Racing News

Second-to-last in the field of 11 through much of the race, Albaugh Family Stable’s Brody's Cause would not be denied in the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (gr. I) Oct. 3 atKeeneland,

unleashing a late drive to take the Breeders' Cup “Win and You’re In” event for the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I).

Under jockey Corey Lanerie, the Giant's Causeway   colt moved up three-wide on the turn, sat fifth coming for home, and blew by favored grade II winnerExaggerator late to score by a length for trainer Dale Romans.

Nickname, a daughter of hot sire Scat Daddy  , took a commanding lead in deep stretch to take the $400,000Frizette Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park. 

The one-mile stakes for 2-year-old fillies is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I).

Owned by LNJ Foxwoods and trained by Steve Asmussen, Nickname won by three lengths over Nemoralia and She's All Ready, who had the lead through much of the race. She's All Ready took the rest through early fractions of :22.78 , :46.10, and 1:10.93.

American Pharoah recorded what might end up being his final California workout Oct. 3 at Santa Anita Park, covering five furlongs in :59 4/5 according to the track's clockers.

Out with the first group of workers in the morning at 6:30 a.m. PDT, the Triple Crown winner ran six furlongs in 1:12 2/5 according to trainer Bob Baffert's stopwatch and galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25 4/5.

"He went nice, but he always does," Baffert said of the drill in preparation for the upcoming Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Keeneland Oct. 31. "We've never seen him work bad. I guess the day we do, that's it."

Jimmy Takter trainee Pure Country, who had won all six of her tries this season, continued her streak over the sloppy track at The Red Mile on Friday (Oct. 2) by claiming one of three divisions of the $243,000 Bluegrass 2-year-old filly pace.

Despite howling winds, at times reaching 30 miles per hour, as well as intermittent rain showers all day and night, the two Grand Circuit races at Hollywood Dayton Raceway on Friday night (Oct. 2) produced track records on both the trot and pace.

Native Ohioan and Hall of Fame driver David Miller was behind both winners, reminding the locals who watched him master his craft at nearby Lebanon Raceway and Scioto Downs before moving east to The Meadowlands to ply his trade why he was anointed with the nickname "Purple Jesus" before ever leaving the Buckeye state.

James McIngvale's Runhappy took the lead soon after the start and held off all challengers to win the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (gr. III) Oct. 2, opening day of the Keeneland fall meet. 

With Edgar Prado riding for trainer Maria Borell, Runhappy, a 3-year-old colt by Super Saver   who won the grade I King's Bishop Stakes in his previous start, now has five wins in six starts and is headed to the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I), to be held at Keeneland Oct. 31.

Rallying three wide at the top of the stretch, Frosted put away Iron Fist and cruised to victory by two lengths in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Parx Racing. 

With the win, Godolphin Racing's homebred son of leading sire Tapit  snapped a four-race losing streak dating back to this year's Twinspires.com Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I) in April at Aqueduct Racetrack. Of course, those four races have been at the top level—Frosted finished behind Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in three of those starts and behind Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Texas Red in the other. 

It is less than a week into the second season at Hollywood Dayton Raceway and already five track records have fallen with more sure to come.

Track Superintendent Bill Mt. Pleasant and his crew have the five-eighths mile oval in tip-top condition and fast miles have resulted throughout the first four nights of Year Two at harness racing’s newest venue.

Several of Indiana’s finest trotters and pacers will be on display Saturday (Sept. 19) at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino for Hoosier Champions Night, the fifth and final round of the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes finals.

The Hoosier state will showcase its best 2- and 3-year-old competitors and by the time the dust settles, eight new Indiana Sires Stakes champions will be crowned; two of whom already achieved their laurels this past Thursday.

St. Elias Stable, MeB Racing Stables, and Brooklyn Boyz Stables'Greenpointcrusader went from last-out maiden winner to grade I winner in the $500,000 Champagne Stakes for 2-year-olds Oct. 3 at Belmont Park. 

With Joe Bravo riding for trainer Dominick Schettino, Greenpointcrusader, a Bernardini   colt, rallied from off the pace to take the one-mile Champagne in 1:36.25 on a sealed, sloppy surface.Sunny Ridge was second and Portfolio Manager finished third.

Greenpointcrusader, bred in Kentucky by Oakbrook Farm, paid $15 to win. Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) winner Ralis battled for the lead at the top of the stretch but fell out of contention.

Silver Trail Stables' Amelia's Wild Ride, who had raced on grass in his last 10 starts but ran well on dirt in the past, grabbed the early lead and never looked back in the grade III off-the-turf Woodford Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select Oct. 3 at Keeneland.

Ridden by Jose Lezcano for trainer Ramon Preciado, Amelia's Wild Ride, a 4-year-old Florida-bred colt by D'wildcat  out of the Hook and Ladder mare Amelia Island, dueled early with Mongolian Saturday through fractions of :21.95 for the opening quarter-mile and :44.88 for the half-mile on a track rated muddy. The winner, who opened up turning for home, wasn't threatened late and finished the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.97.

Gary Barber's Breeders' Cup hopefulAppealing Tale shipped from California to New York and enjoyed the visit, dashing gate-to-wire in the $400,000 Kelso Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park.

The Peter Miller trainee came off an Aug. 22 victory in the Pat O'Brien Stakes (gr. II) at Del Mar and will conintue his jetsetting ways, likely heading to the Oct. 30 Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) at Keeneland. In nine starts this season, he has been first or second in all but two races.

Hidden Land crossed the finish line faster than any female in the history of Northfield Park when she won the $13,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace in 1:51.4 on Friday (Oct. 2).

The clocking broke the 1:52 4-year-old pacing mare record by Lease Ness Monster (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) set earlier this year.

The partnership of William Sartin and Mark Salerno own Hidden Land. Brad Irvine is her conditioner and Don Irvine Jr. was in the sulky for the winning drive.

Three Indiana Sires Stakes eliminations for the older pacing divisions will highlight the 14-race card slated for Saturday (Oct. 3) at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. The elimination for the older pacing mares division drew a field of 12 while 19 entered in the older stallions and geldings elimination which will be contested through two divisions.

Making his 2015 pari-mutuel debut and headlining the list of entrants in the stallions and geldings division is pacing sensation Always B Miki. With trainer Jimmy Takter enlisted to drive, Always B Miki will start from post nine and has been listed as the 4-5 morning line choice. He will face nine other rivals in the 10th race of the program.

Preston Stables and Prestonwood Racing's One Go All Go lived up to his name with a stunning gate-to-wire victory Sept. 19 in the $400,000 Commonwealth Derby (gr. IIT) at Laurel Park at odds of 35-1. Watch Video

The 3-year-old son of Fairbanks   shot to the lead in the 1 1/8-mile turf test, maintained a two-length advantage at every point of call, and outlasted a closing drive by Fundamental to win by a length for trainer Pavel Matejka. Grade I winner and 2-5 favorite Force the Pass finished third, a head back.

I'm a Chatterbox swept clear to her first grade I victory Sept. 19 at Parx Racing, taking the $1 million Cotillion Stakes (gr. I) while favored at odds of 2-1 in a field of 11 3-year-old fillies. 

Fletcher and Carolyn Gray's homebred daughter of Munnings   also became her sire's first grade I winner when she took the 1 1/16-mile test by two lengths in 1:44.48, rallying from fourth past 22-1 pacesetter Calamity Kate with authority. Grade I winner Peace and War completed the trifecta at odds of 6-1.

Ronnie Wrenn Jr. had a monster night on Friday (Sept. 18) at Northfield Park by posting nine wins on the 15-race program. 

Wrenn’s triumphs were with Lady Sand Terror ($3.40) in race one, Ultimate Winner ($3.40) in race two, Stonebridge Damsel ($2.60) in race three, Princess Baby Ella ($2.60) in race four, Cypress Hill Rose ($12.00) in race six, Bonnie’s Beach ($2.80) in race seven, CG Satin ($5.00) in race eight, Schmatie ($3.20) in race 10 and Allie Oakley ($3.60) in race 13.