INTERNATIONAL ARTICLE
BY TOM KRISH

Looking At Lucy Locks up Freshman Boy Honours

Joel Rosario has been exonerated. Jockey Rosario, who ended the Hollywood Park fall meeting as the top rider with 37 winners,.... More...

Good Ba Ba Wins HK Mile Third Consecutive Time

Joel Rosario is one of the better jockeys in Southern California. On Friday, December 11, jockey Rosario had seven rides at Hollywood Park. .... More...

Espoir City Runs away with Japan Cup Dirt

Trainer Steve Asmussen has an addiction. He likes setting new marks. He likes it better when he breaks those records. .... More...

Mick Kinane Announces Retirement

He had won the 2008 Indian Derby with the S S Shah-trained Hotstepper. I walked up to Mick Kinane who was waiting for the trophy presentation. .... More...

Vodka Triumphs in Japan Cup Turf

Damien Oliver appealed the month-long ban imposed on him for transgression of a prohibited substance rule. The Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board found jockey Oliver’s explanation satisfactory..... More...

Fluke and Ventura Pay Rich ‘Frankel’ Tributes

There was something happening in Japan at week’s end. The Irish racing season came to an end. A commendable weight-carrying feat was seen in Newbury’s Hennessy Gold Cup chase in England. .... More...

Twin Sparks Runs 1200 in 1 06.49 at Turf Paradise

The home team won three races and the visitors managed one victory in the jockeys’ challenge at Turffontein on Sunday. Turffontein is in Johannesburd, South Africa..... More...

Sea The Stars Wins Two Cartier Awards

The Cartier Awards were presented on Tuesday, November 17 at the Claridge’s Hotel in London. The Cartiers are ‘Racing Oscars’ and the 2009 awards went according to script..... More...

Bobby Frankel, America’s Top Trainer, Passes Away

Robert Frankel, the doyen among American trainers, is dead. Frankel, 68, died early Monday in his home at Pacific Palisades, California because of complications from leukaemia..... More...

Passion for Gold wins Criterium Saint Cloud for Freshmen

Summer Bird is going to Japan. The triple Grade I winner ran fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Summer Bird will take his chances in the Japan Cup (Dirt) to be run at Hanshin Racecourse in early December. .... More...

Zenyatta Storms Home in The Classic

The 2009 Breeders’ Cup races run at Santa Anita at week’s end marked the 26th anniversary of what are called ‘the world thoroughbred championships..... More...

Zenyatta at the Cusp of Making History

Not a single favourite won in the Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita on Friday. I got to Santa Anita 90 minutes before the first race. There was a nine-race card. .... More...

Stage Set for the Breeders’ Cup Championships

There is a new Breeders’ Cup wager this year. Who will ride the most winners? There is a morning line for this bet. Garrett Gomez, who won four BC races, last year, is the 3-1 favourite. .... More...

Zenyatta Heads Top-class Classic Field

Zenyatta, unbeaten in 13 starts, takes on the boys for the first time in her career in the $5,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday at Santa Anita..... More...

Shocking and Corey Brown Win Melbourne Cup

Post time for the 149th running of the Melbourne Cup, the race that stops a nation, was 3 PM local time on Tuesday. HRTV, an America-based racing network,....... More...

Ryan Moore is Champion Jockey in England

Ryan Moore is the champion jockey in England this year. It is the third time in four years that Moore is the leading rider in the United Kingdom..... More...

St Nicholas Abbey Takes Racing Post Trophy in Great Style

There is a new saint in Europe. I am talking about a different kind of saint. Trainer Aidan O’Brien, often referred to as the Ballydoyle maestro,...... More...

A Fabulous Swan Song for Champs Elysees

Twice Over carried Prince Khalid Abdullah’s silks to victory in Newmarket’s Champion Stakes last Saturday. It was three in the afternoon in England..... More...

Twice Over Offers Evidence of Sir Cecil magic

What has been termed the ‘Henry Cecil magic’ was on display at Newmarket Racecourse on Saturday. Twice Over, a four year-old colt,...... More...

Zenyatta has a Tantalizing Option

Zenyatta has raced 13 times in her career. She has won every time. The 13 for 13 record put Zenyatta on par with Personal Ensign who retired but not before beating the boys once..... More...

Sea The Stars Retired after Win in Arc

Mick Kinane was clear and concise. Sea The Stars, the Irish riding ace’s mount, had won the Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. Kinane spoke about Sea The Stars’ future..... More...

Sea The Stars now an odds on for the Arc

The Aga Khan-owned Alandi has missed work. Trainer John Oxx spoke about the Cadran. “There is a holdup because of a quarter crack. It is doubtful if we will go.”.... More...

Trainer Mark Johnston Wins Three Races in Three Countries

Trainer Mark Johnston deserves top billing in this report. He has had a very productive 2009 and shows no signs of slowing down. On Sunday,...... More...

Rip Van Winkle Shows Rare Resolve in QE II Win

Saturday at Ascot had been billed as a clash between two super powers in thoroughbred racing. The Godolphin camp had a contender in all the three big races.... More...

Rip Van Winkle and Delegator in Four-horse QE II Field

London has been dry. These are glorious autumn days in England. There is a chill in the air at daybreak. Twilight time sees the temperature drop..... More...

Ascot has Three-day Meeting Opening Friday

The three-day meeting at Ascot begins on Friday. Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (1600 metres) is a ‘you win and you’re in’ race..... More...

Ventura Beats the Boys in Woodbine Mile

There was no late afternoon racing either in England or Ireland on Monday. There were three flat tracks racing on Monday in England and the races began about 2 PM and by 6 PM the action had ended. .... More...

Linda Rice, First Female Trainer, to Win a Major Title

Steve Asmussen started training horses in 1986. He has been in the limelight in recent years. He trained Curlin, Horse of the Year in 2007 and 2008. .... More...

Dar Re Mi Wins Vermeille but Loses in the Stewards’ Room

Sunday was Arc preview day at Longchamp in Paris. There were three Group races and the most important among them was the Prix Vermeille (Group I) over 2,400 metres. .... More...

Pesi Shroff Exudes Optimism about Set Alight

The Godolphin operation in England had not won a Classic since 2004. At Doncaster that year, Rule Of Law carried Sheikh Mohammed’s royal blue.... More...

Rachel Alexandra takes the Woodward

Two apprentice jockeys lost their lives in a fire in North Yorkshire early Saturday. One was Jan Wilson, 19, who had ridden with some success in recent weeks.... More...

Summer Bird Splashes Home an Easy Winner in Travers

Who is the best three year-old boy in America? That question was emphatically answered in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga last Saturday. .... More...

Sea The Stars wins York’s Juddmonte

It may not have been what the fans would have wanted. Here’s a three year-old, winner of three Group I races, who was going for four G I races in succession. .... More...

Awesome Gem one to beat in Longacres Mile

I saw the video of the Nizam’s Cup. Icebreaker got first run and that gave her an advantage. Yet, Icebreaker, once she struck the front, was putting some separation between herself and her adversaries..... More...

Zenyatta is a perfect 12 for 12

Team Ireland won the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot last Saturday. Richard Hughes, captain of the Irish team, covered himself with glory by steering a 377-1 treble. .... More...

Gio Ponti takes a Million stroll at Arlington Park

The sun was shining as the day broke on Friday in Chicago. Rain began falling early afternoon and did not stop until nightfall. Intermittent rain continued during the night and the early hours of Saturday. .... More...

Three Grade I races at Arlington on Saturday

Arlington Park hosts three Grade I races on Saturday. The first race is at 12 15 P M and the twelfth and last race is at 6 15 P M. There is daylight in Chicago until 8 P M. I am getting ready for a marathon afternoon. .... More...

Rachel Alexandra Has Another Feather In Her Cap

Rachel Alexandra has done some extraordinary things. The three year-old filly won the Kentucky Oaks by 20 lengths. In the Preakness Stakes, .... More...

Colonel John opens 2009 account on the grass

There have been six catastrophic breakdowns at Del Mar in a ten-day period that includes the first week of racing. Three have been in morning work, .... More...

Rip Van Winkle Wins Sussex Stakes In Style

Here is some good news for Danny Grant fans. In Ireland, Dan Grant connected with Charleville, a 20-1 chance,in the 3 10 race at Galway on Wednesday. Galway is holding a racing.... More...

Alfred Nobel Justifies Favoritism In Phoenix Stakes

There was a flurry of activity around the world over the weekend. Let us begin with the Nijinsky Stakes, a Grade II turf race, .. More...

Jockey Bejarano Recovering From Facial Injuries

Let me begin this piece with the story about Rafael Bejarano. The 27 year-old Bejarano, a multiple champion in southern California, suffered several facial fractures in a spill at Del Mar on July 22, .... More...

Sir Stoute has three runners in King George

Yes, there is racing in Russia. On Saturday, at the Moscow Hippodrome, the President of the Russian Federation Stakes was run. It was a 2400-metre race on dirt. Eleven horses answered the starter’s call. Monomakh,.... More...

Steve Asmussen gets six-month ban for drug infraction

Steve Asmussen is the top trainer in America this year. He leads in the money category and in number of races won. Trainer Asmussen trained Curlin and Rachel Alexandra,.... More...

Sariska, never off the bridle, wins Irish Oaks

The replay of the Darley Irish Oaks run at the Curragh on Sunday is a ‘must see’ tape. The Oaks was won by a strongly fancied runner. Sariska, the winner of the Oaks at Epsom in June,.... More...

Fleeting Spirit upsets in the July Cup

Trainer Padmanabhan is on fire. I checked the Saturday results in Bangalore and Padmanabhan was unstoppable. Rhapsidion Snow made Saturday’s feature, the BTC Anniversary Cup, a no contest..... More...

Goldikova back to winning ways in Falmouth

The July Meeting at Newmarket began on Wednesday. The Falmouth Stakes, for fillies and mares, was the feature. The 1600-metre race brought out Goldikova, Rainbow View, Heaven Sent and Spacious....More...

Presious Passion runs away with United Nations

Three successive wins in Group I races at three different racecourses over different distances and Sea The Stars, trained by John Oxx, is the highest rated horse in the world..... More...

Sea The Stars wins the Eclipse

He is 50 years old. Mick Kinane, speaking at the post-Derby conference at Epsom, said that there is not a lot of time left in his clock. More...

Fame And Glory justifies Favouritism in Irish Derby

Fame And Glory brought more fame and glory to Ballydoyle and Aidan O’Brien at the Curragh on Sunday. Bet to the exclusion of his ten rivals,.. More...

Sea The Stars out of the Irish Derby

Here is news about Rachel Alexandra. It is close to 11 PM on Saturday in Dublin as I type this report. The champion filly has won the Mother Goose at Belmont Park. More...

Sea The Stars doubtful as rain hits the Curragh

Rain began to fall as post time for the Friday twilight card opener approached at the Curragh. From good, the going was changed to soft. More...

Sea The Stars not committed to Derby yet

Fame And Glory is as low as 2-1 after a statement from John Murtagh that the Espom Derby runner-up is in ‘great form.’ Punters are keeping in mind Seamie Heffernan’s More...

Sea The Stars Attempts a Derby Double

Sea The Stars is all set to take his chances in the Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday. Seventeen sophomores stood their ground on Tuesday and Sea The Stars is the 4-6 favourite with Paddy Power.. More...

Art Connoisseur shocks Golden Jubilee field

The theme of the week at Royal Ascot has been what many have called ‘foreign domination’ and on Saturday, in the Golden Jubilee Stakes, two out of country horses were fancied to argue it out. More...

Ghanaati wins Coronation Stakes in record time

Friday at Royal Ascot belonged to the Hills family. Barry Hills did not attend the races because of illness but what happened at Ascot must have lifted the spirits of the Hills family patriarch. More...

Yes, it is four in a row for Yeats

In my Royal Ascot experience, I have not seen a crowd show such tremendous enthusiasm for a runner and look forward to a race with such intense anticipation. The Gold Cup is the ‘feature of features.’ More...

Yeats Goes for History-making Fourth Gold Cup

It was another great day in London on Wednesday as I set sail for Ascot. I did not leave my hotel until 11 15 AM and I made my connections without delay. I was at Ascot before 1 PM. More...

Richard Hughes steals the thunder at Royal Ascot

It was a gorgeous day in London on Tuesday. It was opening day at Royal Ascot. There had been rain late afternoon on Monday and the temperature had dropped. More...

Stacelita makes a mockery of Prix Diane

The Prix de Diane was a no contest. Stacelita, Christophe Lemaire up, sat second as the 150-1Onega Lake set the pace. Samuel Fargeat was aboard Onega Lake. More...

Stacelita heads French Oaks field at Chantilly

Chantilly hosts the Prix de Diane, the French Oaks this afternoon. You will be able to see and wager on the race in betting outlets in England and Ireland. More...

Mastercraftsman strongly fancied in St James Palace

Royal Ascot begins on Tuesday, June 16. It is a five-day meeting. There are two Group I races on Tuesday. They are the Queen Anne Stakes and the St James Palace Stakes. More...

Le Havre brings joy to Indian breeding

It is 11 A M on Wednesday as I begin typing this report. The Paris trip took a great deal out of me. I had planned to go to Windsor for the Monday twilight meeting but was too worn out. The trip to Windsor is a charming one. More...

Jockey Lemaire’s dream day at Chantilly

There was glorious sunshine as the eight-race French Derby card got under way at 2 P M on Sunday at Chantilly. Rain was coming down hard in London as I left for the train station. More...

Sea The Stars gives Kinane third Derby win

The news came two minutes ago. It is late in the evening in London on Saturday. The other bird has won the Belmont Stakes. Summer Bird, owned by Dr K K Jayaraman and Vilasini Devi Jayaraman..., More...

Sariska wins a thriller in the Oaks

The weather office in London hit the nail on the head. The sun took a holiday. There were ominous clouds. There was a drop of rain now and then. A cold wind kept blowing. More...

Sariska and Sea To The Stars head Oaks-Derby markets

Epsom Downs was watered on Tuesday. There is rain in the forecast on Friday and again on Saturday. It is believed that the rain will not be significant enough to make a dent on the state of the going. More...

Vincent O’Brien is No More

Vincent O’Brien set the gold standard for training thoroughbreds. There is not a race of importance that he did not win in Europe. He had success in America as well. More...

Rachel Alexandra will not race in Belmont Stakes

It is official. Rachel Alexandra will not race in the Belmont Stakes. An announcement came from the champion filly’s camp on Friday. More...

Murtagh completes Guineas Double With Again

The Douglas story is rocking the Chicago racing establishment. As jockey Rene Douglas is being treated in intensive care, word has come from Arlington that Born To Be has been euthanized. More...

Jockey Rene Douglas Paralyzed After Arlington Spill

Jockey Rene Douglas is the six-time champion rider at Arlington Park. At the current meeting, Douglas was tied with jockey E T Baird with 15 wins going into Saturday’s card. More...

Master Craftsman runs away with Irish 2000 Guineas

Master Craftsman gave trainer Aidan O’Brien his ninth consecutive win in an Irish Classic on Saturday. Confidently supported and as low as 3-2 at post time,.... More...

Mine That Bird Heads British Ante Post for Belmont

Blue Square, the British bookmaking outfit, has a line for the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the American Triple Crown. The 2400-metre race is to be run at Belmont Park in New York on Saturday,.... More...

Rachel Alexandra is the best, says Borel

The official attendance figure at Pimlico Racecourse on Saturday was 77,850. That number is considerably lower than the traditional ‘over 100,000’ throng that makes.... More...

Rachel Alexandra justifies favoritism in Preakness

Rachel Alexandra was the overwhelming choice in the 134th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racecourse on Saturday. A filly had not won the Preakness since 1924. More...

Rachel Alexandra draws post 13 in the Preakness

The Dante Stakes at York on Thursday served one definite purpose. Sea The Stars and Fame And Glory, two colts based in Ireland, had been at the head of the Epsom Derby.... More...

Sariska takes York’s Musidora

The Preakness Stakes, to be run at Pimlico Racecourse coming Saturday, is limited to 14 starters, It is the second leg of the American Triple Crown. More...

Fame And Glory wins Derrinstown Trial

Let us begin with what has been happening in Europe the past week. There is so much that needs to be said about racing in America that a separate piece would make eminent sense. More...

Ghanaati’s Oaks Odds Cut Dramatically

Three Classics in two continents and new stars emerged and reputations that needed to be cemented fell by the wayside at week’s end. More...

Ghanaati, a 20-1 Chance, Runs Away with 1000 Guineas

It was another upset but this time, it was across the Atlantic in the English 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday. More...

Mine That Bird shocks Kentucky Derby field

It was Calvin Borel’s day. On Friday, jockey Borel was aboard Rachel Alexandra who won the Kentucky Oaks by 20 lengths. There was another high profile win for Calvin Borel in the form of Miss Isella.... More...

Sea The Stars, Kinane up, wins 2000 Guineas

Mick Kinane produced Sea The Stars in the final 200 metres and got the better of Delegator who was shaping like a winner in the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday. More...

Jockey Bejarano wins five at Hollywood Park

Quality Road is out of the Kentucky Derby. The Jimmy Jerkens pupil was found to have a second quarter crack after routine work last week. The confirmation came early on Monday. More...

Naaqoos will go in French 2000 Guineas

Bernardini was not one in the top bracket in 2006 whenever there was talk about three year-olds in the United States. The Withers Stakes provided the platform for Bernardini to advertise his claims and go on to win the Preakness. More...

Derby Riders Being Sorted out

Seattle is in the Pacific Northwest. Redmond is a suburb of Seattle and that is where my daughter and son in law live. I am visiting and on Saturday, I am going to Emerald Downs,... More...

Advice takes Keeneland’s Coolmore Lexington

The first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown was run on Sunday at Nakayama Racecourse. The Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) was won by Unrivaled, the 6-1 third choice. More...

General Quarters Wins Blue Grass Impressively

There was a lot of action around the world in the past four days. Favourites were beaten in all the major races with one exception. More...

Three Major Derby Preps Go To Favourites

Phelan Ready was a 23-1 chance in the Golden Slipper Stakes, a 1200-metre race for freshmen. The Golden Slipper, run at Rosehill in Australia, has the biggest purse for a race confined to two year-olds. More...

Many High Profile US Races on Saturday

Keeneland opens on Friday. It is a 15-day spring meet. Keeneland is in Kentucky, about 70 miles from Louisville and is the breeding capital of the world........ More...

Quality Road takes the Florida Derby

Two high class colts went postward in the $750,000 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. In two of the past three years, the winner of the Florida Derby has gone on to win the Kentucky Derby. More...

Well Armed outpaces foes in World Cup

When the Dubai World Cup was run for the first time in 1996, an America-based horse, Cigar won as the strongly fancied favorite. On Saturday, the World Cup, run as the last race at Nad Al Sheba racecourse,... More...

Mafaaz wins at Kempton and gets Derby berth

The Kentucky Derby will have twenty runners. In a ‘you win and you’re in’ race, Mafaaz, a colt owned by Sheikh Hamdan, won the Derby Challenge at Kempton Park last Wednesday in a four-way photo. More...

Derby Preps Provide Mixed Results

Jorge Ricardo, the jockey with the most wins, has been sidelined. On Saturday at Cidade Jardim (racecourse) in San Paulo, Brazil, jockey Ricardo was aboard Flymetothemoon, the favorite,... More...

Cheltenham Festival Gets Under Way

The Cheltenham Festival opens on Tuesday, March 10, 2009. The first race is at 1:30 P M. It is a card of six races. The last race will be run at 4:40 P M. London is five and one half hours behind India. More...

Stardom Bound Wins Santa Anita Oaks

Stardom Bound kept her Grade I streak going with a win in the Santa Anita Oaks on Saturday. Mike Smith had to pull all the stops out to get the better of Third Dawn, an outsider. More...

Stardom Bound Favoured in Santa Anita Oaks

Magna Entertainment Corporation owns and runs several tracks in the United States. Frank Stronach, the Australian businessman, heads the company. In the recent past, MEC has run into serious financial difficulties. More...

Quality Road Takes the Fountain of Youth

Stardom Bound, successful in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita last year, won in her sophomore debut and heads the nominations for the $400,000 Ashland Stakes. More...

Success Broken wins February Stakes in Tokyo

The February Stakes was the feature at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday. Kane Hekili, twice winner of the Japan Cup (dirt), was strongly fancied. Casino Drive, successful in Belmont’s Peter Pan last year and a runner in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita, was in the field. More...

Old Fashioned Wins Southwest On Road To Kentucky Derby

Autonomy’s win on Sunday at Mahalaxmi catapulted him to a special place in the ‘Classic’ division. Set Alight heads the pecking order but it is now clear that she has a serious challenger. Dancing Dynamite ran a glorious race in that loss to Autonomy More...

Stardom Bound To Take On The Boys

Ice Breaker’s win in the Poonawalla Bangalore Derby should lead us all to one inescapable conclusion. She is the best four year-old in Bangalore. There was an opinion that Abs Fabs would turn the tables on the Padmanabhan trainee. More...

Kip Deville Starts 2009 on Triumphant Note

Kip Deville won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Monmouth Park in 2007. In the same race in October 2008 at Santa Anita, Kip Deville could not make an impression on Goldikova, a filly who administered a sound beating to the boys. More...

Ventura and Albertus Maximus justify favoritism

Francis Norton won with his second ride in Mumbai on Saturday. Jockey Norton rides for Andrew Balding in England. Last Thursday, Norton rode the Balding-trained Banknote, the first runner owned by the Queen, to race in Dubai. More...

Curlin Repeats As Horse Of The Year

To the connections of Curlin, the Eclipse awards ceremony last night in Miami must have been doubly sweet. The richest horse in thoroughbred racing won the Eclipse Award for the second straight time as Horse of the Year. More...

The Pamplemousse Wins San Rafael

Worldwide, the economic downturn has had adverse consequences. Racing is being hit hard. Attendance is down. Handles have declined. Several tracks have lowered purses. More...

Jockey Gomez and Trainer Asmussen Top Rankings

This is my first piece in the New Year. I am in Chennai. Despite missing a connecting flight, I made it to Chennai adding two stops to my journey. More...