Bob Baffert

By J.N. Campbell While U.S. television sets await a rainy French Arc Day in the morning, both the right and left North American coasts will emcee three graded stakes races apiece, as Sunday afternoon comes calling. The Big A and The Great Race Place (Aqueduct and Santa Anita, in case you were stationed under a rock) host. The former is accommodating Belmont's Fall Meet, while "Big Sandy" undergoes an extreme makeover tunnel edition; while the latter is back in business under the picturesque mountains and ray filled sun in SoCal....

There are but five weeks remaining between now and the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland Nov. 4 and 5, and many of horse racing's biggest names will take in their final prep races over the course of the next couple of weekends. Better than 40 graded stakes, the majority of which have championship weekend implications, are set to take place from sea to shining sea, including 21 'Win and You're In' events offering the winners an all-expenses paid trip to the Bluegrass. Santa Anita stages one of the four Breeders' Cup...

If the GI Kentucky Derby all came a bit too soon for 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (c, 3, Gun Runner--Needmore Flattery, by Flatter), Saturday's GI betPARX Pennsylvania Derby showed that he is close to--or is already--the finished project, enjoying the run of the race in before shooting clear in the stretch to defeat Kentucky Derby third Zandon (Upstart) by three solid lengths. Cyberknife (Gun Runner), who got the better trip and the better of a final-furlong tussle with Taiba in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. earlier this summer, outfinished Simplification...

After putting on a show on the Jersey Shore earlier this summer, the Gun Runner-sired GI TVG.com Haskell S. exacta of Cyberknife and 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba co-headline a loaded renewal of the GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Saturday. Was it a tale of two trips or did the best horse just win that day at Monmouth Park? You be the judge. While subsequent GI Runhappy Travers S. runner-up Cyberknife awaited racing room leaving the quarter pole, the hard-ridden Taiba began to wind up beneath Mike Smith with a four-wide...

Clay Patrick, the hearing officer assigned to the Bob Baffert-Medina Spirit Derby disqualification case, has recused himself three weeks after the appeal was heard, according to Paulick Report. Amr Zedan's attorney Clark Brewster unknowingly bought a horse at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale that was co-owned by Patrick, who operates the family-owned Ramspring Farm. Patrick was expected to make a recommendation on the appeal to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission within 60 to 90 days. "After I bought the colt, I noticed how young the mare is and looked to...

Last seen fighting out a tight finish in the GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. in neighboring New Jersey in mid-July, 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) and Cyberknife (Gun Runner) are the top two choices on the morning line for what appears a contentious renewal of the $1-million GI betPARX Pennsylvania Derby Saturday afternoon in suburban Philadelphia. A veteran of just four starts, Taiba--a $1.7-million purchase by Zedan Racing Stables out of last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale--took the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby at second asking, but the GI Kentucky...

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued to churn out strong results straight through to the conclusion of its Book 2 section Thursday night in Lexington with an additional two yearlings selling for seven figures, led by a $1.7-million son of Quality Road, bringing the four-day total for the auction to 30 seven-figure yearlings. Fifteen reached that mark last year. "It was an incredible week," said Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. Over the two Book 2 sessions, Keeneland sold 449...

By Christie DeBernardis and Jessica Martini A $1.4-million son of super sire Into Mischief (Hip 604) led a sextet of seven-figure sellers during the opening session of Book 2 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Wednesday. Consigned by Summerfield on behalf of Stonestreet Stables, the colt was purchased by Larry Best of OXO Equine. With six horses eclipsing the million-dollar mark Wednesday, the sale total now comes to 28. During the equivalent session last year, just two yearlings brought seven figures, including the $1.7-million sale topper. "It was a great...

A filly by Into Mischief became the second seven-figure yearling of the Keeneland September sale when selling for $1.25 million Monday in Lexington. Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, standing alongside trainer Bob Baffert, made the winning bid on behalf of Frank Fletcher. The filly, who sold as hip 52, was consigned by Paramount Sales. She was bred by Stoneway Farm. She is the first foal out of graded winner Song of Spring (Spring at Last) and from the family of multiple Grade I winner Dream Rush. Jim Stone's Stoneway Farm purchased...

Highlighted by the buzz around Flightline (Tapit)'s stellar GI TVG Pacific Classic performance in the track's signature event, Del Mar had record wagering and field size for the 31-day summer meet that ended Sunday, as well as a continued excellent safety record for the fourth consecutive year. There were no catastrophic injuries among 2,688 starters in the meet's 294 races. The 83rd summer meet at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) set new records for average daily handle with $18.69 million a day, an increase of 1.5% from last year's $18.41...

Made the 2-5 jolly to follow up on a giant, 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy debut, for which he earned a towering 101 Beyer Speed Figure, Watson, Weitman and Pegram's Cave Rock (Arrogate) made it a sweep of the weekend main-track juvenile Grade Is for his late sire and gave trainer Bob Baffert an unprecedented 16th victory in the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity. Having graduated by a half-dozen lengths on his Aug. 13 debut, the $210,000 Keeneland November weanling and $550,000 Keeneland September yearling was squeezed back between fellow 'Rising Star'...

Peter Redekop's And Tell Me Nolies paid tribute to her late champion sire Arrogate Saturday, nailing heavy favorite and 'TDN Rising Star' Home Cooking (Honor Code) on the line to take the GI Del Mar Debutante S. Given a 9-1 chance with Home Cooking pounded down to 3-5, And Tell Me No Lies shuffled a bit at the start as her neighbors on each side broke in her direction, but she did not falter and moved up to establish position as the chalk took control, clocking a :22.01 first quarter....