Gigante

MSW Determined Kingdom (Animal Kingdom) captured the title of Virginia-bred Horse of the Year and will be recognized--along with other 2024 award winners--during Virginia Derby Day festivities at Colonial Downs Mar. 15, the track said in a Thursday press release. A series of award presentations will take place between various races from the paddock infield that day and broadcast over the simulcast feed. Determined Kingdom's year was marked with his third straight win in the Punch Line Stakes at Colonial last July. The 6-year-old was also rewarded as the Virginia-bred...

'TDN Rising Star' and GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro) has a chance to set things right as the Derby circus rolls into New Orleans Saturday in the GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes, the first race on the 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby to award 50 points to the winner. "We had a plan after the Breeders' Cup to give him six works into the Risen Star," trainer Brendan Walsh said of his Godolphin homebred. "His breeze (on Jan. 17) was really good. I had him...

With the bidding closed, graded winner Gigante (Not This Time) changed hands for $610,000 to Clark Brewster & L and N racing in a one-horse flash sale, announced Fasig-Tipton Digital via a press release. The 5-year-old was consigned by Lane's End from Fair Grounds with bidding reportedly 'healthy' for the millionaire who claimed the 2023 GII Secretariat Stakes at Colonial Downs. There were 1,793 unique potential buyers from several continents who looked at Gigante's page more than 10,000 times. "Fasig-Tipton showed us once again how a quality horse is well...

Bidding has officially opened for the flash sale of GSW Gigante (Not This Time) on Fasig-Tipton Digital and will close Friday, Jan. 31 at 12:00 p.m., the auction house announced Monday afternoon. The son of Not This Time claimed the 2023 GII Secretariat Stakes at Colonial Downs, and continued to be a frequent face in the black-type rankings, including most recently with back-to-back stakes victories to his name in the Dec. 21 Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes and Jan. 18 Colonel E. R. Bradley Stakes at Fair Grounds. He has won...

"Try something different, you know? Sometimes it's good for you." Those are the words of jockey Jose Ortiz, currently in a race of his own atop the standings with 44 winners (through Thursday, Jan. 16) in his first winter riding at Fair Grounds. Jareth Loveberry is a distant second with 29 winners. A mainstay on the New York Racing Association circuit for more than a decade (he was leading rider there three times--2016, 2020 & 2021) and also a regular at Gulfstream Park's Championship Meet, the 31-year-old decided to shake...

The Virginia-bred Gigante (Not This Time) refused to let Nagirroc (Lea) by in the final yards as he gallantly defended his home turf in the GI Secretariat S. at Colonial Downs Saturday. The 22-1 longshot was shuffled back to last as Mo Stash (Mo Town) took the field through fractions of :23.67 and :48.03. The field bunched up around the far turf and Gigante was rolling up into contention four wide approaching the lane. He forged to the lead with a furlong to run and grittily held Nagirroc at bay...

With two graded events for distaffers and four for juveniles, including including four Breeders' Cup qualifiers, Sunday is basically Saturday part two from coast-to-coast. The day's main event is the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" event, where champions Malathaat (Curlin) and Letruska (Super Saver) face off yet again. 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat looks to make amends for a solid third in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff and she enters off a win in Saratoga's GI Personal Ensign S. Aug. 27. Letruska, who won...