Horse Racing

Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Yaupon (Uncle Mo--Modification, by Vindication), who became his sire's ninth Grade I winner with a tenacious victory in the Forego S. at Saratoga Aug. 28, suffered an injury while training towards the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita Friday morning and has been retired from racing. It was previously announced that the 4-year-old would be entering stud at Spendthrift Farm for the 2022 breeding season. Daily Racing Form was first to report the news. Bred in Kentucky by the partnership of Betz, Lamantia, CoCo Equine,...

Robert and Lawana Low's Classy Edition (Classic Empire) became the second stakes winner for her freshman sire (by Pioneerof the Nile) with a popular victory in Friday's Joseph. A Gimma S. at Belmont Park. Favored off a smashing 6 3/4-length debut success at Saratoga Sept. 5 for which she was named a 'TDN Rising Star', the $550,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic breezer was beaten for speed and trailed the field early before being steered to the outside of her rivals and improved into midfield to the turn. Niggled at into the final...

The once-beaten Lei Papale (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and reigning G1 Tokyo Yushun hero Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) each return to begin their autumn preps in Group 2 events Sunday in Japan. Carrot Racing's Lei Papale worked her way through the grades in under-the-radar fashion, missing the 3-year-old filly Classics while running the table in five starts, including a breakthrough success at group level as the lone female in a field of 11 in the G3 Challenge Cup at Hanshin last December. Connections could scarcely have selected a more...

The second-, third-, fourth and last-place finishers from Saratoga's GI Alabama S. comprise half of what is expected to be a field of eight for Saturday's GI Cotillion S. at Parx Racing. Private Mission (Into Mischief), recent winner of the GIII Torrey Pines S., did not make the trip in from California. Clairiere (Curlin) won the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds on her seasonal debut, but was second in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks and a one-paced fourth to 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) in the GI...

The decision to withdraw GI Kentucky Derby first-past-the-post Medina Spirit (Protonico) from Saturday's $1-million GI Pennsylvania Derby is certainly a disappointing development, but eight of the nine remaining entrants already have at least one stakes win to their credit, six of those at the graded-stakes level, with a couple of new shooters that have earned their chance to contest a race of this magnitude. Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) is a deserving favorite based on his body of work, one that could look dramatically more sparkling with a few different bounces...

The ninth race Saturday at Arlington is scheduled to go off at 6:12 p.m. Central Time and that will be it. Barring an 11th-hour miracle, the plug will be pulled by Churchill Downs and the wrecking ball will soon be on its way. Considered one of the most beautiful tracks in the world and an important part of American racing since opening in 1927, Arlington Park will run its last-ever card Saturday. On the racetrack, it figures to be a quiet afternoon. At the same track that has played host...

Emerald Downs will raise overnight purses by 10% for the 2022 racing season, the second consecutive year for such an increase. After not being able to attend the races in 2020, fans have returned to the Emerald grandstand this year and revenues have exceeded expectations. "Our race fans came out to enjoy the beautiful weather, great racing, and popular promotions," said track president Phil Ziegler. "Revenue from admissions, food & beverages, and wagering were all better than projected. That enables us to put more money towards purses in 2022." The...

Run This City (Runhappy) became the first Japanese winner for his progressive young sire Wednesday, taking a 1400-meter maiden on the dirt at Ohi Racecourse by an imposing margin. First to break the line from gate six, the March-foaled bay raced under a nice hold, stalking the pace from the outside for the opening half-mile. Given his head with about 500 meters left to travel, Run This City cornered in front, swapped his leads professionally, his rider sitting hard against him, and was pushed out through the final sixteenth of...

2nd-Indiana Grand, $34,000, Msw, 9-20, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:04.86, sy, 3 1/4 lengths. AWESOMELY SHY (f, 2, Gormley--Awesome Story, by Awesome Again) was pegged at morning-line odds of 9-2, but was completely friendless in the market and was off at 12.50-1 for a high-percentage outfit based south and east at Belterra Park. Straightened out after breaking a bit to her right, the homebred cut out a decent pace on the front end, increased her advantage in upper stretch and was punched out to best even-money Abuela's Humor (Distorted Humor)...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-PRX, $42K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7 1/2fT, 3:37 p.m. ET ANGHAAM (Curlin) is the first of just two foals out of Serena's Harmony (Tapit), purchased by Bridlewood Farm as a weanling for $3 million at Keeneland November in 2014, the top price for a weanling at that sale and the second most-expensive of that age group ever sold at Keeneland. Lady Take Charge (War Front--Take Charge Lady) brought a record $3.2 million in 2015. Serena's Harmony is a daughter of SW Serena's Cat (Storm Cat),...

It's as though we have walked out to the very last among the thousands of volcanic rock columns that comprise the Giant's Causeway, and the sea is now lapping round our ankles. But though we probably shouldn't place undue pressure on the stone beneath our feet, it might just support a final expansion of perspective on a horse that truly measured up to his naming for a geological phenomenon. For the scintillating debut of Classic Causeway on the main track at Saratoga a couple of weeks ago permits us to...

Godolphin's Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) became the first North American top-level winner for her superstar Banstead Manor-based stallion, overcoming an eventful start before storming home through the final furlong to prove much-the-best in the GI Natalma S. Sunday at Woodbine. With the victory, Wild Beauty earns herself a spot in the field for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar Nov. 5. After sharing favoritism with Saratoga raider and chief market Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) for the bulk of the wagering, Wild Beauty tightened into...