City of Light

In her second trip to post, PASHMINA (f, 2, Constitution--Panthera Onca {MSP}, by Super Saver) graduated from the maiden condition in a big way. The daughter of Constitution was elevated to fifth on debut Oct.18 at Keeneland after a disqualification occurred in front of her after the mile turf maiden concluded. Running with first-time Lasix here, and sent off as the 9-5 favorite for the swap over to the main track, she opted to watch the race unfold from third as the frontrunner posted a pressured pace of :23.29 and...

Coolmore America has assigned stud fees for its three newest additions following last weekend's Breeders' Cup Championships at Del Mar. 2025 GI Breeders' Cup Classic runner up and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner--Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon) tops the list at $75,000. "We are honored to announce three new Eclipse Award winners as part of our 2026 stallion roster here at Ashford Stud," said Charlie O'Connor, Director of Sales at Coolmore America. "Sierra Leone, Fierceness and Citizen Bull all arrived safely at their new home...

Yes, it's purely hypothetical, but imagine a GI Breeders' Cup Classic without the rabbit, Contrary Thinking (Into Mischief). That's a race Fierceness (City of Light) probably would have won. Yes, he got free in the stretch and had every chance to run down Forever Young (Jpn) (Reel Steel {Jpn}) and Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) but he couldn't get the job done, finishing third, losing by 1 1/2 lengths. But too much had gone wrong for him at that point, and he could not recover. Unlike what happened in the GI...

DEL MAR, Calif. - That's why they're called the World Championships. The globe-trotting Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), third in the 2024 GI Breeders' Cup Classic, reversed form with last year's top two to bring home the $7-million centerpiece to Japan before a crowd of 35,173 at sunsplashed Del Mar Saturday. Off as the narrow second choice at 7-2, the Susumu Fujita colorbearer raced on top of a fast early pace and held last year's winner and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) safe by...

'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Fierceness (City of Light--Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty), the Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old male of 2023 and a four-time Grade I winner, will begin his stud career at Coolmore's Kentucky base at Ashford Stud following his final start in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1. An imperious 11 1/4-length debut winner at Saratoga in August 2023, earning no-brainer 'Rising Star' in a similar fashion to owner Mike Repole's fellow champion and late Ashford stallion Uncle Mo, Fierceness romped by 6...

With multiple Grade I winner and second choice Mindframe (Constitution) wiped out at the break, it was Centennial Farms' longshot Antiquarian (Preservationist) holding favored Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) at bay late to win the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga Sunday, earning an automatic berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in November. Just a day after Fierceness (City of Light) overcame an adventurous beginning of his own making to win the GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar, stablemate Mindframe was less lucky at Saratoga, catching the worst of...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Earlier this week, owner Mike Repole took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to ask for help. He wanted to know what he should do with the two of the best older horses in the country, both, coincidentally, that he owns. Mindframe (Constitution) and Fierceness (City of Light). What to do with them next weekend? The options are simple enough. The $1 million GI Pacific Classic is being run at Del Mar in California next Saturday. The $1 million GI Jockey Club Gold Cup is being...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Jockey Junior Alvarado, the race day partner of Sovereignty (Into Mischief), the leading 3-year-old in the country, knows how everyone feels now. That's because he saw up close just how powerful Sovereignty is. Sovereignty had his final work before next weekend's $1.25 million GI Travers Stakes Saturday morning at the Oklahoma Training Track. As usual, he was being ridden by Neil Poznansky, the assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Alvarado, helping the barn out, climbed aboard Fort Nelson (Bernardini), who was Sovereignty's workmate for...

Saturday's racing action at Saratoga and across the country saw not only an eye-catching number of new 'TDN Rising Stars' (the final tally stopping on five), but also current members of the club securing sensational victories against salty competition. With the runners emerging from their efforts with positive prognoses, their connections are now looking ahead. Of the established 'Rising Stars', GII Saratoga Special victor Ewing (Knicks Go) returned from that win in fine form and will now be tasked with stretching his abilities out. The Mark Casse trainee was one...

Heavily favored Formidable Man found clear sailing along the rail in the lane and bound to the lead before drawing clear to a one-length victory in the GII Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar Sunday night. The 4-year-old is now five-for-five at the seaside oval which will host Breeders' Cup championship weekend in November. Sent off at 4-5, Formidable Man sat just off pacesetting Cabo Spirit in third while saving ground behind fractions of :24.97 and :49.00. He bided his time with nowhere to run on the far turn, but...

A TDN column published Sunday referenced the racing oddity of the two most recent North American champion 2-year-old colts both losing separate races within two hours of each other on June 7 at Saratoga Race Course. 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light), the 2023 juvenile male Eclipse Award champ, ran second as the 3-4 favorite in the GI Metropolitan Handicap. 'Rising Star' Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), the 2024 divisional champ, was fourth at 9-2 odds in the GI Woody Stephens Stakes. T.D. Thornton asked, "Has this ever happened on...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Led by Breeders' Cup winners Fierceness (City of Light) and White Abarrio (Race Day), a talented field of five will line up for Saturday's GI Metropolitan Handicap on the stacked GI Belmont Stakes program at Saratoga. TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack takes a closer look at the pedigrees of all five of the runners entered in the stallion-making race. #1 FIERCENESS (c, 4, City of Light--Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty) Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt & MGISW, 10-6-1-1, $4,315,320. O-Repole Stable, Derrick Smith, Michael B....