Wandering Eyes

Street Beast and Fulleffort, the 1-2 finishers of the Leonatus Stakes, will need to fight off some out-of-town shippers as Turfway Park joins the Road to the Kentucky Derby Feb. 21 in the $175,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes.View the full article

In this week's Maiden Watch, Trouble Calling, a Dialed In half brother to grade 1 winner Troubleshooting, draws off to a 6 1/4-length with to earn his first career victory Feb. 14 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.View the full article

The Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (RMTC) has awarded 25 Racing Industry Veterinary Student Externships, the company announced Tuesday. This program, which is in response to the supply and demand concerns associated with available equine veterinarians to meet the racing industry's needs, provides a shared experience for veterinary students with racetrack practitioners and regulatory veterinarians. “Thanks in part to partnerships with industry sponsors and host veterinarians, the RMTC has been able to award 65 externships over the past three years,” said Dr. Michael Hardy, RMTC Executive Director. “The early impact of the program has resulted in numerous job offers and new equine veterinarians working within the racing industry.” Since its inception in 2024, this program has gained significant industry support, with all 25 externships for 2026 funded by program sponsors, including AVMA Trust, AAEP Foundation for the Horse, Breeders' Cup Ltd, Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Oak Tree Racing Association, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Horseshoe Indianapolis, The Jockey Club, National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association as well as the Indiana, Nebraska, Tampa Bay, Charles Town and Virginia chapters of HBPA. The post RMTC Distributes 25 Racing Industry Vet Student Externships For 2026 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Byron King's Top 12 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, presented by Spendthrift Farm.View the full article

Charles Briere's Fairway Consignment was responsible for two of the top three lots during Tuesday's opening session of the Arqana February Mixed Sale, including the Listed-winning hurdler Elektrix (Gemix), who was knocked down to Hubert Barbe of Horse Racing Advisory – bidding on behalf of Haras de Couëly – for €80,000. Offered as lot 113, Elektrix enjoyed her career highlight when winning the Listed Prix Gaston Branere at Auteuil in April last year. The five-year-old is out of another talented hurdler in the G3 Prix Pierre de Lassus winner and G1 Prix Renaud du Vivier second La Grande Dame (Daliapour), while this is also the family of the multiple Grade 1 winners Brighterdaysahead (Kapgrade), Caldwell Potter (Martaline) and Mighty Potter (Martaline). “She was a very good racemare,” said Haras de Couëly's Hubert O'Delant. “She's from a family that has produced some very nice horses, and we have the possibility of choosing many crosses for her. We're delighted to be able to have purchased a mare of this quality to join the stud's broodmare band.” Early in the session, Haras d'Etreham signed for the other headline lot from Fairway Consignment when the Toronado mare Chiaraniya (lot 9) fetched €67,000. From the extended family of the top-level winners Maranoa Charlie and Tiggy Wiggy, the five-year-old Chiaraniya was placed in a pair of Listed races on the Flat in a career spanning 16 starts for trainer Mickael Seror. Of the 173 lots offered, 108 sold at a clearance rate of 62%. With 108 fewer lots being offered compared to this day 12 months ago, the aggregate was down by 53% at €1,257,250, whereas the average held up well at €11,641 (-3%) and the median was €4,500 (-10%). Along with Elektrix, Secret Sky (Camelot) also achieved the session-topping price of €80,000 when going under the hammer as lot 180. Sébastien Desmontils, acting on behalf of Colin and Melba Bryce's Laundry Cottage Stud, emerged on top in the battle to secure the three-race maiden who was third in the Listed Prix de Thiberville as a three-year-old. Offered by Coulonces, the now-seven-year-old is out of the winning Tale of the Cat mare Oh Star who, in turn, is out of the 1,000 Guineas heroine Sleepytime (Royal Academy). Elsewhere, lot 32, a Siyouni colt from La Motteraye Consignment, proved the most sought-after of the 33 yearlings to go through the ring on Tuesday when picked up by Ronald Rauscher for €58,000. A half-brother to the G1 Preis von Europa winner Aspetar (Al Kazeem), the colt is out of the winning Dansili mare Bella Qatara who, in turn, is out of the triple Oaks heroine Alexandrova (Sadler's Wells). This is also the family of Ecurie des Monceaux's star broodmare Prudenzia (Dansili), the dam of the top-level winners Chicquita (Montjeu), Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica) and Magic Wand (Galileo), among others. The action at Arqana resumes at 11am (local time) on Wednesday with a final session of breeding stock, stores, two-year-olds and horses-in-training. The post Fairway Consignment Mares Find Favour as New Year Gets Underway at Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company has implemented additional control measures for its under-tack shows in 2026, the company announced Tuesday. In a press release, OBS states the measures “further enhance existing standards that prioritize the well-being of horses and riders.” Beginning with the under-tack show for the March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training, use of the riding crop will be restricted to where the rider will not be permitted to strike the horse with their hands off the reins before, during or after the breeze. Also starting this year, all horses will be required to have a veterinary statement stating they are suitable to perform in the under-tack show. Any entries without an affirming statement will be scratched from the sale. This will be in addition to the existing practice of a staff veterinarian monitoring the training leading up to the under-tack show and positioned on track during the under-tack show. Additionally, OBS states that the new protocols complement safety rules which have already been successfully implemented. The administration times for NSAIDS and corticosteroids were tightened to where neither are allowed to be administered within 48 hours of a horse's under tack performance and no other medication is allowed within 24 hours of an under-tack effort. Corticosteroids are also not permitted within 24 hours of a horse's sale session. No NSAIDS can be administered after 6 p.m. the day prior to a horse selling. Any overages for these medications will result in a horse being subject to return. Last year, OBS instituted a gallop only option where sellers can enter their horses with this designation which will be on the catalog page. The 2026 OBS March Sale will be held March 10-12 with under-tack shows taking place March 4-7. The post OBS Implements Additional Control Measures Ahead Of March Under-Tack Show appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

You might have a lifelong passion for horses, and even devote your whole working life to their welfare. But sometimes there is no substitute for sitting on their backs. A few years ago, Dr. Jeff Berk took a vacation from his relentless schedule as an equine veterinarian in order to-well, spend a little time with horses. His next trip to Britain was not to Tattersalls, as usual, but to an eventing course run by two former Olympians. Though Berk was a perfectly accomplished rider, with years of foxhunting behind him, it was this experience that clarified the secret to horsemanship. “And that was that you don't muscle a horse,” he explains. “That's why a small, slight person can be a very good rider. Because it's not about your muscular development. It's about the shifts and balances, all the nuances and subtle signals you can give to a horse, so that if you're speaking their language correctly, they will do things automatically. Which becomes the most beautiful partnership there can be, between human and animal.” To Berk, exploring that rapport brought home the daily miracle he enjoys in engaging professionally at such close quarters. “I know they're ignorant in some ways,” he acknowledges with a smile. “But they're very intuitive creatures that want to do what you ask, so long as you know how to ask them. To me, that's phenomenal. To be honest, I think that the Thoroughbred horse is a gift from God, unique among the animal kingdom. I don't know any other animal as majestic.” Such admiration, however, only makes our accompanying responsibility more urgent. That's why this past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners became a director of Light Up Racing, the sport's campaign to elevate understanding inside and outside its own community. But Berk also believes that each of us, beyond that proactive organization of collective messaging, owes the horse a less formal duty of vigilance; and that we need to think carefully about how the sales and breeding industries have evolved. He has been around the business rather longer than his youthful looks imply. In fact he had already cut his teeth as a racetrack veterinarian, at Thistledown in Ohio, before heading to Ocala in 1983 to start his own practice. Even before then, he had been saturated with animal lore. His father, a polo player and eventer (still riding daily at 95), was a veterinarian by trade; and during vet school at the University of Pennsylvania, Berk himself would spend summers at Delaware Park walking hots and grooming. “I became addicted,” he says simply. “There was no other path for me.” Recovering from a surgery, he decided to prioritize sales work and moved to Lexington, Kentucky, with Equine Medical Associates. But he is licensed at all points of the compass, home and abroad, and has duly been able to compare many different cultures and practices. And he admits himself “very troubled” by the way young horses are nowadays raised. He invokes one of his earliest clients, the old Farnsworth Farm, then the largest Thoroughbred breeder in Florida: between 300 and 450 mares, a dozen stallions. They raised their stock “properly.” “And I'm going to define what that is,” Berk says. “They were foaled out correctly, with great attention. Then the mare and foal would gradually be graduated: round pen, small paddock, eventually a big field, 50 acres plus, where they could run around with the rest. They were raised rough: brought up once daily to be fed and examined, the other 23, 23½ hours living outside. “Why's that important for the development of young horses? Well, it's not only mentally, as herd animals. At least as importantly, all that activity helps to develop the strength, flexibility, and health of all their structures. It's not just bone, but ligament and tendon as well. Everything gets exercised in the right way for the age they are.” Sure enough, these horses were so sound that they required hardly any vet work. But a world where adolescent animals are sometimes put through three sales cycles inside 18 months-weanling, yearling, 2-year-old-feels very different. “Every time a horse goes through a sale, what happens?” asks Berk. “Number one, they have to go through prep, which means a lot of time in the stall. And then maybe there are some little bone fragments. They really don't bother a horse, but they're hard to sell with those. So they undergo a surgery, and that's another month in the stall. “So it's entirely possible, when you're trying to buy a young horse for an athletic pursuit, that it may have spent two, three, four months in a stall exactly when it should be out exercising the way horses do when left to their own devices.” Little wonder, then, if Berk has observed soundness issues that were formerly less prevalent. “I'm not saying that 20 years ago nobody ever saw a high suspensory,” Berk says. “But we didn't see nearly so many of the things we do now that we're putting their bodies and minds under a level of pressure that's not normal for their age.” This is one of those vets who believes that intervention will often be a poor substitute for pasture. That's why he is grateful for clients with patience, something he finds more often when people work as a team. “When you rush horses, it never pans out,” he says. “It's about good decisions. Sales are when they are, there's no flexibility. But if people try to make a horse fit into a program, it may or may not work. Our business has evolved so that people tend to operate in silos, in their own unique space with a unique corporate structure. So perhaps every stakeholder's mission statement should address the collective responsibility we have, above and beyond corporate profits.” Berk challenges us whether commercial dividends banked by cutting corners on a particular horse can ever redress the wider erosion of credibility. “Breeding or racing, there's always a delicate balance between commerce and sport,” he says. “Get too far over, at either end, you're in trouble. There has to be a financial aspect, for it to continue. But think about the roots of the sport, in England and Ireland, under certain conditions-one being a pretty good base of horsemanship, an emphasis on the animal.” He reminds us that when horse vans were first introduced, to Victorian Britain, the sport remained seasonal, spring to autumn. Horses were all turned out for the winter months; moreover walking to race meetings was treated as part of their conditioning, and often the same was true of races themselves. “Now what have we evolved to?” asks Berk. “America being such a big country, we can race year-round. And the horse never gets a break. I'm not trying to reinvent American racing. It's just that if you asked what is ideal for a horse, then that is not. Berk also has concerns about the business model of trainers, though he stresses that this is hardly their fault: they have had to respond to the expectations of owners who select trainers according to win percentages. “There was a time when public trainers didn't even exist,” he says. “Working for Calumet, you may be famous, but you're still an employee. But now that people measure success by win percentages, nobody's going to run unless they think they can win. So the idea of using a race [for fitness] is gone. What do we have instead? Work, work, work, work; race; work, work, work, work; race. And we all see the unfortunate result, the horses that didn't pan out because they didn't fit the program.” To Berk's point about the winter break, studies have shown unequivocally that the spelling of horses will reduce breakdowns-because bone is living tissue, capable of wear and repair. “Every Thoroughbred is an athlete, and every athlete is subject to injury,” Berk remarks. “Almost all of them have some tiny little thing they're living with, and ignoring, because they love to run. Give that horse some time off, the little thing heals and they start over again. If you don't, the little thing becomes bigger. Unbeknownst to you, the horse starts to acknowledge it, feel it. They start to travel differently. A horse that might have a problem in a hind ankle is changing the way that it travels, and then goes and bows a tendon. And they say, 'Oh, shame, stepped in a hole on the track.' But the primary problem may have been brewing for weeks and career-ending injury could have been avoided.” Another side of this same coin, essentially of vigilance, is the contentious business of sales vetting. Here, changing practice tends to reflect technological advances: digital radiography and video scopes, for instance, being reviewable online. Berk has even done so for Arqana yearlings while working a sale at Saratoga. Long days, for sure, with X-ray requests at 2 a.m., and the completion of a vetting process obviously remains contingent on a trusted pair of eyes over the water. But none of this, in itself, results in an overly simplistic “pass” or “fail”. To Berk, the very expression suggests a misapprehension. Vets seldom trade in anything as basic as thumbs up or down. “These are very nuanced discussions,” he emphasizes. “All these things we're doing-X-rays, throats, physicals, ultrasounds-are about assembling information, to establish a level of risk. My job is very much like a portfolio manager, with a shortlist of potential investments. I'm trying to establish a level of risk based upon the information I'm generating. And then I need to be articulate enough to package it for the client, in a way they can understand. So the exact same horse, with the same information, may be suitable for one client and not for another-based entirely upon their own ability to absorb risk and their unique purpose for the horse.” As Berk notes, it is not as though any horse has an absolute commercial value. “Let's say that a given horse should bring around $300,000,” he suggests. “Would you pay $1 million dollars for that horse? Clearly not. But even if there are significant findings, would you pay $1 for it? Of course. Well, there's a number between $1 and $1 million, and the agent's job is to figure out what it is.” Over the years, all this coalface participation has confirmed Berk in one axiom: our first commitment should always be to the horse. Overall, he feels of a community that profoundly respects the animal; it just needs to be better at explaining that. Along with colleagues Dr. Wayne McIlwraith and Dr. Emma Adam, he duly loaded the Light Up Racing platform with the science to counter malice and misinformation. “We talk about collective responsibility,” Berk says. “Well, what if somebody walked up to you and said, 'What happens to horses when they're done racing?' or, 'Is it bad to race 2-year-olds?' Instead of shrugging your shoulders, I think you have a bit of a responsibility: go to the website and within five minutes you could have a good answer, or can at least point that person to one. “We need to be transparent and communicate what we're doing and why, without trying to gloss over anything that needs improvement. But when you hear things that aren't just negative, but baseless, we can now say: 'Number one, where are you getting your information? And would you be interested in some facts?' Because to combat the false narratives out there, we all need to take part in conveying the truth-the lovely truth-about what a wonderful sport we have.” The post Berk Lighting a Path to Keep the Horse Up Front appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

For the fifth straight year, the European Pattern Committee has reduced the number of black-type races, which chair Jason Morris says, "reflects the collective responsibility that the EPC member countries share towards enforcing quality control."View the full article

Caitlin Courtney has been named the new Director of Sales at Denali Stud after eleven years working with St George Sales and Brookstone Farm. She succeeds Elizabeth Snellings who held the position for three years. “We are thrilled to have Caitlin join the team at Denali,” said Conrad Bandoroff. “She has extensive sales and industry experience, and we're looking forward to her bringing this skillset to Denali and our clients.” A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Courtney has grown up around the Thoroughbred industry and started working for St George Sales and Brookstone Farm after college. “I am really excited about this next chapter in my career at Denali Stud,” said Courtney. “I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have worked with Archie and Michelle for eleven years to help them grow into the operation that they are today and through their mentorship, I have gained a wealth of knowledge that will allow me to really excel in my new role. I appreciate all of the staff at their consignment and farm, and am looking forward to forming new relationships working with the staff and clients at Denali.” The post Caitlin Courtney Named Director of Sales at Denali Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A quintet of New York Sired/Bred's have been named finalists for Horse of the Year in the 2025 New York-bred Divisional Awards, announced by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) on Tuesday. The Horse of the Year finalists are: Bank Frenzy (Central Banker), Doc Sullivan (Solomini), Braverthanubelieve (Honest Mischief), Twenty Six Black (War Dancer), Sunday Girl (Central Banker). Graded stakes winner and MGISP My Mane Squeeze (Audible) was named a finalist in both the Champion Older Dirt Female and Champion Female Sprinter categories. A panel of New York Turf writers, broadcasters, handicappers, racing analysts and photographers will vote on the winners of each division and the 2025 New York-bred Horse of the Year. The 2025 New York-bred divisional champions, New York-bred Horse of the Year and other honors, including the new New York-sired New York-bred of the Year, will be announced at the NYTB Awards Dinner sponsored by the New York Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund from 6:30-9 p.m. Monday, May 11. The awards ceremony includes a cocktail hour, silent auction, and plated dinner. Formal invitations to follow. “The New York-bred Divisional Awards are an opportunity to recognize the excellence, commitment, and talent that define New York breeding and racing,” said NYTB President Lere Visagie. “This year's nominees exemplify the strength of our program and the people behind it. We look forward to celebrating the connections, farms, and professionals whose work continues to elevate New York on a national stage. It promises to be a memorable evening for our entire industry.” Tickets are available–$150 for NYTB Members and $175 for non-members–for purchase at www.nytbreeders.org/events. Tables of 10 are also available for $1,350 for NYTB members. Also to be honored at the event with 2025 awards will be Broodmare of the Year, Trainer, Champion Jockey, Outstanding Breeder, New York Sire of the Year and New York Farm Manager of the Year. Applications for submission for the New York Farm Manager of the Year are available here. A list of the 2025 New York-bred divisional championship nominees by category follows. Champion 2-Year-Old Male: Arctic Beast, Bravaro, Jaxer, Spirit of New York, Sunday Boy Champion 2-Year-Old Filly: Braverthanubelieve, Iron Orchard, Letmecounttheways, Oh, She's Country Champion 3-Year-Old Male: Iron Dome, Mi Bago, Mo Plex, Out On Bail, River Thames, Train the Trainer Champion 3-Year-Old Filly: Bernieandtherose, Five G, Usha, Valtellina, Vehemente, Zi End Champion Older Dirt Male: Bank Frenzy, Doc Sullivan, Jak N Burny, The Wine Steward, Whatchatalkinabout Champion Older Dirt Female: Bernietakescharge, My Mane Squeeze, Sterling Silver, Sunday Girl, Zi End Champion Turf Male: Mi Bago, Out On Bail, Rhetorical, Spirit of St Louis, Twenty Six Black Champion Turf Female: Awesome Czech, Mommy's Turn, Moonage Daydream, Spinning Colors, Trail of Gold Champion Male Sprinter: Dancing Buck, Doc Sullivan, The Wine Steward, Twenty Six Black, Whatchatalkinabout Champion Female Sprinter: My Mane Squeeze, Sterling Silver, Sunday Girl, Usha, Landed New York-Sired New York-Bred of the Year: Bank Frenzy (Central Banker), Doc Sullivan (Solomini), Braverthanubelieve (Honest Mischief), Twenty Six Black (War Dancer), Sunday Girl (Central Banker) The post My Mane Squeeze, Bank Frenzy, Doc Sullivan Head 2025 New York-bred Divisional Championship Noms appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Last year a move to decouple Florida track/casinos from the requirement to conduct racing was passed in the Florida House, but a united horse group stopped it in the Florida Senate. The wolf was at the door and they got rid of it. This year the wolf is back. Churchill Downs says Fair Grounds without a casino will close. The wolf is at the door there too, and at every track without coupling. The coupling of tracks with casino/alternate gaming was a case of leverage. The casinos wanted in and racing used its political leverage to make it happen. Decoupling is a question of how long racing will have political leverage? Can we save live racing in states without coupling, like California? Yes. Live racing generates plenty of revenue, it just gets misappropriated. Last year, over $11 billion was bet on racing. If it all was bet at the tracks, live racing would have received about $2.2 billion. That kind of money can make or break many businesses, including live racing. Of the $2.2 billion up for grabs last year, only $550 million went to the host tracks, while $1.65 billion went to off-track bet takers. I believe more than $1.65 billion of off-track revenue is now going to the wrong people. I mean the off-track bet takers in and out of racing. They pay about 5% to live racing, but they keep 15%, just for taking the bets. That can change. What if live racing kept all of it? What if racing disrupted the off-track market and kept all of it? Technology says we can. Why can't our sport display a bit of “race riding” in the gambling market? We can amend the Interstate Horseracing Act (IHA) to deliver the full 20% takeout to the host tracks, and then pay a small commission to those taking off-track bets. That's how the lotteries work. They gross over $100 billion, pay 5% to gas stations and keep the rest. Racing can do the same. Technology is changing public behavior quickly. Ticketmaster changed us from paper tickets to phone digital entry overnight. What if Ticketmaster, or another company, took over off-track bets for the host tracks? If their fee was less than 5%, host tracks would receive over $1 billion in new money. This disruption in the gambling market could result in less handle for racing, but 20%, means live racing will net more money even if there was a 50% drop in handle. The IHA, written in 1978, has allowed off-track bet takers to gang up and drive down the price they pay host tracks. That's why host tracks get 5% and bet takers get 15%. We must amend the IHA to refocus the revenue on the live race produced, not where and how the bet is made. The host tracks are being starved of their own revenue by off-track bet takers. To be clear, the $1.65 billion going to bet takers is more than all of the purse money in North America ($1.1 billion). This new money to the host tracks will be in addition to coupling revenue. Combining the two means dramatic growth for live racing. Sports gambling is breaking all the rules. Prediction Market companies, like Kalshi, are barging into every state and cannibalizing the rest of the sports betting market. The big wagering companies, Fan Duel and Draft Kings, are planning far beyond racing. Their future is with the major sports and prediction markets. Every day the expenses to breed, train, feed and care for Thoroughbreds go Up. Every day the expenses to maintain and operate host racetracks go Up. Every day the expenses to take off-track bets go down. Look at the graph lines and decide which direction racing's political leverage should be applied. Right now, one party controls both houses of Congress and the presidency. Before anything changes, those with the means for political leverage can act for the racing's future. Track owners, the HBPA, THA and TOC need to look at the numbers and see the impact of amending the IHA to deliver all of the off-track takeout to the host tracks. I believe they will see more than $1 billion in new net revenue for them to split. The folks who stopped decoupling in Florida took direct action to save live racing there. Now they can join others and scale up for a national effort to amend the IHA and assure, by federal law, the protection of live racing's off-track revenue. John Gaines hired me to sell the concept of the Breeders' Cup to the industry. We started by lining up every major owner and breeder and published the growing list of names every week until those holding out were forced into support of what has become racing's biggest idea. Perhaps some leaders will step up now and start such a list to amend the IHA. As trainer D. Wayne Lukas said about his strategy to win, “Go to the front and stay there.” Amend the IHA and give live racing a chance to go to the front and stay. The post Letter to the Editor: Coupling, Decoupling and Disrupting appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Horses obviously derive no comfort from the legacy they might leave. A stallion's reproductive ardor is presumably driven sooner by the means than the ends! In our own case, on the other hand, foreknowledge of mortality allows us to think about legacy. Racehorse trainers, for instance, can impart horsemanship to the next generation; or disclose, in horses, a genetic prowess that may have remained undisturbed in less skilled hands. Everyone intimate with her quirks is unanimous that Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) could easily have slipped through the cracks in a less artistic program than that operated by John Shirreffs. Ironically, she has turned out to be one of those females perhaps too virile to prove any kind of broodmare. But while her trainer's gentle and generous disposition proved equal even to the circus that developed around her, his wider accomplishments remained grossly overshadowed. Certainly he produced elite performers at a ratio unequivocally superior to others who have preceded him to the Hall of Fame. I remember writing many years ago that his absence diminished only the institution, not the man; and that those already inducted would consider their distinction incomplete until shared by Shirreffs. Doubtless his neglect will now be redressed, albeit-how suddenly-too late. Shirreffs himself, of course, would prize 15 minutes communing with a horse far above any bauble devised to gratify human vanity. Yes, we can honor his legacy; best of all, by emulating his benign and patient engagement with horses. In the meantime, however, we can bleakly share their point of view; can find it hard to think past the here-and-now, when it will never again be sweetened by his inquiring mind, and a voice that transparently conveyed his beautiful nature. I hope you will indulge my starting with this apparent digression. But there are lessons pertinent to the world of breeding: not least, a reminder to appreciate what we have, while we have it. So take a bow, Tapit! At 25, the venerable gray's books are being managed with scrupulous care and his diminished output has seen the three-time champion slide anonymously down the sires' table. But while competition among his male heirs grows ever stronger, his living legacy is expanding giddily through his daughters, hitherto responsible for 144 stakes winners headed by Cody's Wish (Curlin). Tapit-P360-Profile.jpg" alt="" width="346" height="432" /> Last Saturday, Tapit was damsire of three big winners at the Fair Grounds: Paladin (Gun Runner) in the GII Risen Star Stakes; Bella Ballerina (Street Sense) in the GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes; and Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GIII Mineshaft Stakes. A flying start, then, to his defense of a broodmare sire championship-largely contested by pensioned or deceased sires-in which he has finished first, second and first in the last three years. With more and more daughters cycling through to a second career, they will be consolidating his breed-shaping status for a while yet. The fact that two of their winners on Saturday were respectively by Gun Runner and his sire Candy Ride (Arg) will not discourage those who like to reduce matings to mere nicking formulae. After all, Gun Runner has previously given Tapit mares the likes of Society, Red Route One, Disarm and Wicked Halo. But the fact is that both stallions represent the same miraculous program, which was hardly going to resist the experiment of supporting the younger of the pair with daughters of the other. To the rest of us, blundering in their wake, the cross would seem to be producing good horses no more or less than one would expect when one top-class stallion is mated with the daughters of another. We noted last week that Gun Runner has himself opened his account as a broodmare sire with none other than GIII Southwest Stakes winner Silent Tactic, who is of course by a son of Tapit in Tacitus. But just as that horse has much else going on besides, so even a stallion like Gun Runner-whose sophomores on the Classic trail also include Further Ado and Brant, plus fillies Life of Joy, Meaning and Search Party-will gratefully accept the genetic contribution of his steeply upgrading mares. Paladin himself traces to the matriarch Golden Trail (Hasty Road) via her daughter Java Moon (inevitably by Graustark, sire of 11 of Golden Trail's last 12 foals). But we explored his background after the GII Remsen Stakes, so now we'll take a look at the rest of Tapit's weekend. Dancer Not Just Pretty but Bellissima Only Street Cry (Ire) in 2024 stood between Tapit and three consecutive broodmare sire championships, having of course already shown himself a potent sire of female runners including not just Zenyatta but also Winx (Aus). Among his sons, however, Street Sense has had to do almost all the heavy lifting. Now represented by four heirs of his own at stud in Kentucky (including three in the same barn), Street Sense is in turn emerging as a top broodmare sire, with Mindframe (Constitution), Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy) and Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) among those delivered by his daughters. The latter set up her GI Kentucky Oaks success last year-when one of her biggest rivals in the crop, La Cara, was not only by Street Sense but shared her third dam with none other than Paladin-in the same Fair Grounds race that was won last weekend by another Godolphin homebred in Bella Ballerina. And so, too, did Bella Ballerina's half-sister Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) two years previously. Pretty Mischievous was the result of the first mating arranged by Godolphin for Pretty City Dancer (Tapit), the GI Spinaway Stakes after her $3.5 million at Fasig-Tipton in November 2018. With her fourth starter now having started the way she has, that is looking like big money well spent–something of a recurring theme on the Classic trail this year–with Paladin a $1.9 million yearling and Plutarch out of a $6 million mare. But the sale of Pretty City Dancer had itself vindicated another very significant investment, John Oxley having bought her as a yearling for $825,000. That reflected her status as half-sister to GI Gazelle Stakes winner Lear's Princess (Lear Fan), though their unraced dam Pretty City (Carson City) already had that to her credit when Gainesway alertly managed to pick her up for $160,000 as a 13-year-old at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale. Pretty City, moreover, was half-sister to turf millionaire My Big Boy (Our Hero), winner of the GI Bernard Baruch Handicap. Their dam by Riverman was a cheap Ogden Phipps cull (two nondescript starts) after five unbroken generations in that program, tracing to none other than Businesslike (Blue Larkspur), the daughter of La Troienne (Fr) who additionally gave it Busanda (War Admiral)- dam of the great Buckpasser. In her anniversary year, La Troienne (Fr) appears to be making it compulsory to feature a fresh blossom on her family tree every week. Best Supporting Actress The other graded stakes winner out of a Tapit mare last Saturday has a pretty familiar pedigree, by this stage, Hit Show having come to general notice in Dubai last spring. Nonetheless his page had been freshened up only a couple of days previously, when Prom Queen (Quality Road) broke her maiden with sufficient dash to be named a 'TDN Rising Star' at Gulfstream. Prom Queen is out of Miss Bling Bling (Tapit), full sister to Hit Show's dam Actress. The latter, who won a couple of graded stakes including the GII Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (when breaking her maiden), was the first foal out of Milwaukee Appeal (Milwaukee Brew), the Canadian champion and millionaire recruited privately by Gary and Mary West on her retirement. Miss Bling Bling, that mare's fourth foal, was beaten half a length on her solitary start. It seems safe to assume that Hit Show must have been a pleasing foal, as his dam's sister was promptly sent to Candy Ride (Arg) for her next cover. That produced Money Game, winner of both his starts at Oaklawn last year and now back on the worktab at Payson Park. By the way, you have to love the way Accelerize (Omaha Beach)-who pushed Hit Show so hard-is rewarding such a bold mating by Spendthrift: both his sire's dam and his damsire Take Charge Indy are out of Take Charge Lady (Dehere). Mind you, Royal Champion (Ire) (Shamardal), the big turf winner in Riyadh, sees Accelerize and raises him: his sire's dam Helsinki (GB) and damsire Street Cry (Ire) are full siblings! Actually I am myself guilty of having introduced a mare to the Bluegrass bred on exactly the same lines. She may yet prove that you can have too much of a good thing, but at least we now have a “champion” for the theory. Even in a world darkened by the abrupt loss of one of its finest horsemen, and truest gentlemen, we can live in hope. The post Breeding Digest: Venerable Grays and Living Legacies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Connor King, who was twice crowned champion apprentice jockey on the Flat in Ireland, will bid to become the youngest ever trainer to win the Grand National when sending Oscars Brother to Aintree later this spring. The 27-year-old handler – who only has two horses at his County Tipperary stable – has admitted he is “trying not to think too much” about the prospect of Oscars Brother being a serious Grand National contender. The handicapper has given Oscars Brother a 155 rating – a weight of 10st 13lb – after three wins on the bounce in Ireland this season at Galway, Punchestown and Navan. The most recent two victories were in Grade 2 races and the last was in the famous silks of JP McManus, who bought him in December after spotting his huge potential. After discovering his Randox Grand National weight, King said, “Well, the handicapper's put him up a few pounds! We've just been seeing how he is after the last day, but he's in good form. He needs one more run to qualify. He's in the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival so we'll have to see – there's a month nearly between the two. He came out of Navan extremely well.” King added, “I've been training since April 2024 so it's coming up to two years. I'm trying not to think too much about Aintree! I know how good the horse is and it's brilliant to potentially be going up there with a horse for the Grand National and being involved in it. “I think my first memory of the Grand National would be Hedgehunter falling at the last in 2004, the year before he won it. Mr Hemmings owned him and there was kind of a connection with where I'm from at home with Eugene O'Sullivan, so I kind of remember feeling like it was closer to home than others.” King was speaking at the official Grand National weights launch on Tuesday where last year's winner, Nick Rockett, was handed a rating of 167. Nick Rockett was partnered by Patrick Mullins, champion amateur jockey and assistant to his father Willie, to Grand National glory last year. Speaking about the prospects of repeating the trick, the jockey said, “We have no complaints with his weight. We haven't had a clear run with him and he had an over-reach before the John Durkan. He then had a setback just before Christmas, so we're behind where we want to be. He's back riding and we're hoping to get a run into him before Aintree, so we're hoping to find a race for him somewhere. We've no plan for him yet but we should get him there all being well.” Mullins added, “It's not an ideal preparation having one run but unfortunately those are the cards that we've been dealt with him this year. Maybe going there fresh will help him but it's not ideal, I don't think.” The post King Aiming To Be Youngest Grand National-Winning Trainer In History appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

I just received the news of the passing of Bill Recio. Bill and I were close friends from the early 1970's. He was a true horseman who understood his horses and what they needed and no one was going to move him off of what was best for each horse. He treated every horse that way and got to know them personally. He paid attention to every detail and was demanding that his people do whatever was necessary to make that horse the best that he could be. But beyond that, he was a truly good person who had a very strict code in the way he lived his life. RIP my friend. We lost one of the finest persons that I have met during my 56 years in this industry. The post Letter to the Editor: The Passing of Bill Recio appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Dollars & Sense with Frank Angst looks at Forever Young's remarkable career as an example of an international approach that could keep racing's top stars in training. Read more:View the full article