Blood-Horse

Jockey Edwin Maldonado returns to action this week at Santa Anita Park after recovering from a shoulder injury. The 41-year-old reinsman has six rides booked Jan. 26 and four more Jan. 27.

Adverse weather conditions from last weekend's winter storm and an ongoing forecast for rain throughout the Mid-Atlantic region led the Maryland Jockey Club to cancel racing on Jan. 26 at Laurel Park.

Going into his second try in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) at Gulfstream Park, Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey knows he has a horse short on experience but long on talent. Integration is his runner this year.

The New York Racing Association announced Jan. 25 that general admission tickets, hospitality offerings and reserved seats for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 15.

Breeders with contracts to Corniche, Epicenter, Jack Christopher, and Tiz the Law are eligible to participate in the four drawings that will be held April 26.

The final session of the Winter Mixed Sale at Ocala Breeders' Sales Company concluded Jan. 24 with Discovery Bay Bloodstock spending $100,000 on an Omaha Beach filly from the Fly By draft.

Trainer Wesley Ward's million-dollar claim against owner/breeder Ken Ramsey is nearing its trial date. Ramsey recently survived an attempted knockout punch in court but still faces obstacles in his defense of Ward's claims.

Sequel New York bred the sire's first reported foal out of the Carpe Diem mare Wintrily. The foal was born at Sequel Jan. 20.

Oaklawn has announced that beginning Jan. 25, a horse needing a repeated intra-articular corticosteroid injection to the fetlock joint requires the attending veterinarian to perform a radiograph of that fetlock joint.

Blue Rose Cen, a dual classic-winning flagbearer last year for owners Yeguada Centurion and trainer Christopher Head, has moved across Chantilly to the yard of Maurizio Guarnieri. 

Highlighted by the 156th edition of the June 8 Belmont Stakes (G1), the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course will include 23 stakes races with purses totaling $10.1 million.

The annual auction raises funds that allow the NYTB to carry on its two-fold mission of promoting New York breeding and racing and protecting the welfare of industry stakeholders.

Later in the undercard, Cyclone Mischief, who finished last in the 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1), is making his second start following the Run for the Roses in the Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3).

Second Stride comes into 2024 after a record year that saw a 36% increase in adoptions. Second Stride is kicking off its 2024 fundraising with raffles for third-floor boxes at Churchill Downs for Kentucky Derby Day and Kentucky Oaks Day.

In all of its first five runnings, the January grade 1 stakes at Gulfstream Park has been captured by American horses. That could change Saturday with a European filly, Warm Heart, favored in the 1 1/8-mile turf contest.

"Fashion Friday" at Meydan Racecourse offers previews of the big races on World Cup night, including the likes of Clapton prepping for the Dubai World Cup (G1) itself and Mawj auditioning for the Dubai Turf (G1).

NYRA announced the stakes schedule for the 2024 spring meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, which will feature 12 stakes worth $2.675 million in total purses, topped by the 99th running of the $750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) April 6.

For the second year in a row, the heartwarming story of Cody's Wish has been voted the 2023 FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year based on the results of nearly 4,000 votes cast via Twitter and an online poll. 

Tim Glyshaw will conclude a chapter in his career Jan. 27 at Turfway Park, saddling his final horse as a trainer before assuming the role of executive director of the Indiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association Feb. 1.

The expansion of Butler's role to president of 1/ST reflects and supports Stronach's mandate of continued growth of the company's racing and gaming assets.