The Rest of the World

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced Feb. 27 that Kevin Engelhard, Mike Ferrozzo, Chris Littlemore, and Ken Seeman have been voted by their peers for induction into the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship Hall of Fame.View the full article

Whitham Thoroughbreds' grade 1 winner Burnham Square, unraced since trying turf for the first time late last August, will remain on the grass when he launches his 4-year-old season Feb. 28 in an allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

Saturday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 20:35, AL MAKTOUM CLASSIC-G2, AED1,700,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 2000m Field: Heart Of Honor (GB) (Honor A.P.), Mendelssohn Bay (Mendelssohn), Meydaan (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Walk Of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Generous Tipper (Street Sense), Tap Leader (Tapiture), Masmak (Vino Rosso), Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Antrim (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) TDN Analysis: This course-and-distance lead-up to the G1 Dubai World Cup shapes pretty quick on paper and that should suit Heart of Honor right down to the ground. Winner of the Listed The Entisar when producing his best through the line Dec. 19, he was left too much to do when a running-on third in the G1 Al Maktoum Classic Jan. 23. Tap Leader was getting 3.5kg from Wathnan Racing's Generous Tipper when making his local debut in a 2000m handicap Jan. 30, but it's level weights for this pattern test. The latter is a half-brother to Japanese Group 3 winner T O Elvis (Volatile), who is expected for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen. Walk of Stars and Masmak should fuel the pace, allowing G3 Firebreak Stakes hero Mendelssohn Bay to sit a good trip from stall five. The 2000-metre trip is the question mark for him. Saturday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 21:10, DUBAI CITY OF GOLD-G2, AED1,400,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 2410mT Field: Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Keffaaf (GB) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), Burdett Road (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Kihavah (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), Crystal Black (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Ruling Dynasty (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Fort George (GB) (Territories {Ire}). TDN Analysis: Rebel's Romance kicked off his six- and seven-year-old campaigns with victories in the G2 H H Amir Trophy in Qatar, but lands here as he begins another year at the races in this prep for the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, where he was successful in 2024. Winner of 20 of his 30 lifetime starts and nearly $15.3 million, the homebred made last year's GI Turf Classic in New York his ninth-elite level score and he was last seen falling just short of a third success in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. The commonly owned Passion and Glory is winless in seven starts since landing an Ascot handicap in the summer of 2024, but resumes here at age 10, having finished runner-up in last year's renewal. Mrs Fitri Hay's Fort George narrowly won the G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes here on Jan. 30 and tries this extended trip for the first time in his career. Saturday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 20:00, SINGSPIEL STAKES-G2, AED1,400,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 1800mT Field: Maljoom (Ire) (Caravaggio), Alakazi (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), Holloway Boy (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), Quddwah (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Dividend (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), Tumbler (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), Folk Festival (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Dioptase (Ire) (New Bay {GB}). TDN Analysis: Alakazi carries the silks of the Exors of the Late His Highness Aga Khan in the Singspiel, looking to punch his ticket to the G1 Dubai Turf in 29 days' time. The 4-year-old broke through with a victory in the G2 Solonaway Stakes on Irish Champions weekend in September and acquitted himself quite well in his Group 1 debut, staying on into third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes over the Ascot 1600 metres in October. Sheikh Ahmed's Quddwah was last but one in the Queen Elizabeth, but bounced back to take the G2 Zabeel Mile here on Jan. 2. He exits a creditable fourth in the Listed Abu Dhabi Gold Cup Feb. 7 and Simon and Ed Crisford have engaged the services of Ryan Moore. Fifth in the Zabeel Mile, Holloway Boy was third to Opera Ballo (Ghaiyyath) in the G1 Jebel Hatta over track and trip Jan. 23 ahead of a runner-up effort to Make Me King (Dark Angel) in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup (Qat-G2) over 1600m in Doha on Feb. 14. Saturday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 21:55, BURJ NAHAAR-G3, AED1,200,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 1600m Field: Commissioner King (Commissioner), King Gold (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}), Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), Crown Board (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Hypnus (Into Mischief), Castlewarden (Into Mischief), Mount Kosciuszko (GB) (National Defense {GB}), Swing Vote (GB) (Shamardal), Telemark (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), The Camden Colt (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), West Saratoga (Exaggerator). TDN Analysis: With a spot in the G2 Godolphin Mile on the line on Dubai World Cup night, the Burj Nahaar has drawn 11 dirt milers and the highest rated is Commissioner King. A winner of the G3 Saudi Derby, he was second in the G3 Firebreak Stakes to Mendelssohn Bay (Mendelssohn) last out. Rated three pounds higher than Group 1 winner King Gold, he leaves from stall 10. King Gold is booked in stall three, and widest of all is fellow Group 1 winner Audience. Saturday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 19:25, MAHAB AL SHIMAAL-G3, AED1,200,000, 3yo/up, 1200m Field: Tuz (Oxbow), El Nasseeb (GB) (Profitable {Ire}), Dark Saffron (Flameaway), World Record (Gun Runner), Colour Up (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Lamborghini BF (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Cats By Five (Audible), Sing Dragon (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}), Apollo One (GB) (Equiano {Fr}). TDN Analysis: 2024 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen hero Tuz makes his first start of the campaign in the Mahab Al Shimaal. In the 2024/2025 season, he won all of the domestic group sprints before finishing third in the Golden Shaheen. Grade I-placed World Record opposes from the same Seemar barn, as does Mufasa. The latter pair and Cats By Five, trained by Chief Stipe Watson, represent RRR Racing. Saturday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 18:50, NAD AL SHEBA TURF SPRINT-G3, AED1,200,000, 3yo/up, 1200mT Field: Mitbaahy (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}), Cover Up (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), Great Wish (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Lethal Levi (GB) (Lethal Force {Ire}), Symbol Of Honour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Echo Point (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}), Morning (Munnings), Two Tribes (GB) (Rajasinghe {Ire}), Run Boy Run (GB) (Rajasinghe {Ire}), Arabie (GB) (Dandy Man {Ire}), Rabaah (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Native Approach (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Power Mode (Speightstown), Monteille (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), Rayevka (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}). TDN Analysis: French newcomers Monteille and Rayevka are just two entries in the largest field on Super Saturday, the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint. Receiving a welcome four-pound break in the weights, they face Two Tribes and Run Boy Run. The duo, both by Rajasinghe and trained by Richard Spencer, each sport a win at the Dubai World Cup Carnival this season. The dependable Ponntos will provide some early pace, but it is anyone's guess if he will have enough petrol in the later stages of this contest to fend off the closers for the top spot. He'll definitely be one horse vying for the lesser medals. Saturday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 22:30, JUMEIRAH 2000 GUINEAS-Listed, AED800,000, 3YO, 1600mT Field: Legalaized (Arg) (Dabster), Pacific Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Talk Of New York (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Title Role (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Samhan (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), Pacifica Pier (Ire) (Palace Pier {GB}), Tailgunner Joe (Knicks Go), Zumbezi (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), Mr Haiiro (Frosted). TDN Analysis: Godolphin's Talk of New York transitions to the turf for this seasonal return, having romped in by 5 1/2 lengths in a 1600-metre maiden over the Kempton all-weather in his lone previous trip to the post on Oct. 15. A son of 2016 G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes winner Usherette (Shamardal), the bay colt is a half-brother to Star Guest (Dubawi), listed-placed on the grass in England and in America. He is the choice of William Buick, while Mickael Barzalona takes the ride on Pacific Avenue, who graduated in a conditions event over a mile in Qatar on Dec. 20 and most recently beaten two heads into third in the Feb. 14 Al Rayyan Mile (Qat-G2) during the Amir Trophy Festival. Coolmore's Title Role also broke his maiden at Kempton in October and landed a course-and-distance conditions race on Jan. 30. Saturday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 16:05, JUMEIRAH 1000 GUINEAS-Listed, AED800,000, 3yo, f, 1600mT Field: Taifuu (Den) (Japan {GB}), Fairy Oak (GB) (A'Ali {Ire}), True Test (GB) (Time Test {GB}), Callahan (GB) (Lope Y Fernandez {Ire}), Sweet Sunshine (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), Gelinotte (Ire) (Nando Parrado {GB}), Piana (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}), Lady Garfield (Ire) (James Garfield {Ire}). TDN Analysis: Tops on ratings is Danish filly Taifuu, who claimed a 1400-metre turf affair here in January over the re-opposing Fairy Oak. In fourth that day was True Test, who won her first two races–at Lingfield and Newmarket–last summer but has been winless since. Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong, post time: 3.35 p.m. CITI HONG KONG GOLD CUP-G1, HK$13,000,000, 3yo/up, 2000mT (PPs) Field: Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), Beauty Joy (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}), My Wish (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}), Ensued (Lemon Drop Kid), Winning Wing (NZ) (Preferment {NZ}). TDN Analysis: At this time last year, Romantic Warrior was recovering from his narrow defeat in the G1 Saudi Cup and preparing for the G1 Dubai Turf, but he is back on home soil this time around looking for a second Gold Cup victory in three years. Having gone down narrowly to Golden Sixty in 2023, he proved a neck better than Voyage Bubble the following season and owns a remarkable record of 12-1-0 from 14 tries over the Sha Tin 2000 metres. The eight-year-old attempts to add this to his last-out defeat of Voyage Bubble in the 1600-metre G1 Stewards' Cup on Jan. 25. In his only start at the metric 10 furlongs, My Wish came with a flying finish to just miss winning the BMW Hong Kong Derby last March. He was a disappointing sixth to Voyage Bubble as the favourite in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in December and was a non-threatening fourth in the Stewards' Cup. Saturday, Lingfield, post time: 14:35, THE BETMGM SPRING CUP-Listed, £60,000, 3yo, 7f 2y (AWT) Field: Hilitany (GB) (Ubettabelieveit {Ire}), Richie's Rocket (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Shahik (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), Sir Albert (Ire) (No Nay Never), Ten Carat Harry (GB) (Ardad {Ire}), Bella Lyra (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Starfinch (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Star Strewn (Ire) (Starman {GB}). TDN Analysis: Unbeaten on the all-weather, Ten Carat Harry is out of handicap company returning to a trip he has tried once and failed at on turf back in October. With the likes of the G3 Princess Margaret Stakes third Bella Lyra and promising nine-length course maiden winner Richie's Rocket in here, he will have to stay every yard of the distance to extend his admirable record. [Tom Frary]. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Appleby Mobhanded On Super Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When Nu What's New (Munnings) started his career last year a sixth-place finish in a maiden race at Churchill and followed that with a seventh-place run in a maiden on the turf, trainer James DiVito couldn't have been happy. He had paid $300,000 for the horse at the 2024 OBS April sale and Nu What's New just wasn't performing. Fast forward several months later and Nu What's New is among the most improved horses in racing, and has a shot to defeat the favorite in Saturday's Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn in Magnitude (Not This Time). “I think he can do it,” DiVito said. “He deserves a chance in this race. He's been running really well at Oaklawn and he obviously likes the racetrack. He's doing really good here at the barn. He's holding his weight really good and he's a pretty sound horses. I think he's going to run a really good race. DiVito has reason to be confident. On Dec. 26, Nu What's New ran away from a field of maidens at Oaklawn to win by 7 1/2 lengths while earning a 101 Beyer figure. He was even better next time out when winning a first-level allowance race by 12 1/2 lengths, earning a 103 Beyer. “I was vert impressed by that last race,” the trainer said. “He won pretty easily. (Luis) Saez wasn't using the horse and he told me he didn't use the horse much. He finishes up good. He gets out there on the pace and then really finishes up. When he can go in '12' for the last eighth going two turns you know you have a good horse.” That wasn't always the case. DiVito gelded the horse after the poor showing in the grass at Churchill, and that helped, but only so much. He lost his next three races, all of them maidens, all of them sprints. But DiVito sensed that Nu What's New was on the verge of a breakout. “He seemed to be getting better and better,” he said. “He finally turned the corner so far as learning things. He's just maturing and coming around. He's waking up and learning more about what's going on. Sometimes horses don't come around as 2-year-olds. Obviously, I gave a lot of money for him. I like horses by Munnings. I have had a lot of success with them. They are pretty versatile horses. But they usually like to sprint and that's why I thought he was going to be a sprinter.” A sprinter he was not. Nu What's New didn't turn into a top prospect until DiVito decided to send him long for the Dec. 26 race, which  was contested at one-mile. A horse that was coming from well off the pace in his sprint tries, he rocketed to the lead, and never looked back. It was much the same in the 12 1/2-length allowance win. He went right to the front in the mile-and-one-sixteenth event, opened up by two lengths down the backstretch and widened his margin from there. “Stretching him out helped him a lot,” DiVito said. “He makes the lead easy and that's a big plus if you can carry your speed like that. Going two turns and getting an easy lead, that's a pretty good thing to happen to you. He's way better going long.” DiVito is aware that the Razorback is a big test. Going from allowance competition into a Grade III stakes race with a $500,000 purse is a big step up. Then there's the Steve Asmussen-trained  Magnitude. He was headed to the GI Saudi Cup before being sidelined briefly with a fever and, in this easier spot, has been made the 9-5 favorite in the morning line. Magnitude has earned $1,291,865 and has won two graded stakes. In perhaps his best performance, he won the Iowa Derby by 9 1/4 lengths. Nu What's New is 2-1 on the line. “There's also a big difference in the competition compared to what he's been running against,” DiVito said. “He's going to run against better horses and now we'll see what kind of horse he is.” There's also the matter of how the race will unfold. While it's no secret that DiVito's horse will go for the lead, Magnitude also has plenty of early speed. If Magnitude presses Nu What's New, that may take away what is his strength, his blazing early speed. With Saez booked to ride Saturday at Gulfstream, Rafael Bejarano will be aboard the 4-year-old son of Munnings. “The jocks will have to play the break,” DiVito said. “Whoever comes out of there the fastest, then the rider can do what they want to do.  It's going to be a jocks' race because there are two or three horses that should be close to the pace. That's the way it looks on paper. We'll just have to see what happens when the gate opens.” Should Nu What's New pass this test the April 18 GII Oaklawn Handicap will be next. DiVito knows that his horse still has something to prove on the racetrack, but he's not ruling out that the gelding won't turn out to be one of the better older horses in training. “We'll see how it all plays out,” he said. “So far, he has trained well here and his last two races have been big. Visually, they were very impressive. We'll see what happens on Saturday. If he's good enough, that's the plan, to stay around here locally for the Oaklawn Handicap. Can he win a race like that? We'll find out.” The post Among The Most Improved Horses In The Sport, Can Nu What’s New Spring The Mild Upset In The Razorback? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Kevin Engelhard, Mike Ferrozzo, Chris Littlemore, and Ken Seeman, who have 62 total NHC appearances between them, have been voted by their peers for induction into the NTRA National Horseplayers Championship Hall of Fame, the The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced Friday. These decorated handicappers represent the 12th class of NHC Hall of Fame inductees and will be recognized during the NHC Champions Dinner on Sunday, March 15, following the conclusion of the 27th NTRA National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) at the Horseshoe Las Vegas. The post Engelhard, Ferrozzo Lead Four New Names In NHC Hall Of Fame appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article