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(Originally published in the August 4, 2012 issue of The Blood-Horse magazine. Feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions at the bottom of the column.)  By Eric Mitchell - @BH_EMitchell on Twitter Forty-two prominent Thoroughbred owners and partnerships turned their philosophical opposition to race-day medication into ...

(Originally published in the August 4, 2012 issue of The Blood-Horse magazine. Feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions at the bottom of the column.)  By Eric Mitchell Racing fans who stuck around for the last race at Saratoga July 21 witnessed a miracle.At a glance the race appeared to be an ordinary 51⁄2-furlong  ...

A year and a half ago, Zodiac was the most critically ill horse to ever come through the gates of the Woodbine, Md.-based Days End Horse Rescue. But thanks to the help from many, he has endured through the darkest of days and gained a second chance at life. Maybe you’ve heard of this charming chestnut gelding, who raced successfully under the ...

Once upon a time there were two horses named MC’s Dream and Bradleberry. Both were potential stars, showing great promise from the time they were mere tots. You will find no record of either horse, but be assured they are here as big as life, with a stranglehold on the 3-year-old division.MC’s Dream and Bradleberry have morphed into Paynter and ...

 By Michele MacDonald      There is a timeless sound in the rustling of pines on a breezy rise overlooking fields of mares and foals that stretch to a horizon also dotted by olive trees and the bobbing heads of sunflowers.       Here, on tranquil sloping land outside of the ancient city of ...

A young man named Matty D thought it would be great fun to buy his friend Micah a gag wedding gift. Micah was married the night before and invited about 100 wedding guests to join him and his bride Biz on the rooftop of the Taqueria near the Post for the races the day after. Matty D’s gift to Micah was a $3 exacta box ticket on the numbers 8 and 6 ...

The American Graded Stakes Committee may wake up to the reality that the graded stakes of summer and fall for 3-year-old horses fail to meet the criteria of grade I competition. But it’s likely the committee won’t. The grade II Jim Dandy was recently moved up in class and the horses assembled probably suit the description. But the same grade II ...

Even on College Day, the backyard of Saratoga should not be confused with the infield of Churchill Downs on Derby Day.   Except for the signs that welcomed students, the few tee-shirts that read, “My favorite course: Saratoga Racecourse,” and the $1000 scholarships awarded nine lucky people, it was difficult to tell that Friday’s ...

The recent  Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July select sale was ofgreat interest to horsemen because it provided the first glimpse of the healthof 2012's yearling market. The auction also gave people a chance to see how thefirst offspring of young stallions would be received in the sale ring asyearlings. Colonel John ranked second overall (among ...