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 11.

Kip Deville appeared to be on his way to recovery in early March after having battled laminitis and colic for eight months. Foot specialist Ve

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 Squall, burst on the scene when he scored an impressive 2 1/4-length victory in the Belmont Stakes at odds of 11-1 for trainer Tim Ice. Follo

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 a soft tissue injury.

Owner Ahmed Zayat will retain a significant ownership stake in partnership with Jess Jackson of Kendall Jackson Wine

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, and it was a simple procedure,” said owner IEAH president Mike Iavarone. “He continues to amaze everybody with his incredible will to live

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.

“He is doing great,” said Mike Iavarone, president of IEAH Stables. “Every day has been better and better for him. He is walking around well

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 Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses (CANTER), the Racetrack Chaplaincy, and Re-Run.

“We are having so much fun with her before she leaves for Kentucky

Summer Bird, winner of the grade I Belmont Stakes, Travers, and Jockey Club Gold Cup, was withdrawn from the Dec. 6 Japan Cup Dirt after suffering an injury in a workout at Hanshin Race Course.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, the son of Birdstone came back from his work Nov. 29 showing signs of lameness.

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 Pletcher and starter Bob Duncan.

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 uneventful cross-country van ride from Santa Anita.

 Because he refused to board the plane, Quality Road had to be vanned from Californi

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 to get on the plane.

"He's got stitches, he nearly knocked a tooth out, he's got a laceration and a big bruise over one eye,

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 recent setback proves serious enough to force his withdrawal.

O'Brien told the Racing Post Tuesday, "This horse has had no clean

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 race.

“If she works well Saturday and continues to train well the following week, we’ll definitely lean toward the Classic,” Shirreffs

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, Ariz., to become one of the top big-money Thoroughbred trainers of all time and winner of eight Triple Crown races; his star filly, Silverbulletday,

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 is scheduled to arrive at Monmouth around 8 a.m. July 31, vanning down from Saratoga, drew post 6 and will be ridden by Calvin Borel.

“It’s an