Blue Grass, Ashland, Madison, Carter Handicap, Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita Oaks, Queen Elizabeth, Oka Sho, Gazelle, Royal Heroine, Shakertown, Wood Memorial, Transylvania, Providencia, Excelsior, Disftaff H., Commonwealth, Bay Shore and more.
Consider this your weekly guide to the best stakes in North America. This week we have massive stakes cards at Aqueduct Racetrack, Keeneland, and Santa Anita Park built around three top Triple Crown preps.
After winning four of his first five starts, Centennial Farms' Unified will try grade 1 company for the first time in the $400,000 Carter Handicap (G1) April 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Before Fletcher and Carolyn Gray's homebred broke through to win her first stakes in the 2015 Silverbulletday, the plan was to make her a grass horse, but the eight-length score was enough to convince Jones to keep her on dirt.
Her connections are holding out hope she may be cleared to travel to the Jan. 29 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston, but due to an equine herpesvirus outbreak and resulting quarantine at Fair Grounds, she was entered in the 1 1/16-mile Krantz.
Munnings the Thoroughbred was bred in the purple and is as traditional in that respect as any young stallion these days.
Multiple grade 1-winner I'm a Chatterbox continues to prepare at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for her seasonal debut for trainer Larry Jones and owners Carolyn and Fletcher Gray.
Son of Warrior's Reward took the inaugural Spendthrift Stallion Stakes in a front-running fashion Oct. 30 at Churchill Downs
Abbondanza Racing and Nathan McCauley's Free Rose roared to the lead on the far turn and held on for a narrow win the $250,000 Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) Sept. 4 as a the field threatened to engulf him.
In his second start since moving to trainer Richard Baltas and owner Abbondanza Racing, Free Rose provided a weekend stunner at Del Mar Aug. 6 in the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIIT).
Spendthrift Australia has set fees for its current roster of four stallions that will stand the 2016 breeding season. All payable live foal fees remain the same as in 2015, and Spendthrift Australia has introduced the "Breed Secure" program.
Grade I winner I'm a Chatterbox began gearing up in earnest for her return to racing after arriving at Keeneland in early April. She is the 3-5 favorite for Friday's Doubledogdare (gr. III).
Rallying from last of eight in the slop, Salutos Amigos grabbed his first career grade I win April 9 in the $400,000 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Salutos Amigos and Calculator, who both spent the winter in California but didn't meet up out there, will hook up back in New York as two late runners who should benefit from a hot early pace in the Carter.
Larry Jones hopes to find an easy debut spot in the 1 1/16-mile Doubledogdare for grade I winner I'm a Chatterbox, who was rested this winter at Fair Grounds. Her first big target is the June 11 Ogden Phipps (gr. I).
Trainer Wesley Ward continued his roll at the Turfway Park winter/spring meet the evening of Feb. 19 with three victories, including the returning group II-winning filly Acapulco.
Last year's Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II) runner-up Saratoga Mischief is entered for his 3-year-old season debut Sunday, Feb. 14 in the $100,000 Fred "Cappy" Capossela Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack.
New York-based sires Bob and John and Musket Man have been sold to stand in 2016 in South Korea.
M M G Racing Stable's Never Gone South returned to the bounced back from two tough stakes losses in a big way Jan. 16 when romping away to 7 1/4-length victory in the $75,000 Frank Whiteley Jr. Stakes at Laurel Park.
Tapit leads general sire list for second consecutive year and more inside the January 9, 2016 issue of Blood-Horse Magazine.
Zayat Stables' King Kranz, equipped with blinkers for the first time, went from maiden to stakes winner Jan. 1 in the Lost In The Fog for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Om, a son of Munnings, was an easy winner of the Dec. 26 Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita. The 6-5 favorite got the mile in 1:35.57.
Sir Alfred James Munnings' signed painting Lord Astor's "Broodmare and Foal" brought the top price of $207,000, including buyer premium, at the third annual Sporting Art Auction, held Nov. 18 at Keeneland.
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah will enter stud at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., in 2016 for a first-year fee of $200,000, the American division of Coolmore Stud announced Nov. 6.
Carolyn and Fletcher Gray may be small breeders, but their horses tend to come up big. I'm a Chatterbox could join Left Bank and Stardom Bound as champions bred by the couple.
| Horse | Trainer | Breeder / Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Digger | Bruce R. Brown |
|
| Driven by Success | Bruce N. Levine |
|
| Elusive Warning | Kiaran P. McLaughlin |
|
| Munnings | Todd A. Pletcher |
|
| Musket Man | Derek S. Ryan |
|
| Warrior's Reward | Ian R. Wilkes |
|
| Race | Track | Date |
|---|---|---|
| O.D. McDonald S. | ALB | |
| Wild Applause S. | BEL | |
| Chicago H. (G3) | CD | |
| River Rock Casino H. | HST | |
| Edward Evans S. | LRL |
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