Mike Smith

A trainer built equal parts brilliant and idiosyncratic, John Shirreffs passed away quietly in his sleep overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning. He was 80 years old. He leaves behind the kind of record unmatched by all but a select few. At the summit of Shirreffs's mammoth achievements was of course Zenyatta--elegant and imperious, who between 2007 and 2010 achieved the near impossible: 19 straight wins and 13 Grade I victories including back-to-back Breeders' Cup crowns, one of them a Classic. Zenyatta was just denied an exquisite send-off in the Breeders'...

Johnny Velazquez, who has served as Chairman of the Jockeys' Guild for more than 20 years and as Co-Chair with Mike Smith since 2018, will be stepping down from that role, the organization announced Thursday. The members have elected Smith and Javier Castellano as Co-Chairs; Joe Bravo, James Flores, and Julien Leparoux as Co-Vice Chairs; Tyler Gaffalione as Secretary; and Julien Leparoux as Treasurer. In addition, Alex Birzer, James Graham, Rodney Prescott, and Velazquez will serve on the Board of Directors. Velazquez will also remain actively involved with the Guild...

Norman Stables LLC and Saints or Sinners' So Happy (Runhappy) exited his win in the seven-furlong GII San Vicente Stakes Saturday in fine shape, according to trainer Mark Glatt, who said the colt is likely to make his next start in the 1 1/16-mile GII San Felipe Stakes Mar. 7. "I'm sure he'll run in one of these preps coming up here and we'll see if he can go two turns," Glatt said. "My first inclination would be to run in the San Felipe, but things change." So Happy, who...

So Happy (Runhappy) took the lead in midstretch, and refused to come back, keeping his perfect record with a strong win in the GII San Vicente Stakes. The Mark Glatt-trainee entered this contest with only one prior jump to his name. In it, he was last seen breaking his maiden at Del Mar Nov. 22 by three quarters of a length over a field which included two next out winners and GSP Blacksmith (Liam's Map) at 38-1 long odds. There was a scramble coming out of the gate as rivals...

A helping hand. A kind smile. A word of encouragement. A piece of advice. When in the company of Harry Rice III, an instrumental member of the jockeys' room on the New York Racing Association (NYRA) circuit for 49 years, you're guaranteed to receive either one or all of the above. And it's that warmth and color Rice carries with him that has been notably absent from New York race days since the veteran valet officially retired this past spring after working his final day, April 19, at Aqueduct. The...

After claiming three winners during the marquee Breeders' Cup event at Del Mar, Irad Ortiz Jr. has won the 23rd Bill Shoemaker Award as outstanding jockey for the sixth time. The Shoemaker Award goes to the jockey who rides the most winners in the 14-race Championship series with the tiebreaker being a 10-3-1 point system for second-through-fourth-place finishes. Ortiz opened his weekend on Cy Fair (Not This Time) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, and returned to the winner's enclosure Saturday with yet another filly beating the boys...

DEL MAR, Calif. - At the age of 56, the legendary Bill Shoemaker guided Ferdinand home by a nose over Alysheba as the two Derby winners famously hit the wire together in the 1987 GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Hollywood Park. The late Shoemaker has held the record as the oldest jockey to win a Breeders' Cup race since. Hall of Famer Mike Smith will have five chances to make history as the two-day Championships return to Del Mar for the fourth time Friday. The 59-year-old's Breeders' Cup mounts include:...

Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is nine, but clearly hasn't lost a step. The same can be said for his 54-year-old jockey Frankie Dettori. He, too, is still getting it done. But can the geriatric duo pull off a win in the GI Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint? As well as Khaadem has been running this year, it's entirely possible. "That's two old boys together," trainer Charlie Hills said of the horse-jockey combination. Dettori will be the second oldest jockey in this year's Breeders' Cup behind only 60-year-old Mike Smith...

She's back! The beautifully-bred Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) returned to the races Saturday off nearly a year-long layoff and did so with a statement win in the GIII Chillingworth at Santa Anita. The Spendthrift homebred set hearts aflame as a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' juvenile, emulating the success of her mother to start her career two-for-for including a 6 3/4-length stroll in the GI Del Mar Debutante. The heavy favorite headed into the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita in 2023, she faltered home in seventh and...

Although he was the only guest from the Thoroughbred industry to be invited to speak on a panel largely comprised of and aimed at mental health professionals, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith spoke eloquently and poignantly Friday while offering perspectives tinged with gratefulness and optimism regarding how the racing industry has recently stepped up its suicide prevention and wellness initiatives. Smith appeared via videoconference from his home in California during a Sept. 26 session titled "Stigma and Suicide: Breaking the Silence to Save Lives" that was hosted in-person and...

'Stigma and Suicide: Breaking the Silence to Save Lives' will be held at Eastern Kentucky University Perkins Conference Center on Friday, Sept. 26. Panelists from a variety of professional backgrounds, including Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, will discuss the problem of stigma as a barrier to help-seeking and what we can do to address it. Smith will also talk about the significance of stigma in the Thoroughbred industry and how it threatens the lives of jockeys and trainers alike. September is Suicide Prevention Month with Sept. 10 recognized as...

The betting public had Saturday's GI Del Mar Debutante down to a battle of Bob Baffert-trained 'TDN Rising Stars' Explora (Blame) and Himika (Curlin), but Jill Baffert's Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso)--easily the least-fancied of a trio from that barn--proved best on the afternoon, causing a 9-1 upset. Veering in at the break, the $60,000 Keeneland November weanling and $100,000 Keeneland September yearling took up a mid-field berth in the early stages as 3-5 Explora rolled up at the fence to take up the running, while Himika sat a good...