Wandering Eyes

The connections of last season’s gun three-year-old Savaglee have some pondering to do over the next few days. The Group One-winning stallion pleased in his first public hit-out of the season when placing in his 1100m trial at Ellerslie on Sunday, and now trainer Pam Gerard is contemplating where to kick-off The Oaks Stud-raced four-year-old. “I was really happy with him yesterday,” Gerard said. “He went to the line under a hold, he was never asked for anything, and it was just a nice day out. “He was a little bit on the fresh side, so he wanted to get along and get going a little bit. The time was good and his action was good. “He is never 100 percent happy going the Ellerslie way, but that hasn’t changed since he was a two-year-old. He pulled up well and we are happy with where he is at. “In the next few days we will make a decision where he kicks off.” Next Saturday’s Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) on Karaka Millions night looms as an obvious target, however, Gerard said they may bypass the feature sprint in favour of heading to Te Rapa a fortnight later. “There are not a lot of choices, it is either the Railway or we miss the Railway and go straight to the BCD Sprint (Gr.1, 1400m),” Gerard said. “The trial was only yesterday, we are happy with how he has come through it, we think he has improved quite a bit off it and thought he was right on the mark to have a go at the Railway if we think that is the right place to go.” The son of Savabeel was runner-up in the Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington last year, and Gerard said an elite-level scalp across the Tasman remains their primary objective as they look to Savaglee’s future stud career. “We could go straight over the Tasman, but realistically we need to be having one run here in New Zealand before we go,” Gerard said. “What he does here is also very important, but his main aim is something in Australia to make him valuable when he goes to stud.” Bred by Waikato Stud, Savaglee is out of unraced O’Reilly mare Glee, a full-sister to the dam of Dual Group One winner Orchestral, and a three-quarter sister to the dam of three-time Group One winner Daffodil. He was purchased by The Oaks Stud out of Waikato Stud’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $400,000 and went on to win two races as a juvenile, including the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m), before returning as a three-year-old where he won five and placed in three of his eight starts, including victories in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), Gr.2 Levin Classic (1400m), Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m), Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m), and was third in his first test at weight-for-age in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) prior to his Australian Guineas runner-up performance. To date, Savaglee has won seven and placed in four of his 15 starts, and earned more than $1.2 million in prizemoney, and Gerard is hoping to quickly add to that tally. “We did the right thing and gave him a nice long break (after the Australian Guineas), brought him up nice and quietly and now he is back into it,” she said. View the full article

A return to Ellerslie next week is on the cards for promising three-year-old King’s English following his win in the Elsdon Park 1200 at the Auckland track on Sunday. The Snitzel colt has shown plenty of ability on the track, placing in his first two starts before breaking through for his maiden victory over 1150m at Te Aroha in November. He was subsequently freshened by trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson and was backed into $2.50 for his resuming run over the weekend. In the hands of New Zealand’s leading hoop, Craig Grylls, King’s English was beaten for early speed from his inside draw and settled midfield on the fence. Turning for home he had a wall of horses in front of him, but Grylls guided him into a gap out wide and he closed late to score a short neck victory over Confesara, with a further head back to Lubeck in third. While the race wasn’t run to his initial plan, Grylls was pleased with the way his charge finished off the contest. “I hoped to be handy like last time when he jumped with them, but he just didn’t hit the ground running today,” Grylls said. “So I was back there with them and he started looming into it to get a gap at the 200m and it was pretty exciting the way he jumped out of the ground inside the last 100m. “I think the penny is only just starting to drop with him now, but he’s got any amount of ability. He’s going to be exciting for the future.” Bergerson was pleased with the result and he is now looking forward to returning to Ellerslie next week with his colt to contest the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m) on Karaka Millions night. “He got back in a tricky spot, but fair play to the horse, he quickened when he needed to. It was a really patient ride by Gryllsy and he’s in fantastic form,” he said. “The horse is getting better and better. He has taken a bit of time, with a few maturity issues early on, but is slowly putting it all together. “The Almanzor Trophy seems the logical step as long as he comes through the race well. You would have to think he’d be a really strong chance off that win.” Out of dual Group One winner English, King’s English was purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis out of Newhaven Park’s 2024 Inglis Australasian Easter Yearling Sale draft for A$700,000. He has won two and placed in two of his four starts to date and has earned just shy of $50,000. View the full article

Aaron Bidlake has never given Tulsa King’s lack of size a second thought, with experience teaching him good things can come in small packages. The Hastings-based horseman was thrilled with his flyweight charge’s run for second in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie on Sunday to keep the Classic dream alive with the son of Staphanos. Tulsa King had collected a win and a runner-up finish in the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1400m) from his previous six starts for Bidlake and is firmly on target for a crack at the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) in March. “He had three trials and a couple of runs for Barry Donoghue and he trialled up okay but didn’t set the world on fire and only managed to beat one horse home in his first two starts,” Bidlake said. “They put him on Gavelhouse and we were lucky enough to get him for only $1,500, I guess being so small put a lot of people off. “He really is a tiny horse, but I’m not worried about small horses. I won the Grand National (5600m) with Eric The Viking and he was pretty small.” Eric The Viking claimed the National in 2014 off the back of success in the Koral Steeplechase (4250m) and also won the Wellington Steeplechase (5500m). “We’re having a fair old ride with a very cheap horse now and Barry Donoghue was the first one to come up to me on Sunday and congratulate us for running second, so that was nice,” Bidlake said. “He went super and the ride from Sam Collett was fantastic, they got held up a bit in the straight but for a horse she’d never sat on before she gave him such a good ride along the fence. “He came through it very well and we came home through the night back to Hastings, and he was bouncing in the paddock this (Monday) morning.” Tulsa King is a family horse, with Bidlake and partner Michelle Young sharing in the ownership with his uncle and aunt Barry and Teresa. “Mum and Dad (Karen and Graeme) also have a share in him as part of the Grassroots Syndicate and we travel all our own horses and Michelle does all the driving so it’s very much a team effort,” he said. Tulsa King will make one more appearance before the Derby in an open handicap won by Kevin Myers’ C’est La Guerre on his way to Classic glory in 2008. “We will go a little bit different because of the travel, so he’ll go to the Wairoa Cup (2100m) at Waipukurau,” Bidlake said. “He’s only 400kg, I don’t want to give him another trip north at this time of the year with the heat, we’ll stick close to home and then it’s on to the Derby. “In his previous races, he has got back and gone to sleep and we’ve thought all along he was a staying type of horse and the pedigree suggests that, the further he goes the better he’ll be.” The Chequers Stud-bred gelding is out of the Encosta De Lago mare Lilies who is a half-sister to Soriano, dual Group One winner of the Zabeel Classic (2000m) and Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m), and the family of Wexford Stables’ 2021 Derby winner Rocket Spade. View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Dunsandel trainer Sam Payne will line up two contrasting first starters at Ashburton on Tuesday. After impressing at the trials, Makani ($3.80FF) will start in Race 1, the 4 Blokes Syndicate Mobile Trot while stablemate Major Miss ($6FF) debuts in Race 5, the Betavet / B and T White Racing Stables Mobile Pace. Both will be driven Jonny Cox. Payne bought Makani for $23,000 at the 2024 National Yearling Sales. “I spotted him during the Southland tour looking at yearlings and I liked him even more at sale time so I put up my hand and bought him.” “We had planned to race him as a two-year-old but he got crook and we tipped him out.” “He’s a really nice horse but maiden trotters you never know what’s going to happen do you? But he’s usually safe.” He’s three now and has had four wins from five trials leading into his first race day start. “I’ll leave the driving up to Jonny but if he wants to go forward I’m sure they will, but if he flops out and takes a sit and comes off a helmet I’m not too worried.” While Makani is a “cruisy dude” fellow debutante Major Miss is “a bit of a funny one” and “can be a handful at times.” The Art Major five-year-old has not shown up to the same extent at the trials but did win a three-horse workout at Rangiora in December. “She’s quite a speed horse and she probably needs to tuck away and then get one run at them.” “Her work has been real good,” says Payne, “on her best if she gets a nice cosy trip she’d be a good top three show.” The 10-race card at Ashburton starts at 1.32pm. To see the Ashburton fields click here View the full article

A heavy favorite, Queen Maxima earned her third graded triumph as she outgamed Princesa Moche to win the $102,000 Las Cienegas Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park Jan. 11.View the full article

They don't make them all like Queen Maxima (Bucchero), but the newly minted 5-year-old mare has been the queen of the downhill green at Santa Anita Park for the last two seasons, and she kicked off 2026 in similar style via the GIII Las Cienegas Stakes. The 2-5 favorite was in no hurry after the jump, and stalked the early pace contentedly until they swung into the bend coming off the hill after a :44.15 half. The looming danger to the pace, she took command entering the lane and comfortably kept them at bay to score in a final time of 1:11.69. Princesa Moche (Per) Muwaary {GB}) ran on for second and Spicybug (Speightstown) was third. The daughter of Bucchero is now eight for 13 in her career, and has won five of her last six starts at The Great RIP, counting this victory. #1 QUEEN MAXIMA ($2.80) and @JJHernandezS19 get the win in the $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes (G3) at @santaanitapark. The daughter of Bucchero is trained by @Jmullinsracing. pic.twitter.com/Tu6AD79Exc — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 11, 2026 Sunday, Santa Anita Park LAS CIENEGAS S.-GIII, $102,000, Santa Anita, 1-11, 4yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2fT, 1:11.69, fm. 1–QUEEN MAXIMA, 124, m, 5, by Bucchero 1st Dam: Corfu Lady, by Corfu 2nd Dam: St Ballado's Lady, by Pleasantly Perfect 3rd Dam: St Ballado's Image, by Saint Ballado ($40,000 2yo '23 OBSOPN). O-Dutch Girl Holdings LLC and Irving Ventures LLC; B-Saul Rosas (FL); T-Jeff Mullins; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 13-8-2-0, $630,460. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Princesa Moche (Per), 122, m, 6, Muwaary (GB)–Queen Jezebel, by Motivator (GB). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Rancho San Roberto, Inc.; B-Haras Los Azahares (PER); T-Chief Stipe F. O'Neill. $20,000. 3–Spicybug, 120, m, 6, Speightstown–Midnight Miley, by Midnight Lute. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Mike G. Rutherford; B-Sandra Sexton & Silver Fern Farm (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $12,000. Margins: HF, 1 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.40, 16.50, 11.30. Also Ran: Egyptian Mau (Saf), Nay V Belle, Rosie Jeeks, Omnipontet (Brz), Miss Lizzy, Antifona (Fr). Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. The post All Hail the Queen of Downhill Green: Queen Maxima Struts Her Stuff in Las Cienegas appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A quartet of Breeders' Cup winners—Splendora, Nysos, Super Corredora, and Full Serrano—all recorded workouts Jan. 11 at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

After winning the San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park Jan. 10, So Happy carries a cherished pedigree line for breeder Leverett Miller to the top of the sport.View the full article

After finally breaking her maiden in her sixth attempt, Margarita Girl wasted no time becoming a graded stakes winner with a win in the $100,500 Las Flores Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park Jan. 11.View the full article

One of Tampa Bay Downs' most popular promotions, the "Live It Up Challenge" handicapping contest, begins Jan. 17 and runs through March 7.View the full article

Invincible Ibis remain locked on course for a HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) on 1 February after an emphatic victory at Sha Tin on Sunday as Zac Purton dominated with five wins. Purton (59 wins) stretched his lead to 33 over Hugh Bowman (26) in a remarkable display of sustained excellence – and it could have been six wins had he not honoured a pledge to partner Beauty Bolt in the Class 3 (Restricted) Pak Shek Au Handicap (1600m), only to finish to second to another of his regular rides, Invincible Ibis (Hellbent), who was partnered by Bowman. Bowman was impressed with Kilgravin Lodge graduate Invincible Ibis, who weaved his way into clear running after dropping to the tail of the field before finishing powerfully to defeat Beauty Bolt by a neck in 1m 34.18s. “Invincible Ibis was very straight forward. I didn’t expect to be so far back but I was reluctant to pressure him just to hold a position and he enjoyed being left alone,” Bowman said. “I was in a position – to avoid traffic – that I had to make a long run on him and he coped with that, too. “And when I needed his effort at the 100 metres mark, he did it with consummate ease.” Newnham said: “He’s putting up quite a good record now and the nice part about the race was when it got a bit tough and he had to stretch the last part to beat Beauty Bolt, he did. So, he’s got good ability, but he’s got good heart. “You can only keep winning and he’s put four together now, so he goes there (Hong Kong Classic Mile) in good form.” Secured by Newnham for the Ibis Syndicate from the Kilgravin Lodge draft at the 2023 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, Invincible Ibis posted two seconds from as many starts as a three-year-old in his debut season before returning a more mature animal this season. After finishing third on the opening day of the 2025/26 season, Invincible Ibis has reeled off three straight victories culminating in a one-and-three-quarter-length victory under Zac Purton in the Class 3 Poinsettia Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on 20 December. Newnham reclaimed top-spot in the trainers’ championship from Caspar Fownes to lead with 30 wins to 29 when fellow four-year-old Lucky Sam Gor (NZ) (Press Statement) defied his rivals to clinch the Class 3 Stanley Gap Handicap (1400m) under Matthew Poon. Apart from Little Paradise, Purton also struck aboard Ricky Yiu’s Snowthorn, Robot Star, Majestic Valour and David Hayes’ China Win (NZ) (Super Seth) in the Class 4 Hebe Haven Handicap (1800m). “China Win, he’s not an easy horse to manage in the mornings – very, very difficult. The boys are doing a good job to manage him as well as they are and on a race day, he doesn’t know what he wants to do in a race. One day, he wants to scream long, the next day he wants to drop out. “But when the penny drops, he’ll turn into a handy enough stayer. It was a good effort – he had the race run to suit.” Rezeki (NZ) (Ardrossan)notched his first win in Hong Kong for David Hall with success in the first section of the Class 4 Wu Kau Tang Handicap (1400m) under a perfect ride by Andrea Atzeni. Money Catcher (NZ) (Ferlax) turned back the clock for Frankie Lor and Derek Leung with his first win in three years with success in the Class 3 Pak Sha O Handicap (1800m). Twice placed at Group One level, the eight-year-old finished third in the 2022 Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m) behind Romantic Warrior and Danon The Kid, but had not won since his Gr.3 January Cup Handicap (1800m) victory at Happy Valley in January 2023. “It was worth the wait. When he came to Hong Kong, he kept placing and it was difficult to win. He won two races and after that, he was always close but did start to run some bad races and it allowed a drop down to Class 3,” Lor said. The pace was quick, so he could come from behind and win for his patient owner. I’m happy because he’s an eight-year-old who can still win and it’s great for the owner.” View the full article

Goal Oriented (Not This Time–Bizzy Caroline, by Afleet Alex), most recently winner of the Dec. 28 GI Malibu Stakes, has been retired from racing and will take up stud duties at Spendthrift Farm this year. His introductory fee will be $30,000, stands and nurses. “We are very excited about Goal Oriented and his potential at stud,” said Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey. “Since the emergence of Not This Time, we have been looking for the right son to come along, and we believe strongly that Goal Oriented is that horse. He's a good-looking, imposing individual that breeders are going to love, and he brings the depth of female family we look for in a stallion prospect. When you combine that with the brilliance he showed on the track–highlighted by his GI Malibu win in 1:20 and change–it's hard not to be excited about his future. His speed figures indicate he's as fast as any son of Not This Time we've seen on dirt. We invite breeders to come out and see him.” Goal Oriented was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' following his debut win at Santa Anita last April. Fourth in the GI Preakness Stakes in just his third start, the dark bay colt was third in the GI Haskell Stakes–just 3/4 lengths adrift of Journalism (Curlin)–and in the GI Pennsylvania Derby. Sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, he concluded his racing career with a one-length victory in the Malibu. His time of 1:20.97 for seven furlongs was the fastest winning time in the Malibu since 2016 and fastest seven furlongs run in a Grade I race in 2025. He earned a 108 Beyer Speed Figure and a 4 Ragozin–both among the fastest recorded by a 3-year-old last year. A $425,000 Keeneland September yearling, Goal Oriented is out of multiple graded stakes winner Bizzy Caroline, a half-sister to champion Lady Eli and hailing from the family of influential sire Blushing Groom. Trained by Bob Baffert, Goal Oriented hit the board in five of seven starts with three wins and earnings of $624,460 for owners SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan. “We are thrilled for Goal Oriented to have the opportunity to begin his stallion career at a place like Spendthrift Farm,” said SF Racing's Tom Ryan. “He is a good-looking colt and he knows it. Goal Oriented has that presence about him, along with sire power and depth of pedigree.” Goal Oriented has arrived at Spendthrift and is available for breeders' inspections from 1:30-3 p.m. daily through Tuesday and will be available for inspection by appointment thereafter. The post Malibu Stakes Winner Goal Oriented Retired to Spendthrift appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

She was a bridesmaid on four occasions before she broke her maiden last out, and now Margarita Girl (Twirling Candy) has quickly left that behind her, collecting her first black-type of any kind in the GIII Las Flores Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Breaking well to watch the race unfold as Thermal (Nyquist) set the tempo, she enjoyed a rail trip behind that leader through an opening quarter in :21.74 and four furlongs in :44.11. No Bad Beats (Midnight Storm) took the race to the early leader coming off the bend, and struck the front as Margarita Girl began uncorking her rally via the overland route. That pair quickly pulled away from a closing Ooty (Arg) (Dabster) on the rail, and the eventual winner overhauled her challenger inside the final sixteenth to score. The final time was 1:09.19. Sales history: $130,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; $575,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR. O-Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners and Saints or Sinners; B-Paul Eggert & Karen Eggert (KY); T-Mark Glatt. #3 MARGARITA GIRL ($10.40) charged down the lane and won the $199,000 Las Flores Stakes (G3) at @santaanitapark. The daughter of Twirling Candy (@LanesEndFarms) was ridden by @RickyGonzalez10 and trained by Mark Glatt. pic.twitter.com/W2gvQSrKaU — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 11, 2026 The post Twirling Candy’s Margarita Girl Steps Up in Class to Claim Las Flores at Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Making only this third career start in as many seasons to race, the impeccably-bred Rothko (Tapit–Covfefe, by Into Mischief) proved best as the heavy favorite to graduate in a one-mile maiden test at Fair Grounds on Sunday. The LNJ Foxwoods homebred was fourth in his career debut at Ellis Park in the summer of 2024 but wouldn't be seen again until the fall of his sophomore year, when he finished a solid second going 6 1/2 panels at Churchill Downs this past November. Sent off the hot 1-5 choice while trying a mile for the first time here, the 4-year-old settled just behind pacesetter Crazy Diamond (Omaha Beach), who carved out an opening quarter in :23.38. Overtaking the early leader heading into the far turn, Rothko shot clear turning for home and was not for catching as he crossed the wire 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Mingo (Candy Ride {Arg}) at the wire. The colt is out of dual champion Covfefe, who is also responsible for SW and GSP Ellen Jay (Constitution), $271,808. The dual Grade I winner and track record holder produced a filly by Gun Runner in 2024 followed by an Olympiad filly last season. Hailing from the family of GISWs Acoma and Arch, the 10-year-old mare was bred back to Not This Time. 6th-Fair Grounds, $54,000, Msw, 1-11, 4yo/up, 1m, 1:37.46, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. ROTHKO (c, 4, Tapit–Covfefe {Ch. Female Sprinter, Ch. 3-year-old Filly, MGISW, $1,110,025}, by Into Mischief) Lifetime Record: 3-1-1-0, $59,852. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O/B-LNJ Foxwoods (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. The post Champion Covfefe’s Rothko Earns Belated Graduation at the Fair Grounds appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A quartet of Breeders' Cup winners all recorded workouts Sunday at Santa Anita. GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint winner Splendora (Audible) and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Nysos (Nyquist) both worked for trainer Bob Baffert. Splendora drilled four furlongs in :49.00 (47/87) in her third work back since the Breeders' Cup. The 5-year-old is a candidate for the GII D. Wayne Lukas Stakes for fillies and mares going seven furlongs Feb. 7. Nysos, working for the first time since winning the Dec. 28 GII Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes, went four furlongs in :48.20 (25/87). He is being pointed to the Feb. 14 G1 Saudi Cup. That race is also the target of his stablemate and Laffit Pincay runner-up Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), who worked four furlongs in :49.00 (47/87) Sunday. Trainer John Sadler sent out GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Super Corredora (Gun Runner) and Full Serrano (Arg) (Full Mast) to work at Santa Anita Sunday. In her second work of the year, Super Corredora went five furlongs in a bullet :59.20 (1/50). S and she is slated to make her sophomore bow in the one-mile Las Virgenes Stakes, which was pushed back a week to Feb. 8 following the postponement of the Santa Ynez Stakes earlier in the meet. Full Serrano, the 2024 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner, worked six furlongs in 1:11.40 (1/2). Most recently fifth in the 2025 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, he is a candidate to run in either the Jan. 31 GII San Pasqual Stakes or in the GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park Jan. 24. Also on the work tab Sunday, the Baffert-trained Kristofferson (Nyquist) went four furlongs in a bullet :46.40 (1/87) in his first published work since September. The $1.15-million Keeneland September yearling was a debut winner at Del Mar in August and has been off since finishing sixth in the Oct. 4 GI American Pharoah Stakes. The post Breeders’ Cup Winners on Santa Anita Work Tab Sunday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article