BloodHorse.com | Horse Racing News

2011's Top Commercial Sires: Indy & Son

A.P. Indy and one of his sons, Bernardini, were among the top commercial sires last year as A.P. Indy's stud career was coming to an end

read blog

Breeder/Owner Charlie Viar Dead

Odell "Charlie" Viar, a Tennessee breeder and owner, died Jan. 26 in Covington, Tenn.

Public Training Division Plans at Cloverleaf

Woodford Thoroughbreds has launched a public training division at CloverLeaf Farms II, its sister farm located in Reddick, Fla.

Stravinsky Filly Sets Pace at NZ Premier Sale

A daughter of Stravinsky commanded NZ$740,000 ($609,790 in U.S. funds) Jan. 30 to top the opening session of the premier yearling sale in New Zealand.

Rachel Alexandra Returns to Stonestreet

Rachel Alexandra and her Curlin colt returned to Stonestreet Farm Jan. 30 after being treated at the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital as a precautionary measure for pain management related to the birth.

After the Wire 1/30/2012

Evan Hammonds recaps the Holy Bull Stakes and Sunshine Millions Day from Gulfstream Park

watch video

Louisianan Wins Handicapper of the Year Title

Michael Beychok of Baton Rouge, La., topped a record field of 480 to win the $1 million first-place prize as "Handicapper of the Year" at the 13th Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship.

Hydrotherapy to Rehabilitate Injuries in Horses (AAEP 2011)

Humans hear it often when it's time to get back in shape after an injury or surgery: "Get in the pool." Doctors know the increased resistance and buoyancy of water makes you do a significant amount of muscular work to move while providing very low impact/stress on bones and joints, so it's an ideal rehabilitation method.

Rousing Sermon Drills, 'Ready to Go' in Lewis

California-bred Rousing Sermon, beaten only a neck by Liaison in the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) at Hollywood Park last month, worked four furlongs Jan. 29 in :47 2/5 for his 3-year-old bow in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes Feb. 4.

Algorithms Derails Champ Hansen in Holy Bull

Algorithms overtook juvenile champion Hansen approaching mid-stretch en route to an easy victory in the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park, handing the odds-on favorite the first defeat of his career.

Broadway's Alibi Makes Splash in Forward Gal

Favored Broadway's Alibi, racing on an off-track for the first time in her career, made quite a splash in her stakes debut with a dominating 16 3/4-length victory in the Forward Gal (gr. II) Jan. 29 at rainy Gulfstream Park.

Repole's How Do I Win Breezes for Withers

Repole Stable's 3-year-old How Do I Win, pointing to the $200,000 Withers Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct Feb. 4, breezed a half-mile in :49 flat over Belmont Park's training track.

Papaw Bodie Surges to Connally Turf Cup Win

Making his stakes debut in the $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup, favored Papaw Bodie surged to the lead in upper stretch to post a convincing win at Sam Houston Race Park on the night of Jan. 28.

Veteran Trainer Michael A.Tammaro Dies

Veteran Kentucky trainer Michael A. Tammaro died of a heart attack at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Edgewood, Ky., Jan. 27 following a long illness.

Patella Infections in Foals Require Prompt Care (AAEP 2011)

Call the vet, or wait and see? When concerned about a foal's health--particularly when infections are suspected--waiting is never a good idea. Osteomyelitis in young foals, for instance, requires immediate treatment, as Alastair Kay, BVSc, MS, Dipl. ACVS, MRCVS, equine surgeon at Minister Equine Clinic, in North Yorkshire, U.K., relayed at the 2011 Am...

Featured Horse Profile: Awesome Feather

Four-year-old filly is now a perfect 9 for 9.

More

Mucho Macho Man Too Tough in Millions Classic

Triple Crown veteran Mucho Macho Man proved too strong for six fellow Florida-breds in the $400,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park.

Home Sweet Aspen Squeezes Out Santa Monica

Little-known Home Sweet Aspen, a California homebred racing for Craig Stables, refused to give in when headed past mid-stretch and got up in the final couple of strides to win the $300,000 Santa Monica Stakes (gr. I).

Willa B Awesome Gets Grade in Santa Ysabel

Willa B Awesome hit the front early and was never headed as she snuck away to an 11-1 upset in the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita Jan. 28.

Awesome Feather Basks In Sunshine

Undefeated Awesome Feather won her ninth consecutive race, runnng away from the Sunshine Millions Distaff field at Gulfstream Park for Stronach Stables and trainer Chad Brown.

Returning Redding Colliery Wins at Aqueduct

Tested at top of the stretch by 4-5 favorite I Want Revenge, the front-running Redding Colliery battled back along the inside to register a two-length victory in the $73,500 Evening Attire Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Marchfield's First Foal Reported in Canada

The first reported foal by Canadian champion Marchfield was born at Windhaven Farm in Caledon, Ontario. The chestnut filly out of Casey's Irish Pride was born Jan. 25.

Barretts March Sale Catalog Available On-Line

The catalog for the 23rd annual Barretts March Sale of Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training is now on its website and will be mailed soon. This year's catalog consists of 149 juveniles, a 41% increase from 2011.

New Mexico Breeders Honor Best of 2011

The New Mexico Horse Breeders' Association honored its 2011 Thoroughbred champions during its Zia Awards Banquet at the Marriott Uptown Hotel in Albuquerque Jan. 26.

RTCA Names New Executive Director

The Race Track Chaplaincy of America's board of directors has named retiring United States Army Chaplain (Col.) Craig Wiley as its new executive director. He will assume his duties in April.

TRF Retraining Program Funded by Foundation

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation has partnered with the Harriet E. Pfleger Foundation and several New York racing organizations to create a program to retrain up to 100 Thoroughbreds per year from New York tracks.

Former NYRA Board Member Arraigned in Fraud

Timothy McGinn, former board member and vice chairman of the New York Racing Association, pleaded not guilty Jan. 27 in U.S. District Court to charges that he and his partner bilked investors of at least $8 million.

Rachel Alexandra, Foal Taken to Vet Facility

Rachel Alexandra, the 2009 Horse of the Year, and her newborn colt have been taken to an equine facility for pain management related to the birth, according to a spokesman.

Boys At Tosconova Takes Gulfstream Allowance

Boys At Tosconova, a grade I winner at 2, appeared ready to rejoin the stakes ranks Jan. 27 with a game triumph over the filly Groupie Doll in the $51,000 allowance feature at Gulfstream Park.

Silver City Gets First Foal

Valor Farm has the first foal by its stallion Silver City. The filly out of the Dixieland Band mare Delta Band.

TOC Has 24 Candidates for Board Thus Far

The Thoroughbred Owners of California Jan. 27 identified 24 nominees for its 2012 election for the board of directors, though others may be nominated through a petition process that ends Jan. 31.

Problem-Solving: Can Hansen Lose Holy Bull?

Will this year's compact field yield an established favorite or an improving horse in the winner's circle when the Holy Bull Stakes is run Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park?

First Foal Reported for Champion Summer Bird

Three-time grade I winner and champion 3-year-old Summer Bird sired his first reported foal Jan. 26 when a colt was born at Fred Hertrich's Watercress Farm in Paris, Ky.

Top Oklahoma Sire Evansville Slew Dead at 20

Evansville Slew, one of the top sires in Oklahoma in recent years, died Jan. 27 from complications related to colic, said Don Waits, manager of Randy Gammill's Diamond G Ranch.

Helderberg Blue Tops Premier Sale's Book 1

Helderberg Blue, a son of Jet Master, brought 2.8 million rand ($356,588 in U.S. funds) to top Book 1 of the Cape Premier yearling sale, which ended its two-day run Jan. 27 in South Africa.

Ruler On Ice Still Targeting Feb. 11 Donn

Ruler On Ice, winner of the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) last year, could resurface Feb. 11 in the $500,000 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

Fairmount Park Purses to Jump 20% in 2012

Fairmount Park and the Illinois Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association have agreed upon an increased purse structure for 2012 thanks to the racetrack's share of casino impact funding it received last year.

HBO Places Its Bets on Racing Drama 'Luck'

Horse owner Milch's portrait of racing's seedier side comes to life in the drama series Luck, starring Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte, debuting Jan. 29

100 Stakes Winners and Counting for Gone West

MAHUBAH'S CORNER
On January 13, 2012, Treble Jig became the 100th stakes winner for his late sire, Gone West. This goal was achieved through excellence over time, with an average of just 61 foals per crop.

Approval of Bute Rule Slowed in Louisiana

A Louisiana Senate committee rejected an emergency rule approved by the Louisiana State Racing Commission to lower the testing threshold level for phenylbutazone from 5 micrograms per milliliter to 2 micrograms.

Sawtooth Mountain to Circle G in Oklahoma

Sawtooth Mountain, a stakes-placed winner and $1 million 2007 Keeneland September sale yearling, has been retired from racing and will stand the 2012 breeding season for owner Wayne George at Circle G Farms in Atoka, Okla.

Hansen Gets Campaign Started in Holy Bull

All eyes will be on juvenile champion Hansen Jan. 29 as he begins his much-anticipated Triple Crown quest in the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park.

Black Caviar Wins 17th Straight With Ease

Undefeated Black Caviar made it look it easy again Jan. 27 with her 17th victory, this time at Moonee Valley in Melbourne, Australia, in the group II MVRC Australia Stakes.

Breeding Soundness Exams for Stallions

With breeding season fast approaching, stallions should undergo breeding soundness exams before starting to breed mares, whether via artificial insemination or live cover.

Trippi Colt Stands Out at Cape Premier Sale

Magnificent Trip, a son of Trippi, commanded 1.7 million rand ($213,368 in U.S. funds) Jan. 26 to top the opening session of Book 1 of Cape Thoroughbred Sales' Cape Premier yearling auction in South Africa.

New Stakes Recap Show Set for BloodHorse.com

BloodHorse.com is launching a new online video program, "After the Wire," on Jan. 30, with the inaugural episode available on the website by 11 a.m. (EST).

Lone Star Reducing Stakes Events for 2012

Lone Star Park will reduce its stakes schedule to 12 races during its upcoming spring Thoroughbred meet, down from 19 in 2011, the Grand Prairie, Texas track announced Jan. 26.

Old Hat Winner Sacristy Tops Forward Gal Cast

Sacristy, winner of the Old Hat Stakes (gr. III) as the favorite on New Year's Day, appears to be a standout in the $200,000 Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 29.

NY Stakes Winner Bellacourt Euthanized

Stakes winner Bellacourt, who finished third to 2011 champion 2-year-old filly My Miss Aurelia in last year's Adirondack Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga, was euthanized in mid-December due to complications from laminitis.

Old Forester Tops Ontario TIP List

Old Forester, who stands at T.C. Westmeath Stud Farm in Ontario, Canada, topped the Thoroughbred Improvement Program stallion awards list.