Wandering Eyes

HISA has issued a show-cause notice and is considering a provisional suspension for New York-based trainer Rudy Rodriguez, alleging he failed to provide required veterinary care and diagnostic follow-up for horses placed on the veterinarians' list.View the full article

The state of Kansas approved 1,000 HHR machines, which is a precursor to the return of Thoroughbred racing in the state. While Kansas has not had live Thoroughbred racing since 2008, the goal is for the sport to return in the fall of 2026.View the full article

He called it a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience, smiling in the Paris sunshine, spry and dapper in his bow tie and blazer. And then he added: “I mean, I'm 90 years old, so I don't know how much more lifetime there is!” That helped the interview go fairly viral. But there was much else besides: the sheer joie de vivre, the sense of just how much living Russell Jones has crammed into that lifetime; plus an infectious sense of the fulfilment available, when you invest in a horse in a purely sporting spirit. Jones only found himself at Longchamp because he had wanted to honor the memory of Johnny Harrington by participating in a partnership at the stable run by his dear friend's widow Jessica. In his time, to be sure, Jones has plenty of horse trading. He would know as well as anybody the commercial potential of bloodstock. In fact, along with his late brother Richard, he consigned Producer (Nashua) to achieve a broodmare record $5.25 million at Keeneland in 1983. Even so, there may be a lesson for those people who nowadays approach the game in a wholly mercenary spirit, in the way things have played out with Barnavara (Ire) (Calyx {GB}). Because this €70,000 yearling goes to the Sceptre Sessions at Tattersalls Tuesday (hip 1753) as winner of the G1 Prix de l'Opera–a race once won, funnily enough, by Producer. What a weekend the Alpha Racing syndicate had in Paris–and how often did thoughts turn to Johnny. Jones had gotten to know him way back in the 1960s, when Johnny was working for the Curragh Bloodstock Agency, and had come to America to help launch Jonathan Sheppard's training career. They hit it off so well that Johnny started staying with Jones in Pennsylvania, whenever he travelled over. “But then, one of his first visits, my wife went into labor,” Jones recalled. “She told him she didn't know where the hell I'd got to, and he was to drive her to the hospital. At that stage Johnny hadn't yet had any children himself, and he was in a total sweat, praying that she didn't deliver this baby right there on the front seat. “He was a great one for telling stories on himself, and always said that was the most nervous he'd ever been. Anyway, over the years, it just became a great friendship. So it was tough, when he died. They got me to do a reading at the service, and I helped carry the casket. So I was almost like family.” Jones told Patrick Cooper he would like to support the stable, but didn't imagine he could make too much of a difference with just the odd horse here and there. Cooper mentioned that he was setting up a syndicate with Elaine Lawlor and the Harringtons' son-in-law Richie Galway. At first, Jones felt that that he might not enjoy delegating selection to others, but after a couple of years of doing his own thing, he got on board with Alpha Racing. “And I've been there ever since,” he says. “It's just been so much fun. Unlike a lot of syndicates, more or less all of us were veterans in the horse game. They weren't doing it as a financial investment–which was right up my alley because you do that, in this game, you're a little crazy. This was not going to be too expensive and we were all just doing it for fun.” And that approach has actually proved more lucrative than tends to be the case when people are under pressure to make things pay. Last year, the syndicate sold its €65,000 yearling Kinesiology (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}) to Australia after four consecutive runner-up finishes in stakes company. Now the time has come to cash out Barnavara. “I think she was just maturing as she went along, and getting better as a result,” Jones suggests. “Every time we asked her the next question, she got better. It was amazing. At the Curragh, she was devastating, just galloped them to death. She has this very high cruising speed and can keep it going. She's a filly that can take the run out of horses. She goes out there and says, 'Come on, then, here I am: come get me.' Sometimes she gets headed, and comes again. The whole thing has been unreal, especially the way it has opened up Ireland for me again.” Russell Jones | Tod Marks That's because many earlier years, of this life well lived, were largely spent jumping across open country, whether at home in Chester County or in Ireland. Jones connects us to a golden age, to an extent, one that has gone beyond recall. He won his very first race, aged 13, in a point-to-point staked out cross-country, with flags. But the gusto characteristic of those days keeps Jones very much engaged in the here and now–still serving, in fact, on the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission. “I grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania,” Jones explains. “Started out fox-hunting, then riding point-to-points and eventually steeplechase. That first race, I was on a 14.2hh pony, but she was mostly Thoroughbred, I think. My mother was against my going, unless my father rode in the race too, to look after me. By the time I got into the final field, I had opened up on them–but there were all these people standing along the fence, and I couldn't tell where the finish was. Then an old man that used to follow the hounds took off his cap and threw it in the air, so I shot over and got there. My father finished ahead of the rest. Probably he let me win!” Jones was not permitted to contest the open at the adjacent hunt until he was 16, and promptly won that at the first attempt, too. “But I'm sounding like I was some kind of important talent, which I never was,” he stresses. “I was just game to go and have a crack at it, and lucky as hell to win a couple of races. Basically, most of my riding career was on horses I was trading. Like the Maryland Hunt Cup winner I bought at the racetrack for five grand.” That was the famous Jacko (Chi), five-time Timber Horse of the Year. “He'd been brought up from Valparaiso in Chile to Delaware Park,” Jones recalls. “He'd beaten a total of two horses in four races here, was really just an acclimatization project in the works. We took him home, gelded him, and started hacking around the country. And he jumped like a horse that had done it all before: just a natural at the job. He won 19 races over timber for us.” But Jones was no mere passenger, as his myriad other accomplishments as horseman attest. A Master of Fox Hounds for a decade, he was still fearlessly out in the field to the age of 85. In the Thoroughbred world, too, he has added to the heritage of a neighborhood that once produced breed-shapers Danzig and Storm Cat. His own impact was through Walnut Green, for many years the largest sales agency outside Kentucky, achieving global reach through the likes of Flower Alley, At Talaq and Golden Pheasant. “In the early '70s, I was working in the stock market business and just training some jumpers on the side,” Jones recalls. “But then in 1976, I consigned a horse for a lady in Wilmington, Delaware, the first horse I ever consigned, and I didn't know what the hell I was doing. But we just built and built. Producer was a mare we sold for a couple of guys from Chicago. They sent her to us to breed to Northern Dancer, and just hit an absolute gold mine. But I think we only held the record until the January Sale! “Anyway, we did that until '05. But our major clients were dying off, and we weren't developing new ones. It had become a disadvantage being in Pennsylvania. We even thought about starting up in Kentucky, but we liked our life so well at home. Kentucky hunting just wasn't as good! So we decided we'd look for somebody younger that might take the business over.” They were struggling for takers when Mark Reid approached Richie at the September Sale and asked whether they might ever consider selling the business. “Are you crazy?” Richie replied, quick as a flash. “We're making so much goddamn money, I don't think we can afford to.” But they found a way, right enough. Not that Jones was done yet. One evening he found himself sitting at dinner next to an old friend, Phyllis Wyeth. “Her father had bought Devil's Bag as a yearling, Gone West too,” Jones recalls. “And Phyllis wanted to get into the business herself. So she had me come down and look at their horses and help with consigning. Next thing you know, she's not only a great friend, but an important customer. We had some great years, topping out with Union Rags.” Wyeth sold that horse as a yearling for $145,000. When he resurfaced in the Gulfstream Sale, the following February, Jones called her. “You bred a monster here,” he said. “He's gorgeous, 10 times the horse we sold.” “Well, let's buy him back.” “Phyllis, you wouldn't get him even for double what they gave us. He'll make $400,000.” “Okay, go to $390,000.” It was eerie how it played out. The bidding raced along until Jones managed to get in his single bid, at $390,000. And the hammer came down. “He was the best 2-year-old in the country,” Jones marvels. “Got beat a head at the Breeders' Cup, by a better ride on Hansen, and then won the [GI] Belmont. But finally her infirmity caught up with Phyllis and six or seven years ago she died. So many of these clients that were great friends are gone now. So I'm now down to five mares in Kentucky, with Noel Murphy, plus one in Ireland.” Nonetheless, he spent virtually the entire Keeneland November Sale seated by the inside back ring, making notes on foals. Complimented on his stamina, he shrugs. “At my age, I can't walk around the grounds like I did when actively engaged,” he says. “So it's a compromise. I can tell if they're crooked, but most of all I like to see how they move, what the frame is. These foals are telling me what stallions to think about, for breeding mares next year. I have gotten away from going to the farms to look at stallions. They don't always produce what they look like. Looking at what they're putting on the ground, for me, is more reliable. The only reason I'd look at stallions is to see whether they're a suitable physical match.” The system seems to be functioning pretty well, Jones having recently used Good Magic, Vekoma and Yaupon when “on the bubble.” “I could see what they were throwing and breeding to them before they exploded,” he says. “But you'd even do it for amusement: it's all such theater, so addictive. You've got to keep pace with what's happening, got to keep improving yourself. You see somebody doing better than you, you say, 'I better find out what they're doing that I'm not.'” Some attitude, at his time of life! Again, however, it is chicken-and-egg: what got him this far is the same verve that keeps him going now. That's why the old horse trader is happy even to sell Barnavara, so ending a sentimental journey. As it says in the film, they'll always have Paris. “I think that trading instinct in me still comes to the fore,” he says. “She's sound as a bell and may get a whole lot better next year. But we finished off with that incredible weekend in Paris: museums, Notre Dame, restaurants. Our race was right after the Arc, so we're with our filly in the stable area and here comes the Arc winner being led back in. It was just so much fun, the whole weekend, even before winning.” And, as such, an apt tribute. Because it would never have happened but for Johnny. “I suppose not,” Jones says. “I mean, you never know why these things happen. But when they do, you just make sure you enjoy the hell out of them.” The post Barnavara Fairytale Keeps Jones Young appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A trio of Hong Kong heavy hitters are among the 22 Group 1 winners signed on for the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) at Sha Tin on Sunday, December 14. Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) is aiming for his fourth win in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup after winning that event the past three years. Aiming to extend his unbeaten streak to 16 races, Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) targets the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. Rounding out the local trio is Hong Kong Triple Crown hero Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) who is hoping to defend his crown in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile. They will face an international brigade featuring the horse rated best in the world, Calandagan (Gleneagles), and the gelding's stablemate Quisisana (Le Havre) from the Francis-Henri Graffard yard. Both of the French-trained runners are pointing to the Cup. G1 Sprinters Stakes hero Win Carnelian (Screen Hero) and fellow top-liner Satono Reve (Lord Kanaloa) are both signed on to the Sprint, and Khaadem (Dark Angel) is also entered in that affair. Docklands (Massaat), who recently finished ninth in the G1 Mile Championship, will try his hand in the Mile, while G1 Dubai Turf winner Soul Rush (Rulership) will also take in that race. Japanese Classic heroine Embroidery (Admire Mars) is another for the Mile. In the Vase, Giavellotto (Mastercraftsman) will attempt to defend his title, but he faces Eydon (Olden Times) and top-level winners Sosie (Sea The Stars) and Goliath (Adlerflug). Andrew Harding, executive director, racing, HKJC, said, “The Longines Hong Kong International Races are one of the most important events on racing's global calendar, and this year we look forward to witnessing the feats of Romantic Warrior, Ka Ying Rising, Calandagan, Soul Rush and Voyage Bubble, among many others. “We are excited by the quality of selected runners for this year's Longines Hong Kong International Races and the presence of so many of the stars is in keeping with our long-held commitment to deliver sporting excellence. The stage is now set for Sunday, 14 December at Sha Tin.” The post Longines HKIR Feature 22 Group 1 Winners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The top three finishers from last year's Hollywood Turf Cup (G2T) return for a rematch Nov. 28 at Del Mar. Up for grabs is the lion's share of a $200,000 purse. View the full article

The 2025 live thoroughbred racing season at Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack came to an end on Wednesday, Nov. 26.View the full article

Ain't she a beaut, Clark? A fantastic field of nine, led by 3-1 morning-line favorite and G1 Dubai World Cup hero Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}), will line up for the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs on Black Friday. The Wathnan Racing colorbearer defeated last year's re-opposing Clark winner Rattle N Roll (Connect) by a length in the GIII Hagyard Fayette S. at Keeneland last out Oct. 25. “We were really proud of Hit Show's effort in the Fayette,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He hasn't missed a beat since winning the Dubai World Cup. We're looking forward to another top effort in the Clark.” Cox will also saddle 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' and Godolphin homebred First Mission (Street Sense), who fell just a nose short in the 2023 Clark. The MGSW was a disappointing fourth in the GI Goodwood S. at Santa Anita last time Sept. 27. “The Clark is First Mission's final start before he retires to stud duty,” Cox said. “We expect him to bounce back on Friday.” The field for the Clark also includes talented sophomores: GI Preakness S. runner-up and last-out Fayette third Gosger (Nyquist); runaway GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star S. winner and GI Pennsylvania Derby runner-up Magnitude (Not This Time); and GIII West Virginia Derby winner Chunk of Gold (Preservationist). After bringing $3.7 million from Dixiana Farm at Keeneland November, GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. heroine Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) is the horse to beat in the GII Mrs. Revere S. on the undercard. Friday's graded stakes action also includes the GII Hollywood Turf Cup S. at Del Mar. The GIII Falls City S., featuring GI Breeders' Cup Distaff third-place finisher Regaled (Mohaymen), anchors the 12-race Thanksgiving Day program at Churchill Downs. The post Field of Nine Ready to Put on a ‘Show’ in Loaded Clark appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features a daughter of a Breeders' Cup winner. 16.30 Chelmsford City, £8,000, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7f (AWT) Cheveley Park Stud's SO REGAL (GB) (Kingman {GB}), a John and Thady Gosden trainee, is a homebred daughter of GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Queen's Trust (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Her nine rivals include Kirsten Rausing's Campeona (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), who is a Sir Park Prescott-conditioned daughter of dual Group 3-winning G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern runner-up Cubanita (GB) (Selkirk). The post Daughter Of Breeders’ Cup Heroine Queen’s Trust In Line For Chelmsford Bow appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

She may be the small filly taking on some seasoned sprinters, but Trevor Andrews insists Luana Miss is well capable of punching above her light weight as he gets set to unleash his stable star in the Nov. 29 Winterbottom Stakes (G1) at Ascot.View the full article

The $400,000 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs is the next stop on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Trainer Brad Cox will look for a second consecutive win with Rags to Riches Stakes winner Life of Joy.View the full article

By Jonny Turner It is not even December and the White stable’s annual southern raid is already on. Trainers Brent and Tim White campaign plenty of horses in Otago and Southland in summer and this year it will be no different. But before the Ashburton trainers try to continue their success they’ve had in Central Otago in recent seasons, they’ll pop over the border to Oamaru on Thursday. Among the five-strong White team is Snooowgood, whose last start was behind Dash Dosh, who went on to win the Group 1 New Zealand Trotting Oaks. Prior to that, the three-year-old took on more quality types in the Group Three Hambletonian Classic. Snooowgood drops back in grade at Oamaru and also reverts to standing start racing. “She has just got to bring manners at the start, that will be the key,” Tim White said. “It looks like a very winnable race for her considering what she has been racing.” The White stable will give Stealers Wheel the second start of his new campaign at Oamaru. There looked to be plenty of merit in the pacer’s fresh-up fifth at Ashburton. “He did plenty of work first up, he didn’t really get a spell during that race,” White said. “His work since has been pretty good and the best version of him would go pretty close, you would think,” White said. Two White-trained pacers go head to head at Oamaru in Molly Maeve Estelle and Jazzys Upstart. The pair will be driven by Sarah and Gerard O’Reilly respectively. Molly Maeve Estelle battled in her last outing, but her camp thinks the run is best forgotten. “We are going to forgive that last run, she was on the fence and nothing seemed to run on from there that day on the wet track at Ashburton.” “Her run before that was good and she’s drawn one this week so we are hoping she can go a much better race.” Jazzys Upstart was also down the track at Ashburton, but she also had her excuses. “She didn’t get much luck last start, she did a bit of work early and then Sarah came in and put her hand up and said she went a bit early.” “She went good at Oamaru before that, she seems to go well down there.” The White barn will give Bettor Dreams her debut in the two-year-old fillies event at Oamaru. “She is the loveliest horse to have around the place and she hasn’t done anything wrong in her trials.” “We are hoping she can step up at the races and maybe the Bettor’s Delight can come out in her.” View the full article

By Jordyn Bublitz The New Zealand Junior Drivers Championship gets underway at Cambridge Raceway tonight, and among them is first-time contender and Canterbury-based junior driver, Mia Holbrough. Holbrough has already enjoyed a standout season, producing a career-best 14 winners and 40 placings, and her selection for this year’s championship is the reward for a year of consistency, growth, and confidence. For Holbrough simply lining up is a dream realised. “It feels incredible, being in the Junior Champs is something I’ve dreamed about since I got my licence, it means a lot,” she said. The opening two heats of the Championship will be run as Races 3 and 5 tonight at Cambridge, and Holbrough heads into night one with two competitive bookings. To kick off the series the southern reinswoman will partner the Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett–trained trotter Viscount Mackendon, a four-year-old son of Volstead who has put together several honest performances in recent races. While the gelding faces a tricky assignment from three the second row, Holbrough remains upbeat about his chances and has labelled him the horse she is most looking forward to throughout the series. “He’s gone really good his last couple of starts and he looks like a pretty versatile and safe trotter. We’re going to need a little bit of luck from the draw, but hopefully we can get the right drag into the race,” Heat 2 sees Holbrough team up with Sea Of Love, a five-year-old daughter of Downbytheseaside for trainers David and Claire McGowan. The mare steps back in grade after tackling some tough opposition at Alexandra Park last start, and her handy draw gives Holbrough options early. “She faced a tough field at Auckland last start, but prior to that at Cambridge she’d been running some nice consistent races. We’ll have to see what happens off of the gate but fingers crossed we’ll land a nice spot,” Although every junior driver lines up hoping to lift the trophy on finals night, Holbrough is equally focused on making the most of the opportunity. For her, the Championship represents more than points and placings. “I’m just looking forward to the experience, meeting new people, driving the best I can for these trainers and hopefully making some new connections.” With form on the board, confidence in her drives, and genuine excitement for the challenge ahead, Holbrough shapes as one to watch when the tapes fly at Cambridge tonight. The ones to beat in the opening Junior Drivers Championship Heats By Brittany Graham The cream of the New Zealand young driving crop will be on display over the coming few days when the National Junior Driving Championships takes place. Six heats will be staged over three venues, before the winner is crowned on Sunday at Methven as part of the Green Mile meeting. With such a deep group of talent, luck in running and allocated drives is going to play a crucial role, so here’s who has fared well on night 1. Race 3 Cambridge – Thursday @ 6.24pm – Heat 1 One to beat: Mia Holbrough, #11 Viscount Mackendon Holbrough looks poised to make her Championship debut a memorable one when she teams up with Michelle Wallis, Bernie Hackett and their ever-consistent square gaiter Viscount Mackendon. While the second row looks potentially tricky, he was luckless last start and Holbrough has had a great recent run with trotters, most notably Buffy Northstains whose successes propelled her into the series. Smokey: Monika Ranger, #5 Patrick Mahomes Ranger was awarded the HRNZ CEO wildcard to take part in this year’s series and it’s not hard to see why. A constant in the winner’s circle both here at Cambridge, and at Alexandra Park, she has a phenomenal strike rate on trotters this season winning 11 times from 37 steers. Race 5 Cambridge – Thursday @ 7.14pm – Heat 2 One to beat: Sam Thornley, #5 Billy The Kid Thornley comes into the series as the equal most successful driver with 220 wins across his six seasons of driving and will look to draw on all that experience in search of his first Championship success. He partners front of the field type Billy The Kid who should suit his aggressive driving style. Smokey: Emily Johnson, #10 Midrew Lucre Johnson has made an instant impression on the Northern junior drivers’ scene after returning from a successful stint in Western Australia. Eight of her 20 wins this season have been here at Cambridge Raceway and she will have a very strong hold on the form of her charge, and her rivals’. From a nice trailing draw, she can pick up some further valuable points to position herself favourably heading to Addington for the first time on Friday. View the full article

If Tuesday's opening session of the December Foal Sale at Tattersalls was all about Dragon Symbol, then Wednesday was the day that the young upstart received a sharp warning should he wish to assume the throne as Whitsbury Manor Stud kingpin, with the present incumbent, Havana Grey, taking his turn to play the starring role on a day of fierce trade at Park Paddocks. By the close of play, Havana Grey accounted for five of the day's top 18 lots, headlined by lot 650 from the Whitsbury Manor draft. The colt out of the Italian Listed winner Avengers Queen (Brazen Beau), from the family of the Group-winning sprinters Diligent Harry (Due Diligence) and El Caballo (Havana Grey), was knocked down to Charlie Vigors of Hillwood Bloodstock for 260,000gns. “Havana Grey needs no introduction,” Vigors said of the sire-of-the-moment. “He's been pretty good to us and pretty good to everybody who has been involved with him. As the better mares are coming through, I think his profile is only going to keep increasing.” On what the future holds for this colt, he added, “We'll get him home and make a plan from there, but he could well be coming back next year. He obviously has the pedigree, I liked the physical, and I liked the page, so everything added up. We were delighted to get him – we were at our limit, I'd say.” Of the 10 Havana Grey weanlings offered across the first two days, nine have sold for a total of 1,009,000gns, putting him third on the overall sires' list behind first-crop sensations Shaquille and Dragon Symbol. His average of 112,111gns was further boosted by the sale of lot 576, also from the Whitsbury Manor draft and belonging to the same family as the day's headliner. Bred on the cross which produced the Hampshire farm's newest stallion recruit, Elite Status, the colt is out of the winning Swiss Spirit mare Amoreena, a half-sister to the aforementioned Diligent Harry (Due Diligence), as well as the Listed Prix Kistena scorer Harry Three (Adaay). Tally-Ho Stud struck the winning bid at 165,000gns. “He's a good-moving horse, by a good stallion,” said Tally-Ho's Tony O'Callaghan, who also signed for lot 557, by the same stallion, at 105,000gns. “We've had bits and bobs by the stallion before. We've bought two by him today, but we just worry about the model. We had 150 [thousand] in mind going in there if we wanted to give ourselves any chance of getting him.” Completing the trio of Havana Grey colts occupying a spot among the top 15 was lot 468, this one bred on the same cross as the dual Group 1-winning juvenile Vandeek. He is out of the winning Exceed And Excel mare Excesso Velocidad, a half-sister to the Italian black-type winners Fast Spirit (Make Believe) and Bright Filly (Ten Sovereigns). Also consigned by Whitsbury Manor, he was purchased by Mimi Wadham of WH Bloodstock for 110,000gns. “He's a lovely colt. He looks fast and it's a proven cross that has worked,” said Wadham. “The sire can do no wrong and we were really happy to get him – and surprised, to be honest. We had to push but we felt it was slowing up, so we thought we had a squeak.” She added, “The plan will be to bring him back for Book 2. We sold a filly [by Havana Grey] that we bred in Book 2 this year for 160,000gns. This colt would stack up very well against her, so fingers crossed.” 'The Standout Of All The Foals We Saw' Michael Swinburn of Genesis Green Stud joked that he “nearly fell off his chair” when he saw 51 foals by Shaquille catalogued in this week's sale, but he soon struck a more sombre note when telling the backstory of lot 618, the colt who became the most expensive weanling by the first-crop sire to date when going the way of Ace Stud for 180,000gns. “I bought the mare barren and, of course, she had to die this year of cancer, so he was reared on a foster mare,” Swinburn began. “It was touch and go whether she was going to make the foaling. Literally, two weeks after the foal was born, we had to put her down. She was just getting lighter and lighter and I was giving out to the lads saying, 'Guys, are you sure you're feeding this filly?'” Described by Swinburn as “a great mare”, the late Sunset Avenue (Street Cry) was a 6,500gns purchase at the 2023 December Mares Sale, having already produced two black-type performers in the GIII Robert J. Frankel Stakes runner-up Excellent Sunset (Exceed And Excel) and the Listed King Richard III Stakes second Path Of Thunder (Night Of Thunder). “I'll be honest with you, I wasn't going to breed to Shaquille,” Swinburn added of the mating which produced one of Wednesday's star turns. “I'm not a great man for first-season sires, but I went to see him and Sunset Avenue, being a Street Cry, they [her progeny] can be fairly plain. So, I thought, 'I've got a mare for you,' and that was her. “I thought I was going to be very clever by putting a nice one [by Shaquille] in this sale. But I was very surprised, when I saw the pedigrees of the Shaquilles in the book, how good the mares were. He has to have a great chance with the mares that he's had and they're going down a storm. All of the proper people are buying them.” The dual Group 1-winning sprinter Shaquille has now had 21 weanlings sold, from 25 offered, across the first two sessions here at Park Paddocks. That group have achieved a total of 1,138,000gns and an average of 54,190gns, with two others also changing hands for a six-figure sum on Wednesday. They included lot 622, New England Stud's half-brother to the multiple Group 3 hero Rocchigiani (Time Test) – later named Flaming Rabbit when continuing his career in Hong Kong – who sold to Camas Park Stud for 125,000gns. “As the markets been suggesting today already, they're well liked, the whole lot of them,” added Paul Curran of Ace Stud, the Newmarket farm which the son of Charm Spirit calls home. “They've done a very good job of getting some nice ones here and there's a huge number of them. The first thing we wanted to see is that he's stamping his stock and he seems to be doing that which is great. “This one is going to be retained and will race in our colours. We went around and looked at about 100-120 [foals] for Wednesday and I actually thought he was the standout of all the foals we saw. We came in for the week thinking we wanted to buy the standout one. I think we got that and he was in and around the price we thought he was going to be.” Subplots Figures – Of the 256 lots offered, 219 sold at a healthy clearance rate of 87%, up from 85% last year. The 10,416,000gns turnover climbed by 15%, while the 47,425gns average was up by 8% and the 35,000gns median by 3%. Ghaiyyath – Havana Grey aside, Ghaiyyath was the star of the more established sires on Wednesday, with the Kildangan Stud resident laying claim to two of the top 10 lots, including a colt from Starfield Stud who sold to Harry Sweeney's Japan-based Paca Paca Farm for 160,000gns. “He was a very popular foal and a lot of very shrewd judges were on him,” Starfield's Micheál Orlandi said of lot 628. “A lot of them were pinhookers and they have to buy at what they think is value, but we are very thankful to all of them who bid. I think that Paul McCartan was underbidder. It is tough on the pinhooker to come up against Harry, but it is a great result. Thankfully, the stars aligned this evening and it has been like that for the stallion this week.” Ghaiyyath is a perfect six for six so far this week, with all of his weanlings finding a buyer. That sextet has sold for an aggregate sum of 505,000gns and at an average of 84,167gns. Sales schedule – Tony O'Callaghan didn't mince his words when asked whether he looks forward to this hectic time of year. “No, not really,” replied the deadpan patriarch of the Tally-Ho dynasty, before providing a bit of food for thought with his opinion on how the sales schedule could be improved. “The sales are too compact and all together,” he continued. “This sale should be a week later. You've the same again all next week, then France. For the lads working, they're here at five o'clock in the morning and they're still here at 10 o'clock at night. All December is free for them and they should use a bit of it. I've been saying this for a few years, but they don't do anything about it. December is idle, so why can't we run up until later in the month?” Farhh – The progeny of Farhh always possess a bit of scarcity value given his well-documented fertility issues but, even so, it was good to see his name up there on the leaderboard amidst a slew of first-crop stallions. Lot 487 from Brook Stud, a colt out of an unraced half-sister to the black-type winners Dan's Dream (Cityscape) and Caernarfon (Cityscape), was the one flying the flag for the Darley sire on Wednesday when bought by Two Turn Investments for 98,000gns. The proven sire of Group 1 winners such as King Of Change and Tribalist, Farhh continues to produce the results from limited numbers, as evidenced at Goffs last week when his sole weanling catalogued sold to Apricot Bloodstock for €155,000. Can Lightning Strike Twice With Lush Lips Sibling? Bloodstock agent Mark McStay and American owner Steve Weston stuck to a winning formula when swooping for another of the day's early pacesetters in lot 470, a full-brother to their high-class filly Lush Lips who, subsequent to her victory in last month's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes, changed hands at Keeneland for $3.7 million. Needless to say, this colt's price tag didn't make it into quite such rarefied air but, at 150,000gns, it was a result which delighted Nick Pocock of Stringston Farm. McStay, too, expressed his satisfaction at being able to continue his association with the family, having first purchased Lush Lips for £82,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. “He's a beautiful horse and I'm delighted to get him,” said the Avenue Bloodstock agent. “He was well presented by Stringston and the Pococks who are great breeders. When you breed a Grade I winner like Lush Lips, you're entitled to get paid.” Outlining future plans for the colt, he added, “I've purchased him on behalf of Steve Weston's Parkland Thoroughbreds. He's been a really good client in recent years with Porta Fortuna, Balantina and Lush Lips, amongst others. “He'll probably go back to Luke Barry at Manister House Stud in Ireland and we'll make our plans in the spring with him then. Whether we reoffer him or race, I don't know, but it's a nice problem to have. “I thought, as an individual, this was a really nice horse. I wasn't just buying the relation to a horse that had done me well. She [Lush Lips] was an outstanding physical and this foal was a really good type as well.” Lush Lips and recent Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Balantina feature among three individual top-level winners for former Coolmore stallion Ten Sovereigns, who relocated to Turkey for the latest breeding season. With that in mind, Pocock was tempering his expectations when this colt went through the ring, whilst hoping that the recent exploits of Lush Lips might give proceedings a gentle nudge in the right direction. He said, “We're delighted with that price. We didn't know what we were going to make coming up here, with him being by Ten Sovereigns who has obviously moved to Turkey. It made it difficult to value the horse, but Ten Sovereigns has had a very good year in America, which we've been part of. “It's lovely having the update and for it to come so close to the sales is always a help. He was a lovely colt who never put a foot wrong and he's been very busy. It was nice for him to be sold back to Mark McStay after he bought Lush Lips.” The post Havana Grey Colt Headlines Fierce Trade During Second Session at Tattersalls at 260,000gns appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Scorpion mare Ledecka (lot 19) topped the ThoroughBid November sale at £30,000 on Wednesday. Placed in two starts in National Hunt Flat races, the five-year-old mare is from the family of G3 Queen's Vase winner Silver Wedge (Silver Hawk). She was offered by Beatbush Farm and picked up by Red Racing. Pour Les Fillies (Pour Moi) (lot 17) brought £9,500 from Mickey Bowen Racing. A winner of a NH Flat race, a point-to-point and a hurdle race, the Gordon Elliott-consigned seven-year-old is from the same family as Listed Long Distance Hurdle hero Marello (Supreme Leader). Of the 22 lots offered, 17 sold (77%) for a gross of £83,800. The average was £4,929 and the median settled at £2,500. The post ThoroughBid November Sale Topped By Ledecka appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The resignation of Minnesota Racing Commission chair Dr. Camille McArdle highlights issues facing the state's horse racing and breeding industry, including continued tension between regulators, political leadership, and tribal gaming interests.View the full article

All seven National Hunt races at Navan Racecourse will be sponsored by the Irish European Breeders' Fund (IEBF) on Sunday, December 14, after the racecourse and the IEBF renewed their partnership. The €145,000 programme features three handicap hurdles, three handicap chases each worth €20,000 and the feature race will be the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Future Champions Flat Race worth €25,000. The full race conditions were published by Horse Racing Ireland in the Irish Racing Calendar on Thursday 13th November with entries closing on Tuesday 9th December. Nessa Joyce, Irish EBF, manager, said, “Last year was the first time to trial the concept and it was a great success so naturally we were delighted to partner with Navan Racecourse again. While we sponsor a large number of races throughout the year, it is a unique offering to sponsor the entire card. The Irish EBF, which is fully funded by Irish Stallion Farms, have a significant number of registered stallions with progeny who run in National Hunt races and we clearly see the benefit of supporting an initiative like this. It is opening up race opportunities at a time of year that will benefit the trainers and owners of mid division rated horses.” The post Irish Stallion Farms And Navan Partner To Support NH Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

6th-FG, $54K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 4:15 p.m. ET. Brittlyn Stable homebred CHARGING OVATIME (Not This Time) goes out for trainer Shane Wilson. Out of SW Charged Cotton (Dehere), the dark bay counts as half-sisters the late 15-time winner Ova Charged (Star Guitar) and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', & UAE group stakes winner Manama Gold (Star Guitar). The first-time starter hails from an extended female family which includes MSW Walkwithapurpose (Candy Ride {Arg}) and MGISW Schossberg (Broad Brush). Another homebred heads to the post here. Coffeepot Stables's Twinklee (Street Sense) is the first foal for MSW Winter Sunset (Tapit)–both ensconced as Wayne Catalano trainees. Twinklee's proud family includes second dam MGISW Winter Memories (El Prado {Ire}) and her third dam MGISW Memories of Silver (Silver Hawk). TJCIS PPS The post Friday Insights: Not this Time Filly After Black Friday Debut Deal At Fair Grounds appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The top three finishers of last month's Fayette Stakes (G3) at Keeneland—Hit Show, Rattle N Roll, and Gosger—face a rematch Nov. 28 in the $600,000 Clark Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, a race Rattle N Roll won last year.View the full article

Kentucky's Turfway Park will honor legendary jockey Perry Ouzts Saturday, Dec. 6, with a dedication ceremony officially renaming the facility's jockey quarters the Perry Wayne Ouzts Jockeys' Quarters. Ouzts, 71, has won 7,531 races in his career, ranking fifth all-time among North American jockeys behind Russell Baze (12,842), Laffit Pincay Jr. (9,530), Bill Shoemaker (8,833) and Pat Day (8,803). He also ranks seventh in the world in career victories and has ridden in a record 53,689 races. Ouzts is the all-time leading rider at Turfway Park and has won thousands of races in the Northern Kentucky/Ohio region. All racing fans are welcome to attend the dedication, which will take place in the paddock prior to the first race that evening with members of the Ouzts family, fellow jockeys and representatives from Turfway Park in attendance. The post Turfway Park To Honor All-Time Leading Rider Perry Ouzts appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Several of Newmarket's notable studs will open their doors to the public during the period of Friday, November 28 through Wednesday, December 3. Breeders will have the opportunity to inspect a large number of Britain's top stallions and several new kids on the block. The studs and their schedules are as follows: Ace Stud will be open from Saturday, November 29 to Tuesday, December 2 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., on the hour, every hour: +44 (0) 1638 555059 Darley's Dalham Hall Stud will open its doors from Saturday, November 29-Wednesday, December 3 with inspections taking place at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m and 2:30 p.m.: +44 (0) 1638 730070 Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud is available to breeders from Saturday, November 29-Wednesday, December 3 from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. by appointment. N.B. Sunday, November 30 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: +44 (0) 1638 731115 Lanwades Stud will be open to visitors throughout the Tattersalls December Sales, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., all viewings by appointment: +44 (0) 1638 750222 Newsells Park Stud is open to breeders by appointment: +44 (0) 1763 846000 The National Stud is open from Friday, November 28-Monday, December 1 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.. N.B., Sunday November 30 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.: +44 (0) 1638 663464 Shadwell's Beech House Stud stallions are available for viewing on Saturday, November 29-Tuesday, December 2 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on the hour, every hour: +44 (0) 1638 475303 For more information on the Newmarket stallion preview, please visit the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association website. The post Newmarket Studs Open To Breeders In The Coming Days appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Among this week's rulings, trainer Angel Sanchez-Pinero has been handed a two-year suspension and $10,000 fine after his trainee Gone Boy tested positive for the bronchodilator Albuterol (Salbutamol) after winning at Aqueduct on April 19. Albuterol is a banned substance. The ruling came from an arbitrator on the case. Sanchez-Pinero's suspension began November 25. There's currently no detailed written description of the ruling available on HIWU's website. This is the fourth ruling handed to Sanchez-Pinero since the launch of HISA's anti-doping and medication control program. In January of last year, he was issued a $500 fine for a glycopyrrolate positive (which is a class C controlled substance). In August of last year, he was handed another $500 fine for putting Vick's VapoRub (which contains camphor, a class C controlled substance) in a horse's nostrils prior to a race. In July of this year, Sanchez-Pinero was issued a 30-day suspension for a post-race phenylbutazone positive. The trainer has a further eight separate medication violation cases pending. According to Equibase, Sanchez-Pinero has been training on and off since 2003. He has 37 wins to his name and over $1.1 million in earnings. Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 11/25/2025 Licensee: Keri Brion, trainer Penalty: A written Reprimand (per 9/26/23 HISA Guidance). Admission. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole (Gastrogard)-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Like a Dream on 10/25/25. Dates: 11/25/2025 Licensee: Jose R. Gonzalez Jr., trainer Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on November 26, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Final decision of internal adjudication panel. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Cannabidiol (CBD)-a class B controlled substance-in a sample taken from Charlee Mae, who won at Prairie Meadows on 7/26/25. Dates: 11/25/2025 Licensee: Angel Sanchez-Pinero, trainer Penalty: 2-year period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on November 25, 2025; 60-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Horse, beginning on April 19, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $10,000. Final decision of arbitral body. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of bronchodilator Albuterol (Salbutamol)-a banned substance-in a sample taken from Gone Boy, who won at Aqueduct on 4/19/25. Dates: 11/24/2025 Licensee: Fenneka Tracey Bentley, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on November 25, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Betamethasone-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Tiger Paw, who finished seventh at Laurel Park on 10/12/25. Dates: 11/20/2025 Licensee: Robert Cline, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO)-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Pittsburgh, who won at Thistledown on 10/8/25. Pending ADMC Violations 11/24/2025, Anthony Margotta, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine-a class B controlled substance-in a sample taken from Stop Being Greedy on 10/24/25. 11/20/2025, Michael Catalano, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Mr Sandman on 10/24/25. The post National Rulings: Nov. 20-26; Trainer Sanchez-Pinero Banned Two Years appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Two-time Japanese Horse of the Year Gentildonna has died at the age of 16. The news was announced by Sunday Racing, who raced the daughter of Deep Impact throughout her 19-start career. Bred by Northern Racing, and trained by Sei Ishizaka, the bay won at two and would go on to become the fourth Triple Tiara winner at three, as well as champion sophomore filly and Horse of the Year. After winning her first G1 Japan Cup in 2012, she ran second in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in 2013 and would double up in the Japan Cup again later that year. Although she won only once at four, she was still named the Japanese Champion Older Mare in 2013. Kept in training at five, she prevailed in her second attempt in the Dubai Sheema Classic and ended her career with a victory in Nakayama's Arima Kinen a few starts later. Her efforts were good for another Japanese Horse of the Year title, her second Japanese Champion Older Mare crown, and she was a champion in the UAE. Ishizaka told NetKeiba, “I received a call from Shunsuke Yoshida. It's too soon. This week is the Japan Cup, and she was a horse I would think about whenever the Classics or the G1 Arima Kinen came around. “We pushed to run her in the Arima Kinen, and she still delivered. And in the Dubai Sheema Classic, she travelled all that way and won spectacularly. She was tremendously strong as a three-year-old as well. It's the fate of a racehorse, but I believe she gave everything, she really ran her heart out. That's why I hoped she could enjoy a long life afterwards. It hurts whenever any horse I trained passes away, but she was truly one of the special ones. Geraldina and her full sister Donau Blue are still here, so I hope the family line continues.” The daughter of G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Donna Blini (Bertolini) is a sibling or half-sibling to three stakes horses, including multiple group winner and G1 Victoria Mile second Donau Blue (Deep Impact), the Group 3-placed Donna Attraente (Deep Impact), and Suleyman (King Kamehameha), who was placed in both the G3 Procyon Stakes and G3 Antares Stakes. As a broodmare, Gentildonna's best from seven foals is the 2022 Japanese Champion Older Mare Geraldina (Maurice), who won the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup and was second in the Arima Kinen. Her latest foal is a yearling filly by Epiphaneia. The post Dual Japanese Horse Of The Year Gentildonna Dies At 16 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The British Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed on Wednesday that remote betting on British horseracing will be exempt from tax rises and remain at 15%. The British horseracing industry welcomed the news. The British Horseracing Authority said in a statement, “It is welcome that the Chancellor has today rightly recognised the vital importance of racing as a cultural, social and economic asset and acted to help secure the sport's long-term future. “The Chancellor's positive decision recognises the potential damage to our sport, and the jobs supported by it, if the Government followed through on its proposal to “harmonise” remote gambling taxes and place horserace betting at the same rate as online casino betting. “While the BHA led the sport's response to the Treasury's consultation, it was an all-of-sport effort to come together in a way which demonstrated the strength and solidarity of racing when collaborating with a shared purpose. We are grateful that the Treasury and No10 have listened to racing, speaking as one, and acted to protect the future of racing. “We also note the increases in other gambling duties for the betting industry a result of the Budget, given the Government's need to raise more money from general taxation. The relationship between racing and betting remains as important as ever and we will be working with our partners in the betting industry to understand the impact of this on British racing. “The BHA will now analyse the Budget documents in greater detail to establish whether there are any other potential issues that may impact racing. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Government to champion our sport and ensure that British racing can support its agenda for growth moving forward.” BHA acting chief executive Brant Dunshea said, “Today's welcome outcome demonstrates that the Chancellor has listened to our concerns and rightly recognised that racing is a unique national asset – culturally, socially and economically – and we welcome this support. “Betting on racing is an integral part of the enjoyment of our sport, and maintaining the rate of horserace betting duties is an important step by the Government to help preserve revenue streams and protect the 85,000 jobs supported by the racing across the country. “Racing has been part of the British way of life for hundreds of years. It binds our communities together in shared experience, it brings joy to millions. It puts the country on the world stage. It is right that the Government has understood this and acted accordingly. “At the same time, we recognise that the increase in general taxation on the betting industry may have trickle-down effects on racing. We will work with our partners in the betting industry to understand the implications of this, and how we can work together to ensure that British horseracing continues to thrive.” BHA chair Lord Charles Allen said, “I would like to commend the Chancellor and the Government for listening to the concerns of British racing and offering their clear support for our sport. “I would like to thank everyone who has played their part across the sport, standing as one to communicate our message. “Following the clarity offered today by Government, we look forward to working with ministers and their officials, and the betting industry, to explore how we can continue to grow and promote British racing to a wider audience. “The Government has rightly recognised that we are not only a vital part of the fabric of the British way of life, but we are also a global leader and one of the country's most important soft power levers. We want to maintain Britain's place on the world stage.” Racecourse Association (RCA) chief executive David Armstrong said, “The RCA welcomes the decision taken by the Chancellor in today's Budget to exempt remote betting on British horseracing from planned tax rises. “All stakeholders within our sport were united on the damage that would have been caused should a tax increase be levied. For racecourses, we are pleased that the vital socio-economic importance of these venues to communities across Great Britain have been acknowledged. “While the horseracing exemption is welcome, our sport still faces significant challenges which will need to be addressed. We are working closely with the British Horseracing Authority and other stakeholders to understand the wider implications of other areas of the Budget and the impact these could have on both our sport and racecourses.” Arena Racing Company (ARC) chief executive Martin Cruddace said, “We have been clear throughout that harmonisation of tax rates of British racing and other betting and gaming products would gravely impact our industry. As a sport and industry, we continue to offer a real contribution to this country, supporting communities and culture. “I am so glad that the Government has recognised that fact and helped put our sport on a path to growth. “We would like to acknowledge the strong support that we have received across Parliament, particularly from a number of MPs around our racecourse communities, especially Sally Jameson, the MP for Doncaster and Jack Rankin the MP for Windsor.” National Trainers Federation (NTF) chief executive Paul Johnson said, “The Government's decision to leave racing's remote betting tax rate unchanged is one that we view with considerable relief. On behalf of British racehorse trainers, I welcome the Treasury recognising the economic damage that an increase would have inflicted on the industry and responding to avoid such an outcome. “That said, we must accept that more will be needed for the industry to turn around the decline that we are in at present, with the sport continuing to be financially disadvantaged relative to other jurisdictions. Today's budget sees us live to fight another day, but the sport has work to do, alongside Government, if we are to create a more prosperous future. “I would like to thank trainers for their considerable input into the sport's coordinated lobbying efforts over recent months. It is critical that participant voices continue to be heard in shaping policy at a sport and government level.” Jockey Club chief executive Jim Mullen said, “We commend both the Government for recognising the unique cultural and economic contribution our sport makes to communities up and down the country, and the BHA for their leadership in uniting our industry to address this important issue. “Today's budget will have wide-reaching impacts and our focus will now be on understanding those impacts on our business as we plan for 2026.” The post British Horseracing Welcomes Decision Not To Raise Betting Tax appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Citing a series of alleged rule violations related to “cruelty, mistreatment, neglect or abuse” of Thoroughbreds, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has served Rudy Rodriguez with a “notice of violation and show cause” that could result in a potential provisional suspension and perhaps more serious penalties for the 53-year-old former jockey who has consistently ranked near the top of the New York trainer standings for the past 15 years. The HISA notice, which was served upon Rodriguez Nov. 21, 2025, and made public on Nov. 26, stated that “since Nov. 22, 2024, you have been the Responsible Person for at least 15 Covered Horses that have been placed on the Veterinarians' List. Based on entries to the HISA Portal, none of these horses have had a lameness evaluation or diagnostic work performed since being placed on the Veterinarians' List. “Moreover, you have been the Responsible Person of at least four Covered Horses that have suffered catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries since Dec. 13, 2024,” the notice stated in a footnote. “Taken together, the Authority has reasonable grounds to believe that your actions or inactions present an imminent danger to the health, safety, or welfare of Covered Horses and Riders arising from specific violations of the Authority's Racetrack safety or accreditation rules,” the notice stated. The HISA charges represent only one side of this story. Phone and text messages left for Rodriguez on Wednesday seeking comment did not yield a reply from the trainer prior to publication of this article. Rodriguez, according to the notice, had three business days after being charged by HISA to respond in writing to the allegations, including “the presentation of mitigating or opposing facts and evidence” and to request a provisional hearing. It was not known at the deadline for this story if Rodriguez had submitted that documentation. The Authority also wanted Rodriguez to “establish that the Covered Horses identified in the statement of factual basis have received, or are receiving, the necessary veterinary care.” (The names and last known conditions of those horses are published below). Rodriguez is alleged to have violated HISA Rule 2215(a), which states: “No Covered Person acting alone or in concert with another person shall compromise the welfare of a Covered Horse for competitive or commercial reasons or subject or permit any Covered Horse under their control, custody or supervision to be subjected to or incur the following: (1) any form of cruelty, mistreatment, neglect, or abuse; (2) abandonment, injury, maiming, or killing (except for euthanasia for humane reasons and in a manner consistent with the current version of the American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals); (3) administration of any noxious substance; or (4) deprivation of necessary care, sustenance, shelter, or veterinary care.” The notice of violation explained that, “One of the reasons behind HISA's Veterinarians' List rules is to provide a safety net for horses flagged by regulatory veterinarians in the course of their duties who require further veterinary evaluation. Such evaluation is meant to be provided by the trainer's attending veterinarian as outlined in [rules] 2242(b) and (d). As demonstrated [in the notice of violation], such evaluations were not always performed.” Rodriguez could be facing additional penalization as his case plays out. Beyond the potential provisional suspension, the Nov. 21 notice of violation stated that, “If it is agreed or determined that one or more Rule 2215(a) violations have occurred, HISA may, in addition to the provisional suspension, seek to impose one or more of the sanctions outlined in Rule 8200 as deemed appropriate by HISA in keeping with the seriousness of the violation and the facts of the case, and that is consistent with the safety, welfare, and integrity of Covered Horses, Covered Persons, and Covered Horseraces.” The notice of violation listed 16 specific horses trained by Rodriguez that were part of the alleged pattern of rule violations. They are: 1) Judge Rules: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound from Nov. 22, 2024, through Dec. 30, 2024, and again from Jan. 17, 2025, through Mar. 17, 2025. There were no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Judge Rules during the periods of time the horse was on the Veterinarians' List. As of the date of this Notice, Judge Rules has not competed in a race since Apr. 27, 2025.” 2) Jemography: “Was the subject of a void claim on Mar. 24, 2024, and, as a result, was placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound. Jemography failed a Veterinarians' List workout for unsoundness on Apr. 29, 2024, and again on Aug. 2, 2024. On Dec. 13, 2024, roughly four months after the last failed workout, Jemography died during or following the eighth race at Aqueduct. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Jemography for 2024.” 3) Secret Rules: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound on Dec. 14, 2024. Secret Rules failed a Veterinarians' List workout for unsoundness on Jan. 11, 2025. The Regulatory Veterinarian required diagnostic imaging following the failed workout. Eight days after failing the workout, Secret Rules died during or following a workout at Belmont Racetrack. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Secret Rules since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Dec. 14, 2024.” 4) Mama's Dream: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as injured on Dec. 27, 2024. Mama's Dream has not competed in a race since May 27, 2024. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Mama's Dream since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Dec. 27, 2024.” 5) Jerry's Out: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound on Jan. 17, 2025. On July 12, 2025, Jerry's House was the subject of a void claim and, as a result, was placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound. Jerry's House failed a Veterinarians' List workout (unsound) on Sept. 4, 2025, and last raced on July 12, 2025. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Jerry's Out since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Jan. 17, 2025, until the horse was transferred out of the care of Mr. Rodriguez on or about July 12, 2025.” 6) King Freud: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound on Feb. 22, 2025. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for King Freud from the time the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Feb. 22, 2025 until at least the time the horse was transferred to another trainer's care on July 26, 2025.” 7) Letter Perfect: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List on Feb. 8, 2025, with a requirement for a neurological examination. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Letter Perfect since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Feb. 8, 2025. Additionally, the neurological examination requirement remains unmet.” 8) Frankie Hiccups: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound following the ninth race at Aqueduct on Feb. 28, 2025, where Frankie Hiccups has remained since that time. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Frankie Hiccups since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Feb. 28, 2025.” 9) McDiesel: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound on May 25, 2025, where McDiesel remained until Oct. 27, 2025. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for McDiesel since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on May 25, 2025.” 10) Spooky Lady: “Suffered an injury during a workout on June 1, 2025, and was subsequently placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound. Six days later, Spooky Lady was found dead in her stall.” 11) Shesalittle Edgy: “Was the subject of a void claim on June 27, 2025, and, as a result, was placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound (second time in a year). On Aug. 20, 2025, Shesalittle Edgy failed a Veterinarians' List workout as unsound and the Regulatory Veterinarian required radiograph diagnostics as a condition of Shesalittle Edgy being removed from the Veterinarians' List. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Shesalittle Edgy since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on June 27, 2025.” 12) Rudy Up: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List on June 29, 2025, as unsound. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Rudy Up since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on June 29, 2025.” 13) Political Spin: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List on July 16, 2025, as physically distressed. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Political Spin since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on July 16, 2025.” 14) Mr. Mendelssohn: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List on July 24, 2025, as unsound. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Mr. Mendelssohn since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on July 24, 2025.” 15) Funny Joke: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List on Aug. 3, 2025, as unsound. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Funny Joke since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Aug. 3, 2025.” 16) Heavyweight Champs: “Died during or immediately following the seventh race at Aqueduct on Nov. 14, 2025. Heavyweight Champs suffered a catastrophic injury during the running of the race and in his fall brought down the #3 horse, Tarpaulin, seriously injuring Tarpaulin's jockey, Dylan Davis.” The post HISA Seeks to Suspend Top New York Trainer Rodriguez Related to Alleged Violations of ‘Cruelty’ Rule appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Japan Cup is held on turf at a distance of 2,400 meters, or about 1 1/2 miles. It boasts a purse comparable to the Breeders' Cup Classic, with about 1.09 billion yen equaling about $7.2 million.View the full article