Medaglia d'Oro

Preparing elite stallions for a strenuous breeding season can be a challenge when also dealing with freezing temperatures in Central Kentucky. Darley has found a program that circumvents the unpredictable climate and also tailors exercise to each individual stallion with the addition of an aqua treadmill at Jonabell Farm. Darley stallion manager Graham Lovatt spoke of his idea for the new fitness plan. "I've always wanted to have an exercise program. Many farms will ride their stallions or use a roller and side reins and go for a hand walk...

Deep enough to be split into two divisions with a combined 23 horses, Saturday's GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds is nevertheless short on household names. The exception is Peter Redekop's Anneau d'Or (Medaglia d'Oro), a close second in the GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile who will kick off his 3-year-old campaign as a favorite in the latter division of the annual stepping stone to the GII Louisiana Derby at the New Orleans oval. Selling for $480,000 as an OBS April 2-year-old, the bay debuted going a mile on...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses: Saturday, February 15, 2020 3rd-Kyoto, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m A SHIN EMBARR (c, 3, Carpe Diem--Ambling, by Chester House), a $270K Keeneland September purchase, turned in a promising debut effort to be second over this...

David Anderson had lost his father barely two months previously, at just 64, to a heart attack. Returning home, trying to light a path through the fog of sudden grief, Anderson had sat down with the farm manager, Ray Carroll. "Ray, what are we going to do here?" Carroll looked at Anderson and said: "Dave, I couldn't imagine working anywhere else in my life." "Perfect. That's all I need to hear. Let's put the pedal down and go for it." It was much the same with Marette Farrell, whose eye...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-SA, $55K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 3:30 p.m. ET Trainer Bob Baffert unveils two more members of his extremely well-stocked stable in the form of a pair of pricey OBS acquisitions. Merneith (American Pharoah) was a $350,000 Fasig-Tipton November weanling turned $600,000 OBSMAR graduate after a :20 4/5 breeze in Ocala. Her dam Flattermewithroses (Flatter) became a stakes winner when breaking her maiden at 53-1 in the 2012 Voodoo Dancer S. over seven yielding turf furlongs at Belmont. Reem (Danza), a $74,000 Fasig-Tipton October...

Enjoying the benefit of a feathery 116 pounds while making his black-type debut in Wednesday's G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup H. at Sha Tin, Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) easily and impressively validated odds-on favouritism against older rivals in this steppingstone to the Hong Kong Classic Mile versus fellow 4-year-olds Jan. 27. The mount of leading homegrown rider Vincent Ho, Golden Sixty took up a spot in the latter third of the field as Ka Ying Star (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) galloped them along up front as is his wont. Quietly...

What's in a name? Well, potentially quite a lot, if a single letter can weigh as much as it does in that of Kris Stuebs. The one that starts her surname enabled her to call her professional agency Kris S. Bloodstock, in playful homage to her equine namesake. Few who know her in that guise, however, will ever have reflected that you only have to switch one letter in her surname to come up with the ultimate paragon for her second metier: Stubbs. For Stuebs has uniquely entwined two very...

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend--each making their racetrack debuts--running at Kokura and Niigata Racecourses: Saturday, August 10, 2019 5th-KOK, ¥13,400,000 ($126k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1700m NOCTURNE NOTES (JPN) (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro--Summer Soiree, by War Front) is the first Japanese-bred produce for her dam, who posted her...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a seven-figure KEESEP yearling graduate. 5.45 Yarmouth, Novice, £14,000, 2yo, 7f 3yT SUN CUISINE (Medaglia d'Oro) was a $1.3-million purchase by Godolphin at the Keeneland September Sale who debuts for the Charlie Appleby stable. The February-foaled bay is the first foal out of the GII John...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale opened its two-day run at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion Monday evening, with a pair of yearlings by Tapit causing the biggest fireworks during a session which produced slight increases in both average and median compared with the auction's 2018 opener. "It was an outstanding opening session of the 2019 Saratoga sale," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. "I thought we saw very competitive bidding throughout the evening. There was a lot of strength and a lot of diversity in...

A Medaglia d'Oro filly out of the stakes-winning and Grade I-placed Light the City (Street Sense) was the first yearling to approach the $1-million mark Monday evening as agent Kerri Radcliffe went to $900,000 to secure her at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale on behalf of a partnership that will include George Bolton, Sheila Rosenblum and others. Catalogued as hip 49, the Mar. 21 foal was consigned by Eaton Sales. Breeze Easy paid $600,000 for Light the City at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton November sale. The resulting filly was a $525,000 RNA...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale will look to follow up on its record-setting 2018 renewal when bidding gets underway at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. "I think there is a very good group of horses on the grounds," Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. said Sunday morning. "We felt very good about the horses as we saw them this spring and as we were putting the catalogue together. You never know exactly until they get to the sales grounds, but the...