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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
The constellation of stars in Johnny Burke's barn at Keeneland has shifted now that champions Sovereignty (Into Mischief) and Immersive (Nyquist), as well as 2025 GI Kentucky Oaks victress Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro), have shipped south to Payson Park, but the shedrow is just as busy as ever. For Burke, the departure of an elite trio simply makes room for the next wave of talent. Burke, who trained publicly out of The Thoroughbred Center for 15 years, has headed up Godolphin's pre-training and rehabilitation program at Keeneland since 2006. The first group that came through featured multiple Grade I winners Cocoa Beach (CHI) (Doneraile Court) and Music Note (A.P. Indy). The latter's legacy came full circle for Burke when he handled her son, 2021 G1 Dubai World Cup hero Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper). Fellow Darley roster-mates Highland Falls, Maxfield, Cody's Wish and Proxy are a few other notable pupils from recent years. The Godolphin horses that pass through Burke's barn arrive with a wide variety of credentials. Some are unraced prospects needing a few extra months before heading to their racing stable while others are getting back under tack after surgery or injury. Seasoned veterans like the trio of Grade I winners that just departed from Burke's care use the program to ease back into the rhythm of daily training after a layoff. “For most of the horses that come through here, it's just a matter of them needing more time,” explained Burke. “This helps them develop a bit and they're really never off the track unless they're in a paddock for a month. It all benefits the horse in the end.” Burke took the TDN down the shedrow of his Rice Road barn, offering an encyclopedic breakdown of every trainee in his care. He highlights some of the notable graded stakes winners who are set to return to the starting gate in 2026 and a few unraced 3-year-olds who Burke believes possess the raw talent for a bright future. FIRST RESORT (c, 4, Uncle Mo — Fair Maiden, by Street Boss). Winner of 2024 GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in his most recent start. This horse just came in off a layoff. He'd been out for some time, had a little bit of an issue, but he's back training. He had a very authoritative win in the Jockey Club, so we thought we were in a good spot, but that's racing. It'll give you a curveball every now and again when you don't expect it. He's a very straightforward horse. He'll train here until probably March or April and then go back to Eoin Harty. More than likely he'll stay at Turfway for the summer and then ship accordingly. He's doing well, a lot stronger physically, and he's happy to be back in training. THINK BIG (g, 5, Twirling Candy — Always Thinking, by Street Sense). Winner of the 2025 GII Shakertown Stakes, GII Turf Sprint Stakes and GIII Kelso Stakes. This guy will go back to Mike Stidham during the meet here. He had a little bit of a setback and got some time off, but he's on the right track now. He's probably going to work here by the end of the month. These turf sprinters don't need a thousand miles of training under them. They're just naturally quick. He'll probably be hard-pressed to make the spring meet here, but there will be something at Churchill for him and then there's Saratoga, where he ran last year. He's a lot of fun to have in the barn. These sprinters just get better with age. JEFFERSON STREET (g, 5, Street Sense — Apiary, by Bernardini). Runner-up in the 2024 GII Amsterdam Stakes. Last start October, 2024. He hasn't quite lived up to his form yet. He came back here and had a little setback. We've gelded him. We don't keep a lot of 5-year-olds in the program, but he will go back to Bill Mott probably after the meet. He's got conditions and if he can win a stake, great. NASH (g, 5, Medaglia d'Oro — Sara Louise, by Malibu Moon). Runner-up in the 2024 GIII Lecomtes Stakes and GII Pat Day Miles Stakes. Last start September, 2025. Nash will go back to Brad Cox soon. He's graded stakes placed and has won four times. I think there are still some good miles under this guy. INFINITE SKY (f, 3, Not This Time — Sky Painter, by Street Cry {Ire}). Runner-up in the 2025 GII Jessamine Stakes. Sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Half-sister to Grade I winner Wet Paint (Blame). We ended up taking a chip out of her knee and she got some time off. She's just come back under tack and she'll go to Brad Cox during the spring meet. ROSE ROOM (f, 3, Ghostzapper — Speckled, by Street Cry {Ire}). Broke maiden at Delaware Park on 8-7-25. Fourth in Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Stakes in her most recent start. This is Mike Stidham's. She was fourth in a stake at Kentucky Downs and then got turned out. She just needed some time. She'll get better with age and will go back to Mike here in the spring. She's probably a stakes-caliber filly at somewhere like Colonial Downs. SPIN A TUNE (f, 3, Hard Spun — Desert Tune, by Street Cry {Ire}). Broke maiden at Ellis Park on 8-1-25. This is an interesting filly. She ran against the boys in her maiden at Ellis Park going five and a half on the grass. It turns out [future stakes winner] Street Beast (Street Sense) was second and the horse that won, Twilight Delight (Twirling Candy), ended up being stakes placed for Daniel Leitch, so that tells you what she ran into in that maiden race. She needed time off and will go back to Eoin Harty probably for the spring meet. This is a nice filly. The Hard Spun fillies are normally very tough and hardy. ZAMBONI (f, 3, Nyquist — Synchronize, by Tapit). Second on debut at Ellis Park on 8-22-25. This colt was second at Ellis Park in his first start for Brendan Walsh. He was getting ready to run here at Keeneland opening weekend and had a setback in a breeze. He had two screws put in and got three months off. He's back under tack now. Typical of a Nyquist, he's a nice, well-made colt. ACKLEY (c, 3, Street Boss — Arbol, by Elusive Quality). Third on debut at Fair Grounds on 11-27-25. This horse just came in from Mike Stidham. He placed down in Fair Grounds. We took a chip out of his ankle and he's been back on the track for about four weeks. He'll go back to Mike probably after the spring meet. Usually if a horse has run a couple times and breezed recently, with five or six weeks for a P1 chip they don't lose a lot of fitness. It won't take long for them to get caught up. EQUATOR (c, 3, Uncle Mo–Moiety, by Bernardini). Third on debut at Ellis Park on 7-13-25. Last start August, 2025. This horse had some joint surgery and he's been back in training for the last six weeks. I'm probably going to pick up the pace in the next week. I like this horse. His races on the charts look good and he looks to be a horse that will improve as he gets older. LADY BROMPTON (f, 3, Street Sense — Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini). Unraced. This is a half-sister to MGSW Knightsbridge (Nyquist) and a full-sister to Darley stallion Speaker's Corner. She was supposed to go to Florida to Bill Mott on the van that left in January, but she had a bit of a setback here and lost a month of training. It was probably a month that she benefitted from because she was immature, but she's a very nice filly and she's from a great family. CUTTING EDGE (f, 3, Curlin — Innovate Idea, by Bernardini). Unraced. This is the half-sister to multiple Grade I winner Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile). She breezed here this week [three furlongs in :38.40]. She's a nice filly. We gave her plenty of time because she's a typical Curlin where she needs a bit more time, but she's coming together really well. I expect her to go to Brad Cox during the meet here. I'll get her up to working a half mile before she leaves. That's about as far as I typically breeze them. RISING MOON (c, 3, Tapit — Shuruq, by Elusive Quality). Unraced. This colt was supposed to go to Bill Mott's earlier in the summer last year, but unfortunately he had a little setback with Niall Brennan down in Ocala. I've had him for a while but he's doing really well. He's probably three or four weeks away from picking up the pace and then he'll go back to Bill in the spring. I think we have a little bit of a future with this guy. He's got a lot of the old man in him. He's real professional once he gets on the track and he does his job. RILEY COVE (c, 3, Into Mischief — Lake Avenue, by Tapit). Unraced. This colt is by Into Mischief and you can see the old man in him too. He's out of Lake Avenue, who was a pretty decent filly [Grade II winner]. He had some condylar bruising and got some time off. This one is Bill Mott's. He's been back under tack here for the last two weeks. He will train here until the spring and then he may go over to Churchill Downs for the summer. The post Down the Shedrow with Johnny Burke appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Bill Recio, a respected and accomplished horseman, passed away on Feb. 10 following a brief illness. He was 78 years old. Born in Miami, Florida, Bill was introduced to thoroughbred racing at an early age by his uncle, an owner-trainer. From the moment he experienced the beauty of the horse and the electricity of the racetrack, he knew his life's path would be in the horse business. The quote, “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man,” could not have been more true for Bill. Horses were not simply his livelihood – they were his calling. Bill began his career at the racetrack as a hot walker, learning the business from the ground up. Through hard work, determination, and a natural gift with horses, he earned his first major opportunity as an assistant to the late great Arnold Winick. Traveling across the country for prominent owners, Bill built a reputation for horsemanship rooted in patience, instinct, and integrity. After marrying the love of his life, Lynn, they decided that putting down roots would better suit their growing family. Bill accepted the position of farm manager and trainer at Marablue Farm. Though he would later return to training at the track, Bill and Lynn fell in love with Ocala and its ideal environment for developing young horses. They eventually made Ocala their permanent home and founded Lynwood Stable, where Bill dedicated himself to pre-training, rehabilitation, and guiding thoroughbreds both young and seasoned. Teaching young horses their early lessons was one of Bill's greatest joys. He treated every horse as an individual, believing that each one would tell you what it needed–if you were willing to listen. His quiet intuition and steady patience allowed countless horses to thrive under his care. Throughout his career, Bill had the honor of contributing to the development of exceptional racehorses, including Songbird, Omaha Beach, Honor Code, Unbridled Belle, Fleet Indian, Battle of Midway, Oleksandra, Funtastic, Gift Box, Leofric and Guarana. Yet to Bill, every horse was his student, and he valued them all equally. The people who worked alongside him were also his students. Though he could be tough, he invested deeply in mentoring young riders and horsemen, shaping not just better professionals but better people. Bill had a way of sharing his convictions and guiding others to see his perspective, often saying simply, “right or wrong,” as he encouraged them to understand, trust, and learn from his approach. Later in life, Bill and Lynn–his partner of 60 years–were able to travel the world together, visiting racetracks and stables across continents. He often said, “The bond between humans and horses is universal–the common denominator. No matter what language you speak or your socioeconomic status, the love of the horse, that is the bond.” It was a belief he lived every day. He is survived by his devoted wife, Lynn; his daughter, Katie Cauthen (Recio) and son-in-law, Chief Stipe Cauthen; his son Gene Recio. He was preceded in death by his son, Mike Recio. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Campbell (Chief Stipe and Katie) and Addison and Wesley (Mike). Bill Recio's legacy lives on in the countless horses he guided, the horsemen he mentored, and the family he cherished. His life was a testament to hard work, quiet wisdom, and an enduring love for the horse The post Bill Recio, Notable Horseman, Dies at 78 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
RIVER WIND (f, 3, Lexitonian–Rachae Leigh, by Stormin Fever) entered this unveiling with a sharp worktab to her credit for trainer Norm Casse, and was supported by the betting public to the tune of 4-1 odds. Breaking well as Quick to Charm (Goldencents) was herded out, the daughter of Lexitonian stepped out to set the fractions and posted an opening quarter of :21.87 with a clear advantage on her rivals. Under a drive but well clear after a half-mile in :45.45, River Wind entered the lane three wide but still moving forwardly as the margin increased to 8 1/4 lengths on the wire. Quick to Charm closed from last to claim second. The victress is the most recent to the races for Rachae Leigh, who claims four successful offspring of competition age from five on the ground. The mare's youngest is a yearling colt by Rombauer, and she is due to Blazing Sevens in 2026. Rachae Leigh is a half-sister to MGSW Stryker PhD (Bertrando) and MSW Madame Pele (Salt Lake), herself mother of SP Ali Alley (Quality Road). This is the extended female family of GSW All Squared Away (Bellamy Road). 1st-Oaklawn, $110,000, Msw, 2-16, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:10.13, ft, 8 1/4 lengths. RIVER WIND (f, 3, Lexitonian–Rachae Leigh, by Stormin Fever) Sales history: $20,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV; $155,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $66,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Turman Racing Stable, LLC, Resilient Six Stables, LLC and TJR Thoroughbreds; B-Javie Woodstock, LLC & Javier Hernandez (KY); T-Norm W. Casse. The post Lexitonian’s River Wind Strides Home Well on Debut at Oaklawn appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
On February 9, TDN published my Letter to the Editor criticizing The Jockey Club for its January 27 rebuttal of Mike Repole's sustained effort to hold the organization accountable for the most pressing issues facing Thoroughbred racing, breeding and aftercare. That statement alone was enough to make my blood curdle. The Jockey Club labeled Repole's concerns “unfair,” referred to itself as a body of “volunteers,” and again refused to accept responsibility for its own failures. Then came the February 13 “Industry Impact Report,” and what had curdled began to boil. Much of what the Stewards of The Jockey Club likely view as substantive is, upon inspection, a farce, detailing spending but offering little in the way of results or, contrary to its title–impact. It falls well short of what experienced stakeholders expect and fails to withstand even modest scrutiny. Worse still, the report exposes a fatal contradiction by acknowledging on the record that The Jockey Club's mission extends far beyond merely serving as a registry, a defense it has long used as a convenient shield. “The Jockey Club remains steadfast in its mission to improve Thoroughbred breeding and racing,” said President and COO James L. Gagliano. “Each year we continue to expand on that mission by assisting Thoroughbreds throughout their lives and marketing and growing the sport and its fan base.” There it is. The mission expands annually. Any argument that The Jockey Club is merely a registry, and that the issues it has been challenged on fall outside its scope, is nullified by its own leadership. This is precisely why the original use of the words “unfair” and “volunteers” was so offensive. Rather than embracing the responsibility that comes with being the most qualified organization to serve as a de facto governing body, The Jockey Club once again passed the buck. Just weeks later, its president contradicts that stance. As owners and breeders, required to register our horses with the Jockey Club in order to race and breed, it is our duty to hold the organization to its own words. For the Club's members and Stewards, that responsibility is even greater. If the January 27 rebuttal was a swing and a miss, the Industry Impact Report was a complete whiff. Let's just look at these supposed acts of transparency through the lens of dedication to Thoroughbred aftercare. Some uncomfortable truths emerged, all drawn from The Jockey Club's own reporting. First, The Jockey Club spends more on executive compensation than it directs to Thoroughbred aftercare. Using the Club's own figures, executive compensation in 2024 was roughly 60 percent higher than the amount directed to aftercare in 2025. Second, in 2025 it spent almost 30 percent more on America's Best Racing content creation and media than it contributes to aftercare. Third, the touted increase in aftercare funding for 2026 is, arguably, substantially subsidized by higher registration fees paid by owners and breeders, which they never announced publicly until pressed by the media to explain it. This is confounding. Even if these funds are used entirely for aftercare, the Jockey Club does a deplorable job selling it. And if they can't even market their own efforts believably amongst stakeholders, how can they be entrusted to market our sport? The here-to-fore “silent majority” should be outraged, and more should speak out. Accountability and meaningful reform are no longer optional. While The Jockey Club attempts to characterize its impact as improvement, every major metric in this industry is shrinking. A quiet “trust us” or “we got this” is not only insufficient, it's not even believable. To compound matters, while Repole has been criticized for keeping much of his playbook private, the one developed plan he did present to The Jockey Club included comprehensive findings on aftercare with a sustainable, industry wide funding structure. It was ignored. If the Jockey Club isn't open to critical fixes to aftercare – a topic which should be universally supported – it's impossible to expect them to lead on other substantive areas of our business. I was angry after the January 27 rebuttal, yet I deliberately tried to keep the focus on Repole's message rather than the messenger. Personalities are irrelevant. Principles are not. Before reform can begin, stakeholders must acknowledge that this industry is drowning. Despite ample resources, The Jockey Club is not offering a lifeline, it is standing by as the water rises. I did not believe it could get worse after January 27. The February 13 Industry Impact Report proved otherwise. How long do we need to read their past performances before we start believing them? The Jockey Club has had decades to right the ship and has given us no reason to believe it can or will. Once stakeholders in the industry recognize and accept this reality, then and only then can collaboration begin. Only then can the playbook open and the game be turned in our favor, for the good of the entire industry, not for a tone deaf few who still believe this is their club rather than one that belongs to everyone with a stake in this sport. Aron Wellman is the President & Founder of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, LLC The post Letter to the Editor: Strike 2 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Sam Sheppard CBE, former chief executive of both the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) and the European Breeders' Fund (EBF), died on Friday evening at his home in Suffolk. He was 84. His tenure at the TBA ran from 1973 to 1989 and during that time Sheppard was instrumental in setting up the EBF along with the late Peter Willett and Bob McCreery. He remained at the helm of the EBF, which is still going strong more than 40 years later, until his retirement at the end of 2012. By that time the scheme, which is funded by stallion owners, had distributed more than €100 million in prize-money. That figure has now climbed to more than €140 million. A keen supporter of jump racing and point-to-pointing in particular, Sheppard's background was in the National Hunt sphere. His father Gay was clerk of the course at Newton Abbot, Exeter and Taunton. He and his wife Jane have both been avid supporters of the Thurlow Hunt, which meets just outside Newmarket. Despite having been diagnosed with cancer two and a half years ago, Sheppard was still a regular attendee of those meets until recently. Kerry Murphy, his successor as chief executive of the EBF since 2013, said, “Sam was instrumental in setting up the EBF back in 1983 whilst also heading up the TBA. It is testament to his hard work and determination that the EBF still thrives today and we are proud to pay tribute to his life and contribution to the racing industry which he was so passionate about.” Having also served as secretary of the International Thoroughbred Breeders Federation, Sheppard was made a CBE in the Queen's birthday honours list of 2014 for services to horse breeding and the rural economy. It was a fitting honour to bestow upon someone who had devoted the majority of his working life to an industry that he adored and which was fortunate to have him in a role which often required his skilful blend of knowledge, tact and charm. Philip Freedman chaired the British EBF during Sheppard's time with the organisation and he too paid tribute to his drive in setting up the EBF. He said, “For a large part of its life Sam was the EBF. It's hard to imagine that it would have happened or flourished without him. He and Peter Willett were the people who got it off the ground and I know Sam had to be pretty determined to get through some of the opposition to it in the early days. “I think the role required a great deal of diplomacy – to get everyone involved in the first place and then throughout its life to ensure that it was seen as being a genuinely pan-European body. There were times when some of the other countries felt that he was too partisan in terms of supporting the BEBF, but that's not a fair criticism. He genuinely put the interests of the European Breeders' Fund ahead of any of its constituent members, which is what he quite rightly had to do.” Louise Kemble, who worked with Sheppard during her time as chief executive of the TBA, added, “Sam was always so helpful and had such knowledge of the industry, and of the people side. In his involvement in the setting up of the EBF and its link up with the Breeders' Cup he was probably ahead of his time with that line of thinking. He was a pioneer in projects that still stand the test of time today.” Speaking on behalf of the Irish EBF, chairman Joe Foley said, “Sam was a stalwart of the European Breeders' Fund. He deserves a lot of credit for guiding the fund though its initiation stages and was responsible for it becoming the powerful funding mechanism that it is now throughout Europe. “For a start he had to persuade stallion owners to contribute voluntarily to a fund to assist prize-money in their nations, and then he had to bring all those countries together under a pan-European banner and get them all to sign up to the memorandum of association for the fund. That was far reaching and far thinking 40 years ago, and the help that the EBF has given to the jurisdictions ever since is a testament to the people who set up the EBF, and obviously to its CEO who ran it for many years, Sam Sheppard.” In an interview with Owner Breeder magazine to mark his retirement in 2012, Sheppard was asked what it was that had made racing so attractive to him. He replied, “The thoroughbred horse, which is absolutely top of the pops as far as I am concerned. Very close to that are the people I have met and worked with over many years who devote so much of their time to the thoroughbred. “If you're a stockbroker you can go to work, beat the hell out of the market, go home and forget all about it. The people in racing are remarkable; they eat, drink and sleep the thoroughbred, particularly the breeders. All so enthusiastic; they keep the whole sport going and I admire them enormously.” So many people in the bloodstock industry who were fortunate enough to have known Sam Sheppard would say the same about him. He is survived by Jane and their sons Ed and Ben, to whom we extend our sincere condolences. The post EBF Founder Sam Sheppard Dies at 84 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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