After three clear victories at Woodbine, Ami's Mesa found success on the road as well Sept. 18 when she rallied to a one-length victory in the $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2) in Erie, Penn.
The field may have been scratched down to four for the $250,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3), but David Gruskos' Chublicious still found a way to provide a stunner in the six-furlong sprint at Laurel Park.
Wise Gal, bred and owned by Eric Wirth and trained by Dove Houghton, drove away from her opponents impressively to win the $100,000 Selima Stakes Sept. 16 at Laurel Park. She is the first black-type winner for her sire, Einstein.
After three straight clear victories on the synthetic surface at Woodbine, Ami's Mesa will try to add to that winning stretch Sept. 18 in the $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2).
Jockeys Victor Carrasco and Jose Ferrer were seriously injured Sept. 14 after five horses fell during the running of the third race at Delaware Park.
After a minor foot injury added some extra time off, Whitmore is set to return to the races Sept. 16 in the $250,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes (G3) at Laurel Park.
Monmouth Park stewards have fined both owner Randal Gindi and trainer Jorge Navarro $5,000 for conduct "extremely detrimental to racing"—behavior documented in a Youtube video—and have requested that the state regulator increase the fine for both.
While Laurel Park is gearing up for its fall stakes program, trainer Cal Lynch is excited about another looming comeback, the return of grade 3 winner El Areeb.
Doug O'Neill and Reddam Racing already had one contender in the 3-year-old division entering Labor Day, but before the holiday was over, they may have found another.
Colonelsdarktemper, winner of the Aug. 5 West Virginia Derby (G3) last out, will attempt to secure his second graded stakes score when he heads a field of seven entered for the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) at Parx Racing Sept. 4.
Beginning with the 2017 fall meet at Laurel Park, a 50% breeder bonus (the regular 30% plus an additional 20%) will be paid to breeders of registered Maryland-breds by Maryland stallions who win a maiden race in Maryland.
For the third consecutive year and eighth consecutive meet, Laurel Park registered an increase in average daily handle during its recently-completed summer meet.
John Oxley's multiple grade 1 winner Classic Empire will not run in the Sept. 23 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing and his connections do not have plans yet for the colt's next start, trainer Mark Casse said Aug. 29.
The catalog for Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic fall yearling sale Oct. 2-3 is now available online and via the equineline sales catalog app.
John K. "J.K." Adams, a fixture on the Mid-Atlantic circuit who rode 1981 champion sprinter Guilty Conscience, has passed away at the age of 62.
Front-running Conquest Big E figures to have the pace edge Aug. 26 at Monmouth Park in the $100,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3). The 4-year-old stiffest challenge figures to come from Will Farish's classy Eagle.
Jockey Nik Juarez kept tabs on his former mount, multiple graded stakes winner and millionaire Valid, who was sold to new connections in January. Then he purchased the horse and retired him to a farm in Maryland, where he arrived Aug. 22.
Fasig-Tipton has expanded its Midlantic fall yearling sale to two days as a result of a high volume of entries.
St. Elias Stable’s Teresa Z stormed down the stretch to best longshot Sine Wave by 1 1/2 lengths in the $100,000 Monmouth Oaks (G3) at Monmouth Park Aug. 12.
Lael Stables’ homebred Divining Rod, in his first start since November, made an emphatic return to competition with a 6 1/4-length romp in the $75,000 Polynesian Stakes Aug. 12 at Laurel Park.
Going against the family proved an unwise move in Mountaineer's most notable race, as Jon Court steered Colonelsdarktemper—who is trained by his father-in-law Jinks Fires—to a gate-to-wire, one-length victory in the West Virginia Derby (G3).
Each week BloodHorse.com looks forward to the weekend's biggest races. Consider this your weekly guide to the best stakes races in North America. This week a loaded card at Saratoga Race Course, featuring two grade 1 races, highlights the schedule.
Len Riggio and Craig Bandoroff are returning to familiar grounds Aug. 7-8, offering a half brother to classic winner Tapwrit, at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga selected yearling sale.
Bill Mooney's work on promoting the West Virginia Derby, and all of racing at Mountaineer, will be recognized Aug. 5 with a race named in his memory.
Connections of both Girvin and McCraken, the 1-2 finishers in the betfair.com Haskell Invitational, are looking at the Aug. 26 Travers Stakes (G1) for their colts' next start.
Two-time grade 1-winning sprinter A. P. Indian has been retired, trainer Arnaud Delacour announced July 31.
A ground-saving trip on the inside by Javier Castellano enabled Wekeela to open up down the Monmouth Park stretch and best multiple grade 1 winner Miss Temple City in the $100,000 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes (G3T) July 30.
The ever-evolving complexion of this year's 3-year-old male division ended up cycling back to one of its earlier standouts July 30 as Girvin caught McCraken in the Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1).
The stakes action at Monmouth Park on Haskell Day July 30 got rolling early with Sharp Azteca's easy 7 1/2-length win in the 1 1/16-mile Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3).
Consider this your weekly guide to the best stakes races in North America. This week a trio of grade 1 events highlight the schedule, along with a classic showdown in the Jim Dandy (G2).
From now through the first weekend in November is prime time for horseplayers, and it's always especially compelling theater when absolutely nothing has been settled in the 3-year-old division.
Coming off a game runner-up effort to Mor Spirit last month in the Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap (G1), Sharp Azteca aims to find his way back to the winner's circle in the Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) July 30.
In what will be her first start since a disappointing result at Royal Ascot, Miss Temple City has a prime opportunity to land a confidence booster when she heads up a field of seven in the July 30 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes (G3T) at Monmouth Park.
The $350,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic will highlight a 9 race program worth a total of $1,000,000 in stakes purses when Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races hosts West Virginia Breeders’ Classics XXXI on Saturday, October 14.
Isabelle de Tomaso's Irish Strait, winner of the Red Bank Stakes (G3T) last time out, defends his home turf July 30 in the grade 2 Monmouth Stakes going nine furlongs on the grass.
For a race that lacks any of the winners of this year's American classics, the 1 1/8-mile Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park couldn't have done much better in drawing a field that brings an ideal mix of quality and depth.
Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course issued a statement July 26 commending the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission's decision to uphold the track's ban of trainer Eduardo Rojas.
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.
Connections and Maryland horsemen salute four-time Maryland Horse of the Year Ben's Cat following his July 18 death at age 11.
Fasig-Tipton has shifted the sale date of its upcoming Midlantic Mixed Sale. The sale, which had been held in late January the past two years, will return to its traditional date and be conducted on Monday, December 4 of this year.
Four-time Maryland Horse of the Year and multi-million dollar-earner Ben’s Cat, who underwent colic surgery July 6 to repair an epiploic foramen entrapment, was euthanized July 18 due to complications that arose during his recovery.
Green Lantern Stables' Frostmourne broke through for his first graded win in the June 3 Penn Mile Stakes (G2T) and put in a repeat performance July 15 in the $200,000 Kent Stakes (G3T) at Delaware Park.
The champion daughter of Medaglia d'Oro came and conquered July 15 at Delaware Park, where she claimed the $750,000 Delaware Handicap (G1) for Delaware native Rick Porter of Fox Hill Farms and Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
Multiple grade 1 winner Miss Temple City was put through her first serious paces since returning from an ambitious season debut last month at Royal Ascot, working five furlongs in company with stablemate Quidura (GB) July 14.
When Mike Smith hangs up his tack for the final time, many fans will remember him as racing's "ladies' man."
Industry groups in Pennsylvania will stay vigilant after Governor Tom Wolf on July 10 allowed an underfunded budget to become law without his signature.
Frostmourne will stretch out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time when he again faces other 3-year-olds on the turf in the $200,000 Kent Stakes (G3T) July 15 at Delaware Park.
For owner Rick Porter, a victory in the $750,000 Delaware Handicap (G1) would mean a lot as the big race at his local track. On July 15 he will send out two-time champion Songbird in an effort to land the $750,000 race for fillies and mares.
West Coast shipper It Tiz Well found her way back to the winner's circle July 8 when she held on to take the $300,000 Delaware Oaks (G3) as the odds-on favorite.
Merry Fox Stables homebred Guilty Twelve put in a sustained stretch drive to nip favored Zipessa in the $200,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (G3T).
