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A field of 13 2-year-old fillies—three of them maidens and eight exiting maiden races—have been entered for the $100,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3T) going a mile on the turf at Del Mar Nov. 30.

The catalog for the Inglis Digital USA December Sale is now available online, featuring a robust slate of 49 horses on offer.

Japan's grade 1 racing program moves from turf to dirt for the Champions Cup (G1) Dec. 1 at Chukyo Racecourse.

The 5-year-old mare ridden by Flavien Prat won her first graded stakes by three-quarters of a length Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs.

Redistricting hasn't had much luck in two previous tries at the grade 1 level but trainer Chad Brown sends him west again to try to reverse the trend in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) Nov. 30 at Del Mar.

East Coast-based trainer has dominated the West Coast stakes for distaffers and sends Tax Implications, Gina Romantica, Child of the Moon, and Prerequisite.

Loved is a Godolphin homebred trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione. The 5-year-old mare won the Falls City Stakes (G3) by 3 3/4 lengths. Godolphin's Tarifa finished second.

Julien Leparoux, a veteran leader in the Churchill Downs jockey colony and two-time Eclipse Award winner, reached an extraordinary milestone Thursday with his 3,000th career win aboard Pike Place in Race 3.

With a horse having to be euthanized Thursday at Woodbine and another one on Friday, the Toronto-area track has now had six fatalities since the Nov. 9 card in which two horses died and the remainder of the day's program was cancelled, as was the next scheduled day of racing.

Woodbine's Tapeta surface has long been considered to be one of the safest tracks in North America, which makes the rash of breakdowns particularly unusual.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and remain in continuous communication with our regulator, veterinarians, the HBPA, and the Jockeys' Guild,” said Bill Ford, executive vice-president of racing at Woodbine Entertainment. “Following the catastrophic injuries sustained [Thursday] and [Friday], we are conducting a thorough review to gather more information. Feedback regarding track conditions over the past two weeks, following the initial concerns, has been positive, indicating that the track is in good condition. However, we are actively discussing and evaluating additional immediate measures to enhance horse safety and welfare. This is a deeply challenging and unfortunate situation. Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences go out to everyone connected to the horses affected.”

On Thursday night, Speight Rasees (Qurbaan) fell and suffered a catastrophic injury. Jockey Skye Chernetz was taken off the remainder of her mounts. Less than 24 horse later, Mad Chatter (Society's Chairman) broke down in Friday's first race at Woodbine. None of the jockeys involved in the spill were injured.

The problems began when Social Dancer (Society's Chairman) broke down in the second race Nov. 9. Six races later, Owen's Tour Guide (Tourist) suffered an injury in the GIII Bessarabian Stakes and had to be euthanized. Woodbine took immediate action, canceling the remainder of the Nov. 9 card and the entire card was scratched the following day.

Racing resumed and there was another death Nov. 16 when Flawless Ruler (Honor Code) broke down. According to Woodbine's Vice President, Communications & Coordination Jamie Dykstra, it was concluded by track vets that it was unlikely that the death of Flawless Ruler was related to the surface. On Nov. 21, Woodbine put out a press release in which it declared that “Woodbine Entertainment is confident its All-Weather [Tapeta] track is in optimal condition for safe training and racing.” The same press release listed the many steps Woodbine had taken to test the track and ensure that it was still safe.

“We've worked diligently to ensure the track is in excellent condition for the final weeks of the meet,” Ford said at the time.

However, the problems continued, and the next breakdown occurred Nov. 24. In that day's third race Tunechi (Outwork) took an awkward step at the five-eighths pole and was eased before being euthanized.

The post Breakdowns Continue To Plague Woodbine appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Mi Bago collects second stakes win in last three starts in Friday’s Pulpit at Gulfstream. Coglianese Photo/Lauren King.

Gary Barber’s Mi Bago bounced back from a troubled and better-than-appeared run over Breeders’ Cup weekend at Del Mar with a victory in Friday’s $100,000 Pulpit Stakes on the second day of Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet in South Florida.

Fifth and beaten only 2 lengths at 45-1 last time out in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes, Mi Bago took control of the Pulpit from the start and held off all his rivals to win as the 9-5 favorite. Ridden by Edwin Gonzalez, the 2-year-old son of Vekoma won by 5 lengths over 7-2 second choice Hit That Review and 6-1 Bucaro in third. Mi Bago won in 1:27.06 for the 7 1/2 furlongs on firm turf.

Mi Bago led from the break and into the first turn, opening up 1 1/2 lengths over Enterdadragon through the opening quarter-mile in :23.50. Mi Bago widened that advantage to 3 1/2 lengths through the half in :46.24 with Hit That Review, Discreet Dancer and Como among the closest pursuers behind Enterdadragon.

Past 6 furlongs in 1:09.61, Gonzalez gave a look over his shoulder turning for home as Mi Bago maintained his 3-length advantage over Bucaro in midstretch. They widened again from there and finished well clear. Hit That Review edged Bucaro by a neck for second, with Discreet Dancer fourth.

“Honestly, I kind of left it up to Edwin. He said he was going to break and try and get himself into a good position,” Casse’s assistant Nick Tomlinson said. “He broke running, and I was a little worried about how fast they were going. But he really quickened impressively. He ran really well today. It was a great race.”

Mi Bago improved to 3-for-5 with the victory and picked up $58,900 to boost his earnings to $178,910.

Bred by Highclere Inc. and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Mi Bago is the fifth winner produced by the unraced New York-bred Indian Charlie mare Wabanaki. She’s the dam of seven-time winner and $227,242-earner Lady Macho (by Mucho Macho Man) and winners What Mightavebeen (Freud), Dawnland (Jimmy Creed) and Weyron (Goldencents).

A $62,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February mixed sale in 2023, Mi Bago was a $90,000 RNA later in the year at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Mi Bago won his debut in a 5-furlong dirt maiden at Colonial Downs August 1 for owner CM Thoroughbreds and trainer Carlos Munoz.

Barber purchased Mi Bago privately after that effort and moved him to his primary trainer Casse. Mi Bago finished a non-threatening sixth in the Funny Cide Stakes on Saratoga Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course August 25 before moving to the grass to win the October 5 bet365 Algonquin Stakes at Woodbine.

“He’s got the talent. Especially for a 2-year-old to go three-quarters in 1:09, that’s a lot to ask of them,” Tomlinson said. “The performance today was extremely impressive. We’ll definitely keep him on the grass. There’s a lot of good 3-year-old stakes coming up. We’ll just have to see how it all plays out and go from there.”

The post Mi Bago goes all the way in Pulpit Stakes appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.