Horse Racing
The mantle passes. Now that he is himself such a model for young Californian trainers, it is touching to think of Richard Mandella back in the days when he, too, would look up to those who set the standards in the previous generation. "I remember sitting in my box seat, with my horse going to the post, and I could feel my heartbeat all the way through my body," he recalls. "People used to think I was taking it well, but I wasn't inside. I could feel the pounding. And...
Dear Friends & Fellow Horsemen Our industry stands at a crossroads; if we continue to accept the status quo, it could very well mean the end of Thoroughbred racing in the U.S. as we know it in the next few years. It's time for tangible changes to finally put the welfare of our horses and the experience of our owners and racing fans first and foremost. We propose four key areas of reform as detailed below to revitalize our sport. Each of us signing this letter has different perspectives; we...
Improbable gave the Bob Baffert a measure of consolation following Authentic (Into Mischief)'s defeat in the GI Santa Anita Derby, winning the GI Hollywood Gold Cup in a common gallop as the 6-5 favorite. Sent along by Drayden Van Dyke to stalk a steady pace set by longshot Brown Storm (Chi) (Scat Daddy) from second, the $110,000 Keeneland November weanling and $200,000 Keeneland September yearling traveled well within himself through the middle stages before being sent into the lead at the three-eighths pole. While he was traveling supremely well, he...
Honor A. P. (Honor Code) launched into action four wide into the stretch and powered home a dominating winner of Saturday's rescheduled GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. After missing some time with a foot bruise earlier this year, the handsome dark bay made his belated sophomore debut in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 7, and ran a big one in defeat after making a strong middle move to chase home loose-on-lead wire-to-wire winner Authentic (Into Mischief). Off as the 2-1 second choice to that re-opposing undefeated foe, Honor A....
6th-Santa Anita, $51,000, Msw, 6-6, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:16.13, ft. CEZANNE (c, 3, Curlin--Achieving, by Bernardini) topped last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale at $3.65-million after breezing in :10 flat (see below) and started off his career on the right hoof here with a debut graduation. Away well from the one-hole, the hulking bay engaged in a three-way battle for second, hot on the leader's heels through a :22.19 opening quarter, Drawing even with the pacesetter on the backstretch, the 2-5 chalk shrugged off his stubborn foe in mid-stretch and rolled...
Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) made 8-5 look like a gift, as he paddled his way through the final furlong of the Belmont slop to post a dazzling 7 1/4-length victory in the GI Runhappy Carter H. and in the process, earning a fees-paid berth in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland Nov. 7. Drawn outside in a field scratched down to eight runners, Vekoma was one of the first away, but was happy to cede the early advantage to American Anthem (Bodemeister). Stalking that one through...
Swiss Skydiver continued her climb to the top of the sophomore filly division with her third straight graded victory in the GII Santa Anita Oaks. Favored while facing just three rivals here, the chestnut broke on top from her rail draw and clocked an opening quarter in :22.92 and a half in :46.55 with Merneith hot on her heels in second. Simply cantering along with ears pricked and on a loose rein, Swiss Skydiver opened up in the lane under a hand ride from Mike Smith for a facile victory....
The lightly raced and flashy Volatile was pounded in the wagering and showed exactly why as he continues to build a set of past performances that look awfully similar to former stablemate at last year's champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya). Drawn six of six in a field with plenty of speed on paper, the overwhelming chalk perched three wide off the early pace of :21.48 set by the fleet Bobby's Wicked One (Speightstown) and was poised to pounce while deep at the entrance to the stretch as the half-mile was up...
Confidently handled by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, last year's comebacking GI Runhappy Travers S. hero Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a well-timed decision in Saturday's GIII Westchester at Belmont. Drawn widest in the field of nine, the Farish homebred settled slightly worse than midfield and was kept in the clear as Endorsed (Medaglia d'Oro) made an aggressive mid-race move beneath Joel Rosario to assume command at halfway. Code of Honor began to hit his best stride three furlongs from home and had...
G M B Racing's Tom's d'Etat (Smart Strike) breezed six furlongs in a strong 1:12.80 Saturday morning at Churchill Downs as he continues his preparations for the GII Stephen Foster S. June 27. "The most incredible thing about his work this morning was it hardly looked like he even did anything but he just cruised out there," trainer Al Stall, Jr. told the Churchill notes team. "Now, he's back in his stall and doesn't even seemed like any of it phased him one bit." The 7-year-old entire, third to Seeking...
Kendrick Carmouche said he has never experienced racism, at the racetrack or elsewhere. But that doesn't mean that the events surrounding the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers didn't hit home for the 36-year-old jockey. The New York-based Carmouche is one of only a handful of African-American jockeys riding in the U.S. Earlier this week, Carmouche posted an emotional video on social media. With tears streaming down his cheeks, he spoke of the heartache he had been experiencing since the Floyd killing. "It is very...
King Guillermo (Uncle Mo), 'TDN Rising Star' Pneumatic (Uncle Mo) and two-time graded-stakes winning filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) are the marquee names among 22 3-year-olds that have been made eligible for the 2020 Triple Crown series at the late closing stage. The late additions to the three-race series, which this year begins with the GI Belmont S. June 20, take the total number of Triple Crown nominees to 369, pending late mail. Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo entered the 3-year-old discussion with his 49-1 upset of Sole Volante (Karakontie {Jpn}) in...