Wandering Eyes

Australian stallion Pariah is living up to his name across the Tasman, with the former Arrowfield Stud stallion set to have just his third New Zealand runner at Otaki on Wednesday. Andersons Bay (Pariah) will make his debut in the Farmlands Otaki Maiden (1400m) for trainer Harvey Wilson, who came about the now four-year-old gelding through his association with leading jumps jockey turned trainer Shaun Phelan. Purchased out of Riversley Park’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale draft for $160,000 as a Hong Kong prospect, Andersons Bay continued his early preparation with Jim Collet, but it soon became apparent that he didn’t fit the mould to send to the competitive racing jurisdiction. He was subsequently sent to Phelan, who felt he was better placed with Wilson at his Waverley property. “He is a big horse and I think they felt he was too big to go up there (Hong Kong), so he was offered to Shaun Phelan and he was redirected to us,” Wilson said. “We have had him for about 18 months now. He was very well educated, Jim Collet had done a great job.” By a Group One performed sprinter, Andersons Bay was bred to thrive over shorter distances, but Wilson gets the feeling his gelding will be suited over more ground. “He is a very nice moving horse and is a nice horse to ride. The Pariahs are sprinters, but he gives you the impression that he is a stayer. We will see what happens,” he said. Andersons Bay takes winning trial form into Wednesday, having won his 1000m heat at Foxton last month, and Wilson is hoping the inclement weather doesn’t persist. “We hope there isn’t too much rain because he would prefer a better track, but hopefully the track won’t be too bad,” he said. “It was a good win at the trials. I don’t know how strong the field was, but he won, so that was the main thing.” A noted trainer of jumpers, Wilson is unsure whether Andersons Bay will follow that path, but he said time will be the judge of that. “We will see what happens. He is a big, leggy horse, but whether he is a jumping type I am not too sure, but you never know,” he said. “He has done a little bit of playing around and popping over the odd jump, but nothing serious. We will play around with him and do a bit of jumping with him and see where we get.” Meanwhile, Wilson has been pleased with the progress of his current two jumpers, Password (NZ) (Zed) and Aongatete Express (NZ) (Civics), and is hoping recent stable acquisition Mandalo (NZ) (Ekraar) will join them over the fences this season. “We have got two and a half jumpers ready to go and five in work, so that keeps us busy,” Wilson said. “We would hope to have Password and Aongatete Express ready for the early chases. They are both well. We will start off with the steeplechase at Te Rapa in early May and then if all goes well we would go to the Manawatu Chase at Wellington and take it as it comes. If things progress then we will go up, if they don’t go so well then we will go down. “We have got another five-year-old called Mandalo that we hope to jump this year.” While looking forward to the jumps season with his horses, Wilson said the lack of jumps jockeys is proving to be a big concern. “There is a real shortage of jockeys for jumping, which is a big worry,” he said. “I think Paul Nelson (trainer) is bringing one over from the UK. It would be nice to think we would have one or two more come over, but we are a bit short on jockeys.” View the full article

Champion mare Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross) was a flagship performer for The Oaks Stud and her legacy continues to be felt on both sides of the Tasman. Bred and raced by the Cambridge nursery, the two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year landed seven Group One titles during her decorated career and the daughter of Cape Cross’ influence remains current. Seachange features prominently in the pedigrees of The Oaks Stud’s Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) runner-up Antrim Coast (NZ) (Roc de Cambes) and farm graduate Drakaina (NZ) (Ace High), successful in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m). “Seachange is 21 now and she was at the (NZB Kiwi) slot auction and we took her to Legends’ Day at Te Rapa and she loves a trip away,” The Oaks General Manager Rick Williams said. “She hasn’t bred for a few years and she hangs around the farm. She’s got a great constitution and the hardest thing is trying to keep the weight off her.” The boom Australian two-year-old Storm Boy (Justify), who continued his unbeaten run in the Gr.2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick to tighten his grip on the Gr.1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m), is also another high-profile family member. “Antrim Coast is out of Coasting, who is by Sakhee’s Secret and a full-sister to Justa Secret, the dam of the Ace High filly Drakaina,” Williams said. Coasting (NZ) (Sakhee’s Secret) and Justa Secret (NZ) (Sakhee’s Secret) are daughters of Seachange’s half-sister Keepa Cruisin (NZ) (Keeper), winner of the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m). “Storm Boy also continued on his winning way and he’s a grandson of Seachange so the family has gone berserk just lately,” Williams said. While Antrim Coast started at long odds in the Derby, Williams was quietly confident of him figuring in the finish. “I wasn’t surprised and had a significant place bet on him. I said the filly (Orchestral), bar getting knocked over would win comfortably, but the rest were wide open,” he said. “We knew he would stay, he was bang on and he had a draw, which was a massive help to put him in the race and get him closer. “He ran on strongly in a very fast Derby, he doesn’t have the class of the filly and couldn’t have done any better.” The Stephen Marsh-trained Antrim Coast will have a few days off at The Oaks with the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) a future option for the son of resident stallion Roc De Cambes. “There’s a possibility that there could be some offers, he’s a gelding, so we’ll see what happens,” Williams said. His dam Coasting also has a two-year-old son of Ace High who is currently at The Oaks and will shortly go into work. “Coasting unfortunately died this year and Justa Secret has a Niagara filly called Raziah with Tony Pike and she recently ran second in her first trial,” Williams said. Drakaina was a $3,000 purchase via the Gavelhouse platform and Justa Secret has subsequently produced a colt by Reliable Man, a son of Eminent last year and is in foal to U S Navy Flag. The Oaks’ lucrative weekend also included the homebred Can’t Recall One (NZ) (Reliable Man) successful on debut at Eagle Farm for trainer Stuart Kendrick. The son of Reliable Man and the Darci Brahma mare Recollecting (NZ) is closely related to the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Sentimental Miss (NZ) (Reliable Man) and was a $90,000 purchase at Karaka last year. The farm also races the Pike-trained Vera Rose (NZ), who was a nose off third in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m) with the Pike-trained daughter of Fiorente holding a nomination for the Oaks. So too does last-start Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) runner-up Harlow Rocks (NZ) and the Roc De Cambes filly will step out in take two of the Gr.2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2000m) on Friday. “We’ve got some nice staying horses and she will go to Taupo, but whether she backs up in the Oaks I’m not sure and we’ll take one race at a time,” Williams said. View the full article

Golden Sixty is a 26-time winner in Hong Kong. Golden Sixty completed his most significant piece of trackwork for a long time on Tuesday morning at Sha Tin as trainer Francis Lui hopes for a fairytale finish to his charge’s career in next month’s HK$22 million Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m). “He galloped this morning. It was his first gallop, I think he’s ok – I saw him pass around,” Lui said. “He’s the same at home – a happy horse.” Victorious in the past three editions of the race, Golden Sixty suffered a left fore leg injury at the start of this year, ruling him out of a HK$13 million Group 1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) tilt in January and threatening the eight-year-old’s future. Lui is taking a careful approach with Golden Sixty, who was limited to light work before breezing through today’s gallop under the cover of darkness at Sha Tin. “It’s hard to tell and I will let the horse tell me,” Lui said. Second in Sunday’s HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m), Chancheng Glory will press for HK$26 million Hong Kong Derby (2000m) glory on 24 March along with stablemate Speed Dragon. “I think the track bias and as a frontrunner (Chancheng Glory), it suits him and he ran well. Both horses are in good form and I think Chancheng Glory can handle the 2000 metres – he has a big stride. He fights, too,” Lui said. Rolling forward to take up the running, Chancheng Glory was caught late by Helios Express, who scored by a short head over the American-bred son of Mor Spirit. Speed Dragon finished ninth as a +1600 chance in the contest, while Chancheng Glory was sent around at odds of +5100. Douglas Whyte will saddle debutant Ace Power at Happy Valley on Wednesday night with jockey Harry Bentley up. “He’s a nice horse. He does everything professionally and he hasn’t put a foot wrong since the day he stepped into my yard. He’s ready for his first race, he’s going to need this run – he needs the experience and he hasn’t been wound up,” Whyte said. The three-year-old finished third in a recent barrier trial over the course and distance. “He’s had enough trials and he’s forward enough to go to the races. Fortunately, he has a gate that’s going to help him but he’s a thorough professional and he does everything right,” Whyte said. Ace Power has drawn gate two amongst the field of 12 set for the HK$1.17 million test. “He’s done everything professionally and he is still raw. You’ve seen that in his trials and that’s the reason he takes a bit of time to wind up, but when he gets his momentum going and does wind up then he moves nicely,” the trainer said. Whyte remains pleased with Russian Emperor after his return from Qatar. “He’s come back good. He’s in quarantine at the minute and I thought he ran a terrific race, it was three seconds slower than last year and he came from last – he ran home and earnt prize money,” Whyte said. Russian Emperor galloped on the grass this morning. Horse racing news View the full article

What Pakenham Races Where Pakenham Racecourse – 420 Nar Nar Goon–Longwarry Rd, Tynong VIC 3813 When Thursday, March 7, 2024 First Race 5:45pm AEDT Visit Dabble Another action-packed night of racing heads to Pakenham Racecourse on Thursday for a competitive eight-race card. The track will be a Good 4, with the rail out 9m the entire circuit. Racing is set to commence at 5:45pm AEDT. Best Bet at Pakenham: Never Let Me Go Never Let Me Go was the definition of a good thing beat first-up at the Pakenham 1000m on February 15. She was held up for a run before charging home late to finish second, going down by a long neck behind Zousuko. Drawn in barrier 10 on Thursday, the filly should find clear air at the top of the straight. From there, Never Let Me Go should prove too good for maiden grade. Best Bet Race 3 – #9 Never Let Me Go (10) 3yo Filly | T: Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock | J: Blake Shinn (56kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Pakenham: Flying Knee Clinton McDonald’s Flying Knee was an eye-catching second at the Pakenham 1000m on February 15 and looks well placed to go one better. With plenty of speed drawn underneath him, Craig Newitt can have this guy stalking a hot tempo throughout from barrier seven. Flying Knee will have the drop on his rivals and should prove too hard to hold out. Next Best Race 4 – #4 Flying Knee (7) 4yo Gelding | T: Clinton McDonald | J: Craig Newitt (58.5kg) Bet with Picklebet Best Value at Pakenham: Thinking Rain Thinking Rain was a handy second when stepping up into BM64 at Sandown on February 7. Jumping from barrier five this Thursday, the So You Think mare has the early gate speed to take a sit just off the pace. With a sharp turn of foot and even luck, Thinking Rain can salute in the finale. Best Value Race 8 – #9 Thinking Rain (5) 4yo Mare | T: Annabel Neasham | J: Thomas Stockdale (56.5kg) Bet with Playup Thursday quaddie tips for Pakenham Pakenham quadrella selections Thursday, March 7, 2024 4-8-13-14 1-3-4-6 2-3-8-9 3-5-9-10 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Ayrton on the way to the barriers prior to the running of the TAB Stakes at Flemington. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) The lineup for the 2024 All-Star Mile (1600m) is taking shape, with the inclusion of New Zealand’s Group 1 victors Aegon and Ayrton, who secured wildcards on Tuesday. Aegon, hailing from trainer Andrew Forsman’s stable, will be making his second consecutive appearance in the All-Star Mile after his recent third-place finish in the Group 1 WFA Classic (1600m). Despite an unplaced performance last year, where he failed to make an impact at Moonee Valley, Aegon is eager for redemption in the $4 million feature at Caulfield on Saturday, March 16. Joining him is fellow Kiwi competitor Desert Lightning, whom he narrowly defeated in Group 1 company behind La Crique. Ayrton, trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr and owned by the Roll The Dice Racing syndicate, has had an impressive record at Caulfield, with six out of his nine victories achieved at the course. Despite facing a near-fatal spider bite setback, the resilient six-year-old gelding, guided by jockey Jamie Kah, has continued to defy expectations. Ayrton’s standout performance in the recent Blamey Stakes (1600m), where he was unlucky due to lack of running room, showcased his potential for the All-Star Mile. His consistent form, highlighted by a victory in the Listed Barton Stakes (1400m) earlier this year and a commendable run in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m), has earned him a well-deserved wildcard entry into the race. Horse racing bookmakers have both Aegon and Ayrton rated as a +1400 chance for the 2024 All-Star Mile. Horse racing news View the full article

With a strong first day program which ran the gambit from the centrality of horse racing's societal license to the destructive use of xylazine to an update from the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit, horse racing investigators at the annual Organization of Racing Investigators were immersed in some of the most pressing issues affecting the sport. Hosted by Parx Racing and sponsored by everyone from Keeneland to the Breeders' Cup, over 100 specialists who protect racetracks in America and several other countries, listened, asked questions and made connections, all in the service of equine athletes. As one investigator said about why he was in attendance, “We are here to protect those who cannot protect themselves and being in a room with like-minded individuals on our 24/7 mission is how we stay ahead.” Each year conference participants swap tradecraft and those conversations lead to communication which crosses jurisdictions. It is a network behind the scenes, and that is why industry afficionados and the public do not necessarily have the opportunity to see the machinery at work. “What we talk about here isn't secret, but our members need to have a degree of anonymity as they liaise with various groups of law enforcement, and that is one of the reasons why we don't open this conference to just anyone,” said this year's conference chairman Jason Klouser. The morning sessions included several case studies about a variety of topics including horse welfare and how investigations have yielded important results. Members of the FBI's Philadelphia Office presented how xylazine used to sedate horses can enter the drug trade on the street illegally. A highlight was the University of Kentucky's Dr. Camie Heleski, who spoke about the need for all horse sports to improve their optics by directly addressing its societal license to operate. In other words, developing categorical areas to focus studies like recognizing physical and emotional stress in horses, what happens to them during the other 23 hours in a day when they are not performing and how tack and equipment can be used differently to improve the overall health of the sport. HIWU's Shawn Loehr and Shaun Richards | J.N. Campbell HIWU's Shawn Loehr and Shaun Richards gave an update concerning their investigative operations. The pair now have four investigators on staff, along with a pair of analysts, and they will be adding more soon. Concerning states that do not have a voluntary agreement with HIWU–like New York or Oklahoma–they explained how they have come to rely on independent contractors and that their developing relationship with ORI members continues to be significant to their operations. “Our mission is to catch doping, protect the horses, serve the Thoroughbred industry, and for instance, our 150 plus barn searches and tip lines continue to yield results,” Loehr said. “ORI is such a valuable resource and being able to talk with them during this conference is essential to our mission.” During the evening, which shifted venues from the Parx racetrack to the casino, an awards banquet included the TDN's CEO/Publisher Sue Finley, who delivered the keynote over the power of integrity and the precarious position news outlets find themselves in when it comes to coverage of horse racing. “Some organizations and individuals accuse us of being pro-HISA,” said Finley, speaking about the importance of independent journalism in horse racing. “The only thing we're accused of more? Is being ANTI-HISA. Sometimes, we write an article which generates complaints from some that we are pro-HISA, while others write us and say we're showing an obvious anti-HISA bias. All from the same article.” The first day activities ended with the awarding of the organization's most prestigious honor which is named for longtime investigator John F. Wayne. The lifetime membership award went to Tampa Bay Downs's Deanna Nicol. ORI's 28th meeting continues on Tuesday, Mar. 5. Click here to access the schedule. The post Investigators Tradecraft Displayed On Day One At Parx Conference appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Regardless of what happens on the first and third Saturdays in May, the June 8 Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course could be the highlight of the 2024 Triple Crown season.View the full article

An accident during the final race March 3 at Fonner Park took the lives of two racehorses and an outrider's pony. Three jockeys and the outrider were hospitalized. One rider broke an arm, another fractured a finger, a third was treated and released.View the full article

What Sandown Hillside Races Where Sandown Racecourse – 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale VIC 3171 When Wednesday, March 6, 2024 First Race 3:05pm AEDT Visit Dabble Metropolitan racing is set to return to Sandown’s Hillside track this Wednesday afternoon. The weather forecast hints at a perfect autumn’s day, with track conditions expected to start at a Good 4 and potentially improve throughout the day. The rail comes out 4m for the entire circuit, and racing is scheduled to kick off at 3:05pm AEDT. Best Bet at Sandown: Freight Train Freight Train could not have been more impressive on debut when winning by 1.8 lengths at Pakenham on February 15. Having settled midfield, the three-year-old gelding built through his gears like a good horse and reeled in his rivals with relative ease inside the final furlong. This BM64 looks to be the ideal stepping stone to something bigger, and from barrier two under Blake Shinn, he will be given every opportunity from an economical run. Best Bet Race 8 – #13 Freight Train (2) 3yo Gelding | T: Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | J: Blake Shinn (59kg) +140 with Neds Next Best at Sandown: Perilous Fighter If his seven-length trial win at Sale on February 23 is anything to go by, the Clayton Douglas-trained Perilous Fighter looks to have returned in fine form. The best performances so far in his career have come when settling in a forward position and pouring on the pressure, and he did just that in his lead-in trial. From barrier six under Thomas Stockdale, the pair should have no issue settling outside the speed and then kicking clear of their rivals. Next Best Race 7 – #6 Perilous Fighter (6) 3yo Colt | T: Clayton Douglas | J: Thomas Stockdale (59kg) +320 with Playup Best Value at Sandown: Finale Finale returned from a three-month spell with a narrow runner-up effort at Pakenham on February 22, going down by a nostril when looking the winner with 100m to go. Race fitness seemingly got the Extreme Choice filly late, so second-up at the 1500m on Wednesday looks to be the recipe for success. This is obviously a tougher maiden, but with a nice draw in barrier five and some race fitness under her belt, Finale should be breaking maiden ranks at a nice price with horse racing bookies. Best Value Race 3 – #13 Finale (5) 3yo Filly | T: Cliff Brown | J: Ethan Brown (56kg) +900 with Picklebet Sandown Hillside Wednesday quaddie tips – 6/3/2024 Sandown quadrella selections Wednesday, March 6, 2024 3-4-5-6-9 1-2-5-8-9 6-7 13 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Horse Racing on Tuesday, March 5 will feature four meetings in Australia. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the top bets and the quaddie numbers for the meeting at Kembla Grange. Tuesday Racing Tips – March 5, 2024 Kembla Grange Racing Tips As always there a plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans, check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on March 5, 2024 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. More horse racing tips View the full article

Cascadian ridden by Ben Melham winning the 2023 Australian Cup at Flemington. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Cascadian, last year’s runner-up, is set to embark on a redemption journey in the 2024 All-Star Mile (1600m) after being granted a wildcard entry for the $4 million race. Twelve months after narrowly missing out on victory to Mr Brightside at Moonee Valley, the resilient nine-year-old, owned by the esteemed Godolphin stable, is gearing up to make his mark at Caulfield on Saturday, March 16, as part of the race’s annual rotation. Under the guidance of trainer James Cummings, grandson of the legendary Bart Cummings, Cascadian’s impressive performance in last year’s All-Star Mile served as a catalyst for his subsequent triumph in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m). This remarkable feat saw him accumulate over $2.5 million in prize money within a week. While the $3 million Australian Cup at Flemington on Saturday, March 30 remains a target, Cascadian’s immediate focus lies on clinching victory in his first All-Star Mile. Despite a challenging return in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m), he showcased his potential in the recent Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, rallying from last position at the 800-metre mark to secure a commendable fourth-place finish behind Think It’s Over. With the All-Star Mile just two weeks away and the Australian Cup another fortnight after, Cascadian is poised to be a formidable contender in two of the Victorian Festival of Racing’s prestigious events. Joining Cascadian in the All-Star Mile could be his accomplished stablemate Pericles, who secured a spot in the race with a strong runner-up performance in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m). Cascadian’s inclusion brings the tally of wildcard recipients to six, alongside Mr Brightside, Pride Of Jenni, Jimmysstar, Dom To Shoot, and Munhamek. Cascadian is rated a +1200 winning chance for the All-Star Mile with horse racing betting sites. Horse racing news View the full article

Explore a multitude of captivating racing promotions offered by horse racing bookmakers on Tuesday, March 5. Immerse yourself in the thrill with generous bonus back offers, elevating your betting experience. Delve into these complimentary promotions from top-tier online bookmakers to maximize your betting opportunities. The top Australian racing promotions for March 5, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Odds Drift Protector If the price at the jump is bigger than the price that you took, we will pay you out at the bigger odds Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Place a 4+ leg multi , if one leg fails Bonus Back up to $50 Applies to first eligible 4+ multi every day. Paid in Bonus Cash Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to PickleBet to Claim Promo BoomBet Daily Race Returns Use your daily Race Returns to back a runner in ANY RACE you want* and if your horse doesn’t win but finishes in the specified positions, you get your stake back as a bonus bet. 18+ Gamble responsibly. Can be used across any race and code unless specified in customer’s BoomBox. Fix odds, win bets only. Max bonus $50. Login to BoomBet to Claim Promo Daily Trifecta Boosts Boost your winnings on Trifecta by 10% with new Daily trifecta boosts. Thoroughbreds only. T&Cs apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au meticulously assesses leading Australian horse racing bookmakers, revealing exclusive thoroughbred bonus promotions for March 5, 2024. These ongoing offers underscore the dedication of top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, when one bookmaker isn’t featuring a promotion, another is stepping up. Count on HorseBetting.com.au as your go-to source for daily rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses. Enhance your value with competitive odds and exclusive promotions tailored for existing customers. Easily access these offers by logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For valuable insights into races and horses to optimise your bonus bets, trust HorseBetting’s daily free racing tips. More horse racing promotions View the full article

Dreams of lilies in May are on the minds of all who have a developing 3-year-old filly on their hands. That dream took a step forward March 2 for the connections of Fiona's Magic as she catapulted to second on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) leaderboard.View the full article

2011's GI Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty (Medaglia d'Oro) died Monday at Gainesway Farm according to a release from the farm. The 16-year-old was a multiple Grade I winner throughout her career for Peachtree Stable and trainer Bob Baffert and ultimately captured the lilies before retiring in 2012 with earnings of over $1.7m and a final record of 12-5-2-3. A $130,000 OBS yearling, Plum Pretty would last secure a final bid of $4.2m from Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm at KEENOV in 2012. She produced a total of 8 foals and still has a 2-year-old Speightstown filly and a yearling Charlatan filly to represent her on the track. “She was a pleasure to be around and always a great mom.” Pope remembered. “We are blessed to have several fillies out of her still to race and one that has already produced a foal. The colts have gone on to secondary careers in the show world and have her awesome personality.” The post Oaks Winner Plum Pretty Dies At 16 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Edited Press Release New York Governor Kathy Hochul provided a project timeline and additional updates Monday on the construction of new racing facilities at Belmont Park. The New York Racing Association, which will oversee construction, also released a series of architectural renderings to bring the project's vision to life. Expected to be completed in late 2026, the multi-year project to build a new Belmont Park will generate $1 billion in construction-related economic impact and create 3,700 construction-related jobs. Following the return of thoroughbred racing to Belmont in 2026, additional racing and non-racing activities at the new facility will generate $155 million in annual economic output and produce $10 million in new state and local tax revenue per year. “The redevelopment of Belmont Park is a critical investment in one of New York's most historic sporting venues,” said Governor Hochul. “The new facility will support year-round racing, thousands of new jobs for Long Islanders and provide an enhanced experience for customers attending the iconic Belmont Stakes for generations to come.” The demolition of the current Belmont Park grandstand/clubhouse is expected to begin in March and continue through early July with the new building beginning to take shape in early 2025. NYRA has developed a project plan that will allow for the Belmont S. to return to Belmont Park in June of 2026 prior to the full opening of the new building, which is scheduled for September of 2026. Although a venue for the 2026 Breeders' Cup World Championships has yet to be determined, the new Belmont Park will be complete and ready to host the 2026 Breeders' Cup should the opportunity arise. The Breeders' Cup has announced its commitment to add Belmont to the rotation of host venues following NYRA's modernization of the facility. NYRA will also make further investments to improve the quality of life in the backstretch community, including: –Improvements to the on-site medical facility –Installing a modern Blue Light security system –Upgrading the Recreation Hall and Track Kitchen facilities –Renovating the on-site Gymnasium –Implementing new flood mitigation strategies –Ensuring access to reliable Wi-Fi –Replacing fencing throughout the backstretch –Improving multi-modal travel through constructing bicycle storage sheds –Assess the feasibility of subsidized assistant trainer efficiency apartments While the new Belmont Park will have the same 50,000-person capacity as the existing venue, the layout of seats, suites, and standing spaces has been adjusted to accommodate flexible seasonal attendance. The addition of a winterized building paired with new racing surfaces and a synthetic track will result in a facility suitable to host thoroughbred racing on a year-round basis. As required by the 2024 Enacted Budget, NYRA will consolidate all downstate racing and training activities at the new Belmont Park to unlock 110 acres of New York State-owned land at Aqueduct Racetrack for development opportunities. The post NY Governor Hochul Provides Belmont Park Update appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The TDN's popular annual series 'Mating Plans, presented by Spendthrift,' continues today in a conversation with Hanzly Albina of Newtown Anner Stud. “I don't take this lightly at all,” said Albina, who is general manager of Newtown Anner's Kentucky farm and bloodstock manager for the operation worldwide. “It's a ton of fun when it works out. For me, the physical is what I'm shooting for as I can't predict performance. I want to produce what I would buy in a sales ring, want to produce as nice a horse as I can, whether it's to sell or to race. We raise them all as if we were going to race them all, then if we sell, we're confident we're selling the best product we can. “Some people are traditionalists and breed to race or breed to sell, but there's not really a difference anymore. At the end of the day, everyone is technically a seller–unless you keep every single foal, you're going to see the marketplace, and that goes for either a filly or a colt. You'll eventually either breed your mare or market your stallion, so you must consider these things. I find there's a lot of commonality among the guys who do the best with this.” Wamathaat (8, Speightstown–Special Me, by Unbridled's Song), to be bred to Into Mischief I bought her from Tattersalls (220,000gns) in 2019 and brought her over here. At the time we bought her, I thought it was a family that was on the uptake and it has rewarded us. She's a half to Gina Romantica, Gift Box, Stonetastic, Special Forces. It looked like a family that was exploding. She's a very good-looking mare. She has a 2-year-old Twirling Candy filly we sold to Mike Akers last year (FTSAUG, $385,000) and a Candy Ride (Arg) colt that is very nice. She went to Into Mischief last year and this year is going to go to back to him. It's hard to go wrong with Into Mischief. (MGISW) Gina Romantica obviously has continued to run very well and so I kind of wanted to bring that out of her. We tried the Candy Ride with her and there will probably be more of him in her future, maybe some Gun Runner in there, but for right now we went to Into Mischief and we'll see what happens. Toni Tools (10, Roaring Fever–Patine, by Smart Strike), to be bred to Gun Runner We bought her for $330,000 at the (2023) Fasig-Tipton Mixed Sale. She is the dam of Candied, a Grade I winner of the Alcibiades. She's going to Gun Runner. It's a natural inclination from a body perspective, plus I get a little more consistency from Gun Runner than Candy Ride (sire of Candied). She's a young mare and deserves to be bred to the best sire out there; she warrants the money. This is her time. Toni Tools as a 2-year-old on the track | Sarah Andrew Flourish (17, Distorted Humor–Viviana, by Nureyev), to be bred to Into Mischief She's the dam of (MGSW & GISP) Fulsome, an Into Mischief millionaire. She's going back to him for obvious reasons. She has an Into Mischief sister to Fulsome on the ground and basically this is the third year in a row we've gone to him with her. Kosmo's Buddy (19, Outflanker–Vaulted, by Allen's Prospect), to be bred to Gun Runner She's the dam of (Horse of the Year) Knicks Go. She recently had a Paynter colt and will be going back to Gun Runner. It was more of a physical match for me. She's not the biggest mare in the world, but she transfers a lot of the stallion through. I think if you breed her to a strong stallion, that is pretty bulletproof for her. Gun Runner is the horse for me and is the hot stallion right now. This mating was more of a physical one than from a pedigree perspective. In the past we'd bred her to Justify and Ghostzapper, trying to follow the Awesome Again, but I think Gun Runner makes a lot of sense as she brings out a lot of the stallion. We all try to figure it out; you develop your theories and see what has validity or not. Kadira (19, Kafwain–Raw Gold, by Rahy), to be bred to Tapit This is the dam of Paola Queen, winner of the Test. She is going to Tapit. We loved Flatter (sire of Paola Queen) and he was very generous to us, but he's gone. We sold one Flatter filly out of Kadira and retained another. She's in foal to Tapit and going back to him, because of the Pulpit/A.P. Indy factor. She has very beautiful foals and he will be a good match. When the mare has already proven herself, it makes my job easy. Malibu Pier (17, Malibu Moon–Blue Moon {Fr}, by Lomitas {GB}), to be bred to Forte She's the dam of Malibu Stacy, who was Grade II placed, and Coasted, who was Grade-I placed in the Breeders' Cup. She's an older mare, but I bred her to Medaglia d'Oro and got a nice filly. She's in foal to Jackie's Warrior now and is going to be bred back to Forte. I thought the body types matched well. I like the Medaglia d'Oro (yearling) filly very much and with Forte a first-year sire I wanted to breed to and it being a very hard season to get a hold of, I wanted to make sure I used it well. Meg Fitz (9, Tapit–Meguial {Arg}, by Roy), to be bred to Justify This is a Tapit mare we bred. She's in foal to Olympiad right now; we'll go back to Justify because she's a half-sister to (GISW) I Want Revenge, more than a half-sister. Her first foal is a Mendelssohn, who was second in the Kentucky Jockey Club (Real Men Violen). We're excited about the Olympiad. She had a Speightstown sell for $600,000 at Saratoga last year and has been very generous to us so far, so we're going to Justify since that's a Scat Daddy line. She brings the best out of every stallion we've bred her to and has beautiful foals. Kateri (12, Indian Charlie–Sue's Good News, by Woodman), to be bred to Cody's Wish She's a mare we've had her entire career; again, very generous to us. She's a stunning mare, an Indian Charlie mare. We sold a Tiznow out of her for $420,000 as a 2-year-old, a Curlin for $725,000. Obviously, her best racehorse to date is (GSW & GISP) Souper Sensational (by Curlin). We bred her to Curlin again and are retaining that 2022 colt to race. He's in training with Robbie Medina. She has a yearling filly by Curlin and went back to him again. That would have been four years in a row to Curlin if we went this year, so we're going to Cody's Wish. She puts a great body on a horse and we thought he was a standout physically. If you went to see that horse, you bred to him. Shopit's 2021 colt in the sales ring | Fasig-Tipton Shopit (9, Yes It's True–Shop Here, by Dehere), to be bred to Into Mischief Dam of (SW & MGISP) Shoplifted. It's probably not that interesting, but we just breed her to Into Mischief every year since it already worked. She has amazing foals. Afleet Maggi (17, Afleet Alex–Mindset, by Coronado's Quest), to be bred to Nyquist Dam of Grade I winner Dream Tree. I bought her, have an Uncle Mo filly out of her that I was pretty happy with. She went back to Uncle Mo, but aborted. This year, I went to Nyquist. With him taking off last year, I think he's now done enough to warrant being bred to her. Fancier (13, Bernstein–Princess Pegasus, by Fusaichi Pegasus), to be bred to Flightline She is the dam of (GISW) Get Her Number by Dialed In, which is the Minecraft/A.P. Indy line. She has a Tapit colt and is back in foal to Tapit, but this year we'll be breeding her to Flightline. I typically wouldn't breed a mare of this caliber to a second-year sire; I'd go to a proven or a first -year sire, but he's going to defy the odds. He has a lot of buzz, a lot of industry support, and looks exactly what you think a horse of his race record is going to look like. I think he'll defy the trend; I don't think he'll have the usual slump of a second and third year. I'm seeing if I can improve the Tapit I have with him. I think he's a good fit for this mare. Go Go Princess (4, Justify–Kosmo's Buddy, by Outflanker), to be bred to Mage She's more than a half to Knicks Go and I'm going to breed her to Mage. The reasoning is she's a very typical Justify, she's an even leggier version of him. I think from a body perspective, she is a beautiful mare and I had a little flexibility on who to breed to. We're very excited about Mage at Airdrie. A first-year Derby winner is one of the soundest bets in our sport. I'm actually sending two to Mage. The post Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift: Newtown Anner Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

We're at the two-month mark for the GI Kentucky Derby, and we're on the cusp of the major prep races getting extended to nine furlongs and beyond. Not all of the Triple Crown-caliber horses on this list, however, are pointing for the first Saturday in May. 1) NYSOS (c, Nyquist–Zetta Z, by Bernardini) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Baoma Corp; B-Susie Atkins (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $130,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $150,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $550,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 3-3-0-0, $216,600. Last start: WON Feb. 3 GIII Robert F. Lewis S. On Saturday, trainer Bob Baffert scratched 1-5 morning-line favorite Nysos from Sunday's GII San Felipe S. He told Daily Racing Form's Brad Free that a “gut feeling” was prodding him to give the undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' more time off between races. “My original plan to was to just wait,” Baffert told DRF, referencing the time since Nysos's 7 1/2-length win in the Feb. 3 GIII Lewis S. “I don't need to run him [Sunday]. I just might wait for the [Apr. 6 GI] Santa Anita Derby,” Baffert told DRF, adding the colt was physically fine. This powerful, dynamic son of Nyquist ($130,000 KEENOV, $150,000 FTKOCT, $550,000 OBSAPR) has now won at six, seven and eight furlongs by a combined 26 3/4 lengths while earning Beyer Speed Figures of 96, 97 and 105. Despite the San Felipe scratch, bettors zealously backed this colt to heavy 5-2 favoritism in the first round of the GI Preakness S. futures pool that closed Saturday. Churchill Downs has barred Baffert's trainees from participating in the Derby, and the purported wisdom of crowds is banking that his top Derby-skipping sophomore will not only show up in the Preakness, but dominate it. But Baffert has yet to publicly declare which, if any, of his trainees might be Baltimore-bound 2 1/2 months from now, which makes Nysos's Preakness futures price look like a huge underlay. 2) MUTH (c, Good Magic–Hoppa, by Uncle Mo) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $2,000,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-3-2-0, $716,600. Last start: WON Jan. 6 GII San Vicente S. With Nysos likely slotted for the Santa Anita Derby, that leaves stablemate and fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Muth as the most likely candidate to lead Bob Baffert's traveling team to Oaklawn for the GI Arkansas Derby Mar. 30. Muth ($190,000 KEESEP, $2 million OBSMAR) had already been pegged to hit the road to Hot Springs this season, for the Feb. 24 GII Rebel S. This son of Good Magic would have been heavily favored in that spot, but after Baffert wasn't satisfied with the way Muth's final workout for the race went, he declined to enter. Muth has alternated wins and seconds in five lifetime races since breaking his maiden back on June 18. He was second in the GIII Best Pal S., first in the GI American Pharoah S., second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, then a winner in the GII San Vicente S. Muth would be facing a nearly three-month layoff in the Arkansas Derby, a stakes that Baffert has won four times. Favorites crossed the finish wire first in the Arkansas Derby for five straight runnings, from 2017 through split divisions in 2020. But the chalk has lost in each of the last three years. 3) SIERRA LEONE (c, Gun Runner–Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Mrs John Magnier, Michael B Tabor, Derrick Smith Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing LLC & Peter M Brant; B-Debby M Oxley (KY); T-Chad Brown. Sales history: $2,300,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-1-0, $336,750. Last start: WON Feb. 17 GII Risen Star S. If he goes next in the GI Blue Grass S. at Keeneland as expected, Sierra Leone will have three straight races at nine furlongs spanning from December to April prior to attempting 10 furlongs in the Kentucky Derby. That experience over a distance of ground will help, especially considering this $2.3 million FTSAUG sale-topper by Gun Runner is projected to have just four lifetime races prior to heading to Louisville. Since 1937, only four horses have won the Derby going into the race with four or fewer lifetime starts: Animal Kingdom (four) plus Justify, Big Brown and Mage (three each). Sierra Leone will also be going up against the grain of another recent hurdle–winning the Derby off of just two starts at age three. That angle produced eight Derby winners between 2007 and 2016. But since then, horses with only two sophomore starts have been a collective 0-for-39 in the Derby. Still, beyond those historical trends, it's tough to knock this 'TDN Rising Star' on the basis of his on-track performance. He won his one-turn-mile debut Nov. 4 at Aqueduct despite repeated trip trouble, and that race produced two next-out winners, one a fellow 'Rising Star'. Sierra Leone then rallied seven wide from last in the mud against a stern speed bias in the GII Remsen S., but had to settle for second after losing the lead late. His 3-year-old debut featured another resolute rally over a wet track when he shot home from the back of the pack over the long Fair Grounds stretch in the Feb. 17 GII Risen Star S. Sierra Leone's Beyer arc now stands at 71-91-90. 4) TRACK PHANTOM (c, Quality Road–Miss Sunset, by Into Mischief) O-L & N Racing LLC, Clark O Brewster, Jerry Caroom & Breeze Easy LLC; B-Breeze Easy LLC (KY); T-Steve Asmussen. Sales history: $500,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 6-3-2-1, $365,000. Last start: 2nd in Feb. 17 GII Risen Star S. Track Phantom isn't a shock-and-awe type of colt, but he rates near the top of the crop in terms of steadiness and reliability over six races. Since trainer Steve Asmussen stretched out this $500,000 KEESEP son of Quality Road in lifetime start number three, Track Phantom has responded with three speed-centric wins and one half-length loss that was a decent try, with Beyers trending 88-89-90-89 in two-turn races. He's handled different types of pace pressure despite being drawn in or near the outside stall in his last three races, has routinely had to engage in stretch battles, and has capably handled two different types of wet tracks at Fair Grounds and Churchill. After getting outrun in the deep stages of the Risen Star S. by No. 3-ranked Sierra Leone, Track Phantom remains on target for the GII Louisiana Derby at 1 3/16 miles. 5) FIERCENESS (c, City of Light–Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty) 'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Repole Stable (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo, GISW, 4-2-0-1, $1,127,250. Last start: 3rd Feb. 3 GIII Holy Bull S. With a bullet half-mile breeze Feb. 23 and a third-best, in-company morning move over the same distance Mar. 1 that featured a strong gallop-out, trainer Todd Pletcher expressed confidence from Palm Beach Downs that 2-year-old champ Fierceness is making progress for the GI Florida Derby. Back on Feb. 3, the Repole Stable homebred and Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner ran a punchless third at 1-5 odds when making his 3-year-old debut. Pletcher explained that this 'TDN Rising Star' by City of Light had been training well leading up to that subpar performance in the GIII Holy Bull S., and he's still a little perplexed as to why Fierceness didn't truly fire. “I don't think he needed a race. I think our expectations were so high for him that maybe we're not looking at it realistically. If you watch the start of the race, he got slammed pretty hard from both sides. Johnny [Velazquez], in order to execute the game plan, had to use him pretty hard to get to the first turn in the position we wanted to,” Pletcher said. “He could have been a little rusty off the layoff, even though he was training great. He was top weight. [There are] a lot of subtle excuses that, for an ordinary horse, you would try to justify it. In his case, he trained so well and we expected so much of him, sometimes you think he can overcome everything.” 6) DORNOCH (c, Good Magic–Puca, by Big Brown) O-West Paces Racing LLC, R A Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding LLC, Two Eight Racing LLC & Pine Racing Stables; B-Grandview Equine (KY); T-Danny Gargan. Sales history: $325,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 5-3-2-0, $505,400. Last start: WON Mar. 2 GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. There's a lot to be said for simply showing up, and that adage was especially true for this $325,000 KEESEP son of Good Magic in Saturday's GII Fountain of Youth S. That race was decimated by four scratches, and Dornoch ended up towering over four rivals at 1-5 in the betting while administering a straightforward wiring that earned him an 88 Beyer, a three-point dip off his most recent victory in the GII Remsen S. back on Dec. 2. Trainer Danny Gargan had outlined prior to the Fountain of Youth S. that he wanted Dornoch to get some schooling by rating slightly behind the pace. But the scratches changed the way the race shaped up on paper, and Gargan called a last-minute audible, telling jockey Luis Saez to instead head straight to the front. “We didn't want to be on the lead [because] he gets out there and he kind of plays around,” Gargan said. “You can see him with his ears kind of goofing off. I told Luis, 'Just go ahead and go.' We had no choice. We really wanted to stalk, it just didn't work out that way. He won fine enough. Surely it won't be his fastest race. We didn't expect to win. It just kind of played out that way. I don't think he ran very hard.” As for Dornoch's next start, Gargan said “we could run in the Florida Derby or the Blue Grass. We're lucky enough now where we can pick our spot. Sixty [Kentucky Derby qualifying] points usually gets you in, so now we're on cruise control. We'll figure out where we want to go next and try to enjoy this for a minute.” Dornoch | Ryan Thompson 7) DETERMINISTIC (c, Liam's Map–Giulio's Jewel, by Speightstown) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-St. Elias Stable, Langone, Ken, Duncker, C. Steven and Vicarage Stable; B-Hinkle Farms (KY); T-Christophe Clement. Sales history: $625,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 2-2-0-0, $222,750. Last start: WON Mar. 2 GIII Gotham S. Deterministic (Liam's Map) is an intriguing new shooter within the Top 12, anchoring his status with a hard-charging, 93-Beyer win off a seven-month layoff in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. over a sealed and sloppy one-turn mile at Aqueduct for trainer Christophe Clement. Clement himself is part of the appeal, because if he does end up sending this $625,000 KEESEP colt on a prep path that leads to Louisville, you can have confidence knowing that the well-respected veteran conditioner believes the colt truly belongs. Clement has never saddled a horse in the Kentucky Derby, although he did win the GI Belmont S. with Tonalist in 2014. “To [just] run [in the Derby], no,” Clement told the Aqueduct notes team, underscoring that he's not interested in entering Triple Crown races just to take a shot. “To win, yes,” he added with a laugh. But if Deterministic ends up running big in a race like the Florida Derby or GII Wood Memorial, where he'd be sure to get wiseguy betting attention based on Clement's impeccable reputation for proper placement of his horses, the Kentucky Derby could be a “go.” Clement said Deterministic would be nominated to a number of Derby points-awarding preps. “No decision whatsoever made for the next start,” Clement said. “At the moment, the only worry is the well-being of the horse and we'll go from there. We'll get him to a work and the work will tell us what to do with him. “I had a long talk with Joel [Rosario] and he was delighted with the horse,” Clement said, alluding to that jockey also being aboard for Deterministic's maiden debut win at Saratoga last August. “He thought that he was a lot more mature yesterday than what he was in his first race.” 8) CONQUEST WARRIOR (c, City of Light–Tea Time, by Pulpit) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald Adam); B-Betz/B&K Canetti/J.Betz/CoCo Equine/D.J. Stables (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III. Sales history: $1,000,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $96,000. Last start: WON Mar. 1 Gulfstream AOC. You got the feeling trainer Shug McGuaghey wanted not just a win, but a good learning experience for 'TDN Rising Star' Conquest Warrior (City of Light) out of last Friday's nine-furlong allowance try at Gulfstream. The Hall-of-Fame trainer ended up getting both, and now has the luxury of choosing among several different prep stakes for this long-striding $1 million KEESEP colt. Exiting an adversity-overcoming maiden win going a mile, Conquest Warrior got bet down to 3-5 favoritism against five rivals Mar. 1. He initially tried to resist Jose Ortiz's rating hold through the first turn, but Ortiz chose not to fight him, and Conquest Warrior adeptly settled into a more rhythmic cadence once Ortiz guided him off heels and away from outer cover seven-eighths out. But by the six-furlong pole, Ortiz was already on the prowl to re-engage, and he chose an inside passage for Conquest Warrior, who ate some kickback but methodically picked off two backstretch targets before slicing outside of the tiring leader on the far turn. By upper stretch this son of City of Light had attained the lead without coming anywhere close to being fully unleashed, and with no new threats emerging from behind, Ortiz put Conquest Warrior under cruise control for the final sixteenth. The 1:50.52 clocking translated to an 84 Beyer, the same figure the colt earned when breaking his maiden. The Florida Derby, Blue Grass S., and GII Wood Memorial are all options. 9) MAYMUN (c, Frosted–Handwoven, by Indian Charlie) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Vision Racing & Sales LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $50,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $900,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $79,200. Last start: WON Feb. 11 Santa Anita AOC. Maymun ($50,000 KEESEP, $900,000 OBSAPR) owns a 2-for-2 record for trainer Bob Baffert, but next-race plans for this 'TDN Rising Star' have yet to be publicly disclosed. This son of Frosted romped by 7 1/2 lengths in his Jan. 20 unveiling over 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita (93 Beyer), then registered a one-mile allowance victory Feb. 11 despite racing rambunctiously on the first turn (89 Beyer). Maymun's stablemate, Imagination (Into Mischief), was the second-place finisher in that allowance race. That colt returned Mar. 3 to win the San Felipe S. by a head with a 96 Beyer. 10) TIMBERLAKE (c, Into Mischief–Pin Up (Ire), by Lookin At Lucky) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC; B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. Sales history: $350,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GISW, 6-3-1-0, $1,094,350. Last start: WON Feb. 24 GII Rebel S. 'TDN Rising Star' Timberlake was a 93-Beyer winner in his sophomore debut, and while the speed figure he earned in that Rebel S. was only good enough to match the last two numbers he posted at age two when capturing the GI Champagne S. and running fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, there was improvement in the “how he did it” category. That's because in the Juvenile, this $350,000 KEESEP son of Into Mischief resisted efforts to settle among horses on the clubhouse turn, and it cost him the race. Nearly four months later at Oaklawn, Timberlake was tasked with essentially the same assignment, and this time he handled it capably, rating between horses before advancing into contention on the far turn. Roused for run three-eighths out, Timberlake loomed five wide into the lane. Charging hard while widest and always under a drive, he put away three wilting pacemakers but had a touch more difficulty dispatching a 28-1 shot who had slipped through at the rail. Timberlake momentarily stalled and shifted outward at the eighth pole, narrowly losing the lead for several strides. But after jockey Christian Torres re-engaged his interest, Timberlake drew off under encouragement to win by two lengths with no serious closers firing from the back of the pack. A final prep race prior to the Kentucky Derby is in the cards, with trainer Brad Cox indicating that the preference will be a Grade I race, with the Arkansas Derby or Blue Grass S. the likeliest landing spots. 11) MYSTIK DAN (c, Goldencents–Ma'am, by Colonel John) O/B-Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby & 4G Racing, LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. Lifetime Record: SW, 5-2-1-0, $510,110. Last start: WON Feb. 3 GIII Southwest S. Mystik Dan, who celebrated a birthday Mar. 4, is training at Fair Grounds for a repeat trip to Oaklawn for the Arkansas Derby. Last time out at Oaklawn, this son of Goldencents unleashed an eight-length, 101-Beyer romp in the GIII Southwest S. Considering Mystik Dan was let go at 11-1 in the betting, and taking into account that he might have relished a muddy, sealed surface that other horses didn't handle, it remains an open question as to whether this homebred for Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby, and 4G Racing can conjure up a similar effort against tougher competition going a longer distance over a dry surface. The Southwest hasn't shaken out to be a productive stakes. The horses who ran second, fifth, seventh and tenth behind Mystik Dan in the Southwest came back to run seventh, second, sixth and tenth, respectively, in the Rebel S. The fourth-place Southwest horse dropped into an allowance race and again ran fourth. A ninth-place maiden out of the Southwest ran a next-out third in a MSW route. Still, McPeek has pointed to intangibles when sizing up Mystik Dan's potential, explaining that he believes the colt has a good mind and an easygoing attitude, both of which are helping to adapt this his ample natural speed to two-turn pacing. Encino | Coady 12) ENCINO (c, Nyquist–Glittering Jewel, by Bernardini) O/B-Godolphin, LLC (KY); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-1-0, $141,971. Last start: WON Mar. 2 John Battaglia Memorial S. Encino (Nyquist) is an under-the-radar but quietly improving colt from trainer Brad Cox's barn. Over the weekend he upped his record to 2-for-3 in Tapeta routes at Turfway by winning the John Battaglia Memorial S. over 1 1/16 miles by one length with an 89 Beyer. This Godolphin homebred's only loss was by a neck when second in his mile debut. He then wired the field at odds-on in start number two, and overcame post 11 in the Battaglia S. despite giving up four paths of real estate on both turns and running up on the heels of the favorite at the three-sixteenths pole. After regaining his momentum, Encino refocused to reel in that more experienced, stakes-winning foe. Encino's connections now must decide whether to keep him on a Tapeta surface they know he can handle by targeting the Mar. 23 GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks S. at Turfway, or if he's ready for a transition to a dirt surface against what would likely be more difficult competition. The post TDN Sophomore Top 12: Getting Ready To March Into Nine-Furlong Proving Grounds appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Philip Campbell is synonymous with the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, and the former principal of renowned Blue Gum Farm continued to make his mark at Oaklands Junction March 4, selling a blueblood Snitzel filly for AU$925,000.View the full article

Six new members were elected to the Board of the Thoroughbred Owners of California the organization announced Monday. Owner and trainer Mark Glatt, owner/breeder Ty Green, owner/trainer Ryan Hanson, owner/breeder John Harris, current finance committee member Stephanie Hronis and 2021's California Trainer of the Year Andy Mathis will begin their respective terms July 1, 2024. They will join current members Nick Alexander, Gary Barber, Joe Ciaglia, Tim Cohen, Matthew Dohman, Gary Fenton, Bob Liewald, Terry Lovingier and Samantha Siegal for the 2024-2025 year. The post Six New Board Members Join Thoroughbred Owners Of CA BOD appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this monthly BH interview, Karen M. Johnson profiles young racing personalities.View the full article

The annual National Anthem auditions at Lone Star Park will be held Monday, Mar. 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for any soloists, duets, choirs, instrumentalists and groups wishing to perform during the 2024 Thoroughbred racing season, the track announced via press release. Auditions will be held outdoors, weather permitting, on a walk-up basis only and anyone interested must audition in person. Hopefuls must perform the 'The Star-Spangled Banner' a cappella in two minutes or less and must have the lyrics memorized. All participants will be notified via email by Apr. 5 of their results, and if chosen to perform, the date and all relevant information will be included. Each selected person will receive four (4) reserved seats on their performance date. Lone Star's season runs Apr. 18 to July 14. The post Lone Star Park Holds National Anthem Auditions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The sixth annual Photo Finish juried exhibition hosted at the National Museum of Racing is now accepting submissions from professional and amateur photographers. Hopefuls are encouraged to submit up to two entries relating to Thoroughbred racing in America. These include, but are not limited to, racing and training scenes, backstretch shots, life on the farm, and crowd emotions. Creative and unique perspectives are also encouraged. Applications are available at the Museum's visitor services desk as well as digitally here. A panel of judges from racing and arts communities will select the photographs for the von Stade Gallery, which will open in November. The post Sixth Annual Photo Finish Exhibit Accepting Submissions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Keeneland will open its hiring center Tuesday, Mar. 5 and invites interested parties to apply either in person or online for the 2024 Spring meet to run Apr. 5-26. Positions to be filled include concessions, culinary dining, guest services, parking, retail, security, track kitchen and other areas at the racecourse. The majority on offer are entry level and do not require formal training beyond the paid training provided by Keeneland. The hiring center is located on the second floor of the grandstand and will be open every Tuesday and Thursday in March from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. beginning Mar. 5. On-site interviews will be conducted, and applicants are encouraged to bring two forms of identification with them. In addition to employment opportunities, Keeneland also offers the Volunteer Group program for certified groups with a tax identification number. For every hour a member works during the Spring meet, a contribution of $10 will be made to the organization. Information on the Volunteer Group program is available here. The post Keeneland Hiring Center Opens Tuesday to Recruit for Spring Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow will be the keynote speaker at the 2024 Race for Grace Gala and Auction, the Kentucky Chaplaincy announced via a release Monday. Held in conjunction with Kentucky Derby 150 week celebrations Monday, Apr. 29 at Churchill Downs on Millionaires' Row, a silent and live auction including items such as 2025 Kentucky Derby and Oaks boxes, halters from Derby 150 contenders, sign Tebow items, horse racing art, etc., look to be the feature. Along with the keynote speaker, WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden and Hall of Famer Pat Day will host the evening events. Race for Grace tickets are limited and sponsorships are welcome with more information available here. The post Tim Tebow to be Keynote Speaker at Race for Grace appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Plagued by injuries and getting up there in age, Jayson Werth announced his retirement from baseball on June 28, 2018. He finished with 229 career home runs, was an All-Star in 2009 and won a World Series in 2008 with the Philadelphia Phillies. It had been a great run, but when it was over Werth wasn't exactly ready to move on. He never lost the feelings that baseball gave him, the excitement, the ups and downs, the camaraderie with his teammates and the pride that comes with knowing that you have succeeded at the highest level. There was golf but he needed something else. And in horse racing Jayson Werth has found exactly what he was looking for. Running under the name of Two Eight Racing (Werth wore number 28 during his playing days), the 44-year-old native of Springfield, Illinois has enjoyed remarkable early success. Involved in the sport only since 2021, Werth could be on his way to the GI Kentucky Derby. He is the co-owner of Dornoch (Good Magic), the winner of the GII Fountain of Youth S., as well as recent maiden winner Drip (Good Magic), who will be out to pick up Derby points in this Saturday's GII Tampa Bay Derby. Then there's R Calli Kim (Revolutionary), who won the GIII Very One S., which was part of the Fountain of Youth card. “On some level, horse racing has filled a really large void in my life that has been created by my retiring from baseball,” he said. “Horse racing picked up where baseball left off. Its's a great industry for me to be in. Professional baseball, when you do it for 22 years, it takes over your whole life. My wife has a sign in the kitchen that says 'We interrupt this family for baseball season.' Then it's over and you think 'what do I do now?' Werth lived near a Standardbred farm when he was growing up and befriended the owner and helped out with the horses, something that he enjoyed. But his family moved when he was 13 and Werth would soon be immersed in baseball. He didn't have time for anything else. He soon found out that the passion he had for horses when he was young had never disappeared. Werth began playing golf with Richard Averill, who runs under the name of Averill Racing, and the owner introduced him to Thoroughbred racing. “I started picking Richard's brain and then partnered with him on some horses,” Werth said. “Racing became a passion and a love really fast for me. It started out with me thinking this is fun, let's claim this horse for $8,000. But I found out that's like playing in the minor leagues. It's not where you want to be.” When asked to compare the feeling of winning a big race like the Fountain of Youth with his accomplishments in baseball, Werth said the biggest difference is that when it comes to racing he is a nervous wreck. “I never got nervous playing sports,” he said. “Even before big games, the morning of, the day of, I never felt pressure or nervous. I was very comfortable, very calm. Horse racing has been the exact opposite. I get sick to my stomach before a race. I'm experiencing emotions I never knew existed. The winning and losing when it comes to racing is very comparable to winning in the divisional series, winning in the World Series. Having success or failure in racing, that feels very familiar to me. It's the lead-up into the race that gives me panic attacks.” Dornoch may be his best horse, but he is most passionate about R Calli Kim. After a 55-week layoff, she came back in July and won a $35,000 claimer at Saratoga. That began a four-race win streak that included a victory in the GIII Long Island S. After finishing second in the GIII La Prevoyante S. she returned to the winner's circle in the The Very One. “She got hurt and then didn't run for a whole year,” he said. “We thought she was done racing and then all of a sudden, she was doing really well and we sent her back to (trainer) Brendan (Walsh) and she has won six of seven. She's such a great horse, so sweet and nice. After my wife, she's my favorite girl in the whole world.” The post Jayson Werth Hits It Out of the Park with Dornoch appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article