Wandering Eyes

Awapuni racecourse’s renovated grass track was given its first test on Monday with four sets of jumpouts, and it was given the tick of approval by participants. The Palmerston North track has been out of commission for 18 months as it has undergone renovations, and RACE Inc General Manager of Racing Brad Taylor said it was great to see the track back in action on Monday. “It is nice to tick off the first phase of it (return),” he said. “The feedback has been positive. The riders were all happy, the stewards were happy, and walking the track after the jumpouts it was very consistent right the way over. Horses got their toe in and it certainly wasn’t heavy. We were pleased with how it went.” Local trainer Peter Didham was pleased with the way the jumpouts went and he is impressed with the state of the track. “The track seemed great. I walked the straight and (saw) the imprints with the toe in, it was really good,” he said. “Everyone is excited, it has been a long process. A couple of months ago we were looking at it and were thinking ‘is it going to come good?’ But it looks amazing, it is nice and healthy. It is obviously going to be a bit sand-based and there might be a bit of kickback for a while, but it is looking great.” Awapuni are set to hold trials next week in a final test before returning to racing later next month. “Now we have just got to get through the trials next week where there will probably be 80 to 90 horses there, and that will replicate a raceday,” Taylor said. “That will be the final tick before we head back to the races on ANZAC Day (April 25). We are getting into the more exciting bit now, which is good.” Local trainers have been able to utilise the course proper for trackwork over the last month and Taylor said the feedback has been positive. “The first horses were on it about three weeks ago, we have had over 100 horses gallop on it before today, and we have had good feedback from trackwork riders and jockeys, and that was reinforced today going that extra bit quicker in jumpouts compared to gallops,” he said. Manawatu punters don’t have long to wait before they can be back trackside at Awapuni, and Taylor said the grass track’s return will be a tonic for Central Districts racing. “It has been offline for 18 months now so it is pleasing to get it back in a time where the CD needs it, albeit there are only going to be two meetings and then we will put it away until spring,” he said. “It will be nice to get horses on a nice, new surface and test it out, and then we will head into the spring full of confidence.” Didham is looking forward to racing returning to his home track and the resulting reduction in cost for his owners, and their ability to be trackside to watch their horses compete. “To get racing back here will be great,” he said. “We have had a lot of people take shares in horses that are hoping to be back here on their home course racing. The Sires’ Produce (Gr.1, 1400m) at Wellington is great, but it is better here for our sponsors and our local people. “For us trainers and owners to have no float fees and that sort of thing will be great, and it is more central for everyone.” View the full article

A forced change of plan with a daughter of Dubawi has produced another success story for Sydney breeder Warwick Doughty. He initially sent his mare Pouter to Cambridge Stud to be mated with Roaring Lion, only for the multiple Group One-winning son of Kitten’s Joy to tragically succumb to colic. Doughty then decided on Contributor as a suitable replacement and Saturday’s Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2100m) winner Kiwi Skyhawk is the profitable outcome. “It’s great for the mare, she’s a funny mare and has only got one ovary and I’m very pleased for Stephen Marsh and his owners,” he said. Kiwi Skyhawk was purchased out of Cambridge Stud’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $240,000 by the Cambridge trainer and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock. He is the third black-type winner for Poulter, who earlier produced the Listed Strutt Stakes (2100m) winner Rock Dove and Midland, winner of the Listed Inglis Guineas (1400m) who was also successful in Hong Kong as King Land. Poulter was secured for $57,000 on Doughty’s behalf by Murrulla Stud at an Inglis Sydney Weanling and Broodmare Sale. “She’s a mare we bought from Godolphin and I later booked her into Roaring Lion, I thought he was so good and I sent her over to Henry (Plumptre) who I’ve known for years,” he said. “Sadly, Roaring Lion died so I sent her to Contributor, who I had always had a big opinion of so that’s how this one turned up.” From the family of top-flight North American winner Dreams Galore, Pouter is the only mare Doughty has based in New Zealand. “She’s had two Hello Youmzain fillies and the first one sold quite cheaply ($50,000) and the current one on the ground, I’m told, is extremely good and I may keep her,” he said. “She went to Chaldean last year and missed, so she’ll go back and hopefully she’ll hold.” Doughty, whose son Stu is head of bloodstock insurer Howden Equine, has cut back his broodmare interests in recent years. “I’m only a small-time breeder and enjoy that side of it and this one (Pouter) has done very well,” he said. “I’ve only got three mares left, with two at Twin Hills with Ollie Tait. I’ve got two horses in training in Tasmania, a couple on the Gold Coast and I have just given a filly to Bjorn Baker.” Doughty’s major claim to fame is as the breeder of the Gr.1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) winner and sire Catbird and he also bred Malibu Magic, successful in an edition of the Listed Magic Millions 2YO Fillies’ Stakes (1200m). Now retired, he previously had multiple business interests including the Sydney amusement operation Luna Park. “I had that for 25 years and sold out three years ago. I’ve had a great life and had a wonderful time, and horses have always been a lovely hobby,” Doughty said. “My father and grandfather weren’t into breeding, but my mother said they’d bet on two flies crawling up a wall, so I’ve always loved racing. “I don’t go that often and I’m not a big punter, but in saying that breeding horses is always a punt.” View the full article

The win by Banks in the $250,000 Rushaway Stakes March 22 at Turfway Park came as no surprise to longtime breeder Beau Lane. Lane, who has been breeding horses for 60 years, is no stranger to raising good horses such as Jackie's Warrior and Farrell.View the full article

Donna Logan recorded her first win since moving back to New Zealand when Larius Lacus took out the Waikato/BOP Racehorse Owners Maiden 1400 at Tauranga on Sunday. Based in Singapore for seven years, Logan returned to New Zealand late last year after racing ceased in the racing jurisdiction, and she has been in a rebuilding phase at her new base in Byerley Park. While in Singapore, Logan struck up a good association with Ben Kwok, with the prominent breeder and owner vowing to support her on her return to New Zealand. He subsequently entrusted Larius Lacus to her care, with the daughter of Turn Me Loose previously having had two unplaced runs in Australia. The three-year-old filly placed in her only trial for Logan over 1000m at Ellerslie earlier this month and showed tenacity in her New Zealand debut when holding out Tempsford to win by a long neck in the hands of Warren Kennedy on Sunday. Logan was delighted to get back on the winner’s board in New Zealand, and said it was fitting that she achieved it with a filly bred and owned by Kwok. “It is great to be back, it’s a really good feeling,” she said. “Ben is a great supporter of New Zealand racing. Every second person you look at has got a horse for Ben. “I trained for him in Singapore, he is a really good friend, and I was thrilled to be able to give him that win. “When the announcement in Singapore was made that they were closing down racing, I went out for lunch with Ben and he said he was going to support me in New Zealand. He said he had a filly in Australia he was going to send back to New Zealand for me, and that was Larius Lacus.” Logan was pleased with Larius Lacus’ performance and said she has come through the run well. “I thought it was a really tough effort from her first-up,” she said. “She had every right to be challenged and beaten, but she dug again. It was a very positive ride from Warren Kennedy, which was probably the making of the race in the early stages. “She licked the bowl clean last night and I couldn’t be happier with her, she is nice and bright this morning, she has come through it well.” Logan is enjoying being back in New Zealand, however, she admitted she isn’t looking forward to experiencing winter for the first time in several years. “I have been back training for just over three months and the weather has been good, so I have loved it, but I may have a different view on life in winter,” she quipped. Logan is still in the midst of re-establishing herself in New Zealand but said she is excited about the prospects of a number of juveniles in her barn. “I have got a barn full of a lot of two-year-olds,” she said. “We have just got to be patient, young horses take that much longer to get established. We will just tick along very quietly and we will get there.” View the full article

Promising three-year-old stayer Lucan will join his stablemate Chattahoochee in feature races at Ellerslie next month after collecting an eye-catching maiden victory at Tauranga on Sunday. Te Awamutu horsewoman Debbie Sweeney lined up three runners in the Mills Reef Maiden (2100m), with Lucan the second-elect of her string in the market behind Protheatrics. The son of Proisir brought good form into the race and regular rider Joe Doyle managed him well in the early stages, getting the diminutive gelding to settle near the tail of the field. Denver controlled the pace up-front and led into the turn, where Lucan found himself last with plenty of ground to make up. Doyle took the shortest route on the inside and the gelding showed a tidy turn of foot at the end of the middle-distance contest to pick up the leader, scoring by a long neck at the line, with Protheatrics back in third. “It was a really good effort from him, he’s been going good races and just seems to over-race a little bit, but he was a little bit better yesterday with his racing manners,” Sweeney said. “There’s still plenty of improvement to come from him once he puts everything together, he’s only little but he tries really hard and is pretty tough. “It was nice to get that win with him and he was pretty impressive, it was a nice ride from Joe as well as he’s not the easiest horse to ride. He does a great job with him.” With minimal three-year-old stakes racing opportunities left for the season, Sweeney is considering a tilt at the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on April 19. “Time is going to be on his side, but there is a three-year-old 2100 at Ellerslie on the 19th and we may look at going there,” she said. “They’re only three once and it’s nice sometimes to give them that opportunity before he heads to the paddock.” The Sweeney-Doyle combination were back in the winner’s circle in the last at Tauranga, combining with promising galloper Willit in the Super Liquor Greerton (1200m). A lightly-raced son of Swiss Ace, Willit’s debut victory came on a heavy surface last year and Sweeney intended to have him back for the winter months, kicking off earlier in March. Despite favouring the cut in the track, the gelding put his talent on display on top of the ground on Sunday, travelling on-speed and kicking strongly to edge out Dua Dance by a neck. “He’s a tough horse and I’m looking forward to stepping him up over more ground this preparation,” Sweeney said. “When we get some rain about that will certainly help him, but it was a good effort yesterday and he probably won’t race again for three or four weeks now. “He’s one to watch out for over the winter.” Sweeney’s stable star Chattahoochee has also pulled up in good order from his run at Te Aroha on Saturday, where he carried the 60kg topweight and faded after leading up in the Open 1600m contest. A winner of seven races, the Reliable Man gelding remains on target for the Gr.3 Manco Easter Handicap (1600m) on April 19. “He’s pulled up well, it was hard with the weight, and he was giving away six or seven kilos,” she said. “The plan wasn’t to lead, but Courtney (Barnes, jockey) said he just put himself there. In saying that, the result would’ve probably been the same, and I think the weight just told in the end. “He’s going to head to the Easter now, a shower of rain heading into that race would certainly help him but he’s a very honest horse that tries hard so I’m pretty sure he can bounce back.” View the full article

James McDonald. Photo: Reg Ryan (Racing Photos) Two prime Group 1 rides at Tuesday’s rescheduled Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) meeting at Rosehill have been filled following confirmation that champion jockey James McDonald will miss the meeting due to overseas commitments. Racing NSW announced on Sunday, “Due to prior commitments in Dubai, James McDonald will not be able to partner those horses he was declared to ride at the rescheduled Rosehill Gardens meeting on Tuesday. Replacement riders will be notified when available.” The Rosehill card, originally scheduled for Saturday, was postponed 72 hours after a deluge hit Sydney late last week. McDonald is understood to be heading to Dubai several days early to prepare for his ride on Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior in Saturday night’s Group 1 Dubai Turf (1800m). His absence on Tuesday has seen Zac Lloyd pick up the ride on Movin Out in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), while Blake Shinn will partner UK import River Of Stars as he makes his Australian debut in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m). McDonald is due to return to Sydney in time for day two of The Championships at Randwick on April 12, where he is booked to ride Via Sistina, the current favourite with horse racing betting sites for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m). Horse racing news View the full article

Ka Ying Rising charges clear for Zac Purton and David Hayes. Photo: HKJC Delivering a chilling reminder of his extraordinary talent, Ka Ying Rising posted his 11th consecutive victory with a blistering display in the HK$5.35 million Group 2 Sprint Cup (1200m) to crown Zac Purton’s return to race riding at Sha Tin on Sunday. The world’s highest-rated sprinter, Ka Ying Rising (128lb) demolished his opposition with familiar nonchalance to score by three lengths from Helios Express (123lb) and Lucky With You (123lb) in 1:08.18 after being eased down by Purton with 100m to go. After stalking California Spangle to the 400m, Ka Ying Rising emerged from the triple Group 1 winner’s slipstream and exploded away with a 10.54s sectional to the 200m to put the contest beyond doubt as Helios Express finished second for the fifth time this season behind David Hayes’s superstar. “The leader (California Spangle) today didn’t go as fast as I was hoping he would go. I travelled a bit stronger than I would have liked and with the extra weight on his back, I didn’t want to sit around and wait for the others, so I sent him for home early and he just let him do what he does,” Purton said. “He was always cruising and he didn’t give us a moment of worry and that’s the good thing about him.” Ka Ying Rising’s latest triumph elevated the four-year-old into outright third place for the most wins in a row in Hong Kong behind Silent Witness (17) and Golden Sixty (16), snapping the deadlock he previously shared with Co-Tack and Beauty Generation. With 12 wins and two seconds from 14 starts overall, the Shamexpress gelding continues to thrive ahead of his final assignment of the season – the HK$22 million Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on FWD Champions Day (Sunday, April 27) – before a probable tilt at the Group 1 The Everest (1200m) in Sydney in October. 2025 Group 2 Sprint Cup Replay – Ka Ying Rising https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Sha-Tin-2025-Group-2-The-Sprint-Cup-30032025-Ka-Ying-Rising-David-Hayes-Zac-Purton.mp4 “It’s nice to come back and ride a horse like him. He’s a pleasure to do anything with, he’s really relaxed going to the gates and behind the gates now. He just does everything you want him to do,” seven-time Hong Kong champion jockey Purton said. Clocking 21.88s for the final 400m, Ka Ying Rising edged to within a win of equalling the record for the most wins in a Hong Kong season and matching the feats of Beauty Generation and Lucky Sweynesse with eight victories. Hayes said: “He jumped with them and really controlled the race. Zac thought he could’ve waited a bit longer but he just thought he’d put it out of the question and he did – it was just wonderful. “Even Zac’s starting to acknowledge the horse’s ability now. It took a while but he’s starting to say he’s quite special and he really is. He runs those times with ease. The way he looks and the way he’s behaving, he is improving his manners – clearly his ability has been there the whole time. “He’s developing into a more foolproof horse. Today, he took the sit. He doesn’t have to lead – he’s alright with a sit and he’s alright leading, so he’s a beauty. “This was a stepping stone because it was a handicap and he had to give five pounds away but the (Chairman’s Sprint Prize) is set weights and that’s his grand final. It’s what he’s been set for the whole year and if he achieves it, it would be the perfect season.” Horse racing news View the full article

Matthew Poon and Straight Arron triumph at Sha Tin. Photo: HKJC Matthew Poon celebrated the biggest win of his riding career by capturing the HK$5.35 million Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) aboard Straight Arron (123lb) for trainer Ricky Yiu at Sha Tin on Sunday afternoon. Savouring a first Group 2 triumph after previously winning at Group 3 level five times in Hong Kong, Poon expertly saved ground with Straight Arron to surprise by a head over Galaxy Patch (123lb) with Moments In Time (123lb) a half length away in third place. Owned by Karen Lo, who won last Sunday’s HK$26 million Hong Kong Derby (2000m) with Cap Ferrat, Straight Arron is now a five-time winner in Hong Kong, headlined by the 2023 HK$5.35 million Group 2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m). Poon, 31, is a product of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Apprentice Jockeys’ School. He’s won 261 races in Hong Kong, featuring a double on Sunday. His previous biggest conquests came with Jolly Banner in the 2019 Group 3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy Handicap (1000m) and 2020 Group 3 Premier Cup Handicap (1400m), the 2021 and 2022 Group 3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) with Glorious Dragon and Zebrowski, respectively; and the 2021 Group 3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2400m) atop Butterfield. “That’s why I am so excited after the line because this is my first Group 2, so I have got to thank the trainer Ricky and the owner for giving me their good support,” Poon said. “It’s so great I can win on him. Before the race, I already had a feeling I can get something today, so really lucky and excited.” Poon joined Hong Kong’s race-riding ranks in 2017. Before returning to his home city, he commenced overseas training in Australia in 2015, where he was based with leading South Australian trainer Richard Jolly. Poon was a hit in Australia, riding 117 wins Down Under. He was crowned South Australia Champion Apprentice in 2015/16. Sent around as an outsider at odds of +3300 with horse racing bookmakers, six-year-old Straight Arron settled second-to-last from barrier two as Red Lion (123lb) and Happy Together (123lb) took turns in the lead. Beauty Joy made a mid-race move and assumed the front at the 800m mark, taking charge as the field swung for home. Race favourite Galaxy Patch (123lb) was blocked for a run in the straight and switched to the inside, rattling into second place with Straight Arron hugging the rail next to him. Moments In Time enjoyed a clear passage for third as Beauty Joy faded to fifth with Happy Together grabbing fourth position. 2025 Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy Replay – Straight Arron https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Sha-Tin-2025-Group-2-The-Chairmans-Trophy-30032025-Straight-Arron-Ricky-Yiu-Matthew-Poon.mp4 “It was an unbelievable result – a big surprise. The first half of the race didn’t really suit him at the tail and over the mile, I thought it will be a touch sharp for him. He still managed to run through on the rail with the jockey,” Yiu said. “We were walking with the horse and he (Poon) said to me ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he finished in the first three’. I said ‘it would be a big surprise, especially over the trip’.” Formerly a rising force who mixed it with champion galloper Romantic Warrior, Straight Arron’s win this afternoon – in a time of 1m 34.09s – is his first since late 2023. Since then, he has only placed once. His career-best effort across his 25-start Hong Kong career is a close-up fourth in the 2023 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m). Yiu expects Straight Arron to next contest the HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) on FWD Champions Day (Sunday, April 27): “At this stage, most likely Champions Day over the mile. There’s only two options – 2000 (metres) or mile.” The HK$28 million Group 1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) is the alternative race on April 27. Horse racing news View the full article

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Saffie Joseph Jr. collected his fourth consecutive Championship Meet training title with 70 victories and his 12th consecutive title overall at Gulfstream Park. He also topped the trainer standings by purses won with more than $5.8 million.View the full article

If you want a historical prognosticator for success in the GI Kentucky Derby, you can't do much better than running well in the GI Florida Derby. The premier stakes for sophomores at Gulfstream Park has been around since 1952, and in 73 renewals, Florida Derby participants have gone on to win that year's Kentucky Derby 25 times-a better than 1-in-3 strike rate. For perspective, the next-most-productive preps are two far older races, the GI Champagne Stakes (which dates to 1867) and the GI Blue Grass Stakes (first run in 1911), which have yielded 23 Kentucky Derby winners each. On 15 of those 25 occasions, the horse who won the Florida Derby also won the Kentucky Derby, and that trend bodes well for Tappan Street, a $1m FTSAUG colt by Into Mischief who not only has history on his side heading to Louisville, but positive momentum based on his no-nonsense, 1 1/4-length score on Saturday. This Brad Cox trainee for the partnership of WinStar Farm, CHC, and Cold Press Racing always looked in it to win it at every point in the Florida Derby, and the confident, stalking ride by Luis Saez suggested that Tappan Street has enough tactical speed to carve out a forward-placed trip in a 20-horse field while being able to sustain his bid over 10 furlongs. Bet down to the 2.4-1 second choice in the wagering, Tappan Street broke alertly from post nine, then conceded the lead four deep through the first turn. Saez opted for a sweet, in-the-clear spot about 3 1/2 lengths off the pacemakers down the backside, content to bide his time behind sensible opening quarter-mile splits of :23.37 and :23.85. Advancing into third under hand-urging five-sixteenths out, Tappan Street gradually built momentum off the turn while zeroing in on the dueling duo of Madaket Road (Quality Road) and Neoequos (Neolithic) with the tempo waning through third- and fourth-quarter splits of :24.39 and :24.98. Roused for run through the lane, Tappan Street came over the top at the eighth pole while encountering little resistance. Then, with Saez mindful of the onrushing 1.7-1 favorite Sovereignty (Into Mischief), Tappan Street extended fluidly into a higher gear that didn't appear to brush the uppermost range of the colt's power reserves. His last eighth, timed in an okay :12.66, added up to a 1:49.27 final clocking for nine furlongs. You'd think that Gulfstream's mid-season decision to add 53 feet of run-up distance to nine-furlong dirt races (for a total of 123 feet of run-up) might have made for a faster Florida Derby this year, but that was not the case. The clocking came back more or less on par with recent editions. Tappan Street's winning effort translated to a 94 winning Beyer Speed Figure, which is on the low side but not at all out of whack compared to the last six runnings of the Florida Derby (in order from 2024 back: 110, 95, 96, 94, 96 and 101). That 101 winning Florida Derby figure in 2019 belonged to Maximum Security, who, because of a disqualification for a foul in that year's Kentucky Derby, does not appear on the historical list of winners of both the Florida and Kentucky Derbies. But that colt did cross the finish wire first under the twin spires six springs ago, and it was jockey Saez who was aboard Maximum Security in both Florida and Kentucky. What time frame now seems longer in Saez's mind-the 22 agonizing minutes that the Churchill Downs stewards required to adjudicate Maximum Security's controversial infraction on May 4, 2019, or the five Derbies since in which Saez has had four subsequent mounts but has come no closer than fourth, ninth, tenth and seventeenth? But while the Florida/Kentucky Derby metric is in Saez's favor this season, Tappan Street will be advancing to the Kentucky Derby off only three lifetime races, which means he must overcome two other significant historical hurdles related to that lack of experience. Prior to winning the Florida Derby, Tappan Street broke his maiden at first asking in a seven-eighths Gulfstream sprint Dec. 28 (a race yielded three next-out winners). He then came back to run a game second as the favorite in his first two-turn attempt, the Feb. 1 GIII Holy Bull Stakes. Since 1937, only three horses have won the Derby going into the race with exactly three lifetime starts: Big Brown (2008), Justify (2018) and Mage (2023). And between 2017 and 2024, horses with only two starts at age 3 prior to the Kentucky Derby are a collective 0-for-49. However, that two-at-three template worked well over the previous decade, producing eight Derby winners between 2007 and 2016. Cornucopian and Speed King set torrid fractions only to fade late in the Arkansas Derby | Coady Media Pace puts the 'Hot' in Hot Springs… Saturday's other Grade I, 1 1/8-miles prep stakes, the Arkansas Derby, also delivered intrigue. But the race could hardly be described as an artistic success, and the 2 1/4-length, deep-closing, stretch-swerving win by Sandman (Tapit) resonated as an artifact of a resounding pace meltdown. How fast were 'TDN Rising Star' Cornucopian (Into Mischief) and Speed King (Volatile) zipping along on the front end under John Velazquez and Rafael Bejarano, respectively? For perspective, the first two quarter-mile splits of :22.46 and :22.75 were the quickest opening fractions in any nine-furlong, points-awarding Derby prep stakes in the past two years. At one point down the backstretch, the margin back to the main body of the field was at least 10 lengths. As a result, once it collapsed, the intemperate duel between the 9-10 favorite and the 15-1 long shot resulted in the slowest third- and fourth-quarter splits (:25.16 and :26.74) of any nine-furlong Derby prep stakes in the past two years. Put another way, when was the last time you saw an Equibase chart caller twice invoke the word “suicidal” (“suicidal duel, weakened” for Cornucopian's running-line comment and “suicidal duel, caved” for Speed King) in a Grade I stakes? The blistering early half mile also stood out because Velazquez–long considered one of the country's most astute front-end riders–was the jockey who committed his inexperienced but heavily favored second-time-starter to such unsustainable early fractions. “Nothing else you can say. We went fast,” the Hall-of-Fame jockey bluntly assessed after Cornucopian faded to fourth and Speed King straggled home sixth. The prime beneficiary of that too-fast-to-last pace was the 3.7-1 Sandman for trainer Mark Casse and the partnership of D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables. The $1.2-million OBSMAR gray had been coming up just shy with his late runs when second and third in two prior Oaklawn Park prep stakes at 1 1/16 miles. The added half-furlong and torrid tempo afforded jockey Jose Ortiz an ideal setup to showcase Sandman's closing kick. Careening five wide into the lane, Sandman made quick work of blowing by the capitulating leaders and then collaring the 3-1 second choice, Coal Battle (Coal Front), who had mustered first run into the meltdown. Ortiz whipped Sandman once left-handed in mid-stretch, which caused the colt to veer sharply outward ahead of the only rival with a realistic chance to catch him, the seven-start maiden Publisher (American Pharoah). Although the Oaklawn stewards looked at this incident after Sandman crossed the wire first, they determined that the winner was well clear and allowed the result to stand, sparing an already-odd edition of the Arkansas Derby from further chaos. Sandman's closing furlong timed in :12.97 was the slowest among the six Derby prep stakes at nine furlongs that have been run so far in 2024-25. However, Sandman's final time of 1:50.08 equated to a 99 Beyer, which is the fastest figure out of the Arkansas Derby since Omaha Beach ran a 101 in 2019 (previous five years 98, 94, 92, 92, 98 and 96 in reverse chronological order, including two divisions in 2020). The post Week In Review: Will Road to Louisville Once Again Run Through Florida? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sandman and Publisher, 1-2, respectively, in the Arkansas Derby (G1) are scheduled to ship March 31 to Churchill Downs to begin preparations for the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1), their respective trainers said March 30.View the full article

Gulfstream Park's 2024-2025 Championship Meet came to an abrupt end when March 30's closing day program was canceled prior to the sixth of 12 scheduled races.View the full article

WinStar Farm, CHC, and Cold Press Racing's Tappan Street exited his 1 1/4-length victory over Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) winner Sovereignty in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park March 29 in good order.View the full article

Ciaron Maher celebrated his first Australian Cup (G1) win, but not with the runner many expected as Light Infantry Man grabbed his second elite-level win in the Flemington showpiece March 29.View the full article

The Championship Meet titles have been decided at Gulfstream Park with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., and owner Ken Ramsey topping their respective categories. Joseph collected his fourth consecutive meeting accolade with 70 victories and his 12th consecutive title overall at the track. In addition to wins, he also topped the standing by purses won with more than $5.8-million to his credit. Highlights included MGISW White Abarrio (Race Day) and his exhibition-like performances in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational and last Saturday's GIII Ghostzapper Stakes on the Florida Derby undercard. “This has definitely been our best meet because this is the first time we're going to lead in earnings and winners. I think last year we got beat by a small margin in earnings, so it just shows that we have some quality horses,” Joseph said. “All the credit to the owners for giving us the horses. We're very thankful to them.” White Abarrio's pilot in both those scores, Irad Ortiz Jr., collected his third straight Championship Meet title with 109 wins. He's claimed the riding crown in six of the past seven meetings. Ken Ramsey took home the owner title for a second straight time with 18 victories. The Royal Palm meeting gets underway Thursday, will run through Aug. 30, and will include qualifiers for the Royal Ascot Stakes in June. The post Joseph, Ortiz Jr., Ramsey Defend Championship Meet Titles appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A powerful thunderstorm and threat of continuing downpours through the afternoon caused the cancellation of racing at Gulfstream Park prior to the sixth of 12 scheduled races Sunday. The card was the closing day program of Gulfstream's Championship meet. A mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool, which was slated for Sunday's program, will be rescheduled. There is a carryover of $288,488.31 from Saturday's Florida Derby Day card. Live racing resumes Thursday at Gulfstream with the opening of the spring-summer Royal Palm Meet, which runs through Aug. 31. Post time for the first of eight races is 12:50 p.m. The post Weather Causes Cancellation at Gulfstream Sunday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

GI Florida Derby hero Tappan Street (Into Mischief) has emerged from his Saturday exploits in good order, but his trainer revealed that a travel itinerary has not yet been decided for the trip north to the Twin Spires. The son of Into Mischief got the best of GII Fountain of Youth victor Sovereignty (Into Mischief) to claim his 100 points to the first Saturday in May, and the aforementioned runner-up also secured a berth into the race with 50. Tappan Street currently sits in third with 110 and is tied with Sovereignty by overall point count. “He's great. He looked really good this morning. We shipped him back last night to Payson. He looked great this morning. We're very happy,” said trainer Brad Cox. “We're not sure when we're shipping to Kentucky. They're going to have some wet weather throughout the week, so it might be the first part of next week before he gets there.” Gulfstream Oaks Heroine Five G Knows Her Kentucky Plans With her 2 1/4-length victory Saturday in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, Five G (Vekoma) will remain in Florida for the immediate future before making her next start in the May 2 GI Kentucky Oaks. The Gatsas Stables homebred–who carries the same silks as her sire did in his racing career–has come out of her effort well and will remain in Florida for several weeks before shipping up for the big dance. “We are over the top. She ran a big race, for sure. We were thrilled to be there and see it,” [owner] Mike Gatsas said. “[Trainer] George [Weaver] called me this morning and said that she ate up last night and came out of the stall fine, and everything looked good.” “She'll stay with George for a while and then head over there in a couple weeks, three weeks, something like that. We're looking forward to getting to Kentucky.” The New York-bred earned 100 points to the Oaks, and currently sits in third with 125 total. Runner-up Anna's Promise (Promises Fulfilled), a former $50,000 claimer two starts prior, garnered 50 points to sit in 13th and is also under consideration for the GI Kentucky Oaks. “We got some points, so we'll see what happens,” trainer Carlos David said. Saturday's GII Fantasy Stakes victress 'TDN Rising Star' Quietside (Malibu Moon) currently leads the pack with 168 as undefeated Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) sits in second with 145 after her win in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 22. The post Brad Cox ‘Happy’ with Tappan Street, Five G Headed to Kentucky appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Clever Again (c, 3, American Pharoah–Flattering {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), coming off a 3 1/4-length maiden score, made the jump to stakes company with aplomb Sunday, going wire-to-wire to win the Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn Park. The 6-5 shot set fractions of :23.76 and :46.98 with even-money favorite Gaming (Game Winner) tracking in second. Clever Again opened up on the final turn and sailed clear to an easy open-lengths victory, completing the mile in 1:37.13. Clever Again missed by just a head when second in his 4 1/2-furlong unveiling at Keeneland in April of 2024. In his first start since that effort, the bay colt went wire-to-wire to graduate over 1 1/16 miles in Hot Springs Feb. 23. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0. O-Winchell Thoroughbreds, Mrs John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (Ky); T-Steve Asmussen. #5 CLEVER AGAIN ($4.40) secures his first stakes victory in the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes at @OaklawnRacing. The three-year-old American Pharoah (@CoolmoreAmerica) colt was ridden by @jose93_ortiz for trainer Steve Asmussen. Clever Again is now 2-for-3. pic.twitter.com/hsk3j8hVdi — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) March 30, 2025 The post American Pharoah’s Clever Again Wires the Hot Springs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rice, topping the trainer's ranks, captured the Aqueduct winter meet for the third consecutive year after pacing the 2023 meet with 36 wins and repeating that feat last year with 23 victories.View the full article

Linda Rice led all trainers and owners at the Aqueduct winter meet, which began Jan. 1, and Manny Franco topped the leading riders list as the circuit swaps over to the spring meeting starting Thursday, NYRA announced Sunday afternoon. Rice claimed 51 wins as a trainer to capture the title for the third consecutive year since the 2023 meet, and secured her fifth winter title overall. Her record of 217-51-38-29 was good for a win rate of 23.5% and an in-the-money strike rate of 54.38%. Meet highlights included Sand Devil (Violence) in the Listed Damon Runyon Stakes–who was also runner-up Mar. 1 in the GIII Gotham Stakes–and MSW Sheriff Bianco (Speightster) in the Say Florida Sandy Stakes. Rick Dutrow Jr. finished second with 18 and Rudy Rodriguez claimed third with 14 victories. Rice also led the owner's standings with 22 wins to secure her third ownership crown, fending off Michael Dubb in second with 12 and Sanford J. Goldfarb in third with 11 wins. “It has been a very good winter for us. The conditions were pretty rough this winter, so I am glad to see spring coming because it was a hard winter weather-wise,” Rice said. “The horses performed well, and my staff really put in a Grade A effort all winter long under tough conditions, so I'm really proud of them” Jockey Manny Franco took home his fifth winter riding title after posting 64 wins, and capped the meeting with a final count of 285-64-64-56 with earnings north of $3.5-million. Franco was NYRA's year-end leading rider 2018-2019 and in 2023. He was aboard Captain Cook (Practical Joke) in the Listed Withers Stakes and has the return call for Saturday's GII Wood Memorial with 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points on the line. Jose Lezcano finished second with 56 wins and Kendrick Carmouche was third with 46. The post Linda Rice Leading Trainer, Owner at Aqueduct Winter Meet, Manny Franco Tops Rider Rankings appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

To David Heckerman's thought-provoking list of Defining Developments might be added another profound change which has occurred in the years since your first visit to Ellis Park. Six decades ago, most Americans had some familiarity with equines of many breeds, not only in the countryside but in towns and cities. This was becoming increasingly rare, of course, but, as a youngster in the 1950s, I remember horse-drawn ice wagons on the streets of New York, and carriage horses and riding stables on the West Side. (Interestingly, television Westerns were at the height of their popularity through the 1960s, until they, too, galloped off into the sunset.) But most important was the familiarity with the sights, sounds and smells of living equines. and the understanding of their strength, fragility, and contribution to the world they shared with humankind. People flocked to the racetrack for the gambling, yes, but also for the love of the sport and the extraordinary living creatures at its core. Many people do today, of course, but in numbers that have plummeted. What a challenge it must be to “market” Thoroughbred racing to a majority population that, for two generations at least, has lived in a world without horses. Michael Burns Cambus-Kenneth Farm Danville, KY The post Letters to the Editor: A World Without Horses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There are three horse racing meetings set for Australia on Monday, March 31. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Yarra Valley. Monday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – March 31, 2025 Yarra Valley Racing Tips As always, there are plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans. Check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on March 31, 2025 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit today. “GETON is not a bonus code. Neds does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. Full terms. BlondeBet Signup Code GETON 2 Punters Prefer Blondes BlondeBet Blonde Boosts – Elevate your prices! Join BlondeBet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. WHAT ARE YOU REALLY GAMBLING WITH? full terms. Dabble Signup Code AUSRACING 3 Say Hey to the social bet! Dabble You Better Believe It Join Dabble Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Full terms. Recommended! 4 Next Gen Racing Betting Picklebet Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Full terms. 5 It Pays To Play PlayUp Aussie-owned horse racing specialists! Check Out PlayUp Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Full terms. Bet365 Signup Code GETON 6 Never Ordinary Bet365 World Favourite! Visit Bet365 Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. GETON is not a bonus code. bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. What’s gambling really costing you? Full terms. Horse racing tips View the full article

Travel plans for the GI Arkansas Derby runners are taking shape as top two Sandman (Tapit) and Publisher (American Pharoah) are scheduled to make the move to Churchill Monday. Positive prognoses abound Sunday as trainers prepared their charges for the haul to Churchill Downs ahead of the final preparations for the first Saturday in May. Sandman relished not only the added distance, as his dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse predicted, but also the meteoric pace up front courtesy of Cornucopian (Into Mischief) and Speed King (Volatile). His preliminary Beyer figure of 99 is a career high for the grey and the son of Tapit heads to Kentucky with 129 points as the current leader. “[Jockey] Jose [Ortiz] and I talked about it before the race,” Casse said. “Again, we thought as the day was going on, if you watched the races, speed was holding pretty good in a few prior races. But we both talked about it and said: 'Look, we don't care what happens. We're going to let him get into his stride and go from there.' Never did we dream that we would get a pace scenario like we got. Jose told me he thought he was a winner, down the middle of the backside.” Seven-race maiden Publisher just keeps showing up, and that salt-of-the-earth tenacity is what trainer Steve Asmussen is counting on as the son of the 2015 Triple Crown winner heads to Louisville with 60 points to his name. Having competed in all three of Oaklawn's Derby preps, and getting an early jump on the 'zoo-like' atmosphere that is a hallmark for America's marquee race, Publisher currently sits 10th on the leaderboard. “I think the Arkansas Derby is a wonderful prep for [the Kentucky Derby atmosphere],” Asmussen said. “The infield, with 68,000 people–I definitely know that Publisher's got a beautiful temperament for a race of that size. That's not going to throw him off whatsoever. He stepped up and ran a 95 Beyer yesterday. He's on the cusp of it, but we've got to find more.” Fan-favorite Coal Battle (Coal Front) put in a characteristically honest race to claim third despite suffering his first loss in six starts on the dirt and has also emerged from the Arkansas Derby in good form. Trainer Lonnie Briley believes the colt's demeanor Saturday did a lot to contribute to the loss. “He was just too high,” Briley said. “He was on the muscle in the paddock and I had to finish saddling him on the walk. He beat himself. He didn't want to settle. When he broke the gates, he wanted to go. He was just high yesterday.” Coal Battle will spend 'about 10 days' at Oaklawn Park before shipping over to continue preparations for the Kentucky Derby. With his wins in the Listed Smarty Jones and GII Rebel Stakes, he has garnered 95 points to currently rank sixth. The post Arkansas Derby Exacta Ships to Churchill Monday, Coal Battle Scheduled for Later Trip appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Racing Association has canceled March 30's eight-race card at Aqueduct Racetrack due to unacceptable noise levels created by the "March Madness Auto and Bike Show," an event being held at the neighboring Resorts World Casino.View the full article