Airdrie Stud's-homebred filly Proud Spell has been nominated to the Triple Crown. She is slated to make her next start against fillies in the Ashland Stakes (gr. I) April 5 at Keeneland.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Maren's Meadow, the victim of a sponging incident at Delaware Park last fall, proved she's over the misfortunate episode and back in top form when she won the $150,000 Bourbonette Oaks Stakes (gr. III) for trainer Larry Jones at Turfway Park March 22.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
In the $100,000 Honeybee Stakes (gr. III) March 16 at Oaklawn Park, the streaking 3-year-old filly proved she could handle graded stakes competition, as she scored by 1 1/4 lengths after coasting to the wire with ease under a confident Ramon Dominguez. She defeated five rivals.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Undefeated Lewis Lakin homebred Pure Clan makes her 3-year-old debut March 16 in the $100,000 Honeybee Stakes (gr. III), and will have to hold off five rivals, including Eight Belles, who won her stakes debut in impressive fashion last month.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Three days ago, trainer Larry Jones said he hoped Proud Spell would pressure Indian Blessing through the early lead in the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II). Although Brereton Jones' homebred Proud Citizen filly didn't exactly do that, she did manage to wear down the Eclipse Award winner and get her own score in the March 8 event in New Orleans.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Tom Crouch's 5-year-old homebred mare Kettleoneup puts her three-race win streak on the line March 9 in the $175,000 Azeri Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park, and will have to take down, among others, multiple graded stakes winner Hystericalady in order to stretch it to four.
Friday, March 07, 2008
A total of 156 horses were nominated for the $500,000 Lane's End Stakes (gr. II) March 22 at Turfway Park.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Last year's 2-year-old champion filly and Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Fillies (gr. I) winner won at her fifth different racetrack and captured her fourth graded stakes.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Youthful runners and experienced contenders will go head-to-head at Sam Houston Race Park Jan. 26, when 7-year-old horses and 4-year-old colts mix it up in the $100,000 Maxxam Gold Cup Handicap.
Thursday, January 24, 2008Iowa owner Sandra Rasmussen said one of her horses was apparently tampered with in a "sponging" incident at Delaware Park.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Steve Haskin interviews Larry Jones about the undefeated Juvenile Filly, Proud Spell and Hard Spun's post position for the Classic.
Friday, October 26, 2007
The high probability of rain for Breeders' Cup weekend has led trainers to make some decisions on shoeing.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Although the current forecast calls for weather that could dampen Breeders' Cup weekend, Monmouth Park and Breeders' Cup officials, as well as trainers, are remaining optimistic.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
James Tafel's Street Sense, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), tuned up for a run in the Sept. 29 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) at Turfway Park with a five furlong work Sept. 25 at Churchill Downs.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Street Sense and Derby runner-up Hard Spun will meet for the third time in next Saturday's $350,000 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) at Turfway Park, it was announced Sept. 22.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Proud Spell was a bit further off the pace than she had been in her first two career starts, but a decisive four-wide move around the final turn was plenty good enough, as the Larry Jones-trained filly scored by three lengths in the $250,000 Matron Stakes (gr. II) Sept. 15 at Belmont.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Heavily favored Hard Spun, a colt who has made all the major dances for trainer Larry Jones this season, earned his elusive first grade I victory when he turned back a serious challenge from First Defence in the $250,000 King's Bishop (gr. I) for 3-year-olds at Saratoga Aug. 25.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Hard Spun likely has only three races left in his career. That was conformed when it was recently announced that the Danzig colt would stand for Darley after the Breeders' Cup. That means, Saturday's $250,000 King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I) may provide Hard Spun with his best chance to finally capture an elusive Grade I race, as he shortens up to seven furlongs in a test for 3-year-olds over Saratoga's main track.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Haskell Invitational (gr. I) runner-up Hard Spun worked at Delaware Park Aug. 19 in preparation for the King's Bishop Stakes (gr.I) at Saratoga Aug. 25.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
During the post position draw for the Aug. 5 running of the $1-million Haskell Invitational (gr. 1), Steve Asmussen was asked if Curlin was the best horse he has ever trained. A master of understatement, Asmussen flatly replied: "I think that would be very reasonable."
Thursday, August 02, 2007
The second season for 3-year-olds began on July 4, with the emphatic victory by Any Given Saturday in the Dwyer Stakes (gr. II), and judging from the works turned in by Curlin and Hard Spun on Monday, as well as Street Sense's work on Sunday, the heavy hitters from the Triple Crown are all primed and ready for their respective returns.
Monday, July 09, 2007The paddock opens at 11:30 for schooling. One of the first to arrive is Belmont (gr. I) entrant Tiago. Trainer John Shirreffs, his stepson David Ingordo, and Frankie Herrarte, a member of his crew, follows the Pleasant Tap colt, who is led by Frank Leal.
Thursday, June 07, 2007Belmont Stakes (gr. I) contenders Hard Spun, Imawildandcrazyguy, and Tiago, as well as Todd Pletcher-trained candidates Rags to Riches and Circular Quay, all hit the Belmont main track for work-outs Sunday morning.
Sunday, June 03, 2007With the racing world still rocking from the bombshell dropped by Carl Nafzger Thursday morning, all thoughts immediately turned to the two big horses who will remain on their Triple Crown journey and the two trainers who elected to see it through to its conclusion.
Thursday, May 31, 2007Thoroughbred racing is a sport of contrasting emotions, ranging from euphoria to despair and laced with a heavy dose of what might have beens. It often takes a special horse to bring all those emotions to the surface, and after watching the 132nd Preakness Stakes (gr. I), there is no doubt that Curlin is that kind of horse.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007Mario Pino, long based in Maryland and a regular in other Mid-Atlantic states, has a lot of people rooting for him and his mount, Hard Spun, in Saturday's Preakness Stakes (gr. I) at Pimlico Race Course.
Thursday, May 17, 2007Street Sense and Hard Spun, the one-two finishers in the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, drew outside post positions for Saturday's Preakness Stakes (gr. I), which attracted a field of nine.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007Hard Spun completed his preparations for the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) with a quarter-mile blowout under jockey Mario Pino May 16 at Delaware Park.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007By Bill Nack - The Derby, unique and demanding, requires that a horse be absolutely dead fit to win it.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007Trainer Nick Zito said it's "all systems go" for Saturday's Preakness Stakes (gr. I) after C P West worked a half-mile at Belmont Park May 14. Meanwhile, Hard Spun, King of the Roxy, Xchanger, and Mint Slewlep all prepped for their run at the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
Monday, May 14, 2007Larry Jones, who is still having visions of Street Sense getting shut off somewhere - anywhere - in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), is just about ready to drop what might have been and focus all his attention on what will be.
Thursday, May 10, 2007By Dan Liebman - More than anything else, this year's Run for the Roses is about relationships...and myths.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007Massage helps Hard Spun work out all the kinks before Saturday's Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr.I).
Thursday, May 03, 2007The $1-million Yum! Brands bonus that will be offered to this year's Kentucky Derby (gr. I) victor if he posts a margin larger than Barbaro's 6 1/2-length triumph in 2006 received cautious responses from Derby-bound trainers Tuesday morning on the backstretch at Churchill Downs.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007It takes a lot to steal the spotlight from Curlin, but at approximately 8:35 Monday morning, Hard Spun made Curlin's half-mile work two hours earlier seem like a distant memory. That's when the Lane's End (gr. II) winner went out and worked five furlongs in :57 3/5, all but leaving sparks as his feet hit the ground.
Monday, April 30, 2007Trainer Larry Jones sent Kentucky Derby contender Hard Spun for a mile work over the Polytrack surface at Lexington's Keeneland Racecourse Monday, April 23.
Monday, April 23, 2007Fox Hill Farm's Hard Spun stamped his ticket to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) Thursday by breezing five furlongs in a bullet 1:00 1/5 at Churchill Downs and showing trainer Larry Jones that he handles the surface.
Thursday, April 12, 2007Fox Hill Farms' Hard Spun regained his status as a leading Triple Crown contender with a powerful win in the $500,000 Lane's End Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds on Turfway Park's all-weather track Saturday.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007Hard Spun, who won his first four races by 28 lengths before tasting defeat in the Feb. 19 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, is the lukewarm favorite for Satuday's Lane End Stakes (gr. II) at Turfway Park.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007Hard Spun has worked well on the Polytrack at Turfway Park in preparation for the March 24 Lane's End Stakes (gr. II).
Wednesday, March 21, 2007Trainer Larry Jones thought undefeated Hard Spun would face the first difficult test of his career in Saturday's $100,000 Lecomte (gr. III) for 3-year-olds at the Fair Grounds. But as the even-money choice swung off the far turn, it was apparent that this one-mile event was all but over.
Saturday, January 13, 2007Grade I winner Wildcat Bettie B faces seven challengers on Saturday in the $200,000 Safely Kept Breeders' Cup (gr. III) for 3-year-old fillies at Laurel Park. The eight competitors have combined to finish in the money 45 times in 53 career starts and have 25 victories at the six-furlong distance.
Thursday, October 19, 2006Delaware Park-based trainer Larry Jones came to Saratoga Race Course with Oasis Racing's grade I-winning Wildcat Bettie B and brought Maryland-based jockey Mario Pino with him to take the $110,700 Victory Ride (gr. III) for 3-year-old fillies by a length Thursday.
Thursday, August 24, 2006Trainer Larry Jones hopes to kick off a successful weekend at Saratoga Race Course when he starts Miss Elsie in the $150,000 Honorable Miss Handicap (gr. II) for fillies and mares Friday.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006Oasis Racing's Wildcat Bettie B revved up while racing wide down the stretch and caught the 18-1 outsider Wild Gams in the final yards to win the $250,000 Prioress Breeders' Cup by a neck at Belmont Park Saturday.
Saturday, July 08, 2006Trainer John Servis and owner Rick Porter, who have been together for more than 15 years, have gone their separate ways, Porter said Wednesday.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006Hello Liberty switched to the rail in deep stretch and passed tiring frontrunner Win McCool to win the $205,600 Nassau County Breeders' Cup (gr. II) on Saturday at Belmont Park.
Saturday, May 06, 2006Millionaire grade I winner Island Sand, owned by Jim Osborne's B A Man Stable, has been retired and will be bred in 2006 to A.P. Indy.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005Grade I winner Island Sand, likely for the $2 million Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I), breezed five furlongs over Belmont's fast main track Sunday morning in 1:01 3/5. Among the other workers at Belmont were Breeders' Cup contenders Artie Schiller and Happy Ticket.
Sunday, October 16, 2005Island Sand, the only grade I winner in the field, stormed past Two Trail Sioux in mid-stretch and registered a powerful victory in Saturday's $1 million Delaware Handicap (gr. II), the richest race in Delaware Park history.
Sunday, July 17, 2005