Horse Racing News

Janis R. Whitham's homebred Fort Larned joined the upper echelon of the nation's handicap division by scoring his first Grade 1 coup in Saturday's $750,000 Whitney.

Emma's Encore was sent off at 5-1 in Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga despite handing 4-5 favorite Agave Kiss her first career loss when taking the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes on July 7 at Belmont Park.

Eric Fein's C C's Pal took full advantage of sizzling early fractions in Friday's Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss Handicap at Saratoga, coming with a furious late run down the middle of the track to post a neck victory over fellow rallier Island Bound.

Fresh off a comeback victory in the A Gleam Handicap (gr. II), dual grade I winner Switch wheels right back for trainer John Sadler while returning to two turns in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes.

Ron the Greek has risen through the handicap ranks from a horse that didn't win a graded stakes race last year to a multiple Grade 1 winner in 2012.

Superhorse Frankel duly won his 12th race Wednesday -- and eighth at Group 1 level -- when taking the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood for owner Prince Khalid Abdulla, trainer Sir Henry Cecil and jockey Tom Queally.

An official with Monmouth Park has reportedly said the New Jersey track was not selected to host the 2013 Breeders' Cup World Championships but is continuing to pursue hosting the event in 2014.

Hansen, the brilliant, nearly white frontrunner whose latest victory came in the June 30 Iowa Derby, will find the eyes of the nation upon him Aug. 4 when he heads postward as the 3-5 morning line favorite in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby.

Two days after winning the Haskell Invitational, Zayat Stables' Paynter remained at Monmouth Park with a slight fever that prevented him from shipping back to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's base in Southern California.

Sprint champion Amazombie returned to his best form in the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes, sitting just off a hot pace and coming to get the leaders in deep stretch to win going away on the Polytrack at Del Mar July 29.