Jan Vermeer led from the start to post an upset victory over Emerald Commander in the Criterium International (Fr-I) at Saint-Cloud Nov. 1.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Thewayyouare, a high-class performer at 2 in France, is being retired from racing to join the stallion team at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky. The 4-year-old will become one of the few group I-winning sons of Kingmambo available to Kentucky breeders.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Fighting Brave, who brought the sale-topping price of $2 million at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling auction, made his career debut a winning one at Dundalk in Ireland Oct. 4.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Everything went Munning's way in the $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park July 5. First, top sprinter Fabulous Strike, the heavy favorite, was scratched by trainer Todd Beattie. Then came a perfect trip for jockey John Velazquez, who drove the sharp 3-year-old colt through an inside gap at the top of the stretch on their way to a comfortable win.
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Dunkirk, the front-running, second-place finisher in the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), will undergo surgery today for a condylar fracture of the left hind cannon bone.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Desert Party and Dunkirk were sale ring superstars and now they've both got a shot May 2 at winning what many consider to be the world's most famous horse race, the Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith's $3.7 million sale yearling Dunkirk drilled five furlongs in 1:01 the morning of April 25 at Palm Meadows training center. The son of Unbridled's Song will ship to Louisville, Ky., on April 28 for next Saturday's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Saturday, April 25, 2009
The first foal produced by champion and classic winner Rags to Riches was born on Monday, March 9, at 9:30 pm, at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Dunkirk, who made headlines before he ever started as a $3.7 million Keeneland September yearling buy, figures to be making many more on the track following his impressive 4 3/4-length win in an important 3-year-old allowance race at Gulfstream Park Feb. 19.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Dunkirk, a $3.7 million yearling purchase owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, made that price look like a potential bargain when he overcame traffic problems and blew his opposition away in his career debut.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien won the final group I of the European season when Fame and Glory edged stablemate Drumbeat in France's Criterium de Saint-Cloud for 2-year-olds Nov. 12.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Favored Bushranger earned his second group I win for trainer David Wachman when he overtook Sayif approaching the final furlong en route to a 2 1/4-length triumph in the Shadwell Middle Park Stakes for 2-year-olds at Newmarket Oct. 3.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Plan, runner-up in the Aug. 9 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) at Arlington Park, was transferred to the Aqueduct barn of trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. after IEAH Stables acquired controlling and managing interest in the 3-year-old colt.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Frozen Fire came storming up the center of the course under Seamus Heffernan to spring a 16-1 surprise in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Ire-I) at the Curragh June 29.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Perennial bridesmaid Duke of Marmalade finally broke through for his first stakes victory, capturing the Prix Ganay (Fr-I) at Longchamp April 27 by a determined half-length over Saddex. The race marked the first group I race of the European flat season.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
With several of the world's biggest owners present -- including Sheikh Mohammed, Sheikh Hamdan, and Michael Tabor -- Tattersalls' Craven breeze-up sale began Wednesday night in England with its most successful ever session.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, owners of recently retired 2007 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Rags to Riches, have agreed to donate their royalties from the sales of the Breyer model horse in the image of their champion filly to the NTRA Charities - Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
It was announced March 24 that 2007 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner and 2007 champion 3-year-old filly Rags to Riches has been retired from racing and will head to Ashford Stud where she will be bred to leading sire Giant's Causeway.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sometimes change is a good thing. Just ask trainer Todd Pletcher, who not only added blinkers to his struggling 4-year-old colt Circular Quay, but shipped him back to Fair Grounds, the site of his only win in eight previous starts. The moves paid off, as Circular Quay outfought a stubborn Grasshopper in a terrific stretch duel to take the $500,000 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) by a half-length March 8.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Passion, under a determined ride from Rafael Bejarano, outlasted favored Ariege in a fierce stretch duel, taking the $100,000 La Habra Stakes (gr. IIIT) by a nose Feb. 2 on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Odds-on favorite The Leopard got the firm going he wanted, and responded with an overpowering win in the $111,800 Generous Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Hollywood Park Nov. 24. With the victory, winning trainer Todd Pletcher broke the single-season record for purse earnings he set last year.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Roy and Gretchen Jackson had not seen George Washington since he was a yearling. Still, when they watched the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I) from their Pennsylvania home Oct. 27 and saw the 4-year-old colt tragically break down, they had an overwhelming feeling of sadness.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Dylan Thomas will be trying to become the first Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (gr. I) winner to capture a Breeders' Cup World Championships race.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Kinsman Farm homebred Majestic Warrior will miss the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) because of a minor left foot injury, trainer Bill Mott said Oct. 21.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
The anticipation for The Green Monkey's second career start was a little less this time, however the result was the same, as the $16-million colt turned in another disappointing performance at Belmont Park Oct. 13, fizzling out in the stretch to finish a well-beaten fourth in a field of seven maidens.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Trainer Todd Pletcher announced Sept. 16 that Rags to Riches suffered a hairline fracture to her right front pastern during Saturday's Gazelle Stakes (gr. I), but that the injury is not career ending.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
All eyes in the racing world will be on Rags to Riches when she runs in the $250,000 Gazelle Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park Sept. 15.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
A striking son of Unbridled's Song brought a final bid of $3.7 million from Coolmore and associates to establish a high price for the second session and the first two days of the Keeneland September sale.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Trainer 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
The Green Monkey, a $16-million purchase at auction, is training well at Belmont Park and, said trainer Todd Pletcher, is on course for his career debut at the Spa.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Dylan Thomas silenced his skeptics with an authoritative four length victory in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Eng-I) at Ascot on Saturday.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Pacesetting Pavarotti, a $2.5 million yearling purchase, refused to give way under extreme pressure from Time Squared, fighting back in deep stretch for a head victory in the $100,000 Round Table for 3-year-olds at Arlington Park Saturday.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
By Ray Paulick - What fans got this year were three incredible horse races that ended with three very accomplished and deserving winners, punctuated by the history-making performance of Rags to Riches, the first filly winner of the Belmont since Tanya in 1905.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
By Dan Liebman - Sure, this is no Bobby Riggs versus Billy Jean King but that's what marketing is all about -- taking something people aren't sure they care about and making them realize they should care about it.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Call it fate. Call it kismet. Whatever title you prefer, Rags to Riches seemed destined to give trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez their first classic winner.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Rags to Riches becomes the first filly to win the Belmont (gr. I) since 1905, beating Curlin in a thrilling stretch duel.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Trainer Todd Pletcher will make history when he saddles Rags to Riches June 9 in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). The grade I winner will become just the 22nd filly-- and the first since Silverbulletday in 1999-- to challenge the boys in the 1 1/2-mile "Test of a Champion."
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
The suspense was so thick, you could cut it with a...Well, maybe it wasn't quite that thick, but at least there was a some anticipation to see what Todd Pletcher was going to do regarding Rags to Riches' status in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). After putting off his decision as long as possible, he finally made the announcement at 9:30 Tuesday morning.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Scorpion led home an Aidan O'Brien exacta as the 2005 Ladbrokes St. Leger (Eng-I) winner powered to the wire 1 1/4 lengths clear of stablemate Septimus in the Vodafone Coronation Cup (Eng-I) at Epsom on Friday.
Friday, June 01, 2007
As the eighth largest crowd in the 133-year history of the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) watched post-time favorite Rags to Riches romp to a 4 1/4-length victory over a full field of 14 fillies, Churchill Downs set new records for on-track, off-track and all-sources wagering on a competitive 11-race Oaks Day card, as well as the Kentucky Oaks race itself.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Rags to Riches put on a spectacular performance to win the Kentucky Oaks Friday, her third straight grade I win.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Several of the connections of this year's Derby horses have more than one shot of winning the big prize.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Favored Scat Daddy put away his rival Stormello soon after they reached the stretch and finished strongly to hold off the grinding Notional, capturing the $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I) at Gulfstream Park in an impressive effort Saturday.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Santa Anita Oaks winner Rags to Riches, who would have been only the fourth filly to start in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) in 70 runnings, will instead go "straight to the Kentucky Oaks," trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday morning.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Ravel is off the Triple Crown Trail after an injury to his left front cannon bone was detected March 21.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Sent along by jockey Garrett Gomez near the quarter pole while racing third on the outside, the 2-5 choice Rags to Riches quickly assumed command of Sunday's $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I), striding out to an impressive win.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Favored Circular Quay, able to avoid the traffic issues he encountered in the Risen Star (gr. III) one month ago, circled the field five wide coming off the far turn under John Velazquez and rallied impressively to win the $594,000 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) at Fair Grounds Saturday.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
The Thoroughbred industry's buying titans -- Coolmore Stud and Sheikh Mohammed's Darley operation -- didn't clash Tuesday during Fasig-Tipton's select sale of 2-year-olds in training, and the lack of a major bidding war was reflected in the final statistics for the South Florida auction.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Scat Daddy, somewhat overlooked in trainer Todd Pletcher's rich stable for this year's Triple Crown trail, stormed from far back to tag the tough-luck loser Stormello by a nose in the final stride of Saturday's $350,000 Fountain of Youth (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
The $1.9 million filly Rags to Riches staged a dramatic come-from-behind rally to win the $250,000 Las Virgenes (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita Saturday.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
