American Pharoah

Second best in the May 4 Listed Cheshire Oaks, TDN Rising Star Above the Curve (American Pharoah) made sure she was front and centre where it mattered in Sunday's G1 St Mark's Basilica Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary at ParisLongchamp. Sent up to track the steady pace by Ryan Moore in a close second, the 7-5 favourite was committed with 300 metres remaining and stayed on to deny Place du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) by a length, with Queen Trezy (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) the same margin away in third. "They...

As part of a mandate that flows from the governor on down to the commissioners he has appointed to the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), the "lens of equity" may soon be focused squarely on the state's jockey colony. Fear not, California riders: This initiative means the owners of male horses that you pilot to victory in certain graded stakes might soon be compelled to award you a one-time breeding right if that winner goes on to become a stallion. That's a practice that was once a "gentleman's agreement" type...

I suppose it wasn't a complete surprise that the connections of Rich Strike (Keen Ice) announced Thursday that their GI Kentucky Derby winner will not run in the GI Preakness S. and will instead point for the GI Belmont S., forgoing any chance he might have had to win the Triple Crown. Owners and trainers have grown so frightened by the idea of running their horses back on two-weeks' rest that something like this was inevitable. So this year's Preakness, missing the feel-good 80-1 winner of the Derby will not...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for Saturday running at Chukyo Racecourse. The weekend's highlight takes place at Tokyo, where recent Group 2 winner Jean Gros (More Than Ready) steps up in grade for the G1 NHK Mile Cup over the metric mile: Saturday, May 7, 2022 2nd-CKO, ¥9,900,000 ($76k), Maiden,...

Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement facility in Georgetown, will host a homecoming event May 8 beginning at noon. The event features a live and silent auction of artwork, prints, and racing memorabilia, including several premiere collectible stallion halters. Absentee bidding on the halters, which include halters worn by American Pharoah, Arrogate, Zenyatta, Cigar, Rachel's Valentina, and Authentic, is also available. To bid, email name, address, phone number and highest bid to horses@oldfriendsequine.org. The deadline to receive bids is May 7 at 9 p.m. The Old Friends Homecoming will also include...

4th-KEE, $80K, Msw, 2yo, 4.5f, Post Time: 2:36 p.m. The prolific team of Winchell Thoroughbreds and Steve Asmussen present $460,000 Keeneland September buy MAGIC TAP (Tapit) at Keeneland Wednesday. Out of Grade II-placed American Story (Ghostzapper), the grey is a half-brother to dual Grade I winner American Gal (Concord Point). Subsequent to her racing career, the Kaleem Shah homebred realized $3-million at Fasig-Tipton in the fall of 2018. The juvenile colt will be accompanied by Joel Rosario for this unveiling. Likely to get much of the play at the windows...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a half-brother to Group 1 winner and sire Aclaim (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}).    16.00 Cork, Mdn, €12,000, 3yo/up, 10f 30yT Aidan O'Brien trainee FLEET COMMANDER (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is a full-brother to this year's G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup hero Russian Emperor (Ire) and makes his...

NEWMARKET, UK—The excellence of the Tattersalls marketing team is familiar, but nobody realised they had friends in quite such high places. For the racing gods, as a rule so notoriously uncooperative, have this week followed a script that could scarcely have promoted the Craven Breeze-Up Sale more lavishly—with graduates of last year's auction winning Classic trials, just up the road on the Rowley Mile, shortly before each of its two sessions. On Wednesday it was the turn of champion juvenile Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who extended his unbeaten...

MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm's multiple graded stakes-winning 3-year-old Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah), who retreated to finish last as the favorite in Saturday's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, will be taken off the GI Kentucky Derby trail with an epiglottis issue, trainer Richard Mandella told Horse Racing Nation Sunday. "We are going to look under his epiglottis to see if he has an ulcer," Mandella said. "But no Derby for sure." A runner-up in the GIII Bob Hope S. last fall at Del Mar, Forbidden Kingdom announced himself as a Derby...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 3rd-AQU, $80K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:58 p.m. ET  CORTON CHARLEMAGNE, a well-bred son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of the winning Victory Gallop mare Swingit, debuts for Speedway Stables LLC and trainer Christophe Clement. Purchased for $1.25 million from the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Showcase, he is a half-brother to five winners from six to race, including current Pleasant Acres stallion GSW & GISP Neolithic (Harlan's Holiday), who earned over $2.2 million, as well as $850k Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase GSW & GISP...

Coolmore and Westerberg's sophomore filly Above The Curve (American Pharoah) caught the eye when overcoming a slow getaway to finish strongly for third in a one-mile Leopardstown maiden last October. Back at the Foxrock venue for Wednesday's 10-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, a contest won in 2019 by MG1SW distaffer Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), she stamped her class on a field stacked with well-bred individuals to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status with an eyecatching display. The 6-5 favourite was more in focus at the break this time and settled...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a full-brother to Classic winner Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). 15.05 Leopardstown, Mdn, €13,500, 3yo, c/g, 10fT Coolmore and Westerberg's NEWFOUNDLAND (IRE) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Irish Derby entry, is a son of G3 Give Thanks S. victrix Best In The...