Kentucky Downs

Kentucky Downs's seven-day meet that ended Wednesday again set records for wagering and purses paid out to horse owners for the 12th straight year. Purses totaled $34,624,472 for 76 races, including $13.6 million from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund available only to registered Kentucky-bred thoroughbreds. That reflects an increase of 38 percent over last year's total purses of $25.06 million paid out for 76 races. Sixteen of the 18 stakes winners were foaled in Kentucky, taking full advantage of the KTDF funding. All-sources wagering totaled $90,181,408, up eight percent over...

A 25% fractional interest in the undefeated stakes-winning juvenile filly Kilwin (Twirling Candy), winner of the Untapable Stakes at Kentucky Downs Sept. 8, will be sold at the inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale, to be held the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 30, in the paddock at Del Mar, site of the 2024 Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 1-2, the sales company said in a release on Friday morning. Kilwin, owned by BBN Racing and trained by Rusty Arnold, is scheduled to make her next start in the GI John Deere Breeders'...

In most barns, after winning a $500,000 handicap at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 1 the 7-year-old gelding Goliad (War Front) would have gone to the sidelines, the trainer not daring to run him back in less than six weeks or so. Not Goliad. Hall of Fame conditioner Richard Mandella brought him back in six days. With so much money available at Kentucky Downs, a number of trainers ignored conventional wisdom and gave their horses two starts at the seven-day meet. That meant layoffs of no more than 13 days, with...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Special Wan at Kentucky Downs on Saturday.   Team Valor Filly Strikes In Kentucky Team Valor International and Steven Rocco's Special Wan (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) was first past the post in a Kentucky Downs contest in her U.S. debut on Sept. 7 (video) for trainer Patrick Foley. Bred by Kilnamoragh Stud, the G3 Ballycorus Stakes second and G3 Brownstown Stakes third was a...

Bellavinino (Get Stormy), a juvenile who recently finished second in a stakes race at Kentucky Downs, will be offered in the Inglis Digital USA September Sale which is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 25, according to a press release from the sales company on Thursday. The daughter of Get Stormy closed to finish as the runner-up in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Stakes Sept. 8. Two starts earlier, Bellavinino won on debut by 3 1/4 lengths over the Gulfstream Park turf. Owned by C2 Racing Stable and trained by Saffie Joseph...

The seven-day Kentucky Downs meet set another record for wagering, totaling $90,181,408 and up eight percent over last year, according to a press release from the track late Wednesday. That included a single-day record of $21,184,941 on the Saturday, Sept. 7 card featuring six graded stakes worth $2 million for Kentucky-breds ($1 million for others). As for the meet's leaders, jockey Tyler Gaffalione finished with nine wins, to pull even with Irad Ortiz Jr. for the riding title, while Brendan Walsh's sixth victory put him in a tie for the...

Kathynmarissa became the 50th stakes winner worldwide for American Pharoah in Wednesday's $1.5-million Pepsi Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational Stakes at Kentucky Downs. A close third in the Tepin Stakes at Churchill Downs June 29 and second after leading in the stretch in the GII Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes Aug. 2, the Michael Caruso and Michael Dubb colorbearer was backed as the 5-2 favorite here. She was bumped at the start and raced in seventh through a half mile in :48.60. The $200,000 KEESEP yearling made a four-wide bid off...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for the final day of racing Wednesday at Kentucky Downs: Wednesday, September 11, 2024 KY Downs 1, $100k, 2yo, (R), 6.5fT, 1:25...

Chuck Simon, who retired from training in 2019 after a 20-year run in which he won 359 races, passed away Sunday at Saratoga Hospital after a bout with cancer. He was 57-years-old. Before going out on his own, Simon worked for Wayne Lukas, Pete Ferriola, Nick Zito and Tom Skiffington. His mentors included Allen Jerkens. He spent six years with Jerkens working as one of his assistants. He went out on his own in 1999 and five years later gave a job to a young newcomer to the track, Cherie...

Tiztastic (Tiz the Law) used his late speed to effect and took home the second black-type for his first-crop sire (by Constitution) in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile on Sunday. A well-beaten fifth on debut over the main track at Saratoga July 27, the dark bay won against restricted auction company going 6 1/2 furlongs north of the Tennessee line Aug. 29. Showing an affinity for the unique course and as a 9-2 shot here, the juvenile took up a position mid-pack up the backstretch. Beginning to make up some...

6th-Kentucky Downs, $180,800, Msw, 9-8, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:36.02, fm, neck. BALLERINA D'ORO (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro--In the Moonlight, by Tapit) debuted a well-beaten sixth over the grass at Saratoga Aug. 4. Backed as the 6-5 favorite here, the filly was unhurried after the break as the lead was wrestled away by Big Air (Vekoma). The grey remained patient around the far turn, waited until she was given her cue approaching the eighth pole and went to work slicing through traffic. With a well-timed surge in the final jumps, the...

Clark Brewster and William and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Cogburn (h, 5, Not This Time--In a Jif, by Saintly Look) made it a perfect three-for-three on the year with another powerhouse performance in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' $2-million GII Ainsworth Turf Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs. The even-money favorite blasted out to the front, raced under pressure while setting fast fractions of :21.82 and :44.14 and kept on motoring down the stretch to win going away by 3 1/4 lengths. Second-place finisher Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and third-place finisher Axthelm...