Wandering Eyes

Newmarket Handicap (G1)-winning sprinter Cylinder, a high-class 2-year-old who won two key Golden Slipper (G1) lead-ups and was runner-up in the feature, will stand at Darley's Victoria operation in 2024.View the full article

Adjudication of cases involving trainers whose horses have tested positive for methamphetamine remains on hold by HIWU amid a long-awaited proposed rule change submitted to the Federal Trade Commission addressing common drugs of human abuse.View the full article

Grade 1-winning trainer Ralph Nicks announced that he will call it a career April 14 after saddling a horse for the final time at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

According to the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) a horse trained by New York-based conditioner George Weaver has tested positive for the banned substance metformin. Weaver has asked for a test on a split sample and will be allowed to continue to train pending the results of that test. The horse in question is Anna's Wish (Dailed In) and the alleged violation occurred after she was tested following the March 16 Cicada S. at Aqueduct in which she finished third. Metformin is listed as a banned substance by HIWU, which means Weaver faces a possible suspension of up to two years. The “banned” category is the most serious class of drug offences under Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) rules. Metformin is a drug used to treat diabetes in people. With more than 20 million patients taking it, metformin ranks as the nation's third-most-prescribed human medicine, according to the consumer healthcare website Healthgrades. Weaver joins Mike Lauer, Jonathan Wong and four other trainers who have had horses test positive for metformin. The metformin positives have been controversial because of the number of people who take it for diabetes, which raises the possibility of environmental contamination. “This is a clear case of external contamination,” said Weaver's attorney, Drew Mollica. “The facts will show that Mr. Weaver had no hand in this and bears no fault for the alleged violation. We will seek a split sample and once those results are in we believe we will be able to offer clear and convincing evidence that Mr. Weaver bears no fault. At some point, HISA slash HIWU must accept the fact that these universally prescribed medications exist in the environment. The attempt to destroy a man's career predicated on a prevalent substance and in a case where he bears no fault should not only shock the conscience, but it should also shock the entire racing community.” According to Mollica, Anna's Wish's groom takes metformin. “The groom who cares for the horse is on the medication,” he said. “This is a clear case of contamination. The consequences that HIWU seeks to impose are career killers with no basis in reality.” A former assistant to Todd Pletcher, Weaver has been on his own since 2002. According to The Jockey Club's online rulings database, Weaver has had just two prior positives, one for acepromazine and the other for promazine sulfoxide. In both instances, he was not suspended but was fined $300. For his career, Weaver has had 6,467 starters and has won 983 races. His career earnings are $50,753,128. The post Weaver Trained Horse Tests Positive for Metformin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The seventh edition of the Goffs Aintree Sale was topped by Monksgrange debut point-to-point winner He Can't Dance (Ire) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}) (lot 17) who caught the eye of Gordon Elliott for £300,000 on Thursday. Consigned by Rob James Racing, the striking grey counts Fairy Tale (Fr) (Spanish Moon) as his dam, herself a half-sister to three black-type winners over jumps including the eight-time Grade 1 winner Master Minded (Fr) (Nikos {GB}). JP McGrath Bloodstock signed for lot 23, Holloway Queen (Ire), also by Jukebox Jury (Ire). The £180,000 4-year-old filly was part of the Ballyboy Stables draft. Second in her first start, a point-to-point at Mongsgrange, she is a relative of G2 Kelso Novices' Hurdle winner Bywell Beau (Ire) (Lord Americo {Ire}). Jonathan Fogarty Racing's first-out winner Flamingo Grove (Ire) (Blue Bresil {Fr}) (lot 5) was knocked down for £150,000 to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock and Jonjo O'Neill. She is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Pistol Whipped (Ire) (Beneficial {GB}). Of the 28 catalogued, 26 were offered and 23 (88%) marked as sold for a gross of £2,075,000. The average was £90,218 and the median reached £75,000. Goffs UK Managing Director Tim Kent, “It is always a highlight to be here at Aintree and it's been a pleasure to watch this sale become a part of the iconic Randox Grand National Festival since its launch in 2016. Today's sale had plenty of highlights, including a top price of £300,000, but the results also reflect a difficult few weeks for us and our vendors. “The inclement weather has meant a large number of point-to-point meetings have been postponed or cancelled so it has been very difficult to compile a catalogue to meet the high expectations for which this sale has become renowned. That being said, we exist to provide a stage from which vendors can sell their stock and we are grateful to everyone who have supported the sale this year. The Aintree Sale has a wonderful record of producing high-class racehorses, as evidenced by the five Grade 1 winners coming from the first five-sales, and we are confident that more will emerge from this year's offering. “As ever, we would also like to extend our gratitude to the Aintree executive for their help and enthusiasm towards this fantastic event and we look forward to our return at next year's Grand National Festival.” The post He Can’t Dance Brings 300k At Goffs Aintree Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has partnered with Sports Medicine Concepts, Inc. (SMC), a provider of sports emergency care training and emergency action planning services, to develop emergency action plans across Thoroughbred racetracks operating under HISA's rules. The program is set to commence in the second quarter of 2024 and will continue with a series of strategic implementations throughout 2024 and 2025. “Medical emergency preparedness planning has become essential to any sport,” said SMC CEO and Director of Operations Michael Cendoma. “An effective response plan reflects a multifaceted approach that combines training and education, technological innovation, science and evidence-based practices, and collaboration. We look forward to working alongside HISA and its racetracks across the U.S. to implement best practices that will ensure swift and effective responses to medical emergencies.” Through the partnership with SMC, HISA will help improve each racetrack's emergency preparedness by supporting the development of an emergency action plan (EAP) template, identifying weaknesses in any existing EAPs and providing an opportunity for tracks and first responders to collaborate further on how to prepare and train for, and respond efficiently to, emergencies. The partnership with SMC is the latest in a series of steps undertaken by HISA toward promoting health and safety initiatives in U.S. Thoroughbred racing. This initiative aims to bring all tracks up to a best-practice standard through structured policy implementation. “We are thrilled to be partnering with SMC in what represents a significant step forward in our commitment to the wellbeing of all racing participants,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “By adopting a holistic and elevated approach to emergency preparedness, we aim to ensure all stakeholders are equipped to handle emergencies with skill and coordination. Together, we are working towards a safer sport for everyone involved.” The post HISA, Sports Medicine Concepts Launch Comprehensive Emergency Preparedness Initiative appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

4th-Keeneland, $95,050, Msw, 4-11, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:16.65, sy, 9 lengths. JEFFERSON STREET (c, 3, Street Sense–Apiary, by Bernardini) proved the third time was the charm, breaking his maiden in his Keeneland debut Thursday. Unveiled at Saratoga last summer, we finished third but notably ten lengths behind the winner, next-out GI Champagne S. runner up General Partner (Speightstown). On the bench for the rest of the year, the homebred returned at Gulfstream to again be third but showed an improved effort, earning a 91 Beyer Speed Figure in defeat as the favorite behind GISP Be You (Curlin). Trying his shortest distance to date and facing a sloppy track for the first time against older horses, the 1-5 chalk sat just off the speed of Rock N Roll Bolt (Bolt d'Oro) and easily took over command from that rival as the top pair swung off the turn. Under a hand ride from regular rider Junior Alvarado, Jefferson Street cruised home in the mud to graduate by 9 lengths over 18-1 shot Accident (Tale of Verve). A homebred for Godolphin, Jefferson Street is out of a half-sister to MGISW and sire Frosted (Tapit) and a full-sister to GSW Indulgent. Another one of his dam's half-sisters produced MGSW/GISP Caramel Swirl (Union Rags). This is also the family of champion 2-year-old colt Midshipman (Unbridled's Song) and MGISP Solomini (Curlin). Apiary has a 2-year-old Nyquist colt and a yearling Maclean's Music colt but was not reported bred for this year. Lifetime Record: 3-1-0-2, $81,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott. Junior Alvarado gears down on #8 JEFFERSON STREET ($2.54) as he breaks his maiden in Race 4 at @KeenelandRacing for trainer Bill Mott and owner @godolphin. Another winner by Street Sense, who stands at @DarleyAmerica. pic.twitter.com/Aeszqn9Lp9 — TVG (@TVG) April 11, 2024 The post Jefferson Street Impressive For Godolphin In Sloppy Keeneland Graduation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The future of New York racing has a stark look to it these days. You can say, it's under construction.View the full article

2nd-Keeneland, $79,675, Msw, 4-11, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, :52.86, sy, 4 3/4 lengths. PERFECT SHANCES (f, 2, Shancelot–American Baby, by Bayern) became her freshman sire's first to get her picture taken. The bay took most of the action at the windows as she went off as the 1-2 favorite after drilling regularly at three furlongs over the course of March and into this month. As she battled sheets of rain, the filly made the front and moved to the rail around the far turn. The homebred straightened in control for the drive down the lane and splashed home by 4 3/4 lengths over Citizen Judy (American Freedom). The first winner sired by GSW/MGISP Shancelot (by Shanghai Bobby), Perfect Shances is her unraced dam's first and only registered foal. American Baby, who counts as a full-sister SW Sweet Harmony, is out of GSP Sweet Marini (Marino Marini), herself a half-sister to SW Excessivespending (Shackleford). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $48,360. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O/B-Crawford Farms (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. (9) Perfect Shances a convincing winner in race 2. (2) Citizen Judy and (3) Her Holy Name follow. pic.twitter.com/TJpnvq0JZE — Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) April 11, 2024 The post Perfect Shances Becomes First Winner For Shancelot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing journalist and presenter Michael Guerin’s five plays for Cambridge’s Night of Champions tonight. 1: The big one, The $1m Race by Grins. Don’t Stop Dreaming (R9, No.2) has more ways to win this race than his rivals and less ways to lose it. The $2 available is a fair price because if he leads he should win and even sitting in the running line he is the one to beat. 2: The other big one, the $600,000 TAB Trot. Callmethebreeze (R6, No.4) isn’t as safe a bet as Just Believe (3) but he is twice the odds so makes sense. Sensational in front if unpressured to get there so he can win leading but he was brilliant running down Just Believe in the Great Southern Star, a race not dissimilar to tonight, in February when he stalked him. Can be mentally fragile but the best win value relevant to winning chance in the race. 3: Downgrading: Wallflower (R3, No.11) has been placing in far hotter fields and while second line draw doesn’t help will have too much speed for most of her rivals. 4: Risk vs reward: Joca’s Hill (R7, No.14): Looks an open class trotter in the making but galloped after 200m last week. The step up to 2700m will help tonight and while he is on a 20m handicap there are only three on the front line. If he trots all the way his $5 opening quote will be great money so worth the risk. 5: Early speed: We Walk By Faith (R5, No.6): High speed pacer who disappointed in NSW Derby but luckless when third in Northern Derby. Can really fly the gate and isn’t qualified for the Sires’ Stakes Final whereas key rival and favourite Cold Chisel is, so may look to work forward and if he leads will be very hard to catch. View the full article

Trainer Ralph Nicks will call it a career Sunday after saddling a horse for the final time at Gulfstream Park. “It's time,” Nicks said. “I've been here a long time. It's just the way the business is going, with clients passing away. I've had a lot of years invested. I want to get away and do some things before I get too old and can't.” The 57-year-old has saddled 722 winners, including Caledonia Road, the winner of the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar who was subsequently honored with the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old filly, and Aubby K, a multiple graded-stakes winner who captured the 2013 GI Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs. “I've had a pretty good career. I don't know what the numbers are, but I've trained a champion and nine [Florida Sire S.] winners, as well as several other stakes winners,” he said. “I've had a good run, and maybe it's time for a new chapter.” The Avery, Texas native is looking forward to expanding his horizons. “I'm going to take some time and do some traveling around the U.S.,” said Nicks, who has one entry on Saturday's program and three on Sunday's card at Gulfstream. Nicks learned the training craft from his father Morris Nicks before eventually becoming an assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. During his tenure, Cigar was the king of the Mott barn while winning 16 straight races, including victories in the 1995 GI Donn H. and the 1996 GI Gulfstream Park H., as well as back-to-back Horse of the Year titles. “That's one of those things that you have to pinch yourself and say, 'Am I living in a dream world,'” Nicks said. “You'd have to rate him as one of the greatest horses of all time, but there were other very special horses there during that run, like Paradise Creek, Ajina, Escena, Boundary–I could go down a huge list of horses that we've gotten our hands on or got to throw a leg across.” Nicks, who trained in Kentucky and New York before settling in South Florida 10 years ago, hasn't ruled out a future return to the racing industry in some capacity. “If I had to make an immediate decision, I might want to get into some consulting, buying yearlings and things like that at some point, but as of right now, I'm going to clear the head and enjoy life a little bit before I can't,” Nicks said. “I'm going to reboot the mind and see where it takes me.” The post Ralph Nicks to Retire appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A Kentucky Supreme Court case about a trainer commission puts at stake a long-time tradition of doing business with a handshake in the horse business.View the full article

Dance Card, the dam of 2023 Horse of the Year Cody's Wish, was named the Kentucky Broodmare of the Year at the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders awards ceremony April 10 in Lexington.View the full article

National Treasure and Senor Buscador share third-place honors with 121 points. The latter finished a distant third in the Dubai World Cup (G1). Meanwhile, National Treasure has not run since fourth in the Saudi Cup (G1) Feb. 24. View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) announced today the release of its 2023 Annual Report. The full report is available here. The Annual Report details HIWU's organization-wide activities as the independent enforcement agency of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. Among the highlights are statistics on testing, results management, the adjudication of cases, investigations, and educational efforts. “We are pleased to present this comprehensive look at HIWU's work on behalf of the Thoroughbred industry,” said Ben Mosier, executive director for HIWU. “The Report illustrates the tremendous team effort that was required to bring the ADMC Program to life and administer it nationwide, as well as the support and collaboration of industry groups and horsemen who have worked with us to help make the Program successful.” All Annual Reports will be archived in the About Us section of the HIWU website at hiwu.org for viewing. The post HIWU Releases 2023 Annual Report appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hall of Fame Jockey, Edgar Prado, Chicago attorney Danny Teinowitz and Kentucky breeder Craig Bandoroff have been added to Jockeys and Jeans. Prado, who was named the committee's Hall of Fame Jockey Coordinator, replaces fellow Hall of Fame member, Sandy Hawley, who stepped down but remains an Ambassador. Teinowitz becomes Special Consultant to Interim President, Dr. Eddie Donnally. Bandoroff becomes the group's latest Ambassador. Bandoroff recently retired as president of the 800-acre Denali Stud, which has consigned over 500 stakes horses. In December 1974, he lost the use of his right arm when his mount at the former Garden State Park bolted into the inside rail after the start. He has aided the group's fundraising efforts and is a vocal advocate. “No one has to remind me how dangerous it is being a jockey,” said Bandoroff. “I have always felt fortunate and grateful that I recovered with my legs and brain intact. We all know a jockey's life is one instant away from a perilous event and result. I've always felt it was my obligation and responsibility to help these brave athletes who were less fortunate than I. It is my hope that everyone who benefits from being in our industry will help those jockeys who have been seriously injured. They deserve our support.” Prado, 56, retired in June of 2023 as the eighth all-time leading jockey in wins with 7,119. His mounts earned over $272 Million, and he won 11 riding titles at NYRA affiliated tracks. Prado joins Quarter Horse Hall of Fame jockey, G.R. Carter, as a committee member. Teinowitz won a Sovereign Award as the breeder of Fantasy Lake, Champion 2-Year-Old Filly of Canada in 1998, and has attended seven of the 10 Jockeys and Jeans annual events. The post Jockeys and Jeans Adds Prado, Teinowitz and Bandoroff appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Kota Fujioka, age 35, has died after suffering severe injuries in a mid-race fall at Hanshin April 6, the Japan Racing Association has announced. View the full article

Japanese jockey Kota Fujioka has died from injuries sustained in an Apr. 6 race fall, the Japanese Racing Association (JRA) announced on Thursday. The 35-year-old Group 1-winning rider was dislodged from his horse during the seventh race at Hanshin and sustained head and chest injuries. He never regained consciousness his brother revealed on Wednesday to NetKeiba. Born in Shiga prefecture in 1988, Fujioka was the son of JRA trainer Kenichi Fujioka and the younger brother of JRA jockey Yusuke Fujioka. His riding career started auspiciously, as he won on debut aboard a horse his father trained–Yamanin Prologue (Jpn) (French Deputy)–on Mar. 3, 2007. Currently, Fujioka is credited with 28 JRA winners in 2024 and is 10th in the Japanese jockey rankings. During his 17-year career, the rider is credited with 803 winners, per the JRA. Fujioka secured the biggest victory of his career aboard Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) in the G1 Mile Championship last year. Originally, Ryan Moore was set to ride, but Fujioka proved an able deputy when the Englishman's participation was curtailed due to injury. The post Group 1-Winning Jockey Kota Fujioka Succumbs To Injuries From Race Fall appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Robert Osbourne was spending a few weeks helping out at the Stable Recovery house at Taylor Made, taking some time to reset and perhaps figure out some goals for his life, when one afternoon the program's director Christian Countzler walked into the living room looking as white as a ghost. This was a little over a year ago, just as the calendar was turning over to 2023, and at the time Stable Recovery was relying on funding from the Kentucky Career Center to keep the fledgling project up and running. The Center had just called Countzler to say that they would no longer be able to help fund the program. Stable Recovery had hosted a golf scramble that fall that had raised about $60,000. It would be enough to keep the program going for a few more weeks, but the money supply was not going to last long. “We're going to have to shut the doors,” a disheartened Countzler told Osbourne. “One more month and we're done.” But Osbourne wasn't so sure. He'd seen firsthand what Stable Recovery could do for men recovering from drug and alcohol addiction and thought that if they could just get the word out, surely there would be people out there who would want to help. “At that point I knew what my purpose was,” Osbourne recounted. “I wanted to make sure that Christian didn't have to worry about funding and that we could keep this thing growing. I wanted the whole industry to see what we were doing. If all it takes is a little bit of money to help these guys get sober, I wanted to help do that because this formula we've got here is so amazing.” So Osbourne signed on as Stable Recovery's Director of Fundraising and Marketing. His first major project was the Stable Recovery Spring Meet Gala. They weren't sure if anyone would show up for the inaugural event, but 150 people attended and raised $70,000. That kept the program running for a while longer, but by summer they were down to six weeks worth of operating funds. Then, another golf scramble helped them raise a whopping $300,000. Now the second-annual Spring Meet Gala is around the corner, scheduled for Saturday the 13th at Fasig-Tipton, and close to 400 people are expected to be in attendance. “I don't know where everyone is going to sit,” joked Osbourne. “But that's a great problem to have. This thing is just so special.” Like so many of the men whose lives have been changed through Stable Recovery, Osbourne got to where he is because of Frank Taylor. He even goes so far as to say that Taylor is one of the main reasons why he is still alive today. Growing up in Lexington, Osbourne's family was close friends with Taylor and his wife and children. The kids were on the same sporting teams and they would all go on spring breaks together. When Osbourne was 15 years old, his father committed suicide. As evening approached on the day of his death, Taylor picked Osbourne up from his house and took him to an Adoration service at Christ the King Church. They spent an hour there, sitting side by side in silence, and ever since that horrific day, the two men have attended that same service together on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. Osbourne celebrates a successful day at Keeneland | Kelcey Loges When Osbourne attended the University of Kentucky a few years later, drugs, alcohol and partying began to take over his life. While he was always able to hold down a job, his problems escalated over the next few years. “I was hanging out with a really bad crowd here in town–like really bad–and I ended up catching a couple of charges, about five felonies,” Osbourne recalled. “At the time Frank and I did a little venture where we bought some property to flip it, trying to rent it out, but I had turned it into a trap house basically.” Taylor offered Osbourne a job at Taylor Made's yearling complex where he would work under John Hall and Marshall Taylor–two men who had battled their own struggles with drugs and alcohol and gone through recovery. “That was my first time dealing with horses and God, I feel so bad looking back now,” Osbourne admitted. “If I was John, I would have fired me on day two. But Frank knew what he was doing putting me with those two men. They saw I had a problem and I learned a lot from them. But I still was taking taxis from whatever I was doing the night before and going straight to the barn in the morning and eventually that caught up with me. I got in some legal trouble. I had some family in Alabama, so I went down there.” Osbourne caught two more felonies during his first week in Alabama and ended up spending five years there, bouncing in and out of a jail cell. Eventually Osbourne made it back to Lexington, but he quickly learned that a lot had changed in his home town. Not only had Taylor got sober, but Osbourne's other lifelong friend Josh Bryan (profiled here) was sober now too. “I was like, 'What the **** is going on? Something is in the water around here.' Then later I hear Frank saying that he was going to buy some horses for Will Walden and all these other drug addicts. I said, 'God, he's really lost his mind!'” Osbourne continued going down his destructive path, but despite living a very different lifestyle than his reformed mentor, he would still meet up with Taylor almost every Tuesday evening. “That was just something that Frank and I stuck to, all through our good times and bad,” he explained. “That hour was set in stone for us. We would go eat at Malone's and then go to Adoration. That went on for years and kind of transcended into something that was the one constant in my life. When everything else was going bad, at least I had Adoration with Frank at 7 p.m. on Tuesday nights.” One evening in January of 2022, Osbourne was coming off a long bender when he came to a realization. “I can't explain it as anything but a God moment,” he said. “Something came over me and I just thought that I didn't want to do this anymore. I was like, 'You know what? I will do anything it takes to stop doing this.' So I'm driving my car around. I didn't have a phone because I had gotten paranoid that people were following me. But I realize it's a Tuesday night and I knew Frank was going to be at Adoration at 7 p.m.” So Osbourne drove over to the church he'd been to so many times before, but knowing he was in no state to go inside, he waited in the parking lot for Taylor to come out. When he spotted his friend, he jumped out of his car. “Hey, I know you and Josh are sober now,” Osbourne said as Taylor approached. “I need some help getting sober too.” Taylor looked at him for a moment before replying, “Have you been sitting in the parking lot this whole time?” Taylor promised that he would help Osbourne get into rehab, but first he had other plans. It was the weekend of the 2022 Pegasus World Cup, so Taylor took Osbourne with him down to Gulfstream and woke him up before dawn on their first morning to go to the track. They visited Will Walden and his improbable team of former drug addicts and alcoholics (learn about them here) who made up a fledgling racing stable. “I'm still in a haze, but I see Will training these horses, Tyler Maxwell riding them and Mike Lowery and everyone else just working their asses off, but they were as happy as could be,” Osbourne recalled. “I was like, 'God I want that.'” Osbourne came home and went into a three-month rehabilitation program. When Walden's team got back to Kentucky in April, he begged them to let him join their stable. Osbourne worked as a barn foreman for Walden for almost a year, traveling from Keeneland to Turfway to Ellis Park. He was taking some time off to work on his AA program and was staying at the Stable Recovery house at Taylor Made when the opportunity to join the Stable Recovery program came up. Since then, he has been busy spreading the word to anyone who will listen about just how impactful the Stable Recovery program has been. Mike Lowery, Robert Osbourne and Will Walden | courtesy Robert Osbourne “We spend about $60,000 a month, so my goal every day is to get $60,000 raised every month,” he explained. “Every day, it seems like there's something that God is blessing us with, like Andy Beshear gave us an award the other week or that the news was out here all day yesterday for a feature. It's like if something goes bad, three things will go right.” Osbourne said he enjoys talking to donors, sharing the stories of the many men whose lives have been changed because of this program. He lives on-site at the Stable Recovery house so is well acquainted with all the current residents. When donors want to know where their money is going, Osbourne can show them how each and every dollar is allocated toward a toothbrush, a gallon of gas, or an hour's worth of salary. “Every penny is literally going toward saving someone's life,” he said. “It's very special. And just compared to other transitional living places, the average of keeping someone sober for 90 days is about 15%. We are at over 80%. These jobs are giving people a purpose. They know that horse is depending on them to come work tomorrow.” “It doesn't feel like a job,” he continued. “It's a passion and I get to hang out with Frank, who has been my best friend since I was 15, so that's a big bonus.” Taylor and Osbourne still go to their weekly dinner and Adoration service on Tuesdays, but these days they have a crew of Stable Recovery residents who come along with them. Osbourne never lost contact with his family despite the many deleterious choices he has made in his life and he is sure that their constant support is a big part of why he has been sober since January 23, 2022. “They definitely saw me struggle a lot,” he admitted. “My mother, two younger sisters and my younger brother have been a big motivation in getting sober. Since my dad died, I wouldn't have gotten by if it weren't for all of us staying together and supporting each other. My mom has been my biggest support and she was always so worried about me. Now she's at peace because she's not wondering if I'm going to die tonight.” Osbourne is counting down the days until the Spring Gala, knowing that it will be one of the most significant opportunities Stable Recovery has had yet to share its story with the Thoroughbred industry and beyond. “This gala is going to be huge,” he said. “I think we can raise a lot of money through it and hopefully we're looking to expand by the end of the year so that we can start helping all these farms get good, solid people that they can depend on. I think we're going to take this thing to the moon. You know, in the horse industry it's easy to sit here and bash all this stuff going on. But this is something that is showing how good the industry actually is. There are really good people in this business. Growing up, I had a lot of opportunities to become successful and I blew that because of drugs and alcohol. I feel like this is what my purpose is supposed to be, so here I am.” Stable Recovery is a recovery housing program in Lexington, Kentucky that offers men in the early stages of recovery access to 12-step meetings, life skills training and– through the Taylor Made School of Horsemanship– the opportunity to develop a trade in the equine field. To learn more about Stable Recovery's upcoming Spring Meet Gala, click here. The post The Road Back: Robert Osbourne Spreading the Word on Stable Recovery appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With an inaugural bottle honoring Man o'War to be released in October, Keeneland Race Course and Maker's Mark Kentucky Bourbon will launch a 10-year commemorative bottle series, “Greats of the Gate.” The series will celebrate Thoroughbred racing's most iconic horses, featuring a different horse each year. “Keeneland and Maker's Mark have a rich history of working hand-in-hand to support organizations making an impact in Kentucky,” said Rob Samuels, Managing Director of Maker's Mark. “We're honored to partner each year in such a meaningful way, dating back to when Keeneland was our first customer serving Maker's Mark in the 1950s and setting the stage for decades of collaboration to follow.” Proceeds from each year's “Greats of the Gate” bottle will benefit non-profits that support Kentucky culture, including the horse racing industry, hospitality and the arts. Over the course of the 10 years, Keeneland and Maker's Mark are committed to raising $4 million for various Kentucky non-profit organizations through this bottle series. “Keeneland is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Maker's Mark to benefit both the Thoroughbred industry and our local communities,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “Keeneland and Maker's Mark share a mission of service and philanthropy, and the commemorative bottles have been a fun way to engage our fans and support deserving organizations through the years.” For the first three years of the 10-year series, the “Greats of the Gate” bottle will support Kentucky Harvest, Arts Center of the Bluegrass and Blue Grass Farms Charities. The Art Center of the Bluegrass connects people to art, culture, and creativity through exhibits, hands on art making, arts appreciation, and cultural experiences, while the mission of Kentucky Harvest is to end local hunger by connecting with food donors and engaging volunteers to rescue excess food and move it from those who have it to those in need. Blue Grass Farms Charities (BGFC) provides health and human services to those who work in the Central Kentucky Thoroughbred Industry, including a much-needed food assistance program. Proceeds from the Man o' War bottle will support construction of a new food pantry located at The Thoroughbred Center (TTC) on Paris Pike. The post “Greats of the Gate” Bottle Series Honors Champions, Supports Kentucky Charities appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be on site at Churchill Downs for a variety of events during Kentucky Derby week. The organization will be recognized with a named race on the undercard of Champions Day on Wednesday of Derby week. A representative from TAA will be present to host the winners of the “Off to the Races” VIP Experience online benefit auction, which was donated by Churchill Downs Incorporated and Second Stride. The winners will enjoy all-inclusive box seats, tickets to the Winner's Party at the Kentucky Derby Museum and a tour of Second Stride, a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredited organization. The post TAA On Site Derby Week appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Following his dominant victory in the G1 Dubai World Cup, Juddmonte Farms' homebred Laurel River (Into Mischief) is at the top of the second edition of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for 2024 with a rating of 128. The 6-year-old was never threatened in the World Cup, romping home by 8 1/2 lengths over Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre) (120 on the Longine rankings), with Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) (121) a neck back in third. Laurel River came into the race having won the G3 Burj Nahaar by 6 3/4 lengths earlier in March. With his victory in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, Godolphin's Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has improved his rating to 123 from 120 and is now the second-highest rated horse in the world. The 6-year-old gelding, who defeated Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) (120) by two lengths in the Sheema Classic, came into the race having won the G3 H H The Amir Trophy by three lengths in February. Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) (120) joins the rankings in the co-fifth position following his win in the G1 Dubai Turf, while Tuz (Oxbow) (119) is now ranked after winning the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen by 6 1/2 lengths. In the U.S., Fierceness (City of Light) (120) joined the Top 5 on the rankings following his explosive victory in the GI Curlin Florida Derby. The Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings are compiled by the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings Committee and published by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). For the complete rankings, click here. The post Laurel River Leads Latest Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The GI Kentucky Derby picture may seem polarized by two more charismatic talents, but any neutral who ekes a living from bloodstock now has an alternative rooting interest. For among the colts entering those 20 coveted gates, the first Saturday in May, there will be no better symbol than Stronghold (Ghostzapper) of what it takes to last the course in the appallingly expensive, demoralizing, perplexing, maddening and addictive vocation of Thoroughbred breeding. The GI Santa Anita Derby winner carries the silks of Eric and Sharon Waller, who bred his third dam Swiss Diva (Swiss Yodeler) from a Mr. Leader mare they acquired (after she had been a $12,000 RNA at Barretts in 1998) primarily because she shared a third dam with Distorted Humor. Their very entry to the Californian Turf had been poignant. In 1995, Sharon's brother, a former jockey, asked them to take on a pregnant mare while he battled a brain tumor. Gradually they took to the breeding game themselves, typically upgrading a handful of mares with Kentucky covers before returning them to Harris Farms for state-bred eligibility. Swiss Diva became the first star for a program that has ever remained modest in scale. She won all three juvenile starts, including the California Breeders' Champion S. by 8 1/2 lengths, and was later graded stakes-placed. Her second career, however, appeared to offer only discouragement and even despair. Swiss Diva herself succumbed to a ruptured cecum during her first foaling, a Henny Hughes filly named Diva's Tribute. The foal was only days old when suffering an injury that meant she could never race, so she was patiently restored and preserved for breeding. Having been astutely paired with the young Into Mischief, Diva's Tribute savaged her foal and had to be discarded in 2015 before any such disaster recurred with her next one, a daughter of Jimmy Creed named Spectator. (Albeit remotely, Jimmy Creed looped the family back to a shared nexus behind his sire Distorted Humor). The Wallers advised her $4,700 purchaser Richard Barton of the challenges that needed addressing in Diva's Tribute, and he was rewarded for doing so when selling her on for $175,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November Sale. Spectator had meanwhile become an accomplished performer for Phil d'Amato, winning the GII Sorrento S. by daylight on her second start and placed in the GI Del Mar Debutante S., before chasing home Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in the GI Santa Anita Oaks the following spring. Just when it appeared that this family was redressing the heartache it had brought the Wallers, they hit a fresh nadir in 2021 when they lost Spectator in delivering her first foal, a Ghostzapper colt. But they sent him to d'Amato, named him Stronghold, and are now enjoying due reward for persevering through challenges that would surely have exhausted the fortitude of most. Stronghold has himself overcome adversity even to earn a Derby gate on a circuit dominated by a barn obliged to forfeit so many of the starting points available in California. After an artful sidestep to New Mexico on his reappearance, he has now beaten all comers in the West Coast's premier rehearsal. In the process he has volunteered himself as another potential heir to his splendid sire. Especially after McCraken was thwarted by fertility issues, Ghostzapper had appeared in danger of depending on his daughters for his legacy, notably the dam of Justify. But now he has Mystic Guide and Loggins starting out, with Stronghold looking eligible to contest the succession in time. The Wallers, meanwhile, have managed to retrieve a strand of the female line. The last foal bred by Barton from Diva's Tribute, before selling her, was an Improbable filly he offered at Fasig-Tipton's California Sale last fall. The Wallers signed a $200,000 docket for Spectator's half-sister, and the very next day they were at Churchill Downs to see Stronghold break his maiden. The runner-up there was none other than Resilience (Into Mischief), who won the GII Wood Memorial on Saturday–just hours before Stronghold beat another Into Mischief colt, Imagination, at Santa Anita. Imagination cost one of Baffert's superpower syndicates $1.05 million as a yearling. So while it's difficult to picture a Jimmy Creed mare helping Stronghold through a 10th furlong, the Wallers go to Louisville as an inspiration to numberless smaller breeders. It will not just be California that they represent on Derby day. Resilience Channels Precarious Lake Legacy As we've just seen, Resilience has been keeping some good company en route to his Aqueduct breakout. He was actually beaten in all three maidens he contested as a juvenile, evoking an era when people sought physical and mental seasoning in competition rather than in bullet works. In the one won by Stronghold, over the Derby course last fall, they had GIII Lecomte S. winner Track Phantom back in third. Track Phantom and Resilience have since shared a stretch call in the GII Risen Star S. with subsequent trial winners Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) and Catching Freedom (Constitution). All these battles have helped Resilience mature to fit a name that also aptly represents the long commitment of his connections. For this is another project a long time in the making. While only a second-generation homebred, the span of years actually exceeds the four generations behind Stronghold. That's because he's out of the last foal–and, after a monotonous production of colts, the only daughter–of Tranquility Lake (Rahy), who was purchased by Martin and Pam Wygod for $250,000 as a yearling at Keeneland back in 1996. Resilience | Sarah Andrew They were never going to miss her there, as by that stage her late-developing half-brother Benchmark (Alydar) was beginning to work off the $475,000 he had cost them as a weanling in the same ring in 1991. Benchmark would go on to win three Grade IIs at six before standing at their River Edge Farm in Buellton, California, where he sired champion sprinter Points Offthebench. Tranquility Lake proved similarly hardy in her four-season, $1.6-million track career, crowned by Grade Is in the Gamely H. and Yellow Ribbon S. She then produced two Grade I winners on turf by Storm Cat, After Market and Courageous Cat, though neither of those had yet emerged when Sheikh Mohammed paid $9.7 million for their brother Jalil (Group 2 winner on dirt in Dubai) as a yearling. Easy to imagine, then, how warmly the Wygods received Tranquility Lake's belated 2014 filly by Smart Strike. Meadowsweet showed plenty of ability in a six-race career on grass, winning a couple of photos and a creditable fifth in the GI Del Mar Oaks. She was then covered according to her value, as sole conduit for her dam. Her first son, by Quality Road, was gelded and claimed, but with her second she has contributed to the relentless upgrading in the quality of Into Mischief's books. Touchingly, Resilience runs for a partnership between the Wygods' daughter Emily Bushnell and Ric Waldman, who was so closely associated with the stallion who “made” Tranquility Lake. The one sorrow is that Russell Drake, who managed River Edge for 43 years and helped scout Reslience's granddam, is not here to share the ride. Drake died in June 2022. It's unsurprising that Resilience is only finding his feet now. His dam was unraced at two, while both Tranquility Lake and Benchmark thrived with age. But their own mother (by Danzig) actually only raced at two, compressing 10 starts into that single campaign and precocious enough to run third in the GIII Schuylerville S.–so there's some latent dash, even without Into Mischief. Happily Meadowsweet, having meanwhile produced a brother to Resilience currently pre-training in Florida, recently came up with a sister. With luck, then, the fragile legacy of Tranquility Lake can now extend into another generation. A Rose With Deep Roots The same conveyor belt of classier mares that brought him Meadowsweet also resulted in Into Mischief's 21st elite scorer, days after Laurel River became his 20th. The success of Leslie's Rose in the GI Ashland S. was yet another example of what can be achieved by patient cultivation of a family. But it also showed that actually this often proves the best route to commercial dividends. If you don't just rush from rookie sire to rookie sire, you can make your mare a coveted source of genes. Much like Resilience, moreover, Leslie's Rose represents a combination of Into Mischief and grass royalty, her dam being by Galileo (Ire) himself. But this has been a long project, with many a blind alley, and confirms the far-sightedness that makes John D. Gunther one of the most admired breeders of his time. Leslie's Rose | John Gallagher/Coady Photography The third dam of Leslie's Rose, Dial A Trick (Phone Trick), was one of the first yearlings Gunther bought as a long-term breeding prospect, for $85,000 way back in 1991. She never made the gate, and her first foals achieved little, albeit one, Expanse (Distant View), was stakes-placed after selling for a yearling for $25,000. An initial attempt to sell Dial A Trick stalled at just $13,000. But then her daughter by Langfuhr, Wildwood Flower, won her first three starts including a dirt sprint stakes at Golden Gate Fields; and her next foal, Eye of the Tiger (American Chance), ran fifth in the GI Kentucky Derby before winning a couple of graded stakes. Expanse was meanwhile proving the one that got away: she produced two Saratoga Grade I scorers, Afleet Express (Afleet Alex) in the Travers S. and Embellish the Lace (Super Saver) in the Alabama S.; besides multiple graded stakes-placed Reporting For Duty (Deputy Commander). After cashing out Dial A Trick for $630,000, Gunther still had Wildwood Flower to borrow that momentum. Her own visit to the sire of Afleet Express yielded GI Florida Derby winner Materiality; while My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song) ran second in the GI Kentucky Oaks before herself producing a Grade I winner on grass in Annapolis (War Front). With the Dial A Trick dynasty now in full bloom, Gunther sent Wildwood Flower to Europe. And while three foals by Galileo did nothing on the track to reward that adventure, the unraced Wildwood Rose (Ire) has shown the yields available to those playing the long game with sufficient flair. Her first foal, a Speightstown filly, made $900,000 as a yearling (sadly broke down on her second start); and her second, by Into Mischief and co-bred with Eurowest Bloodstock Services, brought $1.15 million from Whisper Hill Farm. Her name, of course, is Leslie's Rose–the latest flower from seeds sown over three decades ago. You don't do something like this without suffering a few scratches on the way, but between thorns and roots, you end up with something that can survive the fitful winds of commercial fashion. A Sweet Twist to Candy Sire of the weekend was surely Twirling Candy, a nose away from three graded stakes when Cugino in the GIII Transylvania S. just missed joining Where's My Ring (GIII Gazelle) and AG Bullet (GIII Monrovia). The Lane's End sire also had stakes scorer The Donegal Clan. Where's My Ring | Sarah Andrew Three of these four are from Twirling Candy's 2021 crop, his first conceived at $40,000. He's meanwhile consolidated to $60,000 and, at 17, is established as a versatile source of class while remaining more accessible than the six-figure artillery. His weekend's work was characteristic, divided between grass and dirt and one and two turns. That's just as one would hope, for such a nicely blended pedigree. His sire Candy Ride (Arg) introduces turf strains from Argentina and France to Mr. Prospector's Fappiano line; while his damsire is Chester House, the GI Arlington Million-winning son of Mr. Prospector and blue hen Toussaud (El Gran Senor). His granddam is by the international influence Danzig, but the next dam entwines Triple Crown icons: by Seattle Slew out of an Alydar half-sister to Affirmed. I have always loved the way Alydar was consoled with the dam of his nemesis, and perhaps some flavor of that sweet gesture survives in Twirling Candy. The post Breeding Digest: Stronghold Rewards Wallers’ Perserverance appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tickets are still available for the annual Kentucky Thoroughbred Association's Kentucky Derby Trainers' Dinner, a popular event featuring all of the Kentucky Derby trainers in an atmosphere of a good-natured roast. The event is scheduled to be held Tuesday, April 30 at the First Turn Club at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Cocktails begin at 5 p.m. with the dinner slated for 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available by clicking here. “Our sponsors, directors and Churchill Downs are working to make something special befitting the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby and the trainers who succeed in competing in the greatest race in the world,” said the KTA's Executive Director Chauncey Morris. “Join us for a memorable night under the Spires.” In addition to this year's Derby trainers, the event will also feature Gustavo Delgado, trainer of last year's winner, Mage, and will be hosted by Darin Zocali and Andrew Brown. The event seats 600 people, and will feature a farm-to-table menu catered by Wiltshire Pantry. The trainers' dinner is one of the most popular events on the Derby calendar, with the trainers giving good-natured, often hysterical speeches. In 2022, Wayne Lukas thought he was not going to draw into the Derby, and delivered a laugh-out-loud performance, pretending to cry as he imagined the other trainers enjoyed the playing of My Old Kentucky Home via video. “It's really hard for me to talk about,” said Lukas, wiping a tear from his face. “I miss you guys so much and the trainers' dinner has always been one of favorites, and I don't know if I can handle all of this.” Watch the video below. The post Tickets Available for Kentucky Derby 150 Trainers’ Dinner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Godolphin's Cody's Wish (Curlin) was named 2023 Kentucky-bred Horse of the Year and older dirt male, while his dam, Dance Card (Tapit), was named broodmare of the year by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders. Godolphin also received awards for Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) as champion 3-year-old filly and as KTDF Owner of the Year and winner of the P.A.B. Widener Trophy as KTOB Breeder of the Year. Other Kentucky-bred champions announced Wednesday: 2-year-old male: Fierceness (City of Light) (Breeder Repole Stable); 2-year-old filly Just F Y I (Justify) (George Krikorian); 3-year-old male Arcangelo (Arrogate) (Don Alberto Corporation); older dirt female and female sprinter Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) (Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings); male turf horse Up to the Mark (Not This Time) (Ramspring Farm); female turf horse War Like Goddess (English Channel) (Calumet Farm); male sprinter Elite Power (Curlin) (Alpha Delta Stables); racing abroad Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) (Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Tait); steeplechase horse Snap Decision (Hard Spun) (Phipps Stable). The 2023 Merit awards, recognizing individuals for their contributions to the Kentucky Thoroughbred industry, will be presented at the KTOB Awards Dinner. The Charles W. Engelhard Award, acknowledging a member of the media for outstanding coverage of the Thoroughbred industry, will be presesented to Thoroughbred Daily News' Chris McGrath. The William T. Young Humanitarian Award, which distinguishes a person or organization in the Thoroughbred industry “who recognizes and promotes the human endeavor,” will be presented to Frederick J. Seitz. Also to receive awards are the top Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) money earners in 2023 in five separate categories: KTDF sire of the year Into Mischief (Spendthrift Farm); KTDF earner of the year Ancient Rome (Mrs. Fitri Hay); KTDF trainer of the year Brad Cox; and KTDF breeder of the year Calumet Farm. Recipients of the 2023 KTOB Kentucky-Bred Champion awards were voted on by the full membership of KTA/KTOB, while the KTDF category leaders were tabulated using purse money won at Kentucky racetracks in 2023. KTOB merit award recipients were voted on by the KTA/KTOB Board of Directors. The post Cody’s Wish Named KTOB Horse of the Year appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article