Tag: Godolphin

Naval Crown won a nail-biting Platinum Jubilee Stakes at 33/1. The victory helped clinch Godolphin the Royal Ascot owner title. (Image: Godophin)

Moore, O’Brien, Godolphin Capture Royal Ascot Titles, Ward Blanked

Three very familiar names: Ryan Moore, Aidan O’Brien and Godolphin, wrapped up their respective titles as Royal Ascot wrapped up its 2022 meet Saturday. Godolphin’s successful defense of its owner title came after the Saudi monolith tied Coolmore with five wins each. But Godolphin notched three runners-up to Coolmore’s one. […]

Joel Rosario and Knicks Go rode off with a combined three Eclipse Awards at Thursday night's Eclipse Awards ceremony at Santa Anita Park. Knicks Go won Horse of the Year and Champion Older Male Eclipses, while Rosario won his first Jockey of the Year Eclipse. (Image: Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson)

Knicks Go Rides Off With 2021 Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year

True to his running style, Knicks Go broke out to a big lead and proved uncatchable, capturing the Eclipse Award for 2021 Horse of the Year when the Eclipse Awards were announced Thursday night at Santa Anita Park. The now-6-year-old horse received 228 votes out a possible 235 first-place votes […]

Jockey Adam Kirby aboard 16/1 Adayar scored a resounding upset in Saturday's Epsom Derby. A game of musical jockeys put the 32-year-old Kirby on Adayar earlier in the week. (Image: PA Wire)

When the Music Stopped, Kirby and 16/1 Adayar Win Epsom Derby

Adam Kirby wasn’t supposed to be on Epsom Derby surprise winner Adayar. And Adayar wasn’t supposed to sniff the Epsom Derby winner’s circle. Not at 16/1, and not as Godolphin’s third-string colt. But in a replay of the Kentucky Derby here in the US, colts don’t realize they’re not supposed […]

UAE Derby winner Rebel's Romance won't run the Belmont Stakes due to a hind-leg infection. (Image: Coady Photography)

Rebel’s Romance, Keepmeinmind Exit Belmont, Field Likely Down to Eight

The Belmont Stakes looks like it will be a tight-knit affair with just eight horses entering the starting gate after connections for Rebel’s Romance announced on Tuesday that the gelding will miss Saturday’s race due to a hind-leg infection. Rebel’s Romance’s owner, Godolphin, posted the news about the UAE Derby […]

We won't see Greatest Honour close like he did in the Holy Bull for the next two months. The Tapit colt and one-time, front-row Kentucky Derby prospect suffered an apparent ankle injury and is shelved for the next 60 days. (Image: Gulfstream Park)

Ankle Injury Makes Greatest Honour Latest Derby Trail Casualty

Greatest Honour, one of the front-line Kentucky Derby favorites and a rare Shug McGaughey Derby prospect, departed the Derby trail Wednesday with apparent ankle issues. McGaughey told Horse Racing Nation that Greatest Honour came out of his third-place finish in the Florida Derby “a little banged up.” The Hall of […]

By the time Essential Quality finds the stretch, few of his pursuers are this close. He enters Saturday's Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland as the 3/5 morning-line favorite. (Image: Coady Photography)

This Year’s Blue Grass Stakes Come Loaded With Essential Quality

The biggest problem horseplayers have with the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes is not figuring out who will win. That essential question will likely be answered by 3/5 favorite Essential Quality. No. The biggest issue here is figuring out how to profit off a race where one horse is so […]

Prevalence captured this maiden race at Gulfstream Park by 8 1/2 lengths in January. He is a trendy Derby futures pick despite not running two turns or a stakes race in his two races. (Image: Horsephotos.com)

Prevalence Looks, Tastes Like Derby Flavor of the Week

It clearly illustrates the betting public’s thirst for trendy Kentucky Derby picks that Prevalence seized center stage last week for winning a one-mile allowance optional claiming event at Gulfstream Park. Prevalence’s three-length win over the one-turn mile earned him an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. By contrast, Concert Tour’s 4 1/4-length […]

Between them, Todd Pletcher (left) and Bob Baffert own eight Kentucky Derby victories. Pletcher (45) and Baffert (23) have the most Triple Crown early nominated horses for 2021. (Image: Doug Engle/AP File)

Essential Quality Leads 326-Strong Triple Crown Nomination Parade

Getting your horse a Triple Crown nomination used to be so simple that connections to this year’s 3-year-old hopefuls nominated 326 horses to compete in the three American Classic races this spring. Those 326 nominations represent a slight, 6.1% dip from last year’s 347 early nominees. Those connections paid $600 […]

Authentic carried jockey John Velazquez to a Kentucky Derby title in September and his connections to an Eclipse Award as 2020 Horse of the Year. (Image: Gregory Shamus/Getty)

Authentic Runs Away With 2020 Horse of the Year Eclipse Award

Authentic rarely won his big races by big margins. But, he won his final “race” – the Eclipse Award for 2020 Horse of the Year – by a Secretariat at the Belmont-esque 31 lengths on the track. The Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic champion garnered 224 out of a […]

Ghaiyyath's 8 1/2-length beatdown of his rivals in February's Millennium Stakes was one of four 2020 victories. The No. 1-ranked turf horse in the world retired Monday. (Image: Godolphin)

No. 1-Ranked Ghaiyyath Retires, Won’t Run Breeders’ Cup

Ghaiyyath, the No. 1-ranked turf horse in the world, retired from racing Monday after his connections discovered muscle soreness in his legs after a routine workout. Godolphin, the international racing conglomerate that owns Ghaiyyath, announced the retirement in a statement. The sudden retirement means Ghaiyyath won’t run next month’s Breeders’ […]