LEXINGTON, Ky. - With a surprise victory over the reigning Horse of the Year, Curlin, in the Man o' War Stakes, Red Rocks made two points eminently clear.

First, the Irish-bred horse is a top-class performer, as he should be to defeat Curlin under any circumstances, win the Breeders' Cup Turf in 2006, and finish second in that race last year.

Second, Red Rocks is a son of the best stallion in Europe, the Sadler's Wells horse Galileo, who won the Derby at Epsom and has risen to the top of the European sire lists.

Tin Cup Chalice is one race away from becoming the first horse to win the Big Apple Triple and collect a bonus of $250,000.

The series, inaugurated in 1999, consists of the seven-furlong Mike Lee at Belmont Park, the 1 1/16-mile New York Derby at Finger Lakes Race Track, and the 1 1/8-mile Albany Handicap at Saratoga Race Course.

In his first start around two turns, Tin Cup Chalice won the New York Derby last weekend in a gritty performance, just 20 days after winning the Mike Lee.

The Albany Handicap will be run Aug. 20.

The veterinarian Dr. Eleanor Green is one of those important people in the Thoroughbred industry that most have never heard of. To put it succinctly, this Floridian has likely to have been there and done that in the universe of veterinary medicine. Currently, Green is chair of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Science at the University of Florida in Gainseville. She is the chief of a staff that numbers 50 veterinarians and 100 support members. But her job description does not end in Gainesville, for Green is also the president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A $375,000 Exchange Rate filly topped the two-day Fasig-Tipton July yearling sale Tuesday, which opened the yearling auction season on a subdued note with declines across the board.

Ahmed Zayat bought the sale topper, a Florida-bred gray or roan filly currently named Wicked Exchange, from Warrendale Sales, agent. Sold as Hip No. 441, she is the second foal out of the Tactical Cat mare Wickedly Wise.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Racehorse owner Paul Pompa Jr. has had a great year in 2008, so it was no surprise to find him reinvesting in the yearling market at Fasig-Tipton's July sale in Lexington. Pompa, part-owner of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown, picked up the highest-priced yearling at Monday's opening session, a $330,000 colt by first-crop sire Unforgettable Max.

Consigned by Gainesway, agent, the muscular bay offered as Hip No. 145 is out of the unraced Slewpy mare Wife's Objection.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - With her success in the Grade 1 American Oaks at Hollywood Park on turf, Pure Clan has reached a peak of success for herself and her sire, Pure Prize. The American Oaks is perhaps the most important turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies, and the chestnut filly's future racing will be focused on premier turf events in a bid to become the nation's top 3-year-old turf filly.

Also, winning the Oaks in 2:00.50 for 10 furlongs made Pure Clan the first Grade 1 winner for her sire and her dam, the General Assembly mare Gather the Clan.

New York-breds continue on a roll in open competition as the second half of the year gets underway.

Dagnabit, a son of state sire Freud, captured the historic Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 29 to remain unbeaten in two starts.

Bred and owned by Lansdon B. Robbins III and Tom Hansen, Dagnabit was a gutsy winner of the 116th edition of the Tremont, worth $105,300.

He won a maiden race over fellow New York-breds at Belmont on June 15.

Dagnabit is the sixth stakes winner for Freud, who stands at Sequel Stallions in Hudson, N.Y.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Economic recession hardly seems the ideal climate for selling Thoroughbred yearlings, but officials at Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton aren't convinced that the general economic downturn will wreak havoc on the summer's yearling sales, which start with the July sale Monday and Tuesday at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky. Caution is the watchword for the coming yearling sales season, especially for lower-middle-class offerings that could be more vulnerable in a sagging economy.

The two big favorites in Sunday's Prince of Wales Stakes, the second jewel of Canada's Triple Crown and the marquee race at Fort Erie racetrack, are homebreds.

Queen's Plate winner Not Bourbon is owned by his breeder, Charles Fipke, and his main rival, Harlem Rocker, was bred by Frank Stronach's Adena Springs. Stronach owns 80 percent of Harlem Rocker in partnership with the Adena Racing Venture II syndicate.

Brian Miller, the New Jersey-based owner who runs horses under the name of Silly Goose Racing Stable, has a lion on the prowl.

Trainer Greg Sacco unleashed Miller's game 6-year-old Maryland-bred horse Maddy's Lion to a close victory over New Jersey's reigning sprint star Joey P. in the $75,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 5.

It was the fourth time that Maddy's Lion has finished in the top three in stakes competition since Miller claimed him on Jan. 10 at Aqueduct for $35,000.