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BC Juvenile Fillies Star Twilight Ridge Dies

Twilight Ridge, winner of the 1985 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), died April 2 at Mike Rutherford's Manchester Farm. At 30, she was the oldest living Breeders' Cup victress.

Rushaway is Crop Report's Last Derby Chance

Team Valor is sponsoring the $75,000 Rushaway Stakes at Turfway March 23, and as fate would have it, it will also use the race as a last-ditch effort to get highly-regarded Crop Report to a Kentucky Derby prep.

Will Take Charge, Oxbow Going Separate Ways

The morning after stablemates Will Take Charge and Oxbow ran first and second in the March 16 Rebel Stakes (gr. II), trainer D. Wayne Lukas said he plans to keep his charges separated for their next starts.

Will Take Charge Tops Lukas Exacta in Rebel

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is holding the hottest hand of 3-year-olds he's had in a while, and that talent showed March 16 when stablemates Will Take Charge and Oxbow finished 1-2 in the $600,000 Rebel Stakes.

Super Ninety Nine Heads Rebel Field

The $600,000 Rebel Stakes (gr. II) drew a competitive field of 11 sophomores seeking points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), including Southwest Stakes (gr. III) winner Super Ninety Nine.

Optimizer Handles Soft Fair Grounds 'Cap Lawn

Optimizer hopped at the break of the $150,000 Fair Grounds Handicap (gr. IIIT) but drew clear in the end, earning his second straight victory over the turf at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 23.

Optimizer Targets Fair Grounds Handicap

After dominating in the Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap (gr. IIIT) Jan. 26 at Fair Grounds, Optimizer will try for a second straight win on the Stall-Wilson Course in the Fair Grounds Handicap (gr. IIIT) Feb. 23.

Solid Field of 10 to Contest Southwest Stakes

Willis Horton's Smarty Jones Stakes winner Will Take Charge looks to continue his progress on the road to the Kentucky Derby against nine others in the $300,000 Southwest Stakes Feb. 18 at Oaklawn Park.

Optimizer Wins E.R. Bradley for Red-Hot Lukas

Optimizer went wire-to-wire in the $125,000 Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Jan. 26 for red-hot Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who has won three stakes races in eight days.

And They're Off: Eclipse Awards Edition

Lenny and Steve discuss the Eclipse Awards and Oxbow's win in the Lecomte for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Plus, John Shirreffs talks about Eblouissante, half sister to Zenyatta, including how to pronounce her name.

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Lukas Could Continue Streak in E.R. Bradley

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas looks to continue his hot streak in the $125,000 Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, sending out Optimizer in the Jan. 26 turf test for older males.

Lukas Weighs Options for Weekend Stakes Stars

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas had an anxious moment when victorious Will Take Charge stumbled while pulling up after winning the Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 21 at Oaklawn Park, but the Hall of Fame trainer said the colt is doing well.

Will Take Charge Does So in Smarty Jones

Willis Horton's Will Take Charge notched his first stakes victory Jan. 21 when he got the best of eight other 3-year-olds in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Oxbow in Lecomte, Silverbulletday is 'Magic'

Bluegrass Hall's Oxbow went wire-to-wire to win the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes by 11 1/2 lengths for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Jan. 19. Earlier, Touch Magic took the Silverbulletday.

BC Juvenile Sprint Winner Hightail Retired

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint winner Hightail has been retired from racing, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas confirmed Jan. 8.

Gal About Town Hopes for Oaks from Golden Rod

Gal About Town finished second best to Sign in the Oct. 28 Pocahontas (gr. II) at Churchill Downs, but trainer Bret Calhoun is hopeful she'll build off that effort and prove best in the Golden Rod Stakes (gr. II) Nov. 24.

Major Stakes Horses Clash in Delta Jackpot

Goldencents and Bern Identity are among the major players in the $1 million test.

BC Winner Hightail Heads Jackpot Nominations

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint winner Hightail heads 15 pre-entries to this year's $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot (gr. III), which celebrates its 10th anniversary Nov. 17.

BC 2012 - Juvenile Sprint Press Conference

Comments from D. Wayne Lukas and Rajiv Maragh after Hightail's win in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint.

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Hightail Captures Juvenile Sprint for Lukas

Hightail, exploiting a slight opening at the rail in upper stretch, upset 1-2 favorite Merit Man in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint Nov. 2, giving trainer D. Wayne Lukas his 19th lifetime victory in the Championships.

Lukas Optimistic About Optimizer

Son of grass champion English Channel heads into BC Turf with two straight grass wins.

Optimizer Continues Climb With Kent Score

Bluegrass Hall's homebred Optimizer continued his climb through conditions on the turf with a powerful 4 1/4-length win in the $200,625 Kent Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Delaware Park Sept. 22, earning his first graded stakes score.

Daddy Nose Best Heads Hall of Fame Stakes

Trainer Steve Asmussen has switched gears with Daddy Nose Best, attempting to take the colt from Triple Crown contender to quality turf runner in the $200,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame

Pensioned California Stallion Houston Dies

Houston, a high-priced sale yearling who developed into a multiple graded stakes winner, died April 12 from the infirmities of old age at Ren-Mar Thoroughbreds near Temecula, Calif.

Website Features Drug Reform Testimonials

Claiborne Farm's Seth Hancock and trainer D. Wayne Lukas are among those featured in a series of video testimonials posted on the cleanhorseracing.org website.

Wide Open Debutante at Churchill Lures 10

Eight of the 10 contestants in the Debutante Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs June 23 broke their maidens in their last start.

Dullahan is 9-5 Morning Line Belmont Favorite

Donegal Racing's Belmont contender is now the 9-5 favorite in Saturday's classic. Dullahan finished third in the Kentucky Derby and skipped the Preakness Stakes.

I'll Have Another Goes Out for Early Gallop

A congested detention barn for the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) horses led trainer Doug O'Neill to send I'll Have Another out for an early jog and gallop June 8.

On Location - D. Wayne Lukas at Belmont Park

D. Wayne Lukas tells the story of Hamazing Destiny from Tuesday. Lukas also comments on Optimizer and the Belmont Stakes barn.

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Lukas Injured by Horse, Says He's 'Fine'

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who will saddle Optimizer in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), was taken to Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y., June 5 after one of his horses reared up and struck him in the head.

Hamazing Destiny Scores First Stakes Win

Hamazing Destiny and jockey Corey Nakatani took advantage of a duel between the early leaders before taking the lead at the top of the stretch to win the Maryland Sprint Handicap (gr. III).

Lukas: Bouncing Back and Preakness Success

As a five-time winner of the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas knows what it takes to succeed in the second leg of the Triple Crown. This year, he's at Pimlico with longshot Optimizer.

Preakness Interview: D. Wayne Lukas

Steve Haskin talks to D. Wayne Lukas about Optimizer and the Preakness Stakes. Sponsored by Three Chimneys Farm.

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Kentucky Derby News Minute 5/6/2012

Ron Mitchell talks about how I'll Have Another and his connections are doing on Sunday morning. Ron also touches on future plans for other Kentucky Derby contenders.

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Haskin's Derby Trail: Thursday Potpourri

The time is getting near. No not the Derby, trying to finally decipher this intricate and confusing puzzle.

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Kentucky Derby Interview D. Wayne Lukas

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas talks about Optimizer, now in the Derby field. Sponsored by Three Chimneys Farm.

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Two Fillies Confirmed for Oaks; One Out

Trainer Todd Pletcher said Broadway's Alibi would start in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) while In Lingerie will be held back in favor of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. I) May 18.

Lukas Still Hoping Optimizer Can Draw In

After watching Optimizer work at Churchill Downs April 29, trainer D. Wayne Lukas expressed confidence in the colt's potential in the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).

Oaks Possibility Colonial Empress Works

Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) possible Colonial Empress posted her second work in two weeks at Churchill Downs the morning of April 25 when she covered four furlongs in :48 2/5.

Dynaformer Pensioned After 'Cardiac Event'

Dynaformer, one of the most prolific international sires in recent decades, has been pensioned at Robert N. Clay's Three Chimneys Farm near Midway. Ky., after experiencing a significant cardiac event in his stall April 14.

Optimizer Tunes Up For Arkansas Derby

Rebel Stakes (gr. II) runner-up Optimizer put in his final workout for Saturday's $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Major Stallion Grand Slam Dies

Grand Slam, who is represented by four 3-year-old stakes winners in 2012, died March 31 at Ashford Stud.

Baffert Beams After Third Straight Rebel Win

With a third straight Rebel Stakes (gr. II) victory sealed thanks to Secret Circle March 17, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was eagerly looking forward to the Arkansas Derby (gr. I) next month at Oaklawn Park.

McLaughlin Grabs 1,000th North American Win

Kiaran McLaughlin notched his 1,000th North American victory March 16 when Que Posse won the eighth race at Aqueduct.

Absinthe Minded, Joyful Victory Meet in Azeri

Absinthe Minded, who has dominated Oaklawn Park's older filly and mare division this meet, takes on a new challenge from Fair Grounds invader Joyful Victory in the $150,000 Azeri Stakes (gr. III) March 17.

Yearling Market Roars Through Book Three

Keeneland September yearling sale shows continued strength during its seventh session with 35.9% rise in gross, 37.8% in average, and 26.5% in median over 2010 figures.

With Anticipation Has 'English' Flair

Thursday's With Anticipation Stakes (gr. IIT) features a pair of 2-year-olds from the first crop of turf champion English Channel.

Hollendorfer Honored at Racing Hall of Fame

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer was the man of the hour on Aug. 12 at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame's 57th annual induction ceremonies.

Grade I Winner Dublin Retired

Dublin, winner of the 2009 Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga, has been retired from racing because of a fractured sesamoid

Hollendorfer, 3 Fillies Make Hall of Fame

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, along with top fillies Open Mind, Safely Kept, and Sky Beauty form the Class of 2011 for the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place Aug. 12.