Keeneland

'TDN Rising Star' Guarana (Ghostzapper), already a two-time Grade I winner from only five career starts, will look to remain undefeated around one turn in Saturday's GI Madison S. at Keeneland. Accorded 'Rising Star' status after romping by better than 14 lengths through the local slop last April, the bay defeated GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Serengeti Empress (Alternation) by a half-dozen lengths in the GI Acorn S. last June and successfully stretched to two turns in the GI CCA Oaks at Saratoga the following month. She suffered her first loss...

Already a four-time stakes winner at Keeneland, eFive Racing Thoroughbreds's 'TDN Rising Star' Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) looks to add to that total in defense of her title in Saturday's GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. Winner of the GIII Jessamine S. at two and the GIII Applachian S. and GI QE II Challenge Cup at three, Rushing Fall controlled the pace in last year's Jenny Wiley, her one-length victory belying the ease with which it was accomplished. The $320,000 FTSAUG acquisition repeated the dose in the GI Just A...

The speedy Venetian Harbor (Munnings) will look to run five rivals off their feet in Saturday's GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland. A runaway heroine of Santa Anita's GII Las Virgenes S. Feb. 8, she set a fast pace and only found the streaking GII Toyota Blue Grass S.- bound Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) too tough as the 4-5 favorite in the GIII Fantasy S. going this same distance at Oaklawn last time May 1. Venetian Harbor fired a five-furlong warning shot in :58 3/5 (1/29) for trainer Richie Baltas...

Peter Callahan's streaking Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) will take her shot at the GI Kentucky Derby trail as she faces males for the first time in a loaded field of 13 set for Saturday's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. Keeneland. No filly has won the Blue Grass and only one (Harriet Sue finished fifth in 1944) has run in the race since it debuted during the track's inaugural spring meet in April 1937. Swiss Skydiver, trained by Ken McPeek, certainly has the credentials. She's won her last three starts in impressive...

In theory, all horses are created equal. Then stuff happens. Between their genes, accidents of life, and the designs of those who raise and train them, they develop strengths and flaws. And we end up, like George Orwell's pigs, with "some animals more equal than others." After hundreds of years of observation, however, we have concluded that one half of the breed is born with an athletic superiority over the other. And we duly grant Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) a five-pound concession for daring to square up to males in the...

A trio of top-rung winners head a field of nine in Friday's feature at Keeneland, the GI Maker's Mark Mile S. Leading the fray is Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who most recently marked his seasonal debut with a victory in the GI Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita May 25. A three-time graded winner in 2018, including Del Mar's GI Hollywood Derby, the French-bred hit the board in three of five starts last term, including a second in the GI Fourstardave H. at Saratoga in August followed by a...

Early Thursday, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners tweeted that Speech (Mr Speaker), second to GII Toyota Blue Grass favorite Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the GII Santa Anita Oaks June 6, would be withdrawn from Friday's GIII Beaumont S. in favor of Saturday's GI Ashland S., leaving a competitive field of five 3-year-old fillies for the seven-furlong affair. 'TDN Rising Star' Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map) kicks off her sophomore campaign Friday afternoon and should vie for favoritism. Impressive in breaking her maiden by 6 1/4 lengths over future SW & GSP Highland Glory...

On paper, it's easy to dismiss Silver Maple (Creative Cause) in Friday's fourth race at Keeneland. The 2-year-old cost just $5,000 at the sales and shows a string of slow workouts at Belterra Park and Mountaineer Park. But trainer Eric Reed says the filly can absolutely win the race, and right now Reed's opinion is not to be dismissed. Reed may not be as well known as some of the trainers he will face in the 5 1/2-furlong maiden, but no trainer is hotter. Silver Maple will be his first...

The TDN has partnered with Amplify Horse Racing to present "The Next Generation," an ongoing video series featuring young people who were not born into the Thoroughbred business, but are now excelling within the industry. Paige Gilster was long on hands-on horse experience but short on connections when she graduated from Iowa State University and moved to Lexington. Since then, she's developed her skills as a horsewoman and in just a short time, has become the assistant farm manager at Timber Town Stables, where she looks over an elite group...

6th-Keeneland, $69,123, Msw, 7-9, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:23.17, gd. PALIO FLAG (f, 3, Curlin--Private Ensign {GSP, $124,384}, by A.P. Indy) showed she had plenty of class in her unveiling Thursday with a good-looking victory. Breaking sharply from stall 10, the 4-1 shot stalked from a two-wide third through a :22.28 opening quarter and :45.27 half-mile. Drawing alongside the top two entering the turn, the chestnut rolled clear in the lane, holding off a belated bid from 3-2 chalk Movie Moxy (Street Sense) to win by a neck. It was 4...

8th-Keeneland, $79,935, Alw, 7-8, 3yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.02, gd. MAVEN (c, 3, American Pharoah--Richies Party Girl {MSW, $357,085}, by Any Given Saturday), the less fancied of a pair of Wesley Ward runners at 3-1, turned this event into a one-horse affair for a barn that wins more than its fair share of sprints on the Lexington lawn. A debut winner while earning a strong 84 Beyer Speed Figure in April of his 2-year-old season, the chestnut traveled overseas to annex Chantilly's G3 Prix du Bois that June. He had been...

Jockey Martin Garcia has tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to miss his scheduled ride aboard Miss T Too (Into Mischief) for trainer Bill Mott in Wednesday night's GIII Indiana Oaks. Daily Racing Form was first to report the news after speaking to Garcia's agent Jay Fedor. Garcia was replaced by Julien Leparoux. DRF said that Garcia, who had ridden at Ellis Park, Los Alamitos and Prairie Meadows in the last seven days, was tested Tuesday at Keeneland, a requirement to ride at the meeting which began Wednesday afternoon....