Much like he did earlier in the year in the Carter Handicap (gr. I), Kodiak Kowboy ran down odds-on favorite Fabulous Strike in the final yards to claim the $400,000 Vosburgh (gr. I) by a half-length Oct. 3 at Belmont Park. It was the sixth graded stakes victory for the 4-year-old son of Posse.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
GoldMark Farm's undefeated Backtalk will try to remain perfect in four lifetime starts, but will have to overcome post 13 when he meets a dozen rivals in the $300,000 Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (gr. I), Saratoga's final major race for 2-year-olds on Labor Day.
Friday, September 04, 2009
The first two stakes for the 2009 Remington Park season drew outstanding nomination lists with plenty of star power and quality expected in the six-digit events.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Rachel Alexandra turned in yet another dominating performance in a campaign for the ages when she captured the $1.25 million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) on a sloppy track at Monmouth Park Aug. 2.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Steve Asmussen, currently the country's leading trainer in money and races won, was slapped with a six-month suspension and a $1,500 fine by the Lone Star Park stewards on July 16 for a positive urine test that contained a lidocaine metabolite in a horse he trained in 2008.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Kensei, ridden by Edgar Prado and trained by Steve Asmussen, made a powerful move on the far turn en route to an impressive 3 1/4-length victory in the 92nd running of the grade II, $200,000 Dwyer at Belmont Park on the July 4 holiday card.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Warrior's Reward, who scored a strong allowance victory last month, looks like the one to beat in the $100,000 Northern Dancer Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-olds June 13 at Churchill Downs.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
After two days off and a 9 1/2-hour van ride from Baltimore, Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Mine That Bird returned to the track at Churchill Downs for a light jog Tuesday, May 19. Meanwhile, Rachel Alexandra walked under Asmussen's shedrow on her second day back at Churchill.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
There will be no Triple Crown winner in 2009, but there is a possibility of a showdown in the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) between the winners of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Blackberry Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Four Gifts scored the second graded victory of her career with a late charge from the outside in the $113,300 Eight Belles Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Intimidator was represented by his first winner when his daughter Ms Golden West won April 25 at Lone Star Park in her first start.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Stakes winner Special Rate sired his first winner from his initial starter when his son Valid Heart won April 11 at Manor Downs.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Two-time Horse of the Year Curlin and his connections have swept the top awards for 2008 as voted by the members of the New York Turf Writers Association.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Proudinsky became a repeat winner of the $500,000 Mervyn Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap (gr. IIT) by a nose over El Caballo and Nownownow in a terrific finish at rainy Fair Grounds March 14.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Texas horseman Keith Asmussen has been named to the advisory board of ThoroFan, an independent not-for-profit organization that aims "to provide Thoroughbred racing fans with a voice and an organization that will actively support their interests."
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Bigger things await Haynesfield after the 3-year-old colt outclassed five rivals in the $107,600 Whirlaway Stakes Feb. 7 for his third consecutive win on Aqueduct's inner track.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Eclipse Award attendees and the TVG viewers tuned in on the night of Jan. 26 were anticipating, and many were hoping, that Curlin would repeat as Horse of the Year.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Majority owner Jess Jackson said Curlin, who repeated as Horse of the Year when the Eclipse Awards were announced Jan. 26, is among the industry's greats. Jackson also said Curlin wants to run competitively, even though he is now at stud at Lane's End Farm.
Monday, January 26, 2009
As the only member of the elite crop of 2007 3-year-olds to return to racing as a 4-year-old, Curlin had the hopes of racing fans across the country resting on his shoulders as he embarked on an ambitious campaign that was designed to break new ground in international racing.
Monday, January 26, 2009
A single-season record of 622 victories might have been all Steve Asmussen needed to win the Eclipse Award for leading trainer of 2008. However, being trainer of Curlin probably didn't hurt either.
Monday, January 26, 2009
A special Monday race card at Oaklawn Jan. 19 features the second running of the Smarty Jones Stakes. The one-mile race will feature a talented field of 3-year olds that could stamp their ticket for a chance at the Arkansas Derby (gr. II), and maybe a shot at the Triple Crown.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
If you spent your Saturday wagering on horses trained by Steve Asmussen at Fair Grounds, you had reason to smile at the end of the day. Last year's leading trainer nationally by wins saddled starters in seven races on the 10-race card and won six, twice ran one-two, and captured the day's stakes race.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Trainer Steve Klesaris was ready to celebrate after 11-1 shot Ask Joe captured the $60,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes by a head over Big Push in the finale of a five-stakes program at Fair Grounds.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Clarence Scharbauer Jr.'s highly-regarded juvenile Indygo Mountain, scratched during the post parade of an allowance event for 2-year-olds at Fair Grounds Dec. 18, was standing comfortably in his stall the following morning while trainer Bret Calhoun updated his colt's status.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Trainer Steve Asmussen, who on Dec. 18 became the first trainer to win 600 races in a year, labeled the feat a "pretty amazing thing" and credited his staff and owners for his ability to continue to break records.
Friday, December 19, 2008
West Virginia shipper Researcher puts his three-race win streak on the line Dec. 13 at Aqueduct, as the 4-year-old gelding faces his stiffest test yet while battling three graded stakes winners in the $100,000-added Queens County Handicap (gr. III), a 1 3/16-mile trek on the inner track.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Four Gifts delivered an early holiday present to owners Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt when she charged through the stretch to catch C. S. Silk inside the eighth pole and win the Boyd Gaming's Delta Princess Powered by Youbet.com Stakes (gr. III) Dec. 5 at Delta Downs.
Friday, December 05, 2008
With the winner's share of $750,000 Boyd's Gaming Delta Jackpot Stakes (gr. III) a lofty $450,000, the 2-year-old who earns the prize is virtually guaranteed a berth in the 2009 Kentucky Derby (gr. I). It is no wonder then that the Dec. 5 main track event drew a deep and talented field of classic hopefuls.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Horse of the Year Curlin closed out his record-setting career at Churchill Downs Nov. 29, as he was paraded in front of fans on the final day of the track's Fall Meet.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Curlin, North America's reigning Horse of the Year and the continent's richest racehorse of all time with earnings of $10,501,800, will be paraded at Churchill Downs Nov. 29.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Trainer Steve Asmussen tied his own North American record for 555 wins by a trainer in a calendar year when Padua Stables' Union Strike won a Nov. 22 maiden event on turf at Fair Grounds. Asmussen also won 555 races in 2004.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Multiple grade II winner Private Vow has been acquired by Jay and Terry Adcock's Red River Farms near Coushatta, La. The 5-year-old son of Broken Vow will stand for a fee of $2,000 in 2009.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Curlin, reigning Horse of the Year and the all-time leading North American earner, will be retired to stud in 2009.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Sheikh Mohammed's Darley operation will assume ownership of Pyro, a contender in the Oct. 25 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, following the World Championships.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
While unable to deliver in his last two tries as the favorite, Pyro is sure to once again be the horse to beat when he goes to the post in the $500,000 Indiana Derby (gr. II) at Hoosier Park Oct. 4.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Sky Mom, seeking her fourth win of the 2008 campaign for trainer Steve Asmussen, is the 5-2 morning line favorite for the $400,000 Indiana Oaks (gr. II) at Hoosier Park on the evening of Oct. 3.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Curlin, racing's $10 million horse, arrived at Santa Anita on Sunday, Sept. 28, and settled in at Barn 27. Assistant trainer Scott Blasi said that Curlin would probably make his first visit to the Santa Anita track Wednesday, Oct. 1.
Monday, September 29, 2008
It didn't take majority owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen long to make plans for Curlin, winner of the Sept. 27 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (gr. I) at Belmont Park.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Benefiting from a patient ride by Shaun Bridgmohan, Zanjero bided his time early, then split horses decisively in mid-stretch to score a 1 1/2-length victory in the $350,000 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) at Turfway Park Sept. 27.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Hal and Patti Earnhardt's homebred Indian Blessing will try older horses for the first time and stretch out past a mile once again, as she battles eight fillies and mares in the $300,000 Ruffian Handicap (gr. I) Sept. 6 at Belmont Park.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Steady and solid was the theme of the 2008 selected session of the Woodbine yearling sale on Sept. 2, hosted by the Ontario division of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
It was a mellow Sunday morning at trainer Steve Asmussen's barn at Saratoga Race Course following champion Curlin's 1 1/4-length victory over Past the Point in the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) on Aug. 31.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Defending Horse of the Year Curlin made his return to dirt racing in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) a successful one at Saratoga Aug. 30, but he had to work to get the job done.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Curlin has been installed as the 3-5 favorite for the 2008 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Aug. 30.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin turned in his final serious prep for an upcoming start in the Aug. 30 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course when he breezed seven furlongs over the upstate New York oval Aug. 18.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Favored Juliet's Spirit, a 2-year-old bay daughter of Exchange Rate, is now three for three, after capturing the $142,795 Ontario Debutante Stakes by a head at Woodbine Aug. 16.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
A total of 98 horses have been nominated to four stakes as a part of Charles Town Races & Slots inaugural "Juvenile Showcase" scheduled for Aug 23.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Trainer Steve Asmussen called an audible early Monday morning, switching 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin's scheduled workout from Saratoga Race Course's main track to the Oklahoma training track because of overnight rains.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Heather Stark's Sky Mom angled wide around the final turn, caught pacesetter Dreaming of Liz at the furlong-marker and held off her stubborn rival to win the $100,000 Arlington Oaks (gr. III) by a length Aug. 2.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Zayat Stables' Thorn Song, who defeated Einstein July 4 in the Firecracker Handicap (gr. IIT) and has won twice in the past two months, tops a deep and talented field of 11 in the $150,000 Fourstardave Handicap (gr. IIT) Aug. 3 on the Saratoga turf.
Friday, August 01, 2008
