Wandering Eyes

The West Coast invaders were in a race of their own when they entered the stretch in the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 14 at Oaklawn Park. View the full article

Needing a top-two finish to ensure enough qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), My Boy Jack delivered in the $200,000 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland April 14. View the full article

Needing a top-two finish to ensure enough qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), My Boy Jack delivered in the $200,000 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland April 14. View the full article

Joe Peacock's Sunland Derby (G3) winner Runaway Ghost will miss the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) because of a shin injury, trainer Todd Fincher said April 14. View the full article

Bill Nack, widely recognized as one of the most talented racing writers of all time, passed away Friday at his home in Washington D.C. Nack died following a bout with cancer. He was 77. Best known for his work with Sports Illustrated, where he was employed from 1978 to 2001, Nack covered many sports, but racing was his primary assignment and his first love. His 1990 story Pure Heart on the passing of Secretariat was chosen as one of SI’s 60 most iconic stories. His 1975 book on Secretariat, “Secretariat : The Making of a Champion” is considered the definitive book on the 1973 Triple Crown winner. “Bill was a great reporter, a great writer a great friend, a great colleague,” said Steve Crist, the former racing writer for the New York Times who later became the publisher of the Daily Racing Form. “His work on Secretariat was the best turf writing ever done.” Nack was born in 1941 and moved with his family to Skokie, Illinois, at the age of 10. A graduate of the University of Illinois, he served briefly in the Army before taking over the racing beat at Newsday. It was with the Long Island, New York-based newspaper that he covered Secretariat’s career and began creating some of the most memorable prose ever written about perhaps the most memorable horse ever to race. “It was a very truthful rendition of what happened,” he said, recalling the Pure Heart story to writer Ted Keith in 2015. “I can still remember leaning against that hotel room wall and sobbing (When Secretariat died). That horse had meant a lot to me and my family.” Whatever Nack wrote about, he did it better than most. Also known as one of the best boxing writers of his era, Nack wrote about such diverse subjects as Sonny Liston, Rocky Marciano, the lingering feud. between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier after their careers ended, Bobby Fischer, Rick Pitino, Yankee Stadium and Keith Hernandez. His 1988 story about Robbie Davis’ struggles after a horse he was riding at Belmont struck and killed jockey Mike Venezia, is also considered one of the best and most moving articles ever written on the sport. “Bill and I met at Churchill Downs in the year of Riva Ridge (1972),” said former Washington Post racing columnist Andy Beyer. “We had a friendship that lasted 46 years. I loved Bill as a person. He was so engaging. But the main thing I will always remember about Bill was what he was like as a writer. I am somebody who takes the printed word very seriously and I always have. There is nobody in sportswriting or any form of journalism who I have ever come across who was the craftsman that Bill was. You knew how much hard work entered into every sentence he wrote but it never felt forced. He put words and sentences together so brilliantly.” Nack’s talents extended beyond his writing. He loved the written word and had an uncanny ability to remember lengthy portions of classic works. He enjoyed regaling audience’s by reciting the final lines of the Great Gatsby. Nack’s honors included the Walter Haight Award from the National Turf Writers Association, the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Lifetime Achievement Award from Thoroughbred Charities of America, the A.J. Liebling Award from the Boxing Writers Association of America, the ESPN Lifetime Achievement Award for Literary Sportswriting in 2017 and numerous Eclipse Awards. Nack is survived by his wife, Carolyne Starek, and four children. View the full article

Merlion Trophy next after Distinctive Darci's devastating win View the full article

Chairman's Trophy beckons for Maximus View the full article

Boy Wonder back on the right track View the full article

No trumping Zac Ace this time View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings April 15 View the full article

Horses' body weights April 15 View the full article

Early scratchings April 15 View the full article

Despite facing pressure from Quip on the front end and drifting out in the lane, Magnum Moon proved best in the April 14 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park to remain unbeaten in four starts. View the full article

It appeared Whitmore would spin his wheels for the entire stretch run of the $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 14, but something changed in the final furlong. View the full article

MAGNUM MOON (c, 3, Malibu Moon–Dazzling Song, by Unbridled’s Song), the undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star,’ proved himself a big threat in the GI Kentucky Derby in three weeks with a powerhouse performance in the GI Arkansas Derby, running away in the stretch of the $1-million race despite drifting well out. A first-out winner Jan. 13 at Gulfstream, the $380,000 Keeneland September buy earned his Rising Star badge with a capital-E easy two-turn allowance score Feb. 15 at Tampa. Shipping to Hot Springs for his stakes debut, the bay made short work of the GII Rebel S. and came back in the meet feature as the 4-5 favorite. Away well, Magnum Moon took instant pressure from Quip (Distorted Humor) to his outside through a quick :23.34 quarter. Luis Saez backed down the pace aboard the favorite up the backstretch to the took of :48.60 and still had a handful of horse midway around the far turn. Challengers stacked up two to four deep nearing the top of the lane, but Magnum Moon cut the corner with plenty in reserve and burst clear past the three-sixteenths marker. From there, his only foe was his own immaturity, as he steadily bore out into the center of the track, but it was no matter as he sailed past the wire 4 1/2 lengths to the good in 1:49.86. Quip managed to hold for the place ahead of second choice Solomini (Curlin). Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, $1,177,800. O-Robert E. & Lawana L. Low; B-Ramona S. Bass LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. View the full article

ALBEROBELLO (f, 3, Bernardini-Carson Jen, by Carson City), backed down to even-money off a close second on debut on the GII Tampa Bay Derby undercard Mar. 10, justified her short price and then some to post an impressive first victory. Drawing in off the also-eligible list and breaking from the far outside, the $475,000 KEESEP yearling chased newcomer Urban Insight (Street Sense) and ranged up to that one’s right flank turning for home. From there she pulled away and poured it on, cruising under the wire some eight lengths to the good in 1:23.99. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0. O-China Horse Club International. B-Bell Tower Thoroughbreds (Ky). T-Todd A Pletcher. View the full article

CITY OF LIGHT (c, 4, Quality Road–Paris Notion, by Dehere), heretofore a pure sprinting type, stretched out with aplomb in the GII Oaklawn H. Saturday, overcoming a wide journey and a tenacious runner-up to stamp himself as a serious player in the handicap division going forward. Going one for his first four, the $710,000 Keeneland September guy pulled off a 15-2 upset in the GI Malibu S. to close out his 3-year-old season and repeated as the favorite in the GI Triple Bend S. last out Mar. 10 at Santa Anita. Drilling a bullet five furlongs in :59 4/5 (1/71) last Sunday at his Arcadia base in preparation for this, the bay was given a 47-10 shot from the widest draw and broke alertly. He was hung four wide going into the clubhouse turn, however, before settling in fourth up the backstretch, a few lengths behind sharp splits of :22.97 and :46.63. Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky), favored off of a dominant win in the GI Santa Anita H. last out, made a bid for the lead three deep midway around the far turn, and City of Light followed him one path further out while under considerably less pressure to go. Those two separated themselves from the pack at the top of the lane, but City of Light quickly started doing the better work and opened up two lengths on his foe in midstretch. Accelerate was all heart though, and dug in to throw one last haymaker in the last sixteenth, but City of Light always had him measured, and hit the wire a half-length to the good in a sharp 1:48.26. The winner is a half to Pointsman (Mt. Livermore), SP, $212,417. Lifetime Record: 7-4-3-0, $940,600. O-Suzanne & William K. Warren, Jr.; B-Ann Marie Farm (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. View the full article

Her last start was a runner-up finish in the July 8 Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1T) at Belmont Park, but Peter Brant's Sistercharlie was primed for a big effort April 14 in the $350,000 Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland. View the full article

SISTERCHARLIE (IRE) (f, 4, Myboycharlie {Ire}–Starlet’s Sister {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), unseen since finishing a neck second in the GI Belmont Oaks last summer, found running room in the stretch and burst away to take the GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. Saturday at Keeneland. Victress of the G3 Prix Penelope last spring at Saint-Cloud, the bay was a huge second with a terrible trip in the G1 Prix de Diane June 18 at Chantilly in her final start for trainer Henri-Alex Pantall. Making up a ton of ground into a slow pace at Belmont, she returned with a string of bullet workouts for this engagement and was adding Lasix as the 3-1 second choice. Traveling two deep on the clubhouse turn before angling to the rail and sitting seventh up the backstretch, Sistercharlie bided her time under John Velazquez behind fractions of :23.48 and :47.76. Continuing a ground-saving journey on the far bend, she angled out sharply into the three path outside the eighth pole, powered to the fore a sixteenth out and drew off to a convincing two-length success in 1:41.41. Fourstar Crook (Freud) rallied along the fence to get second money ahead of Off Limits (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in a one-two-three finish for trainer Chad Brown. Sakes History: €12,000 Ylg ’15 AROOCT. Lifetime Record: 7-4-2-0, $731,403. O-Peter M. Brant; B-Ecurie Des Monceaux (Ire); T-Chad C. Brown. View the full article

Globetrotter Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}–Hveger {Aus}, by Danehill), will shuttle to Swettenham Stud in Victoria, Australia, the stud announced on Saturday. He will stand for A$15,000. A three-time Irish highweight, the bay won seven Group 1 races for a Coolmore partnership and trainer Aidan O’Brien and was placed in seven more. Among his wins are two editions of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase in 2015 and 2017, the 2016 GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf and 2015 GI Secretariat S. in the States, and the G1 QIPCO King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S., G1 Prince Of Wales’s S. and G1 Investec Coronation Cup–the latter two in 2017–in England. The son of Australian MGSP Hveger, herself a daughter of G1 Australian Oaks heroine Circles of Gold (Aus) (Marscay {Aus}), was also tested in the Southern Hemisphere, finishing third in the 2015 G1 Cox Plate in the wake of Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}). Successful in the G2 Vintage S. at two after a 12-length win at second asking, Highland Reel is also a full-brother to MGSW & MG1SP Idaho (Ire), who was runner up in the G1 Irish Derby and third in the English version. “Swettenham Stud is extremely excited to have secured Highland Reel from Coolmore Stud for stallion duties in the Southern Hemisphere,” Swettenham Stud principal Adam Sangster said. “And while he might be standing at our Nagambie base, Highland Reel’s appeal is truly global. With his tremendous race record and what is clearly a stallion’s pedigree, I’m highly confident he will attract broodmare owners from all states, particularly at such a competitive fee.” Said trainer Aidan O’Brien of the earner of $10,530,964, with 10 wins in 27 starts, “An incredible horse with pace and courage and tactical speed, he has everything.” View the full article

The 5-year-old daughter of Hat Trick dug deep to run down European champion Lady Aurelia in the final sixteenth of the $100,000 Giant's Causeway Stakes at Keeneland. View the full article

MY BOY JACK (c, 3, Creative Cause–Gold N Shaft, by Mineshaft) overcame a wide draw and closed relentlessly in the stretch to just get up and take the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland, locking up his spot in the GI Kentucky Derby starting gate. Breaking his maiden in the Zuma Beach S. over turf last fall at Santa Anita, the dark bay was seventh in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and third in the GIII Sham S. in his dirt debut Jan. 6. Breaking through with a runaway score in the GIII Southwest S. Feb. 19 at Oaklawn, the dark bay was third, beaten less than a length, last out in the GII Lousiana Derby Mar. 24. Made the 3-2 favorite from the widest-out 10-post in this spot, My Boy Jack took up his usual place well off the speed and traveled ninth behind frontrunning Greyvitos (Malibu Moon) through splits of :23.28 and :47.11. Revving up four deep on the top of the far turn, the favorite surged into contention at the top of the lane, where he met ‘TDN Rising Star’ Telekinesis (Ghostzapper), who had snuck up the rail to overtake the tiring pacesetter. Those two threw down in the last furlong and it appeared as though the ground loss would just do My Boy Jack in, but he kept on coming to just nail his foe by a nose on the wire in 1:44.22. Sales History: $20,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 10-3-3-2, $645,145. O-Don’t Tell My Wife Stables & Monomoy Stables; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-J. Keith Desormeaux. View the full article

Coolmore Australia has released its service fees for its 15-strong stallion roster, led by stalwart Fastnet Rock (Aus), who just sired another Group 1 winner in Unforgotten (Aus) in the G1 Australian Oaks on Saturday. The 16-year-old will stand for a private fee, and he will be joined by his son G1 Coolmore Stud S. hero Merchant Navy (Aus) at A$55,000, once he concludes his racing career. Caravaggio (Scat Daddy), a MG1SW in the Northern Hemisphere, is priced at A$33,000, while the third new recruit, dual Classic hero Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), will command A$27,500. Young sire Pierro (Aus) recently sired his second Group 1 winner, when Levendi (Aus) saluted in the Australian Derby, and his fee has been raised to A$88,000. Shuttlers American Pharoah and Air Force Blue also make the trip Down Under and will stand for A$66,000 and A$11,000, respectively. “Our roster now comprises many of the best Australian-raced stallion prospects to retire to stud over the past number of years along with international stars like American Pharoah, Churchill and Caravaggio,” said Tom Magnier of Coolmore. “All in all we believe it is the finest collection of stallions ever to stand at Jerrys Plains. Our flagship horse Fastnet Rock continues to excel both on the racecourse and in the sales ring and in Merchant Navy we are thrilled to have arguably his best sprinting son joining the roster following his stint with Aidan O’Brien in Europe. Pierro is now firmly established as the best young sire in the country while So You Think (NZ) (A$44,000) has produced a trio of Group 1 winners from his first two crops.” View the full article

Radar Racing's Rated R Superstar, a 5-year-old gelding, roared past favored Chip Leader to win the April 13 Ben Ali Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. The son of Kodiak Kowboy covered the nine furlongs in 1:49.31. View the full article

William "Bill" Nack, a renowned sports journalist and author, died April 13 at his home in Washington, D.C. after a lengthy illness, according to Secretariat.com. View the full article