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Al Kazeem gets up to win the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot! Posted 8 hours ago
Game On Dude worked 6f in 1:13.40 (2/8) at Santa Anita on 6-18. Posted 1 day ago
Declaration of War upsets the Queen Anne Stakes! Posted 1 day ago
Normandy Invasion breezed 4f in :48.40 (3/56) at Saratoga on 6-16. Posted 3 days ago
Smiling Tiger posted a 3F bullet in 35:60 (1/12) at Pleasanton on June 15. Posted 3 days ago
Fort Larned runs them off their feet in the Stephen Foster!Posted 3 days ago
There will be a Pick Six carryover of $130,526 when racing resumes Sunday at Hollywood.Posted 3 days ago
Funny Proposition shocks the champ in the Fleur de Lis!Posted 3 days ago
Free World rolls in the Centaur Stakes at Indiana Downs! Posted 3 days ago
Byrama romps in the Vanity!Posted 3 days ago

Ride
Never Retreat
against other champions!

Never Retreat

8 year old Mare
3 fans3

1 favorite1

[Edit]

Status:

Retired

Owner(s):

Jeff Singer - Team Block

Trainer:

Chris M. Block

Bred:

Kentucky (USA) by Stanley Inman - Gerry O'Meara - [Add Data]

Pedigree:

Smart Strike - Lisieux by Steady Growth

Rating:

7.61/10

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Progeny

Siblings

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What the Nation is saying about Never Retreat...

Never Retreat

Where is she now?

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chelsea.devries.37 · Well, she was bred to Kitten Joy and War Front this year. Clearly one or both of the matings didn't take, but since both of those stallion are in Kentucky I would say that is where she is too. · 251 days ago ·

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Never Retreat

I like Never Retreat.She is beautiful...:* For me she is the best mare!I love her.:)

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JOURNEY

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6:13 PM

Congratulations to Canada's 2011 Horse of the Year, Never Retreat!

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STARS

Some surprises in the nominations announcement of the SOVEREIGN AWARDS, honouring champions of 2011. The noms were announced about the same time as the OSCARS THIS MORNING! Read More

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Dead Heat Debates' Eclipse Award Selections

The Eclipse Awards are only a week away, and with the nominations already released, people can now choose from the top three horses chosen for each division. Before I give mine, I feel it prudent to mention a very noticeable snub. While I love Shackleford, and respect the season he had, Stay Thirsty...Read More

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BrianZipse · Acclamation over Cape Blanco? Didn't we "debate" this one already? I thought I had convinced you ;-) · 525 days ago ·

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travel_vic · The epieneter of racing is, was and most likely will always be EAST of the Mississippi. If a horse cannot come there and strut their stuff over the other leaders, or have a surrogate do it whom they had beaten in the West, then they have to settle for second best. It is as true today as when Fort Marcy after losing to the best of the west, got the call. You have to win in the EAST to be turf champ, BUT one year, not too long ago, the Eclipse went to a horse which had NEVER raced in the US. · 525 days ago ·

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zxswordxz · Cape Blanco...hands down. Three trips to the US and you call that running in the east? Did Acclamation even left Cali...... · 525 days ago ·

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Floridaf · travel_vic: Which horse are you referring to? · 525 days ago ·

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Floridaf · Laura, you and I have already debated this one, and I think we came to a draw if I remember correctly, but I pick Amazombie over Caleb's Posse for champion male sprinter. · 525 days ago ·

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BrianZipse · Singspiel. · 525 days ago ·

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DeadHeat · Brian, you know me, I have the hardest head on the face of the planet lol. Zxswordxs, He ran twice in New York and once in Chicago, so yes that is EAST, in terms of geography. And while the travel is no easy feet, it is much easier for a horse from Europe to travel to the East then to fly all the way to the east then over again to the west. Also, a lovely geography note for you, Cali takes up nearly the entire west coast line, while the east coast is made up of several states. That is one reason I never harp for a Cali horse, including Zenyatta to ship out, because their home state is bigger than Florida and NY. He ran in the best races that were available and faced the best horses in that division. So yes, Acclamation over CB. FloridaF, yes we have, but it's always fun to keep things going :) · 525 days ago ·

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Floridaf · As I understood it, I thought horses HAD to have raced in the U.S. in order to be eligible for the Eclipse Award. Was 1996 different because an American series was run at Woodbine? · 525 days ago ·

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Neville · Animal Kingdom did not win outside of KY and Stay Thirsty did not win outside of NY. I think the difference in the media support lies in the head-to-head matchups. AK beat ST in the Derby by nearly 12 lengths while ST had no apparent excuses, but finished behind ST in the Belmont with a huge excuse, ie. running injured. · 525 days ago ·

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DeadHeat · Neville an apparent distaste for the track is an excuse. Thirsty has never run well at CD in any of his now three starts. Also, he had a disasterous final prep. If you ask me he had plent of excuses to lose going into a race he was probably not even close to fit enough for and over a track he did not like. AK, while running injured, one would not know it for that move he made showed no signs of laboring. He simply flattened out. If one wanted to say the break and he had too much ground I would understand. · 525 days ago ·

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zxswordxz · DeadHeat, I understand that he ran two race in NY and one in the midwest. Are you seriously going to debate the size of Cali vs the distance from Europe to Easter Part of the US? Why don't you find out the distance from Cali to Chicago and Europe to Chicago...You tell me which horse would have a more difficult trip? · 525 days ago ·

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DeadHeat · I did not debate size vs distance. I am saying that I don't take away points based on just racing in Cali because it takes up so much of the west Coast. I'm also not debating the travel, and you would know that if you read everything. You implied that CB did not have an east coast campaign. He did. The travel is a lot on a horse, however, it is much harder for a Euro to ship from Europe to the EC than from Europe to the WC. I'm not discrediting CB, however, when you implied he did not have an EC season, I had to correct. Chicago is on the easter side of the US, and NY an east coast state, therefore EC campaign · 525 days ago ·

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zxswordxz · What I was trying to emphasize on my original comment was that it shouldn't be about east coast/ west coast, since one horse travel to another Continent and the other stay in his home state. · 525 days ago ·

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stevebiscuit · A mile is not a sprint, it has never been considered a sprint and shouldn't be regarded as a sprint. Amazombie won the Breeders Cup SPRINT! He is your Champion Sprinter. Even The Factor is a more deserving Sprint Champion than Caleb's Posse. Amazombie beat older horses in sprints twice. Caleb's Posse did that once, and that's only if a mile is a sprint. He's a deserving champion 3 year old though. · 525 days ago ·

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footlick · Nice breakdown, Dead Heat. And an interesting debate about shipping from Europe. I do believe that shipping once here is easier, shipping three times across the Atlantic will take it's toll, which is why you do not see many horses doing it. Either horse is fine to me, but I believe Cape Blanco had a little more to overcome. I like Acclimation for older male, as I can't count his Pac Classic for the Turf award and I believe it was his strongest performance. Stay Thirsty should have been in the running for 3 yr old title. Sprint title is a toss up really. Purists will like Amazombie, but remember Precisionist won the Sprint title with one sprint race, if I remember correctly, albeit the BC Sprint. Also, just a side note, My Miss Aurelia is the highest weighted two year old in the world according to Timeform. Interesting. Quite an accolade for an American two year old filly. Thanks Dead Heat for the breakdown. · 525 days ago ·

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DeadHeat · zx, you made it east and west when you said "did Acclamation even leave Cali." That is why I responded with, I don't take points off there, since Cali is West Coast Racing. If a horse runs in the top races that are there for them, I don't take points. Footlick, I don't doubt that the shipping takes a toll, and honestly, I'm not going to be horrified if CB wins, I just happen to like Acclamation for the award better. Steve, then why is it reffered to by many as an elongated "sprint." If it is not a route, and is not going to be considered one then it's a sprint until given it's own division or made to be respected as a route. Amazombie is an Older male, so honestly, that point is moot. It is not like he is up agaist it when going against his own division. A 3yr old taking on old, since they are rising, carries much more weight, since they step up and out of their 3yr old division. The Ancient Title field was weak, and The Factor, in the mile was crushed by Caleb, i'll repeat that, he was crushed. He didn't fire in the AC, and unlike CB is not unbeaten around one turn. There is no plausible way you can say he deserves it over CP, since his win over CP came in a route. CP dominated the, two "reguar" sprints, then dominated at CD. Amazombie does have a shot to beat him, however, before the AT, there were a lot of ppl who called that field weak outside TF, and he did not fire. Amazombie did back it up with his Sprint win. Prior to that his best claim to fame was a in a Grade two. · 525 days ago ·

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AndyScoggin · I don't think Acclamation is worthy of two Awards. He and Cape Blanco split Older Male and Turf Eclipses! For me the toughest pick was for Turf Female! · 525 days ago ·

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Mike in SB · Usually in these debates the phrase "Body of Work" comes up somewhere, some people thank the eclipse winner should be the best horse, others think the winner is the horse with the best "Body of Work". But if you are a "Body of Work" voter doesn't that include losses as well as victories? Caleb's Posse lost 5 times including a 12th place in the Arkansas Derby and Stay Thirsty finished 12th in the Derby and 11th in the Breeders Cup Classic. I believe Animal Kingdom was the best 3 year old to race last year and could say he even had the best body of work as well. · 525 days ago ·

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dubby30 · From what I remember in the past the Man O’ War, Arlington Million and Joe Hirsch would be more important than running in the Eddie Read, Charles Whittingham and Hirsch Turf, I guess that has changed to accomodate Acclamation, whom I believe will not win even 1 eclipse award. Its also important to remember the 5th place finish in the Frank Kilroe when Acclamation was bested by Times Gone By, who recently lost and ran 3rd in an Allowance Optional Claimer at Hollywood Park. Fortunately everyone has opinions and when or if a horse or horses happen to be you favorite I guess you can find a way to spin how a horse traveling 4000 miles to Chicago to run in the top American Turf race compared to a horse that traveled the 133 miles from Del Mar to Hollywood to Arcadia, I guess Cape Blanco should have skipped the Arlington Million and came out to Cali to run in the much less important Cali races to "Prove himself" against Falcon Rock. Seems a bit confusing to be torn between a horse with 3 Grade 1 wins in the top turf races in America compared to a horse that ran in races that were contested by horses that are currently running in Optional Claimers. But what’s even more confusing is Acclamation for Older male with 1 win off the turf in the Pac Classic, top older male would to go Game on Dude easy, with Tizway 2nd and honestly Flat Out should have been the third nominee. His downfall being running 5th and last in races this year against mediocre company. The Juvi award may well go to Hansen off of the BC victory but it was my assumption that the BC crowned its champion while the eclipse is an indication of the full year. I guess the thought process would be a nose victory in the BC with a msw and a 100k ungraded stakes would trump Union Rags who was running in a msw, the Grade 2 Saratoga Special and G1 Champagne. The full balance of the year easily gives indication that Union Rags should win the award, but apparently just as with the Jim Murray being more important than the Arlington Million, the Breeders Cup Juvi is basically the only gauge by which you crown a juvi champion, no reason to consider the Grade 2 and Grade 1 that the other horse won, Hard to understand certain reasoning, but I guess if you like a certain horse its easy to make up and spin things in that horse’s favor. Hard to tout Hansen over UR when looking at the year, and there is no plausible way you can even being to try to spin Acclamation over Cape Blanco. Im just saying. · 525 days ago ·

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zxswordxz · Agreed with Mike on AK...It is very difficult to win the Kentucky Derby. Caleb's Posse didn't even show up for that.... · 525 days ago ·

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DeadHeat · Dubby, I didn't spin anything, and honestly, you like to look at competition and not grade, there was no way those races you hold in higher esteem were grade one based on field. Gio off form, Deans Kitten never won a single race this year. Mission Approved has no wins of consequence this year, Grassy? really? The fields both horses faced were fairly similar in competition. CB did the travel, that is not a spin, and as I said I really wouldn't mind him getting an the award, I happen to like the 5 consecutive better, with four on turf. The rest of your post in reguards to him is a one sided rant. Older Male, he won three grade ones for older males, that is not a spin, that is a fact. Two were on turf, one on synthetic. Game on he beat easily that day and he also tied the track record i believe. Both horses you mention have less grade ones than him. Hansen won the head to head. As I have said in the past if it is a flukey win in the head to head, I go with the entire season. If the horses never met i go with the season. However, Hanse was not a fluke and he won. He has a grade one win and a stakes win now, thats not a fluke. He gets it based on that. Again, nothing is a spin. What i have on here is fact, be blind to that if you wish. · 525 days ago ·

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Winplacsho · I agree with most of your selections, but I would give Amazombie champion sprinter. He successfully campaigned all year at sprint distances & won the biggest sprint race their is. I understand that Caleb's Posse beat Uncle Mo and took the dirt mile, but he doesn't have the body of work of Amazombie. · 525 days ago ·

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shadowno · With regard to #YO male, to win a classic award like the Eclipse you should at least be considered of sufficient quality to contest the classic races and the Kentucky derby will always be the biggest race in America.. Trying to claim a minor league derby at B and C tracks in Iowa, Ohio and Indiana and getting soundly defeated in Iowa and Indiana is hardly champion material. Also he was previously smacked around by ArchX3 and The Factor in Arkansas. As I see it his claim to fame is the BC Mile and he is in reality just a late running sprinter who only defeated one of the major contenders (Shackelford) and the win only evened their head to head record. He is a major cut below AK, Shack and Stay Thirsty ROI. · 525 days ago ·

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shadowno · @Dead Heat. Believe you have the right angle Re: Hansen v UR. Any questions were decided on the track and with regard to their seasons, the Saratoga Special, while graded, has not been a race providing a winner of importance since 1997. Certainly, nothing comprable to prior Kentucky Cup Juvenile winners Point Given and Vindication. · 525 days ago ·

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icyhotboo · Objectively written. Nice point made on ST vs AK although I believe AK to be the better horse ST did do it on the track . · 525 days ago ·

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DeadHeat · I think both have a good body of work. Both have five stakes wins, however four of Caleb's are graded while only four of Amazombie's are graded. · 525 days ago ·

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DeadHeat · sorry, meant to say Amazombie only has three graded stakes wins. · 525 days ago ·

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WilliamCaple · Gotta be Hansen. Only three races, yes....but dominant in all three and that's counting Breeders Cup. Union Rags closed, but Hansen led the entire way! derbydeals.com · 524 days ago ·

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Multiple Graded Winner Never Retreat Retired

Never Retreat, who had been scheduled to make her final career start in next Saturday’s $100,000 Marshua’s River (G3) at Gulfstream Park, has been retired and on her way to Lexington, Ky. for a date with War Front. The 6-year-old turf star, who captured the Honey Fox (G3) at Gulfstream last year, ha...Read More

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Never Retreat

Has been retired and will be bred to War Front.

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annalefsrud@yahoo.ca · Thx for the update on Never Retreat, she was quite amazing this year. · 534 days ago ·

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Eclipse Award Voting

Cast your vote for Horse of the Year as well as all other divisions.Read More

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Never Retreat not retired yet

Never Retreat’s racing career is not over yet.Never Retreat was scheduled to be retired following her 2011 finale in Hollywood Park’s Grade 1 Matriarch. But after finishing a disappointing third as the 4-5 favorite three weeks ago at Hollywood Park, trainer Chris Block decided to give his Grade 1 wi...Read More

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Hollywood Turf Festivus for All of Us!!!

Once all the leftovers have been put away and the relatives have headed home, it's time to pad that holiday shopping fund...Read More

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BrianZipse · I'd love to see Never Retreat get the win here, and if she does, I think she will deserve an Eclipse Award. · 572 days ago ·

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Winplacsho · Dodged a bullet when Assateague got scratched since I didn't have Starship Flare in my trifecta plays. · 572 days ago ·

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Winplacsho · Wow, War Element really got bet down pretty good considering that was hit graded stakes debut. Jeranimo is much better when rated off the pace IMO · 570 days ago ·

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zatt · Considering the way the top 2 were bet, $88 for the dollar tri was not bad at all. · 570 days ago ·

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notobsessed · Great way to spend a weekend...watching horses die · 569 days ago ·

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travel_vic · we appear to have benn infiltattated by PETA....Used to have these idiots down by the gate yelling at the assistant starters...Several screws loose · 569 days ago ·

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Star Billing Runs Down Summer Soiree in Matriarch

Star Billing capped off a big day for John Shirreffs when she captured the Grade 1 Matriarch at Hollywood Park on Friday. Read More

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BrianZipse · Exciting finish ... all of the top three ran well, but it was nice to see Star Billing get her first big win. · 571 days ago ·

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No stopping Never Retreat for Horse of the Year

How a longshot result at the Breeders' Cup generated a heavy favorite in Canada's race for 2011 Horse of the Year.Read More

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zatt · Thank you for highlighting an underappreciated horse. After the Queen's Plate, I would have said Inglorious had Canadian HoY, but you are right, Never Retreat has earned it for a full year of exellence. I think she makes a solid argument for America's Female Turf Award as well. · 586 days ago ·

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atamulonis · Never Retreat and Inglorious...those are two names that had slipped to the back of my mind in recent weeks. I do believe Never Retreat definitely has made a good case for consideration in the Eclipse Awards. Thank you for pointing that out because I had sure forgotten about her. · 586 days ago ·

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hitmangolf · Never Retreat would be the first Eclipse Award winner in that division not to win a $500k stakes race all year · 572 days ago ·

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Friday Pick 6 from Hollywood Park - Nov 25

Friday’s Pick 6 from Hollywood Park includes two flat mile graded turf races. First up is the G3 Miesque for 2-year-old fillies and overseas invader Island Paradise looks live against a less than stellar US group. In the G1 Matriarch, morning line favorite Never Retreat shoots for her sixth graded t...Read More

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Stacked Stakes Weekend Tournament

Since it’s Turkey Day and football shares the day with busted bellies let’s talk a little football. There’s an old adage – play to your strength and you’ll hear it used most often by coaches or analyst during football games. And while it’s fairly straightforward four words, some miss the simplicity ...Read More

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zatt · I'm with you on Ever So Lucky ... this colt is going to be a good one! · 573 days ago ·

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Never Retreat, Motion Runners Gallop

Never Retreat, with designs on an Eclipse Award, exercised on the turf course Wednesday for the $250,000 Matriarch Stakes Friday, a Grade I test for fillies and mares at one mile on grass. “She just galloped and stretched her legs once around,” said Arthur Coontz, assistant to trainer Chris B...Read More

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Never Retreat

Never Retreat runs in the Matriarch this week, if you don't recognize what she's already done this year, just take a look!

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Gypsy's Warning Goes After Repeat in Matriarch

Gypsy’s Warning will try to become only the second repeat winner when she faces eight opponents in the $250,000 Matriarch Friday at Hollywood Park. Read More

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Never Retreat After Sixth Graded Tally in Matriarch

Trainer Chris Block said Sunday that Never Retreat will make her final start in the $250,000 Matriarch Stakes Friday, and he hopes that a victory in the Grade I test for fillies and mares at one mile on turf will strengthen her case for an Eclipse Award. “I think she deserves consideration,” ...Read More

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Shippers Head West for Turf Festival

A Tex Sutton flight is scheduled to deliver several Eastern horses Monday for Turf Festival races at Hollywood Park Friday through Sunday. The flight will pick up horses in New York and Kentucky, including multiple stakes winner Never Retreat for the $250,000 Matriarch Friday and highly regar...Read More