Wandering Eyes

Vincent Ho seals a double aboard Holy Lake at Sha Tin. Excited ahead of a FWD Champions Day reunion with champion Golden Sixty on April 28, Vincent Ho gained vital confidence and fitness with his first double in almost three months at Sha Tin on Sunday. Sidelined after a fall on January 24, Ho returned to race riding at Happy Valley on Wednesday and, following a couple of luckless rides, was elated after successfully joining forces with long-time ally Francis Lui aboard Baby Crystal and Holy Lake. Determined to rebuild the momentum that delivered 25 wins before he was injured, Ho’s focus immediately shifted to Golden Sixty’s pursuit of a record-extending fourth HK$22 million Group 1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) victory in two weeks. “It’s great to be back. It’s been three months and I’ve slowly been building my confidence back up,” Ho, a four-time winner of the Tony Cruz Award as Hong Kong’s leading home-grown jockey, said. “I’ll keep going and keep building up for Champions Day. That is the big day. Hopefully everything goes well up to then and I’m just excited to be back. I’ve got a nice horse (Golden Sixty) to be back on. “There’s a few good horses from Hong Kong and Japan (in the FWD Champions Mile), so it will be exciting. I’m looking forward to it and we’ll be ready by then. “Thanks to Mr Lui and Mr Fownes for keeping me on horses with good chances. I’ve been trying to win since I came back (at Happy Valley on April 10), I need to thank Mr Lui and Mr Fownes for their support – it’s not easy, but I’m getting my confidence back. “I’ve just got to keep riding better and better.” Lui also scored with King Miles to commence his treble and reduce Pierre Ng’s lead in the 2023/24 Hong Kong trainers’ championship to five – 55 to 50 – and fan hopes of a first title for the veteran horseman. “I was looking for some winners and I will keep trying my best,” Lui said. Jockey Hugh Bowman was impressed by King Miles – a son of Exceed And Excel – who broke through for his first win at his third start. “I like the horse – I’ve had a bit to do with him. He disappointed me last start, he had the perfect gate but he just ran away with me and finished accordingly. “The pace was pretty solid today and there was a bit of drama as well (with riderless Lucky Quality) but he withstood all that and I think you’ll see a better horse when he gets over further but he’s not ready for that yet. He’s still learning his trade and today was a step in the right direction.” Armed with fresh talent, Jimmy Ting enjoyed his best day of the season with a double through Thunder Blink and Lo Pan Spirit. Thunder Blink claimed the first Griffin race of the season when the Ribchester colt finished powerfully under Jerry Chau, clocking 56.42s to down Toronado two-year-old La Forza by a length. “I think the horse needs longer distances, so to get this win, I’m very happy,” Ting said. “The fast pace suited him. Later I think 1400m will be more suitable for him. Hopefully he can win one more time (in Griffin races).” Ting then combined with Harry Bentley and Charm Spirit three-year-old Lo Pan Spirit. David Hayes continued a strong season with a brace through Metro Warrior and Lucky Encounter. Derek Leung drove Metro Warrior to victory. A seven-year-old, Metro Warrior has scored all four of his Hong Kong wins down Sha Tin’s straight 1000m course. Lucky Encounter earned a HK$1 million PPG Bonus for an all-the-way triumph in the under Andrea Atzeni, who completed a superb weekend after riding Circle Of Fire to victory in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick in Australia on Saturday. Hayes has 37 wins for the campaign, his best haul since the dual champion trainer returned to Hong Kong for the 2020/21 season. Cody Mo-trained Urban Triumph broke through at his 10th attempt for Derek Leung before Brazen Beau three-year-old Winning Gold’s easy victory for Chris So and Keagan De Melo. So made it two wins for the afternoon when Owners’ Praise triumphed under Lyle Hewitson. After seven top-three finishes this season, Beauty Fit finally got his reward with victory under Antoine Hamelin for trainer John Size. Horse racing news View the full article

Explore a multitude of captivating racing promotions offered by horse racing bookmakers on Monday, April 15. Immerse yourself in the thrill with generous bonus back offers, elevating your betting experience. Delve into these complimentary promotions from top-tier online bookmakers to maximize your betting opportunities. The top Australian racing promotions for April 15, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Odds Drift Protector If the price at the jump is bigger than the price that you took, we will pay you out at the bigger odds Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Place A 4 Leg Multi, If One Leg Fails, Bonus Back Up To $50 Applies to your first eligible 4+ leg multi each day. Paid in bonus cash. Must use available balance. T&C’s apply. Login to PickleBet to Claim Promo BoomBet Daily Race Returns Use your daily Race Returns to back a runner in ANY RACE you want* and if your horse doesn’t win but finishes in the specified positions, you get your stake back as a bonus bet. 18+ Gamble responsibly. Can be used across any race and code unless specified in customer’s BoomBox. Fix odds, win bets only. Max bonus $50. Login to BoomBet to Claim Promo Daily Trifecta Boosts Boost your winnings on Trifectas by 10% with new Daily Trifecta Boosts. Thoroughbreds only. T&Cs apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au meticulously assesses leading Australian horse racing bookmakers, revealing exclusive thoroughbred bonus promotions for April 15, 2024. These ongoing offers underscore the dedication of top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, when one bookmaker isn’t featuring a promotion, another is stepping up. Count on HorseBetting.com.au as your go-to source for daily rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses. Enhance your value with competitive odds and exclusive promotions tailored for existing customers. Easily access these offers by logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For valuable insights into races and horses to optimise your bonus bets, trust HorseBetting’s daily free racing tips. More horse racing promotions View the full article

Granpollo Stable's Grand Mo the First, who finished a distant third behind Fierceness in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1), was sent to the track April 14 for a five-furlong maintenance workout at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

Ramadan continued the good recent run of owner Nurlan Bizakov's 3-year-olds, following Lazzat's win in the Prix Djebel.View the full article

Once considered an early favorite for the 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1), Instant Coffee returns to graded stakes company for the first time in over a year in the 1 1/8-mile $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at Oaklawn Park April 20.View the full article

After emerging in good form from his GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. victory, MGSW Skelly (Practical Joke) will look to climb the class ladder with future targets including the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. and the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, announced trainer Steve Asmussen Sunday morning. Having posted the meet's best time for six furlongs at 1:08.82 in that Count Fleet effort, beating the prior mark of 1:09.38, which he also set in his 2024 debut, the Oaklawn star will be setting his sights on bigger prizes this summer and autumn. “I think that the two main targets for the rest of the year are the Vanderbilt at Saratoga and Breeders' Cup,” Asmussen said. “I do know I want to keep him at three-quarters of a mile.” The Count Fleet was Skelly's first race back in the States since having his seven-race winning streak snapped by Remake (Jpn) (Lani) in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint. “Very fortunate to have him,” Asmussen said. “Believe it or not, [Skelly] went to Saudi [Arabia] and came back faster. Speaks volumes about who he is.” The Vanderbilt runs July 27 at Saratoga and the Breeders' Cup Sprint will go Nov. 2 at Del Mar. The post Steve Asmussen Plans Big Season for Skelly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

No More Time, winner of the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) and runner-up in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), is off the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail after sustaining an injury at the end of his April 14 breeze at Palm Meadows Training Center.View the full article

Longtime New York breeder Sanford Bacon passed away Friday. He was 95. Bacon bred hard-knocking Say Florida Sandy (Personal Flag), a multiple graded stakes winner and earner of over $2 million, as well as his half-sister Dancin Renee (Distinctive Pro). Both were named New York-bred champions. Say Florida Sandy was New York Horse of the Year in 2001 and 2002 and a three-time champion sprinter in the state. Graded stakes winner Dancin Renee was named New York Horse of the Year, as well as champion sprinter and champion older female, in 1997. Bacon bred and campaigned Dancin Renee's six-time stakes-winning daughter Risky Rachel (Limehouse). Risky Rachel produced stakes-placed Risky Mischief (Into Mischief), as well as $1-million Fasig-Tipton March 2-year-old Yale (Scat Daddy). “He was a great friend and I always enjoyed getting a phone call from him during training in the morning because it was always an interesting conversation, to say the least,” said Steve Venosa, whose SGV Thoroughbreds consigned the seven-figure juvenile to the Gulfstream sale in 2018. “He was definitely one of a kind and there will never be another one like him.” No services had been announced as of Sunday afternoon. The post Sanford Bacon Passes Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Grand Mo the First (Uncle Mo), last seen finishing third in the GI Curlin Florida Derby, went out Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park for a five-furlong maintenance work clocked in 1:03.95. It was his first breeze since the Mar. 30 race. With the defection of GSW No More Time (Not This Time), Victor Barboza Jr.'s charge sits 21st under the Derby guidelines that will determine the final field. “I think 21 is a good position. Next week, the horse will breeze at Gulfstream, and if everything is OK, he will go to Churchill,” said Barboza, adding the effort was everything he was looking for out of his horse. “It was a very relaxed breeze. It was important for me for him to finish strong after the wire.” Barboza added, “It's been a dream since I was a child in Venezuela. Every year, I watched the Kentucky Derby. I have a good chance today to enter.” The post On Derby Bubble, Grand Mo the First Breezes at Gulfstream Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Driver Penalties N Jack | Waikato Bay of Plenty 12 April; use of whip; suspended 21-26 April inclusive and fined $650. C Svanosio | Waikato Bay of Plenty 12 April; use of whip; suspended 14-19 April inclusive and fined $375. M McKendry | Waikato Bay of Plenty 12 April; breach of push out rule; fined $200. K Tomlinson | Winton 13 April; medical clearance required. K Bublitz | Winton 13 April; delayed the start; fined $200. K Green | Winton 13 April; delayed the start; fined $200. C Markham | Methven 14 April; careless driving; suspended 15-19 April inclusive. Trainer Penalties T Barron | Non-raceday dated 9 April; failed to present runner to trials free of prohibited substance; fined $6,000. G & N Hope | Methven 14 April; incorrect gear; fined $100. G & N Hope | Methven 14 April; incorrect number; fined $100. Horse Penalties LINCOLN COVE | Waikato Bay of Plenty 12 April; broke in running; must complete trial. JOCA’S HILL | Waikato Bay of Plenty 12 April; broke in running; must complete trial. DELIGHTFUL PEG | Winton 13 April; late scratching when found to be lame; veterinary clearance required. FOREVER DREAM | Winton 13 April; lame; veterinary clearance required. ONE TWO MENNY | Winton 13 April; atrial fibrillation; veterinary clearance including ECG required. FORGIVENESS | Methven 14 April; broke in running; must complete trial. MOA MOJITO | Methven 14 April; broke in running; must complete trial. RUSH | Methven 14 April; broke in running; must complete trial. HES FAST AND FURIOUS | Methven 14 April; late scratching on veterinary advice; veterinary clearance required. PENNY WEIGHT | Methven 14 April; broke in running; must complete trial. Protests MASSIVE MARC | NZ Metropolitan 11 April; excessive galloping in home straight; disqualified from 3rd. TYRON EROS | NZ Metropolitan 11 April; excessive galloping in home straight; disqualified from 4th. The post 8-14 April 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

A good 10 years ago in the Santa Anita paddock garden, former trainer Matt Chew was leading a stately old schoolmaster named Fred through and around an afternoon gathering of children with developmental issues when a diminutive figure from the crowd locked eyes with the horse. “I walked over and handed him the shank and said, 'here, take him. He's yours,'” says Chew about the curious soul, a 10-year-old named Austin, onto whom he foisted the docile Fred. “He starts walking around with the horse and he starts talking to him, 'oh, you're a beautiful horse. This is wonderful. You're so great. Dah, dah, dah. My name is Austin, I'm 10 years old,'” Chew recounts. Several observers that day, however, appeared shocked. “Their jaws dropped,” says Chew. “They looked horrified.” Anticipating a few feathers needing unruffling, Chew's wife Candie Coder-Chew marched over to the thunderstruck group—some of them in tears—lavishing apologies and assurances about the horse's temperament. “One of the women goes, 'no, it's that Austin doesn't talk. He had experienced a trauma a few years earlier that had shut him down verbally.' So, he was nonverbal, autistic, and this horse brought him out of it,” says Chew. “And to this day, he is still speaking.” This anecdote has been worn smooth by Chew's retelling over the intervening years, with good reason, for it encapsulates the sense of purpose that has driven the Chews the nearly 1,400 miles from Los Angeles, California, where Matt had trained for decades, to Hayden, Idaho, where they now run a racehorse aftercare facility and equine therapy program for local foster kids, Champions Retreat. A sense of purpose propelled by the knowledge that within the 1,000 pounds of thundering horseflesh seemingly a hair's breadth away from careening dangerously out of control is an intuitive mind capable of plunging the deepest reserves of empathy. “These horses are amazing. They seem to understand from the energy coming off of these kids that there's a need for one another,” says Chew of his stable of eight retirees, all of them from California–horses like Silken Prince, a useful claimer under Chew's tutelage before the trainer's retirement in 2020. Matt Chew | Courtesy of Candie Coder-Chew “The horses really do interact with these foster kids in a different way than when they act with normal people,” he says. “And I can't explain it. I don't fully understand it, but I've witnessed that dozens of times. There's just a connection that's formed.” Their 18-acre Idaho ranch is the sort of place that would set Grizzly Adams's heart aflutter. Eight acres of green pasture. A large barn with 10-feet by 20-feet stalls. An indoor arena. An outdoor arena. And all of this abutting a vast leafy wilderness. “This is National Forest. We walk out our back fence and we have 350 acres of trails which we've erected on some of the old logging roads. We built a cross country course back there for jumping, and it makes for some lovely riding,” says Chew. “And we have a view of a lake.” The Chews set up shop some three years ago, unsure quite what kind of program they would offer to whom. It started with the children of a few local friends with autism or anxiety issues. Some adults that had physical or mental challenges. A few military veterans. Domestic violence survivors. That's when they were approached by Fostering Idaho, a nearby program that links foster kids and families. “They asked if we'd be interested in working with them. At that point, they asked us, 'how many kids do you want?' They basically filled up our dance card for us,” says Chew. “We had 42 kids total last year.” While some kids approach the whole endeavor with all the reticence of an avalanche, “other kids, they're definitely afraid of horses, period,” says Chew. “And they're very intimidated. So, if we can get a kid to feed a carrot and pet a nose, that's a good day.” “We have the type of horses where we can put somebody that's never ridden before on a horse and have it be a safe experience,” Chew says. “And then as they progress, we take them from the barn to our outside arena, and then when they get to a certain level, we're able to go on a trail ride.” Some of the foster children have turned into repeat visitors. “They're welcome any time,” Chew says. But they have to earn their bacon. “The kids that come back time after time, we do put them to work. We want them to understand that they have to, at some point, earn the right to ride these horses,” he says. Coder-Chew remembers the first group of foster kids that came their way. “We weren't a hundred percent sure what to expect, so we were kind of winging it a little bit,” she says. This first reconnaissance mission included two foster brothers, both around six or seven years of age. “One had been adopted by the foster family that brought these kids out. The other one had not,” she says. The adoptee was a little chatterbox who took to horseback like a young Steve Cauthen. The other brother was more reserved, tentative. As the young boy hit the saddle, he took a sharp intake of breath, and held onto it as though diving for the sea floor. “So, I asked him to take a deep breath and try to relax a little bit,” says Coder-Chew. “It took about three minutes, I think, and he took some deep breaths and sort of relaxed and petted the horse.” After a few minutes of slow plodding, the young boy spotted his speedier brother, leaned down with a smile and whispered to Coder-Chew, “'can we go faster? I want to beat my brother,'” she remembers. “So went a little faster. And he was just having a great time and was very engaged by the end—not talking a lot but talking.” Afterwards, the children and the horses were taken to a small area behind the barn for refreshments. “This little kid, he walked very purposefully over to the horse, threw his arms around the horse's chest and leg. He was so small. And the horse, of course, bent over to kind of hug him back. I don't think there was a dry eye in the place. It was just pretty incredible, the connection this kid felt with this horse.” Chew trained for nearly 40 years, during which time he sent out 400 winners from just over 4,000 runners. The majority of these wins came at the lower levels of the game. “When you're training horses, you're consumed by it 24/7 from the minute you wake up to the time you go to bed,” said Chew. “I mean, it's all encompassing. And that's your entire world. And believe me, to work in racing is a privilege. It's hard. It's demanding. It sometimes sucks the life out of you. But it also gives you a feeling of elation when a horse runs well that you can't get in any other aspect of your life,” he says. “I fully understand that what working with these kids has done for me is give me a lot more balance in my life. You don't get the extreme high of winning a race, but you also don't get the extreme lows that came with it. “After you'd win a race, there'd be a time when you'd be walking back to the barn where it was a feeling of contentment. When the world is okay, everything's right, everything's good, and you just would have an overall feeling of well-being. Working with these kids, that feeling lasts for days, not just moments,” Chew says. Champions Retreat | Courtesy Candie Coder-Chew A self-described city-slicker, Chew's life-lessons have been both philosophical and practical over three years in a part of the country where the deep winters can wear as long and unrepentant as the summers are short. A flick through one of their newsletters gives a glimpse into these seasonal toils: “Winter is near and we feel the pressure of the seasonal changes to get prepared for the cold weather. Matt has been cutting down trees, splitting wood, repairing fences and structures. We have all of our hay in the barn to last through June and have seeded the pasture for spring grass,” they wrote in fall of last year. “I thought I could I never build anything in my life,” admits Chew. “And I've built shelters and feed sheds, for God's sake. I have two chain saws now. If you'd have told me 10 years ago that I'm going to be in a position where I'm going to need two chainsaws, I'd have said you're nuts.” Ask Chew who should take credit for much of the heavy lifting and he barely takes a breath. “My wife,” he replies. “She found the property. She knew it was my vision to work with kids but it was her vision to provide a place for retired race horses. And she made it happen. Without her, this dream would not have materialized.” Eight horses are a lot to care for. Nor are they cheap. Appetites are huge. Upkeep is near constant. And Champions Retreat is a free service. “We like to say we have donations and grants, but we also self-fund about 25% of this operation. So, it takes a special commitment to do it,” Coder-Chew says, adding how several of Chew's former owners have supported them financially. “I think the one thing I would absolutely mention is how supportive the racing industry is of aftercare programs for retired thoroughbreds,” says Coder-Chew, former California Retirement Management Account (CARMA) board president. “That's something that we're so grateful for because we wouldn't be able to do what we do if we didn't have the support of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, TCA [Thoroughbred Charities of America] and CARMA. That's huge,” she says. Given the departure from their old life, do the Chews have any regrets or misgivings? “None,” says Chew, empathically. “In the racing environment, in order for me to prosper, somebody has to lose. That's just the way it is in any sport. We've tried to create an environment where when you walk onto our property, whether you had four legs or two legs, you're going to be better off when you leave. And we feel like we've accomplished that.” The post From Training to Equine Therapy, Chews Finding New Balance in Idaho appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A filly from the first crop of multiple Grade I winner McKinzie (hip 1143) equaled the fastest quarter-mile work of the seven-session under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training when covering the distance in :20 1/5 Sunday in Central Florida. The juvenile is consigned by Eddie Woods on behalf of breeders Brent and Beth Harris. “We expected her to work well,” Woods said. “I'm not going to say I thought she would go in :20 1/5. That would be ridiculous. But she really stepped on it. She's a very honest filly.” The bay filly is out of D'Fashion (D'Wildcat) and is a half-sister to stakes winner and graded-placed Strategic Dreams (Archarcharch). She RNA'd for $65,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. “She's done really well since we got her,” Woods said. “She was a inexpensive RNA for the most part in September, but she's changed significantly since then, from a physical point of view. It's like night and day. She belongs to the Harris brothers up in Kentucky and I got her through Padraig Campion of Blandford Stud.” McKinzie's first crop of 2-year-olds have been working well at OBS this spring and, led by a $750,000 colt, were well-received at the March sale. “They act like they are nice horses,” Woods said of the Gainesway stallion's first crop. “They are very professional. They all try really hard like he did. He ran for a long time himself and they look like they are going to do the same thing.” A filly by Practical Joke (hip 1187) became the fourth juvenile of the week to work a furlong in :9 3/5 during Sunday's final session of the under-tack show. Out of Emerald Gal (Gilded Time), the bay is a half-sister to multiple graded-stakes winner Sarah Sis (Sharp Humor). She was purchased by Carlo Vaccarezza for $25,000 at Keeneland last September and is consigned by Top Line Sales. While the under-tack show was interrupted by an unexpected off day due to severe weather Thursday, buyers and sellers were back on schedule Sunday. “We usually have two show days between the breeze show and the sale, but it used to be one,” Woods said Sunday afternoon. “And the extra day was purposefully put in there for that reason. If we come up on a bad day, we have a swing day in there, so it worked well. A lot of people got a lot of horses looked at that morning before the rain got too bad. And there are people who are only starting to come in here anyway, so it didn't effect them at all. We were pretty steady showing today and hopefully we will be very busy tomorrow.” The OBS Spring sale will be held Tuesday through Friday with bidding beginning each day at 10:30 a.m. The post McKinzie Filly Fastest at OBS Finale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Several contenders for the Kentucky Derby (G1) had regular training sessions April 14 at Churchill Downs, including Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up Honor Marie and UAE Derby (G2) winner Forever Young.View the full article

Justin Milano rallied to a narrow victory in the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown April 14 at Nakayama Racecourse, remaining undefeated after three starts and lowering the course record by 0.7 seconds.View the full article

At 84-1 odds, Boys and Bullets (Uptowncharlybrown) was lagging in 11th and last place nearing the quarter pole in last Wednesday's eighth race at Parx when 10-pound apprentice jockey Francisco Martinez patiently started picking off half the field. By the time Martinez set down his gelding at the eighth pole, Boys and Bullets was gathering momentum, but still five lengths behind the frontrunner. As the line loomed, the pack tightened. With a hustling hand ride Martinez gunned for an inside split, then deftly readjusted his aim for a better hole between rivals to the outside. Boys and Bullets burst through to head-bob with the leader in the final strides, and Martinez kept driving hard through the finish. It was only a few jumps later that the rookie rider gave a jubilant fist pump because he knew he had earned his first official winner as a licensed professional. Or had he? On the gallop-out, doubts crept in. Returning to unsaddle, Martinez became even less sure, because none of the other riders were saying anything one way or the other. Then he saw his number glowing on the infield tote board. Boys and Bullets had won by a head. After coming close with six seconds and seven thirds from 29 mounts since his Mar. 5 debut, Martinez was a maiden no more. “My heart screamed inside of me, I was so happy,” Martinez told TDN. “I was like, 'Wow, I can't believe I got it done on a long shot-the one that you least expect.'” You've seen the congratulatory rite-of-passage “baptism” that accompanies an apprentice jockey's first win in North America: A gleeful mob of riders and valets douse the grinning newbie with water, shaving cream, boot polish, toothpaste, shampoo, eggs, and whatever other gooey substances can be found in the jocks' room or kitchen. Martinez's celebratory bath was no different. But his backstory certainly is. For starters, he's 30 years old and has only been riding horses for 3 1/2 years despite having spent a childhood in a family of racetrackers on the now-defunct New England circuit. In addition, as a teenager, Martinez drifted away from the sport-and for a brief while, his family. He reconnected with both after figuring out, in his words, “that horses really do bring people together.” “In Boston, I grew up in the 'hood,” Martinez said. “I come from poverty, so it feels nice to, like, be someone now in life. And if feels good to know that my parents are really, really happy for me, and my family supports me in everything I do. I thought I was lost at 20 years old.” 'You're going to be a jockey…' Martinez's father, also named Francisco, has worked for decades in the stable of trainer Mike Aro. When Aro was based primarily at Rockingham Park and Suffolk Downs, the younger Martinez recalls that he and his two younger brothers were always welcome under the shed row, where they got acquainted with racehorses from infancy. In the early 2000s, the Martinez boys carried their equine enthusiasm home, where they were fond of watching the nightly televised Suffolk replay show while “riding” the arms of the couch with their dad's leather belts strapped to the furniture as reins. Those pretend stretch battles did not exactly thrill their mother, Maria Rodriguez. “My Mom would be like, 'What are you guys breaking down the couch for?'” Martinez reminisced. “And I would say, 'We're learning. We're riding.” Martinez was allowed to do some hotwalking in the summers before he got out of grade school, and he gained a reputation for being able to handle difficult horses, even as a child. “Especially the crazy ones. I used to get along with them really good,” Martinez said with pride. He occasionally would be permitted to get up on horseback, but not beyond the shed row. Martinez vividly recalls one of Aro's primary jockeys at the time, Michel Lapensee, giving him early encouragement. “Mike Lapensee once threw his helmet and vest on me and put me up on a horse in Mikey Aro's barn and said, 'You're going to be a jockey when you grow up,'” Martinez recalled. Decades later, that prediction resonates with poignancy: Lapensee died at age 58 in 2005 after a fall during a race at Suffolk. But as Martinez grew into his teenage years, his interest in racing became eclipsed by a passion for soccer. He got recruited to play for a statewide team in Massachusetts. At roughly the same time though, his father decided to follow a job offer to Parx when the Aro outfit relocated to Pennsylvania. This was a few years after Rockingham ceased Thoroughbred racing in 2002 and more than a decade before Suffolk would close in 2019. “It was just me, my mom, and my two brothers back home,” Martinez said. “Then I broke my three last toes on my right foot, and I just couldn't get back into soccer shape. Every time I tried to run, I couldn't run. I'd fall or trip or something because I had no feeling there yet. And I kind of got mad and got away from it. Then I started hanging around the streets a lot. I got distant from everybody. I dropped out of school.” Martinez has an uncle, Ruben Rodriguez, who had worked for standings-topping New England trainer Charlie Assimakopoulos. But Rodriguez left the backstretch life to take on construction work when that outfit also relocated as the New England circuit dissolved. Seeing that his nephew was in danger of going adrift, Rodriguez got him a job as a construction laborer in Boston. But Martinez didn't really relish the work and had a nagging feeling something was missing. His dad phoned one day. “What are you going to do with your life?” he asked his son point-blank. “Honestly, I was going to call you to come back to the horses,” Martinez told his father. “Because that's all I've known since I was little.” So Martinez followed his father to Pennsylvania. Eventually, his younger brothers took jobs at Parx as well. Luis, the middle sibling, is now an assistant for Ron Dandy, another transplanted New England trainer. Juan, the youngest, is an exercise rider. Asked approximately when he made that move to Parx, Martinez rattles off the exact date: Dec. 15, 2012. “I remember it because it was the best thing I ever did in my life,” Martinez said. 'Never too late to start' Aro took him on as a hotwalker, but Martinez had lost some muscle memory for the job after being away from horses for a decade. “I had to basically learn everything again,” Martinez explained. “Because from 10 years old to 19 years old, I hadn't done anything with horses. I hadn't been around them. But I always had a really good connection with them.” Later in the 2010s, Martinez worked as a groom for trainer Scott Lake. In the summer of 2020, he learned that he and his high school sweetheart were going to become the parents of a baby girl, and this got him thinking about trying to get a better-paying racetrack job. Juan kept pestering his brother to get on horseback and get licensed. One day Martinez accompanied Juan to a local farm where he exercised horses. The farm's trainer had heard that the older Martinez brother wanted to give riding a shot, so he handed Martinez a helmet and gave him a leg up on a massive Quarter Horse nicknamed Gorilla because of his size and strength. “At that farm, it takes four rounds to jog a mile,” Martinez said. “By the third round my hands were asleep, and I thought he was going to run off with me. But when I laid back, he relaxed. And the more I did that, the more he got along with me.” The trainer told him no other rider had ever had such kinship with Gorilla. “What I like about you was you didn't panic, you didn't get scared, you stayed on the horse so he could do his job,” Martinez said the farm's trainer told him. Back at Parx, Martinez's father had acquired three of his own horses that he cared for in addition to his work for Aro. Although initially reluctant to let his son get licensed and jog them, he relented. At age 27, after a lifetime at the races, Martinez took his first twirl around the track on horseback. Soon after, someone from John Servis's barn approached Martinez, complimented his style, and asked who he worked for. Martinez said he only got aboard his dad's three horses. The Servis outfit was looking for a galloper, but would let him start learning that skill by jogging. It was a Thursday-could he start on Monday? “I can start today if you need me,” Martinez beamed by way of reply. Martinez credits Servis with teaching him to gallop and breeze horses the right way for the last 3 1/2 years. “I turned into his main two-minute-licker,” Martinez said. “I hit every exact second that he asked me. He'd test me-1:56, 1:58-and I'd hit them. He told me, 'Kid, you've got a clock in your head.'” Francisco Martinez receives the “initiation” celebration after capturing his first career win | EQUI-PHOTO. It was also Servis who nominated Martinez to ride in the Amateur Riders Club of America series at Delaware and Laurel. Those are pari-mutuel races in which riders are allowed to tack higher weights well into the 130-plus pound range. Martinez won the very first amateur race he attempted, on Oct. 6, 2022, at Delaware aboard Boffo Kid (Friesan Fire), who won by a neck with a furious late drive in an off-the-turf route. “I was just so happy to be in the race that I forgot to put on my goggles,” Martinez said with a laugh. “I was just getting hit with dirt, dirt, dirt. At the three-quarters pole I said, “Should I bring my goggles down?' And I was like, 'Nah, I gallop like this every morning. I'll just leave them off.” He competed in that series through 2023, winning two of seven races over two years. The amateur jockeys do not get awarded any purse money, and although Equibase lists the wins on their lifetime records, the victories don't count against an apprenticeship if a rider does turn pro. At Parx, Martinez also got a taste of true horsepower during that time. When trainer Bob Baffert shipped Reincarnate (Good Magic) and Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) to run in a pair of Grade I stakes there, Servis recommended Martinez to get on them in the mornings. As 2024 neared, Martinez knew it was now or never for taking his shot at being a jockey. Friends in the Parx riding colony were asking him what he was waiting for. His main concerns were getting his weight down from 118 to 110 without resorting to unhealthy measures, and dealing with the loss of steady income from exercising horses. As a jockey, he would still be getting aboard horses in the mornings, only now he'd have to do it for free in exchange for the never-certain prospect of getting mounts on them in the afternoons. When Martinez told Servis what he was planning to do, the trainer further complicated the decision by saying he had just been about to offer Martinez an assistant's job. “I told John, 'I want to try this, because if I don't do it, I'm going to regret it,'” Martinez said. Martinez cut down his weight via diet and intense gym sessions, and February was supposed to be his target to start riding in races. Then his brother Juan broke five ribs in a training accident when his saddle slipped sideways trying to pull up a rank horse, and Martinez delayed his debut. “He got stuck next to the rail,” Martinez said. “But Juan says the rail saved his life, because if not, that horse would have been dragging him on the ground.” Martinez finally rode in his first race six weeks ago. He was 11th and last and didn't hit the board for a week, but was not deterred. When Martinez hit the winner's circle Apr. 10, it unlocked more opportunities. After initially hustling his own mounts without an agent, Martinez has since teamed with Richard Englander, who has him booked on 18 mounts at Parx this Monday through Wednesday, plus two more at Aqueduct on Thursday. “I'd been wanting to do this since I was little, but I never got the chance,” Martinez said. “And now that I'm doing it, I want to get everything out that I always wanted to get out. Every time I ride I try to give my all. It doesn't matter if the horse is a long shot, what the odds are. If I get along with the horse, I'm at peace with my heart.” Although Martinez said he has accepted some good-natured ribbing about being a rookie at age 30, he replies pensively when asked what his advice would be to others looking to fulfill a difficult dream later in life. “It's never too late to start,” Martinez said. “God is always, always open to anybody, and He will push you if you talk to Him. That's one thing that I have learned and believe in. And I believe that thanks to Him, I'm on the right track now.” The post Week In Review: A 30-Year-Old Bugboy’s First Win: ‘The One You Least Expect’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

While several Kentucky Derby 150 contenders had regular training sessions Sunday morning, Japan's undefeated hope MGSW Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) made his first appearance on the Churchill Downs main track since arriving early Saturday morning. Conditioned by Yoshito Yahagi and under rider Yusaku Oka, the colt jogged in the one-mile chute for about 20 minutes before taking a 1 1/8-mile gallop in the early hours. Shortly after at 7:30am, GSW Honor Marie (Honor Code) worked in company with stablemate Anthem King (Bolt d'Oro), the pair breezing a half-mile in :48.80 with the former claiming a slight edge passing the wire. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:02. “He did it the right way, easily,” trainer Whit Beckman said. “We didn't want to do a ton this week and he seemed to do it well. He's the type of horse that will always do what you ask of him. I always thought it was good to have a workmate next to him, to just give him a little encouragement.” Other contenders who went through their paces on track Sunday morning include GSW Track Phantom (Quality Road), MGSW Dornoch (Good Magic), and GSP Society Man (Good Magic) while D. Wayne Lukas's SW & GISP Just Steel (Justify) is expected to have his first training session over the Churchill Downs surface, since winning the local Ed Brown S. last November, Monday morning. The post Forever Young Takes First Churchill Gallop, Honor Marie Breezes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Justin Milano (Jpn) lowered the track record as he came out on top in a stirring finish to Sunday's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) at Nakayama Racecourse, adding the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown to a record which now sees him unbeaten in three starts. Keita Tosaki settled Justin Milano in fifth place in the early stages as Meisho Tabaru (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) took the field along at a fierce gallop, racing a few lengths clear of the chasing pack. Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palace Malice), who was crowned champion Japanese two-year-old colt in 2023, raced in third for much of the race and was the first to make his bid for glory when surging past Meisho Tabaru early in the straight. However, Jantar Mantar was unable to sustain his run and lost two places close home as both Justin Milano and Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}) went by him, with Tosaki's mount digging deep to get the verdict by a neck. Jantar Mantar was half a length further back in third, while the disappointment of the race was G1 Hopeful S. winner Regaleira (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}), who could finish only sixth having been sent off favourite in her bid to become the first filly to win the race for 76 years. It was a second victory in the Satsuki Sho for Justin Milano's trainer Yasuo Tomomichi after that of Unrivaled (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}) in 2009, while Tosaki had also tasted success in the race just once before with 2018 winner Epoca d'Oro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}). “Given the condition of the track, I thought that it would be better to race toward the front,” said Tosaki. “He broke well and we were able to settle in that position naturally. The pace was fast but Justin Milano ran in his own rhythm. His response weakened a bit at the third corner, but he regained his focus after the fourth corner and stretched well to win the race. He's a smart horse with a lot of potential. He's easy to ride and I think he can handle the longer distance.” The next leg of the Japanese Triple Crown is the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), which is run over 2400 metres and was won by Justin Milano's sire, Kizuna (Jpn), back in 2013. The 2024 edition of the Tokyo Yushun will be run at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday, May 26. Justin Milano is already a dual winner at Tokyo having won both his previous starts at that track. He made a winning debut as a two-year-old there in November before returning in February with victory in the G3 Kyodo News Hai (Tokinominoru Kinen), beating Jantar Mantar by a length and a half. Epsom Derby entrant Justin Milano got up late on in the Grade One Satsuki Sho earlier this morning! #ジャスティン・ミラノ #日本の競馬 pic.twitter.com/A3FS9jDjk7 — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 14, 2024 Pedigree Notes Justin Milano is a third Group 1 winner for Shadai Stallion Station resident Kizuna, who won only once at the top level himself when landing the 2013 Tokyo Yushun, though he did perform with credit when travelling to Europe later in his three-year-old campaign, winning the G2 Prix Niel before finishing a creditable fourth behind Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. His standout performer before Justin Milano was Songline (Jpn), who notably won back-to-back renewals of the G1 Yasuda Kinen in 2022 and 2023, while another daughter, Akai Ito (Jpn), won the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in 2021. Justin Milano's dam, Margot Did (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), showed her best form at up to seven furlongs in Britain, with her biggest success coming over five in the 2011 G1 Nunthorpe S. at York. Justin Milano is the second Group 1 winner and third black-type performer she has produced at stud. Magic Attitude (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) became her dam's first top-level winner in the 2020 G1 Belmont Oaks Invitational S., while her first foal was the G2 Prix de Sandringham winner Mission Impassible (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who also filled the runner-up spot in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. as a three-year-old. Margot Did's own dam, Special Dancer (GB) (Shareef Dancer), was a winner in Italy at up to a mile and a half, as well as being a half-sister to the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup runner-up Floral Dynamite (Aus) (Danehill) and the G3 Meld S. winner Cajarian (Shahrastani). Sunday, Nakayama, Japan SATSUKI SHO (JAPANESE 2000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥417,520,000, Nakayama, 4-14, 3yo, c/f, 2000mT, 1:57.10 (NTR), fm. 1–JUSTIN MILANO (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Kizuna (Jpn) 1st Dam: Margot Did (Ire) (Hwt. Filly-Eng at 5-7f, G1SW-Eng, $425,664), by Exceed And Excel (Aus) 2nd Dam: Special Dancer (GB), by Shareef Dancer 3rd Dam: Caraniya (Ire), by Darshaan (GB) 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Masahiro Miki; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Yasuo Tomomichi; J-Keita Tosaki; ¥226,264,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, ¥274,821,000. *Half to Mission Impassible (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), GSW & G1SP-Fr, GISP-NA, $311,814; Magic Attitude (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), GSW & G1SP-Fr, GISW-NA, $439,402. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A++. 2–Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn), 126, c, 3, by Al Ain (Jpn)–Southern Speed (Aus), by Southern Image. O-Big Red Farm; B-Big Red Farm (Jpn); ¥87,504,000. 3–Jantar Mantar (Jpn), 126, c, 3, by Palace Malice–India Mantuana, by Wilburn. O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); ¥53,752,000. Margins: Neck, HF, 1 HF. Odds: 3.80, 14.80, 5.10. Also ran: Urban Chic (Jpn), Shin Emperor (Fr), Regaleira (Jpn), Ecoro Waltz (Jpn), Lucullan Feast (Jpn), Sunrize Zipangu (Jpn), Mr G T (Jpn), Ho O Prosangue (Jpn), Sunrise Earth (Jpn), Byzantine Dream (Jpn), Sirius Colt (Jpn), Allegro Brillante (Jpn), Water Licht (Jpn), Meisho Tabaru (Jpn). Scratch: Danon Decile (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video. The post Justin Milano Remains Unbeaten With Satsuki Sho Victory appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

No More Time, winner of the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) and runner-up in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2), is off the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail after sustaining an injury at the end of his April 14 breeze at Palm Meadows Training Center.View the full article

Kentucky Derby hopeful GSW No More Time (Not This Time) returned from a breeze Sunday morning with an injury which will knock him out of the GI Kentucky Derby, announced the colt's owner Rich Mendez, the founder of Morplay Racing, on X. The account stated in a release that there are still plans to head to Churchill Downs later in the week as well as provided a positive prognosis for a future return to the track. “Less than 24 hours after officially qualifying for the Kentucky Derby, No More Time unfortunately suffered an injury Sunday morning during his final controlled breeze and plans to head to Churchill Downs later this week,” Mendez wrote in the release. “Our team at Morplay Racing is clearly devastated by the news, but we are thankful No More Time should be able to make a full recovery and be back on the track soon.” He continued, “We want to thank trainer Jose D'Angelo and our entire team that gave us this incredible ride over the last year, and we're now turning our attention and focus to getting No More Time healthy and better than ever.” The post No More Time Injured, Out of Kentucky Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Australian horse racing woke on Sunday to devastating news from the Bondi attack on Saturday. Breeder and owner John Singleton's daughter Dawnie Singleton and G1 Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip's (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) part-owner Kerry Good's daughter Ash Good have been confirmed as two of the six victims. Ash Good's nine month-old daughter, who was also wounded in the attack, is in a stable condition. The post Racing Families Devastated By Bondi Mall Attack appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Gifted an ideal lead in Sunday's G3 Prix de Fontainebleau, Aurelien Lemaitre took full advantage to steer Nurlan Bizakov's Ramadan (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}–Raushan {Ire}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) to success in the key G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains trial. Race-fit having registered a five-length success in the Listed Prix Omnium II at Saint-Cloud last month, the Christopher Head-trained homebred who had been fourth in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud last term ticked off honest fractions on the front end before kicking in early straight. Getting the jump on the returning TDN Rising Star Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) there, the 6-4 favourite had extra to give as that chief market rival paid late for having to accelerate harder to close. At the line, Ramadan had 3/4 of a length to spare over him, with the same margin back to the re-opposing Omnium runner-up Grey Man (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who narrowed the gap between him and the winner. The sectionals were faster at every step than the Grotte, suggesting that the winner made it a relative test by French trial standards. “The better the ground, the better the horse, I would say,” Bizakov said. “It is emotional for me, because he is by Le Havre, who is no longer with us and I bought the mare from Lady O'Reilly, who is no longer with us. For sure he deserves to be in the Poulains and we'll go there with an open mind. He'll stay the Jockey Club distance too.” 𝗥𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗻 (@lemaitre60LA / @CHeadRacing) repousse les assauts de 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿 dans le Prix de Fontainebleau à @paris_longchamp Il rejoint notamment 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗴 et 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 au palmarès de ce Groupe 3 pic.twitter.com/18BCzeHaBv — Equidia (@equidia) April 14, 2024 The post Fontainebleau Success For Le Havre’s Ramadan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It is 16 years since The Aga Khan enjoyed the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches-G1 Prix de Diane double with Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) and there was a genuine sense at ParisLongchamp on Sunday that he has a live prospect for a repeat. While the afternoon's G3 Prix de la Grotte winner Candala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}–Candarliya {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) can not yet be placed in the same bracket as that former luminary, the manner of her re-entry suggests that she is going to be one of the season's leading lights among her sex. Anchored with only the slow-starting G1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-up Rose Bloom (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) behind early by Mickael Barzalona, the 29-10 favourite who was last seen winning a Chantilly conditions event in September by four lengths delivered a telling surge in the straight to overhaul the 13-1 shot Minoushka (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) close home for a short-neck success, with the G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner Tulipa Chope (Fr) (Born To Sea {Ire}) a length away in third. According to France Galop, her finishing splits were 11.94, 10.98 and 11.41 confirming that she has the acceleration to win the course-and-distance mile Classic in four weeks' time, which is notable considering her stamina-packed pedigree that points to her being much more of a Diane or Oaks filly. “I was impatient to see her back at the races, but equally I was not in too much of a hurry as the ground has been very bad so far and also it took her some time to come in her coat and blossom,” explained trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, who had earlier saddled the owner-breeder's Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) to success in the G3 Prix Noailles. “So a nice day like today with drier ground was ideal for a seasonal debut and it was the plan to use waiting tactics, as I know she can quicken. She had run well here first time out last year, won well on her second start and had always showed us good things. I'd imagine the Poule d'Essai will be next. She has every right to be at the start and it will be a test, but we also think that she'll stay further.” 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗮 (@mickaelbarzalon / @GraffardRacing / @AgaKhanStuds) brille dans le Prix de la Grotte (Gr.3) à @paris_longchamp Elle succède à 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝘾𝙚𝙣 au palmarès de cette épreuve Minoushka (@CYLerner) Tulipa Chope (S. Wattel) pic.twitter.com/0vmc222ZMO — Equidia (@equidia) April 14, 2024 The post Frankel’s Candala Burns Bright At ParisLongchamp appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Francis-Henri Graffard trainee Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}–Calayana {Fr}, by Sinndar {Ire}) finished 3-4-of-a-length behind Bright Picture (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Francois Mathet last month and exacted revenge on that rival in Sunday's G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp. The Aga Khan's homebred gelding was out twice as a 2-year-old, following up an Aug. 12 debut third at Deauville with a facile 10-length tally at Chantilly in October. Calandagan tucked in at the tail of the field after breaking from the outside stall and was urged closer once into the home straight. Making headway to launch his challenge with 300 metres remaining, the 13-5 second favourite gained an edge soon after and found extra under continued rousting inside the final furlong to defeat Bright Picture by an ultimately comfortable 1 3/4 lengths. Francois Mathet third Trafalgar Square (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) made it a gelding trifecta and ran on well in the closing stages to finish 1 1/2 lengths adrift in third. “He had come on a lot from his first run this year and I was expecting a good performance,” revealed Graffard. “It was the plan to ride him [from behind] like that, as he can be keen, but he also has a strong acceleration. I like how he behaved when he was challenged by the favourite [Bright Picture], he dug in and found more. I have no idea what will be next. He is a gelding so Classics are not for him, but he is a Group winner now and that is a good point.” Pedigree Notes Calandagan, who becomes the 23rd pattern-race scorer for his sire (by Galileo {Ire}), is the second foal and leading performer from two winners produced by G3 Prix Minerve second Calayana (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}), herself a granddaughter of Listed Prix Isola Bella second Clodovina (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}). Clodovina, in turn, is the dam of GI Belmont Derby Invitational runner-up Canndal (Fr) (Medicean {GB}). She is also kin to G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-winning sire Clodovil (Ire) (Danehill), GSW GI Arlington Million third Colombian (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and to the dam of G1 SA Derby hero Aragosta (SAf) (Rafeef {Aus}). The January-foaled homebred bay is half to a 2-year-old filly by New Bay (GB) and a yearling filly by Zarak (Fr). Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France PRIX NOAILLES-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 4-14, 3yo, 10 1/2fT, 2:13.56, vsf. 1–CALANDAGAN (IRE), 128, g, 3, by Gleneagles (Ire) 1st Dam: Calayana (Fr) (GSP-Fr), by Sinndar (Ire) 2nd Dam: Clariyn (Fr), by Acclamation (GB) 3rd Dam: Clodovina (Ire), by Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Stephane Pasquier. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-1, €70,500. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Bright Picture (Fr), 128, g, 3, Intello (Ger)–Lucy The Painter (Ire), by Excellent Art (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€72,000 Ylg '22 ARQOCT). O-Wertheimer & Frere; B-J P Carrington (FR); T-Andre Fabre. €16,000. 3–Trafalgar Square (Fr), 128, g, 3, Kendargent (Fr)–See You Always (GB), by Siyouni (Fr). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€80,000 Ylg '22 ARQAUG). O-Ecurie Hugo et Pierre Pilarski & Gousserie Racing; B-Ecurie X (FR); T-Patrice Cottier. €12,000. Margins: 1 3/4, 1HF, 2. Odds: 2.60, 1.30, 16.00. Also Ran: Casapueblo (Ire), Sibayan (Fr), Black Run (Fr), Golden West (GB). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV. The post Calandagan Outpoints Noailles Rivals in Paris appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer enjoys his best day at the races in almost a year, landing a 338-1 double thanks to wins from debutants Thunder Blink and Lo Pan SpiritView the full article

Italian jockey back in the winner’s enclosure 24 hours after successful hit-and-run raid in AustraliaView the full article