Alabama S.

Champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) delivered her first foal, a filly by Europe's 2014 Horse of the Year Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) on Feb. 15 at Northern Farm in Japan, according to the farm's Twitter and Facebook accounts. The 6-year-old mare, who defeated males in the 2020 GI Preakness S. and also won the GI Alabama S. and GI Beholder Mile, was purchased for $4.7 million by Katsumi Yoshida at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale and was then sent to England, where she was bred to Kingman at Juddmonte...

There was both positive and negative news coming out of the Todd Pletcher barn Sunday morning, as 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit) will be forced to miss next Saturday's GI Runhappy Travers S., but GI Alabama S. romper Nest (Curlin) was in fine fettle after her Saturday romp. Whisper Hill homebred Charge It, a jaw-dropping 23-length winner of the GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont July 2, missed a scheduled breeze Saturday morning due to a front right foot abscess and galloped Sunday morning. "He galloped super, but you could...

There is plenty to play for in Saturday's 142nd running of the $600,000 GI Alabama S. at Saratoga, where Nest (Curlin) and Secret Oath (Arrogate) face one another for the third time head-to-head--each with one victory to their credit--with divisional supremacy awaiting the winner. An 8 1/4-length tour-de-force tally in Keeneland's GI Central Bank Ashland S. accorded Nest the role of favoritism in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, but she was no match for the somewhat forgotten Secret Oath, dropping a two-length decision. A meritorious second to stablemate Mo Donegal...

In this continuing series, we examine the past winners of significant filly/mare races by the lasting influence they've had on the breed. Up today is the GI Alabama S., one of the oldest stakes races in the country. Dating to 1872, eight years after the first Travers S. was run and 12 years after the first Queen's Plate (the oldest stakes race in North America), the Alabama is the last leg in New York's Triple Tiara following the GI Acorn S. and the GI Coaching Club American Oaks. The major-league...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY -- Just a mere mention that Clairiere (Curlin) might be underappreciated, brought a quick, robust reaction from Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. "Not by us," Asmussen said, shaking his head. Asmussen promptly made the case for the 4-year-old filly, a Stonestreet Stables homebred daughter of Cavorting (Bernardini), who will seek her third win in four starts this year in the GII Shuvee S. Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. "She's a multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire by one of the greatest horses of all time out of one...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Without hesitation, trainer Kenny McPeek used a four-letter word to describe his level of concern about Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) entering the GI $600,000 Alabama S. Saturday after missing the GI Coaching Club American Oaks. "None," he said. After the 'TDN Rising Star', owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III, rebounded from an uncharacteristic poor performance in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks with a pair of impressive wins, McPeek aimed her for Saratoga's two big races for 3-year-old fillies. That plan was scuttled the evening of opening day, July 15,...