Shared Content Archive

By Perry Lefko Lincoln Chafee left home in his 20s to begin a career in the racing game as a farrier. It ended up taking him to western Canada, and now, some 30 years later, he is considering a run for the President of the United States. And if it's true that America is indeed the land of opportunity, the former Governor of Rhode Island who proudly wore a tie with a design of harness horses in his official bio photo and who figuratively still has hoofprints on his heart...

The major players from Saturday's GI Blue Grass S., GI TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial and GI Santa Anita Derby have all reportedly exited their efforts in fine shape as next month's GI Kentucky Derby looms. WinStar Farm and Stonestreet Stable's Blue Grass hero and 'TDN Rising Star' Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway) came out of the race "great," according to Todd Pletcher, and will remain with the conditioner's Keeneland-based string for the time being as he prepares for the May 2 "Run for the Roses." Longshot runner-up Danzig Moon (Malibu Moon) is expected to ship to Churchill...

John Deer's Al Kazeem (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) takes to Longchamp to add a touch of class to Monday's G2 Prix d'Harcourt as the G1 Champion S. runner-up kicks off a potentially lucrative 7-year-old campaign. At his best going this way round, the 2013 G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, G1 Prince of Wales's S. and G1 Eclipse S. hero provided one of last season's most dramatic spectacles as he fought a valiant but losing battle with Noble Mission (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) up the Ascot straight on Champions' Day. “We've been happy with him at...

Trainer Clive Brittain has reported his dual Group 1 heroine Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) to be shaping up well for her 4-year-old campaign, which may start in the G2 Middleton S. at York May 14 against her own sex, or in the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury May 16. “Rizeena is in tip-top form and she is ready to step up to her serious work, which she will start in a couple of weeks' time,” said Brittain. “She has done really well over the winter and we are looking forward to running...

The appropriately named Via Africa (SAf) (Var) makes her local debut for trainer Mike de Kock fresh off the rigorous quarantine excursion from South Africa, and while the South Africans generally need a run to sharpen them, this blaze-faced bay filly is one to note for the future. A three-time Grade 1 winner in her native country over this strip, Via Africa continually ran the opposition off their feet over sprint distances, winning 10 times--all but two of those over five furlongs--and never finishing off the board in 16 outings. De Kock...

Krypton Factor (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) won the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal en route to a score in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen on the Dubai World Cup card in 2012, and connections will be hoping the 7-year-old gelding has a repeat in him when he goes postward today. The dark bay nearly pulled off the feat again in 2013, finishing second in the Mahab Al Shimaal and third in the Shaheen behind Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown) before running third in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot, but the Fawzi Nass colorbearer...

By Steve Sherack While officials at Fasig-Tipton chose not to delve into comparison figures at the conclusion of Wednesday evening's successful Florida 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale due to the addition of the 47-strong Adena draft, there was certainly at least one number that jumped up from last year that the auction house should be quite pleased with.  No fewer than 14 juveniles sold for $500,000 or higher during Fasig-Tipton's maiden voyage at Gulfstream Park, up 75% from eight in 2014. Three of those graduates from 2014 include GI Hopeful S....

By T.D. Thornton  An attorney for jockey Roman Chapa filed an appeal on Wednesday against a $25,000 penalty and five-year suspension imposed by the Sam Houston Race Park stewards, who had ruled earlier in the week that Chapa "did carry an electrical shocking device" while riding Quiet Acceleration (Silent Picture) to victory in a Texas-bred stakes race Jan. 17.  Robert Elrod, the public information officer for the Texas Racing Commission, confirmed in an email that the appeal had been filed. Elrod wrote that he could not release additional details because...

Though it has only held Group 1 status for two years, the Canterbury S. has been won by a number of famed runners, including more recently Pierro (Aus) and More Joyous (NZ). Tomorrow's edition sees a pair of talented mares deadlocked for favoritism: Catkins (Aus) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Cosmic Endeavour (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}). The former campaigns for the Ingham family of Lonhro fame, and she has been placed at the highest level on three occasions, including the Myer Classic in November. She owns two wins from two outings this season, including a most...

Across the country, 3-year-olds in Victoria will also have a shot at Guineas glory tomorrow in the G1 Australian Guineas at Flemington. Wandjina (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) stamped himself a colt to watch when taking the G3 C S Hayes S. first-up over a furlong shorter here Feb. 21, and he looks to become the latest Group 1 winner for trainer Gai Waterhouse and owners Edmund and Belinda Bateman, who shelled out A$1 million for him at Inglis Easter in 2013 and who also campaigned Group 1-winning sprinter and young sire Foxwedge (Aus). Kermadec...

It's still winter. All the good racing is in warmer climes, and even there we're nearly a month away from climactic weekends including the GI Florida Derby, GI Santa Anita Derby, and the G1 Dubai World Cup; in fact, big preps for those weekends are on tap with the GII San Felipe S. this weekend at Santa Anita (though they have a great card including the GI Santa Anita H.), and 'Super Saturday' at Meydan in Dubai. Nonetheless, a few sires are having noticeably good winters. Last year's record-breaking champion...

The scratching of the highly promising Scissor Kick (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) from the G1 Randwick Guineas due to a virus yesterday altered the complexion of the Sydney Classic, but the race is still high on quality, boasting three Group 1 winners. Last year's G1 Golden Rose S. winner Hallowed Crown (Aus) (Street Sense) is deadlocked at 2-1 in the betting with G1 Caulfield Guineas scorer Shooting To Win (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}), and the pair finished first and fourth, respectively, to kick off their seasons in the G2 Hobartville S. over a furlong...