Trots

DEL MAR, Calif. – At the age of 56, the legendary Bill Shoemaker guided Ferdinand home by a nose over Alysheba as the two Derby winners famously hit the wire together in the 1987 GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Hollywood Park. The late Shoemaker has held the record as the oldest jockey to win a Breeders' Cup race since. Hall of Famer Mike Smith will have five chances to make history as the two-day Championships return to Del Mar for the fourth time Friday. The 59-year-old's Breeders' Cup mounts include: Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso) (Juvenile Fillies); 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) (F/M Sprint); Kopion (Omaha Beach) (Sprint); Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach) (Classic); and Will Take It (Tapit) (Dirt Mile). “Even if I wasn't setting the record, it would be awesome to win a Breeders' Cup race,” Smith said. “We're gonna give it our all. We're not without big chances, I'm excited about it. And if I become the oldest jockey to do so, that's just an extra little icing on the cake. I feel like I'm 40, man. I mean, I'm out here running talking to you (on the phone) right now.” Bottle of Rouge makes her two-turn debut for Bob Baffert in Friday's Juvenile Fillies following a win in the seven-furlong GI Del Mar Debutante S. Tamara, a daughter of the mighty Beholder, kicked off her season in style off the bench with a dominant win in the GIII Chillingworth S. The talented GI Derby City Distaff S. heroine Kopion could arguably be Smith's best chance on the weekend while taking on the boys in the Sprint. The Spendthrift Farm duo are both trained by Richard Mandella. “I don't think anybody would argue that (Tamara) has the ability and if anyone could get into the Breeders' Cup off one race, that's Mr. Mandella,” Smith said. “There's a lot to (Kopion). She's as big as those boys are. She's strong. Some great fillies have run extremely well in the Sprint in the past.” The lightly raced 3-year-old Nevada Beach heads to the Classic for Baffert following a 'Win and You're In' victory against older horses in the GI Goodwood S. Smith has won the Classic four times, led by the once-in-a-lifetime Zenyatta in 2009. “I don't even think we know how good he is yet,” Smith said. “He's a big, powerful horse and wants every bit of going the distance.” Smith will also ride longshot Will Take It for Dallas Stewart in the Dirt Mile. “I'm feeling great, my horses are training well and I couldn't be more excited,” Smith said. “Listen, it's the Breeders' Cup, we all know they're very tough races to win, but I wouldn't be surprised if any one of them won. They all have a really good shot and they're doing really well. It's been a few years since I've had a couple of live ones in the Breeders' Cup.” No jockey has ridden more 'live ones' at the Championships than Smith. The most recent of his leading 27 Breeders' Cup victories came aboard Corniche in the 2021 Juvenile. His first was aboard the two-time Mile winner Lure in 1992. “When Zenyatta beat the boys, that might be a Top Five of all Breeders' Cups,” Smith concluded. “I've been blessed to have had so many wonderful moments in the Breeders' Cup.” The post Feeling Like He’s 40, Mike Smith Chasing Breeders’ Cup History appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) internal adjudication panel has banned trainer Zvi Kriple for two years for breach of the racetrack safety rule that prohibits “the deprivation of necessary care, sustenance, shelter, or veterinary care” to a Covered Horse. The case concerns the former Kriple trainee, Royal Honey (Astern {Aus}). In April of this year, Royal Honey died a “very painful death” from colic when stabled at Belterra Park after Kriple failed to secure for the 5-year-old mare the necessary veterinary care, according to a written ruling dated Oct. 27. The hearing was held Oct. 20. Kriple's ban began Oct. 28. He has 10 days from receiving the written order to appeal the ruling. According to the written ruling, on the afternoon of April 23 this year, Royal Honey started to show symptoms of colic. “Without having sought veterinary aid on the 23rd, at 12:30PM on Sunday April 24, 2025 the Covered Person made contact with Dr. Timothy Renn to seek veterinary aid. Dr. Renn informed the Covered Person that he was 100 miles away and was unable to return to the track to attend to the horse. “He suggested several alternative veterinarians which might be able to attend to the horse in a timely manner. He further stressed the importance of having the horse seen to and that the condition, left untreated, could lead to a very painful death of the Covered Horse,” the written ruling states. “Dr. Renn further testified that his next contact with the Covered Person was at 8:30PM on the 24th when he was told by the Covered Person that the horse still had not been treated by a veterinarian. In his testimony, Dr. Renn quoted another trainer who was on the call as saying that several trainers had volunteered to ship the horse to a nearby vet clinic free of charge but that the Covered Person refused to take advantage of those offers. “The Covered Person testified that he left the horse unattended at 1:30 AM on the 25th and that the Covered Horse fell out of its stall at 3:30AM and died what Dr. Renn described would have been a very painful death,” the written ruling states. In his defense, Kriple reportedly argued during the hearing that “despite his best and repeated efforts over the periods of April 23rd and 24th, 2025 he was unable to find any veterinarian that would either come to the racetrack to treat the horse or receive the horse at a clinic where it could be seen and treated,” according to the written ruling. Kriple was suspended by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) in March of 2010 after being found guilty of animal cruelty charges related to his treatment of a pony in his care. According to a Los Angeles Daily News story dated Jan 4, 2010, Kriple was convicted by a jury of misdemeanor animal cruelty “after prosecutors alleged he failed to euthanize or sufficiently treat a horse at the Fairplex racetrack that suffered from a chronic hoof condition.” The prosecutor in the case told the Los Angeles Daily News that Kriple had a pattern of “extreme negligence when it comes to taking care of horses,” and cited a 2002 case in which Kriple reportedly failed to properly care for a racehorse that suffered a fractured knee at Los Alamitos. According to Equibase, Kriple has trained 39 winners from 319 starts over a training career that dates back to 1998. The post Trainer Zvi Kriple Banned Two Years for Deprivation of Care in Horse Colic Death appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

1/ST Content has announced that Turkish racing as been made available for pool betting for North American bettors via Advance Deposit Wagering in U.S. and Canada where ADW is accepted.View the full article

In a feat that would fit the international vision of the Breeders' Cup, Aidan O'Brien this weekend will aim for the event's record for trainer wins. He enters this season's World Championships with 20 wins, tied with the D. Wayne Lukas for most. View the full article

Sierra Leone has $998,200 in the bank in 2025 with the possibility of earning more if he can go back-to-back in the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar.View the full article