If you're tired of the same old cast of characters that have been playing the major roles so far, you're going to love next weekend's mixed bag of stakes races. After Saturday, many questions will be answered, and don't be surprised to see some new, exciting faces take center stage on the Triple Crown trail.
Joe Agrella, a retired correspondent for <i>The Blood-Horse</i> and Turf writer for the Chicago <i>Sun-Times</i>, died March 11 at his home in Elmwood Park, west of Chicago.
For the first time, the premier championship event for South American Thoroughbreds will be simulcast into North American when Uruguay's Maroñas National Racetrack plays host to the 25th running of the group 1, $150,000 (U.S.) Gran Premio Latinoamericano March 18.
The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders' Association named Leestown its 2005 stallion of the year with progeny earnings of $2,108,869, while Foxwood Plantation received its fourth straight title as breeder of the year with earnings of $350,179.
Fox Hill Farms' Rockport Harbor, who has had more than his share of bad luck during his racing career, came out of his fifth-place finish in the March 12 Razorback Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. III) with a foot injury that may force his retirement.
Brass Hat tops the list of six South Florida-based runners bound for the March 25 Dubai World Cup program at Nad al Sheba Racecourse. The American runners are scheduled to depart from the Fort Lauderdale Airport Tuesday night, bound first for Europe before reaching Dubai.
A group of 10 owners gained a dream result with Roman Arch in the rich Australian Cup March 11. Six weeks after they paid $100,000 (Australian funds) for the seemingly out-of-form 7-year-old, they shared the $600,000 first prize in Flemington's $1 million weight-for-age feature.
