Wandering Eyes

Murray finds the line with another outsider View the full article

Peters strikes form with weekend treble View the full article

Horses' test results April 13 View the full article

Admiral Winston impressive at debut win View the full article

Horses' body weights April 14 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings April 14 View the full article

Early scratching April 14 View the full article

Caribbean Lady goes all the way View the full article

With time to mature, Owendale rallied to a breakthrough victory in the $200,000 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) April 13 at Keeneland, beating out horses hoping to collect enough points to make the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). View the full article

HARD NOT TO LOVE (f, 3, Hard Spun–Loving Vindication, by Vindication) made good on her ‘TDN Rising Star’-worthy debut victory here Feb. 16 with a solid defeat of her elders Saturday. A half-sister to MGSW & GISP, Queen’s Plate winner Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d’Oro), the one-eyed filly was on the outside of a four-horse duel for control through a swift first quarter in :21.83. Taking control as the half went in :45.12, the $400,000 KEESEP grad cruised clear of the field and looked home free with Tiago Pereira motionless in the saddle. However, Lady Ninja (Majesticperfection) came flying late in the stretch, looking a threat to the winner, but Pereira never moved and Lady Ninja was still 3/4 of a length behind at the line. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0. O-Mercedes Stables, West Point Thoroughbreds, Scott Dilworth, Dorothy & David Ingordo and Steve Mooney; B-Anderson Farms (ON); T-John Shireffs. View the full article

VALIANCE (f, 3, Tapit–Last Full Measure, by Empire Maker), let go at 8-1 in this unveiling, was away in good order from post 12 and pressed the pace from second through opening splits of :24.61 and :49.37. Sticking her nose in front approaching the far turn, the gray extended clear in the lane to win by a length. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Eclipse Thoroughbreds, Marty Schwartz & China Horse Club; B-China Horse Club (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. View the full article

The More Than Ready filly ran for the first time since her win in Keeneland's Oct. 13 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Lane's End (G1T) and carried her record to four stakes wins in Lexington, where she has never been defeated. View the full article

It was a family affair in the Keeneland winner's circle for trainer Ian Wilkes April 13, as son-in-law and jockey Chris Landeros rode Bourbon Resolution home to a stunning upset victory in the $200,000 Ben Ali Stakes (G3). View the full article

The More Than Ready filly ran for the first time since her win in Keeneland's Oct. 13 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Lane's End (G1T) and carried her record to four stakes wins in Lexington, where she has never been defeated. View the full article

RUSHING FALL (f, 4, More Than Ready-Autumnal, by Forestry) showed the crowd at Keeneland she still had it with a front-running success in the GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. Saturday. Favored at 4-5 in this seasonal bow, the bay went straight to the lead, cruising through opening splits of :23.81 and :48.41. Confronted by Got Stormy (Get Stormy) to her outside and Rymska (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) to her inside in the lane, the $320,000 FTSAUG buy showed just how classy she was, finding more in late stretch to deny those foes in a final time of 1:42.77. Winner of the GIII Jessamine S. and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2017, Rushing Fall won the GII Appalachian S. here last term and suffered her first defeat in Churchill’s GIII Edgewood S. last term. Winning the GII Lake Placid S. at Saratoga in August, she closed out 2018 with a victory in this venue’s GI QEII Cup Oct. 13. Lifetime Record: 8-7-1-0. O-e Five Racing Thoroughbreds; B-Fred Hertrich & John Fielding (KY); T-Chad Brown. View the full article

Gary Barber's War of Will breezed five furlongs from the starting gate at Keeneland April 13, firing a :59 bullet over a fast track in preparation for the May 4 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). View the full article

Lady Sheila Stable’s Sheila Rosenblum announced the 2015 Eclipse Champion Female Sprinter La Verdad (Yes It’s True) foaled a Curlin filly at Darley in Lexington Apr. 5. The winner of 11 stakes and an earner of over $1.5 million on the racetrack, La Verdad has also proven her worth in the sale’s ring, producing last year’s top priced filly–consigned by Eaton Sales–at Keeneland November. A daughter by Tapit brought $800,000 from a partnership of Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm and Three Chimneys. Added Rosenblum, “We are extremely pleased with the foal and the care she is receiving at Darley. Several prominent horsemen have told me that she is a standout. La Verdad holds a special place in my heart. I am looking to provide every opportunity to have her become as influential a producer as she was a racemare, having bred her to Medaglia d’Oro, Tapit, and Curlin.” The 9-year-old mare is currently booked to be bred back to Into Mischief. For video of La Verdad’s Curlin filly, click here View the full article

OWENDALE (c, 3, Into Mischief–Aspen Light, by Bernardini) sprung a 12-1 upset in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland Saturday to earn his black-type badge. Well back off the early pace, the bay ran two wide as a pair of rivals battled through early fractions of :24.33 and :48.23. Making eye-catching progress on the backstretch, Owendale hit the front in early stretch and charged clear to score. Favored Anothertwistafate (Scat Daddy) was second. A neck second in a Fair Grounds optional claimer Dec. 22, Owendale won in that same condition next out in NOLA Jan. 17 and was eighth when last seen in the GII Risen Star S. Feb. 16. Lifetime Record: 8-3-1-1. O-Rupp Racing; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (KY); T-Brad Cox. View the full article

The graded stakes debut of William and Corrine Heiligbrodt's Mitole was a splashing success as he fended off a challenge from the grade 1-winning Whitmore and drew clear to win the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park April 13. View the full article

PYRON (c, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}–Tapatia, by Tapit) took his record to two-for-two with a first-level allowance score in the slop at Oaklawn Saturday. Breaking on top, the chestnut settled in a close-up third, just a neck off the dueling leaders through a first quarter in :22.07. Sticking his nose in front as the half went up in :45.31, the homebred was three wide turning for home and kept on finding to score. Stablemate You’vesaiditall (Lookin at Lucky) rallied for second. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0. O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Steve Asmussen. View the full article

After the excitement of Newbury on Saturday, the latest Classic trials of note take place just 24 hours later at ParisLongchamp, with the highlight undoubtedly the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau. Surprisingly, Andre Fabre runs TDN Rising Stars Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and Epic Hero (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) who despite sharing that distinction are countries apart at present with regards to their respective form. Persian King, who is part-owned by Godolphin and Ballymore Thoroughbreds, is as exciting a prospect that France has this season and his relaunch is eagerly anticipated. Last seen beating the subsequent G1 Racing Post Trophy hero Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the G3 Autumn S. at Newmarket in October, he is on another level to fellow Godolphin colour-bearer Epic Hero as things stand. Persian King’s immediate Classic target is as-yet unknown, but his trainer is keen to glean evidence here. “Looking at his breeding, I’d think 10 furlongs is possible this year,” he explained. “We are still learning about Kingman as a sire. His dam is by Dylan Thomas, so there is stamina there. His form last year is solid. I’d say it’s a level below Too Darn Hot and Ten Sovereigns, but not too far.” Fabre is well aware of the changing nature of Classic contenders in springtime and it is significant that he tries Epic Hero in this company. He faces a stiff examination of the obvious talent he flaunted when an eight-length winner over a mile on Chantilly’s Polytrack Mar. 19. “This is the best time of year–there are lots of questions to answer,” he added. “Some will disappoint you and some will surprise you. I doubt he [Epic Hero] will stay any further than a mile this season–he has lots of pace.” One bred for Classic duty is Khalid Abdullah’s Price Range (First Defence), a son of Price Tag (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who was demoted from first to third in the 2006 G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. What the form of his two Polytrack wins in the space of a fortnight over a mile and 7 1/2 furlongs at Chantilly and Deauville in November is worth is a mystery, but it should be clearer by Sunday evening. In the fillies’ trial, the G3 Prix de la Grotte, Freddy Head unleashes last year’s G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Lily’s Candle (Fr) (Style Vendome {Fr}), who is now in the ownership of Katsumi Yoshida after she was bought from Martin Schwartz for €1.1-million at Arqana December. She is re-opposed by Rocques (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) in the Gerard Augustin-Normand’s silks after that G3 Prix d’Aumale winner was sixth but beaten only two lengths in the Marcel Boussac. Also running for Augustin-Normand is the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Montviette (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), but she has a half length to make up on her G3 Prix des Reservoirs conqueror Cala Tarida (GB) (Garswood {GB}) with no obvious reason to do so. The card also sees the Prix du Jockey-Club hopefuls test their mettle in the G3 Prix Noailles, where George Strawbridge’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Lone Peak (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) takes on two Fabre representatives in Godolphin’s G3 Prix de Conde runner-up Syrtis (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and the Wertheimers’ unbeaten Slalom (Fr) (Intello {Ger}). View the full article

A little over a month removed from the 144th GI Preakness S., the Maryland Jockey Club announced that, for the safety and security of all guests and employees at Pimlico, the northern section of the grandstand will be closed. The closure is in effect for the full Pimlico meet, including the Preakness and May 17 GII Black Eyed Susan Day. The decision was made following the recent Maryland Stadium Authority study that concluded that after over 100 years, Pimlico Race Course had “reached the end of its useful life.” The Maryland Jockey Club engaged a Baltimore based independent engineering firm, Faisant Associates, to assess the facility and the firm concluded that there has been significant deterioration to the northern part of the grandstand, the exterior portion of the facility adjacent to the Clubhouse. The northern grandstand is the oldest portion of the structure dating back more than a century, with seating capacity for 6,670 guests, and is no longer suitable to sustain that level of load bearing weight. “It is deeply disappointing for us and the affected ticket-holders that at a peak moment in time when we generate the most amount of income for the industry, for our company and for all stakeholders, and when we are poised to welcome racing fans to Preakness, we have to de-commission 6,670 seats,” said Bill Hecht, CEO, U.S. Real Estate for The Stronach Group, owners of the Maryland Jockey Club. “As the safety and security is paramount to our guests and employees, this position to forego income should in no way be interpreted as anything other than that.” Ticket-holders who have purchased tickets for that section of the grandstand for this year’s Preakness will be able to trade in their tickets at face value for similar seating. Ticket-holders may exchange their tickets between now and May 1st. View the full article

Va Bank (Ire) (Archipenko–Vinales {Ire}, by Dilshaan {GB}), the 2015 Polish Triple Crown winner who raced successfully in Western Europe later in his career, has been retired with a tendon injury, according to a release from trainer Andreas Woehler earlier this week. Bred by Airlie Stud, Va Bank was purchased by bloodstock agent Bobby O’Ryan for €4,500 at the 2013 Tattersalls Ireland Yearling Sale and won his first 11 starts in Poland, including the Triple Crown and that nation’s most prestigious weight-for-age event, the Wielka Warszawska (video). Barry Irwin’s Team Valor bought into the colt following an initial overseas success in the G3 Preis der Sparkassen Finanzgruppe in August 2016. After two unplaced efforts in 2017, Va Bank was spelled at Gestut Faehrhof and he returned to the races, now under the care of Woehler, nearly a year later to place in four consecutive group races in Germany, including a strong third to reigning G1 Dubai Turf hero Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Bayrisches Zuchtrennen. He hit his straps really and truly in what would be the final two starts of his career, first defeating German highweight Iquitos (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) by five lengths in the G3 Preis der Deutschen Einheit (see below) at Berlin’s Hoppegarten track last October before overcoming heavy ground he clearly disliked to gut out the victory in the G2 Premio Roma the following month (video). A champion in Germany at four and in Italy last year at age six in addition to his Polish accolades, Va Bank retires with a record of 21-14-4-1 for earnings of $436,543. According to a tweet from Team Valor, Va Bank is “likely to stand” in Germany in 2020. WATCH: Va Bank streets his rivals in the Preis der Deutschen Einheit View the full article

MITOLE (c, 4, Eskendereya–Indian Miss, by Indian Charlie) ran to the money with another good-looking victory in Oaklawn’s GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. Saturday. Away alertly from his rail draw, the 2-5 chalk took up his preferred position at the head of affairs and was pressed along by Whitmore through a half in :45.54 over the sloppy going. That rival bore out several paths in the lane as Mitole kept on charging clear to score his first graded victory. Mitole took three tries to earn his diploma, but did so in style with a 10-length score last February and was second next out in the Gazebo three weeks later. He won his next three starts last term by open lengths, including dominant scores in the Bachelor S. and Chick Lang S. last spring. Shelved after that May 19 event, the $140,000 OBSAPR buy kicked off 2019 the same way he ended 2018 with a decisive optional claimer score over this track and trip Mar. 2. Lifetime Record: 9-6-2-1. O-William & Corinne Heiligbrodt; B-Edward Cox, Jr. (KY); T-Steve Asmussen. View the full article

Gary Barber’s War of Will (War Front), slated to contest the May 4 GI Kentucky Derby, breezed five furlongs from the gate in :59 over a fast track at Keeneland Saturday. The time was the fastest of 44 works at the distance. With jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard, War of Will carved out splits of :22.80, :34.60 and :46.20 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.60. (Video) “He broke sharp and had running on his mind,” Gaffalione explained. “He did everything very easy. Mark said he wanted a good five-eighths, so I just let him do his thing. He cruised along and pulled up great and came back happy. He is really proud of himself.” Trained by Mark Casse, the colt has 60 qualifying points and a guaranteed place in the first leg of the Triple Crown. “Horses sometimes get more (conditioning) from working from the gate,” Casse’s Keeneland assistant, David Carroll, said. “He broke very sharp, worked beautifully and the gallop out was tremendous. He cooled out really well, and we are very happy.” At Fair Grounds earlier this year, War of Will won the GII Risen Star S. and the GIII Lecomte S. Most recently, he was ninth in the Mar. 23 GII Louisiana Derby after losing his footing at the start. “He is a kind horse to be around, and in the past week he has really been on his toes and is very sharp,” Carroll said. “He told us coming into (today) that he is ready for a good workout. In the Paddock on his way to the track, he was very playful.” Carroll indicated War of Will likely will have another work next week at Keeneland and a final tune-up at Churchill Downs in the days leading up to the Derby. View the full article