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Zihnal entered the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby with plenty to prove, but trainer Jonathan Thomas maintained that the late-blooming 3-year-old simply needed the right ride. Jockey John Velazquez delivered, sweeping the stakes double on Sunday at Mountaineer Park.
The 2-year-old pacing filly JK Lady Liberty, by Captain Crunch and out of 2014 Horse of the Year JK She'salady, became the only two-time Pennsylvania Sire Stakes winner in her section during Sunday's third preliminary round for the state-sired horses at Harrah's Philadelphia.
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A game win by Holmby in Sunday’s Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies gave jockey Juan Hernandez a sweep of the four stakes at Del Mar from Friday through Sunday.
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Caps and Carnage, an undefeated 2-year-old California-bred gelding with three stakes wins in as many states, will be strongly favored to win $50,000 Gold Rush Futurity at Arapahoe Park in Colorado on Sunday, Aug. 16.
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Brant, winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in 2025, has been retired to stud at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm at Xalapa in Paris, Ky., according to an announcement on Saturday.
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A year after Bob Baffert won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint with Splendora, he seems to have a new candidate for this year’s running in Explora. Following her five-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga, Explora will now be aimed at the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.
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Miguel Clement believes Deterministic has been the best North American male turf horse the last two years and he’s hoping this year it will translate into a division championship.
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Conceit’s connections have generally treated her like a filly for turf and synthetics. Dirt looks like her forte. Winless in two turf starts, defeated in her one synthetic race, Conceit made it 3 for 3 on dirt while making her stakes debut in the $200,000 Audubon Oaks on Sunday at Ellis Park.
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Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. appeared to have escaped serious injury after an on-track incident at Saratoga on Saturday, but it is not clear when he will return to race-riding.
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John the Beer Man survived a torrid stretch duel, a bumping incident approaching the wire, and a near-10-minute stewards inquiry before ultimately being declared the winner of Sunday’s $300,000 Troy Stakes at Saratoga.
