Wandering Eyes

Fresh off tackling the Warrnambool May Carnival with Berry The Cash, Awapuni trainer Mark Oulaghan is back home and looking forward to kicking off his Champion jumper West Coast’s season this weekend. The imposing son of Mettre En Jeu will compete on the flat in the Palamountains Nutrition Maiden (2060m) at Wanganui on Sunday, and while Oulaghan isn’t expecting to see his charge feature in the finish, it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility. The nine-year-old gelding ran fourth over 2200m first-up last year, and Oulaghan has been pleased with his progression this time in. “He has done things pretty right, he has done a bit of work. He is probably on a par with other seasons,” Oulaghan said. “A flat race isn’t really his thing, but he is just there for a conditioning run. “If he goes quietly early, I think he can run home well, it just depends on how the race is run.” Stablemate Super Spirit is a dual acceptor for the meeting, but Oulaghan is leaning towards running the nine-year-old gelding in the Dr John D. Moore Memorial Open Steeplechase (3800m) over the Ken Duncan Racing Maiden Hurdle (3000m). “He will probably run in the chase,” Oulaghan said. “He is not the fastest horse around and I think steeplechasing suits him better. I just thought if it was going to be a wet track there, he could have run in the maiden hurdle, but I think the track is going to be reasonably good.” Oulaghan’s Wanganui representation will be rounded out by Kentucky Boy in The Grant Sweeney Memorial Open Hurdle (3000m). “He will run in the open hurdle, it’s a conditioning run for him, and next start will be a steeplechase,” he said. A day prior, Oulaghan will take just the one runner south to Trentham, with Jack Morrison set to tackle the West Coast Sponsored By Wairepo Herefords (1600m). “He is a little bit of an enigma, he has had one or two problems,” Oulaghan said. “We will run him there and get a bit of a line on him on Saturday and see where we are with him.” Meanwhile, Oulaghan is looking forward to welcoming back Berry The Cash to his stable on Thursday after an Australian campaign that netted fourth placings in the Brierly Steeplechase (3450m) and Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m). “He gets back to the stable this (Thursday) afternoon,” Oulaghan said. “I haven’t seen him since the race, but by all reports he is quite perky and well. “We will give him two or three weeks in the paddock and then look at something further down the track for him.” Oulaghan enjoyed his time at Warrnambool and isn’t ruling out a return but said it would unlikely be with his star jumper West Coast. “Like everything new that you do, it was a learning curve, but Warrnambool was quite interesting,” he said. “I just don’t know whether he (West Coast) is an Australian-type of horse. His forte is heavier tracks and bigger fences, and over in Aussie it is a bit different, they run on better ground and over smaller fences. I just don’t know whether it would all-together suit him, but I guess you don’t know until you try. At this stage, we will keep him around here.” View the full article

Promising juvenile Engine Of War (NZ) (Circus Maximus) has joined the growing Australasian stable of international micro-share syndicator MyRacehorse. The son of Circus Maximus was purchased after finishing third at the first time of asking for Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman. “We bought him about a week and a-half ago and he had a couple of private jump-outs that we really liked and loved him on debut at Waverley,” said Ben Willis, MyRacehorse’s Australasian Managing Director. “We were going to run him in that 1400m two-year-old stakes race (Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes, 1400m) last Saturday, but decided to scratch. “I know Andrew has a really good opinion of the horse and he was great to work with.” Engine Of War will be raced by the company with the youngster’s new Victorian trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr. “We’re going to transfer him over to Australia as soon as possible to have a crack at the spring carnival,” Willis said. “Andrew Williams does a lot of our bloodstock work in New Zealand, he had spotted him and after his debut run, we really liked what we saw and got involved. “The form has been pretty strong out of that race and the horse that ran second (Spandeedo) has come out and won quite convincingly. “The winner Belzoni will be running at Trentham on Saturday, so we’ll be interested to see how he goes.” Off the back of their flagship Group One winner Willydoit (NZ) (Tarzino), MyRacehorse is keen to build its New Zealand profile. “Willydoit was, and still is, a huge success for us and we’ve had a fair bit of luck out of New Zealand,” Willis said. A son of Tarzino, Willydoit romped to victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) for trainers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy, who race the three-year-old with Bryan Black and MyRacehorse. He subsequently finished fourth in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) and has remained across the Tasman with his future career to be guided by Ciaron Maher. “He’s currently spelling in Queensland, there’s not a lot of sun anywhere in Australia so he’s probably in the best climate,” Willis said. “He’s really settled in well and thriving and he’ll have another three or four weeks in the paddock. “He’ll come back and target the spring, what he goes for yet is still to be confirmed and we’ll have a chat with the stable and see what they’re thinking.” Plans are now afoot for MyRacehorse to ramp up its involvement here. “We went over there a few times for the Avondale Guineas and the New Zealand Derby and the general warmth and acceptance of the New Zealand industry of our brand has been really positive, so we’re really excited about doing more over there,” Willis said. “It’s definitely an industry that we are looking to invest more and more into and the way you guys breed horses, educate and prep them, especially when they get out over a bit of ground, is a huge advantage. “We bought a Contributor colt out of Sharp Proposition (NZ) at Karaka this year with Shaun and Emma, and he’s staying in New Zealand. “We’re starting to look at how we can expand the company and have a permanent base so we can buy more horses in New Zealand and continue to keep them there to race. “We will be looking for more trainers, owners and partners very shortly.” View the full article

Sovereignty will be the fifth Derby champion in seven years to miss the event in Baltimore.View the full article

Veteran handler rates his exciting sprinter a strong chance despite lumping 135lbs against strong opposition on Saturday.View the full article

After failing to get in foal last season, Chantilly Lace (NZ) (US Navy Flag) is progressing well toward black-type targets before connections turn their focus back to her breeding career. The daughter of U S Navy Flag will step out in Saturday’s Trust House Masterton Cup (1400m) at Trentham as a forerunner to further stakes opportunities. Chantilly Lace will be making the third appearance of her campaign, and the prospect of soft ground will provide her with the ideal stage to showcase her talent. “Obviously, she didn’t get in foal so we’re having another crack, this race works in perfectly for her,” trainer Chrissy Bambry said. A winner at Listed level in the Wanganui Guineas (1200m) and Castletown Stakes (1200m), Chantilly Lace is likely to return to Windsor Park Stud stallion Paddington, a four-time Group One-winning son of Siyouni, later this year. In the interim, the mare will have chances to boost her future broodmare value. “If she goes well on Saturday, she’ll back up in the Rangitikei Gold Cup (Listed, 1600m) and then head to Wanganui for the weight-for-age (Listed AGC Training Stakes, 1600m), in which she was a really unlucky fourth last year,” Bambry said. Chantilly Lace opened this preparation when unplaced at Ellerslie and then finished fourth in an open handicap sprint at Wanganui. “I’m really happy with her, she’s come up very well and the tracks were just a bit firm for her,” Bambry said. “The 1400m on a softer track on Saturday should be right up her alley with no weight (54kg) on her back.” Chantilly Lace will be accompanied to Trentham by her promising stablemate Dubai’s Potitki (NZ) (Ocean Park), who runs in The Cossack Handicap (2200m). He has yet to win but showed his staying quality two runs back when runner-up to Kiwi Skyhawk in the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2100m). “He’s got all the ability in the world, and it’s just taken a long time for the penny to drop,” Bambry said. “Just his greenness beat him that day, if he had taken the gap that Ryan (Elliot) had showed him at the 300m he might have gone close to winning. “He’s been a work in progress and he’s going to be a very, very good horse. I can see some nice Cups in his future.” Dubai’s Potiki finished midfield last time out in the Gr.3 Championship Stakes (2100m). “He went up to Ellerslie for his first trip away and handled it really well, so we thought we might get another good run before the tracks get too wet for him.” The stable had thoughts of a tilt at the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) with the son of Ocean Park and the venture hasn’t been completely ruled out. “If he had gone well at Ellerslie, that’s where we were going and obviously if he was to come out and go really well at Trentham there’s always a chance he could still go, but it will be his last chance,” Bambry said. By Ocean Park, Dubai’s Potiki is the last live foal of the E Dubai mare Dubai Belle, a gifted performer who won nine races including the Gr.3 Merial Mile when trained by Bambry’s father Tony. View the full article

Talented mare Bedtime Story (NZ) (Per Incanto) will be out to add to her recent black-type status at Arawa Park on Saturday, lining up in the Gr.3 Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m). Patiently handled by Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos, the four-year-old mare has headed to the races 14 times, with fourth placings in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and Listed Flying Handicap (1400m), capped off by a last-start third in the Listed ANZAC Mile (1600m). The Wanganui feature was Bedtime Story’s first attempt over the mile distance and Lowry couldn’t have been happier with her effort, finishing just a half-length from the winner in Khafre. “It was very good, I thought she acquitted herself very well in her first time at a mile,” he said. “She pulled up very well and we’re happy with her, so we’ll give her the opportunity on Saturday to try and get some more black-type. She’s racing well in good heart and has won on a rain-affected track, I’m not saying she can handle a heavy, heavy track, but she certainly doesn’t mind getting her toe in. “She’ll drop back to 1400m on Saturday, but it’ll be like a mile.” The daughter of Per Incanto will head north from Hastings with Anaroa, a winner over 1300m earlier in the year taking on The Rotorua Club (1400m). “The 1400 will suit him nicely and I don’t think the rain will worry him,” Lowry said. The stable also have accepted with three runners at Wanganui on Sunday, but a wide barrier draw may set back a debut for No Trumps. “I see we’re drawn off the track so it’s a question mark whether we will start from that wide to be fair,” Lowry said. “But he’s a horse that has trialled well and we’ll see what the weather does.” The Ace High three-year-old is a potential starter in the NZB Mega Maiden Series (1300m), while his stablemate Snowflake will take her place off a spell. “She’s going very well, I think she’ll be pretty competitive,” Lowry said. View the full article

Anarchist, a graded stakes winner at Del Mar and Woodbine and even stakes-placed in Korea, is ready for the next stop: The Big Apple.View the full article

As much as the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes (G3) is viewed as a prep race for the June 7 Belmont Stakes (G1), trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. views it as educational for his two starters, Captain Cook and McAfee.View the full article

By Jonny Turner Julie Jaccka can book her ticket to the big stage if she can continue her brilliant form at Winton on Thursday. The Brett Gray-trained trotter and junior driver Dan Anderson will be out to complete a hat-trick of wins after winning their last two starts together at Central Southland Raceway. Julie Jaccka went back-to-back at Winton before going on to run a solid fourth on Diamonds Day at Ascot Park last month. The Gray stable now has Addington in its sights if their consistent trotter can produce another strong effort in Race 6, the Goodman Plumbing Ltd Handicap Trot (3.11pm). “We are hoping she go another good race and then head up to the Heather Williams Memorial at Addington,” Anderson said. “She’s been going great, so she deserves a go at a nice race at Addington and she’s done pretty well up there before.” Julie Jaccka faces a 30m handicap in the feature trot at Winton, which looks like a workable mark for a horse of her quality. “If she was able to get away like she can and be handy enough I would be pretty confident,” Anderson said. “But you have to respect the others. There are some hardened old horses in there.” “We have to give Andy Hall 10m, and Bring On The Muscle went a great race on Diamonds Day.” “He is 10m behind us, but if he is on our back, he is going to be tough.” The Gray stable also starts High Return and Foxing Easton at Winton on Thursday. Two-year-old High Return has trialled solidly ahead of his debut against older horses. Foxing Easton disappointed fresh up at the same track, but he looks set for a stronger effort after winning two recent trials. Brent Barclay takes the reins behind the pair. Anderson will also link up with the Hamish Hunter-trained Montage at Winton. The pair ran a solid third at Ascot Park two starts ago before their sixth at Winton last week. “I think he’s a good chance in any rating 35 race. He didn’t get all the luck last start, but his run before that was pretty good.” “He can do a bit of work and will keep sticking on.” The Hunter stable also starts Better Be Watching and Diamondsonmyshoes at Winton on Thursday. View the full article

Ellis Park is projecting a significant boost for maiden special weight (MSW) purses at its upcoming 25-date summer meet, up from $71,000 last year to “in the $100,000 range” according to Gary Palmisano, Jr., the vice president of racing for Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), the gaming company that is the corporate owner of the Western Kentucky track. Palmisano also projected that planned transfers of Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) money from Kentucky Downs and the allocation of funding from other sources within CDI's in-state gaming operations would bridge a gap that has existed between MSW purses at Kentucky's top-paying Thoroughbred venues (Kentucky Downs, Churchill Downs and Keeneland Race Course) and the more blue-collar tracks (Ellis and Turfway Park). “The goal is to have $100,000 [MSW] races across Kentucky all year, and we're getting awfully close. And I think this summer at Ellis Park will be another step in that direction,” Palmisano said. Although MSW purse levels do not tell the entire story about how healthy a track or a circuit's racing is, they are often cited within the Thoroughbred industry as a useful barometer that indicates the class of horses a track can expect to attract. Palmisano's disclosures were made at Wednesday's meeting of the KTDF advisory committee. Last year's MSW races at Ellis were $71,000. In 2023, when Ellis ran its first meet under the ownership of CDI, MSW races were $70,000. In 2022, under different management, that value was $60,000. For comparison, Kentucky Downs MSW purses for this year's seven-day meet in August and September are projected to be $170,000, the same as last season. MSW races at the all-turf boutique meet were $150,000 in 2023 and 2022. They were $135,000 in 2021. CDI's flagship track, Churchill Downs, is currently carding 3-and-up MSW races at $120,000 during its April-June meet, a level that hasn't changed since 2022 at both the spring/summer and the two autumn meets. This April, Keeneland raised spring MSW purses for 3-year-olds and up to $110,000 after being plateaued at $100,000 for the past three years at both the April and October meets. At Turfway, which is also owned by CDI, MSW races were $80,000 at the 2024-25 winter/spring meet. The previous two seasons they were $70,000. Turfway paid out $62,000 in MSW purses in 2021-22. Bill Landes III, who represents the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association as the KTDF advisory committee's vice-chair, articulated a concern during Wednesday's meeting about lower-level racing at Ellis this summer. “The only comment I've gotten this past week is the demise of the little guy and the claiming horses and whatnot,” Landes said. “So I hope when you write your condition book that you keep that in mind. Because you are competing against Hawthorne, and you'll be competing against Horseshoe Indianapolis.” Baley Hare, the racing secretary at Ellis, replied by giving a food analogy. “We always need the big steak. Or the big lobster tails are nice,” Hare said, referring to the high-value races. “But you still need the potatoes [meaning the lower-level races]. So you can't forget about the sides.” Palmisano gave an update on how Ellis is coping in the aftermath of mid-April rainstorms that flooded the track property, which is close to the Ohio River. “As you all know, Ellis Park was in the flood zone there for a while,” Palmisano said. “We did take on water on the backside. We did have some electrical poles that are down that are being replaced. So horsemen were supposed to move in there this week. That's been backed up to, tentatively, the first of June. “But all of us are actively working to get the horsemen into the backside as quickly as possible,” Palmisano said. “There's some roof work that needs to be done. I don't know if you all are aware, but two or three days before the flood waters were rising up, there was significant wind damage throughout Ellis Park on a number of barn roofs. So that was only further complicated by the rising flood waters, which prevented us from doing a lot of work back there.” Palmisano also said that, “They're working to patch a portion of the turf course, which had standing water on it for a while.” The KTDF is funded by three-quarters of 1% of all money wagered in the state on both live Thoroughbred races and historical horse race gaming, plus 1% of all money wagered on Thoroughbred races via inter-track wagering and whole-card simulcasting. That money, along with funding from each track, goes to pay purses in the state. At the May 7 meeting, the KTDF advisory board approved the recommendation of allotment requests that the Ellis purse projections were based on. The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation still has to vote on final approval of the funding at a subsequent meeting. The post With Boosts Projected at Ellis and Turfway, Kentucky Nearing Year-Round, Six-Figure MSW Purses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

2025 marks the third year that Gulfstream Park will host the Royal Palm Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies Stakes, the only two juvenile Royal Ascot qualifying races in the country. 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. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU)'s “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 05/07/2025 Licensee: Javier Moran, trainer Penalty: 30-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on May 8, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horses' Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $2,500. Admission. The following are treated as one violation. Explainer: Medication violation for an Intra Articular Injection Within Fourteen (14) days of a Post-Time on Get a Grip Marilyn on 1/29/24 and 3/22/24; and Kestenna on 2/23/24. Date: 05/07/2025 Licensee: Javier Moran, trainer Penalty: A fine of $3,000. Admission. Explainer: Medication violations for an intra-articular injection within seven (7) days of a timed and reported workout on Kestenna on 1/23/24. Date: 05/06/2025 Licensee: Ramon Aguayo, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on May 7, 2025; 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 $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Lidocaine-a controlled substance (Class B)-in a sample taken from Salagadoola, who finished second at Tampa Bay on 3/26/25. Date: 05/06/2025 Licensee: Pablo Torres, 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: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from Holiday Fantasy, who finished third at Tampa Bay on 3/19/25. Date: 05/05/2025 Licensee: Alejandro Colina, trainer Penalty: 60-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on May 6, 2025; a fine of $5,000 ($4,500 fine will be waived if all purses are repaid). Final decision of internal adjudication panel. Explainer: For a breach of Rule 3510(b), which is a “Refusal/failure to cooperate promptly and completely with HISA/HIWU under the ADMC Program Rules.” There are no other case details currently available on the HIWU website. Date: 05/02/2025 Licensee: Leslielyn Hardesty, 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. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the use or attempted use of a Class C controlled medication on That's My Cat during the race period, an event dated 2/28/25. According to the case resolution, That's My Cat was “observed with an ointment in both nostrils. A search of Ms. Hardesty's barn was conducted, and a nasal ointment was discovered, and Ms. Hardesty's admitted that the ointment was administered to the Covered Horse.” Date: 05/01/2025 Licensee: Carlos Inirio, trainer Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on May 2, 2025; Disqualification of both Covered Horses' Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Following cases treated as one violation. Final decision of HIWU. Explainer: Medication violations for the presence of Caffeine-a controlled substance (Class B)-in a sample taken from Fool for the City, who won at Mahoning Valley on 1/25/25; and from Sufferin Succotash, who finished fourth at Mahoning Valley on 1/27/25. Date: 05/01/2025 Licensee: Alfredo Marquez, 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: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from My Kathryn Rose, who won at Santa Anita on 10/19/24. Pending ADMC Violations 05/07/2025, Natalie Cowan, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine-a controlled substance (Class B)-in a sample taken from Beauty Bolt on 4/3/25. 05/07/2025, Robert Thomas Paterno, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Dantrolene-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from Nouveau Depart on 4/1/25. 05/06/2025, John Servis, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from Strong Like Sara, who finished third in the Rainbow Miss Stakes at Oaklawn Park on 4/6/25. 05/05/2025, Raymond Valerio, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Trichlormethiazide-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from King Adrock, who won at Turf Paradise on 4/8/25. 05/05/2025, Joseph Poole, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine-a controlled substance (Class B)-in a sample taken from Pride and Attitude on 4/2/25. 05/05/2025, Ryan Kenney, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from Spaghetti Tree, who finished second at Turf Paradise on 4/2/25. 05/02/2025, Sherry Janice Armstrong, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Trichlormethiazide-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from Barossa, who won at Sunland Park on 3/28/25. 05/01/2025, Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone-a controlled substance (Class C)-in a sample taken from Legal Empress, who finished second at Oaklawn Park on 3/1/25. Violations of Crop Rule Oaklawn Park Abel Cedillo – violation date May 3; $250 fine, one-day suspension Santa Anita Adrian Escobedo – violation date May 3; $300 fine, no other details currently available Thistledown Luis Alberto Batista – violation date May 3; $500 fine, two-day suspension German Terraza – violation date May 5; $250 fine, one-day suspension The post National Regulatory Rulings, May 1 – May 7 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Henri Devin, who ran France's historic Haras du Mesnil with his wife Antonia, died at the age of 71 earlier this week. A noted owner-breeder, Devin inherited the stud from his grandparents, Jean and Elisabeth Couturie. Some of the best to call Mesnil home are the 2001 G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Terre A Terre (Kaldounevees), and G1 Hong Kong Vase and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Ange Gabriel (Kaldounevees). Another is G1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine Nonza (Zanzibar), who gave Devin's son, Henri-Francois, his first top-tier score as a trainer. Several stallions have left their mark on the game from Mesnil, among them Group 1 sire Kaldounevees, as well as Turgeon and leading National Hunt stallion Doctor Dino. The latter currently leads the three-strong roster at Mesnil, alongside young sires Telecaster and Bay Bridge. Henri is survived by his wife Antonia and their four children. The post Haras Du Mesnil’s Henri Devin Dies At 71 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Kentucky Downs' 2025 meet will feature 18 stakes offering a total of $30.5 million in purses, led by the $3.5 million Nashville Derby (G3T). Another 10 stakes are worth at least $2 million.View the full article

West Point Thoroughbreds announced May 7 the retirement of Jaxon Traveler, a multiple graded stakes winner who collected at least one stakes victory every season from ages 2 to 7. Stud plans have not been finalized.View the full article

Tampa Bay Downs posted gains in all major categories, capping a memorable campaign with the third-largest crowd in track history May 3.View the full article

Speaking May 7 during the ongoing annual meeting of the ARCI in Louisville, Ky., leadership of several state horse racing regulators expressed continued challenges related to staffing positions for regulatory veterinarians and stewards. View the full article

While he has yet to be confirmed for a start in the GI Preakness Stakes, GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Journalism (Curlin) returned to the track at Churchill Downs Wednesday morning for Michael McCarthy, jogging once around. Justin Curran, who heads McCarthy's Louisville operation, said the GI Santa Anita Derby winner will gallop Thursday. “He seemed happy. He came out of his race well,” said Curran. “Just like he's bounced out of every race. The rider is happy. And if the rider is happy, everybody else is happy.” Journalism returned to the track @ChurchillDowns this morning for @mwmracing for the first time since a gallant 2nd in the @KentuckyDerby.Journalism is under consideration for the @PreaknessStakes w his energy, action & appetite being monitored closely in coming days. #BelieveBig pic.twitter.com/jUMlYyYmC2 — Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (@EclipseTBP) May 7, 2025 'TDN Rising Star' River Thames (Maclean's Music), who targeted the Preakness vs. the Derby, was also on track Wednesday for Todd Pletcher. “He's doing well,” Pletcher said. “He galloped well this morning and is scheduled to breeze on Saturday at Belmont. I'm happy with his progress.” Virginia Derby winner American Promise (Justify), who finished 16th in the Derby and is confirmed for the Preakness, had another scheduled walk day before he resumes training Thursday. “It was a bit of a dogfight,” jockey Nik Juarez acknowledged of the Derby. “We had Citizen Bull, who broke outward. Two horses to my inside were impeded. I had to make a trip for American Promise the best way I could. Luckily, getting into that first turn, it was where we wanted to be, and he was able to avoid most of that trouble. There were many variables. It's the Kentucky Derby, you're dealing with that many horses. I just think he got a lot out of the race, and he's still American Promise.” G2 UAE Derby runner-up Heart of Honor (GB) (Honor A.P., who returned to his stable in England following that run, is scheduled to quarantine at Churchill Downs before vanning to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore Monday ahead of an expected start in the Preakness. Another confirmed runner, Pay Billy (Improbable), earned a spot in the Preakness gate by way of his win in the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel April 19. Trainer Mike Gorham indicated the colt would have his final work on Thursday morning at Delaware Park with jockey Raul Mena aboard. “I breezed him last Saturday just real easy, but tomorrow is going to be his real final serious work,” Gorham said. “Probably a good half and gallop out strong. He's been training good, galloping good all week long and acting good. Everything's going forward.” Trainer Bob Baffert notified the Pimlico racing office that 'TDN Rising Star' Rodriguez (Authentic) would arrive in Baltimore Monday. Scratched from the Derby, the GII Wood Memorial winner will work this weekend according to Baffert. The post Preakness Preparation Continues As Derby Runner-Up Journalism Returns To The Track appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After a historic weekend where Godolphin swept the worldwide classics, including a Kentucky Derby win with Sovereignty (Into Mischief), the colt's trainer Bill Mott appeared on the TDN Writers' Room podcast, presented by Keeneland, as the Gainesway Guest of the Week. For Mott, it was his second Kentucky Derby win, following the promotion of Country House in the 2019 Derby after the disqualification of Maximum Security, and he admitted that this one was a big one. “It's pretty special, I've got to tell you,” he said. “We really enjoyed Country House's eventual victory in that race, but I always wanted to come back and be able to do it this way. But maybe the fact that we were put up in the other race, it maybe took a little something away from it, I suppose, as far as the full pleasure of getting it done.” Mott said he has been overwhelmed with the attention since the win. “It hasn't stopped yet,” he said. “I'm still hearing from people and I guess you realize how many people watch the race on television and the number of people that were at the track. It's a big deal. I'm really proud and I'm glad to be part of the team that made this happen. I'm just a a small part of it because there's so much that goes into it from the, as I've said before, the matings and raising the horse and then eventually getting them to us.” Mott said that during Derby week, “Everything went perfectly. He didn't have any setbacks, no sickness, no lameness, no filling, no missed training days for one reason or another. And he went into it great. And we knew we were doing it with a very good horse and a horse that was probably capable of pulling it off.” Of course, the world now knows that Sovereignty will skip the Preakness to go straight to the Belmont. “Three races in a five-week period, and they're hard races,” said Mott. “There was nothing easy about the race the other day. I think you probably take a little something out of them. If we were only concerned about the Triple Crown, he'd probably be the perfect horse to do it with, because he's a big, tough horse and he came back good and we could go on to the next one, but we decided to focus on the Belmont and perhaps the Travers if the Belmont goes well. And then we've got races later on. You've got the Breeders' Cup Classic, that's going to be a tough division this year. But also, I think if we race the horse next year, you know, the Dubai World Cup would probably be on a schedule if he's doing well.” Asked if he would have run in the Preakness given more time, Mott said that it was possible. “We'd certainly be more apt to do it that way,” he said. “I'm not advocating for changing it because I think that's above my pay grade. I think the Triple Crown is a tremendous challenge, the way it's set up, but I think we're probably 40 years beyond what it used to be.” Elsewhere on the show, the team of Bill Finley, Randy Moss, and Zoe Cadman reviewed the results of the Derby weekend, announced the results of the first annual Derby Fantasy Draft (congratulations to Bill Finley on the win), and discussed the letter to the editor from David Ingordo about changing the process for admission to the Hall of Fame. In the Fastest-Horse-of-the-Week segment, won for a second time within a month by Skelly (Practical Joke) at Oaklawn Park, they discussed the WinStar stallion Constitution, whose Mindframe won the GI Churchill Downs Stakes. The TDN Writers Room is also sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, and 1/ST Racing and 1/ST TV. To watch the show, click here. For the audio podcast, click here. The post Derby-Winning Trainer Bill Mott on TDN Writers’ Room appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Thursday, Chester, post time: 15:05, LADBROKES BIG-VALUE YOU CAN BET ON ORMONDE STAKES-G3, £140,000, 4yo/up, 13f 84yT Field: Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Al Qareem (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}), Absurde (Fr) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Mondo Man (GB) (Mondialiste {Ire}), Mount Atlas (GB) (Masar {Ire}), Roaring Legend (Fr) (Roaring Lion). TDN Verdict: Aidan O'Brien is gradually taking control of this May Festival as Barry Hills once did and he could have the outright record in this race if Illinois makes last year's form count. Responsible for six winners so far, the master of Ballydoyle very much has time on his side as he looks to usurp Sir Michael Stoute who can now no longer build on his sextet. Last year's G1 St Leger and G1 Grand Prix de Paris runner-up carries a penalty for his sign-off win in ParisLongchamp's G2 Prix Chaudenay, but he will love this track, trip and ground and this will tell connections whether to go up to the “Cup” distances or tackle the big mile-and-a-half tests. Al Qareem has three pounds extra to carry, having captured Ascot's G3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes in October, but his two visits here have resulted in back-to-back successes in the Listed Stand Cup. It is worth remembering that he beat a certain Bluestocking in the 2023 edition of that contest, despite her having a distinct weight-for-age advantage at that stage of her career. [Tom Frary]. Thursday, Chester, post time: 14:35, BOODLES RAINDANCE DEE STAKES-Listed, £100,000, 3yo, Open, 10f 70yT Field: Calla Lagoon (GB) (New Bay {GB}), Great David (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}), High Stock (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Hott Shott (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Isambard Brunel (Justify), Mirabeau (GB) (Territories {Ire}), Mount Kilimanjaro (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). TDN Verdict: Derby trial number two on Chester's Roodee, this contest used to be the favoured one for meeting specialist Barry Hills and his incredible tally of 10 winners was a record until equalled 12 months ago by Aidan O'Brien. Ballydoyle's duo this time is headed by last year's G1 Criterium International runner-up Mount Kilimanjaro, who came up short against Twain there before flopping on his return in Dundalk's Patton Race in early March. Given time to recover from that, he is joined by the stable's Navan maiden winner Isambard Brunel from the family of Found and Best In The World who interestingly won the Chester Vase en route to Derby glory. High Stock adds intrigue, bringing the form of Newmarket's Wood Ditton into play and he is a relative of Light Shift who took the Cheshire Oaks before achieving Oaks glory. [Tom Frary]. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: More Chester Riches For Aidan O’Brien And Ballydoyle? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features a King Of Change half-sister to a Group 1 winner. 7.25 Chelmsford, Mdn, £8,000, 3-5yo, 10fT EMPRESS OF ALL (IRE) (King Of Change {GB}) is the seventh foal out of Ali Saeed's G1 Pretty Polly Stakes heroine Ambivalent, who has also made her mark in her second career by producing Sea The Stars's G1 Prix Vermeille winner Teona as well as Dubawi's G2 Prix Hocquart scorer Al Hilalee and Group 3-placed Imperial Quarter. Roger Varian introduces the homebred against six rivals in what could be a soft spot for her belated intro. The post Varian Unveils Half-Sister To Teona appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Junior Alvarado's win aboard Sovereignty in the 151st Kentucky Derby (G1) marked his first win in a Triple Crown race. The panel of racing experts unanimously voted him Jockey of the Week April 28-May 4.View the full article

A rundown, compiled by America's Best Racing, of this week’s horse racing coverage on TV, livestreaming, and radio.View the full article

Tom Pedulla, of America's Best Racing, offers takeaways from the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) May 3, the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks May 2, and other major developments during a memorable weekend of racing at iconic Churchill Downs.View the full article

Godolphin homebred Sovereignty made his first on-track appearance May 7 since winning the Kentucky Derby (G1), jogging one mile before his departure for Saratoga Race Course later that afternoon.View the full article