Me and Molly McGee

Shortly after Journalism (Curlin) worked five furlongs in company at Santa Anita Sunday, trainer Michael McCarthy said he is looking at three potential races to kick off the colt's 4-year-old campaign. Last season's GI Preakness winner could return in either the GII Oaklawn Handicap or GIII Ben Ali at Keeneland, both on Apr. 18, or wait for the GII Alysheba at Churchill Downs on May 1. "All three of those races are in play," McCarthy said. Both the Oaklawn Handicap and Ben Ali are 1 1/8 miles. The Alysheba is...

"Looking for the hidden gem." That, to Mike Slezak, is the point of crossover; the place where his breakout success dovetails with a personal passion that has now evolved into a way of life. "Which means trying to ask questions in a different way," he elaborates. "Not making assumptions, looking a little closer." To the many who first encountered Slezak in his American Idol debrief shows, the next stage of the analogy will make perfect sense. "It's scouting for a contestant like David Cook," he explains. "No-one thought he was...

Big returns to the races was the hallmark of many of the five fleet fillies this week, but it wasn't the 2025 champ who took down the number one spot. 5. ME AND MOLLY McGEE, SA, 2/7-6th, 7 furlongs (Video) Beyer Speed Figure-93 (2nd). (f, 4, by Vekoma-Molly McGee, by Quality Road) O-Exline-Border Racing, Aaron Kennedy, Mike Burns, Susanna Wilson and Dan Hudock. B-Four Pillars Holdings (Ky). T-Peter Eurton. J-Hector Berrios. This was a best-case-scenario return after she was vanned off the Saratoga track following the GI Test Stakes last...

It was hard not to lament the loss when asked about D. Wayne Lukas in the paddock, but trainer Bob Baffert was given an emotional win in the race named after his longtime friend when Splendora (Audible) kicked home to claim the inaugural running of the GII D. Wayne Lukas Stakes at Santa Anita Park. The clear horse to beat after wrapping her 2025 with a stylish victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint last November, the daughter of Audible entered this contest on a three-race win...

1st-Churchill Downs, $117,975, Msw, 6-29, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:34.03, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. LEMON ZEST (f, 3, Nyquist--Larkin, by Bernardini) came into this second jump out of a live maiden on debut May 17 beneath these Twin Spires. The winner of that contest, Me and Molly McGee (Vekoma), won a first-level allowance at this venue June 22 after a prolonged duel and earned an 85 Beyer for the effort. The runner-up Spun Candy (Hard Spun) broke her maiden June 28--also at Churchill--and earned an 86 for her troubles while High...