Thoroughbred racing lost a legend Dec. 31 when William “Billy” H. Turner Jr., the trainer of the 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, passed away peacefully in cancer hospice care at his home in Reddick, Fl. He was 81 years old.

The final Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship for the upcoming 2022 breeding season has been awarded to University of Limerick student and Cashel, County Tipperary native Luke Kevin, who will come to the United States to work at Lane’s End.

Two early favorites for the May 7 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs, Smile Happy and Tiz the Bomb, recorded their first workouts Jan. 1 at Gulfstream Park since wrapping up their 2-year-old campaigns in the fall.

Rich Robertson was torn. The Tri-Star Racing co-owner didn’t know whether his outfit should keep or sell the granddaughter of one of its most successful racehorses, Lovenotlost.

Ten Strike Racing, Four Corners Racing Stable, Broadview Stables, and Cory Moelis Racing’s Sea Foam closed the door on his 2021 campaign in New York’s final stakes race of the year in the Dec. 31 $100,000 Alex M. Robb Stakes.

Chad Brown won his seventh consecutive New York Racing Association year-end training title with 140 wins while Jose Ortiz compiled his third riding crown with 185 victories as racing in 2021 was capped with the conclusion of the card Dec. 31.

As a group 1-winning millionaire, Extravagant Kid brought the longest list of accomplishments into the Dec. 31 Janus Stakes at Gulfstream Park, but Carotari brought the speed, and that quickness proved too much for Extravagant Kid and six others.

Journeyman Jevian Toledo returned to the top of the state rider standings for the first time in four years, and Claudio Gonzalez continued his dominance among trainers as Maryland closed the book on its 2021 racing season Dec. 31 at Laurel Park.

The fall meet at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course came to a close on another high note and for the fourth time in 2021, the Austintown oval added another top-five wagering day to its list of record handle days.

The New York Racing Association announced Dec. 31 that jockeys Jorge A. Vargas Jr. and Jalon Samuel have tested positive for COVID-19 and will be off their mounts for the remainder of the weekend.