Racketeer Newest Resident at Old Friends

Multiple grade III-placed Racketeer, a gelded son of Awesome Again who won or placed in 26 of 52 career starts, is the newest resident at the Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement facility in Georgetown, Ky.

Slideshow: Great Geldings

Top 10 geldings of the past 75 years have provided some of racing's top thrills. See our full feature in the August 11, 2012 issue of The Blood-Horse!

view slideshow

Miss Empire Seeks Second Stakes Win

Miss Empire will be seeking her second stakes win when she headlines the field of eight 2-year-old fillies entered in the $150,000, six-furlong Landaluce Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park July 14.

Stakes Winner Slew's Tiznow To San Miguel

Slew's Tiznow, a dual stakes winner in California, will enter stud in 2012 at Tom and Nancy Clark's Rancho San Miguel near San Miguel, Calif.

Ball Four to Appear at Keeneland April 16

To celebrate the arrival of the recently retired grade II winner Ball Four at Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement center near Georgetown, Ky., the 10-year-old son of Grand Slam will make an appearance at Keeneland April 16.

Ball Four Retired, Sent to Old Friends

Ball Four, a son of Grand Slam, has been retired and sent to Old Friends near Midway, Ky. Michael Blowen, owner of Old Friends related the story of how he got the gelding.

Tough Gulfstream 'Cap Attracts Cool Coal Man

Graded stakes winners Cool Coal Man and Grasshopper drew the top weight assignments as part of a contentious field for the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II) March 13.

Custom for Carlos Handles Mr. Prospector Slop

Even-money favorite Custom for Carlos overcame the sloppy going at Gulfstream Park in the Mr. Prospector Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 9, seizing the lead at the top of the lane en route to a three-quarters length victory.

Munnings, 'Carlos Duel in Mr. Prospector

Munnings, a sharp winner of consecutive grade II races last year, kicks off his 2010 campaign in the $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 9.

Clear Sailing For Mast Track in Native Diver

In taking the Native Diver, Mast Track won for the first time since June 28, 2008 when he scored the Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I).

As Expected, Lava Man Out of Native Diver

Lava Man has been scratched from the Native Diver Handicap due to poor weather conditions

That Handicapping Show: Queens County (Video)

Jason, Evan, and Rich Nilsen preview the Louisiana Champions Day Classic and the Queens County. Plus, notes about the Native Diver.

Watch Video

Determined Le Grand Cru Earns Bold Ruler Win

Judson Streicher's Le Grand Cru turned away Past the Point after a determined stretch duel to earn a victory in the $150,000 Bold Ruler Handicap (gr. III) Oct. 31 at Aqueduct, his second straight graded stakes score.

Past the Point Can Make Amends in Bold Ruler

Off his game in his past two tries, Past the Point makes his first start at Aqueduct for trainer Eoin Harty as the morning line favorite in the $150,000 Bold Ruler Handicap (gr. III) Oct. 31.

Presious Passion Parades in Clement Hirsch

Trainer Mary Hartmann came west looking for firm turf for her star Presious Passion and found what she was looking for. The 6-year-old son of Royal Anthem hooked a paceless field and strolled gate to wire for a 2 1/2-length victory in Oak Tree's $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Oct. 11.

Presious Passion Tries a Different Hirsch

After heavy rains at Belmont Park forced her to make Presious Passion a late scratch from the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) Oct. 3 at Belmont Park, trainer Mary Hartmann knew exactly what she had to do. She shipped her multiple grade I-winning 6-year-old cross-country to California where she knew she would find the kind of firm footing her star appreciates for a different Hirsch at Santa Anita Park.

Fatal Bullet Takes Aim as Keeneland Opens

Bear Stables' Fatal Bullet, second in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I), returns to a synthetic surface in the grade III Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland for its Oct. 9 opening-day program.

Rachel Holds Off Macho Again in Woodward

Rachel Alexandra cemented herself as one of the best fillies of all-time in a race for the ages, as she set a suicidal pace and then was all out under Calvin Borel to hold off a bold charge from Macho Again to win the $750,000 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) by a head in electrifying fashion Sept. 5 at Saratoga.

Woodward Analysis: Target Rachel?

Please note the following analysis was written by someone with a glass-is-half-empty mentality and is not meant to frighten, upset, or antagonize Rachel Alexandra fans and zealots. So, read at your own risk.

Rachel to Face 7 Males in Historic Woodward

On Sept. 5 at Saratoga, Rachel Alexandra will seek history when trying to become the first female to win the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) -- a feat that would almost certainly lock up Horse of the Year honors and stamp the 3-year-old as one of the best fillies of all time.

Spring House Home Again in Del Mar Handicap

Spring House earned a repeat victory in the $250,000 Del Mar Handicap (gr. IIT) when he came from far off the pace Aug. 30 to catch the outsider Sir Dave by an extremely short nose on the turf.

Del Mar Handicap Up For Grabs

The top four finishers of Hollywood Park's July 19 Sunset Handicap (gr. IIT), including two-length winner Black Astor, return for the Aug. 30 Del Mar Handicap (gr. IIT) in Southern California.

Zappa Faces Mitchell Duo in Cougar II 'Cap

Trainer John Sadler's Zappa, a 6 1/4-length winner of the 2008 Cougar II Handicap, is back to defend his title against Mike Mitchell's top-weighted duo of Big Booster and Church Service in the $150,000 renewal of the 1 1/2-mile event Aug. 5.

Black Astor Refuses to Fade in Sunset 'Cap

Black Astor, handed a 10-length lead with a mile to run in the closing-day $142,500 Sunset Handicap (gr. IIT) at Hollywood Park, made it stand up over his three rivals July 19.

Hollywood Meet Closes With Four-Horse Sunset

The lack of horse inventory has troubled the 2009 spring/summer Hollywood Park season from its outset, so it's not surprising that the closing day $150,000 Sunset Handicap (gr. IIT) July 19 attracted just four horses to the turf course.