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    Jockey merry-go-round on Maharba

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    • Having already been forced to cancel its live racing program for Saturday, Feb. 7, officials at Laurel Park have called off the card for Sunday, Feb. 8, citing continuing frigid temperatures across the Mid-Atlantic region. Live racing is expected to resume at Laurel on Thursday, Feb. 12, with a first post of 12 p.m. ET. The previously canceled card for Feb. 7 will not be redrawn and will be conducted that afternoon. Sunday's scheduled races will be listed as guaranteed extras on the overnights throughout next week. These races will be run over the weekend with the same number of horses after a redraw, provided they remain intact. Laurel Park and The Maryland Jockey Club OTB network will remain open on Sunday for simulcast. Aqueduct Racetrack is also closed both Feb. 7 and 8 due to the cold weather. The post Laurel Park Cancels Live Racing On Feb. 8 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
    • Roll On Big Joe makes his 2026 debut in the Feb. 8 King Cotton Stakes for older horses at 6 furlongs after completing a stellar 2025 campaign, highlighted by his win in the Ring The Bell Stakes.View the full article
    • Ricardo Santana, Jr. rode the 800th winner of his career at Oaklawn Park on Thursday, when he guided Will Take It (Tapit) to a hard-fought victory in the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes. He is the fourth rider in the history of the track to achieve the milestone. Others to cross that threshold are Pat Day (1,264 wins), Larry Snyder and Calvin Borel. The 33-year-old credits trainer Ron Moquett and his fellow jockeys Terry Thompson and Borel with steering him towards the Arkansas track in 2011. “Got lucky, you know?” Santana, Jr. said moments after the Fifth Season. “Moquett, he helped get me here and gave me a lot of opportunities when I started. I have to say thanks to Terry Thompson. There are a lot of people who don't know how much he helped me. Calvin Borel, too. Those are two top riders that I respect.” Having registered his first Oaklawn victory 15 years ago last month, Santana, Jr. made the most of his association with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen to be the leading local jockey on seven occasions (2013-2018, 2020). He is Oaklawn's career leader in purse earnings ($47.9 million) and ranks second in career stakes wins (65). “I'm really thankful that I've won 800,” Santana said. “Arkansas opened the door for me and made me who I am.” Santana, Jr. enjoyed a long run with agent Ruben Munoz, who brought the jockey to the United States in 2009. New York-based P. J. Campo now books rides for Santana, Jr. Santana, Jr. rode the 2,000th winner of his career in Hot Springs in April 2025. The post Santana, Jr. Celebrates 800 Oaklawn Winners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
    • From a small commercial broodmare band, which currently numbers just six mares, Vincent Colbert has had a remarkable amount of success in a short amount of time, breeding Grade I winners Callback and Chocolate Gelato, as well as Grade III winner Shotgun Hottie. The Massachusetts native had success almost right from the start of his breeding operation with the purchase of Quickest (Forest Wildcat) for $40,000 as a 2-year-old at the 2007 Keeneland January sale–three years before her half-brother Super Saver (Maria's Mon) won the GI Kentucky Derby. The bay mare never made it to the races, but she produced Callback (Street Sense). Colbert discussed his 2026 mating plans with Thoroughbred Daily News. QUICKEST (21, Forest Wildcat–Supercharger, by A.P. Indy) Will be bred to First Mission (Street Sense) I picked him because the cross works–Street Sense is Callback's sire–and he's $10,000. The family is cooking with Mob [a first-out 3-year-old winner out of Quickest's daughter Onslaught (Street Sense), Six Speed, and [Callback's son] Page Turner (Jpn) in Japan. She's getting old and this is the last time I will breed her. She will be retired after this. MPEMBA (8, Frosted–Quickest, by Forest Wildcat) Will be bred to Locked (Gun Runner) She is a half to Callback and she is the only female that I still have in the family. She has a 2-year-old by Practical Joke that is selling at OBS this year and shouldn't be missed. She is currently in foal to Domestic Product–physically, I had to go to him. She is going to Locked at Gainesway. I wanted to do a foal share with Gun Runner, but I got shot down with that. Locked, as a freshman sire, $35,000 is a great price point for him. The connections are really good. To me it was a no-brainer for her. ALLIANNA (11, Flat Out–Elusive Royalty, by Elusive Quality) Will be bred to Violence (Medaglia d'Oro) We sold her and then I bought her back privately. I got her back in foal to Maclean's Music and last night she foaled a full-brother to [stakes winner] Coming In Hot. She is going to Violence. It's a good cross, he's a gorgeous horse and I think he's a proven sire for $30,000. He's got Boyd, Forte, Volatile, Mullikin, Obliteration. Why not? FUNDAY SUNDAE (5, Palace Malice–Special Treat, by Candy Ride {Arg}) Will be bred to Maximus Mischief (Into Mischief) She is a half-sister to Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke). She had a few little issues, so I didn't race her. I bred her to Timberlake last year pretty much just because he was a son of Into Mischief and she's going to Maximus Mischief this year. For $20k at Spendthrift, so now I get invited to the breeders' party in September. GIBBET (11, War Front–Cross, by Mighty) Will be bred to Essential Quality (Tapit) I own her with my cousin Jim Connor. She is currently in foal to Tapit Trice. We picked him last year because he's just a gorgeous horse and my cousin Jim is a lot like Dave Portnoy, he only wants to breed to gray stallions. This year we are going to Essential Quality. He has [Jerome Stakes winner] My World on the Kentucky Derby trail and I think The Puma is running this weekend at Tampa [in the Sam F. Davis Stakes]. He was a dynamite racehorse from a deep family. We got a good price on him from Darley. I enjoy doing business with Darley. I think Kate is great. And they throw me swag. Swag is very important. SHANGHAI TARIFF (11, Shanghai Bobby–Star White, by Naevus) Will be bred to Johannes (Nyquist) She was a fast filly who raced a lot, but her babies haven't done that good for me at the sales. I am sending her to Johannes. Number one because he's by Nyquist and two, the female family, that first dam, Cuyathy (Congrats) is cooking. Every one of her babies has had black-type–well not every one–we might find out on Saturday if the current one will as well. Soaring Angel (Knicks Go) is entered in the Sweet Life Stakes at Santa Anita Saturday. Plus, it was only $10,000. Jacob West purchased Chocolate Gelato as a 2-year-old, so I figured I would throw him a bone and help him get his new career [at Claiborne Farm] off to a good start. The post 2026 Mating Plans: Vincent Colbert appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
    • It would have been understandable had Pierre Gasnier felt daunted by the task at hand when he succeeded Georges Rimaud as manager of the French studs for the Aga Khan family at the start of 2025. But then, so eventful a year did it out turn to be, it was probably for the best that he didn't have much chance to stop and weigh up the enormity of his new role. For a start, this week brought with it the one-year anniversary of the death of His Highness Aga Khan IV, who became one of the most successful owner-breeders of the modern era after taking control of the family's bloodstock interests upon the death of his father, Prince Aly Khan, in 1960. The loss of Aga Khan IV was a hammer blow to all of those who worked for him, as well as instilling in them a determination to continue the methods that had been successful for so many years. “Very badly, as you can imagine,” Gasnier says of how the tight-knit team at the Aga Khan Studs was affected by the death of its leader. “We started the year in bad way, because there are people who have been working at the Aga Khan Studs for so long that, when the news came about the loss of His Highness, they were very much heartbroken. “But we still had to do our job and to look after the horses in the best way possible – the way he would have liked us to do it. We did that and, thankfully, nature played in our favour.”     Certainly, events on the racecourse in 2025 could not have worked out much better for the team at the Aga Khan Studs, now operating under the guidance of Aga Khan IV's daughter, Princess Zahra Aga Khan. Daryz (Sea The Stars), winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and Classic heroine Zarigana (Siyouni), who was successful in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, were among the leading lights in the famous green and red silks, but star billing must go to Calandagan. The son of Gleneagles was recently crowned Longines World's Best Racehorse for 2025, having registered four straight Group 1 victories in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Champion Stakes and Japan Cup. “The horses went all year from strength to strength, better than we expected. It was amazing, really,” says Gasnier. “If I sum up the emotions around the year that happened, I think the fact that we're a small team, working very closely with Princess Zahra and her family, makes it all the more special and amplifies the emotion. “I will never forget the first time that I met her. She kept telling me that the objective and the goal was to race to breed, which is something that needs to be mentioned because it's very special nowadays. Every foal we produce will be going at one stage to one of our trainers, which means that we know the family extremely well, and it's special because you're going full circle.” Gasnier is indebted to that small team at the Aga Khan Studs for their guidance and support ever since he first joined, having initially served as Rimaud's assistant for two years. “Very well – I think, anyway!” he says of how he's settled into the position held by Rimaud for 25 years before him. “I'm extremely lucky to have the team that I work with. I owe special thanks to Nemone Routh [director and French racing manager], Pat Downes [manager of the Irish studs] and, of course, Princess Zahra. “They worked with His Highness the Prince Aga Khan IV for many, many years, so they know the operation very well and they can teach me and guide me every day. I'm also surrounded by very good people on the farms. All of the advice is very important to me, because I have plenty to learn still, so I'm very lucky that they were there before I came.” Of his two years working with the fountain of challenge that Rimaud must have been, he adds, “It was a short period of time when you think about it, because you could spend a lifetime learning from a man like him. He is a true professional and a very passionate breeder. He's a man of great presence, intelligent, extremely rigorous and liked by everyone. “He taught me to always show respect towards the people and the staff that we work with, as well as to our clients and always to approach the situation with transparency. Also, patience, because breeding takes time. He kept reminding me that if you make sure every step of the way that the process is done well, it will pay off sooner rather than later. I learned plenty, but I could have learned much more.” Gasnier is also very grateful to another institution in racing and bloodstock circles for giving him his grounding at the coalface of the sport, at a time when he wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to devote himself to a career in racing. “I always grew up with horses,” he says of his background. “My parents always used to keep a couple of mares, especially National Hunt, to breed from. My brother, who is younger than me, was also a National Hunt jockey. So, you can imagine that I spent most of my weekends as a child touring the countryside racetracks. “I was following my family, let's say, but I didn't really want to work with horses. I studied Agriculture and Wildlife Protection and, when I was finished studying, I decided I needed to learn English, so I travelled to Ireland in 2010. I arrived in Tipperary and I stayed there for 13 years in Coolmore. That's really when I got the passion and it all made sense. I loved every bit of it. All credit to Mr Magnier and his family. I will be forever thankful to them for their trust.” Explaining how the opportunity to join the team at the Aga Khan Studs came about, he continues, “They were looking four years ago to employ a stud groom at [Haras de] Bonneval and [Haras de] Saint-Crespin to help Mr Rimaud. Obviously, I thought the opportunity was a nice one to consider and we started discussing it. I felt it was something that I shouldn't miss if I wanted to keep learning and building my career in the breeding industry.” Now, a few weeks into his second year as manager of the French studs, Gasnier is understandably optimistic about what the future holds for this most respected of operations, whilst still having to pinch himself to realise that it isn't all a dream. “As a young Frenchman, you're in full admiration of the Aga Khan Studs and the family,” he sums up. “The green and red silks are the most famous on the racetrack for years. It's a symbol of excellence, tradition and, obviously, great success. If you'd told me a long time ago that I would be a part of it, I would never have thought about it. It's a dream come true. “Again, I'm privileged, grateful and deeply thankful to Princess Zahra, her family and all of the team. Going forward, we just have to keep doing what we do. We are in a very good position because our stallion roster is performing at the highest level, led by Siyouni, and we can imagine and hope that we will have more stallions in the next couple of years entering our stallion barn.” He continues, “A special mention must go to Daryz, a son of Sea The Stars who is out of Daryakana, which is a magnificent family. He won the Arc, and he is a horse that is improving and very good-looking. He is a superstar and we really wish for him to continue to do well. We have others that will be coming along, including Rayif, Samangan and some that haven't raced yet but are showing plenty of potential. “Also, our broodmare band is very, very strong, with many young mares in foal to top stallions, so we can be optimistic and still believe that success will keep breeding success.” The post ‘It’s A Dream Come True’ – Pierre Gasnier Still Pinching Himself in Senior Role at the Aga Khan Studs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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