DRF

Big returns to the races was the hallmark of many of the five fleet fillies this week, but it wasn't the 2025 champ who took down the number one spot. 5. ME AND MOLLY McGEE, SA, 2/7-6th, 7 furlongs (Video) Beyer Speed Figure-93 (2nd). (f, 4, by Vekoma-Molly McGee, by Quality Road) O-Exline-Border Racing, Aaron Kennedy, Mike Burns, Susanna Wilson and Dan Hudock. B-Four Pillars Holdings (Ky). T-Peter Eurton. J-Hector Berrios. This was a best-case-scenario return after she was vanned off the Saratoga track following the GI Test Stakes last...

There is no escaping the irony that a man named Sonny has the potential to shine at the Dublin Racing Festival. That's if the weather Gods would relent and the meeting gets the go-ahead on Sunday.  Stephen Carey, best known as Sonny, will be doubly-represented by Brosna Shine and Lilannbee in the Grade 2 Mares Bumper on Sunday and describes the former as the best horse he has ever had through his hands.  That's saying something as the talented ex-National Hunt jockey, who cut his teeth with Arthur Moore and...

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has sent a letter to stakeholders at the Eclipse Awards asking them to bar jockeys Irad Ortiz Jr. and his brother, Jose, from future consideration for the awards after the discovery of a social media video that appears to show the brothers collecting cash in a ring at a cockfight in Puerto Rico. It is unclear when the event took place. The 18-second video was posted on X in November, 2025 on the account of @Josmaestre131, with a caption in Spanish...

On Thursday in Palm Beach, Bob Duncan was honored with a Special Eclipse Award for Career Excellence acknowledging his contribution to the sport of horse racing through his work at the starting gate. I loudly applaud the NTRA, DRF and National Turf Writers & Broadcasters for recognizing Bob's unique talent and gift to racing with this award. I applaud Bob himself for his approach to his craft and the shining example he has set in handling horses with respect as partners in winning races. Bob and his craft are known...

Track stars such as Ted Noffey (Into Mischief), Sovereignty (Into Mischief) and Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) are among the finalists for the 2025 Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards, recognizing excellence through the past year in Thoroughbred racing, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) said via a Sunday press release. Winners in 17 horse and human categories will be announced on FanDuel TV, and other outlets, during the 55th Annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards, presented by John Deere, The Jockey Club and the NTRA, on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 7:30...

Beholder's Grade I-winning daughter Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) has been retired to Spendthrift Farm following an injury that occurred after training Saturday. The news, first reported by the Daily Racing Form, comes as the latest blow for the soon to be 5-year-old whose career has been a progression of starts and stops dating back through her 2-year-old campaign. Trainer Richard Mandella told the DRF's Steve Anderson that Tamara's post-workout X-rays were "clean, but she is off a little in her right front. They're planning to retire her, and I'm all for...

The 55th annual Eclipse Awards will return to Florida in 2026 and will once again be held at The Breakers Palm Beach, with the ceremony to be held Thursday, Jan. 22, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form (DRF), and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) announced Tuesday. "We are ecstatic to return to The Breakers Palm Beach for our fourth year in a row," said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. "Celebrating the success of racing's human and equine champions is the highlight of the year,...

Jockey Luis Saez, who was unseated during Keeneland's second race Tuesday, spent the afternoon at the UK Medical Center and was reported to be "sore" but have no broken bones according to his agent Kiaran McLaughlin. Saez was aboard 2-1 race favorite Fateful Lightning (Tapit) when he came off awkwardly at the eighth pole in the stretch run of the 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race on the turf. Fateful Lightning was uninjured in the incident and caught by the outrider.   Just spoke with the doctor at UK said...

Joseph O'Brien has provided an upbeat bulletin on Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Apples And Bananas (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Trustyourinstinct (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), all of whom are on course for targets in Saudi Arabia and Qatar respectively following a key workout at Dundalk last Friday.  Dual Group 1 scorer Al Riffa, who is set to take part in the Neom Turf Cup at the Saudi Cup meeting next month, heads the travelling squad for the trainer who has masterminded Melbourne Cup and Breeders' Cup successes. Al Riffa...

Daily Racing Form (DRF) writer Dan Illman has been named recipient of the 2024 Old Hilltop Award for covering Thoroughbred racing with excellence and distinction and will be honored May 16 at Pimlico's Alibi Breakfast in the buildup to the GI Preakness S. "I am very honored to receive the Old Hilltop Award from the Maryland Jockey Club," said Illman, who also serves as executive producer for DRF's video productions. "I fell in love with racing the first time I went to Belmont Park as a child, snuck the Daily...

Gerry McGrath, breeder of Champion Hurdler Jezki (Ire) (Milan {GB}) and high-class performers Jett (Ire) (Flemensfirth), Jered (Ire) (Presenting {GB}), Jetson (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}) and Jenari (Ire) (Milan {GB}) all out of the outstanding broodmare La Noire (Ire) (Phardante {Fr}), has outlined hopes that the legacy can continue with leading Dublin Racing Festival contender Jetara (Ire) (Walk In The Park {Ire}). A granddaughter of La Noire, the mare who was famously gifted to McGrath by his late father in the nineties, Jetara will take on the boys in the G1...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) have named dynamic broadcaster Tom Hammond as the recipient of this year's Special Eclipse Award for Career Excellence, the NTRA said in a press release Thursday. Hammond will receive the honor at the 53rd Annual Eclipse Awards Dinner and Ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida on Thursday, Jan. 25. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Hammond has enjoyed a much honored and remarkable career as one of the nation's top broadcasters, most...