Wandering Eyes

4th-OP, $126K, OC 100k/C, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 2:32 p.m. ET. Sandman (Tapit), winner of last term's GI Arkansas Derby and third-place finisher in the GI Preakness S., kicks off his 4-year-old campaign in Hot Springs. The $1.2-million OBS March breezer was last seen finishing ninth in the grassy GIII DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational S. at Kentucky Downs Aug. 30. He will race with first-time Lasix with Jose Ortiz aboard. He is owned in partnership by D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables and is trained by Mark Casse. “He had a long, hard campaign,” Casse said. “We ran him all winter long. No question he tailed off some in (late summer). Gave him some time off. He's grown up, he looks good. A big race here could set him up for the (GIII) Razorback (Feb. 28).” TJCIS PPS 6th-TAM, $55K, Msw, 3yo, 1m40yds, 2:42 p.m. ET. Make My Day (Gun Runner), a $1.1-million Keeneland September purchase by Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable, will make his debut around two turns for Todd Pletcher. The bay is a half-brother to MGSW and GI Breeders' Cup Sprint runner-up Imagination (Into Mischief) and GSW & MGISP Occult (Into Mischief). Pletcher will also saddle the debuting Powershift (Constitution), a $500,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Repole Stable. TJCIS PPS 6th-GP, $84K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 2:50 p.m. ET. Ezum (Essential Quality), a half-brother to MGISW Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid), kicks off his career for trainer Brad Cox. The gray brought $485,000 from Shadwell Stable as a Keeneland November weanling. Palpable (McKinzie), a half-brother to GISW Declassify (Orientate), debuts for Tramp Hollow Stable and trainer Melanie Giddings. He brought $270,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. The field of 11 also includes promising second-time starters: $425,000 Keeneland September yearling Growth Equity (Nyquist), a solid second on debut for Chad Brown at Saratoga last summer; and OXO Equine homebred and 9-5 morning-line favorite High Camp (Instagrand), second with an 83 Beyer at Gulfstream Dec. 28. TJCIS PPS The post Saturday’s Racing Insights: Sandman Returns at Oaklawn appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Having already been forced to cancel its live racing program for Saturday, Feb. 7, officials at Laurel Park have called off the card for Sunday, Feb. 8, citing continuing frigid temperatures across the Mid-Atlantic region. Live racing is expected to resume at Laurel on Thursday, Feb. 12, with a first post of 12 p.m. ET. The previously canceled card for Feb. 7 will not be redrawn and will be conducted that afternoon. Sunday's scheduled races will be listed as guaranteed extras on the overnights throughout next week. These races will be run over the weekend with the same number of horses after a redraw, provided they remain intact. Laurel Park and The Maryland Jockey Club OTB network will remain open on Sunday for simulcast. Aqueduct Racetrack is also closed both Feb. 7 and 8 due to the cold weather. The post Laurel Park Cancels Live Racing On Feb. 8 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Roll On Big Joe makes his 2026 debut in the Feb. 8 King Cotton Stakes for older horses at 6 furlongs after completing a stellar 2025 campaign, highlighted by his win in the Ring The Bell Stakes.View the full article

Ricardo Santana, Jr. rode the 800th winner of his career at Oaklawn Park on Thursday, when he guided Will Take It (Tapit) to a hard-fought victory in the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes. He is the fourth rider in the history of the track to achieve the milestone. Others to cross that threshold are Pat Day (1,264 wins), Larry Snyder and Calvin Borel. The 33-year-old credits trainer Ron Moquett and his fellow jockeys Terry Thompson and Borel with steering him towards the Arkansas track in 2011. “Got lucky, you know?” Santana, Jr. said moments after the Fifth Season. “Moquett, he helped get me here and gave me a lot of opportunities when I started. I have to say thanks to Terry Thompson. There are a lot of people who don't know how much he helped me. Calvin Borel, too. Those are two top riders that I respect.” Having registered his first Oaklawn victory 15 years ago last month, Santana, Jr. made the most of his association with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen to be the leading local jockey on seven occasions (2013-2018, 2020). He is Oaklawn's career leader in purse earnings ($47.9 million) and ranks second in career stakes wins (65). “I'm really thankful that I've won 800,” Santana said. “Arkansas opened the door for me and made me who I am.” Santana, Jr. enjoyed a long run with agent Ruben Munoz, who brought the jockey to the United States in 2009. New York-based P. J. Campo now books rides for Santana, Jr. Santana, Jr. rode the 2,000th winner of his career in Hot Springs in April 2025. The post Santana, Jr. Celebrates 800 Oaklawn Winners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

From a small commercial broodmare band, which currently numbers just six mares, Vincent Colbert has had a remarkable amount of success in a short amount of time, breeding Grade I winners Callback and Chocolate Gelato, as well as Grade III winner Shotgun Hottie. The Massachusetts native had success almost right from the start of his breeding operation with the purchase of Quickest (Forest Wildcat) for $40,000 as a 2-year-old at the 2007 Keeneland January sale–three years before her half-brother Super Saver (Maria's Mon) won the GI Kentucky Derby. The bay mare never made it to the races, but she produced Callback (Street Sense). Colbert discussed his 2026 mating plans with Thoroughbred Daily News. QUICKEST (21, Forest Wildcat–Supercharger, by A.P. Indy) Will be bred to First Mission (Street Sense) I picked him because the cross works–Street Sense is Callback's sire–and he's $10,000. The family is cooking with Mob [a first-out 3-year-old winner out of Quickest's daughter Onslaught (Street Sense), Six Speed, and [Callback's son] Page Turner (Jpn) in Japan. She's getting old and this is the last time I will breed her. She will be retired after this. MPEMBA (8, Frosted–Quickest, by Forest Wildcat) Will be bred to Locked (Gun Runner) She is a half to Callback and she is the only female that I still have in the family. She has a 2-year-old by Practical Joke that is selling at OBS this year and shouldn't be missed. She is currently in foal to Domestic Product–physically, I had to go to him. She is going to Locked at Gainesway. I wanted to do a foal share with Gun Runner, but I got shot down with that. Locked, as a freshman sire, $35,000 is a great price point for him. The connections are really good. To me it was a no-brainer for her. ALLIANNA (11, Flat Out–Elusive Royalty, by Elusive Quality) Will be bred to Violence (Medaglia d'Oro) We sold her and then I bought her back privately. I got her back in foal to Maclean's Music and last night she foaled a full-brother to [stakes winner] Coming In Hot. She is going to Violence. It's a good cross, he's a gorgeous horse and I think he's a proven sire for $30,000. He's got Boyd, Forte, Volatile, Mullikin, Obliteration. Why not? FUNDAY SUNDAE (5, Palace Malice–Special Treat, by Candy Ride {Arg}) Will be bred to Maximus Mischief (Into Mischief) She is a half-sister to Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke). She had a few little issues, so I didn't race her. I bred her to Timberlake last year pretty much just because he was a son of Into Mischief and she's going to Maximus Mischief this year. For $20k at Spendthrift, so now I get invited to the breeders' party in September. GIBBET (11, War Front–Cross, by Mighty) Will be bred to Essential Quality (Tapit) I own her with my cousin Jim Connor. She is currently in foal to Tapit Trice. We picked him last year because he's just a gorgeous horse and my cousin Jim is a lot like Dave Portnoy, he only wants to breed to gray stallions. This year we are going to Essential Quality. He has [Jerome Stakes winner] My World on the Kentucky Derby trail and I think The Puma is running this weekend at Tampa [in the Sam F. Davis Stakes]. He was a dynamite racehorse from a deep family. We got a good price on him from Darley. I enjoy doing business with Darley. I think Kate is great. And they throw me swag. Swag is very important. SHANGHAI TARIFF (11, Shanghai Bobby–Star White, by Naevus) Will be bred to Johannes (Nyquist) She was a fast filly who raced a lot, but her babies haven't done that good for me at the sales. I am sending her to Johannes. Number one because he's by Nyquist and two, the female family, that first dam, Cuyathy (Congrats) is cooking. Every one of her babies has had black-type–well not every one–we might find out on Saturday if the current one will as well. Soaring Angel (Knicks Go) is entered in the Sweet Life Stakes at Santa Anita Saturday. Plus, it was only $10,000. Jacob West purchased Chocolate Gelato as a 2-year-old, so I figured I would throw him a bone and help him get his new career [at Claiborne Farm] off to a good start. The post 2026 Mating Plans: Vincent Colbert appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It would have been understandable had Pierre Gasnier felt daunted by the task at hand when he succeeded Georges Rimaud as manager of the French studs for the Aga Khan family at the start of 2025. But then, so eventful a year did it out turn to be, it was probably for the best that he didn't have much chance to stop and weigh up the enormity of his new role. For a start, this week brought with it the one-year anniversary of the death of His Highness Aga Khan IV, who became one of the most successful owner-breeders of the modern era after taking control of the family's bloodstock interests upon the death of his father, Prince Aly Khan, in 1960. The loss of Aga Khan IV was a hammer blow to all of those who worked for him, as well as instilling in them a determination to continue the methods that had been successful for so many years. “Very badly, as you can imagine,” Gasnier says of how the tight-knit team at the Aga Khan Studs was affected by the death of its leader. “We started the year in bad way, because there are people who have been working at the Aga Khan Studs for so long that, when the news came about the loss of His Highness, they were very much heartbroken. “But we still had to do our job and to look after the horses in the best way possible – the way he would have liked us to do it. We did that and, thankfully, nature played in our favour.” Certainly, events on the racecourse in 2025 could not have worked out much better for the team at the Aga Khan Studs, now operating under the guidance of Aga Khan IV's daughter, Princess Zahra Aga Khan. Daryz (Sea The Stars), winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and Classic heroine Zarigana (Siyouni), who was successful in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, were among the leading lights in the famous green and red silks, but star billing must go to Calandagan. The son of Gleneagles was recently crowned Longines World's Best Racehorse for 2025, having registered four straight Group 1 victories in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Champion Stakes and Japan Cup. “The horses went all year from strength to strength, better than we expected. It was amazing, really,” says Gasnier. “If I sum up the emotions around the year that happened, I think the fact that we're a small team, working very closely with Princess Zahra and her family, makes it all the more special and amplifies the emotion. “I will never forget the first time that I met her. She kept telling me that the objective and the goal was to race to breed, which is something that needs to be mentioned because it's very special nowadays. Every foal we produce will be going at one stage to one of our trainers, which means that we know the family extremely well, and it's special because you're going full circle.” Gasnier is indebted to that small team at the Aga Khan Studs for their guidance and support ever since he first joined, having initially served as Rimaud's assistant for two years. “Very well – I think, anyway!” he says of how he's settled into the position held by Rimaud for 25 years before him. “I'm extremely lucky to have the team that I work with. I owe special thanks to Nemone Routh [director and French racing manager], Pat Downes [manager of the Irish studs] and, of course, Princess Zahra. “They worked with His Highness the Prince Aga Khan IV for many, many years, so they know the operation very well and they can teach me and guide me every day. I'm also surrounded by very good people on the farms. All of the advice is very important to me, because I have plenty to learn still, so I'm very lucky that they were there before I came.” Of his two years working with the fountain of challenge that Rimaud must have been, he adds, “It was a short period of time when you think about it, because you could spend a lifetime learning from a man like him. He is a true professional and a very passionate breeder. He's a man of great presence, intelligent, extremely rigorous and liked by everyone. “He taught me to always show respect towards the people and the staff that we work with, as well as to our clients and always to approach the situation with transparency. Also, patience, because breeding takes time. He kept reminding me that if you make sure every step of the way that the process is done well, it will pay off sooner rather than later. I learned plenty, but I could have learned much more.” Gasnier is also very grateful to another institution in racing and bloodstock circles for giving him his grounding at the coalface of the sport, at a time when he wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to devote himself to a career in racing. “I always grew up with horses,” he says of his background. “My parents always used to keep a couple of mares, especially National Hunt, to breed from. My brother, who is younger than me, was also a National Hunt jockey. So, you can imagine that I spent most of my weekends as a child touring the countryside racetracks. “I was following my family, let's say, but I didn't really want to work with horses. I studied Agriculture and Wildlife Protection and, when I was finished studying, I decided I needed to learn English, so I travelled to Ireland in 2010. I arrived in Tipperary and I stayed there for 13 years in Coolmore. That's really when I got the passion and it all made sense. I loved every bit of it. All credit to Mr Magnier and his family. I will be forever thankful to them for their trust.” Explaining how the opportunity to join the team at the Aga Khan Studs came about, he continues, “They were looking four years ago to employ a stud groom at [Haras de] Bonneval and [Haras de] Saint-Crespin to help Mr Rimaud. Obviously, I thought the opportunity was a nice one to consider and we started discussing it. I felt it was something that I shouldn't miss if I wanted to keep learning and building my career in the breeding industry.” Now, a few weeks into his second year as manager of the French studs, Gasnier is understandably optimistic about what the future holds for this most respected of operations, whilst still having to pinch himself to realise that it isn't all a dream. “As a young Frenchman, you're in full admiration of the Aga Khan Studs and the family,” he sums up. “The green and red silks are the most famous on the racetrack for years. It's a symbol of excellence, tradition and, obviously, great success. If you'd told me a long time ago that I would be a part of it, I would never have thought about it. It's a dream come true. “Again, I'm privileged, grateful and deeply thankful to Princess Zahra, her family and all of the team. Going forward, we just have to keep doing what we do. We are in a very good position because our stallion roster is performing at the highest level, led by Siyouni, and we can imagine and hope that we will have more stallions in the next couple of years entering our stallion barn.” He continues, “A special mention must go to Daryz, a son of Sea The Stars who is out of Daryakana, which is a magnificent family. He won the Arc, and he is a horse that is improving and very good-looking. He is a superstar and we really wish for him to continue to do well. We have others that will be coming along, including Rayif, Samangan and some that haven't raced yet but are showing plenty of potential. “Also, our broodmare band is very, very strong, with many young mares in foal to top stallions, so we can be optimistic and still believe that success will keep breeding success.” The post ‘It’s A Dream Come True’ – Pierre Gasnier Still Pinching Himself in Senior Role at the Aga Khan Studs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

LEXINGTON, KY–Hagyard Equine Medical Institute observed its Founder's Day on Thursday, Feb. 5, with a formal commemoration of its sesquicentennial. The occasion served as the kickoff to a year-long celebration of 150 years of accomplishments and contributions to the equine veterinary field. Hagyard announced plans to honor the milestone through a series of commemorative initiatives and events slated for the coming year. “At 150 years old, Hagyard is in elite company,” Hagyard's CEO Ken Ford said at Thursday's event. “Enduring for 150 years puts us in the same category as businesses such as John Deere, Wells Fargo and Anheuser-Busch. Less than half a percent of businesses in the U.S. make it through 100 years, so to make it to 150 is a remarkable achievement started by our founders. These milestones just scratch the surface of Hagyard's history and legacy.” Hagyard was founded in 1876 by Dr. Edward Thomas Hagyard, who traveled from Ontario, Canada to Central Kentucky and opened the original Hagyard practice with his two sons on East Short Street in downtown Lexington. In 1951, his grandson, Dr. Charlie Hagyard, partnered with Dr. Arthur Davidson and Dr. William McGee to form Hagyard, Davidson, McGee Associates. Twenty-three years later, they broke ground on the current facility on Iron Works Pike, which now sits on 110 acres. In 2004, the business was reincorporated and formed what is now known as Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. Today, the practice employs 65 veterinarians and over 400 support staff. Dr. Luke Hagyard Fallon, DVM, a fifth-generation representative of the Hagyard family recently profiled in the TDN, spoke to the firm's enduring legacy during Thursday's event. Fallon highlighted his family's multi-generational passion for equine care, noting that a sixth generation, including his son and niece, is currently enrolled in veterinary school. “Our mission is to deliver innovative, state-of-the-art equine veterinary care with a deep commitment to our legacy of integrity, compassion and a broader community,” he said. “This is as true today as it was in February of 1876 and we are dedicated to continuing our legacy of enduring passion and unrivaled expertise for another 150 years.” Fallon said that Hagyard has curated several initiatives to celebrate the milestone throughout the year. Chief among them, the Institute has partnered with the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to introduce the E.T. Hagyard 1876 Scholarship. The program aims to address the shortage of equine veterinarians by reducing the cost of veterinary school for students pursuing the field. “Approximately one percent of graduating veterinarians choose equine practice and of that one percent, nearly fifty percent leave equine practice after the first five years of being out in the job market,” Fallon noted. Keith Kleine, Director of the AAEP's charitable arm The Foundation for the Horse, added, “The equine veterinary profession is currently facing a critical crossroads. The cost of a four-year veterinary school in the U.S. now ranges from $200,000 to $400,000 over the four-year period. Most graduates enter the field with over $175,000 in debt. The challenges we face are real, but they are not insurmountable.” The goal for the E.T. Hagyard 1876 Scholarship is to raise $1.5 million over the next three years to endow the fund, providing three $25,000 scholarships annually. Hagyard intends to continue supporting the fund with the goal of doubling the endowment every three years. Hagyard also announced plans to host a global continuing education symposium during the Keeneland Fall Meet for the institute's extensive alumni network of former interns, fellows and residents. Additionally, Hagyard revealed that a permanent monument will be erected on the Hagyard campus to serve as a lasting tribute to the 150-year milestone. Lexington mayor Linda Gorton was on hand Thursday to present a proclamation declaring Feb. 5, 2026 as Hagyard Equine Medical Institute Day in Lexington. “What started as a small family operation has grown into one of the finest equine medicine institutes in the world, and it's right here in Lexington,” said Mayor Gorton. “Since day one, Hagyard has continued to raise the bar, not just in Kentucky, but for the entire equine industry worldwide.” The post Hagyard Kicks Off Sesquicentennial, Unveols Year-Long Anniversary Plans appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK — The racing programme in the Gulf region is becoming ever busier, with this Saturday's $1m Abu Dhabi Gold Cup the latest valuable contest to be enter the fray, followed by a double bill next weekend of Qatar's Emir's Sword Festival and the blockbuster Saudi Cup meeting. The various horses-in-training sales at Park Paddocks have long been a lure for owners from that part of the world, and the final day of the Tattersalls February Sale proved to be no exception, with the top lot, Space Invasion, going the way of Bahrain's Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa for 230,000gns. The three-year-old colt from the first crop of Space Blues was bred and raced by Steve Parkin's Clipper Logistics and has won his last two starts at Lingfield under the care of trainer Richard Hannon to earn a rating of 88. Agent Alastair Donald, who conducted the bidding on Shaikh Isa's behalf, said that Space Invasion will be trained by Daniel and Claire Kubler, who are in the middle of their first season training in Bahrain. Donald said, “[Shaikh Isa] is very keen to support Daniel and Claire Kubler, who've had a very good start out there. A couple of the horses we bought at the sale in October have looked pretty exciting for them in Lord Montague and Up The Pace. Bahrain is a very progressive racing jurisdiction and has an exciting future, and Sheikh Isa has been very pleased with the start Daniel and Claire have made there. “There's a flight at the end of February so this horse can get straight over there. The advantage with the Kublers is that they still have their horses in Lambourn, so they can keep him going there and then he can run in Bahrain in March, when there's still a couple more Series races that he'd qualify for. “He's a good-looking horse with ideal fast ground conformation. He's shown a good turn of foot, and the horse he stuffed last time [Sovereign Wealth] made 100,000gns yesterday.” He continued, “He's progressive, well rated and if he wins his next race he becomes a very valuable horse. The trainer [Hannon] was underbidder, and it's always encouraging when they want to keep them. Hopefully he's got a bright future. He looks ideal for Bahrain. “That was at the higher end of our valuation, but when there's a standout horse like this, they can sell well. Horses like this don't often turn up at the February Sale.” Another of the four six-figure lots for this mixed auction came in the form of four-year-old New Bay filly Wilhelmina, an 80-rated dual winner for Ballylinch Stud and partners when trained by Kevin Phillipart de Foy. She is off to the paddocks now, having been bought for 125,000gns by breeders Neil Goldie-Scot and Clare Salmon, and will join their five-strong broodmare band at Apedroc Stud in East Sussex. She will make a very smart addition as Wilhelmina is a half-sister to the G1 British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes winner Poptronic (Nathaniel). She was bought through Arthur Dobell of Oliver St Lawrence Bloodstock. “She is absolutely beautiful, she is a very sweet filly and we love the breeding with Poptronic,” said Salmon. “We saw her yesterday morning, and as she came out of the box I thought I can't keep a straight face as I really want to buy her.” Arthur Dobell, Neil Goldie-Scot and Clare Salmon | Tattersalls The four-time winner and Listed-placed Enfjaar will return to trainer Roger Varian but will race in different colours after being bought from Shadwell for 120,000gns through agent Alex Elliott. The five-year-old son of Lope De Vega, bred by James Wigan, has a rating of 110 and counts the John Smith's Cup at York among his successes. Figures rallied through the second session to put the median and average on par with last year, though the turnover dipped slightly to 3,639,000gns. The clearance rate of 83% was achieved through the sale of 204 horses from 246 offered. At the conclusion of this first sale as managing director of Tattersalls, Matthew Prior said, “The Tattersalls February Sale is undisputedly Europe's premier midwinter sale, and once again we welcomed a typically diverse domestic and international group of buyers to Park Paddocks in Newmarket. While the key metrics fell narrowly short of last year's figures, buyers from more than 20 countries and a turnover in excess of 3,500,000gns represent a positive start to 2026. “We saw the second-highest-priced colt ever sold at this fixture, with Space Invasion realising 230,000gns following an intercontinental bidding duel, while consignments from leading Newmarket-based operations Godolphin and Juddmonte again featured among the highlights of the Tattersalls February Sale. “The sale also featured the Retraining of Racehorses Showcase for the second time, alongside the ever-popular British EBF Stallion Parade, and it was great to welcome such a large crowd to Tattersalls to see former stars of the turf thriving in their second careers. “We now look forward to the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale, which has an outstanding record in recent years, with graduates including Classic and Group 1 winners Native Trail, Cachet, Hotazhell, Vandeek and Believing, as well as exciting Classic prospects Six Speed and Title Role.” The post Space Invasion Tops Tattersalls and Heads to Bahrain appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aga Khan homebred Ezeliya delivered her first foal on Sunday, according to a post from The Aga Khan Studs on X. By Dubawi, the 2024 G1 Oaks heroine foaled a chestnut Justify filly. She will visit Sea The Stars at Gilltown Stud in Ireland later this year. The G3 Salsabil Stakes-winning daughter of group winner and G1 Irish Oaks third Eziyra (Teofilo), Ezeliya is a granddaughter of the stakes-placed Eytarna (Dubai Destination). The extended family of Ezeliya features G1 Gold Cup heroine Estimate (Monsun), who raced for the late Queen Elizabeth II, among many other talented runners. The post Oaks Heroine Ezeliya Welcomes First Foal, A Filly By Justify appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Edited Press Release The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) and Virginia Tech jointly announced today the Thoroughbred Wellness Expo, which will take place Saturday, Feb, 28, at Virginia Tech's Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, VA. The Thoroughbred Wellness Expo is a day of seminars and live demonstrations with a focus on soundness in the Thoroughbred athlete. Sessions are designed to empower and educate the equestrian to confidently partner with the breed. “We were delighted when the team at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center approached us about partnering in an educational event,” said RRP Executive Director Kirsten Green. “Education–making sure people working with Thoroughbreds have the information and resources they need to be successful–has always been fundamental to the work of the RRP and increasing opportunities and access figures prominently in our strategic plan. We're grateful to the staff of the Equine Medical Center for their collaboration and making their world-class facility available to host this event.” The event will include the following sessions: 'From the Track to the Ring': Evaluating orthopedic and soft tissue injuries and corrective procedures and their impact on post-racing life from Dr. Jeff Berk, VMD, MRCVS; 'When Breathing Goes Off Track': Equine upper-airway diseases in ex-racehorses from Dr. Elsa Ludwig, DVM, MS, CVA, PhD, DACVS (LA); 'No Foot, No Horse': Managing and rehabbing Thoroughbred feet, led by Amy Sidwar, APF-I. “Thoroughbreds are incredible athletes that have a lot to offer beyond the racetrack,” said Dr. Michael Erskine, Director, Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center. “By partnering with the Retired Racehorse Project to support rehoming efforts, and sharing best practices for care, we are ensuring that they can transition and thrive into safe, purposeful second careers.” Click here to purchase tickets. The post RRP, Virginia Tech Team Up For Thoroughbred Wellness Expo appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Nominations for the Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, sponsored by Godolphin, will close at 5pm on Friday February 13. Anyone can nominate a friend or colleague for an award and must be completed online at www.itiea.org The nomination process has been simplified for the 2026 awards. In previous years nominators were required to write a detailed profile of their nominee. This year, the nominator will be contacted by a representative of Naas-based Clark People Solutions who will complete the nominee profiles by phone. Sponsored by Godolphin and supported by the Irish Stable Staff Association, Horse Racing Ireland, the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association and the Racing Post, the awards recognise and reward the exceptional skills, experience and dedication of the women and men in the thoroughbred breeding and racing industry and offer €60,000 in prize money across 10 award categories for the winners and their workplace colleagues. In addition to a Newcomer Award and five Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, an Administration Award and an Ancillary Services Award have been introduced for 2026. All winners are then eligible for the Irish Racing Excellence Award, which will be announced at the awards ceremony. The Racecourse Award winner, chosen by the Irish Stable Staff Association, will also be revealed on the awards night. The Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards ceremony will take place in the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge, County Kildare on Tuesday June 2. Sandra Hughes, Godolphin's Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Ambassador, is available to anyone who has questions or needs assistance with nomination queries. The post Nominations For Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Close Next Week appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aisling Oscar created a little slice of racing history at Southwell on Thursday when winning his eighth successive handicap. While his previous seven wins for his current connections had all come at Newcastle, trainer Adrian Keatley had to look at Southwell for his record-equalling success in the Win £250,000 With BetMGM's Golden Goals Handicap. Bought by Dan Astbury from Ireland for just 3,200 gns, the five-year-old has risen from a mark of just 42 to 71 during his prolific spell. Ridden by Oisin McSweeney, who had been on board for two of his wins, he came home the 3-1 favourite with his nearest rival, Studious, three-quarters of a length behind him. The last horse to win eight handicaps in a row was the Reg Akehurst-trained Ballynakelly between 1995 and 1996. “It's unbelievable, he's a credit to Adrian, his team at home and to Dan who bought him,” McSweeney told Sky Sports Racing. He added, “It's fantastic and it doesn't happen every day of the week. It's just great to be a part of it. It probably didn't go as straightforward as we thought, I didn't really want to come all the way across but I had enough horse underneath me to get us all the way to the line. He loves it and he just seems to be thriving. “That's his eighth win on the bounce and he's fairly versatile, everything doesn't always have to go his way. He's won from being dropped out, he's been on the pace. All credit to the horse, really.” The post Aisling Oscar Equals Long-Standing Record Of Eight Successive Wins appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Frankie Lor is optimistic talented young stayer Numbers can achieve twin objectives when the gelding contests the HK$4.2 million G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (8 February). Targeting the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on 1 March and the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March with the last-start winner, Lor believes the Tivaci gelding is capable of landing his first Group race win in Hong Kong while also advancing Four-Year-Old Classic Series hopes. To carry only 115lb under Derek Leung, Numbers will aim to emulate the feats of Glorious Dragon (2021), Zebrowski (2022) and Nimble Nimbus (2024), who all carried 115lb or less to victory in the Centenary Vase. “He (Numbers) looks okay, everything is good. He trialled well over 1600m at Sha Tin (on 20 January) and his work since has been good,” Lor said as Numbers clocked 59.2s (32.9, 26.3) at Sha Tin on Thursday morning (5 February). “This time, we try to get a Group 3 with him. We have got a light weight, which I hope will help him. We are looking towards the (Hong Kong) Classic Cup and the (BMW Hong Kong) Derby. “But this coming Sunday, we will see how he is running.” Second in the 2025 G1 Queensland Derby (2400m) in Australia, Numbers has raced only twice in Hong Kong, following a good third on debut at Happy Valley over 1800m on 10 December with an impressive all-the-way Class 2 win over 2000m at Sha Tin on 27 December. Rated 90, Numbers is a chance of providing Lor with his third Hong Kong Classic Cup success following the wins of Mission Tycoon in 2019 and Healthy Happy in 2021. Numbers will face six rivals on Sunday – Straight Arron (135lb), Beauty Joy (134lb), last year’s winner Chancheng Glory (132lb), Encountered (126lb), Speed Dragon (126lb) and Ensued (125lb). Changcheng Glory will start from gate five on Sunday under Zac Purton and is in similar form to when he won the 2025 Centenary Vase, according to trainer Francis Lui, who is also represented by Speed Dragon (Lyle Hewitson, gate three). “Changcheng Glory is about the same as he was last year. Group 3 is good for him, and it all depends on the pace of the race. He needs to travel comfortably. He needs to run his own race,” Lui said. “Speed Dragon will be suited by the distance, and he’s been racing well at Happy Valley, but he hasn’t raced at Sha Tin for a long time. I hope he can improve a little bit.” A spectacular last-start winner of the G3 January Cup Handicap (1800m) at Happy Valley, Speed Dragon will race at Sha Tin for the first time since February last year. Brett Crawford will bid for a second Group 3 this season with veteran galloper Encountered, who won the G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin on 9 November. Karis Teetan will partner Encountered from gate seven. “He’s (Encountered) doing very well, I’ve been very happy with him at home. He looks amazing, so there’s a bit of a turnaround in the weights with a couple of horses that beat him last time, so I think he’ll be better suited to the 1800m at Sha Tin,” Crawford said. “It’s a small field, so I’m expecting a very competitive run. He likes to run at horses, so I think if we give him a chance to do that, it would be good. It’s a small field, so he shouldn’t have too much ground to make up. “He seems to like to race that way, so we won’t change too much.” Preparing to chase Hong Kong racing history at Sha Tin with an 18th consecutive win at Sha Tin on 22 February in the HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m), the world’s premier sprinter Ka Ying Rising continued his smooth preparations at Sha Tin this morning (Friday, 6 February). Ridden by Zac Purton, Ka Ying Rising pleased trainer David Hayes as he clocked 24.0s while dashing over the final 400m on Sha Tin’s dirt course after striding from the 1400m. Ka Ying Rising last start equalled fellow champion sprinter Silent Witness’s feat of racking up 17 consecutive wins by a Hong Kong-trained horse with victory in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) on 25 January. The five-year-old, currently rated the joint second-best horse in the world, will have a barrier trial at Sha Tin on Tuesday (10 February). Hayes provisionally plans to give Ka Ying Rising two more starts this season – in the HK$5.35 million G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) on 6 April and the HK$24 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) on 26 April – before preparing the superstar for a defence of the AU$20 million (approx. HK$108 million) G1 The Everest (1200m) in Sydney in October. Sunday’s (8 February) 11-race fixture at Sha Tin begins at 12.30pm with the Class 5 Fu Tai Handicap (1400m). View the full article

Prominent Australian jockey Ethan Brown and home-grown apprentice Nichola Yuen Hang-yiu will join Hong Kong’s elite riding ranks for the end of the season after they were granted short-term licences by the Jockey Club. One of the most sought-after riders in Australia at the moment, 26-year-old Brown will ride in races in the city from April 26 to the season finale at Happy Valley on July 15. Brown has racked up more than 600 wins including 10 at Group One level, forming a strong association with...View the full article

Cambridge mare Nigella Lane (NZ) (Niagara) was runner-up in last year’s Listed Clubs NZ Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and she was able to go one better in this year’s edition at Tauherenikau on Waitangi Day. The last-start winner settled three back on the fence in the hands of in-form hoop Bruno Queiroz, while the Sam Mynott-trained Electron (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) set the tempo up front and race favourite Khanshe (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) was ridden quietly at the back of the pack. Taranaki galloper Sindee (NZ) (Ardrossan) began to serve it up to Electron from the 600m mark, injecting some much-needed pace into the race, with Hi Yo Sass Bomb (NZ) (Complacent) shifting out to the one-one position, allowing Nigella Lane to sneak into the trail. Turning for home, Queiroz was able to extricate his charge off the rail, taking a gap inside Hi Yo Sass Bomb, and chased down the leaders to get her head in front with 100m to go. Khanshe was flying home out wide, but had left her run too late and came up half a neck short of victory, with Hi Yo Sass Bomb a further half head back in third. Queiroz said he studied Nigella Lane’s last-start victory at Taupo and quizzed jockey Rihaan Goyaram about the mare ahead of his first ride on the six-year-old, and he was rapt to get a winning result. “She is very professional,” Queiroz said. “I watched the replay before and I spoke with the boy (Rihaan Goyaram) who rode her in her last start. She is so professional, is very good to ride and had a strong finish.” By Niagara, Nigella Lane is out of Group Two-winning mare Casabella Lane (NZ) (Volksraad) and has now won 8 of her 31 starts and has earned just shy of $285,000 in prizemoney. It was the second stakes victory of her career, having won the Listed Rotorua Cup (2200m) last May, while she has also placed in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2050m), Listed Kaimai Stakes (2000m), and Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes. The victory capped a pleasing day for trainer Ralph Manning, who scored a treble on the eight-race card, having earlier won with Finest Hour (NZ) (Derryn) in the Kuripuni Sports Bar & TAB (1000m) and Midnight Train (NZ) (Yes Yes Yes) in the Pope & Gray Contractors Maiden (1300m). A race prior, New Plymouth trainer Robbie Patterson got his hands on the Chatham Islands Jockey Club Wairarapa Cup (2050m) following a brave run by Ricochet (NZ) (Toronado). View the full article

Riding the rail under Ricardo Santana Jr., Will Take It came through a narrow opening in early stretch and outfought Woodcourt to win the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes Feb. 5 at Oaklawn Park. View the full article

Riding the rail under Ricardo Santana Jr., Will Take It came through a narrow opening in early stretch and outfought Woodcourt to win the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes Feb. 5 at Oaklawn Park. View the full article

Local trainer David Greene can’t wait to head to Te Rapa on Saturday where he will be chasing $1.125 million in prizemoney with a trio of runners. “It is brilliant,” Greene said. “We have got the three runners running for $1.1 million, it is a really good indication of what has happened to the stakes in these good races over the last couple of years.” His charge will be headed by last-start Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) winner First Five, who will be looking to rebuff the Australian raid of Lindsay Park duo Arkansaw Kid and defending champ Here To Shock in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m). Greene couldn’t have been any happier with the Almanzor gelding’s Trentham heroics last month and he has been thrilled with the way he has progressed. “He recovered well from his trip away to Wellington and it has been business as usual for him ever since,” he said. “He goes into Saturday back at his favourite distance and in the best form of his life, so it is very exciting.” The Te Rapa horseman said drawing his ideal barrier of four will only aid his chances against a very strong line-up. “You need every bit of help you can get in these races. I wouldn’t switch four, it is perfect for him,” Greene said. “This race is one of the best races every year, plenty of our best horses have won it. It is obviously going to be a difficult task for any of them and I am really glad to have a horse we feel can be really competitive in it.” Greene is also upbeat about the chances of Sweet Ice in the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m). The three-year-old feature has been the key aim all season for the son of Frosted, who has placed in two of his last three starts, including the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial 3YO (1500m). He finished sixth in the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) last month and Greene expects a better showing over more ground this weekend. “I thought it was a good run (in the Karaka Millions 3YO),” Greene said. “He had to work to hold his spot racing in that field of the crème de la crème of our milers. We think he will get a middle-distance trip and it is definitely a drop down in quality of field compared to the Karaka Millions.” In complete contrast to First Five, Sweet Ice has drawn barrier 15 and Greene said he will need plenty of luck from that gate. “The 2000m is a tricky starting point as well so it (draw) definitely doesn’t do us any favours,” Greene said. “We are just going to have to take our medicine, drop back and try to find cover and hope they go along at quick enough speed that we can get into it at some stage later on.” Despite the draw, Greene believes Sweet Ice will be a strong chance on Saturday as he looks to progress to next month’s Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m). “It (Waikato Guineas) is a race we have been setting him for since the start of the season,” Greene said. “Apart from the barrier draw, we feel he is really well placed to give it a good shake.” Completing Greene’s representation at the lucrative meeting will be four-year-old mare Bethany Dee in the $350,000 Sir Patrick Hogan Karapiro Classic (1600m). “For a one-win horse like her to be running around in that race on Saturday for $350,000, with the lucky colours on as well, is great,” Greene said. “She is an even chance of running in the first three.” Legends Day is one of the highlights on the Waikato racing calendar, and Greene said his team are chomping at the bit to be a part of the action. “This day is such a good racing card for the racing purists. It is a day you really want to be on course for, there are good races all day,” Green said. “The whole team is buzzing about Saturday and it has been a really slow week waiting. We just want to get into it as quick as we can.” The meeting comes fresh of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale where Greene secured two colts, and he is hoping positive results this weekend can assist in selling down the remaining shares. “We have still got a couple of shares left in the ones that we bought up at the sales. Hopefully a good result on Saturday and we might fill them up,” Greene said. “We bought a nice Almanzor colt from Wentwood Grange, trying to see if we can replicate First Five. “We bought another colt in the Summer Sale off Curraghmore by Victor Ludorum. “They are two nice colts that are having a bit of time out in the paddock before they are broken in. I am very happy with what we got.” View the full article

Tomodachi’s connections are banking on a target closer to home to bring out the best in the gifted mare on Saturday. While she wasn’t disgraced when a resuming fourth in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m), more was expected and she gets an opportunity to bounce back in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa. “We thought she would be more competitive,” said Andrew Scott, who trains the Sir Peter Vela-bred and raced five-year-old with Lance O’Sullivan. “We just didn’t think she travelled down as well as we would have hoped and we’ve seen her better in condition on race day. “She hasn’t got that travel complication this weekend and that heartens us for a more competitive performance.” Tomodachi is a winner on the course and will be reunited with Joe Doyle, whose past race day rides on Tarzino’s daughter resulted in victory in the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) and third in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) last spring. “She has worked to her normal high standards and certainly brightened up after a quiet week post-Wellington,” Scott said. “She’s in good condition and 1400m doesn’t hold any fears for us, the strength of the field does but she has won around Te Rapa before “She’ll have to turn in a personal best to be right among it, but we know she’s got a good load of talent when things go her way.” The stable will also be represented in black type features on Saturday by Ohope Wins (Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic, 2100m) and Yamato Satona (Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m). The former pressed her Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) claims with a hollow last start win under Saturday’s rider Doyle in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m). “She stayed well on January 1 and we had high hopes of her once she got out in trip, so that was pleasing to see and the way she relaxed in her first attempt over ground,” Scott said. “She was always going to have a bit of a gap between runs, and she had a trial here at Matamata with the blinkers on for the first time. “Joe got off and said she was a little more focussed and worked her again on Tuesday morning and was very pleased, that has given us confidence but she does need to bring it up another level as the field is stronger.” The Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) nominee Yamato Sonata is another top mount for Doyle after an encouraging third in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m). “He’s getting better with racing for sure and he relaxed well at Ellerslie in a wee bit of a leader dominated race,” Scott said. “He closed well wide on the track and gave us confidence that he has a staying future. He’s another who has worked well since and is a focussed and sound colt.” Among the stable’s other leading Te Rapa chances are Crackercol (Peter Kelly-Bayleys, 2100m) and Track Tester (Horses @ Henley Park, 1200m). “Crackercol is racing well and his form looks good after he ran seventh last start and the winner of the Wellington Cup (Manzor Blue) ran sixth,” Scott said. “He probably just got in a bit that day when the bias was out wider at Wellington and he has trained on well. “Track Tester won well last time and probably hasn’t drawn that favourably but is a horse that we think can get to a good level.” The stable duo of Tristar and Hankee Alpha are also in good form for the Dr John Southworth Memorial (1200m) but will also need some luck from tricky barriers. “Both have drawn awkwardly but they are going well and are progressive mares. They will need a bit of pressure in the race to be able to run on, but we couldn’t be happier with the pair of them,” Scott said. View the full article

Foxton gelding He’s A Battler may be viewed as just that ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa, but anything can happen in horse racing and trainer Suzy Gordon is daring to dream of an upset in the $700,000 feature. The lightly-raced eight-year-old has established a tidy record, winning seven of his 25 starts to date, albeit four on the synthetic, including his last-start over 2100m on the Riccarton Synthetic at the start of December. “I know a lot of his wins have been on the synthetic, and he loves the synthetic, but he goes alright on the grass too,” Gordon said. The wet summer thwarted Gordon’s initial summer plans, with the Horowhenua horsewoman hoping to give He’s A Battler a couple of stakes hit-outs before the Herbie Dyke. “We were targeting him at a few races,” she said. “There was the Manawatu Cup (Gr.3, 2300m), Marton Cup (Listed, 2200m) and every time we would set him for something it would rain. He is no good on a wettish track. “It would have been nice to have run him in one of those just to see where he is and whether he can measure up to a bit better company. It wasn’t meant to be so now he has been thrown in the deep end.” The son of He’s Remarkable’s first stakes assignment will now be at elite-level, and while it will also be Gordon’s first time lining up a horse in a Group One, she said the task is less daunting given his juicy odds – $101 with TAB bookmakers. “Being a 100-1 shot it’s not too bad. At least I don’t have too many expectations, it is just nice to have a horse in it,” she said. “He is very well, but he is nine weeks between runs and he has only had a quiet jumpout, so hopefully he is fit enough. He goes best fresh.” Gordon is also looking forward to rewarding stable apprentice jockey Liam Kauri with a Group One ride. “Liam knows him very well, he has won four on him,” Gordon said. “The owner decided to stick with him because he knows the horse probably better than anybody.” Kauri will have to use all his skillset on Saturday where he will have to overcome his outside gate in the 10-horse field. “The draw isn’t ideal, I never seem to have any luck with draws,” Gordon said. “He will just get back anyway, so hopefully it works out alright in the end.” Gordon will head north more hopeful than confident but is dreaming of a major upset so she can reward the support of He’s A Battler’s owner-breeder Roger Sugrue, who Gordon has known for several decades. “I used to know Roger when he was training himself back at Awapuni when I was young. I rode a bit of trackwork for him, so I have known him for quite a long time,” Gordon said. “I was pleased he was happy to go ahead with it (Herbie Dyke tilt). He (He’s A Battler) has won five of his last eight now, so he has done a good job, but this will be the biggest test that he has faced.” View the full article

Trainer Phil Serpe, who is fighting both in federal court and at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) level to overturn a two-year suspension imposed by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) for a clenbuterol positive in one of his trainees, on Wednesday was notified by the FTC that his legal team would not be allowed to have new evidence considered in his nearly 18-month-old case. Serpe's suspension stems from clenbuterol detected in the urine of Fast Kimmie (Oscar Performance) after her Aug. 10, 2024 victory in a $30,000 claiming race at Saratoga Race Course. Clenbuterol is classified as a “banned” substance, meaning it is never to be present in any HISA-regulated Thoroughbred. On Jan. 22, 2026, Serpe's legal team had filed a motion with the FTC to consider additional evidence and for a stay of sanction pending review based on: 1) Affidavits from two of Serpe's employees that “an independent contractor hired to help care for Serpe's horses often carried an inhaler in and around Serpe's barn,” purportedly explaining “a likely alternate source of the clenbuterol in Fast Kimmie's urine.” 2) “[E]vidence that Dr. Daniel Eichner, HIWU's expert witness, has pecuniary relationships with HIWU that compromise his independence” by heading “a private corporation that receives significant revenue by providing testing services for HIWU.” On Feb. 4, April Tabor, the secretary of the FTC, wrote an order that denied, in part, Serpe's request, explaining the denial based on the following reasoning: “As an initial matter, we decline to consider this additional evidence. On a party's motion, we may consider new evidence when it is material to our review and there are reasonable grounds on which the party failed to previously submit it,” Tabor wrote. “Mr. Serpe–who has been ably represented by counsel throughout these proceedings–has not demonstrated reasonable grounds for waiting seventeen months to procure affidavits from two former employees,” Tabor wrote. “He merely notes that he is 'no trained investigator.' “Nor has Mr. Serpe provided reasonable grounds for not earlier presenting the evidence of HIWU's expert's alleged bias,” Tabor wrote. “We are not persuaded that further review of the ALJ's decision as to his liability or suspension is warranted,” Tabor concluded at a different point in the order. Tabor added that, “Mr. Serpe's combined motion remains under consideration to the extent it concerns a stay of his suspension pending a final decision in this case.” A request for comment emailed to Serpe's legal team did not yield a reply prior to deadline for this story. Serpe's separate (but related) lawsuit in United States District Court (Southern District of Florida) is ongoing. Back on Oct. 30, 2025, the federal judge in that case, David Leibowitz, signaled that the 66-year-old trainer could end up prevailing in his overall suit against the FTC and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). He wrote that while Serpe “may ultimately win the race, two obstacles stop him from getting a preliminary injunction.” Serpe's injunction was denied by the court at that time because, as the judge wrote, “Serpe does not face a threat of imminent irreparable harm [and] has not demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on the merits.” Also in that Oct. 30 court order, Judge Leibowitz wrote that, “what happened to [Serpe] in the wake of Fast Kimmie's win goes to the constitutional core of the American judicial system.” But, Leibowitz explained, “The problem for Serpe at this stage of the litigation is that his suspension is disconnected from the basis of his Seventh Amendment challenge, a disconnect that Serpe himself has acknowledged,” the judge wrote. A status report posted to the court's docket for the case stated the parties have agreed that Serpe will file a motion for summary judgment by Feb. 6 and that defendants will file a combined cross-motion for summary judgment and opposition to Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment by Mar. 23. Other deadlines for filings have been set as far out as late May, with no trial date yet posted. Beyond the lawsuit, Serpe's case has been separately handled at the administrative level by HISA, HIWU and the FTC. Serpe has already appealed his penalization before a HIWU arbitrator and the administrative law judge (ALJ) assigned by the FTC, and as part of an FTC order dated Sept. 15, 2025, the FTC will be undertaking a “further review” of the case, which is what is happening now. The post FTC Rules Serpe Cannot Now Introduce New Evidence in 18-Month Old Clenbuterol Case appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

UNWRITTEN RULE (c, 3, Justify–Jewish Guilt, by Curlin) was one of the few first-timers in the field in this rained-off sprint debut. Prominent throughout from just off the leader, the 5-2 second choice kept things tight into the turn through an opening quarter in :22.44. Moving between rivals with just over a quarter-mile left to run, Unwritten Rule burst clear of Troubleonthegreen (World of Trouble) to win by two lengths. Glen Hill purchased Jewish Guilt for $425,000 as a yearling from Keeneland September 2019. That mare, a winning daughter of Curlin, has since produced a 2-year-old Olympiad filly and a filly by Girvin this year. She's due to Army Mule this term. 8th-Tampa Bay Downs, $34,300, Msw, 2-5, 3yo, 5f (off turf), :58.13, gd, 2 lengths.Sales History: $575,000 RNA Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $18,240. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O/B-Glen Hill Farm (KY); T-Thomas F. Proctor. The post Justify Firster Unwritten Rule Debuts A Winner At Tampa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wagering on U.S. races during the month of January experienced just over a six percent downswing from a year ago, but the number of race days was roughly 12 percent lower, according to information released by Equibase on Thursday. Total wagering of $753,930,913 on races during the month represented a 6.09% decrease over the same period from 2025, while available purses of over $73-million were lower by almost 13%. The figure of over $68.5-million for paid purses in January was also down by 13.69%. As for the total number of race days, they decreased from 233 to 205 (-12.02%) and the number of U.S. races was lower from 1,995 in January 2025 to last month's tally of 1,724 (-13.58%). Average field size in January was down a touch from over a year ago when it was 8.14, and checked in at an average of 7.92 runners, a decrease of 2.67%. However, the average daily wagering metric increased by 6.74% to $3,677,712, and the average available purse number per race day was down 1.03% to $356,718 from the figure of $360,437 in 2025. The post January Year-Over Wagering Numbers Swing Down With Lost Race Days appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Michael Guerin The queen of trotting may have two impressive last-start winners heading to Alexandra Park tonight but she thinks her rep with the worst form line might end up being the punter’s friend. Michelle Wallis and husband Bernie Hackett had a career-best season last year when training 57 winners capped by Hillbilly Blues capturing the Group 1 National Trot on New Year’s Eve. Remarkably of those 57 wins, 55 came in trotting races with the majority at Alexandra Park where it feels like the stable wins a trotting race almost every Friday. That could well be the case again tonight though Wallis and Hackett only have starters in two races on the small seven-race card. Both Magic Dash (No 1) and Confessional (No 5) were impressive last-start winners and they clash in tonight’s feature trot, with Magic Dash having the advantage of a front line mark and 20m start over his stablemate. “Both of them have to be good chances but it is a good little field and could be a really interesting race,” says Wallis. “Magic Dash has only had two starts back since needing surgery for colic last year but won really well last start and has good manners. “And Confessional came to us from Paul Nairn because his connections thought he was better right-handed and he handled the track here really well winning last start. “Magic Dash might have more speed and Confessional’s strength might be his stamina but these small fields can be really hard to predict.” Also hard to predict has been Final Approach (R2, No 3) who resumes as one of the three stable reps in his race tonight, with the couple’s daughter Crystal Hackett doing the driving. “We have always really liked him but he lost his way manners-wise last season,” explains Wallis. “But he has had two workouts this time in and done everything right. “I’d say if he trots all the way and produces his best on Friday he will be hard to beat.” Tonight’s meeting also sees the first juvenile pacing fillies race of the northern season and with early favourite As One Wishes scratched with a minor issue the race looks wide open, with manners the likely key. Another favourite scratched tonight is Sammy Lincoln, who comes out of Race 3 leaving impressive recent workouts winner Ms Collins only needing to do things right to be the one to beat after a promising debut last year as a two-year-old. View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Craig Thornley is literally hoping to go one better at Rangiora’s annual Waitangi Day meeting today. And that’s because three of the horses he’ll drive (Ma Belle Amie Franco, Waikaka and Moa Mojito) all finished second for him in their most recent starts. One of them in particular Ma Belle Amie Franco is heavily backed to get her maiden win. Trained by Steven McRae, Ma Belle Amie Franco is at $2 following her last start second at Wyndham on January 6. “She is getting better every time she’s away from the place and looks a good each way chance,” says Thornley. The Always B Miki four-year-old has drawn the ace over 1950 metres in Race 5, the HSW Accounts – The Tyre General Amberley Mobile Pace (5.14pm). “I’m unsure just how much gate speed she has .. I’d like to be lead or trail but three back the fence isn’t the worst place to be at Rangiora,” says Thornley. “She’s had a wee freshen up .. and anything she does she will improve on.” In Race 3, the Aurora Storm Handicap Pace (4.18pm) Thornley links up with another McRae-trained runner in Waikaka. A winner of two races he was second last start at Oamaru last Sunday and will be off 10 metres today. “He’s a good beginner so he should get handy and is an each way chance.” He opened at $5.50 with Lavra Rose (also 10m) a $3 favouirte. After driving those two stablemates Thornley will drive three for Ashburton trainer Ben Waldron. Moa Mojito will line up in Race 6, the G K Fyffe Painting “Making It Happen” Trot after finishing second to Go Home Denise at Methven on January 25. “I thought I had that too – just got caught in the last stride,” Thornley says. With a safe beginning she’s rated a decent each way chance, paying $7 and $2.40. Waldron’s second runner is Penny Weight in Race 8, the Valley Inn Tavern Mobile Pace (6.40pm). The five race winner will line up one the second line and Thornley says that makes his tactics pretty straight forward. “I’ll be following the number one (Kushite Warrior). Wherever she goes I’ll be going too,” says Thornley. Kushite Warrior is a $3.60 favourite for trainer Malcolm Shinn. In her latest runs Penny Weight finished third and fourth at Blenheim last month. Thornley’s final drive is the out of form Franco Chaplin in Race 10, the Dawe Contracting Ltd – Shore Accounting Solutions Mobile Pace (7.42pm). “It’s a confidence issue with him,” says Thornley, “he has some ability and if he’s running home well I’ll be happy.” The day’s pacing feature is the Rangiora Equine Services Amberley Cup (6.09pm) Audacity is the favourite after a fast finishing third last start. He’s drawn one in a small field that also has quality performers in Bazooka, Vessem and Smoke On The Water, who’s vying for his fourth win in a row though he will have to overcome a 40 metre handicap. View the full article