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Americain, Dunaden to Meet in Melbourne Cup

A competitive field of 24 is set for the Emirates Melbourne Cup (Aus-I), including the event's two most recent winners, French stayers Americain and Dunaden, who will square off in Australia's greatest race Nov. 6.

Melbourne Cup Carnival - Anthony Mithen

Owner Anthony Mithen talks about Winchester and the Melbourne Cup.

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Caulfield Cup: John Sadler - Winchester

Trainer John Sadler talks about Winchester, his entry in the Caulfield Cup.

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Grade I Winner Winchester Retired

Bert and Diana Firestone have retired their four-time grade I winner Winchester from racing for stallion duty.

Winchester Tries for Another Graded Score

While lightly raced this year, four-time grade I winner Winchester has by far the most decorated career heading into the Nov. 26 W.L. McKnight Handicap (gr. IIT) at Calder Casino & Race Course.

Winchester Withdrawn from Turf Consideration

The Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) lost one of its contenders Oct. 29 when Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone's Winchester was taken out of consideration following a workout at Belmont Park.

Quality Over Quantity in Turf Classic

Cape Blanco and Teaks North, both two-time grade I winners on turf this year, headline a star-studded six-horse field for the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT).

Royal Delta, Winchester Work at Belmont

Grade I winners Royal Delta and Winchester work five furlongs at Belmont Park.

Saratoga Diary: Mile (and-a-half) stones

Proposals for horse racing and marriage abound.

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Winchester Rallies, Triumphs in Sword Dancer

Winchester delivered the fourth grade I victory of his career Aug. 13 when he rallied from last to take the Sword Dancer Invitational (gr. IT) at Saratoga.

Teaks North Looks to Stay Hot in Sword Dancer

Teaks North will try to jump to the top of the standings when he takes on seven rivals in the $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational (gr. IT) Aug. 13 at Saratoga.

VTA Announces 2010 Year-End Winners

The legacy of the late Edward P. Evans was carried on in a big way when the 2010 Virginia-bred champions were announced by the Virginia Thoroughbred Association.

Free Fighter Posts Stars and Stripes Repeat

Free Fighter ended a drought of 14 months when he ground out a two-length victory in the off-the-turf Stars and Stripes Stakes at Arlington Park July 23.

Winchester's Return Heads Stars and Stripes

Multiple grade I stakes winner Winchester heads a field of seven grass runners entered for the $100,000 Stars and Stripes Stakes (gr. IIIT), a 1 1/2-mile turf event July 23.

Snow Fairy Brilliant Again in Hong Kong Cup

Snow Fairy cemented her status as the finest 3-year-old filly in the world when she rallied from far back to nab Irian in the final 50 yards to win the HK$20 million Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup (HK-I) at Sha Tin Dec. 12.

Winchester Lone U.S. Hope in Hong Kong Races

Winchester, the only United States-based horse taking part in the 2010 Cathay Pacific International Races at Sha Tin Racecourse Dec. 12, drew post post position 3 for the HK$14 million Hong Kong Vase (HK-I).

Dangerous Midge Gives Dettori 4th BC Turf Win

Dangerous Midge made sure European jockey Frankie Dettori didn't go home empty handed when he wore down pacesetter Champ Pegasus in deep stretch to win the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) Nov. 6.

Firestones Looking for Another Epic Victory

If Winchester were to capture the Nov. 6 Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf, the Virginia homebred would provide his owners, Bertram and Diana Firestone, with yet another prestigious victory for the history books.

Back to the Dirt: Compelling Breeders' Cup

The main focus this year, of course, will be on "Mighty Mare"--Zenyatta--who hopes to conclude her amazing career in the Classic with her 20th victory in as many starts, and the French femme fatale, Goldikova.

And They're Off: Oct. 6, 2010

Lenny and Steve present a Lightning Round Recap of the weekend's stakes races and their Breeders' Cup implications.

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Winchester Finds Target in Hirsch Classic Win

Winchester swept past favored Paddy O'Prado in deep stretch to comfortably win the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (gr. IT) on a yielding Belmont Park Widener Turf Course Oct. 2.

Paddy O'Prado Takes On Elders in Turf Classic

Paddy O'Prado will get his stiffest test when he makes his debut against older horses in the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) Oct. 2 at Belmont Park.

Countdown to the Cup: Can We Beat the Euros?

Each year, it seems the Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) paints the same bleak picture for the American grass horses.

Al Khali Finds Room, Wins Bowling Green

Al Khali finally got loose in mid-stretch and ran down odds-on favorite Winchester in the final yards to win the $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap (gr. IIT) Sept. 11 at Belmont Park.

Grand Couturier Eyes Another Bowling Green

Millionaire 7-year-old Grand Couturier has not been a factor in four starts this season, but his connections are hoping he will return to form in a race he won a year ago, the Bowling Green Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont.

Is Gio Ponti Still at the Top of His Class?

Jason Shandler looks at the Turf Division, dominated by Gio Ponti in 2009.

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European Invader Chinchon Wins United Nations

Irish-bred Chinchon, making just his second start in the U.S., showed an explosive turn of foot in the stretch and came from off the pace to capture the $760,000 United Nations Stakes (gr. IT) July 3 at Monmouth Park.

THS: The United Nations

Jason, Tom, and James Scully of twinspires.com preview the United Nations (gr. IT) at Monmouth Park on July 3.

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United Nations Stakes Ripe For the Taking

Four grade I winners and a pair of intriguing international contenders were among the nine entered for a suddenly wide-open editon of the $750,000 BetFair/TVG United Nations Stakes (gr. IT) July 3 at Monmouth Park.

Winchester Hits Target in Manhattan Upset

Winchester registered his first stakes win since taking the 2008 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) when he posted a 21-1 stunner in the $400,000 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (gr. IT) at Belmont Park June 5.

Winchester, Brass Hat Highlight Pan American

Winchester will be the favorite in the $150,000 Pan American Stakes (gr. IIIT) March 27 at Gulfstream Park, a race that also will mark the season debut of Fred Bradley's remarkable 9-year-old gelding Brass Hat.

Presious Passion Fires Again in Mac Diarmida

The turf might not have been as firm as he likes it, but front-running Presious Passion had little trouble handling it in the $150,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (gr. IIT) at Gulfstream Park Feb. 28.

Presious Passion Seeks Repeat in Mac Diarmida

Charismatic 7-year-old gelding Presious Passion attempts to add a repeat win in the $150,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (gr. IIT) Feb. 28 at Gulfstream Park to his sterling record.

Presious Passion Works Toward Mac Diarmida

Seven-year-old turf specialist Presious Passion will look to defend his Mac Diarmida title Feb. 28 at Gulfstream Park. Presious Passion was second in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park.

Presious Passion After McKnight Threepeat

Veteran campaigners Presious Passion and Cloudy's Knight, a pair of grade I winners who starred in last month's Breeders' Cup races, meet in the $150,000 W.L. McKnight Handicap at Calder.

9-Year-Old Cloudy's Knight Wins Sycamore

Cloudy's Knight, moving in tandem with favorite Winchester during a big stretch move, caught Yate's Black Cat just before the wire to win the $125,000 Sycamore (gr. IIIT) by a head Oct. 22 at Keeneland.

Gio Ponti Tries For Fifth Straight Grade I

Christophe Clement has had many talented stakes winners during his years as one of the nation's leading turf conditioners, but the French-born trainer now admits Gio Ponti may be at the top of that list. On Oct. 3, the 4-year-old son of Tale of the Cat seeks his fifth consecutive grade I grass victory when he lines up for the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park.

Grand Couturier Back in Form in Bowling Green

Favored Grand Couturier got the soft going he appreciates and a solid pace to chase, helping him to his first win of the year in the $158,500 Bowling Green Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont Park Sept. 13.

Grand Couturier Should Atone in Bowling Green

Grand Couturier heads into the $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont Park Sept. 13 as the morning line favorite in spite of a fifth-place finish in Saratoga's Sword Dancer Invitational (gr. IT) last month that left trainer Robert Ribaudo a bit perplexed.

Weld, Winchester Take Aim at Turf Cup

The Irish tandem of trainer Dermot Weld and jockey Patrick Smullen, who combined to win the Matriarch (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park four years ago with Dress to Thrill, have returned with their sights set on the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (gr. IT) Dec. 6.

Black Mamba Ready to Strike in Turf Cup

The 5-year-old mare Black Mamba, scratched from the one-mile Matriarch at Hollywood Park this past weekend, instead will run in the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (gr. IT) at 12 furlongs Dec. 6 against males.

Soldier of Fortune Leads Turf Invasion

As it often does, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) has produced the morning-line favorite for the the $3-million Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) as Aidan O'Brien's Irish raider Soldier of Fortune leads a packed field of 11 at Santa Anita Oct. 25.

Turf: Course Obstacles

Although they have dominated the $3-million Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) at other venues, top European imports have not performed especially well when the Breeders' Cup has been held at Santa Anita, where they must contend with tighter turns, hard turf, and warm temperatures.

Winchester Among World's Top Turf Horses

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

Winchester, winner of the Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) is part of an exceptionally strong contingent of European turf runners this year. The son of Theatrical may be headed for the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT). If he wins, Theatrical will become the first Turf winner to sire a Turf winner.

Winchester Takes Down Tizdejavu

Rene Douglas snuck a peek around each shoulder approaching the quarter-pole in the $400,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT), knowing that he had a loaded gun underneath him. The veteran jockey then let Winchester loose, and the 3-year-old son of Theatrical swallowed pacesetter Tizdejavu, eventually drawing clear for a convincing 7 1/4-length upset victory Aug. 9 at Arlington Park.

Tizdejavu Eyes Fourth Straight Turf Win

Michael Cooper and Pamela Ziebarth's Tizdejavu, undefeated on turf, will be after his fourth consecutive victory over the surface in the $400,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) Aug. 9 at Arlington Park. Tizdejavu, trained by Gregory Fox, was installed as the 6-5 morning line favorite in the 1 1/4-mile test for 3-year-olds. Nine were entered.

First Foals for Millionaires Johannesburg and Red Bullet

The first reported foals by international champion Johannesburg and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Red Bullet were born the beginning of January.