Bret Calhoun

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. Among the key rulings from the last seven days is the saga surrounding Tankinator (Uncle Lino), a horse at the center of two positives within 17 days. On Oct. 21, Tankinator finished sixth at Delaware Park. Tankinator was claimed out of Webster Gayle's barn that day before running again on Nov. 7 for Bonnie Lucas at Parx Racing. Tankinator was pulled up and vanned off in that race....

On the surface, trainer Ron Faucheux could not have been doing any better. He came out of the Fair Grounds meet on Mar. 26 with his third straight training title at the New Orleans track, his 42 winners five more than Bret Calhoun and Brad Cox. He had a career best 81 winners in 2022 and his stable earned $2,066,757. But when Louisiana racing moved to Evangeline Downs last week, Faucheux was conspicuously absent from the entries. The latest horsemen to say it has simply become too difficult for a...

New Orleans native Ron Faucheux earned his third consecutive training title with 42 wins at the Fair Grounds meeting which concluded Sunday. The trainer's title went down to meet's last day as Bret Calhoun, the early leader who was in search of his first local crown, and four-time champ Brad Cox were both in striking range, but had to settle for a tie for second with 37 wins apiece. With 64 wins, Rey Gutierrez captured the first leading rider title of his young career. The 27-year-old's top moment came when...

Edited Press Release The 2023 National HBPA Annual Conference closed with a lively discussion with three prominent horsemen who questioned the need, validity and overreach of federal legislation pitched as the so-called savior of racing while the industry heads into a challenging economic and logistical future. Bret Calhoun, Ron Faucheux and Jason Barkley participated in the Trainer's Talk panel moderated by multiple Eclipse Award-winning journalist and media specialist Jennie Rees and talked about everything from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, challenges facing small to mid-sized stables, finding and keeping...

On Saturday at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, the age-old wager known as the Daily Double will encompass a pair of Grade III races late on the card. The GIII Louisiana S. for older males will give way to a group of youthful 3-year-olds in the GIII Lecomte S., as they look to chase Kentucky Derby points that have expanded to 20-8-6-4-2 for the top five finishers. Calhoun Looks to Continue Louisiana Hot Hand Bret Calhoun continues to lead in the trainer standings during the meet for an award...

The Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale will be held Apr. 5 next year at Lone Star Park, while the auction's breeze show will be held Apr. 3. "We've already had a lot of interest in our 2023 sale season," Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Director Foster Bridewell said. "Our 2-year-old sale has certainly gotten stronger in terms of quality in the past few years and those horses have been performing well at tracks around the midwest and south." Free Drop Maddy (Free Drop Billy), who topped this year's sale after a...

No fewer than three fillies (Untapable, 2014; Monomoy Girl, 2018; and Serengeti Empress, 2019) have used a victory in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Presented by Fasig-Tipton as a springboard to success in the GI Kentucky Oaks, won so impressively by Rachel Alexandra in 2009. A field of 11 sophomore females will face the starter in Saturday's renewal looking to continue on the road to Louisville on the first Friday in May. Hidden Connection (Connect) has been made the 3-1 morning-line favorite, a starting price likely inflated by her draw...

Five-time graded stakes winner Mr. Money (Goldencents--Plenty O'Toole, by Tiznow) was represented by his first foal when Road to Riches (Quality Road) produced a filly Jan. 20. The foal is the first out of the unraced mare. "We're excited to see Mr. Money's first foals," said Brent Fernung of Journeyman Stud, which stands the 6-year-old stallion. "Mr. Money is a handsome horse and I fully expect that he'll pass that along to his foals. With his talent and pedigree, we're anticipating great things from Mr. Money's progeny." Campaigned by Allied...

Allied Racing's MGSW By My Standards (Goldencents--A Jealous Woman, by Muqtarib) has been retired from racing and will enter stud at Spendthrift Farm, standing the 2022 breeding season for a fee of $7,500 S&N. "By My Standards came up with a quarter crack that was going to force us to miss the rest of our goals before the breeding season, so the decision was made for him to retire," explained Chester Thomas, owner and manager of Allied Racing Stable. "It's a bittersweet day because this is a special horse who...

DEL MAR, CA - With a tip on 2-year-old first-time starter Ocean Size (Maclean's Music), Jake Ballis watched with interest--and a win wager--on the fifth race at Colonial Downs Aug. 17. When Hidden Connection (Connect)--the co-second choice at 5-2 on the morning line for Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies--ran away to a daylight score carrying the colors of Hidden Brook Farm with Ocean Size back in second, the frontman for the fledgling partnership Black Type Thoroughbreds quickly switched gears. "When she drew off at the eighth pole, I looked...

On the heels of a breakout performance from his juvenile filly Hidden Connection (Connect) in Saturday's GIII Pocahontas S. at Churchill, trainer Bret Calhoun joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Wednesday morning to talk about his new barn star, upcoming career milestones, the closure of his old home track Arlington Park this weekend and more. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Calhoun was asked about how Hidden Connection's 9 1/4-length tour de force beneath the Twin Spires compared to his expectations for...

Bret Calhoun, trainer of this weekend's GIII Pocohantas-winning filly Hidden Connection, joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss his star juvenile, give his take on the rise of the super trainer and more.