Wed, 04/20/2022 - 11:06

2022 Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Epicenter

Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges Jr.
Epicenter earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory in the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds on Saturday.

Epicenter

Not This Time – Silent Candy, by Candy Ride

Bred in Kentucky by Westwind Farms ($260,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Winchell Thoroughbreds)

 

The young stallion Not This Time has enjoyed a stellar spring with his runners. His leading 3-year-old is Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter, who will be among the favorites in the Kentucky Derby in less than three weeks.

Mon, 04/18/2022 - 11:10

Taiba a 'second miracle' for Ohio breeder

John Engelhardt/OTBO
Taiba as a yearling at Bruce Ryan's farm in Morrow, Ohio.

A precious few each year get to say they bred a Kentucky Derby runner. With thousands of Thoroughbreds born each year, it’s a longshot – especially for smaller programs outside of Kentucky that raise a relative handful of foals.

But for Ohio-based Bruce Ryan, who bred Santa Anita Derby winner Taiba, it’s a longshot that he’s around to enjoy this spring at all.

Sat, 04/16/2022 - 16:18

Street Boss, War Front fillies lead way in Ocala under-tack preview

Fillies by Street Boss and War Front held the fastest times at their respective breeze distances as the weeklong under-tack preview show for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s spring sale of 2-year-olds in training concluded Saturday.  

Wed, 04/13/2022 - 12:06

Kentucky Derby 2022 pedigree profile: Taiba

Emily Shields
Taiba is by Gun Runner out of Needmore Flattery, a two-time Ohio-bred horse of the year.

Taiba

Gun Runner – Needmore Flattery, by Flatter

Bred in Kentucky by Bruce C. Young ($140,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling purchase by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds; $1.7 million Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream 2-year-old purchase by Gary Young, agent for Zedan Racing)

 

Gun Runner has emerged from prep season for the spring classics with an embarrassment of riches. The record-setting young sire added Taiba to his Kentucky Derby candidates last weekend and could wind up with multiple entrants in both the Derby and Kentucky Oaks.

Mon, 04/11/2022 - 13:10

Power Surge, Smuggler's Run boost Straight Fire's stock with California-bred wins

Emily Shields
Power Surge (inside) holds off Connie Swingle to take a narrow victory in the Evening Jewel at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Straight Fire showed promise as a juvenile before being forced into a premature retirement, but some of the partners who raced him supported him as a stallion at Legacy Ranch in California. They are now reaping the rewards of doing so.

Straight Fire’s 3-year-olds swept a pair of California-bred stakes on the Santa Anita Derby undercard Saturday, with Power Surge springing a $155.20 upset in the Evening Jewel Stakes and Smuggler’s Run winning the Echo Eddie Stakes. Another son, What in Blazes, was third in the Echo Eddie.

Mon, 04/11/2022 - 13:10

Not This Time strikes again with Just One Time in Madison at Keeneland

Coady Photography
Just One Time logra el triunfo en el Madison Stakes G1

Pennsylvania-bred Just One Time is the newest Grade 1 winner for the hot young sire Not This Time, running down the classy Bell’s the One to win the Madison Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland.

Mon, 04/11/2022 - 12:56

Walsh sends out siblings to victory on same card at Keeneland

Coady Photography
Prevalence estuvo imponente en el Commonwealth Stakes

Brendan Walsh experienced what, to the best of his memory, was a first for his training career Saturday when he sent out a pair of half-siblings to win on the same card. Prevalence won the Grade 3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland, three races after his younger half-brother Emirates Road won a maiden special weight.

Both colts race as homebreds for Godolphin, for whom Walsh trained multiple Grade 1 winner Maxfield. That son of Street Sense retired to the stallion barn for this year, but Walsh also has a half-sibling to that star in his barn, the filly Loved.

Wed, 04/06/2022 - 12:26

2022 Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Messier

Benoit Photo
Messier wins the Robert Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita by 15 lengths on Sunday. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 103.

Messier

Empire Maker – Checkered Past, by Smart Strike

Bred in Ontario by Sam-Son Farm ($470,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky selected yearling purchase by SF/Starlight/Madaket)

 

Messier, who takes his one and only shot at earning a Kentucky Derby berth on Saturday at Santa Anita, is from a pedigree that has had classic success on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border for legendary breeding operations.

Wed, 04/06/2022 - 08:48

Grade 1 winner Majestic Harbor dies at 14

Justin N. Lane
Majestic Harbor wins the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill Downs in 2016.

The durable racehorse Majestic Harbor, a Grade 1 winner who made 42 starts, died of a suspected cardiac event Tuesday at Harris Farms, where he has been standing at stud, according to his co-owner, Lori Hebel-Osborne, who raced Majestic Harbor as part of a partnership.

Majestic Harbor scored the biggest win of his career in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in 2014, defeating, among others, Game On Dude and Clubhouse Ride.

Mon, 04/04/2022 - 11:40

Serena's Song turns 30 years old

Barbara D. Livingston
Serena's Song entered racing's Hall of Fame in 2002.

Hall of Fame racemare and blue hen Serena’s Song turns 30 this week. The mare, who resides at Denali Stud in Paris, Ky., was foaled April 4, 1992.