Josephine Abercrombie's Versailles, Ky.-based Pin Oak Stud announced that the 2014 stud fee for the recently retired multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Alternation will be $7,500 live foal, stands and nurses.
Cowboy Cal was represented by his first U.S. winner when in his second start Tachi captured a maiden special weight race at Indiana Downs Aug. 27.
The first half of Book Four of the Keeneland September yearling sale sees fillies fill the top three price slots.
Josephine Abercrombie's Pin Oak Stud announced that Ron Winchell has purchased a significant interest in Cowboy Cal from Robert and Janice McNair's Magnolia Racing.
The first reported foal by grade I winner Cowboy Cal is a filly born Jan. 2.
Cowboy Cal, a millionaire and grade II winner for Robert and Janice McNair, has been retired and will enter stud in 2010 at Josephine Abercrombie's Pin Oak Stud near Versailles, Ky.
In an emotional win for the barn of the late Bobby Frankel, the Brazilian import Fluke charged between horses in deep stretch to capture his first American stakes race in the $300,000 Citation Handicap (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park Nov. 27.
Robert and Janice McNair's Cowboy Cal, runner-up here last fall in the Hollywood Derby (gr. I), will try to bounce back from a 10th-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) in Hollywood Park's $300,000 Citation Handicap on Nov. 27.
Sensational filly Goldikova defended her TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) title in scintillating fashion Nov. 7 at Santa Anita Park, as she stormed down the lane under Olivier Peslier and caught longshot Courageous Cat inside the sixteenth-pole before going on to a half-length win.
Wertheimer and Frere's Goldikova was installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite against 10 males as she tries to defend her title in the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) Nov. 7 at Santa Anita.
Goldikova looks to become the fourth horse to repeat in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT).
At 3, Quality Road is among the elder statesmen of Todd Pletcher's Breeders' Cup contingent, much of which is comprised of talented 2-year-olds.
There is so much to discuss after the weekend's stakes extravaganza, but one race that likely had the most profound effect on the Breeders' Cup was the Goodwood Stakes (gr. I).
Versatile Cowboy Cal went gate to wire to win the $150,000 Oak Tree Mile Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Santa Anita turf course Oct. 10, and earned the right to advance to the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) next month.
Cowboy Cal returns to Santa Anita for trainer Todd Pletcher, looking to get back on the winning track in the $150,000 Oak Tree Mile Stakes (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Oct. 10.
It's time to accept the fact that Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta are not going to meet. As the cliche goes, that ship has sailed.
Darley Stable's Justenuffhumor remains undefeated on the season as he collared pacesetter Cowboy Cal inside the sixteenth-pole and posted a half-length victory in the $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap (gr. IIT) Aug. 28 on the Saratoga turf.
Darley Stable's Justenuffhumor and Magnolia Racing Stable's Cowboy Cal resume what may be a budding rivalry when they meet Aug. 28 in the $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap (gr. IIT) at 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf at Saratoga.
Jockey Alan Garcia guided Justenuffhumor through heavy traffic in the stretch to win the $158,750 Fourstardave Handicap (gr. IIT) in the 4-year-old colt's stakes debut Aug. 2 at rainy Saratoga.
The Fourstardave Handicap (gr. IIT) Aug. 2 at Saratoga will bring together a diverse field of nine, including accomplished older turf horses such as Cosmonaut and Kip Deville and rising younger stars ready to go in the $150,000-added test.
Cowboy Cal and Champs Elysees, both narrowly beaten by tough-as-nails Einstein in separate grade I races this year, will see if his absence will be enough to get them over the top this time, as they headline a strong field of 14, including five grade I winners, for the $400,000 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap (gr. IT) June 6 at Belmont Park.
Remarkable 7-year-old Einstein continued his amazing run on May 2 at Churchill Downs, outdueling Cowboy Cal in the stretch to win the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) under Julien Leparoux. The Helen Pitts-Blasi trainee became the first horse to repeat in the prestigious event.
Remarkable 7-year-old horse Einstein, a graded stakes winner on dirt, turf and synthetics, will attempt to make history by becoming the first repeat winner of the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. I) on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Colonel John, winner of the Travers Sakes (gr. I) last summer, makes his 2009 debut as the slight choice in a diverse 14-horse field for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) March 7.
Cowboy Cal is headed to the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) in one month following his hard-fought win in the $250,000 Strub Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Feb. 7.
Weather played an unexpected role when turf standout Gio Ponti won the Dec. 26 Sir Beaufort Stakes (gr. III), a race transferred from the grass to Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface. Given a freshening since then, he takes the next step on the main track in the $250,000 Strub (gr. II) Feb. 7.
Front-running Cowboy Cal, one of the few horses that Robert and Janice McNair kept after they sold Stonerside Stable to Darley last year, nipped 28-1 shot Informed by a nose to win the $150,000 San Pasqual Handicap (gr. II) at Santa Anita Jan. 10.
Grade I winner Well Armed will make his first start since a ninth-place finish as the 6-5 choice in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile more than two months ago when he tackles the $150,000 San Pasqual Handicap (gr. II) at Santa Anita Jan. 10.
Court Vision surged from last in the stretch to win the $500,000 Hollywood Derby (gr. IT), giving jockey Ramon Dominguez a sweep of both grade I stakes on the Hollywood Park turf course Nov. 30.
Jockey Mike Smith, trainer John Shirreffs, and owners/breeders Jerry and Ann Moss have one trip to the Hollywood Park winner's circle guaranteed. They are hoping for a second with Madeo following the $500,000 Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) Nov. 30.
Favored Cowboy Cal gained victory in the $150,000 Bryan Station Stakes (gr. IIIT) when Keeneland stewards disqualified the original winner, Seaspeak, for interference in the stretch Oct. 12.
Cowboy Cal, who has not started since finishing 9th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), makes his return to the racetrack Oct. 12 when he faces a full field of 3-year-olds in the $150,000 Bryan Station Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the Keeneland turf.
This space will not focus too much on Big Brown or Colonel John. The comments and observations that follow are designed to help ferret out some elusive price horses, based on looks, works, and gallops.
Big Brown, Smooth Air turn in works; Cowboy Cal, Monba get feel for track
John Velazquez is well-known for his successful partnership with trainer Todd Pletcher, so it is extremely fitting that his Derby contender this year come from Pletcher's stable. Cowboy Cal is Velazquez's mount, and if the jockey improves off his second-place finish aboard Invisible Ink in 2001, he'll have himself a winner.
Monba, Cowboy Cal arrive; Eight Belles eyes history; all systems go for Smooth Air
As Todd Pletcher's contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) arrived at Barn 34 from Keeneland April 30, accompanied by stakes contenders Danzon, Leah's Secret, and Garden District, the Eclipse Award-winning trainer took time to reflect upon the challenge of reaching - let alone winning - the first leg of the Triple Crown.
Janice and Robert McNair of Stonerside Stable announced April 29 that any earnings by their homebred Cowboy Cal in the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) will be donated to the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, in memory of John Long.
Janice and Robert McNair, owners of Stonerside Stable, announced that any earnings by their homebred Cowboy Cal in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) will be donated to the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Before the running of last year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), Keeneland Race Course was overrun with trainers whose potential contenders were squeezing in final works prior to shipping up to Churchill Downs. This year, Todd Pletcher cut a lonely figure along the rail at the Lexington oval as he sent Behindatthebar to gallop and then watched Monba and Cowboy Cal complete their final preparations April 26.
The first morning at Churchill Downs brought sunny skies and warm temperatures, as the Kentucky Derby horses began their final stretch to racing's biggest day. From here on, there is no room for error. We'll give a brief rundown of the day's activities and continue with the plusses and minuses of each contender.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said April 24 that Starlight Stable, Donald Lucarelli and Paul Saylor's Monba and Stonerside Stable's Cowboy Cal remain on schedule to work at Keeneland either April 26 or April 27 in their first works since finishing one-two in the Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I). Pletcher said the pair would then ship to Churchill Downs probably April 28, for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) on May 3.
Trainer Barclay Tagg sent Tale of Ekati out for a five-furlong work Wednesday morning at Keeneland, and was pleased with the colt's performance.
Just when it looked as if Todd Pletcher would be sitting out this year's Kentucky Derby, his two best Derby hopes from day one - Monba and Cowboy Cal - came through for him with a first and second in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I).
Trainer Todd Pletcher said April 18 that he has not decided when he will ship Monba and Cowboy Cal, his one-two finishers in the Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I), to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and is considering giving the two colts their final works at Keeneland the weekend before the Run for the Roses.
Well, should we talk about the vagaries of Polytrack form for the umpteenth time or concentrate on the weekend's racing?
One day after his 3-year-olds ran 1-2 in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), trainer Todd Pletcher said he will take a few days before deciding when Monba and Cowboy Cal will ship to Churchill Downs in preparation for the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Trainer Todd Pletcher had won just a single race at Keeneland going into the April 12 card. But he won again where it counted, and with Monba and Cowboy Cal finishing 1-2 in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), it looks like North America's leading trainer of 2007 will be headed to the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) after all.
There are two ways of looking at Saturday's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I)- either as a rich workout for the first Saturday in May for Pyro, Cool Coal Man, Visionaire, Big Truck, and Halo Najib, who all have sufficient earnings, or as a final, desperate attempt to sneak into the Derby field by utilizing the often dirt form-challenged Polytrack.
Trainer Todd Pletcher was at Keeneland April 6 for the first time during the spring meet to oversee his horses stabled here, including the 3-year-olds Cowboy Cal and Monba. Both colts worked before sunrise, Monba in company with Ready's Image at about 6:15 a.m., and Cowboy Cal some 45 minutes later.
