Keeneland

Susan Casner, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, accomplished owner and breeder, and treasured member of the Thoroughbred community, passed away May 27 following a battle with Alzheimer's disease. She was surrounded by the love of the family and friends who defined her life. Born in Grand Island, Nebraska, Susan's journey in racing began at Aksarben Race Track in Omaha, Nebraska, where she worked as a mutuel clerk. It was there that she met the love of her life, Bill Casner, who made a habit of placing wagers at the window...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - As a most memorable May gives way to June, trainer Cherie DeVaux believes that Golden Tempo (Curlin) is ready for his next challenge, the GI Belmont Stakes Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. Four weeks and three works after his dramatic victory in the GI Kentucky Derby, which secured DeVaux a forever place in racing history, Golden Tempo breezed Saturday and shipped Sunday from central Kentucky to upstate New York for the third and final Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. Just before his victory by a neck at...

'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Golden Tempo (Curlin) was not the only marquee name on the worktab over the last 48 hours, as horses prepping for next week's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival--as well as some household names not heading to upstate New York--turned in breezes at racetracks from coast-to-coast, from Saratoga, Laurel and Fair Hill to Santa Anita. To follow are works in alphabetical order at the various venues with parenthetical mention of intended targets or races to which the horses have been nominated. Saratoga (Oklahoma unless othewise indicated)...

It was the most literal of dream scenarios. The thing is, it had happened before. From time to time, Valerie Mastromonaco will have a dream--always about a horse--and then something will happen to bring it to life. Nothing dramatic, most of the time. True, once she dreamed that a particular horse in the barn had a problem, and unfortunately turned out to be right. But she doesn't take the phenomenon too seriously, as a rule; nor expect anyone else to do so. "I've no theories," she says. "I just think...

For 60 days straight over the winter at Will Walden's Palm Meadows base in Florida, MGISW Rhetorical (Not This Time) underwent a different kind of training. Instead of being turned out for the off-season like so many horses, his trainer decided that it was time to unveil a new project where skills like dressage would be emphasized. The work that the gelding put in over those months has paid off and now the New York-bred Horse of the Year owned by Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable and Wachtel Stable will point...

The major yearling sales are still a few months out, but to Kristin Brennan they are right around the corner. The yearling manager at Colin Brennan Bloodstock at Highlander Training Center isn't concerned because she's always dialed in. As part of a family of horsemen, including her father Niall and brother Colin, who helms the operation at Highlander in East Texas, Kristin has literally grown up around the sport of horse racing. "I started riding when I was maybe three and my granddad would come from Ireland and he'd throw...

The trio of 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Emerging Market (Candy Ride {Arg}), Ottinho (Quality Road)and Growth Equity (Nyquist) trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown and the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Chief Wallabee (Constitution) for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott worked Saturday across Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park in preparation for the GI Belmont Stakes at the Spa June 6, the NYRA press office said in a Saturday release. The pair of Ottinho and Growth Equity worked in company over the Belmont Park dirt...

Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable's homebred Golden Tempo (Curlin), the Keeneland-based winner of the May 2, GI Kentucky Derby, on Saturday turned in his second of three works at the track in preparation for the GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course June 6, according to a press release from Keeneland on Saturday morning. With jockey Jose Ortiz aboard for trainer Cherie DeVaux, the colt covered five furlongs on a good track in 1:00.20. The workout was originally planned for Friday, but was postponed due to wet conditions after...

Ignacio Correas IV and Ezequiel Valle have been appointed Keeneland's South American sales representatives, as the company looks to further strengthen its global outreach and engagement with buyers and sellers across the region, according to a Thursday press release. Correas retired from training in 2025 and brings decades of experience and relationships across both North and South America. Valle, based in Argentina, adds extensive relationships across breeding, racing and farm management, currently serving as a leader at Haras Firmamento. "Keeneland has long taken a global approach to recruitment, building relationships...

Golden Tempo (Curlin), the winner of the GI Kentucky Derby, put in his first workout at Keeneland on Friday, May 15 since capturing the big race for trainer Cherie DeVaux, according to a post on X by Gabby Gaudet. In company with 4-year-old stablemate So Sandy (Omaha Beach), the 3-year-old drilled four furlongs in :48.60 (10/74). The splits for the half mile move were :25.2, :36.2 and :48.3. Golden Tempo galloped out five-eighths in 1:01.1. Owned by Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, the colt could be pointing to a...

Craig Bernick's $220,000 Keeneland November graduate Nola Soul (Justify) is quite some way from being the finished article, but overcame greenness to secure an ultimately impressive debut success and a TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard, rosette in Friday evening's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Leopardstown. The seven-furlong heat's recent winners include Italy (Wootton Bassett), Scorthy Champ (Mehmas), Deepone (Study Of Man) and Alfred Munnings (Dubawi), and he becomes the 13th Rising Star for his sire. "He was just about ready to start there today, he's a nice horse...

TIMONIUM, MD - As Taj Mahal (Nyquist) goes postward in the GI Preakness Stakes at Laurel Saturday, his 2-year-old full-sister (hip 402) will be about an hour northwards showing to prospective buyers ahead of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale in Timonium. While the filly is in line for a major update should her brother win the second leg of the Triple Crown, she can more than hold her own, according Top Line Sales' Jimbo Gladwell, who consigns her on behalf of breeder Vegso Racing Stable. "She's a typical Nyquist," Gladwell...