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The biggest race of this gala weekend in Panama is the44th Clasico Internacional del Caribe. Also known as the CaribbeanDerby, it will be run Dec. 11 at Hipodromo Presidente Remon. However, there arefour other races in the Serie del Caribe. Three were run today, Dec. 10, and the rest willbe offered tomorrow. The Copa Velocidad del Caribe ...

I visited the Laffit Pincay Jr. Jockey TrainingAcademy today (Dec. 9). It's located at Hipodromo Presidente Remon near PanamaCity, Panama. A school for riders has been operating at Panama'sonly racetrack since 1960, but academic classes in such subjects as English-speakingand basic math didn't become part of the program until 2009. The ...

Women control the two leading breeding operations in Panama and they will be playing a major role in determining the future of the country's Thoroughbred industry. Graciela Eleta, 71, operates Haras Cerro Punta, which was founded by her husband, Fernando, who died earlier this year. Raquel Eleta, 57, is in charge at Haras San Miguel, which is ...

Uncle Mo Earlier this week I got a phone call from a breeder who wanted to discuss a potential mating of his mare with Uncle Mo (TrueNicks,SRO). The mare (an exceptional racemare and a grade I producer) was foaled in 1990, meaning that she would produce the Uncle Mo foal at age 23. Uncle Mo will be 5, so that's an 18-year difference. This ...

All sloths in Panama were in hiding today. I scanned he trees to and from the Gamboa Rainforest Resort this morning but didn't see any hanging around. I think this was my only shot at sloth watching, so I'll be leaving without achieving my personal goal.However, while at Gamboa and taking a boat ride on the Panama Canal, I did see baby crocodiles, ...

Ian Wilkes has not won a Kentucky Derby on his own yet, but as the top assistant to Carl Nafzger he played a vital part in developing Street Sense, who took the roses in 2007. A native of Australia, Wilkes also galloped horses for Nafzger when he first came to the United States way back in 1989. One of the horses he routinely exercised for Nafzger ...

 (Originally published in the December 10, 2011 issue of The Blood-Horse magazine. Feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions at the bottom of the column.)  By Eric Mitchell - @EJMitchellKy on Twitter Stud fees are rising, nudged upward by the gradual recovery seen this year in the Thoroughbred commercial market. ...

 (Originally published in the December 10, 2011 issue of The Blood-Horse magazine. Feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions at the bottom of the column.)  When you’re running hot, Plan B works out just as well as Plan A. Owner Ron Winchell was pointing up-and-coming 2-year-old Sabercat to the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup ...

And I'm off! To Panama. I'll be covering the Clasico Internacional del Caribe (Caribbean Derby) Sunday. From what I'm told there is a lot of excitement and pageantry. Anne Eberhardt Keogh, The Blood-Horse's photographer, has been before and has assured me it is a lot of fun. Before the big race, I'll be visiting some Thoroughbred farms and the ...