They were there to roast their mentor, but by the end of the night April 17 at the Keeneland sales pavilion, the seven prominent trainers who cut their teeth under legendary D. Wayne Lukas ended up toasting their former boss.
Matthew Schera's Isotherm hadn't found the winner's circle since September of 2015, but on a red-hot afternoon for jockey Flavien Prat at Santa Anita Park, he was under the right man for the job.
Several impressive 2-year-old maiden special weight winners will take the logical step up in the $200,000 Pilgrim Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 1 at Belmont Park.
Highly regarded 4-year-old colt Tencendur, whose 3-year-old campaign was cut short because of a broken sesamoid near his left front foot, is scheduled to make his first start since last June in an allowance event at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 1.
Green Lantern Stables' homebred A. P. Indian continued his upward trajectory July 30 with a game victory in the $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.
Perfect in three starts, New York-bred Ancient Secret will try for her first graded stakes score in the $200,000 Lake George Stakes (gr. IIT) on opening day of the Saratoga Race Course meet Friday, July 22.
The 4-year-old Warrior's Reward colt Requite, away since last August at Saratoga Race Course, returned a winner June 5 in the $75,000 Parrot Key Stakes at Gulfstream Park and could make his next start in the $250,000 Smile Sprint (gr. II).
Isotherm, winner of the 2015 Pilgrim Stakes (gr. III) on the Belmont Park turf, will make his 2016 season debut in the $100,000 Dania Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) Jan. 2 at Gulfstream Park.
Matthew Schera's Cyclogenisis, who was on the also-eligible list for an Oct. 3 off-the-turf stakes at Keeneland, won't have that problem Oct. 18.
Matthew Schera's Isotherm came with a wide run under Jose Lezcano to narrowly win Belmont Park's Pilgrim Stakes (gr. IIIT) for 2-year-olds over Azar.
Philip S. Birsh's homebred Tencendur, runner-up in the Twinspires.com Wood Memorial (gr. I) and Ohio Derby, will be sidelined indefinitely as a result of a fracture in the left front inside sesamoid.
There are 13 U.S.-based horses aiming for races at next week's Royal Ascot meeting, headed by Horse of the Year California Chrome, The National reports.
More stories, quips, and insights from this year's Kentucky Derby Trainers' Dinner held April 28 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Louisville.
Phil Birsh likes nothing more than getting off a fast one-liner, often at his own expense, but his good-looking New York-bred Tendencur needs to be taken seriously in the Run for the Roses.
Trainer George Weaver analyzes April 25 workout by Kentucky Derby contender Tencendur. watch video
With heavy rain forecast for Louisville, Ky., April 25, trainer George Weaver opted to send Tencendur to the track early for his final workout before the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
With rain in Saturday's forecast, connections of Kentucky Derby hopefuls International Star, Tencendur, and Keen Ice will try to stick to the plan of working Saturday, April 25.
Trainers with contenders in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) are keeping one eye on the weather as planned workouts approach for this weekend, April 25-26, at Churchill Downs.
Godolphin Racing's Frosted punched his ticket to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands with a clear victory in the $1 million TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I) on Saturday, April 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Newtown Anner Stud and Joseph Bulger's Falling Sky won for the first time since the 2013 Sam F. Davis (gr. III), upsetting the Feb. 8 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes (gr. III) just over a year after his last triumph.
Can Lighthouse Bay, who won the Prioress at odds of 21-1, hold off the likes of My Happy Face, So Many Ways, Ju Ju Eyeballs, Baby J, and California invader Sweet Lulu in Saratoga's $500,000 Test?
No stranger to winning races at Saratoga Race Course, the former assistant to D. Wayne Lukas and Todd Pletcher is off to a strong start again in 2013.
Richlyn Farm's homebred Lighthouse Bay upset the $300,000 Prioress Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course July 27, winning at odds of 21-1 while 2-5 favorite Kauai Katie failed to fire.
Undefeated Agave Kiss stretched her streak to six when she romped to victory in the $100,000 Miss Preakness Stakes on the Black-Eyed Susan program at Pimlico Race Course May 18.
Together Indy, rallying winner of the Commonwealth Stakes (gr. II) last month at Keeneland, returns to Polytrack to face six rivals in the $150,000 Vigil Stakes (Can-III) May 9 at Woodbine.
Together Indy rallied under Kent Desormeaux to win the seven-furlong Commonwealth Stakes (gr. II) by a length at Keeneland April 10, capturing his first graded race in his synthetic track debut for trainer George Weaver.
Jim and Susan Hill's Tizahit rebounded off a 14-length defeat earlier this month to score a one-length victory over favored Protesting in the Nov 28 Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct.
When pacesetter Bob's Proud Moment faltered in the final eighth of a mile of the off the turf $200,000 W.L. McKnight Handicap (gr. III) Saturday at sloppy Calder Race Course, Devil's Preacher was there to take full advantage, rallying late to win the 1 1/2-mile marathon.
Dogwood Stable's Drum Major caught favored Fishy Advice in the final strides for a head victory in the $114,100 Knickerbocker Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the Aqueduct turf course Saturday.
EQUIX has expanded both its equine and systems operations with personnel who have been actively involved in the industry.
One day after pre-entries for the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships were announced, there were two defections Thursday. Dressed to Kill, a maiden pre-entered in the Alberto VO5 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), has been withdrawn from the 1 1/16-mile race after sustaining a fracture of the left front pastern bone.
The owners of sprint star Egg Head and millionaire sprinter Saratoga County are among a group of six Thoroughbred owners bringing suit in the alleged wrongful deaths of three racehorses and for severe damage to a fourth, according to a recent report in the Schenectady, N.Y. Daily Gazette.
Saratoga County, winner of the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) in March, was euthanized late Friday after developing laminitis, Daily Racing Form reports.
Millionaire sprinter Saratoga County, who captured the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE- I) March 26, is currently ill and in the care of an undisclosed Saratoga Springs, N.Y., veterinary clinic according to the horse's co-owner Richard Pollard.
As expected the Americans won the Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) over six furlongs on the dirt, but it was not hot favorite Pico Central who took the honors but George Weaver's Saratoga Country who landed the spoils under Javier Castellano.
Relentless Saratoga County reached the wire first in his final jump over a stubborn Don Six to win his third straight race in the $200,000 General George Handicap (gr. II) at Laurel Park Monday.
Juvenile graded stakes winners Proud Accolade, Park Avenue Ball, and Defer square off as part of a small field for Saturday's $150,000 Hutcheson (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park, but lightly raced Devil at Sea could be the surprise package.
Saratoga County, thought to be better at distances longer than the six furlongs of Saturday's $100,000 Mr. Prospector Handicap (gr. III), humbled the field with a torrid stretch run at Gulfstream Park.
Dubleo, the probable morning-line favorite, will lead a field of 11 two-year-old colts and geldings entered in Friday's featured $100,000 Bourbon County Stakes at Keeneland. Dubleo is conditioned by Todd Pletcher.
R.C. Hill Stable's Christine's Outlaw found the Belmont Park turf to his liking once again and the 4-year-old colt responded with his first graded stakes victory, a front-running surprise over a talented field in the $112,600 Poker Handicap (gr. IIIT) Saturday.
A switch to the turf could help Christine's Outlaw claim his first stakes victory Saturday in the $100,000-added Poker Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park.
Trainer George Weaver has shipped Gotham Stakes (gr. III) winner Saratoga County to Keeneland, pointing the son of Valid Expectations to the $325,000, Coolmore Lexington (gr. II) to be run on April 17.
Saratoga County took advantage of a fast pace to collar Pomeroy in mid-stretch and pulled away to a 2 1/4-length victory in the $200,000 Gotham Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct Saturday.
The lightly-raced Saratoga County has earned a chance to build on his runner-up effort to Wynn Dot Comma in the Spectacular Bid Stakes (gr. III) according to trainer George Weaver, and will run in Saturday's Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park.
Trainer George Weaver saddled his first winner at Gulfstream when he tightened the girth on Randy and Christine Hill's Christine's Outlaw, who romped to an 11½-length victory in the first race on Saturday and returned a $9.60 win mutuel.
George Weaver, who served as assistant trainer for Todd Pletcher fox six years, saddled his first winner on Dec. 5 when Peachtree Stable's First Spear scored a head victory in an optional claiming race at Calder. The 5-year-old son of Dare and Go was entered for a $40,000 claiming tag.
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