Ghostzapper

8th-Churchill Downs, $74,691, Alw (NW3$X)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 6-4, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:22.58, sy. GUARANA (f, 4, Ghostzapper--Magical World, by Distorted Humor), a multiple Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star', made a successful return to the races Thursday at Churchill, stalking the pace and drawing off to an easy allowance victory to kick off her 4-year-old season. Dominating on debut last April at Keeneland to the tune of a 14 3/4-length romp at 4-5, the bay validated that effort with a scintillating six-length score in the GI Acorn S. at Belmont and...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency GUARANA RETURNS AT CHURCHILL 8th-CD, $85K, Opt. Clm. ($80K), 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 4:46p.m. Dual Grade I winner and 'TDN Rising Star' GUARANA (Ghostzapper) makes her seasonal bow Thursday beneath the Twin Spires. Demolishing the field in her debut by 14 3/4 lengths in the slop at Keeneland last April, the bay followed suit with another dominant win in Belmont's GI Acorn S. in June. Capturing the GI CCA Oaks at Saratoga next out July 21, she was second when last seen in the GI Cotillion...

A filly by Not This Time, mirroring the quick start of her freshman sire's progeny on the racetrack, claimed the fastest quarter-mile breeze time of the week so far when covering the distance in :20 1/5 during Monday's second under-tack preview ahead of next week's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Consigned by Top Line Sales, hip 1254 is out of graded stakes winner Sheza Smoke Show (Wilko). "When we led her up there, we knew she would go fast, but we had no idea she...

They're still trying to figure out what to do about the U.S. Open. In March, much like Aqueduct, Flushing Meadow found itself requisitioned as a temporary hospital. As that facility is dismantled and disinfected, however, the USTA must decide whether to stick to their original schedule, behind closed doors; or postpone the tournament, and perhaps move it somewhere like Indian Wells. American tennis is fortunate, at least, that its premier annual engagement with a mass audience is entrusted to a body guided only by the long-term interests of the overall...

MICHAEL CALLANAN, SIERRA FARM Favorite: Nessy My favorite horse was, and still is, our old boy Nessy (Flower Alley). In 2018, Ed Hudon wasn't doing very well, and it seemed every good horse we came up ended up coming up with an injury or being not quite good enough to win a graded stakes. Ed and his wife Sharon had never won a graded stakes up to this point and time was running out. Ian Wilkes had penciled in the GIII San Juan Capistrano which was Ed's favorite race at...

The TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland has transitioned to video over the past two weeks as the hosts record the show from home, and this week they welcomed their first video guest, none other than four-time defending Eclipse Award-winning trainer and future Hall of Famer Chad Brown. In a wide-ranging interview that touched on how the pandemic has affected his horses and family, what he looks for at sales, his feelings on clenbuterol, his thoughts on how to help smaller trainers get a foothold and his memories of...

Mystic Guide romped to 'TDN Rising Star'-dom in his second attempt at Fair Grounds Saturday after finishing a troubled third sprinting on debut here Feb. 15. Saving ground in fifth through a :24.07 opening quarter, the flashy chestnut moved off the fence through a :48.59 half-mile. Creeping up two wide on the backstretch, he was four wide turning for home and rolled clear in the lane to win as he pleased. Amani's Eagle (American Pharoah) completed the exacta. Five-time Grade I winner Music Note is also responsible for a juvenile...

A filly by American Pharoah breezed the fastest quarter-mile of :20 2/5 Friday, while seven juveniles tied for the quickest eighth-of-a-mile breeze of :9 4/5 during the second of three under-tack shows ahead of next Tuesday and Wednesday's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The American Pharoah filly is consigned to the sale by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables, Inc. as hip 237. The half-sister to MSP My Sweet Stella (Eskendereya) was a $70,000 KEENOV weanling and $165,000 KEESEP yearling. The following horses breezed in :9 4/5: Hip...

A late-blooming gelding kicks off his career with two straight impressive victories carrying the white silks of WinStar Farm. Sound familiar? While the talented 'TDN Rising Star' Diversify (Bellamy Road) eventually changed hands as a racing prospect at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale prior to posting a pair of Grade I victories for Ralph and Lauren Evans, Kenny Troutt's operation was represented by the promising blowout allowance optional claiming winner Fearless (Ghostzapper) at Gulfstream Saturday. The unbeaten 4-year-old gelding, campaigned in partnership with China Horse Club International, earned an eye-catching...

Charming Lady (Ghostzapper) spotted her rivals two to three lengths with a slow break and then a left-hand turn, but she easily made up for the miscue and ran away from them late en route to 'TDN Rising Star' honors Saturday afternoon at the Fair Grounds. It is the second Tom Amoss trainee to secure the designation, following on No Parole (Violence) Jan. 11. Pounded into 7-10 favoritism off a very imposing worktab, the $185,000 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling turned $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic breezer (:10 2/5) quickly recovered to race on...

2nd-WO, C$71K, Msw, 2yo, 6f (AWT), post time: 1:33 p.m. ET RED STORM RISEN (Stormy Atlantic) ships in from Fair Hill for trainer Graham Motion as the 5-2 morning-line pick. The Sam-Son homebred is out of the the MSP Strike Red (Smart Strike), who debuted with a 5 1/2-length victory over the local turf course and posted three wins and a stakes placing from just five trips to the post. Strike Red is a full-sister to MSP Red Strike and a half to GSP Scarlet Butterfly (Theatrical {Ire}), in turn...