BloodHorse.com | Horse Racing News

Giant Oak's First Foal Out of Stakes Winner

Bred by Mike Abraham, the filly is out of the Ghazi mare Silent Emotion, a stakes winner of $209,993 and dam of grade 1-placed multiple stakes winner Unspoken Word.

Trainer Chris Block Gets Win No. 1,000

Trainer Chris Block was represented by his 1,000th winner Jan. 12 at Gulfstream Park, when 5-year-old All for Thee rallied through the stretch to score a hard-fought neck victory at odds of 12-1 in the second race of the day.

Millennium Farms Announces 2013 Stud Fees

Off the success of multiple grade I winner Dullahan, Even the Score will see an increase in his stud fee from $10,000 to $12,500 in 2013 at Millennium Farms.

Giant Oak Voted 2011 Illinois HOY

Multiple grade I winner Giant Oak has been named the Illinois Horse of the Year and champion older handicap male for 2011

Giant Oak Retired to Millennium Farms

Multiple grade I winner is Giant Causeway's leading runner on dirt.

Afleet Again, 41-1, Steals BC Marathon

Sent off at 41-1, Afleet Again ran down Birdrun and Giant Oak in deep stretch to pull a shocker in the opening race on Day 2 of the Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs.

Marathon: A. U. Miner Looking for Better Luck

A. U. Miner, third in last year's Breeders' Cup Marathon, draws post 11 for this year's renewal. The opener to the Nov. 5 program to be run at 1 3/4 miles.

Patient Headache Earns Hawthorne Gold Cup

Third at mid-stretch, former claimer Headache closed steadily to edge Where's Sterling by a half-length in the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) in Illinois Oct. 8.

Giant Oak Tops Tough Hawthorne Gold Cup

Grade I winner Giant Oak faces stiff competition from nine challengers in Hawthorne Racecourse's marquee fall event.

2011 Woodward Stakes - Predict the Order

Will Havre de Grace beat the boys? If not, then who's the winner?

Predict the Order

Havre de Grace to Face Seven in Woodward

Havre de Grace will face males for the first time in the $750,000 Woodward (gr.l) Sept. 3 at Saratoga, where she will meet seven rivals.

Tizway Decisive Winner in Whitney Handicap

Tizway picked up his second consecutive grade I victory Aug. 6 at Saratoga when he took over approaching the quarter-pole and breezed to an easy score in the $750,000 Whitney Invitational Handicap (gr. I).

THS: Whitney Handicap 2011

Jason, Tom, and Ed DeRosa of TwinSpires.com, handicap the Whitney Invitational Handicap and West Virginia Derby.

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2011 Whitney - Predict the Order

Will a Rail Trip make a Mission Impazible for Friend Or Foe running Flat Out?

Predict the Order

Division Parity Leads to Competitive Whitney

The handicap division has taken its lumps this year for not being especially deep, but its competitive nature has led to one of the more intriguing recent editions of the $750,000 Whitney Handicap (gr. I), which drew 11.

Duke of Mischief Tops Among Whitney Workers

Alex Lieblong's Duke of Mischief topped the list of horses working at Saratoga on the morning of July 31 for the $750,000 Whitney Invitational (gr. I), turning in a bullet half-mile breeze over the main track in :46.88.

Pool Play, 36-1, Upsets Stephen Foster

William S. Farish Jr.'s Pool Play, making his first start on dirt in his 28th career start, pulled a 36-1 shocker in the $561,300 Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) June 18 at Churchill Downs.

THS: Stephen Foster Handicap 2011

Jason, Tom and Steve from TwinSpires.com handicap the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

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2011 Stephen Foster - Predict the Order

Eleven are scheduled to compete in the grade I Stephen Foster. Can you predict the order of finish?

Predict the Order

Stephen Foster Key Race in Handicap Division

Nearly six months into the season, the handicap division is still looking for a clear-cut leader. With a breakout performance in the Stephen Foster Handicap June 18, there is an opportunity for someone to assume that role.

Bind Injured; Could Miss Rest of the Year

An injury suffered during a June 13 workout has taken Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's Bind out of consideration for the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs and could sideline him for the rest of the year.

Grade I Winner Giant Oak Tops Alysheba

Giant Oak, winner of the Donn Handicap (gr. I) earlier this year, tops a field of 11 entered in the May 6 Alysheba Stakes (gr. III) that is part of the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) undercard at Churchill Downs.

Giant's Causeway Reaches 100 Stakes Winners

It was just a matter of time before Giant's Causeway reached the 100 mark by number of stakes winners.

Mission Impazible Returns to Winning Ways

Mission Impazible, who scored the biggest win of his career at Fair Grounds exactly a year ago, returned to his winning ways with a victory over a strong field in the $400,000 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) on March 26.

Giant Oak the One to Beat Now

Giant Oak will face six rivals in the 1 1/8-mile dirt contest, including the top three finishers of last month's Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III).

Gio Ponti Leads Turf Classic Nominees

Two-time Champion Gio Ponti tops the list of early nominees to the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic. He could face last year's winner General Quarters in the grade I race May 7.

Midwest/Canada Regional: Tree Top

Rudy and Virginia Tarra hit the heights with Giant Oak

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Giant Oak Named Illinois Horse of the Year

Daniel Sullivan, president of The Illinois Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Foundation, announced Feb. 14 that Giant Oak had been named the state's 2010 Horse of the Year and champion older handicap male.

The Week In Photos: February 06, 2011

Giant Oak, Vox Populi Award, Zazu and more from a weekend of racing!

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Giant Oak Rallies to Post Donn Upset

Giant Oak, who won the Clark Handicap (gr. I) via disqualification last out, validated that win by posting a rallying victory in the $500,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I) Feb. 5 at Gulfstream Park.

Fly Down, Morning Line Top Loaded Donn 'Cap

Nick Zito trainees Fly Down and Morning Line, both thought to be among the top handicap horses in 2011, could wind up as the top two choices in a star-studded Donn Handicap (gr. I) Feb. 5 at Gulfstream Park.

Donn Handicap Trio Post Workouts in Florida

Three probable starters in the $500,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I) Feb. 5 at Gulfstream Park -- Giant Oak, Eldaafer and Rule -- posted workouts during the morning of Jan. 30.

Giant Oak Wins Clark by Disqualification

Giant Oak picked a good time to break his 14-race losing streak, as he was placed first in the $500,000 Clark Handicap (gr. I) when stewards disqualified favored Successful Dan for interference Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs.

THS: The Clark Handicap

Jason, Tom, and James Scully of twinspires.com preview the Clark Handicap (gr. I) at Churchill Downs on November 26.

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Gran Estreno Repeats in Washington Park

Blocked in the stretch, Gran Estreno exploited an unexpected opening at the rail to win the $120,000 Washington Park Handicap (gr. III) for the second year in a row at Arlington Park Sept. 4.

Gran Estreno Defends Washington Park Title

Gran Estreno, who posted a mild upset when winning the 2009 edition of the Washington Park Handicap (gr. III), returns in search of a repeat as part of a seven-horse field in the $150,000 race Sept. 4 at Arlington Park.

Blame Runs Down Battle Plan in Stephen Foster

The only thing Blame needed to officially become a star was a grade I win. The son of Arch accomplished that June 12, overcoming a wide trip while running down pacesetter Battle Plan to score the Stephen Foster Handicap.

THS: The Stephen Foster

Jason, Evan, and Les Instone of twinspires.com preview the Stephen Foster (gr. I) at Churchill Downs on June 12.

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Borel, Dubious Miss On Target in Ben Ali

Favored Dubious Miss, icily ridden by Calvin Borel, led nearly all the way to register his third consecutive win over Keeneland's Polytrack in the $150,000 Ben Ali Stakes (gr. III) April 18.

Awesome Gem Leads Spirited New Orleans 'Cap

Awesome Gem, the California-based gelding with recent success as an invader, has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line choice for the $300,000 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) March 27 at Fair Grounds.

ITBOF Announces 2009 Champions

Daniel Sullivan, president of the Illinois Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Foundation, announced that Giant Oak has been selected its 2009 Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male.

Stonehouse Doesn't Crumble in Mineshaft Upset

Stonehouse shocked odds-on choice Friesan Fire in the Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III) and Blues Street was too much to handle in the Fair Grounds Handicap (gr. IIIT) at the New Orleans track Feb. 20.

Friesan Fire Favored in Mineshaft

The first three finishers in the Jan. 23 Louisiana Handicap at Fair Grounds are set to battle again in the Feb. 20 Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III) at the same 1 1/16-mile distance over the New Orleans oval.

Two Go For Three Straight in FG Handicap

10 older horses will line up in Saturday's Fair Grounds Handicap (gr. III), headed by recent winners Acting Zippy and Blues Street.

Parading Leads Closing-Day Field for Fayette

Parading returns to the scene of his most lopsided stakes victory earlier this year when he takes on nine rivals in Keeneland's $150,000 Fayette Stakes on Oct. 31, closing day for the Lexington track's short fall meet.

Misremembered Ships in to Score Indiana Derby

Misremembered made his first start outside of California a memorable one, as he took over in the stretch and held on for a half-length victory in the $512,600 Indiana Derby (gr. II) Oct. 3 at Hoosier Park.

Misremembered to Try Dirt in Indiana Derby

Grade II winner Misremembered makes his first start on a dirt surface for trainer Bob Baffert when he faces a full field of 3-year-olds in the $500,000 Indiana Derby (gr. II) at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino Oct. 3.

Ohio Derby Gets Decent Number of Nominees

Thirty-two nominations are pretty good for a race that, up until six weeks ago, wasn't even on the schedule. Thistledown officials Sept. 23 said that's the number of nominees for the grade II Ohio Derby Oct. 3. The purse is $150,000, down from $300,000 last year.

Several With a Shot at Secretariat Stakes

Ashbrook Farm's Reb, winner of the three straight including the American Derby (gr. IIT), and Irish invader Black Bear Island, who has a group II victory in England this season, lead a wide-open field of 11 in the $400,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) for 3-year-olds Aug. 8 on the Arlington Park turf.

Gio Ponti Top Choice in Arlington Million

Einstein, who stumbled at the start and finished fifth in last year's Arlington Million (gr. IT), drew the inside post for this season's prestigious turf race at Arlington Park, which will be held Aug. 8.