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, 2002The way Medaglia d'Oro ran in Sunday's Jim Dandy, trainer Bobby Frankel said he is likely to put a little more spacing in the colt's races. After the Travers, that is.
Monday, August 05, 2002For the second time this fall, Aqueduct Racetrack has been dressed in Evening Attire. But what was once thought to be nothing more than a simple gray coat has now become top of the line and getting more expensive with each appearance.
Saturday, December 01, 2001New York media magnate Stuart Subotnick belongs to an elite group: he's one of America's 500 richest people. He also belongs to a more exclusive clique of the super-wealthy who own Thoroughbred racehorses. Subotnick, 59, did not grow up around a racetrack, and he's not a gambler. He got into Thoroughbred racing at the urging of a friend and found the game intoxicatingly competitive as well as financially challenging.
Monday, November 12, 2001It was a busy morning for Breeders' Cup participants, with a steady stream of workers Sunday. The most amazing move was turned in by Squirtle Squirt, although it certainly was not what trainer Bobby Frankel was expecting.
Sunday, October 21, 2001Morton Fink's Guided Tour earned his third straight grade II win by outlasting Balto Star in a stretch duel to win the $400,000 Kentucky Cup Classic by a neck Saturday at Turfway Park as a pair of geldings filled the top two finishing positions.
Saturday, September 22, 2001Morton Fink's Guided Tour drew post 3 for his start Saturday in the $400,000 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) and was installed the 7-5 morning-line favorite. Only five other horses will face the 118-pound highweight in the marquee race on the Kentucky Cup card at Turfway Park.
Thursday, September 20, 2001Blazing Fury's impressive late run gave him a decisive 4 3/4-length victory over Fast City on Sunday in the $112,500 Saranac Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Saratoga. Earlier on the card, Arkansas Derby (gr. II) and Turfway Spiral Stakes (gr. II) winner Balto Star returned from a three-month layoff to win his turf racing debut.
Sunday, September 02, 2001There were no surprises Wednesday when nine 3-year-olds were entered for Saturday's $1-million Belmont Stakes, third leg of Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown. As he did in the previous two legs of the series--the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness--morning line favorite Point Given will start from the outside post position.
Wednesday, June 06, 2001Belmont Stakes action picked up Sunday morning with solid works by Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos, Derby runner-up Invisible Ink, and Arkansas Derby and Spiral winner Balto Star, all of whom worked five furlongs over a muddy track. In France, Grandera boosted the form of Dr Greenfield with a troubled third-place finish in the French Derby.
Sunday, June 03, 2001Chris McCarron is back on the Triple Crown trail after being named to ride Balto Star in the Belmont Stakes.
Wednesday, May 23, 2001Throw 'em in a hat and pick one. Regardless of which one you choose you'll have the work of the day. That's how similar this morning's four Derby works were. In fact, the times of all four horses – Dollar Bill, Balto Star, Thunder Blitz, and Invisible Ink – were within a fifth of a second of each other. For the seventh morning in a row, since we arrived, the dawn brought bright skies and mild to crisp temperatures. More of the same is predicted through the week, with showers arriving, you guessed it, on Friday.
Sunday, April 29, 2001The Todd Pletcher-trained duo of Balto Star and Invisible Ink turned in workouts Sunday morning that their trainer labeled "excellent" as the two continued to progress toward next Saturday's Kentucky Derby. In other Sunday workouts, Thunder Blitz worked five furlongs in :59 4/5 and Dollar Bill was timed in 1:00 flat for the same distance.
Sunday, April 29, 2001Sorry, but we've got yet another terrific work to confuse you with. But even with all the top works we've seen this week, we'd have to give this morning's drill by Monarchos the highest marks. There was a great deal of confusion as to what time he actually worked, as the clockers somehow only caught the final three-eighths of his five-furlong work.
Friday, April 27, 2001It was a tale of two works at Churchill Downs this morning. The formula was something we see many times prior to the Kentucky Derby: two horses with similar running styles come off the same race, have two completely contrasting works, and both their trainers are ecstatic. It was a perfect example how different horses need different types of works. The beaming smiles on the faces of trainers Dave Hofmans and John Dowd told the story following Millennium Wind's five-furlong work in 1:01 3/5 and Songandaprayer's deceiving :59 drill over the same distance.
Thursday, April 26, 2001Point Given: While there are questions surrounding most of the top choices, the only question people are asking about this big chestnut is whether he's going to win the Triple Crown. Work on April 24 should be interesting.
Monday, April 23, 2001Welcome to Churchill Downs. Many of the names and faces change each year, but the same charge of electricity still ripples through the backstretch. Bob Baffert has two shotgun cartridges aimed right at the Twin Spires, while Nick Zito is back after a one-year absence, and for the first time since Genuine Risk captured the roses in 1980, D. Wayne Lukas will be a spectator.
Monday, April 23, 2001There has been a lot of talk about Balto Star recently. His last two races – actually, last three -- have been so mind-boggling, especially his Thoro-Graph numbers, people simply don't know what to make of him. Balto Star is the horse Bob Baffert is afraid of, despite being a gelding, a son of sprinter Glitterman, and a confirmed front-runner. If you go by logic, all three of those factors should add up to Balto Star having too much going against him. Then again, maybe they shouldn't.
Thursday, April 19, 2001Now that this past weekend's preps have had time to sink in, is the Derby picture more or less clear than it was last week? Although only five strong horses emerged – Congaree, Monarchos, Millennium Wind, Balto Star, and Jamaican Rum – the opinion here is that the Derby picture still is very confusing, based on the number of horses trying to buck history.
Wednesday, April 18, 2001Steve Haskin, the award-winning turf writer and senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, updates his top Kentucky Derby contenders weekly. During his 29 years with the Daily Racing Form, Haskin became known for his insightful coverage of the Triple Crown races. Haskin won the Red Smith Award for Kentucky Derby writing in 1997, 1999, and 2000.and received the David Woods Award for best Preakness story in 1997. In 1999, he co-authored "Baffert: Dirt Road to the Derby" with trainer Bob Baffert and wrote the book, "Dr. Fager" for Eclipse Press' "Thoroughbred Legends" series in 2000.
Monday, April 16, 2001Those who thought Balto Star's romping win in the March 24 Spiral Stakes (gr. II) at Turfway Park was a fluke better think again. It appears Balto Star is indeed a star. Under Mark Guidry, Balto Star danced away from what was thought to be a competitive field of 11 3-year-olds April 14 in the $500,000 Arkansas Derby (gr. II). Finely tuned by trainer Todd Pletcher, Balto Star went fast early and late and drew off to a 4 1/2-length win in the slop. He covered the nine furlongs in a solid 1:49.04.
Saturday, April 14, 2001Top trainers from New York to Kentucky to Arkansas are gearing up for this weekend's three big Kentucky Derby preps, after which we should have a good idea who will provide the main challenges to Santa Anita Derby winner Point Given. On the foreign front, the two Godolphin invaders, Street Cry and Express Tour, arrived safe and sound at Churchill Downs today at approximately 1 p.m. after clearing quarantine at Keeneland.
Tuesday, April 10, 2001The free-running style of Balto Star gives him the apparent look of a sharp sprinter able to successfully stretch his speed to 1 1/16 or 1 1/8 miles. The fact he is by the one-turn wonder Glitterman would also suggest he wouldn't be suited for 1 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May. His Dosage Index of 1.80, aided by a stamina-laced female line, tells us otherwise, giving us the cold, hard number that getting the classic Kentucky Derby distance isn't beyond his scope.
Wednesday, April 04, 2001In this analysis, we're going to add Thoro-Graph speed figure patterns on occasion to see, from that perspective, just who is likely to come into the Derby sitting on a peak performance. Thoro-Graph's Jerry Brown stated emphatically that this is "by far the best 3-year-old crop in history." Brown added, "The numbers so far have been insane, and it's probably going to take around a 2 1/2 to win the Derby," which is the same number Fusaichi Pegasus ran last year.
Wednesday, April 04, 2001Dark bay/brown gelding, foaled March 7, 1998, Glitterman--Miss Livie, by Devil's Bag
Monday, March 26, 2001Steve Haskin, the award-winning turf writer and senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, updates his top Kentucky Derby contenders weekly. During his 29 years with the Daily Racing Form, Haskin became known for his insightful coverage of the Triple Crown races. Haskin won the Red Smith Award for Kentucky Derby writing in 1997, 1999, and 2000.and received the David Woods Award for best Preakness story in 1997. In 1999, he co-authored "Baffert: Dirt Road to the Derby" with trainer Bob Baffert and wrote the book, "Dr. Fager" for Eclipse Press' "Thoroughbred Legends" series in 2000.
Monday, March 26, 2001A monster runaway victory in Kentucky, a track record in Florida, a stirring two-horse battle in the deserts of Dubai, and a four-horse blanket finish in Arkansas. After Saturday's fast and furious action on the Derby trail, racing fans all over the country will be craving a fix during next weekend's lull before the major stakes frenzies of Apr. 7 and 14.
Monday, March 26, 2001In the days, hours, and even minutes leading up to the March 24 Spiral Stakes (gr. II), there wasn't a clear-cut favorite -- much less a star -- among the nine 3-year-olds going to the starting gate. Six of the nine starters were between 3-1 and 6-1 in the wagering. But all that changed at 4:42 p.m. EST as a star did emerge coming down Turfway Park's stretch. His name: Balto Star. And the strapping dark bay gelding, in an effortless performance, ran off from his foes to a surprising 12 3/4-length romp in the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Derby (gr. I) prep.
Saturday, March 24, 2001