Thoroughbred Daily News

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country.

The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.

Resolved ADMC Violations
Dates: 03/02/2026
Licensee: Angela M. Aquino, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Golf Drama, who won at Los Alamitos on 1/11/26.

Dates: 02/27/2026
Licensee: Michelle R. Winters, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Diosa Catrina, who finished sixth at Mahoning Valley on 1/22/26.

Dates: 02/27/2026
Licensee: Jose Puentes, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.
Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Whisky My God on 1/14/26.

Dates: 02/26/2026
Licensee: Richard Dutrow, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO)–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Dame Cinco, who won at Aqueduct on 6/21/24.

Dates: 02/25/2026
Licensee: Caryn Vecchio, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. The following cases are treated as one violation.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dantrolene–a class C controlled substance–in samples taken from Poppy's Pride, who won at Mahoning Valley on 1/22/26, and won at Mahoning Valley on 1/5/26.

Dates: 02/25/2026
Licensee: James M. Watkins, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of internal adjudication panel.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Smart Joker, who won at Fairmount Park on 9/16/25.

Pending ADMC Violations
03/04/2026, Santiago Medina, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methamphetamine–a banned substance–in a sample taken from Feeling Macho, who won at Gulfstream Park on 1/16/25.

03/04/2026, Edward Freeman, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methamphetamine–a banned substance–in a sample taken from Emma G, who won at Los Alamitos on 12/12/25.

03/02/2026, Michael V. Pino, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Tramadol–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Samantha's Capo, who finished second at Park Racing on 1/12/26.

02/27/2026, Victor Carrasco, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Sea Art on 2/3/26.

02/27/2026, Miguel Penaloza, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Maliblue, who won at Parx Racing on 1/14/26.

02/27/2026, Carlos A. David, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Caffeine–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from One Sweet Girl, who won at Gulfstream Park on 11/23/25.

02/27/2026, Drew C. Fulmer, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Amphetamine–a banned substance–in a sample taken from Unified A.P., who won at Turf Paradise on 11/15/25.

02/26/2026, Katherine M. Voss, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Upshot on 1/23/26.

02/25/2026, J. Guadalupe Guerrero, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Testosterone–a banned substance–in a sample taken from Can't Stop a Chub, who according to Equibase suffered a catastrophic injury to her right hind midrace in the third at Parx Racing on 7/22/25, and was subsequently euthanized.

Crop Violations
Aqueduct
Gokhan Kocakaya–violation date February 27; $500 fine, one-day suspension
Manuel Franco–violation date February 26; $250 fine, one-day suspension

Sunland Park
Victor Castro–violation date March 2; $500 fine, two-day suspension

Turfway Park
Summer L. Pauly–violation date February 28; $41 fine, no other information
Jose R. Gutierrez–violation date February 28; $32 fine, one-day suspension

The post Weekly National Rulings: Feb. 26-Mar. 4 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Raging Torrent (by Maximus Mischief), new to the Lane's End roster for 2026, has his first mare confirmed in foal, according to a press release from the stallion operation on Wednesday.

Owned by V. Gail Ray and Ramspring Farm, the covered mare is She'srunninghappy (Runhappy), who produced her second foal–a filly by Timberlake–Jan. 14.

Out of an extended female family which includes GSW He Loves Me (Not For Love), the current 7-year-old is a half-sister to Canadian GSW Easy Time (Not This Time) and MSW Softly Lit (Latent Heat).

As for Raging Torrent, he won at first asking in his 2-year-old debut at Del Mar and hit the board in the GIII Best Pal Stakes over the same surface.

Turning a year older, the Doug O'Neill trainee cleared an allowance at Churchill Downs, where he scored by 8 1/4 lengths. During a span where he won six of seven, Raging Torrent took the Maxfield Overnight Stakes in Louisville and captured the GII Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar.

Raging Torrent capped his 2024 season with his first top level victory in the GI Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita.

Facing an international field in the G2 Godolphin Mile at Meydan, O'Neill's charge kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a successful trip to Dubai.

Returning to the U.S., the future sire went gate to wire in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap to close out his career around the racetrack with $1,797,400 in earnings.

The new Lane's End stallion stands for $15,000.

The post First Mare In Foal To New Lane’s End Stallion Raging Torrent appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

As expected, Gulfstream's loaded Fountain of Youth card provides fast fillies–but topping this week's list is a breakout performance at Turfway Park.

5. WITH THE ANGELS, AQU, 3/1, Correction Stakes, 6 furlongs
Beyer Speed Figure- 93, 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'.
(f, 4, by Omaha Beach–Sister Margaret, by Pulpit)
O-Winning Move Stable, John Oxley, Sheila Stable, Silverwood Stables and Sanford Robbins. B-Joseph DeRico (NY). T-Linda Rice. J-Jose Lezcano.

Rice says With the Angels “never makes a wrong move,” and after demoralizing her New York-bred competition last summer and fall, the $350k 2-year-old buy is now doing the same to the Big A's winter open company.

In the Correction Stakes, she was confidently kept out in the clear by Lezcano before unleashing a final quarter in :24.05 to put 4 1/2 lengths on her rivals. Next on her agenda could be the Apr. 4 running of the $150,000 GIII Distaff Stakes.

4. JUST BASKING, GP, 2/28, GIII The Very One Stakes, 1 3/8 miles (T)
Beyer Speed Figure- 93
(m, 5, by Arrogate–Spanish Star, by Blame)
O-Andrew Schwarz and Wendy Gilder-Schwarz. B-Gilder-Schwarz Farms. T-Ian Wilkes. J-Javier Castellano.

The promising Just Basking's development has been hindered by untimely interruptions, but fortunately nothing got in her way at Gulfstream on Saturday, as she rallied from last to first in GIII The Very One. She was good enough to finish a length- beaten third in the 2024 GI Alabama, only to be sent to the sidelines for seven months, followed by a disappointing comeback at Fair Grounds and another 10-month absence.

But now she's back in a racing rhythm and has regained her form: her 1 3/8 time was only .05 slower than Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) and the males in the GII Mac Diarmida three races later. From the last crop of Arrogate out of productive mare Spanish Star (three GSWs from five foals to race), Just Basking also provided her late sire with his 16th graded winner out of 32 total stakes winners.

3. CLASSIC Q, GP, 2/28, GIII Honey Fox Stakes, 1 mile (T)
Beyer Speed Figure- 94 (2nd)
(f, 4, by Classic Empire–Lovely Em, by Scat Daddy)
O-Gary Barber, Blue Crevalle Racing and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. B-Winning Bloodstock (Ky). T-Mark Casse. J-John Velazquez.

She has no doubt been frustrating at times for her connections. But when she's in top form and gets her trip, Classic Q has proven capable of a graded-stakes-level run, even though she has come tantalizingly close without winning one yet. It now seems settled that her best chance is to control a reasonable pace, which Velazquez accomplished in the GIII Honey Fox Stakes only to see her lose another close one to a better horse.

2. LUSH LIPS (GB), GP, 2/28, GIII Honey Fox Stakes, 1 mile (T)
Beyer Speed Figure- 95
(f, 4, by Ten Sovereigns {Ire}–Lamyaa {GB}, by Arcano {Ire})
O-Dixiana Farms. B-The Pocock Family (GB). T-Brendan Walsh. J-Tyler Gaffalione.

Walsh was clicking his heels when Dixiana's Bill Shively opted to race GISW Lush Lips as a 4-year-old and keep her in her current stall after bidding $3.7 million to acquire her at Keeneland November.

In nine starts since the previous owners brought her over from Ireland and transferred her from Donnacha O'Brien to Walsh, the turf star has six wins and three seconds–and two of the losses were to champion 3-year-old filly Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro).

Literate | Coady Media

1. LITERATE, TP, 2/28, Wintergreen Stakes, 1 mile (AW)
Beyer Speed Figure- 95
(m, 6, by Oscar Performance–Infanta Branca, by Henrythenavigator)
O-C2 Racing Stable and BAG Racing Stables. B-Don Alberto Corporation (Ky). T-Brad Cox. J-Luan Machado.

She's bred for grass and has a solid race on dirt, but she has been most productive on the all-weather. Maybe that's a function of being stabled at Woodbine and Turfway at the right times in her form cycle, but this winter she was a decent third in the My Charmer Stakes, got up to win the Likely Exchange Stakes and last week turned in the race of her life: a 10 3/4-length demolition job in the Wintergreen Stakes.

Climb into the Wayback Machine and you'll find that her dam is a half-sister to 1998 GII Fountain of Youth winner Lil's Lad (Pine Bluff) out of Loblolly Stable's GSW Totemic (Vanlandingham).

The post Five Fleet Fillies Of The Week: Feb. 23-Mar. 1 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The conversation around America's aftercare ecosystem has never been louder.

Funding it and reforming it have been central to Mike Repole's efforts over the past three years. If our industry cannot align around something as fundamental and humane as aftercare, it raises serious questions about our ability to solve larger, more complex challenges.

Events last week, including Anna Ford's TDN letter and the Eclipse Thoroughbreds town hall, have renewed interest in the findings Mike and I shared with The Jockey Club in December 2024 and prompted requests to make our findings public.

It is time.

In January 2024, Mike made clear the National Thoroughbred Alliance would begin its advocacy with aftercare. What started as a call with representatives of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance became a 10-month examination of the American aftercare ecosystem. After extensive outreach across the space, one theme was constant: deep disappointment that industry leadership was not addressing today's needs.

We presented 20 concise findings, with a funding model projection, refined with respected aftercare leaders whose guidance was invaluable. These findings were meant to serve as a foundation for collaboration. They are not stand-alone solutions.

We sent the findings and funding model to Jockey Club President Jim Gagliano and incoming Chairman Everett Dobson in December 2024 to begin engagement with the registry, whose role is critical to meaningful reform.

After months of legal correspondence in 2025, a meeting between Repole and a majority of the Club's Stewards in August 2025 revealed the document had never been shared with them or discussed. The Stewards first saw it only when it was attached to a legal letter from Repole's attorney.

The findings are shared below.

U.S. Aftercare Ecosystem Findings

Overview: While bright spots and successes undoubtedly exist, the greater U.S. aftercare ecosystem is significantly underfunded and underdeveloped, lacking the necessary programs, initiatives, relationships and the physical and technological infrastructure required today. Key findings are offered below.

A coordinated, nationwide approach can build upon existing foundations, renovating these entities, building much-needed functionality, serving as a hugely positive marketing and engagement outlet for the Thoroughbred industry, while driving demand for retired racehorse purchases, growing value for existing stakeholders and ensuring racing continues for generations.

1. Nearly every entity across the U.S. aftercare space is underfunded, some chronically so. This includes most adoption facilities, sanctuaries, equine-assisted therapy outlets, track-based programs, incentive programs and other charitable groups.
2. The current TAA is far more limited than its reputation or brand awareness might imply. While highly successful in standard-setting and accreditation, the funds they raise are inadequate compared to the scope of need. With its strong brand, a significantly renovated TAA could be a legitimate center for the recommended actions derived from these findings.
3. The U.S. racing/breeding sectors lack a central “customer service” function for anyone with an interest in retired racehorses. There is no central hub for help in a space that needs one.
4. Incentive programs (RRP, TIP, TAKE2, etc.) seeking to drive demand for, and prove the usefulness of, retired racehorses have plateaued in the face of limited support from the racing and breeding sectors. They are ripe areas for growth, investment and strategic partnerships.
5. Racetrack operators and/or horsemen's groups have been left to create their own programs–some very successful–to help transition some retired racehorses, but significant variance still exists in experiences, funding, accreditation, the likelihood of bad outcomes and more.
6. Individual, for-profit resellers and agents, entirely outside the bounds of any organizational control–and not the non-profit sector–are likely responsible for the majority of recently-retired racehorse sales. This can compound problems faced years after initial retirement.
7. Standardized, non-discipline-specific retraining practices do not exist in a formal capacity.
8. Partnerships between industry and sport horse associations (U.S. Equestrian Federation) are underdeveloped.
9. Traceability of retired racehorses is extremely limited, with only minor signs of improvement in the offing.
10. Horse breeders, buyers and racing owners will always be targeted as a source for funding a portion of a horse's care once retired because formal tracking of such data is widespread, while post-racing traceability is practically non-existent.
11. Retired racehorses can change hands frequently amongst post-racing owners, particularly within the first 24 months after leaving the track, further inhibiting traceability.
12. The greater racing industry has done little to build residual value in horses (geldings) clearly not bound for a future career in breeding. Doing so drives more money back to racing owners.
13. A safety net for vulnerable horses does not exist in the U.S. This would be intended for the neglected, ill-treated, or those whose owners encounter severe financial hardship.
14. A viable, promotable emergency contact system for ex-racehorses does not exist in the U.S.
15. The practice of slaughter has greatly diminished, but horses and the greater industry still experience bad outcomes. Individuals and organizations–including targeted past connections–routinely pay “bail” to operators of kill pens in the hopes of saving horses from bad outcomes, unfortunately perpetuating a vicious cycle.
16. Senior broodmares are a highly at-risk segment for slaughter, representing a significant threat to the image of the industry; few policies exist to protect them from bad outcomes.
17. Most major breeding farms do not dedicate space for retired racehorses or broodmares.
18. Industry-led research and policy advocacy on aftercare and ex-racehorses does not exist.
19. Those working across greater aftercare are tireless advocates for retired racehorse development and outstanding resources for information, but a portion suffer from compassion fatigue. Skepticism of much-needed improvements across the space is rampant after decades of ignorance or insufficient support from the very industry they try to help. This status quo leads to conflict, much of which bubbles under the surface, between key entities within aftercare.
20. Many non-profit groups in aftercare are fearful of speaking openly or publicly about challenges they face, believing that doing so could risk a cut in funding or accreditation while limiting greater industry awareness of the realities facing the retired racehorse ecosystem.

An Invitation To Collaborate

That was it. Simple.

The question is not whether these realities exist, because they do, but whether the leadership of this industry is willing to confront them honestly and act accordingly.

We produced these findings to serve as a starting point for collaboration with the one entity uniquely positioned to help build structure, accountability, and traceability into the lifecycle of every Thoroughbred: The Jockey Club.The registry sits at the center of the breed.

Aftercare is not a public relations initiative. It is a moral obligation and a structural necessity for the long-term viability of Thoroughbred racing and breeding in this country.

The findings are not an attack. They are, and have always been, an invitation.

The industry deserves to know whether that invitation will finally be accepted.

Pat Cummings is Executive Director of the National Thoroughbred Alliance.

The post Letter to the Editor: America’s Aftercare Conversation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The Jockey Club of Canada's Graded Stakes Committee held its annual review of graded and listed stakes, and the number of higher level races will remain at 41, according to a press release late on Tuesday from the Jockey Club of Canada.

The Committee reviewed the North American Race Committee (NARC) figures for all graded, listed and potentially listed races in Canada.

Based on the data, the committee determined that the GIII British Columbia Derby will be downgraded to listed status and the early October running at Woodbine of the bet365 Algonquin Stakes for 2-year-olds on the turf will be upgraded to a Grade III.

Additionally, the Century Casino Oaks, King Corrie Stakes, Niagara Stakes and Thorncliffe Stakes will all be upgraded to listed status.

The Graded Stakes Committee meeting was conducted by Chair Ross McKague, who was joined by appointed members David Anderson, Jim Bannon, Jeff Begg, Catherine Day Phillips, Bernard McCormack and The Jockey Club of Canada's Chief Steward Doug Anderson.

Also attending were racetrack representatives Allen Goodsell, Teagan Goodsell and Mike Vanin from Alberta. McKague represented Manitoba, and Julia Bell & Scott Lane stood for Ontario.

The post Review Of Canada’s Graded Stakes Stands Pat At 41 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The 2026 Inglis Digital USA March Sale closed Tuesday displaying steady trade in the broodmare prospect market, led by the $80,000 purchase of broodmare prospect Faith Understood (Catholic Boy), the online auction company said on Tuesday.

Chris Nolan was the winning bidder on the 5-year-old mare, who was made available for inspection in the Gulfstream Park barn of trainer Jennifer Young. She was consigned by owner Team Adams Racing.

Faith Understood was a maiden winner at Keeneland in April of her 3-year-old season and was the runner-up in the Memories of Silver Stakes at Aqueduct.Later in the season, Faith Understood was third in the GIII Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita Park. She retired with earnings of $129,512.

Bred in Kentucky by Whitehorse Stable, Faith Understood is out of the stakes placed Munnings mare Zia, who is the dam of four winners from five foals to race. Her page features a diverse sampling of international black type, including English champion Negligent (Ire) (Ahonoora {GB}) and the Canadian stakes winning dam of MGSW River Seven (Johannesburg).

Tuesday's second highest price came for Backstretch Rose, a stakes-placed Army Mule mare who went to Cash and Company for $70,000. The 5-year-old bred in Kentucky by St. Elias Stables was consigned by trainer Lacey Gaudet, who offered the mare for inspection out of her barn at Laurel Park.

The March sale drew a wide variety of buyers, with the 20 lots sold on Tuesday going to 18 different buyers. The catalogue featured horses available for inspection in Arizona, California, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland and New York. Stallion seasons were also offered for horses residing in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and Ohio.

“We saw action from all over the globe today,” said Inglis Digital CEO Kyle Wilson. “Thanks to all of our customers who continue to support us and we wish everyone the best of luck with their purchases.”

Offerings that finished under their reserves on Tuesday are still available to purchase on the Inglis Digital USA website. Visit the site's “Catalogue” page and click on “Make An Offer” next to the available horses.

Entries are now open for the inaugural Inglis Digital USA Curlin Florida Derby Sale, putting a special focus on offerings in that region, including horses entered on the Florida Derby card at Gulfstream Park.

Entries begin to close Friday, Mar. 13, but rolling entries will be taken on an approval basis up until sale day. The catalogue will be released on Wednesday, Mar. 18, and bidding will close Monday, Mar. 23.

To enter a horse for the Curlin Florida Derby Sale, register as a bidder or to make a bid on an RNA horse from the March Sale, visit www.inglisdigitalusa.com.

The post Inglis Digital USA March Sale Topped By Broodmare Prospect Faith Understood appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

On May 22, the HISA Board of Directors will take a vote that could result in the ban of Lasix in all races. Any decision made by the Board, whether to keep the rules as they are, or to enact a full ban, must be unanimous. In response, five trainers and Eric Hamelback, the CEO of the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, signed a letter imploring HISA to continue to allow the use of the medication in most races. Trainer Ron Moquett was among those signing the letter.

To talk about what is a divisive issue for the industry and his personal feelings that there should not be a full ban of Lasix, Moquett appeared on this week's edition of the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. He was the Gainesway Guest of the Week.

Moquett said that the use of Lasix is something that is beneficial to the horse and something that, if taken away, would leave trainers without a valuable tool.

“I think the definition of a horseman is to do right by your horse and to take every possibility to minimize the risk of anything bad happening,” he said. “Every day, every morning, the horsemen that I know, they make sure that all the snaps are closed on the gates. They make sure that the nails are pushed in the stall so that there's no shot that a horse would scratch it. We're constantly trying to minimize the risk of anything bad happening to a horse. That's our whole job. Training Horses 101–take care of your horse, do everything in your power to minimize the risk of something bad happening. Lasix falls into that category. I'm not out here asking for race-day medications such as pain-maskers, performance-enhancers, or steroids or any of that business. I'm asking for some people to use common sense. There's been a smear campaign on Lasix. You see people calling it doping. You see people calling it performance-enhancing. It's not any of that. It's just something we can use to help with the problem of horses bleeding.”

Under current HISA rules, horses are not permitted to use Lasix in two-year-old races or in stakes races. Moquett said he had no problem keeping those regulations in place.

“The current model that we have, everybody has basically agreed that it's fine,” he said. “I like the fact that 2-year-olds don't have it. I'm okay with the fact that graded stakes horses don't have it. But with the day-to-day horses that are competing, it's a safety tool that ought to be used.”

It was pointed out to Moquett that when HISA banned Lasix in the stakes and juvenile races there was an outcry, with many people casting a dire picture that included horses bleeding frequently and openly in races. Most people agree that never happened. When asked why the situation would be any different if there were a full ban, this was his reply: “First and foremost, I would say that just because you haven't seen (horses bleed) in those races doesn't necessarily mean it hasn't happened. It's the same reason I put on a seatbelt. That's to be careful and take the necessary precautions. I don't want my horse to ever experience bleeding. I don't. This is something that can minimize the risk of something bad happening to a horse.”

He was also asked why European racing, as well as racing in most of the rest of the world, seems to do fine without the use of Lasix.

“I always like to steer away from comparisons,” he said. “But things are different here. First off, at Churchill Downs and at Oaklawn, there are no green pastures. There are no trees. We lovingly call Churchill 'Riker's Island' because it's just concrete pavement everywhere. That's not the case in Europe. We have long meets. They don't. It's just not the same. There's more turf racing there, where you just gallop around and sprint home for the most part. It's not like here, where there is more dirt racing and speed is the name of the game. It's always laughable to me whenever they compare racing here versus racing in Europe.”

The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was Knightsbridge (Nyquist), who got a 112 Beyer figure in his romp in the GIII Gulfstream Park Mile. The Fastest Horse of the Week segment is sponsored by WinStar, which stands the sire Heartland.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the PHBA, 1/ST TV, and West Point Thoroughbreds, Randy Moss, Bill Finley, and Zoe Cadman took a look back at last week's preps for the GI Kentucky Derby. Though he finished second, the team was very high on the performance of Chief Wallabee (Constitution) in the GII Fountain of Youth and predicted he will only get better. The trio delved into the story of Hawthorne declaring bankruptcy, and what it means for the future of racing in Chicago. The podcast wrapped up with a preview of this Saturday's two Derby preps, the GIII Tampa Bay Derby and the GII San Felipe Stakes.

To watch the video version of the podcast, click here. To listen to the audio, click here.

The post To Discuss Potential Ban Of Lasix, Moquett Joins The TDN Writers’ Room Presented By Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

As part of his official duties, Keeneland's Director of Sales Operations Dean Roethemeier was attending the races Saturday at Meydan in Dubai at the same time that drone and missile attacks launched by Iran were hitting nearby. While he said he never felt unsafe, he noted that his biggest worry was, with the Dubai International Airport having been shuttered, how he was going to make it back home?

But after a long, complicated journey, he had made it to Amsterdam on Tuesday and was expecting to land at the Cincinnati airport Wednesday evening, four days after he was nearly trapped in Dubai.

“When I get home, I probably won't know what end is up,” Roethemeier said by phone Tuesday from Amsterdam. “I'm just happy to be that much closer to home.”

He said that attending the Emirates Super Saturday card was an experience he will never forget.

“It was pretty surreal,” he said. “I've been to a few Super Saturdays at Meydan and the crowd is always big and very lively. This crowd was as big as I've ever seen it and the racing was great.  But everyone was asking 'What is going on?' We heard big bangs and booms and saw the drones and missiles being intercepted. Despite all that, it was pretty much business as usual. When Sheikh Mohammed showed up at the races, that gave everyone a lot more confidence that everything was going to be OK.”

“Yes, it got to be a little nerve-wracking. I would have felt safe remaining in Dubai. But there were no flights going out. It was more of a logistical challenge.”

Roethemeier was scheduled to attend the races at Jebel Ali Racecourse in the Jebel Ali District of Dubai on Sunday, the day after the main attacks. Keeneland is a major, long-standing sponsor at that track. But racing was canceled there because of the war, which meant that Rothemeier could head home…if only there were a way to get there.

He helped gather a group that also included Keeneland colleague Ed Prosser, Arqana's Ludovic Cornuel and bloodstock agent Alessandro Marconi. The group made a connection with Mohammed Al-Saadi, a horse owner based in Oman. It was Al-Saadi who arranged the “great escape.”

“After racing was canceled at Jebel Ali, the airport in Dubai was still closed,” Roethemeier said. “Our best option was to get to Muscat in Oman. The owner from Oman managed to get us a ride across the border. He sent a car to pick us up and get us to the airport. He was so gracious. He even had us over to his house.”

With Muscat International Airport operating, the group was able to move on. They went separate ways, some going to Munich, others to Paris, all with the same goal in mind, to get on a flight to take them home.

“Right now, everybody is back in Europe, so it all worked out,” Roethemeier said. “Everyone at Keeneland, including Tony Lacy and Shannon Arvin, was very supportive and they all worked to find options to get us out of there. We all got very familiar with every flight-booking website there is.”

Though Roethemeier's journey was a long and arduous one, it could have been worse. The original plan was to return through Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. A day earlier, two drones struck the embassy compound there. As of Tuesday, the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was not fully shut down, but was experiencing massive disruptions.

The post It Wasn’t Easy, But Keeneland’s Roethemeier Is On His Way Back To Kentucky appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

While the war raging in the Middle East has caused uncertainty and danger throughout the region, it appears that most among the group of U.S.-based horses that had been planning on running on the Mar. 28 GI Dubai World Cup card will make the trip to the United Arab Emirates and continue to prepare for one of the world's richest days of racing.

“We're making plans and arrangements as if the world were normal,” said David Fiske, the racing manager for Winchell Thoroughbreds, which owns Dubai World Cup hopeful Magnitude (Not This Time).

The connections that have given the green light to the Dubai trip are doing so even though the State Department on Tuesday ordered the mandatory departure of non-emergency personnel and family members in six countries in the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, over growing security concerns. In retaliation to the attacks on its country by the U.S. and Israel, Iran, on Saturday, fired missiles and drones at countries in the Persian Gulf. Included in the damage inflicted on Dubai, a drone strike ignited a fire at Dubai's iconic Burj Al Arab hotel. And four people were injured the same day after an incident at the Dubai International Airport.

On Tuesday, drones reportedly hit the U.S. consulate in Dubai, United Arab Emirates causing the building to catch on fire.

CNN broke into live programming to report the strike. CNN national security correspondent Kylie Atwood relayed that the consulate, which is located about an hour away from the U.S. embassy in the UAE, was currently on fire.

“This was hit by a suspected drone,” Atwood relayed. “This comes after last night, we were tracking drones that had hit the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, [Saudi Arabia].”

As of Tuesday, the Dubai International Airport was operating on a limited basis. The airport was temporarily shut down on Feb. 28 due to regional security tensions. According to trainer Jose D'Angelo, who is pointing Bentornato (Valiant Minister) to the GI Dubai Golden Shaheen, the plane that will take U.S. horses to Dubai is scheduled to leave Mar. 14.

“We are still planning to go,” D'Angelo said. “Everything is set up to go. We have talked to the people in Dubai there and they say that everything is good to go. They say that at the moment everything is good there. Of course, I am worried about it. This is not normal. We see from here on television everything that is going on. But, hopefully, in two weeks the situation will be better.”

Fiske acknowledged that the situation is precarious.

“That the State Department said 'Everybody get out of the Middle East' means it doesn't seem like three days from now they are going to say 'Everything is ok, go back to the embassy, go back to the racetrack,” he said. “I think everybody probably has the same attitude and the same plans that we do–plan on going and then if things aren't right, pull the plug and find somewhere else to run.

“We'd rather be ready to go than pull the plug now and then three weeks later be left thinking, 'Well, that was stupid.' We are expecting the worst and hoping for the best. The people in Dubai may be thinking the same way we are, that they're hoping to run the race and that everything pans out by then.”

It's expected that Magnitude will be joined in the Dubai World Cup field by last year's winner, Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}). His trainer, Brad Cox, also said that the plans have not changed and that the recent winner of the GIII Mineshaft Stakes will be back to defend his title.

“We're planning on going as of right now,” Cox said. “I don't know much about what is going on. It's an unknown. We're trying to prepare a horse for a race and it's obviously a prestigious, valuable race with a big purse. We'll just have to see what happens. If it doesn't happen and they can't pull it off, we have other options.”

Burj al-Arab Hotel in Dubai | Getty Images

One horse who will not be making the trip is the New Jersey-bred star Book'em Danno (Bucchero), who was being pointed to the Dubai Golden Shaheen.

“We're not going basically because of the war, the political issues over there and the safety factor,” said Jay Briscione, who heads the partnership that owns last year's Eclipse Award winning sprinter. “I think that any time the State Department tells you not to travel, it's probably good to heed their advice. Something like this doesn't seem like it's going to end quickly. People have always been saying Dubai is the safest city in the world, and I bet that is right. But it's never had a war going on around it like this.”

Briscione said it was his wife that demanded he stay put.

“I kept saying to her, 'Well, it looks like this is going to happen, that we're going.' And she said, 'You're not going anywhere near the Middle East.' You know what? I can't blame her,” Briscione said. “It's hard enough in this business. It's hard enough to plan on any race under normal circumstances and then they throw all this at you.”

Doug O'Neill was not planning on running any horses on this year's World Cup card, but he has traveled to Dubai numerous times and has stabled there in past years. He said that Americans going to the Dubai World Cup should not be worried.

“Dubai is one of the safest places on the face of the earth,” he said. “I certainly wouldn't be hesitant to go to Dubai. You can leave your wallet on a park bench and come back a week later and it will be there. It's just a very safe place. The people are kind and they love their horse racing. I think the racing will continue on and everything will be okay. They are a very successful, wealthy country and they have put a lot of money into defending their country. So, I don't think there will be a problem.”

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The Belmont Child Care Association (BCCA) has kicked off its annual `Think Big for the BCCA' fundraising campaign, designed to increase awareness and raise critical funds to operate Belmont Park's Anna House and Saratoga's Faith House.

The mission of the BCCA is to provide a safe, supportive, and academically inspiring environment for the children of parents working in the Thoroughbred racing backstretch area located at New York's Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack, and Saratoga Race Course. They are committed to promoting early childhood education, molding young minds, and encouraging the fulfillment of dreams.

The program starts at 5 a.m. when backstretch workers begin their morning routines with the horses. Before the program existed, children were dropped off at illegal one room “day care” centers, or they were left in cars while their parents worked. In general, day care centers do not open this early and the lack of financial resources of these families left them with few options. Many of the children attending our program are from immigrant families earning below the poverty level.

Since its opening in 2002, Anna House alone has educated over 1,000 students, several of which are now enrolled in colleges and universities.

Click here for further information, or to make a donation.

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Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine has commenced a comprehensive three-year study to improve detection of Thoroughbred racehorse injuries with data provided by horses seen by Ruffian Equine Specialists, which is located next to Belmont Park, the New York Gaming Commission said through a Tuesday press release.

The study, funded by New York State and The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), will build on previous international research and the ongoing industry goal to prevent fatal musculoskeletal injuries.

State-of-the-art standing computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) machines will be installed at Cornell Ruffian as part of the project.

The CT provides a high-resolution image of the bony anatomy, allowing for identification of microstructural changes prior to being apparent on a radiograph.

PET detects increased bone metabolic activity in three different planes, allowing for the exact identification of regions of bone pathology. It also provides a highly sensitive detection of bone abnormalities and remodeling.

Racehorses are routinely examined by veterinarians who use diagnostic imaging. However, such scans can miss hairline fractures and pre-fracture pathology that can lead to fatal injuries. In such cases, horses with such undetected factors may be considered sound–and therefore train and race until they experience a serious or fatal injury.

The three year project seeks to:

• Identify fetlock fractures and pre-fracture pathology in horses with and without lameness;
• Determine the sensitivity and specificity of CT, PET and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared to digital radiographs;
• Use photo-counting CT and high field MRI scans to further define early bone pathology in horses that suffered fatal fractures of the fetlock joint;
• Further characterize biomarker findings in healthy and lame horses; and
• Further refine a risk factor index for fatal musculoskeletal injury based on epidemiological findings, preliminary scanning technology, clinical examination, and advance imaging.

“Continuously improving equine safety is an organizational imperative at NYRA,” said President and CEO of NYRA David O'Rourke. “This partnership will dramatically expand access to an important veterinary diagnostic tool while improving scientific research around thoroughbreds training and competing in New York. We thank Governor Hochul for her steadfast commitment to horse racing as we look forward to the opening of a new Belmont Park in September.”

The results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed periodicals and presented at veterinary research conferences.

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Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) will be scratched from Saturday's GI Santa Anita Handicap after he acted up and had to be removed from an airplane in Florida Tuesday morning as his flight to California was preparing to take off.

Mike Welsch of Daily Racing Form previously reported the story, quoting trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.

“We could have tranquilized him,” Joseph told Welsch. “But with the medication regulations I didn't want to take that chance just four days before the race. He's never done anything like this before, so I'm not sure if it's an indication there is a problem of some sort.”

Welsch reported that Joseph said, “physically, he appears to be fine.”

Joseph told Welsch that Skippylongstocking, who most recently won the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes, will return to his training base at Palm Meadows. Future race plans for the 7-year-old are undecided.

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Million-dollar earning Gigante (Not This Time), named 2025 Virginia-bred Horse of the Year, headlines a slate of Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA) award winners whose connections will receive hardware for their efforts on Saturday, Mar. 14 at Colonial Downs, the track said in a release on Tuesday.

The trophy presentations will take place on the winner's circle stage between races during the Virginia Derby Day card in New Kent, and are presented by the VTA and Virginia Racing Commission.

The other winners are as follows:

• Turf Horse: Gigante
• Older Male: Repo Rocks (Tapiture)
• Older Filly/Mare: Winfinity (Not This Time)
• 2-Year-Old: Doubting Thomas (Carvaggio)
• VA-Certified Older Male: Mindframe (Constitution)
• VA-Certified Older F&M: Future Is Now (Great Notion)
• VA-Certified 2-Year-Old: Just Philtored (Great Notion)
• Top Trainer: Madison Meyers
• Virginia Breeder of the Year: Larry Johnson

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The initial mares covered by new stallions First Mission (by Street Sense) and Highland Falls (by Curlin) have reported in foal, Darley said via a press release on Tuesday.

First Mission enters stud as the fastest freshman stallion to retire at $10,000 or less in the past five years after a racing career that was highlighted by a win in the GII Oaklawn Handicap. By sire of sires Street Sense, he is free of A.P. Indy, which is his sire's best cross.

Highland Falls, who took home the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, is Curlin's only GI-winning son out of a multiple GI-winning mare. The new sire is out of GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Round Pond (Awesome Again). Of note, Highland Falls is a half-brother to the dam of fellow Darley stallion Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) and to recent MGSW Knightsbridge (Nyquist).

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A trio of mares bred to MGISW & 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Locked (by Gun Runner) are his first to have checked in foal, according to a press release from Gainesway Farm on Tuesday.

She Be Boss (City of Light) is out of GSW Nellie Cashman (Mineshaft), and is a full-sister to GSP Cassiar and half-sister to GISP Bendoog (Gun Runner). Her first foal, She Be Boss is owned by Nathan McCauley's River Oak Farm.

Also in foal is GISW Funny Moon (Malibu Moon) who is owned by Gene Batia and boarded at Jim and Pam Robinson's Brandywine Farm. She is already the dam of MGSP This Tea (Curlin) and Creole Chrome (Volatile), the winner of the Star Guitar Stakes at Fair Grounds.

Finally, Itgetsgreaterlater (Justify), who is owned by Wasabli Ventures Stables and is a Serendipity Springs Farm boarder, is in foal. She is out of the full-sister to GISW Cupid (by Tapit).

After notching his 'Rising Star' status, Locked secured his first top level victory when he captured the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at 2 and then finished third in the GI FanDuel Longines Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

At 3, the newly minted sire returned to defeat older competition in the GII Cigar Mile and the following year took the GI Santa Anita Handicap.
Locked stands for $35,000 LFSN at Gainesway.

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The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and Woodbine Entertainment have joined forces to create the Empire Trillium Series, a 14-race program of stakes races restricted to horses foaled in New York or Canada worth $3.2 million in total purses, the pair announced Tuesday.

The Empire Trillium Series will begin at the new and reimagined Belmont Park with eight stakes to be contested between December 2026 and February 2027 on the one-mile Tapeta course.

“NYRA looks forward to partnering with Woodbine Entertainment in this unique venture to create additional black type opportunities for owners and breeders on both sides of the border and to drive further interest in the inaugural winter meet at the new Belmont Park,” said Rob MacLennan, NYRA's Racing Secretary.

The Empire Trillium Series will then head north to Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, with a further six stakes–four of which are to be contested on Tapeta and two on turf–to be held between April and July in 2027.

“Woodbine is excited to partner with NYRA on this new racing series that creates opportunities for not just our racetracks, but for those that invest in the racing programs in New York and Canada,” said Tim Lawson, Vice-President of Thoroughbred Racing for Woodbine. “It's important that we be innovative and look to try new things, and we're optimistic the Empire Trillium Series will generate positive results for everyone involved.”

The marquee events of the series at Belmont Park will be held in late January with the inaugural editions of the $300,000 Long Island Derby and Oaks, which will serve as the middle leg of the New York segment of the series. The remaining six races in the series at Belmont Park will all be run for foals of 2024 with purses of  $200,000 each.

Four of those races will comprise the inaugural Empire Trillium opening day, when a sprint and route race for each sex will be run on the last Saturday of 2026. The final two races will be sprints, one for each sex run in late February.

“The Empire Trillium Series represents a meaningful step forward in strengthening regional breeding programs across borders while creating new racing opportunities for New York-breds and Canadian-breds alike,” said Najja Thompson, Executive Director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB). “We commend NYRA and Woodbine for their collaborative vision, and NYTB is proud to support an initiative that showcases the quality, depth, and competitiveness of our respective programs on an international stage.”

Woodbine Racetrack will then host six races for 3-year-olds and up, including four $200,000 events comprised of six-furlong sprints for both boys and girls on Tapeta during Spring 2027, followed by seven-furlong sprints on Tapeta in the same categories in July 2027. The Woodbine Racetrack-based races are headlined in June 2027 by a pair of $300,000 events, one each for older boys and girls, at one-mile on the world-famous E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

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by Christina Bossinakis & Patrycja Szpyra

Cherokee Nation (Not This Time) took six starts to break his maiden, but he'd been facing quality rivals in the lead up to his graduation party last Friday. Now, his connections report that elite contests are in the colt's future with their eyes specifically turned toward the GI Santa Anita Derby.

“When the kids go to school, they have fancy Friday and [last] Friday was a fancy Friday for us,” said co-owner Tom Ryan. “We're typically looking at Saturday afternoon, but we were very happy to see what Cherokee put together out there. We have high expectations. All going well, he will likely start next in the Santa Anita Derby.”

“I don't think that we've had a 3-year-old on the first of March produce a performance like that. And he came back out of the race great. This horse has given us all the indications that this is him putting his hand up [and saying] 'put me in, coach.'”

Ryan continued, “For one thing, the timing is great and he's telling us that he's up to the challenge. In regard to the race this weekend, the Beyer was 100, but it could have been 110. The Ragozin came back a four on the sheets, which is a really elite racehorse right there.”

Unveiled last September for trainer Bob Baffert, Cherokee Nation was a troubled fourth in his debut at Del Mar and came back Oct. 13 to miss breaking his maiden by a nose to Grade I-placed Mr. A.P. (American Pharoah).

“He's been promising all along. He finished behind very high quality horses in his first two starts. We felt he had put together two exiting races.”

Sent on a road trip to Kentucky, Cherokee Nation faced salty competition in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club and again after his return to California in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes, the former won by Further Ado (Gun Runner) and the latter by 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'  GSW & GISP Plutarch (Into Mischief). He ran fifth on both occasions and squeezed another runner-up effort against maidens in between them.

“Shipping him to Churchill, it probably was a little bit too much too soon,” said Ryan. “Since coming back to California, we ran him in another graded stakes race because unfortunately we didn't have enough maidens to run out there. If we would have had more opportunities to run in a maiden, I'm sure we would have. So we ended up with a horse that was fit and we felt that we needed to give him chances, and to keep building that foundation. To some degree, maybe it's all been to our benefit that it worked out this way.”

Last Friday, it was sixth-time lucky for the $1.15-million Keeneland September yearling purchased by Donato Lanni for the partnership that eventually comprised of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan. He never let Winston Ave (Quality Road) out of his sights and the race was more or less over when he took command on the far turn. It was 10 lengths back to the closest competition.

“I really feel that performance the other day was just spectacular. That was a performance that you ask yourself, 'wow, did that really happen?' He traveled into the far turn and it just looked like he was in command of the race at every call. When [jockey Emisael Jaramillo] let him go and asked him, the horse turned into a monster.”

“He looked comfortable the whole way and as Bob says, 'We find out more and more about these horses as we run them.' This horse put his hand up as in the trip is not going to be a problem. Whether it's a mile and an eighth or a mile and a quarter, you would have the confidence that this horse would see those trips out.”

Ryan continued by confidently stating that, for everything they saw in him at the yearling sale, the circle has looped back around in more ways than one.

“[Cherokee Nation] was the most expensive yearling we purchased that year. He doesn't just catch your eye but he stops you in your tracks. He's everybody's type of sexy. He's just a big, beautiful, two-turn horse that is exciting to have in the barn. The fact that he is out of an Indian Charlie mare is full circle with Bob because he trained Indian Charlie and he's such a good broodmare sire. We are truly excited about the horse and about Not This Time. It feels like sky is the limit with that stallion.”

Litmus Test | Horsephotos

Litmus Test Exits Rebel in Good Shape, Arkansas Derby Next

Favored in last weekend's GII Rebel Stakes, SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan's Litmus Test (Nyquist) showed early speed, however, got a little leg weary late, finishing third to Class President (Uncle Mo) and Silent Tactic (Tacitus).

Despite the first defeat since his victory in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity on Dc. 13, SF Racing's Tom Ryan wasn't discouraged by the effort.

“I thought Litmus Test's performance [ third in the Rebel Stales] was pretty solid,” he said. “I think he'll progress along. He came out of his race in good shape. Oaklawn's [surface] may have been a little more demanding than we initially felt. He's definitely a good horse and we know he's a cut above his performance in the Rebel.”

Asked what's next for the $875,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase, Ryan told TDN, “I think he is entitled to run back in the [Mar. 28 GI] Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn. I think he will have benefitted from his run in the Rebel and hopefully, he can move forward off of that.”

Likely to return later this season, the partnership's Kristofferson (Nyquist) hasn't been seen since finishing sixth behind Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) in the GI American Pharoah Stakes on Oct. 4. A $1.15 million purchase at Keeneland last September, he narrowly defeated Mr. A.P. (Honor A.P.) in his career debut sprinting six furlongs at Del Mar last August. Mr. A.P. subsequently finished second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at the seaside oval.

“He's at Santa Anita and he's probably going to get a little bit more in the next 10 days and we look forward to him,” said Ryan. “He's a horse that has shown that has shown he has a level of brilliance about him. He ran a 90 Beyer as a 2-year-old and he's got that Nyquist class about him.”

The colt was last seen working six furlongs in 1:12.40 at Santa Anita on Jan. 18. In his only other work since the American Pharoah, he worked four furlongs in :46.40, the fastest of 90 at the distance on Jan. 11.

“We just backed off him,” said Ryan. “He was a horse that we did all the usual scans to make sure we were happy with him and continued to move forward. Bob [Baffert] felt we should give this horse an easy 30 days. It's not like he's in a paddock in Northern California somewhere. He is at Santa Anita, two stalls down from Bob's office. We look forward to getting him back.”

He added, “We just felt we needed to give him a little bit of time over Christmas and through the first part of the year to truly mature physically and mentally, so we can have him humming along through late spring and summer.”

Of the older set, Ryan explained that the team is also lookign forward to the return of TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard Cornucopian (Into Mischief) and Imagination (Into Mischief). The former kicked off 2026 with an optional claiming score at Santa Anita on Jan. 31, while the latter was last seen taking the G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint on the Saudi Cup undercard at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Feb. 14.

“We are looking foward to Cornucopian being a nice 4-year-old and Imagination is back fro Saudi Arabia,” he said. “We're excited about the group. We have a few difference vintages there but they'll all have their windows to jump through.”

“It's a progressive time of the year for us and we have a few in the chamber that, if things go well, we'll have more bullets to fire in the spring and summer.”

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We edge inside the two-month mark to the GI Kentucky Derby with a well-bunched Top 12 hurtling toward more lucrative qualifying points races at longer distances.

1) PALADIN (c, Gun Runner–Secret Sigh, by Tapit) O-Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter M. Brant, Brook T. Smith, and Summer Wind Equine, LLC; B-Summer Wind Equine LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. Sales history: $1,900,000 Ylg '24 FTSAUG. Lifetime record: MGSW, 3-3-0-0, $848,250. Last start: WON Feb. 14 GII Risen Star Stakes.

The 3-for-3 Paladin has racked up two wins in nine-furlong stakes after getting elevated from second to first via disqualification in his career debut last October.

This $1.9 million FTSAUG son of Gun Runner from Chad Brown's barn has been favored in every start, and now sports a Beyer Speed Figure arc of 87-85-93, which suggests measured progression with room for improvement.

Paladin will have one additional prep (likely the Apr. 4 GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes) prior to attempting 10 furlongs on the first Saturday in May.

In his first sophomore start Feb. 14 in the GII Risen Star Stakes, Paladin broke alertly and settled willingly between horses into the first turn. He was fourth, about four lengths off the 7-1 breakaway pacemaker Chip Honcho (Connect) in the early part of the backstretch run, then was switched outside in the eight-horse field and incrementally edged up to attain second through opening quarter-mile splits of :23.81, :23.68 and :24.04.

By the far turn Paladin looked certain to seize the lead. But jockey Tyler Gaffalione ended up getting more of a fight than expected from the staying-on Chip Honcho, who was perhaps aided by a Fair Grounds main track that had been slightly favoring speed (five of seven dirt races that afternoon won by horses either on the lead or dueling for it).

Gaffalione roused Paladin with both left- and right-handed stick work off the bend, and although the colt did not uncork one big, blast-off move through the extended Fair Grounds home straight, Paladin finished with locked-in purpose through a fourth-quarter split of :24.84 and a last furlong in :12.77 for a final clocking of 1:49.14.

Paladin's churn-and-grind stretch run was similar to how he polished off the No. 4-ranked Renegade (Into Mischief) in the Dec. 6 GII Remsen Stakes.

But a subtle visual difference was that in the Remsen, Flavien Prat had to start scrubbing on Paladin 2 1/2 furlongs from the wire, while in the Risen Star, a more assertive Paladin was carrying Gaffalione along at a comfortable clip before being set down for the drive.

The bet here is that Paladin will continue to build upon this foundation of steady, no-nonsense power. We will likely see other Derby contenders emerge whose styles tilt more toward “flash and panache.” But Paladin, despite a limited number of starts, already rates an edge in reliability and consistency.

2) COMMANDMENT (c, Into Mischief–Sippican Harbor, by Orb) O-Wathnan Racing; B-Lee Pokoik (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. Sales history: $485,000 RNA Wlg '23 FTKNOV; $475,000 RNA Ylg '24 FTSAUG; $500,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime record: GSW, 4-3-0-0, $403,539. Last start: WON Feb. 28 GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes.

Commandment boosted his lifetime record to 3-for-4 with his 101-Beyer victory by a neck in last Saturday's GII Fountain of Youth Stakes.

More important than his winning margin and speed number is the “how he did it” factor.

This son of Into Mischief ($485,000 RNA FTKNOV; $475,000 RNA FTSAUG; $500,000 KEESEP) has now put together a string of races in which he has shown he can settle into a comfortable rhythm, even when covered up at the inside, then find a seam and bull on through to the front to finish strongly while still maintaining a measured cadence.

Prior to winning the Fountain of Youth, Commandment took the Jan. 3. one-turn-mile Mucho Macho Man Stakes under confident handling, and also won a seven-furlong MSW at Churchill Downs, opening up late by 5 1/2 lengths. His only defeat was in his career debut, when he rallied from 11th to get fourth going six furlongs at Keeneland.

His Beyer progression now stands at 82-81-91-101.

Commandment's work wasn't done after the field hit the finish line in the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth. Gulfstream utilizes a short-stretch configuration with the wire at the sixteenth pole for main-track races at that distance, and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. asked the 2.4-1 favorite to gallop out with good energy to the second finish line, which will be Commandment's target in his expected next start in the Mar. 29 GI Curlin Florida Derby.

“I think it was important that Irad asked him to run to the second wire there for the experience moving forward,” trainer Brad Cox said the day after the win. “If we pursue the Florida Derby, it makes sense to continue on to the second wire. You're only doing it if everything's going well. If you're fading or not doing well down the lane, you don't ask him. But if you have horse and you're finishing well, you may as well go ahead and educate him, stay on and finish up.”

Commandment | Lauren King

3) NEARLY (c, Not This Time–Ib Prospecting, by Mineshaft) O-Centennial Farms; B-Wind Hill Farm (FL); T-Todd A. Pletcher. Sales history: $350,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime record: GSW, 4-3-0-0, $249,900. Last start: WON Jan. 31 GIII Holy Bull Stakes.

This $350,0000 KEESEP colt from Todd Pletcher's stable will attempt to pair a victory in the Jan. 31 GIII Holy Bull Stakes with a decent showing in the Florida Derby prior to attempting the Kentucky Derby.

Nearly has been proficient as a speedster/stalker who can apply/take heat right up close to the pace.

This son of Not This Time has now won three straight at Gulfstream by a combined 20 lengths, and Nearly is riding an upward wave of Beyer figures (49-82-97-98) that suggests a breakthrough into triple digits could be within his grasp.

But it's also legit to question whether Nearly's dominance in those three Gulfstream starts was a product of him clearly relishing a strip that often rewards forwardly placed horses while being matched against competition that has since had trouble finding the winner's circle.

The horses Nearly blew away in his maiden, allowance and stakes scores at Gulfstream have collectively posted a 1-for-9 next-race record.

Then again, Nearly did accrue style points and valuable experience in the Holy Bull. Even though he was an aggressor in what seemed like a too-fast-to-last pace, he stuck around admirably to finish with gusto.

As the second betting choice in the Holy Bull, Nearly dueled the favorite into defeat but still had enough energy left to repulse a challenge from the only rival close enough to try to reel him in, widening his winning margin to 5 3/4 lengths over the short-stretch configuration.

4) RENEGADE (c, Into Mischief–Spice Is Nice, by Curlin) O-Robert Low, Lawana L. Low, and Repole Stable; B-Robert Low & Lawana Low (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. Sales history: $975,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime record: GSW, 4-1-2-1, $199,000. Last start: WON Feb. 7 GII Sam F. Davis Stakes.

Renegade's three starts at age two established that he could perform well against high-level competition in New York. His much-the-best, maiden-breaking score in the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs (92 Beyer) indicated his form has remained sharp in the two-month interim since his last start.

The big question, though, as this $975,000 KEESEP son of Into Mischief prepares for a probable start in the Mar. 28 GI Arkansas Derby, is whether or not that 3 3/4-length romp in the Davis was as dominant as it appeared visually.

There were no other Top 12-ranked horses in that Feb. 7 Tampa stakes, and none of the also-rans who straggled home behind Renegade appears to be Triple Crown-level contenders.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. kept Renegade patiently parked in next-to-last position in that nine-horse race before letting the colt loop the field five deep through the far turn. Renegade rolled to the lead without encountering serious competition, and he extended his margin while drifting out under left-handed whipping. The 48-1 pacemaker who had led for most of the race stayed on for second with no fresh closers able to gain on him.

In his Aug. 16 sprint debut, Renegade was third behind a 17 3/4-length winner at Saratoga. He then finished a head better than No. 1-ranked Paladin, but was disqualified for stretch interference in a one-turn-mile MSW race at Aqueduct Oct. 16. Renegade then was second, beaten two lengths by Paladin in the Remsen Stakes.

5) DESERT GATE (c, Omaha Beach–Theogony, by Curlin) O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman; B-Twin Oaks Bloodstock (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $125,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV; $100,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $260,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR. Lifetime record: GSW, 5-2-2-0, $252,000. Last start: 4th Feb. 7 GII Robert B. Lewis Stakes.

Desert Gate, formerly No. 1 in last month's installment of these rankings, fell from his lofty perch after an uninspiring fourth as the 6-5 favorite in the Feb. 7 GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes.

Although disappointing, that loss has a “too bad to be true” ring to it. It was not indicative of this colt's true ability, and thus not enough to get this son of Omaha Beach completely voted off the Top 12 island.

“Desert Gate missed the break, and I knew the one hole would hurt us,” trainer Bob Baffert said in the aftermath of the colt's first start since being sidelined with a hock infection that kept him out of the Breeders' Cup. “I knew we were in trouble then because he is so one-dimensional.”

Desert Gate, who does his best running when forwardly placed, got relegated to last in the one-mile, seven-horse Lewis. He advanced to fourth along the inside for the backstretch run, came under a vigorous ride on the far turn without much response, then was laboring late when nailed for the show position by a nose.

This colt (125,000 KEENOV; $100,000 KEESEP; $260,000 OBSMAR) returned to the work tab with a five-eighths move at Santa Anita last Friday.

The race that stands out in Desert Gate's five-race past-performance block is the Oct. 4 GI American Pharoah Stakes, in which he led from the start as the 9-10 favorite, took mild pressure from the second fave, came back on that rival when headed, repulsed a stretch bid from a new foe, then got nailed at the wire by 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' Intrepido (Maximus Mischief), losing by only three-quarters of a length.

6) CHIEF WALLABEE (c, Constitution–A La Lucie, by Medaglia d'Oro) 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard'. O/B-Mike Ball & Katherine Ball (KY); T-William I. Mott. Lifetime record: GSP, 2-1-1-0, $117,600. Last start: 2nd Feb. 28 GII Fountain of Youth Stakes.

This homebred son of Constitution from Bill Mott's stable is light on experience but high on potential after just missing behind Commandment in last weekend's Fountain of Youth Stakes.

Both those colts rallied from mid-pack, but while Commandment saved ground and shot on through the inside, Chief Wallabee took the overland route.

“I had to make a little premature move just to get my position forward since it's the first wire with a horse going that far for the first time,” said jockey Junior Alvarado. “I hesitated a little to make that move but I had no choice.

“Then I saw [Commandment] coming through at the three-eighths pole and I had to make a premature move once again. I have to say it might have cost me the race, but this is something we're building on for next time. I doubt if those horses will beat me again,” Alvarado said.

Chief Wallabee had broken his maiden sprinting seven furlongs at Gulfstream Jan. 10 and was taking a sizable upward step in class by trying winners and two turns for the first time in a graded stakes.

Mott has yet to commit to a next start. If Chief Wallabee runs big and earns qualifying points in a nine-furlong prep, he faces the prospect of starting in the Derby off just three career races.

Since 1900, 29 horses have started in the Derby with exactly three lifetime starts. Only four have won: Regret in 1915, Big Brown in 2008, Justify in 2018 and Mage in 2023. Of the remaining 25, only one finished better than seventh: Curlin, who was third in 2007.

Chief Wallabee | Ryan Thompson

7) SILENT TACTIC (c, Tacitus–Magical Sign, by Gun Runner) O-John C. Oxley; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. Sales history: $60,000 Ylg '24 FTKOCT; $500,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR. Lifetime record: GSW, 5-2-3-0, $774,422. Last start: 2nd Mar. 1 GII Rebel Stakes.

With a 12-1 win in the GIII Southwest Stakes and three second-place tries in other stakes, this Mark Casse-trained son of Tacitus is still a bit of an under-the-radar Kentucky Derby threat.

Silent Tactic ($60,000 FTKOCT; $500,000 OBSAPR) has never gone off favored in any of his five starts, but he consistently gains ground in the late stages of his races and has the makings of a punches-above-his-weight type of colt.

In the Mar. 1 Rebel, Silent Tactic was one of only two runners who opted out of the seven-horse scramble for the lead into the first turn. Cristian Torres settled him at the fence, and Silent Tactic was always responsive to subtle cues to quicken.

Threading through from the back of the pack, Silent Tactic attained a more prominent position at the head of the lane, but Torres had to keep him “on hold” for a few strides behind a wall of frontrunners before committing to a four-wide sweep under a full head of steam.

His running line in the chart doesn't reflect it, but Silent Tactic hit the front briefly several times in the final furlong before Class President (Uncle Mo) reclaimed the lead to win by a nose.

Both colts were credited with 91 Beyers for their efforts, with the rest of the fragmented field 5 1/4 lengths behind in their wake.

8) LITMUS TEST (c, Nyquist–Study Hard, by Malibu Moon) O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Bashor, Dianne, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Donovan, Catherine; B-Machmer Hall (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $875,000 Ylg '24 FTSAUG. Lifetime record: GSW, 6-2-0-2, $440,188. Last start: 3rd Mar. 1 GII Rebel Stakes.

Similar to the writeup about Desert Gate several spots above, Litmus Test is another Bob Baffert trainee who didn't fire his best shot in his sophomore debut.

But are you really going to drop this colt from Kentucky Derby consideration off that subpar third in the Rebel Stakes given that Baffert's horses have crossed the finish wire first in the Derby on a record seven occasions (with one DQ), and knowing that not all of those colts who wore a blanket of roses for Baffert on the first Saturday in May were ready for prime time in early March?

With five lifetime races at age two, including three at two turns and two in Grade I stakes, Litmus Test already has built a broader foundational base than many of his Top 12 counterparts will bring into the May 2 Derby.

This $875,000 FTSAUG colt by 2016 Kentucky Derby champ Nyquist looked out of his element leading the field under pace pressure at Oaklawn from post one, establishing opening quarter-mile splits of :23.06 and :23.56.

By contrast, Litmus Test had looked more comfortable reeling in a target when winning the GII Los Alamitos Futurity in his previous start Dec. 13.

“I talked to [Flavien] Prat and he basically said that he was in the one hole [with] a big horse, and he [thought he] could probably get him going,” Baffert said. “He's never trained like that. He's a one-run kind of horse. He had to be farther back and make one run. He didn't get tired. He was just sort of one-paced, but you learn about these horses. Those were nice horses that beat him.”

9) IRON HONOR (c, Nyquist–Orenica, by Blame) O-St. Elias Stable, William H. Lawrence & Glassman Racing; B-Mike & Pat Freeny; T-Chad C. Brown. Sales history: $230,000 Ylg '24 KEEJAN; $475,000 Ylg KEESEP. Lifetime record GSW, 2-2-0-0, $211,750. Last start: WON Feb. 28 GIII Gotham Stakes.

Favored at 0.94-1 in his second career start, Iron Honor pressured a 9-1 pacemaker every step of the trip in last Saturday's GIII Gotham Stakes. The top two peeled off from the pack by open lengths and this Nyquist colt then wrested control in the final sixteenth of the one-turn mile for a 90-Beyer win by one length.

This Chad Brown trainee ($230,000 KEEJAN; $475,000 KEESEP) had previously won a Dec. 13 six-furlong maiden sprint at Aqueduct out of which the second- and third-place finishers both came back to win subsequent starts.

“I like the fact that it was far back to third,” Brown said, noting the 6 1/2-length margin between second-place finisher Crown the Buckeye (Yaupon) and the rest of the field. “Those races typically come back fast, figure-wise. I think the horse that was runner-up was a very stubborn foe and on the improve.”

Brown said after the Gotham that Iron Honor, who had previously shipped south to Payson Park in Florida to start the winter before coming back north for the Gotham, would now remain in New York with the Apr. 4 GII Wood Memorial Stakes as his next target.

“I don't want to ship the horse around too much,” Brown said. “I'll hedge that as bad a winter as we've had in New York, the law of averages will hopefully turn the right way here. I'll leave him with my New York base where he's done most of his training since he arrived into our system. He was there last summer at our Belmont barn training on that training track, so he's very familiar with the surface. He's 2-for-2 on the Aqueduct surface racing, so if he comes out of [the Gotham] healthy, he will train in New York and run in the Wood Memorial.”

Iron Honor | Sarah Andrew

10) CLASS PRESIDENT (c, Uncle Mo–Top Quality, by Quality Road) O-WinStar Farm, LLC, First Go Racing and CHC, Inc.; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. Lifetime record: GSW, 3-2-1-0, $593,700. Last start: WON Mar. 1 GII Rebel Stakes.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Rebel Stakes on three occasions, each time with a colt making his third lifetime start who was not favored.

His other two trainees, Malagacy in 2017 and Magnum Moon in 2018, both next started in the Arkansas Derby (Malagacy was fifth and Magnum Moon won).

Class President, off his 8-1 upset in the Rebel, might be headed elsewhere though, because a higher-ranked Pletcher trainee, Renegade, has been under consideration for the Arkansas Derby for some time now.

This Uncle Mo-sired homebred pressured the pacemaker in the early stages of the Rebel, backed off a beat in the middle stages, seized the lead in upper stretch, then fought off a robust late bid from the more-seasoned runner-up, Silent Tactic, to prevail by a nose before galloping out with decent energy.

Class President broke his maiden in a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Dec. 27, then was second, beaten 3 3/4 lengths, when cutting back to seven furlongs in the Swale Stakes there Jan. 31.

11) REAGAN'S HONOR (c, 3, Honor A. P.–Rutile, by Medaglia d'Oro) O-West Point Thoroughbreds, David Ingordo & Gabriel Duignan; B-David Ingordo & Jerome S Moss (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. Sales history: $140,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime record: 3-2-0-0, $72,300. Last start: WON Feb. 19 Fair Grounds ALW.

When was the last time a Derby candidate beat–let alone even faced-older horses in February?

I'll have to defer to someone with a better memory and/or database than me for that answer. But there's no doubting this Honor A.P. colt uncorked a serious, look-at-me effort (96 Beyer) when splintering a 3-and-up, first-level allowance route by 6 3/4 lengths at Fair Grounds Feb. 19, one full month before his actual third birthdate.

Competing against older males wasn't the first-choice plan for Reagan's Honor. But when a race with similar conditions restricted to sophomores failed to fill at Fair Grounds the weekend before, trainer Cherie DeVaux entered this $140,000 KEESEP colt against older company, with a tradeoff being that Reagan's Honor would get between a three- and eight-pound weight break against five elders.

Jose Ortiz outbroke the field from post two, and Reagan's Honor appeared neither taxed nor pressured in laying down lively quarter-mile splits of :22.94, :23,89, :24.72 and :24.19.

The 11-10 favorite was hand-ridden by Ortiz to the top of the long Fair Grounds home straight, put under some light hustling in upper stretch, and kept to task with occasional stick work while widening his winning margin.

Reagan's Honor finished up with a last half-furlong timed in :6.28 for a final 1 1/16-miles clocking of 1:42.02, just one-hundredth of a second off the track record set by Olympiad in the GIII Mineshaft Stakes exactly four years earlier, on Feb. 19, 2022.

This colt started his career Dec. 20 in a Fair Grounds MSW sprint in which he was fourth, beaten eight lengths at 9-2 odds (69 Beyer). He won his maiden Jan. 17, wiring a 1 1/16-miles field at 7-1 odds (81 Beyer).

Reagan's Honor, a medium-framed colt, is out of a Medaglia d'Oro half-sister to 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo (Holy Bull). He's being pointed for the Apr. 4 GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

Reagan's Honor | Hodges Photography

12) TALKIN (c, Good Magic–Rote, by Tiznow) O- Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Pine Racing Stables, Legendary Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing and Breeding, LLC, and R. A. Hill Stable; B-Fifth Avenue Bloodstock (KY); T-Danny Gargan. Sales history: $600,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime record: GISP, 3-1-1-0, $156,250. Last start: 9th Dec. 6 GII Remsen Stakes.

It's getting a bit deep into the season to be making speculative inclusions within the Top 12 for horses who have yet to start at age 3, but let's close out the column with a mention of Talkin, who is likely to be entered Wednesday for this Saturday's GIII Tampa Bay Derby.

This $600,000 KEESEP trainee from Danny Gargan's barn never fired when ninth in the Remsen Stakes going nine furlongs Dec. 6, a race whose one-two finishers now occupy the Nos. 1 and 4 spots on this list.

Talkin's eye-catching performance from his juvenile season is actually two starts back, when he was the runner-up despite lots of lateral movement and trip trouble in the GI Champagne Stakes.

In that one-turn mile at Aqueduct, Talkin contested the pace outside at the break, angled in leaving the chute, tracked behind horses, then got bumped out to the seven path. He dropped back down to the rail entering the far turn, advanced to fourth at the fence, then shifted outward again to be seven wide off the final turn. He got carried out by a tiring and drifting favorite before earning second under a mild drive behind a 6 1/2-length winner.

Talkin was entered for last Saturday's Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream, but Gargan scratched him with an eye toward Tampa, which is likely to be a softer spot.

The post TDN Derby Top 12: Anyone’s Race Two Months Out appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Multiple Grade I winner Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) has had his first mare confirmed in foal, Lane's End announced Monday afternoon.

Said mare is Cahira's Song (Midshipman), a half-sister to seven other winning siblings, and who hails from the female line of GISP Lucky Lavender Gal (Carson City). The third dam is herself a full-sister to MGSP La Ville Rouge, most famous for her son–GI Kentucky Derby hero Barbaro (Dynaformer). The mare also produced his full-brothers MSW & GSP Margano and SW Lentenor.

Made a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' after his stylish 8 3/4-length win at second-asking in Florida, Carl Spackler was dominant on the turf in his career, and retired with eight wins–three Grade Is, and six graded contests overall–for earnings of nearly $2-million to his credit. Carl Spackler stands for $15,000.

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Among the top trainers on the New York circuit for decades, John Kimmel has announced his retirement. Citing the economic difficulties facing many trainers these days, Kimmel, 71, said he would devote his time to building his business as a bloodstock agent.

Kimmel has been doing double duty over the last three or four years, continuing his training operation while acting as a bloodstock agent to outside clients.

While training full-time, he was known for having a keen eye when it came to picking horses out at the sales, including the many future stars that became part of his stable.

His recent success stories include the purchase of Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie), whom he purchased on behalf of Flanagan Racing for $725,000 at the 2024 OBS Spring Sale. Trained by Chad Brown, Chancer McPatrick won the GI Hopeful Stakes and the GI Champagne Stakes.

“It's been a long time for me, working seven days a week as a trainer,” Kimmel said. “But all during this time, I've always had an affinity for going to the sales. I first started going to the sales with my father when I was in high school. I've developed a very good eye for a horse and what I look for in a horse. Probably the majority of the Grade I and top graded horses I've had are horses that I've purchased for my clientele. I think that's something that I can use. I think people recognize it, but they might be a little reluctant to use me as their bloodstock agent fearing that as a trainer, I might be adversely affecting their clients.

“I've bought horses in the last few years for Linda Rice and Chad Brown. We've had a lot of luck with Chancer McPatrick, who is a multiple Grade I winner. We've also had With the Angels, who just won the Correction, and Hot Currency, two horses we bought for Winning Move Stable. The long and the short of it is, that I think I can bring to the table a wealth of experience that can't be matched by many people that are in the bloodstock industry. I hope I can use that to my advantage and see if I can generate some new business.”

Kimmel said he will be working closely with bloodstock agent Nick Sallusto. Kimmel plans to hit the ground running, saying he will be active at the upcoming OBS March sale.

Though his training business slowed in recent years, Kimmel was a major force in New York throughout the 1990s and the 2000s.

He was introduced to the sport by his father, the owner Caesar Kimmel, but began his path in racing as a veterinarian. He holds a pre-med undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and then graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school in 1980 before starting his training career in 1984. His first winner came at Calder on Oct. 29, 1984 with a horse named Chachi Man.

He has won 1,449 races during his career, and his best year came in 2001 when he won 105 races. He won 89 graded stakes races and trained 10 horses that won Grade I events. His best horse may have been Hidden Lake (Quiet American), who was named Champion Older Female in 1997. She won five graded stakes including the GI Beldame Stakes, the GI Hempstead Handicap and the GI Go for Wand Stakes. Kimmel trained three horses that earned over $1 million, including Bar of Gold (Medgalia d'Oro), who won the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

He was the first trainer of eventual GI Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch. After four starts with Kimmel, the horse was sold privately to Michael Tabor and landed in the barn of D. Wayne Lukas.

Kimmel won six training titles on the NYRA circuit outright, and in 1997 he finished in a tie with Bill Mott for leading trainer at Saratoga with 15 wins at the meet. In 1999, he led all NYRA trainers in the category of money earned.

But as has happened in the era of the “super trainer,” Kimmel, who, for much of his career had a stable that numbered about 44 horses, was having trouble keeping up with his rivals. He won 11 races in 2023, 14 in 2024, and seven in 2025. So far this year, he was winless from seven starts.

“The super-trainer thing has gotten to the point where if you're not on the front pages of every big racing day, it seems like people have a very short memory about what you have accomplished,” Kimmel said. “A lot of the new money that's come into this game may not even know my track record or my past history. The fact is that there is a new business model. With this business model, it is extremely difficult to make ends meet. If you're not making significant money through purses or buying and selling horses, there's no way that you can offset the cost of doing business, particularly in New York. It might be better in some states, like Kentucky, where businesses seems to be doing much better than they are in New York. Here, maintaining a stable and dealing with the labor laws and the costs of the labor to run things the way I like to do it, it just became a very inequitable formula.

“The labor costs, the fee costs, the costs of doing business, just outweigh what you can charge on a day rate. It's absolutely crazy. You could run literally millions of dollars through your training accounts. And at the end of the day, you look at your profit/loss and you're not making any money on your day rate. It's just a losing proposition. That's a reality that most trainers face. I'm sure you've heard the same thing from many trainers.”

Kimmel said he will send out his final starters this weekend at Aqueduct, adding that he currently has just five horses in his stable.

In 2024, Kimmel was featured in a story in the TDN written by Chris McGrath.

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