Wandering Eyes

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A filly by Bolt d'Oro (hip 401) brought a final bid of $1.25 million from trainer Steve Asmussen, acting on behalf of Ron Winchell, midway through the second session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale Tuesday in Timonium. Consigned by Wavertree Stables, the filly worked a furlong during last week's under-tack preview in :10 flat. Ciaran Dunne purchased the filly on behalf of a pinhooking partnership for $335,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. She is out of Werewolf (Arch) and is a half-sister to graded-placed Howling Time (Not This Time). The post Bolt d’Oro Filly Brings $1.25M at Fasig Midlantic May Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Following his front-running upset in the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course, MyRacehorse's Seize the Grey has vaulted into third in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Top 3-Year-Old Poll. View the full article

Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Seize the Grey will prepare to run in the $2 million Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course June 8, trainer D. Wayne Lukas confirmed May 21.View the full article

Brad Cox discusses adding Kabirkhan to his stable at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of California Chrome became a star in Kazakhstan and Russia before taking on the world's best in the Dubai World Cup (G1).View the full article

The top four finishers from last month's Bewitch Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland square off about 70 miles down the road at Churchill Downs in the $250,000 Keertana Stakes May 25. View the full article

A year after their last meeting, Frosted Grace and Touchuponastar throw down again in the $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile (G3), one of six stakes at Lone Star Park on Memorial Day, May 27.View the full article

Recent G2 Middleton S. heroine Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) is targeting the G1 Pretty Polly S. at the Curragh on June 29. The Juddmonte homebred, who is trained by Ralph Beckett, was also under consideration for the G1 Coronation Cup on May 31 at Epsom. In 2023, the filly was second in the G1 Irish Oaks and the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. “You're always hoping with a filly like her that she'll improve from three to four, that's not a given but I think we all felt she was a weak filly last year that would improve, so it was nice to see that she did,” said Barry Mahon, Juddmonte's European racing manager. “She handled the drop back in trip and the better ground, I think it was an impressive display and I think we'll stick against our sex for the time being, with the Pretty Polly being the most logical option at this moment in time. “Later on in the season, we can venture into taking on the opposite sex, but at this point in time, I think we'll try and win our Group 1 against our own sex and see how we go from there.” The post Pretty Polly Next Target For Bluestocking appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Twenty-one colts remain in contention for the G1 Betfred Derby following the latest scratching deadline for the Classic, which will be run at Epsom on Saturday, June 1. Aidan O'Brien, who saddled a record-extending ninth winner of the Derby when Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was successful in 2023, could be mob-handed this year with up to seven runners. His entries include the outstanding two-year-old of 2023, City Of Troy (Justify), who will be trying to emulate Auguste Rodin by bouncing back from a disappointing return to action in the G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. City Of Troy could be joined by last year's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who maintained his unbeaten record after nearly seven months off when beating stable companion Euphoric (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G3 Derby Trial S. at Leopardstown last time, plus Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who made an encouraging return to action when finishing fourth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp. A notable absentee from the O'Brien-trained entries was Capulet (Justify), who was last seen winning the Listed Dee S. at Chester. Last month's G3 Ballysax S. winner Dallas Star (Fr) (Cloth Of Stars {Ire}) is the only other Irish-trained entry for Adrian Murray, while the possible home challenge is headed by James Fanshawe's Ambiente Friendly (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), an impressive winner of the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial S. last time. Bellum Justum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), successful in the Listed Blue Riband Trial at Epsom, and Charlie Appleby's Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), runner-up in last week's G2 Dante S. at York, are others who have stood their ground having acquitted themselves well in their trial runs. Appleby will be without his G3 Classic Trial winner Arabian Crown (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire} due to injury, but the Sandown form could still be represented by the runner-up, Macduff (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was one of four Derby contenders to get a taste of the track on Tuesday morning. The others were Poule d'Essai des Poulains second Dancing Gemini (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and a pair of last-time-out novice winners, Deira Mile (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Voyage (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}). International Flavour To Bumper July Cup Entry The first entries for the G1 My Pension Expert July Cup, scheduled to be run at Newmarket on Saturday, July 13, were also revealed on Tuesday, with horses from five different countries featuring in a 46-strong list of possibles. The home defence includes the first five from last week's G2 Duke Of York S. in which Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) held on by a nose from Shouldvebeenaring (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), as well as a pair of Group 1-winning older sprinters in the shape of Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire}). The three-year-old challenge is headed by Saturday's G2 Sandy Lane S. contender Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), who went unbeaten in four starts as a juvenile, plus recent winners Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Elite Status (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}). G1 2,000 Guineas runner-up Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and last year's G2 Coventry S. winner River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) have also been given this option ahead of their clash in the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday. Chain Of Lightning (Aus) (Fighting Sun {Aus}), a Group 1 winner in Australia, is another eye-catching entry ahead of her possible run at Royal Ascot, along with Japan's Obamburumai (Jpn) (Discreet Cat). Further international interest is provided by a pair of US-trained entries, namely Crimson Advocate (Nyquist)–the winner of last year's G2 Queen Mary S. at the Royal meeting–and Grooms All Bizness (Fed Biz). The post City Of Troy The Star Turn Among 21 Derby Entries, One Of Seven For Ballydoyle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jon White, who first went to work for Santa Anita as a television commentator in 1993 and later took over as the morning-line oddsmaker in 2009, has announced that he will be retiring when the track's current Hollywood meet ends on June 16. “I've been contemplating retirement for four years or so and feel the time is right,” White said. “I'm about to turn 69 and would very much like to retire while in good health. I am very grateful for the opportunity to first work as a television broadcaster for both Santa Anita and HRTV and then to make the track's morning line for all these years.” White, who has been voted into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame this year, began his racing career when hired by the Daily Racing Form in 1974 at Playfair Race Course in his hometown of Spokane, Wash. All told, he spent 23 years with the Racing Form–including 12 on the Southern California circuit–as a writer, chart-caller and handicapper. In 1993, White joined Santa Anita as a television commentator for the track's simulcast network. In 2002, he became the first on-air host hired by the national television network HRTV. At the age of 24, he was hired by the Washington Horse Racing Commission to serve in that capacity at Yakima Meadows in 1979. He later also worked as a steward at Les Bois Park in Idaho and at Golden Gate Fields, Los Alamitos, Fairplex Park and Ferndale in California. In addition to the DRF, White has written for BloodHorse, California Thoroughbred, Thoroughbred Record, Washington Thoroughbred and Thoroughbred Times. His weekly column has appeared on the Xpressbet.com website for 20 years. He received the 2019 Joe Hirsch Memorial Writing Award from the New York Racing Association for his Xpressbet.com column about Justify's run to the 2018 Triple Crown, as well as the 2003 Mark Kaufman Media Award from the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association for his racing and breeding coverage in Washington. White, who resides in nearby Monrovia, said his retirement will give him the opportunity to travel. “I'm looking forward to a new chapter in my life,” he said. “I have been to a slew of racetracks and, by the way, I consider Santa Anita to be the most beautiful of them all. I've had fun being at an Arc in France, a Melbourne Cup in Australia and two Japan Cups. I have been to 65 different tracks all over the world and am really looking forward to adding to that number in retirement.” The post Jon White to Retire appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Shuangxi at Monmouth Park. Cotai Glory Filly Comes Through At Monmouth Jastar Capital, Ltd.'s Shuangxi (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) found Monmouth Park to her liking with a narrow win on Saturday (video). The Arnaud Delacour runner was bred by Tally-Ho Stud. The daughter of Next Generation (Ire) (Royal Applause {GB}) brought £27,000 from Nick Bell as a Goffs UK 2-year-old breezer and won her first UK start for trainer Michael Bell. She ran second in a novice in the colours of Jastar and Murt Khan two starts later, before resurfacing on the East Coast. Her late dam is a half-sister to stakes winner Forthefirsttime (GB) (Dr Fong) and Pyman's Theory (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), with the latter third in the G3 Prix du Bois in 2011. Shuangxi is one of five winners from 10 to race (50%) in the U.S. for her sire. His best American runner is the multiple stakes winner and GIII Beaugay S. third Spirit And Glory (Ire). Repeat Winners Now a four-time winner in America, Wise Racing LLC's Turf King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) won during the Belmont at the Big A meeting last week (video). The 4-year-old colt first appeared in this column last February, and has since won the GIII Marine S. in Canada. A sterling three-for-three now in America, King Of Gosford (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) won his second stakes in the Desert Code S. at Santa Anita this past weekend for trainer Phil D'Amato (video). A runner for the Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Jeremy Peskoff, he first featured in Making Waves in March. Lope De Vega (Ire)'s No Show Sammy Jo (GB) won her 4-year-old bow on Sunday for Bridlewood Farm and Madaket Stables, LLC (video). She struck in a Belmont Park contest last June for trainer Graham Motion. Another horse who shares Madaket ownership is Balnikhov (Ire) (Adaay {Ire}), a runner for Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket, and Old Bones Racing Stable. The 5-year-old gelding was back in the limelight with a win in the GIII Dinner Party S. for trainer Phil D'Amato on Saturday (video). The post Making Waves: Delacour Runner Prevails On The Shore 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-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a son of Frankel (GB). 16.00 Yarmouth, Nov, £40,000, 2yo, 6f 3yT AGE OF GOLD (IRE) (Frankel {GB}), representing the Godolphin-Appleby-Buick triumvirate, realised the fifth-highest price at last year's Goffs Orby sale when selling for €625,000 and makes the trip up the A11 to debut on the Norfolk coast. The April-foaled bay is a son of the stakes-winning Promised Money (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and thus a full-brother to G2 Mill Reef runner-up Fivethousandtoone (Ire). Fellow debutants include Victorious Racing's €45,000 Tattersalls Ireland September yearling turned £200,000 Goffs UK breeze-up graduate Mission Command (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), a George Scott-conditioned grandson of G3 Prix Penelope runner-up Hug And A Kiss (Thewayyouare); and Justwow's 130,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 purchase Back In Black (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who is out of a half-sister to dual stakes-winning GI Beverly D second Awesometank (GB) (Intense Focus), from the James Fanshawe stable. The post €625K Goffs Orby Graduate Set For Debut By The Sea appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There's not a trainer in the country who would have won the GI Preakness S. with Seize the Grey (Arrogate) other than Wayne Lukas because no one would have run him in this race except for Wayne Lukas. Horses need six, seven weeks between races. Good horses can't run more than four or five times a year, no one should ever mess with their winning percentage and run a 25-1 shot and don't dare use a jockey with no prior experience in the Triple Crown. Apparently, Lukas never got that memo. Or maybe he did and threw it in the trash where it belonged. With both Seize the Grey and stablemate Just Steel (Justify) Lukas did everything wrong, at least when it comes to going by what has become the book in 2024.The Preakness was Seize the Grey's 10th lifetime start and his fifth in 56 days. Even after he finished seventh in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S., Lukas wanted to run him in the GI Kentucky Derby but the horse didn't have the points. That's why he decided to start him instead in the GII Pat Day Mile S. The Pat Day Mile is where he turned his career around. Reunited with jockey Jaime Torres, who has only been riding since 2022, a different horse showed up that day. Sent off at 9-1, he was closer to the pace than he had been and then he drew off to win by 1/4 lengths. “When he ran in the Pat Day Mile, I thought it set him up absolutely perfect [for the Preakness],” Lukas said. Put him in virtually any other barn and the Preakness never would have been a consideration. Running there meant coming back in two weeks, switching to two turns and running at a distance that looked beyond his reach. Conventional wisdom called for a start in the GI Woody Stephens on June 8, seven-furlong race restricted to 3-year-olds at Saratoga. That would have given him a break of five weeks and allow him to run at a distance that would have fit him like a glove. But Lukas drinks a different flavor of Kool-Aid. In an era where too many trainers are treating the Preakness like it's the South Dakota Derby, Lukas, the old school trainer that he is, obviously doesn't see it that way. He understands what a prestigious race it still is, its place in racing history and that it has a $2 million purse surely doesn't hurt. The horse was obviously doing well going into the race. When other trainers were asking themselves why run in the Peakness, Lukas was saying why not run in the Preakness? Not only did Seize the Gray not regress after the Pat Day Mile, in which he got a career best 88 Beyer figure, he flourished. He glided effortlessly over the muddy and sealed track at Pimlico, led every step of the way and won by a comfortable 2 1/4 lengths over Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents). His Beyer was a 100, 12 points better than his previous top. So instead of sitting in the barn all day, he won a Triple Crown race, earned $1.2 million dollars, increased his potential value a sire and brought a smile to the faces to the 2,570 owners who invested in him through Myracehorse.com. And it all happened because Wayne Lukas is old school and is not afraid to run his horses on short rest and in spots where they might be double-digit longshots. And that's only part of the story. There were eight horse in the race who were coming back on two weeks' rest. Led by Seize the Grey, they ran one-two three, with Mystic Dan finishing second and Catching Freedom (Constitution) ending up third. As for the so-called “fresh” horses: Tuscan Gold (Medaglia d'Oro) was fourth; Uncle Heavy (Social Inclusion) was sixth; Imagination (Into Mischief) was seventh; Mugatu (Blofeld) was eighth. Had you boxed the four horses coming back on short rest in the trifecta, you would have collected $367.40 for a $2 bet. His penchant for not missing any dances has, in some respects, cost Lukas. He hasn't had a winning percentage of over 17% since 2002 and from 2017 through 2023 his annual winning percentage never topped 10%. Chad Brown's career winning percentage is 25%. For Brad Cox, the number is 26%. Bob Baffert's career winning percentage is 23%. It's easy to see why they get more horses to train than Lukas and more good horses. But if there are two horses of equal ability, one trained by Lukas and one trainer by Chad Brown, doesn't the owner have a better chance of making money with the Lukas horse that starts 12 times a year than the Brown horse that makes four starts? The only top trainer who you can compare Lukas to is Kenny McPeek. He threw out the play book a long time ago. He ran Mystik Dan back in two weeks in the Derby and it looks like he will be coming back for the GI Belmont S. He might even run the filly (Thorpedo Anna) in the Belmont. And why not? He's already won the Preakness with a filly, Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). He won the 2002 Belmont with a 70-1 shot, Sarava (Wild Again) when everybody told him the horse had no business running in that race. In an era where its no longer a cinch that the Derby winner runs back in the Preakness, McPeek brought his Derby winner to Pimlico and it looks like he will start in the Belmont. Running in all three Triple Crown races is like a complete game in baseball, it never happens anymore. McPeek is another one who doesn't seem to care about his winning percentage, which is 15% for his career. He could easily be a 25% trainer, if only he would be extra, extra careful about where he ran his horses and never took a chance or entered a longshot. It's no coincidence that these two teamed up to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown. Yes, they take chances but when those chances pay off the rewards are immeasurable. They both understand what seems obvious but isn't always perceived that way around the racetrack–an owner can't make any money if their horses are kept in bubble wrap. Facing off against the likes of Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), Fierceness (City of Light) and others, Mystik Dan and Seize the Grey will be facing a stiff challenge in the Belmont. But it looks like they're both going to go, which, for them, will mean three races in five weeks. That may be hard, but it's doable. At least there are two top trainers out there who understand just that. Two trainers who are not afraid to buck what, sadly and to the detriment of the sport, has become the system. The post The Sport Can Learn From This Preakness, But Will Anyone Pay Attention appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sponsored by Goffs, the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) celebrated the tenth edition of its annual National Hunt Breeders' Awards in a ceremony held in front of 150 breeders, owners and trainers at the Hilton Garden Inn in Doncaster on Monday evening. Leading broadcaster and breeder Nick Luck, who hosted the evening, was the surprised recipient of the Queen Mother's Silver Salver (National Hunt Special Achievement Award), the highest honour bestowed by the TBA's NH Committee. The other award winners were as follows: Eric Gillie Ltd Trophy (Special Achievement Award): Kevin and Anne Glastonbury Horse & Hound Cup (Leading active British-based stallion by individual chase winners in GB & Ire in 2023-24): Schiaparelli (Ger) – Overbury Stud Whitbread Silver Salver (Leading active British-based stallion by prize-money in GB & Ire in 2023-24): Passing Glance (GB) – Batsford Stud Highflyer Bloodstock Trophy (Leading Chaser): Edwardstone (GB) – bred by Robert Abrey and Ian Thurtle Shade Oak Stud Trophy (Leading Hurdler): Strong Leader (GB) – bred by R Rainbow and Sons Midnight Legend Trophy (Leading Chase Mare): Marsh Wren (GB) – bred by Exors of the late Mrs P Robeson Yorton Trophy (Leading Hurdle Mare): Luccia (GB) – bred by Pump & Plant Services Ltd Batsford Stud Trophy (Leading Novice Chaser): Embassy Gardens (GB) – bred by Rowland Crellin Mickley Stud Trophy (Leading Novice Hurdler): High Class Hero (GB) – bred by Mr and Mrs D Futter and Peel Bloodstock Peel Bloodstock Trophy (Leading Novice Hurdle Mare): Casa No Mento (GB) – bred by Sarah Jane Turner Overbury Stud Trophy (Leading NHF): Romeo Coolio (GB) – bred by Will Kinsey Dudgeon Cup (NH Broodmare of the Year): Annie's Answer (Ire) – owned by Reg and Jane Makin The post Nick Luck Headlines Winners At TBA National Hunt Breeders’ Awards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In mid-April, trainer Bernie “Chip” Woolley, best known for winning the 2009 G1 Kentucky Derby with Mine That Bird, issued a formal complaint with the Turf Paradise stewards, claiming that Victoria Lowe, an official veterinarian employed by the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG), had furnished him with the name of a potential kill-buyer after scratching his 10-year-old race-mare, Piper Rose (Whiskey Wisdom). And while an official ADG investigation absolved Lowe of any wrongdoing, the fallout from the incident highlights glaring holes that still exist in the industry's network of aftercare programs in under-resourced parts of the country and raises serious questions over just how stringently regulators police this corner of the sport. The incident also taps into a simmering undercurrent of tension as regulators seek to further shrink the nation's equine fatality rate–friction between trainers and track veterinarians over which horses pose a heightened risk of injury. A kill-buyer is a colloquial name for a horse trader who purchases horses for export into the slaughter pipeline. Language in the Turf Paradise stall application bars a licensee who sells a horse previously stabled at the track for slaughter from the grounds, denies them future stalls and positions them for further possible actions by the stewards. According to Woolley, Lowe voiced concern about the way Piper Rose jogged during a pre-race exam on March 20. Piper Rose has raced 79 times and won nearly $200,000 in prize money. She had won her prior race at Turf Paradise for Woolley, who said that he disagreed with Lowe, arguing that the mare's gait was not out of the ordinary. Woolley and Lowe sought a second opinion from another track veterinarian, who agreed with Lowe. At this point, the decision was made to scratch Piper Rose from her race. Woolley said that he then made the following disgruntled and off-hand remark: “'What am I going to do with one like her, cut her head off?'” According to Woolley, Lowe responded with the following: “'I've got a guy's number. He crosses a load a week to Mexico. And if you want his number, I can give it to you.'” “Everybody knows what crossing to Mexico means,” Woolley told the TDN, about his reaction to the comment. The incident was first reported in Indian Charlie. “I was kind of stunned by the whole thing. I was like, 'she didn't just say that?'” While horse slaughter is banned in the U.S., the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that in 2022, more than 16,300 horses were sent to Mexico and 5,100 horses sent to Canada respectively for slaughter. Woolley said that after seeking guidance from Arizona Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association executive director, Leroy Gessmann, he asked Lowe for the name and phone number of the individual, which Lowe subsequently provided via text. Woolley then furnished the ADG with this information. According to the ADG, Juan Carlos Estrada, the agency's assistant director for boxing, MMA and racing, reportedly “pulled the records” on the individual and found “no foul play with the hauler.” Chip Woolley during Mine That Bird's Triple Crown run | Sarah Andrew The ADG reports that Woolley was upset at how “arrogant, aggressive, and argumentative” Estrada was, and asked for a separate investigation within the agency. He also went to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). Both agencies initiated their own investigations. HISA shared its findings with the ADG, which ultimately cleared Lowe of any wrongdoing. HISA's investigation report (which is included in the ADG's longer report) notes how Lowe denied making the remark about shipping the horse across the Mexican border. The report similarly notes how Lowe sent Woolley a clarifying text in April, when she learned the matter was circulating the Turf Paradise backstretch. According to the report, Woolley originally failed to disclose the following text to investigators: “I think you are mistaken as what I meant,” Lowe texted Woolley on April 10. “When you said you were going to shoot the horse in the head because I scratched it. I said you can call this guy. He buys horses people want to kill as he gives them a 2nd chance in life. He uses them in movies and is very well-known. I thought it would be cool if you knew him as you have a cool story too. But anyway.” HISA's investigation report notes a “review of open-source social media information” indicating that the horse trader identified by Lowe, Jesse Bell, “had a public facing persona as a business that operated an Arizona ranch that offered guided horseback rides and provided teams, wagons, and drivers for special events and movie shoots.” The ADG investigator also noted how Lowe appeared “extremely upset and shaken” when interviewed about the matter. “[Lowe] has been intimidated so badly by Mr. Woolley's actions that she found herself having a hard time conducting her job without fearing his retaliation, and that somehow Mr. Woolley had told clients from her private practice that she participated in illegal match races and they had come to her to complain about the accusations,” the report states. Lowe failed to respond to the TDN's multiple requests for comment. The ADG's assistant director of business administration, Andrew Hawkes, wrote in an email to the TDN how the two separate investigations determined no HISA-related provisions were violated. “ADG determined that the complaint filed against the veterinarian was without merit and was not substantiated, thus the investigation was finalized and closed as of May 15, 2024,” wrote Hawkes, adding how the agency conducted a “thorough investigation of the facts and allegations.” But just how thorough was that investigation? Bell told the TDN that while he finds homes for “99%” of the horses he purchases, some of them end up for slaughter. “A general horse always has a home,” said Bell. “Unless he's one that will bite you, strike you or chase you out the corral. He goes to slaughter.” Furthermore, Bell claims that he has never been contacted by investigators from either HISA or the ADG about the matter. “Nobody has,” he said. “You're the only person who has ever called me.” The “Sting” Both the ADG and HISA “investigation reports” mention a sting-like effort by associates of Woolley, who had communicated with Bell, pretending to have a group of Turf Paradise-based horses for sale out of the country. According to Woolley, he was told multiple times by state regulators that he would need proof Bell purchases horses for slaughter before they could take possible action. Other than documenting the incident, neither HISA nor the ADG offer any further follow-up analysis. There also appear to be some factual irregularities in their rendering of the incident, along with an incomplete detailing of important supporting evidence. The ADG and HISA name Cynthia Peterson, who operates an informal racehorse rescue service, as the person who communicated with Bell. According to Peterson, it was Mary Lee who orchestrated this arrangement on his behalf. Lee is a small-scale trainer and Off-Track Thoroughbred (OTTB) advocate. Though she lives in Louisiana, she still routinely visits Turf Paradise to help trainers find homes for their horses, including for Woolley. As with Bell, Peterson and Lee similarly claim that they have never been contacted by any investigators from either HISA or the ADG about this matter. According to Lee, she contacted Bell via text through an associate of hers (who isn't Peterson but who asked to remain anonymous because of her ongoing work rehoming ex-racehorses). Through a series of text messages-shared with the TDN-Lee and her associate explain to Bell that they have three or four horses at Turf Paradise that they “just want gone.” Lee and her associate make clear the horses are worth little money. “Lame af just need em gone,” they write in one text. In another text, they write “can you get them outta the country that is the main priority.” Bell answers, “yes.” Lee and her associate then ask, “Canada or south.” Bell responds: “Presidio Texas.” The Texan town of Presidio is a hub of the Southern border trade in horsemeat. In one text, Bell claims to have started exporting horses when he was 13 years of age. In a separate set of messages shared with TDN, Lee and her associate converse with the driver of the truck sent by Bell to Turf Paradise to pick up the horses. This took place on April 12, she said. After the truck arrived at Turf Paradise, Lee and her associate messaged the driver to say the original horses had already been sold but suggest there could be others to take their place. “There might be a couple others if you can wait like 5 mins?” they write. “We got 5 minutes and I'm going to take off,” the driver of the truck then responded. Before the truck driver left Turf Paradise empty-handed, Woolley took a picture of the vehicle and its license plate, which he shared with investigators. In HISA's report, the investigator includes several of the aforementioned text messages with Bell, but not the entire conversation that Lee shared with the TDN, which includes the passage that mentions Presidio, Texas. Lee said she believes the truck driver was familiar with Turf Paradise because the gate they sent him to is difficult to find using normal GPS navigation. When Lee directs new OTTB buyers to the Turf Paradise backstretch, she provides them “a paragraph of instructions,” she said. “He didn't ask for any instructions,” said Lee, about the driver. “He pulled right up to security and told them he needed to go in.” Correct Course of Action Initially, Bell told the TDN he had no memory of this aborted deal at Turf Paradise. “There's so many phone calls a day that go in and out,” he explained. After sending Bell the cache of messages shared by Lee, he said he understood the horses to be “recipient” mares-those intended for ectopic pregnancies. Bell denied that he intended to purchase the horses for auction at Presidio. “That's the God's honest truth. If I can find a place for them, I re-home them,” said Bell, adding how he sometimes tells frustrated owners who have fallen out of love with their horses that he will purchase their horses for slaughter as a ruse. “I tell people I buy horses for slaughter, and most of the horses I buy don't go to slaughter,” he said, adding that he has a good record helping underfed horses and those that need careful management. “I just fix them, whatever's the matter with them, and I sell them back to the public.” According to Bell, there's a financial incentive to finding horses new homes, as opposed to funneling them into the slaughter pipeline. “You've got to get them over there. And the cost of getting them over there is [more] compared to if you just sell them here at the house. People need companion horses, so, I just sell it to them for what I'd get as a kill-price and it breaks even,” said Bell. “Here's the honest to God truth, I brought probably 50 or 60 kill horses in the last two months, and you want to know how many went to slaughter? Zero. I never even crossed the Arizona border with them,” Bell said. Bell said that he and Lowe have been friends for years, and he has always known her to be a hard-working veterinarian known for dispensing veterinary care for free to financially precarious families. “She does so much, so much for the community,” said Bell, dismissing criticism of Lowe's actions as a personally motivated vendetta. “How many vets do you know that will show up to people's houses that can't afford them and do the vet work for free because they want to save the animal?” The incident occurred during a season at Turf Paradise marked by an aggressive interventionist approach by track vets that regulators say has led to a 50% reduction in equine fatalities. There were 38 pre-race inspection scratches during the last meet, which ended May 4. Out of 300 claims, 40 were voided. Madeline Auerbach is vice president of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), which accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations across the nation. Auerbach said that she is “beyond disappointed” with the chain of events. “Are you telling me that we have regulatory vets that do not know the proper procedure?” Auerbach said, about the process of funneling ex-racers into good homes and second careers. So, what is that proper procedure? “I would call the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and ask them for assistance in making sure this horse went to a good home,” Auerbach said. “That's what our job is, to know where these people are, to know where these places are,” Auerbach added. “Even if it's just to give that person a list of the rescues around there. And there are some good rescues in Arizona. You don't just go through word-of-mouth.” According to HISA, the agency has no oversight authority over state-appointed veterinarians. Similarly, HISA's jurisdiction over “Covered Horses” currently ends when they've retired from the track. Nevertheless, the issue is on the agency's radar. “The Authority has proposed a new rule to the Federal Trade Commission that would prohibit the exportation of Covered Horses for slaughter, and we are hopeful that this rule will be approved in the next several months,” HISA wrote. As for Piper Rose, the mare at the heart of this story, hers is an ending seemingly free of recrimination. Lee said she has found a home for Piper Rose in Washington State with a family of barrel racers. “She's going to be a barrel horse and have barrel babies,” Lee said. “They love her to death. They can't get over how classy she is. She's out there strutting her stuff out to grass, living her dream.” The post The Piper Rose Story One of Aftercare and Regulatory Deficiencies in Arizona appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wednesday's top tips from the Post's racing teamView the full article

The International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities (IFHA) will hold its Global Summit on Equine Safety and Technology at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada June 12-14, the organization announced Tuesday. The last IFHA International Conference of Horseracing Authorities, which focused on safeguarding equine welfare and shifts in societal expectations, was staged in October 2023. “Equine welfare is racing's single most important priority, and it is at the center of all decisions we make,” said IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. “That is why the IFHA has invested significantly in delivering an event that will bring about meaningful enhancements to horse safety and further incorporate cutting-edge technological advances into our systems.” Fracture prevention and exercise associated sudden death (EASD) are two of the issues slated to be investigated, with leaders in these fields delivering both scientific and regulatory workshops throughout the three-day, invitation-only event. The IFHA conference is supported by Harry M. Zweig Memorial Fund for Equine Research (a program at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine), The Hong Kong Jockey Club Equine Welfare Research Foundation, in addition to Woodbine Entertainment Group. The post IFHA to Hold Global Summit on Equine Safety and Technology at Woodbine appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A group ranging from high school juniors to college graduates make up the participants for the seventh edition of the Maryland Thoroughbred Career program, the Maryland Horse Foundation announced Tuesday. This year's participants are: Kate Benjamin (Westminster, MD); Daria Bogdanov (Baltimore, MD); Emily Cross (Westminster, MD); Keely Flynn (Harwood, MD); and Claire Superczynski (Sykesville, MD). “Every year, with the Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program, we look forward to introducing our industry to a new group of young people”, says Cricket Goodall, executive director of the Maryland Horse Foundation. “We always learn from them about their interest in and experiences with horses, and their hopes for a continued connection in the future.” Graduates of the MTCP are eligible for Career Development Funds, a one-time scholarship to support their post-MTCP career pursuits. To follow the 2024 Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program participants June 3-7 on the Maryland Horse Foundation's Facebook page. For more information, click here. Applicants may also contact Cricket Goodall via email cricket@marylandthoroughbred.com or by phone 410-252-2100 ext. 111. The post MHF Announces Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program Participants appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) will get the chance to end a frustrating run of narrow misses in feature races when he goes to Eagle Farm in two weeks for the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Stakes (1300m). Co-trainer and co-owner Peter Moody said on Monday he is pleased with the star sprinter’s condition and recovery following his narrow Doomben 10,000 defeat, despite being not so pleased with him again being edged out in a tight photo. “He ran well but he just didn’t get the cigar and I wanted him to get that cigar,” lamented Moody, who trains in partnership with Katherine Coleman. “He came through it well. The mare (Bella Nipotina) was better on the day. We might have gotten a slightly better run, but no excuses. We had our chance and she ran us down. “He probably goes to the Kingsford-Smith in two weeks, but if he goes beyond that (possibly Stradbroke Handicap), I am not sure.” The scarcely-raced sprinter has been placed in all four runs since his most recent win in the 2023 G1 T.J. Smith Stakes. He was beaten by half a length when first-up in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield in September, before a 0.4-length defeat in The Everest in October. First-up in the autumn, he was 0.3 lengths off them in the T.J. Smith, before his agonising 0.05-length edge out by Bella Nipotina. All the same, those four placings have earned connections around $3.5 million in prizemoney. View the full article

Leading jockeys James McDonald and Blake Shinn will on Saturday be tasked with revealing which of former New Zealand fillies Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High) and Scarlet Oak (Kermadec) is best equipped for next month’s Gr.1 Queensland Oaks. Shinn takes the ride aboard Molly Bloom and McDonald will partner Scarlet Oak in the G.2 Doomben Roses (2000m) on Saturday in a race which will likely sort out the leading chance for the 2200-metre Oaks, according to their part-owner Ozzie Kheir. Kheir, who has bought into both fillies who began their racing lives in NZ, said that although the three-year-old fillies are at different stages of their development, he finds it hard to lean either way when looking ahead to the Oaks. “Saturday’s race is the best race for both of them at this stage and it will tell us a lot about our Oaks chances,” Kheir said. “Molly Bloom, she is seasoned and is a big, strong girl and she loves her racing, whereas Scarlet Oak, she has done it all in her first prep. “We’ve thrown her into the deep end and there is not a great deal of her. She’s really just doing it on pure talent and raw ability. “We have been thinking about whether to put her out, but she won so well last start she’s forced our hand to give her a chance. “She’s gone from a maiden to a Group race at her next run and then beat the older horses third start pretty convincingly.” Sportsbet too has had trouble splitting the pair, with both Scarlet Oak and Molly Bloom equal at $4.60 for the Group One classic on June 8. Molly Bloom has won four of her nine starts, including the Gr.1 NZ 1000 Guineas (1600m) last November. She ran a fast-finishing second in her Australian debut earlier this month in an 1800m Listed race on the Sunshine Coast. Scarlet Oak won her maiden over 1400m at Matamata in March, before being transferred to Chris Waller’s yard, where she followed a black-type placing at Randwick in April over 1400m with a Newcastle Benchmark win (1600m) against the older horses. View the full article

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable is pinning their faith in last start winner Hezashocka (NZ) (Shocking) providing them with victory in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup. Hezashocka is coming off a last start win in the Listed Gosford Cup (2200m) at Newcastle on May 11 on a heavy track, conditions the stable hope will prevail for the 2000m Group One weight-for-age contest on Saturday. The Doomben Cup could also determine the path Hezashocka takes further into his campaign. Initially the stable was looking to the Gr.3 Premier’s Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday week, but a solid performance on Saturday may see the Gr.2 Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 15, with its extra A$800,000 in prize money, come on the radar. “We’re thinking the Premier’s Cup, three weeks in between runs is a beautiful race for him, but we thought the Doomben Cup was a nice race to get him there,” Kent Jnr said. “If he brought his absolute A-game, he could be somewhere around the mix if the track is wet, but the tight track has to be some concern. “Jamie Kah is booked to ride with a view to backing him up into the Premier’s Cup, but the Q22 is in the mix. “If he happened to run really well in the Doomben Cup, then we might not worry about the Premier’s Cup and go to the Q22.” Hezashocka broke a near two-year drought out when successful at Newcastle and Kent Jnr said the gelding was enjoying being prepared out of their Rosehill yard in Sydney. Kent Jnr said Hezashocka had overcome some irritating niggles that had been hampering him. “He was out of form last preparation, but we’ve got him going well this prep,” Kent Jnr said. “He’s really enjoyed our Rosehill base and he loves getting on these soft and heavy tracks. “He’s also been notoriously tardy away of late, but we found a few little niggles in his hind end that we’ve been able to help those out and for the first time in a long time he began a lot better. “He put himself into the race and the big track at Newcastle, plus the extra trip, helped him. “He’s won more than $1 million in prize money for connections and that was one of the more rewarding wins last time because it was more than two years between drinks.” Hezashocka is among a capacity field of 16 runners on Saturday’s and has drawn barrier six. The Chris Waller-trained Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park) is the $3.20 market leader, after drawing barrier three, ahead of Huetor (Archipenko) (11) and Detonator Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry) ($10) both at $6. Hezashocka is a $21 chance to give Jamie Kah a third Group 1 win for the month. View the full article

EPSOM, UK — The names Morston (GB) and Lammtarra were being bandied about as Voyage (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) stepped onto the track at Epsom on Tuesday morning. In 1974 and 1995 respectively, that pair came to the Derby on the back of one run, but what they lacked in experience they made up for in brilliance. Voyage's trainer Richard Hannon has had two previous runners in the Derby, the 2021 runner-up Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Humphrey Bogart (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}), who finished fifth five years earlier. “Both times we thought we were slightly taking a chance,” says the trainer as he watched Voyage take a lap of the parade ring after exercising at Epsom alongside Sam Hawkens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). “But this fella, he's unbeaten, that's one thing you can say for him, but it's whether he's good enough and I don't think we can say that until after the race.” Pat Dobbs, who rode Voyage to his easy novice win at Newbury on April 19, was back in the saddle, as he will be for the Derby itself. “Pat rides all of Julie's and she's extremely loyal in every way,” Hannon says, “It's great for her to have a runner and I hope he runs well for her. She loves it. She won't sleep for two weeks now.” Of his decision to swerve a traditional Derby trial, he adds, “Running in a trial, he couldn't do any more than he's done by winning that maiden. He is a horse that has burst onto the scene and Julie was very keen to keep him there, to keep the dream alive, and that's what she's done. “It's beautiful ground out there. He latched on a bit but he does that at home. We didn't come here to see how good he was.” Wood was present at Epsom with her husband Chris and was clearly relishing every minute of the Betfred Derby gallops morning as the countdown to the race itself begins in earnest. “What a wonderful lead-up. You can't beat it, can you? I've been waiting for years to get one good enough to line up and this is it,” she says. Wood has long been a regular on the sales grounds in Britain and Ireland, particularly at the foal sales, and she selected Voyage at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale for 40,000gns when he was sold by the Castlebridge Consignment on behalf of his Italian breeders Effevi Srl and the Botti family's Razza Del Velino. “I always throw a stayer in every year,” says Wood. “A curveball!” interjects Hannon. She continues, “I always put one in every year hoping that one will be good enough to come here, and this is the lad. He's got the right page for it, and I just want to enjoy the moment. It's good to be in a place like this and it's nice that they let you have a run around the track, because it's so unique, so it's good to have a sluice round Tattenham Corner and down the hill.” She continues, “He's bred to stay and that's what he showed he did in spadefuls. That is always a good maiden at Newbury – it always throws up good horses. “We had been declared last year at the back end for a similar mile and a quarter [race] but the track was waterlogged and the meeting was off. That was just the year we had but we might have been coming here with another run under our belts. He has strengthened up over the winter and he did a racecourse gallop before he ran first time. Today is an away-day and I think it will do him the world of good.” The post A Dream Voyage for Julie Wood appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

EPSOM, UK — Some may not find an overcast morning in the middle of a deserted racecourse all that exciting but more fool them. Because all around the Epsom Downs the small temporary village that by this time next Friday will constitute the base for the Betfred Derby Festival is gradually being constructed and the sense of occasion is rising. But of course there's no Derby without horses, and four potential contenders for the race that remains the highlight of every Flat season gained an early sighter of the course on Tuesday morning before a small gathering of media and onlookers. Given that the press were invited along and hadn't merely gatecrashed, it was temporarily disconcerting to hear David Fish, the owner-breeder of Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up Dancing Gemini (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) state, “I normally don't do media interviews.” But Fish, who breeds in partnership with his wife Linda under their Fishdance banner, delivered his opening line with a wry smile and was soon engaging in some small talk about the rest of his bloodstock interests, which includes Dancing Magic (Ire), who was third in last year's G3 Craven S., and the Listed winner Dancing Tango (Ire), both of whom are also by the 2012 Derby winner Camelot. “Camelot is my favourite stallion,” says Fish, clearly a sound judge. “Dancing Gemini is by Camelot and his dam is by Australia and they both won the Derby, but he's got that speed, you see.” He continues, “We breed with Coolmore. We have three broodmares and we use their stallions. So we have three yearlings, three foals and five racehorses.” Fish's racing operation is split between Britain and Ireland, with Dancing Gemini's year-younger full-sister, Dancing Teapot (Ire), in training with Joseph O'Brien. “Teapot is my wife's nickname,” he explains. “I wasn't very good at chatting up girls in those days and I saw her standing there with a handbag over her shoulder and smoking a cigarette. I said 'You look like a teapot', and it went from there. That was 50 years ago and I've always called her Teapot.” Fish, who celebrates his birthday on Oaks Day, may be calling for something stronger than tea the following afternoon should Dancing Gemini fulfil a dream that his trainer Roger Teal can scarcely believe is now within his grasp. Teal, who has tasted top-level success with crack sprinter Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}), knows a good horse when one comes his way. Now based in Lambourn, he and his wife Sue spent their formative years in racing working in Epsom. “There are lots of good memories around here,” he says. “I worked right near the Derby start and I used to stand in Philip [Mitchell]'s garden for years and watch the runners go by. It's nice being on the other side of the fence. It'll be very exciting but it's very nerve-wracking as well. I probably won't sleep for a few nights beforehand but it will be lovely to come back and be involved in it, which isn't something I thought would ever happen.” Dancing Gemini was accompanied on his canter around Epsom by Oxted's full-brother Chipstead (GB), with Mitchell's son Jack in the saddle of the lead horse while William Cox took the ride on the Derby contender. Dylan Brown McMonagle will however keep the ride a week on Saturday. Teal continued, “William was delighted and said that he handled the track beautifully. It's on the easy side out there so it was lovely ground to do that this morning. Obviously he hasn't gone mad, he only ran nine days ago, but the whole point of coming here was just to give him a feel of the layout of the track and he looked good. “I think we're going to roll our sleeves up and come here. It's very tempting to go back to France but it would be lovely to have a crack at the English Derby and to come here with a live contender is wonderful. It's very exciting for David, his wife Linda, and all involved in the team back at home.” He added, “He's a very speedy horse but he has the breeding to get a mile and a half. He has such a relaxed manner about him and you can put him to sleep and use his burst of speed at the end of a race. He's not guaranteed to stay – no horse is – but on paper he has more of a chance of staying than not. “It's the Derby and there will be good horses wherever we go but the field has thinned out and that does help a little bit. Godolphin have lost two major contenders. It was very sad at Chester but [Hidden Law] looked to be very good before it happened. It's an open field and we've got to have a crack at it. “Dylan has already been on the phone this morning so I've got to give him a call back and let him know my decision. He's bought into what we're doing and he believes in the horse, which is an added bonus. He's very confident after riding him in France.” The post ‘We’re Going to Roll Up Our Sleeves’: Teal Dances Back to Epsom appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Last Saturday, all eyes were on Doomben for the first Group 1 of the Queensland Racing Carnival, while Flemington and Scone held strong support programs. We have found three runners from those meetings that are worth following after producing strong performances in defeat. You can add these horses to your blackbook so you can follow them next up. Doomben Track rating: Soft 7 Rail position: True entire circuit Race 5: Listed Members’ Handicap (1600m) | Time: 1:37.84 Horse to follow: Knight’s Choice (2nd) Although Knight’s Choice was convincingly beaten by Gringotts in the Listed Members’ Handicap, the John Symons & Sheila Laxon-trained gelding was first-up off a five-month break. With the benefit of two trials before Saturday’s start, the son of Extreme Choice finished off nicely to record his first placing when fresh for his career. It is expected that the stable will look to give him another run over 1600m or 1800m before targeting a 2000m race third-up. When to bet: The Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup over 1800m at Eagle Farm on June 1 will be a good race for the Symons & Laxon barn to target, but if Knight’s Choice don’t get into that race, the stable could opt for the Benchmark 85 Handicap over 1600m on the same day. Either way, this is a horse to follow throughout the Queensland Racing Carnival. Flemington Track rating: Soft 7 Rail position: +4m entire circuit Race 4: 3YO Handicap (1400m) | Time: 1:24.03 Horse to follow: Modown (5th) Modown was a hard watch for backers, as Damian Lane was made to settle in behind traffic and wait until the 200m mark before eventually getting clear running room. The son of Toronado went to make his run inside the final 200m but was then blocked by the 100m mark and went over the line hard held. If he had found clear air, there is little doubt he would have been fighting out the finish. When to bet: Littlefield and her team will be seeking to find a similar race over 1400m, and if Modown gets even luck, he should be winning next time out. Race 7: Listed Straight Six (1200m) | Time: 1:10.64 Horse to follow: Poison Chalice (4th) With a slashing run from the back of the field, Poison Chalice recorded the fourth-fastest last 400m (23.07) and the sixth-fastest last 200m (11.98) sections of the entire Flemington meeting. Considering the son of Savabeel has never won at 1200m and it was his first race down the Flemington straight, his performance was much better than it might appear at first glance. When to bet: Trainer Paul Preusker has stated that Poison Chalice is on a Winter Championship path, which would mean he’d have to contest and run well in a heat. The Benchmark 84 Handicap over 1400m on June 8 at Flemington looks to be the ideal race for him to earn his way into the Winter Championship Series Final on July 6. Top horse racing sites for blackbook features Horse racing tips View the full article

What Hawkesbury Races Where Hawkesbury Race Club – 1 Racecourse Rd, Clarendon NSW 2756 When Thursday, May 23, 2024 First Race 12:15pm AEST Visit Dabble Hawkesbury Race Club is the destination for provincial racing on Thursday afternoon, with an ultra-competitive eight-race program set for decision. The rail is out +2m between the 1100m and 450m markers, while the rest remains in the true position. The opening race is set to get underway at 12:15pm local time, and with no rain forecast in the lead-up, it should be a pristine Good 4 surface for all participants. Best Bet at Hawkesbury: Snatchreilly Snatchreilly couldn’t have been more impressive when breaking his maiden at Newcastle on May 4. The son of Trapeze Artist was able to dictate terms on speed, storming away by 3.5 lengths when given the cue by Keagan Latham. He still has plenty of upside for the Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexious barn, and although this Class 1 contest is significantly tougher, Snatchreilly can dispatch them again to secure back-to-back victories. Best Bet Race 6 – #2 Snatchreilly (1) 3yo Colt | T: Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | J: Keagan Latham (59.5kg) Bet with Bet365 Next Best at Hawkesbury: Watch My Girl After a sensational performance at Kembla Grange on April 27, Watch My Girl appears primed to strike third-up. The Ron Quinton-trained filly was terrific when making inroads from the rear of the field in a slowly run race, powering home to get within a head of Spirit Of Varanasi. The step up to 1600m should be ideal, and with Christian Reith likely to lob into a mid-field position with cover, Watch My Girl should be finishing best. Next Best Race 7 – #2 Watch My Girl (6) 3yo Filly | T: Ron Quinton | J: Christian Reith (59kg) Bet with Neds Best Value at Hawkesbury: Betsy’s Flag Betsy’s Flag was disappointing in her most recent outing at Warwick Farm on May 8 and didn’t seem to handle the Heavy 10 surface. Getting back on top of the ground should be ideal for the daughter of Astern, while Leeshelle Small’s 4kg claim gives her some relief at the weights. Dropping back to Class 1 company, Betsy’s Flag can give a bold sight at an each-way price with online bookmakers. Best Value Race 5 – #5 Betsy’s Flag (2) 4yo Mare | T: Joseph Pride | J: Leeshelle Small (a4kg) (57.5kg) Bet with Unibet Thursday Hawkesbury quaddie tips – 23/5/2024 Hawkesbury quadrella selections Thursday, May 23, 2024 1-3-5-7 2-3-5 1-2-7 1-2-3-4 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips
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