Thoroughbred Daily News

GI Kentucky Derby victor Sovereignty (Into Mischief) arrived early Thursday morning at Saratoga Race Course to begin his preparations for the GI Belmont Stakes June 7.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott for owner/breeder Godolphin, the bay shipped from Churchill Downs and arrived around 7:30 a.m. ET to the barn of the veteran conditioner, along with recent Churchill runners 'TDN Rising Star' Scylla (Tapit) and Resilience (Into Mischief).

“He came off the van like a tiger,” said Mott. “He's had good energy for a horse that just ran a race like that.”

Mott added he will “see how he acts once he settles down” and decide from there what his exercise routine will be at the Spa. It was reported on Tuesday that Sovereignty would skip the GI Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course May 17 and target the Belmont Stakes–held at Mott's home base where he stables his top horses from April through November each year.

“We feel pretty comfortable here and know our way around here, so that's a good thing,” Mott said.

The @KentuckyDerby champ is in town!

Sovereignty arrived at Saratoga early this morning to kick off preparations for the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by @NYRABets on June 7th! pic.twitter.com/TZe2FpRLhA

— Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) May 8, 2025

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Bob Baffert notified Pimlico Race Course officials Thursday of his intention to enter undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Goal Oriented (Not This Time), as well as GII Wood Memorial Stakes hero Rodriguez (Authentic) in the GI Preakness Stakes.

Goal Oriented debuted at Santa Anita Apr. 6 with an off-the-pace 3 1/4-length victory in a six-furlong maiden special weight event, which earned him a 'Rising Star' badge. The 3-year-old cleared an optional claimer in front-running fashion on the Derby undercard.

A $425,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September Sale, Goal Oriented is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC's, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Diane Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan, who also campaign 'TDN Rising Star' Rodriguez.

The Wood winner galloped at Churchill Downs Thursday morning. Baffert, who is seeking to break his own record of eight Preakness victories, has said Rodriguez will work this weekend and ship to Pimlico Monday. The Hall of Fame trainer said decisions on other horses he might bring for Preakness Week stakes will be made after those horses work.

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Journalism (Curlin), a game runner-up in last Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, remains a candidate for the GI Preakness Stakes May 17 at Pimlico Race Course, the colt's connections confirmed on Thursday.

Sent off at as the 7-2 favorite in the Derby, Journalism is owned by the partnership of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert V. LaPenta, Elayne Stables 5 LLC., Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Journalism remains at Churchill Downs. The barn reported that the colt has come out of the race well. Journalism returned to the track Wednesday and was sent out for his daily exercise Thursday morning.

“We're not going to rush into any determination right now. We're going to keep the Preakness in play,” said Aron Wellman, Eclipse's president and CEO. “It's an important American Classic that, whether there's a Triple Crown on the line or not, holds with it an extreme amount of prestige. We're going to monitor Journalism to the best of our ability and then make the best decision for the horse at the end of the day. But we're not saying we're in and we're certainly not shutting the door.”

The Eclipse CEO noted that success in the Preakness has, through the decades, helped lift horses to championships.

“We think that this is a Classic-caliber colt,” Wellman said. “Obviously, those are extremely large shoes to fill. But, Journalism is by Curlin, and history has a funny way of repeating itself.”

Journalism jogged a mile at Churchill Downs Thursday morning.

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Bidding on the Fasig-Tipton Digital May Sale, which includes a catalogue of 127 entries, is now open and will close Tuesday beginning at 3 p.m.

“This is a very strong and diverse catalogue, with exciting offerings in a variety of categories,” said Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales Leif Aaron. “We have nearly 50 horses of racing age from the sport's leading stables, including a stakes winner and graded stakes performers. Also on offer are the continuance of a major stable's reduction, a dispersal, quality breeding stock, 2-year-olds in training, yearlings, and a close relation to last weekend's GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty.”

Offerings in the online auction include horses of racing age from DJ Stable, Godolphin, R.S. Evans, Runnymede Farm, SF Racing, et al, Stonestreet Stables, Three Chimneys Farm, Wathnan Racing, Winchell Thoroughbreds, and WinStar Farm, as well as the continued reduction of Merriebelle Stable and the dispersal of the late Ralph Kinder.

Also included in the auction are 2-year-olds in training by Charlatan, Girvin, Gun Runner, Hard Spun, Practical Joke, and Yaupon, and yearlings by Golden Pal, Good Magic, Oscar  Performance, and Yaupon.

Others on offer include: There Goes Harvard (Will Take Charge) (hip 17), winner of the 2022 GI Hollywood Gold Cup and this year's GIII San Marcos Stakes, who is selling as a stallion prospect; Piedra Preciosa (Maxfield), a 2-year-old filly who won her May 3 debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis; Ifurhappynuknowit (hip 30), a 9-year-old full-sister to the dam of GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief), in foal to Elite Power and selling with her 2025 Vino Rosso colt; and Lionel (hip 122), a 3-year-old colt who won his debut by 9 1/2 lengths May 4 at Laurel Park.

The entire catalogue can be viewed here.

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Dave Rodman, announcer at Maryland's racetracks since 1991, has been named recipient of a Special Award of Merit for his contributions and positive impact on the racing industry. Rodman will be presented with the award at the May 15 Alibi Breakfast at Pimlico Race Course.

A native of New Orleans, Rodman worked as a deejay at various radio stations before calling his first race at Jefferson Downs in 1981. He moved to Louisiana Downs in 1985 before becoming the track announcer for the Maryland Jockey Club, calling races at Pimlico, Laurel Park, Timonium and Colonial Downs.

“It's a great honor to receive this Award of Merit and to be part of the great tradition of Maryland racing for 35 years, including the 150th Preakness,” Rodman said. “I appreciate the support of Maryland racing fans who come to the track on a regular basis. They love the game as much as I do.”

Past recipients of the Special Award of Merit include Hall of Fame trainers D. Wayne Lukas and King Leatherbury, Hall of Fame jockeys Jerry Bailey and Ramon Dominguez, Jim McKay, Chick Lang, and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and Beyond The Wire.

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SIDR Pharma, a source of organic healing products for horses, has launched its Equine Allies Program aimed at supporting Thoroughbred rescues, rehabilitation centers, and rehoming organizations.

Each month, the company will select a non-profit as its Featured Ally to receive 5-10% of Equine Allies product profits, along with dedicated promotional support. The program also offers tiered discounts on SIDR Pharma's equine recovery and wellness products to selected partner rescues. The application is open to all 501(c)(3) equine rescues, rehab centers, and rehoming programs across the U.S.

For more information, or to apply, visit www.sidrpharma.com/pages/equinealliance.

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Ellis Park is projecting a significant boost for maiden special weight (MSW) purses at its upcoming 25-date summer meet, up from $71,000 last year to “in the $100,000 range” according to Gary Palmisano, Jr., the vice president of racing for Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), the gaming company that is the corporate owner of the Western Kentucky track.

Palmisano also projected that planned transfers of Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) money from Kentucky Downs and the allocation of funding from other sources within CDI's in-state gaming operations would bridge a gap that has existed between MSW purses at Kentucky's top-paying Thoroughbred venues (Kentucky Downs, Churchill Downs and Keeneland Race Course) and the more blue-collar tracks (Ellis and Turfway Park).

“The goal is to have $100,000 [MSW] races across Kentucky all year, and we're getting awfully close. And I think this summer at Ellis Park will be another step in that direction,” Palmisano said.

Although MSW purse levels do not tell the entire story about how healthy a track or a circuit's racing is, they are often cited within the Thoroughbred industry as a useful barometer that indicates the class of horses a track can expect to attract.

Palmisano's disclosures were made at Wednesday's meeting of the KTDF advisory committee.

Last year's MSW races at Ellis were $71,000. In 2023, when Ellis ran its first meet under the ownership of CDI, MSW races were $70,000. In 2022, under different management, that value was $60,000.

For comparison, Kentucky Downs MSW purses for this year's seven-day meet in August and September are projected to be $170,000, the same as last season. MSW races at the all-turf boutique meet were $150,000 in 2023 and 2022. They were $135,000 in 2021.

CDI's flagship track, Churchill Downs, is currently carding 3-and-up MSW races at $120,000 during its April-June meet, a level that hasn't changed since 2022 at both the spring/summer and the two autumn meets.

This April, Keeneland raised spring MSW purses for 3-year-olds and up to $110,000 after being plateaued at $100,000 for the past three years at both the April and October meets.

At Turfway, which is also owned by CDI, MSW races were $80,000 at the 2024-25 winter/spring meet. The previous two seasons they were $70,000. Turfway paid out $62,000 in MSW purses in 2021-22.

Bill Landes III, who represents the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association as the KTDF advisory committee's vice-chair, articulated a concern during Wednesday's meeting about lower-level racing at Ellis this summer.

“The only comment I've gotten this past week is the demise of the little guy and the claiming horses and whatnot,” Landes said. “So I hope when you write your condition book that you keep that in mind. Because you are competing against Hawthorne, and you'll be competing against Horseshoe Indianapolis.”

Baley Hare, the racing secretary at Ellis, replied by giving a food analogy.

“We always need the big steak. Or the big lobster tails are nice,” Hare said, referring to the high-value races. “But you still need the potatoes [meaning the lower-level races]. So you can't forget about the sides.”

Palmisano gave an update on how Ellis is coping in the aftermath of mid-April rainstorms that flooded the track property, which is close to the Ohio River.

“As you all know, Ellis Park was in the flood zone there for a while,” Palmisano said. “We did take on water on the backside. We did have some electrical poles that are down that are being replaced. So horsemen were supposed to move in there this week. That's been backed up to, tentatively, the first of June.

“But all of us are actively working to get the horsemen into the backside as quickly as possible,” Palmisano said. “There's some roof work that needs to be done. I don't know if you all are aware, but two or three days before the flood waters were rising up, there was significant wind damage throughout Ellis Park on a number of barn roofs. So that was only further complicated by the rising flood waters, which prevented us from doing a lot of work back there.”

Palmisano also said that, “They're working to patch a portion of the turf course, which had standing water on it for a while.”

The KTDF is funded by three-quarters of 1% of all money wagered in the state on both live Thoroughbred races and historical horse race gaming, plus 1% of all money wagered on Thoroughbred races via inter-track wagering and whole-card simulcasting. That money, along with funding from each track, goes to pay purses in the state.

At the May 7 meeting, the KTDF advisory board approved the recommendation of allotment requests that the Ellis purse projections were based on. The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation still has to vote on final approval of the funding at a subsequent meeting.

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After a historic weekend where Godolphin swept the worldwide classics, including a Kentucky Derby win with Sovereignty (Into Mischief), the colt's trainer Bill Mott appeared on the TDN Writers' Room podcast, presented by Keeneland, as the Gainesway Guest of the Week.

For Mott, it was his second Kentucky Derby win, following the promotion of Country House in the 2019 Derby after the disqualification of Maximum Security, and he admitted that this one was a big one.
“It's pretty special, I've got to tell you,” he said. “We really enjoyed Country House's eventual victory in that race, but I always wanted to come back and be able to do it this way. But maybe the fact that we were put up in the other race, it maybe took a little something away from it, I suppose, as far as the full pleasure of getting it done.”

Mott said he has been overwhelmed with the attention since the win.

“It hasn't stopped yet,” he said. “I'm still hearing from people and I guess you realize how many people watch the race on television and the number of people that were at the track. It's a big deal. I'm really proud and I'm glad to be part of the team that made this happen. I'm just a a small part of it because there's so much that goes into it from the, as I've said before, the matings and raising the horse and then eventually getting them to us.”

Mott said that during Derby week, “Everything went perfectly. He didn't have any setbacks, no sickness, no lameness, no filling, no missed training days for one reason or another. And he went into it great. And we knew we were doing it with a very good horse and a horse that was probably capable of pulling it off.”

Of course, the world now knows that Sovereignty will skip the Preakness to go straight to the Belmont.

“Three races in a five-week period, and they're hard races,” said Mott. “There was nothing easy about the race the other day. I think you probably take a little something out of them. If we were only concerned about the Triple Crown, he'd probably be the perfect horse to do it with, because he's a big, tough horse and he came back good and we could go on to the next one, but we decided to focus on the Belmont and perhaps the Travers if the Belmont goes well. And then we've got races later on. You've got the Breeders' Cup Classic, that's going to be a tough division this year. But also, I think if we race the horse next year, you know, the Dubai World Cup would probably be on a schedule if he's doing well.”

Asked if he would have run in the Preakness given more time, Mott said that it was possible.

“We'd certainly be more apt to do it that way,” he said. “I'm not advocating for changing it because I think that's above my pay grade. I think the Triple Crown is a tremendous challenge, the way it's set up, but I think we're probably 40 years beyond what it used to be.”

Elsewhere on the show, the team of Bill Finley, Randy Moss, and Zoe Cadman reviewed the results of the Derby weekend, announced the results of the first annual Derby Fantasy Draft (congratulations to Bill Finley on the win), and discussed the letter to the editor from David Ingordo about changing the process for admission to the Hall of Fame. In the Fastest-Horse-of-the-Week segment, won for a second time within a month by Skelly (Practical Joke) at Oaklawn Park, they discussed the WinStar stallion Constitution, whose Mindframe won the GI Churchill Downs Stakes.

The TDN Writers Room is also sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, and 1/ST Racing and 1/ST TV.

To watch the show, click here.

For the audio podcast, click here.

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'TDN Rising Star' Jaxon Traveler (Munnings–Listen Boy, by After Market), winner of both the GIII Maryland Sprint Stakes and the GIII Whitmore Stakes, has been retired sound at the age of seven, West Point Thoroughbreds announced Wednesday.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the son of Munnings  earned more than $1,131,643 from 37 career starts between the ages of two and seven and was twice named a Maryland-bred champion as both a 2 and 3-year-old.

“Jaxon Traveler has been an absolute dream to have in the barn,” said President and CEO of West Point Thoroughbreds Terry Finley. “Steve did a Hall of Fame job managing his career, getting aggressive at the right times and being conservative at the right times. As hard as it is to say goodbye to a horse who still walks the shedrow with such pride, we know it's prudent to avoid the 'one more race' mentality. That philosophy is a gift we give to horses like him.”

Asmussen added: “We've loved having Jaxon in the barn. His name fit: he traveled, year in and year out, at a high level. Horses as sound and durable as him just don't come along very often.”

Stud plans for Jaxon Traveler have not yet been finalized.

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The GIII Nashville Derby leads the lucrative 2025 Kentucky Downs meet which will feature 18 total stakes offering over $30.5 million in purses over seven racing days from August 28 through September 10.

One of five stakes held Saturday, Aug. 30 on NBC, the 1 5/16-mile GIII Nashville Derby will again be America's richest race for 3-year-olds behind only the GI Kentucky Derby. The card also includes a 'Win and You're In' race–the GII Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint, whose winner earns a fees-paid berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

The Sept. 6 card will feature an additional six stakes each worth at least $2 million for Kentucky-breds, with the 'WAYI' GII Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational and the GIII Mint Millions Invitational both awarding $2.5 million. The winner of the 1 1/2-mile Turf Cup earns a fees-paid berth in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf. The Sept. 6 card also includes the GI Franklin-Simpson for 3-year-old sprinters, the GII Music City for 3-year-old filly sprinters, the GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon and the mile Gun Runner Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Another five stakes are worth $1 million with KTDF supplements, including four stakes for 2-year-olds.

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Tom Law, a two-time Eclipse Award-winning turf writer and managing editor of ST Publishing–which produces The Saratoga Special and Thisishorseracing.com–will receive the 'Old Hilltop Award' for covering Thoroughbred racing with excellence and distinction during the annual Alibi Breakfast at Pimlico Race Course on Thursday, May 15.

A native and current resident of Saratoga Springs, New York, Law began covering racing at The Saratogian in 1994 and is a past president of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB). He has also been recognized with the Red Smith Kentucky Derby Writing Award, the David F. Woods Memorial Preakness Writing Award, and is a two-time Joe Hirsch Memorial Belmont Stakes Writing Award winner.

“It's an incredible honor to receive the Old Hilltop Award, joining my friend and colleague Joe Clancy and so many others on the list of recipients,” Law said. “So many people have helped my career through the years, from writers and editors at The Saratogian, Thoroughbred Times and now with ST Publishing and Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, and I can't thank them enough. A special thanks to all the horsemen and horses I've had the pleasure to write about and interact with through the years. They are, and always will be, the true stars of the show and it never gets old seeing the best of the best.”

Tradition holds that the Alibi Breakfast's humble beginnings go back to a few trainers sipping coffee on the porch of Pimlico's old clubhouse in the late 1930s, extolling the virtues of their horses and offering up excuses–or alibis–should their horse not win.

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A total of 772 2-year-olds in training and additional horses of racing age have been catalogued for the OBS June Sale, newly consolidated over the course of two sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 17 and 18 beginning each day at 10 a.m. ET. Five under-track previews are scheduled between June 10 and 14, with a start time of 7:30 a.m. ET

The opening day of the sale will see hips 1-386 plus supplemental entries go under the hammer with the session on June 18 encompassing hips 451-833, along with supplements. The horses of racing age, hips 901-903, plus any supplements, will also sell on June 18.

Supplements will be sold at the conclusion each session catalogued in order of the starting letter of the dam's name. Names beginning with 'T' through 'I' will be added to the end of the first session; names beginning with 'J' through 'S' will be added to the conclusion of second session. HRA supplements will follow hip 903.

The order of hips each day for the under-tack show will be determined after supplemental entries are complete. Like the March and April auctions, the 2025 OBS June sale offers the entry option of “gallop only” where sellers can enter their horses with this designation which will be on the catalogue page.

Recent notable graduates of the June Sale include Queen Maxima (Bucchero), a $40,000 purchase by Mike Pender, agent out of the 2022 renewal, who took her current winning streak to five in the GIII Unbridled Sidney Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 1.

OBS will again offer online bidding during the June Sale. Buyers may go to the OBS website and register to gain bidding approval, then access the OBS Bidding Screen with their credentials. For complete information on registration and online bidding please go to the OBS website: obs-internet-bidding.

The OBS June Sale will be streamed live at www.obssales.com and at the the TDN homepage.

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The TDN article “In Lab Variability, Horse Racing Playing Catchup With Human Sports” raises some important issues and, although its consideration of them is fair, it only does this from a USA perspective. While this is understandable, it is also relevant to look at the achievements made in this space internationally, much of which has been pioneered by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), which is the global leader for Thoroughbred racing.

Firstly, I want to congratulate HISA/HIWU on their significant progress in enhancing testing standards in racing laboratories across the USA. As events like the Kentucky Derby gain greater international prominence, further harmonization of testing protocols–specifically pre- and post-race testing–is essential both domestically and globally.

Secondly, I would like to highlight some of the IFHA's key achievements in doping control harmonization, contributing to the integrity of racing worldwide:

• International Agreement on Breeding, Racing, and Wagering (IABRW): This IFHA agreement outlines best practices for equine doping control in Article 6, covering prohibited substances, genetic therapy/gene doping, prohibited practices, medication in training, and out-of-competition testing. It includes crucial control criteria such as thresholds and performance specifications for laboratories;

• Reference Laboratory Program: Since 2017, six laboratories from Australia, France, Great Britain, Hong Kong, USA and Japan have been designated as IFHA Reference Laboratories to support significant races relevant to IFHA world rankings. The heads of the original five laboratories contribute to the IFHA Reference Laboratory Technical Committee, which trains laboratory assessors and recommends practices for harmonizing doping control testing. Collaborations have been conducted for many years internationally among Reference Laboratories;

• Advisory Council on Equine Prohibited Substances & Practices: This group of international experts updates the IABRW and addresses contemporary issues like gene doping;

• Harmonization of Therapeutic Detection: The IFHA has established International Screening Limits and International Residue Limits to ensure consistent reporting of therapeutics and environmental substances by racing laboratories;

• Collaboration with ILAC: The IFHA has an MoU with the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation, aimed at standardizing practices across racing laboratories via consistent accreditation requirements and operating criteria;

• Racing Integrity Handbook: Released in October 2024, this handbook details the components ensuring integrity in racing in all jurisdictions, with a comprehensive chapter on doping control;

• Collaboration with AORC and IGSRV: The IFHA works closely with racing chemists and regulatory veterinarians to implement best practices for racing integrity and horse welfare.

Horse racing is a leading sport regarding integrity measures and doping control, often surpassing human sports. For instance, annual testing numbers reveal that approximately 522,000 racehorse samples were tested in 2022, compared to about 257,000 human athlete samples. Further, comprehensive blood testing and hair analysis have long been standard in horse racing, enhancing detection capabilities.

Additionally, while human gene-doping testing has focused on a single gene, horse racing has advanced to include various genetic modifiers. Innovative testing methodologies and data analytics are continually evolving, providing racing's regulatory authorities with effective tools for doping control.

Andrew Harding is the Executive Director of the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities

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Oceanport, NJ–Only a few years removed from what seemed like a death-knell for the New Jersey Thoroughbred industry, Monmout Park enthusiastically ushered in its 80th racing season with a full house during the Oceanport oval's press conference held in Turf Club dining room.

Hosted by the TDN's Christina Bossinakis, the event was attended by a solid contingent of elected officials as well as local horsemen and women. Also included among the event's highlights, Monmouth General Manager John Heims, a long-time Monmouth executive, was honored with the 2025 Virgil 'Buddy' Raines Award.

Currently the track's general manager and in-house counsel, Heims has been at Monmouth Park since 1997, serving in a variety of roles. He started at the Jersey Shore track as the Publicity Assistant, moving on to become the Director of Media Relations, In-House Counsel, Director of Racing/Racing Secretary.

“Having grown up at the Jersey Shore, Monmouth Park has been the only place I ever wanted to spend my time,” said Heims. “To be so lucky and fortunate to work here for nearly 30 years, although when it's a labor of love it's not really work, has been a true blessing.”

Also speaking during the event, Darby Development LLC Chairman and CEO Dennis Drazin underscored several of the changes emerging at the track, including the new Caesars Sportsbook, expected to officially open in July. Outfitted with a new Shake Shack menu, the venue will offer Vegas-style betting menu. Drazin also discussed a pair of new hotels expected for the property and high-end housing. Underpinning the project, it was announced last summer that Darby Development took over the track after forging a new 85-year lease with the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority.

Also featured at this year's conference was a rundown of the updated jockey colony set to return to Monmouth this season. Headed by Paco Lopez, who will aim for his seventh straight riding title and 12th overall, the remaining roster includes Tampa Bay Downs meet leader Samuel Marin, Samy Camacho, Isaac Castillo, Madison Olver, Melissa Iorio, Jomar Torres and Fernando Jara. Veteran rider Jose Ferrer, who missed the 2024 season, also returns this year. Jorge Vargas Jr., who was injured in a spill at Parx in February, is also poised to return at Monmouth this summer.

Newcomers to the venue include Sonny Leon, Jeiron Barbosa, Dexter Haddock, Chantal Sutherland and apprentice Melvis Gonzalez.

(L to R) Joe Bravo, Jorge Gonzalez, Jr., Chantal Sutherlands, Madison Olver and Sonny Leon | Bill Denver  – Equi-Photo

Headlining the trainer's colony, Todd Pletcher, Shug McGaughey and Chad Brown will be represented. Returning trainers include Jorge Delgado, Jose Delgado, Mike Dini, Chuck Spina, Pat McBurney, Kathleen O'Connell, Joe Orseno and Kathleen Demasi. New in 2025, Diane Morici and Daniel Siculietano.

The GI NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes highlights this season's stakes schedule, which kicks off this Saturday with the Long Branch Stakes on opening day followed by the Serena's Song Stakes on Mother's Day Sunday. During the 50-day meet, post time will be 12:50 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and holiday Mondays. Friday racing is set to begin June 20 and post times for those days will be 2 p.m.

For more information on Monmouth Park's 80th season, click here.

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It was hardly a surprise when Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott announced Tuesday that GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) would not be running in the GI Preakness Stakes and would instead point for the GI Belmont Stakes. No matter how prestigious the race is, no matter how special the Triple Crown has historically been, the modern-day trainer cringes at the thought of running their horses back in two weeks. They just don't want to do it. Bill Mott, as meticulous and patient as he is, certainly is in that camp.

Sovereignty will become the fourth Kentucky Derby winner to pass the Preakness since 2019. The others are Mott's Country House (Lookin At Lucky), Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Rich Strike (Keen Ice).

Losing those horses was bad for the sport, but none of them were considered major stars or candidates to sweep the Triple Crown. That's not the case with Sovereignty. He's an outstanding horse and is trained by one of the best in the business. He would have been a heavy favorite in the Preakness and a good bet to win that race and then come back three weeks later and win it all in the Belmont. This one really stings.

Yes, the Triple Crown is broken. But not beyond repair.

The solution, as it has been for years now, is obvious. There needs to be more spacing between the races and that doesn't mean just moving the Preakness back a week. The Kentucky Derby should be run on the first Saturday in May, the Preakness on the first Saturday in June and the Belmont on the first Saturday in July. That would mean at least four weeks between each race. In an era where trainers usually want about six weeks between races, even that is not ideal, but it's better than what we have now. Would Mott have elected to run in the Preakness if the race were held on Saturday, June 7? That's five weeks after the Derby. So, the answer is probably “yes.”

The purists say don't do it. It's all about the tradition and that the Triple Crown is meant to be hard to win. But what good is tradition when the Preakness has become such a weak link that it is dragging the entire Triple Crown series down with it? Who's going to run in this year's Preakness? So far, not one Grade I winner or horse that performed well in the Derby has committed to the race. If Derby runner-up Journalism (Curlin) doesn't run the favorite may be GII Wood Memorial winner Rodriguez (Authentic).

The three tracks need to gather in a room somewhere and not leave until they solve this problem. And it needs to be solved now, not 10 years from now.

The Kentucky Derby, obviously, is fine. When The Stronach Group still owned Pimlico, it lobbied to have the Preakness moved. But that would take cooperation from NYRA, which, at the time, wouldn't budge. If they don't move the Belmont, the Preakness can't move. It will stay stuck right where it is.

On the one hand, horses passing the Preakness for the Belmont is good for NYRA. It looks like the Belmont will once again come up strong and could feature the first three finishers in the Derby. But NYRA is going to pay the price, as well. If the Derby winner rarely runs in the Preakness that will mean NYRA will be missing out on the chance of a horse coming into New York that is going for the Triple Crown. Sovereignty vs. Journalism vs. Baeza (McKinzie) would be a terrific race, but it will pale in comparison to those Belmonts where a horse is going for the Triple Crown with 90,000 people packing the place, which is what happened when Justify (Scat Daddy) went for the Triple Crown in 2018. There's nothing else like it and as things stand now, we may not see it again for a long time.

Moving the Belmont to the first Saturday in July would have an impact on the top summer races for 3-year-olds. It would mean trouble for the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth, but when it comes to NYRA, the GI Travers would be fine. It will be run on Aug. 23 this year, plenty of time for the Belmont starters and the other Triple Crown horses to regroup and converge on Saratoga, that is if the Belmont were held on July 5, which is the first Saturday in July this year.

None of this can happen without NYRA doing what is the best thing for horse racing, and maybe even the best thing for the Belmont, and agreeing to change the date of the Belmont. The new owners of Pimlico, the new Maryland Jockey Club, could then move the date of the Preakness.

It's not healthy for the sport when its best horses run so infrequently and trainers will pass an historic race like the Preakness because it doesn't fit neatly into their schedule. But that's the way it is and nothing imminent is going to change that.

You can't blame Mott or the owner, Godolphin. They are doing what they believe is the best thing for Sovereignty and that is to wait for the Belmont. It's not their responsibility to “save” the Triple Crown.

This is a dysfunctional sport where everyone looks out for their own best interests first and what's best for the game second. There are a lot of problems where there are no obvious solutions. But this is not one of them.

The post Enough Already. It’s Time to Fix the Triple Crown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

G2 UAE Derby runner-up Heart of Honor (Honor A.P.) is scheduled to ship to the U. S. Thursday to begin preparations for a start in the GI Preakness Stakes May 17 at Pimlico Race Course, British trainer Jamie Osborne reported from his Lambourn stable Tuesday.

“He has to quarantine at Churchill. It's a bit of a pain,” said Osborne, whose stable is located an hour from London. “He's going to van to Pimlico on Monday. He'll be on the track at Pimlico Tuesday morning.”

Heart of Honor ran five races at Dubai's Meydan Race Course after debuting with a second-place finish at Southwell (England) on an all-weather surface. Jim and Claire Limited's colt came up a nose short of winning the 1 3/16-mile UAE Derby Apr. 5 at Meydan.

“Initially, after the UAE Derby, I thought that the horse may well need a break. He'd had five runs in Dubai. But when he got off the plane, he told me he wasn't ready for a break. He's thrived since he's been back. He's a hardy kind of horse,” Osborne said. “With that in mind, we thought this was worth a shot. He's only three once. There's nothing in the U.K. for him. So, the alternative was to give him a break, a long-extended break, and wait for next year's Middle East season when we go back to Dubai.

Osborne continued, “The Kentucky Derby was clearly going to be too soon for him. Logistically, it was going to be nearly impossible to ship from Dubai back here and then to America. The extra couple of weeks will probably be to our benefit, as well. We're going to have a go, and if he runs OK in the Preakness, the aim is to hang on for another three weeks and go to Saratoga.”

Heart of Honor was equipped with blinkers for the first time in the UAE Derby.

“He did travel more generously with them on, and he will wear them in the Preakness,” Osborne said. “Prior to that, he was being a little bit lazy. He was getting behind. He lost a couple of races in Dubai by getting a little bit too far behind and staying on a bit too late.”

Saffie Osborne, the trainer's 23-year-old daughter, rode Heart of Honor in the UAE Derby and has the Preakness mount.

“I think this horse, in what he's achieved so far, has to step up, but I think there's a chance that he can step up,” said the 57-year-old conditioner. “He's a horse that seems to be maturing and coming around this time of year.”

Journalism On the Fence, Preakness-Bound Clever Again Works

Plans have yet to be finalized for GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Journalism (Curlin), who walked Tuesday before returning to train Wednesday, according to Justin Curran, Churchill Downs assistant to trainer Michael McCarthy.

“Then the owners will make a decision in the next couple of days,” he said.  “He came out of the race great–has good energy and is eating. He looks like a happy horse.”

Curran said Journalism is likely to jog [Wednesday], perhaps when the track first opens at 5:30 a.m. ET, then gallop Thursday.

McCarthy flew back to California and is expected to return to Louisville over the weekend.

After three days of delay because of sloppy track conditions at Churchill Downs, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen was finally able to work the lightly-raced Clever Again (American Pharoah) for the Preakness. The Hot Springs Stakes winner worked five-eighths of a mile in 1:01.60 in company and with jockey Jose Ortiz aboard.

“A work scheduled for Saturday has now happened on Tuesday,” Asmussen said. “The horse obviously has plenty of talent. He's very kind, manageable. Jose loved how he felt today, how he galloped out. Very happy to get this work in him.”'

Ortiz rode Clever Again in a pair of Oaklawn races.

Asmussen said Clever Again likely will work a half-mile on Monday [May 12] and van to Pimlico on Tuesday.

GII Wood Memorial winner Rodriguez (Authentic), who was withdrawn from the Derby because of a minor foot issue, is scheduled to have a timed workout this weekend.

Rodriguez continued to train every day, including galloping Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs.

“We're going to breeze this weekend, and then ship to Pimlico,” Baffert said.

The post UAE Derby Runner-up Heart of Honor Confirmed for Preakness; Clever Again Works appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Godolphin's GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) will bypass the May 17 GI Preakness Stakes, according to a release from Pimlico Race Course Tuesday afternoon.

“We received a call today from trainer Bill Mott that Sovereignty will not be competing in the Preakness,” Mike Rogers, executive vice president of 1/ST which operates Pimlico, said in the statement. “Bill informed us they would point toward the GI Belmont Stakes. We extend our congratulations to the connections of Sovereignty and respect their decision. We continue to see the excitement building toward the milestone celebration of the 150th Preakness Stakes, and we look forward to an incredible weekend of world-class racing and entertainment.”

Sovereignty won the Mar. 1 GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes in his sophomore debut before finishing second in the Mar. 29 GI Curlin Florida Derby. He charged past favored Journalism (Curlin) over a sloppy Churchill track to secure a 1 1/2-length victory in the Derby last Saturday.

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Spendthrift Farm will sponsor the upcoming Sir Barton Stakes, presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. The farm will also make a donation of $50,000 to the TAA during a check presentation following the running of the race on the May 17 Preakness Stakes undercard at Pimlico Race Course.

“We are honored to partner with Spendthrift Farm for this year's Sir Barton Stakes,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, Operations Consultant, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “Their commitment to the welfare of Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers is inspiring, and we are deeply grateful for their support of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance's mission.”

Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey added, “At Spendthrift, the care and future of Thoroughbreds has always been a top priority. We are proud to support Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and to be part of a weekend that celebrates the best of our sport, both on and off the racetrack.”

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A total of $100,000 in bonus money is on the table for trainers who run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races held during Preakness weekend, May 16 and 17, at Pimlico Race Course. Points for the trainer's bonus, which is returning to the Maryland track for the ninth year, are accumulated for finishing first (10 points), second (seven), third (five), fourth (three) and having a starter (one) in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes.

The trainer with the most points will receive $50,000, second is worth $25,000, third $12,000, fourth $7,000, fifth $4,000 and sixth $2,000.

There will also be bonus money totaling $50,000 for trainers with the most points in non-stakes races during Preakness weekend. The points are accumulated in similar fashion, with $25,000 going to the leader, $10,000 to second, $7,500 to third, $4,000 to fourth, $2,500 to fifth and $1,000 to sixth. Trainers must have a minimum of three starts to qualify for the bonus.

The post Preakness Weekend Trainer Bonus Returns appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Who were the five fastest maiden winners based on the Beyer Speed Figures this week? We count them down.

5. PAHOEHOE D'ORO, OP 5/2 – 6 furlongs
Beyer Speed Figure: 86

Video Replay
(f, 4, Medaglia d'Oro-Miss Exclusive, by Unbridled's Song)
B-Mt Brilliant Broodmares LLC, O-Old Bones Racing Stable LLC, Volcanic Racing LLC and Joey Platts, T-Phil D'Amato, J-Ramon Vazquez.
Back-class pedigree pages don't look much better than this. Her third dam, Juddmonte blue hen Hasili, produced in sequence: Dansili (3rd in Breeders' Cup Mile), Banks Hill (won Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf), Heat Haze (won Beverly D., Matriarch), Intercontinental (won Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf), Cacique (won Manhattan, Man o'War) and Champs Elysees (won Hollywood Turf Cup, Canadian International).
Intercontinental didn't produce much herself, and daughter Miss Exclusive was sold for $750,000 to Mt. Brilliant at Keeneland November in 2018. But Pahoehoe D'Oro, the third of Miss Exclusive's foals to race, is off to a fine start–winning smartly in her second lifetime start after 7 1/2 months. Volcanic Racing owner Larry Goldman must have named her: pahoehoe is a form of volcanic lava.

4. FOUNTAIN LAKE, CD 5/3- 1 1/16 miles
Beyer Speed Figure: 87

Video Replay
(c, 3, Improbable-Doritza, by Mineshaft)
B-Stoneriggs Farm, O-Shortleaf Stable Inc., T-John Ortiz, J-Julian Leparoux.
Fountain Lake's $100k yearling price may turn out to be a bargain. He kicked off Kentucky Derby day wire-to-wire in his sixth lifetime start, with significantly more speed than his previous races. Owner John Ed Anthony has a history of naming colts after Arkansas locations, and this one's namesake is a small community (population 503) a dozen miles from Anthony's Hot Springs home.

3. CONCORD BRIDGE, SA 5/4- 6 1/2 furlongs
Beyer Speed Figure: 89

Video Replay
(c, 3, Medaglia d'Oro-Pauline Revere, by Distorted Humor)
B-Gage Hill Stables LLC and W.S. Farish, O-Antonio P. Sardo, T-Ron Ellis, J-Welfin Orantes.
Claimed for $50,000 in December, he showed flashes of talent in his next start, but nothing like Sunday. Running for the eighth time, he sat behind the leaders and cut the corner through a big rail opening into the stretch–a perfect trip to be sure, but he then showed explosiveness to quickly open daylight. His dam is a half-sister to Grade I sprinter American Theorem, and at one point he was regarded highly enough to bring $850,000 as a yearling.

2. MAINSTREAM, CD 5/3- 7 furlongs (2nd)
Beyer Speed Figure: 92

Video Replay
(c, 3, Speightstown-Lesley May, by Tapit)
B- Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, O-Jeffrey Drown, Don Rachel LLC and Stonestreet Stables LLC, T-Brad Cox, J-Luis Saez.
The entertaining 14th and final race on the sloppy Kentucky Derby program produced our two fastest maidens last week. In his second start, Mainstream rolled past Pursuitneversleeps into the turn but never completely shook him. The two ultimately left the others far behind and battled to the wire before Pursuitneversleeps edged past. A $485,000 yearling, Mainstream lost his March debut at Gulfstream in much the same fashion.

1.PURSUITNEVERSLEEPS, CD 5/3- 7 furlongs (1st)
Beyer Speed Figure: 93

Video Replay
(c, 3, Ghostzapper-Fashion Factor, by The Factor)
B-Ghostzapper Syndicate, Scarteen Stud and Barry Donworth, O-Bakster Farm LLC, T-Dale Romans, J-Corey Lanerie.
After Pursuitneversleep's mid-March debut second behind Here Comes Francis, a fast 3-year-old sprinter so far under the national radar, owner Jim Bakke targeted this Derby day return. Pursuitneversleeps outbroke Mainstream to be third in a line of four on the pace, then was outfooted and perhaps shuffled back a touch at the half-mile pole, but he kept at it and lived up to his name as the even-money favorite.

The post The Five Fastest Maidens for the Week of Apr. 30 through May 4 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.