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Do you think most of the renovation problems stem from getting back onto the tracks too soon, not giving them time to consolidate?

On the Nov. 17 episode of BloodHorse Monday: trainer Dale Romans discusses his run for senate, World Series champion Jayson Werth talks about his involvement with racing and Icon Racing.View the full article

Yes, that's right, I recall a helicopter brought in to try and dry the track!   No problems, as you say, before being 'upgraded'.  But, I was referring to Greymouth, which, with the sowing of grass from out of the area, ended up with clover all through it, with predictable results.

Was it Greymouth that was renovated, or were you meaning Kumara, who've had many an issues with cancellations over the years, never any problems before the upgrade. 

Twenty stakes races worth a total of nearly $4 million will highlight Turfway Park's winter/spring meet, anchored by the 55th running of the $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) March 21.View the full article

With three sons joining Kentucky's stallion ranks in 2026, Gun Runner is set to have nine progeny at stud in the Bluegrass next season. Two members of the group, Cyberknife and Early Voting, will see their first juveniles debuting in the coming year, offering an early glimpse into Gun Runner's development as a sire of sires. At Gainesway Farm, Locked will launch his career as the operation's first son of Gun Runner. A 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard,' Locked won the GI Breeders' Futurity at two and later added three more graded victories to his resume, including this year's GI Santa Anita Handicap. The other new Gun Runner stallions for 2026 are champion Sierra Leone, who will stand at Coolmore's Ashford Stud for $75,000, and MGSW Il Miracolo, who joins Crestwood Farm for a fee of $7,500.     Gainesway's Ryan Norton said that Locked, whose introductory fee has been set at $35,000, claims distinction as one of only two stallions by Gun Runner who were Grade I winners at two. The other is Ashford Stud's Gunite, whose first foals have averaged over $166,000 from 34 sold this year. “We are very excited to have a son of Gun Runner,” Norton said. “Locked had early precocity and could carry his speed at a distance as he got older. I think he has a lot of Gun Runner's attributes in him.” Bred by Rosa Colasanti, Locked was a $425,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase for the partnership of Walmac Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. The Todd Pletcher trainee earned the Rising Star nod when breaking his maiden at Saratoga by over seven lengths in his second career start. “He earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure, which was the co-fastest Beyer ever for a colt breaking his maiden up there since 2015,” said Norton. “Then to be able to carry it over and win the Grade I at Keeneland really submitted him as one of the top stallion prospects of his crop.” After finishing a fast-closing third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile behind Fierceness (City of Light) and Muth (Good Magic), Locked was forced to miss the Triple Crown trail due to a physical issue, but he reemerged at the end of his sophomore season and won the GII Cigar Mile Handicap. This year, he was one of the standouts of the older horse divisions when winning the GI Santa Anita Handicap by 8 ½ lengths and taking the GII Woodward Stakes. An untimely illness kept the 4-year-old from making a final career start in the Breeders' Cup, and he retired with earnings of $1.9 million. “This horse had tremendous ability and he showed it time and time again on the track, only finishing off the board in one of his eleven starts,” Norton explained. “When he was on his game, he was almost unbeatable.” Locked breaks his maiden by over seven lengths, becoming a TDN Rising Star | Sarah Andrew Locked is out of a winning daughter of Malibu Moon who is a half-sister to MGISW Gabby's Golden Gal (Medaglia d'Oro) and MGSW Always a Princess (Leroidesanimaux {BRZ}) Norton said that over the past two weeks, Locked has been busy showing for breeders during Gainesway's Stallion Open House. “Physically, he has a lot of the same attributes as his sire,” Norton explained. “He's a very sleek horse. He has a free-flowing walking, a nice, big shoulder and a pretty head.” In addition to their new recruit, Gainesway enters the coming breeding season with a deep roster of young stallions. The quartet of Muth ($30,000), Seize the Grey ($25,000), Charge It ($12,500) and Tapit Trice ($10,000) will see their first foals in 2026 while Olympiad ($20,000) and Drain The Clock ($10,000) will be represented by their first 2-year-olds. The post Locked: Gainesway’s New Son of Gun Runner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tuesday, Chantilly, France, post time: 12:35, PRIX THOMAS BRYON-G3, €73,200, 2yo, 9f (AWT) Field: Mirik (Fr) (Kameko), Space Waltz (American Pharoah), Al Zanati (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Pacifica Pier (Ire) (Palace Pier {GB}), Bourbon Blues (GB) (Space Blues {Ire}), El Vegas (Ire) (Almanzor {Fr}). TDN Analysis: Charlie Appleby is double-handed in this contest, formerly staged over a mile at Saint-Cloud, with Al Zanati the clear first-string and Pacifica Pier the probable pacemaker. Runner-up in the G3 Autumn Stakes last month, the former will probably have too much for the Graffard runner Mirik whose Lyon-Parilly win was boosted by the runner-up going on to success at Group 3 level on Saturday. Andre Fabre's Niarchos homebred Space Waltz needs to improve on his second in the Listed Prix Isonomy over course and distance last month and Graffard knows what it takes having saddled the winner of that in Regal Resolve. [Tom Frary]. Click here for the complete field. The post Black-Type Analysis: Al Zanati Shoots for Group 3 Glory at Chantilly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations features an exciting newcomer at Newcastle. 5.45 Newcastle, Novice, 2yo, f 8f 5y (AWT) BRILLIANT STAR (GB) (Cracksman {GB}) is the second foal out of Anthony Oppenheimer's Irish Oaks, Prix Vermeille and British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Star Catcher (Sea The Stars), who started her career on the all-weather at Chelmsford in December 2018. Given that she was only sixth on debut and looked far from the outstanding middle-distance filly that she would become, the Gosdens will be thinking of the future as she takes on experienced peers over a trip sure to be short of her optimum. The post Star Catcher’s Daughter Brilliant Star Debuts at Newcastle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A new minimum reporting level (MRL) for the banned substance metformin has been proposed by HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Committee, according to a HISA release Monday. The proposed MRL is 4.0 nanograms per milliliter in blood and is based on recommendations received at HISA and HIWU's request from the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium's (RMTC) Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). The modification will be circulated for public comment in the coming days. Following a series of positive test results for metformin and what Monday's HISA release called, “intelligence received by HIWU that trainers were intentionally administering metformin to Covered Horses to enhance performance,” HISA and HIWU called for an independent review of the available science relating to metformin by the RMTC's SAC in June 2024 to determine if it was appropriate to modify the regulation of this substance. During the review, HIWU stayed the prosecution of all unresolved and new cases involving potential positive tests for metformin, although there have been zero reported AAFs in 2025 while testing at 0.5 nanograms per milliliter in blood and 1 nanogram per milliliter in urine. After the review, which consisted of a study of existing scientific literature followed by a three-part study performed by Dr. Heather Knych with the K.L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of California (UC), Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, the SAC agreed that an MRL of 4.0 nanograms per milliliter in blood reflects exposure to metformin due to intentional administration and minimizes the possibility of a reported AAF due to inadvertent exposure. Dr. Knych's administration study determined that metformin demonstrates an erratic elimination behavior in urine and an inconsistent relationship between urine and blood concentrations. Therefore, the SAC recommended that laboratories perform confirmatory analysis in blood only. “We are thankful to UC Davis, Dr. Knych, and her team for performing ground-breaking research on metformin. HISA and HIWU's call for this review of metformin aligns with our mandate to utilize science when making regulatory decisions to prioritize safety, integrity, welfare, and fairness,” said HIWU Executive Director Ben Mosier. “Additionally, we appreciate our ongoing collaboration with the RMTC's SAC to facilitate these research projects and ultimately enhance the effectiveness of the ADMC Program.” There are currently nine unresolved (and therefore stayed) presence cases for metformin, which, according to the HISA release, will continue to be stayed pending the Federal Trade Commission's approval of the new MRL. If the new MRL is approved, it will not impact cases that were resolved prior June 2024 and involved violations of the rules and testing specifications in effect at the time. TDN reached out to HISA for clarification on how the unresolved cases would be impacted if the new MRL was adopted and whether those cases involved positives above or below the newly proposed threshold. HISA responded via email, “HIWU cannot disclose the reported levels of metformin for the currently stayed cases. If the FTC approves the proposed Minimum Reporting Level, cases below the new MRL will be withdrawn at that time and updated on the HIWU website. Stayed cases that are not affected by the proposed MRL will continue through the adjudication process upon the FTC's approval of the rules, and their status will be updated on the HIWU website once resolved.” The post HISA, HIWU Propose New Minimum Reporting Level for Metformin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article