BloodHorse.com | Horse Racing News

First Foal for Freshman Sire Rocket Legs

Freshman sire Rocket Legs was represented by his first foal when a filly produced from the Woodman mare Tangerine Spice was born April 19 at Overtime Farm in Westerlo, N.Y.

Champs Elysees is Canada's Horse of the Year

Juddmonte Farms' homebred Champs Elysees is the first U.S.-based runner to win the Sovereign Award's Horse of the Year title since 1995.

Champion Breeder: Juddmonte Farms

Fifth win for Khalid Abdullah's global operation; won in 1995, 2001-03

Champs Elysees Goes Out On Top at Woodbine

Favored Champs Elysees, in likely the final race of his career, went out on top with a come-from-behind victory in the $1,927,556 Pattison Canadian International (Can-IT) at Woodbine Oct. 17.

Marsh Side Defends in Canadian International

Marsh Side returns to defend his title in the $2-million Pattison Canadian International (Can-I) over the Woodbine turf course Oct. 17 against a field that includes German group I winner Jukebox Jury.

Champs Elysees to Banstead Manor

Major winner Champs Elysees, a homebred for Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms, will enter stud in 2010 at Abdullah's Banstead Manor Stud near Newmarket, England.

Northern Dancer Inquiry Goes to Just as Well

Just as Well was awarded victory in the Northern Dancer Turf (Can-IT) at Woodbine Sept. 20 when the winner, Marsh Side, was disqualified for interference in the stretch.

Strong Field Lines Up For Northern Dancer

Juddmonte Farms' homebred Champs Elysees is back to defend his title in the $750,000 Northern Dancer Turf Presented by Vtech (Can-IT), but will have to take down a deep field of turf routers Sept. 20 at Woodbine, including Melynk Racing Stables' Marchfield, who defeated the 6-year-old horse last month over the same course.

Marchfield Wins Sky Classic Stretch Duel

Hard-charging Marchfield outfought a game Champs Elysees in a gritty stretch duel to register a half-length win in the $256,100 Sky Classic Stakes (Can-IIT) on the Woodbine lawn Aug. 23.

Rahy's Attorney Riding High For Sky Classic

Ellie-Boge Farm's homebred Rahy's Attorney, a grade II winner in Canada twice this season, will shoot for his third straight victory in the $250,000 Sky Classic (Can-IIT) Aug. 23 at Woodbine.

Several Can Make a Case in Nijinsky

Rahy's Attorney, who got back on track last out with a win in the King Edward Handicap (Can-IIT), will seek his fourth graded stakes score at Woodbine when he faces a tough field in the $300,000 Nijinsky Stakes (Can-IIT) July 26 on the turf in Toronto.

Solid, Full Field Lines Up For Manhattan 'Cap

Cowboy Cal and Champs Elysees, both narrowly beaten by tough-as-nails Einstein in separate grade I races this year, will see if his absence will be enough to get them over the top this time, as they headline a strong field of 14, including five grade I winners, for the $400,000 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (gr. IT) June 6 at Belmont Park.

Spice Route Finds His Way in Elkhorn

Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield dominated the closing day feature at Keeneland, as his foreign-bred charges Spice Route and Musketier ran one-two in the $200,000 Fifth Third Elkhorn Stakes (gr. IIT) April 24 on the Haggin turf course.

Elkhorn: Champs Elysees Tries Keeneland

Two-time grade I winner Champs Elysees, who just missed in last month's Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), will make his Keeneland debut on April 24 in the $200,000 Fifth Third Elkhorn (gr. IIT), the spring meeting's closing day feature.

Big 'Cap Win a No-Brainer for Einstein

Einstein became the first East Coast shipper since Broad Brush in 1987 to capture the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), capitalizing on a perfect trip with jockey Julien Leparoux to defeat the late closer Champs Elysees.

14 to Try Big 'Cap; Colonel John Favored

Colonel John, winner of the Travers Sakes (gr. I) last summer, makes his 2009 debut as the slight choice in a diverse 14-horse field for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) March 7.

U.S. Debut for Zambezi Sun in 'Obispo

French group I winner Zambezi Sun, in his first start since the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) last fall, makes his United States debut in the $150,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Santa Anita turf Feb. 22 for trainer Bobby Frankel.

Tiago, Well Armed Clash in San Antonio

Tiago makes his first start since he rallied from far back for a third-place finish in the Oct. 25 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) when he takes on 10 rivals in the $200,000 San Antonio Handicap (gr. II) at Santa Anita Feb. 8.

Champs Elysees Sweeps to Turf Cup Win

Favored Champs Elysees sliced the corner impressively and flew past pacesetter Mr. Chairman in the homestretch to win the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (gr. IT), earning his first grade I win in the United States for Juddmonte Farms and trainer Bobby Frankel.

Black Mamba Ready to Strike in Turf Cup

The 5-year-old mare Black Mamba, scratched from the one-mile Matriarch at Hollywood Park this past weekend, instead will run in the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (gr. IT) at 12 furlongs Dec. 6 against males.

Cup Countdown: Bombs Away Part 2

We'll start with the Classic, and this race is not for the faint-hearted. There are so many variables and question marks, it is a perfect race to look past a big favorite like Curlin and his closest pursuers on the odds board and search for the bargains, bombs, and overlays.

Cup Countdown: Pletcher on the Prowl

Remember two years ago when Todd Pletcher sent a Napoleon-like army to the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs, only to come away without a single victory? Well, that 17-horse assault is behind him, and now he returns to racing's biggest stage with a mere five-horse platoon.

Classic: Step Right Up

Although the Breeders' Cup dirt races will have some element of the unknown due to the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita, the unchartered waters of the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) will be the deepest of all.

Haskin's Cup Countdown: A Real Rivalry

While the "rivalry" between Curlin and Big Brown has manifested itself through the frequent and often frivolous comments from the horses' connections, there is a real rivalry over in Europe that may very well boil over into the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).

Marsh Side Stuns International Stars

Marsh Side emerged from the pack at the midpoint of Woodbine's long homestretch to post a 29-1 upset on the turf in the $2 million Pattison Canadian Invitational (Can-I) for Southern California trainer Neil Drysdale.

Doctor Dino Leads Canadian International

The much-traveled French-bred Doctor Dino heads a field of 10 evenly-matched turf specialists entered in the $2 million Pattison Canadian International (Can-I) on the Woodbine turf course Oct. 4.

Champs Elysees Wins Northern Dancer

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.

Hartmann Has Surprise Element in U.N.

Trainer Bobby Frankel has the class edge with Southern California invaders Champs Elysees and Sudan, but local hope Presious Passion has the element of surprise in his favor in the $750,000 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park July 5.

Champs Elysees, Lava Man Top Whittingham

Beaten by a nose as the 2-5 favorite in the Jim Murray Memorial Handicap (gr. IIT) one month ago, Champs Elysees tries to atone in the $300,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (gr. IT) on the Hollywood Park turf course June 7.

On the Acorn Defends Jim Murray Title

Indizguys Stable's On the Acorn hadn't won a race since last year's running of the $250,000 Jim Murrary Memorial Handicap, but he defended that score with dignity and took the May 10 event at Hollywood Park for the second time in a row.

Champs Elysees Tops 5-Horse Murray Field

Juddmonte Farms' Champs Elysees should attract the most attention in a five-horse field entered for the $250,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap on the Hollywood Park turf May 10. Trainer Bobby Frankel goes for his seventh win in the 14-year history of the grade II event.

Heatseeker Flashes Firepower in Big 'Cap

Heatseeker gave Northern California kingpin Jerry Hollendorfer a win with the conditioner's first starter in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) in a mild surprise March 1.

Deep 14-Horse Field Set in Big 'Cap

Fourteen horses, potentially matching the largest field in the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) in a quarter century, are headed for the $1 million event March 1 in a race that redefines "wide open."

Champs Elysees Could Make It Five

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.

Champs Elysees Towers in San Marcos

Heavily backed Champs Elysees took the overland route for Garrett Gomez on the turn for home but won the $150,000 San Marcos Stakes (gr. IIT) with plenty left Jan. 19 on the Santa Anita turf.

Sunriver Keeps Rolling in Turf Cup

Sunriver, coaxed along on an easy pace by Garrett Gomez, spurted away from the field rounding the final turn and coasted to his first grade I victory in the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup Dec. 8.

Plenty of Fresh Faces in Turf Cup

A quintet of newcomers, two of them trained by Bobby Frankel, is among a field of eight contesting the $250,000 Turf Cup (gr. I) on the Hollywood Park grass course Dec. 8.

Schiaparelli Bags Gran Premio del Jockey Club

Hard-knocking Schiaparelli made it three group I wins in a row with a front-running victory in the Gran Premio del Jockey Club (Ity-I) at San Siro Oct. 14.