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Stakes Winner/Producer Thread Dies

Thread, a stakes winner and dam of multiple grade II winner Wend, died May 18 at the Hancock family's Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky.

A Big Boost From Synthethic Surfaces

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Two years ago, Big Booster was a $35,000-$39,000 claimer running at Belmont Park. Today, he has the honor of being a grade II winner, having just taken the San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap at Santa Anita Park. The move west and several goes over the synthetic turf reinvigorated Big Booster's racing career.

Grade I Winner Scat Daddy Retired

Scat Daddy, a grade I winner the past two years, has been retired from racing because of a slight tendon injury

Gorella Favored in Deep Beverly D. Field

Gorella and Honey Ryder plus a rising star from overseas top a deep line-up of 11 fillies and mares for Arlington Park's $750,000 Beverly D. Stakes (gr. IT) on Saturday.

Lady of Venice Takes Tougher Road in Diana

Trainer Patrick Biancone could have entered his improving 3-year-old filly Lady of Venice in Friday's restricted Lake George (gr. IIIT) at Saratoga but opted instead to put her in a much tougher spot -- Saturday's $500,000 Diana Handicap (gr. IT) for older fillies and mares.

Film Maker Rolls Past Rivals in All Along BC

The millionaire Film Maker, making her 6-year-old debut, overtook her five rivals near the sixteenth pole and went on to a 3 1/4-length romp in the $190,000 All Along Breeders' Cup (gr. IIIT) for fillies and mares Saturday at Colonial Downs.

Gorella Back With Distaffers in Just a Game

Gorella, beaten less than two lengths by English Channel and Cacique five weeks ago in Churchill's Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT), will be the one to beat Saturday in the $300,000 Just a Game Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Belmont Park Widener Turf course.

Claiborne's Wend Wows 'Em in Wiley Win

Claiborne Farm's favored Wend made her return to her hometown track a successful one, making it look easy as she handled a solid field in the $200,000 Jenny Wiley (gr. IIT) for older fillies and mares on a dusty Keeneland turf course Saturday.

Wend Winds Way Back Home for Jenny Wiley

Claiborne Farm's Wend, owner of a five-race winning streak on the East Coast last year, returns to her Lexington home as the 5-2 morning line favorite in Saturday's $200,000 Jenny Wiley (gr. IIT) on the Keeneland turf.

Wend Kicks Off 2006 With Honey Fox Win

Claiborne Farm's 5-year-old mare Wend kicked off her 2006 season with an impressive win in the $100,000 Honey Fox Handicap (gr. IIIT) for fillies and mares on the Gulfstream Park turf Saturday.

Honey Fox, The Very One Complete Gulf Stakes Line-Up

The $100,000 Honey Fox Handicap (gr. III) and $100,000 The Very One Handicap (gr. III), both for fillies and mares on the grass, complete a stakes-filled card at Gulfstream Park Saturday.

Countdown to the Cup: The Most, the Best, and Other Lists

It is still too early to make final selections for the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. Most of the important works are finished, and the majority of the mounts have been assigned. So, basically there is nothing much to do but wait for the shippers to arrive and concoct lists that may or not prove helpful.

Intercontinental Jets Home in WinStar Galaxy

Juddmonte Farms' odds-on favorite Intercontinental remained undefeated in three tries on the Keeneland grass course with a workmanlike triumph in the $400,000 WinStar Galaxy (gr. IIT) at one mile for fillies and mares Sunday.

Intercontinental Favored in WinStar Galaxy

Intercontinental, one of many highly consistent turf runners from the Bobby Frankel barn, should be the solid choice when a field of nine goes a mile on the turf Sunday at Keeneland in the WinStar Galaxy Stakes (gr. IIT).

Melhor Ainda Pronounced Beverly D. Favorite

A field of 10 fillies and mares has been drawn for Saturday's signature female turf race on the Arlington Park calendar, the $750,000 Beverly D. (gr. IT). Sister to the prestigious Arlington Million (gr. IT) for the males on the card, the 1 3/16-mile test brings in a nice group--led postward by the Bobby Frankel-trained Melhor Ainda.

Wend Wins Again in New York Handicap

Claiborne Farm's homebred Wend captured her fifth straight win while making her graded stakes debut, holding off the hard-closing Wonder Again by a neck in the $250,000 New York Handicap (gr. IIT) for fillies and mares on the Belmont Park inner turf course Saturday.

Wonder Again Meets Tough Field in NY Handicap

Wonder Again, who ran quite well in her 2005 debut, should be tough to handle Saturday at Belmont Park in the track's New York Handicap (gr. IIT).

Wend Wins 'Wildcat in Stakes Debut

Wend won the $150,000 Hollywood Wildcat Breeders' Cup Handicap at Calder Race Course on Saturday for her owner/breeder Claiborne Farm of Kentucky and trainer Bill Mott.