Wandering Eyes

One of Maryland's leading trainers, Claudio Gonzalez, has been expelled from Laurel Park according to a story from the Paulick Report Tuesday. A brief statement from the Maryland Jockey Club reads, “Claudio Gonzalez violated the rules of The Maryland Jockey Club and has been expelled from the grounds.” While the MJC provided no further information, the Paulick Report article links horses previously trained by Gonzalez to “questionable” homes, saying, “Bev Strauss, founder of MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, told the Paulick Report that a former Gonzalez trainee ended up at a kill pen in Kansas, but added that the filly was able to be pulled and is in a new home. Four other former Gonzalez trainees were re-routed from “questionable” homes to MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, she said.” “I have the bill of sale for myself, and I have the bill of sale for Laurel Park,” Gonzalez told the Paulick Report in response. “It's not like I sent them. I did nothing wrong.” The top trainer in Maryland from 2017-2022, Gonzalez has 41 winners from 311 starters this year but has not saddled a starter since Dec. 14. The post Leading Maryland Trainer Claudio Gonzalez Expelled From Laurel Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

West Point Thoroughbreds' Counting Stars hopes to up her win count as the 2-year-old filly leads the field of nine in the $150,000 End of Year Stakes at Oaklawn Park Dec. 27.View the full article

Maiden Watch: Week of Dec. 15-21View the full article

Alessandro Marconi is perhaps best known for sourcing French 2,000 Guineas winner Metropolitan for just €78,000, but did you know that the Italian-born bloodstock agent can drink olive oil as if it were water? We bet you didn't. Marconi is next in the hot seat, where he reveals all of that and more. Enjoy. You are best known as the man who bought Metropolitan for €78,000 but what's the biggest mistake you've made in this business? Selling Facteur Cheval after he won his maiden. I think another mistake has been operating as a solo player rather than a global operator with deeper roots in the Middle Eastern market. If you get labelled too quickly in this game, and the label is wrong, you will struggle to become successful. At times, this can chew you up and spit you out. The key is to recognize your essential use and, despite how competitive the field may seem, work out where you can offer value. How did you become a bloodstock agent in the first place? Out of necessity. I worked with Ahmed Bin Harmash in Dubai for 11 years and that was at a time when building the stable was essential, so working the horses-in-training and breeze-up markets was a core part of the business. From that point of view, I have huge respect and understanding as to how good the younger Irish guys are. Their approach to a sale is very interesting. There is a great group of pinhookers that I would struggle to match because they can buy the foal with the right page that will marry up with market demand in six to nine months and, usually, make four or five times their investment. Then the breeze-up men and women are on a whole new level. I find that fascinating and believe that this generation is extremely sharp. What was your defining memory of 2025? This year was a rollercoaster that I am still dealing with. Tell us something people don't know about Alessandro Marconi…. I can drink olive oil as if it were water! Also, I love Formula 1. One other thing, I live my life by the mantra that tomorrow is another day. Therefore, if I can help somebody, I will. What keeps you awake at night? Watching races in America! Or else slow clients. I deal with some clients who must have memory problems because it takes them a while to pay their invoices! What motivates you? My Family. Give us an underrated sire to keep the right side of next year… I give Baaeed a big chance. He was a top-class racehorse and I liked his yearlings. I think he will do well. Also, in America, I like McKinzie. In Ireland, Make Believe is another stallion who consistently comes up with nice horses. Biggest regret? To this day, not buying Zaaki still haunts me. But I believe in fate so maybe it wasn't for me. More realistically, I regret not building a proper team of owners and horses by now. Your favourite sale/place and why? For holidays, it has to be Sardinia but for business, the Gold Coast in Australia. I think that will be the next stop for me. It seems to be a lucky charm for a lot of bloodstock agents. What's your go-to karaoke song? That's an easy one. Nessun Dorma, by Luciano Pavarotti. Who is your inspiration? Enzo Ferrari. He was a great breeder and was able to train his own horses well. A few people in Ireland, Yorkshire and even France have managed to emulate him. How do you want to be remembered? As one hell of an agent who managed to pull a little horse out of nowhere that would go on to win big races on the racetrack. That would be nice. The post In The Hot Seat: Alessandro Marconi appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Despite efforts dating back to May, negotiations around an annual purses and race dates agreement between the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (FHBPA) and Gulfstream Park remain at an impasse. The current horsemen's agreement expires Dec. 31. This agreement is a federal requirement for a racetrack to conduct live racing and simulcast its signal nationwide. Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group (TSG), is statutorily required to conduct a minimum of 40-days live racing to operate its casino. Without a horsemen's agreement, Gulfstream Park would still be able to conduct live racing—and presumably by extension, its casino—but it wouldn't be able to export its signal out of state. Efforts Tuesday to reach representatives from both the FHBPA and Gulfstream Park were unsuccessful. The TDN, however, obtained a copy of a rough transcript from a November 19 FHBPA meeting at which the status of the horsemen's agreement negotiations was front and center. Key sticking points in these negotiations include a multi-million dollar purse account overpayment, the length of the contract and number of race-days. In the crosshairs of this purse overpayment appears to be Florida's current summer racing program, which according to this transcript the FHBPA is fighting to maintain against efforts to scale it back. At the same time, Gulfstream Park's corporate leadership has also demanded that Florida horsemen provide a financial “backstop” to support the track's operational budget, according to the transcript. This is something the FHBPA has so far reportedly rejected on the grounds that they believe the track's racing operations are already profitable, according to two sources. Gulfstream Park receives considerable financial support from the state. Earlier this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a budget package that included $15 million annually for purses and facility maintenance for Gulfstream Park alone. On top of that, Gulfstream Park also gets $6 million from the state to be used as purses and purses supplements specifically for Florida-bred and sired horses. Gulfstream Park is also exempt from having to pay its $2 million annual slot machine licensing fee. These negotiations are playing out against a contentious battle between Gulfstream Park's corporate owners and the state racing industry's stakeholders. Efforts by Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs to decouple the live racing requirement to operate their respective casino and card rooms were ultimately thwarted in the state legislature. In August, Gulfstream Park filed a lawsuit suing the Florida Gaming Control Commission over the decoupling requirement. The commission subsequently asked the Florida state court to dismiss the lawsuit. A new decoupling bill was introduced Tuesday, meaning the fight will spill over into the latest legislative session in Tallahassee. The post Purse Overpayment, Financial “Backstop” Demands And Race-Days Hamstring Horsemen’s Agreement Negotiations appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

What will horse racing look like in 2036 from a horseplayer. I see TDN has had some of the major power brokers respond, most of whom didn't mention anything about the gamblers. Last I checked the racetrack ecosystem, maintenance/upkeep, improvements, purses, etc. are paid by takeout (which is a percent of handle bet, for the owners out there that I shockingly have found out a vast majority of don't know) and subsidies. I responded on my X account about the lack of horseplayer representation in this hypothetical racing question of the year 2036 and was pleasantly surprised when TDN responded asking me to send my prediction. Well, here I am to respond for good or bad. About me: Horse gambler since a young age, horse owner in the last 10 years, and I won't mention my ownership accolades (you wouldn't believe me and they are driven by people smarter than me when it comes to picking out equine talent). The gambling side, however, I will comment on. I won't sit here and tell you how much I lost as a kid (good thing my bankroll was much smaller then), but I will say I have evolved into a sharp player (both in contests and live bankroll). It took time, hard lessons, being a sponge of reading and constantly educating myself and changing how, and more importantly when, I play. I have taken down the two largest Pick 6s ever paid at the Spa in the last few years for a combined $1.3 million and 90% of my wagering takes place in California. The other 10% goes to Pick 5 and Pick 6 carryovers wherever they are. While my handle hasn't decreased, my selectivity has. I bet more on certain days and nothing on the other 24 or so days each month–and the large players I speak to are doing the same or leaving. So here is my prediction for 2036– two actually: one from the Grinch (my brain) and one from Santa (my heart, as I have met too many friends that are employed by the greatest gambling game on the planet): 1. Nothing changes for the next 10 years, all participants remain greedy (except the retail gamblers) and take the slow kill. Nobody (states/tracks) talks to anyone because the bottom line and the next quarter is all that matters. Zero forward thinking. Retail gamblers on racing go away in the U.S. as they are completely ignored and priced out from large takeouts and other things to make wagers on. The large retail bettors that probably make up 50% of the retail wagering start telling the smaller ones, “If I can't survive on rebates of being a 'high roller,' you have no shot.” These large retail players ($10M annually) move their handle to Europe/Hong Kong/Japan as the World Pool sees the weakness in the U.S. market and the opportunity to capture market share. Large retail players want a challenge –and a fair game–and they learn the nuances of international racing. The CAWs will not eat each other but rather move on to the next money making advantage game. They were well ahead of us retail players but the word got out about them (I'd say to the racetracks' demise), but if CAWs can't see last-second action (they are looking for ineffiencies in pools and churn millions with large rebates), they lose their edge and leave. Handle goes down 40% (sorry, I am just guessing because no track shows CAW handle. Maybe it is 80%. Why is it that no track breaks out retail vs CAW play? Perhaps it would scare the industry to death is why?). So handle plummets–remember what handle drives right? The industry gets weaker. Jobs are lost. Tracks close. People wish the foal crop was what it was in 2026. Government ends slot subsidies. It goes to things deemed more 'worthy' like education/seniors. HHR (Historical Horse Racing (slots based on prior races run) is no longer. There are new games like HNFL (Historical NFL slots that revenue goes to the NFL that pay out better). Parx has slot welfare, but whoops, when they signed that deal it didn't include revenue from mobile phone wagering which has grown significantly over the years. Tech changes. Prediction markets are next and they are not going to violate the Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978 (I'm serious, the Act is from 1978). There are 20 trainers and six tracks. Finally, racing continues to ignore their core customer–the retail gambler. (Fans are great, but they don't all bet and they show up a few times a year to spend some money on tickets, food and beverage, and some mementos.) If you can't exist without subsidies you won't exist. Socialism, that is what that is, and socialism is 0 for pick a number. – The Grinch 2. It is 2036. Horses, aftercare, and racing's overall product have never been better. Ten years ago, industry stakeholders realized they were slowly ruining a great game and they all agreed to take a financial hit to better the product and ensure its survival. They formed an allegiance in 2026 as they knew if they went after each other instead of working together, the end of U.S. racing was imminent. Tracks that were owned by people or entities not interested in racing, but for casinos/condos/etc. were forced to sell to those that were, by government mandate, as it would cripple jobs and the 'agriculture industry.' Those that refused learned what Eminent Domain means. The government comes in and takes your property. They earmark it a state park that can never be built on except for racing's best interest. The tracks are not just for racing. It is space for other forms of non-gambling entertainment. The industry understood the threats to the parimutuel pool established in 1867. They brought in new customers through the World Pool. Anywhere in the world a person could bet a U.S. track –in return U.S. citizens could bet into other countries' tracks but it would all be commingled (large pool, higher liquidity). Fixed odds are everywhere and there is no max bet. If you want to be in this game to take bets, you don't get to take off risk. Learn to hedge. Tracks/ADWs worked with prediction markets in 2026 and signed deals. Retail gamblers have multiple options now. Handle thrives and with that purses, foal crops and field sizes as well. You can cross-bet every sport (including racing) with parlays. When a race is over, the results are immediate, as are the photos pending it official. Jockeys are required to give 15 second interviews of their race. Races are never run on top of each other. There are stall limits. The cost of betting a race (takeout) has decreased significantly as the game grew the prior 10 years. And all of us retail gamblers laugh about when tracks would advertise 'retail- friendly wagers' a decade ago. – Santa The post Racing in 2036: Horseplayer Mark Stanton appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A rundown of the adjusted post-Christmas weekend of horse racing coverage on TV, streaming, and radio.View the full article

The first decoupling salvo of Florida's 2026 legislative session that could lead to Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs being able to cease live racing while retaining their gaming rights was fired Tuesday morning when Rep. Adam Anderson submitted a bill that shares similarities to a controversial initiative he backed in 2025 that cleared the House and one committee in the Senate. Like the 2025 attempt, the bill that will be in play when the new legislative session begins Jan. 13 would allow either of Florida's two Thoroughbred tracks to give notice of racing suspension as of July 1, 2027, and racing would be required to continue for at least three years after that notice of intent got filed. “Nothing like right before Christmas to drop a bill,” Lonny Powell, the chief executive officer of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA), told TDN Dec. 23 about 90 minutes after the bill got filed. “A little bit of Scrooge showing up in the Christmas sleigh, but the Scrooge hasn't made it crash or go off course yet.” New to the changes proposed in HB 881 is language that would amend an existing pari-mutuel licensure law regarding to the leasing of facilities so it includes the ability “to lease any and all of the facilities of any other holder of a valid pari-mutuel permit or a Thoroughbred training center holding a valid license issued by the commission, when located within a 50-mile radius of each other; and such lessee is entitled to a permit and license to conduct intertrack wagering and operate its race meet or jai alai games at the leased premises.” Decoupling has been a major concern in Florida for the better part of two decades. But it wasn't until this past January when the issue of Gulfstream seeking legislation to potentially allow it to end Thoroughbred racing became a red-alert threat on the national level. On the day that 2025 bill came up for its first hearing, Tampa management lobbied for an amendment that got that track added to the legislation. This past spring, three decoupling-related bills ended up being active, but none got passed into law to remove the live racing stipulations for Gulfstream and Tampa to operate their respective casino and card room. Additionally, Gov. Ron DeSantis told horsemen this past spring that he would be against decoupling at Gulfstream and Tampa if such legislation cleared both chambers of the legislature, although he stopped short of actually saying he would veto it. “You can count on me as one that is not going to look favorably on legislation that is going to decimate any of our signature industries,” DeSantis told horsemen during a surprise Apr. 17 visit to the OBS 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale. Yet DeSantis was the governor responsible for signing the 2021 legislation that decoupled every other form of pari-mutuel betting from gaming in Florida, which is part of the reason why Gulfstream and Tampa continue to seek the same decoupling permissions that the Standardbred, greyhound and jai alai licensees got. Powell, who in his position with the FTBOA has spearheaded efforts over the past decade and a half to keep Thoroughbred decoupling from becoming a reality, gave TDN his take on the just-introduced bill. “We've known all along the way that there was an expectation that something like [the 2025 decoupling efforts] could definitely be dropped [for the 2026] session in the House, and we were prepared for that, to double down on that. Now we know for sure what's going to be in the bill. It's got multi tentacles to it. These bills can get amended. They can get withdrawn, as we've seen. They can have anything else happen to them. But we certainly didn't rule out something like that [bill] appearing in the House. “Also, looking at the landscape, none of the key players have changed from one session to the next. It's kind of a mirror-image session. We would work hard to dissipate the same type of results before it's all said and done, and we still have to look at it a little more closely. “There are so many nuances in Florida law and regulation that I can't give out a whole evaluation on it. But in terms of the overall theme of a decoupling bill, we're ready for it. And one thing about the horse side of it is we're all jelled on it not being a good thing,” Powell said. Asked what stood out as new to him in this bill, Powell said that, “It looks like it could have some impact on what is a 'permit' and what is not a 'permit.' Also, just in general, the amount of notice that a racetrack needs to give to decouple, on initial review, seems extremely, frighteningly short, which would prevent anybody from really meaningfully getting ready for a transition. “Again, it needs more review. Just on cursory review, I'm sure it's going to have some quirks in it that just generally aren't good for the Thoroughbred industry. But nor was last year's version,” Powell said. Asked about the new language involving a racing license transfer to a training facility, Powell said he doesn't see at first reading how that could be beneficial to Thoroughbred interests. “If you think about it, whatever training center that would be, it would be a training center without any revenue for purses,” Powell said. “Because if you wanted to get gaming, you would have to go to the vote of the people, because the no-casinos law, you can't just get rid of laws of the people from a ballot initiative. I can't visualize how that plays as we now speak. “So if it was something like the Palm Meadows facility, you have all of the local constraints, including a long-term agreement that was signed that it wouldn't be a [pari-mutuel] track when it was established,” Powell said. “I don't see the easy links there, but again, I'd have to study it.” The post Florida Decoupling Bill Filed For 2026 Legislative Session appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Silver Prince (Cairo Prince), a late-charging runner-up behind 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' D'Code (Speightstown) in his six-furlong debut at Oaklawn Park Dec. 14, is being offered in a Fasig-Tipton Digital Flash Sale. The auction opened Tuesday and will close at 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 29. Silver Prince, consigned by trainer Ron Moquett, earned a 80 Beyer for his debut effort for Randy Finegan and James Walderns. Finegan purchased the 2-year-old colt for $30,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. Bred by Brereton Jones, the gray is from a top Airdrie family, being out of the graded stakes-winning Harlan's Holiday mare Silver Reunion, already the dam of eight winners, including four stakes runners, led by GII Lake Placid Stakes winner Speaktomeofsummer (Summer Front). Silver Reunion also produced the dam of current Grade I winning millionaire Antiquarian (Preservationist) and current graded stakes winner Fondly (Upstart). “There have been a lot of rumblings from the 'wise guys' about Silver Prince after his debut,” said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales. “This is a very interesting horse going forward and we are happy to be able to offer him for the connections.” Click here to create an account or register to bid for the Silver Prince Flash Sale. D'CODE wins easy in R4 at Oaklawn Park, giving @cristiantorr64 another win on today's card! Ray Ashford Jr. trains. #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/LEeugpIDoE — TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) December 14, 2025 The post Silver Prince Offered In Fasig-Tipton Digital Flash Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association has entered into an exclusive partnership with Florida Coast Equipment which will make Kubota the exclusive tractor, mower, utility vehicle and construction equipment sponsor of the Florida Thoroughbred industry, starting in 2026. The Florida Coast Equipment name will now be prominently displayed throughout the FTBOA headquarters, events and communications, including an advertising package on FTBOA.com, Wire to Wire, and the The Florida Horse Farm and Services Directory. The post FTBOA, Florida Coast Equipment Enter Partnership appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The UK Government proposals to tax inherited farmland thresholds have been increased from £1 million to £2.5 million, the BBC reported on Tuesday. Concerned farmers have pushed back on the initial proposal since it was announced over a year ago. Originally, UK ministers indicated they would begin imposing a 20% tax on inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1 million. Formerly, there had been 100% tax relief in place since the 1980s. Environment secretary Emma Reynolds said, “We have listened closely to farmers across the country and we are making changes today to protect more ordinary family farms. “It's only right that larger estates contribute more, while we back the farms and trading businesses that are the backbone of Britain's rural communities.” The post UK Government Increases Inheritance Tax Threshold Proposals To £2.5 Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Conrad Bandoroff, Dr. Kristina Eisaman, Carly Schuerger, Sophie Shore and Whitney Verbal have been added to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Next Generation Advisory Group. Formed in 2024, the group provides HISA's executive team and Standing Committees with formal feedback on the evolution of its Racetrack Safety Program and Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. The new members succeed outgoing Next Generation Advisory Group members Waqas Ahmed, Marc Broady, Jeff Matty, Katie Miranda, and Tyler Peeples. A complete list of the group's 20 members–representing a wide variety of viewpoints from across the racing industry–can be viewed here. The post New Members Added to HISA Next Generation Advisory Group appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

This raft of stallions at the lowest range of the price scale is every bit as important as those at the top. For a start, if we look at Royal Ascot alone in 2025, we find the names Massaat and Washington DC alongside those of two of the week's Group 1 winners. Then there was Rajasinghe, whose offspring made their presence felt in two of the season's most prestigious sprint handicaps. Breeders with mares rated 70 or above could have used Rajasinghe for free this year, such was the desire for owner Phil Cunningham to give one last push for his Coventry Stakes winner to prove himself. Rajasinghe is back at £3,000 this year and he should have more bookings after the exploits of Stewards' Cup winner Two Tribes and Ayr Gold Cup winner Run Boy Run. Together, they have netted Cunningham more than £550,000 in prize-money. Massaat has never stood for more than £5,000 at Mickley Stud, where he is advertised at £3,500 again for 2026. The globetrotter Docklands put his names in lights this year, while American Affair did the same for Massaat's Shropshire neighbour Washington DC at Bearstone Stud, who stands for the same sum. This final part of the Value Sires series deals with the stallions standing for below £7,500 (approximately €8,500), a group which includes some notable names with their own ardent followers. Dealing with a couple of venerable veterans first, Holy Roman Emperor will be 22 in 2026, while Bated Breath turns 19. At €5,000 for Holy Roman Emperor, a stallion with proven Group 1 credentials, and £5,000 for Bated Breath, about whom similar comments apply, they both seem like steadfast options for smaller breeders either side of the Irish Sea, especially for young, unproven mares. The same goes for Washington DC's stud-mate Dream Ahead, who is rising 18 and has four Group 1 winners to his credit. He too is at his lowest-ever fee of £5,500. Rathasker's Bungle Inthejungle has already sired a Group 1 winner in Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Winter Power and her two-year-old full-sister Revival Power sprinted her way into the notebook this autumn as the winner of the G2 Flying Childers Stakes. She was one of two standouts for Bungle Inthejungle this season along with JM Jungle, who had some good horses behind him when winning the G2 King George Stakes at Goodwood, including Cartier Sprinter of the Year, Asfoora. 'Bungle' started off at €5,000, went up to €12,000 for a couple of seasons, and has now settled somewhere in the middle at €7,500. The race is now on to find a son of Wootton Bassett who can live up to his father's impressive achievements. Another five have joined the ranks this year but one with a Group 1 winner already next to his name is Haras de Bouquetot's Wooded, sire of the Prix Jean Prat winner Woodshauna from his first crop. Wooded, who won the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye in 2020, also had the runner-up in that same race this year in the Czech-trained Jawwal. At €7,000, Wooded is now standing for just less than half his opening fee of €15,000. There were four second-crop sires to be represented by four black-type winners in 2025 and, along with Ghaiyyath, Persian King and Pinatubo sits King Of Change, who is comfortably in this bracket at €5,000 at Starfield Stud. If you like the idea of Farhh – and who doesn't? – then we should all be hoping that the subfertile Darley stallion, whose private fee we estimate to be around £20,000 at Dalham Hall Stud, will have a son good enough to make amends. King Of Change has made an encouraging start, and here's hoping for a Group winner next year to add to his Listed quartet. His foals on the ground this year represent his biggest crop from 131 coverings in 2024, but he dropped back to around just over 50 mares this year. Smaller numbers haven't stopped him so far. He is not the only Group 1-winning miler by Farhh to be at stud in Europe as Tribalist joins the newly launched Haras de Castillon stallion operation and will doubtless receive some decent backing from French breeders as he was a classy and durable runner from an excellent family. He is starting out at €6,000, a price which seems immensely fair for a horse who won six Group and two Listed races in addition to his G1 Prix du Moulin victory over Charyn, Henry Longfellow and Notable Speech. For breeders either in Germany or keen to send a mare there, it is worth keeping Isfahan on your list. For a start he was a Classic winner himself, and he produced his own Deutsches Derby winner, Sisfahan, in his first crop. Plus, in these days of dwindling genetic options, it is good still to find the odd stallion tracing back to Mill Reef now that Sir Percy has retired and Reliable Man has remained in New Zealand. The imposing Isfahan, who remains at €7,500 at Gestut Ohlerweiherhof, was represented this year by the Group 3 winner Nyra, who was also third in the G1 Preis der Diana, and was sold earlier this month at Arqana for €875,000 to the US-based Scott Heider. First runners in 2026 Among those in this tier with debutants on the track next year are Overbury Stud's Caturra, who covered 102 mares in his debut season at £6,500 and has stood at £5,000 since then. Forty-three of those first-crop yearlings were sold, from 53 offered, for an average of 20,860gns. There has been a similar shift in price for Space Traveller, who stood his first year at Ballyhane Stud for €6,500 and covered 170 mares. He subsequently moved to Starfield Stud, where he is now at his lowest fee of €5,000. For 64 yearlings sold from 92 offered he returned an average of €21,219. Thunder Moon, a son of the late Zoffany and winner of the G1 National Stakes in 2020, has shuffled from Haras de Bouquetot, where he started off with a book of 88 mares, to Haras de Castillon, where he is now €5,000. First yearlings to come Owners of the 167 mares who visited Erevann in 2024 will be hoping that this son of Dubawi out of Siyouni's first Classic winner Ervedya, can follow the impressive example of fellow Dubawi sire Zarak at the Aga Khan Studs. He's a horse with a lot of quality who appears to be throwing youngsters in his mould, judging by the positive reception given to his foals in recent months. Placed at Group 1 level when finishing only half a length behind Inspiral in the Prix Jacques Le Marois, Erevann won the G2 Prix Wildenstein after that and has remained a reasonable and well supported €8,000 at Haras de Bonneval. We have an unapologetically French feel to this particular section as we flag up Bay Bridge, from the same sire-line as Erevann as a son of New Bay. Another powerful and good-looking horse, he won the G1 Champion Stakes in the colours of his breeder James Wigan, who raced him in partnership with Ballylinch Stud. With the latter already standing New Bay and his son Bayside Boy, the decision was taken to stand Bay Bridge at Haras du Mesnil, a base which gives him an excellent chance of success. Not only does the Devin family strongly support their home stallions with their own decent broodmare band but they have a loyal following of French breeders who have helped the likes of Doctor Dino and Turgeon to thrive over the years. Bay Bridge covered 102 mares in his first season, and doubtless some of them will have been of the National Hunt persuasion. HIs sole representative at Arqana earlier this month, a colt from the family of top sprinter Sole Power, was sold for €92,000 to Mandore International Agency. Bay Bridge is down slightly to €5,000 in 2026 (from €6,000). Sumbe's homebred Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Belbek is also at €5,000, having started out at €7,000 in 2024. By Showcasing, he is out of the Makfi mare Bee Queen, herself a granddaughter of the brilliant Banks Hill. He has covered 64 and 47 mares in his first two seasons, but we've seen stallions prosper from less auspicious starts from that and it will be no surprise to see him popping up with some earlyish juvenile winners in France. This could also be true of Angel Bleu, who stands alongside him at €6,000 in 2026, down from €9,000 two years ago. By Dark Angel out of a full-sister to Highland Reel, he was a smart two-year-old himself, winning the G2 Vintage Stakes, G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Criterium International back to back, along with the G2 Celebration Mile at four. Culworth Grounds Farm will be hoping that lightning can strike twice when it comes to sons of Havana Gold. After the success of Whitsbury Manor Stud's Havana Grey, Sophie Buckley recruited the Whitsbury Manor-bred El Caballo to stand as her first stallion. The winner of the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes, he has had a decent level of support, covering 90 then 102 mares, from €6,000 in his first year, then €5,000, with a drop to €4,000 planned for 2026. Second covering season There is only one son of champion sire Night Of Thunder at stud so far. That will surely change, but Isaac Shelby was the first, retiring to Newsells Park Stud in 2025 at £7,000, and there he remains for the new year after covering 96 mares. The hardy Go Bears Go, who won the G2 Railway Stakes and is a member of the same family as Benbatl, who has made a positive start with his first runners in Japan, joined Oak Lodge Stud in 2025. From €8,000, the son of Kodi Bear is now at €6,000 for 2026 having covered 87 mares in his first book. Sakheer was a new arrival at Ballyhane Stud in 2025, and he has now been joined there by the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Magnum Force. The G2 Mill Reef Stakes winner Sakheer, by Zoffany, who covered 120 mares this year, is down slightly to €5,500 (from €6,500) while Magnum Force, who is one of nine top-level winners by Mehmas, is being launched at €7,500. New for 2026 What we do know about stallions in their first year at stud is that they are invariably more popular than they will be in the ensuing three years at least. Assessing which of these offer value to breeders is nigh on impossible until we start to see how well their offspring are received at the sales and, far more importantly, how well they race. We've already mentioned Tribalist and Magnum Force above, and they are joined by a numerically strong intake for 2026. That pair, along with these names below, are standing at an accessible level for smaller breeders and one of them could even end up being the next Wootton Bassett or Havana Grey. The question is: which one will it be? Jaber Abdullah's Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi led to a relocation for his sire Muhaarar, who had left Shadwell to join Haras des Faunes in the south-west of France but was then brought to Normandy, first to Haras de Petit Tellier, and now Haras de Montaigu. Marhaba Ya Sanafi is himself one of six stallions at Haras de Castillon, where he is advertised at €6,000. He has never quite recaptured the signature success of his Classic win, but he's a hardy so-and-so, who has reaped further wins at Group 3 and Listed level and has been placed umpteen times in his 25 starts. Also new to France is Beauvatier, by Lope De Vega, whose six wins include the G2 Challenge Stakes at Newmarket, while he has multiple placings at Group 1 level. He joins the Etreham roster at €7,000. Topgear is the fifth son of Wootton Bassett to retire to stud in Europe this year, and his race record bears marked similarity to that of Beauvatier as he also won the Challenge Stakes along with three Group 3s in France. He has been introduced at Capital Stud at a fee of €7,500. In Britain, the newcomers at this level include Royal Scotsman, who marks a new chapter in the history of Genesis Green Stud. The G1 Richmond Stakes winner and G1 Dewhurst runner-up is, as his name suggests, by Gleneagles, and starts off at £6,000. The G2 Flying Childers Stakes winner Aesterius, by Mehmas, joins the aforementioned Washington DC and Dream Ahead on the roster at Bearstone Stud for an introductory £6,500. Value Sires Podium GOLD Rajasinghe, National Stud, £3,000 You could have used him for free last year but this is still great value for a stallion who, from limited means, has proved he can get a hard-knocking racehorse. SILVER King Of Change, Starfield Stud, €5,000 Yes, we'd like to see some Group winners filtering through next year but 40 per cent winners to runners and 13.33 per cent black-type winners to runners in 2025 is not to be sniffed at for a stallion at this price. BRONZE Erevann, Haras de Bonneval, €8,000 It is risky to back a stallion before he has had runners but Erevann has plenty going for him and this may well look a good deal in the years to come. The post Value Sires 2026 Part IV: Bargains To Be Found appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Caspar Fownes snatched the lead back in the trainers’ championship with a double at Happy Valley as Maxime Guyon and Me Tsui Yu-sak continued their hot form with braces of their own on Tuesday night. Tied on 25 wins with Mark Newnham but trailing the Australian on seconds before Tuesday night, Fownes took the outright lead when he teamed up with stable apprentice Ellis Wong Chi-wang to strike with Sugar Sugar and Kaholo Angel. The latter sealed Fownes’ brace in dramatic style, sharing the...View the full article

The Thoroughbred Racing Initiative, in conjunction with the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, has released results of a feasibility study seeking to identify lasting solutions for Florida racing. “No successful project's planning begins without a feasibility study,” said TRI Vice President Jon Green, the study's point person. “We appreciate that people want to hear, 'This is what we're going to do to.' But we can't get there without starting here with clear-eyed research by independent experts identifying locations for discussion and various economic models with cost analysis and pros and cons based on a myriad of factors. That's what we're excited to announce today, the framework that allows us to concentrate our focus as we start meeting with industry stakeholders, lawmakers, civic leaders and, obviously, the current property ownership of potential sites. We promised the Florida legislature we didn't want to just defeat decoupling, but that we'd bring viable solutions to enable the industry and its role as an economic and tourism engine to thrive in the decades to come for the benefit of all Floridians.” The study, produced by Crossroads Consulting Services of St. Petersburg, Florida, in conjunction with the architectural design firm Populous, reviewed possible long-term racing sites in the state, as well as ownership and operating models. Among the sites studied were Gulfstream Park, Hialeah Park–both as a year-round site and as a winter ship-in option, Tampa Bay Downs, as well as a hypothetical new racing operation. The study provided preliminary budgets to upgrade each facility with a baseline requirement of a one-mile dirt track, seven-furlong turf course with movable rail, 3,000-capacity grandstand and apron, large infield board, receiving and test barns, veterinary and claiming facilities, about 1,400 stalls and necessary backstretch support and parking. Gulfstream Park was found to meet or exceed those criteria, while upgrading Hialeah for year-round racing had a preliminary budget of $89.95 million and for a winter ship-in option of $50.65 million. Upgrades at Tampa Bay Downs had a preliminary budget of $44.40 million, while a new site had an estimated budget of $194.80 million, not including land acquisition costs. The ownership and operating models studied included non-profit racing association, such as Keeneland and Del Mar, which would be governed by industry stakeholders and independent directors, with all net revenues reinvested into purses, incentives and facilities; public benefit corporation or state-charted quasi-public authority, such as the New York Racing Association, that would manage racing as a public good, balancing accountability and transparency with direct access to appropriations and potential bonding authority; horsemen's cooperative or FHBPA/Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA)-led entity with ownership and governance resting with horsemen and breeders through a cooperative framework; and strategic partnership with a major racing or gaming operator under a management or joint-venture agreement, leveraging national expertise, capital and customer reach while retaining local representation in governance. “The stakes are too high not to do our due diligence,” said TRI Senior Advisor Damon Thayer. “We now have analysis to best evaluate strategic options and opportunities to strengthen the Thoroughbred industry's economic base.” The post TRI, Florida HBPA Feasibility Study First Step to Long-Term Florida Racing Solutions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article