Wandering Eyes

A judge has dismissed federal claims in a lawsuit filed last year by a former Hawthorne Race Course association veterinarian who alleged that her efforts to scratch over 80 lame or injured Thoroughbreds during 2022-23 were met with a purported conspiracy among track employees, other veterinarians, and state regulators to overturn her actions so unsound horses could be entered to fill short-field races. Dr. Christine Tuma had also claimed in United States District Court (Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division) that when she reported this alleged conspiracy to state and federal regulators, she was fired “in retaliation for blowing the whistle on the illegal activities.” Tuma's Sept. 12, 2024, civil complaint centered on the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to try and collect damages. RICO is a sweeping 1970 federal statute initially designed to combat the Mafia. But RICO has long since lost its “organized crime” stigma, evolving over the decades into a civil litigation component more often asserted by purported victims of white-collar crime. Hawthorne management had denied the allegations when the complaint first got filed, and last November asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit based on the contention that Tuma's case did not meet the standards for RICO claims and because her allegations fell “well short of alleging conduct of an enterprise or a pattern of racketing.” In a July 25, 2025, opinion and order, United States District Judge Jeffrey Cummings agreed with Hawthorne and other defendants, dismissing Tuma's federal claims and relinquishing jurisdiction over her remaining state law claims related to the Illinois Whistleblower Act, common law retaliatory discharge, and civil conspiracy. The judge dismissed Tuma's federal claims “without prejudice,” explaining in the order that Tuma can refile an amended complaint with the federal court by Aug. 15 “to the extent she can do so consistent with this Memorandum Opinion and Order.” An attorney for Tuma, Haskell Garfinkel, responded to TDN's request for comment with an email that noted that although the judge dismissed some of the claims against Hawthorne and the other defendants on “procedural grounds,” the court made “no finding on the underlying merits of the case or the allegations made by Dr. Tuma.” Emails sent Monday morning by TDN to two attorneys representing Hawthorne did not yield replies prior to the late-afternoon deadline for this story. In addition to Hawthorne as a business entity, the Illinois Racing Board (IRB) was named as a defendant in the lawsuit, as were track employees Jim Miller (director of racing), John Walsh (assistant general manager) and Dave White (racing secretary). Other defendants were Dawn Folker-Calderon, the IRB's chief state vet; two state stewards, Thomas Kelley and John Eddy, plus Beth Beuchler, a vet employed by Hawthorne. Tuma's lawsuit stated that because of the alleged conspiracy, she “suffered loss of income, benefits, career opportunities, humiliation, and emotional distress.” She sought judgment against the defendants “for actual damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages [and] treble damages.” The lawsuit stated that, “It was during the fall meeting in 2022 that Dr. Tuma uncovered the full extent of the illegal running of sick and lame horses. On or around the same time, Dr. Tuma uncovered and began investigating alterations of the medical records of these horses.” Tuma's complaint stated that, “The entry of these horses into regulated Illinois races was not only a means for the RICO Defendants to induce wagers on horses that were not legally qualified to run, but in numerous instances, the certification of an additional horse in a race allowed the Enterprise to run races that did not meet the legally mandated minimum number of entries required to run a wagered race under Illinois law.” Over the course of 48 pages, Tuma's complaint detailed how her assessments of horses as “scratch lame” had allegedly been tampered with by Calderon and Beuchler and changed to “racing sound,” the indication that the horse was fit to run, or to the less-severe “scratch sick” designation that is supposed to indicate temporary illness. When Tuma expressed her concerns about the scratch process to Calderon, she was allegedly told, “This is how it's always done.” Tuma's lawsuit stated that owners and trainers began to complain about her high number of scratch assessments, including one horseman who allegedly “caused a horse to lurch menacingly at her, threatening grave bodily harm.” Another time, the suit contended, a groom “physically battered her.” The suit stated that when Tuma reported these alleged incidents of abuse to track officials and the stewards, “only a nominal fine was levied against the perpetrators.” When Tuma began making a series of complaints to the stewards about the “misclassification of horses as sick from lame,” she was informed by Calderon “that she had been stripped of her authority to scratch horses,” and that a new protocol requiring Beuchler to check her assessments would be in place, the suit stated. On March 20, 2023, Tuma's suit stated that she “delivered a comprehensive whistleblower letter” to the IRB and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). The suit continued: “On or around the date Dr. Tuma submitted her comprehensive complaint to the IRB, Miller, who had theretofore never called Dr. Tuma directly on her cell phone, called her a minimum of six times to intimidate her about her lame scratches and to ensure that the maximum number of horses were run.” Some 3 ½ months later, the suit stated, just 48 hours before HISA personnel were scheduled to visit Hawthorne for an inspection, “Dr. Tuma met with Walsh via Zoom on July 11, 2023, and was informed that she had been terminated based on the pretext that her termination was a cost-cutting measure.” But the judge's order last Friday stated that, “Tuma's alleged severe emotional distress and harm to her professional reputation is not an injury to business or property for the purposes of a civil RICO claim.” Cummings wrote that “even presuming that Tuma's loss of her job was an injury to her business or property for civil RICO purposes, she has failed to allege that this injury was directly caused by the alleged racketeering activity.” The judge continued, focusing on the RICO claims: “Three out of the four alleged predicate acts have nothing to do with Tuma's termination,” the order stated. “Plaintiff appears to implicitly agree as her Complaint states that the RICO defendants committed wire fraud 'when they agreed to and engaged in a scheme to defraud bettors and regulators' and to 'induce bettors to wager on [the race-ineligible] horses, thereby depriving the bettors of their money and increasing the funds obtained by the Enterprise…' “The wire fraud as alleged was therefore aimed at defrauding bettors and regulators, not Tuma,” the judge wrote. “The same goes for the predicate acts of operating an illegal gambling business in violation of federal law and illegal gambling in violation of state law, both of which are premised on the same actions as those described in relation to the wire fraud allegations,” the order stated. “Tuma fails to establish that these predicate acts directly caused her firing. The Court's conclusion is not a close call. The Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasized the importance of a direct relation between the injury asserted and the conduct alleged,” the judge wrote. “Furthermore, the Court cannot ascertain any group's ascertainable damages here. The Complaint is devoid of information relating to whether (1) people actually placed wagers on the supposedly ineligible horses; (2) the ineligible horses' performance; or (3) the amount of money wagered and lost. “As it stands, Tuma merely alleges in a conclusory fashion that the defendants' conduct of promoting sick horses to race 'goes well beyond mere disagreements with [her] professional opinions,' and without any support, this does not create an injury,” the order stated. “Tuma provides two examples of horses she assessed as lame, but that nonetheless raced,” the judge explained. “The horses (Imagine Gold and Dastardly Deeds) finished second and third in their respective races despite Tuma's 'lame' assessment. “Tuma likens the horses' positive performance to professional athletes 'playing through the pain,' such as Peyton Manning's performance during the Denver Bronco's 2016 Super Bowl win despite neck issues that ultimately required surgery, and Tiger Woods' 2008 U.S. Open win despite a torn ACL and leg stress fractures,” the order stated. “However, these examples undercut Tuma's Complaint: anyone who bet on the Broncos in the 2016 Super Bowl or on Tiger Woods in the 2008 U.S. Open would have won money and not lost money,” the order stated. “Moreover, if the Court takes as true-as Tuma alleges-that lame horses such as Imagine Gold and Dastardly Deeds may nonetheless perform well enough to place or show, then it must logically conclude that purportedly 'defrauded' bettors may win money despite placing wagers on ineligible horses,” the order stated. The judge next addressed Tuma's fourth predicate act, which was premised on alleged actions deemed unlawful by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which makes it a federal offense to knowingly retaliate against anyone for providing truthful information to a law enforcement officer related to the commission or possible commission of any federal offense. “Again, here, Tuma alleges that she complained of defendants' RICO activity to Dr. Mary Scollay, Chief of Science at the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) on Dec. 4, 2022, who then referred the matter to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA),” the order stated. “Tuma also delivered a 'comprehensive whistleblower letter' letter to both HISA and the IRB on March 20, 2023, describing: (a) unauthorized modifications to horses' medical records; (b) inappropriate/fraudulent transactions between trainers and veterinarians; and (c) failure to comply with operating protocol and procedure; and 'was explicit' that 'an investigation must ensue,'” the order stated. “Tuma argues that HISA qualifies as a law enforcement agency because it is authorized to ensure compliance with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. Defendants disagree and argue that HISA merely assists the Federal Trade Commission in its enforcement of [the Act],” the order stated. “The Court agrees that Tuma's letter to HISA and her complaint to Dr. Scollay at HIWU do not constitute communications 'to a law enforcement officer' for the purposes of establishing a RICO predicate act,” the judge wrote. “In sum: Tuma's damage-her employment termination (and 'severe emotional distress resulting in physical injuries and harm to her professional reputation,')-does not directly flow from the alleged predicate acts of wire fraud, illegal gambling, and operating an illegal gambling business. She fails to allege that her injury was directly related to the predicate acts,” the judge's order stated. The post Judge Dismisses Fired Hawthorne Vet’s Whistleblower Claims that Alleged Conspiracy to race Unsound Horses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. 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Kana Tape (Jpn), a 6-year-old mare by perennial leading sire Lord Kanaloa (Jpn), gave North American owner/breeder Charles Fipke–one of just a handful of foreign owners to be granted a full-time license in Japan–his first feature-race winner in the country when coming from far back in the final quarter mile to take out the 1600-meter G3 Sekiya Kinen at Niigata Racecourse on Sunday, July 27. Ridden by the visiting Rachel King to a Tokyo allowance success Feb. 9, the mare–trained by Noriyuki Hori–returned from a 133-day absence to finish runner-up in the 1800-meter G3 Fuchu Himba Stakes back at headquarters on June 22. A tepid post-time favorite at 17-5 with King back in the saddle from gate 14, Kana Tape was void of early speed and raced fourth from last as American import Shin Forever (Complexity) was loose on the lead. Asked to sprint on the grandstand side with just less than two furlongs to travel, the bay mare entered the final eighth of a mile in full flight and was along in the final couple of strides to score by a neck, covering her final 600 meters in a race-best :32.5 while stopping the clock in a course-record 1:31 flat. Godolphin's Off Trail (GB) (Farhh {GB}) and second choice Bond Girl (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), a daughter of Coasted (Tizway) and half-sister to GSW & MG1SP Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), dead-heated for second. Kana Tape is a daughter of 2004 GI QE II Challenge Cup and GI American Oaks victress Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), who was purchased by Northern Farm's Katsumi Yoshida in foal to Giant's Causeway for $950,000 at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale and was exported to Japan. Fipke, who has shopped the JRHA Select Sale off and on since 2016, acquired Kana Tape for ¥84 million (about US$772,800) at the 2019 Foal Sale and she gave her owner his first winner of any variety in Japan when breaking her maiden at first asking going 1800 meters at Tokyo in January 2022. Sunday's victory took Kana Tape's record to 5-4-3 from 17 starts for earnings of $975,617. WATCH: Charles Fipke's Kana Tape (#14) flashes home in the G3 Sekiya Kinen The post Prominent Owner/Breeder Fipke Breaks New Ground In Japan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has announced that Lord Allen of Kensington will start work in his post as chair of racing's regulators from September 1. The Labour peer was due to take up the role on June 2, but his tenure was delayed as the BHA said he wished to “continue meeting stakeholders to better inform his vision for the sport”. The BHA board currently has an independent chair, four independent directors and four member-nominated directors – two from the racecourses and two nominated by the sport's participants – but Lord Allen wants to change that arrangement. Following a meeting in London on Monday, where the BHA board met to discuss Lord Allen's response to the submissions of stakeholders regarding proposed governance changes, it was agreed that work should now start towards the establishment of a single independent board of directors, which will oversee a single BHA executive led by a CEO. Lord Allen said, “I am delighted we have agreed to a process towards a new independent BHA board and I look forward to formally starting in September. “Horse racing has a strong future. There is work to do, but I am in no doubt as to the passion and commitment of the many thousands of people who make up our industry.” David Jones, chair of the BHA's Nominations Committee and interim BHA chair, added, “The BHA Board has made clear its commitment to pressing ahead with the establishment of an independent Board of Directors. “We look forward to working with Lord Allen to support the industry as it takes this important step forward towards a strong future.” The post Lord Allen Confirmed to Start as BHA Chair from September appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After a couple of lost training days last week because of escalating safety concerns with the dirt surface, racing resumed Monday at Thistledown, but another tragedy was not far behind. In the first race of the day, the 5-year-old mare Tayyara (Khozan) broke down and had to be euthanized. Thistledown canceled the remainder of the eight-race card. According to a Horseracing Safety and Integrity Authority (HISA) spokesperson, HISA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Lazarus asked Thistledown to cancel after the first race and they agreed to do so. She also asked them to conduct an investigation and be prepared to discuss the results with her so that they can agree on next steps.” The track was shut down for training as track officials looked to correct whatever problems there may have been. They resumed training on Saturday and Monday's card was the first day back for racing. Tayyara stalked the pace early, took the lead entering the turn and then broke down in upper stretch. The Equibase chart also noted that Timely Secret (Commissioner) bumped into the distressed rival, Tayyara, and had to be vanned off the track. It has been a tumultuous week for the Cleveland area track. On July 21, Thistledown fired its track superintendent, Sean Wright, and brought in outside racing surface consultants and began working with HISA. Images began to circulate on social media showing fist-sized rocks that were allegedly picked up from the track by jockeys and horsemen on Monday and Tuesday. Wright told the TDN's TD Thornton that he was fired for being a whistleblower because he took his concerns to HISA and the track stewards. Wright also told Thornton that there have been eight catastrophic injuries at Thistledown since the meet began Apr. 21–five in races and three during training. But at least one Thistledown executive was quick to defend the racing surface. “We did not have problems with the track today by any stretch of the imagination,” said Racing Secretary Patrick Mackey. “We did have a horse that was pulled up in the first race. We're looking at that right now and investigating what happened. From what I was told, the jockeys were raving about the racing surface. We're still looking into everything but every report we've had on the track was positive.” Mackey said meetings were on-going to decide whether the track will hold its regularly scheduled Tuesday card. “The jockeys have told me that from their perspective, the track has never been better,” said a Thistledown jockey agent who asked that his name not be used. “With the work they've done on it the last few days the track was in great shape. I know that a horse breaking down in the first race is a bad look, but it's not the track.” Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association Executive Director Dave Basler was still another who defended the racing surface Monday. “Obviously, we're concerned,” he said. “We resumed training Saturday morning after not training from Wednesday through Friday last week in order to get the track back in shape. I received nothing but positive reports from everyone about training on Saturday and Sunday. We did not have any concerns going into today. Unfortunately, there was an incident. No decision has been made on where we go from here. Management, the horsemen and the riders were all confident going into the day that the racetrack was safe.” The post Thistledown Resumes Racing and Horse Breaks Down in First Race Back appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations features an expensive newcomer for Amo Racing. 15.20 Beverley, £7,500, Nov, 2yo, 7f 96yT Amo Racing's hitherto unraced ANCIENT EGYPT (IRE) (Frankel {GB}), a Charlie Johnston-conditioned 1,100,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate, is out of a full-sister to multiple Group 1-winning distaffer Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and faces four rivals in this debut. They include the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Moon Warp (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), who is out of a half-sister to Archipenko's Hong Kong Group 1 winners Time Warp (GB) and Glorious Forever (GB). The post Book 1 Millionaire Set for Beverley Unveiling appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Is there a better week of racing? Doubtful. The Goodwood Festival kicks off on Tuesday and here are five things to look out for ahead of what promises to be another unmissable meeting that is jam-packed full of potential talking points. No Cakewalk For Dorset Street It shouldn't take long for the temperature to rise as the Group 2 Coral Vintage Stakes looks a corker on Tuesday. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Dorset (Wootton Bassett) looked the business in earning a TDN Rising Star when getting off the mark second time up at Curragh and he will be bidding to provide Ballydoyle with a first success in this race since Battleground back in 2020. It is far from a foregone conclusion, however, with the chief danger appearing to come from the Andrew Balding-trained Humidity (Ulysses), who is bidding to maintain his unbeaten record. Horses like Haatem, Pinatubo, Expert Eye and Highland Reel have won this in recent times and this year's race looks to be an up-to-scratch edition. Notebooks at the ready. Breakthrough Group 1 Imminent For Illinois Scandinavia (Justify) couldn't have been more impressive in landing the G3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket last time which makes it significant that Ryan Moore has opted to ride the fellow Aidan O'Brien-trained Illinois (Galileo) in his bid for a breakthrough Group 1 success in the Goodwood Cup. To be fair to Illinois, he brings the form and the rating [116] to the table and was always going to be a hard horse for Moore not to ride. He's likely to go off at short odds and sets the standard in what doesn't appear to be a vintage Goodwood Cup. Lady Iman The Banker Of The Week It seems around this time every year when people begin to extoll the merits of a first-season sire or begin to write off those who are not scaling the heights. Such observations are of course spoken with a heavy dollop of recency bias but nobody can deny that what Starman has achieved in his debut season is completely off the charts. The Ger Lyons-trained Lady Iman, who fittingly carries the colours of Tally-Ho Stud boss Tony O'Callaghan, has played no small part in hardening Starman's reputation as a pretty serious stallion and she should be very hard to beat in the Molecomb Stakes on Wednesday. Had you paused the G2 Airlie Stud Stakes at the furlong pole, a race in which Lady Iman lost her unbeaten record at the hands of Beautify, few would have called her a loser such was the ease in which she was travelling. Dropping back to five furlongs and the speed test that the Molecomb represents is sure to play to her strengths. Oh, and a certain Ryan Moore is not a bad substitute for the suspended Colin Keane, either. Banker material. Pure Gold You don't need to part with any cash to get the full enjoyment out of the feature of the week, the Qatar Sussex Stakes, where the imperious Field Of Gold (Kingman) will be sent to post at long odds-on and is fully expected to deliver on Wednesday. John and Thady Gosden's colt built on his Irish 2,000 Guineas success to produce a performance that will live long in the memory when running out a cosy winner of the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Rosallion (Blue Point) is a credible challenger in his own right. Lest we forget he landed the same Irish Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes double last season but he hasn't been at the same level in both of his starts at four. The younger legs should hold sway here. Sit back and enjoy. Can The Cercene Fairytale Continue? Trainer Joe Murphy told TDN Europe that Cercene (Australia) fulfilled a lifelong ambition of winning a Group 1 when she out-battled her Coronation Stakes rivals at Royal Ascot and few would bet against the pocket-sized warrior producing another upset in the G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes on Friday. What Cercene lacks for in size she makes up for in attitude, which was evidenced when she provided us with one of the feel-good stories of the season with that success at the Royal meeting. Okay, Pretty Polly winner Whirl and Andrew Balding's See The Fire set a pretty lofty standard but Cercene can be expected to be bang on the premises for Murphy and his regular rider Gary Carroll. She adds spice to what promises to be a fascinating contest. The post Five Things To Look Out For At Glorious Goodwood appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Marc Holliday and Bret Jones have been elected as stewards, according to a Jockey Club release Monday. Additionally, William M. Lear Jr. was reelected Secretary. The remaining stewards are Stuart S. Janney III (chair), Ian D. Highet (treasurer), William S. Farish Jr. (vice chair), Louis A. Cella, Everett Dobson, Gary Fenton, Terry Finley, David O'Farrell, and Vincent Viola. Holliday, a member of The Jockey Club since 2022, was elected chairman of the board of directors of the New York Racing Association (NYRA) in December 2021. In his capacity as chairman, Holliday oversees the design and development of the new Belmont Park scheduled to open in 2026. Appointed to the NYRA board in 2014, Holliday has chaired the NYRA Equine Safety Committee since 2015. He is the chairman and chief executive officer of SL Green Realty Corp, which is New York City's largest owner of office properties. An owner and breeder, Holliday operates Blue Devil Racing Stable. Jones, a member of The Jockey Club since 2023, is the president of Airdrie Stud in Midway, Kentucky. A 2004 graduate of the University of the South (Sewanee) and an alumnus of the Irish National Stud Breeding Course, he has been an official member of the Airdrie Stud team since 2006. Jones has served on the Breeders' Cup board of directors since 2011 and was recently named to the board of directors of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. He also sits on the Keeneland Advisory Board as well as the board of trustees for the University of Kentucky's Markey Cancer Foundation. He formerly served as a commissioner on the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission from 2016 to 2020. The post Marc Holliday, Bret Jones Appointed Stewards of The Jockey Club appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Dubbed a 'celly' in hockey parlance–short for the celebration that comes after a goal–the Thoroughbred version takes place in the winner's circle where power plays and fist pumps are also welcome. For those investors looking to ride the nearest glass elevator by punching the button that reads 'Up and Out', logging on the Fasig-Tipton Digital platform is one way to pursue a creditable Horse of Racing Age on the make. Fasig-Tipton's July auction, which just wrapped online a week ago, once again offered potential owners the chance to win now and not wait till later. A racing prospect who was the second-highest return during the event is a case in point. Four-year-old Malarchuk (Nyquist)–named after Clint Malarchuk, the NHL goalie who survived having his carotid artery severed during a game in 1989–was offered by owners Richard Schermerhorn, Jeff Drown and Michael J. Ryan. Trained and consigned by Chad Brown, the colt cleared a pair of optional claimers at Saratoga June 6 and July 12. It was Reddam Racing and ERJ Racing who paired to win the war of clicks by going to $525,000. The man behind ERJ and doing the bidding online as the seconds ticked down on Malarchuk was professional hockey player & Stanley Cup champion Erik Johnson. He said he has found Fasig-Tipton's platform to be incredibly easy to use. Since his partner Paul Reddam had not delved too much into the format it was Johnson who took the lead when it came to upping the ante. Nyquist | Sarah Andrew “It's a great platform Fasig-Tipton has built and what they do is hand bidders everything they need to make informed decisions because it is all there in front of you,” said Johnson. “Paul and I have partnered on some 2-year-olds in the past, but we just did not have much in the way of luck, so when Malarchuk came up we were very interested especially since he is by Nyquist (by Uncle Mo).” Of course, the NHL has served as an inspiration for Reddam before when he named his GI Kentucky Derby winner after a Detroit 'Hockeytown' star. The colt began his racing career by rattling off eight wins in a row which was capped by the score under the Twin Spires in 2016. Now, Nyquist stands at Darley America. “Nyquist's ability has translated very well to his offspring,” the NHL defenseman said. “As a sire you are seeing versatile runners have success like Gosger, Randomized and Nysos, so we knew that Malarchuk being on the improve was something we wanted to get in on. His figures are strong and he's from a deep family.” According to Johnson, Fasig-Tipton's digital platform countdown mirrors the clock in a hockey game with overtime as a prospect. The NHL star added that he is used to the challenges of managing time. “You have to be ready to shoot out a bid when it gets tight after multiple days of watching,” he said. “I actually entered $510,000, but the increments go up when you are over half a million by $25,000, so Paul was teasing me that I actually owe him $15,000. When Malarchuk wins at Del Mar, I will make sure to pay him back.” Colorado Avalache's star Erik Johnson hoists the Stanley Cup at Del Mar in 2022 | Benoit Their purchase has left Chad Brown's base upstate and is already in the capable California hands of new trainer Michael McCarthy. Johnson says that the plan is point to the GI Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar Aug. 30 where Malarchuk could potentially meet new stablemate Journalism (Curlin) and also 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos in what is tabbed as a 'Win and You're In' race for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Those big names do not phase Johnson one bit. “In any sport you want to beat the best and it's shaping up to be a great race with Journalism and Nysos potentially being in there,” Johnson said. “It's a privilege to be able to compete against such quality horses. We are excited to see how our new acquisition will stack up.” Reddam and ERJ won the war of clicks for Malarchuk during the Fasig-Tipton's July Digital Sale and now they are after an even bigger 'celly' with a month to go until the Pacific Classic. A fist pump in that winner's circle would definitely be in order. The post Power Play: Fasig-Tipton Digital Buy Malarchuk After ‘Celly’ Out West appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

White Abarrio recorded his final workout July 28 for the $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 2. He completed three furlongs in :35.43 outside of company.View the full article

Of all the horses that have made their mark at Saratoga over the course of the racetrack's 150-plus years of horse racing, one horse became synonymous with the historic upstate New York venue more than any other.View the full article

This year's G2 German 1,000 Guineas winner Lady Ilze will be offered by Tattersalls Online in a pop-up sale scheduled to get underway at 3pm on Monday, August 4. Bidding will then close at 3pm the following day. Formerly trained in Poland by Krzysztof Ziemianski, Lady Ilze won three of her five starts as a two-year-old, before being transferred to the care of leading German trainer Andreas Wöhler. Following a fourth-place finish in the G3 Schwarzgold-Rennen on debut for her new yard, she then produced a career-best effort at Dusseldorf to win the German 1,000 Guineas by a length from D'Ores Et Deja. Last seen finishing fourth in the G1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket, she will be offered with a Timeform rating of 107. Raced by prominent German-based owners Westminster Race Horses, Lady Ilze is the first foal out of the five-time winner Roman Spinner (Intikhab) and hails from the family of the multiple Group 1 winners Diamond Shoal and Glint Of Gold, as well as Germany's champion older mare Catella. Having previously offered lots from locations in Britain, Ireland, France, and America, the daughter of Territories will become the first lot in Germany to be offered on Tattersalls Online as the result of a collaboration with leading German auction house BBAG. Katherine Sheridan, Tattersalls Online sales manager, said, “Tattersalls is delighted to be entrusted with the sale of German Classic winner Lady Ilze. Offering a filly of her quality on our online platform is a testament to the confidence placed in Tattersalls Online and its success. It is a privilege to present her to the market and she is sure to attract global interest. “We are also excited to be collaborating with Klaus Eulenberger and the team at BBAG, with whom we have a strong relationship. The joint venture opens new opportunities for our online platform and will be a key focus of future growth in the sale of German-based horses.” The post Classic Heroine Lady Ilze to be Offered in Tattersalls Online Pop-Up Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Most racing fans know Gabby Gaudet from her job at FanDuel TV, where she was one of that network's top talent. It sounds like a dream job, but Gaudet has found one that she thinks will be even better. It was announced last week that Gaudet was named the new Director of Communications at Keeneland. She sat down recently with the TDN to discuss her new job and why she decided to trade in her microphone. TDN: The Keeneland job looks like a great job. It's a very prestigious position. But most people would say you already had a great job being with FanDuel TV and being the voice for a lot of big races. So what made you want to make the transition from FanDuel to this job? GG: If I'm being perfectly honest, I was interested in this job at Keeneland because of the lifestyle change it represents. I have a soon to be 4-year-old (Crew), and a soon to be 2-year-old (Miles). This past winter I would say was really the moment that it became extremely difficult to juggle everything. I keep saying this, but it's so true. It was like trying to put a round peg in a square hole. It just felt like every time I kept trying harder and trying harder to make this work something was working against me, especially during the winter. During the summer, my husband (trainer Norm Casse) is either at Oaklawn or Saratoga. I have a full-time career. And I was traveling all the time. I found myself having to really put together a chaotic puzzle to try to figure out childcare. And not only that, my job kept pulling me away from my kids. And so that was number one. This is a game-changer. You're absolutely right. I'm glad you said that. You hit the nail on the head. It was like I went from one great job to another great job, and that's what made this decision so difficult. I love where I am and I love what I've done. I'm proud of what I've done with the team at FanDuel over the past several years. TDN: You reside in Louisville, will you commute back and forth from Louisville to Lexington? GG: Yes, as of now. Norm and I are kind of open, but yes, that is the plan, to just commute as of now. TDN: The job, your travel, your kids. Some how you made it all work, although you say was never easy. Just how did you pull this off? GG: I was actually speaking to one of our producers this morning and we laughed and he was like, I can't believe you did Royal Ascot when you were six months pregnant. Part of it is just the way I am. I think sometimes I'm a glutton for punishment and I just want to work so hard. It's kind of ingrained in me. But I don't know, I think I will look back on certain moments and think, how the hell did I pull that off? When you're in it, you're just kind of taking a deep breath and you're going day to day and just kind of figuring it out as you go along. I was really emotional about this the other day when I was talking to my husband. He's had to make a lot of sacrifices as well. He has a budding career that he wants to be able to dedicate a lot of time to. And because I'm not flexible or my job isn't as flexible as some other jobs would be he's had to really sacrifice a lot for his career as well. I think at the end of the day, hopefully there will be a kumbaya and moment we can kind of figure everything out and get back on track here. TDN: How much do you think you'll miss being in front of the camera and doing that role that you did so well for all these years? GG: I definitely will miss it. But the opportunity is still there to do both from Keeneland. When I get my feet underneath me in this new role, that's not impossible, that I might pop up on television throughout the year on occasion. I don't think that that door is completely closed. I'm still open to the idea of doing some television. It just won't be to the extent that I have been doing. Based on the conversations I've had with (Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer) Christa (Marillia) this is a very forward facing role. Much of it is going to be a spokesperson and being able to be the voice of Keeneland in many aspects. So there's still that public speaking element to it. And I'll still be doing some of the simulcast during the fall and spring meet. So I think I'll be busy enough. Gabby Gaudet (second right) | Keeneland TDN: Reading the press release that announced your hiring, they said you will “shape how Keeneland connects with fans, media and the broader racing community.” Could you elaborate on that? What are some of the things in the back of your mind that you'd like to try and like to do? GG: It just seems like such a dynamic role. I was a dual major at Towson University and one of the majors was mass comm and the other was graphic design. I did a lot of PR advertising with my mass comm degree. Kind of thinking back to that and then looking at the experience that I've had with storytelling within FanDuel and public speaking, I think I have acquired some important skills over the past several years. I would say that a huge part of this is being on the other side of the media and understanding where there are gaps and how some of these entities communicate important information as well, whether it be incident reports or crisis communication. And Keeneland is a gold standard. That's why I love Keeneland, because they really do try hard to do the right thing every single time. But I think there's some opportunities to streamline those processes and get more creative with how we tell, not only the stories within Keeneland, but in the broader community, whether it be horse racing or Lexington or even farther out than that. I've got some great ideas. I don't want to give them all away because we still have to refine them, but my brain is really, really turning. And what I love about this opportunity is it's a very collaborative environment, so I can take an idea and go to (VP of Racing) Gatewood (Bell) or I could take an idea and go to (Vice President of Sales )Tony Lacy or Christa or (President) Shannon (Arvin) or (Senior Director of Marketing ) Dara Allen, who I'm now working with. It just seems very collaborative. I hope to get a lot of good feedback and hopefully we can refine some of these goals and hit the ground running come the fall. TDN: You made some history a few years back where you helped out the team at the sales as an announcer. Is that going to be part of your future at all? Do you see yourself doing more of that? GG: I won't be announcing at the sales, but I definitely will be involved in the sales, especially as it pertains to communicating. And again, I have some ideas about the sales. Sometimes, especially to new owners, it can be extremely overwhelming. I remember when I first started getting into the sales world, I was so overwhelmed. There's so many different facets to it and so many different players and it all moves very quickly. It's very fast paced. And I think if we can kind of slow that down, tell a couple of stories, and inform the members within the industry, or outside of the industry, that are interested in coming in and buying horses. That's kind of the goal. It's always been my goal, even in my role right now, to be able to educate fans and educate people who are interested about the sport and just make sure that they have a really good entry into this industry. TDN: Your family is very well known in Maryland racing, Your father, mother and sister all trained. Why didn't you go that route? GG: I don't like to get up that early. Seriously, that was part of it though. I'm not going to lie. I did gallop in the mornings during high school and part of college. I worked for my dad and I worked for Hammy Smith, Tim Keefe, and a couple of other Maryland horsemen. I love going out in the morning, but occasionally when I was going out every morning, it kind of took the luster out of it for me. I like to go out on my own terms. I grew up very much in a horse racing family. It wasn't just my mom and dad, it wasn't just my sister (Lacey), who knew what she wanted to do by the time she could walk. My aunts were jockeys. My uncle was a farrier, my other uncle was a horse owner and trainer. So it was ubiquitous within my entire family. We'd be sitting down at the dinner table at night and it would be like, oh my gosh, we have to talk about this again? Can't we talk about something else? And so I did kind of take my own route, going to college, being involved in sports, traveling, doing my own thing for a very long time. And I came back into it because, truth be told, I went to work for the Saratoga Special. When I worked for that publication when I was in college, I went up to Saratoga for the first time and it was madness. It was chaos. But it was so much fun being able to tell those stories and meet those people. And it really honed my writing skills. But that said, looking back, sometimes I cringe at some of those articles I wrote and sometimes I look back and I'm like, 'Hey, that wasn't so bad.' My sister knew what she wanted to do from the get go. I did not know what I wanted to do. And at one point I didn't think it had anything to do with horse racing. Then I found that different entry point and I loved the media side of it. I didn't even know that that really existed at the time. TDN: You've done a lot of work for the TAA. Will you continue in that and how can you contribute to them? GG: I really want to expand my role with them as well as the Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, as well as some other non-profits that are within the industry. I've done some work with the Backside Learning Center here at Churchill as well. I'd love to get more involved with them. As for the TAA, I've just been a member of the advisory board thus far, and I just haven't been able to commit as much time to it just because of everything else. But I hope to be able to actually have a stronger presence moving forward with that. TDN: If you have any good story ideas, you know where to reach me. GG: Absolutely. And honestly, that is the goal. I even had a long chat with Tony Lacy yesterday, and I said, you guys are in it. You're weeding through all of these yearlings, all of the players with all these horses. You kind of are privy to these stories. I was like, please don't hesitate to just reach out to me. So that's my goal too. Knowing the television side of it, sometimes we're scrambling. We have so many things to cover day to day to day to day to day, and we can't have the resources, the people, the time to commit to try to find these stories. So I want to find these stories, package them up beautifully, and be able to give them to various media entities. So that's another huge component. I think being on the other side, on the outside looking in that I can contribute in that way too. TDN: Terrific. Well, Gabby, again, thanks for your time. Congratulations, and I'm sure you'll do a great job. The post Q & A With Gabby Gaudet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

“It truly is one you cannot afford to miss,” Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said of Orby Book 2 as the catalogue for the two-day sale was published on Monday, featuring 433 yearlings to be offered on Wednesday, October 1 and Thursday, October 2. Every yearling in Orby Book 2 is eligible for the Two Million Series, with its €2-million prize fund being divided equally between Europe's richest two-year-old contest – the €1-million Goffs Million – and €1 million of €50,000 bonuses across a diverse programme of two-year-old races in Ireland and the UK. A variety of stallions will be represented across the two days, including Australia, Blue Point, Blackbeard, Dark Angel, Kodiac, Mehmas, Saxon Warrior, Sioux Nation, Starman, Starspangledbanner and Too Darn Hot. Sioux Nation has a total of 12 yearlings catalogued, including lot 875, a half-brother to the G2 July Stakes winner Jasour, from the family of the multiple Group 1-winning sire Twilight Son. Last year Sioux Nation was responsible for the €135,000 top lot at Orby Book 2, while his leading performers on the racecourse in 2025 include the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Shes Perfect, who fetched €35,000 when offered at Kildare Paddocks in 2023. Other potential highlights at this year's sale include lot 471, a Saxon Warrior full-brother to the multiple Group 3 winner Greenland; lot 543, an Acclamation filly out of a half-sister to the G1 Phoenix Stakes and G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas hero Siskin; lot 617, a Starman colt out of a half-sister to the G1 Falmouth Stakes and G1 Prix Rothschild scorer Amazing Maria; lot 725, a Blue Point filly out of a half-sister to the GI Natalma Stakes victrix Capla Temptress; lot 776, a Teofilo three-parts brother to the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas and G1 Yorkshire Oaks winner Pleascach; and lot 801, a Sea The Moon half-brother to the G1 Prix Jean Romanet second Rosscarbery. “Orby Book 2 could be described as one of the hidden gems of the sales season, representing exceptional value and opportunity for buyers, and we celebrated some unforgettable success stories for our buyers throughout 2025 that originated at Book 2,” said Beeby. “As with Orby Book 1, we emphasised quality in our Book 2 inspections and slightly reduced numbers to offer buyers a deliberately tighter catalogue of classy commercial yearlings. With the sale concluding a day earlier than usual, following feedback from clients with commitments later in the week, we urge buyers to include the entire sale in their plans. It truly is one you cannot afford to miss.” The post “Classy Commercial Yearlings” On Offer in Reduced Goffs Orby Book 2 Catalogue appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

'TDN Rising Star' Dazzle d'Oro (Bolt d'Oro) sustained a catastrophic training injury Monday morning, and had to be euthanized, trainer Tom Amoss announced via X. According to the tweet, the colt received immediate attention and was sent to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital about a mile from Saratoga, but due to the severity of the injury had to be humanely euthanized to prevent further suffering. The son of Bolt d'Oro earned the nod from the TDN after a sterling debut at Churchill Downs June 29 when he took a field gate to wire and completed his six-furlong journey just .04 slower than Romeo (Honor A.P.) did when he won the Listed Bashford Manor in stakes-record time later on the same card. “I want to thank the track staff, the veterinarians, and the hospital staff for the immediate care and attention Dazzle received,” Amoss said in the post. “Everyone in our barn feels a deep loss & our thoughts and prayers are with the owners and all who worked with him.” The post ‘Rising Star’ Dazzle d’Oro Euthanized after Catastrophic Training Injury appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Due to extreme heat conditions in the area, Prairie Meadows Racetrack in Altoona, Iowa, has moved the July 28 race card to July 31 with a scheduled post time of 6 p.m. CT.View the full article

Newmarket trainer Alice Haynes will aim to advance her international record this summer with Cairo, who is set to compete in the Aug. 9 Arlington Million (G1T) and the Mint Millions (G3T) stakes for Kuwaiti owner Refai Alghraiban.View the full article

The husband-and-wife team of Carlos Estrada and Sarah Estrada-Brok have been skillfully developing C & S Thoroughbreds into thriving pinhooking venture over the past eight years. Steadily picking up steam with a each carefully-crafted consignment, the couple makes only their second appearance at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, which will be held in Saratoga Springs Aug. 4-5. After offering their very first consignment in 2017, they ventured out on their own thereafter, and in their initial season selling 2-year-olds under the Sterling Thoroughbreds banner in 2021, they hit pay dirt with a Brody's Cause colt–a $6,000 yearling purchase–for $290,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Sale. The operation's yearling class has also steadily picked up steam over the course of the last five years, highlighted by a yearling colt by Justify out of Mahkama (Bernardini) who went to BBA Ireland for $250,000 at the venue last year. The duo also sold a Charlatan colt out of Brandons Danger (Into Mischief) for the same price following the sale. “Last year, we had our first consignment in Saratoga, and this year, we are going back with what I think is a better group,” affirmed Carlos Estrada. “I think this group is going to turn out to be very nice.” Hoping to raise the bar in Saratoga next month, C & S Thoroughbreds will provide a trio of yearlings in its first offering at the select venue. All the yearlings are made up of limited partnerships, that the Estradas also have a stake in. Offering some intrigue to this maiden voyage is Hip 82, a filly by Cyberknife, who is represented by his first crop of yearlings in 2025. Bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski, the New York-bred filly already made the headlines when selling for a sale-topping $230,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Mixed Sale last October. A March 28 foal, the dark bay is a half-sister to GIII Summertime Oaks winner Cash Call (McKinzie) and SW and GSP Strategic Dreams (Archarcharch). Her winning dam D'fashion (D'wildcat) is a half-sister to GSW and GISP Express Tour (Tour d'Or). Trained by Bob Baffert, CSLR Racing's Cash Call is possible to make her next start in Saratoga's GI Test Stakes. “She is fancy,” said Sarah Estrada-Brok. “She is beautiful and correct and keeps improving. She's probably one of the best Cyberknife's we've seen.” Carlos Estrada added, “She's a lovely filly that anyone would love to have in the barn. She's a forward filly.” Asked if it was always the plan to bring the New York-bred filly back to sell in Saratoga, Estrada said, “We bought her with the idea of going back to the [select] sale with her.” Also on the first day of selling, the consignment is represented by a colt by Olympiad, offered as Hip 41. Winner of the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, Olympiad is also represented by his first crop of yearlings in 2025. C & S Thoroughbreds offer a half-sister by Cyberknife to GIII Summertime Oaks winner Cash Call (pictured) at this year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale | BENOIT An Apr. 11 foal, the Kentucky-bred is out of SP Autonomous (Quality Road), who descends from the family of Grade I winners Monba, Secret Hello and Silent Account, herself the dam of GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Plum Pretty. Bred by Stoneriggs Farm, the colt was purchased for $150,000 at Fasig-Tipton in Kentucky last February. “He is a very nice colt, very athletic. We went to [the February [sale] saying we needed a Saratoga [caliber] colt, and he was one,” said Estrada. Selling on the second day, Hip 198, a filly by newcomer Golden Pal, rounds out the Saratoga C & S Thoroughbreds draft. Bred in Kentucky by Hidden Springs Farm, the $92,000 Keeneland November weanling is the second foal out of the Orb mare Seeking Spirits, a half-sister to Grade III scorer Kirby's Penny (Macho Uno). This represents the extended family of GSW and graded producer Degenerate Gal. “Like the stallion, she has a lot of substance to her,” Estrada added. “Everyone is loving the Uncle Mo-line stallions like Yaupon and Golden Pal would not be an exception.” According to Estrada-Brok, the consignors plan to maintain 10-15 yearlings per season and they plan to focus their hands-on operation on quality over quantity. The couple purchased their farm, an 18-acre tract of land in Georgetown, Kentucky, three years ago. “It's the perfect size for us, because we try to keep it small,” she said. “We try to get better quality every year. We'd like to stay small so we can focus on them, because it's mostly just us. We want to represent the best horses that we can.” The consignors sold several yearlings at Fasig-Tipton this past July, and they expect to sell a handful, under the banner of a different consignor, at Keeneland in September. C & S Thoroughbreds will also sell a few at Fasig-Tipton in October. Asked if the couple might consider expanding the size of their operation in the future, Estrada-Brok replied, “We don't want to get any bigger. Right now, we are happy where we are at. It's manageable. We have three kids. We don't just want to focus on horses, we want to focus on our kids as well. At that number, we can do everything ourselves.” The post C & S Thoroughbreds Hoping for the Next Catalog Cover Horse in Return to Fasig-Tipton Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Since 1955, Japanese breeders have received unwavering support from the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association (JBBA). To outside eyes, the evolution of Japanese racing as a global force tends to go hand-in-hand with the Yoshida family's cultivation of Sunday Silence and latterly his son Deep Impact under their Shadai umbrella. Yet that would be doing a disservice to the number of other operations who have put in the effort and investment over the decades to improve the breed. Chief among them is the JBBA, whose primary stallion base is situated in the heart of the Shizunai breeding region in Hokkaido. From its head office in Tokyo, it operates three stallion farms and makes a point of regularly importing high-profile international horses to add to its roster. Arc winner Sottsass was this year's new recruit, swapping Coolmore in Ireland for Hokkaido in a significant deal that placed him on the Shizunai line-up alongside other familiar names such as Caravaggio, Makfi, Declaration Of War and Noble Mission. Versatility is key, however, and purchases before that included the top American runners Mischevious Alex and Sharp Azteca, both Grade I winners on dirt. Interestingly, only one of the 13-strong roster descends in sire-line from Sunday Silence (the G2-winning Deep Impact horse Red Bel Jour, who is based at Kyushu), instead offering routes into the likes of Dubawi, Galileo, Into Mischief, Scat Daddy and Blushing Groom. The Shizunai property also hosts a veterinary hospital, which caters for the local breeding community, while it plays a crucial role in the training of stud and racing staff as the host of a year-long student programme. The JBBA also supplies the online racing and breeding database Japan Bloodstock Information System (JBIS). Started in 1987, JBIS is the go-to resource for anyone searching for information on Japanese racehorses, stallions, mares, progeny records, sales records and the like. “We provide support to Japanese breeders and farms to promote the stable growth of the racehorse breeding industry in Japan,” says Dr Shigeki Yusa, general manager of the JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station. “The JBBA has imported numerous high-calibre stallions from around the world with the aim of raising the standard of Japanese breeding and also to try and prevent the over-concentration of certain bloodlines by contributing to the variety of sire-lines available in Japan. We're supporting breeders directly by providing reasonable access to quality stallions. “JBIS is another way in which the JBBA contributes to the racing industry, in this case by providing a wide range of useful and up-to-date information.” For breeders, there is also the availability of subsidies for those looking for assistance with the purchase of broodmares or investment in farm facilities. The flagship of the operation, however, is the stallion division. It is no secret how middle-distance horses are embraced by the Japanese market and to that end, the JBBA has hosted numerous top-notch European runners of yesteryear. Visitors to the Shizunai stud office are greeted by the mounted skeleton of Grundy, the 1975 Derby and King George winner. Grundy spent the latter part of his stud career at the JBBA, switching from the National Stud in Newmarket following his purchase for a reported £1,600,000 in late 1983. Didn't expect to see a Derby & King George winner on arrival at the JBBA – Grundy taking pride of place in the stud office pic.twitter.com/7yXnznrau9 — Nancy Sexton (@nancygsexton) July 16, 2025 A decade later, the JBBA had pulled off the coup of securing Dancing Brave, whose wins in the 2,000 Guineas, Eclipse, King George and Arc had lit up the 1986 season. The Lyphard horse was sold following several seasons at Dalham Hall Stud – no sooner had he settled into his new home, then the Classic winners Commander In Chief, Wemyss Bight and White Muzzle emerged to make him one of Europe's leading sires of 1993. Opera House, another middle-distance high-flyer of 1993, in his case for Sheikh Mohammed, also fared well under JBBA management, notably as the sire of 2000 Japan Cup winner T M Opera O, whose total career earnings of ¥1.8 billion set a then-record. That son of Sadler's Wells joined a year after the 1992 2,000 Guineas winner Rodrigo De Triano, who left behind a Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) winner in Erimo Excel. Warning, sold by Juddmonte in 1996, also stood with success. More recently, the Niarchos family's 2004 Arc hero Bago has more than held his own as a Grade 1 sire. Going back to the 1952 Derby runner-up Gay Time and 1957 Kentucky Derby winner Iron Liege, the list of past residents is notable; others include Tap On Wood, Rousillon, Forty Niner, Charismatic, Empire Maker, Stravinsky and Eskendereya. “Given the genetic differences that exist between various regions in Europe and North America, the international exchange of stallions and broodmares plays a vital role in the global thoroughbred industry,” says Yusa. “The JBBA's ongoing efforts to introduce high-quality stallions from overseas contribute significantly to the diversification of the genetic pool. This not only supports the future of thoroughbred breeding in Japan but also plays an important role in ensuring the long-term sustainability of Japanese racing as a whole. “However, no matter how diverse a bloodline may be, if it is not of high quality, it will not take root in Japan. For this reason, the JBBA remains committed to introducing stallions that combine genetic excellence with the diversity needed to enhance and sustain the competitiveness of Japanese racing.” Yusa has a particular fondness for Dancing Brave. “Dancing Brave stands out for both his presence and achievements,” he says. “He was one of Europe's all-time greats, earning a then-historic Timeform rating of 141. When he retired in 1987, he entered stud in the UK with sky-high expectations – syndicated for £14 million and standing for a fee of £120,000 – reflecting his immense appeal as a stallion prospect. “However, his first two crops failed to meet expectations, and after he was diagnosed with osteochondrosis (commonly known as 'Marie's Disease'), he was sold to Japan in 1991. Even within the JRA, there was a debate over the idea of acquiring a horse with a known health issue. But shortly after, his third crop produced Commander in Chief, winner of the Epsom and Irish Derby, Irish Oaks winner Wemyss Bight and White Muzzle, who won the Italian Derby and ran second in the Arc, demonstrating the risk of judging a stallion's success too early.” Acquiring Dancing Brave was a bold call. Such was his condition that his books had to be restricted amid intensive treatment. He spent eight seasons at the JBBA, succumbing to a heart attack at the age of 16 in 1999. By that stage, he had been joined in Japan by Commander In Chief and White Muzzle, both successful stallions in their own right for the Yushun Stallion Station and Shadai. Despite covering limited numbers, Dancing Brave did plenty to enhance the Japanese breed, leaving behind Grade 1 winners such as T.M. Ocean, winner of the Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas), Erimo Chic, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, and King Halo, winner of the Takamatsunomiya Kinen. The latter has since assumed further prominence as the damsire of Equinox. “King Halo became a successful sire, producing Group 1 winners like Laurel Guerreiro and dual Classic winner Kawakami Princess,” says Yusa. “He is now an influential broodmare sire, with elite performers like Equinox, Pixie Knight and Deep Bond carrying his blood. “Another of Dancing Brave's daughters, Kyoei March – another Oka Sho winner – became the second dam of Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Marche Lorraine and the third dam of Mile Championship winner Namur, further extending his legacy.” He adds, “Through these achievements and the enduring influence of his bloodline, Dancing Brave proved himself far more than just a high-profile import. He remains a symbolic figure in the history of JBBA's stallion programme, and his genetic legacy continues to shape the landscape of Japanese racing to this day.” Over 25 years on and hopes are high that another Arc winner, Sottsass, can prove a valuable addition. Even though he arrived in Japan after the start of the covering season, the son of Siyouni was popular at a fee of ¥2.5 million (£12,500), his profile likely aided by the fact he is a brother to the high-class Japanese globe-trotter Shin Emperor. “Due to quarantine procedures, Sottsass's season began in mid-March,” says Yusa. “But he was still able to cover over 100 mares. Expectations from owners and breeders are high and we are very much looking forward to seeing what kind of foals will be born in Japan.” New to the JBBA is Sottsass, who received over 100 mares & stands alongside familiar European names Caravaggio, Noble Mission and Makfi. JBBA is relatively rare in that the stallions are ridden regularly. Also has a major educational facility – over 500 students have graduated pic.twitter.com/aM8dRntihJ — Nancy Sexton (@nancygsexton) July 16, 2025 Caravaggio, winner of the Phoenix Stakes and Commonwealth Cup for Aidan O'Brien, joined in 2023 following stints for Coolmore in Ireland and Kentucky. The JBBA enjoyed considerable success with his grandsire Johannesburg, making Caravaggio an understandable fit, and indeed his arrival was followed by the emergence of his daughter Porta Fortuna as a champion in Europe. He stands for ¥3 million (£15,000) while Declaration Of War, another former Ballydoyle Group 1 winner, is priced at ¥2.3 million (£11,500). The 2,000 Guineas winner Makfi and Frankel's Group 1-winning brother Noble Mission, between them proven Group 1 sires in Europe, Australasia and the US, both command ¥1 million (£5,000). “Progeny of Caravaggio have been successful all over the world and in Japan, there have already been JRA Graded stakes winners,” says Yusa. “The first crop of foals in Japan are yearlings this year and were sold for ¥23 million (£115,000) at the recent JRHA Select Sale. “Declaration Of War's progeny have shown strong performance from the very first crop. This year, Shirankedo and Sekitoba East have both won Graded stakes. His offspring are notable for performing well as two-year-olds, on both turf and dirt, and showing versatility across a wide range of distances. “Makfi is now 18 years old but his progeny continue to perform well. This year, Sirius Colt and Immigrant Song have both won JRA stakes. Additionally, last year, Parallel Vision – by Kizuna and out of a Makfi mare – won the G3 Lord Derby Challenge Trophy, drawing attention to Makfi's growing influence as a broodmare sire. “Noble Mission's progeny in Japan have turned three this year. While none have made a major impact yet, we remain hopeful for their future success, especially considering that Noble Mission himself reached his peak performance as an older horse.” There is also pride in the addition of Stella Veloce to the roster for 2025 in his place as one of the best sired by long-time resident Bago. A typically tough Japanese product, the Grade 2 winner resides in the same barn as his sire – flanked in his case by good luck charms from a legion of well wishers. The active Shizunai-based roster lives alongside an esteemed collection of retirees led by 27-year-old Johannesburg and Bago, who looks a horse half his 24 years. Alamshar, David Junior, Aldebaran, Squirtle Squirt and Sunningdale, one of the best sired by Warning during his time at the JBBA, are other Group 1-winning names currently living in retirement. Each are in their 20s, yet still have a long way to go to match Forty Niner, who was 35 when he died at the JBBA in May 2020. Johannesburg – brilliant 2yo now making a lasting contribution via Scat Daddy – living in retirement at the JBBA Stallion Station. Now 26, he looks to be in great form pic.twitter.com/vV526xABHZ — Nancy Sexton (@nancygsexton) July 16, 2025 Meanwhile, the operation's Shichinohe base is home to Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup winner Animal Kingdom while its base in Kyushu stands Aidan O'Brien's 2010 Irish Derby and Irish Champion Stakes winner Cape Blanco. The JBBA is relatively rare in that the stallions are regularly ridden for exercise. The staff are also complemented during certain weeks of the year by students taking part in the training programme – for which the retirees are particularly useful. Staged over 12 months from April to March, the course hosts a maximum of 20 students, many of them from non-equine backgrounds, and makes use of the 28 retired racehorses in residence to cover all aspects of horsemanship. It follows similar lines to the English and Irish National Stud courses in that practical elements of the course, some of which are overseen by a teacher from the JRA, are complemented by a lecture programme. “It was originally a six-month course but now covers a year,” says the JBBA's Kazuma Masui. “Over 500 students have graduated since its inception, some of them who now own their own farms.” A cursory glance at the Shizunai property and its facilities, where everything is carried out with great pride to the highest standard, is enough to understand how the JBBA continues to set a front-running example when it comes to management of the Japanese thoroughbred. And anyone wishing to following the day-to-day running of the stallion barn will enjoy Dr Yusa's 'X' account (@yusas). “The JBBA aims to support racing through its multifaceted activities,” he concludes. “It will continue in its endeavours to promote the growth of racing and ensure that Japanese horses offer racing at the highest level.” The post Celebrating 70 Years of the JBBA’s ‘Front-Running Example’ in Thoroughbred Management appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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British jockey David Probert will join the Hong Kong talent pool next season after being confirmed on a part-season Club Jockey’s licence. The 36-year-old’s licence will run from July 17 to February 17 2026, both dates inclusive, and will join fellow British rider Richard Kingscote on the roster for next campaign. Probert, best known for his partnership with trainer Andrew Balding down the years, is yet to win a Group One race but has snared 12 races at Group Two level, most recently the Summer...View the full article

Already a history-maker, Take After Me has now become the first horse to be Harness 5000 eligible. The new Harness 5000 race meeting will be held at Ashburton on December 21, with a total of 12 $60,000 finals for trotters and pacers whose sire stood for an advertised retail service fee of $5,000 or less in the breeding season of conception. The finals will be for 3YO, 4YO and 5YO and older Fillies and Mares and Colts, Geldings and Entires, for both gaits This year the qualifying period is from July 3 to December 9, 2025 and to be eligible horses must compete in at least five race day starts within this period. The Fred Scott-trained Take After Me (Holmes Hanover) is the first horse to have met this criteria. The 14-year-old had his fifth start this month when he ran third at Addington yesterday. He is eligible for the 5YO Colts, Geldings and Entires Trot. “It is fitting that a horse like Take After Me, who has stood the test of time, is the first horse in 2025 to become qualified for the Harness 5000,” says Harness Racing New Zealand’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden. “He’s been a grand campaigner throughout his career and had 21 starts this year already. He is certainly deserving of racing for the good money that is on offer on Harness 5000 day.” In March Take After Me made history by becoming the first ever standardbred to have 400 starts in this country. He has now had a total of 408 starts – 284 as a trotter (17 wins) and 124 as a pacer (4 wins). Qualifying for the Harness 5000 Finals will be done solely on stake money won, with the top 14 in each category making the cut. A leaderboard is now on the hrnz website and has updated information for all 12 categories. It can be seen here “Over the ensuing weeks and months it’s going to be exciting to see these fields take shape as more and more horses become eligible,” says Peden. “We are confident the Harness 5000 is going to be a big success.” Harness Racing New Zealand is committed to running the series for at least the next 5 years, with the qualifying period in 2026 between January 1 and November 29. View the full article

Aidan O’Brien is hoping Illinois can fill the void left by star stayer Kyprios when he lines up in Tuesday’s Group One Goodwood Cup (3,209m) as the iconic five-day racing festival gets under way. Last year’s winner Kyprios, an eight-time Group One winner who won the Goodwood Cup on two occasions, was retired in May after aggravating an old injury, - leaving the staying throne up for grabs. Illinois was made favourite for the Group One Gold Cup (4,000m) at Royal Ascot following his retirement but...View the full article

Edward O'Grady, a multiple champion National Hunt trainer whose name will go down in Cheltenham Festival folklore, has died. He was 76. O'Grady trained some of the finest jumpers of his era and sent out 18 Cheltenham Festival winners throughout a glittering career. He managed the careers of brilliant horses like Golden Cygnet, Gay Future, Native Upmanship, Ned Kelly, Back In Front, Tranquil Sea and many more. O'Grady also had the distinct achievement of providing JP McManus with his first ever Cheltenham Festival success when Mister Donovan landed what is now known as the Turners Novice Hurdle back in 1982. That victory was reported to be pivotal in McManus's rise with the legendary owner later reporting that he won £250,000 on the horse, which fueled future investment in the game. The only Irish trainers with a better Cheltenham record than O'Grady to this day are Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott. O'Grady took over his father's training licence in 1972 and enjoyed his first win that year at Gowran Park when his cousin Timmy Hyde partnered Vibrax to victory. His last winner came earlier this month when Our Soldier won a handicap hurdle at Bellewstown under Harry Swan, who is a grandson of Hyde's. A four-time champion jumps trainer in Ireland, O'Grady was widely regarded as one of the finest practitioners of his craft. Tributes to follow The post Cheltenham Festival Legend Edward O’Grady Dies Aged 76 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Calandagan justified favourtism in devastating fashion to give Francis-Henri Graffard back-to-back wins in the Group One King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,400m) at Ascot on Saturday. The Gleneagles gelding was beaten by Jan Brueghel in the Group One Coronation Cup (2,400m) at Epsom in June but reversed the form in no uncertain terms after what looked to be a tactical mishap from Ballydoyle. From an outsiders view, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Continuous looked to be a pacemaker for his...View the full article

Group One winning trainer Fraser Auret collected trophies of a different variety on Saturday night as he took centre stage at the Property Brokers National Breeding Awards at the Sir Don Rowlands Centre in Cambridge. Auret’s first foray into thoroughbred breeding struck paydirt when he sent five-win mare Missy Moo to Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress. The resulting foal, whom Auret sold after a dominant jump-out victory as a juvenile is now known as Ka Ying Rising, the world’s best sprinter. Ka Ying Rising was named Seton Otway Horse of the Year at Saturday’s awards after a season in which he went undefeated that included four Group One victories. Auret bred the sprinting star under his Grandmoral Lodge banner and, along with wife Erin and son Milton, made regular forays to the stage as he secured four awards, which also included the Small Breeder of the Year sponsored by Luigi Muollo and the Arion Pedigrees Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year Award went the way of Ka Ying Rising’s dam Missy Moo. Ka Ying Rising as a foal at Windsor Park Stud with his dam Missy Moo Photo: supplied Despite his parents Nigel and Adaire running well-regarded breeding operation Letham Stud, home to successful stallion Unusual Suspect, Auret himself was a breeding novice. “We are very fortunate to do a bit of work for Windsor Park Stud and I was having a cup of tea with Rodney Schick and he said to me that trainers should be the best breeders out there because you know what horses have that real talent that maybe didn’t leave their mark on the racetrack for various reasons,” Auret said. “It all stemmed from there. I trained Missy Moo, who unfortunately had some real arthritic problems with her back leg right from a young horse. She won five races but she was a very talented horse.” The Marton horseman said Ka Ying Rising showed natural ability from the outset prior to his purchase by bloodstock agent Mike Morais before he ventured to the Hayes family’s Lindsay Park prior to export to Hong Kong. “He certainly showed good ability but in fairness we had only galloped him three or four times when he was sold,” Auret said. Ka Ying Rising was Missy Moo’s first foal with her second foal, a colt by Turn Me Loose, also sold to Hong Kong and named Ka Ying Glory, where he has placed for David Hayes as a three-year-old. “When she was carrying her second foal the arthritis really got the better of her,” Auret said. “We did get a second foal but we had to do the right thing and humanely euthanise the mare. “Because Ka Ying Rising had shown so much we searched for a sibling to Missy Moo, but would you believe the dam of Missy Moo had eight colts in a row and then Missy Moo had two colts, so unfortunately there are just no fillies or mares in the family.” Auret is enjoying every minute of the Ka Ying Rising ride and said there is quite a ritual in the Auret household every time the star sprinter races. “We have three young children and we all have a pair of Ka Ying Rising socks. They are all on and we are glued to the TV,” he said. With 24 individual winners of 37 Group One races acknowledged at Saturday’s awards the global success of horses with the NZ suffix was not lost on Auret. “Every time an Aussie radio station rings me, I do remind them that New Zealand is doing a pretty good job of their job really, breeding sprinters and that is quite evident when you see horses like Ka Ying Rising, Jimmysstar, Gringotts, War Machine and Here To Shock acknowledged tonight. “It’s been a great evening and terrific to enjoy it with family.” View the full article