Thursday, May 15, 2025
Looks to make up for Derby 2nd . . .


    BALTIMORE – Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert LaPenta, Elayne Stables 5, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s Journalism looms as a strong favorite for Saturday’s 150th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course, two weeks after coming up short as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby.

    Saturday will mark the final running of the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown at the current Pimlico facility, affectionately known as ‘Old Hilltop,’ before it is demolished to make way for a modern building that is scheduled for completion in time for the 2027 Preakness. Laurel Park will host next year’s 151st Preakness.

    Journalism, who endured traffic and a wide trip while finishing second behind Sovereignty as the 3-1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby, is rated at 8-5 on the morning-line in a field of nine assembled for the Preakness, in which the Derby winner will not compete.

    “He’s a wonderful athlete. He’s got the looks and size,” trainer Michael McCarthy said Wednesday morning while glancing in the direction of Journalism in his stall at the Pimlico Stakes Barn.  “He’s got the mechanics of a very good horse. His resume speaks for itself. He’s a special, special talent.”

    Journalism entered the Kentucky Derby coming off four straight victories in Southern California, including a gritty score in the Santa Anita Derby, in which he was stopped in traffic on the turn into the homestretch before shaking loose and prevailing by three-quarters of a length.

    “The one thing you can’t measure for and can’t write down in a sales catalogue is ‘try,’ ‘heart,’” said McCarthy of the determination of the $825,000 yearling purchase at the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga sale. Umberto Rispoli, who was aboard for all four of his wins in addition to Journalism’s runner-up finish in the Derby, has the return call from Post 2.

    McCarthy achieved the ultimate success at Pimlico in 2021 when he saddled Rombauer for an 11-1 upset victory in the Preakness. “Rombauer seemed like he was getting good at the right time. He showed up here in Baltimore and had a great week. It looked like he was getting over the track really, really well,” McCarthy recalled. “The race set up in his favor Preakness Day. He was arguably the best horse that ran that day. The time stacked up. It was wonderful to participate in a Triple Crown race and win a Triple Crown race.”

    The 54-year-old’s quest for a second Preakness triumph will encounter challenges from five Hall of Fame trainers with 18 victories in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, among them – former boss Todd Pletcher, plus Ocala's Mark Casse, Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas.

    Pletcher, who entered the Hall of Fame in 2021, will seek his first Preakness victory with WinStar Farm, CHC Inc., Pantofel Stable and Wachtel Stable’s River Thames, who was withheld from the Derby to target the Preakness. River Thames, who was beaten by a neck in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream while finishing second behind Derby hero Sovereignty, is coming off a third-place finish in the Blue Grass at Keeneland.

    Should the son of Maclean’s Music win the Preakness it would complete a personal Triple Crown for Pletcher, who has saddled two Derby winners and four Belmont Stakes winners. He has started only 10 horses in the Preakness. “I think any time you have the opportunity to win a Classic that’s definitely something you’d like to achieve,” Pletcher said. “It would be something we’d love to get done.” Irad Ortiz Jr. has the return call on River Thames, who ranks third on the morning line at 9-2.

    Casse, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame a year after saddling War of Will for a 2019 Preakness score, is scheduled to saddle D J Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables’ Sandman for the Preakness. The son of Tapit, who is rated second on the morning line at 4-1, is coming off a seventh-place finish in the Derby, in which he dropped back to last after encountering early traffic before offering a nine-wide rally.

    “You hope you can draw a line through it,” CEO and President of West Point Thoroughbreds Terry Finley said. “Journalism obviously ran really hard. If he runs that same race, we’ve got a lot to make up. Maybe we can close the gap.” Sandman entered the Derby off an eye-catching victory in the Arkansas Derby, in which he rallied from eighth in a nine-horse field and drew away to a 2 ½-length score.

    “It’s been a whirlwind in a nutshell, getting with Sandman,” said mega-popular internet influencer Griffin Johnson, who owns a share of Sandman. “When you own a piece of a horse, you never know what you’re going to get. That’s part of the fun, right? Obviously, Sandman has been a fantastic horse with a supreme amount of talent, and he has taken me on arguably the best journey that I could ever experience. I’m really just glad to be here. I’m soaking it in. Most importantly, I’m trying to share that dream with everyone I can and be authentic and experiential as I can.”

    Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez is scheduled to ride the striking gray colt for the first time.

    Asmussen, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, will seek his third Preakness victory with Winchell Thoroughbreds, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s Clever Again. He found the Preakness winner’s circle with Curlin in 2007 and Rachel Alexandra in 2009.

    Clever Again, who is rated fourth at 5-1 on the morning line, will make his graded stakes debut in the Preakness in only his fourth career start. The son of 2015 Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, who was narrowly beaten in his debut at Keeneland in his only start as a 2-year-old, has won his two races this year, both at Oaklawn Park. After breaking his maiden with a front-running 3 ½-length score at 1 1/16 miles, he ran off with the mile Hot Springs by four lengths. Jose Ortiz has the return call on Clever Again.

    Baffert, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, will have the opportunity to extend his record for most Preakness winners for a trainer when he saddles SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables’, Stonestreet Stables, Diane Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan’s Goal Oriented for his stakes debut.

    Goal Oriented is 2-for-2, entering the Preakness off a 3 ½-length debut score at six furlongs April 6 at Santa Anita and a front-running triumph in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Baffert is well aware of the challenge that awaits Goal Oriented in the Preakness while racing against the likes of Journalism.

    “[Journalism] is a really good horse. Watching him, it was a great Derby,” Baffert said. “These are important races. If you feel your horse fits in this kind of race … I think he fits. You have Journalism. He is a real good horse and ran a big race in the Derby. Horses with good Derby form run good in the Preakness. My horse had good form two weeks ago. He is a big strong horse.”

    Flavien Prat has the return mount on the son of Not This Time, who is 6-1 on the morning line.

    Baffert established his Preakness record with National Treasure (2023), Justify (2018), American Pharoah (2015), Lookin At Lucky (2010), War Emblem (2002), Point Given (2001), Real Quiet (1998) and Silver Charm (1997).

    Lukas, a 1999 Hall of Fame inductee, could tie Baffert’s record should BC Stables' American Promise rebound from a 16th-place finish in the Derby with a winning performance in the Preakness. American Promise earned his stall in the starting gate for the Derby by winning the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs. Rated at 20-1 on the morning line, the son of 2018 Triple Crown champion Justify will be ridden back by Nik Juarez.

    Lukas notched his seventh Preakness success last year with Seize the Grey, who was preceded by Oxbow (2013), Charismatic (1999), Timber Country (1995), Tabasco Cat (1994), Tank’s Prospect (1985), and Codex (1980).

    Jim and Claire Limited’s Heart of Honor is scheduled to make his U.S. debut in the Preakness following a trans-Atlantic flight from Great Britain. The Jamie Osborne-trained son of Honor A.P. is coming off a runner-up finish in the April 5 UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse. Set at 12-1 on the morning line, Heart of Honor will be ridden back by Osborne’s 23-year-old daughter, Saffie Osborne.

    Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables’ Gosger and RKTN Racing’s Pay Billy are both rated at 20-1 on the morning line. Brendan Walsh-trained Gosger, who won the April 12 Lexington at Keenland last time out, will be ridden for the first time Saturday by Luis Saez.

    Michael Gorham-trained Pay Billy, who earned his berth in the Preakness by winning the April 19 Federico Tesio at Laurel, will be ridden back by Raul Men
a.

Monday, May 12, 2025
She's also top 3yo filly and Sprinter . . .

    Ocala - Mystic Lake has been named the 2024 Florida-bred Horse of the Year in a vote by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association board of directors and announced at the FTBOA Awards Gala held Monday night at the Circle Square Cultural Center.

    Bred by Peggy Costanzo and owned by C2 Racing Stable and Stefania Farms, Mystic Lake was also named the Florida-bred Champion 3-Year-old Filly and Florida-bred Champion Female Sprinter after winning the Gr. II Charles Town Classic, Gr. III Miss Preakness at Pimlico, Sugar Swirl (Listed) at Gulfstream Park and Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies at Tampa Bay Downs.

    Costanzo was also presented the Needles Award, recognizing the Small Breeder of the Year in Florida.

    The Florida Breeder of the Year goes to Marilyn Campbell’s Stonehedge Farm, which boasts  earnings of $2,929,004 from 33 wins, 67 seconds and 67 thirds in 601 starts. This is the fifth time Stonehedge has been recognized as the Breeder of the Year, also being honored in 1997, 2013, 2016 and 2023. 

    Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Plantation was named the leading owner of Florida-breds by earnings with $1,683,452 from 31 wins, 25 seconds and 18 thirds. This is the seventh time Live Oak has earned the title, previously topping the standings in 2011, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Live Oak took home the trophy as the owner of Champion Older Male and Champion Male Turf Horse, Forever Souper.

    For a record fifth consecutive year, Khozan is Florida Stallion of Year with progeny earnings of $5,679,578. He earned the titles in 2020 ($3,521,813), 2021 ($3,671,794), 2022 ($4,513,950) and 2023 ($6,292,158). Khozan passes Montbrook (2002, 2003, 2008, 2009) and Wildcat Heir (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014) with four titles each going back to 1991. Khozan stood the 2024 season at Journeyman Stud and for the 2025 season he's at Ocala Stud. Khozan was represented by three stakes-winners and his leading earner with $144,897 was Wildwood Bye. He is property of Al Shaqab Racing and Stonehedge.

    Ocala Stud’s Win Win Win is the leading freshman sire and leading juvenile sire with progeny earnings of $797,233. His leading money earner with $218,950 was multiple stakes-winner Win N Your In. He is also represented by graded stakes-winner Nooni ($212,400), the Florida-bred Champion 2-Year-Old Filly. Win Win Win is property of Live Oak Stud, Brereton Jones and Ocala Stud.

    Other Florida-bred Champions recognized are 2-Year-Old Male Rated by Merit, Bentornato the 3-Year-Old Male and Male Sprinter; Spirit Wind Older Female, and Female Turf Horse, Dancing N Dixie.

    Points of Grace, the dam of Florida-bred Arthur’s Ride, winner of the Gr. I Whitney at Saratoga Race Course, is the Florida Broodmare of the Year. She is currently owned by Joe and Helen Barbazon, owners of Pleasant Acres Stallions in Morriston, who bred Arthur’s Ride with the Tapit Syndicate.

    The Joseph M. O’Farrell Memorial Award presented by Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company went to Tom McCrocklin and Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield, consignors of Florida-bred Horse of the Year Mystic Lake. Summerfield consigned her at the 2022 OBS October Yearling Sale while McCrocklin sold her at the 2023 OBS March Sale.

    Saffie Joseph Jr. is honored as the leading trainer of Florida-breds by black-type wins (10), total wins (83) and Florida-bred earnings ($3,446,942.)

Monday, May 12, 2025
Lennilu sharp in Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies . . .
    Shisospicy (Mitole – Mischief Galore, by Into Mischief) led the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates this past weekend when she earned her second straight stakes victory and first graded score with a dominant 4 ¼-length win in the $224,625, Gr. III Mamzelle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs May 10.

    Ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Jose D’Angelo, Shisospicy clocked 5 ½ furlongs on firm turf in a stakes record time of 1:01.46 for Josh Mendez’s Morplay Racing. The victory was worth $129,820 and increased Shisospicy’s earnings to $415,370 with a record of 6-4-1-1. She is unbeaten in three starts on grass.

    “Our goal is always to have fun and this was a lot of fun,” said Rich Mendez, the founder of Morplay Racing, to the Churchill Downs publicity team. “We knew after the Limestone we had a lot of confidence with her moving forward. She’s run so well in all of her starts.”

    Shisospicy was offered at the 2024 OBS April sale by Hartley/DeRenzo where she was an RNA after breezing in :9 3/5.

    At Gulfstream Park, Lennilu (Leinster - Lulu's Pom Pom, by Pomeroy), owned by Amy Dunne, Caitlin Dunne, Brenda Miley, Jean Wilkinson, Hoffman Family Racing, Tranquility Lake Farm, Maury Harrington and Christopher Harrington, punched her ticket to Royal Ascot when she romped to a 3 ¾-length victory in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies.

    The Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies winner earned an automatic berth in one of six juvenile stakes during the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting in mid-June, plus a $25,000 travel stipend.

    “The plan is Royal Ascot as long as she is healthy and everything goes right,” winning trainer Patrick Biancone said to the Gulfstream Park publicity team.

    Lennilu was purchased by Glencrest Farm for $23,000 from the Abbie Road Farm consignment at the 2024 OBS Winter Mixed Sale.

    At Monmouth Park on Saturday, Kentucky Outlaw (Outwork - Fend, by Street Sense) gave owner-trainer Felissa Dunn her first career stakes win, rolling to 1½-length victory in the $102,000 Long Branch Stakes – earning a free entry and free start fees to the Gr. 1 Haskell Stakes on July 19.

    It marked the third win in four career starts for the son of Outwork, who was picked out of the 2024 OBS June Sale from the Kinsman Farm consignment for $12,000 by Felissa’s husband, John Dunn, after breezing in :10 3/5. The colt previously sold for $10,000 at the 2023 OBS October Yearling Sale to Angel Martinez out of the Whitman Sales consignment.

    At Prairie Meadows, Patricia's Hope and Richard Ravin’s Rich City Girl (City of Light -Hassler (IRE), by War Front) earned her first stakes win when she captured the $50,000 Goldfinch Stakes in her seasonal bow. Trained by Larry Rivelli, the filly was purchased by Patricia’s Hope for $435,000 out of the Top Line Sales consignment at the 2024 OBS March sale after breezing in :9 4/5.
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Lennilu wins by nearly 4. Royal Ascot is next . . .

    HALLANDALE BEACH - Lennilu, owned by Amy Dunne, Caitlin Dunne, Brenda Miley, Jean Wilkinson, Hoffman Family Racing, Tranquility Lake Farm, Maury Harrington and Christopher Harrington, punched her ticket to Royal Ascot in impressive fashion, overcoming some early trouble to romp by 3 ¾ lengths as the favorite in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream Park.

    The race co-headlined the program with the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile, both sprinting five furlongs on the grass. Each race winner earns an automatic berth in one of six juvenile stakes during the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting in mid-June, plus a $25,000 travel stipend.

    “The plan is Royal Ascot as long as she is healthy and everything goes right,” winning trainer Patrick Biancone said. “But I don’t see why it would be a problem.”

    With two-time Championship Meet leading rider Luis Saez in town for the race, Lennilu ($3.60) completed the distance in :56.99 seconds over a firm turf course. It was her second race following a one-length debut triumph going 4 ½ furlongs over a sloppy main track on April 6 at Keeneland.

    “Luis loved her from the day he rode her at Keeneland. He said he wanted to ride her at Ascot and I said, ‘Easy, we have to do one stop at Gulfsteam first,’” Biancone said. “She’s a machine. She’s very relaxed.  She traveled to Keeneland, it was bad weather. She shed-rowed two days, jogged one day and ran like a monster,” Biancone said. “The father [Leinster] was a very good sprinter on turf so I had a lot of confidence in her coming into this race. The plan all along was to get to Ascot. That’s why so many partners joined in for that trip.”

    Saturday’s race saw Wesley Ward-trained Satisfied Mind, a 3 ¼-length winner of her April 16 unveiling at Keeneland, break running and establish the early lead after an opening quarter-mile in :22.03 seconds. Lennilu, who bumped with Satisfied Mind at the break, pressed in second joined by 50-1 shot Le Sunshine to her immediate outside in third.

    The half-mile went in :45.25 seconds as Lennilu came off the far turn racing two wide to take over the top spot and powered through the lane to separate from her rivals while under a hold from Saez. Bibi Dahl, a $1.35 million yearling making her first start, got up for second, 3 ¾ lengths ahead of Strada Del Sogno in third.

    “She’s a very nice filly,” Saez said. “She broke from there well [and] put herself in a good position. At the top of the stretch she was a little green first time on turf, but she’s got a lot of ability. I had a lot of horse at the end. I was pretty confident after I rode at Keeneland. She won that race very professionally. I had a lot of horse left that day, too. Now I’m looking forward to going to Ascot. That’s why we came here today.”

    The connections are hoping to follow in the footsteps of inaugural Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies winner Crimson Advocate, who used the race as a steppingstone to victory in the 2023, Gr. II Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot for trainer George Weaver and jockey John Velazquez.

    “We were on the one hand very confident, because all the horses she beat at Keeneland won their next start, but that makes you a bit anxious, too,” Biancone said. “She’s a baby, but she will learn. She was a little bit green coming to the stretch, but she’s learning and, hopefully, she’ll be even better in six weeks.”

Thursday, May 8, 2025
Nine stakes on Preakness undercard . . .
    BALTIMORE – Defending champion Balnikhov, fellow millionaires Tawny Port and Trikari, and multiple graded stakes-winner Neat, on the cusp of reaching the milestone himself, are among 40 horses nominated to the $250,000, Gr. III Dinner Party May 17 at Pimlico Race Course.

    The 124th renewal of the 1 1/8-mile Dinner Party for 3-year-olds and up on the grass is among nine stakes, four graded, worth $1.3 million on the undercard of the $2 million Preakness Stakes, Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, to be run for the 150th time.

    Pimlico’s oldest stakes race and the eighth-oldest in the country, the Dinner Party was contested at two miles for its 1870 debut, won by Hall of Famer Preakness. The distance has changed eight times over its history, returning to nine furlongs in 2023 for the first time since 2013.

    Irish-bred Balnikhov rallied from last to register a 1 ½-length victory in the 2024 Dinner Party over Crabs N Beer, also nominated to make a return. The 6-year-old gelding has placed in three subsequent Grade 2 turf stakes and most recently ran ninth in the 1 ½-mile Elkhorn (G2) April 19 at Keeneland.

    Tawny Port was a two-time graded-stakes winner on the dirt as a 3-year-old in 2022 and was seventh in the Kentucky Derby (G1) before being moved to the grass, where he has placed five times in graded-stakes, four of them by a neck or less. Trikari won four graded-stakes last year topped by the 1 3/16-mile Belmont Derby (G1) at Aqueduct and was third in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) April 11 at Keeneland in his first start in nearly six months.

    Neat is less than $80,000 from reaching millionaire status. Most recently fourth as the favorite in the one-mile Henry S. Clark April 19 at Laurel Park, the 4-year-old Constitution colt won the Transylvania (G3), Manila (G3) and Hall of Fame (G2) in a span of four starts last spring and summer.

    Other Dinner Party nominees include multiple graded-stakes winners Endlessly and Fort Washington and multiple stakes winners Crystal Quest, Dataman, Fulmineo, Lord Bullingdon and Seminole Chief.

    Booth, riding a three-race win streak capped by back-to-back victories in the Whitmore (G3) and Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park, tops 31 nominations to the $150,000 Maryland Sprint (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs. Others include Grade 1 winner Millikin, graded-stakes winners Dean Delivers and World Record, 15-time winners Concrete Glory and Spikezone, and Witty, a multiple stakes winner on both turf and dirt.

    The $150,000 Gallorette (G3) for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/16 miles on the grass attracted 44 nominations led by multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire She Feels Pretty and graded-stakes winners Duvet Day, For Flying, Gimme a Nother, Kehoe Beach, No Mo Candy, Ocean Club, Pin Up Betty, Sparkle Blue and Waves of Mischief as well as Five Towns, runner-up to Fluffy Socks in 2024.

    A trio of undefeated but untested 3-year-olds – Ancient World, Here Comes Francis and Moonlit Notion – join Southwest (G3) winner Speed King; multiple stakes winners Barbadian Runner, It’s Hammertime and Smoken Wicked; and stakes winner Keep It Easy, sixth behind Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Sovereignty in the Fountain of Youth (G2) among 42 nominees for the listed $150,000 Chick Lang sprinting six furlongs.

    Other grass stakes are the $125,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up going five furlongs, whose 45 nominees include the top three finishers from last year in Grooms All Bizness, Witty and Smooth B; and $100,000 James W. Murphy at one mile for 3-year-olds, which attracted 44 nominees led by Studlydoright, a multiple dirt stakes winner yet to run on turf, and Just a Fair Shake and Surfside Moon, respectively 2-3 in the April 19 Federico Tesio at Laurel Park behind Preakness (G1)-bound Pay Billy.

    Most popular among horseman with 50 nominations is the $100,000 Spendthrift Farm Sir Barton to benefit the TAA for 3-year-old non-winners of an open sweepstakes going 1 1/16 miles. Prominent among them are Admiral Dennis, fourth in the Blue Grass (G1); Bestfriend Rocket, exiting the Arkansas Derby (G1); Grade 1-placed Filoso; Grade 3-placed Garamond; Just a Fair Shake and Surfside Moon; Virginia Derby runner-up Omaha Omaha; and Passion Rules, third in the Wood Memorial (G2).

    Rounding out the Thoroughbred stakes action is the $125,000 Skipat for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting six furlongs which saw 37 horses nominated including defending champion and 2024 Barbara Fritchie (G3) winner Apple Picker, unraced since last August; multiple stakes-winning stablemates Carmelina and Disco Ebo; multiple graded-stakes winner Emery; 2024 Davona Dale (G2) winner Fiona’s Magic; Irish Maxima, who captured the April 5 Distaff (G3) to extend her win streak to three races; Ms. Bucchero, a winner of back-to-back Laurel stakes and Grade 2-winning millionaire Zeitlos.

    Returning to the Preakness undercard is the $150,000, Gr. I UAE President Cup for Arabian 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles.

    Entries will be taken and post positions drawn for all Preakness Day races on Monday
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