Blood-Horse

On the April 20 edition of BloodHorse Monday: Jockey Junior Alvarado talks about seeking a repeat Derby victory with Chief Wallabee and analyzes Sovereignty's Oaklawn Handicap (G2), Alan Porter dives into this year's Derby pedigrees.

Due to the overwhelming response and positive feedback of a new wager early in the meet, all Daily Double wagers will now line up with a reduced takeout of 15% beginning April 21 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Three stakes—including a grade 2—worth a total of $400,000 highlight the Los Angeles County Fair meet at Los Alamitos Race Course. The nine-day season will begin June 19 and continue through July 5.

The book is produced annually and provides a listing of stakes races from each country that will be accorded group/graded or listed status in sales catalogs using standards approved by the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers.

A federal bankruptcy judge approved interim financing and budget for Hawthorne Race Course at an April 20 hearing, less than 24 hours after the track's delayed Opening Day.

Top-class Australian sprinter Tentyris will not run at Royal Ascot in June after Darley announced that he and Ghaiyyath's dual group 1-winning son Observer have been retired and will take up stud duties in Australia later this year.

Ocala Breeders' Sales will host a "Second Chance" digital auction on its OBSOnline platform featuring horses that were either unsold or breezed and scratched from the record-setting Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

By reviewing decades of Kentucky Derby (G1) results for commonalities uniting past winners (or losers), handicappers can build a profile of a typical Kentucky Derby winner.

Thanks to The Puma and In Our Time, two horses bred by Brian Kahn are giving the Californian two months to remember.

Utilizing her early speed, Simply Joking didn't mess around in the $100,000 Santa Maria Stakes (G3) as she strolled to a 6 3/4-length win at Santa Anita Park April 19.

CJ Stables' Reb Five surged past Throckmorton 20 yards from the finish en route to a neck victory in the $300,000 Palisades for 3-year-olds April 19 at Keeneland.

Jockey Jose Angel Medina accomplished a career milestone April 18 when he rode his 1,000th Thoroughbred winner in North America aboard Flaming Glory in the second race at Fonner Park.

Ranked 22nd on the Kentucky Derby (G1) leaderboard and needing two defections to get in the field, grade 1 winner Intrepido will ship to Churchill Downs following a fast work April 19 at Santa Anita Park.

The Flightline colt, who sold for an eye-popping $10.5 million April 17 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, arrived at trainer Bob Baffert's barn at Santa Anita Park April 18, shortly before 9:00 p.m.

Red White and Blue Racing's Pashmina was second in Aqueduct Racetrack's $200,000 Gazelle Stakes (G3) April 4 and will now take a shot in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs May 1.

As the son of multiple grade 1-winning jockey Stewart Elliott, Christopher Elliott grew up around horse racing's brightest lights. Now, he is set for one of the sport's biggest stages as he's slated to ride Right to Party in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Godolphin colt Beiwacht cemented his stud future at Darley with a front-running victory against older horses in the April 18 All Aged Stakes (G1) over 1,400 meters (about 7 furlongs) at Randwick Racecourse. 

White Abarrio and Sovereignty, the top two finishers in the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2), are headed in different directions, their respective camps said April 19.

A total of 354 lots, plus supplementaries, have been cataloged for the 2026 edition, which will be held May 24. The sale features progeny by 97 individual sires, including 18 first-season stallions.

Hunter Valley-based Kingstar Farm topped the Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale at Riverside Stables April 19, with colts by Artorius selling for AU$160,000 and Home Affairs for AU$115,000.