News

Winner of the 2022 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award Announced

on 12/06/2023 11:52 AM
Brooks wins 2022 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award   Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks’ novel Horse has been awarded first prize in the 17th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award. Crafted by a master of historical fiction, it is the beautifully imagined tale of legendary 19th century racehorse and sire Lexington, and a young, enslaved groom who loved him. The story weaves back and f...
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2022 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award Finalists announced

on 07/31/2023 3:32 PM
Finalists announced  for Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award   Three finalists for the 17th Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award have been decided by a panel of racing and literary judges. They included an extraordinary time-hopping, historical novel; a compelling biography of potential greatness and a life cut short; and a powerful, category-bending work of fiction told as the oral history of a hard-...
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2022 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award Semifinalists announced

on 06/21/2023 9:15 AM
Semifinalists announced for Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award   Five semifinalists have been selected for the 17th Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, including two novels, three biographical works based on the lives of late 20th century American champions, and a fictional oral history, all published in 2022.  A 2006 brainchild of the late philanthropist and global businessman Dr. Tony Ryan, the c...
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DEATH BY EQUINE SCORES WIN IN THE 2021 DR. TONY RYAN BOOK AWARD

on 11/04/2022 8:50 AM
From a near-record number of submissions, Annette Dashofy’s Death by Equine has been named winner of the 16th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award. The announcement was made during a Nov. 3 cocktail reception at the Ryan family’s Castleton Lyons, near Lexington, Kentucky—the first live ceremony since 2019, due to Covid. As in previous years, the event was held in a loft above the farm...
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CHI TOWN LADY SCORES MAJOR UPSET IN G1 TEST STAKES

on 08/06/2022 9:00 PM
    Chi Town Lady pulled off an impressive upset in the G1 Test Stakes at Saratoga earlier today when she mowed down heavily favored G1 winner Matareya in the stretch to snag her first graded victory. The homebred Verrazano filly won the Bolton Landing Stakes on the turf at the Spa in 2021 which shows her versatility on any surface. 
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PROTONICO COLT TAKES THEM WIRE TO WIRE AT DEL MAR

on 08/04/2022 10:00 PM
Let go at 13-1, Protonico's GO JOE WON took them wire to wire to win a Maiden Special Weight at Del Mar today. The colt lost his footing at the start and had to be rushed up to control the pace. Kept on a short leash, GO JOE WON led a three wide charge into the stretch and fought off the closing favorite for the win.   https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/race-replays/0/2...
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FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 DR. TONY RYAN BOOK AWARD

on 06/30/2022 2:18 PM
2021 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award Finalists   The Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award competition has been held for the 16th time to honor the best of long-format race writing. Three finalists were selected by a panel of judges from nearly two-dozen submissions published during 2021. It was a year in which top-tier entries were dominated by fiction, with two finalists falling into that category—...
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UNDEFEATED JACK CHRISTOPHER DOMINATES THE G1 WOODY STEPHENS

on 06/11/2022 6:00 PM
    On a star-studded program with eight Grade 1 races and the third jewel of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, as its marquee attraction,  Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate bred Jack Christopher made a bid to shine brightest of them all on Saturday at Belmont Park with a complete tour-de-force victory in the Grade 1, $400,000 Woody Stephens increasing his earn...
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2021 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award Semifinalists Announced

on 05/23/2022 2:46 PM
2021 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award Semifinalists Six semifinalists for the 16th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award have been selected by a panel of judges and were split evenly this year between fiction and non-fiction. These semifinalists were chosen from nearly two dozen submissions, a healthy indicator that interest in horse racing remains very much alive despite the crippling effects of a two-year ...
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Castleton bred Jack Christopher Returns Victorious

on 05/08/2022 2:01 PM
        Castleton-bred undefeated Jack Christopher made a successful return to the races by scoring a 3 3/4-length victory over Pappacap in the 98th running of the $500,000 G2 Pat Day Mile for 3-year-olds on Derby Day at Churchill Downs. Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Jack Christopher complete...
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BROOKE MARIE GOES WEST TO WIN G2 MONROVIA S.

on 04/11/2022 9:09 AM
  Castleton owned Brooke Marie collared pacesetting Alice Marble at midstretch to win the Grade 2  $200,500 Monrovia Stakes Saturday at Santa Anita.   Trainer Eddie Kenneally commented "She was a listed stakes winner, but we really wanted to get graded stakes action for her. There aren't many graded stakes for fillies and mares sprinting on the turf so we ...
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PROTONICO'S MEDINA SPIRIT 2ND IN G1 BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC

on 11/09/2021 11:30 AM
PROTONICO's first crop phenom MEDINA SPIRIT finished a game 2nd in the G1 $6,000,000 Breeders' Cup Classic handily defeating ESSENTIAL QUALITY and HOT ROD CHARLIE for the second time this year. The G1 Kentucky Derby and G1 Awesome Again winner was also 3rd in the G1 Preakness S.  An honest and gritty runner, MEDINA SPIRIT has never been off the board in his ten lifetime starts ea...
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PROTONICO SIRE OF DUEL GRADED WINNER IN MEXICO

on 11/09/2021 11:18 AM
PROTONICO is the sire of impressive two-year-old filly SUPER IVONNE who has won both the Hipodromo De Las Americas (MEX G2) and the Hipodromo De Las Americas ( MEX G3). She was bred in Kentucky by Jacob Nance and Michelle Nance and purchased as a yearling by Don Fausto Racing at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale.
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PROTONICO's SPLASH OF TONIC JUST MISSES IN THE MISS INDIANA S.

on 11/09/2021 11:08 AM
In only her 3rd start, SPLASH OF TONIC , from PROTONICO's second crop to race, just missed in the MISS INDIANA S. at Indiana Grand. Beaten by a nose at the wire, the two-year-old bred by her owners Marvin Johnson and Bruce Murphy and trained by Johnson has amassed a record of 3-1-2-0. She broke her maiden in her second start by 6 3/4 lengths in the slop.
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CASTLETON/KILBOY BRED JACK CHRISTOPHER ROLLS IN THE G1 CHAMPAGNE S.

on 10/03/2021 7:04 AM
JACK CHRISTOPHER remained undefeated in a runaway win of the G1 Champagne S. at Belmont Park yesterday, soundly defeating G1 Hopeful S winner GUNITE and Hopeful runner-up WIT. The homebred Munnings - Rushin No Blushin colt stalked GUNITE through the first half mile as those two sailed well clear of the field. Jose Ortiz pushed the button at the 5/1...
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MEDINA SPIRIT ROLLS IN G1 AWESOME AGAIN

on 10/03/2021 6:48 AM
  Zedan Racing's MEDINA SPIRIT put in a commanding performance against accomplished older horses in Saturday's G1 Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita for trainer Bob Baffert. While earning a berth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic, the dark bay once again showed the grit and raw talent that carried him past the post first in the G1 Kentucky Derby and solidified him as o...
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PROTONICO YEARLINGS SHINE AT KEENELAND SEPTEMBER

on 09/23/2021 12:42 PM
  Protonico was represented by three yearlings that made $100,000 or more at the 2021 Keeneland September Sale!   The Protonico - Matryoshka Doll filly from the immediate family of CURLIN"S VOYAGE, champion 2 and 3-year-old filly in Canada ($536,056) was purchased for $120,000 by Calumet Farm.   Hip 1164  Protonico - Matryoshka Doll filly &n...
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CASTLETON BRED 2YOS ON FIRE!

on 08/31/2021 1:00 PM
A Saratoga stakes winner and two TDN Rising stars represent the talented Castleton bred class of 2019 foals.   Castleton owned and bred CHI TOWN LADY (Verrazano - Toni's Hollyday filly) who broke her maiden in her first start at Keeneland in April for trainer Wesley Ward came back to win the Bolton Landing Stakes at Saratoga easily on August 18th to remain undefeated.  ...
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PROTONICO'S 2YO SPLASH OF TONIC BREAKS MAIDEN BY ALMOST 7 LENGTHS IN SECOND START

on 08/31/2021 10:30 AM
SPLASH OF TONIC (Protonico - Flower Child by Flower Alley) proved to be much the best in the slop at Indiana Grand yesterday in spite of a 4-5 wide trip. Bred by Marvin Johnson and Bruce Murphy and trained by Johnson, the bay 2yo filly took the lead in the maiden special weight event at the half mile pole and never looked back to win impressively in her second career start.
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MEDINA SPIRIT OUTRUNS ROCK YOUR WORLD IN SHARED BELIEF S.

on 08/31/2021 10:07 AM
Medina Spirit, coming off a three and a half month layoff, showed again when winning the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Sunday the tenacity and grit that carried him to hit the board in six graded stakes earlier this year including crossing the line first in the G1 Kentucky Derby.    The dark bay/brown colt from Protonico's first crop led wire-to-wire to beat...
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