Robert Masterson

Two days after 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Mashallah provided Maxfield's trainer Brendan Walsh with his first winner by the Darley stallion sprinting on the dirt at Keeneland, INTEGRITY (f, 3, Maxfield--Truthful, by Bodemeister) repeated the dose in a one-mile maiden on the turf to open the Gulfstream program Saturday afternoon. Distanced on dirt debut at Ellis Park last July when she was sent off just shy of 7-2, the $325,000 Keeneland September yearling re-emerged here with Lasix and blinkers for the first time and was kicked straight into...

A well-backed 2-1 on career debut, Robert Masterson and Jack Hamilton's Pinto (Nyquist)--trained by Norm Casse--found the wire a head better than the Mark Casse-conditioned Rockin Robin (Spun to Run) to keep it all in the family Saturday afternoon at Keeneland. Drawn widest in a field scratched down to seven, the $190,000 Keeneland January and $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga purchase led early, but the 1-2 chalk was intent on making the running and took command prior to the end of the backstretch. With Pinto off the bridle to pick up approaching...

Rodriguez (Authentic) was hustled to the front from his rail draw by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, and cruised to a 3 1/2-length victory over Grande (Curlin) in Saturday's 100th running of the GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct. It was another 1 3/4 lengths back to Passion Rules (Friesan Fire) in third. The Bob Baffert-trained 'TDN Rising Star' earned 100 points on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby for the victory. Rodriguez led through fractions of :23.31 and :47.44, began to shake clear from favored 'Rising Star' Captain...

Champion and dual Hall of Famer Tepin (Bernstein--Life Happened, by Stravinsky), best known for winning the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, died at the age of 12. The news was confirmed by trainer Aidan O'Brien after the mare's daughter Grateful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) won the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp on Saturday. Bred by Machmer Hall in Kentucky, the bay was purchased by Robert Masterson for $140,000 out of the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. She would go on to be trained by Mark...

GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Road) worked five furlongs in :59.55 seconds over Belmont Park's main track on Monday in preparation for Saturday's $1.5 million GI Belmont S. With exercise rider Erick Garcia aboard, the colt galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.20 and seven furlongs in 1:25.20. "He worked very well this morning," trainer Bob Baffert's assistant, Jimmy Barnes, said. "It's a big track and you can find yourself lost out there. Erick did an excellent job working him and now we're just waiting for the race." National...

Southlawn (f, 3, Pioneerof the Nile--Mo d'Amour, by Uncle Mo), a runaway, eight-length optional claiming winner at Fair Grounds with first-time Lasix in her sophomore debut Feb. 17, ran back to that effort in a big way to upset Saturday's GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Drawn on the fence, the 7-1 chance trailed the field of five heading into the clubhouse turn. Southlawn traveled nicely in an inside fourth down the backstretch and set her sights on the top two as they straightened. Last out GII Rachel Alexandra S. heroine and...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - By far, the most enthusiastic applause during the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame induction ceremony Friday morning was for a video clip of race that everyone in the audience likely had seen many times. Beholder's (Henny Hughes) career-capping victory by a nose over the previously unbeaten champion Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro) in the 2016 GI Breeder's Cup Distaff was nearly as gripping on the big screen at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion as it was live at Santa Anita Park. For sheer drama it ranks with...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY-Just like Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) and Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) in 2016, Beholder (Henny Hughes) and Tepin (Bernstein) are entering the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame together Friday in their first year of eligibility. Six years after the no-brainer election package, Hall of Fame voters selected two brilliant race mares of the second decade of the 21st century to join the best-of-the-best club on Union Avenue. Though they excelled on different surfaces, there are plenty of similarities. Both were well-beaten in their career debuts. Both...

Classier went wire-to-wire and resolutely held off stablemate Defunded to give trainer Bob Baffert his fifth straight win in the GIII Los Alamitos Derby Sunday. Sent off at 6-5, Classier was on the lead through fractions of :22.98 and :47.01. Defunded, the 3-5 favorite, rolled up to challenge the pacesetter after three-quarters in 1:11.08 and, while Classier began inching away in upper stretch, the favorite battled back in a stirring stretch battle to the wire. Classier refused to yield and earned his first graded victory in determined fashion. "I waited...

When Cindy Hutson decided to upgrade her small racing stable a few years ago, bloodstock agent Deuce Greathouse suggested a trip to Deauville for the 2018 Arqana August Yearling Sale where owner and agent purchased a daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah for a headline-grabbing €850,000. The filly, now named Lashara (GB) and owned by Hutson in partnership with Robert Masterson, graduated in her turf debut on her third birthday at Gulfstream Park Saturday. Hutson, whose late husband Dan owned the Hutson Ag Company in Murray, Kentucky, first decided...

5th-Gulfstream, $38,000, Msw, 4-11, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.09, fm. LASHARA (GB) (f, 3, American Pharoah--Marbre Rose {Ire} {GSW-Can, SW-USA, MGSP-Fr, $298,822}, by Smart Strike) was bet down to 7-2 in her debut but tired late to be eighth going 6 ½ furlongs over the Gulfstream dirt Mar. 15. Recording a pair of sharp turf works since that effort, including a bullet four-furlong move in :47.60 at Palm Meadows Apr. 4, she was installed the 8-5 choice to get the job done while trying a route of ground on the turf...