Horse Racing News

Hronis Racing LLC's Iotapa didn't lose any time taking the lead in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,250 Santa Maria at Santa Anita, and she also didn't waver in her control of the pace under jockey Joe Talamo.

West Point Thoroughbreds' Twilight Eclipse opened his 2014 season with a nice victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream Park, proving best by a determined one-length margin. Now a four-time stakes winner, the Tom Albertrani-traine

Gallagher's Stud's Inimitable Romanee captured her second graded stakes in a row in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Samantha Nicole, a full sister to 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, is set to make her career debut in Sunday's fourth race at Fair Grounds.

Robert Baker and William Mack's Hopeful Stakes winner Strong Mandate returns to action for the first time since the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in the $300,000 Southwest Stakes Feb. 17 at Oaklawn Park, class of a 12-horse field drawn for the 1 1/16-mile event.

Trainer Bret Calhoun's filly returns to racing after leg surgery

Some stakes will have new names and larger purses at Belmont Park this year as the New York Racing Association plans two big days of racing at the spring/summer meet along with its previously announced Belmont Stakes Festival June 6-8.

Sweet N Discreet ventured into unknown territory for her last start when asked to stretch her obvious speed around two turns for the first time at 1 ⅛ miles, a rather imposing distance for a horse with one-turn breeding.

Kobe's Back and Papa Turf bring top credentials into Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente at Santa Anita, a seven-furlong test that has drawn a field of six three-year-olds.

Trainer Tom Albertrani is following a familiar blueprint when it comes to his older turf star Twilight Eclipse, bringing the gelded son of Purim back to Gulfstream Park to begin his five-year-old season in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Mac Diarmida.