Blood-Horse

Another power-packed sales season for Newsells Park Stud is set to be followed by a hectic period of foalings and coverings in the coming weeks. 

The Thoroughbred Owners of California recognized the state's leading owners by earnings, by number of total wins, and number of stakes wins for 2024. Reddam Racing, for the fourth consecutive year, is California's top owner by earnings.

The three-day sale will take place March 11-13 with each session beginning at 11 a.m. The under tack show will be held March 5-8, with a gallop only option. The sale has produced graded stakes-winners such as Gaming, Nooni, and White Abarrio.

Loved finally got over the graded stakes hump last time out with a victory in the Falls City Stakes (G3). Now, she aims for two in a row as she faces five rivals traveling 1 1/16 miles in the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 8 at Oaklawn Park.

The Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale gets underway Feb. 3 at 10 a.m., offering breeders a last opportunity to add to their broodmare band or for pinhookers to pick up a short yearling from a live auction. A total of 414 horses have been cataloged.

North Carolina-bred Volleyballprincess capped a strong week for breeders in her home state with a dominant 10-length romp in the Ruthless Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack Feb. 1.

Outcome aside, dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said he was ecstatic with Sandman's performance in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds Jan. 25 at Oaklawn Park.

Trained by Championship Meet leader Saffie Joseph Jr., 6-year-old Soul of an Angel was timed in :47 4/5 on the main track, ranking 13th of 70 horses. It was her third work since finishing third in the Rampart Dec. 26.

Preparing to make their sophomore debut in the $500,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) on Louisiana Derby Preview Day Feb. 15, both Jonathan's Way and East Avenue breezed at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 1.

Grade 1 winner Tenma towered over her competition on paper, in the wagering, and ultimately in the stretch as she rolled home to an easy victory in the $92,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.

Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. sat in his Belmont Park office Feb. 2 still basking in the glow of his newly-minted stakes-winner Captain Cook's dominant victory in the $250,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack Feb. 1.

Whitham Thoroughbreds' Burnham Square, last-to-first winner of the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Feb. 1, exited the Triple Crown prep "bright and alert" and could return in Gulfstream Park's next Triple Crown prep in four weeks.

Citizen Bull earned 20 additional qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby to give him 60 in all. That should be more than enough points to make the 20-horse cutline for the Derby.

The product of late owner/breeder Stephen Brunetti's love for horses will be on display when his family's homebred grade 1 winner Unbridled Mo and her yearling colt by Curlin enter the ring Feb. 3 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale.

Since 1976, second-generation track photographer Lou Hodges Jr. has captured horse racing at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, and at age 76, he has decided to retire. 

A month into 2025, trainer Dan Blacker is back winning graded stakes in California, this time with My Way Racing's El Potente, who blitzed a mile on firm turf in 1:32.39 in taking the $102,000 Thunder Road Stakes (G3T) Feb. 1 at Santa Anita Park.

A classic pace meltdown in the Feb. 1 $155,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) played right into the hands of a waiting Eclatant, who exerted her superiority late with a 1 1/4-length score.

A less-than-ideal break from the gate forced jockey Edgard Zayas to change his plan of attack with Whitham Thoroughbreds' homebred Burnham Square, who nevertheless persevered to capture the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park.

In winning his 13th Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) and seventh straight, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert best summed up the performance from Citizen Bull during a postrace television interview, saying, "The champ is back."

Perhaps in two months trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. will start focusing on the Kentucky Derby (G1). For now anyway, he's quite content to know he has an exciting 3-year-old in Captain Cook who can be pointed to another lucrative stakes.