Trainer D. Wayne Lukas purchases colt by Distorted Humor out of Half Queen.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
There's a certain feeling of deja vu around Barn 38 on the backstretch of Santa Anita Park. If Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and owner Tom VanMeter II have the funny feeling they've been here before, they're right.
Thursday, October 23, 2008Wertheimer Farm's Halfbridled, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2003, has been retired due to the recurrence of an injury the daughter of Unbridled sustained last spring.
Friday, November 05, 2004Halfbridled, the 2-year-old filly champion of 2003, was scratched from the April 30 Kentucky Oaks (gr. 1) the morning of the race after having tied up. She was scratched from the April 3 Ashland Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland for the same reason.
Friday, April 30, 2004Halfbridled, seeking to regain the form she displayed during her championship season of 2003, "blew out" three furlongs in 34 4/5 seconds Wednesday in preparation for Friday's Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.
Wednesday, April 28, 2004Many expected the field for this year's Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) to be be among the most accomplished in years, and with six grade I winners filling the entry box for the 1 1/8-mile contest Tuesday morning, that opinion may have been confirmed.
Tuesday, April 27, 2004Trainer Dick Mandella was looking for a big work from Action This Day Thursday morning to convince him last year's champion 2-year-old could rebound from two poor efforts. After the colt's six-furlong work in company with 2-year-old filly champ Halfbridled, Mandella had his answer.
Thursday, April 22, 2004Richard Mandella's champions Action This Day and Halfbridled looked sharp while breezing six furlongs in tandem in a quick 1:12 2/5 at Churchill Downs Thursday morning.
Thursday, April 22, 2004Champion Halfbridled will lead a field of eight in Thursday's $250,000 Stonerside Beaumont Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland. Halfbridled was entered but scratched from the April 3 Ashland Stakes (gr.I) after tying up after a morning gallop.
Tuesday, April 06, 2004Though knocked of the Ashland (gr. I) Saturday by a minor ailment, Wertheimer Farm's Halfbridled did little to shake the confidence of racing fans that made the reigning 2-year-old filly champion the 4-1 favorite in the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2004 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.
Sunday, April 04, 2004The Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) did nothing to clear a muddled Kentucky Derby picture, so the mutuel field – all betting interests other than the 22 remaining individual interests – continued to be the favorite with one day remaining in Churchill Downs' finalKentucky Derby Future Wager pool.
Sunday, April 04, 2004As Eurosilver, another major contender for Kentucky Derby 130 fell out of the picture, fans returned to the mutuel field as a mild favorite at the midpoint of the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2004 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Saturday, April 03, 2004The stumbling blocks continued for 2-year-old filly champ Halfbridled Friday morning when she tied up (cramped up) after a routine gallop for Saturday's $500,000 Ashland Stakes (gr. I), in which she was to face Madcap Escapade and Ashado for leadership in the 3-year-old filly division.
Friday, April 02, 2004A small but select field of 3-year-old fillies, including champion Halfbridled, undefeated Madcap Escapade, Eclipse Award finalist Ashado, and grade III winner La Reina, has been entered for Saturday's $500,000 Ashland Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland.
Thursday, April 01, 2004Undefeated Smarty Jones, the likely favorite in next weekend's Arkansas Derby (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park, was the surprise leader following the first day of wagering in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Thursday.
Thursday, April 01, 2004Champion Halfbridled and unbeaten Madcap Escapade are solid favorites for the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) Future Wager, which opens its four-day run on April 1.
Tuesday, March 30, 2004Trainer Bob Baffert's gray Triple Crown duo of Preachinatthebar and Wimbledon were both out for workouts over Santa Anita's fast main track on Monday morning.
Monday, March 29, 2004Although we're fascinated with numbers at TheDowneyProfile.com, we are not into numerology. However, it doesn't take much imagination to conjure up a projected field of 13 in Kentucky Derby 130.
Thursday, March 25, 2004Trainer Richard Mandella is sending both champion Halfbridled and Minister Eric to compete at Keeneland. Halfbridled is pointed toward the April 2 Ashland Stakes (gr. I) and Minister Eric is scheduled to run in the April 10 Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I).
Tuesday, March 16, 2004Despite suffering her first career loss in Saturday's Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I), 2-year-old filly champion Halfbridled ended up as the 7-2 favorite at the close of four days of betting in the second pool of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager ("KOFW").
Sunday, March 14, 2004A string of major upsets in Saturday's preps for the 130th running of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) May 1 helped solidify the mutuel field's grip on the favorite's role heading into the final day of Pool 2 of Churchill Downs' 2004 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Sunday, March 14, 2004Mr. and Mrs. Martin Wygod's California homebred Silent Sighs, facing open company for the first time, held on gamely over a surging Halfbridled to win the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) Saturday.
Saturday, March 13, 2004With a weekend of major prep races featuring Kentucky Derby (gr. I) contenders ahead, bettors continued to make the mutuel field and Louisiana Derby (gr. II) winner Wimbledon their lukewarm choices at the midpoint of Pool 2 of Churchill Downs' 2004 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Saturday, March 13, 2004The field entry is the early favorite in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which started Thursday, but hardly the commanding choice that it was in the opening pool.
Thursday, March 11, 2004Halfbridled, the undefeated champion 2-year-old of 2003 who has yet to start this year, will break from the rail in a much-anticipated matchup with undefeated A. P. Adventure in Saturday's $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I).
Wednesday, March 10, 2004Trainer Richard Mandella announced Tuesday that Gary Stevens will be aboard Halfbridled on Saturday when the 2-year-old filly champ makes her long-awaited 3-year-old debut in the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I).
Tuesday, March 09, 2004Halfbridled, who topped the first Kentucky Oaks Future Wager Pool as the 7-2 bettors' choice when it closed on Feb. 15, is the morning line favorite for Pool 2, which opens Thursday.
Tuesday, March 09, 2004Trainer Richard Mandella, who last year saddled Halfbridled and Action This Day to wins in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) and the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), respectively, will look to make history this weekend by scoring a weekend double in Saturday's $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) and Sunday's $250,000 San Felipe Stakes (gr. I) with his pair of juvenile champions.
Tuesday, March 09, 2004Pleasantly Perfect, scratched from Saturday's Santa Anita Handicap due to a fever, "is doing good," trainer Richard Mandella reported Sunday morning.
Sunday, March 07, 2004A full field of 10 sophomores will go to the post in Saturday's $200,000 San Rafael Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita, including grade I winner Lion Heart, the likely favorite making his first start of the year.
Wednesday, March 03, 2004Two-year-old champion filly Halfbridled and undefeated A. P. Adventure are among 145 3-year-old fillies nominated to the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I).
Friday, February 27, 2004With Tuesday's break in the recent rainy weather hitting California, several top horses were out on the track at Santa Anita getting workouts in before the next wave of wet weather is scheduled to pass through the area on Wednesday.
Tuesday, February 24, 2004Wertheimer Farm's Halfbridled, last year's champion 2-year-old filly, worked seven furlongs in 1:24 4/5 at Santa Anita Thursday in preparation for her 3-year-old debut in the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) March 13.
Thursday, February 19, 2004Wertheimer Farm's Halfbridled, the unbeaten champion 2-year-old filly of 2003, is the favorite in the initial pool of Churchill Downs' 2004 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, closing as the 7-2 choice when four days of wagering concluded Sunday.
Sunday, February 15, 2004Bob and Beverly Lewis' undefeated A.P. Adventure used a powerful finish to overcome a slow start and win the $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita Sunday.
Sunday, February 15, 2004Caifornia-based colts Lion Heart and Master David emerged from the second day of wagering in pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager as the most fancied of 23 individual horses listed for the May 1 Derby.
Friday, February 13, 2004Turf star Johar, unraced since finishing 16th in the Nov. 30 Japan Cup (gr. IT), had his first workout of the new year on Friday, logging three furlongs handily in :36 2/5 over Santa Anita's fast main track.
Friday, February 13, 2004A $30,000 wager on the mutuel field – all 3-year-olds other than the 23 assigned to the pool – by an unidentified patron enlivened the early minutes of the first of four days of betting in Pool 1 of Churchill Downs' 2004 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Thursday, February 12, 2004The first of three future wagers conducted by Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) will be held this week. from noon eastern time on Thursday until 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Thursday, February 12, 2004Patrick Biancone expects major improvement from Whoopi Cat in Sunday's $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies at one mile, and not just because Halfbridled is passing the race.
Wednesday, February 11, 2004Trainer Dick Mandella, unhappy with Halfbridled's last work, said he has decided to skip the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) Feb. 15 and train her up to the March 13 Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I).
Monday, February 09, 2004Undefeated Eclipse Award champion Halfbridled is on course to make her 3-year-old debut in next Sunday's $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies at one mile.
Sunday, February 08, 2004Undefeated Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies champion Halfbridled worked six furlongs on Santa Anita's fast main track Thursday morning in 1:14 2/5 under jockey Alex Solis as she prepared for her 2004 debut in the $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) at one mile on Feb. 15.
Thursday, January 29, 2004Eclipse Award winner Action This Day, Cuvee, and Ruler's Court accomplished enough as 2-year-olds last year to share top billing under the standard top weight of 126 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap that was released Tuesday.
Tuesday, January 27, 2004When she drew the outside post in the 14-winner's field for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), there were some handicappers who thought that would be enough to stop the unbeaten streak of Halfbridled.
Monday, January 26, 2004Travers Stakes (gr. I) winner Ten Most Wanted will not make his 4-year-old debut in the Feb. 7 Strub Stakes (gr. II) as originally expected, trainer Wally Dollase confirmed Friday.
Friday, January 16, 2004Undefeated Hallbridled, who Jan. 26 will most likely be named champion juvenile filly for 2003, will be nominated to the VISA Triple Crown, trainer Richard Mandella told the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Friday, January 16, 2004Undefeated Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies champion Halfbridled breezed six furlongs in 1:17 1/5 on Santa Anita's fast main track Thursday morning in preparation for her 3-year-old debut in the $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) at one mile on Feb. 15.
Thursday, January 08, 2004Halfbridled, undefeated winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), breezed 5 furlongs in 1:01 at Santa Anita Thursday morning for her scheduled 3-year-old debut in the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) on Feb. 15.
Thursday, January 01, 2004This is the second in a series of early looks at next year's potential Derby horses. Todd Pletcher and Richard Mandella hold hot hands on opposite ends of the country. The next report will focus on Bob "See me in January" Baffert and the Godolphin/Darley team.
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
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