Wandering Eyes

Wingatui trainer Shankar Muniandy is developing a knack for producing exciting three-year-olds, and he may have his hands on another in Pontoon. The Ace High gelding had the one start as a two-year-old, finishing fifth over 1000m at Riccarton in March, and he returned to the Christchurch track last month where he placed in the Guineas Trial (1400m). Muniandy was pleased with that effort, and while he said he has strengthened since he was a juvenile, there is still plenty of improvement to come. “When I got him as a two-year-old he showed us quite a bit,” Muniandy said. “He is still green and has got a lot of learning to do, but he came back from his spell big and strong, and he has got a bright future as a three-year-old. “He has come through the race really well, his work has been good. He is really happy and I can’t fault him.” Pontoon will get his first tilt at stakes level on Saturday in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton, for which he is rated a $9.50 hope with TAB bookmakers. “It is not hard to ride him. Terry Moseley knows the horse well and if he can be in the first half dozen I will be happy,” Muniandy said. Pontoon holds a nomination for next month’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Muniandy said Saturday’s result will help dictate whether they continue down that path. Another stable runner set to head to Riccarton for New Zealand Cup week is dual stakes winner Loose Sally. The four-year-old daughter of Turn Me Loose was a standout for Muniandy last term, winning three of her six starts, including the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1600m) and Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m). She has enjoyed a spell since her last start winning effort in the Warstep Stakes in April, and Muniandy has been pleased with the way she has returned. “She has come back big and strong, and she is ticking along well,” he said. The Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) on the middle day of New Zealand Cup Week has been highlighted as her major spring aim, and she will commence her path towards that feature in Saturday’s Agraforum Growing Innovation 1400. “The TAB Mile is the plan for her,” Muniandy said. “We will see what she does on Saturday and then she will have another race before the TAB Mile.” View the full article

Patience has been a key factor in the rise of Jaarffi to the elite level and she’s in good order to open her six-year-old campaign at Rotorua. The Cambridge Stud-bred and raced mare has trialled well ahead of her resuming run in Sunday’s Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) and any improvement in track conditions will further boost her chances. Jaarffi has a handy first-up record of two wins from five attempts, and with a rating of 100 is well-suited by the weight-for-age conditions. “I wanted to run her a couple of weeks ago in an open handicap, but she got 62kg which was too tough,” trainer Lance Noble said. “I’m a little bit worried about how wet the track might be, but we have to kick her off and she trialled well on the synthetic. “She needs plenty of speed on and Rotorua can be a swooper’s track, if she handles the footing then hopefully she can get over the top of them.” Jaarffi has won four of her 17 starts and last preparation the daughter of Iffraaj finished runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), after an interrupted run, and the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m). “Her form was super and she was a bit unlucky not to win the Group One,” Noble said. “She’s got a bit stronger, she’s always been a bit weak and she looks the full deal now. “She was always very tall and quite narrow and we’ve kept nursing her through. Mentally and physically, she’s fully mature now. “We’re looking forward to this campaign and hopefully she can kick it off in the right way on Sunday.” Jaarffi will again be ridden by Warre Kennedy, who also partners stablemate Love Symbol in the Rotorua Racecourse Race For The Ladies (1215m). The well-related Savabeel mare broke through for her first victory at her 11th appearance when successfully returning last time out from a break. “She’s a beautiful mare and she took a while to be a racehorse, over-racing and doing a few things wrong, but she came back and won nicely at Ellerslie,” Noble said. “She looks as well as she did before the run and has taken a bit of improvement, but again I’m a little bit wary of the track. If it holds up, she should acquit herself well.” The stable will have one runner on Friday at Taupo with Hot Card to resume in the Chris Jolly Outdoors (1000m) with Kennedy again in the saddle. “She won well at the trials and 1000m should suit her. She shows a lot of speed, and I think she’ll get around Taupo quite well,” Noble said. View the full article

Proven mare Archaic Smile is looking to make her presence felt in the open ranks before a potential southern trip when she contests Saturday’s Gr.3 fastinternet.co.nz Spring Sprint (1400m) at Otaki. A Group One performing juvenile, Archaic Smile found that form again in her autumn three-year-old campaign, narrowly missing top honours in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). She resumed with a solid fourth in an Open 1200m behind Midnight Edition at Te Rapa, a performance that gave trainer Hollie Wynyard the option of going to the Spring Sprint, or the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1200m) on Sunday at Rotorua. Once barrier draws came out on Wednesday morning, that became an easy decision for the Cambridge horsewoman. “She drew 11 at Rotorua against a Group One field, so we’ll head down to Otaki having drawn two down there,” Wynyard said. “It was a good run first-up, she’s coming out of three-year-old grade and was straight into pretty much the Foxbridge Plate field, so I was happy with that. “She’s pulled up well, bounced through it and she’s a mare that does well with racing. She’ll get better the further she gets into her prep. “I don’t know how good she is on the really heavy tracks, I’m hoping Otaki will come back to a decent heavy but there is a question mark on how she’ll handle it. But she’s flying, she had a gallop last Saturday at Matamata on a very heavy track and looked like she swam through it quite well.” The daughter of Saxon Warrior has never raced beyond 1400m and Wynyard hopes to extend her range this spring, with the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) during New Zealand Cup Week on her radar. “I’m hoping to get down there, we’ll probably run in the fillies and mares race (Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes, 1400m) on the first day then if she goes well, we’ll look at backing her up,” she said. “She does back up quite well, so it’s just an option if she goes well that we can have a go.” Archaic Smile may have a travelling companion in the form of stablemate Sweet Talkin Gal, who holds nominations for each of the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m). Her mission towards the three-year-old classics will commence at the Rotorua meeting, where she lines up in the Green Light Insurance Brokers (1400m) off the back of a comfortable trial win at Te Rapa. “She’s similar (to Archaic Smile), the more she’s in work, the better she gets,” Wynyard said. “She’s quite a laid-back filly so it’s hard to get a line on her sometimes, but she looks incredible, she’s been working up super and off that trial, it gives you a lot of confidence heading into a maiden race. “I was probably a little bit concerned about going 1400 first-up if the track was really testing, but the weather looks pretty good from now until Sunday and she is a filly that’ll want a mile or 2000m. “I think the 1400 will be perfect for her.” By Anders, Sweet Talkin Gal is a half-sister to eight-win mare Pride Of Aspen, who has been trained for most of her career by Wynyard and her former training partner Johno Benner. Wynyard will have a further four runners at the meeting, including stakes-placed mare This Time Girl in the Campbell Infrastructure (1400m). Coming out of an Oaks preparation, The Time Girl was sharp in her resuming win at Taupo but was wide throughout to finish out of the placings at Ellerslie last start. “She’s bounced through it, I’m just putting a line through that as it was a bad ride and nothing went her way,” Wynyard said. “We’re pretty happy with her going into Rotorua, we’ll put some side fluffies on her to make her concentrate a bit more but she’s going well so hopefully she can turn her form around.” View the full article

Yearlings by first-crop stallions continued to be in demand during Wednesday's closing session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's October Yearlings Sale as a colt by Jackie's Warrior (hip 482) topped the session at $180,000. Bred and consigned by Glen Hill Farm, the colt was picked up by Elijah and Nelson Arroyo of Arroyo Bloodstock who deemed him on social media to be “our favorite horse of the entire catalog.” “Physically, he was one of the most muscular horses that we saw,” Elijah said. “He has a really nice presence to him and good angles. We try to look for horses that fit with the group that we've bought this year and he definitely fits and more. He's got a great mind to him.” The Arroyos, who founded the racing information portal TBX, have been active across the yearling sales this season buying horses they believe can be future stakes runners. They also acquired a Solomini filly (hip 156) for $15,000 on Tuesday during the sale's opening session. “We're trying to focus on horses who we believe have a real, big chance of being stakes horses when they run,” Nelson added. “We're trying to buy horses that, even if they pinhook well or not, that they're going to make it at the races and we believe in them. Horses that we believe have a bright future.” Jackie's Warrior, who was announced at a $25,000 stud fee for 2026 ahead of his first 2-year-olds making the races next season, saw plenty of success last month at Keeneland including a $1.3m colt who sold to West Bloodstock. Given that success, the Arroyos were prepared to spend for their top colt. “The two horses that I loved in this sale were hip 177 (Tuesday's sales-topper by Mo Donegal who sold for $240,000) and this one, who I liked a little more. He had a little bit more size, it's a colt, a popular freshman sire, bigger page. So we were prepared to have the [new] sales topper. Thank God he went under $200,000!” Elijah, Nelson, and Brandon Arroyo | Jessica Martini Out of a graded stakes winner in Broken Dreams, the Jackie's Warrior colt is a half to MGSW Caribou Club (City Zip) and a three-time track record setter at Gulfstream in Fly the W (Ghostzapper). Third dam One Dreamer was also a GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner. There's quality still in the pipeline as well with Caribou Club's 2-year-old Into Mischief filly, named Eze Village, unraced but on the work tab at Saratoga over the summer. In addition to breeding and consigning the session topper Wednesday, Glen Hill Farm also added the day's second highest price when another homebred son of Army Mule (hip 506) brought $125,000 to Breeze Easy LLC. That colt is out of MGSW Closeout, a full-sister to GSW Capital Request, SW Bricks and Ivy and GSP Family Foundation. “It's a good family and he's a nice colt,” Glen Hill's Tom Proctor told OBS of the Jackie's Warrior colt. “I think the family goes back (to Glen Hill) about 7-8 dams. He's a big, good looking colt who is well balanced. I hope Nelson does well with him.” Other first-crop stallions in demand Wednesday included Roadster who had a colt (hip 480) go the way of Sean S. Perl Bloodstock for $120,000 and a filly (hip 319) purchased by Champion Equine for $80,000. A pair of stallions with their first 2-year-olds this year also saw success with Spendthrift's Yaupon (recently bumped to $60,000 for 2026) and Florida's Pleasant Acres Stallions member Leinster both well represented. There were four hips across the six-figure mark Wednesday, bringing the two-day total to eight. That eclipses the mark set by last year's OBS October Sale where seven yearlings hit six figures. During Wednesday's final session, 146 yearlings sold for $3,635,100 for an average of $24,898 and a median of $18,500. The buy-back rate was 26.2%. Cumulatively over two days, 308 yearlings sold for $7,247,700 with an average price of $23,531 and a median of $15,000. The overall buy-back rate was 25.5%. The post Jackie’s Warrior Colt Tops Closing Day Of OBS October appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Fasig-Tipton October Digital sale closed Wednesday evening with broodmare Stifled Heiress (Munnings) as the topper when she was taken home for $470,000 and 240 horses sold for $4,947,500, according to a press release from the auction company on Wednesday. Offering horses of racing age, racing/broodmare prospects, broodmares, yearlings, and weanlings, the online sale closed over two days with Stifled Heiress (hip 242), who is in foal to Leinster, going to Pursuit of Success LLC from the consignment of SGV Thoroughbreds, agent. The daughter of Munnings is already the dam of two winners from two starters, including this year's GII Gallant Bob Stakes winner Mad House (Vekoma). Blame It On Alphie (hip 232), in foal to perennial leading sire Into Mischief, sold for $400,000 to Hunter Valley Farm & Mountmellick Farm from the consignment of Mulholland Springs, agent. By Blame, Blame It On Alphie is a stakes placed half-sister to three stakes winners. “It's always nerve-wracking to be the first sale of the year offering a large quantity of breeding stock,” said Director of Digital Sales Leif Aaron. “Broodmares in foal were clearly in high demand–which makes perfect sense given the time of year. Our numbers are up significantly from 2024 to 2025: horses offered, sold, average, and gross are all showing major increases. The number of registered bidders rose by 25 percent, which is an incredible jump. “Gains like that don't happen by chance,” he said. “This was the result of a massive collective effort. We turned around a 400-horse catalogue in just ten days–an enormous undertaking. That meant vetting, photos, seller descriptions, and mountains of paperwork. Buyers, too, put in the work to study the catalogue and come prepared. It was a true team effort from everyone involved, and we're deeply grateful to our customers for giving us the opportunity to put on this show.” Click here for full results. The post Broodmare Stifled Heiress Tops Fasig-Tipton October Digital Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Gal in a Rush and Ms. Tart have different connections and train at separate racetracks hundreds of miles apart. But when it's time to race, the two female sprinters regularly land in the same spot.View the full article

Trainer Aidan O'Brien has entered four fillies in the Oct. 10 Fillies' Mile (G1) at Newmarket Racecourse, with the Prestige Fillies (G3) and Moyglare Stud (G1) winner Precise set to be joined by Moments of Joy, Sugar Island, and Composing. View the full article

By Jordyn Bublitz Lincoln La Moose will be out to continue his winning form tonight at Cambridge Raceway, following an impressive fresh-up victory at the venue just last week. The four-year-old son of Art Major, trained at Lincoln Farms in Pukekohe by Ray Green and Nathan Delany, returned to racing in fine style. He was given a perfect trip in transit, getting a lovely drag into the race before sprinting away to win with ease. What made the performance stand out even more was the time, an overall 2:40 for the 2200m mobile, closing with a hot half in 57.2. Co-trainer Nathan Delany was thrilled with the effort. “We knew he’d go well, he’d been training up really good, but we didn’t expect him to go 2:40 fresh-up,” he said. “He’s come through the run beautifully and he’s been full of beans, I think he’ll go another good race tonight.” Once again, Peter Ferguson will take the reins when Lincoln La Moose lines up in the MVS Equine Hospital Mobile Pace (7.09pm). The gelding has drawn ideally in barrier two and Delany is hopeful he’ll get another economical run close to the pace. “He should get an easy trail, Always B Charlie gets out of the gate pretty good and we’ll just see what happens from there,” Delany explained. A win tonight would bring up his fourth win overall, a strong return for a horse who continues to mature and strengthen with each campaign. “Last start was his third win this season, he’s done well,” Delany said. The Lincoln Farms team will also see Whats Up The Hill step out tonight at Cambridge. The three-year-old son of What The Hill will be partnered by Peter Ferguson in the opening event, the Xmas At The Raceway Tickets On Sale Now Handicap Trot. While Whats Up The Hill has shown flashes of real ability, he’s still learning his craft, and his manners have occasionally cost him on race day. That was the case at his fresh-up run, where things didn’t go to plan, but the team is confident he’s ready to show his true potential this time around. “He tends to lose concentration, we’ve made a few gear adjustments, and he’s worked really well this week,” said Delany. “I think he should be a good chance tonight.” View the full article

By Jonny Turner Master trotting trainer Phil Williamson isn’t sure how his team can beat Ya Right Darl in the Aldebaran Zeus Southern Trotting Oaks at Invercargill today. But he is going to give it a real crack. Last start Ya Right Darl ($1.60) romped home by more than 12 lengths in the recent Sires’ Stakes Classique at Addington. Williamson heads south with Atlantic City ($18), who headed the pack chasing Ya Right Darl in her crushing victory. Have A Little Faith also heads to Oaks as part of a two-pronged Williamson attack. While he has the ultimate respect for the hot favourite, the man with harness racing’s most famous moustache isn’t ready to concede defeat. “I am not sure we can beat Ya Right Darl, but we are going to give it a bloody good go,” Williamson said. “That win at Addington was ultra-impressive and she is going to take a lot of beating.” “You always have respect for your opposition, but I think my two can both go nice races.” “Whether they are good enough to beat the favourite – we will find out. She might just be too good.” Atlantic City got well off the pace in her second to Ya Right Darl before running on nicely late. Williamson is hopeful the filly can produce more at Ascot Park. “I have made a gear change with her which I am hoping will help.” “I do think she can go a better race this week, she’s a capable filly.” Have A Little Faith gets the big advantage of drawing barrier 1 in the Southern Trotting Oaks. That spot has seen her rated the $2.80 second favourite, behind Ya Right Darl ($1.60) and well in front of Atlantic City ($18). Going by their trainer’s opinion, there isn’t much between the Williamson pairing. “I have thought that Atlantic City has had the edge on the other filly.” “But from the one draw, Have A Little Faith is going to get her chance to have the wood on her.” “She’s done everything asked of her racing in the grades, and she’s going to get her chance from the draw because she can use it.” Alongside Ya Right Darl and Have A Little Faith, Dash Dosh is the only other runner in single figures in the Southern Trotting Oaks fixed-odds market. The filly heads south after producing three excellent efforts this time in for trainer Tom Bagrie. The Williamson barn has just one more runner at Thursday’s Northern Southland Trotting Club meeting in Our Pinocchio. The trotter was only denied in his last start at Wyndham by the in-form Dreams Pat. “I’d be expecting a good, honest race out of him.” “If the others make mistakes, he will be right there to capitalise.” “The start is always key for him because he can be slow, even though he’s safe.” “The other day he managed to get away well, but it can be relative to how long he has to stand.” “If they turn and burn, he will make a nice beginning.” Nathan Williamson drives Our Pinocchio and Have A Little Faith, while Brad Williamson takes the reins behind Atlantic City. View the full article

Texas Racing Commission (TXRC) chairman Robert Pate reportedly announced that Amy Cook, the commission's executive director and chief law enforcer, is leaving her position “by year's end,” according to two individuals who witnessed Wednesday's commission meeting. No successor was named during the meeting, nor were any reasons given for Cook leaving her position, according to the sources. The TDN has reached out to the TXRC for clarification on these questions. This story will be updated as necessary. Cook has been in the position since November of 2021, and is seen by some in the state industry as a controversial hiring. Cook assumed the job after a long history in the U.S. military. While she had no prior experience in the horse racing industry, it appears as though her ideological opposition to the federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) was an important factor in her role. Indeed, last year Pate told the TDN that Cook in her position has been working with the Texas Attorney General's office “to successfully attack the constitutionality of the HISA law.” When HISA's racetrack safety program launched in 2022, the TXRC argued it was statutorily barred from joining HISA–a position it has since maintained. Because the HISA Authority has jurisdiction over the interstate simulcasting of races, the commission argues it is prohibited from permitting Texan tracks to export their signals. The inability for Texan tracks to simulcast their signals has resulted in massive drops in handle, with major implications for purses and track revenues. Though purses in the state are bolstered by monies accrued through a tax on equine products like feed and tack, the TDN obtained a memo put together by Texas racing stakeholders earlier this year which argues the industry is still losing approximately $6 million in revenues annually. The post Amy Cook Reportedly Leaving Texas Commission By Year’s End appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising had his first official Australian trial less than two weeks out from the Oct. 18 The Everest (G1), and trainer David Hayes is confident the world's top-rated sprinter will be ready for his AU$20 million target. View the full article

The red-hot Miguel Clement barn sends out the improving Into Mischief filly Love Cervere for her graded debut in the $175,000 Glen Cove Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-old fillies Oct. 11 at Aqueduct Racetrack.View the full article

The New York Racing Association introduced the Champion Suites, a collection of luxurious, year-round private suites pairing the excitement of world-class racing with premium amenities, elevated service, and enhanced access to the new Belmont Park.View the full article

Despite a dominant 6 1/2-length history in the GI Champagne S. at Aqueduct Oct. 4, Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map) will skip the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Napoleon Solo is owned by Al Gold's Gold Square LLC and is trained by Chad Summers. The story was first reported by the Daily Racing Form's David Grening. “Unfortunately , the Breeders Cup is in California every year,” Summers said. “Hopefully, that will change. It's a lot to ask of these 2-year-olds. We weren't really sure what we wanted to do after the race that was that fast and he had to run hard in. After a couple days of reflection and talking it over with Mr. Gold, we feel like it would be a lot to ask of him to come right back in the Breeders' Cup. He's a young 2-year-old. We're going to look forward to next year and, hopefully, he'll go to the Breeders' Cup next year.” Purchased for just $40,000 at Keeneland September, Napoleon Solo started his career in a Saratoga maiden race restricted to horses that sold for $60,000 or less at the sales. He won that day by 5 1/4 lengths. At odds of 6-1, he wired the field in the Champagne in an impressive performance. Summers has yet to map out a plan for Napoleon Solo for next year. “We'll take it one day at a time,” he said. “When he's ready to run, we'll look at all the options. He will be nominated to everything across the country. We also have that horse ['TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard SW & GISP] Two Out Hero (War Front) with Kevin Attard. Right now he's pointing to the Holy Bull. Well try him on the dirt. We'd like to keep those horses separated. We'll see what options are out there when the situation is right. That's the beautiful thing about Derby prep season. There's no shortage of options.” The post Champagne Winner Napoleon Solo Will Pass Breeders’ Cup Juvenile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In response to a release on the subject of 'Equine Sudden Death Syndrome' issued by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) on Sept. 25 (TDN story), which found that atrial fibrillation (AF) was a contributing factor to equine sudden death, Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HPBA, called the findings into question in a statement of his own on Oct. 8, declaring that the HISA statement 'raised more questions than answers' and 'offered no scientific references, and provided no direct link to the alleged research behind their claims, even though the research has been publicly presented.' In its Sept. 25 release, HISA reported that Exercise-Associated Sudden Death (EASD) accounted for 8% of racing fatalities and 18% of training fatalities at racetracks subject to HISA rules (as well as training centers owned by them). The release also said that retrospective analysis of cases since the inception of HISA showed that more than 50% of those cases were 'likely related to cardiac issues' often classified as 'sudden cardiac death.' The HISA release proposed 'integrating cardiac screening' into the routine evaluation of horse by making use of wearable devices or veterinary exams with the goal of identifying at-risk horses prior to exercise. Hamelback took issue to such monitoring in his release, laying out the limitations of heart rate monitors. Hamelback also calls out HISA for their neglecting to acknowledge how the removal of Furosemide (Lasix) can exacerbate the risk of EIPH. “The welfare of racehorses and the integrity of the sport depend on clear, evidence-based leadership,” Hamelback said. “This is not what we are receiving in this last HISA press release. Anything less does a disservice to horsemen, veterinarians, and most importantly, the horses themselves.” The post National HBPA Pushes Back On HISA Equine Sudden Death Release appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article