Feed aggregator

Canterbury Park racing officials have released a condition book for the first 10 days of the 2025 season that runs 51 days, May 24-Sept. 20, and its Thoroughbred stakes schedule.

This year’s Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) March 1 at Gulfstream Park drew a solid field headlined by recent Holy Bull Stakes (G3) winner Burnham Square and Sovereignty.

"The Bond: Two Hearts—One Spirit" is a monument at the Kentucky Horse Park scheduled for dedication in October that will celebrate the extraordinary connection between Cody Dorman and Cody's Wish, a truly special racehorse.

New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame trainer Mike Moroney died in Melbourne Feb. 27 at the age of 66.

Light Up Racing is pushing back against a New York Times article on horse racing with a message sent to its members Friday. The message reads in part:

“A new New York Times article on horse racing has been published, and unfortunately, it follows a familiar pattern: misleading claims, outdated narratives, and a failure to acknowledge the industry's real progress. They frame the industry as reliant on subsidies while overlooking the hundreds of millions it contributes in tax revenue. They call racing a dying sport but ignore the record Kentucky Derby audience and the $2 billion invested in track infrastructure. They question safety standards, even though racehorse fatalities have dropped 27% since HISA's implementation, marking the safest period in modern racing. Misinformation spreads when it goes unchallenged. That's where this community comes in. With the Kentucky Derby approaching, the grassroots network we've built is more important than ever in ensuring that the real story of racing is heard.”

Light Up Racing also included a google document with key talking points related directly to the article and encouraged readers to share it and “help set the record straight.”

The post Light Up Racing Pushes Back Against New York Times Racing Piece appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Smarty Jones, the Pennsylvania-bred horse that captured the hearts of sports and horse fans across the world during his race for the Triple Crown in 2004, is the subject of a new 37-minute documentary titled 'Ride of a Lifetime: The Smarty Jones Story'. Following Smarty Jones being named a finalist for the National Museum of Racing's 2025 Hall of Fame last week, the documentary can be streamed for free exclusively on a newly-launched website.

Filmed last year to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Smarty Jones' Triple Crown run, the story recounts how he overcame a potentially career-ending injury and features new interviews with owner Pat Chapman, trainer John Servis, jockey Stewart Elliott and many other key figures.

“Smarty brought so much joy to me, my husband, and fans around the world,” said Chapman. “Smarty gave hope, courage, and inspiration to multitudes after his recovery from a near-career-ending injury. He was the quintessential underdog, overcoming incredible odds and capturing the hearts of people around the world. I love the way that this documentary captures his story, spirit, and how much he inspired and meant to so many people. He truly took us on the 'Ride of a Lifetime.' I am also incredible grateful to the Hall of Fame Committee for naming Smarty as a finalist.  It is truly an honor and I am thrilled that he will be on the ballot.”

Smarty is one of eight racehorses who will appear as a finalist on the National Museum of Racing's 2025 Hall of Fame ballot. Finalists must receive a minimum of nine votes from the Hall's 14-member nominating committee. To earn induction into the Hall of Fame, finalists must receive a majority of votes from the voting panel.  Results will be announced on Thursday, April 24 and the induction ceremony will be held on Friday, August 1 at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion in Saratoga Springs, NY.

The post Hall Of Fame Finalist Smarty Jones Honored With New Documentary appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

WinStar Farm's first-year stallions Cogburn (Not This Time), 'TDN Rising Star' Timberlake (Into Mischief), and 'TDN Rising Star' Heartland (Justify) have each had their first mares checked in foal, the farm announced Friday.

For more information on Cogburn ($30,000 S&N), Timberlake ($20,000 S&N), and Heartland ($10,000 S&N), visit the WinStar Farm website here.

 

The post WinStar’s Freshman Trio All Get First Mares Checked In Foal appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Duality Sports & Entertainment, in collaboration with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), will present Winner's Circle, a short documentary offering an exclusive look into the high-stakes world of professional horse race betting at the 2024 National Horseplayers Championship (NHC). The film debuts March 6, 2025, on Duality's YouTube channel, with exclusive insights and behind-the-scenes content available on NTRA.com.

Each year, thousands of bettors put their skills, strategy, and bankroll to the test in qualifiers across the country, competing for a coveted spot at Caesars Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. The NHC is the pinnacle of horse gambling, bringing together over 600 elite horseplayers battling for the $800,000 grand prize and the prestigious title of “Horseplayer of the Year.”

“The moment we stepped onto the tournament floor at the NHC, it was clear that horse racing's most passionate and knowledgeable fans are its gamblers,” said Michael Horton, director of Winner's Circle. “Handicapping is a mix of skill, instinct, and deep research. The dedication these players bring to the game is what makes this world so compelling.”

The post NTRA To Present ‘Winner’s Circle’ Documentary Diving Into The World Of Championship Horse Gambling appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The catalogue for the Texas 2-year-olds in Training Sale, to be held April 2 at Lone Star Park, features 94 horses with a breeze show scheduled for March 31 at the Dallas-Fort Worth area track.

Online bidding will be offered for the auction, which is operated by the Texas Thoroughbred Association, and supplements are still being accepted.

“Consignors have consistently been bringing quality horses to our sales, and that's been proven over and over on the racetrack,” said Sales Director Foster Bridewell. “We had 2-year-old sale graduate Frost Free win the Grade III Chick Lang Stakes on Preakness Day at Pimlico last year, and yearling sale grad Coal Battle is already a millionaire and on the road to the Kentucky Derby after winning the Grade II Rebel Stakes last weekend.”

Horses bred in Texas and Louisiana are strongly represented, along with those in Kentucky, Arkansas and Oklahoma, among others.

Leading regional stallions with offspring in the sale include Aurelius Maximus, El Deal, Gormley and Star Guitar. Top Kentucky stallions represented include Frosted, Goldencents, Good Magic, Hard Spun, Into Mischief, Liam's Map, Maclean's Music, Omaha Beach and Union Rags.

The sale offers buyers a chance for a quick return on their investment with two divisions of the $150,000-added Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity July 5 at Lone Star Park. Sale graduates will also be eligible as 3-year-olds to compete in the $100,000-added Texas Thoroughbred Association Derby and Oaks at Sam Houston Race Park in 2026.

To view the catalog and get more information about online bidding, click here.

The post Texas 2-Year-Old Sale To Feature 94 Hips appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

1st-Aqueduct, $77,600, Msw, 2-27, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:39.84, ft, 15 3/4 lengths.
VANILLA SUNDAE (f, 3, Gun Runner–Vanilla Bean Back, by Empire Maker) finished sixth as the third wagering choice in her career debut sprinting six panels at the Spa last August before catching another off track in her next start–a mile test at the Big A Nov. 21–and faded late to finish a well-beaten fourth. Finally catching a fast track this time, the even-money second choice sprinted to the front, carving out a modest :24.18 quarter mile. Still on top through a :48.02 half, she started to draw away from the compact field turning for home and rolled home all alone, winning by 15 3/4 lengths over Stone Cold Kelly (Laoban). Stablemate Ice Cream Boat (Outwork) rounded out the trifecta. Sales History: $150,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-1-0-0, $52,400. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Repole Stable; B-Karen Ewing (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

The post Gun Runner’s Vanilla Sundae Romps at Big A appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

8th-Gulfstream, $78,540, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 2-27, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50.16, ft, 2 1/2 lengths.
GRANDE (c, 3, Curlin–Journey Home {GSW, $225,997}, by War Front) put in a promising debut performance going an eighth of a mile shorter to take a win first-time out at odds of 9-1 Jan. 11. Now favored at even-money facing winners for the first time, the Triple Crown-nominated colt sat poised in second just off pacesetter Jimmy's Dailys (Vekoma) who spurted to the front from the rail. Tracking that runner past the half in :47.61, Grande began to assert himself off the far turn and quickly put 2 1/2 lengths on the early leader, holding that advantage while ridden out to the line. It was the second win on the afternoon at Gulfstream for Todd Pletcher and Repole Stables who also scored with Edgy (Arrogate) in race four. Journey Home, who sold for $650,000 in foal to Curlin at KEENOV in 2021, has already produced Ticker Tape Home (Medaglia d'Oro), GSW, $273,916 and now has two winners from three to race. This is the family of GI Arkansas Derby winner and Japanese sire Nadal (Blame). Journey Home visited both Into Mischief and Tapit for this season. Sales History: $300,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $88,200. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Repole Stable; B-KatieRich Farms (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

 

#5 GRANDE ($4.20) and John Velazquez (@ljlmvel) impress in Race 8 at @GulfstreamPark nabbing another victory for the team of @PletcherRacing and @RepoleStable.

Our on-site coverage from Gulfstream continues on @FanDuelTV, presented by @ClaiborneFarm. pic.twitter.com/nvKgwLWzSF

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 27, 2025

The post Grande Stays Perfect With Allowance Win At Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

A monument by sculptor Jocelyn Russell commemorating the story of the late Cody Dorman and 2023 Horse of the Year Cody's Wish will be installed at the Kentucky Horse Park, with dedication scheduled for this October. Titled “The Bond: Two Hearts—One Spirit,” the monument's creation will be documented at CodysWishMonument.com.

“The relationship we share with the horse is special,” said Lee Carter, Director of the Kentucky Horse Park. “It can raise our spirits and improve our well-being. There is no better example of this than the bond between Cody Dorman and Cody's Wish. Creating the monument, “The Bond: Two Hearts—One Spirit,” will celebrate this special relationship. We are honored to place this monument at the Kentucky Horse Park as a reminder that our lives can be lifted up by a horse that leans down.”

Financial support is being accepted, with donor plaques at the site available with pledges of $5,000 or more. All donations are tax-deductible through the 501(c)(3) corporation Angels Without Wings, Inc.

“Our hope for this monument will stand not only as an inspiration but an example that you can conquer the mountains that lie in your path especially when you have love in your heart for everyone around you,” said the Dorman family. “This above all, is the message that Cody and Cody's Wish gave us, they made each other better. And as we all watched, we became better ourselves. God bless and thank you once more for your support now and throughout this journey.”

The post Cody’s Wish Monument Slated for Horse Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

GI Arkansas Derby winner and GII Risen Star Stakes winner Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) has had his first mare checked in foal, Taylor Made Stallions officials announced Thursday afternoon. In addition to his graded scores, the Albaugh Family Stables runner also was third in the 2023 GI Kentucky Derby behind Mage and Two Phil's, where he earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure. Angel of Empire is standing his first season at Taylor Made for $7,500 S&N.

The post First In-Foal Mare for Angel of Empire appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The first mare bred to Grade I winner and stakes-record setter 'TDN Rising Star' Prince of Monaco (Speightstown) has been checked in foal, Claiborne Farm announced Feb. 27.

The mare Itgetsgreaterlater (Justify) hails from the family of GISW Cupid (Tapit).

Prince of Monaco, winner of the 2023 GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity and narrow runner-up in the 2024 GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S., stands at Claiborne Farm for $30,000 LFSN.

The post First Mare Checked In Foal to Prince of Monaco appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Kevin Plank has listed the 400-acre Sagamore Farm in Reisterstown, Maryland for $22 million, according to a report in The Baltimore Sun.

“It's time for the next steward to carry the torch and continue its legacy for generations to come,” said Plank, who purchased the historic property for $4.99 million in 2007 with plans to operate a Thoroughbred breeding and racing operation.

The Under Armour founder discontinued breeding and training on the property in 2020 and announced plans to use the land to grow corn and rye for his Sagamore Spirit whiskey brand and to house retired racehorses.

The farm was begun in 1925 by Isaac Emerson and passed down to Alfred G. Vanderbilt, Jr. in 1933. Over the century it has been home to champions such as Native Dancer, Bed O'Roses, and Discovery.

The Sagamore property includes three fully renovated barns, paddocks, and a Tapeta track. The residences on the property include a 16,000-square-foot home with seven oversized en-suite bedrooms.

The post Plank Lists Sagamore Farm for $22 Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

For its 86th summer season, Del Mar is planning a $7,825,000 stakes program that provides 38 opportunities for a piece of its distinctive black type headed by the iconic track's piece de resistance—the $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) Aug. 30.

Jim Henry of Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Francis Drew of Clearwater, Fla., captured the top spots in the "Race Lens Final 50" contest on Feb. 22 to earn berths into the 2025 National Horseplayers Championship.

The annual National HBPA Conference concluded its educational presentations Feb. 26 first with a session on how retired racehorses are transforming the lives of first responders and military members, as well as school children of backstretch workers.

It's hardly a shock to the system to see an unbeaten New York State-bred step into a wintertime open stakes. To see two of them in the same graded race? Welcome to the Gotham Stakes (G3).

2024 Cigar Mile Handicap (G2) winner Locked, trained by Todd Pletcher, comes into California race after running second to White Abarrio in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) in Florida.