Havre de Grace

As the year winds down, now is a relatively quiet time for horse racing. But there was nothing quiet about 2023, a year, it seems, where the bad news stories overshadowed the good news stories. What resonated most with TDN readers? Unfortunately, the answer seems to be our stories that reported on some of the darker aspects of the sport. Here are the top 10 most widely read stories of 2023 and the number of views they received: 1) Europeans Unleashed As Santa Anita is Struck by Tragedy, by Emma...

Havre de Grace (Saint Liam--Easter Bunnette, by Carson City), the 2011 Horse of the Year and Eclipse Award-winning older mare who sold to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm for $10 million at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, passed away in the early morning hours of Apr. 30. Wayne Sweezey, who boarded Havre de Grace at his Timber Town Farm, confirmed that the 16-year-old mare hemorrhaged multiple times and died after producing a colt by Into Mischief the afternoon of Apr. 28. "She was just so smart, she fought all the...

North America's richest horse Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) is among the nine equine finalists for the 2023 National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame class. Additionally, six trainers and one jockey account for the 16 total individuals who will make up the ballot, which will be chosen by the Museum's Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. The other finalists are Blind Luck (Pollard's Vision), California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit), Game On Dude (Awesome Again), Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), Kona Gold (Java Gold), Lady Eli (Divine Park), Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy), and...

The red-and-white colors of Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms will not be seen on the racetrack again. Eighteen months after Porter passed away after a long battle with cancer, the final horse still owned by Fox Hill, Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman), has been acquired by Porter's son, Scott, and will race under the name of Fox Hollow Farm. Siena Farm LLC has retained its minority interest in the horse. "We could have kept him running in Fox Hill silks, but, accounting-wise, it made sense to put an end to that...

8th-Saratoga, $115,000, Alw, 8-6, (NW1$X), 3yo/up, 7f, 1:23.90, gd, 1 1/2 lengths. SAINT TAPIT (c, 3, Tapit--Havre de Grace {Horse Of The Year, Ch. Older Mare, MGISW, $2,586,175}, by Saint Liam) graduated by four lengths on debut at Belmont June 26 and was favored at 8-5 to repeat here in this first try against winners. With the track freshly sealed after rain poured down over Saratoga, the blue-blooded chestnut tracked from a two-wide third through a :22.93 opening quarter. He drew even with the leader as the half went up...

4th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 6-26, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:17.20, ft, 4 lengths. SAINT TAPIT (c, 3, Tapit--Havre de Grace {Horse Of The Year, Ch. Older Mare, MGISW, $2,586,175}, by Saint Liam), the fifth foal to race out of 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace, flashed potential that he might be her most talented foal to date with a convincing first-out success Sunday at Belmont. Showing an above average but not eye-popping worktab, capped by a half-mile gate breeze over this track in :48 4/5 (17/61) June 19, the homebred...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-BEL, $90k, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 2:32p.m. ET Havre de Grace (Saint Liam)'s fourth foal to the races will be unveiled in this spot in the form of 3-year-old Saint Tapit (Tapit), a full-sibling to GIII Molly Pitcher S. victress Graceful Princess. From four others to race, including a half-brother by War Front, all are winners. The Whisper Hill Farm homebred has a steady line of works for Todd Pletcher, including most recently a four furlong move in :48.81 over the main track June 19....

Four-time Eclipse winner Beholder (Henny Hughes) is among six racehorses, four trainers and one jockey that make up the 11 finalists for the National Museum of Racing's 2022 Hall of Fame ballot, as chosen by the Museum's Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. The finalists are racehorses Beholder (first year of eligibility), Blind Luck (Pollard's Vision), Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), Kona Gold (Java Gold), Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy), and Tepin (Bernstein) (first year of eligibility); trainers Christophe Clement, Graham Motion, Doug O'Neill and John Shirreffs; and jockey Corey Nakatani....

6th-GP, $55K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 2:37 p.m. ET PERFECT GRACE (Tapit), a 3-year-old daughter of 2011 Horse of the Year and champion older mare Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), kicks off her career for trainer Ralph Nicks. The Whisper Hill Farm homebred, given a 6-1 chance on the morning line, is drawn widest of all in post seven with Emisael Jaramillo aboard. Mandy Pope's operation went to $10 million to acquire Havre de Grace at the 2012 FTKNOV sale. TJCIS PPs

Six racehorses, three trainers and one jockey account for the 10 finalists that will compose the National Museum of Racing's 2021 Hall of Fame ballot, as chosen by the museum's Hall of Fame nominating committee. The finalists are racehorses American Pharoah (first year of eligibility), Blind Luck, Game On Dude, Havre de Grace, Kona Gold and Rags to Riches; trainers Christophe Clement, Doug O'Neill and Todd Pletcher (first year of eligibility); and jockey Corey Nakatani. Ballots will be mailed the first week in March and results of the voting will...

EVAN FERRARO, RECRUITING & MARKETING MANAGER, FASIG-TIPTON Favorite: Songbird The two-time Fasig-Tipton sales graduate has been a personal favorite of mine since first seeing her as a yearling. Back in 2014, my friend and Fasig-Tipton colleague Dennis Lynch returned from a yearling inspection trip in California raving about a Medaglia d'Oro filly he had accepted for our Saratoga Sale. Whenever Dennis talks up a horse, you better listen, as he is one of the best judges around. That filly turned out to be Songbird. Songbird was easy to fall for,...

Six racehorses, four trainers, and one jockey make up the 11 finalists to be included on the National Museum of Racing's 2020 Hall of Fame ballot. The list, released Monday, includes racehorses Blind Luck, Game On Dude (first year of eligibility), Havre de Grace, Kona Gold, Rags to Riches, and Wise Dan (first year of eligibility); trainers Mark Casse, Christophe Clement, Doug O'Neill, and David Whiteley; and jockey Corey Nakatani. The finalists were selected by the Hall of Fame's Nominating Committee from a total of 91 initial candidates suggested by...