News

Six Wins for Franco at Aqueduct Thursday

on 02/12/2026 7:24 PM

Jockey Manny Franco booted home six winners Thursday on Aqueduct's nine-race card, including three consecutive victories to close the day. The six wins pushed his winter meet win total to 25, which leads the current jockey standings. “My agent [John Panagot] is the best, doing a terrific job,” said Franco said. “Every day, he tries

The post

Training Great John Shirreffs Passes Away at 80

on 02/12/2026 6:58 PM

A trainer built equal parts brilliant and idiosyncratic, John Shirreffs passed away quietly in his sleep overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning. He was 80 years old. He leaves behind the kind of record unmatched by all but a select few. At the summit of Shirreffs's mammoth achievements was of course Zenyatta–elegant and imperious, who between

The post

Lopez to Miss the Remainder of Fair Grounds Meet with Broken Ankle

on 02/12/2026 5:00 PM

Jockey Paco Lopez, who suffered a broken ankle in a spill at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 7, will miss the remainder of the Fair Grounds meet, according to agent Jose Gracia on Thursday. The incident occurred in the 8th race on the card when Lopez's mount, Betty's Dance (Brody's Cause), clipped heels and lost

The post

Lopez to Miss the Remainder of Fair Grounds Meet with Broken Ankle

on 02/12/2026 5:00 PM

Jockey Paco Lopez, who suffered a broken ankle in a spill at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 7, will miss the remainder of the Fair Grounds meet, according to agent Jose Gracia on Thursday. The incident occurred in the 8th race on the card when Lopez's mount, Betty's Dance (Brody's Cause), clipped heels and lost

The post

Mountaineer Trainer Clouston Suspended Six Months, Fined $5,000 for Second Class 1 Drug Positive in 1 Year

on 02/12/2026 4:05 PM

Trainer Eddie Clouston, who was third in earnings and second in victories at the 2025 Mountaineer Park meet, has been suspended six months and fined $5,000 by that track's stewards stemming from a Class 1/Penalty Category A post-race drug positive for oxymorphone in the urine of a filly who broke her maiden by 8 ¼

The post

First Foal for Darby Dan Farm’s Grade I Winner Shirl’s Speight

on 02/12/2026 3:49 PM

Darby Dan Farm's Shirl's Speight (Speightstown–Perfect Shirl, by Perfect Soul {Ire}), sired his first reported foal when a filly out of the multiple stakes-placed Ultimate Class (Durling) was born at Crupper Bloodstock in Paris, Kentucky, on Feb. 9. The filly's dam amassed earnings of $283,253 during her racing career and she has also produced multiple

The post

Champion and Dual Classic Winner Afleet Alex Dies at 24

on 02/12/2026 3:27 PM

Afleet Alex (Northern Afleet–Maggy Hawk, by Hawkster), the 2005 Champion 3-Year-Old Male and winner of both the GI Preakness and GI Belmont Stakes, was euthanized on Feb. 6 due to the infirmities of old age. He was 24. Afleet Alex will be buried at Gainesway. Retired to stud at Gainesway in 2006, he remained as

The post

Quality Road’s Prom Queen Voted ‘TDN Rising Star’ After Gulfstream Maiden Dance

on 02/12/2026 3:24 PM

Looking to be named the belle of the ball in a Gulfstream maiden, Prom Queen (Quality Road–Miss Bling Bling, by Tapit) ran on nicely to wear a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', crown on Thursday afternoon. A runn...

Pletcher’s Jackson Hole Returns in Fountain of Youth, Nearly Heads Straight to Florida Derby

on 02/12/2026 3:07 PM

A pair of runners trained by Todd Pletcher are being targeted for Gulfstream Park's marquee races for 3-year-olds this winter. WinStar Farm LLC, CHC Inc. and First Go Racing LLC's undefeated Jackson Hole (Nyquist) is on track for a start in the GII Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstre...

Florida House Advances Decoupling, but Senate Has Yet to Schedule Hearings on Companion Bill

on 02/12/2026 2:31 PM

The Florida House of Representatives on Feb. 11 passed the controversial decoupling bill backed by Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs that would allow either track to cease live racing while retaining their respective casino and card-room privileges. The 77-34 decoupling vote was largely split along party lines, with Republicans mostly in favor of it

The post

The Kentucky Oaks TDN Top 10 For Feb. 12: Zany Stays on Top

on 02/12/2026 9:16 AM

It's been three weeks since our last GI Kentucky Oaks Top 10, and a lot has happened. But no one stepped up with the type of explosive performance that would have shaken up the standings. We've dropped four horses from our original poll. Mythical (St. Patrick's Day) just wasn't good enough in the GIII Forward

The post

‘It’s King Kong Versus Godzilla’: Baffert Relishing Saudi Cup Battle Between Forever Young and Nysos

on 02/12/2026 8:48 AM

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — Bob Baffert may have won two Triple Crowns, six Kentucky Derbys, 21 Breeders' Cup races, and four Dubai World Cups but there is an itch that still needs to be scratched: the Saudi Cup. “We've gotten pretty close,” he said Thursday morning from King Abdulaziz Racecourse, and he's not wrong. Baffert

The post

National Rulings February 5 – February 11, Vet McCrosky Banned 24 Years

on 02/11/2026 5:48 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 (HIWU)'s “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Among this week's rulings, a HIWU arbitrator has banned I...

Journalism Nearing Return to Worktab, ‘Postured for a Serious, Serious Campaign’

on 02/11/2026 4:59 PM

Last year's GI Preakness S., GI Santa Anita Derby and GI NYRA Bets Haskell S. winner Journalism (Curlin), back in training with Michael McCarthy at Santa Anita since mid-January, is nearing a return to the worktab. Campaigned in partnership by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, breeder Don Alber...

Charlatan’s Easy Decision Off The Mark In Aqueduct Maiden

on 02/11/2026 4:57 PM

EASY DECISION (c, 3, Charlatan–All Laced Up, by Bernardini) was unveiled as the 9-5 choice here. The chalk initially took on longshot pacesetter Lord King (King for a Day), but was reigned in to stalk up the backstretch. Taking aim at the leader and Complex Charlie (

First Foals Arrive for Darby Dan Farm’s Grade I Winner Blazing Sevens

on 02/11/2026 3:34 PM

Darby Dan Farm's Blazing Sevens (Good Magic-Trophy Girl, Warrior's Reward), winner of the GI Champagne Stakes, is represented by his first reported foals, including a filly out of the Adios Charlie mare Rye Lane born on Feb. 9 and a colt born on Feb. 11 out of the Ribchester (Ire) mare Championofmyheart ...

First Foals Arrive for Darby Dan Farm’s Grade I Winner Blazing Sevens

on 02/11/2026 3:34 PM

Darby Dan Farm's Blazing Sevens (Good Magic-Trophy Girl, Warrior's Reward), winner of the GI Champagne Stakes, is represented by his first reported foals, including a filly out of the Adios Charlie mare Rye Lane born on Feb. 9 and a colt born on Feb. 11 out of the Ribchester (Ire) mare Championofmyheart ...

First Foals Arrive for Darby Dan Farm’s Grade I Winner Blazing Sevens

on 02/11/2026 3:34 PM

Darby Dan Farm's Blazing Sevens (Good Magic-Trophy Girl, Warrior's Reward), winner of the GI Champagne Stakes, is represented by his first reported foals, including a filly out of the Adios Charlie mare Rye Lane born on Feb. 9 and a colt born on Feb. 11 out of the Ribchester (Ire) mare Championofmyheart ...

Like A Zippo, Igniter Reliable In Allowance Win At The Big A

on 02/11/2026 2:56 PM

IGNITER (c, 3, Volatile–Malibu Prayer {GISW, $618,026}, by Malibu Moon), after being featured in TDN's Second Chances series, broke his maiden by a length during the Belmont At The Big A meet in late September. The homebred was off for two months, then was entered in the GII Remsen Stakes at th...

Like A Zippo, Igniter Reliable In Allowance Win At The Big A

on 02/11/2026 2:56 PM

IGNITER (c, 3, Volatile–Malibu Prayer {GISW, $618,026}, by Malibu Moon), after being featured in TDN's Second Chances series, broke his maiden by a length during the Belmont At The Big A meet in late September. The homebred was off for two months, then was entered in the GII Remsen Stakes at th...