When Todd Beattie scratched morning-line favorite Fabulous Strike out of Sunday’s Grade 2 Tom Fool Handicap, he noted his respect for the 3-year-old Munnings and his uneasiness about spotting that horse 11 pounds going seven furlongs. Beattie’s fears proved well-founded as Munnings put on another dazzling display, sliding through an opening along the rail turning […]
[ Read More ]LORD SHANAKILL became the first winner at the top level for his sire Speightstown on Sunday when holding off the late charge of Oiseau De Feu at Chantilly on Sunday. His win also the marked the biggest career success for his trainer Karl Burke. The Group 2 winner was narrowly denied such honours when going […]
[ Read More ]Lightly-regarded Informed (by Tiznow), ridden vigorously by Tyler Baze from before the quarter pole, gradually wore down favored Rail Trip in deep stretch to win the $250,000 Californian (gr. II) at odds of 14-1 at Hollywood Park June 13. The Californian was the first stakes win for the 5-year-old son of Tiznow who was claimed […]
[ Read More ]Commentator (by Distorted Humor) rolled to an easy win June 12 at Belmont Park, beating Stud Muffin by seven lengths in the $64,950 Kashatreya Stakes. The 8-year-old gelding sprinted quickly to the front and led all the way in the race for New York breds. A winner of over $1.9 million, Commentator is unbeaten in […]
[ Read More ]Despite the Odds (by Speightstown) became a graded stakes winner June 5 at Belmont Park, as he put away Affirmatif and romped to a 7 1/2-length victory in the $109,000 Hill Prince (gr. IIIT), which was taken off the turf course because of heavy rain in New York. Once the one-mile Hill Prince was moved […]
[ Read More ]Munnings r(by Speightstown) an the race his connections always thought he was capable of, impressively winning the Woody Stephens (gr. II) at June 6 at Belmont Park. The chestnut colt won his first stakes by shooting through on the rail and drawing off by 5 1/4 lengths over Everyday Heroes, who edged Kensei for second […]
[ Read More ]Twice in the last three years, the Belmont Stakes was won by a horse who was still eligible to a first-level allowance race. Neither Jazil in 2006, nor Da’ Tara in 2008 had won anything other than a maiden race before capturing the Belmont, but both thrived over the 1 1/2 miles at Belmont Park. […]
[ Read More ]INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Mr. Hot Stuff has emerged from his 15th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby last weekend in good condition and is being considered for races on both coasts, trainer Eoin Harty said Thursday. Owned by WinStar Stable, Mr. Hot Stuff is with Harty’s stable at Keeneland. He could be sent to California for […]
[ Read More ]There are now 182 horses in the Thoroughbred racing Hall of Fame. Every decade or two, California is acknowledged for producing one of them. Any more often would be pushing it. In 1966, California’s Kentucky Derby winner and 1956 Horse of the Year Swaps was elevated to the Hall. The fact that he entered the […]
[ Read More ]The connections of favored Hold Me Back were gracious in defeat following the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland April 11 and looking forward to running their colt next in the Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I) in three weeks. The 3-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway finished second, 1 1/2 […]
[ Read More ]