News

GI Apple Blossom Joins 2026 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Slate

on 01/22/2026 3:09 PM

The $1.25 million GI Apple Blossom Handicap has joined the roster of prestigious North American races for the 2026 Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, Breeders' Cup Limited and Oaklawn Park said in a joint release on Thursday. The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races, the winners of

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California-Based Trainer James Cassidy Dies At 80

on 01/22/2026 2:27 PM

Trainer James Cassidy died Wednesday at his home in Monrovia, California after suffering from heart disease. He was 80. Born Aug. 21, 1945 in New York City, Cassidy got his start working with show horses at the age of 12. He would later transition to racehorses and in 1975, Cassidy took out his trainer's license.

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New McMahon Sire Provocateur’s First Foal Is A Filly

on 01/22/2026 11:30 AM

New stallion Provocateur (by Into Mischief) has his first foal, a filly out of the winning Cassidy's Reward (Warrior's Reward) who was born on Monday, Jan. 19 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, the farm said in a release on Thursday. A multiple-stakes winner and Grade I placed competitor,

HISA Seeks Public Comment On Proposed ADMC Rule Modifications

on 01/22/2026 10:43 AM

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) seeks public comment on proposed modifications to the Rule Series 5000 (Equine Testing and Investigation Standards) and 7000 (Arbitration Procedures) of its Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program by Monday, Feb. 23, the regulator said via a press release on Thursday. The proposed modifications build on HISA's ongoing

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Winter Blast Freezes Weekend Turfway Cards

on 01/22/2026 10:16 AM

Turfway Park Racing & Gaming has canceled its Friday and Saturday live racing programs due to severe winter weather expected in the Florence, Kentucky area, according to a press release from operator Churchill Downs Inc. Officials from the National Weather Service are calling for wind chill values to dip into the single digits early Friday

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Asmussen Has Magnitude, Obliteration Booked for Saudi

on 01/22/2026 9:05 AM

Magnitude (Not This Time), a game winner over older horses in his sophomore finale in the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 28, will make his next start in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will also be well-represented by 'TDN Rising Star, presented by H...

Maryland Abandons Plans for Shamrock Farm, Pivots to Laurel for Future Training Center

on 01/21/2026 5:28 PM

In an abrupt switch of plans that had seemed cemented for the past year as part of the $400-million “Pimlico Plus” rebuild of Maryland's Thoroughbred racing infrastructure, the Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) is abandoning plans to convert its recently purchased Shamrock Farm in Carroll County into an 800-horse training center, and will instead buy Laurel

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NJ Breeders, Darby Development Have Reached a Compromise on Monmouth Dates Situation

on 01/21/2026 5:00 PM

The Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey (TBANJ) has announced that it has reached an agreement with Darby Development, the management company that oversees operations at Monmouth Park, that should end what had been a stalemate concerning future racing dates at the seaside track. In a statement released Wednesday, the TBANJ said it was supporting

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Morplay Racing’s Rich Mendez Joins The TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Presented By Keeneland

on 01/21/2026 3:58 PM

Under the leadership of Rich Mendez, Morplay Racing has come a long way in a short time. The Morplay team, which also includes Mendez's son, Josh, Randy Hartley, and Dean DeRenzo, and started up in 2023, has already won at the highest levels with Shisospicy (Mitole) and got a taste of Derby Fever when it

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Citing Weather, NYRA Pushes Aqueduct’s Sunday Card To Following Wednesday

on 01/21/2026 1:18 PM

With winter weather on the way, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will move the live racing program scheduled for Sunday, January 25 at Aqueduct Racetrack to Wednesday, January 28, pending approval from the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC), the organization announced Wednesday. In a press release, NYRA says, “due to a winter

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National Weekly Rulings: January 16-21

on 01/21/2026 1:08 PM

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 01/15/2026 Licensee: C...

Five Fastest Maidens: January 12-19

on 01/21/2026 12:45 PM

5. CINISTER CIX, TP, 1/16-6th, 6 furlongs Beyer Speed Figure-83 (2nd) (c, 4, by Curlin–Auntjenn, by Uncle Mo) O-Bartolome Mafla Herrera. B-Breffni Farm. T-Shane Sands. J-Walter Rodriguez. Privately purchased from the breeder after a half-dozen mostly uninspiring starts, the

GISW Iscreamuscream, With Not This Time Nomination, Supplemented To Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale

on 01/21/2026 12:37 PM

Iscreamuscream (Twirling Candy) (hip 385), winner of the GI Del Mar Oaks, has been supplemented to Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale on Monday, Feb. 9. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, she is offered as a broodmare prospect. A five-year-old daughter of

TAA Returns as Aftercare Partner of Pegasus World Cup

on 01/21/2026 11:31 AM

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will once again serve as the official aftercare partner of the Pegasus World Cup, which will be held Saturday at Gulfstream Park. TAA will have a named race on both Friday and Saturday and winners of both races will receive a TAA blanket and gift bag. A representative from TAA will

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Early Triple Crown Nominations Due Monday

on 01/21/2026 10:43 AM

Nominations for the 2026 Triple Crown, with an early payment of $600, are due Monday at midnight at www.thetriplecrown.com. After Monday, horses can still be nominated during the late nomination phase with a $6,000 payment between Jan. 27 and Apr. 6. The final opportunity for eligibility is through a supplemental nomination fee due at entry

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RRP Aftercare Conference Returns in February

on 01/21/2026 10:06 AM

The Retired Racehorse Project's Aftercare Industry Month will return in February. The virtual conference is presented by Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation and will take place throughout the month. Four webinar sessions will feature panelists representing the various branches of the aftercare industry, and will delve into a range of topics that pertain to everyone

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Santa Anita Files Suit Against California Department of Justice

on 01/20/2026 10:40 PM

The latest salvo in the fight over the legality of a suite of Racing on Demand slot machine-style parimutuel games that were removed from Santa Anita by state Department of Justice law enforcement officers Saturday afternoon was fired Tuesday by the track, which filed a writ of mandate against the DOJ in the Los Angeles

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Santa Anita Files Suit Against the State DOJ Over Confiscated Racing On Demand Machines

on 01/20/2026 10:40 PM

The latest salvo in the fight over the legality of a suite of Racing On Demand slot machine-style pari-mutuel games that were removed from Santa Anita by state Department of Justice (DOJ) law enforcement officers Saturday afternoon was fired Tuesday by the track, which filed a writ of mandate against the DOJ in the Los

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Canadian Champion Dresden Row Tops Fasig-Tipton January Digital Sale

on 01/20/2026 6:58 PM

Canadian Sovereign Award-winning 3-year-old male Dresden Row (Lord Nelson) (hip 1), sold for $575,000, topped the 2026 Fasig-Tipton January Digital Sale which closed Tuesday evening. The sale, which opened Thursday, Jan. 15 and included horses of racing age, racing/broodmare prospects, racing/stallion prospects, short yearlings, and a stallion season, totaled gross sales of $4,514,500 for 160

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