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Updated: 2 months 2 weeks ago

‘Rising Star’ Patch Adams Scoots Clear In Woody Stephens

Sat, 2025-06-07 18:43

'TDN Rising Star' Patch Adams (Into Mischief) took his record at one-turn trips to three wins from four tries with a clear-cut victory in Saturday's GI Woody Stephens Stakes at a drying-out and freshly harrowed Saratoga Race Course.

Hard-ridden from gate four by Luis Saez, the bay colt took up a prominent early spot as GII Pat Day Mile upsetter Macho Music (Maclean's Music) cut out the fractions in advance of Madaket Road (Quality Road) down the backstretch. Under constant urging as longshot T Kraft (Connect) went through underneath him in third, Patch Adams was off the bridle to pick up as Macho Music and Madaket Road continued to lock horns on the pointy end.

Back into the bit passing the quarter pole, Patch Adams loomed up three off the inside under a full head of steam in upper stretch, took command with about a furlong to travel and came away late to take it by 2 1/4 convincing lengths as the lukewarm 17-5 favorite. Fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Big Truzz (Justify), in a bit of traffic at the half-mile marker, came on late to take third ahead of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Eclipse Award winner Citizen Bull (Into Mischief).

A debut third as odds-on at Keeneland last October, Patch Adams was accorded 'Rising Star' honors when decimating a field of Churchill maidens by better than 10 lengths, earning a 98 Beyer that was 10 points higher than that achieved by First Resort (Uncle Mo) in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes later in the program, albeit over a sprint trip. That effort suggested that the sky was the limit, but after fourth-place efforts as the favorite in the GIII Southwest Stakes and GIII Tampa Bay Derby going long, he was cut back to a 6 1/2-furlong allowance on the Derby undercard May 3 and he responded with a handy 2 1/4-length defeat of Big Truzz.

“We tried to mess it up by trying to run him long a couple of times, but you always try for that and you have to realize where your success lays,” said WinStar President, CEO and Racing Manager Elliott Walden. “He showed that he's a seven-furlong horse the day he broke his maiden and has been telling us what he wants to do.”

While trainer Brad Cox was less willing to commit, Walden indicated a return to Saratoga for the GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes in August was probable for Patch Adams.

Pedigree Notes:

Patch Adams is the 25th top-level winner for his sire and his fifth out of a mare by WinStar's legendary and much-missed Distorted Humor, including 'Rising Star' and current WinStar stallion Life Is Good, Jerkens-winning sire Practical Joke, the aforementioned Citizen Bull and this year's GI Curlin Florida Derby hero Tappan Street. Goldencents is out of a mare by Banker's Gold, like Distorted Humor a son of Forty Niner.

WinStar purchased Patch Adams's stakes-winning third dam for $150,000 in foal to Awesome Again at Keeneland November in 2001 and bred eight winners from her, including G1 Dubai World Cup hero Well Armed (Tiznow); Grade III winner Witty (Distorted Humor)–the dam of GSW Bombard (War Front)–and the dam of GI La Troienne Stakes heroine Played Hard (Into Mischief).

Well Armed's full-sister Life Well Lived was represented as recently as Friday by GIII Belmont Gold Cup winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Parchment Party (Constitution), and she is also the dam of GISW and Japanese-based sire American Patriot (War Front) and MGSP Muqtaser, a full-brother to Well Humored. Once sold to Bobby Flay for $1.25 million at Keeneland November in 2017, Life Well Lived was purchased by Machmer Hall for $360,000 the same day Parchment Party was named a 'Rising Star' at KEENOV in 2023 and delivered a full-brother to that Pin Oak-owned runner last season.

The last listed produce from Well Humored is Patch Adams's 2-year-old full-brother Wall Street, who breezed a half-mile at Churchill Downs in :50 flat on June 6.

 

PATCH ADAMS gets his first stakes win in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens pres. by @MoheganSun with Luis Saez aboard for trainer @bradcoxracing. pic.twitter.com/YsKqEbMRdZ

— Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) June 7, 2025

Saturday, Saratoga
WOODY STEPHENS S. PRESENTED BY MOHEGAN SUN-GI, $500,000, Saratoga, 6-7, 3yo, 7f, 1:21.36, my.
1–PATCH ADAMS, 118, c, 3, by Into Mischief
            1st Dam: Well Humored (SW), by Distorted Humor
            2nd Dam: Life Well Lived, by Tiznow
            3rd Dam: Well Dressed, by Notebook
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O-CHC, Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC;
B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Luis Saez. $275,000.
Lifetime Record: 6-3-0-1, $497,585. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Madaket Road, 118, c, 3, Quality Road–Frolic's Dream,
by Smoke Glacken. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($650,000 Ylg '23
FTSAUG). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables
LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson,
Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan;
B-SF Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $100,000.
3–Big Truzz, 118, c, 3, Justify–Saralin, by Curlin. 1ST BLACK
TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE.
($300,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star' O-Flying Dutchmen;
B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt & Kaleen Shah Inc. (KY); T-Brian
Lynch. $60,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 3 1/4, NK. Odds: 3.40, 11.10, 7.90.
Also Ran: Citizen Bull, T Kraft, Gate to Wire, Chancer McPatrick-(DH), Macho Music-(DH), Neoequos, Gunmetal. Scratched: Colloquial.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post ‘Rising Star’ Patch Adams Scoots Clear In Woody Stephens appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

All the Rage: Raging Torrent a Front-Running, Upset Winner of the Met Mile

Sat, 2025-06-07 16:38

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Raging Torrent (Maximus Mischief) continued his ascent with a powerful, 2 1/2-length victory over heavily favored 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) in the 'Win and You're In' GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga. Just a Touch (Justify) held third over second-choice White Abarrio (Race Day).

“(Winning the Met Mile) is something that I never dreamt of just because it seems so far-fetched, but a horse like Raging Torrent is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime kind of horse,” winning trainer Doug O'Neill said. “He's got speed. He's got stamina. He's got class. He has no problem shipping and it's just a wonderful feeling.”

Overlooked at odds of 8-1 following wins in the GI Malibu S. at Santa Anita Dec. 26 and the G2 Godolphin Mile at Meydan Apr. 5, the Yuesheng Zhang and Craig Dado colorbearer cleared the field of five from his outside draw beneath Frankie Dettori over the sloppy and sealed going.

He showed the way through fractions of :23.92 and :46.86 with 3-4 choice Fierceness, a last-out winner of the GII Alysheba S. in track-record time at Churchill Downs, in hot pursuit in second after brushing with White Abarrio at the start exiting from his rail draw.

Fierceness drew up alongside Raging Torrent approaching the quarter pole and it looked like a two-horse race from there with the former appearing to be going the better of the two.

Raging Torrent still had plenty left in the tank, however, and turned back Fierceness to win going away for his third straight victory.

Raging Torrent, a game winner of Del Mar's GII Pat O'Brien S. last summer, had a three-race winning streak snapped when seventh in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint last fall.

“He's been in great form,” O'Neill said. “We intentionally gave him that time off after the Malibu and were shooting for the Godolphin Mile after that. Usually when you make a plan, God laughs, especially in this business, but Raging Torrent is just one of those unique horses who you can make a plan (for) and he comes through and does it. Incredible.”

O'Neill added, “If he comes out of it good, the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile will be a logical goal and maybe a race between now and then. The plan is to take him to California on Tuesday and play it by ear.”

Fierceness, previously three-for-three at the Spa, led by a heart-stopping win in last summer's GI Travers S., will be pointed for the GI Whitney S. at Saratoga Aug. 2, per trainer Todd Pletcher.

“Actually, Johnny (Velazquez) said he broke so sharply he kind of hit the gate and came back with some blood on his mouth,” Pletcher said. “Then the first sixteenth of a mile was pretty rough. They were bouncing around trying to get position. After that he got into the exact position that we wanted, he just couldn't get by the horse on the lead.”

Pedigree Notes:

Raging Torrent is one of three graded winners and the lone top-level winner for Maximus Mischief, a Spendthrift-based son of Into Mischief. He is the only starter from his winning dam Violent Wave (Violence), who was claimed by Equinox, Inc. for just $6,250 out of her career finale at Gulfstream Park in 2018.

Violent Wave, a $150,000 KEESEP yearling and a half-sister to GSW The Nth Degree (Distorted Humor), was offered with Raging Torrent in utero at the 2021 Keeneland January Sale, but was led out unsold on a bid of $27,000. Raging Torrent was himself bought back for the same price by breeders Rodney Winkler and Alfonso Mazzetti at Keeneland September in 2022, and it was Mark Davis's name (Steve Rothblum, agent) on the ticket when he fetched $75,000 at the 2023 OBS April Sale (:10).

The first daughter of Violence to produce a Grade I winner, Violent Wave is also the dam of the unraced 3-year-old colt Contra Mundum (Honor A.P.), a $55,000 RNA at KEESEP in 2023, and the 2-year-old filly Layan (Collected), a $47,000 KEENOV weanling.

Violent Wave was bought back for $575,000 in foal to Up to the Mark at the 2024 KEENOV sale.

That's three straight graded stakes wins for RAGING TORRENT as he wins the Grade 1 @HillnDaleFarm Metropolitan Handicap with @FrankieDettori up for trainer @DougONeill1! pic.twitter.com/ys0lQTtDKd

— Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) June 7, 2025

Saturday, Saratoga
HILL 'N' DALE METROPOLITAN H.-GI, $970,000, Saratoga, 6-7, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:35.89, sy.
1–RAGING TORRENT, 123, c, 4, by Maximus Mischief
              1st Dam: Violent Wave, by Violence
              2nd Dam: Coastal Wave, by Dixieland Band
              3rd Dam: Orange Wave, by Coastal
($27,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP; $75,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR).
O-Yuesheng Zhang and Craig Dado; B-Rodney J. Winkler &
Alfonso Mazzetti (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill; J-Lanfranco Dettori.
$550,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-UAE, 14-7-1-2, $1,797,400.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free
Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Fierceness, 125, c, 4, City of Light–Nonna Bella, by Stay
Thirsty. O-Derrick Smith, Repole Stable, Michael B. Tabor,
and Mrs. John Magnier; B-Repole Stable, Inc. (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher. $200,000. 'TDN Rising Star'
3–Just a Touch, 119, c, 4, Justify–Touching Beauty, by Tapit.
($170,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP; $125,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT;
$300,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). O-Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing
and Marc Detampel; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Brad
Cox. $120,000.
Margins: 2HF, 2 1/4, HF. Odds: 8.00, 0.75, 3.70.
Also Ran: White Abarrio, Castle Chaos.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post All the Rage: Raging Torrent a Front-Running, Upset Winner of the Met Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Book’em Danno Rebounds Over Mullikin In True North

Sat, 2025-06-07 15:44

Winner of last year's GI Woody Stephens Stakes on this program and very game third in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes, Book'em Danno (Bucchero) made the most of his third trip to Saratoga with a stalk and grind-it-out defeat of fellow elite-level winner Mullikin (Violence) in a high-class renewal of the GIII True North Stakes Saturday afternoon.

The 23-10 second choice–about $5,000 behind favored Nakatomi (Firing Line), Book'em Danno left gate five without incident and was content to lay third through the opening exchanges, as Concrete Glory (Bodemeister) set a good pace in advance of Mullikin. The latter made his move early beneath Flavien Prat to claw his way to the front at about the midway point of the turn, but Paco Lopez had the move covered atop the New Jersey-bred Book'em Danno, and the two began to put a gap on their rivals nearing the stretch.

Despite the demanding pace–the half was a taxing :44.72 over the rain-affected going–Mullikin had a kick and remained in front, albeit narrowly, with a furlong to race. But Book'em Danno, who typically saves his best for a finish, wore his rival down late to take it by 1 1/4 lengths. Nakatomi, last year's GI A. G. Vanderbilt Handicap winner and a near-miss runner-up in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen when last seen Apr. 5, bombed the start and rushed up beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr., but never factored thereafter, finishing fifth.

“He's had some bad luck in his races where he got beat a head and a neck, but I really wasn't afraid of anybody today,” said winning trainer Derek Ryan. “The six [furlongs] is a little short for him; six and a half, seven is his trip. [Jockey] Paco [Lopez] gave him a great ride. He loves to be on the outside. I've been preaching that for the last year, and I finally got someone who will do it for me. So, I was very happy. I said, 'Sit third, but make sure you're on the outside.'”

“He'll run on anything. Good horses, they said they'll run on a tin roof. He's just a good horse,” Ryan added.

The unlucky runner-up in the GIII Perryville Stakes at Keeneland last October, Book'em Danno was arguably over the top when a slightly hampered fifth in the GII Cigar Mile Handicap Dec. 7 and connections called time on a season during which he bankrolled better than $800,000. After being ruled out of trips to Saudi Arabia and Dubai in February and March, Book'em Danno resumed in a $150,000 overnight handicap on Virginia Derby weekend, but when just two horses took him on, it meant that he had to be ridden atypically on top of the speed, and he left there knowing he'd had a race, covering the seven furlongs in 1:20.03. Part of that incredibly deep field for the GI Churchill Downs Stakes May 3, Book'em Danno was awkward for a stride or two in upper stretch, led between calls in deep stretch and settled for fourth, beaten a neck for all of it behind 'TDN Rising Star' Mindframe (Constitution).

Pedigree Notes:

Book'em Danno is thus far the most decorated performer for his sire, who covered his first book of mares in New York in 2024 and now anchors the fledgling stallion operation at Ironhorse Stallions in Stillwater, about 20 miles south and east of Saratoga. Bucchero covered in excess of 185 mares this season.

Breeder Greg Kilka purchased the unraced Adorabella for $14,000 in foal to Fast Anna at the 2020 Keeneland January Sale, and that foal, Girl Trouble, did her part in improving the page with a pair of juvenile stakes scores in 2022. When factoring in Book'em Danno's emergence in late 2023, the family became even more valuable, as the mare's then-yearling colt by Classic Empire topped the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October sale on LC Racing's bid of $135,000. That same operation added Adorabella to the fold when paying $550,000 for the mare in foal to Medaglia d'Oro after she was supplemented to the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Adorabella subsequently aborted that foal. Adorabella returned to the Darley superstar and produced a colt this past Apr. 1.

The stakes-placed second dam produced snythetic stakes winner Alydiva (Quality Road) and she is a daughter of Esprit d'Escalier, the dam of GSW & MGISP Gastronomical (Sunshine Forever). Alydorable was purchased by Thomas & Mitchell Bloodstock for $5,000 at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale and foaled a filly by Sir Winston last May before being covered by Bucchero.

 

Book'em Danno (2-1) wins the G3 True North by 11/4 lengths for trainer Derek Ryan and @pacolopez. 8th win in 14 starts for NJ-bred; race was a Win and You're In for @BreedersCup Sprint at Del Mar. 5-6-2-8 pic.twitter.com/BMCwBHtxyZ

— Tim Wilkin (@tjwilkin) June 7, 2025

Saturday, Saratoga
TRUE NORTH S.-GIII, $400,000, Saratoga, 6-7, 4yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:14.64, sy.
1–BOOK'EM DANNO, 124, g, 4, by Bucchero
              1st Dam: Adorabella, by Ghostzapper
              2nd Dam: Alydorable, by Arch
              3rd Dam: Esprit d'Escalier, by Diesis (GB)
($475,000 RNA 3yo '24 KEECHA). O-Atlantic Six Racing, LLC;
B-Gregory J Kilka & Bright View Farm (NJ); T-Derek S. Ryan;
J-Paco Lopez. $220,000. Lifetime Record: GISW-U.S., GSP-
KSA, 14-8-3-1, $1,360,425. *1/2 to Girl Trouble (Fast Anna),
MSW, $288,540. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free
Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mullikin, 124, h, 5, Violence–Tulira's Star, by Congrats.
($500,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-WinStar Farm LLC; B-Fred W.
Hertrich III & John D. Fielding (KY); T-Rodolphe Brisset.
$80,000.
3–Crazy Mason, 122, c, 4, Coal Front–Izshelegal, by Maria's
Mon. ($20,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $27,500 Ylg '22 EASOCT).
O-Donna Wright and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing;
B-Gmbracstables LLC, Mr. & Mrs. Ramon Rangel & Mr. &
Mrs. Zachary Madden (KY); T-Gregory D. Sacco. $48,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 2 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.30, 2.85, 6.30.
Also Ran: Nutella Fella, Nakatomi, Surveillance, Concrete Glory. Scratched: Full Moon Madness.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Celebration Of Life Set For Kathy Walsh

Sat, 2025-06-07 15:03

Kathy Walsh, the former trainer who died last month at age 85, will be honored with a 'Celebration of Life' Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. in the 100-1 room at Santa Anita. In addition, the fifth race is named in Walsh's honor.

The reception at the 100-1 includes a cash bar and free appetizers compliments of Santa Anita. All are welcome to attend.

Walsh was a trainer from 1970 until her retirement in 2021. She won 1,232 races and earned training titles at Longacres in Washington state and Canterbury Downs in Minnesota. In 2009, Walsh was inducted into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame.

Walsh's top performers included Grade I winners Georgie Boy and Nany's Sweep, as well as graded stakes winner Devious Boy and Hanuman Highway, who in 1998 finished seventh in the 1998 Kentucky Derby behind winner Real Quiet.

The post Celebration Of Life Set For Kathy Walsh appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Final Gambit In a Starring Role in Matt Winn

Sat, 2025-06-07 14:43

One of the pieces to the handicapping puzzle that was this year's GI Kentucky Derby was just how Juddmonte Farm's Final Gambit (Not This Time) would handle a conventional dirt surface, having raced only on turf and synthetic tracks in his four starts prior to that.

The homebred had punched his ticket to the Run for the Roses when exploding through the lane to dominate the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks Mar. 22, and he answered the surface question when making up a stack of ground–albeit behind a strong tempo–to round out the superfecta while finishing just over four lengths behind Sovereignty (Into Mischief). A 17-1 chance five weeks and a day ago, Final Gambit will be a fraction of that price against a maximum of six rivals in Sunday's GIII Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs. The rail-drawn Gaming (Game Winner) will scratch in favor of Sunday's Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita, trainer Bob Baffert told the TDN's Sue Finley on Saturday.

“He came out of the Derby in really good shape and we were proud of his effort that day,” trainer Brad Cox told the Churchill Downs media office. “We targeted this race to give him another opportunity on dirt without shipping somewhere. He worked three times since the Derby and I thought each one was solid leading into this race.”

Cox said Saturday that Flavien Prat is scheduled to retain the mount despite being named on horses in the postponed GI Manhattan Stakes and GI Jaipur Stakes.

Final Gambit is joined in the field by four other Derby alumnus, including 'TDN Rising Star' East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro). Eighth after failing to find the front on Derby Day, the Godolphin homebred figures to have an easier time getting to the lead from the outside gate on Sunday in a field void of early speed.

Burnham Square (Liam's Map) was up on the wire to defeat East Avenue in the GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes on Apr. 8 and turned in a mostly even effort in the Derby, enduring a bit of bumper cars a half-mile from home before passing tiring rivals into sixth.

Coal Battle (Coal Front), upset winner of the GII Rebel Stakes, was a mid-pack 11th in the Derby, while Chunk of Gold (Preservationist), a longshot second in the GII Risen Star Stakes and GII Louisiana Derby, exits a ninth.

The Matt Winn sextet is completed by Just a Fair Shake (Laoban), the distant runner-up to Belmont Stakes participant Crudo (Justify) in the May 17 Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico.

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NJ Commissioner And Breeder/Owner Buddy Keegan Dies At 86

Sat, 2025-06-07 13:22

Francis X. “Buddy” Keegan, Jr., a New Jersey Racing Commissioner since 2006 and a breeder/owner who raced horses in the state since 1963, passed away on Thursday, June 5.

He was 86.

In addition to being a long-serving commissioner on the New Jersey Racing Commission, Keegan was president of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Breeders' Association, president of the New Jersey Horsemen's Association and was a patron of Monmouth Hunt.

Keegan was also a member of the Thoroughbred Club of America, the Green Mountain Horse Association and the National Hunt Association.

A graduate of Seton Hall, Keegan also attended Fordham Law School. He served in the infantry in the U.S. Army and retired after 51 years as Wealth Management Adviser and First Vice President of Investment with USB Financial Services.

The resident of Spring Lake, New Jersey is survived by his son, Mickey.

A viewing will take place Monday, June 16, at the O'Brien Funeral Home in Wall Township, New Jersey from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

Keegan will be celebrated during a mass on Tuesday, June 17, at St. Catharine's Church in Spring Lake at 10 a.m. ET. Burial will follow at St. Catharine's at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Repast will be at 12:30 p.m. ET. at the Spring Lake Golf Club.

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Stars and Strides Game In Maiden Upset Win At Saratoga

Sat, 2025-06-07 12:13

2nd-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 6-7, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:23.66, sy, head.
STARS AND STRIDES (c, 3, American Pharoah–Holiday Blues, by Ghostzapper), a first-time starter tackling several more experienced rivals here, went off at 8-1 and opted to rate mid pack as longshot Henry's Hope (Maclean's Music) set a contested tempo with 3-5 race favorite Mainstream (Speightstown) sitting second. Beginning to pick up the bridle midway around the turn, Stars and Strides dove inside at the quarter pole under Junior Alvarado to engage Mainsteam who took over the front momentarily. The pair dueled into the final furlong with Stars and Strides gutsy even in a tight spot against the fence and the race favorite refusing to yield outside even as contact was made close to the wire. The stewards took a look at the stretch run but ultimately made no change leaving Stars and Strides the winner by a head with a further 6 1/2 lengths back to Secured Lender (Omaha Beach) in third. Holiday Blues, who produced Panther Island (Speightstown), SW, $254,120 as her first foal and is a half-sister to MSW/GISP Wine Police (Speightstown), went through the ring this year at KEEJAN in foal to Arcangelo on a final bid of $210,000 to Maytime Bloodstock. Her 2-year-old Frosted filly brought $220,000 at KEESEP last year while her yearling Maxfield colt sold for $100,000 at KEENOV. She reported an Arcangelo filly this spring. Sales History: $160,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $475,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $55,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Pin Oak Stud LLC; B-Four Pillars Holdings LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott.

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Friday Live Racing Cancelled At Woodbine Due To Poor Air Quality

Fri, 2025-06-06 12:32

Woodbine cancelled its Friday races due to poor air quality from wildfires in the area, the racetrack said in a press release.

Environment Canada's air quality index for Toronto was listed as 'High Risk' Friday and was expected to remain at that level throughout the day. As of Thursday, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center said 201 fires were burning in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, with half of them considered “out of control.”

Woodbine Entertainment's decision to cancel came through consultation with the HBPA and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and was consistent with the AGCO's air quality guidelines.

According to the Woodbine release, the cancellation “was made in the best interests of the health and safety of the horses and racing participants.”

The track will continue to monitor the situation into the weekend and provide updates as required.

10 races are scheduled for Saturday with first post at 1:05 p.m. ET.

 

BREAKING: Today's card of live racing @WoodbineTB has been CANCELLED due to poor air quality.

Woodbine's decision to cancel comes through consultation with the HBPA and is consistent with the AGCO's air quality guidelines.

Live Racing is scheduled to resume tomorrow.

— Woodbine Communications (@WoodbineComms) June 6, 2025

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Belmont Stakes Notebook: Everything Working Out Just Fine for Jockey Smith

Thu, 2025-06-05 17:15

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When the phone rang, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith was on the other end.

“I'm on the treadmill,” Smith said.

Of course he was.

Smith, who will ride 'TDN Rising Star' Rodriguez (Authentic) in Saturday's $2-million GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, has always been obsessed with working out. And, as he closes in on his 59th birthday (Aug. 10), he has no intentions of pulling the plug on his two-hour, five-day-a week workout schedule.

Nor are there any plans to hang up his goggles. A 43-year-career, which has produced 5,780 wins, is not ending any time soon.

“I feel too good,” Smith said. “If I start feeling like I am getting in the way, that's a different story. I don't feel like I am getting in the way. I have a lot of experience, my core is strong, my legs are strong. My weight is good, and I can tack anywhere from 118 to 120 and do it naturally. Why would I stop now? And do what? Whatever I do after this, I can do another four years from now.”

If Smith and Rodriguez get to the finish line first in the Belmont, the rider would become the oldest jockey to ever win a Triple Crown race. Bill Shoemaker was 54 when he won the 1986 GI Kentucky Derby aboard Ferdinand (Nijinsky II).

Smith doesn't ride as many horses a day as he used to, but that is by design.

He wants to ride in the big races; he wants the best opportunities. He flew cross-country from California and was expected to be in town Thursday (naturally, he said he would get a run in once he got here).

Smith has two mounts on Belmont Day. He will also ride Baffert's Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), last year's 2-year-old champion, in the GI Woody Stephens Stakes.

“I don't worry about him,” Baffert said. “He is a pro, Big Money Mike. When I put him on a horse, I know he is going to fit him really well. He was perfect for Rodriguez. Mike is just in unbelievable physical shape.”

Citizen Bull | Sarah Andrew

Smith and Baffert have a history. In 2018, they teamed up to win the Triple Crown with Justify (Scat Daddy). According to Equibase, Smith has ridden for Baffert 607 times and has 163 wins; in stakes races, they have 93 wins in 316 starts together.

Smith rode Rodriguez when he overwhelmed nine others winning the April 5 GII Wood Memorial at Aqueduct by 3 1/2 lengths. He hasn't run since as he missed the Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness Stakes with a foot bruise.

Expect Smith to put Rodriguez where he'll be most comfortable in the 1 1/4-mile Belmont. On the lead.

“I will let him be who he is and get happy and get in a happy rhythm,” Smith said. “I'm not looking to steal the race in a 25 (second quarter mile), 50 (half mile). Hopefully, he is good enough to hold them off. He held that last group off (in the Wood), let's see if he can hold this group off. There are a couple in there who have already proved who they are. We have a ways to go to prove we are as good as they are.”

Heart of Honor Looking for Better Showing in Belmont

Jamie Osborne, the trainer of Belmont Stakes contender Heart of Honor (GB) (Honor A. P.) wasn't going to lie. When the Preakness started on May 17, his, pardon the pun, heart sank.

“I wanted to dig a hole and jump into it,” Osborne said outside the Stakes Barn at Saratoga Race Course Thursday morning. “I wanted to crawl under a bush.”

That's because his horse, fractious at the gate, got off to a slow start and was never a factor in the Preakness. Only a mild late rally got him a fifth-place finish in the field of nine. He finished 8 3/4 lengths behind Journalism (Curlin) in Baltimore.

Heart of Honor's flop in the Preakness came after five starts in Dubai and one in Great Britain (two wins, four seconds). Osborne, who won a steeplechase race here 27 years ago as a jockey, is making his first trip back to the Spa since then.

There is not much faith given to his horse, owned by Jim and Claire Bryce (Jim and Claire Limited). He was given morning-line odds of 30-1 by New York Racing Association oddsmaker David Aragona.

“Look, you can only deal with the facts that are staring you in the face,” Osborne, who is based in England, said when asked if his horse is not getting any respect. “I would just like to see him get a shot at it and not give himself such a big disadvantage early on.”

Then, after a pause and a smile, he said, “he is not as slow as he looks.”

Heart of Honor | Sarah Andrew

Thursday, Heart of Honor visited the track with Osborne's 23-year-old daughter, Saffie, in the saddle. She will ride the colt in the Belmont.

Heart of Honor has been spending plenty of time standing in the starting gate with the hopes he will be relaxed in the Belmont. That was the exercise that was repeated on Thursday.

“He has a fairly decent cruising speed, but he will only use that cruising speed if he is not getting a massive sandstorm in his face,” Jamie Osborne said about the kickback his horse got in the Preakness. “Hopefully, he won't be on the back foot, and he'll be able to sit somewhere in touch of the leaders.”

Osborne, who has been training since 1999, has had success in the U.S. before. He trained Toast of New York (Thewayyouare) to a second-place finish in the 2014 GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

He knows how much of a chore is in front of Heart of Honor in the Belmont.

“At this level, against these sorts of horses, we need everything to go right,” he said. “If any tiny thing goes wrong, we understand we have a mountain to climb on Saturday. But it's a horse race. Strange things can happen. I kind of figure we've got nothing to lose by rolling the Belmont dice as we are here.”

No Pressure on Cox as Good Cheer Eyes Eighth Straight

Trainer Brad Cox sat in a golf cart outside his barn office at the Oklahoma Training Track on a steamy Thursday morning. If he was feeling the heat, he sure wasn't showing it.

Late Friday afternoon, Cox's star 3-year-old filly Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) will put her seven-race win streak on the line when she goes to the post as the 1-2 morning-line favorite in the GI Acorn Stakes. Cox wasn't sweating bullets over this, either.

“I feel more confidence than I do pressure, if that makes any sense,” Cox said.

Good Cheer | Sarah Andrew

Good Cheer is squarely at the top of the 3-year-old filly rankings, especially after a punctuating 2 1/4-length win in the prestigious GI Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs May 2. That was her first Grade I win after three straight Grade II scores.

When Cox brings Good Cheer and jockey Luis Saez to the races for Godolphin LLC, he expects good things. So far, so good. When Godolphin first sent her to Cox, he wasn't blown away. There was no way he could have thought after seven starts she would have seven wins.

“I don't know if you can ever expect this from any horse that continues to win race after race,” Cox said. “We thought she was good; did we think she was this good? I have had enough horses at this point of my career that they have to prove it to you.”

Good Cheer is part of a stable of riches that Cox has regarding 3-year-old fillies.

Immersive (Nyquist), last year's champion 2-year-old filly, won all four of her starts in 2024 and is set to make her seasonal debut in the Monomoy Girl Stakes at Churchill on June 14.

He also has Margie's Intention (Honor A.P.), the winner of the GII Black Eyed Susan Stakes. Cox said she could show up next in the GIII Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park, also on June 14.

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Mythical Romps Over The Boys In The Tremont

Thu, 2025-06-05 12:50

Opting to face the boys instead of taking a chance with a speed-laden Astoria Stakes later in the card, the connections of Mythical chose wisely as the filly remained undefeated with a victory in Thursday's Tremont Stakes at Saratoga.

Wasting no time going to the front, Mythical rolled through an opening quarter in a crisp :22.2 with Mercilesanihilator (Audible) and favored Blinging It Back in hot pursuit. Still clear turning for home, the filly kept finding more to kept the favorite at bay, winning by a geared-down 3 1/2 lengths.

“This was the plan from the very beginning,” said winning jockey Emisael Jaramillo. “The idea was to take the lead and go all the way. These horses are just learning to run, so the horse that takes the lead usually is the one that gets the win.”

He continued, “She stumbled just a little bit at the break, but she recovered herself very easily and took the lead right away. She was moving perfectly. In the stretch I hit her twice just as a way of learning to race. All the way around she felt like a winner.”

In her career unveiling, the Florida-bred employed similar tactics, wiring a field of nine others by 8 1/2 lengths.

“It was actually an owner's decision [to run in this race],” said winning trainer Jorge Delgado. “Entry day, they were looking at what was a better spot [versus facing fillies in the Astoria]. They figured that this filly has tons of speed, there was a little more speed in the filly race. We wouldn't run away from anybody, but we wanted to find the easier spot for the way she runs and to develop that speed.”

The filly has been posting her most recent works at Monmouth Park, where Delgado set up shop for the first time this season.

“She does that [show speed] in the morning which is scary,” he said. “She does really well every breeze. She just wants to run. She is born to be a runner. Once she hears the bell, she wants to go.”

Asked if another date with the colts is in the cards for the speedy filly, Delgado explained, “We'll see when the time comes. I will discuss with the owners. Most likely, probably, sticking with the boys was a one-time thing [laughs]. We will probably go with girls, and decide with the owners. We are very happy she won and we'll enjoy this win.”

Out of GSW Dat You Miz Blue, Lailoni produced a Noble Bird colt last term and was bred back to Colonelsdarktemper.

Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

TREMONT S., $145,500, Saratoga, 6-5, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:03.57, ft.
1–MYTHICAL, 119, f, 2, by St Patrick's Day
1st Dam: Lailoni, by Brethren
2nd Dam: Dat You Miz Blue, by Cure the Blues
3rd Dam: Emma Loves Marie, by Wild Again
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Arindel (FL); T-Jorge Delgado;
J-Emisael Jaramillo. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0,
$132,500.
2–Blinging It Back, 120, c, 2, Volatile–Ima Three Blinger, by
Too Much Bling. ($80,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-Barber, Gary and Deutsch, Peter; B-Forever Spring Farm
(KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $30,000.
3–Romeo, 122, c, 2, Honor A. P.–Fancy Love, by Not For Love.
($14,000 RNA Ylg '24 EASOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Joseph
Lloyd; B-John C. Davison (MD); T-John J. Robb. $18,000.
Margins: 3HF, 7 3/4, NK. Odds: 1.85, 1.10, 3.95.
Also Ran: Baytown Dreamer, Mercilesanihilator.

 

MYTHICAL with an impressive victory in the Tremont Stakes to kick things off on Day 2 of the @BelmontStakes Racing Festival.

The daughter of St Patrick's Day broke on top and never looked back wiring the field for trainer Jorge Delgado and jockey Emisael Jaramillo. pic.twitter.com/UHzSV5h5nN

— NYRA Bets (@NYRABets) June 5, 2025

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May Economic Indicators: Wagering Up Over More Race Days

Thu, 2025-06-05 12:29

The number of race days was higher and so was wagering compared to a year ago in May, according to information released by Equibase on Thursday.

Total wagering of $1,445,615,184 on races during the month represented a 2.97% increase over the same period from 2024, while available purses of over $122 million were lower by 1.56%. The figure of over $118 million for paid purses in May was also down by 1.45%. As for the total number of race days, they increased from 359 to 365 (+1.67%) and the number of U.S. races was lower from 2,958 in May 2024 to last month's tally of 2,933 (-0.85%).

Average field size in May was down a tick from over a year ago when it was 7.10, and checked in at an average of 7.09 runners, a slight decrease of 0.14%. Average daily wagering increased by 1.28% to $3,960,590, but the average available purse number per race day was down 3.18% to $336,247 from the figure of $347,292 in 2024.

When it comes to the year-to-date figures, through May of 2024 wagering on U.S. races came in at $4.920 billion, while this year the amount is $4.829 billion (-1.85%). Those numbers include worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.

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Fair Hill Training Center to Upgrade Tapeta Surface

Thu, 2025-06-05 11:24

Maryland's Fair Hill Training Center will replace its seven-furlong Tapeta Footings track this summer, an upgrade from one of the synthetic surface's earliest installations to the company's newest iteration Tapeta 13.

Work is slated to begin in mid-July and take approximately six weeks, depending on weather and other factors. Fair Hill, home to approximately 700 Thoroughbred racehorses in 18 privately owned barns, was founded in 1983 with a seven-furlong wood-chip track and upgraded to include a one-mile dirt track shortly thereafter.

The wood chips were replaced 19 years ago with Tapeta, a synthetic training surface consisting of silica sand, wax and fibers created by former trainer Michael Dickinson, who established Tapeta Footings in 2005.

Funds acquired via condominium fees, state grants and a business loan will pay for the project.

“It's been a 2 1/2-year project,” said Buddy Jones, co-owner of two barns on the property and spearheaded the funding effort. “A lot of people did a lot of work to get here, and we're excited about the future. Fair Hill has a big economic impact in Cecil County and the state, and that was an important point to keep in mind. We're grateful to the barn owners, the state of Maryland, Tapeta Footings and everyone who helped make this a reality.”

Construction steps will include removal of the existing footing, a thorough examination of and repairs to the porous asphalt base, blending of the new material on site and finally installation of the new surface on the same footprint inside the dirt oval. Unlike the nearly black Tapeta 1, the new version is lighter in color and does not use rubber as part of the formula.

“The Tapeta has held up well and we've been pleased with it, but we felt it was time to replace it,” said trainer Graham Motion, a Fair Hill barn owner and a member of the association board. “We breezed a lot of good horses on that track. We're excited about it. It will be one more piece to training at Fair Hill.”

The Tapeta replacement also comes with the recent re-opening of the Fair Hill turf course for training on state-owned property adjacent to the training center. The one-mile course, rebuilt and redesigned in 2019-20.

“I think it's spectacular,” Motion said of the turf. “It will be great to have it when we're replacing the Tapeta, but I think it's genuinely exciting for Fair Hill as a whole. To add access to that to everything else here is great. It's already a great place to train horses and it's getting better.”

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261 Yearlings on Offer, Catalogue for The July Sale Available Online

Thu, 2025-06-05 10:32

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 261 selected yearlings for The July Sale, to be held Tuesday, July 8, at Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. The sale will begin at 10 AM. To view the catalog, click here.

“We are excited to lead off yearling sales season with a quality catalogue of precocious, selected yearlings,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “July continues to be at the top of all major North American yearling sales in a variety of performance statistics. It's a sale all yearling buyers need to focus on or risk missing major opportunities.”

The sale's graduates include Chancer McPatrick, winner of last year's GI Hopeful S. and GI Champagne S. and Carson's Run, who captured last year's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. The sale is also responsible for GSWs Black Forza, Chop Chop, Federal Judge, Maysam, Non Compliant, Shisospicy, Taking Candy and Three Technique.

The sale opens with the Freshman Sire Showcase (Hips 1-93), highlighting the offspring of first-crop yearling sires.

This year's first-crop roster include Mystic Guide, Cyberknife, Early Voting, Happy Saver, Drain the Clock, Nashville, Pinehurst, Mo Donegal, Greatest Honour, Mandaloun, Jackie's Warrior, Golden Pal, Epicenter, Olympiad, Highly Motivated, Idol, Jack Christopher, Aloha West, Corniche and Speaker's Corner.

“This year's crop of Freshman sires is a very exciting group, and they are well represented by some outstanding individuals in July,” noted Browning. “There is also a great mix of proven sires as well, making this a very attractive catalogue.”

Nominations are also now open for the July Selected Horses of Racing Age sale, which will be held immediately following the conclusion of the yearling sale, Tuesday, July 8. Fasig-Tipton will accept nominations up until sale time; however, to be included in the catalogue's initial release, entries should be finalized by June 13.

The July Sale catalogue will also be available via the Equineline sales catalogue app. Print catalogues will be available by June 9.

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Colloquial Out of Woody Stephens

Thu, 2025-06-05 10:22

'TDN Rising Star' Colloquial (Vekoma), the 6-1 fourth choice on the morning line for Saturday's $500,000 GI Woody Stephens at Saratoga, will be withdrawn from the race, according to his trainer, George Weaver.

“Since his last breeze, he hasn't been moving on the track to our satisfaction,” said Weaver. “He's been jogging and galloping but just not moving 100%. He's not hitting the ground the way we would like. We don't have time to get really concrete diagnosis done [before the race]. We're going to get it done, but we don't feel he should run this weekend.”

Weaver was asked if he was disappointed in the turn of events.

“He is one of the most talented horses I have ever had,” said Weaver, who also trained the colt's sire, dual Grade I winner Vekoma. “We have been looking forward to this race for a long time. It's a disappointment, but I have been doing this long enough that I have been disappointed before and I can take it. He's one of the best horses I have ever trained. He reminds me a lot of his sire, Vekoma.”

Owned by Harrell Ventures LLC and Starlight Racing, the three-year-old Colloquial has won both of his 2025 starts, an Aqueduct maiden special weight on Feb. 7, and a wire-to-wire score in Keeneland's Lafayette Stakes on Apr. 7. The margin of victory in his maiden race was seven lengths, and he earned a 106 Beyer Speed figure, the third-fastest 3-year-old Beyer this year. He was given a Ragozin figure of 3 3/4, currently the fastest of any 3-year-old in North America.

He was second in his debut on June 15, 2024 at Aqueduct, to Mentee (City of Light), the full-brother to Fierceness, before an eight-month absence from the races.

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Weekly National Regulatory Rulings, May 29-June 4

Wed, 2025-06-04 18:07

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.

Among this week's rulings, trainer Efren Loza Jr. has been suspended an additional four years and fined a total of $38,000 (including arbitration costs) for a Clenbuterol positive stemming from last September, adding to an 18-month suspension he is already serving, again for a Clenbuterol positive.

According to the arbitrator's final decision, an out-of-competition hair test taken from Lucago on Sept. 3 last year returned positive findings for the controversial bronchodilator Clenbuterol, which is banned under HISA except under certain circumstances.

At the time that sample was pulled, Loza was not the covered person responsible for Lucago, and was already serving his 18-month suspension. Loza had officially transferred responsibility for Lucago to trainer Luis Ramirez on June 20 last year.

But according to the arbitrator's ruling based on expert testimony, the Clenbuterol had been administered prior to the June 20 switch in responsibility. “Based on sound scientific reasoning-and common sense-Lucago's exposure to clenbuterol had to have occurred prior to June 3, 2024,” the ruling states.

In Loza's post-hearing brief, he argued that the most plausible explanation for the positive was accidental contamination. Loza's current 18 month suspension ends Oct. 16 this year. This additional four-year suspension begins the same day.

Resolved ADMC Violations
Date: 06/03/2025
Licensee: Samuel Valdivia, 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. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Isoflupredone–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Computing Champ, who finished second at Will Rogers on 4/29/25.

Date: 06/03/2025
Licensee: Steve Williams, 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 by HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Gospel Mark, who finished second at Will Rogers on 4/21/25.

Date: 06/03/2025
Licensee: Glenn Wismer, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on June 4; 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 $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine–a controlled substance (Class B)–in a sample taken from Ask Arthur, who finished fifth at Keeneland on 4/19/25.

Date: 06/02/2025
Licensee: Efren Loza Jr., trainer
Penalty: Four (4) year period of Ineligibility, beginning on October 16, 2025; $30,000 fine; payment of $8,000 toward the arbitration costs of the proceeding; and (14) month period of Ineligibility for the Covered Horse Lucago, beginning on April 3, 2024. Final decision by arbitral body.
Explainer: Out-of-competition medication violation for the use or attempted use of Clenbuterol–a banned substance except in strict circumstances–on the horse, Lucago.

Date: 05/30/2025
Licensee: Gregory Foley, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $500 per violation, for a total of $1,000; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points per violation, for a total of 3 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU.
Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone and Phenylbutazone–both controlled substances (Class C)–in a sample taken from Hard to Get on 4/15/25.

Date: 05/30/2025
Licensee: Dr. Margaret Smyth, veterinarian
Penalty: Three (3) month period of Ineligibility, beginning on Aug. 5.
Explainer: Possession of Pitcher Plant Extract (Sarapin), Levothyroxine and Hemo 15–all banned substances–for an event dated 10/4/23.

Date: 05/30/2025
Licensee: Dr. Barbara Hippie, veterinarian
Penalty: Three (3) month period of Ineligibility, beginning on May 30, with a credit of twenty-five (25) days for the Provisional Suspension served in 2023. Admission.
Explainer: Possession of Clodronate (Bisphosphonate), Pitcher Plant Extract (Sarapin), Levothyroxine, Isoxsuprine and Hemo 15–all banned substances–for an event dated 9/28/23.

Date: 05/29/2025
Licensee: Emmanuel Tzortzakis, trainer
Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on May 30, 2025; 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 $2,500; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Cannabidiol (CBD)–a controlled substance (Class B)–in a sample taken from Whoosh on 3/18/25.

Pending ADMC Violations
06/03/2025, Jorge Abreu, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Dantrolene–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Curlin's Angel on 5/2/25.

06/03/2025, Luis Fernando Gonzalez, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone and Flunixin–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Swen on 5/2/25.

06/02/2025, Mike Miceli, trainer: Pending medication violations for the presence of Dexamethasone–a controlled substance (Class C)–in samples taken from Montauk Mystique, who finished second at Aqueduct on 3/28/25, and from Mighty Atlas who won at Aqueduct on 3/21/25.

05/29/2025, Carmelo Ortiz-Ruiz, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Boxster on 4/6/25.

Violations of Crop Rule
Belterra Park
Antioco Murgia–violation date May 29; $250 fine, one-day suspension

Churchill Downs
Abel Cedillo–violation date May 29; $1,500 fine, three-day suspension

Gulfstream Park
Miguel Angel Vasquez–violation date May 30; $250 fine, one-day suspension

Hawthorne
Alexis Centeno–violation date May 29; $250 fine, one-day suspension

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Baeza Gets Another Shot at Kentucky Derby Top Two in Belmont Stakes

Wed, 2025-06-04 17:24

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — While the rematch between GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) and GI Preakness Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin) has received top billing, the camp surrounding the blue-blooded Baeza (McKinzie) sees a slightly different storyline ahead of Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.

“They talk about the challenge of the two of them. I think it's more the challenge of the three of us,” said Lee Searing of C R K Stable, who campaigns Baeza in partnership with the colt's breeder Robert Clay of Grandview Equine.

“This horse can really run.”

Baeza rallied smartly for third at odds of 13-1–beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Sovereignty and just a neck for second by Journalism–after somewhat of an eventful journey on the first Saturday in May.

Widest of all in post 19 after drawing in off the also-eligible list, Baeza was bumped and steadied beneath Flavien Prat at a very crucial juncture at the five-sixteenths and came flying home while completely covered in mud to pass the top two shortly after the wire.

Baeza was previously a fantastic second to Journalism while making his stakes debut in the GI Santa Anita Derby.

Baeza in front past the wire in the Kentucky Derby | Coady Media

“We only got beat a neck for second, and we didn't have the greatest of trips, either,” Searing said. “We had one of the best riders in the world riding him and he blames himself for the path he took. The stretch he had to move him in and out and he finally got free.”

C R K Stable (those are the initials of Lee and Susan Searing's three adult children–Christina, Richard and Katherine) has also finished a rallying fourth with GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (Honor Code) in the COVID-delayed Kentucky Derby in 2020 and a troubled 13th with Candy Boy (Candy Ride {Arg}) in 2014. Skinner (Curlin) was scratched due to a fever from the 2023 Run for the Roses.

“When you start going to the racetrack when you're eight years old, which goes back to 70 years ago, you start hearing about the big races, the great jockeys and great horses, and the Kentucky Derby comes right up,” Searing said.

“Then you go through the years and think, 'Can I ever get a horse good enough to go?' We've had four and we haven't had a clean trip yet. It's a dream to win it. I have some really nice horses for next year and we'll try again. But the focus right now is on Baeza.”

And, of course, that pedigree page of his.

Hailing from the first crop of McKinzie, Baeza brought $1.2 million to top the third session of the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling sale.

Baeza strikes a pose at the Spa | Sarah Andrew

He can become an unprecedented third American Classic winner for Broodmare of the Year and 'TDN Rising Star' Puca (Big Brown), who has also produced 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) and last year's Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch (Good Magic). Only Better Than Honour has produced back-to-back Belmont winners–Jazil (2006) and Rags to Riches (2007).

The 13-year-old Puca, also responsible for a Good Magic colt of 2024 and a Good Magic filly of this year, sold to John Stewart for $2.9 million at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale.

“The quality of his breeding and the bloodlines that he comes from–I have a partner in Robert Clay that bred him and is sitting on the fact that mare would be the first to have three winners in Triple Crown races,” Searing said. “He's a great man, good partner and fun to be around. We're both gonna root really hard. God, if he gets it done it will be a tremendous feat.”

The purple-and-yellow colors of C R K Stable (Searing's silks pay homage to the Los Angeles Lakers and the late Kobe Bryant) have been carried by 1,713 starters (according to Equibase stats), including Grade I winners Beyond Brilliant, Express Train and Switch. Just never one at the Spa.

“I've never run a horse at Saratoga,” said Searing, who will also be represented by 'TDN Rising Star' Justique (Justify) in Friday's GII Bed o' Roses S. “That's an amazing statistic as many good horses as we've had.”

Lee Searing | Photos by Z

Searing, the CEO of Searing Industries, a California- and Wyoming-based, family-run business specializing in manufacturing steel-tubing products, will have another rooting interest of sorts via the aforementioned Honor A. P., who is the sire of Heart of Honor (GB), a 30-1 longshot in the Belmont Stakes. The sophomore sire stands at Lane's End.

Baeza is listed as the third choice at 4-1.

“It's gonna be fun going to Saratoga and it's gonna be fun watching the race,” Searing said. “I think with a good track–seven, eight horses–and a clean trip, it's gonna be a really really good horse race. But I think we got a really good horse.”

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Rodriguez Finally Gets His Chance In Triple Crown Finale

Wed, 2025-06-04 17:18

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.–The sting of missing the GI Kentucky Derby has faded. Ditto for the GI Preakness Stakes.

Rodriguez (Authentic) is well rested, healthy and a ready to roll 'TDN Rising Star.' The colt, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, will make his Triple Crown debut in Saturday's GI $2 million Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

Owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan, Rodriguez turned heads earlier this year when he rolled to a front-running 3 1/2-length win the GII Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Apr. 5.

Baffert had to scratch Rodriguez from the Kentucky Derby due to a foot issue; that kept him out of the Preakness, too.

Rodriguez, who will be ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, is 6-1 on the Belmont morning line.

“It was unfortunate we could not make the Derby,” Baffert said on the Saratoga backstretch Wednesday morning. “We tried to make the Preakness, and we just needed some extra time. We took him back home and felt if we could get him going good and get him back to where he was … his last works were good enough to bring him up here.”

Rodriguez looks sharp | Sarah Andrew

The Belmont strategy for Rodriguez is simple enough. Let the big horse roll.

“We know what his style is,” Baffert said. “He needs to be out there running. We tried rating him and he just doesn't like it; he wants no part of it. We will just let him do his thing. If he does it, he does it.”

Other trainers in the Belmont are well aware of Rodriguez's ability on the front end. It was some comfort to them when Crudo (Justify) was entered at the last minute. He has two wins in three starts (by a combined 14 1/2 lengths) and both of them came on the lead. He could keep Rodriguez company.

“You always have to be concerned with a Bob Baffert horse,” said Michael McCarthy, the trainer of Belmont 8-5 morning-line favorite Journalism (Curlin). “His works, from what I can tell, have been very good.”

Baffert said Rodriguez is a horse he thinks will get better as he gets older. Whether he is ready to jump up and be a major player in the Belmont remains to be seen.

“This is a good crop of 3-year-olds,” he said. “We just don't know how he is going to stack up. He won the Wood, but this is a different kind of field of horses. He is running against the best.”

Casse Hoping Nitrogen Still Has The Gas

Ask Mark Casse who the best 3-year-old grass filly in the land is and he'll point to his barn.

Of course, he'll tell you, that is Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro).

She has won all four of her starts this year–three of them graded stakes–and will shoot for No. 5 on Saturday. Nitrogen is the even-money morning-line favorite in the GIII Wonder Again, a 1 1/16-mile event on the inner turf course.

“I hope she remains at the top of the heap,” Casse said outside his barn on the Saratoga backstretch Wednesday morning.

Nitrogen turf move | Sarah Andrew

Casse admits the success of the filly, owned by D J Stable LLC, came as a surprise.

When she was two, Nitrogen was winless in three starts but the light came on in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar when she was third at 49-1.

She has won at four different race tracks this year, the latest win coming in the GII Edgewood Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs May 2. Jockey Jose Ortiz has been aboard for all four wins.

“She just runs faster than everyone else,” Casse said. “She is quiet and will shut off and you can place her wherever you want. If the pace is fast, she will be up close. If it isn't–if she needs to–she will sit off.”

Casse has trained some good fillies during his Hall of Fame career, the best being Tepin (Bernstein), who was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2022 after winning 13 of 23 career starts.

Casse was not about to compare the two horses but did offer this:

“At this point of her career, she is much better than Tepin was,” Casse said. “Tepin did not really take off until she was four. She struggled at three and excelled at four. This one has done a lot more at three than Tepin ever did. Excited? How can you not be excited?”

Pletcher Will Keep His Big Horses Separated As Long As He Can

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has three of the best older horses in training in 4-year-olds Fierceness (City of Light), Mindframe (Constitution) and Locked (Gun Runner)–all are 'TDN Rising Stars.' His job is to keep them away from each other for as long as he can.

So far, so good.

Fierceness up close | Sarah Andrew

Fierceness will represent the Big Three on Saturday in the $1 million GI Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga.  He is the even-money morning-line favorite.

Mindframe has won both his starts this year, the last being the GI Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day. He will head back to Louisville June 28 for the GI Stephen Foster.

Locked, winner of the GI Santa Anita Handicap earlier this year, is being pointed to the GII Suburban Stakes at Saratoga on the Fourth of July.

Eventually, the stablemates will meet, but the longer Pletcher can keep them apart, the better.

“After (the Suburban), we will see,” Pletcher said outside his barn on the Oklahoma Training Track.

Fierceness won his 2025 debut with a 1 1/2-length win in the GII Alysheba May 2 at Churchill. Owned by Derrick Smith, Repole Stable. Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier, Fierceness is three-for-three at Saratoga, his biggest win being last year's GI Travers.

“He has put on weight, and he has gotten stronger,” Pletcher said. “He has always been a laid-back horse to train. He is kind of unassuming until you breeze him. When you breeze him, he will go as good as you want him to go. On his daily gallops he is more laid back.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who has ridden Fierceness in his last eight starts, will ride.

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Letter To The Editor: The Importance Of The Triple Crown

Wed, 2025-06-04 14:16

The most important asset the horse industry has are the brands of the Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown. Nothing else comes close in our dying business. Nothing in Major League Baseball, the Indy 500 or the Masters can match the number of TV viewers every year for the Derby. Outside of the Super Bowl (115 million viewers) and the NBA Finals (17.8 million), one couldn't spend enough money to get 16 million TV viewers for a sporting event today in America. When a horse wins the Preakness and the Derby, TV viewers increase by 75% for the Belmont.

In this industry, we take the Triple Crown for granted and as an industry we do very little today to promote it and make it better. In the past, we had the three racing entities working together through an organization known as Triple Crown Productions. No longer–in fact, track management don't even speak to one another. Sure, the Derby and Preakness are televised by NBC and the Belmont by Fox, but that doesn't mean closer coordination can't help the product. Leaders from all three racetracks have told me recently they could work together now.

The states of New York and Maryland have committed over $400 million apiece to upgrade the racing product in their states. They see the need for their Triple Crown races. The year 2027 offers a great opportunity for our industry to make the Triple Crown great again. If some racing organization or racing leader wants to create a lasting legacy, get these three tracks together and space out the races. I reckon 80% of our fans recognize the need for the Preakness to be three weeks or more after the Derby. Recreate Triple Crown Productions. Remember, they got Chrysler and Visa to offer a $5-million bonus for a Triple Crown winner.

More importantly, create a national bet,  and make the modern-day bookies give some profits back to the Triple Crown entity to fund it.  The point leader that runs in all three events earns a big bonus. You can bet on it before the Derby, then make new bets after the Derby and Preakness. Hey, and what about a Triple Crown series for the fillies? That would be easy!

–John Stuart is the owner of Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services

The post Letter To The Editor: The Importance Of The Triple Crown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Jamie Osborne Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast, Presented by Keeneland

Wed, 2025-06-04 13:13

English based trainer Jamie Osborne doesn't think like everyone else does. Which explains why he paid €160,000 at the 2024 Arqana May Breeze-Up sale for a horse that was bred to be a dirt horse and looked like a dirt horse. The horse turned out to be Heart of Honor (GB) (Honor A.P.) who is among the eight horses that will contest Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes. Could Heart of Honor, with his breeding have become a top turf horse in Europe. The answer is “probably not.”

But racing this horse in Europe was never Osborne's intention. On this week's Thoroughbred Daily News Writers' Room Podcast, presented by Keeneland, Osborne came across as a man who has a plan. He was this week's Gainesway Guest of the Week.

Osborne likes to run in Dubai, but only in dirt races. He said the competition is too tough in the grass races, but says the quality of the horses racing on the dirt there is modest. They can be beaten and for good purses.

“The motivation for buying him was that we were taking squads of horses to the Middle East for the winter and just banging our heads up against Charlie Appleby,” Osborne said. “So 60% of the racing in Meydan in the winter in Dubai is dirt racing. Godolphin is so strong out there, they're really tough to beat. Now we have had success there, but a good example this year on the turf, I think we had seven seconds to Charlie [Appleby]. So it can be a little bit frustrating. So we thought, why don't we try something different and see if training a dirt horse is possible. So we bought a handful. I can only do this with the backing of my owners, Jim and Claire Bryce, who very much enjoy being in Dubai for the winter. So Heart of Honor was bought, not with the American Triple Crown in mind, he was bought to entertain them in Dubai during the winter racing on the dirt. And thankfully he did.”

Heart of Honor's best performance in Dubai came in the G2 UAE Derby, where he finished second, beaten a nose. Now that he had an established dirt stakes horse, Osborne needed a place to run him with the Dubai racing nearing an end. So he picked the American Triple Crown. Heart of Honor was fifth in the GI Preakness Stakes and will try again Saturday in the Belmont.

The jockey will again be Osborne's 23-year-old daughter Saffie.

“It is good. It's a whole different dimension to what I'm doing. Imagine if she was just an ordinary rider and I'd have to sack her for the good of my business,” Osborne said. “It wouldn't go down very well, would it? But no, thankfully she can ride. She doesn't lack strength, this child, she's like a little weightlifter. It's quite extraordinary. She won the genetic lottery really, because she's got three elder brothers that, believe it or not, are six-foot-four, six-foot-three, and six-foot-two. She's just five-foot-two. She is very strong and I do enjoy working with her. It has its moments. But it's different. If you take away the fact that she's my daughter, she does a great job for us. And I'm not saying that every winner doesn't give her enormous pleasure, but I think she gets extra pleasure from one of ours. She knows how hard I've had to struggle through the last 20 years.”

Jamie Osborne began his career in racing as a steeplechase rider, and was among the best in the business. In 1999, he decided to go in a different direction and retired. The decision was then made to being a flat trainer.

“I switched over to flat racing because I don't like the English winters,” he said. “The worst thing about being a jump jockey is it happens in the winter and England is a horrible place in the winter. The days are very short and it's always raining and cold.

There were lots of reasons at the time. I didn't really want to be a trainer at all until retirement was really looming and I had to face reality that the first career was over or about to be over. I had all sorts of ideas when I was riding about what I would do and wouldn't do. Then I just felt I wasn't kind of ready to leave the sport. I'd done nothing else all my life. I'd been in it since I left school at 17. And I thought, 'Well, maybe it's a bit silly trying to go and earn a living elsewhere when the only thing I know is this sport.'”

In our “Fastest Horse of the Week,” segment, which is sponsored by WinStar, we went over the many reasons there are to breed to WinStar stallion Constitution. The fastest horse of the week was Nysos (Nyquist), who ran a 108 Beyer when winning the GIII Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, 1/ST Racing and 1/ST TV, the team of Randy Moss, Zoe Cadman and Bill Finley went over the Belmont Stakes, horse by horse. Finley liked Sovereignty (Into Mischief), Moss thought the race came down to Sovereignty and Baeza (McKinzie) and Cadman thought the same way. The team also previewed the many Grade I stakes that will be offered on Friday and Saturday at Saratoga.

To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To view the show as a podcast, click here.

The post Jamie Osborne Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast, Presented by Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Amplify Accepting Mentorship Applications

Wed, 2025-06-04 11:54

Amplify Horse Racing is currently accepting applications for the Fall 2025 session of its Mentorship Program. The deadline for applications is June 24 at 11:59 PM ET.  The fall session will run from Aug. 1 through Oct. 31.

The free program is designed for individuals aged 15 to 25 who are curious about careers in the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry with no prior experience or academic qualifications required.

Amplify is also seeking qualified mentors with substantial industry experience who are willing to meet training, background check, and time commitment requirements.

To learn about the program and apply, prospective mentors and mentees can visit amplifyhorseracing.org/mentorship or contact info@amplifyhorseracing.org for more information.

The post Amplify Accepting Mentorship Applications appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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