2-year-old racing

2nd-Churchill Downs, $114,375, Msw, 5-25, 2yo, 5f, :59.04, ft, 4 lengths. GO OTTO GO (c, 2, Bolt d'Oro--Court Dancer {SW, $483,751}, by War Chant) was sent away at odds just shy of 2-1 for his debut run and overcame a bit of a sluggish beginning from the inside stall to graduate by four lengths Thursday. Off about a half-step slowly, the $42,000 Keeneland November buyback turned $180,000 Fasig-Tipton July purchase was forced to steady off the heels of pacesetting second-timer Suga Steve (Goldencents), but was athletic enough to re-engage to...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 3:51 p.m. ET A full field of 10 is signed on for this typically loaded Saturday maiden at the Spa. PHELPSY (Into Mischief) goes out for the partnership of William Lawrence, Jeff Drown and Three Chimneys Farm LLC, who gave an even $1 million for the colt through agent Mike Ryan  at last year's Keeneland September Sale. The bay is the second produce from the turf SW & GSP Secret Someone (A.P. Indy), whose SW dam Private Gift...

An analysis of data from the 13th year of reporting to the Equine Injury Database (EID) shows a decrease in the rate of fatal injury in 2021 (1.39 per 1,000 starts) compared to 2020 (1.41 per 1,000 starts), The Jockey Club announced Tuesday. This is the third year in a row that the number has decreased, and the 2021 rate of fatal injury is the lowest number since the EID started collecting data in 2009. The risk of fatal injury in 2021 declined 1.4% from 2020 and has dropped 30.5%...

   Thursday saw the final fields take shape for Saturday's flat turf season prologues at Doncaster and The Curragh and with them the sensation of new winds careening the established order. While the hardened tifosi look to the established pillar of the Town Moore fixture, the Lincoln Handicap, the breeding merchants will pivot towards the arrival of untested and unproven stock in the card's "Brocklesby" and in the Co. Kildare venue's opening maiden. These two juvenile medleys contain the first runners for some of Europe's most enticing first-season sires, with...

As part of the IRE Incentive Scheme, Curragh hosts the first juvenile race of the Irish racing season Saturday. The five-furlong test is sponsored by Castlefield Stud on behalf of G2 Mill Reef S. winner Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}--Suelita {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}), who stands at the nursery for €5,000. Highlighting the sponsorship, the connections of the first season sire are offering a €100,000 bonus to the connections of the first black-type winner from the stallion's first crop of 2-year-olds. ''We have long-term ambitions, and we are going to...

As part of a small handful of changes to its race programme unveiled by the British Horseracing Authority on Wednesday, the governing body published the auction value thresholds for its previously announced combined 2-year-old novice and maiden programme: -Band A: auction value of £50,000 - £80,000 or, if not sold at a sale, sire's auction median of <£60,000 (35 races) -Band B: £30,000 - £50,000 or sire's median of <£40,000 (65 races) -Band C: £15,001 - £30,000 or sire's median of <£25,000 (150 races) -Band D: £1 - £15,000 or...

The Kentucky Legislature's Interim Joint Committee on Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations met Tuesday and took measures that allowed regulations that ban the use of Lasix in 2-year-old races this year and also in graded stakes next year to go into effect. The committee did not hold a vote, a procedure that produced the same results as if had voted to approve the regulations. Tuesday's hearing was the latest in what has been a contentious battle between pro and anti-Lasix forces in Kentucky, a fight that may now be over...

Editor's Note: Tuesday, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission will hold a hearing before the Joint Committee on Licensing, Occupations, regarding the proposed amended regulation which would partially ban the use of Lasix at Kentucky tracks. The proposed ban would include all 2-year-old horses racing in Kentucky this year and be extended to stakes races in 2021, and is being advanced by a national coalition of racetracks and other racing organizations that includes all of Kentucky's racetrack operators. On June 1, Franklin (Ky) Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wingate denied a motion...

The Maryland Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review Committee has approved the Maryland Racing Commission's emergency regulation that will facilitate Lasix-free 2-year-old races, it was announced Sunday evening. No races for juveniles have been held in Maryland this year due to a stalemate between the state's racing factions over the use of the anti-bleeder medication. It was announced on July 16 that The Maryland Jockey Club, The Stronach Group and the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association had reached an agreement for a Lasix-free pilot program through 2023. While no 2-year-old races are...

Last week I was disheartened to read the Maryland horsemen had relented to outside pressure to hold 2-year-old racing without Lasix. However, I saw a silver lining in the mentioning of a possible three-year study. No matter what side of the debate you fall on, we can all agree that the race-day administration of Lasix might be the most divisive issue in an industry full of divides. In the back and forth debate over Lasix and its need, I have heard differing numbers. I have heard anti-Lasix people say between...

Tim Hamm and Siena Farms' Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) was completely dismissed at 19-1 in the GIII Schuylerville S., the first graded stakes of the Saratoga meet Thursday, but she will not be overlooked again after a dominant victory. Ignored by the bettors despite a 4 3/4-length debut graduation at Gulfstream May 14, the dark bay stalked from a two-wide third as Make Mischief (Into Mischief) led Hara (Hard Spun) through an opening quarter in :22.29. Inching closer as the half went up in :45.57, Dayoutoftheoffice collared the pacesetter in early...

Sunday May 17 at Santa Anita rather disappeared into the ether of a weekend dominated by the resumption of live racing after a COVID-fueled two-month hiatus. But Sunday May 17 was notable in itself given how it christened the first 2-year-old race in California under the state's new Lasix-free rules. The chronology of events leading to that watershed is now something approaching lore. During Santa Anita's much-publicized troubles early last year, the track instituted a ban on Lasix, an action the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) synthesized into a state-wide...