Neil Drysdale

War Chant (Danzig), the winner of the 2000 GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs, passed away on Thursday, Apr. 11. Housed at Yarradale Stud in Western Australia, the 27-year-old stallion succumbed to old age at the Gidgegannup nursery that he had called home for over a decade, the breeder said in a Thursday release. War Chant was bred and raced by Marge and Irving Cowan, and trained by Neil Drysdale. Out of MGISW Hollywood Wildcat (Kris S.), the homebred finished ninth in the GI Kentucky Derby and ended his...

On the spectrum of Thoroughbred stallions, you won't find too many either side of Gun Runner and Despot. One, charging $250,000 a dance at Three Chimneys, is the most immediately accomplished sire of recent times. The other was claimed for $350 at Waterford Park, some 50 years ago, before being set to work annually producing a handful of half-breds in rural Maryland. "Liver chestnut son of Stevward," says the man whose career unites this unlikely pair. "You should have seen us trying to figure out how to breed mares on...

There were a lot of "firsts" associated with Fusaichi Pegasus, the 2000 GI Kentucky Derby winner who was euthanized at Ashford Stud May 23 due to old-age infirmities that had accumulated over his 26 years. As the first Derby winner of the 2000s decade, this high-spirited, headstrong son of Mr. Prospector had commanded a $4-million price tag at Keeneland July, then the highest price paid for a yearling at that sale in 13 years. And to this day, that auction price remains as the highest ever paid for any starter...

The relationship between trainer and assistant can often be tumultuous and fleeting, while in other instances, it can prove life-altering and enduring. And every once in a while, the spark ignites, paving the road to great glory and even the Hall of Fame. When it was announced that trainer Todd Pletcher would be inducted into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame this summer, most could not have been surprised that the 53-year-old would have been granted the honor in his very first year of eligibility. In truth, there...

2nd-Aqueduct, $80,000, Msw, 12-4, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:10.45, gd,1 length. MISS DRACARYS (f, 2, Malibu Moon--Ask Me When, by Speightstown), the second-priciest offspring by her sire of 47 yearlings sold in 2019 when bringing $525,000 at Keeneland September, lit up the tote board at 23-1 in this debut run. She raced under a snug hold in seventh on the inside and was traveling nicely as the field hit the quarter pole. Kept along the fence by Kendrick Carmouche as they turned for home, the bay threaded the needle in deep...

Team Valor's Oleksandra (Aus) (Animal Kingdom), who will be making her first start since winning the June 20 GI Jaipur S. when she goes postward in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, worked six furlongs in 1:14.04 (1/3) Sunday at Belmont Park. "She's doing very well," said trainer Neil Drysdale. "She doesn't need speed because she's very fast. She worked in company behind another horse and started a half dozen lengths back and finished well." Oleksandra has worked six times on the Belmont main track this month, including a trio...

Oleksandra (Aus) (Animal Kingdom) got the best of the boys and secured a spot in the gate at the Breeders' Cup with a late-rallying victory in the GI Jaipur S. at Belmont. Trailing the field early, the 9-4 chalk bided her time as Pure Sensation (Zensational) battled Hidden Scroll (Hard Spun) through swift opening splits of :21.33 and :43.52. Swung out three wide, the dark bay picked it up approaching the far turn and charged down the lane, inhaling her competitors to nail new leader Kanthaka (Jimmy Creed) on the...