Wandering Eyes

We know it as a tried-and-true consignment that has been making headlines at the Keeneland September Sale for over 20 years now. And we know its figurehead Peter O'Callaghan as one of the sharpest pinhookers in the game–flipping a $400,000 American Pharoah colt into a $2.2 million Keeneland September yearling in 2018 and before that, pinhooking a $180,000 War Front weanling into a $2.5 million yearling at the same sale back in 2013. But what's relatively new for us, when considering Woods Edge Farm, is finding the operation listed as the breeder of a growing number of accomplished racehorses. In recent years as Woods Edge has turned its focus toward selling its own foals, more and more of their six and even seven-figure Keeneland September scores are coming from their own homebreds. The results are showing up on the racetrack too. Just this month, Woods Edge celebrated its first Grade I winner. Du Jour (Temple City) had been knocking at the door of Grade I status for some time before his victory in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. He came on the scene with a win in the GII American Turf S. in 2021 and since then has been a competitive turfer first in New York and then back in California, but the Bob Baffert trainee finally earned his breakthrough victory in his 6-year-old debut in the Kilroe on March 3. It was almost a Grade I double for the farm that day because in the next race at Santa Anita, Reincarnate (Good Magic) came up only a few lengths short in the GI Santa Anita H., finishing third behind fellow Baffert trainee Newgate (Into Mischief). The winner of the 2023 GIII Sham S., Reincarnate was Woods Edge Farm's first Kentucky Derby starter. He didn't perform as hoped at Churchill Downs, but came back to win the Los Alamitos Derby later last summer. O'Callaghan picked Reincarnate's dam Allanah (Scat Daddy) out of the back ring at Keeneland in 2018. She was in foal to Street Boss and he bought her for $105,000. Reincarnate as a yearling ahead of the Keeneland September Sale | Thorostride “She was a nice Scat Daddy mare, a big, strong gray mare and a good walker,” O'Callaghan recalled. “She was a stakes winner herself and she had a bit of family. She's the kind of mare we're looking for in Book 2–in our budget but has some credentials. $105,000 was about the top of what we would give that year.” O'Callaghan sent Allanah back to first-crop sire Good Magic and the resulting foal was Reincarnate, who was a show-stopper from the start and sold for $775,000 at Keeneland September to the partnership of SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables. “He was a killer,” the Irishman said proudly. “Really just an absolute stunner, this big, beautiful gray horse. Every time you looked at him he was better. He looked like a horse who would win a Grade I, so I hope he can eventually get it done.” While Reincarnate was a knockout for Woods Edge, Du Jour proved to be a bit of a head-scratcher. O'Callaghan bought his dam Guiltless (Bernardini) at the 2015 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. He tried to flip the maiden mare in the U.S. the following spring, but ended up buying her back for $60,000. “She was a Bernardini and she was from the family of Ghostzapper, but she was small,” he recalled. “If you're small at Tatts, you're definitely small for here.” The horseman wasn't all the sorry about keeping the young mare and just two years later, she produced Du Jour. He was a big, strong-looking colt and O'Callaghan had high hopes for him, but an injury that had left a scar in a joint kept him off many buyers' lists come September. “I remember coming back down from the ring after selling him for $19,000 thinking, 'How the hell did I just sell that horse for $19,000? What's going on here?' He had a clean sheet and he was a great-looking animal. But Carlos Morales and Joe Appelbaum bought him in the back ring and they were rewarded.” Du Jour would go on to sell for $280,000 the following spring as a 2-year-old, but looking back now, O'Callaghan doesn't mind being on the unprofitable end of the deal. He's been on the other side of a good pinhook many a time and as a consignor, understands the importance of being practical when it comes to his clearance rate. “It's important to peg it right,” he said. “You don't have to give 'em away, but you can't be looking for the last penny either. Set them where you think they'll sell and just go on with it. Let people bid for them. If you're in the selling game, I believe it's important to be known as a seller.” O'Callaghan, a trusted source for many buyers at the Keeneland September Sale, has long been regarded for his eye for horseflesh and the record of his yearling program. Graduates include the likes of future Grade I-winning stallions Knicks Go, Drefong, Eskendereya and Street Boss. The variation in focus from pinhooks to homebreds was slow at first, but it gained momentum after positive early results. The commercial operation is now up to foaling out 40 of their own mares this spring. The reasoning behind the shift? O'Callaghan noticed the market's demand for quality increasing and knew the pinhooking game at the level he hopes to compete at would only become more challenging as the trend continues. “We don't want to be too one dimensional,” he explained. “It's a quicker turnaround with the pinhooks and a slightly better cashflow situation, but it's just becoming a very high risk, expensive game to play with the way the market is going. I'm not trying to criticize the market. There's a lot of money out there and a lot of demand for quality, but the buyers want it all. When you have a lot of those expensive foals, some of them won't quite finish out like you maybe thought they would and then you'll always come up with a few veterinary issues so all of a sudden you're in trouble with a quarter-million dollar foal. Your back is to the wall.” O'Callaghan is still busy buying weanlings every November, but the homebreds growing up back at the farm give him the flexibility to find the right additions for their program. “We were giving yearling prices year on year for these foals and a couple would work, but then you'd have to eat a couple that really hurt you,” he said. “We were under too much pressure to have to fill the barns with bought foals. At least this way we have 20 or 30 homebreds at home and we can be a bit more selective on what we're buying and more disciplined on what we spend. We don't have to chase them as hard.” One of the early success stories as O'Callaghan began making a pointed effort to develop his own broodmare band was the Speightstown mare Nefertiti, whom he bought in foal to Into Mischief for $125,000 in 2014. That resulting foal was Engage, who sold for $200,000 as a yearling and became a two-time graded stakes winner and earner of over $800,000. But O'Callaghan found it difficult to work the breeding stock sales shopping for both mares and pinhook prospects, trying to catch mares in the back ring while also chasing down weanlings. Luckily he soon obtained a secret weapon of sorts in his wife Jenny. Du Jour scores in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. | Benoit A graduate of the Godolphin Flying Start program who also hails from Ireland, Jenny was working at WinStar Farm when the pair got to know each other. They were married in 2017 at Woods Edge. Jenny began helping O'Callaghan at the November Sale each fall, focusing on finding mares that would fit their program. There were several years where she herself was pregnant, due right after the first of the year, so she planted a chair in the back ring at Keeneland and did her shopping from there. “We called it the mare chair,” Jenny recalled with a laugh. “I would sit in the back ring and Peter would be back and forth chasing after foals going to the barn. I'd be in the mare chair and call him every time there was a nice mare in the back ring. Later on when I wasn't pregnant, we wanted to make it a priority. So I would go look at the mares and create a shortlist. That made it much tidier and we were able to stretch a little bit more because we had done our homework.” The results from the team's new sales strategy are starting to show. In 2021 when Reincarnate brought 775,000, they had two more homebreds sell for half a million in September. A City of Light colt out of Miss Mo Kelly (Congrats) brought $500,000 and another colt by the same sire and out of Ghostslayer (Ghostzapper) sold for $1.05 million. Ghostslayer, a $110,000 Keeneland November buy for Woods Edge in 2018, also produced a $700,000 Arrogate colt in 2022. Their numbers are growing too. In 2013, 9 of the 50 yearlings Woods Edge sold at Keeneland September were homebreds. Last year, there were 18 homebreds from 51 sold. Also last year, Woods Edge purchased eight mares out of Keeneland November. “We've been getting more aggressive the last two or three years,” Jenny noted. “We stay within our budget and we can compromise on most things, but we never compromise on looks. We always try and get the sire line, the race record, the family and the looks, but that's a million-dollar mare. We'll never sacrifice the looks, so sometimes we have to go all the way down to the maiden-winning fillies in the racehorse section.” “I think everybody is migrating toward that,” O'Callaghan added in reference to making the physical aspect a priority. “All the people who used to flip mares and cover them, they've all learned that too. Unless the mares are good-looking, those guys really don't get much profit on them now. If they are good-looking, they get well-paid for them. I think the game has changed in that direction.” O'Callaghan had plenty of experience developing his eye for a good physical long before Woods Edge opened its doors. Back home in Ireland, his parents Gay and Annette O'Callaghan own Yeomanstown Stud, home of the ultra-successful sire Dark Angel (Ire). When O'Callaghan was growing up, his father would travel to Keeneland every year to shop for mares and pinhooks. After finishing school and spending three seasons at Ballydoyle, O'Callaghan came to the U.S. upon his father's suggestion. He worked a season at Nick de Meric's and then came up to Lexington to learn from his father's longtime friend Gerry Dilger. In 2001, O'Callaghan was set to come back home. But his father proposed that he stay an extra week or two to look around for a farm to lease. Gay joined him when he got to town for the November Sale and they went searching for properties with realtor Arnold Kirkpatrick. “They were all quite nice, but it was difficult to find anything particularly outstanding,” O'Callaghan recalled. “Then Arnold said he was going to show us one more place, but that it was not for lease. So we drove to Woods Edge and did a handshake deal with him on the spot to buy the place. It was a stunning farm and a great location. Everything came with it; it was absolutely turnkey. So all of a sudden we were going from leasing a hundred acres to owning 350.” Peter and Jenny with Ghostslayer's 2024 filly by Flightline | Sara Gordon Woods Edge quickly grew from there. They purchased an annex to the property on Old Richmond Road a few years later and then added a 300-acre location next to Juddmonte Farm on Jacks Creek Pike. With Woods Edge now foaling over 60 mares each year between their own broodmare band and client mares, the ample space of the farm's sprawling pastures provides an ideal setup to raise their foals on open, rested pasture space. O'Callaghan jokes that the farm is “horse heaven” because any member of the equine species that resides on the property far outlives their life expectancy. When he purchased the original Woods Edge acreage, the farm came with two ponies. He was told not to worry about them because they were already quite old. One pony lived for another 15 years and the other, Misty, still resides on the farm today at the age of 34. The tiny old mare earns her keep as an excellent babysitter for the weanlings and a reliable source for snail-paced pony rides for the O'Callaghan clan. The O'Callaghans have three boys ages five, four and two and they also have a daughter on the way. Balancing a hectic schedule with three young kids and a business with several dozen employees is no easy task, but the O'Callaghans appreciate the family aspect of their chosen industry. “I think we work really well together,” Jenny said. “We do all our matings together and we make major decisions together. Peter is the day-to-day and definitely the talent, but I learn from him every day. I think with this industry, you just have to live for it. It's all-consuming. We're on the farm every day and the kids love it. We hope that they can enjoy it as much as we do. When we go past Keeneland on the way to school they ask if we can go to the sales. They associate Buckles the Keeneland mascot with Santa.” “Every year after we finish up the November Sale, we go to the farm and go through the homebreds,” she continued. “We're so proud of the stock that we have and just pinch ourselves because of the job that Peter and his team do every day. [Our farm] is just huge, open fields. All day, every day, the horses come up for a couple of hours in the morning just to be checked and handled and then they go straight back out again. They are big and strong and fluffy and everything a beautiful horse should be. We go through the stock and think, 'This is just the dream.' Not everything is perfect, but on the whole we're really pleased with where our program is going and what we're producing.” There's plenty to look forward to as the year progresses. While Du Jour continues to make a name for himself in the turf division and Reincarnate searches for that Grade I victory, a pair of Woods Edge-bred sophomore fillies have bright futures ahead. Midshipman's Dance (Midshipman) won the Mockingbird S. early this year and was fifth in the GIII Honeybee S. while Our Pretty Woman (Medaglia d'Oro) is two for two for Courtlandt Farms and Steve Asmussen and is pointing for the GII Fair Grounds Oaks. While their strategies may evolve, the foundation that Woods Edge was built on hasn't cracked. The philosophies that were set in place more than 20 years ago, when Woods Edge first hung its banner out at Keeneland, still hold firm today. “I've always been very forthright and honest with all the clientele that buy off Wood Edge for the last 20 plus years,” said O'Callaghan. “It's important to feel that they know that they can trust what we're offering and trust what we tell them.” “It's a small business, but it's also a relationship business,” he continued. “We've kind of stood the test of time, but it's only because we have good relationships with people. We are as straight as a gun barrel with anyone that asks us anything about any of the animals. We're not going to sell anyone a horse with an issue. We just won't. We want to come back the next year and be able to look whoever it is in the eye and know that we did right by them.” The post Breeders’ Spotlight: In Response to Evolving Landscape, Woods Edge Builds Reputation as a Breeder appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After embarking on the experience of a lifetime last year with Sibelius, trainer Jerry O'Dwyer is ready to do it all over again.View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. Among this most recent set of rulings, by far the most portentous was the 15-year ban doled out to trainer Milton Pineda, who trained seven different horses that tested positive post-race for the banned substance, Diisopropylamine, between June 2 and July 4 last year. The seven horses started at Los Alamitos and Santa Anita. Pineda was also accused of program training during the period of his provisional suspension. The Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit classifies Diisopropylamine as a vasodilator, which is a substance that dilates the blood vessels to allow blood to flow more freely through them. Diisopropylamine is also found in several everyday items like tobacco and beauty products, and hand sanitizer. The arbitrator in Pineda's case fined the trainer $180,000 and ordered him to pay an additional $15,000 towards HIWU's share of the legal costs for the proceedings. A more detailed account of the case can be read here. NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Resolution Date: 03/14/2024 Licensee: Milton Pineda, trainer Penalty: 15-year-ban, $180,000 fine and $15,000 towards HIWU's share of the arbitration costs of the proceedings. Explainer: Read more on the story here. Resolution Date: 03/11/2024 Licensee: Dr. Donald J. McCrosky (currently unclear in what specific role McCrosky is a responsible party) Penalty: 30-day period of Ineligibility, beginning on March 12, 2024; a fine of $2,500. Admission. Explainer: For the possible breach of Rule 3510(a)—Disruptive or Offensive Conduct that does not rise to Tampering. The ruling involves the horse Madelyn Attack, who McCrosky bred. HIWU has not yet publicly posted a more detailed explainer of the ruling. Resolution Date: 03/11/2024 Licensee: Carlos Morales, trainer Penalty: A fine of $3,000; imposition of 3 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314—Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method—on the horse, Moose Wilson. This was also a possible violation of Rule 4222—Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout. Resolution Date: 03/11/2024 Licensee: Patrick Biancone, trainer Penalty: A fine of $3,000; imposition of 3 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314—Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method—on the horse, Infinite Diamond. This was also a possible violation of Rule 4222—Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout. Resolution Date: 03/08/2024 Licensee: Juan Guerrero, 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. Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Crypt, who won at Parx Racing on 11/13/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Resolution Date: 03/08/2024 Licensee: Frank Santillana, 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: For the presence of Flunixin—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Mi Gusto Es, who finished tenth at Tampa Bay on 1/26/24. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Resolution Date: 03/08/2024 Licensee: Peter Walder, trainer Penalty: A fine of $3,000; imposition of 3 Penalty Points. Admission. Final decision by the internal adjudication panel. Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314—Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method—on the horse, Hello Jack. This was also a possible violation of Rule 4222—Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout. Resolution Date: 03/07/2024 Licensee: George Arnold II, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on March 8, 2024; 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 $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: For the presence of Tramadol—Controlled Medication (Class B)—in a sample taken from Figgy, who won at Turfway Park on 12/27/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). More on the story here. Pending ADMC Violations Resolution Date: 02/14/2024 Licensee: Efren Loza Jr., trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Clenbuterol—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Mexicoffee, who finished second at Gulfstream Park on 2/14/24. This was a possible violation of Rule 3212—Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers. Date: 02/06/2024 Licensee: Robert Fiesman, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Vet's list medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Zipsy Rose Lee, who finished second at Mahoning Valley on 2/6/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 02/11/2024 Licensee: Gary House, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Callas, who won at Tampa Bay on 2/11/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 01/25/2024 Licensee: Alejandro Gomez, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Vet's list medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Flunixin—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Tamanrassett on 1/25/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 02/24/2024 Licensee: Jose Jimenez, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Pre-workout joint injection violation Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314—Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method—on the horse, Just Katherine. This is also a possible violation of Rule 4222—Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout. Date: 02/12/2024 Licensee: John Shirreffs, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Vet's list medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Omeprazole—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Sully on 2/12/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 01/30/2024 Licensee: Curt Ferguson, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Cidstayinurlane, who won at Turf Paradise on 01/30/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 02/21/2024 Licensee: Brandon Kulp, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged Violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the potential breach of Rule 4221—Alkalinization or use/administration of an Alkalinizing Agent (TCO2)—on Seeking the Dream, who finished third at Penn National on 2/21/2024. This is also a possible violation of Rule 3313—Use of a Controlled Method During the Race Period. Date: 02/19/2024 Licensee: Monte Gelrod, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Cobalt Salts—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Ratified, who won at Parx Racing on 2/19/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3212—Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List Workout). More on the story here. Date: 02/03/2024 Licensee: Leon Minott, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Vet's list medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Slender Slipper on 2/3/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). HIWU had previously listed trainer Howard Love as the responsible party in this case. Date: 01/06/2024 Licensee: Derek Ryan, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Charging Aero, who finished second at Tampa Bay on 01/06/24. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 12/29/2023 Licensee: Sergio Morfin, trainer Penalty: Provisionally suspended Alleged Violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Methamphetamine—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Wishtheyallcouldbe, who finished second at Santa Anita on 12/29/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3212—Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers. Violations of Crop Rule One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race. Aqueduct Jose Gomez – violation date March 9; $250 fine and one-day suspension Santa Anita Diego Agustin Herrera – violation date March 8; $390 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes Drayden James VanDyke – violation date March 9; $250 fine and one-day suspension, 7 strikes Turfway Park Juan Gabriel Lagunes – violation date March 6; $250 fine and one-day suspension OTHER KEY RULINGS The TDN also publishes a roundup 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. California Track: Santa Anita Date: 03/08/2024 Licensee: Robert Henie, owner Explainer: Owner Robert Henie having failed to respond to written notice to appear before the Board of Stewards at Santa Anita Park on or before March 7, 2024, is suspended for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1547 (Failure to Appear) pending an appearance at a hearing before the Board of Stewards to answer to charges alleging violation of CHRB rule #1876 (Financial Responsibility). Suspension to commence on March 15, 2024. New York Track: Aqueduct Date: 03/09/2024 Licensee: Jose Gomez, jockey Explainer: For having waived his right to an appeal Jockey Mr. Jose (Antonio) Gomez is hereby suspended 3 NYRA racing days March 16th 2024, March 17th 2024, March 21st 2024 inclusive. This for careless riding during the running of the 3rd race at Aqueduct Racetrack on March 8th 2024. The post Weekly Stewards And Commissions Rulings: Mar. 5-14 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

On the heels of their efforts in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) and the Saudi Cup (G1), Senor Buscador and National Treasure find themselves in a dead heat.View the full article

Edited Press Release The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) is now accepting new applications for experienced industry experts to join HISA's Horsemen's Advisory Group. The Advisory Group was formed by HISA in 2022 to provide formal feedback to HISA's executive team and standing committees on the implementation and evolution of its Racetrack Safety and Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) regulations. The Advisory Group has been responsible for recommending a number of substantive modifications to the HISA Rules that were ultimately approved by the HISA Board. Now that 18 months have passed since the Advisory Group's establishment, HISA is beginning the process of rotating members off to allow new perspectives to join. Five members will rotate off on May 1, 2024, and another five will rotate off on Nov. 1, 2024. HISA is inviting all racing participants who wish to be considered for membership in the Advisory Group to email horsemensadvisory@hisaus.org indicating their interest and qualifications by Friday, Apr. 5, 2024. Applicants should also indicate whether they would like to be considered for the next round of openings in November 2024, should they not be selected to join in May 2024. The Advisory Group's membership includes trainers, owners, veterinarians, backstretch employees and representatives of racing offices and aftercare initiatives who collectively represent a wide variety of viewpoints across racing. Advisory Group members are expected to join monthly virtual (and occasionally in-person) meetings with HISA leadership to provide feedback on HISA's rules and processes, as well as be available to weigh in on time-sensitive issues affecting horsemen as needed. The post HISA Invites Applications To Join Horsemen’s Advisory Group appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

WinStar will launch four new stallions with first two-year-olds in 2024: Global Campaign, Improbable, Promises Fulfilled, and Tom's d'Etat, and it's Improbable who has come out swinging first at the sales. At OBS March, four of his colts brought six figures, selling for $475,000, $400,000, $300,000, and $250,000. The $400,000 colt, out of Libby's Tail, who breezed in 9.4 for Eddie Woods-one of three Improbables to hit that mark–was purchased in partnership by David Hanley, the Senior Vice President of Bloodstock Services at WinStar Farm, which stands Improbable. We talked to Hanley about the young sire. TDN: What has the reaction to Improbable's first two-year-olds been like at the sale this week? DH: People have liked them. We're extremely bullish on this horse because he was such a sound, top racehorse, having won four Grade Is over three years of training. He was also second in the Arkansas Derby and in the Breeders' Cup Classic. So he was a really exceptional athlete. The thing about him was how sound and how good a mover he was on the racetrack. He ran for three years and had 85 works in between all those races, and he never came back to the farm except to be freshened on one occasion. So he was an extremely sound and tough racehorse. He wasn't the biggest horse. But once we got him under tack, his athleticism on the racetrack was incredible. And when you looked at his works, every one was a carbon copies of the previous one. He worked five furlongs in a minute, and was so consistent. So we were waiting to see if he transferred that athleticism to his two-year-olds. And we're very happy to see that out of the ones he had here, there were four or five of them really showed up as very, very athletic horses. So we're really excited about the future with them. TDN: You bought one yourself. DH: We gave $400,000 for one (hip 395) and we were underbidder on another one. This horse was a leggy horse with a lot of scope and his breeze was really, really exceptional. His gallop out was spectacular. I was on the backside and he went by me like he could go around again after going in :9 4/5. And that's really what impressed us. I had seen him at Eddie Woods's and I was impressed with how he breezed out there. He had that tremendous bounce off his back end, and he did his breeze with ease. He wasn't under stress to do it. So, what we felt when we saw him was that he was very, very athletic and looked like he'd go two turns. TDN: What is Improbable like himself, and is he stamping these two-year-olds? DH: He wasn't the biggest horse himself in being by City Zip. What is very encouraging is that he seems to be throwing progeny with leg and stretch and with his motion and his athleticism. He got a great book of first mares. On the class performance index, his first book of mares was second only to what Authentic got. So these are the two-year-olds we're seeing now. The way the stallion business is right now, people wait and see. So, at $15,000 (from an initial stud fee of $40,000), I think he's great value right now and based on what his two-year-olds are like, we're really excited about what runners he's going to have. Obviously, he's in that third year and people are just waiting to see what happens. TDN: He won Grade Is at two and four. What does that say to you? Improbable (#2) rearing up in the gate before the start of the Whitney | Sarah Andrew DH: He was a very good, undefeated two-year-old, winning the Los Al Futurity, and also the Street Sense at Churchill on the Breeders' Cup undercard, as well as his maiden. And then at three, quite honestly, he lost his way a little bit. He was second in the Arkansas Derby, but he had an incident in the gate in the previous race, the Rebel. That was in the spring of his three-year-old year. He was always an uptight horse, and after that, he was a little bit tentative in the gate and I think it affected his performance. But then he matured and relaxed and really showed just how good a horse he was as a four-year-old. So I think that was kind of how his career developed. It wasn't through any unsoundness or ability. But then we really saw what he was when he overcame all of that as a four-year-old, winning the Hollywood Gold Cup, Whitney, and Awesome Again and running second in the Breeders' Cup Classic to Authentic. Bob Baffert, the incredible horseman that he is, did such a good job getting him back to his best form. All the trainers were saying these two-year-olds were beautiful movers. But we had to wait and see if they were going to show you that speed and, and he's answered that question with these :9 4/5 breezers. So that's very encouraging. The post David Hanley on Improbable’s Encouraging Start appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Helios Express (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}), winner of the Hong Kong Classic Mile and Hong Kong Classic Cup in his two most recent appearances, leads a field of 14 selected runners for the HK$26 million (£2.6 million/US$3.3 million) BMW Hong Kong Derby to be held at Sha Tin Racecourse Sunday, Mar. 24. The John Size trainee will look to join the likes of the late Rapper Dragon (Aus) (Street Boss) and Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) as horses to sweep the series. Helios Express (rated 102) has been supplanted at the top of the local rankings by Galaxy Patch (Aus) (Wandjina {Aus}), who has climbed to a rating of 103 after finishing a bold second in last weekend's G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m). Connections have supplemented him to the Derby for HK$260,000. Massive Sovereign (Ire) (No Nay Never), who won two of five starts as Broadhurst for Aidan O'Brien, exploded into Derby calculations by accomplishing the rare feat of winning first-up in Hong Kong over the Derby distance of 2000 metres Mar. 3 while critically earning a 10-pound penalty which qualified him for the race. American-breds Chancheng Glory (Mor Spirit) and Ensued (Lemon Drop Kid) press on to the Derby and booked their spots by finishing second and third, respectively, in the Classic Cup. Unbelievable (Justify), the former O'Brien-conditioned London Gold Cup H. winner Bertinelli, was well-beaten on Hong Kong debut Feb. 12, but finished under five lengths behind Helios Express in the Classic Cup and the step up in trip should suit. “The BMW Hong Kong Derby is one of the most prestigious races on the calendar–a race that every owner aspires to have a runner in, or better still, win,” said Andrew Harding, Executive Director of Racing for the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “The 2024 edition is shaping as yet another remarkable edition with a host of incredible talents sourced from around the world to race for glory with owners and fans alike are looking forward to the contest with eager anticipation.” The post Helios Express Tops Selected Runners For BMW Hong Kong Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Edited Press Release Now sitting atop the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings on 121, National Treasure (Quality Road) and Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) both began their 2024 campaigns in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. in January, which saw the former defeat Senor Buscador by a neck. Following that effort, they both travelled to the Middle East to compete in the G1 Saudi Cup. Senor Buscador raced in the back of the field before rallying to defeat Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) by a head, who was weighted on 120 for this week's list. Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), who was three-quarters of a length back in third, came next on 119, while National Treasure finished fourth. Ushba Tesoro shares the joint-second position in the rankings, along with G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup winner Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won the Listed HH The Amir Trophy in Qatar Feb. 17. Joining them with 120 points is Private Eye (Aus) (Al Maher {Aus}). He finished second by a head in the G1 Black Caviar Lightning S. to Imperatriz (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), who made the list with 119. Click here for the full list of ranked horses. The post National Treasure And Senor Buscador Atop The Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A colt from the first crop of champion Authentic sold for $1 million to an online bid from John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock. Consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, the chestnut colt worked a furlong last week in :9 4/5. He is out of stakes-placed Ruby Trust (Smart Strike), a daughter of graded winner Queen of the Catsle (Tale of the Cat). Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo purchased the colt for $260,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. The post $1-Million Authentic Colt to Resolute at OBS appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Nakayama and Chukyo Racecourses: Sunday, March, 17, 2024 2nd-CKO, ¥10,480,000 ($71k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m LA LA MONSTRE (c, 3, Mitole–Speightastic, by Speightstown), a $390,000 KEESEP acquisition, was unplaced in a couple of tries on the grass last November and switches to the dirt for his sophomore debut. The colt's dam, a full-sister to three-time stakes winner and Grade III-placed Bayerd, was purchased by Cove Springs for $65,000 at KEENOV in 2017, and her now 2-year-old colt by Not This Time was hammered down to Repole Stable and Spendthrift Farm for $725,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. B-Cove Springs LLC (KY) 1st-NKY, ¥10,480,000 ($71k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m AMERICAN RUNNER (c, 3, Gun Runner–Acqua Fresh (Uru), by Ecclesiastic) was a debut ninth going a mile over the Tokyo dirt last November but improved to be second with a stretch out to this trip at this venue Feb. 25. The January foal, a $125,000 Keeneland September purchase, is out of the Uruguayan champion 3-year-old filly of 2016 who changed hands for $45,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. This is also the female family of Repent and Canadian champion King Ruckus. Christophe Lemaire has the call. B-Michael J Snyder & Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY) The post Mitole Colt Switching To Dirt In Japan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Retired Racehorse Project will launch two fundraising initiatives supporting the 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, Presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, the non-profit said in a Thursday release. The Make the Makeover campaign is a trainer-driven fundraiser, allowing supporters to make a donation to the RRP pledged in the name of a participating Makeover trainer. All trainers who raise $1,000 or more will have their entry fees refunded (or applied to a 2025 application). The Fund-a-Need campaign is a renewal of the RRP's annual Makeover fundraiser and works as entry-level sponsorship, allowing supporters to contribute to the cost of producing the Thoroughbred Makeover. “Each year, there are more demands on our resources than we can meet, and we can see how much more work there is to be done to better serve the Thoroughbred and its industries,” said RRP executive director Kirsten Green. To support the Make the Makeover campaign, please click here. To support Fund-a-Need, please click here. The post Retired Racehorse Project Launches Fundraising Initiatives appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Second Stride's Champions Night fundraiser will convene at The Manhattan Project, 2101 Frankfort Ave. in Louisville from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Monday, Apr. 29, the retired racehorse organization said in a release Thursday. An admission donation is set at $25, while the restaurant is giving 10 percent of its bar business during the Derby Week event to Second Stride. Also, the Smoke Easy Cigar Lounge will put on both live and silent auctions of racing memorabilia and experiences. As in the past, the centerpiece will be the Kentucky Derby and Oaks handicapping panel, which this year includes Byron King, Andie Biancone, Steve Byk and Doug Nachman. “Aftercare is no longer an afterthought, as the industry has embraced its obligation to take care of the horses who take care of so many of us at the track and breeding farm,” said Kim Smith, Second Stride's founder and executive director. “Every dollar raised on Champions Night will go to helping off-the-track racehorses and other Thoroughbreds in need such as broodmares and horses that never made it to the races. Click here for more information. The post Second Stride’s Champions Night Fundraiser Relocates appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Classic-placed Piz Badile (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}) has died after suffering a heart attack while cantering last Monday. Alan Cooper, the Niarchos family's racing manager, confirmed the news to TDN Europe on Thursday. The G3 Ballysax S. winner and G1 Irish Derby runner-up was five. “Very sadly he had a heart attack last Monday doing a regular canter under Gavin Ryan who landed safely on his feet,” Cooper said. “No previous indications that this would be likely to happen. He was a lovely individual who everyone liked.” A Flaxman Stables homebred, the Donnacha O'Brien trainee was also placed in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and the G2 Mooresbridge S. and made his final start a winning one in Dundalk's Listed Dubai Diamond S. in September. His record stands at 9-3-2-2 and $334,337 in earnings. Piz Badile's dam That Which Is Not, a Listed winner in France who ran second in the G2 Prix Corrida, has also foaled the G3 Anglesey S. second Yosemite Valley (GB) (Shamardal). She was sold for €3.3 million to Coolmore at Goffs last November. His second dam Shiva (Jpn) (Hector Protector) won the 1999 Tattersalls Gold Cup, and her Kingmambo half-sister Light Shift triumphed in the 2007 edition of the G1 Oaks before foaling Piz Badile's dual Group 1 winning sire Ulysses to the cover of Galileo (Ire). The post Piz Badile Suffers Fatal Heart Attack appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

John Fairley's top sprinter Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) has been retired from racing with immediate effect after suffering a “very serious and concerning” injury in her stable on Tuesday morning. The mare's trainers John and Sean Quinn, via a statement issued on social media on Thursday, said, “That morning she was transferred to Rainbow Equine Hospital and has been in their care ever since. Her progress over the pas few days has been encouraging and whilst she still has a way to go to make a full recovery we are hopeful that with time and care she will be OK.” The seven-year-old was bred by Fairley from the Danehill mare Pure Illusion (Ire). Unraced at two, Highfield Princess plied her trade in handicaps as a three-year-old before shooting up the ranks in the ensuing seasons. She claimed her first black-type success in the Listed Queen Charlotte Fillies' S. at Chelmsford at four before a standout season as a five-year-old when she posted back to-back Group 1 victories in three different countries in the Prix Maurice de Gheest, the Nunthorpe and the Flying Five. She claimed another top-level success last year in the Prix de l'Abbaye. In total, her 14 wins from 39 starts included six Group victories. Fairley said, “What a fantastic mare she has been. An Australian owner commented last year that she was probably the fastest mare in the world. To have bred and raced a mare to win three Group 1 races in five weeks in 2022 was fantastic. We hope that she will make a full recovery and be fit to take up broodmare duties next year.” The post Highfield Princess Retired With ‘Serious and Concerning’ Injury appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Injured horses are enjoying a second chance provided by a program launched in 2020 by 1ST/Racing to provide financial aid for surgeries when horses suffer fetlock injuries. View the full article

Maven Belle (NZ) (Burgundy) is following in some famous Te Akau Racing footsteps, becoming the fifth Group One-winning mare from the stable to be offered for sale on Gavelhouse Plus. Te Akau Racing has previously sold Avantage (Fastnet Rock) for a world-record price of $4.1 million, followed by Entriviere (NZ) (Tavistock) for $900,000, Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel) for $1.1 million and Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy) for $800,000. Like Belle En Rouge, Maven Belle was bred by Te Akau’s David Ellis and Karyn Fenton-Ellis – this time in partnership with Mark and Julia Walker. Maven Belle is by former high-class Te Akau racehorse Burgundy (NZ), who went on to sire 11 stakes winners including three at Group One level in a sadly short-lived stallion career at Cambridge Stud. The dam of Maven Belle is Te Akau’s six-time winner and stakes-placed Doyenne (NZ) (Kilimanjaro), who is a half-sister to the four-time Group One winner Levante (NZ) (Proisir). Maven Belle made her mark on the racetrack immediately, winning all of her first three starts as a two-year-old including the Group Two Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and the Group Three 2YO Classic (1200m). She was a desperately unlucky third in the Group One Sistema Stakes (1200m), then scored a brilliant win in the Group One Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) to clinch champion two-year-old honours. The following season brought further black-type success for Maven Belle, who won the Group Three Almanzor Trophy (1200m) and finished fourth against older opposition in the Group One BCD Group Sprint (1400m) under weight-for-age conditions. Maven Belle collected another Listed placing as a four-year-old, and in the end her 12-start career produced six wins, two placings and $429,345 in stakes. “Each year we syndicate what we think are the best two or three yearlings that we’ve bred,” Ellis said. “We’ve had some fantastic results doing this with horses like Belle En Rouge, who won the Oaks and was NZB Filly of the Year. “And the year after Belle En Rouge, we did the same thing with Maven Belle. She was champion two-year-old, a top-class filly, and she comes from a beautiful family that goes back to some really top horses. “From the day we first galloped Maven Belle, we knew she was a very good horse. Her win in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes delivered a first Group One for her trainer Mark Walker since his return from Singapore, so she was a very special horse for us at Te Akau and I’m sure she’ll make a lovely broodmare.” Burgundy has had only seven runners so far as a broodmare sire, but three of them have won including Te Akau’s Group Three placegetter and leading Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) contender Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) (Almanzor). Meanwhile, Te Akau Racing is also offering Maven Belle’s stakes-performed stablemate Rhetorical (NZ) (Snitzel), who is currently located at Cranbourne, on Gavelhouse Plus. By champion Australian sire Snitzel out of the Group One-placed mare Xpression (NZ) (Showcasing), Rhetorical had eight starts for two wins and two placings. She ran third in the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) as a two-year-old, and she finished fourth in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) as a spring three-year-old last September. “She had a huge amount of potential and unfortunately didn’t get the chance to completely fulfil that on the track,” Ellis said. “She won twice at two and was Listed-placed. I thought she was extremely unlucky not to win at stakes level. “She’s a beautiful foal out of a mare that exuded a lot of class and really tested our champion filly Avantage in the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m). It’s not easy to buy such a well-bred filly by a champion sire like Snitzel.” Snitzel also boasts impressive statistics as a broodmare sire. His daughters have produced 512 winners from 784 runners, with 29 stakes winners including Golden Slipper (1200m) heroine Mossfun (Mossman), last week’s Randwick Guineas (1600m) winner Celestial Legend (Dundeel) and the standout two-year-old of the current New Zealand season, Velocious (Written Tycoon). Bidding on the two mares will end from 7pm (NZT) on Thursday 21st March. Buyers looking to bid on the Gavelhouse Plus mares must set up their usernames and profiles well in advance of the close of auction if they have not bid on the site before by registering here. Meanwhile also online is a 75 Lot fortnightly auction featuring a full to Unforgotten, a stakes-placed Savabeel mare and Fantastic Honour who is in foal to Satono Aladdin. Bidding in this sale ends from 7pm (NZT) on Monday 18th March. View the full article

The catalogue for Arqana's annual Breeze-up Sale, set to be held May 9-11 at Deauville, is now available online. This year 207 two-year-olds are on offer, including the progeny of leading European stallions such as Dubawi (Ire), Frankel (GB), Sea The Stars (Ire) and Siyouni (Fr), as well as top US-based sires such as Gun Runner and Justify. More than 80 stallions are represented altogether. The breezes will take place on the grass at Deauville-La Touques Racecourse on Thursday, May 9, followed by a day of inspections on Friday, May 10. The sale takes place on Saturday, May 11, beginning at 11am. All horses offered at the Breeze-up Sale are eligible for the Arqana Series which boasts guaranteed minimum prize-money of €1.2 million. Four races will be run at Deauville on the Thursday evening before the August Sale starts, including three two-year-old races and one three-year-old race. Another contest for juveniles will be run on the Saturday of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend. The post Arqana Release Catalogue for Breeze-up Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Most expensive purchase to carry the black, red and white colours will become just the second galloper to provide members with a win in Class Two or above if he can salute on SaturdayView the full article

Improving galloper will have the help of the Australian ace in the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m): ‘With his hands, I think he’ll be very suitable’View the full article

What Coolmore Classic Day 2024 Where Rosehill Gardens Racecourse – James Ruse Dr, Rosehill NSW 2142 When Saturday, March 16, 2024 First Race 12:30pm AEDT Visit Dabble Metro racing returns to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday afternoon, where a massive 10-race program awaits punters. The Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) for the fillies and mares headlines the meeting, with a stacked undercard of racing to go alongside as the two-year-olds get their last chance to impress before next weekend’s Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m). The rail returns to the true position the entire circuit, and with only minimal rainfall to hit the course, expect the track to sit no worse than a Soft 5 when the opening event gets underway at 12:30pm AEDT. Race 1: Midway Handicap BM72 (1200m) The opening race is a nightmare to dissect, with online bookmakers unable to separate the majority of the 16 runners engaged. Mayrose appears a good each-way throw at the stumps, however, as she gets set to resume from a 136-day spell. The daughter of Pride Of Dubai may want the rain to come to be a leading hope in a race like this, but with her winning barrier trial effort at Randwick on February 2 raising the eyebrows, she can produce a bold performance first-up for the John Sargent barn. Selections: 10 MAYROSE 16 FIELD WIRI 3 RHYTHMIC PULSE 13 MAD DARCEY Race 2: BM78 Handicap (1900m) Circle Of Fire holds a nomination for the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) later in the autumn and needs to be competitive in a race like this to justify heading that way. The European import was only warming up late in his first Australian start for the Ciaron Maher stable at Flemington on February 17, finding the 1600m too sharp as the son of Almanzor worked his way through the wire. He challenged some quality opposition before heading down under, and although the stable have bigger targets in mind moving forward, there is no reason Circle Of Fire can’t take out this BM78 along the way. Selections: 1 CIRCLE OF FIRE 2 DASHO LENNIE 8 WYMARK 12 SUNLORD Best Value Race 2 – #1 Circle Of Fire (10) 4yo Horse | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Jason Collett (60.5kg) +700 with Neds Race 3: Group 3 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) The Group 3 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) gets the two-year-old features underway, and this one is for the fillies. Fly Fly has strong claims after an impressive runner-up defeat at the hands of Manaal in the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 2. She was storming through the line despite getting well-back from stall 11 on that occasion, and with Jason Collett likely to sit much closer from barrier five on Saturday, the team Hawkes-trained filly should give a strong account of herself and hit the line best in the Magic Night Stakes. Selections: 3 FLY FLY 2 CASTANYA 1 ENEEZA 4 DRIFTING Magic Night Stakes Race 3 – #3 Fly Fly (5) 2yo Filly | T: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | J: Jason Collett (55.5kg) +230 with Dabble Race 4: Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) It’s the boys turn to step out in the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m), where the James Cummings-trained Parkour warrants plenty of respect. He was a dominant winner at Randwick on December 30 before being tipped out for a spell, and despite what the 4.8-length margin may suggest about his first-up return, it was much better than it reads. The blinkers have been applied for the first time to keep the son of Extreme Choice’s mind on the job, and with barrier two allowing Parkour to take a more prominent role throughout, watch for this guy to be finishing off best at odds. Selections: 2 PARKOUR 7 GATSBY’S 1 COLEMAN 10 AGENDA SETTER Pago Pago Stakes Race 4 – #2 Parkour (2) 2yo Colt | T: James Cummings | J: Kerrin McEvoy (55.5kg) +1700 with Playup Race 5: Group 3 Sky High Stakes (2000m) Lindermann must be considered one of the better bets of the Rosehill program as he returns to his favoured circuit for the first time since saluting in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) almost a year ago. The gelding by Lonhro brings the best form to this event after finding the minor money second-up in the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) last start. Provided the Chris Waller-trained galloper continues to improve as the campaign goes on, James McDonald should be striding clear aboard Lindermann in the Sky High Stakes. Selections: 3 LINDERMANN 4 JUST FINE 8 ATHABASCAN 2 EXPLOSIVE JACK Best Bet Race 5 – #3 Lindermann (4) 4yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (58kg) -111.11 with Bet365 Race 6: Group 3 Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m) Red Card showed versatility to score first-up at this course and distance on February 24, taking a sit in behind the speed before fending off all challengers. It was a change from her usual just and lead tactics she has utilized throughout most of her career and should allow Adam Hyeronimus to take any given option that falls his way from stall one on Saturday. She won a tick-over trial heading into this event, and although some key opposition do get a swing on her in the weights, Red Card can still be right in the finish again. Selections: 4 RED CARD 1 AIRMAN 7 OMNI MAN 10 DASHING LEGEND Maurice McCarten Stakes Race 6 – #4 Red Card (1) 4yo Mare | T: James Cummings | J: Adam Hyeronimus (55kg) +700 with Picklebet Race 7: Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) Saltcoats is yet to win after three Australian starts under the Chris Waller banner, however, the gelding appears close to a victory. He was bolting through the wire first-up at this course on February 3, but gave a significant fitness edge Infatuation and was unable to reel in the already winning break. The son of Androssan has been sent back to the trials to keep him up to the mark heading into this second-up target, and with the team happy to send him to a testing Group 3 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m), punters should be taking the lead that Saltcoats is up to this challenge. Selections: 5 SALTCOATS 6 KINTYRE 11 ZARDOZI 14 MAKARENA Phar Lap Stakes Race 7 – #5 Saltcoats (2) 3yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (56.5kg) +400 with Boombet Race 8: Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) The fillies & mares take centre stage in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m), where a competitive field of 18 are set to take their place in the $1 million feature. The Chris Waller-trained Zougotcha has held firm favourtism for the event post-barrier draw and hasn’t budged from the $4.00 quote with horse racing betting sites. Tropical Squall has been a slight drifter out to $7.50, and the same can be said for the Ciaron Maher-trained Semana. The big market mover comes in the form of three-year-old filly Kimochi opening $15.00 and has almost halved in price at $8.00. Will the older horses prove too good? Or can a lightly weighted younger horse cause a minor upset? Click here for HorseBetting’s Coolmore Classic 2024 preview. Race 9: Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) Although he was only winning a BM88 last start at Randwick on January 27, Glory Daze did it nicely under top weight. He was forced to lug 61kg to victory and did it with ease under Nash Rawiller, putting together his third win across six starts since arriving to the Ciaron Maher stable from the UK. The 1500m is arguably well-short of his best trip moving forward, but with no weight on his back, Glory Daze might just have the class to put them away again, this time securing stakes success for the first time in Australia. Selections: 11 GLORY DAZE 5 DEMOCRACY MANIFEST 13 AMOR VICTORIOUS 14 TERRITORY EXPRESS Ajax Stakes Race 9 – #11 Glory Daze (8) 5yo Gelding | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Dylan Gibbons (53kg) +380 with Betfair Race 10: BM88 Handicap (1400m) Tavi Time might just be far superior to this lot. He is a star on the rise for the Kris Lees camp, and with a four-length demolition job at Newcastle on March 2, the son of Tavistock couldn’t have been more impressive on resumption. He is a six-time winner heading into start 10, and provided he gets out when the whips are cracking, win number seven should be all but assured. Selections: 7 TAVI TIME 10 RAZORS 9 GENTLY ROLLED 1 FRANKIE PINOT Next Best Race 10 – #7 Tavi Time (5) 4yo Gelding | T: Kris Lees | J: Dylan Gibbons (57kg) -142.86 with Picklebet Rosehill free Saturday quaddie tips Rosehill quadrella selections Saturday, March 16, 2024 2-5-6-11-12-14 1-3-4-6-9-14-17 2-3-5-11-13-14 7 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Tony Pike believes the big, roomy Trentham track will suit his promising three-year-old Witz End right down to the ground in Saturday’s Gr.2 Life Direct Wellington Guineas (1400m). Unbeaten in his first two starts, the Savabeel gelding’s picket fence form line came to an end last Friday when beaten by December on the tight-turning Taupo track over 1300m. “It was just disappointing having to take him to Taupo. He needed the run, but he is just such a big-actioned horse, he really got lost around the tight turns from the half-mile to the corner at Taupo,” Pike told Trackside NZ. “He looked in all sorts of trouble, like he was going to drop out and run last, but once he balanced up in the straight, he was really strong over the final stages. “Getting him back to Wellington is going to be key. He has won down there and that big, roomy track with his action is really going to suit. “He is an exciting horse going forward and I am looking forward to Saturday with him.” Pike will also trek south with Harlow Rocks and Sign Of Peace, with the pair both set to contest the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m). Harlow Rocks has been a consistent performer for Pike, winning one and placing in three of her seven starts, including a runner-up performance behind Molly Bloom in the Gr.2 David and Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa last month. She subsequently finished fourth in the transferred Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Taupo last week and Pike has been pleased with her progress ahead of Saturday’s Group One assignment. “It (Lowland) was a funny run race, she got attacked through the mid-stages of the race, which was unfortunate,” Pike said. “I think it was a lot better run than her placing suggested. “It had been a mixed-up preparation with the Lowland being abandoned originally. I think that run will have her at her peak for Saturday. She is a real staying filly and she will run a big race.” Sign Of Peace has also been in consistent form for the stable, winning one and placing in four of her five starts to date, and heads into Saturday off the back of a dead-heat for second in the Lowland Stakes last Friday. “She is a filly with a bit of timing,” Pike said. “She has had a long time between runs, but it was a big performance stepping up in class (in the Lowland). I think she is peaking at the right time. She is a filly that is bred to stay and I think she will round out the 2400m better than most.” View the full article

Promising gelding Tavi Time (NZ) (Tavistock) is likely to have one more run at Rosehill before attempting to deliver trainer Kris Lees a sixth win in the Provincial-Midway Championship Final. The Newcastle trainer has dominated the feature since its inception in 2015, capturing the past three in succession, including producing the quinella last year when Spangler (Starspangledbanner) downed stablemate Loch Eagle (Lonhro). Tavi Time is a $2.80 favourite in pre-nomination markets for this year’s Final, run on April 13, having already secured his place in the field with an emphatic four-length victory in the recent Qualifier at Newcastle. It was the gelding’s sixth win from nine starts and while Lees was anticipating Tavi Time would prove too strong for his rivals, he didn’t bank on the performance being quite so comfortable. “I expected him to win, you never say how far they win by,” Lees said. “But he’s a pretty smart horse, probably a bit better than that level. “He will probably go to the benchmark race and that would give him four weeks into the Final.” That benchmark race is the Rosehill Bowling Club Handicap (1400m) on Saturday for which Tavi Time is a dominant $1.75 favourite. It is set to be his final lead-up to the A$1 million Provincial-Midway Championship Final (1400m) on day two of the Randwick carnival, with Lees also eyeing a longer-term tilt at the A$500,000 The Coast (1600m) at Gosford four weeks later. It is the same path Lees followed with Newcastle Stakes winner Rustic Steel (Deep Field) two years ago when that horse claimed the Championships qualifying heat at Newcastle before finishing a close fourth to barn mate Kinloch (I Am Invincible) in the Final two starts later. Rustic Steel then plundered The Coast and the Scone Cup at his next two runs. “After the Provincial Championships, we might look at a race like The Coast,” Lees said. “It’s not a stakes race, but it’s a good money race.” View the full article

Stephen Autridge has triumphed in many of New Zealand’s most iconic races, and the Matamata horseman would rate a victory in Saturday’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand Oaks (2400m) among the headliners. Autridge, a former Group One-winning jockey, has accumulated 98 domestic stakes victories as trainer, with periods at the helm of Te Akau Racing, a stint training Kevin Hickman’s Valachi Racing stable, and also trained in partnership for a time with Graeme Rogerson. Over recent seasons, Autridge has downsized his operation, focusing on a more select team of 15 gallopers, and among them has emerged two leading hopes for the time-honoured fillies’ feature in Still Bangon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) and Livid Sky (NZ) (Proisir). A daughter of last year’s Oaks-winning sire Satono Aladdin, Still Bangon has been a model of consistency this season, her record boasting a tough victory in the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) before finishing second in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2050m) on New Year’s Day. The filly’s campaign was blemished slightly when finishing back in the field in the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa last month, a performance rectified with a scorching finish from near-last to third in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m), earning her place alongside stablemate Livid Sky in the Oaks field a fortnight later. “She (Still Bangon) was outstanding at Ellerslie, her sectionals said that, and she’s come through it really well,” Autridge said. Proisir filly Livid Sky has followed suit with repeatedly solid raceday efforts, with her five black-type starts on the bounce this campaign including a pair of thirds and fourths behind the likes of Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) and Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High), alongside a strong last-start sixth in the Sunline Vase. “Initially, I thought Livid Sky was a little bit disappointing in the Sunline Vase, but Sam Weatherley (jockey) told us it was a really good run, and her sectionals would reflect that,” Autridge said. “They ended up being pretty much second best of the race behind Still Bangon, so we’ve got to be happy going forward.” A step-up to the 2400m distance now beckons the pair, and Autridge is optimistic after the barrier draws revealed gates four (Livid Sky) and nine (Still Bangon), with Weatherley and Matt Cameron taking the respective rides. “When the sectionals say they’re just about first and second-best going 2100m, you’ve got to be quite confident they can run out the extra 300m. We believe they’re a big chance of doing that,” Autridge said. “For these two horses, they’re very good draws, they haven’t had many good draws between them, so we certainly aren’t complaining. “From the better draws they should be able to race a bit closer, hopefully around midfield which would be ideal, they usually race near last. “I’ve had a few Oaks runners and you need luck in the running. It’s usually a pretty roughly run race, so let’s hope they stay out of trouble.” Still Bangon is currently rated a $4.80 second-favourite for the Oaks, while her stablemate lies an equal-fourth fancy at $8.50, but according to Autridge, the contrasting fillies enter on equal terms for their grand final. “Their personalities have always been quite different, Still Bangon is a lovely, kind filly, but Livid Sky was very erratic and strong-willed to start with. She is coming around to it now though,” he said. “At the end of the day, I can’t split them. “This is their grand final, they’ve done a great job this season and have been in a while. They’ve raced well every time they’ve gone out and I think they’re going into the Oaks at 100 percent. I’d hate to be saying they’re doing anything afterwards, other than going to the paddock.” Autridge hopes to take one step closer to the elusive century of stakes winners on Saturday and indicated that an Oaks win would rank alongside any of his major crowns in New Zealand and Australia. “At the moment, with now only having 15 in work in a small stable, having two fillies in the Oaks is great to start with,” he said. “To win it, that would be right up there with everything I’ve done as a trainer.” View the full article

The well-related Naxos (NZ) (Harry Angel) may lack size but possesses a determined nature that was emphasised when successful at the first time of asking last month at Tauranga. He will return to the scene of his debut triumph on Saturday for the Frocked Up Girls 3YO (1200m) and is expected to give another good account of himself. The Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained Naxos will be joined at the northern venue by Mineshaft (NZ) (Merchant Navy) and Madame Le Fay (Smart Missile) while the stable will also have black-type contenders Pericles (NZ) (Rubick) and Reputation (NZ) (Iffraaj) in action at Trentham. A grandson of multiple stakes winner Santagostino (Giant’s Causeway), Naxos has progressed well since his opening victory and the Sir Peter Vela-bred and raced son of Harry’s Angel will again be ridden by Billy Jacobson. “He’s only a little fellow, but he’s got a big heart and tries hard. We’ve given him a bit of time between runs and he worked super the other morning,” Gerard said. Successful two runs back, Mineshaft will bid to return to winning ways in the Manco Handicap (1600m) off the back of an unplaced effort in the Remutaka Classic (2100m). “He won over a mile and was second-up at Wellington, so it was quite a big ask,” Gerard said. “We gave him a freshen-up after that and we just think he’s better ridden back a bit more and can then finish off strongly.” Jacobson will guide his fortunes and also takes the reins aboard last-start course and distance winner Madame Le Fay in the Super Liquor Greerton (1600m). “We had to late scratch her from Matamata a couple of weeks ago after a mishap, but she’s good now and likes the track and the mile,” Gerard said. Meanwhile at Trentham, Gr.2 Life Direct Wellington Guineas (1600m) hope Pericles won the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1200m) two runs back before everything went wrong for him when out of the money in the Gr.3 Mufhasa Stakes (1400m). “You can put a line through that, I never want to see that race again,” Gerard said. “He’s a really nice horse with a lot of potential. It’s nearly the end of his season and his first trip away so it’s a bit of a learning curve for him. “He’s drawn well so we’ll be positive with him and go forward.” Highly regarded four-year-old Reputation goes into the Gr.3 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes (1600m) off the back of a top effort for fifth after a wide passage in the Sir Patrick Hogan Karapiro Classic (1600m). “It was a huge run last start considering she lost her shoes and was slipping and sliding,” Gerard said. “I really like this mare and think she can go a long way.” Thatsallshewrote (NZ) (Wrote) completes the stable’s team at Trentham and looms as an each-way chance in the Harrison’s Flooring Handicap Premier (1600m). “She has been unlucky in her last couple of starts and doesn’t always help herself,” Gerard said. “The one draw isn’t ideal for her, she’s a mare that gets back and has to be held up for one run. She’s got a nice low weight (54kg) and is far better than what her form reads.” View the full article

Phantom calling races in his childhood bedroom is a key memory for Justin Evans, and he is pinching himself that he is now able to live out his lifelong dream of being a race caller. Growing up in Palmerston North, Evans became hooked on the sport after attending race meetings with his family at Awapuni, and his senses were captivated by the event. “I don’t have any family in racing, but I would go to the races with my family as a kid,” Evans said. “I just got the bug madly and loved everything about it – the sights, the sounds, the smells.” While many budding racing fans are fascinated about becoming a trainer or jockey, Evans was more intrigued by the voice coming out of the speakers and the theatre behind describing a race. “For some reason as a young fella I cottoned on to this idea of being a race caller,” he said. “As far back as I can remember that is what I wanted to do. I was just mad on it from a very young age. “I would sit in my bedroom and practice race calling as much as I could. I would go to the races and sit at the back of the stand and call the races to myself. It is all I have ever wanted to do.” Intent on pursuing a career in race calling, a young Evans plucked up the courage to pen a letter to local commentator Alan Bright, who fostered the enthusiasm of his young fan and invited him up to the commentator’s box. “I wrote Alan Bright, who was the CD (Central Districts) caller at the time, a letter when I was nine-years-old telling him I wanted to be a race caller,” Evans said. “I met him and he took me up to the Awapuni race callers box and I met all of the jockeys and had a great time.” While Bright was his introduction to race calling, Evans said it was his successor Tony Lee who made the biggest influence on him. “It was really when Tony came along a few years later that really lit the fire in me,” Evans said. “I was lucky enough to be taken under Tony’s wing, he was very much my mentor. I would do all of the trials and helped Tony out as a teenager going into my early twenties. He really nurtured me.” While his ambition and passion for race calling never wavered, opportunities did, and Evans was forced to turn away from his dream vocation to pursue a career in radio. “I got out of racing for an extensive period. There was no gig happening, so I needed to pay the bills and get on with life, so an opportunity came up to get into music radio, so I took it,” Evans said. “I spent 15 years in a really rewarding and fun career on the air at various stations and I had an absolute blast, it was great fun. “In radio you learn so many skills and how to think on your feet. It is just a really fast-paced, dynamic job, and I loved it.” While he enjoyed his time in radio, the pull of race calling was always there, and he decided to chance his arm once more and put out feelers to test whether he still had the talent to pursue his passion. “I got in touch with both Mark Rosanowski and George Simon (commentators). I knew George from years ago,” he said. “Initially it was purely could I even call again? I hadn’t called a race for 15-odd years and I just wanted to see if I could still do it and I still had it. People said it was like riding a bike and I wasn’t so sure, but it turns out it was. “George was very accommodating and fed me a lot of trials. I was back in Palmerston North at the time and I remember driving up to Te Teko at 3:30am to call 30 heats there and then I was back in Palmy by about midnight (ready to head back to my radio job the next day). I did that for a year or so. “I was then given the Manawatu trots to call and it just picked up from there. The big opportunity came through a full-time (race calling) job in the south, which I took with both hands.” Evans took up his southern commentating role in 2020 and enjoyed more than three years calling in Otago and Southland before the opportunity came to return to his home region earlier his year and take over the Central Districts commentating reins from his mentor Tony Lee. “I can’t put into words how much Tony has meant to me and has done for me,” Evans said. “He was my absolute hero and I idolised him. I would record all of his race calls on Radio Pacific and listen to them over and over again. “When I got to be under him, he really did take me under his wing. I would describe Tony as a father figure, a mentor, a friend and co-worker. His influence on me has been enormous. It was very special, albeit daunting, to take over from your hero. “I really stand on his shoulders as I do the job. There wouldn’t be a more influential person in my race calling career than Tony. I will be eternally thankful for what he did for me and it’s a massive thrill to take over from him.” Evans returned to his home region earlier this year and was honoured to share the commentating duties alongside Lee in his final day of calling at Trentham’s Wellington Cup Day meeting in January. “That was Tony’s call to do that,” Evans said. “He really wanted me to share the stage with him on what was his day. It was a surreal day as I very much remember the boy who would follow Tony up to these boxes like a lapdog. “The Wellington Cup might no longer be the enormous race it once was, but from a traditional point of view that was always the biggest day when I went to the races, it was a big deal and there is something special about Trentham. It was a massive privilege to share that stage and day with Tony.” Evans has enjoyed being the new voice at many of the tracks he frequented as a young racing fan and his biggest test awaits him this weekend as he gets set to call at New Zealand Oaks Day at Trentham on Saturday. “It will be the biggest day so far,” he said. “I called my first Group One a couple of weeks ago at Otaki, but the Oaks is a big race and is one of several (Group Ones) I will get to do. “In terms of the courses, I think there is something special about calling at Trentham, and I know it was Tony’s favourite track. The Oaks is a great race with a big field on a big track, so I will need to be on my toes. I am very much looking forward to it.” While Evans didn’t take his desired direct path into race calling, he is glad the way his career has panned out and is grateful to have finally secured his dream job in racing. “Race calling was my childhood dream and I love the game,” he said. “I am glad I had that radio life because the experiences you get to do when you are in that job are unbelievable, and now I am back doing my initial love.” View the full article