Point of Honor

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Saturday running at Kyoto Racecourse: Saturday, January 17, 2026 6th-KYO, ¥15,200,000 ($96k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m BOOM BAP BEAT (c, 3, Into Mischief--Point of Honor, by Curlin), a $1.25-million Keeneland September acquisition for owner Susumu Fujita, has acquitted himself well in his two previous...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, September 20, 2025 3rd-HSN, ¥14,250,000 ($96k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200m KATTAPPA (c, 2, Speightstown--Smuggler's Moon, by Gun Runner) was bought back on a bid of $75,000 out of last year's Keeneland September Sale and was knocked...

Twelve months after his full-brother--now named Boom Bap Beat--fetched $1.25 million in this sales pavilion, hip 76, a colt by Into Mischief out of 2019 GII Black-Eyed Susan Stakes winner Point of Honor (Curlin), one-upped his sibling when the hammer dropped at $1.5 million during Monday's opening session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Lexington. Coolmore and Peter Brant's White Birch Farm was the successful bidder. A Feb. 15 foal, the bay colt was bred by Jon Clay's Alpha Delta Stable, and is the second of three foals from...

5th-AQU, $80k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 2:50p.m. ET After hitting an eye-catching $735,000 at Keeneland September two years ago, and still missing his reserve, Mystic Quest (Curlin) will go to post here for his breeders Siena Farm in partnership with Cash Asmussen. At the helm for the full brother to MGISP & GSW Point of Honor and half to GI Frizette S. winner Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map) as well as two other stakes winners, Todd Pletcher sends out a colt carrying big expectations against a field of eight others from the...

St. George Stable LLC's Letruska (Super Saver) has proven near invincible since turning five and will try to add her sixth graded victory in Saturday's GII Fleur De Lis S. at Churchill Downs, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar this fall. Winner of last summer's nine-furlong GIII Suvee S., the bay later kicked off a two-race win skein when taking Gulfstream's GIII Rampart S. Dec. 12 before adding the Jan. 31 GIII Houston Ladies Classic S. A desperate head behind GI...

Grade I winner Dunbar Road (Quality Road) tops a short, but sweet field Sunday in the GII Beldame S. at Belmont. Winner of last year's GI Alabama S., the bay finished off her sophomore season with a fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff in November. She's been perfect so far in 2020, capturing the Shawnee S. May 23 and won the GII Delaware H. last time July 11. Letruska (Super Saver) started her career in Mexico, where she was undefeated. A two-time stakes winner at Gulfstream, the bay was...

Champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) will attempt to successfully defend her title in Saturday's GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga. Winner of seven of eight starts last year, including three Grade Is, the bay followed her win in this event with a facile score in the GI Beldame S. at Belmont in September. She suffered her sole loss last season in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 2, but had still done more than enough to secure the Eclipse Award as top older mare. Running last most of the way...

In these contentious times, at least the cavaliers of the turf seem to clinging to suitably knightly ethics. Last weekend, Honor A.P. (Honor Code) and Code Of Honor (Noble Mission) made a righteous stand on either coast; and Saturday's main event, the GI Ogden Phipps S., now adds Point Of Honor (Curlin) to this overflow of rectitude. In her case, however, the duplication of honors would primarily encompass trainer George Weaver, whose success with Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the Carter H. at Belmont last weekend was his first at...

With divisional heavies the likes of Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), Serengeti Empress (Alternation) and the comebacking Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) all eye-balling a potential clash in the GII Fleur de Lis S. at Churchill Downs in two weeks' time, Saturday's GI Ogden Phipps S. may lack a 'marquee' name, per se, but it remains a competitive affair that offers the winner a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland Nov. 7. Ollie's Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}), winner of last year's GI Clement L. Hirsch S.,...

The pickings are reasonably slim during this period of virus-restricted racing, but horses carrying the silks of Aron Wellman's Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners have prospered in recent weeks at Oaklawn Park, with placings in some of the tracks major stakes events. The suddenly fragmented Racing Festival of the South kicked off Apr. 18 with the running of the GIII Count Fleet Sprint H., won for the third time by Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect), and the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 18. Eclipse's Point of Honor (Curlin), wide-trip winner of the GII Black-Eyed...

GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Serengeti Empress (Alternation) tops a field littered with talent--and Grade I winners--in Saturday's GI Apple Blossom S. at Oaklawn. After taking home the lilies in May, the fleet-footed filly completed the exacta in the GI Acorn S. at Belmont June 8 and missed by a half-length after a gritty stretch battle with two-time champion Covfefe (Into Mischief) in the GI Test S. at the Spa Aug. 3. Third in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 2, the dark bay was second to the re-opposing Lady Apple...

SARATOGA SPRINGS N.Y.--While Tapit ran the ring during Monday's session with the two top-priced yearlings, it was Curlin day at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale Tuesday with a trio of colts by the Hill 'n' Dale stallion reaching seven figures. Hips 174 and 153 topped the session and the sale at $1.5 million and Hip 159 tied Monday's Tapit topper, Hip 80, at a cool $1 million. "It's really pretty simple: quality sells," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "We had a remarkable group of horses on offer tonight and the...