Horse Racing

Not too many graded stakes winners are raised in the same paddocks as Arabian horses; even fewer can have done so in East Texas. But if it's the horse that makes the horsemen, then perhaps dealing with more than one breed teaches us that there may also be more than one way to get things done. Besides raising stock of both breeds at Centurion Stud, Eric and Randi Moreau-Sipiere also operate an international export service, principally to the Middle East and Europe. Their charges tend to fly in bays of...

Brad Cox is native son of Louisville, Kentucky and proud of it. He also never goes anywhere without his trademark blue and white Brad Cox baseball cap. Career dreams? Of course he has them. One of these days, he might even take a vacation. Brad sat down with the TDN's Tim Wilkin to talk about that and a whole lot more. Here is the final installment of the Saratoga Q&A TDN: You grew up two blocks from Churchill Downs, correct? Brad Cox: That is correct. TDN: And you got a...

The hits just keep on coming for the infinitely likeable Book'em Danno (Bucchero), who stamped his authority on Saturday's GI Forego Stakes at Saratoga, where he has now won four times from five trips up the Thruway. His lone blemish came when a gallant third in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes on this very program 12 months ago. One of the most popular horses in training, Book'em Danno has literally matured before the eyes of the horse racing public. Through a very successful sophomore season, which included a victory...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced juveniles from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes, sponsored by OBS Sales, highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, including links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Sunday at Saratoga, Ellis Park and Del Mar.  Sunday,...

Guided on the lawn by former Eclipse Outstanding Jockey Jose Ortiz, May Day Ready (Tapit--Nemoralia, by More Than Ready) pulled the proverbial wool over the eyes of her competitors by absconding with every pole to take the GII Lake Placid Stakes at the Spa on Saturday. May Day Ready made the local course her own over a year ago when she broke her maiden by a nose at first asking. The bay shipped to Kentucky Downs and won the Juvenile Fillies Stakes in early September, then netted the GII Jessamine...

Greenwell Thoroughbreds' Big Dom (c, 2, McKinzie--Half A.P., by Pulpit) and Dr. Kapur (McKinzie) threw down in the final furlong in front of the Travers day crowd assembled at Saratoga Saturday afternoon, and the duo sprinted well clear of their rivals, with the former prevailing in a tight finish to become the day's third 'TDN Rising Star'. The 13-4 second choice behind 5-2 pick Vino Vici (Vino Rosso)--the only member of the octet with previous race experience-- Big Dom raced between Dr. Kapur to his inside and Vino Vici to...

A sneaky 9.90-1 chance while making her debut in what appeared to be a typically salty Travers Day maiden, Stuart Janney III's Five Bars (f, 2, Maxfield--Secure Connection, by Data Link) was broadsided bilaterally and pinched back at the break and raced near the back of the pack into the final quarter mile of Saturday's third race from the Spa, but went through her gears and split rivals late to score narrowly, nicely enough to be named the afternoon's second 'TDN Rising Star'. Drawn gate four, Five Bars was smashed...

Banishing (Ghostzapper) spoiled a bid by Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) to win the GII Charles Town Classic for the third year in a row when he successfully shipped in for West Virginia's biggest night at the races on Friday. The veteran who is co-owned by trainer David Jacobson scored his biggest triumph in the GIII Oaklawn Mile in Hot Springs Mar. 29 when he dueled and then defeated GISW Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming). Banishing was bested by First Mission (Street Sense) in the GII Oaklawn Handicap the next month, but he did...

Backed into 2.45-1 favoritism for his career debut in the Saratoga lid-lifter on Travers Day, Dahman's Bottas (c, 2, Vekoma--Iadorakid, by Lemon Drop Kid) became the second 'TDN Rising Star' for his dam as he was ridden quietly from the back of a six-horse field by Flavien Prat and exploded through the final furlong and a half to defeat the well-meant Franklin Delano (Liam's Map) by 2 1/4 comfortable lengths in solid time. A $300,000 OBS April breezer (see Summer Breezes), the dark bay--a 7-2 chance on the morning line...

4th-ELP, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 2:16 p.m. ET. Peter Blum homebred ELITE (Into Mischief) makes her first start for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. Out of Flawless (Mr. Greeley), the 2-year-old is a full-sister to current sire Authentic. Also drawn in the same race is Gary & Mary West homebred Fashion Designer (Into Mischief), who is trained by Brad Cox. Her dam Beach Walk produced current sire Life Is Good and GSW Most Wanted (Candy Ride {Arg}). Woodslane bred Sister Troienne (Munnings) is a Brian Lynch trainee whose own dam is...

6th-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-22, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:42.48, fm, 1 1/2 lengths. FILLE D'ORO (IRE) (f, 2, Wootton Bassett {GB}--D'oro Diva, by Medaglia d'Oro), off at odds just shy of 6-1, was steered away from the pocket entering the final furlong of Friday's sixth race at Saratoga and finished nicely to graduate in her first trip to the races for trainer Brad Cox. A €330,000 purchase by agent Clay Scherer out of last year's Arqana August Yearling Sale in Deauville, the bay filly was trapped out three deep nearing...

Iron Orchard (Authentic), who graduated by open lengths during the Fourth of July Festival at Saratoga, made light work of seven overmatched rivals to run her record to two wins from two starts with a front-running success in Friday's Seeking The Ante Stakes at the Spa. Most recently hammered down for $500,000 at this year's OBS April Sale when consigned through Grassroots Training & Sales as agent, Iron Orchard was made the long odds-on favorite for that July 3 debut as she faced mostly auction maidens with a stipulation that...