Wandering Eyes

In the keynote address of The Jockey Club's Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing, Everett R. Dobson, newly elected chair of The Jockey Club, discussed plans for the organization and The Jockey Club's ongoing plans to grow racing. View the full article

Racing has made strides in recent years in addressing the timing of its races in an effort to prevent events from going off at the same time but as any regular viewer of FanDuel TV knows, the split screen is still needed at times.View the full article

Go behind the scenes with Rusty Arnold trainees Echo Sound and Kilwin as they train for the Aug. 2 Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Assistant trainer Lyndsay Delello introduces us to both fillies, Johnathan Monge takes them for a gallop.View the full article

By Michael Guerin Trainer Steven Reid almost doesn’t want to use the big “J word” when assessing the chances of debutante filly Smackdown at Addington tonight. But as is always the case Reid can’t help but be honest and frank about the recent stunning trial winner. “When she was coming up earlier in the season I thought there wasn’t anything between her and Jumal,” says Reid. There it is. Reid has mentioned Smackdown in the same breath as Jumal (pictured above), the Diamond Creek Stakes winner in April who is unbeaten in three starts and might be the most exciting juvenile pacer in the country. Reid is quick to temper the expectations around Smackdown in Race 6, the It’s Time To Book With Woodlands Mobile Pace (7.40pm) tonight but she still has plenty going for her in a field lacking experienced rivals. “She was right up there with Jumal when they were coming up but she kept growing, which saw her weaken off a bit. “She is almost 16 hands now but she still has plenty of ability.” Smackdown showed that when she beat her sole rival by 16 lengths in a recent Ashburton trial, pacing 1:56.6 for the mile. “She is obviously a really lovely filly but this was originally supposed to be a fillies only race and it is always harder taking on the boys in these races.” Reid says his only other problem with Smackdown is her trainer’s fresh up record. “I don’t often win with them on debut,” he laughs. “It is something I haven’t done a lot of, training horses to win on debut but she is a good filly and Samantha Ottley who drove her in that trial said she jogged it.” Aided by the scratching of one of the favourites in Franco Ankara, Smackdown is $2.60 with the TAB but there has been some interest in the Cullen-trained Zeus Lightning, who has been $8.50 to $3.50. As for Reid’s stable star Jumal, he will be back at the trials on August 13 and 20 as a Sires’ Stakes campaign looms. View the full article

By Michael Guerin Hot favourite Hawkeye Pierce could be forgiven for being a touch confused when he scores up from barrier 2 in the race of the night at Alexandra Park tonight. Because the four-year-old is far more used to bad draws and hard runs that what he faces in the Join TAB Racing Club Mobile over 1700m tonight (7.24pm). An impressive last-start winner when fresh up for trainers Logan Hollis and Shane Robertson, Hawkeye Pierce has been brave but often beaten, winning just three of his 16 starts. While his eight second placings suggests he is something of a “gunna”, Hollis says the barrier draw Gods have cursed Hawkeye Pierce. “He drew well in a couple of his early starts in only very small fields but he has barely drawn well in the last 18 months,” says Hollis. “That means he has often had really hard run when they consistently pace 2:40 for 2200m at The Park. “But I have never been disappointed in him.” Trainers complaining their horse never draws well is one of racing’s all-time greatest hits but in Hawkeye Pierce’s case, Hollis is spot on. In his last 10 starts he has drawn inside barrier 5 just once, with a draw sequence of 5-7-8-7-6-3-6-10-7-11, so barrier 2 tonight in going to see him using a lot less energy than usual to get or stay handy and almost certainly covering less overall ground. “The one thing about all his bad barrier draws is we don’t really know how much gate speed he has because he hasn’t had much chance to use it,” explains Hollis. “But one time I drove him at the workouts and asked him to leave the gate be bolted out so I think it will be there.” While backing horses with a three from 16 record at $1.70 may not make percentage sense Hawkeye Pierce looks to have found himself in an ideal race, with his two best performed rivals Village Rebel and Mighty Looee fresh up and drawn wide. Logan and Hollis, who have a very good strike rate, also have Minjee (R4, No.6) in the same race and suggest her widish draw is okay as she is better out and working in her races. Earlier in the night the small Pukekohe stable take Gotta Go Miki (R3, No.3) to a nice mares race with plenty of chances and Hollis says ability isn’t her issue. “She is a horse who has been sent to test us,” he laughs. “She has the ability to win this but does a lot wrong but she is worth following.” The surprise package of their stable this campaign has been Franco Salah (R6, No.8) who has been very tough in his latest runs but will need to be so again from the outside of the gate. “We didn’t know he could do what he has done this campaign so he has become a horse who is always a chance in this grade.” Tonight’s main trot will provide one of the other highlights as horses like Lord Popinjay (40m) and Romeo Foxtrot (30m) attempt to overcome their big handicaps in just 2200m, with their starts and the manners of their rivals crucial components. View the full article

In his unveiling as chair of The Jockey Club, Everett Dobson outlined an organization focused on moving the sport forward to the benefit of everyone who participates in racing; committed to the Thoroughbred and the people in the racing industry.View the full article

Mike Repole has already made a huge splash in business, horse racing, and college basketball. Next is football.View the full article

In sharing their different approaches of bringing new people to the sport, a pair of horse racing's best-known fans—Griffin Johnson and Steve Kornacki—offered ideas on how everyone can do their part.View the full article

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who resumed riding this month after injury, is excited to ride the upcoming Kentucky Downs meet in late August and early September. View the full article

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Just after 6:30 on a dreary, rainy Thursday morning, a 4-year-old gelding named Corruption (Medaglia d'Oro), with a long white blaze on his face, stuck his dark brown head out of his stall at Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse's barn on the Saratoga backstretch. Bright-eyed and inquisitive, he gobbled up a peppermint. If he could have spoken, he might have said, 'what's the big deal? I feel fine.” About 15 1/2 hours prior, he wasn't. After winning Saratoga's fourth race on Wednesday and returning to the winner's circle, Corruption, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Harry Colburn, was in distress. It appeared as though he was impacted by Wednesday's 90-degree heat. Corruption fell, got back to his feet but was wobbly for several minutes while a team of racing guardian angels jumped into action. A group effort from Casse's team–as well as members of trainer Miguel Clement's stable, which had two horses in the race–rushed to the aid of the distressed Corruption. So too did jockey Jose Ortiz, who rode Corruption, as well as other jockeys in the race–Irad Ortiz, Jr., Kendrick Carmouche and Dylan Davis. “That was fantastic,” Casse said outside his barn on the Saratoga backstretch. “I was just in awe. It was a big negative to see the horse go down like that in front of everyone, but then the love and the positive overrode all of that.” Jose Ortiz said there was never any thought of not helping the struggling horse. After jumping off, he never left Corruption. “That is what we do, we love the horses,” Jose Ortiz said Thursday morning. “I was happy that everyone jumped in and tried to help. We did what we were supposed to do and we basically saved him.” The jockeys rushed buckets of ice to pour on Corruption to help cool him down. Clement and his assistant Lee Vickers pitched in. Trackside hoses were used. Casse said that one of his employees, Amanda Romero, was in tears watching the whole scene unfold. “I told her it was okay,” Casse said. “She said she wasn't crying because of that; she said she was crying because so many people helped. Nobody gets that these horses are like our kids. It hurts. I have had horses with heat exhaustion, but this was pretty bad.” Corruption will have blood work done, Casse said, to make sure everything checks out. Thursday morning, all was good. “It scared the hell out of me,” Casse said. “I am sure it scared the hell out of him.” Consistent Sierra Leone Looking To Score Big in Whitney In his 11-race career, 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) has never run a bad one. Eleven starts: four wins, four seconds and three third-place finishes. Sierra Leone paddock schools Wednesday | Sarah Andrew Trainer Chad Brown hopes the beat goes on for his 4-year-old on Saturday in the $1-million GI Whitney Stakes at Saratoga. “He is doing great, super,” Brown said outside his office on the Oklahoma Training Track Thursday. Sierra Leone, owned by Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook Smith, has had two starts this year following his win in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic, a victory that vaulted him to the Eclipse Award for champion 3-year-old. He finished second in the GII New Orleans Classic Stakes in his 4-year-old debut and then was second to 'TDN Rising Star' Mindframe (Constitution) in the GI Stephen Foster Stakes. Jockey Flavien Prat, who has ridden Sierra Leone in his last six starts, will be on board. Strong finishes are the norm for the late-running Sierra Leone, despite the lack of an early pace. “If the pace is slow with good horses in the race, it's hard to make up ground on good horses,” Brown said. “It looks like there is plenty of speed in (the Whitney); we will see how the track is playing. This track can get a little speedy at times and favor forward horses. I hope that is not the case on Saturday. If the track is playing fair and the pace is honest enough, I think he has a good chance to run his race.” This Whitney will include older horse heavyweights such as 'TDN Rising Star Fierceness (City of Light), White Abarrio (Race Day) and Highland Falls (Curlin). Mindframe is entered but will scratch as long as stablemate Fierceness is ready to go. Brown, who is from nearby Mechanicville, has never won the Whitney. He has started four horses in the race in his career with the best finish coming from Zandon (Upstart), who was second in 2023. “The list is getting smaller of the races we haven't won,” he said. “It is a very prestigious race in Saratoga, where I grew up, and it would be quite an honor to win it. There have been some great horses, some champion horses, some Hall of Fame horses that have run in this race. We are happy we are in it, and we have one of the main contenders.” Johannes Ships East to get Season Started A year ago, trainer Tim Yakteen thought his then 4-year-old Johannes (Nyquist) had done enough to win the Eclipse Award for top Male Turf Horse. It wasn't enough. Johannes on the track Wednesday | Sarah Andrew In the closest vote of any of the 2024 Eclipse categories, Johannes was nipped 89-81 by Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Rebel's Romance won five of six starts last year. Johannes also won five of six in 2024, the lone loss coming by three-quarters of a length to More Than Looks (More Than Ready) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. “It was a letdown, disappointing,” Yakteen said Thursday morning on the Saratoga backstretch. “It is what it is. I'm not going to dwell on it. I was more disappointed for the horse and the connections. In this game, you just want to keep looking forward.” Yakteen, based on the West Coast, shipped Johannes east to get his 2025 season started. Johannes is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in Saturday's $750,000 GI Fourstardave at a mile on the inner turf course. He is owned by Joe and Debby McCloskey's CUYATHY LLC. One of the reasons for coming cross country is that the Fourstardave is part of the Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' challenge series. The winner of the race gets an automatic berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 1. “And we are pretty limited in California with the number of Grade Is (on turf),” said Yakteen, who will be starting his first horse ever at Saratoga. “We are just hitting the reset position and starting again.” This will only be the second time in his life that Johannes is running outside California. He was fifth, beaten two lengths in the GII American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day 2023. Johannes, who will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli, has won four of five starts at a mile and Yakteen is hoping for a firm course. His horse does his best running on that condition, too, “He just does everything with ease,” Yakteen said. “He is a good work horse in the morning and replicates that in the afternoon.” The post Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Corruption All Good Day After Heat Incident appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

6th-Saratoga, $90,000, (S), Msw, 7-31, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:12.85, my, 4 1/2 lengths. GRAZIE (f, 2, Modernist–Ascot Walk, by Daaher) became the fourth North American winner from the first crop of her sire (by Uncle Mo) with a convincing debut success at soggy Saratoga. Off as the 14-5 second choice, Grazie was part of a four-way scramble for the lead through the opening furlong before poking through from between rivals to take up the running heading into the turn. Chased around the bend by 1.15-1 favorite Tuthilltown (Classic Empire), Grazie responded when asked while racing on her incorrect lead and drew clear in the final eighth of a mile to take it by 4 1/2 lengths. Encantar (Solomini) was up for second ahead of Tuthilltown. A half-sister to Regaled (Mohaymen), GSP, $179,510; and to Drexel Hill (Bolt d'Oro), SW & GISP, $456,520, Grazie was purchased for $37,000 out of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Yearling Sale last October and blossomed into a $310,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic graduate following an energetic gallop during her under-tack preview (video). The winner, whose dam was purchased by co-breeder Michael Slezak for $5,000 with this foal in utero at Keeneland November in 2022, has a yearling half-sister by Redesdale. Modernist is also the sire of the colt Laman Sapsan, a wide-margin winner on debut at Nal'chik in Russia on July 26. Sales history: $37,000 Ylg '24 EASOCT; $310,000 2yo '25 EASMAY. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Repole Stable; B-Michael Slezak & Kaylee M Platt (NY); T-Todd A Pletcher. Grazie is a debut winner in R6 at Saratoga for trainer Todd Pletcher with @luissaezpty aboard! pic.twitter.com/Le4Npfq1RG — TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) July 31, 2025 The post Modernist Filly Grazie Dominates On Saratoga Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), a perfect three-for-three this term, headed by a win in the GI American Turf S. at Churchill Downs, will be heavily favored in Friday's GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S., a one-mile inner turf test for sophomores at Saratoga. A winner of six-of-seven career starts, the lone blemish on Zulu Kingdom's resume is a seventh-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar. The 6-5 morning-line favorite, campaigned in partnership by Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and Michael J. Caruso, enters off a win in the GIII Manila S. at the Spa July 4. “I think two-turn turf races at the middle distance there's always a lot of close finishes, but he has a lot of natural heart and ability,” said trainer Chad Brown, who looks for a record-extending eighth victory in this event. “He's a natural competitor when it comes down to the wire.” Brown continued, “A mile, mile and a sixteenth–right now–is what I think he wants to do. We'll see as he gets a little older (about stretching out). He's coming into the race great. He's training well.” Luther (GB) | Sarah Andrew Luther (GB) (Frankel {GB}) cuts back in distance after rallying for third while making his U.S. debut for trainer Charlie Fellowes in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational S. at Saratoga July 4. Clever Again (American Pharoah), a sharp, front-running winner of the Hot Springs S. at Oaklawn Mar. 30, switches to grass for trainer Steve Asmussen after an eventful ninth in the GI Preakness S. May 17 and disappointing sixth in the GIII Ohio Derby June 21. The post Zulu Kingdom Headlines National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The 49-year-old conditioner swept both ends of the stakes doubleheader on the first Saturday of the meet, winning the Wickerr Stakes with Almendares and then the San Clemente Handicap (G2T) with Thought Process.View the full article

Due to heavy rain showers and thunderstorms in the area, the remainder of the July 31 live racing card, races 6-9, at Delaware Park has been canceled.View the full article

Twice classic-placed Tacitus got his first winner as a sire when his 2-year-old filly Tacit Value was victorious July 31 at Delaware Park. View the full article

Jose Santos Jr., the son of 2003 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Funny Cide's rider Jose Santos, is the agent for Christopher Elliott, son of 2004 Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones' rider Stewart Elliott.View the full article

Six 2-year-old fillies will try the 6 1/2-furlong distance for the first time.View the full article

Despite a turf pedigree, the 2-year-old took to the dirt to give the trainer her first win at the Spa.View the full article

Full Serrano (Arg) (Full Mast), unraced since springing a 13-1 upset in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar Nov. 2, is nearing a return. “We're hoping we see him at Del Mar,” owner Kosta Hronis said. “If there's a race for him there that he fits in, that's what we're gonna shoot for. We'll see how he does and go from there. The focus is Breeders' Cup. If he can handle the Classic, that would be the ultimate goal.” Full Serrano has posted four workouts for trainer John Sadler since returning to the worktab this summer, most recently breezing four furlongs in :48.40 (17/51) at Del Mar July 28. “He just had some little issues that came up,” Hronis said. “Nothing big. Just for his own good we thought, 'it's probably the perfect time of the year to give him a nice break since our focus is Breeders' Cup. Let him get back and good and healthy.' He never left the barn. He didn't have to go any place. He's been under John's care the whole time.” Kosta Hronis | Benoit Photo A listed stakes winner and also graded stakes placed for former trainer Diego Pena in his native Argentina, Full Serrano made three starts on these shores last term. An optional claiming winner in his U.S. debut going a two-turn mile at Del Mar Aug. 3, the dark bay ran very well in defeat staying on for second while stretching to 1 1/4 miles in the GI FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic S. Aug. 31. He trained up to the Breeders' Cup after spiking a fever and missing an intended start in the GI California Crown at Santa Anita. “John has a good relationship with those people there and (Full Serrano) became available,” Hronis said. “So, we jumped on him. He was modestly priced and we thought we'd take a chance with him. Turned out to be a really really good racehorse. He had a little tiny issue and missed the Awesome Again, so we decided to cut him back to the Mile for the Breeders' Cup. He did his job there and showed everybody he's a racehorse. We're probably back on that same pattern hoping to go to the Classic.” Full Serrano wins the $1 Million @bigassfans #BreedersCup Dirt Mile! Congrats to all connections! #BC24 pic.twitter.com/bFDCtg3olx — Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) November 3, 2024 The post BC Dirt Mile Upsetter Full Serrano Gearing Up for Return, ‘Focus is Breeders’ Cup’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Heavy rain showers and thunderstorms in the Wilmington area caused officials to cancel the remainder of the races at Delaware Park Thursday. Racing was abandoned following the fifth of nine scheduled races at the track. Live racing is scheduled to resume at Delaware Park Friday. The post Storms Cancel Delaware Park Racing Thursday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Grade I winner Preservationist (Arch–Flying Dixie, by Dixieland Band) died in Korea July 19, according to Korea Racing Authority records. The news was first reported in the U.S. by Paulick Report. Racing for Centennial Farms and trained by Jimmy Jerkens, Preservationist won the 2019 GI Woodward Stakes and GII Suburban Stakes. He hit the board in nine of 11 starts, with six wins and earnings of $1,084,550. He began his stud career at Airdrie Stud and sired 2024 GIII Peter Pan Stakes winner Antiquarian, who has gone on to finish second in this year's GII Suburban Stakes and GIII Blame Stakes. Preservationist is also the sire of stakes winners In a Jam, Band of Gold, and Diakonissa. His son Chunk of Gold earned a spot in this year's Kentucky Derby with runner-up efforts in the GII Louisiana Derby and GII Risen Star Stakes. He was also second in the GIII Ohio Derby. The 12-year-old Preservationist relocated to Korea last December. The post Preservationist Dies in Korea appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Multiple Grade I winner Raging Torrent (Maximus Mischief–Violent Wave, by Violence) has been retired from racing and will begin his stud career at Lane's End Farm, the nursery announced Thursday. “We've had a history of success with Malibu winners standing at Lane's End with the likes of City of Light, Twirling Candy, and The Factor, which played a big role in bringing Raging Torrent here,” said Lane's End's Bill Farish. “His ability to stretch his front-running speed to a mile and win a prestigious race like the Met, in addition to his international success, makes him an exciting prospect for breeders.” Raging Torrent was third in the 2023 GIII Best Pal Stakes as a 2-year-old, and he won last year's GI Malibu Stakes and GII Pat O'Brien Stakes as a 3-year-old. He traveled to Dubai to take his 2025 debut in the G2 Godolphin Mile at Meydan for new owners Yuesheng Zhang and Craig Dado, and he returned stateside to win the GI Metropolitan Handicap in his final start in June. On the board in 10 of 14 starts, Raging Torrent won seven times and earned $1,797,400. Raging Torrent will be available for inspection at Lane's End beginning with the start of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The post Raging Torrent to Stand at Lane’s End appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Mercante, scratched from the June 28 Wise Dan Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs after trainer Brian Knippenberg was dissatisfied with the gelding's preparation, returns Aug. 2 in the Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile Stakes at Ellis Park.View the full article

A field of seven older fillies and mares will get their chance to earn grade 1 status and an expenses-paid spot in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Aug. 2 at Del Mar. View the full article

Despite the unconventional start, 6-5 favorite Whirl made all and stormed to a brilliant five-length victory in the mud leaving Cercene behind, while See The Fire, runner-up last year, came up short again.View the full article