Wandering Eyes

The $150,000 G1 Beverly R. Steinman S., a 2 3/8-mile steeplechase event for older horses, will be held June 9 as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course. The race is named for Beverly R. “Peggy” Steinman, who has successfully balanced decades of ownership in both the steeplechase and flat racing worlds with stars such as Dark Equation, who captured the 2008 G1 New York Turf Writers Cup, and Colstar, a multiple graded stakes-winning filly who won more than $1 million on the flat. “The New York Racing Association is excited to incorporate a steeplechase event into the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival,” said Andrew Offerman, NYRA's Senior Vice President of Racing and Operations. “We value the longstanding relationship that NYRA and the NSA have shared and are pleased to honor Peggy Steinman with this wonderful new event.” Bill Gallo, the National Steeplechase Association's (NSA) Director of Racing, said the race is a welcome addition to the steeplechase calendar. “Peggy Steinman has represented the National Steeplechase Association at the highest level for decades, particularly at Saratoga, where her presence alone, sitting in her prominent finish-line box, has reminded people in the industry, and especially at the New York Racing Association, that the traditions of steeplechasing run deep,” said Gallo. “This is a fitting and wonderful tribute to a very special person on an historic weekend in Saratoga. She is thrilled with the honor and looking forward to the Belmont at Saratoga Festival.” The Steinman will kick off a 2024 jumps program on the NYRA circuit which includes seven races worth a total of $825,000. Four stakes will be held at the Saratoga summer meet topped by a pair of $150,000 Grade 1 events at 2 3/8-miles–the A. P. Smithwick Memorial July 17 and the Jonathan Sheppard Memorial Aug. 14. Steeplechase stakes action on the NYRA circuit will conclude at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet with the $150,000 G1 Lonesome Glory and the $75,000 William Entenmann novice stakes. The post Beverly R. Steinman Added to NYRA Steeplechase Program appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Just nine months after coming to the mainland United States from Puerto Rico, 20-year-old Eniel Cordero is preparing to saddle Vicente Stella's Le Dom Bro March 30 in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

Emerald Downs announced player-friendly wagering enhancements at its 55-day 2024 season that begins May 4, becoming the first track outside of Kentucky to offer penny breakage on all wagers while also offering a "Dynamic Morning Line."View the full article

We're approaching the five-week mark to the GI Kentucky Derby, but not all contenders on this week's list are aiming for the first Saturday in May. This coming weekend's nine-furlong stakes at Oaklawn and Gulfstream have the potential to usher in a shake-up within the rankings, which have remained relatively stable as winter edges into spring. 1) MUTH (c, Good Magic–Hoppa, by Uncle Mo) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $2,000,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-3-2-0, $716,600. Last start: WON Jan. 6 GII San Vicente S. With stablemate and fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist) out of training for at least 30 days, Muth inherits the top spot on the Sophomore Top 12 despite not having raced since Jan. 6. This 3-for-5 Good Magic colt drew post seven for Saturday's GI Arkansas Derby as the 8-5 morning-line favorite. Muth is ineligible for the Kentucky Derby because of Churchill Downs's corporate ban on Bob Baffert's trainees. So it's possible Baffert is sizing up a subsequent start for him in the GI Preakness S. May 18. The athletic Muth has a no-drama way of going about his tasks, and that businesslike efficiency appears poised to bloom into substantial class. With four total races at age two that included two routes and a Grade I win in the American Pharoah S., Baffert opted to sharpen this colt's speed by starting 2024 him in the seven-furlong GIII San Vicente S., a race that Muth commanded by stalking two pacemakers before breaking away at will (90 Beyer Speed Figure). Baffert has won the Arkansas Derby four times. Favorites crossed the finish wire first in that race for five straight runnings, from 2017 through split divisions in 2020. But the chalk has gone down in defeat in each of the last three editions. 2) SIERRA LEONE (c, Gun Runner–Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Mrs John Magnier, Michael B Tabor, Derrick Smith Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing LLC & Peter M Brant; B-Debby M Oxley (KY); T-Chad Brown. Sales history: $2,300,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-1-0, $336,750. Last start: WON Feb. 17 GII Risen Star S. With two wins and a second-place loss by only a nose, plus a locomotive-like ability to close ground when it counts, Sierra Leone's form doesn't need much validation from the horses left in his wake. Still, the win by this 'TDN Rising Star' in the Feb. 17 GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds now looks even better after Saturday's one-two finish in the GII Louisiana Derby by the colts who ran third and fifth behind Sierra Leone last month in New Orleans. This $2.3-million FTSAUG sale-topper will go next in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland, meaning that if he exits that final Derby prep in decent order, this Chad Brown trainee will have three straight races at nine furlongs prior to attempting 10 furlongs on the first Saturday in May. That experience over a distance of ground might mitigate concerns about only having four lifetime starts before the Derby. 3) FIERCENESS (c, City of Light–Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty) 'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Repole Stable (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo, GISW, 4-2-0-1, $1,127,250. Last start: 3rd Feb. 3 GIII Holy Bull S. You can expect juvenile champ and 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness to go off quite a bit lower than his 8-5 morning-line ranking in Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby. He drew post 10 in an 11-horse field that lured just one other colt currently ranked within TDN's Sophomore Top 12. The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile victor is in regroup mode for start number two of 2024. He drew a very soft field for the Feb. 3 GIII Holy Bull S. Accordingly, the betting public hammered him to 1-5 odds, but Fierceness came up flat. By way of a possible excuse, trainer Todd Pletcher had referenced bumping at the break that caused jockey John Velazquez to push harder on the colt than they would have liked to in an attempt to obtain good early positioning. But still, a colt of Fierceness's perceived caliber should have finished up a lot more powerfully considering the lullaby tempo of the Holy Bull's two opening quarter-miles, which were clocked in :25.03 and :25.50. A performance on Saturday that resembles anything close to the one uncorked by Fierceness when he trounced the Juvenile field by 6 1/4 lengths en route to a 105 Beyer victory would re-establish his presence as the Kentucky Derby favorite. This Repole Stable homebred had checked a lot of boxes on that first weekend of November by flashing tactical speed while in hand from the gate, willingly pressing a pacemaker, displaying good responsiveness when encouraged to quicken, and fluidly torqueing into a higher gear through the stretch before smoothly galloping out well ahead of everyone else. Dornoch | Nicole Thomas 4) DORNOCH (c, Good Magic–Puca, by Big Brown) O-West Paces Racing LLC, R A Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding LLC, Two Eight Racing LLC & Pine Racing Stables; B-Grandview Equine (KY); T-Danny Gargan. Sales history: $325,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 5-3-2-0, $505,400. Last start: WON Mar. 2 GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. The anticipated rematch of Dornoch and Sierra Leone in the Blue Grass S. will end up being the highest-profile rivalry of the Derby prep campaign. In a season that has been hallmarked by shallow qualifying stakes with little horse-vs.-horse intrigue, here's hoping that showdown ends up being worth the wait. Those two last met in the Dec. 2 GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct. Racing on a sealed, muddy track that favored early speed, Dornoch outgunned five rivals for the lead, took pressure from a 27-1 shot, swatted back bids from fresh challengers on the far turn, then brushed the rail and re-surged to steal the lead late from Sierra Leone, who had taken the overland route from last against the grain of the bias. Dornoch's winning margin was a nose. Each has since had one subsequent start at age three, with Sierra Leone annexing the Risen Star S. as the 5-2 favorite and Dornoch winning at 1-5 odds in a scratch-reduced GII Fountain of Youth S. That cakewalk win at Gulfstream for this son of Good Magic didn't tell us much about Dornoch's forward progression. But trainer Danny Gargan has said he's liked what he's seen in two breezes since that race, and in choosing the Blue Grass he is underscoring that he's not ducking anyone along the way to the Derby in his hometown of Louisville. 5) DETERMINISTIC (c, Liam's Map–Giulio's Jewel, by Speightstown) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-St. Elias Stable, Langone, Ken, Duncker, C. Steven and Vicarage Stable; B-Hinkle Farms (KY); T-Christophe Clement. Sales history: $625,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 2-2-0-0, $222,750. Last start: WON Mar. 2 GIII Gotham S. Despite being one of the lightest-raced among the Top 12 contenders, the 2-for-2 Deterministic rates highly in terms of the anticipatory buzz about his next start and projections about how he might fare as a Triple Crown contender. After winning at first asking in an Aug. 12 MSW sprint at Saratoga, Deterministic was sidelined with an ankle chip that kept him out of action until the Mar. 2 GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct. Trainer Christophe Clement had this $625,000 KEESEP colt primed to fire off the nearly seven-month layoff, and Deterministic stalked willingly under Joel Rosario prior to tipping out and splitting horses with authority in the stretch over a sealed and sloppy one-turn mile. The visually impressive win garnered a 93 Beyer, a boost of 12 points. The Apr. 6 GII Wood Memorial S. is next. 6) CONQUEST WARRIOR (c, City of Light–Tea Time, by Pulpit) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald Adam); B-Betz/B&K Canetti/J.Betz/CoCo Equine/D.J. Stables (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III. Sales history: $1,000,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $96,000. Last start: WON Mar. 1 Gulfstream AOC. Although gate nine is not a desirable draw for nine-furlong races at Gulfstream (2-for-105 over the past 15 years according to Daily Racing Form's Mike Welsch), the wide post is probably not going to be as big of an issue for 'TDN Rising Star' Conquest Warrior, who figures to be backed off the Florida Derby pace with speed threats drawn to his inside and outside. This stout-framed, long-striding $1-million KEESEP closer will benefit from being able to sit back and zero in on targets. But he's going to need a less “busy” ride from jockey Jose Ortiz, who in a Mar. 1 allowance at Gulfstream over the same distance rated Conquest Warrior off heels at the seven-furlong pole, sent him back up to re-engage six furlongs out, came through on the inside, then sliced outside for a winning run to reel in a tiring target. There was a fair amount of lateral and back-and-forth repositioning going on in that race, and Conquest Warrior got away with all that maneuvering because he was 1-5 in the betting against five rivals who weren't Triple Crown-caliber competition. Conquest Warrior's previous race, a one-turn-mile maiden win Jan. 13, was also a bit of an adventure. He got sandwiched at the break, shuffled to last, then repeatedly ran into traffic before bursting through for a dramatic half-length score under Ortiz. Trainer Shug McGuaghey will send out the second-favorite for the Florida Derby knowing Conquest Warrior is 2-for-2 over the Gulfstream surface, that he's already won at 1 1/8 miles, and that he should get honest fractions in front of him while he unwinds from midpack or farther back. 7) MAYMUN (c, Frosted–Handwoven, by Indian Charlie) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Vision Racing & Sales LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $50,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $900,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $79,200. Last start: WON Feb. 11 Santa Anita AOC. The 2-for-2 'TDN Rising Star' Maymun will start next in the Apr. 6 GI Santa Anita Derby, according to a confirmation by trainer Bob Baffert first published by Horse Racing Nation on Friday. Maymun blitzed home first by 7 1/2 lengths in his Jan. 20 debut over 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita (93 Beyer), then scored a one-mile allowance victory (89 Beyer) there Feb. 11 despite sideswiping a stablemate on the first turn. After both colts recovered without incident, Maymun launched a spirited bid three-eighths from the wire in tandem with Imagination (Into Mischief). But he had to exert quite a bit of effort in putting away his stubborn stablemate, who seized the lead three times from the quarter to the sixteenth poles before Maymun clawed back a half-length deficit inside the final 100 yards. Imagination came back to win the Mar. 3 GII San Felipe S. with a 96 Beyer. 8) TIMBERLAKE (c, Into Mischief–Pin Up (Ire), by Lookin At Lucky) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC; B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. Sales history: $350,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GISW, 6-3-1-0, $1,094,350. Last start: WON Feb. 24 GII Rebel S. Trainer Brad Cox has won the Arkansas Derby with non-favorites in each of the last two runnings, with Cyberknife at 5-1 odds in 2022 and Angel of Empire at 9-2 last season. This year, he's got 'TDN Rising Star' Timberlake who will start from post two as the 9-5 second choice on the morning line behind the favored Muth. Timberlake has plateaued 93 Beyers in three straight starts spanning nearly six months. Those races were a one-turn-mile win in the sloppy-surfaced GI Champagne S., a rank-on-the-first-turn fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, then a much more settled win in the Feb. 24 GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn. His stretch run in the Rebel wasn't flawless–Timberlake stalled momentarily, but re-engaged once roused. It was a decent enough launch point to show how he has the potential to be a legit divisional threat with some polishing. “I like the timing,” Cox said of the Oaklawn race. “Obviously, he has the experience there now, that one run under him. I kind of thought the Rebel was the spot when we were getting started. At the beginning of the winter, we thought the Rebel was the spot. It worked out.” Catching Freedom | Hodges Photography 9) CATCHING FREEDOM (c, Constitution-Catch My Drift, by Pioneerof the Nile) O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC; B-WinStar Farm (KY); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-3-0-1, $877,350. Last start: WON Mar. 23 GII Louisiana Derby. Catching Freedom won't be heading to Louisville as one of the favorites. But his last-to-first win in Saturday's GII Louisiana Derby stamped him as a capable stayer. He'll be the type of colt who doesn't rank as an A-list powerhouse, but you'll probably end up agonizing over whether to include him in your exotic wagers, because he figures to be firing from off the tailgate. At Fair Grounds, Flavien Prat waited patiently at the rear of the field until 2 1/2 furlongs out behind a moderate tempo, and because he didn't want to slow this Constitution colt's momentum, he let Catching Freedom fan 12 wide into the lane. This $575,000 KEESEP grad chugged home in straight, grind-down fashion, executing his job willingly. But for the most part, he was passing horses who had already taken their best cracks at the leader. Catching Freedom's 97 Beyer came back a little higher than I might have guessed based on the visual impression of the race. He gained ground in the stretch through a final furlong and a half timed in :18.78. In the five runnings since the Louisiana Derby got elongated to 1 3/16 miles, that's the second slowest fraction for the final three-sixteenths of the race. “I didn't know what to make of it early on, being so far back and with not much pace,” said trainer Brad Cox. “But Flavien did a great job of letting him inch up. He needed pretty much the entire stretch to get there and I am very proud of the effort.” 10) MYSTIK DAN (c, Goldencents–Ma'am, by Colonel John) O/B-Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby & 4G Racing, LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. Lifetime Record: SW, 5-2-1-0, $510,110. Last start: WON Feb. 3 GIII Southwest S. Mystik Dan improved his Beyer by a whopping 19 points and was geared down late while leading the way home through a final sixteenth clocked in a zippy :5.93 when he won the Feb. 3 GIII Southwest S. at 11-1 odds. Are his 101 Beyer and the distinction of having run the fastest closing half-furlong among all 18 of this season's Derby points-awarding stakes at 1 1/16 miles the real deal? Or were those impressive metrics simply artifacts of Mystik Dan relishing a muddy, sealed Oaklawn surface that was playing quirkily? We'll find out in Saturday's Arkansas Derby, where this homebred son of Goldencents for owners Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby and 4G Racing faces the difficult task of trying to outmuscle both the No. 1-ranked Muth and No. 8 Timberlake. Trainer Kenny McPeek has expressed confidence all winter long about how this keen-minded colt has learned how to rate off the pace without the transition blunting Mystik Dan's natural speed. Besides the Southwest romp by eight lengths, Mystik Dan's only other victory from five starts was a 5 1/2-furlong MSW win at Churchill back on Nov. 12 in which he wired the field by 7 3/4 lengths. 11) TRACK PHANTOM (c, Quality Road-Miss Sunset, by Into Mischief) O-L and N Racing LLC, Clark Brewster, Jerry Caroom & Breeze Easy LLC; B-Breeze Easy (KY); T-Steve Asmussen. Lifetime Record: GSW, 7-3-2-1, $405,000. Last start: 4th in Mar. 23 GII Louisiana Derby Track Phantom didn't have to be rushed from post 11 and he was allowed to dictate a moderate tempo in the Louisiana Derby. So in that respect, it's a bit disappointing that he faded to fourth in the stretch as the beaten 2-1 favorite and won't be heading to the Kentucky Derby with positive forward momentum. But that doesn't mean he gets voted off the Top 12 island, either. Especially because this is a year that is shaping up as a Derby without too many established, credible early blazers to force or set the pace. With a little honing of his established speed-centric form in two-turn races, trainer Steve Asmussen could fine-tune this $500,000 KEESEP son of Quality Road into the type of dangerous Derby prospect who gets bold on the lead. Also, consider that Track Phantom looked almost certain to be swallowed up by no fewer than five contenders ganging up behind him at the head of the lane on Saturday. I can't say for certain whether he definitively swatted them all back or if their bids just never materialized. But give this colt some credit for not ceding the lead until the sixteenth pole despite tiring under duress. Asmussen told Daily Racing Form Sunday that after talking to jockey Joel Rosario, “we thought there was a little more there, and we're going to try a little French cup blinker.” He added that Track Phantom exited the race fine and will point for the Derby. 12) IMAGINATION (c, Into Mischief–Magical Feeling, by Empire Maker) O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Robert Masterson, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan & Tom Ryan; B-Peter Blum Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-2-3-0, $256,800. Last start: WON Mar. 3 San Felipe S. Imagination got clipped from behind on the clubhouse turn of the GII San Felipe S., then rushed up to engage stablemate Wine Me Up (Vino Rosso). The two battled around the far turn and into the home straight, with Imagination prevailing by a head. Since breaking his maiden in start number three on Jan. 1, this Bob Baffert trainee has now put together two sharp back-to-back routes races in which he has been knocked off balance early, then got locked into a prolonged tussle on the front end without backing down. Even when he lost by a neck to Maymun back on Feb. 11, that second-place try resonated as a punching-above-his-weight type of performance. This $1.05-million KEESEP colt could resurface in the Santa Anita Derby, where Baffert is expected to have “at least two starters and potentially three,” as per Sunday's Santa Anita press notes. The post TDN Sophomore Top 12: Five Contenders in Action This Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

They may not have taken home the trophy and flower garland of the Louisiana Derby (G2), but the connections of Honor Marie and Track Phantom still had quite a bit to celebrate as their colts qualified for a start in the Kentucky Derby (G1).View the full article

Just nine months after coming to the U.S. from his native Puerto Rico, and at 20 years old, Eniel Cordero is preparing to saddle Vicente Stella's Le Dom Bro March 30 in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

Emerald Downs will offer Penny Breakage on all wagers Emerald Downs commencing with its 55-day 2024 season that begins on Saturday, May 4. Historically, wagers were rounded down payouts to the nickel or dime which made sense when most wagers were made with cash on track. However, the change was made because of the evolution of account wagering and vouchers on track. Emerald Downs estimates that penny breakage will return approximately $400,000 in additional payouts to bettors. Also starting in 2024, Emerald Downs will offer a “Dynamic Morning Line.” The morning line, which is typically made 4-7 days prior to race day, will now be updated using the same system and formula before each race day to reflect scratches and changes. Then, beginning in the second race each day, the line will be updated approximately 20 minutes to post time. This update will reflect wagering in closed pools such as the Daily Double, Pick 3, and Pick 4. The updated lines will be displayed on the track's simulcast broadcast. “There have been effects to calculate live projected payouts, but Emerald Downs will be the first to update and use the morning line in a format that can be efficiently communicated to bettors,” explained track president Phil Ziegler. “If a 5-1 morning line horse has lower will-pays than a 3-1 horse, we will update the line to reflect this wagering which should help guide bettors.” Emerald Downs will also assist players by keeping live odds displayed until the final horse enters the gate. Emerald Downs offers a traditional 50 cent Pick 6 each race day featuring an 8% takeout, along with a Pentafecta (Super High 5) on the final race, also with an 8% takeout. All Win, Place and Show wagers will be at 16%, Exactas and Daily Doubles at 21% and all other wagers at 23%. The post Penny Breakage, ‘Dynamic Morning Line’ Added to Emerald Downs Lineup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Arrest (Ire), who filled the runner-up spot in the G1 St Leger at Doncaster on his final start of 2023, is being prepared to make his return to action in the G3 John Porter S. at Newbury on Saturday, April 20. Though no match for the high-class Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) on Town Moor, Arrest showed that he belongs at the top level with an admirable effort in defeat, having previously failed to give his running when sent off the 4/1 favourite for the G1 Derby at Epsom. The son of Frankel (GB) had put himself in the picture for the blue riband when running out a wide-margin winner of the G3 Chester Vase S. on the Roodee, while his runner-up finish in the St Leger was preceded by a second pattern-race victory when landing the G3 Geoffrey Freer S. at Newbury. A return to the last-named venue is now on the agenda for the John and Thady Gosden-trained Arrest as he embarks on what his connections hope will be a productive four-year-old campaign in the top middle-distance events. “He was consistent all year apart from the Derby, which I think was our own fault,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte. “John, Thady and myself got wrapped up a little bit in it being the Derby and we probably shouldn't have run as the ground was a bit quick and the track obviously didn't suit. “He showed his true form on his next couple of starts and has wintered very well. John and Thady were very happy with him when speaking to them last week and the current plan, all being well, is to start in the John Porter. I think we will start off at middle-distances and see how we go. If he shows us in the middle of the summer he wants a bit further, then we will try it. But I think he has shown enough class at a mile and a half to suggest he can be competitive in those top mile-and-a-half races throughout the year.” Mahon also issued a positive update on fellow Gosden trainee Laurel (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who has been on the sidelines since finishing down the field in last year's G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury. Beaten just once in four starts prior to that, when runner-up in the 2022 G1 Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket, Laurel reportedly has the G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot as her main target in the first part of the season. “Laurel is back in training and John and Thady are happy with her,” Mahon added. “She's just having a slow preparation with a view to getting her to Royal Ascot later in the year, so we will probably just give her a prep run at the end of May or the beginning of June and then it will be straight to Royal Ascot if all is well with her. She is in good shape and seems to have got over her little injury, so with a bit of luck, if she stays injury free she could be an exciting prospect for the year.” The post Juddmonte Nominate Early-Season Targets for Gosden Stars appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Online Breeze-Up Session, scheduled to feature as part of the June Online Sale June 5-6, will be available to consignors located in Britain and Ireland with breeze-ups to be held at Chelmsford City Racecourse and at Dundalk Stadium, announced Tattersalls via press release on Monday. The under-tack previews will take place Tuesday, May 21 at Chelmsford City and Tuesday, May 28 at Dundalk Stadium. Both options are available for unraced juveniles and there will be gallop opportunities for entries on the all-weather tracks. Spectators are welcome to attend at both locations where vendors will breeze over a distance of their choice and each lot will be filmed with footage published on Thursday, May 30. All lots will be catalogued with their vendor details to allow for enquiries and to arrange inspections prior to the sale. Entries for the Online Breeze-Up Session can be submitted online and will close on Friday, May 10. “The Online Breeze Up provides vendors with a cost-effective opportunity to breeze domestically whilst reaching an international audience via the Tattersalls Online platform,” said Katherine Sheridan, Tattersalls' online sales executive. “We believe the facilities at Chelmsford and Dundalk offer an excellent option for those wishing to present their breeze-up two-year-olds to a global market in the June Online Sale and we anticipate the concept will be well supported by consignors and purchasers alike.” The post Details Released for Tattersalls Online Breeze-Up Session appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The deadline to apply for the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association paid social media internship in Saratoga is Monday, Apr. 1. Over the course of the seven-week meet this summer, the intent is to produce engaging videos and images for NYTHA's social media accounts. “This is a fantastic opportunity for a young person interested in racing to experience an insider's access and share their fresh perspective on the sport,” said Marie Kizenko, NYTHA's Communications Manager. “We look forward to sharing NYTHA's mission with all those interested.” Interested applicants should send a resume and any relevant links to jobs@nytha.com by Monday, Apr. 1. The post Deadline Approaching for NYTHA Internship Applications appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After seven years at the helm of France-Galop, the governing body of horse racing in France, Olivier Delloye arrived back at Arqana, and will take up the position of CEO upon the retirement of Eric Hoyeau on April 1. For Delloye, it's a homecoming, as he served for 10 years as their managing director before leaving to fill the same role at France-Galop in 2016. As Delloye got started again at Arqana, we sat down with him to learn what it was like to be back in Normandy, and what differences the buying and selling public could expect to see this year and beyond. TDN: First, what's it like to be back? OD: I'm very happy to be back–both back here and in the sales business and connecting with the community of buyers and vendors alike. And I'm really looking forward to the next sale and of course, the August yearling sale, which is, and has always been, the highlight of the of the year. TDN: What was the thing you missed the most about this job when you were at France-Galop? OD: Definitely it was going to farms, inspecting yearlings in spring, meeting with vendors and breeders and driving back to the office thinking that you may have seen the future stars of the sale. TDN: And what is it about France-Galop that you'll miss the most now that you're back at Arqana? OD: It's all about people. So probably the great people I have had the chance to work with and who tolerated me for about eight years. Luckily, now that I'm back, I'm finding a great team here as well. TDN: What is your ideal work-life balance? OD: It's a very difficult question. I would say it's close to ideal when both your colleagues and clients on one side and your family and friends on the other side feel that you give them enough time and attention. That's when you're close to perfection. But it never happens. TDN: What changes at Arqana can we expect this year and beyond? OD: It's a little bit early to ask me that question. I'm just coming back now. But I am coming back at a time when the company is enjoying quite a great success, so there's no need for a big revolution in the very short term. Probably the first changes that will be implemented will be purely internal, in order to make the organization ever more efficient and enable the team to have a greater focus on the horses and the clients. I'm sure there are some areas in which we can improve upon the way we operate, in the processes that are in place, so that really people can focus on their main job and on our clients. TDN: I see there is some work going on here. OD: Yes. The first thing, which is good news for all the people attending the sales, is there will be a brand new WiFi system as of the breeze-up sale. Over the next few weeks, another thing we are undergoing is that we are renovating the main yard at Arqana in the sales complex. We are actually currently raising the roofs (on the stalls) of the main yard to just provide some more comfort to horses staying in these boxes during the sales. We will do that in three phases and the first phase will be completed by the summer. TDN: How did your experience at France-Galop change or broaden your view of the overall industry? OD: I was born in the horse world as my father was a trainer and then was more involved in the institution and the ruling of racing. And then I went to work for Arqana for 10 years. Going to France-Galop was definitely the right place to go to deal with all aspects of the industry, with France-Galop being the racing authority and the operator of the major racing in France as well. So dealing with gambling with the PMU, dealing with the ministries in charge of supervising racing, dealing with anti-doping control, dealing with riding schools, but also how to run big, big events, like we do at France-Galop with the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Prix Diane Longines and so on. So it was just a perfect place to learn so many things. And, during all those years, I also had the chance to be involved in the IFHA, working alongside with Louis Romanet first and then Winfriend Engelbrecht-Bresges and its leadership team. So it really opened new doors to me as well, being exposed to other racing jurisdictions and understanding the big issues that racing can face on a global scale. TDN: What did you learn there that you can apply here? OD: Event organization is something that I probably learned quite a lot about working at France-Galop. But above all, I would say that at France-Galop, because of all it has to run with a fairly limited number of employees-there are only 350 people working full-time. It operates five racecourses, three training centres, and is a racing authority in France. It has to be a pretty well-organized company. So I'm sure that in trying to replicate a bit of that know-how in terms of process and organization in a much smaller company like Arqana, I can help it be even faster and move more quickly and be more efficient. TDN: Your successor-and predecessor–Eric Hoyeau–was known to take to the microphone. Do you have any intention of doing the same? OD: You mean at the rostrum? No plan at all. I did ask myself this question years ago when I first worked with Arqana. Now, I'm not sure I have the right talent for the job. And I see my role as just making sure that we have the best people everywhere in the place, to offer the best possible service. So we'll try to, enhance the quality of our auctioneers, to better serve our clients. But, I'm not necessarily one of them. TDN: Paris or Deauville? OD: I couldn't answer. It's like choosing between my my sons or my my daughters. TDN: Le Drakkar, or Le Buddha Bar? OD: Le Drakkar. Definitely. TDN: Bike ride in the Bois de Boulogne, or jogging on Les Planches? OD: Jogging on Les Planches. But also a little further, because it's too short. TDN: Traffic jam on the Peripherique or tractors blocking the A13? OD: Traffic jam on the Peripherique. There is always an exit nearby to escape from it. TDN: Is there anyone in the French government you feel you resemble? OD: I've often heard people say I look a little bit like Emmanuel Macron. And I've always answered that my wife is much younger. The post TDN’s Ten Questions for Olivier Delloye, Now Back at Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. 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It was the third win in four starts for the 3-year-old, who made his debut finishing 10th in a Dec. 3, 2023 maiden optional claimer at Gulfstream Park, where he ran his first three races. View the full article

Tony Calo has been named the new track announcer at Ellis Park. Calo, a veteran in the horse racing industry, will continue to serve as the announcer at Turfway Park along with being a handicapping analyst at Churchill Downs.View the full article

Grade 1 winners Muth and Timberlake square off in search of a second top-level victory when an expected field of 10 3-year-olds compete in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park March 30.View the full article

Graded stakes winners Steal Sunshine and Tumbarumba will meet again March 30 in the 1 1/16-mile $150,000 Ghostzapper Stakes (G3) after a nose separated the pair the last time they met at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

Lillian Jenkinson Holder was one of the best riders many in her area had seen. Yet her long career on bush tracks and pursuit of a license to ride at pari-mutuel racetracks remained a story hidden—until now.View the full article

Richard Hughes is eyeing a breakthrough Classic as a trainer this season–but admitted that high-class prospects Queen Of Zafeen (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) and Star Music (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) would likely bid for big-race glory in Germany or France rather than take on the big guns domestically. Both fillies will test their Classic credentials next month with Hughes stating that he has built up his strongest team yet. Queen Of Zafeen and Star Music are owned by Jaber Abdullah and, while they hold entries in the Qipco 1,000 Guineas, the Weathercock House handler is exploring options outside of Newmarket. He said, “I'm probably going to run Queen Of Zafeen in the Nell Gwyn because she has no experience on grass and it has all happened a bit quick for her really. “She will have had a nice break from the Spring Cup to the Nell Gwyn and I'm thinking the German 1,000 Guineas rather than the English version, but we will let her do the talking first.” Star Music will also be in action that week with the Oh So Sharp S. third set for a run in the Dubai Duty Free S.–better known as the Fred Darling–at Newbury on April 20. “She will go for the Fred Darling and a theory I have, which might be wrong, is that Zoustars prefer a really flat track,” Hughes continued. “They are a bit like Exceed And Excels and just seem to act better when it is really flat. She was particularly impressive when she won at Kempton but I just feel Newmarket might not be her track, even though she ran a blinder in the Oh So Sharp. I might think of Longchamp for her if she runs well in her trial.” Hughes is also holding plenty of hope for Derby entrant Kamboo (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}), who is set for an early season appearance in the Bet365 Feilden S. at Newmarket, while the former champion jockey turned trainer feels he is entering the season with some real talent at his disposal. “Kamboo is one for the Feilden and is showing up well at home,” he added. “It's all a bit undecided at the moment but it's the first time I've had a handful of Group horses in my yard. “Normally we have one that is a hopeful, but this time I'm pretty confident I have four or five to go to war with, which is pretty good for a small enough string. “I'm a bit of a realist and Lizzie [Hughes's wife] says I'm negative at times. It's just this year I know I have nice horses to go to war with, so it's been a little bit different in the spring. “Now they are running so well it is a bonus–everything we seem to be running at the moment is winning or going close, so it's going really well. Meanwhile, Dominic Ffrench Davis says he is doing a rain dance ahead of a potential tilt at the 1,000 Guineas with the Amo Racing-owned Persian Dreamer (Calyx {GB}). “Persian Dreamer is not back in the yard yet, she's over with Robson Aguiar in Ireland but he tells me she's doing well so we're looking forward to her coming back,” the trainer said. “I hope this rain continues because to win a Group 1 with her would be the aim, but she needs to get her toe in.” The post Hughes Eyes Breakthrough Classic Success With His Queen And Star appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

1/ST Racing's $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 wager featuring Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park will be seeded with an additional $100,000 for Saturday, Mar. 30, highlighted by Gulfstream's GI Curlin Florida Derby. Additionally, the Coast-to-Coast Pick 5, which is offered every Saturday and Sunday with a 15% takeout has been extended through Santa Anita's closing day Sunday, June 16. The only exception is Apr. 13 and Apr. 14 when Santa Anita transitions to its Hollywood Meet. With the Coast to Coast's “no-consolation” provision, if there are no tickets with five correct winners then 100% of the net pool carries over to the next Coast-to-Coast Pick 5. The Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 will begin after the late Pick 4 and Pick 5 begin at Gulfstream Park. The complete sequence for Saturday's Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 will be announced Wednesday after entries are taken at Santa Anita. The post 1/ST Racing Adds $100K Bonus to Saturday’s Coast-To-Coast Pick 5 Pool appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tony Calo has been named the new track announcer at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming, Churchill Downs Incorporated announced Monday. The North California native, who replaces the departing Scott Shapiro, will continue to serve as the announcer at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming in addition to a handicapping analyst at Churchill Downs. Aside from his duties as an announcer, Calo will join Joe Kristufek, Kaitlin Free and, newly-promoted handicapping analyst, Kevin Kilroy on the Churchill Downs simulcast feed for the Spring, September and Fall Meets. “I'm honored to become the new announcer at Ellis Park,” Calo said. “Thank you to everyone at Churchill Downs Incorporated for this opportunity. Kentucky has become one of the strongest year-round circuits in North America and I'm thrilled to be a part of the great teams at Churchill Downs, Ellis Park and Turfway Park.” Calo previously served as the announcer at Bay Meadows, Golden Gate Fields and, most recently, Finger Lakes. Kilroy, who served as a member of the media relations department for the past two seasons at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, joins the handicapping team at Churchill Downs where he will be an analyst covering the racing at Churchill Downs, Colonial Downs, Ellis Park, Fair Grounds and Turfway Park. Calo and Kilroy will begin their new roles at the start of the Churchill Downs Spring Meet Apr. 27. The post Tony Calo Named New Track Announcer at Ellis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}), a multiple Group 2 winner in her native Australia, is likely to travel to Britain next month with a view to running in some of the top sprints in Europe. The five-year-old Asfoora is yet to win in Group 1 company on home soil, but she proved her wellbeing when finishing a close-up fourth in Saturday's G1 Galaxy H. at Rosehill for the second year in succession. That run teed her up perfectly for an overseas campaign according to trainer Henry Dwyer, who cited a lack of opportunities in Australia in the coming weeks as a key reason behind the decision to travel. Reflecting on Asfoora's run in the Galaxy, Dwyer told Racing.com, “She was great, [it was] just a bit frustrating to get beaten 0.8 lengths and run fourth but she ran as well as she could. I've got a few calls to make in the next couple of days to work out what's what, [but I'm] still keen for us to head over there. “At the end of the day, there are zero races for her here and there are six races for her over there, so we may as well go over. She's come through the run well, she's just travelled so well, which is great knowing what's ahead.” The post European Campaign on the Cards for Aussie Star Asfoora appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) has been ruled out of the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night having picked up a respiratory illness in transit. Trained by Mick Appleby, Annaf was last seen securing a lucrative payday for his connections when landing the $2-million G2 1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi Arabia, bursting clear in the closing stages to win by three quarters of a length. The five-year-old had another big pot in his sights in the shape of the $1.5-million Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on Saturday, March 30, but those plans have now had to be shelved as he prepares to return to his trainer's Oakham base. Appleby said, “He got taken ill on the flight over, but it is not life threatening or anything and he's hopefully going to be fine, it's just prevented him from running. It's a shame but it's a risk you take when they are flying a fair bit. He came home after Saudi and was heading back out so maybe it was just a bit too much for him. “He should be fine and the vets out in Dubai in the hospital are happy with him–he should be fine to come back home when the other one [Roberto Escobarr] does. We'll probably get him ready for Ascot now, that will probably be the main aim.” A run at Royal Ascot could also be on the cards for Annaf's stablemate, Big Evs (Ire), who won four of his six starts as a two-year-old in 2023, culminating with another high-profile international success for his stable when landing the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in November. “He's great and has wintered really well,” Appleby said of the son of Blue Point (Ire). “He's not far off being ready to run, we just need to decide where we are going to run. The obvious race would have been the Commonwealth Cup, but that is six furlongs and we don't really want to try him over six first time back, so we're not really sure where we will start back. The weather is not helping and it's raining again here now. “I think in the early season we will definitely be sticking to five furlongs. We're obviously going to have to try him at six at some point and the way he won at Goodwood on that heavy ground, you would say he would stay the six.” The post Annaf Misses Dubai Date Due to Travel Setback appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

He's such a fixture here, he's even on the sandwich menu. Here you go: the Copelan, grilled cheddar and onion on pumpernickel. True, that only makes Dr. Robert Copelan an institution within an institution. Lunch at Lil's Coffee House on Main Street is a ritual cherished by many other horse folk in the neighborhood of Paris, Kentucky. But it's certainly a joy, for all of them, to see the great veterinarian seated alongside veteran radio host Ercel Ellis Jr., at their usual table in the corner, exchanging wit and wisdom accumulated through an aggregate 189 years-the vast majority among horsemen and horses. And when I say horses, I mean horses. Copelan once held Citation on the end of a shank. Ellis, for his part, remembers being taken to see a stallion by his father, who had 20 years previously been the first to slip a halter over the same horse's ears as a foal. His name was Man o' War. It's a genuine privilege, then, to sample the pristine recollection and observation that unites the old friends, especially on a day when they're able to make up for TDN's intrusion with the company of a rather more welcome interloper in Arthur B. Hancock III-a mere stripling, barely into his 80s. (Ellis is 92, Copelan 97.) Man o' War, Citation, Sunday Silence. Where do we start? How can we ever finish? Somehow we must make do with an hour or so of chat and this inadequate record. Right now Ellis is talking about his maternal grandfather, a Civil War veteran who seems to have spent his entire waking life in the saddle. “He died the year I was born,” he says. “I don't believe he ever was in a car. One time he rode a horse up the steps of the Phoenix Hotel in downtown Lexington. He was up and down those courthouse steps all the time, as well. They'd ask him to lead the Labor Day parade down Main Street. My mother was standing there watching and she heard this lady behind her saying, 'Look at old Colonel Redd, leading the Labor Day parade. Never worked a day in his life!'” In 1929 Ellis's father was hired to manage Dixiana Farm by its new owner, Charles T. Fisher. “And he was there until he died in 1964,” Ellis says. “Wonderful place to grow up. Mata Hari was foaled in the same 'crop' as me, 1931. She was top of the Experimental Handicap over the colts. Ended up dam of Spy Song, good speed horse for Dixiana and a very good sire as well. “Mata Hari was out a Man o' War mare named War Woman. I'm pretty sure she was supposed to go to E.R. Bradley's to breed to one of those stud horses over there, but they just couldn't get her loaded. Next day, same thing. And they had this unraced horse named Peter Hastings turned out there. They said, 'We gotta breed this damned mare!' So they brought her round to him, and the only runner he ever sired was Mata Hari.” But it was on tales of Man o' War that Ellis was raised. Like the time a clocker sought out his groom at Saratoga. “What's the name of that big red colt?” “Man o' War.” “Who's he by?” “By himself, mostly.” Sunday Silence in Japan | Junji Fukuda Or the day he came to stand at Elizabeth Dangerfield's farm. “They'd turned him out the first time and, that horse, all he ever wanted to do was run,” Ellis says. “So he was flying, and she called the groom out and said: 'Tom, God's sake go catch that horse before he gets hurt.' And he said, 'Miss Elizabeth, if all those good horses in New York couldn't catch him, how d'you expect me to?'” “I'd trade anything to have been brought up at a place like Dixiana,” Copelan complains. “I was raised in the city. My father was managing editor of the Cincinnati Times-Star, which was owned by the Taft family. I always wanted a pony, but my parents would never get me one. So I had to wait until I was in Ohio State when I borrowed a fraternity brother's car, went out to Darby Dan and got a job with the broodmares.” Copelan always had the build to be a jockey and, back then, that was still his dream. “There was a mile racetrack on the farm,” he recalls. “We weren't allowed up there, but I couldn't get my mind off it while I was rubbing these broodmares. So one day I waited until after everybody left at 4 p.m. They had this spotted pony there and I put a saddle on him and rode down between these paddocks, where they had a yearling that was going to be sold at Keeneland. I remember one of them was out of Bloodroot [1946 Broodmare of the Year]. Well, these yearlings had never seen a spotted pony. And so one of them came running, jumped out onto the road in front of me, jumped into the other paddock, then with that other yearling raced down to the end, they both jumped that fence, and down into Big Darby Creek.” Copelan pauses. He's a masterly storyteller, unfurling the words with dry precision. “I wanted to be dead,” he resumes. “I'd done something that was illegal and dishonest, and didn't know but what those two colts were drowned. So I rode that pony up to Will Corman's house-he was the manager-and knocked the front door. And Mrs. Corman came to the door. 'It's suppertime!' 'Yes ma'am, I know, but I need to see Will.' 'You come back after supper!' And she started shutting the door. 'Mrs. Corman, please God, listen to me: I've done something and I need Will.' So Will came out. 'Well, what the **** you done now?' So we went down there and by now it's getting dark. It was eight or nine feet down into the Creek, but finally we saw their eyes in the flashlight. And we put shanks on them and didn't they just hop up that bank. We hosed them off, and Will said, 'These two S.O.B.s can't be worth a quarter. There's not a goddamned scratch on either of them!' And sure as the world, neither one broke their maiden.” Next morning Copelan was on the carpet before the hardboot legend, Olin Gentry. “And he was very calm,” Copelan says, still exuding relief and gratitude 75 years later. “He said, 'You did a damned foolish thing yesterday. I hope you learned a lesson. I know you wanted to be a jockey. I remember when I did.' And no matter what anybody ever said about Mr. Gentry, after that they couldn't say it in front of me.” During veterinary college Copelan spent a couple of summers as an exercise rider at Calumet. For one of them, Citation was on the farm for running repairs. Once having held a medical tray for that horse, not even a patient like Secretariat was going to find Copelan overawed. As for Ellis, he served with the navy in Korea before joining Dixiana's trainer Jack Hodgins at the Fair Grounds. That was where he first became aware of Copelan, who had just started in practice there. “We knew that we both came from this area,” Copelan says. “I saw him every day, and he saw me every day. But we never spoke to one another.” “He had time to run around with girls,” Ellis retorts teasingly. “When you worked for Jack Hodgins, all you ever wanted was to grab an hour of sleep. He had a lot of old time racetrackers working for him, and after payday I never knew how many stalls, I'd have to clean next morning. When we shipped back up to Kentucky or Chicago, first you had to load the horses and then you had to load the drunks. But though he was a tough old so-and-so, he kept them on.” The first time their paths crossed unavoidably, Copelan was sent to inspect a couple of 2-year-olds Ellis was trying to sell. “He turned them both down,” Ellis says. “I thought to myself: what a ****. But he was right. Neither one of them was worth a ham sandwich.” Deciding that the racetrack was no place for a newlywed, Ellis switched to press and advertising. In 1958 he started filling in for the regular host of a 15-minute radio broadcast, “Post Time,” long the principal national hub for the latest results. Eventually he took over–and he's been “too stupid to stop” ever since, since 1998 entertaining devotees with two hours of “Horse Tales” every Saturday morning. In fact, neither of these gentlemen have made much concession to age, albeit Ellis has conceded that he can no longer tend the couple of retired claimers he used to train. Instead he visits them every Sunday at Old Friends, where they rub shoulders with household names. Yet Copelan yields nothing to his friend in terms of professional longevity. Five years the senior of the pair, he only ended a 65-year career in 2018, at 91-a career so pioneering that you routinely hear him invoked as an inspiration by outstanding practitioners of the next generation. But does Copelan want to tell us about the innovations he authored, or the champions he repaired? Nope: once again, he's instead telling a story against himself. “Lester Joffrion trained a horse for a wealthy man from Chicago, and thought he was off behind,” Copelan recalls. “So I went to Arlington and they brought him up with a rider on. I said, 'Okay, jog him up there 100 yards, and then turn around and jog him back.' 'Oh man,' he said, 'you can't do that with this horse.' 'What d'you mean?' 'Jog him up there, he'd run off with you.' And I said, 'Let's get this straight, you mean to tell me you can't jog this S.O.B. 100 yards?' 'That's right.' 'Get down off that goddamned horse.'” Copelan went back to the car for the boots he'd used to pay his way through college, exercising horses at Beulah Park. “And I had a white coverall, remember when veterinarians used to wear those? So up I get onto that horse, with Lester on the pony next to me. So we jogged the 100 yards, turned round, jogged back. And just for the hell of it I jogged him another 100. So now we're on the racetrack and I said, 'Let's just jog him off here as well.' And Lester said, 'Doc, you know what you're doing?' 'Of course I do.' 'Because, listen to me, this S.O.B. is tougher than hell.' 'Well, we'll see. Turn him loose.'” Copelan pauses. We know what's coming. Sure enough, the horse takes off. Copelan recalls yelling back, asking how far this horse was ready to go? “And I just heard this voice fading away: 'To the Rocky Mountaaaiins…” You really need to hear those unhurried, wry tones for the full, hilarious effect. “I hadn't been on a horse for a number of years,” Copelan continues. “And soon my ace leg, the shorter of the two stirrups, went paralyzed: I had no feeling in it. So I was putting my weight on the outside, and this horse was running his butt off. I really was afraid for my life. And I thought to myself: 'You wanted to show them? Now look at you, you're going to kill yourself.' “I didn't even know whether I'd gone by the wire and was going round again. But suddenly I saw this crowd at the gate, where the gallopers were coming on, so I just eased him to the outside, woah, and he pulled right up. And Lester galloped over and said, 'You can't breathe can you, you dumb so-and-so?'” He shook his head, panting. And we, too, find ourselves wordless-only with mirth-after the pay-off. “And you know the second last page of the Racing Form, where they published the workouts, and the horse that worked the fastest was in black letters? Well, I got black letters for my half-mile.” But that episode had a happy sequel. It turned out that the horse's groom Sonny Henderson was originally from Lexington and, later, when he'd had enough shipping up and down between Chicago and New Orleans, he applied for a job at the surgery. “And he worked with us for maybe 35 years,” Copelan says. “He meant a great deal to me: a wonderful man, knew his job so well. He and I were about the same size, and he's buried in one of my suits.” The presence at the table of his old friend's son now prompts Copelan to share a couple of memories of Bull Hancock. Like the time at Hialeah when Bull asked him to X-ray a horse's knee. Copelan developed the picture and was coming back through the gate when Bull spotted him. “And he came toward me at what I considered a higher speed than normal,” Copelan recalls. “As you know, he was an imposing figure. And he had that hat on, that the sweat had leaked through. 'Well, what did the X-ray show?' 'Bull, he's got a slab fracture.' And he took off that hat, threw it on the ground and stomped on it. 'Hell, I promise you one thing, I'm not going to operate on that S.O.B., I'll tell you that!' And he turned around and started back over toward the barn. And I was glad he was going that way. And then turned round and said, 'What day you want him up there?'” Arthur Hancock at Stone Farm | EquiSport Drone was another that had the same injury. Copelan remembers arriving at the Thoroughbred Club dinner straight after getting the results. When told, the big man was again distraught. “Goddamit!” he bellowed. “Right, I'm going to stand him, $25,000 a share! Are you in?” “And I said yes!” says Copelan with a chuckle. “I didn't have anything like that money. But John Thornbury [his partner in Sunnyside Farm] and I bought a share, and he was certainly a good investment.” “Daddy said he was best horse he ever had,” Hancock observes. “He could outrun Dike by 10 lengths, and Dike was third to Majestic Prince and Arts And Letters in the Derby. It broke Daddy's heart when he had that fracture. I remember him saying at supper, 'Lord's got his finger pointed at me, I'm never going to win the goddamned Derby. Best horse I ever had, and this happens.'” As a celebrated raconteur himself, Hancock is soon on a roll. He's telling us how Forli came to Claiborne after being confined to his stall for some time, recuperating from injury. This was before tranquillizers were available, so his father suggested they walk the horse three or four hours before turning him out. Hancock mimics the reply made by the farm veterinarian, Colonel Sager, in his upstate New York accents: “Oh, Mr. Bull, he's like a hospital patient that's been in bed two months. He's not going to have any energy.” “So Daddy said okay, and we took him out in the field,” Hancock recalls. “We lined the paddock, I was there in one of corners. Well, Forli took off, jumped a double fence, cleared the first, hit the second, flipped over. I jumped across into the other paddock and caught him. All he'd done was skin a stifle. And Daddy just said, 'Goddam, Colonel!'” Another time Sager decided that he would solve a curious quirk in Nasrullah, who never wanted to be observed eating. “As soon as you walked up to his stall, he'd just stop,” Hancock says. “Wouldn't eat, wouldn't chew, he'd just stand there like a statue. So the Colonel said, 'I'm going to break the old gentleman of that habit.' And he pulled a chair up right in front of the stall. Eventually he came back and said, 'I sat there for three hours and in all that time the old gentleman didn't move once. So I decided to let him enjoy his meal and left.'” All too soon, it's time to go. The talk has been regularly interrupted by friends and admirers, several women planting a kiss on Copelan's pate. These are all remarkable men, of a vigor and sparkle that amply entitles them to outstay even Fred W. Hooper, who lived to 103. It was Hooper who sent Susan's Girl to Copelan after she broke down in California. He patched her up so well that she was able to return and win a championship at six, adding to those already won at three and four. Hooper expressed his gratitude by naming her son by Tri Jet for the man who had salvaged her. Copelan, the horse, won three Grade Is as a 2-year-old. In terms of caliber, however, even that puts him behind his human namesake. At the end of lunch Copelan gives a flawless recital of High Flight, the extraordinary poem written by the Spitfire pilot John Gillespie Magee Jr., who was just 19 when killed in a mid-air collision in 1941: Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of… What amazing things we humans are capable of, at 19 or 97! It is the “surly bonds” of time itself that these gentlemen appear to have slipped. And if a younger person will always leave their company feeling younger still, that has absolutely nothing to do with a mere contrast in years. It's because these men remind us, whatever our age, to live to the full each new day that we're granted. The post Lunching With Legends at Lil’s appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. 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The ban on direct equine exports to the European Union (EU) from South Africa has been lifted, South African Equine Health and Protocols (SAEHP) announced on Monday. It is 13 years since South Africa was last able to export registered equines directly to the EU. SAEHP was formed in 2018 and has been working with the South African Government for the past six years to achieve this export milestone, with the timing of the first official EU audit, scheduled for 2020, having to be delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, after the audit was rescheduled and carried out in 2022, the South African Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) has now received official notification that the reinstatement of direct EU equine exports has been approved, following a meeting of the EU Commission Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed – Controls and Import Conditions Section. Dr Mpho Maja, director of animal health at DALRRD, said, “I am very pleased with the outcome; this shows that when we work together, we can achieve what is thought to be impossible. I send my gratitude to the equine industry and provincial veterinary services for the support provided in ensuring compliance to the requirements. I look forward to our horses flying the flag internationally and making us all proud.” David Abery, chairman of SAEHP, added, “This is very exciting news, and thank you to everyone involved in making it happen. It is anticipated that this opening up of direct EU exports will, over time, give a significant boost to not just the South African thoroughbred racing and breeding industry, but also to the other equine disciplines, all of which have been somewhat internationally isolated for many years. “It is vital that what has now been achieved is maintained, and we look forward to working with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the functions of SAEHP are well funded and developed as required, so that we can support industry in maximising the value which flows from an efficient and strong horse export system.” The post Direct Equine Exports from South Africa to the EU Approved After Lengthy Ban appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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Stakes assignments are in the offing for promising three-year-old Paragon following his convincing win in the Life Flight Save Time Saves Lives (1300m) at Tauherenikau on Sunday. Bred by Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay, the couple race the son of Embellish with Alan and Kerry Harper, who have enjoyed early success with the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained youngster in just a handful of starts. He had particularly shown promise as a two-year-old when finishing runner-up in both of his juvenile starts, including the Listed Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe last May. He was spelled following a disappointing two-start spring preparation, and his connections were pleased to see him bounce back first-up on Sunday. Paragon was fair away and was sent forward to take up the pace-making role by jockey Jonathan Riddell. The pair didn’t relinquish their advantage and Paragon ran out a two-length victor over Tivaci’s Affair, with Rosalita a further short neck back in third. “He has shown plenty of promise, so it is good to get a maiden win out of the way,” Cambridge Stud’s head of sales and nominations Scott Calder said. “It was a really nice win, and it was nice to see him do it so convincingly. “He was a stakes performer as a two-year-old, so he has always shown plenty, particularly considering he is a mid-November foal. “The way he is bred, and being by Embellish, we always hoped he was going to get better at three, so it was nice to see him get a win on the board. “We are getting later in the season, but I am sure Rob and Roger will hatch a plan, he is a horse we think can go on with it from here.” Paragon descends from Cambridge Stud royalty, with his second-dam being Group One winner Tristalove, who has produced Group One winner Viking Ruler and Group One performers Lovetrista, Kempinksy, and Diamond Like. Paragon’s dam Love Diamonds has also been a successful producer, leaving the likes of Group Two winner and New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of her Year Queen Of Diamonds, and Group Three performer Lovetessa. View the full article