Wandering Eyes

The 2026 February Digital Sale closed with gross sales of $5,881,500 for 189 horses sold and the topper was Neom Beach (Omaha Beach) who brought $300,000, the online auction said in a press release on Tuesday evening. The sale opened Thursday, Feb. 19 with offerings which included horses of racing age, racing/broodmare prospects, broodmares–including mares with foals at foot–stallion prospects, 'short' yearlings, and a 2-year-old in-training. Neom Beach (hip 1), a multiple stakes winner, went to Amy Moore of South Gate Farm. The $300,000 sales topper was consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Jeffrey Bloom, agent. A winner at 2, 3 and 4, the 5-year-old won last year's Ouija Board Distaff Stakes on dirt and the Wasted Tears Stakes on turf. The mare, who earned more than $745,000 on the racetrack, entered the sale off a three-length win versus allowance company in her last start. “Fasig-Tipton has mastered the art of blending their legacy bloodstock sales expertise with their proven innovative digital platform,” said Jeffrey Bloom. “Bringing buyers and sellers across the world together with such amazing efficiency opens up endless opportunities. I am a huge fan.” Rounding out the top five prices of the sale were: Miss Tapirado (hip 37), sold for $260,000 to Four Quarters Corp., NW Bloodstock, agent, from the consignment of Mill Ridge Sales, agent (Dispersal of Repossessed Horses). A winning daughter of Tapit, Miss Tapirado has produced a 2-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, which has not started, and has a yearling colt by Echo Town. She was offered not mated; Gun Party (hip 31), sold for $200,000 to KDE Equine from the consignment of Steve Asmussen, agent. Offered as a horse of racing age, the five-year-old son of Curlin out of GISW Carina Mia (Malibu Moon) recorded two 90+ Beyer speed figures last year at Churchill Downs and Saratoga. Gun Party has earned more than $315,000 to date; Misinformation (hip 36), sold for $180,000 to Lobo Farm from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for DJ Stable Graduate. A 3-year-old colt by Essential Quality, Misinformation was twice a winner last year at 2 and was just a nose shy of victory in allowance company at Oaklawn Feb. 7. He has been on the board in five of seven career starts with two wins and earnings of more than $120,000; Paynterbynumbers (hip 3), sold for $160,000 to Ken Copenhaver from the consignment of Mill Ridge Sales, agent (Dispersal of Repossessed Horses). A winning daughter of Paynter herself, her first foal is multiple stakes winning juvenile of last year Counting Stars (Honor A. P.), who is entered in this Sunday's GIII Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn. Paynterbynumbers has a yearling filly by Epicenter and was offered not mated. “We're absolutely thrilled with the results of this sale, which surpassed $5,800,000 in gross,” said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales. “Bidding was strong from start to finish, reflecting the depth and diversity of both our offerings and our buyer base. With more than 1,200 registered bidders and an 80% clearance rate, the market is clearly healthy and active–horses are getting sold. “We're especially encouraged to see new participants joining us each sale, and we're incredibly appreciative of the continued support from our buyers and sellers,” he said. “Also telling was that 85% of the horses that brought $100,000 or more were sold by traditional consignors, so it's exciting to see how comfortable they are selling high end stock on our digital platform.” Full results are available online. The next digital sale will be held Mar. 19-24. Entries close Mar. 9. The post Fasig-Tipton February Digital Sale Totals Over $5.8 Million In Sales appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Having claimed a first Group One victory for Cambridge Stud owners Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay with Jaarffi (NZ) (Iffraaj) at Ellerslie last Saturday, Lance Noble is hoping to add to that tally back at headquarters on Champions Day. Noble was familiar with Group One success from the early stages of his training career, initially in partnership with his mentor Jim Gibbs, then with fellow Gibbs protégé Roger James and most notably from his own stable with triple Group One-winning racemare Viadana (NZ) in 2013-14. In the decade since he was appointed private trainer for the Lindsays at their well-appointed Karaka property, further elite success had eluded Noble, albeit by narrow margins on a number of occasions. Jaarffi was one of those Group One placegetters, having gone down by a short head to Provence in last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at the inaugural Champions Day and second again behind Kingswood (Roaring Lion) in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. “Since the Zabeel Classic the plan was to target two more Group Ones, either go to Te Rapa for the Herbie Dyke Stakes or wait for the Ōtaki-Māori Classic and then to the Bonecrusher Stakes on Champions Day as her grand final,” Noble said. “In the end we decided on the two Ellerslie races as she does go well there, and it was great for Sir Brendan, Lady Jo and everyone to see her get up and win on Saturday. “She’s tough and not the easiest to deal with, but that tough streak stands to her on raceday, as we saw on Saturday after she’d had a pretty tough trip. “She’s come through it well and all going to plan she’ll be there next week for what might be her last start; after all she’s six years old and as a Group One winner she’ll be another valuable addition to the Cambridge Stud broodmare band.” At the other end of the spectrum, Noble is also looking forward to the Group One debut of talented two-year-old Liguria (NZ) (Snitzel) in the Sistema Stakes (1200m). The daughter of champion stallion Snitzel and the Noble-trained Vernazza (NZ), winner of the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and runner-up in the Sistema Stakes at her next start, displayed her share of family talent when winning the Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 31. That confirmed a tilt at the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes, but a heavy track deniedLiguriathe chance to emulate her dam in the biggest race on Noble’s former home track. “I was looking forward to heading back down to Matamata with what I considered a strong prospect for another Breeders’ Stakes, but it wasn’t to be,” Noble said. “The track was already heavy when we decided to leave her in, but later in the morning as we were heading out the gate, I got word that the track had a further downgrade. “I said to myself ‘this is crazy’, so I rang the stewards and pulled her out. It was the right decision, she went to the trials at Avondale last week and won really well. She’s all set, so here’s hoping for another big day.” In the meantime Noble will line up a lesser light in his select team at the closest racecourse to his Karaka base, Pukekohe Park, on Wednesday afternoon. Kakasisisi (NZ) (Yes Yes Yes), a three-year-old filly by Yes Yes Yes from the Frankel mare Kakariki (NZ), lines up in the fifth race on the twilight programme as what her trainer describes as a “top three” chance. “She went well enough for fourth in her first two starts but then got in a bit of trouble last time, but she’s been working well and I think she can get some of it,” Noble said. View the full article

Favorite Iron Honor is a major contender in the Gotham Stakes, contested as a one-turn mile at Aqueduct. Balboa is a live longshot. The winner will receive 50 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby starting gate.View the full article

Godolphin's undefeated Bella Ballerina leads a list of 89 3-year-old fillies nominated to the 152nd running of the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1), May 1 at Churchill Downs.View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a relative of Thunder Snow. 7.10 Kempton, Cond, 3yo, 8f (AWT) HIDDEN FORCE (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is the chosen one from Charlie Appleby's armada for this important “European Road To The Kentucky Derby” Conditions Stakes won in the last two years by the stable's future stars Notable Speech (Dubawi) and Opera Ballo (Ghaiyyath). Off the mark over seven furlongs here in December, Godolphin's son of a dual Group-placed half to the luminary Thunder Snow (Helmet) encounters three rivals including last year's G3 Prix de Cabourg winner Tadej (GB) (Ardad {Ire}). The post Appleby Puts Forward Hidden Force For Key Pointer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Tehama and Humboldt County Fairs have submitted summer race date applications to be considered at this Thursday's California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) meeting. Tehama's proposed fair racing meet would run from Apr. 29 to May 26. Humboldt's requested dates would go from Aug. 5 to Sept. 1. There remain, however, several outstanding financial, bureaucratic and logistical questions about the proposed race meets that need to be rectified and a tight timeline to rectify them (particularly for Tehama County), according to a racing board staff analysis. The race date applications follow on from January's CHRB meeting, when the board took issue with the race-date proposal (for 19 weeks of fair racing between three different fair tracks) put forth by the Bernal Park Racing Management Company (BPRMC) under owner-breeder George Schmitt. The CHRB tabled the proposal, arguing it violated multiple sections of the horse racing law and CHRB Rules. Instead, the board asked the three fairs involved in that request–including Alameda County Fair–to resubmit their race date requests independent of Bernal Park Racing. Tehama County's revised proposal outlines a $2.5 million line of credit “along with an account balance statement showing $500,000 in available funds to cover fair meet operations” provided by Bernal Park. The track hasn't conducted live fair racing in over 40 years. As such, it's in the process of making some major modifications to the facility to get it up to par with state and federal safety requirements. The track must pass an inspection before the next board meeting on Mar. 11. A safety steward visited the track on January 23 and noted at the time there remained “a large number of updates/improvements that need to be made to the track before it can pass an inspection.” Tehama also has a tight deadline of Mar. 2 to submit a complete license application. The draft application Tehama submitted to the CHRB on Feb. 4 was missing several key components including occupational licenses; letters adopting vet emergency procedures, inclement weather, and concussion management; along with an AmTote contract, and ADW agreements and approvals. The staff analysis also raises questions about the financial feasibility of the proposed meet under Bernal Park's role as a financial guarantor, which they describe as being “unprecedented” and “not contemplated in the Horse Racing Law, Food & Agricultural Code, or CHRB Regulations.” “Staff estimates that conducting a 4-week fair meet will cost between $3 and $4 million. Some of Tehama's cost estimates seem too low. Staff has not seen payroll estimates, nor has staff been provided with a list of all Tehama's race operations employees. In addition, Tehama's estimate for the time and cost of completing updates to the track so that it can pass an inspection also deviates from what the CHRB estimates. Tehama estimated needing only $55,000 and four weeks to get the track ready to pass an inspection. The CHRB estimates that the track updates will cost around $1 million and take several months to complete,” according to the staff analysis. Humboldt County's revised proposal includes a $3 million line of credit agreement with Bernal Park Racing beginning Aug. 1. The racing board staff question whether these funds are a separate line of credit to that extended to Tehama, or whether Bernal Park intends to “reuse” the same line of credit. Unlike Tehama, Humboldt County Fair annually operated a fair meet up until 2024, which was done under the auspices of the California Association of Racing Fairs (CARF). Once again, the board staff raise questions over Humboldt County's new contract with Bernal Park Racing, the latter of which they argue lacks “experience operating race meets and its past submissions to the Board have been inconsistent and untimely.” Efforts remain ongoing for Tehama, Humboldt, and Alameda County Fair (and other counties) to form a Joint Powers Authority, similar in effect to the way CARF managed and oversaw fair racing in the North. Racing last occurred in Northern California in 2024. A recent TDN analysis of the fate of former NorCal horsemen and women since the closure of Pleasanton for Thoroughbred stabling last March found a significant number of barns had either left the state (for tracks like Emerald Downs in Washington or Turf Paradise in Arizona) or called it quits altogether. The overall impression among barns that maintained a footprint in the state was one of an average 50% decline in both earnings and starts. Proponents of a renewed racing program in the North argue it's needed to better support a NorCal breeding industry, as well as to provide better opportunities to keep and lure back horses to the state. On the flip side, proponents of the current consolidated program argue this existing system is needed to shore up the fragile California racing industry as a whole. Any overlapping calendar in the North, they say, would siphon off and dilute valuable resources (both equine and financial) needed to maintain recent upticks in things like purses and field size in the South. The post Tehama And Humboldt Request Summer Fair Dates, Questions Remain appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Explora headlines a packed field of 10 3-year-old fillies in the $750,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) March 1 at Oaklawn Park, Road to the Kentucky Oaks race.View the full article

With the GI Preakness moving to Laurel for this year's running, attendance will be limited to just 4,800 patrons, according to a spokesperson for 1/ST Racing. The story was first reported by Matt Hegarty in the Daily Racing Form, who provided 1/ST with a list of questions regarding this year's race. Though 1/ST had turned over Laurel and Pimlico to a quasi- public organization now running racing in Maryland, 1/ST maintained the rights to the 2026 Preakness. Over the two days that encompass the GII Black-Eyed Susan and the Preakness, the estimated attendance in 2025 was 63,000. Many of the Preakness attendees traditionally spend their afternoon in the infield. But Laurel is not equipped to handle a crowd that large and is also undergoing renovations as it converts to a year-round training center. The race will be run this year at Laurel while construction is ongoing at Pimlico. The middle jewel of the Triple Crown is slated to return to Pimlico in 2027. The 4,800 tickets will cover the two-day event, starting with the May 15 Black-Eyed Susan card. Tickets will go on sale Wednesday and can be purchased at www.preakness.com. Tickets will range in price from $246 for general admission to $1,698 for the Turfside Terrace. A total of 1,000 general admission tickets will be made available to the public. 1/ST will also offer “luxury suite experiences.” The price for the luxury suites was not revealed. Hospitality options will include temporary facilities along the rail from the finish line to the final turn offering VIP experiences, curated food and beverage and premium track views. In response to questions Hegarty posed to 1/ST, the company pitched that a Preakness at Laurel will be a historic event. “Preakness 151 weekend will offer the opportunity for horsemen and women, racing fans and guests to experience the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park for the first-time in the history of the event,” the 1/ST spokesperson wrote. “1/ST, in partnership with the Maryland Jockey Club, will curate a day of world-class racing, hospitality and entertainment in consideration of Laurel Park's layout. Preakness 151 will feature added Luxury Suites, a replica Turfside Terrace and the build out of the highly coveted Finish Line Suites, adding distinct experiences from other race days held at Laurel Park. “1/ST, in partnership with the Maryland Jockey Club, looks forward to continuing the tradition of the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park while the long-term, state-led redevelopment of Pimlico Race Course is underway. We are committed to providing Preakness 151 guests with a thoughtfully planned experience and will make investments into the event that takes into consideration Laurel Park's footprint, capacity and available amenities.” The post Admission To Preakness At Laurel Will Be Limited To 4,800 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 Kyle Cameron doesn’t know what to expect at Addington today. The Fernside-based trainer-driver will take two of his own to the races in Style Council (R1) and Special Edition (R5) and also drive Natives Inferno (R2), Prince Teka (R4) and Hez A Loch (R7). “You could easily see a few of them run in three or none of them run in three,” says Cameron, “but at least we’ve got a bit of hope.” In Race 1, the Diamond Racing Lot 54 Shares Available Mobile Pace, Style Council will be driven by Blair Wilmott in the Amateur Drivers’ race, after a last start third at Motukarara on February 15. “There are plenty of horses who have won plenty of races in that race, “says Cameron, “it’s a bit of a lottery though he is a live chance.” In the next Cameron links up with a “real head-scratcher” in Natives Inferno for trainer Austin Thornton. “He came out travelling last week and broke,” says Cameron. That was at Motukarara on February 15. “If he could put in a clean round he’d be a winning chance.” “But it’s a big ‘if’!” Taking on start number 224 is 10-year-old Prince Teka for trainer Gerard McCrea in Race, Diamond Racing Lot 90 Shares Available Mobile Trot. Cameron is his regular driver. “He’ll get on the speed and he’s not out of that race.” “He doesn’t have the speed he had three years ago but he can still run overall time but just can’t sprint,” says Cameron, “any cheque would be a good one with him.” Cameron is not hopeful about Special Edition’s chances in Race 5, the ownthethrill.co.nz Check It Out Mobile Pace, after drawing the outside of the front line over 1980 metres. “She’s drawn nine and that makes life tough for her, she’ll need a lot of luck.” In Race 7, the Diamondracing.co.nz Proven Winners Pace Cameron will drive Hez A Loch for his father Ian. A winner at Methven two starts ago he will make his first appearance on the grit. “I’ll be looking for one run and see if he can show what he showed at Methven,” says Cameron, “last time at Mot (Feb 15) he felt good but I made a mid race move to sit parked and it didn’t suit him.” Addington’s eight race midweek programme starts at 4.16pm. View the full article

SF Racing & Co. has named a precocious 2-year-old colt Hughes in honor of U.S. hockey star Jack Hughes and his memorable 2026 Winter Olympics performance. The colt, by Into Mischief out of K P Dreamin (Union Rags), is set to join the 2026 2-year-old division of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Signed for $675,000 by Donato Lanni at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale last year, the colt was consigned by Blandford Stud on behalf of breeder Stonestreet. In announcing the name, SF Racing principal Tom Ryan cited Hughes's leadership, will to win and golden-goal Olympic moment as inspiration. He also noted that his wife's father, three-time Stanley Cup winner Pat Hughes, shares the surname, although not related. Hughes is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Albaugh Family Stables, Robert Masterson, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan. The partnership is often dubbed “The Avengers.” JACK HUGHES and his family have been the heartbeat of these 2026 @Olympics — his speech, his will to win, and that golden‑goal moment captured everything that's right about sport. In his honor, our precocious 2‑year‑old colt by Into Mischief out of KP Dreaming will now be… pic.twitter.com/rAMcxCp95U — Tom Ryan (@TomRyanKY) February 24, 2026 The post SF Racing And Co. Name Into Mischief Colt After Gold Medalist Jack Hughes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Favorite Iron Honor is a major contender in the Gotham Stakes, contested as a one-turn mile at Aqueduct. Balboa is a live longshot. The winner will receive 50 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby starting gate.View the full article

The day prior, Blacksmith, who was second in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) broke his maiden for trainer Bob Baffert and owner Wathnan Racing. View the full article

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Icona at Gulfstream Park. Kingman Filly Is Iconic At Gulfstream Winless for Joseph O'Brien in a pair of 2024 starts in Ireland, Icona made her second US start a winning one at Gulfstream on February 22 (video). Trained by Brendan Walsh, the Scott Heider-bred filly is a daughter of A New Dawn (Zoffany). By Kingman, the Heider Family Stables-owned filly is the first foal out of A New Dawn, who ran second in the G3 Weld Park Stakes and third in the G3 Flame Of Tara Stakes. Her three-year-old colt Lauda (Wootton Bassett) has yet to win. From a lesser heralded branch descending from Urban Sea (Miswaki), she was covered by Justify last spring. Both Athena (Camelot) and Bracelet (Montjeu) won at the highest level and are half-sister's to Icona's granddam Simply A Star (Giant's Causeway). Juddmonte's Kingman, who stands for £125,000 this year, has sired 50 winners from 93 runners in the U.S. His nine stakes winners there are led by three-time Grade I winner Domestic Spending. Repeat Winner Cheyenne Stable's Mondego (Lope De Vega) earned his first stakes win in the GIII San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita on Valentine's Day (video). The Michael McCarthy trainee has featured in Making Waves twice previously. Also a new stakes winner that same day is Farfellow Farms' Expensive Queen. The daughter of Lope De Vega claimed the Albert M. Stall Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds for trainer Brendan Walsh (video). Sod Siren (Pinatubo) made it two wins in four starts with a success at Gulfstream Park for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds on February 20 (video). The Saffie Joseph, Jr. trainee is a €250,000 graduate of the Arqana August Yearling Sale. The post Making Waves: Filly Reaches Icon Status In Florida appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Unbeaten 3-year-old fillies Zany (American Pharoah) and Bella Ballerina (Street Sense), one-two on the most recent TDN Kentucky Oaks Top 10, lead the list of 89 early nominations to this year's GI Kentucky Oaks, released Tuesday by Churchill Downs. Repole Stable's Zany is three-for-three following her win in the Feb. 7 Suncoast Stakes and is expected to make her next start in the Apr. 3 GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes. Godolphin's Bella Ballerina took her record to a matching three-for-three with her victory in the Feb. 14 GII Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes and is expected to make her next start in the Mar. 21 GII Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks. Also on the list of early nominees is last year's Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly Super Corredora (Gun Runner), who will look to rebound from a fourth-place effort in her sophomore debut in the Feb. 8 Las Virgenes Stakes this weekend in the GIII Santa Ysabel Stakes. Other stakes-winning nominees include GII Oak Leaf Stakes winner Explora (Blame); GIII Forward Gal Stakes winner On Time Girl (Not This Time); GIII Pocahontas Stakes winner Taken by the Wind (Rock Your World); and Las Virgenes winner Meaning (Gun Runner). The 89 fillies were made eligible to compete in the May 1 Kentucky Oaks through a $200 early nomination payment that closed Feb. 18. A $1,500 late nomination deadline is available through Apr. 8. For the complete list of nominees, click here. The post Zany, Bella Ballerina Lead 89 Early Nominations for Kentucky Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A relatively quiet weekend of racing, in terms of stakes action, led to little change in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's polls released Feb. 24, but that is likely to change this weekend.View the full article