Wandering Eyes

The July 20 Haskell Stakes (G1) and the July 27 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) are two races utilized as launching pads toward the Aug. 24 Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, but for eligible horses Saratoga's July 19 Curlin Stakes provides an easier path.View the full article

Maiden Watch: July 8-14View the full article

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Minutes after trainer Kenny McPeek signed the $40,000 purchase ticket for a yearling filly sired by Fast Anna (Medaglia d'Oro) he told its breeder, Judy Hicks, that he would earn $1 million with her. Turns out that McPeek was right with his bold prediction about his now 3-year-old star, who was eventually named Thorpedo Anna. With five wins and a second in six career starts, the daughter of the Uncle Mo mare Sataves, has already earned $1,515,050. Most of that purse money came from victories in the GI Kentucky Oaks and the GI Acorn that carried her to leadership of her division and into the top 10 of the NTRA's weekly national poll. She will be the heavy favorite to add to her bankroll Saturday in the $500,000 GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga Race Course. Thorpedo Anna gave McPeek, 61, his first victory in the Kentucky Oaks. The next day, Mystik Dan (Goldencents) delivered him his first GI Kentucky Derby win. He is the first trainer to sweep both races in the same year since Hall of Famer Ben Jones in 1952. McPeek has longstanding reputation for identifying prospects at sales and acquiring them at bargain prices. He purchased 10 of the 14 millionaires he has trained at public auction. The most expensive was Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb), who sold for $330,000, while McPeek's first national standout, 1995 GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Tejano Run (Tejano), cost $20,000 and earned $1,66,842. He bought GI Preakness winner and champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) for $35,000. She earned $2,216,480 on the track and sold for $4.2 million as a broodmare prospect. Though he did not train them, McPeek bought two-time Horse of the Year and top sire Curlin (Smart Strike) for $57,000, Einstein (BRZ) (Spend a Buck), who earned $2,945,238, for $50,000 and four-time GI winner Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) for $105,000. Thorpedo Anna drew McPeek's attention at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. She was Hip #20 on the first day of the sale, Oct. 24. “I just thought that physically she was a beast,” he said. “Other than maybe she's a little offset in one leg, she's gorgeous.” While McPeek focuses on appearance over pedigree, he said that Thorpedo Anna sold for a very moderate price for a championship-caliber Thoroughbred due to her breeding. “That was because of the sire. Fast Anna hadn't produced anything,” he said. “She's just another level of anything he's ever produced. But she really looks like an Uncle Mo. She's out of an Uncle Mo mare. That's the difference.” Grade I-placed Fast Anna sired five crops before he was euthanized in 2021 due to the effects of laminitis. Hicks thought so much of the filly that she foaled and raised at her Brookstown Farm that she approached McPeek at the sale and asked if she could buy into the partnership. He agreed and she is a co-owner with Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards and Magdalena Racing, which is operated by McPeek's wife, Sherri. McPeek's confidence level in his ability to pick out horses at auction prompted him to change his business model. “Today, I no longer charge commission. I get 10% equity at the hammer,” he said. “My reward only comes if I buy a good horse. Otherwise, I'm paying bills like the other 90%.” After graduating from the University of Kentucky with a degree in business administration, McPeek took out his training license in 1985. His first winner was a horse owned by his father. Six years later, he saddled his first stakes winner. Out of necessity, he taught himself how to scout for talent. “I didn't have a lot to work with in the beginning, so I created a system to sort them and I still use the same system today,” he said. “I don't do anything different than when Roy Monroe gave me a $6,000 budget because I found that if you squeeze them down and you focus in on the athlete the pedigree doesn't matter. When they head to the winner's circle nobody was saying, 'Oh, that one doesn't have any page.' It doesn't matter.” McPeek bought Tejano Run in 1993 for Monroe. The colt secured the trainer's first two graded stakes wins the next year and finished 2 ¼ lengths behind Thunder Gulch (Gulch) in the Derby. In 2000 with She's a Devil Due (Devil His Due), McPeek picked up the first of his five Alcibiades wins, all with fillies he purchased at auction. That summer, he made what he considers one of the most important buys of his career: Take Charge Lady (Dehere) for $175,000. “Take Charge Lady had no black type in her first three dams when I bought her,” he said. “Today, she is a Blue Hen. So, you're trying to beat the market to the punch. You want to buy before that mare gets hot or that family gets hot. That's really what I'm trying to do, beat the market to the punch.” During her career Take Charge Lady won 11 of 22 starts, earning $2,480,347 in purse money. She sold for $4.2 million as a broodmare in foal to Seeking the Gold. The resulting foal was Charming, who later produced GI millionaires Take Charge Brandi and Omaha Beach. Two of her other foals were Grade I winners Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song) and Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy). In the Take Charge Lady years, he also had the graded stakes winners Repent and Harlan's Holiday in his care. In 2005, McPeek stepped away from training and his assistant Helen Pitts took over the stable. One of the yearlings he purchased at the Keeneland September sale that year as a bloodstock agent was Curlin. The colt started his career with Pitts, but was purchased and turned over to Steve Asmussen. He earned over $10 million at the races and has had a long run as top sire. McPeek believed what his eyes told him and picked the colt up for a pittance. “Curlin had the body of a Greek god,” McPeek said. “When he walked out as a yearling, he looked like a 4-year-old. The only thing is, is he had an ankle on him the size of a grapefruit. His left front ankle. He'd had surgery and the surgery site had gotten infected and inflamed. He was almost unpresentable as a yearling. But everything else was there, so you bought him just because you thought you could deal with the ankle. In time the ankle was fine. But he was just a complete Greek god as a yearling.” McPeek ranks Rattle N Roll (Connect) as an important buy at $210,000 in 2019. He has won seven stakes, five of them graded, and earned $1,732,141 for Lucky Seven Stable. Despite his rise to prominence as a trainer who has won all three of the Triple Crown races and a total of 27 Grade I's, McPeek has not wavered from his approach to the sales. “I work an auction with a clear mind. I don't even look at the book,” he said. “I just look at horses. If a horse is bringing more than I think it's worth then I will walk away because you've got to have some return on investment for people. The ones that fall through for the modest prices that I think are the physicals then we snatch all those up. Then we will do it again. Same pattern.” McPeek laughed as he described how his investors react when he is buying horses at auctions. “Any time that I sign a ticket for probably under $100,000, my phone blows up.” he said. “I've got a great base of clients. Some wonderful people.” McPeek said his process of shopping for value while searching for graded-stakes bodies, is something of a chess match. “Of course, if I spend a client's money wisely, they're more likely to buy more,” he said. “We all know it's a very difficult game.” The post Savvy Shopper McPeek Keeps Finding Top-Level Winners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) has made a contribution of $25,000 to support the development of Cornell Equine. The cross-campus program, rooted in Cornell University's scientific research clinical care and education, and based at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, aims to advance equine health and education through enhanced collaboration amongst interdisciplinary teams. “We are so grateful for the support of NYTHA in helping us bring Cornell Equine to fruition,” says Dr. Mandi de Mestre, professor of equine medicine with the Baker Institute for Animal Health and Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine. “This gift will support us to take the first steps in leveraging the exceptional breadth of skills of leading Cornell faculty to tackle novel research questions in equine health and safety and build leadership capacity for the future.” “A coordinated equine program will also bolster the University's efforts to recruit and retain the best veterinary students into equine practice through enhanced and coordinated access to educational opportunities, faculty support, and industry.” Tina Marie Bond, president of NYTHA, added, “The College of Veterinary Medicine has a long-standing history of driving research and clinical results that have had lasting impact on the Thoroughbred industry and equine health and care. We are pleased to be able to support the college as it builds upon this legacy.” The gift will support Cornell Equine's first phase of development, in which a new, two-way communication platform will be launched to invite horse owners, trainers and veterinarians to discuss their most pressing issues, ultimately guiding future research and education programs. The platform will enhance dissemination of research results to deliver benefits nationally to equine management and clinical services. This initial phase of the initiative is underway, and it is anticipated to be available to the equine field at large by the summer of 2025. The post NYTHA Contributes $25K to Support Cornell Equine appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Getting Informed Patriot (Hard Spun) from Horseshoe Indianapolis to the sales ring at Fasig-Tipton in less than 48 hours was going to be quite the juggling act, but Hunter Houlihan and the rest of the Taylor Made team managed to keep all the balls in the air and then finish with a flourish when the late supplement to the Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale came out as a record-breaking sales topper. The morning that Informed Patriot was set to run in the GIII Indiana Derby, Hunter Houlihan, a Thoroughbred advisor for Taylor Made Farm, shot a good luck text to owners Kirk and Judy Robison. That message was followed up with a congratulatory text a few hours later when the full-brother to GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile victor Spun to Run finished a well-fought third. The next morning, the Robisons called Houlihan to ask what he thought of offering Informed Patriot at the sale the following afternoon. After trainer Steve Asmussen and Mark Taylor were brought into the discussion and all were in favor, Informed Patriot was put on a van bound for Lexington by Sunday afternoon. The biggest challenges were still ahead as Houlihan raced to get the word out on the new supplement with less than 24 hours before the sale was set to start. Meanwhile, there were still questions surrounding how the colt would vet and how he would present to buyers in the few hours of showing on Monday morning before the sale began. “Luckily when he got off the van we all knew we were in good shape,” recalled Houlihan. “He was almost dead correct. He had maybe a little more stretch to him than your typical Hard Spun, but at the same time he had that Hard Spun neck and shoulder to him. He was a very nice horse.” A nice horse with a resume to match. In addition to the 3-year-old's second graded-stake placing in the Indiana Derby, which brought his lifetime earnings to just under $350,000, Informed Patriot also earned a win in the Bathhouse Row Stakes earlier this year. The colt was the last horse to go through the ring on Monday, but there was plenty of demand waiting for him. Representing HRH Prince Saud bin Salman Abdulaziz, agent Ibrahim Rachid won out with a $1.55 million bid–a record figure at the July Sale. “We knew that we had a couple of people locked onto him going into the ring, but we never thought $1.55 million,” said Houlihan. “That was huge. We were on the phone with Kirk and Judy afterwards and they were over the moon.” The successful sale was a victory in more ways than one for Hunter Houlihan, who started working for Taylor Made in 2006 and, after a brief hiatus away from the farm for several years, has just recently returned to his role as Thoroughbred advisor. Hunter Houlihan | photo courtesy Taylor Made A native of Winchester, Kentucky, Houlihan got his start in horse racing as a college student working part-time as a translator for the track chaplain at Keeneland. As a 20-year-old spending his afternoons playing ping-pong in the jocks' room with the likes of Jerry Bailey and other famed riders, it wasn't long before Houlihan was hooked. After a stint working at the track for D. Wayne Lukas, Houlihan got his foot in the door at Taylor Made in 2006 as an office runner. He spent the next decade with the farm, eventually working his way up to Director of Research and then Thoroughbred advisor. In 2017, he stepped down at Taylor Made to take on a different role within in the Thoroughbred business, but left soon after when COVID hit. In 2021, he reached out to Taylor Made about rejoining their operation. He started out in his former position as the Director of Research, but eventually returned to the role of Thoroughbred advisor in April of this year. For Houlihan, returning to Taylor Made was like coming home. “One of our mottos is, 'With us, you're family' and you just really feel that,” he explained. “It's a family feeling in the office. The Taylor and the Payne families are some phenomenal people to work with and to work for. Any time anybody needs literally anything, the whole team is there.” Houlihan enjoyed plenty of success over his early years at Taylor Made. Through his relationship with King of Prussia Stable's Ed Stanco, he was responsible for bringing in 2013 GI Kentucky Oaks victress Princess of Sylmar (Majestic Warrior), who sold for $3.1 million with Taylor Made at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Even though he wasn't gone for all that long, when Houlihan returned to the same role at Taylor Made after a seven-year hiatus, he had to learn to adjust to the market's ever-increasing demand for recent form. Informed Patriot's swift turnaround from the track to the sales ring was just the latest example. “I think the difference now is I'm literally hunting every day instead of during different seasons,” he said. “It's less of a seasonal kind of sales cycle and now we are all hunting every day. The landscape has undoubtedly changed. It is 1,000% a different beast. Everything is so 'now' and everything can be done so quickly. “If you factor in these Fasig-Tipton Digital sales, there's basically one every month now. Racehorses are trading at an all-time high. You can now turn them over every month. Especially with companies like Fasig-Tipton or Keeneland that are so willing to work with you, when you do get a big update and you can get a horse in so late to the sales, people are paying a premium for horses with recent form that they think can go on. If we have a client's horse run big, we say hey, strike while the iron is hot.” The post With Record Setter Informed Patriot, Houlihan Back Home at Taylor Made appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Overall attendances at British race meetings were slightly down in the first half of the year but the average crowd showed a small increase, according to figures published by the Levy Board July 16.View the full article

The irony is not lost on Gavin Hernon. Less than a decade after he elected to launch his training career in France rather than his home country in favour of more opportunities, the Irishman will return to home soil to at the Curragh on Saturday with leading claims of making the Classic breakthrough when his star filly Dare To Dream (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) lines out in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks. Described by the soon-to-be 32-year-old trainer as the best horse he's ever had through his hands, Dare To Dream has been trained with the Curragh Classic in mind for the guts of a year now. The daughter of Camelot boasts course experience after finishing third in the G3 Staffordstown Stakes at two and, following a luckless fifth in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly when last seen, Dare To Dream can be backed at odds of 8-1 for the Group 1 contest. “She's in flying form-I don't think I've had her this well all year,” Hernon said. “Now it's just a question as to whether she is good enough but I think she has some pretty solid formlines to her name. I think she has been crying out for a-mile-and-a-half and was just unlucky in the Prix de Diane where she got trapped down the rail. “Alexis [Pouchin, jockey] thinks that she'd have been in the first four at least had she not met the traffic. We go there crossing our fingers and hoping for a big run. We're excited about her chances and I do think she has taken a good step forward from the last day. That seems to be quite typical of this pedigree as well–they seem to just get better and better throughout their three-year-old careers.” Not only has the Chantilly-based handler done a fine job in nurturing Dare To Dream's talent, but Hernon can also be credited for sourcing the filly for just €67,000 at the Arqana October Yearling Sale from leading vendor Monceaux. Recalling that transaction, he said, “Her owner, Dun Lee, used to have a mare in Normandie. He would send me that mare's progeny every year but all they had to do was have a look at the gallop before they'd run into problems. I asked him if he would let me buy him a foundation mare instead and, with this filly's pedigree, sire and physique, I thought she fit the bill quite nicely. She was quite an athletic-looking filly as a yearling. She wasn't one of those bigger Camelot models, she was very athletic with a good hip. “We took our chance and she showed us that she had a lot of class from the get-go. I probably could have run her in May or June as a two-year-old but we gave her the extra time and ran her in August just because the Montjeu (Ire) can come out in her mentally. So we took our time with her and I think it's paying dividends. Dun's dream was to have an Oaks runner at Epsom. We've come close to buying him that-we could have gone there, but I didn't think it was the right thing for her at that stage of her career. Even though that was his dream, he was very cool about not going to Epsom, and he is a great owner to have in the yard. “Obviously the Irish Oaks has been at the forefront of our minds for a very long time. That's why she made the journey over there last year for the Group 3 Staffordstown Stakes, just so she would get the experience of travelling, and she came through that very well.” Hernon, whose family own Castletown Stud in County Cork, was born to work in racing. His father, Joe, works as a manager for Coolmore at Castlehyde, so his life has been a soundtrack to horses. But Ireland was seen as a closed shop when Hernon first set his sights on becoming a trainer. Hence why the move to France came about. Having spent time working with giants of the game like Jim Bolger, Andre Fabre and Nicolas Clement, he set up on his own in 2018 and hasn't looked back. He explained, “I decided at the age of 16 that I wanted to become a trainer. I was working with Jim Bolger at the time. I suppose I had dreams of becoming a jockey but mother nature took over! But from there, I just thought that Ireland was ultra-competitive with one race meeting a day so, for a young lad like myself starting out, it was going to be very difficult to get up and running. With England, the prize-money situation was off-putting, but there were no such worries on that front over here in France. “I just thought there was a lot of opportunity for young people over here and spent time working with Andre Fabre and Nicolas Clement. I did a stint in America as well before setting up here in 2018. It's gone well and we've had a couple of Group winners, a couple of listed winners, but still waiting for that breakthrough Group 1. It is pretty special to go back to Ireland-having left there thinking we couldn't be competitive-with a live chance in a Classic. It would be amazing if it came off.” An Irishman based in France, Hernon boasts a broad diaspre of owners-all keen to have a taste of what France has to offer. Prize-money is the greatest lure, along with premiums, and the trainer shared how an increasing number of international owners have been picking up the phone in recent times. He said, “The majority of my owners are based outside of France. That ranges from America, to Hong Kong, England and Ireland. It's growing all of the time and people are starting to wake up to the benefits of racing in France. It's lovely when you buy these horses as yearlings and hope that they bring you to Classics but the reality is that seventy five per cent of horses operate in the lower grades. France is the one country where an average horse can pay its way. That changes the game.” Paying the way is not something that Hernon has to worry about with Dare To Dream. Asked if the Irish Oaks contender is the best horse he has been associated with to date, Hernon replied, “I'm based in Alain de Royer-Dupre's old yard in Chantilly and, funnily enough, Dare To Dream lives in Chaquita's old stable. We've known that [she's the best he's trained] for a while. Everything comes very easily to her. She just takes her work brilliantly and came out of the Diane bucking and everything. She didn't even lose a pound. When you have a yard of 40 horses, when you have a horse as good as Dare To Dream in the string, she stands out. It's very exciting to have one as good as her.” The post Meet The French-Based Irishman Gunning For Group 1 Glory At The Curragh appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Christophe Clement trainee improves to 2-0-1 from three starts this year and more than $250,000 in earnings. He is owned by Adelphi Racing Club, Madaket Stables, Corms Racing Stable, and On The Rise Again Stable.View the full article

Trainer Chad Brown will be represented by a strong pair of 3-year-old fillies as he attempts a sixth straight win in the $175,000 Lake George Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

Opening-week action from Saratoga Race Course did not affect the top 10 rankings in the latest National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top Thoroughbred Poll released July 15. A race there this weekend could influence the rankings, however.View the full article

NYRA Bets will act as the managing vendor of New Jersey's online and mobile pari-mutuel account wagering system for horse racing under an agreement signed by Darby Development, acting as agent of the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority. Under the agreement, all account wagering platforms will have the opportunity to enter the New Jersey market, provided those entities gain the approval of NYRA Bets, Darby Development and the New Jersey Horse Racing Commission. As a result, New Jersey residents will soon be able to choose among multiple account wagering platforms. “This is a win for the patrons in New Jersey, allowing them to have choices for the first time as to which site they prefer to wager with,” said Dennis Drazin, Chairman and CEO of Darby Development. “It's another step in our ongoing effort to make the racing experience in New Jersey as fan-friendly as we possibly can.” Pending the approval of the New Jersey Racing Commission, NYRA Bets will coordinate with online/mobile/sportsbook operators to establish a launch date later this year. “We are pleased to usher in a new era for horseplayers in New Jersey,” said Tony Allevato, President of NYRA Bets. “As the sports betting market continues its rapid evolution, the expansion of NYRA Bets into New Jersey will benefit consumers by increasing competition. It's a win for New Jersey, for horse racing and for NYRA Bets.” NYRA Bets is the official advance deposit wagering platform of the New York Racing Association. Launched as a national ADW in 2016 and currently available to customers in 36 states, NYRA Bets provides fans the opportunity to wager on tracks worldwide from anywhere at any time. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at NYRABets.com. Darby Development is the operator of Monmouth Park, as well as the OTWs in Hillsborough and Woodbridge. 4NJBets, operated by TVG, will continue as an online and mobile wagering site in New Jersey as usual without disruption of service. The post NYRA Bets to Manage New Jersey Horse Racing Online and Mobile System appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ribblesdale Stakes runner-up Lava Stream (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) has been supplemented for the G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Saturday, along with course winner Hanalia (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Trained by David O'Meara, Lava Stream was rated just 74 at the start of the season, but she has since been successful in a handicap at Doncaster and a Listed contest at Goodwood before faring best of the rest behind Port Fairy (Ire) (Australia {GB})–the ante-post favourite for Saturday's Classic–at Royal Ascot. Beaten just a neck on the last occasion, Lave Stream is now set to test the waters at the top level for the first time at the Curragh, having been supplemented at a cost of €50,000 on Tuesday by owners Elwick Stud. “We just thought with the Ribblesdale form being so strong and the winner of the Ribblesdale being favourite for the Irish Oaks, we may as well take our chance,” said stud manager Gary Moore. “There's only a couple of Oaks you want to win. This is one of them and you're able to take on three-year-olds rather than waiting to take on older fillies in the Yorkshire Oaks next time. “She goes on any ground–the ground won't bother at all. Even if she gets placed it would be amazing, for the stud, for David, for everyone. We're hoping that we're going over there with a fighting chance.” The addition of Lava Stream and Naas Listed winner Hanalia takes the number of possible runners in the Classic up to 18. Paddy Power make Port Fairy their 11-4 favourite to provide trainer Aidan O'Brien with an eighth win in the race, with the Willie Mullins-trained Lope De Lilas (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) next in the betting at 4-1 as she prepares to carry the Wathnan Racing colours for the first time. David Menuisier's G1 Oaks third War Chimes (Fr) (Summer Front), Port Fairy's stable-mate Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Gavin Hernon's G1 Prix de Diane fifth Dare To Dream (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) are other notable contenders, while Paddy Twomey is looking forward to saddling Purple Lily (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) after she stayed on to finish fifth in the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas. “Purple Lily has been trained very much with the Irish Oaks in mind and we're looking forward to Saturday with her,” said Twomey. “It's a step into the unknown [over a mile and a half], but her overall form is very good and the filly she ran against over a mile and a quarter [Ezeliya] ended up the top of generation in Epsom. I think there's every chance she'll stay.” The post Lava Stream and Hanalia Added to 18-Strong List of Irish Oaks Entries appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Dale Romans, 57, has a been as much a constant at Saratoga Race Course as hand melons and chicken from Hattie's. This is the 32nd straight year that Romans has spent his summer at the Spa. He sat down with Tim Wilkin to talk about life, his disappearing waistline and his questionable choice of an actor to play him in the Dale Romans story. TDN: You look a lot different this year. How much weight have you lost? Dale Romans: It has taken a couple of years, but I've lost 180 pounds. TDN: What was your maximum? DR: It was 385. Now, I'm 205. I'll tell you when it started. I haven't told anyone this story. I got COVID and I was in the hospital in Miami in 2000. They came back with about five sheets of paper with everything that was wrong with me. A light went off. I knew I had to do something. I had a lot of friends that had gastric sleeve surgery and they were pushing me to do it. I went ahead and did it. Best thing I ever did. I feel like I'm aging in reverse. TDN: You're Benjamin Button. DR: Yup. I even started playing golf again. I wasn't able to play for 10 years. TDN: Too heavy. DR: That's right. Couldn't swing a club. Now, I'm playing every day. One day I played 45 holes. TDN: Walking? DR: (laughs). No, I won't ever get to that. I started getting healthier and the next move was to quit drinking. Quit acting like a fool all the time. In September, I went into a rehab for 12 days and have not had a drink since Sept. 25. I am the healthiest now since I was 20 years old. TDN: If you could train one horse from history and it can't be Secretariat, who is it? DR: Seattle Slew. I was nine years old when I went to my first Kentucky Derby and it was Seattle Slew in 1977 and I fell in love with him. When he got sick, I called the farm and wanted to go see him before he died. I went up to see him, they brought him out for me, I went to pet him, and the son of a gun bit me. Seattle Slew bit me. One of my claims to fame. He didn't like me as much as I liked him. TDN: Correct me if I am wrong, but I am going to say your most satisfying win ever was Keen Ice beating Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the 2015 Travers. DR: That is the most historic win. Miss Mindy on Feb. 15, 1988 was as excited as I have ever been. Maiden, $3,500 at Turfway Park. It was my first winner. TDN: If there was a movie made on your life and you could pick the actor to play you, who are you picking? DR: It used to be John Goodman. Now, it would be George Clooney. TDN: Really. DR: Why not? It's my movie. TDN: If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be? DR: Good question. Bill Clinton. JFK. And Ben Jones, the great horse trainer. TDN: Favorite TV show. DR: “Gunsmoke.” I watch it every night, Multiple episodes. I like Marshall Dillon but, for my favorite, I go back and forth between Festus and Chester. I like 'em both. TDN: Favorite horse movie? DR: “Let It Ride.” No doubt. Anyone who doesn't like that movie doesn't like horse racing. I liked “Seabiscuit.” I liked the stunt rider in “Dreamer” (that was his life partner Tammy Fox, who filled in for Dakota Fanning). TDN: Family is very important to you. DR: Yes. My son (Jake) is an agent in Kentucky and handles all my business and our daughter (Bailey) is in Washington and is a yoga instructor and works on Capitol Hill. We are all very close. The post The Saratoga Q and A: Dale Romans appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Divergence in decisions by federal appellate courts about the constitutionality of HISA boils down to one thing at this point—whether the legislation creating HISA unlawfully delegates enforcement powers ordinarily reserved to the government.View the full article

With 168 wins to their name this season, Te Akau Racing’s Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson have already sealed the trainers’ premiership, and they already have their eye on continuing their dominance into next term. The Matamata-based training partnership took a 17-strong team to Avondale’s trials on Tuesday, with many tipped to feature prominently in the spring. Juvenile Cool ‘N’ Fast was the hype horse of the summer, carrying the weight of expectation of punting group Boys Get Paid into the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie in January after they had wagered $50,000 on the son of Savabeel ahead of the rich feature. He went on to win on debut before running 11th in the Karaka Millions, and was subsequently gelded before making his first public appearance of his spring preparation on Tuesday where he finished fourth in his 800m heat. “He is a gelding now, so he has had the ultimate gear change,” Bergerson said. “I was pretty happy with him (in his trial). Most of them were there today having nice, quiet trials to get them back out in a public setting, and we didn’t knock them around too much. They copped quite a bit of rain here yesterday. “He had a nice trial, he relaxed nicely and was strong enough to the line and had a really good blow on pulling up. That will really tighten him up nicely into the spring. “He will head to Te Rapa now and we will trial again and be guided by that whether we go to Taupo or Hawke’s Bay. He seems to be coming up well and is doing everything well at this stage of his preparation.” Earlier in the day, Group One performer Mehzebeen was fourth in her 950m heat and is set to tackle some middle-distance targets over the spring and summer. “It is good to have her back,” Bergerson said. “She is quite a handy staying mare, so we will head to Te Rapa with her as well. Whether we aim her at something like the Waikato Cup (Gr.3, 2400m) or something else will be guided by how she comes along. “I am looking forward to stepping her up in trip over the spring. She is another year older now and we think it is all ahead of her. She is starting to fully mature and hopefully she is in for a good spring.” Te Akau Racing lined-up a quintet in the 800m open handicap heat, and Bergerson was pleased with the pipe opener for each of his five runners, who were only beaten by the Clinton Isdale-trained Beebeep. Group Two winner Trobriand was the first home for the tangerine and blue, ahead of Group Two performer What You Wish For, Group Three performer My Lips Are Sealed, Group One performer Talisker, and El Viento. “Trobriand has been gelded, and I think he was the pick of that lot,” Bergerson said. “He got back and was quite strong through the line on testing conditions. “He seems to be much happier and tractable as a gelding, so he could be in for an interesting campaign. “What You Wish For ran well in the Derby and I am looking forward to getting him up in trip again. I thought he trialled well, he just blew out the last little bit, but he seems to be coming up well. “I thought My Lips Are Sealed trialled nicely and will now go to Te Rapa and we will map out a path. She seems to get through wet ground quite nicely and you could see her quite early, near the backend of winter or early spring. “Talisker has never gone well on wet ground, but he seems to be coming up well. “And El Viento is relatively lightly raced and I think he is coming up really well. He is in for a good spring and something like the Coupland’s Mile (Gr.3, 1600m) could be on his radar, he is quite low in the handicap still, but we think he is progressive enough to get up to that level.” Bergerson was also impressed with the trial of unraced juvenile Age Of Discovery, and he is tipping a bright future for the son of Savabeel. “The pick of the two-year-olds was Age Of Discovery,” Bergerson said. “He has yet to go to the races, but he trialled quite nicely and we think he will be better on better ground. “Warren (Kennedy, jockey) was pretty impressed with him. We haven’t done a lot with him, but we are certainly looking forward to him getting him to the races in the spring.” Meanwhile, Te Akau Racing will just have the two runners this weekend – Devoted returns to the flat at Arawa Park on Saturday where he will contest the rating 75 1950m race, while Popthebubbles will head to New Plymouth where she will line-up in the rating 75 1600m contest. “Devoted started his steeplechase career this season in good form, but he blundered a jump at Hastings and that knocked the wind out of him, and he was pulled up,” Bergerson said. “He is in good form and has shown he can still mix it on the flat. He was a very good winner at Pukekohe for Tayla (Melvin, apprentice jockey) in his last flat run, and he seems to be in good order at home. “Popthebubbles has won at the track. I thought she put in a really good run there at Rotorua last time without a lot of luck. Parmar (Niranjan Parmar, apprentice jockey) jumps on and I think the kilo off will help her. She seems in good form and is a nice, progressive mare that does like those winter tracks. Hopefully she shouldn’t be too far away.” View the full article

American equine photographer Alex Evers talks about capturing moments from Hong Kong’s 2023/24 horse racing season for his Hong Kong Jockey Club exhibition, and why Happy Valley Racecourse is special.View the full article

What Darwin Races Where Fannie Bay Racecourse – Dick Ward Dr, Fannie Bay NT 0820 When Wednesday, July 17, 2024 First Race 2:23pm ACST Visit Dabble It’s Day 3 of the Darwin Cup Carnival, with 60 horses accpeting for the six-event program. Sunny conditions and light winds are the forecast for Wednesday, with a top temperature of 30C. The rail will be in its true position and it will once again be a good dirt surface. BEST BET: Magnetic Tycoon Magnetic Tycoon didn’t start the year well when he returned from a spell to finish eighth over 1100m (0-58) in February. The son of Written Tycoon then cooled his engines before having three starts in April and May, where he finished fourth over 1200m (Class 2), fourth over 1100m (0-64) and third over 1200m (Class 2). Magnetic Tycoon then stepped up to 1600m (0-58) on June 15 and sealed victory by half a length before a narrow last start second over 1600m (0-66) on July 6. He will carry an extra 2.5kg on Wednesday, but he has suddenly found form, and a good gate will enhance his hopes. Best Bet Race 5 – #5 Magnetic Tycoon (5) 4yo Gelding | T: Gary Clarke | J: Aaron Sweeney (57.5kg) Bet with Bet365 NEXT BEST: Lucky Fortuna Lucky Fortuna has a good Top End record with four wins and two minor placings from eight starts. The only time the four-year-old mare missed the top four during last year’s Darwin Cup Carnival was when she finished 3.3 lengths adrift in sixth place in the Rose Bowl. After two impressive Darwin wins in June over 1200m (0-58) and 1200m (0-66), Lucky Fortuna is looking to make amends in this year’s fillies and mares feature despite a hefty weight. The mare has only raced beyond 1200m twice when she won over 1300m (Class 2) against the four and five-year-olds on Darwin’s Palmerston Sprint Day. Next Best Race 4 – #2 Lucky Fortuna (7) 4yo Mare | T: Heather Lehmann | J: Emma Lines (a) (58kg) Bet with PlayUp BEST VALUE: Exceedingly Magic At an early $8 quote with online bookmakers, Exceedingly Magic is good value after a last start win against the fillies and mares over 1200m (0-62) on July 6. After two wins from 11 starts in Victoria for Mornington trainer Shane Nichols, Exceedingly Magic has had 10 Darwin starts and one Katherine start for two wins and six minor placings from 1000-1200m. After a seven-month spell, the daughter of Outreach was second behind Patriotic King over 1100m (0-64) on May 11 before finishing a length behind the in-form Pink Panther in third place over 1100m (0-64) on June 15. Best Value Race 2 – #4 Exceedingly Magic (5) 6yo Mare | T: Phil Cole | J: Emma Lines (a1.5) (58.5kg) Bet with Neds Wednesday Darwin quaddie tips – 17/7/2024 Darwin quadrella selections Wednesday, July 17, 2024 1-3-5-8 2-3-4-6-7 1-3-5 1-2-3-5 Horse racing tips View the full article

Wexford Stables’ well-performed pair of Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) and Dragon Leap (Pierro) are progressing well toward new season targets. The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained duo furthered their preparations with quiet trials over 800m on a heavy track at Avondale on Tuesday. “Most likely, they will both go straight into the Foxbridge Plate (Gr.2, 1200m) and they will also go to Hastings for the Tarzino Trophy (Gr.1, 1400m),” Scott said. The stable is undecided whether they will return three weeks later for the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) on the second day of the Hawke’s Bay spring carnival on September 28. “Whether they want to run any further than the Tarzino is another thing,” Scott said. Waitak was partnered at the trials by Masa Hashizume, while Craig Grylls was aboard Dragon Leap, and they finished at the back of the field, but neither was asked to go through their gears. “They have both been out for a wee while and it was over a short trip in testing ground so we made sure they had an easy time and they will pull up well,” Scott said. “They handled it well and both horses are certainly going the right way. “We took advantage of the grass trials and it was all about getting them out and about for the day.” The open heat was won by Clinton Isdale’s Group-performed Beebeep (NZ) (Vespa) from talented Te Akau three-year-olds Trobriand (Kermadec) and What You Wish For (NZ) (Embellish). Scott said both Waitaki and Dragon Leap had made good progress since returning from breaks. “With the fine, frosty weather, we’ve had good tracks at home and their fitness levels have got quite advanced,” he said. “Both horses trialled very well for where they are at, they just had a canter around and they will trial again on August 6 (at Te Rapa).” Waitak was a dashing winner of the Gr.1 Railway (1200m) earlier this year and hasn’t raced since his autumn trip to Perth for the A$5 million The Quokka. He was unplaced in the Ascot feature, but only finished 3.3l off the winner Overpass and was rewarded with A$175,000 for his effort. Dragon Leap went close to the Foxbridge-Tarzino double last year after he won the Te Rapa feature and then finished runner-up at Hastings. Waitaki is currently the joint $5 favourite for the Foxbridge with Dragon Leap on the second line at $7 and they are respectively at $14 and $16 in the early Tarzino market. View the full article

Nominations for the Property Brokers National Breeding Awards, to be held at the Don Rowlands Event Centre in Cambridge on July 27, have been announced. There will beawards for the Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan Breeder of the Year, the Small Breeder of the Year, Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year, premiership-winning stallions, as well as the Entain Personality of the Year, Mary-Lynne Ryan Young Achiever, and the Seton Otway Horse of the Year. The breeders of all 25 individual Group One winners throughout the season will also be recognised. “It’s an opportunity to recognise human and equine achievement, which once again the 2023/24 season has provided in spades. Not only that, it’s also a brilliant way to bring our industry together to celebrate at this wonderful night hosted by our Waikato Branch,” New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association chief executive Nick Johnson said. “The New Zealand-bred punches above its weight on both the domestic and international stage, and we are looking forward to when we can come together and celebrate that” Nominees for the coveted Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan Breeder of the Year award are Trelawney Stud, Waikato Stud and Ray and the Estate of the late Martha Johnson. Pride of Jenni (Pride of Dubai-Sancerre) became the pride of Brent and Cherry Taylor’s Trelawney Stud with her sensational front-running performances this season. From nine starts she won three Group One events. During Melbourne Cup week she won the Gr. 1 VRC Empire Rose and Cantala Stakes and capped those in the autumn by winning the All Star Mile before her season-defining victory in the Gr.1 ATC Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick. Lim’s Kosciuszko (Kermadec-Jacquetta) was another high performing graduate for Trelawney Stud, with the son of Kermadec having won the Singapore Gold Cup, Kranji Mile and Raffles Cup. While closer to home Witz End won twice and was placed in the Gr. 3 Wellington Cup, adding to Trelawney’s massive season encompassing 18 individual winners. Three Group One winners in the season under review have once again put Waikato Stud into contention for the Breeder of the Year award. Atishu (Savabeel-Posy) and I Wish I Win (Savabeel-Make A Wish) both won at elite level in Australia, while Skew Wiff (Savabeel-Starvora) won the Gr. 1 Tarzino Trophy at Hastings. That classy trio were major contributors to the 2023-24 earnings of Savabeel, who will once again be awarded the trifecta of stallion awards comprising the Dewar Award for earnings in Australasia, the Centaine Award for global earnings and the Grosvenor Award for earnings in New Zealand. The Gr.1 New Zealand Derby and Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes winner Orchestral (Savabeel-Orchestral) was also another significant contributor to Savabeel’s earnings in Australia and New Zealand. Waikato Stud also bred two Group Two winners, seven Group Three winners, three Listed winners and more than 130 individual winners. Ray Johnson and his late wife Martha bred the outstanding galloper Mr Brightside (Bullbars-Lilahjay), who in the 2023-24 season faced the starter 11 times for five wins, four at Group One level, and five placings. He opened the season with wins in the Gr.2 PB Lawrence Stakes, Gr.1 Memsie Stakes and Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes before concluding his spring campaign with three consecutive Group One seconds in the W S Cox Plate, King Charles lll Stakes and Cantala Stakes. In the autumn he again won his first two starts, the Gr.1 CF Orr Stakes and Gr.1 Futurity Stakes, before running second in the All-Star Mile and third in the Gr.1 ATC Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Mr Brightside’s deeds have also earned Johnson a nomination for Small Breeder of the Year, while his dam is nominated for the Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year. award Fellow nominees for the Small Breeder of the Year award, which recognises the achievements of a New Zealand breeder with a small broodmare band, are Eddie and Nicola Bourke and Allan Piercy, and Carole and John Lynskey. Taranaki-based breeders the Lynskeys bred the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile winner Puntura. He won three races in the season under review, claiming the Gr.3 Couplands Bakeries Mile at the New Zealand Cup Carnival and the Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes at Trentham in late December before his Thorndon Mile victory. Taranaki breeders, Eddie Bourke and his daughter Nicola, along with Ashburton-based Allan Piercy bred two stakes winners – Mary Louise, the winner of the Gr.3 Wellington Cup, and also placed third in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, and One Bold Cat, who won the Gr.3 Counties Cup following his win in the Listed Feilding Cup. He also finished third in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes and fourth in the Gr.1 WRC Thorndon Mile. The trio also bred The Hottie, who won three races during the season under review and was Group Three placed in the Cuddle Stakes at Trentham, while another in their portfolio is The Underbelly, the winner of four of his eight starts this season and runner-up in the New Zealand St Leger. Lilahjay, the dam of Mr Brightside, is a nominee for the Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year award, along with last year’s winner Madonna Mia, in recognition of the continuing success of Lucky Sweynesse in Hong Kong, whose wins included the Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint and repeat successes in the Gr.2 Jockey Club Sprint and Sprint Cup. Madonna Mia is owned by Allan Sharrock, Paul Dombroski and Luigi Muollo’s Explosive Breeding Ltd. Orchestral’s wins in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby and Vinery Stud Stakes, along with her TAB Karaka Millions 3YO and Gr.2 Avondale Guineas victories, and third in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks, earned her dam Symphonic a nomination for the Broodmare of the Year as well. The daughter of multiple champion broodmare sire O’Reilly is owned by Barneswood Farm. The Mary-Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award, sponsored by LOVERACING.NZ, is named in honour of Waikato horsewoman Mary Lynne Ryan, who is remembered for her passion for thoroughbred breeding and racing and for her dedication to the development and education of young people wanting to develop their careers. Introduced in 2007, the award named in her honour recognises the dedication and passion of a talented young person (30-years-old and under) working in the thoroughbred industry. This year’s impressive list of young finalists are Hannah Airey (Trelawney Stud), Olivia Blane (Waikato Stud), Ryan Figgins (Waikato Stud), Grace McMillan (Windsor Park Stud) and Cameron Ring (Cambridge Stud). There are no listed nominations for the two remaining awards, the Entain Personality of the Year and the Seton Otway Horse of the Year, however, the winners will be announced on the night. NZTBA Waikato branch president Scott Buchanan is looking forward to the evening, which is a highly anticipated annual event on the breeding calendar. “The Waikato branch is renowned for its vibrant and engaging events,” Buchanan said. “Ticket sales provide us with the ability to generate a great night and aid us in facilitation in our events. “Emily Bosson and Steve Davis will MC the event and Steve’s auctioneering skills will be put to good use when we auction the riding britches of the former champion Irish jockey A P McCoy.” Tickets are $225, or $2250 for a table of 10 and are available from the Waikato Branch of the NZTBA nztbawaikatob@gmail.com View the full article

Michelle Bradley had to settle for second in her hometown feature over the weekend and she’s hoping to go one better with capable mare Sulabella (NZ) (Proisir) at Pukekohe Park on Wednesday. The Ruakaka-based trainer was represented by last year’s winner Bosch (NZ) in the Whangarei Gold Cup Stayers’ Final (2100m) on Saturday, where the Pentire gelding finished a game second to Fly My Wey (NZ) (Sweynesse), with the fastest closing 400m and 200m sectionals of the event. “I thought it was a really good run, he was travelling really nicely but it was just a shame that the leader at the time came back on him and pushed him back through the field,” Bradley said. “He went from second or third to near-on last, so to finish off like he did was a huge effort. It was really pleasing and it would’ve been interesting to see how close he could’ve been had that not happened. “He’s come through the run really well, I couldn’t be happier with him. “He’ll probably have his next two starts here (Ruakaka), depending on how he goes he’ll probably have a spell after that then I wouldn’t mind setting him for a nice race in the spring. “He prefers the right-handed tracks, so I’ve just got to keep him at that direction and with the way he goes at home, I may as well keep him here and happy. “Hopefully we can pick up a couple of wins over the next few starts.” The five-year-old’s stablemate Sulabella was a last-start winner in Rating 75 grade at Rotorua earlier this month and she will be among the fancied runners when contesting the Ellerslie Events 1600 on Wednesday. “She’s been really well and I’m really happy with her, it wasn’t my original plan to go to Pukekohe, but it was going to be a good five weeks until Ruakaka on August the 3rd, so we decided to take her down there,” Bradley said. “She’s worked on well and looking good, she’s bright and going into this race in lovely order. I would expect her to go another bold race. “We’ll see how the race pans out, and being the first race of the day, I don’t know if we need to be that handy.” The daughter of Proisir will be ridden by Kelly Myers, while Bradley will utilise Ace Lawson-Carroll’s two-kilogram claim aboard Arabella (NZ) (Belardo) when she lines up in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m). A filly by Belardo, Arabella made a tidy start to her racing career closing strongly into fourth at Te Aroha on debut. “It was a great run, she came out quite wide,” Bradley said. “She’s trained on well and improved since, she’s got a lovely barrier draw (3) and I think although she may be looking for the 1400m, being just her second start I think she’ll go another bold race. “Being a Belardo, I don’t see a problem with her going through the track conditions as I think it’ll probably be heavy.” Bradley’s representatives are completed by Croaghaun (NZ), a Derryn three-year-old who will have his second race-day start in the Auckland Co-Op Taxis (1600m) under Warren Kennedy. “It’s getting harder to name horses, so I just used Google with Derryn and Castlebar (dam), and it came out with this name which are some Irish hills,” Bradley said. “I’m not sure how he’ll handle the heavy track, I personally think he’ll be a better horse on top of the ground but there’s a maiden mile at Ruakaka in a few weeks so this can bring him on nicely for that, where the track will be more to his liking. “In saying that, Derryns do like a wet track but just with the way he gets along in his work it seems as though he’ll appreciate a better track. “He’s going to be a nice horse once he gets up to a mile or more on a reasonable surface.” View the full article

There has been a changing of the guard at the New Zealand Equine Academy (NZEA). Previously led by Donavan Mansour, the Skill NZ NZQA Level 2 course runs out of Byerley Park in Kingseat while the Level 3 and Apprentice Jockey Academy, powered by Entain, operate out of the satellite campus in Cambridge. “Donavan has really put the New Zealand Equine Academy on the map as a career pathway provider since it was established in 2021,” NZEA director Daniel Nakhle said. “While we are sad to see Donavan go to pursue other career opportunities, it is an exciting time with Leith (Innes) taking over the Apprentice Jockey Academy and Amie (Best) coming in as Programme Leader of the Level 2 and 3 course. “Leith has already started and has taken to the role like a duck to water. The Level 3 course starts next month, and recruitment is underway for the September Level 2 intake, so Amie will hit the ground running there. “We’re very grateful to our sponsors and supporters. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, Entain, New Zealand Bloodstock, Dunstan and Majestic as the New Zealand Equine Academy continues to go from strength to strength.” Champion jockey Leith Innes is looking forward to working with the apprentices and imparting his knowledge and experience to help develop the young riders. “This is a great opportunity for me to help the younger generation that are pursuing a riding career,” he said. “Obviously the goal is to see them become successful apprentices and then continue on to add real value to the senior riding ranks.” “I used to ride for Daniel a lot and we have we have been friends for a very long time so I’m looking forward to working with him in this capacity.” Amie Best brings a wealth of industry experience to her role as Programme Leader having worked for stud farms and racing stables around the world as well as coming from a strong equestrian background. She has extensive marketing and media experience as well as her Masters in Psychology. “I’m excited to take on this role and using my skillset to help develop the skills and passion necessary for those wanting to build a career in the thoroughbred industry,” Best said. “We all know that staffing is an international industry challenge so I’m looking forward to helping the students follow a creditable career pathway and seeing them go on to contribute to the industry.” Best is supported by well-respected industry professionals Aleisha Legg and Elen Nicholas who are tutors of the Level 3 course in Cambridge. For more information about the New Zealand Equine Academy head to: https://www.byerleypark.co.nz/equine-academy/ View the full article

What Sandown Lakeside Races Where Sandown Racecourse – 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale VIC 3171 When Wednesday, July 17, 2024 First Race 12:25pm AEST Visit Dabble An eight-race program awaits punters on the Lakeside track at Sandown on Wednesday afternoon from 12:25pm AEST. Following consistent rain over the past week, the track has come up a Soft 7 and is likely to drop into the Heavy range by raceday. The rail will be out 4m for the entire circuit. Best Bet at Sandown: Hanau Hanau will make his Melbourne debut after putting together a nice start to his career in Sydney. The three-year-old gelding chased home the classy In Flight first-up at Rosehill on June 15 on a Heavy track when running into plenty of traffic. She gains the services of the in-form Blake Shinn for this assignment, and with a bit more luck in the home straight, he should blow his rivals away in the penultimate event. Best Bet Race 7 – #5 Hanau (7) 3yo Gelding | T: James Cummings | J: Blake Shinn (59.5kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Sandown: Extreme Threat Extreme Threat is a lightly raced three-year-old who returns from a five-month spell. The filly once finished two lengths off Little Brose in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) to signify her ability, but she has not necessarily gone on with the job. She is untested on Heavy going, but if Extreme Threat is anywhere near her best, she should prove too classy for her rivals over 1200m on return. Next Best Race 4 – #2 Extreme Threat (8) 3yo Filly | T: Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | J: Celine Gaudray (a1.5) (61.5kg) Bet with PlayUp Best Value at Sandown: Shultzy Shultzy constantly blows the start but rattles home strongly to suggest he is worth following. The six-year-old gelding was a smart Geelong winner two starts back, then missed the start by five lengths at Caulfield and ratted home to be beaten by a length. He is proven on wet ground and has strong performances against subsequent Saturday-city winner Jabbawockeez. Best Value Race 6 – #1 Shultzy (6) 6yo Gelding | T: Pat Cannon | J: Luke Williams (62kg) Bet with Picklebet Sandown Wednesday quaddie tips – 17/7/2024 Sandown quadrella selections Wednesday, July 17, 2024 1-2-4-5-10-11 1-2-3-11-15 5-6 1-2-11-12-13 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

What Doomben Races Where Doomben Racecourse – 75 Hampden St, Ascot QLD 4007 When Wednesday, July 17, 2024 First Race 12:36pm AEST Visit Dabble Brisbane Racing Club will host the second meeting at Doomben Racecourse in four days this Wednesday, with a competitive eight-race card set down for decision. The track is rated as a Soft 5 at the time of acceptances, but with no rain on the forecast, it is expected that the surface will improve into the Good range by raceday. The rail will be pushed out to the +8m position for the entire circuit, with the first race scheduled to jump at 12:36pm AEST. Best Bet at Doomben: Denied Denied strung together a hat-trick of wins before finishing a brave second behind Atlantic Ocean at this track and trip on June 26. The Jack Bruce-trained mare led every step of the way but wasn’t able to go with the strong winner. Although she was beaten, the daughter of No Nay Never defeated the rest of the field, and if she replicates that performance here, Denied can return to the winners circle. Best Bet Race 6 – #6 Denied (9) 4yo Mare | T: Jack Bruce | J: Emily Lang (a3) (58kg) +300 with PlayUp Next Best at Doomben: Notacluehoworwho Gary Duncan and Nikita Beriman will combine with Notacluehoworwho for the second straight start, coming off an extremely close runner-up finish behind Set To Shine at Eagle Farm over 1300m first-up. This son of Puissance De Lune was heavily backed with online bookmakers, and he finished off with a blistering turn of foot to just miss in a photo finish. If Beriman can settle in the first four from barrier 11, Notacluehoworwho can break through for his second win of his career. Next Best Race 7 – #10 Notacluehoworwho (11) 5yo Gelding | T: Gary Duncan | J: Nikita Beriman (58kg) +400 with Neds Next Best Again at Doomben: Mystic Mac Mystic Mac has finished second in three of his four starts this preparation and now that he strikes a weaker Maiden Handicap over 1200m, the Chris Maegher-trained galloper should be able to break his maiden here. The son of Encryption has shown versatility by leading and settling off the speed, which should give Melea Castle plenty of options from barrier five. If Mystic Mac can settle outside the leader and give strong kick on the home turn, he will prove very hard to run down late. Next Best Again Race 2 – #9 Mystic Mac (5) 3yo Gelding | T: Chris Meagher | J: Melea Castle (a3) (57.5kg) +170 with Picklebet Wednesday quaddie tips for Doomben races Doomben quadrella selections Wednesday, July 17, 2024 1-2-5-8-9 3-4-6 7-9-10 2-3-5-6-11 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

What Grafton Races Where Clarence River Jockey Club – 284 Powell St, Grafton NSW 2460 When Wednesday, July 17, 2024 First Race 12:25pm AEST Visit Dabble The $200,000 Ramornie Handicap (1200m) headlines the action at Grafton on Wednesday afternoon, with a bumper eight-race program set for decision. The rail returns to the true position the entire circuit, and although the track is rated a Soft 5 at the time of acceptances, the sunny skies predicted in the lead-up should have punters anticipating an upgrade to a genuine Good 4 surface. The opening event of the two-day carnival is scheduled to get underway at 12:25pm local time. Ramornie Handicap Tip: Pereille Pereille should be looking for a hat-trick of wins heading into the Ramornie Handicap, but simply had no luck second-up at Eagle Farm on June 15. The son of Fastnet Rock was bottled up with nowhere to go on that occasion, only getting clear in the final furlong to explode through the wire and get within a half-length of Willinga Beast. He shouldn’t have any issues getting out this time from barrier three, and provided Zac Lloyd can lob into the one-one, punters can be confident Pereille has this lot covered. Ramornie Handicap Race 7 – #3 Pereille (3) 4yo Gelding | T: James Cummings | J: Zac Lloyd (57.5kg) Bet with PlayUp Grafton Guineas Tip: Impendor Impendor is on the one-week backup after a disappointing effort at Eagle Farm on July 10. He didn’t fire a shot but was asked to chase on the worst part of the track, slowly making inroads at the end of 1400m. The Matthew Dunn-trained gelding has fitness on his side as he gets to the 1600m for the first time, and with a genuine tempo engaged for Impendor to sprint off, watch for this guy to be barrelling down the centre of the course to claim the Grafton Guineas. Grafton Guineas Race 6 – #9 Impendor (6) 3yo Gelding | T: Matthew Dunn | J: Robbie Dolan (54kg) Bet with PlayUp Best Bet at Grafton: Holstein Holstein didn’t go a yard on the Heavy surface in his most recent start at Rosehill on June 29 and should appreciate getting back on top of the ground. The five-year-old brings an element of class to this Class 6 contest, with his win two starts back at Canterbury on June 10, providing three subsequent winners. Getting out to the 2200m for the first time is the only query, but provided he can stay the journey, Holstein must be considered the one to beat in the opening event. Best Bet Race 1 – #7 Holstein (7) 5yo Gelding | T: Matthew Dunn | J: Matthew McGuren (59kg) Bet with Bet365 Next Best at Grafton: Barazin Barazin was luckless in his second Australian start at Wyong on June 26 and should’ve been fighting out the finish. The French-import was held up along the inside running rail the entire straight, with Benjamin Osmond forced to give the son of Siyouni a glorified barrier trial as he cruised through the wire under his own steam. He should be ready to launch third-up into the campaign, and with Mollie Fitzgerald getting 2kg off his back after the claim, Barazin looks perfectly placed to secure his first Australian victory. Next Best Race 5 – #1 Barazin (3) 4yo Gelding | T: Kris Lees | J: Mollie Fitzgerald (a2) (61.5kg) Bet with Neds Wednesday quaddie tips for Grafton races Grafton quadrella selections Wednesday, July 17, 2024 1-3-5-9 1-2-3-9 3 1-2-4-5-7-11-13 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Te Akau co-trainer Sam Bergerson. Photo: Nicole Troost With 168 wins to their name this season, Te Akau Racing’s Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson have already sealed the trainers’ premiership, and they already have their eye on continuing their dominance into next term. The Matamata-based training partnership took a 17-strong team to Avondale’s trials on Tuesday, with many tipped to feature prominently in the spring. Juvenile Cool ‘N’ Fast was the hype horse of the summer, carrying the weight of expectation of punting group Boys Get Paid into the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie in January after they had wagered $50,000 on the son of Savabeel ahead of the rich feature. He went on to win on debut before running 11th in the Karaka Millions, and was subsequently gelded before making his first public appearance of his spring preparation on Tuesday where he finished fourth in his 800m heat. “He is a gelding now, so he has had the ultimate gear change,” Bergerson said. “I was pretty happy with him (in his trial). Most of them were there today having nice, quiet trials to get them back out in a public setting, and we didn’t knock them around too much. They copped quite a bit of rain here yesterday. “He had a nice trial, he relaxed nicely and was strong enough to the line and had a really good blow on pulling up. That will really tighten him up nicely into the spring. “He will head to Te Rapa now and we will trial again and be guided by that whether we go to Taupo or Hawke’s Bay. He seems to be coming up well and is doing everything well at this stage of his preparation.” Earlier in the day, Group One performer Mehzebeen was fourth in her 950m heat and is set to tackle some middle-distance targets over the spring and summer. “It is good to have her back,” Bergerson said. “She is quite a handy staying mare, so we will head to Te Rapa with her as well. Whether we aim her at something like the Waikato Cup (Group 3, 2400m) or something else will be guided by how she comes along. “I am looking forward to stepping her up in trip over the spring. She is another year older now and we think it is all ahead of her. She is starting to fully mature and hopefully she is in for a good spring.” Te Akau Racing lined-up a quintet in the 800m open handicap heat, and Bergerson was pleased with the pipe opener for each of his five runners, who were only beaten by the Clinton Isdale-trained Beebeep. Group Two winner Trobriand was the first home for the tangerine and blue, ahead of Group Two performer What You Wish For, Group Three performer My Lips Are Sealed, Group One performer Talisker, and El Viento. “Trobriand has been gelded, and I think he was the pick of that lot,” Bergerson said. “He got back and was quite strong through the line on testing conditions. “He seems to be much happier and tractable as a gelding, so he could be in for an interesting campaign. “What You Wish For ran well in the Derby and I am looking forward to getting him up in trip again. I thought he trialled well, he just blew out the last little bit, but he seems to be coming up well. “I thought My Lips Are Sealed trialled nicely and will now go to Te Rapa and we will map out a path. She seems to get through wet ground quite nicely and you could see her quite early, near the backend of winter or early spring. “Talisker has never gone well on wet ground, but he seems to be coming up well. “And El Viento is relatively lightly raced and I think he is coming up really well. He is in for a good spring and something like the Coupland’s Mile (Group 3, 1600m) could be on his radar, he is quite low in the handicap still, but we think he is progressive enough to get up to that level.” Bergerson was also impressed with the trial of unraced juvenile Age Of Discovery, and he is tipping a bright future for the son of Savabeel. “The pick of the two-year-olds was Age Of Discovery,” Bergerson said. “He has yet to go to the races, but he trialled quite nicely and we think he will be better on better ground. “Warren (Kennedy, jockey) was pretty impressed with him. We haven’t done a lot with him, but we are certainly looking forward to him getting him to the races in the spring.” Horse racing news View the full article