Wandering Eyes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – From her office at Barn 83 on the Oklahoma Training Track, all trainer Cherie DeVaux has to do to get a glimpse of the horse is look out the window. And she sees him, across the way, standing in his stall. “He has this big, white face looking at you,” DeVaux said, and she smiles. Gets her every time. 'He' is a 2-year-old colt who goes by the name of Dr. Agne (Into Mischief). He has never run but will on Friday when he starts his career in a one mile, $100,000 maiden turf race. DeVaux will be rooting hard for the young horse because, sure, she wants to win. But the back story is one that resonates because of the history DeVaux has with Dr. Agne's dam. That is Lady Eli, who defied the odds and became a champion in 2017 when she was running for trainer Chad Brown. DeVaux was an assistant to Brown back then and Lady Eli started her career with six straight wins, the last of which was the GI Belmont Oaks on the Fourth of July in 2015. Things changed right after that when, on her way back to the barn following the Oaks, Lady Eli stepped on a nail. She then developed laminitis, which can prove fatal. In stepped DeVaux, who was with Lady Eli every step of the way through her long journey to becoming an elite racehorse again. “I was on a bucket with her the whole time,” DeVaux said. “I was there for her whole recovery.” Lady Eli | Sarah Andrew She, along with Dr. Robert Agne of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Saratoga and Dr. Bryan Fraley of Fraley Equine Podiatry in Kentucky, did everything they could to give Lady Eli a chance to make it back. And make it back she did. After over a year away from the races, Lady Eli returned and would run eight more times, winning four and finishing second three times. While the story is heartwarming, there was nothing fuzzy about Lady Eli. She was never one to be confused with a barn pet. “She was vicious, vicious,” DeVaux said. “Most horses, kids can go up to, but she was not a kid's horse. But she was really nice to me. I couldn't go up and kiss her or anything. She was tolerant, I would say, of me. We were a huge part of each other's stories at that time.” Then, a second gut punch. On Labor Day of 2015, Dr. Robert Agne, 54, was killed when he was hit by a car while cycling in Vermont. Dr. Agne would drive from Saratoga to Belmont whenever he was needed to help Lady Eli. DeVaux, shattered when she heard the news of Dr. Agne's death, remembered thinking they would have to name a horse for the fallen doctor. “I didn't think I would really have one that would be [Lady Eli's] or I would be a trainer for that matter,” said DeVaux, who went out on her own in 2018. Dr. Agne the horse will be Lady Eli's first foal to race in the United States. He came to DeVaux's barn after he was purchased by a group of Lady Eli's former owners, particularly Sol Kumin, who raced under the name Sheep Pond Partners. Dr. Agne is owned by Kumin's Madaket Stables LLC, Twin Brook Stables and Belladonna Racing LLC. Dr. Agne, who DeVaux said is “much nicer” than her cranky mother, will be ridden by Jose Ortiz in his debut, which is the sixth race Friday. She said that Dr. Robert Agne's widow, Carrie, is expected to be at Saratoga to see the debut. “It will be hugely emotional,” DeVaux said. Chad Brown Aiming For 5th Consecutive Spa Training Title Trainer Chad Brown has had a stranglehold on the Saratoga training title in recent years and he is hopeful that continues for the fifth straight summer. Brown, who is from nearby Mechanicville, has been the leading trainer at Saratoga for the four summers (he shared the title with Linda Rice in 2023). Overall, the five-time Eclipse Award winner for outstanding trainer, has won the Saratoga title seven times, the first one coming in 2016. Last summer, Brown rolled to the title with 45 wins ($5,848,233 in earnings) to easily outdistance Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and Mike Maker, who both finished with 22 visits to the winner's circle. The 45 wins was one shy of the record 46, which Brown set in 2018. “It's important to have a good meet up here,” Brown said outside his barn at the Oklahoma Training Track. “We focus a lot of our annual business around summer racing, and we target this meet every year.” Brown, 46, is coming off his ninth Belmont spring/summer meet championship, which was held at Aqueduct while Belmont Park continues its massive reconstruction. Dynamic Pricing takes the Just a Game Stakes at the Spa | Sarah Andrew Opening weekend at Saratoga will see Brown take aim at the $500,000 GI Dunkin' Diana Stakes, a race he has won eight of the last nine years and nine times overall. He will saddle Dynamic Pricing (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) and Excellent Truth (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), the one-two finishers in the GI Just a Game Stakes at Saratoga last month. Also in Brown's barn is Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), last year's champion 3-year-old. “I have a lot of high-quality horses,” Brown said. “I have a high-quality training business. It just fits to be focused on this meet. It's not only this meet, but it's sort of the centerpiece of our season.” Brown said that he does about 80 percent of his racing and earns about 80 percent of the barn's price money from April through Thanksgiving. Right smack dab in the middle of that time is the 40-day Saratoga meet. You bet he is going to be geared up for it. “Some of the very best racing in the world is summer at Saratoga,” Brown said. “I am from up here, my friends and family are from here, a lot of my clients enjoy racing here. A lot of the most prestigious races in our country are right here at Saratoga.” And Irad Looking For 4th Straight Spa Riding Title Lately, Irad Ortiz Jr. winning the Saratoga riding title has been as constant as August thunderstorms and Hattie's fried chicken in the Spa City. The 32-year-old Ortiz Jr. has dominated the Saratoga jockey colony like no other in recent years. He has claimed the riding championship the last three summers and has won it six times in the last 10 years (he also won in 2015, 2018 and 2020). Irad Ortiz with trainer Chad Brown | Sarah Andrew His brother, Jose, has three titles of his own in the last decade. The only non-Ortiz to win it was Luis Saez, the 2021 champ. “It always means a lot,” Irad Ortiz Jr. said after morning workouts on the Oklahoma Training Track. “I just have to keep grinding and working hard. I love this place. They have some of the best horses, a lot of the best trainers in the summertime.” He will take nothing for granted and knows he'll have to grind and work even harder than ever this summer. The competition in the jockey's room–as it always is–is stiff. Last year, Ortiz won 52 races to edge Flavien Prat, who finished with 45 wins. Prat, the reigning Eclipse Award winner for outstanding jockey, is coming off his first New York Racing Association title. He was the winner of the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet with 43 wins. “It's crazy how many good riders we have right now,” Ortiz Jr. said, rattling off the names of Prat, his brother, Saez, Dylan Davis, Junior Alvarado, Manny Franco, John Velazquez, Javier Castellano, just to name a few. “Those guys are really good. Riding against them and having the opportunity to ride live horses and win a meet here is just a blessing.” The post Saratoga Notebook: DeVaux Has Special Bond With 2-Year-Old Colt Dr. Agne appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The city of Ruidoso, N.M., hammered by wildfires and flash flooding last summer, experienced damaging flooding July 8 after heavy monsoonal rains. The floodwaters impacted homes and businesses, including the racetrack, Ruidoso Downs.View the full article

Duke of Cambridge Stakes (G2) one-two Crimson Advocate and Cinderella's Dream face off in a fascinating rematch after both were declared for the July 11 Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket Racecourse.View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit has suspended the Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology and Research Laboratory’s probationary Equine Analytical Laboratory accreditation status for a minimum of six months.View the full article

Thursday, Newmarket, post time: 15:35, THE PRINCESS OF WALES'S STAKES-G2, £125,000, 3yo/up, 12fT Field: Arabian Crown (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), El Cordobes (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Palladium (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko). TDN Verdict: This should be easy pickings for Ghostwriter after his third in the G2 Hardwicke Stakes, where he showed that the trip held no fears. William Buick has chosen El Cordobes of the Appleby pair which is probably a hint worth taking, especially as the stable do so well on their home terrain at this meeting. [Tom Frary]. Thursday, Newmarket, post time: 14:25, THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN JULY STAKES-G2, £100,000, 2yo, 6fT Field: Brussels (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Comical Point (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Do Or Do Not (Ire) (Space Blues {Ire}), Jel Pepper (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}), Maximized (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}), Zavateri (Ire) (Without Parole {GB}). TDN Verdict: Godolphin's unbeaten Woodcote winner Maximised is taken on by Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Brussels in a fascinating encounter. They probably have it between them, but the surprise Coventry runner-up Do Or Do Not has the best form having got closest to Gstaad at Royal Ascot. [Tom Frary]. Thursday, Newmarket, post time: 13:50, THE BAHRAIN TROPHY STAKES-G3, £200,000, 3yo, 13fT Field: Further (Ire) (Waldgeist {GB}), Hallelujah (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Nightime Dancer (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Scandinavia (Justify), Titanium Emperor (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). TDN Verdict: The second sighter for the St Leger after the Queen's Vase, with the runner-up and fifth from that Royal Ascot contest Furthur and Scandinavia set to re-oppose. There is very little between them on that form and with both stables in flying form this could boil down to a match, with the remaining trio a notch below. [Tom Frary]. Thursday, Leopardstown, post time: 18:10, XIN GIN IRISH EBF BROWNSTOWN STAKES-G3, €39,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 7fT Field: Vera's Secret (Ire) (Epaulette {Aus}), Bellaphina (Ire) (James Garfield {Ire}), Bluedrum (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Dance Night Andday (Ire) (Buratino {Ire}), Duckadilly (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Chantez (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Easy Mover (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Temperance (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}). TDN Verdict: The unbeaten Duckadilly beat some solid yardsticks over this trip at Fairyhouse last month and is tested against the impressive G3 Mutamakina Stakes winner Vera's Secret. Chantez was behind the latter in that contest and has not shown up so far in 2025, but she did beat Garden Of Eden in the course-and-distance Listed Ingabelle Stakes in September and deserves another chance. [Tom Frary]. Friday, Newmarket, post time: 15:35, THE TATTERSALLS FALMOUTH STAKES-G1, £275,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT Field: Cinderella's Dream (GB) (Shamardal), Crimson Advocate (Nyquist), Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion), Atsila (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}), Elwateen (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), January (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Lady Ilze (GB) (Territories {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Back on a straight track, the impressive G2 Dahlia Stakes winner Cinderella's Dream may be able to exact revenge on her G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes conqueror Crimson Advocate but there is no guarantee given the rate of progress of that rival. Surprisingly, Aidan O'Brien hasn't won this since 2017 but January ran well enough when third in the G1 Coronation Stakes to hold a major chance of bringing it back home to Rosegreen. As with many of the main clashes of the generations in recent times, the power has shifted markedly to the 3-year-olds with six of the last nine winners from that age group. In a race that can throw up surprises, Elwateen is of interest after her fourth in the 1,000 Guineas on the Rowley Mile here. Truly on the rollercoaster this year, she was tried in the Oaks but is back at a mile with Saeed bin Suroor unsure of her trip. [Tom Frary]. Friday, Newmarket, post time: 14:25, THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE STAKES-G2, £100,000, 2yo, f, 6fT Field: Argentine Tango (GB) (Mattmu {GB}), Mood Queen (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Royal Fixation (GB) (Palace Pier {GB}), Shine On Me (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Spicy Marg (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Venetian Sun (Ire) (Starman {GB}). TDN Verdict: All eyes on Venetian Sun after her Albany win and she looks to have scared off a few potential rivals, but not the course-and-distance Listed Empress Stakes winner Argentine Tango who is as tough as they come. Palace Pier's juveniles are going strong so far and Royal Fixation is an intriguing representative despite having just a Thirsk novice under her belt. [Tom Frary]. Friday, York, post time: 14:45, THE WILLIAM HILL SUMMER STAKES-G3, £85,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 6fT Field: Electric Storm (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Nighteyes (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Rage Of Bamby (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Tiger Bay (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}), Arabian Dusk (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Beaujolais Nouveau (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}), Celandrine (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Enola Holmes (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), First Instinct (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), Hold A Dream (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}), Rogue Sensation (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Sayidah Dariyan {Fr}). TDN Verdict: Fourth in the G1 Commonwealth Cup, Sayidah Dariyan sets the standard in a renewal dominated by the 3-year-olds. Close in behind on form lines is First Instinct and the Sandy Lane third rates the biggest threat alongside Celandine, who beat Time For Sandals in last year's Lowther but hasn't been seen so far this term. [Tom Frary]. Thursday, Newmarket, post time: 16:45, THE EDMONDSON HALL SOLICITORS SIR HENRY CECIL STAKES-Listed, £55,000, 3yo, 8fT Field: Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Arabian Story (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Brian (Ire) (Shaman {Ire}), Elarak (GB) (Kingman {GB}), King Of Cities (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Royal Playwright (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Seagulls Eleven (Ire) (Galileo Gold {Ire}), Spectacular View (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Just about the most interesting race on the opening card, this Sussex prep graced by Baaeed in 2021 features Godolphin's exciting Opera Ballo, firmly back on track after his Craven flop when beating some smart types in Sandown's Listed Heron Stakes in May. Speaking of Baaeed, Shadwell's Elarak impressed in the same course-and-distance novice taken in by that luminary last month and while he may not be in the same bracket, he is on the same path at least. [Tom Frary]. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Ghostwriter Faces Godolphin Duo In Princess Of Wales’s Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Greg Geier doesn't remember a time when horses weren't a part of his life. He and his brother Dennis were practically raised on the track. They tagged along with their father, Louisiana-based George Geier, to the barn early each morning on the weekends and traveled north every summer for race meets in Detroit. “We started walking horses when we were eight years old,” Geier recalled. “Then we went to grooming and then we went to helping our dad do everything. I never did ride, though. I always thought it was safer on the ground.” More than 40 years later, not much has changed. Dennis—better known as “Peaches” on the Churchill Downs backside—is the longtime assistant for trainer Bret Calhoun. Greg, too, has never had a job that didn't involve laying hands on a horse each day. Geier has saddled hundreds of winners in his lifetime, but last year, he was part of something special. As the assistant trainer for Kenny McPeek's base at Churchill Downs, Geier played a pivotal role in helping oversee both Mystik Dan (Goldencents) and Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) in the lead-up to their Kentucky Derby and Oaks victories. The fairytale continued when Thorpedo Anna stormed through a Horse of the Year-worthy season, capped by her win in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. Now four, the champ has secured her spot back at the Breeders' Cup by capturing the 'Win And You're In' GII Fleur de Lis Stakes. “I never imagined I could be around a horse like this, let alone a Horse of the Year,” said Geier. “It's what you get up for. I mean, you get up for all of them, but when you're around these kinds, you really want to get up and be around them. Spending time with horses was all Geier ever really wanted to do. After graduating high school he went to the University of New Orleans, but it did not take him long to find out that academia was not the path for him. He'd work on the backside every morning, but once in lectures, he was either dozing off or wishing he was at the races. After a year, he went back to work for his father, following the circuit between Fair Grounds, Jefferson Downs and Louisiana Downs. After his father passed away, Geier bounced between roles as both assistant and head trainer. He spent a decade working for Gene Cilio in Chicago, and when Cilio died, Geier took over the stable and trained horses for prominent owner Jim Tafel. Two of his top earners were Coragil Cat (Forest Wildcat), winner of the 2008 GIII Hanshin Cup Handicap, and Country Flavor (Empire Maker), who won the same Arlington race two years later. Geier heads back to the barn with Mystik Dan after his Kentucky Derby victory | Coady Media But Geier always preferred the company of horses to the hustle of recruiting owners. Whenever stalls became hard to fill, he gravitated back to assistant roles. Not long after Tafel passed away, Geier again found himself looking for a fresh start. He began working for Kenny McPeek in 2016, starting at Delta Downs before shifting to Fair Grounds and eventually settling in at Churchill Downs. Over the years, the horseman has worked with a long list of McPeek's top runners. Grade I winner Rattle N Roll (Connect) and multiple graded stakes winner Smile Happy (Runhappy) are two of his all-time favorites. “I knew from early on that they would be nice,” he explained. “You can just tell. You're out there and you work them once or twice and you know where you're at.” With Thorpedo Anna, it took a bit more time to realize her talent. “At first she was a little flighty, but she settled down,” Geier described. “She was high-strung, strong, nervous. She just had to learn to channel that energy. The older she's got, the better she's become.” Geier said that these days, 'Thorpedo' is “as cool as a cucumber” in the stall, but knows what to do when it's time to train. The assistant did not make the trip to California for Thorpedo Anna's Distaff win. He stayed behind to run the operation in Kentucky. With two horses to saddle at Churchill that day, he was still able to tune in to watch the star filly's dominant victory. “When she left for the Breeders' Cup, she was training just as good as she was before the Oaks,” Geier described. “She was at the top of her game.” This year, Thorpedo Anna returned to the winner's circle for the GII Azeri Stakes and GI Apple Blossom Handicap. While she had a disappointing last-place finish in the GI La Troienne Stakes, she quickly rebounded with her resounding three-length Fleur de Lis score on June 28. Geier and the rest of the Thorpedo Anna team in the winner's circle after her Kentucky Oaks victory | Horsephotos “In the La Troienne, she didn't have the best trip—got banged around going into the first turn. I think that just bothered her,” Geier said. “But then she regrouped. When she ran in the Fleur de Lis, she just showed she was back on top of her game.” Thorpedo Anna recently left Churchill Downs and is enjoying a short freshening at McPeek's Magdalena Farm. She is set to arrive in Saratoga next week and is pointing for the GI Personal Ensign on Aug. 23. During Thorpedo Anna's time training at Churchill Downs this spring, visitors on the Kentucky Derby Museum's backside tour often stopped by McPeek's barn hoping to get a glimpse of the champion. Geier understood the sentiment and was happy to oblige. “She's just a class of her own,” he explained. “These kinds of horses don't come around too often.” Geier knows not to take any of his experiences for granted. His father passed before he could see Geier working with the likes of Grade I winners Rattle N Roll, Mystik Dan or Thorpedo Anna, but his legacy follows Geier on the backside every morning. “Oh, he'd be real proud, I believe,” Geier said. “He was dedicated to his profession too. So I think he'd be proud of what I'm doing.” The post Breeders’ Cup Connections: Greg Geier a Steady Hand in the Shedrow appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has appointed Katie Keenan as the new Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer (CXO), the track said in a Wednesday release. Keenan is a global live event and venue operations executive with two decades of sports industry experience. Prior to joining NYRA, she was Vice President for Live Events & Operations at the National Football League (NFL), where she led the planning and delivery of the NFL's marquee events including the Super Bowl, NFL Draft, and NFL International Series Games. As CXO, Keenan will develop and implement strategies focused on providing a premier on-track experience for fans, racing participants and stakeholders. Accordingly, she will oversee NYRA's hospitality offerings and guest-facing operations. The post Keenan Named NYRA SVP, Chief Experience Officer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ahead of She Feels Pretty's start in the $500,000 Diana Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course July 12, trainer Cherie DeVaux discusses what makes the filly special on the track and special to the trainer's career.View the full article

Six years on from the St Leger victory of Juddmonte's Logician, his half-brother Skimmer could be on the same path after taking his record to two-from-two at Kempton on Wednesday. After registering a smooth 1 1/2-length win in the 11-furlong novice, the son of Kingman opened up options but is possibly ground-dependent according to trainer Harry Charlton. “We entered him in the Voltigeur the other day and we'll see what Juddmonte want to do,” he said. “We came here slightly unfit in order to get him to York, but I don't want to run him on rattling quick ground. It's not been a year for this type of horse as it hasn't rained all summer.” He looks smart. The beautifully-bred Skimmer (Kingman) makes it two from two for @ctkjockey, @HarryJCharlton and @JuddmonteFarms at @kemptonparkrace pic.twitter.com/1LwLByHGll — Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 9, 2025 The post Logician’s Half Brother Skimmer Could Be On The Leger Trail appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

2nd-Kempton, £11,000, Novice, 7-9, 2yo, f, 6f (AWT), 1:13.92, st/sl. DANDANA (GB) (f, 2, Blue Point {Ire}–Nafaayes {Aus} {MGSW & MG1SP-SAf}, by Exceed And Excel {Aus}), sent off the 7-2 joint-second favourite, showed a professional attitude from the break to lead. Always in control, the newcomer stayed on to score by half a length from Inside Story (Siyouni). “She's quite a nice filly, but the surface is riding very slow and I probably could have done with a lead until the last furlong,” jockey Harry Davies said of the winner, a 600,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase. “She was having a good look around and had her ears pricked towards the line and I'm sure that whatever she's done today she'll improve on it.” The dam, who captured the G2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas and G2 Ipi Tombe Challenge and was placed in the G1 SA Fillies Classic and G1 Empress Club Stakes, is a daughter of the GIII Debutante Stakes winner Decelerator (Dehere) who is also responsible for the Hong Kong Group 3 scorer Stoltz (More Than Ready). Also connected to the G2 Arrowfield Three Year Old Sprint runner-up Hedged (Capitalist), her yearling colt is by Kingman. Sales history: 110,000gns Wlg '23 TADEWE; 600,000gns Ylg '24 TATOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $8,074. O-Sultan Ali; B-O S Tait Pty Limited; T-Simon & Ed Crisford. 600,000gns buy Dandana (Blue Point) is not for passing on debut for @gainsboroughHQ @kemptonparkrace pic.twitter.com/V5JZzDyZvW — Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 9, 2025 The post Blue Point’s Tattersalls October Book 1 Sensation Dandana Off The Mark appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Like so many others, Acacia Clement's favorite meet is Saratoga. As part of the Saratoga broadcast team and the wife of trainer Miguel Clement, she has to work long hours and juggle a hectic schedule. Preparation is something she takes seriously. But Saratoga also means great racing in a beautiful and historic location, a lively nightlife and so much more. There's a lot to like about this place. Appearing on the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland as the Gainesway Guest of the Week, Clement said what she loves most about Saratoga is that everyone there is immersed in racing. “What I really like is the energy and the synergy between the town and the racetrack,” she said. “I remember we were coming back to our apartment building and one of our neighbors was having a nightcap out on their balcony and they yelled out, 'Hey Miguel, nice win in the last race.' That's just really cool. I don't think you get that a lot of other places. People are downtown having dinner, but they're also paying attention to what's happening at the races. It's a small town feel, but there's also such a great connection between racing and everything else that's going on in the area.” While there are so many heavenly aspects to being in Saratoga for the summer, this is not the easiest of times around the Miguel Clement ban. Acacia's father-in-law, Christophe, passed away May 25 at age 59 from a rare form of eye cancer. Among other things, that meant that Miguel Clement would be taking over the barn. Less than two months later, he has proven that he was ready for the job. As of July 9, he is 10-for-63 and has won three stakes, including the GI Manhattan. “It's been incredibly tough, Acacia admitted. “Christophe handled his journey with cancer with the utmost class and bravery and grace, which I think comes as a surprise to absolutely nobody. And it's very hard to say goodbye to him. As a family that I married into, I really hit the jackpot because I am so fortunate to have a wonderful relationship with my in-laws and Christophe is one of those people that, I would come over to the house and he'd sit me down and say, 'tell me everything that's going on. Tell me about work. What about this? What about that?' “He was somebody that really genuinely cared about what was happening in your life and how he could help. He was like that for a lot of young people in the industry. And when we lost Christophe, just the amount of people that came out and said how he had impacted their life or their journey in racing, I thought was really amazing. So of course it's been very tough for the family, but also for the whole team at the stables, which is like a family.” It was pointed out to Clement that there are many women working in the racing broadcasting field, something you did not see 20 years ago. “I totally agree,” Clement said after Randy Moss pointed out that she is one of many women who are making an impact with their work in front of the camera. “I do think that there are so many talented women along the entire racing industry, whether it's assistant trainers who maybe are not necessarily in the spotlight. We've seen a lot more female trainers having success as well, which I think is awesome. So I think it's not just for the racing analysts. Yes, there are more opportunities, but I think it's, thankfully, throughout the entire industry becoming a little bit more prevalent.” Nonetheless, some stereotypes never quite go away. “It's funny,” she said. “I was actually working on a social media site following some trends and looking back at some real questions that I have been asked throughout my time as a racing analyst that I don't think any male would ever be asked. People have asked, 'does somebody do your handicapping for you or do you do it yourself.' And 'is your husband going to let you keep working after you get married' and things like that? So there are still some stereotypes, sadly, that do exist, but I am very proud that I know I got my position on merit and I've worked so hard. This is my seventh summer at Saratoga with NYRA.” In our “Fastest Horse of the Week,” segment, which is sponsored by WinStar, we went over the many reasons there are breed to WinStar stallion Timberlake. The fastest horse of the week was Bring Theband Home (Into Mischief), who earned a 109 Beyer figure when winning the Harvey Pack Stakes at Saratoga. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the KTOB, Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, 1/ST Racing and 1/ST TV, the team of Moss, Zoe Cadman and Bill Finley concluded that the July 4-at-Saratoga meet is here to stay. NYRA handed $83 million over the four days as compared to $38 million over the same four days last year when the races were run at Aqueduct. Other topics of discussion were the smashing debut at the Spa by 'TDN Rising Star' Ewing (Knicks Go) and the win by Magnitude (Not This Time) in the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows July 5. The colt, who won the GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds missed the GI Kentucky Derby due to a minor injury, but is now set to have a big summer. To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To view the show as a podcast, click here. The post Acacia Clement Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Presented By Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Records were broken on day two of the Tattersalls July Sale where a number of well-bred Juddmonte fillies dominated at the top end of the market, headed by Orchid Bouquet (Kingman), an unraced sister to Calyx, who at 550,000gns became the most expensive horse ever sold at this sale. Grant Pritchard-Gordon of Badgers Bloodstock, who held the position of racing manager at Juddmonte for 17 years from 1982, signed the docket for the record-breaker on behalf of an unnamed client. He said, “It's just the Juddmonte family – that's the whole attraction. She's [been bought] for a good client who I've bought a lot of Juddmonte families for. This person has been very keen on Juddmonte families and we both agree there.” He added, “She'll stay in Europe. She's a filly who's had sore shins throughout her life. Maybe they'll try her, but the paddock value is what's important. The blood is what's important. Juddmonte families always have a premium. There's so much happening around these families. I know this pedigree going back to the fifth dam, it's just a fabulous family that's very much alive. Some of those families from my time have disappeared completely but this one doesn't give any indication of dying out.” The Juddmonte consignment cleared just over 2 million gns and Tom Goff landed back-to-back lots [569 and 570] from the draft for a combined 410,000gns whilst he was standing alongside Paul Shanahan in the gangway. Fleeting Ember, an unraced Frankel sister to Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes winner Threat (Footstepsinthesand), sold to the Blandford Bloodstock agent for 300,000gns while the following lot, the unraced Kingman filly Porto Verne, made 100,000gns. Asked about the plans for the fillies after the sale, Shanahan joked, “I am just thrilled to be associated with Tom Goff!” Meanwhile, Goff was in a similarly playful humour, when joking about the anonymity, or lack thereof, to the online underbidder on Fleeting Ember. Goff laughed, “It was a very aggressive online bidder – I wonder who that was?! It is the most obvious online bidder in world bloodstock.” He added, “Lovely filly by Frankel. I saw her down at the bottom and thought she was just an absolute smasher. Lovely Juddmonte and Niarchos families in the pedigree. The next one was incredibly good value. But look, with the Frankel filly, she was going to be a certain value until two bidders came together.” Turnover climbed a massive 62% to 7,775,000gns on a day when the average was up 60% to 40,285gns and the median by 67% to 20,000gns. The clearance rate stood at 91%, down just 1% on last year. Talking points Ace Stud, the latest entity that Yulong boss Yuesheng Zhang is signing under, spent 645,000gns on three mares – headed by 375,000gns purchase Regal Agenda. The daughter of Pinatubo failed to win in five starts for Karl Burke but hails from the family of Dubawi and is a half-sister to Royal Champion and Outbox. The 645,000gns outlay by Ace Stud was completed by Juddmonte duo Aleksandrina (Bated Breath), who is a half-sister to classy runners Viadera and Sacred Bridge, along with Group 1 winner Quadrilateral's daughter by Dubawi, Quadratic. They were sourced for 140,000gns and 130,000gns respectively. “Ace Stud [the rebranded Dullingham Park] is our operation just outside Newmarket – it was purchased back in March and we have two stallions out there in Shaquille and Soldier's Call,” said the operation's Paul Curran. “We're here trying to support the stallions, particularly Shaquille with this purchase. She perfectly suits him and us, as we're looking to get as many quality mares into his next book as we can. He's already got a good level of support from breeders, especially last year.” There was room for some comedy during the early part of the sale when lot 347, due into the ring shortly after 10am, missed its slot leading to five minutes of confusion. Where was the Highfort Stables draft and what had happened to cause the delay? Nobody knew. Luckily, auctioneer Alastair Pim saw the funny side of the whole thing and, when Convincing finally made it into the ring, he simply quipped, 'late night?' All is well that ends well and Convincing sold for 10,000gns to Irish trainer Ciaran Murphy. That sale actually kick-started a strong day of trade for the Highfort's John Joe Murphy, with the team behind Group 1 winner White Birch selling four horses for a combined 129,000gns. Highly-rated runners have been selling for a premium at Park Paddocks this week and three-time winner Grand Karat (Gleneagles), a winner over six furlongs at Windsor when last seen, was snapped up by Billy Jackson-Stops to continue his career abroad for 200,000gns. The four-year-old was trained by Harry Charlton, for whom he has shown his best form over six and seven furlongs. Jackson-Stops was appointed bloodstock agent for Victorious Racing earlier this year and Fawzi Nass, the man behind that Bahraini-based ownership group, commented, “He is going to Bahrain for the International Series. There are six or more races over 6f and they will suit him. I am not sure whose colours he will race in next, but he won't run again in Europe before travelling.” Gassim Ghazali has rolled up his sleeves this week to lead the buyers' table with five horses sourced for Qatar to the tune of 831,000gns. That spend was headed by the Group 1-placed Green Storm (Circus Maximus), who the trainer landed late in Wednesday's session for 380,000gns. Trained by Charlie Johnston, Green Storm finished runner-up in last year's Criterium de Saint-Cloud and was last seen finishing fifth, beaten just four lengths, in a Group 2 at Royal Ascot. Ghazali said, “He ran in the Derby and was fifth at Royal Ascot in the King Edward VII Stakes. I am very lucky to have been able to buy this horse. He will fit into the programme, travelling to Qatar shortly with a plan to run in the Qatar Derby and then, hopefully, the big races in the region throughout the spring. Buying at the July Sales gives enough time for the horses to acclimatise before the winter season. He could be a horse to run back in Europe – I have done that before and I am keen to do that again.” There were a number of newer names on the buyers sheet and Richard Young, who recently purchased Bert House Stud in Ireland, signed for mares from the Juddmonte and Godolphin drafts for a combined 190,000gns respectively this week. Young signed for the daughters of Pinatubo and New Bay under the banner of Rycran. Buy of the day Hopes Are High could be a horse worth waiting for in more ways than one. The good-looking grey was one of the Highfort horses who caused a delay early in the morning before selling to Bill Durkan for 40,000gns. Presumably his new connections will be targeting a juvenile campaign for the 75-rated gelding who looks as though he will take to that job like a duck would to water. Given the market for similar types to go jumping hurdles, Hopes Are High might well have been well-bought. He also has the option of returning to the Flat and, while his pedigree might not suggest it, could be one for staying handicaps on the level. Thought for the day There might be a market for more vendors to target two-year-olds with decent ratings at this sale. Take the Archie Watson-trained Dapper Charm (Dandy Man) and Josh Halley's Zaltan (Lucky Vega), neither of whom are world-beaters, as an example. Dapper Charm sold for 72,000gns while Zaltan, who boasts an identical Timerform rating of 78, made 55,000gns. Thoroughly respectable trade for horses with such profiles. The post New Tattersalls July Sale Record As Sister To Calyx Stars At 550k appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Chad Brown seeks an unprecedented 10th victory in the $500,000 Diana Stakes (G1T) when he sends Excellent Truth and Dynamic Pricing to the starting gate at Saratoga Race Course July 12.View the full article

The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association has established the D. Wayne Lukas Award, a $10,000 award to be given annually to a New York-based assistant trainer who demonstrates the qualities of the late Hall of Fame trainer.View the full article

The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) has established the D. Wayne Lukas Award, to be given annually to a New York-based assistant trainer who demonstrates the qualities that the late Hall of Fame trainer himself exemplified– dedication, a strong work ethic, and a high commitment to excellence–the organization said in a press release on Wednesday. Owners and trainers will be invited to nominate an assistant trainer for the $10,000 award, which will be presented each year on Sept. 2, D. Wayne Lukas's birthday. “'The Coach' mentored countless young people, and so many of his assistants have gone on to have their own remarkable careers,” said NYTHA President Tina Marie Bond. “Assistant trainers are crucial to the success of every stable, and we wanted to recognize their contribution in honor of Wayne. His commitment to his craft, his love of horse racing, and his willingness to share his deep knowledge set a standard that we must all strive to match.” NYTHA will put together a panel of horsemen and women to determine the winner of the D. Wayne Lukas Award. Details will be released later this month. The post NYTHA Establishes D. Wayne Lukas Award For Assistant Trainers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Catastrophic flash flooding struck the Ruidoso, New Mexico area Tuesday night, washing away homes and businesses and causing significant damage to Ruidoso Downs. Several feet of water submerged the track and backside area with social media videos showing people and horses alike trying to escape through the torrent. Local reports indicate the Rio Ruidoso river rose to over 20 feet in under an hour in a remarkable, record-breaking flood event, the second Ruidoso has seen in as many years in an area already impacted by wildfire burn scars. CNN reported that at least three people, including two children, were killed in the flooding Tuesday. The Daily Racing Form reported that the rest of the track's 2025 meet, which was scheduled to conclude in September, has been called off with track owner Johnny Trotter telling DRF “We can't run at Ruidoso again this year. We can't put it back together.” Ruidoso Downs Racetrack has been destroyed. Numerous horses were trapped in the flood waters. #nmwx pic.twitter.com/XR9Q15Xol4 — Scott (@RandomHeroWX) July 9, 2025 Major flooding at Ruidoso Downs today. It's being reported they still need trailers to remove horses. pic.twitter.com/V1HSeozXd8 — Michael Dempsey (@turfmichaeld) July 9, 2025 The National Weather Service office in Albuquerque put the Ruidoso area under a Flood Watch Tuesday morning around 9:00 a.m. local time, stating that “A Flood Watch for Flash Flooding is in effect below the recent burn scars around Ruidoso today. Another round of showers and thunderstorms will be capable of producing locally heavy rainfall on already saturated ground.” The Ruidoso area is heavily prone to flash flooding, especially since the Salt and South Fork wildfires tore through the town last summer. The Quarter Horse track, which runs annually from May through September, is in the midst of racing with a 10-race card scheduled for Friday and two Grade I events on the calendar for Saturday. This flood comes nearly one year to the date after flash flooding over a burn scar ran through portions of the track last July. Ruidoso just completed repairs from that flood event in April. This story will be updated. The post Flash Flooding Devastates Ruidoso Downs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 07/08/2025 Licensee: John E. Salzman, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU. Explainer: Medication violation for the use or attempted use of a Class C controlled substance on Had to Have Him during the race period dated 5/16/25. Had to Have Him did not make a start that day. Date: 07/03/2025 Licensee: Jonathaniel Badillo, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on July 4, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Treated as one violation. Admission. Explainer: Medication violations for the presence of Capsaicin—a Class B controlled substance—in samples taken from Spotten Bull, who won at Parx Racing on 5/21/25; and finished second at Parx Racing on 5/28/25. Date: 07/03/2025 Licensee: Lynn B. Chleborad, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the use or attempted use of a Class C controlled substance on Count de Monet during the race period dated 5/17/25. Count de Monet did not make a start that day. Pending ADMC Violations 07/09/2025, Marcus Vitali, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Ibuprofen and Flunixin—both Class C controlled substances—in a sample taken from Freedom Empire, who won at Turf Paradise on 4/24/25. 07/07/2025, Timothy Murphy, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a Class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Lookin' Super, who finished fourth at Finger Lakes on 6/9/25. 07/07/2025, Howard Rubin, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone and Dexamethasone—both Class C controlled substances—in a sample taken from Lucky Diablo on 5/30/25. 07/02/2025, Carlos Sedillo, trainer: Pending medication violation for the possession of Levothyroxine—a banned substance—for an event dated 3/6/25. Violations of Crop Rule Horseshoe Indianapolis Mitchell Murrill – violation date July 3; $250 fine, one-day suspension Los Alamitos David Cohen – violation date July 4; $500 fine, no other information Armando Aguilar – violation date July 4; $750 fine, three-day suspension Thistledown Luis Antonio Gonzalez – violation date July 3; $250 fine, one-day suspension The post National Regulatory Rulings, July 3-9 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Owner-breeder Jaber Abdullah has a reputation for being one of the shrewdest judges around, but even a man with over three decades of experience in the sport can suffer from a crisis of confidence. Abdullah himself discovered as much just last month, on the eve of the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. There his royal blue silks with white striped sleeves and white cap were carried by the Richard Hughes-trained Sayidah Dariyan, who massively outran odds of 66/1 in finishing fourth, beaten just a length and a quarter, behind Time For Sandals. If Abdullah had been given his way, however, Sayidah Dariyan wouldn't have taken her chance at all, with the owner being led to believe that she would be out of her depth against the leading three-year-old sprinters in training. “Jaber rang me the night before and she was 150/1 then,” says Hughes. “He said, 'She's got no chance,' and he didn't want me to run her. I said, 'Boss, I'm running this filly. I really think she's got a good chance.' “So, I had a very sleepless night when you're putting your neck on the line like that, but I would have been disappointed if she hadn't finished in the first four, to be honest. She didn't let us down and she ran a blinder.” The initial purchase of Sayidah Dariyan was typical of Abdullah's apparent Midas touch at the sales, a relatively inexpensive buy who has gone on to prove herself at the top level. She follows in the footsteps of horses such as Queen's Logic, Youmzain, Majestic Roi and Music Show, all Group 1 winners whose combined cost is a mere five-figure sum. Hughes himself tasted Group 1 glory aboard Youmzain and Music Show, with it being 15 years this week since the latter won the Falmouth Stakes. Whilst it was Hughes who struck the winning bid on Sayidah Dariyan when she fetched £35,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale, don't think for one second that she passed Abdullah by. “To be honest, I'd never even heard of Dariyan when I bought this filly,” Hughes says of the late Haras de Bonneval stallion. “I just liked the shape of her and I only had her bought five minutes when Jaber rang me and said, 'I want that one.' “Our quality seems to have gone up a notch this season and that's largely thanks to Jaber, who has been a great supporter. I've asked him to buy a few horses and he's bought them. Luckily, I'm repaying his faith.” Certainly, with 39 winners on the board already, Hughes is on track for his most productive season since he saddled his first runners in September 2015, that coming just a matter of weeks after he hung up his riding boots at the conclusion of that year's Qatar Goodwood Festival. A three-time champion jockey in Britain, Hughes has longed for a place at the very top table in this second career and, as the 10-year anniversary of his final day in the saddle looms, finally there's a feeling in the camp that things are going in the right direction. Still, that in itself brings more challenges for Hughes, who will have his allegiances pulled in two different directions this weekend, with big-race runners at both Newmarket and York on 'Super Saturday'. “It is,” Hughes agrees when it's put to him that these are the type of contests that every trainer wants to be involved in. “But then there's a lot of anxiety that comes with it. And you can't be in two places at the one time, which is a shame. I'll probably have to go to Newmarket.” It's at Newmarket on Saturday that Hughes will try to break his Group 1 duck as a trainer when No Half Measures (Cable Bay) lines up in the July Cup, a race he won so memorably as a jockey when partnering Oasis Dream to victory in 2003. At the time of writing No Half Measures is a general 50/1 shot, despite the fact that she was beaten less than three lengths in last year's G1 Prix de l'Abbaye, shortly after her biggest win to date in the G3 World Trophy Stakes at Newbury. No Half Measures shows grit to land the Group 3 Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes at @NewburyRacing for Ryan Moore and @RHughesracing! pic.twitter.com/EzShOTGSQP — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 21, 2024 Owner Richard Gallagher seemingly needed no persuading to have a crack at this Group 1 and, much like he did with Sayidah Dariyan, Hughes warns that it would be a mistake to underestimate his filly in a wide-open division. “She's as good as any of them and I'd say she should be half those odds,” says the trainer. “She's going to run a big race and I couldn't have her any better. She was a bit unlucky at Haydock [when finishing second in the Listed Achilles Stakes]. There was a track bias that day on the stands rail and she had a penalty. She did everything bar win, if you know what I mean. “I just wish it was soft ground for the July Cup. We skipped Ascot because of the ground, but we feel Newmarket might just be a better track for her, with a little bit more ease in the ground. And the fact that we're going six [furlongs] on better ground, that will suit her better than five on better ground. She's just on her head over five on quick ground.” He adds, “She's a really good filly who improved way beyond our expectations last year. Ryan [Moore] won on her at the July Course and, when he got off, he said, 'This is pretty good you know.' I said, 'Will I get a bit of black type?' and he said, 'You'll get better than that.' How right he was.” Elsewhere on Saturday, Whip Cracker (Cracksman) is described as being on a “very dangerous mark” ahead of his run in the John Smith's Cup at York, while Abdullah's Star Of Mehmas (Mehmas) is set to line up in the Listed City Wall Stakes on the same card, having gone close to winning in similar company on her last two starts. By then, Hughes is hoping he'll already be among the winners, with Sayidah Dariyan appearing to hold leading form claims when she drops back down in grade for Friday's G3 Summer Stakes on the Knavesmire. “We thought it was the obvious place to go and she only lost three kilos at Ascot, so that really gave me the green light to train her for York,” Hughes explains. “I didn't have to worry that she'd had too hard a race at Ascot. “I think that was only her third run on grass. She's learning and she's getting stronger. It's a bit of a unique thing sprinting. They have off days, of course they do, but they definitely get better at it the more they race. “The easier six [furlongs] should suit her as well. I think she's quick enough for five, so the fast six at York should be right up her street.” Sayidah Dariyan first showcased her top-class potential last year when winning her maiden at Lingfield by 13 lengths, the sort of margin that you rarely see in sprint races of any description. Or at least that's the idea, but then Hughes sent out another two-year-old filly in the Abdullah silks to spreadeagle her rivals at Haydock last week. America Queen is the horse in question, a daughter of Havana Grey who cost her connections €180,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze-up Sale, before winning by 12 lengths when making her debut on Merseyside. Blimey …. 180,000euro breezer (Havana Grey) dazzles on debut in the @BritishEBF fillies' maiden @haydockraces @RHughesracing | @loughnane_billy pic.twitter.com/9TnYep69UP — Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 3, 2025 “I picked her out [at the breeze-ups],” Hughes remembers. “I was bidding away and then I got cold feet at about 140 grand, so I told Jaber, 'Please, buy this filly for me,' and he did. She's a very racy type and she just looked very genuine and was easy to deal with at the sales. And she came from a very good consignor [Greenhills Farm] which always helps. “In her routine canters she wouldn't take the eye at all, but she did one nice gallop with Mood Queen. The two of them just went along on the bit, but the fact that it was hard to split them on the bridle told me that she'd be good enough to win [at Haydock].” He adds, “She probably is good. She came from the breeze-ups and we thought she'd probably win if she did everything the right way round. But we didn't foresee anything like that happening, to be honest.” Next on the agenda for America Queen is the G2 Lowther Stakes at York's Ebor Festival, a race Abdullah has already won on five occasions this century, with the great Queen's Logic getting the ball rolling back in 2001. Time will tell whether this filly has the ability to add her name to that illustrious roll of honour but, in the meantime, Hughes is bullish about the prospects of Queen's Logic's granddaughter, Mood Queen (Kodiac), when she lines up in Friday's G2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes over the same course and distance as her recent maiden victory. Abdullah's homebred is the first foal out of the dual winner Baby Alya (Rio De La Plata), a three-parts sister to another Lowther scorer in Lady Of The Desert (Rahy), a filly Hughes later partnered to victory in the G2 Diadem Stakes. For good measure, Lady Of The Desert herself was responsible for Abdullah's latest Lowther heroine, Queen Kindly (Frankel). “It's a great family and we like Mood Queen a lot,” adds Hughes. “She moves beautifully and she's getting better. She's just a real nice two-year-old. “I was quite surprised that Karl Burke is running his filly [Venetian Sun]. I thought when I made the entry that we'd have the best filly in the race, so I've got to get back in my box now! She's a very good filly and I respect her hugely. “But Mood Queen won at Newmarket, and you haven't seen the best of her yet, so she'll have to perform well to beat us, Karl's filly – I think we'll give her a good run for it.” The post Richard Hughes Sets Sights on First Group 1 Success as a Trainer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bill Farish (Lane's End Farm) and Eric Gustavson (Spendthrift Farm) were re-elected to the Breeders' Cup Board of Directors, the organization said in a release Wednesday. M.V. Magnier (Coolmore) and Craig Fravel (Brown Advisory) were elected to the Board. Farish, Gustavson and Magnier will all serve four-year terms. Fravel, former President & CEO of Breeders' Cup Limited from 2011-19, will serve a three-year term. “We congratulate Bill and Eric on their re-election and are pleased to welcome M.V. and Craig to the Board,” said Barbara Banke, Chairman of Breeders' Cup Limited. “Their combined expertise and vision will be instrumental in driving the success of upcoming Company initiatives, particularly the continued global expansion and impact of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.” The post Farish and Gustavson Re-Elected to Breeders’ Cup Board of Directors; Fravel and M.V. Magnier Elected appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced juveniles from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes, sponsored by OBS Sales, highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, including links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for opening day of the traditional summer meet at Saratoga. Thursday, July 10, 2025 Saratoga 6, $100k, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 4:02 p.m. Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($) Cy Fair (Not This Time), OBSAPR, 185,000 C-Niall Brennan Stables, agt; B-Swinbank Stables c/o G Weaver The post Summer Breezes: Thursday, July 10, 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Reserved seating is now on sale for Kentucky Downs' unique seven-day all-grass race meet. Tickets can be purchased at www.themintkentuckydowns.com/tickets. Kentucky Downs runs Aug. 28, 30, 31 and Sept. 4, 6, 7 and 10. Reserved seating is available every day in the popular open-air Finish Line Pavilion, as well as every day except Saturdays Aug. 30 and Sept. 6 in the air-conditioned VIP Chalet. Parking is free at Kentucky Downs. Post time is 12:20 p.m. Central every day except for Saturdays Aug. 30 and Sept. 6, when it will be 11:30 a.m. CT. The post Reserved Seating Now on Sale at Kentucky Downs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hugh Bowman surged past his best Hong Kong haul and onto the 71-winner mark with a Happy Valley treble on Wednesday evening, but he won’t be resting on his laurels for too long in the off-season. The 44-year-old struck in the first two races on the card, but by far his best win came in the feature Class Two Begonia Handicap (1,800m) aboard the fast-finishing Jumbo Legend for Caspar Fownes. Victory for the six-year-old never looked likely in the run, with Bowman having to sit and suffer in last...View the full article

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 222 selected yearlings for the 104th Saratoga Sale, to be held on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 4 and 5, in Saratoga Springs, New York, it was announced Wednesday morning. Sessions will begin each evening at 6:30 pm in the Humphrey S. Finney Sales Pavilion. “We have assembled another outstanding group of yearlings for Saratoga, the type of quality that buyers expect to find at the number one ranked yearling sale by percentage of Grade I winners,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. The Saratoga Sale is once again the top ranked major North American yearling sale by percentage of Grade I winners and graded stakes winners according to statistics recently released by The BloodHorse MarketWatch. The sale has produced six individual Grade I winners in the last year. Recent sales graduates include Eclipse Champion and GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone (Gun Runner); Journalism (Curlin), winner of this year's GI Preakness S.; Seize the Grey (Arrogate) (2024 Preakness S. and GI Pennsylvania Derby); Tappan Street (Into Mischief) (2025 GI Florida Derby); Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) (2024 GI Stephen Foster S.); and And One More Time (Omaha Beach) (2024 GI Natalma S.) The sale also has the distinction of producing the last three Preakness Stakes winners in Journalism (2025), Seize the Grey (2024), and National Treasure (Quality Road) (2023). In addition to success at the Grade I level, Saratoga has produced 11 additional individual graded stakes winners in the last 12 months in Ballerina d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), Barnes (Into Mischief), Battle of Normandy (City of Light), Clicquot (Quality Road), Hall of Fame (Gun Runner), Hope Road (Quality Road), Integration (Quality Road), Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro), Owen Almighty (Speightstown), Rocket Can (Into Mischief), and Ticker Tape Home (Medaglia d'Oro). “The depth of quality found at Saratoga is second-to-none,” added Browning. “From catalogues of just 200 or more yearlings, Saratoga has produced six individual Grade I winners in the last year as well as three consecutive Preakness winners.” The catalogue may now be viewed online, and will also be available via the equineline sales catalogue app. Print catalogues are now available from all Fasig-Tipton offices. The post Catalogue for 104th Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale Now Available appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Reigning Eclipse Award winning journeyman Flavien Prat added another milestone to his resume with his first NYRA riding title at the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet.View the full article

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – And now for the main event. With nine days of racing already in the books–a proper warmup by any measure, topped by the GI Belmont Stakes–the 157th season of racing at Saratoga begins Thursday with a 10-race program. It is the earliest-possible start in the calendar-driven schedule for the 40-day season that closes on Labor Day Sept. 1. For 44 years after racing resumed at Saratoga in 1946 following World War II, Saratoga was what eventually came to be known as a boutique meet of 24 programs, six days a week over four weeks. The season often started and ended in August, hence the marketing slogan “The August Place to Be.” Saratoga's burgeoning popularity in the 1970s and 1980s prompted the New York Racing Association to expand the meet to 30 days in 1990, then to 36 and finally to 40 in 2009. Four days were added in 2024 to accommodate the inaugural Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Festival, which was held upstate for the first time while Belmont Park is undergoing a massive rebuild. This year, a fifth day was added to the Belmont Festival and NYRA conducted the four-day July 4 Racing Festival last weekend. Those mini meets, technically part of the Belmont-at-the-Big A season, featured 12 Grade I races. By the time that the Saratoga meet draws to a close, a total of 49 days of racing spread over four months, with more than 500 races, will have been staged over America's oldest track. As has been the case for decades, the $1.25-million GI Travers on Aug. 23 and the $1-million GI Whitney on Aug. 2 are the marquee events of the highest-profile meet in North America. There will be 18 Grade I races as part of the 64-stakes menu worth more than $20 million in total purses. Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said he made his first visit to Saratoga 54 years ago with his father Norman, the well-respected horseman and sales executive. Through his life and career, Casse has watched Saratoga grow in importance. His stable had a strong performance at Saratoga last summer: a record of 15-4-7 and earnings of $1.264 million from 53 starts. Mark Casse | Sarah Andrew Casse chuckled as he said that he told a friend over the weekend: “When you win in a lot of places, a small group sees. When you win at Saratoga, the world sees.” Trainer Bill Mott, the nine-time training champ at Saratoga during his distinguished Hall of Fame career, has the nation's leading 3-year-old in his care, Godolphin's Sovereignty (Into Mischief), winner of the GI Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. He expects the colt to prep for the Travers in the GII Jim Dandy on July 26. It is possible that the Travers could be another showdown between Sovereignty, GI Preakness Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin) and Baeza (McKinzie), who finished in that order in the Derby and the Belmont. Mott has been a regular at Saratoga since 1987 and his stable is based next to the Oklahoma training track from spring to late fall. Mott said the Saratoga season has a special feel to it. “It always has,” he said. “Very much. Much more than any other meet.” However, with the two extra weeks of racing this year, Mott said that the run-up to the launch of the season is out of ordinary. “Well, a little bit because of the length of it,” he said. “Yeah, it's a little different.” Sovereignty | Sarah Andrew This is the 12th summer that Jason Fitch and his brothers will operate King's Tavern across Union Avenue from the main entrance to the track. They also run the City Tavern on Caroline Street downtown. Fitch said the Belmont Stakes and July 4 festivals have altered the normal rhythm for Saratoga and racing. “It's funny, because I think a lot of people are confused,” he said. “Confused in a good way, though. Belmont was great for us again this year with the rain. The rain actually helped us, believe it or not. Obviously, if it rained all day, it would have been bad.” Fitch said the rain early in the day slowed down the arrival of the crowd, which enabled his staff to better handle the business coming through the door. Last year, he said the tavern was “jam packed” from morning until night. “Once the rain stopped, it was mayhem, which is great,” he said. “So, Belmont was Belmont. There was a lot of buzz around the track about that just because, obviously, it's the Belmont.” Fitch said that the July 4 weekend was certainly not the same as the Belmont Stakes festival or the regular season. NYRA announced that the total paid attendance for the four days was 52,156 with an on-track handle of $9.5 million. “Just talking to people, there were kind of mixed reviews,” he said. “They were kind of torn between going to the Spa and watching the horses or going to the boat for the fireworks. We have a lot of friends that did half days, a half day at the race course, and then went out to the boats or home for barbecues. We definitely saw a good influx of business at King's and the City Tavern, which was great. It's always positive to have positive numbers. But I think there is some confusion with 'does my heart belong at the racetrack, or does my heart belong on the boat for the Fourth?' Either way, it was a great weekend for us. There were more people in town for the Fourth than when it's just the Fourth of July celebration.” Saratoga | Sarah Andrew Fitch said some of the conversations he had with patrons focused on whether a 22-percent increase in racing days from 2023 to this summer might not be a positive. That has been a common talking point locally as the meet has grown in length over 35 years: How much is too much? No doubt, the key stats remain strong. Even though the 2024 meet was reduced by one day because of bad weather caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, NYRA reported typically solid attendance and handle figures. All-sources handle of $803,806,964 eclipsed the $799,229,288 from 2023, a 3.2 percent gain. Minus the one day, the total paid attendance was 1,051,092, down 2.5 percent from the previous year. As always, racing is a slave to the weather. Despite losing a full day from the meet, NYRA benefitted from an important stat: it moved 20 fewer races from the turf to the dirt–65 to 45–than it did in 2023. The off-the-turf switches due to wet conditions produce many scratches and hurt handle. Saratoga draws the stars and builds reputations every summer. Last year, seven of the 11 horses that earned Eclipse Award titles, led by Horse of the Year 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), competed at least once at the Spa. That championship lineup also featured Immersive (Nyquist), 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), National Treasure (Quality Road), Idiomatic (Curlin), Soul of an Angel (Atreides) and Moira (Ghostzapper). Thorpedo Anna training at Saratoga last fall | Sarah Andrew Thorpedo Anna rebounded from the first off-the-board finish in her career in the GI La Troienne Stakes to win the GII Fleur de Lis Stakes. She is on course to the GI Personal Ensign on Aug. 23. Five-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown will seek his fifth-straight Saratoga training title and eighth overall. His 45 victories last summer doubled the runners-up Todd Pletcher–who has led the standings a record 14 times–and Mike Maker, and was one shy of the track record he set in 2018. Irad Ortiz, Jr. secured his third-consecutive riding title and sixth overall with 52 victories. He had a comfortable advantage over Flavien Prat, who finished with 45 wins. Prat had a record-breaking season at the Spa, though, with 18 stakes victories, surpassing the mark of 15 shared by Ortiz, Jr., Joel Rosario and John Velazquez. Two Saratoga stalwarts for decades, trainers Christophe Clement and D. Wayne Lukas, passed away in recent months. Lukas, 89, was the leading trainer six times and won 266 races, fifth on the all-time list. Clement, 59, won with his second Saratoga starter, Coxwold, in August 1992 and his next-to-last runner, Big Invasion (Declaration of War), in the Harvey Pack on Sept. 2, 2024. NYRA tweaked its stakes schedule for 2025. The most notable changes involved three Grade I races. The Fourstardave was moved ahead one week to the Whitney Day program and the Sword Dancer was relocated from Travers Day to two weeks earlier to fill the slot vacated by the Fourstardave. The Personal Ensign, previously run on the Friday before the Travers, was dropped into the Travers program. Worth noting is that NYRA ran the Schuylerville and the Sanford during the July 4 festival, a week or so earlier than usual, stretching out the 2-year-old stakes program. That might produce more entries in the second legs of the series, the GIII Adirondack and the GII Saratoga Special. Trainer Cherie DeVaux won the GI New York Stakes with her stable star She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}) during the Belmont Stakes Festival and will saddle her again Saturday in the GI Diana. DeVaux was born in Saratoga Springs and lived there until her family moved when she was in kindergarten. She began her career in racing as a hotwalker, climbed the ladder to assistant trainer and launched her own stable in 2018. She won her first Saratoga race in 2019. Last summer she finished 10th on the trainer's earnings table with $1,021,400 from a record of 5-10-7. Now based at Barn 83, Lukas's home starting in 1988, she said she is looking forward to the meet. It won't be all business, though, since her parents live in nearby Glens Falls, and her younger sister, Adrianne, has horses at Saratoga in what is her first full year as a trainer. “It's exciting,” DeVaux said. “I love it that nothing changes the environment that's here, the excitement. This is kind of the kickoff of the championship part of the year, getting horses ready for Breeders' Cup and the campaign is getting started for us, as well. So, very excited. Excited for what we're bringing. It should be a good time.” For Jason Fitch and his staff, the upcoming eight-plus weeks will be the busiest of the year. He said there is the standard high level of anticipation for the racing season. “I think so. One hundred percent,” he said. “You see more and more people going across to the Oklahoma, lining up just to see them run around the Oklahoma. It's special. The buzz is definitely there.” The post Saratoga’s Busiest Summer in History Moves to the High-Profile Race Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article