Ghostzapper

Third in the GII Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes last year, Gal in a Rush (m, 6, Ghostzapper--Hudson River Gal, by Dynaformer) went one better in 2025, capturing the Friday evening feature with aplomb. Away from the winner's circle for the past 14 months despite adding several black-type placings to her CV, the Miguel Clement trainee emerged from Friday night's fray with a dramatic inside bid to capture her first win since the 2024 GIII Hendrie Stakes at Woodbine. A closing Ellen Jay (Constitution)--the stakes-winning daughter of Eclipse champion Covfefe...

In fairness, an authentic Triple Crown was never available to Sovereignty even if his connections had deigned to seek one. We must still wait and see, then, whether Into Mischief can someday crown his evolution into a Classic influence with the winner of a 12-furlong Belmont Stakes. As and when that happens, it will feel much as when Justify-representing another Storm Cat speed brand, Scat Daddy-set off fast and just kept going. That ability to carry speed is the dirt grail and perhaps we can give some credit for the...

Banishing (Ghostzapper) spoiled a bid by Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) to win the GII Charles Town Classic for the third year in a row when he successfully shipped in for West Virginia's biggest night at the races on Friday. The veteran who is co-owned by trainer David Jacobson scored his biggest triumph in the GIII Oaklawn Mile in Hot Springs Mar. 29 when he dueled and then defeated GISW Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming). Banishing was bested by First Mission (Street Sense) in the GII Oaklawn Handicap the next month, but he did...

In How To Talk To Customers, co-author Tom Larkin wrote that the key in business relationships was to "Make A Great Impression on the Customer"--known by his signature acronym M-A-G-I-C. "Results matter, and so does the process used to get those results," the Preface pithily preached. According to those that knew him best, Larkin built a successful consulting company which focused on the development and enhancement of a business's number one concern, outreach. He traveled the world giving dynamic presentations on what has become the lost art of customer service....

Champion MGISW Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) and SW & MGISP Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) were on the work list Saturday at Santa Anita Park with a six-furlong move from each as other notable names made an appearance in the morning hours. The Bob Baffert-trained Citizen Bull posted the co-bullet move of three, clocking the six panels in 1:12.20 in his second work since finishing in the back half of the GI Kentucky Derby field. The filly, trained by Philip D'Amato, went from the blocks for her move, and...

2nd-KEE, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 4 1/2f, 1:32 p.m. ET. Owned by Epic Horses, EPIC DESIRE (Uncle Mo) is ready for his unveiling. Out of Brooklynsway (Giant Gizmo)--who incidently won the GIII Doubledogdare Stakes which appears later on this card--the colt is trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher. Epic Desire's full-sister is MGISW Adare Manor. She was a $2.8-million purchase by Katsumi Yoshida at the Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale last year. Brooklynsway also claims current 3-year-old filly in-training Nosleeptilbrooklyn (Ghostzapper) and she foaled a filly by Curlin Feb. 9. TJCIS...

Top stallion Ghostzapper leads the nominees for the 2025 Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame finalists which were unveiled Tuesday by the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Standardbred and Thoroughbred Nomination Committees. The Class of 2025 will be comprised of six inductees per breed (thoroughbred and standardbred) and provided the option for a Nomination Committee to use only five categories and induct two individuals in one category to meet the total of six inductees per breed. A 20-person Election Committee for each breed will determine, from the list of...

Trainer David Jacobson, who happens to be Banishing's co-owner, already collected a pair of wins on the Arkansas Derby undercard, but his biggest conditioning feat came in the GIII Oaklawn Mile Stakes on Saturday. Returning to one his favorite ovals, Banishing rattled off three wins in a row starting against optional claimers at Churchill Downs in late November, and then added an allowance score in Hot Springs Dec. 20, plus the Byerley Turk Overnight Stakes over course and distance Jan. 23. Last seen running a close second in the GIII...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. A flashy 93 Beyer Speed Figure didn't accompany a diploma for Bakster Farm's Pursuitneversleeps (c, 3, Ghostzapper--Fashion Factor, by The Factor), who had to settle for second on debut in a quickly run maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park Mar. 15. Off as the fourth choice at odds of 6-1, the Dale Romans-trained Pursuitneversleeps broke alertly from his rail draw. He was immediately guided to the outside...

If you're going to make your stakes debut in graded company, may as well go big, right? Alexander Helios (Cairo Prince) certainly thought so as he took his grudge match with Banishing (Ghostzapper) down to the wire in the GIII Razorback Handicap. It took him eight tries to break his maiden, and a new trainer, but that 2 1/4-length victory beneath the Twin Spires in November 2023 yielded him a 93 Beyer in his first attempt at 1 1/8-miles for the barn of Saffie Joseph Jr.. It took three attempts...

In his fairly short tenure in the Thoroughbred business, Bobby Flay has proven to be as savvy a breeder as he is a chef and businessman. (He's not a bad writer, either.) Here, he discusses matings for his American-based mares. Check out today's TDN International edition for his European matings. AMERICA, 14, A.P. Indy--Lacadena, by Fasliyev. To be bred to Gun Runner This sire has proven to be at the top of the charts very quickly. America has a Gun Runner yearling that is turning heads at Stone Farm so...

The G1 Saudi Cup hero from a year ago, Senor Buscador, will aim to continue the legacy of his sire Horse of the Year Mineshaft at Lane's End as he stands for $7,500 LFSN, the farm said via a press release on Friday. Bred in Kentucky by Joe R. Peacock, Sr. and Joey Peacock, Jr., Senor Buscador retires from racing with $12,944,427 in earnings and was trained by Todd Fincher. The 7-year-old had shipped last week to Gulfstream Park where he was set to make another start in the GI...