Wandering Eyes

The juvenile fillies maiden over 1000m at Warwick Farm on Wednesday featured some very expensive fillies, but it was a Kiwi bred that took the prize with Satono Aladdin filly Satono Glow (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) creating a fine impression with a debut win. Trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, Satono Glow won her only previous trial at Hawkesbury and was expected to run well with Dylan Gibbons in the saddle. Satono Glow ambled out of the gates and settled last before rounding them up after turning for home to win by half a length. Satono Glow wins the opener at Warwick Farm on debut! @JohnOSheaRacing @djgibbons22 pic.twitter.com/TGOnkW5Ucj — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 11, 2026 Dylan Gibbons was always confident he was on the winner. “She jumped on terms and she sort of made my decision quickly for me,” said Gibbons. “To be honest, when she got back there, I always felt I had a bit underneath me, but I just loved that in those tricky fields, the leader can get away from you a bit, but when I first asked for an effort I felt I had the race under control. “I really just saved the whip for when she got there, to let her know to keep going on with the job, but that was a very professional debut.” Tom Charlton expects Satono Glow can measure up to stakes company in the future. “She’s got a good mind and that’ll take her a long way in life and she’s all natural. We’re pretty pleased for everyone involved,” he said. “We think they’ve potentially got a Black Type filly, we hope, on our hands in time.” A $260,000 Book 1 purchase at the 2025 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale for O’Shea Charlton Racing and James Bester Bloodstock, from the Windsor Park Stud draft. Satono Glow is a half-sister to Group II placed Kitty Flash (NZ) (Ace High) being the third winner from Electrode (NZ) (Pins), a winning half-sister to Group III winner So Wotif (NZ) (Iffraaj) and stakes-winner Bonniegirl (NZ) (Darci Brahma). View the full article

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) and RACE Inc. would like to thank trainers, owners, participants, members, sponsors and volunteers for their patience and support during what has been a difficult period for racing at RACE Awapuni. Background The RACE Awapuni track had been experiencing performance issues, which ultimately led to a full reconstruction of the surface. After several years of work, the track returned to racing on 25 April 2025. Unfortunately, a slip in the first race resulted in the meeting being abandoned, and there has been no racing at RACE Awapuni since. New to the role, NZTR’s Chief Executive Officer Matt Ballesty, with the approval of the Board of Directors, engaged independent specialist and internationally respected track adviser Liam O’Keeffe. Given the investment was significant, the decision was made to determine whether the new surface could be remediated to provide a safe and consistent racing surface. A range of initiatives were trialled, including verti-draining and surface treatments designed to soften the track profile. While some progress was made, a further slip some months later during morning gallops confirmed that the surface could not be signed off as safe for racing. The track was proving inconsistent – capable of performing adequately one day and presenting unacceptable risk the next. What Has Been Learned A review of the original project has highlighted a number of challenges in both governance and delivery. Issues relating to design accountability, engineering oversight and overall project coordination contributed to the outcome. In hindsight, additional racecourse construction expertise could have been better integrated into the project. NZTR acknowledges that elements of the original RACE Awapuni track design were not aligned with the performance expectations of a premier racing venue hosting 20+ meetings annually. However, the work completed has not been entirely lost. Key components of the drainage system, irrigation infrastructure and parts of the base profile meet the required standards, meaning elements of the existing investment can likely be incorporated into the long-term solution. Independent Technical Review Following NZTR’s decision in November 2025 that there would be no further racing at RACE Awapuni this season, NZTR engaged Evergreen Turf, the specialists responsible for the successful Hastings track remediation, to undertake a comprehensive independent technical review. Working alongside local track managers, the RACE Inc. Board and NZTR consultant Liam O’Keeffe, Evergreen Turf conducted detailed soil testing, forensic analysis and investigations into suitable sand sources. Evergreen Turf’s technical assessment confirmed that while parts of the existing infrastructure remain sound, the underlying soil profile presents a fundamental constraint to achieving the long-term performance required of a premier racing venue. The Path Forward NZTR and RACE Inc. are now working closely together to determine the most appropriate long-term solution for RACE Awapuni. Planning work is well underway, with both organisations aligned on the need to deliver a track that meets the performance, safety and reliability standards expected of a metropolitan racing venue. Our vision is for RACE Awapuni to become a metro-standard track, capable of hosting racing to the standard expected of a premier venue. The collective objective is to implement a solution that will enable a return to racing at RACE Awapuni by late 2027. Importantly, the independent work undertaken over recent months has significantly improved the industry’s understanding of the site and the technical requirements needed to deliver a high-performing track surface. Looking Ahead While the past year has been frustrating for participants and stakeholders, the work completed has provided the clarity required to move forward with confidence. NZTR remains committed to the long-term future of racing at RACE Awapuni and to ensuring the venue can fulfil its important role within the Central Districts racing landscape. The recent success of the Hastings track remediation demonstrates what can be achieved when specialist racecourse expertise is integrated early into a project. Those learnings will play an important role in shaping the next phase of work at RACE Awapuni. NZTR and RACE Inc. thank the industry for its patience and support as this work progresses. A further update will be provided to the industry once the preferred delivery pathway has been finalised. Issued by the Office of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing 18 Dick Street, Cambridge 3434 Tel: 0800 WINNER (946 637) International: +64 4 576 6240 office@nztr.co.nz View the full article

Even with the ultimate NZB Kiwi victory signed and delivered by Well Written (Written Tycoon) on Champions Day, there’s been no let-up for the unbeaten filly’s trainer Stephen Marsh. On Saturday Marsh is planning to have up to 15 starters at the Racing Tauranga feature meeting and the day before he has another double-figure contingent engaged at Pukekohe’s lower-key fixture. “No, it’s been pretty much business as usual around here,” Marsh said on Wednesday. “As much as I’d like to take a break there’s been no let-up, that will have to wait. “For the meantime we’ve got plenty going on with lots more racing to come through the autumn, so it’s a matter of dealing with that and then taking some time out when things quieten down.” Marsh reports that Well Written came through her nail-biting NZB Kiwi win in good order and is now enjoying her own time out. “She pulled up well and had a couple of quiet days in the stable just to chill out, so she’s gone out for a very well-deserved spell. “She’ll come back in before the weather gets too bad and to begin with we’ll just potter around with her. We haven’t talked seriously about any plans for next season and the only race in the back of our minds is the Golden Eagle in Sydney, but for now we’ll just let the dust settle.” The Marsh stable’s busy day at Tauranga is headed by Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m) candidate Super Photon (NZ) (Super Seth), whose most relevant form reference is his early January win in an open 1500m race on the Gate Pa course. In his two subsequent starts he had no luck from a wide draw in the Gr.3 Aotearoa Classic (1600m) on Karaka Millions night when he was blocked late, followed by a fourth placing, beaten less than two lengths, in an open 1600m at Otaki three weeks ago. “He’s come up with a bad draw (12) and he’s up against a strong field, but he does have form on the track,” Marsh said. “We’ve booked Warren Kennedy to ride him, and I’m just hoping the weather doesn’t crack up. “He has won on soft ground but his best form is on top of the ground. He’s in good order though, his final bit of strong work this morning was good.” Marsh rates his Rating 65 1400m duo Super Legocy (NZ) (Super Seth) and Hakushu (NZ) (I Am Invincible) as his strongest hand at Tauranga. “Super Legocy has gone two good races since winning his maiden and that was a good run for fourth by Hakushu last time too. Opie Bosson rides her and Michael McNab is on Super Photon. “I like our two in the open sprint too. Mercurial (NZ) (Burgundy) was much better last time (when fourth over 1200m at Ellerslie) and Merchant Queen (NZ) (Merchant Navy) had very little luck in the same race.” At Pukekohe on Friday, Marsh points to Rating 65 2100 candidate Clew Bay (NZ) (Reliable Man) as one for punters to stay with. “She’s getting close to putting her hand up. She was unlucky at Taupo when she didn’t get the rub of the green down on the inside and did well to finish third once she got some room.” View the full article

Rosso (Camelot) will head for a deserved break following the market elect’s failure to handle track conditions at Ellerslie in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m). The imported stayer enjoyed a smooth passage on the fence under expatriate Kiwi jockey Michael Dee before drifting out of contention in the straight to finish second last. That disappointing outcome aside, the imported son of Camelot has made impressive strides during his first New Zealand campaign. “He couldn’t win a midweeker in Melbourne and has gone from there to being favourite for the Wellington and Auckland Cups, so he’s come a very long way in a short time,” said Michael Pitman, who trains the gelding with son Matthew. “He just didn’t handle the track at all. We couldn’t have wished for a better run, but Mick said when he let him down, he chopped and changed legs about three times. “The track was just too hard for him, so he’ll go out for six weeks now.” Rosso started his career in his native Ireland where he was a winner from five outings before a four-start Victorian stint with Anthony and Sam Freedman. The five-year-old was subsequently offered on the Inglis Digital sale platform and was purchased by Pitman’s brother John for A$47,500 to race under his South Island Racing Enthusiasts banner. He was successful first-up over 2200m at Ashburton last spring and quickly added wins at Riccarton and in the Gr.3 Trentham Stakes (2100m) before finishing fourth in the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m). With Rosso paddock-bound, Pitman has turned his attention to Thursday’s Ashburton meeting where talented mare Third Decree (NZ) (War Decree) is rated far and away the stable’s best chance of success. The daughter of War Decree will bid to take her winning tally into double figures when she runs in the Agraforum Growing Innovation Handicap (1200m). She will be ridden for the first time by the country’s leading apprentice Amber Riddell, whose claim reduces the mare import to 59kg. “She’s got a great record at Ashburton, she could have done with a better draw, but we’ve got to take what we’ve got and still think she’ll go awfully close to winning,” Pitman said. Third Decree has raced six times on the track for three victories, two over the distance, and has yet to finish out of the top four. “We’re getting her ready for the fillies and mares’ race (Gr.3 Donaldson Brown South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, 1600m) at Riccarton on March 21,” Pitman said. “It’s a set weight and penalty race worth $100,000 and because she hasn’t won a stakes race, she’ll get in on the minimum. “It’s an ideal race for her and after that we’ll either go to Riverton or have a crack at the Southern Alps Challenge (1600m) that she won last year, that’s worth $350,000.” View the full article

Graded winner Tale of Silence (Tale of the Cat–Silence Beauty {Jpn}, by Sunday Silence), whose first 2-year-olds will race this year, is standing the 2026 season at Colebrook Stallion Station in Ontario. He previously stood at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky. A homebred for Charles Fipke, Tale of Silence won the 2018 GIII Westchester Stakes at Belmont Park and placed in five other graded events. A full-brother to MGISW and sire Tale of Ekati and a grandson of MGISW Maplejinsky (Nijinsky II), he hails from a deep female family. Tale of Silence is standing for a fee of C$2,500, live foal guarantee. Another Fipke stallion previously announced as moved this year is Title Ready (More Than Ready–Title Seeker, by Monarchos), who also spent his first years at Darby Dan and is now standing for $2,000 at Breakway Farm in Indiana. The 2021 GIII Louisiana Stakes winner will also be represented by his first foals this year. The post First-Crop Stallion Tale of Silence Moved to Colebrook in Ontario appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After finishing fifth and seventh, respectively, in Saturday's GII Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park, Tracy Farmer's La Cara (Street Sense–Cara Caterina, by Bernardini) and Shortleaf Stable's Quietside (Malibu Moon–Benner Island, by Speightstown) have each been retired. La Cara, a homebred for Farmer conditioned by Mark Casse, won both the GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes and GI DK Horse Acorn Stakes in 2025, in addition to the 2024 GIII Pocahontas Stakes and last year's Suncoast Stakes. The now-4-year-old bay made two starts in 2026, finishing off the board each time. She retires with a record of 15-5-2-0 and earnings of $1,254,903. According to Robert Yates on X, La Cara will be bred to Not This Time. Quietside, named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' on debut, raced as a homebred for Shortleaf. She won the 2025 GII Fantasy Stakes and GIII Honeybee Stakes after placing in both the GI Spinaway Stakes and GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes at two. The John Ortiz trainee, whose other 2026 start resulted in a third in the GIII Bayakoa Stakes, retires at age four with a record of 12-3-4-2 and earnings of $1,051,575. A post on X from Shortleaf states Quietside will be sent to Nyquist for her first mating. The post La Cara, Quietside Both Retired After Disappointing in Azeri Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After breakdowns during the 2024 racing season forced the closure of the Clinton E. Phipps Sr. Racetrack on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands in February 2025, yet another accident took place during Sunday's opening day Spring Stakes feature Mar. 8 that saw a Thoroughbred euthanized and a jockey taken to a local hospital. The story covering the incident was first reported by Bill Kiser of The Virgin Islands Daily News Mar. 9. The breakdown last Sunday is part of a larger story at the Phipps track, which reopened for racing in 2024 after two hurricanes hit the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2017. In a report by the TDN Jan. 30, 2025 seven horses had to be euthanized from May 3, 2024 to December 22, 2024. Also, unregistered Thoroughbreds were also allowed to compete and two horses who were banned by Gulfstream Park appeared in a race. A little over a week after the filing of that story, the U.S. Virgin Islands government closed the racetrack so that an investigation could take place. Before the 2025 closure, the St. Thomas/St. John Horse Racing Commission (STT/STJ HRC) was regulating cards without anti-doping laws in effect and the local surface had not undergone professional testing. Kiser reported in a piece in the Daily News Apr. 17, 2025 that after a four-month shutdown at Phipps that the STT/STJ HRC commissioned an inspection of the local surface by John Hubbs of the Phoenix-based Stabilizer Solutions Inc., who found the track up to code and not responsible for the breakdowns that occurred in 2024. Kiser quoted STT/STJ HRC chairman Hugo Hodge Jr. who said, “It wasn't deemed that the surface was the root cause for the issues; it was more the condition of the horses.” The report by Kiser also says that the Virgin Islands's Sports, Parks and Recreation Department and the STT/STJ HRC made changes to the course. They increased the height of the rails, and brought in 5,000 tons of new racing surface and underfill. In that same Apr. 17 article, Kiser goes on to state that rule changes were made as well. For instance, the STT/STJ HRC's Dr. Laura Palminteri increased her efforts to conduct pre-race checks and alterations were made to the entry qualifications for the Governor's Cup. Racing at the St. Thomas track resumed over the course of the summer and into the fall, but it is unclear if any breakdowns took place during this time period. According to the Daily News article Mar. 9, the Phipps incident occurred during the fourth of six scheduled races on the card, which included a three-race field for Class A older females going a mile and 40-yards. The piece cites an unnamed eyewitness who said that the trio was racing through the far turn when both 5-year-old Unrelentless (The Big Beast), ridden by jockey Joshua Navarro, and 7-year-old Raw Honey (Bal A Bali), with Jean Alvelo aboard, fell ahead of 7-year-old Family Band (Constitution), who had Sebastian Ortiz in the irons. Unrelentless and Navarro went down first, according to the source, but the reason, Kiser said, is still undetermined by race officials. Raw Honey and Alvelo tried to avoid Unrelentless, but went down themselves. The article says that the St. Croix's Truville Racing-owned Family Band went on to win the feature, which was the New York-bred's third victory in her last four starts. The piece did not state if the race was declared a no-contest. The Daily News reported that Navarro suffered injuries that required he be transported to Schneider Hospital, while Alvelo was examined and treated at the track. The paper said that the injured rider's status at the medical facility was unknown. However, it was reported that while Unrelentless–owned by Just For Fun Racing and a winner in her last four starts at Phipps–suffered just scrapes and bruises, the injuries to Raw Honey, who is owned by Boysie Tuff Racing Stables, were considered severe enough that the mare had to be euthanized. According to Equibase, the majority of the horses that were entered last Sunday on the card were former claiming runners whose last recorded races outside of St. Thomas's track took place at Hipódromo Camarero in Puerto Rico during 2024 and 2025. Before appearing in St. Thomas, Florida-bred Unrelentless finished sixth in a starter optional claimer at Gulfstream Park Jan. 31 of last year. TDN reached out to the St. Thomas/St. John Horse Racing Commission for comment, but did not receive a response by the time this story was posted. The post Safety Concerns Mount Once Again At U.S. Virgin Islands Track As Horse Suffers Breakdown On Opening Day appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Last week, Republican Representatives Matthew Koch and Michael Meredith introduced into the Kentucky state legislature a sweeping gambling bill with several key components, including legalized fixed-odds wagering in Kentucky along with efforts to essentially expand and modernize its gambling infrastructure. Unlike the fluctuating odds that make up pari-mutuel betting, fixed odds is a form of betting in which the payout odds are set and agreed upon at the time the wager is placed. Crucially, they do not change. Among other aspects of the bill, it requires tracks and tote companies to adopt new modern technologies to streamline and expedite betting cycle times. Right now, tote machines across the country update at varying times, and typically anywhere between 10- and 30-second cycles. The bill also attempts to essentially decouple wagering providers from the prediction market, which is the ability for bettors to make speculative bets on the outcomes of future events. On Tuesday, the TDN spoke with Koch about the bill, which goes before the standing committee on licensing and occupations Wednesday morning. The following has been edited for brevity and clarity. TDN: What are you seeing in this industry that prompted you to write and introduce this bill? MK: We've been talking about this for 10 years or more. [KY lawmakers] Damon Thayer and Adam Koenig were talking about this many years ago. Although it's new to Kentucky, it's nothing new to the world of horse racing. We do it in other countries. Monmouth is doing this. West Virginia and Colorado. So, we would actually be the fourth state in the U.S. to do this if we're able to get it there. A big part of this, I think the bettors love it. Nothing gets somebody frustrated more than when they place a bet on a horse, it's 4-1. And, you know, at some point in the race they realize, 'Hey, we're going to win, we're going to do it.' And then they look down, the odds have dropped to 2-1 or whatever they've dropped to. Fixed odds is a way to give the bettors just another avenue to place the wagers. We put it completely on the tracks to make the format on how they're going do it. Talking with the tracks, there's some fear about what's going to happen with the purse account. And so, we've created an account [the “purse stabilization fund”], for tax dollars to come off and into there. That way, we can look at it every few months and make sure that we keep the purse account whole, which is obviously very important to me and everybody else in the entire horse industry. TDN: As a farm owner yourself of Shawhan Place, how do you see what's happening broadly in the industry trickling down and impacting your business? MK: When I first ran for office, I thought I was running for my district on jobs, roads, schools, right? I never realized that I was going to get up here and be in the fight for the industry, with everything that's going on. Since I've been up here, we had the HHR [Historic Horse Racing] fight a few years ago, and that has just greenlit so much for this industry. Kentucky is absolutely thriving because of the work we've done, not just with the HHR. We followed that up with the banning of gray machines. We followed the banning of gray machines with the creation of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation. We're now in charge of all the gambling in the state of Kentucky. That's like the ultimate protection for the horse industry. With this bill, I view it as just a continuation of those things. We need to keep improving. As the markets have evolved, you have predictive markets that are coming on board. Predictive markets, by the way, are absolutely cannibalizing other forms of gambling that are out there. Fantasy sports is the other piece of this bill, regulating them. They've been out there for a while, but we've never regulated, never taxed them. So, we've got to make sure that we're doing all that while keeping these things operating on as fair a level as we possibly can. TDN: From an industry standpoint, the fixed-odds component of the bill is obviously the key one. If the bill passes, that doesn't mean wagering companies will have to offer fixed odds. Do you think there's much appetite among tracks and wagering companies in Kentucky to offer fixed odds to their customers? MK: I think it's fair to say there's hesitation. I don't really want to speak for them, but I feel like there's just a little nervousness that comes with something new. How are you going to implement it? How are you going to make it work? And how are you going to keep the purse account whole? So, I think they come with a lot of good questions on how to properly do this. And it's our job to make sure that we do it right. TDN: Under this legislation, a new “purse stabilization fund” would be supported by a 15% tax on fixed-odds betting conducted on-track, online or via mobile apps. How much do you think this could funnel to the newly established fund? MK: It's just a matter of how they set it up, when they set it up, etcetera. So, I don't have anything on that yet. TDN: What have you seen and learned from how other states have rolled out fixed-odds wagering? MK: That's the advantage. You can always pick and choose what works and what doesn't work. And I think the beauty here is we're giving it to the tracks and we say they 'may'–not shall, it's not a 'shall'–it's a 'may' [to implement fixed odds]. We're putting it in the hands of the tracks to make the decision on what can work for them to implement this. TDN: In the parts of the bill requiring tote companies to adopt modern technologies to streamline and expedite betting cycle times, how much of that was driven by concerns over the impact of CAW teams? MK: All of it. There have been several bills filed in the legislature across the spectrum–people wanting to get rid of the rebates, etcetera. There's a whole line of thought out there about what to do. But as you know, the CAW [wagering] feeds a lot into the purse account. So, you don't really want to do anything that's going to harm that, right? But at the same time, you have to have the perception for the bettors that they're getting a fair deal–that their odds aren't changing. That kicked off the first part of it, which was fixed odds. The second part of that is, we learned that there is technology out there that our totes can operate and update faster than every 30 seconds. Right now, that seems to be the average speed these totes are operating. But we've learned that there is technology out there for these things to operate at a much faster speed than that and give the bettors quicker information. Look, there's Horseshoe Indianapolis, which has had the Daily Racing Form to project odds. There are things like that. And while that's not any part of this bill, it's kind of the conversation we've had with the tracks. We need to give the bettors the most information that we can, in the fastest way we can. TDN: You've targeted prediction markets in the bill. How and why do you see the prediction markets as a threat to the horse racing industry? MK: They're a threat to all gaming, right? Not just racing. Just look at the Super Bowl. If you go back and look at the numbers, prediction markets ran 10 times the amount of wagering on the Super Bowl than Las Vegas did. TDN: Tells you everything you need to know right there… MK: I can't sum it up any clearer than that. TDN: What other components of this sweeping bill are you keen to highlight? MK: Another member came to us. If you're in arrears on child support, he didn't think you should be able to [engage in] online gaming. We're working on some of that language to put that in there, so, if you owe child support and it's in arrears, you're not out here blowing that money on gambling. I don't disagree with it. We thought it was a good idea. Another part, we've increased [the age limit] on sports wagering from 18 to 21. And then, I guess the other big thing we need to highlight is no more proposition bets on Kentucky college athletes. The reason for that, I was reading one article that said almost 30% of college athletes have already been impacted by this in some negative way, form or fashion. I don't want to see a young college kid get in trouble because somebody approached them, trying to get them to miss a free throw or whatever because of prop betting. I think it's a way of protecting our young kids that are out there playing NCAA sports right now. Look, it's not going to happen at your big schools. It's going to happen at a little school. It's going to be a kid that knows he's not going pro[fessional], and something like $10,000 or $20,000 looks like a lot of money to him. We have to have some consumer protections on this. TDN: Will the standing committee on licensing and occupations be discussing this bill in tomorrow's (Wednesday's) scheduled meeting? MK: Yes sir, 9:00 a.m. TDN: And what do you see as the likely path of this bill? Are you going to try to pass it this session? MK: Well, I hope so, but you never know. We're at that time of session, it's just like a horse race. That's why you run the race, to see how it's going to turn out. But I'd like to think we have a shot. The post Koch Q&A on KY Fixed-Odds Bill: Predictive Markets ‘Absolutely Cannibalizing’ Other Gambling appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL – With brisk activity at the top of the market, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training opened Tuesday with a lively day of trade topped by a $1.35-million son of Corniche. The colt was one of three to bring seven figures during the session. The entire 2025 March sale produced seven million-dollar juveniles. “Certainly an excellent day,” said OBS president Tom Ventura. “We had a lot of activity in the barns during the week and expected that to translate in the auction ring, and it did. Hopefully, we can keep that going for the next two days. Everybody here is working hard trying to find a good horse and the sales results have shown that. You don't want to predict too much moving forward, we've got one day down and two to go. But very happy so far.” During the session, 142 juveniles sold for $22,969,500. The average of $161,757 was up 19.0% from last year's opening session, while the median was up 5.8% to $90,000. Both the average and the median were up from the cumulative 2025 figures of $152,351 and $70,000, respectively. With 62 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 30.4%. “The market is very strong,” Legion Bloodstock's Kristian Vilante said after signing for the session topper, who was consigned by Pick View. “This is not the first horse we've tried to buy [Tuesday], but was the first horse we actually got to buy. The market is very strong and there is high demand for quality horses.” The OBS March sale continues through Thursday with sessions beginning each day at 11 a.m. Legion Extends to $1.35M for Corniche Colt With Tuesday's opening session of the OBS March Sale in Ocala already in full swing, hip 95, a colt by Corniche, drew a $1.35-million final bid from Legion Bloodstock. It was the sole purchase by the operation on Day 1. During last Wednesday's breeze session, the top-priced juvenile of Tuesday's session breezed a quarter mile in :21 flat. “We were trying to not leave here without him, we were hoping he wouldn't cost quite that much but that's what you have to pay for horses like that,” said Legion's Kristian Vilante, who signed the ticket. Consigned by Pick View LLC, the May 8 foal is out of Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Leigh Court (Grand Slam), who was purchased by Speedway Stables for $1.1 million in 2014. Kristian Villante | OBS/Photos by Z “He's a beautiful colt, his dad was a champion,” said Vilante. “We've been following him since January. We saw him in January at Joe Pickerell's farm. He's been a standout all year.” The Speedway-bred colt was secured by Pick View for $275,000 at last season's Keeneland's September Sale. “Joe had to pay a lot for him as a yearling and we are fortunate that we have some clients that are willing to step up and try and buy a horse that might be a [Kentucky] Derby kind of colt.” According to Vilante, the colt will head to Travis Durr Training Center in South Carolina for his early preparation. “He'll eventually go to Whit Beckman,” added Vilante. “We'll let Travis play around and determine when it's time to move him on to Whit.” Vilante explained that the colt's future trainer was equally high on the colt prior to the purchase. “Whit actually came down here last month and he fell in love with this colt just like we all have,” he said. “He was here again [Tuesday] morning to see him.” Hip 95 | OBS/VidHorse Represented by his first crop of juveniles, 2021 champion 2-year-old colt Corniche stands at Ashford Stud. “We bought a couple Corniches as yearlings and they're on Travis's farm and he loves them so far,” said Vilante. “We tried to buy a filly earlier in the day by Corniche. I think he stamps them, he's just putting out a beautiful horse. He should make it.” Pick View sold three juveniles for a total of $1,390,000 on Tuesday. “I have two [Corniches] and they're both awesome,” said Pickerell. “They love to train, they're sound and they seem to thrive off the work. That's something that separates good horses from great horses and he seems to thrive. Everything we've thrown at him, he's taken it in stride and loves to work. Loves to perform. I feel like he's a horse who is going to have some big things coming.” —@CBossTDN Marquee, Morplay Team for Nyquist Colt Ramiro Restrepo of Marquee Bloodstock and Cam Dulgar of Morplay Racing partnered up to acquire a colt by Nyquist (hip 88) for $1.2 million during the first session of the OBS March sale Tuesday. “We are working together to find ourselves a big horse,” Restrepo said after signing the ticket on the juvenile, who was consigned by Wavertree Stables. Both of the new partners have experience on the Kentucky Derby trail. Marquee graduate Mage (Good Magic) wore the roses in 2023 and The Puma (Essential Quality) is on the road to Louisville after his win in the GIII Tampa Bay Derby Saturday. Morplay's No More Time (Not This Time) was second in the 2024 Tampa Bay Derby. Cam Dulgar | OBS/VidHorse “No More Time made it to the Derby. He unfortunately ended up getting injured, but we got hooked,” Dulgar said. “The success we've seen with [2025 Eclipse champion female sprinter] Shisospicy (Mitole) has us extremely excited to pick up this colt and hopefully experience something similar. Right now, we are Derby Dreaming and just happy to hopefully have gotten a good horse.” Hip 88, purchased by Ange Bloodstock for $170,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale, worked a furlong in :9 4/5 during last week's under-tack preview. He is out of La Extrana Dama (Arg) (Catcher in the Rye {Ire}), a champion older mare in Argentina. “He stood out on paper,” Restrepo said. “I love the Argentinian sturdiness. Obviously there are a couple champions in there. And Nyquist, what a season he had last year and the year before that. He stands above a lot of horses in this catalogue with that sire power. That's what we were chasing.” Hip 88 | OBS/VidHorse Just a few hips after acquiring the seven-figure juvenile, Morplay was back in action as sellers offering their homebred colt by Yaupon (hip 92). The bay, out of La Urbana (Into Mischief), sold for $100,000 to Sean S. Perl Bloodstock. “This is our second crop of homebreds,” Dulgar said. “We sold a McKinzie out of the mare last year and this is her second foal. We have only two broodmares, so we are light on the broodmare side. We have run both of our mares and because of their physicals, it just made sense to keep them.” Asked if Morplay would be looking to increase its broodmare band, Dulgar said, “We'll leave it up to the boss man [Rich Mendez].” —@JessMartiniTDN Drain the Clock Colt Delivers Juveniles from the first crop of Drain the Clock made plenty of noise on the OBS track during last week's under-tack preview and the Gainesway stallion was equally quick out of the blocks in the sales ring at OBS Tuesday when bloodstock agent Pedro Lanz went to $1.1 million to acquire a colt (hip 132) from the de Meric Sales consignment. Lanz, who was bidding on behalf of the Saudi-based KAS Stable, said the juvenile would stay in the U.S. and would be trained by Brad Cox. Hip 132 | OBS/VidHorse “His horses are fast and can sustain speed, they gallop out very fast,” Lanz said of the juveniles by Drain the Clock he saw work last week. “They are athletes. Incredible athletes. When you see them, they are sharp. And I think they can go the distance. I think this horse's stride is very long and they sustained their speed. So I think they can go long.” Hip 132 is out of the unraced Making a Point (Freud) and worked a furlong last week in :9 4/5. Lanz admitted he was prepared for the colt's seven-figure price tag. “In the morning before the sale, I didn't think he would bring that much, but after what I saw–I tried to buy a filly by Nashville and I couldn't, I told Prince Abdullah we have to go very strong to get him,” Lanz said. “I told him, 'If you want this horse we have to fight.'” Pedro Lanz | OBS/Photos by Z The de Merics purchased the colt for $145,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearlings Sale. “He's been a nice horse all year,” Tristan de Meric said. “We've always liked him a lot. He's done everything right.” Drain the Clock, winner of the 2021 GI Woody Stephens Stakes, had bullet workers on three of the four days of the under-tack preview for the March sale. “I've been high on Drain the Clock,” de Meric said. “The two we have are both here. They can both run. They both look like they should be early. And looking at the stallion on paper himself, it makes sense for him to have early, fast 2-year-olds. “I knew this was a nice horse and I am happy all the stars aligned for him. He's a beautiful horse, he vetted clean and did everything right.” —@JessMartiniTDN One and Done for Loya with $750K Army Mule Colt Heading into the opening session of the OBS March Sale, many eyes were sure to be on hip 139, a colt by Army Mule that recorded the fastest eighth of the March breezers when producing a blistering :9 3/5 move at OBS last Wednesday. Hip 139 | OBS/VidHorse On Tuesday, Cesar Loya had only that one to lead up, but what the pinhooking operation lacked in numbers at the sale, it more than made up for in quality as the Arkansas-bred colt brought $750,000 from Katsumi Yoshida. “Time doesn't lie. We knew we were sitting on a very fast horse,” admitted Loya, who was sitting in front of his shedrow shortly after the colt's sale. Bred by Mark Burdette, the March foal sold for a bargain $57,000 at last year's Texas Summer Yearling Sale. “God bless Texas,” he said with a laugh when asked what his initial thoughts were after the colt's sale. “We were sitting high high high on this horse leading up to the final work here. The work didn't surprise me as much as the sale price.” In regard to the final price, he added, “It more than exceeded my expectations. Any time you can double or triple your money you are making a good living in any business. But when it's that many times over what you paid, then that really exceeds expectations.” The colt is out of minor winner Marching Fire (Midnight Lute), who sold for $30,000 at Keeneland November in 2023. Cesar Loya | OBS/Photos by Z Loya, who launched his pinhooking operation in 2023, has two more juveniles lined up for the March sale, a filly by American Pharoah (hip 496) who breezed in :10 flat on Friday and colt by Win Win Win (hip 403). The latter worked an eighth in :10 1/5 during last Thursday's breeze session. “We are a small operation. Me and my wife [Danielle] usually pinhook seven to 10 horses of our own per season,” he said when asked if expansion was in his operation's future. “I'd like to maintain more of a boutique type of consignment. Maybe we'll grow a little bit more but not much. I'd rather remain selective.” —@CBossTDN Nashville Filly Gets RM Stables Off to a Flyer at OBS Tuesday Ramon Minguet has been training at Gulfstream Park for the better part of a decade, but decided to make the move to Ocala two years ago. The move paid dividends Tuesday when his RM Stables sold a filly from the first crop of Nashville (hip 71) for $550,000 to William Werner. Minguet had picked up the filly for $45,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. “I liked her physical,” Minguet, with his son Gabriel interpreting, said. “She was a very big horse. And I liked her sire.” Gabriel and Ramon Minguet | Jessica Martini Of the filly's price last fall, Minguet admitted, “I was very surprised. But she came out very early in the day and there weren't that many people in the sales ring yet.” The chestnut, out of Kencho (Fusaichi Pegasus), worked a furlong during last week's under-tack show in :9 4/5. “She has grown exponentially,” Minguet said. “She is very intelligent and does everything very professionally.” Minguet admitted the sale result Tuesday exceeded his expectations. “I thought maybe $300,000 or $400,000. So she very much exceeded expectations,” he said. Hip 71 | OBS/VidHorse RM Stables had more success with Nashville later in the session when selling a colt (hip 234) for $260,000 to CHC, Inc. and Maverick Racing. The 2-year-old had been purchased by Deivy Ordonez, Abreu Sales, and D&D for $24,000 at Keeneland last September. RM Stables still has three juveniles to send through the ring at the OBS March sale, but Minguet said his first-out success has him feeling confident. “I am more at peace and settled now,” he said with a smile. —@JessMartiniTDN The post Strength at the Top as $1.35-Million Corniche Colt Leads OBS March Opener appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A variety of seating and hospitality options for the 2026 Breeders' Cup World Championships were unveiled March 10 on BreedersCup.com as Thoroughbred racing's iconic international festival returns Oct. 30-31 to Keeneland Race Course.View the full article

According to the track, strong gains in on-track attendance and on-track handle have continued at Santa Anita Park as the Southern California track heads into the final four weeks of its Classic Meet.View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a Godolphin blueblood. 18.15 Southwell, £12,000, Nov, 3yo, 12f 14y (AWT) Godolphin homebred INTO THE LIGHT (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was thrown by a stakes-winning full-sister to G1 1000 Guineas fourth Fireglow (Teofilo {Ire}) and bids to extend Charlie Appleby's red-hot run. Coming back off a 10-furlong debut win at Lingfield last month, his five rivals include Kirsten Rausing's Sinocentric (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), a David Simcock-conditioned homebred son of G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares heroine Madame Chiang (GB) (Archipenko); and Ravenspire (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), whose dam is G1 Prix Saint-Alary third Imperial Charm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), from the Karl Burke stable. The post Godolphin Colt Faces Bluebloods At Southwell appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Indigo Woods at Fair Grounds. Blue Is the Colour Larry Rodgers and Coast Racing's Indigo Woods (Blue Point) prevailed by a half-length and maintained her perfect record in the Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds on March 7 (video). A winner of a Churchill maiden in October, the Brendan Walsh trainee was bred by Tinnakill House. The 10th foal out of stakes winner Brushed Gold by GI Belmont Stakes hero Touch Gold, the three-year-old filly was a €35,000 Goffs November weanling turned €90,000 Goffs Orby yearling when sold to Brendan Heeney on behalf of Jamie Lamonica's operation. A half-sister to the stakes-placed Tumbaga (E Dubai), Indigo Woods also has GI Coaching Club American Oaks heroine Wet Paint (Blame) and multiple Grade I winner Nastique (Naskra) in her extended family. Darley stallion Blue Point has 10 winners from 19 runners (53%) in the U.S. and Canada. Indigo Woods is his third stakes winner there, and she joins GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint victor and stallion Big Evs and GIII Goldikova Stakes victress Raqiya. Winning Tampa Debut For Instability Klaravich Stables' Instability graduated at first asking at Tampa Bay Downs for Chad Brown on March 6 (video). The Lope De Vega colt was bred by Bill Crager. Mike Ryan snapped up the son of stakes winner and G3 Anglesey Stakes second Miss Katie Mae (Dark Angel) for 440,000gns out of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1. A half-brother to Listed Violet Stakes runner-up Miss Carol Ann (Kingman), Instability's latest half-sibling is a Blackbeard filly born in 2024. Miss Katie Mae is a half-sister to group winners Summerghand (Lope De Vega) and Eastern Impact (Bahamian Bounty), with the latter also placed in the G1 July Cup. Ballylinch sire Lope De Vega counts 53 winners from 101 to race (52%) in the U.S. His baker's dozen of stakes winners include four at the highest level, with Newspaperofrecord and Aunt Pearl both successful in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Mehmas Filly Leads The Way In Florida Blue Bird Stables' East Jabip (Mehmas) led from pillar to post in her debut and win at Gulfstream on February 26 (video). Bred by Jim Bolger, the daughter of Bandiuc Eile (New Approach) is trained by Brian Lynch. Blue Bird Stables shelled out €36,000 for the chestnut at the Goffs Orby Sale in 2024. The first winner from three to race for her dam who was second in the G2 Debutante Stakes, East Jabip is followed by a Space Blues juvenile filly and a Mehmas full-sister, born last year. Her dam is a half-sister to G1 Melbourne Cup hero Twilight Payment (Teofilo). Tally-Ho's Mehmas has 25 winners from 42 to race (60%) for him in the U.S. His seven stakes winners feature a trio of Grade I winners, with the GI Del Mar Oaks winner Going Global top of the heap. No Doubt At Turfway Wesley Ward sent out No Doubt About It to land a Turfway Park maiden by five lengths when unveiled on March 6 (video). Representing Smart Choice Stable, Brook Smith and Lindy Farms, the three-year-old No Nay Never gelding cost $185,000 as a Keeneland September yearling when purchased by Louis Dubois on behalf of Ward. Bred by Lynch Bages and Lindy Farms, the bay is the sixth winner from six to race for Last Jewel (Invincible Spirit). She has a colt by Little Big Bear born in 2025. The full-brother to Big Cyril (No Nay Never) is kin to G1 Irish Oaks third Princess Highway (Street Cry) and G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Mad Cool (Dark Angel). Coolmore's No Nay Never has 11 stakes winners, four graded in the U.S., anchored by Meditate, the winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. He has 74 winners from 125 runners (59%) in that jurisdiction. Repeat Winners Off the mark at Gulfstream Park in January, Vasy (Space Blues) returned with a win there for trainer Brendan Walsh on the last day of February (video). The Listed Colonel Liam Stakes was the first black-type victory for the JDT Racing colourbearer. Later on that Gulfstream card, Lion Lake (Dark Angel) scampered home a narrow winner of her stakes debut in the GIII Herecomesthebride Stakes for Emcee Stable and Walsh (video). Bringing up a Walsh hat trick was GI Queen Elizabeth II Stakes heroine Lush Lips (Ten Sovereigns). Owned by Dixiana Farms after her $3.7-million sale at last year's Keeneland November Sale, the four-year-old delivered in the GIII Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream (video). The post Making Waves: Blue Point Filly Crowned At Fair Grounds appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trust Account breaks her maiden at Gulfstream Park, while Blue Flame Six scores at Turfway Park.View the full article

The $500,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs March 14 offers several runners a chance at redemption on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail, while others seek what could be their final opportunity to announce themselves as contenders.View the full article