Jump to content
Bit Of A Yarn

The Rest of the World


82,162 topics in this forum

      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 113 views
    • Journalists

    New Careers: Jose Santos

      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 105 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 176 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 104 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 115 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 113 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 99 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 103 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 100 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 90 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 105 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 137 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 103 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 100 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 97 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 85 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 127 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 123 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 112 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 99 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 90 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 91 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 99 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 201 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 104 views

Announcements



  • Posts

    • Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Among this week's rulings, the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority has issued to Churchill Downs Incorporated four notices for non-payment of its 2025 fees related to federal regulatory oversight of its Churchill Downs, Turfway Park, Ellis Park and Presque Isle Downs racetracks. The matter will go before a panel of three HISA board members–Joe De Francis, Bill Thomason, and Terri Mazur–on March 11. This is separate from pending litigation between the two parties for Churchill Downs's refusal to pay HISA's assessed fees for 2023 and 2024. These are the years HISA's assessment model was calculated through a formula based on racing starts and purses. Last year, HISA started using a new assessment formula based on projected number of starts only. In its litigation with HISA, Churchill Downs challenges the legality of the original assessment formula, and instead contends it owes the federal body an amount based solely on starts. Churchill Downs submitted payments to HISA for 2023 and 2024 using their own formula, leaving an alleged unpaid deficit of around $1.7 million. The corporation has so far paid nothing for 2025, according to the notices the HISA Authority issued to Churchill Downs on Feb. 18. The amounts that HISA seeks from Churchill Downs for its unpaid 2025 assessments are based on the original formula (calculated using starts and purses) for Turfway Park, Elis Park and Presque Isle Downs. For Churchill Downs, the HISA Authority has used a number based purely on starts. The amounts (including accrued interest) HISA requests for each track are as follows: Churchill Downs, $2.5 million; Turfway Park, $1.49 million; Presque Isle Downs, $761k; and Ellis Park, $465k. According to the notices, the HISA Authority asks the board panel to require Churchill Downs to pay these amounts within ten days of the board's order. If not, Churchill Downs would be prohibited from conducting horseracing under HISA's federal regulatory oversight, meaning it wouldn't be allowed to simulcast its races outside of the state (if indeed it carried on with its operations). Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 02/17/2026 Licensee: Bruno Tessore, trainer Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on February 18, 2026; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Tom S, who finished second at Laurel Park on 10/19/25. Dates: 02/16/2026 Licensee: Anna Meah, trainer Penalty:7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on February 17, 2026; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Gabapentin–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Showers, who won at Churchill Downs on 11/6/25. Dates: 02/11/2026 Licensee: Darien Rodriguez, trainer Penalty: A written Reprimand (per 9/26/23 HISA Guidance). Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole (Gastrogard)–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Jimmy's Kid on 1/3/26. Pending ADMC Violations 02/16/2026, Eric Reed, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Flunixin–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Sexarito on 1/17/26. 02/16/2026, Dallas Stewart, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Tramadol–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Have Faith on 11/20/25. 2/16/2026, Linda Rice, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methylprednisolone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Sweet Rhythm, who is reported by Equibase to have been euthanized after sustaining a severe injury to her left front leg mid-race in the fifth at Aqueduct on 11/8/25. 02/13/2026, Jose Puentes, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Whisky My God on 1/14/26. 02/13/2026, William E. Merch, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Protest, who won at Tampa Bay on 1/14/26. 02/13/2026, Angela Maria Aquinano, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Golf Drama, who won at Los Alamitos on 1/11/26. 02/13/2026, Benjamin Feliciano Jr., trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Gabapentin–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Plenty on Tap, who finished second at Laurel Park on 1/10/26. Crop Violations Aqueduct Sahin Civaci – violation date February 16; $250 fine, one-day suspension Mahoning Valley Rocco Bowen – violation date February 14; $500 fine, two-day suspension Oaklawn Park Francisco Arrieta – violation date February 15; $250 fine, one-day suspension David Cabrera – violation date February 14; $250 fine, one-day suspension Emmanuel Esquivel – violation date February 14; $250 fine, one-day suspension Rafael Bejerano – violation date February 13; $250 fine, one-day suspension Santa Anita Kyle Frey – violation date February 14; $500 fine, one-day suspension Turf Paradise Cerapio Figueroa – violation date February 12; $250 fine, one-day suspension Turfway Park Jose Ramos Gutierrez – violation date February 13; $500 fine, two-day suspension The post Weekly Rulings: Feb. 12-18; Churchill Faces HISA Panel Hearing For Non-Payment Of 2025 Fees appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
    • The change moves Friday racing from its previous 4 p.m. PT start to 2 p.m. PT, creating a consistent post time throughout the week and providing fans, horsemen and women, and industry partners with a streamlined schedule.View the full article
    • The King's Plate Stakes is North America's oldest continuously run stakes race and is contested for a purse of CA$1 million.View the full article
    • Stayer Northwest Passage topped the Tattersalls Online February Sale at 31,000gns to Ivan Furtado. Sold as lot 29, the grey son of Ulysses was offered by Crimbourne Bloodstock and sports one win from seven starts. From the family of multiple Group 1-winning sire Tamayuz, the four-year-old gelding has competed on turf, all-weather and hurdles. Crimbourne Bloodstock's Charlie Parker said, “We were very happy with today. We have been very lucky with Tattersalls Online, much luckier than we have been in the ring! I just thought he might stand out on there and he did. We are really pleased and this platform is a really good way of doing it.” Changing hands for 30,000gns was Galia Des Liteaux (Saddler Maker) (lot 65), who sold to Mountain View Stud post sale. The Lodge Hill Stables-consigned horse-out-of-training has a win each in a point-to-point and a hurdle race, as well as three chasing wins. Her best win was in the G2 Hampton Novices' Chase at Warwick. Also selling for 30,000gns was Arclight (Champs Elysees) (lot 55) from the draft of Seven Barrows. Simon Cox picked up the seven-year-old mare. Listed-placed over hurdles and a multiple listed winner over fences, she is a full-sister to seven-time winner Cote d'Azur (Champs Elysees). Overall, 62 lots sold (61%) from 102 offered for a gross of 496,300gns. The average was 8,005gns and the median was 4,900gns. The post Northwest Passage Tops 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
    • It was a big weekend for trainer Brendan Walsh, whose Bella Ballerina (Street Sense) was a game winner of the GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes. A half-sister to Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief), the 2023 GI Kentucky Oaks winner, who was also trained by Walsh, the trainer is hoping to pull off what would be a unique daily double–winning the Oaks twice within four years with half-siblings. To discuss the Rachel Alexandra win, his take on Bella Ballerina and what he has planned on the way to the Oaks, Walsh joined this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. He was the Gainesway Guest of the Week. It was not an easy victory for Bella Ballerina, who was passed in the stretch by Luv Your Neighbor (Constitution), but battled back in deep stretch to win by a half-length under Tyler Gaffalione. “I thought it was a very game performance,” Walsh said. “When she was coming down the stretch, it looked like she was beaten. I thought to myself, 'You know, she's run well. We've got what we needed to get out of it. She'll improve a ton the next time she starts back up again.' I thought, 'Well, OK, we'll take that.' But yes, it was just a game performance on her part. It's the first time she's ever been headed.” The similarities between Pretty Mischievous and Bella Ballerina go beyond the fact that they are half-sisters, as both won the Rachel Alexandra. Bella Ballerina will start next in the March 21 GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Pretty Mischievous was second in that race before going on to win the Kentucky Oaks. “(Bella Ballerina) was a little trickier when she was a baby,” Walsh said. “She had her own ideas about certain things. But all credit goes to the team. They got her straightened out. We worked on her last year. She was just a little bit of a play girl at the time. She'd try and get up to a few little tricks, but nothing horrible.” Walsh liked what he saw Saturday. “Tyler came in and he worked her a bunch of times last year and more this year,” he said. “He got to know her. She behaved very well on Saturday. She behaved very well before the race. She behaved very well in the race, and I think that had a lot to do with Tyler. There are a lot of similarities between the two horses. (Bella Ballerina) is getting stronger and, physically, she looks more like Pretty Mischievous did at this point. The good ones, they all have that class, and she seems to have an abundance of it. She's got a very good mind, and I think that's going to be super important going forward.”   Walsh has come a long way from the young man who began his career with the powerful Godolphin team galloping horses. “It's unbelievable,” he said. “It's like the stuff you dream of. I spent years in Dubai and around all those good horses that they had at Al Quoz. Did I ever think I was going to actually be in a position where I would be training for them? Absolutely not. It is a dream come true. It's unbelievable to have access to that standard of a horse every year and to get to work with these horses and these people. They're just the most fantastic people to work with. You wake up in the morning and you pinch yourself. Believe me, I'm under no illusions. It's a privileged position and it's great to be there.” Walsh also spoke of his mentor in the U.S., trainer Eddie Kenneally. Walsh served as his assistant before going out on his own in 2012. “Learning to train in the U.S., it was a huge adjustment,” he said. “It's a completely different ball game. You're dealing with a different type of horse. Dubai was very turf-orientated. That was one thing with Eddie. I really got to learn how to get down to the nitty gritty of it with him. Even when riding horses, dirt horses are different than grass horses. Turf horses have this turn of foot, and when you work them you see that they have a serious turn of foot. Dirt horses tend to be more constant. They cruise along, cruise along, cruise along. It's just completely different, and that's just to name a couple of things. There are thousands of other different angles when you start training over here. Eddie taught me so much. He's a fantastic trainer.” The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was Grande (Curlin), who earned a 105 Beyer figure when winning a Feb. 14 allowance race at Gulfstream. It was his first start since he finished second in the GII Wood Memorial Stakes. The Fastest Horse of the Week segment is sponsored by WinStar, which stands the fast sire Nashville. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the PHBA, 1/ST TV, and West Point Thoroughbreds, Randy Moss, Bill Finley, and Zoe Cadman discussed the solid performance from Forever Young (Jpn) (Reel Steel {Jpn}) in the $20 million Saudi Cup and the terrific rail-skimming ride he got from jockey Ryusei Sakai. The team also discussed the wins in Saudi Arabia by the American-based sprinters Imagination (Into Mischief) and Reef Runner (The Big Beast). Recapping the rest of the weekend's action, the win by Paladin (Gun Runner) in the Risen Star Stakes was given high marks by the panel. Click here to listen to the podcast or click here to watch. The post Brendan Walsh 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
  • Topics

×
×
  • Create New...