BloodHorse.com

The California horse racing industry is advertising a healthy purse increase effective Dec. 26, opening of Santa Anita Park, in an effort to spread the word in advance of the meet and increase field size. The increase will come courtesy of the betting public via a hike in pari-mutuel takeout. … With repeated claims that at least $300 million could ...

(By Avalyn Hunter) Perfection is a rare thing in any field. In sports, those who achieve it become legends. Yet sometimes the desire to maintain an unbeaten record can become self-defeating. Football fans know this well; every year, at least one Top 10 team goes down because it played, not to win, but not to lose–and, in so doing, lost to a ...

To put a wrap on this year's Breeders' Cup, I put together a top 10 list of memorable moments. In the poll below, you can vote for your top three. Jockey fight-This was one of the more astounding incidents I have seen in racing, especially on a national stage. To see a seething Calvin Borel lose his cool like that in the moments following the ...

By Jennifer Wirth, of The Saturday Post The old rule of etiquette used to be that people shouldn’t bring up politics or religion in casual social settings.  It is the quickest way to anger friends, start rivalries and ignite a big ol’ brawl in any circle.  I agree perfectly with this rule of etiquette, but I’d like to add one more topic ...

By Jack Shinar Striking parallels exist in the current debate between supporters of Blame and Zenyatta over Horse of the Year and the decision confronting voters in 1996 with Cigar. Like Zenyatta, Cigar was assaulting the hallowed mark for consecutive victories held by Citation. And like the big mare, Cigar was beloved by fans. He ...

Henry Ward Beecher wrote, “It is defeat that turns bone to flint; it is defeat that turns gristle to muscle; it is defeat that makes men invincible.”And apparently women. For Zenyatta, her defeat in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic will be remembered as an affirmation of her greatness. In victory after victory she captured the heart. In her lone ...

No, this post is not about a real murder. BUT this post is about a Television episode that involves solving a murder around a race track. If you have ever watched the series Psych on cable, it is a fun detective show; aimed at my generation for the most part. I found the episode very refreshing and was excited with how it casually portrayed the ...

Multiple grade I winner Blame (TrueNicks) has been retired to Claiborne Farm and will stand for a $35,000 fee in 2011. Breeders are now able to run unlimited free nick reports with Blame, courtesy of Claiborne Farm. A son of Arch (TrueNicks,SRO), who also stands at Claiborne, Blame won seven stakes in his career, including the Fayette (gr. II), ...

A friend accompanied me out to Keeneland today to see several mares. She noticed my marked-up catalog and commented on how I dogear the pages.  Thought it would be worth sharing. Here's a fresh catalog: I open to the hip I'm interested in: I fold the catalog page at a sharp angle, forcing the top of the page out of alignment with the ...

One of the biggest complaints about racing is that its superstars leave competition too soon. Six people have done something to address that situation - Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Stables, Jerry and Ann Moss, and brothers Alain Gerard Wertheimer. To say thank you, the Thoroughbred industry in this country needs to give each and ...