Pauline's Pearl

8th-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, 1m, 3:37 p.m. ET. For a $1-million price tag, Sean Flanagan secured TOP CONOR (Twirling Candy) for his stable at last year's OBS March Sale, which tied the colt for the fourth-highest at the auction and made him his sire's highest-priced 2-year-old in 2023. Previously going for $200,000 during Keeneland September, the Chad Brown trainee is out of GSP Divine Dawn (Divine Park), who International Equities acquired with a filly by Nyquist in-utero for $285,000 at the Keeneland November Sale in 2017. A full-sister to GSW/MSW...

Stonestreet homebreds and Grade I winners Clairiere (m, 5, Curlin-Cavorting, by Bernardini) and Pauline's Pearl (m, 5, Tapit-Hot Dixie Chick, by Dixie Union) have been retired, the Central Kentucky farm said on X Wednesday. Both were trained by Steve Asmussen for their four years on the racetrack and have returned to their birthplace. Clairiere captured four Grade I events throughout her career, including back-to-back editions of the GI Ogden Phipps S. in 2022-23. Last seen finishing fourth in Saturday's GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, she retires with a record of...

Racing roads converge this Saturday. With a little over a month left before horses and their connections officially point to Santa Anita, the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series returns to Woodbine Racetrack. Featured are three 'Win and You're In' chances, including the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile. Meanwhile, at Churchill Downs, the prep seasons officially open for 2-year-old colts and fillies, who are seeking to bank points for next May's 150th editions of the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks. There is much to get to with Belmont at the Big...

6th-Gulfstream, $43,000, Msw, 6-9, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:16.63, gd, 7 3/4 lengths. SECOND I D (c, 3, Maclean's Music--Cowboytakemeaway, by Street Cry {Ire}), the most highly regarded of the first-time starters taking on a field of more experienced maidens at odds of 7-2, pressured Mighty Miracle (Chitu) for the lead through an opening quarter in :22.39. As that rival began to grow weary around the turn, Second I D had plenty left and responded nicely when asked, clearing off down the stretch to hit the wire alone 7 3/4 lengths...

Trainer Todd Pletcher has unsaddled the winner of the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby a record five times--no one else has more than two to their credit--and he stands a fair chance to make it a half-dozen Saturday afternoon when he sends out the two favorites on the morning line. Pegged at odds of 8-5 is Whisper Hill Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit), who will attempt to provide his sire with a fourth winner of the race since in its last 10 runnings (Ring Weekend, 2014; the...

Holiday weekends are often synonymous with exciting race cards and this Fourth of July weekend is no exception with a dozen graded events on tap Saturday that include some of racing's best. The highlight of the day's action is the return of 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who is making his first start back since finishing fourth in the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 26 in Belmont's GII John A. Nerud S. A dominant winner of last year's GII Kelso H. and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile...

Well-bred Pauline's Pearl, eighth in last year's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, reached the highest level Friday while running down 2020 Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil. Off as the second choice having last finished runner-up in Oaklawn's Mar. 12 GII Azeri S.--one spot ahead of Shedaresthedevil and behind 2021 champion female sprinter Ce Ce (Elusive Quality)--the grey was briefly hung wide into the first turn before working her way inward slightly in midpack as Shedaresthedevil showed the way. She mounted a three-wide challenge after six furlongs in 1:11.78, and continued to grind away...

Whisper Hill Farm, Qatar Racing and Flurry Racing Stables' Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) is expected to jump a warm favorite as she goes in search of a third Grade I success beneath the famed Twin Spires in Friday's GI La Troienne S. Upset winner of the 2020 GI Kentucky Oaks, the bay outfought Envoutante (Uncle Mo) to win this event by a length 53 weeks ago and atoned for a third-place effort behind champion Letruska (Super Saver) in the GI Odgen Phipps S. with a 3 1/4-length score in the GI Clement...

Saturday's GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn Park features several of the most prominent figures in the Distaff division each lining up to get their first graded stakes win of the 2022 season. The reigning champion sprinter and winner of the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Ce Ce (Elusive Quality) returns to the two-turn distance after spending much of her 2021 season at seven-furlongs. She's been plenty successful at this distance before, including a win the 2020 GI Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park and two third-place efforts in...

Amendment Nineteen (Constitution), privately purchased by Juddmonte and transferred to Brad Cox last month, will make her debut for the new connections while trying two turns for the first time in a seven-horse renewal of Sunday's GIII Remington Park Oaks on the GIII Oklahoma Derby undercard at Remington. Debuting with a strong, fast-closing second at 15-1 behind subsequent 'TDN Rising Star' Always Carina (Malibu Moon) at six furlongs in the Aqueduct mud Apr. 11, the $20,000 Keeneland November buy overcame a slow start and a wide trip to graduate going...

Barbara Banke has a lofty goal heading into this year's GI Kentucky Oaks. "I would love for there to be a Stonestreet trifecta," she said. "That would be my dream." It sounds like quite the feat, but a trio of sophomore fillies foaled and raised at Stonestreet Farm are shaking out to be some of the strongest contenders expected to be vying for the garland of stargazer lilies on the last Friday of April. GII Rachel Alexandra S. victress Clairiere (Curlin) and GIII Fantasy S. winner Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) both...

Already with its GII Rachel Alexandra S. Presented by Fasig-Tipton winner Clairiere (Curlin) among the short list of GI Kentucky Oaks contenders, and having bred and sold GI Central Bank Ashland S. heroine Malathaat (Curlin) to Shadwell, Barbara Banke's Stonestreet was represented by another serious contender for the run for the lillies with GIII Fantasy S. heroine Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) Saturday at Oaklawn. Moved up to fourth after a very tough trip sprinting at Fair Grounds Dec. 19, the grey improved to be third going two turns there Jan. 15....