Chelsea Hackbarth

At Thoroughbred sales, size really does matter. Young horses generally need to be at least of average height for their age to attract notice, and those that are particularly diminutive just don’t get as much attention. In the case of the filly Abscond, Jerry Romans, Jr. was willing to overlook her short stature.  He picked […]

Emotion overflowed on the Keeneland turf course Sunday, a result of Peace Achieved’s hard-fought victory in the G3 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes. It was the first time owner Joe Minor had seen his silks enter the winner’s circle for a graded stakes race, but he gave the honor of leading the colt up for the photo […]

Jockey Abel Cedillo’s first Grade 1 win, achieved Sept. 28 aboard Mongolian Groom in the Awesome Again Stakes, wasn’t just a milestone for the 30-year-old from Guatemala. The victory also brought about a sense of validation for his agent, Tom Knust, who brought the rider to the Southern California circuit this summer.  Knust has handled […]

We walked in to the Keeneland Sales Pavilion with an idea, a little bit of hope, and a lot of bravado. We walked out a little bit wiser, we hope, and with a renewed sense of faith in ourselves. The eight months in between were a heck of a journey. “We both graduated with equine […]

Owner John Fanelli called trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. on January 31 of this year to ask him about claiming a 3-year-old son of Algorithms for a $25,000 tag at Gulfstream Park. “His numbers were progressively getting better,” Joseph said, “and his dam was a Grade 3 winner over a route of ground, and he had […]

Trainer Gail Cox has always loved horses, and her childhood memories are filled with images of riding for Sam-Son Farm back when the Canadian operation bred and raised hunter/jumper horses. Today, the farm is better known as a power-house Thoroughbred operation, for which Cox saddled the biggest winner of her career in last Saturday’s Grade […]

Every racehorse is different, and what works for one doesn’t always work for another. Totally Boss, for instance, performs at his best when he splits his time between Margaux Farm and trainer Rusty Arnold’s barn at the track. “He seems to be thriving,” said Jim Hill, who owns the colt and Margaux Farm along with […]

Octogenarian Thoroughbred trainer John Mazza can’t imagine stepping away from the sport he loves, especially when he has an up-and-coming talent in his barn like Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks winner Horologist. On Aug. 17, the 3-year-old daughter of Gemologist defeated champion Jaywalk by three-quarters of a length, making a bold move up the rail of […]

Like all good Louisvillians, Josh Stevens was taught how to celebrate the first Saturday in May. There are parties to be held, heaping piles of delicious food, light-hearted wagering pools between family and friends, and any number of smartly coordinated dresses and bow ties befitting the occasion. Every year Stevens would join his family around […]

Here’s one you don’t see every day: A 7-year-old mare and her 2-year-old son are running on the same card this Wednesday at Saratoga.  Both Enthusiastic Gal (Race 9) and Get Set (Race 6) are owned by breeder Joseph Imbesi and trained by Steve Klesaris. “It’s a quite a coincidence that they land on the […]