Obliteration

Saturday's Belmont Stakes is the last of nine top-level events on the weekend and the final of the six highly anticipated Grade I contests scheduled for a bumper card at Saratoga, short, medium and long on both the turf and the main track. A top-quality field of seven is set to face the starter in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap, for which 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Nysos (Nyquist) is the 9-5 morning-line favorite and 126-pound topweight in the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders'...

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...

In his first race back since a runner-up effort in the mid-February running of the G3 Saudi Derby, Obliteration (Violence) gave another strong performance in the Chick Lang Stakes at Laurel Park on Saturday. Named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', last year at Churchill Downs when his connections unveiled him June 12, the Steve Asmussen trainee has only been out of the money once in his career. That single miss came in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, where he finished a respectable fourth behind fellow 'Rising...

Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah's Al Haram (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), unbeaten and untouched in three tries entering Saturday's $1.5-million G3 Saudi Derby, came with a barnstorming run through the final 200 meters and raced over the top of a pair of raiding rivals to score by a widening 1 1/4 lengths over 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Obliteration (Violence) and hot favorite Satono Voyage (Jpn) (Into Mischief). The victory was worth 30 points to the winner on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, though he was not among the...

The likely fields for the rich G1 Saudi Cup card are taking shape, with American champion and Japanese Horse of the Year Forever Young (Real Steel) set to defend his crown. Other Japanese entrants are Luxor Café (American Pharoah) and Sunrise Zipangu (Kizuna). Hall of Famer Bob Baffert sends GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Nysos (Nyquist) and GI Goodwood Stakes winner Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach). GII Clark Stakes winner Magnitude (Not This Time) represents Steve Asmussen, while Rattle N Roll (Connect) flies the flag for Kenny McPeek. Other American hopes...

Magnitude (Not This Time), a game winner over older horses in his sophomore finale in the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 28, will make his next start in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will also be well-represented by 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Obliteration (Violence) in the $1.5-million G3 Saudi Derby on the undercard. Both races will be held at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh Feb. 14. "We're very excited to have both of them go," Asmussen said. "The Saudi Cup...

Well supported for his stakes debut, Schwarzenegger (Not This Time) went to the front and stayed there, holding on to win by a half-length over TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard, Obliteration (Violence). Sprinting through a quarter mile in a crisp :21.17, the bay was clear turning for home and dug in late as a trio of runners came up to his haunches but were unable to get by the 2-1 favorite at the wire. Obliteration was a neck in front of Rogue Legend (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) and it...

In a day good for the runners who made the pace, Johnny's Red Storm (Twirling Candy) made every pole a winning one and took home the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint Stakes Sunday afternoon. The George Weaver charge came into this race off a sterling debut Aug. 3 at Saratoga, where he similarly took a field of auction-price restricted maidens gate-to-wire by four lengths. Training well in New York since then and shipped down for the race, the betting public liked him to the tune of 8-5 odds, and he was...

'TDN Rising Star' Ewing (c, 2, Knicks Go--Sassy Ali Joy, by Indian Charlie), a daylight debut winner at the Spa July 5, rushed up to the front from his rail draw after a slow start and never looked back in Saturday's GII Saratoga Special S. The 8-5 second-choice sped through an opening quarter in :22.26 and was challenged by the unbeaten favorite and fellow 'Rising Star' Obliteration (Violence) on the far turn. Ewing had another gear, however, and floated out his rival at the top of the stretch. He opened...

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Sometimes, you just know. When Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse breezed 2-year-old Curtain Call (Tiz the Law) at his training center in Ocala, Fla., he shipped owner Terry Finley a simple, yet powerful text message. It was a photo of a Porsche. Fast car. Translation, in case you needed it: Curtain Call, Casse believed, was going to be a swift one. His confidence was rewarded in Saturday's first race at Saratoga when Curtain Call dominated a six-furlong $100,000 maiden special weight and earned a 'TDN Rising...

Rain or shine, the show must go on, and Curtain Call (Tiz the Law) gave the people what they came to see at Saratoga, kicking home powerfully at second asking to claim 'TDN Rising Star' honors. The son of Tiz the Law was unveiled June 12 at Churchill Downs to run a well-beaten second behind fellow 'Rising Star' Obliteration (Violence). That runner returned to action July 5 at this venue to put on a Tour de Force in the GIII Sanford Stakes, winning by 10 1/2 lengths and earning a...

'TDN Rising Star' Obliteration (c, 2, Violence--I'mclassyandsassy, by Master Command), a runaway debut winner at Churchill Downs June 12, lived up to his name with another dominating victory in Saturday's GIII Sanford S. at Saratoga. Blinging It Back (Volatile) was second; Imagine John (Maclean's Music) was third. The 4-5 favorite shot out to the front beneath Flavien Prat, was hounded by Blinging It Back through fractions of :22.74 and :45.56 and powered clear from that rival in the stretch to win by 10 1/2 lengths. "He's just a very special...