Get Stormy, handy winner of Keeneland's Bryan Station Stakes (gr. III) over yielding ground last month, takes on fellow graded winners Florentino and Proceed Bee in the $100,000 Commonwealth Turf (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs Nov. 15.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Windways Farm's El Brujo notched his second straight graded stakes score when he split horses in mid-stretch and went on for a 1 1/4-length win in the $150,000 Perryville (gr. III) for 3-year-olds Oct. 17 at Keeneland.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
William Stiritz's Proceed Bee, trained by Scott Becker, took advantage of a speed duel and won the grade III Hawthorne Derby by 2 1/4 lengths Oct. 10 at Hawthorne Racecourse.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Fields are beginning to jell for the three graded stakes races that form the centerpiece of the Sept. 26 Kentucky Cup Day card at Turfway Park.
Monday, September 21, 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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