Sovereign Stable's Enjoy Yourself has continued to gain maturity and focus this winter at Tampa Bay Downs, and trainer John Terranova believes the Florida Oaks (gr. IIIT) entrant can be a major player this year.
Zayat Stables' King Kranz, equipped with blinkers for the first time, went from maiden to stakes winner Jan. 1 in the Lost In The Fog for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Former claimer Zen Papa will face graded stakes-placed King Kranz in the $125,000 Lost In The Fog Stakes for 3-year-olds when Aqueduct Racetrack begins the new year Jan. 1.
Off since being scratched from the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), Zayat Stables' El Kabeir will make his return in the Oct. 31 Bold Ruler Handicap (gr. III) at Belmont Park.
Trainer John Terranova and crew are preparing to host American Pharoah at Saratoga for the Travers Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 29.
The atmosphere at Belmont Park still lingers with the jubilation that reverberated through the racetrack and captured the nation's imagination with American Pharoah's Triple Crown sweep June 6.
Justin Zayat of Zayat Stables has confirmed multiple graded stakes winner El Kabeir will not run in the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.
Owner Ahmed Zayat said El Kabeir did not go to the track at Churchill Downs the morning of May 1 because he took a couple of bad steps and was not sound but has not been scratched out of the Kentucky Derby.
TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial (gr. I) winner Frosted and Lambholm South Holy Bull (gr. II) winner Upstart were both on the track for the first time at Churchill April 29, joined by multiple graded-stakes winner El Kabeir.
Dortmund impressed Baffert in his first gallop over the track, as International Star and Mubtaahij also took a spin April 28. El Kabeir stayed in the shedrow but will train April 29 according to trainer John Terranova.
On a brisk spring morning at Belmont Park April 25, El Kabeir put in his final breeze for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), and it was unexpectedly eventful.
Calvin Borel, who has won on Zayat Stables' colt, will be back aboard at Churchill, replacing C.C. Lopez
Zayat Stables' Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contender El Kabeir turned in a sharp five-furlong work in 1:00.18 at Belmont Park April 19.
"Since he ran at Churchill, he really started to change... it's amazing how this horse has kept going forward, while braving the brutal winter we had," Tonja Terranova said of Wood Memorial contender El Kabeir.
El Kabeir had his final tune-up for the $1 million TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial (gr. I) March 30, breezing five furlongs on Belmont Park's training track in 1:01.12, the fastest of 27 works at the distance.
Zayat Stables' El Kabeir came out of his convincing win in the Gotham Stakes (gr. III) in fine fettle and will be aimed for the $1 million Twinspires.com Wood Memorial (gr. I) April 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Zayat Stables' El Kabeir continued his success on the New York circuit March 7, running to a polished victory in the $400,000 Gotham Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Zayat Stables' El Kabeir looms the one to beat in the $400,000 Gotham Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack March 7.
The veteran reinsman has already developed a great rapport with the Florida-bred son of Scat Daddy, who is pointing for the March 7 Gotham (gr. II) and has become very special at this point in Lopez's career.
Multiple graded stakes winner El Kabeir, most recently second in the Withers (gr. II), had his final serious work March 1 at Belmont Park for the $400,000 Gotham (gr. III) March 7 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Zayat Stables will continue its chess game of 3-year-old prep racing by shipping Mr. Z to the March 28 Louisiana Derby (gr. II), while American Pharoah runs in the Rebel (gr. II) and El Kabeir starts in the Gotham (gr. II).
Far From Over and El Kabeir, the first two finishers in the Withers Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 7, could be headed for a rematch in the $400,000 Gotham Stakes (gr. III) in one month at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Jerome Stakes (gr. III) winner El Kabeir, likely favorite for the upcoming $250,000 Withers (gr. III), breezed five furlongs Jan. 30 over the training track at Belmont Park for trainer John Terranova.
Despite bobbling at the start and racing wide on the first turn, favored El Kabeir posted an impressive 4 3/4-length victory in the $200,000 Jerome Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 3 from rainy Aqueduct Racetrack.
El Kabeir has earned 11 points toward a berth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), but is looking for more as he heads the field in the $200,000 Jerome Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 3 from Aqueduct Racetrack.
Zayat Stables' El Kabeir went to the front and kept on going Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs, just holding off Imperia to win the $233,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) by a head.
For every big-name contender expected to arrive at the Breeders' Cup World Championships every season, there are several whose connections agonize over the decision to send them there.
Grade I winner Bayern, 2-1 morning-line favorite for the upcoming $1.25 million Travers Stakes (gr. I), arrived at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 20 around 4 p.m.
Jim Covello has enjoyed a good deal of success since getting into Thoroughbred ownership a decade ago, but he's hoping Falling Sky provides the icing on the cake in the May 4 Kentucky Derby.
Trainer John Terranova talks about Kentucky Derby contender Falling Sky.
Trainer John Terranova talks about Kentucky Derby contender Falling Sky.
Vyjack, third in the Wood Memorial (gr. I) last time out, led a small group of workers for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) on the morning of April 26 at Churchill Downs. Also on the tab were Golden Soul and Falling Sky.
Trainer John Terranova confirmed April 21 that Falling Sky "is a go" for a start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) May 4 at Churchill Downs.
Rags to riches story Rose to Gold, front-running winner of the Honeybee Stakes (gr. III) last month, returns to Oaklawn Park April 10 for the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (gr. III).
Falling Sky, winner of the Feb. 2 Sam F. Davis Stakes (gr. III) at Tampa Bay Downs, was scratched from the Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth (gr. II) the morning of the race, as was maiden winner Sky Captain.
The sky was the limit Feb. 2 at Tampa Bay Downs, with Falling Sky and Dynamic Sky finishing 1-2 in the $202,500 Sam F. Davis Stakes (gr. III). Falling Sky, a 7-1 upsetter, survived an objection to get the job done.
Citrus Kid, making his first start since September of 2011, held off 3-year-old El Padrino in a comeback race for both Dec. 19 at Gulfstream Park.
An overflow of 24 sophomore fillies passed the entry box for the $125,000 Pin Oak Valley View (gr. IIIT), forcing Keeneland officials to split the Oct. 19 running of the race into divisions for the second time in history.
Newtown Anner Stud's More Than Love will carry top weight and figures the one to beat in the $100,000 Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III) March 22 at Turfway Park.
R Heat Lightning, the likely favorite in the May 6 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) for trainer Todd Pletcher, put in her final drill prior to the race April 30, working a half-mile in :48 1/5 at Churchill Downs.
There are several special aspects of the story of Lilacs and Lace, a homebred daughter of Flower Alley who burst onto the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) scene with a victory in the April 9 Ashland Stakes (gr. I).
Animal Kingdom took the overland route to a possible start in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) when he drew off late for a 2 3/4-length win in the $500,000 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (gr. III) at Turfway Park March 26
Odds-on choice Franny Freud, ridden by Garrett Gomez, rallied four wide on the turn to register her first grade I victory in the Prioress Stakes at Belmont Park July 4.
A pair of colts with proven stakes credentials headline the $100,000 Mike Lee Stakes, the featured race at Belmont Park June 20. The Mike Lee is the first leg of the OTB Big Apple Triple.
Trainer John Terranova swept both ends of the New York Stallion Stakes at Belmont Park on May 2 with a pair of favorites, Franny Freud and General Maximus.
Looking every bit the 1-2 favorite she was, Franny Freud cruised to a front-running 4 3/4-length win in the $150,000 Beaumont Stakes (gr. II) for her first graded stakes win April 7 at Keeneland.
Susan Roy and Vinery Stables' Awesome Act turned in an impressive performance in his first start on dirt, accelerating past rivals at the top of the stretch en route to a 1 1/4-length victory in the $250,000 Gotham Stakes.
If only it always worked this way: buy a horse privately; win a grade I; and head to the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Forget always; for Matt Gatsas, just once is OK. Of course he wouldn't mind also winning the Breeders' Cup race.
Sovereign Stable's Negligee came from off the pace, charged down the lane, and collared favored She Be Wild in the final strides to score the $500,000 Darley Alcibiades (gr. I) at odds of 12-1 on opening day at Keeneland Oct. 9.
Indian Blessing, the champion female sprinter of 2008, is set to breeze Aug. 8 as she points towards a return to the races in the $300,000 Ballerina (gr. I) on Aug. 29.
