Today's Edition:  Record-Setting $1.4M Justify Filly Leads The Way at OBS · Baeza Set for Summer Showdown · Royal Ascot Coverage 2

thoroughbreds

Winchell Homebred Recharge Collects 20 Kentucky Oaks Points At Sunland

Recharge (Gun Runner) wound up banking 20 points in her Kentucky Oaks checking account after she got the money at Sunland Park on Sunday afternoon. The homebred arrived in El Paso with two wins to her credit in as many races. Breaking her maiden by nine lengths in mid-December at Remington Park, the filly shipped to Houston and passed the two-turn test when she cleared the allowance ranks with a 4-3/4 win Jan. 21. Sent on her way at odds of 2-1 here, the 3-year-old established a lead heading into...

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Kentucky Legislative Bill Supports New School Of Veterinary Medicine At Murray State

Progress towards a new School of Veterinary Medicine at Murray State University continues to be made, as the Kentucky House of Representatives passed House Bill 400 Feb. 15, the institution of higher learning said in a release late Thursday. After advancing from the House Agriculture Committee Feb. 7, the bill, introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chair Richard Heath, would amend the existing state statute to allow Murray State to offer doctoral degrees required to become licensed in veterinary medicine. A complementary piece of legislation, Senate Bill 189, was introduced by...

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Pair Of Woodbine Graded Stakes Downgraded By Canadian Jockey Club

Woodbine's GII Bessarabian S. and the GII Royal North S. will be downgraded to Grade III status, The Jockey Club of Canada's Graded Stakes Committee said via a press release early Friday. After their annual review of the Graded and Listed Stakes slate, the organization added that all three of the top levels will remain at 42 races. The Committee reviewed the North American Race Committee (NARC) figures and the Race Quality Scores (RQS) for all Graded, Listed, and potentially Listed races in Canada. Based on this data, they also...

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Friday's Insights: Fasig-Tipton Grad By Quality Road Unveiled At Gulfstream

8th-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, 3:37 p.m. ET. Rich Shermerhorn, a real estate developer and Upstate New York neighbor of trainer Chad Brown, began buying racehorses two years ago. He purchased BORED NO MORE (Quality Road) for $700,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, which was the 10th highest yearling sold by that sire in 2022. The Brown trainee counts G3 UAE Oaks victress Nomorerichblondes (Hard Spun) as a half-sister, while dam SP Miss Luann (Unbridled's Song) is a full-sister to Catch My Eye, who is responsible for GI Gamely...

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'TDN Rising Star' Maymun Wins Pitched Optional Claimer Battle Over Stablemate At Santa Anita

6th-Santa Anita, $68,206, Alw (NW1$X), Opt. Clm ($100,000), 2-11, 3yo, 1m, 1:36.65, ft, neck. MAYMUN (c, 3, Frosted--Handwoven, by Indian Charlie) was a no-brainer 'TDN Rising Star' when streaking home to a 7 1/2-length graduation as a 1-2 mortal going 6 1/2 furlongs Jan. 20 and was trying two turns for the first time on Super Bowl Sunday. The 93 Beyer he received for that effort towered over his four rivals, and at 3-10, the Zedan runner won the break, but bore out badly into the first turn, bothering stablemate...

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Amor Fati, Daughter Of Liam's Map, Speeds To 'TDN Rising Stardom' At Gulfstream

Sporting the distinctive gold square on the front and back of Luis Saez's silks, it was first time starter Amor Fati (Liam's Map) who loved the lead and never relinquished it en route to becoming a 'TDN Rising Star' at Gulfstream Park on Sunday afternoon. The $375,000 Keeneland September grad posted a number of sharp works for trainer Brittany Russell over the past two months at her Palm Meadows base. Debuting as the 2-1 favorite here, the gray rocketed to the lead up the backstretch. Setting a strong pace up...

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Constitution Filly Skims Slop To Break Maiden At Oaklawn

1st-Oaklawn, $115,000, Msw, 2-11, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:39.82, sy, 3 lengths. MERASOL SUGAR (f, 3, Constitution--Chanel Number Mine, by Value Plus) put in a solid final work Feb. 3 (:48, 4f, 1/63) in preparation for her debut with Lasix here. As a 6-1 shot, the lone first timer in the field cruised to the lead heading into the first turn, and continued to set all the fractions up the backstretch and around the far turn. The homebred had plenty in reserve down the lane and she splashed home by three...

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'Succession' Presented By Neuman Equine Insurance: De Meric Sales

"It's a really difficult thing, to let go of something that you've spent your whole life building," acknowledges Nick de Meric. "I don't know if 'letting go' is quite the right way to put it. But to actually cut that umbilical cord, it's a leap of faith." The Ocala horseman, who reflected on a colorful past in yesterday's TDN, now turns his attention to the future. For the evolution of a successor program, parallel to his own, makes the de Meric family a particularly pertinent case study for our series...

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Race Track Chaplaincy Of America Hosts Annual Golf Tournament Apr. 16

The Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA) will host its 9th Annual Golf Scramble Tuesday, Apr. 16 at University Club of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky with all proceeds going to support the network of chaplaincies, the non-profit said in a Friday release. The tournament will begin with lunch at 11:30 a.m. ET. before a 12:30 p.m. start. Included in the registration fee are green fees, lunch, team photo, food after the round, a special gift and more. A host of prizes will be given out for longest drive, closest-to-the-pin, door...

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R Harper Rose Basks In Forward Gal Win

R Harper Rose (Khozan) represented her fellow Florida-breds well in Saturday's GIII Forward Gal S. over the Hallandale strip as she dropped the hammer down the lane to win. The OBS March grad made her debut a winning one as she streaked to a gate-to-wire finish by 6 1/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park in early August. Stepping into optional claiming company over the same surface Sept. 22, the filly was equally as potent when she won by 5 3/4 lengths. On her home floor last fall, the bay took on...

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Women's Summit Seeks Marketing & Communications Committee Applicants

After two annual events at Santa Anita Park beginning in 2022, the Horse Racing Women's Summit is accepting applications to join their Marketing & Communications Committee as a volunteer, the organization said in a release Friday. The ideal candidate should be passionate about advancing the position and role of women in racing. A background in a marketing and/or communications role is desirable. This individual will be a key contributor to planning and promoting HRWS events. For more information or to apply, send a resume and cover letter to Shona Rotondo,...

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Letter To The Editor: The Implications of Choosing Not To Run in This Year's Derby

The Derby is not just any race. It is the pinnacle of American horse racing from virtually every angle: breeding, owning, training, riding and yes, even betting (who doesn't want bragging rights for picking the winner?). And the Derby race/event has grown to such importance for the entire industry (the hoopla around the Derby as an event got bigger in the preceding years even while horse racing has been struggling), that its import flows far beyond the private parameters of ownership of Churchill Downs, Inc. Derby day is an industry-wide...

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