Blood-Horse

Italian breeders have a new son of Dubawi to choose from when compiling their mating plans with Robiano set to stand at San Paolo Agri Stud near Rome.

Magic Millions chief executive Barry Bowditch is pleased with how preparations are going for next week's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and hopes are high that the majority of Australia's major bloodstock players will be in attendance.

David Thompson, who along with his wife Patricia built up one of Britain's most important breeding and ownership operations in Cheveley Park Stud, has died of renal failure at the age of 84. 

At Santa Anita, Rock Your World won his debut Jan. 1 and Roman Centurian found the winner's circle Jan. 3; while on the opposite coast several of note earned their first win.

Jonathan Sheppard, a Hall of Fame trainer whose horses excelled on dirt, turf, and over steeplechase fences, announced Jan. 4 that he is retiring from American racing. For now, he will continue to train a small stable in Ireland.

Kalypso dueled early but had plenty left in the tank to secure her first graded score in the $200,500 Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) Jan. 3 at Santa Anita Park.

Marshall Gramm collected $492,750 by winning the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge contest in November, and the racing partnership he heads with co-founder Clay Sanders, Ten Strike Racing, surpassed $3 million in earnings in 2020.

Bob Baffert-trained Mucho Gusto and Charlatan are among a dozen grade 1 and grade 2 winners on a list of 16 horses invited Jan. 3 to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

Jockey Charles Jantzen "C.J." McMahon was arrested Jan. 2 by the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana. He was charged with attempted murder of the second degree, illegal use of weapons, and possession of marijuana.

Sham Stakes (G3) winner Life Is Good and runner-up Medina Spirit came out of the race well according to trainer Bob Baffert.

Like the word Blackpool running through the center of a stick of seaside rock, Galileo's influence was a constant feature during 2020.

Trainer Zoe Davison died Jan. 3 following a long battle with cancer. She was 60 years old.

Dual group 2 winner Headman has retired from racing and will stand at Figerro Breeding Farm in Saône-et-Loire, France, this year.

The New York Racing Association's 2020 race meets conducted at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course generated all-sources handle of more than $1.8 billion, NYRA announced Jan. 3.

Life Is Good passed his first two-turn test and improved to 2-for-2 in the $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Jan. 2, though a diminishing three-quarter of a length margin of victory suggests the 3-year-old may still be in need of fine-tuning.

Anothertwistafate entered the $201,000 San Gabriel Stakes (G2T) Jan. 2 at Santa Anita Park with a dirt graded victory and a synthetic stakes win on his résumé and added a turf score to his record when he opened up in the nine-furlong event.

In the most dramatic fashion imaginable Jan. 2, Daniel Centeno joined an exclusive fraternity, earning career victory No. 3,000 in North America.

Mutasaabeq pressed pace-setting Awesome Gerry before jockey Luis Saez guided him to the front leaving the quarter pole and registered a 1 1/2-length victory over Papetu in the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes Jan. 2 at Gulfstream Park.

Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand have each enjoyed exceptional years in the saddle, and the final hours of 2020 had one last magic moment in store for them as they announced their engagement on social media. 

Newtown Anner Stud Farm's Perpetrate emerged from a three-way photo finish a head in front Jan. 2 at Laurel Park to give jockey Carol Cedeno her 1,000th career victory.