Bobby Flay

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 7th-SAR, $100k, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 4:29 p.m. ET Bobby Flay's MEZCAL (Pioneerof the Nile), the first foal out of 2016 GI Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss), makes her debut in the seventh race at Saratoga Sunday. The 3-year-old filly, a $625,000 KEESEP yearling, is trained by Todd Pletcher. Bridlewood Farm and Don Alberto Corp. purchased Cathryn Sophia, with this filly in utero, for $2.3 million at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. Courtlandt Farms' Big City Momma (Quality Road), a $700,000 KEESEP purchase,...

Southern California native Kevin Grigsby, the Executive Producer and Senior Vice President of Television at FanDuel Group & TVG, doesn't give a lot of interviews. "It's a personal preference of mine," says Grigsby. "I love having the network speak for itself, more so than I like to speak for the network." But when the Del Mar meet opens Friday, the network will kick off a comprehensive programming schedule that includes hundreds of hours of live coverage, seven on-air talent, dozens of cameras, and new technology, and so Grigsby has come...

Every year, like the fireflies, they emerge with the gathering heat of summer. Even as the more established sophomores hobble out of the Triple Crown series--many requiring rest or recuperation, some even menaced by retirement--a second wave reliably reinvigorates the crop. Sure enough, in recent days a couple of new names have volunteered themselves to test the resilience of those Classic protagonists who do persevere to Saratoga and beyond. But while both share a fresh, progressive profile, in other respects they could scarcely be more different. 'TDN Rising Star' First...

West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Bobby Flay and Woodford Racing's First Captain (Curlin) remained unbeaten with an authoritative victory in the GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont Park Monday. Sent off the 2-5 favorite, First Captain raced at the back of the five-horse field as Ridin With Biden (Constitution) set the pace under a snug hold through an opening quarter in :23.47. The pacesetting longshot was still a length in front after a half in :46.67, but First Captain was tipped out for clear sailing at the top of the lane...

Two-for-two 'TDN Rising Star' First Captain (Curlin) takes the next logical step in Monday's GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont Park. The $1.5-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga co-topper defeated subsequent winner and 'Rising Star' recipient Mahaamel (Into Mischief) in their respective debuts going a furlong shorter here Apr. 24, then doubled up in a track-and-trip allowance in the slop May 29, good for a 95 Beyer Speed Figure. First Captain is owned by a powerful conglomerate led by West Point Thoroughbreds and conditioned by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey. "We're super excited and...

West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Bobby Flay and Woodford Racing's regally bred $1.5-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga '19 co-topper First Captain (Curlin) snatched victory from the jaws of defeat Saturday to go two-for-two and garner the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction. The chestnut got going late to get up over seven panels here Apr. 24, earning a 94 Beyer Speed Figure in the process, and was even-money to continue his promising trajectory. Pressing out in the clear among a compact field through splits of :23.69 and :47.17, First Captain seemed to come under...

1st-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 4-24, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:23.56, ft, 3/4 length. FIRST CAPTAIN (c, 3, Curlin--America {GSW & MGISP, $580,532}, by A.P. Indy) re-rallied late to kick his career off with a promising victory in the Belmont opener Saturday. The $1.5-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga '19 co-topper and first foal out of GSW and MGISP America was let go at 3-1 off a 9-5 morning line here for the typically patient Shug McGaughey. He broke cleanly enough, and moved up to track from the pocket behind favored fellow firster Mahaamel (Into Mischief)--a $700,000...

Singing Sweetly (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) gave birth to a filly foal by Study Of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) at Stone Farm, Kentucky earlier this week. The filly is from the first crop of the Lanwades-based stallion, who won the G1 Qipco Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly in 2018. The former Coolmore-owned Singing Sweetly was purchased by James Delahooke, on behalf of Bobby Flay, at last year's Arqana Breeding Stock Sale from Haras des Capucines for €125,000. "She's an excellent first foal--well balanced, correct and plenty of bone. A...

Celebrity chef, noted owner/breeder and Breeders' Cup Ambassador Bobby Flay and the National Hockey League's Erik Johnson are the featured guests on a 'Pucks, Ponies and Pasta' edition of 'Cocktails and Conversation,' scheduled for 6 p.m. ET across Breeders' Cup platforms at Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. Nick Luck and Britney Eurton host the recurring virtual happy hour series, which is helping to raise funds for horse racing and service industry COVID-19 relief efforts. Click here to learn more, donate and view past editions of Cocktails and Conversation. This week's featured...

The docket was signed, in the name of Windylea Farm, and handed back to the Keeneland rep. Kip O'Neill and his father looked at each other, their expressions registering mutual bafflement. "What are we missing here?" Unaccountably, their bid of $3,000 had not been answered. They had set a budget of $30,000 or so, and even that gave them limited confidence they could bring this young Hard Spun mare back to Hoosick Falls, New York. Yet the vendors, having been obliged to write off a Kitten's Joy covering fee after...

The Curlin show continued Tuesday evening at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale when another son of the leading sire brought a co-topping $1.5 million from the partnership group of West Point, Woodford, Siena, Valdes Singleton, Sandbrook and Freeman. Consigned by Stone Farm, agent, Hip 174, the first foal out of GSW & MGISP America (A.P. Indy), was bred in Kentucky by B. Flay Thoroughbreds. This is the extended female family of bluehen mare Better Than Honour. A Curlin colt out of Chilean champion & MG1SW Wapi (Chi) (Scat Daddy) (Hip...