G1 Dubai World Cup

Juddmonte homebred Laurel River (Into Mischief), off since an overeager second in the Jan. 24 G3 Firebreak Stakes, will skip the Apr. 5 G1 Dubai World Cup, according to trainer Bhupat Seemar. The 7-year-old entire, whose G1 Saudi Cup bid did not materialise after sustaining a small mishap, was an imperious 8 1/2-length winner of the 2024 edition. "Laurel River is doing very good, but after his last gallop, we realize that there will not be enough time to get him fit for a race of this calibre," said Seemar....

With a combined 273 workouts on the main and training track Sunday morning at Santa Anita, the noteworthy moves came from some of the biggest runners, namely 'TDN Rising Star' GSW & GISP Getaway Car (Curlin), GISW Raging Torrent (Maximus Mischief), and 'TDN Rising Star' MGSW Nysos (Nyquist). Entered in Saturday's Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs, Getaway Car worked three furlongs in :36.60 for Bob Baffert, and was the 13th fastest of 17 at the distance. His stablemates Nysos and GSW Fort Bragg (Tapit) also took to the main track,...

On the road to Oaklawn Park from his barn at Fair Grounds, Kenny McPeek seemed like a man without a care in the world when reached by phone in his car. And why should he? His Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) will begin her 4-year-old year in the GII Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn and since last seen in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff she has not missed a step. "If she's every bit as good as she was as a 3-year-old I think we'd be satisfied," McPeek...

Multiple Group/Grade I-winner Country Grammer (Tonalist) was represented by his first reported foal, a colt born in early February, at River Valley Stock Farm in New York, WinStar Farm announced via press release. Out of Bernarda (Bernardini), an unplaced daughter of Listed winner and Grade I-placed Nakano (First Samurai), the colt was bred by Scott and Debbie Pierce, who also bred Country Grammer. The dam's most recent to the races is a placed 2-year-old named Low Key (Bolt d'Oro). Bernarda is the distant female family of MGSW Carson City (My....

Nominations for Dubai World Cup night at Meydan on Apr. 5 were released this week. Headlining the nine-race card is the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline. A total of 173 horses have been entered, led by 20 Group/Grade 1 winners. The winners from 2023 and 2024, Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) and Laurel River (Into Mischief), respectively, have signed on, as did the world's highest-earning horse, Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who drubbed a good field in the G1 Jebel...

Leading Horse of the Year candidate Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) has an early 2025 racing schedule that could include two races at Oaklawn or a trip to Dubai, trainer Kenny McPeek said Wednesday afternoon via a press release from the Hot Springs track. Thorpedo Anna's conditioner said the filly--nicknamed the 'Grizzly Bear' last season--is under consideration for the GII Azeri Stakes Mar. 8 and the GI Apple Blossom Handicap April 12. The Azeri is Oaklawn's final major prep for the Apple Blossom. McPeek said Thorpedo Anna might take on males...

Last year, owner Joey Peacock, trainer Todd Fincher and jockey Junior Alvarado were on cloud nine when Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) finished as a game runner-up in the GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park. However, that was only the beginning because when the homebred rolled late--downright tardy--to take the G1 Saudi Cup the revels were in full effect more than half a world away. With so much success then, it would stand to reason that trying to pull off another shot at the Pegasus-Saudi Cup double would be the move....

On Saturday at Churchill Downs, 2-year-old Patch Adams (Into Mischief)--yes, as in the 1998 Robin Williams film where the best line might be, "Donner, party of 50!"--earned his very own 'Rising Star' on TDN's Walk of Fame. The colt turned in what Alan Carasso called "a jaw-dropping performance" as he broke his maiden by an eye-catching 10 1/2 lengths at second asking. The time over the fast main track was just 0.33 off the record held by MGISW Groupie Doll. Thoroughbred bloodlines can highlight connections to a rich past and...

Not just anyone can hire their own personal bloodstock agent for Keeneland September to walk them through that voluminous catalogue and bid at one of the world's signature sales. Likewise, breeders, owners and agents do not always have access to pools of investors and some are actively looking to add more capital, so they can take money off the table to mitigate risk. If you hadn't heard, racing a horse is expensive, and speed dating at the sales does not always yield a match. In the global world market of...

For a horse that has won the richest race in the world, Saturday's $250,000 GII Pat O'Brien S. at Del Mar might not seem like an overly difficult spot. But when Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) heads to the post for Saturday's race, he probably won't be the favorite and there will no doubt be some wiseguys who throw him out altogether. The problems are threefold: He's not a seven-furlong horse; he will not have run for 147 days; he'll be facing the best sprinter on the West Coast in the California-bred...

Kabirkhan (California Chrome), who won his first three starts in Kazakhstan on his way to winning the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge in Dubai, has been sent to the U.S. and will be trained by Brad Cox. Kabirkhan was purchased at the 2021 Keeneland September sale for $12,000 by agent Nadir Khassanov and was then shipped to Kazakhstan, which has just one racetrack and a horse population of about 300. Running at Almaty Hippodrome, he broke his maiden in a three-horse race after breaking slowly. For owner Tlek Mukanbetkaliyev, the chestnut...

SUNLAND PARK, New Mexico--Todd Fincher cuts an easy path along the apron through the Sunday crowd at Sunland Park, giving nods and an occasional smile as he goes. It's closing day at the track and a homebred owned by Kirk and Judy Robison from his shedrow just won the Island Fashion S. Sporting his standard duds, including a ball cap, creased jeans and shades, Fincher has his modular phone slung on his belt, ready to be drawn from its holster. "Busy," replies the New-Mexico based trainer when asked about how...