Multiple grade I winner and millionaire Tale of Ekati will stand the 2010 breeding season at Darby Dan Farm near Lexington for his owner and breeder Charles Fipke, it was announced Sept. 15.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Tale of Ekati, winner last year of the Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I), has been sent to John Phillips' Darby Dan Farm near Lexington.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Favored Bribon used a huge sweeping move on the turn to open a big lead in the stretch en route to his first graded stakes win in the $110,000 Westchester (gr. III) April 29 as Belmont Park opened its 2009 spring/summer meet.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
After a pair of important grade I wins in New York as a sophomore last year, trainer Barclay Tagg had high expectations for Tale of Ekati in 2009, but so far things have not not panned out. Tagg will try blinkers on the son of Tale of the Cat as Belmont Park opens its 64-day spring/summer meet with the $100,000 Westchester Stakes (gr. III).
Sunday, April 26, 2009
A field of eight accomplished sprinters, led by multiple graded stakes winner Tale of Ekati, Kodiak Kowboy, and Fabulous Strike, will line up in the starting gate in the $300,000 Carter Handicap (gr. I) April 4 at Aqueduct.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
How's Your Halo, off at odds of 47-1, caught Ikigai in the final strides to earn his first graded stakes win in the $150,000 Richter Scale (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park Feb. 14.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Tale of Ekati, off since winning the Hill 'N' Dale Cigar Mile (gr. I) by disqualification last November, will make his return to the racetrack in the $150,000 Richter Scale Sprint (gr. II) Feb. 14 at Gulfstream.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Under jockey Alan Garcia, Break Water Edison breezed five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 in his first work since Kimmel shipped the son of Lemon Drop Kid from Payson Park to Gulfstream to prepare for a likely start in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) on Jan. 30.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Harold Queen's Florida homebred colt Big Drama will make his highly-anticipated 3-year-old debut in the $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) to be run at 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream Park Jan. 31, according to trainer David Fawkes.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Charles Fipke's Tale of Ekati finished a nose behind Stronach Stables' Harlem Rocker when the horses hit the wire in the Nov. 29 Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile (gr. I) at Aqueduct, but was placed first after stewards disqualified Harlem Rocker for interference in the stretch. Wanderin Boy was euthanized after fracturing the sesamoids in his left front leg.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Charles Fipke's Tale of Ekati won the grade I Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Nov. 29 when Stronach Stables' Harlem Rocker, who crossed the wire first by a nose, was disqualified and placed second.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Stone Farm's Wanderin Boy tops the 20th running of the grade I, $300,000 Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Nov. 29 as Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito attempts a rare double: winning graded stakes with 7-year-olds on consecutive days.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
While the "rivalry" between Curlin and Big Brown has manifested itself through the frequent and often frivolous comments from the horses' connections, there is a real rivalry over in Europe that may very well boil over into the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Tale of Ekati earned his first victory since taking the Wood Memorial (gr. I) on the Triple Crown trail this spring when he captured the $159,500 Jerome Handicap (gr. II) on a sloppy track at Belmont Park Oct. 5.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Da' Tara, who exploited a field lacking speed to the fullest in winning the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), could be in a position to do it again in the $150,000 Jerome Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park Oct. 5.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Other than Big Brown, no 3-year-old has separated itself from the rest of the pack in 2008. That could all change Aug. 23 at Saratoga, as a full field of 12 will go to post in the $1 million Travers Stakes Presented by Shadwell Farm (gr. I), each horse seeking its place in history by attempting to win one of the oldest and most prestigious Thoroughbred races in North America.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
A field of 12 was entered Aug. 20 for the $1-million Travers Presented by Shadwell Farm at Saratoga Aug. 23.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
According to New York Racing Association Stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes, Acai, Colonel John, Da' Tara, Harlem Rocker, Macho Again, Mambo in Seattle, Pyro, Tale of Ekati, and Tres Borrachos are probable for the Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Preakness (gr. I) runner-up Macho Again split horses coming off the turn, took over inside the eighth-pole and held off a late charge from favored Pyro to post a half-length upset victory in the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) July 27 at Saratoga.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Da' Tara, who shocked the nation when he wired the field at odds of 38-1 in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) and denied Big Brown the Triple Crown, returns to the racetrack July 27 in the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga.
Friday, July 25, 2008
A total of 33 horses have been invited to the 41st running of Monmouth Park's $1 million Haskell Invitational (gr. I), with Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Big Brown expected to head the field in the 1 1/8-mile event Aug. 3.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
The third time proved to be the charm for trainer Barclay Tagg in terms of Tale of Ekati's progression of works for the June 7 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Friday, June 06, 2008
Trainer David Carroll was aboard Denis of Cork June 5 as the third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) went to the paddock, stood in the starting gate and then galloped 1 1/4 miles on Belmont's main track.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
The New York Racing Association said June 2 a field of nine is probable for the June 7 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), third leg of the Triple Crown.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Can a son of Boundary win the Belmont Stakes (gr. I)? Many people had their doubts that a Boundary could win at 1 1/4 miles, but Big Brown keeps defying the odds and eliminating one question mark after another.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Casino Drive, the son of Mineshaft who is expected to provide some of the stiffest competition to Big Brown in the June 7 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), follows a daily routine that raises eyebrows on the backstretch of Belmont Park but is consistent with how he is trained in Japan.
Monday, June 02, 2008
It's difficult to characterize the rise to greatness for a horse like Tale of Ekati, who was born already virtually flawless, according to John Phillips, managing partner of Darby Dan near Lexington, where the colt was foaled.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
As of May 26, New York Racing Association Stakes Coordination Andrew Byrnes expects the Belmont Stakes field to be: Big Brown, Anak Nakal, Casino Drive, Denis of Cork, Icabad Crane, Macho Again, Tale of Ekati, and Tomcito.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Tale of Ekati turned in a super-sharp work for the June 7 Belmont Stakes (gr.I) when he sped four furlongs in 46.84 seconds over Belmont Park's main track May 20. The move was the fastest of 37 works at the distance, on a track listed as fast before a steady rain began falling later in the morning.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Early indications are that none of the horses that finished behind Big Brown in his impressive 4 3/4-length victory in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) will move on to the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Sunday, May 04, 2008
With four days to go to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), only two classic contenders worked at Churchill Downs on the morning of Tuesday, April 29.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
In what trainer Barclay Tagg described as a "perfect" work, Big Truck zipped five furlongs in :59 2/5 at Churchill Downs on Monday, April 28, in preparation for the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Monday, April 28, 2008
Eee-bar. I-bar. Aye-bar. Eibar Coa doesn't care what you call him -- or what you think of him. His bold edge, which some call egotism, is just self-confidence. The unforgiving techniques he employs on the racetrack are carefully-honed race-riding skills. And his intensely competitive side is an inborn trait that brought him success in other athletics, such as judo and basketball.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Trainer Todd Pletcher said April 24 that Starlight Stable, Donald Lucarelli and Paul Saylor's Monba and Stonerside Stable's Cowboy Cal remain on schedule to work at Keeneland either April 26 or April 27 in their first works since finishing one-two in the Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I). Pletcher said the pair would then ship to Churchill Downs probably April 28, for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) on May 3.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Trainer Barclay Tagg sent Tale of Ekati out for a five-furlong work Wednesday morning at Keeneland, and was pleased with the colt's performance.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Another Kentucky Derby is upon us, and most of the talk has been about the inconsistencies and slow speed figures of this year's crop of 3-year-olds. Before we get into all the observations and analyses, and attempt to figure out this daffy Derby there is one point that must be addressed first.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Eric Fein's Big Truck, winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III), worked a half-mile in :48.8 over the Polytrack at Keeneland April 22.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Charles Fipke's Tale of Ekati worked a half-mile in :49.20 April 17 at Keeneland. Trainer Barclay Tagg described the move as "a little maintenance work after his race."
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Robert Evans' Elysium Fields, runner-up in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II), will be sidelined indefinitely, said trainer Barclay Tagg.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Well, we're down to our final two major preps, the Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) and Arkansas Derby (gr. II), with the Coolmore Lexington (gr. II) and Holy Bull (gr. III) thrown in for good measure. The question right now is: what did we learn from last Saturday's preps?
Monday, April 07, 2008
Unbeaten Big Brown, the dominating winner of last week's Florida Derby (gr. I), took on the look of the ultimate favorite for the $2-million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) when he finished as a solid 3-1 choice in the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2008 Derby Future Wager.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Charles Fipke's homebred Tale of Ekati may have turned in a sub-par effort in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II), but he sparkled at Aqueduct when he ran down War Pass in the final strides of the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I) April 5.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Nick Zito has not lost faith in War Pass. True, the colt has questions to answer after finishing last as the 1-20 choice in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III). But the trainer saw his 2007 juvenile champ at his best during a five-race winning streak that carried over into this season, and he's hoping that side is revealed again when the son of Cherokee Run heads a field of 10 in Aqueduct's $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I).
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Robert LaPenta's War Pass has drawn post position number five in the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I), an April 5 prep for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) that has drawn a field of 10 3-year-old contenders.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Robert Evans' Elysium Fields, runner-up in last month's $350,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II), worked March 12 at Gulfstream Park in preparation for the $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I) Mar. 29.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The doubters said that Pyro's last-to-first victory in the Risen Star (gr. III) was not as good as it looked. There won't be much for the skeptics to say after the Pulpit colt's latest performance, a commanding three-length score in the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) March 8 at Fair Grounds, a victory that cemented the Steve Asmussen trainee as one of the top two 3-year-olds in the country.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
With less than two months until the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), it is time that some of the highly-touted 3-year-olds begin to answer our questions. Many of those answers will be provided March 8 at Fair Grounds, when nine top challengers will do battle in the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (gr. II).
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Winchell Thoroughbreds' Pyro, who stamped himself as a leading Triple Crown contender after his win in last month's Risen Star Stakes (gr. III), is the 7-5 morning-line choice in a field of nine 3-year-olds entered in the March 8 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) at Fair Grounds.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Robert LaPenta's undefeated Eclipse champion War Pass continued to prep for his seasonal debut when he worked a bullet half-mile in :46.80 at Palm Meadows training center Feb. 2. Anak Nakal and Tale of Ekati also worked.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Once more, War Pass has proven that no one can run with him. Robert LaPenta's undefeated colt set a fast pace on a sloppy Monmouth Park strip and took command early on the far turn, finishing up nicely to register a 4 3/4-length in the $2 million Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) Oct. 27.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
