Wandering Eyes

White Abarrio (Race Day) remains under consideration for the Feb. 22 G1 Saudi Cup, trainer Saffie Joseph confirmed Sunday, a day after the 6-year-old's runaway victory in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. “The ownership group is going to speak to each other and decide on what happens with [White] Abarrio,” Joseph said. “The Saudi Cup is possible.” Joseph called Saturday's Pegasus World Cup Day, “one of the best days of my career” after saddling Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) to win in the GII TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf and Mystic Lake (Mo Town) to score in the GII Inside Information Stakes, before capping the day with White Abarrio's romp in the $3-million Pegasus World Cup. “In general, you win with Mystic Lake and you win with Be Your Best, that would be a great day in its own right,” Joseph said. “To have the story unfold with White Abarrio. It comes full circle and to end like that, it's almost like a movie. A dream, basically.” Joseph said White Abarrio, Be Your Best, Mystic Lake and Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), who finished third in the Pegasus World Cup, “all bounced out well.” The post White Abarrio Possible for Saudi Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Last Year's Japanese Derby hero Danon Decile (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) kicked off his redemption tour with a three-quarter length tally in the 2200-metre G2 American Jockey Club Cup at Nakayama on Sunday. He out-footed the stalking-turned-stretch leader Matenro Leo (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), with the closing Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}) only a nose back in third. Favoured on Sunday, he soon secured a well-rated perch in seventh as the field sped right-handed into the first turn. Auswahl (Jpn) (Novellist {Ire}) kept a firm advantage through the first 1400 metres, but soon succumbed to Chuck Nate (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) shortly before the 1600-metre mark. Danon Decile was also under a drive 400-metres from home and spun wide off the far turn. He closed resolutely as Matenro Leo took over with Cosmo Kuranda pressing, before gliding on by that duo for the win. Knocking heads with some of Japan's best last season, the colt won the G3 Keisei Hai, before a win in the G1 Tokyo Yushun. Given a lengthy break, he returned with a sixth-place effort in the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) in October. Third in the G1 Arima Kinen (Grand Prix) over this course in December, the chestnut was back to his best on Sunday. Pedigree Notes Shadai Stallion Station's Epiphaneia has sired 19 stakes winners, 16 at group level. In addition to today's winner, he has six additional Group 1 scorers, among them the top-notch Efforia (Jpn) and Japanese Fillies Triple Crown winner Daring Tact (Jpn). The colt, bought for ¥135,000,000 (€824,494) at the JRHA Select Sale as a yearling by Danox Company out of the Shadai Farm draft, is the fourth foal for GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and GI Alcibiades Stakes runner-up Top Decile (Congrats). One of three winners for his dam, his latest half-siblings include the 3-year-old colt Brain True (Jpn) (Isla Bonita {Jpn}), a 2-year-old colt by Maurice (Jpn), and a yearling colt by Hot Rod Charlie. She was covered by Japanese Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) last spring. Top Decile was purchased by Shadai Farm for $950,000 carrying eventual winner Top The Bill (Jpn) (American Pharoah) out of the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Sunday, Nakayama, Japan AMERICAN JOCKEY CLUB CUP-G2, ¥120,340,000, Nakayama, 1-26, 4yo/up, 2200mT, 2:12.10, fm. 1—DANON DECILE (JPN), 128, c, 4, Epiphaneia (Jpn) 1st Dam: Top Decile (MGISP-US, $491,744), by Congrats 2nd Dam: Sequoia Queen, by Forestry 3rd Dam: Barefoot Dyana, by Dynaformer (¥135,000,000 Ylg '22 JRHAJUL). O-Danox Inc.; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); T-Shogo Yasuda; J-Keita Tosaki; ¥63,288,000. Lifetime: G1SW-Jpn, 8-4-0-1, ¥575,774,000. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Matenro Leo (Jpn), 126, h, 6, Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Saratoga Venus (Jpn), by Brian's Time. O-Chiyono Terada; B-Inoke Farm (Jpn); ¥25,368,000. 3–Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Al Ain (Jpn)–Southern Speed (Aus), by Southern Image. O/B-Big Red Farm (Jpn); ¥16,184,000. Margins: 3/4, NS, 2HF. Odds: 1.60, 23.30, 6.40. Also Ran: Boldog Hos (Jpn), Lilac (Jpn), Byzasntine Dream (Jpn), Born This Way (Jpn), Echt (Jpn), Meiner Chrysola (Jpn), Deep Monster (Jpn), Karate (Jpn), Lebensstil (Jpn), Chuck Nate (Jpn), Arata (Jpn), Potager (Jpn), Nishino Revenant (Jpn), Ho O Reality (Jpn), Auswahl (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video. The post Epiphaneia’s Danon Decile Lands G2 American Jockey Club Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The new Eddie Truman Library, named in honor of the longtime trainer who died last month at age 77 and was a leading advocate for literacy, is the latest addition to the Santa Anita backstretch. The Eddie Truman Library was opened in Santa Anita's stable area in a dedicated space that's part of the recreation center and dining hall that serves backstretch workers. Truman donated many of the books in the collection, which includes educational materials, an array of fiction and non-fiction books and other assorted items. Titles are available in both English and Spanish. The library also has a lounge area with couches and tables and chairs where visitors can spend their time. The naming of the Eddie Truman Library was made public on Friday during a “Celebration of Life” for the trainer at Santa Anita's Clockers' Corner. Books to be donated to the library may be dropped off at the guard booth inside Gate 8 off Baldwin Avenue. The books should be marked as for the Eddie Truman Library and will be picked up at the booth by recreation facility staff. The post Eddie Truman Library at Santa Anita Honors Late Trainer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Brigette Solomon The Hygain Revell Douglas Memorial Series for Junior Drivers gets underway today with heat one at Cambridge Raceway. The series, which was first held in 2022, is run in memory of the late Revell Douglas who tragically lost his life in an incident at Karioitahi Beach in 2021. The 46-year-old father of three was a talented horseman, a passionate supporter of all aspects of harness racing and a much valued employee of Hygain Feeds. The series consists of seven races held at seven meetings across the North and South Island with drivers accumulating points and the series winner receiving a scholarship courtesy of race sponsors Hygain Feeds. Heat one of the series kicks off at 2.10pm, with Fergus Schumacher driving the Peter Brown trained Irish Whispers (6), one of the early favourites for the race. “He’s a nice horse and raced pretty well here on Friday after being parked for the trip,” says Schumacher, “I’ll be looking to hopefully drive him forward and be handy today as he does lack a little speed but can run along at a good cruising pace when he’s rolling.” The Art Major gelding placed second here on Friday night after a tough run in the parked position sticking on well to be beaten just a neck by Barbarossa. Auckland-based driver Stephanie Burley partners the Matthew White trained Spirit Of Waiheke (8) who starts as the highest rated horse in the race. The Bettor’s Delight mare finished third at Cambridge on January 9 when she was restrained to the rear of the field and made up solid ground to finish 2.9 length off race winner Waltzing With Miki. “I’m really pleased to have the drive on her, I’ve driven her in trackwork and she’s just an honest mare that knows her job,” says Burley, “Starting from seven I’ll be waiting to see what the runners inside me do and hopefully slot in somewhere with cover early.” “I like the Revell Douglas Series as it’s really open to all juniors and gives everyone a decent shot at a chance of winning a junior series,” says Burley. “This year will likely be my last as a junior and I also work full time as an accountant, so it’s not always possible for me to chase drives with work commitments, so it’s exciting to have the opportunity to have a crack in the Revell Douglas Series.” “The races in the series are usually well supported and I’m looking forward to the next heats down at Hawera next weekend.” Heats two and three will be held at Hawera January 31 and February 2, with the series then heading to the South Island where heats will be run at the following meetings. View the full article

We're learning more every day about the relationship between horses and mankind and how people struggling with such things as PTSD so often thrive and recover when working closely with horses. But can it work the other way? Can a human have such a positive and calming effect on a horse that a bond and relationship develops that makes the horse prosper? In the case of GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational winner White Abarrio (Race Day) and his groom Eduardo (Lalo) Diaz, it looks like that might be the case. After White Abarrio won the $3-million race at Gulfstream by 6 1/4 lengths, the accolades went to the usual suspects, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. But Joseph knows it's not that simple and told the NBC audience that one of the biggest difference makers in White Abarrio's career has been his groom, Diaz. “He has an amazing groom,” Joseph said. “He takes amazing care of these horses. He's second to none.” Sunday morning, it was more of the same. “Every horse we give him, they are in immaculate condition, they carry good hair, good color,” he said. “He makes a difference, because sometimes you have other grooms whose horses never look as good as Lalo's do. Every horse he gets looks spectacular. Full credit to him. I think the horse thrives being around him and in his environment. “Lalo has worked for us for seven, eight years and he's just been amazing. He's so calm around the horses. The majority of the Grade I winners we've had, he's been the groom.” But it's not just that Diaz keeps his horses in immaculate physical condition. Horses can help humans do better, so why can't horses do the same for mankind? White Abarrio made his first start Sept. 24, 2021 at Gulfstream and won easily for trainer Carlos Perez. C2 Racing Stable and partners swooped in and bought the horse privately after that race and turned him over to Joseph. Joseph had him for his next 12 starts, which included a win in the GI Florida Derby. But he got caught up in licensing issues after two of his horses died in the days before the 2023 GI Kentucky Derby. Neither died from musculoskeletal injuries, but it was not clear if he was going to be allowed to race in New York, where the GI Metropolitan H. was next on White Abarrio's schedule. That's why he was turned over to Rick Dutrow, and with his new trainer he won the GI Whitney and GI Breeders' Cup Classic. But he tailed off afterwards, running up the track in last year's G1 Saudi Cup and the Met. So the owners went back to Saffie. After he arrived in his barn at Saratoga, Joseph saw that the horse was not the same one that left him 15 months ago. “He was just doing OK in Saratoga,” Joseph said. “We got him back at Saratoga and that's not his real stall. His real stall is in Florida. He was edgy. Mentally, he wasn't there. It took a while to get him back.” Joseph came to the conclusion that the problem was that the horse needed to be around Diaz, who was working with Joseph's Florida division. When he got back to Gulfstream and with Diaz, the old White Abarrio was back. He has gone two-for-three since reuniting with him, winning an allowance and the Pegasus in what may have been the best race of his career. “That's when the horse really started to make it back, when he got to Florida and was reunited with Lalo,” Joseph said. “That made a really big difference. The relationship with the groom is big.” While horses are known to calm down people taking part in equine-assisted therapy programs, it seems that the right human can do the same with a horse that can be overanxious. At least that seems to be the case with White Abarrio and Lalo Diaz. “Abarrio is a horse that, when he gets around crowds, he kind of gets a little restless,” Joseph said. “He kind of becomes arrogant around crowds. He gives you too much nervous energy. With Lalo he calms down and that is because that is Lalo's personality. He is a very calm guy. Very polite. You never see him too high or too low. He carries himself in a manner I truly believe that horses feed off of. Abarrio creates nervous energy himself and Lalo gets him to calm down. He's been a big part of his success.” Sandman is the Real Deal After All If I appear on this week's edition of the TDN 'Writers' Room' podcast with a little egg on my face it's because I chastised colleague T.D. Thornton for making Sandman (Tapit) No. 2 in the first 2025 edition of his TDN Derby Top 12 in a recent podcast. I couldn't understand how he could rate Sandman, who was a distant fifth in the GIII Iroquois S. and lost by 5 1/4 lengths in his only other stakes try, the GIII Street Sense S., so highly. I admitted that I had never even heard of the horse. Looks like T.D. knew something. In defeat in Saturday's GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn, Sandman turned in what might have been the best performance by any 3-year-old this year. He broke in a tangle and stumbled badly at the start and looked to be hopelessly out of the race. He was last early and the Equibase chart caller noted that he had lost “several lengths at the start.” Somehow, though, he not only made a race out of it, he closed for second, lost by just a length and probably would have caught race winner Speed King (Volatile) in a couple more strides. “I tend to like to look at the positives,” said trainer Mark Casse. “I think [jockey] Cristian [Torres] did a tremendous job staying on the horse. That allowed him to give a good performance. He picked up $185,000 for running second. Would I have liked a cleaner trip and a shot to win? Of course. I did a few interviews before the race and when people asked, 'What do you think?' I said that today is the day we find out if he is a man or a boy. He proved he's a man. I look more at the positives and what this means going forward. It's not easy to overcome what he overcame Saturday.” When asked if he liked Sandman's Derby chances more post-race than he did pre-race, Casse said, “Absolutely, I like his chances more now. All along I've been saying that this is a good horse, but I just hadn't been seeing it. I thought his last race at Oaklawn when he won the allowance race, that's where he got to do what he's always wanted to do and that was to settle a little bit. I thought that was impressive. On Saturday, it was a much tougher field and he passed the test. I feel really good about him so far as heading to the Kentucky Derby.” The post The Week in Review: White Abarrio’s Secret Weapon: Groom “Lalo” Diaz appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Multiple graded winner Fulsome (Into Mischief–Flourish, by Distorted Humor) was represented by his first Kentucky-bred foal when Addadore (Star Guitar) produced a filly Jan. 23. The foal was bred by Todd and Angie Lewis's Westbrook Stables and foaled in Nicholasville. “This filly hit the ground running; stood in 34 minutes,” said Todd Lewis. “Plenty of bone and a good top line.” Westbrook Stables bred Soul of an Angel (Atreides), winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, who was honored with the Eclipse Award as champion female sprinter of 2024 Thursday night in Florida. Bred and campaigned by Juddmonte and trained by Brad Cox, Fulsome won the 2022 GIII Oaklawn Mile and GIII West Virginia Governor's Stakes, as well as the 2021 GIII Smarty Jones Stakes and GIII Matt Winn Stakes. He was third in the 2022 GI Clark Stakes. Fulsome stands at Walmac Farm for $7,500, stands and nurses. He also has New York-bred and Oklahoma-bred foals on the ground. The post First Foals for Fulsome appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

KILLENARD, Ireland – At bloodstock's own annual version of Groundhog Day, it's a familiar scene. A flagging British hack shuffles out of the bar at The Heritage, apologising for retiring to bed “so early” at 3.30am while all around Irish breeders great and small are still on the bridle and full of running. Welcome to the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association National Breeding and Racing Awards. They breed 'em tough on this isle, both horses and their minders. Not even the aftermath of Storm Eowyn could deter the 300-plus members of the Irish breeding community, some of whose homes were still without power following the destructive winds of the day before, gathering for a right old hoolie of a different kind. “I'm embarrassed almost,” said the modest 92-year-old John Connaughton, as his friends, family and peers stood to applaud as he was handed the Small Breeder Award. Here's hoping that Classic prospect Bay City Roller (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) will be giving the Mullingar breeder more cause for cheer come spring. The Irish Thoroughbred community's long-held strong links to government must be the envy of other nations. Indeed, Eimear Mulhern, this year's inductee to the ITBA Hall of Fame, is the daughter of the late Taoiseach Charles Haughey. But it was not for family connections that Mulhern was honoured, rather for her selfless devotion to Irish racing and breeding over the years. The first female chair of the ITBA, Mulhern has held a stream of influential posts in the industry and has also been chairman of Goffs for the last two decades. The current ITBA chair, Cathy Grassick, was choked with emotion as she reflected on the influence Mulhern has had on her own life, and hers was just one of many heartfelt tributes paid to the owner of Abbeville Stud during one of those moving 'This is Your Life' style videos the ITBA does so well. “Eimear, quite apart from being the most wonderful and loyal friend, is the very best and foremost ambassador for the Irish Thoroughbred industry, at home, in Europe and worldwide,” said Kirsten Rausing, who has played a similarly significant role herself. “She is marvellously diplomatic, even in the choppiest of waters.” Henry Beeby, who was coaxed from his native Scottish Borders for a life in Ireland following the merger of Goffs with Doncaster Bloodstock Sales back in 2006, said, “There are very few people that you encounter who have such a big impact that they change your life. Eimear changed my life.” Princess Zahra Aga Khan, who was present at the awards ceremony with her mother and children to accept the award for breeder of the leading three-year-old male, Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), also added her thoughts on the woman who has joined each of their fathers on the list of Hall of Fame members. “Eimear has been instrumental in Goffs. She has brought some of the best talents from around the world into the Irish bloodstock sales industry. She's a leader: she's calm, resilient and very wise,” she said. “I remember my father telling me what was going to happen at Goffs and I don't think there was another choice in his mind. I don't think that, as a shareholder, there was another person he would have put in that role.” Princess Zahra Aga Khan and Henry Beeby In response, Mulhern, who has bred the likes of Group winners Approve (Ire) and Gutaifan (Ire), and who received her award from the newly appointed Minister for Agriculture, Martin Heydon, said, “I'm overwhelmed. The farm means everything to me. The farm and the horses are who I am. That's been my passion since I was four years old and I probably speak for so many people in this room when I say that.” She continued, “I have a second family and that's the team at Abbeville. They're my backbone, they're my friends. Through professional times and personal times, through good and bad, they have made it all possible, they've been there for me and I really can't thank them all enough.” Of her role as a trailblazing woman in the industry, Mulhern added, “I'm probably being politically incorrect here but I don't really believe in quotas. I don't think women need to be a quota woman on anything. I think we're good enough and there are so many women in this great industry. I think they get there by their hard work, their dedication and their ability. This really is an industry of equal opportunity.” Reflecting on her father's strong connection to the racing industry, she said, “My dad really believed in Ireland and the ability of the Irish people. Back then, the visionaries of those days – Tim Rogers, Lord Harrington, Vincent O'Brien, John Magnier – when they came to him with the idea of the stallion tax incentive, I think he saw what they saw, that we were a little island on the edge of Europe, and they persuaded him and he believed that we could become a centre of excellence for the whole world of thoroughbred breeding, and so it has come to pass. “Successive governments have seen the potential and understood the potential of this industry and I think that on a momentous weekend for him and his family, to see the new Minister for Agrictulture, Minister Heydon, here tonight, is testament to that.” Charles Haughey had been given the ITBA Roll of Honour back in 1996 and his fellow inductees to what has subsequently become known as the Hall of Fame include Michael Osborne, Sonia Rogers, Lady O'Reilly and Aidan and Annemarie O'Brien. That latter power couple loomed large in the awards for 2024, with their daughter Ana, who manages the family's Whisperview Training operation at Mount Richard Stud, collecting the prizes for Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio), who was named best three-year-old filly, and Expanded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who was co-top two-year-old colt, along with The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was bred by the Tsui family's Sunderland Holdings. Brenda Shortt, a widely popular member of the sales circuit, was given a much deserved special presentation at the start of the ceremony in recognition of her ongoing contribution to the industry for 36 years. Newer faces on the scene are those of Barry Kennedy and Anna Murphy, both of whom are employed at Castle Hyde Stud but, in the pioneering spirit of so many young Irish breeders, also have their own operation under the name of Rigsdale Stud on land in Fermoy. The first yearling they bred there was the Listed winner and G2 Queen Mary Stakes third Maria Branwell (Ire) (James Garfield {Ire}). In next year's crop came the four-time winner and Listed-placed Lexington Belle (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}). After receiving the ITBA Next Generation Award, Kennedy paid tribute to dedication of his partner Murphy. He said, “Anna is so hard-working with incredible attention to detail. I'm just the PR man, as she calls me.” A jubilant Catherine Cashman bounded up the steps to the stage to take understandable delight in presenting the trophy to Henrietta Egan, on behalf of the Corduff Stud team and Tim Rooney, for the mighty Romantic Warrior (Ire), who was recognised in the older horse category. For Cashman this was of course extra special as the highest-earning racehorse of all time is by Rathbarry Stud's late sire Acclamation (GB), who died in November. Romantic Warrior, now seven, has added further to his haul since 2024 with his win in Friday's Jebel Hatta and he now has the world's richest race, the Saudi Cup, in his sights. Henrietta Egan and Catherine Cashman Beyond the breeders of Romantic Warrior, the man responsible for him making his way to Hong Kong to be trained by Danny Shum, was also one of the major winners at the ITBA Awards. Mick Kinane knows a thing or two about winning major races the world over – from his groundbreaking strikes in the Belmont Stakes and Melbourne Cup during his days with Dermot Weld to riding the Derby-winning half-brothers Galileo (Ire) and Sea The Stars (Ire) for Aidan O'Brien and John Oxx respectively. The 13-time Irish champion jockey is also a Classic-winning breeder, having bred the 2007 Derby winner Authorized (Ire) with David O'Loughlin and Harry King. Now, as the bloodstock agent for the Hong Kong Jockey Club, he is associated with yet another champion. Kinane, who was described by Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges as “a true ambassador of our sport”, remains as enigmatic in interviews as he ever was, but the evening's host, Leo Powell, did mange to coax a number of glimpses of his deadpan humour, and Kinane admitted, “It's better to breed a top horse than to ride one; it's a unique achievement.” Every breeder watching on, who has enjoyed that unmatchable thrill of a winner at any level, will no doubt have agreed with him. A-Hunting He Will Go One of the most popular awards at this annual celebration is the Wild Geese Award, which is given to an Irishman or woman who has represented the country with pride in playing a leading role elsewhere in the bloodstock world. This year that honour was given to James Keogh, the much loved breeder, sales consignor and mentor to many other 'blow-ins' who find themselves in his adopted home of Kentucky. The man whose Grovendale consignment was responsible for recent Eclipse Award winner and 2024 Horse of the Year in America, Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), and the top-rated sprinter Cogburn (Not This Time), arrived in Ireland a week ago with his wife Anne and daughter Georgia, and was joined at The Heritage by his sister Olivia and brother Patrick. Keogh has packed a lot into his week back at home, including two days' hunting with the Scarteen and County Clare hounds. “I live to hunt,” said Keogh over a late breakfast on Sunday. On stage the previous evening he had admitted to once riding his hunter into the infamous McCarthy's bar in Lexington. “Guilty as charged. He was a nice horse – you wouldn't have wanted to be tying him up outside,” he quipped. Leo Powell and James Keogh Michael O'Hagan was among those to pay tribute to Keogh in the video presentation. He said, “He has spent his life helping people in the industry. He's had people who have gone to Kentucky and he has put them up in the house, he's found them a car, he's found them a job, and he's looked after them like a son or a daughter.” Keogh said of his moment up on stage on Saturday evening, “I was trying to keep it together. It's a privilege to be here. I was rather emotional. There are lots of awards out there but this one comes from respected peers.” Keogh, who left Ireland at the age of 21 to gain some experience of the American breeding industry on the advice of Captain Tim Rogers, continued,”It's a small group of Irishmen who own or manage farms in Lexington, I think about 39 the last time I counted. We're proud of one another – of course we all give each other lots of crap too – but we cheer for one another and look out for one another. “As a proud Irishman, to get this award, it means an awful lot to me. The level of the guys who have got it before me – Spider [Duignan], Pat Costello, David Hanley at WinStar – makes it even more meaningful. I was very, very chuffed.” ITBA National Breeding & Racing Awards 2024 Special Presentation – Brenda Shortt National Hunt Race Mare Award – Limerick Lace, Breeder: Mrs Noreen McManus Novice Chaser of the Year Award – Corbett's Cross, Breeder: Ger Murphy Hurdler of the Year Award – Ballyburn, Breeder: The Beeches Stud Ltd Chaser of the Year Award – Hewick, Breeder: William Quinn Small Breeder Award – John Connaughton Next Generation Award – Barry Kennedy and Anna Murphy Older Horse Award – Romantic Warrior, Breeder: Corduff Stud and TJ Rooney Two-Year-Old Filly of the Year Award – Lake Victoria, Breeder: Coolmore Stud Joint Two-Year-Old Colts of the Year Award – The Lion In Winter, Breeder: Sunderland Holding Inc, and Expanded, Breeder: Whisperview Trading Ltd Three-Year-Old Filly of the Year Award – Porta Fortuna, Breeder: Whisperview Trading Ltd Three-Year-Old Male of the Year Award – Calandagan, Breeder: Haras de Son Altesse L'Aga Khan Wild Geese Award – James Keogh Lifetime Achievement Award – Michael Kinane Hall of Fame – Eimear Mulhern The post Eimear Mulhern and James Keogh Lead the ITBA Award Winners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. 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Multiple stakes-placed Dream Concert (Jess's Dream) has been added to the OBSOnline January sale. The 5-year-old racing or broodmare prospect (hip 425) has hit the board in five black-type events and most recently was third in the Jan. 11 Wayward Lass Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs for owner/breeder James Chicklo and trainer Kathleen O'Connell. She is nominated to the Feb. 1 GIII Endeavour Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Bidding for the online auction opened Jan. 23 and will close at noon Jan. 30. The post Dream Concert Added to OBSOnline Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Robert Slack, celebrating his 78th birthday last Tuesday, had a ready answer when asked about his goals for his Kentucky-based Stoneriggs Farm. “Live long enough to watch it prosper,” he said with a chuckle. “I wish I had gotten into it 10 years earlier, but I wasn't able to at that stage.” Stoneriggs Farm has been in operation in Paris, Kentucky for just four years, but Slack is already well on his way to realizing that goal, not just in the sales ring, but also on the racetrack where the farm's first crop of 23 juveniles included a Breeders' Cup runner in 2024. Yet the 600-acre operation came about almost by accident in the spring of 2021. “My family has a long history in the horse business,” Slack said. “I have an autobiography that my maternal grandfather wrote and he goes back into the 1800s and he was racing horses then. In England, my niece and nephew are both registered horse trainers.” Slack emigrated to the U.S. in 1979 and formed his own scion of the family's English racing heritage with the purchase of a farm in Florida in 1996. “We had breeding, breaking and training and quarantining, a full range of equine services,” Slack said of the first version of the American Stoneriggs Farm. Business interests in the Sunshine State briefly overtook Slack's passion for racing. “I sold the farm in 2006,” he said. “I got out and formed a real estate company. I was absolutely blessed that the business took off. I sold it about four years ago, which enabled me to buy a fairly substantial farm just outside Paris.” But the purchase of the former Kilflynn Farm on Winchester Road hadn't really been in Slack's long-term plan. “When I was in real estate, I was claiming and racing one or two fillies with an idea that I would breed from them when they were done,” Slack said. “But I never thought I was going to buy a farm. I thought I was just going to board them in Kentucky. But they are kind of like rabbits. You start with a half a dozen and the next thing you know, you've got 100. “I saw this farm advertised and I just loved the look of it,” he continued. “I had never been there. I called my son and said, 'Hey, should we take a ride to Kentucky tomorrow afternoon?' We flew up to Kentucky, had the realtor meet us at the airport and we drove out to the farm. I was even more enamored with it when I saw it then I was in print. So, I made an offer and bought it. At that time, I had about eight mares that I was boarding at that time. So it was kind of a big step for eight mares.” The property grew to its 600 acres with the eventual purchase of the adjoining farm. “We put a bridge over the stream and joined the two [properties] together,” Slack said. “It has very good soil and we are able to raise very good yearlings. It does really well.” Coming up with a name for the farm was an easy choice and the property became Stoneriggs Farm as an homage to his parents' farm back in Cumbria. “I called it Stoneriggs because I grew up on a farm in Northern England, my father owned it and its name is Stoneriggs,” Slack explained. “My brother lives there now. He was born on the farm and he's now 83 and he is still there. And so, he has Stoneriggs over there and I've got Stoneriggs over here. It was a natural naming.” So in April 2021, Slack had a large Kentucky farm and just eight mares. He soon rectified the situation with a buying spree at the breeding stock sales that fall. He purchased 17 horses at that year's Keeneland November sale and a pair at Fasig-Tipton in November and the following February. Governor Sam | Coady Media Among his Keeneland acquisitions was I'm Betty G (Into Mischief), who sold for $275,000 while in foal to Improbable. That in utero foal went on to become stakes-winner Governor Sam, who finished third in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Stoneriggs has had success in the sales ring, as well, with a colt by Quality Road (hip 144) bred in a foal-share with Lane's End bringing $725,000–a highwater mark for the fledgling operation–at the 2023 Keeneland September sale. The farm sold 22 yearlings for $3,204,000, including a $550,000 daughter of Curlin (hip 709), at the 2024 Keeneland September sale and the strong results continued at the Keeneland January sale earlier this month when Stoneriggs sold the co-session topping short yearling–a $300,000 daughter of Justify (hip 578)–during the auction's second day. “We like to keep between 60 and 70 mares,” Slack said of the Stoneriggs broodmare band. “And we don't have any boarders. We are totally private. We have 600 acres, so all of the horses have plenty of space. It's not what they call over-horsed at all. And we like it like that.” A large number of the broodmares in the Stoneriggs band have been acquired at auction, but some of those original eight former claimers are still around and have a special spot in Slack's heart. “We have a mare, Lucky Long (Lookin at Lucky), that I claimed for $25,000 at Saratoga,” Slack said. “We shipped her down to Florida and she won $250,000 for us at Gulfstream. We retired her and the first year, we bred her to Malibu Moon.” The mare's first foal is stakes-placed Autumn Evening, who sold for $135,000 at the 2023 OBS April sale and has now earned $234,670 on the track. Lucky Long's 3-year-old, A. Z. Wildcat (Munnings) sold for $200,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September sale. “Her 3-year-old is with John Sadler at Santa Anita and there are high expectations for her,” Slack said. “Lucky Long is definitely going to be a Stoneriggs resident forever. And talking about tugging at the heart strings, when I sell one of hers, it tugs a little bit because we have such a long association with her. She was a very good mare and she won a lot of money for us. She used to try 110% every time she was out there.” Lucky Long | Ryan Thompson While the main focus of the operation is to sell its foals as yearlings, Slack admitted selling isn't limited to the summer and early fall. “I am a bit of a horse trader at heart, I've discovered,” he said. “So we sell horses year round. We sell a few weanlings and a few mares off the bottom. And we will sell a few short yearlings in January, two or three in February. But realistically, a large part of our business plan is that we will sell our yearlings in September.” Slack began consigning his homebreds under the Stoneriggs banner at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton July Sale. “We take our staff from the farm to work the consignment,” Slack said. “They know every intricacy of each horse. If people ask Martin Keogh, who is our manager, questions, we know everything about those horses because we have been around them since they were born. So we feel we are better equipped to sell them then most professional consignors.” Stoneriggs does not currently have any horses in training, but farm's colors might appear on the track sometime soon. “I do have some in pre-training,” Slack said. “Inevitably when you raise quite a few horses, there are some that you don't get sold at the yearling sales and so generally, we send them to Ocala to get broke and get them ready for the track. Some of them go to 2-year-old sales and we will be racing two or three of them in the future.” The family's passion for racing, which began in the 1800s, looks set to carry on to the next generation. “My son Elliot lives on the farm,” Slack said. “He is ex-military and needed a little time to decompress when he got out of the military and was looking for something to do. He really liked the farm life in Kentucky and so he moved up there. And he enjoys it tremendously.” Justify -Chart-filly-KS1-25KLD1830_KEEJAN25_PRINT-credit-Keeneland.jpg" alt="" width="1155" height="840" /> Co-session topping yearling by Justify at Keeneland January | Keeneland With frigid temperatures in Kentucky, Slack was ensconced in his Florida home for the season, but still was busy at work on the farm's mating plans for the spring. “I do most of the matings myself, just to keep my mind active,” he said. “And then when it's breeding season, I make the appointments at the breeding sheds, just to keep me busy and keep me active in the business.” Slack commended the staff at the farm for keeping things moving smoothly all through the year. “We have a very good staff, starting with Martin Keogh,” Slack said. “Being that I don't go to Kentucky in the winter, I have implicit faith in him to do everything. And all the other staff do a very good job.” Just four years into his unexpected entry into the Kentucky breeding scene, Slack is enjoying the ride. “I enjoy the farm and I like to see it do well and get a good name in the business,” he said. “I like to see how good the babies are that we raise on the farm and how everyone really is very complimentary about the way our horses are presented at auction. It's very exciting.” The post After Late Start, Slack has Stoneriggs Hitting Its Stride on all Fronts appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A multiple Group 1-winning jockey, Freddy Tylicki cruelly had his career in the saddle cut short when he was partially paralysed in a fall at Kempton back in October 2016. Nowadays, Tylicki is a familiar face on the sales circuit through his role as a bloodstock agent, as well as making regular appearances on our TV screens as a Sky Sports Racing pundit. In 2023, he added another string to his bow when he became a jockeys' agent, with two Flat riders currently on his books. Ambiente Friendly (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) almost achieved every bloodstock agent's dream for you when runner-up in last year's Derby. What was it about him that appealed to you when you first bought him? I first got a glimpse of him pre-breeze at the Craven and he caught my eye. He didn't disappoint in the main breeze where he showed his athleticism, balance and powerful stride. When I went to view him he oozed a touch of class, with a very genuine eye, and I felt that he was the one to get. How much of a thrill did you get out of the journey he took you on in 2024? Having been in the racing industry all of my life, I`m very aware of how rare and lucky it is to get your hands on a horse who ends up running in the Derby, never mind finishing second. Therefore, it has been an exciting and very enjoyable journey. We didn't see the best of Ambiente Friendly after his third-place finish in the Irish Derby. Do you still retain the belief in him? I've got great belief in the horse and I feel the upcoming turf season will be very fruitful for him and connections. He has been placed in two Classics, is a year stronger now, and will get every chance to set the record straight. What made you happiest in 2024? I became an uncle–my sister Madeleine gave birth to her daughter Romy. Tell us about one of your other roles as a jockeys' agent. Who do you currently have on your books? My role as a jockeys' agent is down to two jockeys, Tom Eaves and Rowan Scott. I enjoy that work as it keeps me in the loop and certainly up to date with runners, winners, sales, bloodstock, stats, etc. It's not an easy gig as you've got to be on the ball on a daily basis with trainers and owners in order to get winners and rides for your jockeys. Tom Eaves and I go a long way back and two years ago he asked me if I fancied looking after his rides. I thought I'd give it a go and that's how I got into it. They're two great lads and a pleasure to work with. I suppose that makes the job enjoyable and it gives me an even greater sense of satisfaction when they ride winners on horses that I sourced at the sales or privately. You also do a lot of media work for Sky Sports Racing. How does the adrenaline rush of presenting from a big meeting compare to when you were riding? Big meetings are always special for everyone as it provides a great atmosphere with top equine athletes competing at the highest level. It's a pleasure talking the viewers through your experiences and [to be able to] share the knowledge you gained throughout the years, using it to analyse a race. But when you've half a tonne underneath you going a little over 40mph and you gave it a peach of a ride to win, that is just adrenaline that hooks you for life. For me it's not comparable. What was your best day in the saddle? Winning the [G1] Prix de l'Opera on Speedy Boarding (GB) (Shamardal) and riding Savoir Vivre (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 2016. Give us a dark horse to follow for the year ahead? I'm looking forward to a two-year-old by Supremacy (Ire) out of Scat's Rose (Scat Daddy) who I purchased for Stetchworth and Middle Park Studs. He isn't named just yet. Who is the best value stallion with the start of the breeding season just around the corner? I was quite impressed by the first crop stats for Sands Of Mali (Fr) and I wouldn't hesitate in advising a client to send a mare to him. What would make 2025 a good year for you? Staying healthy and positive, living life and making the best of it. The post In The Hot Seat: Freddy Tylicki appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Canto Della Terra at Santa Anita. Kodiac Filly Thrives At Santa Anita The fourth time was the charm, as Canto Della Terra (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) made her American debut a winning one at Santa Anita for trainer Phil D'Amato last weekend (video). Bred by Tally-Ho Stud where her sire stands, the 3-year-old filly is owned by Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Rancho Temescal and Ed Orr. A €48,000 Tattersalls Ireland September yearling when picked up by Shamrock Thoroughbreds and Nigel O'Hare, the bay was second at Fairyhouse last June in the colours of O'Hare and the Kabin Racing Syndicate for trainer Ado McGuinness. Switched to trainer Donnacha O'Brien after being purchased by Orr, Medallion, Rancho Temescal and Weston, she ran second again, this time at Gowran Park a month later. Her Irish finale was a fifth-place run at Leopardstown in September before she was brought to the U.S. The daughter of Smart Bounty (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) is the fourth winner and final reported foal for her unraced dam, herself a half-sister to dual group winner Lovelace (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}). Kodiac has sired 45 winners from 85 runners (53%) in America, with 10 of those (12%) gaining stakes credentials. His six graded winners are anchored by GII City Of Hope Mile Stakes hero and GIII Thunder Road Stakes victor True Valour (Ire). Canto Della Terra loses her maiden tag impressively for @MedallionRacing & partners @santaanitapark today. Trained by @PhilDamato11 & ridden by Flavien Pratt this filly was purchased by @AvenueBstock @MillerJoe7 from @adomcguinness1! Many congratulations to all! pic.twitter.com/V0bWgPnfjd — Mark McStay (@mcstayagent) January 19, 2025 Repeat Winner Michael Ryan's Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) once again graces this column for a third time after her initial appearance following a 2024 victory in the GIII Long Island Stakes. Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., she won the GII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday (video). #3 BE YOUR BEST ($16.80) got to the lead in the stretch and held off a fast closing #10 Sacred Wish to win the $500,000 @TBAftercare Pegasus World Cup F&M Turf Invitational (G2) at @Gulfstream Park. @zayas_edgardo was up for @SaffieJosephJr. pic.twitter.com/uxPWvV5QHN — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 25, 2025 The post Making Waves: Terra Breaks New Ground In California appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

by Renee Geelen/Tom Baddock/TTR AusNZ Wootton Bassett (GB) continued his meteoric rise through the stallion ranks, supplying two of the top five highest priced lots on Day 1 of Karaka 2025, while the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Tom Magnier and Michael Freedman featured prominently on the buyers' list. Lot 6 – Wootton Bassett (GB) x Il Affare (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}), colt, NZ$725,000 The progeny of Wootton Bassett (GB) continued to be hot property on Day 1 of Karaka 2025, starting out where they left off at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Lot 6, a strapping bay colt from the draft of Curraghmore, was knocked down to a partnership between Michael Freedman, Tom Magnier and Mick Wallace for NZ$725,000. The collaboration between Coolmore's Magnier and Freedman to acquire a son of Wootton Bassett is hardly surprising. Freedman is responsible for training Pallaton (Aus) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who is currently the second favourite in G1 Golden Slipper betting after a dominant debut win at Randwick. At the same time, Coolmore is the majority stakeholder in the boom 2-year-old and Golden Slipper favourite, Wodeton (Aus) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). “We're very happy. We have bought in partnership with Coolmore, which is great,” Michael Freedman said. “It's nice to have them in the stable again. I just loved him, he reminded me a lot of the colt we have at home, Pallaton. We liked him from the first time we saw him. “I've obviously known Coolmore for quite some time and back in the day trained quite a few for them. Tom Magnier and I have been chatting for a while about trying to do something together and obviously, he's a colt by their stallion and it just worked out well. “I said after Pallaton's last win, I just love their (Wootton Bassett's progeny) temperament. They are very calm which is very important for 2-year-olds, especially a 2-year-old colt. He's a lovely moving horse and the stallion couldn't be going any better obviously.” Freedman once again made reference to the similarities between the progeny of Wootton Bassett (GB) and the almighty Danehill, indicating it was no surprise they had to go to NZ$725,000 to secure the colt. “We were fortunate enough to train a lot of Danehills back in the day and so many of his good ones used to have a really relaxed demeanour and that's what I've seen in Wootton Bassett's stock so far,” Freedman said. “I thought we'd have to go to about that (NZ$725,000), as I said, the stallion couldn't be going any better so I don't think you'll get them much cheaper.” Wootton Bassett's (GB) progeny averaged just over A$430,000 at the recent Magic Millions Yearling Sale, with his top lot selling for A$1.7m. Bred by Nearco Stud Limited, this colt is the first foal of Group 2 place-getter Il Affare (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}), which is a half-sister to Hong Kong Group 3 winner Full Of Beauty (Aus) (Darci Brahma {NZ}). Michael Freedman | NZB At A Glance The Day 1 aggregate of NZ$22,605,000 is down from last year's record of NZ$30,725,5000 and is on par with the 2023 first day figure of NZ$22,420,000. In 2025, of the 250 lots catalogued for the first day, 224 yearlings went through the ring compared to 215 in 2024. Sunday's average of NZ$172,557 was down on 2024's day 1 average of NZ$195,704, but is better than the previous two years with an average of NZ$160,143 in 2023, and NZ$159,067 in 2022. As with the other markers, the median finished lower at NZ$120,000, down from 2024's record of NZ$150,000, and this was also down on both 2023's median NZ$147,500 and 2022 at NZ$125,000. At the conclusion of Sunday's trade, the clearance rate with 164 lots sold sat at 73.6%, was higher than the 155 lots sold in 2024 at 73%, so vendors are meeting the market. Lot 6 was the Day 1 sale-topper selling to Michael Freedman/Tom Magnier/Mick Wallace for NZ$725,000, which is well down on the 2024 sale topping figure of N$1.6 million. The Wootton Bassett (GB) colt was sold by Curraghmore. Te Akau's David Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ) was the leading buyer by aggregate on Day 1, spending NZ$2.2 million on 12 yearlings at an average of NZ$168,333. This was down on his Day 1 leading spend of NZ$3.4 million in 2024 at an average of NZ$242,900. The leading buyer by average (three or more) was Hong Kong Jockey Club; they averaged NZ$436,670 on three yearlings. The leading vendor by aggregate was Curraghmore, who sold eight lots for a gross of NZ$2.4 million at an average of NZ$267,500, assisted by the top lot. The leading sire by aggregate is Proisir (Aus) whose 14 yearlings on Day 1 sold for NZ$2.55 million, while the leading sire by average (three or more sold) was Wootton Bassett (GB), with four yearlings averaging NZ$496,250. The leading first season sire was Cambridge Stud's Sword Of State (Aus), whose 11 sales on Day 1 grossed NZ$1.49 million at an average of NZ$139,450. Lot 168 – Too Darn Hot (GB) x On The Ball (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}), filly, NZ$675,000 Some of racing's biggest hitters joined in partnership to secure, lot 168, a stunning filly by Too Darn Hot (GB) for NZ$675,000. James Harron Bloodstock combined with Michael Freedman Racing's Filly Partnership and Aquis Farm's Tony Fung to buy the third foal of On The Ball (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}), who is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Swords Drawn (Aus) (Camelot {GB}) and already the producer of Group 1 performer Archaic Smile (Aus) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}). Harron revealed that the partnership had come to New Zealand particulally looking for a classic type. “She has been bought with Michael Freedman and also TFI in a filly partnership,” Harron said. “When we are looking for fillies over here, we are looking for what New Zealand fillies do well. You know, the mile to mile and a quarter type fillies and she certainly had that classic sort of look about her. “I love the attitude, nice long movement and she was very economical in everything she did. That's what we are really targeting. Throughout the year we will pick up our 2-year-old types but we wanted a diverse spread of fillies that can do different things. That was the idea behind the strategy with the group. She is very important to that strategy because she exemplifies everything we are looking for from the sale.” Bred by Bob Emery and offered by Curraghmore, lot 168 wasn't a typical Too Darn Hot according to Harron. “She probably had a little bit more scope and size compared to others by Too Darn Hot,” Harron said. “Breeding a mare by So You Think to Too Darn Hot might have been clever mating. They are very good at what they do at Curraghmore so I'm sure a lot of thought went into that. The cross worked with a good Saturday winner a couple of weeks ago. She's got the right farm behind her, the right pedigree and now we just need a bit of luck.” On The Ball (NZ) had a filly Ghaiyyath (Ire) last season, who stands at Darley's Northwood Park, Victoria. James Harron | Ashlea Brennan Lot 11 – Savabeel (Aus) x Indecision (NZ) (Per Incanto), colt, NZ$625,000 The Hong Kong Jockey Club got on the board early to secure lot 11, a bay colt by champion sire Savabeel (Aus) from Indecision (NZ) for NZ$625,000. While quite a late foal, being foaled on November 28, Boomer Bloodstock's Craig Rounsefell, who was buying on behalf of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, was in no doubt he was a horse of supreme quality. “He's an ideal colt for our program,” Rounsefell said. “He was a late November foal and just a later maturing type but just a beautiful horse. “He's a classy horse with a beautiful shape to him. He's a good mover, looks very sound and has a good temperament to him.” Bred by Trelawney Thoroughbreds, this colt is the third foal of multiple stakes winning mare Indecision, who is a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Viadana (NZ) (Towkay {Aus}). It is also the family of New Zealand Oaks placegetter Miss Selby (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) and recent Australian stakes performer Saltcoats (NZ) (Ardrossan {Aus}). Something that Rounsefell found very attractive. “He's off a fantastic farm in Trelawney Stud, one of the best pound-for-pound farms in New Zealand no doubt,” Rounsefell said. “He's from a lovely family, there is plenty of speed so he should suit Hong Kong down to the ground.” Indecision's first two foals, both colts by Snitzel (Aus), were sold for A$350,000 at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and NZ$400,000 at the 2024 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale, respectively. Both are winners, with the 2-year-old named Storm Front (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) winning impressively on debut at Ellerslie in October for Tony Pike. Indecision was not served last season. Lot 103 – Wootton Bassett (GB) x Matagouri (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), colt, NZ$600,000 Mick Price was over the moon to secure lot 103, a son of highly sought after Wootton Bassett (GB) for NZ$600,000. A bargain pick-up according to Price, who predicts the sire's progeny may be out of reach for many come the Inglis Easter sale. “If Wodeton wins the Golden Slipper and you are at Sydney Easter, I'd hate to be trying to buy a nice colt by Wootton Bassett,” Price said. “I liked him when I looked up and saw Australian $540,000 for a start! I think he is an amazing stallion. I was watching the whole story on Wootton Bassett; the guy buys him for $200,000 and then as a 12-year-old Coolmore buy him for $50 million. That can only mean one thing; that his stock go good.” Wootton Bassett (GB) has certainly taken a unique path to success. Under the training of Richard Fahey, he maintained an impressive unbeaten streak in his first four races in the UK, culminating his 2-year-old season with a win in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, which earned him the title of French champion 2-year-old. Initially, he stood at Haras d'Etreham in Normandy for a fee of €6,000 (AU$10,000), but his value has risen significantly since the debut of his first runners. From his initial crop of 23 foals, 15 became winners, including two stakes winners, with Almanzor (Fr) leading the charge as the G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner and G1 Champion and G1 Irish Champion Stakes winner, as well as the European champion 3-year-old. With continued success year after year from small crops, Wootton Bassett was eventually acquired by Coolmore in 2020 for an undisclosed sum. He has now sired 58 individual stakes winners globally and stood for a fee of A$192,500 in Australia in 2024, while his European fee this year is a whopping €300,000 (AU$498,000). Bred by Greg McCarthy and offered by Windsor Park Stud, this colt is the fourth living foal from Matagouri (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), who is already the dam of Group 3 winner Francesca (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}). He also hails from he family of Price's former top-class galloper Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}). “He's a beautiful colt, and a little from my family–Ayrton's family is down there on the page,” Price said. “He's a beautiful stud type of colt if we can get the right form with him. “One of my owners bred him, he's a good guy, he also bred Ayrton. I haven't spoken to him yet but I believe he's keeping 10%, Tom Magnier is keeping 10% so we've got 80% to go.” Wootton Bassett (GB) had four lots sell on Day 1 of Karaka 2025 for an average of NZ$496,250. Mick Price | NZB The post Wootton Bassett Commands Top Dollar At Karaka appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Kiwi rider will arrive during the meeting to partner star miler in next month’s Group One Gold Cup (2,000m).View the full article

Connections hopeful there is plenty more to come from talented four-year-old after his third consecutive success.View the full article

NZB’s National Yearling Sales Series started on the right note on Sunday, with a strong first day of trade for Book 1. At the close of selling for the opening session, a total of 163 lots sold for $26,665,000 at an average of $163,589, while the clearance rate reached 73%. The top lot was made early in the day with Lot 6, a colt by in-vogue stallion Wootton Bassett making $725,000. Bred by Nearco Stud and offered out of Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore draft, the colt was secured by the combination of Michael Freedman, Michael Wallace and Tom Magnier. “He’s a lovely athletic type, reminded me a bit of Pallaton,” commented Sydney-based trainer Michael Freedman. “We liked him the first time we saw him, we were very keen to try to buy him and it’s great to partner up with Coolmore. “There’s quite a bit of depth to the catalogue here, the Kiwi’s breed great racehorses. “We’ll see if we can get a few more before we go, particularly by stallions we can’t really access back in Australia.” The second biggest lot of Day One came when Lot 168, a filly by Too Darn Hot, sold for $675,000. Also offered by Curraghmore and purchased by Michael Freedman, this time in combination with James Harron and Tony Fung as part of a fillies partnership. “We were delighted to get her, she’s just a very classy filly, from a lovely family and a very exciting stallion. It all stacked up,” commented Australian-based agent James Harron. “She comes from a very good farm in Curraghmore, who just keep getting winner after winner. “It’s great to be back at Karaka. The horses do the talking, some superstars that we all dream about trying to get our hands on.” NZB Managing Director Andrew Seabrook was encouraged by the steady results and particularly excited about the diverse buying bench on the complex. “The range of buyers active today here at Karaka has been great to see. The complex has been busy over the past few days and to see that reflected in the sales ring is very satisfying.” “Last year’s Day One was exceptionally strong, featuring the $1.6 million top lot, and while we haven’t quite reached those numbers today, a look at previous Day One, Book 1 results shows that we are tracking very well.” Selling continues on Monday for Day Two of Book 1, where lots 251 – 480 will go through the ring from 10am (NZT) at Karaka. The Sale is televised live in New Zealand on SKY Country TV channel 81 (Book 1), Freeview Channel 200, as well as on NZB’s website, online bidding platform and Facebook page. For those watching from Australia, Book 1 is streamed live on Racing.com. Catch the highlights and Lot-by-Lot footage from Day One online here. View the full Book 1, Day One results here. Karaka 2025 Sale Statistics (as at end of selling) 2025 BOOK 1, DAY ONE 2024 BOOK 1, DAY ONE 2023 BOOK 1, DAY ONE 2022 BOOK 1, DAY ONE 2021 BOOK 1, DAY ONE AGGREGATE $26,665,000 $30,725,500 $22,420,000 $20,042,500 $17,047,500 AVERAGE $163,589 $195,704 $160,143 $159,067 $130,134 MEDIAN $120,000 $150,000 $147,500 $125,000 $100,000 CLEARANCE 73% 73% 73% 69% 73% CATALOGUED 250 240 220 220 200 OFFERED 223 215 192 184 176 SOLD 163 157 140 126 131 TOP LOT Lot 6 Wootton Bassett – Il Affare (B.C) $725,000 Lot 21 Proisir – Donna Marie (Ch.F) $1,600,000 Lot 59 Savabeel – Bayrock (B.C) $625,000 Lot 161 Savabeel – Chandelier (B.C) $1,000,000 Lot 94 Zoustar – Scintillula (B.F) $800,000 Karaka 2025: Book 1, Day One Top Lots Lot Sire Dam Sex Vendor Name Purchaser Price 6 Wootton Bassett Il Affare Colt Curraghmore Michael Freedman / Tom Magnier / Mick Wallace (NSW) $725,000. 168 Too Darn Hot On the Ball Filly Curraghmore James Harron Bloodstock Pty Ltd / Michael Freedman Racing / Tony Fung Filly Partnership (NSW) $675,000. 11 Savabeel Indecision Colt Trelawney Stud The Hong Kong Jockey Club (Hong Kong) $625,000. 103 Wootton Bassett Matagouri Colt Windsor Park Stud Mick Price Racing & Breeding (VIC) $600,000. 149 Satono Aladdin No More Doubt Colt Rich Hill Stud The Hong Kong Jockey Club (Hong Kong) $525,000. 18 Proisir Irish Colleen Colt Haunui Farm Tartan Meadow Bloodstock (Hong Kong) $450,000. 169 Satono Aladdin On the Move Colt Landsdowne Park Patella Bloodstock (Waikato) $400,000. 127 Proisir Moonlover Filly Kilgravin Lodge Group 1 Bloodstock Pty Ltd (VIC) $380,000. 154 Hello Youmzain Nucleonic Colt Phoenix Park Tartan Meadow Bloodstock (Hong Kong) $375,000. 188 Per Incanto Parmalove Filly Inglewood Stud Go Racing / Blandford Bloodstock (Auckland) $375,000. View the full article

There are five horse racing meetings set for Australia on Monday, January 27. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Warwick Farm. Monday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – January 27, 2025 Warwick Farm Racing Tips As always, there are plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans. Check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on January 27, 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

Wins aboard Sunlight Power, Magnifique, Yuen Long Elite and Gorgeous Win cap a historic week for champion jockey.View the full article

Driver Penalties J Abernethy | Kapiti Coast 21 January; careless driving; fined $225. C Dalgety | Marlborough 19 January (heard NZ Metropolitan 24 January); careless driving; fined $250. K Green | Riverton 26 January; late to arrive at start area; fined $200. Trainer Penalty C Ferguson | Forbury Park 22 January; failed to affix gear so as not to come adrift; fined $100. Horse Penalties CODY BANNER | Forbury Park 22 January; atrial fibrillation; veterinary clearance including ECG required and must complete trial. NICKEL AND DIME | NZ Metropolitan 24 January; broke in running; must complete trial. THE HIGHWAYMAN | NZ Metropolitan 24 January; broke in score up; must complete mobile start trial. BONJOUR PARIS | Methven 26 January; broke in running; must complete trial. RIPSLINGER | Methven 26 January; lame; veterinary certificate required. GOLD NUGGET | Methven 26 January; broke in running; must complete trial. LILAC LUXURY | Methven 26 January; refused to score up; must complete mobile start trial. DRAGONESS | Riverton 26 January; broke in score up; must complete mobile start trial. TILLABERI | Riverton 26 January; broke in running; must complete trial. OUR SUPERFUND | Riverton 26 January; broke in running; must complete trial. MOMENT OF WHAT | Riverton 26 January; broke in running; must complete trial. RATA | Riverton 26 January; late scratching on veterinary advice; veterinary clearance required. MATAURA B B | Riverton 26 January; broke in running; must complete trial. Protest LILAC LUXURY | Methven 26 January; unsatisfactory manners prior to start; declared a non-runner. The post 20-26 January 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Trainer Penalty P Ferguson | Non raceday dated 23 January; failed to present runner free of prohibited substance; fined $1,500 ($500 suspended for 12 months). Dog Penalty GOLDSTAR HARMONY | Christchurch 24 January; unsatisfactory performance; must complete trial. Protest GOLLY GOSH RAJA | Waikato 24 October; raced with prohibited substance in system; disqualified from 8th. The post 20-26 January 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

What Warwick Farm Races Where Warwick Farm Racecourse – 2 Hume Hwy, Warwick Farm NSW 2170 When Monday, January 27, 2025 First Race 1:15pm AEDT Visit Dabble Public Holiday racing returns to Warwick Farm on Monday afternoon, with a massive eight-race program lined up for the Australia Day long weekend. The Listed Australia Day Cup (2400m) headlines the action as the rail returns to the true position for the entire circuit, and although the track is rated a Soft 5 at the time of acceptances, more scattered showers could mean a downgrade into the Soft 6 or 7 range at some stage. All the action is scheduled to get underway at 1:15pm AEDT. Australia Day Cup Tip: Tajanis A mid-race move proved a winning tactic for Tajanis in his latest outing at Rosehill on January 18, claiming a dominant 5.5-length victory over fellow progressive stayer, Gilded Water. He relished every inch of the 2400m journey on that occasion, and although this Listed feature is deeper than what he faced in that BM78, the son of Australia has always shown potential black-type quality since his arrival. He gets in nicely here on the minimum 53kg, and with Zac Lloyd set to gain an economical run from stall three, Tajanis should get every chance to figure in the 2025 Australia Day Cup. Australia Day Cup Race 7 – #9 Tajanis (3) 5yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: Zac Lloyd (53kg) +200 with Neds Best Bet at Warwick Farm: Automne Tree The Chris Waller-trained Automne Tree hit the line well, debuting at Canterbury on January 17, and was given little chance to figure after being dragged back to last. He then sustained a long run on the three-wide line heading into the home straight, whacking away gallantly in defeat behind stable companion Gatekeeper. The 1400m should be ideal for The Autumn Sun gelding, provided he can slot in for cover from gate 11. Automne Tree can make amends second-up at a good price with BlondeBet. Best Bet Race 3 – #1 Automne Tree (11) 3yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (57.5kg) +400 with BlondeBet Next Best at Warwick Farm: Everybody Rise Everybody Rise has been a shade disappointing in his two starts this preparation but appears set to peak third-up into the campaign. He didn’t have much luck in a slowly run race in his latest outing at Wyong on New Year’s Eve, closing to within two lengths of Fly Scotty Fly. James McDonald gets legged aboard this time around, and with a more positive position in the run from barrier six, Everybody Rise can repay the faith at a nice price with horse racing bookmakers. Next Best Race 1 – #3 Everybody Rise (6) 3yo Gelding | T: Peter Snowden | J: James McDonald (56kg) +400 with Picklebet Best Value at Warwick Farm: Seven’s Seven’s makes his Australian debut after a 161-day spell, and the undefeated French import represents terrific each-way value with Dabble. The two-time winner posted an eye-catching barrier trial at Randwick on January 14 heading into this first-up assignment, and although the 1600m could be short of his best trip, the son of Bated Breath brings an element of class to this BM64 contest. He appears well-weighted courtesy of the 3kg claim of apprentice Braith Nock, and with even luck in running, expect Seven’s to give a good account of himself at his first start on Australian soil. Best Value Race 6 – #1 Seven’s (10) 4yo Gelding | T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | J: Braith Nock (a3kg) (62kg) +1500 with Dabble Monday quaddie tips for Warwick Farm Warwick Farm quadrella selections January 27, 2025 1-2-3 1-4-7-11 1-7-9 4-5-8-9-16 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

New Zealand-based syndicator Go Racing have gone back to the proven well at Karaka to source what they hope to be their next champion juvenile. They went to $190,000 to secure last season’s New Zealand Champion Two-Year-Old Velocious out of Inglewood Stud’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft, and the daughter of Written Tycoon took her syndicate on the ride of a lifetime. She carried the Go Racing silks to victories in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) and Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) before her breakthrough elite-level victory in Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m). In the midst of Velocious’ rise, Go Racing went to $300,000 at last year’s Karaka sales to purchase her Dundeel half-sister Alacritous and repeated the dose at Karaka on Sunday when going to $375,000 to secure her Per Incanto half-sister (lot 188). “We are absolutely rapt that we have bought her,” Go Racing General Manager Matt Allnutt said. “We were prepared to go a wee bit further. She is a queen of a filly and we are rapt to carry on our association with the family and Inglewood Stud.” While Allnutt said the Per Incanto filly has many similarities to her successful sister, he believes their recent purchase is a better type. “Velocious was a big, scopey filly in the same mould as this filly,” he said. “I think this is actually a nicer type. Being by Written Tycoon, Velocious is a wee bit long and that potentially put a few people off. “I just think this is an absolutely cracking filly and we will hopefully have a bit of fun with her in the future.” Like Velocious and Alacritous, the Per Incanto filly is set to be trained by Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh. “She will almost certainly be trained by Stephen,” Allnutt said. “He does a great job with our horses. We have had a long association with him, and we are happy to continue that relationship.” Meanwhile, Alacritous has shown a lot of promise to date for Marsh, according to Allnutt, and is set to make her debut in the coming months. “She had a trial just before Christmas,” Allnutt said. “We thought about pushing on and having a crack at getting into the Karaka Millions because she is precocious, but we really wanted to give her a second trial and there weren’t any trials for her for a month, so we decided to give her a bit if time out. “She is pre-training now and will come back into the stable soon. She will race as a two-year-old.” As reported earlier in the week, Velocious is making a pleasing return for Marsh after undergoing a wind operation last year following two sub-par performances early in her three-year-old term. “She had a jumpout last week and will have a quiet trial next week,” Allnutt said. “She will have two trials and then will be back and ready to race, all going well.  “Her breathing was really good in the jumpout last week and she certainly hasn’t lost any of her speed. We were more than happy with what she did and are really looking forward to the future with her.” View the full article

The colts had taken centre-stage on the opening day at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale before lot 168, a well-bred daughter of Too Darn Hot, entered the Karaka auditorium and was knocked down for $675,000 to the bid of bloodstock agent James Harron. Presented through the draft of Curraghmore, the filly is out of So You Think mare On The Ball, who was a placegetter at two, while her half-brother Swords Drawn is a multiple-Group Three performer, with Group Three winner Vigor Winner also in the family. On The Ball has swiftly made her mark as a broodmare, producing Group One performer Archaic Smile, and Roadcone, who has won two from four in Australia. Harron combined with Sydney trainer Michael Freedman and Tony Fung to form a fillies’ partnership to secure the filly. “All the team loved her and she is the one we all came together on,” Harron said. “She is just a very classy filly from a lovely family, a very exciting stallion from a very good farm in Curraghmore who just keeps getting winner after winner. A lovely filly with a lovely profile, it all stacked up and we were glad to get her.” While scouting fillies to purchase at Karaka, Harron indicated they were aiming to source an Oaks-type in favour of the early juvenile prospects. “When we are looking for the fillies over here, we are looking for what New Zealand does well and that is the mile, mile-and-a-half fillies who can maybe get over that Oaks distance,” he said. “She certainly had that classic look about her. She had a lovely attitude, nice long movement, very economical in how she did everything. “Through the year, we will pick up our two-year-old types. We wanted a more diverse spread of fillies that are going to do different things and that was the idea behind the strategy with the group before the start of this year. “She is very important to that strategy because she exemplifies everything we are looking for at this sale. She’s a lovely filly who has got that classic look with the right farm behind her and the right pedigree, let’s just hope we get a bit of luck.” View the full article

Wootton Bassett was in vogue at Karaka on Sunday, with two of the top lots in the opening session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale sired by the Coolmore stallion. Just six lots in, a colt by the boom European sire, from Curraghmore’s draft, was knocked down to the $725,000 bid of Michael Freedman, Michael Wallace and Tom Magnier, the latter standing Wootton Bassett and owning his current Gr.1 Golden Slipper (1200m) favourite Wodeton. He is the first foal out of Nearco Stud mare Il Affare, a daughter of Dundeel who placed in the Gr.2 Royal Stakes (2000m), alongside fourth placings in the Gr.2 David and Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m). While Il Affare was a capable stayer, her Group Three-winning half-sister Full Of Beauty earned more than HK$9.5 million in Hong Kong in the 1000m-1200m range. Sydney-based Freedman was immediately taken by the colt, who will continue a long-term association with Magnier’s Coolmore. “I just loved him,” Freedman said. “He’s a lovely moving horse and the stallion couldn’t be going any better. “We’ve known the Coolmore boys for a long time and back in the day, we trained quite a few for them. Tom and I have been chatting for a little while about trying to do something together and obviously he is by their stallion. “He was a colt that he really liked, so it just worked out well.” A fan of the sire, Freedman had anticipated the price and expects that to be the standard with his progeny going forward. “The stallion couldn’t be going any better and I don’t think they’re going to get any cheaper,” he said. “I think there’s 17 of them in the Easter catalogue in a couple of months’ time, so it was about what we thought we’d have to pay. “We were fortunate enough to have a lot to do with Danehills back in the day and so many of his good ones just had that really relaxed demeanour, and that’s what I’ve seen of his (Wotton Bassett) stock that I’ve had so far.” Later in the day, Cranbourne horseman Mick Price, who trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr, was also eager to source a colt by the Coolmore sire and was pleased to have the gavel knocked down to his $600,000 bid for lot 103, the Wootton Bassett half-brother to Group Three winner Francesca, who was offered through Windsor Park’s draft. “I liked it when I looked up and saw A$540,000,” quipped Price, in reference to the exchange rate. “I think he (Wootton Bassett) is an amazing stallion. We watched the whole story on him – the guy (Bobby O’Ryan) buys him for $200,000 and as a 12-year-old Coolmore buy him for $50 million. It can only be one thing – because his stock goes well.” Price was also taken by his dam-side pedigree, with his Group Three winner Ayrton featuring further down the page, and he believes the colt has the potential for a future career at stud. “He is a beautiful colt, and Ayrton is in the family,” Price said. “He is a beautiful stud-type of colt if we can get the right form with him. “One of my owners, Greg McCarthy, who bred Ayrton, bred him. I haven’t spoken with him yet, but I believe he is keeping 10 percent, Tom Magnier is keeping 10 percent, so we have got 80 percent to go.” Price was also pleased to secure lot 58, a son of his former Group One winner Tarzino, for $180,000 out of Westbury Stud’s draft. “He (Tarzino) was one of my boys, I was very fond of him,” Price said. “I have spoken with Westbury (Stud, who stand Tarzino) about how to breed that horse, and I think if you breed Tarzino to the sharper mares you get a better horse. “Jungle Magnate (Group One winner) we bought off Gerry (Harvey, Westbury Stud principal) for $75,000 and he’s out of a mare that had a bit of a turn of foot. I think they are the right Tarzinos, so I was happy to have him. “I paid a little more for him than I would have liked, but he is a late foal, and he is staying here (New Zealand).” View the full article

The Gr.1 Australian Oaks at Randwick in April is part of an ambitious autumn plan for one of the country’s most promising fillies Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio). The Gr.3 Carbine Club Stakes winner, who went on to a luckless second in the Gr.1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield in November, is back in work at Chris Waller’s Rosehill stables and is building up to a return to the races in the first week of March, according to managing owner Denise Martin. Purchased by Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds from Rich Hill Stud for NZ$180,000 at Karaka two years ago, Aeliana has been set the task of a Gr.1 Surround Stakes (1400m) first-up at Randwick on March 1, on her way to possible run in the $1 million Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 12. In between, a run in the Gr.2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) on March 15 and the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 29 are likely. Martin said this week that while the program will surely test the Castelvecchio filly, who progressed from Benchmark grade in the spring, she is confident Aeliana will excel as she rises in distance. “Chris has a very interesting program in mind at the moment and it’s a very exciting one,” Martin said. “It starts off with the Surround on the first of March and possibly a fortnight later in the Phar Lap and if that went well, she could progress to the Vinery and then ultimately the Oaks if she was handling things well. “We’ve had some wonderful fillies and mares over the time in this business such as Driefontein, Danglissa, Invincibella, Foxplay, Espiona, etc… and this filly may be the best of them all in terms of ultimate achievement as she should get the chance at a number of Group One races across her career.” When Martin purchased Aeliana as a yearling, she was thinking she might get to 2000 metres, but a post-race conference with Waller and race rider James McDonald has convinced her an Oaks trip is within her range. “At Caulfield that day Chris said he had every confidence that she can progress to an Oaks and James was of the same opinion and until you try it, you really don’t know,” Martin said. Martin is on her way to the Karaka sales this week and there is one young horse who is sure to be marked in her book in Lot 351. She is a half-sister to Aeliana, by Proisir. View the full article

Weigh In is live from the NZB Karaka Sales Complex to review all the action of the TAB Karaka Millions race night and get all the latest news, straight from the horse’s mouth. Weigh In – Karaka Special View the full article