SF Racing

Unbeaten Taj Mahal Romps in Preakness Qualifier at Laurel

Taj Mahal (Nyquist) led them every step of the way while making his two-turn debut to romp in the $150,000 Federico Tesio S. at Laurel Park, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Preakness Stakes. The 6-5 favorite cleared the field of 10 from his outside draw and it was pretty much over from there. He was well clear through fractions of :23.93 and :47.80. The advantage shrunk to about a length on the far turn, but he had another gear. The $525,000 Keeneland September yearling opened up...

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Sing It Babs! Memory Begins A New Day After Maiden Win At Santa Anita

A Triple Crown nominee, MEMORY (Uncle Mo) debuted a well-beaten seventh behind stablemate and newly minted 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Crude Velocity (Beau Liam) at 'The Great Race Place' Mar. 7. As a 9-2 shot here, the hooded dark bay fired out of the gate and was in the mix heading into the first turn. Taken in hand entering the backstretch as his stablemate Authentic Patriot (Authentic) proceeded to carve out the fractions, the Keeneland grad waited for the right time to strike. The colt was asked for speed...

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Taj Mahal Looks to Step Up in Wood Memorial

Taj Mahal (Nyquist), two-for-two after winning the Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Feb. 21, is expected to make his next start in the Apr. 4 GII Wood Memorial, Tom Ryan of co-owner SF Racing confirmed Sunday. "The notion is he'll take his shot in the Wood Memorial," Ryan said. "He's done nothing wrong so far, and he's ran himself up the ladder while improving his numbers. He's got some nice time in between after his first two starts were close together. I personally believe the distance is not going to...

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Olympiad
Sunday's Racing Insights: Full-Sister to Olympiad Debuts at Gulfstream

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...

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SF Racing And Co. Name Into Mischief Colt After Gold Medalist Jack Hughes

SF Racing & Co. has named a precocious 2-year-old colt Hughes in honor of U.S. hockey star Jack Hughes and his memorable 2026 Winter Olympics performance. The colt, by Into Mischief out of K P Dreamin (Union Rags), is set to join the 2026 2-year-old division of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Signed for $675,000 by Donato Lanni at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale last year, the colt was consigned by Blandford Stud on behalf of breeder Stonestreet. In announcing the name, SF Racing principal Tom Ryan cited Hughes's...

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Pierre Bonnard and US-Trained Greenwich Village Among 88 Derby Entries

Following the publication of the entries on Tuesday, ante-post favourite Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) is among 88 colts in contention for the Betfred Derby, which takes place at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 6 and offers record prize-money of £2 million in 2026. Pierre Bonnard, who was last seen winning October's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, features in a bumper list of 24 entries for Aidan O'Brien, the most successful trainer in the history of the Classic with 11 wins. The Ballydoyle contingent also includes the first three from last year's G1...

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Madaket Road Will Scratch From Pegasus World Cup Invitational

Tom Ryan, the racing manager for SF Racing, tweeted Friday morning that Madaket Road (Quality Road) will not compete in Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. "Madaket Road won't participate in the Pegasus," read Ryan's tweet. "He seems to have an abscess brewing - unfortunate timing. He will ship back to California shortly." SF Racing is co-owner of the 4-year-old colt who is trained by Bob Baffert. He was 10-1 in the morning line and is coming off a fourth-place finish in the GI Malibu Stakes. With...

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Malibu Stakes Winner Goal Oriented Retired to Spendthrift

Goal Oriented (Not This Time--Bizzy Caroline, by Afleet Alex), most recently winner of the Dec. 28 GI Malibu Stakes, has been retired from racing and will take up stud duties at Spendthrift Farm this year. His introductory fee will be $30,000, stands and nurses. "We are very excited about Goal Oriented and his potential at stud," said Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey. "Since the emergence of Not This Time, we have been looking for the right son to come along, and we believe strongly that Goal Oriented is that horse....

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Champion Moira Retired from Racing

Canadian Horse of the Year and U.S. champion turf female Moira (Ghostzapper--Devine Aida, by Unbridled's Song) has been retired from racing, according to a statement from Chris Waller, who had trained the mare in Australia after she was purchased by Yulong Investments in 2024. "Moira is obviously a world-class mare and, while she hasn't yet quite reached those same heights here in Australia, her performance earlier in the prep gave us a glimpse of her class," Waller's statement read. "We simply feel that she is not racing at her absolute...

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TOBA Honors 2024 Winners At All Levels Over Weekend, Godolphin Takes Top Prizes

Godolphin took home both the National Owner of the Year and National Breeder of the Year prizes at the 40th annual TOBA National Awards in Lexington, Kentucky, which were presented across two days of ceremonies, according to a press release from the organization on Saturday. The National Awards Luncheon honored 2024 state and Canadian breeders at Godolphin Sept. 5, while the 2024 National Awards Dinner was held at Fasig-Tipton Sept. 6. TOBA 2024 award winners included: National Owner of the Year and National Breeder of the Year: Godolphin; National Small...

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Sunday's Racing Insights: Pricey Colts From Baffert Shedrow Debut As Del Mar Closes Out Meet

6th-DMR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 7:11 p.m. ET. A pair of pricey colts under the care of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert make their first starts as the seaside oval closes out its summer meet on Sunday. BOYD (Violence) is a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May auction buy for Zedan Racing, who made the chestnut the second topper at the sale when they went to $1.05-million to acquire him. Initially, this future Baffert trainee was an $82,000 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed sale grad then went for $280,000 during Keeneland September. A...

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Nyquist's Pricey Kristofferson Graduates at Del Mar

6th-Del Mar, $82,000, Msw, 8-31, 2yo, 6f, 1:08.83, ft, 3/4 length. KRISTOFFERSON (c, 2, Nyquist--Impasse, by Quality Road), installed the even-money choice for this debut, came out gunning and assumed a narrow advantage as Falcon Jet (Justify) and Mr A P (American Pharoah) pressed the issue to his outside. Three wide turning for home, Mr A P began his retreat, however, Mr A P wouldn't relent and inched in front for a brief moment. Undeterred, the Bob Baffert trained-colt dug in to overtake his game foe and was 3/4 of...

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