Wandering Eyes

Dollars & Sense with Frank Angst: Last fall Matt Lehman bet a horse at Keeneland that left the gate at 21-1 and won, but then paid 8-1. Now the Kentucky state representative has filed a bill that aims to ensure a level playing field. View the full article

Francis Lui Kin-wai is leaving nothing to chance when he unleashes his classy trio of Chancheng Glory, Speed Dragon and Winning Wing on Wednesday’s Group Three January Cup (1,800m) at Happy Valley. Lui won the race back in 2020 with Doctor Geoff and his three-pronged assault on the Group Three prize gives him the best possible chance of doubling his tally. Chief among his chances is Chancheng Glory, who has drawn the ideal gate in stall one and has been plying his trade in much tougher races of...View the full article

After returning to Hong Kong from a horrific trip back to Australia to fight the Longwood bushfire at his family’s property, the sight of Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) would have been a welcome one for David Hayes on Monday morning. Hayes says Ka Ying Rising has the capabilities to be a champion miler given how well he breathes but will avoid that temptation and keep him to the sprint trips. The world’s best sprinter galloped at Sha Tin on Monday morning as he prepares to have his first start for 2026 in the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin on January 25, where victory would see him equal Silent Witness’ 17-race winning streak. “He blew the smoke away today, it was very nice,” Hayes said. “He had a little easy gallop… he’s trialling on Thursday. It’s hard to say he’s improving but he hasn’t gone backwards, I can assure you.” Following his assignment in the Centenary Sprint Cup in less than a fortnight, Ka Ying Rising will then head to the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup over 1400m, a trip Hayes expects the five-year-old to be impressive over. Overall, Ka Ying Rising is likely to follow an identical program to what he went through in 2025 and is already at $1.85 with Sportsbet to defend his title in The Everest in October. View the full article

A forecast for rain ahead of Saturday’s Trentham meeting has forced a rethink of plans for Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma) as she resumes her classic quest this weekend. Trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray had originally intended Saturday’s Gr.3 New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) to be Tajana’s first step on the path to next month’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m). However, the threat of rain in the lower North Island through the latter half of the week means that The Oaks Stud homebred will also be nominated for a lesser race at Pukekohe on Sunday. “It’s a pity to have to change plans, but fortunately there’s an option at Pukekohe and even though the stake is only $25,000 versus $200,000, it’s a three-year-old mile at set weights and penalties, so it still works well as a starting point,” Ritchie said. “A heavy track undid her in the 1000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) and we don’t want to put her through that again, plus we wouldn’t want to overtax her in what will be her first start since then. “She hasn’t had a lead-up trial but we were very happy with how she went in a gallop between races at Tauranga last week and she’s in good order to kick off her campaign.” George Rooke, who partnered Tajana when she won the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (1400m) and finished third in the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) in the spring, had already been booked for the Desert Gold, and Ritchie hopes he’s also available should she divert to Pukekohe. Plans for the Darci Brahma filly beyond this weekend extend to the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 7, followed a fortnight later by her major target, the New Zealand Oaks, which will this year be run at Ellerslie in an earlier time slot on the Avondale Guineas and Cup programme. “That’s the race we’re setting her for and even though she’s also nominated for the Derby two weeks later, if she runs up to our expectations I’d prefer to save her for a Sydney autumn campaign,” Ritchie said. “That will depend on discussions with (The Oaks general manager) Rick Williams, but when you look at the record of our fillies in those good races over there, I’d be keen to save her rather than back up in the Derby.” The Ritchie/Murray stable is also looking forward to the Karaka Millions meeting on Saturday week and Tuxedo’s (NZ) (Tivaci) assignment in the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m). “He ran very well for second behind First Five at Te Rapa but then didn’t really let down when he finished fifth in the Rich Hill Mile (Gr.2, 1600m),” Ritchie said. “We’ve decided to try him in blinkers when he goes to Ellerslie for the gallops session on Thursday and Opie Bosson is booked to ride him there and in the Aotearoa Classic.” View the full article

LEXINGTON, KY – The 2026 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale opened with the first of two sessions Monday and optimism remained high across the board as a pair of top-class mares crossed the seven-figure mark for the first time in two years. “Today was a great day,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “Obviously, it's a long day, but I think the structure of what we did in creating two big sessions sort of lent itself into building a momentum that carried through right to the end of the day.” Indeed, the last horse through the ring was a weanling filly by Gun Runner (hip 542) who brought $575,000. Leading all short yearlings on Monday was a colt by Gun Runner (Hip 114), who realized $800,000 from Marc Gunderson's MWG LLC. “It's a reflection of a really positive, strong day,” Lacy continued. “Across the board, mares, short yearlings. I think the mares were incredibly healthy from, not just the top, but all the way through to a strong middle market. I think that was incredibly encouraging. There was a very large crowd, probably the largest crowd we've seen at a January Sale for quite awhile, even though we had a couple of inclement days. People got to see the horses and they responded.” For the session, 319 horses sold for $31,706,400. Compressed from three sessions to two this year, the sale saw a 9.9% increase in average to $99,393 while the median dropped 35.38% from the same opening session last year to $42,000. The opening session last year saw 200 horses bring $18,087,000 with an average of $90,435 and a median of $65,000. With 106 horses reported unsold, the buy-back rate was 24.94%, down from 32.20% last year. “We've got to take a lot of encouragement out of what we've seen in the numbers,” added Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “It's a new year, and the January Sale offers a lot of possibility that way. We were pleased with the catalogue when it came together and pleased that there were opportunities for people to buy foundation mares. Apart from having so many people on the grounds, there's also international presence and a lot of online presence as well. It's really a sale that offers a lot to the market and to see it come to life like it did today, it's very encouraging for 2026.” Tiffany Case (Uncle Mo), the dam of Eclipse 3-year-old filly finalist Nitrogen (Medgalia d'Oro) topped the sale at $3,200,000 while GISW Simply in Front (Summer Front) was not far behind at $2,000,000. “It's great to see someone like Greg Tramontin, who has bought the old Siena Farm, building up a broodmare band,” Lacy said. “He was really excited to get Simply in Front. Obviously an exciting mare to add to any roster. But for him, looking to curate a quality group of mares, it was great to see. We saw that all the way through from the established breeders like Mandy Pope. So it's a great cross-section of breeders and end-users as well as pinhookers. It's a very broad market. We see so much positivity in the marketplace that carried over from November. A lot of positives to take from it.” The Keeneland January Sale concludes Tuesday with bidding beginning at 10 a.m. Mandy Pope Adds Tiffany Case for $3.2m Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm added another illustrious broodmare to their collection when Pope went to $3,200,000 to acquire Tiffany Case (Uncle Mo) (hip 465), who sold in foal to Not This Time. Stakes placed in her racing career, the mare got on base with her first foal, producing SW/MGSP Love to Shop (Violence). Len and Jon Green's D.J. Stable, who bought Tiffany Case for $320,000 at Keeneland November in 2019 with Love to Shop in utero, has also bred Canadian champion 2-year-old filly and Eclipse finalist 3-year-old filly Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) from her. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency as agent for D.J. Stable, Tiffany Case makes it two in a row as her daughter, Love to Shop, co-topped last year's Keeneland January Sale at $700,000. Mandy Pope purchased Monday's topper at the Keeneland January Sale | Keeneland “This is what makes the January Sale so great,” Jon Green said of the result. “When you have an upper-echelon horse, it can get really electric.” Tiffany Case's price tag marked the highest-priced horse sold at the Keeneland January Sale since champion 3-year-old filly Abel Tasman (Quality Road) brought $5,000,000 back in 2019. “[Tiffany Case is] really a neat mare, she has an 'A' foal,” added Taylor Made's Frank Taylor. “Every time she has a foal, it's an 'A' individual, so that was good money for her. Not This Time had 17 yearlings bring over a million (dollars) this year and none of them were bred as good as this foal's going to be bred. Hopefully, they have luck with it.” After quickly jumping past the million-dollar mark, the bidding began to slow as Pope traded bids into the $2-3 million range. “Wow, you always love that, when a battle happens,” Taylor continued. “I thought the other mare [Simply in Front] could potentially top the sale. I was hoping [Tiffany Case] would, but the right people lined up on her and she presented herself very well here at the sale. I think with Not This Time, he's so hot right now and Nitrogen being champion 3-year-old [finalist], everything was lined up.” D.J. Stable will retain Tiffany Case's 2-year-old Gun Runner filly, now named Sniper. Taylor noted that the filly, born in July, was a “beauty” and would race in North America for the Greens. Simply in Front Leads Greenwell Trifeca Greg Tramontin wound up the winner on a quick but exciting bidding battle for GISW Simply In Front (Summer Front) (hip 413), paying $2-million for the 5-year-old mare from the consignment of Richard G. Hogan, acting as agent for Colebrook Farms. Signing the ticket as Greenwell Thoroughbreds, Tramontin continues to add mares for his recently-purchased Siena Farm–now renamed Greenwell Farms. Simply in Front marked Tramontin's third purchase on the day; he also picked up a close relation to the mare in Closing Statement (Blame) (hip 91). “I came up here with my friend from Baton Rouge, and I came to help him,” Tramontin said. “I said, 'I'm not buying anything'. I've bought three! All of them will be good for the farm. That's what we're trying to do, raise some quality top-end horses.” “We had her priced between two and three [million], and so did the consigner,” continued Tramontin. “So when it stopped, I was close to the end myself.” Tramontin confirmed that the GI First Lady Stakes winner is set for a visit with Taylor Made's sire on fire Not This Time. Purchased as a yearling at Keeneland September for $115,000 by Colebrook Farms, Simply In Front is a half-sister to MGSW Honor D Lady (Honor Code), a mare who brought $1-million herself in 2024 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale from agent Steve Young. Other siblings include her half-brother, stakes winner Churchtown (Air Force Blue), and half-sister, GI Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes winner And One More Time (Omaha Beach). “It all happened fast for sure,” Hogan, who operates as Colebrook's racing manager, said of the bidding battle which hit the seven-figure mark in seconds. “We were hoping [the price would be] around there. I told the new owner, 'I hope she's as lucky for you as she was for us'.” Gunderson Adds $800,000 Gun Runner Colt A short yearling colt (hip 114) by leading sire Gun Runner kicked off the action early in the opening session, hammering down to $800,000 to Marc Gunderson, signing as MWG LLC. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consignment, the colt is out of Canadian GSW Deceptive Vision, a mare who also placed in the GI E. P. Taylor Stakes in her own racing career before producing MGSP Ancient Peace. The result continued a run of success for the family at Keeneland January as Deceptive Vision initially went Hill 'n' Dale's way for $900,000 at the 2021 edition. Ancient Peace then returned to the Keeneland January ring in 2023, topping the sale when selling to Boardshorts Stables [Flying Dutchman] for $650,000. “He's an athlete,” Gunderson said of his newest acquisition. “You can't go wrong buying a Gun Runner with a good family.” Simply in Front | Keeneland Deceptive Vision is from a very talented Sam-Son Farm family including her dam, Sovereign Award-winning 3-year-old filly Eye of the Sphynx, and her full-brother, Canadian champion 3-year-old colt Eye of the Leopard (A.P. Indy). The family also includes a Canadian Horse of the Year in Quiet Resolve (Affirmed). “I've been pretty active in the last few sales and [the price] was taken up right about where I thought it would be,” Gunderson continued. “It's a different market. I was maybe 12% higher than I thought I should have been. The market's carried [its momentum] forward from the last year, especially the second half of last year. I don't feel like the market's falling off one bit. What's started to happen is people are really focused now on what it's going to cost. So they're all focused on the same horses. If you're going to spend that kind of money, you have to work on your ROI rather than a risk-analysis aspect. You can still find plenty of good horses in three-to-five [hundred thousand] range.” Gunderson, who signed for 22 yearlings at Keeneland September and an additional 20 horses in November, picked up 12 more Monday. “We'll send him back to [Hill 'n' Dale] for a couple of days and see what we have,” Gunderson said. “We'll see if we can move him down to Ocala later and go from there. He might go to Saratoga. I don't mind running a horse, but I'll see how he pans out. One thing about this market, is there's a concentration of pinhookers who are saying 'I can't pay more than this number for a horse'. But the reality is, I'm not sure that's in play right now. If it's the best horse in a sale, and you're moving it on to be the best horse in the next sale, then you might be surprised what you can pay and still end up successfully pinhooking a horse.” “He was always very good,” added Hill 'n' Dale's newly-appointed Director of Bloodstock Jes Sikura. “One we had a lot of excitement for coming into the sale. I knew there was a lot of popularity and [we're] thrilled with the result. [He has] a great page. His sister's with the Flying Dutchman and being bred to good stallions so there's a lot of things happening in the family. We're happy with [the price], he was deserving. Excited to see what his plans are for the future.” Nothing But Net, presented by Muirfield Insurance: Constitution Colt Brings Quick Return for Hunter Valley A colt by leading young sire Constitution (hip 458) brought a quick return on investment for Hunter Valley Farm. Purchased by the operation in utero for $150,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, he was resold Monday for $310,000 to Clover Creek Bloodstock. Team of Teams, stakes placed in France and a stakes winner in United States, is a daughter of MGSW/MGISP Teammate, making her a half-sister to MGSP Team Colors (Street Cry {Ire}). This is also the family of GSW/MGISP and top stallion War Front (Danzig). “She was a lovely mare,” said Hunter Valley's Fergus Galvin. “She was a good runner. We loved her cover. And when the colt came out, he was nice from the get go. And we're really happy with the price.” While Galvin initially planned to keep the colt through this year, the strength of the weanling market at last year's Keeneland November Sale convinced him to change his mind. “We hadn't entered him in November,” Galvin said. “We were thinking, at the time he was born, that we'd hold onto him as a yearling. But then we saw how strong the weanling market was in November and that's why we went ahead and placed him in the January Sale. [The market has carried its momentum] 100%. We were resigned to the fact that we were going to keep him until next year and then [November] was so strong.” Team of Teams is due this year to Maxfield and she also has an Uncle Mo colt bought by Repole Stables at last year's Keeneland September Sale. “We're hoping a few things might happen for this mare,” Galvin continued. “We'll foal her out this but we haven't booked her yet [for 2026]. The post ‘A lot of Positives’: Keeneland January Kicks Off in Style appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tiffany Case (Uncle Mo) (hip 465), the dam of Eclipse finalist and Grade I winner Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro), lit up the board at Keeneland Monday when selling to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm for $3.2 million. The 13-year-old mare, in foal to Not This Time, was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, as agent for the Green family's D J Stable. D J Stable purchased Tiffany Case, in foal to Violence, for $320,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November sale. That in-utero foal became Love to Shop, who co-topped last year's January sale when selling for $700,000 to Pin Oak Stud. The post Mandy Pope Goes to $3.2 Million for Tiffany Case, Dam of Nitrogen, at Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A fresh face has joined the Central Districts riding ranks this week, with Hong Kong national Alan Lai commencing a six-month stint in New Zealand. The apprentice jockey has spent the last couple of years riding in South Australia under the tutelage of Morphetville trainers Leon MacDonald and Andrew Gluyas, and fellow South Australian horseman Jon O’Connor. Lai recorded 53 wins in Australia, with his highlight being three consecutive Outback Cups Series victories, including the City of Port Augusta Cup (2300m), Roxby Downs Cup (1800m) and Quorn Cup (1900m), aboard the New Zealand-bred Grinzinger Star for trainers Kylie Mckerlie and Waylon Hornhardt. “I was in Australia for two years. It was good, all the jockeys were helpful and I got a lot of opportunities,” Lai said. “I won seven different Cups races, three of those on Grinzinger Star.” Lai commenced his riding career in his homeland when joining the Hong Kong Jockey Club Apprentice Training Program in 2018. “I am very lucky and I joined the Hong Kong Apprentice Academy when I was 18,” the 25-year-old hoop said. “I was training in Huang Chun in China and Conghua, the big training centre in China. “I was training in China for about a year and then I went back to Hong Kong where I was stuck for a few years because of COVID. I rode trials in Hong Kong and I then went overseas at the end of 2022.” Lai is following a well-trodden path for Hong Kong apprentices, with both Britney Wong and Nichola Yuen having also commenced their raceday riding careers in South Australia before venturing to New Zealand, with Wong achieving the ultimate aim of returning to ride in Hong Kong where she is currently indentured to trainer David Hall. Lai has taken inspiration from Wong’s success and has spoken with her about her time in New Zealand. “I spoke with Britney and she said it’s good (riding in New Zealand) but the weather can be quite bad,” he said. Lai arrived in Palmerston North late last week and has teamed up with Daniel Nakhle’s New Zealand Equine Academy, powered by Entain, where he will be under the guidance of former champion jockey Leith Innes, who heads the Apprentice Jockey Academy. He has been riding track work in the mornings for Awapuni trainer Roydon Bergerson, and he got his New Zealand stint off to the best possible start when riding the Bergerson-trained Bradman to victory in his 850m heat at the Foxton trials on Tuesday. Lai is looking forward to riding at the races and trainers interested in utilising his talent can contact Leith Innes, who will act as his agent during his time in New Zealand, on 021 798 881. “I don’t mind travelling and I will try to do the best I can,” Lai said. View the full article

The NZB Yearling Sales are in the DNA of NZ horse racing, with 100 years of them to be celebrated in a few weeks. In a one hour special, Michael chats with two icons of the sales, Sir Peter Vela and Joe Walls, and looks ahead to some massive racing in January. Guerin Report – S2 Ep. 19 – 100 Years Of Yearling Sales View the full article

Simply in Front (Summer Front) (hip 413), winner of the GI First Lady Stakes at Keeneland last October for Colebrook Farms, had another star turn at the Lexington facility when selling to Greg Tramontin's Greenwell Thoroughbreds for $2 million during Monday's first session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. The 5-year-old, who sold as a broodmare prospect, was consigned by Richard Hogan, as agent for Colebrook Farms. Out of Complicated (Blame), the mare is a half-sister to And One More Time (Omaha Beach), who won the 2024 GI Natalma Stakes, as well as to multiple graded winner Honor D Lady (Honor Code). The post Tramontin Buys Simply in Front for $2 Million at KeeJan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

On the 50th episode of BloodHorse Monday: Morplay Racing's Rich Mendez on Shisospicy's 2026 campaign, Kevin Kilroy on Fair Grounds' Kentucky Oaks (G1) trail, Thoroughbred Racing Initiative's Damon Thayer updates on Florida decoupling.View the full article

Just eight days shy of his 101st birthday, Harold Gross, who owned, trained and bred horses, primarily in Michigan, passed away on Jan. 4. Gross was born in Germany in 1925 before his family emigrated to the Dominican Republic. He later spent time in Haiti before he moved to the U.S. as a teenager, settling in Detroit. Gross' life involved far more than horse racing. Gross was a World War II veteran and took part in D-Day Invasion, storming Normandy Beach. Because he spoke fluent German and French, he was used as an interpreter at the Nuremberg Trials. Before the Nuremberg Trials, he was a key figure in the field of Military Intelligence, using his language skills to interrogate German prisoners. He was drafted into the Army at the age of 18. On Jan. 15, 2025, Gross was recognized in the Congressional Record-Extension of Remarks, by Congressman Darren Soto of Florida. “Harold Gross' 100 years are a testament to resilience, love, and the enduring spirit of a veteran who has lived life to the fullest. His story inspires those around him, a beacon of wisdom and joy,” Soto said upon the occasion of Gross' 100th birthday. Gross was introduced to horses by his grandfather, who was a horse trader in Germany, and chose racing as his field following World War II and his return to Michigan. In the fifties, Gross and his wife, Elaine, bought their first horse, and he continued to stay active in ths business for nearly 65 years. According to Equibase, Gross started his last horse as a trainer in 2011 and the last horse he owned raced in 2023. Gross was 98 at the time. He was a longtime member of the Michigan Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association. The Gross family also opened the “Boot and Saddle Shop,” a horse supply and saddlery store. The store was based in Farmington, Michigan, but Gross branched out and opened stores on the backstretches of racetracks in Michigan and Illinois. When asked the secret to Gross' longevity, his daughter, Marci Powell, said: “He was a runner himself and always kept fit. He always ate right. He took care of himself and he taught me to make sure I stayed healthy.” The post At Age 100, Horseman, World War II Vet, Harold Gross Has Passed Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

TDN Book Review There's so much to cover in Oisin Murphy's recently released autobiography, “Sacrifice, A Year in the Life of a Champion Jockey,” that it's hard to know where to start. But when it comes to trying to capture what he had to say in this compelling, 224-page book, there is no better place to begin with than his many off-the-track troubles, which have been one of the central themes of his career. In the midst of a booming career, Murphy was handed a 14-month suspension in 2022 by the British Horseracing Authority. It was a combined ban for COVID-19 protocol breaches (he misled the BHA about a trip to Mykonos during COVID-19) and two failed breath tests for alcohol in 2021. It was the longest of many suspensions or fines he has received during his career, many of which had to do with his drinking Murphy, a five-time British Flat Champion Jockey, is open about his troubles with alcohol and airs out many skeletons in his closet in this book, which is written in diary format and covers the 2024 flat racing season. Murphy admits that putting his thoughts down on paper was a therapeutic experience. “(Writing the book) has actually been therapeutic,” he wrote. “I have my therapy sessions twice a week but there's only so much we can fit in and this has supplemented that.” In the book's introduction, he writes, “This book is an honest account of how a deeply flawed young man from the small town of Killarney in the south-west of Ireland, who it's fair to say has led a fairly eventful life so far, copes with being a jockey and copes with being himself…My own personal form of jeopardy comes in the shape of a self-destruct button. A self-destruct button that is omnipresent and varies in size depending on how things are going for me generally and how I feel inside.” His problems aside, Murphy is someone you want to root for. Not only is he a brilliant jockey, but he comes across as thoughtful and kind. And who doesn't want someone to beat what can be a life-ruining love affair with the bottle? So when he writes, “I have fortunately been able to control (his alcohol addiction) so far and will hopefully continue to do so,” you want to cheer. But what the book doesn't tell you is that since its last diary entry was written on Dec. 2, 2024, Murphy's troubles apparently were not behind him. Last July, he was banned from driving for 20 months and fined £70,000 by a magistrates' court for a drunk-driving conviction. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) allowed him to continue riding but placed strict new conditions on his license. Another part of the book that raises more questions than answers is his declaration that after the conclusion of the 2024 racing season that he would not shoot for a fifth title Champion Jockey title. He writes frequently of how much of a mental and physical toll the pursuit of the title takes on him. “I knew (trying to win the title) had become an obsession for me but I'd underestimated the effect it was having on me,” he wrote. “You have to do more than just ride good horses and focus on top races to win the title. You must have a hunger within that drives you to accept as many mounts as you can, even if that means riding on dreary nights on all-weather tracks for small purses, to satisfy an insatiable need to keep winning.” Murphy writes that he was ready to move on to a less pressure-filled existence, yet he came right back and won the 2025 title with 143 winners. (The British horse racing season actually awards two different “Champion Jockey” titles. The title that Murphy has won five times is for the jockey who wins the most races during the prime months of the British flat season, which runs from early May to mid-October. The other title is the “Annual Flat Jockey Championship, which covers the entire calendar year. That title went to Billy Loughnane in 2025.) But it would be unfair to Murphy and his book to dwell solely on his battles, his setbacks, and his thirst for winning, which appears to be something he just cannot shake. Jockeys for the most part are closed books, which Murphy alludes to. They don't want to come across as weak or vulnerable or discuss issues like mental and physical exhaustion and what it's like to weigh 25 or 30 pounds less than Mother Nature intended them to weigh. To do so might cost you mounts in what is still a sport and a profession where machismo matters. That's one of the reasons that in both in the U.S. and in Europe, the issue of jockeys' mental health has, finally, become something people are no longer afraid to talk about. It's eye-opening what Murphy has had to put himself through to achieve what he has. Because the weights for jockeys in America are generally lighter than they are in Europe, Murphy was forced to lose a substantial amount of weight in order to be able to ride in the 2024 Breeders' Cup at Del Mar. “It was such a hard process,” he said of the weight-loss process and what he refers to as “wasting.” “I spent every day, including Thursday, either walking around with a sweatsuit on or lying in a hot bath. The only relief I had was getting into the pool which cooled me down and regulated my heart rate before I went racing…Food-wise, I have had very, very little since I arrived. Just some salad and a bit of fish every day. For my height and build (I'm five foot six inches and slim) my ideal body weight is a probably about 10 stone (140 pounds), which means I spend my entire life about a stone and a half (21 pounds) under that.” He also writes of an exhausting schedule. Always looking to keep clients happy, he spends many of his mornings traveling through England to work horses. From there, it's off to a racecourse somewhere. It's not atypical for Murphy to travel hundreds of miles during a day that can begin when he rises from his bed in his home in Lambourn at 4:30 a.m. and doesn't end until he arrives home after a long trip back from the racecourse. He writes that he gets very little sleep, and admits that is a problem. Then there's the foreign travel. Murphy is fortunate that his skills are in demand all over the world, and that often means that he is jetting back and forth to countries, particularly after the main British flat season is over. He writes of one three-day stretch where he rode in Japan on a Friday, in England on the following Saturday, and in Madrid on the following day. “Ten and a half thousand miles traversed by spending twenty-three hours on various planes and at least 10 hours in several cars to ride four horses,” he wrote. The book ends with him writing that while he's looking forward to the future, he has no idea what the future has in store for him. “One thing's for sure; whatever happens it won't be boring,” he wrote. You can count on that. The post Oisin Murphy’s Autobiography is Insightful and Educational but Leaves Some Questions Unanswered appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. 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. Tuesday's Observations features a Joseph O'Brien-trained newcomer. 3.30 Dundalk, Cond, 3yo, 6f (AWT) PASSAGE OF POWER (Into Mischief) is the headline act at Dundalk on Tuesday, being the first foal out of Joseph Allen's 2020 Flower Bowl heroine Civil Union (War Front). Joseph O'Brien has charge of the homebred, whose family includes one of his past rides in War Front's Lines Of Battle, who went on to win the 2015 G1 Champions & Chater Cup as Helene Super Star. The post Civil Union’s Son Passage Of Power Debuts for Joseph Allen at Dundalk appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, featuring GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) as the 6-1 individual favorite, will open Friday at noon (all times Eastern) and close Sunday at 6 p.m. Additionally, All Other 3-Year-Olds not listed among the 39 individual interests are listed as the overall 4-1 choice. The three-day pools feature $2 Win and Exacta wagering. In 2025, Ted Noffey was undefeated through four starts winning the GI Hopeful, GI Breeders Futurity and Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Ted Noffey closed as the individual in the first two pools at 10-1 and 7-1, respectively. The complete field for Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (with trainer, sire and odds): #1 Balboa (Brittany Russell, Not This Time, 80-1) #2 Blackout Time (Kenny McPeek, Not This Time, 60-1) #3 Boyd (Bob Baffert, Violence, 60-1) #4 Brant (Bob Baffert, Gun Runner, 30-1) #5 Buetane (Bob Baffert, Tiz the Law, 75-1) #6 Cannoneer (Brad Cox, Into Mischief, 15-1) #7 Chief Wallabee (Bill Mott, Constitution, 60-1) #8 Chip Honcho (Steve Asmussen, Connect, 50-1) #9 Class President (Todd Pletcher, Uncle Mo, 80-1) #10 Commandment (Brad Cox, Into Mischief, 20-1) #11 Crossingthechannel (Mike Trombetta, Omaha Beach, 90-1) #12 Crown the Buckeye (Mike Maker, Yaupon, 75-1) #13 D'code (Ray Ashford Jr., Speightstown, 80-1) #14 Desert Gate (Bob Baffert, Omaha Beach, 50-1) #15 Englishman (Cherie DeVaux, Maxfield, 60-1) #16 Ewing (Mark Casse, Knicks Go, 60-1) #17 Express Kid (Justin Evans, Bodexpress, 60-1) #18 Further Ado (Brad Cox, Gun Runner, 10-1) #19 Incredibolt (Riley Mott, Bolt d'Oro, 30-1) #20 Intrepido (Jeff Mullins, Maximus Mischief, 80-1) #21 Iron Honor (Chad Brown, Nyquist, 75-1) #22 Liberty National (Kenny McPeek, Maxfield, 80-1) #23 Litmus Test (Bob Baffert, Nyquist, 20-1) #24 Mesquite (Cherie DeVaux, Union Rags, 90-1) #25 Mob (Brian Lynch, Gun Runner, 80-1) #26 My World (Brad Cox, Essential Quality, 50-1) #27 Napoleon Solo (Chad Summers, Liam's Map, 40-1) #28 Nearly (Todd Pletcher, Not This Time, 50-1) #29 Ottinho (Chad Brown, Quality Road, 90-1) #30 Paladin (Chad Brown, Gun Runner, 10-1) #31 Renegade (Todd Pletcher, Into Mischief, 60-1) #32 Secured Freedom (Tim Yakteen, Practical Joke, 80-1) #33 So Happy (Mark Glatt, Runhappy, 75-1) #34 Strategic Risk (Mark Casse, Noble Bird, 40-1) #35 Ted Noffey (Todd Pletcher, Into Mischief, 6-1) #36 Thunder Buck (Brad Cox, Gun Runner, 80-1) #37 Thunderously (Bill Mott, Gun Runner, 60-1) #38 Waymark (Brad Cox, Liam's Map, 90-1) #39 White Tiger (Brad Cox, Constitution, 80-1) #40 All Other 3-Year-Olds (4-1) In last year's third Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool, eventual Kentucky Derby 151 winner Sovereignty closed at 21-1. There are no refunds in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. If Churchill Downs officials determine during the duration of this week's pool that one of the wagering interests experiences an injury, illness, or other circumstance that would prevent the horse from participating in the Kentucky Derby, betting on the individual horse will be suspended immediately. Other Future Wager dates are set for Feb. 13-15 (Pool 4); Mar. 13-15 (Pool 5) and Apr. 2-4 (Pool 6). Pool 5 also will include the Longines Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. More information, Brisnet.com past performances and real-time odds on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager will be available before the pools open Thursday at www.KentuckyDerby.com. The post Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Winner Ted Noffey 6-1 in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trevor Denman will be honored with the Special Eclipse Award for Career Excellence, according to a release by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters on Monday. Denman's award will be celebrated at the 55th annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards at the Breakers Palm Beach in Florida on Jan. 22. “What a wonderful way to end a 53 year career,” said Denman “I am so honored to receive this award and will treasure it forever. I wish to thank Alan Balch of Santa Anita and Joe Harper of Del Mar for giving an unknown kid a chance to call at such prestigious tracks back in 1983. I also thank all the fans for their tremendous support over the years. Thank you all!” Born in Germiston, South Africa, Denman began calling races at 18 in 1971 in South Africa, and sometime later he was noticed by Californian Bill Kolberg, who was in South Africa and caught Denman's race calls. When Santa Anita was looking for a new racecaller, Kolberg gave racetrack officials a ringing endorsement of Denman, who was given an audition and passed it at age 31. He began calling races at the Oak Tree Meeting in 1983. “What Claude Monet did for water lilies with a brush and canvas Trevor Denman did for the Thoroughbred with his voice and a microphone over the course of a 40-plus-year career as the race caller at Southern California's iconic race tracks,” said longtime industry executive and current partner and senior advisor at Brown Advisory, Craig Fravel. “Those of us fortunate to have heard him work day-in and day-out at Del Mar, Hollywood Park, Pomona and Santa Anita were treated to the art of storytelling that made the pace, drama and dynamics of a race clear from start to finish even with your eyes closed. His iconic calls in the 1989 Preakness Stakes with Sunday Silence and Easy Goer and the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic won unbelievably by Zenyatta will live on as perfect complements to the greatness of the equine athletes on the track. This is an award richly deserved.” At one time, Denman was calling the races at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, Del Mar and Pomona (Fairplex) during a prolific annual schedule. Denman called the races at Santa Anita until 2015, and at Del Mar from 1984 through 2024. He announced his retirement from Del Mar on March 6, 2025. “This is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made,” Denman said to Del Mar publicity. “But my soul is telling me that now is the time.” Denman called races for more than 50 years. In addition to his work in Southern California, he worked at tracks in the Bay Area and on the East Coast, as well as calling the Breeders' Cup races when ESPN had the TV rights to the championship event. Additionally, he provided the calls in several racing movies and dozens of television shows. He currently lives with his wife, Robin, on a 500-acre farm in the Minnesota countryside. The post Trevor Denman to Receive Special Eclipse Award appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article