Violence

Rain or shine, the show must go on, and Curtain Call (Tiz the Law) gave the people what they came to see at Saratoga, kicking home powerfully at second asking to claim 'TDN Rising Star' honors. The son of Tiz the Law was unveiled June 12 at Churchill Downs to run a well-beaten second behind fellow 'Rising Star' Obliteration (Violence). That runner returned to action July 5 at this venue to put on a Tour de Force in the GIII Sanford Stakes, winning by 10 1/2 lengths and earning a...

'TDN Rising Star' Obliteration (c, 2, Violence--I'mclassyandsassy, by Master Command), a runaway debut winner at Churchill Downs June 12, lived up to his name with another dominating victory in Saturday's GIII Sanford S. at Saratoga. Blinging It Back (Volatile) was second; Imagine John (Maclean's Music) was third. The 4-5 favorite shot out to the front beneath Flavien Prat, was hounded by Blinging It Back through fractions of :22.74 and :45.56 and powered clear from that rival in the stretch to win by 10 1/2 lengths. "He's just a very special...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced juveniles from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes, sponsored by OBS, highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, including links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Saturday at Saratoga and Ellis Park. Saturday, July 5, 2025...

Obliteration (c, 2, Violence--I'mclassyandsassy, by Master Command), one of a debuting pair available at double digits for the reliable Steve Asmussen stable, ran away from a very promising group of 2-year-old males to become the afternoon's second 'TDN Rising Star', this one at Churchill Downs. A $200,000 purchase at this year's OBS March Sale--one of four horses bought out of the auction by the re-engaging Leland Ackerley--the bay colt was in front not long after the start and led for just short of a furlong before being displaced on the...

TIMONIUM, MD - "Extraordinary circumstances and at the end of the day, an extraordinary sale," Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning said at the conclusion of a 12-hour renewal of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale which, seemingly against all odds, set records for gross, average and median. The 2025 Midlantic May sale was upended by a series of rainy days, which more than once forced the postponement of the under-tack show which ultimately concluded Sunday with a session of untimed gallops. Originally scheduled to be held over two sessions,...

Linda Rice led all trainers and owners at the Aqueduct winter meet, which began Jan. 1, and Manny Franco topped the leading riders list as the circuit swaps over to the spring meeting starting Thursday, NYRA announced Sunday afternoon. Rice claimed 51 wins as a trainer to capture the title for the third consecutive year since the 2023 meet, and secured her fifth winter title overall. Her record of 217-51-38-29 was good for a win rate of 23.5% and an in-the-money strike rate of 54.38%. Meet highlights included Sand Devil...

A filly born at Darby Dan Farm near Lexington, Kentucky is the first reported foal for champion 2-year-old colt Forte (Violence). Gravy (Collected--Flawless Diamond, by Saint Ballado), a $160,000 2024 Keeneland November purchase by Darby Dan client Gary Holland for Kamden Favorites, had a dark bay filly Jan. 8 at 6:00 p.m. ET. "She is a flashy filly with plenty of leg, we are thrilled with the result, especially as this is the mare's first foal," said Darby Dan Farm Manager Charlie McKinlay. Forte, named a 'TDN Rising Star' and...

First let's salute two horses in this category just emerging from surely the most competitive freshman title race ever. The lead changed hands between both, as well as McKinzie (now $75,000), through the final hours of 2024, with VEKOMA ultimately seizing the crown--partly through belated processing of a son in Panama--by $22,939 from McKinzie, with TIZ THE LAW breathing down their necks $9,334 behind. In fact, his "extra" winner gave Vekoma a share of the North American record of 39 first-crop juvenile winners. Admittedly he was working from corresponding volume,...

A race after running into a 'TDN Rising Star' at Keeneland, Quantum Burst (Munnings) will now be the running line for many horses after she overwhelmed this maiden field to take home her own TDN Stamp of Approval Saturday evening. Said fellow 'Rising Star' was Winstar Farm's Impulse Buy (Speightstown), who also earned the moniker at second asking at their mutual Keeneland start Oct. 5 at this distance. Once that one got to the lead, she never looked back, beating Quantum Burst by 11 lengths on the line. Swapping barns...

It has always been a small farm, and nowadays they're down to no more than half a dozen mares. Some of the more strenuous duties, moreover, have lately been contracted out. After all, Alfonso Mazzetti is not as young as he was. It's been a long and winding road since he used to ride a motorcycle, aged just 11, to the racetrack in Lima where he would shoot pool with the jockeys; never mind the many years in Colorado in between. Such a long and winding road, in fact, that...

Two time Horse of the Year Curlin (Smart Strike) remains steady atop the roster at Hill 'n' Dale Farm with a fee of $225,000 LFSN for the 2025 breeding season, the farm announced Monday. The sire of three Eclipse Award Champions last year, he currently has three Grade I winners and five Grade I performers in 2024. Standing alongside his sire, Good Magic's (Curlin) fee also remains unchanged at $125,000 LFSN. Good Magic has three Grade I winners in 2024 including GI Belmont Stakes and GI Haskell Stakes winner Dornoch,...

Two people were shot and one person stabbed when violence broke out at La Plata Racecourse in Argentina Tuesday, Racing Post reported. Approximately 30 people were involved in the incident at the coastal track, located around 30 miles from Buenos Aires, and two people were transported to the hospital with gunshot wounds. A third sustained a knife injury. Footage of the incident posted on social media showed a gunman running toward the group and producing a gun before a shot rings out. Other video shows a male being treated for...