Mike Maker

Volendam (Vekoma), a $600,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by John Stewart's Resolute Racing, kicked off his career with a good-looking debut win on Jeff Ruby Steaks day at Turfway Park. The 2-1 favorite challenged for early command from his inside draw, then eased back to fourth through an opening quarter in :22.10. Caught in some traffic approaching the quarter pole, he was guided into the clear by Irad Ortiz, Jr. at the top of the stretch and came charging home to win by two lengths over Mr. Vaggio (Caravaggio). The...

Arctic Beast (Yaupon) became the day's second new stakes winner for his first-crop sire (by Uncle Mo) with a dominating display in the Aspirant Stakes, winning in a time nearly two seconds quicker than the fillies went in the Lady Finger Stakes about 30 minutes earlier. Off at 1-5 having graduated with a lofty 82 Beyer Speed Figure at Saratoga Aug. 15, the $120,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Mixed Sale weanling turned $275,000 Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred yearling was put right into play from the outside stall and pressed the early pace through...

Making his second start off an apparently audacious $100,000 claim, Flying P Stable's Ole Crazy Bone (Ghostzapper) raced prominently throughout Saturday's running of the $2.5-million GII KTDF Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational Stakes at Kentucky Downs and came away in the final eighth of a mile to punch his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 1. Haltered out of a runner-up effort over the Churchill turf course on June 26, the 5-year-old was last seen in the Turf Cup Preview race at Ellis Park Aug....

Two days after the running of the GIII Lake George Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday July 26, the Mike Maker-trained Aterradora (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) was humanely euthanized at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, the New York Racing Association said via a press release on Wednesday. The 3-year-old owned by Pura Vida Investments LLC, who was making her eighth career start, was pulled up by jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. in the gallop out after finishing fifth and was immediately attended to by on-track veterinarians. The filly was transported to...

The precautionary quarantine of Barn 28 at Saratoga Race Course has been lifted by the New York State Department of Agriculture (NYSDA), effective immediately, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced Wednesday. As a result, all horses stabled in Barn 28 are once again permitted to enter races, as of today, Wednesday, July 23, and to train with the general horse population beginning Thursday. Barn 28, which contains horses under the care of trainer Mike Maker and Mark Casse, was placed under a precautionary quarantine on Saturday, July 19,...

Trainer Mike Maker is a man of few words. Really, he is. Don't take it personally. The 56-year-old is just not naturally blabby. The TDN's Tim Wilkin sat down with him in his office on the backstretch at Saratoga Race Course, and found that Maker has some things to say. A former assistant to the late, great D. Wayne Lukas (you know there are stories there), Maker has a favorite horse he has trained, a favorite sports team, and a definitive answer on what actor would play him in a...

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has been hospitalized in Louisville, Kentucky and will not return to training, according to Lukas family members. In a release sent out by Churchill Downs, the family shared that Lukas had been battling a severe infection that had worsened his condition, and has reportedly declined an aggressive treatment plan in favor of returning home to spend his remaining time with his loved ones. In a succession plan put in place by Lukas Enterprises, Inc., horses previously under Lukas's care have been transferred to...

1st-Churchill Downs, $113,925, Msw, 6-6, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, :52.09, ft, head. LILIES N PARADISE (f, 2, Maxfield--Why Oh You, by Yes It's True) was shoved across the line by Edgar Morales to become the second winner from the first crop to the races for her promising young sire (by Street Sense) in the Friday opener at Churchill Downs. Off only fairly from the three hole, the bay filly was hustled along to keep tabs on the leading trio, including Lael Stables' well-backed Pulstar (Kantharos), who made the running three...

Pin Up Betty captured her second graded stakes win under the Twin Spires with a late-running victory in the GIII Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes Sunday. The 5-1 shot was unhurried from the start and settled slightly off mid-pack while racing three wide on the first turn. Charlene's Dream was unchallenged on the front end, taking the field through fractions of :23.75, :47.45 and 1:11.35 and turned for home two lengths in front, but Pin Up Betty made rapid progress on the bend and closed powerfully down the center of...

Luan Machado secured his second straight riding title--and fifth overall--at Turfway Park's Winter/Spring Meet, which concluded Saturday. Mike Maker earned his record-extending 24th trainer's title at the Florence, Kentucky oval. Machado finished the meet with 51 wins from 277 starts and more than $2.5 million in purse earnings. "It was a great meet," Machado said. "I'm so thankful for everyone who's helped support me to get to this point. My agent Cory [Prewitt] has worked hard to keep our business going strong. There were so many people on the backside...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 03/11/2025 Licensee: Danny Morales, trainer Penalty: 5-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on March 12, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500;...

Gerardo Corrales, Mike Maker and John Stewart's Resolute Racing were the leading jockey, trainer and owner, respectively, during the Holiday Meet at Turfway Park. Corrales booted home 14 winners, outdistancing Fernando de la Crus, Luan Machado and Irving Moncada, who each rode 11 winners. Corrales was the leading rider at the Holiday Meet from 2020 through 2022 and the Winter/Spring Meet in 2021-2022. Runners sent out by the Mike Maker barn won seven races, one better than Larry Rivelli and three clear of Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, John Ennis and...