Wandering Eyes

Mr Brightside might be missing from the autumn weight‑for‑age spotlight, but Lindsay Park could still have a serious player emerging, with trainer Ben Hayes confident Evaporate is ready to step up as soon as Saturday. “I haven’t spoken about him much, but he’s trailled up excellent and will be hopefully announcing himself this autumn,” Hayes said confidently. “What has let him down is his racing manners. He’s always been a headstrong horse and doing things wrong but still ran well. “When Jamie (Melham) rode him in his last jumpout (win at Werribee on February 6) he actually relaxed and he finished off and we have been really working on it in his trackwork. “Jamie was really happy with him, and I think she’s keen to ride him (in the Futurity).” Now an autumn four-year-old, Evaporate has long served his apprenticeship as an elite galloper. After finishing third in the 2024 Caulfield Guineas, he was thrown into the deep end in the Cox Plate two weeks later but he failed to adapt and did not beat a runner home. He reappeared last autumn for a handful of runs – including a second placing in The Kiwi in New Zealand – before returning last spring for a number of impressive efforts when second in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap, third in the Golden Eagle and then third in the G1 Orr Stakes. Evaporate may wind up as the main danger to the early favourite Treasurethe Moment in Saturday’s Futurity Stakes as the current second favourite Tom Kitten is not likely to run. The Lindsay Park stable also have claims of taking Saturday’s G1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) with Oak Hill. “He’s going really well,” Hayes said. “Again, he’s a horse that was doing a lot wrong. He was an aggressive horse, and we saw last start he relaxed and he ran well so if he does that in an Oakleigh Plate, he’ll run very well.” View the full article

Opawa Jack (NZ) (War Decree) prevailed in a battle of attrition in Sunday’s K9 Petfoods Ltd Wairoa Cup (2100m), carrying his 60kg impost to victory on rain-affected footing in the Waipukurau feature. The Chrissy Bambry-trained gelding jumped away well and settled outside pacemaker Just Charlie (NZ) (Zed) for jockey Kate Hercock before getting some brief cover when Vickezzmargaux (NZ) (Eminent) came around to challenge for the lead. The John Bary-trained mare eventually wrestled it off Just Charlie at the 600m mark and Opawa Jack ranged up alongside the Hastings mare, with the pair working their way towards the better part of the track when turning into the home straight. Just Charlie and Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) hopeful Tulsa King (NZ) (Staphanos) took the shorter way home, but the outside pair rallied again late, with Opawa Jack just getting the better of Vickezzmargaux to win by a head. Dropping back from stakes company in his last four outings, Bambry was confident of a bold showing from Opawa Jack, however, she did share concerns about his topweight on the rain-affected surface. “It was a great win, he is a pretty good horse,” she said. “I didn’t think he would probably handle the wet track but it was a summer heavy and Kate got out to the better part of the track, so he was able to cop it. “He deserved to have 60 kilos, it was just when the wet track came I was a bit worried that he had that much weight.” Bambry had initially planned to trek north from her Foxton base to contest the Listed Kaimai Stakes (2000m) at Matamata a day prior, but the wet weather forecast forced her to change tack, and while she was met with similar weather, her decision to target the Hawke’s Bay meeting was vindicated. “I had thought about going to the Kaimai Stakes with him but saw it was going to be wet up there, so I swapped to the Wairoa Cup, which ended up being the right move,” she said. A return to stakes company is now on the cards for the son of War Decree, with Bambry eyeing next month’s Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) at Trentham as his next major assignment. “That will be his main target and he might run in a couple of weeks to keep him up to the mark,” Bambry said. Bambry is also upbeat about the prospects of stablemate Southern Chilli (Al Maher), who pleased with her second-up runner-up performance in the Equestrian Athletes Handicap (1200m) at Waipukurau. It was just her second start for the stable, and first in 18 months after previously racing in Australia where she won four races for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. “I think she will be an exciting mare going forward,” Bambry said. “She was given time off with a few little niggles and she got a bit of an extended break. Good friends of ours bred her and they decided to bring her back and we have put a little syndicate into her. “I think she is going to be a pretty exciting mare when she gets that race fitness under her belt. It is a long time to have off so she just has to get that race fitness back into her.” Southern Chilli came through the race well, giving Bambry the confidence to back her up at Otaki on Saturday. “She licked her bowl clean and has bounced through the run,” Bambry said. “She will probably head to Otaki on Saturday. There is an Open 1200m for her with the rain still about. “I don’t think she is a real Heavy tracker, so it was probably getting a bit too wet for her yesterday, but a bit of this wind might dry it up and Otaki might not be as bad.” View the full article

Waipukurau trainer Simon Wilson enjoyed the rare luxury of racing on his home track on Sunday, and while the weather didn’t play its part, his racing team did, recording a winning double at the meeting. With remedial work taking place at both Hastings and Awapuni, Waipukurau has enjoyed a return to the racing calendar recently, with their November meeting well patronised by locals, with many returning to brave the wet weather in support of Sunday’s eight-race card. “The weather didn’t play its part yesterday, but it was well supported,” Wilson said. “There were a lot of people who came down from Wairoa, as it was a Wairoa meeting, and the locals were out in force to support it too.” Wilson is rapt to be back racing at his home track, which he said is great for the local community. “It’s fantastic,” he said. “It is great for the racing club and community to be back racing there. We have had amazing support from far and wide, and the trainers are supporting us, which is great, bringing horses to jump-outs and supporting the racedays. Long me it last. “We are positive that things are going in the right direction. We have got a great committee that are passionate about racing and the community, which is what it is all about.” Wilson lined up his entire race team of two on Sunday and was pleased to get a 100 percent strike-rate, with debutant Concorde (NZ) (Contributer) taking out the ICIB Brokerweb Three-Year-Old Maiden (1200m), while Plain Sailing (NZ) (Ocean Park) broke through for his maiden win in the Davmet Maiden (1400m), both in the hands of local hoop Kate Hercock. “Concorde has got a lot of speed and I was happy that she relaxed and finished off the race nicely, aided by a good ride from Kate Hercock,” Wilson said. “She was working well and being her local track, she does all of her work there, so it was an obvious choice to go there rather than travel somewhere else first-up. “Plain Sailing is a four-year-old now and is a weaker type who has taken a little bit of time to strengthen up. We added the blinkers yesterday, which was an assist.” Wilson said both horses have come through their runs well and he is now looking for their next assignments, with their return to race at Waipukurau’s next meeting on April 26 high on the agenda. View the full article

With the Kentucky Derby (G1) 11 weeks away, the pari-mutuel field of "All Other 3-Year-olds" closed as the 9-2 favorite in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.View the full article

In a thrilling stretch run, Reddam Racing homebred Pavlovian nailed Express Kid on the wire for a nose victory in the $500,000 Sunland Park Derby at Sunland Park Feb. 15.View the full article

Bottle of Rouge solidified her status among the top 3-year-old fillies with a tenacious victory in the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks Feb. 15. View the full article

With the Kentucky Derby (G1) 11 weeks away, the pari-mutuel field of "All Other 3-Year-olds" closed as the 9-2 favorite in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.View the full article

With 11 weeks left to the GI Kentucky Derby, 'All Others' maintains a firm grip on favoritism in the future pool wagering as Paladin (Gun Runner) scooped up second-choice honors at 9-1 odds at the conclusion of Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW). The Gun Runner colt rose to the top of the named heap after a game victory in last Saturday's GII Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. The odds shifted on several contenders and the betting public displayed interest in a number of rising sophomores, including GIII Holy Bull Stakes victor Nearly (Not This Time), third in the wagering at 10-1, and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Canaletto (Into Mischief), whose dazzling debut made him the 15-1 fourth choice in this round of wagers. From prior Derby preps, Sam F. Davis winner Renegade (Into Mischief) pulled 16-1 and Silent Tactic (Tacitus), winner of the GIII Southwest Stakes, enjoyed 19-1 odds. Total handle for the Feb. 13-15 KDFW pool–the fourth of six scheduled wagering pools in advance of the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby Saturday, May 2–was $420,519 ($330,926 in the Win pool and $89,593 in Exactas). It was a 1.9% increase from last year's $412,766 ($319,881 in the Win pool and $92,885 in Exactas). Through the first four pools, a total of $1,277,506 has been bet on Derby future wagers, a 1.9% jump from last year's $1,253,931. Other Future Wager dates are set for Mar. 13-15 (Pool 5) and Apr. 2-4 (Pool 6). Pool 5 also will include the Longines Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. Horses Listed in order of the public's betting choice (with trainer, sire, Pool 4 odds, and $2 Win Will Pays): All Other 3-Year-Olds (9-2, $11.30) Paladin (Chad Brown, Gun Runner, 9-1, $20.80) Nearly (Todd Pletcher, Not This Time, 10-1, $22.76) Canaletto (Chad Brown, Into Mischief, 15-1, $32.86) Renegade (Todd Pletcher, Into Mischief, 16-1, $35.08) Silent Tactic (Mark Casse, Tacitus, 19-1, $40.02) Chief Wallabee (Bill Mott, Constitution, 21-1, $45.98) Commandment (Brad Cox, Into Mischief, 23-1, $49.18) Further Ado (Brad Cox, Gun Runner, 24-1, $50.74) Brant (Bob Baffert, Gun Runner, 26-1, $55.72) Plutarch (Bob Baffert, Into Mischief, 27-1, $56.64) Napoleon Solo (Chad Summers, Liam's Map, 30-1, $62.10) Blackout Time (Kenny McPeek, Not This Time, 32-1, $66.16) Golden Tempo (Cherie DeVaux, Curlin, 32-1, $67.20) Boyd (Bob Baffert, Violence, 34-1, $71.54) Englishman (Cherie DeVaux, Maxfield, 37-1, $77.14) Litmus Test (Bob Baffert, Nyquist, 38-1, $78.38) Talk to Me Jimmy (Rudy Rodriguez, Modernist, 42-1, $86.34) Emerging Market (Chad Brown, Candy Ride-ARG, 42-1, $87.78) Potente (Bob Baffert, Into Mischief, 44-1, $90.34) Jackson Hole (Todd Pletcher, Nyquist, 45-1, $93.68) So Happy (Mark Glatt, Runhappy, 53-1, $108.90) Courting (Todd Pletcher, Curlin, 54-1, $110.58) Bravaro (Saffie Joseph Jr., Upstart, 60-1, $123.42) Secured Freedom (Tim Yakteen, Practical Joke, 61-1, $124.36) Ewing (Mark Casse, Knicks Go, 62-1, $127.90) Chip Honcho (Steve Asmussen, Connect, 65-1, $133.20) Powershift (Todd Pletcher, Constitution, 69-1, $141.66) Six Speed (Bhupat Seemar, Not This Time, 73-1, $148.80) Class President (Todd Pletcher, Uncle Mo, 75-1, $152.48) Pyromancer (Jpn) (Kenji Yoshimura, Pyro, 77-1, $157.70) Intrepido (Jeff Mullins, Maximus Mischief, 82-1, $167.76) Solitude Dude (Saffie Joseph Jr., Yaupon, 83-1, $168.66) Iron Honor (Chad Brown, Nyquist, 122-1, $247.62) The Puma (Gustavo Delgado, Essential Quality, 123-1, $248.12) Soldier N Diplomat (Steve Asmussen, Army Mule, 129-1, $260.84) My World (Brad Cox, Essential Quality, 207-1, $416.26) Carson Street (Brendan Walsh, Street Sense, 307-1, $616.26) Mesquite (Cherie DeVaux, Union Rags, Wagering Suspended) Thunderously (Bill Mott, Gun Runner, Wagering Suspended) The post ‘All Others’ Remains Favorite in Kentucky Derby Future Pool, Paladin 8-1 After Pool Four Conclusion appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The lion's share of the wagering money fell squarely on Express Kid (Bodexpress), the last-out Springboard Mile winner at Remington and subsequent $800,000 Fasig-Tipton Digital January purchase. However, it was the Reddam Racing homebred Pavlovian (Pavel) who put his head down at precisely the right moment to give trainer Chief Stipe O'Neill his third victory in the 8 1/2-furlong Kentucky Derby points earning race. With the victory, the California-bred colt earned 20 points toward the first Saturday in May, while Express Kid garnered10 points for his second-place effort. Sent screaming to the front right by Justin Evans, even-money choice Express Kid set the tempo, leading 5-1 chance Pavlovian, who was getting blinkers on for the first time, and Bricklin (Nyquist) through opening fractions of :22.07 and :46.40. With the positions of the front-running trio remaining up to the home turn, the favorite continued to fight and inched clear momentarily, however, Pavlovian wasn't about to give up and fought back late, getting up just in time to get a nostril down on the wire. The top two finishers both have 20 points in the run-up to the Kentucky Derby. Pavlovian graduated at second asking in a 5-furlong state-bred test at Santa Anita last June before finishing runner-up behind Desert Gate in the GIII Best Pal Sakes at Del Mar. Off-the-board in the I'm Smokin Stakes against Cal-breds in September, the grey was an improved second when returning to optional claiming company at Santa Anita in October. After losing his rider in Del Mar's Gold State Juvenile on Halloween, the colt came home fourth while stretching to a mile for the King Glorious Stakes at Los Alamitos on Dec. 14. In his latest trip to post, the colt closed to be third in the 8 1/2-furlong Cal Cup Derby at Santa Anita on Jan. 17. Pavlovian is a son of Pavel, raced by Paul Reddam and also trained by O'Neill, out of Mandy's Grace, a daughter of MGSW Magicalmysterycat (Storm Cat) who was also campaigned by the winning combo. The post Reddam Racing’s Pavlovian Gets the Nod in the Sunland Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After his mount fell at the eighth pole in the ninth race at Gulfstream Park Sunday, jockey Mario Gutierrez was taken to Aventura Hospital for further evaluation, the track announced via press release. Aboard Souper Dormy (Into Mischief) for the turf-mile claimer, Gutierrez was thrown from his mount when the gelding went wrong at the eighth pole after taking the lead. Unable to avoid the stricken horse, Lights of Broadway (City of Light) fell over him and threw Tyler Gaffalione to the course. According to the chart notes, the latter runner got to his feet and was walked off, but the former could not be saved, and was euthanized. After being attended to on the course, Gutierrez was transported to the hospital with complaints of a sore hip and Gaffalione returned to the jockey's room without apparent need for medical attention. The post Mario Gutierrez Taken to Hospital for Further Evaluation After Fall at Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A long and successful Waikato breeding partnership was to the fore again at Matamata on Saturday where My Lips Are Sealed doubled her stakes tally. The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained mare made all the running in the hands of Rory Hutchings for a comfortable resuming victory in the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m). My Lips Are Sealed was bred by Rich Hill Stud, who stand her sire Ace High, and Scott Williams’ Bloodstock Resources, and was sold through the former’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale to Te Akau’s David Ellis for $160,000. “She was the highest priced yearling at Karaka from Ace High’s first crop,” Rich Hill’s John Thompson said. She has now won on five occasions, including last season’s Gr.3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) ahead of a third placing in the 2025 Lisa Chittick. Rich Hill and Williams joined forces in 1998 to purchase My Lips Are Sealed’s dam What Can I Say in a private deal. The daughter of Khozaam was secured after producing two foals in Australia, including four-time Group winner and multiple Group One placegetter Only Words. “We bought the mare a long time ago, Bob Vance trained her and she was a great wet tracker,” Thompson said. “She went to Sydney one year and won the Warwick Stakes (Gr.2, 1400m) with Tie The Knot and Might And Power in the field.” What Can I Say was in foal to Rock Of Gibraltar at the time of her purchase and the resulting filly Gibraltar Campion was sold at Karaka for $500,000 and subsequently won two stakes races. “We also sold a Zabeel filly out of What Can I Say for $500,000 at Sydney Easter and then she had six colts in a row,” Thompson said. Her final foal by Tavistock was My Lips Are Sealed’s dam Tellmeaboutit, who was retained and wasn’t persevered with as a racing proposition after jarring up. Tellmeaboutit’s daughter of Satono Aladdin was passed in at Karaka last month and will be raced by Rich Hill and Williams. “She’s got another really nice Satono Aladdin filly at foot and is back in foal to Ace High,” Thompson said. Williams also bred from Tellmeaboutit’s half-sister You Can’t Say That, a daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus. She produced his outstanding Group-winning sprinter Babylon Berlin, who was sold at the end of her decorated racing career for A$850,000 at the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale. “Sean Buckley (Ultra Thoroughbreds) bought her and she’s here on the farm and in foal to Satono Aladdin,” Thompson said. View the full article

Jill Baffert's Bottle of Rouge (f, 3, Vino Rosso–Blues Corner, by Bluegrass Cat), the 2-5 favorite, survived a steward's inquiry to secure 20 qualifying points to the GI Kentucky Oaks with her victory in the Sunland Park Oaks Sunday evening in New Mexico. Winner of last year's GI Del Mar Debutante, Bouttle of Rouge was making her first start since finishing sixth in the Oct. 31 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar. The gray filly stalked the pace three wide through fractions of :23.85 and :46.80 and moved up to take the lead into the stretch. She drifted out at the eighth pole and looked to brush with Pashmina (Constitution) before being straightened out by Juan Hernandez and pulling away to the wire. Touch of Magic (Into Mischief) was second and Pashmina third. The time for the mile was 1:35.82. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0. O-J Natalie Baffert. B-Kathie Maybee. T-Bob Baffert. The post Vino Rosso’s Bottle of Rouge Takes Down Sunland Park Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Grade 1 winner Baeza and San Pasqual Stakes (G2) winner Westwood each worked for trainer Peter Eurton Feb. 15 at Santa Anita Park. Both owned by C R K Stable, the pair were transferred to Eurton following the Feb. 12 death of John Shirreffs.View the full article

Grade I winner Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map) continued preparations for his next Kentucky Derby qualifier with a strong work at Palm Meadows last Friday, but the question remains as to which race the grey will be pointed for at the end of the month. Cruising through five panels in 1:01.45, marking it the fastest work of five at the distance, the colt worked in company with Saffie Joseph Jr. trained Ruleroftheuniverse (Sharp Azteca). The latter posted 1:02.15 for the trip. “I couldn't be happier with how he's coming along,” trainer Chad Summers said of owner Gold Square's GI Champagne hero. “When we decided not to go to the Breeders' Cup and put this plan together, you need everything to go perfect–so far, everything is on track. He's scheduled to run on February 28, and he'll make one more start after that.” The races in contention are both 50-point Derby preps–the GIII Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct or Gulfstream Park's GII Fountain of Youth Stakes. Napoleon Solo claims 10 points already with his victory in Saratoga last October. Summers says there's a lot to consider before they pull the trigger on a final target. “Both the Gotham and Fountain of Youth are on the radar. We'll keep an eye on the weather in New York. The Gotham makes sense as he's had success over the track, it's a one-turn mile and possibly easier competition off the freshening, but it's also a 26-hour van ride.” Summers continued, “He's flourishing at Palm Meadows. He loves his round pen before he trains, it takes a little bit of the steam out of him before he goes to the track because he's not an easy actor [out there].” “Do I take him out of his rhythm? I don't know. If you run in the Fountain of Youth, all the options remain on the table for the next race. If you run in the Gotham, you miss a few days shipping out there and those March 28 races [GI Arkansas Derby and GI Florida Derby] go away and you're looking at the April 4 races [GI Blue Grass and GII Wood Memorial]. It's something [owner] Al [Gold] and I go back and forth on about seven times a day. Hopefully, we'll make a decision here in the next few days.” The post Napoleon Solo Continues Preparations, Next Target Still a Question Mark appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

My Fortune (Appel Au Maitre) was crowned Denmark's Horse of the Year at Saturday's Hestesportens Galla in Aarhus as Stutteri Hjortebo dominated proceedings. The Jutland stud, which was named Breeder of the Year, bred all three of the gala's equine winners, namely Two-Year-Old of the Year Cosmopolitan (Make Believe), Three-Year-Old of the Year No Surrender (Giant Sandman) and the aforementioned My Fortune, who also took the title for Older Horse of the Year. Elsewhere, Bent Olsen, who trains No Surrender, was named Trainer of the Year, while Nicolaj Stott saw off Oliver Wilson to be crowned Jockey of the Year. The full list of winners is as follows: Horse of the Year: My Fortune (by Appel Au Maitre) Two-Year-Old of the Year: Cosmopolitan (Make Believe) Three-Year-Old of the Year: No Surrender (Giant Sandman) Older Horse of the Year: My Fortune (Appel Au Maitre) Breeder of the Year: Stutteri Hjortebo Trainer of the Year: Bent Olsen Amateur Trainer of the Year: Sarah Langholm Hornstrup Jockey of the Year: Nicolaj Stot Amateur and Apprentice Jockey of the Year: Evelina Rönnlund 'Comet' of the Year: Stine Schäfing Stable Staff Worker of the Year: Lise Vest The post My Fortune Crowned Denmark’s Horse of the Year at Hestesportens Galla appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article