Stud Verde’s 3-year-old Agassi and Carlos Dos Santos’s 3-year-old homebred Taksim lead a field of 14 runners entered for Sunday’s 87th running of the 1 1/2-mile Grande Premio Brasil (G1) at Hipodromo Gavea.

There were no breakout horses during the June 7 under tack show for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale, with two pair of juveniles sharing the days fastest times of an eighth-mile and quarter-mile.

Television has proven to be a savior for entities ranging from football to poker, and in New York, it has also been a driving force behind the superlative growth of an Advance Deposit Wagering system belonging to horse racing’s biggest circuit.

John Oxley, a longtime Thoroughbred owner and supporter of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, accepted the Dinny Phipps Award at a celebration of the 125th anniversary of The Jockey Club at The Sea Grill in New York City on Thursday, June 6.

After breaking well from the outside post, grade 1 winner Separationofpowers had little trouble securing her first victory against older foes in the $250,000 Bed o’ Roses Invitational Stakes (G3) June 7 at Belmont Park.

Saturday’s blockbuster program at Belmont Park features eight grade 1 stakes races, climaxed by the Belmont Stakes Presented By NYRA Bets, and including the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap, without a doubt the race of the year for older males so far.

LaPenta owns June 8 Runhappy Metropolitan Mile (G1) contender Coal Front in partnership with Head of Plains Partners, and the two also have June 7 True North Stakes (G2) runner Whitmore.

Gregory Sacco, who learned the horse business from a family of trainers, will send out his first classic starter when Joevia leaves from the rail in the Belmont Stakes June 8

Trainer Mark Casse believes his long-time owners John and Debby Oxley put in a good word for him with Tracy Farmer when the latter was looking for a trainer.

To say that Marc Holliday’s (Blue Devil Racing) homebred Come Dancing, a 5-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon, is on a roll heading into the $700,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) would be a serious understatement.

Anderson Farms Ontario’s homebred Katie Baby, a 4-year-old filly by Curlin, will make her graded stakes debut in Woodbine’s June 9 Hendrie Stakes (G3). The 6 1/2-furlong race drew a field of eight older fillies and mares.

In 23 lifetime starts and four seasons of racing, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Thunder Snow (IRE) has managed to compile a most impressive resume. 

Klein Racing’s unbeaten Break Even, an eye-catching winner of Churchill Downs’ Eight Belles Stakes Presented by Derby City Gaming (G2), headlines Belmont Park’s June 9 Jersey Girl Stakes. The race may serve as a springboard for Saratoga’s Test (G1).

Del Mar’s first condition book for the 2019 summer season is now out and available online and hard copies will be distributed to horsemen in Southern California June 7.

A third version of an online sports betting legalization bill has been introduced at the state Capitol in New York permitting racetracks to participate as “affiliates” with commercial casinos in a sports betting program.

Stephanie Seymour Brant was surrounded by her husband and well-wishers as they celebrated a half-length victory by her 4-year-old filly Significant Form in the $200,000 Intercontinental Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park.

Trainer Jeremiah Englehart was likely holding his breath at the start of the $150,000 Astoria Stakes June 6, but by the end of the race his charge Maryanorginger broke her maiden first time out in the stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.