Michael Tabor

Among the top trainers on the New York circuit for decades, John Kimmel has announced his retirement. Citing the economic difficulties facing many trainers these days, Kimmel, 71, said he would devote his time to building his business as a bloodstock agent. Kimmel has been doing double duty over the last three or four years, continuing his training operation while acting as a bloodstock agent to outside clients. While training full-time, he was known for having a keen eye when it came to picking horses out at the sales, including...

Life and Times (Justify), the least experienced runner in the field, impressed in his belated debut, wiring a field over course and distance Nov. 1. by 5 3/4 lengths to earn a 94 Beyer Speed Figure. The 3-5 favorite on the step up Saturday, he had little issue handling this group of winners, pressuring Commuted (Gun Runner) for the early lead through the half in :46.60. Once in command, he drew off comfortably to lead this group in by 6 3/4 lengths with Dreamlike (Gun Runner) closing from last to...

Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy--Better Than Honour, by Deputy Minister), only the third filly in history to win the GI Belmont Stakes, died due to infirmities of old age, Coolmore announced Monday. Owned by Coolmore's Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, Rags to Riches etched her name into the annals of American racing history when she outbattled Curlin in a dramatic stretch duel to take the final leg of the Triple Crown in 2007, becoming the first filly in 102 years to win the race. Rags to Riches, purchased for $1.9...

2nd-BAQ, $85k, Msw, 2yo, 1m, post time: 12:02 p.m. ET Just shy of two years ago, Chad Brown sent out a seven-figure yearling purchase for a partnership including Coolmore and partners to win his debut smartly over the Aqueduct one-turn mile. That colt is none other than 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Sierra Leone (Gun Runner). Whether first-time starter HADRIAN'S WALL (Curlin) can turn back the clock remains to be determined, but the first chapter of that particular story is set to be told just after noon Sunday on...

1st-Belmont The Big A, $85,000, Msw, 10-26, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.57, ft, 4 lengths. WITH A KISS (f, 2, Gun Runner--Cathryn Sophia {GISW, $1,229,720}, by Street Boss), who bet down to 67 cents on the dollar for her debut here, kept tabs on fellow 'Insight' runner & pacesetter Imperatrice (City of Light) up the backstretch. As the pair sped away entering the far turn, With a Kiss pulled alongside and entering the lane the race was on. The chalk passed her stablemate inside the final furlong and graduate by four...

Coolmore's Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett) was last seen claiming a career high in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day and doubled his Group 1 tally with a pillar-to-post victory in Sunday's G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. He becomes the 24th elite-level winner of the year for Aidan O'Brien, who extended his record haul in this one-mile test to seven. The Ballydoyle maestro doubled up on the card just one hour later when Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) made it 25 in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. For rider Christophe Soumillon,...

Westerberg and Coolmore's Sugar Island (Dubawi) was a well-beaten ninth of 10 in this month's G1 Fillies' Mile and bounced back in style to make all for an impressive success in Tuesday's one-mile G3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes, formerly known as the Silken Glider Stakes, at the Curragh. The win extended Aidan O'Brien's record haul in the contest to 13. "She's a big, galloping filly who stays very well and Wayne [Lordan] gave her a lovely ride," commented Ballydoyle's Chris Armstrong. "She had a very good run at Doncaster in a...

5th-BAQ, $85K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 3:21 p.m. ET. Bred by Summer Wind, PALADIN (Gun Runner) easily was knighted as a top-twelve price during the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling sale when the chestnut was hammered down for $1.9-million. The ownership group of Mrs. John Magnier, Peter Brant, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Brook Smith and Jane Lyon, who stayed in for a piece, sent the colt to trainer Chad Brown. Out of unraced Secret Sigh (Tapit), the first-time starter is a half-brother to a colt by Into Mischief--taken home by Case...

Coolmore's G3 Prestige Stakes and G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Precise (Starspangledbanner) added to her impressive palmares with a stunning performance in Friday's G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile, dominating the latter stages to register a 22nd Group 1 success of the season, and a record seventh renewal, for Aidan O'Brien. "She impressed me when she won at the Curragh and I knew she had a good turn of foot," commented Christophe Soumillon. "She was a little bit nervous in the stalls and that's why she missed the jump. I was hoping...

Following the news earlier in the day of his sire's untimely passing, Aidan O'Brien trainee Straight Up (Wootton Bassett) delivered a poignant win for Flaxman Stables and the Coolmore partners in Tuesday's WTW Willis Irish EBF Maiden at Listowel. Stalking the pace in second for most of the seven-furlong contest, the 9-4 favourite inched ahead approaching the final furlong and drew off late to assert by three lengths from King Of Sparta (Dubawi). "To do that without a prior run was a very good performance and Wayne [Lordan] was delighted...

Christophe Soumillon was forced into switching mounts, taking up piloting duties aboard Killarney maiden winner Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) after TDN Rising Star Montreal (Sea The Stars) was scratched, in Saturday's G2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes--formerly known as the Golden Fleece Stakes--and the rider continued on a winning roll as the son of Newspaperofrecord (Lope De Vega) stepped forward to claim a career high in the one-mile contest. His tally earned him a spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar at the beginning of November. "He's a...

Coolmore and Westerberg's €1.7-million Arqana August sale topper Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica) backed up a TDN Rising Star performance at the Curragh last month with a first black-type triumph in Saturday's Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes at Leopardstown. "I was quite confident when I saw the attitude she had going down to the start and she was really professional," said winning jockey Christophe Soumillon. "She was a little impatient in the stalls and didn't jump out properly. I had to change plans because she was quite far...