WinStar Farm

Two turns? It turns out there's no problem. When Timberlake (c, 3, Into Mischief--Pin Up {Ire}, by Lookin At Lucky) finished a somewhat rank, then flat, fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November, questions swirled about his ability to get two turns. Trainer Brad Cox brushed the questions aside and let the horse do the talking. A freshened Timberlake, making his first start of the year in Oaklawn's GII Rebel S. Saturday, captured the $1.3-million race by a resounding two lengths over Kenny McPeek trainees Common Defense (Karakontie...

1st-Oaklawn, $115,000, Msw, 2-11, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:39.82, sy, 3 lengths. MERASOL SUGAR (f, 3, Constitution--Chanel Number Mine, by Value Plus) put in a solid final work Feb. 3 (:48, 4f, 1/63) in preparation for her debut with Lasix here. As a 6-1 shot, the lone first timer in the field cruised to the lead heading into the first turn, and continued to set all the fractions up the backstretch and around the far turn. The homebred had plenty in reserve down the lane and she splashed home by three...

'TDN Rising Star' Timberlake (Into Mischief), winner of last fall's GI Champagne S., could potentially launch his sophomore season in the GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn Park Feb. 24. The Siena Farm and WinStar Farm colorbearer was last seen finishing a well-beaten fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Nov. 3. "He's pointing for it," trainer Brad Cox said. "We've got to see how our works go over the next several weeks, but he's doing well. Hopefully, we can get him there." Timberlake worked four furlongs in...

2nd-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-27, 3yo, 7f, 1:21.96, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. SPEAK EASY (c, 3, Constitution--Fun {GISP, $128,729}, by Harlan's Holiday), an easy-in-the-market 83-10 from a 4-1 morning line, outfought the heavily favored fellow firster Victory Avenue (Arrogate) to open his account at first asking before the clock struck noon on Pegasus Day Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The chalk, a $375,000 OBS June purchase who was bet down to 3-2 from a 5-1 morning line in the same maiden won last year by Mage (Good Magic) for the same connections,...

These are busy times for Alan Foreman, who is the general counsel to the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, a member of Maryland's Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA) and serves as an ombudsman for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU). He took time out of his schedule to join the TDN Writers' Room Podcast, sponsored by The Green Group. It is his work with the MTROA that has received the most attention of late as the Authority recently issued a plan that...

WinStar Farm's Life Is Good (Into Mischief--Beach Walk, by Distorted Humor) was represented by his first foal when graded-stakes placed Shesa Mystery (Verazano) produced a filly Saturday night at Brookstone Farm in Paris, Kentucky. The filly, whose dam finished second in the 2021 GIII Iowa Oaks, was bred by Wimberley Bloodstock and BWW Bloodstock. Wimberley Bloodstock acquired Shesa Mystery in foal to Life Is Good for $285,000 at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale. "She's a great first foal with quality, bone, and strength," said Archie St. George of Brookstone Farm....

Michael Blowen had no money, no farm, no horses and no backers. But he did have an idea. He wanted to open a farm that would be a sanctuary for some of the sport's biggest names who were either gelded or no longer being used as sires or broodmares. Somehow moving mountains, he pulled it off and his Old Friends Farm became home to hundreds of Thoroughbreds and a popular tourist attraction. But now he has decided to retire, 20 years after he opened Old Friends, and turn the reins...

WinStar Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Nashville (Speightstown) was represented by his first foal when a filly was born Monday, Jan. 8, at Maryland's Murmur Farm. Bred by Wasabi Ventures Stables LLC, Robert Angelo, Terry Schuck and Greenspring Mares, the filly is the first foal from Maryland-bred stakes winner Why Not Tonight (Tapiture). "She's a leggy, correct filly with plenty of quality, and we are ecstatic with her as the first foal out of Wasabi's first stakes winner," said George Adams of Housatonic Bloodstock. "We'll be breeding multiple mares back to...

WinStar Farm will host an Open House for breeders from Sunday, Jan. 7 through Thursday, Jan. 11, between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET. each day, the farm said in a release Friday. The open houses will be held at the farm's stallion complex on Paynes Mill Road in Versailles, Kentucky. Visitors are welcome without an appointment to view the WinStar roster for the 2024 season, led by Constitution ($110,000 S&N) and Life Is Good ($85,000 S&N). Breeders will also be able to see WinStar's newest additions for 2024: Country...

Godolphin topped the individual breeders list in North America in 2023 with $20,911,250 in earnings, according to statistics from The Jockey Club Information Systems, the organization said in a release early Friday morning. After topping the list in 2021 and 2022, this past year Godolphin bred 201 starters with 175 wins, 176 seconds, and 131 thirds out of 1,007 starts. Calumet Farm was second for the third consecutive year with earnings of $16,660,472 with 510 wins out of 3,435 starts. Godolphin also led the breeders list that includes partners with...

Albaugh Family Stables' Catching Freedom, the 8-5 favorite, kicked off his sophomore campaign in style with a late-running victory in the Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn Park Monday. Favored for his third-straight start, the bay colt was unhurried early Monday and settled well off the pace behind fractions of :23.02 and :47.01. He inched closer along the rail on the far turn, tipped out for running room approaching the stretch and rolled up four wide into the lane. Just to his inside off the turn was Just Steel (Justify), who...

Born Noble (c, 2, Constitution--Zapperkat, by Ghostzapper) was as green as the St. Elias Stable silks he was carrying, but overcame his inexperience with a powerful 'TDN Rising Star' performance for Todd Pletcher at first asking in the opener on Pegasus Preview day at Gulfstream Park. The 6-5 favorite jumped well from his outside draw and secured a perfect spot in second behind second-time starter and 6-5 second-choice Bonus Move (Twirling Candy). Born Noble cruised up alongside the pacesetter at the five-sixteenths marker and took over with authority at the...