Blood-Horse

Trainer Kenny McPeek, who won last year's Kentucky Oaks with Thorpedo Anna, brings three of his finest fillies. Gowells Delight broke her maiden at Fair Grounds the day after Christmas.

Graded stakes winners Pretty Birdie and Delahaye topped a strong opening session at Keeneland's January Horses of All Ages Sale at $700,000 apiece. The average and median were up dramatically from 2024, with the median rising 100%.

Phil Needham, a highly accomplished owner/breeder with longtime partner Bill Betz, died at his home in Georgetown, Ky., Jan. 11. He came to Kentucky with his wife, Judy, to manage Xalapa Farm in the early 1970s.

Rigney Racing's Kentucky Derby (G1) hopeful Jonathan's Way is settling into Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for the winter, and trainer Phil Bauer has a target on the Feb. 15 Risen Star Stakes (G2) as the colt's next start.

Hip 293, a colt by all-time leading North American sire Tapit, lit up the board at $400,000 during Keeneland's January Horses of All Ages Sale's first session Jan. 13. The Gainesway-consigned short yearling sold to JPM Bloodstock.

Of their many photos together—and there are plenty—it is perhaps the one on Korina McLean's Facebook page that encapsulates the bond between herself and the brilliant Moira.

While proven Classic-division horses get set to meet in the Pegasus World Cup (G1), several horses that could become major division players are getting their year started Jan. 18 in the $175,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds.

A son of So You Think set the standard on the final day of Book 2 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when R S Bloodstock, Catheryne Bruggeman, and Paul Moroney Bloodstock went to AU$185,000 to secure the Goodwood Farm-consigned colt.

Midway into Day 1 of Keeneland's January Horses of All Ages Sale, Hot Peppers, a graded stakes-winning mare by Khozan in foal to Constitution, commanded $460,000 from Charlie McKinlay, agent for Sara and Brandon Bray.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced Jan. 13 that the 2025 accreditation application is available and can be accessed online.

The catalog for the 2025 Inglis Digital USA February Sale will feature a selection of Pennsylvania-bred offerings, presented by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association.

Damon Thayer, who championed the racing industry during his 22-year tenure in the Kentucky General Assembly, will be the keynote speaker at the National HBPA Conference Feb. 25-27 in in Safety Harbor, Fla.

Santa Anita Park, which canceled racing this weekend, will host five straight days of live racing starting Jan. 16 and ending with a special Martin Luther King Jr. holiday program Jan. 20

Two siblings to grade 1 winners stand out in Keeneland's Book 1 catalog. Hip 301, Mischief My Way, is a half sister to Adare Manor, and Mystify cataloged as Hip 325, is a half sister to Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Straight No Chaser.

The three-day sale features broodmares and broodmare prospects, short yearlings, horses of racing age, stallions and stallion prospects.

Grade 1 winners Mixto and Stronghold each put in five-furlong works Jan. 12 at Santa Anita Park ahead of a scheduled start in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25.

The board of the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation announced the two newest recipients of scholarships awarded in the memory of Irish pinhooker and successful breeder, Gerry Dilger.

Tim Wilson of First Light Racing rated a daughter of Spirit Of Boom as the 'best filly' in Book 2 of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, purchasing the youngster for a session-topping AU$170,000 Jan. 12.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Built aims to build on his Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots success as he faces 13 rivals in the $250,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3) Jan. 18.

Sam Houston Race Park announced a partnership with the Texas Thoroughbred Association and The Paddock Foundation on Ring The Bell for Thoroughbred Aftercare.