Horse Racing

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 Kokura, Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses, the latter of which hosts the G3 Negishi S. and has attracted its defending champion Copano Kicking (Spring At Last) and G1SW Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) making his dirt debut: Saturday, February 1, 2020 2nd-KYO,...

5th-Aqueduct, $65,960, Msw, 1-30, 3yo, 6f, 1:13.27, ft. SIXTO (c, 3, Curlin--Drift to the Lead, by Yonaguska), dismissed at odds of 13-1 in a field reduced to five by the post-time scratching of Ghost Fighter (Tapit), was roused to the lead approaching the sixteenth pole and held on for a 1 3/4-length victory in his career debut. Only fairly away, the dark bay gained a bit of ground as favored Its a Wrap (Twirling Candy) cut out the running. Three deep on the turn, the May 17 foal looked a...

Tired of all the bad news? So were we. So, in our new series, we focus on the positive, asking people from non-horse racing families two questions: how they get hooked, and how they'll hook someone else on horse racing this year. TERRY FINLEY    What was the experience that made you fall in love with horse racing? Like a lot of other people who aren't born into the business, my exposure to racing happened when I went to the races with my father, who was a school teacher. When...

John Imbriale, who has been with the New York Racing Association for better than 40 years, has been appointed the full-time racecaller and track announcer, taking over the position held by Larry Collmus since 2014. Imbriale joins a long list of legendary racecallers in New York, including Tom Durkin, Marshall Cassidy, Chic Anderson, Dave Johnson and Fred Capossela. "John Imbriale is a central part of the fabric of thoroughbred racing in New York," said NYRA CEO & President Dave O'Rourke. "Johnny I's high level of professionalism and flawless delivery are...

We've all got a shot. But only Bill Nicholls has a Shotski (Blame). Not strictly true, of course. The son of Blame, who makes his sophomore bow in the GIII Withers S. Saturday, is banking his racetrack purses for a partnership comprised of Adam Wachtel, Gary Barber, Pantofel Stable and Mike Karty; and raised no more than $25,000 when sold as a yearling by Springland Farm and Prime Bloodstock LLC. But if that's a fairly minimal reward, for breeding a GII Remsen S. winner, then Nicholls can comfort himself that...

The Consumer Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a major hearing today on the Horseracing Integrity Act (HIA) that brought together horse racing industry heavy weights and representatives from two major animal welfare groups to advocate for passage. Congressman Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) spoke at a hearing Tuesday in support of H.R. 1754: the Horseracing Integrity Act, legislation that would establish a non-governmental anti-doping authority responsible for implementing a national, uniform medication program throughout the sport. Tonko introduced the bill last year with fellow Congressional Horse Caucus...

The Thoroughbred Racing Challenge game is a free online  horse racing fantasy contest tracking the 3-year-old horses, trainers and jockeys on the Triple Crown trail (website). It was previously run as a private family game of the Ball family for over 20 years. Only 1,000 participants will be accepted for 2020. The Thoroughbred Racing Challenge game puts you in the position of being the best jockey in the nation with your pick of the best horse to ride in any of the prep races anywhere in the country. Your choices...

by Alan Carasso Dispatched the $1.80 (5-4 on) favourite to run his lifetime record to eight wins from nine runs, Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) took off once in the clear in upper stretch and whooshed home to best his Francis Lui stablemate More Than This (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) by a comfortable 1 1/4 lengths. The early sections of the Classic Mile were run at a muddling pace, and that caused the likes of Star Performance (NZ) (Per Incanto) and the well-backed Beauty Legacy (Aus) (Fiorente {Ire}) to overrace...

by Alan Carasso A trio of 100-plus rated 4-year-old heads to the post for Monday's first leg of the Classic series in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Classic Mile. Two of those have already achieved the rare feat of defeating more seasoned gallopers at group level, including the very progressive Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro). One of a pair of entrants from the on-fire Francis Lui yard, the gelded son of Gaudeamus (Distorted Humor) has won eight from nine, including a commanding two-length tally in the G3 Chinese Club Challenge...

Following the high-profile defections of Omaha Beach (War Front) and Spun to Run (Hard Spun) earlier this week, the GI Runhappy Pegasus World Cup appeared to be a wide-open affair. But apparently nobody told Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man). Sent off the 3-1 second choice behind Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro), who went off at 5-2, Mucho Gusto took over with consummate ease, strolling home an 4 1/2-length winner over pacesetting Mr Freeze (To Honor and Serve). It was 3/4 of a length farther back to War Story (Nothern Afleet). "Those...

Sent off at odds of 11-1 making his first appearance since a running-on and wide fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, Michael Hui's Zulu Alpha (Street Cry {Ire}) enjoyed a cozy inside passage from gate one beneath Tyler Gaffalione and snuck through underneath Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at the eighth pole en route to a two-length victory in Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Turf S. at Gulfstream Park. "Just a great horse," winning trainer Mike Maker said. "I thought he got unlucky in the Breeders' Cup or he...

Tired of all the bad news? So were we. So, in our new series, we focus on the positive, asking people from non-horse racing families two questions: how they get hooked, and how they'll hook someone else on horse racing this year. KIARAN MCLAUGHLIN, TRAINER What was the experience that made you fall in love with horse racing? I was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, in the horse capital of the world. At that time, everyone knew someone who had something to do with the Thoroughbred industry. For me,...