Horse Racing

Officials at Keeneland have announced plans for major capital investments at the historic Lexington oval, including the constuction of a permanent Paddock Building and a reimagined saddling experience. The project, which is expected to cost $93 million, is the largest undertaking of its variety since Keeneland opened 90 years ago and marks the first major construction at the track since the construction of the Keeneland Library in 2002. Construction is scheduled to begin following the 2024 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale and is expected to be completed by...

Twelve hundred forty eight stallions covered 28,548 mares in North America during 2022 with breedings resulting in 18,143 live foals for 2023, according to statistics compiled through Oct. 8 in the Jockey Club's Live Foal Report, the organization said in a release Wednesday morning. In terms of individual stallions, Gun Runner, standing at Three Chimneys, was tops among all stallions when it came to mares bred. He was bred to 256 mares in 2022. He was followed by Yaupon (Spendthrift), 242; Mendelssohn (Coolmore), 232; Practical Joke (Coolmore), 230; and Not...

Winners were named across seven categories with a total of $122,000 awarded at the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, now in its eighth year in the United States, which concluded Tuesday evening at Keeneland Racecourse's Entertainment Center, Godolphin said in a press release after the event. For the first time this year, in addition to the three finalists in each category, two alternates were also chosen and received monetary rewards. Todd Schrupp, FanDuel TV analyst, served as the master of ceremonies. Tom Law, Saratoga Special Managing Editor and this year's judging...

"Multiple graded stakes winner Winter Memories died, and not a peep about it anywhere? Seriously?" Last week's tweet sounded like a salvo. The message's verve was driven by a quest for information. The responses underneath that query told the story, as a host of fans who loved and cheered home this gray filly by El Prado (Ire) over a decade ago, posted their sadness after hearing of her loss. Heading out the Old Frankfort Pike at historic Darby Dan Farm, owner John Phillips made the decision not to issue a...

A memorial service for the late dual Classic winner Funny Cide (Distorted Humor) was held at the Kentucky Horse Park Oct. 8, where the 'gutsy gelding' lived out his retirement at the Hall of Champions on the grounds. During the event, attended by fans of the New York-bred as well as Sackatoga Stable's Jack Knowlton, officials at the Horse Park announced that a statue of Funny Cide would be added to the Memorial Walk of Champions. "Funny Cide was a true champion," said Lee Carter, Kentucky Horse Park President. "Adding...

Tony Ann, a 7-1 shot, outkicked heavily favored Caravel to the wire to earn the first stakes victory of her career in the GII Franklin S. at Keeneland Sunday. Caravel, who began a five-race win streak in last year's Franklin, broke from the rail and found herself chasing dueling pacesetters Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) and B G Warrior (Run Away and Hide) through an opening quarter in :21.09. Tony Ann, who had raced just outside of the favorite early, fell back on the turn as Caravel attempted to...

Given a Yuga Kawada ride befitting a $1.10 (1-10) mortal, Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.'s Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) became the seventh filly to win the Japanese Triple Tiara with a deceptively easy one-length victory in Sunday's G1 Shuka Sho before a packed grandstand of better than 45,000 onlookers at Kyoto Racecourse. Masked Diva (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), the 12-1 third favourite, flashed home for second ahead of narrow second pick Harper (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). Making her first start since smashing her rivals by six lengths in the 2400-metre G1...

10th-Keeneland, $120,000, Alw (NW2$X), Opt. Clm ($80,000), 10-14, 3yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:45.63, ft, neck. FIRST MISSION (c, 3, Street Sense--Elude, by Medaglia d'Oro), making his first start since winning this track's GIII Lexington S. during the April meeting, validated 2-5 favoritism--if only just--to give Godolphin a sweep of the late Daily Double. Off alertly from the inside stall, the homebred allowed himself to be taken back to sit in the second flight of horses behind a pace that was slow to materialize. Up into third and remaining glued to the...

5th-Belmont The Big A, $83,700, Msw, 10-14, 2yo, f, 1m (off turf), 1:38.78, sy, 1 1/2 lengths. PURLOIN (f, 2, Arrogate--Smooth Path, by Scat Daddy), a $200,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $400,000 OBS April breezer, was bet down to 6-5 favoritism in a race scratched down to just four entrants when it was washed onto the sloppy main track. Content to trail, but always in touch beneath Kendrick Carmouche, the gray filly raced two wide around the turn, came out and around rivals into the lane and pulled clear in...

6th-Keeneland, $99,588, Msw, 10-14, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:45, ft, 6 1/2 lengths. DORNOCH (c, 2, Good Magic--Puca {SW & GSP, $299,406}, by Big Brown) had run well in each of his first two career starts, including a runner-up effort in the Sapling S. in his most recent trip to the races Aug. 26, and made good on a promise of 1-2 favoritism to break his maiden in style Saturday at Keeneland. The full-brother to GI Kentucky Derby hero Mage, GISW, $2,507,450; and half to Gunning (Gun Runner), MSP, $278,835,  was...

3rd-Keeneland, $109,550, Alw (NW1X), Opt. Clm ($100,000), 10-14, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:46.34, ft, 5 3/4 lengths. STRETCH RIDE (c, 2, Street Sense--Q Go Girl {SP}, by Quality Road) handled his first two-turn attempt with aplomb, drawing away to win clear Saturday at Keeneland. Off at 9-1 having graduated with a late-running victory over six furlongs at Churchill Downs Sept. 17, the bay colt took up a position from between rivals as Astronomico (Frosted) set a quick early pace at the fence while odds-on Lightline (City of Light) was trapped out...

Stop me if you've heard this one before. A rain-soaked Saturday at a New York racetrack with a scratched-down field tackling a less-than-firm turf course. In this edition of NYRA's Groundhog Day, Eternal Hope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) repeated her performance in last month's GIII Jockey Club Oaks with another win over Neecie Marie (Cross Traffic) in the GII Sands Point S. Saturday's victory, her second in the United States after a quintet of starts in Europe, also marked her 1 1/8-mile debut in a career of thus-far longer distances. Favored...