Joseph O'Brien

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - D. Wayne Lukas is back and so is the Wilson Chute, after a much, much longer absence, for the 154th summer of Thoroughbred racing in Saratoga. The 40-day season at historic Saratoga Race Course launches Thursday and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 5. It will be the 77th consecutive year of competition at Saratoga--since the closing for three years during World War II--which coincidentally makes it the second half of the very long run since the first meet was held in 1863. During the eight-plus weeks...

Wielding great might in Europe, the Aidan O'Brien arsenal has also proven one to be respected in many of the nation's top turf contests. That influence will once again be in evidence this weekend with the appearance of Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who arrived in New York Wednesday and are slated to contest Saturday's 10-furlong first legs of NYRA's Caesars Turf Triple series. The former, bred and co-owned by Peter Brant with Coolmore partners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg,...

The Caesars Turf Triple, the New York Racing Association (NYRA)'s series for 3-year-olds on the grass, will kick off July 9 at Belmont Park and may include a major European contingent. NYRA released the invitees Saturday for both the GI Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational, worth $1 million, and the $700,000 GI Belmont Oaks Invitational. Both the male and female divisions begin at the distance of 1 1/4 miles. Of the six races in the series--three each for colts and fillies--four were won last year by European-based trainers. Aidan O'Brien, who...

After a brief hiatus during Royal Ascot, TDN Europe's weekly Q&A series is back with Real Madrid and Spanish football star Alvaro Odriozola telling Brian Sheerin all about his endeavours in racing so far, his friendship with Joseph O'Brien and his ambitions to own a "horse of a lifetime."  At just 25 years of age, Odriozola has already enjoyed a hugely successful career as a footballer and revealed how he adopts a similar mindset to racehorse ownership and breeding by saying "you have to dream big in order to get...

Bidding is now open on Fasig-Tipton Digital for the Magnolia Racing Syndicate Flash Sale, a two-horse digital auction offering horses in training. The sale uniquely offers a pair of 2-year-old colts-both owned by Magnolia Racing Syndicate LLC and trained in Ireland by Joseph O'Brien-that finished first and second in the same maiden race in Ireland on June 17.    Goa Gajah (Bal a Bali {Brz}) and Lakota Seven (Ire) (Sioux Nation) finished in that order (VIDEO) at Down Royal last Friday in Ireland, giving the burgeoning Magnolia Racing Syndicate helmed by Justin Casse...

Aidan O'Brien has supplemented Cazoo Oaks winner Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Saturday.  Tuesday will be ridden by Ryan Moore as she bids to become the third horse to win the Oaks and the Irish Derby, following on from Salsabil (GB) (Sadler's Wells) in 1990 and Balanchine (Storm Bird {Can}) four years later.  O'Brien, a record-breaking 14-time winner of the Irish Derby, has also left Anchorage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and...

From State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) silencing his doubters once again to Irad Ortiz's week going from bad to worse, there was plenty to digest from day two at Royal Ascot. Brian Sheerin fleshed out the main talking points from another thrilling day's action.  Eldar Eldarov Owner Is Living The Dream  HH Shaikh Khalid, owner of Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), told ITV Racing that his dream in racing is to find a horse good enough to stand as a stallion. Eldar Eldarov could well be up to fulfilling...

Wednesday's G1 Prince of Wales's S. came down to a display of supreme jockeyship, but it was not Moore or Dettori or even Demuro who provided it but Shane Crosse, whose masterclass from the front on the under-rated State of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) proved the difference in such a tight Royal Ascot encounter. The race is a qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland in November. While Frankie fumbled with the blindfold on Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) as the gates opened and lost all chance there,...

David Redvers, racing manager for Qatar Racing, has put forward Wednesday's Kensington Palace S. favourite Haziya (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}) as being Sheikh Fahad's best chance of having a winner at Royal Ascot, but revealed the week will be defined by how G1 French 1000 Guineas heroine Mangoustine (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) performs in the G1 Coronation S. on Friday. Mangoustine carried former NBA star Tony Parker's black and white silks to victory in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp last month and Redvers, who bought the filly...

Second best in the May 4 Listed Cheshire Oaks, TDN Rising Star Above the Curve (American Pharoah) made sure she was front and centre where it mattered in Sunday's G1 St Mark's Basilica Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary at ParisLongchamp. Sent up to track the steady pace by Ryan Moore in a close second, the 7-5 favourite was committed with 300 metres remaining and stayed on to deny Place du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) by a length, with Queen Trezy (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) the same margin away in third. "They...

What did you get up to during the lockdown? Did you finally build that patio that you promised you'd complete years ago? Maybe you took up exercising? Or did you go searching for a broodmare after one of her sons put up an eye-catching performance on the track only to find her pulling carts in Belgium and, after initially being told that she's not for sale, did you finally strike a deal for the price of a small second-hand car? Thought not. Kevin Blake, the popular ITV racing pundit and...

Last seen finishing a close-up fourth in Doncaster's G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy in October, Ecurie Ama Zingteam's acquisition Hannibal Barca (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) made his debut for his owners and the Joseph O'Brien stable a successful one in Friday's G3 Heider Family Stables Gallinule S. at The Curragh. Sent off the 7-4 favourite, the bay was keen under restraint early held up towards the rear by Shane Crosse before being angled out at the top of the straight. Reeling in Lyrical Poetry (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and hitting the...