Kona Gold, a resident of the Hall of Champions at the Kentucky Horse Park, was euthanized Sept. 25 after a paddock accident. The 15-year-old gelding had resided at the park since November 2007.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Kona Gold has been invited to live the rest of his life at the Hall of Champions at the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington, according to a release from his co-owners Andrew and Irvin Molasky.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Champion Kona Gold has returned to trainer Bruce Headley's Santa Anita shedrow where he has taken up his new duties as a stable pony.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Champion sprinter Kona Gold is all set to begin his new career on Monday when he's being shipped to a Southern California farm where he'll train as a rodeo horse and prepare for his future duties as a stable pony, trainer Bruce Headley said.
Sunday, November 16, 2003
Ancient Title Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. I) hopefuls Bluesthestandard, Captain Squire, and Yankee Gentleman all had their final workouts for Sunday's main event over Santa Anita's fast main track Monday morning.
Monday, September 29, 2003
Champion sprinter Kona Gold, who was retired after a fifth-place finish in the July 26 Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) at Del Mar, will not be sent to the Kentucky Horse Park to join the Hall of Champions there, trainer Bruce Headley said.
Saturday, August 09, 2003
Kona Gold, a popular champion and Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner who was recently retired, will be paraded at Del Mar on Aug. 9.
Friday, August 01, 2003
Discussions are underway to send champion Kona Gold to the Kentucky Horse Park's Hall of Champions. The 9-year-old gelding was retired following a fifth-place finish in the July 26 Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) at Del Mar.
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Champion sprinter Kona Gold has been retired, co-owner and trainer Bruce Headley said Sunday, one day after the 9-year-old gelding finished fifth in the Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) at Del Mar.
Sunday, July 27, 2003
Trainer Bruce Headley said Sunday that he is considering retiring his 9-year-old warrior Kona Gold, winner of the 2000 Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) and the Eclipse Award as America's finest sprinter that year.
Sunday, July 27, 2003
Midwestern invader Beau's Town, impressively handled by Patrick Valenzuela, blazed to an impressive 1 1/2-length victory in the $191,000 Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) over a strong group of older sprinters.
Saturday, July 26, 2003
"He's working really well. He's real happy. He's like he was a couple of years ago." Is he really the same "old warrior?" "Oh, yeah, he's the same old guy." That's jockey Alex Solis talking about his favorite horse, Kona Gold, in preparation for a start Saturday in the 58th edition of the grade II, $200,000 Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup Handicap at 6 furlongs on the main track.
Thursday, July 24, 2003
Headley, Molasky and Molasky's Kona Gold, 2000's Eclipse Award-winning sprinter, worked Tuesday for the first time since getting a brief vacation and logged three furlongs in :36 1/5 handily over Santa Anita's fast main track.
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
Kona Gold emerged from his third-place finish in Saturday's Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. III) at Santa Anita in good order, but will be given a brief freshening at trainer Bruce Headley's nearby farm.
Sunday, March 30, 2003
Jeffrey Sengara's Bluesthestandard, claimed Dec. 31 at Santa Anita for $50,000, won for a meet-best fourth time Saturday, capturing the $200,000 Portrero Grande Handicap (gr. II).
Saturday, March 29, 2003
Corey Nakatani takes over the reigns on 9-year-old Kona Gold in Saturday's $200,000 Portrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) at 6 1 /2 furlongs at Santa Anita.
Thursday, March 27, 2003
Trainer Bruce Headly declared champion Kona Gold from consideration for Sunday's San Carlos Handicap (gr. I) after the 9-year-old gelding was assigned top weight of 121 pounds for the seven-furlong test.
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
The weight woes affecting the Southern California handicaps continued Tuesday when trainer Bruce Headly declared champion Kona Gold from consideration for Sunday's San Carlos Handicap (gr. I) after the 9-year-old gelding was assigned top weight of 121 pounds for the seven-furlong test.
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
Trainer Bruce Headley recently made his case for assigning less weight to his champion sprinter Kona Gold, who finished sixth and last in the Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II) in his last start Jan. 26.
Tuesday, February 18, 2003
Benefiting from blinkers and the scratch of speedster Hombre Rapido, Argentine-bred Avanzado led from start to finish to win the $150,000 Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park by more than four lengths on Sunday, covering six furlongs on a fast track in 1:07.85.
Sunday, January 26, 2003
Kona Gold had his final breeze over the Santa Anita main track Friday morning for Sunday's $150,000 Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II) for older horses at six furlongs.
Friday, January 24, 2003
Kafwain, second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) last Oct. 26, worked six furlongs Friday in a bullet 1:10 flat, fastest of 29 workouts at the distance.
Friday, January 17, 2003
Nine-year-old Kona Gold has raced only 27 times in a brilliant career that has seen him win 14 times, including the 2000 Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) and a subsequent Eclipse Award as best sprinter.
Friday, January 03, 2003
Champion sprinter Kona Gold celebrated turning 9 Wednesday by winning the $100,000 El Conejo Handicap (gr. III) by a neck over Radiata at Santa Anita Wednesday.
Wednesday, January 01, 2003
Jockey Alex Solis, still sore following a spill in Saturday's ninth race at Santa Anita, took off Tuesday's scheduled mounts but hoped to ride on Wednesday, agent Scott McClellan said.
Tuesday, December 31, 2002
Kona Gold will try to become the fifth 9-year-old to win a stakes race at Santa Anita when he takes on eight other sprinters in the $100,000 El Conejo Handicap (gr. III), Wednesday's New Year's Day feature.
Sunday, December 29, 2002
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas extended his leadership in Breeders' Cup victories to 17 when Bob and Beverly Lewis' Orientate wore down Thunderello in the stretch for a half-length victory in the NAPA Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I).
Saturday, October 26, 2002
Preparing Kona Gold for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) is old hat for Bruce Headley, who is preparing the 8-year-old for his fifth run at the Sprint.
Friday, October 18, 2002
In Breeders' Cup developments on the West Coast, Kona Gold impressed in Monday's workout; the chances of Buffythecenterfold running improved; and the connections of Night Patrol and Explicit ruled those two out of Cup contention.
Tuesday, October 15, 2002
Yellow Ribbon winner Golden Apples worked four furlongs on the turf Sunday morning at Santa Anita in :50 2/5, according to her trainer, Ben Cecil.
Sunday, October 13, 2002
They're all in the books now. All the prep races for the Breeders' Cup Sprint have been sprinted, and the field for the six-furlong contest is coming into focus.
Wednesday, October 09, 2002
Trainer Bruce Headley left his big gun, Kona Gold, in the barn for Saturday's $200,000 Ancient Title Handicap (gr. I) at Santa Anita, but it didn't keep him out of the winner's circle.
Saturday, October 05, 2002
All systems are on go for Vosburgh Stakes (gr. I) winner Bonapaw to leave Belmont Park later this week for Arlington Park and a date in the Oct. 26 Sprint.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
The queen of the sprint division, Xtra Heat, did nothing to hurt her chances for a return crack at the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) with a devastating five-length score in the $150,000 Endine Stakes (gr. III) at Delaware Park Sept. 7.
Thursday, September 12, 2002
With his regular rider Alex Solis in the saddle, the Bruce Headley-trained son of Java Gold stepped 5 furlongs in a snappy 57.40 workout that helped raise the early morning fog off the track Wednesday.
Thursday, September 05, 2002
Without a race since July 6 and the date of Oak Tree's Ancient Title Breeders' Cup Handicap considered a disadvantage by trainer Bruce Headley, the die has been cast for Kona Gold. He'll try to get to the Breeders' Cup Sprint Oct. 26 off workouts.
Wednesday, August 28, 2002
Azeri takes her fifth straight, the Clement L. Hirsch Handicap, and sets her sights on Arlington Park.
Sunday, August 11, 2002
California-bred Disturbingthepeace made some more noise in the sprint division, winning Saturday's $200,000 Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup Handicap (g. II) at Del Mar.
Saturday, July 27, 2002
Sprint king Kona Gold is the heavy 3-5 favorite in a field of 10 heading toward Saturday's grade II, $300,000 Triple Bend Breeders' Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park.
Friday, July 05, 2002
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has set the fields for this weekend's inaugural Breeders' Cup Future Bet. Street Cry, winner of the Dubai World Cup, has been listed as the morning line favorite for the Breeders' Cup Classic at 6-1 odds.
Monday, July 01, 2002
By Ray Paulick -- While media interest in this year's Belmont Stakes is unprecedented, the year-round depth of quality of racing is epitomized by the likes of Kona Gold, Xtra Heat, and others.
Tuesday, June 04, 2002
Eight-year-old Kona Gold returns, takes the Los Angeles Handicap under 125 pounds.
Sunday, June 02, 2002
Eclipse champion Kona Gold will make his 2002 debut in Sunday's Los Angeles Handicap (gr. III) at Hollywood Park. Kona Gold concedes 10 to 13 pounds to his five rivals.
Friday, May 31, 2002
Eclipse champion Kona Gold is expected to make his 2002 debut in the June 2 Los Angeles Handicap (gr. III) at Hollywood Park. Alex Solis will ride the 8-year-old gelding in the six-furlong race.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Breeders' Cup Sprint champion and Eclipse Award finalist Squirtle Squirt begins his 2002 campaign in Sunday's $150,000 Palos Verdes Handicap at Santa Anita. Squirtle Squirt delivered to trainer Bobby Frankel his first Breeders' Cup victory last October at Belmont Park, but hasn't scared away the competition, which has come up strong for the six-furlong contest.
Friday, January 25, 2002
A million-dollar international race doesn't usually serve as practice for a $300,000 stakes in Maryland. But following a script that was part wisdom and part luck, the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) turned out to be a dress rehearsal for the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (gr. I) Nov. 17 at Laurel Park.
Saturday, November 17, 2001
Headley & Molasky's Kona Gold heads a field of seven in the $300,000 grade I Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park on Saturday. Eclipse Award honors in the sprint division hinge on the outcome.
Wednesday, November 14, 2001
Kona Gold, champion sprinter of 2000, was to board a plane in California Tuesday and fly to Maryland to take on Xtra Heat, the local heroine, in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Nov. 17 at Laurel Park.
Tuesday, November 13, 2001
The toughest race on the card? Usually the Sprint (gr. I). And this year is no different.
Tuesday, October 23, 2001
