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With a relentless rally on the outside under Irad Ortiz Jr., Mindframe edged Nysos and Banishing to win a blanket photo in the May 3 Churchill Downs Stakes (G1).

In her seasonal debut, Simply Front rallied from midpack to put her nose down in front at the wire to win the $740,670 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T) May 3.

One day removed from a big win with Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the GI Kentucky Derby, the media converged on Bill Mott's barn on the Churchill Downs backside Sunday Morning. Accompanied by Godolphin's Michael Banahan, Mott indicated the colt exited the 10-furlong Classic in good order, however, had also sustained 'a small scrape–about four inches' on his right front pastern during the early part of the race.

“He did sustain a little scrape on the outside of his pastern, most likely leaving the gate,” Mott said Sunday. “He broke and the horse outside of him was trying to get over, and it looked like maybe that horse caught him on the outside of his right front pastern. It's more of a scrape, it's not a cut, a scrape about four inches long. Right now, it looks to be a superficial thing, but everything else on him looks good: knees, ankles, jogging good. I can't be happier with everything else…On a normal day with a horse that's not him, you wouldn't be concerned about it, really.”

“When I got back to the barn last night after the race, he'd already eaten up, his tub was empty,” the Hall of Famer said. “Probably did it in 20 minutes. That's unusual for a horse that had to run a race as hard as he did.”

According to Mott, he would give the horse two or three days off and the colt's ownership connections and trainer would consider whether the team would forge on to Baltimore for the GI Preakness in two weeks.

“We've got to consider all options with him,” he stated. “We certainly respect the Triple Crown and what it means, but we're not dead set on it. We'll have to let the horse tell us how he's doing in the next little while and then we'll go from there.”

Derby post-time favorite Journalism (Curlin) appeared to come out of a runner-up effort in 'good order', according to a pragmatic Michael McCarthy Sunday morning.

“We've got no complaints,” said the West Coast horseman. “I thought he ran very well. “Unfortunately, he got pinched there a little bit leaving the gate. I was a little bit farther back underneath the wire for the first time than I'd have liked. But he made a wonderful run around the turn, was beaten by the horse I thought he had to beat.”

The trainer indicated that the Preakness remains among possibilities for the GI Santa Anita Derby winner.

“We'll get with everybody and talk it over in the next day or so, come up with a plan that's best for Journalism,” McCarthy said. “We'll give him a day or two to get his feet underneath him and see where we're at with him. He's run well back off a quick rest before.”

McCarthy won the 2021 Preakness with Rombauer, who did not run in the Kentucky Derby.

 

Baeza, Sandman Possible for Belmont

In contrast to the top two finishers, third-place finisher Baeza (McKinzie) will not return for the second jewel in the Triple Crown, according to trainer John Shirreffs.

“Quite a trip for him, this whole week,” Shirreffs said Sunday morning. “He's never been on a wet surface before, so there was that. Then that big field and the bumping that went on. But in the end he ran well and we're proud of him.”

The conditioner said the Preakness was not a consideration for the bay.

“Too much for a West Coast horse to work with,” he said. “We'll go back west, then look at the [GI] Belmont.”

The third leg of the Triple Crown will be run this year on June 7 at Saratoga in upstate New York as Belmont Park continues to undergo its massive renovation. It also will be run at a mile and a quarter instead of the classic distance of a mile and one-half.

Sandman (Tapit), second choice in Saturday's Derby, exited a seventh-place effort well and is likely to return in the Belmont, according to Mark Casse's assistant Allen Hardy Sunday.

“He is good this morning,” said Hardy. “He ate up last night and jogged early this morning [at the barn].”

The post Sovereignty Returns from Derby Win Well, But With ‘Small Scrape’, Journalism Exits in ‘Good Order’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The National Thoroughbred League (NTL), which is looking to bring the team concept to horse racing, has had more than its fair share of growing pains since it started in 2023. The series starts up again on May 10 at Pimlico and league organizers are confident the 2025 version of the NTL will be the biggest and most successful so far.

“We definitely have momentum on our side and we're offering good purses,” said NTL co-founder Randall Lane. “It's a win-win. The horses will be  running for good purses and we're going to get consistent rosters. Our fans will get to know the horses.”

When Lane and partner Bob Daugherty came up with the NTL concept they originally intended to purchase enough horses on their own to fill out the team's roster. That proved to be too difficult to pull off, so they held their races assigning horse owned by others to the teams. That didn't allow for much continuity and fans obviously found it hard to root for a team when they had no idea which horses would race for which team.

Lane believes that they have figured out a solution to that problem. Lane and Daugherty have been busy talking to owners and trainers and found a formula they think will work. They have gotten commitments from many horsemen who want their horses to participate in NTL races. The owners will still own the horses and all purse money will go their way. The incentive is that they will be running for good purses in NTL races, purses that top what they normally run for. With the 2025 schedule expanding to four race weekends more than $2.5 million in prize purses will be paid out.

They now have a pool of available horses and there will be a draft next week prior to the Pimlico races. There will be four rounds of NTL races, which will also be held at Parx, Fairmount Park and Kentucky Downs, and Lane expects many of the horses to stay in and continue to race in NTL races. At each stop, there will be three races for the NTL horses.

Parx is the second stop after Pimlico and in the NTL races horses who started in NTL races at Pimlico will have first preference to get into the races.

“We talked to many owner and showed them what we're doing,” Lane said. “They will be drafted by teams for the whole season. We'll have consistent horses and consistent rosters throughout season using horses other people own. But their horses, they get to be athletes for the National Thoroughbred League.

What Lane is trying to accomplish is much more than running a handful of races at four tracks.

In the press release that revealed the NTL's 2025 schedule, the league explained what it is that they are trying to accomplish.

“The National Thoroughbred League (NTL) is a first-of-its-kind racing league re-imagining America's oldest spectator sport by creating a team-based professional sports league, by consistently and safely running exceptional horses allowing fans the chance to root for the same stars month after month and year after year,” it read. “The NTL is also a lifestyle, creating weekends of food, fashion and fun akin to the Kentucky Derby or Formula I.”

Lane wants each stop to be an event, the type that will appeal to people who are not necessarily racing fans. With that in mind, the NTL will produce trading cards for all the horses who take part in the series.

“We want this to be a way that casual sports fans can fall in love with thoroughbred racing,” he said. “Rooting for teams, celebrities, each race is an event. People will get dressed up. Our industry doesn't have enough big events. It has many but not enough. There's a need for more. We want the casual fan to pay attention to racing more than four times a year, the Triple Crown and the Breeders' Cup. In seven, eight years we want this to be the gateway so that tens of thousands of people every month fall in love with sport.”

Part of the attraction is that the NTL will bring a prominent celebrity in for each event as a host. The Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson will host the Pimlico event.

“We have Lamar Jackson hosting and he is the biggest celebrity in Baltimore,” Lane said.

Julius Erving, along with members of the Philadelphia Eagles, will be the host at the Parx event. Tanya Tucker will be in for the Kentucky Downs races. Lane said he wasn't ready to announce the name of the celebrity that will be the host at Fairmount Park but promised that it will be a “very special guest.”

So far, the NTL events have been held at smaller racetracks. Lane said he has had talks with major tracks but thinks the concept works better at tracks that don't normally host major events. He said that when the NTL came to Turf Paradise in Phoenix, they had their biggest handle this century.

“We want to go to tracks where if we bring 5,000, 10,000 people it makes a difference,” he said.

The event at Parx will be held over the June 14, 15 weekend. The Fairmount Park event will be held on July 19 and the series concludes with races at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 31.

The post With Momentum on its Side, National Thoroughbred League Looks to Have Its Biggest Year in 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Manny Franco celebrates victory aboard Spirit of St Louis in $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Saturday. Churchill Downs/Coady Media.

Spirit of St Louis vaulted to the top of the North American male turf division Saturday with a rousing victory in the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs.

Reunited with Manny Franco – who rode the Medaglia d’Oro gelding to six stakes wins in 2023 and 2024 – Spirit of St Louis added the Turf Classic to his victory two starts back in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park. He also bounced back from a close fourth as the favorite in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes in late March at Fair Grounds.

Sent off again as the favorite – this time 3-1 against nine others over the saturated turf course labeled good – Spirit of St Louis closed from the back of the field to win a six-way wild finish by three-quarters of a length over Mercante and Highway Robber. Franco angled Spirit of St Louis wide into the lane, avoiding any trouble down inside to give owners Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Richard Schermerhorn the win in the traditional Derby Day fixture.

“I was so happy in the last 200 yards because I thought I made the right move,” Franco said. “There were a lot of horses back in the same spot and I never had to stop and that was the key.”

Brown also praised Franco’s ride, which provided the trainer with his fifth victory in the Turf Classic following scores with Program Trading (2024), Domestic Spending (2021), Digital Age (2020) and Bricks and Mortar (2019).

“He was standing flat-footed and he didn’t break all that well,” Brown said. “But Manny did a good job of saving ground with him in the first turn and then got him running late. I was confident today with this horse because he does real well on soft turf. I’ve been following his numbers and he is getting better and better. But he has surprised me with how far he can run.”

Spirit of St Louis improved to 3-for-4 at 9 furlongs, winning in 1:48.20. A full brother to New York-bred Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold, Spirit of St Louis also improved to 11-for-16 with three seconds in the Turf Classic. He earned $530,110 to boost his bankroll to $1,809,250, good for 14th on the all-time list of New York-bred earners.

Bred by Chester and the late Mary Broman and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, Spirit of St Louis is also a half-brother to stakes-placed New York-breds Land Mine and Homeland. Khancord Kid, a Grade 3 winner, has produced five winners. She’s also the dam of a 2-year-old full brother to Spirit of St Louis named Kid’s Khanclusion.

The Bromans bought Khancord Kid’s dam, Confidently, for $1 million at the 2000 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Out of Grade 1 winner Key Phrase, Confidently is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Yankee Gentleman with her dam a half-sister to the dam of champion Shared Belief.

Spirit of St Louis, a $300,000 purchase by BSW/Crow out of the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale, made his first two starts for owner Peter Brant and Brown. He won his debut on the dirt in mid-February 2023 before a second in a 9-furlong allowance on the dirt, both at Aqueduct. Dubb purchased Spirit of St Louis for $280,000 shortly after that effort, at the Keeneland April horses of racing age sale. He’s won 10 of 13, including a run of five straight stakes from late 2023 to the summer of 2024.

The Turf Classic marked just the fourth graded try for Spirit of St Louis, who also finished a troubled fifth in last year’s Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland. He bounced back from that effort to win his second straight Mohawk Stakes on Empire Showcase Day in late October to close his 5-year-old campaign and set up a strong start to 2025.

The post Spirit of St Louis collects second Grade 1 in Old Forester Turf Classic on Derby Day appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Not even 24 hours since their big win in the GI Kentucky Oaks, Think Big kept the momentum rolling for Godolphin Saturday with a late rallying-score in the GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes at Churchill.

Undefeated on the turf since changing surfaces for trainer Michael Stidham late last year, the Twirling Candy gelding put in a career-best effort at Keeneland last out Apr. 8 to take the GII Shakertown Stakes, defeating several rivals who were lined up to challenge him once more Saturday. Kept comfortably off the speed as expected pacesetter Coppola (Into Mischief) surged to the front in the opening furlong, Think Big sat covered up between horses in the second flight before beginning a move to break away towards the front past the half-mile pole. As Coppola was confronted by Boss Sully (Street Boss) off the far turn, the 2-1 race favorite angled outside of that pair but looked as though he'd be too late with Boss Sully opening up a sizable advantage midway down the stretch. Continuing to find in the final yards, Think Big just had enough real estate to get past with a triumphant Ben Curtis celebrating under the wire.

“He doesn't have a certain style,” said Curtis after the win. “He came from last at Fair Grounds and mid-pack at Keeneland. Before that, he was very forward. I found a lovely spot where he was into the race. He's a fast stayer at this distance. The further we went down the straight, I thought we'd get him. It took me a little longer to get him than I thought but he got there.”

Stidham added: “No special instructions to the rider; he's ridden him before  and knows him well. At the sixteenth pole, I didn't think we were going to make it. I said 'aw heck, we're gonna be second.' But then he dug in like a champ and got it done. Every once in a while something goes right.”

Pedigree Note:
One of 59 stakes winners for Twirling Candy, Think Big is out of a stakes-winning first dam in Always Thinking who took the Sensible Lady Turf Dash Stakes at Laurel in her own racing career in the royal blue silks of Godolphin. A daughter of Argentinian GISW Que Piensa Cat (Arg), Always Thinking is a half to the dam of GSW Sharp Aza Tack (Sharp Azteca). Think Big is her second foal, though first to the races, and she has since produced a winning 3-year-old Hard Spun filly named Pondering. While she has no 2-year-old this season, Always Thinking reported a colt by Hard Spun in 2024 and foaled a Cairo Prince filly this year.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
TWIN SPIRES TURF SPRINT S. PRESENTED BY ACCENTURE-GII, $569,600, Churchill Downs, 5-3, 3yo/up, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.35, gd.
1–THINK BIG, 125, g, 4, by Twirling Candy
                1st Dam: Always Thinking (SW, $162,638),
                                by Street Sense
                2nd Dam: Que Piensa Cat (Arg), by Easing Along
                3rd Dam: Compenetrada (Arg), by Compatible (Arg)
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Michael Stidham; J-Ben Curtis. $354,500. Lifetime Record: 9-5-0-1, $709,785. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Boss Sully, 121, g, 5, Street Boss–Eternally, by Candy Ride (Arg). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Edward Rusty J. Brown, Alan P. Klein and Philip Lebherz; B-PT Syndicate #1 LLC (CA); T-Brian J. Koriner. $95,000.
3–Unconquerable Keen (Ire), 121, g, 6, Clodovil (Ire)–Queenie Keen (Ire), by Refuse To Bend (Ire). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-CYBT, Omar Aldabbagh and Michael Nentwig; B-N. Hartery (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato. $47,500.
Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, 1. Odds: 2.42, 8.68, 13.84.
Also Ran: Arrest Me Red, Ambivalent, Coppola, Run Carson, Rogue Lightning (Ire), Mischievous Rogue, Eamonn. Scratched: Nobals, One Timer.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

Think Big closes in the final strides to win the G2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes presented by Accenture!

Mike Stidham trains the Godolphin homebred. pic.twitter.com/05C0e2JUtN

— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 3, 2025

The post Think Big Makes It Three Straight With Turf Sprint Victory appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The filly owned by Alex Doyle and owner/trainer Rey Hernandez won by a nose in a five-furlong maiden special weight May 3 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Kentucky-bred Ruling Court, a son of Justify, continued Godolphin's brilliant recent record in the Two Thousand Guineas (G1) May 3 with victory for Charlie Appleby and William Buick.

The Florida Legislature concluded policy discussions for the 2025 regular legislative session, effectively killing the proposed decoupling provisions of SB 408, HB 105, and HB 1467, all of which the Senate declined to approve for final passage.

Although Kentucky Derby (G1) morning loomed cold and rainy May 3, the dreary weather couldn't dampen the spirits in trainer Brad Cox's barn the day after Good Cheer's dominating victory in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Patrons arriving at Churchill Downs for the 151st Kentucky Derby (G1) did so with ponchos in tow along with their betting acumen as steady rain soaked the Louisville area throughout the morning hours.

Thorpedo Anna, last of seven in the May 2 La Troienne Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs, will be x-rayed and examined by renowned Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital surgeon Dr. Larry Bramlage, trainer Kenny McPeek posted May 3 on social media.

One of the smaller crowds in the recent history of the Kentucky Oaks (G1) saw undefeated Good Cheer win the lilies in the 151st edition on a day when a mid-afternoon storm delayed proceedings and turned the track sloppy at Churchill Downs.

After Immersive won the 2024 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), many thought trainer Brad Cox and Godolphin might have a future Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner in the barn.  And now they do—only the Oaks winner isn't Immersive; it's Good Cheer.

Ahead of Baeza being Puca's third consecutive foal to race in the Kentucky Derby (G1), John Stewart announced May 2 that he has partnered with MyRacehorse to sell shares in her Good Magic yearling, a full brother to Mage and Dornoch.

A pair of Matt Winn Turf Course records marked two grade 3 events on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard May 2 at Churchill Downs. She Feels Pretty romped in the Modesty Stakes (G3T), followed by Queen Maxima in the Unbridled Sidney (G3T).

Godolphin homebred Good Cheer remains undefeated in seven starts after winning the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) by three lengths. She is the third Oaks winner sired by Darley America's stallion Medaglia d'Oro.

The Moyglare Stud Farm homebred made her first start in the United States a winning one at Aqueduct Racetrack May 2 in the Sheepshead Bay Stakes (G3T) for older fillies and mares.

As the race was moved up to avoid incoming storms, Look Forward was unfazed and provided an emotional win for her connections in the $579,660 Eight Belles Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs May 2.

It just wouldn't be the Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) without Dicey Mo Chara. On May 3, the gelding trained by Leonard Powell will be making his fourth consecutive appearance in the 1 1/4-mile turf event for older horses at Santa Anita Park.