Wandering Eyes

This year's JRHA Select Sale is set to feature 25 foals from the first crop of Equinox, the world's top-rated horse of 2023 who retired to Shadai Stallion Station for a record fee for a freshman sire. The yearling session on Monday, July 14, features 233 lots, followed by the next day's sale of 251 foals, which, uniquely, are offered alongside their dams before being weaned. The action takes places at Northern Horse Park in Hokkaido. The Equinox youngsters include colts out of the G1 Oka Sho winner Reine Minoru and American Grade I winners Midnight Bisou, Caledonia Road, Grace Adler, Going To Vegas, and Mucho Unusual, as well as fillies from further Grade I winners Bella Sofia, Spanish Queen, and Conviction. Also among the foals for sale are the first offspring of the British Group 1 winners Lezoo, who has a colt by Kingman, and Commissioning, whose first foal is a colt by Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail. The yearling section includes a Saturnalia half-brother to the ill-fated Fillies' Triple Crown winner Liberty Island; a half-brother to the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Arima Kinen winner Lys Gracieux from the first crop of Japanese 2,000 Guineas winner Efforia; and a Contrail half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight. Among the star graduates of the JRHA Select Sale are this year's G1 Saudi Cup winner Forever Young (Real Steel) and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic winner Danon Decile (Epiphaneia), both of whom were bought as yearlings at the 2022 auction. The catalogue for the 2025 JRHA Select Sale can be viewed here. The post First Equinox Foals to be Offered at JRHA Select Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Mark Newnham is hoping his ultra-consistent Spicy Gold can collect another cheque in the Class Three Seine Handicap (1,200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. Alexis Badel has built up a brilliant partnership with Newnham’s So You Think galloper, who has won three of his nine starts this season. After ending last campaign with a Class Four course and distance win, Spicy Gold has gone from strength to strength this term, doubling up on return in the same grade. He completed a track and trip...View the full article

Lindsay Park will target both Group One’s in Brisbane on Saturday, with the decision made to send staying filly Chase Your Dreams (NZ) (Contributer) up against the boys in the A$1 million Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m). Co-trainer Ben Hayes said on Monday that it was felt the timing of the Derby works better for the recent Gr.3 SA Classic (2500m) runner-up than waiting a further week for the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m). “We just felt that it would be a month (between runs), which was a bit awkward and there wasn’t a good place to take her to trial and we just didn’t think we could keep the work up to her,” explained Hayes, who trains in partnership with his brothers JD and Will. “We’d also be dropping back from 2500 metres to 2200, so the 2400 of the Derby should be ideal. “Hopefully she can draw a barrier as she’s really done well and travelled up well.” A $40,000 yearling purchase at Karaka by Contributor, Chase Your Dreams came off a lowly Benchmark 64 (2100m) win at Echuca to a last-start, fast-finishing second in the SA Classic, where she didn’t enjoy the best of runs. “Just the way the race worked out, she couldn’t get rolling when she wanted last start with the horse to her outside,” Hayes said. “She just pulled that little bit as well and the three weeks with travel is perfect for her, so the Derby just came up at the perfect time.” The Derby has become a target for a handful of fillies this year, with Chase Yours Dreams likely to be joined in the classic by Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2500m) winner Femminile (Dundeel) and Gr.3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) winner Belle Detelle (Zed). The SA Classic’s third placegetter, Sweltering (Too Darn Hot), may also find herself in the final acceptances for the Derby on Tuesday morning. Hayes said the stable is confident Rise At Dawn (NZ) (Almanzor) will be ready to challenge for Saturday’s Gr.1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) after a decision last week to forgo his planned first Queensland run. “He travelled well but not as well as we would have liked, so we just thought the extra week would be better for him and we’re glad because he’s bouncing this morning and is really happy and well and eating up,” Hayes said. Fresh from his Doomben Cup romp aboard Antino (NZ) (Redwood) last Saturday, Blake Shinn will ride both Lindsay Park horses in Saturday’s Group Ones. View the full article

Beneath The Stars (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns) may have a fair way to go to reach the lofty heights of some of her relatives, but she is heading in the right direction following her maiden victory at Ellerslie on Sunday. Bred and raced by George and Maryanne Simon, Beneath The Stars is out of Dormez Vous (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle), a half-sister to three-time Group One winner and Group One-producing sire Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj). By Ten Sovereigns, Beneath The Stars had one prior start, finishing fourth over 1200m at Ellerslie earlier this month, and co-trainer Danny Walker said she had taken plenty of confidence out of the run. She stepped up in distance in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series 1300 on Sunday, where she was ridden positively from the outset by jockey Triston Moodley, punching forward from her wide gate to sit outside leader Venucci (NZ) (Telperion). She hit the lead as they entered the straight and continued to build on her advantage before being chased down late by Reliable Squeeze (NZ) (Reliable Man), but she was able to hold on to score a head victory. Walker was pleased with the winning effort and said his filly has plenty of heart. “She went well. She is a tough, little girl,” said the Byerley Park horseman, who trains in partnership with Arron Tata. “After her first run she absolutely thrived and her work had been tremendous, I was just a bit worried about the wide draw, but as it worked out, it came off.” Walker has had plenty of time for the rising four-year-old and said they have given her time to mature. “She has done nothing wrong, she is a genuine little thing,” he said. “She had a few muscle issues earlier in her career but just needed a bit of time and maturity. “She seems to have pulled up well and we might just look for another race for her and see how she goes and play it by ear.” Looking ahead to racing this week, the stable is set to head to Tauranga on Wednesday with just the one runner. Embellish four-year-old gelding Lord Goliath (NZ) has been a consistent performer in his seven starts to date, placing in three of his outings, including a last-start runner-up performance over a mile at Matamata last month. Walker has been pleased with his charge ahead of the midweek meeting and is hoping for a breakthrough victory in the Mills Reef Maiden 2100. “He will be a good chance,” Walker said. “He missed a bit of work with a knocked leg, but he seems to have caught up. He has never run a bad race, and he will get his turn this winter.” Meanwhile, Walker reported that his Group One-winning sprinter Crocetti (NZ) (Zacinto) is enjoying some downtime in the paddock following his run in the A$5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot last month. “He has had good weather and is thriving in the paddock,” Walker said. “He got galloped on behind (in The Quokka), and we were a bit concerned that he might have got an infection in the tendon sheath behind. But he got home, and it was clear, so he is a bit lucky in that respect. “He’ll enjoy some time in the paddock and spring and summer time will be his go.” View the full article

Underthemoonlight (NZ) (El Hermano) was a high-class mare during her racing days and she’s continuing to star during the second phase of her career. The daughter of El Hermano was a multiple black-type winner and placed at the highest level and subsequently made an immediate impact as a broodmare. Underthemoonlight was trained by Karyn McQuade, who bred the mare with husband Hamish and raced by them with Clive Solomon and was successful on six occasions. She claimed top honours in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) and Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders’ Classic (1400m) and finished third in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m). The Matamata couple are now breeding from Underthemoonlight, whose first foal, Romancing The Moon (NZ) (El Roca), sold through Westbury Stud’s draft to Te Akau’s David Ellis for $50,000. She realised a breeders’ dream when the Mark Walker-trained daughter of El Roca won at the elite level in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m). “That’s what we tried to plan when we organised the mating and it worked,” Karyn McQuade said. Underthemoonlight maintained her 100 percent record on Sunday when her second foal Sir Fergus (NZ) (Ardrossan) made a winning debut for trainer Barbara Kennedy at Ellerslie. The son of Ardrossan who was bought out of Kilgravin Lodge’s draft for $90,000 by former trainers Peter and Dawn Williams, and is raced by prominent owners Daniel Nakhle and Ger Beemsterboer. “The mare’s two for two now and he was a lovely colt, they’ve all got a bit of Mum’s strength,” McQuade said. At Karaka in 2024, Kilgravin also sold Underthemoonlight’s son of Ocean Park who was knocked down to John O’Shea and James Bester Bloodstock for $160,000. The same combination signed the ticket at $140,000 earlier this year to secure the half-sister by Noverre, who was offered by Pegasus Lodge. “She will be trained by John O’Shea as well and he’s really rapt with the Ocean Park (named Ocean Mariner) and that’s why I think he went ahead and got the filly,” McQuade said. “The mare’s got a Noverre weanling colt, but she’s not in foal this year. She was getting later and later so we left her. “We’re looking at sending her to Sword Of State this year.” The future hope is to get a filly out of Underthemoonlight to retain. “If it had been different times we would have kept the Noverre filly, but bills have to paid so we had to put her through the sale,” McQuade said. They are also breeding from Underthemoonlight’s half-sister Midnite Rendezvous, by Cecconi, and her winning Battle Paint daughter Midnite Invasion. “We sold Midnite Rendezvous’ Burgundy colt (Easy Life), who we won a trial with, to Hong Kong and she had an El Roca filly (Ilovethemoonlight) who showed enough in her first couple of starts and sold to Australia,” McQuade said. Ardrossan filly Prominere was sold for $95,000 at Karaka by Kilgravin and is with Simon and Katrina Alexander while last year Allan Sharrock bought the Circus Maximus filly for $25,000. Midnite Invasion’s first foal by Sword Of State was offered by Pegasus Lodge at Karaka earlier this year and sold to Crawford Brothers, of Taranaki, for $30,000. View the full article

Suzy Gordon was in the spotlight at Awapuni’s first synthetic meeting of the winter on Sunday, with a winning double headlined by surface specialist Doubtful Sound (Not A Single Doubt). The gelding by Not A Single Doubt had four previous wins on the Awapuni and Riccarton Synthetic tracks and Gordon had trekked to the southern venue last start, but found Doubtful Sound was just a run short of hitting top form. Closer to her Foxton base on Sunday, Doubtful Sound was primed for the Hygain Tracktorque (1400m) and was on the front foot from the outset, gliding to the lead under Kavish Chowdhoory and setting a solid tempo along the back straight. Chowdhoory dialled up the pressure turning for home and shot away from the field on straightening, putting a 4-1/4 length margin on race-favourite Gohugo (NZ) (Per Incanto) at the post. Gordon was rapt with the performance from a horse she also part-owns. “He’s led in a couple of his wins, he’s pretty adaptable but he does enjoy rolling along in front,” she said. “It was a really nice win. “I did think he would go well down south, but being that year older, he probably just needed that extra run. He ran in the $100,000 (innovation) race last year but didn’t have much luck that day.” Doubtful Sound was bred by Gerry Harvey and initially purchased for $300,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale before later being sold through gavelhouse.com for $4,701. In 38 starts, the six-year-old has won just shy of $120,000 with six wins to his credit. The online auction platform was also where Gordon discovered Ka Ying Lucky (Zoustar), an impressive winner of the Lisa Latta Racing (1000m) earlier on the card. Ka Ying Lucky was another stable member who journeyed to Riccarton earlier in May and finished third in his respective assignment, a performance warranting favouritism in Sunday’s contest. In the hands of Bruno Queiroz, the gelding travelled comfortably in behind the speed and was poised to pounce rounding the turn, running down a game Bodacious Kate (NZ) (Derryn) just short of the post to score by three quarters of a length. “It was a beautiful ride and he’s a horse that has got ability, it’s just getting it out of him at times,” Gordon said. “He can go on a slow track on the grass, whereas the other horse (Doubtful Sound) is definitely a synthetic horse and enjoys that surface a lot more than the turf.” A six-year-old by Zoustar, Ka Ying Lucky has won three and placed in a further seven races from 27 attempts. He broke maidens in the care of Ben and Ryan Foote, before being purchased for $10,500 by Gordon and the remainder of his ownership group. View the full article

Lake Victoria then steals the show on Sunday as part of a Ryan Moore four-timer at the Curragh.View the full article

Superstar mare Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) is set to return to Victoria with a decision to be made on her racing future. Owner Tony Ottobre confirmed to Racing.com on Monday morning that connections had decided to wrap up Pride Of Jenni’s Queensland campaign after a flat performance in Saturday’s Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m). However he stopped short of calling time on the three-time Group One winner’s career. That decision will be made once she returns to Victoria and connections have let the dust settle on Saturday’s performance. The star mare led at a fast tempo as usual, but was flat-footed as Antino (NZ) (Redwood) swarmed to the lead, and faded to finish third-last in the Doomben Cup. “She’s pulled up ok – a little bit of a slow recovery, but she has had a crack,” Maher said after the race on Saturday. “I don’t think anything was beating Antino today, by the way he went and the way he won. But Jenni’s physically ok. “She’s had a hard run, but everything seems ok. She’s sound, and apart from her heart rate (being) a little bit high, she’s ok.” Jockey Craig Newitt said Pride Of Jenni was “disappointing” , comparing the performance to her Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) defeat two starts ago. View the full article

California-based sire Listing wasted no time in securing a winner from his initial crop when his first starter, Saul Elliott, won his debut by 2 1/4 lengths May 25 at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

Hundreds of MyRacehorse owners flock to the winner's circle to see Seismic Beauty, owned by the group with Peter Leidel.View the full article

Kamunyak used every step of Japan's longest filly-mare race to win the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks-G1) May 25 at Tokyo Racecourse.View the full article

Christophe Clement, trainer of Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Tonalist and three-time Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti, died May 25 after battling metastatic uveal melanoma. He was 59.View the full article

7th-Monmouth, $48,625, Msw, 5-25, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.85, fm, 3 1/2 lengths. GROWTH TRAJECTORY (GB) (f, 3, Lope de Vega {Ire}–Wekeela {Fr} {GSW & G1SP-Fr, GSW & MGISP-USA, $418,587}, by Hurricane Run {Ire}) was one of two runners in this contest to be making their debuts and the first-timers claimed the exacta in this turf maiden on the Jersey Shore. Bumped at the start, but recovering to race from fourth, the 7-2 second choice was rolling from three wide passing the quarter pole as she advanced through the far bend, and had taken command by upper stretch. Kicking away as Tight Line (Constitution) flew from the back, it was 3 1/2 lengths between them on the line. Out of a mare who was in the trifecta multiple times at the highest level in the States and France, Growth Trajectory is her most recent to the races. Wekeela's last registered offspring is a juvenile colt by Dubawi (Ire). The dam is herself a full-sister to Scandinavian champion Matauri Pearl (Ire), who would garner her highest praise by way of her daughter–GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf victress Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). This is also the immediate female family of G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran heroine Molly Malone (Fr) (Lomitas {GB}) and her half-sister MGSW-Fr Morgan Le Faye (GB) (Shamardal). The distant family also includes the late great German stallion–a six-time leading sire in two countries and eight-time leading broodmare sire in three–MG1SW-Ger Monsun (Ger) and multiple Group 1 winner Brametot (Ire). Sales history: 180,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $28,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-The Wekeela Partnership (GB); T-Chad C. Brown. The post Lope de Vega’s Growth Trajectory Strong on Debut at Monmouth Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

We're now two legs deep into a Triple Crown season that has yielded two formful and exciting finishes in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness Stakes, and the stage is being set for one of the more intriguing and evenly matched renewals of the GI Belmont Stakes in quite a few years. Yet, it's a sign of the times-not only for our sport but as a reflection of society in general-that controversy continues to swirl over the adjudication of both the Derby and Preakness long after each race has gone official. In last Tuesday's news we learned that jockey Junior Alvarado-to no one's surprise-will be appealing his fine of $62,000 and two-day suspension for allegedly whipping Sovereignty (Into Mischief) two times over the six-strike limit when achieving his narrow, hard-earned victory over Journalism (Curlin) in the May 3 Derby. Then on Friday, word came down from the Pimlico stewards that no action will be taken against either Umberto Rispoli or Flavien Prat for their rides aboard Journalism and 'TDN Rising Star' Goal Oriented (Not This Time), who finished first and fourth, respectively, in the roughly run stretch fight of the dramatic May 17 Preakness. Let's put aside for the moment whether or not you agree with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) rule about the six-strike whipping limit, or the separate HISA regulation that mandates a doubling of standard penalties because Alvarado had a previous crop infraction on his record within the previous six months. Churchill Downs stewards Barbara Borden, Brooks “Butch” Becraft and Tyler Picklesimer were merely doing their jobs by counting whip hits and meting out the fine and suspension that they believe applied to that purported violation. (The terms “allegedly” and “purportedly” are appropriate because Alvarado has maintained that several of his actions with the whip were instances of him fanning the colt without making contact, which, if proven true at his HISA hearing, won't count against him as strikes.) And while it's certainly the right of racing fans everywhere to engage in spirited debate about whether or not there should have been a disqualification in the Preakness, or if any subsequent sanctions should have been handed down in the aftermath of the bump-and-grind stretch jostling, there's also a refreshing element to the “less is more” style of officiating reflected in the non-calls by Adam Campola, Ross Pearce and Russell Derderian in the Pimlico stewards' stand. As chronicled in this column two weeks ago, the outsized stature of the Derby has, in recent runnings, been burdened by a series of lawsuits related to the outcomes that are starting to give America's most important and historic horse race the unfortunate reputation of being the most litigated two minutes in sports. And while this year's slam-bang Preakness certainly did warrant an inquiry into the stretch run, the let-them-play end result of the officiating was (in my opinion), a welcome contrast to the trend of over-adjudication in United States racing that at times feels heavy-handed and too often detracts from the action on the track. But here's where I will take umbrage with the decision-making process: In both instances this month, the stewards at Churchill and Pimlico took six full days before going public with their final word on the Derby and the Preakness. And then, when the stewards did come out with Alvarado's whipping penalty and the decision not to take any action against Rispoli or Prat, those news nuggets both took the form of online postings made on the Friday after each race that were more or less buried on the websites of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation and Maryland Racing Commission. Whether or not escaping broad scrutiny was the specific intent of the stewards or their agencies, both decisions had the look and feel of what we in the reporting biz call “Friday news dumps.” That term refers to the practice-usually by corporate or government entities-of releasing controversial news very late in the work week with the hope that journalists either won't notice or will have a difficult time contacting off-the-clock officials to ask relevant follow-up questions. The later on a Friday that this is accomplished seems to be the goal of the news dumpers, and if the offloading of a press release can be accomplished on the Friday of a long holiday weekend (like this one), all the better for those who would rather not have their decisions dissected. But racing wouldn't have to deal with any form of delayed blowback if the officials making the Triple Crown calls were mandated with issuing rulings and reports in a more timely manner. Are we to believe that the stewards in Kentucky and Maryland really required the better part of a week to review the race replays and speak to the jockeys involved in each instance? And during the six days between the horses crossing the finish wire and the issuance of any ruling (or notice of a non-ruling in the case of the Preakness) does it behoove the sport to have its officials be subjected to the inevitable speculation that might sway their judgment one way or the other? It's not exactly like stewards are placed in a vacuum where they are immune from public opinions until they render a decision. There is traditionally no racing at both Churchill and Pimlico on the Sundays immediately following the Saturdays of the Derby and the Preakness. Isn't the status of those two Triple Crown races important enough for the stewards to be tasked with expediting their decisions so that any sanctions are made public and explained in full within 24 hours of each race going official? Our sport has evolved in such a way that the Triple Crown races are at the pinnacle of the pyramid. The time frame and level of detail under which they are adjudicated much match that level of prestige. An “Oh, by the way…” posting to the website of a public agency before the last racing commission staffer calls it quits for the weekend doesn't quite cut it. In the meantime, we're on the cusp of being treated to a Belmont Stakes that is shaping up as a showdown among the first three finishers in the Derby while additionally serving up a juicy rematch of the winners of both the Derby and the Preakness. Let's put the perceived news dumps in the rear-view mirror and floor it to Saratoga for the third leg of the Triple Crown. The post Week in Review: Don’t Let Friday ‘News Dumps’ Overshadow a Terrific Triple Crown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

She was the second choice to her stablemate, but My Racehorse and Peter Leidel's Seismic Beauty (f, 4, Uncle Mo–Knarsdale, by Medaglia d'Oro) never gave them a chance in the GII Santa Margarita Stakes as she strolled home in a frontrunning score. Coming into the race with a 10-length victory Apr. 18 against the local optional claimers, and touting a 13 Beyer point improvement to a 95 from her last career-best figure, the 8-5 shot took the running to them right from the jump as she quickly stepped up to control the tempo. Kicking away with 4-5 favorite GISP Splendora (Audible) playing her shadow as the field lost contact with the top two, there was never any serious pressure on the victress as she coasted in with air to spare. Princess of Time (Not This Time) came on to claim third. Sales history: $400,000 Wlg '21 FTKNOV; $550,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. O-MyRacehorse and Peter Leidel; B-2500 Determined Stud (MD); T-Bob Baffert. “She's a big Uncle Mo filly that covers a lot of ground.” Kurt Hoover caught up with trainer @BobBaffert after SEISMIC BEAUTY won the $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes (G2) at @SantaAnitaPark. pic.twitter.com/DvJQjgyIbg — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) May 25, 2025 The post Bob Baffert Exacta in Santa Margarita as Seismic Beauty Runs Rivals Off Their Feet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It's not that long ago that the group 1 status of the Irish Gold Cup was in peril, but the 2025 race went a long way to vindicating the 1 1/4-mile showpiece retaining its premier status as Los Angeles emerged on top May 25.View the full article

Francis Graffard trainee Candelari (Frankel) charted an unusual route to Sunday's G1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at ParisLongchamp and bounced back in style, with Clement Lecoeuvre replacing the suspended Mickael Barzalona in the saddle, after suffering a first reversal in last month's G3 Prix Barbeville. Not only exacting revenge on his Barbeville conquerors Presage Nocturne (Wootton Bassett) and Internaute (Sea The Stars) here, he also put a veritable who's-who of the stayer's division to the sword with a dominant display in this newly elevated 15 1/2-furlong marathon. He had previously collected a trio of Chantilly all-weather contests over 13 1/2 furlongs when making up for lost time over the winter. The 4-1 chance employed patient tactics from the outset and settled off the pace in a midfield fifth until well beyond halfway. Making relentless headway in the straight, he bounded to the front passing the quarter-mile marker and drew clear under continued rousting in the closing stages to comfortably outpoint last year's winner Sevenna's Knight (Camelot) by 3 1/2 lengths. Barbeville winner Presage Nocturne was denied by a head in a bobbing finish for second. “It's a bit crazy for me to be riding a horse such as this, but everything went perfectly during the race and I'm very grateful,” reflected Lecoeuvre. “It's my first Group 1 win in France, it was a beautiful moment crossing the line and I really enjoyed it. I was still travelling very nicely behind the pace when everyone else made their attacks in the straight. He's gaining more and more experience race by race and he won like a champion.” Candelari wins a first Group One in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier! pic.twitter.com/uyGWhr0mCj — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 25, 2025 Pedigree Notes Candelari, the 36th Group 1 winner for his sire from the family of sires Wixim (Diesis) and Run Softly (Deputy Minister), is the latest of nine foals and one of five scorers for his dam. The April-foaled homebred bay is a half-brother to dual Group 2-winning G1 Prix Vermeille runner-up Candarliya (Dalakhani), multiple stakes-winning GII Belmont Gold Cup Invitational, GIII Stars And Stripes Stakes and GIII Sycamore Stakes placegetter Canessar (Kendargent) and Listed Prix Scaramouche victrix Canndera (Dalakhani). Candarliya is the dam of G3 Prix de la Grotte victrix Candala (Frankel), last week's Listed Prix Finlande winner Cankoura (Persian King) and the dual stakes-placed Carini (Siyouni). Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France PRIX VICOMTESSE VIGIER-G1, €400,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-25, 4yo/up, 15 1/2fT, 3:19.09, g/s. 1–CANDELARI (IRE), 126, g, 4, by Frankel (GB) 1st Dam: Candara (Fr), by Barathea (Ire) 2nd Dam: Caribbeandriftwood, by Woodman 3rd Dam: Drifting, by Lyphard 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Aga Khan Studs; T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Clement Lecoeuvre. €228,560. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-1, €284,060. *1/2 to Candarliya (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), MGSW & G1SP-Fr, $534,189; Canessar (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), MSW-US, SW & MGSP-Fr, $370,123; and Canndera (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), SW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Sevenna's Knight (Ire), 126, h, 5, Camelot (GB)–Sevenna (Fr), by Galileo (Ire). O-OTI Management Pty Ltd; B-Gestut Ammerland; T-Andre Fabre. €91,440. 3–Presage Nocturne (Ire), 126, h, 5, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Kyurem (Ire), by Verglas (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€70,000 Ylg '21 ARQAUG; €12,000 HRA '23 ARQFEB; €400,000 RNA HRA '24 ARQARC). O-Paolo Zambelli, Carlo Pellegatti, Mme Rana Khaddam, Aksam Khaddam, Alessandro Botti & Giuseppe Botti; B-Haras de la Perelle; T-Alessandro & Giuseppe Botti. €45,720. Margins: 3HF, HD, 3. Odds: 4.00, 3.40, 6.80. Also Ran: Trueshan (Fr), Double Major (Ire), Internaute (Ire), Passion And Glory (Ire), Rouge Sellier (Ire), Dubai Future (GB). The post Frankel’s Candelari Upstages Vicomtesse Vigier Rivals appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Leading bloodstock agent Mark McStay has labelled the ITM Barrier Trials as one of the most important innovations on the Irish racing scene for a number of years but implored more trainers to get behind the initiative ahead of the return of the concept at Naas on Monday. This year marks the fifth running of the ITM Barrier Trials, with trainers like Joseph O'Brien, Gordon Elliott, Gavin Cromwell, Jessica Harrington, Henry de Bromhead and Donnacha O'Brien heavily represented across a 10-trial card that features races over six and seven furlongs for unraced two- and three-year-old horses respectfully. Still, McStay says he would like to see the relatively new initiative receive more support from all corners of the industry, stating that the demand for unraced horses – particularly in Hong Kong – is not being met in Ireland at present. He said, “The barrier trials are one of the most important innovations on the Irish racing scene in recent times. I think they will have a huge influence on the trade of horses around the world and they should be supported by all sectors of the industry. We see how in Australia and New Zealand the barrier trials can develop a huge amount of trade to Asia – particularly to Hong Kong. “It should be noted that for every permit an owner receives to buy raced horses for Hong Kong, four more permits are granted for unraced horses, therefore the demand is plentiful for unraced horses. But that supply is being fulfilled for the most part from the Southern Hemisphere.” Mark McStay | Goffs Last year represented the best turnout yet with 218 horses coming through the trials from 40 different stables. Of those 218, a total of 41 were three-year-olds, with the rest of the six and seven furlong races staged for juveniles at Naas, Dundalk and Leopardstown. No trainer supported the initiative more than Joseph O'Brien, who was responsible for a quarter [57] of all runners at the trials. In fact, according to ITM's Jeremy Greene, the trials would not have been possible without O'Brien's input given a large portion of the money needed to stage the event is gathered up through entry fees. Greene said, “The trials are very expensive to run – you need 70 horses [per meeting], otherwise it's just not worth it. In terms of horses being traded, last year was our best year, with six horses being traded to Hong Kong. And you don't trade cheaply to Hong Kong, either. There were also horses sold to Britain, Saudi Arabia, America, Dubai and more. All told, a combined seven figures was traded on horses from the trials last year, which was pretty good.” Six horses – Handy Man, Wallen, Eastern Oasis, Egyptian Vulture, Lightning Arrow and Symbol Of Success – were sold to continue their careers in Hong Kong last year. Interestingly, three of those horses were by Starspangledbanner, whose progeny has done so well in that jurisdiction. Only one filly, Va Va Vroom, who was sold privately to the Al Maktoum family in a deal brokered by McStay, was traded from the trials. The agent said, “I believe that Irish horse traders are missing a trick by not advertising and marketing their horses in barrier trials. The standard of racing in Ireland is at a standard that garners huge credibility across the globe. We see some of our top trainers such as Joseph O'Brien, Jessica Harrington and more supporting these trials. Therefore, if a horse trials well, it becomes very saleable. Interestingly enough, I purchased a filly [Va Va Vroom] privately from the Harrington stable last year on behalf of Sheikh Hamed Dalmook Al Maktoum following the trial at Naas. Not only has Va Va Vroom won on her second start for the Harrington stable and achieved a rating in the 90s but Lush Lips, who was second to her in her trial at Naas, was sold to continue her career in America where she is holding her own at Group level. The trials are a great innovation but they need to be supported more. I will be monitoring them closely this year in the hope of trying to find another good horse from them.” Monday's ITM Barrier Trials get going at Naas at 12.30pm. The 10 trials are expected to take place every 20 minutes and the running order can be found online – https://www.itm.ie/buying/barrier-trials/. The post ‘One Of The Most Important Innovations In Recent Times’ – Barrier Trials Return At Naas appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Don Combs, who, as a 31-year-old trainer, won the 1970 GI Kentucky Derby with Dust Commander, passed away Sunday morning at Sayre Christian Village in Lexington. He was 86. The cause of death was a stroke. “His first wife called me this morning and said he had a stroke,” said family friend Bobby Penn. “I had been up to see him about a month or two ago. Everything was ok then. He knew me and everything. I told her I would come back and see him. She called me this morning and said he passed away from a stroke. “I met Don at Keeneland,” said Penn. “My family operated a feed business and he was a customer. We went to New York around the same time and we played golf together and shot pheasants and saw each other socially. He was just a really nice guy.” As a young trainer with a Kentucky Derby win on his resume, Combs figured to take off and become one of the top trainers in the sport. But the Derby win proved to the pinnacle of his career as he continued to have a small stable that produced few winners before he retired in 2019. He wound up winning 326 races from 2,918 starters. He won 11 stakes, three of them black-type races. “Don was always good natured, so I don't know if it bothered him that he didn't have a lot of success,” Penn said. “So it was hard to know what he was thinking. I like to tell trainers don't get to the top because when you do it's a long way down. But he was always a pretty optimistic fellow.” In a 2010 interview with Marty McGee of the Daily Racing Form, he explained why he thought he was struggling as a trainer: “It's because I haven't had any good horses. Good horses make good trainers.” Combs was a Lexington native and a 1957 graduate of Lafayette High School. “Unlike many trainers I've met, Combs is a self-professed animal lover,” wrote Brandon Quick in a 2018 article on Combs in Louisville magazine. “He talks softly to the cat and knowingly violates the cardinal rule in the horse business about getting too emotionally close to the animals.” Like his trainer, Dust Commander was a bit of an underdog. He ran in claiming races earlier on his career before he won the GI Blue Grass Stakes in his final prep for the Derby. But the handicappers dismissed that as a fluke and sent Dust Commander to the post at odds of15-1. He was the first Illinois-bred to win the Derby. On May 2, 1970, with Mike Manganello aboard, Dust Commander won the 96th running of the Kentucky Derby in 2:03 4/5 ahead of My Dad George and High Echelon. He then finished ninth as the 3-1 favorite in the GI Preakness. “Shortly after the Preakness, Combs resigned as Dust Commander's trainer. He said the reason was that owner Robert Lehmann “didn't seem to trust my judgment.” “Mr. Lehmann knows a lot about the construction business, but I don't think he knows much about horses,” Combs said. Standing at stud, Dust Commander sired the 1975 GI Preakness Stakes winner, Master Derby. The post Derby Winning Trainer Don Combs Passes Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Christope Clement, trainer of Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Tonalist and three-time Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti, died May 25 after battling metastatic uveal melanoma. He was 59.View the full article

Sosie took another step along the road to compiling what would be a season for the record books with a hard-fought success in the Prix d'Ispahan (G1) May 25, setting up a crack at the £1 million Coral-Eclipse Stakes (G1) at Sandown in July. View the full article

Aidan O'Brien reasserted his dominance over the Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) as Lake Victoria came out on top at the Curragh. He won the classic a record 10 times from 1997-2021 but had been out of luck in the past three years.View the full article

Voyage Bubble used a smooth passage to victory in the Champions & Chater Cup (G1) May 25 at Sha Tin Racecourse, completing a rare sweep of the Hong Kong Triple Crown.View the full article

German-born Andrasch Starke became the oldest winning jockey in the history of the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) as the 51-year-old partnered Kamunyak to a last-gasp victory in the second leg of the Japanese Triple Tiara at Tokyo on Sunday. It was a first Group 1 success on Japanese soil for Starke, who has been crowned Germany's champion jockey on 10 occasions and is perhaps best known internationally for his association with the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes heroine Danedream. Maintaining the partnership with Kamunyak after her first black-type win in last month's G2 Flora Stakes, Starke had his mount settled in midfield through the first part of the contest, before making a wide sweeping move into the straight. The daughter of Black Tide began to uncoil an impressive run from there, drawing even with Arma Veloce 200 metres out and then digging deep to get the verdict by a head. Arma Veloce, runner-up in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) six weeks earlier, had to settle for minor honours once again, with longshot Tagano Abby taking third ahead of Paradis Reine. Race favourite Embroidery was only ninth as she tried to follow up her Oka Sho triumph in the hands of Christophe Lemaire. “For me, it has been a dream to win a Group 1 race in Japan and I have no words–my dream came true,” said an elated Starke, who was recruited for the ride by trainer Yasuo Tomomichi and owners Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co. Ltd. “The pace was not so fast in the second half of the race and, before the homestretch, I moved to the outside where she responded very well. She's an amazing horse–she just won four weeks ago. It was important that she was very relaxed today. She put in a sound performance and her ability was amazing.” Kamunyak made a successful debut at Chukyo in August last year, before finishing sixth in the G3 Artemis Stakes at Tokyo in late-October. Prior to her victory in the Flora Stakes, she reappeared as a three-year-old with a fourth-place finish in the Listed Elfin Stakes at Kyoto in February. 【Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1), 2400m, Tokyo, JRA】 Kamunyak won the Yushun Himba !#JRA #horseracing #YushunHimba #JapaneseOaks #Kamunyak pic.twitter.com/2CtdoLPG2R — HorseRacingInJapan (@HorseRacing_JPN) May 25, 2025 Pedigree Notes Kamunyak is not the only Japanese Oaks winner in the family as her third dam, Dance Partner, was successful at Tokyo herself back in 1995. Remarkably, she was one of three champions by Sunday Silence out of the unraced Nijinsky mare Dancing Key. Like Dance Partner, Dance In The Mood was crowned Japan's champion three-year-old filly and champion older mare, while another sibling, Dance In The Dark, enjoyed a successful career at stud after being named Japan's champion three-year-old colt. One of four winners from five runners out of the Listed-placed Dance Amiga, Kamunyak is a half-sister to the G3 Lord Derby Challenge Trophy third Keep Calm by Lord Kanaloa. Second dam Dance All Night, who was placed at Group 3 level herself, is a half-sister to the G2 Nakayama Kinen winner and sire Federalist, as well as the G3 Niigata Kinen third Longing Dancer. Sunday, Tokyo, Japan YUSHUN HIMBA (JAPANESE OAKS)-G1, ¥330,230,000, Tokyo, 5-25, 3yo, f, 2400mT, 2:25.70, fm. 1–KAMUNYAK (JPN), 121, f, 3, by Black Tide (Jpn) 1st Dam: Dance Amiga (Jpn) (SP-Jpn, $1,045,040), by Sakura Bakushin O (Jpn) 2nd Dam: Dance All Night (Jpn), by El Condor Pasa 3rd Dam: Dance Partner (Jpn), by Sunday Silence 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (¥70,000,000 Ylg '23 JRAJUL). O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); T-Yasuo Tomomichi; J-Andrasch Starke; ¥180,961,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0, ¥244,421,000. *1/2 to Keep Calm (Jpn (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), GSP-Jpn, $642,912. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Arma Veloce (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Harbinger (GB)–Rakuami (Jpn), by Daiwa Major (Jpn). (¥30,000,000 Wlg '22 JRHJUL). O-TO RACING; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥68,846,000. 3–Tagano Abby (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Animal Kingdom–Tagano Tairin (Jpn), by I'll Have Another. 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Ryoji Yagi; B-Niikappu Tagano Farm (Jpn); ¥42,423,000. Margins: HD, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 14.30, 3.40, 49.00. Also Ran: Paradis Reine (Jpn), Lynx Tip (Jpn), Will Survive (Jpn), Brown Ratchet (Jpn), Kelly Fled Ask (Jpn), Embroidery (Jpn), Erika Express (Jpn), Taisei Princesse (Jpn), Ai Sansan (Jpn), Vip Daisy (Jpn), Reve de l'Opera (Jpn), Saturday Sunrise (Jpn), Lesedrama (Jpn), Savonlinna (Jpn), Go So Far (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video. The post Starke Makes History with Yushun Himba Strike Aboard Kamunyak appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After striking gold beyond the boundaries of the Golden State with Journalism (Curlin) in the GI Preakness Stakes a little more than a week ago, jockey Umberto Rispoli and trainer Michael McCarthy are liable to find themselves front and center on the special Memorial Day program at Santa Anita with Formidable Man (City of Light) in the GI Shoemaker Mile Stakes. And if statistics are anything to go by, they should prove tough to handle, as the duo has combined to win at something around 27% at the Great RIP over the course of the last 17 months. The Italian reinsman has been in the saddle for the 4-year-old's last five visits to the races, of which Formidable Man has won four, including the GI Hollywood Derby ahead of a forgettable performance in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf, for which McCarthy gives his charge a pass, owing to the chaotic environment on Pegasus Day. The colt backed up that opinion with a half-length defeat of Zio Jo (Nyquist) and Cabo Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GI F.E. Kilroe Mile Stakes over Monday's course and trip Mar. 1. Mi Hermano Ramon (Creative Cause) also shipped out for the Pegasus and struck traffic at a critical stage before finishing fourth, beaten just over two lengths behind recent GI Turf Classic hero Spirit of St Louis (Medaglia d'Oro). He charged home to be fifth in the Kilroe and would benefit from any sort of contested pace up front, a scenario which seems likely. Rispoli and McCarthy also have a puncher's chance in the afternoon's other elite-level contest, the Gamely Stakes, with Liguria (War Front). Winner of the GIII Jimmy Durante Stakes on this circuit in 2022 when trained by Chad Brown, the 5-year-old returned from 15 1/2-month absence to be a very good third in the GIII Megahertz Stakes Feb. 1 before getting up on the line to take out the GII Buena Vista Stakes a month later. Public Assembly (More Than Ready) also raced for Brown early in her career, winning her maiden from four starts, but she is perfect in two tries for the Phil d'Amato barn, including an 8-1 surprise in the GIII Royal Heroine Stakes Apr. 26. Between the two turf contests is the storied GII Hollywood Gold Cup, in which East Coast raider Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) should prove a tough nut to crack. An admirable third to Cody's Wish (Curlin) in his only other visit to Santa Anita back in 2023, the veteran has since added four more graded stakes to his CV, including a successful defense of his title in the GIII Challenger Stakes at Tampa Mar. 8, but he was most recently a well-beaten third to First Mission (Street Sense) when looking for consecutive victories in the GII Oaklawn Handicap Apr. 19. His current career earnings of over $3.5 million is about double of what his six rivals have bankrolled combined. The McCarthy-conditioned Extensive (City of Light) is the least-exposed runner in the field and arguably the one with the most upside as he makes his graded debut at career start number five. An easy maiden winner going a mile Mar. 16, Everett Dobson's homebred Beyered 99 when taking an 8 1/2-furlong allowance Apr. 6 In the two other holiday gradeds, 'TDN Rising Star' Two Sharp (Twirling Candy) squares off with GI Derby City Distaff runner-up Hope Road (Quality Road) in the GIII Winning Colors Stakes at Churchill Downs, while the outstanding Louisiana-bred Touchuponastar (Star Guitar), two-back winner of the GII New Orleans Classic, looks to add the GIII Steve Sexton Mile Stakes, a race in which he has completed the exacta in each of its last two runnings. He was defeated by a neck by Heroic Move (Quality Road) last year. Two Sharp | Coady Media The post Preakness Combo Reunite With Formidable Man in Shoemaker Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article