Wandering Eyes

Jockey Frankie Dettori has been booked to ride group 2 winner Wimbledon Hawkeye in the $3.5 million Nashville Derby (G3T) Aug. 30. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a daughter of the dual Group 1 winner Izzi Top. 6.15 Kempton, Novice, 2yo, 2yo, f, 7fT IZZ'NT SHE HOT (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) is the ninth foal out of Meon Valley's Pretty Polly and Jean Romanet heroine Izzi Top (Pivotal), whose three black-type performers to date include the G3 Firebreak Stakes winner Prince Eiji by Too Darn Hot's sire Dubawi. Under the care of the Gosdens, she is joined by stablemate Maneuver (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the Thoroughbred Racing Corporation's 600,000gns co-top-priced filly of Tattersalls October Book 2 descended from the Maurice de Gheest runner-up Joanna. The post Izzi Top’s Daughter Izzn’t She Hot Debuts at Kempton appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A single filly, No Time (Not This Time), was named the 7-2 morning-line favorite in a 13-horse field due to line up for the King's Plate Saturday at Woodbine. North America's oldest continually contested race, the Canadian-bred 3-year-olds will go 1 1/4 miles on the main track as the first of three legs of the Canadian Triple Crown. To be ridden again by John Velazquez, the daughter of Not This Time out of the Red Ransom mare Count to Three is 3-0-1 from eight starts for owner Gary Barber and trainer Mark Casse–the jockey, owner and trainer who won the 2018 Plate with filly Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d'Oro). Bred by James Everatt, Janeane Everatt & Arika Everatt-Meeuse, No Time won her second start, a one-length triumph at 1 1/16 miles over the E.P. Taylor turf, on September 14, 2024. “She has a heck of a pedigree,” Casse noted. “She's by one of the best sires in the world and she's a half-sister to two Grade I winners. She has the pedigree to be any kind. I feel like she really has grown up and has gotten stronger and better as time goes on, which happens a lot of times when you have these great pedigrees.” Casse also sends out Ashley's Archer (Karakontie {Jpn}) who is co-owned by Gary Barber and Archer Racing. Trainer Kevin Attard, who won last year's Plate with Caitlinhergrtness (Omaha Beach), has three to line up with Dewolf (Silent Name {Jpn}), Faber (Improbable) and Mansetti (Collected) all set to represent the barn. Mythical Man (Mucho Macho Man), Notorious Gangster (Classic Empire), Runaway Again (Hard Spun), Scorching (Mo Town), Sedbury's Ghost (Shaman Ghost), Tom's Magic (Justify), Watsonville Red (Hard Spun) and William T (Frosted) complete the field. Post time for the King's Plate is scheduled for 5:34 pm ET Saturday. The post No Time, The Only Filly In The Field, Named 7-2 Favorite In 166th Running Of King’s Plate appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Thirty-nine 3-year-old fillies—regularly well outnumbered by males in the entries—have captured the King's Plate, which will have its 166th running Aug. 16. Another filly—No Time—is favored to become the 40th winner on Saturday at Woodbine. View the full article

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) players can now bet on live horse races across the province by accessing Woodbine Entertainment Group's (WEG) horse racing wagering product through OLG.ca and the OLG app. “We are excited to offer access to this experience to our online players, providing another way for them to engage in the thrilling sport of horse racing,” said Dave Pridmore, OLG's Chief Gaming Officer. “This collaboration represents an important step in our mandate of supporting the sport and a vibrant, competitive and sustainable horse racing industry in Ontario.” OLG is the first Canadian provincial lottery and gaming agency to provide access to a horse racing wagering product to its digital players. Through WEG's product–which is powered by HPIbet, Canada's leading online platform for betting on horse racing–players on OLG.ca and the OLG app can bet on live races around the world and at Ontario tracks, including The King's Plate, which is scheduled to take place at Woodbine Racetrack Saturday, August 16. WEG, in partnership with OLG, has developed a simple and user-friendly experience for horse racing fans. This new plug-and-play provides access via OLG.ca to WEG's horse racing product–and the same solution could potentially be used by other gaming operators in Ontario to offer racing to their own customers. All horse racing bets placed on WEG's product through OLG.ca and the OLG app are made using pari-mutuel wagering–the only legal form of betting on horse racing in Canada. In this betting model, players bet into a shared pool and winners share the pot, making it a fair and exciting way to play that complies with Canadian laws. “This launch brings the excitement of horse racing to even more people across the province in a convenient and modern way–enhancing the experience for bettors while driving new interest in our sport,” said Michael Copeland, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “It's another step forward for the growth of horse racing in Ontario, and we're grateful to OLG for their continued support and willingness to collaborate and innovate alongside us.” The post Ontario Lottery And Woodbine Partner To Bring Horse Racing To More Ontario Bettors appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With the 3-year-old filly championship still up for grabs, Good Cheer, La Cara, or Nitrogen could solidify their case Aug. 16 with a victory in the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is among those to send well-wishes to popular trainer Bill Turner, who is in hospital after reportedly suffering a serious accident at home on Monday. Turner, 78, a former jockey and as a trainer synonymous with the Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster, having won the traditional first race of the Flat turf season six times, suffered a fractured skull in the accident, according to Sky Sports Racing and the Racing Post. Based in Sigwells, Somerset, Turner's most recent winner of the Brocklesby was Mick's Yer Man in 2013. “Everybody at the BHA sends our best wishes to Bill Turner following his accident yesterday,” read a statement from the BHA posted on social media. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends and team.” The post Bill Turner in Hospital Following Serious Accident appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Former Major League Baseball champion Jayson Werth will be in attendance at Deauville when the exciting Outfielder lines up in the G1 Sumbe Prix Morny on Sunday, August 24. Werth, who owns the son of Speightstown in partnership with Amo Racing and trainer Wesley Ward, won the 2008 World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies. In racing, he is perhaps best known as the part-owner of Dornoch, who won last year's GI Belmont Stakes and GI Haskell Stakes for trainer Danny Gargan. Werth also played a starring role in the Netflix series Race for the Crown, following Dornoch's exploits on the Triple Crown trail in 2024. Speaking to TDN last month about the quest for a fourth Prix Morny win, Ward said of the unbeaten Outfielder, “I'm just excited for this horse. He's got a wonderful ownership group. Jayson Werth, his World Series-winning outfielder. And that's how I picked his name, Outfielder. And Kia [Joorabchian, founder of Amo Racing], who's huge in the game now. He's come in and spent lots and lots of money to have horses like this and to be a part of his group. “They're all excited to go there. It's such a beautiful place. If anybody goes to Deauville, France on a vacation, let alone for the horses and to be involved in a horse race like this at Group 1, you have a yearning to go back. It's a great place to go.” Outfielder's potential rivals in the Prix Morny include the recent G2 Richmond Stakes winner Coppull (Bated Breath), who will be trying to provide trainer Clive Cox with a second success in that Deauville contest after that of Reckless Abandon in 2012. “He's in great form and we were very pleased that the race [the Richmond] took place before the rain fell at Goodwood,” said Cox. “I've been delighted with how he has come out of that and, all being well, he will head to the Prix Morny where he won't be penalised for his success. It's a well-trodden path. “His form was boosted again at the weekend by the Amo horse [Power Blue] who was behind us at Ascot [when Coppull finished third in the G2 Coventry Stakes]. I see no reason to be anything but pleased with the progress our horse is making. He took the step up to Group 2 in his stride and that has vindicated a further step up at this stage.” The post Jayson Werth Deauville-Bound in Support of Prix Morny Contender Outfielder appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced juveniles from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes, sponsored by OBS Sales, highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, including links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Wednesday at Saratoga. Wednesday, August 13, 2025 Saratoga 3, $90k, 2yo, f, (S), 1 1/16mT, 2:20 p.m. ET Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze She's Country (Combatant), OBSAPR, 80,000, :10 1/5 C-Sweet River TBs, agent; B-West Point TBs, LEB, agent Saratoga 9, $100k, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 5:44 p.m. ET Bodacious Queen (Munnings)-AE, OBSAPR, 80,000, :10 C-Hartley/DeRenzo TBs, agent; B-Black Horse Bloodstock Lexico (Lexitonian), OBSAPR, 60,000, :10 3/5 C-Navas Equine, agent; B-Calumet Farm The post Summer Breezes Sponsored By OBS: Wednesday, August 13, 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ben Bernhard, Shannon Griffin, and Mandy Pope have been named to the Board of Directors of the Thoroughbred Charities of America. The three newly elected directors join current board members Carrie Brogden, Lesley Campion (vice president), Marette Farrell (secretary), Torie Gladwell, Marshall Gramm (treasurer), Ryan Mahan, Mike McMahon (president), Dan Metzger, Leah O'Meara, Liam O'Rourke, Morgan Richardson, Cathy Shircliff, Brook Smith, and Jesse Ullery. Gretchen Jackson, Ellen Moelis and Dan Rosenberg are directors emeriti. Thoroughbred Charities of America was formed in 1990 by Allaire duPont and Herb and Ellen Moelis to raise and distribute funds to charities in the Thoroughbred industry that fund and facilitate the support of Thoroughbreds and the people who care for them. In 2024, TCA granted over $1 million to 86 charities working within Thoroughbred retraining, rehoming and retirement; backstretch and farm worker services, research and equine-assisted therapy. The post Bernhard, Griffin, Pope Named TCA Directors appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Godolphin, Juddmonte, and Klaravich Stables have been named finalists for the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's National Owner of the Year award, the organization announced Tuesday. Godolphin is also a finalist for the TOBA's National Breeder of the Year Award. Sheikh Mohammed's operation is joined by fellow breeder finalists Judy Hicks and Town and Country Horse Farms. The finalists for the Small Breeder of the Year are William Butler; Cuyathy; and Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby, and 4G Racing. Finalists for the Cot Campbell Partnership of the Year are Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby, 4G Racing and Valley View Farm; MyRacehorse; and the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan. “The finalists for the TOBA awards represent extraordinary achievements in our sport,” said TOBA president Dan Metzger. “We are honored to celebrate with them on what promises to be a memorable evening celebrating our 40th anniversary of the TOBA National Awards.” The TOBA National Awards will consist of two days of presentations in Lexington The National Awards Dinner will be held Sept. 6 at Fasig-Tipton, and the National Awards Luncheon, which honors breeders from 19 states and Canada, will be held Sept. 5 at Godolphin. The post Godolphin, Juddmonte, Klaravich Among Finalists for TOBA National Awards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Arthur B. Hancock III, John Perrotta, and Josh Pons have been named finalists for the 19th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, which celebrates excellence in Thoroughbred sports literature. Two of the titles, Hancock's “Dark Horses: A Memoir of Redemption” and Pons's “Letters From Country Life: Adolphe Pons, Man o' War, and the Founding of Maryland's Oldest Thoroughbred Farm” are biographies steeped in the family Thoroughbred history of each author. Perrotta, a lifelong horseman who has been a racetrack and stable manager, jockey agent and radio executive, joins the group with “A Beggar's Ride,” a mystery/thriller tale that spans racetracks from California to Ireland, the author's current home. “These finalists have much in common: men who have devoted their lives to Thoroughbred racing, but also have nurtured their creative sides,” said Book Award judge Kay Coyte. “They did so, not only through these books, but also through journalism, songwriting or screenwriting. Oh, the stories they can tell.” Semifinalists included: “The History of the Kentucky Derby in 75 Objects,” by Kentucky Derby Museum and Jessica K. Whitehead; “Jockey Queen: Lillian Jenkinson Holder, Horse Racing's Fearless Lady,” by Roger Peach; and “What Horses Do After Racing: The Story of Good Carma,” by Jay Privman. The winner's ceremony will be held in the loft above the stallion barn at the Ryan family's Castleton Lyons farm near Lexington on Nov. 6. In addition to the $10,000 winner's check, the Book Award will present $1,000 to the other two finalists. Each will receive Tipperary crystal trophies. The 2024 judging team included Coyte, an Eclipse Award-winning former Washington Post editor; Caton Bredar, an Eclipse-winning television on-air host and handicapper; Kim Wickens, winner of the 2023 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award for “Lexington,” and former Boston Globe columnist Diane White, a director of the Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement farm. The post Hancock, Perrotta, and Pons Named Tony Ryan Book Award Finalists appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hipodromo Camarero plans to hire a compliance officer whose responsibilities will include developing continuous education, reviewing retirement procedures, recommending new regulations when necessary, and ensuring adherence to established protocols.View the full article

Rebel Racing, the training operation founded by Phil Cunningham, is set to open its own barn in Dubai this winter, with trainer Richard Spencer heading the team. “This is a hugely exciting challenge,” said Cunningham. “We'll still have the heart of the team in Newmarket, but the opportunity in Dubai is huge. Quite frankly, it beats racing around the all-weather in January – the prize-money and experience over there speak for themselves. The Dubai racing team have been incredibly helpful and made the process very straightforward. We're really looking forward to the challenge.” Cunningham and Spencer joined forces in 2016, before Rajasinghe provided the partnership with its first major success when winning the 2018 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Cunningham has subsequently offered strong support to Rajasinghe in his stallion career at the National Stud, with the owner's recent Stewards' Cup winner Two Tribes featuring among his most notable progeny. The post Rebel Racing to Launch “Hugely Exciting” Dubai Operation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Circle the wagons and sally forth as one, for Deauville is in view, which means only one thing: it'll soon be Christmas. There is, however, a circuitous route to be navigated before we reconvene under the Normandy lights in December. And right now, surely even the older members of the travelling show can lift an enthusiastic heart, along with the odd glass or two, as the summer holidays merge happily with the beginning of the European yearling sales at Arqana and some damn good sport across the road at the Hippodrome Deauville-La Touques. We upset Angus Gold a few weeks ago in these pages for daring to suggest that he, along with Hubie de Burgh and Con Marnane, would make an excellent trio of backing vocalists to Henri Bozo's lead singer. Nobody puts Angus in the corner…except at Arqana in August, where Bozo really has been centre stage for almost too many years to count at the head of the Ecurie des Monceaux draft. Actually, as we are counting, Monceaux has been the leading consignor for 13 consecutive August Sales. It would be folly to bet against that tally rising yet again this year. Thirty-eight yearlings form the 2025 draft, and they include a Night Of Thunder daughter of Prudenzia, a half-sister to last year's €1.7m sale-topper Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica), who handily broke her maiden on Saturday at the Curragh for Aidan O'Brien, earning a TDN Rising Star in the process. There is also the first foal of Classic heroine Mangoustine (Dark Angel), whose colt by Frankel is catalogued on Sunday evening, while the strapping chestnut son of Siyouni and Roheryn (Galileo), a half-brother to G1 Underwood Stakes winner Buckaroo (Fastnet Rock), may well add to what is likely to be a lively concluding session on Monday. Bozo says of Diamond Necklace's timely win, “[That] was a great result for us because that's really our family that we developed with Lady O'Reilly, and Coolmore have been great supporters. I had heard great things of the filly, so it was nice to see it happening and her showing ability. “She's a half-sister to the yearling we're selling on Monday, who herself is by Night Of Thunder, and she's also closely related to two nice fillies we're selling, one being the Dubawi filly out of Paix, and the other is the Zarak filly of Prudente. The whole family we have been developing in the last 15 years.” Over that time, 17 Group 1 winners have been raised on the paddocks at Monceaux, including Prudenzia's early flagship daughter Chicquita and her younger half-sister Magic Wand. In the sale-ring, the Dansili mare's offspring have raised almost €12m. Bozo adds, “From this Prudenzia family you're expecting a certain type of filly, which is a classy filly, not precocious but classy, with a good step, and I think that's what our Night Of Thunder filly is also.” Mangoustine was offered at the Arqana Select Sale of 2020, rechristened that year after Covid forced a delay from August to September. Bred by Monceaux, Qatar Bloodstock and Lordship Stud, she was signed for at €46,000 by David Redvers, buying out Lordship Stud, and she has repaid his faith well in subsequent years by winning the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G3 Prix Miesque. “We chose Frankel for Mangoustine because obviously she was a special filly and, like many other people, I think Frankel goes very well with those fillies who have shown speed,” Bozo says. “We wanted to give her every chance to become a good producer and we are very happy with the results. She's got a lovely Siyouni filly at foot, and she went back to Frankel.” Globally, the yearling sales season has begun in rude health – in the elite tier at least – with record-breaking trade at the JRHA Select Sale in Japan and the Saratoga Sale in America. The eyes of the bloodstock world will now be firmly fixed on France. “It's always a positive sign and gives a good bit of confidence to everyone and this is really important for the breeders to be in a good state of mind,” says Bozo of recent events at Saratoga. “America is different from France or from Europe, but it's just a good, positive sign and, not only the American sales, but the general atmosphere of the last year is that there is a real demand for good horses from more and more people all over the world, and we should be reasonably confident, I think.” Deauville First for Tweenhills The Arqana August Sale always has an international vibe to it, and that appears to be even more pronounced on the list of consignors involved this year. Outside the French regulars, Barton Stud, Hazelwood Bloodstock and Tweenhills are among the English farms with first drafts in Deauville this summer, while the seven Irish consignors include Ballylinch, Baroda, Camas Park, Glidawn, Kildaragh, Moanmore and Yeomanstown studs. In total, 48 of the 308 yearlings (15.5%) are consigned by British or Irish operations. David Redvers says that Tweenhills will be represented across the European sales this year, with Sheikh Fahad Al Thani having opted to sell all of his European-based yearlings. “We have obviously sold lots of horses in Deauville in the past with Monceaux, but never under our own name,” he says. The Tweenhills draft of three kicks off with a filly by this year's leading first-season sire, Starman (lot 76), a half-sister to the Listed Hever Sprint Stakes winner Kimngrace (Profitable). “Starman has made a terrific start, especially with his fillies, and this is a filly that was pinhooked by Sebastian Thompson, who came to us at age 16 and has just finished a two-year apprenticeship with us. He and Hannah [Wall]'s pinhooking syndicate own her and I must say that she is one of those gorgeous fillies that not only is the stallion helping her but she is helping herself, as she has just got better and better. Young Sebastian is there helping with the draft and I imagine he will be on tenterhooks.” Two of Sheikh Fahad's homebreds complete the consignment: a New Bay filly out of the G3 Derrinstown Stud Fillies Stakes winner Know It All (Lord Kanaloa) and a Siyouni colt out of one of the sheikh's earliest Group 1 winners, the Cheveley Park Stakes victrix Lightening Pearl (Marju), who already has the Group 3 winner Lightening Quick (Frankel) on her production record. “Sheikh Fahad has all his European yearlings going to market this year and these are two of the best ones,” says Redvers. “Freddy Powell came round and looked at all of our yearlings and they were the two he particularly wanted, that he thought would work well in France. He made an impassioned plea to Sheikh Fahad, and Sheikh Fahad agreed to give it a try. I would be very optimistic about both of them; they are both horses that in another year we would probably have put into training.” With turnover just north of €50m for the 226 Arqana August yearlings sold last year, this fell a little short of the record figures for the previous year, but was still on par with what had also been record trade for 2022, which posted a median of €140,000 and an average of more than €200,000. Redvers shares Bozo's optimism of a strong start to trade in Europe. He says, “If the sales continue à la Saratoga then we are going to be in for a very interesting time at the top end of the market.” First taste of the freshman sires Eight stallions with first yearlings for sale this year will be represented in Deauville in the coming week. Shadwell's Baaeed leads the field with nine in the sale, including Haras de Colleville's filly out of former top sprinter Restiadargent (Kendargent), who is already the dam of two black-type winners. The first of the Baaeed yearlings to grace the ring, however, will be a colt out of the dual Group 3 winner Anna Nerium from a family cultivated by Bob and Jeanette McCreery tracing back to Anna Paola. The mare's third foal, he is with La Motteraye Consignment. Of the French-based sires, the G1 Champion Stakes winner Sealiway, now at Haras de Beaumont, has three catalogued, while Gestut Auenquelle's Arc winner Torquator Tasso has two, including Applewood Stud's half-sister to the Group 3-placed Serienadler (Gleneagles) from the family of Japanese sire and Grade 1 winner Schnell Meister. Bayside Boy, Blackbeard, Naval Crown, State Of Rest and Thunder Moon also have their first yearlings for sale in France. Grub's up All that remains is a matter of almost equal importance to judging yearlings, and that's the settlement of the long-running argument as to which is the best restaurant in the vicinity of Deauville-Trouville. The traditionalists say Le Drakkar, even through the diehards can no longer prop up the bar until daylight threatens. These days, the nearby L'Institution, featuring some familiar faces from the old Drakkar, is giving it a run for its money. The market area hasn't been the same since Chez Hervé was shuttered, though Olivier Bertran de Balanda's Fanfaron was an excellent replacement for a while, though that, too, is sadly no more, in Deauville at least. You can however find the same owner's La Cantine des Fanfarons in the village of Manneville la Pipard just south of Pont l'Eveque, while in place of the original in Deauville is the newly opened Napoletano, a rival for the popular pizza place Santa Lucia, which is now under new management and has had a bit of a facelift. Those who enjoy a stroll over the bridge may spot head Trouvilliste Jocelyn Targett, who will swear that that Le Central is best, while Alan Cooper may insist upon Le Pavillon Augustine. We happen to like Les 4 Chats, as long as William Huntingdon is not à table moaning about the legroom and dim lighting (a head torch does come in handy, however). Just so he doesn't get cross with us again, we will let Angus Gold have the last word on matters culinary in delightful Deauville. “Well, I would have said Fanfaron was my favourite, but that has now sadly been sold, and Santa Lucia has also changed hands,” Gold says. “I was never really a Drakkar man, that was always a bit grown up for me, though they have done a very good job with the renovation, but I will opt for Les Planches, near the Normandy. I prefer the quieter places these days.” If you believe that, you will believe anything. And with a plane-load of Americans arriving direct from Saratoga on Wednesday morning, plus plenty more of the bloodstock crowd jetting or motoring in from elsewhere, Deauville will be anything but quiet in the countdown to the start of yearling season at 5.30pm this Saturday. The post From Top Nosh to Top-Notch Yearlings: It Must Be Arqana’s August Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

I'm not going to apologise for saying it again: in the old days, before veterinary science released the shackles, quality was locked into stallion books. To reach a top sire, you had to earn the right. In 1962, Hirsch Jacobs requested access to Swaps for Searching, a granddaughter of La Troienne, winner of 25 races, meanwhile in the Hall of Fame. After all, she had got to Swaps for her first cover, two years previously, and there was a nice filly duly entering training named Affectionately. But John Galbreath told Jacobs that he was sorry, he just couldn't fit Searching in this time. Well, too bad. Jacobs didn't have to ask anyone's permission to send Searching back to his own young stallion, Hail to Reason. (She had just delivered their daughter, Admiring, later one of Paul Mellon's greatest matriarchs.) Jacobs named the resulting filly Priceless Gem. Swaps ended up siring 430 named foals across 16 seasons, an average of 29. Hail to Reason had 319 in 15, which works out at 21. Golden Pal covered 502 mares in his first two seasons. Maybe he's going to be a top stallion. He'd better be… In September 1965, the same week that Affectionately (“Queen of Queens”) was denied her 14th Aqueduct stakes by a nose, Jacobs saddled Priceless Gem for a showdown with Buckpasser in the Futurity Stakes. A couple of weeks previously she'd made an impressive return from a layoff with sore shins. On the same day, however, both the male and female crop leaders had all but sealed their titles: Buckpasser with his eighth consecutive success, in the Arlington-Washington Futurity; and Moccasin by winning the Matron Stakes. Ten days later, Priceless Gem won the fastest juvenile race of the year at Aqueduct (1:09 4/5). And now, just FOUR days on, she took on Buckpasser. “Sure I'll run her,” Jacobs had said. “I paid $250 to keep her in, so I might as well try to get it back.” The match-up would showcase the developing La Troienne dynasty. Buckpasser's dam Busanda was by War Admiral out of her daughter by Blue Larkspur, Businesslike. Priceless Gem's dam, Searching, also by War Admiral, was out of her daughter by Black Toney, Big Hurry. (Black Toney, moreover, was Blue Larkspur's grandsire: he had conceived Big Hurry at 25.) Jacobs had bought Searching in the paddock at Belmont. He was saddling a filly in the next stall and said to Ogden Phipps, “I see you have another daughter of Big Hurry in here.” “Yes,” Phipps replied. “And you can have her after the race for $15,000.” Jacobs was not put off by failing to get a win out of an earlier daughter of Big Hurry, No Fiddling, after claiming her for $7,500. (No Fiddling's daughter by Stymie, sent to Hail to Reason, would produce the champion juvenile filly of the following year, Regal Gleam, later granddam of Caerleon). Nor by the fact that Searching entered the Jacobs barn off a 20th consecutive defeat. Sure enough, after her new trainer diagnosed and treated tender feet, Searching won 25 of her remaining 69 starts. Now her daughter saw off Buckpasser in an epic, by half-a-length, the pair 10 clear. But though adding the Frizette, she couldn't keep an appointment with Moccasin at the end of the year and ceded all the laurels. (Ah, Moccasin, with her full siblings Ridan, Lt. Stevens and Thong! Four of just 186 named foals by Nantallah, across 14 seasons…) In 1970, Priceless Gem was sold for $395,000, a record for an in-foal mare. But she had already delivered her second foal, a filly by Sea-Bird (Fr), purchased as a yearling by Daniel Wildenstein. As Allez France, she won eight Group 1s, including the 1974 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Of five named foals out of Allez France, much the most accomplished was Action Francaise (Nureyev), a Group 3 winner in a light career and dam of four group performers or producers as well as listed scorer Astorg (Lear Fan). Astorg in turn produced Asti (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) to be beaten a neck in the G1 Priz Saint-Alary, albeit she proved only a bit player in graded stakes when tried in the U.S. Astorg also had a daughter by Peintre Celebre, Azalee (Ire), but that one never made the track and was culled at Tattersalls in 2008 for 22,000gns. She certainly offered an intriguing pedigree. Aside from her distinguished maternal line, she was inbred 2×3 to Nureyev (Peintre Celebre's sire/Astorg's damsire). And while a fairly modest producer overall, Azalee did come up with Azaelia (Fr) (Turtle Bowl {Ire})–whose fourth in the G1 Prix de Diane earned her a transfer over the water. While she did win an allowance for Joe Allen and Peter Brant, Azaelia couldn't eke any further black-type before going to the paddocks. She was sent for her first cover to Allen's cherished War Front and the resulting colt, having won a turf stakes as a sophomore in 2022, appeared to have reached a plateau when hammered for $260,000 at Fasig-Tipton's HRA Sale the following July. It is only this year, as a fully mature 6-year-old, that he has really started to thrive, winning three of his last four–including, last Saturday, the GI Arlington Million at Colonial Downs. The demise of the racetrack that gave us the Million remains a torment to many, but Fort Washington's maternal line reminds us that our world will always keep changing. Like it or not. Noble Lines Also Behind Del Mar Duo Besides emerging from the usual barn, the juveniles who last weekend laid down their respective markers among the West Coast's leading colts and fillies also shared a genetic imprint. The GIII Sorrento Stakes winner Himika is a daughter of Curlin, and so is the dam of GIII Best Pal winner Desert Gate (Omaha Beach). On the face of it, Himika brought a pretty bald page to the OBS catalogue in April, quickly reaching her fourth dam. Yet her $900,000 sale was underpinned by some distinction in each of the intervening trio. She's the first starter out of Motivated Seller (Into Mischief), who flashed plenty of talent across just six starts: won her first two, thwarted by just a neck on her stakes debut, signed off with a 5.5-furlong track record at Saratoga. Motivated Seller was out of a stakes winner by Empire Maker, while the next dam was runner-up in a Group 1 race in Australia. So albeit with little else in the vicinity, there's a thread of talent adequate to the fact that this line eventually tapers to none other than Cosmah. Desert Gate | Benoit Desert Gate also traces to aristocratic roots. His first two dams similarly showed plenty. He is out of dual stakes winner/Grade II runner-up Theogony (Curlin), whose own mother Upcoming Story (Tale of the Cat) was twice placed at graded level in a light career. But it's third dam Old Star (Arg) (Southern Halo) who takes us somewhere exotic. Group 1-placed in her native land, she begins a sequence of seven consecutive dams foaled in Argentina, extending all the way back to Parvula (Arg) in 1890. This was the most important daughter of Ante Diem (GB), one of the foundation mares of the South American Turf. For a time, none of this seemed to be helping Theogony replicate her ability. Given expensive covers, her only starter from her first three foals was an Into Mischief gelding who made $12,000 as a yearling and made that look expensive on the track. Theogony was sold carrying Desert Gate for $70,000 at the 2023 Keeneland January Sale and, while he cleared that investment as a $125,000 weanling in the same ring that November, that did not appear to earn her a reprieve when sold–with as purposeful a cover as Medaglia d'Oro–for $3,000 deep in the next edition of that sale, last November. Theogony's yearling colt by the same sire is offered as Hip 553 in the September Sale and, assuming all to be well in the meantime, someone out there will be very curious to see how the mare's upgrade plays out in the market. Laurelin A Golden Tree In their curation of a family tracing to 1980 Epsom Oaks winner Bireme (GB) (Grundy {Ire})–via a daughter herself since granddam to another Oaks scorer–how marvelous to see the kind of thought that Mark Dixon and Luke Lillingston put into the mating of her great-granddaughter Bari (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) with Zarak (Fr) in 2021. Zarak, of course, is a son of the great Zarkava (Ire), whose sire Zamindar was full-brother to Bari's damsire Zafonic. Both were by Gone West out of Zaizafon (The Minstrel), acquired in utero when Mofida (GB) (Right Tack {GB}) was recommended by the late James Delahooke as one of Juddmonte's foundation mares. Laurelin | Sarah Andrew The mating that replicates this combination also featured, in the same generation, some of the sturdiest staying brands in Europe: Deploy (GB), Kahyasi (Ire), Rainbow Quest. Few would expect to find those names behind an unbeaten stakes winner at two, but “stamina” very often just means “class,” the ability to carry speed. Regardless, Laurelin duly reached a new high when raised in distance last weekend, going five-for-five in the GII Saratoga Oaks. Congrats to Mount Coote and partners, and their customers who exported Laurelin. There can't be many broodmare prospects in North America with a better profile. The post Breeding Digest: A Long Road to Washington appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The leading 10 horses are unchanged in the latest National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top Thoroughbred Poll following a week of racing action in which none of the top-ranked horses were in competition. View the full article

Miguel Clement has many memories of the conversations he had with his father about Deterministic (Liam's Map). In Christophe's book, a good horse could perform well across different surfaces and distances, and he always believed Deterministic fit that description. Over the past two years, Deterministic has proven him right, checking both those boxes for the Clement racing stable and serving as a steady presence through a poignant period of change following Christophe's passing in May. “My dad and I both loved him from the get-go and he has been a joy to train,” said Miguel Clement. “This horse has been great to us because when we needed him most, he provided a well-needed distraction for both the stable and the family. I guess the one great constant thing I've got going on in my life, especially at this moment, is having a horse like Deterministic.” Liam's Map). In Christophe's book, a good horse could perform well across different surfaces and distances, and he always believed Deterministic fit that description. Over the past two years, Deterministic has proven him right, checking both those boxes for the Clement racing stable and serving as a steady presence through a poignant period of change following Christophe's passing in May.”> Campaigned by St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker and Vicarage Stable, Deterministic arrived in the Clement barn when Miguel was in his sixth year of working as an assistant for his father. The colt was a 'TDN Rising Star' on debut, breaking his maiden going seven furlongs on the main track at Saratoga. While a seven-month layoff forced the Clements to adjust their plans for the promising youngster, Deterministic returned in style in last year's GIII Gotham Stakes. Two unplaced efforts on dirt followed, prompting father and son to make a change they had been considering for the colt from the start. Christophe and Miguel Clement | Tod Marks A move to the turf proved to be a turning point. Deterministic hit the board in his next five starts at three, highlighted by wins in the GIII Virginia Derby and GIII Hill Prince Stakes. This spring, he added another graded score in the GII Fort Marcy Stakes, just three weeks before Christophe passed away at the age of 59. Less than two weeks after Miguel officially took up the reins of the stable, the young trainer earned his first Grade I when Deterministic put in a front-running effort in the Manhattan Stakes. “The ground was a bit soft, which may not have been ideal for him,” explained Clement. “Nevertheless his class prevailed. He showed tactile speed straight from the gate and he always looked like he was in control of the race.” Returning to Grade I company for the Fourstardave Stakes, Deterministic revealed a different dimension when he settled just off the pace and took command in the final furlong. “The fact that he's that versatile, where he can just wait for the rider's command, was quite impressive,” explained Clement. “He was able to sit second, just half a length off the leader, and wait for his cue. Per usual, he showed a great turn of foot and his athleticism carried us.” The Fourstardave win earned Deterministic an automatic entry into the GI FanDuel Mile at the Breeders' Cup—a stage that has been woven into Miguel's life for as long as he can remember. Miguel was always destined to follow in his father's footsteps. His mother Valerie said that early on, she and Christophe had hoped their son might pursue a different career, but the pull of racing proved too strong. “We pushed Miguel away from horse racing, to the point where if people were going to give Miguel a job over the summer, Christophe would call them and tell them not to,” Valerie admitted. “That's how he ended up in a bank in California for one summer, but he disliked it passionately.” Before joining the Clement stable as an assistant in 2017, Miguel graduated from the Godolphin Flying Start program, working for top trainers around the globe like Chris Waller in Australia and Mike de Kock in South Africa. He later spent two years in Newmarket as an assistant for Hugo Palmer. By the time he returned full-time to the family stable, the Breeders' Cup was already woven into his earliest memories. Some trips from his early childhood might be a bit hazy—like Flag Down's third in the 1997 Turf or Coretta's runner-up finish in the 1999 Filly and Mare Turf—but others are unforgettable. Christophe had seven runner-up finishes at the Breeders' Cup, a testament to how difficult it can be for even the sport's best to reach the winner's circle there. His lone victory came in 2021, when Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) claimed the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Deterministic scores in the 'Win And You're In' GI Fourstardave | Sarah Andrew “When Gio Ponti struck the front and got ran down by Zenyatta [in the 2009 Classic], I thought he was going to win that day,” Clement admitted. “Then the very next year he was second to Goldikova [in the Mile]. That was a painful memory too. But the stable highlight was Pizza Bianca for Bobby Flay and with Jose Ortiz. When she had that incredible turn of foot to weave through traffic and get up, that was impressive.” For everyone at the Clement barn, getting Deterministic to this year's Breeders' Cup will carry special significance. For Valerie, it will be one of the last opportunities for Christophe to have a presence on one of racing's biggest stages. “Every time I walk in the barn now, it's Christophe's story, but I know one day Miguel will train horses that Christophe has never seen,” she said. “So that will be different as things progress, but at the moment every horse has had a story from the beginning where I know what Christophe was hoping for each one.” For most of Deterministic's time in the stable, Miguel and Christophe shaped the colt's career together. Now, the talented runner is a living connection to the way they worked and dreamed as a team. “It would be very rewarding and very fulfilling for many reasons,” Clement said. “We're very lucky in the sense that [the Breeders' Cup] is something we've done many times, but I guess not with Dad by our side. So it will be a bit different, but we will have to make it work.” Different, yes, but in many ways, Deterministic's path to the Breeders' Cup mirrors Miguel's own—shaped by years of preparation, patient guidance, and Christophe Clement's unwavering belief in them both. The post Breeders’ Cup Connections: Deterministic Anchors Miguel Clement in New Chapter appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A 2016 referendum that would have allowed the Meadowlands to open a casino was a colossal failure. The ballot question lost by about 1.5 million votes. But nine years later, there is renewed hope that casino gaming could be on its way to two of the last tracks in the country that do not benefit from gaming revenue. Meadowlands owner Jeff Gural is confident that he will get a casino license sometime in 2026. Monmouth officials are also hopeful voters will approve a casino at the Jersey Shore track. If the Meadowlands gets a casino and Monmouth does not, Meadowlands would have to share the proceeds evenly, which would go towards purses at both tracks. The game changer is that New York is about to award three casino licenses to down state properties. They can be in the five boroughs or Yonkers. Currently, there is a racino at Aqueduct and Yonkers, but they are limited to slot machines and electronic table games. The favorites to get a downstate license are Aqueduct, Yonkers and New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, who has proposed building a casino near Citi Field in Queens. If there is the status quo in New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area gets three new casinos, Gural predicts that residents of the Garden State will flock to the nearby New York casinos. Yonkers Raceway is 8.5 miles from the George Washington Bridge and the Jersey border. Will New Jersey politicians and voters allow for a scenario where millions of gambling dollars from New Jersey residents are spent in New York State? “I'm fairly confident, especially if they put a casino at Yonkers, which would be the closest to Northern New Jersey, that people will say to themselves, 'why would I drive over the bridge, sit in traffic and pay $18 if I could go to the Meadowlands to gamble?'” Gural said. “I'm a big believer in common sense. People have told me that a casino at the Meadowlands would be the most successful casino in the country, and I don't doubt that. We have a beautiful facility. We have sports betting. A full casino, I think would pack them in.” Legislative efforts are already underway to facilitate casino development at the two racetracks, including a proposed constitutional amendment (Bill SCR130) that would allow casino gaming at the Meadowlands Racetrack and Monmouth Park Racetrack. In a race between Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli, there will be a new governor in New Jersey early next year. Neither has come out for or against New Jersey getting racetrack casinos. “Once we know where the downstate licenses are going to be and who the governor is going to be, then we've got to try to get a referendum that would allow a casino only at the Meadowlands and not any place else,” Gural said. Gural said with the way the 2106 referendum was written, it was never going to be approved by the voters. “I learned from that experience what not to do,” he said. Gural will campaign for a casino at the Meadowlands only. He doesn't fear the Atlantic City casino lobby, which has successfully kept casinos out of the New Jersey tracks for nearly 50 years. “I think the opposition is going to come from New York,” he said. “Once New York opens, then people from New York aren't going to go to Atlantic City anymore. So why wouldn't they want to see money stay in New Jersey? It can only help them eventually. The states are broke. So their biggest fear is that the state raises the tax rate on them. They just raised the tax rate on online gambling. If I were the Atlantic City casinos, my biggest worry would be the state needing money would simply raise the tax rate in Atlantic City. So this would help them because they could say, well, we sat on the sidelines and allowed a casino at the Meadowlands, which is generating hundreds of millions of dollars. You should leave us alone. And my guess is that that would be a persuasive argument, too.” Gural says that should he get a casino and Monmouth does not, the money from the casino earmarked for purses would be split evenly between the two tracks. “I think this would solidify us as the premier harness track in the country,” he said. “We are already the number one harness track in North America, but we really struggle because we're competing with Yonkers. They get $50 million a year in purse subsidies. And the two Pennsylvania tracks (Pocono Downs and Harrah's Philadelphia) get $30 million each. We've been getting a $6-million subsidy from the state. You can see why we're at a major disadvantage.” At Monmouth, Dennis Drazin, who heads the Darby Development team that manages Monmouth Park, isn't quite as optimistic as Gural. “This is a tough one,” he said. “I've been trying to get a casino for 20 to 30 years and frankly have not been successful. The last time we went around and had the ballot question, it was overwhelmingly defeated, but I think it was set up to be a failure because the legislation made it easy to challenge. There was no specificity of where they'd be located, tax rate, who would benefit from it. It just didn't have the accompanying enabling legislation for people to intellectually evaluate it, and it was easy for the opposition to spend 30 minutes to get it defeated. “Having said that, things have changed. Now they're going to award downstate casinos. It's going to be direct competition for New Jersey. I think the New Jersey legislators and Governor Murphy and whoever the next governor is, either Ciattarelli or Mikie Sherrill, understand that we need to protect the gaming dollars in New Jersey. So I share Jeff's hope this will get done, but I don't think it's any easy lift.” While any new source of revenue would help Monmouth, Drazin said he will fight to see to it that both tracks gets a casino. He said that the legislation calls for full casinos at both the Meadowlands and Monmouth. “[Casino owner] Morris Bailey is our gaming partner at Monmouth Park,” Drazin said. “If we were to get one, I think that there may be less of an impact on Atlantic City if we just get slots and not full table games. So that's one scenario that Monmouth Park would be willing to accept in order to get this done. We currently are not in favor of a casino at Meadowlands and not at Monmouth Park. We think the ballot question should be for both racetracks. Jeff is unlikely to get the support of Morris Bailey or Monmouth Park without our getting something out of this, and that won't help him.” Nothing is imminent but the sense of optimism is something new. Both New Jersey tracks struggle to fill cards and run limited schedules. The Meadowlands runs only twice a week and Monmouth is open three days a week and offers only 50 days of racing. With casinos, that will no doubt change and purses should rise dramatically. The first casino in New Jersey, Resorts International, now owned by Bailey, opened on May 26, 1978. It's been a tough grind for the Meadowlands and Monmouth ever since and Atlantic City and Garden State Park closed long ago. Could it be that the fight is about to end, with the racetracks being declared the winner? There is hope. The post At Last Optimism that Meadowlands and Monmouth May Get Casinos appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. 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The spotlight turns to Haras du Chevotel stud manager Hugo Namur, who is next up in TDN Europe's consignor Q&A, which provides an insight behind some of the vendors in the build-up to the August Yearling Sale in Deauville. Haras du Chevotel is based in the heart of Normandy and has been associated with quality breeding for many years. One of the younger guns on the sales circuit, Namur runs through the farm's consignment, offers what young stallions he is taking note of and much more. Tell us a bit about the background to your draft. You are one of the younger guns on the sales scene. We are a small farm which has been consigning horses for 11 years now. Each year, we sell one or two in August or in October. This year, we had two for August, but one of them got sick, and we will surely sell that one in October, but he will be unable to be sold at this sale. That is the colt by Space Blues out of Oriental Road (lot 179). So the one remaining is the Night of Thunder out of Tres Americanqueen (lot 290). Still, not bad. He's a very beautiful colt, with some size and is well-proportioned. He has a beautiful way of moving, and a beautiful pedigree. I think he'll do well. What young sires are you most looking forward to seeing the progeny [yearlings or foals] of this season? You know, we only have 10 or 12 mares, so we go to very few stallions. Personally, I really like Space Blues. He has his first two-year-olds this year, but I like him a lot, and Ghaiyyath (Ire), who has his first three-year-olds this year. But we're not really using very fast, commercial stallions. So I'm not that interested in them. In your experience, what type of horse does particularly well at the August Sale? You really need a horse who is well-made, with a beautiful way of going, a great pedigree and one who walks well, because today people are really looking at that a lot more than they used to. What is you best memory on the sale ground at Arqana? It was the first year that we sold horses in August. We sold a filly for 500,000 euros to Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum, bought by his bloodstock agent (Angus Gold). That was a great moment. That was a crazy memory for us, going with a filly like that who made 500,000 euros. It was really a big moment for us. Magnificent. And when you do get that all-important result in the sales ring, how do you like to celebrate? And with whom? Honestly, we celebrate the failures as well as the victories. It never stops and you know that if you have a setback, that can turn into a success, and when you have a success, you know that can turn as well. So the best thing to do is to always enjoy a good meal and try to have a good time. We work a lot with the same bloodstock agent, John Tyrrell from Ireland, who the bosses have worked with for 25 years. And you know, we are really a little guy in the midst of big guys. So, we try to create our own little mix of horses. We keep some of them to race. We sell some. And that's it. We try to do our best. Predictions for the yearling sale market? Every year, we say that it's going to stop, that the market will go down, and all of that. But I have the impression that there will always be people who have money and who are interested in investing. So, I think that the good market that has been ongoing for several years is going to continue. But I think stallions are becoming much too expensive, and at some point, that's going to have to stop. We have to pay attention to that. Too much is the enemy of good, and unfortunately, the economy encourages the desire to make money, and that's understandable. But I think we have to pay attention to that. If you weren't involved in bloodstock, what career path would you have taken? I think I would have worked in real estate. I really like everything that has to do with stone, wood and architecture. So yes, it's a little bit different, because there, you have to talk to people. Whereas here, I'm talking to horses and it's good because they don't respond. But yes, I think I would have done something like that. Tell us something that people don't know about you? That I exist. Do you have any superstitions or good luck charms? No. I try not to do that. Best piece of advice you ever received? To be someone who is honest and can be relied upon. The post Arqana Vendors In The Spotlight: Q&A With Haras du Chevotel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

What Sandown Lakeside Races Where Sandown Racecourse – 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale VIC 3171 When Wednesday, August 13, 2025 First Race 1pm AEST Visit Dabble Wednesday’s Victorian metro card is set for the Sandown Lakeside circuit with the rail out 6m the entire circuit and the course posted as a Good 4. The opener jumps at 1pm AEST and the closer at 5:05pm. Lakeside often rewards on-pace runners early, but once the racing line shifts, the best ground comes three-to-four off the fence in the straight with the rail out so far. Best Bet at Sandown: Aqueduct Aqueduct has come back a sharper, more professional galloper, stringing together three wins on the synthetic before graduating to a city-grade assignment. He draws to land 2–3 pairs behind the speed from barrier four, and the 3kg claim for Luke Cartwright keeps him nicely in at 59.5kg. His recent wins featured genuine tempo and strong last 400m splits, exactly the profile that transfers to Lakeside’s 1200m. With race-fit rivals like Some People Callme and Flying Valley to measure up against, a clean jump and tractable run-in transit should see Aqueduct put them away late. Best Bet Race 3 – #1 Aqueduct (4) 4yo Gelding | T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy | J: Luke Cartwright (a3) (62.5kg) Next Best at Sandown: Du Clisson Du Clisson is a likeable mare who keeps turning up and running time, and she gets the right set-up second-up at 1200m. Barrier 13 isn’t ideal, but Jordan Childs can ride patient, blend into the three-wide lane from the 500m and launch late — a pattern that often plays at Lakeside. Her profile (5:1-3-0) says she gives you a run for your money, and her recent seconds at BM64 grade stack up nicely against this lot. With even luck in transit, Du Clisson will take some holding out Next Best Race 8 – #9 Du Clisson (13) 4yo Mare | T: Tom Dabernig | J: Jordan Childs (59kg) Best Value at Sandown: Super Trooper Super Trooper was dominant winning a BM70 at Pakenham last start, and finds another suitable 1400m with a soft map. From barrier three, Logan Bates can park the Freedman gelding just behind likely pace-setters King Tut and Emphasize, then angle off turning for home. He carries 59.5kg but again gets the 2kg pull from the apprentice, and his recent figures say he can sustain a strong 600m build at this trip. Super Trooper is holding together beautifully this prep and looks ready to go on with the job. Best Value Race 4 – #3 Super Trooper (3) 4yo Gelding | T: Anthony & Sam Freedman | J: Logan Bates (a2) (59.5kg) Wednesday quaddie tips for Sandown Sandown quadrella selections Wednesday, August 13, 2025 1-7-8 3-6-8 2-3-5-7 4-9-11-14 Horse racing tips View the full article

The List, with guest writer Frank AngstView the full article

What Kensington Races Where Royal Randwick Racecourse – Alison Rd, Randwick NSW 2031 When Wednesday, August 13, 2025 First Race 12:50pm AEST Visit Dabble Randwick serves up a competitive eight-part program on the Kensington circuit this Wednesday afternoon, with the rail set true for the day. The surface was rated a Heavy 9 at the time of acceptances, and with more light rainfall forecast in the lead-up, participants can be assured yielding ground come race-day. The opening race for the Randwick-Kensington meeting is scheduled to get underway at 12:50pm local time. Best Bet at Kensington: Artistic Venture Artistic Venture returns after a 151-day spell and brings an element of class to this maiden contest. She went winless in her two-year-old campaign but caught the eye on multiple occasions, including her last-start effort when travelling wide without cover in the Group 3 Magic Night Stakes (1200m). Her two recent trials have been impressive, and with Zac Lloyd set to have the pair stalking from the one-one after drawing gate two, Artistic Venture gets the perfect setup to claim her first win at start five. Best Bet Race 1 – #1 Artistic Venture (2) 3yo Filly | T: John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | J: Zac Lloyd (61kg) Next Best at Kensington: Tazima Tazima looks to have settled nicely since arriving from the UK. The son of Awtaad relished the Heavy track in his latest effort at Warwick Farm on July 30, with the four-year-old narrowly headed by The Years as the pair produced a ding-dong battle in the concluding stages. Dropping back into this BM64 contest appears ideal third-up, and with the 3kg claim of apprentice hoop Siena Grima having Tazima well in at the weights, expect this guy to prove too classy for this lot. Next Best Race 3 – #1 Tazima (7) 4yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: Siena Grima (a3kg) (62.5kg) Best Value at Kensington: More Felons Despite returning after a 501-day absence, the $15 about More Felons in the Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) seems too big to ignore. The son of Churchill was a long-standing favourite with horse racing bookmakers for the 2024 Sydney Cup (3200m) before suffering a setback after finishing runner-up in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m). His barrier trials suggest he’s returning in terrific order, and provided he can replicate his first-up win in the Listed Parramatta Cup (1900m) last preparation, More Felons must be considered a major player in this. Best Value Race 7 – #1 More Felons (5) 6yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: Siena Grima (a3kg) (62.5kg) Wednesday quaddie tips for Kensington Kensington quadrella selections Wednesday, August 13, 2025 1-4-5-6 8-9-10-11-12 1-9-10-12-16 1-3-12 Horse racing tips View the full article

While there was a lot number of disappointed people the Randwick meeting last Saturday was called off, there was possibly no more so than Victorian trainer Gavin Bedggood. The Bedggood-trained St Lawrence (NZ) (Redwood) was down to run in the Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) on Saturday but after a deluge of rain on Friday night, the majority of the meeting was abandoned. One race that was not was the Premier’s Cup Prelude which has been shifted to the Kensington track on Wednesday with all scratchings from Saturday reinstated and run over the same distance. Bedggood noted St Lawrence would have been one of seven runners had the race gone ahead on Saturday on the gelding’s preferred heavy ground. Already there are six scratchings for Wednesday’s race with the field still remaining two over the safety limit of 12. Bedggood said transferring the race to Wednesday was not ideal, but the gelding will run. “He had done all his work around running on Saturday, but it is what is and he’s already up there,” Bedggood said. “We’re not going to get wet ground down here, I don’t think. “So, we’ll take our chance and the move to the Kensington might discourage a few of those better horses from stepping out and they might look for another option. “After all the scratchings, the field fell away to a field of seven, and I thought he was a great chance, but it was a very hard race to read. “There was a lot of horses that are early in their campaigns, a lot of horses from the same stable, so it was a bit of a raffle. “I’m not all over the form up there, so, for me, it was a hard race to read.” Bedggood will break new ground on Wednesday when St Lawrence is the trainer’s first runner on the Kensington circuit. “I’ve never seen the Kensington track,” Bedggood said. “I know it’s an assistance to be up near the speed , so we’ll see what it (the race) looks like once the final scratchings come through and what sort of field we are left with.” View the full article

Champion trainer Ciaron Maher has been pleased with the progress of his Kiwi-bred Group One winner Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) ahead of what he hopes to be a lucrative spring campaign. Last month, a deal was brokered between managing owner Aziz “Ozzie” Kheir and the TAB to represent their slot in October’s A$20 million The Everest (1200m), and Maher couldn’t be any happier with the six-year-old gelding. The winner of last season’s Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1200m) and Gr.1 All-Aged Stakes (1400m) made his first public appearance of the season when placing in his 800m trial at Gosford last week, and Maher was pleased with what he saw. “He is a little ripper,” Maher told SENTrack. “He is built between a cross of a polo pony and a quarter horse. “He had his first trial the other day and I am rapt with the way he has come back. He will have another one of those and he is going to have a run in The Shorts (Gr.2, 1100m) and then it will be a month, a trial in-between, into The Everest.” Maher is also pleased with the progression of his ownership-mate and fellow New Zealand-bred Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto). The winner of last season’s Gr.1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) also made an appearance at Gosford’s trials last week, winning his 1000m heat. An elite-level assignment is looming first-up for the son of Per Incanto, who may be seen interstate over spring. “He has certainly furnished a bit, he has got good weight on,” Maher said. “His two trials have been very solid and he will kick-off in the Winx (Gr.1, 1400m). The 7 Stakes (A$1 million, 1600m) and King Charles (Gr.1, 1600m) and he might end up in Melbourne for a Champions Mile (Gr.1, 1600m).” Elite-level mile targets could also be in the offing for fellow Kiwi-bred Willydoit (NZ) (Tarzino), who has recently joined Maher’s barn following a pleasing three-year-old season in New Zealand for former trainers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy, which netted four victories from six starts, including the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m). “He is an interesting horse,” Maher said. “He is a big, traditional looking stayer but he has got quite a bit of toe. He trialled the other day at Warwick Farm and he is going to have another one. “I think he is going to kick-off in the 1400m Group Three and he will have a run over the mile. The Epsom (Gr.1, 1600m) might be a nice race for him, and we can work out what path we take, whether he stretches out or stays at those shorter trips. “He is a very exciting horse. Shaun (Clotworthy) and the team did a super job with him in New Zealand to keep him up for as long as they did in his first racing preparation.” View the full article