Jockey Robby Albarado pushed the button on Tapitsfly approaching mid-stretch and the gray/roan daughter of Tapit responded willingly to produce a neck victory over the pacesetting Rose Catherine in Oak Tree's $909,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 6.
Yesterday
Favored Sassy Image emerged with the lead past mid-stretch and pulled clear late to post her first stakes win by two lengths in the $115,900 Pocahontas (gr. III) for 2-year-old fillies on opening day of the Churchill Downs 21-day fall meet Nov. 1.
6 days ago
Blame, the only 3-year-old in the field, rallied from the back of the pack and ran down favored Parading in mid-stretch to win the $150,000 Fayette Stakes (gr. II), the closing day feature of the Keeneland fall meet Oct. 31.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
A change in tactics helped Black Mamba capture the $125,000 Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes at Keeneland in likely the final start of her career Oct. 25.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
There will be Jockeys galore at Old Friends Oct. 20, as more than a dozen top riders have confirmed their appearance for "Jockey Day."
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Robby Albarado, leading rider at the Keeneland fall meet with 10 victories, was off all of his mounts Oct. 18 after a spill in Oct. 17's sixth race.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Battling with pacesetter Karelian through the stretch, Court Vision poked his nose in front just before the wire to win a thriller in the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) Oct. 10 at Keeneland. It was the first win in six tries this season for the 4-year-old son of Gulch, who will now go on to the Breeders' Cup.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Elliot Mavorah's Interpatation pulled a shocker in the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) and did it in sensational fashion. The 7-year-old gelding was passed by Gio Ponti with a furlong remaining, then re-rallied on the heavy favorite to score a 43-1 upset Oct. 3 at Belmont Park.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Favored Hot Dixie Chick showed she was more than a speed freak in the $111,000 Schuylerville Stakes (gr. III), rating patiently just off the pace before grabbing the lead and then pulling away to a 6 1/4 length victory July 29, the opening day of the Saratoga meeting in upstate New York.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Glen Hill Farm's homebred Closeout coasted to a three-length victory over Gloria Goodbody to win the 28th running of the $114,900 Locust Grove Handicap (gr. III) to close out the 45-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs.
Sunday, July 05, 2009
The Jockeys' Guild has sent a letter to Kentucky legislators stating its support of Gov. Steve Beshear's proposal for expanded gaming at the state's racetracks.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Keertana, making her stakes debut, emerged from the leading group with a furlong to run and went on to win the $174,600 Regret Stakes (gr. IIIT), giving jockey Robby Albarado his fifth win on the Stephen Foster program at Churchill Downs June 13.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Robby Albarado became the 56th North American jockey to reach the 4,000-victory milestone when he rode Barbara Hunter's Keertana to victory in the ninth race at Churchill Downs on May 30.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Lawrence Carroll's Bold Start put away Semaphore Man approaching the sixteenth-pole and cruised to the wire 2 3/4 lengths in front for his biggest lifetime score in the $112,600 Aristides (gr. III) May 30 at Churchill Downs.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Odds-on choice Secret Gypsy made the long trip from New Orleans to earn the first graded stakes win of her career when she captured the $149,800 Distaff Handicap (gr. II) by 1 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct March 21.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred War Echo passed stablemate Four Gifts inside the sixteenth-pole and went on to win the $150,000 Silverbulletday (gr. III) by 1 1/2 lengths Feb. 7 at Fair Grounds.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Triple Crown Talk blog, with host Jason Shandler, asks, 'Which Jockey Would You Like to See Win Their First Kentucky Derby?'
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
High Resolve opened up an early lead and never looked back, going wire-to-wire for a 2 1/4-length victory in the $300,000 Hill 'n' Dale Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Kenny McPeek stole the show in the two highly-anticipated 3-year-old allowance races Jan. 8 at Gulfstream Park. The trainer won both 1 1/8-mile events with second-time starters and now has a pair of good-looking colts to watch for on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) trail.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Trainer Steve Klesaris was ready to celebrate after 11-1 shot Ask Joe captured the $60,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes by a head over Big Push in the finale of a five-stakes program at Fair Grounds.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
One major upset and the matching of two career records headlined the 18th edition of Louisiana Champions Day Dec. 13 at Fair Grounds.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Team USA beat Team World by the slimmest of margins, 10 points to 9 1/2, in the Nov. 15 inaugural "Rider Cup" for charity at Churchill Downs.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Fair Grounds continues its increasingly exciting growth pattern when the 137th live Thoroughbred meeting at the nation's third-oldest racetrack gets underway Nov. 14.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Shut off along the hedge in the final furlong, Nistle's Crunch altered his path sharply for jockey Robby Albarado and caught favored Seaspeak in the final yards to win the $112,900 Commonwealth Turf (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs Nov. 9.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
America once ruled the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). But "quoth the raven, 'Nevermore.' " With a synthetic surface introduced for the first time this year, leveling the playing field for the Europeans, Raven's Pass, like Edgar Allen Poe's mysterious bird, came tapping at our chamber door...then busted it down.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Zayat Stables' Thorn Song broke to an early lead and never relinquished it, wiring a full field in the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) Oct. 4 on the Keeneland turf. The victory earned the 5-year-old son of Unbridled's Song an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Mile later this month at Santa Anita.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
In her last start, David and Jill Heerensperger's Indyanne lunged at the start and missed winning Saratoga's Victory Ride Stakes (gr. III) by just half a length. At Keeneland Oct. 4, she got the perfect break and trip, and returned to her winning ways in the $300,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (gr. III) on the Keeneland Polytrack.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Curlin made racing history by winning the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (gr.I) at Belmont Park in New York Sept. 27. Curlin's victory, which was worth $450,000, made the colt the richest North American-based Thoroughbred of all-time and the first to vault past the $10-million mark.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Eight-year-old gelding Silverfoot headlines a field of 10 in the $200,000 Kentucky Cup Turf (gr. IIIT), the highlight of Kentucky Downs' six-day turf meet which begins Sept. 13.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Defending Horse of the Year Curlin made his return to dirt racing in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) a successful one at Saratoga Aug. 30, but he had to work to get the job done.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
In what amounted to a little more than a workout, Hystericalady defended her title in the $300,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes (gr. II) with ease Aug. 24, romping to an eight-length victory on the Monmouth Park dirt at odds of 1-9.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
In one of the most thrilling finishes in the race's 139-year history, WinStar Farm's Colonel John nosed out Mambo in Seattle to win the $1-million Travers Stakes Presented by Shadwell Farm (gr. I) Aug. 23 at Saratoga.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Run Away and Hide stayed unbeaten in three starts and earned the second graded stakes victory of his young career, edging clear of Break Water Edison in mid-stretch to win the $150,000 Saratoga Special (gr. II) by 1 1/4 lengths Aug. 14.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
In an effort to raise money for The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, the Race Track Chaplaincy of New York has organized a basketball game between members of the Saratoga jockey colony and the Texas Titans, a 6th grade Texas-based AAU team.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
The $112,900 Schuylerville Stakes (gr. III) was both good and bad for trainer Steve Asmussen, who saddled the overlooked Jardin to victory over the sloppy Saratoga main track even as favored Ocean Colors faded to last in the test of 2-year-old fillies July 23.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Einstein, with a pair of grade I wins on the turf and a gallant second to reigning Horse of the Year Curlin under his belt so far this year, will be a short price Friday in the one-mile Firecracker Handicap (gr. IIT) at Churchill Downs.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Runner-up when racing against colts in her last start, Garden District used that experience to her advantage in the $122,500 Debutante (gr. III), as she put away Simplify after a brief duel and went on to win by a half-length June 28 at Churchill Downs.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Acoma went from maiden to graded stakes winner in less than six weeks, as the 3-year-old Empire Maker filly took over inside the sixteenth-pole in the $100,000 Dogwood Stakes (gr. III) May 31 at Churchill Downs and went on to win by a half-length under Robby Albarado.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Belmont Stakes (gr. I) contender Denis of Cork tuned up for a run at unbeaten Triple Crown challenger Big Brown on June 7 with a strong five-furlong workout May 26 at Churchill Downs.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Lantana Mob equaled the six-furlong track record at Pimlico May 17 when he ran down Silver Edition for a neck victory in the $100,000 Hirsch Jacobs Stakes (gr. III) on the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) undercard.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
The Helen Pitts-trained Einstein went to the head of the class in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT), one race before the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) May 3 at Churchill Downs.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Run Away and Hide stalked the early pace, took over just at the top of the lane, and drew clear to post a 2 1/2-length victory in the Kentucky Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. III) May 1 at Churchill Downs.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Despite entering the May 2 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at 20-1 on the morning line, Awesome Chic is a filly that should not be overlooked. She has the class and the pedigree to pull an upset in the 1 1/8-mile race for the lilies at Churchill Downs.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Through the support of many in the horseracing industry, jockey Justin Vitek will have $60,000 to help defray costs stemming from his battle with acute myelogenous leukemia. About 250 horsemen and racing fans gathered at the Kentucky Derby Museum April 21 for dinner, drinks, and live and silent auctions.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Kinsman Stable's Majestic Warrior, winner of the Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga last summer in his second career start, heads a field of 10 3-year-olds entered in the 84th running of the $100,000-added Derby Trial at Churchill Downs April 26.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Back on a fast dirt track for the first time since last summer, the grade I winner Hystericalady left her rivals in the Oaklawn Park dust while winning the $171,500 Azeri Breeders' Cup (gr. III) on March 9.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Heiligbrodt Racing Stable's Magic Sunset pressed the pace, stuck a head in front at the top of the stretch, and went on to win by 1 ¾ lengths in the $200,000 Premier Night Championship Stakes, the featured event of an all Louisiana-bred stakes program at Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel Feb. 2.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Royal Strand colt destroys the field by 15 1/4 lengths in the Louisiana Champions Day Classic Dec. 8 at Fair Grounds.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Millennium Farms' Rolling Sea won for the sixth time this year, stalking the pace and then taking a clear lead in the stretch before holding on to win the $200,000 Chilukki Stakes (gr. II) by a half-length at Churchill Downs Nov. 3.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
With Curlin around, Zanjero will never be the star of Steve Asmussen's highly successful stable, but the Winchell Thoroughbreds' 3-year-old colt has enjoyed a tremendously productive sophomore season. He punctuated his year by exceeding the $1 million mark in earnings with a convincing victory in the $510,600 Indiana Derby (gr. II) at Hoosier Park on the night of Oct. 6.
Saturday, October 06, 2007