Wandering Eyes

It's the busiest time of the year for Len Green of the Green Group, a tax consulting service specializing in the horse racing industry. With Apr. 15 approaching, he probably should have stayed home in New Jersey to work. Then again, when you are the part-owner of a horse that looks to be bound for the GI Kentucky Derby, all bets are off. Green couldn't stay away as 3-year-old Sandman (Tapit) faced eight others in the GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. The trip was worth it as Green was there to witness a 2 1/2-length win over Publisher (American Pharoah) that proved Sandman is a serious Derby contender. To talk about Sandman's triumph, and even to offer some tax tips, Green was the Gainesway Guest of the Week on this week's edition of the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland. “I actually went to Oaklawn,” Green said. “But I can't say that here on the podcast because my clients are going to say, 'I thought you were back doing our tax returns.'” Knowing that there are more than four weeks to go until the Derby and that a lot can go wrong during that period of time, Green is trying to stay pragmatic. Does he go to bed every night dreaming of a Kentucky Derby win? “Wouldn't it be great if I said yes?” Green said. “You have to keep things in proportion, as you know. Right now, I'm working eight days a week in tax season. So that's part of it. But number two, I really believe that we did a strategy to try to get to this point in time, including how to pick out the horse. I don't think any of these things just happen. You have to at least plan for them. Now, obviously, you have to have luck run you over. But there are just so many things that have happened along the way. So yeah, I'm excited, but I'll be more excited after we win the Derby.” Up until the Arkansas Derby, it had been a frustrating year for Sandman and his connections. He ran a terrific race in the GIII Southwest S., closing for second after a terrible start. He didn't have the same kick next out in the GII Rebel S. when finishing a non-threatening third. It finally came together in the Arkansas Derby. For Green, the win was bittersweet, as his wife Lois was not there to share it with him. She passed away on May 21, 2023 at the age of 84. “I would not be in this business if not for her and her encouragement,” Green said. “I have to tell you, she's still there with me.” In our “Fastest Horse of the Week,” segment, which is sponsored by WinStar, the team of Randy Moss, Bill Finley and Zoe Cadman went over the many reasons there are to breed to WinStar stallion Two Phil's. The fastest horse of the week was Banishing (Ghostzapper), who earned a 102 Beyer in his win in the GIII Oaklawn Mile. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, the KTOB, 1/ST Racing and 1/ST TV, the team reviewed last weekend's major Derby preps and looked ahead to this week's action, which is topped by the GI Toyota Blue Grass, the GI Santa Anita Derby and the GII Wood Memorial. To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To view the show as a podcast, click here. The post Len Green Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The National Stud's Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) was the latest first-season sire off the mark on Wednesday as his James Owen-trained daughter Social Exclusion (GB) dominated the three-runner five-furlong novice at Southwell. Quickest away under Harry Davies, The Gredley Family's 45,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 purchase put in a rapid penultimate split to settle matters and hit the line with three lengths to spare over Museum Piece (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). “She knows her job well and was very professional,” Davies said of the 3-1 shot. “When I sat on her the other morning and I thought she was straight enough to go to Doncaster [for the Brocklesby], but they thought this was the easier option and she got an easy time of it. Each furlong was stronger and she took some pulling up. We should have some fun with her.” The post The Gredleys’ Social Exclusion First Winner For Lope Y Fernandez appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Undefeated in three starts around one turn, Eclatant aims to solidify her place among the best of the 3-year-old filly sprint division in the $400,000 Beaumont Stakes (G2) at Keeneland April 6.View the full article

After beating Romantic Warrior in the Saudi Cup (G1), Forever Young enters the April 5 Dubai World Cup (G1) looking around for another challenger.View the full article

The odds are good that Irving Moncada will have his own cheering sections when he rides at Keeneland. The apprentice jockey grew up in Lexington and is a 2019 graduate of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, just three miles from the track. View the full article

"The Senate's first of three committee stops showed that there's more work to be done to fight this deeply flawed bill, but this is a fight we can win," said FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell.View the full article

Netflix is set to roll out a new six-part series called “Race For the Crown,” which will debut on the streaming platform Apr. 22, the service provider said in a press release on Wednesday. From the producers of “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” and “SPRINT,” the series offers a window into the world of professional horse racing. With exclusive access to jockeys, trainers, and owners, “Race for the Crown” is intended to be an inside look at the high-stakes quest to win across the Triple Crown. Included are interviews with owners like Mike Repole and John Stewart. Trainers such as Kenny McPeek and Bob Baffert are featured along with jockeys from Frankie Dettori to Brian Hernandez. The post New Six-Part Netflix Series Race For The Crown Due Apr. 22 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The last week of preps for the GI Kentucky Oaks is upon us. The GI Ashland Stakes will be run Friday at Keeneland on opening day and Aqueduct will offer the GIII Gazelle Stakes the next day. The Gazelle came up predictably weak, but the Ashland has some intriguing contenders that could crack the top three or four come Friday. Last week, Quietside (Malibu Moon) was a convincing winner of the GII Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn and Five G (Vekoma) never looked back to win the GII Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks. With the GI Kentucky Oaks fast approaching, both are on the upswing. Here's a look at the seventh installment of our Kentucky Oaks Top 10 for 2025: 1) GOOD CHEER (Medaglia d'Oro–Wedding Toast, by Street Sense) O/B-Godolphin (Ky); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 6-6-0-0, $877,630. Last Start: Won Mar. 22 GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Kentucky Oaks Points 145. Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, May 2. Can she lose? Yes…because anything can happen in a horse race. But this one has an obvious will to win. She's 6-for-6 and has never been seriously challenged, as she has a tendency to pull away in the late stages of her races. The only possible knock on her is that she doesn't blow the field away when it comes to speed figures. Remarkable to think that Brad Cox had the No. 1 horse in this division in Immersive (Nyquist), who has been sidelined, only to come up with a horse that may even be better. Cox, who first won the Oaks in 2018 with Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), will be seeking his third win in the race. 2) TENMA (Nyquist–Amagansett, by Tapit) O-Baoma Corp.; B-B Flay Thoroughbreds (Ky); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $200,000 yrl '23 KEESEP; $850,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GISW, 5-4-0-1, $429,000. Last Start: Won Feb. 2 GIII Fasig-Tipton Las Virgenes Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 33. Next Start: GII Santa Anita Oaks, SA, Apr. 5. Saturday's GII Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita Oaks doesn't figure to be much of a contest. Tenma, who has lost just once in five career starts, should have an easy time against horses that clearly aren't in her class. Bred by Bobby Flay, she cost $850,000 at OBS April, which is beginning to look like a bargain. She keeps running in races with short fields. There are six in the Santa Anita Oaks. She faced only two challengers in the GIII Las Virgenes S. Could that make a difference when she faces 13 others in the Oaks? 3) QUIETSIDE (Malibu Moon–Benner Island, by Speightstown) 'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Shortleaf Stable (Ky); T-John Ortiz. Lifetime Record: GSW & MGISP, 6-2-3-1, $552,200. Last Start: WON Mar. 29 GII Fantasy Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 168. Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, May 2. She's certainly gotten good at the right time. After she put together a four-race losing streak after a scintillating maiden win, there was reason to believe that she just wasn't good enough to beat the very best in the division. That started to change when she won the Honeybee over Five G. She came back last weekend to win the Fantasy Stakes by three-quarters of a length over Simply Joking (Practical Joke). She's peaking and doing so at the perfect time. Quietside holds off Simply Joking to win Fantasy Stakes | Renee Torbit/Coady Media 4) FIVE G (Vekoma–Triumphant, by Quality Road) O/B-Gatsas Stables (NY); T-George Weaver. Lifetime Record: SW & GSP, 5-2-2-0, $240,290. Last Start: WON GII Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks. Kentucky Oaks Points: 125. Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, May 2. With her win in the GII Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks, Five G established herself as the leading 3-year-old filly headed to the Oaks from Florida. She's won two of her last three on dirt and the only loss was in the Honeybee, where she couldn't handle Quietside. The one knock on her is that she got an easy trip in the Gulfstream race. She went wire-to-wire afer posting fractions of :23.60 and :47. She'll never get that kind of trip in the Oaks. Got a 90 Beyer, the best of her career. She looks to be improving. 5) SIMPLY JOKING (Practical Joke–Imply, by E Dubai) O-Grantley Acres, Ryan Conner, & Berkels0813; B-Barlar LLC (Pa); T-D Whitworth Beckman. Sales history: $65,000 yrl '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: MSW & GSP, 3-2-1-0, $288,000. Last Start: 2nd Mar. 29 GII Fantasy Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 70. Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, May 2. After a minor illness kept her out of the GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes, she looked to be up against it in the Fantasy as she had had only two prior starts and hadn't raced since Jan. 18. Yet, she turned in a really strong performance in the Fantasy, giving Quietside all she could handle. If she improves off that race, which is not a given, she could be right there at the finish of the Oaks. A front-runner, who will go after her early in the Oaks? 6) MUHIMMA (Munnings–Princesa Carolina, by Tapit) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Shadwell Stable; B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC (Ky); T-Brad Cox. Sales history: $700,000 yrl '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-3-0-1, $319,460. Last Start: Third Feb. 23 GIII Honeybee Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 25. Next Start: GI Ashland Stakes, Kee, Apr. 4. Formerly No. 1 in this poll, she slipped down and out of the top five after a lackluster third-place finish in the Honeybee. Was it an aberration? Quite possibly as this Brad Cox-trained filly was very good in 2024, going 3-for-3, including a win in the GII Demoiselle Stakes. Cox has made no excuses for her poor showing in the Honeybee, but it's worth noting that she finished third behind Quietside and Five G, both of whom won major Oaks preps in their next starts. So it was a key race. She needs a good showing in the Ashland to prove that she's back. Flavien Prat retains the mount. He had also been riding Supa Speed (Justify). Muhimma | Coady Media 7) MAYSAM (Game Winner–Sefani, by America n Pharoah) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Michael L Petersen; B-Seclusive Farm, Chester & Anne Prince (Ky); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $140,000 yrl '23 FTKJUL; $500,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-0-0, $98,500. Last Start: WON Mar. 2 GIII Fasig-Tipton Santa Ysabel Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 25. Next Start: TBD Maysam was not entered in any races this weekend or last, which is somewhat curious. She hasn't been out since winning the Mar. 2 GIII Santa Ysabel Stakes. Why did Baffert skip this round of preps and does that mean she won't be running in the Oaks? She has been a steady presence on the worktab. She's had two recent works, four furlongs in :48.40 Mar. 17 and :48.00 on Mar. 22. 8) BALLERINA D'ORO (Medaglia d'Oro–In the Moonlight, by Tapit) O-Rodeo Creek Racing, LLC; B-Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Chad Brown. Sales history: $320,000 yrl '23 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: MGSP, 5-1-1-1, $176,975. Last Start: Third Mar. 1 GII Davona Dale Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 16.25. Next Start: GIII Gazelle Stakes, Aqu, Apr. 5. The Gazelle should be a good spot for this late-running daughter of Medaglia d'Oro. She closed strongly to finish second in the Demoiselle, but finished third in her 3-year-old debut in the GII Davona Dale Stakes. In the Davona Dale, she didn't show the powerful stretch kick she displayed as a 2-year-old. But this is an easy spot and the return to nine furlongs and two turns should suit her perfectly. She'll need to pick up some points to make the Oaks field. 9) LA CARA (Street Sense–Cara Caterina, by Bernardini) O/B-Tracy Farmer (Ky); T-Mark Casse. Lifetime Record: GSW, 8-3-2-0, $418,520. Last Start: Second Mar. 1 GII Davona Dale Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 51.75. Next Start: GI Ashland Stakes, Kee, Apr. 4. She's not consistent. She wins the GIII Pocahontas Stakes and then is a dud in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She comes back and looks terrific in the Suncoast Stakes, winning by 6 1/4. Then she runs just 'okay' to finish second in the Davona Dale. It's possible that trainer Mark Casse didn't have her primed for a big effort in the Davona Dale as he has said all along the prep race he really wants to win is the Ashland. La Cara | Sarah Andrew 10) SUPA SPEED (Justify–Elfin Queen, by American Pharoah) O-Flying Dutchman Breeding & Racing LLC; B-Coteau Grove Farms, LLC (La); T-John Sadler. Sales history: $460,000 yrl '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSP, 6-2-2-1, $134,100. Last Start: 2nd Mar. 2 GIII Santa Ysabel Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 12.50. Next Start: GI Ashland Stakes, Kee, Apr. 4 By a Triple Crown winner (Justify) out of a dam by a Triple Crown winner (American Pharoah), this horse has a lot of pedigree power. Trainer John Sadler started her out on the grass, where she ran five times, breaking her maiden and winning an allowance. He switched her to the dirt for the Santa Ysabel and the results were encouraging as she finished a close second behind Maysam while earning a 90 Beyer figure. If she runs well in the Ashland, she could be a live horse come Oaks Day. The post The Kentucky Oaks Top 10: Quietside, Five G On the Upswing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Mythical Reel at Santa Anita. Breeders' Cup Connection At Play In California Michael House's Mythical Reel (Ire) (Highland Reel {Ire}) stalked and pounced to take a 1 1/8-mile turf affair at Santa Anita on March 29 (video). He is trained by Phil D'Amato. By a Breeders' Cup winner and out of a mare by 2001 GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Val Royal (Fr) in Mad Existence (Ire), the bay colt was bred by Kildaragh Stud. He was sold by them for €16,000 at the Goffs November Foal Sale to trainer Tom Mullins and made two unplaced starts for Mullins and Mrs. Helen Mullins in Ireland, before being purchased by these connections. His dam won twice at three and four, and also has the multiple French listed third Secret Existence (Ire) (Sakee's Secret {GB}) to her credit. Under the stakes-winning second dam Hanzala (Fr) (Akarad {Fr}) is G1 Irish St. Leger winner Flag Of Honour (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), as well as the G3 Minstrel Stakes hero and G1 Phoenix Stakes second Air Chief Marshal (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Former Coolmore stallion Highland Reel is now plying his trade in Japan, and, despite delivering a front-running tour-de-force in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in 2016, has not been well-represented on American shores. However, five of his American runners (71%) are winners from seven runners. His best is the GIII Surfer Girl Stakes heroine Comanche Country (Ire). The post Making Waves: Highland Reel Colt Fifth Time Lucky appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

I enjoyed David Heckerman's recent series of articles. They caused me to feel some nostalgia about the “good ole days.” I remember vividly when I heard TJC had fought expanded TV coverage, and thought “how shortsighted.” When it (and NYRA) later threw up roadblocks to off-track betting and allowed New York OTBs to be run by folks not interested in racing, it seemed to me they were underestimating the appeal of more convenient wagering. By the time horsemen attempted to prevent the development of a card club at Hollywood Park, it was obvious that Indian casinos were making headway in Southern California. I remember thinking it would make sense for racetracks to co-opt their efforts and stake out their own position. After all, the thought processes required for playing poker are not that dissimilar to what's needed in handicapping. Even though I was Chairman of TOBA in the mid-1990s, I don't recall any attempt by TOBA to prevent a casino at Arlington Park. I was aware of the casinos underway in Gary, Indiana, which is only 30 miles from Chicago. It would surely have made more sense to encourage a casino at Arlington Park to counter what was happening in such a nearby state. All in all, I share Heckerman's opinion that powerful people/groups have wasted time fighting the inevitable. (IMO, just like HBPA fighting HISA now. I was surprised his article didn't touch on this). One area where I disagree is his point of view towards Churchill Downs. It seems to get a “hall pass” because of their supposed “need” to fulfill shareholder expectations regarding ROI. In my opinion, Churchill Downs has opted to focus on short-term ROI by focusing on the “low hanging fruit” of Derby/Oaks days, rather the long-term ROI of doing what they could to keep horse racing growing. I think Churchill Downs has long been in a position to lead the industry toward more widespread appeal. I feel it let down the industry and the horsemen who put on the show down by redefining itself as a wagering company, to include casinos. Frankly, I don't think Churchill Downs has the same level of expertise in gaming as a competitor like MGM. (It has always struck me as strange that everybody seems to focus on the massive investment in land and facilities to build a racetrack. I think that investment pales when compared to the investment required by owners and breeders to produce the “talent” that people go to watch). As for the idea that horsemen ought to “invest” with Gulfstream Park, I completely disagree. I think a better idea is for horsemen to unite NOW to develop an alternate track location near Ocala. Ocala is becoming even more “horse central” with the expansion of horse showing at the World Equestrian Center. Ocala's proximity to a large “active” retirement community like The Villages makes it an ideal location. It seems obvious nowadays that live attendance is not the only driver of wagering, so a smaller physical facility in an enthusiastic horse community like Ocala could work well. –Ron Kirk, President, Kirk Horse Insurance LLC The post Letter to the Editor: Ron Kirk Calls for Florida Alternative appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Almanzor (Fr)'s Miss Manzor (GB) brought a sale-topping 29,000gns from Conor McGlone during the final day of the Tattersalls Online April Sale on Wednesday. Offered as lot 23 by Willie Mullins's Closutton Stables, the 5-year-old mare has placed at Grade 2 level. Closutton was the sale's leading consignor, with the 120-rated chaser Iris Emery (Fr) (Spanish Moon) (lot 19) making 25,000gns to trainer Neil King; and the Grade 3 winner Uncle Phil (Ire) (Walk In The Park {Ire}) (lot 36) hammering for 14,000gns to Chester Williams. On the Flat side of things, a yearling filly by Oscar Performance (lot 52) brought 16,500gns from Stroud Coleman Bloodstock. The Castlebridge Consignment draftee is out of a half-sister to the dam of the listed winner and Group 3-placed sprinter Rogue Lightning (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Lot 49, a yearling filly by Bated Breath (GB) and put through the ring by Baroda Stud, brought 15,500gns on the bid of Manister House Stud. Overall, 36 lots sold for a gross of 284,100gns. The average was 7,892gns and the median was 4,200gns. The post Tattersalls Online Topped By Miss Manzor appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour preserved his unblemished record in Sydney group 1 races when he added the April 2 Tancred Stakes (G1) to his back-to-back 2023 triumphs in the Ranvet Stakes (G1) and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1). View the full article

Just in case he wasn't already front-of-mind with racing fans worldwide, Japan's Forever Young stirred souls in the Saudi Cup (G1), prevailing over Romantic Warrior (IRE) in one of the greatest stretch duels in international dirt racing history.View the full article

Jose Ortiz won three stakes races, including sweeping the track’s feature races, the Arkansas Derby (G1) and the Fantasy (G2) on March 29 and the Hot Springs Stakes on March 30. The panel of racing experts voted Ortiz Jockey of the Week.View the full article

While Forever Young is the talk of the Dubai World Cup media briefings April 2, out on the track it was the Noburu Takagi-trained pair of Ushba Tesoro and Wilson Tesoro that drew admiring glances after going through their pre-World Cup paces. View the full article

The season kicked off Dec. 26, 2024, with the largest non-weekend or holiday opening day crowd in 34 years. To date, Santa Anita has hosted more than 293,000 visitors during the Classic Meet, a gain of more than 8% over last year.View the full article

The non-profit Manitoba Jockey Club, operators of Assiniboia Downs, announced the addition of five new members to the board of directors, bringing the total to 11.View the full article

Three major Kentucky Derby (G1) preps are this weekend. Don't miss a race with this handy schedule of programs on radio and TV compiled by America's Best Racing.View the full article

Stonestreet Stables' Emery looks to extend to three her unbeaten streak at Keeneland as she will face familiar foes and talented older mares in the $650,000 Madison Stakes (G1) April 5.View the full article

Maybe starting my Breeding Digest on Monday mornings is not such a good plan. The dust may by then be settling on the racing weekend, but by the look of it, perhaps I need a little longer to recover from my own, somewhat less wholesome exertions! How else do I account for failing to include the principal guarantor of Distorted Humor's male line, Maclean's Music, alongside my reflections on his burgeoning legacy as a broodmare sire? Maclean's Music has three young sons at stud in Kentucky, in Jackie's Warrior, Drain the Clock and Complexity. The latter made a brilliant start with his first juveniles last year and, if that is any indicator of what is to come, we will certainly be able to salute Maclean's Music–an inspired roll of the dice by John Sikura, after running off the screen on his sole start–as a sire of sires into the bargain. Maclean's Music landed running with Classic winner Cloud Computing in his first crop and, with River Thames heading into the GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes this weekend, is plainly far from done. And of course his best-bred crops are only now coming through. The other son of Distorted Humor with a young son at stud, as mentioned, is Jimmy Creed. Quite a contrast, plainly, between the indefatigable campaigner Casa Creed and the fleeting meteor that was Maclean's Music. Between all these sons and grandsons at stud, however, the common denominator is the kind of speed that Distorted Humor himself showed on the racetrack. His two-turn sons have proved less successful, in terms of replicating his versatility as an influence, albeit Funny Cide can obviously be excused as being deficient in two crucial attributes. With Constitution, Arrogate and Practical Joke having made the impact they have, and Life is Good, Arabian Lion and Happy Saver among those meanwhile entering the equation, it may well prove that Distorted Humor's daughters will indeed end up achieving a still greater legacy. But that's no better an excuse than Monday morning bleariness for overlooking a son with as much going on as Maclean's Music. Mea culpa! The post Maclean’s Music: Let’s Take it from the Top appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer lauds family member’s advice as the key to six-year-old galloper’s 2,200m victory at city circuit.View the full article

Santa Anita continues to report gains in both on-track attendance and total all-sources handle as the track prepares for the final weekend of its Classic meet. The season kicked off Dec. 26 with the largest non-weekend or holiday opening day crowd in 34 years. To date, Santa Anita has hosted more than 293,000 visitors during the Classic Meet, a gain of more than 8% over last year. Last weekend's on-track crowd was up over 30%. The total all-sources mutuel handle, paced by the opening day number of more than $21.4 million, currently stands at $414 million, a 4% increase over last year. Over the last weekend, horseplayers on-track and around the world wagered over $20 million. Field size, bolstered by an influx of Northern California horses, is up 8% over the corresponding time last year, with 307 horses entered the final three days of the meet. The post Attendance, Handle Gains Continue at Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — There's that age-old saying in the Thoroughbred business that a good horse can come from anywhere. Perhaps no equine athlete in training anywhere in the world embodies that axiom more than Tuz (Oxbow). At the ripe old age of eight, the burly dark bay gelding–he stands 16.3hh–is in career form, arguably even better than when he won the 2024 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, and that's really saying something, as he kicked away from his rivals late on that occasion to dominate by a towering 6 1/2 lengths. Bred by Calumet Farm, home to their 2013 Preakness-winning Oxbow, Tuz–an Apr. 26 foal–was consigned to the 2018 Keeneland September Sale by Mill Ridge Sales. Hip 4000 was stabled in barn 43 on the Keeneland backstretch at the top of the hill overlooking the training track and more than a handful of steps from the sales pavilion where he would fetch a mere $7,000 from Oracle Bloodstock's Conor Foley, acting on behalf of Russian-based clients, during session 12 of the 13-day auction. “I actually remember him well, because that sale, it was like 95 degrees every day. And then the day we had to look at those horses, it was like 30 degrees, cold and rainy,” Foley recollected. “He was in one of the back barns and he just stood out. At that stage of the sale, there's still some good physicals in those books, they just don't have the pedigrees. He was one that just stood out enormously, just because of how good he looks.” Brad Kelley acquired Tuz's dam Suede Shoe (Pulpit) for $42,000 in foal to then Bluegrass Hall (Kelley's operation that pre-dated his acquisition of Calumet) stallion U S Ranger at the 2012 Keeneland November Sale. A foal of 2008, Suede Shoe is a daughter of GII Dahlia Handicap heroine Grande Melody (Ire) (Grand Lodge) and the deeper female family includes Watership Down Stud's outstanding G1 Fillies' Mile heroine Crystal Music (Nureyev). “He had a lot of Pulpit to him, and Oxbow, I think the jury was still out on him at the time,” Foley said. “But our client said, 'Just buy the best horse in the sale that day,' and he was easily that. “I thought he would cost 80 [thousand]. So I remember him only costing seven [thousand] and being like, 'What?' You go back to the barn, and you make sure you didn't screw something up. Even the owner was like, 'How did he only cost that?' you said he was the best horse selling today. I was like, 'Well, we just got lucky.'” Tuz made the first two starts of his career at Pyatigorsk in the south of Russia, winning those races by something in the vicinity of 40 lengths combined. In some circles, he was referred to as the 'Russian Frankel.' What attributes must a horse have to succeed in that jurisdiction? “You wouldn't want a light-boned horse,” said Foley, who has purchased any number of Russian winners for a variety of clients. “It's fun buying for those regions of the world. A small, tiny horse doesn't work. Physically, it's just probably a horse that just would have more dirt angles, so to speak. Horses that look like turf horses, they usually don't work.” Having proved himself heads and shoulders above the competition on the small stage, it was time for a call up to major leagues, and Tuz joined the barn of Satish Seemar in Dubai. He was supremely game when runner-up in the Listed Al Bastakiya Stakes (1900m), a course-and-distance prep for the G2 UAE Derby, but he was denied that chance when the 2020 World Cup meeting was called off at the 11th hour in the early days of COVID-19. “He probably would have won it, too,” Foley insists. Tuz getting topped off for Saturday's Dubai Golden Shaheen. Stands 16.3 as related to @LauraKingDXB by trainer @BhupatSeemar pic.twitter.com/ZpkWU3OGnf — Alan Carasso (@EquinealTDN) March 31, 2025 A listed winner over 1600 meters at the back end of his 4-year-old season, Tuz was never dangerous in the G2 Godolphin Mile the following March, and when the new season dawned in the Emirates in late 2022, his new trainer Bhupat Seemar–nephew of Satish and a one-time assistant to Bob Baffert–tried to teach the old dog new tricks, electing to forgo longer races for sharper ones. “I always thought he had speed to burn. He's an unbelievably quick horse,” Seemar said. “He was classy enough that he could get a distance, but I was of the opinion that if you bring him back in distance, you're going to find the best of him.” Indeed, the turnaround was nothing short of dramatic, ultimately if not immediately. Winner of the 2023 G3 Al Shindagha Sprint, Tuz was a reasonably close seventh behind Sibelius (Not This Time) in that year's Golden Shaheen, one of just two finishes outside the top three in 1200-meter events at the tracks of the Emirates Racing Association. But since finishing well down the field in the 2024 G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint 13 months ago, Tuz has not so much as been tested. His current five-race winning streak commenced with his thrashing of his world-class rivals in last year's Golden Shaheen and his average margin of victory is better than five lengths, a massive distance over a trip as short as six furlongs. His latest defeat of Japan's American Stage (Into Mischief) in the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal on Mar. 1 completed the set of major sprints in Dubai, a feat never before accomplished. Seemar added, “He does things so easy, he can go 10 and change all the way down, plus he's got stamina, so we're not afraid to rock and roll and keep going and see what happens. “Horses don't know what kind of price they cost or where they are. He's a gorgeous-looking horse, gorgeous-looking animal. Seven-thousand to however many million now.” Tuz's success since dropping back to sprints isn't all that surprising to Foley either. “Sprinters really don't get good until they're older,” he offers. “I look at sprinters like a weightlifting competition–a senior's always going to beat a freshman. You can be quick, but to win these big sprints around the world, you've got to be fast, and then you've got to be able to call on a couple of runs within the race.” Foley actually has two rooting interests in this year's Dubai Golden Shaheen. “I actually want him to run second to Straight No Chaser, because I did the [Godolphin] Flying Start course with Dan Blacker, he's like a little brother to me,” Foley said. “So I'm actually rooting for Straight No Chaser. If Tuz hadn't won the race last year, I'd probably feel differently. He continued, “Tuz winning again is not going to change my life, but it would definitely change Dan's. I suspect that Tuz will probably run his race. It wouldn't be ideal [for Straight No Chaser] to go from California to Saudi, where he ran big and then come to Dubai. It's going to be, probably to me, one of the top two races of the night. I'm probably looking forward to that race probably more than the World Cup.” Tuz translates into English as 'ace.' From the very humblest of humble beginnings, Tuz has been that and much, much more to his connections and to the racing world at large. The post Tuz: A Sprinting ‘Ace’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sixteen new projects and 10 continuing projects at 17 universities, as well as two career development awards, have been granted $2,693,312 in expenditures approved by the board of directors of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. The 2025 slate of research brings Grayson's totals since 1940 to more than $44.4 million to underwrite more than 450 projects at 48 universities. “I'm very proud of Grayson's commitment to furthering the research and development of projects that affect all horses, no matter their breed or discipline,” said Jamie Haydon, president of Grayson. “We are equally ecstatic that we could offer our two career development awards to this year's recipients, continuing to cultivate a future for young researchers.” The new projects are: Can Smartphone-Based Sensors Provide Reliable And Repeataable Lameness Data, Melissa King, Colorado State University; Chimeric VP7-VP4 MVA-Vectored Equine Rotavirus Vaccines, Mariano Carossino, Louisiana State University; Ex Vivo DFTS Adhesion Model To Evaluate Therapies, Lauren Schnabel, North Carolina State University; Effects Of SGLT2i On Triamcinolone-Induced Equine ID, Teresa Burns, The Ohio State University; Finite Element Analysis Of SDFT Microdamage Sushmitha Durgam, The Ohio State University; A Molecular Study On Hemorrhagic Anovulatory Follicles, Eduardo Gastal, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale; Improving a VapA mRNA Vaccine For R. Equi In Foals, Noah Cohen, Texas A&M University; Organoid Model For Equine Placentitis Research, Pouya Dini, University of California-Davis; Genetics Of Cervical Spine Malformations In The Horse, Carrie Finno, University of California-Davis; Pharmacokinetics And Efficacy Of Pregabalin In Horses, Heather Knych, University of California-Davis; Characterization Of Antibodies Against Equine IL-31, Rosanna Marsela, University of Florida; Characterization Of Laminitis Using PET, Dianne McFarlane, University of Florida; Effects Of Inflammatory Cytokines On MSC Homing, John Peroni, University of Georgia; Racehorse Stride Changes And Workload During Training, Peta Hitchens, University of Melbourne; Synthetic Proteoglycan Replacement For Osteoarthritis, Kyla Ortved, University of Pennsylvania; Wearable Biometric Sensor Development, American Association of Equine Practitioners. Dr. Erica Secor was awarded the Storm Cat Career Development Award, a $20,000 grant given to an individual considering a career in equine research. A 2013 graduate from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Secor is attending Cornell as a Ph.D. student. Her proposed study involves defining the immune cell populations present in naturally occurring equine Osteoarthritis and the response to intra-articular therapeutics, expands on the limited knowledge regarding immune cell populations within equine joints with osteoarthritis. The Elaine and Bertram Klein Career Development Award was given to Dr. Shannon Connard. First given in 2015, the award grants $20,000 to a prospective equine researcher. Connard received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2017 from the University of Georgia, she went on to pursue an internship at Louisiana State University followed by a large animal internship and residency at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine. She is a postdoctoral fellow/Ph.D. candidate in the Comparative Medicine and Translational Research Training Program at North Carolina State University and her current research is dedicated to the advancement of regenerative therapies for equine musculoskeletal injuries. For details on the new projects, click here. The post Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation Approves 2025 Funding appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Five new members have been added to the board of directors of the non-profit Manitoba Jockey Club Inc., operators of Assiniboia Downs. Added to the board are: Barry Arnason, Pat Beavis, Bill Drew, Lisa Osachoff, and Larry Wandowich. “We are so pleased to welcome these new directors to our board. They provide a wealth of diversified business knowledge and senior management experience to our team. We are well positioned to continue to guide this important Manitoba industry forward,” said Dr. Norm Elder, Board Chair of the MJC. For more on the new board members, click here. The post Assiniboia Downs Adds Board Members appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article