Fair Grounds

Things are starting to heat up. Saturday's Busher S. at Aqueduct and Saturday's GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream both have the potential to shake things up. The Davona Dale will feature the return of 2-year-old champion filly Just FYI (Justify) and what looks to be an up-and-coming star in Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief). The Busher will feature Jody's Pride (American Pharoah), who was the runner-up behind Just FYI in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Here's a look at the fourth installment of our Kentucky Oaks Top 10. 1)...

WinStar Farm's Timberlake (Into Mischief) exited his win in Saturday's GII Rebel S. in fine shape, according to Jorgito Abrego, Oaklawn Park assistant to trainer Brad Cox. "He looks good," Abrego said. "Looks very happy." Timberlake, winner of last year's GI Champagne S. and fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, collected 50 qualifying points for the victory and has 66 overall to rank number one on the Kentucky Derby leader board released Saturday by Churchill Downs. The Rebel was his first victory around two turns. "I'm very happy," said...

Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Doncho (g, 3, Mo Town--Sassy Redhead, by Henny Hughes), an eye-catching winner in a pair of attempts going six furlongs at Fair Grounds this winter, is aiming to make his next start in the $400,000 Lafayette S. at Keeneland Apr. 5. "We've got the Lafayette circled as his next spot opening day at Keeneland," trainer Michelle Lovell said. "We'll see if he'll stretch out to seven furlongs. I think that he will." Gelded as a juvenile last September, Doncho lit up the tote board with a...

Retired jockey and horse advocate Rosie Napravnik will be on site at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots to spearhead the fourth annual "New Vocations Day at the Races" Saturday. A four-time local riding champion who was instrumental in the opening of the New Vocations facility in Covington, Louisiana, Napravnik will join host Joe Kristufek on the live feed during the racing day to help build awareness, promote success stories, and inspire donations for Thoroughbred aftercare. "I am thrilled to be part of our fourth annual New Vocation's Day at...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This column is highlighted by the victory of Antifona at Santa Anita Park.   Recoletos Filly Lands Sweet Life Stakes The runners by G1 Prix du Moulin/G1 Prix d'Ispahan winner and French-based stallion Recoletos (Fr) in the U.S. are extremely rare, and it was his 3-year-old filly Antifona (Fr) who became his first stakes winner there with a score in the Sweet Life S. at Santa Anita for Hronis Racing, LLC and...

'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) checked off quite a few boxes on his GI Kentucky Derby development checklist with Saturday's half-length score in the GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds. In just his third career start, he handled shipping away from his home base, winning as the 5-2 favorite off an 11-week layoff, rating from mid-pack while equipped with blinkers for the first time, and racing under the lights on a sloppy, sealed and eerily shadowy track. And yet, jockey Tyler Gaffalione still believes there's room for...

Trainer Chad Brown has been down this road a time or two. In 2013, Normandy Invasion (Tapit) made his 3-year-old debut in the GII Risen Star S., having dropped a nose decision in Aqueduct's GII Remsen S. three months previously. Sent off the 3-2 favorite, the Fox Hill runner ran on nicely to finish fifth. Just two years ago, Zandon (Upstart)--also beaten by the barest margin in the Remsen--shipped up from Florida and also came with a stretch rally to round out the trifecta as a 7-2 chance. 'TDN Rising...

Raise your hand if this sounds familiar: a 3-year-old filly in the Godolphin blue captured the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at Fair Grounds to earn 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. So far, Tarifa (f, 3, Bernardini--Kite Beach, by Awesome Again) is following the script laid out last year by Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) perfectly. Like her year-older fellow Godolphin homebred, she, too, was named a 'TDN Rising Star' on debut. In a replay of last year, she, too, won the Rachel Alexandra for her first graded...

Since impressing on debut in maiden special weight company at Churchill Downs last November, Halina's Forte has spent her last two starts in stakes races, earning placings in both the Fern Creek S. and finishing off 2023 as the beaten favorite at Fair Grounds in the Letellier Memorial S. Dec. 23. Racing in New York for the first time Saturday, the 2-1 top choice broke quickly was out outsprinted by a trio of runners to her inside. Relegated to a wide fourth as the leaders opened up a gap back...

5th-Fair Grounds, $65,000, Alw, 2-17, (NW2L), 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:45.03, sy, 4 1/4 lengths. OUR PRETTY WOMAN (f, 3, Medaglia d'Oro--Dazzletown, by Speightstown) debuted in the slop Jan. 18 over this track in a driving 3 1/4-length win at a mile and 70 yards. The $900,000 Keeneland September buy duplicated that debut Saturday in nearly a carbon copy effort of that initial win to remain unbeaten in two tries. Breaking from the outside spot as the 9-5 choice, Our Pretty Woman cleared the field and angled to the rail...

3rd-Fair Grounds, $59,150, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 2-17, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.74, sy, 2 lengths. TUSCAN SKY (c, 3, Vino Rosso--South Andros {SW, $207,125}, by Sky Mesa) facing a field scratched down to just two other runners, backed up a big figure in his Aqueduct debut, also over a muddy surface, Jan. 13 with a defeat here of 'TDN Rising Star' and GIII Lecomte S. runner up Nash (Medaglia d'Oro). Letting that runner go up to set an uncontested lead in what wound up a two-horse race, Tuscan Sky stalked...

Churchill Downs will host the 2024 Claiming Crown Nov. 16, the HBPA announced Thursday. The event, held at Fair Grounds last year, will return to Kentucky for the second time in three years. Created in 1999 by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the Claiming Crown provides claiming horses with a multi-race program to spotlight their importance. "In a year when Churchill Downs celebrates the 150th [GI] Kentucky Derby, we are honored to host the Claiming Crown on center stage in the...