Blood-Horse

The nearly two-mile challenge of the Kikuka Sho (G1) is designed to test both the speed and stamina of Japan's top 3-year-olds after a summertime of physical maturation and Titleholder passed that test with flying colors Oct. 24 at Hanshin.

Our Secret Agent, under patient handling from Kazushi Kimura, was full of run late and captured the CA$156,000 Hendrie Stakes (G3), a 6 1/2-furlong Tapeta sprint for fillies and mares Oct. 23 at Woodbine.

The Prix Royal-Oak (G1) race has become a place to discover future talent in recent years, with four of the last six winners benefiting from a useful eight-pound weight-for-age pull as 3-year-olds.

Steve Landers' Racing He'smyhoneybadger edged two other rivals in a three-way blanket finish to the wire in the $150,000 Perryville Stakes Oct. 23 at Keeneland.

Public Sector was certainly a worthy candidate to extend Brown's fall romp to the winner's circle, as the 3-year-old son of Kingman turned in yet another gem in a career full of solid performances.

After a thrilling stretch run and a game duel with 24-1 shot Joy's Rocket, the 3-year-old Union Rags filly edged a head in front to claim her first graded stakes score and a milestone achievement for Godolphin at the Lexington track.

G. J. Stable's multiple stakes winner Prendimi sped to the lead and fended off 3-5 favorite Tappin Cat the length of the stretch for a gutsy neck victory in Saturday's $150,000 Maryland Million Classic at Laurel Park.

Chris Pallas flew Florida-based rider Edwin Gonzalez up to New York to ride his homebred Shifty She and Gonzalez delivered with a 1 1/2 length tally aboard the 5-year-old mare in the $200,000 Noble Damsel Stakes (G3T) Oct. 23 at Belmont Park.

Three-time champion sire Tapit is North America's leading sire of grade 1 winners (27), grade 1 performers (58), graded stakes winners (92), graded stakes horses (177), and stakes performers (284).

Angel Bleu landed his second group 1 victory in the Oct. 23 Criterium International (G1) while El Bodegon took the Criterium St. Cloud (G1), giving trainer James Ferguson his first top level score.

Three of the favorites for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 6 at Del Mar recorded their penultimate works Oct. 23 for the 1 1/4-mile race, with Hot Rod Charlie breezing at Santa Anita Park and Knicks Go and Essential Quality at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Joseph O'Brien admitted he was getting edgy as a stewards inquiry into the Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1) lingered on for over 20 minutes, but it was worth the wait as State of Rest was allowed to keep his narrow victory over Anamoe.

The dam of multiple group 1 winner Alcohol Free and significant drafts from the industry's most renowned breeders and consignors headline the 525-lot catalog for Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale 2021.

Organized in three parts, the Arqana October Yearling Sale was marked by strong demand at all levels, with all the indicators showing record results for the sale.

In his dirt test Oct. 22, Fletcher and Carolyn Gray's Figlio Del Re fought back nearing the wire in a seven-furlong maiden test at Laurel Park to win by a neck.

The 6-year-old English Channel gelding ran down Two Emmys Oct. 22 at Keeneland to become the first graded stakes winner for trainer Jason Barkley in the $150,000 Sycamore Stakes (G3T).

Two weeks before the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, as many as 30 prospects for the two-day event recorded breezes across North America, led by moves from such high-class runners as Medina Spirit, Life Is Good, and Malathaat.

The farm is sending Tamarkuz to Louisiana and Qurbaan to Indiana, where it hopes the promising young sires will attract more mares. Freshman sire Mohaymen will stay in Kentucky.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien has won the Vertem Futurity (G1) four times in the last 10 years and hopes to notch another win with Luxembourg. Group stakes winners Bayside Boy and Royal Patronage look to challenge the early Derby favorite.

Joseph O'Brien has already won the Melbourne Cup (G1) twice and looks to have a live chance of winning another of Australia's most prestigious races as Saratoga grade 1 winner State of Rest takes aim at the Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1).