Wandering Eyes

On the Aug. 25 episode of BloodHorse Monday, Griffin Johnson discusses his role in marketing the racing industry ahead of Sandman and Curtain Call's starts this weekend. Ted Nicholson previews the Kentucky Downs meet, which begins Aug. 28.View the full article

Far from the quaint countryside track of 15 years ago, Kentucky Downs in Franklin is preparing for its most lucrative and competitive meet yet, one that offers a record $41.7 million in purses over a seven-day period and features 18 stakes races.View the full article

Last week, Kentucky news outlet LEX18 reported the death of Kayseri, a University of Kentucky-bred mare who was shipped to Puerto Rico and ultimately euthanised after prolonged suffering. Her story is devastating – but sadly, not unusual. Kayseri stood in a shipping container for three days at sea, then raced far beyond the point of soundness. No one stepped in to retire her. In January, she was put down due to degenerative joint disease. The treatment of horses in Puerto Rico, throughout and after their racing careers, has been raised repeatedly by welfare advocates for years. This isn't a new problem; it's a longstanding one. But as media coverage intensifies, the U.S. racing industry is being forced to reckon with it in the public eye. And here's the truth: this Puerto Rico pipeline starts with us. Advocates in Puerto Rico, like Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare, are doing what they can. They intercept horses, nurse the salvageable back to health, and give peace to those beyond saving. But as CTA's Kelley Stobie says, “by the time horses arrive in Puerto Rico, they're normally already broken.” So, by the time a horse is standing on Puerto Rican soil, it's often already too late. The only meaningful solution is to stop sending them there in the first place. Every time a story like this hits the mainstream media, we're in the same position: needing to prove that progress is being made, with transparency and with urgency. Silence, or the comfort of distance, doesn't cut it. When we shrug at a sales ring or claim box and say, “there's nothing we can do,” we're choosing to look away. But there is plenty we can do, because this is an ongoing welfare issue – and a reputational risk – that demands structural change, not just damage control. So what can YOU do? If you're in a position of leadership in racing – as a breeder, trainer, owner, or sales company, here's the actionable steps you can take: Make your intent clear. If you haven't already adopted a code of conduct declaring your commitment not to sell horses into high-risk environments – such as jurisdictions with weak welfare oversight or known slaughter pathways – now is the time to draw a public line. Use contracts to document that intent. Every ownership transfer should include a contract stating that the horse is not to be exported to high-risk jurisdictions, shipped by sea or placed in vulnerable situations. Will some people sign and breach it anyway? Yep. But that's why point three matters. Don't repeat the mistake. If a buyer breaches the terms, that's on them. But if they come back and you sell to them again – that's on you. Twice is a pattern. Once you know a buyer is funnelling horses into danger, continuing to do business with them makes you complicit. Whether it's a claim, a sale, or a private deal – if they're still welcomed at your racetrack or in your sales ring, the problem isn't just the buyer. It's the system enabling them. Keep an eye on your horses, before they disappear. Puerto Rican buyers often target horses who have dropped in form, are on the vet's list, or are nearing the end of their racing careers in the U.S. That means the time to act isn't after they're gone, but while they're racing. Track your horses and know when their form slips, then check who's buying. If one of your horses does end up in Puerto Rico, Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare recommends using the Equibase Virtual Stable and, if needed, placing the horse on their Watchlist – especially if the horse is: Older (6+) Has a high number of starts Has a history on vet lists or known physical issues Has someone offering a home or financial support for repatriation If you're able to repatriate a horse, CTA can assist. The cost to return a horse from Puerto Rico to the mainland U.S. is approximately $7,000 per horse, and they can only be exported if the horse tests negative for piroplasmosis. If you're unable to offer a home or funding, CTA asks that you monitor the horse's performance and wait until it has five consecutive poor results before reaching out for support with escalation. This is where things can change, if we all play our part. While the system may be slow to move, the industry under it doesn't need to be. Breeders can ask tougher questions and track their horses. Trainers can put safeguards in place. Sale companies can take a stand on outcomes. Owners can be checking where their horses end up. We can't wait for someone else to fix it, instead it's about everyone doing what they can, where they can. Taking responsibility for the horses in our care – and keeping an eye on the ones that leave our care, even after their high value racing days are done. Progress doesn't start from the top, but in barns, in sales rings, and grassroots conversations. Because “there's nothing we can do” has never been good enough – and it doesn't reflect the industry we need to be. –Light Up Racing The post Letter to the Industry: Light Up Racing – When ‘There’s Nothing We Can Do’ Isn’t Good Enough appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By a unanimous voice vote, the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) Aug. 25 passed rules changes regarding the elimination of most coupled 1 and 1A pari-mutuel entries. The changes align with a proposal that the board had first advanced back in March. The new rules had passed through a mandatory public commentary period after publication in the New York State Register. According to a brief written by NYSGC general counsel Edmund Burns that had accompanied the changes when they were first proposed back at the Mar. 24 meeting, the changes were backed by the New York Racing Association, Finger Lakes racetrack, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “Those supporting elimination contend that loosening coupling rules would increase betting interest and handle,” that brief from the proposal stage stated. “[Supporters] state that less restrictive coupling rules have been implemented successfully in other racing jurisdictions, such as California, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, Maryland and others, and that race-integrity concerns can be addressed as they arise…” The NYSGC had last tweaked the coupling rules in 2015, at that time eliminating mandatory coupling in in any stakes race with a purse of $50,000 or more. The new language applies to races at every level, changing the wording in rule 4025.10 so the operative term got switched to “may” be coupled instead of “must.” The state steward would make the call on whether to couple or not, if, “in such steward's discretion, [the steward] finds it necessary in the public interest,” the new rule states. In the case of two horses that have the same individual present in the managing ownership of the horses, or that share a 25% commonality in ownership, or that share a common trainer, the proposed rule would allow for those horses to now be offered as separate pari-mutuel interests. But New York tracks shouldn't toss out those 1, 1A and 1X saddle towels just yet. That's because if more than two horses share common ownership or a common trainer, those horses shall be coupled, the new rules state. The post New York Uncouples Most Pari-Mutual Entries with Aim of Boosting Field Sizes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority is looking into any and all explanations for an uptick in equine fatalities in the second quarter of 2025 when compared with the same three months of 2024.View the full article

Not too many graded stakes winners are raised in the same paddocks as Arabian horses; even fewer can have done so in East Texas. But if it's the horse that makes the horsemen, then perhaps dealing with more than one breed teaches us that there may also be more than one way to get things done. Besides raising stock of both breeds at Centurion Stud, Eric and Randi Moreau-Sipiere also operate an international export service, principally to the Middle East and Europe. Their charges tend to fly in bays of three, and experience has yielded some unexpected solutions. “We have put Thoroughbred stallions in there with weanling Arabian fillies, one each side,” Eric says. “And when we do, they'll never start any trouble in the plane. These guys, 17 hands, they fall in love with those little fillies. We quarantine them together and they don't see them as a threat; they become their protectors.” The antecedents of recent GII Beverly D. Stakes winner Charlene's Dream might seem similarly unconventional: she's a Texas-bred daughter of Qurbaan, sold as a short yearling for $22,000. But her emergence suggests that we might all have things to learn from this farm. “I feel we've an interesting advantage, just in having so many horses come through here for export,” Randi points out. “We have access to every single bloodline that there is, between weanlings, yearlings, 2-year-olds, broodmares. So we get to see patterns, things we like and things we don't. And then we can focus on those things when we're in the market.” Clara Kelly, dam of Charlene's Dream | Courtesy Moreau-Sipiere Family Sure enough, in expanding their broodmare band at the Keeneland November Sale of 2016, they turned up something special as deep into the catalogue as hip 3656. Clara Kelly (War Front) had cost $350,000 in the same ring as a yearling and won a Belmont maiden the previous summer. She was the only foal of a mare by Unbridled's Song out of a Grade I winner. Yet they landed her for $12,000. “We could just see a lot of versatility, a mare that could go any direction you wanted,” Randi recalls. “Short, long, turf, synthetic, dirt. She came through the ring, a big strong mare by War Front, of course at his peak at that time, so with that physical, that structure, she just had a lot of things going for her if everything played out down the road.” Charlene's Dream is Clara Kelly's fourth foal. As already mentioned, she achieved a modest return at Keeneland in 2022; a marginal gain, at $35,000, back in the same ring that September; and none at all when sold on at two. But that not only shows the kind of bargains available at auction, but also the way Eric and Randi, in taking the longer view, are often prepared to depart from commercial orthodoxies. “At the sales, it's all about which sires are hot at that moment,” Eric says. “And Qurbaan was not hot. To be fair, Charlene's Dream actually had a tremendous amount of shows. Everyone said the same thing: she was beautiful, amazing, but nobody was willing to take a chance on the sire.” “She'd been tall and leggy, kind of gangly, as a youngster,” Randi says. “But she didn't ever go through the kind of ugly stage that some do, and just really matured well. She always had good bone, a lot of balance. Obviously she left us at a fairly young age but we started following her when she showed up at Golden Gate Fields. And then, after she came to the Midwest, it was: 'Wow, something special's going on here.'” When they had first ventured into Thoroughbreds, the cynics all told them to forget about racing. The only way to make the game pay was to feed the pinhook market. But they have come around to the view that more sustainable commercial gains can eventually reward the development of families; especially through the control of the variables available when retaining stock to race. Sure enough, Clara Kelly's juvenile daughter by Echo Town is exciting their trainer Jayde Gelner as she nears a debut at Remington Park and the current plan is also to retain her yearling, a filly by Thousand Words. “Everybody told us that we had to breed to sell,” Eric recalls. “So at first we kind of tiptoed that way. We bred to first-year stallions. In those days, their fees were not so expensive. And then a colt we sold for $35,000 turned around and made $450,000 as a 2-year-old. And a filly we sold for $10,000 won $500,000. So then we decided to sell a few every year, breeding commercially, and to race the rest. We just said, 'Hey, now it's time to do what we actually want to do.'” The model was underpinned by their familiarity with a parallel market in the Middle East; and nor are they squeamish, for certain matings, about persevering with the expense of new sires. “So this year we'll be selling weanlings by horses like Taiba, Gunite, Zandon,” Eric explains. “But for racing, we've bred to stallions, like Midshipman, Kantharos, Dialed In and Frosted, that might not be super-hot in the sale ring but that produce a tremendous amount of winners. It is strange that people don't support these proven stallions. Because the first-year stallions are crazy expensive now. Now it's the ones we already know to be good that cost less, which makes absolutely no sense. But it's where the market goes, and people are going to follow the market. So you just do things a little bit different, depending what you're trying to do with each mare. You kind of have to go all over the place, to hit the mark.” Charlene's Dream at Keeneland January | Courtesy Moreau-Sipiere Family Eric benefited from an upbringing of unusual diversity by the standards of the Thoroughbred industry. His parents raised a mixture of half-breds, Arabians and jumpers in France, until he and his family emigrated to near Houston in 1979. One day a horse-mad girl from Missouri, in her first job working with Arabian show horses, brought a mare across town to the Moreau-Sipiere farm. A more significant mating would result and, after spells in California and Iowa, Eric and Randi returned to Texas to establish Centurion in 2003. After five or six years, having developed a rapport with Thoroughbreds through the transport division, they bought a couple of mares and things snowballed from there. Now their 20 Thoroughbred mares double the Arabian herd. But their stock, as noted, are raised side by side. “We usually put the young together and they get along just fine, no problem at all,” Eric says. “To be honest, Arabians are much smarter. They can be a bit hyper, but they're the easier keepers: really tough and sound, much easier to maintain. We used to joke that they're like mountain goats, in their feeding and foaling. They race over the desert at 20/22kph for 10 hours! A Thoroughbred, doing that, would be dead in two hours. They're much more fragile.” In either case, they clearly share a thoughtful and attentive grounding. “We live here on the farm,” Randi emphasizes. “It's all hands-on. It's not like we come in, give a few orders, leave. We live with them every day, and that means you can adjust according to the little things that you learn. Clara Kelly is an easy-enough mare to live with, for instance, but she's got a little bit of attitude and the foals tend to pick up on that. You don't push the wrong button.” “But they've done a very good job with Charlene's Dream,” Eric says with enthusiasm. “After she didn't run so well, at Kentucky Downs last year, they turned her out for seven months. And she has come back as a monster. Most people won't do that. Unfortunately, I think the system forces horsemen to push those 2-year-olds, especially. And when you put young horses under stress, bad things happen. That's why so many horses are retired after only a few races. Sheikh Mohammed never wanted to race his Arabians until they were 4-year-olds. He has always given horses time to mature. But that's because he's a horseman.” Eric and Randi have great faith in the environment where they raise horses; and also in the benefits of cultural exchange, whether between breeds, or through their transport division. So if others might consider Como, Texas, an isolated backwater of the Thoroughbred industry, the other side of the coin is wide horizons and freedom from disease and overcrowding. As for the shipping, around every 45 days they run flights to Saudi Arabia, Dubai or Qatar, and at least monthly to Europe, everything from endurance or equestrian competitors to breeding stock. “We have a quarantine facility that lets us get acquainted with horses and their needs,” Eric explains. “And they also leave here in peak condition. We exercise them, and make sure they'll be ready to roll when they arrive, and won't need a month to recover.” “Knock on wood, we've earned a reputation for being able to handle difficult horses and get them there in one piece,” Randi adds. “I get them ready, and Eric has his crew that he flies with. Again, it just boils down to giving them time: figuring out the personality, so we can buddy them up.” But it's a resident mare that has now put them on the map. “We've made some good deals on mares,” Eric notes. “We bought one a few years ago, Debutante Dreamer (Proud Citizen) for $2,500 [KEENOV 2017]. Her yearling, who'd been sold for $9,000, became a graded stakes winner [Proud Emma (Include)] and was eventually sold for $1 million. “If you know what you're looking for, and sit there long enough, you'll find some very good physicals that don't cost too much. And if they're young, and by good broodmare sires like Bernardini or Speightstown, you have a chance that they will then go on and prove themselves. That's happening with several of ours now, with babies all of a sudden starting to step up to the plate.” Charlene's Dream winning the Beverly D | Charlotte Camp “We had a lot of calls about the mare after the Beverly D.,” Randi admits. “And yes, they make it sound tempting. But we're sitting on a good opportunity for some notoriety, some recognition. She's still young enough [13]. We could get a good price, but when are we going to have another one come around? Maybe there's a mare here that hasn't yet shown us what she can do. But that's part of it, too. You always look ahead–the next foal, the next race–and build from there.” As mares prove themselves, moreover, their covers are upgraded. Clara Kelly is in foal to Nashville, maintaining the Speightstown nick. And who knows what that foal might be worth, should Charlene's Dream happen to emulate the last Beverly D. winner, Moira (Ghostzapper), at the Breeders' Cup. The uncertainty is everything. It's a double-edged sword, of course, but it also gives everyone hope. “How many times do we see a horse sold for small money becoming a star?” Eric asks. “And then you'll see $1 million yearlings running in $10,000 claimers. That's because you cannot breed the heart, or train it. If a horse doesn't want to run, it won't run. Doesn't matter how good-looking it may be. I remember a football coach told me once, 'Not every kid that's six feet tall and 250 pounds can be a linebacker. If he doesn't have the heart, he'll never make it.' And I think it's the same with horses. “If every time you bred a Grade I horse to a Grade I horse, you got a Grade I horse, it would be awfully easy. And awfully boring. But it doesn't work that way. And that means anyone can come in and take a chance.” The post Keeneland Breeder Spotlight: Dream Result Rewards Centurion Versatility appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The program “Students to the Starting Gate”, an initiative tied to the donation of 500 backpacks containing essential school supplies to community-based organizations serving families in Queens, Nassau and Saratoga Counties, has been launched by the New York Racing Association, according to an organization release Monday. Beginning Tuesday, Aug. 26, NYRA staff and Saratoga's, Gallop, will visit Saratoga City Center at 5 p.m. to help distribute backpacks and school supplies to students at the 2025 Salvation Army Back to School Expo. Downstate, NYRA provided students in the Elmont Union Free School District in Elmont, NY, with backpacks during an event on Aug. 9 organized by the Jamaica Square Improvement League. “New backpacks can help children feel confident, especially when they pick it out themselves, which they do,” said Claudine Hall, President of the Jamaica Square Improvement League. “This program is helping to make a difference in the lives of a lot of students and their families.” In addition to the Salvation Army, NYRA is donating backpacks to communities and non-profit organizations including: Showing Hearts Foundation (Queens County) Corinth Central School District (Saratoga County) Mechanicville Area Community Services Center (Saratoga County) Gateway Youth Outreach, Inc. (Nassau County) Franklin Community Center (Saratoga County) Universal Interactions (Nassau County) Prior to the conclusion of the 2025 summer meet on Labor Day, Sept. 1, NYRA will provide special offers on tickets and hospitality at Saratoga during the final week of the summer meet, Wednesday, Aug. 27 to Monday, Sept. 1. The post NYRA’S ‘Students to the Starting Gate’ Kicks Off in Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's 2025 Second Quarter Metrics Report was released Monday, according to the organization Monday. The report offers a detailed analysis of key performance indicators tied to the safety and integrity of Thoroughbred racing in the United States. Between Apr. 1 and June 30, racetracks operating under HISA's rules reported 1.24 racing-related equine fatalities per 1,000 starts, up from 0.76 fatalities per 1,000 starts reported during the same period last year. Providing a broader context for quarterly fluctuations, the nationwide racing-related fatality rate was 1.06 per 1,000 starts for the first half of 2025 and was 1.02 per 1,000 starts for the last 12 months as of June 30, 2025. Of the racing-related fatalities recorded this quarter, 85% were attributed to musculoskeletal causes, 13% to sudden death and 2% to other causes. HISA already has observed several issues that may have contributed to this rise in fatalities, including: Data from HISA's digital decision-support tool, HISA CHECKv, revealed an increase in several risk factors among affected horses, including long layoffs before return to racing, history of Shock Wave Therapy, repeated unsoundness and joint treatments and prior injuries. HISA also observed a rise in the relative percentage of fatalities involving the fetlock. These injuries, often the result of accumulated microdamage, accounted for over 75% of musculoskeletal racing-related fatalities in the second quarter of 2025, up from approximately two-thirds in 2024. Researchers on HISA's Exercise Associated Sudden Death Working Group found some racehorses had atrial fibrillation at rest and during exercise, leading to fatal heart arrhythmias. While historically considered performance-limiting but relatively benign, this finding suggests that early detection through routine heart screenings could help prevent sudden deaths and improve safety outcomes. While this quarter reflects an increase from the racing-related fatality rate reported during the same quarter last year, the rate is a 16% decrease from the 1.48 fatalities per 1,000 starts recorded in the second quarter of 2023–HISA's first year of data collection. As data collection and analysis become more advanced, they are enabling more targeted interventions to address areas of concern and improve outcomes across the sport. “Progress isn't always linear and it doesn't happen passively–it takes discipline, a commitment to transparency and a shared daily focus on doing what's right for our horses and our sport,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “Now is the time for every stakeholder to step up. Safety is a non-negotiable priority. The future of Thoroughbred racing depends on our collective will to embrace change and to adapt to improved standards across the industry.” “Our team continues to work closely with stakeholders to strengthen track safety,” said HISA Director of Racetrack Safety Ann McGovern. “Through the creation of our Racing Office Advisory Group and Medical Advisory Committee, we've opened new lines of communication with horsemen and medical professionals to better protect both racehorses and jockeys.” At the racetrack level, nine tracks improved their year-over-year racing-related fatality rates in the second quarter, and four tracks recorded a 100% decline year over year–including Turf Paradise in Arizona, a facility that collaborated with HISA over several months to institute practices designed to reduce equine fatalities. During the second quarter of 2025, racetracks reported 0.52 training-related fatalities per 1,000 workouts. Of these, 80% were attributed to musculoskeletal causes, 16% to sudden death and 4% to other causes. In total, 28,707 unique Covered Horses recorded either a published workout or a start in a Covered Race during the first half of the year. Combining racing and training fatalities, the fatality rate for the Covered Horse population stands at 0.36%. The full 2025 Second Quarter Metrics Report is available here. The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit will also publish a separate quarterly report detailing metrics from the Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program. The post HISA Publishes 2025 Second Quarter Metrics Report appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Live racing returns to Laurel Park Sept. 5. The 52-day fall meet features the 40th edition of the Jim McKay Maryland Million, premium live events throughout the season, and a bettor-friendly 12% takeout on "Value Pick 5" wagers.View the full article

As the meet opens Aug. 28, Kentucky Downs will be using a new timing mechanism born from a strategic partnership between McLloyd-and StrideSAFE.View the full article

Brad Cox is native son of Louisville, Kentucky and proud of it. He also never goes anywhere without his trademark blue and white Brad Cox baseball cap. Career dreams? Of course he has them. One of these days, he might even take a vacation. Brad sat down with the TDN's Tim Wilkin to talk about that and a whole lot more. Here is the final installment of the Saratoga Q&A TDN: You grew up two blocks from Churchill Downs, correct? Brad Cox: That is correct. TDN: And you got a love for racing very early. BC: Yes. I was always a fan of racing. I grew up a fan, grew up around it. I love horse racing. I tried to take in as much as I could at an early age. TDN: When did you realize this is what you wanted to do? BC: Probably in high school. I played basketball, baseball. I just kind of grew bored with it. I was more focused on the races. I thought it was something I would try to pursue because I loved it; I enjoyed it. I knew early on it was something I wanted to do. TDN: How would you describe yourself as a high school basketball/baseball player? BC: Not as good as I thought I was (laughs). I always had big dreams, be it baseball or basketball or horse racing. I was always a big dreamer, and I am still a big dreamer. I dream about winning some big races and we have been very fortunate to win a lot of big races. That is why you get up and do this every day. You want to acquire good horses and produce for your clientele, and it is very gratifying when you can win at a very high level. TDN: The Breeders' Cup in 2020. You won four races over the two days. Is that the personal highlight so far for you? BC: That was a big weekend, obviously. Listen, so far, I feel like we have had a great career. I always use we because it's a team effort. We have had a great run; we have had a lot of great moments. I think the biggest takeaway from 2020 was probably Monomoy Girl winning her second Distaff. She won her first one in 2018. For her to go on the shelf (for 18 months because of a mild case of colic and then a pulled gluteal muscle) with no racing, I thought that was a helluva job by our team to not only get her back but for her to compete at that level and to be undefeated that season was one of the better training jobs that we have had. That was amazing. TDN: And then in 2021, the Breeders' Cup was kind to you again (Knicks Go won the Classic and Essential Quality was third; Juju's Map was second in the Juvenile Fillies, and he won his second straight Eclipse Award for top trainer). BC: Knicks Go. That was a big year. TDN: I know this is not really a fair question, but do you have a favorite horse you have trained? BC: Essential Quality was special. We have had nice horses, but he acted like he was really special from the start. When you have one that acted as gifted as he did and then see it in the afternoon … for him to stay sound and stay in training and stay with us from the time he arrived as a 2-year-old from Niall Brennan until the time he was retired … he was in training, in our barn, in our care for well over a year and a half. For him to bring it every time you led him over there was special. The year (2021) he was third (elevated from fourth after the subsequent disqualification of Medina Spirit in the Kentucky Derby) I thought he was the best horse in that crop that year. He showed that winning the Belmont and the Travers. And Monomoy Girl was very special. Knicks Go was very good. Some of his races were some of the more dominant races–the Whitney, when he was five and the Dirt Mile when he was four were two of his better performance. We had a lot of good ones. Essential Quality winning the Belmont | Sarah Andrew TDN: I ask this question to everyone I do these things with. If there was a movie made about your life and you could pick the actor to play you, who you got? BC: Hmm. I am not a big movie guy. I have always liked Robert DeNiro. If there was a movie about me, it would be really boring (laughs). Same thing every day. TDN: I mentioned this to you after Essential Quality's Belmont. Earlier in the day, you did not have your baseball hat on. You always have the hat on. Is that a lucky thing for you? BC: (laughs). It's a bad hair thing! I just wear a baseball cap. Always have. On occasion I don't, but It's me. It's what I do. TDN: How cool is it to have your sons involved with you? (Bryson was a former foreman for his dad at Churchill Downs and is now a jockey agent; Blake is an assistant for his dad). BC: Blake runs the show at Saratoga. He looks after a string in the winter at Payson and he'll be heading there again this year. He does a great job, and he will train on his own someday. I am excited about the day he does his own thing. We might have to run against each other for a while and I look forward to the day when we are competing against each other. It's exciting for me to think what he will accomplish. He is a great horseman and his attention to detail is great. TDN: How old is Blake now. BC: Twenty-four. TDN: If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be? BC: My dad would be No. 1. Since he passed away in 2016, I know we have accomplished a tremendous amount, and I think he is seeing it, watching it. It would be real cool to sit down and talk to him about it. Another would be Charlie Whittingham. I would like to pick his brain on how things were done years ago. And let's go with Michael Jordan. Growing up, I idolized him being a fan of basketball. The greatest basketball player of all time. It would be interesting to have a conversation with him. TDN: How often are you on a plane? BC: Wintertime and summertime probably a bit more than in the spring and the fall. Probably weekly in the wintertime. You travel a good bit between Louisiana, Florida and Arkansas. Spring, when Keeneland and Churchill gets started, not quite as much. When Saratoga gets started there are a lot of trips from Kentucky to New York in the summer. TDN: Do you get sick of flying or do you like it? BC: If it goes smooth, I don't mind it but if there are any delays, it's about as bad as it gets. TDN: Have you had some bad ones? BC: No, I use Stretch as my travel agent. Walter “Stretch” Johnson. All the jocks know him and a lot of the trainers know him. He's the best. TDN: I am sure this is going to be an easy one for you. Your favorite racetrack. Churchill, right? BC: Yes. Churchill. Keeneland. They are my two favorites. I love going to Santa Anita. I think it is probably one of the most beautiful sports venues in racing. Maybe the most beautiful sports venue, period. I like Del Mar. I like Saratoga, but Churchill and Keeneland are my two favorites. TDN: You have a Kentucky Derby win (Mandaloun, who was declared the 2021 winner in February of 2022 after the disqualification of Medina Spirit) but it wasn't the way you wanted to win it. BC: No. Not at all. That is the No. 1 race. If we cross the wire first–and I think we will one of these days–I am very hopeful that we will and turn our attention to winning it again. It's the toughest race to win by far; its' not even close. It's the only race in America where we run more than 14 horses, and you have to stack up and beat 19 of them It's a tough race. There is a lot of luck involved. Mandaloun | Sara Gordon TDN: You have good horses coming into your barn all the time. When do you really know that you have a good one? What do they tell you? BC: At the end of the day, it's up to them. It's nice to form opinions of horses … you think you have a good horse just based off the training. You've got to get a couple races into their career before you really find out what you have. We have had a lot of horses that we liked, that won first time out, received big figures and we thought they could be Grade I horses, and they just don't go on for whatever reason. And then there are horses that don't show us near as much in the morning that are much better in the afternoon. Several Grade I winners that were horses we thought were decent but if you told me before they started, they were going to win a Grade I, I would have had a hard time seeing it. When you get as many horses as we do, and you have seen what we have seen, and the experience we have with so many horses, you learn a lot. There's a lot of different ways to develop horses and it's like trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. TDN: When is the last time you took a vacation? BC: I have yet to take one this year, I can tell you that. (laughs). Went on a golf outing after the Keeneland September Sale last year. A group of us went and played golf for three days. That was the last vacation. TDN: Where did you go? BC: Ruston, Louisiana. Squire Creek Golf Course. TDN: I bet you still called the barn. BC: Every day. You always have to stay on top of it. For me, peace of mind, being able to talk to the assistants and going through the horses. It's how we do it. TDN: Do you have a favorite sport other than horse racing? BC: Football and basketball are probably my two favorites. TDN: Pro or college? BC: College football but I do like the NFL. I root for Kentucky, but I like the SEC. It's a fun conference to watch. I try to watch the games on Saturdays, but we race most of the time. TDN: How jazzed up do you get for the big race days? This is a 24/7, 365-days a year job. How hyped up do you get for the big days, like Travers Day, Derby Day? BC: It's exciting, leading up to the Kentucky Derby or Travers weekend or Breeders' Cup weekend. It's a lot of work. Look, if you are in one of these races and you are one of the favorites and you really think you've got a chance, it's about as good as it gets. If you're 100-1 it might not be quite as exciting (laughs). When you are in a big race and you have a chance, when the last horse loads and they break, it's why you do this. TDN: Would you call yourself a funny guy? BC: Maybe around some people (laughs). I think I am fairly serious when I am at the barn and training. I'm trying to pay attention to the horses and staying focused. Sometimes, away from the barn, I'll crack a joke here and there. Monomoy Girl | Horsephotos TDN: How many horses do you have right now? BC: We're around 180. Saratoga, Kentucky and Indiana. TDN: I have asked this to other trainers. How do you keep track of all of them? What's the system? BC: Everyone has their own system. I use my iPad for PPs and figures and all that stuff. In regard to my training charts and my condition books, I write everything down. I try to do all my entries. Line up all my jocks myself. It works for me. Everyone says, 'how do you keep up?' I'm not going to say it's all I do, but it's time consuming. But I love it. I like being on top of it. I like what's going on with each horse and I've got great assistants giving me the information. One thing I tell my assistants I think any of them would vouch for this. I need to know the bad news. I don't always need to hear the good news. I need to hear the bad news so I can make the moves to try and fix the situation or the issue. TDN: You don't have many free hours in a day, do you? BC: There are days that are a little more demanding. But there are days that, that maybe in the afternoons, you can chill out a little bit and decompress, I suppose. TDN: You said you play golf. Are you good? BC: No, not at all. It is something where you can spend four hours … I wouldn't say totally get away from racing … I played 18 holes last week and I think I had to watch two or three races on my phone. When I am away from it, I miss it, I can tell you that. TDN: If you had one stall open in your barn and you could put any horse from history in it, who would it be? BC: I guess the easy answer would be Secretariat, right? That was well before I was alive. Knowing what he was able to accomplish, it would be cool to see what it was like, being around him. TDN: Do you have a nickname? BC: I can't say I do. I probably do around the barn. Me and a couple riders call each other Jefe, which is Spanish for boss. I guess that is it. TDN: Are you an easy guy to work for? BC: Yes. I do. I think I am. It shows with the people that have worked for me and how long they have been with me, and I take pride in that. It means a lot. The post Saratoga Q & A: Brad Cox appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After having a bone chip removed following her runner-up finish in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), Legion Racing's Drexel Hill is back on the worktab for trainer Whit Beckman.View the full article

DONCASTER, ENGLAND – Tilly and Hannah Marley, the daughters of renowned pinhooker, breeze-up consignor and pre-trainer Roger, are the newest names on the consigning block at Goffs and will be bidding to get MG Bloodstock [Marley Girls] off to a flying start with its three-strong draft at this week's Premier Yearling Sale. The Marley girls have already proved themselves a chip off the old block when their Ubettabelieveit pinhook turned a profit of 50,000gns when selling to Richard Hughes on behalf of Jaber Abdullah at last year's Somerville Yearling Sale. That filly turned out to be dual winner Sayidah Hard Spun, who now boasts a rating of 86 and is a good advertisement of what the young girls are capable of. From their corner in barn A, which was a beehive of activity on Monday, Hannah simply said, “We're feeling quite cool, calm and collected at the moment. We are very lucky to have Dad as our right-hand man and to guide us in the right direction. He answers every question that we have and, to be honest, we wouldn't be able to do this without him.” Tilly added, “I feel like we are in the very same position as when Dad is consigning. The only difference is that it is our name over the door.” The money earned from last year's pinhooks has allowed the Marley sisters to speculate again. They will be hoping lightning can strike twice with their Ubettabelieveit colt [lot 330], who was picked up for 11,000gns as a foal, and with their Sergei Prokofiev filly [348], sourced for the same sum. Meanwhile, the Minzaal filly [310] has been sent to the young consignors on behalf of a client. Tilly explained, “We did well with a Ubettabelieveit filly at the Somerville Sale at Tattersalls last year. She sold very well – 12,000gns into 62,000gns – and went on to win twice for Richard Hughes so she is a good flag-bearer for us to have. We put that money straight back into foals and now here we are.” Tilly, 21, has spent a summer working in France at Henri Bozo's Monceaux Stud while Hannah, 23, has gained experience with Coolmore, Paul Shanahan and has ridden out for Richard Hughes. There is no such thing as pre-sale nerves here and, one thing is for sure, the Marley Girls are going to have a lot of fun win, lose or draw. Hannah said, “We are heavily-involved in the running of the farm at home and do all of the breezers with Dad under Church Farm. This is just our own little side hustle! The name MG Bloodstock is very original! We were just throwing names out there and thinking how we would like to go about it MG Bloodstock is the one that stuck.” Tilly concluded, “Hopefully we will have a bit of luck and we have chosen the right horses for the right sale. From there, it's out of our hands. We have been very busy so far. Obviously we had Arqana last week but not everybody goes there. This is the first British yearling sale of the season and it feels as though everyone is here and it seemed as though a lot of buyers were eager to get in here this morning and to get on with it.” The post ‘It’s Our Little Side Hustle’ – Marley Girls Newest Names To Consigning Ranks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

We've seen ebullient yearling markets in Japan, America and France so far this year and now Britain enters the fray with what for many is a favourite sale of the year. No matter how long it has now been Goffs UK, the sales company formerly known as Doncaster Bloodstock Sales (DBS) will always be Donny. More confusingly for those who are not aware of its history, it will always have its roots in the Scottish Borders rather than Yorkshire, but that's a story for another day. Donny is Donny, and this week it's where it's at. Henry Beeby, the group chief executive of Goffs, says, “When we changed the brand, Peter Doyle said, 'Oh, it won't be Doncaster anymore.' And I said, 'It's only the company we've changed, not the name of the town.'” It's not just Goffs UK which has Scottish heritage. Beeby is a son of Hawick and is these days a GB export to Ireland, the true Goffs heartland. He's back where it all started for this week's Premier Yearling Sale (or, more correctly, just across the road from where it all started) but in his mind the countdown is also on to the company's premier Irish sale, the Orby, which kicks off in a month's time. Two countries, two sales, two distinct identities, but with a team that unifies them, as well as an impressive array of graduates from each venue this season. To pluck just two, Power Blue, the G1 Phoenix Stakes winner, is perhaps the typical 'Donny Rocket' (I had to, I'm sorry), while treble Oaks winner Minnie Hauk exemplifies the profile of horse for which the Orby cataloguers strive. As a daughter of Frankel from the family of Kingman, and a stunning individual to boot, Minnie Hauk duly topped the Orby Sale of 2023 at €1.85m, while Power Blue, who became the first juvenile Group 1 winner of the year, and the first for his sire Space Blues, was a more reasonable £44,000. “The horses you want for Doncaster, nearly forget about the page, it's all about the individual,” Beeby says of the selection process. “Now, maybe all sales should be about the individual, but originally we couldn't get access to the pedigrees. But it slowly but surely builds up.” The six-time Group 1 winner Laurens is a fine example of what can be found at Doncaster, and Beeby is equally proud of another famous graduate. “It's a sale that has a very strong identity. You don't come to Donny and ever wonder what the horses will look like. We're proud of the fact that when you come to Donny, whatever it says on the page, you're going to find a good bunch. “I rejoice in the fact that one of the hottest stallions at the moment, Wootton Bassett, was a Donny yearling and he won our sales race – a race that's also produced Acclamation, Dark Angel, Tasleet. It punches well above its weight.” Beeby admits that having to compete with the might of Tattersalls can be energising, but he says, “The frustration for us in Donny is that the world has become so Newmarket-oriented, and that's not a criticism, because there's lots to recommend the other place. But the market thrives on alternatives. “I'm going to talk to a number of vendors in the next couple of weeks and say, 'Look, you've got some nice horses coming to us. I know because I've seen them or Nick [Nugent] has seen them. Put your head above the parapet and say, we've got a lot of nice horses this season.' Maybe we're oversensitive, but it is a frustration for us that sometimes people say, 'Well, Newmarket is coming.' I would be a believer in, whether it's horses or anything else, buy what you see.” He continues, “Again, no criticism of anybody else, [Tattersalls] is a wonderful place, wonderful sales and the other team do a great job, but we do too. We've had a treble Oaks winner this year, a couple of Royal Ascot winners, we're giving away a million quid's worth of bonuses, and we've made a concerted effort to go round a lot of the major stud farms in Ireland and have said, 'If you want there to be a vibrant market, there needs to be two [sales companies].' This year's Orby catalogue includes the sister to Charles Darwin and Blackbeard. Another of their full-siblings, Run Away, topped the sale back in 2022 when sold for €2.6m. “I have rarely seen a nicer yearling. She's a supermodel,” Beeby says. “And Kirsten [Rausing] has the most delightful Frankel. Ballylinch have got a lovely draft, including Saffron Beach's sister. What we're presenting to the market is a world-class selection of horses that would grace any catalogue, in Europe or anywhere else. We're saying to the purchasers, get ready.” Fifty Not Out The Goffs sales complex at Kildare Paddocks turns 50 this year and it will be welcoming to its midst Orby first-timers and British-based consignors Highclere Stud and Barton Stud. “I hope they sell well and are encouraged to do more of it,” says Beeby. “You should always spread your risk. There's very few Pat O'Kellys in the world. She had a small, concise draft every year. If you go to Camas Park, or Yeomanstown, or Tally-Ho, or Staffordstown, or wherever, they could be showing you 40, 50, 60 horses. They're not going to send them all to us, and probably nor should they. “But I think we will build on trying to get overseas horses to come and, if you like, swim against the tide, because everything's in place and the currency difference is negligible. You can stand out and the Orby Book 1 is a concise two-day sale, then we have Orby Book 2. You can pack a good bunch of horses in the four days and people are there, they like working it, the bonuses apply and the [Goffs] million applies to both books. “We've given away £500,000 in bonuses in England this year already, and we've got a couple more to give away in Ireland. This is the second year, but it's the first year people have really paid attention and targeted races.” The bloodstock business is of course as much about people as it is about horses, and Beeby stresses the need to work closely with breeders and vendors in compiling the catalogue in the first place. Just as there are horses for courses, so are there horses for sales. “I can categorically say we don't make the decision before we go to the field,” he says. “We would try not to pigeonhole horses, but by the same token, when you're in said yard or field, I will often say, 'That's a real Donny horse.' “But the selecting of yearlings is very much about working with the vendor. Most vendors of experience will say, I'm thinking of this sale. They're normally right. Our challenge is to go and say, 'But what's that?' “We zone in on that horse who might be going to Book 2 and if we think it's really smart and looks like a two-year-old we'd say, 'Wouldn't you think about Doncaster?' But really you're working with the vendor, and you're really trying to persuade the vendor to give you as good a crack at the whip as you can get.” A concern for some smaller operators is how hard it can be to get a yearling into a sale. That said, the widely reported drop in foal numbers in Britain, Ireland and beyond, may ease that situation in the coming years, but how much is that shrinkage of the pool of Thoroughbreds a worry for the sales companies? Beeby says, “It's not that it's not of concern, but in my time I've seen that it's a very cyclical business. Things rise and fall, ebb and flow. “I worked my first sale in 1978 and it seems to go in seven-to-10-year cycles, and it's only a question of how high the peaks are and how low the dips are. Obviously, the financial crash was the worst one of my career. Covid looked like it could be and we actually managed Covid quite well, all of us.” He continues, “Britain and Ireland have a strong international reputation, and it's also hooked into the psyche. That's the great thing about the bloodstock business in Britain and Ireland: it's largely populated by lifetime professionals, whatever their area of expertise may be, who all say 'I love my job, it drives me bonkers, but I couldn't imagine doing anything else.' “What gives me great heart is seeing how many young pinhookers turn up at the Goffs November Foal Sale every year. I worry that you don't have the same depth of that in England, so that's a concern.” Yorkshire Stampede In England this week, however, there appears to be something of a gold rush feel already at Doncaster. Our man on the ground there is Brian Sheerin, and his verdict on Monday morning was that when he attempted to start his rounds at Barn A it was like lining up for the start of the Grand National. “There are a lot of challenges in England and Ireland and worldwide, but there's a lot of reasons to be optimistic too,” says Beeby, who is never not outwardly optimistic, but then nobody wants a pessimist in charge of a sale. “Saratoga and Japan would make you very optimistic from a bloodstock selling point of view. And there's huge overseas investment going on from the big entities.” A positive start to the yearling season in Britain will be welcomed all round, but nowhere more so than within the Goffs board room. “Look at the record of Donny, with the July Cup winner [No Half Measures] and the Phoenix winner just recently. That demonstrates what's here at Donny, so miss it at your peril,” warns Beeby. “But also, from an Orby point of view, we've got a catalogue that I know is packed full of horses that are the measure of any. And I'd like to ask people to give us a fair crack of the whip, whether it's vendors or purchasers. Work the sale, work the catalogue, and buy what you see, not what's left.” What could be in front of you this week is another Weatherbys Super Sprint winner, like Anthelia, who cost her trainer Rod Millman £6,000 this time last year. He can add a few noughts to the end of that now. Or Tadej, a £65,000 purchase who won the G3 Prix de Cabourg in August for Archie Watson, or Jm Jungle, a £46,000 buy four years ago who has won in every racing season since then and is producing his best work at the age of five. And let's not forget, she may have returned whence she came, but Lady Iman was also on the Doncaster sales grounds last year. These, among others, will all have been shouted home by the Goffs team with gusto this season, along with Saturday's G2 Debutante Stakes winner, the Orby graduate Composing, or another from the same sale, Lifeplan, who landed the G2 Gimcrack Stakes just 24 hours earlier. Beeby says, “Sometimes people ask why we say 'our horses'? It has nothing to do with us, we know that, but just because we've held them in our hands for about two minutes we feel a link to them for the rest of their careers. We love them.” Passion. It's what this game is all about. The post ‘Get Ready’: Henry Beeby on the Diverse Delights of Donny and the Orby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Librado Barocio lost all control when 18-1 Lovesick Blues earned an improbable triumph in the July 26 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar to land an automatic berth in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) there Nov. 1.View the full article

Group 2 winner Green Impact will miss the rest of the season after picking up an injury at York, according to trainer Jessica Harrington. Successful in the G2 Champions Juvenile Stakes, the son of Wootton Bassett won the Listed Glencairn Stakes this June after running sixth in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. He was sixth in the G1 Irish Derby to Lambourn (Australia), and was most recently fourth in the G2 York Stakes at York last week. “Green Impact won't run again this season. He got an injury in York,” said Harrington. “He'll be back next year.” Another Harrington trainee, the G1 Futurity Trophy Stakes hero Hotazhell (Too Darn Hot) has multiple options for the remainder of his season. Third in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas to open his year in May, he was fifth in Sandown's G1 Eclipse Stakes in July and was a close fourth in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational in the U.S. on August 2. “We're waiting with Hotazhell and he could run at the Irish Champions Festival, he could go to France and there is also British Champions Day,” said Harrington of her charge, who prefers some give in the ground. “We'll run him when we get suitable ground.” The post Injury Rules Out Green Impact For The Year appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Le Soleil (Vercingetorix) (lot 47) topped the Bloodstock South Africa August 2-Year-Old Sale when selling for a record R4 million (€194,492) to Jono Snaith of Snaith Racing. The juvenile colt is out of former champion Clouds Unfold (What A Winter) and was consigned by Drakenstein Stud. Snaith said, “This young colt turned heads the moment he stepped out of his box. He possessed a commanding presence and carried himself with the authority of a true 'meneer'.” He also secured two other colts and a filly for over R1-million apiece–all by Rafeef–and in doing so topped the buyers' table with eight lots purchased for a total of R9.03 million, averaging R1,128,750. Statistically, 256 lots sold of 265 offered (97%) for a gross of R80.9 million (€3,935,077) over the two-day stand from August 20-21. The average rose 12% to R314,512 (€15,299) and the median rose 63% to R260,000 (€12,648). Varsfontein Stud was the leading vendor with 17 lots sold for R10.37 million at an average of R610,000 per foal, and Rafeef came out on top of the sire's list with similar figures–his offspring fetched R10.72 million at R630,588 per lot sold. The inaugural edition of the BSA Select Virtual Filly & Mare Sale was held the day after the juveniles went through the ring, on Friday, August 22. Proceedings on Friday morning opened with a brisk, half-hour virtual sale session devoted to this select draft of high-end broodmares and fillies for stud. This innovative addition proved as popular as it was productive, garnering strong international interest. Michael Holmes, CEO of Bloodstock SA, said “The industry is pulling together, and it's encouraging to see. We are pleased to be achieving our objective of catering to every level of the market. Our exceptional clearance rate reflects the fact that there were horses for every buyer which will go a long way to assisting the racing operators' goal of increasing field sizes nationally.” The post BSA’s August 2-Year-Old Sale And Virtual Filly & Mare Sale Hit The Mark appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Antino (NZ) (Redwood) will be tackling a much stronger Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) that the version he was unplaced in last year, but Tony Gollan is convinced his veteran stable star is a more seasoned horse in 2025. The seven-year-old son of Redwood resumes in the 1400-metre Group One that is the spring kick-off point for a number of the Spring Carnival’s potential headline acts. The Queensland star has been based at Cranbourne for around a fortnight and Gollan is thrilled with the way he has settled in ahead of his third Victorian spring campaign. “He’s a better horse this time, I think,” Gollan said of the galloper who has won half of his 26 starts. “He’s a really mature animal now, he’s an older horse and he’s well used to the travel and he just feels a lot more durable tougher horse. “He comes in off that Doomben Cup preparation in the winter and that’s held him in good stead for this spring. “He’s settled in a lot better this spring that what he did last spring.” Antino finished fourth last year’s Memsie Stakes, which was won by Pinstriped (Street Boss), before going on to win the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) by 6-1/2 lengths. After a second placing to Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) in the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m), he flopped in Hong Kong but returned to his best in his home state earlier this year with resounding wins in the Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) and Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m). Antino was one of 16 entries for what shapes as a mouth-watering Memsie Stakes, which includes the past two winners Mr Brightside and Pinstriped. Ten other Group One winners are among the nominations for the $750,000 event, including Fangirl (Sebring), Another Wil (Street Boss), Tom Kitten (Harry Angel), Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express), Private Eye (Al Maher) and Buckaroo (Fastnet Rock). Antino heads into the weight-for-age contest off one low-key 1000m jumpout, an eighth placing behind Just Folk (Magnus) on Monday last week, but Gollan is delighted with how he has done since. “I was really pleased with it and he’s come on from that. He’s in good shape,” Gollan said. The Memsie Stakes is the feature event on a Caulfield card that includes the Gr.3 McNeil Stakes (1200m), which features Group One winners Devil Night (Extreme Choice) and Vinrock (I Am Invincible), and a Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) headlined by dual Group One winner Magic Time (Hellbent). View the full article

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Harness Racing New Zealand is pleased to announce a change to the way it lists owners. From today, the maximum number of names has increased from 10 to 20. “Our IT department has put a lot of work into this,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden, “and it’s a big step towards getting owners the recognition they deserve.” “Getting more owners investing in our sport is one of our highest priorities.” Paperwork can still be completed manually for transfers of ownership up to and including 10 names though it is preferable for them to be completed through their myhrnz aaccount. Anyone listing 11-20 names must do it through their myhrnz account, with no physical paperwork. “The change is also timely as the Next Gen deadline approaches,” says Peden. Owners, trainers and syndicators have until October 1, 2025 to meet key criteria to be Next Gen eligible. There are three Next Gen criteria : 1. Trained by a Next Gen trainer (non-Group 1 winning trainer as of January 1, 2025) 2 Owned by a Next Gen ownership group, with at least 30% of members being first-time HRNZ owners or individuals born after 1984 3. Sired by a stallion in his first three New Zealand crops To meet the criteria owners must have their transfers in by that date while trainers must complete their training notification. If you meet the stallion qualification then no further action is needed. For assistance with submitting transfers through myhrnz contact Mark Bennet on 03 964 1191 or mark@hrnz.co.nz View the full article

Ka Ying Rising looked like his devastating self when he breezed effortlessly through a barrier trial at Sha Tin last Friday as he prepares for Australia’s richest turf race. The reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year powered 14 and a quarter lengths clear in a time of 59.26 seconds (1,050m) as he gets ready to kick off his campaign in the Class One HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1,200m) at Sha Tin’s season opener on September 7. Following his local return, Ka Ying Rising will head to...View the full article

What Ballarat Races Where Ballarat Turf Club – 72 Midas Rd, Miners Rest VIC 3352 When Tuesday, August 26, 2025 First Race 2pm AEST Visit Dabble Racing in Victoria heads to the Ballarat synthetic track on Tuesday afternoon with a quickfire seven-race meeting scheduled. Plenty of rain is forecast for the region on Tuesday, so it may pay to be up on speed where avoiding kickback could be crucial throughout the day. The opener is set to jump at 2pm AEST. Best Bet at Ballarat: Delivering Delivering is absolutely humming and finds an ideal setup in this BM78 over 1500m. He owns a rock-solid 1500m profile and arrives off a string of on-pace wins that read perfectly for the Ballarat Synthetic, where momentum and race position are king. From gate eight, Declan Bates will look to control the race from barrier to box. He handles tight-turning circuits, carries 59kg comfortably at this grade, and maps to get an easy time of it out in front. Delivering’s sustained speed should prove decisive again. Best Bet Race 6 – #2 Delivering (8) 5yo Gelding | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Declan Bates (59kg) Next Best at Ballarat: Il Cubo Il Cubo drops from strong BM70 company to a BM64 and gets a key 3kg claim to offset the 62kg impost, bringing him right into this 1200m dash. He’s been effective on synthetic, races on-speed, and from barrier five can either hold the rail or park outside the leader. His recent synthetic efforts read well for this, and the drop in grade should see him absorb pressure and kick. With the claim, Il Cubo will be tough to run down if he finds the front comfortably and can pinch a cheap split mid-race. Next Best Race 5 – #1 Il Cubo (5) 5yo Gelding | T: Reece Goodwin | J: Nadia Daniels (a3) (62kg) Best Value at Ballarat: Mr Tickles Mr Tickles brings the right 1000m peak and a recent second at this track/trip that says he’s ready to win. He draws to stalk the speed from barrier five and gets Beau Mertens, which is a plus around Ballarat turn where timing is everything. His synthetic runs stack up in this grade, and a genuine tempo should let him blend in behind the speed before angling out. With Innocent Enuff likely to absorb pressure up front, Mr Tickles can tag the favourite, peel, and be the one launching late at a backable price with horse racing bookmakers. Best Value Race 7 – #3 Mr Tickles (5) 6yo Gelding | T: Mitchell Leek | J: Beau Mertens (61kg) Tuesday quaddie tips for Ballarat Synthetic Ballarat quadrella selections Tuesday, August 26, 2025 1-5-7-10 1-4-6 2-7-9 1-3-4 Horse racing tips View the full article

It was a sentimental moment at Te Rapa on Saturday when Don’s Legacy broke through for his maiden win in the Noverre Mile (1600m) for owner-trainer Dennis Nunn. The six-year-old gelding was bred by Nunn’s close friend Don Wilson and was gifted to Nunn by Wilson’s widow Dorothy Wilson following his passing five years ago. Nunn took a patient approach with the Bullbars gelding’s development, and was rapt to get the victory at his 12th start. “It has been a while coming,” Nunn said. “It was great to get the win, especially for the Wilson family.” Don’s Legacy went into the race in good form, having finished runner-up in his two prior starts, but his trainer was a bit nervous with the gelding having suffered a stone bruise in the weeks prior, but he needn’t have worried. “He had a few little niggles in-between (his last start), he had a stone bruise which came out on the Sunday before the race,” Nunn said. “That made us a little apprehensive, but it went well.” Nunn and Wilson’s friendship goes back more than four decades, and Nunn said Wilson’s love for animals was evident from their first meeting at his farm. “I met Don 45 years ago when he had (Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) winner) Oopik going,” Nunn said. “I went to see him for some reason, and he said to me ‘want to come for a ride?’, so off we went. When I went to hop in the front of his flash Valiant he said to me ‘you’re in the back seat, my dog, Bob, is in the front. He works for me, so you’re in the back’. “Don was a very straight shooter. The animals, and of course his family, were his love, they came first.” The pair continued their burgeoning friendship and shared their love for farming, animals and horse racing. “From there we have been great friends,” Nunn said. “Whenever he needed some help on the farm, I had a little farm myself, I would go around and help start his tractor or put a pipe in for him or help transfer his horses from A to B. “He was a bit like a grandfather to me, I never had one. He was a real character.” When Wilson passed away at the turn of the decade, Nunn decided to take on his unbroken yearling and continue his good friend’s legacy, and aptly named the horse Don’s Legacy. “When Don passed away in 2020, Dorothy (wife) had no takers for the horse. I said to her ‘do you mind if I took him?’ and she said I was most welcome to the horse. “I then took him to my daughter’s sheep farm and chucked him up in a big 70-acre paddock and forgot about him for six months, and then brought him back to Hamilton and got him broken in. “He has been in and out a few times. The last time he raced (preparation), Sam Spratt rode him for me and she said she thought he was too big to go on the hard ground so put him aside, which we duly did. This time he has come back with a fifth, two seconds and a win.” The victory meant a great deal to Nunn and on Monday he went out to visit Dorothy to savour the win. “I went and saw her today and I have got a photo of the horse framed coming back to the birdcage, with the breeder being Don Wilson on it,” he said. “She was certainly in a bit of shock that he had won a race, I hadn’t seen her in a while.” It was also Nunn’s first training victory in more than 30 years, and he was delighted to break the drought. Horses have always been a big part of Nunn’s life, but he said his interest in racing was piqued in his formative years in the workforce. “I used to work with a gentleman who was an apprentice (jockey) many years ago called Terry Knox. Terry got me interested and I used to help him a bit before work at Te Rapa,” Nunn said. “I always had an interest and people have been very kind to me along the way.” Following Saturday’s win, Nunn said Don’s Legacy is enjoying a week in the paddock before he brings him back in search of his next win. “The jockey (Elen Nicholas) said she feels he is waking up a bit,” Nunn said. “I thought she rode him brilliantly, it was a lovely ride, so we will give him a week out in the paddock and go again.” View the full article

Four-time Gr.1 winner and European superstar, PADDINGTON, has had his first Southern Hemisphere foals arrive on the ground at Windsor Park. “Both his foals are outstanding” commented Rodney Schick. “They have substance and quality. His own attributes are evident in his foals.” Paddington ex. Black Queen Photo: supplied Paddington ex. The Flying Mullet Photo: supplied First on the ground was a colt from a Mastercraftsman mare, The Flying Mullet. This chestnut colt is from a medium-sized mare from the family of Her Royal Highness and Kingsguard. He is correct, has leg and strength. I’m thrilled with him”. Second to foal to Paddington was Black Queen, a half-sister to Karaka Million winner Dynastic. “This brown filly is the first foal from the mare. She has quality, is well-marked, with good bone. It is an excellent first foal.” Rod added “I’m really thrilled with the PADDINGTON foals to date – you would expect so as he is a magnificent specimen, but it gives me great excitement about what’s to come.” PADDINGTON and his foals can be viewed by appointment at the stud. We will be showing him along with AUGUSTE RODIN, CIRCUS MAXIMUS, PROFONDO, SHAMEXPRESS, TURN ME LOOSE and VANBRUGH this week so feel free to contact Mike Moran 021 326 276 or Nick Hewson 027 353 4042 to arrange a viewing. PADDINGTON stands his 2nd season at stud in 2025 at a fee of $35,000 + GST. View the full article

Cody Cole is happy to play a waiting game with Landlock before confirming the three-year-old’s main goals for the season. The Matamata trainer has circled the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) on September 6 as the talented son of Merchant Navy’s resuming run and will firm up plans after the Ellerslie race. Landlock performed well in top company last term with a debut win and runner-up finishes in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m). In between times, he was fifth in the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and signed off when third and subsequently relegated to fourth in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). “We haven’t really made a firm plan with him, you probably wouldn’t say he really ran the 1400m out strongly in the Sires, but he was at the end of his preparation,” Cole said. “He probably wasn’t at his best, but it was still a very good run. I would say as a three-year-old he’s going to get up to a mile the way the has finished his races off. “We’ll wait and see how he performs first-up before we make a plan for him.” A $20,000 Karaka buy out of Woburn Farm’s draft, Landlock will further his preparation later this week. “He will go for a gallop on Thursday at Ellerslie and that will top him off nicely to kick off in the Sir Colin Meads,” Cole said. “He really likes Ellerslie and ran well in the Millions and in the Group One. “He seems to have come up well and had a jump-out at Matamata last week and went to Taupo a couple of weeks before that for an outing and a gallop.” Stablemate Navigator will also stretch his legs at Ellerslie ahead of his first-up run there in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m). “He also jumped out last week with Landlock, he’s not a horse you can back up, so we bypassed the Foxbridge (Gr.2, 1200m),” Cole said. “He’s really good fresh and has won first-up over 1400m before, we’ll be leaving the blinkers off him so he doesn’t overdo it and can tend to do that when he gets a bit further than 1200m.” The chestnut son of El Roca is a four-time winner and finished third behind Grail Seeker in last season’s Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m). “He’ll run in the Proisir and then we’ll freshen him up for the Rotorua race (Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes, 1200m) that he ran second in last year,” Cole said. “There’s the Telegraph again obviously, and we want to see how he goes around Ellerslie. “He hasn’t done much racing right-handed, he’s only had a few runs and he was a little bit awkward around Tauranga so the more experience the better for him.” View the full article