Sun, 09/21/2025 - 19:03

Full Serrano will start in Goodwood Stakes with eye on Breeders' Cup

Barbara D. Livingston
Full Serrano won the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar last November.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Full Serrano will start in Saturday’s Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

But a specific Breeders’ Cup race has not been finalized, trainer John Sadler said on Sunday.

Full Serrano, owned by Hronis Racing, won the BC Dirt Mile at Del Mar last November.

The winner of the $300,000 Goodwood Stakes at 1 1/8 miles receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Classic at 1 1/4 miles. Sadler would not commit Full Serrano to the Classic or Dirt Mile on Sunday.

Sun, 09/21/2025 - 14:05

Lovesick Blues charts unconventional path to BC Sprint

Benoit
Lovesick Blues was given a 105 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory in the Bing Crosby at Del Mar in July.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Lovesick Blues will take a downhill detour on his path to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

After his $39.20 upset in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes on July 26 at Del Mar, plans called for Lovesick Blues to train into the BC Sprint three months later on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Then trainer Librado Barocio reconsidered.

“The more I thought about it, it’s a long road, and if he’s going to be on his game (for the BC Sprint), I need to tighten him up a little bit,” Barocio said Sunday at Santa Anita. “I think I’ll run him down the hill.”

Sun, 09/21/2025 - 11:38

Instant Replay in light training, destination uncertain

Barbara D. Livingston
Instant Replay earned an 89 Beyer Speed Figure for his triumph in the Super Derby on Sept. 6.

Instant Replay has resumed training at his Churchill Downs base following a trip earlier this month to Louisiana Downs, where he won the $250,000 Super Derby.

Instant Replay closed for a head win, and for his effort earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 89. It was his third stakes win this year for the Brad Cox trainee, behind the Bathhouse Row at Oaklawn and the Texas Derby at Lone Star Park. The Super Derby was Sept. 6.

“He’s been in light training,” Cox said last week. “I’m not sure where we’ll land with him moving forward, race-wise.”

Sun, 09/21/2025 - 11:28

Fionn targets Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup as next start

Barbara D. Livingston
Fionn won the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs in her most recent out Sept. 10.

The 3-year-old filly Fionn has become a very rich girl in 2025.   

“It’s amazing that she’s the fourth-leading earner in America this year,” trainer Brad Cox said. 

Fionn has won 5 of 6 starts in 2025 to lift her earnings for this year to $1,737,970. In standings posted by Equibase, she sits off a trio of male runners in Sovereignty ($5.6 million), Journalism ($3.8 million) and White Abarrio ($1.9 million).  

Sun, 09/21/2025 - 11:15

Coal Battle heads field of eight for Oklahoma Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
Coal Battle was second in the Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis in July in his last start.

Coal Battle worked a bullet five furlongs on Saturday at Ellis Park and later the same morning drew post eight in a field of eight for the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park. The 1 1/8-mile race will be run next Sunday, Sept. 28, on a card of eight stakes that begins at 3 p.m. Central.

Coal Battle breezed in 59.80 seconds, the move was the fastest of 23 at the distance. The Grade 2 winner who has earned $1.2 million is gearing up for his first start since July 5, when he ran second in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Sun, 09/21/2025 - 11:02

Baeza's Pennsylvania Derby victory puts him in Breeders' Cup Classic picture

Barbara D. Livingston
Baeza earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory in the Pennsylvania Derby on Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The decisive victory by Baeza in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on Saturday at Parx Racing has elevated the 3-year-old to the short list of contenders for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic this fall at Del Mar.

Baeza, who earned a career-best 105 Beyer winning the Pennsylvania Derby by 2 1/4 lengths under jockey Hector Berrios, was scheduled to return to Santa Anita on Tuesday. If Baeza is up to it, trainer John Shirreffs will prepare him for the BC Classic.

Sat, 09/20/2025 - 11:48

Journalism works easy half-mile for Breeders' Cup Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
In seven starts this year, Journalism has four wins and three seconds.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Journalism, the multiple Grade 1 winner who ranks among the top 3-year-olds in the country, resumed serious training for the Breeders’ Cup Classic by working an easy half-mile Saturday morning at Santa Anita.

Winner of the Santa Anita Derby, Preakness Stakes and Haskell, runner-up in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Pacific Classic, Journalism was timed in :48.20 for his solo workout after the 7:45 a.m. track renovation. Trainer Michael McCarthy was not looking for any more than Journalism gave.

Thu, 09/18/2025 - 14:48

Owner maiden bonuses to be increased starting this winter

Barbara D. Livingston
Maiden bonuses at the Santa Anita winter-spring meet will be raised from $10,000 to $12,500.

Bonuses paid to the owners of California-breds that win maiden races at Del Mar and Santa Anita will be increased this winter after recent declines.

Starting with the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting that begins on Dec. 26, the owners of statebreds that win maiden races against open company or against California-breds will receive $12,500, an increase from the current level of $10,000.

Thu, 09/18/2025 - 10:57

Trainer Richard Root dead at 82

Jean Raftery/Turfotos
Richard Root trained the New York-bred champion graded stakes Nany, among other stakes winners.

Richard Root, a trainer of multiple graded stakes winners and longtime board member of the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, died in late August, according to family members. Root was 82.

Root was one of three family members who served as private trainers for Harry Mangurian Jr. from the 1970s through the 1990s, along with his father, Tommy Root Sr., and his brother Tommy Root Jr. During that time, Richard Root was the primary trainer of Mangurian’s homebred Nany, a multiple graded stakes winner who was named a New York-bred champion.

Sun, 09/14/2025 - 20:02

Jockey Kimura closes on 1,000th North American triumph

Barbara D. Livingston
Jockey Kazushi Kimura has ridden 997 winners in North America through Sunday.

CYPRESS, Calif. - It’s possible that jockey Kazushi Kimura will win the 1,000th race of his career in North America between Friday and Sunday, during the final three days of the Los Alamitos September meeting.

If not, the milestone will arrive at the Santa Anita autumn meeting, which begins on Sept. 26.

Through Sunday, Kimura had ridden 997 winners in North America, including three races at Los Alamitos on Sept. 12 - the opening day of the track’s two-week meeting.