Tyler Gaffalione

Clarence and Dorothy Scharbauer built Valor Farm outside of Dallas 30 years ago after Dorothy and their daughter Pam campaigned Hall of Famer Alysheba in the late 1980s. Their son Doug continues the blue-and-white silk tradition as his unbeaten homebred Closing Act (Munnings) takes on 10 other 2-year-old fillies in Thursday's GIII Schuylerville S. on opening day at Saratoga. The Steve Asmussen trainee, listed at 10-1 on the morning line, is coming off her first stakes win in the Astoria S. June 11 at Belmont Park after breaking her maiden...

Few horses in training could have matched motors Saturday with Peter Blum's Society (Gun Runner), who took the GIII Chicago S. by the scruff of the neck a few strides away from the gates and never gave any of her five rivals a chance, streaking home to score in new track-record time. Drawn one from the outside, the 2-1 second favorite hit the ground running and led narrowly through the opening stages from Drifaros (Kantharos) as odds-on Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) was content enough to sit third behind the speed....

ELMONT, NY -- Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) followed up her thrilling GI Kentucky Oaks victory with a hard-fought, head decision over Dorth Vader (Girvin) in Friday's GI Acorn S. at Belmont Park. Occult (Into Mischief) was another four lengths back in third. Cutting back to a one-turn 1 1/16 miles here, the 9-5 second-choice raced within striking distance in an outside fifth as the stretching-out and favored 'Rising Star' Munnys Gold (Munnings) led through fractions of :23.34 and :46.37. Pretty Mischievous loomed boldly while...

11th-Churchill Downs, $120,000, Msw, 5-27, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:16.83, ft, 10 1/4 lengths. MULLIKIN (c, 3, Violence--Tulira's Star {GSP}, by Congrats) donned cap and gown in the nightcap of Churchill's Saturday card by open lengths on the wire. Second in two prior outings--by a nose Feb.18 at Oaklawn Park on debut and then a game runner-up Apr. 8 at Keeneland trying seven furlongs--the Rodolphe Brisset trainee was well-supported for a third try at 3-5 favoritism and made it look a gift as he led the field wire to wire here....

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has not won the GI Ogden Phipps S. since 1996, the year the legendary Serena's Song (Rahy) got the job done when the race was contested as the Hempstead H. The 87-year-old will hope that streak comes to an end when he saddles 2022 GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Secret Oath (Arrogate) in this year's Phipps, one of nine elite-level races slated to take place during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. The winner earns a spot in the field for the GI Breeders' Cup...

This week's Triple Crown feature examines the trips of GI Kentucky Derby runners in detail from first to last: 1) Mage (No. 12 in TDN pre-race rankings) Mage, the little horse who could, was a characteristic beat slow out of the starting gate. Javier Castellano let him roll with the flow as the field sorted itself out through the first furlong, then darted to secure the rail while fourth-last the first time under the wire. Unhurried through the turn, this son of Good Magic ($235,000 KEESEP; $290,000 EASMAY) raced several...

'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) was none the worse for her tough-trip victory in Friday's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs as a group of onlookers congregated outside the barn of trainer Brendan Walsh Friday morning. It was a first win in America's premier race for the sophomore filly set for her owner/breeder Godolphin, Walsh, jockey Tyler Gaffalione and her all-conquering sire. "We are very proud of what she has accomplished and it couldn't be more special winning this for Godolphin," said Walsh, who spent many seasons...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) stayed out of trouble with a perfect, stalking trip from her far outside draw and gamely fended off Repole Stable's Gambling Girl (Dialed In) in dramatic fashion to capture Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks. Drawn widest of all in post 14 and adding blinkers for trainer Brendan Walsh after a runner-up finish in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks, Pretty Mischievous broke well beneath Tyler Gaffalione and secured a fantastic spot in fifth rounding the clubhouse turn before a...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, 2022, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week. New York Track: Aqueduct Date: 04/13/2023 Licensee: Dylan Davis, jockey...

Taking to the Haggin Turf Course once again, 6-1 shot Gaslight Dancer recorded his first stakes victory of his career with a solid performance in the Palisades S. on Sunday afternoon. Winning on the grass at Kentucky Downs Sept. 3 in his second career start, Gaslight Dancer was the favorite Oct. 9 in the GIII Futurity S. during the BAQ meet, only to lose by a neck to Nagirroc (Lea). With a tough test Nov. 4 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, he drew the fourteenth hole, but still...

Maker's Mark Bourbon Keeneland commemorative bottles will be available at stores throughout Kentucky Friday, celebrating opening day of the Keeneland Spring Meet. Fewer than 10,000 of the limited-edition bottles of bourbon will be available and are expected to sell out in one day. Through a strategic partnership with LexArts, greater Lexington's premier cultural development, advocacy and fundraising organization, the proceeds from this year's commemorative bottle release will benefit the creation of a permanent public art legacy project. Miniature bronze horses will be creatively placed through downtown Lexington to create an...

Making just his third start in Dubai and stretching out to a mile for the first time in over two years, RRR Racing's Isolate (Mark Valeski) never gave his 13 rivals a chance in Saturday's G2 Godolphin Mile Sponsored by One Zaabeel as he put on a powerful front-running display to carry visiting jockey Tyler Gaffalione to an easy 5 1/2-length victory. Not the fastest away from the stalls in the mile chute, the $70,000 Keeneland November weanling speared through from between horses to take up the running linking up...