Wandering Eyes

Coteau Grove Farms was represented by two winners Feb. 1 on the 22nd Louisiana Premier Night at Delta Downs, highlighted by Touchuponastar winning the LA Bred Premier Night Champion Stakes for the third year in a row.View the full article

Hosted by the Keeneland Association, the Organization of Racing Investigators (ORI) annual training and networking conference is marked for Sunday, Mar. 2 through Wednesday, Mar. 5. Central to ORI's mission is the pursuit of integrity and education for its members. By sharing best practices, interactions among investigators creates lasting relationships between jurisdictions. Representatives from every state racing entity will be in attendance, as well as regulators from national and international entities. With sponsors such as the AQHA, Breeders' Cup, NYRA, Parx Racing, PENN Gaming, The Stronach Group and Woodbine, this year's conference in the Bluegrass boasts topics which will cover a range of hot button issues. Both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse case studies are on the agenda as members will look to expand their own toolkits. The 2025 ORI meeting is chaired by Dr. Stuart Brown, who has served as Keeneland's Vice President of Equine Safety since 2020. “ORI's annual conference brings together investigators from across the sport of horse racing as guardians of the integrity of this global industry,” said Dr. Brown. “The aim is to bring a dynamic program of speakers that will share their perspectives on many of the issues facing these investigators each and every day. We are excited to be able to host this year's conference at Keeneland.” Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from the following: Regulation of Horse Racing in France: Samuel Fargeat, Head of Raceday Stewarding & Integrity Section, France Galop; Update on the EIA Cases in Quarter Horse Racing: Angela Pelzel-McCluskey, National Equine Epidemiologist, USDA Inspection Services; Present Day Threats on Wagering Security–Update on CAW's: Pat Cummings, Executive Director, National Thoroughbred Alliance; Biometric Sensor Technology & Timing Devices: Kyle McDoniel, President & Chief Operations Officer, Equibase; USTA Integrity Initiatives: T.C. Lane, Chief Operations Officer, United States Trotting Association; Integrity Programs in Quarter Horse Racing: Janet VanBebber, Chief Racing Officer, American Quarter Horse Association; Role of the Investigator on Big Days in Racing: Dora Delgado, Executive Vice-President, Breeders Cup and Will Farmer, Equine Medical Director, Churchill Downs; Jockey Health and Wellness Programs/Research Approach to Jockey Safety: Matt Ward, Paramedic, Alpha Event Medical and Kimberly Tumlin, University of Kentucky, SMRI; Livestock Investigators Toolkit: Sarah Coleman, Executive Director, Kentucky Horse Council; Jockey Club Traceability Programs: Kristin Werner, Deputy General Council, The Jockey Club; Update on Equine Drug Testing in North America: Michael Hardy, Executive Director, Racing Medication Testing Consortium; Veterinary Forensic Investigations in Horse Racing: Alina Vale, Consultant in Veterinary Forensic Investigations; Southern District of New York Servis & Navarro Investigation: Shaun Richards, Director of Intelligence and Strategy, HIWU; Keeneland Integrity Protocols on Raceday: Pat McBride, Assistant Director of Security and Mike Keyser, Training Manager of Security, Keeneland Association; Keeneland Barn Surveillance System: Kassandra Creed, Equine Safety Compliance, Keeneland Association and TJ Dooley, Limitless Integrations; Reputational Risk for the Equine Investigator: Laura D'Angelo, Esquire Dinsmore & Shohl LLP. Click here for more information about ORI's 2025 Training Conference. The post Investigators To Convene Annual Training Conference At Keeneland, Mar. 2-5 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Throughout the course of Scott Shepherd's life, his mind had always been plagued by chronic, inescapable fear and doubt. His negative thoughts became a constant cycle of “what ifs,” fear of failure and concern over letting those in his life down. That all changed during his first morning meditation session as part of the Stable Recovery program, when he stroked the nose of a mare on layup named Princess Warrior (Midshipman). After this encounter, his mind became peacefully quiet. “I'll never forget when I saw her. It was like all of the past regret, all of the fear of the future, everything just went away. For the first time in my life, my full attention was right there. It was like I didn't have all of this going on. It was magic,” said Shepherd. However, 22 years ago Shepherd, overwhelmed by all of that noise in his head, chose a different path to achieve peace. At 13 years of age, he took his first pain pill. “From that moment, that's all I focused on. Taking the pain pills, I wasn't nervous, I felt a part of [something]. I could breathe,” he recalled. “I hated myself as a kid. I don't know why. My mind never stopped. I was always worried about everything and just hated me, hated who I saw in the mirror, and the drugs helped that.” Shepherd is the first to admit he had a great childhood. Growing up in Northern Kentucky, he was surrounded by family, friends and opportunities. But there was something internal, deep down inside of him, that wouldn't allow Shepherd to be fulfilled by any of it. And once the pain pills came into the picture, it was the euphoria of the numbing effect they provided that washed away the fear, and consequently fractured relationships with people in his life. “Back then, I didn't need money. I could order a pizza and pay with pills. I could go to the gas station and pay for my gas with pills. Everybody used them and they were so easy to get. And then, when [law enforcement] cracked down on pain pills, that's when the heroin started,” he said. Though the addiction made Shepherd feel like he was finally afloat, reality soon sunk in and sunk him. He spent time in and out of jail after being arrested for a variety of charges. Despite the shame and guilt that comes with being incarcerated, Shepherd acknowledged there were some benefits to it, such as the substance abuse program. However, the most personal benefit for him was meeting Jo Martin. “She started a non-profit offering free tattoo removal for people who are incarcerated. I met her when I was in jail and she saw something in me that I couldn't. She tutored me, encouraged me to get my GED, helped me get into treatment and found me a job when I got out. If it wasn't for her, I would have never made it,” said Shepherd. But entering treatment was just the first step as Shepherd struggled with finding purpose in an experience he described simply as 'sitting somewhere and having someone tell me how to stay clean.' “I wasn't planning on making it [to treatment]. I was planning on dying before I got there. I told myself I was either going to really do something different, do it to the fullest, or I'm going to go out and die,” said Shepherd. After spending time in a majority of the treatment centers in Northern Kentucky, his breaking point hit after a heated argument with his then girlfriend. It was that incident that drove him to take a walk with a darker purpose, as his hand dialed the number of his sponsor while his mind zeroed in on finding the next high. At the time, Shepherd had been sober for nine months. “In my mind I thought, 'I'm going to call him, I'm going to call my sponsor before [I do it]. He's not going to answer me, but at least I can say I tried.' It was the first time I ever called my sponsor first and he answered,” said Shepherd. That sponsor was Mike Lowery, someone Shepherd had met during treatment, who had gone on to participate in and graduate from the Stable Recovery program and Taylor Made's School of Horsemanship. It was Lowery and Josh Franks, in the Stable Recovery program at the time, that stepped up for Shepherd when he needed support the most. “Mike and Josh drove to Shelbyville to pick me up, the same day that Josh's mom died. I remember sitting in the backseat and this guy is saying his mom passed away, but he's here trying to help me. It really stuck with me, those two coming to help me the day Josh's mom passed away, and I think it helped Josh a lot, too.” Shepherd started his new chapter at Stable Recovery on August 25, 2022. For the first time, he felt like he wasn't just being told how to stay clean, but instead, truly being shown how to live sober. “Getting clean is not our problem. I did not have a drug problem; I had a drug solution. I was the problem,” said Shepherd. That change in lifestyle resonated most with Shepherd during his time spent in the barn in the company of the horses. Within months, he transitioned from working on the farm to joining trainer Will Walden's team at the track. It was Walden's influence that helped build Shepherd into a horseman. “Anywhere that I've been on the racetrack, none of the owners ever came up to me and asked me about my background. They didn't ask anything about my past. They only asked me about the horses.” Scott Shepherd with co-workers Jillian Rush, Siobhan Gavigan, and Logan Hopper | Sara Gordon From his time at the track to the broodmare and foaling divisions he worked in upon his return to Taylor Made, Shepherd dealt with his fair share of dark moments. However, there was one constant that kept him going, and that was the horses. “I decided to do a foaling season which is probably hands-down the coolest thing in the industry I've ever done. I loved it. It was crazy that Juju's Map's first foal [in 2024] was my first foal. Mike and I were there foaling Flightline's first foal ever, two ex-junkies, and they're trusting us to do that. It's hard to put into words what that meant,” said Shepherd. But the “right words” aren't necessary when it comes to understanding the profound impact the program, and the horses, have had on Shepherd. Sitting across from him in the conference room at Taylor Made, you can feel the gratitude and newfound hope emanate from him as he shares his story. “People coming from my background, we have all kinds of trust issues. We don't trust anybody. But outside of the stall, I learned that I don't have to trust everybody in the world, I just need to be somebody that people can trust,” said Shepherd. “[The horses] really taught me how to be in the moment. Trying to keep their fear in mind has helped me so much because I'm not worried about my fear, I'm focused on them.” Last year, Shepherd made the transition from the barn to the office, where the 35-year-old father of two now works full-time as the Public Sales Operations Assistant. The role revolves around setting up and organizing the consignment at every sale, and though his professional priorities have shifted from looking out for the horses to looking out for the people on his team, Shepherd appreciates the responsibility. “It's easy for me when I've got six barns to set up, all the welcome centers, all the stuff I have to order and everyone's needing a million things, to feel like it's just me that it's hectic for, but it's hectic for everybody. In this position, I feel like I can try to make it a little easier on everyone,” said Shepherd. Where words fall short, Shepherd's actions don't. From his time in jail to his experiences in the treatment centers, to his time in Stable Recovery and each role he's held in the industry, Shepherd has finally found a passion that fuels him in every aspect of his life. And this year, on March 28, he will celebrate three years of sobriety. “I've been to many treatment centers, but it's the perfect balance of people and the horses [here at Stable Recovery]. It's different,” he said. “[Josh] once told me, 'I want everybody to have a look on their face like you did when you first saw Princess Warrior.' But you can't force that. I feel like in a weird way, that's how God works. I'm not a religious person by any means, but I do know that there is something out there that has kept me level-headed and brought me to these horses.” Stable Recovery is a recovery housing program in Lexington, Kentucky that offers men in the early stages of recovery access to 12-step meetings, life skills training and-through the Taylor Made School of Horsemanship-the opportunity to develop a trade in the equine field. To learn more about Stable Recovery, click here. The post The Road Back: Horses Guide Shepherd Back From The Brink appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sam Agars PODIUM - R1 (8) Big run last time out and looks perfectly placed to win again tonight Jay Rooney PODIUM - R1 (8) In top form for David Eustace this term and looks tough to beat Jack Dawling VIEW OF THE WORLD - R9 (5) Progressive galloper can continue his rapid rise despite wide draw Phillip Woo PODIUM - R1 (8) Finished strongly to just miss last start and can go one better Shannon (Vincent Wong) PODIUM - R1 (8) Made a lot of ground when second over C&D and looks hard to beat in this contest Racing Post Online HAYDAY - R2 (2) Narrowly beaten last start and gets the chance to make amends here Tom Wood A AMERIC TE SPECSO - R9 (7) Nearly won last start and drops three pounds tonightView the full article

Michael Halford, trainer of Group 1 winner Casamento (Ire), is to depart from the Irish training ranks prior to the start of the Flat turf season. Formerly a sole licence holder, he has been training in partnership with Tracey Collins for the last two years. Halford, 62, who has been training for four decades and has saddled more than 1,000 winners, announced his impending retirement in a statement on Tuesday. He said, “Over the last 40 years I've been lucky enough to train for some of the world's leading owners and there have been many highlights along the way, with Casamento's Racing Post Trophy victory and Portage's Royal Ascot success among them. “Certerach's win on Dubai World Cup night was a really special day for us all as his owner Paul Rooney has always been such a tremendous supporter of the yard.” He continued, “Being entrusted with horses for the Aga Khan for the best part of 20 years has also been a huge honour and I leave the training ranks with no regrets. I've enjoyed every minute of it and I'm hoping to stay involved in racing but for the moment I've no plans in terms of what is next.” The victory of the Yulong-owned Platinum Warrior (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G3 Gallinule Stakes of 2018 brought up an important milestone for Halford as his 1,000th winner. He moved from his long-term base at Copper Beech Stables to join forces with Collins at Conyngham Lodge on the other side of the Curragh and the training partners have sent out 44 winners over the past two seasons. In a heartfelt interview in TDN last September, Halford spoke of regaining his confidence after a tumultuous time in his professional and private life. However, he cites a decline in the number of horses in the stable as the catalyst for his decision to step back from training. “Unfortunately our numbers aren't what they once were and I'm not getting any younger, so before the 2025 season gets underway it felt like the right time to bow out and give my excellent staff and loyal owners a chance to move elsewhere before the season gets underway,” he said. “To everyone who has supported us since the early 1980s I extend my heartfelt thanks and gratitude. It's been a great journey and I wouldn't have swapped it for anything. We have a great industry in Ireland and one that we can be very proud of and I hope that I can play some part in this wonderful industry over the coming years.” The post ‘It Felt Like the Right Time to Bow Out’: Michael Halford to Relinquish Training Licence appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Significant changes have been approved to all three of next year’s Young Gun Finals at Alexandra Park. It’s been agreed that the Delightful Lady Classic for the 2YO Fillies and the North Island 2YO Trot Series Final will join the Cardigan Bay Stakes for 2YO Colts and Geldings in being worth $100,000. Previously they were at $70,000 and $50,000. All three series in 2026 will also see a change in dates. The Cardigan Bay Stakes and the Delightful Lady Classic will move from their May slot this year to Friday, March 20 while the North Island Series Final will be held on Rowe Cup night on May 1, a week earlier than this year. The first lot of heats for the Cardigan Bay and the Delightful Lady will be programmed for late January 2026 with the trotters’ heats getting underway in late March. “We think the changes are significant on a number of fronts,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering, Matthew Peden. “It is part of HRNZ’s ongoing strategy around utilisation of horses, with a view to having these 2YOs in our system sooner.” “It also highlights the volume and calibre of two-year-old racing there is now and that’s especially timely ahead of the upcoming yearling sales.” The NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales kick off at Karaka on Saturday, February 15 before moving to Christchurch three days later (Tuesday, February 18). Of the three Young Guns finals the Cardigan Bay has the longest history. It dates back to the late 1970s and has been won by the likes of Chokin (1991), Il Vicolo (1993) and Merlin (2022) while Under Cover Lover (1997), Dream About Me (2015) and Spanish Armada (2016) have been among the gun fillies to win the Delightful Lady. For more information contact : matthew.peden@hrnz.co.nz View the full article

There are four horse racing meetings set for Australia on Wednesday, February 5. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Sandown, Warwick Farm & Happy Valley (HK). Wednesday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – February 5, 2025 Sandown Racing Tips Warwick Farm Racing Tips Happy Valley (HK) Racing Tips As always, there are plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans. Check out all the top horse racing bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on February 5, 2025 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit today. “GETON is not a bonus code. Neds does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. Full terms. BlondeBet Signup Code GETON 2 Punters Prefer Blondes BlondeBet Blonde Boosts – Elevate your prices! Join BlondeBet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. WHAT ARE YOU REALLY GAMBLING WITH? full terms. 3 Next Gen Racing Betting Picklebet Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Full terms. Recommended! 4 It Pays To Play PlayUp Aussie-owned horse racing specialists! Check Out PlayUp Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Full terms. Dabble Signup Code AUSRACING 5 Say Hey to the social bet! Dabble You Better Believe It Join Dabble Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Full terms. Bet365 Signup Code GETON 6 Never Ordinary Bet365 World Favourite! Visit Bet365 Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. GETON is not a bonus code. bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. What’s gambling really costing you? Full terms. Horse racing tips View the full article

Tony Pike has used the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m) as a launchpad to Derby success on several occasions and he hopes to continue that trend with a pair of contenders on Saturday at Te Rapa. The Cambridge horseman has won the three-year-old feature twice with Rangipo and Field Of Gold, the former going on to take out the $1 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m). The iconic race has been a long-term goal for Golden Century, a son of Pierro who was purchased by Australian syndicators OTI Racing after showing early promise. While he is a maidener after four starts, Golden Century (NZ) (Pierro) hasn’t been out of the first three and came desperately close to winning the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie last month, missing the top spot by a nose to Mustang Morgan. “He’s a progressive staying three-year-old, his racing manners have obviously let him down from time to time, but he’s improving with each run,” Pike said. “That (Gingernuts) was his biggest test to date and he did very well, he’s improved again in his trackwork and I’m more than happy with him heading into Saturday. He’s got more improvement to come once he gets up to the mile and a half of the Derby, which he’s bred to do.” Pike traditionally follows the route of Waikato into the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m), run at Ellerslie on February 22, two weeks before the big dance on Champions Day. “Generally, my Derby runners race in both, Rangipo and Sherwood Forest did that,” he said. “At this stage, he’ll run on Saturday and then the Avondale Guineas, obviously it’s another look around Ellerslie as well before the grand final, which is always an advantage.” Stablemate Amazing Fluke (The Autumn Sun) could stamp some Derby credentials of his own in the $275,000 contest, having collected his maiden before Christmas before finishing fourth when resuming at Tauranga last week. “Saturday’s going to tell if the Derby is coming too soon for him,” Pike said. “He’s a lovely big staying horse but we had to give him a short break after he won his maiden, he was fresh-up on the tight Tauranga track and it was a reasonable first-up run, he’ll take improvement from that. “He is going to get to a reasonably high level, whether it’s this prep or not, we’ll find out on Saturday.” A stacked Te Rapa card will also feature the $350,000 Sir Patrick Hogan Karāpiro Classic (1600m), a race for maideners at the start of the current racing season. Pike’s progressive galloper Lanikai (NZ) (Ocean Park) is eligible for the feature and comes into it in a rich vein of form, having won his second race last Saturday at New Plymouth. “After he ran so well at Wellington for second, and it was a shame he didn’t win that day, we were worried that he may not make the field for this race, hence going to Taranaki last Saturday,” Pike said. “He’s a lovely big striding horse so I thought Saturday’s win had plenty of merit, considering the tight track and the way the race was run. “It’s not ideal backing up a week later, but he seems to have bounced through the run in great order and it’s a massive stake for this class of horse.” Group One performer Impendabelle and last-start winner Slipper Island will complete Pike’s representatives in the Dr John South Memorial Vase (1200m). Impendabelle (Impending) was a high-class three-year-old and enters a new preparation on Saturday after trialling at Pukekohe, while Slipper Island (No Nay Never) rewarded Pike for his faith with an impressive showing at Trentham on Cup Day. “Slipper Island bounced through Trentham really well, he’s hopefully gained a fair bit of confidence from that and I do think he’s a much better horse left handed,” he said. “He’s stepping up in grade to Rating 75, but he’s a horse that, although he’s been an enigma, we’ve always thought he had plenty of ability so hopefully he can go on with it and perform well. “She (Impendabelle) trialled up really nicely, the 1200 may be a on the sharper side for her and she’ll be carrying a fair bit of weight, but it’s a nice race to get the preparation underway with. “I think she’ll run a competitive race, obviously with improvement to come once she gets over further second-up.” View the full article

Manifique (NZ) (Savabeel) finished fourth in a quality line-up in last year’s Listed Clubs NZ Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’s Stakes (1600m), and she will be bidding to improve on that mark at Tauherenikau on Thursday. Last year’s edition was taken out by subsequent Group One placegetter Town Cryer, with Saturday race rival Sugah Sweet and subsequent Group One winner and Saturday’s Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) favourite Snazzytavi filling the minor placings. “It was a strong field (last year) and she (Manifique) really hustled home late, and another few strides she would have got up. It was a good effort,” trainer Peter Didham said. Manifique hasn’t flattered since last year’s running, finishing unplaced in four of her five starts, and Didham is hoping she can return to form on Waitangi Day following a short freshen-up. “She was a bit disappointing last start (when eighth in the Gr.3 Trentham Stakes, 2100m), so we just freshened her up again and we are back to a mile,” he said. “We couldn’t find anything wrong with her, we still can’t. I just need her to string a bit of consistency together. “I have been happy with her work. I took her to Otaki and galloped her on the grass on Friday. She worked with Kana and worked well.” Stablemate Danjuro (NZ) (Saxon Warrior) will be seeking back-to-back victories when he contests the Central ITM Wairarapa Cup (2050m), and Didham believes a big future is instore for the gelding once his racing manners improve. “He has been doing a few things wrong and he probably beats himself sometimes. He is one of those horses where a year on he is going to be a handy stayer,” Didham said. “He has always had a tonne of ability. He wasn’t far away in the Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) at Christchurch. We sent him down there to try and grow up, but he will still hang and try to run off on the corner and miss the jump. “He just gets himself into a bit of trouble and hopefully one day the penny will drop.” Didham will take seven other runners to Tauherenikau on Thursday, including juveniles War Princess (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) and Shameless Star (NZ) (Shamexpress), who make their debuts in the Pope & Gray Contractors Maiden 2YO (1000m). “They are two really nice two-year-olds that were bought for a syndicate that wanted to have a go with some two and three-year-olds,” Didham said. “I think they both go well.” Meanwhile, Didham will head to Te Rapa with just the one runner on Saturday, with Omega Boy (NZ) (Time Test) set to try and claim the lion’s share of the $350,000 purse on offer in the Sir Patrick Hogan Karapiro Classic (1600m). “I didn’t think I would get in on 65 points, but he is well in at number nine,” Didham said. “It is probably not as strong as what some people thought it might have been. He is a very consistent horse. He won on the poly way back in September, so he has been up a while, but for $350,000, we will have a shake.” View the full article

The champ Mr Brightside resumes in the Group 1 Orr Stks this weekend at Caulfield. Co-trainer JD Hayes joined Mitch Manners this morning on Racing HQ. JD Hayes 04.02.2025 – Racing HQ with Steve Hewlett – Apple Podcasts View the full article

Willydoit looks to be a horse out of the box. Shaun Clotworthy joined RSN on Tuesday to share the latest on the promising stayer for all you need to know about the NZ Derby favourite who is set to join Ciaron Maher’s stable. All you need to know about the NZ Derby favourite who is set to join Ciaron Maher’s stable – Racing Pulse with Michael Felgate – Omny.fm View the full article

Sugah Sweet (NZ) (Zacinto) came desperately close to winning last year’s Listed Clubs NZ Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and on Thursday she’ll get another chance at the Tauherenikau feature in a similar vein of form. The seven-year-old mare has been carefully handled with no more than six starts per season, a method that has paid dividends for trainer Bryce Newman, with her record also boasting five wins and a pair of fourth placings in the Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) and Gr.3 Anniversary Handicap (1600m). Those two races preceded Sugah Sweet’s attempt at the race 12 months ago, where she fought subsequent Group One performer Town Cryer all the way down the straight, only missing by a head at the post. This campaign, Newman opted to resume his mare in late December in the Poverty Bay Turf Club Cup (1400m) at Taupo, where she second rated a tidy field. She then headed to Trentham and recorded the fastest 800, 600 and 400m sectionals in a race won by Our Echo, a performance that gave Newman good confidence as she steps up to a mile. “The Taupo run was a good way to resume and we were really happy with her at Trentham, we rode her quite quietly and she got home really well,” he said. “She was probably looking for the 1600m there, but it was a stepping stone towards the Breeders. “We’ve always had this race in mind, we probably thought that she’d come to the end of her preparation when we arrived there last year and she only just got beaten by a very small margin to a very good horse in Town Cryer. “We decided we would change it a little bit this year and try to get her in there more on the up, going into as the first time at 1600m (this preparation) seems to be her go.” Stablemate Lets All Boogie (Sooboog) has drawn an outside gate in the NZB Mega Maiden Series Maiden (1600m) later in the card, while Treat Yourself (Kuripuni Sports Bar and TAB Maiden 2050) and Vavoom (Herbert Morton Accoutants R65 1000) complete Newman’s representatives. “Lets All Boogie will go another good, honest race I think, but she’s drawn out, so we’ve got a decision to make there,” he said. “She may end up at Otaki on Sunday. “The other two are runner’s chances.” View the full article

Exciting three-year-old bids to maintain his unbeaten record at Happy Valley on Wednesday.View the full article

What Happy Valley Races Where Happy Valley Racecourse – Wong Nai Chung Rd, Happy Valley, Hong Kong When Wednesday, February 5, 2025 First Race 6:40pm HKT (9:40pm AEDT) Visit Dabble Hong Kong racing returns to Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday evening, where a massive nine-part program awaits locals. The rail reverts to the A position throughout the entire circuit, and with no rainfall set to hinder proceedings, punters can expect a genuine Good 4 surface. Racing under lights is scheduled to get underway at 6:40pm HKT. Best Bet at Happy Valley: Sky Jewellery Sky Jewellery was sensational debuting at this course and distance on January 15, justifying a wealth of support with horse racing bookmakers prior to the jump. The Autumn Sun gelding launched through a gap under the Hugh Bowman drive, securing a dominant one-length victory to start his Hong Kong career. He cops a 2.5kg penalty heading into this second-up assignment and Hugh Bowman may need to drag back in search of cover from gate 11; however, Sky Jewellery should simply prove too classy for this lot regardless of tactics. Best Bet Race 3 – #1 Sky Jewellery (11) 3yo Gelding | T: John Size | J: Hugh Bowman (61kg) Next Best at Happy Valley: Moments In Time Moments In Time was one of the hard luck stories in the Group 3 January Cup (1800m) on January 8, with the five-year-old cast wide in the early stages before making a sustained run for the lead with 800m left to travel. It left the Danny Shum-trained gelding running on empty in the final furlong, with race rival Helene Feeling clearing out to score by 1.3 lengths. Zac Purton gets legged aboard this time round, and although he’s drawn the widest of eight runners in this Class 2 contest, watch for Moments In Time to cross to the lead before giving a bold sight at a good price with BlondeBet. Next Best Race 4 – #1 Moments In Time (8) 5yo Gelding | T: Danny Shum | J: Zac Purton (61kg) Best Value at Happy Valley: Mission Strike The Mark Newnham-trained Mission Strike was unplaced in his Sha Tin debut on December 22, with the Dundeel gelding run off his feet over the 1400m journey. He couldn’t stay in touch with his rivals as the sprint went on, however, he was clearly doing his best work late to suggest a step up to the 1800m should be ideal. His trial at Conghua on January 20 suggested he’s ready to hit top gear second-up, and with the three-year-old unlikely to be fancied after his first-up disappointment, punters can expect a good each-way price about Mission Stike in this Class 4 contest. Best Value Race 6 – #4 Mission Strike (3) 3yo Gelding | T: Mark Newnham | J: Luke Ferraris (59kg) Wednesday quaddie tips for Happy Valley Happy Valley quadrella selections February 5, 2025 2-3-4-7 1-2-4-5-6 2-3-4-5-10 1-2-3-5-6 Horse racing tips View the full article

What Warwick Farm Races Where Warwick Farm Racecourse – 2 Hume Hwy, Warwick Farm NSW 2170 When Wednesday, February 5, 2025 First Race 2:55pm AEDT Visit Dabble Metro racing returns to Warwick Farm Racecourse on Wednesday afternoon, with a quickfire six-part program set down for decision. The rail moves out +3m the entire circuit, and although the surface is rated a Soft 5 at the time of writing, punters can expect an upgrade into the good range courtesy of sunny skies forecast on Monday and Tuesday. The opening event is scheduled to get underway at 2:55pm AEDT. Best Bet at Warwick Farm: Sakima The Peter Snowden-trained Sakima returns after a 136-day spell and brings some elite form to this first-up assignment. The daughter of Snitzel contested some key three-year-old spring features last preparation, including the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 24, chasing to within 2.2 lengths of Ameena. Her latest trial at Rosehill on January 23 suggests she hasn’t missed a beat in her time away from racing, and with her only victory coming first-up last campaign, expect Sakima to be ready to fire in this BM72 contest. Best Bet Race 3 – #6 Sakima (2) 3yo Filly | T: Peter Snowden | J: Kerrin McEvoy (56.5kg) Next Best at Warwick Farm: It’s A Knockout It’s A Knockout burst onto the scene at the end of last preparation, recording a dominant 1.5-length victory at Rosehill on August 31 before being sent to the paddock. The Ciaron Maher-trained mare never missed the frame in her three starts and based on her recent piece of work at this course on January 20, punters can expect that trend to continue. Tim Clark will attempt to make every post a winner as he elects to stick aboard the talented four-year-old, and provided he can tick-over a soft sectional in the middle stages, It’s A Knockout should justify the short price with horse racing bookmakers. Next Best Race 6 – #5 It’s A Knockout (8) 4yo Mare | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Tim Clark (59kg) Best Value at Warwick Farm: Emilia Jane Emilia Jane caught the eye breaking her maiden status at the end of last preparation, producing a slashing victory at Newcastle on September 3. The daughter of Derryn was the widest galloper turning for home, showing a stunning turn-of-foot to get the verdict in the shadows of the post. Braith Nock gets legged aboard from barrier 10 as Emilia Jane returns from a 22-week spell, and with any luck slotting in for cover throughout the journey, this talented mare should be figuring in the finish. Best Value Race 4 – #9 Emilia Jane (10) 4yo Mare | T: Joseph Pride | J: Braith Nock (a3kg) (55kg) Wednesday quaddie tips for Warwick Farm Warwick Farm quadrella selections February 5, 2025 4-5-6 1-5-7-9-10 1-3-4-5 1-4-5 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

What Sandown Lakeside Races Where Sandown Racecourse – 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale VIC 3171 When Wednesday, February 5, 2025 First Race 3:40pm AEDT Visit Dabble The Lakeside circuit at Sandown is set to host eight races this Wednesday afternoon. With scorching temperatures forecast in the leadup, an upgrade to a Good 3 at some stage is a near certainty. The rail will be out 9m for the entire circuit, with the first race set to jump at 3:40pm AEDT. Best Bet at Sandown: Climb The Ladder Climb The Ladder caught the eye on debut at Mornington when charging home from the rear of the field over 1200m. The three-year-old gelding went down by 1.8 lengths on that day, but the step up to 1400m looks ideal for the son of Ardrossan. Damian Lane will likely have the Chris Waller-trained runner in the second half of the field from barrier seven, and if he gets a bum to follow in the home straight, Climb The Ladder should be overhauling his rivals late. Best Bet Race 2 – #2 Climb The Ladder (7) 3yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: Damian Lane (59kg) Next Best at Sandown: Truffle Finder Clinton McDonald’s Truffle Finder was only beaten a half-length by the smart Untapped at Pakenham last time out. The five-year-old gelding was last on the home turn and made up a stack of ground late. If he replicates that same finish, there is no reason Truffle Finder cannot salute in the quaddie opener. Next Best Race 5 – #6 Truffle Finder (4) 5yo Gelding | T: Clinton McDonald | J: Ben Melham (59.5kg) Best Value at Sandown: Active Duty Active Duty is racing in fine form and presents great value with horse racing bookmakers. The son of National Defense was only nosed out in the final stride at Moonee Valley last time out, but his BM64 victory by 4.3 lengths the start prior suggests he is right in this. Fred Kersley will give him the run of the race from barrier one, and if the gap comes at the right time, Active Duty can salute. Best Value Race 7 – #3 Active Duty (1) 4yo Gelding | T: Lindsey Smith | J: Fred Kersley (58kg) Wednesday quaddie tips for Sandown Sandown quadrella selections Wednesday, February 5, 2025 5-6-7 1-2-4-7 2-3-5-8 5-6-9-10 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Magic Time. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) The two-time Group 1 winning mare Magic Time produced an eye-catching piece of work at Cranbourne on Monday morning, with the daughter of Hellbent signalling a return is near for the ultra-consistent five-year-old. The Grahame Begg-trained galloper had no luck towards the end of last preparation, finishing the campaign with back-to-back runner-up placings behind Belclare in the Group 2 Invitation (1400m) and Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes (1400m) respectively. Begg was on course at Cranbourne on Monday morning to speak with Racing.com, suggesting a return to Sydney would be the likely scenario for Magic Time as she tackles the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) first-up. “Very happy with the way she went,” said Begg. “She really appreciated the bit of rain we got overnight. The ground was quite rain-affected, and she was very comfortable in that. She got to go through her gears nicely before her trip to Sydney. “She’ll head up to Sydney this week and then she’ll run on the 15th in the Expressway Stakes. “She looks as good as she’s ever looked and her two jump-outs leading into her first-up run have been really really good. We think that she’s in for a really good prep. “Second-up she’ll run in the Canterbury Stakes (Group 1) on the eighth of March at Randwick and then we’ve got options, either to go to maybe a George Ryder (Group 1) or stick to the mares’ races.” Magic Time is currently listed as a $6.00 chance with BlondeBet in futures markets for the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on March 8. Horse racing news View the full article

Odds Bookmakers News Field Past Winners Apollo Stakes Group Two Betting Guide Date: Saturday, February 15, 2025 Location: Randwick Racecourse – Sydney, New South Wales Prize Money: $300,000 Distance: 1400m The Apollo Stakes, a Group 2 race for open class horses, is conducted by the Australian Turf Club at Randwick. First run in 1974, the Apollo Stakes is held over 1400m under weight for age conditions and is worth $300,000 in 2025. Mares have had notable success in the Apollo Stakes, with Winx (3 times), Fangirl, Colette, Alizee, Private Steer, Sunline, and others winning in the last 30 years. Winx’s 2019 victory marked her 30th consecutive win. Colette won first-up in 2021, beating Kolding, and the 2001 edition saw the last non-NSW trained winner, Sunline. Notable winners include Emancipation, Red Anchor (1985), Lonhro (2003), Racing To Win (2008), and Anamoe (2023). The 2024 Apollo Stakes was won by Fangirl, defeating Militarize and Think It Over. 2025 Apollo Stakes betting odds 2025 Apollo Stakes odds are unavailable. Apollo Stakes odds will be released closer to February 15, 2025. How to bet on the Apollo Stakes All Australian online bookmakers featuring horse racing will have Randwick races available to bet on. Like most Group 2 races, Apollo Stakes betting opens when nominations come through, typically on the Monday prior to the Apollo Stakes. Australians can bet on the Apollo Stakes at the following betting sites: Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit today. “GETON is not a bonus code. Neds does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. Full terms. BlondeBet Signup Code GETON 2 Punters Prefer Blondes BlondeBet Blonde Boosts – Elevate your prices! 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Join Boombet Review 18+ Gamble responsibly. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place. Full terms. 8 On Your Side Betfair Australia Australia’s only betting exchange Visit Betfair Review What are you prepared to lose today? Set a deposit limit. Full terms. 9 By Players, For Players UniBet Unibet offer daily promotions to registered and logged in customers only Join Unibet Review 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Chances are you are about to lose. Full terms. 10 Ladbrokes Switch Ladbrokes Ladbrokes offer daily promotions to registered and logged in customers only Visit Ladbrokes Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit today. “GETON is not a bonus code. Ladbrokes does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. Full terms. Apollo Stakes News Ceolwulf to return in Group 2 Apollo Stakes Australia horse racing news 4 weeks ago Dual Group 1 winner Ceolwulf is primed for his return in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick, with trainer Joe Pride … Read More The Follow Files: Chris Waller runners return in fine style Horse Racing Tips 12 months ago In this week’s Follow Files, we have found runners from Flemington and Randwick last Saturday that are worth keeping an … Read More One-act affair as Fangirl dominates rivals in Apollo Stakes Australia horse racing news 12 months ago Fangirl ($2.00) has produced a breathtaking display on Saturday to secure victory in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at … Read More Randwick free racing tips & quaddie | Saturday, February 17 Horse Racing Tips 12 months ago Randwick hosts a stack of black-type racing this weekend for Apollo Stakes Day 2024. See our free horse racing tips … Read More Think It Over set for Apollo Stakes return Australia horse racing news 12 months ago Trained by Kerry Parker, Think It Over is poised to make his return in Saturday’s Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) … Read More Anamoe doesn’t miss a beat in Apollo Stakes win Australia horse racing news 2 years ago The Moe’ is back. After a spring campaign that saw this champion four-year-old claim four Group 1 victories, including a … Read More 2025 Apollo Stakes Final Field HorseBetting.com.au will update this page when the 2025 Apollo Stakes field is released. Previous Apollo Stakes Fields 2024 Apollo Stakes field No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Think It Over Kerry Parker Nash Rawiller 7 59kg 2 Cascadian James Cummings Zac Lloyd 9 59kg 3 Arapaho Bjorn Baker Joshua Parr 3 59kg 4 Buckaroo Chris Waller Tommy Berry 6 59kg 5 Attractable Sara Ryan Regan Bayliss 1 59kg 6 Navajo Peak David Payne Jason Collett 10 59kg 7 Lindermann Chris Waller Tim Clark 4 59kg 8 Fangirl Chris Waller James McDonald 8 57kg 9 Semana Ciaron Maher Dylan Gibbons 2 57kg 10 Militarize Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 5 55.5kg 2024 Apollo Stakes result https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Randwick-2024-Group-2-Apollo-Stakes-17022024-Fangirl-Chris-Waller-James-McDonald.mp4 1st – Fangirl (+100) 2nd – Militarize (+100) 3rd – Think It Over (+110) Recent runnings of the Apollo Stakes: 2024: Fangirl spaces rivals Fangirl ($2.00) produced a breathtaking display to secure victory in the 2024 Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m). It was a one-act affair for the returning Chris Waller-trained mare, as the five-year-old torched her rivals in what could only be described as a galloping lesson. James McDonald allowed her to roll towards the back of the field, only leaving one behind her as Cascadian ($15.00) missed the start, sitting on the outside of a drifting stablemate Buckeroo ($17.00). It was easy to see how well Fangirl was travelling at the top of the straight, as McDonald moved towards the centre of the course, barely asking for an effort from the daughter of Sebring, who put her rivals to bed within a moment. Militarize was asked to respond in kind but was no match for the stablemate and would have to settle for the runner-up spot, while Think It Over, Navajo Peak and Buckaroo all played for the minor money. 2023: Anamoe returns a winner Anamoe returned in superb order for James Cummings to win first-up in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes. James McDonald was cool, calm and collected from the wider draw, pressing forward to sit just in behind the speed one-off the rail, finding cover behind Laws Of Indices who tracked across to sit outside the lead. Hinged, from the Chris Waller yard, was the pacemaker throughout, which was the likely scenario with a speed map lacking a genuine leader over the 1400m. Anamoe cruised up to his rivals when asked the question by McDonald and the son of Street Boss obliged with his customary turn-of-foot getting him to the front and clear with 150m to go. Fangirl was impressive on the inside running rail to run on for third, while Hinged was brave sticking on for second. 2022: Think It Over a class above Think It Over kept his impressive winning stretch alive, as he recorded a dominant victory in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m). The Kerry Parker-trained gelding won three consecutive races during the Sydney Spring Carnival, which took his career prize money beyond $4 million. The six-year-old was quite easy in betting, getting out to $7.50 in the feature, before being supported right before they jumped. With a breakneck tempo set by I Am Superman and Riodini, Think It Over was gifted a terrific run in transit, under Nash Rawiller, and had the race won a long way out from home. Previous winners of the Apollo Stakes Apollo Stakes Past Winners Year Horse Jockey Trainer 2024 Fangirl James McDonald Chris Waller 2023 Anamoe James McDonald James Cummings 2022 Think It Over Nash Rawiller Kerry Parker 2021 Colette Rachel King James Cummings 2020 Alizee Hugh Bowman James Cummings 2019 Winx Hugh Bowman Chris Waller 2018 Endless Drama Tye Angland Chris Waller 2017 Winx Hugh Bowman Chris Waller 2016 Winx Hugh Bowman Chris Waller 2015 Contributer James McDonald John O’Shea 2014 Appearance Blake Shinn Guy Walter 2013 Alma’s Fury Blake Shinn Paul Murray 2012 Rain Affair Corey Brown Joseph Pride 2011 Melito Brenton Avdulla Gerald Ryan 2010 Danleigh Hugh Bowman Chris Waller 2009 Tuesday Joy Blake Shinn Gai Waterhouse 2008 Racing to Win Hugh Bowman John O’Shea 2007 Desert War Hugh Bowman Gai Waterhouse AO 2006 Ike’s Dream Darren Beadman John Hawkes 2005 Grand Armee Danny Beasley Gai Waterhouse 2004 Private Steer Larry Cassidy John O’Shea 2003 Lonhro Darren Beadman John Hawkes 2002 Ha Ha Jim Cassidy Gai Waterhouse 2001 Sunline Greg Childs Trevor McKee 2000 Sunline Greg Childs Trevor McKee Apollo Stakes winners pre-2000 Apollo Stakes Past Winners Pre 2000 Year Horse 1999 Kidman’s Cove 1998 Quick Flick 1997 Juggler 1996 Juggler 1995 Pharaoh 1994 Burst 1993 Naturalism 1992 Quick Score 1991 Triscay 1990 Key Dancer 1989 Beau Zam 1988 At Sea 1987 Diamond Shower 1986 Drawn 1985 Red Anchor 1984 Emancipation 1983 Dalmacia 1982 Calm Joe 1981 Red Nose 1980 Embasadora 1979 Scomeld 1978 Just Ideal 1977 Visit Recommended! Take It To The Neds Level Home of the Neds Toolbox Check Out Neds 18+ Gamble Responsibly Punters Prefer Blondes It’s a fact, Blondes have more fun Join BlondeBet 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE?. Next Gen Racing Betting Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? It Pays To Play New online bookmaker Check Out PlayUp 18+ Gamble Responsibly Say Hey to the social bet! You Better Believe It Join Dabble 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE?. Full terms. View the full article

Rey Magnerio. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) The Robbie Griffiths-trained Rey Magnerio is set to return in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon, with the son of Magnus impressing in a jump-out at Cranbourne on Monday morning. Griffiths was on course to discuss the piece of work with Racing.com, confirming the Rubiton would be the first-up target for the five-year-old gelding before eyeing off the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) later in the preparation. “I thought it was a fantastic piece of work,” said Griffiths. “He pulled his way down to the line in good time, pulled up well, and that’ll just top him off nice for a return run Saturday in the Rubiton. “He’s smack on for a return, but he’s not a hundred percent, I mean you want to be hundred percent for Newmarket Day. That’s his key goal and what he wins on the way through is a bonus. “He’s a good competitive horse that we targeted Derby Day and Finals Day last year and he nearly pulled off both, so he’s a good target horse and our targets the Newmarket, and if we’re lucky enough to win an Oakleigh Plate at his second run back that would be fantastic.” Rey Magnerio is currently equal on the second line of betting at $4.50 with horse racing bookmakers for this Saturday’s Rubiton Stakes, while you can get $26.00 with Neds for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 8. Horse racing news View the full article

In 2024, the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale–hosted over two days–was largely buoyed by the Lothenbach dispersal that saw seven of the sale's top nine mares–including a pair of seven figure offerings–originate from that consignment. While Monday's single-session renewal of the sale didn't quite attain the levels of one year ago, the latest edition did offer several of its own highlights. Hailing from the Red Oak Stable dispersal, Hip 395, a colt by Curlin led the day with a $775,000 final bid from Maverick, bidding online. Out of Grade I scorer Unbridled Mo (Uncle Mo), the Feb. 24 foal was consigned by agent Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, who also offered his 12-year-old dam a few hips later. Catalogued as Hip 401, the Apple Blossom winner was secured by Jacob West, acting on behalf of Repole Stable, for $350,000. “David Hanley and I loved him,” said WinStar's Elliott Walden of the day's top price. “He showed so much class and had the top qualities from his sire Curlin and his broodmare sire, Uncle Mo. We really loved his leg for a Curlin.” Hip 395 c. CURLIN o/o Unbridled Mo sells for $775,000 at Kentucky Winter Mixed! Congrats to the connections: B: Maverick C: @HillnDaleFarm, agt for Dispersal of Red Oak Stable Br: Red Oak Stable (KY)#FasigKY pic.twitter.com/0o6x78uJrp — Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) February 3, 2025 Heading the broodmare portion of the sale, Boxwood (English Channel), led through as Hip 228, brought $650,000 from agent Steve Young. In foal to Nyquist, the 9-year-old dam of stakes-winning Keep It Easy (Hard Spun) was consigned by Royal Oak Farm. At the session's conclusion, a total of 260 head sold for $11,495,500. The average was $44,213 and the median was $17,000. One year ago, 372 horses sold over two days for a total of $21,687,000 with an average of $58,298 and median of $17,000. Last year's sale was highlighted by a trio of seven-figure mares, including sale-topper Zetta Z (Bernardini), in foal to Cyberknife, who brought $ 2 million. “It was a very encouraging sale today,” said Fasig-Tipton's Boyd Browning Jr. moments after the sale. “There were some highlights from the Red Oak dispersal. Obviously, it's always great when you can have the quality of the caliber of the Curlin colt today. I thought that the overall vibe, from start to finish, was encouraging. The RNA rate was certainly at an acceptable level and there was some activity on some of the less expensive horses than I would have seen on some of the recent sales. It really exceeded our expectations on some of the less expensive horses in terms of the activity.” According to Browning, the day's buying bench also yielded international participation, including the sale of Hip 229, Quality Road's Forever Dixie, who went to Shimokobe Farm via agent Polo Green Stable for $525,000. Consigned by Grovendale Sales, the 5-year-old was the second-leading mare of the session. Monday's top mare, Boxwood | Fasig-Tipton “Clearly, there was great competition for the top offerings,” he said. “It was nice to see a Japanese buyer make a significant purchase of [$525,000]. We had international participation bidding on several lots as well.” He continued, “Once again, there is great competition for quality, whether it is a yearling or racing prospect, a mare in foal or a broodmare prospect.” “We have a pretty good idea on the health of the market–we would like it to be a little bit broader or deeper. But certainly, there was plenty of bidding activity from start to finish.” Reflecting on the advent of the growing number of digital sales and their effect on the catalogue size of their live counterpart, Browning opined, “Our goal is to serve the market. Those who are much more comfortable selling at a live auction, that's great. And for those that are more comfortable selling on a digital platform, that's great too. The sales are basically complimentary. There was probably a bit of a reduction in numbers here because some horses may have shifted to December, January or the upcoming February digital sale. It's an evolving process.” Young Extends to $650,000 for 'November Quality' English Channel Mare Among those heading Monday's action, Hip 228, a daughter of turf champion English Channel, brought the highest price for a mare of the session when realizing $650,000 from agent Steve Young on behalf of an unconfirmed buyer. Offered by Damian and Braxton Lynch's Royal Oak Farm on behalf of the William Pape Dispersal, stakes winner Boxwood was sold in foal to Nyquist. “She is a November quality mare that through circumstances, she ended up here,” said Young explaining the attraction to the mare. “That made it a tick hard to anticipate what she was going to bring. I couldn't have seen her bring less, but I could have seen her bring more.” The chestnut is out of the unraced We Use to Sing, herself a half-sister to SW and GSP Ski Holiday (Harlan's Holiday). This is the family of GI Hollywood Starlet winner Creaking Board (GB). “She has a lot of checks and balances that make her appealing,” he continued. “She is by a very good broodmare sire and she is faster than most English Channels. She won her stakes race as a January 3-year-old.” Hip 228 BOXWOOD i/f Nyquist sells for $650,000 at Kentucky Winter Mixed! Congrats to the connections: B: Steven W. Young, agt C: @Royaloakfarm, agt for William L. Pape Dispersal#FasigKY @DarleyStallions pic.twitter.com/alhjr2yN9W — Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) February 3, 2025 The 9-year-old is already responsible for Triple Crown hopeful Keep it Easy (Hard Spun), who is targeting Gulfstream's GII Fountain of Youth Stakes. A $435,000 Keeneland September Sale purchase, Keep it Easy won Churchill's Ed Brown Stakes in his latest start. Boxwood's 2024 foal, a colt by Gun Runner, brought $425,000 at Keeneland last September. “She's had two very good foals sell for high-market money,” he said. “She's in foal to Nyquist who is as hot as he can be.” Asked what are the plans for his latest acquisition, Young added, “Keep it Easy is by a Danzig-line sire in Hard Spun. She was bought to be bred to Annapolis.” Standing at Claiborne Farm, War Front's Annapolis, who stood his first season at stud in 2024, is represented by his first crop of foals in 2025. At this venue last year, Young also purchased a single mare, who brought $500,000. Grade I-stakes placed, Home Cooking (Honor Code) produced her first foal this season. “I went and saw her [first foal] by Annapolis at Claiborne Farm,” he said. “She had a tremendous colt that is one week old. The connections couldn't be more pleased.” West Jumps in Early for GSP Daughter of Twirling Candy Early in Monday's session, agent Jacob West extended to $400,000 for Hip 94, a daughter of Twirling Candy named Ready for Candy. The 3-year-old was consigned by agent Shannondoe. “They were looking for something to keep in training,” said West of the unconfirmed buyer. “The price felt reasonable for a filly like her and we feel very good about our purchase. The seller was rewarded for having a nice horse.” Campaigned by Zilli Racing at Woodbine, the Mike De Paulo-trained filly made seven starts at two, and despite not breaking through with a win, she hit the board in five of them, including a trio at the stakes level. In her third trip to post, she came home runner-up behind Shifty (Medaglia d'Oro) in the grassy Catch a Glimpse Stakes in August before having to settle for seventh in the one-mile GI Natalma Stakes over the E.P. Taylor course Sept. 14. Ready for Candy | Fasig-Tipton Facing colts next time out in the 8 1/2-furlong Cup and Saucer Stakes, she finished a troubled fifth but was promoted to fourth following the disqualification of Ashley's Archer (Karakontie {Jpn}). Making only her third start on the Tapeta, the Ontario- bred filly was third in the Nov. 3 GIII Mazarine Stakes when returning to face her own sex and just got snagged by a half-length in her most recent start in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes Nov. 30. “She is going to head down to Florida right now,” added West. “She is coming back off a layoff and then she will be put back into training. She is still a maiden so they might take advantage of breaking her maiden down in Florida and then sending her back up to Canada for the spring Classics.” Bred by Mark Dodson in Ontario, the $62,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale and $60,000 OBS April Sale graduate is out of SP Enoree, a half-sister to GSW Grand Bili (City Zip), MSP Conquest City Girl (City Zip) and She Stands Proud, herself responsible for SW Souper Sinclair (Souper Speedy). This is the family of Canadian champion Woodcarver. Underscoring the decision to secure the filly, West added, “She is a filly that had talent and ability. She is three, and the market right now for a filly like her is pretty strong. It's not very often you can get your hands on the. You can see them, vet them and put your hands on them, go look at them a couple of times and feel confident about your decision.” Late in the session, West also added Hip 401, GI Apple Blossom winner Unbridled Mo (Uncle Mo), for $350,000 from the Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consignment. Selling on behalf of the Red Oak Stable dispersal, the dam of Grade III winner Unbridled Essence (Essence of Dubai) was secured on behalf of Repole Stable. Hip 94 READY FOR CANDY sells for $400,000 at Kentucky Winter Mixed! Congrats to the connections: B: @Westbloodstock C: Shannondoe Farm, agt#FasigKY pic.twitter.com/m6l5gVe19v — Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) February 3, 2025 Tiz the Law Colt an Awesome Result for Farrar by Jessica Martini “It's a total blessing for me,” longtime Pennsylvania breeder Karen Farrar said after her short yearling colt by Tiz the Law (hip 55) sold for $95,000 to Mike Golden's Golden Lion Racing Monday at Fasig-Tipton. Farrar's breeding operation is down to two mares and she had purchased the colt's dam–with him in utero–for just $7,000 at last year's February sale. Farrar admitted she didn't attend last year's sale and wasn't really planning on buying anything, but there were a couple of things that stood out to her about the then 11-year-old mare My Awesome Mom (Awesome Again). “I had two mares, one I did not breed and one aborted in January,” Farrar explained. “So, I looked at the catalogue and I only picked out one mare, My Awesome Mom. And this sounds ridiculous, but I loved the name. So Marshall [Silverman] went to look at her and he sent me the video. I liked the way she looked and I liked who she was in foal to. Everything about her I liked. Then I saw she was born on St. Paddy's Day and then I saw she was bred on St. Paddy's Day. And I always won races on St. Paddy's Day.” Despite the appeal, Farrar's enthusiasm was tempered by her husband, Gary. “My husband said, 'We don't need another mare. We are trying to wind down.' So all of a sudden I got cold feet. And then Marshall called and asked what I thought. I didn't really think I wanted her then, so I told him $10,000. He said she would go for a lot more than that. I said, 'Well OK, that's fine. That's all I can do now.' And then she went for a lot less for some strange reason.” Farrar said the mare's young covering sire might have made some buyers hesitate. “Tiz the Law hadn't had any runners at the time. He had 2-year-olds coming up,” Farrar said. “And that's a tough time sometimes to sell a mare because you roll the dice. I've done this before where I bought a mare who had 2-year-olds coming up and you can have it all fall apart if the 2-year-olds don't run and then by the time the mare has the baby, you're sort of out of luck. Everything just fell into place with Tiz the Law doing well.” Hip 55 c. TIZ THE LAW o/o My Awesome Mom sells for $95,000 at Kentucky Winter Mixed! Congrats to the connections: B: Golden Lion Racing, David Wade, agt C: Equus Farm, agt Br: Karen S. Farrar (KY)#FasigKY @coolmoreamerica pic.twitter.com/hx6hd93gD8 — Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) February 3, 2025 Farrar started breeding racehorses in Pennsylvania in the late 1990's and among her graduates is 2010 GIII Cicada Stakes winner Liam's Dream (Saint Liam). “I had some nice mares,” Farrar said. “I had one that was a half-sister to Distorted Humor named Danzig's Dreamer. And I sold one of her babies privately for $250,000 and she went on to win a Grade III, but those mares got older and I ended up selling her.” Farrar already had plans to wind down her breeding operation when her husband passed away suddenly last October. “I am getting older, and he just passed away, but my husband was older, too,” Farrar said. “We were thinking about selling the farm next year and just keep a mare or two to board somewhere. I have two mares. The other mare is in foal to Frosted and [My Awesome Mom] is in foal to Dialed In. I was actually thinking about selling her, but I really like the mare. With my husband passing away, I'm not exactly sure I am going to be able to handle the farm and everything. But now I am afraid to sell her.” Farrar admitted Monday's result far exceeded her expectations. “I was hoping to get $50,000,” she said. “I didn't think I would get that. You never know what to expect at these sales, but I wasn't expecting that.” Farrar continued, “I just can't believe it. I know how to look at mares. I've done the buyer's guides. And I picked that mare out only because of her name–my mom and I had a great relationship.” The post ‘Encouraging’ Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale Led by $775K Curlin Colt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Coteau Grove Farms was represented by three winners Feb. 1 on the 22nd Louisiana Premier Night at Delta Downs, highlighted by Touchuponastar winning the LA Bred Premier Night Champion Stakes for the third year in a row.View the full article

The Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen's board voted unanimously Feb. 3 to oppose Florida HB 105, which would remove a requirement to run live Thoroughbred races in order to operate slot machines or card rooms. View the full article

This week, Michael catches up with champion trainer Jamie Richards and former premiership-winning jockey Danielle Johnson, to find out how life is in Hong Kong, the challenges of it, the racing scene compared to NZ, and meets their ever-growing family. Guerin Report – Ep.23 Ft. Jamie Richards & Danielle Johnson View the full article

Sailor Jack and Kattegat will cross swords at Tauherenikau and then take different paths before meeting up again in a northern staying feature. The Shaun Fannin and Hazel Schofer-trained pair will run in Thursday’s Central ITM Wairarapa Cup (2050m) and then go their separate ways until a joint assault at Ellerslie next month. The staying duo have the Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) on their programs with confidence in each’s ability to master the extreme distance of the March 8 contest. Sailor Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry) returned from a freshen-up two runs back to finish third over 2100m at Trentham and then finished a sound fifth in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie. “It was a really good run and uncharacteristically got back, he’s usually an on-speed runner, and he made good ground late,” Fannin said. “That gave us confidence that he’s not too far off the mark and we probably made the mistake of putting visor blinkers on him. “He’ll have the blinkers back on for Thursday and we’re sure he’ll roll forward and give a good account of himself. “Amber Ridell is going to ride him and he’ll carry 60kg, but we’re sure he’s up to carrying that weight.” Safely through Tauherenikau, the son of Jakkalberry will return north later this month. “If he can run first or second, then we’ll press on toward the Avondale Cup (Gr.3, 2400m) and hopefully on to the Auckland Cup,” Fannin said. “He’ll stay all day and seems to like Ellerslie, he’s won on the track and ran well there on New Year’s Day.” Kattegat (NZ) (Redwood) has also been a winner at northern headquarters and most recently finished runner-up over ground at Otaki. “She’s in good form for Thursday and I’m sure she’ll be a top three chance with Joe Doyle to ride her,” Fannin said. “She seems to like Tauherenikau and has had a win and a second there. If she gets through this race okay, then she might go back there for the Wairoa Cup (2050m) on February 16. “She does well with a bit of space between her races and that then would be three weeks into the Auckland Cup, which would suit her.” The daughter of Redwood hasn’t been the easiest mare to manage and the stable is taking a fingers crossed approach in her Cup build-up. “She can be quite a tricky mare, she can be a bit of a handful at home and not the easiest to ride,” Fannin said. “She’s quite headstrong and always seems to do something whether it’s kicking the box, bumping a leg or a stone bruise. “A few times we’ve put her in the box the night before the race and she’s fine and then in the morning she’s got a puffy leg or something else, she always seems to find trouble.” View the full article

A number of Te Akau Racing fillies could put their hand up for a shot at upcoming stakes assignments at Riccarton Park on Wednesday. Hunter Durrant, who handles the South Island arm of Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson’s stable, has 14 runners engaged in the midweek meeting, including Group Three performer Ocean Miss (NZ) (Ocean Park) in the GM Accounting and Consulting Rating 65 (1200m). The daughter of Ocean Park placed behind Tuxedo in the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m), subsequently finished eighth in the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and had a short freshen-up ahead of a potential tilt at the upcoming southern Guineas races. “She’s come up well, she had a freshen since her last run and this will be a run to evaluate where we go with her next,” Durrant said. The same applies to promising filly Donna Chiara (NZ) (Belardo), who joins her stablemate in the Rating 65 contest after nearly four months away from the races. “She’s coming up well, she had a nice trial at Ashburton and she’s a filly we rate, a nice one to have for Lib Petagna,” Durrant said. “She won very impressively back at Timaru and we just hope she can go along the path of repeating that this prep. “We rate her highly enough to be going towards those (Guineas) races, so if she comes up, that’s what we’ll aim for.” Another three-year-old filly in Corps D’Elite (So You Think) has come close to collecting her maiden in two starts to date, and Durrant anticipates a step-up in distance in the Alistair Gray Memorial Maiden (1400m) will be right up her alley. “She’s stepping up to 1400 and that will suit, she’ll appreciate that being by So You Think,” he said. “She’s a pretty classy filly who has done everything right so far.” Purple Prose (NZ) (Embellish) indicated he is also a winner in waiting last-start at the course, with a luckless run behind Airpark Hustler making him the big danger in the Fiona Stuart Memorial Maiden (1600m). “He was very unlucky last start at Riccarton, if he’d seen clear air earlier I think he would’ve been right in it,” Durrant said. “Stepping up to a mile, I think he’ll be pretty hard to beat.” Of their older contingent, the in-form Fellini (NZ) (Belardo) will kick off his new campaign in the Rangiora Equine Services Open Handicap (1600m) which wasn’t the gelding’s original plan. “We didn’t plan to run him on Wednesday, but when we saw how light the noms were for this race, we thought we’d put him in,” he said. “He’s fit and ready to go after a few nice trials.” The five-year-old had placed in a Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) in his juvenile term but has found a purple patch of form this season, winning two of his last four and finishing fourth in the Listed Sothy’s Spring Classic (2000m). “He’s racing in career-best form and there isn’t any exact reason, he’s just possibly a late maturer,” Durrant said. Insatiable (NZ) (All Too Hard) also had a near-faultless spring campaign with a pair of placings down the Riccarton chute over Cup Week, and after breaking her bridesmaid streak at Timaru, Durrant expects he’ll be right in the finish in the C.S Stevens Memorial Banks Peninsula Cup (1100m). “He’s had a nice freshen-up, and if he brings his A game, he should be very hard to beat,” he said. View the full article