Steve Haskin

Belmont: Curlin, Hard Spun Take Over Center Stage

June 01, 2007

With the racing world still rocking from the bombshell dropped by Carl Nafzger Thursday morning, all thoughts immediately turned to the two big horses who will remain on their Triple Crown journey and the two trainers who elected to see it through Read More

Injury KO's Great Hunter From Belmont Stakes

May 26, 2007

Paul Reddam's Great Hunter, who finished 13th in the Kentucky Derby will miss the June 9 Belmont Stakes after suffering a chipped ankle in his right front leg, trainer Doug O'Neill said Saturday.

"He'll be out of commission for a few months," Read More

Haskin's Preakness Recap: Crafty Curlin

May 22, 2007

(This article appears in the May 27, 2007 issue of The Blood-Horse magazine.)

Thoroughbred racing is a sport of contrasting emotions, ranging from euphoria to despair and laced with a heavy dose of what might have beens. It often Read More

Hard Spun Trainer Gearing Up for Round Two

May 13, 2007

Larry Jones, who is still having visions of Street Sense getting shut off somewhere--anywhere--in the Kentucky Derby is just about ready to drop what might have been and focus all his attention on what will be.

After all, Street Sense, whose Read More

Fracture Knocks Notional Off Derby Trail

April 16, 2007

Florida Derby runner-up Notional suffered non-displaced condylar fracture of his left front ankle Saturday morning at Keeneland and will not run in the Kentucky Derby, owner J. Paul Reddam said.

Reddam said the son of In Excess came off Read More

Distaff Winner Round Pond Injured, Retired

April 09, 2007

Round Pond, winner of the 2006 Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff, has been retired after suffering a slab fracture of her left knee during the running of the April 7 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park.

The 5-year-old daughter of Read More

Barbaro: Unhappy Ending

February 05, 2007

Fairy tales are not supposed to have unhappy endings. Barbaro was to leave New Bolton Medical Center, walking soundly with his head held high, and live happily ever after. But Thoroughbreds, despite the fairy tales they inspire, live in a Read More

Remembering Barbaro

January 29, 2007

On the morning of Jan. 29, Dean W. Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, head of surgery at The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine's New Bolton Center, made the somber announcement most everyone had been prepared to hear more than Read More

Merry Christmas, Barbaro

December 25, 2006

It's been a Barbaro Christmas at the New Bolton Medical Center. America's favorite horse, who this year was given the greatest gift of all, has been inundated with Christmas presents and cards from his ever-growing legion of fans and admirers Read More

Breyer Presents Barbaro Fund Check, Vets Give Update

December 14, 2006

While Barbaro was spending his 207th day in his stall in the intensive care unit of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine's George D. Widener Hospital at New Bolton Medical Center on Dec. 13, his replica was being exhibite Read More

Jazil to Miss Travers with Bruised Cannon Bone

July 18, 2006

Belmont Stakes winner Jazil has been sent to owner Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Farm near Lexington for 30 days to recuperate from a bruised cannon bone on his right hind leg, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Tuesday.

McLaughlin said the son o Read More

Barbaro: Richardson Ups Recovery Chances to 51%

May 30, 2006

The tears for Barbaro have all been shed, and now people around the world anxiously await each daily report on the colt's condition. It's been more than a week since Barbaro's horrific injury in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), which set off an Read More

Haskin's Preakness Recap: Triumph and Tragedy

May 23, 2006

The day before Preakness Stakes (gr. I) 131, Barbaro arrived at Pimlico by van to a hero's welcome, as a gauntlet of photographers, cameramen, and writers greeted racing's newest superstar. Barbaro stared out the van window at the large throng Read More

Barbaro Works Quarter-Mile Thursday in Final Preakness Prep

May 18, 2006

Barbaro, installed as the even-money morning-line favorite for Saturday's Preakness Stakes (gr. I), galloped strongly and "blew out" a quarter of a mile in an unofficial :24 1/5 Thursday at Fair Hill Training Center in his final prep for the Read More

Dual Classic Winner Afleet Alex Retired

December 07, 2005

Cash is King Stable's Afleet Alex, winner of this year's Preakness and Belmont Stakes (both gr. I), has been retired. Trainer Tim Ritchey announced Thursday the son of Northern Afleet has been retired due to a recently detected injury believed t Read More

Afleet Alex to Miss Breeders' Cup

October 17, 2005

Trainer Tim Ritchey and veterinarian Patricia Hogan, DVM, have said Afleet Alex's injured leg is still in the healing process and he will not be ready for the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup Classic-Powered by Dodge (gr. I).

In a joint statement Read More

Afleet Alex Progressing; BC Classic Questionable

August 23, 2005

Trainer Tim Ritchey said Tuesday that Preakness and Belmont (both gr. I) winner Afleet Alex's fracture is healing nicely, but with an extra week of walking prescribed, there is a question whether the colt can make the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup Read More

Aggressive Treatment Key to Afleet Alex's Recovery

August 10, 2005

As Afleet Alex walked the shedrow for the second of three times Tuesday morning (Aug. 9), his ears were up and he was looking for peppermints from trainer Tim Ritchey. It was obvious the colt was happy being out of his stall and walking Read More

Afleet Alex Sidelined by Condylar Fracture

July 29, 2005

Cash Is King's Afleet Alex, dramatic winner of the Preakness and runaway winner of the Belmont Stakes (both gr. I), underwent surgery yesterday at the New Jersey Equine Clinic after suffering a condylar fracture. The 3-year-old son of Northern Read More

Ghostzapper Retired With Sesamoid Injury

June 14, 2005

Frank Stronach's Ghostzapper, the 2004 Horse of the Year and champion older male, has been retired after the detection of a small hairline fracture of the left front sesamoid. He will stand at Stronach's Adena Springs Farm near Versailles, Read More

Noble Causeway to Undergo Surgery for Entrapped Epiglottis

May 23, 2005

Nick Zito's run of bad luck in this year's Triple Crown continued Monday when it was discovered My Meadowview Farm's Noble Causeway had entrapped his epiglottis in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and will undergo a myectomy to correct the Read More

Birdstone Retired After Suffering Fracture

November 05, 2004

Marylou Whitney's Birdstone, winner of the Belmont (gr. I) and Travers Stakes (gr. I) this year, has been retired after a radiograph taken Nov. 2 revealed a medial chip in the colt's left front long pastern bone (P1).

The son of Read More

Surgery on The Cliff's Edge Deemed Successful

October 08, 2004

Robert LaPenta's The Cliff's Edge, who suffered a fracture of the right front fetlock during the running of the Oct. 2 Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) at Belmont, underwent successful surgery the morning of Oct. 4 at the New Jersey Equine Read More

<I>Seabiscuit</I> Star Stevens Released from Hospital; Sidelined for a Month

August 18, 2003

Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who miraculously escaped serious injury after being thrown by Storming Home a stride from the wire in the Arlington Million on Saturday, was released from Northwest Community Hospital yesterday in good Read More

No Kentucky Derby for Injured Vindication; May Return for Travers, Breeders' Cup

February 08, 2003

Padua Stables' Vindication, champion 2-year-old of 2002 and early favorite for the Kentucky Derby, has been taken off the Derby trail due to an injury to his left front suspensory.

The son of Seattle Slew had been battling a slight foot Read More