TDN Rising Star

Oscar's Hope Strides Home in Ozark, Ewing Off the Board in Seasonal Bow

In a well-watched race for the presence of 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Ewing (Knicks Go), it was Oscar's Hope (Twirling Candy) on his return to sprints who stepped forward to take home the Ozark Stakes at Oaklawn Park. The Tom Amoss-trainee entered this contest off an unsuccessful attempt at two-turns Jan. 3 in the local Smarty Jones Stakes, finishing eighth and off the board for the first time in his six-race career. The runner-up there was Silent Tactic (Tacitus), who returned Feb. 6 at this venue to claim...

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'All Others' Remains Favorite in Kentucky Derby Future Pool, Paladin 9-1 After Pool Four Conclusion

With 11 weeks left to the GI Kentucky Derby, 'All Others' maintains a firm grip on favoritism in the future pool wagering as Paladin (Gun Runner) scooped up second-choice honors at 9-1 odds at the conclusion of Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW). The Gun Runner colt rose to the top of the named heap after a game victory in last Saturday's GII Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. The odds shifted on several contenders and the betting public displayed interest in a number of rising sophomores,...

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Bella Ballerina
Bella Ballerina Outlasts Luv Your Neighbor In Rachel Alexandra

Godolphin knows a thing or two about prepping a filly for the Kentucky Oaks through the Fair Grounds meet. Just last year, the then-undefeated Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) rolled through the Rachel Alexandra and the Fair Grounds Oaks en route to the lilies on the first Friday in May. And in 2023, 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) took the same route, capturing the Rachel Alexandra as well and settling for second in the Fair Grounds Oaks on her way to victory in Kentucky. Flash forward...

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Forever Young Outguns Nysos To Repeat In Saudi Cup

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Darkness had long fallen over Riyadh but one star lit up the night sky as Forever Young (Real Steel) galloped into the history books as the first dual winner of the $20m G1 Saudi Cup. Last year he was forced to stalk Romantic Warrior all along the stretch for glory, but this time the tables were turned, with Nysos (Nyquist) locking sights on his prey in a determined effort to give Bob Baffert a longed-for victory in the world's richest race. Instead it once more went...

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Nysos
'It's King Kong Versus Godzilla': Baffert Relishing Saudi Cup Battle Between Forever Young and Nysos

RIYADH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA -- Bob Baffert may have won two Triple Crowns, six Kentucky Derbys, 21 Breeders' Cup races, and four Dubai World Cups but there is an itch that still needs to be scratched: the Saudi Cup. "We've gotten pretty close," he said Thursday morning from King Abdulaziz Racecourse, and he's not wrong. Baffert has been represented in five of the six runnings of the world's richest race and has finished second twice, with Charlatan (Speightstown) then Country Grammer (Tonalist). Last year was his sole omission, and...

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First Foals Arrive for Darby Dan Farm's Grade I Winner Blazing Sevens

Darby Dan Farm's Blazing Sevens (Good Magic-Trophy Girl, Warrior's Reward), winner of the GI Champagne Stakes, is represented by his first reported foals, including a filly out of the Adios Charlie mare Rye Lane born on Feb. 9 and a colt born on Feb. 11 out of the Ribchester (Ire) mare Championofmyheart (Ire). The filly, who was bred by Frankfort Park Farm, is out of a full sister to Grade I winner and millionaire Patternrecognition, stakes winner Lovesick, and a half-sister to stakes winner Florida Fuego (Kantharos). The filly also...

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Iscreamuscream To Katsumi Yoshida For $1.5 Million

Grade I Del Mar Oaks winner Iscreamuscream (Twirling Candy) lit up the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale late, selling to Japan's Katsumi Yoshida for $1.5 million. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, the 5-year-old was undefeated in her first four starts including the GII San Clemente Stakes before taking down the Del Mar Oaks in August of 2024. She last sold via the Fasig-Tipton Digital platform for $330,000 shortly before earning her Grade I win. Yoshida also picked up GSW 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Maysam (Game Winner) earlier in the...

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The Five Fastest Maidens, Feb. 2- Feb. 8

5 -- HIGH CAMP, GP, 2/7-6th, 7 furlongs (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-85 (c, 3, by Instagrand-Summer Silk, by Uncle Mo) O/B-OXO Equine (Ky). T-Will Walden. J-John Velazquez. Owner-breeder Larry Best continues to get mileage out of his former stakes star Instagrand, but you wouldn't have bet a dollar on High Camp at the quarter-pole. He was 2nd under a ride when two rivals blew past him--prematurely, as it turned out - and he dropped to 4th then swung wide and came back again to win. He's the first foal from...

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The Leading Lady Returns: Nitrogen Kicks Off '26 Campaign with Bayakoa Victory

The betting public thought it would be a welcome parade, and Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) did not let them down, striding home much the best in the GIII Bayakoa Stakes to kick off her 2026 campaign at Oaklawn. The Mark Casse star needs little introduction, but her record bears repeating: the daughter of the now-pensioned Medaglia d'Oro breathes rarified air as one of few horses who can claim Grade I wins/placings on two surfaces. As part of her nine-race championship campaign last season, she came a nose shy of winning the...

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Blackout Time Targeting Rebel for Sophomore Debut

GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity runner-up Blackout Time (Not This Time) is on track to kick off his 3-year-old season in the GII Rebel Stakes Mar. 1 at Oaklawn Park, according to co-owner Lance Gasaway Saturday morning. Unraced since that second-place finish behind juvenile champion MGISW Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) at Keeneland, he had been entered in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile but was scratched by the regulatory vet because of an alleged soundness issue. Blackout Time returned to the worktab Jan. 23 at Fair Grounds and after a couple works...

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Candy Ride Colt Emerging Market Sparkles in 'Rising Star' Debut

Sent off as the 16-5 third betting choice in what appeared to be a promising maiden allowance Saturday afternoon at Tampa, Klaravich Stables' Emerging Market (c, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}--Wild Empress, by Empire Maker) made a pair of eye-catching moves in the deciding stages of an extended-mile contest and outslugged hot favorite Powershift (Constitution) to become a new 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard. Off to an uneventful break from the two hole, the $185,000 Keeneland September acquisition was content to drop back and sit in the slipstream of Powershift,...

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Modernist's Talk to Me Jimmy Dominates the Conversation, Wins Derby Points in Withers

It looked like a competitive field on paper, but Talk to Me Jimmy (Modernist) took the race to them right from the bell, and ran his rivals off their feet to secure 20 Kentucky Derby points in the Wither Stakes. Last seen breaking his maiden in a similar fashion Nov. 9 going gate-to-wire against state-bred maidens at this venue, he was unveiled Sept. 26 and ran an even third during the Belmont Big A meet. Out to set the pace after early contact from competition coming off the blocks, the...

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