Albano was expected to ace the Louisiana Handicap in his Jan. 17 return to the races, but it was longshot Hard Aces who notched his first stakes score at odds of 9-1 in the $75,000 Fair Grounds event.
Brereton C. Jones' Albano looks to kick off what could be a breakthrough year when he heads the Louisiana Handicap; grade I winner Kitten's Dumplings returns for her first race since November of 2013 in the Marie G. Krantz.
Urbane, the Siegel family's multiple grade I winner and top producer, died early Feb. 25 at Mill Ridge Farm in Lexington after giving birth the previous night to an Into Mischief filly.
Fordubai upset the $100,000 Louisiana Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Jan. 18 to earn his second career stakes score by a length.
Zayat Stables' Prayer for Relief, 6 1/4-length winner of the Tenacious Handicap last time out, looms a strong choice despite top impost of 123 pounds in the Louisiana Handicap Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds.
Worldly, recent third in the Breeders' Cup Marathon, and broodmare Bella Felicita each brought $200,000 at the seventh session of the Keeneland November sale that continued the bullish market.
British raider London Bridge won the 2013 Breeders' Cup World Championships opener, mowing down the weakening leaders in the final sixteenth of a mile to take the $500,000 Marathon (gr. II) Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park.
For trainer Brendan Walsh, preparing his first Breeders' Cup starter in two years of training is a brand new world that could lead to the first graded stakes victory of his career coming on the sport's biggest stage.
Argentinian-bred Ever Rider, looking to follow the path taken by Calidoscopio, heads a field of 10 along with millionaire Pool Play in the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon (gr. II) on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park.
TimeformUS: Top Last-Out Speed Figures in the Breeders' Cup read blog
Owner/breeder Janis Whitham's Fort Larned, winner of the 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), prepped for another shot at the race with a wire-to-wire score in the inaugural $191,275 Homecoming Classic at Churchill Sept. 28.
The inaugural Homecoming Classic on Sept. 28 at Churchill Downs still has reigning Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) and Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) winner Fort Larned at the top, but Successful Dan will bypass the race.
Favored Prayer for Relief turned the tables on his local nemesis Alternation and held off a determined run from Worldly by a head in the $175,000 Governor's Cup Stakes on the night of Aug. 17.
Rain couldn't extinguish Pants On Fire as the multiple graded stakes winner easily drew off to win by 5 1/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park Feb. 15.
Two allowance events on the Feb. 15 and 16 Gulfstream Park cards feature some of racing's familiar names, with Pants On Fire taking on milers Feb. 15 and Capo Bastone making his first start since the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Z Thoroughbreds' homebred Infrattini earned his fourth straight victory, accomplished over four different tracks, by outfinishing odds-on choice Mark Valeski in the $100,000 Louisiana Handicap Jan. 19 at Fair Grounds.
Eternal Rule, whose unbeaten record was spoiled last time out, got back in the win column for trainer Sid Attard with a front-running victory in the $250,000 Presque Isle Mile Stakes on the evening of Sept. 7.
Stronach Stables' Hunters Bay, whose three-race win streak was broken when he stepped into grade I company last out, is the moderate 3-1 morning line choice in an oversubscribed edition of the Presque Isle Mile Sept. 7.
An experienced field of older runners face off at Arlington in the grade III Hanshin Cup May 19 with a slew of recent winners set to go in a very competitive heat.
Janis Whitham's homebred Fort Larned made his 1 3/16-mile trip at Gulfstream Park March 31 a quick one. He set a track record of 1:53.92 for the distance while cruising to victory in the $100,000 Skip Away Stakes (gr. III).
Grade I winner Awesome Maria looked as good as ever romping in the Sabin Stakes (gr. III) last month; Where's Sterling leads the field in the Skip Away. Both races are part of the Florida Derby undercard at Gulfstream Park.
Thiskyhasnolimit, who suffered a fracture to his right front cannon bone during the Feb. 25 Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III) at Fair Grounds, underwent successful surgery Feb. 26 and has a good prognosis for recovery.
Nates Mineshaft led all the way in the $120,000 Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III) for his first stakes victory in a race marred by the breakdown of favorite Thiskyhasnolimit Feb. 25 at Fair Grounds.
Will it be grass or dirt for Lothenbach Stables Mister Marti Gras? He was entered in the Feb. 25 Fair Grounds Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the turf and the Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III) on dirt on the same card.
Thiskyhasnolimit, who led all the way in the Louisiana Handicap at Fair Grounds in mid-January, will try for his second straight triumph when he takes on eight rivals in the Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III).
| Horse | Trainer | Breeder / Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Alma d'Oro | Todd A. Pletcher |
|
| Fast Alex | Greg Geier |
|
| Gleam of Hope | Mike Chambers |
|
| Glenwood Canyon | Albert M. Stall, Jr. |
|
| Harmonizer | Michael J. Maker |
|
| Heavenville | Shea Stuart |
|
| Stay Put | Steve Margolis |
|
| Thiskyhasnolimit | Steven M. Asmussen |
|
| Worldly | Brendan P. Walsh |
|
| Race | Track | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. (gr. IT) | BEL | |
| Gallant Bloom H. (gr. II) | BEL | |
| Pilgrim S. (gr. III) | BEL | |
| Vosburgh S. (gr. I) | BEL | |
| Beldame S. (gr. I) | BEL |
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