Horse Racing

Minaret Station (Instilled Regard) had not been seen since Oct. 6, where he was a 38-1 upset winner of the GII Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland. Prior to that, he broke his maiden Sep. 6 at Horseshoe Indianapolis and finished third on debut at Ellis Park Aug. 5. Breaking a bit inward in his 3-year-old debut, the colt settled in third, riding the rail into the first turn and up the backstretch. As the field went in :25.71 and :50.74, the colt was guided to the three path for the stretch...

Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Mindframe (Constitution) was his own worst victim in last year's GI Belmont Stakes and GI Haskell Stakes, his inexperience costing him victories in both of those marquee events for the 3-year-old generation. He got the monkey off his back, at least to some extent, when proving best in a thrilling four-way go in the GI Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard, and in the $1-million GI Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs Saturday afternoon, cemented his position as one...

With a fortunate spark of front-end speed, Serendipity (Street Sense) made every pole a winning one to take her first higher level race in the GIII Selene Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday. A former member of Brad Cox's shedrow, the filly won for that trainer in her debut going two turns on the grass at Gulfstream Park Mar. 23. Forced to run on the main track at the Big A May 9, the bay was a fading runner-up against optional claimers in her next start. Tabbed as the 5-2 second...

With a strong kick down the lane in the Tale of the Cat Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday, Tom's Magic (Justify) netted the second black-type win of his career and the Ontario-bred is intended for the August running of the King's Plate at Woodbine, according to his trainer. The chestnut came on the scene last fall and at second asking graduated by 1 3/4 lengths over the grass at Fair Grounds Dec. 22. The son of Justify then won the Black Gold Stakes at course and distance in what...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has lifted the precautionary quarantines by the New York State Department of Agriculture (NYSDA) of Barns 60 and 63 at Saratoga Race Course, the organization said in a press release on Saturday. As a result, all horses stabled in Barns 60 and 63 are once again permitted to enter races, effective immediately, and to train with the general horse population beginning Sunday, June 29. Barns 60 and 63, which contains horses under the care of trainer George Weaver, were placed under a precautionary...

Commentator (Distorted Humor--Outsource, by Storm Bird), a two-time winner of the GI Whitney Handicap for owner Tracy Farmer and trainer Nick Zito, was euthanized on Friday, June 27, at Old Friends at Cabin Creek in New York due to long-term complications from Potomac horse fever. He was 24 years old. Bred in New York by Michael Martinez, the chestnut was a $45,000 Keeneland November weanling and was purchased by Farmer for $135,000 out of the 2002 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Sale. After besting his fellow Empire-breds by over 27 combined lengths in...

Executing a well-timed turn of foot like a seasoned professional, Laurelin (Zarak {Fr}) ran to her odds and in the process swept up the Penn Oaks at dusk. The chestnut came in as a deserving favorite, since her record was without blemish. After breaking her maiden at first asking during the Belmont At The Big A meet last October, the filly picked up the Tepin Stakes at the Big A in mid-November. Turned out for the winter, Laurelin returned to Ozone Park and promptly took home the Memories of Silver...

11th-Churchill Downs, $122,025, Msw, 6-27, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:16.02, ft, 1 1/2 lengths. TAYLOR'S VERSION (c, 3, Into Mischief--Taylor S {SW & GSP, $121,519}, by Medaglia d'Oro) endured a wide trip from a high draw on his belated racetrack debut May 18 and retreated through the stretch to finish about a dozen lengths behind repeat winner Camp Hale (Mo Town) in eighth. Off right at his 8-1 morning line for this second go, the Albaugh homebred scratched down into the one hole and left there running, covering the opening quarter...

About the only thing missing from Saturday's $1-million GI Stephen Foster Stakes is a Horse of the Year--for good measure, she runs elsewhere on Saturday's blockbuster program on the final weekend of racing at Churchill Downs--but the nine-furlong event is rich in quality and brings together the winners of such prestigious events such as the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, the GI Kentucky Derby, and the G1 Dubai World Cup. A 'bananas' Foster, indeed. The horses that will line up for the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for this year's Classic...

3rd-Churchill Downs, $118,987, Msw, 6-27, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.21, ft, 3 lengths. CHOPSTICKS (f, 2, Essential Quality--Miss Southern Miss {SW & GSP, $220,399}, by More Than Ready) got her picture taken at Churchill Downs on Friday afternoon and became the first winner for freshman sire Essential Quality (by Tapit). The 2-1 second choice here broke from one of the outside posts and vied for a spot midpack up the backstretch as a pair of speedsters went to town on each other. Chopsticks had plenty of pace to run into around...

1st-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 5f, 12:45 p.m. ET. The news broke this past week that Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas would be stepping down as the head of his stable because of health reasons and assistant Bas Nicholl would be taking over for the man known to many as 'Coach.' In Saturday's opener on the card, the aptly-named TRACK LEGEND (Charlatan) will be unveiled for owner Live the Legacy with Lukas still listed in the program. Out of Canadian champion female sprinter Moonlit Promise (Malibu Moon), the dark...

2nd-Belmont The Big A, $92,000, Alw (C)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 6-27, 4yo/up, 1m, 1:34.40, ft, 5 1/2 lengths. HIGHLAND FALLS (h, 5, Curlin--Round Pond {MGISW, $1,998,700}, by Awesome Again) was last seen running ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in a stacked edition of the race, but had come into that contest off a victory two back Sept. 1 in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga. Hammered at the windows here like he could not lose, the 1-5 favorite never gave them any reason to doubt in his...