Blood-Horse

Day 1 saw a decrease in gross sales from last year's first session, producing $15,902,000 from 117 horses to change hands. The average and median were both up, with an average of $135,915 and a median of $85,000.

Frank Stronach, who purchased Gulfstream Park in 1999 and co-founded The Stronach Group with his daughter Belinda, has written an opinion piece against her intention to decouple Gulfstream's casino business from live horse racing. 

A colt by Army Mule commanded $950,000 from St. Elias Stable on the first day of Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale March 11. Army Mule raced in the colors of St. Elias Stable before retiring to stud in 2018.

Trainer Mike Maker said he has discovered a hot walker is taking the medication for arthritis.

Meanwhile, Rattle N Roll shipped to Dubai March 7 from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to prepare for the Dubai World Cup (G1). The 6-year-old is scheduled to work this weekend at Meydan Racecourse.

Breeders' Cup has released ticket information for the two-day event at Del Mar before tickets go on sale April 23 at noon ET.

To Mike Gillum, the reigning National Horseplayers Championship winner, family always comes first, but after that horse racing is his No. 1 passion.  

Maiden Watch: Week of March 3-9

Midway into the first day of the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, Hip 119, a colt by first-crop sire Maxfield, commanded a price of $1 million from Mitsu Nakauchida.

Fans will have another opportunity to wager on their favorites in the fifth pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager and lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which begins March 14 at noon ET and March 16.

Byron King's Top 12 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, presented by Spendthrift Farm.

Nine of the Midwest's top sprinters, all stakes winners, will line up March 15 to compete for the winner's share of a $250,000 prize in the Whitmore Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park.

Should Gowells Delight not run in Virginia, McPeek has another contender, Anonima. Her name means anonymous in Spanish, and should she win March 15, she will definitely be known. 

Fort Erie Race Track announced the upcoming 90th running of the Prince of Wales Stakes, second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown, will take place Sept. 9.

In a question-and-answer session with ABR's Tom Pedulla, Nate Nelson, the managing partner of On Your Left Racing, discusses the stable's cleverly named homebred, Omaha Omaha, who is entered in the March 15 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs.

Following a successful return to racing, 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna has found herself back at the top of the racing world, which was reflected by the results of the Week 7 National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Top Thoroughbred Poll.

During the March 10 episode of the BloodHorse Monday podcast presented by Ocala Breeders' Sales Company, Godolphin's Michael Banahan gave an update on final Kentucky Derby (G1) prep plans for Poster, Sovereignty, and East Avenue.

The Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, March 11-13, starts the juvenile season with 814 horses cataloged. With the consolidation of the under tack show due to the weather, the sale will start March 11 at 1 p.m. ET.

The story of Mike Repole's involvement with the St. John's men's basketball program is reflective of the new atmosphere in college athletics, and should come as no surprise to anyone in the Thoroughbred racing industry who knows him.

On the March 10 BloodHorse Monday podcast, Michael Banahan gives an update on Godolphin's Derby hopefuls and OBS president Tom Ventura previews the March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale that begins March 11. We also recap and preview Derby prep action.