Horse Racing
by TDNAus/NZ The Annabel Neasham-trained Learning To Fly (Aus) (Justify) turned heads when she broke her maiden in the G3 Widden S. last month and she more than justified that hype when overcoming a wide barrier to win the Inglis Millennium (Listed Restricted) at Sydney's Randwick Race Course on Saturday. After breaking cleanly from gate 15, the filly was settled on the outside by Chad Schofield, who was happy to sit on the wide outside. As the field rounded the turn, Learning To Fly showed she was aptly named, storming...
How apt that one of Burt Bacharach's very first hits was The Story Of My Life. Because reading the tributes prompted by his loss a couple of days ago, it turns out that his music was pretty well a soundtrack to the lives of millions who--especially in the Sixties, an era of profound societal tension between materialism and idealism--wanted assurance that the essential bonds of humanity still united them all. He transcended those divisions much as he did musical genres, knowing that the middle-aged hosts of suburban cocktail parties and...
With uncertainties regarding the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) still swirling, Fonner Park management announced Friday that it will not simulcast its races to locations outside of Nebraska. The meet is set to begin Feb. 10 and run through May 6. Fonner will become the second track not sending out its signal due to questions over HISA. Last year, the Texas Racing Commission ordered its tracks to cut off simulcasting because of HISA, only to reverse the decision earlier this month after the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of...
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 Saturday running at Tokyo Racecourse: Saturday, February 11, 2023 2nd-TOK, ¥11,850,000 ($90,463), Newcomers, 3yo, 1400m ERIKA BONITA (f, 3, Justify--Caledonia Road, by Quality Road) is the first foal out of her dam, whose upset victory in the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies...
Having endured a luckless run when sixth to Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) as the odds-on favourite in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint in early December, Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) was given a positive ride from Zac Purton and proved easily best in Sunday's G1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse. Drawn widest in a field of eight, the 4-year-old was under a hustling ride from the bell, but was ultimately happy to allow Hong Kong Sprint runner-up Sight Success (Aus) (Magnus {Aus}) to dictate the...
Things looked downright bleak for Town and Country Racing and Repole Stable's Cairo Consort (Cairo Prince) at outset of Saturday's GIII Sweetest Chant S. at Gulfstream Park, as she went in the air as the gates flew, spotting her rivals several lengths. But the gray filly was given a supremely patient ride by Irad Ortiz, Jr. and whistled past stablemate Alpha Bella (Justify) in the final sixteenth of a mile to register a breakthrough graded success. Favored at 11-5, Cairo Consort was forced to take her medicine from the back...
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 Sunday running at Chukyo Racecourse: 5th-CKO, ¥10,480,000, Maiden, 3yo, 1600mT DOUBLE JOKE (c, 3, Practical Joke--Double Date, by Rahy) is out of an unraced half-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year, champion 3-year-old colt and dual Grade I winner Peaks and Valleys (Mt. Livermore)...
From the first time he first set foot on the racetrack in late 2020, Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) has always hinted at top ability, and the beautifully bred 5-year-old scooped the first major prize of his career with a hard-fought victory in Sunday's G3 Negishi S., a stepping-stone to the G1 February S. in three weeks' time. Away awkwardly from the 13 hole, the $70,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase on behalf of Godolphin improved to race in the second flight of horses about three away from the inside for...
It was billed as a clash of the titans, with Hong Kong's three highest-rated gallopers squaring off for the first time in the G1 Stewards' Cup Sunday at Sha Tin. It certainly did not disappoint. Those who may have thought Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro)'s defeat at the hooves of California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in last month's G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile signaled the beginning of the end or a changing of the guard were reminded in no uncertain terms that the 7-year-old retains all of his zest for...
A little less than five months after Emblem Road caused a massive upset in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup last February, agents for that horse's owner HRH Prince Saud bin Salman Abdulaziz went shopping for another son of Quality Road at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale. They landed on Scotland Yard, placed three times in maiden company from four starts for WinStar Farm and Siena Farm and Steve Asmussen and offered through the WinStar Racing consignment. Acquired for $255,000 with a race like the Saudi Cup the...
Revenge is squarely on the mind of reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) as he faces one of his stiffest tests to date in Sunday's G1 Stewards' Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse. Having suffered a shock defeat at the hands of the re-opposing Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) when in search of a record-equalling 17th consecutive victory in last year's Stewards' Cup, the 7-year-old enters this race with another chip on his shoulder, having failed to reel in loose-on-the-lead California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus})...
Flightline was clearly the star among stars at the Eclipse Awards ceremonies held Jan. 26 in Palm Beach, Florida, but a trio of stallions that call the rustic environs of John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa home stole the show from a sires' perspective, accounting for half of the evening's 10 winners among the Flat divisions. Success at the Eclipse Awards is obviously directly correlated with horse racing on its biggest stages, and the results from the first weekend of November, not far away from Xalapa at Keeneland Race...