Wandering Eyes

Group 1-winning sprinter Arizona Blaze has been retired by Amo Racing and will stand at the Irish National Stud next year. His fee has been set at €12,500. An impressive winner of the first two-year-old maiden of the season in March 2024, Arizona Blaze quickly established himself with a defeat of the subsequent Classic winner Camille Pissarro in the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh in May. Over the remainder of his juvenile career, he continued to match the best two-year-olds around with a succession of cracking efforts, placing in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes, the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes and the Group 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. At three, Arizona Blaze laid down a notable early-season marker when he broke the track record over five furlongs at Chantilly in the Group 3 Prix Sigy – a race which has previously been won by the likes of Sands Of Mali. However, his career highlight came when successful in the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh, which turned out to be his final start. Arizona Blaze retires to stud with a Timeform rating of 119 and Amo boss Kia Joorabchian commented, “Arizona Blaze has always demonstrated exceptional strength, speed and mental toughness and we have complete confidence in his ability to pass on his class, power and temperament. “We are delighted to partner with the Irish National Stud for this next chapter which we believe is the perfect home for him. Amo Racing is committed to fully supporting Arizona Blaze throughout his stud career.” Meanwhile, Irish National Stud CEO Cathal Beale, said, “We are delighted to stand Arizona Blaze, new for 2026, at the Irish National Stud. He was teak tough and remarkably consistent at the very highest level over five and six furlongs. He is a horse with great quality, strength and terrific action.” The post Amo Racing’s Group 1 Winner Arizona Blaze To Stand At Irish National Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sea The Stars, who has headed the Aga Khan Studs roster for 16 years and is the sire of this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Daryz, has had his fee for 2026 raised to a career high of €300,000, from €250,000. Top of the list of the remaining four Aga Khan Studs stallions, all standing at Haras de Bonneval in Normandy, is Siyouni, whose runners in 2025 included Zarigana, winner of the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. Having stood at €200,000 in 2025, Siyouni's fee has been reduced to €150,000 for the forthcoming season. His stud-mate Zarak, out of the great Zarkava and who, along with Erevann, is one of two sons of Dubawi on the roster, will remain at €80,000. The champion three-year-old Vadeni and Group 2-winning miler Erevann have each covered three-figure books in their first two seasons at stud and have their first foals about to grace the sales rings. Vadeni's fee for 2026 has been clipped to €15,000 from €18,000, while Erevann – who is out of Siyouni's three-time Group 1-winning daughter Ervedya – will remain at €8,000. The post Sea The Stars at €300,000 as Aga Khan Studs Release Fees appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Frankel will once again lead the Juddmonte roster at £350,000 while new addition Lead Artist, a Group 1 winner in the Lockinge Stakes, will stand for £12,500 in 2026. Frankel added 24 individual stakes winners to his record in 2025, 13 of them at Group level. He has now sired an extraordinary 40 individual Group 1 winners and stands as the most successful active sire of Northern Hemisphere Classic winners, with 12 to his name, including 2025 Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Lake Victoria and dual-Classic winner Minnie Hauk. His success also continues in the sales ring, where for the third year in a row he topped the Tattersalls October Book 1 sires list both by aggregate and by average. Meanwhile, Lead Artist is by a world-class stallion in Dubawi and hails from one of Juddmonte's most storied families, the dynasty of the iconic blue hen mare Hasili. Hasili herself produced five individual Group 1 winners as well as the influential sire Dansili, and her descendants have now accounted for no fewer than 59 Group 1 performances. Speaking about Juddmonte's new addition to the roster at Banstead Manor Stud, Simon Mockridge commented, “Lead Artist represents a fantastic opportunity to further strengthen our stallion roster. He combines pedigree and performance with an outstanding physical, possessing great balance, strength, and movement, all attributes which will appeal to the commercial breeder.” Chaldean covered 323 mares in his first two books, covering more Group winners, stakes winners, and black-type performers than any other first-season sire in Britain or Ireland in his debut year. He maintained that momentum in 2025 with another exceptional book, including 14 Group winners, 28 stakes winners, and 52 black-type performers. Chaldean will stand his third season at a fee of £20,000. Kingman continued to assert his status among the elite, siring 20 individual stakes winners in 2025, including nine Group winners. He became the second-fastest stallion ever to reach 100 individual Northern Hemisphere-bred stakes winners, behind only Frankel, and ahead of Deep Impact, Dubawi and Galileo. His son Field Of Gold reigned supreme in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes, taking Kingman's tally to 14 Group 1 winners, and five individual Classic winners. Kingman's fee is unchanged at £125,000. Oasis Dream, a stalwart of the Juddmonte roster, will stand for £15,000 while Bated Breath's fee has been reduced to £5,000. The post Frankel Heads Juddmonte Roster At 350k – New Addition Lead Artist To Stand For 12.5k appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There’s no bigger race day in this country than IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup day at Addington. And to provide you with all the information you need, including previews, selections and backgrounders, we have produced a special Cup day Liftout To see the Liftout click here View the full article

The fields are now complete for the two $500,000 slot races at Addington Raceway on Show Day (November 14). Always Dreaming, a seven-race winner for Nathan Williamson, will fill the slot taken by Arna Donnelly Racing in the Hill, Lee and Scott THE VELOCITY. He is the 10th and final horse to be confirmed. The two emergencies for the races will be : Berrettini (THE VELOCITY) and Illicit Love (THE ASCENT). View the full article

After recording her 1,000th win in the saddle in September, veteran jockey Kylie Williams had just one final goal she wanted to achieve before hanging up her riding boots – ride against her son, Logan Bates. That dream will become a reality at her local track of Riccarton Park on Saturday, with Australian-based Bates returning home to ride during New Zealand Cup Week in Christchurch. The 24-year-old hoop landed back in New Zealand on Friday afternoon and he is looking forward to competing against his Mum. “The main reason (to come back to New Zealand) was to ride against mum,” Bates said. “The timing worked perfectly being the first day of Cup Week. “I am very proud of her. To have three kids and to span a career of over 28 years and to ride 1000 winners is an enormous effort.” While Bates was always intrigued about following is mother into a career as a jockey, pursuing that vocation wasn’t always on the cards. “It was in the back of my mind growing up,” he said. “I wasn’t great in school, so I left early when I was about 14. It gave me the time and the ability to try different things. “I did carpentry for a bit and figured I was too small for that. I worked with greyhounds and Craig Roberts for a few years and got some good knowledge and that helped ease me into racing. “I went over to Australia and worked in the stables with Cindy (Alderson, trainer) but came back and drove trotters for Paul and Graham Court (in Canterbury). I learned a lot of hands-on skills with the horses working for them, it gave me a good grounding.” It was while working for the Courts that the opportunity arose to return to Australia and commence a jockey apprenticeship with Alderson, and Bates took it with both hands. “When the opportunity arose that I could become and apprentice in Melbourne it was pretty silly not to give it a crack,” he said. “I fell in love with it and I am very lucky to have the people I do around me. The likes of Mum and Dad, the Alderson family, the jockey coaches at Racing Victoria of Darren Gauci and Alf Matthews, and also the jockey ranks in Melbourne and some of the people you can be around. “I rode at Flemington yesterday (Thursday) and you had the likes of Joao Moreira, James McDonald, Tommy Berry, Mark Zahra, Damian Lane and all those boys around you. You can pick a few things off them that helps in the steps going forward in your own career.” Bates was delighted to get the opportunity to ride on Oaks Day at Flemington, where he partnered Statuario to a runner-up result in the popular greys only race, the Subzero Handicap (1400m), behind Geatafix and fellow expat Kiwi jockey James McDonald. “It is a special race the greys race,” Bates said. “I was fortunate enough to have quite a nice ride for David and Emma-Lee Browne. They gave him a little freshen-up and it was good to see him hit back into a bit of form. He hit the line well carrying a big weight. It took a pretty sensational ride from James McDonald to beat me. It was a good day to be a part of.” Bates has had a stellar spring in Melbourne, highlighted by his Yarra Valley-The Valley double last month where he rode Empire Song in the opening race at the former venue before hopping in his car to drive to The Valley an hour and a half away to ride Jigsaw to victory in the Gr.2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) for his employer on Cox Plate Day. “I have been pretty lucky right through the spring carnival with some of the days I have ridden at,” Bates said. “I rode a winner early in the season on a Group One day at Caulfield and then was able to burn down the road and get to Moonee Valley from Yarra Valley on the last Cox Plate Day and ride a winner, which was pretty special. “It would be a rare move to even think to ride at Yarra Valley and then drive to Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day and try to get there for a Group Two. I was fortunate enough to win both of them, which was pretty cool. “To be a part of that last day at Moonee Valley and to knock off my first Group Two for my boss Cindy on that horse that I have had a bit to do with, was great. “You know you have done something pretty well when you have got Luke Nolen coming up next to you and giving you a pat on the back after your first Group Two win, so it was a special day.” Bates has continued to build on a breakthrough season last term where he won 59 races in the country and was subsequently crowned Country Racing Victoria Apprentice Jockey of the Year. “I was able to pick that up, which was cool,” he said. “I rode 59 winners in the country and altogether in the state I got 79. I was also able to take out the Rising Star Award, which is voted by all the other jockeys. It was another special moment to be well-respected by my peers so early in my career. It was very humbling.” Fresh off competing in the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Bates is excited to have his first rides in his homeland during his hometown’s biggest week in racing. “It is a great week and the first time I am going to be a part of it, albeit just the first day because I have got to get back to duties back in Melbourne,” he said. “To come over early in my career and have 10 rides on the first day of New Zealand Cup Week is pretty cool.” Four of those rides are for local trainer Lyn Prendergast, and he is particularly upbeat about the chances of Enterprise in the One Good Horse At Avonhead Tavern Premier (1100m) and Giannis in the Scenic Hotel Group Premier (1200m). “I am lucky enough to pick up a couple off mum from Lyn Prendergast, which was nice of her,” he said. “I do like Enterprise. He has been running around in that sort of grade. He draws a tricky gate (7), there looks to be a bit of speed in the race. He is in good form and gets a kilo off in the weights. If we can get a soft run in transit, he will be right in the finish. “Giannis finished well (for second) with Mum on last start. He strikes a similar sort of field and I think he will be there in the finish.” Bates will also compete in all four stakes races on the card where he will ride Slipper Island in the Listed Donaldson Brown Pegasus Stakes (1000m), The Entertainer in the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), Just Charlie in the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2600m), and Bona Sforza in the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). “I am very grateful to get the opportunity to ride for Tony Pike in the Pegasus Stakes with a pretty smart horse (Slipper Island),” Bates said. “He looks to have come back alright, gets a soft draw (5) and will get a soft run, and hopefully he runs well. “I will ride The Entertainer for Anna Furlong in the Breeders’. She has been a model of consistency this prep. She has drawn a soft gate (2) and if we can look for a couple of splits up the straight, we should hopefully be alright. “The main one that I am looking forward to is one for Kevin Myers – Just Charlie. He looks a nice stayer, he is a big horse, he carries 55.5kg and it looks like he is proven at the trip. He looks a nice ride in what looks a nice race for him. I see he holds a nomination for the New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m), which he ran fourth in last year, so I am pretty excited to ride him and hopefully he can run up to his best. “I am very grateful to pick-up a ride on Bona Sforza in the Group One for Samantha Finnegan. She won her first start quite impressively and ran well second-up. She just got caught deep and didn’t have much luck last start. “She does look a little keen, but from the five (draw) we should be able to lob into a nice midfield position with a bit of cover. It looks a strong race, and the favourite looks pretty hard to beat, but if we can get that horse to switch off and relax for the first part of the race, I think we will see her true colours. She does possess quite a nice finish, but we just need things to fall into place.” View the full article

Cambridge trainer Roger James is already the most successful trainer in the history of the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) with six wins to his credit, and on Thursday he and training partner Robert Wellwood unveiled another Classic type when Road To Paris (NZ) (Circus Maximus) swept to victory at Avondale. The three-year-old son of Circus Maximus relished the step up to 1400m when winning the Funtime Catering Maiden after finishing seventh over 1200m on debut at Ellerslie in October. “We said at the end of his two-year-old preparation that we thought he was potentially a Derby horse for next year,” James said. “We weren’t disappointed by the first run at all. We thought he might have to go a mile before he broke maiden ranks, but he was quite impressive at Avondale. He ran a good time and won by a good margin and there was quite a margin back to the third horse. “He’s still feeling his way and he’s got a lot of upside. He relaxes beautifully, breathes beautifully and he trotted up this morning nice and free.” Road To Paris is now likely to step into Group company as he extends in distance. “He surprised us yesterday, very pleasantly, so the Derby is certainly firmly in the back of our minds,” James said. “He’s probably the sort of horse that won’t take a lot of runs, but having said that if all goes well, we will step him up to a mile next start at Otaki in the Gr. 3 Wellington Stakes (1600) on November 30. “That gives him a nice break until then, and then he’ll progress quietly from there. He’s a quality animal and we are lucky to have him.” Bred and raced by Ron and Judi Wanless, Road To Paris is out of the four-time winning Savabeel mare Spirit Of Heaven, who is a three-quarter sister to Gr.1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) winner Lights Of Heaven. Road To Paris is by Windsor Park Stud’s promising young sire Circus Maximus, a triple Group One winning European miler by Galileo. “Ron and Judi are quite involved in New Zealand and have a number of broodmares over here and we have always had an association with them, we buy the odd one for them,” James said. “They breed to race and this guy was just one that they sent us last year and Ron’s got a philosophy that if they’re not up to Group company in New Zealand, he’ll take them to Queensland, where he lives. “But you would think this one would stay. We had a horse last year in Oceana Dream who went to the Derby as second or third favourite for them after placing in the Avondale Guineas (Gr.2, 2100m). “Unfortunately he choked down at about the 600m and didn’t take another breath and dropped out. “We thought he was a big hope and things didn’t go right. We’d love to win a major for them and hopefully this is the horse that can do it.” View the full article

There is never a soft Group One option during Melbourne Cup week, but Sydney trainer Joe Pride is hoping he has picked that softer option on the final day of the carnival at Flemington. Pride had the option of remaining at 1600m with Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) in the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) or stepping up to the 2000m of the Gr.1 Champions Stakes. Ceolwulf will contest the former on Saturday where he will be pitted against the likes of Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), Pericles (Street boss), Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) and Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) and in the process bypass an assignment against Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) in the Champions Stakes. Pride pointed out Ceolwulf was a three-time Group One winner over 1600m, including most recently in the Gr.1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 18. That victory was Ceolwulf’s second in the King Charles III and his first success since winning the Gr.2 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on April 1. Pride is confident that Ceolwulf can go on from that victory and has booked regular jockey Chad Schofield to again ride the gelding. “He is always confident,” Pride said. “Horses that need confidence are the ones that are coming back from injury or that have been getting beaten up a lot. “He’s quite an arrogant horse. There was no crisis of confidence there.” Pride will break new ground with Ceolwulf on Saturday with the gelding having his first start left-handed after 24 starts, all on Sydney metropolitan tracks. “I can’t believe I haven’t travelled him,” Pride said. “He’s had twenty-odd starts, and he has never been away. “He’s going to have his first trip away from home which will be good seasoning and experience for him and I’m looking forward to it. “Hopefully we get a bit of wet ground for him as well, which will be perfect.” The Melbourne Bureau of Meteorology is predicting between 10 and 30mm of rain at Flemington on Saturday after anywhere up to 6mm on Friday night. In an open betting race, Mr Brightside heads the market at $4 ahead of Pride Of Jenni at $4.20 and Ceolwulf on the next line at $6. View the full article

The A$2 million Listed Five Diamonds (1800m) is anything but an afterthought for Lindsay Park raider Rise At Dawn (NZ) (Almanzor), his trainers confident the race is an ideal fit for the dual stakes winner. Co-conditioner Will Hayes says Saturday’s Rosehill feature has been earmarked for the gelding for some time and the rails draw has only enhances his chances. “This was our spring grand final,” Will Hayes said. “It’s an incredible race, the Five Diamonds, being restricted to five-year-olds at set weights and penalties. “We felt it was the perfect profile, and we think he’s going to thrive at the 1800.” Rise At Dawn has a terrific strikerate with eight wins from 20 starts and has performed admirably at his only two appearances in Sydney. Beaten less than a half-length when fourth to Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) in the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) in April, he was again game when leading and defeating all but Waterford (Awtaad) in the Gr.2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) two starts ago. Subsequently freshened, Rise At Dawn was third at his final lead-up run in the Gr.2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day when Hayes said he struggled on the tight-turning track. However, back to the wider expanses of Rosehill the stable expects him to be hard to beat. “His run in the Doncaster was nothing short of exceptional and that’s going to stand him in pretty good stead,” he said. “The biggest thing we’re pleased about is we’ve drawn tactically a good barrier, and it should play right to his advantage. “We think his best runs are when he can bowl and sustain a high speed like he did first-up this spring when he was beaten by Café Millennium (in the Tontonan Stakes). “He didn’t quite handle the Valley as well as we hoped (last start). He crabbed around the bend and he’ll be suited to the bigger track.” View the full article

Champion jockey Opie Bosson will miss all three days of the New Zealand Cup Carnival in Christchurch after a fall at Avondale on Thursday. Bosson rode Karyon into a fourth placing in the Avondale Main Street Rating 60 (1200m), but was dislodged after the finish line when his mount abruptly ducked outwards while pulling up. He was stood down for the remainder of the Avondale card and now faces a longer stint on the sidelines. “He went to the doctor this morning and unfortunately didn’t pass his concussion test,” Bosson’s manager Michael Coleman said. “That means an automatic stand-down of 12 days, and he’ll need to pass another test before he gets clearance to resume riding.” Bosson had a strong book of rides for the opening day of the carnival at Riccarton on Saturday, including the impressive last-start Ellerslie winner Belle Cheval, who is the $6 equal second favourite for the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 53rd New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). Bosson was also due to ride Captured By Love in the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), Beavertown Boy in the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2600m), and Peekay, Insatiable, Noivern, Cognoscenti and Vivacious on the undercard. “It’s hugely disappointing, especially for a jockey of his calibre, and especially for it to happen now and rule him out of such a great week of racing,” Coleman said. “It’s really bad luck, and I feel for the connections he was going to ride for, such as Te Akau. We thought we had a very good chance in the 1000 Guineas with Belle Cheval. “But it’s the nature of the game. I had a number of setbacks like these myself in my own riding career, and it’s just one of those things that happens. All we can do is hope that he makes a quick recovery, passes that next test and can get back to doing what he does best.” Sam Weatherley will take over the mount on Belle Cheval, with Bruno Queiroz is booked for Captured By Love and Rory Hutchings replaces Bosson on Beavertown Boy. Bosson, who temporarily retired from race riding last season, has made an impressive return to the saddle this spring. He sits in second on the New Zealand premiership with 28 wins from 134 rides, narrowly trailing Craig Grylls (31 wins from 181 rides). View the full article

A relentlessly wet spring has provided a frustrating start to the season for David Greene, but things might be turning the corner as the Te Rapa trainer prepares to unleash his emerging star First Five in Saturday’s Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) at Pukekohe. Greene opened his winning account for 2025-26 when Goldiluxe took out the Avondale Main Street Rating 60 (1200m) on Thursday, and now he is excited to see First Five get underway in what could be a career-best season. “Goldiluxe won pretty well at Avondale on Thursday and it was good to see,” Greene said. “It was probably a bit of an overdue win, she’d been racing well and deserved to pick another one up. “Now I’m looking forward to seeing First Five kick off on Saturday. The one issue we’ve had with him is that he’s a genuine good-track horse, so like many others in the racing industry, we’ve been pretty frustrated to see it raining almost every day for however many months. Now that the weather and tracks seem to be starting to come right, First Five is going to be much more at home.” First Five will be the only runner this weekend for Greene, who has long held a good opinion of the lightly raced gelding. The son of Almanzor has recorded five wins from a 15-start career to date, including four victories from just 10 starts last season – a 1600m Rating 75 at Ruakaka on September 7, a 1400m Rating 65 at Matamata on December 20, a 1400m Rating 75 at Tauranga on February 7, and a 1400m Rating 75 at Te Aroha on March 29. First Five then stepped up into open company for his final start of the season and finished second over 1400m at Te Rapa on April 26, beaten by a short head by Super Photon with a similar margin back to the third-placed Stonybreck. “He certainly has the look of a black-type horse in the making, and I’ve thought that for a while,” Greene said. “He had a very good second half of the season last time in and made it through to open class, and he’s really fully matured into himself now. I think he’s in for a big season. “This was the race we were keen to have him resume in, and his build-up has gone well leading into Saturday. His work has been very good and I think he’s right where we want him to be.” Despite four of his wins coming over 1400m and the other one at 1600m, Greene believes First Five has the brilliance to be highly competitive over 1200m in a fresh state on Saturday. The five-year-old will be ridden by Lynsey Satherley in Saturday’s first-up assignment, in which the TAB has him on the third line of betting at $7.50. He shares that quote with Force Of Nature, while the two market leaders are I’munstoppable ($3) and I’m All In ($6). “I think he’s definitely sharp enough to be very effective over the 1200m,” Greene said. “We’ll get this race out of the way before deciding what else to target with him and what distance might suit him best, but my feeling is that up around 1400m might be his main go.” View the full article

Drexel Hill, runner-up in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), returns to the starting gate for her first race since the Run for the Lilies in the $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes (G2) Nov. 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack.View the full article

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale continued to churn out double-digit increases over its 2024 renewal as the eight-day auction's Book 2 section concluded Thursday. “It felt like a complete continuation from yesterday,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said Thursday evening. “The momentum was there and there was the same enthusiasm for quality stock. The market never seemed to waver all day. It seemed to be steady and strong and consistent. Which was very encouraging. It jumped out of the gates well and hit the wire hard.” Through the two Book 2 sessions, 474 horses sold through the ring for a gross of $91,389,000. The Book 2 average of $192,804 was up 25.9% from 2024, while the median of $160,000 was up 28.0%. Twenty-five horses sold for $500,000 or more over the two sessions, compared to just five to hit that mark last year. During last year's Book 2 section of the November sale, 413 horses sold through the ring for a gross of $63,236,500. The average was $153,115 and the median was $125,000. The 4-year-old broodmare Taylor Swifter (American Pharoah), in foal to Flightline, brought the highest bid of Thursday's session when selling to Bryant Prentice's Pursuit of Success for $700,000. The mare was consigned by Gainesway. “The mares have been the flagbearers of the last few days,” Lacy said. “As long as they are not overly exposed, there is a market for them.” Through the two Book 2 sections, 200 weanlings sold through the ring for a gross of $34,496,000. The average was $172,480–up 27.4% from last year–and the median of $150,000 was up 36.4%. During Book 2 in 2024, 157 weanlings sold through the ring for $21,257,000 for an average of $135,395 and median of $110,000. “The weanling market was sensational again today,” said Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “We had 239 sales through the ring today to 179 different buyers. So we are maintaining yesterday's ratio. We are into day three and the consistency of the day is really supported by the depth of the buyer base that is here. The top 20 weanlings sold today were by 19 different stallions and bought by 19 different buyers.” A colt by Nyquist (hip 830) was the highest-priced weanling on the day, selling for $600,000 to the phone bid of Clover Leaf Bloodstock. Bred by Viking Breeding and consigned by Indian Creek, the chestnut is out of Intense Honor (Honor Code), a half-sister to graded winners Money Multiplier (Lookin at Lucky) and Intense Holiday (Harlan's Holiday). “We thought he would sell very well today,” said Indian Creek's Sarah Sutherland. “Obviously, you are always thrilled when it actually pans out. We had end-users and pinhookers on him–everybody appreciated the horse.” Indian Creek offered its first weanlings of the Keeneland sale Thursday. “We had one earlier that sold great and the Nyquist colt obviously sold super,” Sutherland said. “We are two for two and they have both gone to great homes. “I think it's the same old story, when you have a quality horse with a nice pedigree, they bring premium prices.” Despite the competitive weanling market, Tami Bobo has been a prolific buyer through the first three sessions of the Keeneland sale. The Ocala pinhooker signed for five weanlings Thursday, bringing her total Keeeland November haul to 13 head purchased for $1.81 million. “The market is strong, but I think if you put in the time and diligence there are horses to be bought,” said Bobo. “Like any sale, we all get hyped on how the market is playing and I think a lot of us talk ourselves out of buying horses because of that. I felt like there was value and that's why I signed a lot of tickets today. There is going to be a marketplace with the new beautiful bill, so in 10 months, if we really evaluate the marketplace, I think there are a lot of us who need to put money in the market and I think there are a lot of people who will be there at the other end.” The Keeneland November sale continues through Tuesday with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m. Swifties Line Up for Taylor Swifter In a moment of life imitating art, Taylor Swifter, the four-legged version, received plenty of attention while leading the way with a $700,000 final bid early in Thursday's Book 2 finale at the Keeneland November Sale. Consigned by Gainesway, the daughter of American Pharoah, who is in foal to Flightline, was purchased by Pursuit of Success' Bryant Prentice. Handling the signing duties on the 4-year-old filly was agent Archie St. George. “She's a very nice physical,” said St. George. “She's by American Pharoah, who looks to be possibly a very good broodmare sire. And she's in foal to an exciting stallion, Flightline. The team, Mr. Prentice and Bill Oppenheim seemed to like the mare.” The unraced filly is out of SW and GSP Taylor S (Medaglia d'Oro), herself a daughter of GSW Miss Macy Sue (Trippi). Her siblings include GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Woodward Liam's Map (Unbridled's Song) and GSW and GISP Not This Time. Bred by the Albaugh Family, Taylor Swifter was a $725,000 KEESEP yearling purchase before bringing $170,000 at this season's Fasig-Tipton February Sale. Taylor Swifter's filly by Flightline brought $1.5 million at Keeneland September in 2024. Her brother by Into Mischief, named Taylor's Version, won a pair of races at Churchill Downs this season. “It's a big pedigree with stallions on there, Not This Time and Liam's Map,” said St. George. “There's a lot of upsides to her and there's a half-brother that potentially could run.” “She will go back to us now and, hopefully, we'll have a Flightline colt, and [her offspring] can run.”–CBoss Apple Picker Goes to Family & Friends for $650K Early in Thursday's Book 2 session, Grade III winner Apple Picker (Connect) drew $650,000 from the partnership of Martha Jane Mulholland and Judy Pryor, who signed as Family & Friends. “I buy horses mostly on conformation and she was a beautifully-conformed mare,” said Mulholland. “They have to be pretty first, and then we start looking how much race record we can afford.” Consigned by Elite, Hip 678 is out of Silent Fright (Yes It's True), a half-sister to Canadian Champion Grass Horse Grand Adventure (Grand Slam). Victorious in the GIII Barbara Fritchie Stakes in a career that saw her amass $478,433 in earnings, Apple Picker hails from the family of Classic-winning filly Lakeway. Pryor's early experience stems from the Quarter Horse show industry and the Nebraska-based horsewoman maintains about 50 Thoroughbreds at her 400-acre Pryor Ranch near Omaha. “Judy was in the Quarter Horse show business and then she came into the racing business in Nebraska a few years ago,” explained Mulholland. “She is trying to step up the game a little bit with some really quality mares. We have a lot of high aspirations and goals for racing. In the meantime, we are going to breed some mares and make some money.” Pryor appears to have somewhat loftier ambitions. “I want to win the Kentucky Derby and the Oaks!” she said. “I am not going to work this hard to say I am going to win in Nebraska. But I do want to win there, too.” Also purchased at Keeneland this week, the team signed for Ms. Tart (Maximus Mischief) (Hip 141), a Book 1 buy that brought $375,000 and Low Mileage (Mineshaft) (Hip 477), in foal to Nyquist, for $385,000. “She is a gorgeous mare in foal to a very hot stallion,” Mulholland said of Low Mileage. “The way the market is going, I expect we can get out on a foal or two and if not, we are pleased to run them.” Additionally, the partnership secured Hip 539, Promise of Hope (Ghostzapper) for $240,000 and Hip 851 Know It All Audrey (Shackleford), a $310,000 investment. The former is in foal to National Treasure, while the latter has a Vekoma in utero. All the mares are expected to head to Mulholland Springs to foal and board. “We are excited about buying a mare in foal to [new sire] National Treasure,” said Mulholland. Asked about who they expect to breed to the partnership's open mares, Mulholland added, “I think for [Apple Picker], we can go with a little bit bigger stallion with more stretch. She has all the power and muscle so she has a lot to give to the stallion.” “We'll go around tomorrow and look at the freshman horses as well as the wonderful proven horses like Yaupon and Omaha Beach and of course, all the big stallions.” Also acting as a seller, Mulholland Springs sold all six of its offerings through the ring for gross receipts of $1.355 million. Averaging $225,833, the consignment was headed by a weanling colt by Taiba (Hip 699), who realized $385,000 on Thursday. “We have done very well, we've been very blessed,” said Mulholland of the operation's selling activity at Keeneland. “You have to focus on what the market wants. The market is wanting the solid, proven stallions like the Yaupons and Omaha Beach and the top horses like Into Mischief and Not This Time. She continued, “We want solid commercial stallions because the market is forcing us in that direction and we will try to give them what they want.”—Cboss Taiba Colt Pays for Mulholland Springs Martha Jane Mulholland says she has one criteria above all others when she buys a mare. “I try to always buy very, very pretty mares, she said. “Above all else, they have to be pretty.” She found a mare that fit the bill at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton February sale, going to $120,000 to acquire the then 9-year-old stakes-winning mare Bet She Wins (First Samurai) from the Lothenbach dispersal. “She was a very pretty mare,” Mulholland said of Bet She Wins. “I was very pleased to get her for that price.” Bet She Wins' filly by Gun Runner sold as a yearling at that same auction for $225,000 and Mulholland bred her new mare to that stallion's son Taiba, who was standing his first season at Spendthrift for a fee of $35,000. “I think Taiba is one of the most beautiful sons of Gun Runner that is standing at stud right now,” Mulholland said. “And I was hopeful with the kind of body this mare has and that Taiba has, that we would get a stunning foal. And we did.” Bet She Wins' Taiba weanling colt (hip 699) went through the ring at Keeneland Thursday, selling for $385,000 to Go Go Greys, BSW/Crow, agent. “Well, this was a little more than I was expecting,” Mulholland said of the result. “But the market is so strong that, at the same time, I am not surprised.” Bet She Wins is currently in foal to Muth. @JessMartiniTDN The post Shake It Off: $700k Taylor Swifter on Top as Gains Continue at Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Lisa Latta is often a force to be reckoned with when she takes her horses to Riccarton for New Zealand Cup Week and hopes this year will be no exception. The Awapuni horsewoman will look to add another Listed Donaldson Brown Pegasus Stakes (1000m) and Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) to her mantelpiece on Saturday, with key hopes in Platinum Attack and Connello engaged in the feature races. A five-year-old by Santos, Platinum Attack has won two of three attempts at the 1000m trip, his only defeat coming when running blistering sectionals into sixth in last year’s Pegasus. He went on to finish fifth in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) and Gr.1 Railway (1200m) against the best of the country’s sprinters, and just missed when runner-up in the Listed Lightning Handicap (1200m) in autumn. Platinum Attack asserted his favouritism with a sharp trial win at Awapuni last month, boosted by the services of leading hoop Craig Grylls. “He has been set for this, he’s just been looking for those better tracks,” Latta said. “Even though they said it was a heavy track at Awapuni, it played way better than that. He has a good turn of foot on a good track, that’s for sure.” As she did last year, Latta intends to back the gelding up in next Saturday’s Listed Lindauer Stewards Stakes (1200m). Breeders’ contender Connello is no stranger to the big Riccarton circuit, having travelled down on three separate occasions including for last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), where she finished fifth behind race rival Captured By Love. The daughter of Time Test picked up where she left off this term as a four-year-old, placing in the Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Breeders Stakes (1400m) before a tough trip for fifth last start at Trentham. Also to be ridden by Grylls, Connello will carry the same silks worn by Latta’s 2022 victor Belclare. “She’s got a really nice draw to utilise and a top jockey on,” Latta said. “She drew wide at Wellington and that track was definitely a bit tricky, and she had a bit of weight to carry there as well. I think she looks well placed here.” Their stablemate Platinum Pantheon has been based at Riccarton over the past three weeks after a stunning maiden win at Ashburton, setting him up nicely for in the Scenic Hotel Group Premier (1200m). “He’s been at Andrew Carston’s and he’s been really happy with him, he’s drawn wide (12) again so we’ll have to see how he jumps and go from there,” Latta said. Latta’s focus will turn to Tauherenikau on Sunday, where progressive staying mare Manzor Blue takes her place in the Wrights Cabins and Construction R75 (1600m). “I’d expect her to be right in the mix of it again, it’s not the strongest of fields and she is a lovely mare that has shown a fair bit,” Latta said. “We decided to give her another mile before we stepped her up over ground.” View the full article

Genuine filly Miss Ziggy ticked a significant box for trainer Andrew Carston during her trouble-free build-up to Saturday’s Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. The local hope has spent most of her career competing in strong age group company and delivered an overdue victory two runs back. “I needed to get a win out of the way, and I thought I might have got that before I did, but since she won it has been plain sailing,” he said. “I’m very happy with my horse and the one thing I’ve said through this prep is that we haven’t had to do any travelling, we’ve just had to go across the fence.” Miss Ziggy placed in her first two starts last term before heading north to finish fourth in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) and then ventured further afield. Her following four starts were all at Ellerslie where ran a gallant third in the Karaka Millions (1200m) behind La Dorada and the now Victorian-based Vega For Luck. Most recently on her home Riccarton turf, the daughter of Brazen Beau finished fifth in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) and third in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) with her maiden win in between times. Miss Ziggy will again be ridden by Kylie Williams, who has the task of overcoming a potentially tricky draw of 10. “The barrier is no help and some of the more favoured fillies from the north have drawn to get pretty soft runs,” Carston said. “I just have to worry about my filly though, and everything has gone to plan so fingers crossed for some luck. “I don’t think she will have trouble with the distance and I’ve got her the best she can be, it’s a pleasure to have a filly in a Group One at a big carnival for one of my biggest supporters.” Raced by the Ritchie family, Miss Ziggy is currently at $41 in the Guineas market despite her consistent run of past and current form. “She was near enough to a 100 to one in the Karaka Million, so I’m not worried about that,” Carston said. He will have five other representatives in action on the opening day of the New Zealand Cup carnival, including two in the Blue Star Taxis Premier (1400m). “Say Satono hasn’t had the rub of the green, but I can’t fault her and gets Kylie back on which is a big help and the other mare Maybe Diva has done nothing wrong during the prep,” Carston said. “Mogul has been close enough and Ess Vee Are has been slightly disappointing, but he drops a long way in grade and I expect to see a good showing from him.” Mogul runs in the Scenic Hotel Group Premier (1200m), Ess Vee Are takes on the Road Metals Premier (2000m) with Hard Attack to step out in the Garrards Horse & Hound Premier (1200m). “Her best runs have been when we’ve ridden her quietly, so hopefully she can get some cover down the chute and get her chance,” Carston said. View the full article

Trans-Tasman trainer Andrew Forsman is hoping his stable can feature on both sides of the ditch this weekend. His Cambridge stable will have strong representation at Pukekohe and Tauherenikau on Saturday and Sunday respectively, while his Flemington barn will have a two-pronged attack on Champions Stakes Day at their iconic Melbourne base. Force Of Nature will lead the charge on the home front at Pukekohe where he will be fresh-up in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m). Initially set to be run at Te Rapa, Saturday’s meeting was transferred to Pukekohe following the Hamilton track’s Labour Day meeting abandonment, with the club immediately undertaking renovation work ahead of the busy summer season. The change in venue is the biggest query for Forsman, but he said the Tony Rider-bred and raced gelding has been working well leading into the sprint feature. “We are a little bit disadvantaged that we targeted a race at Te Rapa and now we are at Pukekohe,” Forsman said. “He is a horse that is certainly more comfortable left-handed, that is the only negative, but we can’t really fault his work heading into it.” Forsman will also be represented at the South Auckland venue by last-start winner Rambling On in the Show By SkyCity 1500 and Trust Alone in the TAB 2200. “It was a very game win (by Rambling On) last start,” Forsman said. “He hadn’t raced for a couple of months and I thought he was vulnerable fitness-wise late. He had to work a little bit mid-stages, but it was a really game effort. It is a decent enough step up on Saturday. “Trust Alone was a little bit disappointing at Te Aroha the other day. She was another one that had a bit of time between runs. I think she will be the big improver and she should be very competitive on her work.” On Sunday, Forsman will line-up a couple of debutants at Tauherenikau, including OTI Racing’s Lassidfied in the LA Stud 2YO (1000m). “It is nice to give her a trip away and I am sure we will get a decent surface down there, which will be good,” he said. “1000m first time out, drawn well with a good rider on, I think she has got a lot of things in her favour. The Stay Inside filly has placed in both of her trials to date and Forsman is looking forward to stepping her out on raceday this weekend. “It is nice to give her a trip away and I am sure we will get a decent surface down there, which will be good,” he said. “1000m first time out, drawn well (1) with a good rider (Craig Grylls) on, I think she has got a lot of things in her favour.” Stablemate Autumn Queen will also make her debut in the Liquorland Masterton Maiden (1400m), where she will jump from barrier nine with Craig Grylls aboard. “She is a nice filly but is maybe a preparation away,” Forsman said. “She has had a couple of quiet trials. We will give her a run and then decide whether we press on now or give her a bit more time and she might be one for into next year.” Stakes targets await Privy Garden, who will be kept up to the mark for the Listed Steelform Roofing Group Wanganui Cup (2040m) later this month with a hit-out in the Wrights Cabins & Construction (1600m). “She is just having a run to keep her up to the mark for the Wanganui Cup, that is our target with with her at this stage,” Forsman said. “She had a bit of time out in the paddock after her last run and Sunday is very much a tune up run to have her ready and fit for 2000m.” Forsman will also be represented on Sunday by Retrostar in the Wairarapa Music In The Country (1400m) and Nedelin in the Lamb Peters Print (1000m). “Nedelin was a little bit unlucky (when fifth on debut), he just had to work from the widish gate,” he said. “I think there is a fair bit of speed in his race, so it would be nice to see him take a good sit off them and chase a nice tempo. He has a good amount of ability and we expect him to run really well. “Retro Star is going back to a track he has run well at before. I think the smaller field really suits him and we are taking him down there to try and get him back to his better form.” Across the Tasman, Group One performer Positivity will contest the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) on Champions Stakes Day at Flemington, while stablemate Yaldi will feature in the HKJC World Pool Grand Handicap (1100m) following his first-up runner-up performance over 1100m at Bendigo last month. “We are testing the waters with Yaldi a little bit,” Forsman said. “There won’t be a race for him down the straight for a little while and we thought while we have got the opportunity, and he is in his right grade for a decent stakes, we would give him a go. “It will be interesting to see how that sets up for him. He hasn’t drawn really well (19), but I think the outside part of the track will be the place to be. “Positivity is going great, she is just racing without a lot of luck at the moment. Hopefully the race is genuinely run.” View the full article

Shisospicy and Bentornato are back in their stalls at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, happy and sound, but the Jose D'Angelo-trained Breeders' Cup winners are hardly going to rest on their laurels.View the full article

The Melbourne Cup Carnival concludes Nov. 8 with a trio of group 1 races at Flemington Racecourse: the 1,200-meter (about 6-furlong) Champions Sprint (G1), Champions Mile (G1), and Champions Stakes (G1) at 2,000 meters (1 1/4 miles).View the full article

Brian Hernandez Jr., who suffered numerous broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a lacerated liver in a fall at Churchill Downs on Sept. 21, is set to resume riding next week at Louisville, Ky. track. View the full article

Saturday, Munich, Germany, post time: 15:40, GROSSER ALLIANZ PREIS VON BAYERN-G1, €155,000, 3yo/up, 12fT Field: Alleno (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Ami De Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Cold Heart (Brz) (Alpha), Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}), Rashlord (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), Tiffany (Ire) (Farhh {GB}), Bay City Roller (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Convergent (Ire) (Fascinating Rock {Ire}), Lazio (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}). TDN Analysis: William Buick replaces the injured Clifford Lee aboard G3 Kilternan Stakes and G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris victor Convergent, who will be a warm order to atone for his narrow defeat in July's G1 Deutsches Derby. The Karl Burke representative is reopposed by Conseil de Paris fourth Bay City Roller and Conseil de Paris fifth Junko, a rare entry in Germany for Andre Fabre, who has placed twice at the highest level this term. Last year's runner-up Tiffany ran second in September's G1 Preis von Europa in her only start this term and should not be discounted. Domestic hopes rest with Deutsches Derby and G1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis third Lazio, who was last seen running fourth in Milan's G2 Gran Premio del Jockey Club three weeks ago. [Sean Cronin]. Click here for the complete field. The post Black-Type Analysis: Convergent Looms Large In The Grosser Preis Von Bayern appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In the space of just 13 days, Strictly Business has broken her maiden, finished second in the Wakeful Stakes (G2), and then taken out the VRC Oaks (G1) Nov. 6.View the full article

Group 1 sire Sands Of Mali will be sold through Tattersalls Ireland on a sealed bid basis under the direction of sales company CEO Simon Kerins. The 10-year-old son of Panis stood for a private fee at Ballyhane Stud in Ireland this year. A winner of the G1 British Champions Sprint Stakes and three other group races, Sands Of Mali has 43 winners from 92 runners worldwide (47%). His five stakes winners include G1 Commonwealth Cup heroine Time For Sandals, while G3 Ballycorus Stakes heroine Copacabana Sands is his other group winner. Listed Windsor Castle Stakes scorer Ain't Nobody was second in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes. The winner Songhai was third in the G3 Sapphire Stakes, as well. His eldest foals are just three. The deadline for the first round of sealed bids to Kerins is at 5 p.m. on Monday, November 10. Interested parties may submit their bids confidentially to skerins@tattersalls.ie. The post Group 1 Sire Sands Of Mali To Sell Through Tattersalls Ireland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' for her 3 1/4-length debut win over Thursday's distance at Saratoga, Deep Learning proved she had plenty of class, finishing a close-up fifth in the GI Natalma Sept. 13 and running second to subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf third Ground Support (Army Mule) in the GII Miss Grillo over course and distance Oct. 4. The popular 3-5 choice to go one better here, Deep Learning settled a nice third behind frontrunning Candy Moonshine (Twirling Candy) who cleared from the outside gate to the rail to lead into the first turn. Boxed in along the rail through fractions of :24.31 and :48.35, the favorite had plenty of run left and just waited under jockey Flavien Prat for room to run around the far turn. As the gap she needed opened with less than a quarter-mile to run, Deep Learning shot through and was a clear winner from there, finishing clear of Bella Knows to pick up her first stakes win. “I was traveling well,” Prat said. “She gave me a good run when it was time to get going and she kept on going. I loved the way she won at Saratoga and then we went to Canada and drew outside on the inner track, so it was not an ideal trip. I kind of crossed out that race and then she came back and had a good race and did again today. I don't think she'll mind going a bit further and I think she'll get better as a 3-year-old.” The 43rd stakes winner for Cairo Prince, Deep Learning was a $27,000 KEESEP RNA turned $325,000 OBS April graduate for Klaravich Stable out of a placed half-sister to MGSW Secret Gypsy (Sea of Secrets). Dovima, who last went through the ring for $50,000 to Dardis Bloodstock at KEENOV in 2023, has a yearling Girvin filly hammered down for $150,000 as a yearling at Keeneland last month. She reported an Uncle Mo colt this year and was served by Domestic Product for 2026. CHELSEY FLOWER S., $150,000, Aqueduct, 11-6, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:42.64, fm. 1–DEEP LEARNING, 120, f, 2, by Cairo Prince 1st Dam: Dovima, by Union Rags 2nd Dam: Miss Utada, by Rahy 3rd Dam: Morini (GB), by Unfuwain ($27,000 RNA Ylg '24 KEESEP; $325,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Tony Dardis, Dell Ridge Farm, Ken Donworth & Desmond Ryan (KY); T-Chad Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $82,500. Lifetime Record: GSP, 4-2-1-0, $184,722. 2–Bella Knows, 120, f, 2, Kantharos–Bellamy Knows, by Bellamy Road. ($60,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Sofia Soares and Robert Cotrone; B-Peter Sheppell and Royer Family Stables (OH); T-Brad H. Cox. $30,000. 3–Candy Moonshine, 120, f, 2, Twirling Candy–Sunset Starlet, by Malibu Moon. ($27,000 RNA Ylg '24 KEESEP; $80,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-RKTN Racing; B-Clearsky Farms (KY); T-Michael E. Gorham. $18,000. Margins: 2, NO, NK. Odds: 0.78, 11.81, 9.04. Also Ran: Tideoftime, Fille d'Oro (Ire), Fitz Right. Scratched: Devilish Grin, Getting Serious, Hidden Rose. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. The post Cairo Prince’s Deep Learning Wins Chelsey Flower appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In the space of just 13 days, Strictly Business has broken her maiden, finished second in the Wakeful Stakes (G2), and then taken out the VRC Oaks (G1) Nov. 6.View the full article

With what feels like the culmination from years of mounting pressure, the volcano of opprobrium over Computer Assisted Wagering (CAW) erupted this summer, spilling all over the industry. The debate around CAW players typically surrounds the edge they wield over regular gamblers thanks to their use of sophisticated technologies that allow them to precisely read the markets and to place massive wagers across many pools in the final seconds of betting-sometimes leading to extreme late odds changes-as well as the attractive rates and rebates offered to them which are unavailable to the average punter. Collective pushback by rank-and-file gamblers led to actionable change at Del Mar during its summer meet, when outcry over a spate of glaring late-odds drops led to the track closing CAW access to its win pools at two minutes before the off-a move that mirrored prior action by the New York Racing Association (NYRA). Santa Anita followed suit. Despite a spate of late odds drops during its recently concluded fall meet, however, Keeneland resisted the call to similarly cut off CAW access in its win pool-but changes might be on the way (more on that in a bit). Then there's the recent class action lawsuit against several CAW-related wagering entities under the under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”) and under state law. The suit alleges they have “organized and participated in the corruption of the betting system” to the detriment of the plaintiffs. “This just snowballs,” said Marshall Gramm, Rhodes College economics professor. “It has become the central issue for rank-and-file horseplayers.” (Read the TDN's extensive coverage of CAW which includes a CAW 101, a look under the hood at how deals are made between tracks and individual teams, as well as a review of global approaches to the issue) Click here for panel discussion on CAWs in horse racing which was presented at the 2024 National HBPA Conference. “We've reached a tipping point,” agreed Damon Thayer, a veteran lawmaker with 22 years serving the Kentucky State Senate and now a senior advisor to the Thoroughbred Racing Initiative (TRI). “Horseplayers are pretty upset about this.” Which is why, he said, some lawmakers in the Kentucky state legislature are considering introducing legislation to manage CAW play. “I'm not suggesting legislation. I'm not encouraging legislation,” stressed Thayer (a remark he repeated). “But I happened to run into [a Kentucky lawmaker] at Keeneland two weeks ago, and he told me he's very concerned about the situation with the CAWs and that he's considering introducing legislation.” Betting slip | Sarah Andrew As to the nature of any such possible legislation, “it could be a very simple requirement that the racetracks cut off betting from the CAWs at a certain point in time-two minutes to post. Five minutes to post,” said Thayer. Kentucky state representative Matt Lehman (D) is one of the lawmakers considering legislative intervention. “I've followed horse racing all my life,” said Lehman. “It is very difficult for the average person to even compete against what's happening in some of these pools.” He added, “I was recently at Keeneland. I thought I had a nice long shot, 21-1 going into the gate. Across the wire first and the odds were 8-1. When a pretty reliable fan or better in the game feels like he lost with an 8-1 horse winning, I think we've got a problem.” With the state legislature not set to return to session until the start of next year, bipartisan discussions of possible legislation are currently “informal,” said Lehman. “This isn't something you would usually ask legislators to really get involved in, micro-managing how these businesses run,” said Lehman. “Our preference would be to have these track operators figure something out that is important for their own health as well as the Kentucky industry going forward.” But Lehman floated possible ways in which these talks could play out. “The things you'd have to look at are: what is pari-mutuel racing? How is that defined? And what does it mean to have some level of equitability among the different players in the pools, along with transparency of information available to legislators and the public?” said Lehman. “There's not a real clear picture of just how much CAW money are in the pools at any given time,” he added. Windows at Santa Anita | Horsephotos This last point isn't just a Kentucky problem, however. The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) used to annually report the handle wagered by individual CAW teams but stopped doing so in 2022, choosing to instead report wagering totals from individual CAW platforms (like Elite Turf Club). And yet, even with the steps the CHRB has taken to shield from public view CAW play in the pools, California remains arguably the most transparent of any jurisdiction in how it reports the impacts of CAW wagering on the pools. Lawsuit Timeframes A legal development that has garnered considerable attention is the class action lawsuit filed last month by former horse racing gambler Ryan Dickey. The defendants comprise several entities under the The Stronach Group (TSG) umbrella (who last week issued a response to the lawsuit). This includes Elite Turf Club, a CAW wagering platform 80% owned by Stronach Group and 20% owned by the New York Racing Association (NYRA), and AmTote International, the dominant totalizator service provider for North American racetracks described in the lawsuit as the “clearing house of U.S. pari-mutuel wagering.” The other defendants comprise Churchill Downs Inc. (which owns CAW wagering platform Velocity), NYRA, United Tote Company and Racing & Gaming Services, another CAW wagering platform. The lawsuit–filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York–could play out between as little as six months to two to three years, said attorney Drew Couto, a former president of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC). Tote board at Fair Grounds | Hodges Photography One of the quicker ways the case could be resolved within months is through a settlement. First, however, is an important procedural hurdle called a motion to certify the class. “And there's a risk on both sides, obviously,” said Couto about the class certification process. “The plaintiff believes that the case warrants certification as a class. The defendants are going to argue that it doesn't.” Even if class certification is granted, the defendants can appeal that decision–another potential spoke in the legal wheel that can stretch out the lawsuit's timeline. During the process leading to whether or not class certification is granted, there's a period of discovery on both sides. “That process can take up a fair amount of time,” explained Couto. “It's not a simple case of filing the complaint and then you immediately schedule a motion for certification, which is a complex motion in itself. But it is, generally speaking, an expedited process.” If, however, class certification is ultimately granted, “then from the defendants' standpoint, your liability exposure goes up significantly,” said Couto. “At first, defendants take a very hard line–'yes, we're going to fight certification.' If they lose at the certification level, however, then the calculations, from a defense standpoint, change,” said Couto. “A defendant must then assess what are the future risks, and that's why, when one is looking at the length of time, and costs, associated with a class action case, certification is the first pivotal point.” Industry Next Steps While the legal machinations of the lawsuit play out, what steps should tracks take to seriously tackle the problem? According to Marshall Gramm, they need to focus on two key areas: price stability and price differences between the teams and the retail bettors. More pointedly, they need to cut off CAW access two minutes to post in “all the visible pools,” he said. “This means the double, the exacta and the win pool.” The second area concerns reducing the price differences between what the CAW teams pay and what the recreational players pay, said Gramm. “You need to fix those two things.” Gramm repeated a remark made by others–that the issue has reached a tipping point, and that observed inaction in the face of late odds swings won't be met quietly. “One of the dominant stories of this Keeneland meet was the public outcry that has kept this to the forefront,” said Gramm. “I'm curious to know what they [Keeneland] do in the future,” he added. “Nothing's outside of the realm of possibility of what we may or may not do in the spring. It's not like we're just vehemently opposed to doing X or Y,” responded Keeneland's vice president of racing, Gatewood Bell, when asked what changes the track might make in its approach to managing CAW play going forward. “We also have to consider the track and the horsemen's accounts,” Bell said, stressing that Keeneland doesn't have an interest in any CAW platform or tote company, and therefore, not the entity offering rebates. “We're just trying to balance and keep all stakeholders in mind when we're making decisions like this.” Though Keeneland didn't cut off CAW play minutes before the off, the track each meet “evaluates and adjusts” the way it manages the CAW teams accessing their pools, said Bell. Keeneland during the Fall meet | Coady Media “To encourage balanced participation, Keeneland charges CAW players equivalent to or higher than those charged to retail bettors across all pools,” he added. The tweaks Keeneland made this last meet led to the total win pool handle going up 5% (comparing this year's meet to last year's), but CAW activity in that pool going down 9%, said Bell. Another is a slight reduction in the percentage of overall handle from CAW play, to around 24%. “I think we'd like it to go a little bit lower, to be honest,” said Bell, when asked if this is the percentage sweet spot. Nevertheless, they didn't impact the last-minute odds changes that garnered such withering criticism. Bell said that through the first 13 days of the meet, 57% of the winners went up in price or stayed the same, while 43% went down in price. “Do I think it's the final answer? No,” said Bell. “We're going to review it all,” he added. “Usually when the most profound change or positivity comes out of something, it's when there's a tipping point.” And what about the recently concluded Breeders' Cup? Before the meet, the Breeders' Cup stated it would not impose a two-minute win pool cutoff to CAW play (as its host track did this summer). “Fortunately, due to the substantial liquidity in our multi-million-dollar wagering pools, the late odds fluctuations that frustrate horseplayers have not been an issue at the World Championships, including last year at Del Mar,” the organization argued. With the meet now wrapped, has the organization reevaluated its approach to managing CAW play? “Breeders' Cup continues to evaluate all aspects related to wagering on the recently concluded World Championships,” a Breeders' Cup spokesperson wrote. The post “I Think We’ve Got A Problem”: What’s Next In The World Of CAW? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article