Red Rocks, the Irish-bred winner of the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Turf and a freshman sire at Centro Equino Arcadia in Italy, was represented by his first winner in that country on Wednesday, when Crissolo took a 1,000-meter (about five furlong) maiden event at Milan.
DRF Breeding staff writer Joe Nevills analyzes the Kentucky Derby field in the form of Haiku; a Japanese poem of 17 syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five.
Miner’s Mark, who beat Colonial Affair by a nose to win the 1993 Jockey Club Gold Cup, was euthanized on April 30 at Blue Ridge Farm in Upperville, Va., his caretaker Patricia Ramey confirmed Thursday.
Twenty-one years ago, Mark had the privilege of witnessing firsthand A.P. Indy’s brief but inexorable march to greatness. He’d been on hand for the son of Seattle Slew’s triumph in the 1992 Belmont Stakes and for his romp over older stars in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Gulfstream Park. He had reported with admiration on the colt’s honest, resolute style of running – and winning – with head low, legs churning, efficient to the nth degree.
One of the most surprising developments in international racing and breeding over the past decade has been the renaissance of the German Thoroughbred. Even as German racing has experienced financial difficulties and some internal upheaval, German breeding has made unexpected inroads on international racing, and the principal agent of that renaissance is perhaps the most surprising development of all.
While there are a bevy of unknowns when handicapping the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, one of the most challenging quandaries is figuring out who will be able to handle the mile and an eighth distance.
Marchfield, a two-time champion older horse and young sire in Canada, has been sold to Moutonshoek Stud in South Africa, Racing Post reports.
There were some awe-inspiring performances by the human participants at the Keeneland spring meet that ended April 26, notably the single-meet records established by owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey, trainer Mike Maker, and jockey Joel Rosario. But just below all that Keeneland clatter could be heard a buzz of a familiar sort: Trainer Wesley Ward dominated the spring “baby races” yet again, prompting folks to wonder aloud how he does what he does with those first-time-starting 2-year-olds of his.
A closer look at the pedigrees and backgrounds of the 11 fillies entered in a strong edition of the Kentucky Oaks.
Alhaarth, a champion racehorse who went on to sire such Group 1 winners as Haafhd and Phoenix Reach, has been pensioned from stud duty due to what Derrinstown Stud in Co. Kildare, Ireland, described as “an ongoing cardiac condition.”
