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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
In this new series, we'll spotlight the dams and connections of some of 2025's racetrack superstars. First up, we'll set the scene by explaining our objective and search for trends, then for a curtain raiser we'll kick off the series by checking in with the dam of one of the top older horses of 2025. Tabbed to be something special from the start, 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) is a multiple Grade I stakes winner and future Gainesway stallion. Grade I-Winning Trends The end of June marked the halfway point of 2025, with 34 of the 93 scheduled Grade I races for the year already in the books. With five dual Grade I winners to date, that leaves 29 individual Grade I winners in 2025 through June. So much is made of the sires and broodmare sires of those elite horses–and rightfully so–but it takes two to tango. What about the broodmares? Twenty-nine broodmares have produced Grade I winners this year through June. While it's vitally important to stallion careers to get those top-level winners, it's somewhat of a 'unicorn' situation for a mare to do it. Based on numbers alone, broodmares have so few chances in comparison to stallions. It's not an overstatement to say it changes everything when they do. Not only can a Grade I winner change the trajectory of the mare's future produce in value and in the quality of the stallions she visits, but it changes the people around that mare, too. In the extreme, a Grade I producer can help pay off a farm if she or her future progeny are sold. At the very least, a mare like that in the field delivers a sense of pride and a heavy–but welcome–responsibility to those who care for her. We tried to identify trends among the year's Grade I producers, but it will surprise no one to learn there seems to be no clear-cut rhyme or reason behind the special mares responsible for the year's top runners beyond astute bloodstock decisions, hard work by good teams, and that elusive element known as luck. Sure, breeders can increase their chances by using the leading sires (Into Mischief has the most individual Grade I winners this year with three) and top broodmare sires (Distorted Humor leads that category with three), but other patterns? Forget about it. Sarah Andrew Only one mare this year was producing a second career Grade I winner (Spirit of St Louis's dam, the late Khancord Kid); some were young (White Abarrio's dam Catching Diamonds was four when he was foaled); and some were in the latter part of their producing careers (Choisya (GB)'s dam Fragrancy (Ire) was 16 when she was born). Some mares were unraced, some only placed. About two-thirds of the producers broke their own maidens, while about half earned black-type. Many of the mares have been through an auction ring themselves, with Keeneland selling the most among the 2025 Grade I producers to date. About a third of the mares sold for under $100,000 publicly at some point in their lives. A few brought seven figures. The sires of the 2025 Grade I winners are similarly tough to pin down: with most currently standing in Kentucky, where they usually need an exceptional race record to earn a shot, they stand for a variety of fees. Their ages, too, are all over the place. The seemingly ageless Medaglia d'Oro is the elder statesman (age 23 when Good Cheer was foaled), while Maximus Mischief and Omaha Beach were only five when Raging Torrent and Kopion, respectively, were born. Right around half of the sires were 10 or under when their 2025 Grade I winner was foaled. With no discernable patterns, where does that leave us? Perhaps simply with a reminder that hope prevails as the foundation of our great sport. If it were easy to breed a Grade I winner, everyone would do it. These mares are something special, yes, but so many factors have to go right along the way, from planning a mating to conception to foaling to every single step that gets those horses into a starting gate and finally the winner's circle at the elite level. That's why only 29 mares in the first six months of the year can carry the banner of Grade I producer for 2025. Over the coming weeks, we'll take a look at several of those mares and check in with some of their connections and the people who care for them. What makes these mares so special? What do they have in the pipeline? What goes into their matings? First up is Locked's dam, Luna Rosa (Malibu Moon). Locked wins the Santa Anita Handicap, his second Grade I | Benoit Luna Rosa, dam of Locked Already a Grade I winner at two, Locked registered a 109 Beyer Speed Figure in his eye-popping 8 1/2-length score in the GI Santa Anita Handicap in March. Dr. Naoya Yoshida and his wife, Marie Yoshida-Debeusscher, foaled and raised not only Locked, but also his dam, Luna Rosa. It all stemmed from a meeting in 1995 in Ireland, when Federico Barberini, a Newmarket bloodstock agent based at that time in Italy, paid a visit to Kildangan Stud, where Dr. Yoshida worked. That chance meeting would lead to a cherished client and multiple generations of Locked's family for the Yoshidas. In 2008, Barberini bought a mare named Gabriellina Giof (GB) (Ashkalani {Ire}) at the Keeneland January sale for $75,000 for his client, Roman restauratrice Rosa Colasanti. The mare had previously been a 2-year-old stakes winner in Italy for Colasanti, and had since been sold and exported to this country, where she won another black-type event and placed in the 2001 GII San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar for Arnold Zetcher. Now she was back in Colasanti's hands, but an ocean away. Luna Rosa last month near Lexington | Sarah Andrew Barberini advised Colasanti to keep Gabriellina Giof at Dr. Yoshida's Winchester Farm near Lexington. Although they hadn't yet made it to the races when Dr. Yoshida began caring for Gabriellina Giof in the same pastures where 1983 Broodmare of the Year Courtly Dee once grazed, the mare had already produced MGISW Gabby's Golden Gal (Medaglia d'Oro) and MGSW & GISP Always a Princess (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). Under Dr. Yoshida's watch, she would produce Luna Rosa, her final foal before she passed away. Colasanti retained Luna Rosa, racing her as a homebred. While campaigning under trainer Rodolphe Brisset–around the same time he went out on his own after more than a decade as assistant to Hall of Famer Bill Mott–she ran well at two, finishing a strong second in a Keeneland maiden special weight. Luna Rosa then broke her maiden at three while going eight furlongs on the turf at Horseshoe Indianapolis in 2018. “Rodolphe Brisset, whom we've supported from early in his career, loved Luna Rosa,” remembered Dr. Yoshida. “She really showed ability. While she won only one race from her five starts, she performed very well on both dirt and on turf. She was a beautiful mover. “She also had her own mind. She's very tough, as was her mother, so even now we treat her like a queen,” said Dr. Yoshida with a laugh. After going to Frosted for her first foal–a now-5-year-old gelding named Mega Moon who was last seen finishing second in an optional claimer at Santa Anita at the end of May–Luna Rosa was sent to Gun Runner as part of his third book. Dr. Yoshida felt the Three Chimneys stallion would be ideally suited to the mare. “I saw Gun Runner on the racetrack and thought he was very unique. Obviously, he was a very good dirt horse, but he had really good action like one running on the turf, almost like he was flying. It was very light, very smooth, and I thought we could produce a Classic-type horse in using Gun Runner for Luna Rosa. That's the main reason we chose him, although he was still a new stallion. “Ms. Colasanti has a very good artistic eye when she's evaluating a horse. Each horse has to pass her test. That means we have to produce a world-class and a Classic-type horse.” Dr. Naoya Yoshida | Sarah Andrew Dr. Yoshida said Locked passed Colasanti's test and really stood out from the start. . “We were very happy because he had presence–a lovely presence–and a certain dignity from the time he was born, but he was easy to handle. He also had an impressive walk. “Luna Rosa is a powerful mare, but Locked is built more like Gun Runner. Although when looking at Luna Rosa from the side, I can see the same kind of square line which Locked has. In addition, any tough mentality he has most certainly comes from Luna Rosa.” While Dr. Yoshida may have brought the suggestion of Gun Runner for Luna Rosa to the table, he said mating plans for the mare are a group decision. “We work together with all of our boarding clients to make decisions for mating arrangements. Ms. Colasanti has been so kind to trust our suggestions since she started to keep her horses at the farm, but we always give our comments and suggestions to her to make our final decision together. There are so many important factors, of course–ability, race performance, commercial value, budget.” Luna Rosa went to Caravaggio and Tiz the Law in the two years following Locked, and visited Gun Runner's GI Preakness Stakes-winning son Early Voting for the current yearling. That colt is scheduled to go through the Keeneland September sale as part of Book 1. Dr. Yoshida said he looks like a Classic horse. “When we decided to enter the yearling for the Keeneland sale, Ms. Colasanti considered keeping him because he is very nice. This Early Voting colt has a very classy shape with a nice top line. He's a little different type from Locked, but extremely nice.” Locked himself sold at the 2022 Keeneland September sale for $425,000 to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm. They sent him to Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and the colt quickly rewarded Dr. Yoshida's vision, breaking his maiden in his second start at two at Saratoga in a 'TDN Rising Star' performance, then adding a win in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity before hitting the board in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He missed the Classics with a minor ligament injury. Since coming back late last year, he's captured the GII Cigar Mile and the Big 'Cap in addition to a runner-up effort in the GI Pegasus World Cup. He was last seen finishing third in Friday's GII Suburban Stakes at Saratoga. Rosa Colasanti's Luna Rosa | Sarah Andrew Luna Rosa has a full-brother to Locked on the ground and was bred back to Gun Runner again for next term. Dr. Yoshida said the foal reminds him of Locked and is showing signs of being another top colt. “I have a really good feeling on this foal, too,” said Dr. Yoshida. Both Locked and last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone are bred on the identical cross, being by Gun Runner and out of Malibu Moon mares. They are also both foals of 2021. Even when getting in on the ground floor of a cross works so well, Dr. Yoshida is not one to rest on his laurels. “It's lovely to have Locked racing well, but we are also constantly thinking ahead to the next winner from this family. We always need to work harder and update our strategy.” Dr. Yoshida continued, “Ms. Colasanti most enjoys breeding and racing in Europe, so having first Gabriellina Giof and now Luna Rosa at the farm gives our team the mission to protect her passion. I hope we have more success for Ms. Colasanti. Her success helps promote cooperation between Europe and the United States, and that's what we try to do.” Up next, we'll check in with the dams and some of the breeding decisions behind a few key 3-year-old colts of 2025: GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Tappan Street and GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes winner Burnham Square. The post The Producers: Part 1, Locked and Bloodstock 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
(This story is courtesy of the The Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey) There are many reasons that Kelso is considered one of the best horses of the 20th century, but the ones that stand out are his class, consistency and durability. Back when the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup was still considered one of the most important races on the calendar, Kelso won it five years in a row, from 1960 through 1964. It's considered one of the greatest feats in racing history. It would seem that accomplishment–winning the same stakes race five years in a row–would be beyond the reach of the modern thoroughbred. How many horses today even last five years? Not many. It's not what horses do anymore. Then there's the New Jersey-bred He'spuregold (Vancouver {Aus}). The 7-year-old gelding, who is owned and was bred by John Bowers's Roseland Farm Stable, celebrated the holiday weekend in style by winning his fifth straight Irish War Cry Handicap, a grass race restricted to New Jersey breds. “John stopped by the barn this morning and said you seemed really excited about the race yesterday,” trainer Kelly Breen said. “I said, 'Do you realize what your horse just did? He won the same race five years in a row.' It's unheard of. It's incredible.” Way back in 2020, He'spuregold made his debut finishing third in a maiden race at Keeneland while going off at odds of 70-1. Six starts later, he broke his maiden in a Jersey-bred race at Monmouth. Breen knew what he had, a horse with a lot of potential but one that also had ankle issues. “We've had some ankle problems with him and they are just as bad now that he's seven-years-old as they were when he was he was three,” Breen said. “He's had those issues, so we've worked hard to keep the problems in check. He's made his visits to Patty Hogan and he has had surgery. But he keeps going. He's a warrior.” “Kelly is over the moon,” Bowers said. “Kelly appreciates what he's done, with the five straight wins. We bred the horse in hopes that he'd be a good grass horse and he's always run great on the grass. The Irish War Cry is a New Jersey-bred race on the grass, so when he won it the first two times I wasn't really that surprised. Winning it five times in a row is really a thrill. It's something to be proud of.” As a 3-year-old, He'spuregold won the race for the first time in 2021. Breen tried him in a couple of graded, open races, but he wasn't up to the challenge. So it was right back to the Irish War Cry, which, as a 4-year-old he won by 2 1/2 lengths. He picked up his only career win on the dirt when capturing the 2022 Charles Hesse III Stakes at Monmouth for Jersey-breds. And he would go on to beat a tough field of allowance runners in 2023 at Gulfstream. He lost his next three starts, but the 2024 Irish War Cry awaited. With Paco Lopez, his regular rider throughout his career aboard, he had to fight this time, wining by just a neck over One Time Willard (Micromange), who is also trained by Breen. The secret to his success? “His demeanor helps,” Breen said. “He's a pleasure to be around. He's overall just a nice horse. He's nice to be around. He's a classy horse. It's hard to put into words sometimes, but he's nice to be around, nice to train. He's the best athlete on your sports team. My son plays hockey. It's like training Gretzky. My style of training really fits with him. I tell them to go out there and work a half-mile in 48 flat and he does it. He is the perfect athlete.” He beat open company in the 2024 Red Bank Stakes but that would be his last win coming into the 2025 Irish War Cry. This time he won by three-quarters of a length over the same One Time Willard. “You have to give Kelly a lot of credit because the horse has had ankle issues since he was three,” Bowers said. “Kelly has kept the horse going. One thing Kelly said to me is that the horse runs easily once he starts running. That's what kept him in high class races for so long.” The 2025 Irish War Cry win upped his career earnings to $687,170. He's won 10 races, five of them being the Irish War Cry. There won't be a sixth straight. Though He'spuregold is obviously still on top of his game, Bowers doesn't want to assume any of the risks that come with campaigning an 8-year-old. “We don't plan on running him next year,” Bowers said. “I don't want to see him running in claiming races. By the end of this year, he will have done everything we had hoped for and more. I appreciate it when people recognize him and his accomplishments.” The post New Jersey’s Version of Kelso, It’s He’spuregold 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
Tuesday, Hamburg, Germany, post time: 18:25, GROSSER PREIS VON LOTTO HAMBURG-G3, €55,000, 3yo/up, 10fT Field: Quest The Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Wintertraum (Ger) (Lord Of England {Ger}), Atoso (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}), Calyx Rose (Ire) (Calyx {GB}), Daydream Express (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Egina (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), New York City (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Eagle Emblem (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}). TDN Verdict: Christoph Berglar's Tattersalls October Book 2 graduate Eagle Emblem is the lone sophomore on display and gets a crucial nine pounds, and more, allowance from his elders. He was one length adrift of runner-up, and subsequent G1 Deutsches Derby fourth, Path Of Soldier when fourth in Baden-Baden's G3 Derby-Trial at the end of May and brings solid form to the table. Egina was rewarded for her consistency at black-type level with a brace of Listed victories in May and remains undefeated in two starts this term. Atoso annexed this last year but is winless in six outings since, while Wintertraum, Calyx Rose and Daydream Express already have black-type wins in the bag this year. The Sarah Steinberg-trained duo Quest The Moon and New York City complete a wide-open renewal, with Deutsches Derby heroine Nina Baltromei teaming up with the latter. [Sean Cronin]. Click here for the complete field. The post Black-Type Analysis: Eagle Emblem Tackles His Elders at Hamburg 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
The following is a note from Dauna Moths, the sister of the late D. Wayne Lukas, to TDN's Christina Bossinakis. I just watched the TDN tribute to Wayne. I wish I could talk with each of those who commented–I consider us all “family.” Also, thank you for your recent comments on his life. My heart overflows to read all the remembrances to him. I have been overwhelmed by calls and e-mails from my friends and I am still trying to accept this reality. My heartfelt wish is to thank those who made kind comments and were a part of Wayne's life. For Wayne's 80th birthday, I sent him many scrapbooks of his life and I enclosed a card and blank pages, telling him he had to finish the books. Well, he certainly has done that. Many of the pictures of his early life were in Sermon on the Mount. Of course, I'm proud of all his achievements, but what really counts to me are the memories of our childhood. The many remembrances of his kindness and giving to others from others that knew him are comforting. My brother, Lowell, and I try to live the same way–and this is a tribute to a mother and father who taught us these values and way to live. It is ironic that I have a bulletin board with some of the same quotes that Wayne had on his, but that it was unknown to each of us! I wish there was a way for me to respond to all those who have remembered him and their gracious comments comfort me. Thank you for being a part of his life. The post Letter to the Editor: All in the Family – Remembering Wayne Lukas 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
Unbridled joy was present in bundles at Hamburg on Sunday as recent amateur-turned-apprentice Nina Baltromei urged Hochkonig to victory on the line in the 156th Deutsches Derby, denying the Karl Burke-trained Convergent (Fastnet Rock) by the merest of margins. Hochkonig is by the Lomitas stallion Polish Vulcano, who stands at the Darboven family's Gestut Idee, which sponsors the Derby and is where the 17-year-old was bred. We'll be hearing from the stallion's breeder Albert Darboven in tomorrow's TDN, but for the breeders of Hochkonig, racing photographers Marc and Gabi Ruehl, Sunday's victory was somewhat surreal. Marc has been photographing Derby winners at Hamburg since Walter Swinburn won aboard Luigi back in 1988. He told TDN on Monday, “It was unbelievable. But the day before I told Nina that I was just going to focus on her and Hochkonig – and it worked!” Hochkonig was the second Classic winner of the season for trainer Yasmin Almenrader after the victory of Matilda in the G2 German 2,000 Guineas. The Soldier Hollow filly has subsequently been bought by Peter Brant of White Birch Farm and switched to the French stable of Francis Graffard. “Yasmin does a great job every time,” said Gabi. “We've seen it this year with Matilda and Hocking, but we have won so many races with Yasmin and she is all about the horse. We are in touch with her daily.” The Ruehls live near Cologne, about ten minutes from Gestut Schlenderhan where, for them, the Hochkonig story began 25 years ago with the purchase of his Schlenderhan-bred granddam Habina, by 1977 Derby winner The Minstrel. In fact, Derby winners from various nations run free in Hochkonig's pedigree. Though his grandsire Lomitas could manage only second in the Deutsches Derby back in 1991, the subsequent German Horse of the Year is himself a grandson of the most recent winner of the British Triple Crown, Nijinsky. Hochkonig's dam is by the Derby Italiano winner Kallisto and, as mentioned, has The Minstrel as her damsire. Six generations back on the page you will find Violetta, bred by the Moller family of White Lodge Stud and herself by Sir Victor Sassoon's 1953 Derby winner Pinza. She in turn features as the granddam of Teenoso (Youth), the winner at Epsom 30 years after Pinza, and the third dam of 2006 Derby hero Sir Percy (Mark Of Esteem). “We are just happy to have provided the next Derby winner for this line,” said Marc. “The German preference is for stamina, this is what Germany is famous for, we don't have too many horses running over 1,000 metres.” The Ruehls usually welcome “two or three foals a year” and currently have six mares at their property. “I had my first horse when I was nine and and later bought a Thoroughbred mare with my father, so the horses came first but I have been a professional photographer since I was 18,” said Marc. “I was concentrating on taking the photos but it was easy because I could see Hochkonig was near the front fighting. After he crossed the line I was sure he had won but I was a little bit nervous until we had the result.” Of the couple's decision to use Polish Vulcano for Halinara, he explained, “He is a son of Lomitas and we wanted the cross with The Minstrel because of Nijinsky, and also he is a really nice stallion. He doesn't have many runners but those who have run have done very well. It's the same with Kallisto. We used him often and we had great success with him.” Halinara will return to Polish Vulcano next season, as will her daughter Halima (Tertullian), and this year she has a filly foal by Alter Adler. Modestly, there were no photos of the Ruehls with Hochkonig displayed among the reams of photos of the Derby winner on their website. We did however coax them into tracking down the attached image of Marc celebrating in fine style. “We are not the owner, we are only the breeder,” Marc said, and his wife added, “But we enjoyed yesterday evening with the owner and the trainer. It is so important to enjoy these wonderful moments.” It is indeed. Delacroix Proves His Worth The feature race in Britain over the weekend was the Coral-Eclipse Stakes, in which Aidan O'Brien scored another perfect ten when Delacroix followed the likes of Giant's Causeway, St Mark's Basilica and City Of Troy in handing another win to the trainer. Only just though. In a hard scrabble of a finish, Ryan Moore rousted Delacroix home down the outside to deny favourite Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder), having been temporarily boxed in and bumped by stable-mate Camille Pissarro (Wootton Bassett), ridden by Christophe Soumillon. 'The lads have been looking for a Dubawi all their lives and he is out of a champion. He is a total outcross for all the mares,” said O'Brien of Delacroix, and we hope that Henry Longfellow, presumably happily out grazing in a Coolmore paddock after a busy covering season, took no offence. But of course, Delacroix, as suggested, is indeed a much more useful future option to the Coolmore broodmare band than the similarly good-looking Henry Longfellow as Delacroix is out of the Bernstein mare Tepin, and therefore free of Galileo blood, while the latter is out of Minding. Two sons of Dubawi out of two top-class racemares. It will be interesting to see which one ends up as the better sire, but that's a puzzle for the future. For now, Delacroix has bounced back from Derby disappointment to deliver a blow for the three-year-olds in the first generational clash of the season. His victory means that O'Brien's tally of Group 1 wins for the year now runs to ten and includes the Derby, Oaks, Irish Derby, Prix du Jockey Club and Poule d'Essai des Poulains. And we're only halfway through the season. The Wootton Boys With the Prix de Diane having fallen to Almanzor's daughter Gezora, it was time for another of Wootton Bassett's stallion sons to shine on Sunday when Wooded provided the winner of the Prix Jean Prat, Woodshauna. The latter, like his sire, is trained by Francis Graffard, and Woodshauna, from his first crop, becomes the first Group 1 winner – and stakes winner of any description – for Wooded, who stands at Al Shaqab's Haras de Bouquetot. Bred by Patrick Lemarié of Haras de Magouet, Woodshauna's victory gave a terrific boost to the form of the G3 Prix Texanita, which he won on May 16, beating subsequent G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Time For Sandals (Sands Of Mali) by a head. For that run, he had been wearing the colours of Al Shaqab Racing, but Woodshauna landed his Group 1 success in the silks of John Stewart's Resolute Racing, having been bought at the Goffs London Sale for £625,000 and kept in training with Graffard. It was a good day for graduates of Arqana's October Yearling Sale, as Woodshauna had originally been, as over in Warsaw, Chestnut Rocket (Intello) landed the Polish Derby for owner JK Grzegorowski. From the same sale the following year came Cape Ashizuri, who became the second winner for his young sire St Mark's Basilica with a two-length victory at Ayr on Sunday. Bred by Barrownstown Stud, the colt is a half-brother to G1 Prix Morny winner The Wow Signal (Starspangledbanner) and, like him, is trained by John and Sean Quinn, who picked him up at Arqana for €75,000. Wootton Bassett was himself represented by his latest stakes winner on Deauville's cracking Sunday card when Nighttime got the ball rolling in the opening Listed Prix Roland de Chambure, named in honour of the former owner of Haras d'Etreham, where Wootton Bassett famously started his stud career. This came a day after fellow juvenile Daytona took the inaugural running of the Listed Pat Smullen Irish EBF Stakes at Naas. Nighttime represents a nice mixture of two major owner-breeders as, though she runs in the blue and white livery of the Wertheimers, who bred her, she is out of Daytime, a once-raced Juddmonte-bred daughter of those overachieving parents Frankel and Midday (Oasis Dream). Blood will out. Palace Pier Emerging It is probably fair to say that Palace Pier has been the surprise chart-riser in the freshman sire ranks in recent weeks, and he now has seven winners to his credit, including the Listed-placed Sirius A. All seven of those winners have come in Britain, including a double at Sandown and Beverley last Friday, and, most tellingly, at a strike-rate of 44 per cent winners to runners. Palace Pier, by Kingman, was a later starter himself, but was unbeaten at two when winning a maiden and a novice contest on August 30 and September 18, before bursting onto the scene when winning the following season's G1 St James's Palace Stakes on his first start in Pattern company. His closest rival on strike-rate among the first-season sires is Haras de Bouquetot's Armor, who has three winners from seven runners (43 per cent), while Nando Parrado and Starman are operating at 28 and 27 per cent respectively. With 12 winners, including Group 3 winners Lady Iman and Venetian Sun, Starman remains at the head of the table overall. Looming Threat to British Racing The British Horseracing Authority may currently be missing a chief executive and a chair but it means business when it comes to addressing the serious threat to British racing from the proposals for a flat rate of tax across all forms of gambling. Following a Royal Ascot week launch of the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Racing and Bloodstock (APPG), the campaign stepped up a notch last week with a visit to Newmarket by a group of senior Conservative politicians, including Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch MP, to hear the concerns of some of racing's participants. This was followed by an appearance on Luck on Sunday of APPG co-chair and Labour MP Dan Carden. Newmarket, Britain's largest training and breeding hub, is a Conservative stronghold and has Carden's co-chair Nick Timothy as its representative in parliament, but cross-party support to quash the idea of a racing tax rise is vital. Speaking at last week's meeting at Tattersalls, William Haggas questioned the sway that shadow ministers could have in this issue, asking Badenoch, “Actually, what can you do about it? With all due respect you are not in power at the moment.” Her reply appeared to offer some reassurance. She said, “We can get the message to them. That is our job.” Indeed, from the benches of power, Lisa Nandy, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, answered a question in the House of Commons from Caroline Dinenage MP regarding the “looming and imminent crisis” facing the sport. Nandy said, “We understand not just the joy that horseracing brings to millions of people in the UK and across the world but also the huge economic benefits and we are absolutely determined to back British horseracing to the hilt.” Encouraging words. Let's hope her government in turn backs the minister. The post Seven Days: A Photo Finish Like No Other 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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