One of the great Thoroughbred traditions of the south, the Aiken Trials, happen for the 76th time March 17 and offer a great harbinger of spring, a chance to see some world-class Thoroughbreds in action and – at its most simple – a great day out. Photographer Barry Bornstein is a regular and provided some images from the 2017 races. Enjoy.
Maryland's oldest Thoroughbred farm, Country Life Farm, hosted its open house Jan. 20 and plenty of owners/breeders showed up to meet Divining Rod, Mosler, Friesan Fire, Freedom Child and Super Ninety Nine. Photographer Maggie Kimmitt made sure she focused in on the boys – and some new foals.
It's breeding season – foals are being born, mares are waiting (some patiently) for their big days and stallions are being shown to breeders. Northview Stallion Station's Pennsylvania division hosted an open house Jan. 14. Photographer Maggie Kimmitt got a look at the stallions on a bitter cold day.
Venerable Thoroughbred operation Bonita Farm is back in the stallion game with the addition of Dortmund, Kobe's Back and Alliance for the 2018 breeding season. The Maryland farm showcased the stallions at a Jan. 13 open house for breeders. Photographer Maggie Kimmitt met the stallions.
West Coast and It Tiz Well starred in the featured Grade 1, million-dollar races at Parx last weekend, the Cotillion and Pennsylvania Derby. Photographer Tod Marks has the highlights.
Part 1 of the photo recap from Parx Racing's biggest day Saturday features the undercard, including the Alphabet Soup, Gallant Bob, and Pennsylvania Derby Champion stakes. Tod Marks was there with his camera.
Trainer Graham Motion's 18-year-old gelding, who competed for parts of nine seasons while winning 14 of 51 starts and earning $4.3 million, was euthanized Tuesday due to complications from colic. Owned by Bushwood Stable, the turf warrior had been retired with honors at Fair Hill Training Center since his racing career ended in 2009. Photographer Tod Marks takes a look back.
Mell Boucher, daughter of horsemen Lilith and Richard Boucher, took her camera to the farm and to Delaware Park recently and sent us a few shots. She will be a freshman at Camden High in South Carolina in September, but will spend her summer with her parents in Pennsylvania. The photos here are from the farm in Unionville and a trip to Delaware Park. Boucher still holds out hope of becoming a jockey, like her father, but is “kind of tall.” Horses will always matter to her. “I love horses. Everything about them. I kind of have no choice, but I like riding and being around them. They're friends.”
Our recap of the stakes action on Belmont Stakes Day continues with photos from Tod Marks. Tapwrit dazzled in step three of the Triple Crown and photographer Tod Marks covered it all.
It was a huge day for California at Belmont Park Saturday as shippers took home many of the prizes on the Belmont Stakes Day card. Tod Marks has part one of the photo recap, which includes the Easy Goer, Brooklyn, Acorn, Phipps, Jaipur and Woody Stephens stakes and plenty of success by Mike Smith and Bob Baffert.
Eclipse Award-winning photographer Douglas Lees has shot dozens of Maryland Hunt Cup races over a long career. He will be there Saturday and, while gearing up for the day, took time out to send us some of his favorites from the archives. There are great photographs here, covering some of the race's all-time greats. Take a ride back through time and enjoy.
Two-time champion turf mare Tepin didn't show much interest in training anymore, so owner Robert Masterson and trainer Mark Casse decided to retire the 6-year-old, who ends her career with 13 wins in 25 starts and earnings of $4.4 million. Her victories include the Woodbine Mile, Jenny Wiley, Just A Game and Breeders Cup Mile in addition to a win in the Group 1 Queen Anne at England's Royal Ascot in 2016. Tod Marks has a photo look back at her time in New York.
