Articles posted March 30, 2011

Preakness' 'Kegasus' Is Controversial

• By The Associated Press
• March 30, 2011
• Triple Crown, Northeast Region

Not everyone's thrilled about the new half-man, half-horse Preakness Stakes (gr. I) mascot that sports a nipple ring and a beer gut.

Ky. Derby Trail: Fallen Arches

• By Steve Haskin
• March 30, 2011

Archarcharch, a contender despite dropping off Future Wager. Read Blog

Portland Meadows Employees Celebrate Wins

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Thoroughbred Racing, West Region

Portland Meadows employees Marilyn Hughes, Mike Robbins, and Anita Dawson all owned winning horses at the Oregon track March 30.

Pants On Fire Heats Up La. Derby

• March 30, 2011
• Thoroughbred Breeding, Triple Crown

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Jump Start was a standout juvenile who missed out on a sophomore campaign -- but his son Pants On Fire is getting hot right in time for the upcoming 3-year-old classics.

Excelsior: Inherit the Gold Looks to Stay Hot

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Thoroughbred Racing, Northeast Region

New York-bred Inherit the Gold was pegged as the 9-5 morning line favorite for the $100,000 Excelsior (gr. III) April 2 at Aqueduct.

Triple Crown Insider - 03/30/2011 (Video)

• March 30, 2011

A review of last week's preps, including the Louisiana Derby. Also, an interview with the owners of Pants On Fire. Watch Video

Baffert Trio Formidable in Las Flores

• By Jack Shinar
• March 30, 2011
• Thoroughbred Racing, West Region

Bob Baffert is going to be tough to beat in the $100,000 Las Flores Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita April 2. The Hall of Fame trainer entered half the field, including the potent pair of Gilded Gem and Mother Ruth.

South Korean Ambassador Visits Ocala

• March 30, 2011
• Southeast Region

South Korean buyers were particularly active in 2010, spending $2.6 million at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.

Ladies' Classic Winner Unrivaled Belle Back

• By Jack Shinar
• March 30, 2011
• Thoroughbred Racing, Southeast Region

Unrivaled Belle makes her first start since capturing last fall's Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (gr. I) when she faces six rivals in the Rampart Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park April 2.

NSA obtains insurance coverage for jockeys

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Northeast Region

The National Steeplechase Association has obtained accident-insurance coverage for its licensed jockeys.

McDermott to Retire from PHBA

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Northeast Region

Mark McDermott will retire June 1 after 35 years as executive secretary of the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association.

Evangeline to Offer 50-Cent Trifectas

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Thoroughbred Racing, Southeast Region

Evangeline Downs fans will have the chance to test out a new wager when the south central Louisiana track opens the 2011 Spring/Summer meeting Wednesday, April 6.

Delta Downs Wraps Up 2010-11 Season

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Thoroughbred Racing, Southeast Region

The richest day of the 88-day meet came Nov. 20, when the track hosted a program that featured the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot (gr. III) for 2-year-olds.

R Heat Lightning Streaks Into Gulfstream Oaks

• By Jason Shandler
• March 30, 2011
• Thoroughbred Racing, Kentucky Oaks, Southeast Region

R Heat Lightning, a dominant winner last time out and one of the favorites for the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), is the horse to beat in the $300,000 Gulfstream Oaks (gr. II) on April 2.

Archarcharch Gets Back to Work

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Triple Crown, Southwest Region

Southwest Stakes (gr. III) winner Archarcharch posted his first workout since finishing third in the Rebel Stakes (gr. II) March 29 at Oaklawn Park.

Attila's Storm Sires First Winner

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Thoroughbred Breeding, Southwest Region

Graded stakes winner Attila's Storm sired his first winner when his daughter Rio Fresco won at Sunland Park March 29.

Borel, Gomez Head Hall of Fame Nominees

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Thoroughbred Racing, Northeast Region

Jockeys Calvin Borel, Garrett Gomez, and John Velazquez and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer are first-time finalists for election to the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.

Florida Derby or Swale for Flashpoint?

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Triple Crown, Southeast Region

Trainer Richard Dutrow said March 30 that he was ready to run the Flashpoint in either the Florida Derby (gr. I) or the Swale (gr. II) April 3 at Gulfstream Park, but the decision would be up to the undefeated colt's owner.

Uncle Mo Favored in Final KDFW Pool

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Triple Crown, Kentucky

Unbeaten Uncle Mo looms as a strong favorite when the third and final betting pool in Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby Future Wager opens its three-day run Friday, April 1.

Thirteen Triple Crown Nominees Added

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Triple Crown, Kentucky

Thirteen 3-year-old Thoroughbreds have joined the list of horses eligible to compete in the 2011 Triple Crown series. Those horses were nominated at a cost of $6,000 each.

Southwest Regional: A State of Hope

• March 30, 2011

Texas horsemen gear up for last, best run at video lottery terminals

Pimlico Spring Meet Opens April 1

• By BloodHorse Staff
• March 30, 2011
• Thoroughbred Racing, Northeast Region

The headline event of the eight-week Pimlico stand is the 136th running of the $1 million Preakness Stakes (gr. I) May 21.

Derby Contenders: Where They're Going Next

• March 30, 2011
• Triple Crown

While we're well down the road to the Kentucky Derby, we still have a few little races to run--most of them grade I's at a mile and an eighth. Here's a summary of where 56 contenders are going next.

Japan's Equine Industry Begins Rebuilding

• By Erica Larson, News Editor
• March 30, 2011
• Horse Health

Now more than two weeks after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on March 11, the equine industry in the country is beginning to rebuild. New details continue to surface about the extent of the damage, but the industry as a whole is working to move forward.