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Porter Has High Hopes For Derby Invasion

Rick Porter has seen both Hard Spun and Eight Belles finish second in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). He's hoping Normandy Invasion can make his patented late run to get to the Derby wire first.

Normandy Invasion Posts Smooth Final Move

Wood Memorial (gr. I) runner-up Normandy Invasion has been getting 'sharper and smoother every day he's been here,' trainer Chad Brown said at Churchill April 27, after the Tapit colt breezed five furlongs in :59 flat.

Brown, Lukas Work Derby Charges at Churchill

Normandy Invasion and Will Take Charge both worked over a fast Churchill Downs main track April 21 as they near their scheduled starts in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands.

Champion Havre de Grace Has Date With Tapit

Mandy Pope, who paid $14.2 million in November for major broodmare prospects Havre de Grace and Plum Pretty, has taken important steps in what she believes will pay off handsomely.

Top Chilukki Finishers to Meet in Falls City

Less than three weeks after hooking up for a thrilling stretch duel in the Chilukki Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs, Brushed by a Star and Joyful Victory will meet again Nov. 22 in the Falls City Handicap (gr. II).

He May Be Old Fashioned, But He's In Style

Hammer Time looks at the success of Old Fashioned's yearlings in the auction ring.

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Havre de Grace 'Doing Terrific' in Retirement

Havre de Grace, 2011's Horse of the Year, is "doing terrific" in retirement, according to her owner, Rick Porter, and he's planning to send her to a November mixed sale in Kentucky.

Havre de Grace, Oatsee Named KY Champions

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders has named Havre de Grace the 2011 Horse of the Year and champion older female.

Havre de Grace Will Not Defend Apple Blossom

Saying that weight assignments for the Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) were "unfair," owner Rick Porter and trainer Larry Jones will bypass the April 13 race at Oaklawn Park with Horse of the Year Havre de Grace.

Havre de Grace Cruises in 'Orleans Comeback

Horse of the Year Havre de Grace commenced her 2012 campaign in fine style with a facile victory in the $150,000 New Orleans Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots March 17.

4 to Try Havre de Grace in New Orleans Ladies

Horse of the Year Havre de Grace, set to make her 2012 debut in the $150,000 New Orleans Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots March 17, drew post position 2 and will face four opponents.

Havre de Grace Breezes, Set for 2012 Debut

Horse of the Year Havre de Grace breezed five furlongs in :59 3/5 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots March 12 in preparation for her 2012 debut in the March 17 New Orleans Ladies Stakes at the Louisiana racetrack.

Havre de Grace, Joyful Victory Work Together

Fox Hill Farms' reigning Horse of the Year Havre de Grace continued her string of sharp works with a six-furlong drill in 1:11 2/5 at Fair Grounds March 5 in preparation for her 2012 debut in the New Orleans Ladies March 17.

Azeri the Starting Point for Havre de Grace

Fox Hill Farms' Havre de Grace, the Horse of the Year in 2011, will make her first start of the year in the Azeri Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park March 17, owner Rick Porter announced Feb. 22.

Half Sister to Havre de Grace Born

A half sister to 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace was born Feb. 15 at Mill Ridge Farm near Lexington.

Havre de Grace Puts in First Workout of Year

Horse of the Year Havre de Grace put in her first published work of the year Feb. 10 when she breezed three furlongs in :37 4/5 at Fair Grounds for trainer Larry Jones.

Woodward is NYRA's 2011 Race of the Year

Fans have voted the 2011 Woodward Stakes (gr. I), in which Havre de Grace became the second female to win the race in its 58-year history, as the New York Racing Association's Race of the Year.

Havre de Grace Settles in at Fair Grounds

Havre de Grace, finalist for the 2011 Eclipse Award as top older female and a leading candidate to be named Horse of the Year, arrived at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots at 5:30 a.m. on Jan. 5.

Jones: Havre de Grace to Run Again in 2012

Rick Porter's Havre de Grace, the 4-year-old filly seeking to earn a Horse of the Year title with a victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), will remain in training in 2012, according to trainer Larry Jones.

Friesan Fire to Merryland in Maryland

Friesan Fire, winner of the 2009 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) and the favorite in that year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), has been retired from racing and will stand at Merryland in Maryland.

Porter on 'Grace': Time to Take on the Boys

Rick Porter of Fox Hill Stables has made many bold statements in regards to his 4-year-old filly Havre de Grace. Time is now ticking to see whether she will prove him right by winning the Sept. 3 Woodward (gr. I).

Havre de Grace Runs Streak to Three in Obeah

Prohibitive choice Havre de Grace tookn her third consecutive graded event this year with a facile 2 1/4-length triumph over four rivals in the $168,000 Obeah Stakes (gr. III) at Delaware Park June 11.

Joyful Victory Posts Bullet Work at Churchill

Joyful Victory, who is pointed toward the May 6 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), worked five furlongs in :59 1/5 at Churchill Downs the morning of May 1.

Joyful Victory Works in Slop at Churchill

Fox Hill Farms' Joyful Victory worked five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 on her own over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs on April 25.

Honest Man to Stand at Red River

Honest Man, a multiple graded stakes winner, has been retired from racing to stand in 2011 at Jay Adcock's Red River Farms near Coushatta, La.

Havre de Grace Seeks Repeat Over Blind Luck

Rick Porter, who won the Ladies' Classic when it was the Distaff in 2006, seeks a repeat with Havre de Grace, who has established quite a rivalry with likely favorite Blind Luck.

No Travers for Winslow Homer

The colt was diagnosed with a condylar fracture of his left foreleg following his victory in the Aug. 1 Curlin Stakes at Saratoga.

Winslow Homer a Thing of Beauty in Holy Bull

Winslow Homer moved into striking position approaching the turn, Winslow Homer splits horses at the top of the lane and held off 2-1 favorite Jackson Bend to win the Holy Bull by a length in his stakes debut Jan. 23.

Friesan Fire Training Up to the Derby

Friesan Fire, whose Louisiana Derby (gr. II) romp cemented his status as one of the leading Triple Crown contenders, will most likely not have another race before the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), trainer Larry Jones said April 1.

Friesan Fire Dominates Louisiana Derby

Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm's Friesan Fire swept the Louisiana 3-year-old series and made a bold statement for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) when overwhelming eight rivals to win the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) by 7 1/4 lengths March 14 at Fair Grounds.

All Eyes on Old Fashioned in Rebel

Already regarded by many as the best 3-year-olds in the land, Fox Hills Farms' Old Fashioned will look to solidify himself as the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) favorite when he takes on eight rivals in the $300,000 Rebel Stakes (gr. II) March 14 at Oaklawn Park.

Southwest Suits Old Fashioned

He had to work a little harder than the typical 2-5 shot has to, but Old Fashioned pulled clear late and came out on top in his 2009 debut Feb. 16 with a 3 1/4-length victory over a stubborn Silver City in the $250,000 Southwest Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park.

Friesan Fire Turns Back 12 in Risen Star

Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farms' Friesan Fire stamped himself as a legitimate Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contender by winning his second consecutive graded stakes race at Fair Grounds. This time, the A.P. Indy colt posted a two-length victory in the $200,000 Risen Star (gr. III) Feb. 7.

Honest Man Cruises to Mineshaft Score

Fox Hill Farms' Honest Man stayed close to a slow pace, passed My Pal Charlie in upper stretch, and easily pulled away for a 4 1/4-length score in the $125,000 Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III), the first of four graded stakes at Fair Grounds Feb. 7.

Friesan Fire Burns LeComte Foes

Friesan Fire, a talented 3-year-old colt who had disappointed in his last three starts, finally showed why trainer Larry Jones considered him a legitimate Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) prospect from the outset.

Old Fashioned Cruises in Remsen Stakes

Favored Old Fashioned made sure there wasn't a lot of suspense about the outcome of the $200,000 Remsen Stakes (gr. II) for 2-year-olds at Aqueduct Nov. 29. The son of Unbridled's Song grabbed the lead early and then romped to a 7 1/4-length victory in New York.

Solar Flare Looks to Shine in Stuyvesant

When Fox Hill Farms' Rick Porter acquired promising Argentine-bred Solar Flare last winter and sent him to trainer Larry Jones at Fair Grounds, there were high expectations. But as talented as the 4-year-old was, the son of Salt Lake arrived with issues to be worked out.

Porter Hires Barkley as Trainer

Rick Porter of Fox Hill Farms has hired Jeff Barkley as his private trainer, beginning a transition resulting from trainer Larry Jones' recent announcement that he will wind down his operation and retire.

Talent Abounds in Loaded Vosburgh

A star-studded cast of seven talented sprinters led by grade I winners Fabulous Strike and First Defence will do battle in the $400,000 Vosburgh Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 27 at Belmont Park.

Eight Belles Faces Three in Fantasy

Though Larry Jones was tempted to run his ultra-talented 3-year-old filly Eight Belles against the boys in the $1-million Arkansas Derby (gr. II) April 12, the trainer has decided to take the safer route, and instead will line up the daughter of Unbridled's Song in the $250,000 Fantasy Stakes (gr. II) April 6 at Oaklawn Park.

Eight Belles Has Easy Time in Honeybee

In the $100,000 Honeybee Stakes (gr. III) March 16 at Oaklawn Park, the streaking 3-year-old filly proved she could handle graded stakes competition, as she scored by 1 1/4 lengths after coasting to the wire with ease under a confident Ramon Dominguez. She defeated five rivals.

Derby Rubdown: Hard Spun Gets Ready With a Massage

Massage helps Hard Spun work out all the kinks before Saturday's Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr.I).

Hard Spun Regains Winning Form in Lane's End

Fox Hill Farms' Hard Spun regained his status as a leading Triple Crown contender with a powerful win in the $500,000 Lane's End Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds on Turfway Park's all-weather track Saturday.

Sweet Streak Intact for Lecomte Victor Hard Spun

Trainer Larry Jones thought undefeated Hard Spun would face the first difficult test of his career in Saturday's $100,000 Lecomte (gr. III) for 3-year-olds at the Fair Grounds. But as the even-money choice swung off the far turn, it was apparent that this one-mile event was all but over.

Rockport Harbor to Stand at Darley at Jonabell

Rockport Harbor, a multiple graded stakes winner, has been purchased by Sheikh Mohammed's Darley operation and will enter stud at Darley at Jonabell near Lexington.

Round Pond Nips 'Ticket in Dramatic Azeri BC

Round Pond and Happy Ticket staged a brilliant duel in the $173,500 Azeri Breeders' Cup (gr. III) for fillies and mares Saturday at Oaklawn Park before the favored Round Pond prevailed by a determined neck.

Rockport Harbor Shows No Rust in Essex Win

Even-money favorite Rockport Harbor, making his first start in more than nine months, put away the challenge of Cougar Cat in the final eighth of a mile to post his first win since 2004 in the $100,000 Essex Handicap (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park Saturday.

Round Pond Romping Winner of Fantasy

Rapidly developing Round Pond accelerated away from the leaders in upper stretch to record an impressive victory in Friday's $250,000 Fantasy Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park for trainer John Servis and jockey Stewart Elliott.

Servis Has Another Young Phenom in His Barn

It appears as if Smarty Jones has passed the baton to another young phenom residing in trainer John Servis' barn. His name is Rockport Harbor, and this grand-looking colt can flat-out run, as evidenced by his effortless 7 1/2-length victory in an allowance race at Philadelphia Park Oct. 12, his second brilliant score in as many starts.

Millionaire Jostle Retired; Bred to Storm Cat

Grade I winner Jostle was retired following a third-place finish in the April 5 Banshee Breeze Handicap at Gulfstream Park and was bred April 23 to Storm Cat.