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...
5. LET'S BE FRANK, SA, 3/20-3rd, 1 mile (turf) (Video) Beyer Speed Figure - 83 (2nd) (c, 3, by Liam's Map--Proudly (Kor), by Alternation) O/B-Nice Guys Stables (Ky). T-Michael McCarthy. J-Hector Berrios. It won't tell you much that his dam Proudly earned 3.6 million South Korean won, which currently translates into $2,422. More telling is that Proudly has a recognizable full sister: Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress. The unraced Darley-bred dam of both females, Havisham, was four when she was unloaded for $5,000 and in 2016 had just dropped her...
by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - Brisk trade continued from start to finish of the second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Wednesday in Central Florida and the day concluded with figures well ahead of the auction's 2025 renewal. The session was topped by a filly by Nyquist who sold for $2 million to Boyd Racing from the Wavertree Stables consignment. Through two sessions of the three-day sale, 295 horses have sold for $51,336,500. After two sessions in 2025, 269...
A filly by Nyquist (hip 372), who stopped the clock for a furlong in :9 3/5, hammered down at an even $2-million to Boyd Racing during Wednesday's OBS March Sale. "She was just an absolute queen the whole week," said Hannah Jennings, who signed the ticket. "She was super professional. Obviously her stride was fantastic on the track and physically she's everything we could want. Nyquist is one of our favorites. He can get you a really elite horse and Ciaran Dunne sold two Grade I-winning Nyquist fillies out of...
After finishing fifth and seventh, respectively, in Saturday's GII Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park, Tracy Farmer's La Cara (Street Sense--Cara Caterina, by Bernardini) and Shortleaf Stable's Quietside (Malibu Moon--Benner Island, by Speightstown) have each been retired. La Cara, a homebred for Farmer conditioned by Mark Casse, won both the GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes and GI DK Horse Acorn Stakes in 2025, in addition to the 2024 GIII Pocahontas Stakes and last year's Suncoast Stakes. The now-4-year-old bay made two starts in 2026, finishing off the board each time. She...
by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - With brisk activity at the top of the market, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training opened Tuesday with a lively day of trade topped by a $1.35-million son of Corniche. The colt was one of three to bring seven figures during the session. The entire 2025 March sale produced seven million-dollar juveniles. "Certainly an excellent day," said OBS president Tom Ventura. "We had a lot of activity in the barns during the week and expected that...
A colt by Nyquist (hip 88) out of Argentinian champion older mare La Extrana Dama (Arg) was the first horse to cross the seven-figure threshold at the OBS March Sale's opening session Tuesday, bringing a final bid of $1.2-million from a partnership that includes Marquee Bloodstock And Morplay Racing. Consigned by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables, the Kentucky-bred colt worked his furlong in a sharp :9 4/5. Bred by De La Pomme Kentucky Inc, he was initially purchased as a yearling out of the Keeneland September Sale last year for $170,000...
A filly by Nyquist and colt by Yaupon realized the co-fastest eighth in :9 3/5 on Day 2 of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-year-old in Training Sale's under-tack show on Thursday. Offered as Hip 391, the day's fastest-working colt is out of unraced Stand Back (Giant's Causeway), the dam of Grade II winner Step Forward (Speightstown). The Florida-bred hails from the family of Grade I winners Cavorting (Bernardini) and Clairiere (Curlin). He is consigned by Raul and Martha Reyes' Kings Equine. "I expected something good, but we never...
By now, no doubt, it must be among my most wearily familiar complaints. Only last week, in fact, I was again lamenting the days when old-school trainers would start Classic campaigns round one turn, gaining sharpness and conditioning without entering a stress zone. Nowadays those benefits are forfeited by the twin imperatives of hiding horses in their stalls, even as they need GI Kentucky Derby points. Those points being unavailable in sprints, the defining test of the American Thoroughbred has duly been shorn of raw speed. Other traditionalists presumably shared...
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...
St. Elias Stable, William H. Lawrence and Glassman Racing's Iron Honor (Nyquist) earned 50 points to the Kentucky Derby when winning Saturday's GIII Gotham at Aqueduct. According to Michele Dollase, assistant to trainer Chad Brown, the colt came out of the race in good order. "He came out of the race great. He ate up and looks good this morning," said Dollase. "We're on to the next race. As of right now, he is good. He came out of the race really good." Brown said post-race he will keep the...