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Ted Noffey and Sovereignty, honored as 2025 champions at the Eclipse Awards ceremony last week in Florida, remain popular choices in early-season media voting this year.View the full article

New York Racing Association cancels live racing Jan. 28-30 at Aqueduct Racetrack due to arctic temperatures and extremely low wind chill values forecast to impact the New York metropolitan area. Turfway Park cancels racing Jan. 28-29.View the full article

well the moment is season to season. You can only put on a product for those that turn up. HRNZ put on the races. Participants in the sport should turn up . SIMPLE. NowOrNever has hit the nail on the head (twice) These 2 Statements. They are the critical ones. Alas NZ trainers in the North have got very LAZY is what i'm putting it down too. mainly due to old age and being millionaires now there's no need for great effort anymore. Look at the lack of support for Fridays meeting . Tony Herlihy = one runner, Telfers = one runner, Dunns = one runner, White = one runner, Purdon M, N and B with only one runner each. Donnelly 1 runner Hackett 3 runners , House 2 runners , and hardly any Butcher in sight? Just 14 horses from 10 of the Top North Island Stables in what should be Peak season ?? lazy , laaazy. and Ray Green (with the young Delaney co-trainer )has 5 runners . so they are actually doing something and training and racing some. Only ONE of the top 10 stables working hard and get one some runners ? well done Ray and staff.🏆 we have about 10 trainers in Brisbane with horses capable of winning Metro Saturday nights (fast enough like Alexandra Park) and they turn out 1/2 dozen horses each , week in , week out all through the year. Why can't NZ trainers do that anymore ? lazy ? HRNZ put races on and no one turns up anymore . no wonder there's nothing to punt on and you're all crying . Lazy trainers. Not working enough horses anymore?. there's the reason old mates 🤣😎 Dr Chin is 80 years old and is still towing his 2 horses in to race Friday night ( he's not lazy that's for sure lol .bless him 🤣🏆😋)

So much that is good about the French breeding industry was showcased over the course of two days last week, not least the resilience of its practitioners, an oft-heralded quality when speaking to those at the coalface during the 2026 edition of La Route des Etalons. Like so many other leading racing jurisdictions, France is currently facing headwinds that make the pursuit of breeding racehorses, and/or owning them, a less attractive option than in years gone by. Then, in May last year, France Galop announced a €20.3 million reduction in prize-money for 2026 as part of a “major recovery plan” which, first and foremost, is designed to give the Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) a much-needed facelift following years of falling turnover. It is hoped that this significant investment in the betting operator – which is owned jointly by France Galop and Le Trot – will be to the long-term benefit of the sport. Crucially, the French industry is able to act from a position of strength. Prize-money in France, almost all of which comes from the PMU, has for many years been the gold standard by which European countries are measured, albeit this is no longer true of black-type races where, more recently, there has been heavy investment made in both Britain and Ireland. Whatever the context, there is always the concern that any decrease in prize-money provides even less of an incentive for prospective owners to part with their hard-earned cash at the sales. Should they decide to cut back in any sort of meaningful numbers, then it will be the breeders who bear the brunt of it. Only time will tell whether that eventuality comes to pass, but La Route des Etalons provided an excellent opportunity to get a feel for the general mood among some leading figures in French racing and bloodstock, including Nicolas de Chambure, who is uniquely placed in wearing many hats when it comes to assessing the implications of these prize-money cuts. As well as being the man at the helm of Haras d'Etreham, one of the preeminent stud farms in France, de Chambure sits on the Board of Directors at France Galop and on the Committee of La Federation des Eleveurs du Galop (the French TBA). As part of the latter role, he also represents French interests on the Co-Ordinating Committee of the European Breeders' Fund (EBF). “A drop in prize-money is always bad news, because we know the impact it can have on the market,” said de Chambure shortly after opening the doors at Haras d'Etreham on Friday morning. “The value of foals, yearlings and breeding stock depends on prize-money, so it is a bit of a worry. “But the positive is that it was done to be able to reinvest that money into the PMU and into the whole system. We also have a new CEO at the PMU [Cyrille Giraudat], who has just started, and a new president will be announced soon. So, there is a new team there, and I think we need to give them a bit of time and a bit of money to almost relaunch the whole thing. “It's going to take a little bit of time, but things are being done and I think we can be positive about the future. In the short-term, we might just have to get through a couple of tough years.” The main challenge for the new team at the PMU will be to try and reverse a worrying trend since online betting markets were liberalised in 2010, allowing private licensed operators to take bets on horse racing and ending the monopoly on this sector once held by the PMU. Since 2010, the number of people betting on the PMU has reportedly dropped by 50%, from six million to three million. Should that number continue on its current trajectory, then the team at France Galop will likely be forced into making some more difficult decisions in the years to come. With that in mind, this so-called relaunch of the PMU is viewed by Benoit Jeffroy, along with many others in the bloodstock community, as a “pivotal moment” for the sport. “I think the French industry is at a pivotal moment where we need to get people back investing into our product, whether it's the gamblers, the owners or the breeders,” said Jeffroy as he welcomed visitors to his family's newly-launched stallion base at Haras de Castillon, having previously spent over a decade at Al Shaqab's Haras de Bouqetot. He also sits on the Committee of La Federation des Eleveurs du Galop. He continued, “It's very important for the PMU not to miss its new chance to get more clients and to get the betting turnover going back in the right direction. Prize-money is driving the production of horses and the number of owners having horses in training. It's what gives the owners confidence to reinvest and it's so important. “We need to be united in this now, between the people who are involved in gambling and the people who are involved in breeding and bloodstock. I think there's a bit of a disconnect between them both sometimes. The PMU maybe only thinks about gambling and there are people who also only think about breeding. I think it's time to have a good plan for the next five years and to get everybody united behind it.” That call for unity was repeated by Mathieu Alex of Haras de Beaumont, who also cited that all-important resilience of French breeders as being key when it comes to navigating the choppy waters that could lie in wait. “I think the new team in charge of the governance of the PMU will do a good job, because the French do like betting,” said Alex. “We've got beautiful racetracks, we've got a nice industry and a very good sport. All of us just need to move together towards one direction. It's down to all of us to make a big effort to make sure that the public is going racing. And when they are racing, most of them are betting.” He added, “The great thing about the breeders is that they always live in hope. Okay, they might reduce the number of mares they have or be slightly more selective. But, here at Haras de Beaumont, we're ahead of the same stage last year in terms of the number of nominations. So, yes, there is a concern, but at the same time I think people in France feel quite safe. We've still got fantastic prize-money, as well as the breeders' premiums and owners' premiums. It's a very healthy environment.” Certainly, the generous premiums which are available to the owners and breeders of horses raised in France remain the envy of many other racing nations. The scheme is open to the progeny of stallions based in France and abroad, and it applies throughout a horse's career on the racecourse. “France has a great system for breeders,” Jeffroy added. “The fact that we have the French breeders' premiums is a big help. Even if you don't make a lot of money when selling your yearlings, if you're a good breeder, at least you get a reward for breeding good horses. This is so important to support the breeders. If you do a good job, you deserve to be rewarded. That helps a lot of breeders to keep going. Otherwise, I think it would be like England where you are losing a lot of the smaller breeders.” That loss to the industry in Britain was highlighted by a 5% decline in the 2025 foal crop, while the same figure in Ireland dropped by fully 12%, according to the Return of Mares, published by Weatherbys. In France, meanwhile, the number of registered live foals in 2025 was not immune to this trend. Records show that there was an 11% decrease in the number of thoroughbreds born compared to 2024, from 5,367 to 4,762, while the number of thoroughbreds and AQPS-bred horses combined also dropped by 11%, from 6,371 to 5,663. “There was a drop in the foal crop last year,” de Chambure said of these figures. “Our job at France Galop is also to maintain the confidence in the market and to maintain the investment of breeders to avoid too much of a drop in the foal crop. Otherwise, it means fewer horses in training, fewer runners and less gambling on those races. So, we need to maintain the numbers to fill those races and to prepare for the future. It is a challenging time, we have to be honest about that, but there are still positive signs and positive things about the industry in France to give us hope for the future.” Echoing that message of positivity was Pierre Gasnier at Haras de Bonneval, where he chatted happily to visitors on Friday in his role as manager of the French studs for the Aga Khan family. Whilst acknowledging that the reduction in prize-money, allied to the dwindling foal crop, was a cause for concern, he was resolute in his view that things will come good again in time. “Obviously, it's a concern because prize-money means everything when you own horses and you want to be able to keep doing it,” said Gasnier. “We have to be very careful because we need new owners and we need to mind our existing owners, especially the owner-breeders who are becoming more and more rare. It costs money to employ people and it costs money to breed horses. “It's a generational thing when you think about it. There are people that have been breeding horses in France, and I'm not only speaking about the thoroughbreds, for the last 40 years, and we're in a bit of a transition. We need to make sure that the younger generation are coming into the game, and they are. It's only for a certain time, I think and I hope, that the foal crop is decreasing.” One thing that stallion masters can do to support breeders when times are tough is to set fees that offer a bit of wiggle room, so that breeders don't end up merely covering their costs, or worse, when taking a foal or yearling to the sales. In this regard, it was noticeable that the team at Haras de Beaumont has reduced the fees for all four of its stallion in 2026, while the same is true of Siyouni and Vadeni at Haras de Bonneval. Siyouni, always one of the star attractions for those participating in La Route des Etalons, remains the most expensive stallion standing in France at a fee of €150,000, having stood for €200,000 in both 2024 and 2025. “The Aga Khan family is one of the biggest owner-breeders out there, so we know what it is to purchase nominations and the cost of it,” said Gasnier. “We respect very much the breeders and the resources that they have, so we treat our stallion fees in a very conservative way. “That was the approach we had with Siyouni in 2026. We reduced his fee to make sure that he was still attracting enough mares. Zarak remained at the same price and our two young stallions, Erevann and Vadeni, were priced at a very affordable level. They are going to be well supported again and we are very grateful for the support they continue to receive from breeders.” Those who got behind Vadeni when he commanded a fee of €18,000 in his first season at Haras de Bonneval in 2024 were certainly well rewarded at last year's foal sales, with eight of his progeny selling for an average of €72,519. It was a similar story with Erevann who, from an opening fee of €8,000, had 18 first-crop foals sold for an average of €37,368. Meanwhile, over at Haras d'Etreham, Onesto has had his 2026 fee reduced to €10,000 (from €12,500), despite the notable performance of his first foals at the sales last year. Of 10 offered, seven sold for an average of €46,228. “It was a really good group,” de Chambure said of that contingent. “He had a top price of €110,000 in Deauville and he seems to be producing horses with plenty of substance and athleticism. He's exciting, a son of Frankel with that turn of foot, so we'll be looking forward to the yearling season with him.” On the subject of stallion fees, he added, “I feel that sometimes people standing stallions tend to use that [reducing fees] almost as a marketing tool. I feel that we have to work with breeders all of the time, in a good climate and also when it's a little bit more complicated, because if they do well, we do well. We're always trying to adapt to the budgets of breeders and the reality of the market.” In the spirit of adapting budgets for breeders, Ace Impact, the headline retiree to France in 2024, having had Onesto back in third when signing off his unbeaten career with victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, will stand for a fee of €30,000 in his third season at Haras de Beaumont in 2026. Last year, Ace Impact had 17 first-crop foals go through the ring last year, with 15 selling at an average of €71,226, having been conceived at his opening fee of €40,000. Guests of Beaumont on Friday were also treated to an audience with some striking homebreds that will be retained to race, in the hope that they can help to establish their sire as the next big thing on the French stallion scene. As for the future of last year's Arc winner, Daryz (Sea The Stars), who sits alongside Ace Impact as the only French-trained three-year-old colts to win Europe's richest race since 2006, you'll have to tune in later this week to find out from Gasnier what his stud career might look like. In the second batch of nuggets from last week's Normandy expedition, we'll also be reflecting on a banner year for French-trained runners in 2025, headlined by Daryz's outstanding stablemate, Calandagan (Gleneagles), as well as looking forward to examine what the industry should be doing to bring more young people into the sport. The post ‘Breeders Always Live in Hope’ – Resilience the Key in Response to French Prize-Money Cuts appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Less than 24 hours after trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. ran 1-2 in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), he was represented by the topic of this week's Maiden Watch, Code Review. View the full article

To better accommodate buyers and sellers in the wake of a nationwide winter storm and persistent freezing temperatures, Inglis Digital USA has pushed back the key dates for its February Sale, the company said in a release on Tuesday. The catalogue for the online auction will now be released on Monday, Feb. 2, and bidding will close on Friday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. ET, with each lot closing in three-minute increments. By moving the dates of the sale, sellers will have more time to arrange their vet work and produce better quality media for offerings, such as photos and walk videos. The new schedule also means buyers will have more time to schedule in-person inspections. Many parts of the country remain under heavy snow with hazardous travel conditions following last weekend's winter storm. “We've taken the time to speak with our sellers and believe it is in everyone's best interest to start the sale on Monday [Feb. 2] instead of Friday [Jan. 30],” said Inglis Digital USA CEO Kyle Wilson. “Central Kentucky and a large portion of the United States experienced some very severe weather causing delays and closings. “We want to give everyone involved the necessary time to prepare themselves for a sale and offer their best product possible,” he said. “Flexibility is key with digital sales and I encourage any and all customers to reach out to us at Inglis Digital USA if there is anything we can do to help.” With the added time until the release of the catalogue, Inglis Digital USA welcomes potential sellers to discuss adding entries to the February Sale up to the catalogue going live on Feb. 2. To enter a horse for the February Sale or register as a bidder, visit www.inglisdigitalusa.com. The post After Cold Blast Inglis Digital USA Adjusts Dates For February Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

If hrnz weren't delusionla like you say,they should already had planned for and be implementing a strategy that would have seen north isalnd harness racing prosper in years to come,albeit on a smaller scale. The crazy thing is,current policy by hrnz means they are burning through a lot of money,money needed to provide that viable pathway forward. So, since they are stuffing it up,they won't have the resources in the future to restrucuyre north island racing to the level it could have been. And the worst thing is the impact current and recent hrnz policy for the north island ,will have on the south island. It seems inevitable sout island will get dragged down as well. the apathy and short sightedness of industry stakeholders who seem happy to live in the moment and support hrnz or say nothing is strange.I assume its because the biggest voices are the ones hrnz continues to throw money at.The smaller voices simply have decided to implement their exit strategy or have decided,i'm older,they don't listen to what i have to say anyway,they will reap what they sow, but i won't be particpating when things come to the crunch.thats reality.look around,it is. meanwhile people like the punters who contribute to this site,like nowornever, will do what he has just seid,Turn ther back on such a poor betting product that auckland provide as the punting rewards from supporting that north isalnd product,simply isn't worth the effort.Again,thats another reality.

Maybe, the former European champion two-year-old filly and dam of 2,000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior, has died at the age of 17. A report on the Coolmore website stated that the daughter of Galileo had succumbed to “a sudden illness”. “She was the loveliest, sweetest mare and will be greatly missed by all of those who took such great care of her during her time here,” said Coolmore manager James Mockridge. A €340,000 yearling purchased at the Arqana August Sale from Croom House Stud, Maybe remained unbeaten through her juvenile campaign for Aidan O'Brien, progressing from a maiden win up through each grade to her victory in the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.The following year she was third in the 1,000 Guineas behind her stablemate Homecoming Queen. She was one of three mares chosen by Coolmore on a first foray into breeding mares to Japanese sire sensation Deep Impact in 2013. Maybe's first foal was the black-type performer Pavlenko and, he was followed by the G1 Racing Post Trophy and 2,000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior, who now stands at Coolmore. From a Swettenham Stud family which includes the Classic winners Continuous,Dancing Rain Dr Devious. Maybe was rested during the 2025 breeding season. Her current two-year-old colt by Dubawi is in training in Ballydoyle, and she has a yearling colt by the same sire who has been retained. The post Coolmore Announces Death of Top Racemare and Producer Maybe appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New York Racing Association cancels live racing Jan. 28-30 at Aqueduct Racetrack due to arctic temperatures and extremely low wind chill values forecast to impact the New York metropolitan area. Turfway Park cancels racing Jan. 28-29.View the full article

The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program's 2026 Championship horse show will be held at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, Sept. 30 through Oct. 4, The Jockey Club announced Tuesday. The championship show is part of a schedule which includes 8,000 awards and classes at more than 1,600 shows in 42 states and five Canadian provinces in 2026. Awards are available for multiple disciplines, including eventing, dressage, Western and English pleasure, ranch horse, hunter/jumper, competitive trail, barrel racing, polo, and polocrosse. A full calendar of shows offering awards is available at tjctip.com/CalendarOfEvents and will be updated as show dates are confirmed. “This year marks the 15th year in which T.I.P. is offering awards, and we are proud of the success of this initiative in promoting the versatility of the Thoroughbred,” said Kristin Werner, deputy general counsel and director of industry initiatives for The Jockey Club and administrator of T.I.P. “Through 2025, there have been more than 13,000 shows that have offered T.I.P. awards, more than 48,000 T.I.P. numbers that have been assigned, and more than 114,000 award entries submitted for horses. We look forward to celebrating the talents of Thoroughbreds in a range of disciplines and putting their versatility on display in the greater equestrian community.” The post T.I.P. Championship at Stable View Highlights 2026 Show Schedule appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Byron King's Top 12 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, presented by Spendthrift Farm.View the full article

Ted Noffey and Sovereignty, honored as 2025 champions at the Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards ceremony last week in Florida, remain popular choices in early-season media voting this year.View the full article

New York Racing Association cancels live racing Jan. 28-30 at Aqueduct Racetrack due to arctic temperatures and extremely low wind chill values forecast to impact the New York metropolitan area. Turfway Park cancels racing Jan. 28-29.View the full article

Having so often berated Europeans for neglecting Not This Time, I do see the irony in the odyssey of his son Six Speed. Last spring, this colt was one of few Not This Time foals to have been given conspicuous opportunity to plant his flag on European turf. As a yearling, he had been found at Keeneland by Mags O'Toole, showing the familiar acuity that exonerates her from charges of myopia that must be leveled at so many other bloodstock professionals over the water. He cost just $50,000, from breeder KatieRich Farms, and at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale showed enough dash to realize 220,000gns (around $300,000). Yet it turned out that he had been passed up by all the big local programs. Instead he was exported to Dubai by Bhupat Seemar, for whom he last week won the G3 U.A.E. 2,000 Guineas by five lengths. He did so in new American ownership, banking 20 gate points for the GI Kentucky Derby. So a colt that might easily have advertised to Europe his sire's equal prowess on turf could well find himself instead returning to his native soil to confirm a core efficacy on dirt. That's obviously crucial to a sire now standing at $250,000. Not This Time was champion turf stallion last year and six of his 11 elite scorers to date have come on that surface, but the balance will doubtless be tilting back with the upgrading of his mares. For the most important thing about Not This Time remains the astonishing fact that even his incoming sophomores were still only conceived at $45,000. Really this horse cannot be accused of any specialisms. He is as likely to get you an Epicenter as an Up to the Mark, a Cogburn as a Next. Versatility, after all, was also a trademark of his sire, Giant's Causeway, and grandsire, Storm Cat. Six Speed results from one of those $45,000 covers in 2022. And his dam Browse (Medaglia d'Oro) was an early sign of the way Not This Time was going up in the world. For she represents a line previously in Phipps hands for nine generations, all the way back to Baby League (Bubbling Over), the daughter of La Troienne (Fr) purchased from Colonel Bradley's estate in 1946–at a price doubtless reflecting the Horse of the Year campaign of her daughter Busher (War Admiral) in 1945. This branch of the dynasty is branded by Busher's sister Striking, acquired in utero, via So Chic's sister Glamour (Nasrullah) as granddam of champion juvenile filly Numbered Account (Buckpasser). The latter is fourth dam of Browse. As a stakes-placed four-time winner, Browse herself attested to the continued genetic functionality of her noble family, which had been as well seeded as you might expect. Her half-brother by the sire of Not This Time, Imagining (Giant's Causeway), landed the GI Man o' War Stakes; and their Forestry half-sister is granddam of GI Frizette Stakes winner Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke). They are out of multiple graded stakes winner Daydreaming (A.P. Indy), who brings a series of accomplished siblings onto the page. For instance, brothers Girolamo (Vosburgh Stakes) and Accelerator, respectively, won and placed at the elite level; and a Deputy Minister half-sister produced GI Spinster Stakes winner Got Lucky (A.P. Indy). Then there were two sisters that each produced three graded stakes winners. In the case of unraced She's a Winner (A.P. Indy), her best was GI Haskell Stakes winner/Derby runner-up Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat); while her sister Supercharger went one better by producing Super Saver (Maria's Mon). So while he has not tended to need much help, Not This Time was offered plenty by Browse. The mare had been culled from the Phipps program on retirement, for $600,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November Sale. Returned to the same ring two years later, her value somehow depreciated to $350,000 even though neither of her first two foals had yet run. Purchasers KatieRich will have been satisfied, then, to see her daughter Pipit (Quality Road) come out and win a Woodbine sprint stakes as a juvenile, especially after favoring Browse with Curlin and Uncle Mo for her next two covers. In turn, the continued rise of Six Speed has put a nice gloss on other recent transactions. Pipit changed hands only days ago for $585,000 (to Pursuit of Success) at the Keeneland January Sale, in foal to Practical Joke; while a 13-year-old sister to Browse, three-time winner Sabbatical (Medaglia d'Oro), was also culled at the 2024 Keeneland November Sale, for $400,000 to D.J. Stable–in foal to none other than Not This Time. The Taylor Made top gun is arguably owed a favor by the barn aiming to get Six Speed to Churchill via the GII U.A.E. Derby, having previously taken the same route with Summer Is Tomorrow (Summer Front). It was the manic pace set by that horse in 2022 that helped to set things up for Rich Strike's pounce on Epicenter, so denying Not This Time a Derby winner from his second crop. Sooner or later, that is going to be redressed–though I suppose that will just make the Europeans even less disposed to try him. Another Masterpiece for Humor Mares Medaglia d'Oro certainly quit at the top, having made a mockery of the self-fulfilling prejudice against ageing stallions. And Six Speed could yet be adding to his distaff legacy, with young sires out of his daughters already including Olympiad, National Treasure, Prince of Monaco and First Mission. Very often, of course, broodmare sires reserve their real pomp for when they have left us altogether, and sadly that is now where we find ourselves with Distorted Humor, who died a few days ago at the venerable age of 33. Distorted Humor does have an accomplished sire of sires extending his male line in Maclean's Music, but his daughters have been spreading his footprint wider yet, through the likes of Arrogate, Constitution and Practical Joke, and now Life is Good, Citizen Bull and Patch Adams. The latter four, all by Into Mischief, represent quite a challenge for those of us inclined to scepticism about the whole business of nicks. (And very big business it is, too!). Maybe these are indeed just daughters of one very good stallion being covered by another. Either way, the cross has yielded another exciting talent in Canaletto, whose eight-length debut success at Gulfstream made him an automatic 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard.' Certainly there's an awful lot more to this horse than a nice “cross.” That much was clear from two visits to the ring as a yearling: he raised $650,000 as an unusual proposition at the Fasig-Tipton February Sale, in the poignant dispersal of the late Bob Lothenbach's program; and elevated himself to $1 million at Saratoga not six months later. At that stage, his half-brother by Tapit had only run once, disappointing at Churchill, but two days after the sale, he broke his maiden over the street. His name is Sandman and last spring, of course, he won the GI Arkansas Derby. Their dam, three-time winner Distorted Music, had already produced multiple black-type winner (GIII Chilukki Stakes) She Can't Sing (Bernardini), and Distorted Music was herself a half-sister to the dam of solid graded stakes performer Moon Over Miami (Malibu Moon). But the real action in this family centers on third dam Note Musicale (GB), an unraced daughter of Sadler's Wells and champion It's in the Air (Mr. Prospector). She's dam of two elite performers: French Classic winner Musical Chimes (In Excess {Ire}) and five-time Grade I scorer Music Note (A.P. Indy), subsequently celebrated as dam of G1 Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper). It's in the Air is also granddam of an elite scorer both sides of the Atlantic in Storming Home (GB) (Machiavellian). With all that behind her, and now another son shaping up on the track, Distorted Music looks a characteristically smart pick by Springhouse Farm, for $375,000, as a 14-year-old at the dispersal. John Magnier and his partners have proved quite unerring when reserving names of great painters for their most promising prospects, and we look forward to seeing Canaletto fill out this flamboyant first sketch. Skippylongstocking | Coglianese An Exaggerated Effect Yet another by Into Mischief out of a Distorted Humor mare is Tappan Street, who beat the Horse of the Year at Gulfstream last March, but disappointed back over the same circuit last weekend. That left us an old-school finish, with the first three in the GI Pegasus World Cup adding up to an aggregate age of 20. Evergreen winner Skippylongstocking is much the most accomplished son of Exaggerator, a pretty disappointing sire given his class (split Nyquist and Gun Runner in the Derby) and constitution (won the GI Preakness two weeks later, overall 15 starts inside 16 months). He was only nine when moving to Louisiana, however, so can certainly keep consolidating there. As for what clicked with “Skippy,” the rags-to-riches $15,000 yearling: his dam has produced two other stakes winners, while her own sire War Chant principally reserved his Danzig flair for his daughters, who have additionally come up with Derby winner Country House (Lookin At Lucky) and top-class European juvenile Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Tempting though it is, not even I will pin his toughness on the sire of his fifth dam! Nonetheless, it's fun to see a small footprint for Tudor Way (Arg), whose family traces to a mare imported to Uruguay way back in 1895. That South American ore has always been worth mining… The post Breeding Digest: Time Traveler Returning to Roots appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and the New York Thoroughbred Breeders are partnering to offer a bus trip from Saratoga Springs to Aqueduct Racetrack for Wood Memorial Stakes Day Apr. 4. This year's edition of the Wood Memorial will be the final time the event is held at Aqueduct before moving to the new Belmont Park in 2027. Tickets are $75 for Museum and NYTB members and $90 for non-members and are on sale now here: https://1049a.blackbaudhosting.com/1049a/Aqueduct-Bus-Trip. The post National Museum of Racing, NYTB Offer Wood Memorial Bus Trip appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Keeneland's newly constructed Paddock Building–offering more than 1,000 new public dining tickets in a variety of venues each race day–will make its debut at the track's 2026 Spring Meet, which opens Apr. 3. “The Paddock Building represents an investment in the Thoroughbred industry and furthers Keeneland's mission to support and grow the sport,” said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. “It speaks to our confidence in racing's future while creating new, meaningful ways to engage guests year-round. These new venues will enrich the experience for racing fans, sales customers and special event guests and allow us to further showcase the very best of Keeneland's world-renowned hospitality.” The Paddock Building, which is designed for year-round use, will serve as a setting for sales and private events, as well as an area to enhance the race-day experience with a range of distinctive dining options. The new public ticketed venues in the Paddock Building include: The 1936 Room, featuring lounge seating, high-top tables, passed heavy hors d'oeuvres and premium bar service in a reception-style setting that affords fans exclusive access to the Paddock Lawn next to the Saddling Paddock; The Sycamore Room, offering a la carte high-end dining and located on the south end of the first floor of the Paddock Building adjacent to the new Stakes Winner's Circle; The Dogwood Room, a second-floor venue overlooking the Saddling Paddock featuring buffet-style dining; The Ivy Room, designed for private group gatherings and not included in public ticket offerings; and The Rooftop, located on the third floor of the Paddock Building, and featuring two distinct spaces with sweeping views of the Paddock and the entire Keeneland campus. There is a fully enclosed premium indoor dining room and a covered outdoor space anchored by a focal bar. Fans can explore the new Paddock Building here. Tickets go on sale Feb. 17 at 9 a.m. at Tickets.Keeneland.com. The Keeneland Spring Meet runs from Apr. 3-24. The post Keeneland Unveils Paddock Building Ahead of Spring Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As much as there were several Eclipse Awards categories that seemed like toss-ups, there were no real surprises in the announcements of 2025 champions the evening of Jan. 22 at The Breakers Palm Beach in South Florida.View the full article

Live racing has been cancelled at Turfway Park on Wednesday and Thursday due to severe winter weather in the Florence, Kentucky area. Officials from the National Weather Service are forecasting wind chill values to not rise above the single digits over the next 48 hours and dip as low as minus 11 degrees on Wednesday. Turfway Park officials continue to monitor the forecast and will make a determination Wednesday regarding Friday and Saturday's racing cards. The post Frigid Temps Force Turfway Cancellations appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Graded stakes winner Stormcast (Mitole) is among 19 additional entries to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, which will be held Feb. 9 in Lexington. The latest group of supplements to the auction are catalogued as hip 386-404 and include several stakes winners and a half-sibling to a recent Grade I winner. The 5-year-old mare Stormcast, winner of the 2024 GIII Bessarabian Stakes, will be offered as hip 395 and will be consigned as a racing or broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency. Other supplemental entries include: Athena's War (Kor) (New Year's Day) (hip 386), a full-sister to champion Maximum Security, in foal to Oscar Performance and consigned by Mulholland Springs, agent; Sun Kissed Soiree (Medaglia d'Oro) (hip 388), a full-sister to graded stakes winner Marzo consigned as a broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent; stakes-winning My Sassenach (Uncaptured) (hip 389), in foal to Flameaway and consigned by Mulholland Springs, agent; Mia's Mom (Maclean's Music) (hip 397), a winning half-sister to recent GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational winner Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), who is carrying her first foal by Essential Quality and is consigned by Buckland Sales, agent; Leo Toro (Nyquist) (hip 398), winner of last year's Ginger Punch Stakes at Gulfstream who is consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect byGainesway, agent; and multiple stakes winner and multiple graded-placed Dancing N Dixie (Neolithic) (hip 399), consigned as a broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. To view the entire Kentucky Winter Mixed catalogue, click here. The post Graded Winner Stormcast Among Latest Supplements to Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

SHARONS BEACH, SA, 1-23, 4th race, 6 1/2 furlongs BEYER SPEED FIGURE-89 (2nd) (g, 3, Omaha Beach–Cosmic Code, by Into Mischief) O-Panic Stable. B-Bryan Hawk (Ky). T-Jonathan Thomas. J-Umberto Rispoli. He has always been auspiciously supported: as a debut 2-1 choice on turf when he lost by 22 3/4 lengths, then at 8-5 on dirt when he faded to lose by 9 1/4 lengths, and again last week at 9-5. This time, he lived up to the stubborn optimism. Few could have expected a Beyer leap from 58 to 89, but he pressed 6-5 favorite Liam Smith (below) from the outset, dropped about two lengths behind in upper stretch yet kept doggedly pursuing until he came up short by a diminishing neck–as they stopped the timer in a swift 1:15.95. LIAM SMITH, SA, 1-23, 4th race, 6 1/2 furlongs BEYER SPEED FIGURE-89 (c, 3, Midshipman–Mama Joyce, by First Dude) O/B-Donald Dizney (Ky). T-Chief Stipe O'Neill. J-Ernesto Jaramillo. In the race described above, it took less of a leap of faith to expect such improvement from Liam Smith. He never got untracked in his debut against a strong maiden field, as he was shuffled back to last and climbed from kickback while the leaders sped through a half in :43.45–faster even than the Malibu Stakes later on the card. In this spot, he dashed right to the lead in :44.52 and led all the way. He was also one of three horses entered to be claimed, and was taken for $50k. CANALETTO, GP, 1/25, 7th race, 1 mile BEYER SPEED FIGURE-89 (c, 3, Into Mischief–Distorted Music, by Distorted Humor) O-Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter Brant and Brook Smith. B-Lothenbach Stables (Ky). T-Chad Brown. J-Flavien Prat. Ever since Minnesota racing and breeding titan Bob Lothenbach passed away unexpectedly in November 2023, his dispersed stock has lit up tracks from coast to coast. Last year it was GI Arkansas Derby winner Sandman. And the latest is Sandman's half-brother, Coolmore's promising Canaletto, a pinhooked $1-million Saratoga yearling who kicked off his career Sunday with an eight-length romp at Gulfstream, earning 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' honors. In the same race, Coolmore also had Spartacus, a half-brother to Nest, but he finished a well-beaten fifth. CORONA DE ORO, FG, 1-24, 7th race, 6 furlongs BEYER SPEED FIGURE-92 (2nd) (c, 3, Bolt d'Oro-Lemon de Oro, by Lemon Drop Kid) O-On Our Own Stable, U Racing Stables, Commonwealth Stable, James Nichols, Saints or Sinners, Edwin Barker, Daniel Rivers, John Haines, Titletown Racing, Deborah Self and Dallas Stewart. B-Willow Oaks Stable (Ky). T-Dallas Stewart. J-Brian Hernandez Jr. At the very least, Corona De Oro has shattered the Five Fastest Maidens record for most ownership principals by a single entry: 11. As the 2-1 favorite making his third start, he burst from the pack to attack pacesetter Noble Affair (below) but couldn't get past him despite speeding his final quarter-mile in :23.61 and opening 8 1/2 lengths on the rest of the field. If he wins next time, the winners' circle should be crowded. NOBLE AFFAIR, FG, 1-24, 7th race, 6 furlongs BEYER SPEED FIGURE-93 (c, 3, Vekoma-Paden Affair, by Rockport Harbor) O-Wathnan Racing. B-Sandra Sexton and Silver Fern Farm (Ky). T-Steve Asmussen. J-James Graham. Wathnan's $600k 2-year-old buy led from the start in his debut, refusing to let Corona de Oro by as the two colts flew down the Fair Grounds stretch. Based on earlier dirt races Saturday, the swift 1:09.84 final time translates to a sparkling Beyer, but a rainstorm hit just before the race, which in theory could have tightened the surface. That's why the performance of horses in this race will be monitored going forward to determine if the 93 figure needs to be adjusted. The post Five Fastest Maidens: Jan. 20-26 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jay Rooney MEOWTH - R6 (1) Won from gate one three starts back and can repeat tonight Owen Goulding CHINA WIN - R8 (12) C&D near-miss before overcoming stall 14 at Sha Tin, more to come Trackwork Spy ACE WAR - R5 (11) Has been knocking on the door on his past two starts and can break through here Phillip Woo MEOWTH - R6 (1) Looks a major chance from gate one after drawing 12 in both starts since a win Shannon (Vincent Wong) ACE POWER - R3 (7) Looks spot on after a good third at Happy...View the full article

The momentum from a record Book 1 session at NZB’s 100th National Yearling Sale continued into Book 2 on Tuesday, where a condensed session saw 188 yearlings sell for an incredible $12,247,000. Surpassing all previous records, the Book 2 session reached an average of $65,144 (up 80%), a median of $60,000 (up 124%) and a clearance rate of 76%. “As we had expected, putting the Book 2 horses in front of the international buyers has been key,” commented NZB’s Managing Director Andrew Seabrook. “To see a $2.5 million increase in turnover from a catalogue with 146 less horses, the results are just extraordinary really. “The Australian spend has more than doubled compared to this session last year, and while the Kiwis were stronger too, there were plenty who missed out so we hope to see them active at the Karaka Summer Sale on Thursday.” Lot 601 was the Book 2 Sale topper. Photo supplied Among the Australian buyers was Wylie Dalziel, who praised the new format of the popular second session. “Credit due to the team here for getting all the Book 2 horses on the grounds early.” “In previous years when they weren’t on the complex, we never got to inspect them. Now, Peter Moody and I have had the chance to steal some good ones. “We’ve had really good success buying out of Karaka, especially at this kind of price point. We couldn’t be happier.” Initially passed in, the top lot of the day came when Busuttin Racing negotiated a sale for Lot 601. $200,000 was outlaid for the filly by Embellish out of Queen of Wizardy from leading vendor Cambridge Stud. After being titled the Leading Vendor for the 34th time during Book 1, Cambridge Stud also took Book 2 honours, selling a further 14 yearlings for just shy of $1.2 million. Little Avondale Stud took the Leading Vendor by average title for Book 2, selling five lots at an average price of $103,000. Lot 762, was Shocking’s highest lot, selling for $160,000. Photo supplied Leading sire by average was Rich Hill Stud’s resident stallion Shocking, who sold three lots at an average of $121,667. Headed by Lot 762 (ex Gardenier), who sold for $160,000 to Hong Kong’s Lok Lor. Attention now turns to the inaugural Karaka Summer Sale kicking off Thursday 29 January from 11am. Inspections continue from Wednesday 28 January, while a welcome BBQ will take place from 4pm at the Garden Bar with all welcome. All yearlings purchased at Karaka 2026 are eligible to be nominated for NZB’s lucrative Karaka Millions Series, featuring the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO, $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO and the $1m NZB Mega Maiden Series. To nominate your yearling, contact finance@nzb.co.nz or call +64 9 298 0055. Entries close Monday 2 March 2026. To enquire about Passed Lots from Book 2 contact Patrick Cunningham on +64 21 181 5898 or email Patrick.Cunningham@nzb.co.nz, or Andrew Buick on +64 27 555 0640 or email Andrew.Buick@nzb.co.nz. View the full Book 2 results here. Catch the highlights and Lot-by-Lot footage from Book 2 here. Karaka 2026: Book 2 Statistics (as at end of selling) 2026 BOOK 2 TOTAL (NEW FORMAT) 2025 BOOK 2 TOTAL 2024 BOOK 2 TOTAL 2023 BOOK 2 TOTAL AGGREGATE $12,247,000 $9,759,000 $11,444,000 $11,516,000 AVERAGE $65,144 $36,144 $43,185 $43,131 MEDIAN $60,000 $26,750 $32,500 $32,000 CLEARANCE 76% 76% 70% 71% CATALOGUED 281 427 443 435 SOLD 188 270 265 267 TOP LOT Lot 601 Embellish – Queen of Wizardy (B.F) $200,000 Lot 855 Satono Aladdin – Sparkling Rose (B.F) $260,000 Lot 790 Time Test – Kerre (Br.C) $220,000 Lot 789 Proisir – Harriet Wilson (G.C) $180,000 Karaka 2026: Book 2 Top Lots Lot Sire Dam Sex Vendor Purchaser Price 601 Embellish Queen of Wizardry Filly Cambridge Stud Busuttin Young (VIC) $ 200,000 657 Sword of State Tina Again Filly Landsdowne Park Mr RA James / Mr R Wellwood (Waikato) $ 170,000 838 Sword of State Membership Colt Leanach Lodge Riversley Park/De Burgh Equine (Waikato) $ 170,000 762 Shocking Gardenier Colt Rich Hill Stud Lok Lor (Hong Kong) $ 160,000 585 Sword of State Palace Whispers Colt Woburn Farm Mr G Thompson (VIC) $ 150,000 756 Ardrossan Feuilla Colt The Oaks Stud Bleakley Bloodstock (Manawatu) $ 150,000 826 Ace High Maenoha Filly Seaton Park Rising Sun Syndicate/ Henry Dwyer Racing (VIC) $ 150,000 842 Contributer Miss Banff Colt Riversley Park BBA Ireland / BMD Bloodstock / Hurworth Bloodstock / David Skelly (Ireland) $ 150,000 592 Trapeze Artist Pickup the Pieces Colt Woburn Farm David Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ) (Te Akau) $ 145,000 801 Per Incanto Kechika Colt Little Avondale Stud Mr Frankie Ting (Hong Kong) $ 145,000 Karaka 2026: Book 2 Leading Buyers Purchaser Lots Aggregate Top Price Top Lot Mr Frankie Ting 4 $ 380,000 $ 145,000 801 Lok Lor 2 $ 300,000 $ 160,000 762 Mr RA James / Mr R Wellwood 2 $ 300,000 $ 170,000 657 Ritchie Murray Racing / Chris Rutten Bloodstock (BAFNZ) 3 $ 275,000 $ 110,000 806 Andrew Campbell Bloodstock / T Heptinstall 4 $ 266,000 $ 110,000 641 Bleakley Bloodstock Ltd 2 $ 240,000 $ 150,000 756 Forsman Racing 3 $ 210,000 $ 100,000 754 Benner Racing Ltd 2 $ 205,000 $ 140,000 607 Busuttin Young 1 $ 200,000 $ 200,000 601 Ballymore Racing / Paul Moroney Bloodstock / Catheryne Bruggeman 3 $ 192,500 $ 110,000 812 Karaka 2026: Book 2 Leading Vendors by Aggregate Vendor Offered Sold Aggregate Average Top Price Top Lot Cambridge Stud 15 14 $ 1,195,000 $ 85,357 $ 200,000 601 Waikato Stud 22 18 $ 902,500 $ 50,139 $ 130,000 631 Woburn Farm 10 10 $ 865,000 $ 86,500 $ 150,000 585 Rich Hill Stud 14 9 $ 812,500 $ 90,278 $ 160,000 762 Windsor Park Stud 15 11 $ 805,000 $ 73,182 $ 120,000 581 Landsdowne Park 10 8 $ 557,000 $ 69,625 $ 170,000 657 Westbury Stud 16 8 $ 550,000 $ 68,750 $ 100,000 628 Little Avondale Stud 7 5 $ 515,000 $ 103,000 $ 145,000 801 HGT Bloodstock 6 6 $ 435,000 $ 72,500 $ 110,000 752 Hallmark Stud 8 8 $ 415,000 $ 51,875 $ 75,000 725 Karaka 2026: Book 2 Leading Vendors by Average (three or more sold) Vendor Offered Sold Average Top Price Top Lot Little Avondale Stud 7 5 $ 103,000 $ 145,000 801 Cambria Park 5 4 $ 98,750 $ 125,000 633 Rich Hill Stud 14 9 $ 90,278 $ 160,000 762 Woburn Farm 10 10 $ 86,500 $ 150,000 585 Cambridge Stud 15 14 $ 85,357 $ 200,000 601 Leanach Lodge Ltd 4 4 $ 78,750 $ 170,000 838 The Oaks Stud 3 3 $ 75,333 $ 150,000 756 Windsor Park Stud 15 11 $ 73,182 $ 120,000 581 HGT Bloodstock Ltd 6 6 $ 72,500 $ 110,000 752 Highline Thoroughbreds 8 5 $ 71,500 $ 130,000 622 Karaka 2026: Book 2 Leading Sires by Average (three or more sold) Sire Offered Sold Average Top Price Top Lot Shocking 3 3 $ 121,667 $ 160,000 762 Embellish 3 3 $ 105,833 $ 200,000 601 Per Incanto 7 5 $ 104,000 $ 145,000 801 Sword of State 25 24 $ 94,896 $ 170,000 838 Tarzino 7 3 $ 70,000 $ 75,000 804 Derryn 3 3 $ 68,333 $ 120,000 800 Satono Aladdin 13 8 $ 63,875 $ 110,000 616 Ardrossan 22 19 $ 62,211 $ 150,000 756 Noverre 21 18 $ 59,583 $ 130,000 786 Ocean Park 5 4 $ 56,250 $ 100,000 754 Shocking 3 3 $ 121,667 $ 160,000 762 View the full article

Cambridge Stud enjoyed another strong day of selling at the Book 2 session of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales at Karaka. The famed nursery were leading vendors of the Book 1 Sale and also held that mantle on Tuesday, clearing all but one of their 16-strong draft in Book 2 Progeny of Cambridge Stud’s emerging sire Sword Of State were again in vogue, while barn-mate Embellish provided the day’s top lot, with Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young signing for a filly out of Queen Of Wizardry for $200,000. “She is a lovely filly that had a lot of her sire and grand sire (Savabeel) about her and she is out of a good Not A Single Doubt mare who is a half-sister to a Group One winner (Coco Sun),” Busuttin said. “We trained Emphasize, who is also by Embellish, who had good ability and we have a couple by the sire that are pleasing us at home. “It’s always great to be able to buy one from Cambridge Stud, who have presented a terrific line-up of horses this week and we’re delighted to get her.” All three lots by Embellish sold at Karaka on Tuesday, with fillies sold for $75,000 and $42,500 respectively to Gold Coast trainer David McColm and Southland trainer Robert Dennis. A Sword Of State filly out of Tina Again fetched $170,000 to the bid of Roger James and Robert Wellwood Photo: Angelique Bridson Sword Of State provided the sale-topper of the Book 1 Sale at $1.1 million and was again at the pointy end in Book 2, with three of the top five lots. The Group One winning son of Snitzel has made a good impression with his early runners, headed by Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) winner and Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) placegetter Torture and smart two-win colt Warwoven, who is currently favourite for the Gr.1 Golden Slipper. A filly out of the four-win El Roca mare Tina Again set the early pace, knocked down to Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood for $170,000 from the draft of Landsdowne Park. Robert Wellwood and Roger James at Karaka Photo: Angelique Bridson “She’s a filly that we loved on farm and she’s got a great flow and walk,” Wellwood said. “She looks like she’ll go early and she has got the upside of Swiss Prince in her pedigree, who’s now won a stakes race and run second in a Group Two. We are terrifically happy to have her walk into the stable.” Later in the day, a Sword Of State colt from the draft of Leanach Lodge also made $170,000, purchased by Riversley Park’s Sam Beatson in conjunction with Martin Buick of De Burgh Equine and will likely be re-offered at November’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale. Flemington trainer Glen Thompson went to $150,000 to purchase a Sword Of State colt out of Palace Whispers from the draft of Woburn Farm. With 24 lots sold for a total of $2,278,000 at an average of $95,000, Sword Of State was the highest-grossing sire in a strong day of trade in which $12.3 million worth of horses changed hands, significantly up on the previous year. View the full article

I used to have a decent go on a good Auckland night with full fields and the pick six a few years ago but it is a complete waste of time these days. FFS - seven races with an average field size of 7.8 So many trainers have left the Auckland area or downsized or given up because of one reason or another and never been replaced by the younger generation. Sign of the times with stakes not keeping pace with inflation. It is just not worth it for the guys with no big owners to keep paying the bills which go up every year. HRNZ are delusional if they think they can bring back the glory days using the plan they are currently going with. Stakes vs expenses coupled with a poor racing product for punters is a downward spiral that will take North Island racing out completely in the next 20 years if not sooner.

Per Incanto stock as usual looked outstanding! If only I was as rich as @Chief Stipe