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Illinois veterinarian and Thoroughbred breeder Dr. Donald McCrosky has been fined $300,000 and suspended for 24 years in rulings on the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit website.View the full article

The Royal Delta Stakes (G3) is the featured race on Gulfstream Park's Feb. 14 card. View the full article

Returning to a track he has had much success over, the Philip D'Amato trainee enters the race off a game fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Del Mar, after being compromised at the break.View the full article

A major percentage of multiple graded winner Banishing (Ghostzapper) was purchased by Sharaf Alhariri and he will run in Saturday's $20-million G1 Saudi Cup in Alhariri's silks, according to agent Ron Anderson. Connections said in a statement, “We are pleased to announce the purchase of the horse Banishing for Mr. Sharaf Alhariri. Mr. Alhariri, who won the Saudi Cup 2024 with Senor Buscador, continues to make strategic moves in the racing world with this exciting new addition to his stable. “Banishing will be ridden by Saudi champion jockey Adel Alfouraidi, marking a promising new partnership that blends top-tier equine talent with exceptional riding skill. “We look forward to seeing this team in action and wish them every success in the upcoming racing season.” Bred by Godolphin and an $80,000 graduate of the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale, the chestnut gelding enjoyed a busy season in 2025, running 12 times and winning or placing in 10 of them. A winner of the GIII Oaklawn Mile Stakes and placed in the GI Churchill Downs Stakes earlier in the year, after his sale, he won the GII Charles Town Classic Stakes for Lawrence Roman and co-owner/trainer David Jacobson. He enters Saudi Cup contention with a sixth-place run in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes in January for Jacobson. The post Sharaf Alhariri Buys Into Saudi Cup Hopeful Banishing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Day one of the Goffs February Sale got off to a blisteringly-hot start on Wednesday when the €3,898,500 turnover, which was headlined by a €220,000 Mehmas colt that went the way of Tally-Ho Stud, eclipsed the entire sum this sale generated 12 months ago by €41,000. Henry Beeby promised that the pinhookers would “be out in force” this week and, true to his word, the majority of the most expensive weanlings sold on Wednesday were knocked down to some of the masters of that craft. Few do it better than Tony O'Callaghan who, despite decrying the fact Tally-Ho had to pay big for the Boherguy Stud-drafted Mehmas colt, admitted that he simply could not leave Kildare Paddocks without lot 126. “The horse is right but the price is wrong,” O'Callaghan said. “We had to have him. We liked the horse; he is the full shilling. Trade is good for the good ones.” Endorsing this view, his son Roger added, “He is the best horse in the sale.” The Mehmas colt was bred by Hanshen Tham and Carol Henley. He is one that Goffs can get the trumpet out on given Tham purchased the dam, Russian River (Dandy Man), at the Orby Sale in 2019 for €210,000. Russian River won and gained black-type for Joseph O'Brien and Tham, who was not in attendance at Goffs, described himself as over the moon with the result. He said, “We thought he was a very nice colt and the pedigree is nice also. The foal sales at Goffs were so strong, we decided to come here in a bid to stand out and thankfully it worked out. It's great doing business with Tally-Ho Stud and they really support breeders at the sales so a massive thanks must go to them. I really hope he is lucky for them. Clare deserves a lot of credit as well because she foals all of our mares and does a great job. We bought the mare, Russian River, at the Orby Sale here in 2019 off Joe Foley. She managed to get black-type and her first foal, a No Nay Never filly, sold for €330,000. This is another great result and the mare is in foal to Night Of Thunder, which is very exciting.” Of the 239 horses offered on Wednesday, 161 were sold at a clearance rate of 67%. The turnover was up a remarkable 187% while the €24,215 was on the rise by 71%. The median was up by a remarkable 129% at €16,000. Manning commented on the top lot, “That was unbelievable. He's a very nice colt and has been going down very well for the past couple of days, but I don't think we expected to get that much. There were plenty of lads there for him and they were very strong, but Tally-Ho were very keen to have him, clearly. “I took him from the clients to prep him about a month ago and he's improved massively; I think there's more improvement in him too. The owners usually sell as yearlings but they decided to take a chance selling him in February. I thought it was a good sale and that he'd stand out, and then he's shown all that improvement in the last month. Hopefully he'll go on and improve even more for Tally-Ho.” Manning added, “I foal all the mares for them [the owners, Hanshen Tham's Pattern Bloodstock and Carol and Peter Henley] so I actually foaled several of the mare's progeny, including him, and then he'd have gone back to Carol's. I'll have the mare back in another few weeks as she's in foal to Night Of Thunder. Even though they're not with me the whole time, I do tend to know all their mares and foals quite well as they're with me for a while, so I certainly get to know them.” O'Brien The Latest Small Breeder To Enjoy Welcome Change Of Luck Courtesy Of Starman Colm O'Brien | Goffs One of the emerging themes from the foal and yearling sales last year was the amount of smaller breeders who benefited from Starman's rip-roaring start at stud and Colm O'Brien, a man who openly admits that he was ready to give up on his mare, was the latest man to count himself lucky about supporting the stallion in his third year at Tally-Ho Stud. The County Tyrone-based breeder enjoyed his greatest day on a sale ground when, selling through Peter Kelly's Ballybin Stud, netted a cool €120,000 from Kevin Blake for his filly by the stallion. He said, “We're absolutely over the moon. She is a special filly and the stars aligned with Starman. It's a real thrill for us to have her down here and everyone to like her. That's what every small breeder strives to produce – a horse that is well-respected by the market. She showed herself so well and we got a massive kick about the fact that, every time we came down to see her, somebody else had pulled her out of the box. It was some feeling.” O'Brien added, “We bought the dam in foal to Fast Company a good few years ago and she slipped the foal and we didn't cover her particularly well after so, when that happens, you are just pulling your hair out. Then, suddenly, you get a turn of luck like that today. It's just unbelievable. The line is so thin between winning and losing and, if I was completely honest, that Starman was probably her last cover before we threw the towel at it because we were only just about keeping the ship afloat. I can't tell you what a sale like today means to me or anyone else in a similar position. It provides you with the confidence to go again and I know my own father, Hugh, who is 80, got just as much of a buzz out of it today. It's an amazing result.” The Starman filly is out of a Pivotal mare who has produced three winners from four runners and the transaction represents an exciting new chapter for Blake, the well-known broadcaster and pundit. He said, “She was bought on behalf of a new client to Golden Farm – wanted to pinhook a nice one and she was the best one here so it was as simple as that. It's something different for us on the farm but we are trying to develop the business at home and bring things up a level so hopefully she's lucky. We've no sale in mind for her but we'll have the discussion in the next month or so but she is the type of filly you'd be happy to take anywhere.” Blake added, “Starman is getting lots of good racehorses and it's going to be really interesting to see how they go as three-year-olds. With his physique and race record, there should be good progression there and everyone wants to send a mare to him – but not everyone can get in! The pieces appear to be coming together for him.” Hogan Stocks Up Fearghal Hogan was the second-busiest buyer behind Tally-Ho in terms of spend on Wednesday when signing for an Ace Impact filly for €95,000 along with a Blackbeard colt for €88,000. He said, “I loved the idea of the Ace Impact filly and, to be honest, she was the one in the back of mind the past two days. She's a lovely big filly with a serious page and sure the sire was a world class racehorse. She will be offered for re-sale later in the year. Very happy with my shopping today. “ Hogan added, “We also got a Blackbeard, who was one of my favourite horses in the sale. I have a Blackbeard in training with John Murphy and he's very nice so we're optimistic about the stallion. Look, it's very hard to buy nice horses so, when I saw this lad, I knew I had to have him. We've no sale in mind for him just yet. It will all depend on what the sire does.” Thought for the day Goffs made the decision this year to split up the weanlings from the rest of the catalogue and it clearly paid off in spades with that section of the market up by 29% on last year. The post Pinhookers Dominate On Red-Hot Opening Day’s Trade At Goffs February Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Darby Dan Farm's Blazing Sevens (Good Magic-Trophy Girl, Warrior's Reward), winner of the GI Champagne Stakes, is represented by his first reported foals, including a filly out of the Adios Charlie mare Rye Lane born on Feb. 9 and a colt born on Feb. 11 out of the Ribchester (Ire) mare Championofmyheart (Ire). The filly, who was bred by Frankfort Park Farm, is out of a full sister to Grade I winner and millionaire Patternrecognition, stakes winner Lovesick, and a half-sister to stakes winner Florida Fuego (Kantharos). The filly also hails from the female family of Grade I winners Rigoletta and Battle of Midway. “She's a lovely filly with a great shape and outlook,” said Kara McDermott, manager Frankfort Park Farm, where the filly was foaled. “We're delighted with her.” The colt, who was bred by Healthy Wood Co. Ltd. and born at Darby Dan Farm, descends from the family of Lethal Force (Ire), Champion Older Sprinter in Europe. “This Blazing Sevens colt is a very good first foal for Championofmyheart,” noted Darby Dan Farm's Charlie McKinlay. “He has all the right angles. The colt is a great result for our Japanese clients.” Named a 'TDN Rising Star' as a 2-year-old after a debut victory at Saratoga, Blazing Sevens won the Champagne for owner Rodeo Creek Racing and trainer Chad Brown in just his third start. He made a sweeping move on the far turn and won by 3 1/4 lengths after overcoming a troubled start. At three in the second leg of the Triple Crown, Blazing Sevens was beaten just a head by multiple GISW National Treasure (Quality Road) in the GI Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. Blazing Sevens is out of the winning Warrior's Reward mare Trophy Girl, a half-sister to Grade I winner King David. Bred in Kentucky by Tracy Farmer, Blazing Sevens was a $225,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Sale purchase. For more information on Blazing Sevens, who bred 139 mares in his initial book and stands this breeding season for $10,000 S&N, contact Stuart Fitzgibbon at (859) 621-6763, or by email at Stuart@darbydan.com, or visit www.darbydan.com. The post First Foals Arrive for Darby Dan Farm’s Grade I Winner Blazing Sevens appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Former Santa Anita Park executive John Perrotta explores racing in Sicily.View the full article

IGNITER (c, 3, Volatile–Malibu Prayer {GISW, $618,026}, by Malibu Moon), after being featured in TDN's Second Chances series, broke his maiden by a length during the Belmont At The Big A meet in late September. The homebred was off for two months, then was entered in the GII Remsen Stakes at the Big A Dec. 6 where he posted a sixth-place finish behind GII Risen Star Stakes entrant Paladin (Gun Runner) and recent Sam F. Davis Stake hero Renegade (Into Mischief). Well-backed at a shade over even-money here, the colt tracked longshot Hong Kong Phooey (Complexity) from third up the backstretch and started to move on the leader from the outside before the far turn. Gunning his engine, Igniter fired his best shot, took control by the top of the lane and sailed home a no-doubt winner to clear the condition by 4 1/4 lengths. Blue Forty Two (Audible) came from well off the pace to secure second. A half-sister to MGSW Valid (Medaglia d'Oro) and the dam of GSW Delahaye (Medaglia d'Oro), the winner's dam is responsible for a 2-year-old filly by Early Voting and a yearling colt by Gun Runner. She was entered in Gun Pilot's book for this term. Igniter's extended female family includes GI Carter Handicap victor Swagger Jack (Smart Strike). 3rd-Aqueduct, $83,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 2-11, 3yo, 7f, 1:25.71, ft, 4 1/4 lengths. IGNITER, c, 3, Volatile–Malibu Prayer {GISW, $618,026}, by Malibu Moon Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, $105,650. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O/B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC (KY); T-Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. IGNITER gets a stalking trip in the third race at Aqueduct under @jockeyfranco for trainer Rick Dutrow! pic.twitter.com/N8CgY5LzKO — TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) February 11, 2026 The post Like A Zippo, Igniter Reliable In Allowance Win At The Big A appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features a half-brother to multiple top-level winner Wuheida (Dubawi). 11.48 Chantilly, Debutantes, 3yo, c/g, 8f (AWT) LIBECCIO WIND (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) starts for Godolphin and Andre Fabre in this intriguing affair and is the latest progeny of the Fillies' Mile and Yellow Ribbon heroine Hibaayeb (Singspiel) whose previous best was the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and Marcel Boussac winner Wuheida (Dubawi). Among his peers is Ballylinch Stud's Lord Clover (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), a Francis Graffard-trained son of the Prix de l'Opera third Lady Frankel (Frankel). The post Debut For Wuheida’s Half-Brother Libeccio Wind appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A panel of Kentucky legislators dive into its contributions to the general fund of the horse racing industry and sports wagering.View the full article

The New York Racing Association announces its stakes schedule for the 2026 Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet at Aqueduct Racetrack and the June 3-7 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

HEROS, the UK-based charity dedicated to the retraining and rehoming former racehorses, has announced a new collaboration with Saudi Arabia's recently established Retraining and Riding Academy. The programme has been set up by The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA), under the guidance of Dr Francesca Compostella in her role as Executive Director of Veterinary and Welfare within the JCSA and Saudi Equestrian Authority. The partnership is designed to help establish global standards of equine welfare, with a focus on the responsible transition of racehorses into new careers and environments. As Saudi Arabia progresses in building its aftercare infrastructure and sharing their own context specific insight, HEROS will offer lessons drawn from two decades of practical experience in equine rehabilitation, education and rehoming. Areas of bilateral shared learning will include: Effective, practical methods for retraining retired racehorses. Horse-centred rehabilitation practices. Robust welfare assessment protocols. Education and community engagement programmes. Management structures that support sustainable aftercare systems. Staff training to enable the best outcomes for the horses. Grace Muir MBE, CEO of HEROS, said, “HEROS has always believed that the aftercare community must work together to raise global welfare standards. Our partnership with the new Retraining and Riding Academy of Saudi Arabia is rooted purely in the supply and exchange of knowledge and experience. There is no monetary benefit to HEROS – only the shared goal of improving outcomes for these incredible horses who give us, as human beings, so much.” Compostella added, “Equine welfare in Saudi Arabia relies on best standards, coordination, capability building and long-term stewardship. Collectively, we make sure that aftercare isn't left to goodwill alone, but supported by a coherent, durable system that safeguards our athletes and earns public trust.” The post HEROS Announces Collaboration with New Retraining and Riding Academy of the JCSA appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

G3 Prix Antoine de Vazelhes heroine Lovran (No Risk At All) (AQPS) is one of three wildcards added to the Arqana February Mixed Sale, set for February 17-18. Consigned as lot 130, she is a half-sister to the Group 1-placed Kahula (Authorized) (AQPS). Joining her is second out winner Recollect (Recoletos) (lot 365), who hails from the family of Group 1 winners Harzand, Emily Upjohn (Sea The Stars), Seal Of Approval (Authorized) and Hurricane Lane. Rounding out the trio is Mystere Du Repas (Choeur Du Nord). Lot 365A is a four-year-old, who finished runner-up on his most recent start over 2900 metres. For the full catalogue, please visit the Arqana website. The post Wildcard Trio Complete February Sale Catalogue appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The high-class chaser Galia Des Liteaux (Saddler Maker) features among 97 lots catalogued for the Tattersalls Online February Sale, which is scheduled to take place on February 17-18. It also features the Southern Hemisphere Session, in collaboration with Inglis Digital Australia, details of which were announced on Monday. Offered by trainer Dan Skelton's Lodge Hill Stables as lot 65, Galia Des Liteaux was last seen finishing fourth in December's Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree. The now-10-year-old achieved a BHA rating of 146 at her peak, notably having won the G2 Hampton Novices' Chase at Warwick by 13 lengths in January 2023. Another talented National Hunt performer on offer is the seven-year-old mare Arclight (Champs Elysees) (lot 55), consigned by Nicky Henderson's Seven Barrows. A winner under both codes, Arclight possesses a current BHA rating of 136 over fences, with her career highlights in that sphere including a pair of victories in Listed races. Other potential highlights among the horses in training include the three-year-old Horwich (Mayson) (lot 10), a dual winner on the all-weather this winter for Clive Cox's Beechdown Farm Stables, and the four-year-old Northwest Passage (Ulysses) (lot 29), who won a Salisbury handicap by 15 lengths in September last year. He will be consigned by Crimbourne Bloodstock. David Armstrong, the owner of Horwich, also offers a trio of broodmares under the banner of his Highfield Farm, including the 11-year-old Lever Park (Camacho) (lot 88), a half-sister to the classy sprinters Tax Free (Tagula) and Inxile (Fayruz). Elsewhere, the five two-year-olds catalogued include the progeny of Blue Point, Space Blues and Territories, while the six yearlings on offer are by Dink, Kameko (x2), Order Of St George, Stradivarius and Subjectivist. Breeders will also have the opportunity to purchase breeding rights to stallions such as A'Ali, Ardad and Far Above, as well as a 1/50th share in the Irish National Stud resident Nando Parrado. The full catalogue is available to view here, as well as consignor contact information. Prospective bidders are encouraged to join the sale ahead of the commencement of bidding at 11am on Tuesday, February 17, with bidding on the first lot scheduled to close from 11am on Wednesday, February 18. The post Grade 2-Winning Chaser Galia Des Liteaux Headlines Tattersalls Online February Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A horse has never won two editions of the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup, and Japanese Horse of the Year Forever Young (Real Steel) will try to break into that rarefied air after drawing post position six on Wednesday, ahead of Saturday's race. Also voted a champion in the U.S. after taking the GI Breeders' Cup Classic last autumn, the likeable bay will face 13 rivals at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in a few days' time. Opposing the Yoshito Yahagi runner is GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile hero Nysos (Nyquist). the Bob Baffert trainee is booked in gate 12. Another from the barn of the American Hall of Famer is Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), who won the GI Goodwood Stakes last year. He will leave from gate seven and enters on the back of a second in the GII Laffit Pincay, Jr. Stakes to Nysos. Outside of the American contingent, the one-two finishers of the G3 King's Cup are also trying their hands here in Mhally (Sergei Prokofiev) and Ameerat Alzamaan (Ghaiyyath). They leave from stalls 13 and four, respectively. The Saudi Cup is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland this autumn. The following is the Saudi Cup field in post position order: 1-Sunrise Zipangu (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) 2-Haqeet (Arrogate) 3-Banishing (Ghostzapper) 4-Ameerat Azamaan (GB) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) 5-Star Of Wonder (Uncle Mo) 6-Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) 7-Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach) 8-Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance) 9-Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) 10-Luxor Café (American Pharoah) 11-Rattle N Roll (Connect) 12-Nysos (Nyquist) 13-Mhally (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev) 14-Thundersquall (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) The post Forever Young Booked In Stall Six For Saudi Cup Title Defence appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Belmont Stakes Festival, which will be held at Saratoga Race Course for the third and final time from June 3 to 7, will feature 25 stakes races worth $11,075,000. Anchoring the festival is the $2-million GI Belmont Stakes, one of 10 Grade I events over the five days of racing in upstate New York. Also on the Belmont's June 6 card is the $1-million GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap; $1-million GI Resorts World Casino Manhattan; the $500,000 GI Jaipur Stakes; the $500,000 GI Woody Stephens Stakes; the $500,000 GI Just a Game Stakes and the $400,000 GIII True North Stakes. The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will open with a race day dedicated to New York-breds June 3. The New York Showcase Day program will offer six $200,000 events exclusively for horses foaled in the Empire State. Visit BelmontStakes.com/schedule for the complete schedule. Tickets and hospitality offerings for the final edition of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. EST on Thursday at BelmontStakes.com. The post Belmont Stakes Festival Offers $11 Million in Stakes Purses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet, which will open Apr. 30 and conclude June 28, will feature 16 stakes races worth $2.475 million in purses and will mark the final days of racing at Aqueduct Racetrack. Highlighting the stakes schedule is the $200,000 GIII Peter Pan Stakes, the New York prep for the GI Belmont Stakes, which will be held May 9. The New York Racing Association will waive entry and starting fees to the Belmont Stakes for the first three finishers of the Peter Pan. The GII Man o' War Stakes, which was previously held on the weekend of the Peter Pan, will be held during the fall meet at Belmont Park in 2026. The spring/summer meet, traditionally held at Belmont Park, will again take place at Aqueduct and the 2026 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be held at Saratoga Race Course for the third and final time due to the ongoing construction at Belmont. As racing shifts from Aqueduct to Saratoga, the spring/summer meet will pause from May 26-June 2 and, following the conclusion of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, live racing at Aqueduct will resume June 11. Once construction at Belmont Park is completed, downstate racing operations will cease at Aqueduct and will be consolidated to the Elmont oval. The final race day at Aqueduct will be June 28 and NYRA is expected to pay tribute to the legacy of the South Ozone Park oval during its closing weekend. The post Peter Pan Stakes Highlights Final Aqueduct Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Submissions to participate in the Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade May 1 are open now through Mar. 3. This year's Survivors Parade will honor 150 Breast and Ovarian cancer survivors and fighters with tickets for the selected recipient and a guest to attend the Kentucky Oaks and to participate in a march on the Churchill Downs track. Those who have overcome or are battling a breast or ovarian cancer diagnosis who have never participated in the Oaks Survivors Parade can submit their stories here. Participants will be chosen randomly and will be announced Mar. 6. Churchill Downs will feature and support Derby Divas through the Norton Cancer Institute Breast Health Program and Horses and Hope through Kentucky Cancer Program at its 18th Survivors Parade. Both organizations provide critical services that help deliver care to underserved women across the region. The Kentucky Oaks charitable initiative has raised more than $1 million to drive breast and ovarian health awareness and life-saving interventions since its inception. Fans can help the effort to raise money to support breast and ovarian health by donating to the Kentucky Oaks charitable partners at www.kentuckyderby.com/survivors. Submissions to participate in the Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade May 1 are open now through Mar. 3. This year's Survivors Parade will honor 150 Breast and Ovarian cancer survivors and fighters with tickets for the selected recipient and a guest to attend the Kentucky Oaks and to participate in a march on the Churchill Downs track. Those who have overcome or are battling a breast or ovarian cancer diagnosis who have never participated in the Oaks Survivors Parade can submit their stories here. Participants will be chosen randomly and will be announced Mar. 6. Churchill Downs will feature and support Derby Divas through the Norton Cancer Institute Breast Health Program and Horses and Hope through Kentucky Cancer Program at its 18th Survivors Parade. Both organizations provide critical services that help deliver care to underserved women across the region. The Kentucky Oaks charitable initiative has raised more than $1 million to drive breast and ovarian health awareness and life-saving interventions since its inception. Fans can help the effort to raise money to support breast and ovarian health by donating to the Kentucky Oaks charitable partners at www.kentuckyderby.com/survivors. The post Submissions Open for Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Cristian Torres is Jockey of the Week after victories aboard Silent Tactic in the Southwest Stakes (G3) and Search Party in the Martha Washington Stakes for trainer Mark Casse. View the full article

Jerry Chau Chun-lok continued his remarkable run of form with a treble at Happy Valley on Wednesday night that propelled him into pole position in the Tony Cruz Award and fourth in the jockeys’ premiership standings. The 25-year-old made it eight wins from the last four meetings, propelling his strike rate in February to an astonishing 32 per cent, with his win on Flying Wrote having all the poise of a man riding with supreme confidence. The pair were unsurprisingly backed into $2.3 favourite...View the full article

One need go no farther back than 2022, when Emblem Road (Quality Road) charged home to defeat America's Country Grammer (Tonalist) and Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) in the G1 Saudi Cup, to see that horses trained in the Kingdom of Saudi Cup have managed to make an impression on the meeting, the seventh renewal of which takes place this Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. The home team fields a 14-strong challenge across five of the six group-level contests, and while each would have to find on their current form to put a scare into the foreign contingent, the depth of its talent is arguably the best in the history of event and a winner cannot be entirely ruled out. Mhally (GB), a son of the now Canadian-based Sergei Prokofiev, was an excellent third to Golden Vekoma (Vekoma) in last year's G3 Saudi Derby and is one of five Saudi-conditioned runners in the Saudi Cup, having earned his ticket with a 3/4-length defeat of the very talented 4-year-old filly Ameerat Alzamaan (GB) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) in the G3 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (King's Cup) over the course and distance on Jan. 17 (see below). The filly, who made a winning appearance on Saudi Cup Friday last year, has won six of her eight career starts. Rattle N Roll (Connect) won last year's King's Cup en route to a fifth in the main event. Star of Wonder, a half-brother to GI Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil), is one of two Saudi Cup runners for Uncle Mo, along with Bishops Bay. The 5-year-old won four of his six career starts for breeder WinStar Farm and Brad Cox and was third in the 2025 GIII Pimlico Special Stakes before selling to Pedro Lanz on behalf of King Abdullah Bin A/Aziz Sons for $325,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Horses of Racing Age Sale last July. He is perfect in two local appearances to date (see below). The untimely withdrawal of dual Grade II winner Magnitude (Not This Time) opens the Saudi Cup door for Thundersquall (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), fourth to Mhally in the King's Cup and a latest winner of the Listed King Abdulaziz Racetrack Championship Stakes over 2000 meters on Jan. 30 (video). Haqeet (Arrogate) was a listed winner two back and seventh last time behind Thundersquall. Saudi Arabia is also represented twofold in the Neom Turf Cup, upgraded to Group 1 status and worth $3 million this year, up from $2 million in 2025 when Japan's Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) made all the running. Bolide Porto (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), ninth last year, earned his way back into the 2100-meter contest in the Jan. 16 Listed Prince Khalid Abdullah Cup, just holding off a late rally from the Joel Rosario-ridden 6-year-old mare Direct Security (Ire) (Sioux Nation) (see below), who re-opposes on Saturday with the star Dominican rider back in the irons. In the form of Muqtahem (Ire) (Soldier's Call {GB}), the locals have arguably their best chance at a victory on the weekend in the G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint. Since finishing second, just under three lengths behind Straight No Chaser (Speighster) in last year's renewal, the Ballyhane Stud-bred 5-year-old has rattled off five straight dominating scores, the last coming on Jan. 2 (see below) and he had the luxury of skipping trials night four weeks back. Though he didn't face the starter for the first time until last November, Al Haram (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) is unbeaten and untested in his three starts going the one-turn mile at King Abdulaziz and has a puncher's chance in the G3 Saudi Derby. A maiden winner at first asking, the bay easily took out a course-and-distance allowance Jan. 3 and returned on two weeks' rest to take the local 2000 Guineas, finishing with a flourish to put 7 1/4 lengths on Tuwajeri (Ire) (Phoenix of Spain {Ire}) (see below). Commissioner King (Commissioner) caused an upset for Saudi Arabia in the 2023 Derby and–now based in the UAE with Bhupat Seemar–is a contender for Dubai World Cup night next month. Prince Faisal's Zefzaf (Mo Town) is in career form at the age of six and is not without his chances in the G2 1351 Turf Sprint. Purchased for just under €500,000 at the Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up in 2022 after selling for $110,000 at Keeneland the previous September, the dark bay has amassed a record of four wins from six starts on the grass, including a 3/4-length defeat of Love de Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) with Rosario in the saddle in the Turf Sprint Qualifier on Jan. 16 (see below). The post Local Runners Can Leave Their Mark On Saudi Cup Night appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The international contenders may have been out in force on Wednesday morning but there is one horse who dominates the spotlight and he has every right to it. Forever Young first set foot on King Abdulaziz racecourse two years ago when he arrived as a three-year-old to take the Saudi Derby before going on to triumph in Duba. He was then involved in an almighty tussle at Churchill Downs, where he went down by the merest of fractions to Mystik Dan and Sierra Leone in the Kentucky Derby. Back he came last year to outdo Hong Kong star Romantic Warrior in an unforgettable Saudi Cup battle but, for all his tenacity on race day, Forever Young is a pussycat in morning track work, purring around the dirt with stable-mate American Stage, unbothered by the large media cohort milling around the backstretch chute. The son of Real Steel has been here before, after all, and has little left to prove. But among the 20-strong Japanese team present for this year's meeting is a horse who has a growing following which will doubtless multiply should he prevail in Saturday's G3 Saudi Derby. Satono Voyage has been beaten just once in his four starts at home, having finished runner-up on debut before three straight wins at two, culminating in his victory in the Cattleya Stakes on the eve of the Japan Cup. That race, like the Saudi Derby, earns points towards the Kentucky Derby, but Satono Voyage's trainer Hiroyasu Tanaka is not getting carried away with thoughts of being in Louisville on the first Saturday in May just yet. In fact, the horse has not been given a Triple Crown entry, though he could yet be supplemented in April. Satono Voyage takes to the Riyadh dirt track | Emma Berry As is so often the case with Japanese trainers, Tanaka is thinking of the long game for Satono Voyage, a horse he considers still to be mentally and physically immature, and who is one of five contenders from Japan for the Saudi Derby. Speaking through translator Toshi Onikubo from the track on Wednesday morning, he said, “I wouldn't bring him without reason, and I have an expectation for him to run well on Saturday. I was concerned about how he would handle being in a different environment and different country, and the international travel, et cetera. But he's handling it well so far, and he breezed well this morning. “To be honest, that is beyond my expectations because he's not that straightforward, but he's handling it very well, so that expands his options for the future.” Satono Voyage was bred by Shimokobe Farm, which is represented in Riyadh by Yukio Shimokobe, one of the speakers at the Asian Racing Conference taking place this week in the build-up to the Saudi Cup. The colt may have a Japanese suffix but, if his trainer can be persuaded, a trip to Kentucky would represent a homecoming of sorts as the Satono Voyage is by Into Mischief and is out of the Drosselmeyer mare Jolie Olimpica, who was runner-up in the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes after winning the GI Gran Premio Jockey Club Brasileiro. Tanaka continued, “Travelling to America from here would be a huge ask for him and I cannot be certain about the race. My original plan is for him to go back to Japan [after Saturday] but in the future her has other top-tier races on the international stage as an option.” A former jockey, whose biggest success in that sphere came when riding Queen Spumante to victory in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup of 2009, Tanaka has around 100 horses on his books and, as is customary for JRA licensees, has 22 boxes allocated to him at the Miho Training Centre. Alongside Satono Voyage he trains Aloha Alii (Duramente), whose run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe last October was blighted by heavy ground, though his French sojourn was not wasted as he won the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano in the build-up to the Arc. The four-year-old is now in Riyadh and will run in Saturday's newly promoted G1 Neom Turf Cup, in which he will face his compatriot and last year's winner Shin Emperor (Siyouni) as well as the G2 Bahrain International Trophy winner Royal Champion (Shamardal). There is poignancy in the presence of the latter, who is trained by Karl Burke, as his Bahrain triumph represented a final major winner for his owner-breeder Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, who died in late December. “He's fine and he's training well at the moment but it hasn't been straightforward for him,” said Tanaka of Alohi Alii. “He wasn't that fatigued after the Arc but the trip to France was tough for him. We wanted to race him in January in Japan as a prep race but he got a slight setback, and we bypassed that race in coming here. “This race should suit him, including the [fast] ground conditions here in Saudi. The tight bend would be an ask, as he was green, but he's maturing and handling those things better.” Clover All Over the Gulf Perhaps no trainer is better utilising the increasingly expansive and valuable race programme on offer throughout the Middle East at this time of year than Tom Clover, who is set to have runners in Saudi, Qatar, Dubai and Bahrain in the course of the next week. Oh yes, and he has an entry for Wolverhampton, too, but we perhaps won't mention that as Newmarket-based Clover quipped on Wednesday morning how happy he is to “get away from rainy Britain”. Tom Clover with Martin Kelly | Emma Berry Lest his colleagues back home think he's just swanning around in the 30-degree heat while they don galoshes amid gales, that is very much not the case as the tall and willowy Clover has been riding trackwork on his RG2 Red Sea Turf Handicap runner Tabletalk. He describes the five-year-old son of Camelot as “an absolute bus of a ride, hence why I ride him every day”, though he is being a little modest as Clover is no mere passenger, as he proved when winning the trainers' race on the Rowley Mile during last September's Newmarket open weekend. “This has been a target for a long time,” he said. “His first three races last year, were really solid runs. He ran a very good race [when sixth of 12] in a deep Hardwicke, as the race always is, and then he slightly lost his way in his last two starts last year. He was still placed in stakes company, but we just felt we hadn't seen the horse we'd seen at home, or previously in the year, so we tweaked a couple of things.” That included the loss of a couple of things, too, as Tabletalk, winner of York's prestigious Melrose Handicap in 2024, will be running as a gelding for the first time on Saturday. Clover said, “He's a horse that's going to stay a few miles, we hope. The poor horse has the burden of me riding him every day and certainly he gives me the feel that a good gallop would suit him, but we've got a lot of weight to give away to some lovely horses that are weighted a bit less than us. But we're the second-highest-rated horse in the race, which is a good thing, and he's obviously a high-quality horse, but there are going to be no hiding places, I'm sure, on Saturday.” Of the decision to geld his charge, the trainer added, “It just makes it easier to travel horses and he wasn't going to be a stallion so, having discussed with his owner Mr Mansouri, we thought it would be a good idea. “He was a strong stayer even as a three-year-old in the Melrose and we always thought a trip to a race like the Red Sea Turf would be a lovely place to target him, so he's been very much trained for this and if he runs very well then you'd have to look at Dubai potentially. I hope that ultimately he can progress into a lovely stayer back in the UK as well on summer ground.” While Clover is on duty in Riyadh, his wife Jackie is in charge of the repeat bid of Rogue Lightning (Kodiac) in Saturday's Dukhan Sprint Cup at Doha's Emir's Sword Festival. “Jackie will be in Qatar and she's very much part of the team,” he said. “She's dropping off our children in Dubai on Thursday and will be overseeing runners in Qatar and Dubai next week, so it all ties in nicely to get away from rainy Britain.” Alright, Tom, let's not rub it in, but it is jolly nice to have left the wellies at home. The post Satono Voyage in Quest to Emulate Forever Young in Saudi Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Mark Casse is among the hottest trainers in America, was recently named Chairman of the Board of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company, and continues to help lead the fight to save racing in South Florida. So, there was plenty to talk about when the Hall of Fame trainer joined this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. Casse was the Gainesway Guest of the Week. Casse will head into the weekend with 17 wins from 38 starters at Oaklawn, good for a win rate of 45%. He bolstered his Oaklawn total last week, winning the Martha Washington Stakes with Search Party (Gun Runner), the GIII Southwest Stakes with Silent Tactic (Tacitus), and the GIII Bayakoa Stakes with Eclipse Award winner Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro). “I've had bigger days, honestly, but maybe not at one racetrack,” Casse said. “It wasn't last year, it was the previous year. I think we won four or five stakes in one day. So, it happens. But I mean, that was definitely a great weekend, and it's nice when a plan comes together because it seldom does.” Sent off at 12-1, Silent Tactic was the biggest surprise among the Casse stakes winners. He was coming off a second-place finish in the Smarty Jones Stakes, where he was beaten by stablemate Strategic Risk (Noble Bird). In the Southwest, he faced off against that rival once again. “I had a conversation with Mr. [John] Oxley [who owns both Silent Tactic and Strategic Risk] and I said, 'I think Silent Tactic is doing better than Strategic Risk,'” Casse said. “When I got to Oaklawn, I was talking with [jockey] Cristian [Torres] and he told me, 'Silent Tactic is going to be very tough to beat.' He had a lot of confidence in him. I thought his race was really good.” Nitrogen was making her 4-year-old debut in the Bayakoa, and Casse revealed that he almost scratched her because he wasn't sure that she would be ready after having just three works. He described her fitness level at 85%. Considering that she won comfortably despite not being fully ready, what does Casse think of the race now? “I personally thought that may have been the best race she's ever run in her life, given the circumstances,” he said. “I looked at her in the winner's circle and she didn't take a deep breath. She amazes me. She makes me look good, which is not easy to do.” As if training hundreds of horses spread all over the country isn't enough, Casse decided to accept the offer to become the Chairman of the Board of OBS. It was a position his father, Norman, held for 28 years, and the elder Casse is regarded as the one who took OBS from a small regional sales company to one of the powerhouses in the sales industry. “My father's history at OBS, that was a big factor,” he said. “When the OBS Board came to me and asked me if I was interested, at first I thought, I've got so many other things going on. But this is something that was my father's life. It's where I had my first job. My first job was at OBS. I cleaned the manure out of the ring. People know how much I love our business and how hard I work. That's not just for me, but for everybody. I have two young sons that are in the business and I want things to continue to thrive for their sake.” On the Florida front, Casse didn't mince words, saying that he doesn't believe the future of racing in South Florida will involve Gulfstream Park, something he predicted will happen relatively soon. “There's no question in my mind that in the next three to five years, we'll be out of Gulfstream,” he said. “It's impossible for [the horsemen] to stay there. And I think that they don't want us there. So what we have to do is look to the future. There are a lot of things in the works. I think there's a possibility that you could see Hialeah start back. I could see where you could see Tampa possibly having the premier meet or even a possibility that Ocala will end up with a racetrack. We'll see where it goes, but I can assure you, we're not sitting on our hands.” The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was the Louisiana-bred sensation Touchuponastar (Star Guitar), who earned a 106 Beyer when winning the Louisiana Bred Premier Night Championships at Delta Downs for the fourth straight year. The “Fastest Horse of the Week” segment is sponsored by WinStar Farm, which stands the promising sire Heartland. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the PHBA, 1/ST TV, the KTOB and West Point Thoroughbreds, Randy Moss and Bill Finley also discussed the ongoing problems in Florida, with both agreeing that the best possible solution for racing in the state would be the revitalization of Hialeah. The two looked back at last week's major preps for the GI Kentucky Derby and the GI Kentucky Oaks and looked ahead to this week's big card at the Fair Grounds, which includes the GII Risen Star Stakes and the GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes. Click here for the audio version of the podcast or here for the video version. The post Mark Casse Joins the TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Presented by Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Easy way to get an edge if you know how and what to look for. Most have no idea. You’d go broke fast following the trackside presenters prelim picks. Absolutely no idea.

Tattersalls will extend its sponsorship of the G1 Middle Park Stakes, G1 Cheveley Park Stakes and G2 Royal Lodge Stakes for a further two years after sponsoring the races for the first time in 2025. Taking place on the final day of the Cambridgeshire meeting at Newmarket on Saturday, September 26, the races will be run as the Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes, Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes and Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes. The three races add to an already substantial portfolio of sponsorships for Tattersalls, with other high-profile sponsorships at Newmarket including the G1 Falmouth Stakes, G3 Tattersalls Stakes, £200,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes and £200,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes. Matthew Prior, Tattersalls managing director, said, “Tattersalls are delighted to extend our sponsorship of the prestigious Middle Park, Cheveley Park and Royal Lodge Stakes on Cambridgeshire day for a further two years and continue our long-standing support of British racing and Newmarket Racecourses. “Cambridgeshire day is a standout fixture in the British racing calendar and we look forward to an outstanding programme of two-year-old races of the highest calibre and to working with Newmarket Racecourses to showcase the event.” Sophie Able, Newmarket Racecourses and International Director at The Jockey Club, added, “The bond between Newmarket Racecourses and Tattersalls has always been strong and in recent years has truly blossomed. We are delighted to announce this new two-year agreement today, which further strengthens and enhances that relationship. “We look forward to working with Tattersalls in promoting high-class racing throughout the season on both the Rowley Mile and July Course.” The post Tattersalls Extend Sponsorship of Middle Park, Cheveley Park and Royal Lodge appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article