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

thoroughbreds

Q&A with Kelsey Kober, TRF Wallkill's New Manager

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) farm at the Wallkill Correctional Facility recently celebrated its 35th anniversary. The perennial partnership sealed in 1983 paved the way for off-track Thoroughbreds as therapeutic learning partners for all people but most notably for men and women who have suffered PTSD, have substance abuse issues, anger management problems and many other issues that might land a person in prison. Pasture sound-only Thoroughbreds find sanctuary and a critically important career in the TRF's renowned program. Older horses are respected and revered for their lives and contributions...

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Antony Beck: Horse Country. It Works

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: ANTONY BECK Over the past few days, I have read with interest the letters from Allison Bishop and Dermot Ryan about the important role that Visit Horse Country plays in introducing new people to our sport. I would like to add my voice to the conversation. Each day, as the sun rises over the Bluegrass, we direct our full attention to nurturing our horses. We make this investment in hope that the horses we care for will sire or foal the next big winner or that...

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Penn Mile Rematch in Hall of Fame

Moon Colony (Uncle Mo) and Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), one-two across the line in the GII Penn Mile S. June 1, lock horns again in Friday's GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. at Saratoga. Moon Colony turns back to a mile after setting a pressured pace and tiring to ninth in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational S. going 1 1/4 miles July 6. "I think the cut back to a mile will be good for him," trainer Mark Casse said. "He's already well proven at a mile,...

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Notable US-Breds in Japan: Aug. 3 & 4, 2019

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Kokura, Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses: Saturday, August 3, 2019 4th-KOK, ¥9,550,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1700m MONUMENT KING (c, 3, Creative Cause--Overvalued, by Forest Grove) cost Shadai Farm $500K at Keeneland September in 2017, easily the most expensive of his...

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Nassau Surprise As Deirdre Wins for Japan

In the week that Japan lost Deep Impact (Jpn), there was a piece of consolation as the country's Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) swooped late to cause an upset in Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau S. at Goodwood. Seemingly shy of her best so far this season, Toji Morita's 5-year-old who had captured the 2017 Shuka Sho was 20-1 taking on the Classic generation but had an ideal pace scenario settled towards the rear as the free-running Mehdaayih (GB) (Frankel {GB}) tanked along in front under Frankie Dettori. That rival looked to...

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Imperial Hint Repeats in Vanderbilt

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Imperial Hint (Imperialism) put on a show for the Saratoga faithful to capture back-to-back renewals of Saturday's GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. in track-record time. The 'little rocket,' off at odds of 5-1, was placed in a perfect spot in a tracking third by Javier Castellano as the rail-drawn Mitole (Eskendereya)--off as the imposing 1-2 favorite riding a seven-race winning streak headed by a sensational score in the GI Runhappy Metropolitan H.-slugged it out with the speedy Strike Power (Speightstown) through an opening quarter in :21.77....

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Interesting Mix in Ontario Colleen

A diverse mix of shippers and local hopes will line up in the one-mile GIII Ontario Colleen S. for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Woodbine. One of only two graded/group winners in the field, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Seek and Destroy (Verrazano) has been given the slight nod on the morning line at 5-2. Off the board in her first two tries last summer at Saratoga, she graduated by daylight in an off-the-turfer Oct. 8 at Belmont and repeated in the washed-off Chelsey Flower S. there 20 days later. Getting back...

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Bill Oppenheim: First Yearlings

One week from tomorrow Fasig-Tipton kicks off the 2015 North American yearling market with the Kentucky July yearling sale, in which 40 years ago this year, Seattle Slew sold as a yearling for $17,500 to Karen and Mickey Taylor, and it's been producing good horses ever since. This year 332 yearlings are catalogued--a 25% increase on last year's 265--to be followed by around 100 horses of racing age, minus withdrawals, plus 'wild cards'. Fasig catalogued 258 yearlings in 2013, significantly down from the 338 catalogued in 2012. That year 189...

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