Horse Racing

There is not much Marc Tacher hasn't tried his hand at in the horse racing industry. The native of Puerto Rico breeds, buys and races horses; owns part of a racetrack; and pinhooks. He hopes to enjoy more pinhooking success Wednesday as he sends three juveniles through the ring at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale. Growing up in Puerto Rico, Tacher was bit by the racing bug at a young age and made his first investment in the game early in his adult years. "I got into horse racing early. As...

1st-Gulfstream, $45,000, Msw, 3-27, 3yo, 1mT, 1:34.82, fm, 3 3/4 lengths. COLTON'S COMMAND (c, 3, Twirling Candy--Baublette, by Unbridled's Song), well liked at 7-2 in this unveiling, raced straight past even-money fourth-timer Shaftesbury (Uncle Mo) inside the final eighth of a mile and sprinted away to graduate smartly at first asking. Settled in about midpack as the debuting Fortified (American Pharoah) cut out a moderate pace from Shaftesbury and War Bomber (Ire) (War Front), Colton's Command improved a few spots while making eye-catching progress on the turn. Shifted out for...

Any discussion of the world's leading turf sires must include Darley in Europe's Dubawi (Ire), but for all the success he has had with his runners on the grass, his strike rate on the dirt--particularly in Dubai--is nothing short of stunning. The sire of World Cup winner Prince Bishop (Ire) (and Monterosso {GB} on the Tapeta), Dubawi has also accounted for such horses as Hunter's Light (Ire), Benbatl (GB) and Mubtaahij (Ire). The latter took out the 2015 UAE Derby, and as the sun began to set Saturday at Meydan,...

Prominent every step of the 1800-meter journey despite a somewhat awkward draw, God Selection (Jpn) (Novellist {Ire}) took command in the straight and drew clear to win Saturday's Fukuryu S. (allowance) at Nakayama, earning 40 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby in the process. Ridden for speed from the 13 hole in a field of 14, God Selection was down into the two path and prompted the pace from second as Lord Strom (Jpn) (Makfi {GB}) galloped them along. Ridden cold on the turn and into the...

Danon Co. Ltd.'s Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) makes a much-awaited 6-year-old debut in Sunday's G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Racecourse, as he goes in search of a top-level victory on home soil. The son of Spinning Wildcat (Hard Spun), whose sire won this event back in 2013 for trainer Takayuki Yasuda, was only 10th behind the promoted Mozu Superflare (Speightstown) in last year's yielding-turf renewal, but would go on to win a pair of races at group level before finishing second to the outstanding Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep...

   Time for The Industry to "Stand and Deliver" When it Comes to Accountability, Transparency, and Most Importantly, the Horse "Ganas...all we need is Ganas." --Jaime Escalante Pretty simple words to say, but much harder to truly live by, and the racing industry is at the point now where it needs to truly not only say these words, but to live them. Jerry Brown, in a letter to the editor recently published in the Thoroughbred Daily News, stated his belief that horses running in stakes races were not running true...

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 Sunday running at Hanshin, Nakayama and Chukyo Racecourses, the last of which hosts the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen and its defending champion US-bred 6-year-old mare Mozu Superflare (Speightstown): Sunday, March 28, 2021 3rd-CKO, ¥9,680,000 ($89k), Maiden, 3yo, 1900m MOZU TREASURE (f, 3, California Chrome--Somethinaboutbetty,...

Additional ticket inventory for the 147th running of the GI Kentucky Derby will go on sale to the general public Friday, Mar. 26 at noon Eastern time. The newest options, good for both Derby day May 1 and the preceding afternoon's GI Kentucky Oaks program, are uncovered reserved bleacher-type seating in the first turn and uncovered box seating for groups of six in the infield. There will also be a limited number of first- and second-floor grandstand reserved seats available for purchase. Click here for ticket information. For 2021, all...

by Alan Carasso Any time you hand the car keys to Joao Moreira, you have a fair bit of confidence that good things are to come. Still, entering Sunday's HK$24-million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin, there were questions aplenty as to whether Sky Darci (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), the race's highest-rated galloper, would see out the trip, having underperformed in the two lead-up events. But, one race after bringing up his 100th winner for the season, the 'Magic Man' put a brilliant steer on the Kiwi-bred and...

Two years ago, Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway) parlayed a victory in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf into a battling success in the GII Mervin Muniz Memorial S. and--ultimately--a Horse of the Year title. Following in those considerable hoofprints, Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) validated odds-on favoritism in the event named in honor of the Fair Grounds' late, beloved racing secretary to continue on a similar trajectory, scoring by a 1 1/2-length margin that belied the ease with which it was accomplished. Away without incident from...

5th-Fair Grounds, $75,000, Msw, 3-20, 3yo, 6f, 1:09.09, ft, 1 1/4 lengths. TULANE TRYST (c, 3, Into Mischief--Desire Street, by Congrats) a firming 7-5 favorite in what looked on paper to be a hot Fair Grounds maiden, built on a big-figure second behind the impressive He's In Charge (Candy Ride {Arg}) on career debut over course and distance Jan. 30 to give trainer Cherie DeVaux a second straight winner on the program following on the race four tally of Three Flamingoes (English Channel). Settled worse than midfield through a fast...

During the nine-year stretch from 2006-2014, no fewer than five European-bred and -raced gallopers were successful in the BMW Hong Kong Derby: Viva Pataca (GB) (Marju {Ire}, 2006); Helene Mascot (Ire) (Peintre Celebre, 2008); Collection (Ire) (Peintre Celebre, 2009); Akeed Mofeed (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}, 2013); and Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), 2014). Sunday's 2000-metre feature at Sha Tin includes five horses--four European-bred, one US-bred--that were imported with this very race in mind. Here is a brief recap of how they have gotten to this point. For handicapping...