Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who never won the prestigious Matriarch Stakes (gr. IT) as a rider, will try to win the grade I test as a trainer with Diamondrella on Nov. 28 at Hollywood Park.
5 days ago
Three participants in this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships â€" Diamondrella, Lethal Heat, and Magical Fantasy -- were scheduled to be offered at the Nov. 10 Fasig-Tipton November select mixed sale in Lexington as of Nov. 9. Grade I winner Diamondrella finished 11th in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint; grade II winner Lethal Heat was seventh in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (gr. I); and grade I winner Magical Fantasy finished fifth in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT).
Monday, November 09, 2009
Midday, who was bred in England, gave the Europeans their second win of the 26th Breeders' Cup World Championships. The 3-year-old daughter of Oasis Dream was making her first start in the United States. She is trained by Henry Cecil, a renowned English trainer who earned his first Breeders' Cup victory after many years.
Friday, November 06, 2009
European trainer John Gosden hopes to stun the racing world with Rainbow View in the Ladies Classic Nov. 6, like he did with Raven's Pass in the Classic last year.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
His excitement as a result of Forever Together's stirring win in last year's Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT) gave trainer Jonathan Sheppard fits of insomnia. But by all indications, the Hall of Fame trainer is taking things in better stride as his fierce gray mare defends her title as the morning line choice in the $2 million event at Santa Anita Nov. 6.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
It would be an understatement to say that Magical Fantasy heads the California contingent for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Nov. 6. After four consecutive major stakes wins locally, three in grade I company, she's nearly all that's left.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Forever Together, winner of last year's $2-million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT), is the 5-2 morning-line favorite to repeat in the event Nov. 6 at Santa Anita Park.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
What could be more specialized than horses that like to sprint on the turf? Yet all manner of runners make up the 22 pre-entries in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which drew the largest field of all 14 Breeders' Cup races.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Jason, Tom, and James Scully Preview the Breeders' Cup, focusing on those races with returning champions. Plus, a look at Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Looking to join Ouija Board as the only two-time winner of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT), Forever Together is the likely pick in the $2 million event sponsored by Emirates Airline.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
As we all know there is always an angle or two we can latch on to in the Breeders' Cup. The trick is finding them among the morass of stakes horses that line up for the 14 races. There probably are more chances of landing a longshot on a synthetic surface, because, in all honesty, does anyone really know how to handicap these races?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
IEAH Stables' Diamondrella came from well off the pace and ran down Tizaqueena in the final yards to notch her second grade I victory of the season in the $400,000 First Lady (gr. IT) Oct. 10 on the Keeneland turf.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Augustin Stable's champion mare Forever Together, entering off a surprising defeat in Canada last month, will try to defend her title in the $400,000 First Lady Stakes (gr. IT) on opening weekend Oct. 10 at Keeneland.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Music Note, as expected, swept to victory with jockey Rajiv Maragh in the $600,000 Beldame (gr. I), the first of five grade I stakes at Belmont Park Oct. 3.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
There was a time not too long ago that a meeting among the nation's best fillies and mares in the $600,000 Beldame (gr. I) was a distinct possibility. But with Rachel Alexandra on the sideline, Zenyatta staying in California for the Lady's Secret (gr. I), and Icon Project now heading to Keeneland's Juddmonte Spinster (gr. I), the Beldame has lost some of its appeal.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
A trio of contenders for the Oct. 3 $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) had their final tune-ups for the 1 1/4-mile race on a busy morning at Belmont Park Sept. 26.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Princess Haya, making her graded stakes debut, rallied along the hedge to nose Eclipse Award-winning turf female Forever Together in the $283,376 Canadian Stakes (Can-IIT) at Woodbine Sept. 20.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Last year's champion grass mare Forever Together will attempt to add some more black-type to her already stellar resume when facing six other fillies and mares, including the highly regarded Points of Grace, in the $300,000 Canadian Stakes (Can-IIT) Sept. 20 at Woodbine.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Odds-on choice Informed Decision improved to five-for-five on synthetic tracks and cemented her position as a leading candidate for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint when she sailed to a 2 1/2-length victory in the $398,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters (gr. III) in Erie, Pa., on the evening of Sept. 12.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Jason, Tom, and Tim Holland from twinspires preview the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (gr. III), which features 4 grade I winners.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Four grade I winners -- Diamondrella, Flashing, Game Face, and Informed Decision -- are part of an overflow field entered for the $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters (gr. III) on tap Sept. 12 in Erie, Pa.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Salve Germania, the longest shot in the $200,000 Ballston Spa Handicap (gr. IIT), charged down the center of the stretch to tag favored Rutherienne by a head at the wire on a soggy Saratoga Melon Turf Course Aug. 29.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Originally pointed to a fall campaign at Belmont Park, Godolphin's Cocoa Beach came out of a stakes win at Saratoga earlier this month so well her connections have opted to run her Aug. 29 in the $200,000 Ballston Spa Handicap (gr. IIT).
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The American Graded Stakes Committee released a statement Aug. 5 that the previously grade II Lake George Stakes was automatically downgraded to grade III status because the originally scheduled turf event July 31 at Saratoga was moved to the main track.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Team Valor International's Captain's Lover made her dirt debut a winning one, as she took over at the quarter-pole and sloshed her way to a seven-length victory in the $200,000 Taylor Made Matchmaker Aug. 2 at Monmouth Park.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Stonestreet Stables and Gulf Coast Farms' Kensei, who powered home to a 2 1/4-length victory over Warrior's Reward in the Aug. 1 Jim Dandy (gr. II) came out of the race in good shape, according to trainer Steven Asmussen's assistant Larry Ulrich.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Forever Together became the fifth horse to win the prestigious Diana Stakes (gr. IT) in back-to-back seasons when she burst past her rivals on the outside in the stretch and nipped Carribean Sunset by a head Aug. 1 at Saratoga Race Course.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Although the field for the Aug. 2 Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park contains several accomplished entrants, multiple graded stakes winner Rutherienne, who is often a fast closer at the finish, is clearly the one to beat.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
On Aug. 1, Forever Together seeks to become only the fifth horse to put together back-to-back victories in the $500,000 Diana Stakes (gr. IT), a feat that only Glowing Honor (1988-89), Shuvee (1970-71), Tempted (1959-60) and Miss Grillo (1946-47) have been able to accomplish in the 71 previous editions of the 1 1/8- mile turf race.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tracy Farmer's Commentator, the expected elder statesmen of the $750,000 Whitney Handicap (gr. I) on Aug. 8 at Saratoga, turned in a bullet work over the Oklahoma track at Saratoga July 23, breezing five furlongs in :59.12.
Friday, July 24, 2009
ACtn.jpg "Lime Rickey's Turn in Colonial Turf Cup?")
There is no doubt in the mind of Frank Alexander that Lime Rickey is a stakes-caliber type of horse. One of these days, perhaps in the $500,000 Colonial Turf Cup (gr. IIT) on June 13, the son of Lemon Drop Kid will prove it, Alexander said. All he needs is a little bit of racing luck.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Diamondrella and jockey Rajiv Maragh thundered down the stretch to overpower last year's champion turf filly, Forever Together, to win the $400,000 Just a Game Stakes (gr.IT) at Belmont Park June 6.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
After kicking off her 5-year-old campaign with a confident win in the Jenny Wiley (gr. IIT), Forever Together will be favored to extend her three-race win streak in the $400,000 Just a Game (gr. IT) at Belmont Park June 6.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
