Keeneland

Spendthrift Farm's freshman sire sensation Yaupon (by Uncle Mo) picked up a third 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Saturday as Local Knowledge ran the field down late to take the second race on the opening weekend of Keeneland's Fall Meet. Breaking from post 12, the 5-2 second choice never had a chance to save ground and was hung out wide nearly the entire trip under Dylan Davis. In no rush through the opening furlongs after an awkward start which saw him miss the break and come sideways from the...

With his win in Friday's sixth race at Keeneland with In the Stars (Into Mischief). Rusty Arnold became the winningest trainer in Keeneland history. It was his 308th winner at the Lexington track, one more than Bill Mott. An emotional Arnold was still savoring the victory when reached by phone Friday night. "I'm from here and started out here," Arnold said. "I came out here and started with my father. It means a lot to me. When I started out, I was just trying to win one race here. Now...

3rd-KEE, $120k, Alw (N2L), 2yo, 6f, post time: 2:04 p.m. ET Amo Racing USA, Wesley Ward and Two Eight Racing's OUTFIELDER (Speightstown) was scratched out of Friday's GIII Futurity Stakes in favor of trying the main track for the first time in a two-lifetime allowance at Keeneland. The $850,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate was named a 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard at first asking when streaking away by better than a half-dozen lengths sprinting on the grass at Churchill in May, but was forced to skip Royal Ascot and was...

The 35th running of the GII Jessamine Stakes--a 'Win and You're In' race for the GI John Deere Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar--was the graded coming out party for Imaginationthelady (Not This Time--Romanticism, by War Front) who punched her ticket to the seaside oval at the end of the month and the filly also led a Not This Time Trifecta for her sire at Keeneland on Friday. A $300,000 Keeneland September buy, the juvenile broke her maiden by 1 1/2 lengths at first asking over the Kentucky...

When the partnership of Qatar Racing and Mrs. Fitriani Hay went to $205,000 to secure Nakatomi (Firing Line) as a 4-year-old at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale in 2023, they were picking up a gelding who was graded stakes placed at Pimlico, Aqueduct and Saratoga. But he entered the sale's ring having last seen the winner's circle at Keeneland in Nov. 2022 and clearly needing to take a step forward for trainer Wesley Ward. Well that purchase quickly provided dividends with Nakatomi giving the partnership a win...

by TDN Editorial Staff Buckle up, race fans, it's going to be a wild ride on Saturday, as no fewer than 16 graded stakes from New York to Lexington, from Los Angeles to Toronto are scheduled, with horse racing's championship weekend now officially less than four weeks down the road. Without further ado, let's jump into the always-productive card at Aqueduct. Champagne, Frizette Share Spotlight at Belmont at the Big A A quartet of graded stakes, headed by the 'Win and You're In' GI Champagne S. and GI Frizette S.,...

This summer's GI Dunkin Diana Stakes winner Excellent Truth (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) was injured during training and has been retired to Resolute Farm, John Stewart announced on social media Thursday. His post reads: "I am sad to announce that Excellent Truth has been retired after sustaining an injury during training. After consulting with the best medical professionals in the industry, we believe she has unfortunately ran her last race. She competed in three Grade I's, coming in second twice and winning the Dunkin Diana. She will rest up the...

It's not that Nicholas Tomlinson didn't have a great job. He worked for Mark Casse for 10 years, learned from the dual Hall of Famer and was around some of his best horses. But he had always wanted to see what he could do on his own and Saturday at Gulfstream will begin the next chapter in his career. That chapter starts when he send out Insolenta (More Than Ready), who is owned by Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC and Tiger Racing, Inc, in a $17,500 maiden claimer. He knows he...

Friday is the start of the unofficial Kentucky state holiday known as Opening Weekend at Keeneland, and GI Spinaway victress Tommy Jo (Into Mischief) headlines a strong card for fantastic racing not just at the venue but across the country. Largely considered the last hurrah for anyone trying to get into the World Championships by way of the 'WAYI' challenge series, several tracks across the country have such opportunities in October, and Keeneland will be hosting three such chances on Friday. The last of the graded races for the opening...

5th-Horseshoe Indianapolis, $32,000, Msw, 10-2, 2yo, f, 1m, 1:38.29, ft, 14 3/4 lengths. LIFE OF JOY (f, 2, Gun Runner--Jordan's Leo {SP, $137,050}, by Malibu Moon) debuted in style Thursday as the 3-2 favorite. Eased from the gate under Fernando De La Cruz, the filly settled in the back flight through the half in :47.23 before angling out to begin a furious rally, overhauling pacesetter Command the Stars (Complexity) in a matter of strides. With free rein and plenty of room to run at the top of the stretch, Life...

Edited Press Release Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza, best known for piloting American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) to victory in the 2015 Triple Crown and in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland, will be a member of the local jockey colony throughout the Fall Meet, which opens its 17-day run Oct. 3. Espinoza made the change from his longtime Southern California base this past summer after trainer Wesley Ward convinced him to turn his Saratoga Race Course visit into a working vacation. Espinoza agreed and stayed fit exercising...

10th-KEE, 110K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 5:48 p.m. John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock went to $775,000 to acquire SCARLET WAVE (Justify) at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. Out of a Canadian multiple stakes-placed first dam, the filly is a three-quarter sister to GI Frizette Stakes winner Nickname (Scat Daddy) who went through the ring herself at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale in 2023 where she RNA'd for $1.45m after selling for $3m to Kerri Radcliffe at the same sale in 2017. As a broodmare, Nickname is responsible for Irish GSW Ides of...