Horse Racing News

On Saturday, Smiling Tiger will be expected to perform at a championship level when he makes his 2011 debut in the $150,000 Palos Verdes Stakes over six furlongs.

Short fields have been dominated by heavy favorites or second choices. On paper, at least, Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Toboggan Stakes scheduled for six furlongs over Aqueduct's inner track has some appeal.

Miesque, the first two-time winner of a Breeders' Cup race and a champion in both Europe and America, was euthanized Thursday due to the infirmities of old age at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky.

David and Jill Heerensperger's Bourbon Bay is at it again. After sweeping Santa Anita Park's series of turf route races a year ago, Bourbon Bay signaled a possible encore with a stylish victory in the Jan. 17, $150,000 San Marcos Stakes

Caleb's Posse faced the distance question heading into the $100,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park on Monday and he answered it emphatically when he burst through the fog to win the one-mile race by 2 3/4 lengths over Dreaminofthewin.

Zenyatta, the daughter of Street Cry who sustained her only loss in 20 starts when second in the Breeders' Cup Classic, was honored Jan. 17 as North America's Horse of the Year for owners Jerry and Ann Moss and trainer John Shirreffs.

Lookin At Lucky became the first horse since Spectacular Bid to be named champion 2-year-old male and 3-year-old male.

Not only did Goldikova win the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs, she won the race for the third straight year to become the only horse in history to win a World Championships race three times.

Always a Princess upset Blind Luck in Sunday's $150,000 El Encino Stakes at Santa Anita, taking advantage of a track that favors speed in two-turn races to win by 3 1/2 lengths.

Blind Luck overcame so many challenges racing coast to coast in 2010 that expectations are excessively high for 2011.