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The goal of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale isn't to be the largest auction of its kind in the world. Instead, its focus is quality over quantity, making it a boutique market designed to appeal to the wealthiest Thoroughbred shoppers. But the size of this year's catalog is small enough to raise some questions about how the auction ...

Whatever the number is that NYRA reports as the paid attendance for Sunday, you can cut it by a third.  The crowd was big, but the count was inflated by thousands of people who paid their way into the track more than once and left before the races began.  With every paid admission of $3, patrons received a coupon for a great-looking ...

Owner Mike Repole wasn’t on horseback Saturday.  But he rode an emotional bucking bronco that would unseat most people.  His Repole Stables sent out four runners – two won, and the first one, a promising maiden two-year-old colt by Giant’s Causeway named Giant Surprise, was taken off the track in a van seconds after he crossed the finish ...

Those who were in attendance at Saratoga on August 23, 1997, or those watching on TV for that matter, would have little problem embracing the idea that Tale of the Cat (TrueNicks,SRO) might well have been the most naturally talented of all of Storm Cat’s sons. That day, he delivered an unforgettable performance, blistering the track to take the ...

Years ago, when the practice of saddling the horses under the trees in the backyard was abandoned, Saratoga went from having the best saddling viewing to the worst. The erection of a new fence that stands five feet high around the paddock makes sight lines for fans even less accommodating. “I stand up on my tippy toes,” explained Amanda Vogue, ...

Who will win the 2011 Haskell Invitational (gr. I)? Will it be Fire or Ice? Shackleford? Will Coil run a big one? How will the rest come in? Need more information about the Haskell? Read the race preview, or watch That Handicapping Show. writeRanker(''http://i.bloodhorse.com/xml/ranking/2011HaskellOrder.xml''); To participate, use your ...

At this point, it really is impossible to predict year-end championships in almost every division. The way things are going in 2011 the Breeders' Cup will settle most of the Eclipse Awards, with the Classic probably deciding Horse of the Year. In the 3-year-old division, Shackleford and Ruler On Ice have a chance to jump to the top of the ...

NYRA has found a way to take advantage of retired Eclipse Award-winning jockey Richie Migliore’s friendly personality and fabulous communications skills.  It’s having Migliore select two fans to serve as “Fans of the Day” on weekdays.  “The Mig” then treats them to a tour of the paddock before a race and the winner’s circle ...

For EQB's Jeffrey Seder, high-tech is the way to go. The president and CEO of the Pennsylvania consulting firm advocates using science to find the best sale prospects. His arsenal includes heart exams, a special camera that helps him analyze gaits, and a database with information from more than 50,000 horses. Seder will tell you his gizmos and ...

Last year, Alan, Tom Hall, and I (Scot Gillies) shook up the format of our annual ''Undervalued Sires'' feature to include stallions that offer noteworthy value to commercial breeders and breed-to-race operations in addition to studs that look to offer value at the Keeneland September yearling sale. As the 2011 edition is now approaching, I'd ...