John Oxley

With the assignment of GI Kentucky Derby post positions over the weekend, speculation takes a (slight) shift toward logical assessment. Here are some random takeaways on, well, randomness now that fate has left its gentle impression on the field... Dornoch getting buried in post one didn't exactly help the chances of two full-brothers winning the Derby in back-to-back years. This son of Good Magic will have a tough enough task getting out ahead of the field from the rail--which has an 8.5% Derby win rate since the use of a...

2nd-Keeneland, $79,675, Msw, 4-21, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :53.41, ft, head. DREAMAWAY (f, 2, Flameaway--Dream Dancing {GISW, $483,271}, by Tapit) came into this race sporting a recent bullet three-furlong work in :35 3/5 over this surface Apr. 5 and was duly made the 1-2 favorite to make good while facing the boys. Narrowly in front through an opening quarter in :22.48, the grey had to battle all the way through, but proved best at the end, scoring by a head over fellow firster Clever Again (American Pharoah). Mo Hair Sam (Mo...

1st-SA, $54K, Msw, 3-5yo, f, 7f, 4:00 p.m. ET. JANE AUSTEN (Tapit) makes her first start for Muir Hut Stables and trainer Mark Glatt. A $750,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, the gray is out of MGSP Shayjolie (Indian Charlie), who Speedway Stables acquired for $400,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November Sale. The filly's SP second dam produced GI Woodward S. runner-up Mythical Power (Congaree). Making her debut for trainer Richard Mandella is Quick Brown Fox (Justify). The Spendthrift homebred's dam MGISW Bast (Uncle) went to the...

Champion 2-year-old male Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) was purchased by the Korea Racing Authority and arrived Dec. 18 to continue his stud career for the 2024 breeding season, as first reported by The Paulick Report and confirmed by Ashford Stud. The 9-year-old stood at the farm in Versailles, Kentucky, where he was shuttled to Chile on multiple occasions. As of 2023, his oldest foals are 4-year-olds, and his progeny have won 113 races with earnings of more than $13.5 million. Angel of Empire is his most successful offspring, who...

Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse was coming off his first two Breeders' Cup wins just the year before when he entered Classic Empire in the Juvenile. Second choice on the board, Classic Empire made back-to-back Grade Is look easy following a powerful victory in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity. Casse indicated looks can be deceiving. "Any hair I had left, he made sure it was gone," said Casse recently with a laugh. "He was a pistol. A lot of people didn't know this, but six days before the...

One of the major highlights of the Keeneland September Sale, especially Book 1, is the ability to shop the first foals of some of the top racemares in recent years. This year, Book 1 features six yearlings who are the first offspring of Grade I-winning mares. It also includes four others who are not the first foals of top mares, but are the first foals out of Grade I winners to be offered at public auction, such as Hip 51, a Tapit filly out of champion Songbird. SEPARATIONOFPOWERS - Curlin...

by Jessica Martini and Christie DeBernardis SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - During an electrifying session of bidding Tuesday, the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearlings Sale produced 10 seven-figure yearlings--topped by a $2.3-million son of Gun Runner--and crashed records for gross, average and median. "Rarely do you find me speechless," Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said Tuesday night. "We are blown away by the results. The energy, the excitement, it just feels so good from an industry perspective. The statistics are phenomenal. We averaged over $500,000 tonight and had 10 horses over seven figures....

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 2:13 p.m. Heider Family Stables' STUNNINGLY (Gun Runner) makes her first trip to the post Monday for trainer Steve Asmussen. Out of stakes winner Happy Mesa (Sky Mesa), the chestnut filly was a $675,000 Keeneland September acquisition. Trainer Mark Casse sends outs firster Forever Dixie (Quality Road). The John Oxley homebred is a daughter of graded winner Dixie Strike (Dixie Union). Ken McPeek saddles the debuting Aunt Mischief (Into Mischief), a daughter of Grade I placed Motown Lady (Uncle...

The GII Wonder Again S., which grants a spot in the GI Belmont Oaks starting gate to the top three finishers, kicks off a race week loaded with stakes action Thursday in what NYRA refers to as the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Chad Brown has saddled the winners of three of the eight renewals of this event and it is of no surprise that he sends out the race favorite again this year in Klaravich Stables' two-time stakes winner Consumer Spending (More Than Ready). She is a deserving favorite after...

2nd-Churchill Downs, $71,943, Msw, 5-5, 2yo, f, 5f, :58.09, ft, 5 1/2 lengths. DEVIOUS DAME (f, 2, Girvin--The Shady Lady, by Quality Road) was sent off the 21-10 second choice just a handful of weeks after fetching $240,000 at the OBS March and became the first winner for her freshman sire (by Tale of Ekati) with a powerful 5 1/2-length debut success Thursday at Churchill Downs. The Florida-bred jumped away well and showed good early speed, but favored Empire of My Own (Classic Empire), herself a $170,000 OBSMAR purchase, speared...

Beautiful Empire (Classic Empire)'s furious kick carried the day for conditioner Mark Casse, rallying from last to lead home a 1-2-3 finish for the Mark Casse barn in a brisk rendition of the Star Shoot S. at Woodbine. The filly was far back in her first two starts over conventional dirt at Churchill Downs before breaking her maiden Dec. 10 over the synthetic at Turfway Park to conclude her juvenile season. The chestnut began her year with a close runner-up effort Jan. 8 at the venue on first-time Lasix and...

With Wednesday's Keeneland September Book 5 opener winding down, Maddie Matt Miller, agent, went to a session-topping $250,000 to secure a filly from the first crop of Army Mule. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent, as Hip 3158, the chestnut is out of six-time winner Henny's Hurricane (Henny Hughes), a daughter of GSW Amarillo (Crafty Prospector). Hip 3158 is a half-sister to Amynta (Atreides), a multiple stakes winner in Panama. She was bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings. The Hill 'n' Dale stallion, standing for...