Rusty Arnold

From 'Surreal' Test Victory to Keeneland November: Kilwin on Offer Tuesday

BBN Racing's Kilwin (Twirling Candy) recorded perhaps the most dramatic Grade I win of the year in August, falling to her knees at the start of the GI Test Stakes before coming from seemingly nowhere with a relentless rally down the lane to just her nose in front on the line. BBN Racing, looking to capitalize both on the combination of that Grade I win and an expected hot marketplace, will offer the filly as hip 223 through the Royal Oak Farm consignment during Tuesday's Book 1 session of the...

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Keeneland Fall Meet Concludes with Record in All-Sources Wagering

The 2025 Fall Meet wrapped Saturday with a season-record of $217-million in all-sources wagering, Keeneland announced via press release. Propelled by record purse money and overall good weather for the duration of the meeting, the 17 days of racing totaled $217,266,759 on the season--surpassing the previous record of $210,165,945 set last year for the 2024 Fall Meet. It was a 3.38% increase. Average daily purses of $1,341,107 also set a Keeneland record and races averaged 9.2 starters per card. Opening Fall Stars Weekend (excluding whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland) generated $48.9-million...

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Moonshine Memories
Saturday Insights: Into Mischief Filly Out of Moonshine Memories Debuts at Keeneland

3rd-KEE, $110k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 2:04 p.m. ET Naughty by Nature (Into Mischief), a daughter of GI Del Mar Debutante S. and GI Chandelier S. winner Moonshine Memories (Malibu Moon), debuts for LNJ Foxwoods and Church Street Stable and trainer Rusty Arnold. The $450,000 KEESEP yearling purchase was bred in Kentucky by Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt, Westerberg Ireland ULC, et al. Tyler Gaffalione has the call. TJCIS PPs

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With 308th Winner, Arnold Becomes Keeneland's All-Time Leading Trainer

With his win in Friday's sixth race at Keeneland with In the Stars (Into Mischief). Rusty Arnold became the winningest trainer in Keeneland history. It was his 308th winner at the Lexington track, one more than Bill Mott. An emotional Arnold was still savoring the victory when reached by phone Friday night. "I'm from here and started out here," Arnold said. "I came out here and started with my father. It means a lot to me. When I started out, I was just trying to win one race here. Now...

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Longshot Plensa Fires To Take Gun Runner Stakes At Kentucky Downs

Overlooked at the windows to the tune of 22-1, Plensa (Caravaggio) fired a big shot in the Exacta Systems Gun Runner Stakes and landed in the winner's circle at Kentucky Downs on Saturday. After finishing as the runner-up in two tries last fall to break his maiden, the dark bay finally graduated on his fourth attempt June 15 under the Twin Spires. The colt was last seen running third against optional claimers over the Spa turf July 18. Plensa was in the mix early before dropping towards the rear of...

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Kilwin wins at Saratoga
Kilwin Aces The 100th Running Of The Test

In high school, we'd call her a multi-sport athlete. A two-time varsity letter earner. Someone, horse or human alike, who has the skills to excel at more than one specialty is a rare commodity indeed and Kilwin (Twirling Candy) proved Saturday that she's as versatile as she is talented in taking the 100th running of the GI Test Stakes at Saratoga. This daughter of Twirling Candy, much like her sire, had plenty of early success on the grass, breaking her maiden at first asking for Rusty Arnold in a 5...

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Daisy Flyer Comes Flying Late with Nail-Biting Rally in Lake George

It was overcast and foggy, but weather was not going to stop her as Daisy Flyer (Mshawish) flew home in the final yards to take the GIII Lake George Stakes at Saratoga. Sent to George 'Rusty' Arnold as a juvenile, she ran a flat eighth last summer on unveiling July 21 at Ellis Park, but produced her first inkling of the dramatic final kick in her Sept. 5 graduation at Kentucky Downs when she won the photo by a head. When her connections stepped her up into the GII Miss...

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Echo Sound wins Miss Preakness at Pimlico
Near Perfect Echo Sound Looks to Add Another Notch to Her Belt in the Victory Ride

Gabriel Duignan's Echo Sound (Echo Town) might not be perfect but she's pretty darn close. The winner in her latest start in the GIII Miss Preakness Stakes will try to make it back-to-back graded wins for trainer Rusty Arnold in Saratoga's opening day feature, the GIII Victory Ride Stakes. According to Arnold, a win in the 6 1/2-furlong test for sophomore fillies would be special for more reasons than simply its placement on the calendar. "We've targeted this race because of the distance, and it's also a special race to...

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Churchill Filly Poolside With Slim Sits The Trip In the Valley View

Sent off at odds just shy of 3-1, Poolside With Slim (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) was produced through a narrow opening at the fence in the homestretch by Frankie Dettori and after a moment's hesitation, kicked on and outgamed pacesetting Pharoah's Wine (American Pharoah) to win Friday's GII Bank of America Valley View Stakes on the penultimate day of racing at Keeneland. A troubled fourth to Valley View favorite Les Reys (Fr) (Penny's Picnic {Ire}) when last seen in the Winter Memories Stakes at Aqueduct Sept. 13, Poolside With Slim--who carried...

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'TDN Rising Star' Neon Icon Hands Trainer Rusty Arnold His 300th Keeneland Win

6th-Keeneland, $116,200, Alw (NW2X)/Opt. Clm ($125,000), 10-23, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:52.16, ft, 1 length. NEON ICON (f, 3, Arrogate--Mademoiselle Coco, by Medaglia d'Oro) earned 'TDN Rising Star' honors on debut at Keeneland Apr. 17 with a 4 1/2-length score. The gray cleared the allowance ranks next time over a wet track at Churchill Downs May 23. Well-beaten in the GIII Indiana Oaks July 6, Neon Icon finished seventh in the GI Alabama Stakes at the Spa Aug. 17 and fifth in the Seneca Overnight Stakes under the Twin Spires...

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Keeneland Fall Opens With Alcibiades On Massive Graded Stakes Weekend

Tickets, please! Keeneland's fall meet has the turnstiles primed Friday and that means the featured GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes will fill the apron on what promises to be massive weekend with some 30 graded races across North America--half of which have Breeders' Cup implications. The signature top-level race at the site of the Old Keene Farm was named for a foundational mare who was bred at Hal Price Headley's Beaumont--where modern-day Mill Ridge resides. Alcibiades won the 1930 Kentucky Oaks for Headley, who was one the Keeneland Association's founders and...

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Interest In Breeders' Cup Hopeful Kilwin To Be Offered During Keeneland Championship Sale At Del Mar

A 25% fractional interest in the undefeated stakes-winning juvenile filly Kilwin (Twirling Candy), winner of the Untapable Stakes at Kentucky Downs Sept. 8, will be sold at the inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale, to be held the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 30, in the paddock at Del Mar, site of the 2024 Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 1-2, the sales company said in a release on Friday morning. Kilwin, owned by BBN Racing and trained by Rusty Arnold, is scheduled to make her next start in the GI John Deere Breeders'...

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