Wandering Eyes

What The Wave Raceday Where Gold Coast Turf Club – Racecourse Dr, Bundall QLD 4217 When Saturday, January 6, 2024 First Race 12:48pm AEST Visit Dabble The $250,000 Wave will headline the massive nine-race program at Gold Coast Turf Club this Saturday afternoon. Although there is rain forecast in the Gold Coast area on Friday and Saturday, we don’t anticipate that the track will improve much from Thursday’s Soft 7 rating. The rail will be in the True position for the entire circuit, with the opening race of the day scheduled to jump at 12:48pm AEST. The Wave Tip: The Vowels The Vowels turned in his best performance of this preparation last start, when the Toby & Trent Edmonds-trained galloper finished third behind Acquitted in the Listed Bernborough Plate over 1600m at Eagle Farm on December 23. This four-year-old gelding has a Group 2 and Group 3 placing to his name during his three-year-old season, and he appears to be working his way up to a win. Stepping up to 1800m should suit this son of Better Than Ready, and regaining the services of leading jockey James Orman is another positive. With good speed expected, The Vowels can settle worse than midfield and run on strong from the back. The Wave Race 7 – #1 The Vowels (13) 4yo Gelding | T: Toby & Trent Edmonds | J: James Orman (58.5kg) +400 with Picklebet Best Bet at Gold Coast: Arabian Summer Tony & Calvin McEvoy will send Arabian Summer to the Gold Coast for her fourth start this preparation, coming off a dominant victory in the Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic over 1000m. After recording a valuable Group 3 placing in the Ottawa Stakes at Flemington the start prior, this two-year-old filly led from start to finish to rocket up the Order Of Entry for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on January 13. As the only Listed or Group placed runner in the field, Arabian Summer should prove too classy for her rivals and bring up back-to-back victories. Best Bet Race 3 – #1 Arabian Summer (5) 2yo Filly | T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy | J: Harry Coffey (58kg) +100 with Neds Next Best at Gold Coast: Payline Payline has finished as the runner-up in three of his four starts, with his most recent second-place finish being one of the unluckier runs of his short career. The Chris Munce-trained gelding settled worse than midfield and went searching for a run at the 300m mark, only to be held up until the 150m mark before launching at the leader late. Robbie Dolan would have learned a lot from his first ride on this guy, and from barrier 12, he will have to take his medicine and settle at the rear of the field. With even luck and clear running from the home turn, Payline should be able to break his maiden at the fifth time of asking. Next Best Race 4 – #4 Payline (12) 3yo Gelding | T: Chris Munce | J: Robbie Dolan (57kg) +250 with Boombet Best Value at Gold Coast: Warby Warby has been in great form this campaign, finishing in the top four in each of his four runs, including back-to-back victories two and three starts back. The Tony Gollan-trained galloper is coming out of a strong form race at his most recent start, where he finished third in The Gateway over 1400m at Eagle Farm. Since that race, the runner-up and fourth-place finishers have won their next starts in slightly weaker grades. This son of Hellbent will drop back in distance to 1300m but should be able to settle towards the rear of the field, enjoying a strong tempo. If the leaders go too quick and start to tire late, Warby will be flying home late to stake his claim. Best Value Race 9 – #8 Warby (13) 4yo Gelding | T: Tony Gollan | J: Robbie Dolan (58.5kg) +1000 with Dabble Saturday quaddie tips for Gold Coast races Gold Coast quadrella selections Saturday, January 6, 2024 2-7-10-11 1-4-10-13 4-11-12-15 1-5-8-11-16 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip More horse racing tips View the full article

Chad Summers trainees Clapton and Drew's Gold, both private purchases on behalf of Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi's RRR Racing, continue preparations for overseas outings Jan. 3 at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Fla. View the full article

The Jerome Stakes will be run for the 154th time Jan. 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack, but instead of serving as a showcase for Kentucky Derby (G1) winners it will kick off a series of four somewhat disjointed Triple Crown preps in New York.View the full article

Casa Creed resumed breezing Jan. 3 in preparation for a potential trip back to the Middle East for the 1351 Turf Sprint (G2T) in Saudi Arabia Feb. 24.View the full article

Horse Racing on Thursday, January 4 will feature four meetings in Australia. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and provided free quaddie tips for the meeting at Yarra Valley & Happy Valley (HK). Thursday Horse Racing Tips – January 4, 2024 Yarra Valley Racing Tips Happy Valley (HK) Racing Tips Best Horse Racing Bets For January 4, 2024 Place these horse racing bets in a multi for $57.26 odds return: Thursday, January 4, 2024 Yarra Valley – Race 4 #5 Artspace Yarra Valley – Race 7 #1 Midnight Devil Muswellbrook – Race 5 #11 Tapa Kick Gatton – Race 7 #7 King Kong Cruz | Copy this bet straight to your betslip As always there a plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans, check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on January 4, 2024 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. More horse racing tips View the full article

Zaaki (GB) ridden by James McDonald wins the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington Racecourse on November 6, 2021. (Scott Barbour/Racing Photos) Fresh off his stint in Hong Kong, champion jockey James McDonald is now setting his sights on conquering the 2024 Golden Slipper and securing his Sydney Premiership title. He has a schedule with six rides at Randwick on Saturday. Another six at Canterbury on Friday night, all in an effort to close the gap between him and the current leaders Nash Rawiller and Tyler Schiller. Despite being away from Sydney racing for a while, McDonald remains optimistic about his chances. He is surprised to find himself trailing by just 11 wins in the Jockey Premiership race. McDonald, who will be turning 32 this Friday, is eager to add victories to his record of seven Group 1 wins this season. He’s particularly excited about the challenge of finding a two-year-old horse for the upcoming Golden Slipper race, an event he last won back in 2013 with Mossfun. In addition to his ambitions for the Golden Slipper, McDonald is also confident in the abilities of Fangirl, a mare who has delivered two Group 1 triumphs under his guidance during the spring season. He believes that this five-year-old horse can continue her form and shine in the autumn season as well. Among McDonald’s rides at Randwick on Saturday is Cadetship, a gelding trained by Chris Waller. Cadetship has shown promise in races. It is expected that stepping up in distance for the Precise Air Handicap (1500m) will work to its advantage. With a group of horses supporting him, McDonald is ready to make a comeback on the Sydney racing scene. His goal is to win races and establish himself as one of the best jockeys in the country. James McDonanld is currently paying +220 with the top horse betting sites to claim the 2023/2024 Sydney Metropolitan Jockey Premiership. More horse racing news View the full article

Top-tier bookmakers have rolled out an enticing lineup of racing specials slated for Thursday, January 4. Standouts on the list include a slew of lucrative bonus-back incentives, elevating the thrill of the trackside action. Dive into these offers from top horse racing betting sites to maximise your wagering prospects. The top Australian racing promotions for January 4, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions BoomBet Daily Race Returns Use your daily Race Returns to back a runner in ANY RACE you want* and if your horse doesn’t win but finishes in the specified positions, you get your stake back as a bonus bet. 18+ Gamble responsibly. Can be used across any race and code unless specified in customer’s BoomBox. Fix odds, win bets only. Max bonus $50. Login to BoomBet to Claim Promo Brand New Daily Trifecta Boosts Boost your winnings on Trifectas by 10% with new Daily Trifecta Boosts. Check Vault for eligibility. T&Cs apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au has conducted a thorough evaluation of Australia’s leading horse racing bookmakers, unveiling exclusive bonus promotions and specials tailored specifically for Thursday, January 4, 2023. These horse racing promotions stand as a testament to the unwavering dedication of Australia’s top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, if one bookmaker is not currently offering a promotion, you can be confident that another is capitalising on promotional offers. Your go-to destination for the most rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses each day is HorseBetting.com.au. Take advantage of bookie bonuses and the best horse racing odds available for every race to increase the value of your betting endeavours. It’s important to note that these thoroughbred racing promotion offers are exclusively crafted for existing customers. To access these special promotions and claim the bookmaker’s offers, simply log in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For those seeking races and horses to optimise their horse betting bookmaker bonus bets, HorseBetting provides a valuable resource with its daily free racing tips. More horse racing promotions View the full article

In an advisory issued to trainers just before Christmas, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) warned that caffeine had been detected in two supplements marketed to performance horses analyzed by the Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Lab at UC Davis. “As such, Horsemen are advised to exercise extreme caution when using these products in close proximity to a race,” the advisory states. Under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), caffeine is a Class B controlled substance, which comes with a possible 15-day suspension and $1,000 fine for a first offense. The advisory shows pictures of two tubs of substances broadly labelled “EPO-Equine,” each labelled to sell for $525. EPO is the shortened version of Erythropoietin, a type of protein called a growth factor. EPO stimulates the bone marrow to make red blood cells, which contain a protein called haemoglobin that carries oxygen around the body. As such, EPO is widely known as a performance enhancing substance. When asked if EPO had also been detected in the two substances, CHRB equine medical director, Jeff Blea, simply said that “just caffeine” was detected. The two substances, said Blea, were found during a barn search conducted at Los Alamitos. “It was not related to a caffeine positive,” he said, declining to say whose barn was searched. “This one I think has been around for a long time,” said Blea, about the “EPO-Equine” product. “The caution is, be careful what you're giving your horses.” When asked about the suggestive labelling, Blea said that he had called and emailed the company but didn't receive a response. “It's all about marketing, right?” said Blea. “They're trying to sell a product.” The post CHRB Advisory Warns ‘EPO’-Labelled Supplement Contains Caffeine appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

by George Adams, Housatonic Bloodstock Wasabi has been focused on upgrading the quality of the foals that it's breeding over the last few years, and to that end will be using some higher-end stallions in 2024 than what we've bred to in the past. A stallion that we'll be patronizing heavily this year is Maclean's Music. He's about to jump from a crop of 2023 2-year-olds numbering 41 and conceived off of a $20,000 stud fee (out of which he already has nine winners, three of whom have also picked up black-type), to a crop of 2024 2-year-olds numbering around 182 and conceived off of a $25,000 stud fee, which will be followed by two more triple-digit crops conceived off of $50,000 stud fees. His 2024 2-year-olds include 113 that sold at yearling sales this year for an average of $118,636 (up over last year's average of $100,857 for 21 sold), including individuals that brought $625k, $500k, $460k, $400k, $350k, $310k, $300k (x4), etc. Purchasers of Maclean's Music yearlings in 2023 include the likes of the “Avengers” group, Stonestreet, Klaravich, WinStar, Rigney Racing, Cherie DeVaux's Belladonna group and Mike Ryan. Wasabi will be sending four young mares to Maclean's Music, including their first stakes winner Why Not Tonight (as a daughter of Tapiture, her foal will be bred on one of Maclean's Music's most successful crosses, that with A.P. Indy-line mares), as well as Floral Hall (half to three black-type winners, one of which is the granddam of '23 GISW Wet Paint) and American Thriller (by American Pharoah from a deep Michael Tabor family), who are both Unbridled-line mares, and the Juddmonte-bred Kitten's Joy filly Paw Prints. A year ago, Wasabi purchased a Gun Runner filly named Gun Slingin with the hopes that her full-brother Disarm could make some noise on the Triple Crown trail this year. After a solid fourth in the Kentucky Derby, he won the GIII Matt Winn S. and finished second in the GI Travers S., and will hopefully make plenty of noise in 2024 when Gun Slingin will visit Authentic. He's another that had a great sales year in 2023, with an excellent average and individuals purchased by some of the top connections in the industry, and we'll be shocked if he's not at the top of the Freshman Sire List at this time next year. He's a gorgeous individual who will suit her physically, and he was a heck of a racehorse by the best stallion in the country. There's really nothing not to like about him. One of the incoming stallions of 2024 that we were very impressed by–both as an individual and his race record– was Gunite, and Wasabi will be sending their newly acquired Justify filly Itgetsgreaterlater to him after she delivers a Practical Joke foal this January. We also believe very strongly in the chances of Up to the Mark to become an important stallion. Despite his success as a turf horse, Up to the Mark has an undeniably dirt pedigree, being a son of leading sire Not This Time out of a mare by leading sire Ghostzapper, who is herself a full-sister to a dirt sprint stakes winner, the pair of them, in turn, out of the wickedly fast GI Test S. winner Capote Belle. Given that he himself was a winner at six furlongs on dirt at Saratoga in his debut before eventually scoring top-level wins on turf at eight furlongs, nine furlongs and 10 furlongs, plus an excellent placing against the highest company at 12 furlongs, Up to the Mark possessed a dazzling amount of versatility in addition to his obvious quality and turn of foot. We think he has every shot to make it, and the package he brings to stud makes him strong value at his first-year $25,000 fee. Wasabi will be sending four mares to Up to the Mark, including a pair of well-bred maiden mares in Calling All Angels (Ire) (a Dark Angel half to a Group 2 winner by Lope de Vega) and Saucily (a Curlin filly bred by Stonestreet from the family of Uncaptured and Interstatedaydream), as well as the Juddmonte-bred Tapit filly Prosperity (a half to Fulsome) and the Godolphin-bred Desert Rendezvous (a half to GISW Better Lucky and to the dam of Grade III winner Prevalence). Other stallions that will see multiple Wasabi mares in 2024 include Nashville, who should have a great shot to make it as a wickedly fast and gorgeous son of the sire-of-sires Speightstown, and the promising young Maryland sire Blofeld, who continues to put up excellent statistics from small crops of modest mares in a state-bred program that is solid, but without the hugely inflated purses of some of the neighboring states. Editor's note: As breeding season approaches, the TDN is asking breeders where they are sending their mares in 2024. To participate in the series, email suefinley@thetdn.com or katiepetrunyak@thetdn.com. The post Mating Plans, Presented By Spendthrift: Wasabi Ventures appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The first foal for GI Arkansas Derby and GI Haskell Invitational S. winner Cyberknife (Gun Runner) was reported Jan. 3 when a filly was born at Irish Hill Century Farm in Stillwater, New York. Bred by Clay Scherer, the bay is the first produce of the unraced Hildee John (Gormley), a half-sister to five-time stakes winner and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint runner-up Chalon (Dialed In). “This filly has a good rear end and a nice round shoulder, a lot like Cyberknife,” said Irish Hill Century Farm's Rick Burke. “She has good size, leg and bone. She's a nice foal especially for a maiden [mare].” Also runner-up in the GI Travers S. and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Cyberknife will stand his second year at Spendthrift Farm for a fee of $25,000, stands and nurses. The post Cyberknife’s First Foal a Filly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

“The Breeders' Cup is always very special and to see a young sire like Justify get two Grade I-winning juveniles was fantastic but for me it had to be Auguste Rodin winning the Breeders' Cup Turf. He was in a hopeless position along the rail and had to be exceptional to get up for the victory. He's a colt that could stand anywhere in the world and physically he's quite similar to his grandsire Sunday Silence. It would be great to see him back at the Breeders' Cup this year and perhaps contesting the Classic as Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore both felt he handled the dirt while at Santa Anita.” —Charlie O'Connor, Director of Sales at Coolmore America The post What Was Your Favorite Moment of 2023?: Charlie O’Connor appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. Among the key rulings from the last seven days, trainer Jimmy Corrigan has been provisionally suspended as a result of his trainee, Stay Lost–who won at Belterra Park on Oct. 7 last year–testing positive for Methamphetamine. HISA currently lists Methamphetamine–a common human recreation drug–as a banned substance, which comes with a possible two-year suspension. With banned substances under HISA, responsible parties are subject to a provisional suspension, prior to a full hearing, if the B sample confirms the positive test result from the A sample. As part of a list of proposed rule changes before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), drugs like Methamphetamine could be re-categorized as human substances of abuse. If the FTC accepts this rule change, the trainer could still possibly face a provisional suspension for a “human substances of abuse” violation, if the B sample analysis confirms the original positive test result. “However, the trainer would not be subject to a suspension of more than 60 days (for a first violation) if HIWU accepts that the positive test was more likely than not the result of unintentional transfer or contamination,” wrote a Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit spokesperson. NEW HISA/HIWU STEWARDS RULINGS The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 08/16/2023 Licensee: Robert Leaf Jr., trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by internal adjudication panel. Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone–Controlled Medications (Class C)–in a sample taken from Laddie Dance, who won at Delaware Park on 8/16/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 11/29/2023 Licensee: Lacey Gaudet, trainer Penalty: A fine of $3,000; imposition of 3 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU. Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314—Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method–on the horse, Graceful Union. This was also a possible violation of Rule 4222–Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout. Date: 11/14/2023 Licensee: Robert Lucas, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU. Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Shake N Fries. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 10/21/2023 Licensee: Webster Gayle, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU. Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Tankinator, who finished sixth at Delaware Park on 10/21/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Pending ADMC Violations Date: 12/08/2023 Licensee: Kevin Martin, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: A possible violation of Rule 3314—Use or Attempted Use of a Controlled Medication Substance or a Controlled Medication Method—on the horse, Strings. This was also a possible violation of Rule 4222—Intra-Articular Injections Within Seven (7) Days of Timed and Reported Workout. Date: 12/06/2023 Licensee: Patricio Venzor (listed on Equibase as owner, listed on the HISA portal as trainer) Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Phenylbutazone–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Desert Danger. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312–Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 12/03/2023 Licensee: Angel Sanchez-Pinero, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Glycopyrrolate—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Le Vin, who finished second at Laurel Park on 12/3/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 11/25/2023 Licensee: Jesus Romero, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Diclofenac–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Blake B, who won at Aqueduct on 11/25/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312–Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 12/01/2023 Licensee: Steve Miyadi, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Dimethylsulfoxide—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Dorie Miller, who won at Golden Gate on 12/1/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 11/25/2023 Licensee: Jaime Ness, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Glycopyrrolate–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Ournationonparade. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312–Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 11/21/2023 Licensee: David Meridyth, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Omeprazole—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Wild Firewater, who won at Zia Park on 11/21/23. This is a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 11/17/2023 Licensee: Amador Sanchez, trainer Penalty: Pending Alleged violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Dexamethasone—Controlled Medication (Class C)—in a sample taken from Soy Una Dama, who won at Gulfstream Park on 11/17/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3312—Presence of Controlled Medication Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers (Post-Race/Vets' List). Date: 10/07/2023 Licensee: Jimmy Corrigan, trainer Penalty: Provisionally suspended Alleged Violation: Medication violation Explainer: For the presence of Methamphetamine—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Stay Lost, who won at Belterra Park on 10/7/23. This was a possible violation of Rule 3212—Presence of a Banned Substance and/or its Metabolites or Markers. Violations of Crop Rule One important note: HISA's whip use limit is restricted to six strikes during a race. Golden Gate Fields Jose Carlos Montalvo–violation date Dec 26; $250 fine, one-day suspension Santa Anita Edwin Maldonado–violation date Dec 26; $250 fine, one-day suspension, one strike over the limit Jose Verenzuela–violation date Dec 31; $500 fine, one-day suspension, five strikes over the limit OTHER KEY RULINGS The TDN also publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. California Track: Santa Anita Date: 12/30/2023 Licensee: Umberto Rispoli, jockey Penalty: Four-day suspension Violation: Careless riding Explainer: Jockey Umberto Rispoli, who rode Mo Fox Given in the fifth race at Santa Anita Park on December 29, 2023, is suspended for FOUR (4) racing days (January 6, 7, 12 and 13, 2024) for failure to make the proper effort to maintain a straight course in the stretch, causing interference; a violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1699 (Riding Rules-careless riding–second offense in the last sixty (60) days). The post Weekly Stewards And Commissions Rulings Dec. 26–Jan. 1 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Chad Summers trainees Clapton and Drew's Gold, both private purchases on behalf of Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi's RRR Racing, continued preparations for overseas outings Jan. 3 at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Fla. View the full article

Trainers Brad Cox, Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher all have victories to their credit in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. and each of the three champion trainers will have an opportunity to add to those numbers in this year's $3-million feature Saturday, Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park. Cox, who won the the 2021 renewal with Knicks Go (Paynter), looks set to be represented by a pair of entrants in the nine-furlong contest. Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), front-running winner of the GI Pennsylvania Derby last September, will seek to become the second Saudi-owned winner of the Pegasus as he looks to bounce back from a 10th in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) is also among the 12 invitees and will have the chance to turn the tables on Trademark (Upstart), who beat him a nose when last seen in the GII Clark S. at Churchill Nov. 24. National Treasure (Quality Road), whose sire accounted for 2019 Pegasus winner City of Light, can give Baffert a third Pegasus, joining inaugural winner Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) as well as Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man). Winner of last year's GI Preakness S., the bay was just touched off by Cody's Wish (Curlin) when last seen in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Pletcher is represented by Grand Aspen (Dialed In) in the main body of the race, who earned his ticket to the Pegasus with a narrow defeat at the hooves of O'Connor (Chi) (Boboman) in the GIII Harlan's Holiday S. at Gulfstream Dec. 30. In addition to O'Connor, the Saffie Joseph, Jr. trainee might be joined by his stable companion Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), the GII Charles Town Classic winner who was last seen finishing third in the Dirt Mile. Also among the invitees are Hoist the Gold (Mineshaft), winner of the GII Cigar Mile H. trying to stretch out to nine furlongs; Newgrange (Violence), last-out winner of the GII San Antonio S.; Cigar Mile runner-up Senor Buscador (Mineshaft); GIII Smarty Jones S. hero Il Miracolo (Gun Runner); and multiple Argentinian Group 1 winner Subsanador (Arg) (Fortify), fourth in the San Antonio. Defending champion Atone (Into Mischief) is among a dozen invitees to the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf, but looks to face a field much stronger on paper than 12 months ago. Chief amongst the opposition is Godolphin's Master of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who might make another trans-Atlantic trip having taken a photo in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has been kept busy by trainer Aidan O'Brien, as she proved an unlucky loser in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in November ahead of a third in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase last time. Arguably the most intriguing among any of the Pegasus invitees is Integration (Quality Road), who was unbeaten in three smashing victories at three in 2023, including the GIII Virginia Derby and GII Hill Prince S. Webslinger (Constitution) won three of his nine starts last term, a season that might have been even more productive but for near misses in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. and GI Hollywood Derby. Main Event (Bernardini) earned his spot in the field with an all-the-way success over Kingmax (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the GII Fort Lauderdale S. Dec. 30. Chad Brown won the inaugural GIII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf with Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) in 2022 and has two chances to double his tally in the form of GI Matriarch S. runner-up Fluffy Socks (Slumber {GB}) and MGSW Consumer Spending (More Than Ready). Queen Goddess (Empire Maker) is winless in four starts since defeating the Brown-trained Shantisara (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire}) in last year's renewal. The post Cox, Baffert, Pletcher Aiming For More Pegasus Glory appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The locals look a good chance of getting their hands on the silverware with tomorrow’s Peters Genetics Roxburgh Cup looking wide-open. Handicaps, formlines, and the nature of the tight-turning Roxburgh track are set to combine to make an enthralling edition of the 2700m feature. In a wide-open affair, Central Otago owners Bill and Pauline Bain and Karen Peters get their shot at taking home the Roxburgh Cup with their pacer Wattlebank Arnie. The pacer comes into the time-honoured event after producing a strong fifth placing when taking on a stronger field in the Gore Cup. After a slow beginning, Wattlebank Arnie worked home stylishly behind a proven Group One performer in Sand Wave. The five-year-old will need to make a much better beginning tomorrow to take advantage of the head-start he gets on several of his key rivals when starting from the front-line. Driver Craig Ferguson thinks Wattlebank Arnie can give his rivals plenty to think about if he can put his feet in the right places early. “I was quite happy with his run in the Gore Cup, after missing away he hit the line nicely,” Ferguson said. “If he was able to step away and get into a handy spot he would be a chance.” “But the start is going to be crucial for him, hopefully he can get it right.” Each of Wattlebank Arnie’s owners has strong ties to the Roxburgh area and the Roxburgh Trotting Club. Karen Peters races Wattlebank Arnie alongside the estate of her late husband Trevor. Peters is also a sponsor of the event through her family business Peters Genetics. Bill Bain is a former president and life member of the Roxburgh Trotting Club. A significant drop in grade brings Deceptive Lee right into Roxburgh Cup contention. The Canterbury pacer backs up quickly in the Roxburgh feature after running a solid fifth behind Franco Indie in the Group Three Central Otago Cup. The pacer steps back in class while starting from a workable 10m handicap in the Roxburgh Cup. TAB bookmakers rated Deceptive Lee at $7.50 odds, ahead of Wattlebank Arnie at $11, when they opened the Roxburgh Cup market. Producing strong form behind top-line fillies has been enough to see Kahlua Flybye installed as the early $4.20 Roxburgh Cup favourite. The four-year-old starts from the back mark of 20m after running third in the Group One New Zealand Oaks in her last start. View the full article

Kapiti Coast Harness Racing Club hosts its annual meeting on the grass at Otaki Racecourse today with the first of seven races getting underway at 11:27am. Graeme Rogerson and Dylan Ferguson will be backing up their runners from Tuesday’s meeting at Wairarapa and Gaz Man joins the team for the Grant Plumbing Wellington Cup Handicap Trot. “The horses all performed well on Tuesday and providing they handle backing up they all look to be good each way chances” says Ferguson. Challenger is the first to line up for the Rogerson/Ferguson partnership in Race 1, The Railway Hotel Mobile Pace. The gelding placed 2nd on Tuesday when narrowly beaten by Saifa. “I think Challenger is our best chance of the day” says Ferguson “His run was good on Tuesday and he should have a bit of improvement on that effort.” Luka Doncic starts from barrier 9 in race 3, the Monk Family Mobile Pace. The gelding placed 3rd at Tuesday’s meeting behind winner Cassius Clyde and Katie’s Princess 2nd. Despite a few rough steps halfway up the straight, he rallied well to run nicely through the line. “He raced well enough on Tuesday and is fairly consistent and the draw should help too,” said Ferguson. In Race 4, the Rodewald Consulting Mobile Pace, the partnership starts Greater Good. While unplaced on Tuesday, the mare was held up for a run in the home straight after being taken back early from her wide barrier draw. Having drawn four tomorrow Ferguson holds more confidence in her chances. Gaz Man contends in Race 6, the Grant Plumbing Wellington Cup Handicap Trot over 3000 metres and starts with a 50 metre handicap. While it will be the gelding’s first start on the grass and over the distance, Ferguson thinks the gelding has the class to prevail. “He’s hasn’t been coping well with the heat and humidity we’ve had over the past couple of weeks at home, so we thought coming down here where it’s a bit cooler was a good option for him” says Ferguson. “Although he gives them 50 metres, he has been racing much stronger fields, and I think he can overcome that and hopefully he can see out the 3000 metres.” Racing begins at 11:26am with the final race, the American Me Otaki Cup Handicap Pace at 1:42pm. View the full article

Jonny Turner’s selections for Roxburgh . Head to www.tab.co.nz to place your bet! Race Jonny Turner Racing Journalist Race 1 12:24pm 7 Poetry In Motion 6 Myla 5 Wolfenstein 3 Forty Wives Race 2 12:49pm 3 Shandon Bells 2 Dem Bones Dem Bones 9 Judicate 5 Eyre I Will Race 3 1:14pm 3 Sherwood Maggie 1 Scruffy 6 La Moth 9 Mayson Shard Race 4 1:50pm 2 Rosie Richter 6 Robyns Art 5 Cold Pursuit 7 Robyn X Race 5 2:23pm 8 Tayla Me 5 Alibi 2 Franco Tim 7 Asian Elvis Race 6 2:59pm 5 Grubscrew 1 Sassy Art 10 Threebeersdeep Race 7 3:35pm 1 Aardie B Miki 2 First Light 5 Addison Marie 7 Major Envy Race 8 4:14pm 3 Millwood Indie 5 Sinai Sermon 6 Sea Fury Race 9 4:49pm 9 Missalyssa 11 Maui 10 Abadabado 8 Don’t Ask Race 10 5:28pm 7 Deceptive Lee 12 Jimmyray 14 Kahlua Flybye 3 Wattlebank Arnie Race 11 5:53pm 2 Dwindle Star 6 Sally Lindenny 3 Jaacka Baylis 5 Blithe Race 12 6:22pm 1 Stikifingers 7 Ideal Double 8 Olives Dream 6 Flying Bird View the full article

Selections for Westport Head to www.tab.co.nz to place your bet! Race Justin Evans Commentator Race 1 11:26pm 3 Prince Miki 7 Challenger 1 Conor McGregor 9 Sheza Mermaid Race 2 11:48pm 10 Avenger 5 Carbon 1 Onetangi Girl 6 Sharkntatties Race 3 12:10pm 5 Maleficence 3 Cote D’Azure 9 Luka Doncic 12 Call Security Race 4 12:33pm 9 Amelia Rose 10 Santanna Mach 1 Private Eye 4 Greater Good Race 5 12:57pm 2 Cassius Clay 2 Medina Magic 1 Katies Princess 5 Smokinhotcheddar Race 6 1:21pm 14 Gaz Man 9 Ngauruhoe 11 Manchester In Time 5 Kiss My Pixel Race 7 1:42pm 6 Village Rebel 5 Mr Kaplan 4 Warloch 1 Artful Living View the full article

What Alice Springs Races Where Pioneer Park Racecourse – Stuart Hwy, Connellan NT 0870 When Saturday, January 6, 2024 First Race 2:24pm ACST Visit Dabble The Alice Springs Turf Club kicks off a big year with five races at Pioneer Park on Saturday afternoon. The meeting has attracted 35 runners, with the rail set in its true position. The first race is set to start at 2:24pm local time. Alice Springs Best Bet: Supreme Attraction The eight-year-old gelding returns after a last start sixth behind Early Crow in the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint (1200m) at Fannie Bay during the Darwin Cup Carnival on August 5. Supreme Attraction, who started his career in NSW, has had 16 starts in the Red Centre for nine wins, two seconds, and a third. After three starts in Darwin and three starts in Alice Springs from June–September 2021, the son of Supreme Class had eight starts in NSW and Queensland before returning to NT in October 2022. After one win from eight starts, Supreme Attraction ($26) won the $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) on April 30 before stringing four wins together. Throw At Da Stumps (58kg) will provide some cheek in the five-horse field, but Supreme Attraction will prove hard to beat. Best Bet Race 5 – #1 Supreme Attraction (3) 8yo Gelding | T: Terry Gillett | J: a-Dakota Gillett (62.5kg) Bet with Neds Next Best At Alice Springs: Li’lmissprancealot The former SA galloper made her Alice Springs debut in June and finished third in a 1400m maiden. A sixth in an 1100m maiden in July was followed by a fifth over 1100m against the three and four-year-olds at Class 2 level on October 14, before a narrow third in yet another 1100m maiden on October 22. Li’lmissprancealot was a last-start fourth in a 1200m maiden on November 11, and if the four-year-old mare can rise to the occasion on Saturday, she should have the class to overcome her rivals. The other nine runners either boast less than flattering form, are returning from a spell, or are making their NT debut. Miss Prancealot’s daughter, who will benefit from a 2kg claim, was second in an 1100m Gawler maiden first up in November 2022 before finishing unplaced in her next three starts. Next Best Race 4 – #10 Li’lmissprancealot (4) 4yo Mare | T: Leanne Gillett | J: a-Dakota Gillett (55kg) Bet with Dabble Best Value At Alice Springs: Kikuyu In all seriousness, last-start winners Bold Tropic and Prophesier should fight out the finish. However, Kikuyu, an early $10 bookmaker quote – could spring a surprise if he can continue from where he left off on December 17 when pipped right on the post over 1100m (0-58). The five-year-old gelding had been ordinary in his six previous starts in Darwin and Alice Springs, which was surprising as he was highly competitive in his first 10 NT starts after relocating from Victoria. The son of Crowded House won three straight over 1100m (Maiden), 1200m (0-66), and 1400m (0-64) at Pioneer Park in late 2022, so there is no denying the fact that Kikuyu has some ability. He then went off the boil with his best effort since a second over 1300m (0–64) in Darwin in May and a fifth over 1200m (0–58) at Fannie Bay in June. Best Value Race 1 – #5 Kikuyu (7) 5yo Gelding | T: Kerry Petrick | J: Paul Denton (56kg) Bet with Playup Alice Springs Saturday quaddie tips – 6/1/2024 Alice Springs quadrella selections Saturday, January 6, 2024 1-2 1-2 1-2-5-6-10 1-2 More horse racing tips View the full article

In late October, prominent and outspoken owner Mile Repole announced that he was launching something he called the National Thoroughbred Alliance (NTA). Repole's goal is to shake things up in the industry and makes changes for the better. That will be the goal, too, of his right hand man, Pat Cummings, who came over from the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation to serve as Repole's executive director. On this week's TDN Writers' Room sponsored by Keeneland, Cummings was asked about the goals for the Alliance, how he can build consensus in a sport famous for infighting and how the group can make changes when it doesn't have any regulatory power. Cummings was the Green Group Guest of the Week. Cummings, who describes the project as a work in progress, said one frustrating factor he has run into so far is that the fiefdoms don't want to make sacrifices for the greater good of the sport, a problem that has been around as long as the sport has. “One of the things we found, and I think a lot of people would agree with this, is that if you started having a conversation with people in many different streams of the sport, the racing space, aftercare, the wagering side, when you're talking about kind of the big issues in racing, most people are going to agree about many of those things,” Cummimgs said. “And we've had some tremendous calls in the first couple of months with different organizations, leaders, individuals in every space of the business. And what we have found is that there's a tremendous amount of commonality. Our interests in improving the sport are shared. But when you start to poke into areas that directly impact certain individuals, the pushback starts to come and it's like, well, I agree on 90% over here, but on this 10%, which directly affects me, maybe I'm not so interested in changing all of a sudden, or maybe I don't want to go about rethinking the way in which my business generates revenue or how my members are impacted one way or another. So we are finding that there's a lot of openness to change, but there's a lot of potentially, you know, door closing that goes on when you suggest that change might need to affect everybody in some way, shape or form.” Cummings said there will be eight key areas that the NTA will focus on. “The way we see it, racing aftercare, education, sales, wagering, PR, marketing, breeding and then horsemen support rather generic catch all about the way in which we help not just owners and trainers individually, but their staffs and how they work and operate within our business,” he said. “If we have aligned that, there are these eight key areas that all need an element of focus and we have identified some opportunity areas within each of them.” But without any authority or power, which rests now with the racetracks, racing commissions, HISA, The Jockey Club, horsemen's groups and others how can you usher in changes? “I didn't have any authority with Thoroughbred Idea Foundation either,” he said. “But we inspired folks, we educated, we advocated and we did help get some things done and even some of those things that we did help facilitate getting done. They haven't always gone smoothly either, you know. So even when you do have that authority, it doesn't mean it's going to go off smoothly. When we set out five years ago and said, let's write a paper about breakage saying, 'Oh yeah, that's cute, that's nice and it's a problem and we need to fix it.' Well, yeah. So let's put a plan together to try and work on that. And we did. We had to get our law changed here in Kentucky. We tried to work with some other states. We realized some of those doors weren't open. We weren't able to work in New York, for example, on that particular topic. But maybe New York will focus on it in 2024. They've given some indications that there's a chance to do that. And if we saw New York adopt pending breakage in 2024, that be a huge win that I never saw coming.” Also on the show the hosts discussed the Coolmore Stallion of the Week, Jack Christopher. By Munnings, Jack Christopher was 5-for-5 around one turn, including three Grade I wins, in the Woody Stephens by 10, the Allen Jerkens by 1 3/4, and the Champagne by 2 3/4 lengths–all that after his eight-plus length 'TDN Rising Star' debut at Saratoga. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by Elite Power, WinStar Farm, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association,https://www.kentuckybred.org/https://www.nyrabets.com/ 1/ST Racing, the KTA & KTOB, West Point Thoroughbreds, https://www.winstarfarm.com/ and XBTV.com, the team of Randy Moss and Bill Finley took a look back at 2023 and a look ahead to 2024. The consensus was that 2023, for numerous reasons was not a good year for the sport. To make things better we offered solutions for 2024. Finley advocated for the SafeSTRIDE technology, which has proven it can cause a significant cut in breakdowns to become a regular fixture at the track. “What are we waiting for?” he said. But Moss warned that as long as breeders don't focus on soundness and durability and continue to breed to fast horses who had brief careers and soundness issues, then nothing would change. The team also took a look at their Eclipse Award selections, and they largely agreed on all the categories. The exception was the Filly & Mare Sprint, where Moss is casting his vote for Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), while Finley and Zoe Cadman said they voted for Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper). All three also cast their votes for Bill Mott for champion trainer. The post Pat Cummings Joins the ‘TDN Writers’ Room’ Podcast to Discuss the National Thoroughbred Alliance appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The catalogue for the third annual Wanamaker's Pennsylvania-Bred Sale, featuring 33 offerings and held in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, is now available for viewing at wanamakers.com. The catalogue contains weanlings, in-foal broodmares and other horses of all ages. Bidding opens Sunday, Jan. 7 at 9 a.m. ET and will conclude Thursday, Jan. 11 with the first listing set to close at 5 p.m. ET. The subsequent listings will close in three-minute intervals thereafter. The past PA-bred sales conducted by Wanamaker's have produced horses of racing age that have gone on to exceed their purchase price. Dixie Cannonball (Paynter), a $5,500 graduate of the 2023 sale, has since gone on to win three races. Among the highlights of this year's catalogue are 11 weanlings by leading fifth-crop sire Winchill and eight horses consigned by Steve Young, including four mares in foal to Peace and Justice (War Front). “We are delighted by the continued enthusiastic response to our third annual PA-Bred Sale,” remarked Wanamaker's CEO Liza Hendriks. “This sale provides an excellent platform for local owners and breeders to showcase their horses in a state with a robust program, particularly in anticipation of the upcoming PA-Sired PA-Bred Stallion Series for 2-year-olds in 2024 and 3-year-olds in 2025.” The post Wanamaker’s PA-Bred Sale Catalogue Available appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Kanazawa Horse Park has canceled all activity—including its New Year's meet and off-track betting—through Jan. 5. The track officials noted on the Kanazawa Horse Park website that it will be providing refunds after Jan. 6. View the full article

Nancy Underwood has been named executive director of the Backstretch Employee Service Team. Underwood succeeds Paul Ruchames, who retired in December after 14 years leading the organization. Founded in 1989, BEST is a non-profit organization devoted to supporting the health and well-being of the backstretch community living and working at Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park. BEST provides on-site counseling and primary healthcare services, access to health insurance, and case management assistance. Much of this work is accomplished by the dedicated BEST staff located at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course, with healthcare services provided by Saratoga Hospital and Northwell Health. Underwood has directed BEST's efforts at Saratoga Race Course since 2014. During that period, BEST significantly expanded its presence and impact for the backstretch community living and working at Saratoga from April-November each year. In 2023, BEST opened a new, modern health care clinic on the Oklahoma side of Saratoga Race Course. Funded by philanthropist John Hendrickson in memory of his late wife, Marylou Whitney, and Saratoga Hospital, the Saratoga Backstretch Healthcare Clinic is a state-of-the-art facility with six examination rooms, a lab for blood work and space for staff, education and on-site insurance specialists. “BEST is successful because of the dedication of our staff, volunteers and healthcare providers,” said Underwood. “I am honored for the opportunity to lead this organization at a time when the future of Thoroughbred racing in New York State is so bright. I thank the BEST Board of Directors for their commitment to advancing our mission in the years ahead.” The post Nancy Underwood Named Executive Director of BEST appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There's a new king of the Japanese sire ranks and his name is Duramente (Jpn). However, his coronation is bittersweet for the Shadai Stallion Station as the son of King Kamehameha (Jpn) died in September 2021 at the age of just nine. The winner in 2015 of the G1 Satsuki Sho and G1 Tokyo Yushun – the Japanese 2,000 Guineas and Derby equivalents – Duramente was quick to make an impression following his retirement to stud in 2017. The champion first-season sire of 2020, he has progressed through the senior ranks at an eye-catching rate, finishing 11th in the general sires' table in the year of his untimely death, and then fifth in 2022. Duramente's outstanding daughter Liberty Island (Jpn) played a major role in her sire's first championship. Out of the top-class Australian mare Yankee Rose (Aus) (All American {Aus}), whose exploits on the track included Group 1 wins in the Inglis Sires' and Spring Champion S. as well as finishing runner-up to Capitalist (Aus) in the G1 Golden Slipper, Liberty Island followed up her Grade 1 success as a juvenile by landing the Fillies' Triple Crown of 2023. She then found only the mighty Equinox (Jpn) too good for her in the G1 Japan Cup. Duramente's leading first-crop son Titleholder (Jpn) was still running for him in 2023 at the age of five, and to his three Grade 1 wins of 2021 and 2022, which included the Kikuka Sho (St Leger), he added the G2 Nikkei Sho, as well as finishing third on Christmas Eve in the G1 Arima Kinen. With a Classic winner from each of his crops to date, Duramente was also represented in 2023 by Stars On Earth (Jpn), his Oka Sho and Yushun Himba (1,000 Guineas and Oaks) winner of the previous year who was third in the Japan Cup and second in the Arima Kinen behind Do Deuce (Jpn). Dura Erde (Jpn), the G1 Hopeful S winner of 2022, managed two Grade 1 placings in December, while Champagne Color (Jpn) won the G1 NHK Mile last May. The latter is a rarity in that his dam Memorial Life (GB) is by the subfertile and later gelded Reckless Abandon (GB). Duramente, who was a son of the dual Grade 1 winner Admire Groove (Jpn), herself a half-sister to the Shadai stallion Rulership (Jpn), owned a pedigree replete with the dominant names of the Japanese breeding scene over the last decades, with his first three dams being daughters of Sunday Silence, Tony Bin (Ire) and Northern Taste respectively. It is easy to see why he succeeded in the short time granted to him at stud, and even easier to see that he will be missed. King Kamehameha, who was also champion broodmare sire for 2023, was responsible for the quinella in the table, with another of his sons, Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) finishing a close second – a spot he has occupied for the last four years, the previous three being behind the 11-time champion Deep Impact (Jpn). Among the top six sires in Japan for 2023, three were Japanese Derby winners, one a runner-up in that same Classic, and one a Japanese St Leger and Japan Cup winner. Lord Kanaloa is something of an outlier among this elite crew as five of his six Grade 1 wins came over 1,200m, with the other being the Yasuda Kinen over 1,600m. He is best known as a stallion, however, for siring the Fillies' Triple Crown and dual Japan Cup winner Almond Eye (Jpn). In 2023 he was represented by the G1 Saudi Cup winner Panthalassa (Jpn), who has himself just joined the stallion ranks at Arrow Stud, and by his fellow Grade 1 winners First Force (Jpn) and Brede Weg (Jpn). Kizuna (Jpn), a son of Deep Impact and the leading first-season sire of 2019, has managed a top-five finish in each of the last three seasons and was third overall for 2023. His globe-trotting daughter Songline (Jpn) led the way, completing back-to-back wins in the G1 Yasuda Kinen in June after winning the G1 Victoria Mile. She also won the G3 1351 Turf Sprint at the Saudi Cup meeting of 2022, and that same race was won by another of Kizuna's offspring, Bathrat Leon (Jpn), in 2023. Heart's Cry (Jpn), whose racing claim to fame was being the only horse to beat Deep Impact on Japanese soil when winning the G1 Arima Kinen of 2005, died in March 2023, three years after being pensioned at Shadai. He added a new Group 1 winner to his list last season, but not in Japan. His major flag-bearer was Continuous (Jpn), trained in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien and winner of the St Leger in England. Heart's Cry's previous year's Classic winner, the Japanese Derby hero Do Deuce (Jpn), holds similar dragon-slaying credentials of his own, having beaten Equinox in that race, and he was back for more in 2023, which ended with another top-level win for him in the Arima Kinen. Heart's Cry ended up in fourth place in the table, having finished in the top three in the six years prior to that. Four years after his death, Deep Impact finally relinquished the title, and was fifth in 2023, a year in which he too was represented in overseas Classics by the Derby and Irish Derby winner Auguste Rodin (Jpn), who is a member of his final crop of just 14 foals. Justin Palace (Jpn), from Deep Impact's penultimate crop, was his leading scorer in Japan and won the G1 Tenno Sho in the spring. That success has doubtless contributed to the move of his 14-year-old half-brother, the G1 Belmont winner Palace Malice (Curlin), to Darley Japan after he spent eight seasons at Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky. Incidentally, along with the brand new recruits Adayar (Ire) and Hukum (Ire) from Europe, Darley Japan has also taken in another former American-based stallion for 2024 in Heart's Cry's son Yoshida (Jpn), a name which is certainly not unfamiliar in Japanese breeding circles and beyond. Sixth in the general sires' list for 2023 was Kitasan Black (Jpn), whose fame reached new heights courtesy of his son Equinox (Jpn), the highest-rated horse in the world last year. Kitasan Black, who is by Deep Impact's full-brother Black Tide (Jpn), is the kind of horse who simply wouldn't get a look in at a Flat stud in Europe these days, but that's a pity. His seven Grade 1 wins came between 2,000m and 3,200m and just about everything in between. His back-to-back wins in the two-mile Tenno Sho (Spring) were not off-putting to Japanese breeders, however, and he was the busiest stallion in the country in 2023, covering 242 mares. His load may well be eased somewhat during this coming season, with his son Equinox now having retired to stand alongside him at Shadai. Father and son are the two most expensive stallions in Japan at ¥20 million (€124,000) and the 'book full' sign went up for Equinox as soon as his fee, which is a record for a first-season sire, was announced. Up and Coming Suave Richard (Jpn), who was runner-up to Rey De Oro (Jpn) in the 2017 Japanese Derby before winning the G1 Osaka Hai at four and the Japan Cup (under Oisin Murphy) as a five-year-old, was the champion first-season sire in Japan for 2023. The stand-out among his 21 winners is Regaleira (Jpn), who beat Sottsass's brother Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) to win the G1 Hopeful S. on December 28. She owns a special pedigree, her dam Roca (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) being out of a three-parts-sister to Deep Impact. Regaleira's recent victory was also the first at Grade 1 level for Harbinger as a broodmare sire. The King George winner of 2010 finished 11th in the general sires' table. While Suave Richard, by Heart's Cry, was also responsible for G2 winner Corazon Beat (Jpn) and was the easy winner on progeny earnings, he was not the most prolific when it came to number of winners. That honour went to Moanin, the Grade 1-winning dirt miler by Henny Hughes who was represented by 44 winners, a staggering number by Japanese two-year-old standards, and all recorded on dirt. In fact, the second, third and fourth in the table were all American-bred stallions. Giant's Causeway's son Bricks And Mortar finished runner-up with 14 winners, including the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup scorer Gonbade Qabus (Jpn), and New Year's Day, whose career started in Kentucky but whose first Japanese-bred runners came last season, was represented by 23 winners. The aforementioned Japanese Derby winner Rey De Oro was fifth with 13 winners, the same number recorded by the dual Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow (Ire), who was seventh, just behind Kentucky Derby and Preakness hero California Chrome, who is another to have been moved from America to Japan. The post Posthumous First Japanese Sires’ Championship for Duramente appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Australia's G1 Blue Diamond S. in February will be part of the Hong Kong Jockey Club's World Pool for the first time in 2024, the HKJC announced on Wednesday. Held at Caulfield, the Blue Diamond on Feb. 24 will become the sixth World Pool event in Australia, after the Turnbull S. Day, The Everest Day, Caulfield Cup Day, Cox Plate Day and Victoria Derby Day. A trio of Australian races filled out the top five World Pool turnover races of 2023, with the HK$60 million (approx. £6 million) staked on October's Cox Plate meaning it was the second highest turnover of any race last year, and the fifth highest World Pool turnover race ever run. The first World Pool event of 2024 will be held at Kenilworth Racecourse–the Cape Town Met Day on Jan. 27. Next on the calendar will be the Blue Diamond S., which is run on the same day as the Saudi Cup meeting at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. All three World Pool fixtures will be for selected races at the meetings. Michael Fitzsimons, executive director, Wagering Products of the HKJC, said, “The introduction of World Pool in Australia in 2023 was a major success story with six new race days being opened up to global punters and exceptional turnover being generated. “We're hoping to build on that momentum in 2024 and are thrilled that World Pool will be operational on Blue Diamond S. Day for the first time. We are excited to be covering such an important 2-year-old contest, as well as returning to Kenilworth for Cape Town Met Day and King Abdulaziz for Saudi Cup Day.” The post Blue Diamond Stakes Latest Addition To World Pool In 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article