By Tom LaMarra BloodHorse.com
BALTIMORE, MD-May 18, 2013)-Calumet Farm's Oxbow gunned to the front from the gate in the $1 million Preakness Stakes (gr. I) May 18 and never looked back to post a 1 3/4-length victory at 15-1.

Heavy favorite Orb, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), made a bid on the backstretch, fell back along the inside, and then rallied mildly to finish fourth. Itsmyluckyday finished second, with Mylute third.

By DRF.com BALTIMORE, Md. (May 18, 2013) -- Craig Dado, an executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, was elected to the board of directors of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association at a board meeting Friday in Baltimore, the NTRA announced. http://www.drf.com/news/craig-dado-elected-ntra-board

By DRF.com BALTIMORE-When trainer Bob Baffert gave instructions to jockey Joel Rosario prior to Friday’s $500,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, he told the rider that his 3-year-old filly Fiftyshadesofhay usually likes to be in the first three positions early in the race.

When Baffert saw that Rosario had Fiftyshadesofhay in sixth position around the first turn, Baffert thought, “Oh boy, this is something new!”

From NTRA LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 17, 2013) -- The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) thanks each industry member who participated in the NTRA’s Legislative Action Campaign in the first quarter of 2013. Your generosity allows the NTRA to advocate for federal legislation that impacts the Thoroughbred industry and to support Congressional education programs through government relations.

By San Diego Union Tribune RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. (May 16, 2013) -- An acclaimed thoroughbred training center in Rancho Santa Fe owned by weight-loss guru Jenny Craig is set to close by May 31. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/may/15/jenny-craig-thoroughbred-training-rancho-paseana/

From TOBA LEXINGTON , Ky. (May 16, 2013) -- The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) announced today that it will hold a Thoroughbred Breeding Clinic Friday, May 31 – Sunday, June 2 in Lexington , Ky.  The clinic, sponsored by Blood-Horse Publications, will offer topics including planning a mating, conformation, foal registration, equine nutrition, pasture management, foaling and farm management. The clinic features visits to Machmer Hall, Adena Springs and Darby Dan Farm. A clinic agenda is available here.

By Bloodhorse.com ARCADIA, Calif. (May 15, 2013) -- Santa Anita Park unveiled renovation plans for its turf club and clubhouse at a community meeting held in the track's Chandelier Room May 14. http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/78264/santa-anita-plans-to-renovate-chandelier-room

From CHRB SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 15, 2013) -- The location for the California Horse Racing Board meeting on Thursday, May 23, 2013, originally scheduled to be in the State Capitol, has been changed to the satellite wagering facility in the clubhouse at Cal Expo at 1600 Exposition Blvd. in Sacramento.

By DRF.com BALTIMORE, Md. (May 15, 2013) -- Joel Rosario had returned to the jockeys’ room at Pimlico after riding one of the undercard races on Preakness Day last May and noticed he had several missed calls from his brother Danny. http://www.drf.com/news/preakness-stakes-rosario-back-top-his-game

By Steve Andersen DRF.com Pomona, CA-Support from California-based owners and trainers led to robust increases in major categories at Monday’s Barretts May sale of 2-year-olds in-training at the company's sales complex in Pomona, Calif.

Barretts reported that 88 horses sold for a gross of $4,869,200, a 63 percent increase compared with the 2012 gross of $2,986,500. The average rose 28 percent from $43,283 in 2012 to $55,332 this year, and the sale’s median price gained 30 percent, from $23,000 in 2012 to $30,000 this year. The buy-back rate remained level at 19 percent.

By DRF.com INGLEWOOD, Calif. (May 10, 2013) – The announcement that Betfair Hollywood Park will cease operations at the end of 2013 has increased urgency among Southern California racing officials to develop alternative plans for a year-round racing calendar and stabling venues.

From The Jockey Club NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 10, 2013) -- Donors who make a contribution of $50 or more to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation between now and June 9 will receive an official Orb baseball cap as a thank-you from Stuart S. Janney III and the Phipps Stable, the owners of the 2013 Kentucky Derby winner.

Donations can be made on the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation website at grayson-jockeyclub.org. Checks, payable to Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, can be mailed to Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, 40 E. 52nd Street (15th floor), New York, NY 10022.

By Bloodhorse.com SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 10, 2013) -- The California Horse Racing Board's equine medical director would be restricted to serving no more than two, two-year terms consecutively under a state Assembly bill currently before a legislative committee.

By DRF.com BONSALL, Calif. (May 9, 2013) -- The San Luis Rey Downs training center in northern San Diego County is expected to be closed for four months beginning June 2 for a refurbishment of its stables and dirt track, according to Santa Anita president George Haines.

San Luis Rey Downs is owned by The Stronach Group, which also owns Santa Anita. The facility had been leased to a group of horsemen until late March, when Santa Anita officials resumed management and began making plans for the refurbishment.

By DRF INGLEWOOD, Calif. (May 9, 2013) – Betfair Hollywood Park will close for racing and training at the end of this year, track employees were informed in a letter Thursday. http://www.drf.com/news/hollywood-park-will-close-end-year

From DMTC DEL MAR, Calif. (May 9, 2013) --  “Ship and Win,” the highly successful program to lure out-of-state horses to the summer Del Mar meeting, will return for the third straight season with an additional boost in incentives offered to horsemen who bring new runners to the seaside oval.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 8, 2013) – Claims (sales) will be voided in California beginning Thursday, May 16, whenever a claimed horse suffers a fatality or is placed on the Veterinarian’s List as lame or unsound after the race. The change to CHRB Rule 1658 was adopted by the California Horse Racing Board following a public hearing on February 23 and approved May 2 by the reviewing Office of Administrative Law.

DAVIDSONVILLE, Md. (May 3, 2013) -- Retired Racehorse Training Project, an organization dedicated to increasing demand for Thoroughbreds off the track, is celebrating Derby weekend by accepting applications from trainers for its Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium.

The Makeover will feature twenty-six trainers who select and train twenty-six Thoroughbred ex-racehorses throughout the summer in preparation for a public appearance at the RRTP Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium on October 5 and 6 at Pimlico Racecourse. Application forms are to be filled out online at this link, and must be completed no later than Friday May 17 at 5pm Eastern Time on the eve of the Preakness.

NORWALK, Conn. (May 1, 2013) – In partnership with the winningest jockey of all time, Laffit Pincay Jr., Crown Royal will donate $1 million to Thoroughbred Charities of America, a charitable organization that provides grants to non-profit organizations that work toward improving the lives of Thoroughbred racehorses and the people who work with them, if Pincay Jr. can accurately predict the top three finishers, in order, in each leg of the Triple Crown. With more than 9,500 victories and four Triple Crown race wins, Pincay Jr. looks to use his expertise in this area to help Crown Royal honor the greatness of those on and off the track, as well as encourage fans to always enjoy the races responsibly.

From The Jockey Club
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Apr. 24, 2013) -- The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) today announced the launch of horseracingreform.org, an advocacy and information website designed to promote improved regulatory standards for horse racing. The site replaces cleanhorseracing.org.

From DMTC
DEL MAR, Calif. (Apr. 8, 2013) -- The Breeders' Cup announced today that the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Challenge series will consist of 67 automatic qualifying races into the Breeders' Cup World Championships. This year’s series will be conducted in 10 countries and will feature 48 Grade or Group 1 events, and nine new races. Breeders’ Cup will pay entry fees and provide travel allowances for the connections of the Challenge winners into the Championships. Del Mar will host five races during the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Challenge series beginning on July 28 with the Bing Crosby Stakes. (The complete 2013 schedule is available at https://members.breederscup.com/challenge/schedule.aspx).

By Bloodhorse.com
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Mar. 15, 2013) -- The Breeders' Cup World Championships will pay travel allowances to all participants shipping from outside California for the 2013 event at Santa Anita Park, it was announced March 15.

The Breeders' Cup Board made the announcement after approving the budget for 2013. In addition, the Breeders' Cup will reduce entry fees for its championships races from 3% to 2% of the purse for each race, also beginning with this year.