Mike Stidham

Godolphin homebred Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), off since winning the G1 Dubai World Cup in March, makes his stateside return in the GII Suburban S. at Belmont Park Saturday. The Suburban, a 'Win and You're In' race for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, will feature a rematch between the handsome chestnut and Happy Saver (Super Saver), who bested him by 3/4 lengths in last year's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup. In addition to his runner-up effort in the Gold Cup last October, Mystic Guide's 3-year-old campaign also included a win in...

While trainer Mike Stidham isn't fully closing the door on a run in the GI Kentucky Derby for his pupil Proxy (Tapit), Saturday the colt will divert from the big-stage preps in an attempt for a confidence builder as he figures a prohibitive favorite in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland. A second-out graduate Nov. 26 at Fair Grounds, the Godolphin homebred repeated in an allowance there Dec. 19 before passing the class test with a good second in the GIII Lecomte S. Runner-up in the GII Risen Star...

As of now, the only trainer to win four straight renewals of the GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland is the late Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel. Saturday, Frankel's future Hall of Fame protege Chad Brown will have a chance to equal his feat with a pair of contenders in the 1 1/16-mile turf test. Capturing the Jenny Wiley with Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) in 2018 and Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) in 2019 and 2020, Brown will be represented by Tamahere (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Etoile (Fr)...

On paper, the 25th running of the G1 Dubai World Cup looked a wide-open affair. At the end of a mile and a quarter on the Meydan dirt, however, it was the international favourite Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) who posted a straightforward and convincing victory for owner/breeder Godolphin and trainer Mike Stidham. It was a ninth win in the Dubai World Cup for Godolphin-and a first trained from the U.S.-and the 12th American-trained winner overall. The $12-million race with not without its drama, with two horses-Great Scot (GB) (Requinto {Ire}) and...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 8th-Oaklawn, $106K, AOC, 4/up, f/m, 6f, post time: 5:40 p.m. ET Speedway Stables' AUBERGE (Palace) was named a 'TDN Rising Star' when decimating a field of Santa Anita maidens by 7 3/4 lengths at first asking in October 2019 before completing a Bob Baffert exacta behind Bast (Uncle Mo) in last year's GII Santa Ynez S. The Iowa-bred makes her first appearance since easily taking out a first-level allowance at Santa Anita 13 months ago and has joined the Mike Stidham shedrow, with several good-looking...

With over 2,000 wins and dozens of graded stakes scores on his resume, Mike Stidham has well established himself as a top trainer in this business. But as of yet, his stable hasn't quite found its breakout star--one that can take him to Breeders' Cup glory and maybe even an Eclipse Award or two. That may have changed with the arrival of Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) in Stidham's barn two years ago, as the Godolphin blueblood has steadily developed into a budding star, fresh off a jaw-dropping victory in the GIII...

Trainer Mike Stidham joins this week's TDN Writers' Room fresh off a win with Godolphin-owned 4-year-old Mystic Guide in the GIII Razorback H. Stidham recaps the victory and talks on his relationship with Godolphin, the demise of Arlington Park and more.

Multiple stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Saguaro Row (Union Rags--Charlie Girl, by Indian Charlie) has been added to Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale. Catalogued as Hip 675, Saguaro Row will be offered as a racing/broodmare prospect by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, agent. A 4 3/4-length debut winner at two, she captured the Pumpkin Pie S. and the Interborough S. at four and five and also finished second to GISW Spiced Perfection (Smiling Tiger) in the GIII Go For Wand H. Most recently, she finished third--beaten just 1 1/2 lengths--in defense of...

The same week that Juddmonte Farms' owner and founder Khalid Abdullah passed away, the legendary outfit has a chance to take a step toward its long-sought first GI Kentucky Derby win when undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Mandaloun (Into Mischief) goes postward as a likely favorite in the GIII Lecomte S. Saturday at Fair Grounds. The race kicks off the Louisiana oval's three-race Derby prep schedule, to be followed by the GII Risen Star S. and GII Louisiana Derby. Hammered down to 11-10 favoritism debuting Oct. 24 at Keeneland, the homebred...

5th-Laurel, $48,520, Msw, 12-12, 2yo, 1m, 1:38.31, ft, 12 1/4 lengths. MANOR HOUSE (c, 2, Upstart--Cascina, by Dixie Union) could scarcely have been more impressive making his debut over Laurel's one-turn mile Saturday, as he drew off through the final furlong to graduate by 12 1/4 lengths. The Florida-bred was away to an uneventful beginning from the two hole and made the lead with a minimum of fuss, covering the opening half in :47.50 while taking mild pressure. He began to widen approaching the quarter pole, kicked farther in front...

Lightly raced Princess Grace handled the main track best of this turf-meant group to make the grade in only her fourth lifetime start. A 5 1/2-length debut romper on the Colonial sod and over a next-out winner Aug. 2, the Moore homebred cleared her first-level allowance condition at Monmouth Sept. 5. She had last been seen splitting Stunning Sky (Declaration of War) and How Ironic when second in the GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. at Keeneland Oct. 16. Prompting the pace from second among a strung-out field, the dark...

When Lorna Chavez moved from England to the United States in 1995, the land of abundance had a surfeit of skilled participants willing and able to don helmet and boot and join the nation's ranks of exercise riders. "I started in Delaware," said Chavez, a former jockey, of her time as an exercise rider for Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard. But that was a quarter-century ago. "Now, there aren't enough riders around," she said. "Especially good ones." And that means busy racetracks of a morning are increasingly populated with...