Gio Ponti, the leading candidate for champion turf male, will stay in training in 2010. Campaigned by Castleton Lyons, he is being pointed to the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) in early spring.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Zenyatta reclaimed the top spot in the final National Thoroughbred Racing Association poll of 2009.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Zenyatta made it look all too easy, becoming the first female to win the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). Gio Ponti was second and Twice Over third.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Sensational filly Goldikova defended her TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) title in scintillating fashion Nov. 7 at Santa Anita Park, as she stormed down the lane under Olivier Peslier and caught longshot Courageous Cat inside the sixteenth-pole before going on to a half-length win.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
If there is one thing you can always count on in the Breeders' Cup it's that it will have it's share of longshot winners and mid-price overlays who get lost in the handicapping frenzy that is so much a part of the event.
Friday, November 06, 2009
On an otherwise routine morning, Lillie Langtry tosses rider and forces trainer to climb aboard.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Wertheimer and Frere's Goldikova was installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite against 10 males as she tries to defend her title in the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) Nov. 7 at Santa Anita.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
In looking at the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), several thoughts and angles emerged that could have a bearing on the race. While they may turn out to be mere folly, they are at least worth mentioning just to make sure all bases are covered and there is less of a chance of Monday morning quarterbacking.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
There is no way of telling what might have been in any given race had circumstances been different. And it would be seem audacious to say that Rip Van Winkle was the best horse in the Coral Eclipse Stakes (Eng-I), won by Sea the Stars, but a close look at the race reveals several reasons why that statement might have validity.
Monday, November 02, 2009
A hodgepodge of horses from all walks of life will converge on the Santa Anita Pro-Ride Nov. 7, most of whom would not be a surprise should they win.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Goldikova looks to become the fourth horse to repeat in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT).
Thursday, October 29, 2009
At 3, Quality Road is among the elder statesmen of Todd Pletcher's Breeders' Cup contingent, much of which is comprised of talented 2-year-olds.
Friday, October 23, 2009
There is so much to discuss after the weekend's stakes extravaganza, but one race that likely had the most profound effect on the Breeders' Cup was the Goodwood Stakes (gr. I).
Monday, October 12, 2009
Versatile Cowboy Cal went gate to wire to win the $150,000 Oak Tree Mile Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Santa Anita turf course Oct. 10, and earned the right to advance to the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) next month.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Battling with pacesetter Karelian through the stretch, Court Vision poked his nose in front just before the wire to win a thriller in the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) Oct. 10 at Keeneland. It was the first win in six tries this season for the 4-year-old son of Gulch, who will now go on to the Breeders' Cup.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Cowboy Cal returns to Santa Anita for trainer Todd Pletcher, looking to get back on the winning track in the $150,000 Oak Tree Mile Stakes (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Oct. 10.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Court Vision, scratched from the Oct. 3 Kelso Handicap (gr. III) after it was taken off turf, reappears at Keeneland for the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) Oct. 10. The 4-year-old colt will look to use the race as a springboard for next month's Breeders' Cup.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
If Sea the Stars does not make the trip to California, which seems more likely than not, and joins Rachel Alexandra on the absentee list, it will create a void never before seen in the Breeders' Cup.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Le Grand Cru took advantage of a short field and a savvy ride by Jose Lezcano, rolling to a 1 1/2-length win in the off-the-turf $250,000 Kelso Handicap (gr. III) Oct. 4 at Belmont Park.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Several trainers from the Oct. 3 races at Belmont indicated which way they were leaning for next month's Breeders' Cup.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Elliot Mavorah's Interpatation pulled a shocker in the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) and did it in sensational fashion. The 7-year-old gelding was passed by Gio Ponti with a furlong remaining, then re-rallied on the heavy favorite to score a 43-1 upset Oct. 3 at Belmont Park.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Cutting back to one mile for the first time in nearly two years, IEAH Stables' and Resolute Group Stables' Court Vision looks to turn a disappointing season around in the $250,000 Kelso Handicap (gr. IIT) Oct. 4 at Belmont Park.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Christophe Clement has had many talented stakes winners during his years as one of the nation's leading turf conditioners, but the French-born trainer now admits Gio Ponti may be at the top of that list. On Oct. 3, the 4-year-old son of Tale of the Cat seeks his fifth consecutive grade I grass victory when he lines up for the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park.
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
In a brief ceremony Sept. 18, representatives of Castleton Lyons presented a check for $29,400 to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Juddmonte Farms' homebred Champs Elysees is back to defend his title in the $750,000 Northern Dancer Turf Presented by Vtech (Can-IT), but will have to take down a deep field of turf routers Sept. 20 at Woodbine, including Melynk Racing Stables' Marchfield, who defeated the 6-year-old horse last month over the same course.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
It's time to accept the fact that Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta are not going to meet. As the cliche goes, that ship has sailed.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Darley Stable's Justenuffhumor remains undefeated on the season as he collared pacesetter Cowboy Cal inside the sixteenth-pole and posted a half-length victory in the $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap (gr. IIT) Aug. 28 on the Saratoga turf.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Trainer Christophe Clement said Aug. 26 that Gio Ponti, winner of four consecutive grade I turf races, will race next in either the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) Oct. 3 at Belmont or the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship (gr. IT) Oct. 11 at Santa Anita in his final prep for the Breeders' Cup World Championships in November.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Darley Stable's Justenuffhumor and Magnolia Racing Stable's Cowboy Cal resume what may be a budding rivalry when they meet Aug. 28 in the $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap (gr. IIT) at 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf at Saratoga.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Lenny and Steve are back! Topics include night racing, breakdowns at Del Mar, Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, Gio Ponti, and Bob Baffert's Hall of Fame induction.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Castleton Lyons' Gio Ponti notched his fourth consecutive grade I victory Aug. 8 at Arlington Park, as he rolled to a 1 1/4-length win in the Arlington Million (gr. IT) under Ramon Dominguez.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Two of the most prestigious turf races on the North American racing calendar, the Arlington Million and Beverly D., will be aired live Sat., Aug. 8, on ESPN from 4:30-6:00 p.m. ET.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Often times, European horses are the focus of attention in the internationally prestigious Arlington Million (gr. IT). And while the 2009 edition of the race does include three capable foreigners, it is a trio of terrific American horses that are the ones to beat this time around.
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
Jockey Alan Garcia guided Justenuffhumor through heavy traffic in the stretch to win the $158,750 Fourstardave Handicap (gr. IIT) in the 4-year-old colt's stakes debut Aug. 2 at rainy Saratoga.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
The Fourstardave Handicap (gr. IIT) Aug. 2 at Saratoga will bring together a diverse field of nine, including accomplished older turf horses such as Cosmonaut and Kip Deville and rising younger stars ready to go in the $150,000-added test.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Einstein and Gio Ponti are just two of several talented turf horses considering the Aug. 8 race.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Not to be a killjoy, but the fact is some of the best horses in the country will not be showing up at the Breeders' Cup this year.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Castleton Lyons' Gio Ponti notched his third consecutive grade I win when he came from off the pace to take the $500,000 Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park July 11. The 4-year-old son of Tale of the Cat won for the fourth time in five starts on Belmont's turf course.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Castleton Lyons' Gio Ponti, fresh off victories in the Frank Kilroe Mile (gr. IT) and Manhattan Handicap (gr. IT), will shoot for his third consecutive grade I score July 11 in the $500,000 Man o' War Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont Park.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Presious Passion scored a repeat victory in the $750,000 United Nations Stakes (gr. IT), smashing the course record in the process July 4 at Monmouth Park.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
An accomplished group of older horses that includes four grade I winners is set to go in the $750,000 United Nations Stakes (gr. IT) July 4 on the Monmouth Park turf.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Grade I winner Dixie Chatter has been retired from racing and will stand in 2010 at Martin and Pam Wygod's River Edge Farm near Buellton, Calif.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The initial necropsy report on Team Valor's Sailor's Cap, who died suddenly in his stall three days after winning the June 14 Poker Stakes (gr. IIIT), showed that he died of probable cardiac arrest caused by colitis-X.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Sailor's Cap, upset winner of the Poker Stakes (gr. IIIT) June 14 at Belmont Park, collapsed and died in his stall in trainer J. J. Toner's barn at 4:30 a. m. EDT on June 17.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Sailor's Cap overcame a 6 1/2-month layoff to blitz past the odds-on favorite Kip Deville in winning the $103,500 Poker Stakes (gr. IIIT) on a soft turf course at Belmont Park June 14.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
After disappointing his connections with an uncharacteristically poor showing in the $5-million Dubai Duty Free (UAE-I), Kip Deville returns to Belmont Park in hopes of reprising one of his most authoritative victories in the $100,000 Poker Stakes (gr. IIIT) on June 14.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Favored Midships gained a clear advantage in the home stretch and held off the surprising Globetrotter by a half-length to score his first grade I victory in the $300,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park June 6.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Belmont track announcer Tom Durkin made note of Gio Ponti being at the back of the pack as the field turned down the backside in the $400,000 Woodford Reserve Manhattan (gr. IT), but the colt came from last to first to win the race in dramatic fashion.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Midships had things his own way while registering back-to-back grade II victories on the front end at Santa Anita this spring. Chasing his first grade I win in the $300,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap June 6 on the Hollywood Park turf, the Juddmonte Farms homebred is undoubtedly a big threat to do it again.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Cowboy Cal and Champs Elysees, both narrowly beaten by tough-as-nails Einstein in separate grade I races this year, will see if his absence will be enough to get them over the top this time, as they headline a strong field of 14, including five grade I winners, for the $400,000 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (gr. IT) June 6 at Belmont Park.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
When Rachel Alexandra faced the boys in the Preakness (gr. I), it had not only the racing world but the national media abuzz with excitement. For exceptional mare Ventura, taking on the opposite gender has become just another day at the park, and the daughter of Chester House will do it again on May 25 when she tackles seven males in the $250,000-added Shoemaker Mile (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park.
Friday, May 22, 2009
