Wandering Eyes

The 2025 Fasig-Tipton December Digital Sale set a new high-water mark for gross, closing Wednesday evening with sales of $10,607,900 for 421 horses sold including the sales topper Treadstone (hip 34) (Tapit) who brought $470,000. The sale, which opened Thursday, December 4, and closed over two sessions on December 9 and 10, is believed to have established a new top gross for an online thoroughbred auction held worldwide, exceeding last year's Fasig-Tipton December Digital Sale's gross of $10,258,700. Offerings during this sale included horses of racing age, racing/broodmare prospects, racing/stallion prospects, broodmares, yearlings, weanlings, and stallion seasons. Treadstone, a 2-year-old who broke his maiden on debut at Aqueduct Nov. 23, sold to Greg Compton out of the Gainesway consignment. Out of the winning Empire Maker mare Bayou Tortuga, Treadstone is a half-brother to G3 UAE Oaks winners Down On Da Bayou (Super Saver) and Polar River (Congrats). The sale's second highest price went to Tour Player (hip 42) (American Pharoah) who sold for $350,000 to Legion Bloodstock, as agent for Graham Grace Stables, from the consignment of Bob Baffert, agent for Natalie J. Baffert. The 4-year-old colt was offered as a horse of racing age, is undefeated in three starts this year and entered the sale off three consecutive 90+ Beyer Speed Figures. “We were looking to add a racehorse for his stable,” Legion Bloodstock's Kyle Zorn said of Dr. Adam Ainspan's Graham Grace Stable. “We'd looked at the last couple of sales, picked a few over and for whatever reason, decided not to go after those. But this one really caught his [Dr. Ainspan] eye. [Trainer] Whit [Beckman] was really high on this colt. He's seen his performances and his last race at Churchill [a win facing allowance horses Nov. 30]. Obviously [Tour Player] has an affinity for that track so we thought he could be a fun horse to carry on into 2026.” A Bob Baffert homebred, Tour Player began his career at Santa Anita, making three starts in California before shipping to Kentucky where he broke his maiden at Churchill Downs in Oct. 2024. His three wins this year have all come under the Twin Spires but Zorn said a trip to Florida is in the colt's immediate future. “He's leaving to go down to Payson Park to join Whit's string there,” Zorn said. “We'll look at some of the races at Gulfstream Park around Pegasus weekend. I think [Whit] wants to get some miles under him and just kind of see where he's at. I went and looked at him at Margaux Farm where [bloodstock agent] Donato [Lanni] was showing him and he looked fantastic. He looks like he could run tomorrow. So we'll let Whit make that deciding factor. We just thought he'd be a fun horse for next year, maybe target some of those big races. You can always big-time dream, maybe even those overseas races if he carries on that form.” Other top prices for the sale include Empress Eleanor (hip 368) (Bernardini), sold for $280,000 to Ashview Farm from the consignment of Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, agent for Merriebelle Stables. Empress Eleanor was offered in foal to Tiz the Law. Her first foal, Channel the Music (Maclean's Music), is a stakes-placed winner as a 2-year-old this year. Wild Bout Hilary (hip 6) (Midnight Lute), sold for $250,000 to Bourbon Boys from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. A 4-year-old racing/broodmare prospect, Wild Bout Hilary counts this year's GIII Bayakoa Stakes among her six wins from two to four. Rock On Layla (hip 645) (More Than Ready), sold for $230,000 to Fiddleleaf Bloodstock from the consignment of Harris Farms. Offered as a broodmare, the 4-year-old is a half-sister to this year's GII Clark Stakes winner Magnitude (Not This Time). Zapple (hip 351) (Ghostzapper), sold for $220,000 to Reverie Farm from the consignment of Kingswood Farm, agent. Zapple is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Nootka Sound (Lonhro {Aus}) and to the dam of multiple graded stakes winner Instant Coffee (Bolt d'Oro), and was offered carrying her first foal by Girvin. “This is the highest grossing digital sale ever,” said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales. “We're thrilled with how it went. We've sold over 1,600 horses this year and grossed over $50,000,000 in digital sales. I never thought we'd be where we are now when we launched the platform nearly four years ago.” Aaron continued: “The growth of Fasig Digital is all thanks to our buyers and sellers from across the globe. We had over 1,500 registered bidders for the December sale alone–so many that it crashed Jesse and Frank's broadcast on Day 1. I'm thrilled with where we're going and we cannot wait for 2026.” Fasig-Tipton, who has offered digital auctions from one-horse flash sales all the way through this record-breaking sale, seems poised to continue that growth. “We're gonna continue to expand,” Aaron said. “Our goal this year was 50 [million] and I think we've hit 50.1 [million], and that's just in four years. Wherever the market allows us to go, we're going to take it. As long as people want to keep giving us horses to sell, we're going to continue to grow.” Overall, 421 horses sold for $10,607,900, believed to be the highest gross ever for an online thoroughbred auction worldwide. Twenty-two offerings sold for $100,000 or more. Horses were sold to buyers from eight different countries and three continents. Next on the calendar is the Fasig-Tipton January Digital Sale which will run Jan. 15-20. The post ‘Highest Grossing Digital Sale Ever’: Treadstone Tops Fasig-Tipton December Digital Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A lawsuit filed in a Kentucky court Wednesday over a disputed Standardbred auction figures to be closely watched by the Thoroughbred industry because of allegations that a Lexington Selected Yearling Sales Company (LSYS) auctioneer belatedly realized he had dropped the hammer on a $15,000 sale without respecting a $45,000 reserve price that should have been in effect. According to the civil complaint initiated by the New Jersey-based Val D'Or Farms, which thought it had rightfully purchased the filly, named Philly's Sting, for $15,000 via proxy bid, the auctioneer purportedly tried to cover his alleged mistake by reopening the bidding on the premise that there had actually been a tie bid. The auctioneer then commenced to get the price up to just under the reserve, declaring the yearling sold to a different buyer. “Upon information and belief, there was no other tie bidder, just an illusory bid in an effort to protect the reserve,” stated the lawsuit filed Dec. 10 in Fayette Circuit Court. The lawsuit included a link to a video of the Oct. 1, 2025, auction of Hip 572. It shows Philly's Sting in the sales ring for 90 seconds before her bidding stalls at $15,000. After the auctioneer hammers the podium and declares, “All done! In the back, $15,000!” Philly's Sting is led out of the ring. While the next sales prospect, Hip 573, is being shown and announced, the auctioneer appears to be examining paperwork in front of him. After 15 seconds, he then says, “Hold on a sec. Say what? You thought you were in back there? No. Nope. You weren't. I'm sorry.” Speaking over an unidentified raised voice protesting from the bidding gallery, the auctioneer then says, “All right, we have to open it back up between those bidders.” Over the next 20 seconds, the bidding on Philly's Sting escalated to $27,000. At that point, seemingly in an effort to clarify which yearling was actually being auctioned–the one who had already been led out of the ring or the one being shown in it–the auctioneer says, “This is 572! Just hold this [other] horse over to the side, keep him still.” As the bidding crested $35,000 and one unseen participant appeared to be vacillating, the auctioneer says, “I'll give you all the time you need. That was my mistake.” Another minute later, the hammer fell for good on Philly's Sting at $44,000. According to the lawsuit, “neither the Auctioneer, nor LSYS, nor anyone acting on their behalf or control, including spotters, observed, received, and acknowledged a tie bid during and/or prior to the fall of the Hammer, [and] the Auctioneer had no right to and improperly, negligently, intentionally, and/or recklessly reopen the bidding on Philly's Sting.” The allegations in the Dec. 10 lawsuit represent only one side of this story. TDN learned of the filing of the lawsuit after 6 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, and could not reach anyone at the Kentucky offices of LSYS at that hour. The breeder of Philly's Sting (Hot Lead Stables) and the consignor (Cameo Hills Farm) are also listed as defendants. All of those defendants will have their chance to answer the complaint or to try and dismiss it in subsequent court filings. The lawsuit seeks a judgment against each defendant mandating the acceptance of the $15,000 payment and the delivery of Philly's Sting to the plaintiff. Drew Mollica is one of the attorneys on the legal team for Val D'Or, whose principal, Martin Granoff, co-bred and co-owned the pacer Perfect Sting (the undefeated Dan Patch Award winner at two and Breeders Crown champion at both two and three), who is the sire of Philly's Sting. “Marty Granoff is one of the most prominent, respected owners in the business,” Mollica said. “And he really feels violated, he really does. “The rules are explicit. Once the hammer drops, you own the horse,” Mollica continued. “They missed the reserve. Owning horses is hard enough. Buying horses at auction is hard enough. You shouldn't have to fight the auction company, too. “[Granoff] campaigned the sire. He's an experienced buyer. He knows the rules. It's unequivocal in Mr. Granoff's mind, and he wants this settled not only for him, but for everybody who buys horses at auction,” Mollica said. The post Suit Alleges Standardbred Auctioneer Failed to Notice $45K Reserve, Then Reopened Bidding after Hammer Fell at $15K appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With the North American Thoroughbred foal crop continuing to contract, numerous panelists speaking Dec. 10 at the Global Symposium on Racing pointed to regional, multi-state cooperation to help stabilize breeding in states with faltering numbers.View the full article

A $500 TAB Bonus Bet will be given away as part of Ashburton’s big Harness 5000 meeting next week. Sponsored by Phoebe Stud, the Harness 5000 will feature 12 $60,000 races next Sunday (December 21). Entries for the HRNZ $500 TAB Bonus Bet open tomorrow (Friday, December 12). The winner will be drawn after Race 3 on Phoebe Stud Harness 5000 day. The winner must be on-course to claim the prize. If they are not it will be re-drawn until a winner is found. The prize is a $500 Bonus Bet which will deposited into the winner’s TAB account. It must be used as a single bet of $500 on the day and cannot be split across races. With bonus bets the winner will keep any winnings over the $500 outlay. For instance if you bet the $500 on a $1.50 favourite the winner will take home $250 ($750 – $500 Bonus Bet). Or if you place the $500 at $3 you will keep $1000 ($1500 minus the $500 Bonus Bet). To enter all participants have to do initially is scan the promotion’s QR code. This will be displayed on HRNZ and Ashburton Trotting Club’s websites, social media, on-course at Ashburton, the meeting’s racebook and other publications. Entrants will need to submit the required personal details and in doing so participants are consenting to receiving future promotional communications from HRNZ. Entry is free. To see more about the Terms and Conditions of the HRNZ TAB $500 Bonus bet Giveaway click here To find out more about Phoebe Stud and the stallions they have standing at stud (including Royal Aspirations and Krug) click here View the full article

Nikki Hurdle had the ride of her life with Group One performer Express Yourself, and just six months after her retirement, the Palmerston North horsewoman looks to have her hands on another exciting sprinter. Express Yourself recorded six wins and eight placings from 22 starts, highlighted by her runner-up performance in last year’s Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m), where she was piloted by Hurdle’s jockey son, Ryan Hurdle. Her syndicate of owners offered her on gavelhouse.com earlier this year, where she was purchased by Wairarapa thoroughbred nursery Little Avondale Stud for $102,500. “Express Yourself is now in-foal to Per Incanto. Little Avondale bought her off us and we are very excited, she is going to leave great foals,” Hurdle said. While Wairarapa is Express Yourself’s new home, it was also the home of former stablemate Falcrests Belle’s eye-catching 7-1/2 length maiden win over 1000m on Wednesday. The four-year-old mare had shown Hurdle plenty of promise at home, but she had yet to show that same talent on raceday, finishing last on debut at Tauherenikau in January before resuming this spring with placings at New Plymouth and Tauherenikau. It was at her last-start placing that proved to be the turning point for Falcrests Belle, with senior hoop Kate Hercock partnering her for the first time and coming back to Hurdle post-race with some crucial feedback. “I thought she would win on debut, she really disappointed us, and she went two good races after that but still a bit below what we were expecting,” Hurdle said. “After her last start Kate came in and said, ‘we have to change her gear, she is not breathing properly, she is rolling her tongue back’. “It made sense because that is exactly how she was racing, she was running out of puff.” Hurdle took that feedback onboard and made the advised gear adjustments, and the daughter of Darci Brahma duly romped home to victory at Tauherenikau following a dominant front-running display. “It was huge, we were pretty thrilled with how she went. I always thought she had it in her,” Hurdle said. “Yesterday was probably the turning point for us, I was just thrilled with the way she jumped out and settled and kicked at the turn. When Kate came back she reported that her breathing was perfect and said she hardly blew.” Hurdle is excited to have another promising sprinter on her hands, especially so soon after Express Yourself, and said she owes her association with the mare down to her pedigree and good friend Margaret Cartwright. “I was a bit lucky to get this horse, she is beautifully bred,” Hurdle said. “Centre Crest was a fantastic sprinter, he was a Group One winner and won 16 races. This mare is out of his half-sister (Falcrest) and as soon as I heard that I said to Margaret Cartwright, who had her on her farm, ‘how do I get this horse to train? I would love to have her’. “She was unbroken and she (Cartwright) made it all happen for us. Margaret kept a share, Evan (Foreman), who bred her, kept a share, and then most of the Express Yourself syndicate moved in as well. “I only do one horse at a time, so it has to be something I really like. I just saw this horse and I loved her.” While rapt with Falcrests Belle’s maiden win, Hurdle isn’t getting carried away and said she will take a patient approach with the mare. “I am not going to ask too much of her this time in,” she said. “I want to build her confidence and ringcraft. I think next year she is going to be so much better. She is like Express Yourself, she will hit her straps at five. “I might look at Boxing Day (at Otaki), there is a rating 65 there. Then I might back off her and look at her again in the autumn. “If everything goes like I think it will, we will get a little more adventurous in her next campaign. “The future looks good for her.” View the full article

Summer has arrived, and Shelley Hale is hoping so too will Blue Sky At Night’s form, as she gets set to defend her crown in Saturday’s Gr.3 SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup (2400m) at Te Rapa. Her victory in last year’s running kicked off a lucrative summer, which culminated in victory in the Gr.3 Avondale Cup (2400m), a double Hale is hoping to repeat. “We will be trying hard,” the Cambridge trainer said. While pegged as a wet-tracker earlier in her career, Hale said Blue Sky At Night has shed that tag over the last couple of seasons. “Earlier in her career people could have suggested that she was possibly a wet-tracker, but she had a good summer last year so fingers-crossed it is similar this year,” she said. While the Shamexpress mare has been unplaced in all three of her starts this preparation, Hale said they have been luckless runs, and she is hoping to take luck out of the equation on Saturday after drawing ideally in barrier four. “She is on a similar plan to last season, we are hitting it fourth-up,” Hale said. “She is racing well but has been lacking a bit of luck. We hope it is our turn to have the luck on our side this time. “She won’t have to do any work at all (from barrier four) to take up a nice position hopefully, and she gets a nice, light weight (53kg), she is still in a very good place in the handicaps.” While Blue Sky At Night holds a nomination for next month’s Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m), Hale said she will likely bypass the Trentham feature in favour of focussing on the Avondale Cup a few weeks later. “I don’t think she stayed the two miles in the Auckland Cup (Gr.2, 3200m) when we tried her so we will probably go to the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Gr.3, 2400m) and then she can have a little freshen before having one run into the Avondale Cup and see if we can hit that one again too.” Meanwhile, Hale will head to Tauranga on Friday with Lofty Manuel, a full-sister to Blue Sky At Night’s Saturday race rival Gigi. The four-year-old daughter of Ghibellines will be first-up after a couple of trials and Hale is looking forward to testing her over a mile for the first time in the Kiwi Bus Builders Maiden 1600. “I am looking forward to stretching her out over a little further,” Hale said. “She has been getting too far off the speed and rattling home well, so hopefully she can jump away a little bit better and get a bit closer to the chocolates. “She goes well, she has just got to put it all together.” View the full article

Seeking to ease its financial burden on the Thoroughbred industry, HISA aims to shift half of its income collection away from assessments and toward outside revenue streams by 2030. By 2035, HISA plans to be budget-neutral.View the full article

Louisiana superstar Touchuponastar will look for his fourth consecutive win in the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic Stakes Dec. 13 at Fair Grounds Racecourse & Slots.View the full article

When racing was canceled on Dec. 2 at Parx after the first two races, horseplayer Mitch Demick said he was relieved. He said that he had bet about $120 combined on the early Pick 4 and the Big 5 Pick 5. Entering the third race of the day, which was not run, he did not have a live ticket with either bet. As someone who often plays the horizontal wagers at Parx, Demick was sure he knew the rules and that he was entitled to a refund. According to both Demick and his attorney, Alan Pincus, the Pennsylvania Racing Commission rules state that when at least three races that make up a Pick 4 or Pick 5 sequence at Parx, or at any other track in the state, are canceled, all wagers must be refunded. Demick said he was aware of the rule because he had, in the past, received refunds on his Pick 4 and Pick 5 bets at Parx when similar situations had occurred. Instead, he waited for the results of those wagers to be posted, which he said, took more than four hours. When the results were finally available, he was stunned to learn that his money had not been refunded. Instead Parx paid those who had the winners on their tickets, no matter which horses they had bet in the remaining races. The Equibase charts list the winning combination for the Pick 4, which began with the second race, as 2-4-All-All, and the payoff was $1.40. The winning Pick 5, which began with the first race, was 2-4-All-All-All, and it paid $8.90. “I decided I had to do something, because they were really screwing me here,” Demick said. “In my opinion, they did something illegal. And I wanted to find out what was happening.” The TDN was not able to confirm the rules covering the Pick 4 when it comes to cancellations. The publication did reach a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Racing Commission, and asked for clarification regarding the rules. By deadline for this story, the TDN had not received an answer. As far as the Pick 5 goes, the answers can be found on the Parx website, where a passage clearly states that the wager must be refunded if three legs or more are canceled. The information made available online reads: “If at least three of the contests in the Philly Big 5 are cancelled or declared a 'no contest,' the pool will be cancelled and all Philly Big 5 wagers for that performance will be refunded.” What happened? Demick said he has called and reached out to several departments and individuals at Parx and has not received what he considers satisfactory answers. “With all of this going on, it seems really weird to me,” he said. “Why not just admit they made a mistake? Maybe they cannot do that at this point. But they haven't made any attempt to pay me back my money or answer any of my questions. Eight days have gone by and they haven't done that.” The TDN placed a call to Parx COO Joe Wilson. The receptionist who answered the phone said he was unavailable. Another call was made to the cell phone of Racing Secretary David Osojnak. The call went right to voicemail and a recording that said his mailbox was full. Two calls were left at the Racing Commission for Tom Chukas, the director of Thoroughbred horse racing, and neither was returned. Demick said he is not contemplating a lawsuit. “I'm not going to sue over $120,” he said. But he wants his money back, as well as some answers. He said he will continue to press the track and the commission until he is satisfied. He believes that a fair resolution would be for them to not only refund the wagers he made but to also add a little extra to his betting account as a show of good faith and a sign that someone has acknowledged that a mistake was made. “I wish I could find someone who would corroborate my position,” he said. “Alan and I are pursuing this further because of their sheer arrogance and disrespect.” According to the Equibase charts, $53,789 was wagered on the Pick 4 and $38,752 was bet on the Pick 5. The takeout on the Pick 4 is 25 percent and the Pick 5 takeout is 15 percent. That means that $13,447 in takeout was retained with the Pick 4 wagers and $5,812 was retained from the Pick 5 pool. Demick said he doesn't think that is a coincidence. “I'm starting to think that there's no way, at this point, that this was an accident,” he said. “In my own conspiratorial mind, I am thinking there's no way around that. I've never made a phone call to a lawyer about gambling. This was different. I think they decided to do something and hoped that no one would pay attention. “When there are issues of mistrust, you start to think that if they want to rig one thing, you can expect that they will try to rig something else. That's the angle I am taking as a duped bettor. What happened is so different from anything I've ever seen. I think they literally changed the rules in midstream just to make some extra money out of greed. I want to get to the bottom of this.” Pincus said, “If they refunded all bets, which they are supposed to do by the rules, there would be no problem. But by doing it the way they did, they kept the takeout. They kept approximately $18,000 and that's money they are not entitled to.” Pincus said that he fails to understand why so many hours elapsed before the payoffs were posted. He believes that the computer programs used to calculate payoffs should cover situations where there are cancellations and that the payoffs should have been posted instantly and based solely on what the computer spit out. “I imagine all these things are programmed into a computer,” Pincus said. “They don't have a guy sitting in a back room with a pencil. Why did this take four hours? That had to mean that someone was thinking about this, deciding about this. When they finally posted the prices, they had done something horribly wrong. Whether it was inadvertent or purposeful, they made a mistake. This was a misappropriation of funds.” Pincus said he has also reached out to Chukas and said that he has not been given satisfactory answers. “I told Mitch that I would call the racing commission because they are the ones that regulate racing in Pennsylvania,” he said. “I talked to Tom Chukas and his attorney and Mr. Chukas promised he would call me back and tell me what was going on. By (Dec. 10), he had not called me back. That is where we are. I thought the commission would do something, but obviously they haven't done anything. And even though this is not a lot of money, it's wrong. If you can't trust the prices that are put up by a racetrack, why would you want to bet there? I expect the commission to regulate horse racing and order them to refund the money. I expect the commission to sanction Parx for doing this.” The post Alleging that Parx Violated Rules Regarding Pick 4 and 5 Refunds, Bettor Wants Answers and a Refund appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this series, we will have a look predominantly at American-bred first-time juvenile starters (through the end of 2025) and debuting 3-year-olds in maiden races at Meydan Racecourse, with a specific focus on pedigree and/or performance in a sales ring. The flagship venue for racing in the United Arab Emirates is Meydan Racecourse, which will host racing on Fridays through the end of March, with the exception of Super Saturday on Feb. 28 and Dubai World Cup night Mar. 28, 2026. Here are the horses of note for this Friday's program at Meydan: Friday, December 12, 2025 8th-MEY, AED210,000 ($57k), Allowance, 2yo, 1600m This contest, which has lured the Godolphin's highly impressive maiden winner Devon Island (Practical Joke) and Uruguayan import Don Pelicano (Uru) (Midshipman), has been selected by trainer Bhupat Seemar as the jumping-off point for a pair of American-bred juvenile colts sourced at this year's breeze-up sales. RASHWAN (Gun Runner) was led out unsold on a bid of $425,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale and was hammered down to the RRR Racing braintrust for $400,000 following a :10 4/5 breeze at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale in May. A Mar. 1 foal, the bay is a half-brother to GI F.E. Kilroe Mile Stakes hero Hit The Road (More Than Ready) and is out of a daughter of GII E. P. Taylor Stakes victress Wandering Star (Red Ransom), also the dam of G1SW War Command (War Front) and GSW Naval Officer (Tale of the Cat). Rashwan gets the services of stable number one Tadhg O'Shea. Petit (Independence Hall) is out of a full-sister to GI Man O'War Stakes winner Channel Cat (English Channel) and made appearances at all three U.S.-based auction houses. A $17,000 purchase as a short yearling at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton February Sale, the bay changed hands for $45,000 at Keeneland September about seven months later. When last seen in a sales ring, the Pennsylvania-bred Petit was being hammered down to bloodstock agent Pedro Lanz for $185,000 after working a furlong in :10 flat at OBS April. The post Desert Doings: Seemar Duo Debut In Allowance Company appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The multiple Grade 2-winning chaser Allegorie De Vassy (lot 769) topped Wednesday's final session of the Goffs December National Hunt Sale when bought by Justin and Jackie Owens of Mount Armstrong Stud for €150,000. The eight-year-old daughter of No Risk At All, who was offered in foal to the late Jukebox Jury, was consigned by trainer Willie Mullins' Closutton Stables. Incidentally, Mount Armstrong was also responsible for the most expensive weanling sold earlier in the day when lot 615, a Walk In The Park filly out of the Grade 2-winning chaser Scarlet And Dove, was knocked down to Worthen Hall and Peel Bloodstock for €105,000. Scarlet And Dove herself was a €200,000 purchase at this sale two years ago. “We have a relatively small number of National Hunt mares, but we try to buy very good ones whenever we get the chance,” said Justin Owens after adding Allegorie De Vassy to the Mount Armstrong ranks in County Kildare. “If you have a good mare, a good-looking foal with a nice page, you can make good money. She's all of that. She's a top-class racemare, she's good looking, she's lovely and correct, and she's carrying a good cover. Hopefully, we'll get a nice foal that can come back for next year's sale. All things being equal, she mightn't look too expensive in 12 months' time.” Turnover for the three-day sale reached a record figure of €9,871,050, a 31% increase on last year, while the average grew by 9% to €18,696 and the median rose by 4% to €12,000. The clearance rate increased to 73% (from 65%), despite 52 more lots being offered compared to last year. Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “When catalogues grow there is always a worry that the clearance rate will drop. Not so this week when that statistic has improved in each of the three sessions. “Whilst there is always room for improvement and the market can be tough in places, this is another positive to take away from the week, as is the growth in the number of lots that passed the €25,000, €50,000 and €75,000 marks, with the last of those milestones leaping from five to 19, a number that dwarfs any other sale in the category. “The average and median prices made yet more progress, and the top was as vibrant as ever with four six-figure foals versus one last year and the top-priced National Hunt mares of the year once again.” He added, “In a time of uncertainty, both globally and in the bloodstock world, it is heartening and encouraging to have finished the year on such a positive note, and we count the days before renewing business in 2026. “National Hunt has never been stronger at Goffs, and we are just incredibly proud of its evolution to become the market leader in the sector, so we can't wait to get on the road for our market leading Arkle Sale. “For now, we extend our thanks and appreciation to everyone who has visited our sales this year. Nothing is taken for granted and we look forward to the next visit.” The post Allegorie De Vassy Stars on Final Day of Record-Breaking Goffs December NH Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Jordyn Bublitz Margherita lines up today at Palmerston North in the Chief Stipe Bradley Painters Palmerstonian Mobile Pace with trainer Danielle Green hoping the honest mare can continue her upward trajectory after what has been a long, patience-testing road. Based in Morrinsville, Green has worked with Margherita her entire career, and while the mare has always shown ability, her biggest battles have taken place away from the track. Persistent issues with tying up have stalled her progress more than once, forcing Green into a constant cycle of trial and error as she searched for answers. “Getting a win with this mare is massive because she’s just had so many issues. We’ve been struggling with her tying up, I was at my wits end, it’s been a nightmare,” Green says. “We seem to have it figured out now, and it’s been a long time coming to get a win with her.” That win, her third in 20 starts, but her first since November 2023, finally arrived last week at Cambridge Raceway, where Margherita produced a strong performance that not only rewarded Green’s perseverance but also signalled that the mare might finally be ready to string consistent form together. The effort left the trainer both relieved and encouraged. “She didn’t blow much after her run last week and she’s pulled up from it really well,” Green says. “She’s been working well and seems to be getting fitter with every run.” Today, Margherita steps out over 2000m and has drawn barrier 1, a perfect setup for her preferred racing style. “The aim will be to come out and see who comes looking, I’ll really just leave it up to Brooke (Wilkins), she’s the driver,” she explains. Still, with the pole draw, Green expects Margherita to either hold the lead or take a cosy trail — both scenarios giving the mare every chance to be competitive. “It would be awesome to get two in a row with her, she’s my pride and joy, I’ve worked with her her whole life,” she says. “In saying that it’s not always about winning, so long as she tries her best and pulls up sound I’m always happy.” To see the field for Race 6 click here View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit alleges that Tamara tested positive for the controlled medication methocarbamol after her victory in the Oct. 4 Chilingworth Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park, a finding that jeopardizes that stakes win.View the full article

Ryan Moore returned from rehabbing a broken leg to compete in the Longines Hong Kong International Jockeys' Championship and won it in the final race of the series.View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 12/04/2025 Licensee: Michael Catalano, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Mr Sandman on 10/24/25. Pending ADMC Violations 12/10/2025, Carlos Martin, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine—a class B controlled substance—in a sample taken from Ascension on 11/2/25. 12/09/2025, Timothy Murphy, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Fedalia on 11/7/25. 12/09/2025, Jorge Abreu, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Silver Satin on 11/1/25. 12/09/2025, Richard Mandella, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Tamara on 10/04/25. 12/08/2025, Bill McLean, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine—a class B controlled substance—in a sample taken from I'mgonnabesomebody on 11/11/25. 12/08/2025, Chris Englehart, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Shehanah on 11/07/25. 12/05/2025, Jose Delgado, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine—a class B controlled substance—in a sample taken from Wise Words on 11/07/25. 12/05/2025, Mario Serey Jr., trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from P J's Song, who finished second at Laurel Park on 11/07/25. 12/05/2025, Stephanie Norris, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Tramadol—a class B controlled substance—in a sample taken from Moment in the Dark, who finished tenth at Mahoning Valley on 10/25/25. 12/04/2025, Louis Linder Jr., trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Gabapentin—a class B controlled substance—in a sample taken from So Fully Sue, who finished second at Penn National on 11/5/25. 12/04/2025, Sergio Barrio-Baray, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Bendettijoe on 10/29/25. The post National Rulings, December 4-10 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article