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Hall of Fame trainer King Leatherbury, whose career spanned eight decades and included 52 training titles combined at Pimlico and Laurel, has passed away. He was 92 and died Tuesday at his home. “He's one of a kind, said one of his twin sons, Taylor Leatherbury. “There's never been a man more appropriately named than my father.” Born in Shady Side, Maryland, Leatherbury was raised on a farm where his father had horses. After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in business administration, Leatherbury went to work on the track and won his first race in 1959 at Sunshine Park, now known as Tampa Bay Downs. But it was in Maryland that he made a name for himself. The quartet of Leatherbury, Grover “Bud” Delp, Richard Dutrow and John Tammaro Jr., also known as the “Big Four,” dominated the circuit throughout most of the seventies and eighties. Leatherbury's specialty was claiming horses. He had a knack for finding cheap horses with an upside, ones he thought he could maneuver up the claiming ladder. “My people would claim horses for $20,000, $10,000, $5,000 and buy a yearling for $22,000, something like that,” Leatherbury told Tom Pedulla in 2020. “I didn't have big clients who wanted to spend $1 million for a horse or $100,000 even.” Between 1972 and 1997, he won at least 100 races every year and from 1974 to 1984, his total hit 200 annually. He led all trainers in wins in 1977 and 1978, winning 322 in 1977 and 304 the next year. In addition to his training titles at the Maryland tracks, he won four titles at Delaware Park. “I was making good claims,” Leatherbury told Pedulla. “You have an owner and you start winning for them and they claim more horses.” With 6,508 career wins, he is the fifth winningest trainer of all time. Occasionally, Leatherbury would come up with a stakes horse. His Taking Risks won the GI Iselin Handicap and the GIII Baltimore Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap in 1994, and his Thirty Eight Go Go won eight stakes from 1987 through 1990. Leatherbury won the GI Hempstead Handicap with Catatonic in 1994. “Nobody in the history of racing…has done what he's done the last 25 years: that being training the horses from speed figures, the Racing Form, using top assistants and veterinarians,” Delp told turf writer Vinnie Perrone in the May 20, 1993 edition of The Washington Post. “Believe me, King Leatherbury can train any racehorse that ever lived, and train him to perfection.” Having compiled so many wins over so many years, Leatherbury had what some considered Hall of Fame-worthy credentials, but his status as a claiming trainer always seemed to hold him back. That all changed with the emergence of Ben's Cat, who took the veteran trainer on a ride beyond anything he had ever experienced before. Bred and owned by Leatherbury, Ben's Cat was by Parker's Storm Cat, who won only one of four career starts and earned $40,800. The dam was Twofox, a winner of 3 of 23 starts. Ben's Cat suffered a broken pelvis at 2 and did not race until his 4-year-old year in 2010, but what was to become was something right out of a storybook. A sprinter, Ben's Cat won 32 races, 26 of them stakes, and earned $2,643,782. He was named Maryland-bred Horse of the Year four times, from 2011 to 2014. A year before Ben's Cat retired, Leatherbury was inducted into the Hall of Fame. It was an honor, he said, that never would have happened if Ben's Cat had not come along. “The excuse (for why he had not been voted into the Hall of Fame) was years ago that Leatherbury wins a lot of races, but he doesn't perform at the top levels,” the trainer told Frank Vespe in 2017. “That was true, but I had to deal with the horses that I had. But Ben's Cat did perform at that level.” At age 11, Ben's Cat retired in 2017. For Leatherbury, Ben's Cat's accomplishments marked one last chance to enjoy the spotlight. The trainer, well into his eighties, saw his numbers dwindle down to a precious few. Between 2019 and 2021, the same trainer who had had as many as 365 wins in a single year, won just six races. He retired in 2023, starting just one horse that year. “I'm 87 years old, for God's sake. Nobody is going to give me horses,” he told the TDN in September, 2020 after winning his first race of the year, which marked the 62nd consecutive year he had at least one winner. “I feel perfectly good and healthy but when I visit my family plot down there, where my whole family has been buried, there's this little sign. It says, 'King Leatherbury, coming soon.'” he jokingly told the TDN. Leatherbury is also a member of the Anne Arundel County Hall of Fame and received a lifetime achievement award from the Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. He served as president of both the Maryland Horse Breeders' Association and Maryland Million Ltd, and served on the board of directors at Timonium. He is honored each year at Laurel Park with the running of the King T. Leatherbury Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Linda Marie Heavener Leatherbury, 82; twin sons, Taylor and Todd, 58; and grandson Heavener, 18. The post Hall Of Fame Trainer King Leatherbury Passes At 92 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's Win, Place, Show: The Annual Student Art Exhibition, presented by the New York Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund, will open to the public in the Museum's von Stade Gallery on Feb. 14. The exhibition, which will feature more than 60 works of art from Capital Region students in grades 3-7, will run through Mar. 15. A second exhibition for grades 8-12 will open on Mar. 28 and runs through Apr. 26. Submissions for the grades 8-12 show will be accepted through Mar. 15. Each entry must be accompanied by a submission form. To access, click here. Completed entries can then be dropped off at the Museum during normal operating hours. A panel of judges will select a first-, second-, and third-place winner from each exhibition. The first-place winner for each will receive a slate of prizes. All student artists, their families, and anyone in their party will receive complimentary admission to the Museum during the duration of the exhibition. Student artists and their families are invited to participate in a closing ceremony, held on the last day of each exhibition at 2 p.m., to enjoy complimentary refreshments courtesy of Stewart's Shops. The Museum will also host The Forgotten Foundation: How Black Equestrians Helped Build American Thoroughbred Racing, scheduled for Feb. 16 and Feb. 19. The seminar explores the impact and legacy of Black equestrians in American thoroughbred racing. From early trailblazers to Gilded Age legends to today's participants in the sport, this lecture traces the history of Black equestrians and their vital contributions to racing. The seminars will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 16 and at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. The event is free for Museum members and is included with paid admission for non-members. As the seminar on the 19th takes place following regular Museum hours, paid guests will be given a voucher to visit the Museum at another date of their choosing–no pre-registration is required–simply arrive at the Museum, and a staff member will direct you to the lecture location. For more information, please visit www.racingmuseum.org. The post Win, Place, Show: The Annual Student Art Exhibition Opens Feb. 14 at the National Museum 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

Penn National will raise purses by 5% for the 2026 racing season that begins Feb. 19 and lower takeout rates for the Trifecta and Superfecta.View the full article

I think the racing industry in NZ along with the various clubs have no idea what attracts people to racing, simply because they never actually find out by asking. For me, it is seeing top horses race. The images of seeing the various greats over the last 50 years will remain with me forever. But that is just me. In recent times, because elsewhere I have learnt about the concept of finding value, it has been fuller and more competitive fields. But that would not apply to many of the people who go on course nowadays

You do hear of a lot of raconteurial stuff where people swear by it for pain relief and allowing them to get to sleep

Yes and there seems to be a fair amount of research that indicates it isn't much better than a placebo.

Yes and I suppose it also depends what you mean by "quality of the racing". Best horses, fuller fields, more competitive?

Henry Beeby says that Goffs “can't wait to get going for the year” ahead of the February Sale which features progeny by Havana Grey, Mehmas, New Bay, Night Of Thunder, Sands Of Mali, Sea The Stars, Walk In The Park and Starman as well a brother [lot 53] to recent Grade 2 mares' hurdle winner Feet Of A Dancer (Authorized). Pinhookers resembled happy cows being let out to spring grass for the first time on the eve of the two-day February Sale, which kicks off the Goffs sale season at 10am on Wednesday. Beeby said, “Our February Sale is always a reactionary catalogue to the autumn sales and it is a very good and balanced catalogue. The Wednesday session is up from 248 to 266 weanlings and there is obviously more Flat than National Hunt. There are some very smart pedigrees in there and the pinhookers will be out in force. You see a lot of the serious buyers have been here on Monday and Tuesday and we have some good drafts from Moyglare Stud and more. We finish off with a newly-introduced point-to-point section and that is a definite reaction to requests given a number of point-to-point handlers were asking for a sale in Ireland at this time of the year.” He added, “The pinhookers always come to this sale. It's a very diverse catalogue so it appeals to everyone. Along with the strong domestic buying bench, we have lots of Eastern Europeans here, people from France and a lot of British buyers as well. It's very funny, because when you get to December, everyone is on their knees as it's the end of the sales season and all people want to do is go home. Come this time of year, all people want to do is get out of their house and go to the sales! So there's a great atmosphere around the place and we can't wait to get going for the year.” Well-known bookmaker Brian Keenan, who breeds 10 to 12 National Hunt mares every year and consigns under Ballymurray Farm, will offer the Affinisea half-brother to Feet Of A Dancer. That Paul Noaln-trained mare couldn't have been more impressive when landing a Grade 2 contest at Doncaster last month and is just 10-1 for the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham. Keenan, whose father Brian had his recognisable pink silks carried by the smart Noel Meade-trained chaser Sir Oj over 20 years ago now, said the slew of good results with Feet Of A Dancer presented too good of an opportunity not to present the latest offspring by Leah Claire at public auction. He said, “The Affinisea is a baby June foal and, normally, you'd be thinking about keeping them and letting them mature. But I just thought, with the page after exploding into life and with Affinisea really doing well, I thought now was the time to bring her to the sales.” He added, “I got a massive kick out of Feet Of A Dancer winning at Doncaster – you'd swear I owned her myself. She won her Listed race by nine lengths, went on and gave Wodhooh a fright at Christmas and then won the Grade 2 at Doncaster. It was great fun. We bought the mare a couple of years ago in foal to Masked Marvel. I have a Santiago three-year-old for the store sales this year and this fella as well. “Given he was born in June, it became way too late to cover her so we said we'd wait until this year and get her good and early. Feet Of A Dancer's brother, Act Of Authority, was actually second to Wodhooh in the Martin Pipe last year so she could do with clearing off! But look, Leah Claire was a nine-time winner herself and was Stakes-placed over both codes so it's not a fluke. She's obviously breeding horses with plenty of ability. I've had plenty of luck with later foals at this sale – fillies especially. So, when we saw the pedigree update, we had absolutely no hesitation in coming here.” Meanwhile, Whitsbury Manor Stud will offer one of the most sought after lots of the entire sale through the Baroda Stud-drafted Havana Grey filly [260], who is a full-sister to Listed winner Havana Ball. Like Keenan, Whitsbury has enjoyed luck at the Goffs February Sale in the past, and the stud's Joe Callan is optimistic the good run can continue at Kildare Paddocks. He said, “We have always liked this filly. We took her here in November, where we thought she would stack up quite well, but she picked up a minor knock just a few days beforehand and we were forced to withdraw her. We decided there and then that she was too nice a filly to be showing with a wrap on and we said we'd give her a chance to come to this sale, which has been good to us in the past. We know the buyers always turn up to this sale so we're hoping that she might stand out.” The post “We Can’t Wait To Get Going” – February Sale Gets Goffs Up And Running For 2026 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Del Mar's 2026 stakes schedule will offer $7,775,000 in purses, including five overnight stakes each carrying a $100,000 prize. The seaside Southern California track will present six grade 1 stakes over the course of its eight weeks of racing. View the full article

Excellent question, a day at the races has always rated highly when people have been asked what they like about racing

Following a review of its contemporary Hall of Fame voting panel and a comprehensive evaluation of the overall nominating and election process, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame has made several updates prior to the 2026 election cycle. A voter survey was conducted in December 2025 to guarantee an electorate that is deeply connected to the sport, knowledgeable, passionate and responsive. That survey resulted in more than two dozen voters who received ballots in last year's election being cycled off prior to the 2026 process. Additionally, several new voters were invited to participate this year, resulting in a contemporary voting group comprised of 154 members in 2026, down from 172 voters in 2025. Retired candidates selected by the Nominating Committee as finalists may appear on the Hall of Fame ballot a maximum of 10 times. Previously, there was no limit to the number of times a candidate could be a finalist within the 25-year eligibility window before timing out and transitioning to the Historic Review process. This policy will apply to all horses and retired jockeys and trainers. There will be no limit to the number of times an active jockey or trainer can appear on the ballot, as their credentials are evolving. Hall of Fame voters will receive past voting percentages as a reference tool to help evaluate the viability of candidates and how they are trending. All Hall of Fame voting will be done electronically (email) through the independent auditor McKenna and Franck CPAs, PC, based in Saratoga Springs. Ballots will no longer be physically mailed to voters. Materials for the 2026 election will be emailed to voters in mid-February when the finalists are announced. These changes were made by Museum management in conjunction with recently appointed Nominating Committee Chair D. G. Van Clief, after consultation with the Nominating Committee, and were approved by Museum Board Chair Charlotte Weber. “Our goals are to ensure this process is always defined by absolute integrity and that it yields the most deserving class of Hall of Fame inductees each year,” Van Clief said. “We are fortunate that our Nominating Committee is both eminently capable of and fully dedicated to supporting these goals. With this year's updates to our process and the changes to refresh our voting roster, I am confident that the Hall of Fame will be welcoming inductees to its ranks who will make the sport proud and stand the test of time.” “I fully support the changes D. G. Van Clief and Museum management have made concerning the voting panel and overall election process,” Weber added. “Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is the greatest honor in any sport. It is of the utmost importance for the Museum to continually evaluate its procedures and evolve with the best interests of the institution and the sport as its guiding foundational principles.” The post Hall of Fame Voting Panel and Procedure Updated appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Yes. Quite right. Prohibited from driving too, so probably not a good idea for riders.

Retired candidates selected by the nominating committee as finalists may appear on the Hall of Fame ballot a maximum of 10 times. Previously, there was no limit to the number of times a candidate could be a finalist within the 25-year window.View the full article

The official logo for the 158th running of the GI Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, which will be held at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday June 6, was released by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) on Tuesday. This year will mark the third and final edition of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga. Beginning in 2027, the Belmont Stakes will return to its permanent home on Long Island at a new Belmont Park. The 2026 Belmont Stakes logo is centered around the Marylou Whitney Entrance at Saratoga, featuring three flags to acknowledge the conclusion of an unprecedented period when Saratoga played host to the Belmont Stakes. The Marylou Whitney Entrance was dedicated by NYRA in 2019 to honor Whitney's legacy and pay tribute to her passionate support for horse racing and commitment to the Saratoga Springs community. The five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be held from Wednesday, June 3, through Sunday, June 7 at Saratoga Race Course. Tickets for the 2026 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 12 at www.BelmontStakes.com. The post 2026 Belmont Stakes Logo Unveiled appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It can also be prescribed for anxiety and depression. Any medication ( within reason) should help the sufferer perform within acceptable parameters. As for pain relief, everyone is different, of course, but i tried it in various forms, found it utterly useless.

Nope because my understanding is it comes with a heavy machinery warning. It is used primarily for chronic pain relief. If you need to use it for that reason then maybe a change of career from a less risky and less physical job would be the better option.

The 35th edition of the Aug. 22 $1-million GI Pacific Classic tops 37 stakes slated for this summer's 87th season at Del Mar. The “Classic” will headline a card featuring the GI Del Mar Oaks, GII Del Mar Mile and the GII Green Flash Handicap. Del Mar opens its summer season on Friday, July 17, featuring 32 days of racing through Monday, Sept. 7, Labor Day. This year's stakes schedule will offer $7,775,000 in purses, including five overnight stakes each carrying a $100,000 prize. Additionally, there have been two purses magnified on the regular schedule–the Green Flash boosted from $150,000 to $200,000, and the traditional opening day Ceasars Sportsbook Oceanside Handicap increased from $100,000 to $150,000. The seaside track will present six Grade I stakes over the course of its eight weeks of racing. The first of those is the $400,000 Bing Crosby on July 25 and followed by the $400,000 Clement L. Hirsch on Aug. 1 In addition to the Pacific Classic and the Del Mar Oaks, the track will offer the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 5 and the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 6. Those last two seven-furlong tests are the championship races for 2-year-olds at the meet. Del Mar track will offer 10 Grade II stakes and five Grade III events during its summer stand. Also, 18 of the added-money races will be conducted on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course and eight of the stakes have been designated for California-bred runners. Other changes of note on the lineup consist of four 2-year-old races lengthened by half a furlong. Both the CTBA Stakes (Aug. 2) and the Graduation Stakes (Aug. 7) will stretch out to 5 1/2 furlongs, while the Generous Portion Stakes (Sept. 4) and the I'm Smokin Stakes (Sept. 7) now go at six panels. Six Del Mar stakes have been designated Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races: Bing Crosby (Sprint), Clement L. Hirsch (Distaff), Green Flash (Turf Sprint), Pacific Classic (Classic), Del Mar Handicap (Turf) and Pat O'Brien (Dirt Mile). “This stakes schedule showcases the very best of Del Mar racing, highlighted by the $1-Million Pacific Classic and six Grade I events, and offers a wide range of opportunities for our horsemen and horsewomen,” said Del Mar president Josh Rubinstein. “Del Mar's 2026 stakes schedule reflects a continued commitment to quality, competitiveness and opportunity,” said Gary Fenton, chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. “From the $1-Million Pacific Classic to a deep supporting program, this is the kind of structure that benefits owners, horsemen and the long-term health of California racing.” For the complete stakes schedule, click here. First post daily at Del Mar will be 2 p.m. On closing weekend, Saturday, Sunday and Monday cards will go off at 1:30 p.m. The post $1-Million Pacific Classic Tops 2026 Del Mar Stakes Schedule appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The four-time Group 1 winner Legarto (Proisir) will be offered as part of the Attunga Stud draft at May's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. Trained in New Zealand by Ken and Bev Kelso, Legarto registered her latest top-level success in the Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa on Saturday, regaining the title she'd previously won in 2024. An 11-time winner from 23 career starts, the now-six-year-old also ran out a determined winner of the Australian Guineas at Flemington back in 2023. Legarto is set to make at least one more appearance on a racecourse before heading to auction, with next month's G1 New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie confirmed as an intended target, before a potential tilt at the G1 Australian Cup at Flemington later in March. “We've already arranged for her to go to Brian Nutt at Attunga Stud to be prepared for the sale,” said part owner Philip Brown. “Being a partnership, public auction is the proper way to realise her true worth. As a multiple Group 1 winner, including one in Australia, she's obviously a valuable mare, so it's going to be an interesting exercise.” Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch added, “Legarto ranks as one of the finest racemares to have graced the turf in New Zealand in recent seasons. We look forward to enjoying the final conclusion to her racing career before she heads to the Gold Coast where she will be a most sought after breeding prospect for any farm – no matter where they are located around the world.” The post Champion Racemare Legarto to be Offered at Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Looks like the boys must have got on the phone last week. Having watched him throw his weight around all January, it was time to remind Not This Time that he doesn't yet control every neighborhood. The Godfather himself took charge, Into Mischief sending out sons to earn 20 GI Kentucky Derby points on either coast: Plutarch taking the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Renegade the Sam F. Davis Stakes. But he also got together with Not This Time's big rival as young pretender to put a couple of fillies on the Classic trail: Meaning and Search Party, who banked equivalent Oaks points at Santa Anita and Oaklawn respectively, are both by Gun Runner out of Into Mischief mares. But we're actually going to start with Search Party's barnmate, Silent Tactic, whose GIII Southwest Stakes success on the same card represented a double breakout. Besides being the first stakes winner for his sire Tacitus, he's also the first for Gun Runner as damsire. He's apparently only the third starter out of a Gun Runner mare, so we can confidently assume that a 13-year-old stallion who has never missed a beat will be greatly expanding his legacy in this sphere over the years ahead. In the meantime, however, he must share the credit for Silent Tactic not just with Tacitus but with an aristocratic maternal family that has been seeded with due quality. Overall, in fact, this is a pedigree loaded with Classic brands. Certainly Silent Tactic's late surge is consistent with the fact that he not only extends an A.P. Indy sire-line but also owes his granddam Malvinia to the same stallion. Malvinia, placed twice in a light career, is in fact a sister to Malibu Moon–whose posthumous record as a broodmare sire grows ever more impressive, headlined by Gun Runner's son Sierra Leone and, as we'll remind ourselves shortly, the champion dam of Plutarch. Actually it was a Malibu Moon mare, namely GII Mother Goose Stakes runner-up Always Carina, who enabled Gun Runner to add to his laurels last weekend through their seven-figure daughter Always a Runner's “TDN Rising Star” debut at Tampa Bay. That filly duly has strong symmetry with Silent Tactic's dam, Magical Sign, who managed a solitary start for breeder Don Alberto-down the field in a turf maiden-but could not have made a much better start to her second career. Hopefully, then, this branch of a great dynasty is going to keep blooming, Malvinia herself having not really vindicated some elite covers other than with Moraz (Empire Maker), beaten a head for the GIII Santa Ysabel Stakes. On the face of it, her stock appears to have been a little deficient in soundness and that's consistent with a rather fragile brilliance in this corner of the family. We've already noted that Secret Tactic's first two dams stood little racing; Malibu Moon famously made just two starts; another of his sisters, Lady Nichola, was second on her only start; and their dam, Macoumba (Mr. Prospector), won a Group 1 as a juvenile but tapered away quickly at three. But there are never rules about this kind of thing. Macoumba, for instance, had two foals by Danzig: a gelding who won 14 of 84 starts, mostly in claimers; and a filly who never made the gate, but then took on board some Dynaformer toughness and came up with Temple City. Lady Nichola, similarly, produced graded stakes winner Worth Repeating, who raced until he was six, when adding some Giant's Causeway iron. So perhaps the deeper well of quality in this family–Macoumba and her Group 1 winning half-brother Septieme Ciel (Seattle Slew) were out of another elite performer in Maximova (Fr) (Green Dancer)–is best drawn with a sturdy bucket and chain. That augurs well for Tacitus, himself of course a horse of superb pedigree and eligible to put some Tapit grit into play. Silent Tactic's emergence could be just in time to encourage breeders to persevere with Tacitus, now trading at the basement fee of $5,000. While he has mustered no more than 13 winners from 50 starters, nobody could sensibly have expected him to produce precocious stock, and this particular colt's pinhook success ($60,000 to $500,000) suggests a highly progressive trajectory. Tacitus did win at two himself, but only over a mile in November, and it was not until the spring that he really began thriving, en route to third (promoted) in the Derby. In maturity he proved rather frustrating, outclassing his rivals for the GII Suburban Stakes but never quite justifying short odds at Grade I level. But he had amply confirmed the functionality of some of the most happening genes in the breed. For his siblings Syclla (GI Breeders' Cup Distaff) and Batten Down (GIII Ohio Derby) have meanwhile confirmed how their champion dam Close Hatches (First Defence) is replicating a genetic prowess shared by her sister, the GI Kentucky Oaks third Lockdown, whose daughter Idiomatic (Curlin) had preceded Scylla on the Distaff roll of honor a couple of years previously. Moreover this is the famous dynasty of Best in Show, fourth dam of Close Hatches. Tacitus may or may not consolidate from here, but further progress from Silent Tactic himself would make him look a legitimate stud prospect regardless. He has the seamless “stairwell” that you tend to get when a pedigree is held together by well-bred stallions: on top, for instance, the grandsire and damsire of Tacitus are Pulpit and First Defence, both from regal families; and below, of course, we only find stallions eligible to serve such a strong maternal line. Behind second and third dams are established breed-shapers, A.P. Indy and Mr. Prospector; and while he has barely started, in this capacity, someday perhaps being out of a Gun Runner mare will appear the icing on the cake. Something in the Wind Our community is often accused of insularity but we could represent ourselves as a pretty cultured bunch on a weekend when a son of Tacitus could be joined on the Derby trail by a colt honoring another of the ancient world's most important writers. If Plutarch was named for greatness, then that is wholly consistent with his parentage. For if we might accurately record that both Into Mischief's big winners last weekend are out of Curlin mares, that is clearly too bland a description for either! Renegade is out of Spice Is Nice, a graded stakes scorer who cost seven figures as a yearling as a daughter of Grade I winner Dame Dorothy (Bernardini). And Plutarch, of course, is out of none other than Stellar Wind. She had to settle for fourth in her own Oaks bid but made up for that with six Grade Is and $2.9 million in prizemoney. Joining Coolmore for $6 million, she began with two foals by the ageing Galileo (Ire): an unraced colt, and a disappointing filly culled to St. George Stables for $350,000 at the 2024 Keeneland November Sale. That filly is now going up in the world. Straight after that auction, her half-brother by Justify won a Del Mar maiden by six lengths (albeit unseen since). Then in stepped Into Mischief, albeit with a twist: both Stellar Wind's foals by the champion sire have switched between surfaces and, until now, had only won on turf. But now Plutarch has won a dirt race routinely chosen by his trainer to announce a Derby colt, and has restored black type to a family whose development had been curtailed because Stellar Wind's dam, Evening Star-as mentioned above, a daughter of Malibu Moon-only had two other foals, neither making the gate. Behind her, as many will doubtless recall from Stellar Wind's heyday, was Virginian matriarch Sequins (Northern Fashion). We can hardly reprise the full legacy of the Keswick Farm linchpin here but suffice to say that she is granddam and third dam, respectively, of two previous Bob Lewis winners in Great Hunter (Aptitude) and Mor Spirirt (Eskenderaya). Moreover, she is third dam of Speed King (Volatile), whose name can be found below Silent Tactic in the Southwest roll of honor. For a recent impact by Into Mischief on this family, meanwhile, note that Sequins also features as third dam of Shred the Gnar–a sister to the ill-fated Owendale and so impressive in the GIII Chilukki Stakes a few weeks ago. Storm Bird an Interested Party Since delivering Plutarch, Stellar Wind has favored Gun Runner with a couple of visits–another testament to the challenge he is laying down to Into Mischief. As noted above, however, the pair meanwhile co-operated to provide the winners of the Las Virgenes Stakes and Martha Washington Stakes in Meaning and Search Party. Only at their respective second dams, therefore, do these two pedigrees part company–and Search Party does so in particularly auspicious fashion. For she was bred by Tracy Farmer from Devious Charm, another versatile daughter of Into Mischief who broke her maiden at Kentucky Downs but got her stakes podium on dirt. Farmer had bought her as a $260,000 yearling in 2017: Into Mischief was moving up the ranks, and she was out of Limbo, only placed during a light career in Europe but a daughter of A.P. Indy and none other than Storm Bird's Grade I-winning sister Northernette (Northern Dancer). Gun Runner will meanwhile look to strengthen his Derby hand when Paladin lines up for the GII Risen Star Stakes on Valentine's Day. Let's hope he remembers to send Stellar Wind a card. The post Breeding Digest: Silent Breakout Amplifies Sire and Damsire appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Paladin is the 8-1 individual morning-line favorite and "All Other 3-Year-Olds" not named within the 39 individual interests as the overall 4-1 choice in the latest Kentucky Derby Future Wager.View the full article

With Kentucky Derby (G1) preps in full swing, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Top 3-Year-Old Poll was bound to welcome some new faces. John Oxley's Silent Tactic jumped to sixth place with his win in the Feb. 6 Southwest Stakes (G3).View the full article

Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse has been named the sixth Chairman of the Board in the history of Ocala Breeders' Sales Company, Inc., succeeding Francis Vanlangendonck, who steps down after 35 years on the OBS board. Vanlangendonck had held the position of chairman since 2022, succeeding Mike O'Farrell, who was elected chairman in 2007 and was an OBS board member for nearly 40 years. George Onett was the first chairman in 1975, followed by Harry T. Mangurian, Jr., Norman E. Casse, O'Farrell and Vanlangendonck. Treasurer Nick de Meric is also stepping down from the board. Casse, based in Ocala, Florida is the son of Norman, a founding member of OBS and Chairman of the Board of OBS for over 20 years. Casse became an OBS board member in 2001 and Secretary-Treasurer in 2022. Dr. Barry Eisaman will continue as Vice President of the OBS board. Eisaman was first elected to the OBS Board in 1996 and Secretary-Treasurer from 2010-2021. David O'Farrell will serve as Secretary for OBS. He was elected to the OBS board in 2022 and serves as the TOBA Board of Trustees chair, steward at The Jockey Club, and a member of Breeders' Cup Limited. James L. (Jimbo) Gladwell, IV was elected Treasurer of OBS. He joined the OBS Board in 2021. Gladwell, a third-generation horseman operates Top Line Sales with his wife, Torie. Joining the OBS Board for the first time are Tristan de Meric of de Meric Sales and William B. Russell, DVM Peterson Smith Equine Hospital. The rest of the board includes Tom Ventura; Jonathan I Green (DJ Stables); John Penn (Pennston Farm); Bryan Rice (Woodside Ranch); George Russell (Rustlewood Farm), Paul Sharp, and Eddie Woods. The post Mark Casse Named Chairman of OBS appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Following the defection of juvenile champion Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) from Kentucky Derby contention after sustaining a foot bruise, GII Remsen Stakes winner Paladin (Gun Runner) has risen to the fore in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which launches Pool 4 on Friday, Feb. 13 and closes on Feb. 15. Installed the 8-1 individual favorite in the latest pool, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter Brant, Brook T. Smith and Summer Wind Equine's representative is entered in Saturday's GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. “All Other 3-Year-Olds” not named within the 39 individual interests stands as the overall 4-1 choice. Pool 4 also includes GIII Holy Bull winner Nearly (Not This Time) (10-1), first-out scorer Chief Wallabee (Constitution) (20-1), undefeated Golden Tempo (Curlin) (20-1) and last weekend's stakes victors Renegade (Into Mischief) (20-1) and Plutarch (Into Mischief) (20-1). To view the complete rundown of contenders in Pool 4, Click here. Other Future Wager dates are set for Mar. 13-15 (Pool 5) and Apr. 2-4 (Pool 6). Pool 5 also will include the Longines Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. The post Paladin Tabbed 8-1 Individual Favorite In Pool 4 of Kentucky Derby Future Wager appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (“Ohio Lab”)'s probationary HISA Equine Analytical Laboratory (HEAL) accreditation status of the Analytical Toxicology Laboratory has been suspended for a minimum of six months, starting Feb. 9, according to a Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) release on Tuesday. Samples collected in Ohio will be directed to the Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of California, Davis for analysis. HIWU's independent Laboratory Expert Group, which evaluates the performance of Program laboratories, recommended the suspension of the Ohio Lab's probationary HEAL accreditation due to nonconformities associated with HEAL compliance. HIWU, in consultation with its Laboratory Expert Group, will review the Ohio Lab's response to this suspension and associated corrective actions. Probationary accreditation status will not be restored unless and until the laboratory is in full compliance with HEAL. HIWU's review of the Ohio Lab is ongoing, and any impact on resolved or pending ADMC Program cases will be publicly disclosed in accordance with Program rules. The HEAL accreditation program was implemented on Jan. 1, and is the national laboratory accreditation program established by HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program. Overseen by HIWU, it builds on the foundations of the ISO 17025 and Racing Medication & Testing Consortium models and requires a robust External Quality Assessment Scheme to ensure that Program laboratories maintain HEAL standards. The post HIWU Suspends Probationary HEAL Accreditation for ‘Ohio Lab’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article