Steve Haskin

Commentary: Racehorse Paynter Continues Road to Recovery

November 13, 2012

Steve Haskin provides an update on Paynter's recovery at Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center. Read More

Breeders' Cup: Questing Found to Have Eye Injury

November 05, 2012

The filly's eye was swollen shut the evening after her race, but no one is sure how or when she was injured. Read More

Thoroughbred Trainer Pletcher Not Worried about Salix Ban

October 25, 2012

All Pletcher's 2-year-olds have raced on Salix in all of their starts. Read More

Commentary: Paynter--A Profile in Courage

October 07, 2012

Steve Haskin shares his thoughts on racehorse Paynter's multiple medical battles and his recovery. Read More

Strict Protocols in Place for Belmont Stakes Contenders

May 31, 2012

The NYSRWB issued protocols for Belmont horses, including a stakes barn at which all horses must reside. Read More

Breeders' Cup: Trainer Releases Statement on Life At Ten

March 10, 2011

Todd Pletcher, trainer of Life At Ten, has issued a statement regarding the much-publicized incident in which his filly finished last in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic, held Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., creating a public Read More

Commentary: Visiting Zenyatta

January 19, 2011

Steve Haskin is a veteran Blood-Horse writer who recently got the chance to visit with Zenyatta. Find out how she's adjusting to life on the farm, a pasture with friends, and if she's physically ready to become a mom. Read More

Breeders' Cup: Churchill Downs' Track Should be Fair

November 01, 2010

After the slow times turned in on Sunday's opening day card, and the forecast of freezing low temperatures for Friday and Saturday, the typical warning flares went up. How fair will the track be for the Breeders' Cup and what Read More

Breeders' Cup: Zenyatta Steals the Headlines

October 29, 2010

Mighty Mare vs. Goldi the Great. Although they won't be competing against each other, filly phenoms Zenyatta and Goldikova will be battling for world domination on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs. The burning question on everyone's Read More

Review: <i>Secretariat</i> Delivers

October 09, 2010

It was an early August morning at Saratoga in 1972. I was sitting several yards from the rail, having breakfast with a Daily Racing Form colleague when I heard this sound behind me, getting louder and louder. The pounding hooves and sn Read More

Belmont Stakes Winner Drosselmeyer Out with Injury

July 12, 2010

Belmont Stakes winner Drosselmeyer has been taken out of training indefinitely with an ankle problem that trainer Bill Mott said likely will keep the colt out for the remainder of the year. The problem was discovered after Drosselmeyer breezed Read More

Kip Deville Succumbs to Laminitis

June 12, 2010

After a lengthy battle with laminitis and several bouts of colic, Kip Deville, winner of the 2007 Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. I), took a major turn for the worse this week and had to be euthanized at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., June Read More

2009 Belmont Stakes Winner Summer Bird Retired

June 03, 2010

Champion Summer Bird, who catapulted to stardom in the 2009 Belmont Stakes, has been retired due to complications of a fracture suffered last fall prior to the Japan Cup Dirt. The son of Birdstone–Hong Kong Squall, by Summer Sq Read More

Eskendereya Retired From Racing

May 08, 2010

Zayat Stables' Eskendereya, runaway winner of the Wood Memorial (gr. I) and Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) and overwhelming early favorite for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), has been retired due to Read More

Kip Deville Recovering From Bout with Colic

April 07, 2010

Kip Deville, who survived a near-fatal case of laminitis earlier this year, is resting comfortably at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington after undergoing surgery for his third attack of colic.

"There are no new lesions Read More

Racehorse Kip Deville 'Doing Great' in Laminitis Fight

January 27, 2010

Kip Deville, who has been battling life-threatening laminitis for several months, continues to show significant improvement at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., and his connections remain cautiously optimistic.

" Read More

Zenyatta Items Benefit Thoroughbred Retirement

December 14, 2009

Zenyatta might be retired, but she remains the gift that keeps on giving. Through her memorabilia and her "Moneigh" paintings she has contributed to such worthy charitable organizations as the Communication Alliance to Network Thoroug Read More

Summer Bird Injured, Withdrawn from Japan Cup Dirt

November 29, 2009

Summer Bird, winner of the grade I Belmont Stakes, Travers, and Jockey Club Gold Cup, was withdrawn from the Dec. 6 Japan Cup Dirt after suffering an injury in a workout at Hanshin Race Course.

According to owner Dr. K.K. Jayaraman Read More

Quality Road Passes First Gate Test

November 20, 2009

Quality Road, whose exploits have been followed closely since his traumatic encounter with the starting gate before the Breeders' Cup Classic cleared a major hurdle Wednesday, schooling at Belmont to the satisfaction of trainer Todd Read More

Quality Road Arrives at Belmont

November 17, 2009

Quality Road, who was forced to scratch from the Breeders' Cup Classic after suffering minor injuries during a bad incident at the starting gate, arrived safely at Todd Pletcher's barn at Belmont Park at 6 a.m. Tuesday following an Read More

Quality Road to Van Home, Gate Work Planned

November 11, 2009

Quality Road not only suffered several injuries from his traumatic incident at the starting gate prior to the Breeders' Cup Classic, he suffered mentally as well and now will have to van home to Belmont Park from California after refusing Read More

Foot Injury Could Keep Rip Van Winkle Out of Breeders' Cup

November 04, 2009

Coolmore and trainer Aidan O'Brien took a chance by entering only Rip Van Winkle in the Breeders' Cup Classic, despite the colt's history of foot problems. They now could wind up without a horse in the race if Rip's most recen Read More

Undefeated Mare Zenyatta Entered in Breeders' Cup Classic

October 29, 2009

Trainer John Shirreffs said on a national teleconference that the first preference for Zenyatta is the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic as long as she works well Oct. 31 at Hollywood Park and appears to be peaking for the Read More

Thoroughbred Hall of Fame Inducts Six New Members

August 16, 2009

The 2009 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame inductions, held on Aug. 14, came together like a great American tapestry, highlighted by the irrepressible Bob Baffert, who rose from the Quarter Horse ranks in and around his hometown of Nogales Read More

Rachel Alexandra Heads Field of Seven in Haskell

July 31, 2009

Although Rachel Alexandra has been installed as the 4-5 favorite for the $1.25-million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park Aug. 2, she could face stiff competition from several of the six 3-year-old colts entered against her.

The filly, who Read More