Wandering Eyes

Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is set for its three-day run Tuesday-Thursday and features 40 betting interests, including recent Grade I winners Locked (Gun Runner) and Timberlake (Into Mischief). Wagering will begin Tuesday at noon and close Thursday at 6 p.m. ET in advance of the Breeders' Cup World Championships' Future Starts Friday. The 15-1 individual favorite is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's GI Breeders' Futurity winner Locked. Trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher, Locked is among the top interests in Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita. Here is the complete field with morning line odds: #1 Agate Road (Quality Road) (99-1); #2 Agoo (Munnings) (99-1); #3 Air of Defiance (Quality Road) (60-1); #4 Balta (Munnings) (99-1); #5 Be You (Curlin) (99-1); #6 Bentornato (Valiant Minister) (99-1); #7 Bergen (Liam's Map) (99-1); #8 Billal (Street Sense) (99-1); #9 Booth (Mitole) (60-1); #10 Catching Freedom (Constitution) (99-1); #11 Dancing Groom (Vino Rosso) (99-1); #12 Domestic Product (Practical Joke) (99-1); #13 Dornoch (Good Magic) (60-1); #14 Drum Roll Please (Hard Spun) (99-1); #15 Fierceness (City of Light) ( (99-1); #16 General Partner (Speightstown) (80-1); #17 Generous Tipper (Street Sense) (80-1); #18 Glengarry (Maximus Mischief) (99-1); #19 Informed Patriot (Hard Spun) (99-1); #20 Liberal Arts (Arrogate) (60-1); #21 Lightline (City of Light) (99-1); #22 Locked (15-1); #23 Moonlight (Audible) (80-1); #24 Nash (Medaglia d'Oro) (99-1); #25 Normandy Hero (Omaha Beach) (99-1); #26 Otto The Conqueror (Street Sense) (99-1); #27 Noted (Cairo Prince) (99-1); #28 Nutella Fella (Runhappy) (80-1); #29 Private Desire (Constitution) (50-1); #30 Raging Torrent (Maximus Mischief) (99-1); #31 Risk It (Gun Runner) (99-1); #32 Rocketeer (Curlin) (99-1); #33 Seize the Grey (Arrogate) (99-1); #34 Stretch Ride (Street Sense) (50-1); #35 Stronghold (Ghostzapper) (99-1); #36 The Wine Steward (Vino Rosso) (30-1); #37 Timberlake (20-1); #38 West Saratoga (Exaggerator) (80-1); #39 “All Fillies from the 2021 Foal Crop” (80-1); “All Other Colts and Geldings from the 2021 Foal Crop” (3-5). There are six Future Wager pools scheduled in advance of the 2024 Kentucky Derby: Oct. 31-Nov. 2 (Pool 1); Nov. 23-26 (Pool 2); Jan. 19-21 (Pool 3); Feb. 16-18 (Pool 4); March 15-17 (Pool 5); April 4-6 (Pool 6). The post Locked Individual Favorite in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Franco earned the victory with a stalk-and-pounce trip aboard the 4-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro, tracking one length behind pacesetter Ruse before taking charge at the top of the lane and fending off a late bid from City Man. View the full article

Champion Elite Power and multiple grade 1 winner Casa Creed clocked the bullet half-mile of the day Oct. 29 at Santa Anita Park in advance of their respective engagements in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T).View the full article

Charlene's Dream became the first stakes winner for sire Qurbaan by taking the $75,000 Pike Place Dancer Stakes Oct. 28 at Golden Gate Fields and improving to 2-1-0 from three starts.View the full article

West Sunset (f, 2, West Coast–Vindicated Ghost, by Vindication) didn't let the Kentucky rain slow her down en route to a stylish coast-to-coast victory in a sloppy rendition of the Rags to Riches S. beneath the Twin Spires. Coming into the race with a neck victory over a fast main track at this venue Sept. 16 after being forced to close from the back of the field, she took a diametrically opposed trip here, immediately establishing a clear lead right from the jump. Well in hand on a loose lead through both turns, she readily responded in the lane to register a 6 3/4-length victory over Gin Gin (Hightail), who got the best of heavy 1-9 favorite 'TDN Rising Star' V V's Dream (Mitole) for second. #4 WEST SUNSET ($17.12) went to the front shortly after the break and poured it on down the lane to win the Rags to Riches Stakes at Churchill in style! The 2yo filly by @LanesEndFarms's West Coast was ridden by Flavien Prat for @bradcoxracing and Gary & Mary West. pic.twitter.com/5eB2HqPjcx — TVG (@TVG) October 29, 2023 A half to Bourbon Resolution, West Sunset has a 2023 half-sister by Maximum Security in the wings and is only one of four foals to the races for the mare. Vindicated Ghost is herself a half-sister to an accomplished fleet of runners including GSW Chelokee (Cherokee Run); MGSW & MGISP Salute the Sarge (Forest Wildcat); SW & GSP Mymich (A. P. Indy). This is the extended family of 14-time winner GISW Dismasted. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. RAGS TO RICHES S., $200,000, Churchill Downs, 10-29, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:46.31, sy. 1–WEST SUNSET, 122, f, 2, by West Coast 1st Dam: Vindicated Ghost, by Vindication 2nd Dam: Dixie Ghost, by Silver Ghost 3rd Dam: Mississippi Dixie, by Dixieland Band 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $124,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $193,000. *1/2 to Bourbon Resolution (New Year's Day), GSW, $325,421. 2–Gin Gin, 122, f, 2, Hightail–Before You Know It, by Hard Spun. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Calumet Farm; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $40,000. 3–V V's Dream, 122, f, 2, Mitole–Quay, by Tapit. ($130,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-MJM Racing and Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek); B-Mark Stansell (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $20,000. Margins: 6 3/4, 2 3/4, 6. Odds: 7.86, 9.07, 0.19. Also Ran: Candy Landy, Floored. Scratched: Shimmering Allure, Twirling Good Time. The post West Coast’s West Sunset Skips Home in Rags to Riches appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Evan and Stephen Ferraro's homebred Liberal Arts (c, 2, Arrogate–Ismene, by Tribal Rule) charged to the lead inside the final furlong to win the GIII Street Sense S. by a widening three lengths at Churchill Sunday. The gray colt trailed the strung-out field as Gettysburg Address (Constitution) skipped along on the lead over the sloppy track, setting fractions of :23.73 and :47.93. The field began bunching up heading into the far turn, but Liberal Arts was still last at the top of the lane. Informed Patriot (Hard Spun) was first to overtake the pacesetter in upper stretch, but Liberal Arts was tipped out to the center of the track and powered to the lead with authority to win going away. Favored Moonlight (Audible) closed for second. Liberal Arts, who earned 10 points on the road to the Kentucky Derby, gave trainer Robert Medina his first graded victory. On the board while sprinting in his first two starts, Liberal Arts graduated going seven furlongs at Ellis Park Aug. 13. He was trying two turns for the first time Sunday off a third-place effort in the one-mile GIII Iroquois S. at Churchill Downs Sept. 16. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-2. O/B-Stephen and Evan Ferraro (Ky). T-Robert Medina. The post Arrogate’s Liberal Arts Splashes to Street Sense Victory appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Frankie Dettori has picked up a three-day ban for interference caused in the fifth race, a 2-year-old fillies' maiden, at Santa Anita Saturday. The jockey is suspended for Nov. 5, 10 and 11, though he is already banned from riding for the last two dates for overuse of the whip on British Champions Day at Ascot. At Santa Anita, Dettori's mount Circle Of Trust (Union Rags) finished first past the post for trainer Philip D'Amato but was later disqualified and placed last after the stewards looked into an incident on the far turn, in which the filly drifted in, causing interference to Blue Oasis (War Front) and Motet (Mo Town). Blue Oasis, who was a length and a quarter back in second, was awarded the race. An official ruling by the Board of Stewards at Santa Anita stated that Dettori's suspension for careless riding was incurred for “altering course without sufficient clearance into the far turn, causing interference resulting in the disqualification of his mount from first to eighth.” Dettori, who bowed out from riding in the U.K. at Ascot on Oct. 21 with two wins, including his resounding success on intended Breeders' Cup runner King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the G1 Champion S., picked up a combined suspension of 16 days for overuse of the whip on two of his mounts that day. That ban runs from Nov. 7 to 24, which has ruled him out of riding in the Melbourne Cup for Willie Mullins on the first day of that suspension. The post Dettori Handed Three-Day Ban by Santa Anita Stewards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Driver Penalties M Williamson | NZ Metropolitan 13 October (heard Ashburton 23 October); careless driving; suspended 27-30 October inclusive. C Ferguson | Ashburton 23 October; careless driving; suspended 24-30 October inclusive. B Norman | Winton 26 October; use of whip; suspended 27 October – 10 November inclusive. K Green | Winton 26 October; use of whip; fined $300. S O’Reilly | Winton 26 October; careless driving; fined $300. B Mangos | Waikato Bay of Plenty 27 October; use of whip; suspended 28 October – 10 November inclusive. Trainer Penalties C Ferguson | Ashburton 23 October; late gear notification; fined $50. A Clark | Non-raceday dated 21 October; started horse prior to 2 years of age; fined $200. Horse Penalties BROCK | Winton 26 October; unsatisfactory performance; must complete trial. SEBASTIAN COE | Kaikoura 29 October; broke in running; must complete trial. MAXWELL EDISON | Kaikoura 29 October; atrial fibrillation; veterinary clearance including ECG required and must complete trial. QUIK BARBIE | Kaikoura 29 October; broke in running; must complete trial. JOAN’S RISING STAR | Kaikoura 29 October; late scratching on veterinary advice; veterinary clearance required. Protest THANK YOU | Manawatu 23 October; lapped on; relegated from 4th to 5th. The post 23-29 October 2023 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Rider Penalties B Murray | Gore 25 October; careless riding; suspended 3-9 November inclusive. K Mudhoo | Gore 25 October; failed to make weight; fined $200. M Hashizume | Rotorua 26 October; careless riding; suspended 5-9 November inclusive. L Sutherland | Taranaki 27 October; use of whip; fined $250. J Parkes | Taranaki 27 October; use of whip; fined $500. N Parmar | Taranaki 27 October; medical clearance required. J Allen | Auckland 28 October; use of whip; suspended 5-14 November inclusive. K Asano | Auckland 28 October; careless riding; suspended 2-14 November inclusive. R Elliot | Auckland 28 October; medical clearance required. S Wynne | Canterbury 28 October; careless riding; suspended 29 October – 5 November inclusive. Trainer Penalty S Phelan | Matamata 7 October (heard Rotorua 25 October); failed to notify information to Stewards; fined $300. Horse Penalties SHOW ME THE MONEY | Gore 25 October; roarer; veterinary clearance required. WATCH ME MOVE | Taranaki 27 October; bucked in running; must complete trial. ASK MUM | Auckland 29 October; laceration to tendon; veterinary clearance required. LUBERON | Auckland 29 October; unsatisfactory performance; must complete trial. GUITAR MAN | Canterbury 28 October; elevated heart rate; veterinary clearance required. The post 23-29 October 2023 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

G1 Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), prepping for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, breezed four furlongs in a hand-timed :49 2/5 Sunday at Santa Anita. The Takagi Noboru trainee left the quarantine barn at 6:15 a.m., walking for 15 minutes until the track opened and then proceeded to the main track. Allowed to ease into his work at the half-mile pole and around the far turn, he did not begin lengthening stride and quickening until turning for home, impressing onlookers down the lane and into a considerable gallop-out. He was given no official time on the work tab. “Very good,” an all-smiles exercise rider Masa Fukami said while taking eight laps of the parade ring in a cool down. Ushba Tesoro has won seven of eight races since moving to the dirt, with his lone blemish coming off a five-month layoff on a sloppy track. The 6-year-old is seeking his seventh consecutive victory in the Classic, with two of those wins coming at the race's 10-furlong distance–the G1 Tokyo Daishoten last December and the World Cup in March. “Moving to dirt helped him,” Noboru said through a translator. “The timing worked well and he grew up both physically and mentally from it. He was a difficult horse to control, but with dirt racing, everything matched him, I believe.” In his lone start since the World Cup, Ushba Tesoro was an easy winner of the Nippon TV Hai over 1 1/8 miles at Funabashi, a tight-turned and left-handed track. “The Breeders' Cup Classic is another big race and we are the challenger in here,” Noboru said. “He won at Kawasaki, which also [like Funabashi] has tricky tight bends. I don't think Santa Anita's turns will be a problem.” Yuga Kawada, who was aboard for Ushba Tesoro's victories at Funabashi and Meydan, has the return assignment next Saturday. Kawada won the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf aboard Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). In other Classic news, GI Belmont S. winner Arcangelo (Arrogate) walked Sunday morning after a rear shoe was taken off Saturday afternoon. “I pulled a left hind shoe off him,” trainer Jena Antonucci said. “And said, 'Let's just walk tomorrow. It's no sense in going to do that [gallop]. We've got lots of time.' Whether he kicked the wall or bruised it or hit it, I don't know. So we just pulled the shoe off and gave him a walk day to assess where we are at. He walked great this morning. I'm very happy with that. We'll assess it as we roll. He may gallop tomorrow. He may walk tomorrow. We'll stay fluid–lots of time. That's a good thing about a 10-day [breeze] schedule, you get lots of time.” The post Ushba Tesoro Impresses in Classic Drill appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Katie Cox fund is now at $130,000 after a massive response from within and outside the harness racing community. The talented and respected trainer-driver, who is 33, was recently diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer. A charitable trust was set up to help her with her medical and other expenses, and the response has been incredible. In the following Facebook post she thanks everyone who has supported her. To Everyone, Just wanted to say a massive thank you to each and every person (clubs, trainers, owners, drivers and supporters) for their encouragement and support so far. I am humbled by your generosity and the many kind words. A big thanks must also go to all those who have helped initiate this. I have started on my first treatments this week and all is going well so far, hopefully the results will be excellent from this medication. I thought I would just share a few things for those of you asking that I now know about my medical situation as it has certainly been an unbelievable few weeks with many a learning curve. Strong, fit and healthy would be how I describe myself… and a visit to the doctor ‘the first in years’ after a cold with a cough for some antibiotics seemed very sensible. After a second prescription a local and proactive young doctor to whom I am very grateful to suggested an x-ray. This came back to everyone’s surprise showing a collapsed lung, and so a bronchoscopy followed for a biopsy, then a CT scan, followed by a PET/CT scan. At this stage I am still feeling absolutely fine except for the niggling cough. However, by now results are being delivered by the team at Christchurch Public Hospital and with a week or two between each procedure and result 5 weeks have passed. The first diagnosis was Adenocarcinoma – or non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and quite treatable. Fortunately, the public hospital uses an international gold standard for the biopsy molecular profiling called NGS or next-generation sequencing. Many countries and parts of the US do not yet have this available. The results came back showing the biomarker or (genome sequencing) as EGFR EXON 20. In the past EGFR 19 and 21 have been tested for and drugs have been developed for treatment. The EXON 20 is a more recent finding, it is not any cell type but the way a normal cell is multiplying that is treated. Unfortunately, due to lack of Pharmac funding in the public system, (although private health insurance also does not cover these drugs costs) the private sector can offer options. The important thing is that previous drug treatments are ineffective, however with this detailed analysis new Targeted drugs as the 3rd generation Osimertinib which works by turning off a switch in the cancer cell that the cell needs to survive, which I started on this week. As yet scientists haven’t found a direct cause for the large number of young females often super fit athletes, marathon runners, and non-smokers being diagnosed with EXON 20. Because of the lack of symptoms, and they think a strong immunity that fights such a cell change, diagnosis is usually in the later stages and the mutating cells protect themselves building resistance from the usual drugs. This means to date any drug tends to be effective for a certain time, and then an alternate one needs to be used. At present in the US the first line treatment is using an infusion drug Rybrevant, along with three other combined drugs. I am so immensely grateful due to all the amazing support from the racing community to be able to start on the Osimertinib oral drug – this includes part-funding and being capped by Astra Zenaca at $120,000.00. Interestingly Australia has reduced their price of $8000.00 a month to $41.30 to make it affordable and life-saving for more people. Presently another drug Amivantamab is $200,000.00 for 3 months in NZ, however this is just for the drug which needs to be administered by an oncologist by slow infusion with all those associated costs, and is usually combined with 1 – 3 other drugs. I have made contact with great international professional advice network for EXON 20 on the latest drug trials and drugs about to be released with phone conferencing and updates from conferences. Along with the great specialist I am seeing, a good fighting spirit and time for research I am aiming for positive progress. Thanks Katie Please deposit any donations small or large into the following account. Whatever with Wiggy Charitable Trust CC59951 Katie Cox Appeal 06-0837-0390071-01 Please use the reference Katie View the full article

Double Major ran out a comfortable winner of the Prix Royal-Oak (G1) on testing ground at ParisLongchamp Oct. 29.View the full article

Multiple grade 1-placed Bellamore seeks her first stakes victory in the Nov. 3 $150,000 Turnback the Alarm Stakes. Tabeguache returns to the Big A sporting a three-race win streak looking for second straight stakes score in $150,000 Discovery.View the full article

When the sun sets on the 40th edition of the Breeders' Cup, win or lose, jockey Junior Alvarado will be able to say he came loaded for bear.View the full article

Geaux Rocket Ride will undergo surgery Oct. 29 at the Southern California Equine Hospital on-track at Santa Anita Park after sustaining an injury yesterday morning during a workout.View the full article

3rd-Churchill Downs, $122,250, Msw, 10-29, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.83, sy, 1 length. COASTAL INVASION (f, 2, Omaha Beach–Intelyhente, by Smart Strike) went off favored at even money and broke right to the front to show the way through a :21.97 opening quarter over the slop. Kept off the rail in the clear, she took on a challenge from eventual runner up Blue Squall (Tapwrit) at the top of the lane and dueled that rival into defeat close to home to graduate at first asking by a length. A $700,000 OBSAPR 2-year-old, Coastal Invasion is the 19th winner for her freshman sire (by War Front). Intelyhente had a colt by War of Will this year and returned to that same stallion for 2024. Sales History: $200,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $700,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $69,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Hoffman Family Racing, LLC and Schwing Thoroughbreds; B-William Duignan & Tranquility Investments Limited (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. The post Coastal Invasion Latest Winner for Omaha Beach At Churchill Downs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

1st-Woodbine, C$83,428, Msw, 10-29, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m (AWT) (off turf), 1:52.46, ft, 6 1/4 lengths. LOOSE WIRE (c, 3, Street Sense–Dance With Doves, by A.P. Indy) topped the '21 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale when he was purchased for $925,000 by Mike Repole and St. Elias Stable. Debuting around two turns as the 2-1 second choice here, the hooded bay colt with Lasix exited the outside gate cleanly, raced mid-pack into the first turn and traveled well up the backstretch. Given his cue before the far turn, Loose Wire took control, continued to accelerate and cantered home by 6 1/4 lengths over Giovannino (Into Mischief). Out of an extended female family which includes Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Dancethruthedawn (Mr. Prospector), GI Whitney S. hero Moreno (Ghostzapper) and Canadian Horse of the Year Dance Smartly (Danzig), the winner is a half-brother to Dance Again (Awesome Again), SW-Can, GSP-USA, $270,604 and Swoop and Strike (Smart Strike), GSP, $128,673. His dam is responsible for a yearling colt by Lookin At Lucky, foaled a filly by Nyquist Apr. 28 and was bred to Maclean's Music for next year. Sales History: $925,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $37,974. O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables LLC; B-Sam-Son Farm (ON); T-Kevin Attard. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Sunday, October 29 R1 @WoodbineTB inside Look with Trainer Kevin Attard (#7 Loose Wire). Courtesy @Goodbine56 #BetWoodbineTB pic.twitter.com/daBAYZtCDs — Woodbine Racetrack (@WoodbineTB) October 29, 2023 The post Fasig-Tipton ’21 October Yearling Sale Topper A Winner On Debut At Woodbine appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Equinox, the world's top-rated horse, won the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) Oct. 29 at Tokyo Racecourse in record time, notching his fifth straight win, all at the grade or group 1 level.View the full article

Jockey Manny Franco earned the 2,000th victory of his career Sunday at Aqueduct when guiding the Chad Brown-trained Spirit of St Louis to a half-length score in the day's second race. “I feel great,” Franco, who also won the day's opener, said. “I had that on me the whole week, so I'm glad to do it early. I'm a little calm now and happy to do it. I just let him do what he wanted to do because I know the pace wasn't fast in front. I just kept my position and he was there for me the whole way.” Franco, 28, has captured two riding titles this year at Aqueduct, taking both the winter and spring meets. He has won six other riding titles at NYRA racetrack meets and was the year-end leading rider on the circuit in 2018-19. Franco is on track for another year-end title with 198 wins on the NYRA circuit heading into Sunday's card, 46 wins ahead of second-place Irad Ortiz, Jr. The post Manny Franco Earns Career Win 2,000 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Monday's Observations features a full sister to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Found (Ire) debuting at Galway. 12.30 Galway, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, f, 8f 73yT RUBIES ARE RED (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is the 10th foal out of the G1 Matron S.and G1 Lockinge S. heroine Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab) and a full-sister to the outstanding Arc winner Found (Ire) and to the dam of the stunning Oaks heroine Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). She is one of a trio from Ballydoyle, including her relative Iseult Of Ireland (American Pharoah), a Westerberg-bred fellow newcomer who is a granddaughter of Red Evie. 12.35 Saint-Cloud, Debutantes, €50,000, 2yo, c/g, 7 1/2fT ROADSHOW (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}), who represents the Smith/Tabor/Magnier combination and the Andre Fabre stable, is a son of the brilliant G2 Queen Mary S. winner and G1 Nunthorpe S. runner-up Acapulco (Scat Daddy). Among his rivals is the Wertheimers' Yoox (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), a Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained grandson of their Arc heroine Solemia (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}). 1.05 Saint-Cloud, Debutantes, €50,000, 2yo, f, 7 1/2fT NATIVE PEARL (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) debuts for Al Shira'aa Farms and the Carlos Laffon-Parias stable and is a €550,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate who is a half-sister to the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. and G1 Dewhurst S.-winning juvenile champion Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Also in the line-up is Miz Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), a Nicolas Clement-trained daughter of the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint heroine Mizdirection (Mizzen Mast), and George Strawbridge's With Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a Victoria Head-trained daughter of the G1 Prix Rothschild heroine With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}). The post Found’s Sister Starts at Galway appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It is very clear how important the Melbourne Cup is within Australia. Observers at Tattersalls last week were left in no doubt of that. A large proportion of the most expensive lots were bought to head Down Under, with the Melbourne Cup repeatedly mentioned as the ultimate target. It is now, though, a major race both within Australasia and internationally, its global appeal having increased dramatically 30 years ago in the 3 minutes 23.43 seconds which it took Vintage Crop (Ire) to take the prize on the first Tuesday in November 1993. That triumphant breakthrough represented the moment when the Cup became a truly global event, but it had been a major landmark both domestically and internationally since the 19th century. The respect which the two words 'Melbourne Cup' generated in the Victorian era was shown by the purchase in 1895 of Carbine (NZ), the highlight of whose 33 wins had been when he had won the Cup in 1890, carrying 10 stone 5lb and giving 53lb to the runner-up. By 1895 Carbine had made a promising start to his stud career and his fame was enough to persuade the Duke of Portland to recruit him, at a price of 13,000 guineas, to stand in England alongside reigning champion sire St. Simon (GB) at Welbeck Abbey Stud in Nottinghamshire. He was a great success there, most notably spawning a three-generation sequence of Derby winners, starting with his son Spearmint (GB) in 1906. The iconic Melbourne Cup | Racingfotos.com A second Melbourne Cup winner followed hot on Carbine's heels when the 1896 winner Newhaven (Aus) headed north after that season's Sydney Autumn Carnival. His part-owner Mr Cooper had bought a seat on the London Stock Exchange so he arranged that Newhaven would come to England with him. The highlight of Newhaven's career in England came when he won the City And Suburban H. at Epsom in 1899, reportedly winning connections £50,000 in bets. Unfortunately, though, he could not follow Carbine into the ranks of British-based stallions as he was not accepted into the (British) General Stud Book because of doubts supposedly held about the identity of his fourth dam. Consequently, he had to return to Australia to begin his stud career. Remarkably, Newhaven was not the greatest Australian horse racing in England during the final years of the 19th century. That honour was held by Merman (Aus). Having ended the Spring Carnival in Melbourne in 1896 by winning the Williamstown Cup, Merman was brought to England, where he was bought by the famous actress Lillie Langtry for 1,600 guineas. Merman became a remarkable trouper in his adopted homeland, ensuring that Australian stayers would be revered worldwide for decades. The highlight of his three wins in his first season in England, 1897, came when he won the Cesarewitch H. at Newmarket. At the same meeting the following season he won the Jockey Club Cup, having run well in the Cambridgeshire H. the previous day and in the Cesarewitch H. the day before that. His toughness and class were also in evidence at Glorious Goodwood the following summer, when he won both the Goodwood Plate and the Goodwood Cup. Age and exertion did not weary him because it turned out that he was saving the best 'til last: in 1900, aged eight, he won the greatest staying prize of them all, the Gold Cup at Ascot. One race which particularly illustrated the strength in depth of Australian horses racing in England at the time was the Epsom Gold Cup (now G1 Coronation Cup) at the Derby Meeting in 1898 when Merman was one of three antipodean imports in the field, alongside Newhaven and the 1896 VRC Newmarket H. winner Maluma (Aus). Furthermore, when Merman contested the Cambridgeshire that autumn, he finished behind the imported winner Georgic (Aus), previously successful in the AJC All-Aged S. at Randwick in 1895. Two-Way Traffic for Top Stayers Red Cadeaux, with Robin Trevor Jones and rider Steven Nicholson, was second in three Cups | Emma Berry It was not all one-way traffic, of course. The Australian Stud Book was built on imports, with such horses differentiated from the colonial-breds by an asterisk printed alongside their names. It was the norm for the Melbourne Cup to be won by a horse with at least one imported parent, but the first winner of the race bred in Europe was Comedy King (GB) (Persimmon {GB}), successful in 1910. Leading Melbourne-based bookmaker Sol Green had gone to England on holiday in 1906 and bought some horses there. One was the Gallinule mare Tragedy Queen (GB), purchased from the Royal Studs, in foal Persimmon. Green left the mare in England but once the resultant foal, Comedy King, had been weaned he was exported to Australia (forging a path subsequently trodden by the Somerset-born three-time Melbourne Cup heroine Makybe Diva). Just as Comedy King took Makybe Diva's route to Melbourne Cup glory nearly a century before the great mare won her three Cups, so did the 1924 winner Backwood (GB) foreshadow the legion of Australian owners, trainers and agents who nowadays shop at Tattersalls with future Melbourne Cups in mind. A dual winner at a mile and a half in England, Backwood was bought by Australian owners E. L. Baillieu and W. Clark for 2,500 guineas in the hope that he would win the Cup in 1923. He disappointed badly that year won 12 months later, trained at Flemington by Richard Bradfield. Hopes were high during the war that the Royal Studs would yield another Melbourne Cup winner, following Comedy King. After three unplaced runs in England for King George VI, the Hyperion horse Helios (GB) was sold to race in Australia. He was shaping up nicely until misadventure struck: he injured himself by over-reaching when pulling up from a track gallop at Flemington, fracturing his near-fore pastern, and had to be retired. The story had a happy ending though, as he became champion sire in 1948/'49 and overall sired the winners of over 1,000 races, with one of his best sons being the 1954 Melbourne Cup winner Wodalla (Aus). The Melbourne Cup naturally began to feature on the international radar more and more as time passed. By the 1980s, improved air-travel and improved communications were making the world a smaller place. Sangster Backs the Cup Robert Sangster's love for Australia meant that the Melbourne Cup came to join the Derby on his list of most coveted prizes. One of the first horses transferred by him from England to Colin Hayes in South Australia was Beldale Ball, whom he had bought out of Michael Jarvis's Newmarket stable in 1979. Beldale Ball thrived under Hayes's care to the extent that he recorded a glorious triumph in the Melbourne Cup in 1980. Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum too began to focus on Australian racing, the flames of his enthusiasm fanned by the passion of his manager Angus Gold. At Talaq (Roberto) had carried the Shadwell silks into fourth place in the Derby in 1984 at 250/1 when trained in Newmarket by Harry Thomson Jones; two years later, prepared by Colin Hayes, he won the Melbourne Cup. (The same team would win a second Melbourne Cup in 1994 with Jeune (GB), a Royal Ascot winner bought out of Geoff Wragg's stable specifically to try to win the great race). Within Australia, Lloyd Williams's Melbourne Cup ambitions were continuing to grow. Prominent in the syndicates which raced the Tommy Smith-trained 1981 Cup winner Just A Dash (Aus) and the John Meagher-trained 1985 Cup winner What A Nuisance (NZ), Williams learned the lessons provided by Beldale Ball and At Talaq. Another horse who caught his attention was Natski (Ire), a maiden race winner at Redcar for Luca Cumani in 1987 who, sold to Australia, was trained by Jack Denham to fail by only inches behind Empire Rose (NZ) in the Melbourne Cup the following year. Also in the field that day was Authaal (Ire), trained by Colin Hayes for Sheikh Mohammed. The son of Shergar had previously won the G1 Irish St Leger in 1986 when trained by David O'Brien. Williams sent John Meagher, accompanied by Pat Carey, to England to find some suitable prospects and they nearly hit the jackpot straightaway when they selected the Aga Khan's Naiyrizi (Ire), bought out of Luca Cumani's stable after winning at Ascot, Windsor and Doncaster in 1988. During the Melbourne Spring Carnival in 1989 Nayrizi won the VATC Herbert Power H. before finishing a close second to Cole Diesel (Aus) in the VATC Caulfield Cup a week later. Williams has, of course, bought many European horses since then and during the current century has won four Cups with European-bred horses, trained either in Australia or Ireland. Ireland's Breakthrough The momentum of interest and competition building, it was only a matter of time before European-trained horses began to contest the Cup. The breakthrough of British-trained horses running in Australasia had come in the late '80s when the G1 Tancred S. in Sydney and the G1 Air New Zealand S. in New Zealand were being promoted as international races. England's two most pioneering trainers, John Dunlop and Clive Brittain, rose to the challenge. The Melbourne Cup had to come next, particularly as it was sponsored by Carlton & United Brewery, which had recently broken into the European market in a major way with the booming worldwide popularity of Foster's Lager. That is exactly what came to pass thirty years ago, on the first Tuesday of November 1993. Two European trainers each sent a horse to Flemington in 1993. From England, Lord Huntingdon (who had trained at Warwick Farm in Sydney for a couple of years in the late '70s) sent the Ascot Gold Cup winner Drum Taps, the mount of Frankie Dettori. From Ireland, Dermot Weld sent the previous year's Cesarewitch H. winner Vintage Crop, ridden by Mick Kinane. This bold challenge was meat and drink for Weld, who had already become the first European trainer to saddle the winner of a US Triple Crown race (Go And Go (Ire) in the 1990 Belmont S.) and the first to win a race at the Hong Kong International Meeting (Additional Risk (Ire) in the 1991 HK Bowl). Drum Taps, ridden by Frankie Dettori, found it hard under top weight of 58.5kg, finishing ninth. But Vintage Crop, carrying 3kg less and feeling at home in the rain which lashed Flemington that afternoon, was sublime. Bearing the colours of Dr Michael Smurfit, Vintage Crop came home three lengths in front of Te Akau Nick (NZ), who had recently become the first Group 1 winner trained by Gai Waterhouse by winning the G1 AJC Metropolitan H. at Randwick. As Mick Kinane brought Vintage Crop back to scale, an emotional Weld delighted the local press corps by reciting lines from A. B. 'Banjo' Paterson's 'A Bush Christening' in the winner's enclosure. It was a very special way for the international racing landscape to be changed forever. European Success Grows Protectionist, the sole German-trained winner of the Melbourne Cup | Emma Berry Since then, raiders from Europe for the Melbourne Cup have become the norm. The first leg of Melbourne's 'Cups Double' has also become a regular target, with Europe's breakthrough in that race coming in 1998 when Ray Cochrane brought the Lady Herries-trained Taufan's Melody (Ire) home in front. Weld and Dr Smurfit won the Melbourne Cup again in 2002 with Media Puzzle. Since then, four other countries have claimed the prize. Japan won it in 2006 with the Katsuhiko Sumii-trained Delta Blues (Jpn). Alain de Royer-Dupre and Mikel Delzangles won it for France in 2010 and '11, courtesy of Americain and Dunaden (Fr). German trainer Andreas Wohler supplied the hero in 2014, Protectionist (Ger). Godolphin won in 2018 with Cross Counter (GB), trained in England by Charlie Appleby. Furthermore, Weld's feat of supplying two winners has been matched by his compatriot Joseph O'Brien, courtesy of Rekindling (Ire) and Twilight Payment (Ire) in 2017 and 2020 respectively, both horses owned by Lloyd Williams.. Any overview of European achievers in the Melbourne Cup wouldn't be complete without mentioning Luca Cumani in dispatches, thanks to a run of narrow defeats, none closer than the pixel or two by which Bauer (GB) was edged out by the Bart Cummings-trained Viewed (Aus) in 2008. Another Newmarket-based trainer to have played a chief supporting role has been Ed Dunlop, whose ultra-genuine charge Red Cadeaux (GB) wrote his name into Cup history as the only horse to finish second in the race three times (in 2011, '13 and '14). Nowadays, Australian owners and trainers seem intent on buying nearly all of the most likely European Cup prospects. Many were in action at Tattersalls last week and the recent domination of major Australian staying races by European-breds does not seem likely to end any time soon. The internationalisation of the Melbourne Cup has been a gradual process with many heroes playing their part. Comedy King and Backwood both made special contributions, but none stand taller than Vintage Crop, Dermot Weld, Mick Kinane and Dr Smurfit. The significance of their breakthrough triumph 30 years ago will live forever as the day on which 'the race which stops a nation' became a race which the world watches. The post The World Now Watches the Race That Stops a Nation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The five days between last Wednesday's pre-entries and Monday's official draw for the Breeders' Cup afford a brief window of opportunity to examine a few subtleties that emerged from the early version of the match-ups for this weekend's championships. The decision by the connections of Practical Move (Practical Joke) to aim for the GI Dirt Mile instead of the GI Classic tops the list. The Classic, which lost Mage (Good Magic) and Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) to illness and injury, respectively, over the weekend, lacks a standout favorite, and you'd have to think Practical Move (4-for-4 at Santa Anita) would have stood a decent shot had he also been pre-entered for that spot. But considering the colt has had only one race (an Oct. 6 allowance romp at a mile) since winning the GI Santa Anita Derby, trainer Tim Yakteen thought it best not to dive into the deeper end of the pool, distance-wise. “Ultimately, it boiled down to we only had the one race, and I wasn't confident in myself that I'd have him ready to go a mile and a quarter,” Yakteen told FanDuel TV's Christina Blacker on Friday. “So we opted for the tougher race of the two,” Yakteen added with a slight laugh. Yakteen was referring to “tough” in the sense that the Dirt Mile will be headed by defending champ Cody's Wish (Curlin), who projects as a formidable favorite. “I think we sort of ran out of time, and I wanted to make sure that we were going to take on a distance that we had already proven ourselves at,” Yakteen continued. “The mile and a quarter was still an unknown, so we'll go the Gun Runner route, go in the [Dirt] Mile, and then hopefully come back in the Classic next year.” Gun Runner, in 2016, ran second in the Dirt Mile when the championships were also held at Santa Anita. In 2017, he won the Classic. But Gun Runner didn't have to deal with a half-year layoff at age three. His connections had opted for the Dirt Mile after competing in the 10-furlong GI Kentucky Derby and then going 1-for-4 in other stakes through the summer. The decision on where to run Practical Move more closely resembles that of Omaha Beach in 2019. In fact, the comparison is strikingly similar. Four years ago, that Richard Mandella trainee won his final Derby prep at nine furlongs (the GI Arkansas Derby). Omaha Beach then was installed as the imposing morning-line favorite for the GI Kentucky Derby, but had to scratch several days before the race with an entrapped epiglottis. It took Omaha Beach six months to get back to the races. Four weeks before the Breeders' Cup, Mandella spotted him in the GI Santa Anita Sprint Championship S. at six furlongs, which he won. Mandella then targeted the Dirt Mile instead of the Classic because of concerns over the colt's ability to be ready for a 10-furlong test off that single prep sprint. The Breeders' Cup was also at Santa Anita that year, where Omaha Beach was 2-for-2. He ended up second in the Dirt Mile as the even-money favorite. Practical Move's sophomore season aligns with Omaha Beach's in that he, too, won his final Derby prep at nine furlongs (the Santa Anita Derby). And although he wasn't the morning-line fave for this past May's Kentucky Derby, he was among the top contenders, and also had to scratch just days before the Derby after spiking a temperature. After a similar six-month layoff, like Omaha Beach, his trainer picked a Santa Anita race four weeks out from the Breeders' Cup. And like Omaha Beach, Practical Move won that prep. Now he, too, will try the Dirt Mile instead of the Classic. Practical Move's connections will be hoping the similarities stop there and result in a win, which is something that neither Gun Runner nor Omaha Beach could deliver at Santa Anita after being entered in the shorter (but not necessarily easier) Breeders' Cup spot. Also of note… Undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) figures to be the heaviest favorite on the Friday card of Breeders' Cup races for 2-year-olds. The GI Juvenile Fillies, however, hasn't been kind to the betting public's choice in recent runnings: The chalk has lost six of the last seven editions. Trainer John Ortiz hedged a bit by pre-entering Brightwork (Outwork) in both the Juvenile Fillies and the GI Juvenile Turf Sprint. The thinking was that she's 4-for-4 around one turn on dirt, and the Juvenile Turf Sprint would keep her within her distance comfort zone, even though she's never tried the grass. As of Saturday though, Ortiz said he was leaning toward running on dirt in the two-turn Juvenile Fillies. It wasn't surprising that Ortiz gave Brightwork that dual option. But it did catch the eye how many other trainers of fillies were attracted to the Juvenile Turf Sprint: Fillies (13) actually outnumbered colts and geldings (11) in the pre-entries. The Wine Steward (Vino Rosso) could end up as an overlaid sleeper in the GI Juvenile. Given the betting public's propensity for discounting New York-breds in major, open stakes, he could go off at double-digit odds even though he ran one of the more visually appealing 2-year-old stakes efforts in a losing try. The Oct. 7 GI Breeders' Futurity S. was The Wine Steward's first go around two turns, and he drew the rail while entering the race off a 3-for-3 record. He saved ground, advanced on the pacemakers to lead a quarter-mile out (over a short-stretch configuration), got accosted by the odds-on favorite, Locked (Gun Runner), then gamely snatched back the lead for a sixteenth of a mile in deep stretch before Locked re-rallied to nail The Wine Steward by half a length at the wire. Since The Wine Steward's two moves to the lead happened between chart calling points, they aren't evident in his running line. In addition, that Keeneland stakes was initially clocked in 1:45.06 for 1 1/16 miles, but was subsequently re-adjusted to 1:44.62, boosting every horse's initially assigned Beyer Speed Figure by as many as six points. Speaking of Beyers, I still do a double-take every time I glance at the past performances for defending GI Filly and Mare Sprint victress Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper). Yes, she really earned a 108 despite being beaten 2 1/2 lengths in the Aug. 26 Ballerina H. at Saratoga when second behind the now-injured Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), who ran a 112. It's not every day that you see a triple-digit Beyer that high in a losing effort, and it's an even rarer accomplishment for a filly or mare. Four weeks ago in this column, I wrote about the devastating late run uncorked by More Than Looks (More Than Ready), who earned a 101 Beyer when throttling the field in the $200,000 Jefferson Cup at Churchill Downs. At that time, the 3-year-old colt's connections indicated they'd likely bypass the Breeders' Cup and instead point toward the Oct. 28 GIII Bryan Station S. at Keeneland, with a late-season goal of shipping west for the GI Hollywood Derby at Del Mar Dec. 2. Those plans changed Friday when More Than Looks scratched out of Saturday's Bryan Station as the 9-5 morning-line favorite, and instead worked a half-mile with the intent of heading to Santa Anita for the GI Mile once it became clear he wasn't still stuck on the alternates list. This upstart contender for trainer Cherie DeVaux could be getting scary-good at just the right time. Although short on experience, he has the right off-the-tailgate style for a Breeders' Cup race that historically eats up front-runners. Joel Rosario, who was aboard for Friday's work (and previously rode for this colt's maiden-breaking win in the spring) has reportedly committed to the mount in the Mile. The post The Week in Review: On Eve of Breeders’ Cup Entries, Sifting Through Subtleties appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The dual Group 1 winner Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) is the first stallion to retire to Steve Parkin's Dullingham Park near Newmarket. The top-rated sprinter in Europe this year, Shaquille was trained by Julie Camacho to win the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot before defeating his elders in the July Cup at Newmarket. The 3-year-old was co-bred by his owner Martin Hughes, who paid tribute to the retiring star, saying, “It was an honour to be associated with such a brilliant horse. To breed him and to race him in my colours, and then to see him develop into a superstar on the track was thrilling. Both of his Group 1 wins were spectacular. I now look forward to partnering with Dullingham Park in his future career as a stallion.” Shaquille is out of the Galileo (Ire) mare Magic (Ire), herself a daughter of Cheveley Park Stud's multiple group-winning sprinter Danehurst (GB) (Danehill). He won seven of his nine career starts, including scoring twice at York as a juvenile and landing the Listed Carnarvon S. at Newbury before his twin Group 1 successes. Steve Parkin, who outlined his plans for Dullingham Park Stud in a TDN interview last month, said, “We are delighted to have been able to secure a horse of Shaquille's ability and potential to stand at our new stallion farm. Julie, Steve and their team have done a terrific job with his racing career and I know that our team will be working hard to ensure that Shaquille is equally successful in his new career as a stallion.” Ollie Fowlston, who was appointed earlier this year to manage Dullingham Park Stud, added, “It is a tribute to the commitment Steve Parkin has shown to the British breeding industry in establishing a new stallion operation on an historic stud that we are able to introduce a stallion of Shaquille's calibre. In addition to his obvious speed and ability, he is a tremendously good-looking horse with a wonderful temperament. We can't wait to show him to breeders from around the world during the Tattersalls December Sales.” Shaquille's trainer Julie Camacho and her husband and assistant trainer Steve Brown said, “Shaquille has taken us to the very highest level and given us some of the most exciting days of our racing lives. We thank Martin for entrusting him to us, and we wish the team at Dullingham Park Stud the best of luck for his stallion career. We look forward to training some of his progeny in years to come.” The post Europe’s Top Sprinter Shaquille a First for Dullingham Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Delgado Sr. announced the morning of Oct. 29 that Kentucky Derby (G1) hero Mage will not be making the trip to California to contest the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 4 after presenting with a feverish state in the morning. View the full article

Waipiro (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who ran sixth in the G1 Derby in the UK earlier this year, sustained a tendon injury to his right foreleg last week and is uncertain to make the Hong Kong Derby in March, trainer John Size told the South China Morning Post. Bred by Shane Molan, the Siu Pak-Kwan runner won the G3 Hampton Court S. after his Derby effort, leading former trainer Ed Walker to describe him as the “perfect horse for the Hong Kong Derby”. “I don't have a plan now because he's got a tendon injury,” Size told the paper regarding the now-gelding. “A tendon's a tendon. The recovery time depends on the horse.” Waipiro's older half-brother Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), a winner of the G1 Stewards' Cup (twice) and G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup, ran second in the HK Derby in 2019. The post Former Derby Runner Waipiro Sustains Tendon Injury In Hong Kong appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article