Wandering Eyes

After winning the Tempted Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack at a mile last month, Shilling takes the step up in distance to 1 1/8 miles in the $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) Dec. 6.View the full article

In this monthly BH interview, Karen M. Johnson profiles young racing personalities. View the full article

There's a certain buzz that comes with welcoming a Kentucky Derby winner to a stallion roster. Bret Jones knows the feeling from when Mage retired to Airdrie Stud in 2024. This year, they're repeating the milestone with Mystik Dan (Goldencents), who arrived at the Midway, Kentucky farm three weeks ago. “We've been totally busy since we announced that we were showing him,” said Jones. “Everybody wants to see a Kentucy Derby winner. Breeders are coming away impressed with not only how well he handles everything, but with what a beautifully balanced colt he is. He's made like a sire. He's that medium-sized, well-balanced horse with plenty of strength.” Also joining Airdrie Stud's roster in 2026 is 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' Jonathan's Way, the first son of Vekoma to go to stud. Among the farm's other young stallions, Mage ($15,000) will send his first yearlings to auction next year while Happy Saver ($7,500) and Highly Motivated ($7,500) will see their first juveniles hit the track. Meanwhile Girvin ($30,000) will be represented by his first Kentucky-bred crop at the races. MYSTIK DAN (Goldencents – Ma'am, by Colonel John). Standing for $15,000 The GI Kentucky Derby may have been Mystik Dan's crowning achievement, but Jones said that the star colt's performances leading up to the first leg of the Triple Crown is what first captured the Airdrie team's attention. The son of Goldencents broke his maiden in his second career start as a 2-year-old for Kenny McPeek, winning by nearly eight lengths going five and a half furlongs at Churchill Downs. “Kenny would be the first one to tell you they knew early on that this was a very special horse,” said Jones. “He ran a 96 Beyer Speed Figure and could not have been more impressive.” On the road to the Kentucky Derby, Mystik Dan won the GIII Southwest Stakes and was third in the GI Arkansas Derby. His dramatic victory on the first Saturday in May—where he shot through a narrow opening along the rail to win by a nose for owners Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing, Daniel Hamby III, and Valley View Farm—was made more impressive by the continued success of his rivals. Future Breeders' Cup Classic winners Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) and Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) rounded out the Derby trifecta. Mystik Dan defeats Sierra Leone and Forever Young in the 2024 GI Kentucky Derby | Coady Media “I kind of have a chip on my shoulder about the horse,” admitted Jones. “You hear people say, 'Well, he won his biggest races at Churchill Downs' or, 'He won because he came up the rail.' He was able to come up the rail because he's an exceptionally quick-footed horse and he could hit that hole when a lot of other horses couldn't. After that he goes to Pimlico for the Preakness two weeks after that really gutting Derby and runs a great second in an American Classic. This horse took his track with him.” As a 4-year-old this year, Mystik Dan's six starts were highlighted by wins in the GIII Blame Stakes and GII Lukas Classic Stakes. He had been pointing for a bid in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, but was scratched ahead of the race by regulatory veterinarians as a precaution. Mystik Dan retired with lifetime earnings exceeding $4.8 million. “His win in the Lukas Classic was extremely impressive,” said Jones. “He had the turn of foot to get between some nice horses and out-finish a good Steve Asmussen colt [MGISP Disarm (Gun Runner)]. Obviously we wished that his last race was going to be in the Breeders' Cup. I think the two-turn dirt mile would have fit him perfectly, just as his sire won two Breeders' Cup Dirt Miles.” Jones reported that since Mystik Dan has arrived at Airdrie Stud, the blaze-faced bay has quickly settled into his new surroundings. “He's such a good-minded horse,” he said. “Watching the way he has handled the crowds, you can tell why he was able to do his best running in front of 150,000 people. He has settled in here better than any stallion I can ever remember.” JONATHAN'S WAY (Vekoma – Female Drama, by Indian Charlie). Standing for $8,500. Jonathan's Way takes in the scenery at Airdrie Stud | Sara Gordon After Jonathan's Way delivered a standout juvenile campaign, trainer Phil Bauer and owner Rigney Racing had high hopes for his 3-year-old season. But the day before this year's GII Risen Star Stakes, the colt was diagnosed with an infection that developed into a life-threatening case of colitis. Jonathan's Way recovered after several months, and although he was never able to race again, his connections remained confident in his ability. The Airdrie team agreed. “Both our camp and the Rigney team want to give him the opportunity to show that he will be a special sire,” said Jones. Bred by Susan L. Anderson Racing, Jonathan's Way became the most expensive weanling in Vekoma's first crop when he sold for $290,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November Sale. Last year as a 2-year-old, he was one of the talking horses of the Saratoga meet after his debut, where he overcame a troubled start and blew by rivals to win by 4 1/4 lengths going six furlongs and earn Rising Star honors. In his next start in the GIII Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, he took the lead early and never looked back, winning by 2 3/4 lengths. After a bid in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Jonathan's Way ran second to First Resort (Uncle Mo) in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes to conclude his juvenile campaign. Vekoma, who was the leading first-crop sire in North America last year, is once again at the top in nearly every category among second-crop sires. The Spendthrift stallion will stand for a fee of $100,000 in 2026. “When you have a horse of Jonathan's Way's physical and the first horse to market by a really exciting stallion in Vekoma, those are major feathers in his cap and it will guarantee interest,” Jones said. The post Kentucky Derby Winner Settling In At Airdrie Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As first reported by the Daily Racing Form, Grade I-placed Five Bars (Maxfield) suffered fatal injuries during training Saturday morning at Belmont Park. The incident occurred Nov. 29 after a four-furlong breeze when she fell while galloping out. According to the report provided by the New York State Gaming Commission for the Equine Deaths and Breakdowns database, the filly went down near the seven-eighths pole. “Horse breezed 1/2 mile at the [training track] when [she] suffered a 'Left Front Catastrophic injury'; falling near the 7/8 pole, injuring her neck.” The report continued by stating that exercise rider Daphne Valentina was attended to by NYRA EMTs and was transported to the hospital. The daughter of Maxfield was being pointed toward the GII Demoiselle Stakes by trainer Shug McGaughey. She broke her maiden at Saratoga to help extend her conditioner's winning streak at the historic venue, and left a strong impression on her connections with the effort while also claiming her 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' rosette. Five Bars was last seen rallying from last to claim third in the GI Frizette Stakes during the Belmont Big A meeting in October. The post Grade I Placed Five Bars Suffers Fatal Training Injuries appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A total of 44 lots have been catalogued for the GoffsGo Online Foal, Yearling & Breeding Stock Sale. Bidding will open at noon on Thursday, December 4 and close beginning at 2:20 p.m. local time on Friday, December 5. Comprising both Flat and NH stock, the sale features six foals, 25 yearlings and 13 fillies and mares. The foal and yearling entries feature progeny of leading sires including Ardad, Dandy Man, Footstepsinthesand, Gleneagles, Golden Horn, Iffraaj, Massaat, New Bay, Phoenix of Spain, Postponed, Sands of Mali, Without Parole Some highlights include Reel Her In (Highland Reel) (lot 33) out of dual Grade 1 winner Jer's Girl (Jeremy); lot 35, Veronica Falls (Medicean), the dam of three winners and the stakes-placed Chicas Amigas (Dragon Pulse); and lot 40, a Teofilo juvenile half-sister to the stakes-placed Springbank (Galileo) and Expressionism (Galileo), out of the Group 3-winning mare Lady Springbank (Choisir). Goffs Group chief executive, Henry Beeby said, “This first GoffsGo scheduled sale has attracted a strong line up and we will build on its popularity alongside continuing to provide instant sales opportunities as and when required. GoffsGo is the complete online service with the lowest entry fee and vendor commission of any platform combined with a hands on service from Ruari and the Goffs team.” The post Over 40 Entries For The First Edition Of The GoffsGo Online Foal, Yearling And Breeding Stock Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Nicky Henderson has been awarded the Willie Stephenson Memorial Trophy, which commemorates the person or person whom the Goffs UK Board feel have made the biggest contribution to the success of the company during that year. The award was presented at Newbury this past Saturday. Training out of Seven Barrows Stables, the multiple champion trainer has had many talented horses pass through his care, not least Goffs UK alumni Constitution Hill (Blue Bresil) and Jonbon (Walk In The Park), who have won 18 Grade 1 races between them. Said Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby, “Nicky has been a huge supporter and friend of DBS and Goffs for many years and we are eternally grateful for all he has done to support our sales at Doncaster. Nicky was first awarded the Willie Stephenson Memorial Trophy in 2013 following Spring Sale graduate Bob's Worth winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup and we all felt it was fitting he received it again following the exploits of two amazing horses: Constitution Hill and Jonbon. “Jonbon has been a very special horse for all involved. Realising a record price for a pointer when bought by Nicky and J.P. McManus from us, he has been a household name in NH racing and last year saw him claim his 10th Grade 1 victory, a huge milestone. Constitution Hill has also been a pin up horse for NH racing, and our Spring Sale, with eight Grade 1 victories since his explosion onto the scene in 2022. “These are just two horses who have done so much for the prowess of our Goffs UK National Hunt sales and in recognition, we are delighted to see Nicky's name return to the list of very worthy and diverse recipients of this award. We hope to see both horses and many other graduates of our sales add more success to their amazing records in the coming months and wish Nicky all the very best for the season.” The post Henderson Awarded The Willie Stephenson Memorial Trophy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A helping hand. A kind smile. A word of encouragement. A piece of advice. When in the company of Harry Rice III, an instrumental member of the jockeys' room on the New York Racing Association (NYRA) circuit for 49 years, you're guaranteed to receive either one or all of the above. And it's that warmth and color Rice carries with him that has been notably absent from New York race days since the veteran valet officially retired this past spring after working his final day, April 19, at Aqueduct. The momentous occasion was celebrated with a retirement ceremony this summer at Saratoga Race Course. Surrounded by his family, those blood-related and the friends-turned-family members, Rice bid a final farewell to a career that may have begun simply as a job but quickly became his life's purpose. “I had family, friends, co-workers, jockeys, trainers, the press people there and it was overwhelming. I really appreciated them all showing up,” said Rice. “I try to tell people that the racetrack is not only our livelihood, it's our lives. The horses, they're in the DNA. These guys work in the morning, either walking hots or galloping horses, then they come and work in the jocks' room in the afternoon. They love the horses, and the sport, and I've had a lot of great times with them.” A native of Queens, Ny., Rice developed his own love for the sport as a teenager while taking trips to Saratoga where his father, Harry Rice II, worked as a security guard. After spending a handful of weekends and summers working as a 'white cap,' also known as an usher, the younger Rice stood at a crossroads after high school graduation. “I was stuck between going to [work at] the newspaper, because my father had worked as a pressman for the New York Times, or going to the track. I ended up at the track,” said Rice. “Horses are in my blood. My great grandfather, on my father's side, was one of the last guys to drive the fire trucks with the horses in New York City. My mother's father was a blacksmith for the police department. “I just fell in love with the sport and the people. I've enjoyed every day of it.” January 6, 1976 marked his first official day working in the jockeys' room. Rice began as the assistant to Louie Olah, known fondly as the legendary 'Colors Man,' before moving on to a position that involved taking care of equipment in the paddock. In 1998, he stepped up to the role of valet, a position he remained in for the next 35 years. “When I decided that I wanted to become a valet, I went out and walked horses in the mornings. A fella, Joe Murphy, took me out and showed me how to saddle horses. All of the other valets helped me, too. Everybody helps everybody in the [jockeys'] room,” said Rice. “I was never afraid of the horses. I always loved being around them. I'd go out in the mornings in Saratoga and watch them work, just to hang around the barn a little bit.” Rice has been the right-hand man for some of the sport's best riders, including the likes of Jean Cruguet, who guided Seattle Slew to Triple Crown glory in 1977; Hall of Famers Chris McCarron, Corey Nakatani and Mike Smith; champion Frankie Dettori; Eclipse Award winner Mike Luzzi; and Breeders' Cup-winning jockey Rajiv Maragh…just to name a few. Rice family including Joan, Harry III, Harry IV and Meghan | Courtesy of Harry Rice IV “Mike Smith and I were together for 35 years. We had a lot of great memories. [I remember] in 1998, when he won the [GI] Travers Stakes with Coronado's Quest, he dedicated the win to my father who died days before,” recalled Rice. Along with the notable jockeys, Rice also had the privilege of saddling some of the best racehorses to grace the New York circuit, including Hall of Famer and two-time Eclipse Award-winning champion Go For Wand (Deputy Minister). “I saddled Go For Wand in all of her races. I was very close with [jockey] Randy Romero. We were very good friends. Herb McCauley, when he won the [1992] Travers [aboard Thunder Rumble], that was a great time. I also remember when Chris McCarron won the [1997] Travers on Deputy Commander, just days after his mother died,” said Rice. However, amongst all of the greats he's spent time in the presence of, nothing has been more fulfilling for Rice than getting to share the racing world with his family. Though his wife, Joan, and his daughter, Meghan, never worked in the industry, his son, Harry Rice IV, followed in his father's footsteps while simultaneously paving his own path into the industry. “I tried to chase him away. He worked at ESPN a while, and actually won an Emmy for being on the SportsCenter team, but like I said, horse racing is in the blood. Somebody gave him a call and he was right back in. He's done a lot. He worked for Tom Morley for a while, along with the NYRA [broadcast team] and MyRacehorse. Now, he's working for Sallee Horse Vans and living in Kentucky,” said Rice. “The best memory is Justify. We were on the finish line, Harry and I, when he won the Triple Crown [in 2018]. The best part about that was when Maggie [Morley] interviewed me after the race, I welled up, and she did too. That made me feel a little better.” Harry Rice retirement ceremony | Coglianese Like any sport, the nature of horse racing ebbs and flows along the waves of reward and risk. One day, a jockey is celebrating an elite-level victory in the winner's circle, and by the next, he could be fighting for his life after suffering serious injuries from a horrific fall on the track. For Rice, whose jockeys have become extended members of his family, the worry that comes with that risk was always at the top of his mind. “You take the good with the bad. I know six or seven riders that I was very friendly with that were killed over the years. It's just a shame, you know? That's why they say it's the only sport where they follow you in an ambulance. You get these jockeys that get hurt and they retire, because it's not if you fall again, it's when you fall again. You're guaranteed to fall,” said Rice. “I was around too long. I worked for Lane Luzzi, Mike Luzzi's son. I worked for Romero Maragh, that's Rajiv's cousin. I worked for his other brother, Shamir, and I was almost going to work for his younger brother, Christian. It just goes generation to generation.” Though the passion for his work never dimmed, Rice admitted the job had taken a toll on his body. At the age of 67, he chose to bow out gracefully, taking advantage of a choice that many of the riders he'd worked with hadn't had the chance to. “Once you get to the track, it's nonstop until after the last race. You probably saddle seven or eight horses a day. Especially at Saratoga, it's a lot of walking. Just last year, my daughter looked on my phone and said I was walking around 22,000 steps a day,” said Rice. “I was originally thinking about [retiring at] the end of the [2025] Saratoga meet. I was the shop steward for 35 years, maybe a little more, and I decided it was time to go [in the spring]. “In a stall with a horse, I could handle it. No problem. I've had some big-time injuries I guess and being outside running around with a bad horse, it was getting to the point that it was time.” Life is a little quieter for Rice these days. Instead of making that familiar trek from the jockeys' room to the paddock and onto the track itself, Rice watches the race day coverage on tv at his home in Staten Island. Two days a week, on Mondays and Tuesdays, he tends the bar at the famed Lee's Tavern. With a surplus of free time ahead, Rice is taking full advantage as he makes up for lost time with his wife, family and friends. “The one person who deserves all the credit is my wife. Back when I started, it was six days a week, and she took care of the family. I missed a lot of games and school functions and all of that. Joan did a tremendous job raising our two kids and I owe her the world for that,” said Rice. “I'm going to start traveling a little bit. I want to go see different racetracks, different places, and just enjoy myself. My wife and I are going to take a couple of trips that I owe her. We're going to enjoy it.” Even through the phone, the emotion is palpable as Rice reflects on his time spent working in the jockeys' room for 49 years. For nearly half a century, he laid out silks and saddle cloths, shined boots, cleaned goggles, inspected tack, saddled and unsaddled countless horses, moved and inserted weights, all the while doing everything in his power to make the life of his jockeys easier. Like a hard-knocking racehorse whose tenacity shines through in every start, from the first to the last, the longtime valet has left an unforgettable impression on every man, woman and horse he's lent a hand to. “You know what the most rewarding thing is? The friendships you make throughout the years. You get to meet so many people that really love horse racing and you just appreciate it. I've had such wonderful relationships with people. I still keep in touch with the riders and the old-time valets,” said Rice. “We might retire, but we never go away. We always show up somewhere.” The jockeys' rooms in New York may be a little quieter these days, but the legacy Rice built fills the void left in his absence. “It didn't matter if you were a Hall of Fame jockey or trainer, or just a guy trying to make a living, I treated them all the same. That's what you have to do. There's that old saying, 'If you enjoy what you do, you never work a day in your life.' I've always said that what people do on their days off, I did for a living. I went to racetracks. So, I guess I never really had a job.” The post ‘It’s Our Lives’: Harry Rice III, A Stalwart Member of the New York Jocks’ Room, Reflects on his Half a Century at the Track appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Guy Petit has been appointed as bloodstock director at AKTEM, the new auction house in France which is scheduled to hold its first sales in February next year. A bloodstock agent for more than 30 years, Petit has sourced top-class National Hunt performers such as Min, Royale Pagaille and Thousand Stars, as well as the Grand National winner Mon Mome. On the Flat, his high-profile purchases include the Group 1 winners Rougir and Tribhuvan. “I am delighted by this new challenge, which allows me to move to the other side of the fence,” said Petit. “Supporting a young and ambitious person like Sofiane Benaroussi – who is determined to implement new initiatives for the benefit of the industry – really appealed to me, and I am thrilled to invest myself alongside him.” He added, “My extensive address book of both buyers and vendors allows me to confidently embrace this new adventure and bring my expertise, particularly in the National Hunt sphere, by offering new opportunities to breeders and owners with a service that complements the existing market.” Mégane Martins has also joined the AKTEM team as head of communication and development. After a full-year internship with Arqana Racing Club, Martins gained hands-on experience at Écurie des Monceaux, before returning to the Deauville sales company within the communication and marketing department. In recent years, she has applied her expertise to the charity Au-Delà Des Pistes, among other roles. “I am honoured to join the AKTEM team and lead the communication department,” said Martins. “I return to an environment I know well and appreciate, and I am delighted to put my skills to work once again in this sector. We are committed to offering a new, high-quality service with a truly convivial, modern and professional atmosphere to conduct sales in the best possible conditions.” AKTEM president Sofiane Benaroussi added, “It is a real pleasure to welcome Guy Petit to the AKTEM team. His expertise and network, both in France and internationally, represent a major asset for a young auction house like ours. “Highly active in the National Hunt sector, he brings strong skills to this segment of the market and will provide clients with the best possible support in enhancing the value of their horses. “We are also delighted to welcome Mégane Martins to lead the agency's communication and support its growth. She brings extensive experience in this field, a broad range of skills acquired within the industry, and a young, innovative, dynamic profile.” The post Guy Petit Named Bloodstock Director at AKTEM appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The G2 Richmond Stakes winner and G1 Dewhurst Stakes runner-up Royal Scotsman will take up stallion duties at Michael Swinburn's Genesis Green Stud in 2026. He will stand for a fee of £6,000, in partnership with owners Jim and Fitri Hay. Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock, Royal Scotsman is out of the 100-rated Cheveley Park Stud-bred mare Enrol (Pivotal) and was consigned by Genesis Green Stud when fetching 125,000gns at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. He won the Richmond after finishing a close-up third behind Bradsell in the G2 Coventry Stakes. Having been beaten a head by Chaldean in the Dewhurst, the pair met again in the 2,000 Guineas, in which Royal Scotsman finished third. He also won last year's G3 Diomed Stakes at Epsom. Co-trainer Paul Cole said of the son of Gleneagles, “He was incredibly talented and it is very unfortunate that we did not always get to see him at his best with a variety of factors not going his way.” It had previously been reported that Royal Scotsman would stand at Haras du Taillis in France for the 2026 breeding season. Alex Cole, on behalf of the Hay family, said “Royal Scotsman has given us enormous pride on the racecourse and it was important to them [the Hay family] that his stallion career was here in Britain. Supporting British racing and the British breeding industry has always mattered to them, and we are delighted to partner with Genesis Green Stud and the Swinburns for his next chapter.” Michael Swinburn added, “Royal Scotsman was as good-looking and athletic a colt as I have ever sold. Naturally, we followed him closely on the track and had many conversations about how much we would love to breed to him when the time came. “We had never considered venturing into standing a stallion, but when this opportunity presented itself, we simply couldn't let it pass by. To welcome him back now as a stallion is enormously exciting and we believe, when breeders come to see him, they will be every bit as impressed by him as we are.” The post Multiple Group Winner Royal Scotsman to Stand at Genesis Green Stud in 2026 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Prize-money at Ascot Racecourse will be a record £19.4 million in 2026, an increase of £1.65 million on this year. Figures exclude the industry-owned QIPCO British Champions Day. Across 25 racedays, 88 of Ascot's 169 races (52%) will have a higher total prize fund than in 2025, with all races on the Flat worth £25,000 or more. Royal Ascot will be worth £10.65 million, from £10.05 million. Increases have been made across the Royal Ascot programme, with all eight Group 1 races now worth a minimum of £700,000 (including two at £1 million), while all races at the royal meeting will be run for £120,000 or more, up from £110,000. In all, 26 of the 35 races across the week will be run for more than they were in 2025. In July, it was announced that the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes will become Britain's first £2 million race next year, up from £1.5 million. This year's running of the race saw the world's current top-rated horse, Calandagan, triumph in another top-class renewal of Europe's midsummer all-aged highlight. Total prize-money on the day will now be in excess of £2.5 million. Amongst other uplifts on the Flat, the G2 Summer Mile will be worth £165,000 (up from £140,000), while all Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup races will be run for at least £85,000 (up from £80,000), taking the total on the day to £525,000. Investment in Class 3 and 4 races on the Flat takes all races to a minimum of £25,000, with total prize-money increasing by £287,000 at those levels. Overall, Ascot's executive contribution to prize-money will go up from £9.97 million in 2025 to a budgeted £10.7 million next year. Felicity Barnard, chief executive officer at Ascot Racecourse, said, “We are delighted to be making these increases in prize-money for 2026, demonstrating our commitment to the sport and focus on rewarding participants. “We are of course conscious of the macro-economic factors currently at play which make taking a long-term view on prize-money investment even more important. We hope that these uplifts will play a part in encouraging investment in British racing. “In announcing this record figure, an increase of £1.65 million, whilst making an international statement with the King George, we have also focused on improvements across the programme. “Over half of our races across both codes have seen increases and through £25,000 minimum Flat values and a focus on the novice hurdle programme, we are aligning many of our increases with an agreed industry focus on developmental races.” Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot, added, “Prize-money is the most important investment tool that we have in attracting horses to run from home and abroad, at all levels of racing that we stage. “We've seen some world-class racing at Ascot in 2025, with runners travelling here from four continents. It is vital in an increasingly competitive international market that we keep Ascot at the forefront and the flagship £2 million King George is key to this alongside the royal meeting. “We will be promoting the King George alongside our large independent racecourses and Jockey Club colleagues, under the Midsummer Elite Races banner. The July Cup, Sussex Stakes, International and King George are Britain's historical, defining, all-aged summer races over their respective trips and we hope that promoting them together, with increased prize-money all round, will gain traction.” The post Prize-Money at Ascot to Reach Record £19.4m in 2026 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Globetrotting galloper Dubai Honour has been withdrawn from Sunday week’s Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m) at Sha Tin, reducing the field for the staying contest to 11. A five-time visitor to Hong Kong and runner-up to Giavellotto in last year’s Vase, the William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour was officially withdrawn on Monday after racing in the United Kingdom last Friday. The evergreen seven-year-old claimed his 10th career win with a typically tough performance in the Listed Midnite Churchill...View the full article

Hollie Doyle is hoping to keep building momentum on the way to the International Jockeys’ Championship with a solid book of six rides at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The British rider has enjoyed a strong start to her Hong Kong stint, riding three winners and really hitting the ground running in terms of support. From seven meetings so far, Doyle’s leanest night has been five rides and she has already ridden in three Group races, such has been the support she has received in such a short...View the full article

November is always an important month in Hong Kong racing and this year was no exception, with the city’s two best gallopers Romantic Warrior and Ka Ying Rising making big statements ahead of the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR). The Post analyses the jockeys and trainers who had a month to remember or one to forget, as well as the most outstanding victory and winning ride. Who’s in form? Zac Purton continued his winning ways, matching his October haul with 16 wins at an incredible...View the full article

California-bred Unrivaled Time proved his class in the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3T) Nov. 30 at Del Mar, winning the one-mile race by 3/4 lengths, and surviving a stewards inquiry.View the full article

With the Kentucky Derby still 22 weeks away, the pari-mutuel field of “All Other Foals from the 2023 Foal Crop” closed as the 2-1 favorite in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) and Spendthrift Farm's unbeaten GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) from the barn of two-time Derby winner Todd Pletcher was the 7-1 second choice. Saturday's GII Kentucky Jockey Club winner Further Ado (Gun Runner) also attracted some interest from bettors at 13-1. TOP 10 BETTING CHOICE (with trainer, sire, Pool 2 odds and $2 Win Will Pays) #40 All Other Foals from the 2023 Foal Crop (2-1, $6.08) #37 Ted Noffey (Todd Pletcher, Into Mischief, 7-1, $16.84) #14 Further Ado (Brad Cox, Gun Runner, 13-1, $28.86) #28 Napoleon Solo (Chad Summers, Liam's Map, 21-1, $44.84) #2 Boyd (Bob Baffert, Violence, 22-1, $46.16) #29 Paladin (Chad Brown, Gun Runner, 22-1, $46.90) #3 Brant (Bob Baffert, Gun Runner, 25-1, $52) #17 Incredibolt (Riley Mott, Bolt d'Oro, 28-1, $59.94) #26 Mr. A. P. (Vladimir Cerin, American Pharoah, 29-1, $60.60) #12 Englishman (Cherie DeVaux, Maxfield, 30-1, $62.78) Total handle for the Nov. 27-30 KDFW pool– the second of six scheduled wagering pools in advance of the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby–was $261,076 ($208,341 in the Win pool and $52,735 in Exactas). This year's early Derby betting menu also included the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager, which, for the 11th consecutive year, provided bettors with an opportunity to wager on select sires and their entire crop of juveniles with the hope of winning next year's Kentucky Derby. Into Mischief at 9-2 and Gun Runner at 5-1, the sires of Ted Noffey and Further Ado, respectively, attracted the most attention from bettors as did Not This Time at 7-1. Total betting on the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager was $56,359 ($44,496 in the Win pool and $11,863 in the Exactas). The KDFW Pool 2 and Sire Future Wager combined to handle $317,435. Pool 1, which covered Oct. 29-31, had record early November total betting of $184,492 ($143,448 in the Win pool and $41,044 in Exactas), which brings the early Future Wager total betting to $501,927. For complete Kentucky Derby Rules and Future Wager Odds Sheets, click here. The post ‘All Others’ Favored at 2-1 in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article