BloodHorse.com

Successfully predicting the weather in Central Kentucky is harder than putting together a winning Pick 6 ticket. One thing for certain is the weather in this part of the country has definitely changed to “autumn.” Patagonia fleece and down vest jackets covering up traditional button-down shirts at Keeneland is a telltale sign. There’s no telling ...

In June of this year, Catholic Boy was winning the Pennine Ridge Stakes on grass at Belmont Park and 17 days later we watched Yoshida run his tail off to be beaten 1 1/4 lengths in the 15-horse Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot following his victory in the Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs. If there was an exacta future book wager ...

Like most of his progeny, Kitten’s Joy is making a sustained late run, showing his best turn of foot nearing the wire. This race is the contest for 2018’s top North American sire, and Kitten’s Joy has overcome a fast early start from the competition to open a short lead; however, the ultimate order of finish is still very much up in the air. The ...

It only took 1:47.25 to get Keeneland’s fall meet off to a rousing start Oct. 5. The first race, a maiden special weight for 2-year-olds on a turf course softened by torrential rains the night before, was taken by 15-1 shot Pico Entry. A half brother to Keeneland grade 1-placed Cherry Wine, the son of Point of Entry was bred by and is raced by ...

In the spring of 1969, a magical seed was planted in the equine garden known as The Meadow, located in Caroline County, Va., just north of Richmond. From that seed the following spring would sprout a legendary creature who would one day transcend the Sport of Kings and forever alter the course of racing history. But the harsh winds of 30 ...

When a championship-defining race has been run 99 times, we expect there to be magical moments. The Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1), run for the 100th time Sept. 29, might not have looked like a vintage renewal on paper, but the race gave us a run for our money, stirring memories of Gold Cups past. Despite being purely an “American” race, this ...

The market for Thoroughbred yearlings continued to roar throughout Keeneland’s September yearling sale that ended mid-afternoon Sept. 23. Despite the near washout while showing Book 1 yearlings Sept. 8, and a steady downpour that greeted the final day, there was plenty of sunshine in the ring. With 2,916 yearlings bringing more than $377 million, ...

There have always been three stages when it comes to the Kentucky Derby trail. But they have changed dramatically over the years. The first stage, and the one that has become antiquated in this era of late developers, lightly raced horses, and nagging 2-year-old setbacks is the 2-year-old sprint stage that used to serve as the launching pad ...

The results of the Keeneland September yearling sale through Book 2 (Sunday, Sept. 16) were nothing short of spectacular. A perfect storm of a robust global economy, new tax laws that accelerate depreciation, and a reduced foal crop has helped create demand and has pushed the market to its highest figures since the Great Recession hit a decade ...

When I visited Haras Cuatro Piedras in Uruguay in 2008, I couldn’t have imagined the farm would one day be home to Smarty Jones for several years and then the country’s greatest equine hero, Hall of Famer Invasor, who at the time was residing at Shadwell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Invasor never developed into a top stallion in the United ...