Moyglare Stud Farm's 5-year-old Relaxed Gesture, the Irish-bred son of Indian Ridge, is prominent among 15 older horses nominated for the Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT).
Friday, February 17, 2006
Artie Schiller, winner of the 2005 NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), and Better Talk Now, winner of the 2004 John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), are among 128 nominees to the 20th running of the $400,000-added Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) at Churchill Downs.
Friday, February 17, 2006
Jockey Mark Guidry took the overland route to get back to the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). Forget about going seven-wide on the final turn, Guidry went about 2,000 miles out of his way to find the mount that would bring him back to Louisville the first Saturday in May.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
In the first defection of a top contender for the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Lone Star Park on Oct. 30, Balto Star was taken out of consideration for two turf races Friday due to a strained right tendon.
Friday, October 22, 2004
Michael Paulson, owner of Azeri, says regardless of where the former Horse of the Year runs, all the pros and cons will be carefully weighed, and the final decision will have the full backing of trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
Monday, October 18, 2004
by Gary Granade -- With the Breeders' Cup looming on October 30, Pletcher could elect to keep Balto Star on the dirt for the $4 million Classic (G1). The Meadowlands Cup, his first run on the main track in over a year, was a compelling argument for that course of action. On the other hand, Balto Star is a Grade 1 winner on the grass, making the $2 million Turf (G1) a viable option.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Installed as the 8-5 morning line favorite, Dynever, owned by Catherine Wills and Peter Karches will face a field of seven in Friday's $500,000 Meadowlands Breeders' Cup (gr. II).
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Multimillionaire Balto Star is set to head postward in Friday night's $500,000 Meadowlands Cup (gr. II), and trainer Todd Pletcher is hoping to use the 1 1/8-mile dirt race to springboard the 6-year-old gelding by Glitterman to Lone Star Park and the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships on Oct. 30.
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Epalo appeared to be home free in the late stages of the $500,000 Man o'War, but Michael Tabor's Magistretti, last at the top of the stretch, flew down the middle of the track to win going away on yielding turf at Belmont Park Saturday.
Sunday, September 12, 2004
Saturday's $500,000 Man o'War Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont Park drew a field of eight runners who may have to contend with soft going after steady rain in New York earlier this week.
Saturday, September 11, 2004
Bushwood Stable's Better Talk Now picked a fine spot to earn his first victory of the 2004 season, taking the $500,000 Sword Dancer Handicap (gr. IT) in his first grade I attempt on the grass at Saratoga Race Course Saturday.
Saturday, August 14, 2004
Anstu Stables' Balto Star is the one catch in the $500,000 Sword Dancer Handicap (gr. IT) at 1 1/2 miles on turf Saturday at Saratoga. If he gets the kind of pace he enjoys, they may not be able to do it.
Thursday, August 12, 2004
Request for Parole, a horse plagued by traffic problems in his recent races, had no such difficulties Saturday with hot-riding Edgar Prado in the irons, winning the $750,000 United Nations (gr. IT) at Monmouth Park.
Saturday, July 03, 2004
Meteor Storm, the morning line favorite in a field of 12 entered for Saturday's $750,000 United Nations (gr. IT) at Monmouth Park, must overcome the extreme outside post.
Friday, July 02, 2004
Meteor Storm and Hard Buck are the heavy hitters in Saturday's $750,000 United Nations (gr. IT) at Monmouth Park, but Better Talk Now is among several major stakes winners in the field that could easily be factors.
Thursday, July 01, 2004
Headed by defending champ Balto Star, a total of 27 older horses have been nominated to the $750,000 United Nations Handicap (gr. IT) to be run on July 3 at Monmouth Park.
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
The Thoroughbred Corp's Johar, a dead-heat winner with High Chaparral in the Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), and 3rd Turn Stable's defending winner Honor In War head a list of 98 older grass horses nominated to the 17th running of the $400,000-added Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.
Friday, February 27, 2004
Brazilian-bred Hard Buck rallied on the outside to get up in the final two strides, defeating favored Balto Star by a head in the $190,000 Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IT) on the turf Sunday.
Sunday, February 22, 2004
Anstu Stables' Balto Star, tough to beat when he runs his best, and Richard Violette Jr.'s Man From Wicklow, who knows how to win going long on the local grass, top a field of eight in Sunday's $250,000 Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IT) at a mile and three-eighths on the turf.
Friday, February 20, 2004
Anstu Stables' homebred 5-year-old gelding Balto Star went gate-to-wire to win the $200,000 W.L. McKnight Handicap (gr. IIT) by 1 1/2 lengths over Continuously at Calder on Saturday.
Sunday, December 28, 2003
Anstu Stable's Balto Star and Dr. John Chandler's Cetewayo are millionaire grade I winners ranking high in the nation's distance turf division and will be among the favorites in Saturday's $200,000 W.L. McKnight Handicap (gr. II) at Calder.
Thursday, December 25, 2003
Front-running Balto Star and jockey John Velazquez took advantage of his deliberate pace to spurt away in the stretch en route to an easy 3 1/4-length victory in Saturday's $150,000 Red Smith Handicap (gr. IIT) over soft going on the Aqueduct turf.
Sunday, November 23, 2003
Balto Star and Macaw lead a field of a dozen runners expected for Saturday's $150,000 Red Smith Handicap (gr. IIT) at Aqueduct. The 1 1/8-mile turf race will be the rubber match for the pair, who has faced each other twice this year. After Balto Star retreated in the Sword Dancer (gr. IT), Macaw finished well ahead of him in second. In the Man 'o War, Balto Star held on for fourth, two spots ahead of a flat Macaw.
Thursday, November 20, 2003
Trainer Todd Pletcher worked his trio of Breeders' Cup starters --
Chapel Royal, Ashado, and
Balto Star -- at Belmont Park Sunday morning.
Sunday, October 19, 2003
Godolphin Stable's Sulamani recovered after stumbling badly on the final turn, impressively sweeping past the field in the stretch to record an easy 2 3/4-length victory in Saturday's $750,000 Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) at Belmont Park.
Sunday, September 28, 2003
With Empire Maker withdrawn from Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I), several trainers who had no plans to run are now reconsidering and will see how the field shapes up before deciding whether to enter on Thursday.
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Stonerside Stable's Congaree has been assigned 124 pounds for Turfway Park's Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) to be run Saturday. The nine-time stakes winner and earner of more than $2.7 million has been asked to spot four pounds to his nearest rival, Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) winner Perfect Drift.
Monday, September 08, 2003
Darley Stable's Lunar Sovereign, guided by Richard Migliore, unleashed an explosive move while wide on the final turn and rolled on to a 2 3/4-length win in the $500,000 Man o'War (gr. IT) at Belmont Park Saturday.
Sunday, September 07, 2003
With Saratoga still fresh in everyone's mind, Belmont's first big "Fall Preview" weekend is already here. On paper, Mineshaft looks virtually unbeatable in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes (gr. I), but pay very close attention to Northern Rock, who should be rolling along on an uncontested lead.
Friday, September 05, 2003
Sky Mesa may not miss a day of training while recovering from a bruised hoof, an injury he suffered while finishing last in the Travers (gr. I) on Saturday.
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
Michael and Lynn Shanley's Whitmore's Conn and jockey Jean-Luc Samyn made a late surge in the stretch to register a major upset in the $500,000 Sword Dancer (gr. IT) before 31,153 at Saratoga Saturday.
Sunday, August 10, 2003
Trainer John Ward said Thursday that he is leaning toward running Sky Mesa in the Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park on Aug. 3 instead of the Jim Dandy (gr. II) at Saratoga. "I'd say I'm 60-40," Ward said.
Thursday, July 24, 2003
Anstu Stable's Balto Star, a 37-1 shot making the most of his inside post, took command at the start and repulsed all challengers in the stretch to score an upset victory in the $750,000 United Nations Handicap (gr. IT) at Monmouth Park on Saturday.
Sunday, July 06, 2003
Anstu Stable's Balto Star has developed a very noticeable racing pattern. Since last year, the Todd Pletcher-trained 5-year-old has followed every bad race with a very good race. And, since last out he ran last in the Pimlico Special (gr. I), his rivals in Saturday's $100,000 Oceanport Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Monmouth better have their running shoes on.
Friday, June 13, 2003
Mineshaft, a winner of five of six starts since moving stateside, is the 121 topweight and 8-5 morning-line favorite for Friday's Pimlico Special (gr. I).
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
Even though the weights won't be released until Friday, a field of nine is probable for the Pimlico Special (gr. I). Returning after a year's hiatus, Maryland's premier race for older horses will be run on Friday, May 16, the day before the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Wednesday, May 07, 2003
Herbert and Carol Schwartz' Classic Endeavor makes his home at Aqueduct, and Saturday afternoon, he made himself at home on his favorite track.
Saturday, April 05, 2003
Doug Koch, owner of Berkshire Stud in upstate Pine Plains, N.Y. knows exactly how bad things can go at times in racing. Last Saturday in the Distaff Breeders' Cup (gr. II) at Aqueduct, his Saskya was to make her last start before retiring to broodmare duties.
Friday, April 04, 2003
Trainer Neil Howard cooks up a rich New Orleans Handicap victory with Mineshaft.
Sunday, March 02, 2003
Anstu Stables' Balto Star has been pegged as the 5-2 morning line favorite in a surprisingly deep field of 11 older horses for Sunday's $500,000 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) at Fair Grounds.
Friday, February 28, 2003
Anstu Stables' homebred Balto Star swept by Bonapaw in the stretch en route to a 2 1/4-length victory in Sunday's $125,000 Whirlaway Handicap (gr. III) at Fair Grounds.
Sunday, February 09, 2003
Mineshaft brings a three-race winning streak into Sunday's Fair Grounds feature race, the $125,000 Whirlaway Handicap (gr. III). The son of A.P. Indy will face eight rivals in the 1 1/16-mile test for older horses.
Friday, February 07, 2003
Team Valor's Point Prince pulled a 29-1 upset in Saturday's $150,000 Appleton Handicap (gr. IIT), defeating front-running Krieger by 1 1/4 length in the one-mile grass event.
Saturday, January 04, 2003
Some of the top turf horses and sprinters on the grounds get their day in the sun at Gulfstream Saturday, as the second day of the 2003 meeting is highlighted by two graded stakes events -- the $150,000 Appleton Handicap (gr. II) and the $100,000 Mr. Prospector Handicap (gr. III).
Thursday, January 02, 2003
In addition to its eight-race Breeders' Cup Day card Saturday, Arlington Park will run three additional $100,000 handicaps – an early stakes double before the headline races and a turf course nightcap afterward.
Thursday, October 24, 2002
No BC for Balto Star, Harlan's Holiday still on target for Classic...Owsley BC-bound for Filly & Mare Turf...Next starts in place for Regal Sanction and Snake Mountain.
Thursday, October 10, 2002
A pair of grade I contests highlight Keeneland's FallStars Weekend Sun., Oct. 6. The $600,000 Shadwell Keeneland Mile features the star of the American turf this year, Beat Hollow, who comes in off his fame win in the Arlington Million (gr. I).
Friday, October 04, 2002
Medaglia d'Oro breezes...No BC for Funny Cide...Balto Star slated to start at Keeneland.
Wednesday, October 02, 2002
From preceding page Saturday, September 07, 2002
In its 44-year history, only two horses, Majesty's Prince and Solar Splendor, have won back-to-back runnings of the 1 3/8-mile Man o' War (gr. IT). Seven-year-old gray gelding With Anticipation will try to become the third in Saturdays' turf feature.
Friday, September 06, 2002
