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Heavenly Sunday Cruises Clear In Off-The-Turf Mrs. Revere

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Heavenly Sunday, who made her first career start on dirt after eight previous starts on turf, rolled past pacesetter Callie’s Grit at the top of the stretch and widened her margin inside the final furlong to win Friday’s off-the-turf $298,250 Mrs. Revere by five lengths over Beach Walkin.

Owned by William B. Harrigan’s Miacomet Farm, Heavenly Sunday ran the 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old fillies in 1:44.69 on a fast track. Florent Geroux rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox.

The field was reduced from 12 entries to nine starters when turf racing called off for the final three days of the Fall Meet after track officials were not satisfied with the turf course’s condition.

The Mrs. Revere was carded a Grade 3 event but was downgraded to listed status pending a review by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

Heavenly Sunday banked the $178,800 first prize and rewarded her backers $4.82 for the win.

“She’s always worked well on the dirt so we thought she’d handle things just fine,” Cox said. “When she started her career we put her on grass and because she did so well we’ve always kept her on it. She was impressive today and can give her another option moving forward on dirt.”

Breaking from post No. 9, Heavenly Sunday raced just off the tail of pacesetter Callie’s Grit, who set fractions of :23.95, :48.81, and 1:13.32 during the early stages of the race. Heavenly Sunday pulled her way to the front leaving the final turn and drew away down the stretch while geared down late for the comfortable win.

“We sat a great trip,” Geroux said. “She’s a pretty versatile filly with her running style. She worked like she would handle the dirt fine and did.”

Beach Walkin outfinished Make the Boys Wink by 1 ¼ lengths for second.

Callie’s Grit, Neecie Marie, Safeen, Sabalenka, Financial Advice (FR), and Cha Cha Tap completed the order of finish. Hay Stack, Bling and Watch This Birdie were scratched.

The winner’s share of the purse pushed Heavenly Sunday’s earnings to $708,683 from a record of 4-2-2 in nine starts. Prior to the Mrs. Revere, Heavenly Sunday finished second to Surge Capacity in the Valley View (G3) at Keeneland on Oct. 27. Earlier this year, she won the Edgewood (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard at Churchill Downs.

Heavenly Sunday is a dark bay or brown daughter of Candy Ride (ARG) out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Alien Giant who and bred in Kentucky by Randal Family Trust.

The Mrs. Revere is named in honor of Mrs. Revere, an accomplished Churchill Downs fan favorite in the mid-1980s. Mrs. Revere won 12 races in 28 starts, finished second seven times and earned $429,545 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Her six wins in a dozen starts at Churchill Downs included stakes triumphs in the Regret, Dogwood and Edgewood in 1984 and the Kentucky Cardinal in 1985. She was owned by Dr. Hiram Polk and the late Dr. David Richardson, who have provided the winner’s trophy for the Mrs. Revere in each year of its existence.

Eyes Wide Open: Can Acetaminophen Aide In Equine Ocular Issues?

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Researchers at Colorado State University have found that acetaminophen may alleviate pain from equine eye conditions like uveitis. 

Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in human Tylenol, is not used often in equine medicine, said Dr. Kathryn L. Wotman, but it shows promise as a viable alternative to traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like phenylbutazone (bute) and flunixin meglumine (Banamine). 

Acetaminophen works on different pain pathways so it might work for different types of pain, Wotman said. The drug also doesn’t have the same side effects as other NSAIDs and is less expensive. 

Wotman and a team of researchers studied acetaminophen use for ocular conditions as eye issues are notoriously difficult to treat: they can be painful and often require multiple ointments or drops or the placement of an ophthalmic catheter. 

Additionally, many systemic drugs don’t reach the clear fluid on the front part of the eye because of the blood/ocular barrier. Any drug that fails to penetrate that will be unable to relieve pain for inflammation, Wotman said. 

To test acetaminophen’s ability to address pain and swelling, Wotman and her team used six healthy horses with no history or eye issues. The horses were given a 20 mg/kg dose of oral acetaminophen every 12 hours for three days. 

The scientists then drew blood and aqueous humor samples from the horses to test for acetaminophen concentrations. The drug was detected in both samples. 

Next, the team will test if the drug can reduce pain in the eye like that associated with ulcers and uveitis. If the drug is effective in reducing ocular pain, it may be able to be alternated with other NSAIDS, offering horses even greater relief, Wotman said. 

Read more at EQUUS magazine. 

Mountaineer Trainer Clouston Suspended Six Months, Fined $5,000 for Second Class 1 Drug Positive in 1 Year

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Trainer Eddie Clouston, who was third in earnings and second in victories at the 2025 Mountaineer Park meet, has been suspended six months and fined $5,000 by that track’s stewards stemming from a Class 1/Penalty Category A post-race drug positive for oxymorphone in the urine of a filly who broke her maiden by 8 ¼ lengths as the 3-2 favorite three months ago.

Oxymorphone is a semi-synthetic opioid analgesic derived from morphine that is used in humans to treat severe or chronic pain, often when other pain medications are not strong enough. It is a Schedule II controlled substance in the United States because of its high abuse potential.

When prescribed for horses, oxymorphone is primarily used in anesthesia settings as opposed to managing routine pain.

According to the Feb. 10, 2026, ruling, “This medication/prohibited substance violation is the permit holder’s second violation in a 365-day period for medication/prohibited substance carrying a Class 1 penalty.”

The charges represent only one side of the story. TDN could not reach the 60-year-old Clouston for comment prior to deadline for this article. He has 20 days to file an appeal, although the West Virginia Racing Commission confirmed in a Thursday email that no appeal has yet been lodged.

Clouston’s training record on Equibase dates to 1985 and includes 2,135 lifetime winners.

The then-3-year-old filly Maam Cross (Dialed In) triggered the positive Nov. 18, 2025, in a Mountaineer maiden-claiming sprint. After being notified of the positive, Clouston exercised his right to have a split sample tested, and that second test again confirmed the finding.

A $100,000 OBSAPR buy as a 2-year-old, Maam Cross had only once hit the board in four previous starts at Santa Anita, Horseshoe Indianapolis, Thistledown and Mahoning Valley.

The Mountaineer start was the first for Maam Cross under Clouston’s care and for the filly’s new owner, Michelle Helms.

Maam Cross has been disqualified from the victory, and the order of finish and purse money have been redistributed.

After winning, Maam Cross subsequently ran third as the 3-10 favorite in a NW2L claiming sprint at Mountaineer Nov. 30. She has not started since.

Unless an appeal triggers a stay, Clouston’s suspension will run through Aug. 3, 2026.

The post Mountaineer Trainer Clouston Suspended Six Months, Fined $5,000 for Second Class 1 Drug Positive in 1 Year appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

First Foal for Darby Dan Farm’s Grade I Winner Shirl’s Speight

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Darby Dan Farm’s Shirl’s Speight (Speightstown–Perfect Shirl, by Perfect Soul {Ire}), sired his first reported foal when a filly out of the multiple stakes-placed Ultimate Class (Durling) was born at Crupper Bloodstock in Paris, Kentucky, on Feb. 9. The filly’s dam amassed earnings of $283,253 during her racing career and she has also produced multiple graded stakes-placed Bad Beat Brian who has banked $865,158.

“I was very pleased with this filly from the moment she stood,” said Megan Morrison, Crupper Bloodstock, of the first arrival by Shirl’s Speight. “Even in a newborn, it was obvious she had a great angle to her shoulder and a deep heart girth.”

A homebred for Charles Fipke, the bay registered his biggest victory in the 2022 GI Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland, earning a career-high 104 Beyer Speed Figure. He ranked among the top milers that season when also second by less than a length to champion Modern Games (GB) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile. All told in an outstanding racing career, Shirl’s Speight hit the board in 10-of-25 appearances competing against top-level horses around the world, banking $1,497,245.

Shirl’s Speight is by the late Speightstown, a champion sprinter, winner of the 2004 GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Shirl’s Speight is a member of a dynamic and highly achieving family cultivated by Fipke through the decades. Fipke purchased Shirl’s Speight’s second dam, Grade I winner Lady Shirl, for $485,000 at the 2005 Keeneland November sale. He bred Lady Shirl to his homebred Sadler’s Wells stallion Perfect Soul  to get Perfect Shirl, winner of the 2011 GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Perfect Shirl earned more than $1.3 million during her accomplished racing career.

For more information on Shirl’s Speight, who stands for $5,000 S&N, contact Stuart Fitzgibbon at (859) 621-6763, or by email at Stuart@darbydan.com, or visit www.darbydan.com.

The post First Foal for Darby Dan Farm’s Grade I Winner Shirl’s Speight appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Heavenly Sunday Cruises Clear In Off-The-Turf Mrs. Revere

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Heavenly Sunday, who made her first career start on dirt after eight previous starts on turf, rolled past pacesetter Callie’s Grit at the top of the stretch and widened her margin inside the final furlong to win Friday’s off-the-turf $298,250 Mrs. Revere by five lengths over Beach Walkin.

Owned by William B. Harrigan’s Miacomet Farm, Heavenly Sunday ran the 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old fillies in 1:44.69 on a fast track. Florent Geroux rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox.

The field was reduced from 12 entries to nine starters when turf racing called off for the final three days of the Fall Meet after track officials were not satisfied with the turf course’s condition.

The Mrs. Revere was carded a Grade 3 event but was downgraded to listed status pending a review by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

Heavenly Sunday banked the $178,800 first prize and rewarded her backers $4.82 for the win.

“She’s always worked well on the dirt so we thought she’d handle things just fine,” Cox said. “When she started her career we put her on grass and because she did so well we’ve always kept her on it. She was impressive today and can give her another option moving forward on dirt.”

Breaking from post No. 9, Heavenly Sunday raced just off the tail of pacesetter Callie’s Grit, who set fractions of :23.95, :48.81, and 1:13.32 during the early stages of the race. Heavenly Sunday pulled her way to the front leaving the final turn and drew away down the stretch while geared down late for the comfortable win.

“We sat a great trip,” Geroux said. “She’s a pretty versatile filly with her running style. She worked like she would handle the dirt fine and did.”

Beach Walkin outfinished Make the Boys Wink by 1 ¼ lengths for second.

Callie’s Grit, Neecie Marie, Safeen, Sabalenka, Financial Advice (FR), and Cha Cha Tap completed the order of finish. Hay Stack, Bling and Watch This Birdie were scratched.

The winner’s share of the purse pushed Heavenly Sunday’s earnings to $708,683 from a record of 4-2-2 in nine starts. Prior to the Mrs. Revere, Heavenly Sunday finished second to Surge Capacity in the Valley View (G3) at Keeneland on Oct. 27. Earlier this year, she won the Edgewood (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard at Churchill Downs.

Heavenly Sunday is a dark bay or brown daughter of Candy Ride (ARG) out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Alien Giant who and bred in Kentucky by Randal Family Trust.

The Mrs. Revere is named in honor of Mrs. Revere, an accomplished Churchill Downs fan favorite in the mid-1980s. Mrs. Revere won 12 races in 28 starts, finished second seven times and earned $429,545 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Her six wins in a dozen starts at Churchill Downs included stakes triumphs in the Regret, Dogwood and Edgewood in 1984 and the Kentucky Cardinal in 1985. She was owned by Dr. Hiram Polk and the late Dr. David Richardson, who have provided the winner’s trophy for the Mrs. Revere in each year of its existence.

Eyes Wide Open: Can Acetaminophen Aide In Equine Ocular Issues?

---

Researchers at Colorado State University have found that acetaminophen may alleviate pain from equine eye conditions like uveitis. 

Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in human Tylenol, is not used often in equine medicine, said Dr. Kathryn L. Wotman, but it shows promise as a viable alternative to traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like phenylbutazone (bute) and flunixin meglumine (Banamine). 

Acetaminophen works on different pain pathways so it might work for different types of pain, Wotman said. The drug also doesn’t have the same side effects as other NSAIDs and is less expensive. 

Wotman and a team of researchers studied acetaminophen use for ocular conditions as eye issues are notoriously difficult to treat: they can be painful and often require multiple ointments or drops or the placement of an ophthalmic catheter. 

Additionally, many systemic drugs don’t reach the clear fluid on the front part of the eye because of the blood/ocular barrier. Any drug that fails to penetrate that will be unable to relieve pain for inflammation, Wotman said. 

To test acetaminophen’s ability to address pain and swelling, Wotman and her team used six healthy horses with no history or eye issues. The horses were given a 20 mg/kg dose of oral acetaminophen every 12 hours for three days. 

The scientists then drew blood and aqueous humor samples from the horses to test for acetaminophen concentrations. The drug was detected in both samples. 

Next, the team will test if the drug can reduce pain in the eye like that associated with ulcers and uveitis. If the drug is effective in reducing ocular pain, it may be able to be alternated with other NSAIDS, offering horses even greater relief, Wotman said. 

Read more at EQUUS magazine. 

Mountaineer Trainer Clouston Suspended Six Months, Fined $5,000 for Second Class 1 Drug Positive in 1 Year

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Trainer Eddie Clouston, who was third in earnings and second in victories at the 2025 Mountaineer Park meet, has been suspended six months and fined $5,000 by that track’s stewards stemming from a Class 1/Penalty Category A post-race drug positive for oxymorphone in the urine of a filly who broke her maiden by 8 ¼ lengths as the 3-2 favorite three months ago.

Oxymorphone is a semi-synthetic opioid analgesic derived from morphine that is used in humans to treat severe or chronic pain, often when other pain medications are not strong enough. It is a Schedule II controlled substance in the United States because of its high abuse potential.

When prescribed for horses, oxymorphone is primarily used in anesthesia settings as opposed to managing routine pain.

According to the Feb. 10, 2026, ruling, “This medication/prohibited substance violation is the permit holder’s second violation in a 365-day period for medication/prohibited substance carrying a Class 1 penalty.”

The charges represent only one side of the story. TDN could not reach the 60-year-old Clouston for comment prior to deadline for this article. He has 20 days to file an appeal, although the West Virginia Racing Commission confirmed in a Thursday email that no appeal has yet been lodged.

Clouston’s training record on Equibase dates to 1985 and includes 2,135 lifetime winners.

The then-3-year-old filly Maam Cross (Dialed In) triggered the positive Nov. 18, 2025, in a Mountaineer maiden-claiming sprint. After being notified of the positive, Clouston exercised his right to have a split sample tested, and that second test again confirmed the finding.

A $100,000 OBSAPR buy as a 2-year-old, Maam Cross had only once hit the board in four previous starts at Santa Anita, Horseshoe Indianapolis, Thistledown and Mahoning Valley.

The Mountaineer start was the first for Maam Cross under Clouston’s care and for the filly’s new owner, Michelle Helms.

Maam Cross has been disqualified from the victory, and the order of finish and purse money have been redistributed.

After winning, Maam Cross subsequently ran third as the 3-10 favorite in a NW2L claiming sprint at Mountaineer Nov. 30. She has not started since.

Unless an appeal triggers a stay, Clouston’s suspension will run through Aug. 3, 2026.

The post Mountaineer Trainer Clouston Suspended Six Months, Fined $5,000 for Second Class 1 Drug Positive in 1 Year appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

First Foal for Darby Dan Farm’s Grade I Winner Shirl’s Speight

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Darby Dan Farm’s Shirl’s Speight (Speightstown–Perfect Shirl, by Perfect Soul {Ire}), sired his first reported foal when a filly out of the multiple stakes-placed Ultimate Class (Durling) was born at Crupper Bloodstock in Paris, Kentucky, on Feb. 9. The filly’s dam amassed earnings of $283,253 during her racing career and she has also produced multiple graded stakes-placed Bad Beat Brian who has banked $865,158.

“I was very pleased with this filly from the moment she stood,” said Megan Morrison, Crupper Bloodstock, of the first arrival by Shirl’s Speight. “Even in a newborn, it was obvious she had a great angle to her shoulder and a deep heart girth.”

A homebred for Charles Fipke, the bay registered his biggest victory in the 2022 GI Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland, earning a career-high 104 Beyer Speed Figure. He ranked among the top milers that season when also second by less than a length to champion Modern Games (GB) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile. All told in an outstanding racing career, Shirl’s Speight hit the board in 10-of-25 appearances competing against top-level horses around the world, banking $1,497,245.

Shirl’s Speight is by the late Speightstown, a champion sprinter, winner of the 2004 GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Shirl’s Speight is a member of a dynamic and highly achieving family cultivated by Fipke through the decades. Fipke purchased Shirl’s Speight’s second dam, Grade I winner Lady Shirl, for $485,000 at the 2005 Keeneland November sale. He bred Lady Shirl to his homebred Sadler’s Wells stallion Perfect Soul  to get Perfect Shirl, winner of the 2011 GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Perfect Shirl earned more than $1.3 million during her accomplished racing career.

For more information on Shirl’s Speight, who stands for $5,000 S&N, contact Stuart Fitzgibbon at (859) 621-6763, or by email at Stuart@darbydan.com, or visit www.darbydan.com.

The post First Foal for Darby Dan Farm’s Grade I Winner Shirl’s Speight appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.