Woodbine

The names for the New York legs of the Empire Trillium Series, a 14-race program of stakes races at Belmont Park and Woodbine Racetrack restricted to horses foaled in New York or Canada worth $3.2 million in total purses, have been revealed by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA). Saturday, Dec. 26: The Empire Trillium Series will begin with four $200,000 events for 2-year-olds on Dec. 26 over the new Tapeta course at the reimagined Belmont Park. Each of the four stakes slated for Dec. 26 are named in...

El Magnate (Into Mischief), who was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' following his eventful debut win going 5 1/2 furlongs at Woodbine May 17, doubled up with an effortless score at the Ontario oval Sunday. Sent off the even-money favorite for this second outing, El Magnate was off half a step slowly, but recovered quickly to charge up the rail to the early lead. He was pressed through an opening quarter in :22.25, but began inching clear after a half in :44.78 and he strode home an...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Cortina d'Amprezzo at Santa Anita. Nothing But Luck Cortina d'Amprezzo (Lucky Vega) got the job done for trainer Phil D'Amato at Santa Anita on June 11 (video). The three-year-old filly races for Hopeless Stables, Little Red Feather Racing, Medallion Racing, McNulty Thoroughbreds, Veranda Stables, and Omar Aldabbagh. Bred by Mountarmstrong Stud, she changed hands for €26,000 as a Goffs Autumn yearling when picked...

Last week, the fastest maiden by far was also the biggest surprise on our list with a $38.02 win mutuel.   5 - HAPPY DESTINATION, WO, 6/7-7th, 6 furlongs (video) Beyer Speed Figure - 83 (f, 3, by Runhappy--Destination Love, by Friesan Fire) O-Gary Barber. B-BHMFR (Ky). T-Mark Casse. J-Romero Maragh. Casse capped his sensational week with this gate-to-wire debut winner sold as a yearling for $35,000. The Hall of Fame trainer won eight races and made them count - four were stakes (including three Grade Is) at Saratoga, one...

Enrollment for the 2024 New York-bred foal crop, which will be 2-year-olds in 2026, is now open at a one-time lifetime payment of $600 and must be completed by June 19, 2026. Enrollment makes horses eligible for both the Belmont Park and Woodbine legs of the Empire-Trillium Series. There are no nomination fees to the individual races, this is covered by the $600 payment. Enrollment for older New York-bred crops wishing to compete only in the Woodbine portion of the series is available for $350 and must be completed by...

This week's rankings are topped by another filly coming out of 'TDN Rising Star' Mashallah's (Maxfield) scintillating debut victory at Keeneland. 5. NATIONAL CHARTER, CD, 5/23-6th, 1 mile (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-86 (c, 3, by Constitution--Totally Tucker, by Elusive Quality) O-BBN Racing. B-Woodford Thoroughbreds (Ky). T-Rusty Arnold. J-Luis Saez. Especially in hindsight, it was a positive that National Charter was a 5/2 favorite at Keeneland in his debut. The $200,000 yearling was only so-so in defeat that day, but apparently needed a race to get his bearings--he ran 10 lengths...

Last week's maiden races produced yet another budding Juddmonte star plus a potential Royal Ascot candidate. 5--MOVIE NIGHT, CD 2, 5-16, 6f Beyer Speed Figure- 84 (video) (f, 3, Speightstown--Savvy Star, by Medaglia d'Oro) O/B-WinStar Farm (Ky); T-Will Walden; J-Luan Machado. As she charged to the quarter pole with an eye-catching rally, her second start looked eerily similar to her runner-up debut at Keeneland--sloppy track and all. But she caught a much softer field last week and stormed away by eight lengths at 3-5 odds with a Beyer one point...

EZ TINA (f, 2, Golden Pal-Risk Model, by Into Mischief), the priciest of dual Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal (by Uncle Mo)'s first yearlings last year, flaunted her speed on debut Sunday at Woodbine. Favored at 6-5, she went straight to the front out of the gate, set an uncontested first quarter fraction of :23.23, did the same through a :46.22 half as Pietro Moran sat chilly, and hustled home with minimal encouragement over the all-weather surface by 4 3/4 lengths in :58.01 for the five furlongs while never threatened....

In horse racing, an exceptionally fast race will often involve not just a speedy winner, but others who run faster than usual trying to keep up. That phenomenon arises again in this week's list of fast females, featuring six horses from three races. 6--IRISH MAXIMA, BAQ, May 9, Ruffian Stakes-GII, 1m Beyer Speed Figure- 90 (video) (m, 5, Maximus Mischief--Palace Pier, by Out of Place) O-Irish Three Racing; B-Pillar Property Services (Ky); T-John Servis; J-Frankie Pennington. Once again, Irish Maxima proved that when she shakes loose to a clear early...

We skipped last week as America focused on the Kentucky Derby, thus this slightly expanded list covering the last two weeks. 9) LOVELY EMMA, KEE, 4-22, Allowance, 5 1/2fT VIDEO Beyer Speed Figure-95 (f, 4, Twirling Candy--Salsa Diavola, by Mineshaft) O-C R K Stable. B-Nursery Place, Donaldson, Broadbent. T-Peter Eurton. J-Jose Ortiz. The Searing family's $600,000 yearling purchase appears ready to tackle stakes company now. This was her third consecutive win and third straight career-best Beyer. 8) SHOOT IT TRUE, CD, 5-1, GII Unbridled Sidney Stakes, 5fT VIDEO Beyer Speed...

We know that the majority of stallions, in this day and age, get their biggest and best books precisely when we know least about their competence. But the other side of the same coin is that very few breeders stick around should a stallion fail to seize that first, fleeting opportunity. Just as well, then, that a historically underachieving group of rookies has got its act together with its maturing first crop, to the extent that four have managed to get a son into the GI Kentucky Derby gate. Collectively,...

Plaintiff Chrissy Laughlin, the founder of an equine welfare organization that protects the rights and well-being of racehorses in the Caribbean, has filed a motion asking Puerto Rico's horse racing administrative tribunal to reverse a ruling it made earlier this month that denied her organization access to evidence related to a complaint about the demise and euthanization of the racemare Kayseri in 2025 at Camarero Race Track. Laughlin, according to an Apr. 23  press release issued by Caribbean Equine Advocacy, is also seeking to stay an adjudicative hearing in the...