Wandering Eyes

Blair Orange hits 99 wins, McCormick does the double, Krug and Perfect Sting announcements, weanling sale success, Republican Party returns to work, and the latest Gavelhouse auction closes tonight. ORANGE ON CUSP OF CENTURY AT HALFWAY POINT Blair Orange heads into this week’s racing on 99 wins for the year, with the calendar ticking past the halfway mark on June 30. The seven-time premiership winner is on track to reach 200 wins in a season for the first time since 2021. He finished just shy of the mark last year, ending 2023 with 196 victories. WEEKEND TO REMEMBER FOR MCCORMICK AT ADDINGTON Ashburton’s Lawrence McCormick enjoyed a dream weekend at Addington with a training/driving double. Vertigo won on Friday night, followed by Father Mike on Sunday. A full-time electrician, McCormick fits training around his work schedule, keeping a small team going through the winter months. KRUG TO STAND FOR $2,500 FOR 2025/26 SEASON Phoebe Standardbreds have announced Krug will stand for $2,500 (+GST) for the 2025/26 breeding season. An early bird option is available at $2,000 (+GST) if paid by 30 September. As an added incentive, a free service will be drawn from the first 20 bookings. Progeny by the multiple Group 1 winner will be eligible for Sires Stakes and the Harness 5000, and if sold through the yearling sales, will also qualify for the Sales Series and Next Gen bonuses. Contact Phoebe Standardbreds directly to book. Contact Phoebe Standardbreds directly to book. $10,000 BONUS FOR FIRST PERFECT STING WINNER Macca Lodge has announced a $10,000 bonus for the first New Zealand winner by exciting young sire Perfect Sting. Five of his weanlings sold at last week’s NZB Standardbred Weanling Sale, sparking early interest in the champion’s southern hemisphere stock. With his first crop on the ground and more foals due this season, Perfect Sting is eligible for both the Sires Stakes and Harness 5000. His progeny are expected to feature at the 2026 yearling sales, with bookings for the upcoming breeding season now open via Macca Lodge. WEANLING SALE RESULTS SHOW GROWTH AND CROSS-CODE APPEAL Strong demand and cross-code interest marked last week’s 2025 NZB Standardbred National Weanling Sale at Karaka, with the average sale price lifting 25% and the median jumping 54% on last year’s figures. Seventy-two weanlings were sold for a total of $825,500, with a clearance rate of 85%. The top-priced weanling was Lot 1039 – a Bettor’s Delight filly out of Running On Faith – knocked down for $38,000. Breckon Farms’ sole yearling entry, an Art Major colt from Linda Lovegrace, topped the day overall at $60,000. Woodlands Stud led all vendors by aggregate, selling 29 horses for $362,000. Yabby Dam Farms was the top vendor by average, while Champion sire Bettor’s Delight headed the sire averages at $30,667 across three lots. One of the most notable trends was the emergence of “Pacemakers” – a new syndicate of thoroughbred preparers – who secured 11 weanlings with plans to pinhook them for the 2026 yearling sale. All horses purchased are eligible for the lucrative Harness Million Series. Entries for the series close on Monday 14 July at 5pm. REPUBLICAN PARTY BACK IN WORK Star pacer Republican Party is back in light training as he begins his build-up towards the 2025 IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup. The Cran and Chrissie Dalgety trained pacer was third in last year’s edition, before going on to claim Group 1 Victories in the Invercargill Cup, Auckland Cup, Roy Purdon Memorial and NZ Messenger. Currently working on the water walker at Court Co Racing, he’ll stay in this phase for a couple more weeks before moving on to jogging and swim prep. The multiple Group race winner is described as “absolutely gleaming” by the Kentuckiana Lodge team, who have their sights firmly set on New Zealand’s premier race in November. AUCTION CLOSES TONIGHT The latest gavelhouse.com standardbred auction closes from 7pm tonight (Wednesday), with eight lots on offer – seven racehorses and one yearling. Among them is Group 1-winning trotter Val Thorens, currently sitting at $2,700. He’s being sold as the owner reduces racing numbers to focus on younger stock and is described as having “plenty of ability” but needing someone with time to work on his gait. You can view all available lots here RACING ACTION AT ASCOT PARK RACEWAY ON SUNDAY The Invercargill Harness Racing Club hold their final race meeting of the 2024/2025 season at Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill on Sunday.Ten races are on the card with several of the races marking recognition of those who have contributed so much over many years. One of those races is dedicated to Invercargill trainer Murray Brown who passed away on 24 June. Brown trained over 500 winners, won the Southland Trainers Premiership seven times, and gave 40 years of service on various committees at the Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill. Several other races on the day acknowledge the contributions of those stepping down from their respective roles as the season end draws near. The first race is at 11.35am and admission is free. View the full article

Sulabella’s (NZ) (Proisir) love affair with Rotorua continued on Wednesday when the Ruakaka mare stormed home to record her sixth career victory in the Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua 1560. It was a sense of déjà vu for trainer and part-owner Michelle Bradley, with the daughter of Proisir having won the exact same race a year prior. Wednesday’s victory extended Sulabella’s perfect record at Arawa Park, and Bradley had a positive feeling about her chances when heading to the meeting. “When I sat down this morning and looked back through her races, especially the one here last year, I thought she would be a good chance,” Bradley said. “Then I got on course and I thought it might be a bit wetter than she would have liked.” But the footing proved to be favourable for Sulabella, who ran out a one length victor over Mister Roquette, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing, with her saddle slipping with 800m to go. “I don’t know if it is unfortunate or fortunate that her saddle slipped when she got going at about the 800m,” Bradley said. “But it was a great result, I am really happy.” Bred by Highline Thoroughbreds’ Cam and Eva Heron, Sulabella was offered through their 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft where she was purchased by Bradley for $12,000. The Herons retained shares in Sulabella, and while she has been a work in progress, the trio have been rewarded with half a dozen wins to date, with earnings north of $110,000. “I quite liked her at the yearling sales when she went through. She was only a little filly, but I quite liked her,” Bradley said. “She has had a couple of issues. We didn’t think she was going to get back to the races and Cam and Eva spent quite a bit of money and time on her as a young horse and we got her back into the stables, and we haven’t looked back. “She has won six races now, which is six more than a lot of horses. They might not be the biggest of races but it’s great to get good results and see her running well.” Bradley said Sulabella can be a bit of a handful, so to get the win on Wednesday was rewarding. “She is not the easiest horse to ride and I have got to ride her every morning,” she said. “It is great to get a result out of a horse like that, who is hard work.” Sulabella has a liking for wet tracks and Arawa Park, and Bradley said she will likely make the long trek south to Rotorua once more in a few weeks to try and extend her golden run at the track. “She was really looking forward to the step up in distance and she likes Rotorua,” Bradley said. “She will probably look at coming back here in two-and-a-half weeks and maybe stay at the same distance, but I would like to get her up to 2000m at some stage.” With Sulabella being a full-sister to Group Two winner Bourbon Empress and Group Two performer Pimlico, the broodmare paddock is beckoning the rising seven-year-old, however, Bradley would love to add a few more wins to her tally before then. “She is a full-sister to Bourbon Empress. She doesn’t have to do much when she has got good breeding behind her as well,” Bradley said. View the full article

Queensland Oaks ambitions with Bearings didn’t eventuate but Sydney-based trainer John Sargent is hopeful the staying filly can land a winter city win at Flemington before he turns his attention to next season. Sargent has Bearings (NZ) (Tarzino) set to contest Saturday’s Mahogany Challenge Final for three-year-olds and is convinced the step up to 2500m is what the daughter of Tarzino is looking for. Bearings was sent to Melbourne to contest a heat of the series over 2000m at Flemington at her most recent start on June 21, when the filly came from last in the field of 14 to finish fifth with Dean Yendall aboard. “I thought it was a good run, first time that way around,” Sargent said. “She got back and the pace wasn’t overly strong, which didn’t suit her, but I thought she hit the line as good as anything in the race and she’s just crying out for that extra distance.” Sargent said the Mahogany Challenge Series came onto the radar as an option for the filly after she missed gaining a start in last month’s Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) on June 7. Instead, Bearings raced in Sydney on that day, finishing fourth over 2000m, before attention turned to Melbourne. “We were taking her to the Oaks in Queensland and she didn’t make the field, so we changed tack and thought there was a good staying race, similar distance, down in Melbourne,” Sargent said. “So that’s why we changed and headed down there.” Bearings’ two wins from nine career starts have come on NSW provincial tracks at Goulburn and Newcastle, and Sargent believes the three-year-old is on the improve. “She’s just getting better with time,” he said. “She’ll go out after this and I think she’ll be even better at four and five. She’s just a staying filly from New Zealand and has just taken time, that’s why she’s just hitting her straps now really. “I’ve kept Dean Yendall on, he knows the filly now and there’s no need to change anything.” Sargent said Bearings stayed in Victoria after her recent start and had done well since, so he is hopeful she will be able to settle closer on Saturday, somewhere midfield, depending on where she draws. If Bearings can keep stepping up into her four-year-old season, a return to Melbourne at some time during the spring might be on the cards. “It just depends how she matures, but I think she’ll be one of those black-type staying fillies that could get back down to Flemington, hopefully, and run in a Matriarch or something like that,” Sargent said, when discussing what type of level Bearings might be able to reach. Bearings was bred by Mapperley Stud and purchased by Tricolours Racing for $140,000 from their Book 1 draft at the 2023 Karaka Yearling Sale. View the full article

Harvey Wilson always kept a close eye on Jerricoop (NZ) (Zed) at Waverley and his vision for the gelding has come to life this year as he prepares to step up in grade in Saturday’s OTL Group LTD Hurdle (2800m) at Te Rapa. Previously trained by local horsewoman Erin Hocquard, Jerricoop collected two victories over staying trips and performed on rain-affected ground, the perfect formula for a jumper. After showing interest in the seven-year-old, Wilson welcomed him into his stable just under a year ago. “Erin trains in Waverley and is often next to us at the track, so we see a lot of her,” Wilson said. “We used to say that we’d love to get this horse as a jumper, and now we have. “He hadn’t done any jumping at all when we got him and he took a little bit of teaching, but once he cottoned on, he’s been good.” Despite the relatively short turnaround, Jerricoop has performed like a seasoned professional in his two jumping starts to date, placing on debut behind Yolo before scoring a comprehensive maiden victory at Te Aroha a fortnight ago. This weekend, the son of Zed will return to the north among a select field of eight hurdlers, with his performance likely to dictate where Wilson looks next this season. “We were very happy with his win the other day, he was very well-ridden,” Wilson said. “Since then he’s been working around the farm and we galloped at the track yesterday, just his usual routine. “We’ll see where he takes us, he’s gone up a grade now and there are some good horses in there on Saturday, but it’s not the very top grade, so we’ll be able to see where we fit in.” Jerricoop will continue his association with English hoop Joshua Parker, who is coming off a string of feature hurdle victories with Billy Boy, including last Saturday’s Wellington Hurdle (3200m). View the full article

Race 5 CROFT POLES 1200m AFTER MATCH (V Colgan) – Co trainer Mr. R Foote advised Stewards, the stable was satisfied with the post-race condition of the colt, however, AFTER MATCH is no longer a racing prospect for their stable. The post Whangarei Racing Club @ Ruakaka, Saturday 28 June 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

It’s a case of plan B for Southland trainer Robert Dennis when he heads to Ashburton on Thursday with a quintet of runners. Three of his team were entered to compete at Wingatui on Sunday but were forced to look elsewhere after the meeting was abandoned due to deteriorating track conditions as a result of adverse weather. Dennis looked north for a suitable replacement and found alternative targets at Ashburton. “We were lucky that we had that back-up option to head up to Ashburton because turf is few and far between meetings at this time of year,” Dennis. Dennis is just returning from a break across the Tasman and said he has received positive reports from his team members ahead of the midweek meeting. “I have been on holiday with my family in Australia, so I have a good team of staff who have kept me in the loop, and they are very happy with the team of horses we have got heading to Ashburton,” he said. Former northern filly Love Leigh (NZ) (Ribchester) will have her first start for the stable in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m) after being purchased off Gavelhouse.com for $15,002, and Dennis is looking forward to getting a line on the three-year-old filly. The daughter of Ribchester had three prior starts for former trainer Andrew Forsman, recording one win and she also tested her talent at stakes level when unplaced in the Gr.3 Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie in April. “Love Leigh is first-up with a trip away, but she will be well drilled coming out of the Andrew Forsman stable,” Dennis said. “She is a nice filly that we purchased off Gavelhouse. She won a race and then was tried in stakes company at the end of her campaign, which she didn’t quite cop. “She was bought by a great group of people, and we will test the waters and see where we are at with her on Thursday.” Dennis is hoping stablemate Sir Sterling (NZ) (Iffraaj) can bounce back to form in the Gary Mcormick Transport LTD (1600m) after a disappointing sixth placing at Oamaru last start. “He was a shade disappointing last time. He dropped back to 1400m, and we think he didn’t quite handle the sticky nature of the Oamaru track as well as he had been handling the wetter tracks,” he said. “Not that he was beaten by much last time, he just wasn’t as strong as he had been, and we will be expecting him to run well. “He is back up to a mile and we have put a claim on with Yogesh Atchamah riding for a little bit of weight relief.” Sir Sterling will be joined in his race by Vino Valentino (NZ) (Zacinto), who is fresh-up after placing at Wingatui last month. “She is about five weeks between runs and drops back to a mile,” Dennis said. “She seems to thrive on racing, so she may just need the run and then we will look to step her back up to 2200m at Oamaru on the 20th.” Chevron (NZ) (El Roca)will also head to Ashburton in a fresh state, and he will be joined in the Winter Cup Trial Gallagher Insurance (1400m) by stablemate The Hangover (NZ) (Zacinto). “Chevron was quite disappointing at Wingatui last time, we were expecting a lot better,” Dennis said. “He has had a good gap between runs. He is a pretty good horse on his day. Yogesh is onboard again and his two-kilo claim will be a big help, it takes him right down to 54 kilos. “The Hangover is a frustrating horse. He goes very good races without winning. He has gone some exceptional races this season without getting a win. Up in this open class he is going to need everything to go his way. “Donovan (Cooper, apprentice jockey) seems to get on well with him and his two-kilo claim will help get him down to 52kg. I am picking he will handle the track. We space his runs on purpose because he just seems to go best like that. Hopefully he can put his hand up on Thursday.” Meanwhile, the South Island Trainers’ Premiership is heating up with just a month to go in the season, and Dennis is right in the thick of it. While Te Akau Racing’s Riccarton barn has a comfortable lead on 43 wins for the season, the race for second place is on in earnest, with Dennis currently sitting on 33 wins for the season, just one win in arrears of second placed John and Karen Parsons. Riccarton trainers Anna Furlong and father-and- son duo Michael and Matthew Pitman sit on 32 wins, while fellow Southland trainer Kelvin Tyler is currently sitting on 31 wins. Dennis has been pleased with the way the season has gone, and he is hopeful of adding to his tally on Thursday. “I am just really happy with how our team of horses and humans have performed this season and I am looking forward to an even better one next season,” he said. View the full article

Kelvin Tyler will spend plenty of time on the road over the next month, with his three Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) hopefuls making their final preparations for the Grand National Festival of Racing. The trio of talented wet-track gallopers includes Albatross (NZ) (Sacred Falls), Master Marko (NZ) (Contributer), and King Of The Castle (NZ) (Castledale), who will all contest Thursday’s Winter Cup Trial Gallagher Insurance (1400m) at Ashburton. The latter pair will resume after a short spell, while Albatross has made her presence felt in Canterbury recently, finishing a close-up second to race rival Conor O’Ceirin in the Amberley Cup (1400m) ten days ago. The daughter of Sacred Falls returned to Tyler’s Riverton base after the race, and he couldn’t have been happier with her performance. “I thought it was a great effort, she really had no excuse as the winner had quite a bit of weight to carry and beat us fair and square,” he said. “She’s come through that really well, hopefully the track is nice and loose, which she would appreciate, and I’d expect another good run really. “Master Marko had about three weeks off after his last run, he’s come through the break well and he’ll have a good hit out before going to the Oamaru Cup and on to the Winter Cup. “King Of The Castle is in the same boat.” The Oamaru Cup meeting will be held on the 20th of July, with the Winter Cup held at Riccarton Park on August 2. Alongside his topliners, Tyler has a strong contingent contesting the undercard races, including an in-form Vamos. The gelding had won two of his last three outings prior to racing at Riccarton, where he went down narrowly to Bella Luce over the mile distance. “I think Amber (Riddell, jockey) was kicking herself because she’s ridden and won on him a few times, so she knows how he likes to roll and would’ve got going a bit earlier,” he said. “Under his big weight he took a little while to wind up, but it was a top run. “He’s come through the race very well, he’s flying at the moment. “He’s got another decent weight tomorrow, having the claim brings us down to 57kg so he’ll go a good race.” On this occasion, Floor Moerman will take the reins aboard Vamos in the Gary McCormick Transport Ltd (1600m), while Riddell guides the fortunes of Radiant Reach, as they shoot for three wins on the bounce in the McIntosh Catering (1600m). Tyler has always rated the daughter of Vadamos, who has found her sweet spot in the testing ground of late. “Maturity is always up there, but I think the wetter tracks are really helping her too, she just thrives on them and is a happy horse at the moment,” Tyler said. “I think she’ll take a bit of beating, but the worst thing with her is she’ll often beat herself when she’s slow out of the gates. That’s always a bit of a worry, but if she gives herself a fair start, she’ll be hard to beat.” Lightly tried Proisir filly Return Flight will have her first trip away when attending the meeting, and Tyler is confident she can bring her strong form into the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m). “She went very well last start, she covered a huge amount of ground coming down the outside and has come through it well,” he said. “Wet track won’t worry her at all, so this is a winnable race for her. “This will be her first trip away but she’s a good eater, so I think she’ll cope with it well.” View the full article

Defending his crown, The Mighty Spar (NZ) (Savabeel) won the A$35,000 WC & AC Miller Steeplechase (3800m) on 29 June at Casterton (Victoria) in impressive fashion, having to carry 74.5kgs. Unbeaten now in three attempts on the course, having won the corresponding event last season and making it two from two in the Ecycles Two Rivers Steeplechase (3800m) on 18 May, The Mighty Spar proved too strong last time out when winning the Bill Roycroft Steeplechase (3200m) on 15 June at Terang, and started a $1.70 race favourite. Completing a hat-trick of victories with top jumps’ rider Steven Pateman in the saddle, The Mighty Spar cruised along behind the leaders before taking on two rivals ahead of the last obstacle, and his turn of foot on the flat was too quick, despite the burden of 74.5kg. “It was a terrific win, carrying that big weight on a heavy track and he’s just so consistent,” said trainer Mark Walker. “He’s gives his all over the jumps every time he goes out and it was another lovely ride of Steve Pateman’s. “It was a weight carrying record in the race and not since 2014 had a horse carried that much weight to win a jumps race. “ “Casterton is certainly his favourite track, he’s three from three there, and he’s an absolute beauty.” Walker had recently said that The Mighty Spar would contest two upcoming Steeplechases at Casterton, and with the first assignment in the bank, he will now prepare for the Casterton Chase (3600m) on Saturday, 26 July. The Mighty Spar was purchased by David Ellis CNZM, from the draft of Waikato Stud, at the 2019 Karaka Book 1 Sale, and is owned by Te Akau Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). A great campaigner to be involved in, since powering home from last to win his Maiden over 1400 metres as a three-year-old at Matamata, The Mighty Spar has now registered 11 wins, including six over fences, eight seconds, and 10 thirds, for almost $365,000 in prize money. View the full article

Kelvin Tyler will spend plenty of time on the road over the next month, with his three Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) hopefuls making their final preparations for the Grand National Festival of Racing. The trio of talented wet-track gallopers include Albatross, Master Marko and King Of The Castle, who will all contest Thursday’s Winter Cup Trial Gallagher Insurance (1400m) at Ashburton. The latter pair will resume off a short spell, while Albatross has made her presence felt in Canterbury recently, finishing a close-up second to race-rival Conor O’Ceirin in the Amberley Cup (1400m) ten days ago. The daughter of Sacred Falls returned to Tyler’s Riverton base after the race, and he couldn’t have been happier with her performance. “I thought it was a great effort, she really had no excuse as the winner had quite a bit of weight to carry and beat us fair and square,” he said. “She’s come through that really well, hopefully the track is nice and loose which she would appreciate, and I’d expect another good run really. “Master Marko had about three weeks off after his last run, he’s come through the break well and he’ll have a good hit out before going to the Oamaru Cup and on to the Winter Cup. “King Of The Castle is in the same boat.” The Oamaru Cup meeting will be held on the 20th of July, with the Winter Cup held at Riccarton Park on August 2. Alongside his topliners, Tyler has a strong contingent contesting the undercard races, including an in-form Vamos. The gelding had won two of his last three outings prior to racing at Riccarton, where he went down narrowly to Bella Luce over the mile distance. “I think Amber (Riddell, jockey) was kicking herself because she’s ridden and won on him a few times, so she knows how he likes to roll and would’ve got going a bit earlier,” he said. “Under his big weight he took a little while to wind up, but it was a top run. “He’s come through the race very well, he’s flying at the moment. “He’s got another decent weight tomorrow, having the claim brings us down to 57kg so he’ll go a good race.” On this occasion, Floor Moerman will take the reins aboard Vamos in the Gary McCormick Transport Ltd (1600m), while Riddell guides the fortunes of Radiant Reach, as they shoot for three wins on the bounce in the McIntosh Catering (1600m). Tyler has always rated the daughter of Vadamos, who has found her sweet spot in the testing ground of late. “Maturity is always up there, but I think the wetter tracks are really helping her too, she just thrives on them and is a happy horse at the moment,” Tyler said. “I think she’ll take a bit of beating, but the worst thing with her is she’ll often beat herself when she’s slow out of the gates. That’s always a bit of a worry, but if she gives herself a fair start, she’ll be hard to beat.” Lightly-tried Proisir filly Return Flight will have her first trip away when attending the meeting, and Tyler is confident she can bring her strong form into the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m). “She went very well last start, she covered a huge amount of ground coming down the outside and has come through it well,” he said. “Wet track won’t worry her at all, so this is a winnable race for her. “This will be her first trip away but she’s a good eater, so I think she’ll cope with it well.” View the full article

These 6 horses have trialled pleasingly in recent weeks and this week they head back to the racetrack. Some Don’t (3f Sweet Lou – Some Do) Tr. D & J Ferguson Tidy enough on debut (24/6/25) when 4th behind Graphite at Cambridge when expected to go boldly after 2 workout wins on the same track during month of June. In the last of those 2 efforts, the Sweet Lou filly led & kept going strongly to hold out race rival in Amaretto Delight MR:2:02.2, 800m in 59.3, 400m in 29.4. Back at Cambridge this Thursday in Race 4 where she only has the 5 rivals and with expected improvement 2nd up, should be a good each way chance Hawkeye Pierce (4h American Ideal – Go One Bettor) Tr. Hollis/Robertson Back after a spell, last raced back in December when 5th in a 1:55MR behind Duchess Megxit. Has won 2 from 15 starts but top 3 in another 10 of those ! Got ready for resumption by winning 4 horse workout at Pukekohe (17/6/25) after leading then sprinting too sharply for rivals MR:2:00.8, 800m in 56.7, 400m in 28.0. At Auckland this Friday night in Race 1 with Tony Herlihy to drive and might have a class edge on many of his 5 rivals, rates as a genuine customer. Berrettini (3g Sportswriter – Midnight In Paris) Tr. J Howe Just the 1 raceday start where he wilted on a tough trip back in early December. Has since won a couple of trials at Rangiora during the month of June. The last (25/6/25) had him showing gate speed to lead then cleared out from his rivals from the 400m to score impressively by 4L. MR:2:01.9, 800m in 56.6, 400m in 28.4. Meets some nice maidens at Addington this Friday in Race 3 but should prove competitive judging by his recent trial efforts Heaven’s Mark (6m Rock N Roll Heaven – Armadoctara) Tr. J Morrison Hasn’t started for some time but has won 2 trials recently, the last at Ashburton (24/6/25) where she led for the last lap and held her rivals at bay without being extended MR:2:07.4, 800m in 57.7, 400m in 27.7. Owner has been super patient as she was a yearling sales purchase and has only had the 4 starts to date but top 4 in all of them and behind some smart ones at that. Big mare with plenty of gate speed and gets the ace draw at Addington this Friday in Race 4 for her return to the racetrack. Up against some nice fillies but good enough to feature Chicago Bear (5g Bettor’s Delight – Chicago Blues) Tr. B Butt Well related 5yo with only 8 starts in his race career (1 win/2 placings). Last start failure at Kaikoura (4/11/24) but has since had notable stable change & primed by recent strong trials efforts. At Rangiora (25/6/25) he led out & kept going strongly to win untested MR2:00.9, 800m in 57.1, 400m in 27.8. Handled by Carter Dalgety on that occasion & he is likely to keep the drive in a junior drivers’ contest this Friday at Addington in Race 5. Tote likely to indicate how much confidence in the stable for this resumption Edict (4g Sky Major – Domina) Tr. I Court Stats show 9 starts for ‘slim pickings’, just 2 placings, but has looked better than a maiden on a couple of occasions and has been back to the trials, winning at Ashburton (24/6/25) Led 2 rivals on this occasion and just kept his nose in front at the finish. MR:2:05.9, 800m in 56.3, 400m in 26.9. Stable runners normally step sharply from a stand and the ‘odds’ should really be quite attractive at Addington on Sunday in Race 2. In form driver John Morrison sticks with him. View the full article

Maiden Watch: Week of June 23-29View the full article

Mindframe comes from a female line that was top-class in England at the time of its importation to the United States. It then went into decline only to undergo an unlikely revival, mostly through horses from Mindframe's home state of Maryland.View the full article

5. Spun Candy, CD, 6/28, 6 1/2 furlongs (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 86 (f, 3, by Hard Spun-Sugar Plum Fairy, by Drosselmeyer) O-Commonwealth Stable 3, On Our Own Stable and Dallas Stewart. B-Brushy Hill Stable (Ky). T-Dallas Stewart. J-Brian Hernandez Jr. Another who showed dramatic improvement–topping her previous high Beyer by 18 points–in her first try over a wet surface. A modest $85k Ocala 2-year-old purchase, she had been knocking heads with tough maidens in her first five starts, including Immersive and Senza Parole. 4. Roofer, BAQ, 6/27, 6 furlongs (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 87 (c, 3, by Honest Mischief-Memories of Mom, by Include) O-Richard Greeley. B-Robert Harris (NY). T-Mitchell Friedman. J-Ruben Silvera. In breaking into the win column in his ninth start, Roofer delivered a Beyer figure 24 points higher than in any of his previous races. It wasn't fluky–he led from the gate to dominate New York-breds in 1:09.36. But it isn't easily explained, either: no track bias, no new blinkers or new surface, no trainer/distance/running style change, no first-time Lasix, no sudden sequence of fast works. Sometimes improvement just….happens. 3. Love Actually, GP, 6/28, 5 furlongs (turf) (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 87 (f, 3, by Caravaggio-Deer Island Diva, by Unbridled Mate) O-Enjoy the Ride Stables. B-Sharon Rose & Peter Daly (Fla). T-Joe Orseno. J-Edwin Gonzalez. Welcome to the week of sudden, dramatic improvement. Love Actually turned in a new Beyer top by 19 points. In her sixth start, she made all the pace over very firm Gulfstream turf and opened up with authority in the upper stretch as the even-money favorite. 2. Synthetic, EVD, 6/26, 6 furlongs Beyer Speed Figure- 87 (f, 3, by Midshipman-Always Here Too, by Include) O-Keith Plaisance. B-Clear Creek Stud & Theodore Brandon (La). T-Joseph Felks. J-Emanuel Nieves. It took a while to get her to the races, but the word was out on 3-year-old first-timer Synthetic, and the buzz proved accurate. She opened at 10-1 on the morning line, was bet to 9-5 favoritism, and blew her Louisiana-bred rivals away by nine widening lengths in 1:10.17. Taylor Made Sales agency consigned her at Fasig-Tipton's July 2023 yearling sale, where she brought $75k–and if her debut performance is any indication, she's worth every cent. 1. Lemon Zest, CD, 6/29, 1 mile (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure- 88 (f, 3, by Nyquist-Larkin, by Bernardini) O/B- Godolphin (Ky). T-Brad Cox. J-Luis Saez. When Godolphin placed 11-year-old mare Larkin in this January's all-ages sale at Keeneland, her decent pedigree was overshadowed by her undistinguished record as a racehorse and her four then-undistinguished foals. She sold for a paltry $17,000. But her daughter Lemon Zest–unraced at the time Larkin went through the ring–ran down 3-5 California shipper Margarita Girl on Sunday in a sharp 1:34.03, and bears watching over the next few months. The post The Five Fastest Maidens, Presented by Taylor Made, For the Week of June 24-29 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The 2026 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale will feature several key changes, the company announced Tuesday. Per their release, these changes, centered around eliminating timed workouts and restricting whip use, are designed to better reflect the natural athleticism of the horses, and attract a wider pool of buyers to the marketplace. Key changes include: All under tack show performances will be untimed; Fasig-Tipton will not officially clock breezes. Use of the riding crop will be restricted: riders may carry a crop for safety purposes but may not strike horses during workouts. “These changes reflect our commitment to improving our two-year-old sales process,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “We believe buyer focus has skewed too heavily toward stopwatch-based evaluations. This approach is intended to restore balance–emphasizing how a horse moves and presents itself on the track.” The modifications are also designed with long-term strategy in mind: to welcome a broader spectrum of buyers. “By focusing less on clock-driven evaluations and removing whip use, we believe we can create a more accessible and horse-first sales environment,” Browning continued. “Our aim is to better serve traditional buyers while also welcoming new owners, trainers, and end-users who are interested in acquiring horses that are physically ready and mentally sound for the racetrack.” Fasig-Tipton's decision was based in part on an unplanned but revealing trial during the 2025 Midlantic May Sale when severe weather prompted the company to adjust the final day of the under tack show to untimed gallops and breezes. According to Fasig-Tipton, the response was overwhelmingly positive. “It became an unexpected case study,” said Browning. “Not only did the show present well visually, but the horses came out of their workouts in excellent condition–and the feedback from leading buyers and consignors was extremely supportive. That experience, combined with the tremendous horsemanship of our consignors, gives us the confidence to make these changes.” The 2026 Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale will take place May 18-19 in Timonium, Maryland, following the running of the Preakness Stakes. The post Fasig-Tipton To Switch To Untimed Breezes, Other Changes To 2026 Midlantic May Sale Format appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As noted last week, trainers can only amplify–not magnify–a horse's genetic legacy. D. Wayne Lukas was able to draw our attention to assets we might gladly replicate, but not even he could actually alter the genes available. In suggesting that he met his brief even more usefully with future broodmares than with sire prospects, this attorney admittedly left a star witness in the street in Serena's Song (Rahy)–whose 18-for-38 record, inside 30 months, advertised the toughness underpinning her class even more lavishly than Terlingua and others. But the point duly stands. In today addressing a very different legacy, then, we remind ourselves not just of the far more substantial legacy available to breeders, through their choice of matings, but also of the responsibilities we embrace as a result. For while the loss of R. Larry Johnson in February was a grievous one for the Mid-Atlantic Turf, his final bequest has quickly earned the chance to prove a lasting one. Famously his whole program towered on the precarious foundation of a filly he bought for just $2,400 at Timonium in 1978. She was by a son of Bold Ruler, The Big Boss. (A name that meant nothing to me, he presumably owed his opportunity at stud to full brother Tyrant, who won the Carter Handicap.) Ran's Chick, as Johnson called this filly, appears to have been one of three recorded foals by The Big Boss in 1976, and never made the starting gate. But she bred 11 winners, and before his death Johnson reckoned the stakes scorers proliferating beneath her to have exceeded 40. These included Special Kell (Parfaitement), a turf sprinter whose black-type success–by a nose at Laurel Park–is succinctly but expressively recorded in the form comment: “Hard used, driving.” Special Kell's first foal, Magical Meadow (Meadowlake), was unraced but injected due speed into her son Street Magician (Street Cry {Ire}) to win the GIII Hirsch Jacobs Stakes; while her daughter by distaff legend Bernardini became the dam of Future Is Now (Great Notion), who has matured into a smart turf sprinter for the Johnson program with three graded stakes over the past year. But Special Kell had a still more productive daughter in Star Kell (Star de Naskra), albeit her four wins came at such a moderate level that she might have been claimed for $12,500 when gaining one of them over 4.5f at Charles Town. Star Kell's daughter Strike the Moon (Malibu Moon) achieved multiple placings in graded stakes company, included a head defeat in the GII Delaware Oaks, and also won a couple of stakes over seven at Charles Town. One of those was also won by Star Kell's final foal, Walk of Stars (Street Sense), who that showed the family's trademark speed before holding out by a neck. With the Ran's Chick dynasty flourishing against all odds, Johnson sought to seed it with some extra stretch. Hence the paternity of Walk of Stars herself, while her own second cover was Animal Kingdom. Admittedly the resulting filly has turned out to be another sprinter, albeit in the steadily progressive turf mold of Future Is Now. Now six, Hollywood Walk is persevering in her quest for a first stakes win: her many near-misses (recently placed at that level for a seventh time!) include a head defeat at Laurel last summer. Then, in 2020, Johnson joined the many breeders struck by Constitution's first juveniles the previous year, and sent him Walk of Stars. Their son, one of 187 live foals by Constitution in that bumper crop, was sold through Betz Thoroughbreds for $600,000 to Repole Stable & St Elias Stables at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale. His name is, of course, Mindframe–and last weekend he won his second consecutive Grade I prize in a vintage edition of the GI Stephen Foster Stakes. It's obviously huge that he should have confirmed his elite status round a second turn after being top sprinters last time. High fives all round for the team at Claiborne, recently announced as his future home. If Mindframe has struck that elusive equilibrium between running fast and running long, that's a tribute to Johnson's work in first developing sprint speed under his foundation mare; and then in introducing a complementary Classic flavor through the likes of Street Sense and Constitution. However poignant the timing, Mindframe's fulfilment aptly expresses the continuity bequeathed by the best breeders. Because if they do it patiently enough, eventually they bring us to the point where the future really is now. Honor A.P. | Sarah Andrew Clinging To Honor It was a big weekend for Maryland. On the same day that Mindframe did his thing, back in their native state Post Time (Frosted), a set-your-clock nugget wherever he goes, took his Laurel record to nine-for-nine in the Deputed Testamony Stakes. And the next day the baton was passed to state “compatriot” Romeo (Honor A.P.), who broke the stakes record in the Bashford Manor Stakes. Presumably quite a few people are now revisiting the notes that must have been entered against this colt when he failed to make his reserve at Timonium as a yearling, stalling at just $14,000. Because his was one of the more aristocratic pages in that catalogue, at least once you get past a dam, Fancy Love (Not For Love), who managed a single visit to the starting gate (actually running fourth in a state-bred stakes race) and whose production record had been largely discouraging. She did have a Super Saver colt who won the first three of just five starts, but only this year her owners were ready to move her on for just $10,000 at the Keeneland January Sale–despite the considerable bonus of an Oscar Performance foal aboard. Romeo's emergence since is a twist of fortune hardly untypical of this business, and maddening for the vendors. But the fact is that his dam has seriously blue blood, notably as the daughter of a Touch Gold half-sister (herself confined to one start, similarly showing above-average ability) to Midshipman and therefore also to Fast Cookie, the Grade II-winning dam of Frosted. Fancy Love's half-sister by Unbridled's Song, moreover, has produced two smart runners in Gouverneur Morris (Constitution), twice Grade I-placed in a brief career; and multiple graded stakes performer Final Jeopardy (Street Sense). If Honor A.P. has stoked up these genes more effectively than a couple of much more expensive mates, that wouldn't surprise me. I have always been in his corner: in terms of raw ability, he was arguably the most talented of his crop, while that physique promised an overdue fulfilment in his second career. In the feckless environment of commercial breeding today, Honor A.P. suffered the inevitable neglect of so many stallions on that nervous bubble before their stock is tested on the track. Yet his first crop contains the late A.P. Kid, six-length winner of the off-the-turf Pennine Ridge Stakes; GII Black-Eyed Susan Stakes winner Margie's Intention; and Heart Of Honor (GB), denied the G2 UAE Derby by just a nose. Only Vekoma (12), Complexity (seven) and Tiz the Law (six) can beat his five stakes winners to date, and he's working from around half the volume of some of his ostensibly “commercial” rivals. And Romeo is a startling marker for a horse of this profile, standing at $10,000, to lay down so early among his second crop. Horses like this are given a grotesquely brief opportunity, but it looks as though this one may be seizing it. Upstart | Sarah Andrew Upstart On An Upswing The sister race to the Bashford Manor, in contrast, showcased a stallion who has already fought his way through the other side. Percy's Bar, who followed up her spectacular debut with a five-length rout in the Debutante Stakes, represents the first crop conceived by Upstart following his breakout in 2022. That was the work of two second-crop sophomores: Zandon won the GI Blue Grass en route to third in the GI Kentucky Derby, while Kathleen O. similarly found herself among the Oaks favorites after winning Grade II rehearsals at Gulfstream. That same spring, Upstart had been down to 49 live foals. These nonetheless include impressive GIII Delaware Oaks winner Fondly, whose only defeat remains her disappointing Classic run at Churchill. But Upstart was fully subscribed (by the standards of a farm that scrupulously protects clients from catalogue inundation) at around 150 mares in both the next two years. In other words, he is now beginning to ride a wave that looks worth catching, with a much broader footprint guaranteed across the coming years. The extra quantity, remember, will be matched by quality after the trebling of his fee in 2023 to $30,000. It feels auspicious that a filly bred this way should be showing such precocious flair. Her unraced dam is by Super Saver out of a Silver Charm mare, and Upstart himself was as good as ever at four. But that's saying plenty: he had started out as a Saratoga debut winner (also won a stakes at the Spa), before beginning his annual sequence of multiple Grade I placings at two, three and four. Percy's Bar, a $52,000 find by Hat Creek Racing deep in the September Sale, has a seam of gold in her granddam's half-sister, who produced Off The Tracks (Curlin) to win the GI Mother Goose plus dual graded stakes winner Concord Point (Tapit). The only puzzle is that her owners seem to have found a bar they prefer to the Dry Bean Saloon… The post Breeding Digest: Mindframe A Fitting Memorial To His Breeder appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wednesday, Tipperary, Ireland, post time: 18:10, COOLMORE STUD LITTLE BIG BEAR TIPPERARY STAKES-Listed, €27,000, 2yo, 5f 0y Field: First Approach (Ire) (No Nay Never), Fresh Fade (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), Arugam Bay (Ire) (Soldier's Call {GB}), Gelato (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire}), Spring Is Here (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). TDN Verdict: Aidan O'Brien last won this in 2018 with No Nay Never's Land Force and is represented here by First Approach, who is another son of the prolific Coolmore sire. He enjoys a similar racing profile to Land Force, in that he shed maiden status in his second start, earned prize-money in the Marble Hill before taking on a five-furlong task at Royal Ascot. The January-foaled bay, 10 lengths adrift of the winner when 19th in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes, encounters the Joseph O'Brien-trained Listed First Flier Stakes fourth Spring Is Here and three-race maiden Fresh Fade, who was a debut third to G2 Norfolk hero Charles Darwin and G2 Queen Mary fourth Cardiff By The Sea. Gelato, a nose shy of Spring Is Here when a debut fourth over course and distance in May, and Fairyhouse maiden winner Arugam Bay complete the line-up. [Sean Cronin]. Click here for the complete field. The post Black-Type Analysis: No Nay Never’s First Approach One to Note at Tipperary appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Two-year-olds for both codes were the order of the day as the Arqana Summer Sale began its three-day run in Deauville on Tuesday. It was the young store horses who held sway over their Flat counterparts, and the opening session's top lot (159) was a son of No Risk At All, offered by The Channel Consignment. Named Ironhorse Has and sold on behalf of his breeder Hamel Stud, the two-year-old half-brother to Grade 3-winning chaser Irouficar Has (Dream Well) was signed for by Guy Petit at €180,000. “Pedigree, conformation, attitude—he's a colt with everything going for him,” said the agent. “I bought him for David Maxwell, and he will be trained by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm.” For Petit, it was a case returning to an outfit with which he has already enjoyed success. At the same sale two years ago, he bought the future multiple black-type winner Nietzsche Has for €240,000 and he too was from the same consignor and breeder. The winner of the G2 Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle for Marcel Rolland, Nietzsche Has, by Zarak, is now standing at Haras de Montaigu. Alban Chevalier de Fau's Channel Consigmnent was responsible for three of the top five stores sold on the day, including the second-most expensive store. Also two, the son of Walk In The Palk is out of a three-parts-sister to the outstanding hurdler State Man (Doctor Dino) and was bought by Gerry Aherne for €160,000. The breeze-up section which opened the sale was led by Knockanglass Stables' Sea The Stars colt out of the Italian Listed winner Bridge Royal Game (Royal Applause), who sold for €80,000 to Royal Ascot-winning owner OTI Racing with Hubie de Burgh. A much improved clearance rate of 79.4% saw 162 of the 204 lots offered find a buyer from a session in which 51 fewer horses passed through the ring compared to last year. The tightening of numbers clearly helped as the day's aggregate was up by 3.5% at €5,557.000 and the average rose by 2.8% to €34,099. The Summer Sale continues over the next two days with horses in training followed by broodmare prospects and in-foal mares. The post Positive Start for Arqana’s Summer Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit announced July 1 that Dr. Mary Scollay, HIWU's chief of science, has retired from full-time duties, effective immediately. HIWU will now transition under the leadership of Dr. Michael Hardy.View the full article

Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races has announced a 10% purse increase starting in the upcoming condition book, made possible by the passage of West Virginia Senate Bill 75. Charles Town will also add three additional race days.View the full article

Twenty-four students from the Irish National Stud's Thoroughbred Breeding Management course marked the completion of the six-month programme with a graduation ceremony on Friday, June 27. The event was hosted by well-known industry figure Leo Powell, with the family and friends of the graduating class among those in attendance at the County Kildare stud farm, as well as other respected figures from the Thoroughbred industry. A number of students were recognised for their exceptional performance and contribution over the duration of the course, including: Ava Banahan (Co. Kildare, Ireland) – Continuous Assessment Award Sam Thompson (Australia) – Best Portfolio of Assignments Raph McCall (UK) – Veterinary Exam Award Luke O'Neill (Co. Kildare, Ireland) – Equine Business Award Two prestigious internships were also announced. Peter Leavy (Co. Kildare) received the Jonathan Fitzpatrick Business Internship, which will commence in July at the Irish National Stud, while Josefina Posada Montoya (Colombia) was awarded the Goffs Internship. Tara Caroll (Co. Meath, Ireland) was honoured with the Irish Field “Blue Hen” Award for her outstanding article, which will be published in The Irish Field. Tara received a trophy and a €250 cheque presented by Powell. The ceremony concluded with the awarding of the highly regarded Gold and Silver Medals, presented annually to the top two performing students: Gold Medal: Luke O'Neill (Co. Kildare, Ireland) Silver Medal: Chloe De Salvador (France) Anne Channon, education manager at the Irish National Stud, said, “Our graduates this year have shown an extraordinary commitment to their studies and the Thoroughbred breeding industry. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and excited to see them contribute to the future of the Thoroughbred industry.” Class of 2025 Ava Banahan (Ireland), Luke Buchanan (Australia), Tara Carroll (Ireland), Chloe De Salvador (France), Claire Dilger (USA), Patrick Doyle (Ireland), Claire Hillebrand (USA), Jordan Kidd (Ireland), Peter Leavy (Ireland), Caroline Madden (USA), Raph McCall (UK), Sarahjane O'Byrne (Ireland), Luke O'Neill (Ireland), Áine O'Rourke (USA) George Palin (UK), Lea Petit (France), Josefina Posada Montoya (Colombia), Eric Resendiz (Mexico), Sarah Rohan (Ireland), Elle Sorensen (Ireland), Madeleine St Ledger (Australia), Moa Sundstrom (Sweeden), Sam Thompson (Australia), Conor Wafer (Ireland). The post Graduates of Prestigious Course Celebrated at Irish National Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Night Of Thunder currently sits at the top of the sire rankings for Britain and Ireland and, in a year in which he has already been represented by a first Classic winner in Desert Flower, his position could well be strengthened after Saturday with two other star performers lining up at Sandown and Haydock. Coral's sponsorship of the Eclipse Stakes reaches its 50th anniversary this year and the Group 1 contest, which has a roll of honour including such great names as Mill Reef, Sadler's Wells, Giant's Causeway and Enable, has a total prize fund of £1 million for the first time. Godolphin's Prince of Wales's Stakes winner Ombudsman is currently the short-priced favourite to claim the £567,100 on offer to the winner. Up at Haydock, Ombudsman's fellow Night Of Thunder four-year-old, Estrange, will line up in the G2 Lancashire Oaks for Cheveley Park Stud as she continues her climb towards the top level. Her most recent victory came at the same track in the G3 Lester Piggott Fillies' Stakes. At a Jockey Club-organised press conference for the Eclipse, Thady Gosden, co-trainer of Ombudsman referred to the 17-day turnaround from Ascot to this Saturday as a consideration but said, “He has come out of Royal Ascot in very good order and only had one run beforehand this season at Sandown in the Brigadier Gerard when he was second to Almaqam. He hasn't had a hard season or really a hard career so far so we thought why not go for this? “The Prince Of Wales's was a very tough race with a lot of Group 1 horses in there. He is still relatively inexperienced and that was his first run in a Group 1. We always thought he had the potential to be a horse of the class he has turned out to be and we found that out on the day at Ascot.” Gosden added, “He had a few traffic problems at Ascot but luckily has that turn of foot that Night Of Thunder seems to give them and he picked up really well. He has plenty of speed – he's always had it. He stays a mile and a quarter which gives us plenty of options and we'll have to see if he stays any further. Sandown is a stiff mile and a quarter and we'll know more after he has run on Saturday.” Night Of Thunder / ©Darley Stallions Ombudsman only started racing in the June of his three-year-old season with a winning debut at Newmarket, and Estrange, too, was a later starter, appearing two months after he did, also winning first time out, at Goodwood. Cheveley Park Stud's managing director Chris Richardson told TDN, “We're obviously delighted, having bought her as a yearling at the sales and paying a fair price for a lovely filly. I remember showing Pat Thompson a number of fillies at the sale, and she was very striking being grey, and that sort of sealed the deal really.” It is not just a sire shared by Ombudsman and Estrange, as both were bred at James Hanly's Ballyhimikin Stud. Hanly bred Ombudsman with Jono Mills and Estrange with his long-term allies Trevor Stewart and Anthony Stroud. Estrange, who is out of an Oasis Dream half-sister to Juddmonte's St Leger winner Logician (Frankel), started her training days with the Gosdens before moving to David O'Meara's Yorkshire stable. Richardson continued, “She showed very little as a two-year-old and was barely in training with John and Thady, and then she went back into training as a three-year-old and John was finding that she suffered from setfast, or tying up. We thought that she might benefit from being trained from the paddock, which is what David can offer in his wonderful facility up there. He got her and was very excited about her and has done a wonderful job with her. “When she won so impressively at Goodwood we thought we had something special, and then I made the mistake of running her on too-fast ground at Yarmouth where she got in a pocket and the race didn't really unfold for her. We thought we'd put a line through it and move forward, and we are obviously delighted that she set the record straight.” Beyond this Saturday, Estrange has Group 1 entries in the Nassau Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. “We discussed the Arc and sort of dreamt of a possible Arc contender,” Richardson said. “Obviously it's a very valuable race so we thought we'd make the entry and then we have it if things work out, especially if we are going to be dependent to a degree on a bit of ease in the ground, though I was encouraged when Danny Tudhope told me that he thought that the ground was less of a factor now than it was perhaps.” He added, “Mrs T is really excited about her, which is lovely, and she has given her a big lift. We've been very lucky over the years to have some lovely fillies, including Inspiral more recently, and we hope that this filly will be able to carry the colours for a bit longer, obviously this year, and we haven't discounted her maybe staying in training next year, depending on how she does.” Cheveley Park Stud came close at Royal Ascot a fortnight ago when Cajole, a daughter of Dubawi and Group 1 winner Persuasive, was second in the Sandringham Stakes, a race won by her dam nine years ago. And the stud did feature among the winning breeders courtesy of Humidity, who followed the example set by his full-brother Holloway Boy to win the Chesham Stakes. They are both by Cheveley Park's resident stallion Ulysses out of Sultry, by the late Pivotal. Humidity, who won on debut for his breeder at Newbury, was sold thereafter to Wathnan Racing. “At the end of the day we sadly don't have a Pivotal bringing in the income that he used to so we are running as more of a business now, and it was good business,” Richardson said. “But we are obviously delighted to have bred two Chesham winners, and the fact that they are both by Ulysses might help in the bigger picture a little bit going forward.” Sultry is now in foal to Tally-Ho Stud's Mehmas. The post Ombudsman and Estrange Set to Bolster Night Of Thunder’s Lead appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jose Sarinana has checked off a number of firsts with Happy Saver. The longtime assistant manager at Hagyard Farm, Sarinana foaled the future Grade I winner and seven years later was the breeder of the stallion's first foal. That foal, a filly out of Sarinana's only broodmare Planeta (Giant's Causeway), will become the stallion's first yearling to sell at auction when she goes through the ring as hip 4 in the early minutes of the Fasig-Tipton July Selected Yearlings Sale next Tuesday. She is the lone horse in the Sarinana Racing consignment. Bred and campaigned by Wertheimer et Frere and trained by Todd Pletcher, Happy Saver opened his career with five straight wins, a streak which included a victory in the 2020 GI Jockey Club Gold Cup. He hit the board in 11 of 13 starts with five wins and earnings of $1,258,100. In addition to his win in the Gold Cup, he was second in that race, as well as the GI Clark Stakes in 2021, and was runner-up in the 2022 editions of the GI Metropolitan Handicap and GI Whitney Stakes before retiring to stud at Airdrie in 2023. The team at Hagyard, the Wertheimer's Kentucky nursery where Happy Saver was born, knew the handsome chestnut was talented right from the start, according to Sarinana. “We always number our horses from top to bottom,” Sarinana said. “And Happy Saver was always in the top three. He was good looking as a baby, as a weanling and a yearling. When we shipped him out to be trained, he looked even better. When he made it as a racehorse, I wasn't surprised. I knew he would.” Like Happy Saver, Planeta was bred by the Wertheimers. “Planeta got hurt as a baby, so she wasn't going to be a racehorse, but we nursed her to be a broodmare,” Sarinana said. “I was at the point where I wanted to do a little breeding and a little bit of racing and I asked if I could buy her. I remember one of the Wertheimer advisors asked me, 'Do you like to pay bills.' I said, 'Well, I do pay my bills.' He said, 'Well there you go. She is yours.' And they gave her to me. I got her as a yearling. She never left the farm. She stayed at the farm where she was born and where I've been working for 19 years.” Now 14, the mare, who is a half-sister to graded winner Meteore (Pulpit) and from the family of Grade I winners A Phenomenon and Seattle Meteor, is Sarinana's lone broodmare. “Just the one. It's just her and me,” he said with a chuckle. Happy Saver | Sarah Andrew Dac (Distorted Humor) carried the Sarinana Racing colors to victory in the 2015 and 2016 Prairie Bayou Stakes and that led to a brief doubling of the operation's broodmare band. “Dac brought some income to me and I decided to get another broodmare,” Sarinana said. “Unfortunately, I lost her foaling. I decided to just stick with Planeta.” Planeta is the dam of Mr. Sarinana (Mr. Speaker), who won on the flat and over jumps, and Kbcya Later (Broken Vow), a 5-year-old with earnings to date over $140,000. When he bred Planeta to Happy Saver, Sarinana was hoping to reproduce some of the same qualities he saw from that horse at a young age. “Good temper, a pretty easy-going horse, you don't even know he's there,” he recalled of Happy Saver. “One of those horses who showed his class all the way around. I was hoping that he would put some of his traits into the foal and he did. The filly looks a lot like he did when he was a yearling. I hope everybody will agree with me and like her.” Of breeding the stallion's first foal, Sarinana added, “It was very special because I've known Happy Saver since he was born–I foaled him. So to have his first foal, it was very exciting. Especially seeing how beautiful she was.” Sarinana may soon need a replacement for his lone broodmare. “I am looking for my next Planeta,” Sarinana admitted. “She lost a pregnancy last year and this year, she couldn't get in foal. So she may be telling me it's time to retire her. I don't know. I may try to breed her again next year. Maybe to Happy Saver.” While he may end up with two broodmares at some point, Sarinana doesn't expect his breeding operation to expand beyond that. “It's easy to just manage one or two mares,” he said. “Since I have my work, I work for the farm and it's easy for me to have one or two mares. As a hobby, I would say, more than a business. Maybe expecting you can make it one day.” Hip 4 (walking video) will be the only horse in Sarinana's consignment and he acknowledged it could be hard work getting people to believe in your product. “People who know me, know Hagyard Farm has bred and raced a lot of winners, but it's still hard to get people to believe in what you present,” Sarinana said. “It's like going to a mall and going to a mom and pop shop.” The Fasig-Tipton July Selected Yearlings Sale will be held Tuesday beginning at 10 a.m. and will be followed immediately by the company's July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale. The post Sarinana to Give Happy Saver Another First at Fasig-Tipton July Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced on Tuesday that it would provide “high-quality technical support” to the tune of 50 million yuan (US$6.9 million) for the equestrian events at the National Games later this year. This help would be in addition to the HK$450 million (US$57.3 million) the club planned provide as the sole partner sponsor for the Hong Kong competition region. There would also be support for the National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the National Special Olympic Games in...View the full article

Kevin Philippart de Foy has been appointed by Amo Racing as their retained trainer at Freemason Lodge, it was announced on Tuesday. The Belgian-born Philippart de Foy started his career in Newmarket in 2020 and has trained just shy of 200 winners on the Flat in Britain in the interim. He celebrated his best season in 2023 when his stable had 61 winners and won over £860,000 in prize-money, highlighted by the success of Inquisitively in the G3 Cornwallis Stakes. Meanwhile, Philippart de Foy's appointment will see Raphael Freire, who has been training the Amo Racing horses at Sir Michael Stoute's former yard since March, return to his previous role as Amo's private trainer. “First, I'd like to welcome Kevin Philippart de Foy as our new trainer at Freemason Lodge,” said Kia Joorabchian, founder of Amo Racing, in a statement posted to the operation's X feed (@amoracingltd). “Kevin is a fantastic horseman who understands our goals and shares our ambition. Having known and worked with him for several years, it makes this transition even smoother. We know his character fits and our ideas align perfectly. “We believe he's the right person to take the operation to the next level and we're excited about what's ahead with him leading the team at this historic yard.” Joorabchian added, “At the same time, I want to say a big thank you to Raphael for stepping up and doing such a brilliant job getting Freemason up and running. His work over the past few months has been crucial and he's laid a solid foundation for the future. “Raphael has been a big part of Amo Racing's journey so far and he continues to be an integral part of our team moving forward.” Philippart de Foy, who has trained 14 winners in Britain so far this year, said, “I am deeply honoured to have been entrusted with the responsibility of taking over at Freemason Lodge and training such an exciting string of horses for Amo Racing. This is a major milestone in my career and I'm incredibly grateful to Kia and the team for the opportunity. “Amo Racing's investment and ambition in the sport are truly inspiring and I look forward to playing my part in what I hope will be a very successful journey together.” The post Kevin Philippart de Foy Named Amo Racing’s New Trainer at Freemason Lodge appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Nancy LaSala, who has served as president of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund since its establishment in 2006, has announced her retirement and has stepped down from the PDJF board. “On behalf of the entire PDJF Board, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Nancy LaSala for her dedication and service to the Fund and our recipients,” said Chairman William J. Punk, Jr. “Her vision, unwavering commitment, and tireless efforts have been instrumental in what we've become and the support we provide our fallen riders. While she will be greatly missed, we celebrate her many achievements. She has made a lasting impact, and we look forward to continuing the growth she has enabled. Thank you, Nancy, for everything you've done for this organization and the professional jockey community that we serve.” In addition to her role as PDJF president, LaSala served as the group's executive director from 2009 until April of last year. She received the Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award, sponsored by Churchill Downs, in 2024. A native of Chicago and wife of retired jockey Jerry LaSala, her business background includes a nearly 40-year career as manager of contract administration and commercial activities for a global leader in power generation. “As one of the founding Board members of the PDJF, it's been an honor to help build this organization–from the ground up–into something that is so close to my heart,” LaSala said. “Looking back on our journey, I'm incredibly proud of the progress we've made and the impact we've had. It has been a privilege to work alongside such passionate and dedicated individuals, all united by a shared mission to support our jockeys in their time of greatest need. I leave with pride in what we've accomplished together and with deep appreciation for the relationships built along the way. I have always believed that a cornerstone of our sport's business model should be the unwavering support of both our human and equine athletes.” The post PDJF President Nancy LaSala Retires appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article