Next year will be more “financially painful” than 2020 for Ascot, whose leadership does not expect attendances to return to pre-COVID-19 levels until 2022.

Maxfield, who missed a start in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at age 2 due to injury and a possible tilt in September’s Kentucky Derby (G1) following another setback, returns to action in the $75,000 Tenacious Stakes Dec. 19 at Fair Grounds.

The son of Tapit and sire of champion Monomoy Girl was euthanized Dec. 15 after a stall accident. The stallion had been sold to Yushun Stallion Station in Japan and was scheduled to ship in mid-January.

Alain Barows, a Henny Hughes colt, took the points lead in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby with a five-length victory Dec. 16 in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse.

Trainer Federico Villafranco has been suspended 30 days by the Arkansas Racing Commission after four of his horses tested positive for caffeine in races at Oaklawn Park in early February.

Owner-trainer John Ortiz has been fined $500 and issued a suspension of 30 days by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, 15 of them stayed, after Woopigsooie tested positive for clenbuterol after a $16,000 claiming race at Ellis Park July 2.

Awesome Again, winner of the 1998 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and the sire of four Breeders’ Cup winners, died Dec. 15 at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky. He was 26. 

Winter weather forced the change; track will remain open for simulcasting.

Rickelle Nelson is one of those remarkable individuals whose life revolves around helping others. She can also speak in heartwarming terms about the way multiple grade 1 winner Authentic added joy to her life when she needed it most.

Felicita, an unraced half sister to recent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) runner-up Dayoutoftheoffice, sold for $250,000 to Alpha Delta Stables to headline Keeneland’s December Digital Sale.

With the first major winter storm of the season anticipated to hit south central Pennsylvania with significant snow totals, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course has cancelled its live racing program scheduled for Dec. 16.

After finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Presented by Coolmore America (G1T) Nov. 6 at Keeneland, Outadore is entered to try the dirt for the first time in the $200,000 Remington Springboard Mile Stakes Dec. 18 at Remington Park.

Israel Flores Horses’ homebred Special Mischief became the first winner for Koh I Noor when she broke her maiden at first asking Dec. 15 at Delta Downs. 

Multiple graded stakes winner War Story has been retired to Old Friends and has arrived at their Georgetown, Ky., location, the Thoroughbred retirement farm announced Dec. 15.

Dr. Dan Kessler of K.C. Garrett Farm, breeder of multiple group 1 winner Con Te Partiro, died Dec. 4 after a brief illness. He was 69.

Keepmeinmind, among the country’s leading 2-year-olds, is scheduled to arrive at Oaklawn Park between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day to begin preparations for a 2021 campaign, according to the colt’s trainer, Robertino Diodoro.

Brueggemann trained Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner Work All Week and The Pizza Man, the first Illinois-bred to win the Arlington Million (G1).

The Maryland Horse Foundation will host an online stallion season auction January 1-5, 2021, featuring no-guarantee seasons for 19 Maryland-based stallions.

Supporters of historical horse racing in Kentucky have informed lawmakers that thousands of high-paying jobs in the state are on the line since a 2020 state Supreme Court decision called into question the legality of the games.

Legendary horsemen John Oxx and Barry Geraghty were honored at the 2020 Horse Racing Ireland awards, with the recently retired giants of the sport celebrated at a ceremony broadcast on Racing TV and online Dec. 15.