Horse Racing

1st-Belmont, $87,300, Msw, 7-10, 2yo, 6f (off turf), 1:10.70, gd, 2 1/4 lengths. DOCTOR JEFF (c, 2, Street Boss--Wild Bea {SP}, by Wild Rush), entered for main track only, took over favoritism from chief market rival Fort Ticonderoga (War Front) in the final minutes and made 13-10 look like a gift in the Saturday opener from Belmont. Drawn just outside Fort Ticonderoga in gate two, Doctor Jeff was hustled away from stalls by Joel Rosario and cut out the opening couple of furlongs in :22.61 while under light urging. Ridden...

Came Home (Gone West--Nice Assay, by Mr. Prospector), a Grade I-winning juvenile who effectively carried his speed a classic distance, has passed away after a bout with colic in Japan, according to published reports. He was 22 years old. Bred by the late John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery, the half-brother to GSW A. P. Assay (A.P. Indy) was bought back on a bid of $650,000 as a weanling at Keeneland November in 1999 and failed to meet his reserve when offered as a yearling at Keeneland September and as a...

The Wesley Ward-conditioned Bound for Nowhere (The Factor) and Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) each turned in breezes over the Belmont turf course Thursday morning in advance of the expected arrival of Tropical Storm Elsa, with each being pointed towards turf sprint stakes during the early part of the Saratoga meet. Also owned by Ward, Bound for Nowhere came from well back to defeat an unlucky Imprimis (Broken Vow) in Keeneland's GII Shakertown S. Apr. 3 and was last seen finishing third to Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) after setting the majority...

Every year, like the fireflies, they emerge with the gathering heat of summer. Even as the more established sophomores hobble out of the Triple Crown series--many requiring rest or recuperation, some even menaced by retirement--a second wave reliably reinvigorates the crop. Sure enough, in recent days a couple of new names have volunteered themselves to test the resilience of those Classic protagonists who do persevere to Saratoga and beyond. But while both share a fresh, progressive profile, in other respects they could scarcely be more different. 'TDN Rising Star' First...

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 Fukushima and Kokura Racecourses: Saturday, July 10, 2021 3rd-KOK, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1000m LA LA GABRIEL (c, 3, Into Mischief--Celebrate Now, by Street Cry {Ire}) cost $550K at Keeneland September in 2019 and is out of a daughter of...

Let go at debut odds of 52-1, Fourteeneightyfour (Straight Fire) became the first winner for his freshman sire (by Dominus) with a surprisingly easy victory in Monday's third race from Delaware Park. The California-bred, who was entered for, but ultimately withdrawn from last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale, was last away from the inside gate, but recovered to be within a couple of lengths in the opening quarter-mile, which was timed in a sharp :22 flat. Taken to the outside for the run around the turn, he launched an eye-catching bid...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 9th-IND, $34K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, post time: 6:33 p.m. ET STING LIKE ABBY (Flatter) debuts for trainer Ignacio Correas IV and cost Kingsport Farm $375,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September sale, making her the second most-expensive filly sold that year by her successful sire. Flatter's daughter Search Results--also bred at Machmer Hall--was a game runner-up in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks before going one better in the GI Acorn S. at Belmont Park last month. The March foal is the second produce out of...

Heavily favored to score a fifth consecutive victory and his sixth from eight starts overall, Edge Racing's Yes This Time (Not This Time) had some work to turning into the stretch of Saturday's GIII Kent S. over rain-affected turf at Delaware Park, but he rallied through an opening at the rail and outfinished pacesetting Like the King (Palace Malice) for an ultimately comfortable success. Allowed to amble along as the pacesetter had things very much his own way on the engine, Yes This Time was shuffled back to last and...

Officials at Monmouth Park have announced an across-the-board increase in purses to begin on TVG.com Haskell S. day July 17 and have added three live September dates on Fridays to the calendar. "We're thankful to Gov. Philip Murphy and to the leadership in the state Senate and Assembly who continue to support racing in New Jersey," said Dennis Drazin, the Chairman and CEO of Darby Development LLC, the operators of Monmouth Park. "A supplemental appropriation was passed and signed into law, and with rain preventing us from writing more races...

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 Kokura Racecourse: Sunday, July 4, 2021 5th-KOK, ¥13,400,000 ($121k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800mT DANON PEEKABOO (JPN) (c, 2, Kitten's Joy--Joyful Victory, by Tapit) is the first Japanese-foaled produce for the 2013 GI Santa Margarita S. heroine (see below), who carried and red-and-white...

Japan stages a pair of 'all-star' races each season, the G1 Takarazuka Kinen in early summer and the G1 Arima Kinen at year's end, giving fans a chance to vote for their favourite runners. The last four runnings of these events have been won by females--Lys Gracieux (Jpn) completed the double in 2019, while Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) repeated the feat last year. The latter, who scored by six lengths last June, is back to defend her title in the final top-level test of the first half of the...

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 Hanshin and Tokyo Racecourses. The final Group 1 event of the spring/early summer, the Takarazuka Kinen, is slated for Sunday at Hanshin and is led by its defending champion Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}): Saturday, June 26, 2021 1st-HSN, ¥9,680,000...