Wandering Eyes

By Jonny Turner Georgia Goodman will be out to keep up her winning form on Transport Services Ltd Wairio Cup Day at Winton. The junior driver comes into Wairio’s big meeting on Sunday after notching the second win of her career in the sulky with Beaudiene Quick Step at Ascot Park last week. Goodman links up with two serious winning chances at Central Southland Raceway, one of which clashes with her last start winner. The reinswoman will combine with the Alister Black trained Captain Amore on the back of his last start third at Ascot Park. “Alister has been good to me and he is keen to see me get a win in his colours.” “The horse went great last week, he was fresh up after a bit of a break and fought on pretty well for third.” “He has good gate speed and he likes to race on the pace, both of his wins have come in front.” “This week it looks like a slightly easier race and he’s got a good draw, so he should be a pretty good chance.” Goodman’s workmate at the Nathan Williamson barn Oliver Kite will take the reins behind Beaudiene Quick Step to make a highly anticipated return to race day driving after a recent stint working in Australia. Beaudiene Quick Step charged home from off the pace in his last start win for Goodman and he looks a handy chance again. The pacer has recently moved south so he can train in Williamson’s equine swimming pool while also providing Goodman with more race day opportunities. “He has a nice turn of foot, he had gone good races since coming down here but he had been unlucky.” Goodman also drives Rise Up N Dance for the Williamson stable at Winton on Sunday. The pacer brings nice form and also draws a good barrier for the junior driver. “I drive him in work quite a bit so I know him quite well.” “I am lucky that Nathan and the owners put him in this race to try to get a penalty free win.” “He has been in good form and he’s got a nice draw so he should be a good each-way chance.” Goodman will compete in teal driving pants as part of harness racing’s Team Teal campaign which raises funds for ovarian cancer research. Jonny Turner’s Four to Follow at Winton Race 2 (1.35pm) – Skinny Dippin She was beaten fairly and squarely in her last start at Ascot Park in what was a fairly ordinary display. However, I am keeping the faith in this talented filly and expect her to be hard to beat. There are a couple of factors which look to be key in Skinny Dippin putting her best foot forward this week. She should strip fitter as that last start came on the back of a freshen up. She’s also back to racing over a mile, which looks to really suit the speedy filly. Expect Skinny Dippin to be in front, out of trouble and to take plenty of catching. Race 8 (4.10pm) – Wag Star Unless he runs into some shocking bad luck, there should be no excuses for Wag Star on Sunday. Just three starts ago he was third at Group 1 level in the Invercargill Cup behind newly crowned New Zealand Horse Of The Year, Republican Party. That’s nice form for any race, but it looks even better when you consider Wag Star shares the 20m backmark with horses that don’t bring the same form references. While narrowly defeated last start, he threw away victory when slackening off and gawking around late. It is possible this cunning character could do the same again. But on pure ability, he should be winning. Race 3 (1.12pm) – Rakamick He’s well overdue but today might just be his day. Rakamick has raced honestly throughout the summer, without too much luck at times. That could change today with his nice barrier draw, suitable field and top driver on. But perhaps the most important aspect is the drop in grade Rakamick gets on Sunday. He’s been racing handy enough horses recently and now takes on a line-up with many who are honest but don’t win out of turn. He’s a tough customer and should give his backers a nice run for their money. Race 10 (5.05pm) – Captain Amore Gate speed looks the key to this pacer’s hopes of breaking back into the winner’s circle on Sunday. Captain Amore has plenty of early toe which is a clear advantage to him when he takes on an even line-up. He should cross to the lead early and from there, he is set to get a major advantage over some of his key rivals. Captain Amore’s main danger is Ebonezy who could settle in a tough spot from her barrier 1 on the second row draw. He has a 2 from 20 strike rate, which shows he doesn’t win out of turn. But Captain Amore looks well placed at Winton and a big winning threat. View the full article

Progressive fillyOhope Wins (NZ)(Ocean Park) completed the perfect dress rehearsal for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in a fortnight when she stormed home out wide from last on the corner to take out the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2100m) at Te Rapa. Carrying the colours of leviathan breeding and racing operation, Yulong Thoroughbreds, who purchased her in late January after she had won the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) on New Year’s Day, the daughter of Ocean Park started a warm $3.60 Fixed Odds favourite on Saturday courtesy of her last to first performance that day. Rider Joe Doyle employed similar tactics, dropping the filly to the rear from a wide barrier and lobbing along in a good rhythm as Fly Zenno (NZ) (Ancient Spirit) set up a muddling early pace before being joined by Chilling Out (NZ) (Savabeel), who had pulled her way forward after failing to settle when caught out wide. That pair injected some speed into proceedings travelling past the 700m with Doyle and Ohope Wins still back last but looking to get to the outer in the home straight. The well fancied Tajana (NZ) (Tajana) and Single Red (NZ) (Vanburgh) went clear at the 300m with Ohope Wins winding up strongly but still at least six lengths from the front. Just as the leading pair looked to have the finish to themselves, Ohope Wins hit overdrive and swept past them both to defeat Single Red by half a length with Tajana a further neck back in third. Lance O’Sullivan, who prepares the filly in partnership with Andrew Scott, reiterated that the main target for the filly is the New Zealand Oaks. “It was some performance as she has given them all a big start,” O’Sullivan said. “Coming to the corner I thought she was going to have to be pretty good and when Joe got her to the outside and gave her clear air she showed she is a filly well above average. “The plan has always been to go to the Oaks and we certainly won’t be changing that plan. “She looks like she will be very competitive in that and I’m thrilled for Yulong who have come on board. “She is fit so it will be just maintenance work now as she is ready (for the Oaks). “We have always thought she would come into her own over a middle distance and she has a beautiful action and one we have always liked.” Doyle thought he might be running for minor money early in the run home but praised the filly for her tremendous will to win. “I was thinking wow all the way up the straight as they put the blinkers on her today and she travelled a lot better,” he said. “We still had an awful lot of ground to make up, and I did think she might run a nice third or fourth and we would be happy, but she just picked them up and she is a bit of a superstar. “She has the right attitude and is very brave. She had been lazy in the past and we knew we would just take our time and I didn’t have to get serious until the last 100m where she was always going to win.” Ohope Wins has collected two victories from just five starts and more than $319,00 in prizemoney. She is now listed as the $2.20 Fixed Odds favourite for the New Zealand Oaks at Ellerslie on 21 February. View the full article

New Zealand-bred gelding Oak Hill (NZ) (Per Incanto) lifted his ever-improving career to another new level with his first black-type victory in the A$300,000 Gr.2 Here For The Horses Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The five-year-old son of Per Incanto has now had 19 starts for eight wins, four placings and A$717,140 in stakes. The Rubiton was the fifth start at stakes level for Oak Hill, who had resumed with a last-start second in the Listed W.J. Adams Stakes (1000m), and earlier in the season was only three lengths from the winner when 11th in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) in September. He was previously unplaced in two other Listed events. Oak Hill had a few factors in his favour leading into Saturday, including a potent second-up record that had seen him record two wins and a second from four previous starts in that state. Ridden by Damian Lane, Oak Hill sat in fourth until the home turn and then quickened smartly at the top of the straight. He finished over the top of the front-running Don’t Hope Do (So You Think) and got up in the final few strides to score by a long head. It was a winning reunion for Oak Hill and Lane, who rode him to four victories between May 2024 and his relocation last autumn from the stable of the late Mike Moroney into the care of Ben, Will and JD Hayes. “I love this horse, I’ve won four races on him,” Lane said. “It’s good to be back on him. “He’s been a difficult horse to manage in the past. If you go too forward, he’ll do it the wrong way around and get his head up and over-race. “A lot of those early days with Mike, it was about teaching him to settle and run, settle and run. He’s really starting to put it together mentally. “He’s always had the talent and you can put him a touch closer and he’s got the turn of foot still.” The Rubiton was Oak Hill’s third win for the Hayes brothers at Lindsay Park. “That was a terrific effort by Oak Hill,” JD Hayes said. “I thought he put the writing on the wall last start when he returned. We’ve taken all the gear off his head and he’s just starting to really learn his craft. “He’s a late learner and a horse that we inherited from the late, great Mike Moroney, and he is getting better each preparation. “I think we could look at the Oakleigh Plate (Gr.1, 1100m, February 21) now. Why not?” Oak Hill was bred by the Mahoenui Partnership and is by Little Avondale Stud’s Per Incanto out of the High Chaparral mare Isstoora. That makes Oak Hill a half-brother to Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai), who has won seven races, including the Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m), Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m), Gr.3 Sandown Stakes (1500m) and the $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m). Oak Hill was offered in Little Avondale’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2022, where Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Ballymore Stables bought him for $180,000. View the full article

Te Rapa trainer David Greene is riding the crest of a wave after he doubled his Group One tally when First Five took out the BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at his home track on Saturday. Greene recorded his first elite-level success when the Almanzor five-year-old won last month’s Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, and he was confident he would go close to keeping his undefeated record over 1400m intact on Saturday. Despite his last-start heroics, First Five jumped a $7.40 fourth favourite in a market headed by Lindsay Park raiders Arkansaw Kid ($3.20) and Here To Shock ($3.40), and the Australian duo took a stranglehold of the race, sitting in the first two and dictating the early tempo. Jockey Wiremu Pinn guided First Five into the trail behind Here To Shock, and while the two pacemakers began to open up on the pack, Pinn kept a cool head and didn’t ask his charge to extend until turning for home. First Five immediately responded to Pinn’s urgings, bounding up alongside the pacemakers and quickly put several lengths on them, and he was able to hold off the late challenge of Sterling Express to win by 1-3/4 lengths. “I was shocked to see the TAB had opened him up at $13,” Pinn said. “He is just an absolute machine and I thought he played with them today. “It panned out perfect. I had myself mapped to be outside Here To Shock, but there was a little more speed than I thought. They ran at a genuine pace, which was good, we were in a good rhythm, never spent a penny and he has blown them away. “He is very special, I think he can win a Group One at 1200m and 2000m. He has got a very bright future.” Greene was overwhelmed by the enormity of what had transpired, and he was thrilled to get the home Group One victory for his group of supporters. “There is a huge crowd for him here today and what a win, he just dominated them,” Greene said. “He brained a really good field and that’s how good he is, he is a really top-class horse. “His work on Tuesday was unreal, he just gets better and better, it is amazing.” Greene is now looking to test his charge over more ground in the Gr.1 Sport Nation Otaki Maori WFA Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie in a fortnight, with a long-range goal of testing First Five’s talent across the Tasman next spring. “I guess we will run up at Ellerslie in a couple of weeks and give him a go over a mile,” he said. “There is not really much else left for him unless he is crossing the ditch, which is a difficult thing to do at this late stage of the prep. There is no reason why that isn’t something he can do in the spring.” Bred by part-owner Gerald Shand, First Five is by Almanzor out of six-win mare Payette. It was a lucrative day at Te Rapa for the family, with his full-brother Rambling On coming up a long head short of victory in the $350,000 Sir Patrick Hogan Karapiro Classic (1600m) earlier on the card. First Five has now won eight of his 20 starts, including two at elite-level, and has earned north of $810,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Former northern galloper Witz End made his presence felt for new trainer Terri Rae when he scored the second win from just four starts from Rae’s Canterbury base when taking out the Listed Property Brokers – Ray Kean Hazlett Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on Saturday. The five-year-old gelding commenced his career for Tony Pike at his Cambridge stable before transferring to Rae late last year, finishing unplaced first-up in November before winning on the synthetic track at Riccarton three weeks later. The son of Savabeel rounded out his 2025 year with a fifth-place finish in the Timaru Cup (1600m) in late December before being given a freshen-up in preparation for his first South Island stakes challenge on Saturday. Rider Leah Hemi has forged a successful partnership with Rae in recent months and that continued as she gave Witz End a perfect trip in fourth before edging closer rounding the home bend. As the field fanned out across the width of the Wingatui home straight, Witz End bounded to the front at the 200m before fending off another northern raider in Pour The Wine to win by a neat length with Say Satono making up good ground to claim third. Hemi was pleased with the effort although she did have some concerns in the home straight. “We got into a nice position and he travelled well up close to the pace,” Hemi said. “When I pulled him out in the straight he did want to lay in a bit which made it a little difficult until I got him straightened up and balanced. “He went to the line nicely and carried on past the post as well, so it was a nice honest effort.” Witz End was always held in high regard by Pike and collected four wins from his stable while he was also placed in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m). He has now won six races from 21 starts and more than $285,000 for a large group of owners that includes former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull and former jockey Leith Innes. View the full article

It was apt for Opie Bosson to bring up his 100th Group One win on Legends Day at Te Rapa. The 45-year-old became just the second Kiwi jockey, and first New Zealand-based hoop, to bring up the milestone when piloting the Ken and Bev Kelso-trained Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) to victory in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (1400m) on Saturday. He joins Sydney-based Kiwi James McDonald, who boasts 124 elite-level victories to his credit, and Bosson was rapt to reach the mark after returning from retirement just over six months ago, with the record firmly in his sight. “It is just huge,” Bosson said. “It has taken a lot of hard work out at Te Akau Stud with David Ellis (Te Akau Racing principal). A lot of people have been involved, Stephen Autridge has been like my rock the whole way through, and I am pleased to have finally got it.” Bosson struggled to single out a highlight among his many accolades but said his victory aboard Legarto now stands out as one of the best. “There have been many highlights and to get the 100th today is right up there,” he said. “12 months ago I gave up on 99 and when I came back this was the main goal. To finally get it (is great) and I feel like I am back to riding close to my best. I am pretty happy.” Bosson, who rides track work regularly for the Kelsos at Matamata, was pleased to bring up the milestone on one of their horses. “I don’t have many rides for them (Kelsos). I ride a lot of their good horses in their main gallops,” Bosson said. “It is pretty special to ride my 100th Group One for Ken and Bev, they are lovely people and I owe them heaps.” Ken Kelso also cut an emotional figure post-race, with his wife and training partner unable to be trackside to enjoy the occasion with him. “It is very special, it is just a crying shame Bev can’t be here to witness it,” he said. “I know it is Opie’s 100th Group One, but it is our 15th.” While Legarto had her detractors following a series of winless runs, she was backed into a $3.50 second favourite for the Herbie Dyke, and Kelso was pleased to prove her doubters wrong. “When she loomed up I thought she would be hard to beat,” he said. “Everyone had written her off but she is an Australian Group One winner and you can’t take that away from her. “It’s a great satisfaction. She has had a few setbacks, she did a tendon and had a lot of time off, and she had a foot problem this time with her heel. “She hasn’t been going bad races, but she still has been running thirds and fourths. She was back on a good deck today at Te Rapa, which she loves, so she was always a chance.” Now the winner of 11 races, four at elite-level, and nearly $2.6 million in prizemoney, Legarto will get another chance to add to that record at Ellerslie next month. “She will have to go to the Bonecrusher (Gr.1, 2000m) at Auckland, which she is not too fond of. We will just take a deep breath today and savour the moment.” View the full article

Autumn Glory (NZ)(Ocean Park) came off the bench to secure her future broodmare career when taking out the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. The daughter of Ocean Park was first on the ballot for the Guineas and was set to contest the Gr.3 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2100m) later on the card, however, she gained a berth against the boys when Single Red (NZ) (Vanburgh) was withdrawn from the Guineas in favour of the fillies feature, and trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood jumped at the opportunity. She doubled the stable’s presence in the race, who were also lining up Waikato Stud filly Waimea Bay (NZ) (Savabeel), who was backed into a $7.60 third favourite following her runner-up effort in the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham last month. In complete contrast, Autumn Glory was seventh on an unsuitable Heavy10 track in the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth last month, following her debut win at Ruakaka, and jumped a 50-1 outsider. From their wide gate, jockey Vinnie Colgan was content going back early to sit off the pace with Autumn Glory, while Waimea Bay was sent forward by her rider George Rooke to hunt for the lead. It wasn’t there for the daughter of Savabeel, who was forced to sit parked outside leader Geneva (NZ) (Time Test), while Autumn Glory continued to do no work towards the back of the pack. From the 600m, Colgan was able to save ground on the fence and presented his charge three-wide behind Yamato Satona (NZ) (Satono Aladdain) turning for home. They slingshot off his back with 200m to go and Autumn Glory showed a good turn of foot to pick up the Wexford-trained gelding and reeled in favourite Towering Vision (NZ) (Circus Maximus) to win by a long neck. It was the first time Colgan had ridden Autumn Glory and he said he felt that he hopped on something special when legged up on the filly in the parade ring. “I didn’t know too much about her other than her maiden win at Ruakaka and the Taranaki track was against her last start,” Colgan said. “Getting on her in the parade ring I knew I was on a pretty nice type of animal. “She travelled off pace, picked up from the half mile and tracked up nicely. Turning for home I had plenty of horse under me and she got to the line strong.” While disappointed in her last start showing, her trainers had been pleased with her progress since then and they were confident of a bold showing following her work during the week. “She went down to that Oaks trial on a very wet track and clearly went poorly, but it was wet so you can’t take too much out of that,” Wellwood said. “She came through it well and anyone who would have seen her work on Tuesday would have said you would have to have something each way, she worked the house down. “We felt this (Guineas) was a softer option than the fillies race and we wanted to get her back on track with a bit of confidence post that Taranaki run, so it was good to get the job done. “It was nice to get a result for the Smithies boys (Monovale Farm), they have been great supporters, and she is a nice one for the broodmare paddock.” The Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie in a fortnight looms as her next target, with Colgan believing she will lap up the extra distance. “Rounding past the 1000m she was only just on the bridle, she wasn’t over racing at all, so the further she goes the better,” he said. Bred and raced by Monovale Holdings Ltd, Autumn Glory is by Ocean Park and out of winning Viscount mare Venus’s Dream, a half-sister to Group One performer Spring Heat (More Than Ready). Autumn Glory has now won two of her three starts and earned just shy of $170,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Recent times have been difficult for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, but there was a much different feeling Feb. 6 as he watched the stretch run of the $200,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article

After running a quiet second in the Jan. 3 Smarty Jones Stakes, Silent Tactic announced his Kentucky Derby (G1) credentials with a devastating rally and widening victory in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 6 at Oaklawn Park.View the full article

Waiting for the right opportunity to power home, Silent Tactic (Tacitus–Magical Sign, by Gun Runner) made a statement down the lane in the GIII Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn on Friday and not only banked 20 Derby points on the road to Churchill, but also handed his sire Tactius (by Tapit) his first higher level winner. The 2-year-old colt, who was the runner-up in the Smarty Jones Stakes last month, went off as a 12-1 shot here. At the rear of the field into the first turn and through the backstretch, Silent Tactic had some work to do as 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', & favorite D'code (Speightstown) was trying to fend off fellow 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Buetane (Tiz the Law) and Soldier N Diplomat (Army Mule) for most of the race. With the attention on the leaders as the field spun into the stretch, Silent Tactic geared up down the center of the course and proved best inside the final sixteenth. Soldier N Diplomat was the runner-up. Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0. Sales History: FTKOCT '24 $60,000; OBSAPR '25 $500,000. O-John C. Oxley; B-Don Alberto Corporation; T-Mark E. Casse. SILENT TACTIC indeed Tremendous last-to-first effort to win Friday's GIII Southwest Stakes at @OaklawnRacing, collecting 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. pic.twitter.com/bBITtmVwQ5 — TDN (@theTDN) February 6, 2026 The post Silent Tactic Fires Late In Southwest Showdown At Oaklawn, Sire Tacitus Nets First Graded appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Citing a need to upgrade its tote system, NYRA announced Friday that the new “guardrail rails” put in place regarding Computer Assisted Wagering (CAW) will not go into effect until Feb. 11. With winter weather having knocked out the Saturday and Sunday cards at Aqueduct, the 11th is the next scheduled day of racing. “The guardrails requiring CAW activity to cease at 1 MTP have been suspended today to allow for technical upgrades to the tote system,” read a NYRA statement. “The win pool, Late Pick 5 and Pick 6 restrictions remain in effect. NYRA expects the CAW guardrails to be in place February 11 and moving forward. Before being temporarily suspended, the new rules went into effect Thursday. Under the “guardrails,” NYRA will require CAW activity to cease at one minute to post in all wagering pools not previously subject to high-speed wagering restrictions. However, CAW players will still be allowed to place as many as six wagers per second once the clock hits one minute to post. “This policy reflects the importance of modernizing pari-mutuel wagering to address the technology-driven evolution of high-speed wagering,” said David O'Rourke, NYRA President & CEO said when announcing the Feb. 5 unveiling of the new policy. “Reducing odds volatility will increase pricing transparency and improve the wagering experience for horseplayers in New York and across the country.” The delay was announced just one day after a particularly odd phenomenon took place in Thursday's first race at Aqueduct. One CAW player placed $206,700 in win wagers on the race, betting on three horses. According NYRA, $182,422 was wagered on Patience N Grace (The Factor). Listed at 5-1 in the morning line, that horse was knocked down to odds of 33-100. The bets were all made with three minutes to post,” NYRA reported. CAW players normally make their wagers at the very last second so they can get a “last look” at the pari-mutuel pools and hunt for overlays. None of the three horses bet by CAW players won, which created an overlay on the 6-5 morning line favorite, Undergrad (Outwork), who paid $10.32 to win. It was unclear why the CAW player made his or her bets with three minures remaining before the race. “These ongoing tote upgrades are connected to the throttling down of high-speed wagering as required by NYRA, but unrelated to the betting activity in R1 on Thursday,” NYRA's statement read. The post New NYRA Rules Regarding CAW Play Will De Delayed appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The 2026 Inglis Digital USA February Sale closed on Friday, Feb. 6, and the online event was led by broodmare prospect More Than a Diva who brought $50,000, the company said in a press release on Friday afternoon. Robert Chasanoff secured the sales topper More Than a Diva, a winning daughter of More Than Ready, out of a half-sister to classic winner and prominent young sire Tiz the Law (by Constitution). Bred by JSM Equine, the 6-year-old More Than a Diva is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Diva Style, whose trio of winners also includes SW Haute Diva (Constitution), who is being pointed for the Kentucky Oaks trail by trainer Patrick Biancone after winning the Cash Run Stakes at Gulfstream Park Jan. 1. Her second dam is the GSW Tizfiz (Tiznow), who is herself the dam of Tiz the Law and her extended female family includes sire Fury Kapcori (Tiznow). More Than a Diva was consigned by Last Laugh Stables and she was made available for inspection at Clearbrook Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Michael King secured the day's second highest priced offering, the multiple stakes placed Blame mare Cut From Class, for $42,500. Offered as a broodmare prospect from the consignment of Caitlin Keil, Cut From Class won four races and placed in a trio of stakes races during her on-track career, with earnings over $200,000. Cut From Class was made available for inspection from Keil's barn at Laurel Park in Maryland. The February Sale offered local options for a wide variety of buyers, with horses in the catalogue based in Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Virginia. “We had some really solid trade in the middle of the market,” said Inglis Digital USA CEO Kyle Wilson. “I'm excited for our customers, because I think they got some really nice mares. We're working on getting a few more moved, so overall, we're pleased with our start to 2026.” Offerings that finished under their reserves on Friday are still available to purchase on the Inglis Digital USA website. Visit the site's “Catalogue” page and click on “Make An Offer” next to the available horses. Entries, which are now open for the Inglis Digital USA 2026 March Sale, will be taken through Monday, Feb. 23. The catalogue will be released on Friday, Feb. 27 and bidding will close on Tuesday, Mar. 3. Click here to enter a horse for the March sale, register as a bidder or make a bid on an RNA horse from the February Sale. The post More Than A Diva Highlights Inglis Digital USA February Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Talk to Me Jimmy (Modernist) took the race to them right from the bell, and ran his rivals off their feet to take home Kentucky Derby points in the Wither Stakes. Out to set the pace after an even beginning, the New York-bred suddenly opened up on the field through the bend and asked them if they planned to catch him. Entering the lane with a clear advantage, Schoolyardsuperman (Practical Joke) tried to respond, but could not cut into the margin. Talk to Me Jimmy hit the line with air to spare as Grittiness (Curlin) closed for second and Ottinho (Quality Road) claimed third. Talk to me Jimmy earns 20 points toward the Road to the Kentucky Derby with this victory. The victor was last seen breaking his maiden in a similar fashion, going gate-to-wire against state-bred maidens at this venue last November to graduate by 5 1/2 lengths. Sales history: $24,000 RNA Wlg '23 FTNMIX; $31,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. O-SEI Thoroughbreds and Rodriguez, Rudy R.; B-Majestic View Farms Intl. (NY); T-Rudy Rodriguez. What a performance! #6 TALK TO ME JIMMY ($26.54) ran away from the field to easily win the $200,000 Withers Stakes and pick up 20 points towards the @KentuckyDerby. The son of Modernist was ridden by @Ruben_Silvera and is trained by @RudyRodriguezNY. pic.twitter.com/sw8SXxd7Qa — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 6, 2026 The post Modernist’s Talk to Me Jimmy Dominates the Conversation, Wins Derby Points in Withers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Neither the Suncoast Stakes nor the Sam F. Davis Stakes, both run at Tampa Bay Downs, are graded stakes races, but that doesn't seem to bother trainer Todd Pletcher. He has made it no secret that he loves to put some of his best 3-year-old candidates on the Tampa route to Churchill Downs, and he will be doing so again on Saturday. Zany (American Pharoah), currently ranked No. 1 in the TDN's Top 10 poll for the GI Kentucky Oaks, will make her 3-year-old debut in the Suncoast, where she will be heavily favored. In 2022, Pletcher launched the 3-year-old campaign of Nest (Curlin) in the Suncoast, and she went on to win an Eclipse Award that year as the sport's champion 3-year-old filly. Six races later on the Tampa card, Pletcher will send out one of his top 3-year-old colts in Renegade (Into Mischief). Although technically a maiden, he was second behind the well-regarded Paladin (Gun Runner) in the GII Remsen Stakes and crossed the wire ahead of that same rival in an Aqueduct maiden, only to be disqualified for interference. Pletcher will be seeking his eighth win in the Sam F. Davis. He said he likes the timing of the Suncoast and the fact that it is run around two turns. The first two 3-year-old filly preps at Gulfstream for the Kentucky Oaks are around one turn. “It's really about the timing and the two-turn aspect of these races,” Pletcher said. “With Zany, she's already won going a mile and an eighth in the Demoiselle. I just didn't feel like it made sense to back her up at Gulfstream, either into the Forward Gal or the Davona Dale, since they are both one-turn races. I like that there was good spacing from the Demoiselle to this, and it gives us ample time to get ready for the [Apr. 3] Ashland at Keeneland.” Todd Pletcher | Sarah Andrew Pletcher did not have Zany ready for the GI NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, but had her extra sharp by the time of the GII Demoiselle at Aqueduct Dec. 6. She won by 8 1/2 lengths and earned a Beyer figure of 89. “It was the way that she did it, the way she showed a high cruising speed and showed that she'll handle the distance very well,” the Hall of Fame trainer said. “She's a filly that's always trained exceptionally well.” The offspring of American Pharoah typically prefer the turf, but owner Mike Repole was willing to spend $350,000 on Zany at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale and, according the Pletcher, the plan all along was to turn her into a dirt horse. “She never gave us any reason to think about anything besides dirt,” Pletcher said. “She's out of an Uncle Mo mare [Mo' Green], who's turning out to be a tremendous broodmare. I think she's getting a lot of influence from the Uncle Mo side. She's just always done everything very professionally.” Zany was one of 11 fillies nominated to the Triple Crown. Pletcher said he's not interested in running her in the Derby, but wanted to keep his options open. “She's a filly that we think will handle plenty of distance,” the trainer said. “Of course , the Belmont this year will be at a mile and a quarter again. We did run Nest a few years ago in the Belmont and she finished second. We just like to leave our options open. We're not necessarily pointing for the Belmont, but you never know.” Pletcher will also start Kadabra (Good Magic) in the Suncoast. She's a filly that has only broken her maiden and has never gone beyond 6 1/2 furlongs, but Pletcher believes this may be a good spot for her to earn some black type. “I think she's better than she ran last time,” Pletcher said. “She was stuck on the inside and under pressure the whole way from the one pole. I think, being a daughter of Good Magic, she might be better stretching out. But I realize she would have to jump way up and move way forward to be in Zany's category. Some black type could be important for her.” Renegade inside of Paladin before he was disqualified and placed second in a MSW during the Belmont at the Big A meet Oct. 17 | Coglianese Pletcher said that he likes the Sam F. Davis for many of the same reasons he likes the Suncoast. “It's much the same scenario as the Suncoast,” he said. “Good timing, a mile and a sixteenth, two turns. The race puts you in a position to come back in four weeks in the Tampa Derby or some other spots, or you could take a little more time and point for another race. We're kind of thinking Sam Davis, Arkansas Derby. This race puts you in a good position with a lot of options. I also feel like it's a good safe surface, and we've had pretty good luck prepping there at Tampa over the years.” Though Renegade wasn't able to win the Remsen, Pletcher liked what he saw that day. “I thought he handled the mile and an eighth really well,” the trainer said. “If you watched that race, it seemed like the horses that were in post five and inside got pretty good trips, and the horses who broke from the six post out had it pretty rough. Going into the first turn, they got stuck pretty wide. I thought he ran very well. I think he showed that he's going to handle the trip and, for only his third start, I thought it was an excellent performance. And I love the way he's been training coming into this.” Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount on both Zany and Renegade. Renegade will be attempting to become Pletcher's second winner in a GI Kentucky Derby prep race within a week. The other winner, of course, is Nearly (Not This Time), the impressive winner of the GIII Holy Bull Stakes. Nearly's win came just days after it was announced that Pletcher's top 3-year-old, Ted Noffey (Into Mischief), had been taken off the Kentucky Derby trail due to bone bruising. “That's the world we live in,” Pletcher said. “Every day is a roller coaster. You come in every day hoping they're healthy and ready to move forward, but you know that they're living, breathing creatures that sometimes have issues. And so in Ted Noffey's case, we felt like it was a tough call the day before. The day before we did some tests, he galloped a mile and a half, and we were in full training. But he was just giving us some signs that he wasn't as good as he was last fall. And we just felt like we had to make a decision sooner than later. “If you wait another 30 days, another 45 days, you put yourself in a position,” he said. “If the horse needs 90 days off, you could almost blow the whole year. So we had to make a tough decision early in the year to hopefully make sure that we have a horse in really good condition for the summer and fall.” The post Pletcher’s Route To The Derby And Oaks Will Make A Stop At Tampa On Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Intrepido (Maximus Mischief), an upset winner of the GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita last fall, kicks off his sophomore campaign in Saturday's GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita. The 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' won the American Pharoah by three-quarters of a length over the re-opposing Desert Gate (Omaha Beach). It was another nose back to Plutarch (Into Mischief) in third that day. Intrepido, a $30,000 KEESEP yearling turned $385,000 OBSAPR breezer, followed with a disappointing fifth at 5-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar. He is owned in partnership by Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures and is trained by Jeff Mullins. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert has won the Lewis 13 times and has won the last seven renewals. He trains the aforementioned rail-drawn 6-5 morning-line favorite Desert Gate, Plutarch and the maiden of four career starts Cherokee Nation (Not This Time). Last year's runaway GIII Best Pal S. winner Desert Gate hasn't raced since the American Pharoah, his first attempt around two turns. Plutarch made two subsequent starts on grass, including a last- out maiden win at Del Mar Nov. 30. Cherokee Nation, a $1.15-million Keeneland September yearling, was second behind Robusta (Accelerate) in a maiden special weight over track and trip Jan. 9. The Robert B. Lewis offers 20-10-6-4-2 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Santa Anita's nine-race program also features the return of GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint heroine Splendora (Audible) in the GII D. Wayne Lukas S. and the GIII Thunder Road S., headed by Gas Me Up (Hard Spun). The post Led by Intrepido, American Pharoah Top Three Meet Again in Robert B. Lewis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article