Blood-Horse

In defeating three tough runners from the Bob Baffert barn in the Santa Monica Stakes (G2), Kopion reminded her trainer, Richard Mandella, of her sire, Omaha Beach, also a Mandella trainee.

Chad Brown and Flavien Prat showed the Tampa Bay Downs crowd exactly why they were voted winners in their respective 2024 Eclipse Award categories, sweeping both graded stakes races on the Feb. 1 card with Running Bee and Saffron Moon.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is finalizing February plans for his Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls and those include a geographical swap for two candidates and the stakes debut for a popular third. 

Rallying from fourth in a field of six 3-year-olds, Gate to Wire did not exactly live up to his name in the $155,000 Swale Stakes Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park, but he was in front when it mattered most in the seven-furlong race: the finish.

Grade 2 stakes winner Gigante sold to Clark Brewster and L and N Racing for $610,000 in a one-horse flash sale on Fasig-Tipton Digital.

Grade 1 winner Didia, who missed a start and the chance to become a repeat winner in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park, has been officially retired and will be bred to Nyquist.

The two-day Tattersalls February Sale wrapped up Jan. 31, producing healthy increases in total sales, average, median, and clearance rate.

As impressive as Kopion was in her La Brea Stakes (G1) score a month ago, it'll be no walk in the park for the Omaha Beach filly in her 4-year-old debut in the Feb. 1 $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

A pair of mares with connections to contenders on this year's Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) trails stand to be one of the starring attractions at the upcoming Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale Feb. 3.

Miss Macy Sue is the dam of prominent sires Liam's Map and Not This Time.

Trainer Juan Arriagada, who currently ranks second in wins at the Tampa Bay Downs meeting, will be suspended for 15 days for a controlled medication violation.

Known for its summer turf racing, Colonial Downs will shift its racing focus to dirt over three days from March 13-15 as part of its expanded, 44-day 2025 racing schedule.

Grade 2 stakes winner Gigante sold to Clark Brewster and L and N Racing for $610,000 in a one-horse flash sale on Fasig-Tipton Digital.

Podcast will air live at 2 p.m. ET on YouTube (www.youtube.com/@bloodhorse) and on ESPN Louisville+ and then will be available for download at BloodHorse.com, the BloodHorse YouTube channel, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and at espnlouisville.com.

The Eclipse Awards Steering Committee issued a press release Jan. 31 noting that statistics for apprentice jockey J.G. Torrealba were incorrect in the supplement issued to assist voters with their decisions on champions.

My Wish scores an emotional victory Jan. 31 for jockey Luke Ferraris, who joins his father as victors in the prestigious Hong Kong Classic Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse.

New York Racing Association stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes plans to retire from that role in September at the end of the 2025 Saratoga Race Course summer meet.

America's Best Racing's Patrick Read provides notable informaton about each Holy Bull (G3) entrant and insights into betting the race.

The Road: a look at contenders on the Triple Crown trail.

The California Authority of Racing Fairs announced Jan. 30 it will cease all Golden State Racing stabling and training operations at the Alameda County Fairgrounds upon completion of its vanning and stabling contract, scheduled to conclude March 25.