Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, was the spiritual leader to 20 million Nizari Ismaili Muslims and a major investor in European racing and owned a number of prestigious equine and bloodstock properties in France and Ireland.
Everyday racing, big race days, and important sales may look similar to three years ago but a deeper review of trends points to a sport that has seen profound change since the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority launched in July 2022.
Group 1 and Royal Ascot-winning trainer Mick Halford has announced his joint venture with Tracey Collins will come to an end shortly and that he will retire before the start of the turf season.
Maiden Watch: Week of Jan. 27- Feb. 2
Porter on Pedigrees
Anne Lynn was the widow of attorney William "Bill" Lynn. Together they bred grade 1 winner and millionaire Wicked Strong.
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will offer a Lexitonian 2025 breeding season for auction Feb. 6-7. Generously donated by Lexitonian's trainer, Jack Sisterson, this no-guarantee season with a breed back to Lexitonian is to benefit TAA.
Byron King's Top 12 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, presented by Spendthrift Farm.
A five-time winner in Iowa in 2024, Seventeen Black was named the Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association Horse of the Year and top older colt/gelding.
Following a successful return to the races, 2-year-old champion male Citizen Bull widened his lead on stablemate Barnes in the second week of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Top 3-Year-Old poll, released Feb. 4.
A total of 373 3-year-olds, led by champion 2-year-old male Citizen Bull, were made eligible to this year’s Triple Crown series with a $600 early nomination payment that was due Jan. 27. This year’s total represents a 7.8% increase from last year.
After 40 years at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., stallion manager Richard Barry is retiring at the end of June.
Regardless of form, the collective ownership offered by racing partnerships permits individuals to participate in horse ownership by buying a fraction of a horse, therefore significantly reducing required investment and risk.
hen the Philadelphia Eagles take the field for the Super Bowl Feb. 9 in New Orleans, it will serve as the latest reminder of that franchise's historical ties to an initial owner who loved Saratoga Race Course and horse racing.
Highlights from Fasig-Tipton's Winter Mixed Sale Feb. 3.
A total of 260 horses sold for gross receipts of $11,495,500 including private sales, with an average of $44,213, and a median of $16,000 during the single-session sale. Sixty-two horses failed to meet their reserve resulting in an RNA rate of 19.3%.
The Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen's board voted unanimously Feb. 3 to oppose Florida HB 105, which would remove a requirement to run live Thoroughbred races in order to operate slot machines or card rooms.
Coteau Grove Farms was represented by two winners Feb. 1 on the 22nd Louisiana Premier Night at Delta Downs, highlighted by Touchuponastar winning the LA Bred Premier Night Champion Stakes for the third year in a row.
Join hosts Louie Rabaut and Sean Collins for the premiere episode of BloodHorse Monday, your weekly dose of Thoroughbred racing analysis and insights!
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority announced the addition of Thoroughbred horsemen Michael Annechino, Neil Howard, Todd Mostoller and Justin Revak to its Horsemen's Advisory Group.
During the first episode of the BloodHorse Monday podcast, trainer Ron Moquett said a decision on running Speed King in the Rebel is still undecided. The ultimate goal is the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park March 29.
Another power-packed sales season for Newsells Park Stud is set to be followed by a hectic period of foalings and coverings in the coming weeks.
The Thoroughbred Owners of California recognized the state's leading owners by earnings, by number of total wins, and number of stakes wins for 2024. Reddam Racing, for the fourth consecutive year, is California's top owner by earnings.
The three-day sale will take place March 11-13 with each session beginning at 11 a.m. The under tack show will be held March 5-8, with a gallop only option. The sale has produced graded stakes-winners such as Gaming, Nooni, and White Abarrio.
Loved finally got over the graded stakes hump last time out with a victory in the Falls City Stakes (G3). Now, she aims for two in a row as she faces five rivals traveling 1 1/16 miles in the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 8 at Oaklawn Park.
The Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale gets underway Feb. 3 at 10 a.m., offering breeders a last opportunity to add to their broodmare band or for pinhookers to pick up a short yearling from a live auction. A total of 414 horses have been cataloged.
North Carolina-bred Volleyballprincess capped a strong week for breeders in her home state with a dominant 10-length romp in the Ruthless Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack Feb. 1.
Outcome aside, dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said he was ecstatic with Sandman's performance in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds Jan. 25 at Oaklawn Park.
Trained by Championship Meet leader Saffie Joseph Jr., 6-year-old Soul of an Angel was timed in :47 4/5 on the main track, ranking 13th of 70 horses. It was her third work since finishing third in the Rampart Dec. 26.
Preparing to make their sophomore debut in the $500,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) on Louisiana Derby Preview Day Feb. 15, both Jonathan's Way and East Avenue breezed at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 1.
Grade 1 winner Tenma towered over her competition on paper, in the wagering, and ultimately in the stretch as she rolled home to an easy victory in the $92,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.
Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. sat in his Belmont Park office Feb. 2 still basking in the glow of his newly-minted stakes-winner Captain Cook's dominant victory in the $250,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack Feb. 1.
Whitham Thoroughbreds' Burnham Square, last-to-first winner of the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Feb. 1, exited the Triple Crown prep "bright and alert" and could return in Gulfstream Park's next Triple Crown prep in four weeks.
Citizen Bull earned 20 additional qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby to give him 60 in all. That should be more than enough points to make the 20-horse cutline for the Derby.
Report from Japan
The product of late owner/breeder Stephen Brunetti's love for horses will be on display when his family's homebred grade 1 winner Unbridled Mo and her yearling colt by Curlin enter the ring Feb. 3 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale.
Since 1976, second-generation track photographer Lou Hodges Jr. has captured horse racing at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, and at age 76, he has decided to retire.
A month into 2025, trainer Dan Blacker is back winning graded stakes in California, this time with My Way Racing's El Potente, who blitzed a mile on firm turf in 1:32.39 in taking the $102,000 Thunder Road Stakes (G3T) Feb. 1 at Santa Anita Park.
A classic pace meltdown in the Feb. 1 $155,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) played right into the hands of a waiting Eclatant, who exerted her superiority late with a 1 1/4-length score.
A less-than-ideal break from the gate forced jockey Edgard Zayas to change his plan of attack with Whitham Thoroughbreds' homebred Burnham Square, who nevertheless persevered to capture the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park.
In winning his 13th Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) and seventh straight, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert best summed up the performance from Citizen Bull during a postrace television interview, saying, "The champ is back."
Perhaps in two months trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. will start focusing on the Kentucky Derby (G1). For now anyway, he's quite content to know he has an exciting 3-year-old in Captain Cook who can be pointed to another lucrative stakes.
In defeating three tough runners from the Bob Baffert barn in the Santa Monica Stakes (G2), Kopion reminded her trainer, Richard Mandella, of her sire, Omaha Beach, also a Mandella trainee.
Chad Brown and Flavien Prat showed the Tampa Bay Downs crowd exactly why they were voted winners in their respective 2024 Eclipse Award categories, sweeping both graded stakes races on the Feb. 1 card with Running Bee and Saffron Moon.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is finalizing February plans for his Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls and those include a geographical swap for two candidates and the stakes debut for a popular third.
Rallying from fourth in a field of six 3-year-olds, Gate to Wire did not exactly live up to his name in the $155,000 Swale Stakes Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park, but he was in front when it mattered most in the seven-furlong race: the finish.
More Than Looks wasn’t Hinkle Farms’ only standout in 2024. They bred Deterministic, a son of Liam’s Map who succeeded on two surfaces, capturing both the Gotham Stakes (G3) on the dirt and Virginia Derby (G3T) on the turf.
In a variety of recent public media forums, representatives of The Stronach Group asserted that the company is committed to the Thoroughbred sport and that they could shut down their racing operations any time they wanted.
Grade 1 winner Didia, who missed a start and the chance to become a repeat winner in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park, has been officially retired and will be bred to Nyquist.
The two-day Tattersalls February Sale wrapped up Jan. 31, producing healthy increases in total sales, average, median, and clearance rate.
