Wandering Eyes

With the thinnest cloud cover in the sky and spectacular temperatures the morning of Oct. 31, Del Mar prepared to roll out the red carpet for the 42nd Breeders' Cup World Championships.View the full article

Precise (Starspangledbanner), the red-hot favourite for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, has been withdrawn from the race after she was found to be coughing. She was one of three late European scratchings on Friday morning, with Godolphin's Military Code (Wootton Bassett) pulled from the GI Juvenile Turf Sprint and Arizona Blaze (Sergei Prokofiev) being ruled out of Saturday's G1 Turf Sprint. Aidan O'Brien, who also has the favourites for today's GI Juvenile Turf and GI Juvenile Turf Sprint in Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) and True Love (No Nay Never), said of Precise, “She gave one cough yesterday [Thursday] morning, but that wouldn't be unusual. It could have been a bit of straw or something. But she gave eight or ten coughs this morning [Friday] so we got her scoped and she had phlegm in her throat. “We sent off her bloods to the lab for testing and she's got an infection. It seems like she has picked up a little bug or something and her temperature has started to rise. “It's probably something of nothing and she'll be absolutely fine, but she obviously won't be running. Things like this can always happen when you're travelling. You're always at risk, but she will be absolutely fine in no time.” A social media post from Godolphin announced that the team on the ground in Del Mar was unhappy with how the colt had pulled out this morning so he too had been scratched. Amo Racing's Arizona Blaze (Sergei Prokofiev), who was runner-up to Magnum Force (Kodiac) at this meeting last year, will be replaced in the Turf Sprint line-up by Japanese runner Puro Magic (Asia Express), who will be ridden by Oisin Murphy. The post Precise a Late Scratching from Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trade was down marginally at this year's Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale, with Tattersalls boss Edmond Mahony acknowledging many sectors of the market had been “challenging”, as play came to a low-key close on Friday. The Horse Watchers, well known for unearthing bargains, paid 42,000gns for the most expensive horse sold on the fifth and final day of the sale – that was the winning Kieran Cotter-trained sprinter Arklow Lad (Kuroshio). Martin Dixon confirmed that the Irish recruit would join trainer Mick Appleby, and said, “He hadn't shown a lot in his three starts when the catalogue came out but he has won and run well in the last month. We had an eye on him and thought he could be bought at a competitive price today. “He is a lightly-raced sprinter type, young and progressive, and there are a few angles for improvement – we will geld him and he could step back up to 6f. He is just the sort that Mick Appleby does so well with and he is for The Horse Watchers Syndicate.” All told, the turnover dropped by 5% to 33,867,500gns during the Horses-In-Training Sale while the median fell by 6% to 15% and the average by 4% to 33,565gns. The clearance rate remained the same at 87%. The new yearling section to the sale generated just 224,700gns in turnover and a clearance rate of 57%. Two horses – a Cracksman filly and a Land Force colt – shared top lot honours at only 20,000gns. Tattersalls boss Edmond Mahony commented, “The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale is a unique event and once again this year featured the largest number of horses in training offered anywhere in the world. Buyers from more than 30 countries joined a domestic bench of Flat and National Hunt purchasers, all drawn by the consistent quality and value on offer. This was exemplified by the continued success of sale graduates on the racecourse, notably last year's top lot Delius, now a dual Group 1 winner in Australia. “Racecourse success remains the key driver behind the enduring appeal of this sale, with a remarkable 173 Group and Listed races won worldwide by purchases from the sale over the past three years. Of those, 59 victories were recorded in Australia, underlining the significance of Australasian buyers who have again been prominent this week, spending more than 3,000,000 guineas on over 25 lots. “They have been joined by Middle Eastern buyers, including significant groups from Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE, whose burgeoning racing carnivals continue to fuel demand. We also pay tribute to our overseas representatives who have brought a diverse array of buyers to Park Paddocks, notably enthusiastic contingents from Italy and Spain. “This year's sale has achieved the third highest turnover in its history and featured the third highest price ever at the sale, with Gladius selling for 950,000 guineas to Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown on behalf of Wathnan Racing. The sale also saw a record number of 500,000 guineas lots.” He added, “However, while the headline figures for the 2025 renewal match those of previous years, it must be acknowledged that trade in many sectors has been challenging, with the market not always meeting vendor expectations. Increasingly, ownership and trade in British bloodstock are reliant on overseas support, both in terms of purchasers and ownership. This trend has been exacerbated by the current government's taxation policies and the uncertainty surrounding next month's budget. We reiterate the concerns raised in our 2024 end-of-sale statement and urge the government to listen to the voices across the racing industry. Without meaningful engagement, the existing business model risks long-term stagnation. “We now look forward to the Tattersalls December Sale, one of the bloodstock world's unmissable events, featuring a day of yearlings, four days of Europe's best foals and the three-day December Mares Sale which features an outstanding group of fillies and mares in the fourth edition of the Sceptre Sessions.” The post Tattersalls Chairman Acknowledges “Challenging” Marketplace At Close Of H-I-T Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Breeders' Cup victor Magnum Force has been retired and will stand at Ballyhane Stud in Ireland from next year. A fee for the Grade I-winning son of Mehmas will be announced later. The Ger Lyons trainee won at second asking at Cork, before running second in the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes at York last August. Third in Doncaster's G2 Flying Childer's Stakes in September, he triumphed by a half-length in the Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar on November 1. The son of the Fastnet Rock mare Tropical Rock earned over $580,000 in seven starts. Ger Lyons said, “He was a proper racehorse with unreal speed and he showed us he was pretty special from day one here. He's a beauty to look at and I wish him well. He gave us the best day of our racing life in Del Mar last year, a day we'll never forget.” The fourth foal and second winner out of his two-time winning dam, Magnum Force is a grandson of stakes winner and G3 Summer Stakes third Tropical Treat (Bahamian Bounty). Ballyhane's Joe Foley, who will share ownership in the stallion with his owner-breeder Sheikh Abdulla bin Isa Al-Khalifa, said “Magnum Force obviously had a tremendous amount of talent and that ability, allied with his impressive good looks, should make him a popular choice for breeders next season.” The post Breeders’ Cup Hero Magnum Force Retired To Ballyhane Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Graham Motion highlights his two Breeders' Cup runners: One Stripe, the 2024/25 Equus champion miler in South Africa, and Turf Star, runner-up in Keeneland's Bourbon Stakes (G2T).View the full article

The 2025 Markel Magnolia Cup raised £834,170 for King's Trust International's Project Lehar, a record-breaking amount for the charity race, Goodwood Racecourse announced on Friday. Project Lehar operates in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, with a focus on empowering adolescent girls through vocational training, skills development and promoting gender equality within their communities. The Markel Magnolia Cup, for amateur female jockeys, takes place during Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar. This year, the race was won by Markel International underwriter Sophie Forsyth and mount Woodcote Girl (Treacherous), trained by Ed de Giles, owned by The Woodham Walter Partnership and sponsored by Glen Manchester. With this year's total, the race has raised more than £3.5 million for charitable causes since its inception in 2011. The post Markel Magnolia Cup 2025 Raises £834,170 For Project Lehar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

NBC Sports and Ascot Racecourse, home to the Royal Meeting have reached a multi-year agreement to extend NBC Sports's exclusive United States media rights to the event through 2028, the network said in a press release on Friday. NBC Sports–who has been presenting Royal Ascot via linear and digital platforms since 2017–will continue to present live coverage of all 20+ hours of the mid-June meet over its five days (Tuesday-Saturday), with Peacock streaming all coverage live throughout the week, and NBC simulcasting coverage during the event's final day on Saturday. Beginning in 2026, NBC Sports will provide expanded coverage of Royal Ascot races designated as Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win and You're In” qualifiers, as well as additional editorial focus and context around those horses and connections aiming towards the World Championships. The post NBC Sports And Royal Ascot Partner On Multi-Year Media Rights Extension appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Even with a seven-horse field for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), trainer Chad Summers has no regrets about his unbeaten, grade 1-winning 2-year-old Napoleon Solo being in Kentucky instead of Del Mar at the moment. View the full article

The post Breeders’ Cup Surfing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

On the Oct. 31 episode of BloodHorse at the Breeders' Cup: BloodHorse Monday's Louie Rabaut and Sean Collins, BloodHorse editorial director Frank Angst, and Agentes305's Carlos Morales analyze the fields on Future Stars Friday.View the full article

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled live racing at Aqueduct Racetrack on Friday due to high winds forecast to impact the New York City metropolitan area, the organization said in a release that same morning. The National Weather Service has placed Southern Queens under a wind advisory beginning at 12 p.m. ET, with current forecasts calling for sustained high winds and gusts in excess of 45 mph. Two Listed $150,000 stakes originally scheduled for Friday–the Tempted and the Pumpkin Pie–have been rescheduled. The Tempted will now be run on Thursday, Nov. 6 with entries taken today, October 31. The Pumpkin Pie will be run on Saturday, Nov. 8 with entries taken on Sunday, Nov. 2. Aqueduct will remain open for simulcasting today from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. Live racing was also canceled on Thursday, Oct. 30 due to a powerful storm that generated extremely high winds and rainfall of more than 2.5″. The Belmont at the Big A fall meet will resume Saturday. The post Weather Forces NYRA To Cancels Live Racing At Big A On Friday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Challenge, presented by GaineswayView the full article

It's unlikely that anyone outside of a handful of people remember Rare Rock. Yet he played an important part in as great a success story as Thoroughbred racing has ever seen. View the full article

It’s been a busy second month of the season in Hong Kong with champion rider Zac Purton soaring clear in the jockeys’ title, Mark Newnham extending his great start to the campaign, a swag of impressive wins from some exciting gallopers and Ka Ying Rising claiming The Everest (1,200m) at Randwick. The Post analyses the jockeys and trainers who had an October to remember or one to forget, as well as the most outstanding victory and winning ride. Who’s hot? Purton proved why he is a class above his...View the full article

The big step up from Rating 65 to open company proved to be no obstacle on Friday for Queen Of Kings, who snatched a thrilling photo-finish victory in the Ashburton Raceway Your Gateway to Entertainment 1600. The five-year-old mare went into Friday’s race with only one previous win to her name in her 34-start career, but she had run strong-finishing placings in three of her four previous starts to give trainers Leonard and Lacy Stewart the confidence to raise the bar at Ashburton. Ridden by Gosen Jogoo, Queen Of Kings settled well back as Amiinit led the field up to the home turn. Queen Of Kings had only a couple of rivals behind her as she straightened for home, but Jogoo angled her into clear air down the outside of the track to launch her run. Queen Of Kings moved through her gears and ran on strongly out wide, joining up with Sacred Dream, Iffididit, Quintabelle and Harlech in a five-way battle to the finish. Less than a length separated that quintet at the line, with a last-minute lunge by Queen Of Kings carrying her to a nose victory over Sacred Dream. Iffididit was a half-head behind the first pair in third, with half a length back to Quintabelle in fourth and another nose to the fifth-placed Harlech. “That was a good win today,” Leonard Stewart said. “The horse has been racing consistently and running good races despite not quite winning. It was a step up in class today, but she handled it well. I’m really happy for ‘Gos’ too, who’s been a bit crook lately but gave the horse a great ride today. “We’ll just see how the horse comes through this before deciding what we do next. I thought a Good4 track might be a bit too firm for her today, but that ground had a bit of give in it and she handled it well.” Queen Of Kings began her career in the Cambridge stable of Tony Pike, for whom she recorded two third placings from five starts and banked just over $5000. Bought for $15,001 in a Gavelhouse.com auction in February 2024 and now raced by Ryan de Joux, Queen Of Kings has now had a total of 35 starts for two wins, 12 placings and $66,785 in stakes. View the full article

Riverton trainer Kelvin Tyler holds a strong hand heading into his home meeting on Sunday, where he is hoping to secure several winners’ cheques. “I have got some nice chances and some of the fields aren’t that big and strong, so hopefully we can have a good day,” he said. In-form gelding Vamos is a dual acceptor for the Phil Bevin Spraying Handicap (1600m) and Sparrow Logging Handicap (2147m), and Tyler will leave it closer to the day before deciding which race he targets. The six-year-old son of Vadamos won two consecutive races before finishing runner-up over 1600m at Ascot Park earlier this month, and Tyler is hopeful he can return to winning form this weekend. “I can’t fault him, he is absolutely thriving,” Tyler said. “He looks amazing, as he always does, and his work has been excellent. He will handle a wet track, so he is going to be a great chance no matter what race he goes in.” If he contests the former race he could be met by stablemate Master Marko, although he could be saved for Wingatui on Melbourne Cup Day, and in the latter he would be met by Prince Alby. “I am going to put a nomination in for Master Marko at Wingatui on Tuesday and see how it comes up. I am still up in the air about that at the moment,” Tyler said. “The wet track will help Prince Alby. The Riccarton track is just too firm and he is not letting down. Hopefully he gets a chance on Sunday back to a wet track and in a field that is probably a big step back on what he has been racing against. A bit of weight off his back is going to help him too (with three-kilogram claiming apprentice Kendra Bakker aboard). He will give Vamos a run for his money if Vamos runs in that one.” Tyler will have a two-pronged attack in the Ricki Egerton Dagging Handicap (1400m) courtesy of Go Lotte and Sight To See. “Go Lotte has got a bit of weight (57.5kg with the assistance of apprentice jockey Floor Moerman’s claim). She has been a bit disappointing, so hopefully she can recapture her form. “It’s Sight To See’s first run back since the Warstep (runner-up, Listed 2000m). She won’t mind a wet track, so she should be a good chance.” Tyler is particularly upbeat about the chances of Indie Ardie in the Chief Stipe Horrell Contracting Maiden (1600m), where she will likely be met by stablemate It’s Marlin. “She (Indie Ardie) is a really good horse,” Tyler said. “I am really surprised she hasn’t won a race. I thought she would have won half of her starts, that’s how good we think she can be. It looks quite a winnable race on paper and her work has been unreal. I will be disappointed if she can’t get her first win. “It’s Marlin will probably go to the mile. He doesn’t want it too heavy, he wants a bit better track, but he won’t be getting that. On his home track in a small field, we will roll the dice I think.” Tyler will also be represented by Fourofus in the Howley Joinery Maiden (1400m), Quick Call in the Wrens Handicap (1600m), and Monaghan Boy and More Sass in the Grant Horrell Contracting Handicap (1200m). “Fourofus is going really well,” Tyler said. “With the really firm track at Riccarton, he has just been jarring up a bit, so he will appreciate a bit of give in the track. “Quick Call is a bit of a handful on the training track. She is probably running out of chances, but we will roll the dice. “Monaghan Boy is in his first run back. He doesn’t want it too heavy, but it is a local meeting and he will definitely improve with the run. He is certainly forward enough to go a big race. “More Sass has got a lot of ability, is a little bit fragile mentally, but if she decided to do everything right, she will take a bit of beating.” View the full article

Zac Purton has been booked to ride Voyage Bubble as the champion jockey and five-time Group One winner prepare for another stoush with Romantic Warrior in the Group Two Jockey Club Cup (2,000m) on November 23. Purton will ride Ricky Yiu Poon-fai’s stable star for the first time since last year’s Group One Yasuda Kinen (1,600m) in Japan after connections opted to step Voyage Bubble up in trip rather than stay at 1,600m in the Group Two Jockey Club Mile. That move made the prized ride available,...View the full article

DEL MAR, CA – Like clockwork, the call over the radio went out promptly at 2:45 p.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday afternoon. “Breeders' Cup Investigators this is the 48-hour warning for the Juvenile Turf Sprint, please be aware,” said the voice. “Again, that is 48 hours until the Juvenile Turf Sprint.” Repeated by the day shift control room manager Tyler Durand for each of the four subsequent races on the Friday card and the next afternoon for the nine races carded for Saturday's slate, the announcements are a way to reinforce the strict rules developed by the Breeders' Cup, which prohibit the administration of most medications within 48 hours of a race. In order to keep all the equine athletes safe during the World Championships, someone has to monitor the nearly 200 Thoroughbreds housed as temporary residents on the grounds at Del Mar and that 'someone' is a tactical team of around 30 specialists–called the Breeders' Cup Equine Security Team–who hail from racing jurisdictions around the country, plus Europe, and are members of the Organization of Racing Investigators (ORI). What they do matters on several different levels concerning the sanctity of integrity at the World Championships. “The best are here to protect the best,” said one member. At a Breeders' Cup presser on Wednesday, Executive Vice President & Chief Racing Officer Dora Delgado gave the heading, “An experienced team of equine investigators is on the ground monitoring the barn area. They're aided by high-definition cameras and in coordination with the CHRB and HISA officials.” During her tenure, Delgado championed the evolution of equine integrity teams, which is a group overseen by Senior Director of Operations David Duncan, and relies heavily on the expertise of racetrack security deans Don Ahrens and Mike Kilpack. They handpick their Breeders' Cup team and each year spend time reevaluating their procedures. If you ask Ahrens how many World Championships he has protected his response is always, “I've lost count.” Always looking to stay on the cutting edge when it comes to safety and security, the investigative unit underwent a massive procedural change this year when they chose not to employ, like they had in years past, a collective unit of some 100 security personnel who watch the barns round the clock during the week. Instead, Del Mar's state-of-the-art camera system became the 'eyes' and that has allowed the team to maximize efficiency and rely on one another's base of knowledge. Don Ahrens (center) discusses camera placement with members of the Equine Security team | JN Campbell “What we are doing now really enhances our operation by utilizing tech that is available to cover as much ground as possible,” said Ahrens. “We've got access to 228 cameras with infrared capability and we can group stalls of horses by race, which from the start of the week till race day gives us a significant advantage when it comes to patrolling a large set of barn areas.” Utilizing a 'quarterback' who is in a room on the property, the team can target specific areas where humans are coming in contact with horses in their stalls. Most activity during the day is perfectly normal, but the control room manager has to know what to look for when it comes to what grooms, assistants, veterinarians and anyone else along the shedrow should or should not be doing. “This is where having expertise is essential,” said Ahrens. “Our members know how to assess, then respond accordingly. The cameras hand us that ability to have eyes everywhere.” Regular sweeps on the watch continue once it gets dark and that is when a small but effective group dubbed the 'Night Owls' swings into action. Mirroring the 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. shift, the overnight group has to cover the same ground that is watched during the day. Led by Juan Estrada, the 'Owls' rely on teams of two to cover zones throughout the property. They employ Google software that collates notes and creates reports, so Ahrens can check on activity when he starts at 5 a.m. each morning. In the control room, the 'Owls' switch shifts. Meanwhile, the rest of the team roves around the stable area, pivoting constantly and taking direction when it is needed over the radio. Speaking on the subject of standards at the World Championships, Duncan's focus when it comes to the role played by the Breeders' Cup Investigators is one of quality over quantity. He says he is particularly interested in a common-sense approach which puts the horsemen at the center of everything the team does. With a background in horsemanship, Breeders' Cup Ops Senior Director David Duncan rides 'Ted' at Del Mar | JN Campbell “We are here to work with the CHRB and HISA who are the regulators, but we are also here for the horsemen,” said Duncan. “That puts us in the role of middlemen. So, what we have done is to create a scalable system based on the expertise of the best minds who do this day-in and day-out. We are going to be intentional in everything we do and we start by adapting to a horse environment.” Duncan makes a point of borrowing a stable pony while at Del Mar and utilizing his horseman's background that he built growing up and while in law enforcement. He says it helps send the message that he is willing to do whatever it takes to understand the perspective of the horsemen. In other words, integrity must flow both ways. “Bill Mott rode up alongside me and we were talking about the stable area,” said Duncan. “This is a community approach we are taking here and we need everyone to know on the backside that we are watching because we're a resource, not a threat. We're here to help in any way we can.” As the World Championships get ready to take flight on Friday, the maintaining of order and organization will continue to be a priority for the Breeders' Cup Equine Investigators as the crowds of horse fans descend on the seaside oval. Based on their expertise, you can trust that they will be watching. The post Hi-Def Eyes: Breeders’ Cup Equine Investigators Continue To Innovate At World Championships appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Cambridge trainer Sam Mynott is hoping to take her stable’s winning momentum into the weekend. On Wednesday at Pukekohe, Cirque Du Rose broke through for her maiden win in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1600m) in the hands of jockey Joe Doyle. “Joe gave her a beautiful ride and it was nice to see her get that win over a mile,” Mynott said. “We always knew she would want that sort of trip, but I was just a touch worried about how long between runs with that heavier track. She showed a lot, and she ran well, so she is only going to improve.” Mynott will now head to Tauranga on Saturday with half a dozen runners, including Too Darn Sweet who will have her first tilt at stakes level in the Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m). The three-year-old daughter of Too Darn Hot finished runner-up on debut over 1100m at Taupo earlier this month and Mynott is hopeful she can attain some black-type this weekend. “She is a really smart, little filly,” she said. “It is a big step-up in class and a big ask for just her second raceday start. She showed us a lot last start, she has only improved off that, she is working well and she is happy.” Stablemate Electron will contest the Bayleys Mount Maunganui 1300 after Te Rapa’s abandonment on Monday, with the daughter of Turn Me Loose keeping up to the mark with a 1100m Group and Listed trial at Pukekohe on Wednesday. “We were supposed to go to Te Rapa on Monday and with that abandonment we didn’t get a run, so I took her to the trials, we just needed to do something with her and she has run well,” Mynott said. Electron was Initially set to head south to New Zealand Cup Week at Riccarton to contest the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m), however, Mynott has aborted that mission and said she will decide on a plan b following Saturday’s run. “We have decided not to go to Christchurch, she has just missed too much work unfortunately with this weather,” Mynott said. “She will run tomorrow and then we will make a new plan for her.” Miss Madridista, Mister Meaner and Linkin Park finished runner-up in their last starts, and Mynot is hoping they can go one better in their respective races on Saturday. “I thought it was a huge run first-up by Miss Madridista and she has just improved off that,” Mynott said. “She is working super and she should strip a bit fitter tomorrow. I think she should be running well. “Mister Meaner showed a lot of toughness last start and I thought it was quite impressive. He has got another win in him quite soon and I am looking forward to seeing him tomorrow, the Tauranga track should suit the way he likes to race. Hopefully one day we can get a nice barrier draw to make things a bit easier for him. “Linkin Park he has improved a lot since we have had him. That first run with us we hadn’t had him that long and a little bit went wrong in that run, but he just keeps improving, he is looking fantastic. He tried really hard last time and if he runs like he did the other day, he should go well.” Mynott’s Tauranga team will be rounded out by Aquilifer in the Super Liquor 1200. “We have been waiting for the weather to come right to give her a start,” she said. “She is only going to improve off the run. She always goes pretty well fresh, and she is working well at home, so I am looking forward to seeing her go around.” Meanwhile, Mynott was pleased with stablemate Drommy’s 1-1/4 length trial win over 1300m at Taupo on Thursday, and she said the Embellish three-year-old is one to look out for in the autumn. “He is a lovely horse and we have had him in the stable for a while,” she said. “We have taken our time with him, he was always a bit weak, but this preparation he has really furnished into a lovely horse. “I thought his trial was super, he is a real professional. We will trial him again and look to get him to the races. He is going to be a super autumn three-year-old.” View the full article

Yulong has purchased a 50 percent share in outstanding prospect Well Written with welcome news that she will remain in the care of Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh for the rest of her racing career. The racing and breeding powerhouse made their move following the Written Tycoon filly’s explosive display to distance her rivals in the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) off the back of her runaway maiden success. “All the original owners have stayed in, it’s been an easy transition and if she is as good as what we think, she will campaign in Australia as a four-year-old,” said Marsh, whose stable bloodstock agent Dylan Johnson brokered the deal with Yulong. “It’s great not only for our stable, but for New Zealand racing and to see Yulong substantially investing in our industry which has come a long way in recent times.” Well Written is currently a $2.60 favourite to maintain her unbeaten record in next month’s Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. “She breezed through her last run and she galloped beautifully with Matt Cartwright in the saddle on Tuesday morning. “The 1000 Guineas and The NZB Kiwi have massive appeal to Yulong, it’s very exciting to have them in the stable.” Marsh will also be represented in the fillies’ feature at Riccarton by Little Black Dress, who is at $16 off the back of placings in the Soliloquy and Gr.3 Sunline Vase (1400m). “She’s improved with each run and the big mile at Riccarton should suit her,” he said. Marsh also has a pair of three-year-olds prominent in the market for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and could yet double his hand in the Classic. He has $8 chance Magic Carpet and $14 hope Swiss Prince set to head south for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai-sponsored feature. They will round off their preparations in Saturday’s Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Tauranga with the filly To Cap It All to also run in the rescheduled age group event. “She is more likely to head to the 2000 Guineas, providing she runs very well at the weekend, as it would be a one-week back-up for her into the 1000 Guineas,” Marsh said. “She could still do that, it’s not as hard as it used to when we had to float them down so we’re not ruling it out.” The daughter of Capitalist won the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m) last season and placed in both the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). She will be fourth-up at Tauranga off the back of a fourth placing at Rotorua. Magic Carpet broke his maiden in fine style at his last outing when he landed the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) while Swiss Prince won a competitive maiden at Ellerslie last time out. He had placed in his three previous outings, including a third in the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1200m). “All going well, they will head down to Christchurch and Magic Carpet, To Cap It All and Swiss Prince all galloped on Wednesday morning,” Marsh said. “They all went beautifully, and I can’t fault any of them.” The highly regarded Moretothinkabout could also earn his spot in the 2000 Guineas team if he performs to his best next time out at Ellerslie. “He’s a nice colt and we really like him. He will run on Melbourne Cup Day in a maiden mile and if could win really well, then he will go down as well,” Marsh said. The son of So You Think finished runner-up in his only juvenile appearance and has been out of the frame in two runs this preparation but was less than three lengths off Swiss Prince at Ellerslie and the step up to a mile is expected to be more to his liking. View the full article

Trainer Michael McCarthy shares his thoughts on Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) entrant Touch of Destiny (URU), a perfect 6-for-6 in his native Uruguay, ahead of his United States debut.View the full article

The owner of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) contender Bottle of Rouge never has a beef with the trainer. Everything trainer Bob Baffert does with Bottle of Rouge is A-OK. That's because the owner is Jill Baffert, wife of the Hall of Famer. View the full article

DEL MAR, Calif. – At the age of 56, the legendary Bill Shoemaker guided Ferdinand home by a nose over Alysheba as the two Derby winners famously hit the wire together in the 1987 GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Hollywood Park. The late Shoemaker has held the record as the oldest jockey to win a Breeders' Cup race since. Hall of Famer Mike Smith will have five chances to make history as the two-day Championships return to Del Mar for the fourth time Friday. The 59-year-old's Breeders' Cup mounts include: Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso) (Juvenile Fillies); 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) (F/M Sprint); Kopion (Omaha Beach) (Sprint); Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach) (Classic); and Will Take It (Tapit) (Dirt Mile). “Even if I wasn't setting the record, it would be awesome to win a Breeders' Cup race,” Smith said. “We're gonna give it our all. We're not without big chances, I'm excited about it. And if I become the oldest jockey to do so, that's just an extra little icing on the cake. I feel like I'm 40, man. I mean, I'm out here running talking to you (on the phone) right now.” Bottle of Rouge makes her two-turn debut for Bob Baffert in Friday's Juvenile Fillies following a win in the seven-furlong GI Del Mar Debutante S. Tamara, a daughter of the mighty Beholder, kicked off her season in style off the bench with a dominant win in the GIII Chillingworth S. The talented GI Derby City Distaff S. heroine Kopion could arguably be Smith's best chance on the weekend while taking on the boys in the Sprint. The Spendthrift Farm duo are both trained by Richard Mandella. “I don't think anybody would argue that (Tamara) has the ability and if anyone could get into the Breeders' Cup off one race, that's Mr. Mandella,” Smith said. “There's a lot to (Kopion). She's as big as those boys are. She's strong. Some great fillies have run extremely well in the Sprint in the past.” The lightly raced 3-year-old Nevada Beach heads to the Classic for Baffert following a 'Win and You're In' victory against older horses in the GI Goodwood S. Smith has won the Classic four times, led by the once-in-a-lifetime Zenyatta in 2009. “I don't even think we know how good he is yet,” Smith said. “He's a big, powerful horse and wants every bit of going the distance.” Smith will also ride longshot Will Take It for Dallas Stewart in the Dirt Mile. “I'm feeling great, my horses are training well and I couldn't be more excited,” Smith said. “Listen, it's the Breeders' Cup, we all know they're very tough races to win, but I wouldn't be surprised if any one of them won. They all have a really good shot and they're doing really well. It's been a few years since I've had a couple of live ones in the Breeders' Cup.” No jockey has ridden more 'live ones' at the Championships than Smith. The most recent of his leading 27 Breeders' Cup victories came aboard Corniche in the 2021 Juvenile. His first was aboard the two-time Mile winner Lure in 1992. “When Zenyatta beat the boys, that might be a Top Five of all Breeders' Cups,” Smith concluded. “I've been blessed to have had so many wonderful moments in the Breeders' Cup.” The post Feeling Like He’s 40, Mike Smith Chasing Breeders’ Cup History appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) internal adjudication panel has banned trainer Zvi Kriple for two years for breach of the racetrack safety rule that prohibits “the deprivation of necessary care, sustenance, shelter, or veterinary care” to a Covered Horse. The case concerns the former Kriple trainee, Royal Honey (Astern {Aus}). In April of this year, Royal Honey died a “very painful death” from colic when stabled at Belterra Park after Kriple failed to secure for the 5-year-old mare the necessary veterinary care, according to a written ruling dated Oct. 27. The hearing was held Oct. 20. Kriple's ban began Oct. 28. He has 10 days from receiving the written order to appeal the ruling. According to the written ruling, on the afternoon of April 23 this year, Royal Honey started to show symptoms of colic. “Without having sought veterinary aid on the 23rd, at 12:30PM on Sunday April 24, 2025 the Covered Person made contact with Dr. Timothy Renn to seek veterinary aid. Dr. Renn informed the Covered Person that he was 100 miles away and was unable to return to the track to attend to the horse. “He suggested several alternative veterinarians which might be able to attend to the horse in a timely manner. He further stressed the importance of having the horse seen to and that the condition, left untreated, could lead to a very painful death of the Covered Horse,” the written ruling states. “Dr. Renn further testified that his next contact with the Covered Person was at 8:30PM on the 24th when he was told by the Covered Person that the horse still had not been treated by a veterinarian. In his testimony, Dr. Renn quoted another trainer who was on the call as saying that several trainers had volunteered to ship the horse to a nearby vet clinic free of charge but that the Covered Person refused to take advantage of those offers. “The Covered Person testified that he left the horse unattended at 1:30 AM on the 25th and that the Covered Horse fell out of its stall at 3:30AM and died what Dr. Renn described would have been a very painful death,” the written ruling states. In his defense, Kriple reportedly argued during the hearing that “despite his best and repeated efforts over the periods of April 23rd and 24th, 2025 he was unable to find any veterinarian that would either come to the racetrack to treat the horse or receive the horse at a clinic where it could be seen and treated,” according to the written ruling. Kriple was suspended by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) in March of 2010 after being found guilty of animal cruelty charges related to his treatment of a pony in his care. According to a Los Angeles Daily News story dated Jan 4, 2010, Kriple was convicted by a jury of misdemeanor animal cruelty “after prosecutors alleged he failed to euthanize or sufficiently treat a horse at the Fairplex racetrack that suffered from a chronic hoof condition.” The prosecutor in the case told the Los Angeles Daily News that Kriple had a pattern of “extreme negligence when it comes to taking care of horses,” and cited a 2002 case in which Kriple reportedly failed to properly care for a racehorse that suffered a fractured knee at Los Alamitos. According to Equibase, Kriple has trained 39 winners from 319 starts over a training career that dates back to 1998. The post Trainer Zvi Kriple Banned Two Years for Deprivation of Care in Horse Colic Death appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

1/ST Content has announced that Turkish racing as been made available for pool betting for North American bettors via Advance Deposit Wagering in U.S. and Canada where ADW is accepted.View the full article