Arabian Lion

No fewer than four of the seven 3-year-olds expected for Saturday's GI Travers S. got their final tune-ups Saturday morning, three over the Saratoga main track and one at Del Mar. Mage (Good Magic), the GI Kentucky Derby hero who figures no worse than the second betting choice behind Forte (Violence) in the 10-furlong feature, breezed three-quarters of a mile in 1:15.56 for trainer Gustavo Delgago. In what was described as a maintenance move beneath exercise rider J.J. Delgado, the son of former 'TDN Rising Star' Puca (Big Brown) went...

After a deluge of rainfall this past week in the Saratoga Springs area, last Friday's $500,000 GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. for 3-year-old colts at a mile over the grass was postponed seven days, as an interesting mix of American and European invaders reconvene on the Inner Turf. With conditions which could be soft to yielding, trainer Chad Brown saddles three entries with GISP Appraise (Ire) Kodiac {GB}), Mischievous Angel (Into Mischief) and Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), while also present is the winner...

Trainer Jim Chapman and Stuart Tsujimoto's Drew's Gold (Violence), who suffered the first defeat of his career when a game runner-up to Arabian Lion (Justify) in the GI Woody Stephens S. at Belmont Park June 10, breezed a half-mile in :47.88 over the Saratoga main track Thursday morning and is expected to make his next appearance in the GII Amsterdam S. July 29. "He worked really good. He's never really been a good workhorse alone but as he's gotten older, he's more into it," Chapman said. "I told [jockey] Jose...

In this continuing series, we examine the past winners of significant filly/mare races by the lasting influence they've had on the breed. Up today is Belmont Park's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S., now the first leg in New York's Turf Tiara series for 3-year-old fillies on the lawn. Originally known as the Rare Perfume and then the Garden City, the Belmont Oaks under its current name has only been in existence since 2014, although the race itself dates to 1979. The history may not be long and some of the...

Both 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Lion (Justify), winner of the GI Woody Stephens S. and National Treasure (Quality Road), the GI Preakness winner who faded to sixth after setting the pace in the GI Belmont S., were back at Santa Anita and doing well after competing on last Saturday's Belmont Stakes card at Belmont Park according to trainer Bob Baffert. Prospective next starts have not been named for either runner.

With a new cycle of yearling sales nearly upon us, nearly everyone will once again be deciding where they are most prepared to compromise. Would you prefer an athlete low on pedigree, or will you trust the genes to come through even if you're not wowed by the specimen in front of you? Well, there's no mistaking which strategy is recommended by the story of the GI Belmont S. winner. Though from one of America's most aristocratic families, Arcangelo (Arrogate) lurked in the September Sale as Hip 1182 and was...

ELMONT, NY - Five years ago, Justify became the 13th winner of the Triple Crown with a gate-to-wire victory in the GI Belmont S. The Ashford Stud-based stallion, quite fittingly, celebrated his first Grade I winner as a sire on the Belmont undercard courtesy of 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Lion (Justify)'s good-looking 1 3/4-length victory as the 2-1 favorite over Drew's Gold (Violence) in Saturday's GI Woody Stephens S. Gilmore (Twirling Candy) was third. The win marked a triumphant return to the Big Apple for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert,...

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said Zedan Racing Stables' MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) will skip Saturday's GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap, at Belmont Park. Taiba worked seven-furlongs in 1:27.40 Friday at Santa Anita in what was to be his final prep for the one-turn mile. He has not raced since an eighth-place effort in the G1 Saudi Cup February 25 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. "His works have been good, but not like I'd like to see them. I just don't think he's ready for...

National Treasure (Quality Road), winner of last Saturday's GI Preakness S., has made his way to Belmont Park for a potential start in the GI Belmont Stakes June 10. Bob Baffert said National Treasure got a feel for the Belmont Park main track Thursday with a light jog. "He's going well. We're going to get him up there, train him and see how he's doing," Baffert said. He added National Treasure will have one work at Belmont before a decision is made whether to test the 1 1/2-mile race. "When...

Following his win the in GI Preakness S. Saturday, trainer Bob Baffert said that National Treasure (Quality Road) and Sir Barton S. winner Arabian Lion (Justify) would stay at Pimlico for a few more days this week and may go on to New York for races on the Belmont S. program June 10. Though he did not rule out Arabian Lion, he said National Treasure was a more likely candidate for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont S. Baffert said he did not want to send the colts back to his base...

'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Lion (Justify) was sent off the 2-5 jolly for Saturday's Sir Barton S. at Pimlico and came away in the final 150 yards to become the 11th worldwide stakes winner (sixth in the U.S.) for his outstanding young stallion. Off extremely alertly in a scratched-down field of five, the $600,000 OBS April breezer led through a leisurely opening quarter in :24.47 under an easy John Velazquez hold, but was forced to pick it up some in the middle stages, as second choice Tapit's Conquest (Tapit) went...

The nominees for the Mar. 4 GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct include four horses that have been under the care of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, but were nominated under the names of new trainers. Baffert is banned from running in this year's GI Kentucky Derby and any horse under the care of a trainer suspended by Churchill Downs must be moved to a new barn by Feb. 28 in order to earn Derby qualifying points. On Friday, a U.S. District Judge ruled against Baffert as he sought a...