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Godolphin's Verity did not hang around Keeneland long the afternoon of April 6 following her 5 1/4-length victory over a sloppy track in the $400,000 Beaumont Stakes (G2) on opening day of the spring meet.

Tom Pedulla offers takeaways from major Kentucky Derby (G1) prep races held on each coast April 5, the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in California and the 100th Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct. He also looks at international action in Dubai.

Bookended by a strong opening week and a robust Santa Anita Derby weekend, the track's total all source handle topped $510 million. The total handle on just Santa Anita's races increased 5% from the 2023-24 Classic Meet.  

For America's Best Racing, Tom Pedulla is interviewing prominent owners, trainers, and jockeys as they travel the Road to the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) May 3 at Churchill Downs.

Godolphin homebred Verity aced were first stakes test April 6 when she rolled to a 5 1/4-length win in the $365,000 Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland.

The on-track attendance, bolstered by a big turnout for the Derby Day 5K who stayed for the races, was 34,312, a 7% jump. It was the largest turnout for Santa Anita Derby day since 2018.

Normandy Coast skipped over the sloppy track in the $300,000 Palisades Stakes at Keeneland April 6, taking full advantage of the 5 1/2 furlong sprint being taken off the turf, winning by 3 1/2 lengths over the filly Long Neck Paula.

The first day of the under tack show for the @OBSSales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training sale began April 6 with a trio of youngsters breezing an eighth of a mile in :09 4/5.

At the close of the day April 6, 129 lots had been sold out of 163 to go through the ring, with the average AU$488,798, the median AU$375,000, and the gross AU$63,055,000. The clearance was 79%.

Journalism rallied to win the Santa Anita Derby (G1) by three-quarters of a length after encountering trouble near the eighth pole. He was forced to check near the three-eighths pole, but quickly regrouped and gamely ran down a stubborn Baeza.

Pleasant Acres Stallions' Leinster got his stallion career off to a quick start April 6 as his 2-year-old filly, Lennilu, took the opening race of Keeneland's spring meet, a 4 1/2-furlong maiden race.

The $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2) saw its 100th running won by the talented Rodriguez for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert April 5, providing his 10 owners with their third likely contender for the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1).

1st-Keeneland, $82,854, Msw, 4-7, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :52.56, gd, 7 1/2 lengths.
PINKY FINGER (f, 2, Army Mule–Bird Map, by Liam's Map), the lone filly in the field, was sent off at even money and never gave her backers any doubts. The bay shot out to the early lead and had a clear advantage in a matter of strides. She was some three lengths in front at the top of the stretch after a quarter in :22.10 and, with jockey Joel Rosario glancing back for challengers more than once, extended her advantage down the lane without being asked and crossed the line geared down and 7 1/2 lengths in front. Happyhappyboy (Runhappy) was second. Pinky Finger was a $90,000 KEENOV weanling. Bird Map, who sold for $40,000 while carrying the winner at the 2022 Keeneland November sale, sold for that same price while in foal to Aloha West at that auction in 2023. She produced a filly last year and was bred back to Hard Spun. The mare is a half-sister to the dam of graded winner Pretty Birdie (Bird Song), who sold for $700,000 at this year's Keeneland January sale. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $50,918.
O/T-Wesley A. Ward; B-SpearmaCo (KY).

The filly, #8 PINKY FINGER ($4.16) by Army Mule was way too fast for the boys in the opener at @keenelandracing. That is another 2-year-old debut winner trained by Wesley Ward as @JRosarioJockey was in the irons.

Watch more on @FanDuelTV. pic.twitter.com/aPyjioHV6o

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) April 7, 2025

The post Army Mule’s Pinky Finger Airs in Keeneland Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

It's exceedingly rare to see a Kentucky Derby point race run on a Tuesday, but thanks to a week of catastrophic weather in the Commonwealth, that's what is happening at Keeneland as a field of seven line up to contest the last of the major Derby preps–the GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes.

On the rail, and fortuitously drawn to the inside of a closer, is 'TDN Rising Star' River Thames (Maclean's Music). With the small field, the speedster will likely encounter considerably less traffic trouble than that post position would sign him up for in the GI Kentucky Derby, but stranger things have happened. With a strong debut victory Jan. 11 at Gulfstream to his credit and a 6 1/2-length masterclass follow-up Feb. 1 against optional claimers, he entered the Mar. 1 GII Fountain of Youth as one of the favorites. River Thames pressed the fractions from the jump, and looked home free in the lane, only to be run down in the final strides by MGSW & GISP Sovereignty (Into Mischief). That rival would run second at the end of March to GISW Tappan Street (Into Mischief) in the GI Florida Derby.

The 'Rising Star' brings the field's co-best Beyer of 95 into this race, and with sunshine forecasted on Tuesday, might have a somewhat dry track to traverse for this Grade I debut.

Drawn three to the outside of River Thames is Owen Almighty (Speightstown), the GIII Tampa Bay Derby winner who went to the front and never came back–defeating three 'TDN Rising Stars' in the process, namely MGISW Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie), GISP Hill Road (Quality Road), and Patch Adams (Into Mischief). Owen Almighty posted a bullet move at Palm Meadows Mar. 29, covering five furlongs in 1:00.75 (1/7), in preparation for this race. Crossing the line never worse than second in his career–he was disqualified to fifth in his 2025 seasonal bow in the Listed Pasco Stakes–the son of the late great Speightstown brings a 93 Beyer from that Tampa Bay Derby win and picks up Jose Ortiz as his brother opted to ride River Thames.

The aforementioned multiple Grade I-winner Chancer McPatrick draws the six hole, looking to improve here from that loss to Owen Almighty in his second start of 2025, and will be eyeballing fellow 'Rising Star' GISW East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro). While the former has remained consistent, off the board only once when running sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the latter has fared worse. East Avenue faded to ninth in their mutual championship race, and again faded from second to tenth Feb. 15 in his seasonal return in the GII Risen Star Stakes. He's posted two bullet works and a series of strong breezes since then, including one at Keeneland, so his return to a favored surface might prove to be the wake up call he needs. His victory in the 2024 GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at this venue garnered him the co-best Beyer of 95. Trainer Brendan Walsh adds blinkers for the first time.

Post time for the Derby qualifier is 5:52 p.m. eastern.

Scylla tops a very tough field in the GI Madison at Keeneland | Coady Media

Madison Looks to be a Test of the Travelers

The second of two Grade I races at Keeneland for the rescheduled Blue Grass card, the GI Madison Stakes will be a showdown of the frequent fliers as the entire field will have made starts in at least five different tracks and some enter this race with passport stamps from Canada. All things considered, Juddmonte's MGISP Scylla (Tapit) stands at the head of a salty crew and looks to finally break through for her first elite score. On the board seven times from eight jumps last year, her lone off the board effort came in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, which was arguably her toughest ask to date. Gone since that Nov. 2 effort, but working steadily toward this 2025 debut, Scylla will be fresh and ready to fire with the flexibility to make her own trip.

To her outside is a fellow 'Rising Star' in MSW & MGSP Justique (Justify), who has recaptured her form on a return to dirt sprints after a long stint at turf mile contests. Since moving to the barn of Cherie DeVaux and coming east, she's strung together back-to-back victories against optional claimers at Fair Grounds Jan. 2 and Feb. 23 in the Listed Carousel Stakes at Oaklawn. She made her morning showing at Keeneland Mar. 28 a very strong one, producing a co-bullet four panel move in :46.20 (1/48) matched only by stablemate GISW & MGISP Vahva (Gun Runner).

Also in the field is the quickly improving GSW & GISP Emery (More Than Ready); MGSW & GISP My Mane Squeeze (Audible), who will be making her 2025 bow in the Madison; and MGSW Mystic Lake (Mo Town), who comes up from Florida after a neck victory over Emery in the GII Inside Information Stakes.

Turf Action at Keeneland with a Pair of Grade IIs

Graded turf action at Keeneland kicks off with a pair of races sporting a similar theme as the others in terms of quality, and the ladies will take to the lawn first for the GII Appalachian Stakes going a mile.

A 10-strong field of 3-year-olds are led by GSW & MGISP Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) and European import Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}). The former debuted at Woodbine on the turf course in late August against the boys, and was beaten only a neck. From there, she skipped all of her conditions and jumped into elite company in the GI Natalma at that venue. She begrudgingly faded to third as her stablemates And One More Time (Omaha Beach) and GSW Vixen (Vekoma)–who returns here–overtook her for the top spots. The runners behind that trio included MGSP-Eng Mountain Breeze (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), GSP Italian Soiree (Uncle Mo), SP Annascaul (American Pharoah) and MSP Ready for Candy (Twirling Candy).

In her 2024 campaign cap, Nitrogen took an even larger step up into the World Championships to roar home from the back and claim third as unbeaten European titan, multiple Group 1 winner 'TDN Rising Star' Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) led the procession home. The Mark Casse runner left the maiden ranks Jan. 4 when winning the Listed Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream and picked up her first graded victory last out Mar. 8 in the GIII Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs.

Nitrogen en route to winning the Florida Oaks | SV Photography

Two from the outside is Lush Lips (GB), who was beaten a half-length by the aforementioned Nitrogen in the Florida Oaks, and has consistently improved since joining the barn of Brendan Walsh after making the initial trip over for Donnacha O'Brien in an unsuccessful tilt at Kentucky Downs. She's got the foot to lead this field, and has the advantage on paper over the other speed horse Good Temper (Collected).

Looking to make a successful swap from synthetic to turf is LNJ Foxwoods's Foxtastic (Speightstown), who was last seen locking horns with SW Bourbon Memory (Bolt d'Oro) at Turfway Park and running off the screen to win in a deadheat. Fionn (Twirling Candy) enters this contest on a three-race win streak and will look to capitalize if there's a pace meltdown.

In the turf dash GII Shakertown Stakes, a salty group of older horses convene to fight it out and several are well within their rights to claim this race. On the back of an already fruitful weekend, Wathnan Racing sends out Rogue Lightning (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the last out winner of the G3 Dukhan Sprint at Doha. He's faced some of the best in Europe and will make his States debut with Flavien Prat in the irons for trainer Tom Clover.

To his outside is MSW & GSP Valentine Candy (Justify), who will curiously be making a turf debut after earning well over $1-million on the main track. This will also function as his 2025 bow as he's been off since winning the Steel Valley Sprint Stakes in late November. Veteran MGSW & GISP Arzak (Not This Time) holds the co-highest Beyer of the race with a 102 and looks to add yet another graded tally to his evergreen career.

To cap an already packed day, the GIII Commonwealth Stakes will go between the Appalachian and the Madison, and like many races on this card, it is not light on heavy hitters. Established class like MGSW & MGISP Hoist the Gold (Mineshaft), GISW Nutella Fella (Runhappy), and GSW & GISP Here Mi Song (Cross Traffic) will take on new faces like Whatchatalkinabout (Dialed In), who comes into the race sporting a monster 106 Beyer after annexing his last race by eight lengths. SW & GISP Epic Ride (Blame) has found his winning form again and enters this turf debut with a 5 3/4-length win at Turfway last out. Montalcino (Take Charge Indy) will eyeball that one in the gate as he makes his graded debut after stringing together back-to-back triple digit Beyer figures.

The post Keeneland’s Blue Grass, Madison Stakes Play Starring Roles on a Traditionally Quiet Tuesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

It's one sentence among tens of thousands encompassing 900 pages, but when it comes to the future of and welfare of the nation's wild horses and burros, it is frightening and to be taken seriously.

“Congress must enact laws permitting the BLM to dispose humanely of these animals.”

The “BLM” is the Bureau of Land Management and “these animals” are the estimated 73,000 wild horses and burros under BLM control. The sentence appears in Project 2025.

According to its website, “Project 2025 is a historic movement, brought together by over 100 respected organizations from across the conservative movement, to take down the Deep State and return the government to the people. Its Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, published in April 2023, is a product of more than 400 scholars and policy experts from around the country. The book offers a menu of policy suggestions to meet our country's deepest challenges and put America back on track…”

It was published in April, 2023 by the Heritage Foundation, an American conservative think tank, in anticipation of Trump winning the 2024 election.  It was not written by Trump and Trump is under no obligation to follow it. It is, nonetheless,  a road map for the President to follow as he pushes his conservative agenda.

The argument being made by The Heritage Foundation and others is that the wild horse population has gotten so big as to become a burden for the government.

Another passage from Project 2025: “There are 95,000 wild horses and burros roaming nearly 32 million acres in the West–triple what scientists and land management experts say the range can support. These animals face starvation and death from lack of forage and water. The population has more than doubled in just the past 10 years and continues to grow at a rate of 10 to 15 percent annually. This number includes the more than 47,000 animals the BLM has already gathered from public lands, at a cost to the American taxpayer of nearly $50 million annually to care for them in off-range corrals.”

“With this administration we're scared that wild horses will be slaughtered,” said Chris Heyde, the founder of Blue Marble Strategies LLC, the country's leading animal protection lobbyist. “Will this be encouraged as a way of getting rid of costs? That was put forward in Project 2025. This is very scary because (Trump) has actually followed it to the letter so far. Russell Vought, the guy who wrote Project 2025–even though they claimed there was no connection to Trump–was caught on tape admitting Trump knew about it and supported it. He's now the director of the office of management and budget. Did he write that section on the wild horses? I don't know that. But he was the author of the whole paper.  That's the concern because we are seeing a slash-and-burn approach to things. This could come up.”

The Office of Management and Budget serves the President of the United States in overseeing the implementation of his vision across the Executive Branch. OMB's mission is to assist the President in meeting his policy, budget, management and regulatory objectives and to fulfill the agency's statutory responsibilities.

“We are taking it very seriously,” said Celeste Carlisle, the biology and science program manager for the advocacy group Return to Freedom. “The way that Project 2025 frames the wild horse issue gives it the desperation. They say they've 'invaded private and permitted public lands,' and 'turned sod into concrete.' These are arguments that can easily be used to justify euthanasia.  As if there's no other way. What a tragedy.”

She says there are many inaccuracies in the way Project 2025 has framed the issue.

“Project 2025's section about wild horse and burro management isn't accurate,” Carlisle said. “We have used our public lands in lots of ways, through many extractive uses that have been hard on the land.  Making horses seem the only, and a desperate problem, with no way out other than euthanasia, for one thing isn't true, and for another thing, falls back onto a call for euthanasia for the sake of management that has been a stopping point for compromise and forward progress since the method was tried in the early 80's.  There are ways to manage wild horses and burros, even at this challenging juncture, comprehensively, sustainably, and non-lethally.  Not only that, but broad, bipartisan organizations support and embrace it.”

The group Friends of Animals suggests contacting Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. When he was Governor of North Dakota, he was seen as a supporter of wild horses. He backed efforts to protect the herd at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park as said that  wild horses are “an iconic part of the Badlands experience.” They also suggest contacting your own elected representative.

What Trump and the authors of Project 2025 might not have taken into account is that the public at large would no doubt be outraged if the wild horses were euthanized. According to the group American Wild Horse Conservation,  A 2017 poll revealed that 83% of Trump voters and 77% of Hillary Clinton voters supported protecting wild horses and burros from slaughter.

“This is very alarming,” said Oscar Gonzalez, a member of the California Horse Racing Board and a horse advocate. “I never thought that I'd see something like this. Horses are the foundation of our nation in terms of what they've done. They've helped us win wars and build frontiers and create communities. True Americans honor horses. We have a lot of work to do when it comes to how best to manage the wild horses, but to even think about disposing of them is misguided. In my opinion, it's un-American. Whoever put this part of the document together has no understanding whatsoever about the beauty of horses and what they've done for our great nation. This should be a rallying cry to all horsemen and horsewomen around the country that we have to monitor this issue very carefully. I believe in engaging with members of Congress and other elected officials, especially where there are large concentrations of wild horses. I'll continue to do my share.”

Said Heyde: “I think the public backlash would be significant. The pubic is already on full alert when it comes to things that don't seem to be part of our American values and will push the clock back instead of moving progress forward. If you want to talk about an issue that can unify rural and urban, Democrats and Republicans, this is the kind of issue. We pay tribute to horses. There could not be a more unifying issue. I'm confident that when this is known people will bring this up to their members of Congress. Everyone needs to reach out to an equine organization and lend their resources and time. We have a lot of work to do to make sure our policy makers know what horses, wild or not, mean to us as a county. I guarantee you all hell will break loose if they even suggest killing these wild horses. That will be the most contentious issue of my career.”

The post Under Project 2025, Will the Nation’s Wild Horses be Safe? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Multiple Grade I-placed 'TDN Rising Star' Ferocious (Flatter) has succumbed to laminitis after being sidelined with a foreleg injury, the connections announced Monday afternoon on X.

Twice a runner-up at the highest level in the GI Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga and the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in 2024, the son of Flatter emerged from his fourth place in the GIII Holy Bull Stakes Feb. 1 with a muscle tear. When first reported, the connections said it was a minor injury that just required time to heal, but also included that the time frame would knock him off the Triple Crown trail.

At some point afterward, the connections say he suffered from a 'terrible' cellulitis infection before ultimately losing his battle with laminitis.

“RIP Ferocious,” tweeted Ramiro Restrepo. “Talented, gorgeous, and noble. Loved by your partners, we never got to see you fulfill your true potential.”

RIP Ferocious
Talented, gorgeous & noble; Loved by your partners, we never got to see you fulfill your true potential.

Sidelined due to a very unique foreleg injury suffered in his last race, along with a terrible cellulitis infection. Ultimately succumbing to Laminitis today. pic.twitter.com/F1VbVvZoJD

— Ramiro A. Restrepo (@RamiroRestrepo) April 7, 2025

“Sidelined due to a very unique foreleg injury suffered in his last race, along with a terrible cellulitis infection. Ultimately succumbing to Laminitis today.”

Bred in Kentucky by Gentry Stable LLC, Ferocious sold for $1.3 million at the OBS March Sale in 2024 after turning in a furlong breeze in :9 4/5. He raced for JR Ranch, Marquee Bloodstock, High Step Racing and OGMA Investments, LLC and was trained by Gustavo Delgado.

The post Ferocious Succumbs to Laminitis After Foreleg Injury appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

With the Sunday conclusion to Santa Anita's Classic Meet, the 2024-25 season enjoyed significant gains in handle, attendance, field size, and safety, the track announced Monday morning.

The all-source handle topped $510-million with players from around the world responding favorably to the modifications to the wagering menu. The handle on just Santa Anita's races increased five per cent from the last Classic Meet. Opening day Dec. 26 brought the third largest opening day handle in the venue's 90-year history, and the final three-day weekend claimed more than $40.6-million in wagers on the local races with on track attendance drawing almost 50,000 people.

Field sizes bucked the overall national trend as the number of starters per race rose by 7% over last year, granted partially due to the influx of Northern California horses transitioning to the single circuit. Santa Anita offered 61 more races during this season's Classic Meet as a result.

In the realm of safety, the track saw 99.9715% safe trips which translate to a fatality rating of .285 per 1,000 starters. It was a 17I improvement from the same time last year and the rating is less than a third of the national average of .90 per 1,000 starters. Those figures are as reported by tracks covered by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA).

Racing returns for the Hollywood Meeting Friday, Apr. 18 and will continued to Sunday, June 15. On the back of the successful Classic Meet, the purses for the upcoming Hollywood meet will increase.

“The value proposition and positive momentum carries forward to the upcoming 29-day Hollywood meet with a 10% increase to overnight purses,” said Bill Nader, president & CEO of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. “California racing is showing renewed life and the transition to a single circuit is fulfilling its purpose.”

The post Santa Anita Classic Meet Posts Increases in key Metrics, Field Size and Safety Improve Again appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Three juveniles shared the fastest furlong time of :9 4/5 during the first session of the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training Sunday.

A filly by Upstart (hip 75) was first to hit the bullet mark just minutes into the day's session. The dark bay is out of Lovely Marissa (Proud Citizen), a daughter of Grade I-placed Valiant Passion (Lion Heart) and a half-sister to graded-placed Nasty (Street Sense). She was consigned by Grassroots Training & Sales, which acquired her for $60,000 at last year's OBS October sale.

“She's been a really nice filly all year, we expected her to do well,” said David McKathan of Grassroots Training and Sales. “She prepped well, so we're very happy with her. Physically, she's everything you want to look at when you look at a horse. She's very well balanced, she's just beautiful. She's been showing us all year that she's got ability.”

A few minutes later, a colt by Shancelot (hip 70) turned in his bullet drill for the Top Line Sales consignment. The juvenile was bred by Doug Arnold.

“I felt like the horse was fast, but this was beyond expectations,” Arnold admitted Sunday evening.

Arnold purchased the colt's unraced dam Loteria (Nyquist) from Godolphin for $11,000 at the 2022 Keeneland January sale. The 5-year-old mare is a full-sister to stakes-placed Snead and is out of Raffle Ticket (A.P. Indy) a full-sister to champion Bernardini.

“I liked everything about the mare,” Arnold said. “She is by Nyquist out of a full-sister to Bernardini. I was hoping I got a bargain.”

While Arnold often sells his foals as yearlings, he kept this Apr. 26 foal for the 2-year-old sales.

“He was a late foal and kind of a late bloomer,” Arnold said of the colt. “I loved him from the start. We've liked him a lot.”

The 2-year-old colt is Loteria's first foal and she produced a full-brother last year before being bred back to Speaker's Corner.

“Shancelot's first runners are three now and one thing I've noticed about all of the horses I've seen of his is that they all look extremely fast,” Arnold said. “It manifests in different ways, but they all have it. And a horse that has that is bound to have a freak.”

Completing the trio of bullet workers was a colt from the first crop of multiple graded stakes winner By My Standards (Goldencents) (hip 134). He is out of the unraced Momento (Nyquist), a daughter of multiple stakes winner Martha's Moon (Malibu Moon) and is consigned by AVP Training and Sales. A $9,500 purchase by Ramiro Salazar at the 2023 Keeneland November sale, the colt RNA'd for $19,000 at the 2024 OBS Winter sale.

A pair of juveniles shared Sunday's fastest quarter-mile work of :20 3/5. Hoppel LLC sent out a colt by Mendelssohn (hip 123) to set the bullet mark. The bay colt is out of Marvelous Spot (Archarcharch), a daughter of stakes winner and multiple Grade I-placed In Her Glory (Miswaki). Bred by Machmer Hall, the colt RNA'd for $32,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale.

A filly by Battalion Runner (hip 163), consigned by Ortega Stables, also worked a quarter in :20 3/5 Sunday. The bay is out of Miss Monk (Blame), a half-sister to Grade I winner Wicked Strong (Hard Spun), and was purchased in utero for $12,000 at the 2023 OBS Winter sale. She was bred by Sherry Mansfield and Kenneth Davis.

The under-tack show continues through Saturday with sessions beginning daily at 8 a.m. The Spring sale will be held next Tuesday through Friday. Bidding commences each day at 10:30 a.m.

The post Trio Share Furlong Bullet at OBS Under-Tack Show Sunday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Goal Oriented (Not This Time), carrying powerhouse connections and a speedy work tab into his debut, made even-money look like a gift when he glided home a 3 1/4-length debut winner for trainer Bob Baffert and the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan Sunday evening at Santa Anita. The dark bay colt, a $425,000 Keeneland September yearling acquisition, trailed the field and was climbing up the backstretch, but once he got his mind on running, he made eye-catching progress, inhaling rivals on the far turn and storming to the lead with a four-wide move into the stretch. He strode home under a Juan Hernandez hand ride.

Goal Oriented is out of multiple graded stakes winner Bizzy Caroline (Afleet Alex), who is a half-sister to turf champion Lady Eli (Divine Park). Barren in 2023 and with a dead foal in 2024, Bizzy Caroline was bred back to Up to the Mark last year.

7th-Santa Anita, $66,000, Msw, 4-6, 3, 4,/5yo, 6f, 1:10.01, ft, 3 1/4 lengths.
GOAL ORIENTED, c, 3, by Not This Time
                1st Dam: Bizzy Caroline (MGSW, $347,935), by Afleet Alex
                2nd Dam: Sacre Coeur, by Saint Ballado
                3rd Dam: Kazadancoa (Fr), by Green Dancer
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $39,000. O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Bashor, Dianne, Determined Stables, Masterson, Robert E., Ryan, Tom J., Waves Edge Capital LLC and Donovan, Catherine; B-Runnymede Farm LLC & CWC Investment 2, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. *$425,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored FanDuel.

 

He sure was GOAL ORIENTED ($4.20)!

The debuting colt by Not This Time (@TMStallions) came from off the pace in the 7th at @SantaAnitaPark under @JJHernandezS19. @BobBaffert conditions the three-year-old.

Can you hit the Late Pick 5: https://t.co/5VcRa4VxbO pic.twitter.com/EBAkit4nR1

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) April 6, 2025

The post Not This Time’s Goal Oriented Ticks Maiden Box At Santa Anita, Earns ‘TDN Rising Star’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Bank Frenzy collects his third straight stakes win – and fourth overall – in Sunday’s Haynesfield at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

LSU Stables’ Bank Frenzy stretched his win streak to four – including three stakes scores – with a victory in Sunday’s co-featured $125,000 Haynesfield at Aqueduct.

The 5-year-old Central Banker overcame another ever-so-slight hesitation at start, took over after the opening quarter-mile and held off another son of Central Banker, General Banker, to win the 1-mile stakes by 2 1/4 lengths. Manny Franco rode the winner for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, who continues to marvel at the gelding bred by Chester and the late Mary Broman.

“He’s as game as they come,” Rodriguez said. “You put him in the right spot, he shows up. He doesn’t need to take his track with him. He can run in the slop, on fast dirt maybe even on the grass, who knows. He’s a solid horse.”

Bank Frenzy, a finalist for champion New York-bred older dirt male honors in 2024, added the Haynesfield to his victories in the Alex M. Robb Stakes in late December and the Stymie Stakes March 1. He also improved to 8-for-16 and earnings of $575,420.

“He can be a little challenging in the morning, but you have to put the work in,” Rodriguez said. “We’re very blessed that Mr. Larry and Randy [Sarf of LSU Stables] put that horse in our barn.”

Bet down to 1-2 in the field of seven, Bank Frenzy chased early leader Just Step On It through the opening quarter in :24 before taking over from that foe.

Franco led Bank Frenzy open up after he seized the lead and they were 1 1/2 lengths in front at the half in :47.10. Radio Red took up the chase while Just Step On It started to retreat on the far turn. Bank Frenzy sailed past 6 furlongs in 1:10.97, still up 1 1/2 lengths as the field turned for home.

“He’s not the quickest out of there,” Franco said. “He’s getting better every race, and I saw he’s cruising there with the field, I thought they were going to give some separation from me, but I was on the best horse. I just let him pass the chute and I ended up on the lead. It was easy enough. He was doing it the right way, so I was happy where I was.

“Like I said, when I broke, the field was bunched up. Everybody was together. My horse was doing it so easily, the right way, I let him go. We ended up on the lead and he was happy after that.”

Bank Frenzy stayed in command through the stretch, passed the eighth pole 2 lengths in front while drifting out slightly inside the final furlong. He won in 1:35.83 over the muddy and sealed track. General Banker finished a neck in front of Locke and Key for the runner-up spot, with Radio Red, Sheriff Bianco, Wynstock and Just Step On It completing the field.

Foaled at the Bromans’ Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, Bank Frenzy is out of the Tiznow mare Storm Now. The Bromans purchased Storm Now for $110,000 at the 2015 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Storm Now is the dam of two other winners – the Into Mischief gelding City Mischief ($131,830) and the Awesome Again gelding Broadway Joe ($15,228). She’s also the dam of the 4-year-old Practical Joke filly Funny Forecast, who made three starts last year and returned to the worktab at Belmont Park Saturday; and the 3-year-old Instagrand filly Farm House, a $100,000 purchase by Final Furlong Racing Stable at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale. Farm House finished second, third and second in her first three starts, the latest in a maiden-optional March 28 at Aqueduct. She’s already earned $38,480.

The Bromans bred all of those runners in New York, along with Storm Now’s 2-year-old Instagrand filly named In Snows Way. Storm Now also delivered a colt by Jackie’s Warrior March 20 in New York.

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