Poster

Aptly Named Constitution Colt John Hancock Ultra-Game in Sam F. Davis

Stretching out to two turns for Saturday's Sam F. Davis Stakes, downgraded to listed status but still offering 20 points to the winner on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s John Hancock (c, 3, Constitution--Scribbling Sarah, by Freud) would not be denied in the early march to the First Saturday in May. The chestnut earned a solid 81 Beyer Speed Figure in leading every step of the way to break his maiden at first asking over three-quarters of a mile locally on Jan. 8 and...

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Unbeaten Poster Leads Godolphin Brigade On Derby Trail in Sam F. Davis

From Godolphin's 12 starters in 10 renewals of the GI Kentucky Derby, favored Essential Quality (Tapit)'s promoted third-place finish following Medina Spirit (Protonico)'s medication disqualification in 2021 has been the best result to date. With four serious contenders--all homebreds--on target for upcoming Kentucky Derby preps and fresh off a fifth consecutive Eclipse Award as outstanding owner, could this be the year for Sheikh Mohammed's powerhouse global operation? "We've been there before and we've had chances," Godolphin USA Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said. "Who knows what's written in the stars,...

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Eoin Harty Joins TDN Writers' Room Podcast

Eoin Harty's world is chock full right now. For starters, his home is situated in the midst of one of the worst wildfires in California history, but somehow it has survived the nightmarish ordeal. Then, there is his role as the president of the California Thoroughbred Trainers, a position he has held since 2019. What that means is he is at the forefront of trying to turn around the declining fortunes of racing in the state, which he admits is no easy task. The good news is that he has...

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Eoin Harty Joins the TDN Writers' Room

Eoin Harty joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss the tragic fires in California and how they have affected racing at Santa Anita. In happier news, the trainer also gave an update on his two Kentucky Derby hopefuls.

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Saturday Sires: Munnings

Nearly two years ago, just prior to the 2023 breeding season, Ashford Stud's Robyn Murray spoke about Munnings on camera. At the time, she said: "Theoretically the best is still yet to come and we're so excited for him... We would expect all of this to elevate him over the next couple years." As the horses conceived that season, the year Munnings stood for $100,000, are currently just weanlings, her words seem prescient given the results of last weekend, when undefeated 2-year-olds by the Ashford Stud sire swept both divisions...

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Week In Review: Remsen Evolves Into 2YO Stakes That Foretells 3YO Clout, Although Not Often In Time For Derby

You'd think the nine-furlong GII Remsen S. might be a good measuring stick for GI Kentucky Derby potential because it's the only top-level, 1 1/8-miles American dirt race for juveniles before they turn three. But only three horses in the last 61 years-Thunder Gulch, Go For Gin and Pleasant Colony-have parlayed wins in the Remsen into a blanket of roses at Churchill Downs. Instead, in recent runnings, the Remsen has evolved into a pipeline for progress deeper into the 3-year-old season. Remsen winners have captured two of the last three...

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Poster Switches to Dirt, Stays Perfect in Remsen While Prat Sets Stakes Record

After upsetting last weekend's GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs with First Resort (Uncle Mo), Godolphin and trainer Eoin Harty doubled up in dramatic fashion with fellow 2-year-old homebred Poster (Munnings) in Saturday's GII Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct. The victory, good for 10 points on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby, also provided jockey Flavien Prat with his record-setting 80th stakes win of the season and his 55th graded stakes win of the year, tying Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey. Making his dirt and stakes debut after...

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Top Level Starpower Shines In Grade I-Quality Cigar Mile On Saturday

The Saturday graded stakes action across North America offers several options, but the Big A earns the spotlight as the venerable NYRA track plays host to some strong races. Even though the Cigar Mile Handicap was downgraded a tick from its top level status by the American Graded Stakes Committee in 2023, connections still consider the race to possess a certain cache and the rigor in this year's edition is evident. "It [Cigar Mile] came up pretty salty," said Book'em Danno's trainer Derek Ryan. "It is a Grade II now...

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Godolphin Homebred Poster Off The Mark Early At Ellis

5th-Ellis, $70,880, Msw, 8-19, 2yo, 1mT, 1:35.17, fm, 1 3/4 lengths. POSTER (c, 2, Munnings--Pin Up, by Tapit), a 5-1 first-time starter for Godolphin, broke with speed from the rail but had company right away from Xavi (Great Notion) to his outside. Pressed through fractions of :22.81 and :47.12, he put that rival away off the turn and stayed away from a closing Turnbuckle (Global Campaign) despite ducking out a bit close to home to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Pin Up, who sold for $130,000 at KEEJAN this year,...

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Monday Insights: Pricey Medaglia d'Oro Filly Debuts At Ellis

7th-ELP, $71K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, 3:52 p.m. ET. Shadwell Stables went to $1.1 million to acquire EL JOURY (Medaglia d'Oro) during Keeneland September. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the first-time starter is out of Irish MGSW Up (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was made the $2.2 million sales topper at the 2015 Keeneland January Sale by Jan Racing and Jan Vandebos. A half-sister to English and French G1SW Dutch Art (GB) (Medicean {GB}), this mare also produced GISP Monarch of Egypt (American Pharoah) and GII Lake Placid Stakes victress Aspray (Quality...

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