All Activity

Rodrigo Goncalves has been associated with some high-class horses from his time working with Joseph O'Brien and Robson Aguiar. The Brazilian-born Irishman was also involved in the initial ownership group that sourced Group 1 winner Power Blue as well. Goncalves has embarked on an exciting new chapter and, after sourcing a number of yearlings at the sales this year, plans on offering “nine or 10” horses at the breeze-up sales next year. The youngster expands on that and a lot more in this edition of the Hot Seat Q&A. What was your defining memory/highlight of 2025? I think helping source and being a part-owner of Power Blue was the highlight. Watching him progress and turn into a Group 1 winner for his new connections was a serious thrill. You signed for a number of yearlings to go breezing under your own name this year. Tell us a little bit about that project and how exciting it is? I managed to buy and partner up with a couple of friends to invest in yearlings to go breezing next year. I have around nine or 10 to breeze and I'm enjoying the process. I'm very excited to see how they progress and develop in the next couple of months – hopefully they can be very lucky. You seemed to target higher-end horses at the yearling sales…. I go to the sales with the intention to try and find good horses at value prices but, with the market being so strong lately and the game being so competitive, sometimes you have to stretch a bit more than you expect for the horses you want. That's what we had to do this year. Tell us something people don't know about Rodrigo Goncalves…. I was born in Brazil and came over to Ireland when I was nine years old and, at the time, I was fully sure I would become a soccer player and had no love for horses whatsoever. How wrong was I!? What motivates you? Finding and producing good horses. Give us an underrated sire to keep the right side of next year…. I believe Space Blues could surprise a lot of people next year. He has already done it with Power Blue and I think there is a lot more to come from the stallion. He possibly deserves a bit more credit for what he has achieved. Biggest regret? I don't really have any regrets. I think everything happens for a reason and that it's very important to try to learn from your mistakes and keep trying no matter how hard it gets. You've built up a pretty impressive CV working with Joseph O'Brien and Robson Aguiar. What has been the best horse you have sat on or been associated with? I've been very lucky to have worked for some fantastic people in the industry over the last few years. I spent around seven years in Joseph's in between school and college and later working for him full-time. Being able to see first-hand how his operation has grown into one of the biggest yards in the country is amazing and I managed to work with a lot of good horses in my time there. I think Iridessa was a very talented filly and, also, State of Rest was a fantastic globetrotting horse from that time. Robson has always been so talented with his judgement of two-year-olds. I've never seen anyone as talented and, in my time there, I believe Arizona Blaze was probably the toughest horse I've seen. He always showed up and ran his heart out. Your favourite sale and why? Probably the Goffs Premier Yearling Sale at Doncaster and Book 3 of the October Yearling Sale at Newmarket. Those sales have been very lucky for me and I'd like to think good horses come out of those sales for a bit of value. What's your go-to karaoke song? I'm definitely not a great singer but with a drink in my hand I could try to sing a bit of Zach Bryan or Morgan Wallen. Who is your inspiration? Robson has been my mentor and idol so he is the person who I always admired and tried to be like. He has taught me so much and has given me so many opportunities since I was a kid starting off and I'm very grateful for that. Watching him come from nothing and turn into one of the most respected and successful people in our industry through his talent and hard work is very inspiring to me. Your guilty pleasure? Jellies! I can't stay away from them for too long. I'm a bit like Stevie Byrne in that I have a massive sweet tooth! Give us one horse to look out for in 2026… Diamond Necklace looks to be a very special filly with huge potential. The post In The Hot Seat: Rodrigo Goncalves appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Few will forget the moment that Sea The Stars entered the history books as one of the true greats when adding the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe to his list of Group 1 successes through a faultless three-year-old season. It is therefore appropriate that his son Daryz should prevail in that same race, sealing the French sires' championship for his sire, whose 20th birthday is looming. In netting just over €3m, the Aga Khan Studs homebred Daryz was the highest earner for Sea The Stars in 2025 but he was not his sole Group 1 winner in France. Sosie had set the ball rolling as early as April by winning the Prix Ganay, followed the next month by his victory in the Prix d'Isapahan. The Wertheimers' pride and joy was also third in the Arc before capping a tremendous season in the Hong Kong Vase. For the same owner-breeder, Aventure gained her deserved Group 1 win in the Prix Vermeille, as well as winning the G2 Prix Corrida and G3 Prix Allez France. That both Daryz and Sosie will remain in training in 2026 give Sea The Stars another strong hand in the older-horse division. Multiple group winner Map Of Stars can also be counted among that number. Such is the value of the Arc pot that it so often decides the championship in France, but Wootton Bassett was a strong contender for so much of the season, providing the winners of both colts' Classics in Henri Matisse and Camille Pissarro, both of whom have now entered stud at Coolmore. Maranoa Charlie went out on a high in the G1 Prix de la Foret before joining Tally-Ho Stud, and Wootton Bassett ultimately finished a little over €1.2m in progeny earnings behind Sea The Stars to be second in the table. Arc runner-up Minnie Hauk helped to put her sire Frankel in third place in France in a year in which his son Diego Velazquez provided an emotional victory in the Prix Jacques Le Marois. Candelari, winner of the upgraded Prix Vicomtesse Vigier, was another Group 1 winner for Frankel in France during a memorable year for new champion trainer Francis Graffard and the Aga Khan Studs. Lope De Vega may be one of Ireland's best stallions but he spent all his racing days in France and has enjoyed notable success in that country with his runners, having enjoyed top-four finishes in three of the last five years. He is in fourth place for 2025, with his regally-bred son Cualificar (who is out of the Oaks winner Qualify) his leading earner, having won the G2 Prix Niel and two Group 3s as well as finishing runner-up to Camille Pissarro in the Prix du Jockey Club. He's another exciting four-year-old to follow in 2026. Also adding to Lope De Vega's Group 1 ledger in France was the Prix de Royallieu victrix Consent. It is almost four years since the death of Le Havre, but his presence was still very much felt in his former home country during 2025 with Group 1 victories for three-year-old Leffard, a member of his final crop, in the Grand Prix de Paris, and for Quisisana in the Prix Jean Romanet. Le Havre duly finished in fifth, narrowly ahead of the dual French champion sire Siyouni, who provided the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Zarigana. Haras de Colleville's Goken and the Aga Khan Studs' Zarak were also top-ten finishers in France along with Almanzor, who is now a permanent resident at Cambridge Stud in New Zealand and sired the Prix de Diane and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Gezora. Completing that top ten with some pleasing symmetry is Sea The Stars's son Zelzal, a resident of Haras de Bouquetot. Soldier Hollow Takes Fourth German Title A year after his death and six since he won his third sires' championship, Soldier Hollow's name appeared for the fourth time as the head of the table in Germany in 2025. Appropriately, his leading earner of the year, Santagada, races in the colours once carried by his sire, representing owner Helmut von Finck of Gestut Park Wiedingen. The three-year-old Santagada took four Group 3 contests at four different tracks in 2025, and was beaten less than two lengths when sixth in the G1 Preis der Diana behind Nicoreni. At sales around the world, Soldier Hollow's Group 1-winning daughter Tamfana was sold for 2.6m gns to Coolmore, while Paraiba was bought for €810,000 by Wertheimer et Frere. Gestut Etzean's Amaron was second in the German table and was the leading performer among all active sires in Germany for the third year running. The late Adlerflug was third, thanks largely to the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden win of Goliath. Polish Vulcano has scant representation on the track but his five winners from only nine runners in 2025 included the G1 Deutsches Derby winner Hochkonig. The Gestut Idee resident thus finished in fourth place, ahead of Best Solution. Ballylinch Stud's Make Believe | Racingfotos Make Believe Champion Again in Italy For the second year running, Make Believe is the champion sire in Italy after his daughter Klaynn delivered on her juvenile promise to win the G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1,000 Guineas) and the G2 Oaks d'Italia by six and seven lengths respectively. Bought by Teruya Yoshida prior to her Oaks success, she was also fourth in the G2 Derby Italiano, finishing a length and a half behind the winner Molveno (Almanzor). Elsewhere, Make Believe's season included victory for Sajir in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest and for Royal Supremacy in Randwick's G1 Metropolitan Handicap. The first five stallions in the Italian table were all based in Ireland, though runner-up Cotai Glory has recently been sold to stand for the Turkish Jockey Club in Turkey. Dark Angel is the sire of the Ed Dunlop-trained G2 Premio Dormello winner Just Call Me Angel, an interesting Cayton Park Stud homebred to follow in 2026, while Ten Sovereigns supplied the dual Classic-placed filly Mystery Of Love, and Kodiac was represented by the G3 Premio Parioli (Italian 2,000 Guineas) winner and Derby Italiano third Lao Tzu. The post Sea The Stars Tops the French Sire Rankings appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

BloodHorse has reprised its online year-end survey to ask some of the sport's leading individuals for their opinions on pertinent issues facing the sport.View the full article

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER View the full article

Mikey, have you ever heard of the NZ TAB actually restricting punters that are losing ? Personally have never heard of this and highly doubt it would happen, they love the losing punters! In fact they totally encourage it by giving them free bets to keep them going.

No doubt the turnover for today will be better than Westport which on day 1 was 1.4 mill, 11 races as opposed to 13 today and there was more depth in the fields too, looks like win pools were a wee bit ahead today, not much though, it's not the total turnover, it's the turnover average but HRNZ like to dress things up to make them look better if they can.......I actually believe the 5k limit on win bets applies to only Friday nights and major days, will that include Auckland on Wednesray? If TAB are taking 5k bets on horses you scratch your head about they probably will as long as they lose, start winning, different story, probably by rights if a punter was losing a lot of big bets then maybe they should restrict you for your own good, whether they do who knows.

I am sure the tote pools would have been good at Mot today as they always are at this Xmas meeting. They always get a great crowd when the weather is reasonable, that is not raining! From Trackside viewing It appeared the crowd was not as big as many other years but then again it wasnt all that sunny, so some may have stayed home? Most oncourse would be not regular punters and therefore were probably betting on the tote rather than fixed odds! Still maintain that turnover could double what they are currently taking on harness racing, if they were to be accepting wagering from the punters that want to offload, rather than restricting them to significantly low amounts! What are they scared of, as the odds are always in their favour?

The stars of racing took centre stage as the Longines International Jockeys’ Championship and Hong Kong International Races highlighted a huge month. The Post analyses the jockeys and trainers who had a month to remember or one to forget, as well as the most outstanding victory and winning ride. Who’s hot? While big names like Zac Purton (nine wins), Hugh Bowman (seven) and James McDonald (seven) had productive months, there were a couple of mid-table jockeys who struck form despite limited...View the full article

the tote turnovers for todays motukarara meeting appeared to be very good. The turnover will have been miles better than they will get for the upcoming auckland trotting cup metting. you would know more than me about the ff restrictions they put on people,but as you mentioned in a recent thread they seem to be accepting big bets of $5000 on horses that you scratch your head about. back to the hrnz website,it really is poor when you comapre it to the galloping website. They can be an hour or two putting up replays yet the gallops website always has it after about 10 minutes. the continual breakdowns of the hrnz website must be costing the harness industry in turnover.just how much,you could only guess,but you would think quite a lot. Its really strange that hrnz has not fixed it as its gone on for so long now.Most would think it should be a top priority,but i guess it is hrnz.Thats part of the reason people wonder about them. But its not just hrnz. i was a customer of meridian energy in recent years. i chose them because their website was so easy to follow. well about 3 months ago meridian energy said they upgraded their website. What a disaster that was for meridian energy. their new website i couldn't follow at all and to top it off,a few weeks payments just went missing in their system. When i rung up and complained ,they just said,yes we know,we are gettiing on to it straight away. Apparently the payments had disappeared into a black hole in their new system and they took a couple of months to work out where and how to get them back on peoples accounts.. I just changed power companies. i wonder if hrnz uses the same website making firm as meridan.

I see, Race 1. There were riders who rode later in the day but, can't have been in a hurry to be on track for the first. That sort of thing is more usual on a jumping day.

Galah, they are not worried at increasing turnover! They are not wanting punters offloading on harness racing they are wanting losing punters who are not wagering significant amounts! They are not prepared to accept bets of any note and I am constantly hearing of punters receiving nowhere what they want to wager! The decision to sell out to Entain who have no idea about racing by McAnulty, is going to massively back fire on racing. Is anyone getting good amounts on fixed odds consistently??

La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos), arguably the most consistent horse in Australasian racing, has been retired. The dual Group One winner has been hampered with foot issues over the last couple of years, with a decision made on Monday morning to bring the curtain down on her racing career following her fourth placed run in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. “She is still putting in some terrific races and even on Boxing Day she ran a terrific race,” said Katrina Alexander, who trained the seven-year-old mare in partnership with her husband Simon. “However, she hasn’t pulled up from that as well as we would have hoped so we x-rayed her foot this (Monday) morning, the same foot that has caused her problems for the last two years, and she has degeneration of the foot tissue inside the hoof capsule. “I have been waiting for a sign for her to tell me that this (racing) just isn’t possible anymore, so it was a really easy decision in the end.” La Crique flashed onto the scene as a three-year-old, winning five and placing in three of her eight starts that season, including taking out the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) and Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m), and she was a beaten short-priced favourite when runner-up to Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock) in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m). She got her Group One redemption seven months later in the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) before heading across the Tasman where she ran fourth in the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington. She added a further two Group One placings to her record later that season before foot issues, resulting from an abscess, led to ongoing problems for the mare. The Alexanders’ hard work behind the scenes led to La Crique returning to career-best form, with the mare going on to win the Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) and Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) before posting six consecutive Group One second placings. Alexander has a particularly close affinity with La Crique, riding her in all her work, which she said has helped her monitor her soundness issues. “She has never in her career put in a bad race for any unknown reason. She is an incredibly tough horse that just races through a pain barrier that a lot of horses would give up on,” she said. “Behind the scenes you are constantly working at things. I ride her pretty much every day and I have done so for the last six years. I do that so I have an understanding of what I am asking her to do and her reaction to that. “I had a feeling going into Boxing Day that we probably weren’t as good as where we would want to be and she has still run a blinder of a race, albeit a strangely run race. She has finished on incredibly strong and pulled a shoe in the running, which has probably added to our problem this morning.” La Crique has had plenty of highlights throughout her career, but one race that particularly stands out for Alexander is her first stakes victory, the Desert Gold Stakes, which she won by an eye-catching 4-1/2 lengths. “The thrill of her Desert Gold win, and how convincing that was is one that comes to mind,” she said. “We go back and look at photos of that and seeing her at full stretch is just as impressive live as it is in the photos. You get a true understanding of her stride length and the mechanics of her. “She was so convincing in that age group, and she did bring that forward, but some of those tough battles have also been admirable, and I am very proud of her for putting up a fight like she did and making some of those races exceptionally good races to watch.” Bred and raced by John and Jan Cassin, La Crique will be retained by the couple as they look to breed their next star. “The Cassins have always shown an interest to retain her to breed from,” Alexander said. “They enjoy their breeding and they obviously bred her, and we have a sister there as well. “She will most definitely, at this stage, be retained by them. The luxury of having her retire at this time of year, they don’t have to make any quick decisions on that. It came as a bit of a surprise to them this morning when we broke the news of our findings. We have also known that this was probably going to be her final preparation. “She now has a good amount of time to letdown, have a good rest in the paddock and she should hit the breeding season fairly early. It will be interesting to see who she goes to, I wouldn’t want to be making that decision myself.” While sad to be farewelling her stable star, Alexander said they have a few exciting prospects in the barn they are looking forward to, including last Friday’s Stella Artois 1500 Championship Final (1500m) winner Rise Companions (Capitalist) and impressive debut winner Aksil (NZ) (Ace High). “We have got a couple of really exciting horses, with Aksil and Rise Companions,” she said. “We have been extremely fortunate in our careers that we have always seemed to have had a good horse coming through. We are not a big team, but we always seem to get one at the right time. Hopefully either of those two horses can continue.” Three-year-old gelding Aksil will resume in the New World Mount Maunganui 1400 at Tauranga on Friday where he will carry the colours of OTI Racing after the syndicator recently purchased into the horse. Aksil was eye-catching when winning on debut at Taupo in October before running eighth at Ellerslie last month behind subsequent Group One performer Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes), and Alexander said he can be forgiven for that run. “He had a bit of time in the paddock and is a horse that has continued to grow and develop, and we do really feel like he needs more time yet,” she said. “However, we will continue to lightly race him. “He has just had an ownership change, with OTI buying 50 percent, so that is exciting to have them onboard, and he will stay in New Zealand. “It will be nice to see him do a good job at Tauranga. I am a little bit concerned about the weather as to how much rain they get there because we have opted to kick him off over 1400m. Hopefully we have pulled the right rein there, but we will just have to keep an eye on the forecast. “We will give him a short prep again now and just see where he gets to.” Alexander is also excited about the prospects of four-year-old mare Prominere (NZ) (Ardrossan), who will resume in the Saddlery Warehouse Cambridge 1100 at Te Aroha on Saturday following an 18-month hiatus from racing. The daughter of Ardrossan has had just the one start to date, finishing seventh in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) as a late two-year-old, and the Alexanders have given her plenty of time to develop. “She is quite an exciting horse,” Alexander said. “She is a big, masculine, strong filly. She showed us a lot as a two-year-old and then we have had to put her aside, she is a very big horse. The dam was a big mare too and took time. “We have just had to look after her a little bit. She had a lovely trial the other day at Avondale and we will keep her to the shorter distances. “She won’t mind a little cut in the track if that is what happens during the week. She won a trial at Te Rapa as a two-year-old on a Heavy track. “She is quite exciting going forward, I have got a lot of time for the horse, and I think she could be another nice horse for the Cassins.” View the full article

A picket fence preparation can continue for Grid Girl (NZ) (Time Test) at Flemington as the mare has her first attempt at black type status in the Listed Kensington Stakes (1400m) on New Year’s Eve. The Victoria Racing Club has made the switch from the traditional New Year’s Day fixture to a twilight card the day before and it is hoped that more than 10,000 will tick through the turnstiles to set a new precedent for highlight days of racing over the summer. Grid Girl is ready to line up in the 1400-metre feature after three wins in succession in as many runs this preparation with higher aims at Flemington later on should the five-year-old be able to keep raising the bar. Jd Hayes has the expectation that she can. “She’s gone to another level,” Hayes said. “She’s really come of age and she’s racing well, honest and consistent, and I can’t see why she can measure up at black type level.” Grid Girl made the trip to Rosehill and won, albeit narrowly, in benchmark 94 company on December 7 and notched a Racing and Sports ratings figure of 106 and etched herself in stakes company on that basis. “She used to do a fair bit wrong and I think it has all come with racing and age,” Hayes added. “She used to be quite keen in her races and she seems to have dropped that habit and it has culminated with her being able to finish a lot more strongly. “She is probably similar to what Marble Arch did at the same age,” he added of the now six-year-old who took out the Gr.2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in March. “Her win in Sydney was dominant in that she was in for a dogfight and didn’t give up.” Grid Girl has drawn barrier one in the field of nine while the Lindsay Park team also have Run Harry Run (Written Tycoon) and Roll On High (Shamus Award) engaged in the Kensington Stakes. Grid Girl was bred by Guy Lowry and is out of the five-time-winning Savabeel mare Chic. Lowry initially trained Grid Girl for two starts from his Hastings stable in the spring of 2023, placing on both occasions before being purchased privately by clients of the Lindsay Park stable. View the full article

Gifted four-year-old She’s A Dealer is in the right order to make a successful challenge for higher honours on New Year’s Day. The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained mare is unbeaten this preparation and will bid for a hat-trick of wins when she steps out in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie. The daughter of Ace High has won four of her seven starts and finished a gallant fifth in last season’s Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm. “Her work has been terrific and this race comes up at the right time, conditions suit and it’s an appropriate race for her,” Wellwood said. She’s A Dealer was bred by race sponsor Rich Hill Stud, who race her with Mark Neill, Richard Kidd, Ian Hart and Peter Merton. She enjoyed a decent break following her Australian venture and was a dominant resuming winner over 1400m at Ellerslie before she again trounced her Rating 75 rivals over 1500m at Te Rapa. “She’s very exciting and has been great in her last two starts and it would be nice to see her add black type to her record,” Wellwood said. The stable will also be double handed in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) with Dance The Night and Della Ricci to be ideally suited by a rise in trip. The former broke her maiden in fine style at Pukekohe before the Almanzor filly came from well back to finish fifth in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day. “Her run the other day pointed toward New Year’s Day and she’s come through the race very well,” Wellwood said. Ocean Park’s daughter Della Ricci showed good improvement on her debut sixth at New Plymouth when a luckless last-start third over a mile at Matamata. “She will have blinkers going on and it will suit her down to the ground going 2000m,” Wellwood said. Young stablemates Incandescent and Spellbound are acceptors in the Gr.2 SkyCity Eclipse Stakes (1200m), but a trip south is also in the mix. “We could also look at Wellington (Listed JR & N Berkett Wellesley Stakes, 1100m), we’re very happy with both of them,” Wellwood said. Incandescent made the perfect start to his career at Ellerslie last month with a commanding performance to score over 1100m while Spellbound has already been black type placed when third in the Listed Challenge Stakes (1100m). Meanwhile, the stable has Road To Paris in the Eagle Technology (1600m) on New Year’s Day, but Trentham on Saturday is the preferred destination. “Ideally, he will go to the Levin Classic (Gr.2, 1400m) with Ellerslie a back-up in case he didn’t get in at Wellington,” Wellwood said. “Obviously, he didn’t get any points last time with Masa (Hashizume) coming off and if he gets in the Classic, that’s where he will head.” The Circus Maximus gelding had the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) at his mercy last time out at Otaki before he veered out sharply close to home and dislodged his rider. View the full article

Hence, my approach of seriously looking at these races with 'low' #'s.. $mall Fi$h are $weat! 🥷

A perfect draw in barrier one has added to David Hayes’ confidence in Tomodachi Kokoroe handling a rare rise in distance in Thursday’s Group Three Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin. In the midst of a breakout campaign crowned by his Group Two Premier Bowl (1,200m) victory in October, the seven-year-old steps up beyond 1,200m for just the fourth time in Hong Kong. He was beaten narrowly in second at the course and distance of Thursday’s race in 2024 before failing over 1,650m at...View the full article

Will the false start horse have the opportunity to start from same position on the restart, or do the stipes just put them straight to unruly position, is it the same for both mobile and stand, or different rules for both, I always thought the driver had the choice, anyone got any tips for reefton.

New York-bred Usha put on a dazzling performance in the $300,000 La Brea Stakes (G1) Dec. 28 at Santa Anita Park. The 3-year-old daughter of Tiz the Law kicked away to win by 5 1/4 lengths in the 7-furlong race.View the full article

The largest opening day since 2016 and the largest Sunday opener this century kicked off a postponed Santa Anita Park Classic Meet in a big way Dec. 28.View the full article

After Antonio Fresu was injured, Kazushi Kimura picked up the mount on Ambaya for trainer Jonathan Thomas and won with the filly, who was making her graded stakes debut.View the full article

It was a big day of racing, and the fans brought the energy, with 41,962 people packing the California track for the postponed opening day of Santa Anita's Classic Meet to make it the largest Sunday opener since 1999, the track announced via press release. The final fan tally was the largest since 2016, and the eighth Sunday opener in the venue's 90+ years also brought noteworthy numbers in the all-sources and on-track handles. The total all-sources mutuel handle was more than $18.2 million, marking the eighth time in the last nine years that the opening day handle topped $18 million. On track handle was up 2.55% over last year. While opening day traditionally falls on Dec. 26, this season was pushed back 48 hours when the weather deteriorated and the track took six inches of rain over a four-day period. The last time it was postponed was in 2019, when 35,085 came for the seasonal kick-off. Trainer Bob Baffert enjoyed a banner afternoon Sunday when taking home two Grade I wins in the Malibu and La Brea Stakes as well as taking the top spots in the GII Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes when Breeders' Cup champion Nysos (Nyquist) denied his stablemate in the shadow of the wire. Pincay, who celebrates his 79th birthday Monday, Dec. 29, was on hand to present the trophy. “We appreciate everyone who had to adjust their schedule for the weather, and we are so thankful to everyone who worked so hard to make opening day a success,” said Nate Newby, Santa Anita Park's SVP & general manager. “It was important to stay on the turf course to present the best racing program possible for the owners, trainers, jockeys and horseplayers. Opening day is very important to create momentum for the season, and today's large crowd provided terrific energy. It was a nice reminder of why Santa Anita remains 'The Great RIP.'” Santa Anita Park first opened on Christmas Day, 1934, less than 12 months after the newly formed California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) granted the Los Angeles Turf Club a permit to build the racetrack, with the guarantee that it would be in operation by the end of that year. Since 1949, Santa Anita's opening day has been Dec. 26, with few exceptions. The season continues through mid-June. The post Santa Anita’s Classic Meet Begins with Largest Opening Day Crowd Since 2016, Largest Sunday Opener This Century appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Stipes report says - "no rider available".

Her owners made a special trip out to Santa Anita Park for the GI American Oaks and Ambaya (Ghostzapper) made sure they'd go home with the hardware. The chestnut held all potential challengers at bay late to score her first elite-level win in the nightcap of the record Classic Meet opening card. The Jonathan Thomas-trainee spent most of her season on the board, running second or third three times after breaking her maiden at first asking June 12 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Her placings included a third in the Christiana Stakes at Delaware Park in late September. She shipped to California two back Oct. 30 to take on optional claimers at Del Mar, and missed to familiar face Ribbons (Liams Map) on the wire by the slimmest of margins. After a rough start left her as the caboose in her most recent jump Nov. 24 at that venue, she closed furiously in the lane to run fourth against allowance optional claimers. Supported here to the tune of 12-1 odds, Ambaya set up in fifth along the fence as Ribbons stepped out from the far outside gate to lead the procession through an opening quarter in :23.55 and a half in :48.30. Facing pressure as they swung through the far turn, that long-time leader eventually yielded after six panels in 1:13.55 and the running began as the field entered the homestretch with no overwhelming leader. Locked onto Cliffs (Omaha Beach) as that one fought to hold off the Thomas stablemate Will Then (War of Will), Ambaya overhauled that pair inside the final furlong and kept them to within a half-length on the line. Cliffs managed to keep second over Will Then in third. Owner/breeder George Strawbridge claimed two of the top three spots with his fillies running first and third. AMBAYA ($27.40) bursts though rivals to take the $300,000 American Oaks (G1) at @santaanitapark. @kazushi0096 gave a flawless ride for trainer @ThomasStables. Racing returns to the great RIP TOMORROW! Makes sure to tune in to FanDuel TV! pic.twitter.com/WYRjiNh7a2 — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 29, 2025 Pedigree Notes: Ambaya is the third winner from as many to the races for her dam Kundray, but is by far the most accomplished of the trio as the first Grade I winner for the mare. The victress has a yearling filly by Liam's Map to her credit as the last registered. She was sent to Gamble's Exchange for 2026 after she did not catch in her 2025 trip to Collusion Illusion. Sunday, Santa Anita Park AMERICAN OAKS PRESENTED BY CYGAMES-GI, $303,000, Santa Anita, 12-28, 3yo, f, 1 1/4mT, 2:01.02, gd. 1–AMBAYA, 124, f, 3, by Ghostzapper 1st Dam: Kundray, by Distorted Humor 2nd Dam: J'ray, by Distant View 3rd Dam: Bubbling Heights (Fr), by Darshaan (GB) 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Augustin Stables; B-George Strawbridge (KY); T-Jonathan Thomas; J-Kazushi Kimura. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 6-2-2-1, $245,960. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Cliffs, 124, f, 3, by Omaha Beach 1st Dam: Perfect View, by Arch 2nd Dam: Visual Mind, by Kingmambo 3rd Dam: Visions of Clarity (Ire), by Sadler's Wells 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($60,000 RNA Wlg '22 KEENOV; $77,000 Ylg '23 KEEJAN; $175,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG; $430,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR). O-Lael Stables; B-Four Pillars Holdings LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $60,000. 3–Will Then, 124, f, 3, by War of Will 1st Dam: Remember Then, by Pulpit 2nd Dam: Owsley, by Harlan 3rd Dam: Insipid, by Sham 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Augustin Stables; B-George Strawbridge (KY); T-Jonathan Thomas. $36,000. Margins: HF, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 12.70, 2.80, 3.50. Also Ran: Take A Breath (GB), Resolve, Totally Justified, A Thousand Miles, Ribbons, As Catch Can, Slick (Ire), Atsila (Ire). Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. The post Ghostzapper’s Ambaya Lifts Late, Holds Them All Off to Win American Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Was it no rider, or no suitable rider?

That's why it is important all groups are represented. Poor quality isn't such as issue as low numbers for turnover. TAB and now Entain tell us regularly this is the case.