Chief Stipe

Former Windsor Park Stud stallion Mastercraftsman secured his ninth individual Group One winner as a… View the full article

Grahame Begg is single-minded in his focus for Blue Diamond-winning colt Written By this spring, wit… View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869(2) and Use of the Whip RegulationsFollowing the running of Race 6 the bMAC SHEETMETAL MOBILE PACE, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr Munro, alleging that Mr Williamson, the driver of CHILLI FRANCO, used his whip on more occasions than is permitted in clause (b) of the use of the whip regulations. Rule 869 provides as ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869(2) and Use of the Whip RegulationsFollowing the running of Race 2 the PLEASE SHUDDUP ONLY $80 A MONTH MOBILE PACE, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr Renault, alleging that Mr Walkinshaw, the driver of DOUBT ME NOT, used his whip on more occasions than is permitted in clause (b) of the use of the whip regulations. Rule ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869(2) and Use of the Whip RegulationsFollowing the running of Race 10, the FIRST MEETING HERE NEXT SEASON 22 SEPTEMBER MOBILE PACE, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr Quirk, alleging that Mr Ferguson, the driver of I’MALLABOUTTHEBASE, used his whip on more occasions than is permitted in clause (b) of the use of the whip ...View the full article

Perhaps you are correct in considering it is insignificant however my understanding is he has a major influence on what the China Horse Club purchases. Nice to see a Kiwi connection on the big stage no matter how big or small it might be. Also great to see the Kiwi connection through Lonhro being the sire of Gronowski.

Even trainer Geoff Dunn had to admit to being a little surprised at what Cole Porter achieved over t… View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 869(2)Following the running of Race 3 (More FM Mobile Pace 2400m) Information A10807 was filed with the Judicial Committee. It alleged a breach of Rule 869(2) and alleged that Ms Ottley "prior to the 400m you used your whip excessively". Rule 869(2) states: "No horseman shall during any race use a whip in ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 869(2)Following the running of Race 6 (Hardy’s Bar & TAB Mobile Pace 2400m) Information A10808 was filed with the Judicial Committee. It alleged a breach of Rule 869(2) and alleged that Mr Davis "you used your whip on more occasions than permitted inside the final 400m". Mr Davis signed the Information acknowledging ...View the full article

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike enjoyed a red-letter day at the Sunshine Coast yesterday with a winning … View the full article

Wyndspelle will do his future racing out of Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard’s stable. View the full article

Zac Purton has taken a one-win lead over Joao Moreira in the battle for the Hong Kong jockeys' premi… View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of Race 4, NZ Cup Hospitality Packages – Book Now Rating 75, an Information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr JM McLaughlin, against Licensed Jockey (Class A), Mr CW Johnson, alleging a breach of Rule 638(1)(d) in that Mr Johnson “allowed his mount MILK IT to shift out crowding ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 642(1)Following the running of Race 7, Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Rating 65, an Information instigating a protest was filed by Licensed Trainers (Class A), Messrs M R & M M Pitman, trainers of SMILING ASSASSIN (S R F Weatherley), placed 2nd by the judge, against HEEL BE JAKE (K Williams), trained by the ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of Race 6, The Preakness & Belmont 2019 With “Wheels” Maiden, an Information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr JM McLaughlin, against Licensed Jockey (Class A), Mr TR Moseley, alleging a breach of Rule 638(1)(d) in that Mr Moseley “allowed his mount CHORISTER to shift in when ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 870(3); Breaking Horse RegulationsFollowing the running of Race 8, the Fresher Foods Handicap Trot 2200m, a Protest was lodged by way of an Information. Mr Muirhead, Senior Stipendiary Steward alleged that the horse GEORGE, placed 5th, galloped the final 150m of the race in breach of the Breaking Horse Regulations. Mr G Noakes, the trainer/driver ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 870(3); Breaking Horse RegulationsFollowing the running of Race 3, the Wish for Fish Annual Fundraiser July 20 Trot 2200m, Mr Muirhead instigated a protest against the 4th placing of the horse BEG FOR CHEVRON. Mr Muirhead alleged that BEG FOR CHEVRON broke near the 180m and failed to settle thereby galloping in excess of 50m in the final ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 869(2); Use of whip RegulationsFollowing the running of Race 5, the Sims Pacific Metals Handicap Trot 2200m, an Information was lodged by Mr Muirhead in which he alleged that Graduation Horseman, Mr G Noakes had used his whip in breach of the Whip Regulations driving COOL SON. Mr Noakes was present at the hearing and indicated to ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 636(1)(d)Following the running of race 1, BECOME A MEMBER OF THE WRC FOR THE 2018/2019 SEASON 1600, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 636(1)(d). The Informant, Mr Jones, alleged that Mr Norvall failed to ride SOLDIER FIELD out to the end of the race when there was a reasonable chance of finishing third. ...View the full article

As well as his Granddad James senior the vet.

Horse racing: The Kiwi behind triple crown winner Justify 10 Jun, 2018 3:15pm 4 minutes to read Justify (1), with jockey Mike Smith up, leads the pack as it approaches the first turn during the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race. Photo / AP Photo NZ Herald By: Michael Guerin The Kiwi standing in the middle of Justify's Triple Crown storm says the feeling was surreal. And even more so for Cambridge bloodstock agent Michael Wallace because he was one of those responsible for choosing racing's newest superstar from the yearling sales. Trained by the legendary Bob Baffert and ridden by Mike Smith, Justify completed the his Triple Crown with a stunning all-the-way in the Belmont Stakes as the crowd went crazy. He returned to their cheers with an unblemished record and perfectly clean silks in sharp contrast to his muddied and beaten rivals. Justify was purchased at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for the China Horse Club & Maverick Racing for $500,000 by their buying team that consists of Wallace, the China Horse Club's racing and bloodstock manager, along with Mick Flanagan and Tom Ryan of SF Bloodstock. Now owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing and Head of Plains Partners, Justify defeated former UK galloper Gronkowski by just on two lengths with Hofburg back in third. The China Horse Club not only part own Justify but had the honour of him completing the Triple Crown racing in their now famous colours, which are increasingly seen around tracks in New Zealand. Cambridge bloodstock agent Michael Wallace. Photo / Trish Dunell The 37-year-old Wallace was part of buying team that purchased Justify when China Horse Club was still relatively new to the North American yearling market. "It was a steep learning curve for me personally when we started buying horse in the US market because it was all new to us," said Wallace from the Belmont track. "But you never dream it could produce a result like this. To have this level of success so early is something you wouldn't dare to dream. "Only two Triple Crown winners have ever been bought at public auction and to think we are all involved in one of them is remarkable. "There are good horse and great horses. But if you win the Triple Crown you become a legend and that is what he is now." Wallace went into yesterday's race in a pragmatic mood, knowing wishing doesn't tend to make racehorses run any faster. "We had already had a great run with him and were very proud of what he had achieved. "But to win it, to be there and one part of it was surreal. It was an amazing feeling but I think it is going to take a while to really sink in." Wallace got special joy out of watching the race in the Belmont stands with his father Jim and brother David. "It was great too have them there but there are a lot of sacrifices that go into making all this work, time away from my wife Nicky and family. "But a day like today, to be part of this, is something I will never forget." Wallace spends "about eight months a year" travelling the world attending sales, inspecting yearlings and going horses and managing the careers of the China Horse Club's ever-growing band of racehorses. But he also has his own bloodstock company, Waterford Bloodstock. "And we have people working hard there too who enable me to do what I do year round." Wallace was still pinching himself hours after the race as the team around Justify set out to celebrate the unique achievement. "It is such a surreal feeling and one that I'm still trying to take in," he said. "The crowd was in excess of 100,000 so the noise was unbelievable and when they started to roar as he got near the finish it just got even louder. "After the race so many people wanted to shake your hand and congratulate you. It's an experience I will never forget and will be hard to top in the future. "To become just the 13th winner of the Triple Crown is amazing and even more special is the fact that he is only the second Triple Crown winner to be bought at public auction after Seattle Slew in 1977." Remarkably Justify is one of only two horses to have won the Triple Crown while having been undefeated in any previous race; the other is Seattle Slew who feature's in the pedigree of Justify through his dam Stage Magic. Justify has won all six of his career starts, four at grade one level. Remarkably, Justify did not have his first start until February 18th this year and has quickly become the pin-up horse of American racing.

Triple Crown Winner "Justify" Becomes Most Valuable Race Horse In History At $75 Million By Devin Ch June 10, 2018 10:12 Paul Morigi/Getty Images 2 $75 Million goes towards the horse's breeding rights/early retirement. The Triple Crown is the rarest of all feats on the North American sports ledger. With his victory at The Belmont Stakes Yesterday, Justify did just that. The horse, owned by primarily WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing, was being sought after for his breeding rights well before his career had come to a close. Prior to the race, after winning both The Preakness and the Kentucky Derby, the horse's evaluation sat at $60 million, but after the win this Saturday, the price tag rose another $15 million, bringing his value to a startling $75 million. Justify became only the 13th victor of the Triple Crown, withstanding a late rush by a horse partially owned by New England Patriot Rob Gronkowski. It just so happens the race horse owned by the Tight End also went by his name of "Grownkowski," striking new blood into a sport steeped in established upper-class yada yada. In 2015, another horse manned by trainer Bob Baffert rode to glory. American Pharaoh ended a near Four-Decade dry spell in which championship caliber horses nearly missed the mark. All three races that make up the Triple Crown vary in distance, so a horse known for its blistering pace might fare better at The Preakness where the distance is less enduring. $75 million is no figure to scoff at.

Justify The second horse to win the Kentucky Derby without racing at two since Apollo in 1882. The first horse to win the Triple Crown without racing at two. Only the second horse to win the Triple Crown as an unbeaten horse - the other being Seattle Slew in 1977. Justify's first race was on 18 February 2018 - that is he has only had 6 unbeaten starts culminating in the Triple Crown. The 13th Triple Crown winner.

ARTICLE Jun 10, 2018 Francesca Le Donne Photo Brown looking ahead to G1 Travers with Belmont Stakes runner-up Gronkowski; G1 Diana possible for Just a Game winner A Raving Beauty by NYRA Press Office On the morning following Gronkowski’s runner-up performance in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, trainer Chad Brown was thinking about what could have been and what could be ahead for the colt owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III and named for All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski. “I’m glad our horse gave him [Rob Gronkowski, who watched the Belmont Stakes in person] a good thrill,” said Brown. "[The horse] didn’t disappoint anybody. I can only think about what might have happened if the horse had won, for horse racing and for everyone involved. But it’s good for racing to have a Triple Crown winner. We did our best to upend it, but it just didn’t work out. [Justify], my hat’s off to him. He ran a large number of races in a short amount of time with no 2-year-old foundation. This horse overcame a lot. He was managed so well by Bob [Baffert] and his staff. He’s a remarkable horse to run in all three legs as well as he did.” Gronkowski, who made his North American debut in the Belmont Stakes, broke slowly from the gate and lagged in 10th before commencing a rally to finish 1 ¾ lengths behind Justify. “I’m very proud of the way the horse ran,” said Brown. “He ran an incredible race from where he was to make up that much ground. [Jockey] Jose [Ortiz] effectively saved all the ground and he was coming rapidly up the rail. As he was making a good run of it I was really hoping he would sustain it. I thought he had a chance to go by in the stretch, but it wasn’t to be. Just short of the wire he seemed to get a little tired after that big, sustained run.” While Brown hasn’t made any immediate plans for Gronkowski, the trainer has August 25, the date of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers at Saratoga Race Course, circled on his calendar. “My first thought is that the Travers would be a good race for this horse if he were to break better and get a better pace to run at,” said Brown. “It’s a race I would love to win, and it looks like it would suit this horse. How we get from this race to the Travers, I haven’t decided yet. But that’s the race I have in my mind. I’ll discuss it with the owners.” Brown is eyeing a different race at Saratoga for A Raving Beauty, a three-quarter-length winner of the Grade 1, one-mile Longines Just a Game in her second start in North America. The 5-year-old mare could target the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana on July 21, Brown said. “It’s a strong possibility to get her out to a mile and an eighth, and the timing [for the Diana] probably works fine,” said Brown. “We already have won a Grade 1 with her, and we’re going to find another race that fits her.” A Raving Beauty is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables. She was purchased by Mandore International Agency for $264,915 at an Aqana mixed breeding stock sale in December after making 17 starts in Europe, including a pair of stakes wins in Germany and a third last October in Italy's Group 1 Premio Lydia Tesio, her final start in Europe. She won the Grade 3 Beaugay by three lengths on May 12 at Belmont in her North American debut. “She’s been a work in progress since she came over,” said Brown. “She has improved rapidly. She has become real good, real fast. A fine addition to the barn. We’re so lucky to have her. [The owners] have made two starts with her and already have a Grade 1, so they are doing well with her.” Plans for Martin Schwartz’s Off Limits, fourth in the Longines Just a Game, will be determined at a later date. “She’s been disappointing after such a strong year last year,” said Brown. “She’s trying to find her form again. She was really far back earlier. The race didn’t set up well for her at all. She came with her run to get up for fourth. We’re going to regroup with her to get her back into form because we know when she’s at her best and things go her way that she’s really tough.” Brown sent out Woodford Racing’s Engage to a runner-up performance in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens, presented by Mohegan Sun and praised both his own runner as well the winner, Still Having Fun. “[Engage] had a great trip and a great pace set up, but the winner just found more,” said Brown. “He was positioned behind us and rolled by near the wire. The winner was impressive, and I was super proud of Engaged.” Brown was disappointed with the outcome of the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Manhattan, in which Convento Viejo’s Robert Bruce finished sixth and Al Shahania Stud, Sheep Pond Partners, Head of Plains Partners, and James Covello’s Beach Patrol was last of 13 as the 9-5 favorite. “I thought [Robert Bruce] ran real well and had a challenging trip,” said Brown. “It wasn’t the trip we wanted. The winner [Spring Quality] got a good trip and ran really well. He kicked. That’s turf racing.” “Beach Patrol was the big disappointment of the day, the favorite in the Manhattan. He has never retreated like that in a race since we have had him. I definitely need to take a close look at him and make sure everything is OK. He wasn’t himself for some reason. As long as he is healthy, he has earned the right to have a mulligan, so to speak. So far, I don’t see a reason as to why he did that. It concerns me, but I need to look at the horse.” Brown said his other Saturday stakes runners – Mask (fourth in the Easy Goer), Pacific Wind (fourth in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps), and Take Your Guns (fourth in the Grade 2 Brooklyn Invitational – all seemed to be doing well upon preliminary inspection. On the worktab for Brown was champion Good Magic, second in the Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Preakness. Good Magic, currently targeting the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on July 29 at Monmouth Park, breezed four furlongs in 50.90 seconds on Sunday. * * * Vino Rosso, Noble Indy exit Belmont in good shape; Saratoga possible for Easy Goer victor Prince Lucky Graded-stakes winners Vino Rosso and Noble Indy, fourth and 10th, respectively, behind Triple Crown champion Justify in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, emerged well from the race, trainer Todd Pletcher reported Sunday morning. “Excellent. They’re both in good shape today,” he said. “[Justify] got into that rhythm and was able to slow it down through a half [in 48.11 seconds], and that made him awfully hard to beat.” Vino Rosso and Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez raced in a contending position early and took first crack at Justify on the far turn but was unable to maintain his move and wound up a neck behind third-place finisher Hofburg. “I thought Vino Rosso ran well,” Pletcher said. “Johnny took a shot on the middle of the turn and tried to put some pressure on the winner and it might have cost him a position.” Noble Indy, who was noticeably keyed up before the race in the paddock and on the track, brushed the starting gate as he broke and ran in mid-pack under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano before giving way past the quarter pole. “I was a little disappointed in the way he behaved in the paddock and the post parade. He never really fired,” Pletcher said. “It’s not totally out of character for him. He’s one that we’ve done a lot of work with, and yesterday just seemed like the crowd and everything got to him a little bit.” Regarding the next step, Pletcher is leaving his options open for both horses. “We’re not really sure yet,” he said. “We’ll kind of let the dust settle and decide what we’re going to do.” My Meadowview Farm’s Prince Lucky kicked off the Belmont Day stakes program with a hard-fought neck victory in the $150,000 Easy Goer for 3-year-olds, running 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.41. It was the fourth win from eight starts for the gelded son of Corinthian that was third in the Sir Barton May 19 at Pimlico Race Course on the undercard of the Grade 1 Preakness. “I thought it was a gutsy effort. He was in between horses and kept fighting back and I was proud of him,” Pletcher said. “We ran him back in three weeks there, so we’ll probably give him a little bit of a freshening and point for something like the Curlin maybe, and if he trains unbelievably well we might even take a shot at something bigger.” The $100,000 Curlin for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles will be run Friday, July 27 at Saratoga Race Course. * * * Monomoy Girl ‘happy, healthy’ morning after G1 Acorn score Leading 3-year-old filly Monomoy Girl is in good order following her two-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $700,000 Acorn presented by Nassau County IDA, trainer Brad Cox said Sunday. Saturday’s win was the third straight Grade 1 for the chestnut Tapizar filly, also including a 5 ½-length romp in the Ashland on April 7 at Keeneland and a game half-length score in the Kentucky Oaks on May 4 at Churchill Downs. “She looked great this morning,” said Cox. “We came out of the race extremely well. She looked great, happy, healthy.” Owned by Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables, Monomoy Girl is undefeated in four starts in 2018 and is 7-for-8 in her career for earnings of nearly $1.5 million. Her only loss came with a close runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Golden Rod last fall. In the Acorn, at a mile around one turn, Monomoy Girl settled in third through the early going and came running with a five-wide move for home under Florent Geroux, drawing clear as the 3-5 favorite. “The way she’s been training, we were expecting a big effort out of her yesterday and she gave it to us,” said Cox. “They give you confidence watching them train, but you never really know what’s going to happen when the gates come open. But, it set up extremely well for her and Florent did a great job putting her in a good position and she responded the way we thought she would. The filly that was second ran an incredible race as well.” Monomoy Girl left Belmont Park around 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning to return to her trainer’s main base at Churchill, where Cox said she’ll ready for a likely start in the Grade 1, $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 22 at Saratoga Race Course. “That’ll be our short-term goal,” he said. “We’ll see how it goes, but it’s good timing between races and hopefully we’ll have her ready and she’ll reward us again.” * * * Newly minted graded-stakes winner Still Having Fun back home Sunday Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Terp Racing’s Still Having Fun, long shot winner of Saturday’s Grade 2 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun was back at his base of Laurel Park and doing well, trainer Tim Keefe said Sunday morning. The Maryland-bred son of Old Fashioned vanned back to Maryland shortly following the race. The trip took just over four hours, Keefe said. “It was the easiest trip I’ve ever had,” he said. “The horse is doing great. He ate up well last night and he looked fresh and happy today. He’s very good.” A $12,000 yearling purchase out of Fasig-Tipton’s Midlantic sale at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium in October 2016, Still Having Fun more than doubled his career earnings in the Woody Stephens to $431,703 following his 1 ¼-length triumph at odds of 13-1 over 10 rivals in 1:21.45 for seven furlongs. Already a two-time stakes winner at Laurel over the winter, Still Having Fun was facing graded company for the first time in the Woody Stephens and provided Keefe with the first graded-stakes triumph of his career. “I’d won a couple stakes at Aqueduct, some overnight stakes, but they were smaller races, obviously. Nothing compared to yesterday,” he said. “That was pretty cool for me.” A return trip to New York for the Saratoga Race Course meet may be in the cards for Still Having Fun, Keefe said. “I talked with Adam [Wachtel] this morning just to let him know that everything is good and he had said to Gary and myself that he’s got a couple of ideas that he said he’s going to run past us in a couple of days,” Keefe said. “We always like to make sure the horse comes out of the race well. All indications are right now that he has. “Certainly Saratoga might be something that we’d consider. I’m sure there will be opportunities for him up there this summer,” he added. “He’s run pretty hard consistently since January. He hasn’t missed a beat. I’ll see what Adam has in mind. He’s been great. He’s a real numbers guy and he’ll help determine what a good next spot will be.”

Possibly but those behind still had the drop on him if they were good enough. They weren't. The first quarter was run in 23 seconds - a reasonable clip but the mile was only 1:38 - the last half in 46 seconds. So he had an easy middle section.