Wandering Eyes

Multiple graded stakes winner Brickyard Ride has retired following a Jan. 25 workout. His career brought eight stakes victories, three graded wins, and more than $900,000 in earnings. View the full article

The Cal-bred finalists for Horse of the Year are Ceiling Crusher, Kings River Knight, and The Chosen Vron. The winner will be announced during the CTBA awards dinner and annual meeting being held March 12 at Le Méridien Hotel.View the full article

Without A Fight was a dominant winner of the Q22 in 2023. Photo: Darren Winningham The Melbourne Racing Club plans to extend an invitation to the victor of June’s Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm to compete in the prestigious Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m). In 2023, Without A Fight emerged triumphant in the $1.2 million Q22, subsequently clinching victory in both Caulfield’s marquee event and the illustrious Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington a few weeks later. Marking a historic milestone, the Q22 becomes the first interstate race to grant a ballot exemption for the Caulfield Cup, joining a distinguished list of races including the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m), Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m), Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m), Group 1 Might And Power Stakes (2000m), Listed Mornington Cup (2400m), Group 3 Coongy Handicap (2000m), and Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m), alongside various international contests. Jake Norton, the MRC’s executive director of racing and operations, expressed satisfaction with the decision, noting its gestation since the pre-pandemic era. “After Without A Fight winning the Q22 last year and going on to win the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, it was pretty obvious paper to dust off,” Norton told Racing.com. “If you look at the recent winners, they are all very high quality and on the back of Without A Fight, we’d love to see similar replicated. “The Q22 is well positioned given the time of year in an otherwise quiet time of year in Victoria. It’s always nice to be able to remind people of the Caulfield Cup.” Horse racing news View the full article

Jamie Kah will partner King’s Gambit in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Jamie Kah is set to pilot King’s Gambit, trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, as the talented colt aims for his maiden elite-level win in the upcoming Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield next Saturday. The three-year-old hasn’t been seen in action since his triumph in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) back in October. According to Paul Snowden in an interview with Racing.com, “He has always been a top-class performer, so no different now. “He just has to compete at the level that he always has.” King’s Gambit is currently marked a +300 favourite with top horse racing betting sites for the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate on February 24. Horse racing news View the full article

Horse Racing on Thursday, February 15 will feature five meetings in Australia. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and provided free quaddie tips for the meetings at Pakenham and Happy Valley (HK). Thursday Horse Racing Tips – February 15, 2024 Pakenham Racing Tips Happy Valley (HK) Racing Tips Best Horse Racing Bets For February 15, 2024 Place these horse racing bets in a multi for $34.30 odds return: Thursday, February 15, 2024 Pakenham – Race 1 #12 Zousuko Pakenham – Race 4 #2 Magarten Goulburn – Race 5 #11 Helldancer Ipswich – Race 7 #12 Alpha Jane | Copy this bet straight to your betslip As always there a plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans, check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on February 15, 2024 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. Horse racing tips View the full article

Andrea Atzeni is in the midst of a fine season. Entrenched in the top five of the Hong Kong jockeys’ championship, Andrea Atzeni is hopeful of extending a fine season when he chases a hat-trick of victories on Cody Mo-trained Crystal Powerful at Happy Valley on Thursday night. With 27 wins and 39 minor placings from 303 mounts, Atzeni sits behind only Zac Purton (65 wins), Karis Teetan (44) and Hugh Bowman (35) after 45 of 88 meetings and the Italian is optimistic Crystal Powerful can strike again tomorrow. “He obviously won a Class 5 and he stepped up to Class 4 with a bit of a light weight (118lb) and he did it again, although when he hit the front, he was running around a little bit. I thought he did it quite well,” Atzeni said. “He’s still a little immature mentally. He just needs racing. Hopefully there’s a little bit more improvement. “He obviously likes the track, the handicapper has put him up another seven pounds, he’s still in Class 4 with another nice weight. He’s won twice at the track, which is quite important and if we can overcome the draw (barrier 11), hopefully we can be competitive again.” Unable to add to his tally of wins at Sha Tin on Monday, Atzeni had totalled 10 winners across his previous nine meetings and will take eight rides at the city circuit on Thursday. Check out HorseBetting’s free preview for Happy Valley on February 15 Teetan believes Nicconi County can contend strongly for Caspar Fownes after the gelding’s last-start short head triumph. “His last win was good, so it’s nice to be able to ride him again. He actually had everything work his way last time – Caspar had him in really good form, the race panned out really well. Throughout the whole race, he switched on and he was good enough to win the race,” the Mauritian said. “You would think he’s improved from that run and I hope he can run well again.” Frankie Lor will launch a two-pronged assault with All Beauty and Flamingo Trillion, hopeful the pair’s recent consistency will be rewarded. Matthew Chadwick partners All Beauty from barrier eight as the gelding bids to improve on the three thirds and three fourths he has accumulated from six outings this season as he steps to 1800m for the first time in his career. “Last few times, he’s had the outside draw and we’ve needed to take him back and he’s always finished strong so this time we’ll see how he goes at 1800m. It should be better for him,” Lor said. Lor will unleash Flamingo Trillion for the first time in a race at Happy Valley under Derek Leung as the Wandjina four-year-old bids to better his narrow last-start second behind Sweet Encounter over 1600m at Sha Tin on January 28. “I trialled him before at Happy Valley and this time we go up to 1800m. He looks a little bit one-paced so the barrier (gate three) should help,” Lor said. “Both my runners should be okay.” Horse racing news View the full article

Top-tier bookmakers have rolled out an enticing lineup of racing specials slated for Thursday, February 15. Standouts on the list include a slew of lucrative bonus-back incentives, elevating the thrill of the trackside action. Dive into these offers from top horse racing betting sites to maximise your wagering prospects. The top Australian racing promotions for February 15, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Odds Drift Protector If the price at the jump is bigger than the price that you took, we will pay you out at the bigger odds Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Place a 4+ leg multi, if one leg fails Bonus Back up to $50 Applies to your first eligible 4+ leg multi each day. Paid in Bonus Cash Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to PickleBet to Claim Promo BoomBet Daily Race Returns Use your daily Race Returns to back a runner in ANY RACE you want* and if your horse doesn’t win but finishes in the specified positions, you get your stake back as a bonus bet. 18+ Gamble responsibly. Can be used across any race and code unless specified in customer’s BoomBox. Fix odds, win bets only. Max bonus $50. Login to BoomBet to Claim Promo Daily Trifecta Boosts Boost your winnings on Trifectas by 10% with new Daily Trifecta Boosts. Thoroughbreds only. T&Cs apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au has conducted a thorough evaluation of Australia’s leading horse racing bookmakers, unveiling exclusive bonus promotions and specials tailored specifically for Thursday, February 15, 2024. These horse racing promotions stand as a testament to the unwavering dedication of Australia’s top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, if one bookmaker is not currently offering a promotion, you can be confident that another is capitalising on promotional offers. Your go-to destination for the most rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses each day is HorseBetting.com.au. Take advantage of bookie bonuses and the best horse racing odds available for every race to increase the value of your betting endeavours. It’s important to note that these thoroughbred racing promotion offers are exclusively crafted for existing customers. To access these special promotions and claim the bookmaker’s offers, simply log in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For those seeking races and horses to optimise their horse betting bookmaker bonus bets, HorseBetting provides a valuable resource with its daily free racing tips. More horse racing promotions View the full article

Multiple graded stakes winner Brickyard Ride has retired following a Jan. 25 workout. His career brought eight stakes victories, three graded wins, and more than $900,000 in earnings. View the full article

Seeking to rebound from a 2023 season with diminished field size and handle, Canterbury Park launches a prepaid starter incentive program to entice trainers to race at the Shakopee, Minn., track during its 54-day meet over the summer.View the full article

The first reported foals for G1 Platinum Jubilee S. hero Naval Crown (GB) have arrived, Darley Europe announced. A chestnut colt out of A Touch Of Luck (Ger) (Frankel {GB}) arrived this week. He was bred by Robert Draper. His second dam is G1 Preis der Diana third Aigrette Garzette (Ire) (Peintre Celebre). Another new arrival was a colt out of Thaleia (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) from the extended family of multiple group winner Endless Drama (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). David Ryan of Kilfrush Stud said the colt had “size, scope and bone, a really good foal.” A bay filly was born on Feb. 2 and bred by Gerrardstown House Stud. She is out of Fleur de Lui (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and was described by Donie Fahy as having “good size and scope. Very correct filly with a lovely head.” She is a relative of the Group 1 winner The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Two other fillies have also been reported so far–a daughter of Golden Angel (Ire) (War Command) who arrived in late January at Hawes Stud and a filly out of Iffa Red (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) bred by Kilweelran, Ltd. Michael Gaffney described the former as “a fine, big foal with good bone. She has loads of quality and great action.” The son of Dubawi (Ire) stands at Darley's Kildangan Stud in Ireland for €10,000. The post First Reported Foals For Naval Crown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Seeking to rebound from a 2023 season with diminished field size and handle, Canterbury Park launches a pre-paid starter incentive program to entice trainers to race at the Shakopee, Minn. track during its 54-day meet over the summer.View the full article

Trainer Sarah Delany, who was kicked in the back of the neck by a horse last week, was released from a Houston, Texas, hospital Feb. 13. But her road to recovery is just beginning. View the full article

After appealing the British Horseracing Authority (BHA)'s ruling regarding his licence last week, former trainer Milton Harris has now withdrawn that appeal, the BHA confirmed on Wednesday. Harris had his licence suspended in November and withdrawn in January by the BHA's Licensing Committee. The agency ruled he was not a “fit and proper person” to hold a training licence. Regarding the BHA's concerns, the Licensing Committee said, they surrounded “the nature and extent of MH's admitted breaches of the conditions which already exist on his licence, which were imposed in 2018 and MH's failure to be candid in his dealings with the BHA in respect of those breaches, particularly when the BHA was seeking to provide opportunities for MH to remedy those breaches”, “misconduct in his dealings with others, including fellow licence holder Mr Simon Earle” and “in respect of safeguarding arising out of MH's conduct with young persons employed at his racing yard”. Harris began training in 2001 but ceased training from 2011 to 2018 due to financial issues. The post Harris Withdraws Appeal Regarding Licensing Committee’s Ruling appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Frank Taylor, the director of new business and development for Taylor Made, knew that there was an acute labor shortage in Kentucky, with farms unable to find reliable help. But Taylor thought he had a solution. Identify those who were struggling with substance abuse problems, put them into a recovery program and, when they are ready, teach them horsemanship skills that can make them candidates for jobs throughout the industry. Thus, Taylor created Stable Recovery, a rehabilitation program, and the Taylor Made School of Horsemanship. What he didn't know at the time was whether or not farms would be willing to take a chance on individuals that had been in prison and/or struggled with drug addiction. He soon found out. His programs have been embraced in the Lexington area and several graduates have landed steady jobs and have moved on to meaningful lives. Taylor joined this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland to talk about his programs and their many success stories. He was this week's Green Group Guest of the week. Taylor said he arrived at the idea of starting the program when confronting his own alcoholism. “Once I did it and quit, I started feeling better,” he said. “I was having more fun than I've ever had. It was that that kind of spurred me on to start the School of Horsemanship. It was going to be a 90-day program to teach the basics of horsemanship, to get people started off at, say, a groom level, either for Taylor Made or another farm. I had kind of a tough sales job. I went to my brothers and said, 'I've got this idea, I want to bring in a bunch of heroin addicts and alcoholics and felons in here to work with these horses.' They were looking at me like I had two heads. I just wanted a chance to make it work. They were reluctant because there were a lot of concerns. But here we are, 3 1/2 years into it. We have had a hiccup here or there, but not many. I really think we have changed a lot of lives. We've introduced a lot of people to the horse business and trained a lot of people. The results have been amazing.” The program has been so successful that Taylor would like to expand, but, for now, it's a matter of one step at a time. “If we wanted to have 500 people in this program by the end of the year, that wouldn't be a problem,” he said. “We need the space, money and management. The need for something like this is way beyond what we can serve at this point and always will be. It's just such a crisis and a terrible situation. It's destroying society, is destroying families. It's just absolutely one of the worst epidemics in the history of mankind. The beautiful thing is, is we have that huge problem and that we have a huge problem with labor in this country. If you blend those two together, they can help solve each other.” It's been proven that working with horses can solve all kinds of problems for people, whether that be soldiers suffering from PTSD or individuals with drug issues. Taylor knows that the horses deserve a lot of the credit for the success of these programs. “The horses, they are like the secret sauce for stable recovery,” Taylor said. “That's something we have that other recovery places don't have. I was born into the horse business and I love horses and they're my passion. But I didn't really realize how therapeutic horses were or understand that part of it until I started seeing people that are broken interacting with those horses and seeing the peace and joy that comes to them immediately. It's just an amazing thing.” In the stallion spotlight segments, the podcast featured Coolmore's Corniche, who stands for just $15,000. The focus was also on Improbable, who stands at WinStar Farm for a fee of $15,000. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, Coolmore, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association,https://www.kentuckybred.org/https://www.nyrabets.com/ 1/ST Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds, https://www.winstarfarm.com/and XBTV.com, the team of Randy Moss, Bill Finley and Zoe Cadman delved back into the Bob Baffert ban at Churchill Downs, which also extends to the GI Kentucky Oaks, which means the impressive winner of the GIII Las Virgenes S. Kinza (Carpe Diem) will be shut out. Moss agreed that the Derby week races might deserve an asterisk if Baffert's horses are all banned, but he argued that it's not too late for Churchill to change its mind and to lift the Baffert ban. The team took a look at the GII Risen Star S., to be run this Saturday at the Fair Grounds and all agreed it will be by far the deepest Derby prep run so far this year. For the podcast video, click here. For audio only, click here. The post Frank Taylor Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Top turf sprinters stabled at Tampa Bay Downs are going to have to wait a little longer to display their speed and talent as both Feb. 17 stakes are postponed to Feb. 24 due to expected rain.View the full article

By Brigette Solomon Local trainer Stephen Doody will have a big presence with seven starters as he tries to continue a winning run at Manawatu today. “I was happy with most of the horses’ runs on Tuesday,” says Doody, “neither of Tuesday’s winners are backing up but Johnny Who joins today’s starters.” Doody trained a winning double on Tuesday with Mr Monty and Blue Chip Lou both driven by the country’s leading driver Blair Orange. The pair team up again today with Orange engaged to drive five of Doody’s horses including Johnny Who, a winner of his last two starts. Johnny Who and stable mate Sweet Olivia, driven by Josh Dickie, both start in race one, the Rural Games 8-10 March Handicap Trot. “Johnny Who raced well at Hawera winning on both occasions and should go well again today,” says Doody, “the only question will be starting from one on the 10 metre line, as he does prefer to start out wide on the track.” Bettor Grunter starts in race six, the Kevin & Shirley Farrier Mobile Pace over 2500 metres. The gelding fought on well to finish runner up behind Eastwood Dream on Tuesday and is driven by Orange again today. “He’s drawn the front today so may have a chance to settle a bit closer in running which will be a help,” says Doody. Maiden filly Million Dollar Chic is driven by Orange today and starts in race seven, The Cobb Mobile Pace In her third placed run on Tuesday, the filly settled at the tail of the field from her starting draw of seven, and commenced her run home three wide from the 600 metre mark. After being forced wider on the final bend, the filly battled on well to finish third behind Blue Chip Lou. In the final race of the day, Doody and Orange combine with Narobi competing in the C A Penny Mobile Pace, while stablemate Sharkntatties is driven by Jay Abernethy. “Narobi was a bit unlucky on Tuesday being held up in the run home” says Doody “I think she’ll go a good race today although Secrets Abound could be hard to beat.” Narobi finished second behind Rakero Scotty on Tuesday, battling on well after the leading Sharkntatties began to tire in front of her. The race favourite, Secrets Abound, looked a winner before breaking in the home straight and was subsequently disqualified. Race one gets underway today at 5:31pm. View the full article

After five race victories as a runner at Oaklawn Park, champion Mitole was represented by his fourth and most exciting to date as a sire when heavily favored Booth delivered emphatically in his 3-year-old debut Feb. 11.View the full article

NYRA announced Feb. 14 the formation of an All-Weather Surfaces Committee to evaluate the impact of various racing surfaces on equine injury rates.View the full article

5th-GP, $89K, MSW, 4yo/up, 7 1/2fT, 2:09pm EST Trainer Todd Pletcher offers up a pair of seven-figure sales horses making their belated debuts. Victorious Racing LLC's SWORDOFHONOR (IRE) (Siyouni {Fr}) sports some pretty flashy credentials. The €1.5 million Arqana August yearling purchase is a half-brother to the year-older Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a two-time Group 1 winner as a juvenile who subsequently won last summer's G2 Celebration Mile S. at Goodwood. The son of Cercle de La Vie (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) posted a pair of bullet works–including the most recent a 1:01 (1/5) move Feb. 8–at Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base. Also representing the Hall of Famer is Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's STORM READY (City of Light), a $1.05 million Keeneland September buy. The half to GSW Biddy Duke (Bayern) posted his latest breeze at Palm Beach Downs Jan. 31, covering five panels in 1:00 3/5 (1/2). The colts will be partnered by the Ortiz brothers, the former by Jose and the latter by Irad. TJCIS PPS The post Thursday’s Insights: Pricey Pletcher Colts Debut at Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Racing Association has announced the formation of an All-Weather Surfaces Committee to study the impact of various racing surfaces on equine injury rates. According to a Wednesday NYRA press release, the committee, which first met last October, will evaluate safety metrics from tracks utilizing all-weather racing surfaces, as well as study the feasibility of broader adoption of all-weather surfaces nationally. The committee, chaired by NYRA CEO and President David O'Rourke, was formed at the request of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, as part of HISA's strategic response to several clusters of equine fatalities in 2023. In addition to O'Rourke, members of the committee also include Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell, Breeders' Cup President and CEO Drew Fleming, 1/ST Racing and Gaming Executive Vice Chairman Craig Fravel, and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club President Josh Rubinstein. “Embracing science and technology will ensure the continued success of Thoroughbred racing in the United States,” said O'Rourke. “All-weather racing surfaces can play an important role in our collective efforts to improve safety, and I thank Lisa Lazarus and HISA for the opportunity to advance this discussion among decision makers in the sport.” The committee is expected to convene regularly in the coming months and will share its findings and recommendations with HISA's Racetrack Safety Committee and with other stakeholders across the sport when complete. “HISA is grateful to NYRA and to David O'Rourke for leading this effort, and to all the members of the committee for their dedication to equine safety,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “This committee's work will be essential in deepening our understanding of all-weather surfaces, and we look forward to reviewing the results when complete.” NYRA is in the process of constructing a one-mile Tapeta track to serve as the fourth racing surface at the new Belmont Park. Previously, NYRA installed a Tapeta pony track at Belmont to provide an additional training option in inclement weather, while also providing NYRA with information on the performance of a synthetic surface in the Long Island climate. The post NYRA’s O’Rourke Chairs All-Weather Surfaces Committee appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Chad Brown's barn includes a lot of fillies and is dominated by turf horses, which makes winning the GI Kentucky Derby more challenging than it is for trainers like Todd Pletcher, Brad Cox and Bob Baffert, who seem to have an almost endless supply of ammunition. The future Hall of Famer has started just seven horses in the Derby and the best he has to show for it is a second-place finish in 2018 with Good Magic (Curlin). But that doesn't mean the right horse won't come his way, and this year may be the year. Brown may have the favorite in Saturday's GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds in 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), who checks a lot of boxes. Sold for $2.3 million, he was the sales topper at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and has since given every indication that he can compete at the highest level of the sport. He broke his maiden in November at Aqueduct and then ran second in the GII Remsen S., losing by just a nose. The Risen Star will mark his 3-year-old debut. “The Derby, it's one of the few races we haven't won and it's definitely right there at the top of the list,” Brown said. “We have a very diverse group of horses to work with. There's a big split between fillies and colts and within those groups are the turf horses. What it boils down to is we don't have many horses in that division. I have plenty of nice horses to work with. I'm not complaining by any means. Any one would love to have the horses I get sent. Once you start paring them down, to see what dirt colts you have that can run two turns and have ability, well, for us, the group isn't huge. If we end up with two or three horses that are on the trail by the first of the year, we are lucky.” Brown will probably always focus primarily on turf horses, but that obviously didn't bother the Coolmore team. They arrived at the 2022 Saratoga sale eager to spend money. Not only did they buy Sierra Leone, they also paid $1.4 million for Hall of Fame (Gun Runner), who will also start in the Risen Star for trainer Steve Asmussen. If Coolmore continues to support Brown with expensive yearling purchases that will make his chances of winning a Derby all that much easier. “Will Coolmore keep supporting me, I think that has to be determined,” Brown said. “A lot depends on how these relationships unfold and how successful we are or aren't with this particular horse. I've had horses from them in the past. Not many, but nice horses. Minorette (Smart Strike) was one of the first horses they sent me and we won the Belmont Oaks on the turf with her. I've done a lot of business with Coolmore. I have several stallions standing there: Jack Christopher, Practical Joke, Early Voting. I've always had a great business relationship with them and, occasionally, they have sent a horse or two my way. They like to spread things out and use top trainers all over the country. I'm just happy I'm in that group of trainers.” After the maiden win, Brown thought Sierra Leone was ready for a challenge. He entered him in the Remsen, knowing the competition would include Dornoch (Good Magic), the full-brother to 2023 Derby winner Mage. For Sierra Leone, it was on oddly run race. On what was a speed-favoring track, he dropped far back early, trailing the field for most of the way before he started to roll on the far turn and set his sights on Dornoch. Inside the sixteenth pole, he put his head in front of Dornoch and it looked like race was over. But Dornoch came again and came back for the win. “I was a little disappointed,” Brown said. “I thought the second time out he'd show a little more speed. You also have to factor in that sloppy track. He had never been on a track like that and maybe he was caught off guard by that. He was the only horse that day that made up any ground and that's an important thing to note. He really wasn't unlucky. He had every chance to win. He just lost some focus and allowed that other horse, who is a nice horse in his own right, to re-rally on him. I was pleased with the effort though disappointed by the outcome.” Because Sierra Leone appeared to lose his focus in the Remsen in deep stretch, Brown will equip him with blinkers on Saturday. With Brown based in Florida over the winter, the most logical spots for Sierra Leone's return may have been the GIII Holy Bull S. or the GII Fountain of Youth S. But Brown feels that the Gulfstream racing surface is a bad fit for Sierra Leone and that's why he has shipped him to Fair Grounds. “I didn't like the short distance and short stretch of those two races at Gulftstream,” he said. “I had Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) for example. He was a nice horse and nearly won the Preakness, but he ran terrible at Gulfstream. He didn't like the kickback. The kickback at Gulfstream, according to a couple of jockeys I really trust, is that it is a very challenging kickback for a horse to run through. That probably contributes to the appearance that it is a speed-favoring track. Even if they slow the track down, so to speak, it still seems like it's dominated more by front-running horses. I think the kickback has something to do with that. It's just not anything I'm interested in putting this horse through.” The Risen Star will be the first step in what Brown hopes is a progression that will have his horse at his very best come Derby Day. “We decided to use just two preps, which is always risky,” Brown said. “I thought, all things considered, like his running style, I feel like his third race of the year will be his best race. And that is a big if because there is a lot of training and racing to still overcome.” Brown's best two Derby horses have been Good Magic and Zandon (Upstart), who was third in the 2022 Derby. Does Sierra Leone represent his chance yet? “I won't say that he's my best threat yet,” Brown said. “Those two horses were really good horses to take into the race. I'd say he belongs in their group, but he's got a ways to go to get to the point where we know he's going to be one of the first two choices in the Derby. I think he can get there. He has the potential to do it. He's training great and he's the right kind of horse. We are really excited about him.” Brown has a few other horses that could get him to the Derby. Domestic Product (Practical Joke) was second in the Holy Bull. Good Money (Good Magic) broke his maiden at Tampa Bay Downs in his lone start. Tuscan Gold (Medaglia d'Oro) is coming off a maiden win at Gulfstream. But none, at least at this point, compare to Sierra Leone. “When they give you a horse that cost $2.3 million at the sales, yes, there's a little bit more pressure,” Brown said. “The expectations are certainly high, being that he was a sale-topping yearling at the prestigious Saratoga sale, and rightfully so. The expectations should be high.” The post In Sierra Leone, Brown May Have Best Chance Yet to Win a Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Damkena (Fr), a daughter of Kendargent (Fr) in foal to Galiway (GB), took top honours with a bid of €62,000 as the Arqana February Sale drew to a close in Deauville on Wednesday. Offered by Haras de Grandcamp, the eight-year-old mare is a sister to the Group 3 winner Kendam (Fr) who has already produced a Group 3 winner herself on this same cross in Kenway (Fr). The latter is a new recruit to the stallion ranks in Ireland at Coolagown Stud. Sold at lot 266, the mare was bought by Yellow Agency. With 241 horses sold over the two days, which was just one fewer than last year, turnover dropped by 24% to €2,853,000, though the clearance rate remained steady at 78%. Following a quieter second session, the average was down by 23% at €11,722 and the median dropped to €5,000 from €6,500 in 2023. The post Kendargent Mare Tops Final Arqana Session appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

“The grey colours, there's a big plan behind all that. Eventually my daughter will take over. I'm doing this for my family when I'm no longer here.” Those were the words of owner-breeder Steve Parkin in a TDN interview penned in September last year, revealing all about his ambition to stand stallions at Dullingham Park Stud, plus the succession plan which he hopes will guarantee the long-term future of a racing and bloodstock empire he's spent the last two decades building. Five months on and the wheels are now firmly in motion when it comes to Britain's newest stallion operation, so too the immersion of Parkin's eldest child, Fabienne, in everything the business entails. Described by Parkin as “in love with the game”, Fabienne is already no stranger to taking on responsibility when her father's absence demands it, such as on this cold Newmarket morning when she's tasked with accommodating the latest two members of the TDN team to have descended upon Dullingham Park during the Tattersalls February Sale. The state-of-the-art facilities and the new stallions they've recently become home to certainly leave a lasting impression on this first-time visitor, thanks in no small part to the infectious enthusiasm for all of it shown by Fabienne. In this most unforgiving of industries, only time will truly tell whether Fabienne has inherited her father's famed business acumen and work ethic, but the hunger for more success in the familiar all-grey colours of Clipper Logistics has clearly rubbed off in spades if the evidence of this one morning in her company is anything to go by. “I'd love to win a Classic, personally,” Fabienne begins when we start to discuss which races would be top of the bucket list for the Parkin family. “Fallen Angel is second favourite for the 1,000 Guineas which is beyond exciting. The Guineas for me is a huge thing and possibly the race I want to win the most. And York is our home track, so I'd love to win the Juddmonte International or the Nunthorpe. “But I'm as excited for a Southwell maiden winner as I am for winning a race at Royal Ascot or the other big meetings. It's that passion that my family and my father bred into me. They raised me to love my racing and to love my breeding. I'm only young and I'm only starting, but I've got great mentors around me and everyone has been really supportive in helping me learn.” Fabienne briefly looks starstruck when she recounts that renowned owner-breeder Kirsten Rausing is among those who have generously offered guidance or just a sympathetic ear, the pair having crossed paths when Rausing paid a visit to Dullingham Park during the Tattersalls December Sales. At the helm of Lanwades Stud for more than four decades, Rausing knows more than a thing or two about standing stallions and was clearly as keen as the rest of us to cast her eye over the two additions to the Newmarket ranks for 2024, not to mention their impressive new digs. “We purchased Dullingham last year and we've sort of revolutionised it,” Fabienne says of the rapid development. “We've knocked a few things down and we've built a few new stallion boxes and a covering shed. We've turned it into our station down here which is really nice, to have a base in Newmarket and a very exciting new venture as a stallion farm. “We've had a few stallions in Ireland that we've either invested in or raced and then stood at Ballyhane Stud with Joe [Foley]. It's fantastic to now be able to offer the English breeders a service over here. We are English owner-breeders and to support the English market is really exciting for us.” That excitement seems to be reciprocated by breeders who have flocked to see the two stallions on the Dullingham Park roster, headed by Shaquille (GB), who stands for a fee of £15,000 in his first year having taken the sprinting scene by storm in 2023. Trained by Julie Camacho, Shaquille won seven of his nine career starts, notably becoming just the second horse after Muhaarar (GB) to win both the G1 Commonwealth Cup and G1 July Cup as a three-year-old on his way to being crowned Europe's top sprinter at the Cartier Awards. Shaquille is also the highest-rated son of the four-time Group 1 winner Charm Spirit (Ire) who, like Muhaarar, is a grandson of the former Shadwell stalwart Green Desert, with the pair being by Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Oasis Dream (GB), respectively. Ollie Fowlston, quickly settling into his own new role as managing director of Dullingham Park, says of Shaquille, “He's been unbelievably well received. We've got all the right breeders on board that we'd hoped for and they're loving what they see. “He's just a very good-looking horse. He's beautifully balanced and a great walker. He's very correct in front with lovely big feet on him. He's got a lovely head as well, a good shoulder and a lovely wide hip on him. If we can get the first crop of foals looking and walking like him, that will be the first big hurdle jumped.” Shaquille certainly cuts quite the figure as he calmly struts his stuff in the serene surroundings of Dullingham Park, taking everything in his stride and looking anything but the character who threatened to throw away his two Group 1 wins by rearing as the stalls opened, forfeiting several lengths to the rest of the field. Only a horse of immense talent would have been able to overcome such adversity on his way to beating the best sprinters Europe has to offer, the horse of a lifetime for Camacho and partner Steve Brown, as well as owner Martin Hughes, who co-bred the colt out of the unraced Galileo (Ire) mare Magic (Ire), herself a daughter of Cheveley Park Stud's multiple Group-winning sprinter Danehurst (GB) (Danehill). Those closest to Shaquille always maintained that he was the consummate professional to do anything with at home and Fowlston confirms that the colt's temperament has been nothing but an asset since he arrived at Dullingham Park, before going on to consider the adjustment this new venture has been for him following 25 years at Tattersalls. “It's been exceptional how he's settled in really, because we've had so much building work going on and diggers around the place,” Fowlston explains. “He's not batted an eyelid at all and it's like he's lived here for a few years. Funnily enough, the first night he spent on the farm was the first night he'd ever spent away from the Camachos because he was born there as well. “It's very exciting and quite surreal [to have Shaquille at Dullingham Park]. You go up to the stallion yard and when you see Shaquille's head sticking over the door you do have to pinch yourself a little bit. “I'm really enjoying it. It's very different from my previous job at Tattersalls. It's selling but selling in a different capacity. It's been a great help my grounding at Tattersalls and having got to know all the breeders has made life a bit easier.” Having Soldier's Call (GB) join the roster at Dullingham Park should also make Fowlston's life a bit easier. With the speedy son of Showcasing (GB) breeders already have a pretty good idea of what they're going to get as he embarks on his fifth season at an increased fee of £8,500, the first four having come under the supervision of Joe Foley at Ballyhane Stud in Ireland. Bought by Foley for 85,000gns as a yearling, Soldier's Call was a notable success story for the Clippers Logistics team as a two-year-old when he carried the grey silks to a trio of high-profile victories in the G2 Flying Childers S., G3 Prix d'Arenberg and Listed Windsor Castle S., before going on to fill the runner-up spot in the G1 Nunthorpe S. at three. Ranked third among the leading first-crop sires in Europe last year with 26 individual winners, Soldier's Call looks set for another big year in 2024 following a promising start, with a trio of three-year-old maiden winners in Britain already on the board. “Joe's done a great job starting him off,” Fowlston says of Soldiers Call. “He's got big numbers on the ground. I think he's got 105 two-year-olds to run for him this year and I think he's got bigger books to come. We couldn't be more excited and it's something for breeders to look forward to as well. “There's a bit of a gap in the English market for a horse like him. Breeders can come here and they know that he'll start off a young mare. He'll get a good winner and you can go to the sales and get well paid if you have a nice one by him. “He's going down very well at the moment and already he's had the three three-year-old winners this year. He'll no doubt have early two-year-old winners on the turf when the season starts and we'll be taking bookings I'm sure right up until mid-May.” Dorothy Lawrence (GB) was one of the flagbearers for Soldier's Call's first crop of juveniles last year, producing her best effort when beaten just a short head in the G3 Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes at Salisbury. She should be competitive in more good races for the Clippers Logistics team in 2024 if training on as well as her sire did. As for fellow homebred and Karl Burke trainee Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), she will be tasked with trying to deliver on Fabienne's dream of winning a Classic when, all being well, she lines up in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday, May 5. The form of her victory in last year's G1 Moyglare Stud S. would appear to put her in there with a leading chance, already having provided that memorable day at the Curragh which carried extra significance for the whole Parkin family. “It really does,” Fabienne agrees when it's suggested to her that it means more to win any race with a homebred. “When you see your foals born at home and then they go on to be successful on the racetrack, it's beyond exciting. “We had Fallen Angel last year who obviously won the Moyglare and there was a lovely story behind that with us breeding her and then losing the dam. That was very poignant and moving. “I think we're lucky really. You have to have a bit of luck in this industry, as much as you can try and be clever about what you do. We're a very young operation in terms of our breeding and we've already been so successful. To have already bred Dramatised and Fallen Angel from the farm at home is really exciting.” G2 Queen Mary S. and G2 Temple S. winner Dramatised is now a member of the broodmare band which reportedly numbers around 30 at the Parkin family home in Yorkshire, the 300-acre Branton Court Stud near Harrogate, plus another 50-60 in Ireland. The hope is that Fallen Angel will one day follow in the footsteps of her late dam, Agnes Stewart (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), by joining those ranks, even better if she does so as a Classic winner. As for the four remaining empty stallion boxes at Dullingham Park, Fabienne confesses that she has already earmarked one for Night Of Thunder (Ire) colt Flight Plan (GB), who fittingly won last year's G2 Dullingham Park S. at Leopardstown and has the potential to make up into an even better four-year-old in 2024. However, it's Foley who gets the last word–not unusual, I'm told–when it comes to the biggest and brightest prospects for the Clipper Logistics team this year, providing the inside track in his role as bloodstock advisor to the Parkin family. “Who's he?” Foley asks when the name Night Raider (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is put to him during our conversation at the February Sale, briefly threatening to throw this interviewer off the scent of the nine-length Southwell winner before the twinkle in his eye reveals there is a big opinion there waiting to be unleashed. “I remember buying him as a foal, I thought he was the best foal I'd ever bought,” he soon delivers. “He was always a beautiful horse and he's always impressed the people who were around him. He's a big horse at 16.1hh and he's out of a Shamardal mare, out of a Dubai Millennium mare. There's a lot of Dubai Millennium in him. “He doesn't look like his half-brother [G3 Palace House S. winner Far Above] at all. He'd lead you to think that there's a lot of speed in the pedigree, but it's a very classy family. He looks like a miler, he gallops like a miler and he wasn't stopping when he won at Southwell. “Danny [Tudhope, jockey] adores him, he thinks he's a really high-class horse. He's just won a December maiden, so he has an awful lot to prove, but on our team he's the horse with the most potential. “We're very excited to see what he does, but we've been disappointed in the past–we're hoping for the best and expecting the worst,” he adds, betraying the same boundless optimism as Fabienne but the experience to know better. The post Enthusiasm In The Air as Dullingham Park Embarks on First Season appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bahraini group winner Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has been confirmed for the 2100-metre $2-million G2 Neom Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup undercard on Saturday, Feb. 24. Owned by the partnership of Done/Ferguson/Mason, the gelding won the G3 Strensall S. last August before taking the G2 Bahrain International Trophy two starts later in November. Given some time off, he made his 7-year-old bow in the G1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan on Jan. 26, running on to be fourth behind Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}). “I was delighted to get that run in Dubai into him,” said trainer Richard Fahey. “We were pleased with the run and we were probably just drawn a little bit wide–hopefully the run will put him 100% right for Saudi. “We're going to run in the Neom. I was keen to go for the big one there [Saudi Cup], but I just felt nine furlongs on the dirt would be sharp enough for him. He's a horse I would probably want to go a mile and a half in Saudi rather than a sharp nine, if that makes sense.” “Barring problems I'm sure his owners are very keen,” continued Fahey. “Peter Done and Ged Mason are both very keen and Sir Alex is keen as well, so it looks like they are booking and barring problems I would say they will probably be there. “We certainly enjoyed Bahrain and anything now is a bonus, but we're expecting him to run a big race in Saudi.” The post Spirit Dancer Confirmed For Neom Turf Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Goffs Yorton Sale will not take place in 2024, and will instead return on Sept. 4, 2025, Goffs and Yorton's David Futter confirmed on Wednesday. The decision was made by Futter, who felt that although the quality of horses at Yorton was up to its usual high standard, the quantity did not justify the sale taking place this year. Yorton's aim is to assemble roughly 50 quality lots in time for the 2025 edition. Futter said, “It has not been an easy decision to suspend the sale for 2024 but we feel it is in the best interests of the event given we don't have the numbers of horses required to ask potential buyers to make their way to Wales. We are grateful to Goffs for bringing their professionalism and sharing in our enthusiasm for this venture and together we have worked hard to establish a sale with a reputation for quality and performance. We still strongly believe in starting horses earlier and in producing 2-year-olds and will keep offering Yorton graduates, just in a different location in 2024. We will maintain our focus on sourcing a quality line-up of horses and look forward to working with Goffs and welcoming everyone back to Yorton in 2025.” Goffs UK Managing Director Tim Kent added, “With its first Grade 1 winner coming in 2023 courtesy of Inthepocket (GB) (Blue Bresil {Fr}), many outstanding pinhooking results for store and point-to-point buyers, and a new record top price set last year with a No Risk At All (Fr) 2-year-old selling for £165,000, the sale is performing in all sectors and it's a credit to David and the Yorton team. We too look forward to seeing the sale return to the calendar in 2025 and working with Yorton to produce another successful sale.” The post Goffs Yorton Sale Suspended For One Year Until 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article