Blood-Horse

At the annual Saratoga Institute on Equine, Racing, and Gaming Law in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Aug. 6, the theme of the three morning presentations was survival.

McKinzie, dominant winner of last Saturday's Whitney (G1) at Saratoga, strengthened his lead over Thunder Snow in the latest Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings poll, while the Whitney runner-up, Yoshida, surged to No. 3 in the standings.

With the fourth leg of the 2019 MATCH Series approaching, multiple horses have qualified for bonus money but many need to start in at least one of the final two legs to have a chance to share in the $375,000 available to owners and trainers.

Buying a yearling is the easiest part of acquiring a racing prospect. Next for the young Thoroughbred lies many lessons to learn, with patience and experience going a long way toward ensuring these lessons are taught well.

Stone Farm's Arthur Hancock is not going to take only one yearling to The Saratoga Sale unless he has total confidence the horse will be attractive to a large buyer base.

Peter Brant was among the active buyers Aug. 5 during the opening night of The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's sale of selected yearlings, spending $1.9 million on two colts and two fillies from a sales company he used to own in the late 1980's.

Led by strong demand for yearlings sired by Gainesway's leading sire Tapit and other top-class stallions, The Saratoga Sale began Aug. 5 on a solid note at the Humphrey S. Finney Sales Pavilion.

Just after a Tapit colt went through The Saratoga Sale's ring for seven figures, a filly by Gainesway's leading sire was sold for $950,000, with Heider Family Stables purchasing the half sister to grade 2 winner Annual Report.

A Tapit colt became the first yearling to reach the seven-figure level during the Aug. 5 first session of Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale, going to West Point Thoroughbreds for $1 million.

A striking daughter of Medaglia d'Oro was purchased by Kerri Radcliffe, agent, for $900,000 as the action picked up during the Aug. 5 first session of The Saratoga Sale.

A chestnut filly by Curlin was the first to light up the bid board during the Aug. 5 first session of Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale, going to Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Stud for $725,000.

Riversedge Racing Stables' Bare Back Jack became the first winner for freshman sire Bakken when he scored a neck victory in his third start Aug. 5 at Century Mile in Alberta, Canada.

Bricks and Mortar continues to hold the lead spot in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll, but McKinzie's sublime victory in the Whitney Stakes (G1) has allowed the son of Street Sense to narrow the gap.

Jockey was sidelined in May after suffering from post-head injury syndrome

New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program announced today that leading owner, SF Bloodstock, has donated $100,000 to co-sponsor the program's indoor arena. SF Bloodstock joins co-sponsor Stonestreet Stables and Fasig-Tipton.

The application period for horse shows to apply for Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) awards in 2020 is now open. T.I.P. offers high point awards and classes for Thoroughbreds in multiple disciplines.

Connections believe the three-time group 1 winner suffered the injury to his right-hind cannon during his recent success in the Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) at Glorious Goodwood last week.

In restoring Thoroughbred racing in Virginia after a six-year hiatus, Colonial Downs, in conjunction with the Virginia Racing Commission, today announced a comprehensive set of elevated safety and horse welfare procedures and protocols.

Having persevered after going 0-for-40 with their first effort at racing, Chad and Misty Dugar now find themselves with a Louisiana-bred son of Tapit on offer at The Saratoga Sale.

With the 223 horses cataloged for The Saratoga Sale sharing a commonality of being by some of America's leading sires and having deep female families, there is one trait that will set the better ones apart: their physical presence.