Kathleen O'Connell

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 03/17/2026 Licensee: Pedro Nazario, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on March 18, 2026; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender...

Gerrards Cross (Midshipman) made it back to back victories in the Colleen Stakes Sunday at Monmouth Park. The filly was victorious at first asking going five furlongs against state-bred maiden company over the main track at Gulfstream Park. While being the beneficiary of slow beginnings from other rivals here, the 14-1 shot found herself on the lead once again, leading the field through opening splits of :21.29 and :44.71. At the top of the stretch, Gerrards Cross continued to find more on the front end, keeping her rivals at bay and...

Multiple stakes-placed Dream Concert (Jess's Dream) has been added to the OBSOnline January sale. The 5-year-old racing or broodmare prospect (hip 425) has hit the board in five black-type events and most recently was third in the Jan. 11 Wayward Lass Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs for owner/breeder James Chicklo and trainer Kathleen O'Connell. She is nominated to the Feb. 1 GIII Endeavour Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Bidding for the online auction opened Jan. 23 and will close at noon Jan. 30.

With her victory in the fifth race at Tampa Bay Downs Sunday, Kathleen O'Connell surpassed Kim Hammond to become the winningest female trainer in North America. My Eagle Soars (Khozan) became O'Connell's 2,386th winner when he crossed the line first in the six-furlong maiden claimer. "It's just been a wonderful ride," O'Connell said of her training career. "It's not only about the destination, it's the journey getting there." O'Connell, who began training on her own in 1981, has twice been the leading trainer at Tampa Bay Downs. She also won...

A new era began Thursday at Gulfstream when the 4-year-old claimer Emoji Guy (Khozan) won the opening race on the card, the first to be run over the newly installed Tapeta track. It was the first of four races on the day run on the synthetic surface. As is the case with all of the synthetic races, the first was largely uneventful. Trained by Kathleen O'Connell and ridden by Edwin Gonzalez, Emoji Guy was fifth early before launching a bid nearing the turn. He made the lead in mid-stretch and...

Considering his age and all he accomplished in his career, Green Gratto (Here's Zealous) would have seemed to have earned a cushy retirement. Instead, he is scheduled to run in a an optional claimer--in for the $20,000 tag--for New Jersey breds Sunday at Monmouth, his first start since Apr. 19, 2018. It's the latest twist in a controversial story that began when he returned to the racetrack in November, which caused an uproar on social media from critics who felt it was improper and too risky to run the horse...

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association has announced its Florida-bred champions for 2019. For the 16th time in FTBOA history, Charlotte Weber was honored with a Florida-bred champion that was bred by her Live Oak Stud and owned by her Live Oak Plantation as Global Access (Giant's Causeway) was named the Florida-bred champion 3-year-old colt or gelding. Live Oak Stud was also named the Florida Breeder of the Year for the third time and the Leading Owner by Florida-bred earnings for the fourth time. Global Access won the 2019...