Wandering Eyes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY–Finally, 'TDN Rising Star' Long Neck Paula (Uncle Mo) gets her chance to run at Saratoga Race Course. The 2-year-old filly, trained by Wesley Ward, is one of 11 entered to run in the 106th running of the $175,000 Listed Schuylerville Stakes on Thursday's opening day card at the Spa. Long Neck Paula was the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the June 6 Astoria S. at Saratoga but didn't get to run after the stewards scratched her. Ward had taken her off the grounds for cold water spa therapy, which was a no-no. A rule states that stewards must grant permission for such treatment and Ward had not done that. “Everyone involved was disappointed,” Ward said Wednesday by phone from Lexington, Kentucky. “It was one of those things. You live and you learn, and you move on.” Long Neck Paula is one of eight in the field for the six-furlong Schuylerville coming off a win. Half of those, including Long Neck Paula, won on the front end. “This looks like a very contentious group,” Ward said. “My only concern is when you get into the first 2-year-old stakes race, and you have a bunch of very fast horses … six furlongs is a long way to go for a 2-year-old right now.” Ward said he has seen many editions of the Schuylerville won by horses that come from off the pace. Young horses that go too fast too early are not around at the end. “It seems to me that when they are in the early stages of their career, they can't sustain the early speed,” Ward said. So, he will leave it up to jockey Flavien Prat to decide where to put Long Neck Paula in the race. Prat replaces Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who rode Long Neck Paula to a 3 1/2-length win in her career debut on May 2 at Churchill Downs. Velazquez has opted to ride fellow 'Rising Star' Complexion (Complexity), the 7-2 morning-line favorite for trainer Danny Gargan. Long Neck Paula, who is owned by Will Stroud, is 8-1. “I will give Flavien the freedom to ride his own race,” Ward said. “Johnny chose to ride the other filly–and she is very talented–and we picked up a very good replacement. (Prat) is a very heady rider and that is why he is at where he is in racing. We are happy to have him.” Honor Marie Will Likely Get New Rider for Travers Trainer Whit Beckman has decided that his top 3-year-old Honor Marie (Honor Code) will, in all likelihood, train up to his next start, the $1.25 million GI Travers S. at Saratoga on Aug. 24. Beckman will also be looking for a new rider for Honor Marie, who was last seen finishing fourth in the GI Belmont S. at the Spa. “I don't know what I am going to do yet,” Beckman said outside his Saratoga barn at the Oklahoma Training Track. “I am going to start with a clean slate. Right now, it has been my biggest headache because no one wants to ride him until everyone wants to ride him.” In the Belmont, Honor Marie was ridden by Florent Geroux, who replaced Ben Curtis, who was aboard in the GI Kentucky Derby when the colt finished eighth. Curtis could not ride in the Belmont after breaking his collarbone at the end of May. Beckman, a former assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown, said he is going to wait a couple weeks before deciding who will ride Honor Marie. “I would like a guy who rides this track well and I would like a guy who has won the Travers,” Beckman said. “I have a couple of riders in mind.” For now, the plan will be to train the colt up to the Midsummer Derby but that could also change. “Honestly, I just want him to get a chance at a mile and a quarter,” he said. “Every time he runs a mile and a quarter, he gets destroyed by some horse and can't get any traction. In the Belmont, he had trouble at the start and Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), like a honing missle, just came over on him down the stretch.” Honor Marie, owned by Ribble Farms LLC, Michael H. Eiserman, Earl I. Silver, Kenneth E. Fishbein and Dave Fishbein, also had traffic trouble in the Kentucky Derby after finishing a solid second in the GII Louisiana Derby. “I know he belongs, and I know, with the trip, he has as much talent as a lot of these,” he said. Honor Marie had his first work since the Belmont last Saturday at Churchill Downs, going four furlongs in 50.40. Beckman said his first Saratoga work could come a week from Saturday. Mott Will See if Rich Strike Still Wants To Do It It has been 432 days since improbable 2022 GI Kentucky Derby hero Rich Strike (Keen Ice) was last seen on a racetrack. A fifth-place finish in the GII Alysheba S. at Churchill Downs on May 5, 2023 was hardly inspiring. Since then, the 5-year-old has had front leg issues, he has been been retired, unretired and has also changed barns. If Rich Strike is going to get back to the races, it will be Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott who will get him there. “I am excited about trying to get him ready because we know the horse can run,” Mott said outside his office on the Oklahoma Training Track. “I am excited about having him and having the opportunity. It is challenging, but I think a lot of the pressure was taken off because he has had a year and a half off. Everyone must realize he is starting over.” Rich Strike had his first timed work since joining the Mott barn on Tuesday, going three furlongs in 39.60 (14/14) over the Oklahoma track. Mott knows it will be baby steps for Rich Strike, who is owned by Rick Dawson's RED TR-Racing, LLC. Rich Strike turned the racing world upside down when he won the 2022 Derby at the astronomical odds of 80-1. He has had six starts since then, all of them graded stakes. Four of them were Grade I races. His best finish was a second in the GII Lukas Classic S. at Churchill on Oct. 1, 2022. Rich Strike has been in Mott's Saratoga barn since late June. “They gave him a lot of time to heal, he was pretty beat up,” Mott said of the time off given to Rich Strike. “The babying is over with. We are not going to go from A to Z, we will build him up. He is getting to a point where he either makes it as a racehorse or he doesn't.” There is no target race for Rich Strike. Mott said he will use the summer to get the colt as fit as he can. The rest is up to him. “I would hope that by the end of the meet he will be pretty fit,” Mott said. “That gives us July and August. We will space his works out properly. He may or may not be ready to run by the end of the meet. We will see.” The post Saratoga Notebook: Long Neck Paula Back For The Schuylerville appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Fred Hertrich III and Clem Murphy were re-elected to the Breeders' Cup Board of Directors, while Tom Ryan of SF Racing was elected. All will serve four-year terms.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 returning winner by American freshman sire Maximum Security. 13.40 Clairefontaine, Cond, €34,000, 2yo, 8fT ROSA SALVAJE (IRE) (Maximum Security) is one of very few by her sire running in Europe and got off to the ideal start when winning at Saint-Cloud last month. Ecurie Francky Defosse and Frederic Sauque's granddaughter of the GI La Brea Stakes winner Downthedustyroad (Storm And A Half) is pitched by Christopher Head against Haras Voltaire's Gun Of Brixton (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), an Andre Fabre-trained colt whose dam is a half to the dual Derby hero Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Second on debut to the subsequent Listed Prix Roland de Chambure-winning TDN Rising Star Tiego The First (Fr) (Blue Point {Ire}) over six furlongs at Saint-Cloud in May, he has since broken his maiden over seven furlongs at that track. 15.45 Doncaster, Mdn, £6,800, 2yo, 6f 2yT CHANCELLOR (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is the second foal out of Cheveley Park Stud's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Queen's Trust (GB) (Dansili {GB}), obviously deemed speedy by John and Thady Gosden to be starting over this trip. From a middle-distance family including the talented half-siblings Warrsan (Ire) (Caerleon), Luso (GB) (Salse) and Needle Gun (Ire) (Sure Blade), a bold show would be significant. 17.10 Leopardstown, Mdn, €18,000, 2yo, f, 7f 35yT PROXIMA CENTAURI (IRE) (Circus Maximus {Ire}) is the third foal out of the Niarchos Family's four-times Group 1-winning Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and, like that luminary, is in the hands of Jessica Harrington. Other newcomers of note in this fascinating affair include Newtown Anner Stud Farm's Chantez (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), a Ger Lyons-trained half-sister to the G2 King Edward VII Stakes and G3 Chester Vase winner Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Ballydoyle's Bubbling (Ire) (No Nay Never), a full-sister to the G2 Park Stakes winner and 2,000 Guineas runner-up Wichita (Ire). The post Maximum Security Filly Takes The Next Step At Clairefontaine appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After a very successful mini-meet highlighted by the running of the GI Belmont Stakes, NYRA is set to return to Saratoga for the start of the 2024 meet. Guiding the ship will be NYRA President and CEO Dave O'Rourke, who will be hoping for sunny skies, no breakdowns and record attendance and handle numbers. That's a lot to ask, but it is Saratoga, where magical things happen. To talk about the meet, O'Rourke joined this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast Presented by Keeneland. He was the Green Group Guest of the Week. With the goal of having as few fatalities as possible, O'Rourke said that NYRA continues to work on the safety aspects of its tracks. “This is a high-octane sport and safety has to be number one,” he said. “So in terms of our tracks, they have all just been tested. (track surface guru) Mick Peterson was just out here. They all look good. The feedback's been very good. The weather for this meet should not be nearly as wet and rainy as it was last year. Then we have the HISA protocols to work with and they have been refined. There's been some changes when it comes to, one, injectables and, two, timeliness. With HISA, you're really starting to see the effects of having a unified structure here for safety. ” A Tapeta surface is expected to debut at the new Belmont Park in late 2026. Any chance NYRA would ever install one at Saratoga? “We are looking at the engineering to see what it would look like,” O'Rourke said. “You would think it'd be on the inside, obviously, like a seven-eighths track. You'd widen the actual outer turn, of course, but then you might be limiting your turf program. But in other ways, you might be extending it because you can come off it and you're not going up to rough up the turf courses in foul weather. That's in discussion. It's very early on. That's a big change for up here. It would have to be done right.” This will be a first for NYRA, where races were run at Saratoga before the primary meet started. This gave O'Rourke and his team a chance to do a dress rehearsal, and they were very happy with how well the Belmont meet went off. “It was amazing, actually. It was it was incredible,” he said. “That really sets up some momentum rolling into the meet. The fans are at the core of this. It's an entertainment product, and the fans up here are so bought in. We're looking for amazing crowds. There's just so many aspects to this in terms of really throwing a party for 40 days when you get down to it. Everyone has so much fun up here. We just hope it stays dry. That's always the challenge with Saratoga, the weather, and that's the one thing you can't control. In our breeding spotlight section we took a look at the WinStar stallion Nashville. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, WinStar, XBTV.com and the KTOB, the team of Randy Moss, T. D. Thornton and Bill Finley discussed the latest chapter in the war over HISA, which included a favorable court ruling from The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for the anti-HISA forces. But Thornton, who has been covering the story for the TDN said not to expect any changes any time soon and that the matter might not be resolved until it hits the Supreme Court some time next year. The group also previewed the Saturday card at Saratoga, which features four stakes, including the GI Diana Stakes. Click here for the audio version of the podcast and for the video. The post David O’Rourke Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast To Talk Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK–While Godolphin hogged the headlines on the opening day, it was the turn of a couple of members of the Juddmonte draft to share the limelight during Wednesday's session of the Tattersalls July Sale. Sold consecutively as lots 558 and 559, the three-year-old fillies Anacapa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Calabria (GB) (Kingman {GB}) each brought the hammer down at 300,000gns. The former, an unraced sister to G3 Prix de Lieurey winner Fount (GB), was bought by Grant Pritchard-Gordon of Badgers Bloodstock for a “long-standing European client”. She is a daughter of Ventura (Chester House), a the four-time Grade I winner in North America. “It is a family I have known for a long time,” said the agent, who worked for Juddmonte for 17 years. “I go back beyond [third dam] Roupala.” Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock was the agent in pursuit of Calabria, an unraced daughter of Kingman and Romantica (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). A Group 1 winner herself, Romantica is a daughter of the brilliant Banks Hill (GB) (Danehill). McStay also signed for Even Out (GB), by Le Havre (Ire) out of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Proportional (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}), just three lots earlier in the draft at 80,000gns. “As we know, Juddmonte blood is very hard to come by; the farm is the best breeder in the world. They've both been bought for the same client and we were delighted to be able to get them,” he said. “We had to dig deep to get the filly from Banks Hill family but it is probably the best pedigree in the book – when you see Banks Hill, Dansili, Hasili, Champs Elysees on the page, it doesn't need much explanation as to why you had to dig so deep and why there was such stiff competition.” There was plenty of competition throughout the range of horses on offer at Tattersalls on Wednesday and a clearance rate of 92% speaks to the demand from buyers both international and domestic, Flat and jumps. Trade bounced back to being roughly on par with last year's figures, with an average price of 25,202gns (+7%), median of 12,000gns (-8%) and an aggregate of 4,813,500gns (+19%) for 191 lots sold. Bur Dubai is Australia-Bound The Australian wing of the micro-share syndicate My Racehorse, in partnership with Victorian trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent, struck for lot 631, Bur Dubai (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), at 250,000gns. The three-year-old was bred by his owner Ahmad Al Shaikh and has been in training with Kevin Philippart de Foy, for whom he recently won a Chester handicap by nine and a half lengths. That decisive win saw his rating shoot up from 78 to 89. After bidding over the phone via Tattersalls' marketing manager Jason Singh, Kent said, “He has got upside on upside on upside for us and has the perfect profile for Australia – he is fast, we love his sire, and he is the right type with bone, good feet and he vetted clean. “We will give him six weeks and let him take advantage of your summer and warmer weather – he will then ship and can slot into our routine. He added, “I worked in Newmarket and know Kevin – he is a lovely fella and is a great trainer who looks after his horse really well, that was a big positive for us, too.” Bahrain beckons The 87-rated sprinter City House (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) (lot 608) will be changing stables in Newmarket but there are wider horizons in the pipeline for the three-year-old colt, who was bought for 180,000gns by agent Billy Jackson Stops and trainer George Scott. That same duo had combined in the purchase last year of Scott's subsequent G2 Hardwicke Stakes winner Isle Of Jura (Ire) and the hope if for City House, who was previously trained by James Fanshawe for the Gredley family, to follow suit. “We enjoyed our time in Bahrain and we were looking for a couple of sprinters, and all being well he will end up there,” Scott said. “City House looks a really robust horse – James Fanshawe has done a great job with him and there look to be plenty of miles left on the clock. “My client is new to me and he is based in London, but has some of his own clients in Bahrain and Dubai. He will be working over there a bit in the winter so he would like some action while he is there.” He continiued, “We are looking to strengthen our Bahrain team this winter. The prize-money is great, it is very competitive, you need the right type of horse, they need to be durable.” And also France and Dubai… The Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Bad Desire (Fr) made a temporary visit to Newmarket from Joseph O'Brien's Irish stable and he will venture next to France then Dubai, if all goes to plan. The new owner of lot 573 is Omar Esmil Gharghar from Libya, who recruited the three-year-old for for 150,000gns. The next stage of Bad Desire's training career will be conducted at the stable of Italian-born Gianluca Bietolini, who trains in France, and he will eventually join Mehmet Yusuf Marangoz, who has plans to train in Dubai. Lots of NH interest Jumps trainer Syd Hosie picked up four well-bred individuals to send over hurdles, including two sons of Frankel. Hosie went to 150,000gns to secure Victory Shout (GB) (lot 505), a recent winner at Hamilton over a mile and a half for Karl Burke. Also heading to Hosie's Dorset yard is Rapid Mission (GB) (lot 464), a winner over the same trip last month for Joseph O'Brien. Both horses were previously owned by Yulong. Star Runner (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}), a half-brother to recent G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes winner Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion), is another gelding off to try his hand at jumping. The three-year-old (lot 428), who was sold for 105,000gns, has been placed in three of his four starts for Andrew Balding and will join the stable of William Durkan, who has plans for a juvenile hurdling campaign. Fergal O'Brien will take charge of the former Jim Bolger trainee and homebred Serious Challenge (Ire), who was bought by the jumps trainer with Cotswold Bloodstock for 85,000gns. Rated 102, lot 598 is a son of Fracas (Ire) and was a winner at two. He has been twice placed recently in Listed company at Limerick and Roscommon. The sale concludes on Thursday with two sessions before and after racing on the July Course. The post ‘Best Breeder in the World’ Supplies Leading Lots at Tattersalls appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As a daughter of the six-times top-level-winning dual champion grass mare Tepin (Bernstein), Ballydoyle's Grateful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has a lot to live up to, but she went some way to doing that on Wednesday with a hard-fought success in Fairyhouse's G3 Darley Irish EBF Stanerra Stakes. Having only her fourth career start in the 14-furlong feature and her third in just over a month after breaking her maiden at The Curragh and finishing sixth in the Listed Irish EBF Naas Oaks Trial last month, the 12-1 shot raced prominently under Ronan Whelan early. Urged to take over two out, the chestnut was pressed to the line by Dancing Tango (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) but dug deep to record a half-length success. “Wayne [Lordan] said she was quite aggressive and wanted to go forward at Naas, but it was like clockwork today,” Whelan said after riding his first winner for the stable. “I knew once I got on heels after 100 yards I was going to get her back and it worked out well. This is probably the right trip at the moment, but in time she could go further.” Stable representative Chris Armstrong added, “He gave her a lovely ride, kept it uncomplicated, let her stride into it nicely from the top of the straight. She got a bit lonely in front, but she stuck at it well. The plan was, if she ran well here, she'd go to Goodwood for the Lillie Langtry. Then we'll look at all those nice staying races in the autumn. She's appreciates that trip, she handles an ease in the ground and she's a filly to look forward to for the backend. She's progressing nicely with each run.” Staying on strongly Grateful wins the Group 3 @DarleyStallions @IrishEBF_ Stanerra Stakes for Aidan O'Brien and @WhelanRonan @Fairyhouse @Ballydoyle | @coolmorestud pic.twitter.com/6wEdRWiUID — Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 10, 2024 The post Tepin’s Daughter of Galileo Wins the Stanerra appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Under an alleged scheme involving fake prescriptions in an effort to facilitate distribution, a compounding company that has marketed treatments to Thoroughbred racehorses recently entered a guilty plea in federal court.View the full article

Cogburn (Not This Time–In a Jif, by Saintly Look), who most recently won the GI Jaipur Stakes at Saratoga in North American-record time, will stand at WinStar Farm upon his retirement. The Central Kentucky nursery has entered a partnership with the ownership group of the 5-year-old, which includes Clark Brewster, William and Corinne Heiligbrodt and Lindy Farms, to acquire the breeding rights to Cogburn, his sire's chief money spinner in 2024. “There are not many times in life you get to stand the fastest horse in the world,” said Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing manager of WinStar Farm. “I was in awe of his performance in the Jaipur and his balance and conformation are spectacular. I think horses are fast if they breeze five furlongs in :59 and change. He ran 5 1/2 furlongs that fast. “Being by up-and-coming stallion Not This Time and having graded level form on the dirt as well, I can't be more excited,” Walden continued. “I want to thank Bill and Clark for the opportunity to acquire his standing rights along with Lindy Farm. Bill has a great 2-year-old program, and that will help lead to Cogburn's future success as a stallion.” Bred in Kentucky by Bellary Bloodstock and trained by Steve Asmussen, Cogburn exhibited plenty of talent on the main track to begin his career, winning three times from eight starts while finishing runner-up in the GIII Chick Lang Stakes and Bachelor Stakes as a 3-year-old. But he has stepped up to a different level with a switch to the turf, having tasted defeat just once in six appearances. After taking out a pair of turf sprint stakes at Lone Star Park, the bay defeated future GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) in last year's GIII Troy S. over a rain-affected turf course at Saratoga last August. Highly impressive off the bench in the GII Turf Sprint Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4, Cogburn was scintillating in the Jaipur, setting fractions of :21.33 and :43.07 before stopping the timer in :59.80. That broke the previous North American record of 1:00.21 set in 2019 and earned him a lofty 111 Beyer Speed Figure. Cogburn has amassed a record of 8-2-0 from 14 starts and earnings to date of $1,237,730. “I wanted a farm to stand him that I could do business with and support him with my program,” said Bill Heiligbrodt. “I have had many fast horses over the years, but Cogburn is as fast as anyone. I can't wait to breed mares to him, and Clark and I stayed in to help launch his stud career.” Added Lindy Farms' Frank Antonacci: “We have had tremendous success with No Nay Never in Europe with Cogburn's profile: Fast on dirt and fast on turf. I thought it was a great opportunity.” A stud fee will be announced at a later date. Bradley Weisbord of BSW/Crow Bloodstock brokered the deal on behalf of the connections. The post ‘Fastest Horse In the World’ Cogburn To Stand At WinStar Upon Retirement appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Having suffered one of Royal Ascot's most unexpected reversals, Ballydoyle's Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) heads to Newmarket's July Festival on Thursday with a point to prove in the G2 Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes. Caught out by the speed test of the G2 Norfolk Stakes, the Listed First Flier Stakes winner could manage only fourth as the heavily-supported 10-11 favourite and duly reverts to a more suitable six-furlong trip to put his substantial reputation back on track. His brother Little Big Bear (Ire) came here two years ago only to be pulled out due to the prevailing fast ground, but it is more on the soft side of good this time which posed no problem as the Peter Brant colour-bearer readily dispatched the solid yardstick Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev) in his Curragh listed win. Also coming back from Royal Ascot are the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes winner Ain't Nobody (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}) from the Kevin Ryan stable and Wathnan Racing's G2 Coventry Stakes runner-up Electrolyte (Ire) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) representing Archie Watson, while Charlie Appleby supplies Godolphin's Nottingham debut winner Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}). “This race cut up a bit at the overnight stage, losing the Coventry first and third, but that formline is still represented by the runner-up Electrolyte and it still looks a strong race,” Whistlejacket's jockey Ryan Moore said. “I suppose you could say we were a little disappointed that Whistlejacket didn't win the Norfolk, but maybe things didn't fully work to his advantage there and it certainly wasn't a bad run at all. We like to think he is better than he showed there, he handles soft ground well if required, and the return to six furlongs hopefully won't be an issue. It's a good race, but he is a good colt.” Upper Hand for Hamish Newmarket's feature on day one is the G2 Princess of Wales's Stakes, where Scuderia la Tesa and Vaibhav Shah's impressive G2 Yorkshire Cup winner Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) encounters the Haggas stalwart Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}). Giavellotto, who was recording back-to-back wins in that York contest in May, has a three-pound penalty to burden him which benefits the eight-time Group 3 winner Hamish. Runner-up in the G1 Coronation Cup with the run of the race against him, Brian Haggas's homebred veteran deserves a Group 2 to his name and Tuesday's deluge has come in the nick of time. “Tom [Marquand] said he has never been round Tattenham Corner quite as fast as he did in the Coronation Cup and the horse plugged on very well, we were thrilled to bits,” William Haggas said. “It's the same old team we've been running against in the past.” Marco Botti is looking at the Marco Botti views the Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday as the perfect stepping stone towards the G1 Irish St Leger for Giavellotto after this outing. “We don't want it too soft, but at the moment the plan is to let him take his chance, especially as he is coming back to a mile and a half,” he explained. “He's won on the July course before and it is quite a stiff mile and a half, which is why we felt we could drop back in trip there. We want to just campaign him at around a mile and six this year, last year we took him to Goodwood and York over two miles, but we do feel it just stretches him and his optimum is a mile and three-quarters, which is the Irish St Leger.” Prevailing Wisdom Also on Thursday's fixture is the G3 Bahrain Trophy, playing host to St Leger hopefuls headed by Godolphin's G1 Futurity Trophy-winning TDN Rising Star Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}). He is certain to be a warm order dropping back in class and going up in trip following his eighth in the Derby, while Wathnan Racing's Space Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) will provide further measurement of the merit of Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) who beat him by six lengths in Royal Ascot's G2 King Edward VII Stakes last month. Wathnan Racing's racing adviser Richard Brown said of Space Legend, “The slight step up in trip won't harm him and I think this horse is going to stay. He ran a tremendous race at Ascot and just bumped into one, Calandagan looked a bit of a freak that day. He has come out of Ascot well and we were pondering whether to wait for Goodwood, but William has said he is fit, well and healthy and I think he is still a big baby who will get better with racing, so he is going to go and take his chance.” Promising Lead In the increasingly-important Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes, Juddmonte's impressive York novice scorer Lead Artist (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) bids to emulate the operation's 2023 winner Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the race that was used for a certain Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) three years ago. Currently favoured over five rivals including Tim Porter's listed-winning and dual Group 3-placed Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}), the John and Thady Gosden-trained son of the G2 Prix de Sandringham winner and G1 Prix Rothschild third Obligate (GB) (Frankel {GB}) will have connections aiming high if he passes this test. Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon said of Lead Artist, “We obviously bypassed Royal Ascot, which was hopefully the wise thing to do, and he'll go there in good shape and he's one that we're looking forward to. It's been a high-class race in the last couple of years to be fair and it's a nice stepping-stone into those nice races in the second half of the season–races like the Sussex and the Marois. We're hoping that he can jump into that sort of level.” Porta Fortuna Heads Falmouth Seven, Ryan Moore Booked Ryan Moore has been booked for the ride on the G1 Coronation Stakes and G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) in Friday's G1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket, for which seven fillies and mares were confirmed on Wednesday morning. With no Ballydoyle representative in the line-up, Moore is free to link up with the Donnacha O'Brien-trained filly, racing for the Medallion-Weston-Fowler-Reeves partnership, with Oisin Murphy who steered her to success in the Cheveley Park back on David Howden's G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes winner Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion) for the Gosdens. Ireland is well-represented in the mile feature, with the Mutual Admiration Society Partnership's Irish 1,000 Guineas runner-up A Lilac Rolla (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) hailing from the Paddy Twomey stable and Scott Heider's G1 Matron Stakes runner-up Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) flying the Joseph O'Brien stable flag. Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's dual listed winner Jabaara (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) from the Roger Varian yard, Amo Racing's Adrian Murray-trained Magical Sunset (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Dash Grange Stud's David Menuisier-trained Sirona (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) complete the field. The post Whistlejacket Seeks Newmarket Redemption as July Festival Gets Underway appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Watercress Farm's Fred Hertrich III and Coolmore Stud's Clem Murphy have been re-elected to the organization's Board of Directors by the Breeders' Cup Members, and that SF Racing's Tom Ryan has been elected to the same body, Breeders' Cup announced Wednesday. Each will serve terms lasting four years. “We congratulate Fred and Clem on their re-election and Tom on his election to the Board,” said Barbara Banke, Chairman of Breeders' Cup Limited. “Together, their expertise and insight will contribute to the success of future Company initiatives, including the global expansion and impact of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.” The post Breeders’ Cup Announces Board of Directors Election Results appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Airdrie Stud's first-crop sire sensation Complexity (by Maclean's Music) continued the barnstorming start to his second career with a first winner in Europe on Wednesday as Eleanora Kennedy's Black Forza captured Fairyhouse's six-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. Breaking smartly from his wide stall, the Michael O'Callaghan-trained 6-1 shot who had been fifth on debut in The Curragh's hot Barronstown Stud Maiden at the Irish Derby meeting closed powerfully to take control a furlong out under Seamie Heffernan. Readily asserting from there, the dark bay who was a £220,000 Goffs UK Breeze-Up purchase enjoyed a 1 1/4-length verdict at the line over Rudi's Apple (Ire) (No Nay Never). Heffernan knows his apples, it's fair to say, and he was impressed. “He needed the run at The Curragh, it was seven furlongs and he was a little green there and the trainer was quite confident,” he said. “He's a horse with a bit of a future I'd say–he felt like a 2-year-old type, he travelled and quickened and I think he'll keep improving. He was pretty much a steering job tonight. He'll probably stay further in time, but at the moment he jumps and wants to show you what he's got.” The winner's dam Harlee Honey (Harlan's Holiday) is a half to three stakes performers headed by the GII Santa Ynez Stakes winner California Nectar (Stormy Atlantic), in turn the second dam of the G1 Champions Cup-placed Hapi (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}). Breeze-up purchase Black Forza (Complexity) makes no mistake on his second outing as he breaks his maiden under Seamie Heffernan for @MDOCallaghan @IrishEBF_ | @Fairyhouse pic.twitter.com/hN9FKr4D32 — Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 10, 2024 The post Complexity off the Mark in Europe with Fairyhouse Winner Black Forza appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a round-up of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the HIWU “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 07/09/2024 Licensee: Blake A. Kelly, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Dantrolene—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Karter's Baby Blue on 5/15/24. Date: 07/08/2024 Licensee: Lisa Reed, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Betamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Drinking Solo, who finished second at Finger Lakes on 5/29/24. Date: 07/08/2024 Licensee: James E. Nicholson Jr., trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Lazaretto, who won at Parx Racing on 5/22/24. Date: 07/08/2024 Licensee: Ricardo Bailey, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); Treated as 1 violation with Mutiny under 09/08/23 HISA Guidance. Final decision by HIWU. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Rockstar Ro, who won at Thistledown on 5/20/24. Date: 07/03/2024 Licensee: Brittany Vandenberg, trainer Penalty: In Both Cases, Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Two medication violations for the presence of Phenylbutazone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in samples taken from Maqamat, who won at Hawthorne on 5/26/24, and from Khozan's Success, who won at Hawthorne on 5/26/24. Pending ADMC Violations 07/09/2024, Richard Eubanks, trainer/owner: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Clenbuterol—a Class B medication permitted for use with specific conditions—in a sample taken from Ugly Duckling on 6/18/24. 07/08/2024, Diana McCLure, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Triamcinolone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Arden'sluckytobe, who finished second at Laurel Park on 6/7/24. 07/05/2024, A Ferris Allen III, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine—Controlled Medication (Class B)—in a sample taken from Smokey Rain on 5/28/24. Violations of Crop Rule One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race. Belterra Chief Stipelas Lafrance – violation date July 5; 5250 fine and 5-day suspension Los Alamitos Ricardo Ramirez – violation date July 6; $250 fine and one-day suspension Francisco Orduna – violation date July 6; $250 fine and one-day suspension Diego Herrera – violation date July 6; $250 fine and one-day suspension Ricardo Ramirez – violation date July 6; $250 fine and one-day suspension Armando Aguilar – violation date July 5; $250 fine and one-day suspension The TDN also publishes a round-up of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. NEW YORK Aqueduct Date: 07/05/2024 Licensee: Linda Rice, trainer/owner Penalty: Horse Low Society owned by Linda Rice and Bruce Golden Racing is hereby disqualified from the purse and unplaced in the order of finish of the 4th race at Belmont at the Big A on July 6th, 2024 for having participated while carrying 2 pounds less weight than required by the conditions of the race. 4025.5. Disqualification __ improper practice. Any horse that has been the subject of improper practice may be disqualified for such time and for such races as the stewards shall determine. Horse Low Society was claimed from the 4th race and the claim was void for Horse being ineligible to race and returned to original owner. Read more on the story here at the DRF. The post Weekly Rulings: July 4-July 10 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 11, 2024 Saratoga 6, $80k, 2yo, f, (R), 5 1/2f, 3:53 p.m. ET Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($) Mean Eileen (Twirling Candy), OBSMAR, 50,000 C-Richardson Bloodstock; B-Joe Sharp, agent My Vanilla (Mitole), OBSAPR, 20,000 C-Oak Creek Thoroughbreds; B-Anthony Perri Selectively Sweet (Vekoma), FTMMAY, 25,000 C-Navas Equine, Agent; B-Pure Bred Funding LLC Saratoga 10, Schuylerville S., $175k, 2yo, f, 6f, 6:16 p.m. Dreamgirl (Mo Town), OBSAPR, 65,000 C-Grassroots Training & Sales LLC, agent; B-DKW Racing Long Neck Paula (Uncle Mo), OBSMAR, 500,000 C-Top Line Sales LLC, agent; B-Louis Dubois, agt for Wesley Ward Sherbini (Cairo Prince), OBSMAR, 40,000 C-Empire Bloodstock LLC; B-Miami Investments Viggiedal (Vekoma), OBSMAR, 350,000 C-Wavertree Stables Inc (Ciaran Dunne), agent; B-CJ Stables LLC The post Summer Breezes: Four OBS Grads Contest Schuylerville appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hipica TV, the popular Spanish language online broadcast, will add Monmouth Park and Woodbine to its channel beginning this Friday, July 12.View the full article

An injunction prohibiting acts of intentional disruption at The Jockey Club's Epsom Downs Racecourse has been extended an additional five years by a High Court judge, TJC announced on Wednesday. The injunction will be subject to an annual review. The original injunction was put in place in May of last year when protesters from Animal Rising made it clear that they planned to breach course security and stage a disruptive protest at the Derby Festival. Judge Sir Anthony Mann has ruled that the final injunction–sought by TJC to restrain acts of trespass and interference with racing at the track–should be granted. Alan Maclean KC represented TJC at the High Court. The order prohibits individuals from entering onto the racetrack and carrying out other acts with the intention and/or effect of disrupting any raceday at Epsom Downs Racecourse. Such acts include intentionally causing objects to enter the racetrack, entering the parade ring, entering and/or remaining on the horses' route to the parade ring and to the racetrack without authorisation, and intentionally endangering any person at the venue. Individuals acting in breach of the court order could be subject to proceedings for contempt of court, which may lead to a fine and/or imprisonment. These provisions will apply to every race meeting at Epsom Downs. Nevin Truesdale, chief executive of The Jockey Club, said, “The interim injunction which was granted last May has remained in place for all fixtures staged at Epsom Downs since and has proved a very effective deterrent to those who had been considering illegally and irresponsibly protesting on racedays, with potential unknown and dangerous consequences for jockeys, racegoers and the horses themselves. “We have always said that we will do everything in our power to ensure that the safety of all horses, participants, racegoers and our employees is not compromised by such reckless actions and we are extremely pleased that this final injunction to restrain acts of trespass will keep the current restrictions in place for up to a further five years. “We will never tolerate or acquiesce in a repeat of the disruption we saw last year and we welcome this High Court ruling.” The post Injunction Extended For The Jockey Club At Epsom Downs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Participants in the Backside Learning Center's 20th anniversary raffle have the chance to win one of three items donated by Woodford Reserve: a Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby 150 Baccarat Edition (Value = $15,000), a Gold Mint Julep Cup (Value = $5,000), and a Silver Mint Julep Cup (Value = $1,000). The Derby 150 Baccarat Edition bottle is Woodford's rarest bottle yet. “I think these are true pieces of art,” said Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall. “We only made 150 bottles. One bottle went to the owner of the Derby winner. One bottle went to the BLC, and 148 were to be sold to consumers. So, anyone who gets their hands on this bottle has a true exquisite piece for their collection.” The Derby 150 gold and silver cup are also rare collectibles. “Everything is done by hand,” said Chris Poynter, PR & partnerships manager with Woodford Reserve & Old Forester. “[They are] hand-designed by Josh Meredith, handcrafted by Graham Newton from The Vault over in Saint Matthews. It takes him a full year to make all the cups.” Tickets are $100 each and each raffle ticket purchased directly contributes to the BLC's mission to provide support and resources to the diverse community of racetrack workers and their families. For more information and for tickets, click here. The post Derby 150 Baccarat Edition Bottle Up for Grabs in Backside Learning Center Raffle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Former champion jockey lands a brace at city circuit with handlers’ title to be decided at Sha Tin on SundayView the full article

Group 1 winner Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) is pointing for the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot at the end of the month, according to trainer David Menuisier. A winner of the G1 Criterium International in his final start at two for Guy Pariente, Thomas Lines and Qatar Racing, the full-brother to Group 1 winner and young sire Sealiway (Fr) ran second in the G3 Prix Greffulhe at second asking at three. Seventh in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, he rebounded to take second, by just three-quarters of a length, in the G1 Irish Derby at the Curragh on June 30. “He's absolutely grand, it seems like he didn't have a hard race and fingers crossed we can run him in the King George,” said Menuisier. “That would be the race to run him in if we could. He was unlucky in the Prix du Jockey Club but he had definitely come on for his previous races and I think he had definitely come on for his last run. I don't know whether he was a bit rusty or whatever. “The horse is so talented that he doesn't do much at home, so sometimes he needs a bit of a reminder that he's in competition–he just needed a couple of races to put him back in the mood. “He doesn't need cheekpieces, I run him in a sheepskin noseband and that seems to do the trick, I don't think he needs any more than that.” The post King George In The Cards For Sunway appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A share in the Haras d'Etreham stallion Hello Youmzain (Fr) has been added to the Arqana Online Pop-Up Sale scheduled for Friday, July 12. The share gives the right to two coverings a year, an identical offering to the one that fetched €180,000 from Laurent Benoit, acting on behalf of Haras des Sablonnets, on the Arqana Online platform last month. Hello Youmzain was a high-class sprinter for the Kevin Ryan yard, notably winning the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup and G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes. He stood his first season at Haras d'Etreham in 2021 and his first crop of juveniles to race this year include the G2 Coventry Stakes runner-up Electrolyte (Ire), who was bought by Wathnan Racing for £220,000 at the Goffs UK Doncaster Breeze-up Sale. Bidding on the lots–which also include a share in the Aga Khan Studs stallion Zarak (Fr)–will take place between 5-6pm local time, with registration for bidding already open on www.arqanaonline.com. The post Arqana Online Pop-Up Sale to Offer Share in Hello Youmzain appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Monmouth Park and Woodbine will be added Hipica TV, the Spanish-language online broadcast, beginning Friday. Owned and operated by 1/ST Content, Hipica TV is available on YouTube and Livestream. The channel launched in 2019 and is one of the most robust social media platforms in horse racing, with a subscriber base of over 240,000 subscribers on YouTube and more than 60 million views per year, including 720,000 unique viewers every 90 days. Hipica TV is the exclusive Spanish language home of 1/ST Racing's premiere properties, Gulfstream Park, and Santa Anita Park, and is the Official Breeders' Cup broadcast in Spanish. “Hipica TV has a proven track record of reaching the underserved Spanish-speaking audience, which presents a growth opportunity for horse racing,” said Aidan Butler, President of 1/ST. “We are pleased to welcome the prestigious Monmouth Park summer season and the international excellence of Woodbine to our channel and collaborating with them to build their exposure.” The post Monmouth Park, Woodbine Added to Hipica TV Line-Up appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The BBC has confirmed that three women murdered in a crossbow attack in Bushey, Hertfordshire are the wife and two daughters of BBC racing commentator John Hunt. Carol Hunt, 61, died alongside two of her daughters, Hannah, 28, and Louise, 25, following an attack at the family's home on Tuesday evening. The suspected killer, Kyle Clifford, 26, is currently on the run and believed by police to be armed. A major manhunt is underway across the Hertfordshire and north London area of England. In a press conference on Wednesday, Chief Superintendent Jon Simpson from Hertfordshire Police said, “Our overarching objective today is to protect public safety and to locate Kyle Clifford, who is wanted in connection with the murder of the three women in what we believe is a targeted incident. “We have extensive police resources deployed to various locations in north London and also the Bushey area. “The manhunt also involves armed police officers and specialist search teams responding at pace in the wake of what has been a horrific incident involving what is currently believed to be a crossbow, but other weapons may also have been used.” A former policeman, John Hunt, a longstanding and widely respected commentator for BBC Five Live and Sky Sports Racing, had been on duty at Lingfield racecourse on Tuesday. Along with his work in horseracing, he is regularly part of the BBC sports team covering the Olympics. His many friends in the racing world include ITV racing presenter Matt Chapman, who said in a post on social media, “No words needed for what has happened to @HuntyCaller and family today. Impossible to comprehend the pain. Just know we are all here for you John. We love you pal – racing loves you.” The post Wife and Daughters of BBC Commentator John Hunt Killed in Crossbow Attack appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Australian Group 1 winner Espiona (Aus) will be offered by agent Glenesk Thoroughbreds in a standalone virtual sale set to be held by Magic Millions at 3pm (AEST) on Wednesday, July 31. Trained by Chris Waller for Denise Martin's Star Thoroughbreds, Espiona won seven of her 24 starts and earned over A$3.3 million in prize-money during her illustrious career, with her biggest success coming in 2023 when she defeated the multiple Group 1 heroine Pride Of Jenni (Aus) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) by a nose to win the G1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill. The daughter of Extreme Choice (Aus) was also placed at the top level on multiple occasions, including when finishing third in February's Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington, passing the post less than a length behind the 10-time Group 1 winner Imperatriz (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) who later sold virtually for a record-breaking A$6.6m at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. “She was a very tough horse,” Waller said of Espiona. “But her racing pattern made it difficult to get the best from her. Like we saw this preparation, she was often in the company of the very best Australian sprinters, and she had enough ability to beat anything. “She was lightly raced and certainly from a pedigree and ability perspective, she is as good as you need and certainly capable of producing very good quality colts and fillies which would hype their chance in Group 1 races.” Espiona was purchased for A$190,000 by Star Thoroughbreds and Randwick Bloodstock Agency's Brett Howard from the Torryburn Stud draft at the 2020 Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She is out of a full-sister to the Listed-winning Bonny O'Reilly (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), while her second dam is a half-sister to the multiple top-level winners Glamour Puss (NZ) (Tale of the Cat) and Vision And Power (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}). “We are honoured to have been entrusted by Denise Martin and her syndicate of owners to present Espiona to prospective buyers,” said Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch. “Through her career she raced against elite horses and proved herself one of the best of her generation.” “Being able to offer her through a standalone virtual sale will give the owners, vendor, prospective buyers and interested parties the opportunity to see her sell via a streamlined process by a world-class auctioneer [Clint Donovan]. “It will provide Espiona a fitting sales process to take her to the next journey of her life.” The post Standalone Virtual Sale Announced for Australian Sprinting Star Espiona appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.-With the mighty successful prelim–the GI Belmont Stakes–now part of Saratoga's storied history, it is time to move on to the main event. The 40-day racing season, the 156th since the first meet was staged in 1863, commences Thursday with an 11-race program at Saratoga Race Course, America's oldest sporting venue. The listed six-furlong $175,000 Schuylerville S., a graded stakes for 2-year-old fillies through last year, is the traditional opening-day feature. The first post is at 1:10 p.m. By the time the meet concludes on Labor Day, Sept. 2, more than 400 races will have been contested on dirt and turf. The New York Racing Association has scheduled 71 stakes worth $20.75 million in purses. There are 41 graded stakes spread across the season, 18 of them at the top-level, Grade I. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, 70, has been a Saratoga regular since 1987 and has been the leading trainer nine times. Last year, with a powerful roster of stars, he won five stakes at Saratoga which helped him lock up the Eclipse Award. Mott, based in Saratoga throughout the April-November training season, said the race meet is the high point of the year for him. “All the best racing is up here,” Mott said. “They've got good racing at different points along the way, Keeneland, Churchill, but it really all kind of comes together here. For the Midwest, and in the East Coast, I think this is the championship meet. Doesn't mean that's where all the good races are, but they have stakes almost every day here. You see a lot of good racing. A lot of good horses show up and are ready to go this time of year. And you see a lot of good 2-year-old racing, so the people that like to look into the future, you can get an indication of what might show up next year.” The Belmont was moved to Saratoga Race Course for the first time in its history while Belmont Park is undergoing a massive makeover. The final stop in the Triple Crown series was a big hit on June 8 in a city used to major-league racing and with NYRA setting an attendance limit at 50,000, it sold out quickly. NYRA said the four-day festival drew a total attendance of 120,028 and the handle was $197.4 million. It was a huge economic gift for merchants like Jason Fitch and his brothers, who operate King's Tavern across Union Ave. from the track and The Saratoga City Tavern on Caroline Street. This will be the Fitch brothers' 11th season at King's and Jason said having the Triple Crown race in town created a situation unlike any other. “It was so busy for the Belmont. It felt like it felt like one track season in one day,” he said. “It was absolutely insane, but it was a good, controlled insane. It seemed like it was just good people, positive attitudes, no problems.” In addition to the high-caliber racing, the Saratoga season includes The Jockey Club's Round Table on Thursday, Aug. 1; annual induction for the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame on Aug. 2; Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Sale, Aug. 5-6; as well as other industry events. Jockey Joel Rosario, 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy) and 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) were elected in the contemporary division in their first year of eligibility. In 2023, Linda Rice won the last race of the meet to tie Chad Brown for the trainer's title with 35 victories. It was Brown's third-straight meet title, sixth overall and Rice's second. In recent years, Brown and 14-time champion Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher have vied for the top spot. Pletcher enters the meet with 698 victories at Saratoga with a record 44 Grade I scores. Five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. won his fifth Saratoga riding title last summer with 62 victories, 25 more than his brother Jose. As usual, weather conditions will have a huge role in the meet's business success. Rainy weather last summer forced NYRA to move 65 races off the turf, leading to dozens of scratches, and handle fell 9.9% from the 2022 figure when only 16 races were switched to the dirt. While there is at least one Grade I race on each of the eight Saturdays, the $1.25-million GI Travers Stakes on Aug. 24 and the $1-million GI Whitney Stakes on Aug. 3 are the marquee events of the season and anchor huge stakes programs. In 2023, there was the rare meeting of the winners of the Triple Crown races in the Travers. Belmont winner Arcangelo (Arrogate) prevailed in the Travers, which helped him clinch the 3-year-old male Eclipse Award. It is possible that the three race winners could all be in the Travers field again this summer. GI Preakness S. winner Seize the Grey (Arrogate) and Belmont winner Dornoch (Good Magic) are on course for the 1 1/4-miles test. GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents), the only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this year, was given time off after his eighth-place finish in the Belmont. He recently returned from his time at the farm to trainer Kenny McPeek's barn at Churchill Downs. “He's on a slow-return right now,” McPeek said. “We're not in any hurry with him. He had a hard winter-spring campaign. We're kind of regrouping with him. No decisions on where he is next.” McPeek did not rule out the Travers, but suggested it would be a reach to have him ready. “We'd like to think we could get him back for the Travers,” McPeek said, “although I'm a little worried about running in that race off a layoff, but we'll see.” McPeek said that the Travers remains a possibility for his star 3-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), who he said “is begging to run again.” The GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Acorn Stakes winner is scheduled to make her next start in the GI Coaching Club American Oaks on July 20 at Saratoga. “And then we're open on what happens after that, either the [GI] Alabama or the Travers,” McPeek said. During the COVID-disjointed 2020 season, McPeek won the Preakness with Swiss Skydiver after her victory in the Alabama. He may do something similar with Thorpedo Anna, the only 3-year-old in the NTRA top 10. “Let's see how she runs in the Coaching Club,” he said. “We don't even nominate until the other side of it. If she were ultra-impressive in that, yes, I'm going to seriously consider the Travers. But if she has to work at it to beat the fillies, or it depends on who is headed to the Travers. But, we need to get through the Coaching Club first. We don't want to put the cart before the horse, right?” Trainer Danny Gargan secured his first Grade I victory when Dornoch won the Belmont at 17-1 over Mindframe (Constitution) and favorite Sierra Leone (Gun Runner). Gargan is planning to run Dornoch in the GI Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 20, and wants to continue on to the Travers. “I think this horse can win the Travers, if we get the right post and the right set-up,” Gargan said. “He won the Belmont.” Gargan said that when Dornoch turned in a bullet work on June 27, his first breeze after the Belmont, he realized that the colt was ready for more big tests. “We all know he is a little lazy by himself, but the way he breezed was impressive,” Gargan said. “We'll see. I've always been confident in him. I've never ducked anybody. I've never gone anywhere. I want everyone to show up for that. I want them all there.” Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas–who will turn 89 on closing day–has the Travers on his schedule for Seize the Grey. He will prep in either the Haskell or the GII Jim Dandy on July 27 and Lukas said the colt is showing him he is ready for the next section of the season. “He's doing absolutely terrific,” Lukas said. “He's one of those horses that rebounds from his races beautifully. He jumps right back into the program. And because of some of the breeding farms, he just had a complete physical and passed it with A-plus marks. He should have a really strong fall. He really should. He's in a position to step up. Being an Arrogate, I've found that the Arrogates are kind of late developers. They seem to get better as they get a little bit older.” Lukas has been touting his 2-year-olds this year and nine of the 23 horses he brought to Saratoga from Kentucky are juveniles. His first 2-year-old runner will be BC Stable's Innovater (Authentic) Saturday in the seventh, a maiden special weight race. One of his 2-year-old runners last summer was Seize the Grey. In 1984, Lukas made his first appearance at Saratoga and won the Alabama with Life's Magic and the GI Spinaway Stakes with Tiltalating. He competed every year through 2019 at the Spa, but skipped 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic and a downturn in the quality of is stable. He returned two years ago with some new owners and more talent. According to Equibase, he has won 264 races. Twenty seven of his 67 graded stakes wins have been Grade I. “I find this meet a little bit more refreshing,” he said. “I come up here and I've got them all right there in front of me. The last few years, we tried to keep it under 35 or so and I find it kind of refreshing. I enjoy the Oklahoma track and the long trip from my barn down to the main track and so forth, riding with those babies. “The thing I think that stimulates you up here is you bring your 2-year-olds up that you're high on. We didn't bring every 2-year-old, but we brought the ones we think are what I call Saratoga-worthy. That in itself stimulates you to get up and get going and get out there every day. I don't want to say it's a working vacation, because it's not that. My wife and I don't go fishing on Lake George or waterskiing or to a ballet or anything. We just train horses, but it still seems to be a little bit refreshing.” Fitch, the co-owner of King's Tavern, said this has already been a weird summer with a hectic week, followed by three quiet weeks before racing resumes. Fitch said he is excited to get rolling again and embrace the season. “I'm not a big horse guy. I love and appreciate what the track is,” he said. “I'm not a gambler, but I enjoy it for the other reasons, just what it brings to our economy, what it represents to our community. It's a special place.” The post ‘It’s a Special Place’: Racing Returns to Saratoga Thursday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A total of 240 selected yearlings have been catalogued for the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, with the 103rd edition of the boutique auction scheduled for Aug. 5 and 6 in Saratoga Springs, New York. Sessions will begin each evening at 6:30 p.m. in the Humphrey S. Finney Sales Pavilion. “Our consignors have supported Saratoga with an outstanding group of yearlings once again this year,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “The sire power on offer is strong and diverse, and the depth of pedigree as good as we have had in recent memory. We have siblings to 57 graded stakes winners catalogued, several of which are Grade I.” Recent sales graduates include five Grade I-winning colts in Kingsbarns (2024 Stephen Foster S.); National Treasure (2023 Preakness S., 2024 Pegasus World Cup, and Metropolitan H.); Prince of Monaco (2023 Del Mar Futurity); Seize the Grey (2024 Preakness S.); and Sierra Leone (2024 Blue Grass S.). The sale also has the distinction of producing the two most recent Preakness S. winners in Seize the Grey and National Treasure. “Saratoga offers the highest concentration of quality of any yearling sale in the world,” said Browning. “From catalogues of just 200 or more yearlings, Saratoga has produced five of the sport's most exciting stallion prospects in Kingsbarns, National Treasure, Prince of Monaco, Seize the Grey, and Sierra Leone, as well as back-to-back Preakness winners.” The entire catalogue can be viewed here. The post 240 Catalogued for Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ryan Moore has been booked for the ride on the G1 Coronation Stakes and G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) in Friday's G1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket, for which seven fillies and mares were confirmed on Wednesday morning. With no Ballydoyle representative in the line-up, Moore is free to link up with the Donnacha O'Brien-trained filly, racing for the Medallion-Weston-Fowler-Reeves partnership, with Oisin Murphy who steered her to success in the Cheveley Park back on David Howden's G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes winner Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion) for the Gosdens. Ireland is well-represented in the mile feature, with the Mutual Admiration Society Partnership's Irish 1,000 Guineas runner-up A Lilac Rolla (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) hailing from the Paddy Twomey stable and Scott Heider's G1 Matron Stakes runner-up Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) flying the Joseph O'Brien stable flag. Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's dual listed winner Jabaara (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) from the Roger Varian yard, Amo Racing's Adrian Murray-trained Magical Sunset (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Dash Grange Stud's David Menuisier-trained Sirona (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) complete the field. The post Porta Fortuna Heads Falmouth Seven, Ryan Moore Booked appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article