About four years ago, an 11-year-old horse came off to the racetrack at Charles Town, his racing days done. I’d been following him for a while—six years–and the call finally came that his trainer thought he had had enough. Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue graciously agreed to take him in; a bit obstreperous, at times downright hard…
On a recent Saturday morning at Belmont Park, trainer Rick Schosberg sat in his office, his dozen or so horses in their stalls after morning training. Within minutes, his attention is needed again, not by his barn staff or one of his horses, but by another trainer with a horse whose racing days have come…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Fair Grounds: The GII, $1 million Louisiana Derby at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100-40-20-10) #1 Gun Runner (3-1): Heavy-hitter sat a dream trip in winning the local prep, the GII Risen Star last month, as he settled off the hot pace to the inside, tipped…
It’s that time: time to try to bolster your lead or make a move on the leader by adding a couple of horses to your charity league stable. Last week Cindy Reid regained the lead after ceding it briefly to 2014 winner and 2015 runner-up John Perotti in a dead-heat with turf writer and first-year…
In the summer of 2003, Dr. Patricia Hogan treated a chestnut 2-year-old who had arrived at her New Jersey clinic with his head practically smashed in. Yet to make his first start, the colt was trying to earn his gate card when he instead crashed into the starting gate, badly injuring his eye and the…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Oaklawn Park: The GII, $900,000 Rebel at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100-40-20-10) #1 Creator (6-1): Deep closer drew perfectly for his style and is one of two sons of Tapit in here for Asmussen; both come in off breakthrough runs, and this one blitzed a…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Tampa Bay Downs: The GII, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 50-20-10-5) #1 Morning Fire (15-1): One of three exiting last month’s local prep, the GIII Sam Davis, will need to improve on that third-place finish to have a say here, as…
After three and a half years under the supervision of New York State, the New York Racing Association is preparing to return to private control, board chairman Michael Del Giudice said at a meeting of the association’s board of directors March 10 in New York City. Though the plan for privatization, due to be submitted…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Santa Anita: The GII, $400,000 San Felipe at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 50-20-10-5) #1 Uncle Lino: Improving runner really answered the bell last time when he was a good second behind fellow heavyweight Mor Spirit in the local GIII Robert Lewis, in what was his…
Fourteen years ago, Thoroughbred trainer Dominick Imperio decided to give the woman who would become his daughter-in-law a special birthday present: a yearling. “My husband told me to give it back,” said Elizabeth Loftus, who goes by Libby and who eventually married Dominick’s son, Michael. “He likes to blame me for dragging us back into…
Brooklyn Backstretch 