Medaglia d'Oro

2nd-ELP, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:14 p.m. Two high-priced maidens will kick off their careers at Ellis Park Thursday. BC Stables paid $1.35 million for DAILY GRIND (Medaglia d'Oro) at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling sale. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, the bay colt is out of SW Walk Close (Tapit), who also produced his full-brother Anneau d'Or, second-place finisher in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Lambo (Uncle Mo), trained by Steve Asmussen, brought $950,000 from the Heiligbrodts and Jackpot Farm at OBS March after posting a :10 flat...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- In a division still crying out for a clear-cut leader, a full field of sophomore fillies will take centerstage in a deep renewal of Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Trainer Brad Cox will have three chances, including the top two choices on the morning-line, to collect a third Oaks trophy following wins with Monomoy Girl in 2018 and Shedaresthedevil in 2020. After sweeping the Oaklawn Park series for 3-year-old fillies, Godolphin homebred and 5-2 Oaks morning-line favorite Wet Paint (Blame) shoots for a fourth straight...

Nine more juveniles have been catalogued for Arqana's upcoming Breeze-Up Sale on May 13. Among them is a granddaughter of group winner Sea Of Heartbreak (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) by Sea The Stars (Ire) (lot 186); lot 187, a colt by Mehmas (Ire) from the family of Classic winner Resless Kara (Fr) (Akarad {Fr}); Too Darn Hot (GB)'s lot 191, a colt out of a sister to Group 1 winner Cityscape (GB) (Selkirk); and a colt out of Grade I winner Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown) by Calyx (GB) (lot 194)....

In most respects, the years have passed very lightly over Don Robinson. He remains vigorous and full of verve. But the one thing he really hasn't clung onto is the hair he wore as a teenager in the 1970s, when shaking the Bluegrass from his feet and embracing an alternative lifestyle in Northern California. "Oh man, the hair," he says. "Depending who you talk to, it just gets longer every time. It really wasn't that long. Probably over my collar. But they love to tell the story that it was...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-GP, $84K, Msw, 3yof, 1mT, 11:30 p.m. Gulfstream Park's packed Florida Derby Day card includes a pair of turf events for 3-year-old runners that are worth a look. Hinkle Farms homebred OGEMA BAY (Medaglia d'Oro) debuts for Shug McGaughey with Luca Panici in the irons. Her dam Madame Du Lac (Lemon Drop Kid) produced two-time GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic victor Divisidero (Kitten's Joy). Also prepped for a rookie start is GLORIA'S PRINCESS (Cairo Prince) from the stable of Brendan Walsh. Ridden by Luis Saez,...

Undefeated since announcing her arrival to Turfway Park with a 10 3/4-length romp to break her maiden last November, Botanical followed that performance up with two more jaw-dropping efforts at a mile on the tapeta including a last-out win in the Cincinnati Trophy S. Mar. 4. Off that race, which earned her a 91 Beyer Speed Figure, Botanical was slammed in even-money favoritism for her fourth straight Turfway appearance. Given the extra sixteenth to work with, the bay showed a good turn of foot from the blocks to set the...

Ballet Dancing earned her first stakes victory in style, skipping clear to an authoritative victory in the GIII Santa Ana S. at Santa Anita Sunday. Stretching out to a 1 1/4 miles for the first time, the bay filly was away well and was in hand while stalking pacesetting longshot Annaghlasa (Ire) (Estidhkaar {Ire}) through fractions of :24.01, :47.22 and 1:12.07. Finally let loose into the far turn, she ricocheted to the lead off the turn and was quickly beyond the reach of all pursuers. Favored Australia Mia (Street Sense),...

With commercial sires nowadays represented by such enormous cavalries, it's unsurprising that they should encounter random statistical clusters. These tend to even themselves out, so that a stallion that "hits form" with a sudden spate of stakes performers will also endure barren spells that naturally receive rather less attention. What every farm covets, then, is for a horse to get on a roll while there are still mares out there with mating decisions pending for this spring--and there's no better way to do that than making some noise on the...

Since 2004, we've shined the spotlight on over 1,500 'TDN Rising Stars' worldwide, recognition given to a horse early on its career who has done something so impressive on the racetrack that our team believes they will go on to become graded stakes winners.  A horse is designated as a 'Rising Star' by the TDN staff after a careful and comprehensive review of many factors--including the quality of the field, margin and time of victory, pedigree, sales price and more. Over the years, it has become a badge of honor...

3rd-Aqueduct, $70,000, (S), Msw, 2-17, 4yo/up, 1m, 1:39.47, sy, 8 1/2 lengths. SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS (g, 4, Medaglia d'Oro--Khancord Kid {GSW, $167,343}, by Lemon Drop Kid), picked up for $300,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September in 2020, took his time making the races but made his belated debut at 2-1 over a sloppy New York track Friday. Poised just off the lead after enduring contact at the break, the well-related gelding sat a wide trip, chasing three wide up the backstretch as Central Pride (Lord Nelson) paced the...

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. Today we caught up with JCB Stables' Ezequiel Cesar Valle, who represents the aforementioned American branch of Haras Firmamento, one of the largest farms in Argentina. MAID OF HONOR (6, Medaglia d´Oro--Lovely Regina, by Deputy Minister), to be bred to Street Sense We bought five mares at the last Keeneland November Sale, and she was the...

Golden Sister (Aus) (Capitalist {Aus}), a 3-year-old half-sister to dual Hong Kong Horse of the Year, seven-time Group 1 winner and $16-million earner Golden Sixty (Aus), will be bred to the latter's Darley America-based stallion Medaglia d'Oro to Northern Hemisphere time in 2023. The news was confirmed by Denys Chan, agent for All Winners Thoroughbreds, who purchased the filly for A$425,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2021, and Darley's Darren Fox. Like Golden Sixty, Golden Sister was bred by the Hutchins family's Asco International Pty Ltd....