Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith answers questions about Zenyatta, how he started riding, the "Jockeys" show, and more.
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The struggling Thoroughbred marketplace stumbled badly yet again as the Keeneland November breeding stock auction opened its 13-day run in Lexington Nov. 10.
Tuesday, November 10, 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
A filly by Giant's Causeway produced from Horse of the Year Azeri brought a top price of $800,000 from Robert and Lawana Low during the first session of the Keeneland September yearling sale.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Azeri, who was bought back for $4.4 million at this year's Keeneland January horses of all ages sale, has been entered in the upcoming Keeneland November breeding stock sale, according to John Sikura of Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency and Hill 'n' Dale Farms. Owned by the Allen E. Paulson Living Trust, the 2002 Horse of the Year is in foal to Distorted Humor after producing a Ghostzapper filly this year.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Horse of the Year Azeri foaled a Ghostzapper filly May 17.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Will Vallenzeri find a new home this time around? It won't take long to find out because the chestnut colt is Hip No. 22 in the Keeneland sale of 2-year-olds in training. He probably will go through the sale ring during the first hour of the auction's April 6 opening session, which begins at 7 p.m. (EDT).
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Vallenzeri set a world Thoroughbred auction record last year as a $7.7-million buy-back at the Keeneland September yearling sale. He's back at Keeneland trying to find a new home again, this time as Hip No. 22 in the April sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Michael Paulson March 30 called a judge's ruling to remove him as the trustee of his father's living trust "without merit," and said he will appeal the decision.
Monday, March 30, 2009
A Superior Court judge in California has ruled that Michael Paulson should be removed as trustee of his father Allen's living trust.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Longtime Buffalo Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr., who formerly was prominent in Thoroughbred breeding and racing, has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At age 90, Wilson will be the oldest person ever inducted when ceremonies are held Aug. 8 in Canton, Ohio.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
One day after buying back Azeri for $4.4 million at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale, Michael Paulson indicated that the 2002 Horse of the Year would be remaining under the control of the Allen E. Paulson Living Trust even though he had expressed a desire to sell her privately.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The results were grim, but not surprising, as Keeneland opened its January horses of all ages sale in Lexington during a time of worldwide economic downturns. The gross revenue Jan. 12 plummeted 44% from the auction's first session in 2008 while the average price dropped 45.9%. The median price suffered the most damage, falling 50.9%.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Azeri failed to find a new home during the opening session of the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale Jan. 12 in Lexington. Michael Paulson, saying she was "like part of the family," bought back the 2002 Horse of the Year for $4.4 million. Last year, Paulson set a world Thoroughbred auction record when he bought back Azeri's s first foal, Vallenzeri (by 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy), for $7.7 million at the Keeneland September yearling auction.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Azeri, who was expected to top the Keeneland January sale, was instead bought back on a bid of $4.4 million.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Azeri and Island Fashion will be in the spotlight as the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale starts its six-day run in Lexington Jan. 12. Azeri was the 2002 Horse of the Year while Island Fashion was a grade I winner.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
The Thoroughbred marketplace ended 2008 with dramatic declines, and all signs point to more tough times ahead as Keeneland gets ready to open its 2009 selling season with its January horses of all ages auction in Lexington.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Keeneland kicks off its 2009 selling season on Jan. 12 in Lexington with its January horses of all ages auction. Scheduled to be offered during the opening session of the six-day auction is 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri, who is in foal to 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Michael Paulson said that although he considers Azeri "part of the family," he will sell the champion mare at Keeneland January to help wrap up his father's living trust.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Azeri, 2002 Horse of the Year and three-time champion older mare, in foal to 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, highlights Keeneland's January Horses of All Ages Sale, to be held Jan. 12-17.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Michael Paulson said he hopes to find a partner that will let him keep a portion of Azeri's yearling colt to race.
Monday, September 08, 2008
A colt produced from Horse of the Year Azeri failed to meet his reserve and was bought back for $7.7 million at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale during the opening session Sept. 8.
Monday, September 08, 2008
The catalogues for the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale are ripe with potential superstars, but there are a few that will be looked at more closely than most based on famous family members.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Horse of the Year Azeri and grade I winner Point Ashley each produced a filly May 10.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Tom Crouch's 5-year-old homebred mare Kettleoneup puts her three-race win streak on the line March 9 in the $175,000 Azeri Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park, and will have to take down, among others, multiple graded stakes winner Hystericalady in order to stretch it to four.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Astra, one of the top turf mares in the early part of this decade, was euthanized June 12 at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute near Lexington because of complications from colic.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Former jockey Pat Day took a recent trip to three Korean tracks in behalf of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America and solidified his status as one of horse racing's best known ambassadors.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Horse of the Year Azeri delivered her first foal, an A.P. Indy chestnut colt, Feb. 14.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Four-time champion Azeri, who came up barren last year in her first season as a broodmare, is in foal to A.P. Indy.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Thoroughbred Women will honor Penny Chenery and Horse of the Year Azeri at this year's Thoroughbred Women Awards Aug. 19 at Saratoga Race Course.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Following a successful opening month at Oaklawn Park, including record growth in the Instant Racing pari-mutuel wagering system, the track announced an across-the-board purse increase, beginning with the races of Feb. 24.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Hers is a familiar name in these pages, and her star has not diminished over time. Azeri, 2002 Horse of the Year and champion older mare in 2002 and 2003, has now made it a three-peat in that category. The 2004 Eclipse puts North America's all-time leading money earner for fillies and mares on her own plateau--ahead of Paseana (1992, 1993), Bayakoa (1989, 1990), and Susan's Girl (1973, 1975), the only other two-time Eclipse Award-winning older mares.
Monday, January 24, 2005
The deal to send Azeri to the court of Storm Cat is nearly completed.
Friday, January 07, 2005
The Eclipse Award finalists, announced Jan. 5, reveal many familiar names in the human categories, with several big-name horses appearing in more than one category. Although most of the winners look like sure things, there are still some potential drag-out battles in the Sprint and 4-Year-Old and Up Female categories.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
By Lenny Shulman -- For the past few years, Michael Paulson has been busy watching a reality show on TV in his Las Vegas home. His tastes don't necessarily run to "Survivor," "American Idol," or the other garbage that passes for entertainment in the 21st century. Paulson's viewing has been taken up by a horse--Azeri--whom he's watched race by race, frame by frame; remote in one hand, stopwatch in the other.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Azeri, North America's all-time leading money-earning female, has been retired from racing. Michael Paulson, who heads his father's Allen Paulson Living Trust that raced Azeri, made the decision to retire the 6-year-old daughter of Jade Hunter rather than race her a few more times, as was under consideration.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
The Azeri Horse Club, MAG Company Ltd., and Cedar Meadow Inc. [CMI) announced that 11-year-old Irish Conquest will stand at the Azeri Horse Club facility in Baku in Azerbaijan in 2005.
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Azeri could next race at Hollywood Park Dec. 12 in the $150,000-added Bayakoa Handicap (gr. II), trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Wednesday.
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Azeri, who figured to be the brightest star to shine over the holiday weekend at Churchill Downs in Thursday's Falls City Handicap (gr. II), has not been entered by trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Lukas, along with owner Michael Paulson, wasn't overly concerned with the 126-pound assessment, it was the spread in the weights that will keep her on the sidelines.
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas says he's undecided about whether to run Azeri in the $300,000-added Falls City Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs on Thanksgiving Day due to concern over weight assignments.
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Three-time champion Azeri was assigned high weight 126 pounds for the $300,000-added Falls City Handicap (gr. II) for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs on Thanksgiving Day. In the $500,000 Clark Handicap (gr. II) on Nov. 27, South African import Lundy's Liablility was assigned top impost of 120 pounds.
Saturday, November 20, 2004
The $1.2 million "Big Four Weekend" stakes races at Churchill Downs Nov. 25-27 have attracted an outstanding group of nominees that includes Perfect Drift and Colonial Colony, the last two winners of Churchill Downs' Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I); 2002 "Horse of the Year" Azeri; and some of the most promising 2-year-olds in racing.
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Azeri is doing so well after her fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Lone Star Park she may come back for the $300,000 Falls City Handicap (gr. II) on Thanksgiving Day Nov. 25, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Wednesday.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Allen E. Paulson Living Trust's Azeri, the all-time leading money earner among females with $4,079,820, will be retired to be bred in early 2005 after possibly making one or two more starts.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Several trainers immediately began plotting strategy following Wednesday's post position draw for the $4 milllion Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I), which likely will affect the two likely favorites, Pleasantly Perfect and Ghostzapper.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Diamond A Racing's Pleasantly Perfect was installed as the 5-2 favorite and drew the 12 post position as he attempts to defend his title in the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) at Texas' Lone Star Park Saturday.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
There are at least two trainers who think the correct move with Azeri is to run in the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) rather than the Breeders' Cup Distaff – Presented by Nextel (gr. I). One is D. Wayne Lukas, who trains Azeri. The other is Patrick Biancone.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Tuesday that 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri would challenge males in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) rather than face fillies and mares in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I).
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Tomiro Fukami's Personal Rush, who will run in the $4-million Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I), paid his first visit to the track Tuesday morning, and it was almost an hour before he finally made his way back to his barn.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Trainer Shug McGaughey is gearing up Ogden Mills Phipps' Storm Flag Flying for a historic run at the Breeders' Cup Distaff - Presented by Nextel (gr. I) at Lone Star Park. The $2-million Distaff kicks off the eight-race World Thoroughbred Championships.
Saturday, October 23, 2004
