Wandering Eyes

Just 11 weeks remain until the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) and fans will have the fourth of six opportunities Feb. 16-18 to wager on Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager that features a wide-open cast of 39 3-year-olds.View the full article

George Baker will make a quick dash from Bahrain to St Moritz this weekend as he prepares Cumulonimbus and Cemhaan for their course debuts in the feature race Feb. 18.View the full article

Trainer Sarah Delany was scheduled to be released from a Houston, Texas hospital Tuesday after undergoing spinal surgery due to an injury suffered at Delta Downs Wednesday morning. Delany, who trains alongside her husband Benny Martinez, was injured Wednesday morning at Delta Downs when she was kicked by a horse in the back of her neck, according to family friend and client Brian Poppenberg. The local Lake Charles hospital sent her via CareFlight to Houston, where she underwent emergency surgery. “This morning I spoke with her husband Benny, and she is being released to go home to today,” said Poppenberg via email to the TDN. “Benny has family that will be staying with Sarah 24/7 and a nurse will be at their home every other day, as she navigates the process of recovery. She is only able to walk, talk, sit, and sleep. In my conversation with Benny, and after talking to Sarah, he will continue taking care of the barn, with the help of some new hires to assist in everything Sarah does.” A Gofundme page has been started for Delany to raise the needed funds for her care. Poppenberg said that Darley had offered a season to Mystic Guide to be auctioned off with all monies raised to go to Delany's care, and that details regarding that auction will be forthcoming. “Huge thanks to them for stepping up,” said Poppenberg. “Please continue to help Sarah and Benny, through this long road.” Sarah Delany's Gofundme page may be accessed here. The post Sarah Delany to Leave Hospital, Long Road Ahead appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Byron King's Top 12 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, presented by Spendthrift Farm.View the full article

Just 11 weeks remain until the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) and fans will have the fourth of six opportunities Feb. 16-18 to wager on Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager that features a wide-open cast of 39 3-year-olds.View the full article

The Pool 4 future wager for the GI Kentucky Derby will open Friday and will close Sunday. The 39 individual 3-year-olds listed in the future wager field are led by Grade I winner Locked (Gun Runner), who is 10-1 on the morning line. “All other 3-year-olds” is the wager's 2-1 morning-line favorite. The fourth of six future wagers opens at noon ET Friday and closes at 6 p.m. Sunday. Click here for the complete field. Other future wager dates are set for Mar. 15-17 and Apr. 4-6. The lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will coincide with Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 5. The post Derby Future Wager 4 Opens Friday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As a Clinical Pharmacologist (human) and an avid horse player, I have grown tired of these instances of biologic samples from horses having banned substances found and the “interesting” explanations as to how the exposure happened. One recent example was a story of a horse in which three samples of blood had metformin (a drug used to treat type II diabetes in humans) detected. The explanation was that a groom and later the trainer was taking metformin and “touched the horse's face.” This explanation is questionable from a clinical pharmacology standpoint. Metformin for human use is a film coated tablet (coated with a polymer). Unless the individual taking the tablet crushes or chews it (and puts a finger in the mouth), handling the film coated tablet does not transfer metformin to the hands. Additionally, published data shows that the amount of metformin absorbed from an oral dose in a horse ranges from 3.9-7.1% (fed vs fasted state) which is minuscule. Finally, the suggested dose of metformin in horses for approved use is 15 mg/kg (7.5 grams in a 500 kg horse) versus a usual 500 mg dose in a human. Thus, horse exposure from a human dose (by rubbing the face) or even putting a finger/hand in the horse's mouth would be quite a stretch of science. This story is not the only one that TDN readers have seen over time. We have been subjected to stories of a horse with detectable betamethasone in his blood supposedly not from an intraarticular injection but due to use of a topical product, a horse with dextromethorphan in the blood due to a groom using a cough syrup and urinating in the stall and many other stories. These explanations stretch the science of clinical pharmacology to unreasonable levels. I'd like to offer my human-based clinical pharmacology expertise to HISA/HIWU to “solve” these human-based inaccurate explanations in terms of horse exposures to banned drugs, gratis. Horse racing is a great sport with a long tradition. Unfortunately, stories of horses having banned substances (no matter how low the exposure) is a negative for a sport where interest at least in the USA is declining and groups like PETA show up to protest at large racing venues putting more negative attention to the sport. But, worst of all, use of banned substances is bad for the horses and aren't the horses our primary interest/concern? Sincerely, Joseph S. Bertino Jr., PharmD, FCP, FCCP Guilderland, New York The post Letter to the Editor: Detection of Banned Drugs in Horses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Unraced three-year colt Le Kerry (Fr) (Gemix {Fr}) headed the first day of Arqana's February Sale when sold for €200,000 to Ecurie de Launay. Offered as lot 60 by Karwin Farm, the son of Snow Berry (Fr) (Dream Well {Ire}) was bred by Haras de Maulepaire and is from a family of prolific jumps winners. His dam is a half-sister to Le Berry (Fr), who is also by the Grade 1-winning hurdler Gemix and was himself the winner of 11 races over jumps, including the G1 Prix Maurice Gillois. The further family also includes the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup winner Dunaden (Fr). After signing for the grey, Jerome Glandais of Ecurie de Launay, who was buying on behalf of Ecurie Sofiane Benaroussi said, “It's a very nice family and we bought her sister by Doctor Dino in November. We haven't decided on a trainer yet but he will stay in France.” A total of 111 horses changed hands in Deauville on Tuesday from 148 to pass through the ring. The clearance rate dropped by 3% from last year to 75%, but across the board figures were close to those achieved in 2023 from a similar sized offering. At €1,685,000 the turnover receded by 5%, while the average of €15,149 was down by just 1%. Horses in training filled much of the top of the leader board, with Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock going to €80,000 early in the day for lot 6, the three-year-old Princess Child (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}), who was runner-up in the Listed Prix Herod last year for Laura Lemiere. Out of a half-sister to the G3 Prix La Force winner Chilean (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), the filly also won three times in Madrid in 2023. David Skelly and Charlestown Racing also gave €80,000 for Titanium (Fr), a five-year-old son of Zarak (Fr) who has won six races and been Listed-placed for Alesssandro Botti over the last two seasons. Offered as lot 85, the gelding's full-brother was sold for €160,000 to Alex Elliott at the BBAG Yearling Sale last September. The action resumes at Arqana on Wednesday at 11am local time with a final session of breeding and young stock. The post Gemix Colt Leads The Way at Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Multiple Group 1 winner Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who was slated to make his dirt debut in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup later this month, will not run in the 1800-metre main track affair, according to the latest list of probables released by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia. With Luxembourg's absence, multiple group winner Isolate (Mark Valeski) draws into the main body of the field for trainer Doug Watson and owner RRR Racing. The Coolmore partners' runner, a winner of the 2023 G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, the 2022 G1 Irish Champion S. and 2021 G1 Futurity Trophy for trainer Aidan O'Brien, has been re-routed to the $2-million G2 Neom Turf Cup over an extended mile and a quarter earlier on the card. He ran second in both the 2023 Irish Champion S. in September and missed by only a nose to Hong Kong standout Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G1 Hong Kong Cup. Kieran Cotter is also planning to send his stable star Matilda Picotte (Ire) to Riyadh, where her intended target is the 1351 Saudi Turf Sprint. Third in last year's 1,000 Guineas, the daughter of Sioux Nation ended 2023 with back-to-back wins in the G3 Sceptre S. at Doncaster and the G2 Challenge S. at Newmarket. “She's doing fantastic, she had a break for six or seven weeks out at grass and then prior to Christmas we got an invitation to run in the Sprint,” Cotter said. “She's back in and being prepared for that, we're delighted with her and she leaves for Saudi on Saturday morning to run the following Saturday. “She flies from Shannon to Stansted and then it's direct to Riyadh. Door to door it's a 20-hour journey, which is no more than from here to Newmarket and she's a very good traveller.” He added of the Turf Sprint, which is worth $2 million, “It's serious money and we had to take the opportunity. Our main target this year is to try to win a Group 1 with her and it's a Group 2, but if she's a Group 1 horse she'll have to go close. “A few of the owners are going, there'll be enough there to make a bit of noise anyway! She's never run a bad race so it's all to play for.” The post Luxembourg Opts For Neom Turf Cup, As Isolate Draws Into Saudi Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Last June, Pat Cummings, executive director of the National Thoroughbred Alliance and former executive director of the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation, issued a stark warning about the encroaching impacts from Computer Assisted Wagering (CAW) to the men and women trying to forge a living through horse racing in the Golden State. CAW players constitute a small group of mostly anonymous, high-volume gamblers with an outsized impact on the betting markets–including in California–due to their use of sophisticated wagering technologies and the inducements offered to them in the form of attractive rates and rebates not available to the average punter. At the time, CAW play was the main source of handle growth in California, which by extension “is contributing the lowest percentage for purses” and thereby presenting “a serious, long-term concern for California and its horsemen,” wrote Cummings. Cummings's detailed study appears prescient. Since then, several reports have illustrated the extent of California's purse account woes. To explain the recent 25% purse cuts at Golden Gate Fields, the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) said the track's purse account was over $3 million in the red. Purse cuts at Santa Anita stem from a near $4-million purse account overpayment. During the January California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) meeting, it was explained that Del Mar's purse account was overpaid by $2.1 million. Pat Cummings | The Jockey Club A complicated set of factors determine purse revenues. Field sizes, for example, are arguably the biggest architects of how much is wagered on an individual race. But CAW play has grown exponentially as a percentage of overall handle in recent years, giving it a key role in the sport's future in California. Why? Unlike other states where purses are supplemented from alternative gaming like slot machines and casinos, California is reliant solely on betting to generate purse revenues. In other words, California more than any other major jurisdiction needs to thoughtfully manage its betting revenues–including from CAW–if it's to remain a healthy enterprise long into the future. The problem with CAW–like so many aspects of the sport–is that it has long been shrouded in ambiguity. To help peel back this opaque curtain, the TDN sought answers to some basic questions about how leaders in the Golden State manage such an influential part of the industry: What CAW-related information is shared between whom? What oversight mechanisms are in place? If the state's horsemen and women feel they aren't getting a fair deal, can they leverage what they see as a better one? And where do state regulators fit into the scheme? What is CAW? In short, CAW players–frequently registered in offshore tax havens–use sophisticated digital tools and teams of staff to spot exploitable deficiencies in the betting pools, and to scour reams of betting and past performance data to identify winning opportunities at high rates of success. Even individually, they can bet huge. Indeed, last year the Financial Times estimated that just two individual CAW players each wager “on the order of $1bn a year” on State-side racing alone. In the U.S., CAW players largely wager through a handful of CAW agents' betting platforms, which in many ways act as glorified ADWs. The biggest in terms of handle is the Elite Turf Club, majority owned by The Stronach Group (TSG), which also owns the Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields racetracks in California. The New York Racing Association (NYRA) also owns a portion of Elite Turf Club. Other key CAW platforms include Racing and Gaming Services (RGS), and Velocity, owned by Churchill Downs. The bettors who aren't privy to the same rates and rebates as these deep-pocketed gamblers (more on this in a bit) argue that CAW players are driving the average gamblers away from the sport in droves, to the point where it's killing the betting markets and hurting purse revenues. Indeed, if CAW players become too big a percentage of the pools, their impacts become magnified and they essentially “cannibalize” the markets. TOC president Bill Nader has pinned this tipping point at about 25% of the betting pools. Cummings's June 2023 report found that back then, CAW play in California often surpassed that benchmark. CAW proponents counter that these well-capitalized gamblers provide vital liquidity and efficiency to the betting pools. Without them, these proponents argue, the sport would be significantly poorer, and that by sheer volume of play, they help prop-up purse accounts. Indeed, the loss of just one major CAW player could hit a track's handle hard. This also means, however, that the biggest individual CAW players have historically been able to wield no inconsiderable leverage to negotiate their terms of play. What Portion of CAW Play Goes to Purses? To understand what part of the betting dollar goes to purses, there are two terms of note: Host fees and Takeout rates. “Takeout” is the percentage sliced out of every dollar wagered. This pie is divvied up various ways, including a portion funneled into the purse account. Bets wagered on-track direct the largest slice back into the purse account. Bets wagered through ADW and CAW platforms direct the smallest amounts. Takeout varies on several things like the host track state and bet type. But takeout is determined by track management and regulators and is non-negotiable. A general rule of thumb is an average 20% blended takeout rate across the different pools. For CAW play, when the term “rates” are mentioned, what is meant are host fees, and these are negotiable. Host fees are what any wagering outlet pays to track operators for the contractual right to import a simulcast signal. A wagering outlet could be another racetrack, an ADW platform (like FanDuel) or a CAW platform (like Elite Turf Club). TDN spoke with several track and industry executives about the state of CAW play today. These experts said that CAW host fees for the premium tracks typically vary between 6% and 8%. After breeders' premiums and other minor deductions have been removed, host fees are roughly split 50/50 between the track and the purse account in California. Therefore, if Santa Anita beamed its signal to a location at a host fee rate of 6%, roughly 3% of the total amount handled on that signal at that location will flow back into Santa Anita's purse account. Primary Oversight of Agreements Before the beginning of each meet in California, the tracks present the TOC with a list of individual host fees charged to each location that receives its simulcast signal. For that track's meet to go ahead, the TOC must first sign this document, said Scott Daruty, president of both TSG's Monarch Content Management and of the Elite Turf Club. “Before the Santa Anita meet opens, we give them a list of every location and price that Santa Anita is sold for,” said Daruty. “They [the TOC] either approve it or they don't.” The list includes host fees the track charges CAW betting platforms. If the host fee of an individual CAW player deviates from that afforded an overall CAW platform, that too would have to be divulged, said Daruty. “If there was an individual deal [between a single CAW player and the track], that would have to be disclosed to the TOC,” said Daruty. Scott Daruty | Horsephotos TOC president Bill Nader said that he has signed all such agreements since joining the organization in October of 2022. Nader said he was unable to disclose what the host fees that CAW players receive. All host fees are private (not just for CAW players). But Nader described the negotiation of these fees as a “moving target as to how you get this right and how you get it right across all customer segments.” Where Do Rebates Come From? The way Nader and other experts explain it, the amount CAW players are “rebated” can be broadly calculated with this simple equation: Rebate = Takeout minus Host Fee (plus any other associated minor fees). The smaller the host fee, typically the bigger the rebate. Let's use the 20% blended takeout rate among the pools. And let's say the host fee (plus other associated fees) that the CAW player pays comes to 5%. The rebated discount for the CAW players, therefore, could be a maximum 15% on every dollar wagered (though more on this in the next section). It's also important to note that bets with higher takeout rates leave the door open to potentially higher rebates. The seemingly counter-intuitive goal is that this leads to higher overall handle. Several experts said the most successful CAW players can consistently win at an average rate of around 92%. At that rate, for example, a 15% rebate would see the player enjoy a 7% profit margin. According to Daruty, a 92% win-rate isn't typical. “That's someone really hitting it out the park,” he said. The bigger the rebate CAW players receive, therefore, the greater their overall profit. And the greater their overall profit, the more they're likely to wager. As one expert put it, “it's like a high-yield investment account.” Indeed, former Australian bookmaker Tom Waterhouse recently said he was considering investing venture capital funds into horseracing-focused professional betting syndicates that receive these huge rebates. “[Gambling] is a three trillion-dollar industry, and most people lose. The edge is against you,” said Waterhouse. “But there are a few groups globally that are able to find an edge.” These rebates are usually returned daily–typically the following morning, said Scott Finley, former NYRA director of simulcasting with a long career in the pari-mutuel betting industry. “In some cases, they might be done weekly,” Finley added. “But the general idea is, the quicker you front that money back to the CAW players, they're just going to churn that money and bet more. Remember, there's no credit betting allowed anywhere in the U.S. These are all true advanced deposit wagering accounts.” The TOC, said Daruty, is not privy to the rebate rates that CAW players receive. “I'm not sure the TOC has ever made that request,” said Daruty, when asked why this information isn't shared with the organization. “But if they were to make that request, I think our response would be to politely deny it.” When asked why the TOC hasn't asked Elite for rebate data, Nader said that he can get a “very good idea of what the gross rebate would be” by looking at the takeout on the different bet types. “I can work that out,” he said. What's in it for Elite? All of which begs the question: What's in it for a CAW platform like the Elite Turf Club? According to Finley, CAW platforms typically retain between 0.5% and 1.25% as a commission from the amount their players wager. “It's all based on individual contracts between the [CAW platform] and their player teams,” Finley explained, about how these commissions are negotiated. As an idea of what kind of number this commission might generate, Elite Turf Club handled over $180 million on Santa Anita's races during 2022, according to the CHRB's statistical opersion reports. At Del Mar during 2022, Elite handled just over $146 million. Daruty said he was not at liberty to comment on the Elite Turf Club's commission rate. When asked how, between the host fee and the CAW commission, it appeared that TSG was essentially double-dipping, Daruty said the company's tracks and Elite Turf Club performed two separate functions. “It's only double-dipping if you're getting paid twice for doing the same thing. This isn't double-dipping because it's two completely different services. In fact, I think it's to the horsemen's benefit that we're operating Elite because they're getting more visibility and more knowledge,” said Daruty. “If it was a third-party operator, they might not be getting that, but they'd still be paying the same fee,” Daruty added. Individual Deals with the Tracks At last year's Global Symposium on Racing in Arizona, Cummings raised the issue of individual players and their representatives negotiating directly with the tracks to receive favorable host fee rates. Some of these deals were negotiated years ago. “There is undoubtedly a concern when one or two of the biggest players in the sport go door to door across this country and ask a track operator for a discount. Not a rebate–a discount on the host fee,” said Cummings. John Woodford, chief executive of GWG Group, a Las Vegas-based LLC that provides domestic and international services to CAW players, said that while GWG does not have any such “bespoke” deals for its individual players, such agreements are unsurprising given the amounts sometimes wagered. “It's the same for other industries,” explained Woodford, “if you're a significant contributor or participant.” Last year, the Financial Times reported that just two individual CAW players that wager through the Elite Turf Club–Elite 17 and Elite 2–had significantly increased their wagering on California horse racing over the past 15 years. Since that story came out, the CHRB stopped publishing wagering data showing individual CAW accounts–which it had done since 2008–and now pools these numbers together under the CAW platform. In fairness to the CHRB, however, no other jurisdiction publicly discloses this individual information either. In this vacuum of individual player data, however, it begs the question: Are any CAW players still privy to favorable deals directly negotiated with California racetracks? Several sources consulted for this story said that at least one player still enjoys such a deal. Nader declined to answer the question directly, but said that discussions with the tracks are ongoing, and that over the past year, the TOC had successfully negotiated better rates for its constituents. “Everything is a work in progress,” he said. TOC Leverage? If the TOC believes the horsemen and women don't receive a fair deal in these negotiations, it can refuse to sign the document authorizing tracks to send out their signals, essentially causing a simulcasting blackout. Nader calls this threat the “nuclear option.” When asked if during his time the TOC has considered using this option during CAW negotiations, Nader responded that it should be used only as a “last resort.” “You never really want to do that. If there's a complete breakdown, perhaps. But it should never come to that,” said Nader. The TOC has deployed this “nuclear option” before in contentious simulcasting disputes. Back in 2008, the TOC withheld Hollywood Park's signal over multiple weeks to increase the amount ADWs were contributing to the purse account. Bill Nader | HKIR The move–which reportedly cost Hollywood Park some $500,000 a day in lost revenues–was deeply unpopular with both the ADW platforms and the tracks. “It didn't make me the most popular guy in racing to the effect I got death threats against me and my family,” said then TOC president Drew Couto, who explained that during the simulcasting blackout, TVG repeatedly shared on-air his personal and home telephone numbers. “They encouraged their disgruntled viewers to call and let their disappointment be known,” said Couto. “It also led to several death threats being called into the offices. The TOC had to close down for a few days while we addressed the security issues.” But the TOC's hard-line stance in 2008 ultimately led to a better rate for the state's horsemen and women. “They came around because we cut off the signal,” said Couto. “You have to have a strong board that says, 'we will weather the storm. But at the end of that, we will come out with better rates.' And those better rates will help us put on a better product. And that better product will hopefully appeal to players who want to bet eight-horse fields rather than four-horse fields.” Couto said the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 gives the TOC the authority to dictate rates and fees. “The TOC has used that structure in the past to set the rates, to set access, to determine who has access, and to control the use of our product,” said Couto. “It's not the racetrack's product.” When asked about this authority apparently afforded the TOC through the Act, Nader stressed the ecosystem nature of the industry. “I would see it more as a 50-50 partnership between the tracks and the horsemen, especially in a state where there's no other purse-enhancing supplements. That's how the tracks get paid as well,” Nader said. “I think what makes this sport so uniquely spectacular is the competition on the track and the competition on the Tote,” Nader added. “For us, it's more finding the right balance across all segments.” CHRB'S Role The TOC isn't the only guardrail to ensure that CAW fee agreements are drafted with horse racing's long-term interests front and center. While the CHRB does not routinely see those documents, “The CHRB has full legal authority to review any agreement if that were to become warranted,” wrote CHRB spokesperson Mike Marten in written responses to several questions. The CHRB, wrote Marten, has not yet exercised that legal authority. In response to questions concerning betting integrity, Marten wrote that, “We understand that Monarch pays special attention to CAW companies (i.e. Elite and RGS) whereby each of the CAW players undergoes repeated, extensive background checks every six months.” Marten added that the Thoroughbred Racing and Protective Bureau–a subsidiary of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America–has “performed a thorough investigation of many wagering sites, including Elite and RGS, as part of its service to the racing associations.” The CHRB, Marten wrote, “also has access to those reports if warranted.” And he added how, “sparked by concerns about the individual locations/operators,” the CHRB “some years ago” obtained an unspecified number of these TRPB reports from its client racetracks. The review resolved any concerns, “so no was action taken,” he added. Conflicts of Interest? Eagle-eyed observers of California's racing product and betting markets might have noticed the ownership makeup of recent GII San Pasqual S. winner, Newgrange. Since at least September of 2022, Newgrange has been owned by a group that includes Little Red Feather, Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen. Bernsen is the founder of GWG Group. One part of Bernsen's role at the GWG Group has been to represent individual CAW players in their negotiations with the tracks, but Woodford said that Bernsen hasn't run or managed the company for the past couple of years, and is now focused on industry initiatives “outside of the CAW sector,” including racehorse ownership. Little Red Feather's managing partner is TOC chairman, Gary Fenton. Bernsen and Fenton, therefore, appear to sit on opposite sides of the CAW table. Does their ownership connection in Newgrange rise to a conflict of interest on the part of the TOC chairman? Both Nader and Fenton said it doesn't. Nevertheless, Fenton said that he has recused himself from all CAW-related matters before the TOC since April of 2023 to avoid the appearance of any conflict of interest. “Incidental co-ownership of a horse isn't considered a conflict by the TOC, but I made sure Bill and members of the board were aware. Still, due to the sensitive nature of simulcast rates, and out of an abundance of caution, when a matter connected with David [Bernsen] came up for the first time, I recused myself. Virtually all owners who serve on industry boards face similar instances,” wrote Fenton, in a statement. Several experts interviewed for this story described TSG's ownership of both Elite Turf Club and two of the state's racetracks as a dynamic that does indeed rise to that level. Daruty, however, refuted any conflict-of-interest accusations, and pointed to the historical ownership relationship between tracks and wagering outlets. Though the nature of these “betting platforms” has evolved over the years–from on-track Tote windows to off-track-betting hubs to ADWs–the racetracks have always been part of the ownership mix, he said. Daruty added, “This is just one more example of that.” The post Computer Assisted Wagering: 101 for California Stakeholders appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hillwood Stable's Maryland-bred star Post Time looks to remain undefeated in his home state as he takes on six competitors in the seven-furlong $200,000 General George Stakes (G3) at Laurel Park Feb. 17.View the full article

Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa. announced the cancellation of their 10-race Feb. 13 card due to a winter storm. View the full article

Twelve fewer black-type races will be run in Europe in 2024 following the approval of the programme by the European Pattern Committee (EPC) which sounded a note of caution regarding “the reported increasing exports of quality horses overseas”. France's Prix Saint-Alary will has been downgraded from Group 1 to Group 2 status and is one of five Group races to have been demoted, while Britain's G3 Sovereign S., traditionally run at Salisbury, will not be staged. In Ireland, the Salsabil S. has been upgraded from a Listed race to a Group 3, and a new Listed contest has been introduced at Gowran Park in late July, which is to be run over 12 furlongs and is for three-year-olds only. Denmark is to stage a new black-type race after Klampenborg's Golden Mile for three-years-olds was upgraded to Listed status. The EPC ratified a total of 826 black-type races, down from 838 in 2023, comprising 415 Group races (418 in 2023) and 411 Listed races (420). EPC chair Jason Morris said, “This year will see another contraction in the number of Pattern and Listed races to be staged throughout Europe, with the total number having declined from 852 races in 2022 to 826 in 2024. The European Pattern Committee continues to enforce the most stringent international quality control measures so that the racing and breeding industries can have the utmost confidence in the quality of European black type. “However, this also reflects a worrying overall decline in the ratings of European black-type races, with an increasing number of races coming under review and many three-year-old races in particular struggling to achieve their required parameters. The reported increasing exports of quality horses overseas is of concern to the EPC, and the major European racing nations are committed to working together to ensure the continued production and retention of sufficient high-class horses to sustain our domestic and international programmes, with a particular focus on the middle distance and staying race areas.” Downgraded Races for 2024 France • Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary downgraded to Group 2 Germany • Listed Grosser Preis von Rossman loses Listed status • Listed Grosser Preis der VGH Versicherungen loses Listed status • Listed Bwin Sommerpreis loses Listed status Ireland • Group 3 Gladness downgraded to Listed • Listed Patton loses Listed status Italy • Group 2 Premio Presidente della Repubblica downgraded to Group 3 • Group 3 Premio Carlo d'Alessio downgraded to Listed • Listed Pisa loses Listed status • Listed Regione Toscana loses Listed status • Listed Emanuele Filiberto loses Listed status • Listed Tadolina loses Listed status • Listed Criterium Varesino Mem Virginio Curti loses Listed status • Listed M.Se Ippolito Fassati di Balzola loses Listed status Sweden • Listed Jagersro Sprint loses Listed status Turkey • Group 2 Bosphorus Cup downgraded to Group 3 There have also been some adjustments to notable Pattern races. In France, the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud will move one week earlier, reverting to its traditional slot at Saint-Cloud's fixture on June 30, as will the G2 Prix Eugene Adam. Saint-Cloud has also gained the G1 Prix Royal-Oak from ParisLongchamp. Both German Guineas will be run nine days earlier, with the G2 German 2000 Guineas scheduled for May 20 and the G2 German 1000 Guineas to be run on May 26. The G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft will be pushed back to June 2. In Britain, there have been alterations to the race conditions for two black-type juvenile races. For the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, horses will no longer be eligible to qualify via their dam's performance. The race reverts to a stallion-only qualification, as was the case prior to 2019. The horse's sire must have won over at least 10 furlongs. In the G3 Acomb S., the win restriction has been removed from the race conditions to boost the potential pool of eligible horses. There will also be two changes to race titles in Britain in 2024: Haydock's G3 Pinnacle S. will be renamed as the Lester Piggott S., and the Listed Ben Marshall S. at Nottingham will become the Robin Hood S. 'At Risk' Races for 2025 A total of 42 Pattern and Listed races have been classified as at risk of a potential downgrade in 2025, including the G1 Commonwealth Cup, run over six furlongs for three-year-olds only at Royal Ascot. The breakdown by country is as follows: Britain – 3 France – 6 Germany – 7 Ireland – 5 Italy – 20 Turkey – 1 Britain's Dismay at Group 1 Veto In Britain, “notable increases to minimum values” have been announced for Pattern and Listed races, while the ongoing strategic review of the programme has led to the voluntary deletion of three black-type races for 2024 – the G3 Sovereign S., York's Listed Ganton S. and the Listed Scarborough S., which is run at Doncaster. This follows the removal of 11 Group 3 and Listed races in 2023. The BHA Flat Pattern Committee had sought upgrades to Group 1 status for the City Of York S. at the Ebor Festival and the Long Distance Cup on British Champions Day, both of which were turned down by the EPC. “After more than a decade of building towards Britain's first 7f Group 1 in the City Of York Stakes, with the open encouragement of the EPC, the race achieved the required rating parameter in 2023,” said Ruth Quinn, the BHA's director of international racing and development. “Sadly, however, it seemed the committee could not support this upgrade unanimously at this time. We remain hopeful of working with the committee to demonstrate why our ambition would be of collective benefit to the European Pattern, in the same way as we will for the Long Distance Cup on QIPCO's British Champions Day in order for that too to become a long-awaited and much-deserved Group 1 race.” She continued, “We in Britain continue to believe that European racing is stronger on the worldwide stage when we work together. “The Pattern Committees have much to contribute within the wider strategy for the sport, particularly in terms of incentivising the continued production and retention of sufficient high-class horses to uphold our place on the international stage. The particular focus on the middle-distance and staying horses must continue – an area which the FPC has helped champion for some time as has been highlighted in the past. “Our Pattern remains strong, but there are some distinct signs of fraying in certain areas and the industry needs to address these with some urgency.” As already noted, the G1 Commonwealth Cup has been placed on the watch list for a potential downgrade, depending on its performance this year, along with the G2 Temple S. at Haydock Park and the G3 Chester Vase. France Frustrated by Saint-Alary Demotion Despite its move forward in the calendar last year to “Poules d'Essai Sunday”, which brought about an upturn in the number of runners to 10 from six the previous year, the Prix Saint-Alary obtained a rating of just 107.75 in 2023. From 2021 to 2023 its average was 108.42, which is below the required rating of 111 for a Group 1 for three-year-old fillies. In a press release from France Galop, deputy managing director Henri Pouret said, “The demotion of the Prix Saint-Alary to Group 2 is particularly frustrating but it falls within the framework of the quality control rules established by the EPC. This event should lead us to reflect broadly on the subject of Listed and Group races which have not reached the required level in recent years. To this end, the President of France Galop, Guillaume de Saint-Seine, recently decided to create a specific Committee for French Group and Listed races.” The post Saint-Alary Loses G1 Tag as Europe Drops 12 Stakes Races appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Legendary jumps jockey Davy Russell says he hasn't thought about emulating Nina Carberry's achievements in flying the flag for racing by winning Ireland's version of Dancing With The Stars and revealed that riding in the Grand National or the Gold Cup does not compare to the nerves that come with competing on the show. Russell, who bowed out from the saddle in December 2022 before briefly returning to race-riding for his long-time ally Gordon Elliott after Jack Kennedy broke his leg the following January, has heaped praise on his dancing coach Kylee Vincent. He explained, “I've a brilliant teacher in Kylee. She has an outstanding way of coaxing me into being able to do the dances. I have no step now. I couldn't dance a step if my life depended on it before the show. It's amazing how my coach can turn somebody like me around within the space of a week to be somewhat reasonable at dancing. A lot of the credit goes to her.” Carberry, widely considered one of the greatest amateur riders of all time, famously won the competition in 2022 after hanging up her saddle four years previously. Russell explained that, while he consulted Carberry before accepting the invitation to take part in the competition, nothing could have prepared him for the amount of work that goes into preparing for each live show. He said, “Nina was obviously very supportive of me because not only did she do it but she also won it. The rest of the lads were laughing at me. They thought it would be great craic of a Sunday evening watching me go and make an eejit of myself on National television. Thankfully, it's gone the other way around. Now they are tuning in on the Sunday night to see how I get on and to support me. But come here, I was on the same page as them when I started-I'm pleasantly surprised by how it's going but the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes is phenomenal.” One smoooooth start to the show 20 points for Davy and Kylee! #DWTSIRL pic.twitter.com/w5NpbXuI06 — DWTS Ireland (@DWTSIRL) February 4, 2024 What's making Russell's progression on the reality television series all the more impressive is that the Cork native is balancing practicing along with raising a young family and tending to over 50 horses on his farm. However, Russell admitted to being put to the pin of his collar at present and is desperately seeking a full-time worker to help out at the burgeoning National Hunt breeding and pinhooking operation. “It's very hard at the moment,” he said. “I have great help at home but it's not easy. This week took its toll because Edelle [Russell's wife] was away and I am down a member of staff on the farm. I'm actually in dire need of somebody coming on board. “We've 15 broodmares on the farm. All of them bar one are National Hunt-bred. On top of the 15 mares, we have their progeny coming through-foals, yearlings, two-year-olds and three-year-olds so we've well over 50 horses here. It's a full-time job in itself.” He added, “I had somebody working with me and they let me down. It seems to be a common theme in the industry at the moment. Nobody seems to have any regard for anyone and staff seem to just jump around. It's very hard to get somebody to stay in the one place. That's my experience anyway. I would love if somebody came to me and wanted to get involved in the place. Whether that was buying into a mare or pinhooking foals along with working here full-time, I don't know. I'd be open to whatever. Like, if I was getting a few quid on something, I'd love to see the person working for me get a few quid as well. So, I'm open to anything really.” Russell's Whitebarn Stud has enjoyed some decent paydays in recent times but few will top last year's result at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale when a Cima de Triomphe (Ire) gelding who was bought for just €5,500 on behalf of his kids rocked into €54,000 at the premier store sale. He reflected, “I had a great year. A lot of that would be down to Peter Vaughan of Moanmore Stables. I do a lot of work with Peter. My kids had an excellent year as well. They sold a Cima de Triomphe gelding for €54,000. They started off with two cows and we put them in calf. Out of that, Peter bought them a yearling and they sold him and got a few quid but nothing major, just a couple of grand profit. I gave €5,500 for the Cima de Triomphe horse for them in Osarus in France and then they got €54,000 for him at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale last year so they were over the moon with that.” Russell has also dipped his toe in the breeze-up game from time to time through his association with the Vaughans but it was a certain Siyouni (Fr) filly by the name of Expressiy (FR) who gave him one of his most memorable results in that sphere back in 2017 when selling for €260,000 at Arqana. “I am involved in the breeze-ups but my involvement doesn't extend beyond being an investor. Peter and Patrick Vaughan do all the work with the breeze-up horses. We bought a Bolt d'Oro horse in America last year and he seems to be going quite well. I had a lovely Not This Time horse last year but we just about wiped our nose with him at the Dubai Breeze-Up Sale.” He added, “It's very funny actually, I got a great touch with a Siyouni filly at Arqana a few years ago. I was heading out for a beginners' chase on a 10-1 shot at Kilbeggan as the filly was going through the ring. Lorcan Wyer [clerk of the course] was telling me to get a move on but, as this filly was rocking into €200,000, I told him I wasn't going anywhere. “She made €260,000 in the end. I had her with John Cullinan and I really enjoyed the experience. The filly [Expressiy] turned out to be okay, too, as she went and got black-type for Godolphin. I got down to post in time for the beginners' chase on Burndown (Ire) (Presenting {Ire}) and, while he could only finish third, it ended up being an enjoyable day!” The decorated rider, who partnered his first winner 25 years ago and will forever be associated with horses like Tiger Roll, Weapon's Amnesty and more, can be backed at 10-1 to win the competition outright. However, the aim is a simple one heading into this Sunday's performance: don't mess up. “I just don't want to f*** up,” Russell said. “I built my career on that mindset. I used to go to Cheltenham with one thing on my mind and that was to not f*** up. The only way of doing that is by putting in the work but it's a lot of work to do. “I have an awful problem learning the steps and then, when I learn the steps, I then have to put it to music and then you have to have your facial expressions ready as well. To do all of that in six days and then to walk out live on television and bang, get it out in one go, it's not easy.” He added, “All of my life, nothing ever made me nervous. Riding any horse in any of those big races never made me nervous. But the show two weeks ago, I have never felt nerves like that. I was shaking like a leaf. Maybe it was stepping into the unknown that made me nervous, I don't know. Thankfully this week was a bit more comfortable and I am starting to enjoy it now.” The post Davy Russell: ‘Nothing Has Made Me More Nervous Than Dancing With The Stars’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With a winter storm bearing down on the Philadelphia area, Parx was forced to cancel its live race card Tuesday. It was the sixth time the Pennsylvania oval has canceled racing due to weather this year. The post Parx Cancels Tuesday Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

“La vita è una combinazione di magia e pasta.” (Life is a combination of magic and pasta.) Such was the opinion of a man who should know, in Federico Fellini. And the great Italian director would surely have savored the slice of life, understood in those terms, now available in the heart of Woodford County, Ky. Because Vallozzi's restaurant, which recently opened in downtown Versailles, does not confine its excellence solely to the kitchen. This is a house of true pedigree and style, surely destined to become an institution of the Bluegrass, both for those blessed to live here and those of us who must settle for regular visits from farther afield. For while it may be new to this part of the world, there is nothing tentative or experimental about what they're doing at Vallozzi's in Versailles. Those clients whose own work is predicated on a faith in the “page” will be reassured to know themselves to be in the hands of a family whose flair for the restaurant business, one barely less competitive than the horse trade, has been tried and trusted across three generations. Meatballs, creamy polenta, ricotta, balsamic glaze | Catlyn Treadway photo Julian Vallozzi's grandmother started selling homemade gnocchi out of her Pennsylvania basement 69 years ago, prompting such demand that she soon opened a small restaurant in Latrobe. Assisted by her son Ernie, Julian's father, they moved to premises at Greenburg that have become a local byword for authentic Italian cuisine across four decades. Julian has already successfully expanded the family firm into downtown Pittsburgh and last September, having long been enchanted by the locality and made good friends here, contributed to the increasing culinary vitality of the Bluegrass by converting what was once the police station in the historic center of Versailles. And there is a corresponding confidence of touch to everything about this place: an eye for the magic, that is, as well as the pasta. Be in no doubt, Vallozzi and his team have absolutely prioritized “la cucina” as the principal object of the exercise. My companions, rotating every dish to be sampled as suited, scored every forkful with high or full marks across the board. But of course even this is only half the battle, when getting the rest of the experience wrong could unravel any amount of good work in the kitchen. As it is, the quality of the fare is admirably complemented by the ambience. The space is intimate but uncluttered. The service nailed that precarious equilibrium between attention and intrusion: ever alert and obliging, but with none of the ceremonious falsity that can stifle an atmosphere in more pompous settings. And actually much the same could be said of the music. I shouldn't think many people even notice it, but that's because it is not only scrupulously unobtrusive but also immaculately selected. At least that's how it struck me, the evening we were there, as one of a diminishing number who might recognise Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan from their own record collections! Fettuccine, venetian lamb ragu, roasted tomatoes, zucchini, gremolata | Catlyn Treadway photo Yes, I know: records are not how most people “consume” (ugh) their music nowadays, but perhaps that also indicates the kind of person, this reviewer included, for whom Vallozzi's can push at an open door. Because this is a venue with a nice touch of the old school. Not, as already indicated, in terms of formality but simply insofar as it's quite hard, nowadays, to find what used to be called “class”. That word can mean different things in different contexts. Suffice to say that when you're out with a bunch of nice people for an evening, it means that the vibe should be relaxed and unhurried, while assuring you that your needs will be observed and served to the highest standards. Of course, those needs start with what is set down between your knife and fork. And let's get one thing out there right away. You're not going to go home from Vallozzi's hungry. At the same time, however, they have mastered the perennial challenge of Italian cuisine, substantial as it tends to be. The art is to untether the volume by tenderness and flavor. (It's rather similar to the way Renaissance architecture gives a delicacy and lightness to stone, inherently the heaviest of materials.) Pasta dishes are the most basic measure of that aspiration, and here there's no mistaking a generationally honed instinct to float it from the plate. The stakes quality, in the pasta, naturally traces to the fillings and sauces. Of the several sampled by our party, the roasted pork agnolotti ($32) probably reached the winner's circle, its black garlic and truffle cream achieving a critical smoky lightness. (Much as a truffle hound would enjoy a median consistency—springy, not soggy or dry—in bounding along the forest floor!) The seafood similarly maintained a balance in its full-on combinations—try ziti ($34) with shrimp, octopus, mussels and smoked puttanesca, or lobster risotto ($50) with shrimp, scallop and roasted red pepper—while the pappardelle Bolognese ($30) met a more basic challenge in allowing the heavy livestock (beef, veal and pork) to stroll free. Next time I'm definitely going to try the roasted beet and goat cheese caramelle ($26), with what sounds a dashing combination of fennel, saffron butter and mint. But I'm presenting this all out of sequence, because we tried to do this the Italian way and treat the pasta as an intermediate dish between antipasti and main courses. And the opening salvo from the kitchen had been outstanding. The run for the roses here was octopus on grilled potatoes, charred shishitos, salsa rossa and chickpea puree ($20). This dish may not be for the fainthearted but it was superbly tender and given full rein by its supporting flavors. But the antipasti were black-type all the way. Arancini ($14), which can be heavy and greasy in the wrong hands, were spot on; calamari ($20) gave a pleasing way out for those daunted by the octopus; and the steak tagliata ($20) was almost rare and tender enough to ingest with a straw, brilliantly set against arugula, grilled sweet potatoes and, the coup de grace, a sunny egg! The more wholesome of our party fought back against all this flat-out indulgence with a couple of salads: the chopped ($12)—comprising pepperoncini, red onion, garbanzo beans, tomato, cucumber and Italian dressing—was applauded as fresh and crisp, and there was a warm endorsement for the fruity kick of dried cranberries in the kale ($12) with carrots, cauliflower, almonds, feta, albeit the quinoa content evidently proved a little more elusive than the tomato vinaigrette. Sea scallops, butternut puree, spaetzle, apples, golden raisins | Catlyn Treadway photo But you can see the problem brewing here. After all this on the first circuit, generously served and flavored as it was, few retained the stamina for mounting an assault on the deeper menu. The pizzas are apparently celebrated (though modestly priced at $14 to $16) and the steak tagliata antipasto gave total confidence that any bistecca would weigh in at full value ($65), whether 8oz center cut CAB filet mignon or 16oz prime strip. We will leave for another time the chicken saltimbocca ($32), promising as it sounds of a variation on the customary vitello; fans of the latter, meanwhile, can try to knock it out of the park with a 16oz veal chop parmesan ($70) with spaghetti, red sauce and provolone. Rallying gamely, however, we did share a couple of dishes that confirmed a similar expertise for surf as for turf: scallops ($52) sweetly elevated by butternut squash puree, spaetzle, apples and golden raisins; and salmon ($33) likewise made to sing by fennel, pancetta, brussels sprouts and fregola. And then, heroically, one or two in the party demonstrated the truth of the old principle that appetite can always renew for dessert. Their choice of those good old stand-bys, cannolis ($10) and tiramisu ($10), demonstrably met the standards of all that had gone before—with notes of subtlety reported, in both cases, within the necessary richness. Steak tagliata wtih arugula and fried egg | Catlyn Treadway photo Those may be staple desserts, but overall this felt like a strikingly ambitious “racecard”, its range matched by elements of uncommon creativity and innovation. That might feel like a gamble, in a small midwestern town, but of course the Thoroughbred brings plenty of cosmopolitan palates to this neighborhood; while it has been a work of decades for your hosts to hone a formula that could work anywhere. It was good to see Vallozzi's Versailles so busy on a midweek in February, due reward for the partners—who include a couple of familiar faces in our community, in Charlie O'Connor (of Ashford) and Jon Rabinowitz (valued service on the KHRC)—for their vision in introducing a top-class restaurant to a neighborhood where business is so often mixed with pleasure. If our own party somewhat overshot in ordering, then Vallozzi's will just have to become a regular so that we can work our way through the options at a more temperate rate. Because if you could only come here once, you might decide that Fellini had named one of his most famous films—8½—for the minimum number of dishes to which any single diner could reduce such an extensive and interesting menu. Vallozzi's, 108 Court Street, Versailles, KY 40383. (859) 682-5120. www.vallozzis.com The post A Taste of La Dolce Vite in Versailles appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The multiple Group winner Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation) will attempt to conquer another frontier with his first run in Qatar at the weekend. Having won races in Britain, France, Germany and Italy, as well as picking up prize-money and black type in Sweden, the Middleham Park Racing representative will make his four-year-old debut in Doha in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup at the Amir Sword meeting on Saturday, in a race worth more than £225,000 to the winner. Trained by Archie Watson, Brave Emperor has now won nine of his 15 starts, including the G2 Premio Vittoria di Capua as well as two Group 3 races in Germany and the G3 Prix Daphnis in Deauville. Middleham Park Racing's Tim Palin said, “He's the second top-rated for the race, he definitely deserves his chance and it's fantastic prize-money. “It's going to be the experience of a lifetime for the half a dozen owners going over. They've tasted success in Milan and Sweden, twice in Germany and in France as well.” Bred by Caroline Hanly and Sean Ronan from the Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) mare Roman Gal (Ire), Brave Emperor was bought as a yearling at Goffs UK by Robson Aguiar for £19,000. He is one of three Group 2 winners for his sire Sioux Nation and his top scorer by number of wins and prize-money earned in Europe, with a total haul of £321,288. Sioux Nation is also responsible for Helene Feeling (Ire), who has added four wins in Hong Kong to his two in Britain (under the name of Indian Dream) and now has earnings in excess of £1 million. Palin added of Brave Emperor, “We bought him privately as a two-year-old just before the breeze-ups. He's been an absolute revelation for us and everybody has experienced a fantastic journey with him. Hopefully he'll continue to acquit himself well on Saturday.” The post Brave Emperor Returns to Action in Qatar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

While the wait remains for an overdue Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) to foal for the first time, her little-known little brother is poised to fill the void when he makes his Victorian debut on Thursday. Five-year-old Affluential (NZ), who is by Zed out of Opulence (NZ) (Danroad), will have his first run for trainer John Leek at Pakenham after nine starts in WA, which reaped just two placings. While owner Bob Peters is hardly confident of victory in the 1600-maiden on Thursday night, he said the new campaign for his horse is a significant one as it could result in the longtime owner having his first-ever jumps starter. “This fellow is quite immature and he needed time,” Peters said. “He may not have a ton of ability so we might end up putting him over the hurdles. “I’ve never had one (jumper) before. I’ve sold a few that have gone on to become good hurdlers, so it would be a first for us. “I’d be surprised if he could win first-up, but he’ll get back – that’s his style. He gets back and runs on a bit, so we’ll see what happens.” As for Verry Elleegant, she is currently waiting to give birth to a Sea The Stars foal in France, but her part-owner Brae Sokolski said connections are not overly worried. “She’s still in waiting and she’s now three weeks overdue,” he said. “I was in contact late last week and at that point, she wasn’t even that close, but they are not concerned, so I am not concerned.” There will be one more chapter to the family story as the final foal of Opulence was purchased by Sokolski and a few regular partners for $260,000 as a yearling last year at Karaka. “Chris (Waller) is very buoyant about the horse,” Sokolski said of the two-year-old named So Suave (NZ) (Zed). “He is actually more forward than Chris expected and he thought he might even get him to a jumpout but he went shin sore last week, so we turned him out. “But he’s a horse that we’re very hopeful of.” View the full article

An expansion of Te Akau Racing’s Cranbourne base will prompt champion trainer Mark Walker to move to Victoria within the next 12 months. Walker confirmed that Te Akau has come to an agreement with the Cranbourne Turf Club to build 50 new boxes in 2024, taking the operation’s capacity at Victoria’s largest training centre to 70 horses. Ben Gleeson has been running the Cranbourne stable since it opened earlier in the racing season and from it, Imperatriz dominated the spring with three Group 1 victories. Walker’s training partner Sam Bergerson will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of Te Akau’s New Zealand base once Walker makes the move across the Tasman. Speaking from Melbourne, where he is overseeing the final preparations for Imperatriz’s first-up run in the G1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m), Walker said his move has been backed by Te Akau’s boss David Ellis. “I’m really happy with how the Cranbourne base has been operating,” Walker said. “With the challenge involved in it all – we’re going to build another 50 boxes – we want to have a serious presence here and I want to be around for that. “I was the one who initially said to David (Ellis) and Karyn (Fenton-Ellis) after we broke all the records (in New Zealand) last year that it was probably the right thing to do for our owners, for me to base myself in Melbourne. “I discussed it with them and they said that if I wanted to have a crack, they would back me. “Sam Bergerson came into the partnership this year and he’s going really well, so we’ll still have the partnership together and still have a big focus on New Zealand racing. “Instead of three weeks in New Zealand and one week here, it’ll be three-and-a-half weeks here (Melbourne) and a few days in New Zealand every month.” Meanwhile, modern technology has kept Walker up to date with how star mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) has been progressing, however there is nothing like seeing her in the flesh. A gallop at The Valley gallop was the last serious piece of work for Imperatriz ahead of the Gr.1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday where she is expected to meet seven rivals. It has been well documented that Imperatriz has been struggling in the hot conditions in Melbourne of late, but Walker and his Australian staff, headed by Gleeson, have adopted tactics in a bid to overcome that issue. A trip to the pool at the Cranbourne training centre each afternoon and the addition of some extra fans have helped Imperatriz remain calm. Walker trained in Singapore for 11 years where it was hot and humid every day, and while some ideas can be adapted, mostly a change in Melbourne’s weather will bring the best relief. “I’d been getting video updates on a regular basis and modern technology is pretty good, so I knew how well she was coming along,” Walker said. “So, I wasn’t too concerned. “It’s hot in Singapore every day whereas on Wednesday it’s dropping down to 20 degrees, so it’s quite a bit different. “It was a matter of getting some extra fans for her just to make her comfortable. Those seem to have work and she’s a lot more settled and swimming is part of her regular routine.” Success on Saturday would be Imperatriz’s fourth Group one win in her last five starts. She went through the spring undefeated, but Walker is not expecting Saturday’s race to be an easy assignment. “They certainly don’t give Group Ones away,” he said. “Anyone of those horses in the nominations could easily win that race on Saturday.” View the full article

Wexford Stables will be looking to continue their golden run when they head to Taupo on Wednesday. The Matamata operation will line-up three favourites on the six race card and are expected to kick-off the midweek meeting with a bang, with the Cliff Matson-owned three-year-olds Jungleland (NZ) (Tarzino) and Cupid’s Arrow (NZ) (El Roca) holding joint $3.30 favouritism with TAB bookmakers for the Placemakers Taupo (1800m). Tarzino gelding Jungleland was runner-up over a mile at Te Rapa last start, while Cupid’s Arrow posted two placings before running sixth at the same meeting. “Jungleland has been building really well. His last race was really encouraging,” said Andrew Scott, who trains the gelding in partnership with Lance O’Sullivan. “He lacked a bit of luck in his first two (starts), where he got back with bad barriers, but he is starting to put it together and he has continued to go the right way since his last race and has grown in confidence. He should be pretty hard to beat. “Cupid’s Arrow has lacked a bit of luck in her last two. She got caught three-wide in both of her last runs. Everything indicates that she should stay well tomorrow. She has got a wonderful constitution and she certainly deserves a win tomorrow.” Stablemate Geriatrix (Almanzor) will have a drop in class when he lines-up in the Pak’N Save Taupo (1400m), having last competed in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) where he beat just one runner home, but Scott said he had his excuses. “He didn’t handle the ground there at Ellerslie on Karaka Millions night. He had been away from the races for a fair while too,” he said. “But the run has tightened him up a lot. He is familiar with the track at Taupo, he has had the one start there and won well. If he brings a similar performance, he is certainly going to be right in it.” TAB bookmakers agree, installing the Almanzor colt a $2.50 favourite for his Taupo assignment. Wexford are also expecting a good showing from promising filly Tomodachi (NZ) (Tarzino) when she makes her debut in the Marsh Racing (1200m), for which she is a $3.20 favourite. “She is a really nice filly,” Scott said. “We have been educating her nicely at the trials and she stretched out well last time. “She might find the 1200m a little bit short and sharp, but once she gets out to 1400m and a mile, it is all in front of her, she is a really promising filly.” Looking ahead to the weekend, Scott is looking forward to heading north to Ellerslie on Saturday where Wexford will line-up a number of stakes chances. Mosinvador (NZ) (Vadamos) was runner-up to Ascend The Throne (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) at Te Rapa a fortnight ago and his connections are hoping he can go one better in the Gr.2 Eagle Technology Avondale Guineas (2100m), where he will be joined by stablemates The Weapon (NZ) (Shocking) and Monday Melody (Sniztel). “Mossinvador was really good in the Waikato Guineas. We think he has gone the right way, and he has improved with his first run over ground,” Scott said. “The Weapon was a bit unsuited to the ground on Karaka Millions night (when ninth in the TAB Karaka Millions 3YO). He looks like he can stay, and he worked really well this morning.” Wexford hold Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) aspirations with their Guineas contenders, a race they won two years ago with Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock), who on Saturday will contest the Gr.2 Eagle Technology Avondale Cup (2200m). “We think Asterix is about due to strike. He has got a hood on for the first time this preparation and he should run more competitively,” Scott said. The Matamata barn will also have a three-pronged attack in the meeting’s other feature race, the Listed SKYCITY Horizon Uncle Remus Stakes (1200m), courtesy of I’munstoppable (NZ) (Charm Spirit), Tanganyika (NZ) (Ace High), and Foxglove (NZ) (Savabeel). “Tanganyika was a wee bit unlucky last start, he hit the line well and we think he is up to Group company,” Scott said. “I’munstoppable has won her last two and she deserves a good crack at black-type. Foxglove has been finishing strongly in her last two runs and is another filly we have got a good opinion of. “Hopefully on the weekend we should have a good day.” Meanwhile, the stable’s star filly Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High) is enjoying some time in the paddock following her win in the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa last Saturday. “We have popped her in the paddock for a couple of days, she deserves a wee break,” Scott said. “She is safe and sound and we will make a call on her in the next couple of days.” View the full article

Six-time champion jockey sits 21 wins clear of Karis Teetan in the premiership and hopes Thursday’s meeting can kick-start a smooth remainder of the campaignView the full article

Danny Rolston is confident prospective buyers will be impressed with the 19 gallopers set to go under the hammer at Sha Tin on March 15View the full article

John Blackadder is intent on gaining some black-type for his mare Ears Back (NZ) (Jakkalberry) and will trek down to Ascot Park this weekend to ready her for her next stakes assignment. The five-year-old mare was fourth in the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge WFA (1600m) at Wingatui earlier this month, giving Blackadder the confidence to press on towards next month’s Gr.3 Valachi Downs South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton. With that race in-mind, Blackadder has aimed Ears Back toward Saturday’s Cruickshanks Pryde Southland Stakes (1400m), which he believes will ready her nicely for her Riccarton assignment. “She has come through her White Robe run well. The wet track got her in that last 100m, but I was very happy with the run,” Blackadder said. “The main reason I am taking her down there (Ascot Park) is to get a run into her before the Valachi Downs. “The way her racing pattern is at the moment, she has been going on the pace, so 1400m shouldn’t really worry her. “I have got Lisa Allpress on, which will be nice before she heads over to Saudi Arabia.” Allpress will also take the ride on stablemate Diamond Girl (NZ) (Rock ‘N’ Pop) in the ODT Southern Mile Qualifier – Summer Cup (1600m). “I have got the blinkers back on her this time and she is well. We will definitely look towards the final if she goes well, it is wonderful prizemoney for the South Island,” Blackadder said. The Rangiora trainer has also nominated Quick Story (NZ) (What’s The Story) for the Rating 65 2200m, Silver Cannon (NZ) (Power0 for the Rating 65 1400m, and First Lieutenant (NZ) (Per Incanto) for the Maiden 1200m. “Quick Story is dropping back from the Marlborough Cup so should be very competitive in that, she has been working well,” Blackadder said. “I was going for that Southern Mile with Silver Canon but she can’t get a mile, so 1400m is more her go. “And First Lieutenant is not a bad horse and he will be more competitive.” It will be long trip to the Southland meeting from his Canterbury base, but one Blackadder believes is well worthwhile. “It is a fair old trip down there but it is a great meeting, I love going down there and it is good to support them,” he said. View the full article

The latest fortnightly auction on gavelhouse.com has been given a black-type boost by the addition of quality racetrack performer Aromatic. The grey daughter of Sacred Falls carried the tangerine colours of Te Akau Racing to three Group wins and another six stakes placings in a career that spanned five seasons. “She’s been one of the most genuine mares that Te Akau has raced in the last few years,” Te Akau Principal David Ellis said. “I bought her for $160,000 as a yearling at Karaka, and she provided so many thrills for her owners throughout her career. “She showed a lot of ability right from day one, and we were always confident that she’d go on to win some good races. She did that, and one of the best things about her was that she just kept getting better and better with age. She had her best season as a six-year-old. “She’s a very correct mare with an excellent pedigree – she comes from an outstanding family. She has a lot of quality about her and built up a lot of value with what she did on the racetrack.” Aromatic was bred by Tony Rider and is out of the Group Three winner and Group One-performed Vickezzchardonnay, who is also the dam of the stakes-placed O’Reilly mare Splendido. Initially trained by Jamie Richards and later by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, Aromatic had 32 starts for six wins, 14 placings and $419,300 in stakes – almost three times what Ellis paid to buy her at Karaka in 2018. Aromatic showed bright promise from the beginning of her career, recording a win and two placings from her only three starts as a three-year-old and adding two further victories at four. But she hit her greatest heights as a six-year-old, winning the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m), Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m) and Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m). That standout campaign also produced placings in the Gr.3 Metric Mile (1600m), Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m), Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m) and Listed Staphanos Classic (1950m), and she was badly blocked in the straight when sixth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). “You just wish you had a stable full of horses like Aromatic,” Walker said after her Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes victory. “She’s just got the biggest heart and tries so hard, that’s the key to her. She absolutely has a heart of gold and gives her best every time she goes out.” The latest gavelhouse.com fortnightly auction boasts 63 Lots and is now open for bidding, with the first lot closing from 7pm (NZT) on Monday. View the full article

Polo and thoroughbreds have been the two biggest passions in Kit Brooks’ life, and this week he will combine the two when he competes in the NZ Polo Open in Clevedon, Auckland. Brooks is kept busy operating KB Bloodstock, his thoroughbred breaking-in, pre-training and ready- to- run business, but he always finds time to continue competing in the sport he loves. The Cambridge horseman has been involved with horses all his life and spent his formative years learning to play polo, a sport that has since taken him all around the world to play at the highest level. “I started polo when we moved to Cambridge in 2000,” he said. “I was lucky enough to work for the Clarkins, who are a big name in New Zealand polo. From there I went to England for their polo season for seven years, and then spent a few years playing in Australia. “Between times I have done quite a few international trips playing for New Zealand, which has been awesome.” During that time Brooks returned to play in New Zealand’s polo season, and has established a great record, particularly in the NZ Polo Open. “I have had a pretty good run. I think I have now won the Open seven times in the last 10 years,” he said. “The last four or five times has been with the same team, Team Tiger. It has been the one big tournament for me.” Thoroughbreds have played an integral role in Brooks’ polo career, and he believes they are the perfect breed for the sport. “They are just super athletes,” he said. “If you get a good one, they are really willing, genuine, and try really hard. They are fast, athletic and they can stop and turn as quick as anything. “New Zealand (polo) is predominantly thoroughbreds, but there are a few other breeds coming into it now. For me, I love the thoroughbreds.” As well as breaking in thoroughbreds for the racetrack, Brooks has also re-trained a number of off the track thoroughbreds as polo ponies, and he has got a kick out of his former breakers coming back to be re-trained for a career on the polo field. “All my polo ponies are off the track thoroughbreds that I have retrained myself,” he said. “A couple of those I have broken in to be racehorses and they have come back to me as polo ponies, which has been great. “I would have 30 re-trained racehorses for polo. I go through and try them and if they don’t quite suit polo then I rehome them to someone they are better suited to. “I sell quite a few of mine as well. I normally sell one or two of my better ones a year, which do well everywhere. I have sold quite a few to England and Australia over the last few years. New Zealand thoroughbreds are famous around the world for polo people, they love them.” While polo is more of a hobby for Brooks these days, he still enjoys competing alongside operating KB Bloodstock, which in recent years has entered the ready-to-run market. “We have been going with KB Bloodstock for a little while now, but we just keep getting busier and busier and growing the brand and doing more with that,” he said. “In the last few years, we have started the ready-to-runners and I have enjoyed doing that side of things as well.” Brooks is looking forward to competing in the NZ Polo Open this week, with action kicking off on Tuesday, with the final set to take place on Sunday at 3.30pm. For tickets and more information: https://www.nzpoloopen.com/ View the full article