WinStar Farm

WinStar Farm has had many big years, but this one may prove its biggest to date. Kenny Troutt's operation has bred, raised and offered for sale four 2020 Grade I winners: Sept. 5 GI Woodward H. hero Global Campaign (Curlin); Paris Lights (Curlin), who led home a one-two for WinStar Stablemates in July's GI Coaching Club American Oaks; and Shedaresthedevil and Swiss Skydiver, who completed the exacta for their former WinStar-based stallion Daredevil in last Friday's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks. Plus, it co-campaigns GI Hollywood Gold Cup S. and GI...

'TDN Rising Star' Global Campaign (Curlin) was sent straight to the front by Luis Saez and refused to lose in Saturday's GI Woodward S. at Saratoga. The 2019 GIII Peter Pan S. winner led through fractions of :24.65 and :48.89 with heavily favored Tacitus (Tapit), a jaw-dropping winner last out of the GII Suburban S., just waiting to pounce in second. Global Campaign held a narrow advantage as they hit the quarter pole and took off from there while hanging on his left lead down the stretch to gamely register...

Nashville (c, 3, Speightstown--Veronique, by Mizzen Mast) set sharp early fractions in the Saratoga slop on debut Wednesday afternoon and ran away and hid from his three overmatched rivals in the stretch en route to a 'TDN Rising Star' performance. The $460,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate, campaigned in partnership by CHC INC. and WinStar Farm LLC, sported a pair of flashy bullets on his worktab for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, including a five-furlong spin in :58 4/5 (1/20) from the gate at the Spa Aug. 9. The 1-5 favorite...

'TDN Rising Star' Improbable (City Zip) scored back-to-back Grade I victories and provided his conditioner Bob Baffert with his second straight renewal of Saratoga's prestigious GI Whitney S. Saturday with a dominant score in this 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Heavily Favored Tom's d'Etat (Smart Strike) missed the break and was relegated to last early as native New Yorker Mr Buff (Friend or Foe) took command, loping through early splits of :25.12 and :49.74 with 3-1 shot Improbable keeping close tabs from second. Improbable...

Really, nobody can demand respect. It has to be commanded. This business has plenty of people who shout their achievements from the rooftops of social media. They have done their own reckoning, and that doesn't necessarily incline the rest of us to reinforce their self-esteem. How much more impressive, surely, is the understated, week-by-week accretion of laurels by a man like Doug Cauthen. He is always reluctant to "claim" credit for a particular horse, knowing that the fulfilment of its potential is always divided between so many different hands. Even...

The seven-year itch, in the current racing herd, represents the best kind of mid-life crisis: reinventing yourself as a champion. An Eclipse Award would certainly be a credible aspiration for Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) should he derail the Volatile (Violence) express in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. at Saratoga Saturday. Next weekend, another flourishing 7-year-old, Tom's d'Etat (Smart Strike), will seek to consolidate his ascent to the top of his own division in the GI Whitney S. Over the past two weeks, meanwhile, their contemporaries Zulu Alpha (Street Cry {Ire})...

For Gail Rice, the way luck and judgement play out with Thoroughbreds is sooner a matter of faith than mere fate. "God tries to make you make the right decisions," she declares. But then she gives a delighted, self-deprecating laugh and adds: "Apparently for once I listened properly!" Yes she did. Because you would have had to strain your ears pretty hard to catch the hint, the time Rice saw a young New York-bred mare by Freud in the back ring at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton February Sale. Scribbling Sarah had...

Paris Lights (Curlin), an impressive winner of two straight at Churchill Downs, made her stakes debut a winning one with a ultra-game decision in Saturday's GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. The 2-1 chance pressed runaway Bob Baffert-trained Santa Anita maiden winner Crystal Ball (Malibu Moon) from second through fractions of :24.43 and :47.82, and turned up the pressure as they hit the quarter pole. Paris Lights and Crystal Ball, both owned by WinStar Stablemates Racing, turned for home on even terms, and after a dramatic stretch duel, it...

While Monday's yearling session of the JRHA Select Sale in Hokkaido, Japan, was all about the progeny of Deep Impact (Jpn), the late great champion sire had no produce in Tuesday's foal session-his final crop containing only around 20 foals-and thus it was another son of Sunday Silence, Deep Impact's former Shadai studmate Heart's Cry (Jpn), who dominated proceedings during Tuesday's foal sale. Heart's Cry was responsible for the three highest-priced lots, all sold by Northern Farm and out of American mares. Last year's foal sale had set records for...

Leading GI Breeders' Cup Classic contender Tom's d'Etat (Smart Strike--Julia Tuttle, by Giant's Causeway), hero of the 2019 GI Clark S. and an impressive last out winner of the GII Stephen Foster S. with a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure, will stand at WinStar Farm upon the conclusion of his racing career. Campaigned by Gayle Benson's G M B Racing and trainer Al Stall, Jr., he has compiled a record of 18-11-2-1 and earnings of $1,627,272. Tom's d'Etat is currently on a four-race winning streak and has his sights set...

Kactus Kate (Tourist) became the first winner for her freshman sire (by Tiznow) at Emerald Downs Wednesday evening. Off at odds of 15-1 in her unveiling, the Oak Crest Farm homebred forced the issue on the outside in second, poked her head in front as they hit the quarter pole and kicked clear in the stretch to graduate by two lengths. Kactus Kate is a half-sister to Sutra (Meadowlake), GISW, $356,873. Tourist, winner of the 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Mile, stands at WinStar Farm. 5th-Emerald Downs, $19,340, Msw, 7-1, 2yo,...

6th-Churchill Downs, $79,465, Alw, 6-27, (NW1X), 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:43.74, ft. PARIS LIGHTS (f, 3, Curlin--Paris Bikini, by Bernardini), sent off the 3-5 choice, settled in a two-wide second behind Enjoyitwhilewecan (Quality Road) through splits of :24.56 and :48.59. Taking over approaching the quarter pole, the WinStar hombred was clear in upper stretch and rolled home a 3 1/4-length winner over the pacesetter. Subsequent to Paris Lights, dam Paris Bikini foaled Cousteau, a colt by Into Mischief, and a filly by Distorted Humor last season. She produced a colt...