Derby Tradition Changing This Year
A Kentucky Derby (gr. I) tradition is changing this year--the route the winner of the race takes to the winner's circle.
A Kentucky Derby (gr. I) tradition is changing this year--the route the winner of the race takes to the winner's circle.
Vinery's Australian farm announced its stud fees for this year and they too seem determined to offer value for money.
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. continued the upswing in juvenile sales seen so far this year, its April auction showing huge gains in gross and average. Also, the number of horses bought back by their consignors dropped markedly, and a record price for the sale was established.
The only thing that may change more between now and Kentucky Derby day than who is in and who is out of the race -- and be discussed as much -- is the weather forecast.
The wild and wacky juvenile sale season continued Wednesday with yet another mark set, this time a record for the Ocala Breeders Sales Co.'s April auction.
Edgar Prado took Meridiana through on the rail and the 4-year-old filly won the Bewitch Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland today in a tight finish with Alternate. Favored Binya finished third.
With seven horses selling for $100,000 or more and very low RNA rate, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s April juvenile sale had a very strong second session Tuesday. The four-day sale continues through Thursday.
Four horses brought $100,000 or more and the average increased 8.5% Monday during the first of four days of selling at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s spring auction.
It took nearly all of the 2 1/2 miles, but favored Hirapour got the job done Friday in the $159,375 Royal Chase for the Sport of Kings Hurdle (NSA-I) at Keeneland.
Nopro Blama, the dam of graded stakes winning sprinter Soviet Problem, was euthanized April 12 at Dr. Dede McGehee's Heaven Trees Farm near Lexington.
Perfect Soul remained perfect on the Keeneland turf course, winning the competitive Maker's Mark Mile (gr. IIT) Friday under a well-judged ride by Edgar Prado in course record time.
Ema Bovary, going past 6 1/2 furlongs for the first time since arriving in the United States from her native Chile, won the seven-furlong Vinery Madison Stakes at Keeneland Wednesday.
Jockey Pat Valenzuela, who has had a history of drug related problems during his career, today had his current suspension extended through the remainder of 2004 by the Santa Anita stewards.
Funny Cide, the New York-bred winner of last year's Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Preakness (gr. I), returns to his native state Saturday for a start in the Excelsior Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. III) at Aqueduct.
A colt by Dixieland Band, an early foal and obviously early maturing individual, brought $160,000 to top the Fasig-Tipton Texas sale of 2-year-olds in training Tuesday at Lone Star Park.
For the second time Tuesday, a world-record price for a juvenile sold at public auction was set during the Fasig-Tipton selected 2-year-olds in training sale at Calder Race Course. The new world record price of $4.5 million was paid by Japanese owner Fusao Sekiguchi for a colt from the first crop sired by Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Fusaichi Pegasus, who was raced by Sekiguchi.
Reset is unique of Zabeel's 26 group I winners in that the Australian Guineas (Aust-I) winner was foaled in Australia, the others in their sire's native New Zealand.
A private funeral for bloodstock agent Joss Collins will be held Feb. 18, followed by a public service at St. Mary's Church in Newmarket, England at 2:30 p.m. the same day.
The first of three future wagers conducted by Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) will be held this week. from noon eastern time on Thursday until 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The 40th annual <i>Sports Illustrated</i> swimsuit issue hits the newsstands today and jockey Jose Santos and his wife, Rita, are included in the "Better Halves" section.
Trainer Ronny Werner confirmed today that Badge of Silver will make his next start in Monday's General George Handicap (grade II) at Laurel.
Ryan Fogelsonger is unhappy riding in Southern California and is returning to Maryland.
The second and final day of the select part of Melbourne's Inglis Premier yearling sale told us all one thing: Encosta de Lago is something very rare and special.
Three memorial funds have been established to help the family of jockey Michael Rowland, who died early today of injuries received in a riding accident last week.
Two things stood out on day one of Victoria's Premier yearling sale, traditionally a good sale for finding bargain babies.
Castle Gandolfo, a group III stakes winner who was also twice group I stakes placed, will enter stud this year at John T.L. Jones' Walmac International near Lexington. He will stand for $6,000.
Jockey Michael Rowland, who was seriously injured in a spill at Turfway Park in Northern Kentucky Feb. 4, died early Monday, Feb. 9, at University Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was 40.
The military stamped Australia's speed championship in Melbourne on Feb. 9. The cavalry arrived in the nick of time as Regimental Gal rushed down Flemington's grandstand rail to collar the 13-4 favorite Our Egyptian Raine (by Desert Sun) at the wire in the Lightning Stakes (Aust-I).
Octagonal's wonderful son, Lonhro drew within one of his father's 10 group I victories in a successful start to his final campaign in the C.F. Orr Stakes (Aust-I), at Caulfield on Feb. 7.
California will announce its 2003 Horse of the Year Monday; the three finalists are Continental Red, Excessivepleasure, and Joey Franco The annual awards dinner will be held at the Sacramento Sheraton Grande Hotel.
The Jockey Club 2004 Fact Book was released today at its Web site: jockeyclub.com.
Bid amounts were announced for a dormant Illinois casino license, with Penn National Gaming submiting the highest offer.
Sackatoga Stable's Funny Cide, who will start in the Donn Handicap (gr. I) Saturday at Gulfstream Park, schooled in the paddock before Friday's first race.
Harmony Lodge goes for her fourth Gulfstream stakes victory -- and her fourth stakes score in a row -- when she tops a field of eight in Sunday's $100,000 Shirley Jones Handicap (gr. III) over seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park.
Sunland Park set a single day handle record Feb. 3, when more than $2 million was wagered at the New Mexico racetrack.
Aqueduct in New York and Laurel Park in Maryland have both canceled racing today (Feb. 6) because of ice and heavy rains in the northeast corridor of the United States.
Graded stakes winner and stakes producer Withallprobability and her grade III-winning daughter With Ability died last month. Both were owned by Edward Evans Spring Hill Farm, near Casanova, Va.
America's Storm, a stakes-placed son of Storm Cat, will enter stud this year at Joan Rogers' Applebite Farm in French, Camp, Calif. He will stand for $4,000.
Hiring an executive director and a chief state steward are among the first items of business for the newly created Kentucky Horse Racing Authority. The 16-member panel held an orientation meeting Feb. 5 at the Kentucky Horse Park.
The Satish Seemar-trained Little Jim was a convincing winner of the UAE Two Thousand Guineas (UAE-III) on his local debut at Nad Al Sheba Feb. 5 to confirm the good impression the colt had made in his native Argentina last year.
Evil Elaine, the dam of Horse of the Year Favorite Trick, foaled a filly by Unbridled's Song Thursday, Feb. 5, at Frank and Jane Lyons' Summer Wind Farm near Lexington, Ky.
Hold That Tiger, who will stand his first season at stud this year at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., will shuttle to Australia for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season.
Trainer Todd Pletcher bought the first horse he has ever purchased for Bob and Beverly Lewis at public auction today, going to $425,000 for a colt by Sir Cat out of the Red Ryder mare Limestone Landing at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s juvenile auction at Calder.
The World Racing Championships, a series of races held at different countries, will be held again in 2004, but the International Racing Bureau will no longer be involved.
The Premier yearling sale in New Zealand has posted very strong numbers for the first two days of the three-day auction, the gross already surpassing the entire sale of 2003.
Bolstered by a $1 million yearling (U.S. $671,510), the first day of the New Zealand Premier yearling sale at Karaka showed healthy increases.
Fashion has been the bane of men for years. Take Monday's Inglis Classic Sale in Sydney, Australia as the purest of examples.
Starquine, a horse listing service, and RaceReadySales, which lists juveniles, have formed a partnership to sell and purchase mares, foals, yearlings, juveniles, horses of racing age and stallion seasons online.
Jockey Todd Kabel is a finalist for 2003 Male Athlete of the Year in Manitoba, Canada, which will be announced Sunday night.
TVG will broadcast live from the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship Jan. 23-24 from Bally's in Las Vegas.