In an exhibition of pure sprinting prowess, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum's Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) brought all his power to bear on his rivals on Friday to register back-to-back successes in Goodwood's G2 King George Qatar S. Despite the contrasting ground conditions to the easy turf he encountered 12 months ago and the obvious questions posed by defeat in the June 19 G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot, the bay attracted heavy support as the 8-11 favourite and was in front before he had raced two...
The 17th edition of the Claiming Crown, held Saturday at Gulfstream Park, generated total handle of $10,118,000--up 0.57% from 2014 despite rainy conditions which caused four races to be taken off the turf. Gulfstream was hosting the event for the fourth year. "We're extremely pleased with the success of Saturday's Claiming Crown," said P.J. Campo, General Manager of Gulfstream Park and Vice President of Racing for The Stronach Group. "We had big fields and tremendous participation from horsemen throughout North America. We're confident the numbers would have been even more...
This coming weekend's nine-furlong stakes at Oaklawn and Gulfstream have the potential to usher in a major shake-up within the rankings, with seven of the Top 12 listed below entered in either the GI Arkansas Derby or the GI Curlin Florida Derby. 1) PALADIN (c, Gun Runner--Secret Sigh, by Tapit) O-Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter M. Brant, Brook T. Smith, and Summer Wind Equine, LLC; B-Summer Wind Equine LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. Sales history: $1,900,000 Ylg '24 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 3-3-0-0, $848,250. Last start: WON...
Sam F. Davis Stakes winner Renegade (Into Mischief) was installed as the 3-2 morning-line favorite for the $1.5 million GI Arkansas Derby March 28 at Oaklawn Park. Post positions for the 1 1/8-mile race were drawn Saturday afternoon, with Renegade leading nine horses entered in the track's fourth and final Kentucky Derby qualifying race. 5-2 shot Silent Tactic (Tacitus) will be the only horse to compete in all four qualifying races at Oaklawn after finishing second in the Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 3, winning the $1-million GIII Southwest Stakes Feb....
John Oxley's Silent Tactic (Tacitus) drilled five furlongs in 1:01.60 (7/11) Thursday morning at Oaklawn Park in advance of the Mar. 28 GI Arkansas Derby, for which he figures one of the top few betting selections. A $60,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling turned $500,000 OBS April juvenile, Silent Tactic was returning to the worktab for the first time since dropping a nose decision to Class President (Uncle Mo) in the GII Rebel Stakes on Mar. 1. Prior to that the bay flew home to post an impressive victory in the GIII...
Last Sunday's GII Rebel Stakes third-place finisher Litmus Test (Nyquist) will stay in Hot Springs to contest the GI Arkansas Derby March 28 for trainer Bob Baffert. Speaking of his Arkansas runners from last weekend, Baffert said that while his GIII Honeybee Stakes winner Explora (Blame) had shipped back to California, Litmus Test would remain at Oaklawn through the end of the month. "I didn't want to bring him all the way back here and ship him back," Baffert said. "He's there. I want to give him another chance. I...
by Christina Bossinakis & Patrycja Szpyra Cherokee Nation (Not This Time) took six starts to break his maiden, but he'd been facing quality rivals in the lead up to his graduation party last Friday. Now, his connections report that elite contests are in the colt's future with their eyes specifically turned toward the GI Santa Anita Derby. "When the kids go to school, they have fancy Friday and [last] Friday was a fancy Friday for us," said co-owner Tom Ryan. "We're typically looking at Saturday afternoon, but we were very...
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.--A strong tradition for any Kentucky Derby hopeful along the campaign trail to May is passing the two turn test. With distance in mind, owners and trainers are looking for their nominees to stretch their legs, embrace the debate that comes in the form of traffic and find ways to grind out a hard-earned victory. At Oaklawn Park in the GII Rebel Stakes on Sunday, WinStar, First Go Racing and CHC Inc. owned colt Class President (Uncle Mo--Top Quality, by Quality Road) proved best at the wire as...