Wandering Eyes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.–Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher promised that he would enter three of his horses for Saturday's $1 million NYRA Bets GI Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. And that he did on Wednesday as a pair of 'TDN Rising Stars' in Fierceness (City of Light) and Mindframe (Constitution), plus Tuscan Sky (Vino Rosso) were three of the eight 3-year-olds signed on to run in the signature race at the Monmouth. It remains to be seen how many of them actually take the trip from the Spa City to the Jersey Shore at the end of the week. “I don't know that yet,” Pletcher said outside of his barn on the Oklahoma Training Track Wednesday morning. When asked what will go into a final decision, he said, “I think, everything. I want to see how they draw, see how they train the next couple of days.” Fierceness drew post position five and is the 5-2 co-second choice along with GI Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch (Good Magic), who drew the rail. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who has ridden Fierceness in his last four starts, is named to ride in the Haskell. Velazquez is also named to ride in eight of the 12 races on the Saturday card at Saratoga. Mindframe, second in the Belmont, is the 9-5 morning-line Haskell favorite. Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride. Mindframe is owned by Mike Repole's Repole Stable and Vinnie and Teresa Viola's St. Elias Stables LLC. Repole also owns Fierceness. “I will get together with the owners and make sure everyone is on board with the same plan,” Pletcher said. “All three are being prepared as if they are going to run. Obviously, Mike is going to play a big role.” Fierceness is already a Grade I winner; Mindframe is not. If one of the Pletcher horses does not run in the Haskell, he could be in the GII Jim Dandy a week from Saturday at Saratoga. Spendthrift Farm LLC's Tuscan Sky, who is 9-2 on the morning line, will be ridden by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano from post position three. He earned an automatic bid into the Haskell after he won the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth last month. Tiz The Law's Babies Giving Sackatoga's Knowlton Reason To Hope Again Four years ago, Tiz the Law (Constitution) put Jack Knowlton's Sackatoga Stable back on the thoroughbred racing map when he won the GI Belmont Stakes and the GI Travers Stakes. Knowlton is hopeful it can happen again with the next generation of Tiz the Laws. There are two little Tizzes running around trainer Barclay Tagg's barn and they are owned by Sackatoga. Tiz Dashing and Spirit of the Law continued their journeys to the races Wednesday morning when they worked five furlongs in company in 1:01.01 (3/8). Tiz Dashing, a Kentucky-bred, was ridden by exercise rider Amanda Auwarter; jockey Junior Alvarado was on the New York-bred Spirit of the Law. They are part of the first crop from Tiz the Law, who stands at Coolmore. “It's exciting, it's fun,” Tagg said at his barn on the backstretch after the works. “You never quite know where a champion is going to come from. I've been around long enough to know that predictions don't mean a whole lot.” Knowlton, who also campaigned Funny Cide to victories in the 2003 GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness Stakes, mainly deals with New York-breds. Tiz Dashing is the second Kentucky bred he has owned in 20 years. Sackatoga paid $215,000 for Tiz Dashingt at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale; Spirit of the Law went for $60,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Preferred New York Bred Yearling Sale. Wednesday's works were the seventh for each horse; they have breezed together every time. “So far, so good,” Knowlton said after watching the works from the clubhouse near the finish line. “If we can get stakes horses at the New York-bred or open level for Sackatoga it would be a big deal. What we have seen so far gives us reason to believe it could happen.” The two colts are scheduled to work five furlongs from the starting gate next week. After that, they could be racing in early August. Horses Didn't Seem To Mind Storms That Blew Through Spa Tuesday Night Huge limbs were ripped off trees throughout the backstretch after powerful thunderstorms passed through the area Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning, it was time for cleanup as crews cleared up the mess and put power lines back where they belonged. Outside trainer Mark Hennig's barn on the backstretch, there was evidence of the power of nature. One tree had a large branch hanging off it; another looked as though it may have been hit by lightning. His horses, though, didn't seem bothered at all. “They handled it pretty well,” Hennig said. “Lightning and thunder will get the horses going more so than wind. They sense everything. You can tell by their behavior when it's ready to rain.” Hennig said he and his wife Rosemary were driving back from Belmont Park Tuesday. After dropping her off, he went to the grocery store when the storm hit. “When we get off Exit 12 (off the Adirondack Northway), my phone went off saying there was a tornado warning,” Hennig said. “I went to the grocery store, and I started thinking, 'this is not the best place to be in a tornado.' If the glass starts flying around and the canned goods start flying around, I would have been in a world of trouble.” The post Saratoga Notebook, Presented By NYRA Bets: Pletcher Enters Three In Haskell, Decision Still To Come As To How Many Go appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Voted on by the fans, the first-ever Down Broadway Retired Racehorse of the Year Award will be presented on New York Thoroughbred Aftercare Day at Saratoga Race Course on Thursday, August 15, the New York Horsemen's Association said in a Wednesday release. Casting a ballot will be open to the public from July 17 through Aug. 8. Wristbands for each nominee will be given away on Aftercare Day so that fans can show their support, and the presentation of the award will be made in the Saratoga winner's circle after the first race. The seven nominees are: Fortunate Storm–Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Kid Blast–Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga My Boy Tate–ReRun, Inc. Nucks–Second Chance Thoroughbreds Ring of Fire–Lucky Orphans Traffic Chief–ACTT Naturally Zuzudini–New Vocations Click here to vote for your favorite nominee. The post Voting Open For Inaugural Retired New York Racehorse Of The Year Award appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

3rd-Saratoga, $90,000, (S), Msw, 7-17, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:05.08, ft, 10 3/4 lengths. BELLACOSE (f, 2, Audible–Little Bullet, by Uncle Mo) continued a very positive start to the current meet for this barn, which was represented by GIII Sanford Stakes winner Mo Plex (Complexity) last Saturday. The 32-5 betting alternative to odds-on Vehemente (Vekoma), Bellacose won the break beneath Manny Franco and galloped his seven fellow firsters through an opening quarter in :22.20. With Vehemente improving one spot to try to take the race to the pacesetter nearing the stretch, Bellacose had plenty to give when popped the question and he rolled through the final furlong to score by an eye-catching 10 3/4 lengths. The winner's dam is a daughter of Bahnah (Elusive Quality), who took out the 2013 GIII Schuylerville Stakes at this venue, and was acquired by Beals Racing Stable for $11,000 at Fasig-Tipton February in 2020. Now the dam of of two winners from as many to race, Little Bullet also produced a yearling filly by Tacitus and a filly foal by Greatest Honour from the same sire line. Sales history: $33,000 Wlg '22 FTNMIX; $82,000 Ylg '23 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Christopher T Dunn, Blue Tarp Racing, Chris Mara, Greyhound Stables, Nicholas & Arthur Sgroi, Jonathan M Sacks & Corrin Genovese; B-Beals Racing Stable LLC & Saratoga Glen Farm LLC (NY); T-Jeremiah C Englehart. Race 3 goes to NY-Bred BELLACOSE, and it wasn't close! She wins impressively aboard @jockeyfranco for trainer Jeremiah Englehart. #Saratoga pic.twitter.com/95hAms2cqP — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) July 17, 2024 The post Audible Filly Bellacose A Smart Debut Winner at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Carlos Morales of Agentes 305, whose horse racing videos have garnered more than six million views over three social media platforms, was named the recipient of the 2024 Bill Handleman Award for outstanding coverage of last year's TVG.com Haskell Stakes, Monmouth Park said in a Wednesday release. Morales, who started Agentes 305 in 2019 to highlight horse racing through video interviews with owners, trainers, jockeys and backstretch workers, produces videos in both Spanish and English on YouTube, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. “I started this with the idea of highlighting horse racing and all of the good things about it,” said Morales. “But it's also to showcase and recognize everyone in the business for their contributions to horse racing.” The post Morales Of Agentes 305 Named ’24 Recipient of Monmouth’s Handleman Award appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Joe Taylor, a longtime fixture at Parx and the leading trainer there in 2019, has received an eight-year suspension handed down by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), after he had two horses test positive for banned substances. The story was first reported by Matt Hegarty of the Daily Racing Form. Taylor received a pair of four-year suspensions, one for each horse. According to postings on the HIWU website, the Taylor-trained Classy American (Uncle Lino) tested positive for Methylphenidate and Clenbuterol following a June 20 race at Parx. The same drugs were found in the Taylor-trained Cajun Cousin (Cajun Breeze) in a June 18 race. He was also fined $50,000 for each offense. Methylphenidate is better known as Ritalin, a stimulant many Americans use to combat attention deficit disorder. Clenbuterol is a bronchial dilator that is believed to act like steroids in that they can build muscle mass in horses. The suspensions were issued by a HIWU arbitrator after Taylor filed an appeal. According to the DRF, both horses were disqualified for 14 months, beginning in June 2023. After each had one more race in Pennsylvania, then they were shipped to West Virginia, which is not under HISA/HIWU control. Both horses made five starts in West Virginia after testing positive, but neither has run in the past six months. Cajun Cousin ran at Charles Town for trainer Michael E. Jones. Also racing over that same surface, Classy American ran for trainer Crystal Pickett. Taylor has 327 winners for his career and a 16 percent win rate. In 2019, he was an easy winner of the Parx training title sending out 103 winners, which was 34 more than runner-up Scott Lake. The post Parx Trainer Joe Taylor Hit With Eight-Year Suspension appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The post position draw for the $1 million NYRA Bets GI Haskell Stakes to be held this Saturday July 20 at Monmouth Park is complete and GI Belmont Stakes champ Dornoch (Good Magic) has drawn the rail. The colt trained by Danny Gargan will potentially face a trio of runners from the barn of Todd Pletcher. The Hall of Famer–who could redirect champion Fierceness (City of Light) to the GII Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga–also has slated for Oceanport's biggest race Tuscan Sky (Vino Rosso) and Mindframe (Constitution) who was made the 9-5 morning-line favorite. The draw is as follows: #1 – Dornoch – Luis Saez (5-2) #2 – Jasper's Pride (Il Postino) – Jomar Torres (30-1) #3 – Tuscan Sky – Javier Castellano (9-2) #4 – Timberlake (Into Mischief) – Flavien Prat (8-1) #5 – Fierceness – John Velázquez (5-2) #6 – Just Step On It (Accelerate) – Florent Geroux (30-1) #7 – Mindframe – Irad Ortiz Jr (9-5) #8 – Sea Streak (Sea Wizard) – Jairo Rendon (20-1) The post Haskell Stakes Draw Complete As Dornoch Draws Rail, Faces Potentially Three Pletcher Trainees appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

International fan favorite Kabirkhan's journey to the American starting gate has hit a bump in the road, trainer Brad Cox reported July 17.View the full article

There's no doubt Thorpedo Anna is the America's best 3-year-old filly. She might also be the best 3-year-old regardless of sex. That question could be answered later in the year.View the full article

6th-SAR, $100k, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, post time: 4:02 p.m. ET GOOD CONDUCT (Without Parole {GB}), the sire of five individual winners to date, becomes the first American runner for his Newsells Park Stud-based freshman sire (by Frankel {GB}), who carried the silks of Glennwood Farm's John and Tanya Gunther to victory in the 2019 G1 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. He also finished a third in a trio of Grade I events in this country while under the care of Chad Brown, including the Breeders' Cup Mile in 2019. Eurowest Bloodstock Services acquired second dam Devil By Design (Medaglia d'Oro) for $160,000 at the 2006 Keeneland November Sale and campaigned her to a marquee success in GIII Chicago Handicap at Arlington. Good Conduct is the first produce from Church On Time (Honor Code), a half-sister to 2018 GI American Oaks winner Competitionofideas (Speightstown), whose yearling colt by Epiphaneia (Jpn) sold for $2.05 at the recently concluded JRHA Select Sale. TJCIS PPs The post Thursday Insights: Freshman Sire Without Parole Represented By First U.S. Runner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aidan O'Brien trainee Lambourn (Ire) (Australia {GB}–Gossamer Wings, by Scat Daddy) made a winning debut in Wednesday evening's Irish EBF Median Sires Series Race at Killarney and was the main beneficiary as winner elect Green Triangle (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) crashed through the rail when looking nailed on for victory. Lambourn raced off the pace in eighth after a sluggish getaway in this debut. Bustled along before halfway, the 6-1 chance made relentless headway to go fifth entering the final furlong and, with the clear leader Green Triangle grasping defeat from the jaws of victory in the dying strides, kept on relentlessly to prevail by 3/4-of-a-length from J'Adore Chris (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}). Dramatic doesn't do it justice! Backers of Green Triangle would have been counting their winnings – until this happened! Remarkable scenes. Thankfully, both horse and rider appear to be okay. @KillarneyRaces pic.twitter.com/MbgAONnuwW — Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 17, 2024 The post High Drama at Killarney as Australia’s Lambourn Secures Debut Success appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

International fan-favorite Kabirkhan's journey to the American starting gate has hit a bump in the road, trainer Brad Cox reported July 17.View the full article

Kentucky HBPA College Day Presented by Ellis Park returns to the Tri-State racetrack on Sunday, July 28, with 27 full-time students winning a prize.View the full article

The Coolmore partners' City Of Troy (Justify) will likely face a truly international field in the £1.2-million G1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Aug. 21. Durezza (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), a Japanese Classic winner, will travel to the Knavesmire to tangle with the Ballydoyle G1 Derby hero next month, York's CEO William Derby confirmed on Wednesday. “We're obviously delighted to hear the news from Ballydoyle that City Of Troy is likely to run in the Juddmonte International–obviously there's a long way to go with horses, but to have Europe's highest-rated three-year-old being aimed at our flagship race is great,” said Derby. “We all saw what he did in the Betfred Derby, he obviously wasn't on a going day in the Guineas, but he won the Eclipse like Sea The Stars did ahead of coming to the Knavesmire and it will be fascinating to see how he performs if he comes.” Racing in the colours of Carrot Farm, the 4-year-old Durezza won the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) last October. He will be ridden by French ex-pat Christophe Lemaire in the 10-furlong showpiece. Derby added, “It has also been confirmed this morning that Durezza, who won the Japanese St Leger last year, is heading our way with Christophe Lemaire due to ride him, so to have the best two jockeys in the world in Christophe and Ryan Moore taking each other on is something very exciting for us and all race fans. It's our flagship race, the best we stage and the richest so we're delighted City Of Troy and Durezza have it on their radar.” The last Japanese top-flight winner to contest the Juddmonte International was in 2005, when subsequent Group 1 sire Zenno Rob Roy (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) was edged out by Electrocutionist (Red Ransom) with the margin only a neck. The post Japanese Classic Winner Durezza Likely To Clash With City Of Troy In Juddmonte International appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association has unveiled an enhanced online registry search to allow owners to easily confirm a Thoroughbred's current FTBOA Florida-bred registration status, Florida Sire Stakes eligibility and to verify registered Florida Stallions. The online Registry Search, FTBOA.com/registrysearch, allows users to search and sort foaled-in-Florida Thoroughbreds by name, dam name, sire name or by foal crop. FTBOA icons indicate fully registered FTBOA Florida-breds. The Florida Sire Stakes icon confirms that a Thoroughbred has been fully paid into and is eligible to participate in the lucrative Florida Sire Stakes program. Simplified Yes/No indicators track yearling and/or 2-year-old payments progress to ease verifications as juvenile horses change ownership. “This all-new registry search is, quite simply, best-in-class at what it offers. We've combined three major registry functions into a one-stop shop aimed at eliminating eligibility confusions between the FSS and Florida-bred incentive programs.” FTBOA's Vice President of Operations Steve Koch said. “FTBOA's ongoing technology investments put us ahead of other regional breed associations for stakeholders' ease of use and understandability.” The post FTBOA Unveils New Online Search Registry 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. Thursday's Observations features a daughter of Group 1 winner Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 18.20 Leopardstown, Mdn, €18,000, 2yo, f, 8fT Coolmore homebred ECSTATIC (JPN) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) is one of two nominees for Aidan O'Brien and the first foal produced by G1 Mackinnon Stakes heroine Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who also placed nine times at the highest level. Her seven rivals include Juddmonte debutante Swelter (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who is out of G3 Nell Gwyn Stakes victrix and G1 Nassau Stakes third Hot Snap (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), from the Dermot Weld stable. The post Daughter Of Magic Wand Set For Leopardstown Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is in the midst of yet another busy Saratoga season, but this weekend he will have a quick hiatus from the Spa as he pops over to Monmouth Park to saddle several leading contenders in the GI Haskell Stakes. To discuss Fierceness (City of Light), Mindframe (Constitution) and Tuscan Sky (Vino Rosso)–and talk about whether or not we will see all three colts in New Jersey or if any will wait until the GII Jim Dandy Stakes–Pletcher joined this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast, presented by Keeneland. Running fellow Repole Stable-owned colts Mindframe and Fierceness in the same race is not the ideal scenario, but Pletcher is all too familiar with how situations can change in the blink of an eye with these athletes. Just last weekend, Fierceness's full-brother Mentee was scratched from the GIII Sanford Stakes due to a temperature. Pletcher, who was this week's Green Group Guest of the Week on the show, said they have been preparing all three colts as if they are running in the Haskell and will monitor how each horse is training leading up to the race on Saturday before making a final decision. “The tricky thing about it is, in this particular situation the Haskell is a Grade I and the Jim Dandy is a Grade II,” Pletcher said. “Fierceness has already established his stallion value. He's a champion 2-year-old. He's won the GI Florida Derby and he's a multiple Grade I winner. Mindframe, on the other hand, is on the verge of becoming a major stallion prospect and to some degree is a solid prospect already, but a Grade I win for him is a big payday in terms of his stallion value.” Asked if he ultimately decides not to run Mindframe against Fierceness, would the logical scenario would be to run Fierceness in the Jim Dandy, Pletcher said that would probably be the backup plan. The Maryland-bred Mindframe is the least seasoned among the trio, with only three starts under his belt including his runner-up performance in the GI Belmont where he showed his inexperience by drifting out in the stretch. “The one thing that we were concerned about going into the Belmont was, did he have enough seasoning to be ready to run in the Belmont against horses who had more experience,” said Pletcher. “I think our concern turned out to be what ultimately cost him the race. By the same token, you have to be elated with the way he ran in only his third start. To do that was very impressive and at the same time very frustrating to think that maybe we let one get away. He's a very talented horse. He's trained very well since then. I think he has the right to improve again with that race under his belt. He's a May 13 foal so you would think time is on his side. The more experience he gets and the older he gets, hopefully the better he gets.” The team of Randy Moss and Zoe Cadman also chatted with Pletcher about what life is like during the busy Saratoga season. Pletcher mentioned a few of the other current stable stars in his barn and even handed out a few unraced 2-year-old tips. “Saratoga is a different animal than anywhere else we go,” said Pletcher. “It can be relatively quiet on a dark day where you can kind of not have a bunch of people hanging around, but there's nothing quite like sale week. You would think if you're an outsider that Travers week is really a crazy week in Saratoga, but it's really the week surrounding the yearling sale that is by far the most attended and everybody wants to be out in the morning, see their horses train and know what time they're going out. So it can be challenging at times to try to stay focused on what you're doing training your horses, but it's great to have that kind of enthusiasm and people out here.” Elsewhere on the podcast, GIII Quick Call S. winner Star of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) was the Fastest Horse of the Week, which is presented by the stallions at WinStar Farm. The show is also sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, XBTV.com and the KTOB. Further discussion during this week's show included a roundup of last weekend's racing, with talk of Chad Brown's domination in the GI Diana Stakes, plus a preview of this weekend's racing from Monmouth to Del Mar and Saratoga. Click here to watch the show. Click here for the audio version. The post Todd Pletcher Joins the TDN Writers’ Room appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. To follow are the horses entered for Thursday at Saratoga: Thursday, July 18, 2024 Saratoga 6, $100k, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 4:02 p.m. ET Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze Annie Goodbody (War Front)-AE, OBSMAR, 30,000, Gallop C-Ocala Stud, agent for Lothenbach Stables Dispersal;B-Flatbird Stable Flirting With Time (Yorkton), OBSAPR, 80,000, :10 C-Julie Davies LLC, agent; B-West Bloodstock The post Summer Breezes: July 18, 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

If Juddmonte keeps going like this, I might as well just copy and paste tributes already paid this summer to family trees it has cultivated through the past four decades. Before reprising that process, then, let's start with something of a detour. Daylami (Ire) was one of the most accomplished runners ever produced by another storied breed-to-race program. A Classic winner over a mile, in maturity he won the premier all-aged turf races in Britain (by five lengths), Ireland (by nine) and America. At stud, he was supported by both the Aga Khan, who had bred and initially raced him, and Sheikh Mohammed, who recruited him for Godolphin and then stood him in partnership with Gilltown. Meanwhile the potency of his genes was corroborated by the Darshaan(GB) half-brother delivered by his dam Daltawa (Ire) a few weeks after Daylami's retirement: G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Dalakhani (Ire). Daltawa, moreover, joined Urban Sea in suggesting their sire Miswaki to be the greatest distaff influence of all. So Daylami just couldn't miss, right? Well, after six years he was moved on to South Africa before resurfacing in Ireland to cover jumping mares at €3,000. He did produce one standout, G1 Irish Derby winner Grey Swallow (Ire), from his very first crop. But a yawning gap follows to a pair that respectively achieved their best ratings in Turkey and Italy. Though one of his daughters gave us Australian star Pierro (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}), overall there's no denying that Daylami, at stud, fell dismally short of the standards he had set on the track. Yet in 2004, Daylami was chosen as the first partner for one of Juddmonte's most precious broodmare prospects. Tantina (Distant View) had won her first four starts in such destructive style, notably a 17-runner listed race, that she started odds-on for her group debut. Unfortunately she finished lame and was not seen again. Worse still, she was tragically lost to foaling complications when only 10. Even so, Tantina managed to produce two sons, Bated Breath (GB) and Cityscape (GB), who have effectively recycled their class and toughness at stud, and in the meantime, her daughter by Daylami, Scuffle (GB), was listed-placed before also proving a very effective conduit for these genes. Scuffle's son Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) won the G1 St Leger; her daughter Suffused (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) won three graded stakes and was denied the GI E.P. Taylor Stakes by a nose; while back in April her son Okeechobee (GB) (Time Test {GB}) won a group race at Sandown (subsequently sidelined). Then there was a daughter by Oasis Dream (GB), Sleep Walk (GB), who won three of five starts, albeit at a fairly modest level. As a sprinter, Sleep Walk's 2018 mating with the rookie Caravaggio was clearly intended to double down on speed. It hasn't quite worked out like that, but nor could it have worked out much better. Caravaggio's precocity and dash, as a Royal Ascot winner at two and three, guaranteed commercial demand when launched at Coolmore in Ireland. But the farm's roster was increasingly congested with alternatives from the Scat Daddy line, and Caravaggio switched to Ashford even before his first juveniles reached the track. And then, after two seasons in the Bluegrass, he was off again–this time to Japan. Having also had an early stint in Australia, Caravaggio has an extremely wide footprint for a stallion no more than 10 years old. By the same token, it's been hard for him to develop a coherent profile. But the Japanese tend to know when we might be missing a trick, and last week Caravaggio duly reached a new peak with elite winners on consecutive days. First Porta Fortuna (Ire) followed up her Royal Ascot success in the G1 Falmouth Stakes and then Whitebeam (GB), the result of Sleep Walk's inclusion in Caravaggio's debut book, retained the GI Diana Stakes. Like her first three dams (one juvenile start between them) and also like her dam's half-brother Logician, Whitebeam only emerged as a 3-year-old in Britain, but quickly reached stakes level before joining Chad Brown. That has proved a smart call by the current Juddmonte team, but yet again we must honor the program's founders. Already this year, besides others working for other families, the flourishing siblings Scylla and Batten Down (both by Tapit) have caused us to celebrate the purchase of Best In Show's daughter Monroe (Sir Ivor) from Robert Sangster, during the first phase of Juddmonte. Monroe's 17 starters and 14 winners overall, including champion juvenile Xaar (GB) (Zafonic) and her 1996 daughter Silver Star (GB), by the same sire, is the third dam of Scylla and Batten Down (not forgetting their older brother Tacitus). The line from Whitebeam to Monroe is more attenuated. Didicoy (Danzig), one of the first Juddmonte foals delivered by Monroe in 1986, is her fifth dam. Didicoy's best runner and producer was GII Dahlia Handicap winner Didina (GB) (Nashwan), dam of Tantina. And, as we've seen, it is Tantina who has really held this branch of the Monroe dynasty together. In the process, she has shown how these breed-to-race programs–by persevering past shallow commercial gloss–can sometimes draw out the genes that powered even champions, like Daylami, who otherwise largely fail to replicate that prowess at stud. Words Matched by Deeds With horses, of course, there is seldom a right way and a wrong way–only the way that works for you. So the above must be set in due context. Very few have the resources, never mind the time, demanded by a breed-to-race program. At the other end of the spectrum, we have the Thousand Words model: a commercial freshman who must seize his one big chance while he can. And he's certainly doing that, six winners to date now, including a second black-type scorer after The Queen's M G stunned Saratoga's opening-day crowd in the Schuylerville Stakes–grabbing the baton from Vodka With a Twist, who had closed the Churchill meet days previously by landing the Debutante Stakes. The Queen's M G | Sarah Andrew That's the way to do it, when your first three books have comprised 184, 121 and 61 mares–the familiar, ruthless slide shared by so many stallions nowadays. It's hard to decide which is more depressing, the initial stampede, or the haste with which sires are abandoned as their stock near exposure at the starting gate. As an unbeaten Grade II winner at two, Thousand Words offered commercial breeders useful precocity, albeit he did not in fact surface until Oct. 26 before winning the Los Alamitos Futurity in December. That air of precocity was perhaps sooner completed by his failure, overall, to keep progressing as a sophomore. But he was always in the hands of people who knew what they were about, Albaugh Family Stable and Spendthrift having teamed up on a seven-figure docket in Book 1 at Keeneland September. That was pretty instructive of the physical quality loaded into a colt whose first three dams are by Pomeroy, Point Given and Deposit Ticket. But what's intriguing about these unfashionable antecedents is that they entwine such conspicuous “outlier” quality. His dam, as a triple graded stakes winner and dual Grade I runner-up, qualifies as Pomeroy's best runner. She was out of an unraced mare, but the next dam (multiple stakes winner) was in turn far and away the highest earner by Deposit Ticket, a son of Northern Baby who won the GI Hopeful Stakes, but ended up standing in Iowa and Arizona. The next dam, moreover, was actually a half-sister to Harlan. So while it remains way too early to be drawing conclusions, it's very striking that The Queens M G, found for just $3,500 deep in Fasig-Tipton's October Yearling Sale, actually cost more than Vodka With a Twist, at $2,500, earlier in the same auction! I guess that's the risk breeders embrace when a $7,500 cover sends no fewer than 91 members of his debut crop into the ring as yearlings… (Thousand Words registered a median of $15,000.) The Queens M G is out of an Oregon-bred mare (anonymous in three maiden claimers) by Grindstone, a son of Unbridled–whose sire-line is extended by Thousand Words himself through Pioneerof The Nile/Empire Maker. That being so, and with third, fourth and fifth dams by A.P. Indy, Roberto and Nijinsky, she should certainly keep on running. Incidentally that third dam, dual graded stakes winner Parade Queen, actually figures as granddam of two elite winners in Bodemeister and She's A Julie. (The respective sires of that pair were brought into this pedigree, too. Empire Maker as grandsire of Thousand Words, while Elusive Quality is responsible for the second dam.) Congratulations to those who unearthed these two stakes winners so cheaply, and let's hope that the respective dams could yet offer the vendors some belated reward. Whoever This Slipper Fits… Pretty obvious why Bullet should be high-caliber. Winner of black-type prizes in both starts, following her switch from turf to synthetics for the My Dear Stakes at Woodbine, she's by the venerable War Front out of a Tapit mare, and both her second and third dams were champions: Surfside (Seattle Slew) and Flanders (Seeking the Gold). Surfside was bought by Gainesway as a 12-year-old, at the Keeneland November Sale of 2009, for $500,000 from the Overbrook dispersal, and the Giant's Causeway foal she was carrying that day recouped plenty of that outlay as a graded stakes winner (admittedly over 12 furlongs of synthetic). Unfortunately Gainesway appear to have got just one other named foal out of Surfside, four years later: Marlinspike (Tapit), who showed fair ability (maiden/allowance winner) in a light career. Bullet | Michael Burns Sending a daughter of Seattle Slew to Tapit had obviously doubled down on his sire-line, but the choice of War Front for Marlinspike, when she came to breed, was even more pointed. Because the Claiborne veteran is out of a Rubiano mare, and Rubiano is of course very closely related to Tapit's dam Tap Your Heels. (The latter by Unbridled out of Ruby Slippers (Nijinsky); Rubiano by Unbridled's sire Fappiano out of the same mare.) Perhaps this 2021 mating was emboldened by the GI Fourstardave Handicap success the previous summer of Halladay, for now the only notable advert for the War Front–Tapit cross. Regardless, she's already looking a sound investment for D.J. Stable ($425,000 September yearling) and the team must be looking forward to how they might someday complement such strong flavors in her pedigree. The Reason in My Madness After last week cherishing the memory of Shamardal, we can now add a couple of supplementary plaudits. His latest success as a broodmare sire is Star Of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), winner of the GIII Quick Call Stakes, while Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in the GIII Kelso Stakes provided another credit to his legacy as a sire of sires. And I'll give you this for nothing–which, no doubt, is exactly what it's worth. But I've looked into this a fair bit and, to me, the consecutive lines of Hail to Reason behind Carl Spackler are absolutely exemplary in terms for Shamardal blood. Star of Mystery | Sarah Andrew Carl Spackler's dam is by More Than Ready, who takes the Halo train to the Hail to Reason station, and his granddam is by Kris S., who takes the Roberto line. If you go back to Shamardal's sire Giant's Causeway, you'll see his damsire Rahy is out of a Halo mare, and his second dam is by Roberto. As for Lope De Vega, he's famously out of a Vettori mare and therefore inbred 3×3 to Shamardal's damsire Machiavellian. That feels more about Machiavellian's dam Coup De Folie, a daughter of Halo, than his sire Mr. Prospector, who has otherwise played strikingly little role in Shamardal's best horses. There are a couple of other things I like to throw onto a Shamardal canvas, but I think that's more than enough daubs from this lunatic palette for now. The post Breeding Digest: Monroe Line Gives Cameo Players a Starring Role appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), in collaboration with the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association (IRTA), will introduce enhanced pre-race veterinary checks for the Galway Plate and Galway Hurdle, which means that trainers will be requested to submit detailed medication records for their horses in those races prior to declarations. Arising from the ongoing work of the EIIRRR [Equine Injury in Irish Racing Risk Reduction] Project, the IHRB continues to evolve and enhance its risk-based approach, with the first significant change implemented being the ongoing expansion of the IHRB's existing raceday equine veterinary inspection programme. This latest measure will involve trainers being contacted after entries for the Galway Plate and Galway Hurdle races close and being asked to submit medication records dating back to 1 January 2024 for those horses they have entered. This additional layer of pre-race veterinary oversight will complement full card inspections and trot-ups which will take place for all horses before racing on each of the seven days at Galway. Dr Lynn Hillyer, IHRB Chief Veterinary Officer, commented, “As part of the IHRB's relentless focus on the safety and well-being of our human and equine participants, we are further developing our risk-based approach to pre-race inspections. We welcome the positive engagement with the IRTA ahead of introducing this extra step for the Galway Plate and Galway Hurdle. “By obtaining medical records before a racing engagement we will be in a position to increase our understanding of the clinical status of each horse and thus better tailor our risk assessment and pre-race activity, working with the trainers and their veterinary surgeons, ahead of their engagement at Galway.” Ryan McElligott, CEO of the IRTA added, “Any additional developments which may enhance the safety of horses has to be welcomed and we look forward to working with the IHRB on this initiative ahead of Galway. “Many Irish trainers will be accustomed to this practice following similar requests ahead of races at meetings like Cheltenham, Aintree and further afield in Hong Kong, America and Australia, so I would expect a seamless transition to this request and overall it is another positive move for all.” The post Enhanced Pre-Race Veterinary Checks Introduced By IHRB Ahead Of Galway Festival appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Pakenham trainer Phillip Stokes looks set to have an impact at this year’s Spring Racing Carnival, with a strong team of gallopers to represent his stable, headlined by Climbing Star (NZ) (Zoustar). The Gr.1 Robert Sangster Stakes heroine is due to kick off her spring campaign on September 27 in the G1 Manikato Stakes, while her trainer is also pondering a trip to Sydney for her after that event at The Valley. “We might even be a bit ambitious and look for an Everest slot,” Stokes said. A rising five-year-old mare, Climbing Star hasn’t raced since her third placed effort in the G1 Goodwood. Stokes believes that the daughter of Zoustar has the credentials to warrant a place in The Everest. “I think her form stands up and I think she’s come back better again,” he said. Climbing Star is at $71 in Sportsbet’s market for The Everest. View the full article

Caitlin Johnson has embraced the opportunity since entering into partnership with Fred Pratt over the past 18 months and the Hastings trainers are hopeful for a strong showing at their local meeting on Thursday. The stable will be represented by recent acquisition Written Up in the Carrfields Livestock Handicap (1200m), the gelding nearly making a winning debut under Pratt and Johnson when being caught in the shadows of the post last start at Hastings. “He ran quite well, he had the weight off his back on a heavy track there, so we’ve kept Crystal Lindsay on board this time around,” Johnson said. “He’s pretty relaxed most of the time at home, he just goes out and does his job really. “He’s got a good draw (4) tomorrow, so hopefully he can go one better.” Complacent mare Paradis has run consistently at maiden grade since her debut in November, with three placings including a narrow second to Quid at Trentham two-back where she was, similar to her stablemate, run down in the final bounds. She will step back from an attempt out of grade to contest the Davmet Maiden (2100m), with apprentice Jessica Allen claiming two kilograms off her 56.5kg impost. “She’s been working well, she’s had plenty of walking in the afternoon as with the mud in the paddocks she appreciates getting outside in the day,” Johnson said. “We’re hoping for a placing at this stage of her preparation, we’ve been struggling to find a good race for her with the races being few and far between. “She’s one that hopefully will go from strength to strength as she matures a bit more. “We have had blinkers on since her first start, then last start we thought we would try her without them because we felt she may have gotten beaten because she couldn’t see that horse (Quid) coming down the outside. “We think she just didn’t concentrate without them, so we’ll put them back on to keep her on the job. She seems to settle better with them as well.” Johnson has fond memories at her home course, having picked up her first winner in She’s Miss Gevious at the 2022 spring carnival, but had been involved with the stable for some time prior to joining Pratt in the training role. “I did a lot of hacking around with various types of horses, I was with a Morgan trainer out in the country but the first horse I owned was a thoroughbred and they have always been my passion,” she said. “I felt very privileged to be given the honour of coming on as trainer. “Fred’s was the first racing stable that I was able to get my foot in the door, I didn’t really know how to go about getting into the industry prior to that. “When I met Fred, he gave me an opportunity and has taught me a lot and I’ve worked very hard to get here so I appreciate every moment of it.” The pair keep a small team in work near the track with a couple of younger members nearing the start of their racing careers in the new season. “We’re based in Hastings, operating out of the Wall Road base, and we’ve got some nice, young stock coming through that we’re hopeful for,” Johnson said. “We have a couple of yearlings and three two-year-olds that we’re hoping to catch some early three-year-old races with. “We have six in work, and as of next week we’ll have another three. We are a small stable, but we do our best with what we’ve got.” View the full article

What better accompaniment to a global fashion business, Parisian hotel and fabulous art collection than a Thoroughbred stud farm? Nothing, right? This was apparently the conclusion reached by Thierry Gillier, the founder of the uber-cool Zadig & Voltaire label, whose appropriation of the nom de plume of the celebrated French writer for his fashion brand has now been extended to his own nom de course at Haras Voltaire. Just last week, Gun Of Brixton (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) became the latest graduate of the Normandy farm to advertise this burgeoning breeding operation. The Haras Voltaire homebred, trained by Andre Fabre, landed his second win from three starts at Clairefontaine and looks a juvenile who will surely soon be moving up into Pattern class, as his TDN Rising Star tag suggests. Gun Of Brixton's dam Cat Kate (Ire) is an Invincible Spirit (Ire) half-sister to Harzand (Ire), foaled in 2017, the year after her illustrious elder brother won the Derby and Irish Derby and their dam Hazariya (Ire) (Xaar {GB}) was sold to Coolmore for 2 million gns. It was also in that year that Haras Voltaire was launched, with the assistance of agent and bloodstock advisor Laurent Benoit. “I bought a house surrounded by lovely land and when that land came onto the market I took the opportunity to buy it,” says Gillier, who, like a number of Parisians, was drawn by the easy reach of Deauville and the Normandy countryside. But had the plan been to start a breeding operation when he first took up part-time residence in that area? “Not at all,” he says. “It was really something I didn't know about but I was always looking at the farms in Normandy because I live in the 'golden triangle'. My neighbours are the Wertheimers and I was curious about what they were doing. At that time I was spending weekends in Normandy and, as usual, I look at things and I decided to jump into the water. “Then I met Laurent and started a 'football team'.” That team of broodmares is now almost double the size of a football team, with 21 listed as being in residence at Haras Voltaire. These include the Niarchos-bred Typique (Ire), a daughter of Galileo (Ire) and the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Denebola (Storm Cat) – herself a sister to Machiavellian. She was bought as a three-year-old by Benoit through his Broadhurst Agency for €450,000 in 2016. Naturally, Typique had plenty to recommend her genetically, and she has duly delivered for her owner. Her first foal, by Invincible Spirit, is the G2 Prix de Malleret winner Babylone (Fr), whose name is appropriately Zadig & Voltaire-inspired, and she has now also joined Gillier's broodmare band, along with her full-sister Assyrian Queen (GB). Two foals later, Typique produced a Dubawi (Ire) filly, who gave the owner and breeder a taste of the commercial highs of the game when topping the Arqana August Yearling Sale of 2021 at €2.4 million. Typique has suffered some bad luck since then, but she produced a filly by Siyouni this year and is now back in foal to him. The Aga Khan Studs stallion is one of a number in which Gillier has invested by buying breeding rights, and in recent weeks he has also bought a share in Siyouni's stud-mate Zarak (Fr). “We went to visit a few studs in Ireland. That was the first step,” he says. “We had bought our first share in Siyouni before travelling to Ireland but once there I understood very quickly that the stallions are a big part of the business. “When we came back we tried to go bigger on Siyouni and we ended up with eight per cent of the horse [four shares]. That was the starting point. “We bought into Hello Youmzain when he was still in training and got involved in Wootton Bassett before he moved to Ireland. We've been very lucky so far with it. “This is what I understood very quickly as a businessman, that the stallion was very important to build a good stud, to use with good mares.” The top sprinter Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}), who is owned in partnership with Haras d'Etreham and Cambridge Stud, gave Gillier his first involvement in a Group 1 winner when landing the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, though this came in the first year of the Covid pandemic so the victory was watched and celebrated from afar. He now features as the covering sire of several of the broodmares at Haras Voltaire, with members of his first crop including a half-sister to the Voltaire-bred German 1,000 Guineas winner Txope (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). That Classic winner was raced by football legend Antoine Griezmann before her sale to Yuesheng Zhang of Yulong for €1.2 million. “We sold Txope to Griezmann. You have to sell: with horses in training, mares, foals and yearlings, they start to add up. The goal is to stay at around 25 mares,” says Gillier, who currently has eight homebreds in training in France with Fabre and Philippe Decouz, the original trainer of Txope before she was exported to America and the barn of John Sadler. I am working in the art business as a collector and I believe that horses are like art pieces, too The fashion mogul admits that, with business interests in Europe, America and beyond, the time he has to devote to Thoroughbreds is limited. “We have Laurent and the Navet family – Alexis is running the farm – so we have a good team,” he says. “Laurent was the best investment. We are always talking about things and making plans.” With Alexis Navet and his parents Jacques and Florianne installed at Haras Voltaire to oversee the day-to-day business of the farm, and Benoit as racing and bloodstock manager, Gillier also depends on a strategic partnership with Nicolas de Chambure of Haras d'Etreham, both for selling yearlings and shared ownership in stallions. At the forthcoming August Sale at Arqana, Etreham will consign four yearlings for Haras Voltaire, including Babylone's first foal, a filly by Wootton Bassett, and a Siyouni filly out of Queen Of The Sea (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a half-sister to G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Gillier has had to adapt to the idea of being a vendor, however. “When we sold the Dubawi filly from Typique, just before she went into the ring I didn't want to sell her. I called Laurent and said 'What are we doing?', but he said we had to do it and then we set a record for the most expensive yearling in the world that year,” he recalls. “We kept Gun Of Brixton because he was a bit small, but maybe today that was a big advantage because he is more flexible. We have a lot of hope for him.” Even a quick flick through the Haras Voltaire stud book is enough to underline the sense that Gillier is entitled to be hopeful about far more than that promising young Frankel colt. With Benoit, he has assembled an equine “football team” of World Cup potential. The matrons in the paddocks surrounding his Normandy bolthole have been plucked from some of the best families in the world: the five-year-old Piattoli (GB) is a Shamardal granddaughter of Allez Les Trois, while the Galileo mare Girls Can (Ire) has the illustrious In Clover (GB) as her granddam. Girls Can's Group 1-winning mother We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) is a sister to fellow Group 1 winners With You (GB) and Call The Wind (GB) among six black type-earning siblings which include the dam of G1 Prix de la Foret winner Kelina (Ire). There is plenty to work with here. “What we are trying to do is produce a champion and we are trying to make sure we have the right tools to do that,” Gillier says. “I am working in the art business as a collector and I believe that horses are like art pieces, too. It's why I felt I could spend so much money on a Siyouni share because you need to jump on those opportunities to get into the business. Yes, people can be lucky, and my friends are buying horses to race, but I am looking at it in a different way because I am producing them myself. I want to build something and I want to do it the right way. This is how I try to do it in life, with my business. I have put that experience into my stable.” Since 1997, Gillier, whose father Andre was the co-founder of Lacoste, has seen his own Zadig & Voltaire fashion house expand from being a French success story to one of global renown. Could this eventually be replicated by an expansion in his breeding and racing business? “That's a good question,” he says, “because now you have made me think.” The post High Fashion to High Stakes: Thierry Gillier’s Desire to Breed a Champion appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A majority interest in Qatar Prix du Jockey Club winner Look De Vega has been purchased by Ballylinch Stud in association with Al Shaqab Racing. A son of Ballylinch sire Lope De Vega, Look De Vega is as short as 4-1 for the Prix de lArc de Triomphe and will continue his racing career in the colours of Al Shaqab Racing. He will retire to Ballylinch at the end of his racing career to stand alongside his world-famous sire. John O'Connor, managing director of Ballylinch Stud, commented, “We are delighted to see the form of the French Derby working out so well with third-placed Sosie an impressive winner of the Grand Prix De Paris last Saturday, fourth-placed Ghostwriter finishing a close second to City Of Troy in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, and seventh-placed Sunway a good second in the Irish Derby. Carlos and Yann Lerner have done a fantastic job so far with Look De Vega and we look forward to working with them. “We are also very pleased to once again join forces with Al Shaqab Racing following our previous association with Prix de l'Opera winner Place Du Carrousel, who is also by Lope De Vega. We are delighted that his previous owners–his trainers Carlos and Yann, Mr Patrick Madar, and his breeders Joelle Mestrallet and Lucien Urano, who were represented in this deal by Meridian International–will continue to be involved in the ownership of Look De Vega, and we look forward to more great days in the future with them. We already have a long and successful relationship with Mr Urano, as co-breeders of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Aunt Pearl, another daughter of Lope De Vega.” Al Shaqab Racing's COO Mohamed Al Mansour added. “We are thrilled to continue our strong partnership with Ballylinch Stud. Look De Vega is an exceptional horse, and our investment in him aligns with our commitment to acquiring top stallion prospects. We are always on the lookout for the best talent and are dedicated to competing in the biggest races. We look forward to seeing Look De Vega's continued success on the track and his future at Ballylinch Stud.” The post Ballylinch Stud Snaps Up Majority Interest In Arc Favourite Look De Vega appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hastings trainer Caitlin Johnson (far left) is looking forward to lining up a couple of runners on her home track on Thursday. Photo: Race Images Caitlin Johnson has embraced the opportunity since entering into partnership with Fred Pratt over the past 18 months and the Hastings trainers are hopeful for a strong showing at their local meeting on Thursday. The stable will be represented by recent acquisition Written Up in the Carrfields Livestock Handicap (1200m), the gelding nearly making a winning debut under Pratt and Johnson when being caught in the shadows of the post last start at Hastings. “He ran quite well, he had the weight off his back on a heavy track there, so we’ve kept Crystal Lindsay on board this time around,” Johnson said. “He’s pretty relaxed most of the time at home, he just goes out and does his job really. “He’s got a good draw (4) tomorrow, so hopefully he can go one better.” Complacent mare Paradis has run consistently at maiden grade since her debut in November, with three placings including a narrow second to Quid at Trentham two-back where she was, similar to her stablemate, run down in the final bounds. She will step back from an attempt out of grade to contest the Davmet Maiden (2100m), with apprentice Jessica Allen claiming two kilograms off her 56.5kg impost. “She’s been working well, she’s had plenty of walking in the afternoon as with the mud in the paddocks she appreciates getting outside in the day,” Johnson said. “We’re hoping for a placing at this stage of her preparation, we’ve been struggling to find a good race for her with the races being few and far between. “She’s one that hopefully will go from strength to strength as she matures a bit more. “We have had blinkers on since her first start, then last start we thought we would try her without them because we felt she may have gotten beaten because she couldn’t see that horse (Quid) coming down the outside. “We think she just didn’t concentrate without them, so we’ll put them back on to keep her on the job. She seems to settle better with them as well.” Johnson has fond memories at her home course, having picked up her first winner in She’s Miss Gevious at the 2022 spring carnival, but had been involved with the stable for some time prior to joining Pratt in the training role. “I did a lot of hacking around with various types of horses, I was with a Morgan trainer out in the country but the first horse I owned was a thoroughbred and they have always been my passion,” she said. “I felt very privileged to be given the honour of coming on as trainer. “Fred’s was the first racing stable that I was able to get my foot in the door, I didn’t really know how to go about getting into the industry prior to that. “When I met Fred, he gave me an opportunity and has taught me a lot and I’ve worked very hard to get here so I appreciate every moment of it.” The pair keep a small team in work near the track with a couple of younger members nearing the start of their racing careers in the new season. “We’re based in Hastings, operating out of the Wall Road base, and we’ve got some nice, young stock coming through that we’re hopeful for,” Johnson said. “We have a couple of yearlings and three two-year-olds that we’re hoping to catch some early three-year-old races with. “We have six in work, and as of next week we’ll have another three. We are a small stable, but we do our best with what we’ve got.” Horse racing news View the full article

Martell will contest the Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua 1230 at Rotorua on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Matamata trainer Jim Collett is looking forward to heading south to Hastings on Thursday where promising juvenile Basel Warrior will make his debut in the PGG Wrightsons Livestock 2YO (800m). The son of Swiss Ace won’t be out of place, with his four opponents also yet to make their first race day appearance, and Collett is hopeful of a pleasing result. Basel Warrior has had two trials to date, including winning his 850m heat at Waipa earlier this month in a field that included Group 2 winner Bellatrix Star, which filled Collett with plenty of confidence. “He trialled well enough at Waipa to give him a two-year-old race,” Collett said. “I have had a look at all the other horses’ trials, they have all shown something, but you don’t know what is behind them in the trials. I know that Basel Warriors trial there was a Group horse (Bellatrix Star) tucked up beside him.” While unsure of how his charge will handle Hasting’s track, which was rated a Heavy 10 on Wednesday morning, Collett believes he is capable of featuring in the finish in the small field. “I am unsure about the ground, but that is the only thing,” he said. “I think he will be all the better for getting on a better track, but I just would like to give him a trip and a race. “I do think a bit of him.” Meanwhile, Collett will head to Arawa Park on Saturday with just the one runner, Martell, who will step up to Open grade in the Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua 1230. The son of El Roca, who races in the colours of breeder-owner Gerry Harvey, has won three of his last four starts, but Collett is wary of the rise in grade against some handy horses. “Because he is 76 rated, there aren’t a lot of options for him,” Collett said. “He is a small horse, and I didn’t want to put him in a rating 75 and carry 61 kilos, so I thought I would go the other way and put him in an open handicap with an allowance on, and give him an opportunity. “He doesn’t mind Rotorua, he has won there before. We are going to give it a go and see how we get on.” Martell will be assisted by apprentice jockey Jessica Allen, whose three-kilogram claim will ensure he is eight kilograms better off than top weight, and last start Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m) winner, Casino Princess. Martell is set to have a couple of more starts before heading for a spell, which could entail a trip to Hastings in the coming months. “I found the key is giving him space between races, so I am only going to keep him going through the winter and maybe have a crack at one of the races over the Hawke’s Bay Carnival,” Collett said. “He is a very honest horse, and a lovely horse to ride.” Horse racing news View the full article