thoroughbreds

Looking to stay perfect and attain his first graded win for the trophy case, Hey Nay Nay (Ire) (No Nay Never) ran on nicely to capture the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes on Sunday afternoon at the seaside oval. The $300,000 Keeneland September grad made his debut a winning one going from pillar to post while sprinting over the Santa Anita turf course June 1. The Irish-bred shipped across the country to contest the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park and he passed that test with flying colors when he...

A record-shattering total of $25,385,003 was wagered on Saturday's 12-race card at Kentucky Downs, a press release from the track said late on Saturday. Six of the races were stakes. Each race featured at least 10 starters, and 10 races had 11 or more. The previous Kentucky Downs wagering record was the $21,184,941 wagered last year on the corresponding day, reflecting an increase this year of more than $4.2 million.

Godolphin took home both the National Owner of the Year and National Breeder of the Year prizes at the 40th annual TOBA National Awards in Lexington, Kentucky, which were presented across two days of ceremonies, according to a press release from the organization on Saturday. The National Awards Luncheon honored 2024 state and Canadian breeders at Godolphin Sept. 5, while the 2024 National Awards Dinner was held at Fasig-Tipton Sept. 6. TOBA 2024 award winners included: National Owner of the Year and National Breeder of the Year: Godolphin; National Small...

Overlooked at the windows to the tune of 22-1, Plensa (Caravaggio) fired a big shot in the Exacta Systems Gun Runner Stakes and landed in the winner's circle at Kentucky Downs on Saturday. After finishing as the runner-up in two tries last fall to break his maiden, the dark bay finally graduated on his fourth attempt June 15 under the Twin Spires. The colt was last seen running third against optional claimers over the Spa turf July 18. Plensa was in the mix early before dropping towards the rear of...

Maxfield's first stakes winner as a freshman sire comes in as Max Ciao takes the I'm Smokin Stakes at Del Mar on Friday. Unveiled as a third-place finisher at Santa Anita May 25, the colt was fourth, beaten seven lengths, July 19 by Friday's 3-2 second choice Thirsty Rebel. Max Ciao found himself in the winners circle in career start number three, a six-length victor back here at Del Mar Aug. 8. In his first stakes try, the son of Maxfield broke alertly, stalking just over a length off the...

6th-DMR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 7:11 p.m. ET. A pair of pricey colts under the care of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert make their first starts as the seaside oval closes out its summer meet on Sunday. BOYD (Violence) is a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May auction buy for Zedan Racing, who made the chestnut the second topper at the sale when they went to $1.05-million to acquire him. Initially, this future Baffert trainee was an $82,000 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed sale grad then went for $280,000 during Keeneland September. A...

Wagering increased compared to a year ago in August despite a reduction in the number of race days during the month, according to information released by Equibase on Friday. Total wagering of $1,204,428,838 on races during the month represented a 3.13% increase over the same period from 2024, while available purses of over $153 million were higher by 7.24%. The figure of over $145 million for paid purses in August was also up by 6.33%. As for the total number of race days, they decreased from 416 to 400 (-3.85%)...

Kelsey Danner probably didn't look at the tote board prior to Thursday's first race at Kentucky Downs. She's not a bettor, she says. But she thought her starter, Repentless (Violence), could run a bit, something the bettors obviously didn't pick up on. They sent the first-time starter off at 25-1. With Adam Beschizza aboard, the colt won by three lengths and paid $52.08. It was not her longest priced winner at the meet. Fellow first-time starter Ground Support (Army Mule) won Saturday's second race for the Danner Stable and paid...

After a record number of applications in 2025, Thoroughbred Charities of America grants to 98 organizations totaling over $1.1-million were recently awarded, according to a press release from the non-profit on Thursday afternoon. The TCA said that 63 aftercare organizations, 24 backstretch and farm worker programs, seven equine-assisted therapy organizations, three Thoroughbred incentive programs, and one research organization comprised this year's tally. The TCA release added that their grant committee established clear funding priorities with emphasis placed on approved organizations working to serve the backstretch and farm employee communities as...

After lengthy negotiations, the Jockeys' Guild of America and the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma have agreed to the terms in the form of a 3-year agreement, which includes a minimum losing mount fee of $100, a fourth-place incentive and all riders will pay the per mount HISA fee, the guild said in a Thursday press release. Set to expire on Dec. 31, 2028, the parties plan to immediately seek approval from the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission. The release went on to say that "extensive conversations with the Remington Park...

Woodbine Entertainment plans to partner with 1/ST Racing and turn the GII bet365 Dance Smartly Stakes into a qualifying race for the GII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes, the Canadian track said via a press release on Thursday. The winner of the Dance Smartly at Woodbine will receive an automatic invitation to the 2026 $500,000 race at Gulfstream Park in January. The Dance Smartly is carded for Saturday, Oct. 4 and will be contested at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf. "We're pleased to partner...

The GI Spendthrift Farm Hopeful Stakes is carded as the anchor for Monday's Labor Day festivities, which marks the last set of races for the season upstate. A scan through the past winners of the top-level affair over the past 25 years include a strong list of future sires. How about for starters Sky Mesa (2002), First Samurai (2005), Shanghai Bobby (2012) and Competitive Edge (2014)? More recently Practical Joke (2016), Mind Control (2018), Basin (2019), Jackie's Warrior (2020), Gunite (2021) and Forte (2022) got their picture taken before heading...