Though her work was a bit fast for his taste, trainer Hal Wiggins was more than satisfied when his filly Rachel Alexandra made it back to the barn in good shape after zipping through a half-mile in :46 2/5 at Churchill Downs the morning of April 27.
Monday, April 27, 2009Under exercise rider Joanna Trout, Flying Spur worked four furlongs in :48.40 and was timed in 1:01.80 galloping out another furlong.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Pioneerof the Nile didn't turn in the fastest five-furlong work April 27 at Churchill Downs, but that wasn't the goal for his trainer, Bob Baffert. The 3-year-old son of Empire Maker cruised through five furlongs in 1:01 and impressed onlookers with his long, free-flowing stride in his final breeze before the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Monday, April 27, 2009
Trainer Bob Baffert and Silverbulletday, one of the best fillies he trained, along with jockey Eddie Maple and steeplechase trainer Janet Elliot, are among the latest additions to the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.
Monday, April 20, 2009
The Keeneland April sale of 2-year-olds in training was the fifth and final major select juvenile auction of the year, and its results followed the downward trends seen at the earlier sales. Read what buyers and consignors had to say about the market in Lexington April 6 and 7.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Keeneland's sale of 2-year-olds in training, like just about every other Thoroughbred auction in recent memory, generated results that lagged well behind the previous year's statistics. The gross revenue for the two-day sale, which ended the evening of April 7 in Lexington, dropped 27.6% while the average price declined 15.5%. The median price fell 21.7%.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009The Kentucky Derby has been won by some of the greatest trainers in the history of the sport. We've listed the 16 who have won more than one Derby. Rank them in order, from first through 16th, and see how your selections stack up.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Vallenzeri, who set a world Thoroughbred auction record last year as a $7.7-million buy-back, finally found a new home as the Keeneland sale of 2-year-olds in training opened in Lexington April 6. The flashy chestnut colt brought $1.9 million, helping boost the session's average price to a 6% increase over last year's comparable figure.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Not only will American champion Indian Blessing have to defeat males for the first time in her career if she is to win the Dubai Golden Shaheen, she will have to overcome the far outside post in the field of 12 in her initial try at a straightaway 1,200 meters (about 6 furlongs).
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Following her half-mile workout March 23, two-time champion Indian Blessing walked the quarantine barn area Tuesday morning in preparation for the $2-million Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I), Sponsored by Gulf News, Saturday night at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Joel Rosario, Santa Anita's third-leading rider, will ride El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) winner Chocolate Candy in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) on April 4, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.
Friday, March 20, 2009
In this episode, Lenny and Steve discuss the upcoming Derby preps, including the Louisiana Derby, the San Felipe, and the Rebel, Bob Baffert's Hall of Fame quest, and Helen Pitts and Einstein. Plus, win a Backside Tour Derby Week, with the Derby Contest!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Leading West Coast Triple Crown contender Pioneerof the Nile worked five furlongs on Santa Anita's Pro-Ride March 8 in a bullet :58.80 under regular rider Garrett Gomez for the grade II San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. At Oaklawn, Old Fashioned worked a bullet five furlongs in :59.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
The Fasig-Tipton Florida select sale of 2-year-olds in training, held March 3 at Calder Race Course, suffered downturns of 25.5% in gross revenue, 31.5% in average price, and 34.8% in median price. The number of horses sold rose 8.8% while the buy-back rate dropped to 35.5% from 40.4% a year ago. Read what people at the auction had to say about the market:
Sunday, March 08, 2009Magna Entertainment Corp. claims it owes more than $235 million to its largest 50 unsecured creditors, including many prominent names in the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Cup o' Joe, a handsome Medaglia d'Oro colt, became the highest priced horse sold so far at the Fasig-Tipton Florida select sale of 2-year-olds in training when he brought $1.6 million from Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock manager John Ferguson.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Two trainers -- Bob Baffert and Robert Wheeler -- are among 11 finalists for election to the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame this year.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
CashCall Futurity (gr. I) winner Pioneerof the Nile makes his eagerly-awaited 3-year-old debut and attempts to establish himself as one of the West Coast's top Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contenders, as he faces eight sophomore rivals in the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 7 at Santa Anita Park.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Legends Racing, which was 2008's biggest-spending new shopper at Thoroughbred yearling sales, is preparing for its inaugural season at the racetrack. According to Olin Gentry, one of the venture's founders, the stable's 39 horses have been divided equally among Legends' three trainers--Bob Baffert, D. Wayne Lukas, and Nick Zito--and are in Florida being prepared for competition.
Monday, January 26, 2009
At a meeting Jan. 7 at Santa Anita Park, about 40 trainers met to discuss problems with the track's Pro-Ride synthetic surface.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Jason and Tom analyze the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) at Hollywood Park on Dec 20. Also The Wizard's Spotlight Play is Fair Grounds Race 3 on Saturday, Dec. 20.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Bob Baffert will aim for a record-tying fourth CashCall Futurity (gr. I) victory when he saddles Pioneerof the Nile and Ventana in the 28th running of the $750,000 event Dec. 20 at Hollywood Park.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Hosted by Lenny Shulman and Steve Haskin, "And They're Off" is a bi-monthly online video series sponsored by Darby Dan Farm. This week, Lenny and Steve present highlights from the 2008 season of "And They're Off."
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Though champion Curlin may not have handled the synthetic racing surface as well as some of his European rivals did in the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), Santa Anita Park's Pro-Ride racing surface performed safely during the two-day World Championships Oct. 24-25.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Bob Baffert will send out a pair of Breeders' Cup champions this weekend in Midnight Lute and Indian Blessing, hoping to repeat his strong 2007 World Championships.
Thursday, October 23, 2008John Confort and Albert Weiss' Our Golden Dream will try to follow up on her impressive debut when she takes on a full field of 12 juvenile fillies in the $150,000 Miss Grillo Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 1 on the Belmont turf.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
HRTV's weekly series analyzing each division of the Breeders' Cup. This episode includes recaps of the Futurity and the Arlington-Washington Futurity and the Monmouth Stakes, preview of the Fitz Dixon Cotillion Stakes, and much, much more.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Hal and Patti Earnhardt's homebred Indian Blessing, who was scratched from the 1 1/16-mile Ruffian Handicap (gr. I) two weeks ago, returns to the racetrack as a sprinter and faces older horses for the first time. Last year's champion juvenile filly will try for her fifth graded stakes victory of the season Sept. 20 when she takes on a short but talented field in the $150,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
When the second session of the Keeneland September yearling sale ended Sept. 9, Olin Gentry and trainer Bob Baffert of Legends Racing rushed to the barn area to look at more horses and get ready for the next day's selling. It's been a busy auction, so far, for the new racing venture, whose formation was announced just prior to the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) in June when a presentation was made to potential investors in New York.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Bob Baffert scratched morning-line favorite Indian Blessing in the $300,000 Ruffian Handicap (gr. I), but still left himself a chance with his other lesser-known entry, Tough Tiz's Sis. The veteran trainer must have known exactly what he was doing, as the daughter of Tiznow enjoyed the sloppy conditions at Belmont Park en route to a dominating 12 1/4 length victory Sept. 6.
Saturday, September 06, 2008
David and Jill Heerensperger's Indyanne is undefeated and unchallenged in four career starts. The lightning-quick daughter of Indian Charlie looks to continue her domination Aug. 23 at Saratoga, as she takes on nine quality 3-year-old fillies in the $100,000-added Victory Ride (gr. III).
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Legends Racing made a powerful debut as a Thoroughbred buyer at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling auction, which ended its two-night run Aug. 5 in New York.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Hal and Patti Earnhardt's homebred filly Indian Blessing, who began her remarkable career almost a year ago by breaking her maiden at Saratoga, returned for the first time Aug. 2 in the $250,000 Test Stakes (gr. I) and like she did in her debut, destroyed the competition. This time, the 3-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie won by seven lengths to earn the fourth grade I victory of her career.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Indian Blessing, who rebounded from consecutive defeats with a resounding victory in the July 5 Prioress (gr. I), returns to Saratoga for the first time since breaking her maiden when she takes on five 3-year-old fillies in the $250,000 Darley Test (gr. I) Aug. 2.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Cutting back to six furlongs, Hal and Patti Earnhardt's Eclipse Award-winning filly Indian Blessing returned to the winner's circle for the first time since February, as she took over at the top of the stretch and drew away for a convincing five-length score in the $250,000 Prioress Stakes (gr. I) July 5 in the mud at Belmont Park.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Trainers Bob Baffert, Wayne Lukas, and Nick Zito will be involved in a new buying, racing, and selling venture.
Monday, June 09, 2008
The mood was light in the Big Brown camp in the days leading up to the Belmont Stakes, when the son of Boundary will try to win the Triple Crown.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Last year's Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old filly Indian Blessing makes her highly-anticipated return in the $250,000 Acorn (gr. I) June 7 at Belmont Park, and trainer Bob Baffert is expecting her to rebound nicely from her first career defeat.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Zayat Stables' Massive Drama, third in two graded stakes in California this year, will detour off the traditional Triple Crown trail to take on a tough group of older Southern Hemisphere-breds in the $2-million UAE Derby (UAE-II) on the March 29 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) program.
Thursday, March 06, 2008Okay, so three-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert does not have anyone on this year's Classic trail, so far. But thanks to Indian Blessing, he does have the best 3-year-old filly in the nation. Undefeated in five starts, the 2007 juvenile filly champion will look to continue her domination March 8 in the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Hal and Patti Earnhardt's unbeaten Indian Blessing, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2007, and winner of the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), tops a roster of 165 3-year-old fillies nominated to compete in the 134th running of the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at Churchill Downs on Friday, May 2.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Last year's champion 2-year-old filly will make a return trip to Louisiana March 8.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Last year's 2-year-old champion filly and Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Fillies (gr. I) winner won at her fifth different racetrack and captured her fourth graded stakes.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Nominated as one of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's moments of the year, Midnight Lute's TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) feat cemented him as the obvious choice for an Eclipse Award as champion of his division.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Midnight Lute worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:10.60 on Santa Anita's Cushion Track Jan. 14 in preparation for the Jan. 21 Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II).
Monday, January 14, 2008
James Barry's Divine Park looks to make it a perfect 4-for-4 in his young career, but will have overcome post 14 and defeat a full field of challengers in the $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) Dec. 26 on opening day at Santa Anita Park.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Frank Stronach's Sugar Shake seeks her fourth graded stakes victory of the year Dec. 1, as she leads a field of seven in the $150,000 Bayakoa Handicap (gr. II), a 1 1/16-mile test for fillies and mares on the Hollywood Cushion Track.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Shadwell Stable's Daaher upset Midnight Lute, the TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner, by 2 1/2 lengths in the $294,000 Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile Handicap (gr. I) at Aqueduct on Nov. 24. Midnight Lute, the 1-2 favorite in the five-horse field, finished second.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Mr. Sekiguchi, a son of Storm Cat who sold for $8 million at the 2004 Keeneland September yearling sale, has been retired to stud at Hill 'n Dale Farm near Lexington, Ky.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
With a strong last-to-first move in the slop at Monmouth Park, Midnight Lute stormed to a 4 3/4-length victory over the front-running Idiot Proof in the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint.
Saturday, October 27, 2007