One of the unique offerings on this year's Black-Eyed Susan (gr. II) day card at Pimlico Race Course May 16 is the $50,000 Jockey Challenge Presented by Xpressbet that will feature seven active Hall of Fame riders.
Experts thought Game On Dude had lost a step, but the gallant old gelding proved them wrong with a history-making third victory in the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) March 8 at Santa Anita Park.
Awesome Baby earned her second straight graded stakes win with a front-running score in the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III) March 1 at rain-soaked Santa Anita Park.
Starlight Racing's Intense Holiday finally got his graded score, and did so with a thrilling late run in the Feb. 22 Risen Star Stakes (gr. II) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
"I try to ride the best I know how to ride," Smith said. "I love horses, I truly do. I like people to know that and I hope it shows in my riding, let's put it that way. I have to be the best I can possibly be."
Adjudged Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) winner Ria Antonia will make her season debut against the likes of Streaming and Untapable Feb. 22 in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds.
Scherzinger, given a crafty ride by Mike Smith in her stakes debut, registered a one-length victory in the $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 25 at Santa Anita Park.
Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) winner Tamarando holds the class edge of 11 sophomore runners entered for the $250,00 California Cup Derby at Santa Anita Park Jan. 25; the Cal Cup Oaks on the same card drew a field of 14.
Malibu Stakes (gr. I) winner Shakin It Up answered doubts about his ability around two turns when he overpowered stablemate Govenor Charlie to give trainer Bob Baffert the exacta in Santa Anita Strub Stakes Jan. 18.
The $100,000 Sham Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita Park on Jan. 11 was a two-horse race all the way down to the final sixteenth, and considering the fact that only four runners started, that was not surprising.
Awesome Baby, the less-fancied of two Bob Baffert runners, led every step of the way in capturing the $196,000 Santa Ynez Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 4 at Santa Anita Park.
Customer Base, in a thrilling finish to the final stakes of the year at Santa Anita Park, nosed out Stormy Lucy in the $100,000 Robert J. Frankel (gr. IIIT) on the turf Dec. 29.
Returning back to Hong Kong after 12 Years, Gary talks about what motivates him to get out of bed every day. Gary talks about Richard Hughes and Mike Smith as competitors during the Hong Kong International Jockey Challenge. watch video
Australian rider Kerrin McEvoy edged Hong Kong's Zac Purton in the Dec. 4 Longines International Jockeys' Competition as American veterans Gary Stevens and Mike Smith were all but shut out.
Multiple grade I winner Game On Dude and Travers (gr. I) victor Will Take Charge both drew well for the $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (gr. I) to be held Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs.
Propelled by three wins over the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 1-2, Mike Smith won his second Bill Shoemaker Award in a row as the most outstanding jockey of the 30th edition of the event at Santa Anita.
Mizdirection defended her title in the $1 million GEICO Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT) on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita Park, taking down Reneesgotzip and Tightend Touchdown with a brilliant stretch run.
British raider London Bridge won the 2013 Breeders' Cup World Championships opener, mowing down the weakening leaders in the final sixteenth of a mile to take the $500,000 Marathon (gr. II) Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park.
The Oct. 5 City of Hope Stakes was meant as a trial run for No Jet Lag to see if he belonged in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT). He aced that test when he finished in 1:31.84, just off the record set last year by Wise Dan.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott oversaw Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) contenders Royal Delta and Close Hatches as they stretched their legs at Santa Anita on Oct. 29 after arriving from New York the day before.
Top Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint contender fractured his right front fetlock while working Oct. 26 on the Santa Anita Park main track.
Mizdirection tuned up for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT) with a sparkling five furlongs in :57 4/5 Oct. 25 at Santa Anita Park with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith in the irons.
An all-star jockey cast anted up to raise more than $50,000 for the Simunye Project Oct. 6 in the first All-Star Jockeys' No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament, presented by jockey Shane Sellers and Bridget Parker.
Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) contenders livened up the worktabs at Santa Anita Park and Churchill Downs Oct. 8, as Game On Dude cruised around his California base and Fort Larned and Will Take Charge drilled in Kentucky.
A smashing winner of the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (gr. I) this spring, favored Emollient returned to Keeneland Oct. 6 to capture the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (gr. I) in another dazzling effort.
Points Offthebench will take a four-race win streak into the Nov. 2 Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) following a sharp victory in the $250,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (gr. I) Oct. 5.
Making his second start in the U.S., No Jet Lag unleashed a strong turn of foot for a major upset in the Oct. 5 City of Hope Mile (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Park as 1-2 favorite Obviously gave up the lead to finish fourth.
Emollient will face her elders as one of 11 entered for the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (gr. I) Oct. 6 at Keeneland. Others include grade I winners On Fire Baby and Byrama, and grade II winner Summer Applause.
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith has been named by fellow Hall of Famer Bob Baffert to ride California-based handicap star Game on Dude in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.
Priscilla Vaccarezza's Little Mike got back on track after four consecutive losses with a narrow win in the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) at Belmont Park Sept. 28.
Ken and Sarah Ramsey homebred Big Blue Kitten will try to secure his third straight grade I win when he faces an expected nine rivals in the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Classic Invitational Stakes Sept. 28 at Belmont Park.
Close Hatches secured a second straight grade I victory Sept. 21 when she passed Test Stakes (gr. I) winner Sweet Lulu turning for home and held off all challengers in the $1 million Cotillion Stakes (gr. I).
Jockey Shane Sellers and Bridget Parker of Parker View Farm will host the All-Star Jockeys' No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament, scheduled to be held Oct. 6 at The Castle Post in Versailles, Ky.
Promising juveniles High Roll and Captain's Affair headline a field of nine 2-year-olds in the $150,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity (gr. III) Saturday, Sept. 7 at Arlington Park.
Saratoga enters its final week as crowds begin to thin. read blog
Besilu Stables' two-time champion Royal Delta continued on her path toward a third crown with an easy victory in the Personal Ensign Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 25.
Joel Rosario, who guided Dullahan to victory in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic in 2012, will ride Game On Dude in the 23rd edition of Del Mar's signature event Aug. 25.
Points Offthebench made his first venture into stakes company a successful one, winning the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (gr. I) over Goldencents in a terrific fight to the wire July 28 at Del Mar.
Dogwood Stables' Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Palace Malice proved his class July 27 at Saratoga Race Course, powering to victory in the $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II).
Racing without Lasix in search of a return to dominant form, Besilu Stable's champion mare Royal Delta cruised to victory by 10 3/4 lengths in the $750,000 Delaware Handicap (gr. I) July 20 at Delaware Park.
Making her first start on grass, favored Emollient staved off a determined Emotional Kitten in deep stretch to post a half-length victory in the $350,000 American Oaks (gr. IT) July 13 at Betfair Hollywood Park.
Game On Dude, who successfully defended his title in the Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I) July 6, came out of the race in great shape, according to Mike Marlow, assistant trainer to Bob Baffert.
Left alone on the lead, heavy choice Game On Dude won the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I) July 6 for the second year in a row under a measured ride from jockey Mike Smith at Betfair Hollywood Park.
Itsmyluckyday, who was pulled up on the backstretch during the running of the June 16 Pegasus Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park, is expected to miss four months of training with a slight fracture of the Ilium.
In the first major stakes for 3-year-olds following the Triple Crown, favored Verrazano was an easy winner of the $148,500 Pegasus Stakes (gr. III) June 16 after his main challenger, Itsmyluckyday, was pulled up at Monmouth.
A patient Palace Malice collared Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Oxbow coming out of the final turn and dominated the stretch run to post a convincing upset win in the $1 million Belmont Stakes (gr. I) June 8 at Belmont Park.
The 2013 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. view slideshow
Lenny Shulman recaps the 145th Belmont Stakes won by Palace Malice. Watch Video
Dogwood Stable's Cot Campbell hopes Palace Malice has matured to the point where he can relax and rate in the Belmont Stakes, allowing him to use his natural speed to gallop the field into submission in the 1 1/2 mile test.
Jungle Racing's Mizdirection, winner of four consecutive graded stakes, worked five furlongs on turf in 1:00 1/5 June 2 at Betfair Hollywood Park in preparation for the $500,000 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park June 8.
