Wandering Eyes

Horse racing bookmakers have unveiled an array of enticing racing promotions for Friday, April 12. Among the highlights are multiple generous bonus back offers that add an extra layer of excitement to your horse racing experience. Explore these free promotions from top online bookmakers to make the most of your betting opportunities. The top Australian racing promotions for April 12, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Cranbourne Races 1 & 2 Run 2nd or 3rd Bonus Back up to $50 Back a runner in races 1 & 2 at Cranbourne this Friday and if it runs 2nd or 3rd get up to $50 in Bonus Cash. Fixed Win bets only Neds T&Cs apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo Odds Drift Protector If the price at the jump is bigger than the price that you took, we will pay you out at the bigger odds Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Cranbourne – 25% Boosted Winnings Max bonus $100. First fixed win bet only. Paid in bonus cash. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to PickleBet to Claim Promo BoomBet Daily Race Returns Use your daily Race Returns to back a runner in ANY RACE you want* and if your horse doesn’t win but finishes in the specified positions, you get your stake back as a bonus bet. 18+ Gamble responsibly. Can be used across any race and code unless specified in customer’s BoomBox. Fix odds, win bets only. Max bonus $50. Login to BoomBet to Claim Promo Friday Bonus Back 2nd ALL RACES at Cranbourne Auto-applied in Bet Slip. Limits apply. Min 6 runners. Fixed Odds only. T&Cs apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au has meticulously assessed the premier horse racing bookmakers in Australia, unveiling exclusive thoroughbred bonus promotions and specials tailored for Friday, April 12, 2024. These horse racing promotions are a consistent feature, underscoring the unwavering commitment of Australia’s top horse racing bookmakers. In the world of horse racing betting, if one bookmaker isn’t currently running a promotion, rest assured that another is making the most out of promotional offers. Your ultimate resource for the most lucrative horse racing bookmaker bonuses every day is HorseBetting.com.au. Gain the most value out of your punting endeavours by leveraging bookie bonuses, accompanied by the most competitive horse racing odds available for each race. It’s crucial to note that these thoroughbred racing promotion offers are exclusively designed for existing customers. To access these special promotions and claim the bookmaker’s offers, simply log in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For those on the lookout for races and horses to optimise their horse betting bookmaker bonus bets, HorseBetting provides a valuable resource with its daily free racing tips. Horse racing promotions View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features the first foal out of a dual Classic winner. 18.45 Dundalk, €13,000, Mdn, 3yo, 8f (AWT) IGOR STRAVINSKY (IRE) (No Nay Never) is the pick of Ryan Moore of two intriguing Ballydoyle newcomers and is the day's most exciting prospect as the first foal out of the G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Bidding to emulate the debut win of her relative Wingspan (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) on Sunday, the February-foaled bay is joined by stablemate Mundi (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the full-brother to another dual Guineas winner in Churchill (Ire) and to the G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Clemmie (Ire) who was withdrawn from Leopardstown on Wednesday due to the testing ground. The post Son Of Hermosa Debuts At Dundalk appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Kertez in the Pan American S. in Florida. Pan American Win For Kertez Michael Dubb, Morris Bailey and West Point Thoroughbreds' Kertez (GB) (Intello {Ger}) put it all together for a victory in the GII Pan American S. at Gulfstream Park at the end of March (video). The Christophe Clement trainee was bred by Wertheimer et Frere. Trained earlier in his career by Andre Fabre in France, he made 19 starts over four seasons in the storied light blue and white, winning five contests while placing in seven stakes. Nicolas Clement and EDC Agency snapped up the then-5-year-old for €150,000 out of the Arqana Arc Sale last September before he joined Clement's barn. A half-brother to GII City Of Hope Mile S. third Twist (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}), Kertez is out of Distortion (GB) (Distorted Humor). Her latest are a fillies by Nathaniel (Ire)–named Contorsion–and War Front born in 2022 and 2023, respectively. His dam is a half-sister to G1 French 2000 Guineas winner and sire Falco (Pivotal {GB}). Haras de Beaumont's Intello is responsible for six winners from nine runners (66%) in America. His two stakes winners in that locale are anchored by GI United Nations S. hero Adhamo (Ire). Kertez (GB) prevails in the Pan American S. G2 presented @roodandriddle, @JRosarioJockey up for @clementstable. #GulfstreamPark #ChampionshipMeet pic.twitter.com/pVZafmEbb6 — Gulfstream Park (@GulfstreamPark) March 30, 2024 Nadette Prevails In Wilshire Outstrip (GB)'s Nadette (Fr) gained her first victory since May of 2022 in the GIII Wilshire S. for Team Valor International and Neil Drysdale last week (video). A product of the Herve Dardenne breeding programme, the €50,000 Arqana October yearling sold for just €17,000 during the Arqana Summer Mixed June Sale as a juvenile to Zied Romdhane. After running second in July of her 2-year-old season at Deauville for trainer Romain Le Dren Doleuze and Marco Saviozzi, Team Valor joined the ownership and she would go on to win the Listed Prix Finlande in eight more French starts. Once she transferred to America, she raced solely for Team Valor, and was a $340,000 buy-back out of the Keeneland November Sale in 2023. Far and away the best runner for her winning dam Ciboulette (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), Nadette counts three-time Classic winner and quintuple Group 1 winner User Friendly (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}) as her fourth dam. Nadette is one of two Grade III winners for Outstrip in the States, joining Outburst (GB). Three other runners have competed in that jurisdiction, and his overall record stands at five runners and four winners (80%) there. Nadette earns breakthrough victory in GIII, $100,000 Wilshire Stakes pic.twitter.com/qjFf4JAZbK — Santa Anita Park (@santaanitapark) April 5, 2024 Laulne Gains Her Wings Laulne (Fr) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), a winner of the G3 Prix Six Perfections in France, earned her first American stakes rosette with a tally in the Listed Angels Flight S. at Santa Anita for trainer Phil D'Amato on Sunday (video). Racing for the ownership group of Madaket Stables, LLC, Panic Stable, LLC, Gerald Augustin-Normand, Robert LaPenta, and William Strauss, the bay filly was bred by Franklin Finance S. A. Originally owned by Augustin-Normand and trained by Yann Barberot, she brought €750,000 out of the Arqana Arc Sale in 2023 after placing in two other French group races. Her dam, the Montjeu (Ire) mare Lady Francesca (GB), placed twice in European stakes and has also thrown Australian listed winner Bartholomeu Dias (GB) to the cover of Mount Nelson (GB). Dual Group 3 winner Purr Along (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}) is Lady Francesca's half-sister. Coolmore's Starspangledbanner now has seven stakes winners (30%) from 23 runners in the U.S., as well as 13 winners (56%). His best from that bunch are Grade I winners Rhea Moon (Ire) and multiple top-level winner State Of Rest (Ire), who is standing his second season at Rathbarry Stud for €20,000. #7 LAULNE ($7.40) gets her nose down on the wire in the $100,000 Angels Flight Stakes to make her first start since the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf a winning one. @PhilDamato11 trains this three-year-old Starspangledbanner filly. @Antonio1Fresu was aboard. pic.twitter.com/BDq2peGV8M — TVG (@TVG) April 8, 2024 Fandom Makes Winning Return Stonestreet Stables, LLC's Fandom (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) made a winning return in the Listed Palisades S. at Keeneland this past weekend, his first start since running unplaced in Royal Ascot's G2 Coventry S. last June (video). Bred by Chasemore Farm, the Wesley Ward-trained bay was plucked from the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2 by Ben McElroy on behalf of Barbara Banke's Stonestreet for 170,000gns in the autumn of 2022. Brogan (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), the dam of the Palisades hero, is a half-sister to G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}). Since foaling Fandom, she has delivered a juvenile filly by Masar (Ire) and a yearling filly by Zoustar. Whitsbury Manor stallion Showcasing has sired 13 winners (54%) and five stakes winners (21%) from just 24 American runners. Besides Fandom, his other U.S. stakes winners include Grade II winners Prize Exhibit (GB), Projected (GB), and Bodhicitta (GB). #6 FANDOM (GB) ($17.50) shows an explosive turn of foot to get up in Keeneland's $250,000 Palisades Stakes! This is the third start–and first stakes score–for the @StonestreetFarm-owned son of @WhitsburyManor's Showcasing (GB). @jose93_ortiz was riding for Wesley Ward. pic.twitter.com/lbYMpUids8 — TVG (@TVG) April 7, 2024 By Royal Decree Apple Tree Stud's Royal Charter (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}), making her U.S. debut, won at Santa Anita for trainer Leonard Powell (video). A product of Biddestone Stud, the 85,000gns Tattersalls December yearling was a €240,000 Arqana May Breeze-Up juvenile and won twice from five European starts for Apple Tree and trainer William Haggas before being relocated. Since foaling Royal Charter, Queen's Charter (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) has 2-year-old Al Hussar (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), a 30,000gns Tattersalls Somerville yearling pick up by Grant Tuer, and a yearling full-brother to that colt to come. Second dam Queen's Best (King's Best) also produced GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Queen's Trust (GB) (Dansili {GB}), while Royal Charter's third dam was G3 Nell Gwyn S. and multiple Group 1-placed Cloud Castle (GB) (In The Wings {GB}). Now a resident of South Africa, Expert Eye has had seven U.S. runners with four of them visiting the winner's circle (57%). Three of them have earned black type, among them Isabel Alexandra (Ire). Yesterday, Frankie Dettori rode 6 winners at Santa Anita. The last leg of his 6 victories came aboard Royal Charter, who was born and raised at Barton Stud and bred by Tim and Gill Bostwick #BartonStud pic.twitter.com/WeqMhbVIm7 — Barton Stud (@BartonStud1) April 7, 2024 Gustav Klimt Filly Wins In California Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal's The Wild Grazer (Ire) (Gustav Klimt {Ire}) graduated at Santa Anita in late March (video). She started twice in Ireland for trainer Andrew Slattery and breeder Patrick McGree without a win before changing hands. Placed in both the Lady of Shamrock S. and the GIII Senorita S. at Santa Anita, the 4-year-old now has three wins from nine starts. Her dam, Texas Katie (GB) (Clodovil {Ire}) who is a half-sister to multiple group winner Plainchant (Ire) (Gregorian {Ire}), has a yearling filly by Coulsty (Ire). The Wild Grazer is the lone American runner to date for Haras d'Annebault's Gustav Klimt. The Wild Grazer makes it 2/2 in . Winning impressively @santaanitapark. Congratulations @RanchoTemescal and @Jmullinsracing. Purchased privately with @MillerJoe7. Exciting filly pic.twitter.com/cytyfBfFAm — Lillingston_Bloodstock (@KernLillingston) January 9, 2023 Prince Of Lir's Sky Graduates At Santa Anita Sorrento Sky (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) won at third asking in his U.S. unveiling at Santa Anita for conditioner Phil D'Amato this month (video). Racing in the colours of the Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz, Marc Lantzman and Michael Nentwig, the dark bay was bred by Colleen Dwyer. The first foal for the unraced Briarfield Lady (Ire) (Battle Of Marengo {Ire}), Sorrento Sky has a yearling half-sister by Elzaam (Aus). He ran second in a pair of Dundalk maidens for Matt Dwyer and trainer Gavin Cromwell in November and December of last year, before being purchased by these connections. G2 Temple S. winner and stallion Pearl Secret (GB) (Compton Place {GB}) is under the third dam. Prince Of Lir has a 75% winners-to-runners ratio in the U.S., as three of his four starters have won. GII Franklin-Simpson S. hero The Lir Jet (Ire) is the best of them so far. #6 SORRENTO SKY ($8) gets to the lead late and holds off a fast closing #1 Hurricane Way to win an exciting race 3 at Santa Anita. @Antonio1Fresu was in the irons for @PhilDamato11. Watch more on @FanDuelTV. pic.twitter.com/rq8mShpcjt — TVG (@TVG) April 4, 2024 Repeat Winners Grade I winner McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who races for Klaravich Stables, Inc., added the GIII Orchid S. to her resume earlier this spring (video). The Chad Brown charge has now won four stakes, including the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. Phil D'Amato trainee King Of Gosford (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) became his sire's 53rd stakes winner–first in North America–with a victory in the John Shear S. at Santa Anita earlier this month for the Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Jeremy Peskoff (video). He previously featured in the Mar. 22 edition of this column. Jockey Club Oaks (G3) 2200 m, 700.000 USD, for 3yo mares Belmont Park McKulick (GB) (Frankel – Astrelle, by Makfi) J : Irad Ortiz, Jr. T :Chad C. Brown O :Klaravich Stables B :Essafinaat UK Ltd Toskana Belle (Shamalgan) pic.twitter.com/edCYUen1Nw — (@WorldRacing1) September 17, 2022 The post Making Waves: Intello’s Kertez Rocks Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Inglis, Magic Millions, and New Zealand Bloodstock will be asked to pitch for the right to sell 10-time group 1-winning mare Imperatriz, the highest-earning breeding prospect to be ever sold at public auction in Australasia.View the full article

HISA has partnered with Sports Medicine Concepts, a leading provider of elite sports emergency care training and emergency action planning services, to develop emergency action plans across Thoroughbred racetracks operating under HISA's rules.View the full article

Newmarket Handicap (G1)-winning sprinter Cylinder, a high-class 2-year-old who won two key Golden Slipper (G1) lead-ups and was runner-up in the feature, will stand at Darley's Victoria operation in 2024.View the full article

Adjudication of cases involving trainers whose horses have tested positive for methamphetamine remains on hold by HIWU amid a long-awaited proposed rule change submitted to the Federal Trade Commission addressing common drugs of human abuse.View the full article

Grade 1-winning trainer Ralph Nicks announced that he will call it a career April 14 after saddling a horse for the final time at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

According to the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) a horse trained by New York-based conditioner George Weaver has tested positive for the banned substance metformin. Weaver has asked for a test on a split sample and will be allowed to continue to train pending the results of that test. The horse in question is Anna's Wish (Dailed In) and the alleged violation occurred after she was tested following the March 16 Cicada S. at Aqueduct in which she finished third. Metformin is listed as a banned substance by HIWU, which means Weaver faces a possible suspension of up to two years. The “banned” category is the most serious class of drug offences under Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) rules. Metformin is a drug used to treat diabetes in people. With more than 20 million patients taking it, metformin ranks as the nation's third-most-prescribed human medicine, according to the consumer healthcare website Healthgrades. Weaver joins Mike Lauer, Jonathan Wong and four other trainers who have had horses test positive for metformin. The metformin positives have been controversial because of the number of people who take it for diabetes, which raises the possibility of environmental contamination. “This is a clear case of external contamination,” said Weaver's attorney, Drew Mollica. “The facts will show that Mr. Weaver had no hand in this and bears no fault for the alleged violation. We will seek a split sample and once those results are in we believe we will be able to offer clear and convincing evidence that Mr. Weaver bears no fault. At some point, HISA slash HIWU must accept the fact that these universally prescribed medications exist in the environment. The attempt to destroy a man's career predicated on a prevalent substance and in a case where he bears no fault should not only shock the conscience, but it should also shock the entire racing community.” According to Mollica, Anna's Wish's groom takes metformin. “The groom who cares for the horse is on the medication,” he said. “This is a clear case of contamination. The consequences that HIWU seeks to impose are career killers with no basis in reality.” A former assistant to Todd Pletcher, Weaver has been on his own since 2002. According to The Jockey Club's online rulings database, Weaver has had just two prior positives, one for acepromazine and the other for promazine sulfoxide. In both instances, he was not suspended but was fined $300. For his career, Weaver has had 6,467 starters and has won 983 races. His career earnings are $50,753,128. The post Weaver Trained Horse Tests Positive for Metformin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The seventh edition of the Goffs Aintree Sale was topped by Monksgrange debut point-to-point winner He Can't Dance (Ire) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}) (lot 17) who caught the eye of Gordon Elliott for £300,000 on Thursday. Consigned by Rob James Racing, the striking grey counts Fairy Tale (Fr) (Spanish Moon) as his dam, herself a half-sister to three black-type winners over jumps including the eight-time Grade 1 winner Master Minded (Fr) (Nikos {GB}). JP McGrath Bloodstock signed for lot 23, Holloway Queen (Ire), also by Jukebox Jury (Ire). The £180,000 4-year-old filly was part of the Ballyboy Stables draft. Second in her first start, a point-to-point at Mongsgrange, she is a relative of G2 Kelso Novices' Hurdle winner Bywell Beau (Ire) (Lord Americo {Ire}). Jonathan Fogarty Racing's first-out winner Flamingo Grove (Ire) (Blue Bresil {Fr}) (lot 5) was knocked down for £150,000 to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock and Jonjo O'Neill. She is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Pistol Whipped (Ire) (Beneficial {GB}). Of the 28 catalogued, 26 were offered and 23 (88%) marked as sold for a gross of £2,075,000. The average was £90,218 and the median reached £75,000. Goffs UK Managing Director Tim Kent, “It is always a highlight to be here at Aintree and it's been a pleasure to watch this sale become a part of the iconic Randox Grand National Festival since its launch in 2016. Today's sale had plenty of highlights, including a top price of £300,000, but the results also reflect a difficult few weeks for us and our vendors. “The inclement weather has meant a large number of point-to-point meetings have been postponed or cancelled so it has been very difficult to compile a catalogue to meet the high expectations for which this sale has become renowned. That being said, we exist to provide a stage from which vendors can sell their stock and we are grateful to everyone who have supported the sale this year. The Aintree Sale has a wonderful record of producing high-class racehorses, as evidenced by the five Grade 1 winners coming from the first five-sales, and we are confident that more will emerge from this year's offering. “As ever, we would also like to extend our gratitude to the Aintree executive for their help and enthusiasm towards this fantastic event and we look forward to our return at next year's Grand National Festival.” The post He Can’t Dance Brings 300k At Goffs Aintree Sale 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 (HISA) has partnered with Sports Medicine Concepts, Inc. (SMC), a provider of sports emergency care training and emergency action planning services, to develop emergency action plans across Thoroughbred racetracks operating under HISA's rules. The program is set to commence in the second quarter of 2024 and will continue with a series of strategic implementations throughout 2024 and 2025. “Medical emergency preparedness planning has become essential to any sport,” said SMC CEO and Director of Operations Michael Cendoma. “An effective response plan reflects a multifaceted approach that combines training and education, technological innovation, science and evidence-based practices, and collaboration. We look forward to working alongside HISA and its racetracks across the U.S. to implement best practices that will ensure swift and effective responses to medical emergencies.” Through the partnership with SMC, HISA will help improve each racetrack's emergency preparedness by supporting the development of an emergency action plan (EAP) template, identifying weaknesses in any existing EAPs and providing an opportunity for tracks and first responders to collaborate further on how to prepare and train for, and respond efficiently to, emergencies. The partnership with SMC is the latest in a series of steps undertaken by HISA toward promoting health and safety initiatives in U.S. Thoroughbred racing. This initiative aims to bring all tracks up to a best-practice standard through structured policy implementation. “We are thrilled to be partnering with SMC in what represents a significant step forward in our commitment to the wellbeing of all racing participants,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “By adopting a holistic and elevated approach to emergency preparedness, we aim to ensure all stakeholders are equipped to handle emergencies with skill and coordination. Together, we are working towards a safer sport for everyone involved.” The post HISA, Sports Medicine Concepts Launch Comprehensive Emergency Preparedness Initiative appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

4th-Keeneland, $95,050, Msw, 4-11, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:16.65, sy, 9 lengths. JEFFERSON STREET (c, 3, Street Sense–Apiary, by Bernardini) proved the third time was the charm, breaking his maiden in his Keeneland debut Thursday. Unveiled at Saratoga last summer, we finished third but notably ten lengths behind the winner, next-out GI Champagne S. runner up General Partner (Speightstown). On the bench for the rest of the year, the homebred returned at Gulfstream to again be third but showed an improved effort, earning a 91 Beyer Speed Figure in defeat as the favorite behind GISP Be You (Curlin). Trying his shortest distance to date and facing a sloppy track for the first time against older horses, the 1-5 chalk sat just off the speed of Rock N Roll Bolt (Bolt d'Oro) and easily took over command from that rival as the top pair swung off the turn. Under a hand ride from regular rider Junior Alvarado, Jefferson Street cruised home in the mud to graduate by 9 lengths over 18-1 shot Accident (Tale of Verve). A homebred for Godolphin, Jefferson Street is out of a half-sister to MGISW and sire Frosted (Tapit) and a full-sister to GSW Indulgent. Another one of his dam's half-sisters produced MGSW/GISP Caramel Swirl (Union Rags). This is also the family of champion 2-year-old colt Midshipman (Unbridled's Song) and MGISP Solomini (Curlin). Apiary has a 2-year-old Nyquist colt and a yearling Maclean's Music colt but was not reported bred for this year. Lifetime Record: 3-1-0-2, $81,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott. Junior Alvarado gears down on #8 JEFFERSON STREET ($2.54) as he breaks his maiden in Race 4 at @KeenelandRacing for trainer Bill Mott and owner @godolphin. Another winner by Street Sense, who stands at @DarleyAmerica. pic.twitter.com/Aeszqn9Lp9 — TVG (@TVG) April 11, 2024 The post Jefferson Street Impressive For Godolphin In Sloppy Keeneland Graduation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The future of New York racing has a stark look to it these days. You can say, it's under construction.View the full article

2nd-Keeneland, $79,675, Msw, 4-11, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, :52.86, sy, 4 3/4 lengths. PERFECT SHANCES (f, 2, Shancelot–American Baby, by Bayern) became her freshman sire's first to get her picture taken. The bay took most of the action at the windows as she went off as the 1-2 favorite after drilling regularly at three furlongs over the course of March and into this month. As she battled sheets of rain, the filly made the front and moved to the rail around the far turn. The homebred straightened in control for the drive down the lane and splashed home by 4 3/4 lengths over Citizen Judy (American Freedom). The first winner sired by GSW/MGISP Shancelot (by Shanghai Bobby), Perfect Shances is her unraced dam's first and only registered foal. American Baby, who counts as a full-sister SW Sweet Harmony, is out of GSP Sweet Marini (Marino Marini), herself a half-sister to SW Excessivespending (Shackleford). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $48,360. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O/B-Crawford Farms (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. (9) Perfect Shances a convincing winner in race 2. (2) Citizen Judy and (3) Her Holy Name follow. pic.twitter.com/TJpnvq0JZE — Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) April 11, 2024 The post Perfect Shances Becomes First Winner For Shancelot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing journalist and presenter Michael Guerin’s five plays for Cambridge’s Night of Champions tonight. 1: The big one, The $1m Race by Grins. Don’t Stop Dreaming (R9, No.2) has more ways to win this race than his rivals and less ways to lose it. The $2 available is a fair price because if he leads he should win and even sitting in the running line he is the one to beat. 2: The other big one, the $600,000 TAB Trot. Callmethebreeze (R6, No.4) isn’t as safe a bet as Just Believe (3) but he is twice the odds so makes sense. Sensational in front if unpressured to get there so he can win leading but he was brilliant running down Just Believe in the Great Southern Star, a race not dissimilar to tonight, in February when he stalked him. Can be mentally fragile but the best win value relevant to winning chance in the race. 3: Downgrading: Wallflower (R3, No.11) has been placing in far hotter fields and while second line draw doesn’t help will have too much speed for most of her rivals. 4: Risk vs reward: Joca’s Hill (R7, No.14): Looks an open class trotter in the making but galloped after 200m last week. The step up to 2700m will help tonight and while he is on a 20m handicap there are only three on the front line. If he trots all the way his $5 opening quote will be great money so worth the risk. 5: Early speed: We Walk By Faith (R5, No.6): High speed pacer who disappointed in NSW Derby but luckless when third in Northern Derby. Can really fly the gate and isn’t qualified for the Sires’ Stakes Final whereas key rival and favourite Cold Chisel is, so may look to work forward and if he leads will be very hard to catch. View the full article

Trainer Ralph Nicks will call it a career Sunday after saddling a horse for the final time at Gulfstream Park. “It's time,” Nicks said. “I've been here a long time. It's just the way the business is going, with clients passing away. I've had a lot of years invested. I want to get away and do some things before I get too old and can't.” The 57-year-old has saddled 722 winners, including Caledonia Road, the winner of the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar who was subsequently honored with the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old filly, and Aubby K, a multiple graded-stakes winner who captured the 2013 GI Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs. “I've had a pretty good career. I don't know what the numbers are, but I've trained a champion and nine [Florida Sire S.] winners, as well as several other stakes winners,” he said. “I've had a good run, and maybe it's time for a new chapter.” The Avery, Texas native is looking forward to expanding his horizons. “I'm going to take some time and do some traveling around the U.S.,” said Nicks, who has one entry on Saturday's program and three on Sunday's card at Gulfstream. Nicks learned the training craft from his father Morris Nicks before eventually becoming an assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. During his tenure, Cigar was the king of the Mott barn while winning 16 straight races, including victories in the 1995 GI Donn H. and the 1996 GI Gulfstream Park H., as well as back-to-back Horse of the Year titles. “That's one of those things that you have to pinch yourself and say, 'Am I living in a dream world,'” Nicks said. “You'd have to rate him as one of the greatest horses of all time, but there were other very special horses there during that run, like Paradise Creek, Ajina, Escena, Boundary–I could go down a huge list of horses that we've gotten our hands on or got to throw a leg across.” Nicks, who trained in Kentucky and New York before settling in South Florida 10 years ago, hasn't ruled out a future return to the racing industry in some capacity. “If I had to make an immediate decision, I might want to get into some consulting, buying yearlings and things like that at some point, but as of right now, I'm going to clear the head and enjoy life a little bit before I can't,” Nicks said. “I'm going to reboot the mind and see where it takes me.” The post Ralph Nicks to Retire appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A Kentucky Supreme Court case about a trainer commission puts at stake a long-time tradition of doing business with a handshake in the horse business.View the full article

Dance Card, the dam of 2023 Horse of the Year Cody's Wish, was named the Kentucky Broodmare of the Year at the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders awards ceremony April 10 in Lexington.View the full article

National Treasure and Senor Buscador share third-place honors with 121 points. The latter finished a distant third in the Dubai World Cup (G1). Meanwhile, National Treasure has not run since fourth in the Saudi Cup (G1) Feb. 24. View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) announced today the release of its 2023 Annual Report. The full report is available here. The Annual Report details HIWU's organization-wide activities as the independent enforcement agency of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. Among the highlights are statistics on testing, results management, the adjudication of cases, investigations, and educational efforts. “We are pleased to present this comprehensive look at HIWU's work on behalf of the Thoroughbred industry,” said Ben Mosier, executive director for HIWU. “The Report illustrates the tremendous team effort that was required to bring the ADMC Program to life and administer it nationwide, as well as the support and collaboration of industry groups and horsemen who have worked with us to help make the Program successful.” All Annual Reports will be archived in the About Us section of the HIWU website at hiwu.org for viewing. The post HIWU Releases 2023 Annual Report appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hall of Fame Jockey, Edgar Prado, Chicago attorney Danny Teinowitz and Kentucky breeder Craig Bandoroff have been added to Jockeys and Jeans. Prado, who was named the committee's Hall of Fame Jockey Coordinator, replaces fellow Hall of Fame member, Sandy Hawley, who stepped down but remains an Ambassador. Teinowitz becomes Special Consultant to Interim President, Dr. Eddie Donnally. Bandoroff becomes the group's latest Ambassador. Bandoroff recently retired as president of the 800-acre Denali Stud, which has consigned over 500 stakes horses. In December 1974, he lost the use of his right arm when his mount at the former Garden State Park bolted into the inside rail after the start. He has aided the group's fundraising efforts and is a vocal advocate. “No one has to remind me how dangerous it is being a jockey,” said Bandoroff. “I have always felt fortunate and grateful that I recovered with my legs and brain intact. We all know a jockey's life is one instant away from a perilous event and result. I've always felt it was my obligation and responsibility to help these brave athletes who were less fortunate than I. It is my hope that everyone who benefits from being in our industry will help those jockeys who have been seriously injured. They deserve our support.” Prado, 56, retired in June of 2023 as the eighth all-time leading jockey in wins with 7,119. His mounts earned over $272 Million, and he won 11 riding titles at NYRA affiliated tracks. Prado joins Quarter Horse Hall of Fame jockey, G.R. Carter, as a committee member. Teinowitz won a Sovereign Award as the breeder of Fantasy Lake, Champion 2-Year-Old Filly of Canada in 1998, and has attended seven of the 10 Jockeys and Jeans annual events. The post Jockeys and Jeans Adds Prado, Teinowitz and Bandoroff appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Kota Fujioka, age 35, has died after suffering severe injuries in a mid-race fall at Hanshin April 6, the Japan Racing Association has announced. View the full article

Japanese jockey Kota Fujioka has died from injuries sustained in an Apr. 6 race fall, the Japanese Racing Association (JRA) announced on Thursday. The 35-year-old Group 1-winning rider was dislodged from his horse during the seventh race at Hanshin and sustained head and chest injuries. He never regained consciousness his brother revealed on Wednesday to NetKeiba. Born in Shiga prefecture in 1988, Fujioka was the son of JRA trainer Kenichi Fujioka and the younger brother of JRA jockey Yusuke Fujioka. His riding career started auspiciously, as he won on debut aboard a horse his father trained–Yamanin Prologue (Jpn) (French Deputy)–on Mar. 3, 2007. Currently, Fujioka is credited with 28 JRA winners in 2024 and is 10th in the Japanese jockey rankings. During his 17-year career, the rider is credited with 803 winners, per the JRA. Fujioka secured the biggest victory of his career aboard Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) in the G1 Mile Championship last year. Originally, Ryan Moore was set to ride, but Fujioka proved an able deputy when the Englishman's participation was curtailed due to injury. The post Group 1-Winning Jockey Kota Fujioka Succumbs To Injuries From Race Fall appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Robert Osbourne was spending a few weeks helping out at the Stable Recovery house at Taylor Made, taking some time to reset and perhaps figure out some goals for his life, when one afternoon the program's director Christian Countzler walked into the living room looking as white as a ghost. This was a little over a year ago, just as the calendar was turning over to 2023, and at the time Stable Recovery was relying on funding from the Kentucky Career Center to keep the fledgling project up and running. The Center had just called Countzler to say that they would no longer be able to help fund the program. Stable Recovery had hosted a golf scramble that fall that had raised about $60,000. It would be enough to keep the program going for a few more weeks, but the money supply was not going to last long. “We're going to have to shut the doors,” a disheartened Countzler told Osbourne. “One more month and we're done.” But Osbourne wasn't so sure. He'd seen firsthand what Stable Recovery could do for men recovering from drug and alcohol addiction and thought that if they could just get the word out, surely there would be people out there who would want to help. “At that point I knew what my purpose was,” Osbourne recounted. “I wanted to make sure that Christian didn't have to worry about funding and that we could keep this thing growing. I wanted the whole industry to see what we were doing. If all it takes is a little bit of money to help these guys get sober, I wanted to help do that because this formula we've got here is so amazing.” So Osbourne signed on as Stable Recovery's Director of Fundraising and Marketing. His first major project was the Stable Recovery Spring Meet Gala. They weren't sure if anyone would show up for the inaugural event, but 150 people attended and raised $70,000. That kept the program running for a while longer, but by summer they were down to six weeks worth of operating funds. Then, another golf scramble helped them raise a whopping $300,000. Now the second-annual Spring Meet Gala is around the corner, scheduled for Saturday the 13th at Fasig-Tipton, and close to 400 people are expected to be in attendance. “I don't know where everyone is going to sit,” joked Osbourne. “But that's a great problem to have. This thing is just so special.” Like so many of the men whose lives have been changed through Stable Recovery, Osbourne got to where he is because of Frank Taylor. He even goes so far as to say that Taylor is one of the main reasons why he is still alive today. Growing up in Lexington, Osbourne's family was close friends with Taylor and his wife and children. The kids were on the same sporting teams and they would all go on spring breaks together. When Osbourne was 15 years old, his father committed suicide. As evening approached on the day of his death, Taylor picked Osbourne up from his house and took him to an Adoration service at Christ the King Church. They spent an hour there, sitting side by side in silence, and ever since that horrific day, the two men have attended that same service together on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. Osbourne celebrates a successful day at Keeneland | Kelcey Loges When Osbourne attended the University of Kentucky a few years later, drugs, alcohol and partying began to take over his life. While he was always able to hold down a job, his problems escalated over the next few years. “I was hanging out with a really bad crowd here in town–like really bad–and I ended up catching a couple of charges, about five felonies,” Osbourne recalled. “At the time Frank and I did a little venture where we bought some property to flip it, trying to rent it out, but I had turned it into a trap house basically.” Taylor offered Osbourne a job at Taylor Made's yearling complex where he would work under John Hall and Marshall Taylor–two men who had battled their own struggles with drugs and alcohol and gone through recovery. “That was my first time dealing with horses and God, I feel so bad looking back now,” Osbourne admitted. “If I was John, I would have fired me on day two. But Frank knew what he was doing putting me with those two men. They saw I had a problem and I learned a lot from them. But I still was taking taxis from whatever I was doing the night before and going straight to the barn in the morning and eventually that caught up with me. I got in some legal trouble. I had some family in Alabama, so I went down there.” Osbourne caught two more felonies during his first week in Alabama and ended up spending five years there, bouncing in and out of a jail cell. Eventually Osbourne made it back to Lexington, but he quickly learned that a lot had changed in his home town. Not only had Taylor got sober, but Osbourne's other lifelong friend Josh Bryan (profiled here) was sober now too. “I was like, 'What the **** is going on? Something is in the water around here.' Then later I hear Frank saying that he was going to buy some horses for Will Walden and all these other drug addicts. I said, 'God, he's really lost his mind!'” Osbourne continued going down his destructive path, but despite living a very different lifestyle than his reformed mentor, he would still meet up with Taylor almost every Tuesday evening. “That was just something that Frank and I stuck to, all through our good times and bad,” he explained. “That hour was set in stone for us. We would go eat at Malone's and then go to Adoration. That went on for years and kind of transcended into something that was the one constant in my life. When everything else was going bad, at least I had Adoration with Frank at 7 p.m. on Tuesday nights.” One evening in January of 2022, Osbourne was coming off a long bender when he came to a realization. “I can't explain it as anything but a God moment,” he said. “Something came over me and I just thought that I didn't want to do this anymore. I was like, 'You know what? I will do anything it takes to stop doing this.' So I'm driving my car around. I didn't have a phone because I had gotten paranoid that people were following me. But I realize it's a Tuesday night and I knew Frank was going to be at Adoration at 7 p.m.” So Osbourne drove over to the church he'd been to so many times before, but knowing he was in no state to go inside, he waited in the parking lot for Taylor to come out. When he spotted his friend, he jumped out of his car. “Hey, I know you and Josh are sober now,” Osbourne said as Taylor approached. “I need some help getting sober too.” Taylor looked at him for a moment before replying, “Have you been sitting in the parking lot this whole time?” Taylor promised that he would help Osbourne get into rehab, but first he had other plans. It was the weekend of the 2022 Pegasus World Cup, so Taylor took Osbourne with him down to Gulfstream and woke him up before dawn on their first morning to go to the track. They visited Will Walden and his improbable team of former drug addicts and alcoholics (learn about them here) who made up a fledgling racing stable. “I'm still in a haze, but I see Will training these horses, Tyler Maxwell riding them and Mike Lowery and everyone else just working their asses off, but they were as happy as could be,” Osbourne recalled. “I was like, 'God I want that.'” Osbourne came home and went into a three-month rehabilitation program. When Walden's team got back to Kentucky in April, he begged them to let him join their stable. Osbourne worked as a barn foreman for Walden for almost a year, traveling from Keeneland to Turfway to Ellis Park. He was taking some time off to work on his AA program and was staying at the Stable Recovery house at Taylor Made when the opportunity to join the Stable Recovery program came up. Since then, he has been busy spreading the word to anyone who will listen about just how impactful the Stable Recovery program has been. Mike Lowery, Robert Osbourne and Will Walden | courtesy Robert Osbourne “We spend about $60,000 a month, so my goal every day is to get $60,000 raised every month,” he explained. “Every day, it seems like there's something that God is blessing us with, like Andy Beshear gave us an award the other week or that the news was out here all day yesterday for a feature. It's like if something goes bad, three things will go right.” Osbourne said he enjoys talking to donors, sharing the stories of the many men whose lives have been changed because of this program. He lives on-site at the Stable Recovery house so is well acquainted with all the current residents. When donors want to know where their money is going, Osbourne can show them how each and every dollar is allocated toward a toothbrush, a gallon of gas, or an hour's worth of salary. “Every penny is literally going toward saving someone's life,” he said. “It's very special. And just compared to other transitional living places, the average of keeping someone sober for 90 days is about 15%. We are at over 80%. These jobs are giving people a purpose. They know that horse is depending on them to come work tomorrow.” “It doesn't feel like a job,” he continued. “It's a passion and I get to hang out with Frank, who has been my best friend since I was 15, so that's a big bonus.” Taylor and Osbourne still go to their weekly dinner and Adoration service on Tuesdays, but these days they have a crew of Stable Recovery residents who come along with them. Osbourne never lost contact with his family despite the many deleterious choices he has made in his life and he is sure that their constant support is a big part of why he has been sober since January 23, 2022. “They definitely saw me struggle a lot,” he admitted. “My mother, two younger sisters and my younger brother have been a big motivation in getting sober. Since my dad died, I wouldn't have gotten by if it weren't for all of us staying together and supporting each other. My mom has been my biggest support and she was always so worried about me. Now she's at peace because she's not wondering if I'm going to die tonight.” Osbourne is counting down the days until the Spring Gala, knowing that it will be one of the most significant opportunities Stable Recovery has had yet to share its story with the Thoroughbred industry and beyond. “This gala is going to be huge,” he said. “I think we can raise a lot of money through it and hopefully we're looking to expand by the end of the year so that we can start helping all these farms get good, solid people that they can depend on. I think we're going to take this thing to the moon. You know, in the horse industry it's easy to sit here and bash all this stuff going on. But this is something that is showing how good the industry actually is. There are really good people in this business. Growing up, I had a lot of opportunities to become successful and I blew that because of drugs and alcohol. I feel like this is what my purpose is supposed to be, so here I am.” Stable Recovery is a recovery housing program in Lexington, Kentucky that offers men in the early stages of recovery access to 12-step meetings, life skills training and– through the Taylor Made School of Horsemanship– the opportunity to develop a trade in the equine field. To learn more about Stable Recovery's upcoming Spring Meet Gala, click here. The post The Road Back: Robert Osbourne Spreading the Word on Stable Recovery appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With an inaugural bottle honoring Man o'War to be released in October, Keeneland Race Course and Maker's Mark Kentucky Bourbon will launch a 10-year commemorative bottle series, “Greats of the Gate.” The series will celebrate Thoroughbred racing's most iconic horses, featuring a different horse each year. “Keeneland and Maker's Mark have a rich history of working hand-in-hand to support organizations making an impact in Kentucky,” said Rob Samuels, Managing Director of Maker's Mark. “We're honored to partner each year in such a meaningful way, dating back to when Keeneland was our first customer serving Maker's Mark in the 1950s and setting the stage for decades of collaboration to follow.” Proceeds from each year's “Greats of the Gate” bottle will benefit non-profits that support Kentucky culture, including the horse racing industry, hospitality and the arts. Over the course of the 10 years, Keeneland and Maker's Mark are committed to raising $4 million for various Kentucky non-profit organizations through this bottle series. “Keeneland is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Maker's Mark to benefit both the Thoroughbred industry and our local communities,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “Keeneland and Maker's Mark share a mission of service and philanthropy, and the commemorative bottles have been a fun way to engage our fans and support deserving organizations through the years.” For the first three years of the 10-year series, the “Greats of the Gate” bottle will support Kentucky Harvest, Arts Center of the Bluegrass and Blue Grass Farms Charities. The Art Center of the Bluegrass connects people to art, culture, and creativity through exhibits, hands on art making, arts appreciation, and cultural experiences, while the mission of Kentucky Harvest is to end local hunger by connecting with food donors and engaging volunteers to rescue excess food and move it from those who have it to those in need. Blue Grass Farms Charities (BGFC) provides health and human services to those who work in the Central Kentucky Thoroughbred Industry, including a much-needed food assistance program. Proceeds from the Man o' War bottle will support construction of a new food pantry located at The Thoroughbred Center (TTC) on Paris Pike. The post “Greats of the Gate” Bottle Series Honors Champions, Supports Kentucky Charities appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article