BloodHorse.com

The pride that breeders feel for the foals they raise and nurture escalate with every hurdle they clear in their young lives. To see the foals grow into classy, strong, sound, correct, and healthy individuals is a gift in itself and brings great feelings of satisfaction. To see buyers at the sale show interest in them and bid big bucks to get them ...

Success has two faces, possessing equal power to drive progress or stymie innovation.Unfortunately, success may be the stake that kills this year’s effort to bring casino gambling to Kentucky and put the Bluegrass State on a level playing field with other racing states bolstered by slot machines.The first hammer strike on that stake apparently ...

In “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, was an impish character who was always causing mischief.Well, say hello to Harpoon and Vinceremos, Todd Pletcher-trained colts who are indeed goodfellows in that they are tough and talented, but, boy, do they have a knack for both finding and causing trouble, most of it ...

The morning before the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II), maybe you had a hunch that Chitu was sitting on a big race. Not only did you plan on betting the son of Henny Hughes at Santa Anita Park Feb. 8 but you started sniffing around for a future wager in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), too. The key is to strike before the ...

1 Top Billing Shug McGaughey Curlin—Parade Queen, by A.P. Indy Sometimes, the less you have to say about a young horse the better, as that usually means he had no bad habits. When he was at Fair Hill last year, Bruce Jackson said he had a great temperament, was very straightforward and willing, his works were impressive, and he did everything ...

Sometimes Thoroughbred racing’s challenges seem as entrenched as the Israeli-Arab conflict in the Middle East.Small gains are so few and far between that they generate exaggerated enthusiasm when they do occur. The most recent example came Jan. 29 when Illinois avoided catastrophic—and likely irreversible—damage to its Thoroughbred racing industry ...

1 Top Billing Shug McGaughey Curlin—Parade Queen, by A.P. Indy The truth is, I don’t feel comfortable putting him or anyone at No. 1. Just too many question marks, inactivity, and setbacks regarding the top contenders, and he moved up because he’ll now likely go in the Fountain of the Youth with Honor Code out, and he does appear to have as ...