Mon, 04/07/2025 - 13:36

After big payday, O'Neill takes aim at late-season goals with Raging Torrent, Mixto

Dubai Racing Club
Raging Torrent earned $580,000 for his owners in his Godolphin Mile victory.

A win by Raging Torrent in Saturday’s Group 2 Godolphin Mile in Dubai and a surprise second by Mixto in the $12 million Dubai World Cup later that evening gave California trainer Doug O’Neill the most lucrative payday of his 30-year training career.

Raging Torrent, a 7-2 chance in American pools, won the $1 million Godolphin Mile by 3 1/2 lengths, which was worth $580,000 for owners Zhang Yueshang and Great Friends Stable.

“He ran lights out,” O’Neill said.

Mon, 04/07/2025 - 13:32

Sharp to keep Lambeth going long; Isaac Murphy up next

Coady Media
Off a win in the Temperence Hill, Lambeth will start next in the Isaac Murphy at Churchill Downs.

Lambeth made the move to three turns for the first time in his career for the $200,000 Temperence Hill late last month at Oaklawn Park and wired his rivals in the 1 1/2-mile race to earn a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 100.

He’s now settled in at Churchill Downs and targeting another marathon race. Trainer Joe Sharp said Lambeth is being pointed for the $200,000 Isaac Murphy Marathon, a 1 1/2-mile race April 30 at Churchill Downs.

Mon, 04/07/2025 - 13:29

Booth gets top weight for Count Fleet

Coady Media
Booth, who has earned back-to-back big Beyer Speed Figures, will be the highweight for the Count Fleet.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap will share a card with the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on Saturday at Oaklawn, and Booth has been made the 123-pound highweight. The six-furlong race is for 4-year-olds and up and others set to start include Grade 2 winner Anarchist and $1.5 million earner Tejano Twist.

Mon, 04/07/2025 - 13:26

Thorpedo Anna turns in bullet work ahead of Apple Blossom

Coady Media
Thorpedo Anna worked five furlongs in 1:00 on Monday ahead of the Apple Blossom.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna put in a sharp work Monday at Oaklawn Park in advance of her appearance in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap on Saturday.

She is the 124-pound highweight for the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares.

Thorpedo Anna worked five furlongs in company in 1:00, which was the bullet move as of late morning. The drill came on a fast track on a sunny but crisp morning in the mid 40s.

Mon, 04/07/2025 - 13:21

Dibona eyes Monmouth Cup for Steal Sunshine after Godolphin Mile stretch rally

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Steal Sunshine will rest for a few weeks as Bobby Dibona considers where next to spot him.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Nobody who participated in Saturday’s Dubai World Cup program had more of a right to be thinking “what could have been” at the end of their race than trainer Bobby Dibona, who watched his Steal Sunshine finish fourth despite breaking far behind the field in the Godolphin Mile.

Fri, 04/04/2025 - 17:21

Oaklawn moves Saturday races to Sunday on account of weather

Coady Media
The races that made up the Sunday card have been canceled, with the exception of the $150,000 Rainbow Stakes.

Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., has canceled live racing for Saturday and moved the races from that card to Sunday, according to a press release from the track.

The races that made up the Sunday card have been canceled, with the exception of the $150,000 Rainbow Stakes, which will be run as the 12th race on Sunday, according to a text notification from the racing department at Oaklawn. First post for the Sunday card will be 11:45 a.m. Central.

Oaklawn has canceled training for Saturday and expects to resume training Sunday.

Fri, 04/04/2025 - 15:23

Desormeaux fit as ever headed into spring, summer meets

Benoit Photo
Jockey Kent Desormeaux has won 6,182 races in the United States, including three winners in the Kentucky Derby and six in Breeders' Cup races.

Jockey Kent Desormeaux will finish outside of the top 15 in the jockey standings at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting that ends on Sunday.

For the 55-year-old Hall of Famer, the results are not good enough. He yearns for more activity, and more mounts in a year in which he is attempting to rejuvenate a fascinating, and sometimes troubled, career.

Through Thursday, Desormeaux had won 7 races from 35 mounts at Santa Anita since Dec. 26, good enough for a respectable 20 percent win rate.

Fri, 04/04/2025 - 15:22

Johannes returns to Yakteen's barn after winter vacation

Benoit Photo
Grade 1 winner Johannes has returned to trainer Tim Yakteen's barn for a 2025 campaign.

Johannes, a finalist for the Eclipse Award as the outstanding turf male of 2024, returned to trainer Tim Yakteen’s stable at Santa Anita last weekend after a rest of more than two months on a Kentucky farm.

Johannes is expected to have a summer and fall campaign geared toward a start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 1. Last November, Johannes was second by three-quarters of a length to More Than Looks in the BC Mile, his only loss in a six-race campaign that included five graded stakes wins.

Fri, 04/04/2025 - 14:01

Morley points One Nine Hundred to Chick Lang, Paula's a Star to Miss Preakness

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Tom Morley has aimed the impressive maiden winner One Nine Hundred at the Chick Lang and Paula's a Star at the Miss Preakness.

Trainer Tom Morley has a couple of fast 3-year-olds that he wants to run at six furlongs, which is why he will likely have look out of town for next starts for One Nine Hundred and Paula’s a Star.

One Nine Hundred, a seven-length maiden winner on March 29 at Aqueduct, will likely be pointed to the $150,000 Chick Lang Stakes at Laurel Park on May 17. Paula’s a Star, third against males in the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct, will be aimed at the Grade 3, $150,000 Miss Preakness Stakes on May 16.

Fri, 04/04/2025 - 13:58

Bernieandtherose forced to miss Gazelle with cough

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Bernieandtherose was forced to miss the Gazelle at Aqueduct due to a cough.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Bernieandtherose, a New York-bred 3-year-old filly who has won four straight, including a pair of stakes, was forced to miss Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle Stakes due to a cough, trainer Dominick Schettino said.

On March 28, Bernieandtherose worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Belmont Park, but shortly thereafter started to cough. Schettino, not wanting to take any chances, decided to not even enter.

“She’s fine, didn’t have to miss any training, just had to pass it,” Schettino said. “It’s a long year.”