Winchell Thoroughbreds

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. With a ton of steam behind impressive debut winner Just a Touch (Justify) heading into Saturday's GIII Gotham S., the second-place finisher's come-from-behind effort over a sloppy, sealed track that day at Fair Grounds may look even better after this weekend. Off at debut odds of 10-1 for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Gun Party (c, 3, Curlin--Carina Mia, by Malibu Moon) trailed the field of eight...

Things are starting to heat up. Saturday's Busher S. at Aqueduct and Saturday's GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream both have the potential to shake things up. The Davona Dale will feature the return of 2-year-old champion filly Just FYI (Justify) and what looks to be an up-and-coming star in Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief). The Busher will feature Jody's Pride (American Pharoah), who was the runner-up behind Just FYI in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Here's a look at the fourth installment of our Kentucky Oaks Top 10. 1)...

L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Eclipse Award-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner--Letgomyecho, by Menifee), was euthanized Sunday at the Chino Valley Equine Hospital in Southern California. Daily Racing Form was first to report the news. Trainer Steve Asmussen told the Form's Steve Andersen that the filly became cast in her stall and injured herself when trying to get back on her feet. "She was beyond special. My condolences to all who loved her," Asmussen told the Form. David Fiske, who has served as the racing and...

Recharge (Gun Runner) wound up banking 20 points in her Kentucky Oaks checking account after she got the money at Sunland Park on Sunday afternoon. The homebred arrived in El Paso with two wins to her credit in as many races. Breaking her maiden by nine lengths in mid-December at Remington Park, the filly shipped to Houston and passed the two-turn test when she cleared the allowance ranks with a 4-3/4 win Jan. 21. Sent on her way at odds of 2-1 here, the 3-year-old established a lead heading into...

Disarm (c, 4, Gun Runner--Easy Tap, by Tapit), sidelined since finishing a closing second behind Arcangelo (Arrogate) in the GI Travers S. at Saratoga Aug. 26, has returned to training with Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen at the Fair Grounds. A respectable fourth at 27-1 in the GI Kentucky Derby, last term's GIII Matt Winn S. winner and GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby runner-up exited his second-place finish in the Travers with bone bruising, per David Fiske, longtime advisor to owner/breeder Ron Winchell. "He was walking visibly off after the Travers,"...

Last year's Eclipse Champion 3-Year-Old Epicenter is the first stallion that Coolmore's Ashford Stud has stood for Winchell Thoroughbreds and the partnership got off to a blazing start as the son of Not This Time was one of the most popular stallions in Kentucky this year, covering 262 mares in his debut season. Now, Coolmore has teamed up with the same racing and breeding operation to debut another Grade I-winning stallion--this time a homebred son of Winchell's own Gun Runner. Gunite, who claimed the GI Hopeful S. as a juvenile...

Points towards the 2024 GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks will be up for grabs with a pair of graded races for juveniles Saturday at Churchill Downs. Eight colts face off in the 1 1/16-mile GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. and an equal number of fillies head postward in the GII Golden Rod S. a race earlier on the card. Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm's Risk It (Gun Runner), who already owns five Derby points thanks to his runner-up effort in the Sept. 16 GIII Iroquois S., is...

9th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 5:16 p.m. ET Fresh off his inaugural stakes win last weekend, Darby Dan's first-crop sire Copper Bullet will be represented by Winchell homebred COPPERDROP in her grassy Keeneland debut here. Out of a productive Tapit dam who is full-sister to GIII Silverbulletday S. victor War Echo as well as a half to GI Forego S. winner Pyro (Pulpit), the Steve Asmussen trainee counts TVG.com Pegasus S. hero Pneumatic (Uncle Mo) and the stakes-placed duo of Costa Terra (Gun Runner) and Echo Again (Gun...

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will look for a record fifth victory when he sends out 3-1 morning-line favorite Reincarnate (Good Magic) in Saturday's GI betPARX Pennsylvania Derby. "This race is going to be a good step up for him," Baffert said. "He ran really well at Los Alamitos. He is going to have to break well and show up. That's the main thing. If he shows up, I don't see why he wouldn't run well." The field of 11 also includes 7-2 second choice Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming)...

The first foal out of 'TDN Rising Star' Guarana (Ghostzapper)--a colt by the ever-present Into Mischief--had interest from all corners of the Keeneland sales pavilion and was ultimately hammered down to Ron Winchell's Winchell Thoroughbreds for $1.4 million. Winner of the one-mile GI  Acorn S. and GI CCA Oaks going nine panels at three, Guarana picked up where she left off at four, winning the GI Madison S. over seven-eighths of a mile. Hill 'n' Dale consigned and ultimately purchased Guarana for $4.4 million with the Into Mischief colt in...

KENTUCKY DOWNS JUVENILE MILE S., $499,286, Kentucky Downs, 9-10, 2yo, 1mT, 1:38.17, fm. 1--ASPENITE, 118, c, 2, by Constitution 1st Dam: Aspening, by Candy Ride (Arg) 2nd Dam: Motokiks, by Storm Cat 3rd Dam: Matoki, by Hail to Reason ($375,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Glen Hill Farm (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Cristian A. Torres. $294,150. Lifetime Record: 3-1-1-0, $350,450. 2--Tough Little Nut, 118, c, 2, Palace Malice--Celestial Kitten, by Kitten's Joy. ($20,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Town and Country Racing, LLC; B-Austin...

Arcangelo (Arrogate) was in fine shape Sunday following his victory in the GI Travers S. at Saratoga Saturday, but connections will take their time before picking out a next start for the sophomore. "He came back well and is full of himself today," said trainer Jena Antonucci. "Of course the Breeders' Cup is on the radar, but horses don't care about schedules or spreadsheets. We'll do what we've been doing and give him his space. We'll let him pave the way." Arcangelo added the Travers to his win in the...