Wandering Eyes

Set to take place Oct. 17 at Laurel Park, the 38th Jim McKay Maryland Million has attracted 281 pre-entries with defending champions MSW Ournationparade (Cat Nation) and MSW & MGSP Fille d'Esprit (Great Notion) leading the fields. Ournationonparade is one of 21 Classic pre-entries, eight of whom are Maryland-bred but not Maryland-sired, while last year's Maryland Million Distaff winner, and reigning Maryland-bred Horse of the Year, Fille d'Esprit highlights 23 pre-entries in the Distaff, 18 of whom are Maryland-sired. Maryland-bred horses may participate in a Maryland Million race if less than eight Maryland Million-eligible horses are entered. Final entries will be taken and drawn Sunday, Oct. 8. A complete list of pre-entries for their respective races is available on the Maryland Million website. The post Jim McKay Maryland Million Attracts 281 Pre-Entries appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A $135,000 Classic Empire half-brother to a pair of recent stakes winners set the pace as the third hip through the ring during the first of two sessions of Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale Monday and maintained that position throughout the afternoon. At the end of trade, a total of 91 head had changed hands for gross receipts of $2,212,500. The average was $24,313, down from $27,222 during last year's corresponding session; while the median also dipped, from $14,000 last year to $11,500. The buyback rate was 19.5%–not far off the 18.5% it was 12 months ago. This year's catalogue of 412 yearlings is down from the 526 it was in 2022. The opening session of 124 offerings, with a 3:00 p.m. start time, will be followed Tuesday by a longer session that begins at 11:00 a.m. Glenn Bennett's LC Racing signed for the day's top two lots, the aforementioned New Jersey-bred Classic Empire colt consigned by Gracie Bloodstock, agent; and hip 116, a $130,000 son of leading freshman sire Maximus Mischief. The latter, a Pennsylvania-bred, was consigned by Marshall W. Silverman, agent. LC Racing co-owns the session topper's MSW half-sister Girl Trouble (Fast Anna), and co-campaigned Grade II winner Maximus Mischief, who was acquired in the same Timonium, MD sales ring as a juvenile. While five of the session's top six lots were colts, they were somewhat more diverse in their origins, with the breeding programs of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Maryland and Minnesota all represented. Kilka and Connelly Cash in Early A colt by Classic Empire provided an early jolt to the proceedings in Timonium Monday, as the well-related New Jersey-bred, consigned by Chris Gracie's Gracie Bloodstock as hip 3, was hammered down to LC Racing LLC for what was ultimately a session-topping $135,000. Bred by Greg Kilka in partnership with Christine Connelly's Bright View Farm, the Apr. 29 foal is the third out of unraced Adorabella (Ghostzapper), a half-sister to 2022 stakes winner Alydiva (Quality Road) from the family of GSW/MGISP Gastronomical. Kilka and Connelly paid just $14,000 for Adorabella at the 2020 Keeneland January sale, and the aforementioned black-type earned by her half-sister was certainly not the most noteworthy of updates the mare has gotten since then. The Fast Anna filly Adorabella was carrying at the time, who brought $15,000 at this auction in 2021, blossomed into multiple runaway Parx stakes winner and $283,000-plus earner Girl Trouble (Fast Anna). Adorabella's second foal is the flashy juvenile Book'em Danno (Bucchero), who crushed fellow Jersey-breds by 9 1/2 lengths first out at Monmouth for Atlantic Six Racing and trainer Derek Ryan in August before adding the open Smoke Glacken S. back at the Shore last month. “I think it aligned with expectations. We've struck it rich, so to speak, with this mare that Chris Gracie picked out for us a few years ago,” said Kilka. “The mare, Adorabella, is throwing really nice babies and they all kind of have a similar way about them–they're all smart, they all walk very well, and now it has translated to the racetrack with the first two babies being Girl Trouble and Book'em Danno. This one's very similar to those.” Kilka is a shareholder in Book'em Danno's young Florida-based sire, and was acquiring mares for Bucchero at the time. “Chris picked the mare out,” Kilka said. “The page was a little light, but it was a young and active family and Chris suggested taking a shot. She's turned out to be a great purchase… Initially we acquired a few mares [for Bucchero], both with Chris and some I did on my own–the ones I did with Chris have been the most successful. We thought she aligned really well with Bucchero and we wanted to support the stallion in his first couple seasons. [Book'em Danno] has turned out to be very good so far.” Book'em Danno was solid privately as a yearling after Girl Trouble had broken her maiden, but before she successfully stepped into stakes company. While Kilka and Connelly hadn't fully been able to cash in on Adorabella's production prowess as sellers until Monday, Kilka was quick to dismiss the notion that seeing Book'em Danno's success on the track might be bittersweet. “It's all positive feelings; this is not an easy game,” he said. “We bred the horse to sell him, and we thought he would be a nice horse–you never know how nice they're going to be–but there are no regrets. We're happy to see the current ownership group having success with him. They're a group of Jersey guys and I'm happy to see that.” Kilka and Connelly have set themselves up for further financial gain down the road, as they leveled up significantly from a stud fee perspective in choosing Adorabella's most recent mate, Medaglia d'Oro, who commanded a fee of $100,000 this past season. “We have no plans to sell the mare as of now, although there have been inquiries. I guess for the right inquiry it's always possible,” Kilka said. “We'll see what happens with this Medaglia d'Oro baby and go from there.” The post Classic Empire Colt Tops Fasig Midlantic Opener appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Horse Racing on Tuesday, October 3 will feature three meetings in Australia. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the top bets and the quaddie numbers for the meeting at Swan Hill. Tuesday Racing Tips – October 3, 2023 Swan Hill Racing Tips Tuesday’s Best Racing Bets Of The Day – October 3, 2023 Place these horse racing bets in a multi for $38.32 odds return: Tuesday, October 3, 2023 Swan Hill Race 5 – #1 Watergate Swan Hill Race 7 – #3 Dirty Grin Goulburn Race 6 – #7 Field Of Myrtle Emerald Race 3 – #4 Sidearm | Copy this bet straight to your betslip As always there a plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans, check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on October 3, 2023 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. More horse racing tips View the full article

Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}–Marlinka {GB}, by Marju {Ire}), a two-time Group 1-winning sprinter who later set a record price for a Thoroughbred sold at public auction in Europe, has passed away aged 10, according to multiple reports. Bred and raced by the Elite Racing Club and trained by Sir Mark Prescott, Marsha made the first nine starts of her career at eight different venues across England and Ireland, winning listed events at Ayr and York in the summer of 2016 before venturing beyond the borders of the United Kingdom for the first time. She made the final two starts of her 3-year-old season at Chantilly, finishing runner-up in the G3 Prix du Petit Couvert before causing a 23-1 boilover in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye. Never out of the top three in her first six appearances as a 4-year-old in 2017, Marsha won the G3 Palace House S. on seasonal debut ahead of a third-place effort to Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) when favoured in the G1 King's Stand S. at the Royal meeting. Placed in the G2 Sapphire S. at the Curragh and in the G2 Qatar S. at Goodwood, she reversed form with Lady Aurelia in the G1 Nunthorpe S. prior to a runner-up effort to Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the Abbaye. She was unplaced in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and retired with a record of 10-5-2-2 for earnings of $496,881. Marsha proved the star turn at the 2017 Tattersalls December Mare Sale, hammering to M.V. Magnier for 6 million guineas (nearly $8.5 million), a record price for a horse sold at auction in Europe. Her first foal, the 3-year-old filly Tender Kiss (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was well-beaten on Leopardstown debut this past April and her two most recent foals are by Frankel (GB)–a yearling filly and a colt foal. The post Record-Setting Dual Group 1 Winner Marsha Passes Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Chad Brown has three of the eight entries for the Oct. 7 First Lady Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland and the trio, also likely to be the three favorites, drew the inside gates for the one-mile test.View the full article

Mareworthy Charities, a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and caring for retired Thoroughbred broodmares, is participating in the Community & Cause voting campaign, hosted by Field & Main Bank. The campaign offers the organization an opportunity to secure a $20,000 prize, directly benefitting the care and support of the Thoroughbred mares already in their care while expanding their capacity to assist more retired broodmares in 2024. In addition to the $20,000 prize, the winning organization will gain valuable exposure through airtime on WKYT, coverage by LEXtoday, and a full-page ad in TOPs Magazine. Public voting for the award began Oct. 2 and continues until Tuesday, Oct. 31. For more information on Mareworthy Charities, please visit their webpage, and to cast your vote, please go to the Field & Main Bank website here. Each person can vote once per day throughout the voting period, but supporters are asked to ensure their participation aligns with the voting rules set forth by the contest organizers. The post Mareworthy Charities Calls Upon Public Support appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Supreme Court of New York will hear oral arguments Oct. 11 in a case involving two self-described “citizen taxpayers” who want the state's $455 million loan to renovate Belmont Park declared as “an illegal and unconstitutional expenditure, misappropriation, misapplication, or disbursement of State funds.” During the oral arguments, the court will consider both the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction and a motion to dismiss the case made by the defendants, who are the New York Racing Association (NYRA), the State of New York, the New York State Assembly, the New York State Senate, Governor Kathy Hochul, state comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The plaintiffs, Jannette Patterson and John Di Leonardo, initiated the lawsuit on June 22 to try to halt the flow of any state money for the project. A NYRA court filing on Aug. 18 stated that the claim “fails as a matter of law” and that the plaintiffs “cannot establish irreparable harm.” The Belmont renovation loan was approved in May when the final New York state budget for fiscal year 2024 included the funding. The post Oral Arguments Oct. 11 In Lawsuit to Halt Belmont Renovation Loan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

“He's one of my all-time favorites,” said trainer Wesley Ward. “He was an awesome horse. Extremely talented, super quick, and agile: that was really his biggest attribute. When the first jump opened, he was explosive. He would open up effortlessly. He pulled the heart away from the other horses a little bit. “He was a joy to train, a highly intelligent horse. I really appreciated the time at the barn with him every day, because based on his accomplishments I knew that our time would be limited with him and he'd be highly sought after as a stallion. As beautiful as he is and as fast as he was, I knew the breeders would take to him.” The brilliantly fast Golden Pal stood his first season in 2023. Golden Pal (2018 bay horse, Uncle Mo–Lady Shipman, by Midshipman) Lifetime record: GISW-U.S., GSP-Eng, 13-8-2-0, $1,825,131 Breeders' Cup connections: B-Randall E. Lowe (FL); O-Ranlo Investments LLC (2020)/Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, and Derrick Smith (2021); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. Current location: Coolmore America, Versailles, Ky. The post Catching Up with the Breeders’ Cup’s 2020 Juvenile Turf Sprint/2021 Turf Sprint Winner Golden Pal appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When The Jockey Club announced last week that the estimated North American foal crop for 2024 was 18,000, a 2.7% decline from the projected 2023 foal crop, the news was hardly a surprise. By the time the final numbers are in for 2024,the foal crop will have declined in 18 of the last 19 years and this will be the smallest foal crop since 1964. Since 2005, when there were 38,365 foals, the crop has declined by more than half. How big of a problem is this. Why is it happening? What can be done to reverse the trend? The TDN posed those questions to some of the foremost experts in the breeding industry. Ned Toffey (Spendthrift Farm): It is certainly concerning and it's certainly more than a minor blip. When it got to 20,000, that was essentially half of what it was when I first went to work on a Thoroughbred farm. We have to do a better job as an industry of marketing both the sport and the breeding industry. We have to do a better job of attracting new people. We are up against it. As a society, we've become more removed from agriculture and horses in particular. It's a venture that requires a lot of wealth and a lot of patience. As an industry, we have not done a good job putting this out there. Spendthrift is among the many farms that has embraced the tourism aspect and even that is a long play that you hope down the road yields fruit. By opening up farms, people can get more familiar with what we do here and it won't be such a strange thing for them. Then again, that's not going to change the foal crop any time soon. It was nice to see a handful of new people coming in and buying yearlings during this last sales season. We sure needed that because so many others have gotten out. I don't know how it is that purses keep getting bigger but the foal crop keeps declining. You are seeing fewer and fewer of these breed-to-race operations. It's become almost strictly commercial. That doesn't necessarily mean that there should be fewer foals. In Australia, a year or two ago they passed us with their foal crop and a much higher percentage of their foals go through the sales ring than ours. They are more commercial than we are and are in a position where they are thriving. As Australia has shown, where they are primarily commercial, we can still have larger foal crops. The horse is still a bigger part of their culture than it is in ours. It's more of a cultural shift than anything else and that's not an easy thing to reverse. We have to find the right people to figure out the best way to market this industry to people. We need to get our house in order, clean up, change the perception our industry has. We need to do a better job policing ourselves. There are some things going in the right direction and we need to get out there and change the perception of the industry the public has. Carrie Brogden, | Keeneland Carrie Brogden (Machmer Hall): Everything is so expensive now. If you look at the stud fees, the costs of the labor, the board, the hay, the feed. All it takes is for a horse to have a couple problems and you've gone from having a horse worth $300,000 to $3,000. We sold two with two weak scopes in the September sale. One brought $4,000 and the other $3,000. Both would have been $75,000 horses if they had what the market deemed were normal scopes. There are so many factors. What it comes down to is it's a lot easier to buy a great horse than to breed one. What can be done to fix it? The sport would need to come back to being in demand. People ask how come the sales are so strong even through the sport is obviously under tremendous pressure. The answer is that the supply is not keeping up with the demand. It's going to continue to contract. I went to the Indiana-bred sale with a filly by Upstart that I really, really liked. People told me they're not interested in Indiana-breds. They're only interested in Kentucky and New York-breds because of the purses. The state-breds are getting hammered way more than they used to be because the purses are so good in so many other states. Going forward, I'll be very wary of buying state-breds to pinhook because of the feedback I have gotten. I can only see it continuing to contract because the target is so small. Everyone wants an above-average horse. Everyone is always going to have a bell curve when it comes to their foals. You hope the top foals pay for the rest of them. It's not easy when you have 10 foals and you are hoping the two best ones will pay for the rest of them. Until we get our sport straightened out and unless HISA can turn out to be the positive thing so many of us hope it will be, I don't think the trends are going to turn around. At least until we turn around the popularity of our sport. Craig Bandoroff (Denali Stud): The reason this is happening is because, as breeders, its very hard to make money. Like everything in this business, the percentages of being economically successful are low. The reason it is happening is because there are fewer people who are in it for the love of the game and the pursuit of the challenge. You have more and more people who are doing this because they are looking for an economic return. That's my opinion and has been my experience. In the past, the breeders developed families and did it as a pursuit. We have very few of those sorts of breeders anymore. Racing is the engine that pulls the train. Everything is interconnected. More and more there will be fewer horses for racing and that means racetracks will have to run fewer days, have fewer races and have smaller fields. How do we reverse the trend? I'd like to think we're going to hit a number where it levels out and the economics get better. Don't ask me where I came up with this number, but in my mind I've always felt that 14,000, 15,000 is where you might level out. That's what my gut tells me. But when I see it declining every year, that doesn't surprise me at all. We have to make the economics better. Why is this happening when purses are going up? That's a good question. What percentages of the horses win a race or even make it to the races? Those numbers aren't good. That's how I explain our business. We drill oil wells and we get a lot of dry wells and hope we get a couple of other ones that will pay for the failures. That's the economics in every part of this game, whether you're breeding, racing, standing stallions. Purses are going up but not because people are betting on horses. I hope we don't lull ourselves into a false sense of security because we all know what the government giveth the government can take away. Craig Bernick | Keeneland Craig Bernick (Glen Hill Farm): It's a commercial market now. The foal crop has been going down for a long time but the amount of horses being sold as yearlings hasn't gone down by nearly the same percentage. The syndicates are fantastic because it gives people a chance to compete at a top level. A lot of these owners were putting up $500,000 or so a year buying three or four horses they would send to their local trainer. Now they're using the same amount of money to take 10% of 15 horses. That's got everyone focusing on the top of the market, the best horses. Racetracks are closing and the foal crop is going down and there are more $500,000 and up horses sold every year. Everybody is focusing on the top and ignoring all the other horses. We should have had a mare cap but we don't. That would have helped diversify the stallions that people breed to and everything else that goes along with it. The big stallion farms want more, more, more all the time. We have a foal crop going down yet we have stallions being bred to more mares than ever before. That can't be good for business long term. I don't know what can be done to reverse the trend. We have the Breeders' Cup, the Triple Crown and four or five big Saturdays spread across the rest of the year and those are the only races anyone wants to run in anymore. We've made Grade II and Grade III races not run on those days insignificant from an owners' perspective. The only thing that really matters any more is if you win on Whitney Day, Travers Day, Breeders' Cup, Triple Crown, Pegasus. Those are the days that matter. We've lost a lot when people don't care anymore about winning a Grade III race somewhere on a Saturday. Everybody's aiming for the same top of the pyramid and as a result, there will be fewer and fewer horses born. Until there is a demand from people who want to have nice horses, are happy to win nice races and enjoy being an owner, we're going to be in trouble. All everybody wants anymore is to have Derby and Breeders' Cup horses. Fred Hertrich (Watercress Farm): The market is not accepting less-expensive horses. The day of the $1,000 stallion breeding to the $1,000 mare is a thing of the past. The cost of raising that horse, the cost of breaking that horses, the cost of training that horse is the same whether it is the highest-priced yearling in the world or the least expensive. Like with everything else in the economy, the costs are great so the price of the asset has to be greater. We used to have thoroughbred buyers who would buy 10 yearlings at $5,000 apiece. They'd hope to hit the lottery with one of them and they might give away the rest. But that was when expenses were manageable. Now with the price of feed, help, blacksmiths, on and on, the game has changed. People can't afford to do that any more. You have to believe that when you start with that product you're going to have something that will have value and has an opportunity to be a top racehorse. I'm not sure anything can be done about this because I don't see the costs of raising an animal going down. Look at labor. What we used to have to pay for labor on a farm or in a training barn has gone up 30 to 40% in the last 24 months. It won't be reversed, in my opinion. If the foal crop were to get down to 13,000 or 14,000, the caliber of everything would be better. Racing will be better, the product will be better. No one will be breeding an ill-conformed stallion to an ill-conformed mare. The dynamic will change but it will be an improved product for the public to wager on. There are going to be tracks where if the purses are too low they won't continue to race because people will not be able to afford to race for those purses. Some of the jurisdictions that have no way to generate serious purse money may not be able to stay competitive. I hate to say it, but like with anything, the bottom of the food chain is not going to do well. Horse racing and horse breeding is no different than any other entity in the country. The post Another Year, Another Declining Foal Crop; Experts Chime In appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In Yiddish, a mensch is a person who personifies integrity, morality, dignity and a sense of what is right and responsible. But mensch is more than just an old Yiddish adage, it is a word that best describes the managing partner of In Front Racing Stables, Howie Heiberger. Heiberger was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and that meant having Aqueduct as a beacon of fun and excitement just a few miles away. As a teenager in the late 70s, he and his friends would put forward the $1 it cost to take the Express Bus east to Queens to take in an afternoon at the races. The gang of wide-eyed neophyte gamblers would pool their money in the hope of making a score just like their seasoned counterparts. However, more often than not, Heiberger and his young Brooklynites would end up having to take the subway home, which only cost 35 cents since the bus fare was long gone. Heiberger has spent the last 20 years building a successful catering and event center business in Freehold, New Jersey. The success of his Aurum Events and Exquisite Caterers now means he doesn't need to take the bus any more, but the memories of Aqueduct have never left. Always a casual horseplayer, Heiberger decided to dip his toe into the ownership game and began buying into partnerships about 10 years ago. Owning 3% to 5% of different horses made it clear to him that you did not have to own the whole horse to enjoy the total experience. That revelation inspired him to start In Front Racing Stables in June 2021. Howie Heiberger | Howie Heiberger Within weeks of getting the stable set up, Heiberger, some family and a few close friends dropped a claim slip on a 4-year-old mare named Tenderness (Medal Count). The $20,000 claimer would be the start of a long eight months of frustration for the new partnership group. In Front Racing Stables had 14 starts and waited eight months before they finally visited the winner's circle with one of their horses. Not everything was dark clouds for the new stable though, prior to their first win they were able to hit the board with their horses 50% of the time, so money was coming in and the bills were getting paid. With exactly 100 starts, as of the writing of this article, you can now find 15 winning photos on the wall and the group sporting an in-the-money strike rate of 46%. The success of the stable is a team effort. In Front Racing Stables currently employees the services of trainers Linda Rice, Jose DeAngelo and John Toscano to train and race their horses. Heiberger also works with Larry Kaufman who is on the ground at the NYRA tracks to find the right horses to claim and add to their stable. Claiming is the name of the game with In Front and it has become their bread and butter. In Front Racing Stable offers a unique proposition to its current and future partners: No bills. Once a partner decides to invest in a racehorse, there are no cash calls for training, vet work, transportation, etc. The ability to offer partners this unique opportunity is achieved through a formula that gives trainers 60% of the In Front horse's net purses earned and the partners 35%. Heiberger retains 5% of the net purses to cover the costs of running the operation. As the general partner, Heiberger also marks up all claims 15%. “Our partners really like the model we have established because they know what they want to invest and that is it,” he said. “No cash calls or bills. I have been in business a long time and you have to believe in the product that you are selling. I believe in this model.” So do his partners, who now exceed 75 participants. Active partners number around 45 and 25 partners are in on almost every horse claimed. Most are from the East Coast, but In Front has partners that live in Arkansas, Oklahoma and as far away as Arizona. “We primarily race in New York and Florida, but I have the Oaklawn Park condition book in my hands now, so we may be expanding west,” he added. In Front Racing Stable | Howie Heiberger In Front partner Michele Farina had the same experience of sneaking off to the track while still in school. “We talked about experiences having grown up around the game and had things in common,” said Farina. “Besides being such a nice man, I respect how he has established and grown the stable. Also, meeting the other partners has been great and we basically all hang out together when we're at the track whether we're running a horse or not and that is what I really enjoy.” One of those other partners Farina referred is Joey Zayas. “Howie ensures you are part of everything, from your thoughts on the horses they select as a possible claim to the race selections when that flexibility arises. I started with MyRacehorse, and even though they provide a great experience for the new, perhaps inexperienced horse owners, you are not that engaged with the day-to-day operations like In Front.” In Front partner Steven Rapoport also has had experience with other partnerships. “I was a member of Karakorum Farms, Drawing Away Stables and Top Hat Thoroughbreds in the past,” he said. “We have a group of 60 or so partners here who can look at claims. evaluate horses and try to make intelligent claims. The no-bills aspect makes it affordable.” Heiberger is appreciative of the owner perks NYRA offers and one of the reasons he strongly recommends partners own at least five percent or more, so they can get licensed. “When you are a New York licensed owner, you get free admission for yourself and immediate family, free programs and owner's parking,” he said. “They even have an owner's lounge area. These things bring value to horse ownership.” Teaching novices about ownership, introducing them to trainers, jockeys and others in the game is what drives Heiberger to grow In Front Racing Stables. “I want to give our partners a great experience just like with my businesses,” he said. “I also want them to learn, and interact with all aspects of the game, and most of all I want them to have a shot at making some money.” This may seem like a lot to offer to small percentage owners, but that is simply what a mensch, like Howie Heiberger, does. Joe Scurto is the principal at Horseshoe Marketing. His Twitter is @RacingHorseshoe. Editor's Note: Partnerships, presented by Taylor Made Partnerships, is a new TDN feature which explores different partnership groups at different investment levels across the country. Each month, we will choose a different group to profile. The post Partnerships: In Front Racing Stables Personifies Integrity Through Partnerships appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Michael Guerin When a great horse gets cut down by injury at the peak of their powers you can wonder whether they will ever be as good again. In the case of outstanding trotter Bolt For Brilliance, champion trainer-driver Tony Herlihy has no doubts. “Bolt”, as he is known, returns at Alexandra Park on Friday 10 months after fracturing his leg when hot favourite to win the Inter Dominion Trotting Final. He came off the track sore at Geelong on December 3, having finished a close second to eventual Interdom winner Just Believe and was found to have a fractured pedal bone. It was an injury he had undoubtedly carried in that race and a weakness that could have been bothering him for a while. It brought a screeching halt to a career that should have been about to skyrocket. Bolt For Brilliance had won a Jewels as both a two-year-old and four-year-old, the Jewels not being run during his three-year-old season because of Covid. In both those races he beat arch rival Muscle Mountain and in May last year he won the Rowe Cup by six lengths over a true champion in Sundees Son. Now he is back, facing a 50m handicap in a small field. So can a horse who was that powerful return to such heights after 10 months on the sidelines or has his confidence, so crucial for trotters, been dented? “I am sure he can get back to that level and he might be even better,” says Herlihy, our most successful ever horseman on the track and not one for hype off it. “A break like that is not disastrous in that once it heals, you shouldn’t have any problems there again, touch wood. “That is how he feels and looks. He is a happy horse and his work has been good, he seems very sound and his winter coat is coming away. “So we are training him like the injury isn’t an issue and if, and we had no signs anything was wrong, he had been not quite right before he fractured it he could even come back better. “I am really happy to have him back. He is a pretty special horse.” Comeback races are often tricky, more so off a 50m handicap, and sectional times and what sort of drag Bolt For Brilliance can get into the race may determine whether he can win on Friday as much as his undoubted talent. But a better Bolt is exactly what New Zealand Trotting needs as Muscle Mountain was dazzling at Addington last Friday and is will dominate our open class ranks unless his old mate can reignite a rivalry that would make their every clash appointment viewing. Fans of the trotter, who can be zealots for their beloved gait, may not have to wait long for the next round of Bolt versus Muscle. “As long as all goes well on Friday night I have him booked on a flight to Christchurch next week and he could race at Addington next Friday night,” says Herlihy. “It is not how I would usually start a campaign but two good races will bring him on nicely for Ashburton (October 23) and Cup week and he has had the grounding to handle it.” Friday will see a very, very good horse back doing what he was born to do on his home track. Bolt For Brilliance Age: 6 Gait: Trotter Trainer/driver: Tony Herlihy Breeding: Muscle Hill-Toomuch To Do Biggest wins: Rowe Cup, Harness Jewels (twice). Record: 46 starts, 20 wins, 16 placings. Earnings: $702,834. 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. Tuesday's Insights features TDN Rising Star Elbaz (Fr) (Siyouni {Ire}) making his stakes debut. 14.07 Bordeaux-Le Bouscat, Listed, €60,000, 2yo, 8fT Jean-Claude Rouget trainee ELBAZ (FR) (Siyouni {Ire}) attained 'TDN Rising Star' status at Deauville in July and lines up for this Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux coming back off a narrow defeat over this one-mile trip at Chantilly last month. The Aga Khan's March-foaled homebred, who is out of a stakes-placed half-sister to MG1SW G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), is opposed by five in this black-type debut. Rivals include Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's Listed Criterium de l'Ouest runner-up Sans Voix (GB) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}). The post TDN Rising Star Set for Stakes Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Officials at the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the Jockeys' Guild have announced that members of the newly formed Jockey Mental Health Steering Committee and Advisory Council have been appointed. An inaugural meeting of the new groups will take place Tuesday, Oct. 3 at Columbia University in New York City. The Steering Committee, led by Ambassador Earle Mack, was created with a collective goal of driving research, programming, and resources towards jockey mental wellness initiatives. The steering committee members are as follows: Ambassador Earle Mack; Denali Stud's Craig Bandoroff; former NYRA chairman Anthony Bonomo; retired jockey and broadcaster Donna Brothers; retired jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva; West Point Thoroughbreds's Terry Finley; HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus; Terry Meyocks, President and CEO of the Jockey's Guild; trainer Graham Motion; Churchill Downs's executive director of racing, Gary Palmisano; and the executive director fo the Race Track Chaplaincy of America, Dan Waits. The Advisory Group, under direction of HISA National Medical Director Dr. Pete Hester, will hold weekly brainstorming sessions with industry and external experts before reporting best practices and initiatives to the Steering Committee for next steps and potential full adoption. The advisory council are as follows: Dr. Pete Hester; Michael Bingman; Mindy Coleman; Pat Day; Ramon Dominguez; Dr. Prudence Fisher; Jeff Johnston; Ann McGovern; Dr. Yuval Neria; and Anne Poulson. “The Jockeys' Guild appreciates all of the input and interest by industry participants to address jockeys' mental health and wellness,” said Jockeys' Guild President and CEO Terry Meyocks. “The Guild has long advocated for the industry to recognize the stress and everyday challenges jockeys face. The Guild looks forward to working with the Steering and Advisory Committees to develop programs which will demonstrate that we as an industry are able to support not only the jockeys but their family members as well and eventually all others in our industry.” The post Members of Jockey Mental Health Committee and Advisory Council Announced appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In the Sept. 30 edition of the Thoroughbred Daily News, we ran an interview with John Sikura in which he raised questions about the funding mechanism and purse of the Kentucky Derby. In the article, Sikura says: “(The Kentucky Derby is) “The single event that drives the commerce of the industry. The point of entry to virtually everybody that owns a horse: 'I want to win the Kentucky Derby.' If you're fortunate enough to do so, there should be a financial reward that recognizes that–not just pride in achievement. A purse of $3 million, with $1 million dollars in fees and nominations, is an embarrassment to the sport. A huge windfall is given to a corporate entity, which they're entitled to. Corporately, they've been brilliant stewards of their brand and stock value. But they have to recognize that they're in a sport that has many participants–and that those should be rewarded.” We asked several leading industry figures how they felt about what Sikura said, and also asked Churchill Downs, who had not responded by the time of publication of this article. (To submit a reply of your own for consideration for publication, email suefinley@thetdn.com.) Mike Repole, owner “I disagree with John Sikura that it's embarrassing that the Kentucky Derby purse is $3 million. It's not embarrassing-it's beyond embarrassing. But not only do we put up a third of the purse with fees, but the way the owners get treated is an embarrassment. We buy our own tickets, and if you want more than 10-15 people, you have to buy your own seats. I have to run second in the Kentucky Derby just to break even. I'm 0-for-8 without a first or second, so every time I'm in it, I end up losing money. I doubt when a team makes the Super Bowl they have to worry so much about accommodations for their friends and family. So it's beyond embarrassing between the purse, and what owners pay to try to share the experience with friends and family. What happens when a syndicate makes it into the race with 30 owners? I think if it's going to be as prestigious as it is, the purse should be $10 million. The Saudi Cup is $20 million, the Dubai World Cup is $10 million, and the Breeders' Cup Classic is $6 million. I also disagree that they should allow 20 horses in the race. It should be 14. We're all concerned about horse safety. Is 20 horses in one gate safe? I don't think it is. This year, I have been blessed by having so much success, and it should be the most fun I've had in racing, but the frustration is starting to overcome the enjoyment. And the more I reflect, the more I'm starting to really realize that the blame of this lies with the owners and the trainers. As long as we keep letting tracks make the rules, and HISA with no real horse racing experience make the rules, and be ruled by the ineffective associations that represent owners, trainers, and jockeys in the sport without really having done them justice, the more we have to look ourselves in the mirror. If they lowered the purse to $500,000, they'd still get 20 horses, and that's on us. There's so much great that can happen in this game, but we're at a crossroads. This is self-inflicted. And we have let this go on for too long.” Elliott Walden, President & CEO, WinStar Farm “I think the Kentucky Derby purse should be $10,000,000 and the Oaks should be $5,000,000. The Derby has been raised twice in the last 20 years (300%). The Churchill Downs stock price is up over 1900% in the same time frame. I think our real problem is we are too busy fighting amongst ourselves with two horsemen's groups (the HPBA and the KTA), and not negotiating effectively with Churchill Downs as horsemen. It is the way the system has been set up. If I were CEO of Churchill, I would like it that way. Churchill Downs reported they had increased revenues of over $20.0M on last year's Kentucky Derby weekend alone. I am sure their argument would be that we can split up the purses any way we see fit. I think this is more about having an equitable split on all revenues for the weekend and not just handle.” Eric Gustavson, Owner, Spendthrift Farm I read John's article. Of course he's right. I remember many years ago when I found out how much it cost to nominate your horse to the Kentucky Derby, should you be among the few to make to the starting gate of that illustrious race. You might think that the nomination would be covered for the lucky 20. But no. I was shocked as I did the math and realized the disproportionate percentage the nominations made up for the purse of arguably the world's most famous horse race, let alone our country's. A Derby purse increase is decades overdue. Anyone who has ever tried to take a group to Churchill on Derby Day knows the king's ransom it takes just to get seats. Add on the seat licenses, the handle and just that one day alone is quite a haul for Churchill. And good on them! They deserve to enjoy the fruits of their labor, and the blessings that come with owning the premier day in our sport. But, as John stated, they could bump the Derby purse to $5 million tomorrow without batting an eye. That would put it on par with the Breeders' Cup Classic, which should be a minimum. But if you're Churchill, don't you want to be the class of the sport that offers American racing's most stout purse? The powers that be at Churchill Downs should step up and reward the Derby runners commensurately with their achievement. Kenny McPeek, trainer There's no question that a race of that caliber, the purse should be larger. Worldwide, it don't think it ranks in the top 25 purses in the world. It's not in the top 25. For me, it's always been a bit of a head scratcher. Tom Ryan, SF Bloodstock The business behind the Kentucky Derby: $3 million purse 15 million viewers 150,000 attendees 93% hotel occupancy $189 million in wagers in 2023 $400 million economic impact The glaring issue here is the winning owner of the 2023 KY Derby takes home $1.5m after jockey and trainer take 10%. Based on the current $3m purse, CDI doesn't care to preserve the sanctity of The Kentucky Derby by bringing it into line with the rest of the world. We should have a $10m purse structure with plans to increase incrementally as we evolve. The post Is The Derby Purse Fair? The Industry Reacts appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Kaneko Makoto Holding Co Ltd's Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune–Buchiko {Jpn}, by King Kamehameha {Jpn}), whose snow-white colouring combined with considerable racetrack ability made her a fan favourite in every corner of the globe, has been retired, according to multiple reports. The homebred, whose year-younger full-sister Mama Cocha (Jpn) won Sunday's G1 Sprinters S. at Nakayama, was an immediate hit while carrying the Deep Impact (Jpn) colours. Undefeated in four tries at two, including a victory in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies to secure her first championship, Sodashi made the one-mile G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) her fifth straight success before finishing eighth in the G1 Yushun Himba over a stamina-stretching 2400 metres. Sodashi defeated the globetrotting Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Sapporo Kinen en route to being named the tops of her generation in 2021. Third in the G1 February S. on the dirt in February 2022, Sodashi returned to the grass and easily handled her peers in the G1 Victoria Mile last May before closing out her 4-year-old season with a third against the boys in the G1 Mile Championship S. In two starts this term, Sodashi missed by a head in defence of her title in the Victoria Mile and was a latest seventh in the G1 Yasuda Kinen. On both occasions, she was defeated by Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who is slated to travel to America for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile Nov. 4. Sodashi retires with a record of 7-2-1 from 14 starts and earnings of $5,346,186. The post Two-Time Japanese Champion, Fan-Favourite Sodashi Retired appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

MarketWatch Interview: Jim LawsonView the full article

The 57th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities, focused this year on safeguarding equine welfare and exploring shifts in societal expectations and the sport's response around the world, took place on Oct. 2 at Saint-Cloud racetrack in Paris. Organised by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), the day-long conference emphasized horse racing in a changing society, safeguarding equine welfare and explore shifts in societal expectations and the racing industry's response around the world. “Today we continued what has been a chief mission throughout the life of the Federation: equine welfare,” IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, who delivered the Conference's opening and closing remarks, said. “This Conference provides an opportunity to focus and build upon the significant body of work which has been carried out domestically and internationally over many years by our members to protect our equine athletes. Moderated by racing presenter Nick Luck, speakers on the day included Professor Natalie Waran, Chair of the Independent Commission for Equine Ethics and Wellbeing for the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI); Lisa-Jane Graffard, General Secretary, Au-Delà des Pistes; Julie Harrington, Chief Executive, British Horseracing Authority (BHA); Najja Thompson, Executive Director, New York Thoroughbred Breeders' Inc. (NYTB); James Given, Director of Equine Regulation, Safety and Welfare, BHA; Josh Rubinstein, President, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club; Brian Stewart, Head of Veterinary Clinical Services, The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC); Sonia Wittreck, Stud Book & Doping Control, Head of Department, France-Galop; and Hiroshi Ito, Counselor of the Japan Racing Association (JRA). During her speech, Waran presented key strategies for equine sports to proactively consider amidst changing societal expectations. This included increasing continuing education for anyone working hands-on with equine athletes to better their welfare. “Our changing social values in relation to animals have affected different industries in different ways,” said Waran. “It is important to recognise that society does not distinguish between different equestrian sports. There is enough data out there to show that the concerns around horse involvement in sport are rising. The racing world must positively engage with both perception and reality and show real commitment to change to ensure positive welfare.” Following her keynote, a panel of senior racing administrators including Lisa-Jane Graffard, General Secretary, Au-Delà des Pistes; Julie Harrington, Chief Executive, British Horseracing Authority (BHA); and Najja Thompson, Executive Director, New York Thoroughbred Breeders' Inc. (NYTB), shared their approaches and strategies to shape the narratives surrounding equine welfare and racing. The next panel of the Conference featured leaders from racing administration and veterinary science who explored protecting the sport's equine athletes. Speakers included James Given, Director of Equine Regulation, Safety and Welfare, BHA; Josh Rubinstein, President, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club; Brian Stewart, Head of Veterinary Clinical Services, The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC); and Sonia Wittreck, Stud Book & Doping Control, Head of Department, France-Galop. “Getting the balance right is part of training, but it is also something technology can help us with,” said Stewart. “If we do have a problem, we have to be able to achieve an accurate diagnosis, and that will guide our future management of that horse. Things are now coming together, and I am quite hopeful we might be able to make a significant difference.” Also, Charles Scheeler, Chair of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) in the United States, gave an update on the organisation, including a review of the implementation of the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) program and future developments. “HISA is working under the supervision of the Federal Trade Commission and in partnership with the members of the sport to transform horse racing,” Scheeler said. “The essence of this effort is the creation of an ecosystem of care surrounding horses. We remain excited about horse racing's future in the United States, and we recognise that we have a rich legacy to protect.” The final session of the Conference looked in-depth at enhancing stakeholder engagement, specifically regarding public engagement and response in relation to equine welfare. Nevin Truesdale, the Chief Executive Officer of The Jockey Club (UK), began the session with a discussion of his organisation's experiences with effective resolution and communication management. “We need to operate together on this,” said Truesdale. “Having a clear set of messages as an industry, everyone singing off the same sheet, became really important for us in the lead up and the aftermath of Epsom. We have to be relentless in continuing to make the sport safer and in telling that story. There is a persuadable audience, statistics show us that, but that will only work for us if we are clear on the changes we are making. Standing still on this is not optional.” The first International Conference of Horseracing Authorities was organized and hosted by the Société d'Encouragement in Paris, France, on Oct. 9, 1967. Since 1994, the annual conference has been organized by the IFHA and The JRA became the official partner of the Conference beginning in 2021. This year's Conference convened delegates from about 40 different countries, with a number of other racing executives and media members in attendance. The post ICHA Conference Highlighted by Equine Welfare appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Pletcher said his goal would be to get Forte three breezes prior to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), which would mean getting him working by Oct. 14.View the full article

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's MGISW Up to the Mark (Not This Time–Belle's Finale, by Ghostzapper), will enter stud at Lane's End Farm at the conclusion of his racing career, the Kentucky Farm announced on Monday. The 4-year-old colt, who won the GI Manhattan S. At Belmont Park and the GI Turf Classic Stakes in his last two starts, has so far amassed a career line of 10-5-0-2, $1158,650 and is trained by Todd Pletcher. “He's a horse that we were always high on since he was two,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He broke his maiden first out on the dirt, but with the switch to the turf he really put that talent on display with his tremendous turn of foot. His impressive wins in the Turf Classic and the Manhattan showed that he is one of the top grass horses in the U.S., and his speed figures back that up.” Bred in Kentucky by Ramspring Farm, Up to the Mark was a $450,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase in 2020. His dam, Belle's Finale, is a daughter of GISW Capote Belle (Capote), a full sister to GSP and stakes producer Zapper Belle (Ghostzapper). “Up to the Mark's versatility and looks are what initially attracted Lane's End,” Lane's End's Bill Farish said. “He has a dirt pedigree and is by an emerging young sire. He really showed that he is one of the top turf horses in the U.S. with his dominating wins in back-to-back grade ones. We have a history in standing stallions that can get runners on all three surfaces and feel Up to the Mark has the potential to follow in that tradition.” The post Up to the Mark to Lane’s End Upon Conclusion of Racing Career appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Antonacci family, which breeds and races under the name of Lindy Farm, has purchased Bryan Station Farm in Lexington and plans to convert it to a multi-purpose, multi-breed farm that will help in the growth of the Lindy operation. Lindy has been a major name in harness racing going back to the late sixties and has recently turned its attention toward building a thoroughbred operation. The new farm will be named Lindy Farms at Bryan Station. Lindy will also retain its farm in Somers, CT. Philip Antonacci trains the thoroughbred string. His brother, Frank M. Antonacci is Lindy President. Philip Antonacci said that final plans for the new farm remain in flux. He expected that its residents would be about 75% Standardbreds and 25% Thoroughbreds and the primary emphasis at first will be as a breeding farm. The farm does not have any training tracks, but Antonacci said that could be part of its future, while acknowledging that the new farm should help Lindy grow its Thoroughbred operation. The Antonacci family is already heavily invested in Kentucky racing as it owns the Red Mile in Lexington as part of a partnership. The Red Mile's Historical Horse Racing Machines have played a major part in the growth of both Standardbred and Thoroughbred racing in the state. “The purchase of this property is the next step in our family's involvement and commitment to the Bluegrass and Lexington communities,” the family said in a statement. “Lindy Farms at Bryan Station will be a world-class dual breed facility combining the rich equine history of Lexington with the esteemed racing and breeding legacy of Lindy Farms. We will be mindful stewards of the land and look forward to deepening our commitment to this wonderful community and making the city of Lexington, Fayette County and Commonwealth of Kentucky proud.” Bryan Station describes itself as a “unique equestrian boarding facilities” with rental homes available on the property. The post Antonaccis Purchase Bryan Station Farm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Multiple Group-winning pacer A G’s White Socks has gone full circle. Foaled at Pat Laboyrie’s property near Lake Karapiro in the Waikato in 2013, the nine-year-old gelding will now spend his retirement there, after the owners decided to call time on his racing career. “It’s just he’s feeling a bit of wear and tear, he was feeling sore so we decided to not bring him back into work,” says Laboyrie. Recently the owners, including Laboyrie, brought the son of Rock N Roll Heaven home from Australia after he had raced there with great success in recent seasons. He had two stints across the Tasman (January – March 2020) and (July 2022 – April 2023), with top driver Greg Sugars winning with him four times in total, including the 2020 Group 1 Ballarat Cup, against the likes of Self Assured and Chase Auckland. This season AG’s White Socks had four wins from his last five starts, with his last race being a win in the TAB Golden Reign Free For All at Melton on April 29. He won Group 1s on both sides of the Tasman, including the 2018 Taylor Mile and the 2018 Easter Cup. He also won two heats of the 2019 Inter Dominion, beating Thefixer, Chase Auckland and Cruz Bromac, before running fifth in the final, taken out by Ultimate Sniper. With a best mile of 1:51.7, he finishes his career with 17 wins from 96 starts and $732,231 in stakes. Laboyrie rates him as the best horse he’s breed in the many decades he’s been involved in the sport . “He would be (the best) when you think of the earnings he made and the company he kept but Helena Jet (13 wins) wasn’t far behind and Angelina Jolie was a good one too.” Angelina Jolie’s biggest win came in the Group 2 Young Guns Delightful Lady Classic at Alexandra Park in 2013. As for AG’s White Socks, his ability was recognised early on by trainer and part owner Greg Hope. “He got him as a yearling and called him ‘Richie’ (after a certain All Black captain) because he was performing so well and looked like a good athlete.” As for how the name AG’s White Socks came about, that was courtesy of Laboyrie’s grandson Hunter. “He was about 10 at the time and saw the foal and said ‘what are we going to call him?’,” recalls Laboyrie. On seeing his white hind fetlocks he then said “we should call him AG’s White Socks.” The AG refers to his mum Atomic Gold. But it wasn’t just his performances on the race track that made AG’s White Socks special. “He just has an incredible temperament, and a beautiful nature.” His demeanour was credited with helping save Ricky May’s life in the 2020 Omakau Cup. May was driving the horse (and leading) when he suffered a medical event. The horse did not panic and in fact slowed down reducing the impact as May fell to the track. “He virtually pulled himself up, many other horses would have carried on,” says Laboyrie. “Ricky owes his life to the horse and the other first responders who came to his aid that day.” Now that he’s been retired AG’s White Socks will be re-educated for the next phase of his life. “My neighbour here is a top equestrian rider so she’ll come out here and ride him.” Laboyrie will also be on hand to ensure the very best retirement for his star pacer. “He’s been a dream horse”. View the full article

Five years after Neepawa romped by 3 1/2 lengths in the final jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown, his younger sibling Touch'n Ride secured a Breeders' Stakes victory of his own Oct.1 at Woodbine.View the full article

Canter for a Cause, back for the third straight year after the 2020 cancellation, will return to Pimlico Race Course Sunday, Oct. 29. Sponsored by the Maryland Jockey Club, the organization allows the public the chance to walk, trot, canter or gallop their favorite horse or pony over the same oval which has hosted esteemed runners like Seabiscuit, Secretariat, War Admiral and recent Triple Crown champions American Pharoah and Justify. More than 270 riders participated last fall, one of the most successful events. Registration is $65 per trip, with proceeds going to benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, and will go as scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. All horses must have proof of a negative Coggins test within 12 months. All riders must sign a waiver and wear approved helmets while riders under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. No colts, stallions or ridglings are allowed. “Canter for a Cause is a great opportunity for riders to experience riding over one of the most historic racetracks in the country, while helping raise money for a great cause,” said MJC vice president of racing development Georganne Hale. “It's fun for the whole family.” Registration closes Monday, Oct. 23 at 5 p.m or whenever 300 entries are taken. Please visit the Pimlico webpage to register and pay. The post Canter for a Cause Returning to Pimlico Oct. 29 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK–Whether up top or down below, the consignors at Park Paddocks all agree that the major redevelopment work that has been carried out by Tattersalls over the last few years has been a huge boost. The extended yards of R, S and T in the Somerville Paddock seem to have almost doubled in size during the levelling-up process, with extra rubber runways making the business of showing and viewing horses that bit easier. Gerry Meehan, the yearling manager of Blue Diamond Stud, is delighted with the position for his quartet of yearlings, describing the renovation as a “game-changer”. He says, “Even though the yard is only a metre wider all round, it seems massive compared to how it used to be.” Imad Al Sagar's Blue Diamond Stud is selling four colts by big-name stallions in Dubawi (Ire), Kingman (GB), Lope De Vega (Ire) and Sea The Stars (Ire), and on paper, at least, it is hard to look past the Dubawi half-brother to the treble Group 1 winner Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}). “He is what it says on the tin,” says Meehan of lot 35. “He's a star: he looks a star and he does everything like a star. He'a a proper horse and he shows off when he comes out here.” He adds, “They are four very nice horses; we're very lucky.” Down at Solario yard EE, which was revamped impressively last year, there's a strong French flavour, with La Motteraye Consignment making a rare reappearance at Tattersalls and stabled just around the corner from Michel Zerolo's European Sales Management draft. Gwen Monneraye, who runs the Normandy-based La Motteraye operation with his partner Lucie Lamotte, is on hand with a pair of Book 1 yearlings, including a filly by Night Of Thunder (Ire) from the family of The Wow Signal (Ire) [lot 495]. The consignors have 39 yearlings being prepared for the October Yearling Sale at Arqana, which is naturally much closer to home for them, but Monneraye admits to a touch of FOMO necessitating a return to Tattersalls after a four-year absence. “In French we have a saying 'Les absents ont toujours tort', which roughly translates to 'if you're not there you are missing out on something',” he says. “We sell for ourselves but we also sell for lots of clients and it's nice to provide the options for them. When you want to sell in France and in England, you have to be very well organised, and we don't do anything unless we are well organised. We are building a bigger barn to make it more practical for us to come here more often, so I think in two years' time we will have a bigger draft.” Monneraye adds, “The horses travelled over really well, so we were able to show as early as Friday afternoon, which I didn't expect, but all through the weekend we have seen a lot of people. We have another four for next week so it's going to be a full month of sales.” Making their Book 1 debut is Natalie Folland and Matt Bowen, who consign from Fonthill Stud in Wiltshire as Folland-Bowen Bloodstock and offer a son of Showcasing (GB) as lot 63 on behalf of breeder Jane Keir. The colt, from a well-established and successful international family, enjoyed a good update since the publication of the catalogue when his half-brother Flight Plan (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) won the G2 Dullingham Park S. for Steve Parkin's Clipper Logistics on Irish Champions weekend. “The update came just at the right time. We're still pinching ourselves,” says Keir. “Liam Norris found his dam Romp for me and said, 'Jane, this mare probably won't be to everyone's taste but she's worth looking at.' She was on the end of the row and she ended up costing 14,000gns. “She's a Pivotal mare with Singspiel as her broodmare sire too, and [Breeders' Cup Turf winner] Rebel's Romance is in the family as well, so hopefully it's building.” Romp, who wasn't covered this year, now has a Pintaubo filly foal at foot, and she resides at Lord Margadale's Fonthill Stud, which is leased by Folland and Bowen. Keir herself was the former owner of Elkington Stud, which was managed by Folland until its sale a few years ago. Keir adds, “There was no question that the mares would go with Nat. They are treated like royalty there.” While Keir admits that Flight Plan's sire Night Of Thunder is now at the top of her list for Romp next year, it is another Darley-based son of Dubawi, Too Darn Hot (GB), that has brought an extra large smile to the face of Watership Down Stud's Simon Marsh this season. It is with good reason, too, as not only was Too Darn Hot bred at Watership Down Stud by Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber, but they retained a significant share in him when he retired to Dalham Hall Stud. With his first crop of juvenile runners, the stallion from Watership Down's signature family of Darara (Ire) now has four group winners to his name, including the G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Fallen Angel (GB). “He was always a horse that one would have thought that his 2-year-olds would be later types, and since August he has done exceptionally well. His pedigree is really full of later-maturing horses, like Dar Re Mi and So Mi Dar, and then Darara and Darshaan. Everything he's doing at the moment is really a bonus and we hope that next year his 3-year-olds will really develop and do even better,” Marsh says. “It's fantastic to have bred a horse who could become a significant influence, and for us to have ended up owning half of him is extraordinary. We have a couple by him to sell this week, including a filly who is interestingly inbred 3×3 to Darara [lot 259].” With Too Darn Hot's sire Dubawi, the reigning champion, still in full flow and responsible for 19 of the yearlings in Book 1, it is fair to expect to see him feature prominently on the leaderboard at Tattersalls this week, especially with Sheikh Mohammed in attendance. On Monday afternoon, the ruler of Dubai was patrolling the sales grounds, inspecting yearlings with his principal trainer Charlie Appleby, and the Godolphin buying team of Anthony Stroud and David Loder. The sheikh is far from the only major player in town, however. His niece Sheikha Hissa was also spotted alongside Shadwell's Racing Manager Angus Gold, while owners and breeders from as far afield as Australia, America and Japan have also made the bloodstock pilgrimage to Newmarket. There seems little doubt that the next three days will bring with them yet more staggering trade for a very special bunch of yearlings. The post ‘He Is What It Says On The Tin’: Nashwa’s Dubawi Half-Brother Among Stellar Lots at Tattersalls appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

7th-IND, $34K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 5:36 p.m. Debuting for trainer Brad Cox, BADGE OF WAR (War Front) is the latest in a Juddmonte line dating back at least three generations. Brooch, herself a multiple group-stakes winner in Ireland, is already responsible for GI TVG.com Haskell S. winner, GI Kentucky Derby runner up and 'TDN Rising Star' Mandaloun (Into Mischief). The dam is also a half to MSW/MGSP Caponata (Selkirk) and from the family of G1SW Emulous (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and her daughter 'TDN Rising Star' G1SP Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}). Badge of War has been training forwardly into this spot with a pair of bullet five-furlong drills from his last three works over the Horseshoe Indianapolis main track. TJCIS PPS The post Tuesday Insights: Half To Mandaloun Gets Turf Debut At Indy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article