thoroughbreds

Since you asked readers for input at the end of Carrie Brogden's letter, I'll offer what I've observed over the 38 years that I've been a racing fan. First: look at how U.S. racing regards races for fillies and mares. The distances are shorter and purses are smaller. Getting a filly to the Kentucky Derby has become much harder ever since a points system was implemented. Plus, there's no Triple Crown equivalent for fillies. Every other top level racing country has Grade I classics for each gender... the U.S. has...

by Joel Politi I have been around horses since I was young and grew up with a 12-horse barn in our backyard. My Dad bred and raised almost all of the horses that he ran and I've been paying attention to breeding my whole life. I love this aspect of horse racing, have owned horses myself for more than 20 years and I bred our first mare in 2017. Currently have 12 broodmares, and Mark Taylor and Travis White with Taylor Made help me with all of my matings. We...

Based in Miramar Beach, Florida, Greg Tramontin of Greenwell Thoroughbreds purchased what was formerly known as Siena Farm outside of Paris, Kentucky and the breeder/stable owner has also continued to add to his broodmare band. At the recent Keeneland January Sale, Tramontin went to $2-million to acquire GISW Simply in Front (Summer Front) who will visit Into Mischief, and he also purchased for $550,000 Closing Statement (Blame) who is entered in Not This Time's book for this spring. Tramontin sat down with TDN to offer highlights from his 2026 matings...

Recently, while reviewing board elections for several major organizations in our industry, I noticed something that gave me serious pause; there are very, very few women at the highest levels of policy and decision-making on those boards. My initial reaction was the typical frustration I have felt for decades, but I must have matured enough at some point to realize that frustration alone does not move an industry forward. I wanted to try to figure out why this is and consider what opportunities we might be missing. I serve on...

The Jockey Club of Canada named the finalists for the 2025 Sovereign Awards and the winners, along with Canada's Horse of the Year, will be revealed during the 51st annual ceremony to be held on Thursday, Apr. 23 at Paramount Eventspace in Woodbridge, Ontario, the club said via a press release on Friday. The nominees for this year's Sovereign Awards include a pair of past King's Plate winners in Canadian MGSW Caitlinhergrtness (Omaha Beach)--a finalist for Older Main Track Female--and last year's hero Mansetti (Collected), who was named in the...

After watching a bill she filed last July to restore a gambler's right to deduct 100% of losses from gambling winnings languish without consideration in the House Ways and Means Committee, U.S. Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada on Thursday initiated a discharge petition in an attempt to bypass committee action and force it to a vote before the full Congress. "My FAIR BET Act has been sitting in @WaysMeansCmte for eight months, despite commitments from @HouseGOP to restore the full gambling loss deduction," Titus wrote Feb. 12 in a posting...

The Jockey Club published its 2026 Industry Impact Report Friday, which includes a consolidated statement of income for 2025 listing total investment in industry initiatives as $6.3-million, with nearly $1.7-million going to Thoroughbred aftercare, the organization said in a press release on Friday. Located at the back of the document, last year's income statement itemizes industry initiatives and investment, which includes funding America's Best Racing ($2.164 million), aftercare ($1.67 million) and industry support ($2.5 million) for a total of $6.3 million. Since 2010, The Jockey Club says it has re-invested...

At 78 years of age, Dana Halvorson is looking to move out of Washington State and live permanently at his farm in Ocala, Florida. He leaves behind a decades-long, storied career in the bloodstock world in Washington. He also leaves behind a state breeding industry in free-fall. Between 2005 and 2025, the number of mares bred dropped 94%, from 1214 to 70. Only two major farms remain in the whole state. "The West Coast has just taken a beating," said Halvorson, president of the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association...

Looking to be named the belle of the maiden ball after a Gulfstream dance, Prom Queen (Quality Road--Miss Bling Bling, by Tapit) garnered the right number of votes to wear a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', crown on Thursday afternoon. A runner-up on debut as the well-regarded favorite going a mile in Hallandale Jan. 23, the 3-year-old was ready to try out her two turn moves as the 80 cents on the dollar favorite here. In the mix from the bell, Prom Queen was fighting for position from third...

EASY DECISION (c, 3, Charlatan--All Laced Up, by Bernardini) was unveiled as the 9-5 choice here. The chalk initially took on longshot pacesetter Lord King (King for a Day), but was reigned in to stalk up the backstretch. Taking aim at the leader and Complex Charlie (Complexity) around the far turn and into the lane, the 3-year-old was forced to tip to an outside lane. The bay became uncorked, struck the front with a furlong left and graduated by 6 1/4 lengths. Complex Charlie was the runner-up. A $120,000 buy...

IGNITER (c, 3, Volatile--Malibu Prayer {GISW, $618,026}, by Malibu Moon), after being featured in TDN's Second Chances series, broke his maiden by a length during the Belmont At The Big A meet in late September. The homebred was off for two months, then was entered in the GII Remsen Stakes at the Big A Dec. 6 where he posted a sixth-place finish behind GII Risen Star Stakes entrant Paladin (Gun Runner) and recent Sam F. Davis Stake hero Renegade (Into Mischief). Well-backed at a shade over even-money here, the colt...

Hall of Fame trainer King Leatherbury, whose career spanned eight decades and included 52 training titles combined at Pimlico and Laurel, has passed away. He was 92 and died Tuesday at his home. "He's one of a kind, said one of his twin sons, Taylor Leatherbury. "There's never been a man more appropriately named than my father." Born in Shady Side, Maryland, Leatherbury was raised on a farm where his father had horses. After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in business administration, Leatherbury went to work...