Wandering Eyes

The betting public wagered that the Anoakia Stakes would be a return to winning form for Himika (Curlin), and she gave them no reason to worry in the lane as she powered home with ears pricked. A stylish victress at first-asking June 12 at this venue, the newly minted 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' was asked to take on graded company in her second lifetime start, and she passed that test with grace to land the GIII Sorrento Stakes by over four lengths. From there, she ran an even fourth in the GI Del Mar Debutante Stakes two back Sept. 6 and faded to fifth last out Oct. 4 when trying two-turns for the first time in the GII Oak Leaf Stakes. She was beaten by well-regarded stablemates on both of those occasions, namely the Natalie Baffert-owned Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso) and fellow 'Rising Start' Explora (Blame), respectively. Given 1-2 favoritism to turn her form around here, Himika watched the race unfold from just off the flank of Revera (Lexitonian) as that one set a contested pace through :22.55 and a half in :45.65. Briefly overtaking that leader at the quarter pole, she kicked clear coming off the bend and sailed home as a wrapped-up winner by 4 1/4 lengths. Revera held on to second as Stuffy Mist (Maximus Mischief) ambled in from last to claim third. “She was probably running faster last time going long,” said Bob Baffert. “She was in a good spot, had a great post and she was manageable to rate like, so I felt pretty confident. You just don't know how much that last race took out of her, but it looks like it didn't take a lot out of her.” “I was happy that she is back to winning form. She basically told us, no two turns for now but maybe down the road. Maybe something like the Test. You know, I think she is that kind of filly. Right now, we are just thinking about next weekend, the Tokyo City Cup. We go week by week, like Belichick.” Himika is the first to the races for Saratoga track-record setter Motivated Seller, who finished off the board only once in her career when she faded to ninth in the GI La Brea Stakes in 2020. Since this victress, the mare has produced a yearling filly by Complexity as well as a 2025 colt by Jack Christopher. She visited McKinzie for 2026. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. “A tremendous performance…” #4 HIMIKA rolled home in the $85,000 Anoakia Stakes at @santaanitapark. @JJHernandezS19 in the saddle on the daughter of Curlin for trainer Bob Baffert and @BaomaCorp. Baffert won both legs of the early double. pic.twitter.com/xCOChVkmdp — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 19, 2025 ANOAKIA S., $91,370, Santa Anita, 10-19, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.40, ft. 1–HIMIKA, 122, f, 2, by Curlin 1st Dam: Motivated Seller (SP, $157,400), by Into Mischief 2nd Dam: Coup, by Empire Maker 3rd Dam: French Lady (Nz), by Entrepreneur (GB) 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'. ($900,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). O-Baoma Corp; B-Klaravich Stables Inc. (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $54,822. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0, $202,822. 2–Revera, 120, f, 2, Lexitonian–Decoder, by War Front. ($50,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV; $47,000 RNA Ylg '24 KEESEP; $85,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Saints or Sinners, Titletown Racing Stables, U Racing Stables LLC, Barker, Denise, Barker, Edwin S., Haines, John, Rivers, Daniel and Self, Deborah; B-Steven Nicholson & Brandi Nicholson (KY); T-John W. Sadler. $18,274. 3–Stuffy Mist, 118, f, 2, Maximus Mischief–One Playful Act, by Flat Out. ($55,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Juan J. Garcia; B-Brandywine Farm (Jim & Pam Robinson) (KY); T-Victor L. Garcia. $10,965. Margins: 4 1/4, 2, 1HF. Odds: 0.50, 1.70, 22.30. Also Ran: Umbralle, Heavenly Princess. The post ‘Rising Star’ Himika Returns to Winning Form in Anoakia Stakes Romp appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Due to inclement weather in the Lexington area on Sunday (Oct. 19), Monday's (Oct. 20) opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale will now begin at 11 am, a one-hour delay from its originally scheduled start time of 10:00 a.m. The remaining sessions, Tuesday through Thursday, will commence at the originally scheduled 10 a.m. start time. The post Initial Session of Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale to Begin at 11am appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In an industry that always seems petrified by the idea of change, the announcement that a new performance-based rating system based on an Equibase algorithm is about to debut at Santa Anita probably didn't go over too well with horsemen. Each horse will be assigned a number generated by Equibase and then races will be written using the system. One of the first races that may come up, if it fills, is open to horses rated between 80-95. The rating number is different from Equibase's speed figures. Santa Anita is hoping the Equibase races will help solve some of their problems with small fields because so many horses will be eligible for each race. While this may seem like a radical concept, it is not. Few countries outside of North American have claiming races. Instead, a rating system similar to what Equibase is putting together here are used to group horses and ensure competitive races. The difference is that the ratings in most places are derived by the racing office and they do not used computer-based numbers. Then there's the Meadowlands. Many of the Standardbred races there are based on grouping horses based on ratings provided by TrackMaster. Eight of the 15 races held Saturday night at the Meadowlands were TrackMaster races. All but one drew a full field of 10 and the winning payoffs were all over the place, a sign of good, competitive racing. The lowest priced TrackMaster winner paid $5, while there were three winners who paid $23 or more. “I was critical of them at first,” said Dave Little, a handicapper who is part of the Meadowlands simulcast team. “But now I see that they create competitive fields The TrackMaster ratings create evenly matched racing, which is what we all want.” Scott Warren is the Standardbred racing secretary at the Meadowlands and he too is a fan of the ratings system. “Some people were totally against it,” Warren said. “For me, as the racing secretary, It's another tool for a racing secretary to utilize. It's been successful. With Freehold closing, that was one of the tracks that utilized it, and we gained some of their horses and the ratings helped us know where those horses belonged. With TrackMaster, they could move up for a start after a win and then drop down the next time out if they lost. It's all decided by whatever algorithm TrackMaster uses. Sometimes they may disagree with the number a horse gets, but it's worked out well. It's helped us. The tracks surrounding us in Pennsylvania and New York don't use TrackMaster, so those horses are either going to have to race in a claimer or race way above their heads. It will be interesting to see how this works for Thoroughbreds. I've used TrackMaster for a while, first at Vernon Downs and now at the Meadowlands. A lot of horsemen were against it at first. My job as a racing secretary is to have a race with a 3-1 favorite and these horsemen want their horses to go off at 3-5. If it works for us, I don't see why it wouldn't work for the Thoroughbreds.” The first Equibase races scheduled for Santa Anita are on the card for Friday. The first race is set to go on the 6 1/2-furlong downhill turf course and is open to fillies and mares rated between 80 and 95. According to Matt Hegarty of the Daily Racing Form, there are 140 horses based in Southern California that qualify, but many may not want to enter in a down-the-hill turf race. You can easily find the ratings for your horses on Equibase, which now lists the number. For horses gearing up for the Breeders' Cup Classic, Forever Young (Jpn) (Reel Steel {Jpn}) is a 106. Among the American based horses Journalism is on top with a 104, somehow getting a better rating than his rival Sovereignty (Into Mischief), who got a 103. By way of comparison, Chief Buckeye (Trappe Shot), the morning line favorite in a $5,000 claimer Tuesday at Mahoning Valley is rated as a 59. One complaint that is circulating is that people fear the Equibase races will replace claiming races. That's not going to happen, but would it be such a bad thing if it did? One of the many problems of claiming races is that some trainers will enter unsound horses hoping that someone claims their damaged goods. Claiming races are also where the suspected juicers are most likely to show up. Horses come and go from barns, which is not good them, and often land in the hands of someone who looks like they have an edge. If this is successful at Santa Anita, you'll likely see it spread to other tracks. Having so many problems filling races, Santa Anita has nothing to lose and management deserves praise for trying something that might help fill the entry box. CAW Players and the Breeders' Cup Sorry to see that during the Breeders' Cup, the CAW players will be allowed to make win bets up to the very last second. Shortly after the traditional summer meet began, Del Mar, like NYRA, would not let the CAW players make win bets within two minutes of a race. That takes away their edge and eliminates the constant problem of seeing horses go into the gate at 4-1 and then they go down to 8-5 as they cross the wire in front. From a perception point, it's a terrible look, not something that the Breeders' Cup needs. It also doesn't really hurt the CAW players all that much. They are still allowed to make their last-second bets in all the other pools. The post Give The Equibase Ratings System a Chance appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Less than two weeks before the Breeders' Cup, a quartet of hopefuls–highlighted by GISW Sweet Azteca (Sharp Azteca)–turned in six-furlongs works Sunday at Santa Anita. With jockey Juan Hernandez aboard, Sweet Azteca was clocked officially in a swift 1:10.80. Trainer Richard Baltas timed the drill in 1:11.20. Also working six furlongs on the main track Sunday, all for trainer Bob Baffert, wereTDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard Nysos (Nyquist) (1:11.60), Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach) (1:11.80) and last year's juvenile champion Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) (1:12.60). Nysos and Citizen Bull are each targeting the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile while Nevada Beach, winner of the GI Goodwood last time out, is slated to run in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. As for Sweet Azteca, will contest the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at seven furlongs on Nov. 1. Sunday's drill was her second since being forced to miss work in late September due to illness. “I wanted a good work from her,” Baltas said. “She did a little blow at the end, but that's fine, she needed it. She missed a work. Now we're two weeks out and I think this puts us where we need to be.” Sweet Azteca won the GII Great Lady M around two turns at Los Alamitos in July and the GIII Rancho Bernando going seven furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 24. She returned to the work tab 28 days later on Sept. 21 but then had a 20-day gap before working again on Oct. 11. “She wasn't real sick, her blood work was good. She was just sick enough not to work,” Baltas said. Sweet Azteca is campaigned by breeder Pamela Zeibarth. Last year, when trained by Michael McCarthy, Sweet Azteca won the GI Beholder Mile, Great Lady M and Rancho Bernardo, but bypassed the Filly & Mare Sprint after finishing a dull fourth in the GIII Chillingworth at Santa Anita four weeks ahead of the race. Also on the tab was champion Straight No Chaser (Speightster), who will try and defend his title in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. Trained by Dan Blacker, Straight No Chaser drilled five furlongs in 1:00.60. The 6-year-old most recently returned from a 5 ½-month layoff and finished third as the odds-on favorite in the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Sept. 28. Also working for Baffert was Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso), who is pointed to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The filly was clocked going five furlongs in :59.40. It was the second-fastest of 71 works at the distance. Bottle of Rouge most recently won the GI Del Mar Debutante going seven furlongs in her stakes debut on Sept. 6. Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), who will make a third try at winning the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, worked a bullet on the training track for trainer Phil D'Amato. Motorious was timed going five furlongs in :59.20, the fastest of 15 works at the distance. A 7-year-old gelding, Motorious in two starts this year won the GIII Daytona sprinting on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in June and the GIII Green Flash via disqualification at Del Mar on Aug. 30. The post Sweet Azteca Among Breeders’ Cup Workers at Santa Anita Sunday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Embroidery answers the distance question to win the Shuka Sho (G1) Oct. 19 at Kyoto Racecourse, scoring two-thirds of Japan's Filly Triple Crown.View the full article

The yearling sales season, which set records from summer to fall, makes one final stop for the year with the four-day Fasig-Tipton October Yearlings Sale which gets underway Monday at 10 a.m. in Lexington. The October sale, which expanded to four days a decade ago, has made itself a must-attend event with an increasingly impressive list of graduates and the 2024 auction set highwater marks for gross and average while producing its lowest buy-back rate in 11 years. Consignors expect to see another broad bench of buyers when bidding returns to Newtown Paddocks Monday morning. “Tons of good horses have come out of here,” said Zach Madden, whose Buckland Sales will present 30 yearlings at the four-day auction. “People circle it. As the sale has gotten bigger in size, I think it's broadened the buying base a bit, which is obviously a good thing. You get more eyes on horses.” Those 'eyes' will come from near and far, according to Matt Lyons of Candy Meadows Sales. “The pinhookers are always active and I think they have had a pretty good year, so they will be back,” Lyons said. “I would expect some international activity. The Koreans should be there and I would expect some of the Saudi buyers to be there. And the European pinhookers have been coming to the October sale of late, too. So I would expect it to be a pretty broad bench of buyers again.” While demand has seemed almost insatiable at some points this summer and fall, Madden still expects to see some familiar polarization at the October sale. “I think it's going to be more of the same,” Madden said of expectations for the October market. “The ones they want, they are going to bowl you over for. We are going to have a healthy number of horses–I think we have 30 over there–I just expect more of the same. They are going to go crazy for 10 or 12 of them and the others we are going to try and move along as best we can.” Despite the demand, there are still those proverbial hoops to jump through. “You still have to bring it; you still have to vet, and walk right, and mind your manners, from a horse sense,” Madden said. “You still have to do all the things very well. And then you will get rewarded for it. But a lot of people act like you just run anything up there nowadays and get paid. That's not the case. These buyers and judges of these horses are very good at what they do. A lot of them have a lot of money to throw around and they don't want to buy anything that has a flaw.” Lyons had a similar assessment. “Keeneland was a great sale, if you had the right horse,” Lyons said. “But if you had the wrong sire or a little ding on the X-rays, it was the same as ever before. For the right ones, they probably brought a couple of ticks above what they were bringing in other years.” Still the competitive marketplace has had a positive effect on the middle market as buyers who were shut out have had to branch out to other sales, according to Madden. “The middle market has been a tad bit healthier than it has been, but I think it's just kind of a trickle down from the top,” he said. “The bottom the market is just the same. It's a wedding or a funeral type thing with the majority of them. But I have friends and clients and agents who had to hit up Timonium and go to Ocala, too, just because they still needed horses.” Candy Meadows Sales will offer 10 yearlings at the October sale and all will be making their first appearance in a sales ring this year. For Lyons, the later sales date, as well as the more relaxed format, are a perfect match for some horses. “When you get late into September when you are ship, show and sell, you are showing one day and if you don't get it right or if you've got one short-lister looking for 10 people from Ocala and the horse goes out there and doesn't do right and you don't make that list, you can miss a lot of people,” Lyons said. “Whereas, I think the advantage of October is that you are there for a few days and there is enough time for people to see the horses. If I felt like I had a nice horse who was going to go too late in September and might not benefit from showing one day and selling the next day, I might pull the horse back for October.” Lyons continued, “And there are some horses who just mature so well on their own this time of year that they are not as hard to prep as when you are trying to get ready for an earlier sale. They are almost developing on their own and they don't need as much heavy prep as we might do to push one to get into September.” With an open format and 1,601 catalogued yearlings, shoppers will have to cover a lot of ground heading into sale time. “There are enough people who have bought good horses out of the October sale–if you look at the front page of the catalogue every year and you see how many good horses have come out of the sale–there are enough statistics to show that there are a lot of good horses in that sale every year,” Lyons said. “I think a lot of the buyers will have to be there and with the way the catalogue is formatted, the best horse could be hip one or it could be on the last day of the sale. So you really have to work it.” Four yearlings brought $500,000 or more during the 2024 October sale, led by a $550,000 colt by Curlin. In all, 1,125 yearlings sold last year for a gross of $58,940,500. The average was $52,392 and the median was $20,000. The buy-back rate was 17.0%. The post Final Stop: Fasig-Tipton October Yearlings Sale Starts Monday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Resolute Racing's Village Voice (GB) (Zarak {Fr}) completed her first breeze back on Sunday since winning the Oct. 5 GIII Waya at Belmont at the Big A as she prepares for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Trained by Chad Brown, the 5-year-old breezed a half-mile in :50.16 seconds in company with Alimara (Fr) (The Grey Gatsby {Ire}) over the Oklahoma training turf at Saratoga. “Just a little maintenance half on the turf,” said Brown. “I thought she was moving really well. Her first work back since her win. I thought it was just what we were looking for. She'll have one more work next week and then head out to take a shot at the Breeders' Cup.” Village Voice, a 1,300,000 gns purchase at the 2024 Tattersalls December Mare Sale. made her first start for Brown off a nearly one-year layoff in the 11-furlong Waya. “I expected her to run well. I knew the layoff was going to be something for her to overcome. I was quite impressed that off nearly a year, she was able to have that kick and beat a field of horses that were fit and in form,” Brown said. “I was very pleased to see it, I wasn't surprised. She was training well, I just needed to see her do it off a layoff, which was a big ask and she came through. She could be a top-class filly.” Brown is a four-time Filly and Mare Turf-winning trainer. “It's very challenging,” Brown said. “I find that race, because again it is a three-turn race, a lot of it depends on who is coming over. The American horses, generally those aren't our best horses going that far, going that distance. The way I look at it is, if she's a Grade II, Grade III filly right now, I think she can be a Grade I horse. But that's what all of the American horses are, so she clearly fits with the American horses.” Village Voice made 12 prior starts overseas for conditioner Jessica Harrington, earning four wins and four group placings, including victories in the 1 1/2-mile Listed Prix des Tourelles last September at Saint-Cloud and the Group 3 Prix de Flore going 1 5/16 miles in October 2023 there. The post Village Voice Preps for Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) winner Embroidery rediscovered her best form at Kyoto on Sunday to capture the G1 Shuka Sho, the final leg of the Japanese Triple Tiara. Trained by Kazutomo Mori, Embroidery endured a wide trip in mid-division through the early stages of this 2,000-metre contest, before making swift progress at around halfway to race in a clear second behind the freewheeling Erika Express (Epiphaneia). Soon taking dead aim at the long-time leader, the daughter of Admire Mars found a smart change of gear in the closing stages to collar that rival and get the verdict by half a length, with another three quarters of a length back to the staying-on Paradis Reine (Kizuna) in third. Race favourite Kamunyak (Black Tide), who took advantage of a below-par showing from Embroidery when winning the second leg of the Japanese Triple Tiara, the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), was never a factor on this occasion and trailed home 16th of the 18 runners. “I had every faith in the filly that she would deliver today, since the Oaks didn't suit her distance-wise,” said jockey Christophe Lemaire as he celebrated a record fourth victory in the Shuka Sho after those of Deirdre (2017), Almond Eye (2018) and Cervinia (2024). “She was calm and relaxed in the first half of the race and, while the pace slowed down in the backstretch, we were able to advance to a better position. It took a while for her engine to get started, but she showed an incredible turn of foot in the last 200 metres and I'm very happy we were able to notch the Group 1 title today.” Prior to winning April's Oka Sho, Embroidery returned this season with a first Group success in the G3 Queen Cup, having registered two wins and a second from four starts as a two-year-old. In the Oka Sho she defeated Arma Veloce (Harbinger) – a notable absentee from the Shuka Sho due to injury – by a neck, before finishing only ninth when sent off favourite for the Yushun Himba. 【Shuka Sho (G1), 2000m, Kyoto, JRA】 Winner: Embroidery Review article:https://t.co/cCnYSaYu25 PDF https://t.co/aezVZkyXcA Race call Video (Full)https://t.co/Yv9R7gGsgJ#JRA #horseracing #ShukaSho #Embroidery pic.twitter.com/hxgG3MWx05 — HorseRacingInJapan (@HorseRacing_JPN) October 19, 2025 Pedigree Notes Embroidery is one of two winners from as many runners out of the Kurofune mare Rottenmeier (Kurofune), who contested the Queen Cup herself when finishing third in 2016, before winning a Listed race at Hanshin on her next start. Embroidery's third dam is the Japanese champion two-year-old filly Biwa Heidi (Caerleon), whose notable progeny include the Japanese Horse of the Year Buena Vista (Special Week); Japanese champion two-year-old filly Joie de Vivre (Deep Impact); G2 Kyoto Kinen winner and sire Admire Aura; G3 Epsom Cup hero and sire Tosen Reve; Listed-winning sire Admire Japan; and G2 Flora Stakes heroine Sang Real (Zenno Rob Roy). Sunday, Kyoto, Japan SHUKA SHO-G1, ¥215,400,000, Kyoto, 10-19, 3yo, f, 2000mT, 1:58.30, fm. 1–EMBROIDERY (JPN), 121, f, 3, by Admire Mars (Jpn) 1st Dam: Rottenmeier (Jpn) (SW & GSP-Jpn, $547,816), by Kurofune 2nd Dam: Adelheid (Jpn), by Agnes Tachyon (Jpn) 3rd Dam: Biwa Heidi (Jpn), by Caerleon O-Silk Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Kazutomo Mori; J-Christophe Lemaire; ¥113,780,000. Lifetime Record: 8-5-1-0, ¥338,331,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Erika Express (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Epiphaneia (Jpn)–Enticed (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Masahiro Miki; B-Mishima Bokujo (Jpn); ¥45,080,000. 3–Paradis Reine (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Kizuna (Jpn)–Paradise Garden, by Closing Argument. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Makio Okada; B-Okada Stud (Jpn); ¥28,540,000. Margins: HF, 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 5.50, 15.10, 16.90. Also Ran: Jocelyn (Jpn), Sena Style (Jpn), Vip Daisy (Jpn), Kurino Mei (Jpn), Rouge Solitaire (Jpn), In Vouge (Jpn), Ma Puce (Jpn), Kelly Fled Ask (Jpn), Voulezvous (Jpn), Run for Vow (Jpn), Theresa (Jpn), Danon Fair Lady (Jpn), Kamunyak (Jpn), Lesedrama (Jpn), Brown Ratchet (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video. The post Embroidery Bounces Back from Yushun Himba Blip with Shuka Sho Revival appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Graded stakes winners Bring Theband Home (Into Mischief) and Final Accord (War of Will) posted their final works for trainer Mark Casse over Belmont's training track on Sunday in preparation for this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar. Bring Theband Home, winner of the GII Troy Stakes at Saratoga this summer, will run in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint while GIII Matron scorer Final Accord is expected to run in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. “We thought they both went really well, and we're excited,” Casse said. “I expect both of them to run very big in California.” Live Oak Plantation's homebred Bring Theband Home was caught by NYRA clockers covering a half-mile in :47.11 in his first work back since finishing seventh in the Oct. 4 GII Nearctic at Woodbine. “Bring Theband Home kind of threw a clunker at Woodbine, and it was a head-scratcher for us, so we brought him back to New York where he likes it, and he worked like his old self this morning,” Casse said. “He trained so-so into his last race, which is not like him. We ran him and Javier [Castellano] said he just wasn't himself. We got him out of there as soon as possible and this morning, he was a fire plug. He was on his game.” Gary Barber and Peter Deutsch's juvenile filly Final Accord covered a half-mile in :47.63, according to NYRA clockers. “She went around there and worked well, and she always shows that she's a little special,” Casse said. “She's 2-for-2 and has done everything right. I think she has a real big future. My only regret is that she hasn't had a two-turn race, but I think the added distance is absolutely going to help her–you saw that in her win in the Matron with how she came running late. The mile will be perfect for her.” Casse noted that both Final Accord and Bring Theband Home are slated to ship to California on Saturday, and that their Belmont breezes were their final works before the Breeders' Cup. In addition to his two turf stars, Casse will send out one of the top contenders in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff with D.J. Stable's GISW sophomore Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro), last seen finishing a head second to Gin Gin in the GI Spinster Oct. 5 at Keeneland. Casse said he was “extremely pleased” with Nitrogen's effort, which came on the heels of a 1 1/2-length victory in Saratoga's GI Alabama Aug. 16. “She's doing great,” he said. “Things didn't go exactly as planned, and we would have liked to have won, but I was just looking at her record in her last eight starts, and she's only a head and a nose from being undefeated this year,” Casse said, alluding to the Spinster and her nose second to Fionn in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational on turf in June at the Spa. “It's been against nothing but the best of her company.” Casse added that Nitrogen is expected to breeze on Wednesday or Thursday at Churchill Downs before shipping to California on Sunday. The post Mark Casse Pair Bring Theband Home, Final Accord Work for Breeders’ Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Half Yours proved himself one of the shrewdest second-hand buys of the century as he added to a regal day for unsung sires by lifting the Caulfield Cup (G1) at Caulfield Racecourse Oct. 18.View the full article

Making his final breeze at Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma Training Track Oct. 19 before shipping to California Oct. 22, Sovereignty went five furlongs in 1:01.39.View the full article

Godolphin's Sovereignty (Into Mischief) breezed five furlongs in 1:01.39 over the Oklahoma dirt training track at Saratoga Sunday as he prepares for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Trained by Bill Mott, Sovereignty was piloted in the work by assistant trainer Neil Poznansky, starting slightly in front of workmate Playa Del Mar [1:02.27] before kicking away in the stretch and finishing several lengths in front. NYRA Clockers caught Sovereignty through splits of :24 2/5, :36 3/5 and galloping out in 1:14 3/5 over the fast track. “He looked good,” said the Hall of Famer. “He is not one of those horses that works and breaks the stopwatch. He has good solid works, good useful works, that is kind of him. He does what he has to do and what you have him do.” Sovereignty won five-of-six starts this year, including the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes and most recently, the GI DraftKings Travers on Aug. 23 at the Spa. “The main thing is you bring the right horse and get them there in good shape,” Mott said. “The horses are all going to be ready to run. They are going to be fit. Everybody is going to have their horses fit.” Bill Mott | Sarah Andrew Sovereignty is slated to ship on Wednesday and will work Sunday or Monday at Del Mar, according to Mott. “I don't have any reason to think he wouldn't adapt quickly or well enough,” Mott said. “I'm going just a little bit early. A lot of guys like to do their last work and ship and that's fine, the only reason I want to go a few days early is travel problems, you know what I mean, get it over with.” Also working for Mott Sunday, SW and GSP Quiet Street (Street Boss) breezed five furlongs in 1:01.44 over the Oklahoma turf in company with MGSP Royal Majesty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) [1:01.65]. Quiet Street, a homebred for Godolphin, is targeting the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Oct. 31. Quiet Street (outside) works in company with Royal Majesty on Sunday | Sarah Andrew Mott also reported that Juddmonte's Scylla (Tapit) is targeting the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. The 5-year-old homedbred breezed a half-mile in :48.20 on Saturday at Churchill Downs. In her most recent start, the daughter of MGISW Close Hatches (First Defence) finished third in the nine-furlong GI Spinster on Oct. 5 at Keeneland off of three graded placings in sprints. “I haven't talked to Garrett [O'Rourke of Juddmonte], but as far as I know, we are going to run in the mile and an eighth Distaff,” said Mott. “She ran well enough [in the Spinster] and we thought maybe she didn't prove enough and the sprint division is very deep, and maybe the other division looks like it lost the reigning Horse of the Year [Thorpedo Anna] and a couple others.” The post Mott Breezes Breeders’ Cup-Bound Contenders, Led by Sovereignty appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Embroidery answers the distance question to win the Shuka Sho (G1) Oct. 19 at Kyoto Racecourse, scoring two-thirds of Japan's Filly Triple Crown.View the full article

Beauvatier, an impressive winner of the G2 Challenge Stakes earlier this month, will take up stud duties at Haras d'Etreham for the 2026 breeding season, after an intended swansong in December's G1 Hong Kong Mile. A stud fee will be announced at a later date. Trained by Yann Barberot for a partnership consisting of Philippe Allaire, LNJ Foxwoods and Haras d'Etreham, Beauvatier won each of his first four races as a juvenile, including the G3 Prix la Rochette, before ending that season with a third-place finish in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. The son of Lope De Vega continued to be highly tried as a three-year-old, running at the top level six times in seven starts. He registered four consecutive third-place finishes – in the Prix Jean Prat, Prix Maurice de Gheest, [G3] Prix de Meautry and Prix de la Foret – before passing the post just a length behind the winner when fourth in the British Champions Sprint Stakes. Prior to this season's career high in the Challenge Stakes, when beating Poet Master by two and a quarter lengths, Beauvatier also won July's G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis. All told, he is the winner of six of his 17 starts and over £400,000 in total prize-money. “He's a brilliant horse,” said Barberot. “He showcased his talent in the G2 Challenge Stakes. I would like to thank Philippe Allaire, who supports me by purchasing horses of this calibre for me to train. He has allowed me to step up to a new level. I have great confidence that the horse will be successful in his stallion career. He has precocity, speed, is incredibly consistent – and he has never seen a vet. I am very much looking forward to training his progeny.” Beauvatier is one of two winners from as many runners out of the Listed Prix de Thiberville runner-up Enchanting Skies (Sea The Stars), along with the G3 Prix Miesque second Lhakpa (Siyouni). Enchanting Skies, in turn, is out of the Listed-placed Estefania (Acatenango), whose other notable progeny include the G1 Preis von Europa winner Empoli (Halling). This is also the family of the German champion racemare Elle Danzig (Roi Danzig). Philippe Allaire, LNJ Foxwoods and Haras d'Etreham will retain 50% ownership of Beauvatier, with the remaining 50% set to be syndicated. Haras d'Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure added, “Beauvatier's speed and precocity have always been impressive. His remarkable pedigree already made him an exciting stallion prospect when we bought into him at two and he has met our expectations at every stage. He is the full package: powerful, consistent, with exceptional acceleration and the mindset of a true competitor. “His racing career has taken us on a great adventure with our associates and we are delighted to welcome him to Haras d'Etreham. A true 1,400-metre horse, like Siyouni and Wootton Bassett, he has a very interesting profile for French breeders.” The post Beauvatier to Join Haras d’Etreham Roster for 2026 after Hong Kong Swansong appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Prince Faisal's Eydon hasn't been the easiest horse to train over the years, but the perseverance of his connections paid off in spades at San Siro Racecourse on Sunday when the six-year-old gained his biggest success to date in the G2 Gran Premio del Jockey Club – S.I.R.E. Trofeo Pio Bruni. Sparingly raced since finishing fourth in the G1 2,000 Guineas won by Coroebus (Dubawi), the son of Olden Times showed that he retains plenty of ability when winning May's G3 Aston Park Stakes at Newbury, before another training setback sidelined him until his belated return to action at Newmarket last month. Only fourth there in the Listed Godolphin Stakes, the Andrew Balding trainee proved a much sharper model in Milan with that outing under his belt. Sent straight to the front by PJ McDonald and soon two lengths clear of the chasing pack, the 27/20 favourite found plenty when challenged entering the final two furlongs. At the line he had a length and three-quarters to spare over Alleno (Nathaniel), who edged out fellow German raider Nyra (Isfahan) by a nose for the runner-up spot. Pedigree Notes Prince Faisal's homebred is one of three winners from as many runners out of the Frankel mare Mountain Moon, a half-sister to the Listed scorers Arctic Gyr (Invincible Spirit) and Festivale (Invincible Spirit). Another sibling, the G3 Sirenia Stakes third Simple Magic (Invincible Spirit), is the dam of this year's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest hero Sajir (Make Believe) and the second dam of the Listed winner and G3 Prix du Prince d'Orange third Nahraan (Make Believe). The post Eydon Rewards Patience of Connections with Gran Premio del Jockey Club Triumph appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ed Dunlop joined fellow Newmarket trainer George Scott on the San Siro scoresheet when sending out Just Call Me Angel (Dark Angel) to win Sunday's G3 Premio Dormello in impressive fashion. The Cayton Park Stud homebred raced in a clear second behind the freewheeling Flowe Stone (Sergei Prokofiev) until eating into the leader's advantage early in the straight. Clearly relishing the step up to a mile, she moved to the lead entering the final two furlongs and proceeded to power clear in the hands of Robert Havlin, ultimately winning by two and a quarter lengths. Endo Botti saddled the next three home as Kebrilla (Saxon Warrior) and Reina Julieta (Inns Of Court) completed the frame, just ahead of favourite Chelsea Believe (Make Believe). Just Call Me Angel has now won three of her last four starts for the Dunlop stable. After beating the subsequent G3 Oh So Sharp Stakes winner Calendar Girl (Advertise) to open her account at Epsom in August, she then followed up in a nursery at Kempton, before finishing third in a similar event at Newmarket. Pedigree Notes Just Call Me Angel is the second winner from as many runners out of the winning Shamardal mare Be More, a full-sister to the G3 Sha Tin Vase and G3 Premier Cup runner-up Born In Bombay. Their dam is the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes third Pearl Dance (Nureyev), whose other progeny include the G3 Prix Chloe winner Sparkling Beam (Nayef) and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac third Rainbow Springs (Selkirk), the dam of the G3 Prix Francois Boutin runner-up Oneforthegutter (Muhaarar). This is also the family of the G1 Melbourne Cup winner Delta Blues (Dance In The Dark). The post Just Call Me Angel Runs Away with Premio Dormello for Ed Dunlop appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

George Scott and Victorious Forever enjoyed another successful international raid on Sunday when plundering the G3 Premio Gran Criterium at San Siro Racecourse with Gaga Mate (Mehmas). Last seen finishing fifth in Doncaster's Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes, Gaga Mate was settled in mid-division in the early stages of this seven-and-a-half-furlong contest, before responding generously to jockey Billy Loughnane's urgings when ridden two furlongs out. Assuming command from the long-time leader and favourite Zuender (Amaron) inside the final 100 yards, he stuck to his task well from there to land the spoils by a length and a quarter, with fellow Newmarket raider Sunset On Leros (Almanzor) finishing just a head behind Zuender in third. For Scott the victory continued a productive spell on the international stage, having recently gained his first Group 1 success when Caballo De Mar (Phoenix Of Spain) won the Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp. The same horse had previously emulated stablemate Prydwen (Camelot) to give the trainer back-to-back wins in the G3 Deutsches St. Leger. Pedigree Notes Bred by John Connaughton, Gaga Mate is the first runner out of the winning Siyouni mare Truth Prevails who, in turn, is out of a half-sister to the multiple Group 1-winning sire Postponed (Dubawi) and G1 Premio Lydia Tesio heroine God Given (Nathaniel). God Given herself is the dam of the multiple Group 2 winner Silver Knott (Lope De Vega). Gaga Mate, who holds an entry in the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, was bought by Dylan Cunha Racing and Jamie Piggott for €20,000 at Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale. He was sold privately to Victorious Racing and moved to the Scott stable after making a winning debut for Cunha at Catterick back in May. The post George Scott Strikes in Italy with Premio Gran Criterium Hero Gaga Mate appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Karl Burke trainee Convergent (Fascinating Rock), who had hit the board in a stellar edition of May's G3 Chester Vase and July's G1 Deutsches Derby, gained his black-type breakthrough in the G3 Kilternan five weeks ago and climbed another rung up the ladder with a career best in Sunday's G3 Prix du Conseil de Paris at Longchamp. “The race panned out exactly how I wanted it to,” said winning rider Clifford Lee. “It was a strong gallop, but he's one of those that doesn't want being in front too soon. He was fresh and keen in Ireland last time, but he was a lot more relaxed today. I was in a lovely position just behind the leaders and he travelled really well into the straight. I held onto him for a little bit longer than usual and, when I went for him, he really picked up. He's not short of speed, he quickened up nice and to do it in this grade means he's obviously above average.” The 22-5 fifth choice settled into a smooth rhythm, positioned in a handy fourth, after an alert getaway from stall six of seven. Last to come off the bridle when cruising into contention in the straight, he was shaken up to go second passing the furlong pole and kept on strongly under a late drive to deny globetrotting multiple Group 1 winner Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai) by a short neck. Qatar Racing's pacesetting Yellow Jersey (Dubawi) did not surrender tamely when headed and kept on in resolute fashion to finish a neck back in third. It's another high-profile success for the @karl_burke and @CliffordleexLee team as Convergent swoops late to land the Group Two Prix du Conseil de Paris! pic.twitter.com/ckOrQKJ5y3 — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 19, 2025 Pedigree Notes Convergent, the lone pattern-race winner by his sire, is a full-brother to G3 Fritz Henkel-Preis runner-up Molton Rock. He is out of a half-sister to stakes-winning G3 Stanerra Stakes third Naughty Or Nice (Fastnet Rock) and G3 Give Thanks Stakes runner-up Dark Crusader (Cape Cross), with the latter being the dam of G1 Caulfield Cup hero Duke De Sessa (Lope De Vega). Another half-sister, Cailini Alainn (Danehill Dancer), is the dam of this year's Listed Vinnie Roe Stakes victrix Floresta (Waldgeist). Convergent's third dam Mosaique Bleue (Shirley Heights), kin to Group 1-winning duo Mersey (Crystal Palace) and Muncie (Sadler's Wells), produced GI Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap hero Subtle Power (Sadler's Wells). Convergent's dam Monty's Miracle (Shamardal), who hails from the family of G1 Prix de Diane heroine Madelia (Caro), has a yearling filly by Dark Angel to come. Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France PRIX DU CONSEIL DE PARIS-G2, €119,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-19, 3yo/up, 11fT, 2:17.02, g/s. 1–CONVERGENT (IRE), 122, c, 3, by Fascinating Rock (Ire) 1st Dam: Monty's Miracle (Ire), by Shamardal 2nd Dam: Monty's Girl (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire) 3rd Dam: Mosaique Bleue (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB) O/B-Newtown Anner Stud Farm; T-Karl Burke; J-Clifford Lee. €67,830. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, G1SP-Ger & GSP-Eng, 6-4-1-1, €285,148. *Full to Molten Rock (Ire), GSP-Ger & SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Dubai Honour (Ire), 128, g, 7, Pride Of Dubai (Aus)–Mondelice (GB), by Montjeu (Ire). (110,000 gns Ylg '19 TAOCT). O-Suc. Mohamed Obaida; B-Macha Bloodstock & Meridian International SARL; T-William Haggas. €26,180. 3–Yellow Jersey (Fr), 122, g, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Psara (GB), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€400,000 Ylg '23 ARQAUG). O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-Ecurie Skymarc Farm, Langlais Bloodstock, Laurent Dassault & Ecurie des Monceaux; T-Andre Fabre. €12,495. Margins: SNK, NK, 2HF. Odds: 4.40, 3.60, 2.20. Also Ran: Bay City Roller (Ire), Junko (GB), Path Of Soldier (Ger), Casapueblo (Ire). The post Newtown Anner’s Convergent On The Rise With Conseil de Paris Triumph appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Qipco British Champions Day should be one of those occasions when some of the stallions of next year go out in a blaze of glory on the track. Richard Fahey's Powerful Glory did indeed enhance his future stallion credentials when delivering a 200/1 shock success in the British Champions Sprint, but the other major winners of the day were geldings, bar of course the dual Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes winner Kalpana (Study Of Man). The upside of that scenario is that we can look forward to some returning heroes and, after conquering Paris and Ascot in his three Group 1 triumphs this year, the Aga Khan Studs' mighty flagbearer Calandagan (Gleneagles) heads east next to take on Tokyo. “Are you getting worried? We're coming!” joked racing manager Nemone Routh to the group of Japan Racing Association representatives on course, in reference to Calandagan's next outing in the Japan Cup on November 30. In conquering the hitherto top-rated Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) in the Champion Stakes on Saturday, the four-year-old Calandagan will have improved his position in the world rankings and victory in Japan could seal Horse of the Year honours. We arguably saw the two best horses in the world racing on Saturday. In the Everest at Randwick, which is worth £3.46m to the winner, the outstanding Hong Kong-based sprinter Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) just turned up and did what he does best in beating off the opposition by more than a length to claim the 15th win of his 17-race career. Of the top horses competing at Ascot on Saturday we will say farewell now to Delacroix (Dubawi) and his movie-star looks as he joins Camille Pissarro on the new boys' list at Coolmore. Rosallion (Blue Point), too, is a likely retiree, though it appears that Ombudsman will remain in training with the Gosdens. Whether or not Field Of Gold (Kingman) also stays at Clarehaven for a four-year-old season in training remains to be seen. We hope so. We do know that the Arc winner Daryz (Sea The Stars) is set to return to training next year, which means that the Aga Khan Studs team can look forward to plenty more high-level international outings with him and Calandagan. Of the latter, Routh said, “I'm sure he will be back here for the King George but then we've got Daryz now as well, so it will be interesting. First we'll go to Japan and then maybe Dubai and I imagine he'll keep travelling, but he's an amazing horse and it's really exciting to have him.” Calandagan's victory gave his trainer Francis Graffard his twelfth Group 1 win of the year, and clearly he may not be finished yet. In some respects it also brought a sense of relief after Powerful Glory became a 200/1 winner of the Champions Sprint and Cicero's Gift took some major scalps in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at 100/1. The latter, appropriately for his trainer Charlie Hills, is by his former stable star Muhaarar, who was an altogether shorter-priced favourite when winning the Champions Sprint at the same meeting a decade ago. The joy Cicero's Gift's victory brought to his trainer in a tough year in which he has lost his father, and the evident thrill it gave jockey Jason Watson, made it more special to behold, however unexpected it might have been considering the eight Group 1 winners he had in opposition in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. The day had started with a proper staying champion in Trawlerman, an Ascot specialist through and through and the star performer for his sire Golden Horn. Like Kalpana, the seven-year-old was winning on Champions Day for the second time. His first victory in this same race came in 2023 and he was third last year behind Kyprios. For the first time this year the British Champions Long Distance Cup was run as a Group 1, making it the first race day in the country to stage five Group 1s on the same card. On an afternoon when geldings ruled, they also filled the first three slots in the newly introduced Qipco British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes, in which the first two home, Mission Central (No Nay Never) and Ardisia (Ardad), were respectively been by the O'Leary brothers, Michael and Eddie. The winner had previously won the G3 Round Tower Stakes and the runner-up is an admirable juvenile with five wins to his credit, including Redcar's Listed Two-Year-Old Trophy. This race is, however, a strange addition to the Champions Day card. With 31,257 racegoers in attendance at Ascot on Saturday – over 50 per cent more than the 19,715 who attended both days of the Irish Champions Festival combined, the atmosphere throughout the afternoon was electric. They came to see the best, and even with some big-price winners, they were served up a treat. Sir Mark Prescott with John Gosden and Prince Ahmad bin Khalid bin Abdullah Al Saud | Emma Berry Champions of the past were remembered too, as the late, great trainer Major Dick Hern was inducted into the British Horseracing Hall of Fame along with the 11-time Group 1 winner Enable. Prince Ahmad bin Khalid bin Abdullah Al Saud, the son of Enable's late owner-breeder Prince Khalid, was on hand to receive her medal from Hall of Fame panelist Sir Mark Prescott, along with Enable's trainer John Gosden. The only thing missing from Champions Day was a proper celebration from the inimitable Con Marnane, breeder of Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's Powerful Glory. We can only guess at the revelries which ensured at Bansha House on Saturday night. International Opposition for Calandagan? Oaks winner Minnie Hauk (Frankel) and Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents) feature among the 14 overseas entries for the Japan Cup which were revealed last week. Aidan O'Brien's quintet of entries includes Los Angeles (Camelot) and Stay True (Galileo), while his son Joseph has entered Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett), who is one of the favourites for the Melbourne Cup. Along with Calandagan, his stable-mate Goliath (Adlerflug) could also be in for a return visit to Tokyo, while the British-trained trio of Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai), Rashabar (Holy Roman Emperor) and Wimbledon Hawkeye (Kameko) are also on the list. The two potential Australian-trained runners, bred respectively in Britain and France, are Sir Delius (Frankel), who was recently ruled out of the Spring Carnival in Melbourne following an unsatisfactory scan, and OTI Racing's Deakin (Australia). Teofilo's Influence Spreads Via Caulfield Cup Sire St Jean The action is heating up in Victoria ahead of the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup, and last Saturday's G1 Caulfield Cup continued a theme which has been somewhat prevalent in Group 1 contests in Europe this year in that the five-year-old winner Half Yours – a gelding – is a son of a relatively under-the-radar sire. The stallion in question is St Jean (Teofilo), who was bred in Ireland by Hadi Al Tajir, a great friend of Sheikh Hamdan, and trained initially by Kevin Prendergast. A winner at three, he was sold at the end of that season for 65,000gns to race on in Australia, where he won once for Aaron Purcell before a tendon injury curtailed his racing season in 2014. St Jean reemerged in New Zealand several years later to win the G3 City of Auckland Cup before embarking on a stallion career at Brackley Park. While his racing career is not quite up there with the best of them, St Jean does represent a family of the best of them as his third dam is the great Height Of Fashion, meaning that he emanates from the family of Nashwan, Deep Impact and Baaeed among others. And of course his sire Teofilo has made quite an impact on the Melbourne Cup – for which Half Yours is now co-favourite – in recent years as the sire of Cross Counter, Twilight Payment and Without A Fight, winner of the race between 2018 and 2023. According to Arion's statistics, Half Yours was one of only 11 foals in St Jean's second crop. There had been 17 in his first crop and 13 and 10 in subsequent years. He may be a little busier this season now that his son has carried off one of Australian Racing's most coveted prizes. Incidentally, a little piece of history was made in this year's Caulfield Cup as Jamie Melham (née Kah) became the first female jockey to win the race. A First for Racing in Mauritius Mauritian trainer Shawn Seabaluck called in to Tattersalls on Friday and though he wasn't there to buy yearlings, he had just completed an important equine shopping trip which will see the arrival later this week of the first shipment of British horses to the island. Shawn Seabaluck and Richard Kent | Emma Berry With the help of Mickley Stud's Richard Kent and trainer David Evans, Seabaluck has bought a batch of 12 horses, ranging in age from two to four, to be trained at Mauritius's Champ de Mars racecourse, which was founded in 1812, making it the oldest southern hemisphere track and one of the oldest in the world. “At any meeting you can have 20,000 to 50,000 people wanting to go horseracing,” said Seabaluck, a trainer of 30 years' standing. “Normally our horses come from South Africa. You buy them in one lot but you don't know what you're buying. This is history now, because it's the first time that British horses have been to Mauritius. It's a 12-hour flight. We are dealing with IRT (International Racehorse Transport) and we are scheduled to fly on 22 October. So far, we're doing good. Our target is buy something like 30 to 40 horses.” The post Seven Days: Ascot Shines in the Season’s Gloaming appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

John Ortiz had high hopes for Brightwork long before she set foot in his barn. His father, Carlos Ortiz, had broken the daughter of Outwork in Ocala and told him the filly was a standout mentally, taking everything that was asked of her and doing it effortlessly. But what surprised Ortiz, when Brightwork stepped off the van at Keeneland, was how striking the filly was physically as well. “She walked in like she owned the place,” Ortiz recalled. “You'd confuse her for a colt early on. She was really stout, had good muscle tone and was very well balanced. She always had a nice body on her.” Brightwork continued to excel as a standout pupil in her training at Keeneland, prompting Ortiz to send her to an April debut. Despite getting a bit pinched on the rail, the 2-year-old dominated the four and a half-furlong contest with a three-length win over Stonestreet's Barbtourage (Into Mischief) and future G2 Queen Mary S. winner Crimson Advocate (Nyquist). “That day we knew that she was special,” said Ortiz. What followed was a juvenile campaign beyond anything he could have imagined. Brightwork reeled off three consecutive stakes wins, culminating in Ortiz's first Grade I score in the Spinaway Stakes. “For a horse to break their maiden as early as April at the Keeneland meet and then put in six high-quality races speaks volumes to her ability and how rare she is,” he explained. “You don't see that often. It was a journey and she's a tough cookie for it. We understand how special she really is.” Picked out by bloodstock agent Jared Hughes at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, Brightwork was one of the first shining success stories for the partnership of Ortiz and Bill and Tammy Simon's WSS Racing. Ortiz, who took his trainer's license out in 2016, started out training claimers at Oaklawn Park for the Simons, but after continued success in that arena, they began purchasing young stock to take their stable to the next level. Their first breakout horse was Barber Road (Race Day), who placed in three graded stakes on the Kentucky Derby trail and ran sixth on the first Saturday in May in 2022. Brightwork came into the barn the following year. After her winning debut and another score in the Debutante Stakes, Brightwork took Saratoga by storm as she reeled off a five-length win in the GIII Adirondack Stakes and then bested future Grade I winner Ways and Means (Practical Joke) in the Spinaway. Brightwork bests Ways and Means in the GI Spinaway Stakes | Sarah Andrew For Ortiz, winning his first Grade I in Saratoga surrounded by his family and friends marked a day he will never forget. “I felt like I was holding my breath the whole race,” he recalled. “When I saw her come down the stretch, put her fight on with Ways and Means and then once she took control of the race, it was just a sigh of relief. Once she crossed that finish line, we looked around and everybody had teary eyes. Our emotions were on our sleeves that day, but it was a great day to celebrate. This filly has brought a lot of joy into this barn, but also within my family and our connections with Bill Simon and Miss Tammy.” Brightwork returned a winner at Saratoga in her 3-year-old debut, claiming last year's GIII Prioress Stakes. She made four more starts over the next year, including a third-place effort in the GII Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes. Over the past few years, Brightwork has become more than just a talented racehorse to Ortiz and his team. She's been the heart of the barn. During busy mornings in Saratoga, she was often seen with her head poking out of her stall, a flower tucked into her forelock and a few admirers gathered around her. “She's a sweetheart slash diva,” Ortiz explained. “She knows that Mr. Simon is the carrot man and Miss Tammy is the peppermint lady. She's kind in the stall. She likes to nuzzle up to you. But she's all business on the track.” The next chapter of Brightwork's story will begin when she goes through the ring at the upcoming Fasig-Tipton 'Night of the Stars' Sale. Selling as Hip 199, the 4-year-old will be consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. John Sikura said the Grade I winner has all the makings of a collector's item in someone's broodmare band. “Brightwork was really the talking filly of Saratoga her 2-year-old year,” he said. “She has the complete package. She was very fast and she's a beautiful physical–well balanced and well muscled. Pretty leg, good bone and just a standout physical specimen. The ultimate goal is to sell a horse out of a Grade I winner that looks the part. If she has offspring that look like her, she'll certainly be a smashing commercial success. Really if you look at any points of merit, be it physicality, performance or pedigree, she has it all.” Brightwork's dam Clarendon Fancy (Malibu Moon) has produced two other stakes horses and is a full-sister to Catch the Moon, the dam of four graded stakes winners including the promising young sire Girvin. Brightwork poses with Bill and Tammy Simon and John and Daniel Ortiz | Sarah Andrew “You're talking about quality runners throughout the pedigree,” said Fasig-Tipton's Boyd Browning. “We've seen how good a start Girvin is off to. His first crop of Kentucky-breds will be 2-year-olds next year and he's already the sire of two Grade I winners. The whole pedigree is filled with durable, consistent, top-class runners and it's a great opportunity for someone to acquire a filly of this type. The most dangerous qualities that everyone wants in terms of a broodmare is speed and precocity and she clearly possesses those at a very high level.” Ortiz said the quality he believes will make Brightwork excel in her next career is the same one he'd heard about long before she ever arrived in his barn. “For as beautiful as she is physically, I think with her mental beauty you're going to be looking at a very successful broodmare,” he predicted. “She's going to produce a lot of early horses.” As Ortiz parts with Brightwork, he can't help but feel proud of all they've accomplished together and excited for the bright future that awaits his star trainee. “Seeing her walk away from my barn to start a new career, it means a lot,” he said. “For whoever buys her, just know that she does love attention and you're going to have to invest in a lot of carrots. So be prepared for that.” The post Bright Future for Spinaway Victress at Fasig-Tipton November appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Still on a high from Ka Ying Rising’s historic victory in Saturday’s Group One The Everest (1,200m) at Randwick, David Hayes capped a magical weekend with a thrilling Sha Tin triumph from a horse he hopes will figure in the Classic Series this season. Hayes and champion jockey Zac Purton barely had a chance to soak in Ka Ying Rising’s phenomenal success Down Under before making a quick return to Hong Kong for Sunday’s meeting, which featured a special ceremony in the parade ring to honour what...View the full article

Relief was the overwhelming emotion for Matthew Poon Ming-fai after he ended an exasperating drought of 141 rides with a breakthrough win at Sha Tin on Sunday. Winless since booting home Keefy at Happy Valley on June 4, Poon finally got the monkey off his back when Gracious Express overcame barrier 14 to score a gutsy win in the Class Three Wo Che Handicap (1,400m). “I’ve been looking for this win for quite a long time,” Poon said. “I didn’t expect that today, so now I’ve got a winner, I hope...View the full article

My Wish continued his scintillating march towards the Group One Hong Kong Mile with a comfortable success in the Group Two Sha Tin Trophy (1,600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The Mark Newnham-trained rising star was sent off the raging $1.4 favourite and his backers never had a moment's worry, even with Alexis Badel drawn out in stall 11. Landing a handy second outside the leader Copartner Prance, Badel always exuded confidence on the five-year-old, who loomed up at the 200m pole and once given an...View the full article

Gestut Rottgen homebred and four-race maiden Alsterperle (Reliable Man), who was last seen running second in the Listed Winterkonigin Trial at Cologne three weeks ago, made the breakthrough with a first win of any kind in Sunday's G3 Carla Kellner Zukunftsrennen Preis der Winterkonigin at Baden-Baden. Last year's renewal was annexed by subsequent G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) heroine Nicoreni (Brametot). Inching forward to stalk the pace in second after the opening exchanges, the 13-2 chance cruised to the fore at the top of the home straight and was ridden out inside the final quarter-mile to comfortably outpoint British challenger Sea The Storm (Sea The Stars) by 1 3/4 lengths. Carla Kellner Zukunftsrennen – Preis der Winterkönigin (GR3) over 1600m at Baden-Baden 2yo fillies – Group Race – 155.000€ ALSTERPERLE by RELIABLE MAN SEA THE STORM by SEA THE STARS VALZEINA by PERSIAN KING Gestüt Röttgen Maxim Pecheur Martin Seidl Gestüt… pic.twitter.com/TA6ZUwanil — Deutscher Galopp (@DeutscherGalopp) October 19, 2025 The post Gestut Rottgen Homebred Alsterperle Too Good for Winterkonigin Rivals at Baden-Baden appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wanganui stayer Just Charlie (NZ) (Zed) sounded a stern warning to his rivals for the upcoming Gr.3 Martin Collins 162nd New Zealand Cup (3200m) with an all the way romp in Sunday’s Steelform Roofing Group Waverley Cup (2200m). Prepared by Kevin Myers, Just Charlie had a luckless preparation leading into the Waverley feature, covering extra ground and being held up badly on two occasions, particularly last time out when favourite in similar contest at Trentham in mid-September. A month later, he stripped a fit horse and came out running in the hands of George Rooke, who sat outside the leader early before rolling to the top. Rooke was able to dictate terms along the back straight, and on the home turn, Just Charlie was still striding out boldly and was going to take some beating. He gave a good kick at the 200m and only got better the further he went, powering through the line ahead of local gallopers Comedy and Sandoku, who acquitted herself well in open company for the first time. The six-year-old gelding maintained his unbeaten record at the venue going three-from-three, and Rooke said he felt the winner a long way from home. “I didn’t really have any instructions but he jumped quite well, we weren’t going very hard early and he relaxed well in front,” he said. “He kept at a nice even gallop and he’s a proper stayer, he just lengthened and hit the line very nicely today. “That horse (Jack In The Box) joined me between the 800 and 600 and he came alive underneath me, so I knew I had a lot of horse and it would take a good one to beat him. I didn’t realise they were all off the bit as much as they were coming into the straight, he had them covered a long way out. “That was my first ride for Kevin so it was great to get it off to a winning one, I’m delighted really I couldn’t have asked for a better day, with two rides and one winner.” A son of Zed out of the Danasinga mare Goody Two Shoes, Just Charlie was bred by his owners Mike and Roz Southey, who co-bred and part-owned a former star of the Myers stable in Zed Em. In 22 starts, he has won five and placed in a further six races, earning just shy of $160,000. Off the back of his Waverley success, Just Charlie has shortened into $9 in the market for the New Zealand Cup, which will be run at Riccarton Park on the 15th of November. “The New Zealand Cup is his main aim and I think the further he goes, the better he’ll get,” Rooke said. Just Charlie is no stranger to success at the southern venue, having won the Road To The Jericho (3000m) twelve months ago before finishing fourth in the Cup, won by Mehzebeen. Myers has won three editions of the time-honoured two mile event, including two in the last four years with Aljay and Mondorani. View the full article