TDN Rising Star

by Christina Bossinakis & Patrycja Szpyra Cherokee Nation (Not This Time) took six starts to break his maiden, but he'd been facing quality rivals in the lead up to his graduation party last Friday. Now, his connections report that elite contests are in the colt's future with their eyes specifically turned toward the GI Santa Anita Derby. "When the kids go to school, they have fancy Friday and [last] Friday was a fancy Friday for us," said co-owner Tom Ryan. "We're typically looking at Saturday afternoon, but we were very...

Multiple Grade I winner Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) has had his first mare confirmed in foal, Lane's End announced Monday afternoon. Said mare is Cahira's Song (Midshipman), a half-sister to seven other winning siblings, and who hails from the female line of GISP Lucky Lavender Gal (Carson City). The third dam is herself a full-sister to MGSP La Ville Rouge, most famous for her son--GI Kentucky Derby hero Barbaro (Dynaformer). The mare also produced his full-brothers MSW & GSP Margano and SW Lentenor. Made a 'TDN Rising...

Among the top trainers on the New York circuit for decades, John Kimmel has announced his retirement. Citing the economic difficulties facing many trainers these days, Kimmel, 71, said he would devote his time to building his business as a bloodstock agent. Kimmel has been doing double duty over the last three or four years, continuing his training operation while acting as a bloodstock agent to outside clients. While training full-time, he was known for having a keen eye when it came to picking horses out at the sales, including...

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.--A strong tradition for any Kentucky Derby hopeful along the campaign trail to May is passing the two turn test. With distance in mind, owners and trainers are looking for their nominees to stretch their legs, embrace the debate that comes in the form of traffic and find ways to grind out a hard-earned victory. At Oaklawn Park in the GII Rebel Stakes on Sunday, WinStar, First Go Racing and CHC Inc. owned colt Class President (Uncle Mo--Top Quality, by Quality Road) proved best at the wire as...

He was green, and a bit lost in the lane, but Fancy Fairlane (McKinzie) showed more than enough talent to put his rivals away and sail home to 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' honors at Oaklawn Park. Unveiled Dec. 20 at Fair Grounds in a six-furlong maiden special weight, he was run down late thanks in part to a sensational effort by fellow 'Rising Star' Golden Tempo (Curlin) when that one closed from a different zip code to win going away. Clocked producing a final quarter-mile in :23.57 in...

Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Knightsbridge (h, 5, Nyquist--Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini) made his 1-5 odds look like a bargain versus four overmatched rivals in Saturday's GIII Gulfstream Park Mile S. He chased in second beneath Junior Alvarado, took over with ease on the far turn and opened daylight in the stretch to win in style by 11 1/4 lengths. Steal Sunshine (Constitution) was second. Flying Liam (Liam's Map) was third. "I think he's the best miler in the country right now," Alvarado said. "It was...

Coolmore and partners have acquired an interest in 'TDN Rising Star Presented by Hagyard' and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Nysos (Nyquist). Upon his retirement from racing, the colt will stand at Ashford Stud in 2027, the farm announced Friday. A no-brainer 'Rising Star' in his 10 1/2-length Santa Anita romp in October 2023, Nysos then picked up two straight graded stakes wins before enduring a significant break in training from Feb. 2024 through to May 2025. He returned in a thrilling edition of the GI Churchill Downs Stakes...

Spendthrift Farm's two new 'TDN Rising Star' first-season stallions Goal Oriented (Not This Time--Bizzy Caroline, by Afleet Alex) and Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie--Bernadreamy, by Bernardini) have had their first mares reported in foal, the farm reported Friday. Goal Oriented, the winner of last year's GI Malibu Stakes, has had Dream Walkin Farms' Diamond Ballroom (Gun Runner) checked in foal. A 4-year-old half-sister to current stakes winner Alpyland, Diamond Ballroom is boarded at Seclusive Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Goal Oriented stands for $30,000 S&N for the 2026 season. Chancer McPatrick, winner of...

When a field of 10 enters the starting gate for Saturday's GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park, they'll sure have some big shoes to fill. Twelve months ago, Sovereignty (Into Mischief) embarked on what would become a Horse of the Year campaign with a narrow victory in his seasonal debut and a little more than two months later, joined Spectacular Bid (1979), Thunder Gulch (1995) and Orb (2013) as horses to add the GI Kentucky Derby in the last half-century. Horses such as Union Rags (2012) and...

Several notable sophomores were out on track Saturday morning at Santa Anita Park, including Grade I winner Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) and fellow GIII Robert B. Lewis alumnus Secured Freedom (Practical Joke)--both of whom put in their first moves since the aforementioned race. The former finished closest to GISP Plutarch (Into Mischief) in the Lewis, that one claimed top prize by three-quarters of a length, and took a spin over the main track for trainer Jeff Mullins in an easy four-panel move. Clocked in :48.80 with jockey Hector Berrios in the...

7th-OP, $125k, OC$125k/N1X, 3yo, f, 6f, 4:35 p.m. ET COLOR COMIN' IN (Rock Your World) overcame a sluggish start and rolled home late to score by three lengths en route to 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard honors on career debut at Churchill last May. The $100,000 OBS March grad was last seen finishing third to fellow 'Rising Star' Percy's Bar (Upstart) in the June 29 Debutante Stakes beneath the Twin Spires and has trained forwardly over this surface for her return to action. TJCIS PPs 1st-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo,...

He faced pressure right from the jump, but Knock It Off (Vekoma) found plenty in the stretch to claim 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' honors in his second lifetime victory at Fair Grounds. Unveiled at this venue against local maidens Jan. 17, the Steve Asmussen trainee set similarly brisk fractions while facing pressure from a rival, and kicked on to win by 1 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:09.47 for six panels. Trouble Calling (Dialed In), defeated in that race, returned Feb. 14 over this same track...