Praying

Derived from the Latin word 'splendor', Splendora (Audible) equates in the dictionary to magnificent brilliance or a dazzling display of beauty. Putting in a performance worthy of her name, the 4-year-old daughter of Audible upset her favored stablemate Hope Road (Quality Road) to capture the GI PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, the first Breeders' Cup race of the card Saturday. Perhaps a true horse for course and certainly a hometown girl for California, three of Splendora's four previous wins have come over the Del Mar dirt. Campaigned...

At the Breeders' Cup World Championship, fractions of a second and tiny strokes of luck define legacies. Flipping through the past performances, it's easy to see only the numbers: the morning-line odds, post positions and speed figures that quantify each race. But for the people who know these athletes best—the grooms who understand their quirks and habits, the riders who have their stride memorized, the assistants who have thought through every nuance of their daily routine--these horses represent something else entirely. "Horses are like your family," said Tony Gutierrez, who...

Did you hear the one about the wrestler who opted for three foals and a submission? Understandably, Jeff Kerber feels a little conflicted about the "submission." In his youth, as Iowa's first high school wrestler unbeaten through four years of varsity competition, everything came down to what he could do with his bare hands. In lately discovering a flair for a second walk of sporting life, however, Kerber had to make a pragmatic concession to the economic odds against him. His entire Kentucky program comprised four mares, and one of...

Six hopefuls pre-entered into their respective Breeders' Cup races turned in final works Saturday morning at Keeneland, and connections are reporting positive prognoses ahead of shipping dates. On the dirt track went Bentornato (Valiant Minister), breezing four furlongs in :49.40 (34/89). Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. was in the irons. The 4-year-old is pre-entered into the GI Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint and is looking to improve a placing from last year as the runner-up in the 2024 edition. "[I was] looking for a nice, easy workout," trainer Jose D'Angelo said. "We...

Katey Caddel always knew she'd build a life around horses, but it was the sense of community within the Thoroughbred industry that made her fall in love with racing. The camaraderie, early mornings and shared passion for the sport drew her to the racetrack and kept her there for good. When trainer Robbie Medina opened his public stable in 2023, Caddel came on board as his assistant trainer and helped build the operation from the ground up. Three years later, the barn is making headlines with Praying (Vekoma), who handed...

Newtown Anner Stud Farm's Praying (f, 3, Vekoma--Pray for Leslie, by Bernardini), a 21-1 upset winner of the GIII Prioress S. at Saratoga Aug. 30, backed up that breakout performance with a half-length victory over her elders in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. at Keeneland. Favored Vahva (Gun Runner) was second. Zeitlos (Curlin) was third. "It's surreal," winning trainer Robbie Medina said. "There's nothing like winning a big stakes at Keeneland. It's great." Praying raced in an outside fifth beneath John Velazquez and made...

Starting Saturday's graded stakes action off in style, Praying (Vekoma), the longest shot on the board at 21-1, sprung the upset over 'TDN Rising Star' Delightful Claire (Thousand Words) in the GIII Prioress Stakes at Saratoga. Stakes-placed as a juvenile in the Myrtlewood at Keeneland as  a juvenile, this $410,000 OBS April grad came off a four-month layoff to grab another stakes placing in the Southern Hospitality Overnight Stakes at Oaklawn in March. The promise of that start went unfulfilled however when Praying broke through the gate in her most...

2nd-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 7-12, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.94, sy, 3 1/2 lengths. SPA PROSPECTOR (f, 2, Authentic--Pray for Leslie, by Bernardini) weakened to seventh June 6 at Churchill Downs when unveiled in a baby dash against fellow firsters. Back here against a mixed field but with experience under her belt as many of her opponents did not, the 5-1 shot broke outwardly at the start and bumped Jetty's Home (Enticed) in the process. The pair recovered from their bumper car beginning with Spa Prospector stepping out to control the pace...

Now undefeated in three starts, Echo Sound picked up her first stakes victory Friday when taking the Myrtlewood Stakes at Keeneland. A debut winner at Ellis Park in early August, the daughter of freshman sire Echo Town (by Speighstown) then wired an optional claiming field as the even-money favorite at Churchill Downs over this same six furlong distance Sept. 12. Friday's 3-1 second choice behind 5-2 favorite Trust Fund Philly Echo Sound enjoyed a near-perfect pace set up, stalking from third along the rail as a pair of leaders dueled several...

4th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5f, 2:13 p.m. The second foal out of MG1SW and 'TDN Rising Star' Lady Aurelia, AURELIA'S MISCHIEF (Into Mischief) makes the races as a homebred for Stonestreet Stables who went to $7,500,000 to secure Lady Aurelia at FTKNOV in 2018. The mare, herself a daughter of Puerto Rican Horse of the Year D' Wildcat Speed, has already produced 'TDN Rising Star' and Zia Park Juvenile S. winner American Rascal (Curlin) as her first foal. Trainer Brad Cox and Florent Geroux team up for Aurelia's Mischief's...