Wandering Eyes

GSW Il Miracolo (Gun Runner) led the 2023 list of champions, as he was named the top 3-year-old colt by the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, according to a press release from 1/ST Racing on Thursday. The FTHA annually recognizes horses who compete year-round in South Florida. All winners raced and won during the non-championship meets from April to November. Based at Gulfstream with trainer Antonio Sano, Il Miracolo amassed $465,025 in winnings last year. He is joined by Time Passage (Tunwoo), who was named champion 3-year-old filly after winning five of nine starts in 2023. Top 2-year-old male honors went to Bentornato (Valiant Minister), who has raced exclusively at Gulfstream where he reeled off four consecutive wins, while R Harper Rose (Khozan) was selected top 2-year-old filly after she won three of four starts. Champion older male honors went to GSW/GISP Dean Delivers (Cajun Breeze). The top older female was GSW Three Witches (Into Mischief). Amstrong (Tapwrit), winner of three stakes races, and Battle Cry (Prospective), who went five-for-nine, were named top Tapeta colt and filly, respectively. The post GSW Il Miracolo Tops List Of 2023 FTHA Champions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Steve Asmussen trainee will need to once again defeat rising star Nash from the Brad Cox barn as well as grade 2 winner Can Group, a top performer on the turf who takes his talents to the dirt in the chance to join the Kentucky Derby (G1) fray. View the full article

The bill passed by a 35-1 vote Jan. 8 with the expectation that Murphy would sign the bill into law. But Drazin said that Murphy expressed his reluctance to pass anything that was approved during lame-duck session. View the full article

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will play host to the second annual "Countdown to the Triple Crown" fundraising event on Saturday, Feb. 3.View the full article

To get his new business off the ground–or at least out of the basement of his house in Iowa–Dennis Albaugh took out an SBA loan of $10,000. “Against the house,” he says. “Had to talk my wife into that. Then I bought an old tanker and, my first trip out, I loaded up with chemicals headed for South Dakota. And all the way up there I'm thinking, 'Hey, this is really a good truck.' It just runs a little better all the way up. I get there, I get out, and it's empty. The seals got eaten up, en route, and I'd dumped the whole load. It happened to be a weed killer, so didn't hurt anything.” “Except kill all the weeds all the way up to South Dakota,” interjects his son-in-law, Jason Loutsch, with a chuckle. “So I get home that next day and my wife said, 'How'd your first delivery go?' 'Well, not so good. I just put $7,600 of the $10,000 on the road, and I don't have any invoice out.' So it was a rough start.” That was 1979. Albaugh was in his late 20s and, within a couple of years, they had two infant daughters to feed as well. “But you just kept at it,” he says with a shrug. “About '93, I bought out my biggest competitor and put the two companies together. After that we started growing real fast. And today we sell in 44 countries, we're manufacturing in nine, and we're the ninth biggest agricultural chemicals company in the world.” So if he could achieve that in his business life, after such an unpromising start, then where might Albaugh take a racing program which, as we'll remind ourselves in a moment, could hardly have started more auspiciously? Well, we saw one answer to that last May, when Albaugh Family Stable achieved something quite incredible. From just 12 of the 10,000 eligible colts in the 2020 foal crop, no fewer than three made the gate for the GI Kentucky Derby, including the strong-finishing third. And the next cycle has started pretty well, too, with Catching Freedom (Constitution) laying down an early Derby marker in the Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn on New Year's Day. Okay, so Miss Macy Sue was not the very beginning of the family's Turf adventure. First, in 2003, Loutsch put five grand into a gelding with a buddy at Prairie Meadows. They won a few small races, even placed in a stakes for Iowa-breds. It was a lot of fun, and Loutsch's father-in-law became interested. “So when's he going to run again?” Albaugh asked. “Oh, these horses only run every three or four weeks.” “Well, let's get some more.” And so, yes, after that the first meaningful play was a half-share in a Trippi filly for $42,000 at OBS in June 2005. They named her Miss Macy Sue for Albaugh's granddaughter, put her into training with Kelly Von Hemel, and she won a maiden at Hawthorne a few months later. The next year, she proved one of the quicker young sprinters on the local circuit, picked up some black-type at Prarie Meadows, Mountaineer. But then, with maturity, she got on a serious roll. She won a listed race at Oaklawn, then a Grade III at Churchill. At the end of the year, they found themselves contesting the inaugural GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Monmouth, and she came through traffic out of the one hole to grab third. “She just kept going around the country winning,” Albaugh marvels. “Our first big involvement in the horse business. That horse spoiled us! And after a year or two, I was telling Jason, 'Let's get into this more.'” Albaugh met Jerry Crawford on a plane one day and they talked about putting together a partnership to buy some colts. Under the Donegal Racing umbrella, Albaugh took 30% of one by El Prado (Ire) with Dale Romans. Paddy O'Prado ran third in the 2010 Derby before switching to grass and winning the GI Secretariat S. On the racetrack, then, Albaugh was getting all the beginner's luck that had eluded him on that first truck ride to South Dakota. He decided to ride the wave, and suggested that Loutsch should manage a stable for the family in its own right. Duncan Taylor came up to Iowa and listened to the business plan, gave them a couple of names. Barry Berkelhammer of AbraCadabra Farm was one, and he has become a key player in selecting stock and then supervising their education in Florida. But Albaugh certainly meant business. Albeit the market was less demanding at that time, he wanted to pitch for 10 to 12 colts annually with a feasible Derby profile. Yet it would turn out that the keystone had been in place all along. Albaugh had bought out his partner in Miss Macy Sue, so that he could retain her as a broodmare. “We were up at Toronto, a very cold day,” Albaugh recalls. “And I said to Kelly, 'When will we know that we need to take this horse over to be a mother?' And he said, 'She'll tell us.' I'm like, 'Yeah?' Sure enough, that same day, at the end of the race [third as favorite], Kelly said, 'Look, it's like I said. She told us. It's time to breed her.'” “She gave us everything,” Loutsch says. “Every race, she ran hard. She won our first graded stakes, won the Presque Isle Masters when it was worth $400,000. Her heart was so big. Every time she'd give full effort. Kelly said she'd run on glass. She was such a sound horse, too. Never an injury, never needed a surgery or any time off. And I think that's really carried over to her offspring.” Albaugh rewarded Miss Macy Sue with some generosity of his own, sending her first to A.P. Indy and then to Unbridled's Song, at the time standing at $250,000 and $115,000, respectively. Her A.P. Indy filly managed a single start, but her Unbridled's Song colt brought $800,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September sale. A developing program couldn't turn down seedcorn like that. Only he then turned out to be none-other-than Liam's Map. As they watched him earn a lucrative career at stud, Albaugh and his team vowed that Miss Macy Sue's latest yearling–a colt by Giant's Causeway–would not be sold at any price. And that, of course, is how he got his name. “At the time, we were very excited to get $800,000,” Loutsch recalls. “We were just starting in the business, and that was a nice check.” “Oh yeah, we were jumping up and down,” Albaugh agrees. “I was very happy. But after seeing all the success he had, and what he made to go to stud, we said about the next one: Not This Time.” Unfortunately, the colt by the Iron Horse out of an iron mare derailed with an injury just as he was getting started. He'd won the GIII Iroquois S. by nine lengths and ran Classic Empire to a neck at the Breeders' Cup after giving him a start, the pair miles clear of Practical Joke. “That was one of the fastest Juveniles ever,” Loutsch says. “And we just went out wide on the last turn. It was so close. We saw what a special talent he was that day.” “But then we got the call from Dale Romans that he was done racing,” Albaugh remembers. “Today, of course, we're very happy with what he's doing in the stallion barn. But this business is high and lows and that was certainly a low moment.” Not This Time started out with TaylorMade at just $15,000, but has now soared to 10 times that fee, with five Grade I winners from his first three crops. “I think what's really great is that they're so versatile,” Loutsch remarks. “They're short, they're long. Dirt, turf. He's had Sibelius win the Group 1 over six on dirt in Dubai; Epicenter caught at the wire when it looked like he had the Derby won; and now Up to the Mark going from a mile to a mile and a half on grass. So I think Not This Time is just like his sire. Giant's Causeway got all types, and I think that's what he's throwing out too.” Classic Empire nearly redeemed his debt to the Albaugh team in the Derby last year, his son Angel Of Empire closing from 10th to third in the stretch. Simply to have three horses earn the necessary starting points, however, was itself astonishing. “One of them only got cleared [to run] on the day,” Albaugh recalls. “You hate to see that, for someone to have to pull a horse out of a Kentucky Derby. But we figured the odds, oh, it was in the thousands. We had to go way back to the '30s to find somebody else that had three runners, and then it was a partnership of many people.” If nothing else, their feat showed the merit of focus. Because this whole program is oriented to precisely those two minutes at Churchill on the first Saturday in May. (And by the way, while they don't wish to dwell on a negativity that disappoints them in the industry, Albaugh and his family are adamant that those two minutes would not hold the same mystique on a synthetic surface). “The Derby, in my opinion, is the best race in the whole world,” Albaugh declares. “It's the one that we have our targets set on, every year. You come into that March, April timetable and try to figure out which of all these prep races you want to be in, and you move the horses around, New York or Miami, Fair Grounds or Oaklawn.” “The next Kentucky Derby is going to be No. 150, so there have only been 149 winners that anyone could own,” Loutsch says. “We feel it's such a prestigious event, like the Masters in golf. This is our Super Bowl. So, yes, that's our goal: someday we want to win that thing. And we were so close last time. Going into the gate with the favorite, it was a special feeling. And he gave us a thrill. I've always wanted to know what that must feel like, having a chance to win the Kentucky Derby as they're running down the lane. And 'Angel' gave us that.” The Pennsylvania-bred had been found for just $70,000 deep in the Keeneland September sale, where the stable had also recruited its two other Derby shots, Jace's Road for $510,000 and Cyclone Mischief for $450,000, both from Book 1. “September is pretty much the sale we shop at every year,” Loutsch explains. “And since 2015, when Dennis came up with this program to buy colts to get to the Derby, I think we've had 10 horses that have made it across six different years. So our strike-rate has been good, and we have a great team that helps us get to our goal. “With Angel, we'd left the sale and felt like we were a colt or two short of where we wanted to be. So I asked Dennis if I could just spend $75,000-100,000, looking for something in Book 4 or 5 with the pedigree to get two turns. And from there it's all just luck, obviously. But he was a big, rangy, good-looking colt that just fell through the cracks and it worked out for us.” The latest to rekindle the dream, Catching Freedom, was a Book 1 find at $575,000. “That's our sweet spot, the four-to-six range,” Loutsch says. “That's where we gravitate to.” Catching Freedom started his career at Churchill in the fall, winning on debut before meeting heavy traffic in an allowance race. He evidently learned from that experience, weaving through the field in the Smarty Jones, albeit still green as he organized himself on the outside to kick clear in the stretch. Angel of Empire won the same race last year and their trainer Brad Cox sounds inclined to stay on the same route with Catching Freedom, with the GII Risen Star S. as a potential springboard to the GI Arkansas Derby. Whatever that colt can do next, Albaugh Family Stable continues to consolidate. It would have been more typical of our business for Not This Time, retained after his sibling became a star, to have turned out a dud. As it is, he's brought a whole new dimension to the adventure. For a start, there were the 10 mares acquired at the 2017 Keeneland January sale to launch his stud career, including one that was sold on carrying his first Grade I winner, Princess Noor. And now the program that took the risk of keeping Not This Time is finding itself close to self-sufficiency, thanks to his growing stud revenue. “I'm excited,” Loutsch says. “Dennis has obviously put a lot of money into this business, so it's great that he will finally get to reap the benefits and get a nice check every year instead of just putting more in. We've just been very patient, stayed with the plan, and it's ended up working out.” When things do go well, it's even better with family. But when you get the inevitable tougher days, well, those are better, too. So even when Angel of Empire flew too late in the Derby last year, they knew to savor even a bittersweet experience. “It was tough because you always have the 'what ifs'?” Loutsch acknowledges. “What if he'd come inside? All these questions you ask yourself, because how many times do you think you're going to be the favorite for the Kentucky Derby? I mean, that might be our only time ever. So the one thing that we made sure of was that we had a fun week. It was always the same, right back to Miss Macy Sue. Of course we like to win, but it's also about all those fun places she took us, as a family, just hanging out and experiencing the whole atmosphere together.” “She's still living a good life,” Albaugh stresses of the mare who started it all. “We quit breeding her about three years ago, she'd lost a couple of babies and we weren't going to put her through that anymore. We did think about bringing her to Iowa, so we could see her more often. But we get ice in winter, and she wouldn't want that. But what's neat is that when we come to Kentucky, we can look up the hill and see where Macy's at. And then, right below, in the stallion barn we've got her son.” Which is just as it should be: a family stable. Few programs are registered that way, and there's no mistaking the genuine, intergenerational bond achieved by this one. The husband of Albaugh's oldest granddaughter, for instance, is not just working for the chemicals company, but also enthusiastically embracing the racing. Likewise Mick, the brother who stayed on at the farm when Albaugh went out into the world. “The whole family are in it,” Albaugh says. “My brother, my daughters, everyone. The one problem is that when we go to one of these big races, we have more than a plane load. We have to run a plane back and forth two or three times to get them all there. But it's a lot of fun to have them all sat down together–especially when you get down to that winner's circle.” The post Keeneland Breeder Spotlight: Albaugh Family Back on Derby Trail appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Led by the July 20 running of the $1 million GI Haskell S., Monmouth Park is set to offer $8.05 million in stakes races when the track kicks off its 79th season on Saturday, May 11, the venue said in a release Thursday afternoon. This year's race meet, which runs through Sept. 15, will feature 48 total stakes, including 10 graded events, and 11 stakes restricted to New Jersey-bred horses. Along with the featured race, the Haskell Day program will once again sport an undercard with four graded stakes races, including: the $600,000 GII United Nations S., the $500,000 GIII Molly Pitcher S., the $400,000 GIII Monmouth Cup S. and the $300,000 GIII Matchmaker S. Monmouth will offer a “Haskell Preview Day” with four stakes on Saturday, June 15–Pegasus S., GIII Monmouth S., GIII Salvator Mile and GIII Eatontown S., each carrying a purse of $150,000. The 22nd annual New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival, with three stakes events, will be renewed Aug. 25, with the $125,000 Charles Hesse III H. headlining the card. The post 2024 Monmouth Park Stakes Schedule Tops $8 Million; $1 Million Haskell Set For Saturday, July 20 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

1st-AQU, $80k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1m, post time: 12:50 p.m. ET WEATHER DELAY (Curlin), the first foal out of MGISW American Gal (Concord Point), kicks off her career for Repole Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher. The 3-year-old was a $500,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase. Carrying the colors of Kaleem Shah, American Gal captured the 2017 GI Longines Test S. at Saratoga and the following term's GI Humana Distaff S. at Churchill Downs. She was also third as the favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. American Gal brought $3 million from Weather Delay's breeder Whisper Hill Farm at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Her 2-year-old colt by Into Mischief brought $1.1 million from Grandview Equine at last year's Keeneland September sale. TJCIS PPs The post Well-Bred Curlin Filly Debuts for Pletcher at Big A appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association promised “lively debate” ahead of its eagerly-anticipated National Hunt seminar and it didn't disappoint with the introduction of three-year-old bumpers, altering the sales programme, the importance of a strong broodmare band and polarisation of the market some of the major topics discussed on the night. The event took place on Wednesday at The Lord Bagenal Inn, County Carlow, just a stone's throw away from where Willie Mullins, arguably the greatest National Hunt trainer of all time, is based. The panel featured Anthony Bromley, Walter Connors, Bertrand le Metayer, Peter Molony, Charles O'Neill and Richard Pugh with Lorna Fowler the master of ceremonies. ITBA chief Cathy Grassick described herself as delighted by the huge turnout, and said, “I was delighted. Not just the number of people, but the caliber of attendees as well, and it made for healthy and important debate. If you want to make change or debate the future of our industry, it's important that the people who make the decisions are in the room, and they were. It's great that there will be some things that will be followed up on.” Grassick added, “One of the key messages I took from the evening is that the panel were keen to point out all of the things we do right in this country and, while, yes, there are some things we could change, we need to make sure that we are not throwing the baby out with the bath water. There's an awful lot of good things happening and a lot that we can be proud of. That doesn't mean that we can't do some things better.” Despite the weight of some of the issues up for debate, the evening got off to a light-hearted start with French bloodstock agent le Metayer revealing that, when Molony called him to see if he would be interested in sitting on the panel, he also asked for his jacket size. Why so? “It was for a bullet proof vest,” he joked, while alluding to the current reign the French thoroughbred is enjoying over its Irish counterpart. A scene from The Lord Bagenal on Wednesday | ITM Le Metayer's sense of humour was once again on show when, paying the Irish breeders a backhanded compliment given their penchant for fashion compared to the French breeders, he said, “Historically in France, and obviously it's a big country, but, the guy from down the road in Burgundy is not going to drive six hours to get his mare covered by Saint Des Saints. “The reality is that [the success of the French breeding model], I wouldn't call it any brilliance or horsemanship, it's sheer luck. Overall, I think Irish people are better horse people than the French but you guys have got less common sense than us! You are thinking commercially and we are thinking of going 10 minutes down the road [to the local stallion master].” The depth of the French broodmare band, and the sheer robustness of the mares that breeders in France can call upon, was also highlighted as a major advantage to the industry over there. Meanwhile, Molony made the point that too much emphasis was being placed on the stallion in Ireland these days and, in borrowing a line from the excellent Jamie Railton podcast with Roger O'Callaghan, where the Tally-Ho Stud man urged breeders to look themselves in the mirror, the Rathmore Stud boss did the same. Molony went on to give examples where broodmares with proven credentials have been sold relatively cheaply in recent times and identified an opportunity for National Hunt breeders to replenish their broodmare band in the current climate. Pugh addressed the issue of polarisation in the National Hunt market, which has been so heavily dominated by the progeny of Walk In The Park and Blue Bresil in recent times, by doing what he does best; wheeling out some cold, hard facts. He said, “We all know the story of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival where 28 races were won by 27 different stallions. But for the purpose of this evening, I looked back over the past 12 months of Grade 1 winners in Ireland. There have been 30 individual winners of Grade 1 races in Ireland in the past 12 months and 20 of them were French while nine were Irish and one was British. “That's what we're up against. Also, no Irish horse won two. Another thing that was interesting was that there were 23 different sires represented by those 30 Grade 1 winners so, for all of the polarisation, actually, when you get out there into those Grade 1 races, it's spread out a lot more.” Pugh added, “I have huge sympathy for the Irish breeders because they are going where they think the market is. It's got to be commercial. I sympathise with the Irish breeder who sits down and says, 'this is the covering I would like because it would suit the mare, but that is the covering I feel that I have to choose to get paid.' If that is the case, it's disappointing.” It was Pugh who summarised that the Irish thoroughbred is, on average, “a year behind” its counterpart in France and the panel agreed that the introduction of three-year-old bumpers or even two-year-old store sales could be an avenue worth exploring in an effort to meet the societal demands. Everybody wants things quicker, it was gleaned. And to deal with the demands, or in some cases dwindling patience, three-year-old bumpers and earlier store sales were put forward as ways in which the process of blooding a National Hunt racehorse could be fast-tracked, thus, providing answers to those paying the bills that bit sooner. Grassick confirmed that both ideas could be explored following the event. She said, “There has been a lot of study and a lot of historical evidence for slow and steady exercise across the whole range of developmen in the thoroughbred-so foals, yearlings, two-year-olds etc. Introducing horses to light exercise from a young age, the physiological benefits are proven to increase bone density, muscle memory, balance etc. That's what the studies are showing. When you look at some of the horses who were broken as Flat yearlings, the likes of Istabraq and Hurricane Fly who have come across and become great Champion Hurdlers and stood the test of time, it obviously wasn't any detriment to them to have begun their careers earlier than most.” One of the more surprising developments of the evening was the criticism levelled at ITM by a number of people in the audience. It resulted in a passionate riposte from O'Neill, who defended the organisation, as did Bromley, who described ITM as “the envy” of everyone in Britain which resulted in a round of applause. It was at this point where le Metayer shared that the foundations set out by ITM, in terms of attracting buyers and promoting the Irish thoroughbred on an international scale, was copied in France. Shortly afterwards, Pugh urged breeders to examine the product and not to point fingers at the people, ie ITM, whose job it is to market the product. One thing that everyone in the room could agree on is that the cost of producing these foals has sky-rocketed in line with inflation. Such a point was explained in no uncertain terms by Connors. The introduction and development of the mares' programme in Britain and Ireland is another thing that had the majority of those in the room singing from the same hymn sheet. The success of that relatively recent development is also reflected in the numbers. Grassick explained, “It's staggering the success of the ITBA National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme. When you look at the figures between 2022 and 2017 for example, the turnover on fillies at the Tattersalls Derby Sale has more than doubled, even though they are offering roughly the same number of fillies. “In that time, the turnover has gone from €1.8m to €3.6m for 70 to 75-odd fillies sold. It has resulted in massive increases in the demand for fillies at the sales and proves that the scheme does work and providing a race programme with such opportunities works as well.” The post Bullet Proof Vests, Demand For 3-Y-O Bumpers And More At ITBA Seminar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Friday's AED850,000 G2 Cape Verdi presented by DP World GCC run over 1600 metres on the grass has attracted a field of eight, with a pair of Euro raiders in Mystic Pearl (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Stenton Glider (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) signed on for trainers William Haggas and Hugo Palmer, respectively. The duo ran one-two in the Listed Coral Distaff S. last year. After her July score over Stenton Glider at Sandown, the then-3-year-old was a close third in the G3 Prix de Lieurey, just two heads behind the winner Elounda Queen (Ire) (Australia {GB}). Stenton Glider boasts a pair of group placings, and connections regarded her highly enough to race her in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket last spring. “This has been the target since she disappointed at Haydock [in August],” said Palmer of Stenton Glider. “She's had a break since then, the first real break of her life. She's grown and strengthened, filled out, and is a much stronger filly now. “She's taken to Dubai really well; she's trained super and been very relaxed, so we hope she can run a very big race.” Naturally, Godolphin has a strong presence in the lone group race of the nine-race card, and their trio includes the stakes-placed Silver Lady (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) at a mark of 101. William Buick is aboard the undefeated English Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) who most recently took a Kempton novice in November, while Richard Mullen has the call on the two-for-four Shining Jewel (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), who is riding a two-race winning streak. The trio break from posts three, eight and four, respectively. “Shining Jewel is a nice spare to get,” said Mullen. “She won her last two starts and looks like she's improving. I had a sit on her the other day and she's a lovely big filly by Siyouni and I think she'll get further in time, as well. “Obviously English Rose looks the pick of them, but they're all unexposed horses. The William Haggas filly [Mystic Pearl] brings the best form into it.” The post Coral Distaff One-Two Eye Cape Verdi Riches appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a job fair on Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET, the first in a series of events to support the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course, the association said in a release Thursday. The job fair will be held on the first floor of the 1863 Club at Saratoga Race Course. Interested applicants should enter through the Wright Street entrance (Gate 8) with parking available in the 1863 Club lot. “The 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be an economic engine for Upstate New York,” said NYRA President & CEO Dave O'Rourke. “Much of that impact will be the creation of hundreds of temporary jobs to support a Triple Crown event at Saratoga Race Course this June. We look forward to beginning this series of job fairs on February 21.” Employment opportunities for the festival will be available with the following NYRA partners: All Pro, Integrated Staffing, Levy Restaurants, Mazzone Hospitality and Union Square Events. Positions will include restaurant staff, mutuel clerks, cashiers, cleaners, merchandise clerks and others. Applicants must be at least 15 years of age and have New York State Certified Working Papers. Prospective security guards, cashiers and betting clerks must be at least 18 years of age to apply; security guards must have a high school degree or GED. All applicants must present a photo ID and Social Security card or I-9 alternative. NYRA will host its traditional job fair for the Saratoga summer meet later this year. The post NYRA To Hold Job Fair For Belmont Stakes Racing Festival At Saratoga Feb. 21 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Michael Guerin Local trainer Jason Teaz has four horses he loves all facing the same problem at Cambridge tonight. Teaz was on a golden run with the likes of Brookies Jaffa, Noble Count and Ultimate Moment a few months ago and all three start tonight as well as a smart maiden mare in Ima Sportyangel. The problem with golden runs is they cost you ratings points and Teaz, well known as a broadcaster as well as a trainer, says his stable stars are now paying the price for the earlier form. “I knew when I was winning a few races with them that it had to come to an end because they started winning their way up the ratings too quickly,” says Teaz. “Horses like Noble Count and Ultimate Moment went from being rating 39 horses to a 51 (Noble Count) and Ultimate Moment got to rating 59 and then the problem is they end up starting off handicaps. “That doesn’t suit either of them because they both like to run on the speed.” Both faces starting behind their rivals tonight as Noble Count is on the unruly for race eight after some recent rogue behaviour while Ultimate Moment is off a 10m handicap in race 4. “Ultimate Moment loves 2200m racing so this race would really suit if he was on the front line as he was pretty good last start against horses like Dream Of You and Resolve.” Brookies Jaffa (R11 tonight) faces not only being a rating 66 horse but there being smart horses coming through the grades he has to give starts to, like recent conquerors Dontstopmenow and Miki Shan. “He has been a great horse for me with 13 wins but I think he struggles in summer because he doesn’t like the hard tracks,” says Teaz. “It is not because he doesn’t have the speed for them, it is because they jar him up, which is one reason he races so well in winter. I am working really hard on it but I am not sure it is a battle I am winning. If he produces his best this week I think he has a real show.” While all three of those horses at least have reasons for giving their rivals a start tonight in the case of maiden mare Ima Sportyangel it is just bad luck. “She has copped a bad draw in quite a nice field but she has real ability. “She wasn’t broken in until she was three and she has had some issues but I really like her and think she will win races. “I am not sure whether it will be this week because I will tell Fergy (Peter, driver) I am happy for her to be driven a bit prettier as I don’t want her having too many hard runs early in her career. “But I know she can do a job and I have some other nice horses coming through in the 14 I am working so it is quite an exciting time.” View the full article

A bill that would have extended annual purse subsidy payments made to New Jersey's Thoroughbred and Standardbred tracks was vetoed Wednesday by Gov. Phil Murphy. The bill called for the $20 million subsidy, which is split between the two breeds, to continue through 2029. The money has already been approved for 2024. The extension was to run from 2025 through 2029. Murphy vetoed 12 bills in all, using what is called a pocket veto. That type of veto applies only to bills sent to the governor's desk in the final 10 days of a legislative session. If the governor does not sign such bills within seven days of the end of a session those bills are vetoed without being sent back to the Legislature. Murphy's decision came as a major surprise since he has largely supported racing during his time in office and that the bill had overwhelming support in the Senate and in the Assembly. It passed the Senate by a 35-1 margin and the Assembly by a 73-0 margin. The purse subsidy is vital to Monmouth Park, which, without it, would offer far smaller purses and have trouble competing for horse with the many other tracks in the Mid-Atlantic region. “If we didn't get this money, it would be a disaster,” said Dennis Drazin, the chairman and CEO of Darby Development, the management team that operates Monmouth. “We'd either have to cut days or purses.” Drazin admits he was alarmed when first hearing news of the veto and he immediately placed a call to Murphy. Drazin said he heard back within 15 minutes and the governor reassured him that future purse subsidies remain very much alive. “I spoke with him and he wholeheartedly supports the industry, but he did not feel a bill like this should get passed through a lame-duck session,” Drazin said. “He is committed to continue to work on and it get it done through the budget process. I take him at his word. He has been supportive of the industry ever since he's been in office and he says he will get it done, just not the way it was being handled. I trust this governor. He made a commitment and I am taking him at his word. If he had said, 'I'm vetoing it that's it, we'd be having a different conversation.” The post NJ Governor Murphy Kills Bill That Would Have Extended Purse Subsidies Through 2029; Drazin Optimistic Deal Will Still Get Done appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A breeding right in smart, young sire Havana Grey (GB) brought a winning bid of 250,000gns to top the Tattersalls Online January Sale which concluded on Thursday. The stallion, whose breeding right sold as lot 95, won the G1 Flying Five S. The best runner so far for the grey, whose eldest progeny just turned four, is multiple Group 1-winning sprinter Vandeek (GB). The Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion has a bevy of group winners to his credit already, among them G2 July S. winner Jasour (GB) and Group 3 winners Elite Status (GB), Mammas Girl (GB), Rumstar (GB), Eddie's Boy (GB) and Lady Hollywood (GB). Second on the buyers' sheet was a breeding right in fellow Group 1 sire Cracksman (GB) (lot 92), which sold for 50,000gns to Dan Astbury post sale. The Darley-based sire enjoyed a strong year with his progeny in 2023 anchored by undefeated Classic winner and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Ace Impact (Ire), who now stands at Haras de Beaumont. Ulysses (GB) 3-year-old Trojan Storm (GB) (lot 2) sold from Ralph Beckett's Kimpton Down Stables to AA Bloodstock for 35,000gns. The chestnut horse-in-training has yet to race, but boasts a strong pedigree, as his Pivotal (GB) dam, Mystic Storm (GB), is a full-sister to listed winner Solar Magic (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and a half to the G1 1000 Guineas/G1 Coronation S. runner-up Starscope (GB) (Selkirk). The latter is the dam of Cartier Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Rounding out the top four lots was Houghton Bloodstock's Renzia (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (lot 85) in foal to Cracksman, who changed hands for 25,000gns to One Agency. The 6-year-old mare, a relative of tough American handicapper and GI Gulfstream Park H. and GI Sword Dancer H. hero and Japanese sire Cetewayo (His Majesty) is out of a full-sister to GI Beverly D. S. winner Dynaforce (Dynaformer). Renzia is also a half-sister to a trio of black-type horses, among them dual Grade I-placed Stormy Len (Harlan's Holiday). Overall, 45 lots sold for a gross of 530,300gns. The average was 11,784gns and the median settled at 3,000gns. The post Breeding Right In Havana Grey Brings Quarter Million At Tattersalls Online appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

GISW Olympiad (Speightstown) has his first foal–a filly–who arrived Jan. 18, Gainesway Farm said in a Thursday release. Out of the mare, Sophie Sophie (Unbridled's Song), a half-sister to GISW and millionaire Seattle Smooth (Quiet American), the filly was bred by Dr. Oscar Benavides and born at his Montesacro Farm. “I am very happy with my filly,” said Dr. Benavides. “She looks racy and has great conformation as we expected being by Olympiad.” Olympiad, a five-time graded stakes winner, posted eight wins in 13 career starts for earnings of $3,027,560 for trainer Bill Mott and owners Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables and LNJ Foxwoods. Winner of the 2022 GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S., Olympiad also delivered a track-record setting performance over 1 1/16 miles in the GIII Mineshaft S. and added wins in the GII New Orleans Classic S., GII Stephen Foster S., GII Alysheba S. In the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, Olympiad rallied down the Keeneland stretch to finish second behind Horse of the Year Flightline (Tapit). He earned triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures on eight occasions with victories from seven furlongs to 1 1/4 miles. Olympiad stands for $35,000 LFSN. The post First Foal Arrives By Gainesway’s GISW Olympiad appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The immaculately bred MIZZYAAN becomes the first starter in the Emirates for the all-conquering Justify and can make her presence felt at first asking in Friday's Cocoa Beach S. (allowance), a 1600-meter event restricted to 3-year-old fillies at Meydan Racecourse. The Mar. 5 foal, a homebred for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, is the first foal out of Vale Dori (Arg) (Asiatic Boy {Arg}), a Group 1 winner in her native Argentina, whose two local starts for trainer Mike de Kock included a runner-up effort to Polar River (Congrats) in the 2016 G3 UAE Oaks followed by a close fourth in the G2 UAE Derby. Vale Dori was sent to continue her career in the U.S. under Bob Baffert, taking out the 2017 GI Santa Margarita S. and the GI Zenyatta S. the following season. Mizzyaan has gate two in a field of 10 and Pat Dobbs has the call for trainer Doug Watson, who sent out the promising Russian invader Kabirkhan (California Chrome) to victory in a 2000-meter handicap last Friday. Lining up against Mizzyaan are fellow firster Kibo Misaki (Girvin), a $210,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic breezer who is out of a half-sister to Grade II winner Fantastic Style (Harlan's Holiday); and the well-regarded debut winners Manama Gold (Star Guitar) and Lahfaty (Mitole). The post Desert Debuters: Beautifully Bred Mizzyaan Looks To Keep Ball Rolling For Watson appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Several new sires, led by G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Torquator Tasso (Ger), sired their first reported foals on Thursday. He is joined by fellow second-year sires Caturra (Ire) and Tosen Stardom (Jpn). The blaze-faced chestnut's first foal is a chestnut colt out of Soleila (Ger) (Maxios {GB}), who arrived at Gestut Ebbesloh on Wednesday night. He was bred by Franziska Jacobs. The celebrated middle-distance runner is standing his second season at Gestut Auenquelle for a fee of €20,000. Caturra, a son of Mehmas (Ire) based at Overbury Stud, won the G2 Flying Childers S. and was placed in a pair of group races. His first foal is also a chestnut, a filly produced by Courteous Crown (GB) (Helmet {Aus}) and bred by Wayne Clifford. She arrived at Byerley Stud and is a half-sister to the 97-rated triple winner Zoulu Chief (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}). Caturra stands for €5,000 this year. Tosen Stardom, a multiple Group 1 winner by Deep Impact (Jpn), sired his first known foal in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The colt, out of four-time winner Minnetonka (Munnings) herself a daughter of Grade III winner Queen Ofthe Catsle (Tale Of The Cat), is a homebred for Zenith Bloodstock. Tosen Stardom commands a fee of €5,000 this year at Zenith Stallion Station. The post Several Young Sires Including Arc Hero Torquator Tasso, Sire First Reported Foals appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) have named dynamic broadcaster Tom Hammond as the recipient of this year's Special Eclipse Award for Career Excellence, the NTRA said in a press release Thursday. Hammond will receive the honor at the 53rd Annual Eclipse Awards Dinner and Ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida on Thursday, Jan. 25. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Hammond has enjoyed a much honored and remarkable career as one of the nation's top broadcasters, most prominently as host and anchor for NBC Sports' broadcasts of the Triple Crown races and Breeders' Cup World Championships, and his coverage of a variety of major sporting events. “I have wanted to be a part of the Thoroughbred industry since I was 15 years old, though I could never have dreamed that involvement would come primarily as an announcer,” said Hammond. “The improbable nature of the Award makes it even sweeter. As I look back on my over 50-year career, I see the many opportunities that the Thoroughbred world has provided to me. No question that I consider the Career Excellence Award to be one of the most meaningful of my life.” Hammond's passion for Thoroughbred racing evolved early when he earned an animal science degree from the University of Kentucky (UK), specializing in equine genetics, and developed a keen interest in Thoroughbred pedigrees. His broadcasting career began with WVLK Radio in Lexington, where he was news and sports director. In 1970 and for the next 10 years, Hammond was sports director for WLEX-TV. At that station, and through Hammond Productions, he founded “The Winner's Circle,” a half-hour weekly Thoroughbred program focused on the news and highlights of major races around the country. The production company aimed at the equine industry and pioneered the use of video in the marketing of horses at the sales. It was also during this period that Hammond began his association with Keeneland, as an announcer at its premier bloodstock auctions, and at Thoroughbred sales in 16 other states. Hammond's 34-year relationship with NBC Sports dates back to the network's regional college basketball broadcasts in the late 1970s. But his big break came in 1984 when he was hired on what was intended to be a one-time-only basis as a reporter for NBC's telecast of the inaugural Breeders' Cup at Hollywood Park. That program turned into an annual assignment, blossoming into a wide-ranging network career. Over the next three decades, Hammond was an integral part of NBC Sports, highlighted by horse racing–covering the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes 16 times apiece, and 11 Belmont Stakes. He was a part of multiple Eclipse Award-winning programs for NBC, including the 2022 Feature-Television Eclipse for his narration of the story of Cody Dorman and his bonding with Breeders' Cup Champion Cody's Wish (Curlin). Said NBC Sports Racing Analyst and co-host of the TDN Writers' Room, Randy Moss, “When Tom would slide into the host chair a couple of hours before the Kentucky Derby, and 'That Voice' would suddenly fill the airwaves, it was a jolt of adrenaline for everyone on the telecast. It was like, “Okay, here we go!” And not only did he bring pure professionalism and experience, from a racing perspective Tom was unique: he called all those big-time sports, but as a native Kentuckian he knew the most about Thoroughbred racing.” Hammond was inducted into the Joe Hirsch Media Roll of Honor, National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame; a recipient of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Jim McKay Award, and is a member of the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame. Hammond and his wife, Sheilagh, have a daughter, Ashley, and two sons, David and Christopher, and six grandchildren. The post Tom Hammond To Receive Special Eclipse Award For Career Excellence appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A five-year agreement aimed at strengthening and growing pool betting in the UK was inked by Ascot Racecourse and the Tote on Thursday. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, the agreement ensures all pool bets placed on racing from Ascot Racecourse will continue to support liquidity in the UK pool which has been operated by the UK Tote Group since October 2019. The “Bet with Ascot” brand is included under this umbrella of bets as long as the bets are placed on the Tote website, through bookmakers and third-party partners on course. This agreement also dovetails with the initiative that assists Ascot with being central to the World Pool since it began at Royal Ascot in 2019. Tote operators from 28 countries currently commingle pools which are hosted by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC). Alastair Warwick, chief executive of Ascot Racecourse, said, “We are delighted have a new agreement in place with the Tote which will allow us to build on what has been achieved domestically and internationally over the last four years. As one of the original architects of World Pool, alongside the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Tote, we are excited to support the further development of World Pool to ensure both racing fans and the sport benefit from it. We will ensure that Ascot's top-class racing continues to be at the forefront of British racing's efforts to see that the sport is watched and bet on by a growing domestic and global audience.” Alex Frost, chief executive of the UK Tote Group, added, “The Tote is immensely proud to be a partner of Ascot Racecourse which hosts some of the most prestigious racedays in the sporting calendar. This new agreement ensures Ascot Racecourse and the Tote are perfectly positioned to work together to achieve a strong UK Pool, alongside the continued development of World Pool, which are crucial elements to the future financial sustainability of the sport.” The post Ascot Racecourse And the UK Tote Ink Five-Year Agreement To Improve Pool Betting appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sheihk Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's multiple listed winner Royal Champion (Ire) (Shamardal) will continue his career in Australia, according to published reports. Successful in the Listed Wolferton S. last June, the homebred was third in the G2 York S. a month later and was runner-up in the GI Canadian International S. most recently in October. “He was very impressive … if he brings that sort of form out here–he's very lightly raced as well for an older horse, he's been well looked after and well managed–he should hopefully have a nice career ahead of him,” co-trainer Sam Freedman, who holds a license with his father Anthony, told Racing.com. “I think he's identified him as the right profile of horse to send out–his form in England and his run in Canada last time out was excellent. “He's pretty versatile–he seems to handle most types of going and he's got a bit of speed, so he should hopefully suit out here.” Sheikh Obaid, who has won the G1 Melbourne Cup, already has Dubai Poet (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Legend Of Dubai (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) with the Freedmans in Australia. “[Royal Champion] is still up there, so he'll fly out soonish, I'd say. The plan is to obviously have him out here and working along through the winter,” Freedman added. “There's going to be some really suitable 2000-metre races for him over the course of the spring, so we'll see where he fits in–but he's going to arrive with a pretty high rating, so hopefully he can feature in some big ones.” The post Listed Winner Royal Champion Bound For Australia appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Turfway Park canceled racing Jan. 19-20, and Oaklawn Park Jan. 19-21 due to harsh winter weather.View the full article

He may not be able to dance but Martin Buick, bloodstock consultant for De Burgh Equine, is not afraid to face the TDN question master. What was your proudest moment of 2023? The first horse I signed for, ADMIRAL DE VEGA, won the Group 3 Stockholm's Stora Pris, one of Scandinavia's most prestigious races. He beat a Dubai Carnival winner and Archie Watson's Brave Emperor who went on to win Group races in France, Italy and Germany. Give us one horse to follow and why… Prime Art (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) who is now with Jean-Claude Rouget in France. She was purchased privately by Hubie [de Burgh] after she won the G3 Firth of Clyde Stakes. She won with plenty in hand and should continue to improve. And a young person in the industry to keep an eye on… My younger brother Andrew who joined New Zealand Bloodstock last summer. He is thriving down there and I get a kick out of seeing him do well. Who do you think will be champion first-season sire this year? Pinatubo (Ire) was an outstanding two-year-old and his yearlings looked sharp, so he gets my vote. With his profile and 109 two-year-olds to run for him he should take a lot of beating. And the best value stallion in Europe? Proven value is hard to find so I'll go with Churchill at €30,000. Some might disagree that he's a value play at that price but he has had two champions from his first two crops in Vadeni (Ire) and Blue Rose Cen (Ire) and that fee could look cheap down the line. He is still a young stallion that I suspect we'll hear plenty more about in the years to come. What's the one horse you wish you'd bought in 2023? A yearling filly by Sea The Moon (Ger) out of Jazzi Top (GB) at Tattersalls October Book 1. She was a lovely filly from Meon Valley's famous Reprocolor (GB) family and was bought by Shadwell for 575,000gns. Her looks matched her great pedigree which can be rare. Biggest regret? In business I don't have too many yet but there's plenty of time to change that! On a personal level I wish I had learnt to dance. There have been occasions where I'm the awkward guy hovering around the bar, envious of fellas that can spin their partners around on the dance floor. Biggest influence on your career? I've spent most of my career in this industry with Hubie de Burgh and Alan Cooper, so they have definitely had the biggest influence. This really is a people's business and the way Hubie maintains and builds new relationships is an attribute that has enabled him to stay at the top of the game for decades. Aside from his astuteness as a judge of a horse I admire this quality about him and I'm trying to soak up as much of it as I can. During my time as assistant racing manager with Alan and the Niarchos family we had nine individual Group 1 winners over six years which was unbelievable and something that I'll never forget. Being afforded the opportunity by Alan to represent the family on the biggest of stages, amongst other responsibilities, gives me immense pride to this day. If you could sit down for dinner with three people (dead or alive) who would the be and why? The first would be Vincent O'Brien. I never had the chance to meet him and would love to talk to him about his life in racing, amongst other things. I married his granddaughter, Tara, so it could also be an opportunity to introduce myself! Well-known raconteur Sean Connery would be my second choice, he IS Mr Bond and his stories would keep us going well into the night. We would finish off with a private gig with my third guest, Stevie Nicks. The post In the Hot Seat: Martin Buick appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

1/ST, owned by the Stronach Group, will partner with Equine MediRecord (EMR) to digitize equine welfare protocols for this year's running of the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park Jan. 27, the Irish technology company said in a release Thursday morning. The added measure will enhance the stringent equine health and safety protocols, and make the process even easier as EMR representatives will be onsite to help log each horse's information into their system. The platform allows for the full veterinary history of the horse to be collected digitally and recorded securely. Use will be mandatory and provide the opportunity to comply with strict medication protocols. Veterinarians can send required medical record information directly to HISA, which reduces the need for double entry. “We are excited about our partnership with 1/ST and doing all we can to help ensure that best horse welfare and transparency protocols are followed in equine sport while ensuring participants do not have to enter information multiple times to be cleared,” said Pierce Dargan, Equine MediRecord's CEO. The Irish company's list of clients and users include the Thoroughbred Owners of California, Maryland 5 Star, Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, the Arabian Racing Organization, Breeders' Cup World Championships and the Saudi Cup. The post 1/ST Racing Partners With Equine MediRecord For Pegasus World Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As the countdown to the start of the covering season begins, a host of Germany's stallions will be on parade at Gestut Rottgen, in Cologne, on Saturday, January 27. The stud's own line-up of Windstoss (Ger), Millowitsch (Ger) and new recruit Iquitos (Ger) will be joined by visiting sires Best Solution (Ire) and Accon (Ger) from Gestut Lunzen, and Gestut Fahrhof's Alson (Ger). Also in attendance will be Japan (GB), who stands at Gestut Etzean, Destino (Ger) from Gestut Westerberg, Gestut Hof Ittlingen's homebred Neatico (Ger), and Rubaiyat (Ger), who will make the journey from Gestut Ohlerweiherhof ahead of his second season at stud. New to the German ranks this year is Alter Adler (Ger), a Group 2-winning son of Adlerflug (Ger) who was also runner-up in the G1 Deutsches Derby, and who is standing at Gestut Erftmuhle. Another Derby second, Nerik (Ire), by Ruler Of The World (Ire), completes the line-up of 13 stallions. Following the parade, renowned stud vet Fred Barrelet, who has for many years been attached to the Rossdales practice in Newmarket, will deliver a talk entitled 'Is inbreeding nowadays a problem?'. The parade gets underway at 12 noon. The post Gestut Rottgen Hosts German Stallion Parade appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The early part of the New Year is invariably about getting two-year-olds ready for the upcoming Group One races like the Blue Diamond Stakes and Golden Slipper. But it is also the time when trainers put in the work of getting their jumpers ready for upcoming season with the Warrnambool Carnival just over three months away. While yet to race over jumps, trainer Henry Dwyer has a jumps campaign in the back of his mind for Irish Butterfly (NZ) (O’Reilly) who is likely to be targeted at one of the maiden hurdles over the three-day carnival. But first there are some flat races to win, and Dwyer has Irish Butterfly down to run in the VRC Life Member Robert Lane Trophy (2520m) at Flemington on Saturday. Irish Butterfly won three races over a trip last year, including two at Sandown, as was one of the favourites for last year’s Warrnambool Cup. After two runs this time in over unsuitable trips, Dwyer is expecting Saturday’s 2520m to suit. “He’s ready,” Dwyer said. “He needed it first-up over 2000 metres and then ran well when dropped back in trip at Warrnambool. “He was one-paced there, but now up to 2500 metres, he should be fit enough this time. “It’s a nice drop back in grade to a benchmark race this time and Celine Gaudray rides him well.” In-form apprentice Celine Gaudray, who rode Irish Butterfly to successive wins at Sandown last year, returns to the saddle for the first time since then Warrnambool Cup in May. Dwyer said Irish Butterfly had schooled over hurdles last year but will rely on flat racing to get him to peak fitness ahead of the jumps season. “We’ll probably just poke around with him during the autumn, and I’d say he’ll probably end up in a maiden hurdle at Warrnambool,” Dwyer said. “If he could pick up a race or two along the way, that would be good. “He had a couple of trials last year, so he’ll be ready to go over the jumps when the time comes.” View the full article

Canheroc (NZ) (El Roca) will be seeking to add another trophy to trainer Chris Wood’s mantle when he heads to Trentham on Saturday. The Cambridge trainer is still admiring the silverware Canheroc won in the Listed Marton Cup (2200m) at Hastings earlier this month, but he is hungry for more. Wood has been pleased with the way the son of El Roca has come through that run and believes he is cherry ripe for his weekend assignment. “I am really pleased with him. He came through his run in the Marton Cup in great order,” Wood told TAB NZ. “I rode him last week and he gave me a run for my money a couple of mornings walking home. He is flying.” Canheroc will be reunited with his Marton Cup-winning jockey Kelly Myers, and Wood is confident his gelding will see out the two-miles. “Kelly seemed to click with him (in the Marton Cup), not that I have had any trouble with the other boys that have ridden him, and she will be riding him on Saturday,” he said. “I don’t think that (3200m) is going to pose any problems. You never know until you unleash them, but the way he works and the way he finds the line on raceday, all the indications are good. “Let’s hope everything goes well to get a nice run in transit, and Kelly gets a bit of clear air and we will be right in the hunt.” Canheroc is a $6.50 third favourite with the TAB for Saturday, behind Waisake ($3.80) and Mary Louise ($5.50). View the full article