Horse Racing

A little more than four years ago, horse racing returned to the Commonwealth of Virginia and Colonial Downs for the first time since 2014. Under the leadership of then track Vice President Jill Byrne--one of Virginia's own--the track staged racing three days a week for about a month and since then, the meet has expanded both in terms of length and in terms of popularity among the betting public. In August 2019, Ben Massam drew on his Virginian roots--Ben was a championship-caliber track and field athlete at the College of...

The most recent of five separate legal attempts within the past two years to derail the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) via alleged constitutionality claims hit a roadblock Tuesday when a federal judge in Arkansas denied a motion for a preliminary injunction that sought to halt HISA's oversight and its Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) program. The plaintiffs, led by Bill Walmsley, president of the Arkansas Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), and Jon Moss, the executive director of the Iowa HBPA, had asked a judge in United States...

Mick Fire (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) came with an irresistible run down the center of the course and drew clear in the final 70 metres to defend his home turf and remain perfect in six starts in Wednesday's Japan Dirt Derby at Oi Racecourse. In defeating 42-1 outsider Kirinji (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) by a decisive 2 1/2 lengths, the bay colt was becoming just the third horse in the last 13 runnings based on the National Association for Racing (NAR) circuit to prevail over the typically more-fancied runners that ship in...

Both the the Japan Racing Association and National Association for Racing circuits were well represented on the international stage this winter and spring, with JRA representative Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) winning the G2 UAE Derby ahead of a meritorious sixth in the GI Kentucky Derby, while the NAR-based Mandarin Hero (Jpn) (Shanghai Bobby) covered himself in glory by nearly winning the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby before gaining a run at Churchill Downs. While those two continue to rest up, Wednesday's $721,752 Japan Dirt Derby at Ohi Racecourse...

'TDN Rising Star' Far Bridge (c, 3, English Channel--Fitpitcher, by Kitten's Joy) was the beneficiary of a clean trip beneath Jose Ortiz, took command in upper stretch and finished off nicely to take Saturday's GI Belmont Derby on Long Island. Less fortunate was King Power Racing's G2 Dante S. hero The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), whose passage more resembled a rush-hour trip on the adjacent Cross Island Parkway, but he flew home to remarkably grab second on the line from pacesetting longshot Mondego (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). Supplanted late...

Horse Country, who connects guests to tours that provide a behind-the-scenes look into Kentucky's equine industry, is forming a new partnership with leading national equine adoption program Second Stride, the organization said in a release late Friday afternoon. Tours of Second Stride will be offered six days a week, starting July 10, with both public and private options available. Guests will learn about the retraining and re-homing process and meet current trainees, as well as interact with the Thoroughbred ambassadors that reside at the farm. "We're thrilled to have Second...

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 Chukyo and Hakodate Racecourses: Saturday, July 8, 2023 3rd-CKO, ¥10,480,000 ($72k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m CUPIDON (c, 3, American Pharoah--Chocolate Pop, by Cuvee), a half-brother to the versatile MGSW & GISP Airoforce (Colonel John), finished midfield in two tries over this...

California horse racing again experienced a significant decline in the number of horses that died from injuries suffered during racing and training at the state's facilities during the 2022-23 fiscal year that ended June 30, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) said in a press release on Saturday. A total of 26 died last year as a result of musculoskeletal injuries that occurred while racing or training, compared with 39 the previous year. For context, approximately 30,000 race starts and far in excess of 100,000 workouts occur each year from...

4th-Mth, $55K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5fT, 2:02 p.m. AMO Racing's MADAME MISCHIEF (Into Mischief), out of a half-sister to MGISW Divisidero (Kitten's Joy), went for $550,000 at OBSMAR after clocking .10 flat during the under-tack breeze show. The Jorge Delgado trainee gets Isaac Castillo in the irons. TJCIS PPS 1st-HAW, $35K, Msw, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, 3:30 p.m. Another recent OBSMAR grad who fetched $500,000, Dorothy Crowfoot (Audible) makes her first start for trainer Larry Rivelli. Her dam, Enjoy This Moment (Midnight Lute), is a half-sister to MGSW Sum of...

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued an additional 39 entries to its July Selected Horses of Racing Age sale, the organization said in a release Friday. The auction will begin at 2 p.m. ET on Monday, July 10 in Lexington, Kentucky. The latest entries are catalogued as hips 598-636, which may now be viewed online. They include: Showgirl Lynne B (Constitution) (hip 598), Reflexivity (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) (hip 616), Nakatomi (Firing Line) (hip 617), Astonesthrowaway (Bustin Stones) (hip 618) and Devil's Bit (Daredevil) (hip 627). These entries will also be available...

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 Chukyo, Fukushima and Hakodate Racecourses: Saturday July 1, 2023 5th-HAK, ¥13,780,000 ($95k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT DONA NOBLE (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro--Gender Agenda {GB}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) cost JS Company $200,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale and is...

Produced wide off the final corner, Meisho Hario (Jpn) (Pyro) knuckled down late and was shoved across the line by Suguru Hamanaka to just touch off perfect-trip Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}) to become the first horse to successfully defend his title in the 2000-metre Teio Sho at Ohi Racecourse. T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister), fourth at 1-2 last year and the 2-1 favourite this time around, kicked on strongly between the top two in the final 30 metres, but was forced to settle for third. Meisho...