Wandering Eyes

In his first season in New Orleans, jockey Jose Ortiz was the runaway winner of the jockeys' premiership at the Fair Grounds, while Joe Sharp and Godolphin took home honors as leading trainer and owner, respectively. Ortiz rode the winners of 98 races during the meet, the most recorded by any jockey since Florent Geroux accumulated the same number of winners during the 2016-2017 season. Ortiz finished some 43 winner clear of Jareth Loveberry, with Ben Curtis in third on 49 winners. “I've had huge support from the trainers and owners here in Louisiana and I really appreciate it,” said Ortiz, who put an exclamation point on the season with five winners on closing day Mar. 23. “I want to thank all of them, and especially everyone working on the backside. Without all of them, it's impossible to do it. “[Agent] Steve Rushing did such a nice job with my book,” Ortiz said. “I'm very thankful to have him as my agent. Hopefully I'll be back next year. We'll sit down and figure it out, but I don't see why not.” Sharp recorded 40 winners during the season–nine during the closing week alone–good for a 26% strike rate, while besting trainer Brad Cox on 31 victories. Shane Wilson was third with 27 winners, 17 of those coming in the final two months. “In some of the years it didn't seem like the right thing to push for (the title), but this year with how we were sitting a month out, we wanted to do it,” Sharp said. “Our team works hard, and all my assistants work their butts off. Mid-meet I started to feel an obligation (to win the title) for them. They were watching closely and I saw how engaged they were.” Steve Asmussen saddled 22 winners at the meet, among them GII Risen Star Stakes winner Magnitude (Not This Time) and GII Louisiana Derby hero Tiztastic (Tiz the Law), which helped to make him the leading trainer by earnings with just shy of $2.4 million. Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) cemented her status as the leading candidate for the GI Kentucky Oaks with wins in the GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes and GII Fair Grounds Oaks, and that helped carry Godolphin to a meet-best 11 winners, three better than Allied Racing Stable, Earl Hernandez, Keith Hernandez and John Duvielh and Keith Plaisance on eight wins. The post Ortiz, Sharp, Godolphin Take Fair Grounds Titles appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Those of us fortunate to have been in the Thoroughbred industry for any length of time–whether with hands on horses daily or from behind a desk or from somewhere in between–have seen hundreds, and more likely thousands, of horses in this sport. It can be easy to pass one up at the sales if they don't have perfect conformation or drop one in for a claim if they haven't measured up on the track. But what we may sometimes forget is that we are all here because of a love for the horse. It all boils down to that one simple fact. We all got into this sport, either by birth or by intention, because we feel a pull toward these amazing creatures who know just how to touch our hearts and how to turn something they do naturally–run like the wind–into something that surpasses even the most exquisite poetry we can imagine. Every once in a while, something happens that makes us pause in our busy days and brings us back to that pure adulation for the horse. It might be the uplifting connection between Cody Dorman and Cody's Wish (Curlin). It might be the collective rooting for a fan favorite like Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) in last year's GI Travers Stakes. Or it might be something humbler: the bond between a lovely human and her off-the-track Thoroughbred. We've written about New Years Eve before, last year when he turned 38. But sometimes it's nice to know the story behind why there's a special relationship between a horse and a human. This old former racehorse and his owner, Julie Izzo, willingly remind us of the love two creatures can share and how that love can sustain both. He's never been an easy horse to be around, says Izzo, and he's not pampered. He's also had two near-death experiences, each more than 20 years ago. “He's a jackass, but he's my jackass,” said Izzo with palpable affection a few days after he turned 39 on St. Patrick's Day. And yes, he is named New Years Eve although he was foaled on St. Patrick's Day. Izzo laughs at the mention of it. “I have no idea why! It's the dumbest name on the planet. There's so many great things associated with St. Patrick's Day, but maybe they wanted another holiday that started with an 'N' since his sire's name started with 'N' [Night Conqueror]? It's the only thing I can think of.” New Years Eve enjoys birthday raspberries sent by the owner of Dead Solid Perfect, who was the oldest American Thoroughbred on record | Sarah Andrew By all accounts, New Years Eve, who has officially turned 39 and is nicknamed 'Axl' due to Izzo's fondness for Guns N' Roses, is the second-oldest American Thoroughbred on record. Dead Solid Perfect, who died in 2022 at 39 years and 188 days, is believed to hold the U.S. record. Prospect Point reportedly was 38 years and 204 days when he died in 2016, while Lexingtonians will be most familiar with Merrick, whose passing in 1941 as America's oldest-known Thoroughbred at the time was covered extensively in the Thoroughbred Record, which opined: “It is heartening in this day when commercialism and the stress of living would seem to have bludgeoned so many of the finer feelings and instincts into insensibility to know that there are so many persons who really love a horse, cherish the memory of his deeds and appreciate the sentiment that leads to his care and well-being long after his day is done.” The Lexington restaurant Merrick Inn, which is housed in the former manor house of the farm where Merrick spent his retirement, is named in his honor. Merrick, who died at 38 years and 49 days, significantly outlived the previous documented American recordholder: Kenilworth, who passed away two weeks shy of age 35. The birthday boy | Sarah Andrew Does the record matter to Izzo? “Not really,” she said. “It's one of those things that would be cool, but at the end of the day it's just a number. I really hope more horses surpass him. Bridget [Eukers, owner of Dead Solid Perfect] told me that when Axl turned 38. I think with all the advancements we have–better access to nutrition, better knowledge about nutrition, better access to health care–it's going to open the door for more horses to live longer. That's my dream. I want more people to become aware of better ways to take care of their horses. If there's any legacy that Axl leaves behind, it's that people take it upon themselves to learn better horse husbandry tactics. “I really hope people aren't just amazed by [Axl's age], but it makes them wonder, 'What was she doing and what were the philosophies that helped get these animals to this phase?' I want people to learn more about natural horsemanship, learn more about how wild horses live and try and replicate that as much as possible within a domesticated situation. You're never going to go wrong trying to keep a horse in a more natural state. Learn from your horse. They're there to teach you, not the other way around. Listen to them.” Extreme senior horses may be rare, but Axl is Izzo's second. She also had a Quarter Horse mare who lived to the age of 40. She's clearly doing something right. New Years Eve the day after turning 39 last week | Sarah Andrew “I cannot beat the drum hard enough to start treating your horse like a horse and not like a human child,” said Izzo. “This comes up every time we talk about Axl being old. First thing people want to know is, 'What do you feed him?' I can tell you what I feed him, but it's irrelevant. I did a lot of research–really got into what makes their cells the healthiest–but I thought about horses in the wild. Why don't they require corrective shoeing, why don't they require dentistry, why are they so healthy? My number one thing I tell people is keeping a horse in a stall is a death sentence. It literally affects every aspect of their being. Their digestive system is meant for the horse to be moving, not standing in one place eating.” It probably doesn't need to be said that Axl lives outdoors on Izzo's property which is near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Concessions to his age include blanketing during the winter, but that's a more recent development of the last few years. Izzo said the heat of summer is harder on Axl than the cold of winter. Axl has been with Izzo through thick and thin. Although she said it was love at first sight on her end, the longevity of their relationship has cemented their bond. “My husband retired from the Army in 2008 and this horse was there with me through deployments, through so many military moves. I told my husband, 'When you were in Haiti, this horse was there for me. I cried into his mane.' And that was in 1995! I was 28 years old when I got him and I'm about to turn 59.” After growing up riding ex-racehorses, Izzo always wanted a horse of her own, particularly a bay Thoroughbred with a lot of fire, “as if they're not a dime a dozen,” she said with a laugh. She and her husband were stationed at Fort Hood in Texas in 1993, short on money but with a surprise $700 from their tax return. Izzo spotted an ad for Axl in the newspaper. With her arm in a soft cast from an injury caused by another horse, she borrowed a trailer and drove to Austin, intent on bringing New Years Eve home. Axl's breeder, owner, and trainer, John A. Howe, had sold him after an undistinguished racing career. “To Mr. Vasquez, I think his name was,” said Izzo. “This guy bought Axl for his kid's first horse. They bought him pretty immediately after the track and knew nothing about horses, so they just kept feeding him what he was eating while he was racing. This horse was high as a kite! And then they were terrified of him, rightfully so, so they never took him out of the stall because they were scared to death of him. It was the worst recipe I'd ever heard.” New Years Eve, aka Axl, at age 39 | Sarah Andrew It took a long time for Axl and Izzo to come to an understanding and for the horse to learn to walk under saddle instead of run. “We went through a learning process,” remembered Izzo. “I thought I knew what I was doing, but looking back, I made a lot of mistakes and Axl was not very forgiving. He has always been very opinionated, he has always been a very bullish horse, and he does not suffer fools gladly. I have loved him from the minute I laid eyes on him, but he has put me in my place more than once. He was a very difficult horse and I grew up with difficult horses, but he set the bar high.” When the pair were a few years into developing their relationship, the Army got in the way with a 45-day notice of a multi-year, overseas deployment. It was incredibly cost prohibitive to ship horses overseas at the time and Izzo scrambled to find someone she could trust with Axl and the two additional horses she had added to her herd by then. When Izzo was finally able to return stateside after a year and a half to check on the horses, she found all three of her horses neglected and suffering from starvation. She immediately found a new place to board them, but was horrified. She told the van driver she hired that she knew the horses might not survive the trip and she wouldn't hold him responsible if any of them died en route. Somehow, they lived, but it wouldn't be the last time Axl hovered between life and death. “Being away from my horses was the worst thing ever,” said Izzo. “There was a series of horrible events.” Julie Izzo and Axl | Sarah Andrew Upon returning to the U.S., Izzo, her husband, and the horses ended up in Virginia. Almost immediately, the excellent barn Izzo chose to board at was faced with horses colicking and dying in a matter of days for no apparent reason. Four of his barnmates had already died when Axl was stricken. It turned out growing conditions for the hay had been just right for panicum toxicity, resulting in liver disease in 14 horses in the barn. Perhaps it was his fiery spirit, but Axl was one of the ones who survived. “So it's not like he lived a completely charmed life,” said Izzo. “His body went through some trauma that should have taken a toll on him. He's withstood some crap that should have taken him out a long time ago.” About five years after the panicum toxicity, when he was in his early 20s, Axl was diagnosed with PPID, or Cushing's Disease. “They say the life span of a horse with Cushing's is typically within 10 years of being diagnosed,” said Izzo. “I believe he was diagnosed officially in 2009 or 10. He's done remarkably well.” Despite all the challenges, Axl has kept on trucking and Izzo has kept on learning from him and loving him. At this point, New Years Eve is not just vintage. He's practically an antique. Even the Texas-bred's pedigree rises from the dusty pages of history. The oldest horse on his five-cross pedigree is the 1906 Bachelor's Double (GB), himself a great-grandson of Bend Or (GB). Yes, that Bend Or from 1877. Other ancestors showing up in Axl's pedigree within five generations include the great Mahmoud (Fr), Phalaris (GB), Ksar (Fr), Sir Gallahad III (Fr), and War Relic. His broodmare sire, Amber Morn, was born in 1956! As he had just two wins from 18 starts in lower-level races at Mountaineer and Atokad Park, none of those illustrious names had much effect on Axl's racing talent, but it is still a jolt to see them on a living horse's page. Axl relaxes last week at home in Pennsylvania | Sarah Andrew When Axl was born in 1986, Ronald Reagan was president. Michael Jordan, just a year removed from his rookie season, hadn't yet won an NBA championship. It was the year Oprah Winfrey's daytime talk show went national, as well as the year of the space shuttle Challenger disaster and the year of the Chernobyl explosion. Top Gun–the first one–was released in 1986. CDs were still a few years away from overtaking cassette tapes, and it would be another decade before DVDs were even invented. Mobile phones were the size of a brick, while home computers existed but the internet was still seven years away from making it to the public. Closer to home, in racing, the Breeders' Cup would be contested for only the third time. Three sons of Northern Dancer held the top three spots on the year-end sire lists of 1986: Lyphard, Nijinsky II, and Danzig. Woody Stephens won his fifth-straight Belmont Stakes. D. Wayne Lukas had yet to win his first Kentucky Derby and Bob Baffert hadn't even begun training Thoroughbreds yet. It was also the year Sunday Silence and Easy Goer were born. Sunday Silence and Easy Goer were beloved by millions and have long since passed away. New Years Eve, whose fan base is much smaller, is still with us. He may not have won Classics, but his title as the oldest currently living American Thoroughbred matters more to Izzo, as it's a testament of the devotion a person can have for a horse and a reminder of why this sport captured us in the first place. “It could have been just me and him in our quiet little corner of the world, but I just love the people that actually care about all this,” said Izzo. “It means a lot.” Izzo hasn't ridden Axl in four or five years and the last time was just a slow lap around the field with nothing but a halter on him. She said she used to ride six days a week, year-round. She would keep him forever if she could, but she knows his time on this earth is drawing short. “He's 39, not a spring chicken,” said Izzo. “He's in great shape, he looks good, but he has been struggling to get up for a few months now. It's not like it's awful; all I have to do is put the halter on and give him a little bit of tension and that's enough for him to pull against to get himself up. He just needs something to brace against to get himself up. “I have been well aware that a decision is going to have to be made and I've been trying to put it off, but he has lost his spark. He's always been a very fiery horse and I've noticed over the past few months that he's becoming dull. I told my husband, 'He's telling me.' “I'm not ready, I'll never be ready, but he's ready. Even though I could do heroic things and keep him going, I know it's inevitable. I don't want to sully his memory in any form.” Julie Izzo shares a quiet moment with New Years Eve | Sarah Andrew While Izzo knows losing Axl, sooner rather than later, is inevitable, it doesn't make it easy. “He's been my horse for 32 years. It's really hard to comprehend that he won't be there. Keeping him going at this point is more for my comfort then his and that's not fair. I used to work for a vet and the adage in the veterinary world is better a day too soon than a day too late. He's tired. Deep down, I know it's right. “I just want to focus on him. He's had a great life. I'm so lucky. Most people don't get to keep their favorite animal for 32 years.” When that day does come, Izzo doesn't think she'll get another horse. She's able to face the question with dignity and humor. “Right now my answer is no. There are several reasons; one is that I'm really good at keeping old horses alive! if I have another horse 32 years from now, I'm going to be in my 80s and 90s! That's the first thing I think of: what if I keep another horse alive that long?” After a hearty laugh that belies the pain of losing her dearest friend, Izzo continues. “It's an emotional thing. Any other horse wouldn't be Axl. Those hooves are too big to fill at this moment.” In anyone else's hands, New Years Eve would likely have succumbed to his age long ago and would be just one of the forgotten thousands of horses who graced the racetrack once upon a time. But he matters to somebody. They all matter. May Izzo's dedication to him be a reminder to all of us that love for the horse got us into this wonderful sport. And may this grand 39-year-old former racehorse inspire us to remember that every single one of them matters. The post ‘Hooves Too Big to Fill’–America’s Oldest Thoroughbred Turns 39 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockey Junior Alvarado, who has ridden leading GI Kentucky Derby chance Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in each of his four career starts to date, will miss about three weeks after fracturing his shoulder blade in a Sunday accident at Gulfstream Park. Daily Racing Form was first to report the news. Alvarado's mount in Sunday's 10th race at Gulfstream Park suffered a fatal heart attack, according to DRF, and the rider's agent Mike Sellitto told the publication that Alvarado was looking after his horse when he was clipped by another horse in the field. A Monday X-ray confirmed the injury. “The injury was very slight, they could barely find it at first on the X-ray, but barring a miracle, Junior will likely miss about three weeks,” Sellitto told the Form. Sovereignty is the morning-line favorite for Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby, and Sellitto told Daily Racing Form that trainer Bill Mott is scheduled to confer with Godolphin principles on Tuesday to go over their options. Sovereignty broke his maiden in the GIII Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs Oct. 27 and turned in a sensational sophomore debut when running down 'TDN Rising Star' River Thames (Maclean's Music) to take out the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes on Mar. 1. The post Sovereignty Jockey Alvarado Injured, Sidelined appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Two meetings at Cambridge, including Friday’s dress rehearsal for their Night of Champions and a Sunday triple header all feature in this week’s harness racing around the country. Cambridge kicks things off today with Ashburton tomorrow before Friday Night Lights at Cambridge and Addington. Cambridge’s Friday programme features the two Waikato Flying Miles. Merlin, Duchess Megxit, Mo’unga and Rakero Rocket are the headliners in the Pacers event, with Australian Not As Promised lining up against Bet N Win and Oscar Bonavena in the Trotters’ Mile. Both races will be keenly analysed with the $1m Race by betcha and the $600,000 TAB Trot on the following Friday, April 4. Then to round out the week there are three meetings on Sunday, with Rangiora and Wyndham followed by a twilight meeting at Manawatu. Ruby Ridge one of a number of chances for Blanchards at Cambridge tonight By Brigette Solomon The Pukekohe training partnership of Peter and Vaughan Blanchard have a team of four runners tonight at Cambridge Raceway, all with good each way chances. All four of the stable’s horses raced at Cambridge last Tuesday, with Ultimate Mach scoring his maiden victory and stable mate Always B Mine finishing second just 0.75 lengths behind him. “They’ve all been racing well and start tonight off the back of good performances last week,” said Blanchard “Always B Mine is up first and he raced well last week and has worked good since but he has a few tricks up his sleeve and once again doesn’t have a great starting draw (7).” The four-year-old gelding has had just five starts to date with his second placing last week being his best performance to date. In that race he also started from barrier seven, with driver Peter Ferguson opting to take all the short cuts and settling three back on the fence in running, and although briefly held up on the final bend, Always B Mine ran on nicely once obtaining a run up the passing lane. He is driven again tonight by Ferguson in the Lewis Lawyers Mobile Pace over 2200 metres. “Ultimate Mach has trained on well after his win and seems really well in himself, he’s another with a few tricks but does have some ability and I think he’s capable of another good race tonight” says Blanchard. Ultimate Mach won his maiden race comfortably last week, when starting from the ace draw, he led from start to finish in the hands of Andre Poutama indicating he is capable of being competitive as he steps up in grade tonight. Also driven by Ferguson, Ultimate Mach starts in the Betavet Buildagut Mobile Pace from barrier five. In the 2200 metres Dunstan Horsefeeds Mobile Trot the Blanchard partnership start Ruby Ridge, a winner of seven races at this course, five of those over this distance and three from a mobile start. The Majestic Son mare finished second behind Mazeppa here last week. “She loves a mobile start and is a very fast beginner, the last mobile start she raced in she won,” says Blanchard, “I think she’s probably one of our better chances tonight, prior to last week she’d had a bit of a freshen up and raced well, and she’s actually now in foal so we will only have a couple more starts with her and it would be really nice to get another win with her.” “Our other trotter racing tonight, Patrick Mahomes, is very consistent but hasn’t drawn so well starting from six, although he can hold his own off the mobile,” says Blanchard. The four-year-old by Father Patrick hasn’t finished worse than fifth place in his past six starts, and his two wins have both come at Cambridge Raceway over the 2200 metre journey. He finished fourth there last week, when just 1.2 lengths off race winner Castana. Tonight, Patrick Mahomes starts in the Gavelhouse.com Mobile Trot and is driven by Peter Ferguson. Racing gets underway tonight at 4:55pm. View the full article

The lawyer for New York-based trainer Gary Contessa said the veteran conditioner is considering his options after the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) ruled on Monday to reduce a $4,000 stewards' fine to $1,500 for his violation last autumn of a state “claiming jail” rule. Contessa was initially fined Oct. 17 after he ran Answer the Call (Dialed In) in a Sept. 25 claiming race at Delaware Park. He had claimed that filly out of an Aug. 4 race at Saratoga and believed she would be allowed to run outside of New York because more than 30 days had elapsed since the claim. But Contessa soon found out the hard way that despite his due diligence in double-checking the rule, it had recently been changed so that no claimed horse could run at any track outside of the New York Racing Association (NYRA) circuit for 60 days. After being fined by NYSGC steward Braulio Baeza Jr., who heads the board of three stewards at NYRA tracks, Contessa protested to Baeza that he had checked the NYRA website to make sure he could ship Answer the Call out of town without being in violation of any rule. But NYRA's online rules page had not been updated to reflect the extended 60-day period that had gone into effect July 24. Contessa admitted that he did not triple-check the NYRA rules listings against the NYSGC website. Contessa's version of his conversation with Baeza over the violation included a verbal exchange in which he said he complained to the head NYSGC steward that the fine was out of line with the infraction, but that Baeza's response was, “'That's my minimum fine. We give fines that count now.” After Contessa retained attorney Drew Mollica, they built an appeal based on what seemed to be a precedent: According to Mollica, trainer Amy Albright had violated the very same rule when shipping a horse she had claimed at Finger Lakes out of town without waiting out the 60-day period. She was fined just $200. At the Mar. 24 commission meeting, NYSGC chair executive director Robert Williams read into the record that the hearing officer assigned to Contessa's appeal had determined that a violation did, in fact occur, and his recommended fine knocked the original $4,000 penalty down to $1,500. NYSGC chair Brian O'Dwyer then said that, “The commission duly deliberated and considered this matter, and determined, on a 6-0 vote, to affirm the hearing officer's findings, but to modify his findings to provide for a $1,500 fine instead.” As per the way the NYSGC traditionally handles adjudications, the commissioners did not publicly discuss or debate the case during the open meeting. They had done so in private prior to the outcome being read into the record by O'Dwyer at Monday's meeting. Contessa's attorney weighed in on the reduced fine after the meeting concluded. “Obviously, I'm pleased about two things,” Mollica said. “That both the hearing officer and the commission clearly saw that the original penalty imposed was completely out of line given the circumstances. “Secondly, I appreciate that the commission saw fit to reduce it even more,” Mollica continued. “But the real issue here is the systemic problem of draconian, over-the-top penalties that have permeated this stewardship over the past couple of years,” Mollica said. “Civil penalties are supposed to educate and correct. Education doesn't mean punitive punishment. To initially levy a $4,000 fine under these circumstances was so over the top that Mr. Contessa had no choice but to appeal. “But the truth of the matter is that as an industry, and as horsemen in New York, something has to be done about this bevy, if you look back, of fines that just shock the conscience,” Mollica said. As TDN's Bill Finley reported on Nov. 24, the Contessa case is not the first time in recent history that the judgment of the NYRA stewards–and in particular, Baeza–has been questioned. “As has been the case numerous times over the last several years, Baeza is once again at the center of a controversy,” Finley wrote four months ago. “His fines come across as heavy-handed, he doesn't seem to consider the mitigating circumstances that may be involved, and the stewards have made a number of mistakes, for which he has been held blameless.” Mollica cited several of those instances to TDN on Monday. “Two-, three-, four-, five-thousand dollar fines for an alleged claims clerk mistake? Or a $4,000 fine for a wrong owner showing up on an overnight? I mean, have we lost our way?” Mollica asked rhetorically. “In an industry where the small stable and the small trainer are being annihilated and pulverized out of the business, we have to rethink the entire theory behind civil penalties and bring it back into some level of sanity,” Mollica said. “Think about the resources expended here over a fine that should not have been more than $200, in our opinion,” Mollica continued. “Not only did we have a stewards' hearing; not only did we have an adjudicative process where we retained a hearing officer and two lawyers had to file briefs and argue, and then a hearing officer had to write a report, and the commission had to review it, [but] for what purpose? “Again, I'm pleased that the commission and the hearing officer saw the folly in the original penalty. And while I don't agree with the [final fine amount] at the end of the day, the real problem is this systemic over-punishment that has come out of this stewards' stand and needs some level of review,” Mollica said. “Remember the circumstances. The rule that had changed had been in place for three decades. And it had just changed six weeks [prior to Contessa's violation],” Mollica said. “So how about the common sense of a little grace period, right?” TDN asked Brad Maione, the NYSGC's director of communications, if the commission would like a chance to respond to Mollica's allegations about ongoing problems with the stewards at NYRA tracks. Maione acknowledged the request but declined the opportunity to comment. The post NY Commission Reduces Contessa’s ‘Claiming Jail’ Fine, But Concerns Persist Over ‘Draconian’ Stewardship appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Capsules of this year's Florida Derby (G1) runners from ABR.View the full article

Hollie Doyle celebrated a landmark success when Handle With Care became her 1,000th winner in Britain in the opening six-furlong Fillies' Handicap March 24.View the full article

Resolute Racing's farm manager Noel Murphy is not one for interviews, especially when they take place in front of a camera, but when the topic of conversation is Goodnight Olive? Well okay, he will kindly acquiesce. For Murphy, the story of Goodnight Olive has always appealed to him. A $170,000 yearling purchase campaigned by First Row Partners and Team Hanley, the daughter of Ghostzapper developed into a four-time Grade I winner and dual Breeders' Cup champion. “I think it's the fact that she was not the chosen one at the start and it took her time to get there, but on the biggest days that's when she showed up,” Murphy explained. “I just love that about her–that when the most was asked of her, that's when she gave the most. It's special to have an equine athlete like that.” Purchased by John Stewart for $6 million in 2023, Goodnight Olive seems to have carried her outstanding tendencies into the latest chapter of her story. On Feb. 10 the champion female sprinter produced her first foal, a colt by Not This Time. Murphy said the foaling exceeded all expectations. “She was absolutely superstar,” he recounted. “She laid down exactly where we wanted her, never went to get back up and produced an absolutely spectacular individual for a maiden. He was 150 pounds–and that's 150 pounds confirmed on a weighing scale–and has not missed a meal since. At 20 days old he was 228 pounds, so he's gaining close to four pounds a day. As ever with 'Olive', she overachieves in everything she does and this was another example of overachieving. He's built just like his mom. He's not overly leggy, but he's got a huge shoulder and huge hip on him.” Goodnight Olive and her Not This Time colt stretch their legs at Resolute Farm | Sara Gordon The colt has already been nicknamed 'Ollie' by the Resolute team and Murphy described the youngster's personality as “big time all the time.” “He just enjoys everything he does,” he explained. “As soon as you go in the stall he'll meet you and even when he was younger, he was not scared or intimidated. He's waiting at the door and he just loves human interaction. He's a gift to us, like we just love the fact that John put this amount of trust in buying this mare and she has rewarded him with this caliber of a first-time foal. I've been doing this in Kentucky for 27 years and you're not going to get a better first-time maiden foal than him.” Murphy hypothesized that, based on Stewart's partiality toward Goodnight Olive, 'Ollie' will likely join the Resolute Racing stable one day. “I don't think there is a horse in Kentucky that has eaten more treats in the calendar year of 2024 than Olive,” he joked. “She can sense John coming and she knows the treats are coming. For people that don't know John, he truly does loves his horses, like nothing brings him more joy than to come out after a day in the office and spend time here on the farm. It's fun to watch.” This past weekend, Goodnight Olive was bred back to Gainesway's Seize the Grey, the winner of last year's GI Preakness Stakes and GI Pennsylvania Derby. Next month, the superstar mare will be a part of the 'Brunch with the Babies' event Resolute plans to host on April 13, giving fans the opportunity to visit the farm and meet Resolute's latest foal crop. Goodnight Olive was bred back to Seize the Grey this year| Sara Gordon “I can't express how proud I am of all Olive has done since she came here,” said Murphy. “She's been the center of attention and she has never, ever disappointed in whatever we've asked her to do whether it's greeting the public, taking pictures and just being a representative of the farm or getting pregnant, carrying the pregnancy and foaling down a 150 pound maiden foal. You've just got to love her. Everything she does, she seems to just get it right.” The post “Big Time All The Time,” Goodnight Olive’s First Foal at Resolute 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 Tuesday, March 25. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Ballarat. Tuesday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – March 25, 2025 Ballarat 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 25, 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

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations features a pair of 'TDN Rising Stars' returning from long absences. 2.30 Saint-Cloud, Cond, €28,000, 3yo, c/g, 8fT GUN OF BRIXTON (FR) (Frankel {GB}) was one of the 2024 cast of TDN Rising Stars after his win at Clairefontaine in July and so this first subsequent outing will be the subject of close attention. Haras Voltaire's homebred who is out of a half to Harzand (Ire) reappears early enough for Andre Fabre to ascertain whether he is Classic material and he faces seven in this Prix Comrade which played host to the smart Erevann (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) in 2022. 4.15 Saint-Cloud, Cond, €28,000, 3yo, f, 8fT ULTRAFRAGOLA (IRE) (Sottsass {Fr}) is another long-absent TDN Rising Star to be reintroduced on this card, with her striking debut win at Deauville in July the only evidence of her prowess to date. Jean-Claude Rouget pits the White Birch Farm homebred daughter of the multiple graded-stakes scorer Toinette (Scat Daddy) against nine other Classic wannabes including another daughter of Sottsass in the David Layani colour-bearer Safia (Fr), a Fabrice Chappet-trained descendant of Sophisticat (Storm Cat) and Serena's Song (Rahy) who was an impressive winner on her sole start at ParisLongchamp in October. The post Gun Of Brixton and Ultrafragola Return at Saint-Cloud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The California-based trainer will send out Straight No Chaser in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) April 5. The Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner followed that success with a blistering win in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G2) in Saudi Arabia Feb. 22.View the full article

Hollie Doyle brought up a landmark 1,000th domestic career winner when partnering the Marco Botti-trained Handle With Care (GB) (Advertise {GB}) to victory in the opening six-furlong fillies' handicap at Lingfield on Monday. “I'm delighted to have got that done,” Doyle told Sky Sports Racing. “It's another milestone and hopefully there's another 1,000 under the bonnet somewhere! “I've had so much support over the years, so many people have been loyal to me, especially Archie [Watson]. Since I joined him, my career has really taken off. And Marco has also been a big supporter of mine, so it's quite fitting.” Doyle, whose first ride was a winning one when teaming up with The Mongoose in a lady riders' contest at Salisbury in May 2013, served her apprenticeship with Richard Hannon, before joining the Watson team in 2019. That year Doyle became the third woman to ride more than 100 winners in a single season on the Flat, after Hayley Turner and Josephine Gordon, with her annual tally of 116 winners seeing her break the latter's record of 106. She later recorded a new personal-best total of 172 winners in 2021, while it was in September last year that she made it to 1,000 career winners worldwide. Another landmark year in Doyle's career came in 2020 as she celebrated her first Royal Ascot winner when Alan King's Scarlet Dragon landed the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes. She also rode a five-timer at Windsor, secured her first Group-race success on Dame Maillot in the G2 Princess Of Wales's Stakes and became retained rider for Derby-winning owner Imad Al Sagar. Perhaps even more significantly, Doyle became the first woman to ride a winner on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot when Trueshan gained the first of his three victories in the G2 Long Distance Cup, before recording a landmark first Group 1 success when making it a double on Glen Shiel in the Champions Sprint Stakes. Wider recognition for Doyle's remarkable achievements followed later in 2020 when she was crowned the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year, while she also took third place–behind Formula One ace Lewis Hamilton and Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson–in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. More recently, Doyle has also enjoyed successful associations with the likes of Nashwa and Bradsell, who are responsible for six of the rider's 10 Group 1 victories between them. Most notably, Nashwa's three wins at the top level included the 2022 Prix de Diane when she became Doyle's first European Classic winner. “It's crazy–I struggle to believe some of the things I've achieved and I'm pretty sure a lot of other people do as well,” Doyle added. “It's amazing and I just need to keep going.” The post Hollie Doyle Celebrates 1,000 Domestic Winners at Lingfield appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The 2024 champion turf mare GISW Moira (Ghostzapper) is set to make her debut for her new connections in her adopted home of Australia in the Apr. 5 G1 Doncaster Mile, according to racing.com. Purchased by Yulong for $4.3-million at FTKNOV after her sterling victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf last season, the Australian site reports that Moira has been in quarantine at Canterbury and has reportedly been turning heads with her works. Yulong's general manager Vin Cox told the publication that the Doncaster is her first aim, and that while she will eventually join their broodmare band, a racing future will be decided by Moira. Zac Purton is confirmed to ride. “If she was to find her best form, there would be no reason why she couldn't train on for next season,” Cox said to racing.com. “She's thriving in her training and coping well, so we're looking forward to seeing her run.” Now in training with Chris Waller, Moira is also nominated to a pair of Group 1s at Royal Randwick Apr. 12. According to the report, her American stablemates GISW Full Count Felicia (War Front)–fourth behind the mighty multiple Group 1 winner Via Sistina (Ire) in last weekend's G1 Ranvet Stakes–and MGISW Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}) are all being prepared in Sydney. The lattermost is among nominations for the G2 Emancipation Stakes at Rosehill Saturday. The post Moira Set for Australian Debut in Doncaster Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The comparison tool enables users to liken stallions according to user-defined criteria such as location, stud fee, and the year entering stud. Stallions can be categorized by metrics including starters, winners, black-type winners and percentages.View the full article

This week's Amercia's Best Racing's Kentucky Derby Prospect Profile takes a closer look at Tiztastic, the winner by 2 1/4 lengths of the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) March 22 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.View the full article

Alflaila (GB), Shadwell's dual winner of the G2 York Stakes, has been retired and will begin his stallion career later this year at White Robe Lodge in New Zealand, the stud announced on Monday. Trained by Owen Burrows, Alflaila retires as the winner of seven of his 19 career starts and over £550,000 in prize-money. His other notable victories included the G3 Strensall Stakes at York and G3 Darley Stakes at Newmarket in 2022, while last year he also finished fourth in the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, before returning to the Knavesmire to win the York Stakes for the second consecutive year. “He repeatedly proved he belonged at the top level,” Burrows summed up. “He was sharp enough to win over six [furlongs] first out as a two-year-old and he showed a brilliant turn of foot that day.” Alflaila is one of three winners from as many runners out of the Listed-placed Adhwaa (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who, in turn, is out of the Listed Cheshire Oaks heroine Hammiya (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}). The team at White Robe Lodge has also been buoyed by the success another son of Dark Angel (Ire), Harry Angel (Ire), has enjoyed with his runners in the Southern Hemisphere, including at Rosehill on Saturday when Private Harry (Aus) won the G1 Kia Ora Galaxy. “With the way he's going in Australia, Harry Angel is the youngest stallion in the top ten at the moment,” White Robe Lodge's Jack Stewart told The Thoroughbred Report. “Everyone knows the sireline now. We're pretty lucky to have Australia right next door. They [New Zealand breeders] would have respected the Dark Angel line already, but it helps that a son is already down in this area and going well. “It's a great damsire line as well. The first two damsires are champion sires and the third damsire is Fairy King, who has been superb in this part of the world, too. It's just one of those things where him on type, and then his race performance and pedigree, too, it all just makes sense for us.” Stewart added, “He won seven races and five of them were at stakes level. He lined up and he pinned his ears back, and you could just tell when you watched the race, that he had a real will to win.” Alflaila will be offered in 2025 at an introductory fee of NZ$7,000, with a limited number of lifetime breeding rights available. The post Multiple Group Winner Alflaila Retired to White Robe Lodge in New Zealand appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Following a scary incident at the top of the stretch in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park March 22, trainer Thomas Drury Jr. was happy to report California Burrito emerged from the race in good order.View the full article

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) launched Horses Work for Kentucky to share the impact, and lesser-known aspects, of the state's signature industry and are now seeking submissions, the group announced Monday morning. Supported by names such as Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Mt. Brilliant Farm, Red Mile, and the KEEP Alliance and Foundation, the initiative is set across digital platforms, social media, radio, and a new website in order to showcase the essential role horses play in driving Kentucky's economy and heritage forward. The campaign invites Kentuckians from all 120 counties of the Commonwealth to share their stories about how horses and the industry have changed their lives for the better. “People think of Kentucky, they think of horses. They don't think of dollars, they don't think of sales. They want to come from out there to see what we've got here. And that's really cool because we take it for granted,” said Kelly Curry, owner of K Bar C Ranch. “You know, we wake up in the morning, we see beautiful green grass and beautiful horses and our plank fences and we're just used to it. But that is Kentucky. Horses are Kentucky.” To learn more about how to participate, and where to share your story, please visit the Horses Work website. The post KEEP Foundation Launches ‘Horses Work for Kentucky” Initiative to Highlight Industry’s Impact appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sporting the Aga Khan silks so synonymous with the French Classics, the G1 Prix de Diane entry Cankoura (Fr) (Persian King {Ire}–Candarliya {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) came home alone on her 3-year-old bow at Chantilly on Monday to offer an early shot across the bows ahead of the 2025 renewal of that 10 1/2-furlong feature. Kept to the Polytrack surface and 9 1/2-furlong trip over which she had opened her account here in December, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained grey sauntered around the bends of the track which will host the Classic in June with Mickael Barzalona happy to wait to act in the four-runner Prix de la Pistole conditions event. Arriving at the fore approaching the two-furlong pole, the 2-5 favourite surged clear for an emphatic nine-length success in a time considerably faster than the opening handicap on the card. The modest maiden Big Surprise (Fr) (Chachnak {Fr}) followed her home, with the race's blue-blooded big-stable representatives Vegetale (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Yoga Master (GB) (Persian King {Ire}) perhaps running below expectations. The winner is a half-sister to last year's G3 Prix de la Grotte scorer Candala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), who ultimately failed to build on that deeply promising success and was eighth in the 2024 Diane. Her strong-staying dam Candarliya captured the G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil, the Prix de Royallieu when it was formerly a group 2, and the G3 Prix Minerve and was runner-up to Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) in the 2015 G1 Prix Vermeille. Smart performance at Chantilly! Cankoura is out of a dual Group Two winner and doubles her tally with an easy success for @GraffardRacing and Mickael Barzalona! pic.twitter.com/EcpqJLUnSd — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 24, 2025 The post Persian King’s Diane Entry Dominates At Chantilly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aidan O'Brien has revealed that long-time 2,000 Guineas favourite The Lion In Winter is unlikely to make the Newmarket Classic on May 3 and nominated Expanded and Twain as being the most likely Ballydoyle-trained representatives for the race instead. The news, which was delivered at the annual Ballydoyle press morning, saw Expanded usurp The Lion In Winter as the new 2,000 Guineas favourite while Twain has also shortened into odds of 9-1. “The Lion In Winter took a little bit of time to come right so he's a little bit behind the others,” O'Brien said. “We took him to the Curragh last weekend and he went well, the work was easy what he did. Whether he'll make it in time for the Guineas or not I'm not sure. We'll know in the next week or so but if he doesn't he might be trained for something like the Dante (at York) and go straight to the Derby, something like that. “There has to be a doubt about the Guineas but he's very well, he's just carrying plenty of condition so he might not make it, in the next couple of weeks we'll know.” Expanded: the new favourite for the 2,000 Guineas | Brian Sheerin O'Brien's leading filly from last year, Lake Victoria, who won Group 1 races over six and seven furlongs as well as over a mile, is also not certain to be ready in time for the 1,000 Guineas. “She's good, she had a long break, longer than the others because her year went very long,” said O'Brien. “She was at the Curragh last weekend as well on an easy piece of work. I'm not sure if she'll make the Guineas but we're training her for it. If she didn't (make it) she would go for the Athasi Stakes the day after at the Curragh if she didn't come in time. “Knowing her she probably will come in time because she's that type of filly. I'm very happy with her and we think she's done very well.” The post New Favourite For 2,000 Guineas As O’Brien Reveals The Lion In Winter A Doubt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Neil Callan has been given an eight-month ban following remarks made on social media, but the jockey will be able to continue riding after the sentence was suspended for two years. Callan was charged with three offences and breaches of the rules of racing. The first under rule J19a being that on December 15, 2023 he sent out a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, in relation to British Horseracing Authority (BHA) steward Anthony McGlone that was abusive, insulting and did not treat him with respect. The second charge came as a result of conduct on December 9, 2023 when Callan posted in relation to the BHA that was not a responsible use of social media and did not show adequate respect to the officials. The third allegation was in breach of rule J19 and related to conduct between August 16, 2023 and January 14, 2024 when he posted, reposted and commented on social media in a manner that was offensive, abusive and inappropriate, such that it was prejudicial to the proper conduct and good reputation of horse racing in Great Britain. Following a closed plea agreement, independent judicial panel chair Tim Grey said, “The agreement that was reached was that the sanction that will be imposed on Mr Callan for those breaches will be a sanction of an eight-month suspension of Mr Callan's licence and that suspension itself will be suspended for a period of 24 months, concurrent on each of those counts. “In addition, there will be a financial penalty that will be immediately payable in the sum of £1,500. The suspension will have an effect of acting as a deterrent. “It's also right to say that if Mr Callan were to commit any further breaches of the rules of racing, for standalone riding and riding-related offences dealt with by raceday stewards or the whip review committee, or a judicial panel hearing on whip, running or riding or related offences of interference referral, in the next two years, it would then be open to any future judicial panel to activate the suspension in addition to any new penalty.” The post Neil Callan Receives Suspended Eight-Month Ban for Social Media Breaches appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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Cap Ferrat joins Massive Sovereign in scooping the city’s most prestigious race after being offloaded by the breeding powerhouse.View the full article

Group One performer Pearl Of Alsace has been retired. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Pearl Of Alsace came desperately close to a fairytale finish to her racing career, with the Group One performer retiring off the back of a second placing in Saturday’s Group 3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m). A serious talent from day one, the daughter of Tavistock rose rapidly through the grades in her first racing preparation for trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray, winning her first five appearances, culminating in the 2023 edition of the Cuddle Stakes. Stepping up to elite level in the Group 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), she lost no admirers, finishing a luckless fourth. Bred and owned by Sir Peter Vela of Pencarrow Stud, Pearl Of Alsace secured her all-important Group One placing in the Livamol Classic (2050m) and performed admirably in her only start in Australia, finishing fourth to Deny Knowledge in the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m). Her final season on the track produced a placing in the Group 2 Tauranga Stakes (1600m) and a booming effort to only just fall short to Our Jumala at Trentham on Saturday, indicative of her consistency at the highest level. From just 21 starts, she bows out with seven wins, four minor placings and just shy of $400,000 in stakes. “She couldn’t have run any better on Saturday; she just came up short by a nose, but sectionally, she was outstanding,” Vela’s racing manager Garry Cossey said. “She’s going out on a good note. “She’s certainly done Pencarrow proud, and she’s been a great mare—Group One placed and a Cuddle Stakes winner. She also ran fourth in a Group Two in Melbourne, so she’s done a fantastic job in the time that she has been racing. “Sir Peter got an offer on her before she even raced, but we asked Shaune if he thought she could get black-type, and he believed she most certainly could. She won first up at Taranaki and then went bang-bang-bang; that first season was great, culminating in the Cuddle and an unlucky fourth in the Breeders’ Stakes.” Out of Group Two-performing mare Irion, Pearl Of Alsace has the pedigree to match her ability, setting her in good stead for her next chapter in the broodmare paddock. “She was always a nice filly and a good, genuine horse; we were always hopeful of her reaching Group class, which is what she did,” Vela said. “We’re very proud of her; she’s done really well, and she’ll be a beautiful broodmare. We thought she looked as good as a horse could look on Saturday, and the time is right for her to go and think about other things. “We tried with Proisir last season, but she’ll go back into the bundle now, and we’ll go through all of the stallions that are available to her. We will see which one we feel will make the best mate and keep our fingers crossed.” Pearl Of Alsace will join Irion in Pencarrow’s broodmare band, with the dam visiting Cambridge Stud’s shuttle stallion Chaldean in her most recent mating. “He has a beautiful pedigree and was a lovely racehorse, we’re very lucky to have him in New Zealand,” Vela said. “To have a horse of that quality and that pedigree, it was a gift.” Horse racing news View the full article

Alflaila defeats King’s Gambit in the Gr.2 York Stakes (2100m)Photo: Supplied Quality European galloper Alflaila has been secured for stud duties by White Robe Lodge, introducing one of the world’s great sire lines to New Zealand through his champion sire Dark Angel. Bred and raced by the famed Shadwell operation, Alflaila’s racing career is defined by resilience, consistency, and elite-level talent, as evidenced by back-to-back victories in the fiercely competitive Group 2 York Stakes (2100m), a race that has tested some of Europe’s best middle-distance horses. A winner on debut as an early two-year-old over 1200m, Alflaila would train on to showcase his class over the ensuing three seasons for trainer Owen Burrows. In six starts at three, Alflaila won on four occasions, commencing his Classic season with a victory at Ascot over 1400m before landing the Listed Pomfret Stakes (1600m), the Group 3 Strensall Stakes (1750m) at York and the Group 3 Darley Stakes (1800m) at Newmarket. On resumption at four, Alflaila swept past Group One performer My Prospero to land the York Stakes and produced a big run from last to finish fifth behind Auguste Rodin in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes (2000m) in a field that featured high-class gallopers Luxembourg, Nashwa, and King Of Steel. He returned as a five-year-old to defend his York Stakes title and was also a fast-finishing fourth in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes (2000m) at Royal Ascot. Alflaila’s peak Timeform rating of 125 placed him among the elite performers of his generation. “He repeatedly proved he belonged at the top level,” trainer Owen Burrows said. “He was sharp enough to win over six furlongs first time out as a two-year-old and he showed a brilliant turn of foot that day. “As a three-year-old, he never stopped improving, and as we stepped him up in trip to a mile, he was getting better. “That winter at the end of his three-year-old season, he travelled out to Bahrain, where he’d probably have started quite a short-price favourite for the Bahrain Trophy (Group 2, 2000m), but unfortunately, he picked up an injury out there. “But he was very resilient and came back and won the York Stakes on resumption, a race which he won again last year in tenacious fashion. “It was a very big run in both the Irish Champion Stakes and again last year to finish fourth in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, where he had his ground slightly taken, and he was right on the heels of some proper top-class horses. “He is a very athletic horse who was tough as well. He came back from a few little setbacks that plenty wouldn’t have, but he did really want it. “I think breeders will be impressed. He is very attractive and is all in proportion, moves well, and has a good athletic build on him. “I have trained a few by Dark Angel, and he is quite typical in terms of build and looks. He was champion stallion in Britain and Ireland last year, and he has been quite a phenomenon.” Dark Angel is one of Europe’s most sought-after stallions, with 17 individual Group One winners, including the likes of Harry Angel, Battaash, and Charyn. Harry Angel has taken the Southern Hemisphere by storm, with star performers like Tom Kitten, Private Harry, Angel Capital, and Stretan Angel propelling him into the top tier of Australia’s general sires’ standings, an incredible achievement for a stallion with only three crops racing. Alflaila is out of the stakes-placed Oasis Dream mare Adhwaa, who in turn is a daughter of the stakes-winning Darshaan mare Hammiya, also the dam of listed winner Shaqira. The third dam is the stakes-winning Fairy King mare Albacora, herself a half-sister to Group Three winner and Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (1600m) runner-up Pont-Aven. “Marcus Corban has been pivotal in helping us land Alflaila,” said Jack Stewart of White Robe Lodge. “He’s a great family friend but also one of the great minds of our industry, and he facilitated David Redvers inspecting the horse on our behalf. “He provided a glowing review, describing Alflaila as a very attractive, classy individual with a great action and very good confirmation standing at around 16hh. “As soon as I showed my granddad (Brian ‘BJ’ Anderton) his race performance, pedigree, and photos, he simply said, “get it done”. “BJ stood his first stallion at 18 years old and now, just recently turned 88, will be in his 70th year of owning and standing stallions, which is phenomenal and speaks volumes of where his judgement has got him over the decades. “Alflaila embodies what modern breeders seek—raw power, proven speed, an elite pedigree, and a stunning physical type. Being a debut winner as an early two-year-old was key for us in today’s market and also that he trained on to win at Group level at three, four and five across distances ranging from 1200-2100m. “Shadwell Stud has elected to retain a breeding interest in Alflaila, and we are buoyed by the fact Zabeel and Per Incanto are graduates of their successful racing and breeding program who have gone on to have a huge impact at stud in New Zealand. “We couldn’t be more excited to bring Alflaila to White Robe Lodge.” Alflaila will stand at an introductory fee of $7,000+GST, with a limited number of lifetime breeding rights available, presenting a unique opportunity to breeders to share in the stallion’s future success. Horse racing news View the full article