Today's Edition

May 13, 1977. The legendary Vincent O'Brien sends a grey filly by Sir Ivor to The Curragh for her racecourse debut. In the colours of Robert Sangster worn by stable jockey Tommy Murphy, the filly defies her starting price of 16-1 to win impressively by three lengths. Nothing remarkable about a Ballydoyle runner scoring on debut at The Curragh. But this was no ordinary maiden, it was the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas. The filly in question, Lady Capulet, exploded on the scene and although her racing career amounted to just...

LEXINGTON, KY - During a businesslike session of steady bidding, and with six sessions still to come, the Keeneland September Yearling Sale surpassed the gross sales recorded during its 2017 renewal Monday in Lexington. Through seven days of selling, 1,433 yearlings have grossed $326,287,200. The cumulative average is $227,695 and the median is $150,000. The total gross of the 12-session sale a year ago was $307,845,400. During Monday's first of two Book 3 sessions, 289 yearlings sold for $22,360,500 for an average of $77,372 and a median of $55,000. A...

The rain clouds that followed Justify (Scat Daddy) during his Triple Crown sweep once again opened up as the unbeaten 3-year-old arrived at his new home at Coolmore's Ashford Stud on Monday. The rain couldn't dampen the sunny spirits of the horse's connections, however, as they prepare to settle him into his new life at stud. "It's a great day," said Coolmore's Adrian Wallace. "To receive a horse like Justify back here, he's by Scat Daddy who we stood here throughout his career and sadly we lost him too early....

The retirement of two of this season's Classic winners on Sunday took a little gloss off what was otherwise a stellar week of action culminating in Ireland with strong supporting cards from Doncaster's St Leger meeting and the Arc trials in Paris. Ireland's Champions Weekend may still be something of a newcomer to the star-packed 'festival' line-up but it has quickly found its feet and has been given solid support since its inception in 2014. The G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. is a race which rarely disappoints and while it...

   Sporting Chance (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), who was off the board behind G1 Phoenix S. hero Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) in Newmarket's July 12 G2 July S. and Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never) in Goodwood's Aug. 2 G2 Richmond S. last time, stepped forward to garner Monday's G3 Prix Eclipse at Maisons-Laffitte. The bay, who won his May 29 debut at Wolverhampton before running second at Kempton June 27, broke well and raced on the front end from the outset this sixth straight attempt at six panels. Coming under...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued its brisk pace as it marched into its second week with the final of two Book 2 sessions Sunday in Lexington. Book 2 saw 548 head sell for $87,113,700. The average was $158,967 and the median was $130,000. Through six sessions, Keeneland has sold 1,144 yearlings for $303,926,700. The cumulative average is $265,670 and the median is $200,000. The buy-back rate, which was 28.65% for Sunday's session, is cumulatively 26.71% "Trade was very vibrant today, the not-sold rate was down over...

The Week in Review, by Bill Finley Why is it that the people in charge keep forgetting what should be horse racing's number one rule: the bettors must come first. On an otherwise superb and interesting day of racing at Woodbine, many a player left the Toronto track in disgust or perhaps wanted to throw a brick through their computer screens over what happened in the GIII Bold Venture S. Pink Lloyd (Old Forester) is a Canadian legend. He was 16-for-19 coming into the race and had a streak of...

Top 3-year-olds Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}-Maybe {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) and Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}-Alpha Lupi {Ire}, by Rahy) have each been retired from racing after finishing second in their respective Group 1s at Leopardstown on Saturday. G1 2000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior finished a neck behind Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy) in the G1 Irish Champion S., and trainer Aidan O'Brien told RTE Racing the bay had injured a tendon. "He badly damaged a tendon in the race which was a pity and when he came home...

   Godolphin's homebred Quorto (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) followed up a 'TDN Rising Star' display tackling six furlongs at Newmarket in his June 22 debut with an impressive tally upped one panel in the July 14 G2 Superlative S. back at that venue last time. Usurping the Ballydoyle battalion for favouritism in Sunday's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. at The Curragh, the bay showed his mettle to emulate his sire's 2004 success and register a career high in battling fashion. Handily placed in third after breaking alertly from the outside...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which took a one-day hiatus after a four-session Book 1, continued just where it left off with a power-packed opening Book 2 session Saturday in Lexington. A colt by Uncle Mo topped the session and became the auction's 27th seven-figure sale when bringing a final bid of $1 million from the partnership of China Horse Club and WinStar. The yearling (hip 1206) was consigned by Lane's End as agent for Wygod Equine. "Today was an excellent session," said Keeneland's Director of Sales...

After being pulled up and vanned off last time in the GI Arlington Million Aug. 11, 'TDN Rising Star' Oscar Performance (Kitten's Joy) returned with a vengeance, refusing to be denied in the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile, a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile in November. Gunning straight to the front, the 5-2 second-choice ticked off early fractions of :24.60 and :48.78 while shadowed by Mr Havercamp (Court Vision) and favored fellow 'Rising Star' Delta Prince (Street Cry {Ire}). Still under a hand ride by Jose...

When you have the kind of acceleration possessed by Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy), winning races like Leopardstown's G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S.--a "Win And You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf--come as naturally as a morning breeze. With arch-rival Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) again making him stretch in a thrilling finale to Saturday evening's showdown, Qatar Racing's grey could not afford to keep anything in reserve for Oisin Murphy. Giving generously as he had in Sandown's G1 Eclipse S. and G1 Juddmonte International S., it proved enough...