Horse Racing

Officials at Delta Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel in Vinton, Louisiana, which suffered widespread damage during Hurricane Laura Aug. 27, report that they are working towards issuing a revised schedule for its 2020-2021 racing season and that live racing could resume by the end of November. Based on the progress that has been made to date, racing officials are optimistic that horses might be able to return to the grounds to begin training in late October. Racing at Delta Downs was scheduled to take place Oct. 6, 2020 through Feb. 27,...

Sunday's G3 Celebration Cup H. was billed as something of a David versus Goliath matchup between Classic series sweeper Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) and multiple Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}). But, in receipt of a whopping 17 pounds from the 8-year-old, Golden Sixty--having his first start since winning the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) in March--kicked in with what has become his trademark finishing speed to post a facile success, as Beauty Generation and Champion's Way (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) hit the...

The lesser-fancied of the Bob Baffert-trained duo, 'TDN Rising Star' Improbable (City Zip) was uncustomarily taken well off a fast early pace, began to hit his best stride while wide on the second turn, inhaled the leading group in upper stretch and rolled home to defeat odds-on Maximum Security (New Year's Day) by 4 1/2 lengths in the GI Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita. Though he hadn't been more than two lengths off the early pace in any of his last four races, Improbable was taken back to last...

Get Her Number (Dialed In) and Rombauer (Twirling Candy), also-rans in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf Sept. 7, reported home one-two to spring an upset in Saturday's GI American Pharoah S., a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. It was another gap back to the favored maiden Spielberg (Union Rags) in third. Nicely away from gate six, Get Her Number set up camp just to the outside of longshot Dyn O Mite (Goldencents) as Spielberg settled in an apparently good spot, just behind the...

George Krikorian's homebred Mucho Unusual went wire-to-wire to win the GI Rodeo Drive S. at Santa Anita Saturday and earn an automatic berth in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf. Tonahutu took the lead from her inside post in the early strides, but Mucho Unusual strode past her down the stretch for the first time. The bay filly loped along through pedestrian splits, scampered further clear rounding the final bend and resolutely held off Maxim Rate late, while late-closing favorite Lady Prancealot did her best to close into the slow...

Amanzi Yimpilo bested the boys and secured a spot in the gate for the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint S. A debut winner sprinting on the lawn at Gulfstream June 10 and was third in Saratoga's Bolton Landing S. Aug. 19. Shedding blinkers for this one, the chestnut pressed the pace from second through a swift opening quarter in :21.89. Keeping the pressure on through a half in :44.66, the $300,000 KEESEP buy swept to the front in the final sixteenth and held off a late run from Wyfire...

Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior), just a nose shy in a heart-stopping renewal of the GII Vosburgh S. last year, contested then as a Grade I, continued his love affair with Belmont Park in this 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland. Firenze Fire sat a stalking trip in second through an opening quarter in :22.33, made his move at the leader as they stacked up four across the track past the quarter pole, and kicked home nicely to punch his ticket to Lexington. Favored Funny...

The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies will go through unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Princess Noor (Not This Time) following a third straight tour-de-force victory in Saturday's GII Chandelier S. at Santa Anita. Making her two-turn debut following an eye-catching debut win at Del Mar Aug. 22 and runaway score in the GI Del Mar Debutante S. Sept. 6, the $1.35-million OBS Spring topper wasn't the quickest away from her rail draw beneath Victor Espinoza. She rode the rail into the first turn, but was no better than third. Princess Noor...

Sent off the 1.35-1 favorite in what appeared to be an above-average Woodbine maiden Saturday afternoon, Live Oak Plantation's Souper Sensational (Curlin) lived up to her name at first asking, pulling confidently clear to graduate by a bit more than two lengths in a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy performance. Beaten for speed, the $725,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad sat the box seat from third, but traveled nicely on the bridle, with her chief market rival-'Rising Star' Shirl's Speight's full-sister Speightstown Shirl (Speightstown)--lapped to her outside. The Fipke homebred got first run on...

3rd-Belmont, $63,000, Msw, 9-26, 2yo, f, 1m, 1:39.43, ft. AMERICAN WEST (f, 2, Curlin--Jacaranda {GSW, $207,200}, by Congrats), a $925,000 Keeneland September purchase, sat relatively handy to a strong pace, came calling for the lead three off the inside at the furlong grounds and withstood a late rails rally from Millefeuille (Curlin) to graduate at first asking Saturday at Belmont Park. Settled in a stalking third as favored Jouster (Noble Mission {GB}) set the pace from expensive Louisiana-bred Leia Marie (Exaggerator), American West, chilly on the board at 5-1, was...

A trio of candidates for the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico Oct. 3 turned in their final serious moves Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector (Bernardini), who was forced to miss the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby owing to a minor foot injury, tuned up for the final leg of this year's reconstituted Triple Crown by drilling a half-mile in :48 flat with big-race rider Brian Hernandez, Jr. in the saddle. The GII Toyota Blue Grass S. and Runhappy Ellis Park Derby hero was caught in fractions...

Envoutante (Uncle Mo) may not have been up to the likes Speech (Mr Speaker) and stablemate Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in her two most recent tries, but she looks poised to be the headline act in a field of eight for Sunday's GIII Remington Park Oaks in Oklahoma City. The $250,000 Keeneland September yearling, raced in partnership by Walking L Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm, was an easy allowance winner at Churchill in May and was hardly disgraced when third behind Speech in the GI Ashland S. at Keeneland July 11....