Horse Racing

Saturday Insights: Pair Of Colts By The Late Uncle Mo Carry The Torch At Gulfstream Park

6th-GP, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 2:48 p.m. ET. A $525,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select yearling, EASTERLY (Uncle Mo) goes out for WinStar, CHC and First Go Racing. The Brad Cox trainee's extended female family includes Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Delightful Mary (Limehouse), MGSW Delightful Kiss (Kissin Kris) and Japanese multiple Group 1 stakes placed Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}). Bred by WinStar and campaigned by Easterly's ownership group, Class President was sent to Todd Pletcher--who of course trained the colt's sire. TJCIS PPS 1st-FG, $55K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:45...

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Bolt d'Oro Filly Interstatelovesong Graduates With Panache At Big A

Interstatelovesong (Bolt d'Oro) was a game runner-up on debut to New York-bred Britain (Quality Road) over the local course Nov. 20. Bet down to 48 cents on the dollar here, the favorite fired from the rail gate and soon established a modest lead up the backstretch. The filly though was in firm control around the far turn and the homebred scampered down the lane to graduate by five lengths over Pulling Threads (Practical Joke). The winner's dam is responsible for a yearling colt by Game Winner. A 2024 Keeneland November...

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Racing in 2036: Horseplayer Mark Stanton

What will horse racing look like in 2036 from a horseplayer. I see TDN has had some of the major power brokers respond, most of whom didn't mention anything about the gamblers. Last I checked the racetrack ecosystem, maintenance/upkeep, improvements, purses, etc. are paid by takeout (which is a percent of handle bet, for the owners out there that I shockingly have found out a vast majority of don't know) and subsidies. I responded on my X account about the lack of horseplayer representation in this hypothetical racing question of...

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Racing In 2036: Carrie Brogden and Arnold Berger

What will racing look like in 10 years? We asked some of racing's best and brightest to give us their predictions. Want to submit an answer? Email suefinley@thetdn.com CARRIE BROGDEN, MACHMER HALL First of all, I am an eternal optimist by nature. With a game-changing program in the works by 2036, I believe that you will see a complete reversal in the gargantuan problem we currently face with aftercare. I am beyond sick of seeing all the ISO posts on social media wanting to buy riding horses but the last...

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OKC Boxcar: Express Kid Rocks Tote In Remington Springboard Mile Upset

At 34-1, Cal-bred Express Kid outran his odds in the Springboard Mile to close out Remington Park's Thoroughbred meet and in the process the colt took home 10 Kentucky Derby points on Saturday evening. The $2,000 buy out of the Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Association Fall Mixed sale broke his maiden at first-asking at Canterbury in early July and was the runner-up in the Prairie Meadows Freshman Stakes in mid-August. Express Kid shipped to Oklahoma City to contest the Clever Trevor Stakes, but was well-beaten Sept. 28. Switching to the local...

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Connect's Chip Honcho Guts It Out in Gun Runner

Sent off as the 39-10 third choice in a field of six for Saturday's Gun Runner Stakes at the Fair Grounds, Leland Ackerley Racing LLC's Chip Honcho (Connect) prompted the early pace and kept plugging away down the long stretch to be up on the wire and earn 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The $210,000 Fasig-Tipton July yearling--with blinkers added off a Churchill one-mile maiden win Nov. 20--broke to his right, causing a bit of a chain reaction, but he showed speed enough to track the...

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Street Sense's Hit Parade Wins Thriller In Untapable Stakes At Fair Grounds

With 10 points on the 'Road to the Kentucky Oaks' up for grabs in the Untapable Stakes on Saturday, Hit Parade (Street Sense) found her rhythm late to top the playlist in the Big Easy. The Gary and Mary West homebred tried the grass at Horseshoe Indy on debut and finished third Aug. 28. Sent to a maiden claimer going two turns at Churchill Downs Sept. 20, the filly scored by two lengths and then over the same course cleared a starter allowance Oct. 31. The 2-1 choice here saved...

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Essential Quality's White Smoke Comes From The Clouds In New Orleans

White Smoke (f, 2, Essential Quality--Mira Alta, by Curlin), whose barn already celebrated when first-time starter Golden Tempo (Curlin) was named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', after winning the third race on the card in New Orleans, was backed by the betting public as the 8-5 choice for her unveiling here. The filly was left at the gate by the field, which put her at a distinct disadvantage up the backstretch. Seemingly out of it around the far turn, the 2-year-old was able to get back into the...

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Curlin's Golden Tempo Charges Home To 'TDN Rising Star' Laurels

Making up for lost 'time' after racing at the tail of the field for the opening half of a six-furlong Fair Grounds maiden Saturday afternoon, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable's Golden Tempo (c, 2, Curlin--Carrumba, by Bernardini) cornered wide into the long straight under a full head of steam and kept that powerful rally up all the way through the line to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard. Pinched back right out of the gates, the well-backed 14-5 chance was well behind early and Jose Ortiz...

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Racing In 2036: Najja Thompson

What will racing look like in 10 years? We asked some of racing's best and brightest to give us their predictions. Want to submit an answer? Email suefinley@thetdn.com NAJJA THOMPSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS, INC. By 2036, I envision a Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry that has emerged stronger and more sustainable after confronting--and resolving--many of the structural challenges we face today. While the continued retraction of operating racetracks is likely unavoidable over the next decade, the remaining venues will be more strategically aligned with year-round...

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410 U.S. Graded Stakes Marked For 2026–Five Fewer Graded Races, One New Grade I

The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association presented its listing of U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes Races for calendar year 2026, the results of its annual grading session conducted Dec. 17 and 18. The committee reviewed 942 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 410 of them, five fewer than were graded in 2025, and Listed status to 211 races. Eleven Graded races were upgraded; one new Grade I and 10 new Grade II races were named;...

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Racing In 2036: Bill Casner

What will racing look like in 10 years? We asked some of racing's best and brightest to give us their predictions. Want to submit an answer? Email suefinley@thetdn.com. BILL CASNER, CO-FOUNDER OF WINSTAR FARM What I am so optimistic about with horse racing right now is that young people are returning. Griffin Johnson has something like 2.5 million followers. When he went into the Derby, he had 1.2 million or something followers. He loves racing. He's got a vision of where it's going to go. He will bring, and he...

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