Victor Cooley, Canada’s 1996 champion 3-year-old male and Queen’s Plate winner, was euthanized June 27 at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement farm based in Georgetown, KY, where he has been pensioned since 2014. The gelding was 29.

WinStar Farm announced June 27 that it will move toward being a private training facility for its horses, led by trainer Rodolphe Brisset. Past trainer Destin Heath has departed the farm and looks to hang his shingle in Lexington.

Rose Girl became a winner in her second start June 26 at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Texas resident Landon Jordan dove into ownership by buying 2-year-olds at auction in 2021. He has a filly and sale-topper named Free Drop Maddy heading to the $150,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity July 17 at Lone Star Park.

The extraordinary life of one of Australia’s most successful and best-loved stallions has ended with the death of Not A Single Doubt at Arrowfield Stud, June 27.

Summer Promise, a $500,000 yearling purchase out of multiple graded stakes producer Dream of Summer, won her 2-year-old debut June 25. Two days prior Kaleem Shah’s Arman, a $600,000 2-year-old purchase also won his debut.

The 2022 Godolphin Flying Start graduation took place at Kildangan Stud in Ireland, June 24th. Many guests attended who all have supported the Flying Start trainees throughout their two years on the program.

Ballade Stakes

The numbers game has proven to be a defining element of a storybook venture for the connections of the grade 1-winning filly sprinter Bella Sofia.

Mardukas, sent off at odds of 44-1, brought home a victory in his second start June 26 in a maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs, becoming the first winner for Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Always Dreaming.