Steve Asmussen

Stonestreet Stables LLC's `TDN Rising Star' Beau Liam (Liam's Map--Belle of Perintown, by Dehere) has been retired from racing and will stand the upcoming breeding season at Brereton and Elizabeth Jones's Airdrie Stud as a partnership between Stonestreet, Spendthrift Farm and Airdrie. Trained by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Beau Liam won his first three starts this season. Beau Liam will stand his first season for a fee of $6,000 stands and nurses. Named a TDN Rising Star following his 7 1/2-length debut at Churchill Downs, Beau Liam's six-furlong...

Three Chimneys' Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) set a new record for progeny earnings for a first-crop sire when his total moved past the $3.8-million mark Sunday. Coolmore's Uncle Mo held the previous record of $3,717,490, which he established in 2015. Prior to Uncle Mo, the first-crop progeny earnings record had been held by Gainesway's Tapit, who set the mark in 2008. Gun Runner took over the record earnings figure when the Tom Amoss-trained Shotgun Hottie won a $92,000 maiden special weight at Churchill Downs Sunday, becoming the stallion's 22nd...

With the Medina Spirit (Protonico) positive, the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf debacle, the on-going saga of Jorge Navarro, Jason Servis and the rest and the closing of Arlington Park, it's been another tough year for horse racing. This game sure can get you down at times. But we will always have the horse. These beautiful, athletic, noble, graceful animals, they always find a way to make you feel good about the sport. Which is why so many people were smiling and cheering Saturday at Woodbine as Pink Lloyd (Old...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency GUN RUNNER FILLIES DEBUT AT CHURCHILL 7th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 3:57 p.m. Freshman sire Gun Runner is represented by a pair of debuting fillies in this six-furlong affair. Richard Baltas saddles PEACE PEDDLER (GUN RUNNER), a $200,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, for Calvin Nguyen. The bay filly is a daughter of Canadian champion Embur's Song (Unbridled's Song). Steve Asmussen sends out Stonestreet homebred Ari Oakley (Gun Runner), a daughter of Belle of Perintown (Dehere) and half-sister to graded winner Strike It Rich (Unbridled's Song) and...

7th-Churchill Downs, $119,047, Msw, 11-20, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:45.44, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. LA CRETE (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro--Cavorting {MGISW, $2,063,000}, by Bernardini), a half-sister to Clairiere (Curlin), GISW, $1,290,992, took care of business impressively on debut going a tough, two-turn distance of 1 1/16 miles here. Facing only seven rivals, the 8-5 favorite caught a flyer beneath Joel Rosario and shot out to the front. The Stonestreet homebred showed the way while uncontested through fractions of :23.53 and :47.84. She let it out a notch rounding the far...

1st-AQU, $80k, Msw, 3yo/up, 1mT, post time: 11:50 a.m. ET Stone Farm homebred WAR FIGHTER (War Front), a full-brother to European champion 2-year-old and young Coolmore sire Air Force Blue, kicks off his career over the Aqueduct lawn for Graham Motion. The dark bay posted a pair of bullets at Fair Hill for this, including a four-furlong spin in :48 (1/6) over the all-weather Nov. 15. Chatham (Maria's Mon)'s 2020 War Front colt brought $1 million from Lynnhaven Racing at this year's Keeneland September Sale. TJCIS PPs 5th-AQU, $80k, Msw,...

J. Kirk and Judy Robison's talented sprinter/miler Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) underwent surgery last week to remove a bone chip in his left knee, Daily Racing Form reports. The procedure was performed by Dr. Larry Bramlage last Friday. "He is going to do rehab at Becky Maker's farm in Lexington," trainer Steve Asmussen told DRF. "We do plan on a 2022 campaign." A two-time Grade I winner at two, Jackie's Warrior annexed the GII Pat Day Mile S. in May and was second by a neck in the GI Woody...

Claiborne Farm announced Monday that this year's GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. winner Silver State (Hard Spun) will stand for $20,000 for the 2022 breeding season. It was announced last month that Claiborne had acquired the Steve Asmussen trainee's breeding rights. Campaigned by Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Willis Horton Racing LLC, the $450,000 KEESEP yearling was completing a six-race win streak in the Met Mile, and defeated GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Knicks Go (Paynter) in the process. Silver State will be available for inspection later this week by...

DEL MAR, CA - The best thing about Steve Asmussen's record-breaking 2021 season? The Hall of Famer may want to wait until the weekend is up to answer that. In a year that has included passing Dale Baird to become the winningest North American trainer of all time, an emotional GI Arkansas Derby victory for his parents with Super Stock (Dialed In) and five top-level wins at the prestigious Saratoga meeting, including three from the first crop of a former barn superstar, Asmussen heads into the Breeders' Cup World Championships...

When pre-entries for the Breeders' Cup were announced last week it was no surprise that Chad Brown's contingent was dominated by turf horses. He has 11 entered for grass races and just three for dirt races. Since he went out on his own in 2007, Brown has established himself as the sport's best grass trainer and grass racing has always been his focus. Entering Sunday's races, he had won 1,316 turf races for a winning rate of 25% and 63.5% of his career wins had come on the grass. Brown...

Claiborne Farm has acquired the breeding rights to multiple graded stakes winner Silver State (Hard Spun--Supreme, by Empire Maker). He will stand at the Paris, Ky., farm upon his retirement from racing. The 4-year-old son of Hard Spun has won seven of 13 career starts, hitting the board in 12 of those starts, and has made over $1.9 million. In 2021 alone, he is 4-1-1 from six starts and has made over $1.6 million. "We are very excited to stand Silver State in 2022," said Claiborne's Walker Hancock. "Danzig is...

6th-Churchill Downs, $127,000, Alw (NW2L)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 10-1, 2yo, 6f, 1:09.04, ft, 3/4 length. CHATTALOT (c, 2, Midnight Lute--Mamboalot {SP}, by Kingmambo) ran to 9-5 favoritism to score narrowly first out at Saratoga on opening Saturday July 17, but was let go at 6-1 facing a few formidable foes here. Finding a foothold at the rail while drafting behind the leaders in the garden spot early, the bay was bottled up a bit through a :45.09 half. He muscled his way out into the clear as GII Saratoga Special S....