Wandering Eyes

French online auction house Auctav will host their January sale starting Tuesday, Jan. 16 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. CET, and among the offerings are two flat runners, namely Qantiem (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}) and Sinnerman (Fr) (Territories {Ire}). The former, a half-brother to MSP-Fr Layla (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), is out of a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Reliable Man (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and multiple Group winner Imposing (GB). Sinnerman claims Peruvian champion grass mare GSP-Arg Sissy Chanel (Tapizar) as a half-sister and hails from the female line of Old Domesday Book (GB), whose daughters produced no less than three multiple Group and Grade I performers. Both offerings are winners on the Polytrack while Sinnerman also has a victory over 1200 metres on the turf. The full catalog can be found on their website. The post Auctav’s First 2024 Sale Goes Live Tuesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Amplify Horse Racing is accepting applications now through Jan. 31 for the spring 2024 intake of its mentorship program. The program provides an introductory step for youth and young adults who want to learn more about the Thoroughbred industry by matching them with experienced industry professionals who can offer career guidance. The spring session will run from March 1 through May 31. The program is also accepting potential mentors who have over 6 years of work experience in the Thoroughbred or broader equine industry, and can meet the program's minimum training requirements, background check, and time commitment. Interested parties should visit the website for more information on the program and its requirements. The post Amplify Accepting Applications For 2024 Mentorship Program appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sunlit Song's 2023 campaign earned him Horse of the Year honors and champion older horse among Texas-breds. The gelding had five wins and a second in six starts in 2023, including four stakes victories.View the full article

Racing in the Asian jurisdiction to close April 1 as government pulls plug on the sport in the world's gambling mecca.View the full article

Texas-bred 9-year-old gelding Sunlit Song (My Golden Song) was named the Texas Horse of the Year along with Champion Older Horse honors Monday by the Texas Thoroughbred Association after a season which saw him win four stakes races from six starts. His success also saw his dam, Fly So True (Early Flyer) owned by Carolyn Barnett and Becky Harding, honored with 2023 Texas Broodmare of the Year. The full list of winners, including Texas-bred money earner and TTA Member of the Year, can be found here. The post Sunlit Song Headlines 2023 Texas-Bred Honors appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The TDN team barely had time to stop in at Spendthrift Farm to visit Forte this past November before the champion was booked full for 2024. Here's our video feature on the son of Violence. But Forte is just one of the four in-demand newcomers at Spendthrift, where the breeding shed is sure to be busy as ever this year as Into Mischief continues his reign as the leading sire in North America and the top four freshman sires of 2023 take on their fifth season at stud. To learn more about the other new kids on the block at Spendthrift, we sat down with Mark Toothaker. TAIBA (5, Gun Runner – Needmore Flatter, by Flatter) Standing for an introductory fee of $35,000, this son of Gun Runner trained by Bob Baffert and campaigned by Zedan Racing Stables was a leading 3-year-old in 2022 with three Grade I victories on his resume. KP: A seven-figure 2-year-old and a TDN Rising Star in his debut, it's fair to say that expectations were high for Taiba from the start. How did he rise to those? MT: Taiba certainly got the whole racing world on edge when he brought $1.7 million at the 2-year-old sales. Being by Gun Runner out of a Flatter mare, he is a gorgeous horse. He probably has more bone and body than any Gun Runner that I've seen. Taiba got off to such a start as a TDN Rising Star. It was just one of those races that gives you chill bumps. He won so effortlessly and so easily that day and then to come back in start two in the GI Santa Anita Derby, doing something he'd never done before going a mile and an eighth, and be able to win the way he did just lets you know right off the bat that this horse is as talented as maybe anything we've seen in a while. From there, he would go on to win the GI Pennsylvania Derby in impressive fashion and he closed out his 3-year-old year with a win in the GI Malibu S. He was a very talented horse to be able to do what he did early on, but still be good late in the year. It was asking a lot of him, but it tells you how mentally tough that horse was. KP: You said he stands out from other progeny of Gun Runner physically. How so? MT: I think it's just his body. He's got a great way of moving, but he's got a lot of bone and a lot of muscle. I've had many people out here tell me that they've not seen another Gun Runner with a body like that. His dam was in the Night of the Stars Sale. She was a mare that had tons of bone and tons of substance to her. Anybody out there that got a chance to peek at her can see what Taiba got. KP: Last year you added dual Grade I winner Cyberknife to your roster and now this year you have Taiba. What has the demand been like in offering two new sons of Gun Runner to breeders within two years? MT: Well we say around here that you can't have too much Into Mischief blood, but you also can't have too much Gun Runner blood. When we had a chance to go get these two horses, we bought them both during the same year. We knew they wanted to run Taiba again as a 4-year-old and so that fit our program fine with them doing that. We were able to get Cyberknife 223 mares last year. He was a great breeder, a very fertile horse. Now we have Taiba standing for $35,000 and he sold out in about an hour. It was crazy, the demand for him. We've got him at 180 mares. We'll get to mid-April and see how he's breeding and if it's going well, we'll slide some more in. ARABIAN LION (4, Justify – Unbound, by Distorted Humor) This speedy son of Justify was his sire's first Grade I winner when he edged away to win the 2023 GI Woody Stephens. Another TDN Rising Star for Bob Baffert and Zedan Racing Stables, Arabian Lion will stand for $30,000 in his debut season. KR: Speaking of red hot stallions, this year you have the first son of Justify to retire in Kentucky. MT: We were so excited to be able to get Arabian Lion because of him being a son of Justify. We have Bolt d'Oro here that was in a great battle with Justify and Good Magic for leading freshman sire in 2022. We were thrilled that Bolt wound up coming out on top and then in 2023, it was all just Justify, Justify, Justify. So you tip your hat to that horse on the year that he's had that culminated with what he did out at the Breeders' Cup. For us to be able to go out and get a Grade I-winning son of one of the hottest stallions here in North America-plus the success he's had in Europe and Australia-it's a very cool thing. But what makes him even more special is that his female family is all a Phipps family. His mother is a Distorted Humor mare that was stakes placed. His third dam is the great Personal Ensign. So when you back up that this horse ran a 109 Beyer when he won the Woody Stephens and he's by Justify and out of a Phipps family that's as deep as you could ever hope for, it gives you a lot of hope that five years down the road, what could he be standing for? We've seen what Justify started out at and where he's at now and we're hopeful to have a son that can go follow in his footsteps. We were overwhelmed with interest in him and he sold out extremely quickly. KR: That 109 Beyer Speed Figure was one of the best numbers on the year in 2023. How does that speak to Arabian Lion's talent? MT: He was always one that Bob had at the top of his list as a horse with tremendous talent. He ran a very good race at Keeneland when he was second in the GIII Lexington S. and Bob decided to go the conservative route and run him in the Sir Barton S. on Preakness day. He came out of that weekend with the fastest Beyer of anything that ran that weekend [103]. Bob said he probably should have run him in the Preakness and I think if they would have, he would have been a tough customer in there. To bounce out of that race and come back three weeks later on Belmont Day in the GI Woody Stephens, the horse just left there running and was in a great spot all the way around. When he made the lead, he was gone. KR: This guy is built a bit differently than his sire. What type of horse do you expect him to throw? MT: What's funny about Arabian Lion is that he looks very much like a Distorted Humor. He looks like his mother's side of the family. We have Jimmy Creed, who is a Distorted Humor, and Arabian Lion reminds me a little bit like Jimmy with the really good body and great hip. He looks like he would throw a precocious, fast, early horse-just like he was. It'll be interesting to see what he throws when we start seeing the foals on the ground. Will he throw back some to the Justify with the leg, the size and the scope or will he throw more along his own looks with the Distorted Humor-type look with a big hip and more compact body? We'll have to see when that chapter comes up in his career, but we're trying to breed mares to him with a little bit more stretch. I think that will suit him. ZANDON (5, Upstart – Memories Prevail, by Creative Cause) About as consistent as they come, this Brereton C. Jones-bred placed in all but two of his 14 lifetime starts for trainer Chad Brown and owner Jeffrey Drown. Zandon was a leader on the Kentucky Derby trail as the winner of the 2022 GI Blue Grass S. and this year at four, he claimed the GII Woodward S. The $2.2 million earner will stand for $12,500. KR: Zandon always caught my eye in the mornings, whether it was at Churchill Downs ahead of the Derby or this summer up in Saratoga. How have his looks factored into his resume as he launches his stud career? MT: Well Zandon is Black Beauty. From the first time we saw him, he was a big, scopey, stretchy horse. He was just an honest, blue collar horse that danced every danced. He did his best every race and was on the board time after time after time. He's an Upstart out of a Creative Cause mare. Mike Ryan, one of the best eyes of anybody in the horse business, bought him as a yearling out of the Airdrie consignment. It's an Airdrie family that Governor Jones and his son Brett have really cultivated for many generations. We're excited that they are doing the Share The Upside on the horse with us and so it's fun to have them involved. I think he's at a price point at $12,500 where he fits a lot of breeders' programs. He gives them what they're looking for and hopefully will get them a gorgeous sale weanling or yearling. KR: When you look back on his career, what do you think of as his best race? MT: I think his best race was probably when he won the GI Blue Grass. He worked his way through horses in the stretch and when he finally found daylight, he was gone. I thought he showed a great turn of foot that day and it was an impressive trip to be able to work it out the way he did. Any time you win a Grade I right here in front of all the breeders at our home track, that gets your attention. KR: He was on the board in 12 of 14 starts–all of those were graded after his debut win and half of his placings came in Grade I contests. For him to be so consistent at the top of the game at two, three and four, what does that indicate about his potential ability as a sire? MT: Zandon was a very good 2-year-old and he had a great 3-year-old year, not only winning the GI Blue Grass S., but he ran a very good third in the GI Kentucky Derby. He's a horse that danced all the dances–on the board in the GI Travers and the GI Pennsylvania Derby. He's had a very good 4-year-old year. He was second in the GI Met Mile and the GI Whitney. He won the GII Woodward. We had big hopes for him out on Breeders' Cup weekend and unfortunately we didn't get the Cinderella ending we were hoping for. It was a tough track to close ground on out there on both days, but he ran hard. He always tries hard and so we were very proud of the horse to make $2.2 million. He was an extremely consistent horse that always gave his all. That's something that you can hang your hat on as a breeder. You know the horse had a lot of try in him and he was always going to come out there and compete as hard as he could. The post New Recruits in Demand at Spendthrift appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

'TDN Rising Star' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro), the beaten favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, is not being pointed for the GI Kentucky Oaks, reports Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. The beautifully bred daughter of Beholder (Henny Hughes) finished seventh in the Breeders' Cup and came out of the race with a crack in a splint bone. “She's out of training,” Mandella said. “It was a small crack in the splint bone, but it needed time to heal up. She'll start training again in about a week, but that won't give us enough time to make the Oaks. She'll be ready when she's ready.” Mandella, however, has developed a worthy replacement in Kopion (Omaha Beach), who was an impressive winner of the GIII Santa Ynez S. Jan. 7. Mandella said the Feb. 4 GIII Las Virgenes S. will be her next target. The post Tamara Won’t Make Kentucky Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

An additional 33 supplemental entries have been added to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale to be held Feb. 5 and 6 in Lexington, Kentucky. These entries, announced Monday by Fasig-Tipton, are catalogued as hips 417-450 and include Plenty of Vision (Pollard's Vision), Les Bon Temps (Laoban), More Than Vows (More Than Ready), Headland (Paynter), Ontheonesandtwos (Jimmy Creed) and Unjokable (Practical Joke). The entire catalog including the supplemental entries can be viewed here. The post Fasig-Tipton Catalogues 33 Additional Entries To Winter Mixed Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Freezing temperatures are expected in the Houston area until Jan. 17.View the full article

The Steve Asmussen trainee will need to once again defeat rising star Nash from the Brad Cox barn as well as grade 2 winner Can Group, a top performer on the turf who takes his talents to the dirt in the chance to join the Derby fray. View the full article

Bred in New Jersey, Book 'em Danno (Bucchero) is a 3-year-old, has been beaten only once in five starts, has won three stakes and is coming off a career-best effort when beating up on five inferior rivals in the Jan. 13 Pasco S. at Tampa Bay Downs. With most owners and trainers, to have a horse like that would mean they'd be hyper-focused on getting to the GI Kentucky Derby. But not trainer Derek Ryan or the partnership that races under the name of Atlantic Six Racing LLC. They're headed to Saudi Arabia for the $1.5-million G3 Saudi Derby on Feb. 24. The Kentucky Derby is not under consideration. “The Saudi Derby is a one-turn mile, he's a gelding, there's a lot of money,” Ryan said. “I have no Derby dreams. I've been down that road before and it didn't do me any good. I think the Derby is overrated, but that's just me. We were never really considering the Derby trail. The Derby trail, you always have to make works, make races. You put the horse under a lot of pressure.” Atlantic Six Racing LLC is made up of six friends who reside on the Jersey Shore. They are Frank Camassa, Jeff Resnikoff, Mark Rubenstein, James Rubenstein, Jim Scappi and Jay Briscione. It was Mark Rubenstein who came up with the name Book'em Danno, which is what Steve McGarrett said at the end of each episode of the television show “Hawaii Five-O” after nailing a guilty criminal. The group never had the type of money needed to buy a highly rated horse at the sales, but did have some luck with a high-priced claimer named Counterfeitcurency (Currency Swap), who made nearly $200,000. That gave them enough money to look around for some younger horses and an advisor pointed them in the direction of Book 'em Danno, who was being shopped around by his breeders, Greg Kilka and Christine Connelly of Bright View Farm. There was not a lot to go on. Book 'em Danno is the second foal out of Adorabella (Ghostzapper) who never raced. The first foal had just broken her maiden when Atlantic Six privately purchased Book 'em Danno and did so by just a half length in a slow time. But she turned out to be a runner. Named Girl Trouble (Fast Anna), she has won two stakes, the Future Stars Filly Division S. and the Parx Futurity. So the team was optimistic when Book'em Danno made his first start and won a maiden race for Jersey-breds by 9 1/2 lengths. “He always acted like a nice horse,” Ryan said. “I don't crank horses up to win first time out because unless you really have a superstar, there's no place to run them. Nowadays, if you break your maiden the only races available to you are stakes race. I only had him 70% right for that first race, which told me I had a good one.” He returned a month later and beat open company in the Smoke Glacken S. at Monmouth and followed that up with a win in the Futurity at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. He then ran well in defeat when second in the Nashua S. at Aqueduct. Atlantic Six and Ryan weren't the only ones cheering Book'em Danno along. Kilka bought Adorabella for $14,000 at the 2020 Keeneland January Sale. They sold Girl Trouble for just $15,000 and probably didn't break the bank when selling Book'em Danno. But their rewards were about to come. They sold the third foal, a colt by Classic Empire, at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings sale for $135,000. They then sold Adorabella for $550,000 at Fasig-Tipton November. She was believed to be in foal to Medaglia d'Oro at the time, but the foal was aborted. After the defeat in the Nashua, Ryan and the owners began to formulate their plans for Book'em Danno's 3-year-old campaign. Ryan confirmed that he wanted no part of the Derby. He had started one horse in the race in Musket Man (Yonaguska), who finished third in 2009. With Book'em Danno being a gelding and possibly a horse who would prefer one turn, Ryan wanted to pick out spots with big purses that would fit the gelding's style. Even before the Pasco, he had set his sights on the Saudi Derby. But first the Pasco. It was not a particularly strong field and Book'em Danno was sent off at odds on 1-10. Soft spot or not, he could not have won any easier. With Samuel Marin aboard, he inched up to the leaders while four wide on the turn. Marin never seemed to ask his horse for his best run, but he nonetheless drew off in the stretch to win by 12 1/2 lengths. “After the race I had to pinch myself,” Briscione said. “It would have been one thing if he won by a length or something, but for him to draw off the way he did and win so easily. That was something. He moves somewhat effortlessly. It's very exciting for all of us. We thought he'd run good but that was crazy what he did.” At the invitation of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, Ryan was planning to hop on a plane to Riyadh Jan. 17 so that he could get the lay of the land before sending the horse over. “This is a great position to be in,” Briscione said. “We're a little group and we don't have the experience some of the big groups have had, but we're always trying to figure out what's best for the horse. There are rewards and risks. The reward in Saudi is the money. The distance seems to suit him. The only issue is that once you come back, you'll probably need about three months before you're ready to race. That's ok if you run good. If you don't, it can be a problem. But who would have thought we'd ever be going to Saudi Arabia. It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance. It's a lot of fun. It's also a little nerve-wracking. We couldn't be more excited about this.” The Saudi Derby won't be easy. Horses from 10 countries have been nominated and an American contingent could include horses from the stables of Christophe Clement, Brad Cox, Ken McPeek, Rick Dutrow, Brendan Walsh, Steve Asmussen, John Sadler, Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher. All have at least one horse nominated. But Book'em Danno is not to be underestimated. “You can never take anything for granted in this sport,” Ryan said. “But we think we're in a great position.” The post After Romping in Pasco, Jersey-Bred Star Book ’em Danno on His Way to Saudi Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Live racing at Parx was cancelled Monday. Temperatures in the Philadelphia area hovered in the upper 20's during the day with forecasted snow expected by the afternoon. Sam Houston Race Park also cancelled its Monday card due to inclement weather conditions. Live racing is expected to return at Parx Tuesday and at Sam Houston on Friday. The post Parx, Sam Houston Cancel Monday Cards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Andrea Branchini provides a light-hearted response to the suggestion that the Irish Derby should be shortened, featuring an imagined conversation between two classic scholars in somewhat different fields. Yet while Cicero's questions are indeed imagined, Tesio's responses are direct quotes from his bloodstock bible Breeding the Racehorse. Marcus Tullius Cicero: Senator Tesio, what do you think of this recent querelle started by Patrick Cooper's letter in the TDN about shortening the distance of that famous Classic race in Hibernia? Federico Tesio: It is difficult to mathematically establish where speed ends and endurance begins. In other words, there is no specific point – a measured number of metres – where speed ends and endurance begins. It is all relative. Cicero: What do you mean? Do you think that there is no quality difference between speed and endurance? You must know that, deep down, the whole argument about the Hibernian race is in fact about breeding for speed and/or breeding for endurance. Tesio: Neither speed nor endurance will ever be integrally inherited because they are not integral or uniform characteristics but rather combinations of many original characteristics based on the law of probabilities. Cicero: Yes, Senator, I understand, you are referring to those Mendel theories that you liked so much. So, in your opinion, speed and endurance are not really equivalents to the green and yellow peas used by the German abbot to explain and predict inheritance? Tesio: Endurance does not exist in itself. It is only a variation, a step or a facet, of speed. Cicero: Senator, please give me an example I can relate to. Think of me as you would of a simple spectator at the Circus Maximus. Tesio: I myself have bred and trained a good horse, by the name of Bellini, with which I won the St Leger (2,800 metres) and Braune Ban (2,400 metres) in Munich, Germany. Bellini was certainly not a horse with endurance, but he had a tremendous burst of speed. If the course was not too severe and the jockey waited to push it to its best effort in the last 50 metres, then Bellini was undefeated – such was his speed in the last 50 metres. However, one metre more and he was beaten. Cicero: Senator, are you saying that endurance – or stamina, as they call it nowadays – is just the ability to manage speed over distance? Tesio: To win a steeplechase a horse must have speed, rather than mere endurance. Cicero: Senator, I think you are on to something. In fact, all this makes me think of the most talented human athletes of today. Could it be that they just operate in sport markets they have found themselves in? That is: Usain Bolt chose the sprints, while the “human locomotive” Emil Zatopek opted for long distance races – but they might have excelled elsewhere no matter what. Same for football. Legendary Italian left-back Giacinto Facchetti could (and did) play as centreforward at times, and I am sure Lionel Messi would be a terrific fullback if that position was assigned to him. Not to speak of the brilliantly speed-endowed Dutch runner Sifan Hassan, who has recently triumphed in races from the mile to the marathon. You see, I watch television quite a bit here in heaven. Tesio: Distance is nothing more than a form of manifestation of time. Aptitudes are not inherited. Cicero: So, my dear fellow senator, is it all a dream to breed for speed? Tesio: Nothing is certain when dealing with speed and endurance. There are only probabilities. The post At the Senate Cafe in Heaven appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Following last week's announcement of record prize-money across the Jockey Club's portfolio of racecourses, Newbury has followed suit by increasing its prize-money for 2024 to £7 million, which is also a record figure. The 13% increase in purses will be spread across 31 fixtures, 11 of which are denoted as 'premier' meetings and the the other 20 as 'core' fixtures. The G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. will this year be run for £400,000, up from £350,000, and again on a card which is one of the World Pool meetings in Britain. Also receiving as boost is the G3 Geoffrey Freer S., which is now worth £90,000, and the G2 Hungerford S., to £125,000, while the G3 Dubai International World Trophy and G2 Mill Reef S. receive prize-money boosts of £15,000 and £10,000 respectively, to £85,000 and £100,000. Furthermore, all Class 5 handicaps in Flat core fixtures are guaranteed to be run for a minimum of £11,000, up from £8,650 in 2023. “We have been able to make two successive years of significant advances in our prize-money mainly due to our new media arrangements with Sky Sports Racing and our board are pleased to be able to do so at a time when the industry really needs such an investment,” said Julian Thick, chief executive of Newbury Racecourse. “It is well known there are significant headwinds facing racecourses and further prize-money increases in years to come will be very much dependant on Newbury being able to navigate these and create increased commercial returns through other trading activities such as growing attendances, that can then be shared with our industry partners. Once again, my thanks must go to all our sponsors for their continued support and we very much look forward to the season ahead and welcoming horses, connections and racegoers back to Newbury to enjoy top-class racing action.” The post Newbury Prize-Money Upped to Record £7m appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing in the Asian jurisdiction to close April 1 as government pulls pin on the sport in the world's gambling mecca.View the full article

The TDN's popular annual series 'Mating Plans, presented by Spendthrift,' continues today in a conversation with Robert Tillyer, farm manager of William and Donna Shively's Dixiana Farm. AMERICA'S TALE (9, Gio Ponti – America's Friend, by Unusual Heat) to be bred to Taiba She's in foal to Jackie's Warrior and she's a Grade II winner. We thought Taiba was good value. He's a very attractive son of Gun Runner that won three Grade I races. DIAMOND WOW (5, Lookin At Lucky – Patriotic Diamond, by Hat Trick {Jpn}) to be bred to Forte A new mare to the broodmare band and one of four going to champion 2-year-old Forte. She's a multiple stakes winner and is graded stakes placed. GRAND AVE GIRL (6, Runhappy – One More, by Holy Bull) to be bred to Jackie's Warrior This multiple stakes winner is carrying her first foal by Jack Christopher. LADY BRIELLE (6, Tapit – Tabarin, by El Prado {Ire}) to be bred to Gunite This daughter of Tapit is in foal to Cyberknife. She had a nice update in the family with her half-sister producing the GII Golden Rod winner Intricate (Gun Runner). We are breeding her on the same cross. LAYLA (10, Union Rags – I'm a Flake, by Mineshaft) to be bred to Constitution Layla had a mention last year [See those 2023 mating plans here]. She's the full-sister to GISW Express Train. Her first foal, Gran Orca (Liam's Map), has now had two impressive wins in Japan. He was the highest-priced Liam's Map in 2022, selling for $625,000. She is due to have a Flightline foal at the end of February. Sold It's filly by Quality Road | Dixiana Farm SACRED LUNA (12, Maliby Moon – Sacred Feather, by Carson City) to be bred to Uncle Mo This half-sister to MGSW Taareef (Kitten's Joy) produced an Oscar Performance colt that sold last September Keeneland for $310,000. SOLD IT (8, The Factor – -Charade, by Maliby Moon) to be bred to Cody's Wish The farm has a very nice Quality Road yearling filly out of this stakes-winning mare. She's in foal to Not This Time. TRAIN TO ARTEMUS (6, Tapizar- Pay Day Kitten, by Kitten's Joy) to be bred to Into Mischief Another new mare for the farm, purchased in November. She is a multiple stakes winner and is graded stakes placed. She is a beautiful mare that will really compliment the Dixiana broodmare band. The post Mating Plans, presented by Spendthrift: Dixiana Farms appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, whose mission is to rehab, retrain and rehome retired Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds, saw 478 horses go through its program in 2023, with 143 horses remaining in the program at the end of the year–a 15% increase from 2022. “I'm very proud of the New Vocations team as they have done a phenomenal job providing much needed aftercare services to a huge number of horses with diverse backgrounds that come from various tracks around the country,” said New Vocation's Thoroughbred Program Director Anna Ford. “We serve horses that are coming out of the $5,000 claiming races to horses racing at the highest stakes levels and everything in between. We are very thankful for the continued support from the racing industry, including owners, trainers, breeders and fans, which provide us the necessary resources to fulfill our mission and reach as many horses as we can.” With facilities in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Florida and Louisiana, the program received horses from 70 different racetracks which were then adopted out to homes in 36 different states last year. The post New Vocations Served Over 600 Retired Racehorses in 2023 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hollie Doyle has returned to her home country after a successful two-month stint in Japan, where she rode 13 winners from 101 mounts. The arrival of the new year means one thing: the number of winners was dialled back to zero, and the hard work behind the scenes begins again. As someone who doesn't crave the limelight, Doyle is modest, reserved, and always the ultimate professional. It is fair to say that acknowledging her success doesn't come naturally, but since 2019 she has ridden more than 100 winners in each year, with a career high of 172 in 2021. She finished in the top three jockeys in Britain between 2020 and 2022, and one of her closest rivals is her husband Tom Marquand. Doyle's former weighing-room colleague Georgia Cox catches up with the leading female rider, whose Group 1 wins in 2023 came aboard Bradsell (GB), Nashwa (GB) and Trueshan (Fr), and who has four winners on the board already this year. The Japanese fans look like they could elevate any race day. How did it feel to be a part of that atmosphere? The fans are unbelievable. It's quite incomparable to anywhere else I've been. Their love and respect for the horse is on a different level. The merchandise the JRA provides is incredible and the fans are able to purchase “turfies” which are replicas of their favourite horses. After you've ridden a winner, you spend a long time signing autographs and merchandise for them. If I was in the next race, I'd feel guilty that I had to go and couldn't sign everyone's, as they are so keen and passionate. I remember walking out of Nakayama on the last day and there were hundreds of people queued up for Tom and I to sign things. It's very sweet, the fans themselves are in it for the right reasons. How were the local trainers in welcoming you as an overseas rider? The local trainers are generally very good working with overseas riders. The trainer you're based with isn't necessarily your biggest supporter. This year I was associated with Hiroyasu Tanaka, the trainer of Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid). He's a young and up-and-coming trainer who spent a lot of time in France. I have a really good relationship with him, and he threw as many rides as he could at me. However, they have their own jockeys as well, who they are very loyal to. I had to prove myself even more after last year, not getting that many winners, but this year back in June I picked up the ride on Italian 1,000 Guineas winner Shavasana (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) to win the G2 Oaks d'Italia for trainer Stefano Botti and Katsumi Yoshida, who is also the owner of Northern Farms, which 12 of my 13 winners were for. It's like everything – it's all about building contacts. To be able to partner Vela Azul (Jpn) (Eishin Flash {Jpn}) in the G1 Japan Cup was a huge opportunity, as was winning on Vibraphone (Jpn) (Drefong) for Noboru Takagi, the trainer of 2023 Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}). It's a huge step forward on last year's results and I hope to keep building on that. Tom was attached to Keisuke Miyata, who was the rider of Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) for many years, and he's been with him for two years now. He has always made us feel apart of his team and tried to support us as much as he could. In the past few seasons, you've been able to sample racing in a variety of districts, from Australia to America, Japan, and Hong Kong. That must have been a huge eye-opener. If you could introduce something they do to racing over here, what would it be? There is so much we could take from the way the Japanese have built their domain. We have a lot to envy when it comes to the logistics of racing in Japan, starting from how the betting turnover goes straight back into the prize-money. They don't cut corners and they appreciate the long game, investing in middle-distance horses, which they are now reaping the benefits from. For anyone who hasn't been it's one to put on the bucket list. You've ridden in a variety of countries. Is there anywhere you haven't been to yet that you want to experience? Since I started, I have always stuck around for the winters to keep the ball rolling through the all-weather season, but the last two winters I've travelled and found it to be a realisation of what more racing has to offer. It's something that I want to explore further. I really enjoy adjusting to the different styles as you see with Ryan Moore, the way he seamlessly fits into anywhere when he is riding around the world. If the opportunity came up, I'd definitely like to go back and do a stint in Australia and Hong Kong at some point. You've moved up the ranks within the weighing-room. Has much changed for you? A lot has changed but my hunger and drive is bigger than ever. I suppose the only good thing about getting older is the experience you carry, which is worth so much, on and off the track. It's a fast-moving sport and it doesn't take much to fall by the wayside. The fear of that is what keeps me on the ball 24/7. Can you give us an insight into your mindset? I'm quite used to the manic lifestyle now. Chaos is my stability, and my stability is chaos. That state of mind is the norm for me. If I have a day off, I have to do something, whether that's a bike ride, gym session, or swimming. If not, I feel like I'm doing a disservice to the owners that I'm riding for the next day. It's just how it works in my mind. If I stopped, I think I'd become disorientated. Mentality and resilience are two of the biggest things that have got me to this stage. Is bloodstock something you want to be more involved with? I'm intrigued by the bloodstock side of things, and that's definitely amplified since being retained by Imad Al Sagar, owner of Blue Diamond Stud. Analysing their pedigrees, getting to know the families, and seeing the traits they pass down the generations. I really enjoy seeing them as foals and then what they grow into. Seeing it first-hand intensifies how much thought goes into it, and the attention to detail isn't wasted on me. I have a huge amount of respect for any owner-breeder; it's a long, expensive game, and they deserve all the success they get. You have had much success with trainer Archie Watson: 228 winners and counting. We can see from the outside that he is driven and meticulous in placing his horses. What can you see on the inside that leads to the constant flow of winners? When I started working alongside Archie, everything accelerated into a different stratosphere. I understand the way he trains, I understand his horses, and how to get the best out of them and do the best job for their owner. I think he is particularly good at getting their all-important black-type on their CV, or just getting the best out of every horse, whatever level that might be at. Do you have championship dreams? I think I was born competitive as it's all I can ever remember. I love a challenge, and the challenge of becoming a champion jockey is every jockey's dream, finishing joint-second and third in the table the last few years has meant a lot. I'm lucky to be supported by so many good outfits that train winners for fun. The simple question of 'will you be going for champion jockey this year?' can feel sometimes antagonising, as you never have your foot off the pedal, with permanent blinkers fixed on riding as many winners as possible. It's not like I'm holding back; this is full throttle. You've been around some of the best in the business. What's the best piece of advice you've been given? Keep your head down and work hard. The post ‘I Was Born Competitive’: Hollie Doyle Back and Raring For Winners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After over 30 years in the city, the 59-year-old’s career has all of 75 days to run now the government and the Jockey Club have agreed to pull the plug on the sportView the full article

Bruce Seymore has retired from his position as Executive Director of Colorado Operations and Racing at Bally's Arapahoe Park and Shannon Ruston has been tabbed to replace him. A familiar face in the Colorado horse racing scene for the past 29 years, Seymore has made significant contributions to the horse racing community, serving as the President of the Colorado Horse Council and actively participating in Colorado politics. “I would like to thank Bruce for his years of service and wish him the best of luck in his retirement, which I'm sure will include some well-deserved time on his boat, at the golf course, hunting, and spending time with his wife, Kim, their five children, and soon-to-be 16 grandchildren,” said George Papanier, President at Bally's Corporation. Ruston, a Colorado native who was born and raised in a horse racing family, joined the Bally's team in 2020 as the park's Racing Secretary and Director of Racing, bringing a wealth of experience having worked in every job on the backside of a horse track as well as managing family horse barns. He served as the Executive Director of the Colorado Horseracing Association from 1992 to 2020. The post Seymore Retires, Ruston Promoted at Arapahoe appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing in Macau will end from April 1 of this year following an announcement on Monday by the Macau Horse Racing Company, operator of the Macau Jockey Club (MJC), that is is to terminate its contract with the Macau government. A significant employer in Macau, the MJC in its present guise has been in existence since 1989, though racing on the peninsula on China's southern coast has a centuries-long history. The decision to cease racing in just over two months' time at Taipa racecourse will affect hundreds of employees of the MJC, which includes 12 trainers and stable staff, and around 200 horses. It comes in the wake of the Singapore Turf Club's announcement last June that racing will no longer take place in Singapore after October of this year. A statement on the MJC website read, “Macau Horse Racing Company Limited regretfully announces that this morning the company signed an agreement with the Macau (SAR) government to terminate the 'Concession Contract for the Exclusion Operation of Horse Racing'.” It continued, “Macau Horse Racing Company Limited has been operating at a loss, accumulate in excess of 2.5 Billion (approximately £245m/€283m). Moreover, there has been limited room for development and growth of the horse racing industry in Macau over the years, and including the adverse effect brought about by pandemic over these last three years, it has become increasingly difficult to sustain the operations. The Board of Directors has had to make a difficult decision, and commencing from April 1, 2024, the company will cease all racing related operations. However, the current member facilities will remain available to the Club's members.” The statement also notes that arrangements for the racehorses currently in Macau will be finalised by March 31, 2025. The horse population has dwindled significantly in recent years, and 202 horses are currently listed in training on the MJC website. The post Racing to Cease in Macau from April appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER View the full article

Fortunate Son (inside) on his way to winning at Ellerslie on Sunday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Ellerslie has been a happy hunting ground for Andrew Forsman in years past, and the Cambridge trainer was thrilled to find success swiftly during the track’s reopening meeting on Sunday. Of his five representatives, all but one finished in the top three, headlined by a classy front-running performance from Fortunate Son. A three-year-old son of U S Navy Flag, Fortunate Son was a promising 1400m victor on debut at Arawa Park in November and relished the step-up in grade when splitting talented gallopers Snazzytavi and Tanganyika at Te Rapa a fortnight later. Another challenge was set for the gelding at Ellerslie, contesting the likes of multiple Group One-placed filly Tulsi, and Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) placegetters in Talisker and To Catch A Thief, but jockey Joe Doyle took the race into his own hands early in proceedings. Fortunate Son set a leisurely pace out in front and looked ominous turning for home in a sit-and-sprint battle, eventually holding out a blanket of late-challengers headed by Tulsi to score by a head. “He did have a few favours out in front, he had to work to get there from the wide draw, but Joe set a pretty sedate pace that allowed him to sprint hard off the turn. But, when you’re being chased down by some quality horses like he was, I thought it was a great effort to hold them off,” Forsman said. “He did go into the race fresh, we’d given him a quiet time since his last start so it was good to get away with that and get such a strong win.” Fortunate Son currently holds a nomination for the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) in March, a race Forsman found dual-success in while training in partnership with Murray Baker, though the distance remains in question for the lightly-tried gelding. “Perhaps we would look to the Derby now, I think he will get at least 2000m and he’ll improve from the run on Sunday. We’ll see where we get too but we may look to step up to middle distance in a couple of start’s time and go from there,” he said. Earlier on the six-race card, it was Ethereal Star chasing down a classy pacemaker in Merchant Queen, the filly charging late to close within 1.5 lengths at the post. “She seems to be going really well, the first-up run was solid against the older horses and it was nice to see her operate on top of the ground at Ellerslie,” Forsman said. “She looked brilliant in her action, she was really relaxed before the race and seemed happy to be there.” The Snitzel three-year-old was beaten only by Tokyo Tycoon in last year’s Karaka Million 2YO (1200m), and two strong performances this campaign may see her return for the $1.5 million age-group equivalent in a fortnight at Ellerslie. “I think she ran like a horse that is looking to go further, so we are considering running her in the Karaka Million three-year-old mile. Otherwise, there are a lot of options for her, including the 1200m (Group 3 Almanzor Trophy) on that night, but I think she’s looking for further than the 1200m now,” Forsman said. The feature event, the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m), resulted in a solid third-placed performance by Rebecchi, another Derby hopeful for Forsman. A son of Trapeze Artist out of Lib Petagna’s Group One-winning mare Nicoletta, Rebecchi travelled comfortably midfield under Sam Weatherley, and finished strongly 1.5 lengths behind Cody Cole’s Renegade Rebel. “He was good, the leader dictated terms off the front and he had a little bit too much to do,” Forsman said. “But, he was solid and strong through the line, he’ll really benefit from the first time over middle distance. I think he’ll be a strong Derby chance.” Consistent mare Russian Satire finished second behind Rudyard, completing a successful outing for Forsman, who was complimentary of the new StrathAyr surface. “It was great, there wasn’t a bad comment on the track and I thought the racing was good, as was the atmosphere. It was just brilliant to be back and to see the track stand up,” he said. On the previous day at Trentham, Forsman commended the third-placed performance of Macaluso in the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m), the filly finishing just over two lengths adrift of an impressive winner in Archaic Smile. “She went really well and putting the blinkers on really helped, she was much sharper and put herself in a forward spot. The winner was just too good, but I thought she fought on bravely and almost got back to second on the line,” he said. “She was strong through the post, she’s a filly that just keeps on improving.” The daughter of Savabeel currently lies 12th in the Order of Entry for the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie, having been a $600,000 purchase out of Elsdon Park’s Book 1 draft in 2023. “We are considering it, we’ll just give her a few days and see how she is really. If we’re happy with her, then we’ll probably line up,” Forsman said. More horse racing news View the full article

So Naive winning at Ellerslie on Sunday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Trainers Bruce Wallace and Grant Cooksley will head to the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie in a fortnight with a bit more confidence with their juvenile So Naive following his win at the Auckland track on Sunday. The son of U S Navy Flag settled midfield and relaxed nicely for jockey Michale McNab, while race favourite Maracatu went head-to-head with pacemaker Hard Attack up front. The pair continued their dogfight down the straight and looked to have the race won until McNab pressed the go button on his colt at the 200m and So Naive was able to reel in his foes and post a three-quarter length victory over Maracatu. It was So Naive’s second win from three starts, having won on debut at Pukekohe in October before returning to the South Auckland venue on Boxing Day where he finished fourth in the Group 2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m). McNab was pleased with the win and expects to see improvement from the colt out of Sunday’s meeting. “He has still got heaps to learn and was doing a lot wrong, but he was solid late. He was better than he was last time. I rode him a little bit different, and he is probably a little bit fitter too,” McNab said. “He has got to be a chance (in the Karaka Million). He has won at the track and he is a nice, strong horse and he will handle the couple of weeks into it. If he can improve like he has from Boxing Day to today, he has got to be a runners chance.” Co-trainer Grant Cooksley also expects to present a more finely tuned horse at Ellerslie in a fortnight. “He has improved a lot from his last run,” he said. “He is a nice and relaxed horse. He is not a bad horse and in a couple of weeks he will be a bit fitter.” More horse racing news View the full article

After only three winners from 94 runners at the city circuit this season, John Size saddles up a pair of last-start winners on Wednesday nightView the full article