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After winning the Virginia Derby March 14 and earning enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby (G1), trainer Riley Mott said that plans call for Incredibolt to train up to the Derby rather than run another prep.View the full article

With a view to what the long-term future holds for Saturday’s feature Tauranga winner Omega Boy (NZ) (Time Test), the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) will be next on his schedule to assess his middle-distance potential. Off the back of a Rating 75 1400m win a fortnight before at Hawera, trainers Peter and Trent Didham made a well calculated move to step their rapidly improving five-year-old up to Group Two northern company in the Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m). Ridden by Cambridge apprentice Sam McNab, Omega Boy proved right up to the task, finishing hard down the centre of the track to overhaul Sterling Express and fellow proven performers Khafre and Qali Al Farrasha. Peter Didham has since confirmed another Group Two set weight and penalty feature for the Time Test gelding, the Awapuni Gold Cup at Trentham on Saturday week. “We’ve thought for a while that he would make a good middle-distance horse, so while he’s at the top of his form is the ideal time to test him,” Didham said. After a meritorious sixth placing in the Gr.2 Thorndon Mile at Trentham in January, a trip south for last month’s Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight-For-Age at Wingatui was considered before opting for a far less challenging assignment closer to his rating band. “The Wingatui race was tempting but at rating of 79 he wouldn’t have been very well placed under weight-for-age conditions and we decided on the benchmark race up at Hawera. “We were looking for a soft kill and that’s exactly how it turned out. As well as giving him a confidence boost, winning that race got him out of that danger zone where horses in the high 70s, low 80s can find themselves. “That took his rating to 83 and even though he was up against some decent types at Tauranga, he’s just kept improving and we felt he deserved his chance at a race like that.” While well satisfied with how McNab handled Omega Boy, who earned another 12 rating points to go to 95, Didham has opted for the experience of Group One centurion Opie Bosson at Trentham. “Sam rode him well, no complaints at all, he’s a very promising young jockey. But while we’ve got the chance to put Opie on, why wouldn’t we? “What the horse does will determine our plans for next season and with Opie on him, he’ll be able to give us a full appraisal of how he manages the extra distance.” While not comparing Omega Boy to triple Group One winner Waitaki, Didham is well aware that after returning to form in last year’s Japan Trophy at 1600m, the Proisir gelding readily made the step up to a middle-distance in the Awapuni Gold Cup. That enabled trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott to firm up new season plans and they were rewarded when Waitak won the second and third legs of the spring triple crown, the Gr. 1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) and Gr. 1 Livamol Classic (2040m). “I’m not suggesting our horse is in the same league as Waitak, but the route they took with him this time last year is another good reason why it also makes sense for Omega Boy,” Didham said. View the full article

Entries for NZB’s 2026 National Weanling Sale are now open, with the Sale set to be held at the Karaka Sales Centre on Thursday 25 June. Continuing as a dedicated weanling only format, the Sale is a happy hunting ground for those searching for their next pinhook success story or racetrack star. The Sale also offers breeders an attractive platform to sell their young stock to a strong international and domestic audience, with the added bonus of Karaka Millions eligibility. The weanling session in 2025 returned more than $2.5 million to breeders, with a top price of $190,000 achieved for a colt by Per Incanto out of London Express from Seaton Park – one of four weanlings that realised $100,000 or more alongside robust activity from an international buying bench. Following another strong 2025-26 sales season including the celebration of the 100th National Yearling Sale in New Zealand, NZB’s Manager Director Andrew Seabrook is looking forward to the final physical sale of the season. “Industry players know the National Weanling Sale is a proven source of genuine racehorses and pinhooking success.” “After a strong yearling sale, the demand for weanlings in June is going to be as strong as ever,” he added. “Last year, the Australian support of the Sale grew, so we look forward to producing a catalogue that will entice them back to Karaka again.” All weanlings offered are eligible to be nominated for NZB’s lucrative Karaka Millions Series. Graduates can compete for a share in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), followed by the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) as well as the NZB Mega Maiden Series. Entries for the National Weanling Sale are open from today and close on 16 April. To enter the Sale, visit NZB’s online portal at portal.nzb.co.nz or for enquiries contact NZB’s Bloodstock Administrator Mary Jane Harvey by calling +64 9 393 9832 or emailing MaryJane.Harvey@nzb.co.nz. For more information about the Sale, contact NZB Bloodstock Sales Manager Kane Jones on +64 27 274 4985 or email Kane.Jones@nzb.co.nz. View the full article

Tom Amoss, a fixture of the American racing circuit for more than four decades, has announced that he will step down from his career as a trainer. After a storied 39-year career that saw him rise from the local ranks in Louisiana to the pinnacle of the sport with Grade I wins at Churchill Downs, Saratoga and Oaklawn Park, Amoss will officially hand over the management of his stable to head assistant Kinnon LaRose effective April 1. LaRose, who joined the operation in 2020, has served as Amoss's head assistant for the past five years. Amoss noted that the timing of his departure was chosen to provide a seamless transition for his clientele and to allow for an adjustment period under his continued mentorship. “I'm still going to be around the barn and working with Kinnon just as I have for the past six years, so I don't look at it as a retirement,” said Amoss. “I look at it as a lateral move of still being able to be a part of the stable, but the horses will run in Kinnon's name. I have a very talented horseman in Kinnon and the ability to give him the opportunity to train horses. I'm fortunate in that most of my clients have been with me a long time and in explaining my decision to them for that reason, they've all stood behind me. They're willing to give Kinnon that opportunity too.” He continued, “When you've done something your whole life, it's going to be a little different. I guess you could say I've had my cry and now I'm very comfortable with it. I know I'll get a lot of satisfaction out of his success.” Tom Amoss and wife Colleen with 'TDN Rising Star' Oscar's Hope last summer in Saratoga | Sarah Andrew Amoss, age 64, said that he hopes to continue his role as a bloodstock agent and will focus on finding racing prospects for the newly formed LaRose stable. He also plans to continue in his role as a member of the racing broadcast team for Fox Sports, where he has covered the Saratoga meet since 2017 and been a host of the GI Belmont Stakes for the past several years. “This will also allow me to maybe have coffee with my wife in the morning, something I've never done before, or go do something fun on the weekend, which is also something I've never done,” said Amoss. “But my emphasis is going to be Kinnon's success and the success of the stable.” Amoss steps down from the training ranks with 11 leading trainer titles at Fair Grounds, where he is a Hall of Fame member, as well as multiple titles at Churchill Downs, Ellis Park and Indiana Grand. He secured his 4,000th career victory in 2022 and has amassed over $132 million in career earnings. A proud native of New Orleans, Amoss was introduced to racing through his childhood friend–and later college roommate– trainer Al Stall Jr. After graduating from Louisiana State University, he spent years working for trainers Jack van Berg, Frank Brothers, Larry Robideaux and John Parisella. Amoss took out his trainer's licence in 1987 and celebrated his first graded stakes win with Festive (Damascus) in the 1990 GIII New Orleans Handicap. He earned his first Grade I win in 2000 with Apple Blossom Handicap victress Heritage of Gold (Gold Legend), who also won the GI Go for Wand Handicap in Saratoga that summer and was third in the 2000 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. Tom Amoss and 2019 GI Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress | Horsephotos Throughout his career, Amoss has built a reputation for unearthing top-tier talent on modest budgets, a knack best illustrated by his 2019 Kentucky Oaks victory with Serengeti Empress (Alternation). Purchased by Amoss for $70,000 as a yearling, the Joel Politi-campaigned star blossomed into a multi-millionaire, further cementing her brilliance with a dominant score in the 2020 GI Ballerina Stakes. “The first time I stood in the winner's circle in 1987, I never could have imagined what this industry would do for me and for my family,” Amoss said. “I have been able to make a good living and put two kids through school and feel very comfortable in retirement all because of one thing–the horse–and because of owners putting their trust in me. I wish there was a way that I could say just how much gratitude I feel towards each and every one of them, but the words just don't seem to justify it.” So far this year, Amoss has collected 21 wins and has been in the money in 53 of 110 starts. Top performances include 'TDN Rising Star' Oscar's Hope (Twirling Candy) scoring in the Feb. 16 Ozark Stakes, Authentic Gallop (Authentic) collecting a stakes win at Delta Downs on Feb. 20 and Standoutsensation (Take Charge Indy) finishing second in the GIII Houston Ladies Classic Stakes. “Things are going good with stable if you look at what we've done this year, but I didn't want to overstay my time,” Amoss explained. “By doing it now, I still have the ability to help Kinnon with the owners within the stable. Sometimes you can stay too long and I think it's time for me to give him the keys to the car. He's ready and I want to help him.” Amoss and Kinnon LaRose at the 2025 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards | photo courtesy Amoss Racing Stable LaRose, 28, brings a unique perspective to the training ranks. A former Division I basketball captain at Sacred Heart with a Master's degree in Strategic Communication and Public Relations, he took a chance by emailing Amoss —whom he had long admired as an analyst on FOX Sports—to request a position with his stable. LaRose was promoted to assistant less than a year later and has had a hand in managing stable stars like graded stakes winners Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) and Curly Jack (Good Magic). Last year, he received the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Award's Newcomer Award. “I've worked side-by-side with Kinnon for the last six years and I've watched him grow and develop,” said Amoss. “He is a great talent as a horseman and he brings with him some skills that are unique. He holds a master's degree and was captain of a Division 1 basketball team. He's got the leadership skills. All those are things that, in my mind, will allow him to be a great trainer.” LaRose will take the helm of the stable at the start of the Keeneland April Meet. Amoss will wrap up the Fair Grounds spring meet, where he is currently a top 10 trainer and has several horses entered this coming weekend including Fade to Gold (Bolt d'Oro) in the Crescent City Oaks and Hay Jude (Aurelius Maximus) in the Costa Rising Stakes. Reflecting on his career, Amoss said, “I did it with honor and I did it putting the horse first. I know the people that worked for me and with me are well aware of that. I hope the racing community sees it the same way.” The post Tom Amoss Transitions To Advisory Role As Kinnon LaRose Assumes Stable Reins appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

On the March 16 episode of BloodHorse Monday: Riley Mott discusses getting Incredibolt back in the winner's circle, BloodHorse sales editor Olivia Newman recaps the OBS March Sale in a segment presented by Gainesway.View the full article

Turfway's grade 3 stakes drew a very competitive 12-horse field, led by Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) runner-up Stark Contrast. View the full article

The Ontario division of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS-Ontario) has been approved as a member of Ontario Racing, effective immediately. The CTHS-Ontario will represent the province's Thoroughbred breeders at Ontario Racing, a not-for-profit group that serves as the voice of the province's horse racing industry. “We are pleased the CTHS will represent Ontario's Thoroughbred horse breeders at the Ontario Racing table,” said Andrew Gaughan, the Ontario Racing Independent Chair. “Thoroughbred breeders not only have a substantial investment in the province's world-class horse racing industry, they also play a critical role in the health of the sector. Their expertise is essential for helping guide the industry to a more prosperous and sustainable future.” The appointment allows the CTHS-Ontario to select a representative to sit on Ontario Racing's 11-person Board of Directors comprised of five racetrack seats, five industry association seats and the Independent Chair. “We appreciate the opportunity for the CTHS to have a seat at the Ontario Racing table,” said David Anderson, the CTHS-Ontario and National president. Anderson is also a member of Ontario Racing's Thoroughbred Improvement Program committee, a group that directs Horse Improvement Program funding. “Breeders are the foundation of the Thoroughbred industry, and ensuring their perspective is part of the conversation is essential to the long-term health of racing in Ontario,” said Anderson. “We recognize the leadership of OR chair Andrew Gaughan and appreciate the support of Ontario Racing, the OLG and the Government of Ontario in acknowledging the vital role breeders play in sustaining and growing our industry.” Ontario Racing is responsible for directing breed improvement programs, setting an annual program of races and purses, attracting new horse owners, building a fan base and connecting the industry with government and the general public. The post Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Joins Ontario Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A total of 1,220 horses have been catalogued for the upcoming OBS Spring Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, which will be held over four days Apr. 14-17. The catalogue is available online at www.obssales.com. Sale sessions will begin at 10:30 a.m. ET. Hips 1 – 306 will sell Apr. 14 with Hips 307 – 610 going Apr. 15. Apr. 16 will offer Hips 611 – 916 with the sale concluding Apr. 17 with Hips 917 – 1220. The under-tack show will run from Apr. 6-11 starting at 8 a.m. ET each day. Hips 1 – 203 are slated for Apr. 6 followed by Hips 204 – 406 Apr. 7, Hips 407 – 610 Apr. 8, and Hips 611 – 813 Apr. 9. The final two days of the under-tack show will have Hips 814 – 1016 going on Apr. 10 followed by Hips 1017 – 1220 on Apr. 11. The under-tack show and sale will be streamed live via the OBS website as well as the TDN, DRF, BloodHorse, and Past The Wire websites. Among the graduates out of the 2025 OBS April Sale were Grade I winners Cy Fair (Not This Time), Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) and Iron Orchard (Authentic). Graduates of the sale also include Grade I winners Nysos, Cavalieri, Dark Saffron, Raging Torrent, Skippylongstocking, and Usha. Other notable recent graduates out of the OBS April Sale include multiple Grade I winner Chancer McPatrick, Grade I winners Carson's Run, Cogburn, Du Jour, Mixto, Power Squeeze and Tenma, Saudi Derby winner Golden Vekoma, and graded stakes winners May Day Ready, Mo Plex, and Vixen. OBS will again offer online bidding during the April Sale. For complete information on registration and online bidding please go to the OBS website: obs-internet-bidding. The post A Total of 1220 Catalogued for OBS Spring Two-year-olds in Training Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Heading back to the rostrum from a break, Ryan Mahan was stopped by Wayne Lukas. “This filly coming up, three hips from now,” the great trainer said. “I'm going to put my pen in my pocket. As long as it stays there, keep me in.” “Wayne, please don't do this,” Mahan replied. “This kind of thing–if my glasses are on, if I take my hat off–it just never works.” But Lukas was insistent: that was what they were going to do. “So we get to $400,000,” Mahan recalls, decades later. “Pen's in the pocket? Yep. $450,000, pen's in the pocket. $500,000. Yep. Kid walks up to Wayne for an autograph. Leaves with the pen. Wayne! He won't look at me. Wayne, you're out! Kid comes back: sorry, your pen. Wayne puts it back in the pocket.” The hammer comes down at $1,100,000, the pen still in position. But Lukas starts walking away. “I jumped down: 'Wayne, where you going? You just bought that filly,'” Mahan resumes. “'What filly?' 'That filly, the pen in the pocket.' He said, 'What did she bring?' 'Million one.' Never misses a beat. 'Well,' he says. 'I got to get on the phone.' That was it. Didn't shake him up one bit. “I saw him three days later and said, 'Wayne, number were you wanting to go to?' '$600,000.' 'Everything okay?' He goes, 'Oh yeah, we're good. I put four different guys in.' Talk about a salesman.” Such are the precarious fortunes of an environment where the quest for a quick horse not only requires fast talk, and faster thinking, but where everything turns on trust. You say you're going to do something, you'd better be good for it. Next year Mahan will reach half a century of service in the Keeneland pavilion, initially as junior bid spotter and for the last 25 years as head auctioneer. That's not just a matter of longevity: each year, each auction, each transaction, represents an accretion of that trust. Professionalism and probity have not been reciprocated absolutely every time. There was a guy at OBS a few years ago–white suit, white cowboy hat, red bandana–signed for a $220,000 colt. Somehow the bidding hadn't felt right, and Mahan went down to find him. “What's your name?” “George Bush.” “Nice colt you bought there, George. Where you from?” “Washington. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.” “Now why don't we go to the office real quick?” The vendor went nuts, but Mahan managed to recall three guys who had made legitimate bids. He asked them to resume in a conference room, and eventually the underbidder came through at $210,000. And actually it turned out that the horse could run. Another time, back when he was a spotter, there was a fellow at Keeneland drinking with what looked very much like a hired companion. “He was just showing off, buys the horse for $100,000,” Mahan recalls. “So we go to the office and he winks. 'Come on, we're guys. You get it. Have you seen her?' He had no money at all. We had to resell.” However long you're in this business, then, it is going to surprise you. By now, Mahan obviously knows a whole community: breeders, vendors, consignors, pinhookers, buyers, agents. But when you have 4,000 yearlings catalogued across two weeks, you'll see unfamiliar faces, sometimes from countries you've barely heard of. Mahan marvels at the efficacy of the accounts department: how everyone gets found, everyone gets paid. “I always wonder how you go about collecting $400 million from 35 different countries,” he says, shaking his head. “In 30 days. Go to Wall Street and ask them to do that. The other thing that amazes me is that they do it all for five percent. I mean, just think: Sotheby's, basically one building, 22 percent. And Keeneland has 52 barns.” Mahan has sold many a champion but arguably peaked early, just an adolescent when holding the greatest of them all at the end of a halter. It was Derby week, and his stepfather Dr. Robert Copelan–his own father had been killed in an aviation accident–was treating the abscess that menaced the participation of Secretariat. “We would leave at 4:30 every morning, I'd ride up with him, and I would hold Secretariat,” he marvels. “Well, Eddie Sweat would hold the other side. They were going to have to scratch. You couldn't put a bit in his mouth. He couldn't treat him with anything, because it was so close to the race. So, hot compresses–30 minutes on, 30 minutes off–all day, all night. And all of a sudden, he rolled his lip up and it just fell out. Next day he ate up and became Secretariat.” That was something else, but it was the sheer immersion that captivated him: accompanying Doc Copelan to surgeries, to the backside: Arlington in summer, Hialeah at Christmas. On the wall at home, Mahan has mounted the racing plates in which Buckpasser broke the world record for a mile. Doc took him to the barn next morning as the horse was being reshod. “And Eddie Neloy threw them in the muck pit,” Mahan recalls. “So I wandered over, picked them out, put them in the trunk. And then when we get back to the car Bob says, 'What's this?' 'Buckpasser's shoes.' 'Well, you can't put them in here. They're dirty.' And he threw them back in the muck pile. I was crushed. Well, about two weeks later, there they were on a plaque.” Mahan initially thought he might follow in Copelan's footsteps but a first visit to Keeneland proved a revelation. He was only 16 but his path in life was set. “It was just magical to me,” he recalls. “Like going to your first big league baseball game. You walk in and suddenly the uniforms are bluer or redder than you ever saw, you've never seen grass so green. And I decided that this is what I've got to do.” So Copelan introduced him to the head auctioneer, George Swinebroad. “Bigger-than-life guy, booming voice,” Mahan recalls. “Just owned the room. He put me with a small auction company, and I would spend Saturdays selling fence posts, pots and pans, chickens and pigs.” Then Swinebroad started him on horses, out-of-town: Illinois, Woodbine, California, and a bid spotting debut at Keeneland in 1977. “Back then, you couldn't see through the smoke in the pavilion,” Mahan remembers. “And everybody dressed up. It was very different from now. It was a show.” His first gig was pretty accidental: he had a flair for mimicry, and was goaded into a turn or two at a staff party organized by Ted Bassett. Next day Tom Caldwell, Swinebroad's successor, beckoned him to the stand. Mahan thought he wanted a coffee. Instead he was told he was announcing the next horse. Contrary to assumptions, then, Mahan's familiar lilting rhythm has no foundation in tobacco auctions. “George Swinebroad did sell tobacco,” Mahan recalls. “I think he started that chant, that rhythm and speed: let's go, this is your chance, go now or miss out. Plus it's just more fun. I mean, we're selling something nobody needs. You always have to keep that in mind. “You almost feel like you're conducting an orchestra. You're not writing the music, not performing, but you're kind of driving it. That's why it's so important to know the buyers, make them comfortable. I don't care if you have a billion dollars, it's an intimidating place to be. I want them to feel like I know that guy, that guy knows me. Keeneland owns five percent of this horse. I want to give it every chance because I feel like I'm a partner.” Years ago at Barretts there was a giant advertisement on the street for Public Storage: dial 1-800-44-STORE. The company's founder, the late B. Wayne Hughes, was bidding for a filly but dropped out just short of her reserve. Mahan turned to his announcer, saying: “John, pick up that phone and dial 1-800-44-STORE. Tell them we need more money over here.” Hughes chuckled and resumed bidding. It's serious business, plainly, with high stakes. But first and foremost it remains about the horse: whether foals raised for friends on his own farm; or the yearlings that capture his imagination, on farm inspections; or sale thunderbolts, like Unbridled's Song at Barretts. (“This muck wagon, a great big truck, flipped over and made huge explosion,” Mahan recalls. “Must've been 10 horses got loose. Unbridled's Song never flinched.'”) Wade Cunningham, Ryan Mahan and Kurt Becker | Keeneland photo Those high stakes, of course, will bring out character-for better or worse. None better, in Mahan's view, than the late Robert B. Lewis, who knew and looked out for each groom. One of Mahan's first encounters with Lewis came when the latter discovered that somebody had run up one of his purchases. They breakfasted together. “He said, 'The horse business does not need a black eye,'” Mahan recalls. “'I can take the hit.' I never told this story until he passed away. What a gracious man. It cost him $200,000. And he told the guy, 'Look, I know what you did. Nobody's suing anybody, nobody's going to the media. But we will never do business again.' That person is now out of the horse business.” Of course, you also get the other type: huge egos that yell about everything you've done wrong and everything they've done right. To this institution within an institution, nothing is more fulfilling than helping the guys at the other end of the scale. He gets more of a kick out of getting $200,000 for a small player in Book 5 than $2 million for one of the factories in Book 1. “No question,” he says. “There was a little farm in Bourbon County, five or six mares, and the guy would always bring up the yearling himself and tap the stand: 'Baby needs a new pair of shoes.' One time he wanted $30,000 and got to $150,000, they just kept bidding, he's waiting to take the horse back to the barn and he's in tears. All that hard work, all those early mornings, foaling in 10 degrees. And it happens every year. “You see some tough breaks, too. But it's so gratifying when something like that happens. Because we're all engaged here, all working together. It's like I own that thing for a minute and a half. Book 1, we're averaging $500,000 every minute and a half. You look behind you, they're all in that back walking ring, and here they come. That's daunting. It's exciting, but it's daunting. It's very high risk, breeding these things, it's so tough. So our duty is to do everything we can to make it work.” The post Mahan The Main Man at The Stand appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Christopher Farrell has been appointed as Operations and Digital Communications Executive at Godolphin Flying Start, the two-year international management and leadership programme for the Thoroughbred industry. Farrell joins the team in a role that will support both the day-to-day operations of the programme and its digital communications. He will work across a range of areas, supporting trainees, promoting the programme's activities and contributing to its ongoing development. “I'm delighted to join Godolphin Flying Start as Operations and Digital Communications Executive,” said Farrell. “I was fortunate enough to complete this programme in 2018 and then work for some of the leading auction houses in the world. It's a full circle moment now to return in a new position, building on the foundation that shaped the early stages of my career. I'm looking forward to reconnecting with graduates and contributing to a programme that invests in future talent.” Godolphin Flying Start Executive Director, Clodagh Kavanagh, added, “I am delighted to welcome Christopher Farrell to the Godolphin Flying Start management team. As a graduate of the programme, he brings valuable insights, ideas and experience. His bloodstock knowledge and network are second to none. Christopher is an excellent communicator with an innovative approach and he brings a fresh and informed dynamic which will have positive impacts on many areas of our work.” For more information about the Godolphin Flying Start programme – which provides its trainees with the opportunity to gain experience across Ireland, the UK, the USA, Australia and Dubai – click here. The post Farrell Named Operations and Digital Communications Executive at Godolphin Flying Start appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Turf Classic (G1T) is one of 16 stakes scheduled for the Churchill Downs Spring Meet (April 25-June 28) that received a purse increase.View the full article

Chantilly's two newcomers' events on Monday featured some likely types and in the colts' version it was Yeguada Centurion's well-connected Mr Lope Cen who had the bragging rights. Fighting off another son of Lope De Vega in Vegamix, the 27-10 favourite who is entered in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club got his career off to the perfect start for the Henri Devin stable. Aurelien Lemaitre had to be patient on the fence on the half-brother to Justify's Prix de la Foret heroine Ramatuelle, but when the time came his mount was alive to the opportunity and able to lead home the sprint and score by 1 1/4 lengths from the Wertheimer-Fabre project as the pair pulled clear. Prix Du Beauvaisis @fgchantilly Chantilly – Inédits – Males – 3 ans – 1600m – 13 Pts – 24 700 € Mr Lope Cen (m3) (Ire) Aurelien Lemaitre @lemaitre60LA (Lope De Vega (Ire) @BallylinchStud – Raven's Lady (Gb) par Raven's Pass (Usa))… pic.twitter.com/SYnve7UUo1 — French and International Horse Racing (@Vincenzo0612) March 16, 2026 The post Ramatuelle’s Half Brother Mr Lope Cen Gets It Done On Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Churchill Downs's spring meeting will be headlined by 50 stakes races cumulatively worth a record $27.8-million with 22 of those black-type contests being run Kentucky Derby weekend with purses set at a record $19.1-million, the track announced Monday morning. Set to run Apr. 25 to June 28, the crown jewels of those 44 race dates will naturally be the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks, the latter of which will run under the lights in prime time for the first time on the NBC broadcast. Kentucky Derby Week (Apr. 25 – May 2) will contest 22 stakes races worth $19.1-million, including nine totaling $12.05-million on Derby Day and seven at $5.55-million on Oaks Day. The Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic, which annually precedes the Derby on the first Saturday in May, is now worth $1.5-million. The $500,000 boost to the 1 1/8-mile grass race for older horses is one of 16 stakes races that received a purse hike. Other spring meet highlights include Stephen Foster Preview Day with seven black-type contests May 30; Stephen Foster Day featuring seven stakes June 27; and four closing day stakes June 28. On Foster Day, the Kelly's Landing has been renamed in honor of Bango, who won 12 of his 28 career starts at Churchill between 2019-25, making him the winningest horse in the track's recorded history. Six stakes races run at Churchill Downs were upgraded in status by the American Graded Stakes Committee last December. The Shawnee and Unbridled Sidney are now distinguished as Grade II races, while the Hanshin presented by JRA and Maxfield went from Listed events to Grade III status. The Anchorage and Leslie's Lady were elevated from Black-Type to Listed races. Following its annual closure for wintertime renovations, the Churchill stable area will reopen Tuesday, Mar. 17. The first day of training on the main dirt track will be Wednesday, Mar. 18. To see a full list of the race-by-race changes, please go here. The post Purse Increases, Status Upgrades Highlight Churchill’s Spring Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As usual, the Wertheimers have an exciting Classic crop and the newcomer Harissa (Wootton Bassett) only added fuel to the fire at Chantilly on Monday. Lining up as the 7-5 favourite for the mile fillies' contest on the Polytrack, the Christophe Ferland-trained daughter of the G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Kalahara (Frankel) travelled with enthusiasm in the box seat before seizing command 1 1/2 furlongs from home. At the line, the descendant of the operation's top-class racemare and producer Occupandiste (Kaldoun) had three lengths to spare over Juddmonte's Arbus (Bated Breath), with another 3 1/2 lengths back to the Graffard eyecatcher Destivelle (Siyouni) in third. Harissa holds entries in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane. Harissa gives her rivals a pasting The Wertheimer-owned filly shows a smart turn of foot for @teamchferland and Maxime Guyon. She is entered in both the French 1000 Guineas & French Oaks… pic.twitter.com/0OxnmtuwnF — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 16, 2026 The post Wootton Bassett Filly Harissa Looks A Bright Prospect appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aidan O'Brien has talked up the credentials of ante-post Derby favourite Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) but put forward 20-1 chance Montreal (Sea The Stars) as being a potential sleeper in the market for the Epsom Classic. O'Brien has won the past three editions of the Derby – with Lambourn, City Of Troy and Auguste Rodin – and will be bidding to land a record-extending 12th success in the race this year. Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Pierre Bonnard was reported to be on track to run in the key Derby trials at Leopardstown en route to Epsom, for which he is a general 11-2 chance. However, speaking at the Ballydoyle press morning on Monday, O'Brien warned against underestimating the merits of unexposed colt Montreal, who was last seen winning a Leopardstown maiden in August by 10 lengths. “Montreal was very smart at Leopardstown when he won,” O'Brien replied when asked to nominate a Derby outsider. “Isaac Newton (Camelot) is a very dark horse as well. I don't know whether he will get to the Derby ahead of the others, or whether he will end up at Ascot, but he's a very dark horse and is much better than what people think. But, listen, it's very hard to not have an each-way [bet] on Montreal. He's a big price.” Confirming that Pieere Bonnard was on track to run in both the Ballysax and the Leopardstown Derby Trial, O'Brien said of the ante-post Derby favourite, “He's very straightforward. He's a big Camelot and is very relaxed and very chilled. Christophe [Soumillon] was always super-impressed with him. Ryan has never ridden him [in a race] and only rode him yesterday [Sunday] morning for the first time.” He added, “We ran him at Leopardstown first time, where he got beaten in a maiden, and I can remember I was afraid going to Dundalk with him because I wasn't sure about the ground. Wayne [Lordan] told me that he would handle Dundalk without any bother and he loved the fast ground. So he handles fast ground and you'd imagine he will get a-mile-and-a-half well because he's so relaxed. He's big and he's classy and he has done very well over the winter. “The Derby is still the race, it's what the whole breed is based on. You can kid yourself about other races and some of them are great for the older horses but anyone that breeds a horse, that is where they are aimed. Some of them don't do an awful lot after it because it is such a tough race. It's the ultimate test, mental, physical, they have to be quick, they have to stay. It's a brutal race, but that is the way it has to be, unforgiving. It's the race the whole breed is based on. It's just the way it is.” The post ‘He’s A Big Price’ – O’Brien Nominates 20-1 Derby Outsider As Being A Value Play For Epsom appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Jockey Club, the largest commercial group in British horseracing, has agreed an exclusive new 20-year deal with Levy, the sports and entertainment division of Compass Group UK & Ireland. The partnership will enable The Jockey Club to make a capital investment of £100 million to revolutionise the spectator experience across its UK racecourses, funded by a payment from Compass as part of the new deal. The Jockey Club's investment plans include a significant revamp of the main entrance to Epsom Downs Racecourse, home to the Betfred Derby Festival. A full refurbishment of Epsom's Queen Elizabeth II Stand is also in the works, along with upgrades to the facilities in the Duchess Stand. At Cheltenham Racecourse, the weighing room will undergo a major revamp to include state-of-the-art facilities for participants and rooftop hospitality for racegoers while, at Aintree Racecourse, improvements will be made to the facilities for owners and trainers, creating more dedicated spaces on site for connections. The investment will also enable the development of the centre of the course during the Randox Grand National Festival, with additional facilities for racegoers. Jim Mullen, Group Chief Executive of The Jockey Club, said, “I joined The Jockey Club because I want it to succeed and with that at the forefront of my mind, I have made it my mission to find money for us to invest in growth. “This is an important moment for racing and The Jockey Club. We have agreed a long-term opportunity with a proven worldwide operator to help us improve our customer experience and grow our ability to invest in the sport. “We want customers at our venues to enjoy the sport, enjoy the hospitality and the overall customer experience so that they come back more often. Levy and Compass have the experience of operating world class sporting venues which, allied to our expertise and experience in racing, means they can play a significant role in helping racing and us grow.” Explaining where most of the investment will be aimed at, Mullen added, “We will be upgrading to a digital-based ticketing system that will make us more efficient but also enhance our ability to grow our customer database and to market to it more effectively. This will cost several million pounds and is a significant piece of work, but it's a key priority. “We will also invest further into our core festival courses, Cheltenham, Aintree and Epsom Downs. These venues host our biggest events and by investing in them, we can improve the experience of the customer and drive returns that can be invested in other parts of the business. We have earmarked a significant proportion of our investment for projects put forward by these courses.” The evolution of the partnership between The Jockey Club and Levy sees the existing joint venture, Jockey Club Catering, rebranded as Jockey Club Experiences. Jockey Club Experiences will now oversee end-to-end hospitality package sales and delivery, conferencing and events and retail merchandising, alongside their role as the ongoing food and beverage partner across all retail and hospitality. Jon Davies, CEO of Levy, said, “This partnership is a defining moment for British racing and a statement of intent. Together with The Jockey Club, we are committed to setting a new global standard for the raceday experience. “Our evolution into Jockey Club Experiences reflects the scale of our ambition and the responsibility we carry. By investing for the long term, we are elevating the experience for racegoers and strengthening the sport's position on the world stage.” The post The Jockey Club Reveals Ambitious Plans Through £100 Million Partnership with Levy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aidan O'Brien heaped praise on Albert Einstein at a Ballydoyle press morning on Monday and described the unbeaten Wootton Bassett colt as his number one hope heading into the new season. Albert Einstein is a general 7-1 favourite for the 2,000 Guineas. He also holds a Derby entry, for which he is a best-priced 20-1 shot. However, O'Brien acknowledged that Albert Einstein, who has recorded both of his wins over six furlongs, is not certain to stay a mile. O'Brien said, “The number one at the moment is Albert – he's done very well physically. He's big and powerful and very rapid. We won't know if he's going to get the mile until we do it. The stride people, the heart people, the pedigree people, everyone says that he will get a mile, but he's a very quick thinker.” The master of Ballydoyle added, “He's rapid to do anything. He's quick to leave the stalls and very quick into his stride. We're not going to know and we're not going to search to find out [if he'll stay a mile or not] because we don't want to wake him up too much. We're going to train him asleep and see what's going to happen.” Albert Einstein is part of a trio of Ballydoyle-trained colts who have Classic targets this spring. O'Brien continued, “The other horse is Puerto Rico and the other horse after that is Gstaad, and we all know what he's done. At the moment, the three of them are being trained for the Guineas. I'd imagine one of them will go to France and then hopefully come back to the Curragh. “With the way the ground is at the moment, I'd imagine they'd all go straight there. Listening to the lads, I think two will go to Newmarket and one will go to France and then the Curragh – I think that's what they're thinking. “Albert is the main horse. When we started working him in the spring of his two-year-old career, we thought all the two-year-olds were no good and we thought he was the only horse we had. “He was that much above everything else, it was unusual. He had his two runs and won his maiden very easily, it was a six-furlong race and he was keen enough, he was rapid through the race and the second (Power Blue) won a Group 1 after. Then he had the mishap, he doesn't look big but he's powerful, he's wide and strong.” O'Brien added, “He picked up a little fracture at the Curragh. He was so far ahead of the other two-year-olds at the start it wasn't funny. He's unbelievably quick. Everyone is telling us he'll stay, but it's whether he can get down and relax. We're training him without looking at him, he'll go to the Guineas without having come off the bridle.” The post O’Brien: ‘Albert Einstein Will Go To The Guineas Without Having Come Off The Bridle At Home’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The new inside track at Awapuni was being seeded 10 years ago, and now gone. The cost of $280,000 not insignificant. They appear to be consistent in poor due diligence, talking up their current project like it's the next best thing, treating cost as irrelevant, using the surface before properly consolidated and discarding and moving onto the next bigger and better project with even more experts onboard.

Still on a high after the birth of his first child and a purple patch in the saddle, Andrea Atzeni is dreaming of an upset win aboard Top Dragon in Sunday’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) at Sha Tin. Victory in the city’s most prized race would cap a whirlwind couple of weeks for the Sardinian jockey, who became a father just hours after celebrating his best winning haul in Hong Kong – a four-timer at Sha Tin on March 8. Atzeni revealed he almost missed the Sha Tin meeting after his fiancée Emma’s...View the full article

Jim Tomkinson was my hero from that era. He mixed every feed too, but there again he only ever had 8 or 10 in work. Bought them all [or most of them ] himself for his very select clientele. Jim wouldn't train a horse for me when I asked, but I loved going around on a Sunday morning and discussing what happened over in Sydney and Melbourne the previous day. He was the best.

Ah, my sincere apologies! I completely misinterpreted your question and went down the fruit aisle instead of the paint aisle. That's a fascinating and subtle question. Let's correct course and dive deep into the distinction between the **color orange** and the **color tangerine**. While they are close relatives on the color wheel, they have distinct personalities. The difference boils down to a fundamental color property: **tone**. Here is a detailed breakdown of the color orange vs. the color tangerine. | Feature | The Color Orange | The Color Tangerine | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Color Family** | A primary color in pigment, a secondary color in light. | A tertiary color, a specific shade *within* the orange family. | | **Primary Hue** | A balanced, pure mix of red and yellow. | Leans significantly more towards **yellow** than red. | | **Tone/Value** | Can range widely from light to dark, but the "pure" orange is a mid-tone. | Inherently **bright, light, and vivid**. It's a high-energy, saturated color. | | **Associations** | Warmth, energy, caution, autumn, fire. | Zest, freshness, sweetness, tropical fruit, summer, vitality. | ### 🎨 The Deep Dive: Understanding the Nuance To truly see the difference, we need to look at the specific ingredients that make up the color. **The Foundation: What is Orange?** In the world of light (RGB), orange is a secondary color, created by combining pure red and pure green light. In the world of pigment (like paint or printing), it's made by mixing red and yellow. The "web color" or purest digital representation of orange is a specific point on the color spectrum. It's bold and warm, but it can sometimes feel a bit flat or even aggressive in its purest form. **The Variation: What is Tangerine?** Tangerine takes the basic formula for orange and modifies it. It's essentially a **yellow-orange**. By adding more yellow, the color becomes: - **Lighter:** It has a higher value or luminance than a pure, mid-tone orange. - **Brighter:** The addition of yellow gives it a more radiant, almost glowing quality. It's less "earthy" and more "electric." - **Less Red:** It loses the potential "warmth" or slight aggressiveness that red can bring and becomes more cheerful and zesty. ### 👁️ How to Tell Them Apart If you're looking at two swatches side-by-side, here are the best ways to spot the difference: 1. **The Color Wheel Test:** On a standard color wheel, find pure orange. Tangerine will be located in the space **between that pure orange and pure yellow**. It's closer to yellow than to red. 2. **The Red Test:** Ask yourself, "Does this color have a noticeable amount of red in it?" - **Orange:** A pure orange has a balanced red component. It's a true, unwavering orange. Think of a safety cone or a pumpkin. - **Tangerine:** The red is dialed back. It's a much "cleaner," less complex color. Think of the vibrant, glossy skin of the fruit it's named after. 3. **The Comparison Test:** Compare them to other familiar shades. - Tangerine is lighter and more yellow than a standard **orange**. - Tangerine is lighter and less red than **vermilion** or **red-orange**. - Tangerine is brighter and more yellow than **burnt orange** (which has brown/red tones) or **coral** (which has pink tones). ### 💻 The Digital Difference (RGB & Hex Codes) In the digital world, the difference is precise. These values represent one common interpretation of each color. - **Pure Orange (web color):** - **Hex:** #FFA500 - **RGB:** (255, 165, 0) - *Full red, a good amount of green (which makes yellow), and no blue.* - **Tangerine (a common web representation):** - **Hex:** #F28500 - **RGB:** (242, 133, 0) - *A very high amount of red, but slightly less than pure orange. The key is the green value is lower, which shifts the mix away from a pure yellow and gives it its specific hue. A brighter tangerine might have Hex: #FF9E0D, which has a higher green value, making it more yellow.* So, in summary: if orange is the whole family, tangerine is the cheerful, sunnier, and more yellow-leaning cousin. It's orange with the volume turned up on brightness and yellow. I hope this vibrant explanation is more like the color you were looking for!

Tangerine

For decades the show was funded by a % takeout around half of what it is today and it was going a lot better than what it is today. Don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that 130% markets are going to snuff the game out completely

You obviously don’t know how BSP is calculated. You need to do some research.

Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) would most likely still have launched his campaign in the Gr.1 William Reid Stakes (2000m) had it been at its home track, Moonee Valley, but the Ciaron Maher stable are not complaining about its home for this year. The A$1 million sprint will be run at Caulfield this Saturday with The Valley out of action while under renovation. Jimmysstar has had six starts at Caulfield for five wins, including the Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m). The six-year-old has won two trials in preparation for his return and Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull is excited about unleashing him this weekend. “The William Reid is here at Caulfield, which is his favourite track,” Turnbull said. “He’s had a faultless prep and his trials are obviously there to be seen. “It would be nice to think he’s come back better – he doesn’t need to – but he tries, he’s very competitive and he’s clearly a very good horse.” The William Reid Stakes will be Jimmysstar’s first start since banking a third career Group One win in the Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and while he has claims on recognition as Australia’s premier 1400m horse, Turnbull said 1200m at weight-for-age was the perfect fresh set-up. “He won the Oakleigh Plate here, but that was as a younger horse and he had no weight,” he said. “Now as a mature horse, effectively he is a ‘seven furlong’ (1400m) horse, but he’s so brilliant and fresh over six (furlongs) he can really rip.” Jimmysstar is one of 15 entries for the William Reid Stakes and two for Maher, who will also be represented by Benedetta (Hellbent). The Maher pair are among 10 Group One winners entered for the William Reid Stakes. -RAS NewsWire View the full article