Wandering Eyes

Bentornato is on schedule to make the trip to Dubai for the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) March 28.View the full article

Former European stallion Reliable Man has died in New Zealand, GaloppOnline reported on Thursday. The G1 Prix du Jockey Club-winning son of Dalakhani was 18. Gestut Rottgen's Frank Dorff told the publication, “This morning we received the sad news from New Zealand about the death of the stallion Reliable Man. He had to be operated on, unfortunately he had to be euthanized as a result of complications after the operation.” Bred by N. P. Bloodstock, the grey would win his first three starts in succession as a three-year-old, culminating in the 2011 edition of the Prix du Jockey Club. Third in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris, Reliable Man bounced back with a win in the G2 Prix Niel that September. Third in the G1 Prix Ganay first up at four, he wound up second in the G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte several starts later. Traveled to Canada and eventually Australia, his final victory was also his career finale, as he ran out a 2 1/2-length winner of the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick in the April of 2013. At stud, the son of On Fair Stage (Sadler's Wells) would spend several seasons at Gestut Rottgen in Germany and transfer to Haras du Thenney and Haras d'Annebault in France. He returned to Rottgen for the 2021 Northern Hemisphere breeding season and remained permanently in residence at Westbury Stud in New Zealand after the 2022 Northern Hemisphere breeding season where he shuttled beginning in 2013. His 29 stakes winners include 20 group scorers, among them G1 VRC Oaks heroine Miami Bound, G1 Railway Stakes victress Inspirational Girl, G1 Preis der Diana winner Erle, and G1 New Zealand Oaks scorer Miss Sentimental. The post Prix Du Jockey Club Hero Reliable Man Dies In New Zealand appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

West Point Thoroughbreds, David Ingordo and Gabriel Duignan's REAGAN'S HONOR (c, 3, Honor A. P.–Rutile, by Medaglia d'Oro)–a horse with the fingerprints of the late John Shirreffs all over him–was forced to tackle older horses in his first go against winners Thursday afternoon at the Fair Grounds, but he passed the test with flying colors, leading past every pole en route to an easy seven-length victory. After touching 2-5 in the wagering, the $140,000 Keeneland September yearling was off to an awkward beginning as the 11-10 chalk, bumping with 5-2 Favorite Day (Volatile) to his inside, but from there he was able to make a fairly easy lead for Jose Ortiz. Past the half in :46.83 and well in hand after three quarters in 1:11.55, Reagan's Honor found plenty when asked passing the midstretch marker and strode well clear. Bred in partnership by David Ingordo and the late Jerry Moss, Reagan's Honor's sire was conditioned by Shirreffs for Lee Searing to a victory in the COVID-delayed GI Santa Anita Derby in 2020, while the Mosses raced dam Rutile–a half-sister to the Shirreffs-trained GI Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo (Holy Bull)–to a maiden win from three starts under the care of Brian Mayberry. Reagan's Honor is a logical candidate for next month's GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby. Sales history: $140,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0. O-West Point Thoroughbreds, David Ingordo and Gabriel Duignan; B-David Ingordo & Jerome S Moss (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. 5th-Fair Grounds, $55,000, Alw, 2-19, (C), 3yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:42.02, ft, 6 3/4 lengths. REAGAN'S HONOR (c, 3, Honor A. P.–Rutile, by Medaglia d'Oro) Sales history: $140,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $72,300. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-West Point Thoroughbreds, David Ingordo & Gabriel Duignan; B-David Ingordo & Jerome S Moss (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. REAGAN'S HONOR is an easy winner in gate-to-wire fashion in R5 at @fairgroundsnola! @jose93_ortiz was in the saddle for trainer @reredevaux! #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/8D95nU5C9M — TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) February 19, 2026 The post Honor A.P.’s Reagan’s Honor A Poignant Allowance Winner in NOLA appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Shisospicy (Mitole), the champion female sprinter of 2025 and GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint heroine, has recovered from infection that forced her to skip last weekend's planned trip to Saudi Arabia. “Shisospicy, she's perfect now,” trainer Jose D'Angelo said of the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard.' “I don't think that we have enough time to prepare in the way that we would like to go to Dubai, so we are on standby with her.” Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Bentornato (Valiant Minister), meanwhile, is on schedule to make the trip to Dubai for the $2-million G1 Golden Shaheen Mar. 28, per D'Angelo. “Bentornato is doing great. I'm very happy with his [last] workout. We are planning to leave for Dubai on the 13th,” D'Angelo said. “I'm very happy with them. I'm sure that they're going to have a good year. Hopefully, we can get the trophy here from Dubai.” The post Shisospicy ‘Perfect Now’ After Missing Trip to Saudi Arabia appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Michael Guerin Better Knuckle Up could have a rare experience at Alexandra Park tonight. He might win a race. That might seem a little unfair to point out about a pacer clearly in the top 10 in the country but such are the realities of pacing’s big time. Better Knuckle Up won the first $500,000 Velocity Slot race at Addington in November 2024 and has been a constant open class force since, including a huge fourth in the New Zealand Cup in November when coming from last. But because of how hard that open grade is, and his own standing start issues, that Velocity win remains Better Knuckle Up’s only victory in the last 18 months. Co-trainer Scott Phelan thinks Better Knuckle Up gets the prime opportunity to end that drought at Alexandra Park tonight albeit with a very difficult stablemate to hold out. Better Knuckle Up has drawn barrier 6 over a mile in Race 2, the IRT.Your Horse.Our Passion Mobile Pace (5.21pm) and he has Queensland Derby winner Rubira next to him at barrier 7 and stablemate Sooner The Bettor at barrier 8. Sooner The Bettor has made a habit of winning these Alexandra Park races just below the absolute best level and is race fit after overcoming a 30m handicap to win an easier race last Friday. Phelan, who trains the pair in partnership with Barry Purdon, says there is so little between the pair the draw could decide the race. “We all know how good Sooner The Bettor is racing and he tends to win these races,” says Phelan. “And he might do that again. But I think the draw really helps Better Knuckle Up. “I think he will go forward and lead and then Tony [Herlihy] has options, he could stay in front or take a trail. “Because of that I think he has more ways he can win and I’d narrowly go him as our best chance.” Phelan also suggests punters give Chanel Noire another chance in the last race tonight. “She is a really nice mare who might have too much speed for most of them in this grade.” Tonight’s meeting contains plenty of young talent who will populate the age group races coming up at The Park, one of the best being Allamericanplayer (R4, No.8). He was one of our elite juvenile pacers last season and if anywhere near his normal racing fitness should win even from his outside barrier draw. Nazare and Alecto are two other smart three-year-olds returning in Race 5 while both the male and female juvenile pacers step out in their respective Young Guns heat. Coal Fire (R7, No.3) was a stunning debut winner but has still opened a $1.85 favourite even from barrier 2 tonight, with support for two debutantes in Layton David and Delany. The two-year-old fillies in Race 8 look even more even but Lady Di has the draw and race experience advantage. View the full article

The Jockey Club has launched the ID My Thoroughbred app, which allows users to access Thoroughbred information using a microchip number, it was announced via press release Thursday. “The ID My Thoroughbred app is just one of the many tools The Jockey Club has provided to support the industry's aftercare and traceability initiatives,” said James L. Gagliano, president and COO, The Jockey Club. “These initiatives are crucial to ensuring the welfare of Thoroughbreds throughout their lives, and we appreciate the collaboration among other industry organizations to make this a priority.” When a Thoroughbred that has a microchip recorded with The Jockey Club is scanned or a valid microchip number is entered, the app provides the horse's name and detailed markings. “We developed the ID My Thoroughbred app to make identification simple and accessible while also strengthening the industry's ability to track and understand where Thoroughbreds are throughout their lives,” said Kristin Werner, deputy general counsel and director of Industry Initiatives, The Jockey Club. “Knowing the location of Thoroughbreds that are no longer racing or breeding helps the industry strengthen aftercare efforts and promotes accountability and public trust in our sport.” In addition to identifying Thoroughbreds, the app is integrated with Thoroughbred Connect so a user can indicate if a horse is in need of assistance or if they are willing to provide assistance for a horse. The ID My Thoroughbred app is available for free through Google Play or the App Store. The post The Jockey Club Releases ID My Thoroughbred App appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Euro/Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby and the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby continue Friday and Sunday, respectively, with the $217,760 Listed Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby over 1900 meters and the $245,100 Listed Hyacinth Stakes going a one-turn mile at Meydan Racecourse and Tokyo Racecourse. The seventh race on an eight-race card under the Friday night lights at Meydan, the Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby lacks the presence of G3 UAE 2000 Guineas hero Six Sense (Not This Time), who is training up to the G2 UAE Derby on Mar. 28, but does include King Abdullah Bin A/Aziz and Sons' promising Salloom (Authentic). Some poor manners at the gate saw the strapping bay scratched from his expected debut in December, but with a winning trial under his belt, the $175,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $600,000 OBS March breezer made light work of a one-mile maiden Jan. 30, making just about every yard to score by just under seven lengths en route to 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard honors. He is well clear of his 12 rivals on ratings, but given his antics at the stalls first time around, nothing can really be taken for granted. “Salloom is doing great and I think he came out of the last race really well,” said trainer Bhupat Seemar. “He's ready to go again and take his chance, but I hope he behaves in the gate–that's the biggest thing.” Omaha Front (Omaha Beach) is one of four others saddled by Seemar and enters off victories over 1400 and 1600 meters at Jebel Ali Jan. 17 and 31, while Brotherly Love (GB) (Zoustar {Aus})–the half-brother to last year's UAE Derby runner-up Heart of Honor (GB) (Honor A. P.)– needs to improve off a troubled eighth in the Guineas. The winner earns 20 points towards a Derby appearance. Click here for the form guide. Koichi Nishikawa's Arcadia Cafe (Into Mischief) could go favored in Sunday's Hyacinth Stakes as he looks to join his commonly owned half-brothers Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) and Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah) as winners of the race, which offers 30 points to the first home. A $550,000 Keeneland September acquisition, Arcadia Cafe graduated by 2 1/2 lengths over the Tokyo one-turn mile Nov. 1 and was last seen finishing third in the first leg of the series, the local Cattleya Stakes, behind Satono Voyage (Jpn) (Into Mischief)–third in last week's G3 Saudi Derby–and 132-1 outsider Don Erectus (Jpn) (Danon Legend), who also lines up here. Rachel King, who was aboard future Kentucky Derby participant Luxor Cafe last year for Noriyuki Hori, has the call on Arcadia Cafe. Four last-start winners are headed by Iterrasshai (Jpn) (Mischievous Alex), a first-out third over course and distance in November and the five-length winner of a Nakayama maiden going 1800 meters on Dec. 13. Leading rider Keita Tosaki has the call. Yu Pharoah (American Pharoah), a son of the turf Grade III-placed Limari (Medaglia d'Oro), is a maiden winner from eight starts on the grass and tries the dirt for the first time in his career. The Hyacinth is the third of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. The post Derby Points Up For Grabs In Dubai, Japan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When the Maryland Million program, the brainchild of famed sportscaster Jim McKay, was launched in 1986, it was hailed as one of the most innovative and successful programs of its kind. It has been something that has been copied in racing states across the country. But when TK Kuegler took over as the president of the Maryland Million, he decided it was time to move the event forward, and make it bigger, better, and more lucrative. “It's been kind of sleepy for 40 years,” Kuegler said. “Jim McKay launched it and no one ever did anything to enhance it.” The Maryland Million announced a number of new incentives Thursday, which Kuegler promised are just the start of what he and his team have in mind to grow the event. On Mar. 22, two starter races will give Maryland Million-eligible horses preference and Maryland Million-eligible horses will split bonuses for each race as follows: $5,000 to the highest finisher, $2,000 to the second highest finisher, $1,000 to the third highest finisher, $500 to the next four highest. These bonuses will be paid out by Maryland Million Ltd. and are not part of the purses. The races will be open to all horses, and the largest bonus will be paid to the Maryland Million-eligible horse that comes closest to winning. “Forever, the Maryland Million has been a one-day event,” Kuegler said. “For all intents and purposes, there were no other benefits. If you had an eligible Maryland Million horse, which means you were sired by a Maryland sire, you got to race on the Maryland Million Day. It was and still is a great day. When I took over as president, I thought, 'That's great, but how do we make this even more valuable?' I said, 'Let's have races throughout the year where Maryland Million-eligible horse start earning extra benefits.' The first one of those will be on Mar. 22.” Kuegler is planning to have more races throughout the year where Maryland Million horses will be eligible for bonus money. “If everything goes well on Mar. 22, we fill the races, everything looks good, and the track is happy–we're going have another day like this in May, sometime around the Preakness,” he said. “We will have four more of those races. If that goes well, we will have a whole new Maryland Million Preview Day in September.” Maryland Million Ltd. also announced new 5 percent Maryland Million bonuses for maiden winners. Beginning Mar. 1, 2026, any Maryland Million-eligible horse that wins a maiden race in Maryland will earn a 5 percent bonus on top of the winner's share of the base purse. “I have a 100 percent commitment on that for at least the next three years,” Kuegler said. “It's not one of these things that will disappear on people. If they breed today to a Maryland sire, they're going to get that benefit.” The hope is that the extra benefits will result in higher sales prices for Maryland-sired horses that go through the sales ring. “This is a great move for both Thoroughbred owners and breeders in Maryland,” said Boyd Browning, Jr., the president and chief executive officer of Fasig-Tipton. “The new bonuses enhance the value of Maryland Million-eligible horses, and that should translate into higher prices in the auction ring.” Kuegler is doing everything he can to help make the Maryland Million grow. Last year, he had a kick-off party for the event at the Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and he said that 2025 was the first time that every race on the program was sponsored. “We can make this program massive,” he said. “I really believe that. We're just warming up. If you put some energy behind these things, usually people will follow.” The post New President Has Ambitious Plans for the Maryland Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Agentes 305 will serve as the official Spanish channel for Parx Racing with daily commentary and handicapping, Spanish-language race calls and exclusive behind-the-scenes content featuring interviews with jockeys and trainers. View the full article

Rigsdale Stud knocked it out of the park last year and Barry Kennedy, who runs the operation alongside his partner Anna Murphy, speaks about his ambitions for the farm Few breeders navigated their way through last year's yearling sale season with such sniper-like precision as Barry Kennedy and Anna Murphy of Rigsdale Stud. A homebred Sioux Nation colt kick-started a memorable autumn for the couple when selling to Billy Jackson-Stops on behalf of George Scott for £100,000 at the Premier Yearling Sale at Doncaster. Better still was to come for the pair in their early 30s, who marked their debut consigning at Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale at Tattersalls by selling another homebred, this time a Starspangledbanner filly, for a cool 325,000gns to Sam Haggas on behalf of Dash Grange Stud. Further profits were recorded with pinhooks by Minzaal and Harry Angel at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale and the Goffs Orby Sale respectively to compound a memorable 2025. Yet there was one result that towers above all of the others and it wasn't achieved in a sales ring. “Anna gave birth to our little boy, Sonny, just before Christmas so talk around the kitchen is more about bottles and bed time rather than mating plans lately,” Kennedy says proudly before following up with, “ah, he's a dream.” The pair, who first met in Australia and are currently based at Castlehyde Stud in County Cork, have been living out their own fairytale in recent times. Maria Branwell was the first horse to cast the spotlight on the young couple by following up a Listed success with an excellent third in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot back in 2022. The daughter of James Garfield represented an important first foray into the breeding game for Barry and Anna and her successes on the racecourse paved the way for the pair to be honoured at the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Awards later that year. While Kennedy is quick to attribute the success the Rigsdale team enjoyed with Maria Branwell as nothing short of beginner's luck, there's no fluke about what has followed. “We keep the mares at Anna's home place and we also rent a couple of places nearby,” Kennedy shares. “The dream is to buy our own farm in time. We've kept the numbers tight and, while it's not straightforward, we've made it work. Maria Branwell was great. Princess Pearl (Teofilo) was the first mare we bought and, when we sent her to James Garfield, that was also our first ever mating. “Maria Branwell was the result of it all and so much of this game is just luck because she wasn't accepted for any of the main sales so we went to the Autumn Yearling Sale at Goffs. Joe Foley spotted her there and she ended up going to David O'Meara, where she won her Listed race and finished third in the Queen Mary. It could have easily gone differently for us. We were just lucky.” He added, “Lexington Belle was the following year and that is a similar story. She was an inexpensive yearling [also sold at the Autumn Yearling sale, this time for €6,000 to BBA Ireland] and she won a barrier trial before selling to Middleham Park Racing. We still have the dams of those fillies at home. Princess Pearl's Starspangledbanner filly made 325,000gns at Book 1 and she's in foal to Sioux Nation while Lexington Belle's dam [Albemarle (King's Best)] is in foal to Henry Longfellow.” Barry and Anna are a good advertisement for shopping locally. Many of their successes in the sales ring and on the racecourse have been achieved with Castlehyde-based stallions, notably Sioux Nation and Starspangledbanner. Being associated with the Coolmore entity, which Kennedy says has assembled its strongest-ever roster, has served as a distinct advantage but there's no such thing as blind faith either. “Look, being based down in Castlehyde is obviously a huge advantage because they're a great help,” Kennedy explained. “To be able to get mares into some of those stallions, especially at the start, there's no doubt that they've been very good to us. We try to go elsewhere as well because you can't just have a draft full of the same stallions and we like to spread the business between Ballyhane Stud and a few other places if we can.” He added, “But to have a Classic-winning miler like Henri Matisse joining the roster at Castlehyde was a big one. Like, there are a few breeders who will send plenty of mares to Castlehyde this year and they may not even have to venture up to Coolmore because the stallion roster here is so good. It's a serious roster – to have Starspangledbanner, Sioux Nation and Gleneagles, who has the highest-rated horse in the world in Calandagan, it has to be the best roster in Castlehyde's history. Blackbeard has his first two-year-olds this year as well and, while I know it's pretty early in the year, the word seems to be very positive anyway. A few shrewd people have booked mares into him so that's interesting. It's an exciting time for everyone at the stud.” Rigsdale is one of the few smaller commercial breeding operations that prioritises the yearling sales over the foal market. Such is the enjoyment that the pair are said to derive from overseeing the process from birth to yearling sale prep, they are happy to turn a blind eye to what has been arguably one of the strongest sectors of the entire bloodstock market in recent years. That decision to sidestep the foal sales paid off in spades with their homebred yearlings at Doncaster and Book 1 last year, and Kennedy revealed that the farm will be adopting a, 'if it's not broken, don't fix it,' philosophy with regards to consigning horses in the future. He explained, “We changed tack a little last year, purely because we both spent time working at Newsells Park Stud and loved working with the yearlings. It was a conscious decision to run all of our own horses on as yearlings and thankfully it worked out. Prior to last year, we only ever ran one homebred on as a yearling. We enjoyed the whole prepping process so we just said we'd give it a go. We had two homebreds and two pinhooks so there were four in total. Now, it was probably bad management on our behalf because we ended up at four different yearling sales, but I suppose you have to go where you think your horses will perform best. But I can remember when we worked for Newsells, we said that, if we ever had a horse good enough to go to Book 1, we'd give it a go. That was a pretty cool thing to do.” He added on the success at last year's yearling sale season on the whole, “It means a lot. A lot of work goes into producing a horse for the sales and, when you are working full-time, there are a lot of mornings, lunch times and evenings devoted to it. If anything, it provides you with even more respect for the people who can do this job full-time and have gone on and purchased farms on the strength of their breeding or pinhooking, because it's a seriously difficult business.” For all that success in the sales ring is imperative to running a business, Kennedy revealed that nothing compares to a homebred winning on the track. Lucky then, because the team has a lot to look forward to on the racecourse this year. He said, “To have the winners on the track is the main thing. Going to Royal Ascot for Maria Branwell was amazing and, even last year, we were on holidays when Antipodes (Starspangledbanner), who we bred out of Albemarle, won his maiden nicely for Highclere Racing. They are the kind of moments that you put in all of the long hours for. “We have four two-year-old homebreds to cheer on this year. There's another Starspangledbanner colt out of Albemarle, who we sold as a foal, and he is in training with Fozzy Stack – he gets a good tune out of Starspangledbanner so hopefully this one will be lucky as well. Karl Burke has the Space Traveller out of What Is Life (Iffraaj), William Haggas has the Starspangledbanner out of Princess Pearl and then George Scott has the Sioux Nation out of Elegant Queen, so we have some brilliant trainers working for us.” The performances that Rigsdale put in at the yearling sales last year did not go unnoticed for the simple fact they simply did not miss. Off the back of such a bountiful year, you would be forgiven for thinking this ambitious young couple have grand ideas for the future. Not one bit of it. The goal here is a simple one; keep on producing nice horses. “We love the game – sure it's very enjoyable,” Kennedy said. “This time of year is very busy with the breeding season in full swing so we won't come up for air until around Royal Ascot time. Even after that, we still have a lot of National Hunt clients, so they will keep us busy into June also. We've got Santiago and Maxios – they'd probably be the big ones – but then Los Angeles is also new to the Castlehyde roster and he could be quite exciting. It's funny, Anna and I are contemplating sending him a Flat mare because he was a Group 1-winning two-year-old who went on and won Group 1s at three and four so he could be very exciting.” He concluded, “We're happy with how things are going and, no matter what was to happen, I think we'd always like to keep numbers tight. Our dream is to find our own farm – at the moment we have a lot of help from Anna's family – but I couldn't ever see us going down the consigning route or anything like that. If we're selling under Rigsdale, we want to be selling our own horses. When you have your own homebreds and pinhooks, you know what you have and you do right by the buyers. If you're going to be in the game long-term, it's nice to get to know the trainers and the agents. We'd like to think that Maria Branwell was lucky for David O'Meara so, if we think we've a nice filly at the yearling sales in the future, it's good to be able to say, 'David, would you mind having a look.' And that's really what it's all about. We want to be around long-term and I'd like to think that, in say 10 years' time, we'll still be breeding nice horses and aiming for the premier yearling sales. That's all you can hope for.” The post ‘The Winners Are The Main Thing – It’s What You Put The Long Hours In For’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Super Seth, the sire of four Group 1 winners from his first two crops, has been purchased by Coolmore from Waikato Stud to stand at its Hunter Valley base. Super Seth was bought by Dean Hawthorne, acting on behalf of leading owner-breeder Jonathan Munz, for A$280,000 at the 2018 Inglis Australasian Easter Yearling Sale. Sent into training with Anthony Freedman, the son of Dundeel thrived on his racing during a career which spanned 12 starts in the space of just 13 months, before he retired as the winner of over A$1.6 million in prize-money. The highlight among his five career successes was a nose defeat of Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) in the 2019 G1 Caulfield Guineas. Following six seasons at Waikato Stud in New Zealand, Super Seth relocates to Coolmore Australia having firmly established himself among the most exciting young stallions in Australasia. He is responsible for eight individual black-type winners, headlined by the top-level scorers Feroce (Australian Guineas), Linebacker (Randwick Guineas), La Dorada (MNWT Sires Produce Stakes) and Maison Louis (Queensland Derby). “Super Seth has been on our radar for a while now and he strikes us as a stallion that can make a significant impact on the Australian breeding industry,” said Coolmore's Tom Magnier. “For a young horse, the trajectory that he is on is something that is very rarely seen. “To produce three Group 1 winners in Australia from his first crop including two Guineas winners and follow it up with a Champion Two-Year-Old in his second, is an amazing achievement. Justin Carey and I went over to see him and his young stock at Waikato this week and we are very impressed by what we saw. He is going to be ideal for so many Australian mares, both physically and on pedigree.” Super Seth and his connections at Waikato Stud with Tom Magnier (far left) He continued, “It is a tremendous privilege to be given the opportunity to purchase Super Seth from Mark, Pippa and the Chittick family. Waikato Stud and the New Zealand industry have done all the hard work to get him to the position that he is in now and we look forward to getting him back to Australia and sending our very best mares to him. When it comes to making elite stallions, the Chittick family have got it right time and time again by producing multiple Champion Sires and we have a firm belief that Super Seth is the next one. “Super Seth will not be completely lost to New Zealand however, as a number of his existing New Zealand-based shareholders are staying in with us and Waikato will also continue to support him. Coolmore sell at Karaka each year, and we look forward to sending Super Seth yearlings with the 'C' brand over in 2029 and beyond. Furthermore, two exciting young Coolmore stallions, Auguste Rodin and Paddington, will return to Windsor Park for 2026.” Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick added, “This is a massive achievement for the New Zealand industry, our fellow breeders and Super Seth's shareholders who went all-in to help Waikato develop this world-class stallion. But also, for the Waikato team and our stallion manager, Ryan Figgins. It's very hard to make a stallion, let alone to do it during the COVID-19 pandemic where there was so much uncertainty; it's a very big achievement for New Zealand. It makes the early mornings and long nights a little easier knowing what we're doing is working. “On behalf of the Chittick family, thank you very much to the Magnier family and Coolmore team, whose enthusiasm to support New Zealand will continue through joining us in Return To Conquer. And to our breeders, very well done – it's a privilege to be part of this industry with you all.” The post Coolmore Purchase Super Seth, Rising Star of the Australasian Stallion Ranks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 260 offerings for its February Digital Sale and bidding is now open and will close Tuesday, Feb. 24, beginning at 2 p.m. ET., the online auction said in a press release on Thursday. “The February Digital Sale catalogue features 260 horses, led by especially strong contingents of racing and breeding stock,” said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales Leif Aaron said. “Offerings include stakes winners and producers, more than 70 horses of racing age, over 140 broodmares and broodmare prospects–including mares with foals at foot–and 34 'short' yearlings. We started the year off with a bang in January and we're looking forward to helping our customers achieve continued success in February.” Featured offerings include: Neom Beach (hip 1): Multiple stakes winning daughter of Omaha Beach with earnings of more than $745,000 to date. Offered as a racing/broodmare prospect by Jeffrey Bloom, agent; Paynterbynumbers (Paynter) (hip 3): Dam of multiple stakes winning 3-year-old filly Counting Stars (Honor A.P.). Offered by Mill Ridge Sales, agent (Dispersal of Repossessed Horses); Sharons Beach (hip 7): 3-year-old son of Omaha Beach ran an 89 Beyer at Santa Anita Jan. 23. He is entered in a maiden/optional claimer at Santa Anita on Friday, Feb. 20. Offered as a horse of racing age by ELiTE, agent; Take Charge Macy (Take Charge Indy) (hip 10): 3-year-old filly broke maiden at Oaklawn Park Feb. 8 in her second start. Consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent; Gun Party (hip 31): Son of Curlin out of Grade I winner Carina Mia (Malibu Moon) has run multiple 90+ Beyers. Offered as a horse of racing age by Steve Asmussen, agent; Miss Tapirado (hip 37): Daughter of Tapit and Grade I winning My Conquestadory (Artie Schiller) was a $775,000 weanling turned $1,300,000 2-year-old in-training. She is a full-sister to GSP Bourbon War as well as two stakes performers in Australia. Offered as a broodmare by Mill Ridge Sales, agent (Dispersal of Repossessed Horses). Also on offer is stock from the California and New Mexico operations of Kirk and Judy Robison, which is consigned by Arroyo Vista Farm and A & A Thoroughbreds. Reductions continue for Starship Stables with Taylor Made Sales Agency as agent as do dispersals of repossessed horses with Mill Ridge Sales and Margaux Farm as agents. Mill Ridge will host an open house at their farm in Lexington, Kentucky for their offerings on Monday, Feb. 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 pm. ET. Click here to create an account or register to bid for the February Digital Sale. The post Bidding Open For Fasig-Tipton February Digital Sale With 260 Catalogued appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin and Tokyo Racecourses: Saturday, February 21, 2026 4th-HSN, ¥12,330,000 ($80k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m WE MOVE (c, 3, Curlin–Shamrock Rose, by First Dude) is the second foal to the races for his dam, named the Eclipse Award-winning female sprinter of 2018 when besting her elders in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Also victorious in that year's GII Lexus Raven Run Stakes, the Pennsylvania-bred mare was purchased by K I Farm for $3 million with this colt in utero at the 2022 Keeneland November Sale. Shamrock Rose was subsequently covered by Flightline and exported to Japan in 2023 and her latest foal is a colt named Mic Story (Jpn). She was covered last year by Equinox (Jpn), having not produced to the same stallion in 2025. O-Yuko Nakamura; B-K I Farm Corporation (KY); T-Hiroyuki Uemura RASCAL KID (c, 3, American Pharoah–Treasure Trail, by Pulpit), a $70,000 Keeneland September yearling, is a half-brother to Irish Group 3 winner and GI Secretariat Stakes runner-up Long Island Sound (War Front) and to the dam of Paradise Like (Uncle Mo), recent winner of the GIII Robert J. Frankel Stakes at Santa Anita. Dam Treasure Trail is a daughter of Vertigineux (Kris S.), whose six winners include the once-beaten, 11-times Grade I winner and Horse of the Year Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) and treble elite-level scorer Balance (Thunder Gulch), herself the dam of SW Zverev (Oscar Performance). O-Makoto Kato; B-Mr Joseph Allen LLC (KY); T-Kazuya Nakatake 4th-TOK, ¥12,330,000 ($80k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1600m COLORER (f, 3, Quality Road–Rachel's Valentina, by Bernardini), a $1.05-million Keeneland September purchase, is one of two American-bred and -sourced 3-year-olds debuting here in the colors of owner Yoko Maeda. Rachel's Valentina was the second and final foal out of Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) and was named a debut 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the latter's success in the 2009 GI Haskell Stakes. Subsquently victorious in the GI Spinaway Stakes, Rachel's Valentina is the dam of two winners, including GSP Valentinian (Into Mischief). O-Yoko Maeda; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Yuichi Fukunaga The legacy continues ? Homebred G1W RACHEL'S VALENTINA, daughter of champion RACHEL ALEXANDRA, delivered a beautiful filly by leading sire QUALITY ROAD! #Storkstreet #BredandRaised #foalsof2023 @LanesEndFarms pic.twitter.com/yKJImPU2jX — Stonestreet (@StonestreetFarm) March 16, 2023 LUPO (c, 3, Not This Time–Spring Storm, by Unbridled's Song) was bought back on a bid of $90,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Sale and validated that decision when changing hands for $230,000 at last year's OBS March Sale. The Feb. 10 foal is the seventh starter out of a half-sister to SW Beautiful Daniele (A.P. Indy), the dam of Bodenheimer (Atta Boy Roy) and King of Speed (Jimmy Creed), each a dual stakes winner at two. This is the extended female family of champion Countess Diana (Deerhound). Christophe Lemaire sees fit to ride. O-Yoko Maeda; B-Machmer Hall (KY); T-Ken Kozaki The post Seven-Figure Daughter of Rachel’s Valentina Debuts at Tokyo appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Cheltenham hopeful Glance At Midnight sold for £245,000 to top the GoffsGo February Sale when selling to Ryan Mahon on behalf of Dan Skelton on Thursday. The son of Passing Glance (lot 3) holds entries in both the G1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle and the G1 Turners Novices' Hurdle at next month's Cheltenham Festival. A winner of a bumper and a maiden hurdle, Glance At Midnight was last seen running second in the Listed Sidney Banks Hurdle at Huntingdon. Said Mahon of his purchse, “He's a nice horse with a nice pedigree. We've done well with Passing Glance in the past. He'll go back to Dan's and we'll have a think about the best route with him. He's got a nice profile and hopefully he'll be a nice horse over fences.” Local trainer Andrew Martin, who bought the gelding as a foal and has owned and trained him throughout, said, “It's been five years in the making, as we bought him as a foal. We always bought him with a view that we might sell him. “I didn't sell him as a store as he didn't meet his reserve and we decided to press on. He's shown plenty of ability, he's got a great temperament and a great way of going. The Skeltons have got a very nice horse. He's a perfect specimen and just absolutely lovely to deal with.” Second on the buyers' sheet was Therhythmofthenite (Goliath Du Berlais) (lot 8), who sold to Michael Gates/Comfort Park Stud for £21,000. He was consigned by Martin Brassil Racing. Of the 21 horses offered, nine sold (43%) for a gross of £302,800. The average was £33,645 and the median was £6,500. Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “It was only a matter of time before GoffsGo demonstrated what it's capable of. To sell a live Cheltenham prospect of this quality in just our second monthly sale says a great deal about the confidence people have in the platform. “What makes it work is its simplicity and value, which is proving attractive to both vendors and buyers. With an entry fee of just £49 and the lowest available vendor commission of 1.5% which is only charged for lots that sell on the platform, GoffsGo is unmatched by any other European online platform. What's more, there's a very hands-on team behind it led by Ruairi Breen and Tadhg Dooley. “Other notable results from today's GoffsGo sale included Therhythmofthenite (Lot 8), a Goliath De Berlais gelding from the family of Fastorslow who was consigned by Martin Brassil Racing and sold to Michael Gates' Comfort Park Stud for £21,000, and Our 'Enery (Lot 15), a winning son of Sea The Stars from Jackdaws Castle and bought by Aidan O'Ryan and Goffs' Eastern European agent Kishore Mirpuri for £15,000.” The post Glance At Midnight Makes £245k At GoffsGo February Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

by Joel Politi I have been around horses since I was young and grew up with a 12-horse barn in our backyard. My Dad bred and raised almost all of the horses that he ran and I've been paying attention to breeding my whole life. I love this aspect of horse racing, have owned horses myself for more than 20 years and I bred our first mare in 2017. Currently have 12 broodmares, and Mark Taylor and Travis White with Taylor Made help me with all of my matings. We banter back and forth until we reach a solid plan. We look at what breeding patterns have worked, but also try to pick matings based on the physical of the mare. Here is a look at some of the matings we have planned for 2026. SERENGETI EMPRESS, 10, Alternation–Havisham, by Bernardini. Will be bred to Gun Runner. She is the 'Queen' and will always be the star of our stable. She has three foals currently (all colts), including a 2-year-old by Curlin and a yearling by Not This Time. She is barren this year. We debated sending her back to Curlin, but her P360 reports with Gun Runner were so good, that we are sending her that way. She is such the perfect physical that I think she could pair well with lots of stallions. I don't plan on breeding her every year, so we will make the most of her opportunities and root for a filly. LI'L TOOTSIE, 8, Tapiture–Informative Style, by Dayjur. Will be bred to Into Mischief. Little Tootsie is exactly the kind of mare that I like to develop and own. Tom Amoss and I bought her at the sale and she went on to win a pair of stakes and she's multiple graded stakes placed. She is a big racey looking mare and put up really fast numbers on the sheets. Her first two foals are by Not This Time, she has an Vekoma in her belly and she is going to visit Into Mischief this year. Her P360 report with him was really good and she is a good match for him physically. We are giving her every chance to succeed. LITTLESTITIOUS, 8, Ghostzapper–Broadway Play, by Quality Road. Will be bred to Girvin. Littlestitious is another mare that Tom and I bought and raced. She won multiple stakes and had lots of ability. She is a very well-built Ghostzapper mare that has lots of his physical attributes. She's had a couple of Not This Time foals, including a very nice 2-year-old. Unfortunately, she had a beautiful Curlin colt who got sick and passed away as a weanling. She is currently in foal to Liam's Map and is booked to Girvin this year. I love Girvin as a sire. We sent two mares to him last year and are sending two back again this year. I think this is a really good physical mating. Girvin will give her a little more size, since she's a little more compact. DEL MAR MAY, 10, Jimmy Creed–Big Lou, by Malibu Moon. Will be bred to Sierra Leone. Del Mar May is a graded stakes-placed Jimmy Creed sprinter that had lots of ability on the racetrack. This will be her sixth foal. She is currently in foal to Twirling Candy. She is a stake producer now, as her 4-year-old Boutwell Time (Not This Time) won a stake in December. She's booked to Sierra Leone. I don't love going with freshman sires as a rule. But he is such a good physical, a strong pedigree and race record, that I like sending this well-established mare to him. He will help her with her size too. EVERLOVING, 4, Violence–Marwa (GB), by Exceed And Excel (Aus). Will be bred to Vekoma. Everloving is another yearling that Tom and I bought at Keeneland. She is an absolutely gorgeous physical. She's by Violence and is a half-sister to World Record (Gun Runner). Her extended family is very deep and loaded with real runners. She is recently retired from the track and there aren't many sires hotter than Vekoma to help her get off to a good start. There is lots to like about this cross including Speightstown over Medaglia d'Oro. New sire Goal Oriented during his racing days | Horsephotos MALIBU COVE, 13, Malibu Moon–Spirited Away, by Awesome Again. Will be bred to Goal Oriented. Malibu Cove is a Grade I-producing mare by that I bought during Keeneland November who is in foal to Taiba. She is a beautiful mare and has two Into Mischiefs in the pipeline–a yearling and 2-year-old. When Goal Oriented became available, it was an easy decision. I am a big fan. I think he is a beautiful physical with lots of ability and the Giant's Causeway cross with her has already worked well. CANDY STRIPER, 12,Twirling Candy–Grant Marty a Wish, by Beautiful Crown. Will be bred to Girvin. Candy Striper was my first broodmare. She is by Twirling Candy. We claimed her at Churchill Downs back in 2016. I sent her to Maryland since I had some shares in Holy Boss and she had five foals with him. They have all proven to have lots of ability. Two of them turned into stakes performers, and one was Maryland champion 3-year-old filly, Bosserati. She has a really beautiful yearling by Maclean's Music and is in foal to Maxfield. I chose Girvin for her because I love him, but also he will help her with a little bit of size in her foals. She has been a really great mare for us. BOSSERATI, 6, Holy Boss–Candy Striper, by Twirling Candy. Will be bred to Post Time. This is a total sentimental breeding. Bosserati was the first stakes winner that I bred and as I said she was the Maryland champion 3-year-old filly. She was a really fast turf sprinter and we think that she will cross very well with Frosted's line. I mostly picked this mating between Post Time and Bosserati so that two Maryland-bred champions trained by Brittany Russell can have a foal. This is the only mare that I will have in Maryland, so hopefully it's a good foal. TULANIAN, 9, Twirling Candy–Silent Circle, by Indian Charlie. Will be bred to Munnings. Tulanian is a very nice Twirling Candy mare we purchased. She is a half to two graded stakes horses. She has four foals and is in foal to Girvin. Her 3-year-old filly by Maclean's Music broke her maiden at Churchill and ran second in an allowance there. Her yearling by Munnings was so good-looking, that we decided to go back to him. Munnings is such a value sire at this point. He can get any kind of runner and their cross worked very well the first time. MICROBIOME, 7, Twirling Candy–Sonja's Angel, by Smoke Glacken. Will be bred to Maclean's Music. Microbiome is a big beautiful Twirling Candy mare that we bought during Keeneland September. She won very impressively as a juvenile at Saratoga first-time out and had a soft tissue injury that fall. She has a very nice Not This Time 2-year-old and a yearling by Munnings. The Maclean's Music-Twirling Candy cross has worked very well for us and physically he will help her. Maclean's Music tends to add muscle and stockiness to their frame. The post 2026 Mating Plans: Joel Politi appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article