Rigney Racing

Richard Rigney joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss the win by Jonathan's Way in the Iroquois and talk all things Rigney Racing.

To many, no doubt, her genetic contribution is by now too attenuated to merit attention. At the very least, however, it must be acknowledged an impressive coincidence that the winners of both the GIII Iroquois Stakes and GIII Pocahontas Stakes--whose shared value, as reconnaissance for the Classics over the same track next May, is recognized by allocation of the first starting points--should share as sixth dam the Darby Dan foundation mare Golden Trail. The Golden Trail dynasty entwines such productive lines as those branded by Memories of Silver, Sunshine Forever...

Let's start this column with the disclaimer that it's way too early to start seriously talking about how a one-turn-mile victory at age two might translate to winning a 10-furlong stakes some 7 ½ months from now in a chaotic field of 20. We'll also put aside for the moment that the GIII Iroquois S. has never been a prognosticator for success in the GI Kentucky Derby. Dating to the race's inception in 1983, juveniles who ran in that late summer/early autumn Churchill Downs stakes have gone a collective 0-1-1...

Rigney Racing's TDN Rising Star Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) went wire-to-wire in the GIII Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, earning the colt 10 qualifying points towards the GI Kentucky Derby. According to trainer Phil Bauer Sunday, the colt will now head to the Nov. 1 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar. "It was an unbelievable day for our barn," Bauer said. "Watching him turn for home in the Iroquois, he looked so comfortable on the front end. His ears told a story--he was just waiting for Joel [Rosario] to ask...

No sooner has the dust settled on the 2023 Triple Crown season that another one begins anew. The first points on the 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby were awarded Saturday with 'TDN Rising Star' Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) getting first dibs at a spot in the gate on the first Saturday in May with his win in the GIII Iroquois Stakes. The Ohio-bred son of popular first-crop sire Vekoma impressed right away for Rigney Racing, earning 'TDN Rising Star' accolades in his Saratoga unveiling when overcoming a bad beginning to...

Friday is shaping up to be quite a stakes-laden slate as the rescheduled King's Plate card from last weekend at Woodbine joins the GI Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga and a pair of pricey Grade IIs from Charles Town. TDN's full coverage of the races that were forced to move because of a deluge in Toronto can be found in Patrycja Szpyra's preview, plus a piece on the King's Plate by Bill Finley. As for the Spa feature, it boasts a set of intriguing match-ups between four of the runners...

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- At the top of the stretch of the opener of the Saturday card at Saratoga Race Course, a 2-year-old colt named Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) was fanned six, maybe seven wide. But he was moving and, like a giant tidal wave, gathering momentum with each long, powerful stride. Out in California, Richard Rigney, who owns the colt, was watching the race on a cellphone along with bloodstock agent John Moynihan. They had hope, but they also were realists.  After all, the six-furlong race was the first in Jonathan's...

With a strong mid-race move, JONATHAN'S WAY (Vekoma) took command at the top of the Saratoga stretch and came home impressively, becoming the second 'TDN Rising Star' and 15th overall winner for freshman sire Vekoma (by Candy Ride {Arg}). Facing a pair of well-backed stablemates in the coupled entry of Moment's Notice (More Than Ready) and $1.35m KEESEP first-timer Sansone (Uncle Mo), Jonathan's Way broke from the outer half of the gate in line with the field but got squeezed back to last in the first few jumps and had...

It took trainer Phil Bauer and his owner Richard Rigney a little while to figure the racing game out. From the time Bauer went to work for Rigney in 2013 through 2021, the stable had never had more than 17 wins in a year or earnings in excess of $1,724,016. But the last three years have seen the stable flourish into a win machine and one that can compete at the highest levels of the sport. From 2022 to present, Bauer has had 70 winners from 316 starters for a...

Coming in with the benefit of a race under her belt, Two Sharp (Twirling Candy) was just too good for the field of maiden fillies at Saratoga Friday to became a new 'TDN Rising Star'. Favored in her six-furlong debut at Churchill June 29 after bringing a cool $925,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September in 2022, the Rigney Racing runner spotted the field a step at the field and, while ultimately no match for the race winner, did well to get up into second. With the addition of experience...

Stonestreet Stable's Emery (More Than Ready), whose lone career loss to date came when fourth in the GI Frizette Stakes at Aqueduct last October, returns to the New York oval as the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the GIII Victory Ride Stakes Thursday. The 6 1/2-furlong race with a field of five is the lone graded event on tap for the holiday. Trained by Brad Cox, Emery was a first-out winner at Saratoga last August before finishing some five lengths adrift of champion Just F Y I (Justify) in the Frizette....

4th-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 2:15 p.m. ET. Rigney Racing made TWO SHARP (Twirling Candy) her sire's top priced offspring in 2022 when the outfit went to $925,000 during Keeneland September. Trained by Phil Bauer, the filly is the lone foal out of Double Sharp (Distorted). Woods Edge Farm acquired this dam at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale for $255,000 and she is out of MGSW/MGISP Bsharpsonata (Pulpit). Also making her first start is Greg Foley trainee Cathcart (Quality Road). The 3-year-old filly was purchased for $800,000 at the...