Graded stakes winners Blazonry and Southern Africa will stand in 2009 at Randy Leighton's Running Horse Farm near Stevinson, Calif.
Thursday, December 18, 2008Mike Pegram's Preachinatthebar, whose most notable career accomplishment came in winning Santa Anita's San Rafael Stakes (gr. II) three years ago, is expected to be a slight favorite to match that achievement in Sunday's $250,000 San Antonio Handicap (gr. II) for older horses at Santa Anita.
Friday, February 02, 2007Irish-bred King's Drama will be favored to provide trainer Bobby Frankel with his second graded stakes victory of the young Santa Anita Park winter meet in Sunday's $150,000 San Gabriel Handicap (gr. IIT) on the grass.
Friday, December 29, 2006Saint Stephen became the latest to make a successful switch from the turf to Hollywood Park's Cushion Track, taking advantage of a quick pace to register a late-running score in the $100,000 Native Diver Handicap (gr. III) Sunday.
Sunday, December 10, 2006Ball Four, described as a sparring partner for many of his stablemates by trainer Patrick Biancone, will try to deliver a knockout punch of his own in Sunday's $100,000 Native Diver Handicap (gr. III) at Hollywood Park.
Thursday, December 07, 2006Stan Fulton's It's No Joke settled just off the pace and took charge in the stretch to win the $232,800 Emirates Airline Ack Ack Handicap (gr. III) by a neck at Churchill Downs Saturday.
Saturday, November 04, 2006A.P. Arrow faces a near capacity field of 12 rivals in Saturday's $150,000 Fayette (gr. III) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on closing day of Keenland's fall meet.
Friday, October 27, 2006Grashopper Stable's favored Flamethrowintexan refused to cave in under a severe challenge from Papi Chullo to win Sunday's $250,000 Longacres Mile (gr. III), Emerald Down's signature race.
Sunday, August 20, 2006Southern California shipper Papi Chullo and local favorite Flamethrowintexan share top billing in Sunday's Longacres Mile (gr. III), which has attracted a full field of 12 runners to Emerald Downs.
Friday, August 18, 2006Giacomo tallied his first victory since capturing the 2005 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) at odds of 50-1, closing from far back under regular rider Mike Smith to defeat Preachinatthebar by a head in a rousing finish to the $300,000 San Diego Handicap (gr. II) at Del Mar Saturday.
Saturday, July 22, 2006Multi-millionaire Giacomo, winner of the 2005 Kentucky Derby (gr. I), takes the spotlight in Saturday's co-featured grade II, $300,000 San Diego Handicap in a field of older horses going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Del Mar.
Thursday, July 20, 2006Eclipse Award-winning jockey Tyler Baze was suspended by Hoosier Park stewards on Oct. 1 after a routine pre-race breathalyzer test revealed that he was under the influence of alcohol. Baze was scheduled to ride Southern Africa for trainer Mike Puhich in the $500,000 Indiana Derby (gr. II), but was removed from his mount when he failed the test.
Sunday, October 02, 2005B. Wayne Hughes' Don't Get Mad raced off the early pace and stormed home in the stretch to capture the $511,300 Indiana Derby (gr. II) by three lengths Saturday night at Hoosier Park.
Sunday, October 02, 2005Scrappy T will be joined by eight other 3-year-olds in a quest to become the winner of the $500,000 Indiana Derby (gr. II) Saturday at Hoosier Park.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005Tracy Farmer's favored Sun King overcame his outside post in a 14-horse field to easily win the $750,000 Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) under Rafael Bejarano.
Monday, September 05, 2005Favoritism could be up for grabs when the horses make their way onto the track Sunday for the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. III), which proved so popular this year there are four also-eligible horses listed on the overnight.
Thursday, August 11, 2005With two days before entries are drawn, a field of 10-12 seemed possible for Sunday's $750,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. III), one of nine stakes on an all-stakes program at Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort that will rank as the richest day of racing in the history of the state.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005Unbeaten Purim stalked a quick pace before striking to the lead in the stretch en route to a 2 ½-length victory in the $150,000 Arlington Classic (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-olds on the Arlington Park turf.
Saturday, July 02, 2005Preakness (gr. I) winner Afleet Alex, the favorite for Saturday's Belmont Stakes, settled into his new barn without a problem. John Shirreffs, the affable trainer of Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Giacomo, seemed nice and relaxed just one day before the rubber match at 1 1/2 miles.
Friday, June 10, 2005Cash is King Stable's Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Afleet Alex was installed the 6-5 morning-line favorite when 11 horses were entered for Saturday's $1-million Belmont Stakes (gr. I), the third leg of the Visa Triple Crown.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005Watchmon, a son of Maria's Mon who is expected to be one of the longest prices on the board in Saturday's Belmont Stakes (gr. I), breezed five furlongs over the main track at Belmont Park Tuesday morning in 1:00.09.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005Afleet Alex completes serious training for Belmont Stakes (gr. I)... Chekhov works at Saratoga... Romans searching for jockey to ride Nolan's Cat... Watchmon, likely Belmont starter, to work Tuesday.
Monday, June 06, 2005Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Afleet Alex turned in another of his unique feats Monday by jogging a mile and a half at 6:15, then going out at 8:45 and galloping three miles in the sweltering heat and humidity.
Monday, June 06, 2005With less than a week until the 137th Belmont Stakes (gr. I), the mile and a half race looks like this: Preakness (gr. I) winner Afleet Alex, Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Giacomo, and the rest of them.
Monday, June 06, 2005Giacomo, the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner, breezed six furlongs in 1:14 4/5 Sunday morning on the fast track at Hollywood Park in his last serious work for Saturday's Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Sunday, June 05, 2005Ken Ramsey, in an effort to gain stature for the stallion Catienus, will run his son Nolan's Cat in the June 11 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), even though the colt is still a maiden after five starts.
Friday, June 03, 2005The field for the 137th Belmont Stakes (gr. I) on June 11 is slowly taking shape, with at least nine 3-year-olds pointing for the third leg of the Triple Crown. The 1 1/2-mile "Test of the Champion" will be headed by Preakness (gr. I) winner Afleet Alex and Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Giacomo.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Giacomo breezed seven furlongs in 1:27 at Hollywood Park Monday morning in preparation for the June 11 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Monday, May 30, 2005The field for the 137th running of the $1 million Belmont Stakes (gr. I) June 11 continues taking shape.
Saturday, May 28, 2005Al and Saundra Kirkwood's Southern Africa took the overland route with Jon Court but proved to be much the best in winning the $300,000 Walmac Lone Star Derby (gr. III) for 3-year-olds Saturday in Grand Prairie, Texas. Trainer Mike Puhich says the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) could be next for the well-bred son of Cape Town.
Saturday, May 14, 2005Storm Surge heads a field of 12 3-year-olds slated for Saturday's Walmac Lone Star Derby (gr. III) at Lone Star Park. Dallas Stewart conditions the Overbrook Farm homebred who won the Lecomte Stakes (gr. III) by a neck at Fair Grounds in his first start this year. The $300,000 Walmac will also be contested at nine furlongs.
Thursday, May 12, 2005Thor's Echo, who couldn't hold off Southern Africa when the two met the last time, turned the tables on his rival in the $500,000 WinStar Derby at Sunland Park Saturday.
Saturday, April 02, 2005A field of eight, highlighted by the first three finishers in the Borderland Derby and stakes winner Sort it Out, will take the gate for Saturday's $500,000 WinStar Derby, going 1 1/8 miles at Sunland Park.
Wednesday, March 30, 2005Trainer Tim Ritchey confirmed Monday morning that Afleet Alex, runner-up for the 2-year-old championship, will have his first work of his 3-year-old season later this week at Oaklawn Park.
Monday, February 14, 2005In spite of skipping the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), undefeated Declan's Moon made an emphatic statement for 2-year-old honors in 2004 with a convincing victory over grade I winners Wilko and Proud Accolade in Saturday's $449,500 Hollywood Futurity (gr. I).
Saturday, December 18, 2004Undefeated Declan's Moon, who returned from his smasher in the Del Mar Futurity (gr. II) to take last month's Hollywood Prevue (gr. III), is expected to be accorded favoritism among eight entrants in the $449,500 Hollywood Futurity (gr. I) Saturday.
Thursday, December 16, 2004Unbeaten Declan's Moon was much the best in winning Saturday's $100,000 Hollywood Prevue (gr. III) for 2-year-olds at Hollywood Park.
Saturday, November 20, 2004Chasing a possible Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old, unbeaten Declan's Moon returns to action in Saturday's Hollywood Prevue Stakes (gr. III) where his competition in the seven-furlong event will include Seize the Day, a smashing 11-length winner of his only start.
Thursday, November 18, 2004Southern Africa, victorious in two of three starts in England, is scheduled to make his United States bow in the $100,000 Hollywood Prevue Stakes (gr. III) for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs on Saturday.
Sunday, November 14, 2004