Malibu Moon

3rd-KEE, $110k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 2:04 p.m. ET Naughty by Nature (Into Mischief), a daughter of GI Del Mar Debutante S. and GI Chandelier S. winner Moonshine Memories (Malibu Moon), debuts for LNJ Foxwoods and Church Street Stable and trainer Rusty Arnold. The $450,000 KEESEP yearling purchase was bred in Kentucky by Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt, Westerberg Ireland ULC, et al. Tyler Gaffalione has the call. TJCIS PPs

Of course, my Dad introduced me to the Thoroughbred business. Both of my parents did. They met each other in the Thoroughbred business at Walmac where my Mom worked. I remember from my childhood, if only vaguely, running around Johnny Jones's offices, pretending to be a cowboy like he was. I dressed as Zorro for Halloween one of those years and couldn't wait to show off to Johnny! My Dad was working at Vinery or maybe Watercress at that time. I remember his red Toyota truck and I remember his...

Last year's champion 3-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), winless in two attempts since capturing the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, came storming home from last of nine to book a return trip to Del Mar in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Whitney S. at Saratoga. Highland Falls (Curlin), winner of last summer's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. at the Spa, was a length back in second. 'Rising Star' Disarm (Gun Runner), runner-up in the 2023 GI Travers S., was up for third. The 6-5...

Shortleaf Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' MGSW & MGISP Quietside (Malibu Moon) breezed five furlongs alone Friday morning at Keeneland as her march toward Louisville continues for the first Friday in May. With jockey Jose Ortiz in the irons, no relation to trainer John Ortiz, the filly rolled through her five panel work in :59 flat and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.20. Her sectionals were :12.20, :36.20, :59 (end of her work), and 1:12.20. "We wanted to give her a good five-eighths to get some air in her," said trainer...

About a year ago, RRP executive director Kirsten Green mused about a future in which we might see a headline such as "Leading sire X has prolific influence on track and beyond, produces record number of 5* starters." A year later, that's almost exactly the headline I just got to write, which is thrilling as a fan of both racing and equestrian sport: the late Malibu Moon, inarguably an influential sire of Thoroughbred racehorses, is also leaving a lasting impact on equestrian sport. Malibu Moon's three starters are contesting the...

In racing, the advent of spring doesn't just mean delightful weather and foals capering through fields. It also means a multiplication of the number of graded events across the nation. The month of March boasted more graded races in the U.S. than January and February combined. With GI Kentucky Derby and Oaks preps in full swing, top older campaigners returning from winter breaks, and 2-year-old racing just around the corner, it's an exciting time in the sport. We took a look at trends and notable items from the country's graded...

GI Florida Derby hero Tappan Street (Into Mischief) has emerged from his Saturday exploits in good order, but his trainer revealed that a travel itinerary has not yet been decided for the trip north to the Twin Spires. The son of Into Mischief got the best of GII Fountain of Youth victor Sovereignty (Into Mischief) to claim his 100 points to the first Saturday in May, and the aforementioned runner-up also secured a berth into the race with 50. Tappan Street currently sits in third with 110 and is tied...

All the hype about Oaklawn's GII Fantasy Stakes Saturday being a two-horse race was on the nose. 'TDN Rising Star' Quietside (f, 3, Malibu Moon--Benner Island, by Speightstown), so talented but so often a bridesmaid before winning the GIII Honeybee Stakes last out, faced unbeaten Simply Joking (Practical Joke), light on experience but winner of two black-type events at Fair Grounds. It was Quietside, the Shortleaf Stable homebred, who got the measure of Simply Joking Saturday and picked up 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. The Fantasy...

As racing across the nation heats up with spring nearly upon us, we take a look at trends and notable items from the country's graded races in February.  February featured 20 graded races from coast to coast. Five tracks hosted graded events during the month: Fair Grounds (4), Gulfstream Park (3), Oaklawn Park (4), Santa Anita Park (7), and Tampa Bay Downs (2). Four were Grade II events, while 16 were Grade III. Six were contested on turf, with 14 on dirt. Eight of the graded contests were for sophomores,...

Amo Racing and Giselle De Aguiar's 2023 G2 Norfolk Stakes hero and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint runner-up Valiant Force (Malibu Moon--Vigui's Heart, by Quality Road) broke a seven-race winless streak--which included a two-test Stateside stint with Jorge Delgado--when snagging a five-furlong heat at Dundalk in early October and the 4-year-old opened his 2025 campaign with a Friday-evening victory upped to six furlongs back at the Co. Louth track. The Adrian Murray trainee, a last-out fourth tackling five furlongs here in the Oct. 25 G3 Mercury Stakes, broke swiftly...

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale opened with the first of its three sessions Monday and figures at the end of the day were well ahead of the pace set during the opening session of its four-day 2024 renewal. "It was a good, solid day," said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. "I think it was a continuation of November in large part. We saw good, solid trade for quality horses." For the session, 200 horses sold for...

6th-Gulfstream, $85,900, Msw, 1-12, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:40.02, ft, 1/2 length. PURE BEAUTY (f, 3, Malibu Moon--Madam Aamoura {SP, $191,120}, by Zensational) was a distant sixth behind subsequent Grade I-placed Quickick (McKinzie) and Snowyte (Good Magic), in addition to GI Frizette scorer Scottish Lassie (McKinzie) in her debut going seven panels at Saratoga last summer. Let go at 14-1 while getting blinkers on for her first start back, the Florida bred was near the back early as longshot United Forever (Unified) cut out a :23.72 opening quarter. Making some headway...