Gulfstream Park said Nov. 16 it has changed the dates of the grade I Florida Derby and grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes, and created a new stakes day for sprinters.
5 days ago
Parading returns to the scene of his most lopsided stakes victory earlier this year when he takes on nine rivals in Keeneland's $150,000 Fayette Stakes on Oct. 31, closing day for the Lexington track's short fall meet.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will offer high definition (HD) simulcasts of all of its races when the New Orleans track opens its 2009-10 Thoroughbred meet Nov. 6.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Misremembered made his first start outside of California a memorable one, as he took over in the stretch and held on for a half-length victory in the $512,600 Indiana Derby (gr. II) Oct. 3 at Hoosier Park.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Grade II winner Misremembered makes his first start on a dirt surface for trainer Bob Baffert when he faces a full field of 3-year-olds in the $500,000 Indiana Derby (gr. II) at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino Oct. 3.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Thirty-two nominations are pretty good for a race that, up until six weeks ago, wasn't even on the schedule. Thistledown officials Sept. 23 said that's the number of nominees for the grade II Ohio Derby Oct. 3. The purse is $150,000, down from $300,000 last year.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Concerns about Regal Ransom's readiness coming into the $750,000 Super Derby (gr. II) proved inconsequential when the well-bred Godolphin colt rolled to a front-running victory at Louisiana Downs Sept. 19.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Vinery Stables' and Fox Hill Farm's Friesan Fire, who was diagnosed with a pair of leg injuries after the Preakness (gr. I), is back in training and targeting a comeback later this fall. Who his trainer will be, however, is unclear at this time.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Jason, Evan, and James Scully of twinspires preview the Super Derby (gr. II) at Louisiana Downs. Plus picks for the Woodbine Mile.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Soul Warrior has been installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite for the 30th running of the $750,000 Super Derby (gr. II) Sept. 19 at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Phipps Stable's homebred Gone Astray wrapped up his first graded stakes victory in a big way, as he drew off in the stretch to score in the $1-million Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) by 9 1/4 lengths Sept. 7 at Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Nine 3-year-olds will face off in the $1-million Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) Sept. 7 at Philadelphia Park Casino and Racetrack, led by Zayat Stables' Soul Warrior, the 3-1 morning line favorite.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Papa Clem faced plenty of hurdles during his Triple Crown campaign, and the road doesn't figure to get much easier when he makes his turf debut against a strong field in the $350,000 Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) Sept. 6.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Enjoying the attention a day after Summer Bird's decisive 3 1/2-length win in the Shadwell Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Aug. 29, trainer Tim Ice was entertaining the possibility of reaching his ultimate goal, the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), without a race over Santa Anita's synthetic track.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Multiple graded stakes winner Old Fashioned, who was unbeaten at 2 and won four of six starts, will stand in 2010 at the Taylor family's Taylor Made Farm near Nicholasville, Ky.
Monday, August 17, 2009
It appears the Louisiana (gr. II) and Florida (gr. I) Derbies will be run on the same day in 2010.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots has raised the purse of the grade II Louisiana Derby to $750,000, increased the distance to 1 1/8 miles and moved the 3-year-old fixture to March 27, five weeks prior to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
The weekend brought a couple of new players to the 3-year-old scene and also underlined just how strong the second-crop sires are. Thursday, August 06, 2009
Ashbrook Farm's Reb, winner of the three straight including the American Derby (gr. IIT), and Irish invader Black Bear Island, who has a group II victory in England this season, lead a wide-open field of 11 in the $400,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) for 3-year-olds Aug. 8 on the Arlington Park turf.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Einstein, who stumbled at the start and finished fifth in last year's Arlington Million (gr. IT), drew the inside post for this season's prestigious turf race at Arlington Park, which will be held Aug. 8.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
A story about Rachel Alexandra seems out of place in a column about the Breeders' Cup, but who cares. That's between Jess Jackson and the Breeders' Cup decision makers. Even though there will be no launching of the Rachel rocket on Nov. 7, it's still fun to "count down" to the imaginary blast off.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Rachel Alexandra turned in yet another dominating performance in a campaign for the ages when she captured the $1.25 million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) on a sloppy track at Monmouth Park Aug. 2.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
It was indeed big drama in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. II) at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort on Aug. 1, but if the odds board was any indication, it was an unexpected result.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Although Rachel Alexandra has been installed as the 4-5 favorite for the $1.25-million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) Aug. 2, she could face stiff competition from several of the six 3-year-old colts entered against her.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
A sore foot could keep Atomic Rain from taking on BlackBerry Preakness (gr. I) winner Rachel Alexandra and Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Summer Bird in the Aug. 2 Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
While America's 3-year-old sweetheart Rachel Alexandra is frolicking at the Jersey Shore Aug. 2 in the Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park, and a deep, well-matched group of colts gather in the Adirondacks for the Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga, the winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! brands (gr. I) for the first time in history will be out in the Appalachians, showing off in front of the Mountaineer Park crowd in the West Virginia Derby (gr. II).
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
BlackBerry Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Rachel Alexandra had her final workout July 27 at Saratoga as she continues to prepare for her next start in the $1.25 million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park on Sunday, Aug. 2.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Summer Bird put in his final work for the $1.25 million Haskell Invitational (gr. I), breezing five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 July 26 with jockey Kent Desormeaux aboard.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Monmouth Park announced the purse for the 42nd running of Haskell Invitational (gr. I) on Aug. 2 has been boosed by $250,000 to now total $1,250,000.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Trainer Gary Stute said July 23 that he's "95 percent sure" Bo Hirsch's Papa Clem will make his next start in the $1 million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Organized horse racing in West Virginia dates back at least 223 years, but no horse who has won the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) has ever competed in the Mountaineer State before. That status is going to change on Aug. 1, when Mine That Bird goes to the post in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. II) at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Atomic Rain waited patiently early before moving wide for the drive and sailing to a 4 3/4-length win in the July 11 Long Branch Stakes, the traditional prep for Monmouth Park's Haskell Invitational (gr. I) Aug. 2.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Last at the sixteenth pole, Reb unleashed a furious drive under jockey Julien Leparoux to nail No Inflation at the wire to win Arlington Park's $300,000 American Derby by a head in his stakes debut July 11.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Bo Hirsch's Papa Clem, fourth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum Brands (gr. I) and sixth in the Preakness Gr. I), is looking to get back on the winning track in the $175,000 Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park July 11
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Virginia Tarra Trust's homebred Giant Oak, successful in his seasonal turf debut while winning the Arlington Classic last out, will look for his first graded stakes win July 11 in the $300,000 American Derby (gr. II) at Arlington Park.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Summer Bird and Arkansas Derby (gr. II) winner Papa Clem had their first works over the Monmouth track July 6 in preparation for the $1-million Haskell Invitational Aug. 2.
Monday, July 06, 2009
Two leading contenders for the $1-million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) Aug. 2 worked five-eighths of a mile over a fast track at Monmouth Park the morning of July 6.
Monday, July 06, 2009
Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Summer Bird rolled into the Monmouth Park stable area at 5:30 the morning of July 3 and settled into his stall in Barn 3 as he prepares for his next start, the $1 million Haskell Invitational (gr. 1) on Sunday, Aug. 2.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Arkansas Derby (gr. II) winner Papa Clem, who finished fourth, beaten a head for second, in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, is scheduled to arrive at Monmouth Park June 30 to prepare for the $1-million Haskell Invitational Handicap (gr. I) Aug. 2.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Terrain, who pulled up in Friday's Iowa Derby, came out of the race with broken sesamoid bones in his right front ankle and had to be euthanized.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Duke of Mischief, sent off at 13-1 in the June 26 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows, took the lead on the turn and rolled to a five-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Graded stakes winners Hightap and Hooh Why will attempt to upset the home track advantage of dual local stakes victor Don'ttalktome the June 26 Iowa Oaks (gr. III).
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Friesan Fire, the favorite in this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), is recuperating from surgery at Vinery near Lexington.
Monday, June 15, 2009
With the recent spell of wet weather having finally moved on, three contenders for the 141st running of the $1 million Belmont Stakes (gr. I) turned in their final serious moves this morning at Belmont Park in preparation for the June 6 race.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Vinery Stables' and Fox Hill Farm's Friesan Fire, who was made the favorite for this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) after three consecutive graded stakes wins this spring, has been sidelined for a couple of months due to an injury.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Trainer Larry Jones, who has been winning Monmouth stakes on a regular basis the past two years, said May 24 that the $1 million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) Aug. 2 is the main objective this summer for Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm's Friesan Fire.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Euphony and Vacation earned their first graded wins on a big stakes day at Arlington Park May 23.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
