Horse Racing

Tim Ritvo, who has served The Stronach Group in a variety of executive capacities since 2011, is leaving his role as chief operating officer of the company effective immediately, according to a release issued Monday afternoon. The company has no immediate plans to fill his position, the release said. "I am honored to have been part of The Stronach Group and am proud of the accomplishments that we have made for the industry across our racing and training programs," Ritvo said. "As a former jockey, passionate fan and life-long horseman,...

Owing to the introduction of table games at the state's racinos, the Indiana Thoroughbred Breed Development (ITBD) Advisory Committee has been able to put together a racing program that will reward more breeders with additional races and more money. Thanks to breed development and track contributions, the 2020 program will be valued at over $17.4 million, an improvement of $2.4 million--or nearly 14%--over last year's program. "The 2020 program is a work in progress as we find ourselves in a position of estimating table games revenue this first year," explains...

After serving a five-year suspension and paying a $100,000 fine for using an illegal electrical shocking device on a Thoroughbred at Sam Houston Race Park in 2015, jockey Roman Chapa on Thursday got his riding license reinstated by the Texas Racing Commission (TRC), a spokesperson there confirmed. On Friday morning, the 48-year-old jockey crossed the state border into New Mexico to meet with Sunland Park stewards to discuss whether they would allow him to ride there. Izzy Trejo, the executive director of the New Mexico State Racing Commission, told TDN...

Valedictorian (Temple City), a two-time graded-stakes winner in 2019, has been named New Jersey-bred Horse of the Year, champion older female and champion turf runner by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey. Trained by Kelly Breen for Epic Racing, the daughter of Smart N Classy (Smart Strike) posted a 9-1 upset of the GIII Suwannee River S. last February and added Monmouth Park's GIII Eatontown S.--won by her dam in 2005--as the odds-on favorite in June while also hitting the board in the GIII Honey Fox S. and GIII...

Never mind a Fountain of Youth. Right now we find ourselves in need of a rather more pressing therapy. Without wishing to be impertinent, in Europe it does feel as though the insidious economic peril of coronavirus--quite apart from its biological impact, deadly as that can be--has been grasped rather more urgently on one side of the Atlantic than the other. That's perfectly understandable, given its unexplained foothold in Italy at a time when the U.S. President could still declare that domestic cases would "within a couple of days... be...

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 Chukyo and Hakodate Racecourses: Sunday, March 1, 2020 2nd-HSN, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m UNBOUNDED (c, 3, Uncle Mo--Undercover Justice, by Lawyer Ron) was well-beaten--as was everything else--by the very impressive A Shin Amen Ra (American Pharoah) on his course-and-distance...

A total of 116 nominations, led by reigning champion 2-year-old filly British Idiom (Flashback), were received by the Churchill Downs racing office at the first entry stage for the $1.25-million GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, to be held Friday, May 1 beneath the Twin Spires. Campaigned in partnership by Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Madaket Stables & Bethlehem Stables, and conditioned by 2018 Oaks-winning trainer Brad Cox, British Idiom was the impressive winner of the GI Darley Alcibiades S. last October before following up with a neck defeat of Donna Veloce...

Making his first start since a towering 10-length graduation over nine furlongs on his Dec. 14 debut at Nakayama, Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah), one of six winners from seven Japanese runners for his Triple Crown-winning stallion, bombed the start of Sunday's Listed Hyacinth S. at Tokyo, but gradually worked his way into contention and sprinted hard in the final furlong to score by 1 1/4 lengths. He is the sixth first-crop stakes winner for American Pharoah. Favored at just over even money, the $475,000 OBS March acquisition by Emmanuel de...

by Alan Carasso Neither a minor temperature nor Sunday's 1800-metre trip proved a task too tall for the talented Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), who was the recipient of a thinking-man's ride from the up-and-coming Vincent Ho and showed his customary electric turn of foot to add the Hong Kong Classic Cup to his prior victory in the Hong Kong Classic Mile. Now just once-beaten in 10 trips to the races, Golden Sixty can join the late Rapper Dragon (Aus) (Street Boss) as the only horses in history to sweep...

Keeper Ofthe Stars (Midnight Lute) forged past previously undefeated 3-5 favorite Jolie Olimpica (Brz) (Drosselmeyer) late to pull off a shocker in the GII Buena Vista S. at Santa Anita Saturday. Away well from the far outside post in this 11-horse affair, the 35-1 shot kept tabs from fourth as the heavy favorite cruised along on the front end, clocking early splits of :23.23 and :46.49. Ranging up two wide to tackle the pacesetter turning for home, the gray pushed past Jolie Olimpica in the final strides to spring a...

Though it is missing its would-be favorite Dieu du Vin (Jpn) (Declaration of War), Sunday's Listed Hyacinth S. at Tokyo--the third of four races on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby--has attracted a solid group of 3-year-old dirt runners, including two of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah's six Japanese winners. Cafe Pharoah, a $475,000 acquisition out of last year's OBS March Sale, attracted the services of the visiting Ryan Moore for his nine-furlong unveiling at Nakayama Dec. 14 and the son of Paul Pompa, Jr.'s talented MGSW Mary's Follies...

A field of 10 4-year-olds bred in either hemisphere line up for Sunday's HK$10-million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m), a field in which the top-rated galloper has some questions to answer and is likely to play second fiddle--at least from a pari-mutuel standpoint-to a stable companion. Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) is rated on 112 entering this middle leg of the 4YO Classic series, having posted eight wins from his nine trips to the post to date. He is perfect in five runs this season, including a defeat of more...