I'm Nominating 'Free Holmes' . in the Huey category of 'Greatest NZ horseman  Ever'  . this bloke could head off Sir Mark Todd even🤔.  *Won the NZ Cup as a jockey riding Manton. * Won the Great Northern Hurdles and the Great Northern Steeple riding 'Liberator' . * Won the biggest harness race going,  NZ Trotting Cup 1919 +  2 Auckland Trotting Cups training and driving * Won driving in the Very First INTERDOMINION ever run , the Inaugural race between Nz and Oz in 1936.   (well technically he placed 2nd in the race . His own NZ horse got scratched from the Grand Final. So FREE got the call up to drive EVICUS , a Tasmanian mare. She ran 2nd in all her heats.  and also 2nd in the Grand Final to another fine Tasmanian in Logan Derby . But she was declared the WINNER of the Series on Points 20 -17 ahead of Logan Derby ( as she had started off a handicap) so took home the Gold trophy and spoils. as did Free  )   Logan Derby declared the winner of the race itself many years later . going undefeated for his 4 races during the series.   * Raced and bred many fine thoroughbreds and Standardbred across his years. *  FREE Holmes himself a fine sire! 😁 Sired Maurice Holmes ( The Maestro ) who across 50 years became the greatest NZ harness driver ever. A lasting Legacy compliments from Free 😋. (descendant young Robbie Holmes still competes in the South Island these very days)  * known as 'Old Free' by the gallops folk, and 'The Old Man of Trotting' by the Trots blokes . No One will EVER achieve What that bloke did in thoroughbreds and harness.  Don't think he got an OBE for services to racing like his own son Maurice 'the Maestro' did . So Maybe a 'HUEY award'  could be his ?  . Free Holmes (1871-1967)  NZ legend.       

Jockey Flavien Prat, trainer Chad Brown, and owner Klaravich Stables earned leading titles for their respective categories during the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet, which included racing at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

Flavien Prat, the reigning Eclipse Award-winner as Outstanding Jockey, earned his first riding title at a New York Racing Association meet when posting 43 wins at the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet which ran from May 1 through July 6. Statistics for the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet include the five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and four-day July 4th Racing Festival, both of which were held at Saratoga Race Course. Prat, a 32-year-old native of Melun, Siene-et-Marne, France, enjoyed a major milestone at the meet when he notched his 2,000th North American victory June 27 at the Big A, guiding Iron Max to the winner's circle in one of five wins on the card. He posted another five-win day on the July 5 card at Saratoga, highlighted by graded wins with Fionn in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational and with Obliteration in the GIII Sanford Stakes. “The last few weeks, I've had good things happen and I try to take it all in,” said Prat. “My agent [Brad Pegram] and the support of trainers and owners and everybody that's part of the crew are important.” Of his first New York riding title, Prat said, “Obviously I'm very grateful and proud, and it's an achievement. There's a lot of people that supported me and I feel very grateful.” The meet's training title went to five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown for the ninth time in his career after a prosperous meet yielded 27 wins for the powerhouse stable. “I feel very fortunate that we have so many nice horses to work with,” Brown said. “My team does an unbelievable job, including with all of the logistics of this meet, shipping horses from all different divisions to run at NYRA. I'm always just so amazed with the day-to-day fluidity of it–they just make things happen. I'm amazed with their teamwork and talent. All of the credit goes to them.” Brown, who won Belmont spring/summer titles from 2016-22 and in 2024, was winning his 34th training title at a NYRA circuit track. With 13 wins, Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables claimed its 30th owners' title at a NYRA meeting and it sixth at a Belmont spring/summer meet. The post Prat Earns First New York Riding Title, Brown Takes Ninth Belmont at the Big A Training Title appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

I'm not sure they'd count using @Huey criteria.  They've won awards before and wasn't it last year that their employee Megan Winters won the ENTAIN Stablehand of the Year award?

Congratulations TAB, would you like a little clap to go with that hand job?

The Klein family has been racing and breeding Thoroughbreds for over 30 years, but, according to Richard Klein, none have been better than Brilliant Berti.View the full article

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Early Sunday morning, trainer Tom Morley walked down his shedrow at his barn on the Saratoga backstretch. He stopped in front of a stall occupied by a curious looking dark bay colt named Donegal Momentum (Uncle Mo). Morley snuggled close to the 4-year-old, hugged him, kissed his neck. He has affection for all his horses, but, after what Donegal Momentum went through on Saturday, he deserved an extra dose of tender love and care. During Saturday's one-mile GIII Kelso Stakes on the Inner Turf course, Donegal Momentum and jockey Javier Castellano had a trip that took them to hell and back. Both horse and rider escaped virtually unscathed. While pressing the pace heading into the far turn, Donegal Momentum took a bad step, stumbled badly and briefly disappeared from view. It looked as though he had fallen, and he nearly did, but the horse miraculously recovered, got back to his feet and finished the race. Equally impressive was that Hall of Fame rider Castellano was able to stay on. “My heart was on the floor in front of me,” Morley said. “It came up from my throat, out of my mouth and was sitting on the floor of the grandstand. For two seconds, I was as close to giving up training as I ever have. And then he came back.” Donegal Momentum, the Kelso's second choice at 3-1, finished last. The fact that he finished at all is what had most people in the grandstand cheering loudly for the brave horse. “For two strides, I was heartbroken,” Morley said at the barn Sunday morning. “For three strides, I was amazed, and I could not believe he galloped through the line. I could not believe he did not come in a horse ambulance. I have an awful lot to thank God for this morning.” Donegal Momentum, owned by Donegal Racing, never gave his trainer any indication that he was in distress after the incident. Morley said he let out a yawn while being bathed, ate up his dinner Saturday night, jogged in front of a veterinarian Sunday morning and he allowed his joints to be flexed. Everything checked out. As far as what caused the incident, we may never know. “I have watched a number of replays,” Morley said. “He certainly did not clip heels; there was no one in front of him. He does have a cut on the back of his right hind pastern and the only way that could happen was by someone clipping him from behind. I don't think that, nor does Javier, nor does anyone else think that is what caused the stumble.” The theory that makes the most sense is that Donegal  Momentum's front end went down first and the cut may have come from another horse clipping him on their way past him while he was on the turf. Morley said the colt did not lose a shoe, he did not grab himself and he would not put any blame on the turf course, which was labeled firm. “I've been out there; it's in fantastic condition,” he said. “The horse is absolutely sound as a bell. I have never seen a horse as unperturbed by something like this in my life. It's something I hope I never have to experience again and nobody else has to go through because it was just terrifying.” Locked's Suburban Dud Perplexing To Pletcher Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has had a few days to try and figure out why Locked (Gun Runner) didn't show up in the GII Suburban Stakes at Saratoga on the Fourth of July. “It's kind of a hard one to analyze,” Pletcher said outside his office at his barn on the Oklahoma Training Track Sunday morning. The 4-5 favorite, Locked could only manage a third-place finish. Phileas Fogg (Astern {Aus}) won the race by a head over Locked's stablemate Antiquarian (Preservationist). It was 6 1/4 lengths back to Locked. Pletcher said speed had been holding up even though horses on the front end were not finishing fast. Locked and jockey Jose Ortiz had to be closer than they normally would. Locked never stopped running, Pletcher said, but he could not quicken and make an impact. This was the second straight race that Locked didn't get it done. In the GII Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs May 2, he finished fourth, beaten 6 3/4 lengths behind stablemate Fierceness (City of Light). Before that, Locked, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm, had dominated the GI Santa Anita Handicap, winning by 8 1/2 lengths. “I think he has a little bit of a Santa Anita Handicap hangover,” Pletcher said. “He went out there and ran an unbelievable race. Sometimes, even though horses will look good and train well and give you every indication they are rounding back into their best form, I don't think we have been quite able to get him back to that Santa Anita effort. Maybe it will take just a little more time.” Pletcher said Locked could run next in the $1-million GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Aug. 31 at Saratoga and he is not ruling out taking him on the road for a race out of town. “He's okay, physically,” Pletcher said. “I'll talk to the ownership group; we are under no time restraint.” Pletcher also said he has not decided whether or not he will run two horses–Fierceness and GI Stephen Foster winner Mindframe (Cionstitution)–in the $1-million GI Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 2. Fierceness is owned by Repole Stable; Mindframe's owners are Repole and St. Elias Stables LLC. “Mindframe came out of the Foster really well and I don't want to rule anything out,” Pletcher said. “It's a tough decision to make. You hate to run two horses like that against each other, but when you look at it individually, you can make the case that it's the right thing for each horse. We will continue to bide our time and make a decision when we need to.” Pletcher will also have to decide what to do with Tip Top Thomas (Volatile), who won the GIII Indiana Derby Saturday for owners James Bakke and Gerald Isbister. The 3-yeaer-old colt, who has two wins in three starts this year, will not be considered for the $1.25-million GI Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Races that could be on his radar are the GIII West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park Aug. 3 or the Listed Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx Aug. 19. Casse Says Alabama Next Target For Nitrogen Win or lose in Saturday's GI Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes, Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) was going to be pointed to the prestigious $600,000 GI Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 19. Nitrogen ran a winning race in the Oaks, but lost by a nose to Fionn (Twiling Candy) in the 1 1/8-mile race on the Mellon Turf Course. Nitrogen, owned by D J Stable LLC, had won her last four starts–three of them graded stakes–on the grass. The Alabama is 1 1/4 miles on dirt. Nitrogen's lone race on dirt came on a sloppy track at Saratoga when she won the GIII Wonder Again Stakes–taken off the grass–by 17 lengths against two others. “I still want her to have a shot to be champion 3-year-old filly,” Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said at his barn on the Saratoga backstretch Sunday morning. “The only place to do that is the Alabama.” Stablemate La Cara (Street Sense), who won the GI Acorn Stakes at Saratoga June 6, could join Nitrogen in the Alabama. First though, La Cara, owned and bred by Tracy Farmer, is scheduled to run in the $500,000 GI Coaching Club American Oaks July 19. Casse had a breakthrough runner on Saturday when first timer Ewing (Knicks Go) broke his maiden at first asking and was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' with a 12-length win in a 5 1/2-furlong race. The next assignment for the colt, named for former New York Knick great Patrick Ewing and owned by D J Stable LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds and Kenneth Frierich, could be the $200,000 GII Saratoga Special Aug. 2. Casse said he could also wait for the $300,000 GI Hopeful Stakes on Sept. 1, closing day. The post A Happy Ending for Donegal Momentum appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jen Shah, a Lexington-based certified public accountant with Dean Dorton, highlights the key tax provisions in the OBBB that may specifically impact horse and farm owners.View the full article

Trainer Brad Cox reported Fionn was in good order the morning of July 6 and that he will work backwards from the 1 1/8-mile Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1T) at Keeneland in October.View the full article