Prince of Monaco

SARATOGA SPRINGS - When one of Bob Baffert's horses is doing well, the Hall of Fame trainer expects a big effort. That's why 'TDN Rising Star' Prince of Monaco (Speightstown) has made his second cross-country trip in the last two months. That's why he is right here, in Saratoga, getting ready to run in the $500,000 GI Allen Jerkens Memorial on Saturday. "It's a tough race, there are no easy spots," Baffert said by phone from his summer base at Del Mar in California. "Anytime you have a Grade I,...

After entering stable star Book'em Danno (Bucchero) in both Friday's Robert Hilton Memorial at Charles Town and Saturday's GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S., trainer Derek Ryan confirmed Wednesday that his New Jersey-bred gelding will go in the Saratoga race. Both races are restricted to three-year-olds, have purses of $500,000 and will be run at the distance of seven furlongs. "We're going to Saratoga," Ryan said from his base at Monmouth Park. "He got a good post (post 8). At Charles Town, he got a bad post (post 2) and...

If the weather in Saratoga Springs of late is any indication of what's to come at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion Monday and Tuesday evenings, the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale is poised for a volcanic renewal. In 2023, a total of 154 yearlings sold for $75,055,000, averaging $487,370 with a median of 375,000. The gross jumped from $66,955,000 generated for 143 sold in 2022. "The vibe feels good here," confirmed Taylor Made's Frank Taylor. "Everybody you would want to see in the courtyard, you would have seen walk in. The horses...

Following a 12 3/4-length victory by New Jersey-bred Book'em Danno (Bucchero) in the seven-furlong Pasco S. at Tampa on seasonal debut back in January, trainer Derek Ryan got social media all fired up by almost blasphemously suggesting that a trip down the Triple Crown trail--one he'd traversed before with Musket Man (Yonaguska)--was not necessarily an appropriate course to chart for his trainee. "I have no Derby dreams," Ryan told TDN's Bill Finley at the time. "I think the Derby is overrated, but that's just me. We were never really considering...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- In his 35 years as a horse trainer, Brett Creighton has never once entered a horse in a Grade I race. There's a reason for that. "I just never had the opportunity I guess," the 62-year-old Creighton said in a matter-of-fact way through an easy Arkansas drawl as he stood on the backstretch at Saratoga Race Course. That all changes on Saturday when Creighton saddles Frost Free (Frosted), the best horse he's ever had, in the GI Woody Stephens S. at Saratoga, part of the blockbuster...

by Tim Wilkin and Editorial Staff For the first time since before the GI Kentucky Derby, Mystik Dan (Goldencents), had a workout. And trainer Kenny McPeek is getting more and more confident that his colt, winner of the Derby and second in the GI Preakness, will be in the starting gate at Saratoga Race Course for the GI Belmont S. on June 8. Mystik Dan, with exercise rider Danny Ramsey aboard, went five furlongs in 1:01.59 (2/5) on the Oklahoma Training Track Saturday morning. He worked in company with Gould's...

It appears that Imagination (Into Mischief) is going to get another trip east. The 3-year-old colt, last seen finishing seventh in the eight-horse GI Preakness S., may be part of a three-horse contingent that Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is sending to the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course June 6-9. Imagination and fellow 3-year-old Prince of Monaco (Speightstown), who was last seen finishing fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita in November, are being pointed to the seven-furlong GI Woody Stephens S. Baffert...

The connections of Lord Bullingdon thought highly enough of their horse to jump him up into graded-stakes company after running second to 'TDN Rising Star' Prince of Monaco (Speightstown) at Los Alamitos July 9. Second again in the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf S., he was denied again back in maiden special weight company at Santa Anita Oct. 7 before finally breaking through in the Qatar Golden Mile S. Nov. 3. Fourth last out in the GIII Cecil B Demille S., Lord Bullingdon stuck to what he knows best in...

Led by MGISW Arcangelo (Arrogate), GISW Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo), and MG1SW Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), 205 horses, including 59 from overseas, and four 2022 champions who return to defend their titles, have been pre-entered for the 40th Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park. The Breeders' Cup will be televised live domestically on NBC, Peacock, USA Network, and FanDuel TV. Additionally, the NBC World Feed will be sent to more than 150 countries around the globe. Click here to view all of the 2023 Breeders'...

Godolphin homebred Proxy (Tapit) had his final serious drill Sunday for an expected start in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The 5-year-old breezed 5 furlongs in 1:02 on the fast track with regular jockey Joel Rosario in the saddle. The plan was to go in company with Godolphin's unraced 2-year-old colt Surveyor (Medaglia d'Oro), but the duo was unexpectedly joined by workers from other trainers. Despite the surprise, trainer Mike Stidham, Godolphin Chief Operating Officer Dan Pride and Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan were all smiles watching from the Grandstand....

As the sport continues in its efforts to drastically reduced the number of fatalities that occur in races and in morning training, there's little doubt that StrideSAFE is going to play an important role in preventing breakdowns. StrideSAFE is a biometric sensor mechanism that slips into the saddle cloth to detect minute changes in a horses's gait at high speed. Those changes can, and often do, signal that a horse is in the early stages of having a problem that could lead to a fatal injury. If the StrideSAFE data...

With 39 wins and over $3 million in earnings, jockey Juan Hernandez won his second straight summer meet title at Del Mar while trainer Phil D'Amato picked up his fourth trainer's title out of the last five years. Similar to 2022, the trainer's title came down to the final day. D'Amato went into the final day with a one-win lead over Baffert and two over Doug O'Neill. All three posted one winner on the day. D'Amato won the summer meet title for the second straight year with 21 victories. Last...