Horse Racing

Eugene Melnyk, the owner of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League and a prominent horse owner and breeder who was a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, has passed away at age 62. His death was announced Monday by the Senators, which posted a statement from Melnyk's family on its website, which noted that he died "after an illness he faced with determination and courage." The team did not disclose the exact cause of death. He underwent a liver transplant in 2015. A native of...

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC's White Abarrio (Race Day) was confirmed a starter for Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa Tuesday morning by trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. The gray colt, last seen (No dominating in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 5, spiked a fever the on the Tuesday before his final drill, which was to be Sunday. He signaled his readiness for this weekend's task by blowing out three furlongs in :34.96 over a glib Gulfstream Park main track...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- On paper, it was horseracing's version of the 'Dream Team.' Trainer Bob Baffert, a three-time winner of the G1 Dubai World Cup, and the charismatic Frankie Dettori, still riding at the peak of his powers into his early 50s, also with three World Cup trophies to his name. Each of those victories was achieved as the retained rider for Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor, but the Italian maestro hadn't hoisted the hardware since Electrocutionist (Red Ransom) took the 2006 renewal at old Nad Al Sheba...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- There is seemingly very little Japanese horses cannot accomplish these days. Four weeks after scooping four races at a variety of distances and on both surfaces in Saudi Arabia, Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}) made it three wins on the Dubai World Cup undercard--with the possibility of even better to come--with a determined defeat of pacesetting Summer Is Tomorrow (Summer Front) in the $1-million G2 UAE Derby as night began to take hold at Meydan Racecourse. Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) struck for...

Responding generously to jockey Christophe Lemaire's urging, Stay Foolish (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) outfinished the formerly unbeaten Godolphin-owned Manobo (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) to seize the $1-million G2 Dubai Gold Cup. Rating kindly for Lemaire behind a pedestrian pace, Stay Foolish finished strongly to wear down Manobo from his inside. Winning by a half-length, Stay Foolish covered the Gold Cup's 3200 meters in 3:19.64 on Meydan's good turf course. Manobo, who had won his previous five races with relative ease including the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy here on...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- In a Thursday morning presser at Meydan Racecourse, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher suggested that a good deal of the allure of running in a race like the G1 Dubai World Cup is that it brings together a smorgasbord of horses from a variety of jurisdictions with patriotic pride at play. "I think part of it is the international competition aspect of it," he offered. "I said this when Coal Front (Stay Thirsty) won the [G2 Godolphin] Mile [in 2019], it almost takes on...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- In the spring of 2018, Bucchero (Kantharos) took the Ironhorse Racing Stable on the ride of a lifetime. Having burst onto the scene with an upset victory in Keeneland's GII Woodford S. the previous fall, the popular Indiana-bred finished fourth, beaten just one length, in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Behind him that afternoon were the likes of Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) and Marsha (Ire), both world-class turf sprinters, and it got IHR managing partner Harlan Malter's wheel's spinning. If Bucchero could mix it...

by Alan Carasso In a finish reminiscent of the 2014 BMW Hong Kong Derby, in which the longer-winded Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) got the better the more distance-limited Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal) in the dying strides, Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) managed to reel in a very brave California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) to win the HK$24-million domestic centrepiece Sunday afternoon at Sha Tin Racecourse. Money Catcher (NZ) (Ferlax {NZ}), thrice placed at group level in New Zealand, parlayed a perfect inside trip into a third-place...

Now that Cheltenham's beloved festival has ended, the Flat picks up the thread seamlessly with an old favourite in the mold of some of the best-known jumps campaigners which have enriched this week's action in the Cotswolds. Step forward Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), Jean-Claude Seroul's veteran consumer of group contests who looks for back-to-back successes and an 11th Pattern race in Saturday's G3 Prix Exbury at Saint-Cloud. A repeat of his exploits when garnering ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix d'Ispahan and Munich's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis last term should be enough if he...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Ervedya: HALF TO ERVEDYA DEBUTS AT TOULOUSE 5.32 Toulouse, Debutantes, €16,000, 3yo, 10 1/2fT EREVIYA (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) makes her entrance on a low-key card, but as a half-sister to the star mare Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is certain...

The connections of the speedy California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) were hardly doing cartwheels after their Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) winner was assigned gate 10 in a full field of 14 for Sunday's HK$24-million BMW Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin Racecourse. The winner of six of his eight local starts, California Spangle made all in the Feb. 27 Classic Cup, having endured a tough trip when second to Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the Hong Kong Classic Mile back in January. But jockey Zac Purton admits that...

Gold Square LLC's Cyberknife (Gun Runner) will make his next start in the $1.25-million GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park Apr. 2, trainer Brad Cox told the Oaklawn press office. A $400,000 acquisition by owner Al Gold out of the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase, the chestnut is unbeaten in two starts going long outside of stakes competition, having graduated in his first route attempt at the Fair Grounds Dec. 26 before tacking on a three-length allowance victory at the New Orleans oval Feb. 19. In between those efforts, he...