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    • All tracks will soon be all mile racing Brodie. Happening everywhere https://harnesslink.com/australia/carnival-of-miracles-goes-all-in-on-mile-racing/
    • LEXINGTON, KY – The 2026 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale concluded its compressed two-day run Tuesday. “Another really good day,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “Overall, it was a great, solid day of trading. Everyone felt like it was a very honest and strong market overall.” That market strength and diversity was on display with as the top 25 horses came from 18 different consignors and sold to 24 individual buyers. The top 13 yearlings were also each by different stallions. After a three-day sale in 2025, Keeneland opted to make the 2026 January Sale into two longer, more action-packed sessions versus stretching the sale into three days. Lacy acknowledged that the decision was a difficult one to make but said, at the end of the day, buyers and sellers were happy. “It maintained the energy,” Lacy said. “The back ring was packed for a lot of the day. That's all you can ask for in a good marketplace is when you've got energy from the beginning to the end of the day. We never felt like we hit a lull. Even the auctioneer said the sale had a great bounce to it. It really comes down to the entry count. You have a choice between two full, longer days or three shorter days. And we felt like the fuller days, where you put horses up against each other and you have a real energy, are going to be better rather than split it into three days. It was a big ask from everybody because we've never catalogued that many before and we didn't get the scratch rate we expected either. So normally you have 30% scratches and it was more like 20% out of this sale which, again, is a sign of a strong market and something we're happy with.” Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach also emphasized that the switch to longer sessions in this particular sale was not an indicator that the same method would be employed in future, larger sales. “It's not something we're going to make a habit of,” said Breathnach. “This is not a new strategy and it's something you can't do in a bigger sale because you can't stable the horses. When you're re-using the same barns, you can't have 500 horses in a session. We have to really keep it at 400 or something close to that. So this is not going to be like we're going to have extra long sessions in big sales. It just became a two or three day decision [for this specific sale], and the decision was made to make it a two-day sale and we'll stand behind it as the right move.” Many consignors returned to Keeneland for a new try at short yearlings off a strong November Sale with money still to spend when they weren't able to purchase enough weanlings. “We were pleased to see the quality of the short yearlings,” Lacy continued. “The consignors felt like this was a good representation. People brought some really nice stuff here and the sellers got rewarded for that. The buyers were here and willing to support [the diversity] in the market. That's indicative of the quality of stock that was here.” Orinoco River (Hip 863) Keeneland En Fuego Stable picked up the session's top yearling, a $525,000 son of Nyquist consigned by Conley Bloodstock while the day's top mare belonged to St. George Stable LCC who acquired Orinoco River (War Front) (hip 863) in foal to Not This Time for $500,000 in a post-sale transaction after she failed to meet her reserve in the ring. The made the mare Coin Broker (Ire) responsible for two of the top four prices of the day as her Uncle Mo yearling (hip 637) sold to Rock Ridge Racing for $420,000. “Obviously her, her page is what, you know, caught our eye, but then you go look at her and physically,” said Rock Ridge Racing's Codee Guffey. “She just stood out to us. We'll ultimately keep her and hopefully add her to our racing stable and then bring her home, make a broodmare after racing.”   Nyquist Colt a Home Run for Conley Bloodstock Gainesway's Brian Graves waited late into Tuesday's closing session to pick up a colt (hip 966) by top sire Nyquist, outlasting several other interested parties on a final bid of $525,000. Out of the stakes-placed mare Sorrentina Lemon, the colt counts Canadian champion 2-year-old filly and GI Darley Alcibiades winner Negligee (Northern Afleet) as an extended family member. Graves signed the ticket as part of En Fuego Stables, a group that was also active buying weanlings during the Keeneland November Sale. “I bought him for a pinhooking group and we'll bring him back as one of our stars next year at one of the select yearling sales,” Graves said. “He was just a specimen of a horse. He had everything you'd want–sire power, physical, walk, athleticism. I thought he was the best yearling here. [The market] has been hard. I bought eight foals yesterday, but it hasn't been easy. I think you just have to find your flow with the market and trust your gut.” Nyquist | Sarah Andrew The son of Nyquist was the sole offering consigned in the Keeneland January Sale by Carolyn Conley's Conley Bloodstock. First dam Sorrentina Lemon is a Justice Stables homebred. “His reserve was a bit lower than the final price but we like to see the market take it,” Conley said. “So we set a conservative reserve. Bill Justice (of Justice Real Estate) is my other half and he bred this colt. We believed in this colt from the beginning. I knew he was the nicest foal out of this mare so far. We are excited for his future.” Sorrentina Lemon's first foal is the now 4-year-old Mendelssohn gelding Lemon Sohn and she has a 3-year-old Medaglia d'Oro filly and a 2-year-old Justify filly still in the pipeline. That Justify filly failed to reach her reserve at Keeneland September last year on a final bid of $325,000. “I wanted to wait for the September sale but Bill is an expert at businessman and he said Nyquist is as hot as a firecracker so we are going to January,” Conley continued. “The colt improved while he was here at Keeneland. I swear he grew and gained weight. He has a beautiful disposition. And his walk–wow.” The result marked the highest-priced sale for Conley since she began consigning in 2021. “I have been actively consigning going on five years,” Conley said. “It was a natural flow from working in California where I was a jockey's agent for two years. I was asked to sell or buy horses so this was a natural progression. Cassie Lee is my right hand. She has been with me since I started consigning. She runs the shedrow at the sale and shows the horses and brings them to the ring. I couldn't do it without her.”   Black Magic Woman Casts a Spell on L C Racing A winning daughter of Uncle Mo campaigned by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher earned plenty of attention Tuesday early in the session, hammering down on a final bid of $425,000 to L C Racing. Black Magic Woman (hip 596), a half-sister to GI Arkansas Derby winner Magnum Moon, sold in foal to champion first-crop sire Vekoma from the consignment of Claiborne Farm. “She's a big, strong mare, very attractive,” said Mark Reid who signed the ticket on behalf of L C Racing's Glenn Bennett. “I love Vekoma. And she's a half to an Arkansas Derby-winning millionaire. There was a lot to like about her. Todd had her as a race mare and she ran a couple of good numbers on the rags and sheets, which I pay a lot of attention to. I actually thought we'd have to pay a little bit more for her then we did. So we're very happy with the price.” Black Magic Woman (Hip 596) | Keeneland Twice a winner going one mile at Gulfstream in her racing career in 2021, Black Magic Woman is likely to return to Kentucky and Vekoma for her 2026 cover, though Reid admitted he'd been tempted by a few other options while visiting farms during Tuesday's open houses. “[Her 2026 foaling plans] are still to be discussed,” Reid said. “There's a good chance she'll go back to the same horse. She's a really good match for him. Although I've been wandering the countryside looking at stallions today and I've seen maybe two or three other good matches for her. So she'll go back to Pennsylvania to foal and then she'll return to Kentucky to be bred.” L C Racing has seen plenty of success on the track, including last year's GII Lexus Raven Run Stakes winner Kappa Kappa (Omaha Beach). Reid noted that Bennett was also looking to breed future success with a broodmare band that's trending upwards. “Glenn's looking to improve himself,” Reid said. “He's an old-school sports guy who's looking to have some fun and you have fun in those big races on Saturday. So my marching orders are to see if we can get him there. He's assembling a pretty good broodmare band. I bought Adorabella [at Fasig-Tipton] two years ago and now it looks like Book 'em Danno [Bucchero] could be a champion sprinter. So he's got, at the very least, a couple of top producing dams. So we're excited. He's got a band of about 15 now. And what I do every time I go to one of these sales, I sell our bottom mares and buy one higher to upgrade the group. That's what he's looking for. The market is very spotty. They either want them or they don't. And everybody seems to be on the same five horses in every sale. So that's why we're going this way [buying mares] instead of yearlings because they get the big super groups together and all the ones that I used to be able to buy for a couple hundred thousand are now going for [seven-figures]. And although Glenn could do that, I just don't think it's a smart way to go. If I can get him 15 decent-bred mares throwing horses by decent Kentucky stallions every year, I think we'll put together a pretty good race horse.”   Now on the Oaks Trail, EGL-One Racing Continues to Grow Sixteen months ago, EGL One picked up their first purchase at Keeneland September, a yearling filly by American Pharoah for $75,000. Flash forward and that filly, now named Two Bits, has put the young entity on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks via her second-place finish in the Jan. 2 Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct, good for 10 points on the Oaks leaderboard. EGL has continued to grow in the months since that first purchase and Amanda Gillman struck again Tuesday, adding the now 4-year-old Quality Road filly Agia Marina (hip 558) to an EGL-One Racing roster which numbers some 20 strong. “We liked her race record,” said Gillman of EGL's newest acquisition. “She's proven that she has some talent on the race track and obviously Quality Road kind of sells himself.” Agia Marina (Hip 558) | Keeneland With earnings of over $130,000 in six starts, Agia Marina broke her maiden two starts ago at Kentucky Downs and raced most recently at Gulfstream Park, finishing second at Gulfstream Park in an allowance optional claimer Dec. 27. “These guys [EGL], they're focused on breeding and anything that they can create value with and get some black-type with down the road and then put into the broodmare band,” Gillman continued. “She's going to return to the track with Amelia Green and she'll race, barring any unforeseen circumstances, through her 4-year-old year and then we'll put her in foal next year.” The $170,000 paid for Agia Marina matched the third highest-priced horse signed for by EGL and Gillman acknowledged the strength of the market. “It was a good price,” Gillman said. “It was kind of the top of our limit but, in this market, you have to stretch for the ones you really like. We were blown out of the water on basically everything [Monday] so when you do land on one, it's a relief. [We want] the kind of horses that everyone wants in their broodmare band, which obviously makes it tough to buy. You hope that some slip through the cracks here and there. You look through all sorts of horses in every sale and try and find those classic pedigrees, those Curlin and Tapit pedigrees that everyone wants.” And as for their Busanda runner up? “She's doing great,” Gillman said. “She came out of the race in great shape. She's been very exciting to have. She's such a hard-trying, sweet horse to be around. She really gives you her all and she loves people so she's been a cool horse. It's honestly surreal. If you would have told us two years ago, we probably would've laughed in your face. It's everything coming together. We'll leave all her options open and consider every race on the Oaks trail. Just see how she trains on and pick the best spot for her.” The post Keeneland January Concludes With Day Of ‘Solid Trading’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
    • Regards the closing if greyhounds due supposedly to cruelty to the animals? How hypocritical is it surely that NZ isnt able  to wager on NZ dogs as it is too cruel, and yet we are able to wager on Austrslian greyhound racing?? Clearly the Ozzie dog racing isnt as cruel or we wouldnt be allowed to wager on it? Absolute lunacy to can greyhounds in NZ and wipe out the greyhound breed totally. Far better to Close down the Green Party and The Maori Party for the cruelty they would cause NZ citizens should there be enough losers who vote for the LEFTY Losers!            
    • it still must be a complicated picture brodie. we all can tell hrnz is spending way more than the industry self generates and burning through their entain money. then we know hrnz also have a policy that prioritises the loss making clubs and the loss making sectors within the industry, because they see them as strategically important,even though its obvious the support for the industry in those areas and sectors has diminshed. So hrnz has themselves placed a  chain and ball around the overall nz industry by sticking with the status quo instead of forward planning. so really its  hrnz 's policies that are the main problem . the thing about the entain deal was i agree with you that there would have been better partners for the racing industry than entain,but quite simply the nz racing industries pushed for entain because they felt they needed a massive short term injection of capital or the industry would be in serious strife.so i get that as well. there was no doubtt the website that tabcorp have for the racing is miles better than the tab website. e.g.You can view video replays of all runners previous starts prior to making a selection. No need to go onto the hrnz that often never works,and the tabcorp website has videos of each race put up for viewing within 5-10 minutes of the finish of each race,whereas the only place you will see that in nz is on the hrnz website and they can often take an hour or two to put up.And combining with tabcorp would have seen bigger tote pools than combining with entain.Then you have to remamber tabcorp control the sky racing coverage which massively effects turnovers. so many other things as well,but the nz racing industry went with the quick hit of cash. then you factor in the many millions hrnz want to waste on bailing out clubs like auckland and cambridge who were run incompetently in previous years,often with hrnzs oversight and seeming blessing.e.g cambrisge running slot races that added significantly to their financial hole which then required hrnz bailing out. HRNZ have knowingly particpated in that fiscal irresponsibilty. so its really hrnz who are the issue. nothing entain has done in the last 3 years has changed. they have been up front. its hrnz who have a spend and hope attitude. Because hrnz couldn't possibly know for sure just how much more better off they will be from the geo blocking impact on racing turnover here and overseas and just how much better off they will be from increased sports betting returns from entains increased turnovers on sport. Its all a guess. And the impact of the greyhound industry closing has many variables that they will be guessing. Like hrnz will get a share of turnover payouts that used to go to the greyhound industry and you would guess it would outweigh the lost revenue from the harness tracks who host greyhound racing,but it must all vbe a bit of a guess. until thats all played out over the next year or two. so when you spend and hope,maybe things may turn out managable,maybe they may turn out worse that you think,the thing is why are hrnz taking such a risky approach. the people in charge currently,seem to be taking the same apprioach the ATC took with their apartment development. In other words,making huge decisions without fully understanding the risks.
    • Two racetrack veterinarians who are the principals of Maryland Veterinary Group (MVG) have been served with notices of violations and were given provisional suspensions that started Jan. 12 after Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) searches of that practice's offices at Laurel Park and Delaware Park allegedly turned up “banned” substances that, under Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) rules, are never to be found in any covered Thoroughbred or possessed on any HISA-regulated grounds. Dr. Nicholas Meittinis and Dr. Adam Lockard are both alleged to have violated HISA Rule 2215 (“No Covered Person acting alone or in concert with another person shall compromise the welfare of a Covered Horse for competitive or commercial reasons…”) and Rule 2271(a)(1) (“Use of physical or veterinary procedures to mask the effects or signs of injury so as to allow training or racing to the detriment of the Covered Horse's health and welfare.”). TDN emailed both veterinarians on Tuesday to get their sides of the story. Meittinis wrote back and said, “as our hearing has not yet been scheduled, I withhold any comments at this time. I'll be happy to comment after the hearing.” Lockard did not reply prior to deadline for this story. The charges represent only the regulator's version of what transpired, and both veterinarians will be entitled to hearings as their separate (but related) cases move forward. According to the two notices of violation, on Sept. 23, 2025, HIWU, which is the independent enforcement agency of the HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program, conducted coordinated searches of the veterinary practice's offices at Laurel and Delaware. The violation notices did not state specific reasons why the MVG offices were singled out beyond indicating that the searches were based on “information provided to the Authority.” Nor did the documents cite any specific trainers who might have received veterinary services related to any alleged administration of banned substances. At Laurel, HIWU agents allegedly seized banned substances, some of which “were several years past their expiration dates.” The inventory list included: “Carolina Gold” (gamma aminobutyric acid) “AMP 20%” (adenosine 5-monophosphate), “Osphos” (bisphosphonate), albuterol tablets (banned if not administered via inhaler) and isoxsuprine. Multiple containers of banned anabolic-agent substances were also allegedly seized: Trenbolone, testosterone, testosterone cypionate, stanozolol and Winstrol-V. On the same date, Dr. Meittinis was present at MVG's Delaware office when HIWU found and seized another banned substance, albuterol syrup. The notices of violation further stated that, “Displayed on the wall of MVG's Delaware Park office during the Sept. 23, 2025, inspection was the recipe for 'Steroid Paint'.” That recipe appeared to be comprised of banned and controlled substances, such as pitcher plant extract, “DMSO” and “Dex.” The violation notices stated that, “On the date of the Delaware Park search, Dr. Meittinis's veterinary vehicle was also searched on the backside of Delaware Park, and HIWU found and seized another Banned Substance,” which was allegedly pitcher plant extract. The violation notices stated that a follow-up search by HIWU Nov. 20 at Laurel allegedly yielded additional jugs of topical pitcher plant extract and other allegedly banned substances that “were located in an inconspicuous location and were not observed by investigators during the Sept. 23, 2025, search at Laurel Park (although they can be seen in photographs from that inspection).” The violation notices also stated that additional substances seized from the searches are “currently being analyzed by laboratories to determine if they also contain Banned Substances.” The violation notices stated that, “As described above, you and the veterinary practice under your control were found to be in possession of several current Banned Substances across multiple locations dedicated to the care and treatment of Covered Horses and on different dates, indicating a pattern of repeated and ongoing violations. “Additionally, there is evidence that MVG dispensed Steroid Paint containing three Banned Substances to Covered Persons for use on Covered Horses since 2023… “If it is agreed or determined that one or more Rule 2271(a)(1) violations have occurred, HISA may, in addition to the provisional suspension, seek to impose one or more of the sanctions outlined in Rule 8200 as deemed appropriate by HISA in keeping with the seriousness of the violation and the facts of the case, and that is consistent with the safety, welfare, and integrity of Covered Horses, Covered Persons and Covered Horseraces,” the violation notices stated. The post Two Veterinarians Suspended By HISA After Track-Office Searches At Laurel And Delaware Allegedly Turn Up Banned Substances 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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