Ken McPeek

With so few options immediately available for 3-year-old fillies, trainer Ken McPeek may get adventurous with Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), the winner of Friday's GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn. McPeek told the TDN that he is considering running his filly next in the G1 1,000 Guineas in Newmarket, England. "We're going to nominate her to the 1,000 Guineas and do our due diligence," McPeek said. "She might be at a competitive advantage because she has been running.  It would be a historic trip. I don't think anybody has ever done it....

5th-GP, $45K, Msw, 3yo, 7ff, 2:46 p.m. ET Shadwell Stables' ASHIHAM (Tapit), an $800,000 Keeneland September yearling, debuts for trainer Todd Pletcher after finishing an even fourth in his career bow for Kiaran McLaughlin going six furlongs at the Hallandale oval Feb. 29. The chestnut is out of Wine Princess (Ghostzapper), a graded stakes winning daughter of Hall of Famer Azeri (Jade Hunter). At Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs training base, the May foal worked five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 Apr. 18. Jockey Luis Saez, whose book is now managed by...

Swiss Skydiver sprung a mild upset Saturday with a wire-to-wire victory in the Gulfstream Park Oaks, earning points towards a start in the GI Kentucky Oaks in September. Seizing the early advantage, the 9-1 shot cruised through opening splits of :24.33 and :49.12, shadowed by Lucrezia. Showing the way into the lane, the chestnut kept on finding in the lane, pulling clear of her competition to win as she pleased. Lucrezia gamely fended off a late challenge from Lake Avenue to be second. Previously unbeaten favorite Tonalist's Shape (Tonalist) finished...

Undefeated Ring Leader (Paynter) looks to add another notch to her belt with a win in Saturday's 8 1/2-furlong GIII Honeybee S. at Oaklawn. A front-running debut winner going five furlongs at Canterbury last June, the Novogratz Racing Stables runner spent the the remainder of the season on the sidelines before returning with a muddy 5 1/4-length win while trying six panels in an Oaklawn optional claimer Jan. 24. Trying stakes company for the first time in the Feb. 15 Dixie Belle S. over that track and trip, she came...

Grade I winner Restless Rider (Distorted Humor--Silky Serenade, by Unbridled's Song) has been retired from racing and will be bred to Quality Road, owners Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm announced Wednesday. "Restless Rider is representative of what we are looking to do at Three Chimneys--to race top quality horses with like-minded partners, and to share the ups and downs together," said Three Chimneys chairman Goncalo Torrealba. "We are honored to be partners with Paul Fireman's Fern Circle Stables, and to have won a Grade I race like the...

Undefeated British Idiom (Flashback), recently crowned champion 2-year-old filly of 2019, will make her sophomore debut in Saturday's GII Rachel Alexandra S. at Fair Grounds, where she'll meet Finite (Munnings), winner of four straight, and five other rivals in the 1 1/16-mile test. Bought for $40,000 as a Fasig-Tipton October yearling, the chestnut debuted in a maiden race at Saratoga restricted to purchases of $45,000 or less and posted a 3 1/2-length pace-pressing success. Shipped to Keeneland and stretched out to two turns, she blew away her competition to the...

When longtime friends and business partners Greg Back and Al LaRose sold their Special Logistics trucking company three years ago, they decided to give racehorse ownership a try. The fledgling racing stable made it to the winner's circle Sunday when longshot Back in Charge (Will Take Charge) scored a dramatic late-running debut victory at Gulfstream Park. "It was very exciting for us," Back, who watched the race from his Texas home said. "We knew she had it in her, but first time out, you just never know." LaRose was at...

Sixteen prominent Thoroughbred trainers have expressed their support for the Horseracing Integrity Act via an open letter "to the Thoroughbred Community" sent out Friday. The trainers who signed on are: Tom Albertrani, Christophe Clement, Ben Colebrook, Gary Contessa, Arnaud Delacour, Janet Elliott, Mark Hennig, Kiaran McLaughlin, Shug McGaughey, Ken McPeek, Tom Morley, Graham Motion, Todd Pletcher, John Sadler, George Weaver and Nick Zito. The letter reads: "Horse racing is at a pivotal moment in its long history in the United States. The past six months presented a string of events...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The countdown to next year's inaugural Saudi Cup officially began Wednesday evening with a gala organized by the race's officials in the walking ring at the Fasig-Tipton sales grounds in Saratoga. The race, scheduled to be run next Feb. 29 at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh, will be run over 1800 meters of the dirt track and will be worth $20 million--making it the world's richest race. The field will have a maximum of 14 runners, with $10 million going to the winner. Hosted by television...

A Curlin colt out of Chilean champion & MG1SW Wapi (Chi) (Scat Daddy) brought $1.5 million from Aquis Farm Aus and Let's Go Stable to lead the way Tuesday evening at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale. He was bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation and Three Chimneys Farm. Wapi brought $1.05 million from Don Alberto Corp. & Three Chimneys carrying this colt in utero at the 2017 KEENOV Sale. Hip 153 was consigned by Denali Stud, Agent V. Wapi had a Gun Runner colt earlier this year. It's been...

When Joe Murphy purchased the 350-acre Stoneleigh Farm 13 years ago, the Lexington businessman admitted the land was mostly for "relaxation," but the operation hit the big time as the breeder of multiple Grade I winner Exaggerator (Curlin) and again when selling that star's half-sister by Medaglia d'Oro for $1.3 million at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale last August. Murphy returns to Saratoga next week with a yearling full-sister to Exaggerator who sells as hip 206 through the Warrendale Sales consignment during Tuesday's second session of the auction. Murphy, who owns...