Horse Racing

Having come out on the losing side of a couple of tight photos in graded-stakes company earlier this season, BBN Racing's Trademark (Upstart) was finally on the winning end of things Friday after dropping his nose down on the line just ahead of 'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) in the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs. The consistent Il Miracolo (Gun Runner) was a distant third. The 13-1 chance, drawn five in a field reduced to nine by the scratching of Happy American (Runhappy), Trademark broke cleanly and...

A field of 16 horses--14 colts and a pair of 2-year-old fillies--will head to the gate for Saturday's $206,819 Cattleya S., a 1600-meter allowance test going a single left-handed turn at Tokyo Racecourse that serves as the first of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Tetsuya Kimura, who will tighten the girth around favored Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in Sunday's G1 Japan Cup, sends out American-bred Sonic Star (Into Mischief). Bred in Kentucky by Nancy Shuford, the dark bay was a $300,000 Keeneland September...

6th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, 3:21 p.m. ET. Bred by the Don Alberto Corporation, WASASHORE (Medaglia d'Oro) debuts for Michael and Katherine Ball, who paid $825,000 for her at last year's Keeneland September Sale. Trained by Tom Amoss, the bay filly is out of GSW Sacristy (Pulpit), a $700,000 purchase at '13 Keeneland November by Don Alberto while in-foal to Medaglia d'Oro. A half-sister to Japanese G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen S. heroine Mozu Superflare (Speightstown), the mare also produced GI Santa Anita Oaks runner-up Flor de La Mar (Tiznow). TJCIS...

Rigney Racing's Xigera (Nyquist), the 6 1/2-length GIII Falls City S. winner on Thanksgiving Day, will enjoy a planned break this winter before targeting next year's GI La Troienne S. on Kentucky Derby weekend, according to trainer Phillip Bauer. The Kentucky-based conditioner won last year's Falls City with now-retired Played Hard (Into Mischief) who returned five months later to win the La Troienne by a neck over GI Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath (Arrogate). "We're going to take her to the sidelines for the winter and hopefully take the...

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 Tokyo Racecourse. Sunday's G1 Japan Cup at headquarters figures to boil down to a battle between Equinox (Jpn) and Triple Tiara winner Liberty Island (Jpn). Click here for our preview: Saturday, November 25, 2023 5th-TOK, ¥13,720,000 ($92k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT...

Having given the race a pass in 2022 after taking a thrilling renewal of the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), Silk Racing Co. Ltd.'s world's top-rated racehorse Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) looks to complete that particular double--most recently accomplished by the syndicate's two-time Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in 2020--as the warm favourite in Sunday's G1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse. It has been a meticulously managed preparation for the 4-year-old colt with the broad blaze, as his abilities were on display for all to...

12th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, post time: 4:43 p.m. Rigney Racing acquired LEGADEMA (Arrogate) for $590,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September, the fourth most-expensive of her late sire's 61 final-crop youngsters sold (66 ring) last year and the second-priciest of his fillies. Rigney gave $600,000 for a daughter of Peggy May (Lemon Drop Kid) at the same sale. A half-sister to SP Cursor (Quality Road), Legadema is out of a winning half-sister to former 'TDN Rising Star' and Grade I winner Tara's Tango (Unbridled's Song)--the dam of GSW...

Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) are among 16 elite-level winners and 25 overseas-based horses that have been extended invitations to the Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting at Sha Tin Racecourse Sunday, Dec. 9. Winner of this year's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and a narrowly beaten second to his GI Breeders' Cup Turf-winning stable companion Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in defence of his crown in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown Sept. 9, the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup-bound Luxembourg...

Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah--Mary's Follies, by More Than Ready), a two-time winner of the G1 February S. at Tokyo, has been retired from racing and will stand the 2024 breeding season at Arrow Stud on the island of Hokkaido. Bred in Kentucky by the late Paul Pompa, Cafe Pharoah was consigned by Eddie Woods to the 2019 OBS March Sale and was hammered down to Emmanuel de Seroux's Narvick International for $475,000. Trained by Noriyuki Hori for owner Koichi Nishikawa, Cafe Pharoah made an immediate impact, winning his maiden by...

Veteran racecaller Tony Calo will be at the mic when the Kentucky racing circuit returns to Turfway Park in Florence Wednesday, Nov. 29. A California native, Calo--best known for his growling 'and there they go' at the break--began his career at Arapahoe Park in Colorado, returning to the Golden State one year later to describe the action at Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields. Calo has been the track announcer for the last 15 years at Finger Lakes in upstate New York. He takes over from Jimmy McNerney, who will...

Trainer Jena Antonucci, who orchestrated the 2023 campaign of GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. winner Arcangelo (Arrogate), will be presented with the Big Sport of Turfdom award by the Turf Publicists of America (TPA). The award, which recognizes a person or group of people who enhances coverage of Thoroughbred racing through cooperation with media and racing publicists, will be given to Antonucci at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program's annual awards luncheon in Tucson Dec. 5. Born in Hollywood, Florida, Antonucci, 47, was introduced to the...

Jim and Dana Bernhard, the owners of Pin Oak Stud in Kentucky, and Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, share the 2023 New Owner of the Year Award, sponsored by 1/ST Racing. The Bernhards entered the Thoroughbred business in 2021 and purchased Pin Oak in November 2022. They have been active players at bloodstock auctions and have campaigned the likes of the late Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) and recent 'TDN Rising Star' Parchment Party (Constitution). "We were so fortunate to be able to purchase Pin Oak, and we...