It's a Bird won a stirring stretch battle by a head over Jonesboro in the $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap (gr. III), the headline event on a stakes-packed Memorial Day program at the Grand Prairie, Texas, track May 25.
Monday, May 25, 2009Dr. John A. Chandler's homebred Seaspeak made quick work of his five overmatched rivals in the $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup (gr. IIIT) May 25 at Lone Star Park, taking over after a half-mile and romping to a 4 3/4-length victory under Julien Leparoux.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Julien Leparoux sent Skylighter to the front, and the Sky Mesa filly just coasted around the track to an easy victory in the first stakes on the Preakness day undercard May 16, the Allaire duPont Distaff (gr. II).
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Jockey Julien Leparoux won the 1,000th race of his career when he guided My Little Connor to a 1 3/4-length victory for trainer Dave Vance in the third race at Churchill Downs May 13.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Remarkable 7-year-old Einstein continued his amazing run on May 2 at Churchill Downs, outdueling Cowboy Cal in the stretch to win the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) under Julien Leparoux. The Helen Pitts-Blasi trainee became the first horse to repeat in the prestigious event.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Augustin Stable's Informed Decision made it four stakes victories in a row when she came from off the pace to win the $300,000 Humana Distaff Stakes (gr. I) on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Accredit cruised through the slop May 2 to win the seven-furlong Churchill Downs Handicap (gr. II), the first stakes race on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
The Lexington track attracted near-record crowds but the all-sources handle still fell 19.5%. The on-track handle fared a bit better.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Augustin Stable's homebred Winter View went from last to first in her graded stakes debut, charging through the lane under Julien Leparoux to score the Grey Goose Bewitch Stakes (gr. IIIT) by two lengths April 23 on the Keeneland turf.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Stuck wide on the backstretch of the $150,000 Ben Ali Stakes (gr. III), jockey Kent Desormeaux took a chance when he encouraged Parading to take control over his pace rivals heading into the final turn. The decision paid off when Parading ran away in upper stretch on the way to his first graded stakes victory April 19 at wet and windy Keeneland.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Champion turf runner Forever Together started her 5-year-old campaign with a stylish late-running win in the $200,000 Jenny Wiley Stake (gr. IIT) on the Keeneland turf course April 11.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
War Kill got the best of Selva after a lengthy stretch duel to win the $150,000 Beaumont Stakes (gr. II) at odds of 16-1, giving Julien Leparoux his fourth victory on the card.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Back on the fast track he prefers, the Florida shipper It's a Bird swept past pacemaker Jonesboro on the turn for home and left his rivals in the dust, romping to a six-length victory in the $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) April 4 in Hot Springs, Ark.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Confirming Bill Mott's suspicions that he was a natural turf horse, Darley Stable's Stormalory came from off the pace to take the $150,000 Central Bank Transylvania (gr. IIIT), the opening day feature at Keeneland on April 3.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Sensational 3-year-old filly Justwhistledixie notched her fifth consecutive victory in the $200,000 Bonnie Miss (gr. II) March 27 at Gulfstream Park, further stamping herself as one of the top Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) contenders.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Helen Alexander and Helen Groves' rising star Acoma notched her third consecutive graded stakes victory March 8 at Oaklawn Park, coming from off the pace to score a five-length win in the $144,000 Azeri Stakes (gr. III).
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Charlotte Musgrave's Diamond Tycoon, far back for most of the way, came charging down the center of the racetrack under Julien Leparoux to take the $125,000 Fair Grounds Handicap (gr. IIIT) Feb. 7.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Saratoga Sinner, shadowing pacesetter Bear's Rocket from the start, took control in the final furlong to post a 12-1 upset in the $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 31.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Edmund Gann's It's a Bird stalked the pace under Julien Leparoux, took over rounding the final turn and drew clear for a resounding, 5 1/4-length victory in the $1-million OBS Sunshine Millions Classic Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The $100,000 Mr. Prospector Handicap (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park came up particularly strong with Summerplace Farm's 8-year-old gelding Kelly's Landing coming out for another season and Wind River Stable's 5-year-old Black Seventeen shipping in from California for the six-furlong dash on Jan. 17.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009Jockey Julien Leparoux broke a 23-year-old Churchill Downs record for wins at a fall meet Nov. 28 when he rode Just Like William to a head victory in the third race for his 56th victory of the meet.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey of Nicholasville, Ky., notched their 16th victory of the fall meet Nov. 15 when Ya Think won the seventh race. The victory, on the 16th day of the 26-day meet, broke the fall meet record established in 1965 by T. Alie Grissom over a 23-day meet.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Jockey Julien Leparoux equaled Hall of Fame rider Pat Day's 24-year-old record for most wins on a single card at Churchill Downs when his mount Runaway West ($12) prevailed in the eighth race Nov. 11.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Helen Groves and Helen Alexander's Acoma seems to have found a new home on the grass, as the 3-year-old Empire Maker filly won her second graded turf event in as many starts, this time taking the $201,950 Mrs. Revere Stakes (gr. IIT) by 1 1/4 lengths Nov. 8 at Churchill Downs.
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Trainer Barclay Tagg will attempt to saddle consecutive winners of the Mrs. Revere Stakes (gr. IIT) when he sends out multiple graded stakes winner My Princess Jess in the 1 1/16-mile turf event Nov. 8 at Churchill Downs.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Capt. Candyman Can took over approaching the turn, maintained a narrow advantage at the top of the lane and repelled a bid from Monty's Best in the final furlong to take the $111,100 Iroquois Stakes (gr. III) by three lengths Nov. 1 on "Stars of Tomorrow" day at Churchill Downs.
Saturday, November 01, 2008
George Strawbridge Jr.'s Forever Together came with a furious rally in the center of the course and got up in the final strides to take the $2-million Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) by three-quarters of a length Oct. 24 at Santa Anita Park.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Herboriste never let favored Palmilla get away from her and eventually wore her rival down in the stretch to win the $150,000 Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths at Keeneland Oct. 19.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
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.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Godolphin's Hatta Fort rallied along the rail to get the lead in the final strides, winning the $200,000 Perryville Stakes (Presented by Budweiser Select) (gr. III) by a neck over a game Amazing Results at Keeneland Oct. 11.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Forever Together came from off the pace to collar longtime leader Precious Kitten inside the sixteenth-pole, going on to capture the $400,000 First Lady by 1 1/2 lengths on the turf Oct. 3, the first grade I event of the Keeneland 2008 fall meet.
Friday, October 03, 2008
The connections of Ready Set were rewarded for their patience Aug. 2 when the colt earned his first career stakes victory in a big way -- the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. III) at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Preakness (gr. I) runner-up Macho Again split horses coming off the turn, took over inside the eighth-pole and held off a late charge from favored Pyro to post a half-length upset victory in the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) July 27 at Saratoga.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Trapped on the inside coming down the lane, a patient Julien Leparoux guided favored Pure Clan through a narrow opening between horses and outfought French raider Satan's Circus in the final furlong to win the $750,000 American Oaks Invitational (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park July 5.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Graded stakes winners Brownie Points, Bayou's Lassie, and Meribel headline a field of 10 entered for the $150,000-added Locust Grove Handicap (gr. IIIT), a one-mile event turf event for fillies and mares July 6, the closing day of the 52-day spring meet at Churchill Downs.
Friday, July 04, 2008
Pure Clan, who was last seen finishing third to Proud Spell and Little Belle May 2 in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), bounced back with an impressive victory June 14 in the Regret Stakes (gr. IIIT) under the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Graeme Six earned her third victory of the season and first career graded score May 26 in the $107,600 Winning Colors Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs, pressing the pace and then taking over at the top of the stretch under Julien Leparoux. The daughter of Graeme Hall drew clear to win the six-furlong sprint by 1 1/2 lengths.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Jockey Julien Leparoux and owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey were repeat winners as leading jockey and owner, while Steve Asmussen moved back atop the trainer rankings in the 18th Kentucky Thoroughbred Media Awards, which are presented annually to Kentucky's statistical leaders in racing.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Trainer Nick Zito saddled the winner of the $250,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 24, but it wasn't the horse everyone expected.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Lewis Lakin's Pure Clan remained unbeaten and earned her fourth career victory as she unleashed a powerful late run in the $250,000 Golden Rod Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 24.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Walter New's homebred Flying Circle launched a furious rally in the stretch to finish a half-length in front, and then survived an inquiry by stewards to win the $111,100 Mariah's Storm Stakes, a five-furlong event for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up, on the turf Nov. 18 at Churchill Downs.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Rafael Bejarano, one of the top five leading riders in the nation, is expected to join the Southern California jockey colony on a permanent basis when he begins riding Nov. 21 at Hollywood Park.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Lewis Lakin homebred Pure Clan charged 10-wide through the stretch, coming from near the back of a full field of 14 to score a dramatic win in the $150,000 Pocahontas Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs Oct. 28.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
WinStar Farm's Court Vision made an eye-opening run down the middle of the racetrack, passing four rivals in deep stretch en route to a half-length victory in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes (gr. III) opening day at Churchill Downs Oct. 28.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Nownownow, transferred this week from troubled trainer Patrick Biancone to his assistant Francois Parisel, rallied from last at the quarter pole to win the inaugural running of the $916,000 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Oct. 26 at Monmouth Park.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Most of the intrigue surrounding the $222,000 Palomar Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIT) Sept. 1 involved which of two outstanding fillies trainer Bobby Frankel would scratch, Price Tag or Precious Kitten. Once he withdrew Price Tag, Precious Kitten, with a grade I victory over the Del Mar turf already at the meet, became a prohibitive favorite.
Saturday, September 01, 2007Trainer Patrick Biancone has been telling people that his undefeated 3-year-old filly La Traviata is something special. After the way she demolished a field of talented sophomores despite stumbling badly at the start of the $114,700 Victory Ride (gr. III) at steamy Saratoga Aug. 25, many will take notice.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Flying Zee Stable's odds-on choice Cosmonaut made it back-to-back victories in the $200,000 Arlington Handicap (gr. IIIT) when once again wiring his rivals on Saturday, reporting home by the same 2 1/4-length margin as a year ago.
Saturday, July 21, 2007Mauralakana collared even-money favorite Quite a Bride a furlong from home and drew clear in the final stages to win the $162,900 Locust Grove Handicap (gr. IIIT) for fillies and mares, bringing down the curtain on the 2007 Churchill Downs spring meet Sunday.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Lady of Venice swept past Precious Kitten and odds-on favorite Price Tag in deep stretch to win the $1 million CashCall Mile Invitational (gr. IIT) for fillies and mares on the Hollywood Park turf Friday night.
Saturday, July 07, 2007