS BULLET (c, 3, Global Campaign--Above Heaven, by Mr. Greeley) has one start under his belt, a useful third-place effort going 1700 meters at Kokura Jan. 25. The...

4th-FG, $55K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 2:30 p.m. ET. A $1.15 million buy for Mike Rutherford during Keeneland September, BUNDLE (Volatile) makes her debut for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Bred by Three Chimneys, the gray is out of MGISW Love and Pride (A.P. Indy), who is responsible for a pair of stakes winners in Princesinha Julia (Pioneerof the Nile) and Bella Runner (Gun Runner). Bundle's third dam, GISW Cara Rafaela (Quiet American), produced generational sire Bernardini (A.P. Indy). TJCIS PPS 4th-GP, $94K, Msw, 3yo, 1m, 1:47 p.m. ET....

Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) launches his 7-year-old campaign in defence of his title in Saturday's US$2.5-million G3 H.H. The Amir Trophy in Qatar, where he will face seven other rivals that own nothing close to the resume amassed by the Godolphin homebred. Having defeated a pair of Japanese raiders, including the third-placed and re-opposing Satono Glanz (Jpn) (Satono Diamond by {Jpn}) by a convincing three-length margin 12 months ago, Rebel's Romance landed Group 1s in Hong Kong, Germany and America, where he took out the GI Breeders' Cup Turf...

3rd-TAM, $53K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:50 p.m. ET. MEURSAULT (Tapit) is set for her first start under the care of trainer Chad Brown for Alpha Delta. A $700,000 Keeneland September buy, the filly is out of unraced Lasy W (War Front), who claims one other foal--a yearling filly by Quality Road. The first-time starter's second dam, GI Acorn Stakes heroine Zaftig (Gone West), is also responsible for MGSP Spinoff (Hard Spun). Joining Meursault at the barrier is homebred Smoothly (Nyquist). Godolphin also campaigned her dam Via Strata (Street Cry...

Needless to say, Dornoch didn't look as shocked as Jayson Werth had felt when someone once said much the same to him. But somehow he got the message, because next day he went out there as a longshot and came back the winner of the GI Belmont Stakes. It had just been the two of them, in his stall, Werth literally giving the horse a pep talk. So he wanted to be a stallion, a lot of pretty mares lining up? Wanted to be somebody in this game? Well, here's...

Tickets for the 42nd running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, Apr. 23 for the two-day event scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 2025, at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Fans may click here to enroll for special pre-sale ticket access. Beginning in 2025, fans must have an account on SeatGeek in order to purchase tickets to the Breeders' Cup. Accounts may be created free of charge by clicking here. More than $34 million in purses...

Things are starting to heat up on the trail to the GI Kentucky Oaks, and this weekend will feature the most important race run so far this year. The GII Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes at the Fair Grounds drew just six horses, but the race does not lack quality. Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) was undefeated last year in four starts and will be the favorite. But Simply Joking (Practical Joke) is not a horse you can throw out. It will be a big test for Simply Joking, who has run...

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority ("HISA") and its prohibited substance enforcement unit, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit ("HIWU"), are to be commended for withdrawing the TCO2 charges against numerous trainers with respect to a rash of positives in Pennsylvania, which, by inference, they allege are caused by so-called "milkshaking." "Milkshaking" is the practice of pumping baking soda into a horse's stomach, which is believed to prevent or slow lactic acid buildup in horses and allow them to run faster and for longer periods. The numerous positives coming out...

With an economic impact of more than $3.2 billion to the state, the importance of the Thoroughbred industry in Marion County, and Florida as a whole, cannot be overstated. Any action that threatens the viability of our racing and breeding operations is deeply troubling and unacceptable. Ocala Breeders' Sales Company, Inc. (OBS) is proud to be the leading seller of two-year-olds in training in the world and while the sales attract a broad group of domestic and international buyers, it is critical that OBS along with the Florida horsemen and...

I read with interest and a certain amount of confusion, Sue Finley's TDN article about the woes of Kentucky stallion studs. On the one hand, everyone is agreed that it is difficult to fill stallion books, and on the other, the idea of any book being full has long been consigned to the history books. When I worked at Ashford in the mid-90s, Woodman topped the active sires list ('96 or '97) and the size of his book caused scandalized conversation in some quarters. One breeder even told me it...

Keeneland will open ticket sales for its 2025 Spring Meet, to be held Apr. 4-25, on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 9 a.m. ET, according to a press release from the track on Wednesday. A variety of options for Dining, Grandstand reserved seating and General Admission will be available. All tickets must be purchased in advance via Keeneland's Official Online Ticket Office. The 15-day Spring Meet features racing Wednesdays through Sundays with a daily first post of 1 p.m. ET, except closing day, Friday, Apr. 25, when the first race is...