Tomoya Ozasa's horses bear his initials, T.O., making them easily recognizable. T.O. Royal showcased his prowess in the Gr.1 Spring Tenno Sho at Kyoto Racecourse, securing a comfortable victory by two lengths from a pace-stalking position. Another T.O. horse, T.O. Password, is gearing up for the Gr.1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, offering Ozasa the opportunity for a notable ...
Sierra Leone is set to race in the Gr.1 Kentucky Derby on 4th May as one of the favorites, but his purpose for racing is more significant than fame, glory, or money. Sierra Leone, the 3YO son of Gun Runner, runs for the roses in support of the Backside Learning Center, a human service and education nonprofit organization that provides support and resources to more than 1,000 people that live and ...
Trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez started their partnership by winning a maiden claiming race at Aqueduct Racetrack in April 1996. Since then, they have won a total of 1,865 races together, including the 2017 Kentucky Derby with Always Dreaming. Now, after 28 years of their first pairing, the duo will attempt to win another Derby with Fierceness in Churchill Downs paddock before ...
Fierceness, the highly anticipated favorite for the Gr.1 Kentucky Derby on 4th May, had an impressive final workout for the classic on April 26th at Churchill Downs. The colt breezed four furlongs in :48 4/5 under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, leaving workmate Agate Road far behind in the gallop out. Fierceness had spent the winter and early spring at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida, ...
Golden Sixty, trained by Francis Lui, had previously faced defeat on yielding ground. Unfortunately, the champion had to confront the same obstacle again as there was persistent rain throughout the week and earlier today. The rain nullified his usual electrifying dash, which proved to be a disadvantage for the horse. Jockey Vincent Ho, after the race, said that Golden Sixty ran well but the ...
Golden Sixty, Hong Kong's champion horse, is set to make history as he attempts to win his fourth consecutive HKUS$22 million Champions Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday. The 8YO son of Medaglia d'Oro is the first horse to complete an FWD Champions Mile hat-trick in 2021, 2022, and 2023. After claiming the HKUS$32 million Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile last December, Golden Sixty is returning to the track ...
As the end of his first full season in Hong Kong approaches, former Sydney premiership winning jockey Brenton Avdulla is thoroughly enjoying his time there and doesn't have any plans to leave just yet. This season, he has ridden 26 winners from 351 rides with an impressive success rate of 13.5%, which includes his victory aboard California Spangle in the prestigious Group One Queen's Silver ...
Ryusei Sakai, a young and talented jockey from Japan, is all set to ride two Japanese contenders at the FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin, which is going to take place on Sunday 28th April. Sakai has become quite popular in recent years, both in Japan and internationally, and has won many Grade One races on the JRA circuit. He has won races like the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, the Shuka Sho, the ...
In preparation for Sunday's HK$28 million Gr. 1 FWD QEII Cup at Sha Tin, trainer Dennis Yip has issued a warning to Massive Sovereign's rivals, which include world-class stayer Romantic Warrior. Despite being the youngest horse in the field, the 4YO has continued to improve since his last start victory in the BMW Hong Kong Derby. Yip is not worried about the possibility of a rain-affected track ...
As he prepares to team up with three Japanese gallopers at Sha Tin on Sunday, Damian Lane has picked Hishi Iguazu as his top FWD Champions Day ride. Lane has established a strong association with Japan over the past five years, with several successful riding stints there. He has also achieved international Group One wins on Japanese gallopers, including Win Marilyn in the 2022 Hong Kong Vase. On ...
Phil D'Amato, known for his expertise in training turf horses, has been presented with a new opportunity to train a 3YO dirt horse named Stronghold. Stronghold recently won the Gr.1 Santa Anita Derby and is now being prepared for the Gr.1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on 4th May. D'Amato has been a full-time trainer since 2014 and has won 123 graded stakes races, 79% of which have been with ...
Honor Marie, owned by Ribble Farms, Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver, Kenneth Fishbein, and Dave Fishbein, caught everyone's attention with an impressive performance during a five-furlong drill at Churchill Downs on 25th April. The horse clocked in at an incredible :59 1/5, which marked the final workout before the highly anticipated Gr.1 Kentucky Derby on 4th May. "He looked like he was having fun ...