It was at dinner 225 years ago, at his home "The Oaks" near Epsom, England, that the 12th Earl of Derby proposed a race for 3-year-old colts to complement the race run that afternoon for 3-year-old fillies named for his residence, that he had won with a filly named Bridget. It might have been fairer to let his friend and dinner companion, Sir Charles Bunbury, give title to the new race. Instead they flipped a coin and Derby won. Otherwise, it would be the Kentucky Bunbury contested every May at Churchill Downs.
Tuesday, November 02, 2004The Filly & Mare Turf is the youngest of the Breeders' Cup races with just five runnings to date.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004Last year's winning trainer brings three gals to this year's dance.
Friday, October 17, 2003With victory in the last three runnings of the Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), sponsored this year by John Deere, Europe will field another strong team for the 12-furlong, $2-million affair at Arlington Park.
Thursday, October 17, 2002Longchamp's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) is considered the 12-furlong championship of Europe, but it has never produced a John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf winner.
Thursday, October 10, 2002Horses headed for the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf at Arlington Park, Oct 26, will have their final major tuneups on both sides of the Atlantic this weekend as Longchamp, in Paris, presents Europe's most important 12-furlong race, the $1.5 million (est) Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I), and Santa Anita offers the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial at 10 furlongs (gr-IT). Both races are for 3-year-olds and up.
Wednesday, October 02, 2002The John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr-IT) World Thoroughbred Rankings remained unchanged for a second week in a row when the results of the Kentucky Cup Turf Handicap (gr-IT) and Belmont Park's Jamaica Handicap (gr-IIT) failed to impress the panel of international handicappers.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002The John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr-IT) World Thoroughbred Rankings remained unchanged for a second week in a row when the results of the Kentucky Cup Turf Handicap (gr-IT) and Belmont Park's Jamaica Handicap (gr-IIT) failed to impress the panel of international handicappers.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002While last weekend was quiet in North America for horses being prepared for the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) preview day was held at Longchamp on the outskirts of Paris, Sept. 15.
Wednesday, September 18, 2002A quiet weekend upcoming for horses preparing for the 12-furlong John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf after major stakes races in New York, California and Ireland last weekend confirmed the status of some of the major players.
Thursday, September 12, 2002Val Royal wins the Mile at Belmont Park, just like his sire, Royal Academy, did in 1990 .
Wednesday, October 31, 2001Nineteen horses were pre-entered for the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), Oct 17, headed by Europe's probable champion miler, Godolphin's Noverre, and two California runners, Sheikh Maktoum's Irish Prize and David Milch's Val Royal.
Wednesday, October 24, 2001Pedigree Analysis for Forbidden Apple
Thursday, October 18, 2001Top European contender for the Mile (gr. IT), Banks Hill, was pre-entered in the race only as a second preference along with fancied American runner Hap, but a surprise nominee from Sir Michael Stoute's Newmarket yard, Sheikh Maktoum's No Excuse Needed, was among the pre-entries on Monday.
Thursday, October 18, 2001Coral Eurobet flies in the face of recent history in making Godolphin's Noverre its 7-1 favorite for the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT). U.S.-trained runners have won four of the last five runnings and now hold a 10-7 advantage over the Europeans, but Noverre's defeat by his 33-1 pacemaker, Summoner, in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-I) at Ascot, Sept. 29, can only be a positive, if an extraordinarily coincidental one.
Wednesday, October 17, 2001Hap's 1 1/2-length victory in Sunday's $500,000 Shadwell Keeneland Turf Mile H. (gr. IIT), coming from third in the field of nine under Jerry Bailey, was his fourth graded stakes win of the year and appeared to set him up perfectly for the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT). Bill Mott, who trains the son of Theatrical for the Allen E. Paulson Living Trust, wasn't so sure.
Tuesday, October 09, 2001Godolphin's Sakhee showed a similar turn of foot as he did in winning the Juddmonte International Stakes (Eng-I) to win Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) at Longchamp.
Sunday, October 07, 2001Results at Woodbine and Belmont over the weekend--Lailani winning the Flower Bowl Invitational (gr. IT), European-trained runners1-2-3 in both the E. P. Taylor Stakes (Can-IT) and Canadian International (Can-IT)--have put a smile on European faces.
Tuesday, October 02, 2001Summoner, a 33-1 pacemaker ridden by Richard Hills, upstaged Frankie Dettori on strong favorite Noverre to win the $420,000 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-I) at Ascot on Saturday.
Saturday, September 29, 2001Trainer Aidan O'Brien collected his 15th group I race of the season when Milan was an easy winner of the Rothmans Royals St. Leger (Eng-I) on Sept. 15. Number 16 would come the following day from Hawk Wing in the Curragh's National Stakes (Ire-I).
Wednesday, September 19, 2001Fantastic Light turns the tables on Galileo in a thrilling renewal of the Irish Champion Stakes.
Thursday, September 13, 2001The Michael Jarvis-trained Morshdi is a convincing winner of the UAE Grosser Preis von Baden.
Thursday, September 06, 2001Johannesburg wins the Prix Morny in France as short favorites and a long-distance longshot highlight York's "Ebor" meeting.
Tuesday, August 28, 2001Trainer Aidan O'Brien continues his winning ways, scoring two more group I victories.
Tuesday, August 14, 2001Noverre, disqualified from the French Two Thousand Guineas, wins the Sussex Stakes convincingly.
Tuesday, August 07, 2001Galileo defeats Fantastic Light in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes; Breeders' Cup ultimate target
Tuesday, July 31, 2001Lailani wins the Kildangan Stud Irish Oaks; Mozart scores in the Darley July Cup
Tuesday, July 17, 2001Pacemakers set the table for Medicean to steal the show in the Coral Eurobet Eclipse Stakes
Tuesday, July 10, 2001Michael Kinane gets 'The Gorilla' off his back; wins first Irish Derby with Epsom Derby winner Galileo
Wednesday, July 04, 2001Fantastic Light, Frankie Dettori, Johnny Murtagh, and Aidan O'Brien shine at star-studded Royal Ascot
Tuesday, June 26, 2001Trainer Aidan O'Brien sends out Imagine and Galileo to win the Epsom Oaks and Derby.
Tuesday, June 12, 2001If Christophe Soumillon, the rising star of the French jockey colony, had an ambition to win a classic as a teenager, he left it late. Eight hours before he turned 20, Soumillon and Anabaa Blue made off with Chantilly's 12-furlong French Derby (Prix du Jockey-Club, Fr-I).
Sunday, June 03, 2001
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