Michael McCarthy

Stark Contrast (Caravaggio), an impressive 2 1/4-length winner of the GI American Turf S. with a career-high 99 Beyer Speed Figure on Kentucky Derby day, is being aimed at the GI Belmont Derby at Saratoga July 4. The Amerman Racing homebred has worked three times at trainer Michael McCarthy's Santa Anita base since, including a four-furlong breeze in :50.20 (27/31) June 11. C R K Stable's 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Remember Mamba (Kitten's Joy), winner of the GIII UK HealthCare Transylvania S. at Keeneland and runner-up in the...

PICKITUPTHATSGOOD (Girvin--Heart of Midway, by Stevie Wonderboy) was unveiled as the 4-5 choice here and settled midpack up the backstretch. With good energy around the far turn, the favorite began turn up the heat to the outside as the field entered the lane. The filly fired on all cylinders, seized the lead inside the final furlong and won by four lengths over the 'Insighted' Janie Not Jeanie (Mandaloun). The winner's dam is responsible for 3-year-old filly in-training On Ramp (Beau Liam) and a yearling filly by Complexity. A half-sister to...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Michael McCarthy would like nothing more than to have the wildly popular Journalism (Curlin) return to Saratoga Race Course this summer. "It would be awfully nice if he could," McCarthy said just outside Journalism's stall at the Oklahoma Training Track Thursday morning. "Saratoga, as I keep on saying, is a magical place for horses and people alike. We would be more than happy to bring him back here if the opportunity presented itself." First things first. Journalism, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don...

The Belmont Pledge, an initiative led by a group of trainers committed to supporting retired racehorses beyond their racing careers, will return ahead of the third leg of the Triple Crown, it was announced Wednesday. Trainers Michael McCarthy, George Weaver, Whit Beckman and Amelia Green have once again pledged a portion of their earnings from the Belmont Festival to benefit the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and its mission of providing dignified lifetime care to retired Thoroughbreds. "I am heartened by the support from Michael, George, Whit and Amelia," TRF's Executive Director...

   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 Victorious Dream at Santa Anita. Ghaiyyath Filly Crowned In Arcadia The three-year-old filly Victorious Dream ran out a 1 1/2-length winner at Santa Anita for Michael McCarthy on May 10 (video). Bred by Paul Croke and raced by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Sabby Racing and Michael House, the daughter of Ghaiyyath and the Oasis Dream mare Perfect Dream carries some black type, after placing...

She was the lightest raced in the field, and had started her 2026 campaign last month, but Marjoram (Quality Road) showed her heart to steal the GIII Senorita Stakes in the shadow of the wire in the Santa Anita nightcap. Unveiled at Churchill Downs Nov. 22 on a sloppy main track, she made her move from sixth coming off the bend and had just enough left late to win by three-quarters of a length over a persistent challenger. She went onto the sidelines before being moved west to this venue,...

Connections of Stark Contrast (c, 3, Caravaggio--Catch the Eye, by Quality Road), second in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks Mar. 21 behind scratched GI Kentucky Derby contender Fulleffort (Liam's Map), could have entertained a Derby bid with the 50 points he earned at Turfway, but opted instead for the 35th running of the GI American Turf Stakes Saturday on the Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. And boy, did it pay off for the Michael McCarthy-trained Amerman homebred, who took home his first Grade I score. Sent as the 6-5 favorite,...

Journalism (Curlin), who finished third in the GII Oaklawn Handicap in his 4-year-old debut April 18 in Hot Springs, returned to the work tab Saturday at Santa Anita for trainer Michael McCarthy. Also working for McCarthy was MGISW Formidable Man (City of Light), who has been off since finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Mile on Nov. 1. Journalism worked four furlongs in :48.40. In the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap, Journalism finished two lengths back of winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief), his rival from last year's Triple Crown run. McCarthy has...

With jockey Flavien Prat urging his mount on down the lane, Yellow Card (Lost Treasure (Ire)--Paris Girl, by Pulpit) was up in time to take the GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes on Saturday's Derby undercard, which was the first higher-level win of the horse's career. Yellow Card captured his first black-type when he won the restricted Clocker's Corner Stakes at Santa Anita Feb. 8. Shipping to Keeneland for the GII Valvoline Global Shakertown Stakes, the Michael McCarthy trainee encountered some traffic troubles up the backstretch, but he showed heart...

4th-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, f&m, 7f, 2:00 p.m. ET. Juddmonte homebred COUPLET (Gun Runner) heads to the post with some strong drills under her belt in Louisville for trainer Michael McCarthy. The farm acquired the first-time starter's dam, Canadian champion 2-year-old & GISW Spring in the Air (Spring At Last), for $1.65-million during the 2015 Keeneland November sale. Couplet's extended female family includes GI Spinaway Stakes winner Sweet Loretta (Tapit) and GSW Nafisa (Quality Road). TJCIS PPS 2nd-CD, $134K, OC80K/N2X, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:00 p.m. ET. A $300,000 2024 Keeneland September...

A busy Thursday for GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks hopefuls was lead by a trio of Mark Casse trainees, and the presumed 'Run for the Roses' favorite Renegade (Into Mischief) put in his final drill in Florida before shipping to Louisville. John Oxley's Silent Tactic (Tacitus), with jockey Cristian Torres aboard, worked a half-mile in :48 on a picture-perfect Thursday morning for Casse at Churchill Downs. On the tab as a single at 7:15 a.m. ET, Silent Tactic clicked off fractions of :12, :24, :48 and galloped out...

We knew it was going to be a battle of the big three, and so it was late with White Abarrio (Race Day) pulling rank to claim the GII Oaklawn Handicap over Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief). Understandably and unsurprisingly, the seasonal debuts of both MGISW Sovereignty and MGISW Journalism (Curlin) dominated the front pages in the days leading up to this contest. For many in the editorial community, as it went for the betting public, the best horse in 2025 was the horse to beat here and...