Sunday Silenced

Your 2013 Preakness champ: Oxbow

soothingshootingstars:

Oxbow Wins The 2013 Preakness Stakes

I love the look of Gary’s face. Absolute joy for a man whose career was “finished” years ago

(via lehomestretch)

lehomestretch:

Oxie, you precious baby.

He is gorgeous 

leader-of-brokenhearts:

Congrat to Oxbow winning the 2013 Preakness

He’s definitely got grey in him, no doubt. Gift from his maternal grandsire, Cee’s Tizzy

(via racinglegends)

The “Magnificent Cripple” Your Host

Lute Is A Go!

Kentucky Derby 5th-place finisher Mylute is confirmed for a start in the May 18 Preakness Stakes, joining Derby winner Orb, Illinois Derby winner Departing, Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents, Sunland Derby winner Govenor Charlie, Rebel Stakes winner Will Take Charge, Holy Bull Stakes winner Itsmyluckyday, LeComte Stakes winner Oxbow, Jerome Stakes winner Vyjack, and Gazebo Stakes wunner-up Titletown Five in the prospective field

Jockey Rosie Napravnik will pilot the three-year-old colt, and hopes to become the first female winner of the Preakness

(Photo by Tom Amoss - Associated Press) 

Running Free

3-year-old ridgling Freedom Child (Malibu Moon - Bandstand) stamped himself as an up-and-coming talent with an explosive romp in the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park

Coming off a dismal trip in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial last month, Freedom Child went off at 7-2 in the slop at Belmont. He started slowly, as seems to be his custom, but quickly gathered himself to lead to the field. At the top of the stretch, he began pulling away, eventually winning by 13 1/4 lengths

Freedom Child is now being pointed toward the Belmont Stakes in about a month

Mother’s Day Tribute: Somethingroyal

Dam of 17 registered foals, including champions Secretariat, Sir Gaylord, First Family, and Syrian Sea

Breeder’s Cup Baby!

Last year’s Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Flotilla had added another triumph to her resume: the Grade 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches - commonly known as the French 1000 Guineas

After a five-month layoff (she hasn’t raced since her Breeder’s Cup win), Flotilla was virtually ignored in the betting in favor of undefeated Prix Vanteaux winner Esoterique. She proved them all wrong when her powerful finishing kick put her ahead of Esoterique by a half length on the wire

Flotilla will be likely be pointed one of two ways: a rematch with Esoterique in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly on June 16; or a try against English 1000 Guineas winner Sky Lantern, whom she already defeated at the Breeder’s Cup, in the Coronation Stakes at Ascot

The incomparable Desert Vixen

Two-time champion of the 1970’s, winner of six Grade 1 events, and Hall of Fame inductee. Her major victories included the Beldame Stakes (twice), Alabam Stakes, Delaware Oaks, Monmouth Oaks, Matchmaker Stakes, Gazelle Handicap, and the Test Stakes

In 1974, she won the Beldame by 12 lengths and equaled the track record at Atlantic City while taking the Matchmaker. She contested on turf for the first time in the Washington DC International, finishing second (although she did finish ahead of turf superstar Dahlia)

As a broodmare, her best offspring was her 1979 Roberto colt Real Shadai, who was a graded stakes winner in France before becoming a leading sire in Japan

Multiple stakes-winning mare Happy Issue, with her first foal - the colt Happy America, sired by Free America

Happy Issue, a daughter of Bow to Me, raced for a staggering 9 years, from ages 2 to 10. Among her many victories were the 1944 Hollywood Gold Cup, Hawthorne Handicap, and Vanity Handicap, the 1945 Hollywood Premier Handicap, and the 1946 Burlingame Handicap. In total, she completed 157 races

She was 12 years old when she produced Happy America, who himself raced for 7 years and almost 90 starts

An Old Friend Returns

6-year-old millionaire Jackson Bend, recently unretired, is officially back in training at Calder Race Track in Florida

According to co-owner Fred Brei, Jackson Bend was pulled from his first season of stud due to lingering pain from the back injury that caused his initial retirement. He was put into light exercise in order to strengthen his back, but he showed so desire to run that his connections decided to return him to racing

He will remain in training at Calder, targeting an overnight allowance at present