Brendan Walsh

If you are searching for some Saratoga race name history, then head about 30 miles west from the horse hubbub in the complete opposite direction of Lake George. On Route 29 just outside Johnstown, New York, you'll find Johnson Hall, an impressive Georgian structure that became a historic house museum. In 1763, a century before Saratoga Race Course was founded, the manor was literally carved out of the wilderness as a symbol of refinement by power couple Sir William Johnson and his common-law wife, Molly Brant. On their turf they...

Nest (Curlin), last year's Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly, tuned up for her expected seasonal debut in the July 23 GII Shuvee S. with a four-furlong work in :50.00 (13/38) in company with unraced stablemate Onlooker (Street Sense) over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga Sunday. "It was a good work and a nice, strong gallop out. She seemed to keep going," trainer Todd Pletcher said. Owned by Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House, Nest has been off since finishing fourth in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. During...

It was a banner weekend for Godolphin homebreds during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Cody's Wish (Curlin) added another chapter to racing's feel-good story with a powerful, come-from-behind victory in the stallion-making GI Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan H. The GI Kentucky Oaks winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) validated her upset neck victory on the first Friday in May with a heart-stopping victory in the GI Acorn S. The up-and-coming Loved (Medaglia d'Oro)--a 4-year-old half-sister to MGISW and young Darley stallion Maxfield (Street Sense)--made it three straight...

ELMONT, NY -- Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) followed up her thrilling GI Kentucky Oaks victory with a hard-fought, head decision over Dorth Vader (Girvin) in Friday's GI Acorn S. at Belmont Park. Occult (Into Mischief) was another four lengths back in third. Cutting back to a one-turn 1 1/16 miles here, the 9-5 second-choice raced within striking distance in an outside fifth as the stretching-out and favored 'Rising Star' Munnys Gold (Munnings) led through fractions of :23.34 and :46.37. Pretty Mischievous loomed boldly while...

'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief), last-start winner of the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 5, breezed a half-mile in :47.87 over the Belmont main track at 6:45 Saturday morning in advance of a start in Friday's GI Acorn S. at Belmont Park. The Godolphin homebred worked in the company of the dual graded-stakes placed Gilmore (Twirling Candy), who is expected for Saturday's GI Woody Stephens S. on the Belmont S. undercard. Trainer Brendan Walsh was duly pleased with his filly's final serious piece of work. "That's typical of...

'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) was none the worse for her tough-trip victory in Friday's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs as a group of onlookers congregated outside the barn of trainer Brendan Walsh Friday morning. It was a first win in America's premier race for the sophomore filly set for her owner/breeder Godolphin, Walsh, jockey Tyler Gaffalione and her all-conquering sire. "We are very proud of what she has accomplished and it couldn't be more special winning this for Godolphin," said Walsh, who spent many seasons...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) stayed out of trouble with a perfect, stalking trip from her far outside draw and gamely fended off Repole Stable's Gambling Girl (Dialed In) in dramatic fashion to capture Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks. Drawn widest of all in post 14 and adding blinkers for trainer Brendan Walsh after a runner-up finish in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks, Pretty Mischievous broke well beneath Tyler Gaffalione and secured a fantastic spot in fifth rounding the clubhouse turn before a...

4th-Churchill Downs, $123,249, Msw, 5-3, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:42.44, fm, 6 1/2 lengths. GLORIA'S PRINCESS (f, 3, Cairo Prince--Gloria S, by Tapit) took on two turns Apr. 1 over Gulfstream Park's turf and finished 1 1/2 lengths for second. As the heavy 3-2 chalk in this spot, the gray filly showed speed and controlled the early fractions as the pacesetter into the backstretch. Around the far turn, Gloria's Princess began to extend her lead and down the lane she accelerated past the eighth pole to win going away by...

The 2-year-old Commissioner Dan (Commissioner) (hip 120), who captured his debut Wednesday and was supplemented to the sale on Thursday, topped the Keeneland April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale Sunday in Lexington with a final bid of $500,000 from Pedro Lanz, bidding on behalf of the Saudi Arabia-based KAS Stable. Keeneland sold 67 horses Sunday for $6,743,000.  The average of $100,642 rose 9.13% over last year's $92,224, while the median jumped 40% from $50,000 to $70,000. In 2022, 58 horses sold for $5,349,000. "Today was very positive. This is...

3rd-KEE, $100k, Msw, 3yo, f, a7f, 2:04 p.m. ET Bridlewood Farm homebred UNION HARMONY (Union Rags), produced by a half-sister to the superstar trio of Into Mischief, Beholder and Mendelssohn, kicks off her career for trainer Brendan Walsh. Union Harmony's dam Leslie's Harmony (Curlin), a $1.1-million KEESEP yearling, was winless in two tries for Bridlewood Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher. Union Harmony, scratched from the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, worked four furlongs from the gate in :47 1/5 (2/56) at Keeneland Apr. 16. This same Union Rags over Smart Strike...

Attendees of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers' Club (KTFMC)'s monthly meeting, held Tuesday evening at Limestone Hall, were treated to "A Discussion with North America's Leading Trainers," featuring a panel that included Brad Cox, Bill Mott, Todd Pletcher and Brendan Walsh. FanDuel/TVG host and reporter Scott Hazelton moderated the discussion, as the trainers, who all have GI Kentucky Derby and/or GI Kentucky Oaks contenders in their stables, shared stories about their beginnings and how it all led to where they are today. "I was born in South Dakota and when...

Our series featuring notable success for European sires in North America, with this week's highlight being the victory of Grade I winner Shantisara (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire}) in the GII Hillsborough S. at Tampa Bay Downs. Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Robert LaPenta's Shantisara is no stranger to the winner's circle, and the 2021 GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. heroine secured her first victory since 2021 with a 1 1/4-length triumph in the Hillsborough S. on Saturday (video). Now a 5-year-old, the mare was bred by Oliver Donlon, and sold...