Wandering Eyes

I can't really remember a time that D. Wayne Lukas wasn't in my life. Beginning with my teenage years, to say that I was a big fan of Wayne's is an epic understatement. As a student that liked to study at night it was highly likely I would take an afternoon siesta. So, I used to tell my mother “If ANYBODY calls, don't wake me. ONLY if it's the Queen of England or D. Wayne Lukas.” My mother can corroborate this story. Even though I was a huge fan of racing in general, Wayne occupied much of the gray matter in my brain. It was all about him, his horses, his wins and everything and everyone associated with him. I still have my scrapbooks with all my racing favorites, highlighted by an extensive Wayne Lukas section. Nowadays, it might be just cause for a restraining order. But back then, it was the only way I could connect with the man I so revered. I've told the story many times of my first meeting with him in the early 1990s, so I'll keep it brief. My first visit to Saratoga occurred in the summer of 1994, and that in itself was exciting. After Wayne won the King's Bishop with Chimes Band, I quite shyly (I know many of you are having a hard time believing this part of the story) hovered near the winner's circle as Wayne held court. My cousin, who clearly had more guts than I did, worked her magic and talked our way into the winner's circle so I could get an autograph. That was the moment I met my living hero. What can I say? Wayne was Wayne. Eloquence, class, charisma and charm. For most, pinpointing the exact moment that will launch them on a lifelong journey can be challenging, but for me, the origin is crystal clear. After joining the racing media ranks several years later, I had the opportunity to deal with Wayne on a professional level on a more frequent basis, however, to this day, I maintain that our initial meeting went a long way in informing my behavior toward racing fans as well as other industry professionals. Looking back, it gave wings to my love of racing. As a member of the media, I pestered Wayne, for YEARS, about allowing me to write his memoir. And as many of you who know him can imagine, he resisted. Strenuously. He didn't think it would be worth the time or effort, and he often said he didn't think people would be all that interested. Never was a statement less true. When he finally agreed for which we can thank his wife Laurie for helping pave the way, Wayne said he wanted it to be a book on his favorite quotes, which he was so famously known for. And then the real negotiations began. He wanted just the quotes, in black and white, a pocket-size book that people can carry around. Of course, I thought it was such a great opportunity to give people a slightly deeper look at many of the highs in his career, and some of the challenges he encountered in his life. I said, 'Let's add some historic pictures? How about I add a few short passages of some of the significant people, horses and events in his life?' He ultimately agreed, however, I won't lie, it wasn't an easy sell. I would often tell him, only half joking, “Wayne, it isn't about the book itself, it's about the movie that will come after!” If ever there was a man's life that was made for a motion picture, it is that of Wayne Lukas. (Btw, Wayne once said he thought Clint Eastwood would have been the most appropriate actor to play the role… Of course). Working on a book with Wayne Lukas might have been only a dream 25 years earlier, but it suddenly became a reality. During the process, I even had the opportunity to go to Wayne and Laurie's house in Louisville prior to the disassembly of his famous trophy collection before it was sent to the Kentucky Derby Museum. Talk about Alice finding herself in Wonderland. I can confidently say I will never witness something on that scale again. Often, while working on the book, Wayne would call me at 6:30 a.m. to discuss some of his thoughts. For a person who did not keep a trainer's hours, I would call him back a couple of hours later and he would always say, “I've already finished half my day!” I never had the heart to tell him that my work day would likely take me well into the evening. But I appreciated the spirit behind the pokes–never mean, but always in the belief that he just wanted to spread the good word. With Wayne, many of the quotes he liked to share and that he put great emphasis on were part of his own personal gospel. Which is why it is so appropriate that he selected the title of our collaborative book, Sermon on the Mount. The title really made sense for those who knew him, both personally and as a racing personality. He was a preacher and the racetrack was his church. Dubbed 'The Coach' because of his early days as a basketball coach, Wayne became well-known for actively teaching and trying to impart lessons to subsequent generations. However, I sometimes wonder if he realized that most of what he taught us was imparted by simply being who he was. Sometimes the lessons were tough, and often uncensored, but if you were open to hearing them, they were right there. And his team, including the amazing horseman Bas Nicholl, also projected that same spirit and tradition of teaching and making the sport available to young fans. The encounter that launched a career in racing: 19-year-old Christina meeting Wayne at Saratoga | Courtesy C Bossinakis In my own life, I've also embraced the gift of mentoring and fostering subsequent generations, something that Wayne became increasingly committed to. While he could be a great interview, courtesy of the decades of practice, he could also be intimidating for the inexperienced. The first time I ever interviewed him was at Keeneland September circa 2002 after he purchased a $1-million-plus yearling. Keeping my cool took some work–I was nervous but I knew my stuff so that went a long way with Wayne. If you did your homework and you were prepared, you'd be fine. Fast forward 25 years, and I've had the opportunity to counsel a couple of journalists who had upcoming interviews with him, looking for anything to make things go smoothly. Not that any of them really needed help, however it showed that Wayne still invoked that kind of reverence from the younger generation of professionals. From my early days as a journalist, I made it a point for Wayne to be the #1 stop on my itinerary whenever I showed up at a track he was stabled at. Whether he was winning or losing, and admittedly there were some pretty tough stretches over the past 25 years, I made him the priority. And why not? I always felt like, given everything he means to me, that it was the least I could do. Over the last few years, I have grown to understand that he was no longer just an iconic figure, a trainer that once rocked the racing world, but a man who loved and cherished his family and friends. He was a man who had channeled all of himself into horses and into racing for most of his life and for what may have seemed like a mere blip in a storied career, I was fortunate enough to have been given a front-row view of a truly spectacular life. With too many personal experiences to outline here, I recall vividly one of the last times I would see him, a few weeks ago in Baltimore prior to the Preakness. As usual, he was my first stop at Pimlico and he was being interviewed by the media as I walked up to his barn. Seated in his customary spot outside his barn office, he saw me approaching and said mid-sentence, “There is my girl.” I leaned down and hugged and kissed him and in that moment I knew, this isn't the man who I watched on TV as a teenager and couldn't even fathom sharing the same air as him. This was someone I had grown to love as a dear friend. The sudden realization that Wayne's barn will no longer be my first stop when visiting the backstretch is, in a word, painful. However, I find some consolation that as long as I live, Wayne's spirit and countless lessons will endure in me, and anyone whose life had been touched by 'The Man'. The post ‘The Man’–D. Wayne Lukas–The Original appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Donegal Racing's stakes winner A.P. Kid was euthanized June 28 following a workout over the Oklahoma Turf Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. View the full article

The United States Supreme Court took a major step toward moving forward the years-long dispute over the constitutionality of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's powers with a sweeping set of orders June 30.View the full article

Over the 30 years former trainer Mike Machowsky spent plying his trade with stopwatch and condition book, his constant companion was the doughty California-bred. A Cal-bred helped launch his career-Native Boundary, who showed class and grit aplenty over three years and 22 starts. Only the Bobby Frankel-trained Eternity Star stood between him and the 1991 G1 Hollywood Derby. Later in Machowsky's career, the wily Cal-bred Caracortado stamped his mark over several seasons on some of the West Coast's most illustrious slug-fests over a mile. As Fasig-Tipton's California representative-a position he has held since 2019 after handing back his license-Machowsky views the role of the Cal-bred through a different but no less appealing lens. Only now, the critical role of the Cal-bred in propping up the industry has perhaps never been of greater import. Same goes for the owners' and breeders' program built up around them. “The likes of New York and Pennsylvania have very good breeding programs. But California really is one of the best. It always has been. I just think we need to capitalize on it more,” said Machowsky, one recent morning in his small office adjacent to the Santa Anita paymaster. “And how can we make it better?” he added. “How can we make it worth more to everyone?” The need for a healthy breeding model is borne out in the numbers. Since 2014, Cal-breds have represented between 45% and 50% of all starters at Thoroughbred race meets in the state. During the recently concluded six-month Santa Anita meet, they accounted for just over 48% of starters. But modeling performed for the TDN suggests there will be a combined 290 fewer Cal-bred runners competing in California between 2026 through 2028. Over the next few years, therefore, racing secretaries will have to rely on fewer of them. Which begs the question: how to shore up California breeding to ensure that the next few years will followed by a renaissance? “It's such a great program. If you've got a good Cal-bred, especially if you're the breeder of the Cal-bred, it's a great program. And if you're an owner that owns in California, or a trainer that trains in California, you have to have Cal-breds to support your stable.” The way Machowsky sees it, there are two main approaches. You can take a scalpel to the problem, or an axe. In terms of the latter approach, Machowsky believes that former California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (CTBA) vice chair Harris Auerbach might be onto something when he proposed consolidating the breeding industries in the nation's Western and South-Western regions. “There's a lot of potential plusses here for combining forces,” said Machowsky, adding how, in recent years, he has tentatively broached such a scheme with other jurisdictions. Consolidation is always proposed as a means to strengthen. In this case, it would strengthen the breeding industries in states like New Mexico, California, Oregon, Washington and Arizona, reinforcing what remains of the racing programs in these states, all the while giving breeders-and struggling breeders especially-reason to keep going. “Washington doesn't have racing in the winter, right?” said Machowsky. “This could be a program to give your horse more options to run by offering incentives for you to run in New Mexico or in Arizona or in California or Washington or wherever.” He knows such a radical rethink of the West Coast breeding machine would require a radical set of events to give it life. Even if enough prominent figures from a diverse set of competing enclaves could come to some kind agreement, individual legislatures would likely have to sign off on it. That's why the specifics are light. But the genesis of the idea is an imperative. “We're in a unique situation and we need unique ideas,” said Machowsky. “Something to give these guys a dream.” From dreams to missed opportunities, Machowsky's other big-ticket idea is built around his suspicion that not enough influential figures around the country understand just what a lucrative breeding and incentives program exists in California. “Maybe this article will help people realize we've got such a good program out here,” he said, pinpointing provisions in the state's owners' and breeders' incentives and awards program, like the maiden bonus program, the stallion awards, and how the program extends to out-of-state graded stakes races, as well. “Maybe it'll open somebody's eyes.” More pointedly, an opportunity exists for a large out-of-state breeding operation to come to California with a stallion that's perhaps not as commercially viable as his more illustrious barn-mates, said Machowsky, along with a squad of mares to support him. The offspring, he added, would do better as headline acts at a California sale rather than sideshows in another. “Maybe he doesn't fit as well in Kentucky anymore, not going to get as much market share in Kentucky as he would in California,” said Machowsky, about the sort of stallion that would fit the bill. California's breeders' awards make such a proposition financially viable, said Machowsky. Like a rising tide lifting all boats, this injection of outside quality into the state would help all breeders, bringing more eyes to the sales, and likely more dollars, too, he said. There would also be a smart philanthropic element to the venture, helping to shore up a key corner of the industry in a state so vital to horse racing's nationwide health. “I think everybody understands we need California to survive. There's a lot of money that's pumped out of here,” said Machowsky. “They would bring more quality out here, do well at the sales selling them and racing them, and then reap the breeders' awards and stallion awards.” A tilt towards quality is evident in one of Machowsky's more pointed suggestions, that of affording the offspring of mares in foal to Californian stallions-but which are foaled in another state-the same breeders' awards were it born on home soils. “Say, John Harris has one of his super mares in foal to one of his stallions. He wants to foal her in Kentucky but he's still going to bring her back. Same with Terry Lovingier or any of these guys. “If they had one of their nicer mares, and say she's going to foal in January in Kentucky but they wanted to breed her in February then get her back out here, then let her foal in Kentucky and that foal is still eligible for the breeders' awards in California. Because right now, it's not,” said Machowsky, who added that caveats would have to be explored, like placing a time-limit with which the mare must return to California. Another idea is to make changes to the Cal-bred turf program, including expanding the number of turf stakes races for Cal-breds. “There's plenty of good turf sires in California,” said Machowsky. “But how do we fund it? That's the thing. Is there a way to make a futurity program for the breeders? It's possible-kind of like they do with the Quarter Horses, where you pay into it.” Such ideas, said Machowsky, aren't meant as finished thoughts but rather launching pads for all industry stakeholders sat around the negotiation table to grapple with, to drop or to take up accordingly, then shape into their own. “Everybody has to sit down at the table and talk about these things. We need to incentivize these breeders, give them as much opportunity to make as much as they can through their breeding programs or their stallion programs,” said Machowsky. “Us losing Northen California racing, we've got to all get together and make sure this thing survives.” The post Machowsky Talks California Breeding: A Unique Situation Needs “Unique Ideas” appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Parx was forced to abandon its racing card following the sixth race Monday as a band of intense rain storms hit the Philadelphia area. The track was sealed ahead of the incoming storms and a weather delay was initially announced, but once the deluge hit, officials were forced to cancel races seven through 10. The track is expected to resume racing Tuesday with a first post time of 12:40 p.m. Oh jeez pic.twitter.com/DevLSpIy9f — Jessica Paquette (@jmpaquette) June 30, 2025 The post Storms Force Parx to Cancel Racing Monday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A Great Notion colt owned by Ann Merryman was selected as grand champion at the 91st annual MHBA Yearling Show at the Timonium Fairgrounds June 29. The show's champion is out of Sista, a winning Two Punch mare Merryman co-bred and trained, then retired to her broodmare band. Sista is the dam of four named foals, including Maryland Million Sprint Turf winner Fiya, who Merryman sold the 3-year-old gelding for $400,000 at the Wanamaker's sale in 2020. The son of Great Notion took the blue ribbon in the first class of the day, for colts and geldings foaled in Maryland, by Maryland stallions. “First impression is a powerful thing on a horse, and it's funny, the horse that ended up being the champion, he was one of the first horses I saw,” said Ingordo. “Everybody else after him was either going to be up or down, and he remained at the top. You're looking for athletes, and athletes come in all shapes and sizes.” Reserve champion was Louis and Grace Merryman's filly by Bourbon Courage, bred in the name of their Anchor and Hope Farm. Heading Class III, the bay filly is out of Fullerene (Quiet American). Additionally, the winner of Class II was a Global Campaign colt out of Tanca (Polish Numbers), owned and bred by Katherine Voss. A filly by Girvin out of Sexy Reasons (Jump Start) took Class IV for owner/breeder John Davison. Top sire of the show was Northview Stallion Station's nine-time Maryland stallion of the year Great Notion. All four of his entrants earned ribbons, led by the grand champion. A total of 35 yearlings were judged by Ingordo at the Timonium Fairgrounds horse show ring and are now eligible for the $40,000 premium award which is split annually, with $20,000 going to the exhibitors of the four show contestants who earn the most money as 2-year-olds in 2026, and another $20,000 divided among the exhibitors of the four highest-earning 3-year-old runners the next year. The post Merryman’s Great Notion Colt Takes 91st Annual Yearling Show appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hey Boss. I think you saw, but I saddled my 10th winner earlier this week. I know you told me you'd be long dead before I won the Kentucky Derby, but you did get to see me win at Churchill Downs. Every time I saddle a horse, I think about the first time I saddled for you. It was Cold as Hell at Oaklawn Park. I forgot the pommel pad, and you told me to get out of the way, that you'd finish saddling him yourself. I didn't talk back to you much, but that day I told you I was going to finish what I started. Well Boss, I did it. I've got 10 horses now–nice horses. You know that filly that I asked you for advice on how to prepare her for a mile race? She finished second going a mile, all thanks to your training guidance. It's lonely here without you. I always thought I'd be able to get your advice whenever I needed it, but now I'm having to live off of what you taught me in the past. I guess the cell phone signal isn't too good up there, but maybe it's because you still have a flip phone. Speaking of phone calls, I'll never forget what you said to me when I called you the morning after my first heartbreak. After reassuring me I was going to be okay, you told me about a quote that says, 'We love over a hundred people in our lifetime.' That scared me to death when you said it. I thought, 'Ninety-nine people are going to hurt me this badly in this lifetime?' But as I've gotten older, I understand it more. I've loved some good people and I'm glad you're one of them. Your open-door policy was amazing. You always made everyone feel so loved and invited. You know, I still try to compliment three people every day. I remember that advice too. I remember you also told me, 'When someone in an authority position tells you something, don't explain your side–just say, 'Yessir.” Yessir. I don't think I ever got to tell you, but you were one of the best examples of the Bible story about the prodigal son coming home. That's how I felt the first time I stepped back into your office after quitting. I was so nervous, but you accepted me with open arms and even helped get me the job with Dallas Stewart. It meant so much to me–when I was apologizing to you, that you wouldn't let me sit in my own shame. You just told me to put my shoulders back and get ready to do something. You didn't know it, but you showed me a lot about Jesus. Your kindness, forgiveness, need for excellence, ability to love people at different levels, and your willingness to be interrupted weren't just signs of a good horse trainer, but also of a good man. I needed that example in my life. Anyway Boss, I just wanted to write and thank you for all the things you taught me–on and off the track. You made us all feel so loved. Every one of us feels like we were your best friend. I hope I can leave a legacy like that. See you soon. With love, Jade Cunningham From a racing family, Jade Cunningham previously galloped for D. Wayne Lukas and worked as an assistant trainer for Dallas Stewart before going out on her own as a trainer in 2023. The post Letter to the Editor: Letter to The Coach appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Journalism returned to the work-tab June 29, breezing a half-mile at Santa Anita Park in :47 4/5. Trainer Michael McCarthy said the son of Curlin came out of the work well, but has no goals yet for summer races.View the full article

Newmarket trainer Charlie Fellowes will aim to add the U.S. to the list of countries where he has saddled winners when lining up Luther in the July 4 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T).View the full article

Twenty-four hours after the news of his passing of Hall of Trainer D. Wayne Lukas was made public, the tributes for the late conditioner continued to flow in on Monday from industry participants: The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is saddened by the passing of Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who was inducted into the Hall in 1999. Wayne was one of racing's most iconic figures and his achievements and impact on the sport have been nothing short of remarkable. His passion for racing and his presence in the game will be greatly missed. There will never be another D. Wayne Lukas. The Museum sends its condolences to Wayne's family. His legacy will be forever admired. —National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame “Wayne Lukas was more than a Hall of Fame trainer–he was a cornerstone of our racing program. His impact here was immediate and everlasting. He helped shape what Oaklawn is today and was a mentor to so many in our industry. We are heartbroken. “Oaklawn extends its deepest condolences to the Lukas family, his many friends and colleagues, and to the countless horsemen who found inspiration, mentorship, and opportunity through him. His legacy will live on in every starting gate, in every young trainer chasing a dream, and in the hearts of all of his thousands of fans in Arkansas.” —Louis Cella, President, Oaklawn Park “We feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to work with Wayne Lukas over the last several years, without a doubt one of the greatest trainers of all time. He was also every bit a gentleman; an intense personality always filled with the positive. Every encounter was a learning experience. He will be greatly missed by all.”–Calumet Farm owner Brad Kelley statement to At the Races With Steve Byk The post Lukas Tributes Continue to Flow In appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In 1990, Frank DeFrancis and I introduced the idea which would become the American Championship Racing Series to D. Wayne Lukas. He had come to Pimlico with some top stakes horses to train post-Derby, as he often did. He won the Pimlico Special that year with eventual Horse of the Year Criminal Type. It was only 10 years since his first Triple Crown win at the 1980 Preakness, but he was now at the top of his profession. At Saratoga later that summer, Wayne and I had a lengthy conversation about the racing series and the television exposure being offered by Dennis Swanson, President of ABC Sports. Wayne said, “What can I do to help?” He told me that if racing was to grow, T.V. coverage was essential. He said, “I can tell you it is the basis of the growth of sports, period.” Wayne was always one thought ahead of you. When the ACRS launched in 1991, he came loaded. Farma Way won the Big 'Cap, and the Pimlico Special, and competed in eight of the nine races we offered that year, winning the first yearly ACRS bonus of $750,000. He would go on to run in 15 of the first 16 ACRS races. More importantly to me, he never declined an interview I asked him to do. He showed up at the breakfast draw, the parties, and the Toast to the Winners. I could always count on him to be interesting, informative, and polished in every way, including his appearance, his speech, his horses, and barn. He was great media. He always thanked me, and I said he was the one who should be thanked. At a time when we were just getting started, he provided the ACRS not only with his constant support, but with the class of his presence. I'm sure there is a barn in heaven ready to receive a makeover. Rest in peace, my friend. The post Letter to the Editor: Thanks for the Support, Coach appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Shes Perfect faces a crucial gallop on the July Course at Newmarket, before her connections make a decision on her participation in the upcoming G1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at the same venue. Last seen finishing down the field in the Prix de Diane, Shes Perfect arrived at Chantilly having already proved herself a high-class filly, notably finishing first past the post in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, before being demoted by the ParisLongchamp stewards for causing interference to her closest pursuer, Zarigana. The daughter of Sioux Nation is set to return to a mile for her next start, according to trainer Charlie Fellowes, who is also considering a drop in grade for his stable star in an attempt to get her back on the winning trail. “She's going to work on the July course on Tuesday and how that goes and her well-being will determine whether or not we are going to the Falmouth on Friday week [July 11],” said Fellowes. “If she doesn't, we could sit tight and go for something like the Valiant at Ascot on King George day [Saturday, July 26]. If she works really well and handles the undulations, then I think we might find it hard to resist Newmarket. “Ascot should suit her. Although it is quite a stiff mile, it is a drop down in grade and she wouldn't have a penalty. I'd say it's between those two.” He added, “At the end of the day, she's not a stakes winner so, although she was first past the post in a French Guineas, which will be a big asset to her valuation if and when she is sold, it would be nice to make her a stakes winner. “It would be good to get her head in front and give her a confidence booster but, if she works really well, Newmarket can be one of those tracks where if you get on a roll in front you can be hard to pin back, so it's a track that interests me. “She does handle soft ground, so we've got that up our sleeve for the autumn – we've lots of nice options.” Nassau the Next Stop for Cercene Plans are also taking shape for another of this season's leading three-year-old fillies in Cercene (Australia), with trainer Joe Murphy now favouring a trip to Goodwood with his G1 Coronation Stakes winner. In the immediate aftermath of that popular success at Royal Ascot, connections raised the possibility of supplementing Cercene for the Irish Oaks at the Curragh. However, Murphy's enthusiasm to step up half a mile in trip appears to have cooled, with the G1 Visit Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood emerging as an attractive alternative, followed by the G1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes at Leopardstown in September. “She came out of Ascot very well and we are very happy with her,” said Murphy. “We were thinking of going to the Irish Oaks with her, but we might be leaning towards the Nassau now and then from there we would definitely be looking to go on to the Matron Stakes at the Irish Champions Festival. “Cercene is continuing to improve it seems, which is what you like to see, so we'll look forward to what is to come.” The post July Course Gallop to Decide Shes Perfect’s Falmouth Participation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Iowa Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association announced the engagement of Corey Johnsen and Damon Thayer for a consultancy focused on securing a vibrant future for horse racing and breeding in Iowa.View the full article

On the day that Kevin Prendergast was remembered at the Curragh in the naming of the International Stakes, and a day after Peter Easterby was laid to rest, another great of the training ranks was lost with the passing of Barry Hills. Then came the news from America that D Wayne Lukas had too departed. To read the tributes paid to these men, who did so much to enrich the colour of this storied sport, is something of a treat in itself – their parting gift, if you like – as they conjure the tales and ethos of a far different time. As we remember them, it is easy to feel an extra sorrowful pang of 'things ain't what they used to be'. They sure ain't, but that's not a reason to overlook the positives in what we still have. Now more than ever never, it is time to get behind racing and do our bit to impress upon those in power just how key the racing and breeding industry it is to the economies of our various nations, in rural areas in particular. But more than that, it is important to enjoy it. So instead of collectively moaning about all the bits we don't like, why not take a non-racing friend to the races for the day or out on the gallops of a morning. Seeing the majesty of racehorses through the eyes of others may just remind us, whether writing about the sport or reading about it each day, how we got here in the first place. And you never know, it could even attract the odd convert. Not to wish July away, but this year's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a little under four weeks away and at this stage looks an unmissable contest. The prospect of seeing dual Derby winner Lambourn take on his elders at Ascot is everything this great race should be, with Sunday's Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Calandagan (Gleneagles) also in the mix with Kalpana (Study Of Man), Jan Brueghel (Galileo) and Rebel's Romance (Dubawi) among others. Wootton's World With a brace of French Classic winners, it is no surprise to see Wootton Bassett at the head of the sires' table for Europe. The exploits of this last weekend will also help his march on the championship in Britain and Ireland and, even at this halfway stage, there has to be a realistic chance of him securing a first title. The vagaries of the stallion world are such that there was never any guarantee that Wootton Bassett's success would continue following his high-profile move from Haras d'Etreham to Coolmore, even when taking into account the calibre of mares that he has been covering since relocating five years ago. But now we can see that his transfer fee, however high it may have been, was money well spent. Chiefly mixed with that stamina-laced Galileo blood, his offspring are showing more of a tendency towards middle-distance contests than had previously been the case. Four of the ten runners for the Irish Derby were his sons, three out of daughters of Galileo and one from a mare by Galileo's sire Sadler's Wells. Any breeding operation which stands stallions as well as having a significant broodmare band will have in mind the need to recruit sires who complement the mares' bloodlines. Danehill, bought by Coolmore from his breeder Juddmonte, did that so well, blending with notable success with Sadler's Wells and later his son Galileo. His profile is not dissimilar to Wootton Bassett in that both were decent two-year-olds who showed plenty of zip, and neither won beyond seven furlongs. Wootton Bassett's finest moment came when taking the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on his fifth start at two, while Danehill's was in the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup at three. Wootton Bassett gives an alternative route to the Mr. Prospector line which is flourishing over this side of the Atlantic thanks largely to Dubawi, and it is notable that it is Dubawi's son Night Of Thunder currently at the head of the British and Irish sires' championship, with Field Of Gold's sire Kingman splitting him and Wootton Bassett. None of the current top three won beyond a mile but both Night Of Thunder (himself out of a Galileo mare) and Wootton Bassett are proving to be versatile in the distances over which their offspring shine. Wootton Bassett's daughter Whirl, for example, won Saturday's G1 Pretty Polly Stakes over 10 furlongs but was only narrowly denied in the Oaks, while Serious Contender, bred on the same cross with Galileo, was less than a length away from winning the Irish Derby. Fiona Carmichael's homebred Carmers claimed the G2 Queen's Vase on just his third start and, from the family of City Of Troy, he is an interesting prospect for Wootton Bassett in the St Leger reckoning. Hanly on High It is proving to be quite the summer for James Hanly of Ballyhimikin Stud, who hit the heights at Royal Ascot as the breeder of the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes winner Ombudsman and is the co-breeder, with Trevor Stewart and Anthony Stroud, of Cheveley Park Stud's G3 Pinnacle Stakes winner Estrange. Those two, both by the aforementioned Night Of Thunder, look set to return this Saturday in the G1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes and G2 Lancashire Oaks respectively. Last Saturday, Hanly was at the Curragh to enjoy a winner in his own colours when Charasson (Kodiac), representing three generations of Hanly family breeding, lifted the six-furlong maiden for John James Feane. Meanwhile, over at Lingfield, the seven-year-old Ballyhimikin graduate River Alwen (Dark Angel), trained by Craig Benton, won for the fifth time. Night Of Thunder's ability to get a good fast one, already exemplified by the brilliant but ill-fated Highfield Princess, was evident again at the Curragh on Sunday when Al Shira'aa Racing's Vespertilio got up just at the right moment under a canny Dylan Brown McMonagle ride to claim the Listed Dash Stakes on her drop back to six furlongs. That performance has trainer Willie McCreery dreaming of returning Vespertilio to her home nation of France for a crack at the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest on August 10. A decent performance there would provide a timely update for her Zarak half-sister, who features in the recently released catalogue for the Arqana August Yearling Sale in the draft from breeder Ecurie des Monceaux. From Ireland to Chile via Argentina Owner-breeder Arturo Cousino was present at the Curragh on Saturday to watch his homebred Jancis (Tamayuz) finish fifth in a barnstormer of a Pretty Polly Stakes behind Whirl and Kalpana. That was however just the start of a memorable day for the owner of Haras Macul in Chile as Cousino was represented in three Group/Grade 1 races in three different countries on Saturday, with his Acento Final taking third in the Gran Premio Estrellas Classic at Palermo in Argentina, while he also bred and co-owns Have A Good One, who ran in the Premio Tanteo de Potrancas in Chile. Cousino bred Jancis at Ballylinch Stud from the Ruler Of The World mare Blame The Ruler, and he clearly has a strong attachment to a line which the Willie McCreery-trained filly has helped to bring back to life, as he told Brian Sheerin last year when Jancis won the G3 Brownstown Stakes at Leopardstown. Cousino is also rightly proud of Acento Final, winner of won last year's G1 Gran Premio Jockey Club at San Isidro, whom he purchased as a youngster and is one of 11 Grade 1 winners for Treasure Beach, who was runner-up in the Derby before going on to win the Irish Derby 14 years ago. The son of Galileo started his stud career in Florida before Cousino put together a syndicate to stand him at Haras Abolengo in Argentina. Cousino explained how he has always been drawn to European racing. He said, “Racing here in Ireland and England is much more similar to racing in Chile or Argentina, than to American racing. There is more racing on the turf and over longer distances, and that is what I like.” Cousino will hopefully have more happy days on the track with Jancis, for whom her trainer is considering a return to Gowran Park, where she ran a good second on her seasonal debut back in May. She has already done plenty to justify her continuing the international outlook of the breeder's operation when the time comes for her to head to the paddocks. Skukuza Rewards Rupert's International Operation The only non-Irish-based trainer to lift one of the prizes on offer at the Irish Derby meeting was Ed Dunlop, whose Skukuza landed his first stakes victory in the Listed Colm McLoughlin Celebration Stakes, named to honour the late CEO of Dubai Duty Free, who had a long association with the Curragh as a valued sponsor. The decision to keep the four-year-old son of Blue Point back from his intended mission in the Royal Hunt Cup has worked out well for Dunlop and for Skukuza's owner-breeder Gaynor Rupert, whose Cayton Park Stud is the former Juddmonte-owned farm in Wargrave. Prior to being in Prince Khalid Abdullah's ownership, Cayton Park Stud was the starting point for owner-breeder Gerald Leigh, who later moved to Eydon Hall Farm Stud. Hermione Fitzgerald was at the Curragh over the weekend to represent Rupert, who also owns Drakenstein Stud in her native South Africa, and who bought Wemightakedlongway (Australia) after her victory in the G3 Salsabil Stakes in April. The filly has subsequently finished fourth in both the Oaks and the Pretty Polly Stakes. “It was definitely worth Skukuza missing Ascot last week to come back here. It's a shame Gaynor isn't here to enjoy this, as she also had Wemightakedlongway running [on Saturday] but I have just spoken to her and she's delighted,” said Fitzgerald. As well as Dunlop, Rupert currently has horses in training with Ed Walker, Ralph Beckett, Andrew Balding, Joseph O'Brien, James Ferguson, John and Thady Gosden, and William Haggas, and she also recently purchased the Marco Botti-trained Great Generation (Holy Roman Emperor), who won the G3 Chartwell Fillies' Stakes in her colours. Fitzgerald added, “South Africa is obviously her main focus, and she's hoping to be champion breeder there this year – it's very close at the moment with Mary Slack – but she has some lovely runners coming through here and is developing a select broodmare band at Cayton Park with a few South African mares coming over.” One of those mares is the homebred Shingwedzi (Trippi), the dam of Skukuza, who was a treble winner and Group-placed in South Africa. She is herself out of the Daniel Wildenstein-bred Buffalo Dance (Sadler's Wells), a half-sister to the G1 Prix de Diane winner Bright Sky (Wolfhound), and Shingwedzi's good page looks as though it could be in for a few more updates from her upwardly mobile son. Dept Q The Quinault Appreciation Society, which surely has a growing membership season by season, was very happy with the latest win for the five-year-old at York on Saturday in the relocated G3 Criterion Stakes. Recruited from Godolphin by owner Tom Morley for 25,000gns as a juvenile, Quinault continues to showcase the talents of his excellent trainer Stuart Williams, who, after patiently coaxing the headstrong son of Oasis Dream to settle, has reaped the rewards of his remedial work with the sprinter who has now won 11 of his 25 starts and amassed more than £400,000 in earnings. This, however, was his first Group win, to add to three at Listed level, and it earns Quinault a free pass for the newly upgraded G1 City Of York Stakes back on the Knavesmire in August. Kyprios's Farewell to Fans Along with the top-class racing on offer, Irish Champions Weekend will be enhanced by a farewell appearance from Kyprios (Galileo), who will parade at the Curragh, scene of his two G1 Irish St Leger victories in 2022 and 2024. The brilliant stayer was retired at the end of May after aggravating an old injury in his final start in the G3 Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes. He went out on a high, claiming his 17th win from 21 starts, and will stand at one of Coolmore's stallion stations for next year. His co-owner-breeder Moyglare Stud has another decent runner to look forward to this season in Suzie Songs (Starspangledbanner), who prevented a Coolmore/Wootton Bassett hat-trick of group-race wins on Saturday when overhauling odds-on favourite Flushing Meadows to land the G3 Anglesey Stakes for Ger Lyons on her second start. The post Seven Days: Lamenting the Four Horsemen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Officials at the Iowa Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (Iowa HBPA) have announced that they have retained the services of industry veterans Damon Thayer and Corey Johnsen for a consultancy focused on 'securing a vibrant future for horse racing and breeding' in the state of Iowa. Both Thayer and Johnsen will assist the Iowa HBPA in crafting a plan to sustain and grow the state's equine industry. The two are expected to engage in strategic meeting with key stakeholders such as Prairie Meadows, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission and the Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association (ITOBA) to promote policies that support racing and breeding towards the goal of economic vitality in the industry. Thayer worked for several racetracks in a communications/publicity capacity and served in an executive management position with Breeders' Cup before his work in the Kentucky State Senate, including an 11-year stint as Majority Floor Leader. Johnsen, currently the president of CJ Thoroughbreds, has four decades of experience in the industry, and helped develop Kentucky Downs into one of America's boutique turf tracks while president and part-owner from 2007-2019. During his tenure, the track pioneered the use of historical horse racing (HHR) machines to help fund purses and grow the local economy. “This is a pivotal moment for Iowa racing,” said Iowa HBPA Executive Director Jon Moss. “Damon and Corey bring the expertise, relationships and track record necessary to help us craft and implement a plan that strengthens our industry, protects Iowa-bred interests, and positions us as a leader in the Midwest.” The post Iowa HBPA Engages Industry Vets To Help Guide Horse Racing Into the Future appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article