Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, who had been battling leukemia for most of the year, died peacefully at his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif., early Nov. 16. He was 68.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Cotton Blossom, winner of the 2007 Acorn Stakes (gr. I), became the most expensive horse sold so far at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale when she brought $2.3 million during the auction's second session Nov. 11 in Lexington.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Azeri, the 2002 Horse of the Year, brought $2,250,000 early in the afternoon of Nov. 10 during the opening session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale in Lexington. The price was the highest so far during the auction.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The final bid on Swift Temper was $2,050,000, but it came from her owner, Mark Stanley, so she didn't find a new home Nov. 10 during the opening session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale in Lexington. Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned the 5-year-old daughter of Giant's Causeway to the auction for Stanley as a racing or broodmare prospect.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Zenyatta made it look all too easy, becoming the first female to win the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). Gio Ponti was second and Twice Over third.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) when he rallied from dead last to overtake pacestting Presious Passion in deep stretch to capture the $3 million event at Santa Anita Nov. 7.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Another favorite falls in the Breeders' Cup, as Furthest Land took the Dirt Mile (gr. I) at 21-1. Ready's Echo is second and Midshipman is third. Heavy favorite Mastercraftsman ran out of steam at the rail in the stretch.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Sensational filly Goldikova defended her TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) title in scintillating fashion Nov. 7 at Santa Anita Park, as she stormed down the lane under Olivier Peslier and caught longshot Courageous Cat inside the sixteenth-pole before going on to a half-length win.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Longshot Vale of York, a son of Invincible Spirit owned by Godolphin Racing, grabbed the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) right at the wire. The Irish-bred out-gunned favorite Lookin At Lucky.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Big longshot Dancing in Silks, a 25-1 gelding by Black Minnaloushe, poked his nose out in front to win a four-horse cavalry charge in the $2-million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) Nov. 7 at Santa Anita Park. Heavy favorite Zensational finished fifth.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
California Flag, a Cal-bred son of Avenue of Flags and the local favorite, claimed a decisive victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. The final time of 1:11.28 was a Breeders' Cup World Championships record. In second was Gotta Have Her, who also had a win at the race distance of 6 1/2 furlongs on the Santa Anita turf.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Pounced, a Kentucky-bred son of Rahy, won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT) in a driving finish over Bridgetown.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Pam and Martin Wygod's locally-based Life is Sweet rallied from last on the far turn, engulfed the field in the stretch and drew away to a three-length victory in the $2-million Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (gr. I) Nov. 6 at Santa Anita Park.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Informed Decision, Augustin Stable's daughter of Monarchos, rolls in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I). The big gray filly is now seven for seven on synthetic surfaces and improved her record at seven furlongs to 7-6-0-1.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Midday, who was bred in England, gave the Europeans their second win of the 26th Breeders' Cup World Championships. The 3-year-old daughter of Oasis Dream was making her first start in the United States. She is trained by Henry Cecil, a renowned English trainer who earned his first Breeders' Cup victory after many years.
Friday, November 06, 2009
She Be Wild, a daughter of freshman sire Offlee Wild, squeezed along the rail to take the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) over Beautician and favorite Blind Luck.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Jockey Robby Albarado pushed the button on Tapitsfly approaching mid-stretch and the gray/roan daughter of Tapit responded willingly to produce a neck victory over the pacesetting Rose Catherine in Oak Tree's $909,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 6.
Friday, November 06, 2009
The 26th World Championships got off to a thrilling start in the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon when Man of Iron hung on to defeat 9-year-old Cloudy's Knight by a nose Nov. 6 at Santa Anita Park.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Champion Gulch has been pensioned from stallion duty because of declining fertility at William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky.; A.P. Indy to stand for $150,000 as farm announces 2010 stud fees.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien said that Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) contender Rip Van Winkle is fine and did not show any indications of his recurring foot problems when he went to the track at Santa Anita early Nov. 4.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Moss' Zenyatta, undefeated in 13 career starts, was installed as the 5-2 favorite when she takes on males for the first time in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). She is attempting to be the first female to the win the World Championship's marquee event.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Undefeated Lookin At Lucky drew the outside post 13 but was made the 8-5 morning-line favorite for the $2-million Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) Nov. 7 at Santa Anita Park.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
There were audible gasps of dismay when Zayat Stables' Zensational drew the No. 1 post position for the $2-million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I). The dominating, front-running, 7-5 morning favorite will have no room for error early in the six-furlong race Nov. 7 over Santa Anita Park's Pro-Ride surface.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
The Morvich Handicap (gr. IIIT) winner is 7-2 in the morning line.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
A wide-open field of a dozen 2-year-old fillies was drawn for the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), with Blind Luck installed as the lukewarm 3-1 morning-line favorite.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Forever Together, winner of last year's $2-million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT), is the 5-2 morning-line favorite to repeat in the event Nov. 6 at Santa Anita Park.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Ventura, who will be trying to win the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint for the second consecutive year Nov. 6, was made the 8-5 morning line favorite in the Nov. 3 post position draw for the World Championships at Santa Anita Park. The Juddmonte Farms homebred, which likes to come from behind, is on the far outside in the field of nine and will be ridden by Garrett Gomez.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
A full field of 2-year-old fillies, with two also eligibles, have been entered in the $1-million Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 6.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Godolphin Racing's Mastery has been installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite in the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon, which kicks off the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup races at Santa Anita.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Conduit and Red Rocks, the respective 2008 and 2006 winners of the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), are among the eight horses entered in the $3-million, 1 1/2 mile turf test.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Godolphin's Music Note was third in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic last year. Careless Jewel, second choice at 2-1, is on the rail.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Europe's Mastercraftsman is a strong favorite at 6-5 in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
The Breeder's Cup World Championships experienced its first defections Nov. 2 with the withdrawal of three horses from consideration. They are Kodiak Kowboy, Allicansayis Wow, and Dave in Dixie.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Cherokee Run, a champion sprinter who went on to become a successful stallion, has been pensioned from stallion duty at Sheikh Mohammed's Darley near Lexington because of fertility problems and lameness issues.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
A total of 166 horses were pre-entered Oct. 26 for the 2009 Breeders' Cup World Championships to be run Nov. 6 and 7 at Santa Anita.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Citing the economic situation facing the breeding and sales industries in North America and Europe, Sheikh Mohammed's Darley operation announced Oct. 28 that fees for 37 of its 40 stallions on those two continents would remain unchanged or decrease for 2010.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering Oct. 27 approved Hialeah Park's application to hold a 40-day Quarter Horse meet beginning Nov. 28.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Sea The Stars, who was retired after a thrilling two-length victory over Youmzain in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) Oct. 4, will enter stud in 2010 at the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud in Co. Kildare, Ireland.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Three ClassicStar principals -- David Plummer, Spencer Plummer, and Terry Green -- have pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. through a fraudulent tax shelter under the ClassicStar Mare Lease Program, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Jacks or Better Farm's co-owner Fred Brei said Oct. 26 he has sold a majority interest in his homebred 2-year-old star Jackson Bend to Robert LaPenta for an undisclosed sum.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Godolphin's big year continued Oct. 24 when odds-on choice Vineyard Haven burst through along the inside in deep stretch to capture the $300,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (gr. I) over a sloppy track at Laurel Park.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Favored Champs Elysees, in likely the final race of his career, went out on top with a come-from-behind victory in the $1,927,556 Pattison Canadian International (Can-IT) at Woodbine Oct. 17.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Lahaleeb produced the biggest upset in the 54-year history of Woodbine's E.P. Taylor Stakes (Can-IT) Oct. 17 when she came from off the pace in the stretch to win the $964,356 test for fillies and mares at odds of 44-1.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Hot Cha Cha found room along the inside turning for home and pulled away in the stretch under James Graham for an 8-1 upset in the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (gr. IT) Oct. 17 at Keeneland.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Hill 'n' Dale Farms announced Oct. 13 that champion and leading sire Theatrical has been pensioned from stud duty.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Sea The Stars, who secured his place among racing's all-time greats when he powered his way to a thrilling two-length victory over Youmzain in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) Oct. 4, has been retired to stud.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Trainer Mary Hartmann came west looking for firm turf for her star Presious Passion and found what she was looking for. The 6-year-old son of Royal Anthem hooked a paceless field and strolled gate to wire for a 2 1/2-length victory in Oak Tree's $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Oct. 11.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Godolphin's good fortune leading up to the Breeders' Cup continued at Santa Anita Oct. 11 when 6-5 choice Gayego stormed down the center of the track to register a one-length win in Oak Tree's $300,000 Ancient Title Stakes (gr. I).
Sunday, October 11, 2009
As professional as ever, undefeated Zenyatta equaled Personal Ensign's 13-race winning streak to begin her career, sweeping past the pacesetters in upper stretch to capture Oak Tree's $300,000 Lady's Secret Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita in characteristic fashion Oct. 10.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Europeans got an early start on the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) this year when British import Gitano Hernando, ridden by Kieren Fallon, upset favored Colonel John in Oak Tree's $350,000 Goodwood Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Oct. 10.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
