thoroughbreds

An open house starting at 1 p.m. CT will be held at the LACER stallion complex on Friday, Jan. 9 at Aztec Equine in Sunset, Louisiana, and feature a talk by Lane's End Farm's Bernie Sams, according to a release from the Louisiana breeder on Tuesday. Stallions who will be shown include Carpe Diem (by Giant's Causeway), Unified (by Candy Ride (Arg) and Bobby's Wicked One (by Speightstown). Light refreshments and stallion season drawings will be held. The address is: 545 Muscadine Road, Sunset, LA 70584. Inquires can be directed...

Oaklawn Park welcomed a total attendance of 104,250, hosted average Saturday crowds of more than 13,000, featured 132 races--including 15 stakes races over 13 race days--and had an average field size of 9.78 horses per race during it's new Holiday Meet, the Hot Springs track said in a Tuesday press release. "The Holiday Meet delivered exactly what we strive for at Oaklawn--great racing, strong fan engagement, and meaningful momentum," said Louis A. Cella, President of Oaklawn. "The competitiveness of our fields and the enthusiasm from both on-track and off-track players...

You probably won't find the name Touchuponastar (Star Guitar) on anyone's 2025 Eclipse Award ballot. Fanfare just doesn't come easily for a Louisiana-bred who has spent most of his career competing against fellow state breds. But the 7-year-old gelding is unquestionably one of the fastest horses in the sport. Is he fast enough to win the Jan. 24 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park? It appears he may just be given that chance. When the names of horses invited to the $3 million race were released, Touchuponastar...

Amplify Horse Racing is accepting applications until Tuesday, Jan. 27 for the Spring 2026 session of its mentorship program, an educational initiative connecting youth and young adults with experienced professionals across the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry, the organization said via a press release on Tuesday. Designed as a three-month hybrid experience for ages 15 to 25, the Amplify Mentorship Program provides structured career exploration, individualized guidance, and direct exposure to the Thoroughbred industry. No prior horse experience or specific academic criteria are required. Applicants must reside in the United...

Applications to compete in the 2026 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium are now being accepted through Jan. 23, announced the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP). The Thoroughbred Makeover is the largest and most lucrative retraining competition in North America for recently-retired Thoroughbreds and former broodmares. It takes place Oct. 7-10 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. The makeover is the banner event of the RRP and is meant to showcase the athleticism, trainability, and versatility of the recently-retired racehorse. The event awards $139,000 in prize money and is expected...

Paladin (Gun Runner), the winner of the GII Remsen Stakes at the Big A Dec. 6, will according to his trainer Chad Brown point to the Feb. 14 running of the GII Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, which is tabbed as a GI Kentucky Derby qualifier offering 50-25-15-10-5 points to the top five finishers. The $1.9-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling purchase, owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter Brant, Brook T. Smith and Summer Wind Equine, broke his maiden on debut in Ozone Park Oct....

When Diane Crump died last week at the age of 77, the tributes and obituaries penned in her honor naturally led with the pioneering accomplishment that, more than five decades ago, she was the first woman to ride against men in a North American pari-mutuel horse race. Today, nearly 57 years from that landmark achievement, it can be difficult to grasp just how challenging and arduous a breakthrough that was. It wasn't, for example, just a matter of some trainer deciding, "This young lady can horseback a little bit. I...

Though rare, sudden deaths in racehorses have long proven a source of great frustration for being just that--a sudden event with virtually no way to predict it, and oftentimes no way to explain it. Emerging research, however, offers real hope that perhaps soon, the industry will have a way to both zero in on the small number of horses at heightened risk of apparent sudden death, as well as a better understanding of just what might be happening to them. Using data from more than 21,000 horses who wore the...

Next (Not This Time), who made his mark dominating dirt races at a mile-and-a-half or longer, has not been seen or heard from since finishing fourteenth and last in the 2024 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. He's now 8-years-old and hasn't run in nearly 14 months, but trainer Doug Cowans told the TDN that the gelding will be given every chance to launch a comeback in 2026. "This is a simple update," Cowans said. "He's in training at Turfway Park. He's probably due to breeze here soon. I expect his...

Santa Anita Park has canceled live racing on Sunday, Jan. 4 as the final round of strong storms pushes out of the Southern California area, the track said in a press release on Sunday morning. The storm has dropped more than 10 inches of rain on the Arcadia, California, track since an atmospheric river began pummeling the West Coast Dec. 23. "The weather is set to improve significantly by Monday, and we don't have any rain in sight for the next 10 days or so," said Santa Anita Park's General...

Santa Anita Park has canceled live racing for Saturday, Jan. 3 as the latest in a series of powerful storms is set to drop more rain on the Southern California area throughout the afternoon, the track said in a press release early on Saturday. A decision for Sunday's racing program will be made early in the morning to evaluate the most up-to-date forecast for the saturated Southland. A makeup live racing day will be added Thursday, Jan. 15. This is in addition to the previously announced addition of live racing...

Nearly (Not This Time), who could make the starting gate for the GIII Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park Jan. 31, was well-beaten on debut during the Belmont At The Big A meet Oct. 26. Shipping to South Florida to face state breds, the dark bay won by an eye-catching 9 1/4 lengths Nov. 22. Tabbed as the 6-5 second choice after the pre-race scratch of intended favorite Mob (Gun Runner), Nearly was bumped hard by Confessional (Essential Quality) at the break, which put him several lengths behind coming on...