GII Risen Star S.

Represented by a trio of well-meant sophomores in Saturday's GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds--including the top two favorites--trainer Brad Cox's march to the first Saturday in May continued with an upset victory by the Albaugh Family Stable's Angel of Empire (Classic Empire). Second by three lengths behind his re-opposing and favored stablemate Victory Formation (Tapwrit) in the one-mile Smarty Jones S. Jan. 1, Angel of Empire raced in a ground-saving eighth as the field of 14 rounded the clubhouse turn beneath the lights. The 13-1 chance began to...

The road to the Triple Crown heats up in New Orleans Saturday with the GII Risen Star S. and GII Rachel Alexandra S. A full field of 14 will line up in the former, led by unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Victory Formation (Tapwrit). One of three entered for Brad Cox, the 3-1 morning-line favorite heads to the post off a front-running tally over stablemate Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) in the Smarty Jones S. going a mile at Oaklawn Jan. 1. Drawn on the outside in post 13, Victory Formation...

Grade I winner Epicenter (Not This Time), who suffered a displaced condylar fracture to his right front leg during the running of the Nov. 5 GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland, on Friday was sent to Coolmore's Ashford Stud near Versailles, KY, where he will stand his first season at stud this year, Winchell Thorougbreds racing manager David Fiske tweeted. The winner of last year's GI Runhappy Travers. S. and GII Jim Dandy S. had been recuperating from the injury and subsequent surgery, conducted by Dr. Larry Bramlage at Rood...

Fasig-Tipton has added seven supplemental entries to Monday's July Selected Horses of All Ages sale including a lifetime breeding right to young stallion Girvin (Tale of Ekati-Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon) as HIP 611. The freshman sire is off to a quick start at stud with his first crop of two-year-olds in 2022, siring five winners from eight runners to date. These include the undefeated Devious Dame, who captured the Astoria S. at Belmont on June 9 in a 5 1/4-length romp. Girvin sired two more maiden special weight...

As somebody remarked at the time, on seeing B. Wayne Hughes and M.V. Magnier deep in conversation one morning before the 2019 Breeders' Cup: "I'll give you 140 guesses what they're talking about." Both men were at Santa Anita representing farms that have had a transformative influence on the commercial breeding landscape, developing a similar system for launching stallions on an industrial scale. We have, of course, since grieved the loss of Hughes--but among his many legacies can now be counted a supporting role in the defeat of The Jockey...

Still recuperating from an injury that prevented him from running in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, 'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings) is about two weeks away from rejoining Chad Brown's Florida division. However, the trainer said he was not sure if he has enough time to get him ready to run in the GI Kentucky Derby. "He's going to be up against it, that's for sure," Brown said when asked about making the Derby. "I don't want to rule anything out until I put my hands on him, but...

Juddmonte Farms' TDN Rising Star Mandaloun (Into Mischief) attempts to follow up on a professional last-out score in the GII Risen Star S. in Saturday's GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. Earning Rising Star status first time out going six panels at Keeneland last October, the bay followed up with another solid win while adding an additional furlong in a Churchill Downs optional claimer the following month. Heavily supported for his seasonal reappearance in the Jan. 16 GIII Lecomte S. in New Orleans, he had to settle for third,...

Calumet Farm's Bravazo (Awesome Again--Tiz o' Gold, by Cee's Tizzy) will be the newest addition to the nursery's stallion roster in the 2021 season. The 5-year-old will stand for $6,000, with discounts given for multiple mare packages and quality mares. Trained by Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, the dark bay earned $2,033,195 in career earnings through four seasons on the racetrack. At two, he was second in the GI Claiborne Futurity S. and annexed the GII Risen Star S. early in his sophomore season. A close-up second behind...