Wandering Eyes

The mighty Curlin's heir apparent might be a son standing alongside him at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. Your average young stallion doesn't usually follow up a first-crop Classic winner with another one in his second crop. To be fair, your average young stallion doesn't often have a Classic winner at all. Good Magic is quickly proving he is not your average young stallion. “Classic horses are certainly the peak, the goal of anyone who breeds, sells, or owns, or even stands stallions,” said Hill 'n' Dale's John Sikura, who stands both Good Magic and his sire, Curlin. “The test of time is if you get Grade I-caliber horses. It's a lovely metric that defines sires most.” After Dornoch became his second Classic winner in just two crops to race in Saturday's GI Belmont S., Good Magic added an exclamation point to his weekend with yet another new graded winner Sunday when Society Man captured Churchill's GIII Matt Winn S. Just how good is this young sire? “That was a fantastic achievement,” said Sikura. “He's proven himself to be a Classic sire. To get Grade I winners is the hardest achievement for a stallion, the echelon of quality. For a stallion to do that repeatedly shows he's an elite horse. “It's always the goal, but it's an elusive goal to achieve. If you're realistic, your expectations are always a bit guarded, but hope is immeasurable. He's delivered a Classic winner in each of two crops.” While others have been eager to christen Good Magic the 'heir apparent' to Curlin, Sikura is somewhat more cautious and diplomatic in using that phrase. “He's still forming his legacy and his sire record, so it's too early to say, but all indications are he's living up to all expectations. Curlin is in such rarified air, such a great horse. So far Good Magic has done everything expected of whomever Curlin's heir apparent might be.” TDN Stallions: Good Magic from Thoroughbred Daily News on Vimeo. It's impossible not to compare Good Magic to his sire, the phenomenal Curlin, as they stand side by side at Hill 'n' Dale. Their sire statistics show it's not only fair to make the comparison, but a compliment to both. Everyone knows how good Curlin is and the staggering numbers of elite performers he churns out, but, unlike Good Magic, it took him a little longer to start cranking out the Grade I winners. Sire and son's first two crops have a comparable number of foals. Curlin had four graded winners from 14 stakes winners in his first two crops, including one Grade I winner. Ten of Good Magic's 18 black-type winners are graded, including four at the Grade I level. Sikura has some ideas as to why Good Magic has gotten off to a faster start than Curlin at the same point in his career. “There's a little difference in the aptitude of the offspring, a little more precocity in Good Magic's offspring, so you see them sooner and earlier. Curlin is such a fantastic horse of such versatility in every division, but it took him a little longer to express himself. Good Magic's offspring are a little lighter on their feet, not quite as substantial in their physicality.” Each had a Classic winner in his first crop: Palace Malice in the 2013 Belmont for Curlin, Mage in the 2023 GI Kentucky Derby for Good Magic. Curlin would add a second Classic winner from his fourth crop in 2016 with Exaggerator in the GI Preakness S. Good Magic has done it in his second crop with Dornoch. After Palace Malice, Curlin wouldn't get his second (and third, and fourth) Grade I winner until his third crop. Good Magic already has four: in addition to Dornoch is Derby winner Mage, GI Arkansas Derby/GI American Pharoah S. winner Muth, and GI Champagne S. winner Blazing Sevens. With the hindsight of Curlin's prowess as an elite sire, the simple comparison and the fast start made by Good Magic is an eye-opener. He's also mandated a raise in his fee accordingly. When Good Magic retired in the latter part of 2018, Hill 'n' Dale introduced him at $35,000 for his initial season in 2019. Five years later, he stood this spring for an advertised fee of $125,000. His full book emphasizes quality over quantity. “He can be a bit of shy breeder sometimes so we don't overwhelm him with mares,” said Sikura. “He's been a very popular horse from the beginning. Interest does not wane in him. He's had good, steady support.” Dornoch the morning after the Belmont | Sarah Andrew The last time in recent history a stallion got two Classic winners in his first two crops was when Birdstone got Derby winner Mine That Bird and Belmont winner Summer Bird in his initial crop of 3-year-olds. That horse would get a total of 10 graded winners–the same number Good Magic already has–over his entire career. Further illustrating how elevated Good Magic's accomplishments already are is how tantalizingly close he's come to adding the Preakness, his progeny's only missing leg of the Triple Crown. In 2023, his sons Blazing Sevens and Mage finished second and third. In 2024, 'TDN Rising Star' Muth developed a fever and scratched as the morning-line favorite a few days before the race. “It's really a rarity with two Classic winners in two crops and then to have the Preakness favorite scratched,” said Sikura. “It shows Good Magic is not a one-and-done sire and it's not luck. Those runners are now an expectation for him. It seems an unrealistic expectation of the horse, but that's what he delivers.” Truthfully, Good Magic signaled he was special from the start. Bred in Kentucky by Barbara Banke's Stonestreet, who kept a piece of him when he sold for $1 million at Keeneland September to e Five Racing, he went into the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile a maiden. Admittedly, he was a maiden with two improving seconds from two previous starts, including in the Champagne, so it was both a bold and logical move to take a shot at racing's championship day. The gamble paid off in spades. Good Magic won the Breeders' Cup with such aplomb he was named Eclipse champion 2-year-old and the second of Curlin's nine U.S. and Canadian champions to date. His sophomore season concluded with wins in the GI Haskell S. and GII Blue Grass S., as well as with a second in the Kentucky Derby. Some horses–extremely special horses–hit a very elusive trifecta of doing everything right every step of the way from sales ring to race career to breeding shed. Good Magic is one of those horses. With such a spectacular start to his young stud career, the sky has to be the limit, especially as the quality of mares in his book increases based on his initial success. “[His success] is a great feeling of comfort to us and to Barbara [Banke] and to Stonestreet,” said Sikura. “Really it's fantastic for everyone involved with him.” What does Good Magic's firm footing at the top mean for the extensive foundation Curlin has laid as a sire for the ages? “A son perpetuating a legacy doesn't always happen,” said Sikura. “It's almost mythical that his son would stand next to Curlin and carry the torch, not that Curlin is anywhere through. May it continue.” The post Saturday Sires: Good Magic appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The $150,000 Caesars Stakes and the $150,000 Horseshoe Indianapolis Stakes, both black-type events, have been rescheduled for July 13 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.View the full article

The G1 St James's Palace S. is shaping up to be one of the hottest races at Royal Ascot this year and both Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) received positive reports from their respective trainers on Tuesday as they prepare to try and topple Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the day one highlight. Trained by Charlie Appleby, Notable Speech heads the ante-post betting for the St James's Palace following his striking success in the G1 2,000 Guineas, but Richard Hannon has not given up hope of reversing the form with his Newmarket runner-up Rosallion, who confirmed himself a high-class colt when going one place better in the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh last time. “I think Ascot will suit us an awful lot more than Newmarket,” Hannon told Unibet. “We were having our first run of the season, he obviously improved for that first run big time in the Irish Guineas, and he will have come on again. Coming round a bend, quickening off a bend, hopefully you will see him be potent. I can't think there's many horses around that will match him for a turn of foot. “Sat swinging off that Ascot bend, waiting to press the button is how I've thought of it and hopefully that's what happens but there's no doubt Charlie's horse is a really good horse. I'd love to think we can beat him but he looked pretty good in the Guineas–they are two top-class horses.” Henry Longfellow adds plenty of intrigue to the race as he tries to rediscover the form which saw him go unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old, culminating with a five-length victory in the G1 National S. at the Curragh. He could manage only eighth on his return to action in the G1 French 2,000 Guineas at Longchamp, but trainer Aidan O'Brien is happy to put a line through that luckless run. “Everything is well with him [Henry Longfellow] since the last day,” O'Brien told Sky Sports Racing. “In France we made the wrong decision tactically that we'd drop him and there was no pace on and it just became very messy up the straight. Every time Ryan [Moore, jockey] tried to get out he couldn't get out and his chance was gone. “We felt it was a bit of a non-event, Ryan did as well, and everything has been well with him. We're looking forward to seeing him in Ascot.” Elsewhere at Royal Ascot, O'Brien confirmed that Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is firmly on course to try and regain the G1 Gold Cup crown he won in 2022, while two of the stable's Classic winners from last year, G1 Derby hero Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and G1 St Leger scorer Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), are set to run in the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. and G2 Hardwicke S. respectively. The trainer also outlined plans for his team of juveniles at the meeting, with Camille Pissarro (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) set to be tasked with trying to provide the Ballydoyle team with a record-extending eleventh win in the G2 Coventry S. on day one. “We run Camille Pissaro in the Coventry,” said O'Brien. “He won first time and got beat second time. Ryan thought he was green so we think he's going to come forward from that. In the Queen Mary we run a filly called Heavens Gate. She won nicely at the Curragh over six furlongs last time and just got beat over five the first day. We're going back to five with her–it could be a little bit sharp but we'll see. “In the Norfolk we have a horse called Whistlejacket and in the Windsor Castle we have a horse called Treasure Isle. In the Albany we have a filly called Fairy Godmother–she won at Naas last time and we really like her. Then in the Chesham we have a filly called Bedtime Story who won in Leopardstown. “The racing is very competitive in Ascot, but hopefully they'll run well. Obviously we like them all. We think they're very smart horses and they wouldn't be there if we didn't.” The post St James’s Palace Set To Kick Off Royal Ascot With A Bang; Ballydoyle Plans Taking Shape appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The $150,000 Caesars S. and the $150,000 Horseshoe Indianapolis S. have been rescheduled for Saturday, July 13 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. “Unfortunately, we had to postpone Caesars Day in mid-May due to torrential weather, which included over four inches of rain the evening before and forced us to cancel our racing program,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President, and General Manager of Racing. “But we did not want to completely bypass both The Caesars and The Horseshoe Indianapolis. Those races have become a staple on our schedule each season. It just took our racing office staff, led by Chris Polzin [director of racing], a little time to find the best fit among other turf events offered in the Midwest. We think we've found a great spot for both races Saturday, July 13.” The Caesars is a one-mile turf event for 3-year-olds, while the Horseshoe Indianapolis runs at the same distance for 3-year-old fillies. The Caesars, which began during the inaugural season of racing in 2003, enters its 19th running while the Horseshoe Indianapolis, which began in 2009, will be held for the 16th year. For more information, click here. The post Caesars, Horseshoe Indianapolis Rescheduled for July appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a court order requiring trainer Steve Asmussen to pay $243,260 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages after its investigation found the employer's pay practices denied 163 grooms and hotwalkers at Churchill Downs and at Keeneland racetrack of overtime wages, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Labor Tuesday. The recovery is the latest action brought by the department since 2021 against KDE Equine LLC, operating as Asmussen Racing Stables with about 200 horses in five states. This is the fifth time in recent years that investigations by the department's Wage and Hour Division found the company violated federal labor laws. In its order, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky affirmed the division's finding that the Hall of Famer failed to pay overtime wages to hotwalkers and grooms, instead paying the employees a salary for hours worked. Employees were occasionally paid extra money for doing additional work, but they were not paid overtime. “Several U.S. Department of Labor investigations have found significant violations related to the way KDE Equine pays its employees,” Regional Solicitor Tremelle Howard in Atlanta said in a release from the U.S. Dept. of Labor. “When we determine that an employer has violated the rights of its workers to be paid their full, legally earned wages, the Department of Labor will not hesitate to use litigation to hold employers like this, who knowingly disregarded their overtime obligations, accountable under the law.” The division determined the employer failed to pay non-exempt employees the additional half-time owed based on their regular rates of pay for hours over 40 in a workweek. Investigators also found KDE failed to keep accurate pay records and allegedly tried to conceal its Fair Labor Standards Act violations by knowingly modifying its records to make it appear the company paid employees by the hour. In Aug. 2023, the Arlington, Texas-based company entered into a settlement agreement to reimburse grooms and hotwalkers $129,776 and pay $75,223 in penalties to resolve violations of the federal H-2B worker program. In September 2021, the division recovered $563,800 in back wages and damages for 170 employees and assessed $46,200 in penalties after finding Asmussen failed to pay proper overtime compensation to employees for hours over 40 hours in a workweek, concealed hours worked by employees, directed employees to sign incomplete or false timesheets and did not calculate employees' overtime correctly. The post Dept. of Labor Obtains Court Order Requiring Asmussen to Pay Back Wages, Damages appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies have launched a new study that focuses on equine foot health and care. The study, open to equine veterinary practitioners and professional farriers in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, seeks their input to help quantify key aspects of hoof knowledge, care and maintenance. Topics included in the study: demographic information, hoof education and knowledge, perceptions of collaborative efforts among the surveyed populations, as well as questions on hoof mechanics, recommendations for hoof specific pathologies and/or injuries, and defining certain associated terms. To access the survey, click here prior to July 15. Participation in the study is voluntary, and all submissions will remain anonymous. No personal identifying data will be collected within the survey, and all information will be stored according to the Data Protection Act and GDPR principles. If you have any questions regarding this study, please contact: Jude R. Florio: v1jflori@ed.ac.uk Dr. Victoria Lindsay-McGee: victoria.lindsay-mcgee@ed.ac.uk Dr. Tamsin Coombs: vt1coomb@exseed.ed.ac.uk The post Researchers Seek Input from Farriers, Vets for New Study on Equine Foot Health appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Measured Time in the Manhattan S. on Saturday. Blue Is The Colour In Manhattan Godolphin homebred Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) doubled his top-drawer tally in the GI Manhattan S. during the Belmont S. Festival at Saratoga (video). Trained by Charlie Appleby, the 4-year-old colt has a record of three wins from four starts in Britain with a second at listed level prior to winning both the G2 Al Rashidiya and G1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan. Fourth in the G1 Dubai Turf on Dubai World Cup night in March, the Manhattan was Measured Time's first start back. Out of Minidress (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}), he is a half-brother to two stakes horses anchored by turf standout Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a Group/Grade 1 winner in four countries. Measured Time is kin to Japanese champion Victoire Pisa (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}) and a bevy of other high class runners. A yearling colt by Dubawi is Minidress's latest offspring. Juddmonte's Frankel now has three Grade I winners in America, with the Manhattan scorer joining fillies McKulick (GB) and Inspiral (GB). His 57 runners have delivered 28 winners (49%) and there are an even dozen stakes winners (21%) among them. MEASURED TIME (GB) just too good in the Manhattan Stakes! The son of @JuddmonteFarms FRANKEL (GB) & half-brother to REBEL'S ROMANCE earns a second Gr.1 win after success in the Jebel Hatta. Well done to Charlie Appleby & owner-breeder @godolphin! pic.twitter.com/Emv3dorPeJ — GBRI (@GBRI_UK) June 8, 2024 Wizard Works His Magic In Belmont Gold Cup Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and The Estate of Albert Frassetto's The Grey Wizard (Ire) (Caravaggio) closed to take the GII Belmont Gold Cup S. at Saratoga on Thursday (video). Trained by Graham Motion and bred by Longfield Stud, the 5-year-old gelding was winning his first stakes race. Consigned by Whitehall Stud to the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, he brought £78,000 from Joseph O'Brien. For O'Brien and Niall and Cathal Slevin, he won once in two starts in Ireland, before making his way to the U.S. for new connections. The fourth foal and third winner for his dam, the Galileo (Ire) mare Fancy (Ire), he is a half-brother to multiple stakes winner Fancy Man (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}), who placed six times at the group level. Fancy, a daughter of G3 Park Express S. winner Danehill Music (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), foaled New York Minute (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in 2022, but the colt has yet to race. Previously at stud in Ireland and Kentucky, Caravaggio has 18 winners from 35 runners (51%) in the U.S. His six stakes winners in the U.S. (17%) are anchored by GI Diana S. winner Whitebeam (GB) and GIII La Jolla H. scorer Maltese Falcon (Ire). What a finish! The Grey Wizard just nabs the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup Stakes for @ljlmvel and @HerringswellStb… pic.twitter.com/FmVHwyyfg9 — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 6, 2024 Ten Sovereigns Colt Wins At The Spa Gary Barber and Team Valor International, LLC's Mansa Musa (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) won for the second time in seven starts at Saratoga on Saturday (video). Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the two-time stakes-placed colt was bred by Middlelane Farm. A frequent visitor to the sales ring, the colt was picked up by Camas Park Stud for 60,000gns out of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale in 2021. Sent through the same ring a year later, he made 55,000gns on the bid of Star Bloodstock and Byron Rogers. Re-offered in March of 2023 at the Goffs Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up Sale, Mansa Musa was a €49,383 buy-back. A winner in two starts for Diego Dias and owner Matt Eves, the colt was purchased by his current ownership group prior to seconds in the G3 Round Tower S. and Listed Blenheim S. last year. His dam, Sundiata (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), is a granddaughter of G2 Dahlia H. heroine Didina (GB) (Nashwan), and this is also the extended family of G1 Dubai Duty Free winner and sires Cityscape (GB) and Bated Breath (GB), who won the G2 Temple S. and was placed thrice at the highest level. His dam has a juvenile filly by Australia (GB) and a yearling colt by Saxon Warrior (Jpn) to come. Coolmore's Ten Sovereigns has sired four winners from six starters (66%) in the U.S., with three of his winners placing in stakes, with Loterie (Ire) and Irish Gent (Ire) joining Mansa Musa. Repeat Winners More Making Waves ink found its way to Chili Flag (Fr) (Cityscape {GB}) in the GI Just A Game S. at Saratoga on Friday (video). The 5-year-old mare, trained by Chad Brown, is owned by Madaket Stables, LLC, Michael Dubb and Michael Kisber. CHILI FLAG surges down the stretch to win the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes with @iradortiz aboard for trainer Chad Brown. That's 4⃣ wins for Irad! pic.twitter.com/vEoVYpcMbd — Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) June 7, 2024 The post Making Waves: Euro Festival At Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ask (GB) (Sadler's Wells–Request {GB}, by Rainbow Quest), who was a dual Group 1 winner for Sir Michael Stoute and became a prolific National Hunt stallion, has died at the age of 21, Willow Wood Farm announced on Tuesday. In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Willow Wood Farm said, “Sadly we have had to say goodbye to Ask. He achieved a lot in his lifetime and we were very proud to have him and have a lot to thank him for. He has bred plenty of winners and we hope he lives on in the progeny he has left.” Bred by Side Hill Stud, Ask was unraced as a juvenile but proved himself a smart three-year-old for the Duke of Devonshire and Sue Magnier, notably finishing fourth in the G1 St Leger when it was run at York. He returned the following season in the ownership of Patrick Fahey and went on to six Group races in the space of three years. At four he won the G3 Ormonde S. and G3 Cumberland Lodge S., while at five he won the G3 Gordon Richards S. However, it wasn't until his six-year-old campaign that he made the breakthrough in Group 1 company with victories in the Coronation Cup and Prix Royal-Oak, in addition to the G2 Yorkshire Cup. Ask joined Coolmore's National Hunt roster at The Beeches Stud in 2011 and was there until 2019 when he moved to Dunraven Stud. He spent three seasons at Dunraven before joining the team at Willow Wood Farm in 2022. As recently as March this year Ask was very nearly represented by his first Cheltenham Festival winner when The Jukebox Man (Ire) was beaten just a head in the G1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle. The Jukebox Man also filled the runner-up spot on his next start in the G1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree, proving himself one of the best performers to date by Ask, along with Lookaway (Ire), a Grade 2 scorer both in bumpers and as a novice hurdler, and the three-time winner Ask Dillon (Ire). The post Dual Group 1 Winner And National Hunt Sire Ask Dies At 21 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Buckeye Classic Thoroughbred Sale will debut at the Delaware County Fairgrounds on Oct. 17 at 2:00 p.m. The sale has been created by a group of Ohio breeders, several of them former members of the Ohio Thoroughbred Breeder & Owners Board of Directors. The sale is open to yearlings, weanlings, in-foal mares and 2-year-olds. Early entry deadline for the Buckeye Classic Thoroughbred Sale is July, 15. “It seemed the OTBO sale was becoming a viable source for both sellers and buyers after a 13-year hiatus, but over the last three years–under their new leadership-it has headed in the wrong direction,” stated Daryl Duncan, who operates Duncan Farms with his wife, Sally. “It just wasn't a proper fashion for us to present our homebreds, so we teamed with other leading Ohio farms and decided to form a new sale company with some great people coming together for a common goal. Their plan and rationale for a new sale was presented to the Ohio H.B.P.A., who agreed with their assessment and were willing to underwrite the venture.” He added, “The endorsement from the Ohio HBPA will go a long way. I do believe that the farms that have made the commitment to this sale will be bringing in quality, well-prepped horses in a show of their support. I know we will.” Duncan stands two-time Ohio Stallion of the Year Dominus and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Fort Larned, in addition to Mobil, Corfu and Air Strike. Horses sold at the new sale will be eligible to compete in the $50,000 inaugural Buckeye Classic Thoroughbred S. that will be held at Mahoning Valley in the fall along with horses made eligible through the previous O.T.B.O. sales. For more information, contact smokincllc@gmail.com Smokin C Thoroughbreds. The post Inaugural Buckeye Classic Thoroughbred Sale Set For Oct. 17 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The catalogue is now live for the Goffs London Sale, which takes place in association with Privat 3 Money on Monday, June 17 at Kensington Palace Gardens. Of the initial entries announced on Sunday, Karl Burke's Alaskan Gold (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) is the only lot to have been withdrawn, leaving a total of 20 to be offered on the eve of Royal Ascot. A late addition to the sale is the G2 Prix de Sandringham heroine Sparkling Plenty (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) (lot 11), who is due to run in Sunday's G1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly, while a pair of two-year-old winners trained in Ireland–Jessica Harrington's Rock N Roll Rocket (Ire) (Far Above {Ire}) (lot 13) and Michael O'Callaghan's Evening Saigon (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) (lot 21)–have also been added as possible runners at Royal Ascot. The full catalogue–which also features breeding rights to Ardad (Ire) (lot 1) and Havana Grey (GB) (lot 3)–is available here, with Goffs reporting that there is potential for a select number of additional entries to be added over the coming days. The post Royal Ascot Prospects Added To Goffs London Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A thrilling Belmont Stakes Racing Festival weekend at Saratoga Race Course caused a shake-up in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Top 3-Year-Old and Thoroughbred Polls as each sees a new leader emerge June 11.View the full article

Richard Fahey annexed last year's 5 1/2-furlong Bristol Street Motors EBF Restricted Maiden S. at Wetherby and the trainer doubled up in the first division of this year's renewal with The Cool Silk Partnership's Yes I'm Mali (GB) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}–Yes Always {Ire}, by No Nay Never). The homebred 2-year-old colt, who overcame a slow start and trouble-in-running to prevail by a half-length, becomes the fifth winner for his Ballyhane Stud-based freshman sire (by Panis), who was nurtured by Fahey throughout his 18-race career. 1st-Wetherby, £9,000, Mdn, 6-11, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:08.16, gd. YES I'M MALI (GB) (c, 2, Sands Of Mali {Fr}–Yes Always {Ire}, by No Nay Never), whose stablemate She's A Gambler (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) won this contest last year, was slowly into stride and tanked forward to track the leaders in a share of fifth after the opening exchanges of this debut. Racing hard on the bridle when cruising into traffic approaching the two pole, the 9-4 favourite navigated a passage in search of an opening and unleashed a decisive burst inside the final furlong to deny Territorial Knight (GB) (Territories {Ire}) by a half-length–and value for much more–in the dying strides, becoming the fifth winner for his freshman sire (by Panis). “He travelled well in the race, but I had to sit and wait for a bit of room,” explained rider Oisin Orr. “When we did get out I always felt like he was going to get there. I was lucky enough that he's got a change of gear and he quickened up well.” Yes I'm Mali, kin to a yearling filly by Tasleet (GB), is the first of two foals produced by a winning half-sister to G3 Brownstown S. third Damselfly (Ire) (Power {GB}), herself the dam of two winners from as many runners. The May-foaled homebred's third dam Sanctify (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) is a daughter of the stakes-placed Litani River (Irish River {Fr}) and thus a full-sister to G3 Concorde S. victrix Psalm (Ire) and Listed Garnet S. winner Queen Titi (Ire). Queen Titi, in turn, is the dam of G1 Dewhurst S. hero Beethoven (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) and Listed Navigation S. runner-up North Face (Ire) (Declaration Of War). Yes I'm Mali retains long-range entries in Doncaster's Sept. 12 Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 S. and Redcar's Oct. 5 Listed William Hill Two Year Old Trophy. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $6,187. O/B-The Cool Silk Partnership (GB); T-Richard Fahey. ' (Sands Of Mali) was green as 'owt on debut, but flies home under @OisinOrr for @CoolSilkRacing @RichardFahey secured a four-timer @WetherbyRaces' last meeting, btw … pic.twitter.com/kidj8gUfVY — Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 11, 2024 The post Freshman Sire Sands Of Mali Collects Winner Number Five at Wetherby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The post The Usual appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wednesday's top tips from the Post's racing teamView the full article

Haras Voltaire's Andre Fabre trainee Gun Of Brixton (Fr) (Frankel {GB}–Cat Kate {Ire}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) finished 3/4-of-a-length behind 'TDN Rising Star' Tiego The First (Fr) (Blue Point {Ire}) at Saint-Cloud last month and returned to the same venue to register a stylish victory in Tuesday's Prix Chateau Bouscaut over seven furlongs. 2nd-Saint-Cloud, €30,000, Mdn, 6-11, 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:30.51, gd. GUN OF BRIXTON (FR) (c, 2, Frankel {GB}–Cat Kate {Ire}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who encountered the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Tiego The First (Fr) (Blue Point {Ire}) when a May 20 debut second over six furlongs at this venue last time, broke well to lead from flagfall in this return. Holding sway throughout, the 3-5 favourite was nudged safely clear approaching the final furlong and kept on strongly under minimal urging in the latter stages to easily account for Naked Memories (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}) by two lengths. Gun Of Brixton is the lone reported foal produced by a half-sister to five black-type performers headed by G1 Derby and G1 Irish Derby hero Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and G3 Silver Flash S.-winning G1 Moyglare Stud S. third Harasiya (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). Descendants of the latter include last year's runaway G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. victor Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}). The January-foaled homebred's second dam is G3 Athasi S. victrix Hazariya (Ire) (Xaar {GB}), herself a half-sister to dual Group 1-placed G3 Blue Wind S. victrix Hazarista (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) and to the dam of G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares and G1 Coronation Cup heroine Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, €21,000. Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O/B-Haras Voltaire (FR); T-Andre Fabre. Very smart! Frankel colt Gun Of Brixton gets off the mark in style for @mickaelbarzalon and André Fabre at Saint-Cloud pic.twitter.com/J0IDgBK0Sj — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 11, 2024 The post Frankel’s Gun Of Brixton Sheds Maiden Status in Style at Saint-Cloud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Connections of talented sprinter Shouldvebeenaring (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) has “unfinished business” in Pattern races as they target Royal Ascot glory in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. The four-year-old has been knocking on the door for Group-class triumphs ever since making the step up from Listed company after his victory in the King Charles II S. at Newmarket in May 2023. His near-misses include a second in the Sandy Lane S. on his next run before returning to Haydock last September to be beaten by a neck in the Sprint Cup. A third in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret over seven furlongs at ParisLongchamp followed in October and those performances provide connections with the belief that Shouldvebeenaring has a big day in him. “You can imagine that slightly patient tactics at Ascot could work,” said Tom Palin, of Middleham Park Racing. “He didn't disgrace himself by any stretch of the imagination in the Commonwealth Cup last year, I just think we were drawn on the wrong side, so there is a bit of unfinished business at Ascot. “But really his season revolves around the six-and-a-half-furlong French Group One (Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville in August) and going back to Haydock for that Sprint Cup, where we really do have unfinished business in that Group 1 against Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire}). “Those are probably his two Derbys for the year, but absolutely the Jubilee will be his next run and we're looking forward to seeing how that pans out. “If we have a bit of pace on our side, hopefully we can come and pick them up late on-and normally it's not a bad thing to do at Ascot.” Globetrotting Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation) returns to British soil for the first time since finishing down the field in the Hampton Court S. at Royal Ascot last year. Successes in France, Germany, Italy and Qatar have earned the Archie Watson-trained four-year-old an entry in the Queen Anne S. this time around. Malc (GB) (Calyx {GB}), trained by Richard Fahey, will renew his rivalry with Elite Status (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) in the Commonwealth Cup at the same venue where he beat him by half-a-length when second in the Norfolk S. 12 months ago. Palin said of Brave Emperor, “He is thoroughly deserving of a stab at these sorts of races. He's earned his right to have a go the hard way by doing Listed races, Group Threes and Group Twos in far-flung places, so there's not a more deserving horse to roll the dice in one of these English Group Ones. “And as you saw in the Lockinge, it is a wide-open division, and who knows, he might be able to get loose rolling away at the front end in the same way Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) did and he might just stay there, we know he's a tough horse to go past.” On Malc, Palin added, “He was second in the Norfolk last year, so he's got previous at Ascot. He's had his little ailments at the end of his two-year-old career, but I felt the way the race panned out in the Carnarvon at Newbury, again we were just drawn this side and we were the best of anything drawn that side by quite a long way. “I know Elite Status looked mighty impressive that day and he was always held in high regard, but we did beat him at Ascot last year and I feel that if you change the draw, at least put us over that side, we would have definitely given Elite Status something to think about. “The way that Ascot pans out for the likes of Malc, just a little more patient tactics, I expect him to be quite a live 66-1 each-way shot.” The post Middleham Park Say Shouldvebeenaring Has “Unfinished Business” At Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Donnacha O'Brien is leaning towards the Coronation S. with 1,000 Guineas runner-up Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) but has left the door open for his star filly to run in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. Porta Fortuna provided the County Tipperary handler with his first success at the summer showpiece when landing the Albany S. 12 months ago. Since then, Porta Fortuna has gone on to scoop Group 1 glory in the Cheveley Park S. and she also came mightily close to providing the trainer with his first Classic when second at Newmarket. Although Porta Fortuna is most likely to take in the Coronation S. next week, O'Brien admitted that he would be keeping one eye on the weather before committing to the mile contest over the Commonwealth Cup. He said. “Obviously, Porta Fortuna will be our main hope for Ascot and we're still undecided on Coronation or Commonwealth. “The ground will play a factor and there is some rain forecast. If they got some rain, then we would be more likely to go Commonwealth, but if it is good ground, then the Coronation would probably be more likely. “She's very straightforward and an easy filly to train, so it makes things a lot easier. I keep swapping and changing in my head what the best place is to go with her. I would be leaning towards the Coronation but if the ground came up soft, then we will obviously think about dropping back in trip instead.” The young handler is set to have only a few runners over the course of the week, with Roscommon scorer Naval Force (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) and the Niarchos family's Yosemite Valley (GB) (Shamardal) the others from the O'Brien stable who could cross the Irish Sea. “We have Naval Force in the three-year-old handicap, the King George V Stakes,” continued O'Brien. “He won well at Roscommon first time out this year and I think he is a horse who will have a little squeak in that handicap. The only other possible would be Yosemite Valley in the Queen Anne, but he's not guaranteed to go to the meeting.” The post O’Brien Leaning Towards Coronation Stakes With Stable Star Porta Fortuna appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training begins its three-day run Wednesday in Central Florida, with bidding slated to begin at 10 a.m. During last week's six-session under-tack preview of the auction, 11 horses tied for the fastest furlong time of :9 4/5, while a pair of fillies from Tom McCrocklin's consignment shared the fastest quarter-mile time of :20 2/5. “There were plenty of people up there clocking on the turn,” consignor Lane Richardson said of the interest level ahead of the three-day June sale. “I think there is going to be good turn out for good horses. Kind of like it has been all year. If you are in the top percentage of horses, I think you're going to be pretty good.” Consignor Robbie Harris used a familiar phrase when asked about expectations for the sale. “You know, I've got to think it might be a little tough,” he said, before adding, “We are cautiously optimistic. I guess that's the word everybody uses.” After a record-setting 2022 renewal, figures at the June sale fell off slightly in 2023, with 630 horses selling for $23,777,900. The average was $37,743 and the median was $21,000. The prior year, 666 horses sold for a sale record $27,052,000, an average of $40,619 and a median of $23,500. Three horses surpassed the $400,000 mark at last year's June sale, topped by a colt by Blame who sold for $485,000, while 11 juveniles brought $200,000 or more. The 2022 auction saw 21 horses sell for $200,000 or more and it was topped by a $725,000 filly by Uncle Mo. The last of the company's three 2-year-old sales, the June sale completes a season which has seen steady results at the top, but has often faltered at the lower ends of the market. “We've done well in some spots and in some spots, we've had to get through,” Richardson said of his results this spring. “I think that's typical of this year. I think everybody has had their ups and downs this year. It's just hard in spots and good in other ones.” Harris agreed the middle market continued to struggle throughout the spring sales. “It's been ok,” he said. “We are in the black, so to speak, which is always good. But I definitely felt like it was a little bit softer, unless you were top, top. It's been the same at all the sales. They keep talking about the middle market, but there hasn't been a middle market in our game for a few years now. We are fortunate, we are in the plus column, that's awesome. But there are a lot of guys who got roughed up a little this year. I will be curious to see what the yearling sales look like because I think this will affect the yearlings.” The OBS June sale continues through Friday, with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m. The post Three-Day OBS June Sale Closes Out 2-Year-Old Sales Season in Ocala appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Julie Harrington is to leave her role as chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) at the end of this year. In a statement issued by the BHA on Tuesday, Harrington, who has been in the role for three and a half years, said, “With so much now in place to develop and grow the Industry Strategy, which will secure a brighter future for British horseracing, it felt like the right time to move on and let someone else steer the sport through its next exciting phase. “It has been a huge privilege to lead the BHA during what has been a period of real change as the sport has developed and implemented shared strategies for a sustainable future, and an ability to speak with one united voice.” During her time in the role, the BHA has undergone a significant change in governance structure and has laid out its initial plans for an industry strategy on behalf of the sport. Harrington has presided over the introduction of Premier Racing, which began at the start of 2024 and has been greeted with a mixed response from industry participants. A trial of Sunday evening racing through the winter was recently discontinued. The BHA has been involved in lengthy discussions with the government and the betting industry regarding Levy reform, and it is understood that an impending agreement was recently scuppered by the announcement of the general election, which is scheduled to take place on July 4. Harrington is to remain involved in those negotiations when they resume after the election. Prior to working for the BHA, Harrington held roles within the Football Association and British Cycling as well as being managing director of Uttoxeter racecourse during eight years spent working for Northern Racing. Her decision to leave the BHA comes after last week's announcement from the Jockey Club that Nevin Truesdale will step down as its chief executive at the end of the year. In April, Rod Street left his role as chief executive officer of Great British Racing, though he is continuing at the head of the British Champions Series until the end of the Flat season. BHA chairman Joe Saumarez Smith will step down at the end of May 2025, with the recruitment process for his replacement already underway. Continuing the major shake-up of senior positions within British racing, Charlie Liverton resigned as chief executive of the Racehorse Owners Association in May and Louise Norman has been installed as interim chief executive. Harrington continued, “I love working in horseracing, it is an amazing sport to be involved in. I will always be a fan and you can expect to see me at the races in the years ahead. I am proud of the progress the industry has made over the past three years, especially in improving the governance structure, and I hope that racing's stakeholders will continue to work together cooperatively to attract new audiences, further improve the customer experience and grow the sport. “I am confident that if the sport continues to foster the sense of unity and shared purpose that we have developed over the past few years then great things can be achieved. “My future plans are likely to include a move to a varied non-executive career. Although I took the decision to stand down some time ago, I have agreed to stay on until the end of year to allow a smooth transition to a new CEO. “The BHA Board is already engaged in the search for Joe's successor as chair and informing the board of my intentions now gives the nominations committee the opportunity to plan an orderly handover, consider the complementary skills of candidates and allow the new chair to be part of the final stages of CEO recruitment.” Commenting on Harrington's impending departure, Saumarez Smith said, “Julie has been a fantastic chief executive for the BHA and has done a huge amount for the industry since her appointment. We have been lucky to have her in charge and she will be difficult to replace. I am grateful she has agreed to stay on to the end of the year to allow us to recruit her replacement and to ensure a smooth transition. “During Julie's tenure we have completely changed the governance of the sport and the BHA's role within it. Her influencing skills, often behind-the-scenes, have been key to that change and also in the positive adjustments made to the Gambling Act White Paper that posed such a threat to our sport. “Four years at the top of any sport demands total focus, concentration and enormous amounts of energy and Julie has delivered all of these, in what at times has been a challenging stakeholder and political environment.” The post Julie Harrington to Leave BHA at End of 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Due to demand, breeders will again have the opportunity to offer quality broodmares in a stand-alone online breeding stock sale on Gavelhouse Plus in the lead up to the season. Entries for stallion shares and nominations will also be accepted for the showcase which will run from 28th June to 10th July. Key dates: Upload entries directly to Gavelhouse Plus now. Entries close Tuesday 18th June at 10pm, late entries may be accepted but after that date, they must be submitted first via email to Haylie Martin. Catalogue live Friday 28th June. Bidding ends from 7pm (NZT) on Wednesday 10th July. The sale’s entry fee will remain at $400 + GST and commission will be 5% with no pass in fees. Over the past three years the sale toppers have included Ticket to Ride, Dee and Gee and Yearn who fetched $102,500, $105,000 and $195,000 respectively. If you have any questions regarding the sale contact the gavelhouse.com team via 09 296 4436 or email Haylie Martin: haylie@gavelhouse.com. Entries are also open for the next fortnightly mixed bloodstock auction with these due on Monday 17th June. View the full article

Lance Robinson won’t have to trek too far this week, with the Riccarton trainer set to line-up five runners at his home track’s synthetic double-header meetings on Wednesday and Thursday. Robinson is hopeful he can strike early on the opening day, with his two contenders Highland Fling and Delphillius both finishing runner-up on the surface in their last starts, and he is hoping they can go one better in the Book A Suite Mid-Winter Xmas 22 June Rating 60 (1400m) and Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m) respectively. “Highland Fling runs well on the synthetic, he really enjoys it,” Robinson said. “He has come up really well this year. He has gone two top races, he has got a good draw (4) tomorrow, so he should run well. “Delphillius has a better draw (5) tomorrow and I have put Kendra (Bakker) on to claim three (kilograms). She races up on the speed and loves the synthetic, so she should be very competitive.” Robinson will return to Riccarton’s polytrack on Thursday to line-up Let’s Go in the Grand National Tickets On ale Maiden (1400m), and Anneliese and Waihora Mist in the Entain – NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1600m). “Let’s Go trialled well on it (synthetic track) earlier on and she has just had a couple of minor issues, so she has had a bit of a break,” Robinson said. “She is coming up nicely but possibly may just need a run on Thursday and is mare that likes a wet track too. But we will just get a guide on her and see how she goes tomorrow. “It is an awkward draw (13) for Anneliese, but Warren (Kennedy) is on and he will work it out, but she should be very hard to beat. “Waihora Miss is first-up and has been working well. I don’t think she has ever raced on the synthetic, but she was in at Timaru the other day and of course they called it off. It is a good race at home to step her off in. She is a mare that loves winter tracks, so whatever she does on Thursday she will really improve on.” View the full article

Multiple Group One-winning trainer Johno Benner will take an indefinite break at the end of this season. The Otaki-based horseman has enjoyed a lengthy and successful involvement within the industry and feels the time is now right to step aside from the rigours of a demanding profession. “You can feel a bit like a rat on a wheel in this game and I’m going to take a break, I can’t say for how long at this stage,” Benner said. “I’ve been doing it pretty much since I left school and racing has been very good to me and I’ve done relatively well out of it. “I’ve got no complaints but just feel that it’s time for a bit of a break.” Benner rode eight winners during two years of his apprenticeship before weight issues forced him out of the saddle and soon after took out his trainer’s licence for the 2008/09 season. An early association with respected horseman Chris Rutten set him on his way and in the ensuing years he has trained 157 winners with 14 at Group or Listed level. Since 2015, Benner has trained in partnership with Hollie Wynyard, who will continue in her own right. “From the start of the new season, Hollie will take the reins solo and is keen to press on with it and I’ll have a bit of down time,” Benner said. “I’ve had a bloody good time of it and achieved most things in racing in a relatively short career, but now is a good time for me to step back and re-evaluate things. “It’s all I’ve known since I left school. I was an apprentice and one thing led to the next (training). “I’m 36 and there’s plenty of time for me to come back if I want to. Racing is demanding and a very hard industry and you have to do what’s best for yourself.” Part-owned by Rutten, Vespa was Benner’s first elite level performer and prepared the champion two-year-old to win the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes (1200m) and the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m). He returned as a three-year-old to claim the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Easter Handicap (1600m). “Vespa was the first really good one and it went on from there, racing has been pretty kind to me,” Benner said. With Wynyard, he also won the Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) with Wyndspelle and the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) with Bonham. “It could have been a lot more, but we tended to sell all the better ones, which sets you up and I’m not complaining,” he said. “It’s a big trading industry, unless you’re operating with 60 to 80 or 100 horses it is very hard to be competitive with the big stables now. “Hollie and I made a lot of sacrifices through those years, but we got the rewards out of it. “It’s really hard work, there’s no two ways about it and I admire everyone in the industry, it’s a 24/7 job if you’re doing it properly.” Benner has no set plan for the immediate future and happy to take it as it comes. “I’m at the stage I need a freshen up and I’ll cruise along for a bit and see what opportunities might present themselves,” he said. “I’ve got a few horses to tidy up, a couple I own myself, and see what happens in the future. “Ultimately, I’ll be back in some sort of capacity, I just don’t know what or how yet and that will take care of itself.” View the full article

Dollars & Sense with Frank AngstView the full article

Christophe Soumillon will ride both Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) at Royal Ascot next week. Trainer Maurizio Guarnieri confirmed Soumillon would take over from the regular rider of the pair, Aurelien Lemaitre, due to his greater experience of Ascot. Big Rock, who won the Queen Elizabeth II S. on Champions Day when trained by Christopher Head, disappointed on his seasonal reappearance in the Lockinge at Newbury when he had valid excuses. He will be aimed at the Queen Anne next week. Blue Rose Cen, three times a winner in Group 1 company last season for Head, made a pleasing reappearance when beaten a little over two lengths in the Prix d'Ispahan by Mqse De Sevigne and will run in the Prince of Wales's S. Soumillon's last Group One win in the UK came in the Coral-Eclipse on Vadeni in 2022. Guarnieri said, “Soumillon is going to ride them both, we've decided. Christophe is world class. I and the owners decided to change. I think he is a champion, it is just that. “He knows all the tracks, he knows Ascot very well and he has won Group 1 races everywhere so I think he is the best choice.” As for Big Rock's chances, they could be boosted by some forecast rain. “I hope the rain comes, that should help him,” said Guarnieri. He had a problem coming out of the stalls in the Lockinge, he went down on his knee, after that it was very difficult. The ground was also not in his favour at Newbury but the main problem was the start, when you put your nose on the ground the race is compromised. We know he likes Ascot but the ground was very heavy that day.” Blue Rose Cen pleased connections with her comeback against the boys and will run in traditionally one of the hottest races of the week. “I was happy with her performance in the d'Ispahan. After so long off it is not so easy to come back in a Group One race against the older colts who had already run,” said Guarnieri. “She finished off her race, the distance was maybe a little short so with an extra furlong I am confident she will run well.” The post Soumillon Booked For Big Rock And Blue Rose Cen At Royal Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Cambridge trainer Samantha Logan is looking forward to her local synthetic meeting on Wednesday where she will be represented by two thirds of her racing team. Logan’s stable has undergone a bit of a transition this season, focussing more on trading and developing younger horses than racing, with her racing team currently sitting at three. “We are doing a lot of young horses for the breeze-up sale, so we don’t have too many in the racing team at the moment,” she said. “We have got seven (rising two-year-olds) in partnership with Riversley Park. It has been good working alongside them and learning more about the trading side. “We have moved more toward trading and trialling to sell. We have had three nice, young horses sell this year, that is just how it has worked out.” While Logan is enjoying working with younger stock, she is still excited about her racing team, and is hoping to add to her win tally on Wednesday. She looks to have a strong chance with Aussie Betty (NZ) (Embellish), who is favoured by TAB bookmakers to take out the Waipa Earthworks 1550, heading the market at $4.80. The three-year-old daughter of Embellish was runner-up last start on Cambridge’s polytrack and Logan is confident of another bold showing in just her third career start. “She has worked on well from her last start, she seems to like the synthetic, so it looks like the ideal place to come back and have a go,” Logan said. “She seems to keep drawing wide, but I will just leave it to Sam Spratt, she got to know her last time so hopefully she can ride her similarly. “We will see how she goes. She is nominated for the Northland series up at Ruakaka on the 13th of July, so that is a possibility.” Stablemate Wry Smile (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) also placed on Cambridge’s synthetic track last start and Logan expects to see the gelding, who is raced by Windsor Park Stud and Ben Kwok, continue to improve. “He seems to be improving each start. He is a three-year-old that is going to keep improving with time. He is just loving his work at the moment,” Logan said. “Windsor Park are very supportive of young people in the industry, so it is great to have a horse for them and Ben, and it would be nice to get a winner for them.” View the full article