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There Goes Harvard put his versatility on display Feb.8, dashing to a gate-to-wire score in the $100,000 San Marcos Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park.

Trainer Tanner Tracy earned his first graded stakes victory as Wild Bout Hilary, the longest shot in a field of five, went to the lead and never looked back in the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park.

WinStar Farm and CHC's John Hancock turned in a gritty performance to win the Feb. 8 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs by a half-length over Owen Almighty.

War Horse Place near Lexington has welcomed the first reported foals by two of its stallions—classic winner Rombauer and grade 1 winner Smooth Like Strait. Both foals were born Jan. 31 in Central Kentucky, said War Horse Place owner Dana McCreary.

An impressive 2-year-old, La Cara showed she was back better than ever at age 3 with an emphatic victory in the $150,000 Suncoast Stakes Feb. 8 at Tampa Bay Downs.

Doomed by stumbling at the start when ninth in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar, East Avenue returns to action Feb. 15 in the $500,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Grade 1 winner Super Stock was represented by his first reported foal, announced by Leadem Farm on social media Feb. 7. Super Stock stands at the Leola, Ark., farm for a fee of $2,500 in 2025.

Chester Broman's Sand Devil improved the unbeaten streak to start to his career to three races with a neck victory in the $121,250 Damon Runyon Stakes Feb. 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Maryland Horse Foundation Stallion Season opened Sunday and will continue online until Feb. 12. Hosted by Thoroughbredauctions.com, the auction includes seasons to Blofield, Bourbon Courage, Cupid, Divining Rod, Endorsed, Engage, Friesian Fire, Galawi (Ire), Holy Boss, Kobe's Back, Mosler and Warrant.

Proceeds from the auction will support operations of the Maryland Horse Foundation, which was chartered in 1988 by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association to serve various educational and charitable needs of the Maryland horse industry.

For more information on the auction, visit:  https://internethorseauctions.com/auction-tb.php?aucid=567.

The post Maryland Stallion Season Online Auction Continues to Feb. 12 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Multiple stakes winner Scorching (Mo Town), aiming for his graded stakes debut in the Mar. 1 GIII Gotham Stakes, worked five furlongs in 1:04.22 (5/7) over the dirt training track at Belmont Park Saturday for trainer John Charalambous. It was the fourth local work for the Ontario-bred colt, who is stabled in the barn of trainer Michael Miceli.

“He went by himself, and he breezed well,” Charalambous said. “The track was slow. Sahin Civaci was supposed to breeze him, but he's hurt, so we called an audible and put one of Mike's exercise riders on him.”

Owned by Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch, Scorching broke his maiden in the 6 1/2-furlong Simcoe Stakes over the synthetic surface at Woodbine and was elevated to the win after finishing second under the line in the 1 1/16-mile Cup and Saucer Stakes over the turf Oct. 6.

Charalambous, who has been training horses since 1982, said he's not had to worry about adapting to New York's winter weather.

“It would be nice if we had a few days in the 40s. We've had some touchy mornings here–Canadian mornings,” Charalambous said with a laugh. “Fortunately, we haven't missed any days of training with him, so that's a bonus. There are a few options here that some of the colder weather tracks don't have. I've utilized all the training options we have here and they're good options, so you don't miss a day.”

Charlambous will be looking for his first win in New York since Charming Chester won a second-level allowance in 2000 when he saddles Scorching for the Gotham.

“The timing and the distance of the Gotham works well for me to be able to get him ready off a little bit of a layoff. Hopefully, it works out,” Charalambous said. “It was unfortunate he got a virus before the Coronation Futurity. I thought he was the best or second best 2-year-old that ran at Woodbine last year. He did everything we asked of him.”

Charalambous added of Scorching, “He's definitely a horse to get excited about. Whether he can handle the competition, I'm not sure, but he deserves an opportunity, and I think he's up to the task.”

Also under consideration for the Gotham is Chester Broman's Sand Devil (Violence), who took his record to a perfect three-for-three with a win against fellow New York-breds in the Damon Runyon Stakes Saturday at Aqueduct.

“He came out of the race very well,” trainer Linda Rice said of Sand Devil's status Sunday morning. “I think since they went so slow early, the dynamics of the race were a bit odd, but all in all, he dug in during the stretch. He had to fight off a contender, which is probably good for him as far as fitness and experience.”

Looking ahead for the colt, Rice said, “It's a gradual progression. As I've stated before, I had hoped to get to the Withers, but the weather in January was pretty harsh in New York. This was our back-up position and now we'll point to the Gotham and see how it goes. We are hoping things go well in the Gotham and we can move onto the mile and an eighth in the Wood. Time will tell.”

The Gotham, at a one-turn mile, offers 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Bernieandtherose (Accelerate) may also be making the transition from the New York-bred ranks to a Classic-qualifying race after winning the East View Stakes Saturday.

“She came back good,” trainer Domenick Schettino said. “I was impressed with her, especially with her dropping back down on the inside and then once Katie [Davis] got her outside, she was coming again.”

Schettino said both the one-mile Busher Stakes Mar.1, which awards 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points, and the one-mile state-bred Maddie May Stakes Mar. 8 are potential targets for the filly moving forward.

“We'll see how she comes back and how she trains. I don't think the distance will be an issue,” Schettino said. “She galloped out strong. She's matured since she first came in. She wasn't great in the gate, and it took us time to teach her the gate, but she's matured a lot.”

The post ‘I Think He’s Up to the Task:’ Multiple Stakes Winner Scorching Tunes up for Gotham appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Bernieandtherose wins third straight in Saturday’s East View at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

By Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Robert and Brad Rosenthal’s homebred Bernieandtherose extended her streak to three straight victories Saturday with her first stakes win in the $121,250 East View Stakes at Aqueduct.

Making her stakes debut in the 7-furlong stakes, Bernieandtherose broke on top and took an early lead as the field of five ran out of the chute. The daughter of Accelerate’s lead didn’t last long with race favorite Naive Melody flying to the front as Bernieandtherose settled on the rail in third through the opening quarter in :23.53.

Naive Melody wasn’t challenged down the backstretch, but Storm Changer changed that on the turn when she grabbed the lead halfway around the bend. Storm Charger looked to have it wrapped up in the stretch with Naive Melody fading and Bernieandtherose a few lengths behind.

Bernieandtherose targeted Storm Changer as they flashed past the furlong pole and closed the lead with every stride. Jockey Katie Davis put the whip away in the final sixteenth as Bernieandtherose collared the leader and pulled ahead. By the time they reached the line, Bernieandtherose had a half-length advantage with the clock stopping in 1:26.35. Storm Changer finished 2 1/4 lengths ahead of third-placed Naive Melody.

“You know, it’s funny, she popped right out of there, but knowing the other horses going into the race like Wesley Ward’s [Naive Melody] and the other horse, they could go a :45, and I wasn’t looking to go a :45,” Davis said. “Yes, she broke on top, but I wasn’t trying to rush her off her feet, because I don’t want to be in that speed duel. So, I let them go, sat the pocket for the first time ever with her, she didn’t mind it, and I tipped her out and she came running home.”

Trained by Domenick Schettino, Bernieandtherose’s only loss came on debut when third by just half-length in October. She broke her maiden one start later by 7 3/4 lengths before ending the year with an easy 6 1/4-length victory in an Aqueduct allowance-optional.

The filly may jump on the Kentucky Oaks trail for her next start, though Schettino didn’t commit to that route after the race.

“I’ll have to speak Mr. Rosenthal about that and see which way we go, if we stick with the New York program coming up or the Busher,” he said. “First of all, we’ll see how she comes out of this race and go from there. I don’t think distance is an issue – I think she’ll go two turns. The mare [Berning Rose] won the Maid of the Mist going a mile and the sister won going long, so I don’t think she’ll have a problem with it either down the road.”

Bernieandtherose is the second stakes performer out of Freud’s New York-bred stakes winner Berning Rose, who was also bred by the Rosenthals. Berning Rose is the dam of three winners from three to race.

Berning Rose’s other runners include last year’s East View runner-up Bernietakecharge, who has three stakes placings to her name. That 4-year-old Take Charge Indy New York-bred won her own 2025 debut in an allowance-optional January 11 at Aqueduct.

Berning Rose is one of seven winners out of her own stakes-winning dam Peach Flambe, who is also the granddam of multiple New York-bred stakes placed Bernt Again.

Berning Rose foaled a New York-bred Always Dreaming filly in 2023 named Roseberns Dream and a Central Banker New York-bred colt last year.

The mare was part of Americanrevolution’s first book in 2024 with that stallion standing for $12,500 at Rockridge Stud in Hudson. He sired his first foal January 19.

The post Bernieandtherose extends win streak in East View appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Reverting to front-running tactics for the first time since winning her maiden in impressive fashion at Saratoga last August, Tracy Farmer homebred La Cara made every pole a winning one in Saturday's Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, besting favored Her Laugh, who lost her race at the break but ran on courageously in the final stages.

As opposed to Her Laugh, who was playing up in stall six and missed the kick by a good four lengths, La Cara hit the ground running and took the field into the first turn, perhaps a fraction keen through the opening quarter in :24.03. Settled better through the middle stages, La Cara picked up the pace and began to put a bit of daylight on her rivals entering the turn and it was strictly her race to lose nearing the stretch. The result was never in doubt from there, as she strode out a facile winner.

Her Laugh lingered at the tail, but had caught up to the field passing the quarter pole. A rails run did not materialize and she was forced to come out three off the inside to deliver whatever rally there was and she finished well, but far too belatedly.

Following the seven-furlong maiden breaker at the Spa, La Cara resorted to a come-from-behind style to take out the GIII Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill in September. She never landed a blow when a distant fifth to champion Immersive (Nyquist) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies back on Nov. 1.

Cara Caterina, a full-sister to MGISW To Honor and Serve and GISW Angela Renee; and a half-sister to SW Elnaawi (Street Sense), was purchased by Tracy Farmer for $500,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September sale. The SW & GSP third dam Misty Hour was responsible for MGSW India (Hennessy), the dam of dual-surface Japanese Group 1 winner Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) and SW 'TDN Rising Star' Kareena (Medaglia d'Oro). The last listed foal from Cara Caterina is a yearling full-brother to La Cara.

The victory was worth 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks for La Cara, who has now amassed a total of 33 points, good for a joint-second with GIII Las Virgenes Stakes winner Tenma (Nyquist). Click for the Equibase.com chart and VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

SUNCOAST S., $100,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 2-8, 3yo, f, 1m 40y, 1:38.51, ft.
1–LA CARA, 124, f, 3, by Street Sense
1st Dam: Cara Caterina, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Pilfer, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Misty Hour, by Miswaki
O/B-Tracy Farmer (KY); T-Mark E Casse; J-Dylan Davis. $60,000. Lifetime Record: GSW, 7-3-1-0, $378,520.
2–Her Laugh, 122, f, 3, Practical Joke–Truth Goddess, by Point of Entry. O/B-Grantley Acres (KY); T-D Whitworth Beckman. $20,000.
3–Deloraine, 120, f, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)–Elaine's Cat, by Discreet Cat. 1ST BLACK-TYPE. O/B-Godolphin LLC (KY); T-Eoin G Harty. $10,000.
Margins: 6 1/4, 1 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 3.60, 2.40, 16.70.
Also Ran: Italian Soiree, Dancing Magic, Cloe, Queen in the Deck, Junta.

The post Street Sense’s La Cara Back To Winning Ways in Suncoast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Stretching out to two turns for Saturday's Sam F. Davis Stakes, downgraded to listed status but still offering 20 points to the winner on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s John Hancock (c, 3, Constitution–Scribbling Sarah, by Freud) would not be denied in the early march to the First Saturday in May.

The chestnut earned a solid 81 Beyer Speed Figure in leading every step of the way to break his maiden at first asking over three-quarters of a mile locally on Jan. 8 and was accordingly sent off the slight 5-2 post-time favorite over Owen Almighty (Speightstown), who was demoted from a victory in the Jan. 11 Pasco Stakes.

Sent straight into the lead by Prat, the homebred colt was not allowed an easy time of things, as Owen Almighty forced the issue through taxing fractions of :22.75 for the quarter and :46.23 for the half. Despite having to go hard, it was John Hancock who seemed to be doing slightly the better work and even as the three-quarters went up in 1:10.49, was clinging narrowly to the lead as heads were turned for home. Shoulder to shoulder with Owen Almighty into the final furlong, John Hancock looked to drop at least a head behind, but was back in front a sixteenth from home and took it by a half-length in stakes-record time. Poster (Munnings) closed off nicely with a sustained rally for third, just ahead of Camp Hale (Mo Town).

With his 20 point pick up here, John Hancock currently sits in seven on the Derby leaderboard, though third through eighth are all tied with the same number of qualifying points. Poster is in 11th with 16, tied with 'TDN Rising Star' GSW & GISP Getaway Car (Curlin), and Owen Almighty takes the 13th spot while tied with 'TDN Rising Star' Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) with 15.

Pedigree Note:

John Hancock hails from a fast family as his half-sister GISW Speech (Mr Speaker) lowered the track record at Keeneland for 1 1/16-miles to 1:41.26 in July 2020–Horse of the Year MGISW Knicks Go (Paynter) lowered it again a few months later in October–before going on to run third in the GI Kentucky Oaks held in September that year. The most recent to the races for his dam Scribbling Sarah, the victor is her second to garner black-type and third to get a picture taken. Next in line for a start is the 2-year-old full-brother named Federal Reserve, and the mare has a yearling filly by Gun Runner in the wings. She is due to Flightline for 2025.

Like her mother, Speech too had a Gun Runner filly, only hers was delivered in Japan after she changed hands in a private sale to Shadai Farm. Named Stir Heart (Jpn), she has started twice, most recently Jan. 18 at Chukyo. Speech has since produced a 2-year-old filly by Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn), a yearling filly by Saturnalia (Jpn), and is due to the sensational Equinox (Jpn) in 2025.

On the American side, this is the extended female family of fan favorite MGSW Rated R Superstar (Kodiak Kowboy) and MGISW Carson's Run (Cupid).

Saturday, Tampa Bay Downs
SAM F. DAVIS S., $200,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 2-8, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:42.27, ft.
1–JOHN HANCOCK, 120, c, 3, by Constitution
                1st Dam: Scribbling Sarah, by Freud
                2nd Dam: Plinking, by Talkin Man
                3rd Dam: Holy Wish, by Lord At War (Arg)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-CHC, Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $138,560. *1/2 to Speech (Mr Speaker), GISW, $497,090.
2–Owen Almighty, 120, c, 3, Speightstown–Tempers Rising, by Bayern. ($360,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $350,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG). O-Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing LLC; B-Mark Stanley (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch. $40,000.
3–Poster, 124, c, 3, Munnings–Pin Up, by Tapit. 'TDN Rising Star.' O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Eoin G. Harty. $20,000. Margins: HF, 2 1/4, NK. Odds: 2.50, 2.60, 4.60.
Also Ran: Camp Hale, Very Bold, Naughty Rascal, Dr Ruben M, Smoken Boy, Treaty of Rome, Gateskeeper.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

WOW JOHN HANCOCK ($7.00) IS SO GAME!!

He out-dueled Owen Almighty in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at @TampaBayDownsFL for 20 @KentuckyDerby Points. The son of Constitution (@WinStarFarm) set a new stakes record under Flavien Prat for trainer @bradcoxracing and owner WinStar Farm. pic.twitter.com/6GQpLPXXwQ

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 8, 2025

 

The post Aptly Named Constitution Colt John Hancock Ultra-Game in Sam F. Davis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Sand Devil fends off National Identity to stay unbeaten in Saturday’s Damon Runyon at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

By Paul Halloran

It wasn’t nearly as easy as his first two starts or the tote board indicated it would be, but Sand Devil dug in down the stretch Saturday at Aqueduct to take the Damon Runyon Stakes and remain undefeated.

The Chester and Mary Broman homebred outlasted a game National Identity to win the New York-bred stakes 3-year-olds by a neck, a margin trainer Linda Rice thought was closer than necessary.

“I thought he should have opened up in the middle of the turn,” Rice said of jockey Jose Lezcano. “They went slow down the backside and we were inside the other speed horse. It is what it is. I thought he should have opened up more. He gave the other horse too much of a chance.”

A son of Violence out of the Bromans’ homebred Mineshaft mare Mineralogist, Sand Devil didn’t have to work too hard to get to the lead in the 7-furlong stakes. National Identity broke first, but Lezcano came up the rail to take the advantage heading into the turn through a quarter-mile in :24.52 and a half in :48.58.

He maintained a three-quarter-length advantage around the turn, but never extended it, as Rice would have preferred. National Identity almost pulled even at the eighth pole and, after Sand Devil regained some breathing room, came running again but couldn’t catch the winner. The final time was 1:24.66.

“Today was the first time he had a tussle and he dug it out,” Rice said. “That other horse can run a little bit, but, like I said, they went slow early and sprinted home, and it was a strategic mistake for Jose to give that horse a chance to get head-and-head. He’d already had an advantage, and he should have used it, but we got to the winner’s circle and we move forward.”

Sand Devil, who doesn’t actually turn 3 until February 15, is the fifth foal out of Mineralogist, a multiple stakes winner out of the graded stakes-winning and New York-bred champion Seeking the Gold mare Seeking the Ante. Mineralogist’s most productive progeny to date is the Broman homebred Can You Diggit, a stakes winner by Tiznow who banked $436,555 in a 20-race career. Pretty Clever, a daughter of Hard Spun, earned $179,480.

“The other horse gave me a good run, but my horse is very nice,” Lezcano said. “Today, we go slow and the horses sprinted hard home. My horse is a big horse and he isn’t that quick when you ask him – it takes him a couple strides to get into full stride, so this is why the other horse come very close to him. He kept responding every stride I asked him to. My horse had the advantage today, but still my horse had (to put up a good performance) to win. Every race, he improves more and more.”

Sand Devil arrived in Rice’s barn at Saratoga in July after a few setbacks. She said that within a few months he started to show some talent, but she took her time with him. He broke his maiden December 8 and followed that with a 12 1/2-length allowance score January 2, earning a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

Rice considered running in the Withers Stakes February 1, but opted to keep the colt in state-bred company and sprinting for one more start. Open company awaits, however, with the Gotham Stakes March 1, a 50-point Kentucky Derby prep race, a definite possibility, according to Rice.

The post Sand Devil improves to 3-for-3 in Damon Runyon appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Grade 1 winner Locked joins the growing list of United States-based runners that will bypass the rich $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) Feb. 22 at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh.

Reversing a stewards' decision at Sunland Park that disqualified Holy Hank from victory in the Jan. 16 Corralito Steak House Stakes, the New Mexico Racing Commission has reinstated Holy Hank as the winner of the $90,000 race.

Superstars from Japan, Hong Kong, and Dubai line up for the Feb. 22 Saudi Cup (G1) as several American runners take a pass on the world's richest race.

Senor Buscador extends the powerful A.P. Indy sire line, while More Than Looks is the latest son of the late More Than Ready aiming to extend the Hail to Reason sire line through Halo.

The Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit, the enforcement arm of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, has sanctioned trainer Peter Miller after his runner, Forgiving Spirit, failed a postrace test after an Aug. 10 race at Del Mar.

GI Arkansas Derby victor Super Stock (Dialed In) was represented by his first foal at Leadem Farm in Arkansas, the operation announced Saturday afternoon.

Out of the Ohio-bred three-time winner Sprinkle Time (Shackleford), who raced for the colt's owner Keith Asmussen–and who also campaigned Super Stock in partnership with Erv Woolsey, the foal hit the ground early Feb. 7. His dam is a half-sister to MSW Justalittlesmoke (Smoke Glacken) as well as MSW Portales (Sharp Humor) and SP Hazy Command (Mastery).

Super Stock placed third in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity as a juvenile before winning the GI Arkansas Derby in 2021 and finishing 15th in the race for the roses. By the time he retired, the son of Dialed In won just over $1.2-million in his career.

“He is a very strongly built colt with a great frame and body to him and we couldn't be happier with him,” said Leadem Farm's Tyree Wolesensky.

The post Grade I Winner Super Stock Represented by First Foal at Leadem Farm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.