Champs Elysees not only won the Sept. 7 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (Can-IT) at Woodbine, but became the fifth grade/group I winner out of the grand mare Hasili.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter
Already a graded stakes winner and grade I-placed, Champs Elysees could become the fifth grade I winner for his dam Hasili (IRE). The star of the Juddmonte Farms broodmare band would then become the first Northern Hemisphere mare to accomplish this feat. No worries if Champs Elysees, who has already finished second in the Hollywood Turf Cup (gr. IT), does not earn grade I status. Hasili has a 3-year-old Sadler's Wells colt named Raise the Flag and a yearling Storm Cat filly yet to prove themselves.
Thursday, January 24, 2008Juddmonte Farms' homebred champion Banks Hill produced her first offspring, a Kingmambo colt, Feb. 3 at Juddmonte near Lexington.
Wednesday, February 11, 2004Khalid Abdullah's homebred champion Banks Hill, who came within a length and a half this year of winning her second consecutive Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT), has been retired from racing.
Tuesday, December 10, 2002Two well-bred newcomers to the Bobby Frankel barn worked on the Hollywood Park main track Friday for California debuts in the near future.
Friday, December 06, 2002Dress To Thrill rebounds from an uncharacteristic effort in the NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile to win the Matriarch over Golden Apples.
Sunday, December 01, 2002A potential Eclipse Award winner and a wide-open Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) highlight the final day of Hollywood Park's Turf Festival Sunday.
Friday, November 29, 2002Continuing her quest for an Eclipse Award, Golden Apples drilled a half mile on the Hollywood Park turf Wednesday in a bullet :46.20 breezing for the $500,000 Matriarch (gr. IT) for fillies and mares on Sunday.
Wednesday, November 27, 2002Bidding for an Eclipse Award as champion filly or mare on turf, Golden Apples worked a bullet six furlongs in 1:11 around the dogs on a firm turf course Thursday at Hollywood Park in preparation for the $500,000 Matriarch (gr. IT) Dec. 1.
Thursday, November 21, 2002Dress To Thrill, one of the leading 3-year-old fillies in Europe, will compete in the $500,000 Matriarch (gr. IT) for fillies and mares Dec. 1, Hollywood Park assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Danny Eidson was informed Sunday.
Sunday, November 17, 2002Trainer P. G. Johnson was an early arrival at Barn 22 on Arlington's backstretch, checking on Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Volponi before departing for a flight to New York.
Sunday, October 27, 2002There are 91 horses competing in the eight Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships races Saturday at Arlington Park. Of them, only three will not run on Salix.
Thursday, October 24, 2002With just days to go before the Oct. 26 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Arlington Park, the question of whether Rock Of Gibraltar would compete in the Classic or the NetJets Mile remained unanswered. Even the colt's jockey said he doesn't know.
Tuesday, October 22, 2002Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) contender Swept Overboard worked five furlongs Saturday at Hollywood Park in a bullet :59, handily from the gate, fastest of 38 drills at the distance.
Saturday, October 19, 2002Preparing Kona Gold for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) is old hat for Bruce Headley, who is preparing the 8-year-old for his fifth run at the Sprint.
Friday, October 18, 2002One favorite has won the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) since the race was inaugurated in 1999, but even then, Soaring Softly was the 7-2 choice in a race with two other fillies at 4-1.
Thursday, October 17, 2002Gary A. Tanaka's Golden Apples, with Patrick Valenzuela riding, steered clear of trouble on the outside and went on to tally a one-length victory over Voodoo Dancer in the $500,000 Yellow Ribbon (gr. IT) at Santa Anita's Oak Tree Saturday.
Saturday, October 05, 2002Jockey Patrick Valenzuela is brimming with confidence over the chances of Golden Apples in Saturday's turf stakes at Santa Anita, in spite of the presence of Banks Hill and Voodoo Dancer.
Thursday, October 03, 2002Janis Whitham's Affluent is scheduled to return to the races Oct. 5 in Keeneland's grade II WinStar Galaxy Stakes, one of the top final preps for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Oct. 26 at Arlington Park. In California, last year's Filly & Mare Turf winner, Banks Hill, is set to go in the grade I Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Santa Anita Park the same afternoon.
Thursday, October 03, 2002Voodoo Dancer, a winner of nine of 15 career starts with earnings of $855,588, will join champion turf female of 2001 Banks Hill and triple grade I winner Golden Apples in Saturday's $500,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Oak Tree at Santa Anita.
Wednesday, October 02, 2002Banks Hill, the winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT), will prep for this year's running in Saturday's $750,000 Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont.
Thursday, September 26, 2002John W. Amerman's Lido Palace, prepping for next Saturday's 84th running of the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I), worked a half-mile in :49 2/5, breezing on Belmont Park's fast main track Thursday morning.
Thursday, September 19, 2002The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf has a history of coming up strong and deep, and this year is no exception.
Thursday, September 12, 2002The decision to keep a filly in training is one that is laced with tension. You can never be sure how it will work out. It had certainly looked as if it wasn't working out for Banks Hill, until she roared back to form in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (Fr-I) at Deauville on Aug. 18.
Sunday, August 18, 2002The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has set the fields for this weekend's Pool Two of the Breeders' Cup Future Bet. Races open for wagering this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf, the Breeders' Cup Mile, and the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, all grade I.
Tuesday, August 06, 2002Rock of Gibraltar's St. James's Palace score is the highlight of a memorable meeting.
Tuesday, June 25, 2002Frankie Dettori rode Grandera to victory in the Prince of Wales Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot on Wednesday, giving trainer Saeed bin Suroor his third successive win in the race.
Wednesday, June 19, 2002Best of the Bests rebounded from a seventh-place finish in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) to upset Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT) winner Banks Hill in the Prix d'Ispahan (Fr-I) on Sunday at Longchamp.
Sunday, May 19, 2002Juddmonte Farms' Banks Hill made only one of her seven 2001 starts in the United States, but she made it count in a big way. She went one-for-one with a stunning victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) against many of the top horses in her division.
Monday, February 18, 2002Spook Express, the probable favorite for the $500,000 Matriarch next Sunday, worked an easy half mile on the Hollywood Park turf course in :50.60 under regular rider Mike Smith.
Monday, November 19, 2001When the Cartier Awards were handed out in London Wednesday night, the big winners were Coolmore Stud, Godolphin Racing, and the Magniers.
Thursday, November 15, 2001Breeders' Cup Turf winner Fantastic Light was honored Wednesday night with the Cartier "Horse of the Year" award during a ceremony at London's Four Seasons Hotel. Fantastic Light was also honored with the Older Horse Award, beating out his Godolphin stablemate Sakhee, runner-up in the Breeders Cup Classic.
Wednesday, November 14, 2001Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms finally gets a Breeders' Cup victory as Olivier Peslier sees no one closing ground on the filly Banks Hill.
Wednesday, October 31, 2001Trainer Andre Fabre's French-based stable had a successful day at the Breeders' Cup, with Banks Hill winning and Spring Oak finishing third in the Filly & Mare Turf.
Saturday, October 27, 2001For Bank's Hill
Tuesday, October 23, 2001Results at Woodbine and Belmont over the weekend--Lailani winning the Flower Bowl Invitational (gr. IT), European-trained runners1-2-3 in both the E. P. Taylor Stakes (Can-IT) and Canadian International (Can-IT)--have put a smile on European faces.
Tuesday, October 02, 2001It took some help from the stewards, but Vahorimix remained unbeaten on paper in France this year with a win via the disqualification of Proudwings in Sunday's Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (Fr-I) at Deauville. It marks the second French group I win on the year for Vahorimix in which he finished second on the course.
Sunday, August 19, 2001Banks Hill became the first French-trained winner at this week's Royal Ascot meeting, landing Friday's featured £250,000 (about US$350,000) Coronation Stakes (Eng-I).
Friday, June 22, 2001Banks Hill became the first French-trained winner at this week's Royal Ascot meeting, landing Friday's featured £250,000 (about US$350,000) Coronation Stakes (Eng-I).
Friday, June 22, 2001