This week's Podcast Playback looks at quotes of interest from racing podcasts Nov. 4-10, including Eric Hamelback discussing the Nov. 14 Claiming Crown, and Eric Halstrom talking about the state of racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Splendora, winner of the 2025 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), has been retired from racing, according to an Instagram post from Boyd Racing, which campaigned the 5-year-old mare.
Keeneland's November Breeding Stock Sale reached a milestone Nov. 10 on Day 8 of the nine-day auction when sales of $250,961,000, including post-ring sales, surpassed the gross of $246,042,400 for the entire auction last year.
After being sidelined with a soft tissue injury this summer, Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's grade 1-winning homebred Reef Runner has rejoined David Fawkes' Gulfstream Park barn, although his resumption of training is still a bit away.
Carlos Santamaria, who is having a career year after starting his own stable from scratch in late 2022, has his first Claiming Crown in Workman Ranch's Global Sensation in the $125,000 Rapid Transit at 7 furlongs.
Following a strong racing season from start to finish, apprentice jockey Micah Meeks was honored with the 13th annual Juan Saez Leading Apprentice Jockey Award during closing week of the 2026 racing season at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
British racing launched its next five-year Horse Welfare Strategy Nov. 10, setting out 20 priorities to drive further improvements in the welfare and safety of Thoroughbreds throughout their lives.
Trainer Matt Shirer discusses his three entrants for the Nov. 14 Claiming Crown at Churchill Downs: Talkin in Cursive ($100,000 Empress), Five o' Somewhere ($125,000 Rapid Transit), and Light the Way ($175,000 Emerald).
A decade after beginning his career with a zero-horse stable, Matt Shirer's growing success has led to three starters in the Nov. 14 Claiming Crown at Churchill Downs.