Robert Masterson

GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Road) worked five furlongs in :59.55 seconds over Belmont Park's main track on Monday in preparation for Saturday's $1.5 million GI Belmont S. With exercise rider Erick Garcia aboard, the colt galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.20 and seven furlongs in 1:25.20. "He worked very well this morning," trainer Bob Baffert's assistant, Jimmy Barnes, said. "It's a big track and you can find yourself lost out there. Erick did an excellent job working him and now we're just waiting for the race." National...

Southlawn (f, 3, Pioneerof the Nile--Mo d'Amour, by Uncle Mo), a runaway, eight-length optional claiming winner at Fair Grounds with first-time Lasix in her sophomore debut Feb. 17, ran back to that effort in a big way to upset Saturday's GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Drawn on the fence, the 7-1 chance trailed the field of five heading into the clubhouse turn. Southlawn traveled nicely in an inside fourth down the backstretch and set her sights on the top two as they straightened. Last out GII Rachel Alexandra S. heroine and...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - By far, the most enthusiastic applause during the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame induction ceremony Friday morning was for a video clip of race that everyone in the audience likely had seen many times. Beholder's (Henny Hughes) career-capping victory by a nose over the previously unbeaten champion Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro) in the 2016 GI Breeder's Cup Distaff was nearly as gripping on the big screen at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion as it was live at Santa Anita Park. For sheer drama it ranks with...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY-Just like Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) and Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) in 2016, Beholder (Henny Hughes) and Tepin (Bernstein) are entering the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame together Friday in their first year of eligibility. Six years after the no-brainer election package, Hall of Fame voters selected two brilliant race mares of the second decade of the 21st century to join the best-of-the-best club on Union Avenue. Though they excelled on different surfaces, there are plenty of similarities. Both were well-beaten in their career debuts. Both...

Classier went wire-to-wire and resolutely held off stablemate Defunded to give trainer Bob Baffert his fifth straight win in the GIII Los Alamitos Derby Sunday. Sent off at 6-5, Classier was on the lead through fractions of :22.98 and :47.01. Defunded, the 3-5 favorite, rolled up to challenge the pacesetter after three-quarters in 1:11.08 and, while Classier began inching away in upper stretch, the favorite battled back in a stirring stretch battle to the wire. Classier refused to yield and earned his first graded victory in determined fashion. "I waited...

When Cindy Hutson decided to upgrade her small racing stable a few years ago, bloodstock agent Deuce Greathouse suggested a trip to Deauville for the 2018 Arqana August Yearling Sale where owner and agent purchased a daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah for a headline-grabbing €850,000. The filly, now named Lashara (GB) and owned by Hutson in partnership with Robert Masterson, graduated in her turf debut on her third birthday at Gulfstream Park Saturday. Hutson, whose late husband Dan owned the Hutson Ag Company in Murray, Kentucky, first decided...

5th-Gulfstream, $38,000, Msw, 4-11, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.09, fm. LASHARA (GB) (f, 3, American Pharoah--Marbre Rose {Ire} {GSW-Can, SW-USA, MGSP-Fr, $298,822}, by Smart Strike) was bet down to 7-2 in her debut but tired late to be eighth going 6 ½ furlongs over the Gulfstream dirt Mar. 15. Recording a pair of sharp turf works since that effort, including a bullet four-furlong move in :47.60 at Palm Meadows Apr. 4, she was installed the 8-5 choice to get the job done while trying a route of ground on the turf...