Steve Asmussen

Winchell Thoroughbreds's multiple graded stakes-winning homebred Finite (Munnings) invades from the east to face off against a talented group of sophomore fillies in the seven-furlong GI La Brea S. at Santa Anita Saturday. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the chestnut put together a four-race win streak which included scores in the Rags to Riches S. and GII Golden Rod S. at Churchill late last year and continued at Fair Grounds with victories in the Silverbulletday S. and GII Rachel Alexandra S. She went to the sidelines following a fourth-place effort in...

Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Nashville (Speightstown) has been nothing, but sensational in his three racetrack appearances thus far and he looks to take his career to the next level in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. at Santa Anita Saturday. Romping by 11 1/2 lengths in the slop in his Saratoga unveiling Sept. 2, the $460,000 KEESEP purchase demolished a Keeneland allowance by 9 3/4 lengths next out Oct. 10. His Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen decided to take a more sensible route with his pupil and bypassed the GI...

Remington Park in Oklahoma City closed its 66-day season Tuesday with familiar names atop the final standings. Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen was the runaway leading trainer by both wins, with 76, and earnings, with $1,529,824. It marked his 16th leading training title at the Oklahoma track and his fifth in a row. David Cabrera won his third consecutive riding title at Remington, both by wins and earnings, with 96 victories and $2,033,449 in purses. Danny Caldwell, an Oklahoma resident, secured his 11th owner title with 28 trips to the...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency SIX-FIGURE MEDAG COLT MAKES FIRST START AT TAMPA 3rd-TAM, $27.5K, Msw, 2yo, 1m 40yds, 1:12 p.m. Godolphin's NEW DAWN (Medaglia d'Oro), a $600,000 KEESEP buy, will face the starter for the first time Saturday at Tampa. She is out of SW Wait Til Dawn (Giant's Causeway), who is a full-sister to GSW Excited, who in turn is the dam of SW & MGSP Thrilled (Uncle Mo). This is also the family of MGISW Spain (Thunder Gulch). TJCIS PPs   PLETCHER UNVEILS PRICEY 'CHROME' COLT 5th-AQU,...

Speightstown (Gone West)'s highly promising 3-year-old colts Nashville and Charlatan are set to square off in the Gl Malibu S. over seven furlongs on opening day at Santa Anita Dec. 26, and the race already has the feel of an anticipated prize fight to it, all the way down to their respective heavyweight connections, who were once together on the same team that celebrated Justify (Scat Daddy)'s Triple Crown. But an important focus of this race belongs to their top-class sire, himself a champion sprinter, because it's quite a feat...

Champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) arrived at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa Thursday afternoon after completing her final phase of rehabilitation at WinStar Farm. The five-time Grade I winner will visit Hill 'n' Dale flagbearer Curlin. Midnight Bisou was preparing for her Breeders' Cup bid this fall when she incurred a sesamoid fracture during a work at the end of September that forced connections to retire the mare prematurely. The champion shone as one of brightest stars at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale Nov. 8. Co-owner Chuck Allen of Allen Racing...

The GI Runhappy Malibu S. on Santa Anita's opening day program could potentially feature a clash between two of the more exciting sophomores in training. The immensely talented duo of Charlatan and Nashville, both 'TDN Rising Stars' and by leading sire Speightstown, are currently being aimed at the prestigious Dec. 26 seven-furlong contest. The Bob Baffert-trained Charlatan most recently crossed the wire a dominating six-length, wire-to-wire winner in the split-division GI Arkansas Derby May 2, but was subsequently stripped of the victory and demoted to ninth after testing positive for...

Steve Asmussen--who this year became Churchill Downs' all-time win leader and only the second trainer to achieve 9,000 career victories--is the 2020 recipient of the Louisville-based Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners' Warner L. Jones Jr. Horseman of the Year Award. The award recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions to Kentucky racing and sharing the passion exemplified by Jones, who spent 50 years on the Churchill Downs board, including eight as chairman during the iconic track's resurgence. Warner Jones--the first and so far only breeder of a Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Breeders' Cup...

With heightened accountability for the health and welfare of horses, trainers today are being held to the highest of standards--as we should. However, we can see every day that race tracks and track ownership groups are not held to that same standard. A prime example is the unfortunate trend of closing a racetrack one day a week for training. This short-sighted cost-cutting move is not in racehorses' best interest. I feel that I've exhausted the proper channels to discuss this with people in charge of safety. We need all concerned...

8th-Fair Grounds, $47,000, Msw, 11-27, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.15, ft, 3 1/4 lengths. SWIFTSURE (c, 2, Uncle Mo--Island Saint {GSP, $133,860}, by Speightstown) had lit up the Fair Grounds main track in his two most recent morning trials--a bullet five furlongs from the gate in :59 4/5 (1/24) Nov. 13 and five-eighths in 1:00 flat (2/45) a week later--and was no secret at 11-10 to get his career off on a high note. Very alertly into stride, the dark bay colt set a pressured pace down inside from the much more...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols 6th-Aqueduct, $80k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 2:15 p.m. ET Bob LaPenta, Gainesway and Bridlewood Farm's ALL MO (Uncle Mo) debuts for trainer Jonathan Thomas. The $450,000 KEENOV weanling turned $900,000 KEESEP yearling is a half to stakes winner and graded placed Fusaichi Red (Fusaichi Pegasus). TJCIS PPs 4th-Churchill, $85k, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16m, post time: 2:27 p.m. ET Andrew Farm and For the People Racing's BUGLE OF WAR (War Front), a $400,000 KEESEP yearling, debuts for trainer Eddie Kenneally. The colt is out of Group...

  Finite (Munnings), a leading contender for the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks earlier this year after capping a five-race win streak in the GII Rachel Alexandra S., returned to her best form Saturday to annex the GIII Chilukki S. over a one-turn Churchill mile that proved right up her alley. Backed as the even-money choice coming off a close second in the GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland going seven panels Oct. 17, the blaze-faced chestnut settled well off the pace early while drafting behind rivals. Asked for more after...