Horse Racing

Collected Filly Thought Process Romps In Seasonal Bow at Santa Anita

4th-Santa Anita, $67,000, Alw, 6-14, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:33.35, fm, 5 3/4 lengths. THOUGHT PROCESS (f, 3, Collected--Creative Thinking {SW-US, SP-Can, $132,592}, by Creative Cause) gave the legendary breeding operation of the late Brereton C. Jones another advertisement a short time before Fondly (Upstart) wired the field in the GIII Delaware Oaks. A debut third over the Del Mar main track last July, the chestnut rattled off three straight turf miles, including the Sept. 7 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf and this track's GIII Surfer Girl Stakes Oct. 6. A...

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First-Crop Son of Beau Liam Ties Track Record During Final OBS June Preview

A colt from the initial crop of runners from the Airdrie Stud-based one-time 'TDN Rising Star' Beau Liam (Liam's Map) covered a quarter-mile in :20 1/5 during Saturday's fifth and final breeze show ahead of next week's OBS June 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale. The Mar. 20 foal becomes the first horse to achieve that particular clocking since a pair accomplished the feat at last year's OBS April Sale. One of those was Cash Call (McKinzie), recent winner of the GIII Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita. Hip 829...

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Omaha Beach Colt Desert Gate Impregnable On Debut At Santa Anita

2nd-Santa Anita, $58,800, Msw, 6-13, 2yo, 5f, :57.35, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. DESERT GATE (c, 2, Omaha Beach--Theogony {SW-Can, SW & MGSP-USA, $404,544}, by Curlin), who was facing three others for this debut, tracked pacesetter Acknowledgemeplz (Bucchero) up the backstretch. Moving rather effortlessly to the outside, the colt collared his rival around the far turn as the pair separated themselves from the other two entries. Desert Gate suddenly hit the accelerator entering the lane and powered away nicely to graduate by 2 1/4 lengths. The winner's dam is responsible for...

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Half To Serengeti Empress Set For Unveiling Beneath Twin Spires

8th-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, f&m, 1mT, 4:22 p.m. ET. MO EXPECTATIONS (Uncle Mo) makes the races for the first time under the care of trainer Brad Cox. Stonestreet went to $1.15-million during the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale to acquire Havisham (Bernardini), who at the time was carrying their filly. Mo Expectations is a half-sister to Joel Politi's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks heroine Serengeti Empress (Alteration). That dam's first registered foal--the stakes placed Invictus (Into Mischief)--is also a member of Cox's shedrow. TJCIS PPS

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Black-Eyed Susan Redux In Delaware Oaks

Saturday's $300,000 GIII Delaware Oaks is the first of three graded events on the local racing calendar for 2025 and will feature a rematch of the top three home in the GII Black-Eyed Susan Stakes down at Pimlico a little more than four weeks ago. Margie's Intention (Honor A. P.) was venturing outside of Louisiana-bred competition for the first time at Old Hilltop and the 5-2 favorite made the most of the opportunity, coming with a late rally to peg back Godolphin's Paris Lily (City of Light). Kinzie Queen (McKinzie)...

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Belmont Stakes To Return To Saratoga In 2026

The 2026 running of the GI Belmont Stakes will be run at Saratoga Race Course for a third and final time, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and officials at the New York Racing Association (NYRA) said in a release Friday morning. "New York is home to world-class sports and entertainment and this final chapter of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course honors our rich racing heritage while paving the way for a bold, new future at Belmont Park," Governor Hochul said. "Bringing the race back to Saratoga next year...

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Violence Colt Obliteration Runs To His Name in 'Rising Star'-Worthy Bow

Obliteration (c, 2, Violence--I'mclassyandsassy, by Master Command), one of a debuting pair available at double digits for the reliable Steve Asmussen stable, ran away from a very promising group of 2-year-old males to become the afternoon's second 'TDN Rising Star', this one at Churchill Downs. A $200,000 purchase at this year's OBS March Sale--one of four horses bought out of the auction by the re-engaging Leland Ackerley--the bay colt was in front not long after the start and led for just short of a furlong before being displaced on the...

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Beautifully Bred Nonna's Love Graduates At the Big A

1st-Belmont The Big A, $85,000, Msw, 6-12, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:08.34, fm, 3 lengths. NONNA'S LOVE (f, 2, Caravaggio--Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty) was the lone previously raced member of the seven-strong field that loaded the stalls for the first race back down at the Belmont at the Big A meeting Thursday afternoon and made the most of her experience advantage, leading past every pole to get the program off on a high note for the favorite backers. Drawn two, the 5-4 chalk--making her first start on the grass after...

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First Foal From Jolie Olimpica Down To Debut Saturday at Hanshin

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 a trio of debuting 2-year-olds of interest for this Saturday running at Hanshin and Tokyo Racecourses: Saturday, June 14, 2025 5th-HSN, ¥14,250,000 ($99k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT SATONO VOYAGE (JPN) (c, 2, Into Mischief--Jolie Olimpica {Brz}, by Drosselmeyer) is the first foal for her dam, the 2019 Horse of the...

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Voting Open For Retired New York Racehorse Of The Year Award

Voted on by the fans, the Down Broadway Retired Racehorse of the Year Award will be presented on New York Thoroughbred Aftercare Day at Saratoga Race Course on Thursday, July 17, the New York Horsemen's Association said in a Thursday release. Casting a ballot--one per person--is open to the public now through Thursday, June 26. Wristbands for each nominee will be given away on Aftercare Day so that fans can show their support, and the presentation of the award will be made in the Saratoga winner's circle after the first...

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Sovereignty Among Top Five In The Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings

Godolphin star Sovereignty (Into Mischief) has moved up the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings (WBRR) to sit in a joint fourth at 125, after the latest round of rankings were released on Thursday. Now the highest rated 3-year-old in the world, the colt achieved the distinction when he wrapped up the GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga last weekend, which capped an impressive Triple Crown run to go along with his GI Kentucky Derby score. Sovereignty shares the mark with Danon Decile (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), who was last seen taking home...

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What Would Encourage California's Breeders to Breed More Cal-Breds?

California-breds have long been the backbone of California racing. Since 2014, they've represented between 45% and 50% of all starters at Thoroughbred race meets in the state. Over half of all horses currently stabled in Southern California tracks are understood to be Cal-breds. A shrinking foal crop in the state, however, means that racing secretaries will have to rely on fewer of them than is currently the case over the next few years. Modeling performed for the TDN suggests there will be a combined 290 fewer Cal-bred runners competing in California...

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