Three-time grade I winner Einstein drew the outside post for his 2009 debut in the $500,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I), when he attempts to add a grade I victory on dirt to his impressive record Jan. 31 at Gulfstream Park.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
In his final timed tune-up for the March 29 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), Horse of the Year Curlin dazzled onlookers at Nad Al Sheba with a show of contained power March 24.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Fourteen horses, potentially matching the largest field in the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) in a quarter century, are headed for the $1 million event March 1 in a race that redefines "wide open."
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Monterey Jazz made the transition from graded turf winner to Cushion Track with aplomb, going gate to wire to sneak away with the $300,000 Strub (gr. II) at Santa Anita Feb. 2.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Chances are Air Commander, who won the San Fernando Stakes (gr. II) by a nose at odds of 52-1 three weeks ago, won't slip under the radar again in the $300,000 Strub Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 2 on the Santa Anita Cushion Track.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tiago, a two-time grade I winner last year making his first start since a fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (gr. I), takes on Malibu (gr. I) victor Johnny Eves in the $200,000 San Fernando Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Jan. 12.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
James Barry's Divine Park looks to make it a perfect 4-for-4 in his young career, but will have overcome post 14 and defeat a full field of challengers in the $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) Dec. 26 on opening day at Santa Anita Park.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Great Hunter and Spring at Last, two runners for Doug O'Neill that were sidelined by ankle chips, could make their next starts before the end of the year, according to O'Neill. Great Hunter could be headed for the Strub Series, while Spring at Last may earn other trip to Dubai.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Running notes of the highlights of the Keeneland November sale, which began Nov. 5 and included 17 horses selling in excess of $1 million.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Paul Reddam's Great Hunter, who finished 13th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) will miss the June 9 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) after suffering a chipped ankle in his right front leg, trainer Doug O'Neill said Saturday.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense remains a "possible" starter in the June 9 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Almost a week has gone by since the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and all the analyses have been written. While it's time to look ahead to the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), there still are some Derby points that are worth discussing.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Arriving in Kentucky two weeks ago, the feeling here was that there were two horses in particular to concentrate on who looked to be coming into the Derby with enough angles to make them live at a decent price. After watching most of the Derby horses work and gallop at Keeneland and Churchill, things have changed a bit, as has track condition.
Friday, May 04, 2007
The post position draw is history, and it is time for racing's greatest minds to start planning strategy. Will there be a fast pace or a slow pace? Do you send or take back and see what others do? Will the outside horses break sharply and try to get to the inside or take back and hope to get lucky to find the holes? The wheels are turning.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
It was 11:15, and the 11 a.m. post position selection draw at the racing office still had not begun, as owners and trainers of Kentucky Derby horses paced back and forth or just stood anxiously waiting to see if all their hard work was about to be nullified by some random, ominous-sounding number.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Although trainer Doug O'Neill has played a significant role in some of racing's biggest days, on May 5 he will experience saddling a Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contender for the first time. After the defection of his trainee Cobalt Blue, O'Neill will be saddling two horses in the Derby, Great Hunter and Liquidity
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Welcome to Derby Week, or week 11 of the "Starting Gate," one person's look at this year's Kentucky Derby lineup. As we approach Wednesday, entry day, this how we would handicap the top 20 contenders for the May 5 Run for the Roses. Actual entry into America's greatest race is reliant on graded stakes earnings -- this lineup is based on some speculation, past performances, and potential performance on Saturday.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Doug O'Neill ruled the Derby roost Friday morning, sending out seven workers at Keeneland, including his three starters for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). When it was over, O'Neill and exercise rider Tony Romero were all smiles.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Great Hunter, Liquidity, and Cobalt Blue all worked sharply at Keeneland Friday in their last major preps for the May 5 Run for the Roses.
Friday, April 27, 2007
With speed the primary ingredient in the Thoroughbred, and true stamina being pushed deeper and deeper into a horse's pedigree, we have to try to find staying power wherever we can. Although old-fashioned stamina on the sire's side no longer is necessary to win the Derby, it still has been a main factor on the dam's side.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
By Ray Paulick - This year brings us to a couple of tried and tested chapters from the unwritten trainers' manual regarding the Kentucky Derby: the "two-prep" and "unraced juvenile" rules.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Liquidity and Cobalt Blue, two Doug O'Neill horses that are being pointed toward the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), breezed Friday over the Polytrack surface at Keeneland.
Friday, April 20, 2007
The death of Buddy Holly on Feb. 3, 1959 was "the day the music died." April 14, 2007 was the day dirt racing in America died. That may sound harsh and premature, but if races like the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) are what we have to look forward to in the future, then we have indeed seen the beginning of the end of dirt racing as we know it.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
A dispute over the ownership of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands contender Great Hunter has been settled by J. Paul Reddam and Fifth Third Bank.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Unbeaten Curlin, a dazzling winner of the $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. II) on Saturday, emerged as a strong favorite over such accomplished rivals as 2006 2-year-old champion Street Sense and Wood Memorial (gr. I) winner Nobiz Like Shobiz when betting drew to a close in the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2007 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
The first five finishers in yesterday's $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) -- Dominican, Street Sense, Zanjero, Teuflesberg and Great Hunter -- are all, according to their connections, pointing toward a start in the May 5 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Four of those five were separated by only a neck at the wire in yesterday's race.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Silverton Hill's Dominican moved into the Triple Crown picture when he came from well behind to nose Street Sense, last year's 2-year-old champion, on the wire of the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) Saturday on the all-weather track at Keeneland.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Unbeaten Curlin, the morning line favorite for Saturday's $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park, is a slight favorite over juvenile champion Street Sense and Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Scat Daddy as betting on the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2007 Kentucky Derby Future Wager reached its midway point.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Fifth Third Bank faces a possible contempt order in California on May 10 over an allegation that it violated a court-ordered agreement by asking Keeneland to withhold any purse money Great Hunter might earn in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I). The financial institution made the request to the track due to its claim of an interest in the colt.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Well, this is it, the final major Derby prep weekend. After this, there is only the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. II) for horses hoping to hop aboard at the last minute. All eyes now turn to Street Sense, who can emerge from the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) as a solid Derby favorite. But he has to get by Great Hunter first.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Great Hunter and Street Sense face each other for the third time in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes. Which one will come out on top? Or will either?
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Street Sense drew post four for Saturday's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland. James Tafel's homebred champion was also made the 4-5 morning line favorite for the nine-furlong race. Great Hunter, the 9-5 second choice, will break from the outside seven post.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Juvenile champion Street Sense and grade I winner Nobiz Like Shobiz loom as the strong morning-line favorites heading into third and final Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
After the defection of Hard Spun, five horses remain as "probable" contenders for Saturday's $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I), including Street Sense, Great Hunter, Zanjero, Dominican, and Teuflesberg. Starbase, from the stable of trainer D. Wayne Lukas, is also possible for the field.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
The principal parties involved in a legal dispute over star runner Great Hunter have agreed on terms that could prevent controversy over the colt's scheduled start in the April 14 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), an attorney involved in the matter said.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Attorneys for J. Paul Reddam have filed a lawsuit in California that seeks protection for star colt Great Hunter, who is the subject of a lien by a Kentucky bank.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Great Hunter is a hot property on this year's Triple Crown trail, but who has right to claim the grade I winner as legal property looms as a big question.
Friday, March 16, 2007
The second of three pools of Churchill Downs' 2007 Kentucky Derby Future Wager ended on Sunday with 'all others' a narrow favorite in a scramble with reigning 2-year-old champion Street Sense, Remsen (gr. II) and Holy Bull (gr. III) winner Nobiz Like Shobiz, and Louisiana Derby (gr. II) winner Circular Quay.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
James Tafel's reigning 2-year-old champion Street Sense, winner of the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), and Elizabeth Valando's Nobiz Like Shobiz, winner of the Remsen (gr. II) and the Holy Bull (gr. III), continued to share the role of favorite as pool 2 of Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby Future Wager reached its midway point.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
The "all others" bet remains the morning line favorite for the second of three pools of Churchill Downs' 2007 Kentucky Derby Future Wager ("KDFW"), which launches its four-day run March 8.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
With three major Triple Crown prep races run over the March 3-4 weekend, the respective winners were elevated in the rankings of TC nominees based on earnings in graded stakes races.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
J. Paul Reddam's grade I winner Great Hunter unleashed a big move leaving the quarter pole and rolled to an impressive victory in the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita Saturday.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
In one of the best weekend's for 3-year-olds seen in quite a while, racing fans in Florida and Southern California will be treated to an array of top-class 3-year-olds and a number of budding stars in allowance and maiden races.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Grade I winner Great Hunter will be favored to provide trainer Doug O'Neill and jockey Corey Nakatani with their second major stakes victory on Saturday when the colt joins a field of nine 3-year-olds for the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
With several major prep races for the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) rapidly approaching this weekend, three prominent trainers discussed Tuesday how their contenders are progressing toward their next start and the first Saturday in May.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
The mutuel field completed the opening four-day pool of Churchill Downs' 2007 Kentucky Derby Future Wager as a strong favorite at odds of 5-2.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
With 2006 Eclipse Award and Breeders' Cup winners Street Sense and Dreaming of Anna headlining the list, a record 450 horses have been nominated early to Thoroughbred racing's 2007 Triple Crown.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Turning for home in the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), Street Sense seemed to materialize on the lead from out of nowhere with a move so explosive, even the normally eagle-eyed race caller Trevor Denman missed it.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Hold on to your hats. The Todd Pletcher and Doug O'Neill express trains are about to start rolling toward Louisville and should reach breakneck speed by early to mid-February. With Pletcher expanding to California this winter, and both trainers expected to make stops in New Orleans, we can expect some early collisions on the Derby trail.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Street Sense tops Steve Haskin's first list of leading contenders for this year's May 5 Kentucky Derby.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Ten graded or group stakes winners are among 107 "early bird" nominations for the 94th running of the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) March 10 at Fair Grounds Race Course.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Thor's Echo, who became just the second California-bred to win a Breeders' Cup race when he captured the 2006 TVG Sprint (gr. I) Saturday at Churchill Downs, is to remain in the East in quest of an Eclipse Award.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Tracking a hotly contested pace early, Street Sense came up the rail and ran away with the $1,832,000 Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) by 10 lengths at Churchill Downs Nov. 4.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Two days before the Breeders' Cup World Championships, Doug O'Neill, trainer of Lava Man, Sharp Lisa, and Great Hunter; and Tom Albertrani, trainer of Bernardini and Balletto, discussed the chances of their stars leading up to their respective races.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Everyone had been saying the field for the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) was evenly matched. Obviously Mike Battaglia, who makes the morning line at Churchill Downs, agreed.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
STD Racing and Jason Wood's Lava Man, gearing up for a showdown with Bernardini in the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4, worked six furlongs in 1:15 over Keeneland's Polytrack on Friday, Oct. 27.
Friday, October 27, 2006
After shipping into Kentucky Oct. 10, the California-based Lava Man is adjusting well to his new surroundings at Keeneland Race Course as he preps for the $5- million Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I) at Churchill Downs Nov. 4. According to trainer Doug O'Neill, the 5-year-old gelding settled in without a problem and is galloping daily over Keeneland's new Polytrack synthetic surface.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
As one of the most successful Thoroughbred owners of 2006, Canadian-born and California-based J. Paul Reddam faces the possibility of having as many as six runners in this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs Nov. 4. Join Reddam as he takes questions on the next edition of bloodhorse.com "Talkin' Horses," Wednesday, Oct. 11, beginning at noon ET (9 a.m. PT); online at http://www.bloodhorse.com/talkinhorses.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
As one of the most successful Thoroughbred owners of 2006, Canadian-born and California-based J. Paul Reddam faces the possibility of having as many as six runners in this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs Nov. 4. Join Reddam as he takes questions on the next edition of bloodhorse.com "Talkin' Horses," Wednesday, Oct. 11, beginning at noon ET (9 a.m. PT); online at
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
It is safe to say there has never been more major stakes run and more major stars performing around the country than there were this past weekend. In the end, most of the Breeders' Cup World Championship races were clearly defined, but there was something missing in the aftermath of one of the races.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Great Hunter, shipped east from California by trainer Doug O'Neill, won the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) Saturday at Keeneland, upsetting odds-on favorite and previously unbeaten Circular Quay.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Circular Quay, unbeaten in three starts, figures to be the heavy favorite in Saturday's Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) at 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Horse Greeley, a homebred son of Mr. Greeley, charged to the lead coming out of the turn and won the Del Mar Futurity (gr. II) on closing day Wednesday at the seaside Southern California track.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Prime Ruler and Great Hunter, the potential favorites, drew at opposite ends of the gate for Wednesday's $250,000 Del Mar Futurity (gr. II) for 2-year-olds, the closing day feature at the seashore.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
In spite of an awkward start, the 7-5 favorite Principle Secret kicked away from the rallying Great Hunter in the stretch to win the $150,000 Best Pal (gr. II) for 2-year-olds impressively at Del Mar Sunday.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Powerhouse trainers Doug O'Neill, with three entries, and Bob Baffert, with two, dominate the field of eight entered in the $150,000 Best Pal (gr. II) for 2-year-olds at Del Mar Sunday.
Friday, August 11, 2006
E Z Warrior, purchased for $1.2-million earlier this year, provided the fireworks on Independence Day at Hollywood Park as his explosive late run carried him to a 2 3/4-length victory over Great Hunter in the $100,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
More Articles about Great Hunter
