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With his third-place finish in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) Feb. 14, Wathnan Racing's Tumbarumba became the leading Louisiana-bred earner of all-time.View the full article

sigh, by  me! 

Recently, while reviewing board elections for several major organizations in our industry, I noticed something that gave me serious pause; there are very, very few women at the highest levels of policy and decision-making on those boards. My initial reaction was the typical frustration I have felt for decades, but I must have matured enough at some point to realize that frustration alone does not move an industry forward. I wanted to try to figure out why this is and consider what opportunities we might be missing. I serve on several boards and committees across the Thoroughbred world and have sat on others in past. Interestingly, many of our aftercare and charitable organizations are heavily represented by women. The communication on these boards is strong. The collaboration is constant. The sense of shared purpose is tangible. Their dedication to the horse is unwavering. There is a sense of compassion, kindness and understanding over shared goals and that culture of collaboration has produced real progress. In my experience, most women working in breeding, racing, and training are not here because it is easy or lucrative. They are here because they are deeply invested in the animals and the long-term health of the sport. My dear friend Katie Taylor, Vice President of Operations at Taylor Made, said it best to me when we were talking about it this week. Women are not title-driven; we are difference-driven. We want to apply our energies, time and passion in places where we truly feel we can make an impact. I was so taken by her comments that I actually named one of the two-year-olds we are going to race with our trainer Michelle Elliott `Difference Driven.' Katie and I started the Thoroughbred Ladies Cocktail Club wanting to make connections easier in the lives of those young women coming down the pipeline; to have an outlet to meet and have access to the already successful women in our industry. The TLCC has been a huge hit with a Facebook outreach page and many in-person events last year and this year, with more on the schedule. A simple example of what women bring to the table: walk into the Keeneland dining area today. The transformation from a stark, cafeteria-type feel of years past to a welcome, home-away-from-home with fireplaces and comfy couches, reflects the vision of Morgan Richardson and her team. Yesterday I had lunch with colleagues Jen Roytz, with whom I serve on the USHJA Thoroughbred task force; Kristin Werner, who runs the T.I.P program at The Jockey Club; and Emily Dresen with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) to discuss an initiative that I and others have been working on aimed at creating opportunities for Thoroughbreds in the sport horse world in an effort to increase their value and the demand for them at the conclusion of their racing careers. What struck me was the level of coordination, aligning programs, ideas connecting, communication, and also friendship. There is long-term strategy being built  collaboratively so that the 2026 Thoroughbred hunter classes and beyond work symbiotically rather than competitively. That is what effective leadership looks like. I'll admit something personal: I did not run for the Breeders' Cup board the last time I could have because I doubted whether I would receive the necessary votes from the stallion farm owners. That hesitation says more about culture than capability. It is something I regret and also something really sad, considering what our farm and horses have accomplished. Leadership choices shape culture and culture shapes experience. The Thoroughbred industry faces serious challenges: communication gaps, public perception, aftercare funding/programs and more, all of which threaten our long-term sustainability. Expanding representation at the highest levels, including more women who are already deeply embedded in every aspect of this business, is not symbolic; it is strategic. The women I know in this industry are operators, managers, trainers, owners, breeders, executives, program directors, grooms, farriers, etc. Many of them manage teams, budgets, families, crises and horses every single day. The question is not whether women are capable of leadership, the question is whether we are fully utilizing the leadership already present within our ranks. Let's increase the presence of accomplished women on our most influential boards. We deserve to have seats at the table and I believe the industry that we all love and cheer for would be far stronger for it. Editor's Note: Have an opinion for publication on why there aren't more women on industry boards? Email suefinley@thetdn.com. The post Letter to the Editor: Women in the Thoroughbred Industry Deserve Seats at the Table appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tentyris stamped himself as the most exciting sprinter in Australia and took a large step towards living up to Anthony Freedman's huge assessment of him with a breathtaking win in the Feb. 14 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (G1) at Flemington.View the full article

The Feb. 16 special holiday racing program at Santa Anita Park will be postponed due to the declining weather forecast. A three-day storm is slated to hit after the conclusion of the Feb. 15 races.View the full article

Monday's special President's Day racing program at Santa Anita Park will be postponed due to the declining weather forecast. A three-day storm is slated to hit Sunday evening after the conclusion of the Sunday races. The storm is expected to bring up to three inches of rain to the area surrounding Santa Anita Park, prompting evacuation warnings in several surrounding communities. The eight races carded for Monday will be rescheduled in the coming week. A makeup day for the postponed President's Day card will be added to the Classic Meet prior to the end of the season.   The post Santa Anita Postpones Monday’s Holiday Card Due to Incoming Storm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Chris So Wai-yin is hoping Top Dragon can get the rub of the green in Thursday’s Class Two Year Of The Horse Cup (1,600m) at Sha Tin after a string of luckless runs in defeat for his smart prospect. The Pierata galloper is a three-time winner in Hong Kong, gaining his most recent victory when running riot in Class Three company over 1,400m at Sha Tin in October. Subsequently, he finished second to Little Paradise over the same trip when not enjoying the smoothest of passages in transit, before...View the full article

Respected Southland horseman Martin Dennis has passed away, aged 82.  Photo: Supplied Vale Martin Dennis Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk 15 February 2026 One of New Zealand racing’s most famous families has lost another member, with the recent passing of Martin Dennis, aged 82. Martin was the youngest member of the Dennis Brothers quartet, with the family facing a particularly tough last six months, with the passing of brother Tony in September. The brothers have been a pillar of South Island thoroughbred racing for more than 60 years, with a plethora of elite equine athletes coming off their Woodlands property. Dennis’ nephew, respected Southland trainer Robert Dennis, the son of the late Tony Dennis, said Martin had a wealth of knowledge on pedigrees and form, with the partnership relying on his expert analysis for their mares’ mating selection. “He was an integral part of their operation,” Robert said. “His strength in the partnership was the breeding and the pedigree side in the later years. Earlier on he was more involved in the training side. “He was extremely knowledgeable about pedigrees and crosses, and he analysed all the stallions and mares, and he had his own rating system. “For me personally, when buying horses, I would call on him to get his opinion on what he thought of pedigrees.” The brothers are well known for their horses carrying the prefix ‘The’, which was made famous by several top-flight performers, spanning more than 60 years. Among their leading flagbearers was the Gr.1 Penfold Chardon Mile (now TAB Classic) winner The Twinkle, while The Dimple and The Fantasy were the stakes winners of a combined 34 races. The breeding side of their operation included the three-time top-flight winner and Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) runner-up The Phantom, and his brother The Phantom Chance triumphed in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m), while The Jewel won the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and trained on to claim the Gr.1 Waikato International Stakes (2000m). In more recent times The Oaks Stud resident sire The Chosen One was another elite-level winner who also placed in the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m). It was fitting for Martin to go out a winner, with the octogenarian cheering home a winning double at Wingatui last weekend, with the Dennis Brothers’ colours carried to victory by The Ocean Heart and The Princie One. “Last week we had a double for the brothers,” Robert said. “Martin was at home with a lot of his family and a few friends. Apparently, there was quite a big crowd there and he in particular really enjoyed the day. It was a good sendoff for him.” The brothers’ colours also came close to victory at Ascot Park on Saturday when The Radiant One finished second in the Southland Stakes (1200m), and he will now head to Wingatui in a fortnight to tackle the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge WFA (1600m). “It was good to see her back to what we know she can do,” Robert said. “Things haven’t worked out lately for her. We ran in the Hazlett (Listed, 1400m) and she was very wide with no cover the whole way. She got a few more favours yesterday and she was only just beaten. “She is getting a bit older now but she has still got plenty of spring in her step and we might look at heading to the White Robe next.” Martin will be farewelled at a Requiem Mass in St Theresa's Catholic Church, Perth Street, Invercargill on Tuesday, February 17 at 2.30pm. According to Martin's wishes, bright colours are to be worn. Messages can be sent to 161 Edendale-Woodlands Highway, RD1 Invercargill 9871, or to Martin's tribute page at frasersfunerals.co.nz/tributes where a link to the livestream of the Mass will be available.

David Eustace is looking for Seraph Gabriel to serve up the perfect Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) aperitif when he bids to shed his local maiden in the Class Three Red Packet Handicap (2,000m) at Sha Tin on Thursday. The Saxon Warrior galloper was a one-time winner in the UK pre-import at Lingfield and also posted a huge effort to finish second in the Class Two Golden Gates Handicap (1,993m) at Royal Ascot on his final British start. He has subsequently taken well to racing in Hong Kong, finishing an...View the full article