With five of its nine entrants bred outside the United States, including slight favorites Julie's Love and Dealbata, the $150,000 Noble Damsel Stakes (gr. IIIT) Sept. 15 at Belmont Park will have a strong European flavor.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
A full field of 12 grass-favoring sophomore fillies, topped by Virginia Oaks (gr. IIIT) winner Volcat and Italian transplant Angegreen, will line up Sept. 15 for the $175,000 Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington Park.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Michael J. Bruder's Quick Wit returns to the grass in the Sept. 2 Saranac Stakes after winning an off-the-turf running of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes, but Lucky Chappy is the 2-1 morning line favorite.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Grade I winner Summer Soiree, last seen finishing second in the Matriarch Stakes (gr. IT) last November, makes her 2012 debut in the $250,000 Ballston Spa Stakes Presented by Jose Cuervo (gr. IIT) on Saratoga's inner turf.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Fresh from his first win since taking the Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial (gr. I) in April 2011, Toby's Corner returns in the $150,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes (gr. III) Aug. 18 at Monmouth Park.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Morrow Cove has stamped herself as a talented filly on the improve in her past two starts for trainer Graham Motion. Whether she's good enough to get a graded score will be discovered Aug. 11 at Monmouth Park.
Wednesday, August 08, 2012
Charging on the outside of the Penn National Race Course, 34-1 shot Kyma registered his first stakes victory in the $200,000 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup on the turf July 28.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Brujo de Olleros is the next potential star to arrive in the United States from Uruguay.
Spiral Stakes winner is sidelined with bone bruising likely suffered in Preakness.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
An evenly-matched field of nine older fillies and mares heads postward July 3 in the $250,000 Dr. James Penny Memorial Handicap (gr. IIIT), each seeking her first graded stakes score.
Sunday, July 01, 2012
Flaxman Holdings' top-class turf mare Aruna will face a new contender in the $200,000 New York Stakes (gr. IIT) at Belmont Park June 30, when trainer Chad Brown sends Banimpire to her U.S. debut.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Animal Kingdom, winner of last year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), resumed galloping on June 21 at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
$150,000 Donald LeVine Memorial Handicap June 23 offers potential confidence-booster off seventh-place finish in Pimlico Special.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012Belmont Stakes-winning rider heads back to New York June 19 after suffering broken collarbone, traumatic blow to kidney at Churchill Downs in June 16 spill.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Jockey John Velazquez broke his right collarbone and will require surgery following a three-horse spill June 16 in the ninth race at Churchill Downs.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Trainers and owners share mixed opinions on the points-based system that will be implemented this fall for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks in 2013, but all agree the newly-announced system could use some tweaking.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Pachattack, a 6-year-old mare conditioned by Graham Motion, has been entered in the local prep for the July 21 Delaware Handicap (gr. II), but her connections are keeping their options open for this weekend and beyond.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Coup, an Empire Maker filly and winner of Pimlico's Hilltop Stakes on Preakness day, has the top stakes experience in the field for the June 16 Regret Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Howe Great, a graded winner who was originally entered in a stakes at Indiana Downs, instead will head to Belmont Park for the $150,000 Hill Prince (gr. IIIT) June 16.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Pachattack, winner of the Doubledogdare Stakes (gr. III) in her only start since finishing third in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (gr. I), heads the field for the Edward P. Evans All Along Stakes (gr. IIIT) June 16.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Flaxman Holdings homebred Aruna took charge at the five-sixteenths pole and held off Hit It Rich to win the Sheepshead Bay, a race that was impacted by a troubled start for Mystical Star and Magical Cat.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Unbridled Humor will be looking for her first win of the year and her first graded stakes victory since last September when she goes postward in the $100,000 Violet Stakes (gr. IIIT) over the Monmouth Park turf May 28.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
No factor in her only start this year, Aruna looks to get back on the beam for trainer Graham Motion in the $200,000 Sheepshead Bay Stakes (gr. IIT), scheduled for the inner turf course at Belmont Park May 26.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
A Preakness tradition, the Alibi Breakfast gives trainers a chance to offer up an 'alibi' before the second jewel of the Triple Crown. This year there were few alibis and a lot more confidence from the connections.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Graham Motion discusses Went the Day Well and being back for Preakness after experience with Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom last year.
Hosted by Todd Schrupp and Paul Rogers, the Trainer's Dinner attracted a full crowd to the Regency Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency in Louisville May 1.
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
Went the Day Well turned in "his best work ever" at Churchill Downs April 28, leaving his connections pleased with their hand heading into the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Trainer Graham Motion discusses April 21, 2012 Keeneland workout by Kentucky Derby contender Went the Day Well.
In a move akin to that of Animal Kingdom a year ago, Team Valor International and Mark Ford's Went the Day Well breezed in wet, rainy conditions at Keeneland April 21.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
On a day that belonged the Julien Leparoux, it was Rajiv Maragh that was able to narrowly outduel his fellow rider in the Keeneland feature, as Pachattack defeated Kathmanblu by a neck in the $100,000 Doubledogdare.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Team Valor International and Mark Ford's Went the Day Well, winner of the Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (gr. III) in his most recent start March 24, worked five furlongs in company in 1:02 April 14 at Keeneland.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Went the Day Well did a good imitation of Animal Kingdom when he easily won the $500,000 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (gr. III) at Turfway Park March 24, giving Team Valor International consecutive victories in the race.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Graham Motion is back on the Derby trail with recent maiden winner Went the Day Well, who will race next in the Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (gr. II) March 24.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Two days after 3-year-old male champion Animal Kingdom breezed five furlongs on the turf at Palm Meadows Training Center, his trip to the $10 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) March 31 has been scrapped.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Howe Great, a turf horse for now, held off Dullahan by one length to win the $150,000 Palm Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) as the 3-5 favorite on the Gulfstream Park lawn March 11.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Team Valor International's Animal Kingdom worked an easy five-eighths of a mile on turf in 1:04 4/5 at Palm Meadows Training Center March 10 as he preps for the $10 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) on March 31.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
After a long stretch duel and a fortuitous head-bob at the wire, State of Play prevailed in the $75,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes March 3 at Turfway Park.
Saturday, March 03, 2012
Classy 6-year-old Smart Bid nailed pacesetter Mr. Vegas on the wire to score as the favorite in the $122,500 Fair Grounds Handicap (gr. IIIT) Feb. 25.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
A six-time group/graded stakes winner and a veteran of 44 career starts, 10-year-old Musketier returns for yet another season when he opens up his 2012 campaign in the $150,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (gr. IIT) Feb. 26.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Team Valor came, they saw, they conquered.
Team Valor International's Animal Kingdom made a successful return after being off for nearly nine months, as he kicked away from rivals in the stretch to win an optional claimer by two lengths Feb. 18 at Gulfstream Park.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Champion Animal Kingdom, who had originally been scheduled to make his 2012 debut in the Feb. 25 Tampa Bay Stakes (gr. IIIT), will now run instead in a turf allowance race at Gulfstream Park Feb. 18.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
In his longest work of the year to date, Animal Kingdom breezed six furlongs on the Palm Meadows Training Center turf Feb. 14.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Julien Leparoux, a two-time champion jockey in the United States, and Alan Garcia, who won the 2008 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), will both be at Golden Gate Fields Feb. 18 to compete in the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby (gr. III).
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Last year's Kentucky Derby winner is right on schedule for the Dubai World Cup.
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Animal Kingdom is to make his return to racing in the Feb. 25 Tampa Bay Stakes (gr. IIIT).
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Animal Kingdom, the champion 3-year-old male of 2011, continued to progress toward his 2012 debut by breezing five furlongs on turf in a quick :59 4/5 Jan. 25 at Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Howe Great registered a front-running victory in the $100,000 Kitten's Joy Stakes to cap a big week for Team Valor International and trainer Graham Motion, who also started runner-up Lucky Chappy at Gulfstream Park Jan. 21.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Animal Kingdom worked an easy half mile on turf in :53.44 at Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida Jan. 17. Toby's Corner also worked.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
By a vote of 114 to 111, Animal Kingdom outpolled Caleb's Posse for an Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old male.
Monday, January 16, 2012