Dallas Stewart

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. After getting checked sharply in the early stages of his belated unveiling at Fair Grounds last weekend, $1.5-million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic topper Vinco (c, 3, Quality Road--Stormy Welcome, by Storm Cat) produced a serious rally from last to finish a strong second Jan. 22 (video). Off at a well-supported 7-2 sporting a 13-strong worktab for the patient Dallas Stewart barn dating back to late October, the West Point Thoroughbreds...

Put Dallas Stewart in front of a chessboard, and you know that he'd almost always rather corner the king, with a potential checkmate scenario, than turn around and strike out a mere pawn or two. Sure enough, Wednesday the trainer announced that connections have agreed to go on the attack with Chess Chief (Into Mischief)--even though taking up an invitation for the GI Pegasus World Cup, at Gulfstream Jan. 29, entails renouncing a "home game" this weekend. Chess Chief has developed a remarkable affinity for the Fair Grounds, scene of...

Strava, a promising juvenile colt by super sire Into Mischief, topped Friday's 10th and final session of the Keeneland November Sale, bringing $825,000 from legendary University of Louisville basketball Denny Crum. Consignor and part-owner WinStar Farm stayed in for half. There were 435 horses catalogued for Friday's session with the first 148 being broodmares and weanlings and the remaining 287 comprised of active racehorses. This was the first time the horse of racing age portion was consolidated into a single and final session. A total of 231 horses grossed $9,122,400...

For at least a decade, there were no "if" or "when" questions about Todd Pletcher and the Hall of Fame. If? By the time he won the GI Kentucky Derby for the first time with Super Saver in 2010, Pletcher, then a month away from his 43rd birthday, already had nine champions, four Eclipse Awards as outstanding trainer, four national money-earned titles, had topped the Saratoga trainers table six times and had earned the Gulfstream Park training title for the seventh consecutive year. Super Saver's Derby triumph was his 72nd...

Charles E. Fipke's Title Ready (More Than Ready), winner of the GIII Louisiana S. at Fair Grounds Jan. 16, is targeting the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 27. It will mark the third consecutive year Fipke and trainer Dallas Stewart have had a runner in the $12-million race. Their champion Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song) finished fifth in 2018 and their GISW Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}) was eighth in 2019. The 2020 edition of the Dubai World Cup was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Originally trained by...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency PLETCHER, BROWN SADDLE INTRIGUING FIRSTERS 7th-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 2:44p.m. Chad Brown unveils Christine and Phil Hatfield's ARISTON (Flatter) in this event. The $500,000 FTSAUG buy is a full to GSW Plainsman and a half to GSP Liam (Liam's Map). Their dam is a half to MGSW Southdale (Street Cry {Ire}). Todd Pletcher also saddles an interesting first timer in Avenue (Quality Road). Out of GSP Magic Union (Dixie Union), the $450,000 KEESEP acquisition is a half to GSP Tizamagician (Tiznow). TJCIS PPs...

Silverfoot (With Approval--Northern Silver, by Silver Ghost), the aptly named gelding who became a fan favorite in turf marathons, was euthanized Tuesday morning at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital due to complications of aging and the debilitating hoof disease laminitis. He was 20 and had been spending the past decade in retirement, most recently at Ballyrankin Stud in Lexington, Kentucky. Bred by owner Stephanie Clark and campaigned in the name of her Chrysalis Stables, the five-time graded winner won 11 of 40 starts with trainer Dallas Stewart, earning $949,503 before...

Tom's Ready (More Than Ready), a three-time graded-stakes winner around one turn, has been added to the roster at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, Kentucky. The 7-year-old, trained by Dallas Stewart for Gayle and Tom Benson's GMB Racing, was runner-up in the GIII Lecomte S. and GII Louisiana Derby in 2015, but cut back to one turn to win the GII Woody Stephens S. over seven furlongs and the GIII Ack Ack S. going a mile that season. Winner of the GIII Bold Ruler H. in 2016, the...

Charles Fipke's Grade I-winning multimillionaire Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}) has arrived at Ocala Stud to take up stud duties in 2021, Fipke Stable announced on Twitter. "I am really pleased that Ocala Stud will stand Seeking the Soul," Fipke said. "They are one of the most important stud farms in Florida, with a great and long history of success, and I look forward to Seeking the Soul joining their roster and program. Years ago, I sent my first mare to board at Ocala Stud while breeding her to...

Charles Fipke's homebred Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}--Seeking the Title, by Seeking the Gold), winner of the 2017 GI Clark H., has been retired from racing after suffering a tendon injury last month. Although stud plans have not yet been announced, Fipke said he plans to support the 7-year-old stallion. "He's at my farm in Paris, Kentucky, where he was born, and is recuperating nicely under the eye of farm manager Elke Krohn," Fipke said Monday. "He's a lovely horse, a Grade l winner who was genuine on the...