Wayne Catalano

Built (Hard Spun), a maiden winner at second asking at Keeneland Oct. 6, stretched to two turns in style with a daylight victory in Saturday's Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds, good for 10 points on the Road to the GI Kentucky Derby. Off at odds of 7-2, the rail-drawn Built showed the way through fractions of :24.64 and :49.23 and dropped the hammer in the stretch to win by 6 3/4 lengths. Magnitude (Not This Time) was second; Render Judgment (Blame) was third. Heavily favored 'TDN Rising Star' Admiral...

Breeders' Cup-winning owner Frank Calabrese, who took home 10 consecutive leading owner titles at Arlington Park starting in 2000 and bred late sire Fast Anna, passed away on his 96th birthday, Monday, Nov. 4 at his home in Park Ridge, Illinois. A pioneer in the printing, Calabrese founded FCL Graphics in 1973 and sold the business in 2004. The avid horseplayer ran under FCC stables and paired primarily with trainer Wayne Catalano. With homebred Dreaming of Anna (Rahy), the duo won the 2006 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Woodbine,...

7th-Keeneland, $100,000, Msw, 10-6, 2yo, 7f, 1:23.96, ft, 1 1/2 lengths. BUILT (c, 2, Hard Spun--Sea Garden, by Curlin) finished fourth on debut, but then was elevated to third after another horse was disqualified at Ellis Park Aug. 24. The winner who collected a 'TDN Rising Star' badge for his effort and was just crowned as the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity champ was East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro). As the 2-1 second choice here, Built raced in between runners out of the chute and then set up shop off sole leader...

Trainer Wayne Catalano celebrated his 3000th career win Sunday when 4-year-old gelding Alilnalot (Tapiture) won race four at Ellis Park, a $30,000 maiden claimer. Catalano, who began his training career in 1983 following a successful riding career, has seen over 15,000 horses start under his name including the likes of GI Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Aloha West (Hard Spun) and dual Breeders' Cup winner Stephanie's Kitten (Kitten's Joy). "I've been waiting on this one a long time," said Catalano after the milestone Sunday. "I got to have my...

6th-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 3:18 p.m. ET. PRIDES CROSSING (Quality Road) was the seventh highest priced yearling when the filly went to OXO Equine for $1.3-million during the 2022 Keeneland September Sale. The Paulo Lobo trainee is out of Irish SW Key To My Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who Summer Wind Equine acquired for $1.75-million at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale while Man Among Men (War Front) was in-utero. Hailing from a well-related family, the first time starter's second dam is GISW A Z Warrior (Bernardini). Also on...

LOUISVILLE, KY--Kicking off a steamy day in Louisville, Thursday's morning session began to distill several things that I had seen over the course of the past week at Churchill Downs. Each morning, I would line up trackside to watch the Kentucky Derby/Oaks work session, also giving me the opportunity to survey the overall landscape at Churchill Downs. The years of progress and development at the facility is staggering. As I pan across the property, the mass of seating, both existing and new, that will accommodate the throngs of people over...

5th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 3:08 p.m. ET Gold Square's AIR OF DEFIANCE (Quality Road), a $400,000 Keeneland September purchase, is the 3-1 morning-line favorite after running a solid second behind 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) over a muddy strip at Saratoga in his six-furlong debut Aug. 25. The Brad Cox trainee is the second foal out of graded stakes winner Faypien (Ghostzapper). St. Elias and Starlight Racing's It'smyluckytime (Not This Time), a $450,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling, makes his first trip to the post for trainer Todd Pletcher....

Last year, we conducted a popular Q and A series called 'Smaller But Still Super,' where we featured veteran trainers who have built a competitive racing stable with relatively small numbers (click here to view the archive). This year, we will highlight trainers who have already cut their teeth as novice trainers, but now have a few years of experience under their belt and are looking to make a name for themselves as they grow their stable. We'll talk about the challenges that come with hanging out your single, advice...

Aloha West (Hard Spun--Island Bound, by Speightstown), winner of the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, has been retired from racing and will begin his stud career next year at Mill Ridge Farm at a fee of $10,000 live foal. Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and trained by Wayne Catalano, Aloha West was also second in last year's GII Stoll Keenon Phoenix S. and third in this year's GI Churchill Downs S. He retires with six wins from 13 starts and earnings of $1,507,290. "This horse has the potential to be...

Susan Moulton's Andthewinneris came flying late to win the GII Castle & Key Bourbon S. at Keeneland Sunday, leading home an exacta for his freshman sire while also becoming the Mill Ridge stallion's first stakes winner. The 4-1 shot broke from the far outside in the field of 12, angled over and settled near the back of the field. Still some 10 lengths back approaching the stretch, the bay made eye-catching progress leaving the turn and closed stoutly down the center of the course, hitting the front at midstretch and...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, 3:21 p.m. EDT D J Stable's RENEGADE REBEL (Nyquist) makes her career bow in this spot for trainer Mark Casse. Privately purchased from Shadwell by Barry Eisaman, the gray summoned $700,000 from OBS April after breezing in :10 flat. Her second dam is MG1SW Sierra Madre (Fr) (Baillamont), who is also responsible for European champion Aljabr (Storm Cat). Wayne Catalano unveils Coffeepot Stables homebred Mirus (Medaglia d'Oro). The dark bay is out of MGSW & GISP Farrell (Malibu Moon),...

A trio of 3-year-olds from the barn of Todd Pletcher took to the Belmont dirt training track Friday morning as they prepare for stakes engagements during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), who defeated GI Preakness S. hopeful Early Voting (Gun Runner) in the GII Wood Memorial S. Apr. 9 ahead of a closing fifth in the GI Kentucky Derby May 7, breezed a half-mile in the company of his GI Central Bank Ashland S.-winning stable companion Nest (Curlin) in :50.02. Owned by Donegal Racing and Repole...