Keeneland September

Charting a course then declaring 'here be dragons' when she made land in the seaside oval winner's circle, Explora (Blame--Collections Choice, by Bernardini) set sail from the gate and never looked back in a maiden-breaking performance on Sunday which earned her a 'TDN Rising Star' flag for her top mast. The heavy favorite established her lead up the backstretch and tacked around the far turn like she had even pulled out her pocket handkerchiefs. With rider Juan Hernandez playing the role of bosun, Explora went easy en route to win...

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 the horses of interest for this weekend running at Chukyo and Niigata Racecourses: Saturday, August 16, 2025 2nd-CKO, ¥14,250,000 ($97k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT YUTO THE INNOCENT (c, 2, Yaupon--Keira, by Unusual Heat), a $42,000 Keeneland September yearling, fetched $110,000 at this year's OBS March sale after breezing a furlong...

Freely Held, after earning a runner-up finish at odds of 28-1 on debut at Parx, became freshman sire Independence Hall's first winner here. A distant second to long-gone Flying Hawaiian (Maximus Mischief) in that July 21 contest, he broke on top Friday from his outside post in this second attempt at graduation. Rounding the far turn after an opening quarter in :22.54, even-money favorite Black Volt (Cairo Prince) moved up inside to get on even terms with Freely Held. As they hit the top of the stretch, the son of...

Keeneland has supplemented a filly by Tapit and a colt by Uncle Mo to Book 1 of the September Yearling Sale Sept. 8-9, the company said via a Thursday release. Opening day of the auction, which begins at 1 p.m. ET will include: Hip 183, a daughter of Tapit who is from the family of current sire Life Is Good, MGISW Diamondrella (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}). Consigned by Paramount Sales, agent, she is out of She'samericanmade (American Pharoah). Supplemented to the second day is: Hip 374, a colt by...

Klaravich Stables' Deep Learning (Cairo Prince) sat a midfield trip while saving all the ground in Friday's third race from Saratoga, hugged the fence into the lane, and when she was popped the question by Flavien Prat with better than a furlong to go, she left her rivals in the dust, careering away to graduate by a good three lengths to achieve 'TDN Rising Star' status. Sent off favored at 2.35-1, the $27,000 Keeneland September buyback who blossomed into a $325,000 OBS April breezer (see below) was content to gain...

6th-SAR, $100k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 3:19 p.m. ET SASSMASTER (Curlin) was purchased by Alistair Roden on behalf of his client Mark Breen for a sales-topping $550,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October Sale and the early April foal has drawn widest in a field of eight for this first visit to the races. Bred by Stonestreet, the bay is kin to a pair of winners, including 2019 GII Prioress Stakes and GIII Victory Ride Stakes heroine Royal Charlotte (Cairo Prince), who is in turn the dam of the 3-year-old...

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 the horses of interest for this weekend running at Chukyo and Niigata Racecourses: Saturday, August 9, 2025 3rd-NII, ¥14,250,000 ($97k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT JANSHI (c, 2, More Than Ready--Autumnal, by Forestry) made $80,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale and was knocked down to trainer Hideyuki Mori for $280,000...

Four additional yearlings, including fillies by Flightline, Gun Runner and Into Mischief along with a colt by Golden Pal, have been supplemented to Book 1 of the September Yearling Sale on Sept. 8-9, Keeneland announced Thursday. Opening day of the sale will include these supplements: Hip 181 is a filly from the first crop of Horse of the Year Flightline who is out of stakes winner Call On Mischief, by Into Mischief. Call On Mischief is a half-sister to Grade I winner and millionaire Power Squeeze. The filly is consigned...

7th-SAR, $110K, ALW, 3yo/up, 6f, 4:36 p.m. ET. MIDLAND MONEY (Shancelot) was pinned with a 'TDN Rising Star' after the colt won by six lengths to start his career as a juvenile at Santa Anita June 14. Not seen since, the Bob Baffert trainee who shipped from Del Mar is one of seven foals for his dam and her second winner. TJCIS PPS 4th-ELP, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 2:16 p.m. ET. Godolphin homebred Infinite Sky (Not This Time) makes the races for trainer Brad Cox. The dark bay...

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 the horses of interest for this weekend running at Chukyo and Niigata Racecourses: Saturday, August 2, 2025 8th-CKO, ¥29,890,000 ($203k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1200m T O ELVIS (c, 3, Volatile--Stopshoppingdebbie, by Curlin), a good third to the very talented Natural Rise (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the Cattleya Stakes (allowance) at...

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 the horses of interest for this weekend running at Chukyo and Niigata Racecourses: Saturday, July 26, 2025 3rd-NII, ¥14,250,000 ($97k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT WEY YO (c, 2, Upstart--Sister Marette, by Cuvee) is a half-brother to the treble stakes-placed Taoiseach (Dublin) and sold for $90,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton New...

Tomorrow's Front Runners is a new TDN series spotlighting young people who got involved with horse racing through Amplify Horse Racing and are now pursuing careers in the industry. Amplify is a 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to amplifying education, mentorship and career opportunities for young people in the Thoroughbred industry. For Matt Scull, it all began with the annual family reunion at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. At the age of five, it was just something to do. He'd take the $20 bill from his mom and share his picks...