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Wandering Eyes last won the day on January 25
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The final eight races of Sunday's nine-race card at Aqueduct Racetrack were cancelled by the New York Racing Association due to a protest lodged by the jockeys resulting in their refusal to ride. Following Race 1, jockeys expressed a concern regarding the duties of the NYRA Clerk of Scales and Assistant Clerk of Scales. Despite the efforts of NYRA management, the jockeys refused to ride and have abandoned live racing on Sunday at Aqueduct. “NYRA is responsible for oversight of the Clerk of Scales, Assistant Clerk of Scales and all racing officials in accordance with New York State Gaming Commission rules,” said Andrew Offerman, NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing and Operations. “The procedures employed by those officials are designed to protect the integrity of racing and are NYRA's responsibility to maintain and enforce.” The jockeys expressed no objections to the condition of the track or weather. Aqueduct Racetrack will remain open for simulcasting, and online wagering is available through NYRA Bets at www.NYRABets.com. Live racing is scheduled to resume Thursday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern. The post Live Racing Cancelled at Aqueduct on Sunday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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Delta Downs decided to give horseplayers an unprecedented break last week. For their daytime cards on Tuesday and Wednesday, the track lowered the takeout in all pools to just 10%. While other tracks have experimented with lowering the takeout in some pools, never before had anyone decided to slash the take in all pools. By doing so, it looked like Delta would provide the industry with some much needed data. What effect would such a low takeout have on handle and how would the ADWs and the CAW players react? But the experiment didn't necessarily accomplish that. It may have raised more questions than it answered. On the first day of the takeout promotion, Delta had, for a small track, big numbers. It handled $1,428,848, a 38.6% increase over the comparable program in 2024. But the good fortune lasted only a day. On Day Two of the experiment, the handle was nearly the same as Day One with Delta handling $1,486,485. But that represented a 15.6% decrease from the 2024 handle. The reason why handle fell on Wednesday is pretty clear. Delta went head-to-head with some very strong competitors, including Parx, Tampa Bay Downs and, especially Churchill Downs. The competition was much softer on Tuesday when the only tracks to run daytime cards were Finger Lakes, Mahoning Valley, Parx and Zia Park. Delta decided to go the daytime route to give a break to its employees and horsemen around the Thanksgiving holiday, but it might have backfired. Delta rarely runs during the day and one of the reasons is that, during the night, it is typically one of, if not the, strongest signals offered to the player. That's why Delta proudly calls itself “America's favorite nighttime track.” “Would we have been better off running at night? We don't know yet. Maybe,” said Delta Downs Director of Racing Operations John Simon, who was the one who came up with the idea for the promotion. Another important mitigating factor for both days was that the Churchill Downs-owned TwinSpires ADW did not take the Delta signal on both days. That wasn't a complete surprise since such low takeouts mean less of a profit margin for an ADW. “We were a little surprised that they didn't take us after they were, at first, supportive of the idea,” Simon said. “Did they give us an explanation why they didn't take us? No, they did not.” However, all the other major ADWs–Xpressbet, TVG, NYRA Bets and AmWager–offered Delta to their customers, perhaps realizing that it wasn't the worst thing to let their Delta-playing customers get a big break when only two cards would be involved. The other unknown was how would the CAW players react. They generally don't like to play wagers with low takeouts because higher takeouts mean they are entitled to larger rebates. Simon said he had yet to receive the data regarding the play of CAW customers. But there was at least one race that indicated CAW play strongly influenced the odds. In Wednesday's feature, the $100,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes, the Tom Amoss-trained Oscar's Hope (Twirling Candy) looked like a standout on paper, worth even-money or less. At 3:57.30 pm, roughly 90 seconds before the race went off, he was 7-5. With each subsequent flash, his odds kept going down, but only slightly. At 4:56.32, he took a big hit and was all the way down to 2-5. In the last two flashes, he was down to 3-10. He won and paid $2.60, a lot less than the price that was being offered to the “regular player” less than two minutes before the race went off. Though we don't yet know 100% that was CAW play that slashed the odds, the evidence suggests that it was. Simon said it was too early to say whether Delta would try a similar promotion again, but let's hope they do. And if they do, let's hope that TwinSpires and all the other ADWs take the signal. The industry needs to give a lot more thought to making life easier on the everyday horseplayer, who has never had it worse because they are being hammered by the CAW players, causing many to simply walk away from the sport. Whether it worked or not, Delta should be commended for thinking of the horseplayer first. More on CAWs Not everyone is ready to sit by and let the CAW players make gambling a frustrating experience for them. Someone posted an online petition on social media sites under the name of “CAW Tracker,” asking players to sign a petition expressing their unhappiness with CAW play and the need for passage of the Fair Horse Wagering Act. The petition can be found at https://cawtracker.com/sign-the-petition/#. It reads: “Signing the Fair Horse Wagering Act sends a clear message that everyday fans are no longer willing to let computer-assisted wagering quietly distort the sport they love. By adding your name, you help shine a spotlight on an issue that has grown unchecked for years, raising public awareness and pushing regulators to take meaningful action. A unified show of support not only amplifies the voices of horseplayers who feel drowned out by automated betting groups, but it also helps protect the integrity of wagering pools, preserve competitive balance, and restore trust in a game that depends on transparency.” Well said. At Del Mar, Chad Brown Does It Again While no one is more dangerous with a turf stakes horse in New York than Chad Brown, he's even better at Del Mar, where his success continued during the weekend's Turf Festival at the seaside track. Brown won two of three grass stakes on Saturday's card at Del Mar and with the only two horses he started that day. He won the GIII Jimmy Durante Stakes with Just Aloof (Justify), who paid $8.00. He came right back and won the only Grade I on the card with Salamis (Speightstown) in the GI Hollywood Derby. It was his fifth win in the Hollywood Derby as he surpassed Charlie Whittingham for most career wins in the Grade I event. It was his third win in the Jimmy Durate. He did not have a starter in the GII Hollywood Turf Cup on Friday, a race he has yet to win. On Sunday's card he had Segesta (Ghostzapper) in the GI Matriarch. (The race was run after the deadline for this story). That's a race he has won six times, including each of the last four years. He is bearing down on the record for most Matriarch wins, which is eight and was set by his former boss Bobby Frankel. Overall, Brown, despite not winning a race at this year's Breeders' Cup, is entering the Matriarch 21-for-104 all-time at Del Mar for a winning rate of 21%. For him, that's actually a lower percentage than the one he normally puts up in New York, but what is so remarkable is that all 21 wins have come in graded stakes races. The post Delta’s Takeout Promotion Yields Mixed Results appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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The aptly-named Easy has been billed as one of the star attractions to Monday's Sceptre Sessions at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale and Brian Slattery says that the Listed-winning daughter of Kodiac boasts “international appeal” and a successful sale would put the cherry on top of what has been a dream year for his brother and trainer, Andy. The landscape of Irish racing has changed even in the past few years alone. The bigger trainers have become behemoths and it has become harder and harder for the middle to lower tier handlers to remain competitive. By attacking the yearling sales and identifying talent on a budget, the Slatterys have not just remained relevant, they have thrived in one of the most competitive jurisdictions there is. This year's tally of 28 Flat wins on the turf is the best-ever for the stable. So, too, is the €541,500 amassed in prize-money. What's even more impressive is that the jumps arm of the County Tipperary yard has been humming along sweeter still; there are 17 wins on the board with the National Hunt season only in its infancy. Again, that's a personal best for Andy. There are not many stables that can boast such numbers over both codes and, in many ways, it all comes to a crescendo on Monday. Brian Slattery said, “We do an awful lot of breeze-up horses as well as racing them on the track but we are sellers. In order to survive in Ireland, you need to be selling and, I suppose, for the money we spend at the yearling sales, we've had a phenomenal year. Jamie Osborne's horse, Heart Of Honor (Honor A.P.), is probably the flag-bearer for the breeze-up operation, Meadowview Stables, but thankfully we've managed to have a good time of it on the track as well. We genuinely get as much of a kick out of a horse we sold winning a big race as we do when we win one ourselves.” He added, “We sold a very good horse to Hong Kong, Fiach McHugh (Belardo), whose name was changed to Red Lion. He ended up winning a Group 1 down there. Then there is Almendares (Havana Grey), who we also raced and sold to America. He's going for a Grade I in the new year so that's extremely exciting. I suppose this is a different type of excitement with Easy and, to be a part of the whole Sceptre Sessions is special, really.” Easy | Racingfotos.com Easy will be offered for sale as part of the Sceptre Sessions in foal to Mehmas. A Listed winner when successful for the Slatterys at Cork last season, she reached a career-high rating of 102 for that outfit. Not only did she win her Stakes race last season, but she came close to bagging a Group 3 victory earlier this year, only finding Copacabana Sands too good in the Barberstown Castle Stakes at Leopardstown. Slattery said, “To be selling Easy on behalf of Team Valor and Gary Barber, sure it doesn't get much better than this. Listen, we always knew how good Easy is and, if we can end the story on a good note for our owners, it would be brilliant. She started out with us and, although she had a little bit of a hiatus after she won her maiden, we enjoyed some brilliant days with her and I think she showed people what she could do when she won her Listed race at Cork. I still believe that we never actually saw the best of Easy on the track. The ability that she had was frightening but, she's such a big filly and she put so much into her work, she used to go weak. That's one of the main reasons we didn't see the best of her. She always had a lot of brilliance and you don't name a horse Easy for no reason.” The Mehmas cross with Kodiac has produced a massive 74% winners-to-runners strike-rate. The headline acts within that impressive statistic are Group 1-winning sprinter Believing, Group 2 scorer West Acre and Group performer Diego Ventura. Slattery is in little doubt that his mare, who hails from the family of Cassandra Go, boasts international appeal. He concluded, “It's the old cliche, but she's a queen. She's absolutely gorgeous. She's selling in foal to Mehmas and it's a very good cross. What Tally-Ho has done with those stallions, particularly in the past few years, is amazing. There are a lot of top stallions in Easy's page and, I know I am biased, but she would be an addition to any breeding operation in the world. She has international appeal and we've literally had people from all over the world looking at her today. For a period of about three hours, she wasn't in her box. She was seriously busy showing. The footfall is amazing and, like I said, it's fairly special to be a part of it all. We just want to end the story on a good note and, please God, we can make that happen on Monday.” The post ‘Easy Has International Appeal And We Can’t Wait For The Sceptre Sessions’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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The Jockey Club has donated HK$70.2 million to the victims of the Tai Po fire after a subdued afternoon of racing at Sha Tin on Sunday. A minute’s silence was observed before Sunday’s closed-door meeting, which was restricted to owners, stewards, voting members and their invited guests, and there was none of the colour and buzz of a normal Sha Tin meeting. “I want to express my deep condolences to all of those who have been affected by this tragic fire,” said Jockey Club chief executive Winfried...View the full article
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Dazzling Fit enhanced his Classic Series claims with a herculean performance and Colourful King came from the clouds in a sensational display as David Eustace celebrated a double at Sha Tin on Sunday. Despite facing tough draws in their respective races, Colourful King exploded from last to smash his rivals in the Class Two 1,000m Turf Handicap before Dazzling Fit sealed Eustace’s brace with a gutsy victory in the Class Three 1,600m Turf Handicap. “You’re hopeful when you go to the races with a...View the full article
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Hong Lok Golf could be heading for Group One targets after getting back on track with a game performance to win the Class Two 1,600m Turf Handicap at Sha Tin on Sunday. Chris So Wai-yin’s galloper won six of his seven starts in a breakout first campaign, but had kicked off this season with a pair of defeats, most recently by two and a half lengths in disappointing fashion. Sent off the $4.6 joint favourite under Harry Bentley, there were some anxious moments for his backers when he turned into...View the full article
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TOKYO, JAPAN — It turns out that it takes the world's best horse to win what what will surely be judged for the second time in three years to have been the world's best race. For 20 years the Europeans have come and failed to conquer but Calandagan (Gleneagles), already at the summit of the world rankings for 2025 and with Mount Fuji as the backdrop for his most towering challenge to date, lowered the record of the great Almond Eye when outbattling race favourite Masquerade Ball (Duramente) to win the 45th running of the Japan Cup. They say that two out of three ain't bad and, in a pinch-me year for trainer Francis Graffard and the team at the Aga Khan Studs, they have combined to have two of the top three horses in the world rankings. This week the name of the Arc winner Daryz (Sea The Stars) has been mentioned more than once in press conferences by racing manager Nemone Routh and then by Princess Zahra Aga Khan after Sunday's victory, but this particular day was owned by Calandagan, a reformed character from his juvenile season whose only tearaway characteristics now are in streaking home to glory. Mickael Barzalona, too, was a flamboyant youngster, notably when standing in his irons to salute the crowd at Epsom before he was even over the line in the Derby, but the jockey's transition into a calm and collected professional is now complete, along with that of his horse. In a dramatic start to the race which saw Yuga Kawada ejected from the stumbling Admire Terra on leaving the stalls, Barzalona had Calandagan switched off towards the rear of the remaining 16 runners, travelling smoothly, eyes presumably fixed on the imaginary target on Christophe Lemaire's back aboard Masquerade Ball. Moving up on the outside of the favourite mid-stretch, Barzalona temporarily had Lemaire pinned for room as Shin Emperor weakened in his run, but the looming pair shifted out just enough for both to pass last year's runner-up with ease. From there the battle commenced, with Calandagan and Masquerade Ball locked together to the line. Only the grey Admire Terra could pass them, and he was unencumbered by the weight of a rider. “We were a little bit caught for speed in the early part of the race but Mickael caught a good lead behind Christophe Lemaire,” said Graffard. “He travelled the whole way behind the right horse in the race so that gave me a lot of confidence, and then we then never had any trouble in running especially into the last bend, and the horse after that has been really brave.” The trainer still has some important work to be done in Hong Kong in a fortnight's time, but with the year he's had already – winning Classics, a Breeders' Cup and three Group 1 races with Calandagan alone prior to today – it could have been imagined that the pressure may be off a little when it came to this challenge at the end of a long season for the four-year-old. One look at Graffard's face before the race told another story, however, especially with a recently earned title to uphold. “I was really stressed today. I knew I was bringing the best horse in the world and I was re-exposing him in a race that is almost impossible to win,” he said. Almost, but not quite. And in achieving the near-impossible Calandagan collected the equivalent of $3.3m in prize-money, with a further $3m bonus as the winner of a selection of Group 1 races in Europe this year. Just one would have done but he had three to choose from. “I said to myself it wasn't really fair on the horse to ask that of him and I really felt that pressure today. I thought to myself it would be awful to have take him back home to his box where there would be a plaque saying best horse in the world and for his year to end in disappointment,” he continued. “We were asking him to do something quite incredible after he had already proved he was the best, so I felt an enormous weight on my shoulders. I love taking on the big challenges but this morning I was really wondering why were putting ourselves through it.” For Princess Zahra, there must also be pressure in striving to uphold the standards which have been set down over the last century by three generations of her forebears. The Aga Khan Studs, founded by her great grandfather Aga Khan III, have become a byword for excellence in Thoroughbred breeding. Her father's long tenure ended only with his passing in February. Racing in Japan has existed for almost the same amount of time that the Aga Khan Studs have been in existence, and the leaders in this nation have steadily amassed a national broodmare band whose offspring have become the envy of the old world order. This emergence of Japan as one of the global leaders in bloodstock has of course not been lost on Princess Zahra, who on Saturday inspected the impressive line-up of sires at Hokkaido's Shadai Stallion Station. It surely won't be long before one or two of them are visited by mares from the Aga Khan Studs. “It has been a very good year thanks to the people sitting next to me and to the rest of the team,” she said, positioned between Graffard and Barzalona after a lengthy presentation ceremony during which she looked almost embarrassed to receive gift after prize after medal and then, best of all, the Japan Cup itself. “It's the best year we've had in a very long time. Of course I miss my father very much. He was very involved, but in terms of the operation, I think we continue to do what we do and with our new training policies, thanks to Francis and the collaboration with Mickael, we've had a very good year.” She continued, “Calandagan has shown himself to be an improving horse throughout the year and I think both Francis and Mickael have learned how to read the horse and to bring him to the best place on the right day at the right time. “Calandagan, as Francis said from the beginning of the year, was the horse for this race and he had planned this for a very long time. I wasn't sure in March that we were going to get here.” Of her visit to Shadai with her team of Pat Downes, Nemone Routh and Pierre Gasnier, she added, “As a breeding operation it is fascinating to see the bloodlines that exist in this country that are actually remote from the European bloodlines that we have today. It is very interesting to me to see what Japan has produced in terms of stallions, in terms of bloodlines, and I think it is going to be fascinating to see what those bloodlines produce in the future.” The development of those bloodlines has indeed been seen to increasingly devastating effect around the world. At home, the development of the sport of racing is equally impressive. Under a spotless blue sky 77,029 fans crammed into the vast Tokyo grandstand, lining the parade ring ten deep at least and creating a wall of sound as the race reached its climax that is surely unmatched at any racecourse. It was clear that for many professionals involved in the Japan Cup that there was a sense of pride that the race had this year attracted the top-rated Calandagan. The local racing fans may have preferred their favoured Tenno Sho winner Masquerade Ball to prevail – and he only went down by a head at the line, with the last two Derby winners Danon Decile (Epiphaneia) and Croix Du Nord (Kitasan Black) filling the minor places – but they know a good horse when they see one. Calandagan was duly afforded the hero's welcome that he deserved as he was brought back out to the track for the presentation ceremony. “He's a real champion, as everybody saw today,” Graffard said. “Mickael has so much faith in this horse and he's never let him down.” Calandagan, only the second French-trained horse to win the Japan Cup since Le Glorieux in 1987, was serenaded after his triumph by the on-course band playing Land of Hope and Glory. At first it seemed an incongruous anthem but, for his own Last Night of the Proms, a quest that began in hope and some trepidation for Calandagan's connections had indeed ended in unforgettable glory. The post ‘A Real Champion’: Calandagan Wows Japan With Record-Breaking Cup Victory appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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TOKYO, JAPAN — In a special ceremony at Tokyo racecourse prior to the 45th running of the Japan Cup, history was made when brothers Teruya and Katsumi Yoshida became the first Japanese members of the Jockey Club. The major owner-breeders and owners respectively of Shadai Farm and Northern Farm, Teruya, 78, and Katsumi, 77, were presented with lapel badges by senior steward Baroness Dido Harding to mark their honorary membership. Baroness Harding was joined in Tokyo by Jockey Club CEO Jim Mullen, assistant racing and international director Matthew Woolston, and the Jockey Club's international ambassador Brian Finch. In his introduction to the ceremony, Woolston said, “It is an absolute pleasure to welcome Mr Teruya Yoshida and Mr Katsumi Yoshida as honorary members of the Jockey Club. “We thank you for your contribution to horseracing and for the cooperation between the Japanese and British horseracing industries.” Addressing the Yoshida brothers, Baroness Harding said, “The English Jockey Club is 275 years old and we began to bring rules and order to British racing and were the governing body and the operator for 250 years. Twenty-five years ago we handed that over to an independent organisation but our purpose is the same, which is to preserve the long-term sustainability of horseracing in Britain and around the world.” Of the 180 members of the Jockey Club, 23 honorary members are based outside Britain. They include Princess Zahra Aga Khan, owner-breeder of Japan Cup runner Calandagan, Sheikh Mohammed, John Magnier, Bill Farish and Gaynor Rupert. She continued, “I am so honoured and delighted that the two of you have agreed to become the first Asian members of the Jockey Club. You have done amazing things, not just for Japanese racing, but for the world. “Horseracing in Britain benefits from a strong racing community in Japan, in France, in Ireland and in America. The sport is stronger when we are all strong, so the global impact that the Yoshidas have had is something that we wanted to recognise.” Katsumi and Teruya Yoshida with Baroness Harding | Emma Berry Teruya Yoshida, owner-breeder of the Japan Cup favourite Masquerade Ball, said, “This is a great honour to receive this, not only for us, but for Japanese racing. Racing started 100 years ago in Japan and we have put a lot of effort into improving our horse quality.” That last statement has been backed up by the increasingly impressive results of Japanese runners internationally over a number of years, and 2025 alone has witnessed victories for Forever Young in the Saudi Cup and Breeders' Cup Classic, and for Danon Decile in the Dubai Sheema Classic, while Satono Reve was a close second in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. The post ‘Great Honour’ as Teruya and Katsumi Yoshida Become Jockey Club Members appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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Cannoneer (c, 2, Into Mischief–Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon) became the 58th 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' for his all-conquering sire with a tour-de-force victory at second asking for trainer Brad Cox in the nightcap of the Stars of Tomorrow II card at Churchill Downs. Off as the 8-5 favorite, the $1.75-million Keeneland September graduate was sent to the front from his outside draw, but had to deal with the riderless Circle Me (Kantharos), who lost jockey Samuel Camacho, Jr. at the start. Completely undeterred beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr., Cannoneer led through fractions of :22.44 and :45.34. He took off impressively off the far turn and rolled home with powerful strides to win for fun by 7 1/4 lengths while stopping the timer for seven furlongs in a razor sharp 1:21.63. Cannoneer, a half-brother to Girvin (Tale of Ekati), GISW, $1,624,392; Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), GSW & MGISP-USA, G1SP-KSA, $3,647,970; Pirate's Punch (Shanghai Bobby), GSW, $395,650; and Cocked and Loaded (Colonel John), GSW, $497,660, tired to third behind SW & GSP Comport (Collected) as the heavy favorite after setting the pace in his unveiling going 5 1/2 furlongs beneath the Twin Spires June 1. Cannoneer's bluehen dam Catch the Moon, a $240,000 purchase by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings at the 2015 Keeneland November sale, was bred to Not This Time for 2026. 12th-Churchill Downs, $120,450, Msw, 11-29, 2yo, 7f, 1:21.63, ft, 7 1/4 lengths. CANNONEER, c, 2, by Into Mischief 1st Dam: Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon 2nd Dam: Catch My Fancy, by Yes It's True 3rd Dam: Walk Away Rene, by Gold Alert Sales history: $1,750,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $81,300. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-St. Elias Stable & Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. Cannoneer, hijo de Into Mischief, nieto de Malibu Moon, ejemplar que costó 1.750.000$ en subasta, reaparece ganando luego de 182 días sin correr, de nuevo en Churchill Downs. Montó Irad Ortiz Jr. para Brad Cox, sociedad de St. Elias Stable y @StonestreetFarm pic.twitter.com/vO3mpGe8Xd — Carlitos Solorzano (@carlosimbatible) November 29, 2025 The post Stars of Tomorrow II Card Concludes with ‘Rising Star’ Performance from Cannoneer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article