Ventura, one of the leading stars for the late trainer Bobby Frankel and Juddmonte Farms during the past two years, goes for her fourth grade I victory against six rivals in the Nov. 28 Matriarch Stakes (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park.
Yesterday
Irish-bred Tuscan Evening, who won five of her first six starts in the United Stakes prior to a two-race skid, regained her winning form in Oak Tree's $200,000 Las Palmas Handicap (gr. IIT) for fillies and mares at one mile over Santa Anita's Camino Real Turf Course.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Midday, who was bred in England, gave the Europeans their second win of the 26th Breeders' Cup World Championships. The 3-year-old daughter of Oasis Dream was making her first start in the United States. She is trained by Henry Cecil, a renowned English trainer who earned his first Breeders' Cup victory after many years.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Godolphin's Music Note was third in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic last year. Careless Jewel, second choice at 2-1, is on the rail.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Cocoa Beach and Music Note have been here before. In 2008, at the end of long campaigns, they were still able to finish second and third, respectively, to Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (gr. I) at Santa Anita.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Rachel Alexandra isn't coming and Zenyatta is leaning to the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). However, anyone who believes that doesn't leave much for the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (gr. I) needs to think again.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Looking to join Ouija Board as the only two-time winner of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT), Forever Together is the likely pick in the $2 million event sponsored by Emirates Airline.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
As professional as ever, undefeated Zenyatta equaled Personal Ensign's 13-race winning streak to begin her career, sweeping past the pacesetters in upper stretch to capture Oak Tree's $300,000 Lady's Secret Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita in characteristic fashion Oct. 10.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Undefeated Zenyatta attempts to equal Personal Ensign's streak of 13 consecutive wins when she goes to the post in Oak Tree's $300,000 Lady's Secret Stakes (gr. I) as the heavy favorite Oct. 10 at Santa Anita.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Augustin Stable's champion mare Forever Together, entering off a surprising defeat in Canada last month, will try to defend her title in the $400,000 First Lady Stakes (gr. IT) on opening weekend Oct. 10 at Keeneland.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Music Note, as expected, swept to victory with jockey Rajiv Maragh in the $600,000 Beldame (gr. I), the first of five grade I stakes at Belmont Park Oct. 3.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
There was a time not too long ago that a meeting among the nation's best fillies and mares in the $600,000 Beldame (gr. I) was a distinct possibility. But with Rachel Alexandra on the sideline, Zenyatta staying in California for the Lady's Secret (gr. I), and Icon Project now heading to Keeneland's Juddmonte Spinster (gr. I), the Beldame has lost some of its appeal.
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
Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., reported on several of his top horses Sept. 25 from Aqueduct, including Paul Pompa Jr.'s Futurity (gr. II) winner D' Funnybone, whose next start is still up in the air.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Rutherienne has had some tough beats during a 10-race stretch in which she won just once but finished on the board in every one of those starts. Her improbable victory in the $107,000 Noble Damsel Handicap (gr. IIIT) Sept. 19 at Belmont Park will make up for some of that disappointment.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Virginia Kraft Payson's multiple graded stakes winner Rutherienne has not been off the board her last 10 starts, but has just one win to show for her efforts. On Sept. 19 at Belmont Park, the 5-year-old mare will try to return to the winner's circle when she takes on six fillies and mares in the $100,00 Noble Damsel Handicap (gr. IIIT).
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Salve Germania, the longest shot in the $200,000 Ballston Spa Handicap (gr. IIT), charged down the center of the stretch to tag favored Rutherienne by a head at the wire on a soggy Saratoga Melon Turf Course Aug. 29.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Originally pointed to a fall campaign at Belmont Park, Godolphin's Cocoa Beach came out of a stakes win at Saratoga earlier this month so well her connections have opted to run her Aug. 29 in the $200,000 Ballston Spa Handicap (gr. IIT).
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The American Graded Stakes Committee released a statement Aug. 5 that the previously grade II Lake George Stakes was automatically downgraded to grade III status because the originally scheduled turf event July 31 at Saratoga was moved to the main track.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Team Valor International's Captain's Lover made her dirt debut a winning one, as she took over at the quarter-pole and sloshed her way to a seven-length victory in the $200,000 Taylor Made Matchmaker Aug. 2 at Monmouth Park.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Stonestreet Stables and Gulf Coast Farms' Kensei, who powered home to a 2 1/4-length victory over Warrior's Reward in the Aug. 1 Jim Dandy (gr. II) came out of the race in good shape, according to trainer Steven Asmussen's assistant Larry Ulrich.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Forever Together became the fifth horse to win the prestigious Diana Stakes (gr. IT) in back-to-back seasons when she burst past her rivals on the outside in the stretch and nipped Carribean Sunset by a head Aug. 1 at Saratoga Race Course.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Although the field for the Aug. 2 Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park contains several accomplished entrants, multiple graded stakes winner Rutherienne, who is often a fast closer at the finish, is clearly the one to beat.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
When jockey Rajiv Maragh eased Godolphin Racing's Seventh Street back into an ideal stalking position in the Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I) on June 13 at Belmont Park, he didn't expect two other horses owned by the ruling Maktoum family of Dubai, Godolphin Racing's Music Note and Darley Stable's Sea Chanter, to charge up and force a furious pace.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
A walk down the Godolphin shedrow at Belmont Park reveals a "Who's Who" of major stakes horses, many of whom are just coming back off layoffs and getting ready for the Saratoga meet.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Glen Hill Farm's homebred Closeout coasted to a three-length victory over Gloria Goodbody to win the 28th running of the $114,900 Locust Grove Handicap (gr. III) to close out the 45-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs.
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Darley Stable's Tizaqueena will try to bounce back off a third-place finish in the Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (gr. IIIT), a defeat that broke a string of four consecutive scores, as she headlines a field of eight fillies and mares in the $100,000 Locust Grove Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the Churchill Downs turf July 5.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Diamondrella and jockey Rajiv Maragh thundered down the stretch to overpower last year's champion turf filly, Forever Together, to win the $400,000 Just a Game Stakes (gr.IT) at Belmont Park June 6.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
After kicking off her 5-year-old campaign with a confident win in the Jenny Wiley (gr. IIT), Forever Together will be favored to extend her three-race win streak in the $400,000 Just a Game (gr. IT) at Belmont Park June 6.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Multiple graded stakes-winning filly Pure Clan makes her much-anticipated 2009 debut June 6 in the $100,000 Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs, but will have to face accomplished rivals Acoma and Tizaqueena, both of whom have shown good form this year.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Grade I winner Rutherienne returned to her winning ways with a three-length triumph in the $276,326 Nassau Stakes (Can-IIT) on the Woodbine turf May 30, going over the $1 million mark in career earnings in the process.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
On May 30, Rutherienne will look to return to her winning ways when she takes on nine rivals in the $300,000 Nassau Stakes (Can-IIT) on the Woodbine turf. It will be the first start in Canada for the 5-year-old mare.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
