Historical Gains in Kentucky
Kentucky purses continue to benefit from the success of historical racing, which registered another strong year.
News
Headlines and features from the Thoroughbred industry
Stronach Group Explores Expansion into Massachusetts
Tim Ritvo, The Stronach Group's chief operating officer, met with racetrack owners, state legislators, and Massachusetts gaming commissioners July 24 to discuss the possibility of converting a former greyhound track into a Thoroughbred venue.
Focused Hemsworth Entered in Curlin Stakes
Godolphin Racing's Hemsworth will return to stakes company while attempting to regain the form he showed as a juvenile in a field of seven 3-year-olds in the $100,000 Curlin Stakes on Saratoga Race Course's main track.
Hard Aces Looks for Repeat in Cougar II
Hard Aces will return to defend his title in the 1 1/2-mile Cougar II Handicap (G3) July 26 at Del Mar for trainer John Sadler.
Court Gives FL Breeders Right to Challenge Awards Plan
Florida breeders have a legal right to challenge the provisions of an annual plan that outlines the receipts and distribution of breeders' incentive award funds, according to a July 24 opinion issued by the state's First District Court of Appeal.
Awesome Banner Posts Bullet Ahead of Vanderbilt
Awesome Banner had his final breeze, before shipping to Saratoga Race Course for the $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1).
Abel Tasman, Elate Exit CCA Oaks in Good Order
Abel Tasman was set to return to Bob Baffert's barn at Del Mar in California July 24, while trainer Bill Mott reported runner-up Elate suffered a few bumps following the break, but nothing that would keep her from training.
Portrade Back at Saratoga for A.P. Smithwick
The Fields Stable's Portrade, freshened off a pair of starts to open his 8-year-old season, returns to the site of his most recent victory when he heads a field of 11 in the A.P. Smithwick Memorial hurdle (NSA-1) July 27 at Saratoga Race Course.
Big World to be Offered at Fasig-Tipton November Sale
Maggi Moss' grade 1 winner Big World will be offered at the Fasig-Tipton November sale as part of the Bluewater Sales consignment.
Plumptre Leaving Godolphin Australia Position
Citing the investigation of whether Godolphin had properly reported that one of its horses had contracted strangles, Henry Plumptre has stepped down as managing director of Godolphin in Australia.
Madam Dancealot Closes From Last to Win San Clemente
The ocean breeze at Del Mar may have brought out the best in the Sir Prancealot filly, who displayed an eye-catching turn of foot with a last-to-first winning move in the $200,000 San Clemente Handicap (G2T) July 23.
Glamanation First Stakes Winner for Point of Entry
Ontario-bred Glamanation, winner of the July 23 Shady Well Stakes at Woodbine, is the first black-type stakes winner for her sire, Adena Springs Kentucky stallion Point of Entry.
Raison d'Etat Gets First Winner
Making her third start and her first on the turf, Raison Tiz made up 10 lengths in the stretch to win a maiden claiming race going five furlongs at Gulfstream Park, handing Raison d'Etat his first win as a sire July 23.
Gutsy Move Gets Abel Tasman CCA Oaks Win
A gusty move to the front of the six-horse field on Abel Tasman from jockey Mike Smith after the first quarter-mile earned the Quality Road filly her third consecutive grade 1 victory in the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).
Baffert Still Aiming Arrogate for Pacific Classic
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert didn't have any overnight revelations to explain Arrogate's clunker of a performance in the July 22 TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar.
Girvin Has Final Work Ahead of Haskell
Multiple graded stakes winner Girvin put in his final breeze July 23 for his next start in the 50th renewal of the $1 million Betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) July 30 at Monmouth Park.
Lady Eli’s Amazing Story Continues
Waiting for a horse like this is something Sol Kumin and Jay Hanley no longer will do. For as many top-class horses as they own and will own, they know in their heart they will never again have a horse like Lady Eli. Nor will anyone else.
Brown in High Spirits After Three Saratoga Wins
With three wins on Saratoga Race Course's July 22 card, including Lady Eli's triumphant return to the track's winner's circle with her game victory in the grade 1 Diana Stakes, trainer Chad Brown was in good spirits at his barn Sunday morning.
Paulassilverlining Tops Honorable Miss Handicap
By the Moon, Paulassilverlining, and Finley'sluckycharm are all seeking to extend their current stakes win streaks in a field of five for the 26th running of the $200,000 Honorable Miss Handicap (G2) July 26 at Saratoga Race Course.
Gun Runner Posts Bullet in Breeze for Whitney
Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys' Gun Runner turned in his penultimate work July 23 for the $1.2 million Whitney Stakes (G1) Aug. 5, with a five-furlong breeze in 1:00.01 over the main track at Saratoga Race Course.
Accelerate Springs Stunning Upset as Arrogate Falters
Hronis Racing's Accelerate stunned the world July 22 with a dominant upset in the $300,000 TVG San Diego Handicap (G2). Jockey Victor Espinoza sent the horse to a gate-to-wire victory as Mike Smith was unable to get heavily favored Arrogate going.
Hunt Overcomes Trouble to Win Eddie Read
Michael House's Hunt provided a moment of drama in the stretch, but even a blocked-off trip wasn't enough to prevent the Dark Angel gelding from winning his first graded race.
Firenze Fire Upsets Sanford Stakes
Mr Amore Stables' homebred Firenze Fire rolled past the frontrunner and fended off a late challenge in the stretch to upset the $150,000 Sanford Stakes (G3) at Saratoga Race Course July 22
Lady Eli Runs 'One of Her Greatest Races to Date'
An incident at the start and a stewards' inquiry into the stretch run did not deter Lady Eli from her fifth grade 1 victory
Twisted Tom Muscles His Way to New York Derby Score
Despite a body slam from Broken Engagement at the head of the lane, Twisted Tom turned that rival away and dug in to win the $150,000 New York Derby July 22 at Finger Lakes.
Always Dreaming, Cloud Computing, Tapwrit Work at Spa
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Always Dreaming turned in a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.71 over the Oklahoma training track July 22 at Saratoga Race Course in preparation for the July 29 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2).
John Henry, Phil Marino, and Early Cajun Days
- By Steve Haskin
If John Henry had one positive trait, it was his ability to touch people's lives. Of course, everyone knows how John affected the lives of Ron McAnally and Sam Rubin, but no one's life was affected more by the horse than Phil Marino's.
Kettle Corn Gets First Winner at Belterra Park
Funnel Cake, an Ohio-bred trained by Tom Amoss and owned by Maggi Moss made his second start, and scored the first winner for his sire Kettle Corn July 22 in the fourth race at Belterra Park.
As Arrogate's Stature Builds, So Do Expectations
All Arrogate has to do is show up and be Arrogate, and the TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) is a foregone conclusion, which is exactly why his connections will have their minds stressed until they see the expected ending.
CHRB Discusses Cutting Back Racing Dates
For the second time in 2017, the California Horse Racing Board's Race Dates Committee bandied about the idea of restricting the amount of racing dates in the state, and again roundly faced opposition by industry stakeholders in attendance.
Saratoga Opening Day Sees Handle Increase
Opening day at Saratoga Race Course saw all-sources handle of $20,332,051, a 14.47% increase over last year's opening day total.
Proctor's Ledge Makes Splash in Lake George
After earning a pair of graded stakes placings earlier this season, Proctor's Ledge didn't let another opportunity pass her by July 21 at Saratoga Race Course.
Dream It Is The Real Deal in Schuylerville
The ability Dream It Is showed on the all-weather track at Woodbine translated even better in her first try on dirt, as she chased a wicked pace then threw down the hammer in the form of a nine-length win in the $150,000 Schuylerville Stakes (G3)
Tiz a Slam Heads Prince of Wales Stakes
Queen's Plate Stakes runner-up Tiz a Slam and multiple graded stakes placed State of Honor are set to face off again in the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie July 25
Litfin: No Going Against Arrogate in San Diego
It's opening weekend at Del Mar and Saratoga Race Course, which is sort of like midsummer Christmas for anyone who follows Thoroughbred racing.
Classic Empire to Resume Galloping
John Oxley's reigning juvenile male champion Classic Empire is scheduled to resume galloping the morning of July 22 following an easy week at Saratoga Race Course, said Norman Casse, assistant trainer to his father Mark.
Sircat Sally Faces Stiff Test in San Clemente
If everything goes right for Joe Turner's Sircat Sally, the California-bred filly will face increasingly tougher challenges as the year progresses.
Sanford Adds Another Chapter to Rich History Saturday
It's a fitting spot on the racing calendar since the promise of freshman runners earning their oats at the Spa captures the fancy of breeders, owners, trainers, and of course, racing fans.
Daddy's More Than Home
For all the jaw dropping that surrounded the success of Scat Daddy's offspring at the Royal Ascot meet came a bit of head scratching about how this could have been predicted.
Trainer Van Winkle Earns 1,000th Win
Trainer David Van Winkle recorded the 1,000th victory of his career when Darcy Peterson's Charlie Again and jockey Hugo Sanchez won the fifth race July 20 at Canterbury Park.
Saratoga Images from Widener Collection
Images from the Joseph Widener Collection taken at Saratoga Race Course.
New Withholding, Reporting Rules Near Enactment
A document outlining upcoming federal regulatory actions released July 20 by The White House indicates that modernized tax guidance relating to withholding and reporting of pari-mutuel winnings is nearing enactment.
CHRB Discusses 'Jail-Time' Claiming Rule Change
- By Jeremy Balan
With concerns regarding field size on the forefront in both regions of California, the California Horse Racing Board discussed a potential rule change that would restrict horses claimed in the state from running outside the state.
Will Antonoe Upset the Diana Stakes?
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Diana Stakes (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga.
Original Arrogate Had Major Impact at Del Mar
More than 60 years ago, another Arrogate enjoyed the surf at Del Mar for two summers, making an impact on the history of some legendary connections
Richard's Kid Gets First Winner at Del Mar
Hard-knocking Richard's Kid, winner of three grade 1 races, is now a winning sire after Mama's Kid rushed to the lead and never looked back in a 2-year-old maiden special weight sprint at Del Mar July 20
Ashleyluvssugar Highlights Eddie Read Stakes
Ashleyluvssugar, last out winner of the grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes, is set as the highweight in a field of seven for Del Mar's Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) July 22.
Abel Tasman Brings Form to Coaching Club American Oaks
The jump Abel Tasman has on her foes in terms of divisional supremacy can further grow July 23 when the daughter of Quality Road heads up a field of seven entered for the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).
Reports of Mares Bred Due at The Jockey Club by Aug. 1
Those who meet the deadline are first to receive stallion service certificates.
Solis to Evaluate Future Following Surgery
Hall of Fame jockey Alex Solis hasn't had a mount since April 21, but that doesn't mean the 53-year-old rider is retired just yet.
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Most Popular Stories
- Accelerate Springs Stunning Upset as Arrogate Falters
- Baffert Still Aiming Arrogate for Pacific Classic
- Stronach Group Explores Expansion into Massachusetts
- Focused Hemsworth Entered in Curlin Stakes
- Gutsy Move Gets Abel Tasman CCA Oaks Win
- Lady Eli Runs 'One of Her Greatest Races to Date'
- Big World to be Offered at Fasig-Tipton November Sale
- Abel Tasman, Elate Exit CCA Oaks in Good Order
- Hard Aces Looks for Repeat in Cougar II
- Historical Gains in Kentucky
