So often you don't know what a horse will do when challenged. Some babies go out and are so spectacular and precocious they aren't challenged. Arazi's performance in the Breeder's Cup Juvenile is an example - no one was close to him and he determined the win margin. Other horses put their best on the line when pressed hard and this is where the memorable ones are made - think Affirmed and Alydar. Sunday Silence and Easy Goer.

This time of year three year olds can be figuring that out. Until they face pressure and are put to having to work it's hard to say how good they are. Stardom Bound was impressive last year and so far this year but going wide and having to work she's had a tough race. And what a race!!!

Continue reading "Stardom Bound...Derby bound?"

Critics shunned her then discredited her. The bay filly won more consecutive races than did the great Cigar and Citation. Critics say her connections picked the races carefully.

Don't ALL trainers pick races carefully?! After all how many studs go in promoting they were almost good enough? It's wins that make statistics and wins that draw mares. Pepper's Pride raced into the record books at 17 consecutive wins in an allowance field in New Mexico. A race streak that long no matter what caliber competition is certainly an achievement, but the Desert God daughter didn't stop there. She also went past the international record of Hong Kong standout Silent Witness by winning 19 consecutive races, retiring undefeated. Her lifetime earnings are just over a million dollars. She won at a mile and won at six furlongs. She doesn't have high dollar breeding, true.

Continue reading "Peppers Pride begins New Career"

La Ville Rouge probably has more fans than any broodmare out there and many likely don't know her name. She foaled on March 10 with a 142 pound colt by Dynaformer. Said to be a bay with a white marking center forehead he'll be the latest in Dynaformer - La Ville Rouge babies, the first of whom was Barbaro. Nicanor, now 3, had an injury in the first start; a two year old Lentenor is in training in Florida. She'll be bred back, of course, to Dynaformer.

 The other mare in the news is just starting her career, with foaling a Giant's Causeway filly on March 9. This is the first foal from Belmont winner Rags to Riches, ending her career as the Eclipse Award winner for 2007 3 year old filly.

In other breeding notes, Eclilpse champion and 2006 Breeders Cup Juvenile fillies winner Dreaming of Anna is in foal to Street Cry. Vertigineux is not a name that rolls off the tongue but most fans know her daughter Zenyatta very well...and next year's half sibling will be sired by Henrythenavigator. A half sister by Bernardini is at foot. Does Henrythenavigator sound familiar? He was second to Raven's Pass in the 2008 Breeders Cup Classic...

Continue reading "foaling season names in the news."

The gutsy Alysheba who won the 1987 Kentucky Derby and was Horse of the Year has been euthanized.

  Last fall he was pensioned and King Abdullah sent the 24 year old to the Kentucky Horse Park from Saudi Arabia so he would be home where the public could see him. It was a gift to American racing fans. Alysheba fell in the stall and was not able to get up. A veterinarian was summoned and he was transported but had badly injured his right hind femur. It was not responding and combined to a chronic spinal condition that caused the fall the pain and inability to stand left only one humane choice for the champion.

Alyshea won the Derby and the Preakness and was nosed ut in the Breeders Cup Classic by Ferdinand. He was the richest horse in the world until Cigar and then last year Curlin broke his record. A memorial will be planned at the Park. Rest in peace champ.

Continue reading "Alysheba euthanized in Kentucky"

Some good horses in the field but Well Armed, once recommended for being put down, romped in the desert in the world's richest race. He certainly never looked back today.

Albertus Maximus was said to be America's shot but Well Armed won his 7th of 23 starts in a dominant fashion. The bloodhorse quoted trainer Harty as saying "This horse chipped a bone in the UAE Derby and then he fractured his pelvis and the vets wanted to put him down Two years on he's won the richest race in the world."

Well done Well Armed! A gelding by Tiznow out of the Notebook mare Well Dressed he has no stud career to go to.

Continue reading "Well Armed romps in Dubai"

Dunkirk ran well but Quality Road ran a monster race in the Florida Derby.

Dunkirk has shown a lot of promise but a track record effort for Quality Road, a pretty and fast son of Elusive Quality out of a daughter of Strawberry Road. Casey's On Call set the early pace, with Dunkirk, a $3.7 million yearling making his third start, threatened but finished a tired second.

Quality Road heads to Kentucky with 3 wins and a second from 4 starts and a 1 1/8 mile track record at Gulfstream of 1:47.72 He's clearly got the speed, he's got time until the Derby and he's a legitimate horse to go.

Continue reading "Quality Road cashes Derby ticket in record time"