
Curlin, Asmussen Among Hall of Fame Finalists
Two-time Horse of the Year Curlin and trainer Steve Asmussen, who saddled him to nine stakes wins in the years he won those titles, are among 10 finalists on the 2014 Hall of Fame ballot.
Two-time Horse of the Year Curlin and trainer Steve Asmussen, who saddled him to nine stakes wins in the years he won those titles, are among 10 finalists on the 2014 Hall of Fame ballot.
The major prep for the grade II Fantasy Stakes April 5 drew mostly up-and-coming locally based fillies, but it is the two shippers -- Please Explainand Taris -- who may be the most intriguing.
Southwest Stakes (gr. III) winner Tapiture got back to serious work the morning of March 2 at Oaklawn Park as he prepares to make his next stop along the Triple Crown trail in the $600,000 Rebel Stakes (gr. II).
Add another to the list of impressive Tapit homebreds campaigned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and trained by Steve Asmussen this season; Untapable won the Feb. 22 Rachel Alexandra (gr. III) by 9 1/2 lengths.
Multiple grade III winner Daddy Nose Best will try for a third straight stakes win on the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots turf and sixth victory in seven starts in the Fair Grounds Handicap (gr. IIIT) Feb. 22.
Ron Winchell's homebred Tapiture made his season debut a stirring one Feb. 17 when he galloped to a 4 1/4-length victory over Strong Mandate in the $300,000 Southwest Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park.
Samantha Nicole, a full sister to 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, had an adventurous career debut, but managed to run on for second in a maiden special weight test for 3-year-old fillies Feb. 16 at Fair Grounds.
Stonestreet Stable's Samantha Nicole, a full sister to 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, is set to make her career debut Feb. 16 in the fourth race at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Trainers Steve Asmussen and Chris Hartman slipped in a pair of final workouts for their Southwest Stakes (gr. III) hopefuls between the first and second races on the program at Oaklawn Park Feb. 13.
As of Jan. 30, Ron Paolucci, owner of Loooch Racing and manager of Ria Antonia's career along with trainer Jeremiah Englehart, was uncertain exactly what the future is for the 3-year-old Rockport Harbor filly.
Closing with a rush under Rosie Napravnik, favored Daddy Nose Best tagged upset-minded Adios Nardo at the wire to win the $125,000 Col. E. R. Bradley Handicap (gr. IIIT) on yielding turf at Fair Grounds Jan. 18.
John Oxley's Coastline looks to rebound from an eighth-place finish in the Delta Jackpot (gr. III) as one of 10 3-year-olds entered for the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 20 at Oaklawn Park.
TimeformUS Weekend Plays from Santa Anita, Fair Grounds, Gulfstream and Oaklawn
Zayat Stables' Prayer for Relief, 6 1/4-length winner of the Tenacious Handicap last time out, looms a strong choice despite top impost of 123 pounds in the Louisiana Handicap Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds.
Daddy Nose Best, a smashing stakes winner in his first start over the turf at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, returns to the New Orleans track as the top weight in the $125,000 Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap (gr. IIIT).
Street Story got the Oaklawn Park meet off to a fast start for 2013 leading jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. and trainer Steve Asmussen by winning the $100,000 Dixie Belle Stakes before a rain-drenched crowd of 15,031 Jan. 10.
Javier Castellano led North American jockeys in victories and total purse earnings for the first time in 2013, while Todd Pletcher ended the year far ahead on the national earnings list for trainers for the eighth time.
Favored Unbridled's Note collared El Commodore near mid-stretch en route to his first victory in 10 months, taking the $100,000 Daytona Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita Park Dec. 28.
Hillside turf specialists Chips All In and Unbridled's Note head a competitive field of eight in the $100,000 Daytona Stakes (gr. IIIT) Dec. 28 at Santa Anita Park.
Veteran jockey David Flores, who has been competing at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for the past month, will be leaving the United States after Christmas to compete in Singapore for six months.
Maiden Tapiture put away early leader Laddie Boy in the stretch and then drew off to register a 4 1/4-length knockout victory in the $175,200 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) Nov. 30 at Churchill Downs.
Grade I winner Justin Phillip will commence stud duties for the 2014 breeding season at a fee of $12,500, Castleton Lyons announced Nov. 3.
In the often wild Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I), trainer Steve Asmussen believes experience could prove a valuable commodity for his talented starter Justin Phillip Nov. 2 at Santa Anita Park.
Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Tapit filly Untapable may surprise in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I).
Undefeated Cluster of Stars puts her six-race win streak on the line as a formidable 2-5 favorite in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares Oct. 19 at Belmont Park.
Turtle Bird Stable's Cluster of Stars improved her undefeated record to six wins at the cost of Dance to Bristol in the $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap (gr. III) Sept. 21 at Belmont Park.
Untapable, under a patient ride from Rosie Napravnik, collared favored Stonetastic in deep stretch and edged away to a half-length victory in the $150,000 Pocahontas Stakes (gr. III) Sept. 7 at Churchill Downs.
Mountaineer Juvenile winner Rise Up is the 120-pound highweight, while promising Ride On Curlin and Tapiture, runner-up to Hopeful (gr. I) winner Strong Mandate last out, are among those slated to run.
Eight juvenile fillies looking for a free ride to the Breeders' Cup will line up Sept. 7 in the $150,000 Pocahontas Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs on opening day of the Louisville track's 12-day September meet.
After tracking the leaders through the turn, Michael Langford's Dunkin Bend rallied three wide turning for home on his way to a clear victory in the $96,000 Sapling Stakes (gr. III) Sept. 1 at Monmouth Park.
Alto Racing's impressive maiden winner Sweet Whiskey now will face a stern test of quality as she takes on eight foes Sept. 1 in the 122nd running of the $300,000 Spinaway (gr. I).
Ahmed Zayat hopes to make an early trip to the winner's circle in the Forego Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 31, just before Paynter continues on his comeback trail in the featured Woodward (gr. I).
Favored Prayer for Relief turned the tables on his local nemesis Alternation and held off a determined run from Worldly by a head in the $175,000 Governor's Cup Stakes on the night of Aug. 17.
Trainer Steve Asmussen said Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. I) winner Justin Phillip came out of his first grade I victory in good shape and will target the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I).
Justin Phillip proved his class Aug. 4 at Saratoga Race Course, taking the $400,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt (gr. I) with a determined late run over Bahamian Squall and Gentlemen's Bet.
The $150,000 Schuylerville Stakes (gr. III) ended in a draw after a tremendous battle down the stretch between pacesetter Brazen Persuasion and favored Bahnah on opening day of the 2013 Saratoga Race Course meet July 19.
The $150,000 Carry Back Stakes (gr. III) set up perfectly for a closer at Calder Casino & Race Course on July 6, and Mico Margarita took full advantage to win his first graded stakes for J. Kirk and Judy Robison.
Ken and Sarah Ramsey concluded their fabulous spring meet at Churchill Downs with a single-season record 32 wins June 30, collecting their record-extending 19th leading owners' title.
Zayat Stables' Prayer for Relief, second in his only two starts this year, broke through with a victory in the $300,000 Cornhusker Handicap (gr. III) at Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino June 29.
After impressively winning his debut June 1 at Churchill Downs, D'cajun Cat will try to make it 2-for-2 under the twin spires when he faces six other juveniles in the $100,000 Bashford Manor Stakes (gr. III) June 29.
Our Double Play will try to extend his win streak to three races when the Grand Slam colt faces six other 3-year-olds in the $250,000 Iowa Derby (gr. III) June 29 at Prairie Meadows.
Six horses are entered in the grade III, 1 1/8-mile race at Prairie Meadows on the night of June 29.
The $100,000 Aristides Stakes (gr. III) may be the feature worth the most June 1 at Churchill Downs, but a familiar cast of characters makes the $65,000 Opening Verse a more intriguing contest.
In a near replay of last month's Texas Mile Stakes (gr. III), Master Rick galloped past stablemate Prayer for Relief in the stretch to win the $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap (gr. III) by one length May 27.
Grade II winner Funnys Approval will try to return to top form when she faces an expected six other fillies and mares in the $100,000 Winning Colors Stakes on Memorial Day May 27 at Churchill Downs.
Richard Davis' Master Rick will try for a third straight win overall and second straight graded stakes score when he faces four other rivals in the $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap (gr. III) Monday, May 27.
Nehro, Zayat Stables' runner-up in the 2011 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), died from colic May 4 while en route to a clinic.
After racing along the rail in the backstretch, jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. angled Master Rick out in the far turn and the Master Command colt rallied from third in the stretch to win the $200,000 Texas Mile Stakes (gr. III).
Donoharm, winner of the Fifth Season Stakes and Essex Handicap this winter at Oaklawn Park, headlines Lone Star Park's Texas Mile (gr. III) April 27.
Average daily attendance dropped 2.4% from 10,579 to 10,319, but daily average handle increased 2.3% from $2,780,943 in 2012 to $2,845,768 in 2013. Overall, total attendance for the 54 days was 557,250.