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Royal Performance in the Ladies' Classic

Favorite Royal Delta takes the Ladies' Classic in deep stretch, claiming her second grade I for the year and giving trainer Bill Mott consecutive victories in the race.

Grace Hall Takes Spinaway

Untried Grace Hall won the Spinaway Stakes (gr. I) like a true professional Sept. 4, stalking the leaders into the stretch and sweeping past favored Judy the Beauty to handily win the $250,000 event at Saratoga.

Royal Delta is Evidence of a Powerful Cross

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
The feeling that Empire Maker's move to Japan was a significant loss for U.S. breeders, especially as an excellent cross for A.P. Indy, was reinforced when Royal Delta won the Alabama.

Mr. Prospector's Dominance in the Belmont

MAHUBAH'S CORNER
In no race is the blend of speed with stamina more important than in the Belmont. Mr. Prospector contributed the right stuff to produce descendants capable of dominating the 'Test of the Champion'.

Barretts May Sale Seeks Momentum

Barretts hopes for a continued upswing at its May sale of 2-year-olds.

Slideshow: The Florida Sale

Scenes from the Fasig-Tipton select sale of 2-year-olds in training.

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F-T Florida 2YO Sale: More Feast or Famine

The median price is stable at the Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-year-old sale at Palm Meadows Training Center, but the gross and average price decline while the buy-back rate increases.

Empire Maker Filly Sells for $1.35 Million

A sleek Empire Maker filly, who had generated a lot of buzz in the days leading up to the Fasig-Tipton Florida select sale of 2-year-olds in training, brought $1.35 million.

Empire Maker Filly Among F-T Sale Standouts

She is in Murray Smith's consignment for the select Florida auction, which is scheduled for March 3 at Palm Meadows Training Center.

Empire Maker Sold to Japanese Interests

Empire Maker, the leading third-crop sire of 2009, has been sold to the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders Association for an undisclosed sum, according to a release from Juddmonte Farms.

Acoma Gets Encore in Ladies' Classic

Helen Groves and Helen Alexander have decided to bring Spinster winner Acoma back for a crack at the Ladies' Classic

Acoma Turns Spinster Upside Down

Multiple stakes winner winner Acoma added a first grade I victory to her record when she seized the lead coming off the turn for home en route to taking the $500,000 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 10.

Country Flavor Smokes Hanshin Cup Rivals

Jim Tafel's homebred Country Flavor, making his stakes debut for trainer Greg Geier, scored a 21-1 stunner in the $100,000 Hanshin Cup Handicap (gr. III) at Arlington Park May 29.

Battle Plan Shows Way in New Orleans 'Cap

The impeccably bred Battle Plan lived up to his billing in the $300,000 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II), taking the field all the way in his stakes debut to defeat General Quarters by 1 1/2 lengths March 27 at Fair Grounds.

Empire Maker to Stand for $50,000

Empire Maker, the leading third-crop sire, will stand in 2010 for $50,000, down from $75,000 in 2009.

Home Sweet Home: Acoma Wins Cardinal Handicap

Acoma, who entered off couple of disappointing starts, made it a perfect 3-for-3 on the Churchill Downs turf course when she outfought You Go West Girl by a head to win the $111,700 Cardinal Handicap (gr. IIIT) on Nov. 21.

Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel Dies at 68

Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, who had been battling leukemia for most of the year, died peacefully at his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif., early Nov. 16. He was 68.

Icon Project: Yet Another Filly Standout

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

It seems 2009 would be a year for filly phenoms, and they're all the result of young, distance-loving sires.

Icon Project Runs Smasher in Personal Ensign

Favored Icon Project, ridden by Julien Leparoux, demolished her rivals with a Rachel Alexandra-type performance Aug. 30 in the $400,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race course.

Injury Ends career of Pioneerof the Nile

Zayat Stables' Pioneerof the Nile, winner of four consecutive graded stakes and second in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), has been retired due to a soft tissue injury to his left front leg.

Pioneerof the Nile Zips in Churchill Workout

Zayat Stables' homebred Pioneerof the Nile, second in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), breezed a half-mile in :47 3/5 at Churchill Downs May 11 as the Empire Maker colt prepped for the May 16 Preakness Stakes (gr. I). The time was fourth-fastest of the morning among 48 horses working four furlongs.

Pioneerof The Nile: More Than Just a Survivor

Sickly foal, which was a $290,000 yearling sale buy-back, has grown up to become a Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I) contender.

Pioneerof the Nile Cruises in 1:01 Work

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).

Pioneerof the Nile's Full Sister Born

A full sister to Pioneerof the Nile, one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), was foaled April 23.

Pioneerof the Nile Set to Ship April 14

Even as he prepares to ship Pioneerof the Nile to Churchill Downs April 14 for the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), trainer Bob Baffert says he's still trying to figure out what kind of running style the son of 2003 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Empire Maker possesses.

Pioneerof the Nile Rolls at Santa Anita

A lack of pace changed the game plan for odds-on choice Pioneerof the Nile, but jockey Garrett Gomez improvised, enabling the son of Empire Maker to hold off Chocolate Candy for a one-length win in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) on a picture-perfect day in Arcadia, Calif.

'Pioneer' On Course in San Felipe Win

Odds-on choice Pioneerof the Nile got the test he needed in preparation for his big showdown with The Pamplemousse next month, turning back a challenge in the stretch to win the $200,000 San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita March 14.

Pioneerof the Nile On Course in Lewis

Triple Crown contender Pioneerof the Nile, overcoming traffic problems on the final turn, charged from the back of the pack to win the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) in the final strides over 17-1 shot Papa Clem at Santa Anita Feb. 7.

Pioneerof the Nile Set for First Prep

Bob Baffert, an old hand at getting horses ready for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), starts heading down the Triple Crown path once again when he saddles Pioneerof the Nile for the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita on Feb. 7.

Major Winner/Producer Toussaud Dead

Toussaud, 2002 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, was euthanized Jan. 5 because of declining health.

Pioneerof the Nile Growing Sire's Status

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Pioneerof the Nile, winner of the CashCall Futurity (gr. I), is one of three Empire Maker sons whose recent performances have helped grow their sire's reputation among breeders. The others are Daiwa Prevail (JPN) and Summer's Empire.

Pioneerof the Nile Rolls to Futurity Win

Heavily favored Pioneerof the Nile, who took over the stall of Midshipman when the Breeder's Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner departed trainer Bob Baffert's barn for Dubai this fall, proved he earned it when he narrowly held off I Want Revenge in an exhilarating renewal of the $750,000 CashCall Futurity (gr. I) at Hollywood Park Dec. 20.

Empire Maker's 2009 Fee Reduced

Empire Maker, who stands at Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms near Lexington, has had his 2009 fee reduced from a previously announced fee of $100,000 to $75,000.

Empire Maker Remains at $100,000

Empire Maker, 12th on this year's leading second-crop sires list by progeny earnings, will stand once again for $100,000 at Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms.

Second-Crop Sires Shuffle in 2008

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

The sires with their first 3-year-olds racing in 2008 have seen some reshuffling among the leaders by progeny earnings, particularly compared with the rankings of this sire class as freshmen.

Acoma Wins Turf Debut in Valley View

Helen Groves and Helen Alexander's homebred Acoma stayed close to the pace, corralled Tight Precision in mid-stretch and went on to win the Pin Oak Valley View (gr. IIIT) by a half-length on the Keeneland turf Oct. 17.

Country Star Trying to Get to Big Dance

After being scratched at the gate of last Saturday's Gazelle Handicap, trainer Bobby Frankel is still trying to make Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (gr. I) with his 3-year-old Country Star.

Ladies Day Tuesday at Keeneland

An Indian Charlie filly topped the Sept. 16 session at the Keeneland September yearling sale, going for $250,000.

A.P. Indy Emerges as Leading Day 1 Sire

Although one of his offspring failed to sell for a record RNA price of $7.7 million, A.P. Indy did have the session-topper and emerged as the leading sire of yearlings sold during the first day of the Keeneland September yearling sale Sept. 8.

Deauville Yearling Sale Has 515 Lots

Europe's yearling sale season makes its traditional return Aug. 15 in the picturesque surroundings of Deauville on the Normandy coast of France. Arqana has cataloged 515 lots for its August yearling sale, which runs through Aug. 18.

Is Ready Set Ready For Barbaro Stakes?

Michael Matz is expecting a big improvement from Ready Set in his next tilt, the $300,000 Barbaro Stakes (gr. III) July 13 at Delaware Park. Six 3-year-olds have been entered in the 1 1/16-mile event on the main track.

Acoma is a Blue Hen in the Making

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

No one has to look very deep in Acoma's pedigree to see broodmare potential in spades. Helen Alexander's and Helen Groves' daughter of Empire Maker recently won the Dogwood Stakes (gr. III) is now bucking for broodmare prospect of the year honors.

Barbaro Stakes Ruled by Roman Emperor

Favored Roman Emperor charged to the lead on the turn, dueled with Da' Tara down the lane, then won the Barbaro Stakes for 3-year-olds May 17 at Pimlico.

Keeneland January Outlook Bright

Consignors are optimistic the day before the start of Keeneland's January sale.

Giant Moon Shines Over Count Fleet

The undefeated Giant Moon will try to keep his winning streak alive when he makes his open stakes debut in the $75,000 Count Fleet at Aqueduct Jan. 5.

Country Star Delivers on a Promise

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

If Empire Maker's career as a runner left his connections to speculate on what might have been trainer Bobby Frankel described him as the best he had trained, many lengths better than he was able to show his career as a stallion is rapidly beginning to shape as if to fulfill that unrealized potential through his offspring. One of his standouts is Country Star, who broker her maiden in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I) on Oct. 5. Three weeks later, Country Star staked a claim to the juvenile filly championship with a track record-breaking win in the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I).

Country Star Shines in Starlet

Country Star, one of the leading 2-year-old fillies in the nation, is now two-for-two in grade I opportunities after a scintillating 2 3/4-length triumph in the $425,500 Hollywood Starlet Dec. 15.

Toussaud Pensioned

Toussaud, whose five grade/group winners include promising young sire Empire Maker, has been pensioned from her duties as a broodmare at Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms near Lexington.

Nine Likely for Starlet

Country Star, possible finalist in the Eclipse balloting for leading 2-year-old filly, figures to be the favorite in the $250,000 Hollywood Starlet (gr. I) Dec. 15.

Pure Clan Aims Higher in Golden Rod

Lewis Lakin's Pure Clan, unbeaten in three career starts, will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles and aim for grade II status when she heads to the post against eight other 2-year-old fillies in the $250,000 Golden Rod Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs Nov. 24.