Fourteen sprinters get their shot at grade I glory in an unpredictable renewal of the $300,000 Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood Park July 5.
22 hours ago
Whatsthescript, a 29-1 upset winner a year ago, will carry high weight of 120 pounds as he defends his title in the $150,000 American Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Independence Day program at Hollywood Park.
2 days ago
Angled to the middle of the track for the stretch run by jockey Gabriel Saez, heavy choice Kodiak Kowboy overpowered his rivals in the $200,000 Donald LeVine Memorial Handicap to win by four lengths at Philadelphia Park June 27.
6 days ago
Einstein, a leading candidate for 2009 Horse of the Year midway through the season, will try to make history by becoming the first horse to win grade I events on dirt, turf and synthetics in the same year in the $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) June 13 at Churchill Downs.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
It would have been hard to predict that Bribon would achieve his most prestigious victory at age 6 on American dirt when he made his juvenile debut in a seven-furlong event at Saint-Cloud in France. Thursday, May 28, 2009
Marc Keller's 6-year-old gelding Bribon came five-wide into the lane and outran a trio of rivals to take the $600,000 Shadwell Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) by a half-length over Smooth Air May 25 at Belmont Park.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Multiple graded stakes winner Monterey Jazz eclipsed a 15-year-old Hollywood Park turf mark when he clocked a mile in 1:32.59 while winning a $58,400 allowance race by 3 3/4 lengths May 24.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
West Point Thoroughbreds and partners' Mr. Fantasy and Sequoia Racing's Imperial Council will each try to become the first 3-year-old to win the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) since Honour and Glory did it back in 1996, but will have to conquer a full field of older horses on May 25 at Belmont Park to make it happen.
Friday, May 22, 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
Carter Handicap (gr. I) victor Kodiak Kowboy heads the field for trainer Larry Jones in the $250,000 Churchill Downs Stakes (gr. II) on the main track May 2.
Wednesday, April 29, 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
Grade I winner Visionaire has been retired from racing after being unable to come back following an injury he likely suffered in his victory in the NetJets King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Kodiak Kowboy scored the first grade I victory of his career and became a millionaire in dramatic fashion, rallying late to edge the front-running Fabulous Strike by a head in the $300,000 Carter Handicap April 4 at Aqueduct in New York. It was the eighth win in 17 career races for Kodiak Kowboy, who was Canada's champion 2-year-old male in 2007.
Saturday, April 04, 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
A day after his smashing victory March 28, record-breaking Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) winner Well Armed was in "fantastic" condition, according to his assistant trainer.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
As a steady rain fell on Nad Al Sheba on Thursday morning, March 26, Dubai World Cup favorite Albertus Maximus continued to display bold eagerness, pulling on exercise rider Rob Massey as he galloped strongly around the track under the watchful eyes of trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Standing at the backstretch rail the morning of March 24 at Nad al Sheba in Dubai, assistant trainer Trish McLaughlin watched Albertus Maximus virtually soar past her while pulling against exercise rider Rob Massey in an impressive show of contained strength and speed.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Still recovering after the long journey from the United States to Dubai, the 12-horse American contingent for the March 28 Dubai World Cup races continued to stretch their legs March 22 and get acclimated to Nad al Sheba, with most sent out for easy gallops.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Including four U.S.-based runners, 15 horses have been entered for the $6-million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) at Nad Al Sheba racecourse March 28.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Cindy Jones, wife and assistant to trainer Larry Jones, said all three of the stable's horses who who ran at Fair Grounds March 14, including Louisiana Derby (gr. II) winner Friesan Fire, came out of their races well.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Mount Joy Stables' 4-year-old Florida homebred Smooth Air wore down the leaders in the deep stretch of the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II) March 14 at Gulfstream Park to score a 1 1/4-length decision over Rolbea Throughbred Racing's 5-year-old Finallymadeit.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
If his last race is any indication, Mount Joy Stables' Smooth Air should be set up for a big run in the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II) on March 14 at Gulfstream Park, a race that has been shortened from 1 3/16 miles to one mile this season.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Colonel John, the morning line favorite for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) March 7, has been scratched after spiking a temperature on the morning of the race.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Ventura, a stylish winner of the Santa Monica Handicap (gr. I) against her own sex last time out, will take aim at males when she returns to the turf for trainer Bobby Frankel in the $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (gr. IT) at Santa Anita March 7.
Wednesday, March 04, 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
Matto Mondo grabbed the lead from favored pacesetter Monterey Jazz at the head of the stretch and rolled on to register a 3 1/4-length win in the off-the-turf Thunder Road Handicap at Santa Anita Feb. 7.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Monba and Yankee Bravo, both prominent on last year's Triple Crown trail, will make their returns to the racetrack in the $100,000 Thunder Road Handicap (gr. IIIT) Feb. 7 at Santa Anita. However, Irish-bred Ferneley, a near-winner in consecutive graded stakes, could loom the largest in the one-mile turf event.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Albertus Maximus wore down a stubborn Finallymadeit in the final stages to win the $489,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I) in the 5-year-old's first start for Shadwell Stable and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Evan and Tom analyze the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, January 31. The Wizard has a pair of Spotlight Plays, the Forward Gal on Friday, January 30 at Gulfstream, and Race 5 at Fair Grounds on Saturday, January 31.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Three-time grade I winner Einstein drew the outside post for his 2009 debut in the $500,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I), when he attempts to add a grade I victory on dirt to his impressive record Jan. 31 at Gulfstream Park.
Wednesday, January 28, 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
