After rating in seventh early and then in sixth well into the final turn of the $101,500 San Luis Rey Stakes (G3T) March 22 at Santa Anita Park, Atitlan unleashed a blazing move to surge past horses entering the stretch on his way to a clear victory. Looking for his first graded or group stakes…
The stretch-running Tiztastic devoured the extra distance of the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2), capturing the longest of the domestic Kentucky Derby (G1) prep races by 2 1/4 lengths at March 22 Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. “This horse is getting better at the right time,” beamed Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen after…
Each year, the Road to the Kentucky Derby acts as a showcase for how quickly a young 3-year-old can develop. That rang true again March 22 when Final Gambit , off his maiden victory, unleashed a devastating turn of foot in the stretch to win the $776,364 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park. The gray…
Winchell Thoroughbreds’ homebred Red Route One got a dream pace setup March 22 in the $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park, and the 5-year-old Gun Runner horse delivered his customary finishing kick to win going away by 4 1/2 lengths. The winner, trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by his son Keith Asmussen, got…
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. Without an eager pacesetter in the Muniz Memorial, jockey Ben Curtis spurred a willing Idratherbeblessed to the front from the outer 11…
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. The 5-year-old son of Kodiac was a breakthrough first winner for the Qatari operation in the international races at the Emir’s Trophy meeting when landing the Dukhan Sprint,…
“Now we’re through the looking glass here, people. White is black, and black is white.” That was Kevin Costner’s character, New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison, in the Oliver Stone movie “JFK” disabusing his staff of any notion that their investigation into the assassination of President Kennedy would follow traditional lines. The same “up is down”…
The catalog for the Inglis Digital USA March Sale is now available online, featuring a slate of 29 horses and stallion seasons. Bidding is currently open for the online auction, with the first horse in the catalog closing March 26 at 2 p.m. ET, and subsequent listings hammering in three-minute increments. Among the notable horses…
The Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) 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. Presented annually, the award honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Thoroughbred racing industry. Past recipients include…
The catalog for the Inglis Digital USA March Sale is now available online, featuring a slate of 29 horses and stallion seasons. Bidding is currently open for the online auction, with the first horse in the catalog closing March 26 at 2 p.m. ET, and subsequent listings hammering in three-minute increments. Among the notable horses…
