Wandering Eyes

Autumn Blonde. Photo: Beadleyphotos.com.au Randwick-based trainer John Sargent is optimistic that his filly, Autumn Blonde, can earn a spot in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) when she competes in Saturday’s Group 3 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill. The daughter of The Autumn Sun has shown steady improvement across her three race starts, progressing from a debut tenth-place finish to a third-place result over 1200 metres, followed by a fourth-place finish in the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) last time out. “Her last run she was caught three-wide and got hampered up the straight but still hit the line very well,” Sargent said. “She seems to have gone on with it and hopefully from the better draw, we can get a better run on Saturday. She has shown a bit at home. “She just mentally needed to mature more than physically and she is doing that. “She’d go to the Slipper if she pulled up well (and won). Her work was good on Tuesday. “Regan Bayliss rode her, he rode her the start before last at Canterbury so he knows her well. I am expecting a very nice run.” Autumn Blonde is currently $9 chance with horse racing betting sites for the Magic Night Stakes. Horse racing news View the full article

What Kembla Grange Races Where Kembla Grange Racecourse – Princes Hwy, Kembla Grange NSW 2530 When Friday, March 14, 2025 First Race 1:50pm AEDT Visit Dabble Kembla Grange Racecourse is the destination for NSW racing on Friday afternoon, where the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) will headline an ultra-competitive eight-part program. The rail is in the true position the entire circuit for the meeting, and although the track is rated a Heavy 9 at the time of writing, punters can expect an upgrade into the Soft range come race-day with drying conditions forecast in the lead-up. The opening event is scheduled to get underway at 1:50pm local time. Kembla Grange Classic Tip: Good Sort Good Sort got a pass mark returning at Warwick Farm on February 19, with the Chris Waller-trained filly settling too far back in a small field to make an impression at the back end of 1400m. She still caught the eye in the final furlong, and with that BM72 contest producing two subsequent winners, the daughter of Tassort appears to have run into a couple of handy types. She closed on the heels Aeliana towards the back end of last preparation, and with the three-year-old likely to take major improvement stepping out to the 1600m, Good Sort gets the verdict in the 2025 Kembla Grange Classic. Kembla Grange Classic Race 7 – #6 Good Sort (6) 3yo Filly | T: Chris Waller | J: Zac Lloyd (54kg) Best Bet at Kembla Grange: Fernao Fernao finally put it all together to claim his first Australian victory at Goulburn on February 28 last time out and appears poised to secure back-to-back wins. The Frankel gelding burst clear in the final 300m and proved far too good for Class 1 company, booting clear to score by two lengths with plenty left in hand. This should turn into a genuine staying affair over the 2400m, and with Fernao yet to hit his ceiling third-up into the campaign, expect this guy to give a bold sight at a good price with horse racing bookmakers. Best Bet Race 3 – #3 Fernao (4) 6yo Gelding | T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | J: Mollie Fitzgerald (a2kg) (60kg) Next Best at Kembla Grange: Able Yellow Able Yellow is improving nicely heading into this third-up assignment and appears primed to strike stepping out to the 1400m for the first time. The son of Justify finished off best of the beaten brigade at Goulburn on February 28, only finding one better in the form of Mamushka. Watch for Jay Ford to go in search of the one-one from barrier six, and provided he doesn’t get caught wide without cover, Able Yellow should be figuring in this maiden contest. Next Best Race 1 – #1 Able Yellow (6) 4yo Gelding | T: Blake Ryan | J: Jay Ford (59kg) Best Value at Kembla Grange: Cloudland The Kris Lees-trained Cloudland returns after a 15-week spell and warrants plenty of respect heading into this BM94 event. The Swiss Ace gelding did a phenomenal job finishing mid-field in the inaugural running of The Meteorite (1200m) at the end of last preparation, sitting three-and-four deep without cover to finish within five lengths of Nadal and Rey Magnerio. The sting out of the ground is a bonus for the talented six-year-old, and with Benjamin Osmond taking an extra 2kg off his back after the claim, watch for Cloudland to be putting in the big strides late at an each-way price with Picklebet. Best Value Race 6 – #7 Cloudland (3) 6yo Gelding | T: Kris Lees | J: Benjamin Osmond (a2kg) (56kg) Friday quaddie tips for Kembla Grange Kembla Grange quadrella selections March 14, 2025 3-5-6-9-11 2-6-7-8-11 2-6-10 2-5-7-10-12-15-16 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Highland Rahy prevails at Happy Valley. Photo: HKJC Lyle Hewitson removed luck from the equation aboard Highland Rahy (126lb) and the rider found a willing partner as Francis Lui’s galloper secured a first Hong Kong win at Happy Valley. Successful in Ireland pre-import, Highland Rahy fired to an uncontested lead under Hewitson from barrier seven and never looked back, clutching onto a three-quarter-length victory over a ground-making Viva Graciousness (135lb) in the HK$1.17 million feature race. “I think he’s (Highland Rahy) found a mark now where he should be winning and it’s probably been frustrating that he hasn’t,” Hewitson said. “He showed how he wants to race – he wants to roll, pick up and just build into it.” Gearing up to ride Steps Ahead in the HK$26 million 148th Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on Sunday week, Hewitson lifted his haul to 16 wins this season, also riding a double last Sunday at Sha Tin. Following a recent near miss atop Highland Rahy, the 27-year-old jockey was delighted to repay connections with breakthrough success on the American-bred gelding. “He’s happy to sit one off but he needs to roll the whole way and we saw that, a horse came to him, although far away from him to get up to almost level, but he fought on again. It’s an overdue win and I’m happy I could stick aboard to do it,” Hewitson said. Three times South Africa’s leading rider, Hewitson teams with Lui and the 83-rated Steps Ahead in the BMW Hong Kong Derby – the third and final leg of the three-race HK$52 million Four-Year-Old Classic Series – at Sha Tin in 11 days’ time. “I think his (Steps Ahead) rating is pretty true of where he is in the field but he’s the most genuine horse and he’s probably one of the most versatile, too,” Hewitson said. “This will be stretching him but against his own age group and being such an easy and versatile horse, it gives him every chance.” A shot at once-in-a-lifetime glory awaits 14 horses in Hong Kong’s most-prized race, which is expected to be headed by Rubylot and My Wish – winners of the first two Four-Year-Old Classic Series legs. The selected Hong Kong Derby field will be announced this Friday. Trainer Cody Mo sealed a double with Happy Fat Cat’s (122lb) grinding win – his eighth across 44 Hong Kong starts – under jockey Antoine Hamelin ahead of King Of Fighters (124lb). “I love this horse and I love the owner. They have supported me a lot and that’s what we need,” Hamelin said. “The horse has a big heart and I always do very well with him – I’m very happy to get the winner for everyone.” Mo was on the board early at the city circuit as Crystal Powerful edged to a close-up score with jockey Andrea Atzeni, who also posted a double when American Pharoah galloper Great Spirit claimed victory for trainer Dennis Yip. Crystal Powerful became a three-time winner in Hong Kong with a +800 triumph. “We dropped in class and he was back to 1000 metres, which I thought was a good shout because he’s been showing a lot of speed over 1200,” Atzeni said. “He had a good draw (three) and good trip. I know he had top weight (135lb) but he had good form in Class 4.” Championship-leading trainer John Size kicked off a double with Beauty Infinity’s success under Brenton Avdulla, who extended a sparkling run of form with his fifth win from the past three fixtures and 31st overall this term. “It’s been a good little run. I’m getting the right opportunities and it’s about trying to make the most of it. The horses are racing well and John’s team is racing well,” Avdulla said. Hong Kong Derby entrant Beauty Alliance capped Size’s brace with a dominant display under the hands of Alexis Badel to lift the Australian Racing Hall of Famer to an unrivalled 39 wins. Badel earlier rode Tactical Command to victory. “He (Beauty Alliance) began very well. There was no early pressure and no pace on, so I could get him into a nice rhythm. When we took off, he really responded well, he’s a classy horse,” Badel said. “It’s fantastic to get a double. The horses are doing well.” Making his first start in Class 4, Frankel six-year-old Find My Love was the beneficiary of a composed Hugh Bowman ride to return a third Hong Kong win for trainer Douglas Whyte. Angus Chung bagged his 10th victory this season aboard Good Luck Win for trainer Jimmy Ting. Horse racing news View the full article

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by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL – The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training produced an additional two seven-figure juveniles during its second session Wednesday, with a filly by Good Magic leading the way when selling for $1.1 million to Sean Flanagan. Through two of three sessions of the March sale, 269 horses have grossed $39,588,000 for an average of $147,167 and a median of $70,000. Those numbers are down slightly from the end-of-session figures from last year's March sale, which included a $1.5-million session topper who was later reclassified as an RNA, but show an increase in average from OBS's finalized 2024 figures through two sessions. Those final figures show 323 horses grossing $45,835,000 for an average of $141,904 and a median of $70,000. The action picked up noticeably during the auction's second day Wednesday, with just 31 horses listed as buy-backs at the end of the day. The session's 17.8% buy-back rate lowered the two-day figure to 21.8%. “The sales seems a lot more positive [Wednesday], some faster times and a little more for the buyers to look after,” said Top Line Sales' Jimbo Gladwell. “It's a good vibe around here and things are going good.” Through two sessions, Top Line is the sale's leading consignor with 15 head sold–including the $1.1-million topper–for $5,390,000. Still, consignors continued to see a polarized market during the first juvenile sale of the season. “We struggled a little the first day, but when you bring up the right horse, you get rewarded,” said David Scanlon. Eddie Woods, who consigned the day's first seven-figure juvenile, a $1-million son of Independence Hall, said, “It's dodgy to say the least. It's not all roses. For the cheaper horses, forget that. No one there at home at all.” The number of withdrawn horses also remained high Wednesday. From 544 catalogued lots, a full 200 were scratched before going through the ring. “It's an early sale,” Scanlon said of the number of outs. “We have other options. So, if you don't get the action you're looking for, and you still believe in your horse, we will live another day. Especially with the first day when you had a bad day with the wind, you feel like maybe I could get a better day and maybe have a better performance.” The two million-dollar juveniles Wednesday join Tuesday's $1-million session-topping son of Maxfield to bring the total at the auction so far to three. There were four million-dollar horses at the 2024 auction. Through two sessions, 17 horses have sold for $500,000 or more. That figure was 23 at the same point in 2024. The OBS March sale concludes with a final session Thursday beginning at 11 a.m. Flanagan Racing Leads Day 2 at OBS With Good Magic Topping Filly After securing a $650,000 Midshipman colt earlier in Wednesday's session, John Kimmel and Nick Sallusto handling the buying duties on behalf of Flanagan Racing jumped to the front of pack when bidding $1.1 million for Hip 486, a filly by Good Magic. During last Friday's show, the Don Alberto-bred juvenile breezed an eighth in :9 4/5. Outbid on Tuesday's session-topping Maxfield colt, the Flanagan Racing team was intent on landing Wednesday's top prize, but appeared to be getting close to the cut-off point. “I guess that was about as far as we were going to go,” admitted trainer John Kimmel, who handled the signing duties on the filly. “These good fillies that breeze well and have the physical that she has, you really have to pay for.” “Phenomenal. She was the highest graded filly I saw.” Hip 486, a filly by Good Magic consigned by @TopLineTBs, sets the new standard at #OBSMarch selling for $1.1 million to Kimmel & Sallusto for Flanagan Racing. Will head to trainer Danny Gargan. (OBS Photo/Penelope P. Miller) pic.twitter.com/NUff9zsHrY — OBSSales (@OBSSales) March 12, 2025 Offered at Keeneland last September, the May 7 foal was purchased by Passion for Racing for $275,000. Out of unraced Rose Mine (Street Cry {Ire}), the bay is from the family of champion older mare and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff heroine Escena. “Phenomenal,” said Kimmel when asked about the purchase. “She was the highest-graded filly I saw. Her physical attributes were something where if you could produce offspring that look like her, she'll be a hell of a broodmare. The thing about her is she has the look of a real quality filly. I've had many good fillies over the years and this filly exudes that kind of quality. Time will tell.” Making two purchases Wednesday, Flanagan Racing ranked as the Day 2 leading buyer with $1.75 million in gross expenditures. “We came here strictly looking for colts,” admitted Kimmel with a chuckle when asked what the team was looking for this week. Kimmel and Sallusto confirmed the filly will be trained by Chad Brown, who also trains MGISW Chancer McPatrick for Sean Flanagan. “[Flanagan's] good friend [trainer] Danny Gargan highly recommended this filly to Sean Flanagan,” the team said. “Flanagan asked [Sallusto and Kimmel] to consult on the horse and to be there to purchase the horse on his behalf.” Top Line also enjoyed a banner day Wednesday, leading all consignors with $4.06 million generated from nine head sold. Top Line also sold Hip 343, a colt by Charlatan, for $660,000. “The Good Magic filly, everyone on the sales grounds loved her,” said Top Line's Jimbo Gladwell. “She's just been a queen. She showed really well down there. We had high hopes, you never know if they're going to go for a million, but we were very happy with the price.”–CBoss 'The Plan is Sayonara:' Independence Hall Colt Stars in Woods Farewell Tour Longtime Ocala horseman Eddie Woods, who expects to present his final consignment in April, celebrated yet another seven-figure juvenile when a colt from the first crop of Independence Hall (hip 404) was purchased for $1 million by Muir Hut during Wednesday's second session of the OBS March sale. The bay colt is out stakes-placed Orecchiette (Harlan's Holiday) and worked a furlong last week in :9 4/5. He was purchased for $165,000 at last summer's Fasig-Tipton July sale. “I sold his mother to Eclipse,” Woods said. “She did ok. And I sold a couple out of the second dam for good money. That's what he looked like, all of those strong horses in the second dam. And I just said, 'I am buying him.'” Hip 404 | OBS Photo Woods, who has been based in Ocala for nearly two decades, said his 240-acre training center is under contract, but added, “they are never sold until you get the check. It's going to go through some stuff with the county and you never know how that's going to go.” Asked what his plan after April will be, Woods said, “The plan is sayonara. I am going to be done. April will be my last sale. After that we will do a bit of consulting, maybe help some people buy some horses. We are going to travel a lot. I want to do a lot of the Southern Hemisphere stuff that we can't do. I don't want to do it in their winter, I want to do it in our winter.” Reflecting on the changes in the juvenile market that he helped pioneer in Central Florida, Woods said, “This sales business is getting harder and harder because if you don't nail everything, you don't get rewarded. There was a time you could sell horses in the back ring, there is no one buying horses in the back ring right now. Nobody. So you've got to spend more and more to get the horse that you want. That horse right there [hip 404] was the golden touch, but when you get it wrong, like the one I sold today for $75,000, we gave $250,000 for him. He came up with some issues, but he's a beautiful-looking horse.” Plans for the farm have yet to be finalized, according to Woods. “I am not quite sure. It could stay as a training center or it could go on and be developed into, as the guy said, Ralph Lauren barns with even bigger houses,” Woods said. “That's the way this town is going with WEC [World Equestrian Center] and everything like that. Everywhere you drive around, there is a really nice show ring.” Asked what he will miss most about the sales scene, Woods had a quick answer and a big smile. “Selling a million-dollar horse,” he said. Of his latest seven-figure juvenile, Woods said, “The best thing about him is the way he looks and his video is awesome.” The colt is one of two by multiple graded winner Independence Hall (Constitution) that Woods will send through the ring this year. “They are good looking and they are really good minded,” he said of the pair. “And they act like they are quick.” After selling Wednesday, hip 404 will head to the West Coast barn of trainer Mark Glatt. “He had an excellent breeze and the horse really presented himself back at the barn well,” Glatt said. “He is just a really athletic horse.” Asked about buying a colt by a first-crop sire, Glatt admitted, “It makes me really nervous because you never know which way they are going to go, but we looked up [Independence Hall]'s numbers and he ran very, very fast. He was consistently fast in all of his races. At these 2-year-old sales, you are here to buy the best athlete you possibly can. And we just thought he was an athlete. Certainly, you look at the pedigree, but we are here to buy what we think are the best athletes.” @JessMartiniTDN Sallusto/Kimmel Mining for Another Chancer McPatrick at OBS At OBS last April, advisors Nick Sallusto and John Kimmel landed on a colt by McKinzie out of the Bernardini mare Bernadreamy. Ultimately purchased for Flanagan Racing for $725,000, the colt, later named Chancer McPatrick, won his first three starts under the guidance of Chad Brown, including the GI Champagne and GI Hopeful Stakes. Fast forward to Wednesday's second OBS March session, the duo was back in action, securing Hip 325, a colt by Midshipman, for Sean Flanagan, this time extending to $650,000. Consigned by Caliente Thoroughbreds, the chestnut worked a session-topping quarter mile in :20 2/5 last Friday. “We come here primarily for performance-based horses and his performance was arguably as good or better than anybody in the sale for us personally,” said Sallusto. “We thought he'd be a great horse that would be very effective this summer. As easily as he performed in his breeze, we thought he had a chance to carry his speed quite a way. We don't feel he's just one-dimensional.” The Mar. 26 foal Out of Line of David's is out of Meetmeonline, a half-sister to GSW and sire Bucchero. This is also the family of MGISW World of Trouble. “We try and buy those bigger pedigreed horses that are athletic as yearlings, and we would still like to buy the pedigrees here that also have the performance, but the performance is mainly come to the 2-year-old sales for. If you can get all of that, it usually costs a bit more,” Sallusto explained. Chancer McPatrick ultimately lost out to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Citizen Bull for a divisional title, and recently made his 2025 debut, finishing runner-up in the GIII Tampa Bay Derby last weekend. Hip 325 | OBS Photo “[Chancer McPatrick] was a little bit different because he had more of a two-turn pedigree and stood over a bit more ground and was a bit more stretchy,” recalled Sallusto. “He had what I considered to be the top work in the sale. It's a little bit of a jigsaw puzzle putting it all together [from year-to-year]. He's was an absolutely smashing -looking horse and mentally, he's as good a horse as I have ever been around. So he has given us the right feel.”–CBoss Cox Extends to $660K for Charlatan Colt Midway through Wednesday's session, trainer Brad Cox stepped in to secure Hip 343, a colt by freshman sire Charlatan, for $660,000. Signing on behalf of Prime Bloodstock, Cox was impressed by the Top Line Sales-consigned colt. “He's just a powerhouse,” said Cox. “He's a very good-looking colt. I looked at him walk down the row for me a couple times and from what I could tell he has a pretty good mind. We're excited about marching forward with him.” During last week's breeze show, the son of stakes-winner Miss Interpret (Street Sense) covered an eighth in :10 flat. This represents the family of MGISW Paulassilverlining. “He's a beautiful colt, obviously had a very fast work and he has some pedigree that suggests he'll stretch out,” explained Cox. “And we're hopeful he can in time.” Cox added, “He obviously comes from a very good consignor that we've had luck with in the past with the likes of [GISW] Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) and [GSW] Key of Life (Mo Town), we hope we can continue with this horse.” Top Line's Torie Gladwell said, “[The price] was higher than we thought. There were the right people on him but you never know when you get a horse like that who is going end up with them.” In regard to Hill 'n' Dale's freshman stallion, Gladwell added, “He's just a man. We have quite a few Charlatans on the farm and he stacks up right there with the best of them. He just does everything right. He's so cool and laid back. Great horse, they're going to love him in the barn.”--CBoss 'The Racing Part is Fun:' Lee Ackerley Gets Back in the Game Lee Ackerley and his brother Bob steadily built up a large racing stable and broodmare band over a couple of decades before scaling back some 20 years ago, but Lee got back in the game in a big way Tuesday in Ocala, buying four juveniles for $1.175 million during the first session of the OBS March sale. “We got in in the early '90s. We started claiming horses,” Ackerley said. “Then we hooked up with Steve Asmussen. He got some horses for us. We ran in Texas. We met Todd Pletcher and he picked out Jersey Girl for us. Steve picked out Valid Expectations. We got up to about 150 horses by the early 2000s. Then we started cutting back. We just have a few mares left.” The Ackerley brothers helped both trainers kick off Hall of Fame careers. Jersey Girl (Belong to Me), a $220,000 purchase at the 1997 Fasig-Tipton Florida sale, went on to become Pletcher's first Grade I winner when she won the GI Test Stakes, GI Acorn Stakes and GI Mother Goose Stakes in 1998. Valid Expectations, acquired for $225,000 at the 1995 OBS March sale, was a two-time graded winner for Asmussen the following year. “The whole fun of it was buying 2-year-olds,” Ackerley said. “That was the most fun. Jersey Girl was a 2-year-old, Valid Expectations was a 2-year-old. Business has done well over the past decade and I wanted to get back in it. That's the whole story.” When Ackerley, who is co-founder and director of the Texas-based electronic component distributor Smith, decided to get back in the 2-year-old game, he called on those familiar names. And he let them do their thing. “I have long since learned, these guys are great,” Ackerley said of the two trainers. “They are both Hall of Fame trainers. I trust them implicitly to pick out horses and to train them, do the whole thing. I just give them an amount. I told them I was looking for runners.” During Tuesday's session of the March sale, Ackerley purchased a daughter of Vekoma (hip 65) for $425,000; a filly by Charlatan (hip 40) for $400,000; a colt by Violence (hip 208) for $200,000; and a colt by Charlatan (hip 50) for $150,000. During Wednesday's session, Ackerley added a colt by Beau Liam (hip 457) for $300,000. “Great,” Ackerley said when asked what he thought of the quartet. “I watched the workouts. They looked great. But the main thing that matters is that Todd and Steve liked them. And if they like them, I like them.” Ackerley expects to continue shopping throughout the juvenile sales this spring. “I'd like a fun stable, 10 to 15 horses,” he said. “In the past we raced them, we bred them, we did all of it. This time, I am just looking to run them. No breeding. I want to race them and that is absolutely the fun part of the game. I've been through all of the other stuff. It's not for me. The racing part is fun.” @JessMartiniTDN Hip 536 | OBS Photo SCANLON CAPITALIZES ON UPSTART UPSWING 536 colt Upstart Sister Marette $500,000 Consigned by Scanlon Training & Sales, Agent V Purchased by Hideyuki Mori Dave Scanlon and team were able to acquire this colt by Upstart for $90,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale in Saratoga. “He had a great body, but he was really young and immature,” Scanlon said of his impressions of the yearling. “He had a big hip on him and a beautiful walk. He just had that look. He was the total package of a horse who looked like he was going to be fast.” Scanlon admitted he had hoped to get the yearling for slightly less than he ended up paying. “I actually thought because he was immature, I might be able to get him for a little less. But I think because he looked so fast, he attracted a lot of pinhookers. So I was thinking maybe we can get this horse for $50,000 or $60,000 or $75,000, but there were other pinhookers on him and we ended up giving $90,000. We were probably getting near the end of our budget.” The colt, who is out of Sister Marette (Cuvee) is a half to stakes-placed Taoiseach (Dublin). He worked a furlong last week in :9 4/5. “He turned out even better than we thought,” Scanlon said. “He always looked fast. But he just grew up. He was one of my favorite horses to be around. He was just so classy. He never had a bad day.” The colt was helped in the ring Wednesday by the recent exploits of his sire Upstart. “At the time, Upstart was doing ok,” Scanlon said. “But since then, he's had some really good horses. And I think we've seen a few of them here bring $300,000s. So I think Upstart is having a bit of a surge right now, too.” Of Wednesday's result, Scanlon said, “I came in here thinking, we gave $90,000, if we get $250,000 that's a great day's work. Then I was getting a little excited. I thought I might get $300,000. I didn't really count on $500,000. So I am pretty happy.” @JessMartiniTDN The post ‘A Good Vibe’; $1.1-Million Good Magic Filly Tops OBS March Sale Wednesday 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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By Brigette Solomon After a winning driving treble at Tuesday’s Manawatu meeting, in-form junior driver Crystal Hackett is hoping her luck can continue today when she partners Rough And Ready in the Cartown Manawatu Cup Handicap Pace (6.50pm). “It was nice to get rewarded with a treble after the trip down,” said Hackett, “Rough And Ready was really tough winning.” “I thought getting out and going was the only way to really get him into the race and he performs well when driven a bit tough as he doesn’t quite have the turn of foot to get past them in a sprint home.” “He loves the track at Palmy too and has a great record here.” Rough And Ready’s win in the Cartown Manawatu Cup Prelude was his 19th career victory. He started off the back marker of 20 metres and then sat parked for the majority of the race. With the race run at a solid tempo, Rough And Ready dug deep in the straight to win by a head in a blanket finish with Stealers Wheel and Fredastaire filling the placings. “He starts off 30 metres tonight so I’ll be looking to step as quickly as I can but it will really depend on what they do in front as to what I’ll do,” says Hackett, “It’s going to be tough and there’s a chance he may end up three wide over the final 800 metres as I don’t think they’ll be letting me get round that easily this time around.” “It would be nice to see him get his 20th win in the Manawatu Cup given he’s had such great success here.” Rough And Ready is a $6 second favourite, with the top pick being Boudica ($2.25). Hackett also continues her association with the Stephen Doody stable with four drives for the local trainer today including Million Dollar Chic (R8), who Hackett drove to win on Tuesday. Doody trained the trifecta in the race, with Narobi second and Jahi third. “Stephen’s been a great supporter of mine, he always puts me on a few of his team down here so it’s always good to drive a winner for him,” says Hackett, “It will be a bit tougher for Million Dollar Chic today with an awkward draw and up in grade but she did win nicely on day one.” “Of my other drives for Stephen I think Narobi is probably one of my better chances today, although she has a bit of a niggly draw she tends to back up and race better on the second day.” Narobi ran home well on Tuesday finishing just a length behind the winner and meets a similar field today in the Kevin & Shirley Farrier Mobile Pace over 2500 metres (6.00pm). Hackett’s other drives for the day are: Race 1 – Sweet Olivia Race 2 – Jetasi Race 6 – Lewey Maguire Race 7 – Final Change Racing starts at 5.14pm. 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. Thursday's Observations features features a daughter of a Grade I winner. 14.29 Chantilly, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 3yo, f, 8f (AWT) Godolphin newcomer ILDA ROSA (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is a homebred daughter of GI Man O' War Stakes heroine Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and thus a half-sister to recent G2 Al Maktoum Classic victor and G1 Al Maktoum Challenge runner-up Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the dual stakes-placed First Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Opposition to the Alex Pantall trainee includes Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's Wave (Fr) (No Nay Never), who is kin to four black-type performers headed by G1 King's Stand Stakes runner-up Arecibo (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), from the Christopher Head stable. The post Daughter Of Man o’War Heroine Zhukova Set For Chantilly Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In anticipation of the 25% blanket tariff on all Canadian goods entering the U.S. expected to be enacted April 2, the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) has issued an advisory to its members, aiming to provide some clarity to a fluctuating and often confusing situation. Already this week, the U.S. government enacted a 25% tariff on Canadian steel and metal imports. “This could very well change at any moment given whatever the will of the president is,” warned Tom Rooney, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), about the threatened 25% blanket tariffs. “If it really is just to get people to the negotiation table to negotiate something, maybe we'll never see this. But as of right now, April 2 is the drop-dead date for when a tariff could have an impact on buying and selling horses,” Rooney added. In response to the blanket tariffs, the Canadian government has threatened reciprocal tariffs against approximately $30-billion worth of imported goods into Canada. The country has already retaliated against tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum imports. “While the initial round of tariffs did not apply to pure-bred breeding and racing animals, including live horses, it is likely that future rounds may include such tariffs, mirroring those imposed by the U.S.,” the CTHS wrote, about the reciprocal tariffs affecting imports into Canada. Using information provided by the Canadian Ministry of Agriculture, Agri-Food Canada (which regulates policies and programs linked to Canada's agricultural industries) and the country's border broker network, the CTHS explained that the U.S. tariffs would apply to pure-bred breeding and racehorses “each time they cross the border.” The organization breaks the tariff nuances down the following ways: Mares for Breeding If the mare was born (“originated”) in the U.S., the tariff does not apply. If the mare was born (“originated”) in another country, the tariff applies and must be paid upon entry into the U.S. A Temporary Entry permit is available for 30 days from the date of crossing. This requires cash to secure a bond equal to the tariff value, and the owner must provide proof of the mare's value. If the mare returns to Canada within 30 days, the owner can request a refund of the bond from the U.S. government. However, proof of re-entry–such as a border services date stamp–will be required. If the mare is accompanied by a foal born in Canada, the foal will also be subject to the 25% tariff or require a separate Temporary Entry permit if returning to the Canada within the 30 day period. Horses for Sale and Racing If the horse is intended to be sold in the U.S. at auction or by private sale and was born in the U.S. (“originated”) the tariff would not apply. If the horse was born (“originated”) in Canada, the tariff applies and must be paid upon entry into the U.S. A Temporary Entry permit is available for 30 days from the date of crossing. This requires cash to secure a bond equal to the tariff value, along with proof of the horse's value. If the horse is not sold and returns to Canada within 30 days, the owner can request a refund of the bond from the U.S. government. However, proof of re-entry–such as a border services date stamp–will be required. As an indication of the sometimes conflicting nature of the news disseminated by the U.S. government, Rooney said that, as he understood the situation, the tariffs would apply to the buying and selling of horses. “However, if a horse is going into Canada or coming to, say, Lexington to be bred, and is going to reside in Canada or the United States for less than a year, then the tariff wouldn't apply,” Rooney added. “So, from what I gather, breeding basically should be okay, but actually buying and selling of horses that are going to cross the lines after April 2 would not, as far as being exposed to the tariffs,” he said, offering a slightly different understanding of the tariffs to the CTHS's understanding. If enacted, the tariffs could have no small impact on the breeding and racing industries in both countries, especially for those Canadian-based breeders who sell a portion of their bloodstock in U.S. sales. Last year, 157 Canadian yearlings were entered into a U.S. auction house, bringing in more than $7.6 million in sales. According to the CTHS, 36% of the 2023 Canadian foal crop was sired by U.S. based stallions, representing a nearly $9-million sum in stud fees. Prolific Canadian-based owner-breeder Dave Anderson raised the specter of tariffs being imposed on runners traveling back and forth between the two countries. “Moira would have been hit with a +$1m tariff last year. This is sending shockwaves to breeders who have indicated they won't be crossing the border to breed or race in the U.S. this spring,” Anderson wrote, highlighting Canada's winner of the 2024 GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning has a similar take. “The proposed tariffs being discussed with regard to Canadian Thoroughbreds is obviously a concern to the U.S. marketplace. This will impact sales companies, stallion farms and many service providers that transact business on a meaningful level on a regular basis,” he said. In Canada, there is currently a 21-day public comment period on the proposed countermeasures, with a deadline of March 25. “We strongly encourage all industry stakeholders to submit their input through this form and request an exemption to the Canadian tariffs for purebred breeding and racing animals,” the CTHS wrote. Likewise in the U.S., Rooney (who formerly represented Florida's 16th congressional district) recommended that anyone with strong thoughts or concerns about the tariffs should contact their local representatives. “If you get enough people calling saying 'the tariffs are really hurting,' then you start talking to your leadership. Then you start talking about that in committees. Then the people who are going over to the White House start talking to the people on the staff there, or even the president himself,” said Rooney. “That does have an effect,” said Rooney. “It works.” The post CTHS Provides Details On Threatened US-Canada Tariffs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Mrs. Astor, perfect in her last two California starts for trainer Jonathan Thomas, faces a formidable challenger in Kathynmarissa in the March 15 Santa Ana Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

In the 25 years that she worked overseeing Todd Pletcher's racing stable, Maggie Sweet only had to concern herself about horses from the time they were two until around five. In the one year that she has been executive director of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, the nation's oldest Thoroughbred retirement facility, she has learned that inspiring the industry to spend the money to care for them for the next 25 years is a much harder part of the bargain. The TRF currently provides permanent lifetime homes for 400 horses, primarily at eight correctional facilities across the country where incarcerated men, women, and juvenile offenders care for them in groundbreaking programs to teach work and life skills to the inmates. And while other programs only accept horses who can be retrained for a second career, the TRF accepts horses whose racing careers have left them unable to go on to a second career, but who are still comfortable and pasture-sound. “Working with Todd, by the time they were five, they were definitely off to a second career,” said Sweet, who appeared as the Gainesway Guest of the Week on the show. “Here at the TRF, the first ones we get are five, and the average age of the herd is 21. So we get the horse at age five can who no longer compete on the racetrack, and is not sound enough for a second athletic career,” said Sweet. “And then that's 25 years of dignified lifetime care that we are committing to.” The TRF recently concluded a six-month strategic planning session which revealed some important things to Sweet and the board. “It used to be a difficult thing to find a second home for a horse,” she said. “And now it's become much more a matter of course, but I think what most of the industry participants have in their mind is the re-home, re-train, re-home model of it, which is a much shorter stay, and therefore a whole lot less money than it costs to take a horse and keep it for 25 years. Our cost per year, even if you budget at $3,000 per year, over 25 years, that's $75,000. And I think other organizations have done a better job of telling their story.” Sweet challenged anyone who hasn't been supporting lifetime retirement for the length of time they have been in the industry to “please call me, contact me, come to our website, sign up for our newsletters, or go to our social media,” to learn more about the TRF. Elsewhere on the show, which is presented by Keeneland, in our “Fastest Horse of the Week,” segment, which is sponsored by WinStar, we discussed WinStar stallion Timberlake, Into Mischief's only Grade I-winning two-year-old at stud. With a 103 Beyer, Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), winning his third consecutive Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes, was the fastest horse of the week. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, 1/ST TV, and 1/ST Racing, the team of Zoe Cadman, Randy Moss and T.D. Thornton reviewed the weekend's top performances, including the return of Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), and discussed the retirement of legendary racecaller Trevor Denman. They also reviewed Dan Ross's op/ed in the TDN this week about why it's important and beneficial to support smaller trainers. Click here to watch the podcast. Click here for an audio version. The post TRF Executive Director Maggie Sweet Joins TDN Writers’ Room appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

CHELTENHAM, UK — Look to the stars. A reflex action for Sean Flanagan as he passed the post in front on Marine Nationale (Ire) (French Navy {GB}) to win the G1 BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase. Any win at Cheltenham is emotional for those closest to the horse, but this was one heavily laced with poignancy, coming less than a month after the death of Marine Nationale's former jockey Michael O'Sullivan at the age of 24. Two years earlier, Marine Nationale had provided him with his first victory at the Festival in the G1 Supreme Novices' Hurdle, and later that day Jazzy Matty (Fr) (Doctor Dino {Fr}) became his second. On Wednesday, those two horses gave repeat performances – different races, different men in their saddles, but winners again on the biggest stage of all. “All the jockeys in the world have been under a cloud for the last couple of weeks,” said Flanagan as he began the lead in from the track to the cauldron of the winner's enclosure and a hero's welcome. “I'm only the man that steered him around, Michael's the man who made him what he is and he'll never be forgotten.” Marine Nationale's trainer, Barry Connell, who had played such a key role in the early years of O'Sullivan's life as a professional jockey, was visibly moved by the sorrow of recent weeks, and admitted that it was still “very raw”. He said, “It's been absolutely horrible – horrible. My thoughts and prayers are with the family, his friends – Charlotte, his girlfriend, is here, she was with us saddling up the horse. Everybody in racing, it's a great community, and everybody has come together for Michael.” O'Sullivan's last ride aboard Marine Nationale came in November when they were second to Quilixios (GB) (Maxios {GB}) in a Grade 3 chase at Naas after nine months off the track. Thereafter he has been the mount of Flanagan following a parting of ways between Connell and O'Sullivan, and it was the last-fence fall of Quilixios in the Champion Chase which left the path clear for the eight-year-old to claim his second Festival success. Connell, himself a dual-winning jockey at Cheltenham, continued, “I've been coming racing here since the 1980s, since I was a student, and it's the one race I always wanted to win, because it's pure, unadulterated, on-the-edge speed; the horses finish quickly, they don't finish tired like in the Gold Cup. It won't sink in for a long time. “Michael and I went on a journey with this horse; he rode him in all his races in his novice season over hurdles. He started as a 7lb claimer with us and we asked him to turn pro. He ended winning three Grade 1s as a claimer, was leading rider on the first day [in 2023], and then leading conditional. I've asked racing historians and I don't think they can find anyone who did all that. It is a tragedy that he's left us, but it's a record that he can be really proud of. He's achieved more in a lifetime than a lot of riders who have been riding a lot longer can ever achieve. So I'd like to dedicate this win to Michael and his girlfriend Charlotte.” Sean Flanagan and Barry Connell with the Queen Mother Champion Chase trophy | PA Media A former stockbroker, Connell trains a small string near the Curragh and was represented on the opening day of the Festival by the Supreme Novices' Hurdle runner-up William Munny (Ire) (Westerner). “This is a magical creature and he landed in our yard,” he said of Marine Nationale. “We've only 16, 17 riding out at any one point in time, so to get one like him and, yesterday, to get another one, you pinch yourself. Look, we're only guardians of these horses and our only edge, being a small operation, is to just try to give them as much time as we can.” In another feature race laden with drama, Jonbon (Fr) (Walk In The Park {Ire}) had started favourite but a bad mistake at the ninth fence scuppered his chances as he dropped out to last place before rallying up the hill to take second, some 18 lengths adrift of Marine Nationale. Last year's winner Captain Guinness (Ire) (Arakan) held on for third. Just 40 minutes later, thoughts turned once more to O'Sullivan after a rejuvenated Jazzy Matty, landed the Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase in the hands of Danny Gilligan. His victory of two years ago was chalked up to Gordon Elliott, but the six-year-old joined the stable of Cian Collins last spring and duly gave the trainer his first taste of Cheltenham Festival success, having previously won twice for him earlier this season. “It's unbelievable,” he said. “We were very hopeful coming here today, but it's Cheltenham and we needed a lot of luck on our side. We had that. I said that that – Marine Nationale and Jazzy Matty winning – doesn't happen often. This is for Michael.” The card started with the sole British-trained runner of the day when rising star The New Lion (GB) (Kayf Tara {GB}), bred by the late Robert Chugg and his wife Jackie, prevailed in a battling finish with the The Yellow Clay (Ire) (Yeats {Ire}) to take the G1 Turners Novices' Chase for the trainer-jockey brothers Dan and Harry Skelton. The six-year-old was also the 80th Cheltenham Festival winner for dominant jumps owner JP McManus. Through the afternoon another three winners came the way of Willie Mullins to add to his first-day double. The only surprise perhaps was that the outsider of his three runners in the G1 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, Lecky Watson (Ire) (Valirann {Fr}), was the one to come out on top when a jumping error put paid to the chances of favourite Ballyburn (Ire) (Flemensfirth). Lecky Watson, like The New Lion, was another to pay a posthumous tribute to a much-missed breeder in Ronnie O'Neill of Whytemount Stud. O'Neill also bred, owned and trained his dam Anno Whyte (Ire), and owned and trained granddam Anno Mundi, herself a Red Ransom half-sister to the Champion Hurdler Annie Power (Ire) (Shirocco {Ger}). Both Valirann and Lecky Watson's damsire Stowaway (Ire) were former residents of Whytemount Stud, making it a proper homespun affair. O'Neill, a former amateur jockey for Willlie Mullins's father Paddy as well as being a trainer and breeder, died last October. Jody Townend, whose brother Paul is the leading rider at the Festival, ensured that he is not the only member of the family on the roll of honour when winning the G1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper aboard the unbeaten mare Bambino Fever (Ire) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}). The result gave Stowaway, the stallion in whom O'Neill had placed such faith, his second Grade 1 victory of the day as broodmare sire. The post ‘This Is For Michael’: Emotions Run High as Marine Nationale Storms Champion Chase appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A filly by Good Magic (hip 486) launched to the leaderboard at OBS Wednesday when selling for $1.1 million to the bid of Sean Flanagan. She will be trained by Danny Gargan. Consigned by Top Line Sales, the juvenile worked a furlong last week in : 9 4/5. She is out of the unraced Rose Mine (Street Cry {Ire}) and was bred by Don Alberto. She was purchased for $275,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. Two years ago, Top Line sold another 2-year-old by Good Magic, subsequent multiple Grade I winner Muth, for $2 million at the March sale. The post Good Magic Filly Brings $1.1-Million at OBS appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

6th-GP, $98K, OC 75k/C, 4yo/up, f/m, 1m, 3:29 p.m. ET. Just F Y I (Justify), champion 2-year-old filly of 2023, kicks off her 4-year-old campaign in this stakes-quality field. The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up was last seen finishing a well-beaten sixth in the GI Acorn S. at Saratoga June 7. “We need to get started,” Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “She's been away a long time and we decided to try an allowance race, although it's a very tough allowance race. It could be a stake, really.” The field of six also includes GII George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan S. winner Gun Song (Gun Runner), narrow runner-up to Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) in last fall's GI Cotillion S. at Parx. Trainer Jorge Delgado said that the rail-drawn 2024 GI Alabama S. winner Power Squeeze (Union Rags) would be scratched. TJCIS PPS The post Thursday’s Racing Insights: Champion Just F Y I Returns in Salty Optional Claimer at Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

8-year-old mare Kona Kai (Palace Malice) delivered surprise twin fillies by Oscar Performance Monday for Surfside Stables. “They're doing well and getting stronger every day,” said breeder Debbie Appel. Kona Kai and her fillies are currently at Rood & Riddle in Kentucky where they will stay under observation for the near future. The mare was purchased as a yearling at Keeneland September by Surfside for $70,000 in 2018 and broke her maiden at Horseshoe Indianapolis in 2020, retiring after 11 starts with earnings of over $68,000. Kona Kai, a half-sister to stakes winner Party At Page's (Gemologist) and out of a half to the dam of G1SW Jungle Cat (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) and MGSP Texas Wildcatter (Monarchos), produced a full-sister to the twins last year. On Monday, Kona Kai unexpectedly gave birth to twin fillies. Sire is OSCAR PERFORMANCE. All 3 are healthy and well. Our deepest thanks to Lori Hendrickson and team and Dr. Barr and everyone at @roodandriddle. This is the rarest of events. A small miracle. @millridgefarm pic.twitter.com/5euWtlYfqJ — Surfside Stables (@surfsidestables) March 12, 2025 The post Twin Oscar Performance Fillies A Monday Surprise For Surfside Stables appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Later in Wednesday's session, a colt by Freshman sire Independence Hall realized $1-million from Muir Hut Stables. Offered as Hip 404 as a member of the Eddie Woods consignment, the son of stakes placed Orecchiette (Harlan's Holiday) covered an eighth in :9 4/5 during last week's breeze session. A $32,000 Keeneland November weanling, the Mar. 8 foal was purchased by Woods's Quarter Pole Enterprises for $165,000 at Fasig-Tipton last July. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners bred the colt in Kentucky. "We just thought he was an athlete." We have our first 7-figure baby of Day 2 at #OBSMarch with Hip 404, by Independence Hall, selling for $1 million to JPM Bloodstock from the consignment of @eddiewoods2yos. Will head to trainer Mark Glatt. (OBS Photo/Penelope P. Miller) pic.twitter.com/bKNIhic0dM — OBSSales (@OBSSales) March 12, 2025 The post Independence Hall Colt Brings $1-Mil on Day 2 at OBS March appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing March 15 in the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs, Render Judgment very likely could produce an effort more in line with the talent he displayed as a 2-year-old than his most recent result when eighth in the Feb. 15 Risen Star Stakes (G2).View the full article

Irad Ortiz Jr. won a total of eight races, including the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), leading the panel of racing experts to vote the five-time Eclipse Award winner Jockey of the Week for March 3-9.View the full article

According to the initial data analysis from the 16th year of reporting to the Equine Injury Database, the fatal injury rate in 2024 was 1.11 per 1,000 starts, the lowest rate since the EID began in 2009. View the full article

Beginning with the upcoming March Digital Sale, Fasig-Tipton is raising the upset price for all of the company's live and digital auctions from $1,000 to $2,500. The upset price, or the minimum bid that can be made for a Thoroughbred offered at Fasig-Tipton auctions, has been in place since 2000. “The $1,000 upset price was instituted 25 years ago, and the time has come for it to be raised in support of our industry's long-term commitment to Thoroughbred welfare,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “The value of the dollar has certainly increased over time, and by raising our upset price we are better ensuring responsible horse ownership for years to come.” Fasig-Tipton has tentatively scheduled 11 live and eight digital auctions for 2025. Following digital auctions set for April and early May, the company will conducts its next live event, the Midlantic Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium May 19 and 20. The post Fasig-Tipton Raising Upset Price For All Future Sales appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Master handler extends title lead over David Hayes after Beauty Infinity and Beauty Alliance strike at city circuit.View the full article

Last year ended on a high note for Top o' the Lane Farm and has continued into 2025. Vixen (Vekoma) was second by a neck in the GI Natalma Stakes last September, then followed it up by a solid run in the Breeders' Cup after having to break from the parking lot and has continued on in 2025 after a short break to capture the Sweetest Chant Stakes and GIII Herecomesthebride Stakes. Keeneland November was a major success with three foals going through the ring to great connections through Highgate Sales, and I have two new nice additions to the broodmare band with plans of expanding later in the year again. TOP MISSION, 9, Noble Mission (GB)–Top Spin, by Street Cry (Ire). In foal to Mitole, she will visit Constitution. Top Mission started her broodmare career with a bang with the ascendance of Vixen. She comes from an exceptional G. Watts Humphrey family and puts a lot of size, substance, bone and heart into her foals, and I firmly believe she will have an amazing career going forward. Constitution is becoming one of the top sires and he is a perfect match for her like Vekoma was for Vixen. SPEIGHTSTOWN GAL, 8, Cairo Prince–Speightstown Lady, by Speightstown. Will visit National Treasure. Speightstown Gal is one of the best-looking horses I have ever laid eyes on. She won on both dirt and turf and now has shown she can reproduce herself. She had a beautiful Cyberknife filly sell for six figures at the Keeneland November sale and is a wonderful match for National Treasure both physically and on the pedigree page. He is a very exciting new stallion and will be very popular. WHISKEY WOMAN, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)–Miss Frost, by Curlin. Will visit Domestic Product. Whiskey Woman is a new acquisition from the Keeneland January sale and I'm glad she sold early as hip 37 on day one with the ice/snowstorm, because I stole her from that sale in my opinion, underlined by the fact I had two offers for her immediately after buying her. She is a full sister to GSW White Frost, who sold for seven figures to Stonestreet and physically has everything I could want in a mare. She goes really well with Domestic Product, and I think he will be in high demand. INSPECTOR HAVERS, 8, Tiznow–Criminologist, by Maria's Mon. In foal to Epicenter, she will visit Independence Hall. Inspector Havers immediately caught my eye at the November sale when I was walking to the back ring to look at another mare. She is from a fantastic Phipps family that includes Five Star General , and her dam Criminologist is a GSW and GSW producer with her sister Inspector Lynley. I am excited for her Epicenter foal this year. She had a Twirling Candy in 2024, and she will be a great match for Independence Hall–a stallion I think will have a great freshman year in 2025. REMANDED, 8, Elusive Quality–Sleepless Dixie, by Dixie Union. Will visit Heartland. Remanded was a 'TDN Rising Star' as a 3-year-old, had an injury and retired, or I'm sure she would have gone on to record some black-type. Her first foaling (Mo Donegal) was hard on her so I gave her the year off afterwards, and she is slated to go to Heartland this year. The post Mating Plans, Presented By Spendthrift: Top ‘o the Lane Farm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The rate of fatal injury in equine athletes for 2024 was 1.11 per 1000 starts, the lowest rate since the creation of the Equine Injury Database (EID) back in 2009, according to the initial data analysis from the 16th year of reporting to the EID. Based on the 2024 data, 99.89% of all flat racing stats at racetracks participating in the EID were completed without a fatality. Analysis of the EID, released Wednesday by The Jockey Club, was provided by Dr. Euan Bennett of the University of Glasgow and Professor Tim Parkin of the University of Bristol, who has been a consultant on the EID since its inception. “It is remarkable and indeed gratifying to see the sustained improvement in these figures,” Parkin said. “It is a credit to all involved in the industry that such a significant improvement in the risk of fatal injury can be achieved off the back of the establishment of the EID and, of course, alongside lots of hard work from very many parties.” Since March 2012, racetracks have had the ability to voluntarily publish their statistics from the EID to The Jockey Club website. Tracks that opt to publish those statistics report a rate of 0.88 fatalities per 1000 starts compared to the 1.27 per 1000 for tracks that elect not to publish. Additionally, racetracks not covered under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) had a rate of 1.76 deaths per 1000 starts. As reported by HISA in February, the racing-related fatality rate at tracks subject to HISA rules came in at 0.90 per 1000 starts, aligning with the EID data. HISA reports race-related deaths after regulatory review. The EID stats are based on injuries that resulted in fatalities within 72 hours from the date of the race. The stats exclude steeplechase races and are subject to some change owing to a number of considerations, including the timeliness of reporting. All data entered into the EID is scrutinized during a multi-level quality control process to ensure the completeness and accuracy of reporting. In 2024, approximately 99% of all Thoroughbred starts were entered into the EID. The equine fatality rate as recently as 2009 was at 2.00 per 1000 starts and remained largely static through 2014, when the same figure came in at 1.89/1000. Since 2018, when the equine fatality rate was observed at 1.68 per 1000 starts, the rate has declined in each year bar one, where there was a slight uptick (from 1.25 in 2022 to 1.32 in 2023). Races contested at trips of six furlongs or shorter saw the 'highest' fatality race at 1.20 per 1000 and dropped to 1.12 between six and eight furlongs and 0.98 at longer distances. The fatality race on dirt tracks was 1.18 per 1000, on synthetic tracks 1.02/1000 and 0.88 on turf. The fatality rate for horses four years and older was 1.21 per 1000, dropping to 0.94 for 3-year-olds and 0.90 for 2-year-olds. The EID, conceived at the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation's first Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit, was launched by The Jockey Club in July 2008 and seeks to identify the frequencies, types, and outcomes of racing injuries using a standardized format that generates valid statistics, identifies markers for horses at increased risk of injury, and serves as a data source for research directed at improving safety and preventing injuries. The post Equine Fatality Rate Lowest Since Advent Of Injury Database In 2009 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Lane's End's Senor Buscador (Mineshaft–Rose's Desert, by Desert God) has had his first mare checked in foal, the Kentucky nursery said Wednesday morning. The first confirmed mare is Scandalous Song (Unbridled's Song–My White Corvette, by Tarr Road), owned by Greenfield Farms and Travis and Jacqui Gould. The 15-year-old is an unraced daughter of the stakes-winning and dual graded-placed My White Corvette, whose five winners include five-time Grade I winner Stardom Bound (Tapit), the Eclipse Award-winning juvenile filly of 2008. Scandalous Song is herself the dam of three winners, including Zanesville (Tiznow), who amassed a record of 13-4-13 from 47 starts, including third-place efforts at three in the Prairie Mile and Super Derby Prelude for earnings in excess of $318,000. Bred by Joe Peacock Sr. and Joey Peacock, Jr., Senor Buscador was victorious in seven of his 23 career starts, topped by thrilling victory in the G1 Saudi Cup in 2024. His five stakes successes also include the GII San Diego Handicap and GIII Ack Ack Stakes while he was also third in last year's G1 Dubai World Cup. Senor Buscador is standing his first season at Lane's End for $7,500. The post First Mare Scanned In Foal To Senor Buscador appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article