Wandering Eyes

Lightly-tried three-year-old Ad Vitam broke maiden ranks in impressive fashion at Sandown on Wednesday when swooping under Blake Shinn to score over 1400m. The son of Proisir finished runner-up on debut for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young and took good improvement and shapes as a horse with a bright future for prominent owners Kevin and Vikki Payne. “He has benefited from that first start at Sale, with that added experience,” Shinn said. “He was good in the gates, and that gave me a good indication he would jump better. He hasn’t shown any tactical speed in his jumpouts, so I expected him to be back. We got in a nice position, blended into the dip well, and quickened like a decent horse. “I love the way he rounded that race off. He is mentally still six months away, but he has a good engine. It’s just great to ride another win for Kevin Payne in these colours, he has been a big supporter of mine. “The more I asked him to lengthen, the more he wanted to attack the line, I like that in a horse. “When he gets a grasp of racing, he is going to keep developing, and he will get at least a mile, maybe 2000m. He’s got a bright future.” Ad Vitam shows off a scintillating turn of foot in the opener at Sandown Hillside as @blake_shinn extends his lead atop the Vic Metro Jockeys’ Premiership leaderboard @busuttin pic.twitter.com/x1gbQPzPzy — Racing.com (@Racing) July 16, 2025 Bred by Gary and Jenny Hennessy under their Weowna Park banner in conjunction with Andrew Wong and Stephen Yan, the chestnut son of Proisir is out of the O’Reilly mare Mariota and stems from the family of Samantha Miss, Cronus and Pravda. Ad Vitam was presented for sale in the Book 2 session of the 2023 Karaka Yearling Sale but failed to meet his $120,000 reserve. Owner Kevin Payne later purchased the now gelding privately from Hennessy after he was broken in. Busutiin and Young’s racing manager Sam Griggs was impressed with the performance. “He took a while to get to the leader, but once he did, he put them away well,” Griggs said. “That’s probably as good as he has ever jumped. He is usually very slow away. It was on terms for him, and the rest was up to Blake, but once he went for him and he quickened up, it was painless. “I thought he only had to hold what he did on his debut to win this race today. It’s nice to vindicate it and come out and win it. It is a nice one going forward for Kevin and Vicki Payne. “Certainly, he has a good eye, ‘KP,’ and he’s provided us another nice one here.” The Hennessy’s have retained an Ocean Park two-year-old half-sister to Ad Vitam. View the full article

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has confirmed that two key Spring Group 1 races will be transferred from RACE Awapuni, as the track continues through its Return to Racing protocols. The decision reflects a commitment to delivering early certainty for Trainers and Owners preparing campaigns for Group 1 runners. Key Programme Adjustments (may still be subject to change): Saturday 23 August | RACE Awapuni: Planned return raceday as scheduled Saturday 6 September | RACE Awapuni: Planned raceday as scheduled Saturday 20 September | RACE Awapuni: $100,000 Group 3 Merial Metric Mile (1600m) raceday with a supporting card Friday 26 September | Ōtaki-Māori Racecourse: Programme to be advised Saturday 27 September | Te Rapa Racecourse (New Group 1 Day): $400,000 Group 1 WFA 1600m (previous Arrowfield Stud Plate) $175,000 Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) Supporting races including Open 1200m, R75, R65 and MAAT across key distances Saturday 11 October | RACE Awapuni: Meeting retained as scheduled, minus the $550,000 Group 1 WFA 2040m (previously the Livamol Classic) $120,000 Group 3 Spring Sprint (1400m), with the undercard to be maintained at $65,000 minimums Saturday 18 October | Ellerslie Racecourse: $550,000 Group 1 WFA 2040m (previously the Livamol Classic) added to the existing Ellerslie raceday NZTR Chief Executive Officer Matt Ballesty said the move gives participants the clarity they need at a critical planning stage. “This hasn’t been an easy decision, nor does it reflect the significant effort that has gone into preparing the Awapuni track by the Club’s leadership and their wider team,” he said. “It simply comes down to timing, and this call has been made to give Trainers and Owners confidence as they plan their Group 1 Spring campaigns. “This is not a reflection of any safety concerns, but a proactive step to provide certainty while the track completes the necessary Return to Racing testing. It’s the right decision for the industry at this time, and we remain fully committed to supporting Awapuni’s return as a key metropolitan venue,” Ballesty said. RACE Inc. Chairman Richard Simpson says the Club remains committed to the long-term success of RACE Awapuni. “While we are naturally disappointed with the decision, our focus remains firmly on the return to racing on the course proper at Awapuni. We are confident that the extensive maintenance carried out since April has been successful, supported by the data from the going stick, which is an important track assessment tool moving forward,” Simpson said. “Although it’s unfortunate that Central Districts participants will miss out on premier stakes early in the Spring, we are grateful to NZTR for maintaining those stakes at the October 11 meeting. “We will continue to work closely with NZTR and the external experts involved to ensure we deliver the best possible racing surface when Awapuni returns to action,” he said. The $400,000 Group 1 WFA 1600m (previously the Arrowfield Stud Plate), initially set for RACE Awapuni, will now headline a newly created Group 1 raceday at Waikato Thoroughbred Racing’s Te Rapa Racecourse on Saturday 27 September. The revamped programme will also feature the $175,000 Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) and a strong undercard of open and rating-band races. The $550,000 Group 1 WFA 2040m (previously the Livamol Classic) will be pushed back one week and relocated to Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday 18 October, where it will feature on Auckland Thoroughbred Racing’s existing feature raceday. The programme will also include the $175,000 Group 2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). The remainder of the original $550,000 Group 1 WFA 2040m support card, including the $120,000 Group 3 Spring Sprint (1400m), will remain at RACE Awapuni on Saturday 11 October, subject to the necessary Return to Racing protocols being met. All races on this RACE Awapuni card will be maintained at a minimum stake of $65,000. NZTR Chief Operating Officer Darin Balcombe said the decision was made with the long-term success of the RACE Awapuni track in mind, while also ensuring industry confidence heading towards headline Spring racing events. “This decision follows weather-related delays in the turf’s recovery after decompaction work carried out in response to the abandoned Awapuni meeting on 25 April,” Balcombe said. “The surface has shown encouraging signs, but remains untested, with horses only due to return to work on it in the coming weeks. “We are continuing to implement a staged return-to-racing plan for Awapuni, with track performance having been closely monitored throughout July,” Balcombe added. Horses are scheduled to begin working on the RACE Awapuni surface from Monday 21 July, followed by restricted trials on Tuesday 29 July as part of NZTR’s standard Return to Racing protocols. RACE Awapuni’s return raceday is currently scheduled for Saturday 23 August and remains the intended resumption date, subject to a successful final track assessment. The decision is supported by track advisor Liam O’Keeffe, who acknowledged the positive progress at RACE Awapuni but noted that several key steps still need to be completed before the track can be cleared for a full return to racing. As part of the programme changes, the $100,000 Group 3 Merial Metric Mile (1600m), originally scheduled for Whanganui Racecourse on Saturday 20 September, will now be run at a new meeting at RACE Awapuni on the same date. The Wanganui Jockey Club meeting will now be deleted, with a new meeting added at Ōtaki-Māori Racecourse on Friday, 26 September, taking the date vacated by Waikato Thoroughbred Racing’s meeting at Te Rapa Racecourse. View the full article

Cambridge horsewoman Margaret Falconer celebrated a winning double at Avondale on Wednesday with a pair of progressive staying prospects. The first to salute on the midweek card was Hakata Bay (NZ) (Mongolian Khan), a one-win galloper resuming off a spell in the Byerley Park 1400. The son of Mongolian Khan had collected his maiden on a firm surface over the summer, but faced a stark contrast at the Auckland venue, stepping out in the middle of the card on a true Heavy10 track. In the hands of Joe Doyle, Hakata Bay settled midfield and had plenty of ground to make up on the leaders turning for home. Race favourite Blondie hit the lead around the 150m mark and Hakata Bay was steadily making up ground, and in the final 50m, Doyle asked for an extra effort and he responded, defying his $34 winning quote to score by a neck. Doyle, who recently returned to the Kiwi riding ranks after spending much of the winter overseas, praised the gelding’s effort after being well back on the turn. “On the turn, I thought we were going to be nowhere, but once he got balanced and got running in the straight, I thought we’d be involved,” he said. “He got his neck out at the right time. “He looks a bit progressive, I think he’ll stay, and he’s handled the ground well today. He’s won on a Good track before, they’ve got loads of options. Just on the turn, I thought he was falling apart under me, but once we got straightened and running, he wasn’t bad, so nicer ground will suit him.” It hadn’t been a comfortable watch for Falconer, but she was delighted with the result. “He has been going really well, I think he’s a lot stronger than last prep, but we were worried being fresh-up on the heavy ground,” she said. “When he got down on the rail, I was thinking ‘how is he going to get out of here’, because he’s a big horse. “He’s quite a nice galloper, so it didn’t surprise me that when he got out, he ran home well. “He’ll make into a staying horse for the early spring, that’s our target. He jarred up last time after he won and he’s had a nice break, so that’s the plan. “He won on Good3 at Te Rapa when he won his maiden, so I think he does prefer it better.” Falconer was back in the winner’s circle two races later, courtesy of improving filly Gina Rosa (NZ) (Belardo). A three-year-old by Belardo, Gina Rosa shortened from a price of $31 into $9.50, and she justified the late plunge with an impressive performance in the Volare Italian Restaurant Maiden 1600. Yuga Okubo decreased her impost down to a featherlight 52.5kg, and the young apprentice sat back in the second half of the field early as a speed battle unfolded on top. Among those near the lead was the favourite in Rio Grande, who started a two-horse war in the straight was Costanza. Those two looked set to fight out the finish, but coming flying up the inside was Gina Rosa, who showed a tidy turn of foot in the conditions to get up by 1–¼ lengths. Falconer, who also bred the filly, had hoped for a positive showing and was duly rewarded. “We had a little bet on her, but not very much,” she said. “I thought she may have needed another run for experience, but we’re happy with that. “She can gallop and it was nice that he (Okubo) let her find her feet early, she is going to get up over ground and stay. “She’s been a bit of a work in progress, she missed some early trials when we couldn’t get a run, so we probably went to the races a bit early with her. She’s taken a bit to learn, but she’s a half to Wordsworth, who won nine races for us, so I think she can go on with it.” The winning brace took Falconer’s season total to eight wins from just 63 starts. “They are horses that we are hoping to have coming through for the spring, so it was really good to get the wins today,” she said. View the full article

Ruakaka visitor Sulabella (NZ) (Proisir) will be out to keep her perfect record intact at Arawa Park on Saturday, as the mare takes on the open-class gallopers in the Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua 1560. A winner of six races, Sulabella hit a purple patch of form when saluting at the Rotorua course last year at the beginning of July, and in the same race earlier this month she took the top spot once again. Michelle Bradley, who trains the daughter of Proisir, is looking forward to heading back to the course. “She’s come through her last run really well, this is a big step up in grade, but she’s trained on well and loves Rotorua,” Bradley said. “She’s two from two on the track, so we’ll go back and have a go. “There is a lot of rain around and she’ll have a very light weight (54kg), so it would be nice if she could be thereabouts again.” Drawing the ace barrier, Sulabella will continue her association with jockey Bridget Grylls, who was on board in her most recent success. It wasn’t all smooth sailing in the torrid conditions that day, with Grylls’ saddle ending up on the mare’s wither, but Bradley explained that was a common occurrence for the six-year-old, who tends to pull down both in trackwork and on raceday. “She can pull a bit in her races, and the way she does pull, it moves the saddle forward,” she said. “I don’t think that will happen again, she should be a little bit more relaxed this time. “She’s like that in her work at home, she’s very strong and tucks her head in, which starts moving that saddle up. There’s not a lot you can do, we’ll put it back a little further this time and if she settles, it’ll be fine. “That draw (1) may have its advantages, it may not, we’ll just have to see how she jumps on the day and leave it up to Bridget, she’s ridden her enough to know what she’s like.” Sulabella will be Bradley’s sole runner this week across the country, having been well-represented at her home meeting last Saturday. Of her four runners, two were successful, including her talented stayer Bosch, who will return to the venue for an identical assignment on August 2. “He’s come through the run well, he spent a few days in the paddock and hasn’t had a saddle on as yet, we’ll do that tomorrow,” she said. “He seems pretty bright in himself. “It was pretty satisfying, it was good to see him get the win and it was great for the owners, who live locally. “He’ll line-up again here in three weeks in the stayers race, then when Ellerslie is back up and going and the rain sticks around, I think he can be competitive there in some of the staying races there.” Earlier in the day, it was the turn of Wyndspelle filly Iridescent, who was having just her second appearance to the races. “It’s always nice to have a filly go nicely first-up, and then improve on it,” Bradley said. “For her to come out and win was great, for more local owners that have only had a couple of horses, they were over the moon. “Full credit to the owners, she didn’t come into the stable until she was a three-year-old, so the time has done her the world of good. I liked her early on, she was just a silent achiever and did everything very easily, she was never a hassle. “She’s been in the paddock with Bosch for the last few days and came back up this morning, I’m not too sure of my plans for her because we’re mindful of not rushing her. “She’s had the two trials and two races, so if she needs a proper break, we’re happy to give that to her. I think she’ll only improve going forward.” View the full article

For just the second time in his 40-year training career, Howie Mathews is currently winless for the season, something he is looking to change when he heads to Awapuni’s synthetic meeting on Thursday. “We haven’t trained a winner this season, which is quite unusual for us. We would like to change that and if it could happen tomorrow that would be nice,” he said. The Otaki horseman will have three chances to correct his plight, headlined by a two-pronged attack in the Spray Specialist LTD 2140, courtesy of Weneedashock and Free Spirit. Five-win gelding Weneedashock has been knocking on the door, placing in his last two starts, including a last start runner-up effort behind Final Chapter on the same track and distance a fortnight ago. Mathews is hopeful his charge can turn the tables on the Lisa Latta-trained runner on Thursday, where he has drawn barrier five and will be ridden by Liam Kauri. “He seems to be getting beaten by easy horses,” Mathews said. “But he is a fairly honest horse. I got him off Jamie Richards from Te Akau and he said to me he is not going to be a champion, but I would have a bit of fun with him.” While the son of Shocking contested the $100,000 Polytrack Championship (2000m) at Cambridge last year, Mathews holds no aspirations of tackling the rich feature with his gelding this year and will keep to local targets in the near future. “It’s only 2000m, so I will be staying clear of that,” he said. Weeeedashock will be joined in his race on Thursday by stablemate Free Spirit, who will be seeking to recapture some form. “She hasn’t raced up to expectations,” Mathews said. “She has always shown us plenty on the track, but she just hasn’t performed this year. “I have applied a bit different gear to see whether that helps her out, but she might be destined for the broodmare paddock.” Later on the card, Mathews is looking forward to Justify That making her stable debut in the Tomo’s Aluminium Services 1000. “I think she is going to be a firm track mare,” Mathews said. “We have had her in work for nearly three months now, just ticking her over and hoping the tracks are starting to come right, but it just gets wetter and wetter. “We were going to go to the jumpouts at Levin, but they were canned and if it keeps raining I can’t even see the trials being any good at Foxton next week either, so I thought why not just chuck her in. It will be her first outing for us and it is a bit of a learning curve. “We bought her off clients of Hollie Wynyard’s. She has had 11 starts and a few placings, so she might fit in somewhere. “We are just getting her ready for spring racing, so we are not in a hurry with her.” Meanwhile, Mathews has welcomed the Kelvin Tyler-trained Freddie Time to his stable to pre-train ahead of some spring targets. Riverton-based Tyler often stays with Mathews in Otaki during northern campaigns, and Mathews is looking forward to welcoming his long-time family friend back to his property next season. “Freddie Time has come back from Brisbane and is spending a bit of time with us at the moment,” Mathews said. “Kelvin likes to come up to this area (Central Districts) and campaign a couple of horses through the summer and have a go at the bigger spoils. “We are great family friends, we have got plenty of room for him, and it fits in with our system really well.” Mathews’ association with the Tyler family goes back nearly 60 years, having ridden for Tyler’s father, Ken, when he was an apprentice jockey. “I rode his father’s first winner in 1969,” Mathews said. “I was apprenticed to Dave O’Sullivan, and I saw him (Ken Tyler) one day walking his horse around, so I went over to him and said I would ride him in work for him and he said I could ride him on raceday the next week if I wanted. “I owned a bit of land not far from his farm and he always helped me out with home kills and hay baling. He was very good to me and my family. “I never really had much to do with the boys growing up, they were a bit younger than me, but I knew of them. “When Kelvin started training down in Riverton, I have always taken a big interest in what he has done and kept in contact with him and his brother Allan, who owns quite a few of the horses. “We have become pretty close.” View the full article

The Tab recently opened some long term markets around feature races in November so here’s an early look forward with harness analyst Greg O’Connor. The three-year-old season has a predictable feel to it with last season’s 2yo’s of their respective season’s dominating the early bird markets. Marketplace is basically $1.40 in every major race he is likely to line up including the2nd running of the Velocity and of course the jewel in the 3yo year, the Garrards NZ Pacing Derby. His nearest rival and most likely to bridge the gap in the second half of the season, Got the Chocolates is on the second line of betting and is the last horse to beat the star 3yo ahead of Rubira who is the only other horse to have beaten him this year and is currently campaigning in Queensland. The big mover since moving south has been Bar Louie ($12) who is yet to get to the above trio’s level but looks capable having won all three runs in his current campaign. Similarly in the 3yo trotting ranks the brilliant Meant To Be dominates both of the above races, the Derby and The Accent in his age group. The Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan trained son of Father Patrick is unbeaten in three runs as a 3yo with the emerging Rogue Hero ($4.00) and Tarragindi ($5.00) on the next line of betting. The former a son of Marcoola has been super impressive winning half of his six starts for trainers Ken Ford and Amanda Tomlinson, including his last two whilst the latter looks an immense talent for master trainer Phil Williamson. He was 2nd to Rogue Hero first up before beating the older horses by seven lengths at his only other run. The Christian Cullen is in its second year after Rakero Rocket provided an upset in December. The market reflects the emerging talent amongst the 4yo’s although the top three spots are headed up by stars of the back end of last season’s three-year-old year. Chase A Dream ($3) and We Walk By Faith ($3) and Better Knuckle Up ($7) all won features in October and November last year with the latter stealing the show in the Inaugural running of the Hill, Lee and Scott Velocity. Since then they have all had mixed campaigns giving plenty of hope to the emerging crop. Sideshow Bruce ($7) has been super since joining the Bob Butt team with Harrison John ($8), Duchess Megxit ($10) and Vessem ($10) all have the credentials to play a part on the big night which this year is a week after IRT NZ Cup Week. View the full article

When the field for the $1 million Haskell Stakes (G1) was drawn July 15, it conjured thoughts of the Preakness Stakes (G1), which isn't a bad thing at all.View the full article

Foxton trainer Suzy Gordon has enjoyed a good run of success in the tried horse market and has welcomed another well-performed newcomer to her stable. Gordon’s latest acquisition is Turn The Ace, a multiple winner from Andrew Forsman’s stable who recently changed hands on the Gavelhouse platform for $9,750 to dissolve the syndicate that raced the son of Turn Me Loose. “The best part is that he’s all ready to go and will have a quiet trial at Foxton next week over 800m,” Gordon said. “We’re obviously learning about him, he’s been very good and is probably not the soundest horse, so we’ll be careful with him.” A half-brother to the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) winner Here To Shock, Turn The Ace has nine victories to his credit including the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1100m) as a juvenile. “He’s certainly worth a try and I’ve had some nice Gavelhouse horses,” Gordon said. Among them is Ka Ying Lucky who will attempt to seal a spot in next month’s $100,000 Polytrack Championship (1200m) at Riccarton when he steps out on the synthetic track at Awapuni on Thursday. Gordon’s hand has been forced to run the son of Zoustar in the Tomo’s Aluminium Services Handicap (1000m) in a bid to guarantee a berth in the southern final. “I would rather have gone straight to Riccarton, but I’m a bit worried he might not make the field,” she said. Ka Ying Lucky was a $10,500 purchase and that quickly proved to be a smart piece of business. “I bought him and in his first start for me he won a $35,000 race and has since won another two and probably should have won the other day, he was pretty unlucky,” Gordon said. “He was a hard horse to follow, but in his last few starts he seems to have gained a lot of confidence.” Meanwhile, Ka Ying Lucky’s stablemate Doubtful Sound, a $4,700 Gavelhouse buy, is on target for the $100,000 Polytrack Championship (1400m) at Awapuni on August 3. The son of Not A Single Doubt has won two of his last three starts on the all-weather track and was a last-start third on the Riccarton synthetic surface. Yet another online purchase, this one for $7,250, is the Proisir mare Prioress who will bid to cap off a consistent run of form in the Sandfords Rural Carriers Handicap (1200m) at Hawera on Saturday. She has a pair of runner-up finishes at Wanganui and Otaki and a fourth at Trentham from her last three appearances. Prioress was also nominated for the Listed Sinclair Electrical @ Refrigeration Opunake Cup (1400m), but Gordon opted for the softer option. “It would be nice to have a go at black type with her, maybe further down the line,” she said. View the full article

To strengthen industry support and impact, Breeders' Cup Limited will donate all royalties from merchandise purchases to Breeders' Cup Charities as well as host an Annual Day of Giving July 23. The official outreach program of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, Breeders' Cup Charities will lend support to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, and the Race Track Chaplaincy of America in 2025. These charities highlight five key pillars for the organization: Thoroughbred aftercare, jockey health and wellness, backstretch and industry workers, equine research, and other impactful community initiatives. “This enhancement is just the beginning of a renewed commitment to generate meaningful, sustainable funding for critical causes within our industry,” said Drew Fleming, President & CEO of Breeders' Cup Limited. “Through Breeders' Cup Charities and with the support of our partners, fans, and community, we can create positive, lasting change that benefits our sport for generations to come.” Donors can visit Breederscup.com/charities to make contributions on the July 23 Annual Day of Giving, scheduled for exactly 100 days before the Breeders' Cup. Ken Freirich, a co-owner of GISW Sandman (Tapit), will kick off the day by matching up to $100,000 for donations raised. “I am excited to continue the partnership with Breeders Cup and thrilled that they are expanding their philanthropic commitment to a diverse array of deserving organizations through Breeders' Cup Charities,” said Freirich. “It is critical that we recognize and support the real 'rock stars' of the industry: the grooms, hot walkers, jockeys, trainers, and everyone who takes care of these amazing equine athletes both during and after their racing careers, as well as the research organizations that help the industry continue to improve and evolve. I hope that my match donation will ignite a philanthropic spark across the world to support these wonderfully important charities.” The post Breeders’ Cup Expands Charities Program appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Porter on PedigreesView the full article

John and Thady Gosden have been fined £3,000 after two of their horses tested positive for the banned substance ketamine last summer.View the full article

BloodHorse's assistant news editor Sean Collins joins co-owner and trainer Jorge Abreu for Scottish Lassie's July 15 training session ahead of her start in the July 19 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

TDN Social Media Manager Sara Gordon appears on this week's Next-Gen Thoroughbred podcast, available now on Spotify by clicking here, or on Apple podcasts by clicking here. Next-Gen Thoroughbred is hosted by Tanner Reisman and Timothy Schmidt, and looks to promote young leaders in the Thoroughbred industry and allow them to share their stories of how they got involved in the business in order to inspire the next generation of Thoroughbred workers. On the episode, called Capturing the Soul of the Sport, Gordon talks about how she got involved with racing, how she made it her profession, and her switch from her home state of Maryland to living in Lexington working for the TDN. Gordon covers important topics like transparency, content selection, and talks about her process of curating content daily across the TDN's multiple platforms. The post TDN Social Media Manager Sara Gordon on Next-Gen Thoroughbred Podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

America's Best Racing takes a look at the field of six that seeks to move forward in the 3-year-old filly division. View the full article

Trainer Phil Serpe is contesting constitutionality of HISA in federal district court.View the full article

This week's racing on radio, TV, and streaming schedule compiled by America's Best Racing.View the full article

5). CURTAIN CALL, SAR, 7/12, 6 furlongs (VIDEO) R1 Beyer Speed Figure- 82 (c, 2, by Tiz the Law–Deep Trouble, by Into Mischief). O-West Point Thoroughbreds. B-Nancy Stone (Fla). T-Mark Casse. J-Jose Ortiz. Tim Wilkin related in TDN how Casse sent West Point's Terry Finley a simple text message to sum up his opinion about Curtain Call. Actually, it was a photo–of a Porsche. And Curtain Call lived up to the private hype in Saturday's Saratoga opener, blowing away even-money Tagermeen to the tune of 8 1/2 lengths. Curtain Call can be forgiven for his well-beaten debut second last month at Churchill Downs: he was up against future Sanford Stakes winner Obliteration. 4). STURDY, SAR, 7/13, 1 1/8 miles (3rd) (VIDEO) R1 Beyer Speed Figure- 82 (g, 4, by Mitole–Holidays Saratoga, by Harlan's Holiday) O-Repole Stable and R.A. Hill Stable. B-ERJ Racing (Ky). T-George Weaver. J-Manny Franco. Here's a son of sprint champion Mitole who clearly prefers to run at least nine furlongs. He makes the list this week by virtue of his third at that distance Sunday at Saratoga, crossing the wire 5 1/4 lengths back after rallying from last in the five-horse field. He's now an eight-race maiden, but against fast competition that has included Locked, Domestic Product and Strategic Focus. 3). RUNAWAY AGAIN, WO, 7/13, 1 1/16 miles (VIDEO) R2 Beyer Speed Figure- 83 (g, 3, by Hard Spun–Golden Venus, by Storm Cat) O-Stronach Stable. B-Adena Springs (Ont-C). Trainer-Sid Attard. Jockey-Ryan Munger. A blast from the past: owned and bred by 92-year-old Frank Stronach, as a product of his Ontario Adena Springs operation. Attard chose two turns for Runaway Again's debut for good reason—the gelding quickly dropped to last and trailed by seven lengths before his second-turn rally saw him strike the front at the quarter pole. His five siblings to race were all cheap claimers, but go back another generation and his unraced dam is a half-sister to Stronach stars Awesome Again and Macho Uno. 2). CHILLAX, SAR, 7/13, 1 1/8 miles (2nd) (VIDEO) R1 Beyer Speed Figure- 87 (c, 3, by Bernardini–Keepshercool by Smart Strike) O/B-Godolphin (Ky). T-Bill Mott. J-Junior Alvarado. The talent is there, but for a third straight race Chillax cruised to the pacesetter in upper stretch as if victory was inevitable, only to be rebuffed…or to hang, in which case Mott will likely come up with a solution. Godolphin paid $110,000 for his dam, who is out of Santa Anita Oaks/Las Virgenes/Oak Leaf winner (and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up) Composure. 1). CLASSICIST, SAR, 7/13, 1 1/8 miles (1st) (VIDEO) R1 Beyer Speed Figure- 90 (c, 3, by Curlin–Playtime, by Street Cry {Ire}) O/B-St. Elias Stables (Ky). T-Todd Pletcher. J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. He's the colt who rebuffed Chillax after setting the fractions– and he was running for the first time in 9 1/2 months, having trained steadily in the Pletcher program since mid-April. Vinny Viola bought dam Playtime from the late Dinny Phipps about a decade ago, and she couldn't run much, but she has already produced a graded winner in Jouster. And there's this: Playtime's dam is Phipps champion Storm Flag Flying, which means, of course, the third and fourth dams on the pedigree page are My Flag and Personal Ensign. The post The Five Fastest Maidens for the Week, Presented by Taylor Made, of July 6 -13 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

GSW/MGISP Mopotism (Uncle Mo), the dam of GI Preakness Stakes winner and this weekend's GI Haskell Stakes favorite Journalism, has died from complications of colic, Don Alberto Corp confirmed Tuesday. Social media posts, which credit an Instagram message, read: “Mopotism, mother of Journalism, has died due to complications from colic at Don Alberto USA. She leaves two unraced products, a yearling filly daughter of Into Mischief and a 2-month old filly by Flightline.” Don Alberto mourned the loss of their mare with the following message: “We are heartbroken to report the loss of our mare Mopotism, due to complications related to colic. She was a gift to all those that got to know her beautiful eye, strong mind, and gentle way. We are grateful to everyone that has taken care of her over the years and poured so much love into her each day. We are humbled to watch the brilliance of her son, Journalism, and to know that her legacy will continue through him and her other foals. On to greener pastures, Mopo. You will be dearly missed.” The post Mopotism, Dam Of Journalism, Dies From Colic Complications appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sandra Russell, breeder of Grade I winner Excellent Truth, opens up about the emotion surrounding that top-notch triumph Much of the attention surrounding Excellent Truth's breakthrough success at the highest level at Saratoga last weekend revolved around the game's larger than life owner John Stewart. And rightly so given it was the man behind Resolute Racing who forked out €1.6 million for the daughter of Cotai Glory at the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale last December. But a little over 3,000 miles away from Saratoga, the magnitude of what Excellent Truth had just achieved in out-battling race favourite She Feels Pretty to record that memorable Dunkin' Diana Stakes victory, was being felt in Bansha, County Tipperary, by the mare's breeder Sandra Russell. “For someone like me to dine at the top table is out of this world because there are not many seats at that table,” Russell surmised of her greatest achievement in bloodstock. “I watched the race from behind the cushion! I lived in America for a number of years so I got lots of texts and calls from people straight after the race. There was plenty of chatting and celebrating late into the night and it was just absolutely fabulous. She is the best horse I have bred.” She added, “I bred Ventura Diamond, who won a listed race for Richard Fahey, and Cowardofthecounty as well. Ventura Diamond was the first black-type horse I bred but, definitely, Excellent Truth is the best.” Russell is the definition of a small breeder. She keeps seven or eight mares of her own but it's the boarding arm of her business that puts bread on the table. Excellent Truth's dam Moment Of Truth, who was sourced for just €14,000 at Goffs in 2016, has in Russell's own words allowed her to dine at the top table. And what an experience this has been. “The big thing that attracted me to Moment Of Truth was the fact she was by Teofilo,” Russell explained. “She is a big, scopey mare, which tends to be the type of mare I am drawn to. The dam of Ventura Diamond, Shehila (Zamindar), was the very same. I can remember when I got her home I actually got a fright. I am not a tall person but I thought I must have been on stilts at the sales.” She added, “But Moment Of Truth had a very kind eye and temperament is a huge thing for me. She had a very good back page as well. Okay, the mare hadn't done it but, if she had, we wouldn't have been able to afford her. I am not sure if Tony O'Callaghan remembers or not but he was bidding on the mare at one point. When I went out to him afterwards, he said to me, 'sure you might consider sending the mare to Mehmas'. He was just starting off at the time so we sent her to Mehmas and the resulting progeny [Memo De L'Alguer] was sold to Italy where she got black-type. The same connections bought the Gutaifan the following year and then along came the Cotai Glory filly, which ended up being Excellent Truth.” Many people would be quick to seek praise for what has turned out to be a clever mating but Russell is not one to go down that road. Instead, she puts producing a breakthrough Grade I winner down to nothing more than pure chance. Sandra Ruseell: with Ventura Diamond at Tattersalls Recalling the mating, she says with refreshing honesty, “There was no planning in using Cotai Glory. I can't take any great credit for that aspect of it. Maybe it was as simple as a quick call to Roger O'Callaghan to find out what stallion was free at the time and Cotai Glory being the one who was available. We cover a lot of mares here given we look after a lot of UK-based clients so there are lorries going in every direction in the height of the breeding season. To be fair to Roger, Tony and Henry, they would never steer you wrong. They have been very, very loyal to this mare down through the years and she has been good to all of us.” The latest progeny from Moment Of Truth, a Starman colt by the name of Armstrong, who made a promising debut for Al Shaqab and Amo Racing for trainer George Boughey when third at Lingfield, is a good example of how things have worked out well for both Russell and the O'Callaghans. Tally-Ho signed for Armstrong at the Goffs November Foal Sale for €115,000 before reoffering him at what turned out to be a memorable Book 1 session of the October Yearling Sale at Tattersalls, where he sold to his current connections for 260,000gns. He remains a colt of some promise and Russell revealed that she has repaid the favour to the Westmeath men in recent years. As the saying goes, if it's not broken, don't fix it. Russell said, “She has a lovely Good Guess filly foal on the ground and is back in foal to Big Evs. I felt I had to be loyal to the O'Callaghan family as they have pretty much made the mare. I felt I couldn't shop elsewhere. Other people may have felt that they could go to more proven stallions but I think you have to be honest in this game, too. On a separate point, Cotai Glory is a flaking horse and this is a reminder of what he can do as well.” She added, “I remember speaking with Gavin O'Connor, who works for John Stewart at Resolute Racing, after they bought Excellent Truth at Arqana. I nearly fell off the edge of my chair when that happened. But I thought it was interesting that Gavin said that this mare matched up very well on whatever scoring system they use. They really liked the cross, which is why they were so keen on her. Look, they've been proved right with their Group I win and isn't it great to see? John Stewart has put a lot of money into the game and I'm thrilled to see them having some success. Those guys that put in the big money, they need the results. It's unfamiliar territory for me but I'm enjoying it also.” And with this newfound success there inevitably comes some big questions. Excellent Truth's dam has now become quite a sought after broodmare. Updates like this don't come around very often and, when they do, it's hard not to cash in. Bills need to be paid and books need to be balanced. So will her breeder sell? Russell explained, “That question has been asked and, to be honest, it will probably work out that I won't be able to afford to keep her. I suppose, with having a filly on the ground out of her, it would open the door to selling the mare. In a dream world, I would race the Good Guess filly but I am only a small player and there are plenty of bills that need to be paid so we'll see. They are nice thoughts to have anyway.” In many ways, Russell's story speaks to everything that is great about this game and can provide inspiration for people in similar positions. After spending a little shy of a decade honing her craft with some of the sharpest minds in bloodstock over in America, Russell returned home to Ireland with not much by way of a plan but a strong desire to make a go of it by herself. By surrounding herself with good people and even better horses, she has scaled heights that were at one point unimaginable and admits to being unable to wipe the smile from her face since Excellent Truth crossed the winning line in front on Saturday. She said, “I'm in my early 50s – I won't say how early or late! I spent eight-and-a-half years working for Robbie Lyons in America. Robbie, Gerry Dilger and Mike Ryan were some of the first guys who started pinhooking foals to yearlings and they had a big syndicate going. That was an incredible experience and I learned so much from those guys. The contacts and friends for life that I made in America were amazing but I came back to Ireland in the early 2000s not really with any great plan. I realised pretty quickly that pinhooking was not going to be an option because the market was quite saturated. I was in my early 30s at the time and went and worked in Mount Coote Stud with Luke and Alan Lillingston for a year. I suppose I had a desire to go out and do things on my own and this farm in Bansha became available in 2004. I knew the owners, Jim and Kate Nicholson, who were good friends of the family. So I decided to give it a go and we've been here ever since. “Jim and Kate are good friends with Kirsten Rausing and she was one of the first people who sent me mares for boarding. She has become a good friend of mine and is a wonderful sounding board to have. We also board mares and foal mares for Stringston Farm, Ed Player, Tom Blain as well as Clive and Tina Cox. I have surrounded myself with good people and have just been so lucky with the support. Looking back on it now, it was probably pure madness to set up on my own in my early 30s. If a bank manager were to have asked me back then what my 10-year plan was, I don't think I'd have been able to provide them with a 10-month plan. But thankfully it has all worked out.” Russell concluded, “People have been so kind. From the top down, the amount of people who have congratulated me has been amazing. They all know how hard it is to produce a horse like Excellent Truth and the amount of messages and calls we have received has been crazy. The phone has been going non-stop ever since the race. We're just thrilled. I haven't been able to wipe the smile off my face since Saturday. It's just fantastic.” The post ‘I Watched Excellent Truth From Behind A Cushion – It Was Crazy’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After becoming his first graded stakes and grade 1 winner last fall, Scottish Lassie will aim to give trainer and co-owner Jorge Abreu another milestone of his first graded winner at Saratoga July 19 in the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).View the full article

The top 10 of the latest National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top Thoroughbred Poll remains virtually unchanged. But the big mover is Far Bridge, who shot into the No. 10 spot after not getting votes a week ago.View the full article

The TDN's Christina Bossinakis, senior editor for the Thoroughbred Daily News and a prominent TV racing personality, has been named the winner of the 2025 Bill Handleman Award for outstanding coverage of last year's NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes, Monmouth Park announced Tuesday. First presented in 2012, the Handleman Award honors distinguished media coverage of the GI NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes, Monmouth Park's showcase race. It is presented annually prior to the Haskell. The award honors the late Bill Handleman, one of New Jersey's top sportswriters for nearly three decades for the Asbury Park Press. Handleman, a fixture at Monmouth Park and a passionate chronicler of the sport, died in June of 2010 at the age of 62. Bossinakis, who hails from Montreal, Canada, has worked as an on-air racing analyst, as a TV handicapper and paddock reporter and as a racing TV show host in addition to her role at Thoroughbred Daily News. She co-authored the book “Sermon on the Mount” with the late Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. “This means a lot. I've always had a soft spot for Monmouth Park from working there with TVG,” Bossinakis said. “I have spent a lot of time with the people at Monmouth Park, so it makes it a special honor for me. It's nice to feel rewarded when you put your heart and soul into something you love, so I am very appreciative.” Monmouth Park general manager John Heims called Bossinakis “the consummate professional.” “Her knowledge of Thoroughbred racing, both historical and current, never fails to impress,” said Heims. “In addition to her excellent coverage of last year's Haskell on the Thoroughbred Daily News site, she has excelled in a variety of roles in the racing industry.” Bossinakis joins a list of recipients that include Tom Luicci of The Star-Ledger, followed by Steve Edelson of The Asbury Park Press in 2013, Dave Johnson of Sirius XM in 2014, Ed McNamara of Newsday in 2015, Bob Ehalt of ESPN.com and Bloodhorse in 2016, Tom Cassidy of TVG.com in 2017, Jim Dunleavy of Daily Racing Form in 2018, Mike Farrell of The Associated Press in 2019, Steve Byk of At the Races With Steve Byk in 2020, Matt Shifman of Horse Racing Nation in 2021, John Brennan of usbets.com in 2022, announcer/TV racing analyst Larry Collmus in 2023 and videographer Carlos Morales of Agentes 305 last year. The post TDN’s Christina Bossinakis Named 2025 Bill Handleman Award Winner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A rematch between Minnie Hauk (Frankel) and Whirl (Wootton Bassett) in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh is unlikely, according to trainer Aidan O'Brien, who was responsible for six of the nine fillies left in the Classic on Tuesday. Just a neck separated the two stablemates when they met in the Oaks at Epsom, with Minnie Hauk edging ahead in the final strides to get the better of the gutsy Whirl, who has since gained a first Group 1 success of her own when seeing off her elders to win the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh. Following that form boost, Minnie Hauk is the odds-on favourite with bookmakers to emulate Lambourn by completing a Classic double for her connections, who also have Bedtime Story (Frankel), Butterfly Wings (Justify), Island Hopping (Wootton Bassett) and Merrily (No Nay Never) still in contention for the Irish Oaks. “They probably won't both run, I'd imagine,” O'Brien said of Minnie Hauk and Whirl. “We were thinking that Whirl and Bedtime Story might go for the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood over 10 furlongs. Whirl came back to a mile and a quarter last time in the Pretty Polly and she was happy over that distance.” He added, “Minnie Hauk has been fine since Epsom. She had a little break and everything has been good since.” Fozzy Stack's Bay Colony (New Bay), Johnny Murtagh's Subsonic (Lope De Vega) and Joseph O'Brien's Wemightakedlongway (Australia) are the other confirmations. The post Ballydoyle Dominate Irish Oaks Confirmations, But Epsom Rematch Unlikely appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ellis Park and the Kentucky HBPA will present College Day on Sunday, July 27 with 27 lucky full-time students winning a prize. In partnership with Ellis Park, the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association will conduct three separate drawings before each of nine races to give out a $1,000 scholarship, an iPad Mini with AirPods package and a $150 Amazon gift card. First post is 11:50 a.m. CST and full-time students can register throughout the afternoon to be eligible for any remaining drawings. Representatives from the University of Kentucky's Ag Equine programs, the University of Louisville's Equine Industry Program and the Kentucky Equine Management Internship (KEMI) will be on hand to provide information to current and future undergraduate and graduate students interested in a potential career in the horse industry or who want to learn more about the commonwealth's signature tourism leader and agribusiness. “The fastest route to making a new horse-racing fan is first getting them to the track,” said Alex Foley, the Kentucky HBPA's Executive Director. “This is a great collaboration with Ellis Park to invest in our future, and we're delighted to have UK, U of L and KEMI on hand. What college student can't use $1,000, an iPad Mini and AirPods or Amazon gift card? It's free admission and parking every day at Ellis Park and Sunday's are Kentucky HBPA Dollar Days with $1 hot dogs. College Day is a fun, affordable way for college students to come out with friends or family. You don't have to know anything about horse racing to enjoy the excitement and beauty of the sport.” A valid college I.D. or letter of admission is required to register for the drawings, with incoming freshmen welcome. Those attending or enrolled for the fall term at a two- or four-year college, graduate school, professional school, vocational, technical, barber or another post-high school program that qualifies for federal aid are eligible. Students must register in person, be present to win and can only enter once. Said Steve Roof, General Manager, Owensboro Racing & Gaming/Ellis Park Racing & Gaming: “We're excited to continue our support of Kentucky HBPA College Day at Ellis Park. This event reflects our ongoing commitment to education and the future of our community.” The post Kentucky HBPA And Ellis Park To Host College Day July 27 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The newly-published catalogue for the Goffs Premier Yearling Sale features entries from many of Europe's leading sires, as well as first-season sensation Starman, who is responsible for 17 of the 409 “athletic, precocious Doncaster yearlings” set to go under the hammer on Wednesday, August 27 and Thursday, August 28. Last year Starman was responsible for two of the top five lots, including the subsequent G3 Fillies Sprint Stakes heroine Lady Iman, one of 16 individual winners for her leading first-season sire in 2025. The notable yearlings by Starman featuring in the 2025 catalogue include lot 118, a filly out of the G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Corazon from the Tally-Ho Stud draft. Sergei Prokofiev and Sioux Nation boast the strongest representation numerically with 21 and 18 yearlings, respectively, while leading two-year-old stallions Mehmas and Havana Grey also feature prominently, having joined Starman among the top three sires by aggregate at last year's sale. The 14 yearlings by Mehmas in the 2025 catalogue include lot 290, a colt out of a full-sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Mischief Magic, while lot 108, a colt out of the G3 Premio Carlo e Francesco Aloisi winner Charline Royale, features among the 13 by Havana Grey. Elite sires such as Blue Point, Dark Angel, Kingman and No Nay Never are represented in smaller numbers, along with Wootton Bassett, whose sole offering is lot 384, a colt out of a half-sister to the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero Broome, plus the Group 2 winners Point Lonsdale and Diego Velazquez. Caturra (14 yearlings), Persian Force (13) and Minzaal (11) lead the way among the stallions with their first yearlings on the market. Those by Persian Force include lot 146, Camas Park Stud's half-brother to the G3 Coral Charge Sprint winner and G1 Nunthorpe Stakes third Extortionist, while lot 41 is a Minzaal half-sister to the G1 Prix Jean Romanet scorer Aristia. Other potential highlights include lot 236, a Muhaarar half-brother to the Group 1-winning sprinter and sire Sands Of Mali; lot 332, a Too Darn Hot colt out of the Listed-placed mare Perfect Blessings, from the family of the Group 1 winner Polydream; and lot 383, an Oasis Dream colt out of a half-sister to the G1 1,000 Guineas heroine Cachet. Barton Stud's Soldier's Call filly, who will be offered as lot 279, also promises to attract plenty of interest after she received a significant pedigree update last weekend. She is out of a half-sister to the dam of the G1 July Cup heroine No Half Measures, who was bought by trainer Richard Hughes for £34,000 at the Premier Yearling Sale back in 2022. In 2023, Arizona Blaze (£82,000) and Sayidah Dariyan (£35,000) were both five-figure purchases at this sale, before going on to finish second and fourth, respectively, in this year's G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, while Listed National Stakes winner Anthelia joins Lady Iman among the best performers so far to have been sold at Doncaster last year. Anthelia is set to line up in Saturday's Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes at Newbury, before a potential appearance in the Harry's Half Million By Goffs. All lots catalogued for the Premier Yearling Sale are eligible to run in that valuable contest at York's Ebor Festival. Goffs UK managing director Tim Kent said, “Premier continues to deliver the results all around the world, and it seems fitting that it produced the winner of one of the season's most prestigious sprint races, the July Cup with No Half Measures, on the eve of the release of the 2025 catalogue. “The sale's two-year-old record speaks for itself – season after season this sale outperforms all others and we are seeing that again in 2025 with Premier having a comfortable lead over its competition in terms of two-year-old winners.” He added, “As in previous years, all yearlings offered will be eligible for entry into Premier's enduringly popular sales race which was renamed Harry's Half Million by Goffs last year. With an increased guaranteed prize fund of £500,000, the launch of the upgraded race was a big success last year, and the huge uptake from buyers saw its prize-money increase further to just shy of £620,000 in 2024, a great endorsement of the race which continues to be a major draw card for buyers. “We have been travelling around the world to promote this sale and we will continue to do so in the build-up to the event, and we look forward to hosting the 2025 Harry's Half Million by Goffs at the fabulous York Ebor Festival before the sale on 27 & 28 August.” The post Elite Sires and Emerging Forces Headline Premier Yearling Sale Catalogue appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article