Lady Carlock, charging from off the pace for jockey Jermaine Bridgmohan, overtook Mushka in the final strides to record her first stakes victory by a head in the $125,000 Suwannee River (gr. IIIT) on the Gulfstream Park turf Feb. 1.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Trainer Bob Baffert was pleased with how Indian Blessing, juvenile filly champion of 2007, came out of her impressive seven-length win in the Test Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 2 at Saratoga.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
An interview with Benny Stutts Jr. was the highlight of the annual Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners' and Breeders' Association's Derby trainers' dinner, as the 70-year-old trainer expressed his delight at preparing to saddle his first Kentucky Derby starter - Mount Joy Stables' Smooth Air.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Trainer Carl Nafzger and jockey Edgar Prado topped the list of 12 finalists for election to the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame in 2008 when the museum announced nominees Feb. 22. Notably missing from the list was California conditioner Bob Baffert, who has been eligible for election for the past two years.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Carl Nafzger and his wife, Wanda, have been a lot of places, the trainer said Saturday night during his address at the Texas Thoroughbred Association's annual awards banquet. But they have been all those places because of one thing -- the horse.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Carl Nafzger, the trainer who plotted a plan for Street Sense that culminated in the colt winning the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), has been chosen to receive the Big Sport of Turfdom award from the Turf Publicists of America.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
There are five top 3-year-olds in the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I), but there are strong 3-year-old contenders in at least three other World Championship races.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
With Calvin Borel up, Street Sense had his final work Oct. 23 for the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I) four days later, rolling around the Monmouth Park turn and finishing a five-furlong work in 1:01 1/5.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Bentley Smith is well-connected when it comes to Breeders' Cup horses. As the son-in-law of the late Frances Genter, he managed Frances Genter Stable for nearly 30 years and sent Smile to a 1986 Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) victory and, of course, watched Unbridled win the Classic (gr. I) in 1990.
Monday, October 22, 2007
James Tafel's Street Sense, who will be one of the favorites for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I), arrived safely at Monmouth Park at 6:15 a.m. Oct. 19 after a van ride from Churchill Downs.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
In separate interviews, Lenny Shulman speaks with Carl Nafzger about Street Sense and Lady Joanne running in this year's Breeders' Cup.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
First time winners Eric Crawdford of the Louisville Courier-Journal and John Cheinman of the Washington Post joined repeat winners Steve Haskin and William Nack (both writing for The Blood-Horse Magazine) as the winners of Churchill Downs' 2007 Red Smith Kentucky Derby Writing Contest, the Louisville racetrack announced Oct. 18.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Bentley Smith's Alabama Stakes (gr. I) winner Lady Joanne continued her preparations for the $2-million Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) to be run Oct. 27 at Monmouth Park by working a half-mile in :48.60 Oct. 16 at Churchill Downs with regular rider Calvin Borel up.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
James Tafel's Street Sense, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), continued his preparation for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I) with a sharp four-furlong work Oct. 9 at Churchill Downs.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
There they were at the head of the stretch, and the Sept. 29 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) had developed into the showdown everyone hoped it would be. On the lead, Hard Spun barreled toward the finish line. Just off his hip, Street Sense dug deep to reel him in. This time, unlike in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), Hard Spun would not be denied the victory.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Making final preparations for the Oct. 27 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Monmouth Park, Jim Tafel's Street Sense and Rick Porter's Hard Spun will have a much-anticipated rematch in the Sept. 29 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) over Turfway Park's Polytrack.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Carl Nafzger, trainer of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Street Sense, discussed his reasoning for racing against grade I winner Hard Spun in the Sept. 29 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) at Turfway Park during a National Thoroughbred Racing Association media teleconference Sept. 25.
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
James Tafel's Street Sense, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Saratoga's Travers Stakes(gr. I), continued to crank up for his final prep race before the Oct. 27 Breeders' Cup Classic powered by Dodge (gr. I) when he worked a sharp five furlongs Sept. 19 at Churchill Downs.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
James Tafel's Street Sense, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and the Aug. 25 Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga, returned to his home base at Churchill Downs early Sept. 3 to continue training for his fall campaign.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Trying to catch Calvin Borel for an interview during his last day of racing at Saratoga was like attempting to pin down a darting dragonfly, and the Cajun jockey looked the part in Bill Farish's brilliant green and yellow silks as he scurried back to the private courtyard behind the jockeys' room before the fourth race of the day.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Two days after the Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course, the top four finishers in the $1-million race were all recovering well to the satisfaction of their trainers.
Monday, August 27, 2007
He was the favorite for a reason, and Saturday afternoon Street Sense proved he belongs at the top of the 3-year-old division when he turned back a determined Grasshopper after hooking up in a fierce duel at the head of the stretch in the 138th running of the Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Carl Nafzger walks across Clare Court with Street Sense striding beside him. The colt is alert, but relaxed; he walks confidently, as if he owns the track. Once over the Clare Court training track, he stops and pricks his ears. Lifts his head. Looks for cameras. Definite pose.
Friday, August 24, 2007
The general consensus is that the $1-million Travers Stakes (gr. I) will be a cake walk for Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) champion Street Sense. When the post positions were drawn Aug. 22 and the son of Street Cry was installed as a 3-5 morning line favorite, that line of thinking was confirmed.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Wednesday morning, the cameramen are in full swing at Saratoga. In the paddock, they cluster around for the Travers draw, tripods balanced like long-legged storks. In the winners' circle, they form an orderly line for Senator Bruno's conference on the fight against horse slaughter. Down near the rail, they lift cameras to shoulders and zoom in for local track reports.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) champion Street Sense turned in a five-furlong breeze over Saratoga's main track Aug. 21, his final work for the 138th running of the $1 million Travers Stakes (gr. I).
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Entering the 127th running of the Alabama (gr. I), all the talk was about Octave, who had won consecutive grade I races in New York this summer, one of them over Lady Joanne. This time, Lady Joanne was not to be denied. She held off not only Octave, but a determined Lear's Princess, to win by a neck in a heart-pounding finish on Saratoga's main track.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
With one week remaining until the $1-million Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course, top trainers in New York are aiming for a single target in the stalwart form of Street Sense, who will head up the field of the Aug. 25 "midsummer Derby" with a solid bullseye on his back.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
There was the rubber match between Street Sense and Curlin in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). Didn't Happen. There was the showdown between the two in the Travers Stakes (gr. I). Not going to happen. There was Rags to Riches headlining Lady's Day at Belmont for the CCA Oaks (gr. I). Didn't Happen. There was Rags in the Saratoga limelight for the Alabama. Not going to happen.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Street Sense made his return to racing a successful one Sunday with a facile victory at short odds in the $500,000 Jim Dandy (gr. II) at Saratoga.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Trainer Todd Pletcher has given the nod for Octave to start in Saturday's $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park. The nine-furlong race, which is restricted to three-year-old fillies and is the second leg of the Triple Tiara, drew a compact field of four horses.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
James Tafel's homebred Street Sense, winner of the 2007 Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), took a first step toward his summer and fall campaign with a solid four-furlong work on Sunday at Churchill Downs.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Lady Joanne is headed toward the $250,000 Mother Goose (gr. I) at Belmont Park June 30 following her impressive victory on Saturday in the $150,000-added Dogwood Breeders' Cup (gr. III) at Churchill Downs.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
The Darley Stud of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has purchased the breeding rights to Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Street Sense, according to a report.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Favored Lady Joanne overcame a sluggish start to collar High Again near the sixteenth pole en route to a one-length victory in the $167,550 Dogwood Breeders' Cup (gr. III) for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs Saturday.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
The Carl Nafzger-trained Lady Joanne heads a field of nine in the $150,000-added Dogwood Breeders' Cup (gr. III) for 3-year-old fillies as Churchill Downs offers a stakes trio on its Saturday racing program.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
With the June 9 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) fast approaching, trainers of the expected contenders were making plans for travel and pre-race works May 31.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Fresh off his nose victory over Derby winner Street Sense in the Preakness (gr. I) on May 19, Curlin tuned up for the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) June 9 with an easy five-furlong work on Monday at Churchill Downs.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense remains a "possible" starter in the June 9 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Thursday, May 24, 2007
With the serious workouts over and a bit of a lull in activity before Saturday's second leg of the Triple Crown, Thursday's Alibi Breakfast was conducted on a lighter note.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Trainer Carl Nafzger was relaxed at the Preakness barn Thursday morning. And, why shouldn't he be.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Street Sense, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) completed his Preakness preparations Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs. He ships to Pimlico on Wednesday.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Early visitors to the stable area at Churchill Downs received a rare treat Sunday morning when Street Sense jogged a mile one day after winning the Kentucky Derby.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
The jinx has been broken. Calvin Borel and Street Sense won the $2.2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) Saturday, the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner to return at 3 and win the Derby.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Arkansas Derby (gr. II) winner Curlin was installed the moderate 7-2 morning line favorite for Saturday's $2 million, 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) when post positions were drawn Wednesday.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
James Tafel's champion colt Street Sense turned in his final serious Kentucky Derby workout Tuesday, April 24, going five furlongs in an impressive :59 over a fast track at Churchill Downs.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Sheikh Mohammed's broodmare band has taken a powerful turn. Late last year in the name of Darley, Sheikh Mohammed privately purchased the dams of top Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) hopefuls Street Sense and Scat Daddy.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
The first five finishers in yesterday's $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) -- Dominican, Street Sense, Zanjero, Teuflesberg and Great Hunter -- are all, according to their connections, pointing toward a start in the May 5 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Four of those five were separated by only a neck at the wire in yesterday's race.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
James Tafel's Street Sense, a major contender for the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) on May 5, tuned up for a run in Saturday's $750,000-added Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland with a five-furlong workout on Tuesday at Churchill Downs.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
