BloodHorse.com | Horse Racing News

Juvenile Behavior: Ward Goes for One More

Trainer Wesley Ward, who has registered victories in four of the five juvenile races where he has entered horses at Keeneland this spring, will try to grab one more April 26.

'Dude' On His Game in Californian Comeback

Showing he's happy to be back in California, Game On Dude romped to victory in the $147,000 Californian Stakes (gr. II) June 2 in his first start since a nearly tragic trip to the Dubai two months ago.

Californian: Game On Dude Meets Morning Line

Game On Dude makes his first start since he was unplaced in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) when he takes on Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (gr. II) winner Morning Line in the Californian Stakes (gr. II) June 2 at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Morning Line Stays Focused in Mervyn LeRoy

Morning Line wanted no part of the starting gate at Betfair Hollywood Park, but once he finally acquiesced there was no catching the grade I winner in the $150,000 Mervyn Leroy Handicap (gr. II) May 5.

Morning Line Set for Mervy LeRoy Handicap

Grade I winner Morning Line debuts for new trainer John Shirreffs in the $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (gr. II) May 5 at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Acclamation Declared Fit, May Start in LeRoy

After a brief scare April 26, champion Acclamation was declared fit and ready by trainer Don Warren, who said the 6-year-old could run in the $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (gr. II) at Betfair Hollywood Park May 5.

Amazombie Posts Second Bullet Drill in Week

Male sprint champion Amazombie, nearing his first start of the year later this month, turned in his second bullet move in a week at Santa Anita Feb. 10 when he worked six furlongs handily in 1:12 2/5.

Morning Line Moved to John Shirreffs Barn

Recovered from knee surgery this summer, grade I winner Morning Line has joined the John Shirreffs stable at Hollywood Park, according to the track's publicity office.

Morning Line Has Surgery, Return Expected

Grade I winner Morning Line had chips removed from both knees Aug. 17 and is expected to return to racing next year.

Morning Line Sent to Lane's End for Time Off

Morning Line, last in the Whitney Invitational Handicap (gr. I) Aug. 6, will get some time off at Will Farish's Lane's End Farm in Kentucky. The 4-year-old Tiznow colt departed Saratoga on Aug. 10.

Tizway, Flat Out Headed for Gold Cup Rematch

Tizway and Flat Out, the first two finishers in the Whitney Invitational Handicap (gr. I), appear headed for a rematch in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) at Belmont Park Oct. 1.

An Attractive Whitney Weekend

Jason Shandler takes a look at the Whitney and other weekend stakes.

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2011 Whitney - Predict the Order

Will a Rail Trip make a Mission Impazible for Friend Or Foe running Flat Out?

Predict the Order

Division Parity Leads to Competitive Whitney

The handicap division has taken its lumps this year for not being especially deep, but its competitive nature has led to one of the more intriguing recent editions of the $750,000 Whitney Handicap (gr. I), which drew 11.

Saratoga Diary: Fenced Out

Young crowd jams the track on College Day.

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Kensei Breaks Losing Streak, Wins Salvator

Winless since August, 2009 and dismissed at 15-1 against an accomplished field, Kensei sprung a big upset in the $200,000 Salvator Mile (gr. III) when he came from off the pace under Edgar Prado to win July 2 at Monmouth Park

Lane's End, Dixiana Purchase Morning Line

The grade I winner will stay in Nick Zito's barn and is being pointed toward the Whitney Handicap (gr. I). He'll stand at Lane's End upon retirement.

Morning Line Takes on Six in Salvator Mile

Morning Line, winner of the seven-furlong Carter Handicap (gr. I) at Aqueduct in his last start, heads a field of seven in the Salvator Mile Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park.

Morning Line Gearing Up for Whitney

Grade I winner Morning Line continued to gear up for his summer campaign in New York with a solid work on June 17 at Saratoga.

Morning Line Gets His Grade I in Carter 'Cap

Morning Line collared favored Apriority inside the sixteenth pole to win the $250,000 Carter Handicap (gr. I) April 9 at Aqueduct. It was the first grade I win for the 4-year-old son of Tiznow.

Morning Line Big Threat in Carter

Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito still hasn't fully gotten over Morning Line's loss in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs.

Giant Oak Rallies to Post Donn Upset

Giant Oak, who won the Clark Handicap (gr. I) via disqualification last out, validated that win by posting a rallying victory in the $500,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I) Feb. 5 at Gulfstream Park.

Fly Down, Morning Line Top Loaded Donn 'Cap

Nick Zito trainees Fly Down and Morning Line, both thought to be among the top handicap horses in 2011, could wind up as the top two choices in a star-studded Donn Handicap (gr. I) Feb. 5 at Gulfstream Park.

Soaring Empire Grabs Hal's Hope Win

Soaring Empire got his 2011 campaign off to a nice start when he turned back even-money favorite Morning Line and held off multiple graded-stakes winner Rule in the Hal's Hope Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 8 at Gulfstream Park.

Morning Line, Rule Top Hal's Hope Field

Morning Line, who last came into his own during the second half of his 3-year-old campaign and is expected to be one of the top older horses in 2011, makes his season debut in the Hal's Hope Stakes Jan. 8 at Gulfstream.

Who Will be the 2011 Handicap Stars?

The recent retirements of many 2010 stars leaves major question marks for next year.

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Clark Handicap Next for Brass Hat

Nine-year-old star Brass Hat is being pointed toward the $500,000 Clark Handicap (gr. I) Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs.

Dakota Phone Dials Up BC Dirt Mile Shocker

Longshot Dakota Phone runs down Morning Line to win the $909,000 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) by a nose. The winner is a gelded son of Zavata out of World of Gold, by Spinning World.

Dirt Mile Favorite? Morning Line, Who Else

Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) winner Morning Line is made the 7-2 morning line favorite for the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I).

New Names in Contention for Sophomore Honors

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
In most years, likely sophomore stars have made a name for themselves before mid-September. This year, Apart and Morning Line enter the scene right as autumn arrives.

Countdown to the Cup: Where to Go With Rip

Coolmore must decide whether to go for the BC Classic or Mile with Rip Van Winkle.

Zito Wins Penn Derby Again With Morning Line

Passed in upper stretch by A Little Warm, Morning Line battled back along the rail to get up by a neck in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) to win his stakes debut for trainer Nick Zito at Parx Racing Sept. 25.

First Dude Favored in Competitive Pa. Derby

First Dude, Exhi, and A Little Warm are among the competitive field of seven in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) on Sept. 25 at Parx Racing.

Live Blog: Saturday, May 15

Join Jason Shandler and Tom Lamarra for a live chat from Pimlico Saturday, May 15th, from NOON until 1:00 (EDT).

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Ice Box Fires :46 2/5 Half-Mile Bullet

Nick Zito's Florida Derby (gr. I) winner heats things up over a sloppy Churchill Downs surface April 23.

Ice Box Warms Up at Churchill Downs

Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Ice Box tuned up for the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) with a solid four-furlong workout on Friday, April 16 at Churchill Downs.

Zenyatta Would Be Favored in BC Classic

If Zenyatta's connections opt to run her in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), she will be the favorite on the official Breeders' Cup morning line.

Morning Line Blog Live from Belmont!

Join Blood-Horse Editor-in-Chief Dan Liebman for a live blog from Belmont Park Saturday, June 6th, from Noon EDT to 1:00 pm.

Morning Line Preakness Thursday

The Alibi Breakfast is underway. A Preakness tradition, the Maryland Jockey Club offers a big spread of breakfast delights, plenty of juice and coffee, and a Black-Eyed Susan, if you're so inclined.

Morning Line Saturday: Running for Roses

After the fourth race, a ripple of excitement goes through the paddock area. Curlin, the 2007 Horse of the Year, is about to make a red carpet entrance.

Friday Morning Line: Mighty Oaks

Yesterday, a horse named Leigh McLovin ran second in her first start in a maiden special weight. That made us think of two things: McLovin...and McLovin.

Morning Line: And Then There Were 20

There's always plenty of hay around the backstretch of any track, so it was a little surprising when we saw a bale arriving special delivery.

Big Brown Gets Easy Work at Churchill

Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. sent Big Brown for an easy work over the Churchill Downs surface May 1, and the imposing colt looked every bit the Derby favorite as he took to the track under regular exercise rider Michelle Nevin. Big Brown, installed as the 3-1 morning line choice following the April 30 post position draw, went three-eighths in :35 2/5.

Morning Line Goes To The Derby: Apr. 29

Right by the main gap on the backstretch the Louisville Thoroughbred Club has set up a fundraising stand selling sausage and biscuits to the crowd on the backstretch. President, founder, and "benevolent dictator" of the club - Manny Cadima - mans the station.

Morning Line: It's All in the Draw

The best drama in Louisville today takes place in the racing office on the backside at Churchill Downs. It's the pill pull to see what order post positions will be drawn later this afternoon in the made-for-television post position show on ESPN.

Morning Line: Super Tuesday

Trainer Nick Zito is holding court with a ring of media members outside his barn. The two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer has two starters for Saturday's running: Cool Coal Man and Anak Naktal. Zito is talking about the subject of the year: synthetic surfaces. We have a feeling he's not a big fan.

Morning Line Goes To The Derby: Apr. 28

Richard Migliore bounds through Barn 45 at Churchill Downs at a few minutes past nine. That's late for a racetracker, but the jet-setting jockey has a valid excuse. He just got into town.

Sunday Morning Line: Twice on Sunday

Mike Barnes is a big LSU fan. He can't help but hide it. The exercise rider's helmet has the distinctive "LSU" logo that adorns the Tiger's football helmets. "I bleed purple and gold," the Louisiana native says. "I've been a fan since birth."

The Morning Line Returns for Derby 134

It's baaaack. Starting Sunday, April 27, and running daily through Kentucky Derby day, May 3, The Morning Line returns to bloodhorse.com. The feature, first unveiled during the 2006 run up to the Kentucky Derby, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the participants and players of Thoroughbred racing during racing's major events.

Morning Line Goes to Dubai: Day 5

No American knows more about the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) from personal experience than Jim Cornes. The Dubai Racing Club official and former assistant to four-time Dubai champion trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has witnessed all but one of the previous 12 runnings of the world's richest race and will be there Saturday to see if Curlin can join the elite group of winners.