Wandering Eyes

It may not have been on the horse she crossed the Tasman for, but premiership-winning Queensland hoop Angela Jones got her Group victory at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. The 24-year-old jockey had accepted the invitation of Wexford Stables to partner Smart Love in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m), and while she was unplaced on the mare, she was victorious for the stable on the undercard aboard Up The Anti in the Horizon By SkyCity 1600. When fellow Matamata trainers Peter and Shaun McKay heard Jones was coming to New Zealand, they were eager to book her services for their mare Santa Catalina (NZ) (Puccini) in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m), and it proved a winning decision. Backing up a week after running fifth in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers’ Championship Final (2400m) at Ellerslie, Santa Catalina jumped away well, but lacked the early speed for Jones to punch forward with the mare. Unable to cross, Jones was forced to settle her mare three-wide with cover behind Canheroc (NZ) (El Roca). Jones kept a cool head and bided her time on the daughter of Puccini before presenting her wide at the turn where she was able to make steady inroads into the frontrunners lead and closed late to score a three quarter of a length victory over Trust In You. Jones was pleased to get the win but admitted she thought they were in trouble early on. “I thought I didn’t give her the best of rides in the early stages,” Jones said. “She had jumped well and they said if she jumps well they wanted her to be thereabouts. She jumped well but we didn’t really have enough speed to get us out of trouble. “I was pretty happy when I looked up and I had cover at least, and she settled beautifully. They have done a beautiful job of presenting her and she really gets this trip well because you put her in a spot and she settles so well. I would never say she felt like the winner, but she was there when I needed her. “I knew she had a bit of a tough run, so I didn’t want to ask her to go too early. I was thankful for a bit of cover into the straight. I was grateful it was starting to play a little bit better down the outside and I think we needed all the help we could get and she showed that she is very tough.” Shaun McKay was rapt with the win, which has given the stable the confidence to press on towards the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham later this month with their mare. “We knew she pulled up really well (from Ellerslie on Boxing Day) so we didn’t worry about the back-up and it was a good win,” he said. “Winning any race at Ellerslie is superb and winning a Group race is even better. “We would love to aim for a Wellington Cup and see how she goes. She is a good stayer in the making. I would say she will have another start (before the Wellington Cup), but we will just see how she pulls up and go from there.” Bred by Mapperley Stud principal Simms Davision, Santa Catalina is raced by the Matamata horseman in partnership with Peter and Kim McKay, for whom she has won four of her 20 starts to date and earned more than $270,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Promising staying filly Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) chose the best possible moment to break her maiden status when she powered home to take out the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie. The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-prepared daughter of Waikato Stud stallion Ocean Park had caught the eye when powering home late to finish second over 1600m at Te Rapa a fortnight ago and was one of the most discussed candidates in the lead-up to the traditional New Year’s Day age-group feature. Team Wexford entrusted the in-form Joe Doyle with the ride and he rewarded that faith with a gem as he allowed his mount plenty of time to find her feet in a strung-out field headed up by pacemakers Origin Of Love (Snitzel) and Singe (NZ) (U S Navy Flag). Ohope Wins began to creep into the race approaching the home bend with Doyle taking her to the outside of the track where she began to go through her gears. Several huge bounds took her to the lead at the 100m and she simply ran away to score by more than a length from the gallant Origin Of Love and her fast-finishing stablemate Born To Be Royal (King’s Legacy). Doyle was suitably impressed by the performance from a filly who has plenty ahead of her. “She is special as we were a long way back and had a lot of ground to make up,” Doyle said. “She is really laid back and when I started to give her a hard squeeze she came up underneath me and has won quite cosily in the end. “I just think she has Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m) written all over her as she will be majorly competitive.” O’Sullivan shares that opinion of the filly, who is nominated for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) which will be run at Ellerslie this year on 21 February. “Andrew and I have always believed in this filly and that was why we were lining her up today in a Group Two as a maiden,” he said. “Hopefully she will be running in the Oaks or the Derby, or races like that in the future. “The best way to describe her is that she is a pet. She has a temperament where she doesn’t waiver with anything and that will hold her in good stead moving forward. “We won’t make any plans today but come Monday morning Andrew and I will work out a programme for her. “We had said to Joe to just ride her as you find her as with races like these you know half of the field are not going to stay as they are having their first crack at the distance. “We were hoping he could come to the outside and get some clear air and he summed it up nicely, it was a great ride. “We have always thought she was a stayer from day dot and nothing has changed that opinion.” Bred and raced by Bill Gartshore and his family under their Gartshore Bloodstock banner, Ohope Wins is out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Choux Mania (NZ) who is a half-sister to the 2010-2011 Horse of the Year Jimmy Choux, who won five Group One races including the 2011 Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) before carving out a successful breeding at Rich Hill Stud. View the full article

Te Akau Racing have made the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) their own in the last few years, and they look to have another strong contender for this year’s edition following the running of the Gr.2 SkyCity Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. The juvenile feature was taken out by their exciting colt Kinnaird (Home Affairs), who doubled his win tally after scoring on debut over 1100m at Otaki in November. From their wide draw, jockey Opie Bosson took the Home Affairs colt back to settle off the pace in the running line, but soon found themselves on the rail as a gap opened through a weakening Uninvited. While looking for a run out wide down the home straight, Bosson elected to keep to the rail where Kinnaird showed a good turn of foot to run down Harvey Wallbanger (Home Addairs) and score by just over a length. “I wanted to come out, but he was a bit horse shy of the horse outside of me, so he gave me no choice but to come back in,” Bosson said. “Once he balanced up, he has got a good finish on him. As soon as I asked the question he really knuckled down and wanted to win, which is what you need in a colt going into a Karaka Million.” Bosson knows what it takes to win a Karaka Millions 2YO, having ridden five Te Akau-trained juveniles to win the rich feature, and he believes Kinnaird has the ability to make it six. “He has got a lot of upside about him,” Bosson said. “He is still learning and we have still got the option of putting the blinkers on too.” Mark Walker, who trains Kinnaird in partnership with Sam Bergerson, was full of praise for Bosson’s ride, believing it proved the difference on the green colt. “It was an Opie of old ride, that was a brilliant ride,” Walker said. “He is still new, he is still green, he did a lot wrong, but the experience and the class of Opie got him through.” Te Akau have won eight of the last nine editions of the Karaka Millions 2YO, with Walker winning the race with Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdain) (2023) and La Dorada (NZ) (Super) (2025), the last in partnership with Bergerson, and he is looking forward to Kinnaird contesting the race later this month. “We are on the right track. It was a nice win,” he said. “He will go straight in (to the Karaka Millions).” Kinnaird was purchased out of Highview’s 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis for $340,000. He has won both of his starts to date and amassed just shy of $130,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Manny Franco paced all riders to secure top honors as the leading jockey at the New York Racing Association with 206 wins across the circuit's six race meets in 2025. Linda Rice was the top trainer and owner.View the full article

Despite a few downgrades due to weather and a cancellation here and there, the U.S. and Canada still combined to run 446 graded races in 2025. What stands out after another full year of North American graded racing is in the books? All 98 scheduled Grade I races were run, with just three horses scoring a trio of successes at the elite level: Journalism, Sovereignty, and Ted Noffey. Another nine horses doubled up with two Grade I wins on the year. In addition to the 98 Grade I events, there were 136 North American Grade II races and 212 Grade III races. Sovereignty and Nitrogen tied for the most graded wins in 2025 with five. Hot on their heels were Bishops Bay, Fionn, Journalism, and Thorpedo Anna, who each had four graded wins. One sire notched five individual Grade I winners in North America in 2025: Into Mischief. Gun Runner, Not This Time, and Nyquist were right on his heels with four individual GISWs, while Dubawi (Ire), Liam's Map, Medaglia d'Oro, Ten Sovereigns (Ire), and Twirling Candy each had three. Another nine sires scored with two coveted Grade I winners apiece. Into Mischief also led the individual graded stakes winner tally with 17 on the year in North America, while Not This Time (15), Gun Runner (14), and Nyquist (11) also breached double digits. 24 of North America's graded races were won by runners out of Bernardini mares, making the late stallion far and away the leading broodmare sire by graded wins in 2025. Uncle Mo had 17 graded wins as a damsire, while Street Sense and Tapit each ended the year with 16. In the Grade I category, Bernardini, Distorted Humor, and Uncle Mo tied with six Grade I wins apiece, but it was Distorted Humor in front with five individual GISWs while Bernardini and Uncle Mo had three each. 58 of the Grade I races were contested on dirt, with the remaining 40 on grass. Overall, 224 of the 446 graded races ran on the main track, with another 195 on the lawn and 27 on all-weather surfaces. 37 of the 98 Grade I races were won by homebreds, whether raced by their breeders outright or with additional partners. At least 142 of the 446 graded races in 2025–or nearly a third–were won by homebreds. Godolphin bred four individual Grade I winners in North America, Juddmonte bred three, and Don Alberto Corporation and Spendthrift Farm each bred two. While a number of programs bred multiple graded winners, one stands especially tall: Godolphin bred the winners of 25 North American graded races in 2025. Those represented 15 individual graded winners, 12 of which were campaigned as homebreds when they visited the graded winner's circle in 2025. 231 of the 446 graded races were won by graduates of Fasig-Tipton, Keeneland, or OBS. The priciest were Barnes ($3,200,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG), Brant ($3,000,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR), and Lush Lips (GB) ($3,700,000 3yo '25 KEENOV). On the flip side, Argos, Chunk of Gold, Nobals, Regaled, Sultana, The Queens M G, and White Abarrio all sold for $10,000 or less at domestic sales. There's a three-way tie for most Grade I wins among trainers. Bob Baffert, Chad Brown, and Todd Pletcher each won 10 in 2025. Baffert (35), Brown (28), and Brad Cox (26) led the year by graded wins. Fun facts: Not This Time sired the trifecta in the GII Jessamine Stakes on opening day of Keeneland's fall meet and the superfecta in the GIII Bryan Station Stakes on closing day of the same meet… The First Defence mare Antonoe produced two new Grade I winners in 24 hours at the end of November when Salamis won the Hollywood Derby and Segesta won the Matriarch Stakes; both race as homebreds for Juddmonte… Four specific crosses resulted in two 2025 Grade I winners each: Gun Runner over Malibu Moon, Into Mischief over Distorted Humor, and Liam's Map over Scat Daddy. The post 446 Graded Races in 2025: What Did We Learn? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Junior driver Kate Coppins finds herself in an unusual position at the Wairarapa Harness Racing Club’s short and sharp dual code meeting at Tauherenikau on Friday. All four of her drives on the four-race programme are on heavily-favoured runners for Michael House. “I am very excited for it,” she says, “Micky always has all his horses on point.” Her drives will be Koko Kaboom (R1), Big Gee (R2), Million Dollar Chic (R3) and Goorambat Art (R4). Both Koko Kaboom and Million Dollar Chic back up after unplaced efforts at Alexandra Park on New Year’s Eve. “Koko Kaboom, I’ve had a good combination with him, and had a win and third with him, he’s a lovely horse.” “The 50 metre mark is a bit of a push over 2000 but if I step and get handy he’ll be there at the finish.” Million Dollar Chic is the shortest priced favourite of her four drives at $1.85. “Going onto the grass will be a big help and she’s racing pretty consistently.” Big Gee is a newcomer to the House stable, with a career record of no placings from 12 starts but Coppins is confident he can turn that around. “I’ve watched some of his videos and he has ability and some potential.” Her final drive will be Goorambat Art, who’s drawn one the second row. “He’s a good boy, he’s been racing very consistent.” In 2025 Coppins had four of her 19 wins for the House stable. She has 22 wins overall. She started driving for the stable after first getting to know the Houses through Kidz Kartz. “Wilson and I represented New Zealand in Australia,” Coppins says. And Coppins was delighted to see Wilson cap off a brilliant 2025 by winning the Junior Drivers premiership for the first time. “I was bloody happy for him – he’s a great guy.” While Coppins is driving at Tauherenikau, Wilson House will have six drives at Friday’s Central Otago Trotting Club’s meeting at Omakau. Employed full-time at Arna Donnelly’s Cambridge stables Coppins has a target for 2026. “I’d like to get to 50 career wins by the end of the year.” Judging from her book of drives on Friday she could get off to a cracking start. To see the Tauherenikau fields click here View the full article

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) wrapped up Aqueduct's fall meet Wednesday with Flavien Prat taking the leading rider title and Linda Rice taking the leading trainer honors. Prat's 46 wins included nine stakes victories and five graded victories. His record for the fall stands at 136-46-21-15, earnings of $3,247,016, and a win percentage of 33.82%. Manny Franco was second with 33 wins, while Kendrick Carmouche was third with 25 victories. Rice notched her fourth consecutive Aqueduct fall meet training title with 31 wins and an overall record of 139-31-24-23. Her win rate was 22.30%, while her earnings stand at $1,788,075. Chad Brown was second with 19 wins and Tom Morley was third with 10 wins. It was a 31st owners' title on the NYRA circuit for Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables, with 10 fall meet wins that included six stakes scores. Klaravich Stables completed the meet with a 20-10-2-2 record and $877,183 in earnings. Rice finished second with nine wins and Tristar Farm finished third with eight wins. In addition, rider Manny Franco secured top honors as NYRA's leading jockey of 2025 with 206 wins across the circuit's six race meets. Franco won his fourth year-end title at NYRA following victories in 2018, 2019, and 2023. Franco won this year's Aqueduct winter title and Belmont at the Big A fall title, as well as 19 stakes at NYRA tracks in 2025, including with Test Score (Lookin At Lucky) in the GI Belmont Derby. “It's amazing,” Franco said. “First of all, I want to say thanks to God for letting me do what I love. I'm just happy to get the opportunity from all the owners and trainers in New York. My agent, John Panagot, has been doing a tremendous job and I'm happy to be the leading rider for the fourth time in New York. It's not easy, but it's not impossible either. You've got to work hard and that's what I've been doing since I came here. You never take anything for granted.” Franco's NYRA stats for 2025 are 1,164-206-205-195 with earnings of $15,851,470 and a win rate of 17.70%. Kendrick Carmouche was second with 178 wins and Flavien Prat was third with 168 wins. Trainer Linda Rice, who established a single-season NYRA record of 165 training wins earlier in December, finished the year with 172 victories. Rice captured three meet training titles this year at Aqueduct: winter [51 wins], spring [15 wins] and fall [31 wins]. Rice finished the year with NYRA stats of 808-172-139-120. Her purse earnings reached $9,561,873 and her win rate was 21.29%. Chad Brown was second with 127 wins, while Todd Pletcher was third with 78 wins. “2025 has been a great year overall,” said Rice. “The team has really performed and have been putting in the hours, energy, and expertise. My clients have given me the opportunity to go different directions and that allows you to have success when they give you that latitude to make sometimes difficult decisions.” Rice also clinched the NYRA year-end owners' title with a total of 61 wins and three meet owners' titles: Aqueduct winter [22 wins], Aqueduct spring [six wins], and Belmont at the Big A fall [10 wins, tie]. As an owner, Rice completed the year with a 273-61-45-39 record and $2,833,134 in total purse earnings. Klaravich Stables finished second with 46 wins; Michael Dubb was third with 38 wins. Live racing resumes Thursday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card for opening day of the winter meet. First post is 12:40 p.m. ET. The post Aqueduct Fall Meet Wraps with Honors for Prat and Rice, Franco and Rice Secure Year-End NYRA Titles appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Friday, Meydan, Dubai, post time: 20:25, ZABEEL MILE SPONSORED BY PHI ADVERTISING-G2, AED850,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 1600mT Field: Quddwah (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Holloway Boy (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Keffaaf (GB) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), Chicago Critic (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Asad Zabeel (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Vafortino (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Andrease Vesalius (Ire) (Caravaggio), Western Writer (Ire) (Shamardal). TDN Analysis: If Aomori City prevails in the Zabeel Mile, he would be the seventh winner for trainer Charlie Appleby. The gelding faces G1 Lockinge Stakes hero Audience, as well as Group 2 winner Quddwah. Friday, Meydan, Dubai, post time: 19:50, DUBAWI STAKES SPONSORED BY FRANCE GALOP-G3, AED700,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 1200m Field: Dark Saffron (Flameaway), Mufasa (Chi) (Practical Joke), El Nasseeb (GB) (Profitable {Ire}), Drew's Gold (Violence), Colour Up (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Apollo One (GB) (Equiano {Fr}), Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}). TDN Analysis: A quartet of runners faced off in the Listed Al Garhoud Sprint in December, with El Nasseeb beating Colour Up, Mufasa and Group 1 hero Dark Saffron. All four are back again, and this time, El Nasseeb isn't guaranteed a pace meltdown sustained by the vanquished trio last year. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Audience And Dark Saffron Test 2026 Credentials At Meydan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jes Sikura, son of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa president John Sikura, will be the new Director of Bloodstock at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, according to a Wednesday afternoon release from the Central Kentucky farm. The younger Sikura has spent the last two years working in the farm's bloodstock division while attending college. He recently graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in marketing. “Jes has demonstrated a great passion and acuity for the business,” said John Sikura. “He loves the farm and working with clients to serve their goals. This appointment is strictly about my belief in his integrity, ability, and commitment and has nothing to do with him being a 'Sikura'. It is rewarding to think that Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa can be a generational business fostered by such passion and love of place. We have a great tradition here of having exceptionally talented and committed people who have meant so much to our success. I expect Jes to do the same.” Jes Sikura added: “I am extremely excited to officially join the team at Hill 'n' Dale. I feel ready to join at a time of tremendous opportunity. We have a lot to look forward to in the immediate future, from launching and managing the careers of several of our important young stallions to building on the momentum of a monumental year in 2025 which saw Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency top both Keeneland September and the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. In addition, Hill 'n' Dale acquired an ownership interest in Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna, who has joined our elite broodmare band. I will be enthusiastically working towards the bright future we have here.” The post Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa Welcomes Jes Sikura as Director of Bloodstock appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA)-related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU)'s “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Among this week's rulings, trainer Carlos Acosta, Jr. has been banned a combined four years and fined a combined $25,000 after out-of-competition hair and blood samples taken in April from his trainees, Storm Leader and Tucum, tested positive for Albuterol, a banned bronchodilator. At the time of the required testing, both horses were stabled at a private farm near Albuquerque, New Mexico. Acosta reportedly refused to allow HIWU personnel access to the private farm and instead took the horses to Albuquerque Downs Racetrack for testing. According to a final decision signed by case arbitrator Barbara Reeves, Karina Gonzalez, the owner of Storm Leader and Tucum, initially explained that their regular licensed veterinarian, Lane Dixon, had examined the horses and prescribed Albuterol to be administered via an inhaler, due to the horses suffering exercised-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. Though classed a banned substance, Albuterol is permitted only if it was given as an inhaled bronchodilator, and only if it was also prescribed by a licensed veterinarian in the context of a valid veterinarian-patient-client relationship, according to HISA rules. Furthermore, HISA requires anyone who medically treats a “Covered Horse” to report every treatment to the HISA portal within 24 hours. According to the final ruling, there are no Albuterol treatments reported in the HISA portal for Storm Leader and Tucum. During the adjudication process, Acosta forwarded to HIWU a single email, purportedly from Dixon, to say that he had been prescribed Albuterol due to exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, the final decision states. Gonzalez also testified that she paid Dixon in cash for his services. Acosta, however, did not call or subpoena Dixon to testify at the hearing, “nor did he produce or subpoena veterinary records from Dr. Dixon,” the final decision states. Furthermore, after being told that authentic medical records would need to be produced to be part of a valid case, Gonzalez reportedly changed her argument to claim her horses had been intentionally contaminated, according to the final decision. Acosta's four-year ban started on Dec. 29. According to Equibase, he has trained on and off since 2013. He has 62 career wins to his name from 439 starts. Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 12/30/2025 Licensee: Nick Canani, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Betamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Bloodline, who finished sixth at Churchill Downs on 11/6/25. Dates: 12/30/2025 Licensee: Jamie Ness, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on December 31, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Mepivacaine–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Uncle Irish, who finished second at Laurel Park on 9/13/25. Dates: 12/29/2025 Licensee: Carlos Acosta, Jr., trainer Penalty: Combined 4-year period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on December 29, 2025; a fine of $25,000. Final decision of arbitral body. Explainer: Out-of-competition medication violations for the presence of Albuterol–a banned bronchodilator–in samples taken from Storm Leader on 4/22/25; and from Tucum on 4/22/25. Pending ADMC Violations 12/30/2025, Carlos Rafael Figueroa, Jr., trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Foxy Cara, who finished second at Finger Lakes on 11/19/25. 12/30/2025, Jeremiah Englehart, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Oxymorphone–a banned substance–in a sample taken from Neigh Baby, who finished second at Belmont at the Big A on 10/9/25. 12/29/2025, George Lopez, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole and Methocarbamol–both class C controlled substances–in a sample taken from Tiz Lissett on 11/26/25. 12/29/2025, Kieron Magee, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Neolithica, who won at Laurel Park on 10/11/25. The post National Rulings December 27 – 31, Carlos Acosta Banned 4 Years appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Horse Racing Alberta has approved the 2026 budget, reflecting a disciplined approach in response to current economic conditions while maintaining strong support for the province's racing and breeding industries.View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk The New Year will also see a new driver step out for the first time. Josh Lane will make his race day debut with two drives at Rangiora’s 11 race meeting which starts at 12.25pm. “It’s been a goal for a long time, ” he says. The 31-year-old, who works for Robbie Holmes at his Balcairn barn in North Canterbury, will take the reins behind Inquizitive Man for trainer David McKenzie in Race 4, the Jack Behrns Memorial Trot (1.50pm) and then MM Sunshine (30m) for Holmes in Race 10, the Thank You North Canterbury Trotting Club Handicap Trot. Both are at double figure odds with Inquizitive Man at $71, and MM Sunshine at $19. Lane is originally from Whanganui and has been a successful greyhound trainer. But harness racing has always been a big interest. He co-owned Motu Great Sensation who had five wins for him and trainer-driver Brent Borcoskie. “That was about eight-nine years ago and I drove her every day I could.” Driving on race day then became a goal. In preparation for today Lane has had “about 30 trial drives”. He won one with the Holmes-trained Spirit Of Atlanta. “I’m just excited to get out there, I just want to enjoy the occasion.” He is realistic about his chances and knows it will be a learning experience. “In Sunshine’s races there are 15 or 16 horses, she’s off 30 metres as the highest-rated horse and I’ve never raced in a field that big.” She has had 10 wins in her 100 starts. So is this the start of something? “I guess I’ll know pretty soon if I’m good at this or not,” he laughs. View the full article

Sent off the 3-2 second choice in this second career start at Aqueduct, Ottinho (Quality Road), a half-brother to Horse of the Year and leading sire Gun Runner, broke sharply and cut out early splits of :24.02 and :49.79. Pressured by longshot Grey Bull (Essential Quality) through most of the early going, the homebred colt dispensed of the rival turning home, while his more fancied stablemate Hadrian's Wall (Curlin) mounted his challenge on the outside. Battling with the $1.3 million Keeneland September yearling purchase late, Ottinho lost the lead for a moment, however, proved gutsiest late, eking out a head score. GSW Quiet Giant is also responsible for GSW Pretty Ana (Quality Road). 5th-Aqueduct, $85,000, Msw, 12-31, 2yo, 1 1/8m, 1:54.07, ft, head. OTTINHO (c, 2, Quality Road–Quiet Giant {GSW, $405,389}, by Giant's Causeway) Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $56,950. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Three Chimneys Farm LLC (Goncalo B. Torrealba); B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. *1/2 to Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}), Horse Of The Year, Among The Leading Sires, Among The Leading Sires, Ch. Older Dirt Male, Among The Leading Sires, MGISW-USA, G1SP-UAE, $15,988,500; Full to Pretty Ana, GSW, $203,869. The post Gun Runner’s Half-Brother Ottinho Graduates at the Big A appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Two of the most prominent figures in Oaklawn history, executive Louis Cella and the late trainer D. Wayne Lukas, will be part of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame's 2026 class, the ASHOF's 68th overall. “How about that?” Cella said. “That was a little shot out of the dark that surprised me, but I was very honored. A little bit over my skis. But when you're in a category with D. Wayne Lukas, you have to check your pulse and see what the hell is going on.” Cella has been Oaklawn's president since December 2017, succeeding his father, Charles Cella, who died earlier that month. Under Louis Cella's leadership, Oaklawn has become a tourist, entertainment and racing destination after completing a reported $100 million expansion in 2021, highlighted by a 198-room luxury resort hotel that overlooks the track's first turn and 1,500-seat event center. Lukas was an industry giant. A 1999 inductee into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Lukas amassed 4,953 career Thoroughbred victories (the ninth-highest total in North American history), including 15 Triple Crown events. Lukas, a one-time basketball coach, was Oaklawn's leading trainer in 1987 and 2011 and is its eighth-winningest trainer in history with 384 victories, the last coming a little more than two months before his death June 28. He was 89. Oaklawn will honor Lukas' memory with Friday's inaugural $135,000 “The Coach” Overnight Stakes for 4-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. The ASHOF induction ceremony had been held at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Ark., before Oaklawn wrestled the event away in 2025. The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony is Apr. 10 in the Oaklawn Event Center. The post Cella, Lukas Selected to Arkansas Sports HOF appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and Gulfstream Park announced Dec. 31 a three-year agreement that, with each passing year, lowers the minimum number of required racing days at Gulfstream Park in South Florida.View the full article