Improbable

Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) came into 2020 toting lofty expectations on top of an already gaudy record. After enjoying a truly spectacular sophomore year, annexing six of seven starts--five of them at the Grade I level--including the Longines Kentucky Oaks, Acorn S. and Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, she spent the entire 2019 season on the sidelines because of a mild case of colic followed by a hamstring injury. The half-sister to GII Risen Star S. winner Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice) finally marked her long-awaited return in a May 16 optional claiming...

The 50th annual Eclipse Awards, honoring champions of 2020, will be held virtually Thursday beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET. The ceremony, presented by Spendthrift Farm, will be televised on TVG and RTN and streamed by a number of other industry outlets, including on the TDN website. The official digital program can be viewed at NTRA.com. GI Kentucky Derby and GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic winner Authentic (Into Mischief) appears likely to take home Horse of the Year honors, along with champion 3-year-old male for a 2020 campaign that also included...

Godolphin's Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was officially named Longines World's Best Racehorse on Tuesday having been assessed to have posted the top two performances of 2020. His high mark of 130 was gained in the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York, which was also named Longines World's Best Horserace for the first time. The former Charlie Appleby trainee also recorded a mark of 127 in the G1 Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup which, in a pandemic-disrupted season, was moved from Epsom to Newmarket. Bred by the Weld family's Springbank Way Stud...

Authentic (Into Mischief), winner of the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic; 'TDN Rising Star' Improbable (City Zip), a dual Grade I winner and runner-up in the Classic; and Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), who capped a four-for-four season with a second victory in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, are the finalists for 2020 Horse of the Year as Eclipse Award finalists were announced Saturday on TVG. Authentic is one of three individual Eclipse finalists in four separate categories for the all-conquering Into Mischief, whose daughter Gamine was...

When considering stallion potential, brilliance and precocity are rarely left out of the equation. But a unique find emerges when a headlining juvenile can carry out his talent as a sophomore and even as an older horse before beginning his stud career. Two of WinStar Farm's new recruits for 2021, Improbable (City Zip) and Promises Fulfilled (Shackleford), showed brilliance early on in their careers as flashy debut winners before each went on to become stakes winners at three and four. We spoke with WinStar's David Hanley on the pair of...

Welcome to our annual survey of covering options in Kentucky for the forthcoming breeding season. As usual, we'll start with the rookies and work our way through the preceding intakes, before trying to eke out some value among the more established stallions. A wholly subjective exercise, clearly--so apologies if your fellow doesn't make our "value podium." Every farm is understandably sensitive about the reputation of its stallions, for whom opportunity can be so fleeting and about whom fashions can swell or fade on the flimsiest grounds. We'll do our best...

LEXINGTON,KY-- Just over 12 hours after the trio's contention for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, Improbable (City Zip), Global Campaign (Curlin) and Tom's d'Etat (Smart Strike) made the short trip from Keeneland to WinStar Farm, where they will soon take up stud duty for the 2021 breeding season. "We're really excited with Improbable, Global Campaign and Tom's d'Etat coming to the stallion barn," said WinStar's Elliott Walden. "They all look good-their color was good, they didn't look too drawn up and they got off the van and acted like they'd...

In an atypical year for horse racing in which COVID-19 has played havoc on just about everything, it will be a typical Breeders' Cup Saturday, at least on the racetrack. Including also-eligibles, 104 horses have been entered to contest the nine races that will be offered and the list includes a who's who of the best horses not just in North America but in the world. Between the two days of racing, the Breeders' Cup could decide every Eclipse Award race but the 3-year-old filly championship, where Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil)...

The countdown is running to a close for the 2020 Breeders' Cup World Championship and perhaps no one has more Breeders' Cup memories to share than Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, who made an astounding 15 trips to the Breeders' Cup winner's circle during his 31-year career, including a record five wins in the Classic. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week for Wednesday's TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland, Bailey spoke on some of his favorite Breeders' Cup moments, as well as...

Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to relive some of his favorite Breeders' Cup wins and give some of his top picks for this year's Championship meet.

Continuing a trend of favorites and short prices drawing outside at Monday's Rood & Riddle Breeders' Cup Post Position Draw, the potent trio of Bob Baffert contenders in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic drew next door to each other in the three widest posts in a loaded field for the 1 1/4-mile test. Given a slight nod on the morning line at 5-2, Improbable (City Zip) was parked in the eight-hole when pills were pulled. The 'TDN Rising Star', who had an up-and-down 3-year-old season, has come into his...

WinStar Farm released its 2021 stud fees Wednesday and leading the roster are Speightstown, who will stand for $90,000 S&N, and leading second-crop sire Constitution, who will stand for $85,000 S&N. WinStar has reduced the stud fees of most of its stallions in recognition of the challenging economic conditions. "During these times, we felt it appropriate to drop 75% of our fees," said Elliott Walden, WinStar's president, CEO, and racing manager. "We gave two horses a bump--Speightstown, the co-leading sire this year with three Grade I winners and fourth general...