Perfect Shirl
Perfect Shirl (foaled May 10, 2007 in Kentucky) is a Thoroughbred racemare who won the 2011 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in a 27-1 upset. She was foaled in the United States but her connections were Canadian. Background Perfect Shirl was bred and raced by Canadian businessman Charles E. Fipke, who had also bred and raced her sire, Perfect Soul. Perfect Soul was a late-developing colt by leading sire Sadler's Wells who blossomed into a multiple graded stakes winner on the turf late in his career. Perfect Shirl's dam, Lady Shirl, was a grade I and was bought by Fipke at auction for $485,000 in 2005 as a broodmare prospect. Prior to foaling Perfect Shirl, Lady Shirl had produced Grade I winner Shakespeare and Grade II winner Lady Shakespeare. Although Lady Shirl's immediate family was unremarkable, her second dam descended from the " blue hen" mare La Troienne, one of the most distinguished female families of the 20th century. Perfect Shirl was trained by Canadian Horse Racing ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Sadler's Wells (horse)
Sadler's Wells (11 April 1981 – 26 April 2011) was an American-bred, Irish-trained champion Thoroughbred racehorse and outstanding sire. He was the 1984 European Champion miler after winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas, Eclipse Stakes and Phoenix Champion Stakes in that year. He also finished second in the French Derby and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Despite his success as a runner, it is as a sire that Sadler's Wells is best known. He was the leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland a record-setting 14 times, including 13 titles in a row. At the time of his death, he had sired 323 stakes winners. Only Danehill, who was operational across both hemispheres, sired more. Sadler's Wells was also a notable sire of sires, including Galileo and Montjeu in Europe, and El Prado in the United States. He helped reverse a trend from the middle of the twentieth century where many of Europe's most successful racehorses were exported to stand in the United States and later ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Roger Attfield
Roger L. Attfield (born 28 November 1939 in Newbury, Berkshire, England) is a Canadian thoroughbred horse trainer and owner and an inductee of both the Canadian and United States horseracing Halls of Fame. In his native England, Attfield had become an accomplished international-level equestrian competitor when he emigrated to Canada in 1970. Five years later he returned to the sport he loved and began working as a trainer of show jumping horses and eventually was offered the chance to train thoroughbred race horses. Instant success led to training opportunities for other owners including for Frank Stronach and Kinghaven Farms where he met with his greatest success. A resident of Nobleton, Ontario, Roger Attfield won the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Trainer a record six times. Of the seven horses who have won the Canadian Triple Crown, three were trained by Attfield. A winner of twenty Canadian Triple Crown races, he holds or equals the record for most wins in each of th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 – November 16, 1990) was a Thoroughbred who, in 1964, became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. He then became one of the most successful sires of the 20th century. He is considered a Canadian icon and was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1965. Induction into the Racing Hall of Fame in both Canada and the United States followed in 1976. As a competitor, '' The Blood-Horse'' ranked him as one of the top 100 U.S. Thoroughbred racehorses of the 20th century. As a sire of sires, his impact on the breed is still felt worldwide. At age two, Northern Dancer was named the Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Colt after winning both the Summer Stakes and Coronation Futurity in Canada, plus the Remsen Stakes in New York. At three, he became a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby with wins in the Flamingo Stakes, Florida Derby, and Blue Grass Stakes. Northern Dancer followed up a record-setting victory in the Kentuc ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
The Very One Stakes
The Very One Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Open to fillies and mares three years old and up, it is contested over a distance of five furlongs on turf. The Very One Stakes is run on the third Friday of May each year on the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes under card. The race is run on the "Filly Friday" of Preakness Stakes weekend. The race was not run between 1994 and 2000. The first year the race was run in 1993, it was contested at miles on the main track at "Old Hilltop" on a dirt surface; since that time it has been run at a distance of five furlongs and on the turf. The Very One Stakes attracts female turf sprinters. It was named in honor of The Very One, one of the best race mares in training during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Purchased out of the 1977 two-year-old in training sale at Timonium for $22,000, she became a millionaire, racing in 71 times with a record of 22 wins, 12 second-place finishes ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Going (horse Racing)
Going (UK), track condition (US) or track rating (AUS) are the track surface of a horse racing track prior to a horse race or race meet. The going is determined by the amount of moisture in the ground and is assessed by an official steward on the day of the race. The condition of a race track plays an important role in the performance of horses in a race. The factors that go into determining race track condition include the surface conditions, type of surface, and track configuration. The surface conditions are influenced by the type of surface factoring in soil type, and if the track is dirt, turf, artificial surface; plus surface density, porosity, compaction and moisture content. Australia Prior to a race meeting, an inspection of the racecourse’s surface is conducted by officials. This process consists of a visual inspection and the use of a tool called a penetrometer which measures the soil’s resistance to penetration. The inspection is conducted before the meeting to ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Stacelita
Stacelita (foaled 17 April 2006) is a Thoroughbred racehorse who was a Classic winner while based in France and became an Eclipse Award winner when relocated to the United States. Background Stacelita is a dark bay or black mare who was bred in France by Jean-Pierre Joseph Dubois. By leading German sire Monsun, she was out of the stakes-winning mare Soignée by Dashing Blade. Martin Schwartz bought a share in the mare from her breeder in May 2009 and then assumed full ownership in 2010. She was originally trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, and later by Chad Brown. Racing career Stacelita began her career with six straight wins including the Group I Prix Saint-Alary, Prix de Diane and Prix Vermeille, the latter as a result of the disqualification of Dar Re Mi. She finished her three-year-old campaign with a seventh-place finish in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe behind Sea the Stars after setting the early pace. She began 2010 by finishing fourth in the Prix d'Ispahan behind Goldik ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, famed for hosting the annual Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was prominent in Kentucky for many years. The first Kentucky Derby, a Thoroughbred sweepstakes and part of today's horse racing Triple Crown, and the first Kentucky Oaks were held in the same year. Churchill Downs has also hosted the renowned Breeders' Cup on nine occasions, most recently on November 2 and 3, 2018. The racetrack is owned and operated by Churchill Downs Incorporated. With the infield open for the Kentucky Derby, the capacity of Churchill Downs is roughly 170,000. In 2009 the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America, which ranked Churchill Downs number 5 on its list. In 2014, prior to the start of their spring meet, Churchill Downs announc ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Breeders' Cup Filly And Mare Turf
The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for fillies and mares, three years old and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race is run at either or , depending on the turf course configuration at the Breeders' Cup host track. For tracks which can accommodate either distance (Belmont, Woodbine, and Santa Anita ), it is run at miles. The 2015 edition at Keeneland was conducted at miles because that track's turf course configuration does not allow for the two regular distances to be conducted on it. For the same reason, the 2017 edition at Del Mar was held at a distance of miles. Automatic Berths Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup developed the Breeders' Cup Challenge, a series of races in each division that allotted automatic qualifying bids to winners of defined races. Each of the fourteen divisions has multiple qualifying races. Note though tha ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes
The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the turf held annually in October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky during the fall meeting. History The race was inaugurated on October 11, 1984, in honour of the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who attended the Keeneland races, during her private visit to Central Kentucky, and who presented a trophy on that date. The event was held on the dirt track over a distance of miles with Sintra winning in a time of 1:43. The following year the event was moved to the turf track. The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup was a Listed race in 1984 and 1985, and was upgraded to Grade III status in 1986. The event held this status for two runnings and was upgraded to Grade II. In 1991 was upgraded once more to Grade I. It is an important prep race to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Records Time record: * ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Del Mar Oaks
The Del Mar Oaks is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid August at the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. Open to three-year-old Filly, fillies, it is contested at a distance of one and one-eighth miles (9 furlongs) on the turf. Since 1994 it has been a Graded stakes race, Grade I event. From its inception in 1957 through 1964, the Del Mar Oaks was raced at a distance of one mile on dirt. It was raced in two divisions in 1966 and again in 1970. Records Speed record: (at current distance of miles) * 1:46.26 – Amorama (2004) Most wins by an owner: * 4 – Howard B. Keck (1970, 1971, 1975, 1986) Most wins by a jockey: * 4 – Bill Shoemaker (1970, 1971, 1985, 1986) * 4 – Chris McCarron (1979, 1984, 1989, 1991) * 4 – Corey Nakatani (1998, 2003, 2007, 2014) Most wins by a Horse trainer, trainer: * 7 – Charles E. Whittingham, Charlie Whittingham (1970, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1982, 1986, 1991) Winners References Del Mar Oaks details at Del Mar websit ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
John Velazquez
John R. Velazquez (born November 24, 1971) is a Puerto Rican jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. He began his career in Puerto Rico and moved to New York in 1990. In 2004 and 2005 he was the United States Champion Jockey by earnings and both years was given the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey. He was inducted into the Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2012, rode his 5,000th winner in 2013, and became the leading money-earning jockey in the history of the sport in 2014. A winner of fifteen Breeders' Cup and six Triple Crown races including 2011, 2017, and 2020 Kentucky Derbies, Velázquez has also won major graded stakes races such as the Kentucky Oaks, Metropolitan Handicap, Whitney Handicap, Dubai World Cup, and Woodbine Mile. Background Velazquez was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico and learned to ride there, attending a jockey school for a year and a half. On January 3, 1990, he won his first race, aboard Rodas at El Nuevo Comandante racetrack in Canóvanas, Puerto Rico. Tha ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Polytrack
The track surface of a horse racing track refers to the material of which the track is made. There are three types of track surfaces used in modern horse racing. These are: *Turf, the most common track surface in Europe *Dirt, the most common track surface in the US *Artificial or Synthetic, the collective term for a number of proprietary man-made surfaces in use at a number of locations around the world. The style of racing differs between surfaces, with dirt races tending to have the fastest pace, while turf racing often comes down to a sprint in the stretch. Races on artificial surfaces tend to play out somewhere in between. Anecdotally, American bettors consider dirt racing to be more predictable, which makes it a more popular medium for betting purposes. Weather conditions affect the speed of the different surfaces too, and grading systems have been developed to indicate the track condition (known as the "going" in the UK and Ireland). Turf surfaces are the most affected by ch ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |