Horse Racing News on January 18, 2014

In five Grade 1 races and a pair of Grade 2 events, the only male in North America to take home four Grade 1 victories, Wise Dan galloped his way through the most consistent season delivered by a racehorse in 2013 -- year-end honors firmly in his sights.

Todd Pletcher's deep bench of top quality runners sometimes make it difficult to gauge his accomplishments when compared to those of other trainers. But in 2013, he was in a league of his own, and voters awarded him with his record sixth Eclipse Award.

For Ken and Sarah Ramsey, 2013 was a year when almost everything went as planned on the racetrack, and as a result the couple earned their third Eclipse Award as outstanding owner. The Ramseys previously collected Eclipse trophies in 2004 and 2011.

He never backed down from a fight, and wherever they entered him, he ran.

Malibu Stakes winner Shakin It Up answered doubts about his ability around two turns when he overpowered stablemate Govenor Charlie to give trainer Bob Baffert the exacta in the $200,000 Strub Stakes Jan. 18 at Santa Anita Park.

E. Paul Robsham Stables' homebred Sweet N Discreet made a successful try at 1 ⅛ miles for the first time Jan. 18 at Gulfstream Park, taking the $300,000 Florida Sunshine Millions Distaff by 1 ½ lengths over Devil's Cave.

With little to contend with, Mucho Macho Man galloped to victory as he pleased by 14 lengths while opening his 2014 campaign in the $400,000 Florida Sunshine Millions Classic Jan. 18 at Gulfstream Park.

Cathy and Bob Zollers' Daddy Nose Best got up just in time to win by a neck in Saturday's Grade 3, $123,750 Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap, giving the five-year-old horse his first graded victory since capturing the Sunland Derby as a three-year-old.

Lemons Forever posted one of the biggest upsets in recent Kentucky Oaks history when taking the 2006 edition at odds of 47-1.

Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's Vicar's in Trouble drew off to a 6 ¾-length victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte at Fair Grounds.