In an exhibition of pure sprinting prowess, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum's Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) brought all his power to bear on his rivals on Friday to register back-to-back successes in Goodwood's G2 King George Qatar S. Despite the contrasting ground conditions to the easy turf he encountered 12 months ago and the obvious questions posed by defeat in the June 19 G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot, the bay attracted heavy support as the 8-11 favourite and was in front before he had raced two...
The 17th edition of the Claiming Crown, held Saturday at Gulfstream Park, generated total handle of $10,118,000--up 0.57% from 2014 despite rainy conditions which caused four races to be taken off the turf. Gulfstream was hosting the event for the fourth year. "We're extremely pleased with the success of Saturday's Claiming Crown," said P.J. Campo, General Manager of Gulfstream Park and Vice President of Racing for The Stronach Group. "We had big fields and tremendous participation from horsemen throughout North America. We're confident the numbers would have been even more...
Shortly after Journalism (Curlin) worked five furlongs in company at Santa Anita Sunday, trainer Michael McCarthy said he is looking at three potential races to kick off the colt's 4-year-old campaign. Last season's GI Preakness winner could return in either the GII Oaklawn Handicap or GIII Ben Ali at Keeneland, both on Apr. 18, or wait for the GII Alysheba at Churchill Downs on May 1. "All three of those races are in play," McCarthy said. Both the Oaklawn Handicap and Ben Ali are 1 1/8 miles. The Alysheba is...
Last year's Eclipse champion juvenile filly, Super Corredora (Gun Runner), will miss the GII Santa Anita Oaks Apr. 4 after getting sick earlier this week, trainer John Sadler reported Friday. The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine has had a rough start to her 2026 campaign with two non-factor efforts in the Feb. 8 Las Virgenes Stakes and last out Mar. 8 in the GIII Santa Ysabel Stakes, where she missed the break and trailed far off her customary position. Super Corredora reportedly ran a fever earlier this week that...
California's storied racetracks once set the gold standard in American racing. Yet today, many owners are asking: is there hope? From my vantage point as a longtime owner, the answer lies in collaboration, clear communication and a shared commitment to the future. We've seen encouraging signs--new training programs, emerging talent and a continued passion among participants. California racing does not lack for quality horses, trainers or owners. What we must do now is harness that strength and align it toward a common purpose. After retiring from a career in public...
Trainer Bob Baffert will leave some horses at Churchill Downs this spring rather than bringing all of his stable back to California, said the trainer when reached by phone Thursday afternoon. The story was first reported by Ron Flatter at Horse Racing Nation. Baffert stressed that he is not abandoning the West Coast. "I've always had a barn there before and I'm just splitting it up," he said. "It's not like I'm deserting California. I have a lot of horses that have same conditions. I have more opportunities to run...
A Kentucky Derby prep race could be next for Crude Velocity (Beau Liam), who overcame an impossible trip to win on debut with 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' honors for Bob Baffert at Santa Anita Mar. 7. "We're gonna leave California with him," owner Bill Childs said after reloading at last week's OBS March sale. "There are more opportunities for him outside of California. Bob will still have him. We want to take dead aim on what we're doing being something worthwhile. We're gonna try to target something that...
New Jersey racing has not had it easy, and has not had it easy for a long time. Monmouth was in such dire straits that, after the end of the 2025 meet, there was so little money in its coffers that the track wasn't able to pay horsemen money that was owed to them for months. That problem arose despite the fact Monmouth was receiving an annual $10-million subsidy from the state to supplement purses. Worried that the subsidy, never a sure thing, might go away under the newly elected...
4th-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 2:19 p.m. ET. Star Actress (Justify), a full-sister to champion 2-year-old filly and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Just F Y I, stretches to two turns for her second career start for Bill Mott. The George Krikorian homebred rallied from seventh to finish a close second on debut going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Feb. 8. She earned a 73 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort. The aforementioned Just F Y I brought $4.5 million from Katsumi Yoshida at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton November...
Last year the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) approved the establishment of maximum statewide ages at which horses can race--10 years old for winners and five years old for maidens. On Wednesday, the CHRB voted unanimously to tweak that rule, raising the max age for maidens to six, with the stipulation that such horses would be receiving "increased scrutiny" from the state's regulatory veterinarians. Prior to the codification of a maximum age for maidens at the state level, California's three currently active tracks had been operating under "house rules" that...
The splendid Splendora set the pace, took the GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile at Santa Anita Park and made headlines. Now, let's get to this week's rankings: 5. REGALED, OP, 3/7, GII Azeri Stakes, 1 1-16 miles (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 93 (2nd) (m, 5, by Mohaymen-Ascot Walk, by Daaher) O-Ribble Farms and Front Page Equine. B-Chris Baccari (Ky). T-Whit Beckman. J-J.D. Ramos. Her come-from-the-clouds style is probably more suited to 1 1/8 miles than the Azeri's 1 1/16 miles, but she made up four-plus lengths in the final...
A Baffert longshot in a Santa Anita maiden race (that isn't a misprint) tops this week's list. 5). MAYKOMOTION, TAM, 3/7, 7 furlongs (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 84 (c, 3, by Vekoma--Maymont, by Unbridled's Song) O-Bona Venture Stables and Bianco Stable. B-Dominique Damico (Fla). T-George Weaver. J-John Velazquez. He couldn't match strides with the likes of Jackson Hole in his first start in December, but outran these from the start and was drawing away through the final quarter. His five half-siblings to race have been predominantly cheap claimers, but this...
Trainer Bob Baffert had a two-strong chance to earn a record-extending 10th win in Saturday's GII San Felipe Stakes. His best shot looked to be with the 4-5 favorite and 'TDN Rising Star' Brant (Gun Runner) who was making his first start back since running third to Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar last November. But it was his other runner, 8-1 shot and $2.4-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale graduate Potente (Into Mischief) who secured the win and 50 Kentucky Derby points for the...
CSLR Racing Partners, LLC's Crude Velocity (c, 3, Beau Liam--Sweetnsour Kitty, by Lemon Drop Kid) overcame a nightmare journey to become the first 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' for his young sire. One of three entered by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert and overlooked at generous debut odds of 10-1, he was off to a slow start from his rail draw and trailed the field of nine shortly after the break. He rushed up beneath Florent Geroux and was under a tight hold racing in traffic just behind the...