Wed, 05/28/2025 - 18:07

De Francis Dash, three other June 28 stakes, have purses increased

Barbara D. Livingston
The June 28 De Francis Dash will have a purse of $175,000 this year. The Prince George's County, Deputed Testamony, and Alma North will each be worth $125,000.

The new Maryland Jockey Club and Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association will increase purses by $25,000 for four stakes races at Laurel Park on June 28. The Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash, the featured race on the card, will now be run for $175,000.

Wed, 05/28/2025 - 16:50

Longtime Ontario horseman Paul Buttigieg dies

Paul Buttigieg
Michael Burns
Paul Buttigieg trainer, owner, and breeder. He also operated the Buttigieg Training Center in Egbert, Ontario.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Longtime Ontario horseman Paul Buttigieg, a winner of 672 races as a trainer, died May 27 after a long illness at the age of 78.

Buttigieg owned and trained eight stakes winners, most notably Canadian champion male sprinter Phil’s Dream, who won the Grade 1 Nearctic and was the runner-up in 2013 Canadian Horse of the Year voting.

Wed, 05/28/2025 - 14:58

King of Gosford to Del Mar Mile

Barbara D. Livingston
King of Gosford's connections hope to use the Del Mar Mile as a stepping stone to the Breeders' Cup.

King of Gosford displayed a career-best performance to win Monday’s Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf at Santa Anita. The effort has led trainer Phil D’Amato and the partnership that owns the 4-year-old colt to plan a limited campaign leading to an intended start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

Wed, 05/28/2025 - 14:48

Endlessly, Look Forward to Saratoga stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Endlessly is being prepared for the Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf on June 7.

Endlessly, a four-time stakes winner in California and Kentucky in 2023 and 2024, and Look Forward, the surprise winner of the Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 2, have stakes engagements at Saratoga next week.

Wed, 05/28/2025 - 14:47

Four Friday stakes, including Penn Mile, rescheduled due to weather forecast

Barbara D. Livingston
The Penn Mile, Penn Oaks, Lyphard Handicap, and Alphabet Soup Handicap have been rescheduled for June 20.

Four stakes races on the Friday card at Penn National, including the Grade 3, $400,000 Penn Mile, will be canceled due to inclement weather and rescheduled for June 20. This Friday’s card will be shortened to seven races without any stakes.

The original 11 races scheduled for Friday at the Grantsville, Pa., track were to include the Penn Mile and $150,000 Penn Oaks, as well as two $75,000 statebred handicaps, the Lyphard and Alphabet Soup. All four races were scheduled for turf and likely would have been taken off due to expected rain.

Wed, 05/28/2025 - 14:31

Texas Thoroughbred Association to honor Asmussen with lifetime achievement award

Barbara D. Livingston
At an upcoming awards luncheon, the Texas Thoroughbred Association will honor trainer Steve Asmussen with the T.I. “Pops” Harkins Award for lifetime achievement.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen’s week got off to a strong start Monday, when he saddled Neom Beach to a 6 1/2-length win in the $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff at his home track of Lone Star Park.

This weekend, he will have more to celebrate.

The Texas Thoroughbred Association is awarding Asmussen the T.I. “Pops” Harkins Award for lifetime achievement. It will be given out during the organization’s annual awards luncheon on Saturday at Lone Star.

Wed, 05/28/2025 - 14:10

Nobals eyes Breeders’ Cup return

Barbara D. Livingston
Nobals set a course record while winning an allowance last Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Nobals, the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner, set a course record while winning an allowance last Saturday at Churchill Downs, an effort that had trainer Larry Rivelli planning a return to the Breeders’ Cup.

“For him to do that, now I know he’s back,” Rivelli said. “He had no excuses. That was his race to win and he did it in the way that you want him to.”

Wed, 05/28/2025 - 13:30

Diodoro sets Charles Town Classic as long-range goal for Komorebino Omoide

Hodges Photography
While his next start has yet to be decided, Komorebino Omoide will target the Charles Town Classic as a long-range goal.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – The Japanese-bred Komorebino Omoide is developing into an older horse of significance, and while plans for his next move are still being determined following his Monday win in the Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park, a long-range goal is the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro said Komorebino Omoide, a 5-year-old son of California Chrome who races for his breeder, Perry Martin, emerged from the Sexton in good order and will remain at Lone Star while plans for his next start are decided.

Tue, 05/27/2025 - 15:01

Minor clubhouse kitchen fire at Saratoga quickly extinguished

Heart of Honor trains at SAR May 27 2025
Barbara D. Livingston
The Saratoga and Malta fire departments put out a kitchen fire at Saratoga on Tuesday afternoon.

A small fire in a kitchen area of the clubhouse at Saratoga Race Course on Tuesday caused minor damage, but it should have no impact on the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival scheduled for June 4-8, a New York Racing Association spokesman said.

According to NYRA spokesman Pat McKenna, firefighters from the Saratoga Springs and Malta Ridge Fire departments responded to the fire at approximately 12:45 p.m. Tuesday.

Tue, 05/27/2025 - 14:42

Joseph celebrates nationwide stakes triple on Memorial Day

Barbara D. Livingston
Saffie Joseph Jr. has White Abarrio ready to run in the Met Mile at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – There are a million ways to celebrate Memorial Day, but trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. may have found a new one. This past Monday, Joseph spent the afternoon sitting in his hotel room in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., rooting home three members of his potent stable in stakes races, with Be Your Best and Skippylongstocking making it a holiday to remember after capturing the Grade 1 Gamely and Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita.