WinStar Farm

Twelve students of full-time horse farm workers are pursuing higher education this year with help of the Horse Farm Workers' Educational Assistance Fund, the non-profit said in a Friday release. Qualifying parents of scholars must be employed full-time for at least three years by one of the following central Kentucky Thoroughbred farms: Benson Farm, Betz Thoroughbreds, Godolphin, Hermitage, Shadwell Farm, Shawhan Place Farm and WinStar Farm. So far, 760 annual scholarships totaling $1,677,501 have been awarded since the Fund's inception in 1996 by Rob Whiteley of Liberation Farm, Tom Evans...

It's early, but maybe not too early to start dreaming of the GI Kentucky Derby. At least it's not for owner Richard Rigney. Rigney is the owner of 'TDN Rising Star' Jonathan's Way (Vekoma), the winner of last Saturday's GIII Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, the first of many races that award Derby points to the top five finishers. Making his second career start after overcoming trouble to win a maiden at Saratoga, Jonathan's Way was an impressive winner, suggesting there could be bigger and better triumphs in his future....

A colt by Nyquist (hip 984) became the first of Thursday's session to break seven figures when selling for $1.3 million. WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden signed the ticket on the yearling in the names of Maverick Racing, CHC, Inc. and Siena Farm. The bay was consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services. Out of Spa Treatment (Bernardini), the bay was bred by Springhouse Farm and Hunter Valley Farm. He sold for $385,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale. The colt became the 35th of the September sale to sell for $1 million...

Aidan O'Brien has never won the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. But it hasn't been from a lack of effort. He's had 13 starters in the race and has run some very good horses, including Galileo (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Giant's Causeway (Storm Cat). But his luck could very well change this year as he will take aim at the Classic with one of the best horses of this generation. The O'Brien trained City of Troy (Justify) has had an outstanding campaign in Europe, winning six of seven starts, including four...

One-for-one Heartland (c, 3, Justify--Sambuca Classica, by Cat Thief), whose debut maiden victory in 2023 stamped him as a 'TDN Rising Star' under Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, has been retired from racing and will stand at WinStar in 2025. His introductory fee will be $10,000 S&N. "One might ask, 'Why stand a maiden winner?'," said WinStar President, CEO, and Racing Manager Elliott Walden. "Well, he looks the part, he's by Justify, and he's a half-brother to Classic Empire. It makes perfect sense to us because we know what we...

Siena Farm and WinStar Farm are going to have to make room in their trophy cases. Less than 24 hours after the partnership captured the King's Plate with Caitlinhergrtness (Omaha Beach), they added more hardware when Mullikin (c, 4, Violence--Tulira's Star, by Congrats), stamped as the horse to beat in Saratoga's GI Forego Stakes, proved much the best. In winning his fourth straight and capturing the first Grade I of his career, Mullikin cemented his status as the best older sprinter east of the Mississippi with a comprehensive, front-running victory....

Perhaps done in by a two-week turnaround when just beaten in the July 20 Woodbine Oaks, Siena Farm and WinStar Farm's Caitlinhergrtness (Omaha Beach) proved possibly the biggest beneficiary of the six-day postponement of the C$1-million King's Plate, clawing her way past heavily favored My Boy Prince (Cairo Prince) in the final 40 yards. The $375,000 OBS April breezer was off at 9-1 in the King's Plate--a race in which the fillies had more than held their own against their male counterparts--and took up a forward position from between horses...

A good barber knows how to create conversation. After years of standing over his chair trimming hair and chatting with clients, John Daugherty has always prided himself on his ability to talk to just about anybody. "It didn't matter if it was a doctor, the mayor, or the homeless guy around the corner, I could talk to everyone," he said. So when Daugherty found himself in a prison staring at the adolescent faces of his two sons at a loss for words, his inability to find the right thing to...

'TDN Rising Star' Showcase (c, 2, Uncle Mo--Buy Sell Hold, by Violence), a runaway debut winner going 5 1/2 furlongs downstate at the Big A July 6, muscled his way out for racing room in the stretch and stayed perfect in style going an additional furlong in Saturday's GII Saratoga Special Stakes. The 3-1 chance traveled nicely in an inside fifth through an opening quarter in :21.85. All dressed up with nowhere to go at the top of the lane, Irad Ortiz, Jr. finally found a narrow seam and shifted...

Former WinStar stallion Good Samaritan (Harlan's Holiday--Pull Dancer, by Pulpit), who has previously shuttled to Chile, has been sold to interests in that country and will stand at Haras Mocito Guapo. The deal was brokered by Matt Bowling of Bowling Bloodstock and J.P. Sullivan of Sullivan Bloodstock. Winner of the 2017 GII Jim Dandy Stakes and 2018 GII New Orleans Handicap, Good Samaritan's placings included the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and the GI Clark Handicap. The millionaire retired to WinStar for the 2019 season and has sired six graded...

Owners Karl and Cathi Glassman, this week's Green Group Guests of the Week on the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland, bought their first horse in 2015 and initially didn't have much to show for it. But they understood patience and that good fortune would eventually come their way. Did it ever. The Glassmans have their first star, the GI Whitney winner Arthur's Ride (Tapit). Making his stakes debut at age 4, he was a 2 1/4-length winner on a rainy day in Saratoga. The win gave Bill Mott his...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Uncaged (Curlin) was unleashed in front of a big house at Saratoga Race Course on Whitney Day at Saratoga Race Course. And, at the end of the six-furlong $100,000 maiden special weight, Uncaged left no doubt. He and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. began revving up just outside the eighth pole and won going away by 1 3/4 lengths. Afterwards, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and the ownership group of Repole Stable and WinStar Farm were more than pleased. Pedigree wise, you don't see Curlin progenies...