Wandering Eyes

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On the Feb. 17 episode of BloodHorse Monday, Louie Rabaut and Sean Collins recap the Risen Start Stakes (G2) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, WinStar's Elliott Walden discusses John Hancock, and BloodHorse's Eric Mitchell previews new stallions.View the full article

Barnes and Rodriguez, candidates for the San Felipe (G2) on March 1 at Santa Anita Park, and fellow 3-year-old Citizen Bull all worked for trainer Bob Baffert Feb. 17 at Santa Anita. View the full article

On the Feb. 17 episode of BloodHorse Monday, Louie Rabaut and Sean Collins recap the Risen Start Stakes (G2) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, WinStar's Elliott Walden discusses John Hancock and BloodHorse's Eric Mitchell previews new stallions.View the full article

With breeding sheds opening last week across North America, farms have been quietly preparing stallions for the demanding months ahead of them. All jokes about them having the best jobs aside, stallions are in for a marathon during breeding season. It's not simply a matter of bringing stallions up from fields and expecting them to be ready to cover a full book of mares over the ensuing months. Perhaps that may work for small operations where a stallion covers a handful of mares all season, but for the elite operations in Kentucky, stallions require a certain amount of fitness in order to perform not only all season long, but at peak fertility. Major farms use varying methods to get their stallions ready, but WinStar Farm near Versailles–currently home to 14 active stallions on the roster–uses the time-honored tradition of riding their stallions under saddle. “We've done it for 15-16 years probably, maybe a little bit more,” said WinStar's stallion manager, Larry McGinnis. “Mr. [Bill] Casner started it when he was a part of the farm, so that's how long it's been.” Anyone fortunate enough to be in attendance as WinStar stallions are sent through their paces on a small jogging track near the stallion barn sees not only healthy, but happy horses. “We want them to have their ears up, be bouncing around, be happy,” said McGinnis. “We just want to get them a little bit of exercise and be happy about it. If they want to fight us or don't like being ridden any more, we won't do it–then we'll put them on the walker or do something different with them.” Life Is Good under saddle at WinStar | Sarah Andrew Most of the current horses on WinStar's roster are Grade I winners–many of them multiple Grade I winners–with a Breeders' Cup winner and a Dubai World Cup winner to boot. Most have campaigned at the very top of the sport over multiple years. Like in any human sport, a horse performing in the highest levels at peak fitness over multiple campaigns eventually may sustain some wear and tear. “Some of them have injuries that might keep them from exercising, like a little ankle or something,” continued McGinnis. “They're elite athletes and they've been through a lot to get to me, so some of them don't do anything [extra]. They'll just get turned out at night.” Among those who are ridden at WinStar are one of the sport's top sires, Constitution, as well as four-time Grade I winner Life Is Good and new-for-2025 Heartland, all 'TDN Rising Stars' during their race careers. New retiree Heartland is among the stallions ridden at WinStar | Sarah Andrew Alvaro Quinteros is the man in the saddle at WinStar. He splits his time between WinStar's training center and the stallion barn. While he breaks a lot of babies and has ridden horses at all stages of training, the Guatemala native said his very unique position aboard the stallions holds a special place in his heart. “I love the stallions,” said Quinteros. “I've been riding them for four years. I love my job, especially these stallions. I've been working here for WinStar for six years and with the stallions for four years. I was an outrider before.” Other than the obvious, is there a difference between riding stallions and riding young horses? “It's much different,” said Quinteros. “These horses mentally are so different.” He adds with a smile: “Constitution is my favorite.” Constitution at WinStar | Sarah Andrew Depending on the horse and the stallion's needs, Quinteros uses either Western or English tack. He said he often uses a Western saddle on the younger ones, especially when a horse is newer to the farm. As horses let down and adjust to farm life, they may switch to an exercise saddle as he likes the extra contact it gives him with the stallion. With some horses, he said, the type of tack used makes no difference. The stallions work hard during the breeding season, so McGinnis said they're only ridden during the off months. “After breeding season, we give them about a month off just to let down a little bit and relax. Then we'll start [under saddle] probably middle of July. It's just weather dependent every day. If we get a lot of rain, we're not going to do it. As long as it's safe for them to go out, we'll jog a couple of times and come in.” Heartland heading to exercise | Sarah Andrew He continued: “We usually do it until around November. It just depends on when we start getting snow. Our little track gets pretty wet, so if it's consistently raining, we won't ride them. And if there's bad weather while we're riding, we're not going to do it then either.” While WinStar may be one of the few American farms these days to utilize stallion riding as a form of fitness, they are not the first. Three Chimneys famously did it during the Seattle Slew years. Photos occasionally surface from the other side of the world of stallions ridden in Japan. The most legendary stallion by far, however, ever to be ridden during his sire years in America was undoubtedly Man o' War. Historian Dorothy Ours, author of “Man o' War: A Legend Like Lightning,” points to several newspaper and magazine articles that reference a tremendous workout regimen during the great horse's retirement. From the Lexington Herald-Leader in 1929: “Although his racing days have been over for nine years and he will never set foot on a track again, unless for exhibitions, Man o' War must stay in condition and daily, about 7 o'clock, he is saddled and taken for an hour's exercise at a jogging canter… In that hour, Man o' War will cover at least eight miles.” Man o' War in retirement with John Buckner up | Keeneland Library/Jeffords Collection In 1940, when Man o' War was 23, the same publication wrote: “Concerning his daily exercise, the priceless equine is going only five miles under the saddle these mornings as compared to eight and 10… His five-mile workouts now consist of walking and trotting, while eight years ago he was galloping the entire distance.” The game has changed in the century since Man o' War was a young horse. His under-saddle exercise was reported to be from October to June, with the summer off, while the WinStar stallions aren't ridden during the breeding season. Alvaro Quinteros and Life Is Good | Sarah Andrew It must be noted the great Man o' War was allotted 15 mares in his first book. Top stallions today can cover that many–or more–in a week. Obviously, veterinary advancements have changed the breeding game tremendously. A century ago, even a few decades ago, mares were often given multiple covers during a single estrus cycle in order to 'catch.' These days, ovulation can be pinpointed down to mere hours for an optimal cover providing the best chance for conception. Ideally, mares will be covered just once in modern days, whereas in Man o' War's time, each mare often got multiple covers over a series of days. Ours is aware of other significant horses being ridden while at stud, including Man o' War's Triple Crown-winning son, War Admiral, who stood alongside his sire at Lexington's Faraway Stud. The son of Man o' War's celebrated groom, Will Harbut, was among War Admiral's riders at the farm. Ours also said Seabiscuit was ridden during his stallion years in California, including for “low-speed trail riding and cattle herding.” A Courier-Journal article Ours shared alluded to other legends that one of Man o' War's farm exercise riders had also ridden, presumably on the farm, including Domino, Peter Pan, and Colin. Stallion tack at WinStar | Sarah Andrew Although horsemen a century ago would most likely be amazed at the sheer vastness of stallion operations of today, they'd feel very much at home with good, old-fashioned horsemanship. While each farm has its own methods of ensuring stallion fitness, WinStar's approach would surely be approved by horsemen of yesteryear. “We're one of the few who do it now,” said McGinnis. “We just think it's good for them and it shows.” It does show. The post Healthy Strides: WinStar Sends Stallions for a Spin Under Saddle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Carter Dalgety’s excited, and upbeat, about what he calls his “biggest” challenge to date. The 21-year-old heads to Brisbane this week to take on some of the world’s best in the first ever Ultimate Driver Championship at Albion Park. Ten drivers will take part in the 20-race series on Friday and Saturday with the top points-scorer at the end taking home the $100,000 first prize. At the recent Harness Racing New Zealand Awards at Addington Dalgety, the country’s top junior driver in 2024, was asked about the series and his impending clash with good friend and now five-time USA Driver of the Year Dexter Dunn, who was in the audience. “I’ll smoke him,” was Dalgety’s reply. It was fighting talk when you think that Dunn is acknowledged as one of the, if not the best, driver on the planet. “He loved it.” “I think I’ve got him scared,” laughs Dalgety, “I’m hoping I’m right but he is just that good.” The pair are joined in the series by fellow internationals, Canadian star Yannick Gingras and Sweden’s Bjorn Goop and six Australians. Carter knows it’s going to a big event. “When you think about the coverage it’s going to get it will be the biggest,” says Dalgety, “and no-one’s got anything to lose – just going to go crazy.” “It suits me perfect.” In preparation Dalgety has been going through the form at Albion Park. “You see the same horses there for the past five years, they just keep going on round and round,” says Dalgety, “so I know a bit about them.” In the early markets Dalgety, the most inexperienced driver in the series, is the outsider at $15 with Dunn and Australians Gary Hall Junior and Nathan Dawson joint favourite at $5.50. To see Dexter Dunn’s comments on the UDC click here View the full article

The first of Manawatu’s new look Sunday meetings will be held this weekend. Three twilight Sunday meetings have been scheduled between now and the end of their season in May. They are on February 23, March 30 and April 6. Each of the Sunday meetings is teamed up with a Tuesday meeting two days later, while the club has a series of Tuesday-Thursday meetings as well. “We have had successful Sunday afternoon meetings before. They are good family days,” says Manawatu Harness Racing Club President Dan Lynch, “and these meetings are going to have a later start time so in some ways it is an experiment.” “We are doing some radio ads and promoting the meeting on social media to increase local awareness,” says Lynch. Harness Racing New Zealand and Entain were behind the new initiative, as it aims to increase wagering opportunities on traditionally one of its biggest days of the week. All the Manawatu Sunday meetings will follow other domestic harness meeting earlier in the day. Lynch is confident trainers will support the new meetings. “There has been some good feedback from trainers because Monday is usually a quiet day as opposed to having a Thursday meeting and then drivers and trainers having to get ready for Cambridge or Auckland the next day.” “It’s great too that a trainer like Michael House has a permanent team of around 12 based up here these days because of the regular racing.” The Sunday meetings will normally start around 4-5pm with around eight races a meeting. This Sunday stakes will range from $10,000 to $13,500, with Thursday stakes going up to $15,000. “In some ways we are walking into the unknown but hopeful it will be successful.” View the full article

Due to the winter weather, Mahoning Valley and Parx have canceled live racing Feb. 17. Both tracks are expected to resume racing Feb. 18.View the full article

BH Interview with Clay WhithamView the full article

Saudi royal Prince Sultan bin Mishal Al Saud has been placed on the British Horseracing Authority forfeit list after running up unpaid training bills of $402,701.View the full article

A donation drive to aid fire relief efforts will be held Sunday, Feb. 23 at Santa Anita in the parking lot from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., it was announced via press release Monday afternoon. Those wishing to contribute to the drive can enter through Gate 5 off Huntington Drive or Gate 8 off Baldwin Avenue. Donations may include non-perishable food, water, paper products (paper towels, toilet paper, wipes, etc.), diapers, toiletries (must be new), and pet food. All who donate can also stay for a complimentary day at the races which includes free admission, parking, and race day program. First responders will also be honored with a free lunch, track admission, open seating in the box seats and VIP tours throughout the day. The post Donation Drive for Fire Relief, First Responders Day Sunday at Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There are always mutterings and grumblings among the breeding community about the cost of stallion nominations, so how about using a stallion for free? That is exactly what Phil Cunningham and the National Stud are offering breeders with a certain quality of mare in regard to the 10-year-old Rajasinghe (Ire) as he embarks on his seventh covering season in Newmarket. The son of dual Royal Ascot winner Choisir (Aus) became a winner at that prestigious meeting himself back in 2017 when landing the Coventry Stakes in record time. By the time his first two-year-olds emerged in 2022, he made ripples when, from only 11 runners, he notched eight winners. On the back of that he covered his biggest book in 2023, but that still only numbered 42 mares, up from eight in 2022, 36 in 2021, 25 in 2020 and 33 in his debut season. Last year the number dipped again to 31, and Cunningham wants to do all he can to persuade his fellow breeders to give his horse a chance. Yes, Rajasinghe could do with some stakes horses coming through, but what he has routinely posted since his runners started emerging is a solid winners-to-runners strike-rate in excess of 50 per cent from his first three crops of runners. “Rajasinghe we've always felt had serious potential as a stallion,” says the National Stud's bloodstock manager Joe Bradley. “When his first crop came out, we were all aware that the numbers just weren't quite where the industry would expect them to be to have a successful start in his stallion career. But we were so impressed with the way his progeny came out – they were winning races routinely and slowly the strike-rate just climbed up, and as the years have progressed, the strike-rate has been maintained.” Cunningham's offer is not open to all and sundry. In a bid to encourage a certain level of quality for his 2025 book, to qualify for a free nomination to Rajasinghe the mare must have been rated at least 70 during her racing career or to have produced a runner rated 70 or above. “Phil has always supported Rajasinghe through the years and has always been a big believer in the horse, and that is because when he put them into training with his trainer Richard Spencer at Rebel Racing they were routinely performing week on week. So he has seen firsthand how his progeny could run and supported him accordingly,” says Bradley. “We're in a position now where we feel he deserves better numbers so we sat down and said, 'what can we do?' It wasn't only about making sure people were booking their mares in who meet the criteria, but they are likely to be breeders at a lower level so it was nice to have these conversations about where people are at and what we can do to help. “We're trying to encourage people with that sort of mare to give us a call and we'll have a chat. Breeders at those levels perhaps encounter challenges more regularly so we are always looking at what we can do to help and we are not afraid to try things.” The Listed-placed Waiting All Night (GB) led the way in Cunningham's colours from Rajasinghe's first crop, and Run Boy Run (GB), who won four times last year and ran Marshman (GB) to a neck when second recently at Newcastle, hails from his second crop and has a rating of 92. Two Tribes (GB) is another to have achieved a 90-plus rating. It is clear that that the team at the National Stud has a genuine fondness for the horse, who is reputed to have an unflappable temperament – a disposition of great value not only to his potential offspring but also at a stud which doubles as a teaching establishment. “Rajasinghe is renowned here at the stud for the way he is so relaxed,” Bradley says. “He goes about things in such a professional way. He's a legendary character around here for the way he is around the staff and the students, and I have noticed with his foals that they are very straightforward, with very good conformation and built like himself, a strong, sprinting type.” He adds that the decision to offer free nominations to a tier of mares was only arrived at after careful thought and with certain caveats attached. “We review each stallion individually as to where they are at and what they need. There are certain criteria which must be met and we hope that people recognise that. Phil is a very innovative person – you can see that in his business life. He's a huge supporter of British racing. He has own training establishment, his breeding establishment, he's a regular buyer of bloodstock both in England and now farther afield, so to have someone like Phil who gives us that support, we're lucky to be in that position and hopefully we can repay him with some more mares for Rajasinghe this season.” The post Cunningham’s Enticing Deal to Help Fellow Breeders Back Rajasinghe appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ethan West has spent years quietly building his training career. On Feb. 15, the 32-year-old horseman found himself on the national stage for the first time as Chunk of Gold finished a hard-fought second in the $500,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2).View the full article

Mahoning Valley Race Course and Parx joined Aqueduct in cancelling live racing as winter weather continued to wreak havoc on the schedule Monday. Mahoning Valley in Ohio also canceled its Tuesday card, while Parx is scheduled to resume racing Tuesday with a first post time of 12:05 p.m. With strong winds and wintry precipitation, Aqueduct was forced to cancel racing both Sunday and Monday. Live racing is expected to resume at the New York oval Friday. The post Winter Weather Continues to Cause Cancellations appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Feb. 28 is the last opportunity to nominate foals born in 2024 to the Breeders' Cup program for a one-time late nomination fee of $1,500. This nomination entitles each foal to lifetime eligibility to the Breeders' Cup World Championships.View the full article

The Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (RMTC) has awarded 25 veterinary students externships which will provide experience working alongside racetrack practitioners and regulatory veterinarians. “The success of the racing industry is dependent on the recruitment, availability, and retention of motivated attending and regulatory veterinary professionals to oversee the safety and welfare of its participants,” said RMTC Executive Director Dr. Michael Hardy. “The RMTC will join other equine industry organizations taking an active role in promoting careers in equine veterinary medicine.” The RMTC created the Racing Industry Veterinary Student Externship Program in 2024 with the intention of promoting and providing exposure to and networking opportunities in equine veterinary medicine within the racing industry and to establish a mechanism to identify, recruit, and retain young veterinarians and encourage professional pursuits relevant to horse racing needs for veterinary care and the promotion of enhanced safety and welfare for racehorses. In 2025, the program gained additional industry support, with all 25 externships funded by program sponsors, including AVMA Trust, AAEP Foundation for the Horse, Breeders' Cup Ltd, Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, Petvetcare Centers, New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Indiana HBPA, Oak Tree Racing Association, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, 1S/T Racing, CDI, and The Jockey Club. “We've seen the early success of these veterinary externships and want to support the expansion of this program,” said NYTHA president Tina Marie Bond . “Quality veterinary care is paramount in racing today. It is vital to introduce students to our sport and have them gain critical experience with both regulatory and private veterinarians in a racetrack environment.” The RMTC is a 501(c) 3 organization comprised of 23 industry stakeholder organizations with a shared commitment to engage in research, education, and advocacy for science-based initiatives that promote the health and safety of the racehorse and the integrity of competition. The post RMTC Awards Externships to Veterinary Students appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

LAMBOURN, UK — Nicky Henderson has reiterated that connections of Palladium (Ger) have Melbourne Cup ambitions for last year's G1 Deutsches Derby hero, who is first set to continue his hurdling career in the G1 Triumph Hurdle at next month's Cheltenham Festival. The race that stops a nation might not have been uppermost in Henderson's thoughts on Monday morning, as he welcomed the media to his Seven Barrows base to provide the lowdown on his formidable squad for the four-day extravaganza at Prestbury Park, but it was clear that a return to the Flat is the ultimate goal for the Lady Bamford-owned colt–win, lose or draw when he clashes with stable-mate Lulamba (Fr) (Nirvana du Berlais {Fr}) in the Triumph. “I think they're two high-class horses. If you only had one of them you'd be happy–I'm even happier having two,” Henderson said of his hand for the premier four-year-old contest in the National Hunt racing calendar, which is sponsored by Lord Bamford's company, JCB. Last-time-out Ascot winner Lulamba heads the ante-post betting at a general 7-4, while Palladium is available to back at 12-1 with most bookmakers, following a workmanlike victory when making his hurdling bow at Huntingdon last month. “Lulamba is a very laid-back horse at home,” Henderson continued. “He doesn't behave like a baby, but he's very raw still. He's a big, scopey horse and you could easily see him jumping a fence next year. “I don't think Palladium will be jumping fences–I think he'll be winning the Melbourne Cup.” The bullish Henderson is already no stranger to having runners in Australia, having saddled Forgotten Voice (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) in the 2013 renewal of the G3 Geelong Cup, when a fifth-place finish wasn't enough to secure him a place in the final field at Flemington. Even for a trainer who has achieved so much in the sport, it would be a notable first for Henderson, the winner of 73 races at the Cheltenham Festival, should Palladium go on to represent him in the Melbourne Cup. However, he was unable to confirm that the son of Gleneagles (Ire) will remain in his care for any future starts on the Flat. “I expect he'd probably go back to a Flat trainer,” said Henderson, who nevertheless announced himself well up for the challenge should he be given the opportunity, adding, “It would be very good fun and we did go down there once but didn't get in. I don't know, we'll have to see.” The fact that an Australian party was the underbidder when Palladium was purchased by Highflyer Bloodstock, on behalf of Lady Bamford, for €1,400,000 at the Arqana Arc Sale in October is said to have buoyed connections in their Melbourne Cup quest, but first Henderson is fully focused on the task at hand at Cheltenham. Palladium didn't impress everyone when battling to a two-length win at Huntingdon, displaying a hurdling technique which was sometimes less than fluent, but Henderson was keen to take the positives out of that performance from a colt who has reportedly been “terrific all the way through” in his time at Seven Barrows. “There are two things about the Huntingdon race,” Henderson began, keen to put the record straight after his charge had earned mixed reviews. “The first is that the form has already turned out to be red hot, and the second is that the time was fantastic. He was six seconds faster than the other division. Q.E.D.” He added, “With colts it [going jumping] isn't the easiest thing you'd ever do, but they either do it or they don't. He's got a fantastic temperament and that makes it very, very easy. He went away and did a bit of loose schooling to start with, which we nearly always do with horses who are coming off the Flat, and he enjoyed that. He's been terrific all the way through.” Palladium had been expected to put the finishing touches to his Cheltenham preparations with an outing in the G2 Adonis Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday, and that still hasn't been ruled out, but his trainer threw a curve ball into the mix on Monday morning when revealing that Lulamba had been given the same entry. An earlier-than-advertised clash between the pair is definitely out of the question, according to Henderson, but he is still yet to decide which of the pair will take up the engagement. He explained, “Lulamba is terribly well and he'd need to have a racecourse gallop. And he's only had two runs in his life, whereas Palladium has done a mountain of racing. With the way he's been working and schooling, does he really need to [run again]? I think he might be better where he is. I don't know, we'll just see. They're both going to work tomorrow and then we'll decide.” The mountain of racing done by Palladium, before he ever stepped foot at Seven Barrows, amounted to seven runs on the Flat in Germany when trained by Henk Grewe. After beating the G2 Derby Italiano winner Borna (Fr) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) by a neck to register his biggest success in the Deutsches Derby, he then signed off for his former stable by finishing six lengths behind Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in September's G1 Preis von Europa. Of course, that form has very little relevance when it comes to his Cheltenham assignment, but if nothing else it puts his trainer in a totally unique position. Palladium is the most expensive National Hunt purchase of all time, lest we forget, with a potential stallion career still ahead of him. A son of the Listed winner and G1 Premio Lydia Tesio runner-up Path Wind (Fr) (Anabaa), bred by Gestut Fahrhof, he is certainly a precious commodity so far as his trainer is concerned. “Definitely not, no,” was Henderson's emphatic reply when asked whether he'd ever been entrusted with a Flat performer in anything like the same league as this colt. “He's a very high-class horse and a beautiful-looking horse, too. You could take him anywhere and he'd win a prize.” Anywhere, any prize, it seems that nothing is off limits for Palladium in 2025. The post From Cheltenham to Melbourne for Henderson’s Classic Hero Palladium appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The deadline to nominate foals of 2024 to the Breeders' Cup is Feb. 28 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The $1,500 nomination fee grants each foal lifetime eligibility to the Breeders' Cup World Championships and the Breeders' Cup racing programs. All foals sired by a fully nominated North American Breeders' Cup stallion are eligible for nomination to the Breeders' Cup program in their year of birth and up to Feb. 28 of their yearling year. Nomination fees for 2024 foals not nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by Feb. 28 will be increased to $12,000 for horses sired by a Breeders' Cup-nominated stallion and to $18,000 for horses sired by a non-nominated stallion before July 15 of the horse's 2-year-old year. Breeders' Cup foal nominators will earn $10,000 for every victory in the worldwide Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, and every horse that starts in a Breeders' Cup World Championship race will earn a nominator award. The individual nominating the foal receives these nominator awards even though the horse may change hands throughout its racing career. The post Breeders’ Cup Late Foal Nominations Due Feb. 28 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Editor's Note: The TDN received the following letter from Ken Donworth regarding the GoFundMe campaign to help provide for the children of Andre Lynch, who is suffering from stage 4 pancreatic cancer and is on palliative care. Lynch has two daughters, Emma, 8; and Catherine, 4. Donations may be made here. We want to thank everybody for helping out Andre in the last week. It's been an incredible showing of support and we want recognize everyone who has been so kind. It's devastating what is happening to Andre, but I can promise you we have met him several times over the last week and this has lifted his spirits beyond measure. The knowledge that his kids will be taken care of has given him huge comfort of mind. The funds will go into our trust account managed by the Fister group at Morgan Stanley. Dermot Ryan and I would be trustees. This fund will grow and benefit the girls in years to come. The horse business is truly amazing, and when something drastic happens like this, everybody comes together. It's truly amazing and a testament to everyone in the business. Again, we want to thank everybody who has donated, and it's never too late to donate. If you haven't already, we're trying to raise as much as we can to cover Andre's palliative care and set up a trust account for the kids. Sincerely, Ken Donworth The post Letter to the Editor: Fund for Andre Lynch appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

George Adams of Housatonic Bloodstock discusses the 2025 mating plans for the Wasabi Ventures' broodmare band. Now with its own Kentucky farm, Serendipity Springs, Wasabi Ventures Stables & Stallions continues to try to improve the quality of its breeding program and the commerciality of its foals. Everyone knows that freshman sires tend to be the most commercial, and Wasabi will be supporting several of them in which we have shares. Specifically, we're sending five mares to Speightstown's only 2-year-old Grade I-winning son, Prince of Monaco at Claiborne. We love Speightstown as a sire-of-sires, and Prince of Monaco's physical and race record make him a hugely exciting prospect. GUN SLINGIN (6, Gun Runner–Easy Tap, by Tapit) to be bred to Prince of Monoco. Among the five mares we're sending his way are Gun Slingin, a full-sister to Grade II winner and Grade I-placed Disarm, who we're hoping has another big year at the races. The Gone West sire-line has already worked repeatedly with Gun Slingin's female family, and the Gone West/Candy Ride cross has been successful, too. And physically, Prince of Monaco's substance will complement the leggy, rangier Gun Slingin. CROQUEMBOUCHE (5, Twirling Candy–Lady Esme, bu Majestic Warrior) to be bred to Prince of Monaco. The maiden mare Croquembouche is a daughter of Twirling Candy (and half to Grade II winner Lord Miles), so this is the same Gone West/Candy Ride cross as with Gun Slingin, and is another female family that has had success with Gone West-line stallions, including Caledonia Road and Citizen Advocate. WHY NOT TONIGHT (7, Tapiture–Pay the Lady, by Not For Love) to be bred to Prince of Monaco. Wasabi's first black-type winner Why Not Tonight also goes to Prince of Monaco. She's a big, rangy mare by Tapiture, and the Speightstown/Tapit cross has been strong with the likes of Lexitonian, Bonny South, and Poster. Casa Creed | Sarah Andrew MAD GRACE (10, English Channel–Floating Island, by A. P. Indy) to be bred to Casa Creed. We are sending two mares to Casa Creed at Mill Ridge. We love what Price and Headley are doing with their roster, and Wasabi is happy to put their money where their mouth is and support a hard-knocking, durable horse like Casa Creed. The first of our mares that will visit him is Mad Grace, a daughter of English Channel who was similarly durable (9 wins out of 41 starts through seven years old.) WAND WORK (5, Uncle Mo–Mrs. Norris, by Bernardini) to be bred to Casa Creed. We're also sending Casa Creed the unraced Wand Work, an Uncle Mo half-sister to the black-type 2-year-old Hedwig (whom Wasabi just acquired from Godolphin in November). Hedwig is by Maclean's Music, so the family has succeeded with the Distorted Humor sire-line that Casa Creed comes from. His leg and scope will also complement the more compact Wand Work. WILD FOR LOVE (15, Not Fo Love-Sticky, by Concern) to be bred to Charge It. The third first-year sire that we're excited about is Charge It at Gainesway. He's a gorgeous specimen, and we love his pedigree and the brilliance that he showed on his best days. We're sending him Wild For Love, a daughter of Not For Love who produced the first black-type winner bred by Wasabi. That black-type winner, Local Motive, is by a son of Tapit, so Charge It makes perfect sense for her–plus the Tapit/Not For Love cross has been very strong. QUEEN MUM (10, Paynter–For Royalty, by Not For Love) to be bred to Charge It. Wasabi also has the black-type placed 2-year-old Queen Mum heading to Charge It. She's a half to Grade I winner Constellation and three more black-type horses, plus to the big-money yearling Edified, by Tapit, who just won an allowance for Steve Asmussen in January. Her broodmare sire is Not For Love, so we get a variation on that cross again, too. Wasabi is also sending multiple mares to the likes of Annapolis, Honest Mischief, Tacitus and Up to the Mark, and the other stallion that we're supporting very heavily is Army Mule, who will get five Wasabi mares. FLORAL HALL (6, Bodemeister–Painted Lady, by Broad Brush) to be bred to Army Mule. We think that Army Mule is poised to be a very successful sire–what he accomplished with his first crop of very average mares (looking at his Comp Index) was incredible, and with two big crops bred on higher fees in the pipeline, it's only a matter of time before he's back in the limelight. We're sending him a Godolphin-bred mare named Floral Hall, who is from the family of Wet Paint and is a half to black-type winners by the A.P. Indy-line horses Sky Mesa and Frosted, so Army Mule will suit. Army Mule | Sarah Andrew C'EST MARDI (9, Tiznow–Surging Storm, by Storm Creek) to be bred to Army Mule C'est Mardi, by Tiznow, was a hard-knocking racemare that Wasabi claimed and campaigned to a few wins. We've picked Army Mule for her given that her half-sister has produced a black-type placed, six-figure earner by an A. P. Indy grandson like Army Mule, her dam is a half-sister to a black-type runner and producer by a Seattle Slew son, and a pair of Grade II winners by other Seattle Slew sons appear further back on her page. MISS MALIBU (7, Into Mischief–Malibu Pier, by Malibu Moon) to be bred to Army Mule Finally, Miss Malibu should match well with Army Mule physically, given his power and substance. She is by Into Mischief, whose two best horses as a broodmare sire, White Abarrio and Alva Starr, are both by A. P. Indy-line stallions, while Miss Malibu's full-sister has produced a promising allowance winner by an A.P. Indy-line horse. The post 2025 Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift Farms: Wasabi Ventures appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Impressive Dundalk maiden winner The Padre (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) has been sold to continue his career in California, where he will be trained by Phil D'Amato. Bred by John Halley, The Padre created a big impression on his first and only start for his son Josh last month, winning a 1m2f maiden by almost three lengths under Wayne Lordan. “We did think a bit of him before we came here and he was probably the best out of my two-year-olds last year,” Josh told Irishracing.com after that debut victory. “He showed an awful lot and then his pedigree said he would be a later two-year-old. He is on the market and that's our business,” the trainer added. The Padre | Racingfotos.com BBA Ireland's Mick Donohoe was clearly listening and revealed on Monday that a deal has been secured for the high-class prospect to join D'Amato, where he will race in the colours of Little Red Feather Racing. Donohoe said, “Horses like The Padre don't come up too often on the private market and obviously his sire looks as though he is going to become one of those breakout stallions, doesn't he? The Ghaiyyaths appear as though they will stay well which, contrary to what some people believe, there is a strong demand for those middle-distance types and races across the globe.” He added, “The Padre achieved a good rating in winning at Dundalk and, what was most impressive was how he quickened towards the end of the race, which would bode well for him continuing his career in California–where horses need to have a change of gear. He showed that bit of speed at the end, which is important for America.” Little Red Feather Racing, which is run by Billy Koch, has enjoyed a good degree of success with its Irish recruits, notably Grade I scorer Gold Phoenix (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), who also shed his maiden tag at Dundalk before being snapped up by his current connections. Donohoe continued, “We have had a lot of success buying for Phil, but it is very easy for Niall Dalton and myself because Phil is a genius at what he does. He is one of the leading trainers in California and excels with these European horses. That makes the thing a lot easier and, between us all, we all know the type of horse that suits California from the pedigree to conformation and we think The Padre fits that bill.” The Padre formed part of a big afternoon for his stallion, winning at Dundalk before Charlie Appleby's €600,000 Arqana August Sale recruit Opera Ballo (GB) sent tongues wagging when earning a TDN Rising Star for his demolition job on debut at Kempton. The latter is firmly in the 2,000 Guineas picture and Donohoe says he is completely sold on second-season sire Ghaiyyath. He said, “Even last year when his progeny wasn't running, the word from the trainers was that they liked the Ghaiyyaths but they just needed time, which is a little bit of a Dubawi thing. He could be a very interesting sire, being a Dubawi, because whatever it is in those genetics, they work well when they get to sunnier climes. The Dubawis go on any surface and, when you go to America and the Middle East, they tend to train a lot on the dirt. Dubawi himself, and indeed sons of Dubawi, handle both surfaces very well so he could be exciting.” The post Impressive Dundalk Winner Snapped Up To Continue His Career In America 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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Caspar Fownes-trained galloper sits just below cut-off line for second leg of four-year-old series, but he should be given priority to start by officials.View the full article

British jockey confident Young Arrow is ready to win in Wednesday night’s Class Three Ma Wan Handicap (1,200m).View the full article