American Pharoah Stakes

On a weekend of stellar 2-year-old racing with a plethora of Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' berths on the line, Citizen Bull (c, 2, Into Mischief--No Joke, by Distorted Humor) closed out Saturday's graded action with victory in the GI American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita. He earned a fees-paid entry to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and gave his trainer, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, a 13th win in the American Pharoah, which had previously been branded both the Frontrunner Stakes and Norfolk Stakes at different times. Winning...

Saturday is one of those 'burn the candle at both ends' kind of days for horseplayers, as no fewer than 17 graded stakes take place within a six-hour window. Eight of those events serve as 'Win and You're In' qualifying events for various Breeders' Cup races, and even those races that don't offer a free pass are liable to toss up a runner or two or three at Del Mar in four weeks' time. Keeneland Race Course brands its opening three days of racing as 'Fall Stars Weekend' and who's...

The training and next-race status of sophomore 'TDN Rising Stars' Cave Rock (Arrogate) and Faustin (Curlin) remained unclear Thursday, with trainer Bob Baffert texting a "Don't Know" emoji when asked to outline the game plans for the colts respectively slotted at Nos. 5 and 6 on the most recent TDN Top 12 rankings for the GI Kentucky Derby. The two were apparently not among a contingent of at least 11 other 3-year-old colts transferred out of Baffert's care prior to a Feb. 28 deadline that would have enabled them to...

Saturday's pair of Grade I dirt routes for 2-year-olds solidified intriguing subplots while establishing the three likely favorites for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Cave Rock (Arrogate) cemented kingpin status with a thorough shellacking of the GI American Pharoah S. field at Santa Anita. But fellow 'Rising Stars' Forte (Violence) and Loggins (Ghostzapper) might have delivered the more nuanced performances with their length-of-stretch slugfest in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. at Keeneland, which supplied both colts with valuable race-over-the-track experience heading into the Nov. 4...

Last year's champion 2-year-old colt, OBS April sale topper and 'TDN Rising Star' Corniche (Quality Road--Wasted Tears, by Najran) has been retired from racing and will take up stud duties at Coolmore America's Ashford Stud for 2023. Bred by Bart Evans and Stonehaven Steadings out of six-time GSW and GISP Wasted Tears, Corniche was purchased for $1.5 million by agent Marette Farrell on behalf of Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's Speedway Stables LLC following a powerful :10 flat OBSAPR '21 breeze. He was then turned over to Hall of Famer...

'TDN Rising Star' Corniche (Quality Road) looks to stamp his ticket to the upcoming GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile in Friday's GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita. Topping the OBS April sale at $1.5 million, the Speedway Stable colorbearer wired the field for an effortless 4 1/4-length graduation in his 5 1/2-panel unveiling at Del Mar Sept. 4, earning a gaudy 98 Beyer Speed Figure. His breeding indicates this extension to a route of ground should be no problem and with his rail draw, pilot Mike Smith is likely to...

Gary Barber's Get Her Number (Dialed In), off since winning the GI American Pharoah S. last September, continued to work towards his comeback with a four-furlong drill in :49.80 (1/1) at San Luis Rey Training Center Monday. While his next start has yet to be confirmed, it could come as soon as next Saturday's GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn Park. "I'm happy with the work and he's doing very well," trainer Peter Miller said Monday afternoon. "We are just deciding whether to put him on the plane Wednesday for the...