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Good Cheer easily improved to 6-for-6 and took the lead position on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks standings with a victory in the March 22 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in New Orleans.

The longest shot on the board at 86-1, Idratherbeblessed shocked the field with a gate-to-wire score in the $300,000 Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T) March 22 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Hometown hero and Louisiana-bred Touchuponastar handily defeated last year's champion 3-year-old male, Sierra Leone, in the March 22 $480,000 New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

With a 2 3/4-length win in the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park, Bless the Broken earned 50 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Trainer Brian Knippenberg couldn't help but get emotional as he watched 5-year-old gelding Mercante soar across the Turfway Park finish line March 22 in the $290,000 Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (G3), pulling the 13-1 upset.

Classy sprinter Rogue Lightning is set for a first United States assignment in the wake of his overseas success in the Wathnan Racing colors in Qatar last month.

Godolphin's Sovereignty (Into Mischief), a smashing winner of the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes on seasonal debut Mar. 1, drew widest in a field of 10 and was made the 8-5 favorite on the morning line for the GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on Mar. 29.

Trained by Bill Mott, looking for his first victory in the Kentucky Derby stepping-stone, Sovereignty is a homebred son of Crowned (Bernardini), whose dam Mushka (Empire Maker) was a Grade II winner of the Demoiselle Stakes as a juvenile and added the GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes for Mott in 2009. Sovereignty is the mount of jockey Junior Alvarado.

Somewhat remarkably, Bob Baffert also lacks a win in the Florida Derby, and the Hall of Famer will try to right that wrong with Madaket Road (Quality Road) next weekend. A $650,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate, the gray colt is winless in his two outings this season, but ran with credit when third to his Eclipse Award-winning stablemate Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes Feb. 1 ahead of a runner-up effort to Coal Battle (Coal Front) in the GII Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn three weeks later. Madaket Road is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line and will leave from the eight hole.

Disruptor (Gun Runner), a $1.15-million Keeneland September purchase, gets the litmus test for trainer Todd Pletcher, who has saddled the last two winners of this race and seven out of the last 11. Fractionally disappointing when a money-burning third on seven-furlong debut on the Pegasus World Cup undercard Jan. 25, he put it all together last time to graduate by 9 1/4 lengths en route to 'TDN Rising Star' honors. The chestnut is drawn four and is pegged at 7-2 to begin the wagering.

The post Sovereignty Favored From Outside Alley In Curlin Florida Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Multiple graded stakes-winning trainer Michael De Paulo saddled his 1,000th winner when Pop Rox won a $12,500 maiden claiming race in Gulfstream Park's sixth race March 21.

The Thoroughbred Owners of California has named Kosta, Stephanie, and Pete Hronis, the team behind Hronis Racing, as this year's recipients of the Ed Friendly Industry Service Award, also known as the TOC Chairman's Award.

The catalog for the Inglis Digital USA March Sale is now available online, featuring a slate of 29 horses and stallion seasons.

The sales pavilion at Lone Star Park is now the Mary Ruyle Sales Pavilion.

Kosta, Stephanie, and Pete Hronis of Hronis Racing have been named the recipients of the 2025 Ed Friendly Industry Service Award, also known as the TOC Chairman's Award, according to the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC). The annual award honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Thoroughbred racing.

Not only did Hronis Racing lead all California owners in wins in 2024, but they have regularly campaigned top horses around the nation, including 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline, and are dedicated philanthropists.

“The Hronis family truly embodies the spirit of California horse racing,” said TOC Chairman Gary Fenton. “Their unwavering commitment to the sport is matched by their deep compassion for our equine athletes and the dedicated horsemen and horsewomen who make racing possible. Their contributions continue to elevate California racing, both on and off the track.”

Kosta Hronis has been a member of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Board of Directors since 2018, while his wife, Stephanie, serves on the boards of the TOC, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), the California Thoroughbred Horsemen's Foundation (CTHF), the NTRA Horse PAC, and The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation. She also co-founded the Horse Racing Women's Summit, now the Horse Racing Women's Association (HRWA).

The Hronis family will be honored at TOC's Southern California Annual Meeting at Del Mar on Saturday, Aug. 16.

The post 2025 TOC Chairman’s Award Goes to Hronis Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Featuring 29 horses and stallion seasons, the catalogue for the 2025 Inglis Digital USA March Sale is headlined by the half-sister to the dam of the reigning Horse of the Year, the auction house announced Friday.

Among the notables on offer is Lady Eliana (Tapizar), a half-sister to the dam of 'TDN Rising Star' 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), who is being offered as a broodmare prospect. Other notable names include SW Bank On Anna (Central Banker); Fleet Frost (Frosted), who hails from a busy female line which includes the likes of the late great English Channel; SW Professors' Pride (Bayern), from the family of an Argentinian champion; and SW Tequila Kiss (Competitive Edge), who is out of a half-sister to the multiple Grade I-placed dam of Japanese champion G1SW-Jpn Danon Decile (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}).

Also in the catalogue is Giant Bird (Colonel John), a half-sister to GISW Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man) and GISP Go With Gusto (Medaglia d'Oro). The broodmare hails from the immediate female family of Canadian Horse of the Year Peaks and Valleys, who was among leading sires in Canada, and his half-sister MGSP Alternate (Seattle Slew), dam of GISW Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro) and MGSW Alternation (Distorted Humor). This is the extended family of GSW & G1SP-Fr, GSP-Ire, GSP American Sonja (GB) (Tasleet {GB}), who was last seen running sixth in the 2024 G1 Prix de l'Opera Longines at ParisLongchamp. She is offered in-foal to Bolt d'Oro.

The broodmare offering Princess Tine (Fr) (Pastorius {Ger}) has a no-guarantee season to Raging Bull (Fr) for after she foals her Demarchelier (GB) foal while Lookin at Grace (Lookin At Lucky) is being sold with her Feb. 25 Tapwrit filly at foot.

Breeders with late-season plans for mares will find no-guarantee seasons to Flameaway, Modernist, Messier, Mind Control, and Great Notion.

“We're thrilled to get our March sale underway with a strong collection of breeding stock along with quality racehorses and some no-guarantee seasons if you're still looking for a

match for your mare,” said Kyle Wilson, senior director of Sales and Recruiting for Inglis Digital USA. “Our entire team is ready to assist in any way.”

To view the full catalogue and register to bid, registration and a bidding limit are both required to start placing bids, visit the Inglis Digital USA website.

The post Inglis Digital’s 2025 March Catalogue Includes Half-Sister to Dam of Thorpedo Anna appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Led by leading scorer Drayden Van Dyke, a team of Santa Anita jockeys defeated the Holy Angels Middle School basketball team Thursday night to break a lengthy losing streak in the 55th annual charity game.

With coach Luis Jauregui at the helm and former jockey Darrell Haire serving as assistant, the jockeys came out on top with a score of 28-22. The team consisted of Van Dyke, Kent Desormeaux, Edwin Maldonado, Armando Ayuso, Abel Lezcano, Ricky Gonzalez, Diego Herrara, Geovanni Franco, Kevin Orozco and Sofia Barandela.

Prior to the game, Hall of Famers Laffit Pincay Jr. and Mike Smith were available to the fans for an autograph session. Proceeds went to support the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and Holy Angels athletics.

“Everyone played great,” said Jauregui, who was making his coaching debut. “They were really hustling.”

The post Santa Anita Park Jockeys Break Lengthy Losing Streak in Charity Hoops Game appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The sales pavilion at Lone Star Park has been renamed in honor of retiring Texas Thoroughbred Association (TTA) executive director Mary Ruyle, the group announced Friday afternoon.

Ruyle has a long history with the association since she began as a bookkeeper in 1988 and moved her way up the ranks until she ultimately became the executive director. Her 36-year tenure with the TTA made her the longest-employed member in the history of the association.

“There is not enough we can do to show Mary how much the Texas thoroughbred industry appreciates her years of hard work and dedication,” said Phil Adams, the TTA board member who coordinated the renaming effort.

After Fasig-Tipton withdrew from Texas in 2015, Ruyle was instrumental in establishing the TTA Sales division and its two annual auctions. She also helped establish programs like The Paddock Foundation for retired racehorses and the Texas Thoroughbred Educational Fund for scholarships as well as the Clarence Scharbauer Jr. Texas Stallion Stakes series and special races for TTA sale graduates. The first event to be held in the newly renamed pavilion will be The Texas Thoroughbred Association Two-Year-Old In Training Sale Apr. 2.

“I was surprised and touched by this gesture from the board of directors,” said Ruyle. “I love the sales, for me it is old home week where I get to see so many of the people that make horse racing special.”

The post Sales Pavilion at Lone Star Park Renamed in Honor of TTA Executive Mary Ruyle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The top three finishers from the Hong Kong Classic Cup mix it up again in the Hong Kong Derby March 23 at Sha Tin Racecourse.

The New York Racing Association and Spendthrift Farm announced it has entered into a multiyear agreement for the storied farm to serve as the title sponsor of the $300,000 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful Stakes (G1).

Trained by Rusty Arnold, the hard-knocking bay sprinter earned $1.6 million in his six-year career. At 2, he was third in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T), and earned his first graded stakes win at 4 in the 2021 Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T).

Churchill Downs has officially rebranded Wednesday of Kentucky Derby Week to be known as "Winsday: Great Thrills for the Greater Good presented by Resolute Racing."

The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program, which encourages retraining of Thoroughbreds into other disciplines upon completion of careers in racing or breeding, today announced winners and other placings from its 2024 performance awards program.