Tag: Gamine

John Velazquez and Authentic sat atop the Thoroughbred world in 2020. The pair won the Breeders' Cup Classic, Kentucky Derby and three other races this year. (Image: Michael Conroy/Associated Press)

OG’s Eclipse Award Candidates Cover Some of 2020’s Greatest Races

Yes, it’s time for the Eclipse Awards, which in 2020, were brought to you by a scrambled Triple Crown schedule, along with tracks closing, reopening – and closing. Also featured were few – if any – fans in the stands and a rash of retirements. But the horses running in […]

Not even his most devoted supporters saw Into Mischief enter the 2020s as North America's top stallion. The sire of Kentucky Derby winner Authentic captured that honor for the second consecutive year in a runaway. (Image: Coyle Photography/Spendthrift Farm)

Into Mischief Takes Top Stallion Honors for Second Consecutive Year

That Into Mischief became North America’s leading stallion for the second consecutive year is borne out by facts that carry weight, heft and meaning beyond the breeding shed. Yes, there’s the $225,000 stud fee he commands. That hasn’t stopped would-be filly and mare owners from beating a path to his […]

Monomoy Girl and Florent Geroux stood tall in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Distaff. just as they did in this 2018 Distaff victory. Even after selling for $9.5 million, the standout mare returns to the track in 2021. (Image: Darron Cummings/AP Photo)

Not Every Horse Retired in 2020: Here are the Stars to See in 2021

Now that we’ve bid farewell to the Thoroughbred standouts who retired in 2020, which horses will we greet as the returning equine stars worthy of attention in 2021? We bid farewell to Authentic, Improbable, Maximum Security, Vekoma, Tom’s d’Etat, War of Will, McKinzie, Serengeti Empress, Enable, and Ghaiyyath in recent […]

Authentic went gate-to-wire to win the Breeders' Cup Classic over an all-star field of Grade 1 stakes winners. (Image: AP Photo)

On Record-Setting Day, Breeders’ Cup Handle Takes Mild Dip

With Kentucky Derby champion Authentic, standout filly Gamine, and Knicks Go all winning Breeders’ Cup races in record time – and without general public tickets available – the Breeders’ Cup World Championships managed its sixth-highest all-sources handle since 2007. That was the year the Breeders’ Cup expanded to two days. […]

Come Dancing owns the best speed figures in a deep, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint field. But her recent form puts her behind her competitors. (Image: RMP/Spendthrift Farm)

Breeders’ Cup Speed Figures: Solving the Filly & Mare Sprint Puzzle

Even beyond speed figures, the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint offers horseplayers and racing fans one of the best races on the 14-race Breeders’ Cup card. And it offers more balance and deeper speed than you think – even with the likes of Gamine and Serengeti Empress topping the […]

Magical missed last year's Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita due to a fever. But the 2020 three-time Group 1 winner is the likely favorite for the Breeders' Cup Turf. (Image: Caroline Norris)

Baffert’s Classic Trio, O’Brien’s Turf Duo Head Breeders’ Cup Pre-Entries

Bob Baffert has six entries, including three in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Aidan O’Brien counters with 10 entries. And just like that with Wednesday’s pre-entries, lineups for the 14 Breeders’ Cup World Championships races are falling into place. All told, 201 horses pre-entered into the Nov. 6-7 racing festival at […]

Trainer Bob Baffert's Merneith tested positive for an excessive amount of a cough syrup ingredient. (Image: Coady Photography)

Merneith, Another Baffert Charge, Tests Positive for Banned Substance

The California Horse Racing Board revealed that another one of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s charges, Merneith, tested positive for a banned substance. Merneith tested positive for dextromethorphan, a common ingredient found in human cough syrups. The test came after Merneith finished second in the fourth race at Del […]

Standout filly Gamine is in trouble again after testing positive for excessive amounts of an anti-inflammatory after last month's Kentucky Oaks. (Image: Skip Dickstein/For the Times Union)

Baffert Team Disputes Gamine’s Failed Kentucky Oaks Drug Test

After news broke late Thursday that a Kentucky Oaks horse tested positive for a Class C medical violation, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert confirmed in a statement that his star filly, Gamine, was the culprit. The New York Times, citing two sources, reported Thursday evening that Gamine tested positive […]

The draw of nine fillies competing for the most prestigious title for 3-year-old fillies -- the Kentucky Oaks. (Image: Churchill Downs)

Gamine, Swiss Skydiver Finally Meet as Kentucky Oaks Favorites

Gamine has been an unstoppable force. Swiss Skydiver, the prototypical immovable object. That prompts the inevitable question surrounding Friday’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs: Who will prevail and emerge as the best 3-year-old filly in America? The unstoppable force that is even-money Gamine? Or the immovable object that […]

Venetian Harbor and Flavien Prat won February's Las Virgenes Stakes by 9 1/4 lengths. She has three runner-up finishes since and the one-time Kentucky Oaks favorite is skipping that race. (Image: Benoit Photo)

One-Time Favorite Venetian Harbor Won’t Dock at Kentucky Oaks

Earlier this spring, Venetian Harbor was the 9/2 futures book favorite to win the Kentucky Oaks. But in an example of how a September Oaks/Derby can negatively affect a horse, the 3-year-old filly will sit out next week’s Oaks. Instead, Venetian Harbor’s trainer, Richard Baltas, is setting his sights on […]

Monomoy Girl makes racing look so effortless, that she seems to glide through the air. The 5-year-old mare goes for her third 2020 victory in the Sept. 4 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs. (Image: Michael Reaves/Getty)

Kentucky Oaks Card Comes Loaded with Big Names, Great Resumes

If the clash of the filly titans at the Kentucky Oaks isn’t enough to grab your attention, then consider this; this year’s card is in serious danger of upstaging Churchill Downs’ Derby Week. And that’s including the marquee event of Derby Week, the 146th Kentucky Derby. It’s OK to pay […]

Gamine may be the best 3-year-old filly in North America. Bettors treat her as such, making her th 3/5 favorite for Saturday's Test Stakes at Saratoga. (Image: Al Bello/Getty)

Gamine Faces Her Latest Question — at Saratoga’s Test Stakes

Gamine has passed every test facing her on the track: breaking her maiden, winning an allowance, and romping to a near-record time in her first Grade 1. So Saturday’s Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga is a natural for the 3-year-old, Bob Baffert-trained filly. A seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, […]

Uncle Chuck won't find his next race as easy as he and Luis Saez found the July 4 Los Alamitos Derby. The undefeated 3-year-old ships to Saratoga for the Grade 1 Travers Stakes. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Uncle Chuck Heads to Saratoga for Travers Tangle With Tiz the Law

You won’t have to wait until the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby to see Uncle Chuck take on Tiz the Law. Not after trainer Bob Baffert confirmed he will send Uncle Chuck to New York for the Aug. 8 Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga. With Belmont Stakes champion Tiz the […]

Jockey Martin Garcia and Charlatan are no longer 2020 Arkansas Derby winners. Oaklawn Park stewards stripped the Bob Baffert horse and his filly stablemate, Gamine of their May 2 victories for excessive amounts of lidocaine. (Image: Wesley Hitt/Getty)

Baffert Suspended 15 Days, Horses Disqualified for Positive Drug Tests

Oaklawn Park stewards suspended Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert for 15 days and stripped two of his prize horses of victories for their positive drug tests for excessive amounts of a banned substance. The decisions came down Wednesday, two days after a hearing addressing the excessive amounts of lidocaine […]

Seen here with 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, trainer Bob Baffert plans fighting the positive drug tests of Charlatan and Gamine. (Image: Julio Cortez/Associated Press)

Second Samples Come Back Positive for Two of Baffert’s Star Horses

More than a month after two of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s star horses failed post-race drug tests at Oaklawn Park, the split samples of both tests both came back positive. The “B” sample tests confirmed the initial findings that showed undefeated Charlatan and Gamine both tested positive for […]

Tiz the Law and Manny Franco captured the 2020 Belmont Stakes in front of an empty Belmont Park grandstand. His next race is expected to be the Aug. 8 Travers Stakes at Saratoga. (Image: Getty)

Tiz the Law Rules Again, Captures 152nd Belmont Amid Falling Handle

Even with Tiz the Law passing the “Test of a Champion” with flying colors, the all-sources handle for the 152nd Belmont Stakes and its stakes-packed undercard declined by 33.7% — yet another byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic. Belmont Park normally welcomes nearly 100,000 people for Belmont Saturday, usually the first […]