Wandering Eyes

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HISA and HIWU, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission, announced Feb. 21 that they are pursuing cases against one veterinarian and 13 trainers in connection with an alleged organized effort to evade HISA rules.View the full article

Elliott Walden joined the Feb. 17 BloodHorse Monday podcast to discuss John Hancock and other WinStar Farm Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders, top stallion Constitution, WinStar's new stallions for 2025, and more.View the full article

Godolphin's First Resort will scratch from the $175,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes Feb. 22 at Turfway Park after exiting a workout earlier this week with stiffness in his left hind leg, according to trainer Eoin Harty.View the full article

Racing at Oaklawn Park has been cancelled for Saturday, it was announced Friday evening. The GII Rebel Stakes card remains on schedule for Sunday with first post at 12:00 p.m., gates and infield open at 10:30 a.m. The Monday card will also run as scheduled, first post 12:30 p.m., gates open at 11:00 a.m. There was a winter storm in the Hot Springs area earlier this week. The post Oaklawn Cancels Saturday Card appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Godolphin's First Resort (Uncle Mo) will scratch from Saturday's $175,000 John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park after exiting a workout earlier this week with stiffness in his left hind leg, according to trainer Eoin Harty. The 2-1 morning-line favorite was set to make his 3-year-old debut following a victory in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club last fall at Churchill Downs. He worked a half-mile in :51.20 (8/11) at Turfway Tuesday. “I worked him (Tuesday), and by Wednesday he was a little stiff behind,” Harty said. “He hasn't really improved, so we're erring on the side of caution to get him back to 100 percent before he runs again.” The John Battaglia Memorial will award the top five finishers qualifying points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale toward a spot in the starting gate for the GI Kentucky Derby. The post First Resort to Scratch from Saturday’s John Battaglia Memorial appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Feb. 22 Saudi Cup (G1) joins the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, offering an automatic berth to the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar.View the full article

The UAE Oaks (G3) has twice in recent seasons produced fillies to run in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs and Queen Azteca could do the same after a thrilling win in this year's renewal.View the full article

The world's richest horse race will serve as a qualifier for the richest race in North America, as the Feb. 22 $20-million G1 Saudi Cup joins the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, offering an automatic berth to the $7-million GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar. As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Saudi Cup to start in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Also on the Feb. 22 card, the $2-million G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint will serve as an automatic qualifier for the $2-million GI Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint. “Breeders' Cup Limited is pleased to expand our international Breeders' Cup Challenge Series to Saudi Arabia with the addition of the Saudi Cup and the Riyadh Dirt Sprint,” said Drew Fleming, President and CEO of Breeders' Cup Limited. “This expansion underscores our commitment to fostering world-class competition and provides a fantastic opportunity for international horses competing at the highest level. We're grateful for the collaborative efforts that brought this partnership to fruition and eagerly anticipate crowning our first Breeders' Cup Challenge winners from King Abdulaziz Racecourse.” “There is a natural synergy between the Breeders' Cup World Championships and The Saudi Cup,” said HRH Prince Bandar Bin Khaled Al Faisal, Chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia. “We are delighted to be part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series and very much appreciate being a member of the Breeders' Cup global family. “The winner of the Group 1 The Saudi Cup and the Riyadh Dirt Sprint presented by Saudi National Bank will earn a spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic and the Breeders' Cup Sprint, adding an extra layer of intrigue and excitement to our race day.” Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The post Saudi Cup Added to Breeders’ Cup Challenge Qualifiers for Classic appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Saturday's G3 BetUK Winter Derby at Southwell has become a target race for the Gosdens with four renewals falling the way of Clarehaven since 2019, so the presence of the yard's unexposed Military Academy (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the latest edition generates extra intrigue. Impressive at Salisbury in September, Isa Salman and Abdulla Al Khalifa's 4-year-old was in a class of his own last time when making his all-weather debut with an authoritative win in Kempton's Listed Floodlit Stakes in November and could be one of the stable's lurkers for 2025. “Military Academy was progressive last year. He is coming here on the back of a good performance in the Floodlit Stakes and, with natural progression, hopefully he can pick up from where he left off,” jockey Robert Havlin said. “He is very laid-back at home and is as fit as we can get him. We are using this as a stepping-stone to a race in Bahrain next month and this should leave him spot-on. All that being said, we are expecting a big run.” Making a solid line-up are Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Listed Quebec Stakes winner Royal Champion (Ire) (Shamardal), who was runner-up in the GI Canadian International two years ago, the Listed Doonside Cup and G1 Champion Stakes eighth scorer Persica (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and the Listed Wild Flower Stakes and Winter Derby Trial winner Champagne Prince (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). The post Military Academy Takes Aim At Winter Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Voyage Bubble and Ka Ying Rising hope to extend their group 1-winning streaks in a pair of top-level contests at Sha Tin Racecourse Feb. 23.View the full article

Grade 1 winner Nakatomi, unraced since a sixth-place effort in the 2024 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), kicks off his 6-year-old campaign for trainer Wesley Ward in the Feb. 22 $140,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes.View the full article

Just a Touch (Justify), a fantastic second behind subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) in last spring's GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, is nearing a return to action. Last seen coming up just a head short for Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing and Marc Detampel in the Iowa Derby July 6, the 4-year-old has posted seven workouts at Brad Cox's Payson Park base this year, most recently breezing five furlongs in 1:01.80 (3/13) Feb. 15. “He's doing great,” said Hunter Valley Farm's Fergus Galvin, who serves as an U.S. advisor to Qatar Racing's Sheikh Fahad. “We gave him a nice bit of time off last year after the Iowa Derby. He had a lot thrown at him in the spring, tough for a young horse. We turned him out here at the farm for three months. He did a couple of months at WinStar to leg him back up, then he went down to Payson. Brad has been delighted with him, training great. He's very bullish about him for this year.” A very sharp debut winner sprinting in the slop at Fair Grounds, Just a Touch was immediately thrown into the deep end and ran extremely well in defeat in his next two starts, earning a spot in the starting gate for the GI Kentucky Derby after finishing second in both the GIII Gotham Stakes and Blue Grass, respectively. He earned a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure in the latter. Last of 20 at a well-backed 11-1 on the first Saturday in May, Just a Touch faced the starter just one more time in 2024, his aforementioned runner-up finish as the 3-5 favorite at Prairie Meadows. Just a Touch could resurface in a first-level allowance in “about two or three weeks,” per Galvin. “We'll start him off nice and easy, most likely in a 1x somewhere,” Galvin said. “Brad's gonna step him up, I would think, pretty quick after his first race. He's training exceptionally well and has always been a good training horse, that's why we put him on such a trail last year.” Galvin added, “Fingers crossed, given his size and pedigree, we think he'll have a big year.” After RNA'ing for $170,000 as a KEESEP yearling, the Don Alberto Corporation-bred Just a Touch brought $125,000 from Scanlon Training & Sales as a FTKOCT yearling, then $300,000 from Galvin after breezing in a bullet :9 4/5 as an OBSAPR 2-year-old. Just a Touch's dam Touching Beauty (Tapit), an $800,000 KEENOV purchase by Don Alberto in 2014, won the 2010 GIII Comely Stakes at Aqueduct. The Justify x Tapit cross has also produced Champions Dream, one of 18 graded/group winners worldwide for the 2018 Triple Crown winner. The post Blue Grass Runner-Up Just a Touch ‘Training Exceptionally Well’ Ahead of Return appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

John Banno will oversee the The Maryland Jockey Club racetrack team responsible for maintaining the surfaces at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course, and the brand-new training center at Shamrock Farm.View the full article

RIYADH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA — Making his first appearance in the International Jockeys' Challenge on the eve of the Saudi Cup meeting at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, journeyman jockey Muhammad Aldaham became the first homegrown rider to take out the competition, amassing a total of 30 points with victories in the first two legs of the series. Australia's Rachel King finished on 25 points to finish second ahead of James McDonald, whose 21 points was achieved in three races, owing to the scratching of his ride in race three of the competition. Aldaham, who has been riding for about 15 years, guided KSA-bred sons of ex-Juddmonte runner First Defence in each of the first two legs, narrowly defeating McDonald into the runner-up spot in the second race on the program (video) before easily besting King in race three (video). Oisin Murphy won his first race in the Kingdom in the third leg of the Challenge, producing Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin A/Aziz's Honky Tonk Man (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) wide into the straight before powering clear to give outgoing trainer Jimmy Jerkens a landmark success (video). The 6-year-old was previously trained in Britain by Harry and Roger Charlton and was purchased by his current owner for 150,000gns at the 2022 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale. Jerkens confirmed that he is most likely going ahead with plans to terminate his contract in the KSA to return to the training ranks in America. “His first start back here from Ta'if wasn't good for whatever reason, but all the other races he came second or third,” Jerkens said. When asked if his plans to leave remain in place, he replied: “Most likely. I want to thank Prince Faisal for the opportunity to train his horses.” Jerkens will saddle Prince Faisal's Ancestral Land (GB) (Sioux Nation) in Saturday's G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint. King saved the best for last astride Miyagi (Ire) (James Garfield {Ire}) as he chopped out his competition in the finale over 2100 metres on turf, pulling well clear in the final stages to lock up second spot in the Challenge (video). Miyagi was previously trained by Kevin Philippart de Foy before changing hands for 55,000gns at Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale in 2022. McDonald gained fourth in the final couple of jumps to pick up four points and finish a clear third. Many of Aldaham's victories in the current season have come for trainer Thamer Aldaihani, who saddled race one winner Jadhoon. One of Aldaham's biggest wins came aboard the Aldaihani-conditioned Uncle (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}) in the Listed King Faisal Cup on Jan. 4. The post Aldaham Becomes First Locally Based Winner Of International Jockeys’ Challenge appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Horse Racing Women's Association (HRWA) has scheduled its first event of the season, which will take place beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET on Friday, Mar. 28 at Gulfstream Park, according to a press release from the group on Friday. The day includes opportunities for networking, learning, and sports some friendly competition for all attendees. Local guest speaker Sheri Holmes Stirling, Vice President of Administration at the track, will offer remarks. Participants will have the opportunity to enhance their handicapping skills through a seminar led by Samantha Perry and Claudia Spadaro. Click here for more information. The post HRWA Kicks Off Season With Handicapping Event At Gulfstream Park Mar. 28 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Edith Pelham (GB), a five-year-old daughter of Blue Bresil (Fr), became the most expensive British-trained point-to-point mare sold at auction after being bought at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale for £180,000. Consigned by Gina Andrews and Tom Ellis of G&T Racing, Edith Pelham was bought by trainer Fergal O'Brien on behalf of owner Jane May. She had previously been picked up as a store for £40,000 and won on debut at Sheriff Hutton in January for Andrews. “We loved the way she ran, she is coming from a good producer, she has been very well schooled, very well looked after, and is by a good sire in Blue Bresil. We loved everything about her, and she vetted very clean,” said O'Brien. May added, “This is the first horse we will have with Fergal. We have bred our own horses for a long time, but we are getting too old for that now so we thought we'd come and buy something nice. “We watched her race, she took her fences beautifully, she ran on well. We have been in the game for 67 years, so we hope we have an idea now.” With 22 of the 27 catalogued lots sold, seven of which changed hands for six-figure sums, the clearance rate was 86% and the sale also achieved a record median of £80,000. The post Record Price for British PTP Mare at Tattersalls Cheltenham appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When Iowa-bred Cyclone State (McKinzie) breaks out of the starting gate for Saturday's $1.5-million G3 Saudi Derby, part of the Saudi Cup undercard at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, odds are that the loudest cheers will be emanating from halfway across the world at the Iowa State University (ISU) Equine Farm. That is where the colt, bred by Allen Poindexter, was born on April 29, 2022. It's an evening foaling that Nikki Ferwerda, a faculty member of the ISU Animal Science department and manager of the university's equine facilities, still remembers vividly, namely due to the notoriety of Cyclone State's dam, multiple stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Chanel's Legacy (Dominus). “To be honest, we were a little nervous when Allen wanted Chanel's Legacy to foal here. We were like, 'I don't know Allen, that's an awfully nice mare,' and just didn't feel that we wanted the extra responsibility. [But overall,] it was pretty exciting to have the mare here and [Allen] was of course super excited for Chanel to have an Iowa-bred foal,” she said. “Everything went well here as far as foaling. He was a beautiful foal when he was born. A tall, leggy colt, he was always just very charismatic and one that everybody always liked to look at.” The arrival of the long-legged bay adorned with splashes of white on all four legs marked a full-circle moment for Chanel's Legacy, herself an Iowa-bred, and a continuation of Poindexter's support of Iowa's Thoroughbred industry. A perennial leading owner and breeder in the state, the Missouri-based Poindexter sends around 15 to 20 mares to Iowa to foal out each year. Cyclone State as a foal | courtesy of Iowa State University Equine Program “What I've been trying to do over the past 15 years is improve the breeding of Iowa-bred horses to make Iowa people proud, showing that Iowa-breds can run against anything. It doesn't matter if it's Kentucky, California, Florida or whatever, we raise good horses in Iowa. It's very important to me because I think it gives credibility to the industry there, which is a big part of the [state's] economy, and can hopefully be continued for years to come,” said Poindexter. His longtime support of the state's program has also led to Poindexter's longstanding relationship with ISU's equine program. A team effort amongst the staff and students, the equine program not only foals out Thoroughbred mares for clients to meet the criteria for the Iowa-bred program, but also provides services for a variety of breeds while giving students a unique, hands-on education. “I wanted to find a way to offer services to horsemen in the industry and combine that with teaching opportunities for the students here at Iowa State. We offer breeding and foaling services and then a limited amount of sales preparation, just what we have space for, in addition to our own. We have a number of clients that we provide some of these services for, and each one of those clients and their horses are involved in some aspect of our teaching program,” explained Ferwerda. “Students at Iowa State get more practical experience, more hands-on time, with animals than I think they do anywhere else that I'm aware of. Instead of 20 people in a class coming and watching one or two mares foal, each student is assigned four to six mares. It's then their responsibility to watch them, come to the foaling and help with the initial care of the foal once the delivery is over with. “Kristen Edgington, my assistant manager, plays a huge role because she is there for the foalings and talks the students through everything that needs to be done. She is as good as anyone out there at correcting a dystocia and ensures that all of our foals get off to a good start.” On average, Ferwerda and her team foal out between 70 and 80 mares a year, with the majority of mares either Thoroughbreds or Quarter Horses. Along with the foaling aspect, ISU stands three Thoroughbred stallions including Grade I winner Free Drop Billy (Union Rags), multiple graded stakes winner Timeline (Hard Spun), and stakes winner Blueblood (City Zip). “The Thoroughbred program has been huge for Iowa State, specifically the Iowa-bred Thoroughbred program. The reason it has really grown [here] is because as we've started offering these services, we've also had folks in Iowa retire or are no longer offering the same services. So, there was a need, and us being available to open our doors has been a really big advantage from a business perspective,” said Ferwerda. Along with providing the foals a solid foundation in their early days, Ferwerda aims to give each student that comes through the barn doors the same in hopes that they will find a connection with the horses that blossoms into pursuit of a career within the equine industry. Cyclone State workout | Mathea Kelley/JSCA “I think that we look at each of our farms as a model, hopefully, for our students. We [not only] model quality care, but also a breeding program that has shown improvements over time. We bring our students along for the ride to see how we are making improvements and changes, like breeding better mares to nicer stallions, and that allows [the farm] to be the biggest classroom ever,” said Ferwerda. “I'm trying to encourage the next generation. I know it's kind of scary and daunting if you're not already involved, so we're hoping that [ISU's equine program] can be a stepping stone in that encouraging factor to get people started.” The elevation of quality coming out of Iowa is best exemplified by the program's latest star, Cyclone State. After spending his first few weeks at ISU's farm, the colt and his dam shipped back to Kentucky. A year later, he was consigned to the Keeneland September Yearling Sale with Wynnstay Sales and purchased by Joe Hardoon, agent for Al Gold of Gold Square for $70,000. It was then that Gold reached out to his partners on the colt, George Messina and Michael Lee, to request their help in deciding on a fitting name. “Al texted us and said, 'I name too many horses. Why don't you all have some fun and name this horse?' We got with [my sons] Trace and Andrew and we were kicking around names. Since he was an Iowa-bred, we were trying to think of something Iowa. We talked about 'Caucus State,' and then we kicked around 'Purdy,' because of Brock Purdy who played as the quarterback at Iowa State, and then we settled on Cyclone State [for ISU's mascot]. With him being from Iowa, it was a natural fit,” said Messina. Sent to trainer Chad Summers, Cyclone State may have taken a few months to find his rhythm on the track, but was quick to reward connections once he found his sweet spot: going a mile on the dirt. Barring a runner-up finish in a maiden at Aqueduct last September, the son of McKinzie carries a three-race win streak at the distance, highlighted by his most recent victory in the Jan. 4 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct. In that victorious stakes debut, Cyclone State powered home to best the runner-up by 3 ½ lengths while earning 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. It was that performance that convinced his connections that he was ready for a trip overseas. Cyclone State wins the Jerome Stakes at the Big A | Coglianese “Every day I wake up and pinch myself,” said Messina. “We made a couple of trips to Saratoga, Mike and I, this [past] summer when he was up there. The horse showed some talent up there but obviously we didn't think we'd be where we are today. When [Cyclone State] broke his maiden, Chad said, 'We're going to win the allowance next and then the Jerome is our goal,' and the plan worked out perfectly. After we won the Jerome, Chad came up with the idea of going to Saudi. We started talking about the competition and it was a no-brainer.” For Poindexter, whose dedication to supporting regional programs led to Chanel's Legacy giving birth to an Iowa-bred of her own, there's no greater feeling than seeing one of his own represent Iowa on the international stage. “I love the people of Iowa, that's the main reason that I send those mares there, and I love Prairie Meadows and their staff. I breed my graded stakes mares and foal them [in Iowa] to try and increase the quality of the program. Over the last 10 years, you'll see a lot of improvement and better horses,” said Poindexter. “[This weekend], I have horses [that I've bred] running in Saudi, Hong Kong, and another one running in Japan. We have horses all over the world running that are Iowa-breds.” And when it comes to those who knew Cyclone State in his early days at ISU, a feeling of pride doesn't even begin to cover it. “We love watching them all as they grow up and take off in their new careers and obviously, we want them all to be successful. I think this one is just a little bit more incredible because it is at that national, international level,” Ferwerda said. “It's showing how much Iowa is leveling up their horses here and to have an Iowa-bred at that stage is really fun. And then his name is just the icing on the cake for us, it ties it all together.” From the comfort of the ISU equine barn in Ames, Iowa to the grandeur of King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, one thing is for certain: Cyclone State has become the pride of his birthplace. The post The Pride Of Iowa: Cyclone State Steps Up To International Stage In Saudi Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The margin was only a head, but a crafty ride from Mickael Barzalona saw the Night Of Thunder (Ire) filly CHOISYA (GB) (–Fragrancy {Ire}, by Singspiel {Ire}) spring the upset over Godolphin's Grade I winner Cinderella's Dream (GB) (Shamardal) in the G2 Balanchine at Meydan on Friday. The final time for the grassy 1800 metres was 1:48.78. Content to rate in a stalking position for much of this just to the outside of her chief rival, the chestnut was sitting on go as Ziggy's Dream (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}) carried the field to the 400-metre mark. Barzalona had Choisya fully revved for the stretch drive and she got the jump on Cinderella's Dream who had to split horses as that pair took over. It was a fierce battle to the line, but that earlier move proved decisive, with the Godolphin runner cutting back the winner's deficit with every stride to just miss. Lifetime Record: 19-7-5-0. VIDEO. O-Mohammed Al Nabouda. B-Rabbah Bloodstock, Limited (GB). T-Simon & Ed Crisford. Wow! and @mickaelbarzalon stun ' in the G2 @DPWorldUAE Balanchine Stakes #DubaiCarnival | @gainsboroughHQ pic.twitter.com/wDnY1jCmiA — Dubai Racing Club (@RacingDubai) February 21, 2025 The post Night Of Thunder’s Choisya Shocks Cinderella’s Dream In Balanchine appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

QUEEN AZTECA (f, 3, Sharp Azteca–Princesa Helena, by Palace Malice) wore down the game frontrunner Arigatou Gozaimasu (Honest Mischief) in the final strides to take the G3 UAE Oaks Presented by DP World by three-quarters of a length at Meydan on Friday. Still four lengths in arrears at the furlong grounds, the Kentucky-bred closed in determined fashion to just pip the leader. The final time for the 1900 metres on dirt was 2:00.43. Sales history: $22,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; 30,000gns 2yo '24 TATMAY. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-0. VIDEO. O-Glaesner Racing APS. B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC (KY). T-Niels Petersen. *1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. “ℎ !” rules in an epic renewal of the G3 @DPWorldUAE-sponsored UAE Oaks Niels Petersen Carlos Lopez #DubaiCarnival pic.twitter.com/1lihuW5WIk — Dubai Racing Club (@RacingDubai) February 21, 2025 The post Dramatic UAE Oaks Goes To Sharp Azteca Filly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

GALACTIC STAR (g, 3, Improbable–Stella's Dream, by Pioneerof The Nile) gave his late sire his third worldwide stakes winner in the Listed Al Bastakiya presented by DP World at Meydan on Friday. The 1900-metre dirt race is a prep for the Apr. 5 G2 UAE Derby over the same track and trip on Dubai World Cup night. Honest Moon (Honest Mischief) led with Galactic Star moving up to race just off that rival's shoulder into the first turn. Saving every inch of ground in a stalking fourth on the backside, the eventual winner was in a good rhythm. Honest Moon still led at the 700-metre mark, with Galactic Star looming closer and the hard-working Undefeated (Vekome) in third. Changing gears, he wore down Honest Moon by the 150-metre mark and had enough left to hold off the late surge of Heart Of Honor (Honor A. P.) by a head. Honest Moon was third, a length behind. A debut winner at Jebel Ali over 1200 metres in January, the gelding ran third in a Meydan affair upped to 1600 metres on Feb. 7. Friday's effort was his third lifetime start. He was selected by trainer Bhupat Seemar for 185,000gns out of the Powerstown Stud draft of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale in April of 2024. Tom Whitehead's operation had purchased the chestnut for $145,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from Warrendale Sales. His dam was unraced, and has a yearling colt by Nashville still to come. She was covered by Americanrevolution last spring, with Galactic Star one of five winners from six to race. The second dam, the stakes-placed Meadow Dream (Meadowlake), is a half-sister to GII Pegasus Handicap hero Forty One Carats (Tactical Advantage). Sales history: $145,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; 185,000gns HRA '24 TATAPR. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, AED540,700. VIDEO. O-Blue Blood Racing Syndicate – Kamlesh Mahtani & Dhruv Sahni. B-Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY). T-Bhupat Seemar. GALACTIC STAR gamely repels the fast-finishing HEART OF HONOR in the Listed Al Bastakiya Stakes, sponsored by @DPWorldUAE @BhupatSeemar | @rpmullen1 | #DubaiCarnival pic.twitter.com/bbK4db9HKg — Dubai Racing Club (@RacingDubai) February 21, 2025 The post Third Stakes Winner For The Late Improbable In Dubai appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

8th-SA, 60K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 7:02 p.m. Drawn side by side are a pair of Baffert stablemates led by $700,000 KEESEP grad VOLDEMORT (Good Magic) who counts MGISW and late leading sire Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker) as an extended family member. The Triple Crown-nominated colt comes in off an extended work tab including a last-out four furlong drill in :47 2/5 (11/87). He draws inside of Tiz Secure (Maximum Security), a Watson/Weitman homebred out of MGISW Tough Tiz's Sis who has already produced GSW/GISP Tiz Midnight, herself responsible for MGSW/GISP and $1.45m KEENOV broodmare Midnight Memories (Mastery). Another half-sister, Tension (Tapit), produced MGSW Rocket Can (Into Mischief) who factored in the 2023 Triple Crown trail. Richard Mandella debuts Prayer (Quality Road), a full-brother to SW/MGSP Gingham and El Camino Real Derby winner Blackadder. TJCIS PPS Now named: Voldemort GOOD MAGIC Colt o/o a young Bernardini mare Beauty Buzz, his Empire Maker Second dam is a full sister to Pioneer Of The Nile. Voldemort was born May 4th and made $700,000 in Book Four Sept @keenelandsales Sold by @Gainesway for @WalmacLLC He will… pic.twitter.com/3Dipz3r4lf — Tom Ryan (@TomRyanKY) January 25, 2024 2nd-TAM, 53K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1m 40yds, 12:58 p.m. High Note (Curlin), the $450,000 FTSAUG half-sister to MGISW Verrazano (More Than Ready), debuts from the outside gate for Chad Brown. First dam Enchanted Rock, who initially sold for $2,000,000 carrying a full-sibling to Verrazano at KEENOV in 2017, has also produced GII Risen Star Stakes winner El Padrino (Pulpit) and MSP La Madrina (Tapit). The family includes a champion older mare in Queena (Mr. Prospector) and plenty of graded blacktype led of GISW Somali Lemondade (Lemon Drop Kid), GISW Serra Lake (Seattle Slew) and MGSW/MGISP Hungry Island (More Than Ready). She's drawn outside second-time starter Mischief in Motion (Into Mischief) who missed as the favorite going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Tapeta at Gulfstream Jan. 8 but now stretches out for Michael Trombetta. TJCIS PPS The post Saturday Insights: Baffert Debuts Pair At Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Voyage Bubble and Ka Ying Rising hope to extend their group 1 winning streaks in a pair of top-level contests at Sha Tin Racecourse Feb. 23.View the full article

American trainers are a rare breed at Saudi Cup 2025 but the few who are here sing the praises of international racing.View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU), in collaboration with the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission (PSHRC), are pursuing cases against one veterinarian and 13 trainers in connection with an organized effort to evade HISA rules designed to protect and enhance the health and safety of horses and riders, according to a press release from the regulator on Friday. A coordinated investigation–first reported in an article published in the TDN–led by the PSHRC revealed that veterinarian Dr. Allen Post Bonnell allegedly conspired with the implicated trainers from May 2023 through November 2024 to administer intra-articular injections to the joints of Covered Horses within the prohibited stand-down periods, in direct violation of HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) and Racetrack Safety Programs—whose rules are in place to safeguard equine health and ensure fair competition. As a result of the alleged violations, HISA and HIWU will pursue sanctions against these Covered Persons as described in HISA's rules, including the disqualification of more than 100 horses from previous race results and subsequent forfeiture of purses, periods of Ineligibility for the Covered Persons and fines. While all horses were allegedly injected at Penn National Race Course, they participated in races at 10 different racetracks subject to HISA's rules, across six different states. HISA has verified that of the more than 100 unique horses alleged to have breezed or raced in violation of HISA's intra-articular stand down times, 30% never raced again, strongly suggesting these injections were used to mask pain. Approximately 10% were observed to be lame post-race by a regulatory veterinarian. Three horses were euthanized as a direct result of injuries sustained in those races. “This egregious breach of integrity and intentional undermining of equine welfare is a stark reminder of why rigorous oversight and enforcement are critical to the future of horse racing,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “The health and safety of horses and jockeys are paramount, and those who deliberately put them at risk will be held accountable.” From the inception of the ADMC Program on May 22, 2023 through July 7, 2024, HIWU enforced intra-articular injection rule violations. As of July 8, 2024, HISA has been enforcing intra-articular injection protocols under its revised Racetrack Safety Program. Further details, including disciplinary actions and sanctions against those involved, will be released in accordance with the disclosure requirements under the Racetrack Safety Program and ADMC Program. HISA, HIWU and the PSHRC remain steadfast in their commitment to protecting the integrity of the sport and the welfare of its equine and human athletes. The post HISA and HIWU Pursue Pennsylvania Cases Against Veterinarian And 13 Trainers In Widespread Conspiracy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article