Wandering Eyes

Multiple graded stakes winner Arzak (Not This Time–Delightful Melody, by Tapit) has been purchased by Amsterdam Two Farm in Middleburgh, New York, where he will retire to stud for a fee of $6,000, with special consideration to approved mares. A $575,000 OBS Spring 2-year-old in 2020, Arzak won the 2023 GII Woodford Stakes and 2024 GII Shakertown Stakes on the grass at Keeneland and he was also runner-up behind Cogburn (Not This Time) in the 2024 GI Jaipur Stakes. He won the 2022 GIII Jacques Cartier Stakes and Thorncliffe Stakes–where he set a new track record of 1:02.62 for 5 1/2 furlongs–on the Tapeta at Woodbine, and the 2021 Tom Ridge Stakes at Presque Isle Downs. On the board in 16 of 36 starts, Arzak won eight times and earned $1,081,294 while racing in the colors of Marc Tacher's Sonata Stable for trainer Michael Trombetta. “This horse was so sound and so willing–I never had a moment's problem with him,” Trombetta said. “Arzak was as clean-legged on retirement as the day he came to the barn. And I think, based on his sire's accomplishments and Arzak's own win going a mile at Tampa Bay in his third career start, his offspring will be well-suited to most distances offered at the new Belmont Park.” Ken Williams, manager of Amsterdam Two, added, “Physically, Arzak is an absolute rocket ship. He's 16.2 hands, with tremendous bone, a powerful build and an absolutely monster walk–and he's got arguably the three most important qualities sought by New York breeders: speed, soundness and precocity. We knew we needed a special horse to launch Amsterdam Two's stallion operation, and Arzak fits that description to a tee.” Bloodstock agent Michael Slezak brokered the deal to bring Arzak to New York and will stay involved to help Amsterdam Two sell shares and seasons. Amsterdam Two has built a state-of-the-art stallion barn and will be offering an open house after Thanksgiving. The post Millionaire Arzak Retired to Stud at New York’s Amsterdam Two Farm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

European champion two-year-old Shadow Of Light (Lope De Vega) has been retired from racing and will take up stud duties at Kildangan Stud in Ireland next year. A stud fee will be announced at a later date. Trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, Shadow Of Light joins the Darley roster as a dual Group 1 winner, having become only the third two-year-old since the Pattern began to win both the Middle Park Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes. Beaten just once in five starts that season, when filling the runner-up spot in the G2 Gimcrack Stakes at York, he followed that effort with a four-length success in the Middle Park, before returning to Newmarket just two weeks later to win the Dewhurst by a neck. Though unable to add to those Group 1 spoils in four starts as a three-year-old, Shadow Of Light proved himself at least as good as ever when beginning the campaign with a close-up third in the 2,000 Guineas. He was also fourth in a blanket finish to the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville, with just half a length separating him from the winner. Godolphin homebred Shadow Of Light is out of the G1 Fillies' Mile and G3 Sweet Solera Stakes third Winter's Moon (New Approach), whose first foal, Earthlight (Shamardal), has stood the past five seasons at Kildangan Stud. He too was a dual Group 1-winning juvenile, having completed the Prix Morny/Middle Park double in 2019. Winter's Moon is also the dam of this year's GI Summer Stakes and G2 Superlative Stakes placegetter Wild Desert (Too Darn Hot), while Shadow Of Light's second dam, the G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner and G1 Prix Saint-Alary third Summertime Legacy (Darshaan), has produced seven other winners. They include the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero Mandean (Manduro) and G1 Prix Saint-Alary scorer Wavering (Refuse To Bend), while another daughter, the unraced Hurricane Irene (Green Desert), is the second dam of this year's G1 Prix Morny winner Venetian Sun (Starman). Sam Bullard, Darley's director of stallions, said, “Shadow Of Light hails from an extraordinary family packed with precocious Group 1 performers and his own record at two is simply outstanding. We are very excited to show him to breeders in the coming weeks.” The post Champion Juvenile Shadow Of Light Joins the Darley Roster for 2026 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New Zealand sourced runners were to the fore at Sha Tin on Sunday with six winners from the ten races. Sky Heart (NZ) (Ardrossan) landed the fourth win of his 13-start career when fighting bravely to score in a Class 3 over 1400m. The Caspar Fownes-trained five-year-old overcame barrier 13 to win by a nose under Ellis Wong for the Kwan family after being sidelined for the best part of six months. “He’s a good horse and we’ve always had a very high opinion of him, but he’s just had umpteen problems,” Fownes said. “He had colic surgery and he was out for a while but we’ve given him a really good prep and we were just gutted when we saw the draw. But we just pressed on and relied on his fitness and you can see he’s a good horse because he really stuck his neck out.” Fownes had earlier saddled Daily Trophy (NZ) (Tarzino) to win a Class 4 over 1200m. Jamie Richards continued his good early-season form when $1.20 favourite Jubilant Winner (Capitalist) notched a workmanlike victory in a Class 4 over 1200m. A son of Capitalist, Jubilant Winner was a trial winner in New Zealand at Te Rapa for Richards father Paul and is now a two-time winner in Hong Kong. See video below for a full review of the New Zealand success at Sha Tin. View the full article

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER View the full article

Jamie Richards looks to continue his strong start to the campaign with his aptly named La Forza in the Class Three Hok Yuen Handicap (1,200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The 36-year-old endured a frustrating campaign last season but has quickly put that in the dust, racing to seven successes and unleashing some smart winners along the way. “We had a shocker last season, but I’m very pleased with how things have kicked off this time around. Long may it continue,” said Richards. A...View the full article

French jockey Corentin Berge had to wait longer than anticipated to partner Sicillian at the races, but he made that opportunity count at Arawa Park on Sunday, earning his first win on New Zealand soil. Berge arrived in New Zealand last month and had five raceday rides prior to the Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua (1400m), a take two aboard the Wexford-trained mare having been scheduled to ride her at Matamata last Saturday before the late abandonment. He retained the ride for the following weekend and had confidence that she could produce a winning result, having shown promise as a three-year-old and resuming in Rating 65 company. Sicillian only stepped fairly from the gates and Berge pressed on to find cover off the rail in midfield, while Beetlegeuse ensured a solid tempo up-front. That pace played into the hands of Sicillian, who ranged up at the top of the straight and comfortably ran down the favourite Sweetazme, kicking clear by 1 – ¼ lengths to Sneak Peek and Live On Air. “I was pretty confident in this filly, I’d ridden her at the trials two or three weeks ago and was supposed to ride her in the last meeting at Matamata before it was called off,” Berge said. “I thought she could be my first winner so it’s really nice to get that done. “I didn’t have any clear instructions, her trainers (Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott) gave me a free card, but she probably started a bit slower than I expected. In saying that, we didn’t end up too far from the leader and it all worked out well.” Originally from Toulouse, Berge rode 86 winners in his homeland before seeking further opportunities in Germany where he added another six wins to his tally, including success at Listed and Group Two level. Now plying his trade in Matamata, Berge is working for Te Akau Racing, having been in contact through a French association with Cambridge Stud. “I’m from Toulouse, I started my apprenticeship in the southwest of France before going to Chantilly, which is the main place for horse racing,” he said. “After I lost my claim, I moved to ride a bit in Germany for a couple of months, but it wasn’t all exactly as I’d expected, so I decided to come over to New Zealand. “I was looking for a country not only for racing, but also for a nice lifestyle and opportunity for international jockeys. I think New Zealand was a good fit for that and it’s going well so far. “There wasn’t a real connection between France and New Zealand, but I was lucky because a French trainer, Nicholas Clement, trained for Cambridge Stud a few years ago so he got in contact with them, which led me to Te Akau. “Te Akau have given me a few trial rides over the last few weeks and are really open to giving me the opportunity to ride for other stables in the mornings, so I try to ride for Wexford, Pam Gerard and Graham Richardson as well.” Berge is enjoying his new surroundings in the Waikato, while adjusting to a different pattern of racing than what he is accustomed to at home. “I arrived last month and it’s a nice country, I’ve ridden on four racecourses and the facilities are nice for the horses,” he said. “The races here are quite different. In a typical French race we start slow and the last 400m is very quick, but here, the races have a stronger pace throughout.” Berge is available to be booked for rides through his agent Ted McLachlan (021 147 7378). View the full article

After a couple of unlucky runs in big races this season, Antipodean (NZ) (Derryn) turned his fortunes around at Selangor on Sunday with a deserved victory in the RM300,000 NZB Ready to Run Sale Championship (1400m). Antipodean was bought for $23,000 by trainer Simon Dunderdale from Regal Farm’s draft at the 2022 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka. The star five-year-old has now had 20 starts for 12 wins and six placings, including a perfect six-from-six record over 1400 metres. Previously the winner of last year’s RM200,000 Selangor Gold Cup (1600m) and RM100,000 Supreme Challenge Cup (1400m), little had gone right for Antipodean in his recent runs. He had a tough wide run when third in the Selangor Mile (1600m), then was significantly hampered by a fallen horse on his way to a fourth placing when he tried to defend his Selangor Gold Cup title. But it was a different story on Sunday. Jockey Bernardo Pinheiro took up a handier position this time on Antipodean, settling fifth in the run. All eyes went towards the outside at the home turn as Antipodean and Duma (NZ) (Too Darn Hot) began to launch their runs. That pair swept to the front together and went clear to fight out the finish, with Antipodean winning by half a length. The third-placed Rocky Bhai (Microphone) finished four and a half lengths behind the first two with favourite Lucky Magic (NZ) (Mendelssohn) finishing just outside of the placings after enduring a wide passage throughout. “When the rain came, I had to change tact,” Pinheiro said. Winning connections of Antipodean following the Antipodean gets the better of Duma in the NZB Ready to Run Sale Championship Photo: supplied “He has been coming home strongly but not winning with 59 kilograms on his back. On the wet track, if I had held him back early, he would be charging home as usual but might be too late. Hence I decided to urge him on early and place him in a more handy position. “Once I placed him where I wanted to be, I got him to relax and waited for the straight to mount my challenge. This horse has got such a big heart.” Winning trainer Simon Dunderdale was delighted to see a change in Antipodean’s fortunes. “He was always drawn wide, and added to that he was either forced to race wide or was interfered with in the running,” he said. “Today he had the luck in the running and showed everyone what he is really capable of.” The expat Kiwi trainer enjoyed a successful day, having sent out Capetian (NZ) (US Navy Flag) to win the NZB Ready To Run Progressive (1200m), with graduates coming from last year’s edition of the sale. The three-year-old is out of Indomitable, making him a half-brother to multiple Group One winner and sire Turn Me Loose. He was purchased for $70,000 from the draft of Prima Park by Dunderdale and the late Joe Yorke. The 2025 edition of the Ready to Run Sale will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre from 10am (NZT) on Wednesday 12 & Thursday 13 November. Breeze Ups will be held at Te Rapa Racecourse on Monday 20 & Tuesday 21 October. View the full article

Plenty of drama has surrounded Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) ahead of Saturday’s A$20 million The Everest (1200m) at Randwick, but trainer David Hayes assures everything is fine with the Kiwi-bred sprinting sensation. “I got a call yesterday (Sunday) at lunchtime from JD, my son, and Gareth Hall (racing broadcaster) had rung him and said his twitter account had been hacked and sent out some false information, which basically had him scratched, lame in behind and not eating,” Hayes said. “That’s not the horse I have been training anyway. “The phone went into meltdown for about six hours, but to use a Donald Trumpism, it’s fake news.” Ka Ying Rising put any doubts to bed following his trackwork gallop at Canterbury on Monday, where he pleased Hayes with his hit-out. “We are really happy with him,” Hayes said. “He just went out on the beautiful Canterbury track this morning and ran home in 38 under a nice hold, and his recovery was excellent.” The son of Shamexpress finished third in his 1000m trial at Randwick last week and Hayes said he has benefited a lot from that run. “I think he has really improved from that trial. The idea of the trial was to bring him on, and I think it has,” he said. “I am sure if we trialled him today, he would be a nine out of 10. He has made the progression we thought he would and we are expecting a bold showing. I love the weather pattern as well, a nice, firm track will only help. “I think he is ready to rumble.” The all-important barrier draw will take place tomorrow night (Tuesday), with Hayes hoping to secure an inside marble. “As close to the rail as possible, that would be the best,” he said. “In Hong Kong, they jump and really go hard because they have only got 200m to the turn. In Sydney, they have got a nice 600-700m run. The tempo isn’t quite as hectic, so the barrier is not quite so important for him. “He has got incredible gate speed and he has got the ability to take a sit, so he is pretty foolproof.” Bred by Marton horseman Fraser Auret under his Grandmoral Lodge Racing banner, Ka Ying Rising has been an unstoppable force for trainer David Hayes in Hong Kong, winning 14 of his 16 starts in the competitive racing jurisdiction and amassed more than $HK68 million (NZ$15.2 million) in prizemoney. View the full article

Harness Racing legend Barry Purdon had a weekend to remember. On Friday he made a winning return to the sulky, following a six-year hiatus, when piloting Group One-performing trotter Higher Power to victory at Alexandra Park, and on Sunday, his famous silks were to the fore once again, but this time in the thoroughbred code, when his exciting galloper Yamato Satona scored on debut in the opening race at Arawa Park for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott. Purdon was trackside in Rotorua with his wife Katrina, who shares in Yamato Satona’s ownership, along with good friend and stable client Dean Shannon. “It was a great thrill,” Barry Purdon said. “We went down there and we weren’t expecting to see what we saw, but it was great. “Lance and Andrew have always liked him, so that is always a good sign.” The 70-year-old horseman was also pleased to return to the driving ranks on Friday night, and he is looking forward to frequenting the track more often this season. “It was great, I really enjoyed it,” he said. “I had a pretty nice horse to drive and it was good to get out there again. “I have been driving quite a bit of track work lately since I had that bit of bad luck with my hip, and I feel good again.” The Purdon surname is synonymous with harness racing, with Purdon and his late father Roy dominating the New Zealand training ranks for several decades, winning every premiership bar one between 1976 and 1996. His brother Mark has dominated the sport in recent times, winning 14 trainers’ premierships since 2000, and he has also started to train a few thoroughbreds from his new Matamata base. In the nineties, harness racing royalty teamed up with thoroughbred racing royalty when Purdon raced several thoroughbreds with Paul and Dave O’Sullivan at Wexford Stables, and the association has continued for more than 30 years. “We had a horse with Paul and Dave O’Sullivan called Most Happy Fella in about 1995,” Purdon said. “There has been a bit of a lull, but we usually have had a horse with them.” Purdon also dabbled in training the odd thoroughbred himself and recorded his sole thoroughbred training success in the 2011/12 season. “I trained a couple (of thoroughbreds) for a little while,” he said. “We managed to get a winner at Pukekohe with a little horse called Maverick. It took a lot of time when you have the harness horses too.” Last year, Purdon was looking to purchase another thoroughbred to race and went to Karaka in search of his next horse, and Yamato Satona, a Satono Aladdin colt in Rich Hill Stud’s draft, caught his eye. “I first saw him on a video when I was looking at all of the yearlings, and I really liked him,” Purdon said. “When I saw him in the flesh, I really liked him as much, if not more. “He was a kind horse, a little bit timid, but he had a great attitude. He was in and out of the box because he was quite popular and I just liked his temperament. “The Satono Aladdins are pretty nice horses and he is out of a Commands mare, and he was a pretty good stallion himself.” Purdon was delighted to secure the colt with a final bid of $250,000, and subsequently placed him in the care of Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott at Wexford Stables in Matamata. “We paid a bit of money for this guy and I just wanted to make sure that everything was done right, and one of those was to make sure he went to Lance and Andrew because he would get every opportunity,” Purdon said. And his colt has been given just that, placing in three trials before winning his last trial over 1000m at Arawa Park last month, and he won on debut like a horse with a bright future, a view shared by co-trainer Andrew Scott. “We were really pleased, he settled in well, stayed the 1400m and for an inexperienced young horse to quicken in the manner he did, we couldn’t be happier,” he said. “He’s put in a performance that suggests he has good levels of ability and where we go to from here, we’ll let the dust settle over the next few days. “Hopefully he has a good summer ahead of him, as his experience levels increase, his confidence will come with it and once he gets out to a mile, he’s certainly going to have a successful season.” View the full article

High class three-year-old Autumn Boy may not have a New Zealand suffix next to his name, but his Kiwi roots run deep. The Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) winner was bred and sold by Beltana Stud’s Richard Rutherford, who is continuing to breed from the Chris Waller-trained colt’s dam Rosegarden. “It was terrific result all around and he’s a cracking horse,” said Rutherford, whose boutique breeding operation is located at Parnassus, about 130km north of Christchurch. Autumn Boy was offered through Amarina Farm’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where he was sold to Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock for A$200,000 and is raced by South Island owner Glenn Ritchie. “He was a magnificent colt, a beautifully balanced horse who just kept improving and Amarina did a wonderful job with him,” Rutherford said. By The Autumn Sun, Autumn Boy has now won three of his five starts, with his stake earnings topping A$2 million. The unraced Rosegarden is a daughter of multiple stakes winner O’Reilly Rose who failed to meet her $200,000 reserve at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale. Currently residing at Amarina, she has since produced a son and daughter of Yarraman Park’s Hellbent, a Group One-winning son and daughter of I Am Invincible. The two-year-old was sold privately and is being broken in while the future of the filly has yet to be decided. “It’s early days and she’s only a month old, she’s a beautiful filly and the mare was served by The Autumn Son last week,” Rutherford said. “I’m only breeding from a couple of mares and I’ve got a few others, but I won’t be breeding from them this year.” Autumn Boy is the third top-flight winner in Australia that Rutherford has bred from the family. The colt’s granddam is a three-quarter sister to Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) winner Shamexpress, who has enjoyed a successful stud career at Windsor Park, while Affinity won a Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m). “I’ve had a lot of other Group One-placed horses, a second in the Epsom Handicap (1600m), The Metropolitan (2400m), The All-Aged Stakes (1400m) and the AJC Derby (2400m), although some years ago,” Rutherford said. “Shamexpress and this one (Autumn Boy) have been the best recently.” Rutherford is also looking forward to the career of another well-credentialled family member. “I’ve got a half-sister by Super Seth to Rosegarden, and I think she’s an outstanding filly,” he said. “She’s a two-year-old and I’ll race her, but I haven’t decided on a trainer yet.” View the full article

Ka Ying Rising continued his Group One The Everest (1,200m) preparation with his final serious gallop on Monday morning, with trainer David Hayes enjoying the calm of Canterbury after Sunday’s chaos. Forced to field calls for “probably six hours” after rumours ran wild about hot favourite Ka Ying Rising potentially missing Saturday’s The Everest, Hayes was pleased to see his superstar back up what he told everyone on Sunday. “We’re really happy with him. He just went out on the beautiful...View the full article

The Kaikoura Cup will celebrate its 100th running this year. Over the next few weeks Kaikoura Trotting Club historian Phil Gourdie will look back at the history of the great race, starting today with The First 50 Years. The Kaikoura Cup – 1914 to 1964. By Phil Gourdie The Kaikoura Cup was first raced for 111 years ago. Since then it has had a far from uninterrupted run due to World Wars, the depression and the creation of the new track. In 1914, the first running of the Kaikoura Cup was won by nine-year-old mare Kintail, owned by Arthur Edgar and trained and driven by William Honeybone. Kintail led throughout and won a good competitive race by a length from the President Arthur Marshall’s Black Prince. The first multiple winner of the Cup was Full Cry. Owned and trained by Henry Leaman, he won his first Cup in 1916 and then completed the double in 1919. On both occasions he was driven by Edward (Teddy) Redmond. Described as a strong powerful pacer who could stay well Kinthorpe was a decisive winner in just a seven horse field in 1921. He was not a fluent pacer and during the race mixed his gait more than once. He was by Lord Althorpe from Kintail, the inaugural winner of the Kaikoura Cup. There was a strong local connection to 1929 and 1931 winner Arachne. He was owned, trained and driven by County councilor, Francis Monk. 1953 saw the introduction of the new South Bay Racecourse at Kaikoura. The 1119m course was a dirt-based facility. This was a huge step up from the lengthy grass track that ran deep into South Bay. Over the first 51 years and 40 runnings of the Kaikoura Trotting Cup many household names got onto the Honours Board. These included William and Ernest Honeybone, Edward Redmond, Tom Fox, Frank Monk, Ces Donald, George Murfitt, Stan Edwards, Alan McKenzie, Noel and Colin Berkett, Chief Stipe Watts, W E Lowe, R P Nyhan and Maurice Holmes. The 15 drivers named drove 23 of the first 40 Kaikoura Trotting Cup winners. Next time we will look at “Records are made to be broken”. Footnote: Phil Gourdie is currently writing a history on the Kaikoura Cups which will be published to mark the centenary. View the full article

Following feedback from the industry, and in conjunction with the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, we wish to advise that the Wednesday trials at Addington will now be open to: – Horses requiring qualification – Horses needing to pass from a specific start type – Horses that have been stood down to trial by the Stipendiary Stewards. This change provides additional opportunities for connections to trial and qualify their horses midweek. Preference will continue to be given to qualifiers, with trials limited to four heats. Nominations for trials this Wednesday, 15 October, close at 12pm tomorrow (Tuesday, 14 October). View the full article

By Michael Guerin Akuta’s New Zealand Cup campaign has hit a speed bump with the wonderful pacer set to miss this Friday’s Lamb and Hayward Canterbury Classic at Addington. The former Auckland Cup winner has been the comeback story of the spring but was found to have mucus in his throat after failing at Addington last Friday. Co-trainer Nathan Purdon says Akuta will start treatment straight away and with five runs under his belt already this spring and plenty of lead-up options left he can still make the IRT-sponsored Cup at Addington on November 11. “It is not ideal of course but at least we know why he performed below his best,” says Purdon. Akuta remains a $12 chance in the Cup market as the road to the great race has taken some surprise turns around Leap To Fame and Swayzee in the last week. Team Purdon have already withdrawn Chase A Dream from the NZ Cup but it was never a certain target for the four-year-old. “We are really happy with him and he will trial this week and then be ready to race,” says Nathan. “We are aiming him at races like the Christian Cullen and the Invercargill Cup but the [NZ] Cup is just going to come too soon.” While they won the $150,000 NZBS Harness Million for two-year-old fillies with Wat Next, the stable also had plenty of bad luck on Friday night. Oscar Bonavena got back and never looked a winner chance in the Worthy Queen Trot but will back up this Friday at Addington while Rubira was locked away three back in the Flying Stakes. And juvenile pacer Special Occasion was also found to have a similar mucus issue to Akuta after his eighth in the NZBS Harness Million won by Jumal. View the full article

By Mike Love Yaldhurst trainers Derek and Adele Jones continued to have success with their team after Kiss The Girls was a very impressive winner in yesterday’s Cavalier Trotting Products Akaroa Cup at Motukarara. In what were dramatic events before the race got underway – with two false starts and the late scratching of Ted’s Legacy with his trainer and driver Jim Curtin being injured – Kiss The Girls made two fliers from those false starts before scrambling away when it mattered to settle six back on the fence. Driver Kimberly Butt then sat patiently for the metres to tick by before working into the clear at the top of the straight and producing a barnstorming run to knock off pacemaker Still Rockin. Co-trainer Adele Jones could not be happier with the outcome. “It was great. We didn’t actually think we’d won!” said Jones. “At home he begins like a rocket. Derek said to Kim if he bobbles away just push him through and he’ll come down. She couldn’t pull him up after the false starts – so he’s probably run 3200m.” The win was the eight-year-old gelding’s seventh career victory and his second on the track after winning at the Akaroa meeting back in 2020. “He’s been working the house down at home.” It was Kiss The Girls’ third run back this campaign with a luckless fresh up run and then not handling the bog at Methven last week. Jones was a little unsure how things were going to pan out yesterday. “He didn’t handle the track at all last week. But they needed the run. I was a bit unsure about starting but Derek said he’d be okay and he was!” Kiss The Girls was bred by Derek, Adele and their daughter Chelsea who all remain in the ownership along with Cath Ironside. “We all owned George’s (Kiss The Girls) mum Duarunner. We sent her to Terror To Love, and we gave Cath Ironside a share – she helps us out a lot!” Kiss The Girls’ racing career was in jeopardy a couple of years ago when he was injured, making yesterday’s victory a very satisfying one with his previous victory being in May 2022. “He broke a splint bone. It set him right back and took him a long time to get his confidence back. We were just using him as a GP (galloping pacemaker). He didn’t like being on holiday so we brought him back once he was right. He loves galloping and trying to beat Eurostyle in work. He’s just loving the work.” To date this is the Jones’ best season on record tallying eight winners so far. “We’ve got some really nice horses around us at the moment. Lavra Rose has been a bit of a surprise. She’s a typical Bettor’s Delight that grows a leg on race day. (We also have) Muscle Sass, Eurostyle and a young two year old trotter who should be stepping out at the trials or workouts this week or next.” Kiss The Girls gave Kimberly Butt a driving double on the day with her other victory being To Ri Ruby in a fresh state for Simon Adlam. The driver-trainer combo of Mia Holbrough and Bruce Negus also had a double (Mouton Cadet and Folijon Star) while Blair Orange also picked up a driving double (Tribbiani and Quicker Than Quick). View the full article

A quick early tempo in the $390,950 Franklin Stakes (G2T) set the stage for a closer on the Keeneland turf Oct. 12, and Time to Dazzle took the cue. Living up to her name, the 4-year-old Not This Time filly dazzled to the tune of a 3 1/4-length win.View the full article

Trailing early on the all-weather track, Piper's Gift hung close to the lead through the opening half-mile of the 7-furlong contest. Moving off the rail, Piper's Gift challenged two wide at the turn before taking control early in the stretch.View the full article

State-bred and -sired programs in Louisiana, West Virginia and Maryland were in the spotlight over the weekend, and the while main events at Delta Downs, Charles Town Races and Laurel Park each featured heavily backed odds-on favorites, the results produced varying outcomes: A new track record, a double-digit-lengths blowout, and an upset of a Breeders' Cup-placed horse who had seemed like a cinch dropping down into restricted company. On Saturday at Delta Downs, Touchuponastar (Star Guitar) returned from a 4 1/2-month layoff in the co-featured $100,000 Gold Cup Stakes for Louisiana-breds, and was bet down to 1-10 odds in a field of seven. Jockey Tim Thornton let the gelding roll right out of the gate, applying pressure to a pair of longshot pacemakers while three deep for the first half of the two-turn, seven-furlong race. Entering the far turn, Touchuponastar drew away at will without being asked by Thornton, leaving a splintered pack behind with his next closest pursuers being scrubbed on for run while the 6-year-old effortlessly widened his margin. Beyond a couple of flicks of the wrist through the lane, Thornton never encouraged the gelding to kick into a quicker cadence, and Touchuponastar cruised under the wire in hand when he shaved four hundredths of a second off a 22-year-old track record, stopping the timer in 1:24.27. Bred by Coteau Grove Farms and sold for $15,000 as a yearling at the Texas Thoroughbred Association sale in 2020, Touchuponastar has been campaigned through his 17-for-24 career by Set-Hut Stable, which is comprised of a partnership between former Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme, his father, Jerry, and Jake's brother, Jeff, who trains. In his second career start back in 2022, Touchuponastar broke his maiden in a state-bred race by 21 1/4 lengths, and he has been running amok over Louisiana-restricted company ever since, including what is now 12 consecutive victories in state-bred stakes (after running third in his first stakes start right out of the maiden ranks). But his $1,520,000 in earnings also includes a very respectable 4-for-5 lifetime in-the-money mark in open, graded stakes. Back in March, Touchuponastar earned a 6-1 victory in the GII New Orleans Classic over 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' and 3-year-old champion Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), who was third in his 4-year-old debut and is now among the favorites to defend his title in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. 14 1/4-length blowout At Charles Town, Teachintherelease (Windsor Castle), who was claimed for $20,000 in mid-2024 and has since gone on to add four West Virginia-bred stakes to his lifetime record of 14-for-32, asserted himself at the front of the 10-horse field and waited until the third and final turn of the nine-furlong race to split the $300,000 Sam Huff West Virginia Breeders' Classic Stakes wide open at 1-10 odds, scoring by 14 1/4 gaudy lengths in 1:52.67. Carlos Lopez rode the 5-year-old gelding for trainer Stephen Murdock and owner Robert Cole Jr. Teachintherelease was bred by John Casey, who had owned and trained the dam, Romantic Cork, a two-time victress in stakes on the West Virginia Breeders' Classic cards in 2016 and 2017. 96 Beyer Breakout At Laurel, the 6-1 upset by Barbadian Runner (Barbados) over the 1-10 Post Time (Frosted) in Saturday's $150,000 Maryland Million Classic Stakes had a lot to do with pace tactics that swung the balance of the race in favor of the longer shot. But don't dismiss the effort by the winning 3-year-old as a fluke, because the Henry Walters trainee has been quietly building an upward sophomore arc that signals he is capable of competing in select open-company stakes after the breakout performance (96 Beyer Speed Figure) against his older, GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile-placed rival. The win was Barbadian Runner's first attempt at nine furlongs, and jockey Forest Boyce gave the Shamrock Farm-bred gelding every chance to excel in the six-horse race by saving ground and staying in touch with tepid early fractions of :24.98, :50.31 and 1:15.14. By contrast, Sheldon Russell opted for a back-of-the-pack placement for Post Time, but the late-striding gray's seeming class advantage wasn't enough to overcome being so far behind the lethargic tempo. By the time Post Time started to unwind with his characteristic top-of-stretch stretch torque, Barbadian Runner had already darted to the outside of the tiring leader they were both gunning for, building better momentum to collar Post Time at the sixteenth pole, finishing up in 1:51.09. Back in January and February, Barbadian Runner had won a pair of $100,000 open stakes at Laurel that briefly put him in consideration for other possible prep races for the GI Kentucky Derby. But Walters and owner AJ Will Win Stables opted for a mid-Atlantic spring, summer and fall campaign instead, and that more realistic path paid dividends in the form of victories in the off-turf May 31 $90,000 Jersey Derby at Monmouth Park and the Aug. 22 $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes at Charles Town, with three second-place finishes in other stakes in between. In that open Charles Town stakes prior to the Maryland Million, the 9-1 Barbadian Runner ended up finishing ahead of the two favorites in that race–Neoequous (Neolithic) and Owen Almighty (Speightstown)–who had been both near the front of a sacrificial pace in the Kentucky Derby. And now, a month and a half later, in what was also his first start against older horses, Barbadian Runner has beaten a much more seasoned 5-year-old whose past-performance cut includes eight in-the-money finishes in graded stakes and five races where Post Time had earned a triple-digit Beyer figure. The post The Week in Review: State-Bred Results Yielding Intriguing Results appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Eduardo Luces saddled his first winner with his first starter Sunday at Gulfstream Park when Vino Santo went wire-to-wire in the day's sixth race. Luces, who is currently training a stable of three, was not involved in racing in his native Venezuela, but worked his way up to assistant trainer under Oscar Gonzalez in South Florida. “I'm obviously very happy and thankful to all the people who have supported me,” the 38-year-old trainer said through a translator. The post Eduardo Luces Saddles First Winner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Edited Press Release Constitution (Tapit–Baffled, by Distorted Humor) will once again lead the WinStar stallion roster when he stands the 2026 season for $110,000 S&N, while Life is Good (Into Mischief–Beach Walk, by Distorted Humor)'s fee for next year has been set at $60,000. WinStar's 2026 stallion roster, which was released Sunday evening, will also include recently retired multiple Grade I winner Patch Adams (Into Mischief–Well Humored, by Distorted Humor), who will stand his initial season at stud for $30,000 S&N; and Straight No Chaser (Speightster–Margarita Friday, by Johannesburg), last year's Eclipse Award champion male sprinter, who is set to defend his title in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 1 and will stand for $10,000 S&N. The fees for Constitution, Straight No Chaser, and Independence Hall are subject to change pending Breeders' Cup results. “Each year brings in a new level of excitement,” said Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing manager of WinStar Farm. “This year, we have two new Grade I winners from different sire lines. Constitution has gone from strength to strength from the racetrack to the sales ring and now has several sons turning into excellent sires. He has three horses pointing to the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar and all have a big chance. Life is Good's first 2-year-olds are ready to hit the track in 2026, and he presents a great risk-reward opportunity for breeders. He's bred 566 high-quality mares in his first three crops and offers exceptional value in his fourth season at stud. We're thrilled to welcome a third generation homebred in multiple Grade I winner Patch Adams to our roster for 2026, and he will be joined by Straight No Chaser, an Eclipse Award winner and Breeders' Cup champion, just like his grandsire Speightstown who had a huge impact on the breed. We're trying to offer value at all points of our roster, and our team is eager to help with your mating plans for 2026.” Constitution is the No. 5 General Sire this season with progeny earnings of more than $12 million. His leading runners in 2025 include multiple Grade I winner and leading GI Breeders' Cup Classic contender and chief earner Mindframe, as well as graded winner Parchment Party, who is currently targeting the G1 Melbourne Cup, and GIII Vosburgh Stakes winner Patriot Spirit, who is under consideration for either the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint or GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. In the sales ring, Constitution has had four yearlings sell for $1 million and others fetching $825,000, $775,000, and $750,000. He is also an emerging sire of sires, already represented by multiple Grade I winner and leading second-crop sire Tiz the Law, as well as WinStar's promising first-crop sire Independence Hall. Life Is Good, a four-time Grade I winner, has had first-crop yearlings sell this year for $1.25 million, $1.025 million, $725,000, and $700,000, and he is one of only two first-crop sires to have a seven-figure yearling at both the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga and Keeneland September sales. Cogburn (Not This Time–In a Jif, by Saintly Look), set a North American record for 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in winning the GI Jaipur S. last year, sizzling the distance in :59.80, registering a 114 Beyer, was bred to 194 mares in his initial season at stud this year. Multiple Grade I winner Country Grammer (Tonalist–Arabian Song, by Forestry), who retired as the third-highest earning North American-bred of all time with earnings of $14.9 million, will have first yearlings in 2026. Nashville (Speightstown–Veronique, by Mizzen Mast), who saw first yearlings sell for up to $425,000 this year, will have his first 2-year-olds in 2026. Timberlake (Into Mischief–Pin Up {Ire}, by Look at Lucky), winner of the GI Champagne S. and GII Rebel S., bred 161 mares in his first book in 2025. GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Two Phil's (Hard Spun–Mia Torri, by General Quarters), a graded stakes-winning juvenile and a multiple graded stakes winner at three, bred 260 mares in his first two books and will have first yearlings in 2026. WinStar stallions with other possible Breeders' Cup starters include Audible, whose daughter Splendora is a possible contender in the GI Filly and Mare Sprint, and Independence Hall, whose first-crop 2-year-old Civil Liberty is possible for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, having finished third in the GI Del Mar Futurity in just his second career start. WinStar's complete 2026 roster is: Constitution, *$110,000; Life Is Good, $60,000; Patch Adams, $30,000; Cogburn, $25,000; Timberlake, $15,000; Nashville, $12,500; Straight No Chaser, *$10,000; Heartland, $10,000; Independence Hall, *$10,000; Audible, $7,500; Take Charge Indy, $7,500; Two Phil's, $7,500; Country Grammer, $5,000; Promises Fulfilled, $2,500. *Fees subject to change after Breeders' Cup. The post At $110k, Constitution Tops WinStar 2026 Stallion Roster appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

6th-Keeneland, $109,588, Msw, 10-12, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:10.50, ft, 4 3/4 lengths. CUT TO THE CHASE (f, 3, Complexity–Listen to Libby, by Indian Charlie), seen just once prior when finishing fourth after setting the pace on the lawn July 14 at Ellis, again showed the way Sunday but with a much different result. The bay–second choice Sunday at 3-1–emerged from the early fray to briefly chase Contemplate (Hard Spun) before leaving that one in her wake, clocking the first quarter in :22.15. Moving easily, she stayed in front, doing it easily as Victor Espinoza stayed motionless. After registering the half in :45.73, Cut to the Chase sailed to the wire in a hand ride, crossing the line 4 3/4 lengths the best with her ears pricked. Favored firster American Pearl (Gun Runner) finished second. The winner is a half to Chanteline (Majesticperfection), GSW, $594,972; and to Kell Paso (Divine Park), MSW, $244,603. Her dam has a yearling Upstart filly, who sold to Miguel Clement for $160,000 at last month's Keeneland sale, and a 2025 Mage colt. From the same family as GI Hopeful Stakes winner Currency Swap (High Cotton), the mare was bred back to Complexity for a full-sibling to Cut to the Chase for next term. Sales History: $375,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $70,454. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Thomas W. Bachman; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. Victor Espinoza makes his way back to the Keeneland winner's circle as (6) Cut To The Chase soars down the stretch in race 6! (2) American Pearl checks in second and (7) Taverna follows in third. pic.twitter.com/wSy7mKS38v — Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 12, 2025 The post Complexity’s Cut to the Chase Collars Keeneland Maiden Convincingly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In a full-circle moment for his trainer, Chris Waller, Autumn Boy maintained a strong family line of Caulfield Guineas (G1) winners when taking out the AU$3 million classic in a top-class display at Caulfield Oct. 11.View the full article

Nysos and stablemate Citizen Bull each worked six furlongs at Santa Anita Park for trainer Bob Baffert Oct. 12, and reigning champion sprinter Straight No Chaser returned to the tab after being beaten in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2).View the full article

Last seen completing the exacta for her sire in a Sept. 10 allowance at Kentucky Downs, Time to Dazzle (f, 4, Not This Time–Staria, by Unbridled's Song) went from last to first in a rousing rendition of the $400,000 GII Franklin Stakes Sunday at Keeneland. As In Our Time (Not This Time)–who headed that Sept. 10 exacta–set a blazing pace up front while vying early with Luna Louska (Compexity), throwing down quarters of :20.65 and :43.65, Time to Dazzle bided her time at the rear. She dove to the rail in the stretch, found another gear, and left the rest in her wake, getting the 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:02.09. In Our Time held for second, while Pondering (Hard Spun) finished third. The Franklin marked Time to Dazzle's second graded win following the GIII Ontario Colleen Stakes at Woodbine in 2024. TIME TO DAZZLE ($8.06) squeezes through on the rail to get the win in the $400,000 Franklin Stakes (G2) at @keenelandracing. The daughter of Not This Time was ridden by @jose93_ortiz and trained by @markecasse. pic.twitter.com/UFoViMPTgY — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 12, 2025 Sunday, Keeneland FRANKLIN S.-GII, $390,950, Keeneland, 10-12, 3yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.09, fm. 1–TIME TO DAZZLE, 121, f, 4, by Not This Time 1st Dam: Staria, by Unbridled's Song 2nd Dam: Starboard Tack, by Seattle Slew 3rd Dam: Hangin On a Star, by Vice Regent ($310,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Tracy Farmer; B-Rodney Orr (KY); T-Mark E. Casse; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $241,800. Lifetime Record: 14-4-2-1, $682,877. *1/2 to Sir Genghis (Tale of the Cat), MSW, $523,052. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–In Our Time, 121, f, 4, Not This Time–Laura's Pleasure, by Cactus Ridge. ($325,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $9,000 RNA 3yo '24 KEEJAN). O-Resolute Racing and Miller Racing LLC; B-Brian Kahn (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. $78,000. 3–Pondering, 118, f, 3, Hard Spun–Always Thinking, by Street Sense. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $39,000. Margins: 3 1/4, HD, NK. Odds: 3.03, 5.66, 6.75. Also Ran: Pipsy (Ire), Cart Girl Sam, Won Happy Mama, Luna Louska. Scratched: Future Is Now, Lady Crush. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. The post Not This Time’s Time to Dazzle Does Just That at Keeneland in Franklin Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Baoma Corp's Nysos (Nyquist) worked six furlongs in 1:11.20 (1/4) Sunday at Santa Anita and remains on track for the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, according to trainer Bob Baffert. “Very happy with the work,” Baffert said. The 4-year-old Nysos, whose lone loss to date is a narrow runner-up effort behind Mindframe in the GI Churchill Downs Stakes in May, is coming off wins in the GIII Triple Bend Stakes and GII San Diego Handicap. Shortly after that work, Baffert sent out Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) to work the same distance in 1:11.80 (2/4). Last year's champion juvenile, coming off a 5 1/2-length victory in the Aug. 31 Shared Belief Stakes, is also aiming for the Dirt Mile. Baffert also sent out 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Boyd (Violence) out to work Sunday at Santa Anita. In his first work since romping in his Sept. 7 unveiling, the 2-year-old went three furlongs in :37.60 (16/20). He is being aimed at the Nov. 16 GIII Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar, according to Baffert. Boyd | Horsephotos Also working at Santa Anita Sunday ahead of the Breeders' Cup, Straight No Chaser (Speighster) worked four furlongs in :47.20 (1/69) as he prepares for a defense of his title in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. “He worked really well,” trainer Dan Blacker said. “We're on target for the Breeders' Cup [Sprint].” Straight No Chaser finished third as the favorite in the Sept. 28 GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship last time out. Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), preparing for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, blitzed five furlongs on the synthetic training track in :58.60 (1/19) for trainer Phil D'Amato. The 7-year-old gelding, who was a narrowly beaten second in last year's Turf Sprint, most recently won the GIII Green Flash Stakes via disqualification Aug. 30 at Del Mar. The post Nysos, Citizen Bull Work for Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article