George Rowand, a man who embraced—and for a moment, lived—the Thoroughbred dream as completely as almost anyone, passed away last week.

Following a strong five-furlong work March 28 at Winding Oaks Farm near Ocala, Fla., the connections of Classic Empire set the Arksansas Derby (G1) as the next target for last year’s champion juvenile male.

Unique Bella, formerly considered this year’s leading contender for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), has been sidelined with a shin issue.

Fasig-Tipton is adding a new one-day selected sale consisting of yearlings suited for grass racing to be held Sept. 10 at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington.

Following a strong five-furlong work March 28 at Winding Oaks Farm near Ocala, Fla., the connections of Classic Empire set the Arksansas Derby (G1) as the next target for last year’s champion juvenile male.

Dennis Drazin’s homebred son of Holy Bull won the the Withers Stakes (G3) and placed in the Betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1).

A colt by three-time leading sire Tapit supplemented into the Barretts select sale of 2-year-olds in training tops the list of hips to watch during the March 29 auction at Del Mar.

The president and CEO of The Stronach Group will address racing’s challenges and opportunities domestically and internationally at the Pan American Conference May 17-20 in Washington, D.C.

Dennis Drazin’s homebred son of Holy Bull won the the Withers Stakes (G3) and placed in the betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1).

HorsePlayers.com is the new official online qualifying site for the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge and the NTRA’s newly re-branded National Horseplayers Championship.

Proposals to shift NYRA back to private operation could be stripped from budget legislation and dealt with in June toward the end of the New York legislative session.

Jim and Linda McIngvale announced a second Runhappy College Scholarship to coincide with Keeneland’s College Scholarship Day April 7 in Lexington.

A filly by Lucky Pulpit and a colt by Justin Phillip recorded the fastest times at the Barretts under-tack preview at Del Mar March 27. The filly worked a furlong in :09 4/5, followed by the colt working a quarter-mile in :20 3/5.

A trio of Mike Maker-trained graded stakes winners will face eight other older horses when they line up April 1 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for the $300,000 Muniz Memorial Handicap (G2T). 

Honorable Duty will try for a third straight stakes win at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots meeting and most prestigious victory of his career when he faces an expected nine rivals in the $400,000 New Orleans Handicap (G2) April 1.

Animo de Valeroso, a 15-year-old unraced son of Pulpit, has been purchased by Daryl and Sally Duncan and will stand at their Duncan Farms near Warsaw, Ohio.